My beautiful mom's birthday

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I hope you have a great day! I hope you have an AMAZING year! You are a woman, whom I look up to! Therefore you deserve the best birthday ever!

You are strong. You are loving. You are kind. You are soft-hearted. You are beautiful. You are hard working, but most of all, YOU ARE LOVED AND APPRECIATED!!!

I cherish every moment that I can spend time with you, because you are my hero. My Superwoman. You were strong for me, when I couldn't be strong for myself and you loved me unconditionally. You fought for me and I am so thankful for that, my gratitude can never be put into words!

I am blessed to have such an amazing mom like you. Thank you for being my mom. I am proud to call you my mom.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her" -George Washington

The older you get, the more beautiful you become! I strive to be like you.

I hope you have a splendid day. Wish I was there to spend it with you!

Why I hate shopping

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Today, we braved the dangerous world of malls. I don't get to see the mall a lot and will get a heart attack if I do.

I needed some clothes for the cold winter coming our way here in South-Africa, especially at my university. The gusting winds cuts right through your warm clothes like it's nothing here. Therefore, me and my mom braved the dangerous world called, The Mall (shark music playing in the background).

The reason why it is so horrible, is because my mom and I have different ideas of what clothes would look good on me. I am very difficult and picky about clothes I want to wear, she is not. I would prefer to shop on my own. I also know where to find exactly what I want, I don't want to walk in EVERY SINGLE SHOP. But I am truly grateful for all the beautiful clothes my mom has bought me today:

I also think there should be rules, while shopping in a mall:

• Keep left, pass right (like the traffic rules)
• Chats should NOT happen in the middle of the way. Catch up with old friends at coffee shops, please. (Support the economy, while catching up).
• Yes, you have a trolley. No, you cannot walk with it down an aisle which is the same size.
• Keep left, pass right!
• This is not holiday season, walk faster.
• Strong spiced food are not to be eaten in shops with little to no-ventilation. 
• Wear suitable clothes. Your sister's clothes is too small for you and not everyone appreciates it to see butts hanging out. 
• Do not drag your feet. You are here to shop, not to ice skate.
• When in a queue, allow personal space to the people in front of you. No one wants to smell last nights dinner.
• Keep left, pass right.

I told my mom that I only want to see the mall again in two years time. Before that, I will wear torn and old clothes.

"The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her." -Marcelene Cox

Attacked by a dog

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Today my mom, sister and I took our dogs for a walk, which they absolutely loved. They are always attempting to escape our garden. So, this walk was freedom x 10000.

*Petite Peu and Benji

The dogs tired easily, because they are unfit due to the reason that we don't go and walk with them a lot.

In our complex, there are lots of dogs and they bark at everything even at an ant walking in front of them. So, when we entered the complex, the dogs started barking loudly. Our dogs are very small but can get very arrogant against big dogs, when we know they will come second to these dogs.

We were almost at our house when suddenly a huge dog jumped over his wall. I couldn't believe my eyes and he ran straight at us and was aiming for Petite Peu, the black dog. My sister luckily ran to the house, while we were fending off this big dog.

All I could think of was to get PP away from the big dog, so I picked her up by her leash and was holding her in my arms. The big dog's mouth went over PP's head, but she didn't bite because I pulled her away. My mom kept screaming "NO!" at the dog. I wasn't even worried about myself getting bitten by the dog, I just wanted to protect my dog.

It is really strange how we react in a crisis. My sister ran, my mom screamed and I just tried to save my dog. Luckily none of us got hurt, not even PP, who was so arrogant against this big dog.

This big dog that attacked us, is to large for our complex environment. The dogs are not supposed to be higher than knee height, this dog was about hip height. HE CAN JUMP OVER WALLS! That scared the living crap out of me!

It was scary, but I'm just glad that no one got hurt.

*Petite Peu stands for 'little bit' in French. She was supposed to be way smaller than she is, but we still love her and Benji, all the same, even if they are arrogant towards very large dogs!

What a merry Christmas it was!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I wish all my readers a very merry Christmas, I hope you got everything that you wanted!

I am going to do a photo post of my last two days spent with family.

At Cinderella Kids

We went to see Cinderella at the People's theater in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

Dad and sis at Cinderella Kids

My sister also got invited on stage because she had her birthday a few days ago.

Go see my post Li'l sis is 5

Sister on stage

Later, that evening Santa paid a visit to our house, ate my sister's cookies and drank her milk and left a letter.

PROOF!

Opening presents

Then today we spent it with the rest of the family.

Mom and dad

Our table is set

Grandma, me & Petite Peu

Sister look fashionable

Grandma & Grandpa

Opening presents

A delicious duck on the braai

Colouring in

Mom and Aunt Debbie

BRAAI

It was really a day well spent with family! One of the best I had so far. I got everything I wanted and more! I am very grateful for my family.

My reconstructed family

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

My family at a breast cancer walkathon

I have a very interesting family. In this photo there is my mom, my stepdad and my half sister. My sister and I differ 15 and a half years.

I have an amazing stepdad. He came into our lives when I was 9 years old. He is the best cook, He never complains when he has to come and fetch me somewhere or has to drop me off. He is the best dad I could've ever asked for. I have also been calling him Dad since I was 15.

My mom is my inspiration in life. She is strong and independent. There is no hurdle is life, which she cannot overcome, if I was the hurdle i would scream running, because my mom is fearless. Words can never explain what a mother does for her children. My sister and I are lucky to have her. My mom also has her own blog, Momagain@40 (http://momagain40.blogspot.com/) Please check it out. My mom is also very involved in the media and social media, one day I want to grow up and be like her.

Then there is my babysister, she is 5 years old. She is the cutest and most sassiest kid I ever met. I love her to bits. She is the product of my mom and stepdad. She is also very smart and very active.

Please feel free to leave a comment :)