A few pics of our christmas

Kim and I just thought we would put a couple of pics on as it's now Christmas time and we have been snapping away with Mitchel! Its so damn hot here in Madikwe but luckily have been cooling off with the afternoon thunder showers on most days and have been making good use of the pool! Summer holidays in South Africa! Braai, swim, if you cant get to the beach and drink and chill! Lekker Man!

It was our first Christmas off in a few years so we enjoyed it a lot! Unfortunately we didn't go away but with Mitchel it was just easier staying at home, so we went on lots of game drives and too Mitchel along, hes pretty good in the vehicle and only makes noise when I stop, which makes being in lion sightings a little difficult as they pick up on the noise that he is making and become quite interested! But we still had a good time and got some great piccies!

Awesome Madikwe Sunset!

Got this pic in the Garden!

 



Brown veined whites migrating

 



 

 



This little Ground Squirrel was quite keen on getting his picture taken!

 



 



Because its been so hot we have been in the pool every day! But its great with a beer to go in with and we even got Mitchel in, He loves it! Proper water baby!

We headed out to Molatedi  Dam for the day! We weren't that prepared and should have taken some shade along with us! So we did it African style, Kid under the car and braai going on the tailgate! Eish was it hot! Dogs had a absolute Jol! Chasing cows and running in the water, when we got back home they were Knacked!

Jaz and Makka running themselves ragged!

 



Molatedi Dam, Nice flat open area for the dogs to run around!

 

 



Mitchel chilling under the car in the only shade for miles! Note the nappy on my head!

Hot as hell! while I braai some wors for a roll!

 

Makka and Jaz jolling in the water!

 

 



Nice family pic! Our first Family Pic!

 

 

Kim and Mitchel at Maokeng pan

We headed out on a late afternoon game drive down to a quiet waterhole for a drink and a few pics

 

Nice Pic Aubrey! granny Elona in Yellow!

 

A Christmas elf...lol

 

The long and winding road!

 

 

Christmas Day-Merry Christmas!!!

 

Well, that has been our Christmas leave, nice and relaxed! I am doubting that we will have a heinous party to go to for New Years Eve! Which is fine,  would suit us if we had a little braai and went to bed after a few drinks!

 

We all hope that you had a great Christmas! Where every you are and what ever you are doing!

Merry Christmas! and have a happy and prosperous 2013

 

Love Kim, Brad, Mitchel, Makka and Jaz! 

 

 

 

 















Baby Mitchel

On the 30 October 2012 Kim gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Mitchel who was born at 14:37pm, not so happy, but healthy! There were no serious complications and Kim and Mitchel both recovered quickly!

Mitchel took some getting used to at first, feeding and bathing, and all the rest that goes with having a new baby and being first time parents! He is truly a gift! A loud one at that as a few days after being born when Kim came out of the hospital he discovered that he had a set of lungs! and he is putting them to good use!


Mom and Kim with Mitchel, still under 24 hrs old!

 

bath time!

 

first time outside in the garden...

 

looks like he has his fathers feet?!?!

 

 

Mitchel chilling in his baby hammock that Auntie Nicca gave to him, by the looks of it he digs it stukkend!

 

feeding time, such a little amount when he is this size,only 50ml at a time, and 8 times a day!



 

Kim having a bit of outside time with Mitchel. At this point he is only a few days old!

 

A very proud Dad!

 



 

Our Little Mitchel is growing quick, and we cant imagine life without him now! will post some more pics some time soon again when he gets bigger....now the real fun begins, but what a great welcome to wonderfully awesome scary amazing thing called parenthood!

 

 



 

 

World Rhino Day 22nd September

We just had our World Rhino Day on the 22nd and there is a buzz around the Rhino Poaching Crisis that is sweeping through Southern Africa. So far we are sitting on the 388 mark for this year in South Africa alone!

So to Raise awareness the North West Parks and Tourism Board held the Madikwe Rhino Day in the Reserve. A short talk was done by Declan Hofmeyr, our Head Park Warden, followed by some Q&A.

The Madikwe Field Rangers did a exhibition as how the operation is carried out when apprehending Poachers and dealing with them swiftly! Thanks to the volunteers who played that part of the poachers! I took a few pics of the guys doing their thing!

Declan Doing a short talk.

Quite a few lodges attended the exhibition!

Thanks to Morrukurru who sponsored the Rhino that was painted white and signed by guests and staff, this was used in the poaching exercise and to get guests and staff to pledge!

Poachers coming in for the Kill!

APU responding after they have heard the gun shots from the poachers

Poachers returning Gunfire and retreating

Stopper team responding as they chase the poachers back to the carcass!

APU apprehending the poachers!

Poachers being searched!

Lining the guys up, Eat some dirt in the process!

Thanks to The Madikwe Field Rangers for the great Job that they are doing! Keep up the good work!!!! I think that the guests that were there have now seen exactly what goes into trying to keep OUR HOME SAFE !!!! Hope they will now spread the word and make other people aware of the issues and problems associated in trying to keep Madikwe and other parks poacher free!

preggie pics

Things have been going well for Kim and I and we have now made the change from being over at Tau to Just at Matla lodge, we are hoping that this will work out well for us. This will give us some time to get on top of things with our new addition, Mitchel. We had a good friend stay with us for a few weeks as he was helping us out with some freelance guiding work at Tau, as a thank you he decided to do some pregnant pics for Kim and I. As it happened we grabbed a few things and had a young elephant at the waterhole which played along for us.

Kim now has only 5 weeks to go and she is due on the 30th October. Time is coming soon now, We are both very excited but a bit on the nervous side and hope all works out well.

Being accross at Matla will give us a bit more time to concentrate on the other little things that also matter in life.

Just a few pics from the last year or so

Just a few old pics I wanted to post.

Kim and I at Blyde River Canyon, what an awesome view!!!

Modeling for Teesav! We were waiting to look at a game capture that parks board was conducting in the esatern side of Madikwe. Kim was snapping away! Vey cool day!

Look close, you can see the buffalo getting chased into the loading ramp to get them on the truck!

Kim snapping away, with the pilot chasing buffalo through to the truck, we were sitting on the roof of the truck. this is not an easy thing to do as the buffalo get easily spooked and stressed. Eventually they did co-operate!

This is where we spent our honeymoon. Mdumbe river mouth in the former Transkei(Eastern Cape). What a lovely spot, a little peice of paradise!

A very interesting place, Raptors view, Owned and Run By "Spud" and his wife, awesome people who have a very interesting pub/house. They have been down in the Transkei for the last 30 odd years. So much stuff in the pub to look at! Kim looks like she is loving the hug! LOL

The Transkei, great scenery hey, rolling green hills and multi coloured mud huts...and then there's the Transkei "Big 5"- Donkey, pig, dog, chicken and cow! If you have driven through the Kei you will know what I mean...They are everywhere!



Makka chasing Jaz around the garden, classic action shot!