I am guilty

I am guilty...

For what you ask?

This...

I know right... ridiculous.

I spend WAY to much time on here or is it there who knows and for what I don't know... 

I am not entirely sure how long/often I spend on here each day... but the other day Ronan came into the room with it... saying I had forgotten it... then shiz is bad.

I KNOW I do not spend every waking second on it... I don't know how it started, but I do know that if my son thinks it needs to follow me around the house then something has to change.

I have been thinking about it for some time now.

How to 'control' how I use it... 

Because lets be honest... it is my only tap into the outside world and sometimes I need my Mumma Village when the sleepless days are endless and the shouty four year olds are shouty.

I thought about only being able to look at it at certain times of the day... you know... 7am, 11am, 3am, 7pm...

Or 

After I have Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Or when the children are busy doing something else... but that is what I do now.

Do I get Ronan to hide it?

In April last year, I successfully stopped myself from looking at my personal Facebook page multiple times a day... to a point where I was scarcely around... but now, I have noticed that I am back there again... sharing the odd photo and the funny/not so funny things my children make me endure.

I am not exactly sure how I am going to get around this... its just a phone... not a life source... or an appendage... 

What ever it is... or isn't... IT needs to lessen OR possibly stop.

So if you see me floating around on social media A LOT... feel free to become all shouty and get me off!

Because I need it... 

My children do too.

What are you guilty of?

Spend to much time on Social Media?

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Thank you.

This online world

There have been times and stages throughout my life that are tougher then average... you know, we all have them.

I have friends who know and understand me enough to know when things are bad and they come and leave things on my door step as an offering to my smile to come out and say hello.

It helps, the thoughtfulness of it all just breaks me... because that... that is what makes friendship as well as laughter, listening and general love. It all helps really. 

But the standing up when things are bad for someone else is a true testament to a friendship (I feel)

This online world that I have created is something else, I find it is like minded people coming together and allowing each other into their lives without ever meeting each other, Instagram and this bloggy space has helped that.

There have been people in this world that have helped me through some bloody hard times, when I miscarried again you were there, when I was on the 'safe' side of newly pregnant you were there, when I need ideas for gifts/dinner/shoes you are there.

They have helped me smile.

And I LOVE YOU ALL FOR IT!

There have been blog posts that have resonated with me from bloggers that I admire and I still carry them with me for different reasons.

I follow a broad range of blogs for many reasons... but all because they make me happy or are informative or are just dang funny.

Here are my favs at the moment.

Baby Mac
I adore Beth, she was one of the first blogs I 'discovered' when I was going through a serious case of insomnia after we had lost one of our babes, she made me laugh when I needed it, I love the way she writes about her little corner of the world. If you don't know of Beth, pop over and have a squiz... you wont be disappointed.
Hello Owl
I meat Danielle, through instagram. I love the way she captures the stories through her photos. 
Kirsten and Co
Kirsten and I go way back... I remember the VERY first blog post of hers that I read and then I one a prize from her and we have joked with each other ever since... Kirsten has grown in this bloggy space... even finding herself landed in the kidspot top thirty bloggers in personal and parenting! I know... I'm so proud!
Life at no.2
I am a new reader of Bel's, but I adore the way she writes! You will too!
Life Love Hiccups
I found Sonia, on one of those 'why wont I sleep' nights... and have not stopped since... 
Mumma Tells
Rebecca and I are new to each other, she friended me on Instagram and its be FUN ever since, I think being in similar new baby status has helped! I adore her words and the stories she writes of her two babes. Rebecca has also found herself smack bang in the Kidspot top thirty for personal and parenting and I couldn't be prouder of her. To see her little corner grow and expand with all the new people commenting is a sight to behold.
Practising Simplicity
If you are a regular reader here you will know that I have started with The 52 Project... It is something I have wanted to do for AGES I am so please I have... I have a little photo album filling up and for that I have Jodi to thank.
Raising Master Max
I am not exactly sure how Cherie came to be in my little world. Its not unknown that I adore her... her kindness got me through some far out ridiculously tricky times. I love the way she says it like it is and I love her photos!
The Beetle shack
I am also new to this space... but so far I am loving what I am reading.
The Veggie Mumma
I love the upfront, tells it like it is mother of two little awesomes that Stacey is.
WoogsWorld
I 'met' Mrs Woog via Beth from BabyMac. The way she sees the world and retells it... gold.

So there you have it... A whole lot of gushing over people you may or may not know and who really have no idea who I am.

But as I said... if it wasn't for some of them... I would still be finding my smile.

So go on... Pop over... say Hi x

This post was inspired by this post from Cherie, Raising Master Max

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[The 52 Project] 17/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for 2014."

Finnley- Life skills... scaling furniture, walking along the furniture or between people and furniture... every day you astound us with your newest tricks.

Ronan- Your true love is this guitar, even with only 5 strings... You have others... well they are ukuleles but to you this guitar is the BUSINESS!

The 52 Project by Practising Simplicity 

Click the photo below to see more about it.

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[Easter] The recap.

Despite not being used to being home for Easter (we are usually camping) a beautiful day was had.

The day started the normal time with the discovery of eggs on bedside tables and through out the house leading to the treasure trove. 

I had used the tree at our Mothers Group Family Breakfast that we have twice a year (Easter & Christmas) and after realising that I wont have the esky out for the Easter Bunny to leave the gifts on it seemed like a logical place.

The pretty shiny wrappers were explored, books were read, chocolate was consumed and the excitement was escaping out of a certain four year old I know... and to be honest I don't think it stopped until well after bed time.

We had Roast for lunch AND dinner... I KNOW! 

Insane!

Family time is truly the best, isn't it... Cousins playing... exploring... eggs laid strategically for treasure hunting. 

And after all of the excitement with half an hour in between guests it started ALL again when Zia arrived with MORE little presents for the boys!

It was an amazing day. 

Just the way it should be.

What did you get up to for Easter?

Do you decorate for Easter too?

Ever done a tree???

Your comments are not only awesome! They are inspiring!
Thank you.

[The 52 Project] 16/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for 2014."

Finnley- Your after bath toes are just so scrumptious! 
You adore the bath... always have... the giggles, laughter and fun that happens with each bath time are something I look forward to daily.

Ronan- For as long as I can remember... so basically for as long as you have been able to... You have adored being on your Dad's shoulders.
Being able to see things from a better vantage point... whats not appealing about that?
Especially when it came to looking at the Hippos at the 'Safari'!

The 52 Project by Practising Simplicity 

Click the photo below to see more about it.

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Some more time together

We were invited to a day out with friends to Werribee Zoo.

Its a big day... a big drive there and back... and a zoo full of fun things.

Its the Husbands and the boys first time there (I'd been several times with work)

It was marvelous to spend some time together.. out of the house, exploring and just generally having fun.

Here's to many more days like that.

We managed to squeeze in some time together earlier in the week too... see that here

Been exploring lately?

Craving time together... go on... just make it happen.

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[Easter] Colouring activities.

With the weather being a bit dismal last week, we spent most of our first week of the holidays inside. 

A few weeks ago we changed Ronan's room around this allowing him to have a desk where he could draw/colour and create freely. This is something he hasn't had the space to do freely since Finnley has been here, due to the table he is usually able to draw/colour and create freely on has been taken over by capsules and other baby paraphernalia.

With his 'new found space' he has been requesting things to colour... as apposed to draw his own creations because he has been wanting to practice colouring in the lines (bless).

So here are some of the Easter themed pages he has been doing that I thought you might like as well. 

I have found most of these via Pinterest or Google and have linked you to the appropriate web page just click the pictures that take your fancy and they will take you straight there, where available.

These are the ones that I found best for Ronan at this time... but with just a quick look around I found simpler ones for the younger children and some that are bit more complex for the older kiddos.

This one has been done several times with some of them being quite hilarious.

See what else we have been up to... here and here

What have you been up to these holidays?

Been up to any Easter crafts? DO share!

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Easter Edition Part 2

Hahahahaha part 2... I can crack myself up sometimes...

After an impromptu blogy break I am back to write about some of the things we have done for the last week.

Easter egg biscuits...

I used:
Arrowroot biscuits
2 cups of Soft icing sugar
3 tbs water.
Red, blue & yellow colouring

I then divided it up into three and added just a drop of colouring per bowl to try and keep the colours light and pastely.

It was a hit here, albeit a bit messy... but still good fun.

Even the adults had a go.

See what other Easter activities we have done... here.

What Easter crafts have you been up to?

Your comments are not only awesome! They are inspiring!
Thank you.

Time together.

We went to the beach today, beautiful, impromptu and just what we needed.

We chose a beach that was an hour and a half away rather then one just down the road... because we needed to make a day of it... to explore together as a family... to travel together and just be.

We had one plan... and that was Fish and chips on the beach and it was great.

Life lately has been tough. 

This house has had its fair share of ups and downs and due to many factors and it was good just to take some time out just to be together, to laugh with and at each other, to explore and to find one another.

Today we only had one plan, and we returned home with so much more.

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[The 52 Project] 15/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for 2014."

Finnley- Watching, watching, watching. It's hard being the littlest and having to wait inside while big brother goes nutso on the peddley type toys, it is MUCH safer inside though bub.

Ronan- This photo lets me peek into the window of what was a littler you... your cheeks give it away. You are so deep in thought... penny for your thoughts little man... 

The 52 Project by Practising Simplicity 

Click the photo below to see more about it.

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[Lets Play] Dinosaur theme

It would seem that we have taken the dinosaur play from the other day to the next level.

This happens with most 'topics' of play we have in this house. We start with one activity and if Ronan shows a great interest in that theme we extend on it.

Its fun... and gets me thinking of new activities for him. We have been through the dinosaur theme several times, these are just normal activities that we do in this house and all I have done is add dinosaurs to them, to extend the activity into his interest... so this is what we have done this past week...

Dinosaur shaped pasta... along with long thin spaghetti, paddle-pop sticks and straws in our Jelly Play dough.

The benefits of play dough are Sensory/social/fine motor/maths & literacy/imagination & creativity, is there anything play dough can not do...

After their traipse through Dino Land, Ronan decided that the dinosaurs were now dirty and needed a bath.

Hello another sensory play! Warm soapy water... and 'dirty' dinos = happy & Busy little man

 He also decided that they needed a bask in the sun.

Then we made our Muffins... but this time we added pear instead of apple to our old faithful recipe and put them in... you guessed it... Dinosaur patty pans.

And for something a little new to Ronan... Dinosaur Bingo... Made by me during the week on Photoshop with some elements that I purchased and some I made myself.

It was a HIT... played over and over and over again.

Do you theme?

If so what is the theme at your house at the moment?

Baked anything good lately?

Your comments are not only awesome! They are inspiring!
Thank you.

[The 52 Project] 14/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week for 2014."

Finnley- You broke through our make shift barrier of baskets full of books and you were not fooled by the fact that they toy mat was in your way... You pushed them all out of the way so that you could STAND up at the tv unit!!! Then you proceeded to shout and yell at the Cars movie with great volume! 

Ronan- 'Reach for the starrrrrs'... or the clouds in this matter. You relished in one on one time on this day while Finnley was in bed. It was warm and sunny outside and you had BOTH Mumma and Dad to play with out in the yard, the laughter was infectious!

The 52 Project by Practising Simplicity 

Click the photo below to see more about it.

Your comments are not only awesome! They are inspiring!
Thank you.