Monster Jam at Ford Field...

On the last full weekend in February, Riaan and I set our feet inside Detroit's large stadium, Ford Field, for the first-time ever. But this was not for American Football. It was for monster trucks!

Good friends had invited us to join them in witnessing this Monster Jam event, filled with action and adventure. Riaan had an absolute blast, roaring with approval as the trucks leaped metres into the air! :)

Really cool mural as we approach the stadium.

The exterior of the main entrance at Ford Field.

Monster trucks all lined up and ready to go!

It was LOUD in that stadium!

Megalodon after a crash.

Jurassic Attack on its run...

Before it too came undone and lost a wheel in the process.

Zombie entertains the crowd.

New South African Passports...

These two received their brand-new South African passports in the mail recently. They were both pretty excited - but I think I was even more excited to see these important documents safely home. It took just four months from the time we sent off their applications to the new passports coming back from the Embassy of South Africa (after being processed in Pretoria, South Africa). So very thankful!

Lego Endurance...

I picked up this amazing Lego set late last year, as an early birthday present. The Endurance was the ship that took Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team down to Antarctica in 1914 on the ill-fated on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The ship became stuck in the ice of the Weddell Sea and eventually went down months later in November 1915. Remarkably, all the crew survived - after an epic journey across frozen seas and in open boats.

The story of Shackleton and his expedition captured my imagination when I was much younger, and it was exciting that Lego released the Endurance as a set - two years after the actual ship was discovered below the Weddell Sea. (By an expedition team, I might add, onboard the SA Agulhas II - the same ship on which Candace and I sailed to Tristan da Cunha back in 2013.) For more on Shackleton's adventure, I highly recommend the book Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing.

Expedition photographer Frank Hurley captures his famous photo of Endurance. :)

The Lego Endurance trapped in the snow and ice of Metro Detroit.

Date Night...

Candace and I enjoyed a rare date night on Saturday, 22nd February. We drove down to Adrian, Michigan, where we caught a show featuring 1,000 Hours Outside and social media personality, Really Very Crunchy. It was really good fun and we both laughed so much!

Beautiful sunset on our drive down to Adrian.

We drove past a herd of at least 80 deer - the largest amount we've ever seen all together!

The show featured music by husband and wife duo, This Way Home. He's the lead singer of Christian rock band Sanctus Real.

Really Very Crunchy.

1,000 Hours Outside.

Everyone on the stage.

Candace and I in the foyer - before we headed back to Detroit.

Wallace and Gromit at the Henry Ford Museum...

We were so excited when church friends invited us along to the Henry Ford Museum recently. The reason? There was an interactive Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep exhibition, Shear Genius, on display from February 2nd all the way till April 20th. The children had cracking good fun looking at all the exhibits and playing out various scenes from their favourite claymation TV shows.

The visit to the museum also afforded me the opportunity to browse around the permanent exhibits, such as Masters of Flight, agriculture, trains, American motor cars, and more. Particularly poignant was seeing the presidential limousine in which JFK was assassinated in 1963.

Henry Ford Museum on a chilly Detroit day.

We were so excited to see this!

The top of the space rocket from A Grand Day Out.

The children explore all the nifty features.

The coin-operated robot in the distance.

A scene from Wallace and Gromit's kitchen.

Anya enjoyed being the postman...

Riaan tried on the wrong trousers...

While Eliza needs to watch out for Preston behind her!

Arranging Bitzer's facial expressions.

Riaan with Shaun the Sheep.

A selfie with the Farmer, my favourite character in Shaun the Sheep.

Exploring the museum. A replica of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis.

The Fokker F.VII Tri-Motor plane from the Byrd Arctic Expedition in 1926.

Wright Brothers display, including a bike that they used in a wind tunnel to test drag.

Replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer.

Other exhibits included an 1800s cabin scene, complete with spinning wheel.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.

1914 Model T Ford.

Lotus Indy Car.

Massive train snowplough.

Old train carriages.

VW Bus.

The vehicle in which JFK was assassinated.

Eliza's Seventh Birthday!

Our middle child wrapped up our season of birthdays by turning seven last month. I took her out for her traditional birthday hot chocolate in the morning, and then in the afternoon she had invited friends to join her for a playdate in the church hall. During the day she received calls from family in South Africa, Scotland, and Indiana, and she also enjoyed opening presents and cards from around the world. We are so thankful for our sweet girl.

As always, here was her special day a year ago. :)

A card from overseas.

Her brother gave her this special drawing.

Opening presents.

Anya coloured this picture for Eliza.

Enjoying hot drinks at a nearby coffee shop.

The girls playing a board game together.

Big playdate in the church hall.

Time for cake...

And birthday biscuits! Happy birthday, Eliza!