Impromptu Reading

Alexander and I have been reading and really enjoying the Famous Five. We have just finished our third book and he was anxious for another one. I bought a 10 pack last year on special and have hidden them so they just come out one at a time.

(As an aside- this is the first time I have read these books, and as a parent I am astounded at the amount of time Anne, Julian and Dicks mother and father let them stay at their Aunt and Uncles house - every holiday so far for two years and they go to boarding school. Seems weird to me, but they are involved in an unnatural amount of adventures - usually due to a bad decision by Uncle Quentin - but I digress)

Today I had the next book and decided to make a bit of a game of it. I wrote out 20 notes which created a treasure hunt for the book. Each one directed him to the next note - usually at the opposite end of the house or garden. We had a great time and the anticipation built with every note (as he was unaware there were 20). The best thing was he was reading each note - and excitedly looking for the next one. I didn't hear a moan or a whinge about it - it was really natural and he wanted to know what they said and really tried. The best reward was finding the book and sharing that special time together reading it.

Sport

We enjoyed a balmy night at the local oval for twighlight sports. While it is all about the houses and showing support (we are in green house - Frazer as in Dawn) the preps - 2's wa all about participation and they had a great time

grow

We had to cut our large shade bearing lemon tree back to bare bones because it was infested with little wasps that creates bulbs on the branches to feed and breed. It doesn't affect the tree as such but ours stopped fruiting, so the only way to get rid of it is to cut it out. Which we did. Now the tree is coming back to life.
I think this tree is a bit of an analogy to my life at the moment - the only way I can get rid of the bad stuff that festers - is to cut it out and concentrate my energies on growing.
Last night I was tested. I went out to dinner with some school mums and the conversation was travelling in a way that made me feel really inferior - about everything from not working, where we live, how we dress and what we give the kids and disgustingly - philanthropy. They didn't mean it and in the moment I let myself feel like that, that they were better than me (in retrospect I am sure I am not alone in this feeling). I like my house, I like that I don't work and spend quality time with the kids while they are little because too quickly they will be big and not want to hang out with Mum anymore! I like that I craft and am not obsessive over labels. I am pleased too that I don't spoil my kids (well I do but not to the same level as we were talking) and make them things and am trying to instill the idea of giving rather than receiving.
So I have decided to cut it out, get on with growing and concentrate on the good things. Some good things that I am loving at the moment is Kids Craft Weekly Christmas Advent Ideas and also a Christmas Wrap-Up at Sew Mama Sew which is full of ideas to make for presents - all November so check them out.

Christmas Joy

Here's a little progress shot of our nativity scene. We have undercoated the pieces, but from these close up shots they need some more. Then we need to add simple faces, headbands and belts. We have Mary and Joseph, baby jesus in the manger, the three shephards complete with sheep (which obviously need some detail) Finally the three kings. They are painted in metallic paint, but I think I will add some crystal jewels and more paint to make them look richer. Finally the manger needs more work and we plan to paint the north star visibly on the inside.
These decorations (below) were another project Alexander and I were working on.

The beads were all left over from other projects - including my wedding dress! The frames were a recent purchase from Theos. They come in a pack of 5 in two sizes. These are the small ones and there are larger ones. One of their suggestions is to put two together to make a double - amost 3D version. To end you simple turn the ends under with pliers. Now they just need some ribbon to hang on the tree or a card for a present.

See Ya!

One of Alexander's school friend was leaving today as she was moving to the other side of town. The teacher organised a little party and we gave away our first buttons. The clips are upside down in this picture that Alexander coloured in for her. He took a plate of cookies to share and surprisingly none of them came home!

grumpy

Today I am grumpy. I am not planning to work through all of the dwarfs, just stuck at grumpy. Sick of hearing people bitching and moaning, expecting me to jump and do things for them, that they are missing out and all the bad things are always happening to them. If they want to wallow then fine - don't bring me down with you. Things aren't really that bad, just have been building up for a while, a slow constant simmer that is now a good boil. I am just cross that my time and goals are so much less important than everyone elses. (don't worry its not you!) To top it off the kids are tired and cranky and it ends up being one of those days - Spencer was on the toilet and Benji wet his pants. While cleaning that up Spencer went off and proceeded to poo in his. Basically from here it can only get better!! Maybe tomorrow I will be happy - but more likely sleepy. Looking forward to knitting tonight!

Play

My little leftie learning to play cricket- and decide which way to hold the bat!

Sew

Finally got some sewing done. They are all basic and variations on the same pattern but we now have 4 new PJ shorts, 2 new shorts and two to finish and a pair of fireman sam tracksuit pants. With two toilet training, we go through a number of outfits, but have found things need to be really easy for them to get off - hence everything having lose elastic waists. Using a basic kwiksew pattern, the overlocker and behaving children, these were easily whipped up.

Hair Cut

Recently I cut both the big Squirrel and Alexander's hair. This seems to have inspired Alexander to take matters into his own hands. He pulled up a chair to get to the scissors - safely hidden in this high cupboard....

And cut a chunk of hair out of the front of Benjis hair. It had to be centre front!!

So then Benji got a proper haircut too. A little more severe than I had intended, but it is even and is much cooler as we go into summer. He just looks like such a bruiser! Where has the baby gone?

Giving

As we head quickly into the festive season, I think it is really important to focus on the art of giving - especially for the kids. Christmas is becoming more and more commercial and Santa just seems to be this free for all that you can get whatever you want from him because its christmas. I don't want my kids thinking like that.
The other day I saw this great little coffee table on the side of the road, which was designed to have tiles on top, but all had been removed. I picked it up and took it home for Alexander. We had a discussion and he is really excited to rejuvinate it and give it to Benji and Spencer for their birthday. We had fun at Bunnings, walking the isle collecting tiles in their favorite colours. Once home we had fun arranging them into a pattern which filled the table. This project has been both fun and a learning experience.

Next step os tp decide how to treat the wood.

Its Official

We had our AGM at Kinder and we have a president - and yah! its not me. Thankfully another parent stepped up to take on the role - and she will be really good.

The other news from today is the opening of the Uni exhibition for my brothers art class. He has two paintings in it - these are mere studies for the larger works. His concept is a portrait as a landscape and has worked with stereophonic images - 3D like the old magic eye. Hanging in the gallery and lit properly the images just pop. All in all a good day.

Addictive

I like shopping. Yes, normally but I don't actually spend money. I can go and wander around great shopping centres and buy nothing more than a coffee. But I do have a weakness and lately it is a bit of a problem. Craft items - from fabric to beads. I went out to Theo's sale today and got a big bag of stuff that I really didn't need but was a bargain and would be useful in the future! Recently there have been visits to spotlight, lincraft, and Darn cheap ( not to mention the internet) but less and less actually getting done. I will have to tighten the reins - or actually do something!

Hot

Unseasonably hot - for a few days now. This is our version of a pool - luckily they still fit!

Designer Shopping

A misleading title. Alexander is the Designer! Quite an ingeneous dress he quietly made for Barbie out of orange stickers. I think it looks really good. I however went discount shopping today with some girlfriends. We were booked for a charity shopping tour but luckily for us it was cancelled so we ran our own (with an extra $45 in our pockets) Most of the christmas shopping is now done with a visits to a toy warehouse, diana ferrari and Darn cheap books. I cannot recommend these bookshops highly enough. The ads are really bag but the books are great. I got a $20 Charlie and Lola book for only $5.

Simplify

After being away, living a bit simpler, spending time together and giving the kids a bit of independence has made me want to make some changes at home. To strip things back and simplify our every day life. Turn off the telly and get outside and play more. Live more and worry less. . . . . worth a try

Back a winner?

Today is Melbourne Cup Day. I still can't believe we get a Tuesday off for a 5 minute horserace. It is just too easy to turn it into a four day weekend. Strange. Anyway we did a little sweep at home for the race and I got first and third. Next year I will arrange people to actually pay!!

Sightseeing

A friend has a house at Anglesea so we went of sightseeing. A lovely morning with a cafe breakfast, a stroll through a market, a lighthouse visit and then a look through her amazingly decorated house. She's done a wonderful job - we had to leave though before the kids ruined it! A lovely relaxing day.