Bubbles

What started as a bubble activity was quickly transformed by two naked bodies to this....

clear the air

I had a difficult conversation with an acquatance today. It had been brewing for a while and I had got to breaking point. Really. When an issue is affecting your sleep and your ability to work it just has to be resolved. I probably would have stewed on it a little longer but I had to resolve an issue for someone else.
I made some pre-emptive calls to others to assess the lay of the land, made a list and with sweat beading on my brow, dialled the number....
I am a very emotional person and tend to bottle things up for a long time, and then when I do release the cap, it spews out of me like pandoras box. This did happen, however in a very controlled manner- not because of me mind you!
If I had done this to someone like me, or had it done to me I would have been in tears at the first instance but not this person. Goes to show how different we are and how differently we communication - that is the basis of the problems. However they took everything on board and looked on it as constructive criticism. (!)
Anyway back to me - I have purged and regardless of whether it makes a difference to our dealings, I feel better. So. Much. Better! This huge weight has been lifted and I can also see (some) things in a different light. The person did ask that I say these things when they bother me, and while that is a valid point, I don't think it is in my nature to be regularly confrontational - what will I have to stew over?

master chef(s)

After a day trip to the country to visit family, we were all tired and yet needed some entertaining. Popeye's pasta maker has been in our cupboard for a while so I decided to break open the plastic and make pasta.

I haven't done it before - but how easy it is? All the kids had a go and we made fettuccine and they all sat up and emnjoyed it for dinner. There are many possibilities.............

Winter Solstice

To celebrate the solstice we dressed warmly and headed off to the Collingwood Children's farm to watch the bonife - me, the kids and about 5million of our closest mates all with a pram or two! I wasn't expecting so many people and so much mud! We got a magic park and the weather was nice so I thought the gods were shinning on me. The big Squirrel met me later so for a good hour and a half we were confined to the 80 cm of tablecloth fabric I had bought from Ikea to make bags out of. If we moved we lost our spot - and as it was people were still walking all over us so we got our sausage and stayed put. The boys were so good and when we eventually found dad and the boys danced to the beat of the african drums when finally the fire was lit.

As you can see we were well back, but even at this distance this massive fire was hot. I was thinking about those people at the front must be toasting like marshmellows.

So, I was underwhelmed but hte boys had a blast. They got to go out, eat dinner outside and see a fire - so in a way it was a success but I will certainly do it differently next year and have more of a celebration.

(The boys got lightsabres - which the loved)

As you wish

With Dad away, I moved the furniture, we got in our pjs as soon as it was dark and had movie night. I h ave been waiting to share my favourite movie with the boys, and since wooden spoons had been flying all day as swords, I knew tongiht was the night.
If you have not seen this movie you have been missing out. It is one of the classics - with dialogue packed with double meaning and the best ever sword fight with Mandy Pitinkin who is brilliant in this.
From a childs point of view there is a happy ending and no one dies - there is a big of blood when from the oversized rodent (oh he died but really an oversized rodent who couldn't be happy about that?) and a very young Fred Savage (early Wonder Years).
When I was looking for a picture to share, I found this website that reminded me of a few other - Flight of the Navigator, Goonies and The Labyrinth. More movie nights!!

to wear

The sewing machine has been collecting a bit of dust lately but it came out today and did some serious work. These are wool leggings - with a bit of width at the bottom so they could be pants - nice and thick that if your bum did show, the pattern on your undies isn't at all visible and nice and thick that they keep said bum warm - unlike jeans.
With a simple pattern (Kwik Sew - you have to ignore the pictures of the stirrup pants although I worry they are heading our direction quickly) and only one piece with elastic at the waist, mum and I whipped up 2 pair each in black and grey. I put them on in time for school pickup!

To market- Sunday Funday

We packed the kids up in the car today and went to the Mornington Market. Its been a long time since we have been to one of their markets and were really pleasantly surprised today. We had fun walking around both the market and the the actual racecourse and we even came home with some goodies!

I got name puzzles for the twins - so rare to actually find Spencer that I had to buy it! It is a good opportunity for us to work on letters, colours and ultimately how to spell their names.

The cookie cutters are actually babushka dolls (not bowling pins like the big squirrel thought!) They are Australian made and had a huge range of different shapes -www.biskart.com.au. These are on page 5 of misc, but they have a huge range and also make to order. The others that tempted me were the transport set and the dinosaur set. The other weird looking thing that we bought is shown here in use: They are a set of eyes that slip over your fingers to make your hand into a puppet. The man who sold them to us (no idea how to contact him...) had a glove with some wool sewn to it as hair but it works just as well on your hand. One of those simple little things that if you had it in your handbag it could entertain for hours, as to does this....

Mr Moppit as he has been named. For $30 he has movable mouth and stuffed arms. The kids were getting ratty in the car on the way home - I slipped him on and started chatting and they were transfixed. They had total belief that they were actually talking to him - even though they knew it was me (no ventriliquism here folks!)

We had a calm and relaxing day wandering and collective inspiration as well as tasting and chatting. A lovely Sunday Funday!