[Lets craft] Easter Edition Part 1

Look at me being all "Part 1"...

I'm not even sure there will be a part two... but lets just go with that title anyway.

Looking for something craft-tastic to do this morning, I remembered something I had pinned overnight in one of my feed/settle/go back to bed myself states.

So this being the inspiration... 

From here

We got to work... after some discussion we changed it a bit to make it our own and came up with this...

What you will need:

• A pen
• Glue
• Paper plate/round piece of paper
• Extra paper for foot prints
• Paint (we did foot prints rather then tracing)
• Googly eyes/paper cut to size/pencils to draw them 
• Pom Poms/Cotton Balls
• Pipe Cleaners

Have you started Easter crafting?

Yes, we write notes on the back of our front door in chalk... you don't?

Have you seen anything cuter then 8 month old foot prints in yellow paint today?

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

[The 52 Project] 13/52

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

Finnley- Outside on the deck... it's one of your favourite places to be, we are blessed to have the deck that we have it really is an extension of our home. With plenty of space for you to explore and discover... though after a while... your knees become sore and its time for a rest with a cuddle from Mumma.

Ronan- Your concentration face... those lashes... You welcome new activities with joy and adventure and I love to see you exploring the,.

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.

[The 52 Project] 12/52

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

Finnley- Your new favourite place, you hit the sliding door when you want to go out onto the deck for a swing. When up there you watch the dogs (IF they are moving around the yard) and the leaves on the tree when the wind blows.

Ronan- Always and for ever you have played with these two toys. Loading the trailer... always, scoop after scoop all day if I let you.

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.

[The 52 Project] 11/52

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

Finnley- I still see hints of your smaller baby days when you put your legs up in the air, with your legs crossed I might add... always with your legs crossed.

Ronan- Your happy place.

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.

[The 52 Project] 10/52

This is something I have always wanted to do {among many other things} when it comes to blogging, but my children's privacy comes to mind every time I share them on here. So, this may become a weekly thing.. or a one off.. I will see how we go...

and if that isn't honest blogging I don't know what is.

So considering we are already in week 10 of the year... who cares, I am just going with it anyways.

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

Finnley: Getting so good at sitting on his own now... when he wants to take off, he lets me know by leaning forward and hitting the floor so I relieve him of his sitting position.

Ronan: Tired.... Dirty... Boy.

Inspired to do this project by gorgeous Bec

The 52 Project. by Practicing Simplicity

Do you print your photos?

Or are you like me... Millions of digital files and no actual hard copies?



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

Body image... it's a funny thing

So here's the thing.

I don't think I am the best person to talk about this... but then why aren't I?

Body image is a funny thing.

inspired by

There are ways I WISHED I looked, sure... could loose a few kilos... more for health reasons then any other.

But when I read this post by the lovely Mrs Woog.

It really got me thinking... about my oldest son.

He is so full of life... 

So full of spontaneity 

So full of affection.

So full of everything.

He will definitely give anything a go {within reason}

And IS NOT afraid to tell you how he feels, about ANYTHING.

That last point is the part I love the most about him.

I have spent my time encouraging him to be the person that he wants to be. 
Setting him boundaries that I think are appropriate and when I say I, I mean my husband and I.

We have a 'fairly' open relationship with him... there are things that a FOUR year old does NOT need to know, or see, or hear about. But most other then not we don't sway from the truth, unless we think we need to.

"What are those two chooks doing Mumma?"

They are copulating matey.

"oh, that's good?"

He has no idea what copulating means. 
But he knows I'm not trying to pull the wool over his eyes and that is the main thing.

He has big boots, my four year old and he uses every opportunity to try and fill them.

Then I read this post from the gorgeous Amy.

And it really got me thinking.

I don't have a daughter, as you know. 

I would love one, sure.

But it really got me thinking about me. 

The way I was raised. The words I heard.

I was never told I was beautiful.

I was bullied and ridiculed because no one knew how to handle my open and honest personality.

I was always told I needed to loose weight.

When I did loose weight I was asked if I was on drugs.

I got INCREDIBLY sick when I was 17/18 and lost 25 kilos because of it... too much weight yes. But there wasn't much I could do about that really.

I was asked again if I was doing drugs. 

My confidence has never been great. 

Always looking for reassurance.

Right now... I am not the heaviest I have been.

But I am not the lightest either.

From

I would love to loose weight but some medical conditions have inhibited that being an 'easy' task for me. NOT with out the lack of trying.

My body has let me down in more ways then one. AND yet I am still strong. still here still fighting and if I had a daughter... HELL I want my boys to hear this... get up and keep going... when the world feels like its against you just a little, I want you to keep going... to let it help you be a little stronger.

My body... could be better, sure... but its created 7 people and successfully bought two of them into this world.

But it is my body, and it is the way it is... and its here to stay.

May my boys never be told they are too heavy and need to loose weight.

May they be told to go get 'em, even though I know the chances are slim for them

MAY they always have the confidence to just be.


As the old adage goes

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

...and IF you are over age... add vodka!

What did you hear growing up?

Your children full of spunk too?

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

{#justonething365} Week two

At first I didn't think I was going to be able to keep up with it but this is coming quite naturally to me, when I was working it was apart of my job to take daily observations of the children as apart of my programming. Another thing that I am finding helpful... Every night at the dinner table we talk about our favourite things of the day. It is really cool to be able to see everyone's perceptive of the day and also helps if I am a bit stuck to find my 'just one thing'

Day six: 6/01/14

We went to the aquarium today (it was the Christmas gift from Zia). There were lots of things that were great but if I had to pick just one things. It would be when I went in to wake Ronan up to get ready and I told him that we were going to see the fish and he JUMPED up and down with excitement. Seeing him looking at all the animals with the excitement and awe it wasn't hard to get swept up in it all and it was honestly the best thing. He fed the fish which I am told was AWESOME!

Finnley managed to only see the first three tanks of animals, he slept the whole way around.

Day seven: 7/01/14

I was writing my letter for my task one in a bright project at the dining table and Ronan came racing to the back door shouting
"MUMMA, DADDY IS IN TROUBLE"
oh ohhh what did he do?
"HE'S STUCK!"
eh?
"I SHUT THE DOOR!!!" 
It took me a minute to realise what he was talking about, Cash is make a storage room inside the shed and was installing the door when Ronan shut it... locking Cash inside TOO FUNNY! It didn't take long to get him out.

Day eight 8/01/14

Today we were outside just after 8 am and Ronan was BEGGING for the pool to have water in it and as it was going to be a nice day we filled it up while we went and had porridge for breakfast... after a rest it was ready to go. Watching him play, splash and kick in the pool, with or without his 'surf board' was awesome. He really is our water babe.

Day nine 9/01/14

We went to Dinosaur world with E, A and E today. Ronan LOVED walking around with A even holding hands on occasion. Even though he was frightened of a few of them {read most} he was still in awe of them.
When I was arranging Ronan and A to have photo in front of Ronan's favourite it ROARED the loudest we had heard and it FRIGHTENED Ronan! After I had gathered my composure after laughing so hard we went and participated in a fossil dig...

Finn managed to sleep his whole way around the park... AGAIN!

Day ten 10/01/14

Finn had his first REAL go in the pool today and he LOVED it... splishing and a splashing! it was AWESOME to see him in the water. Looks like we have another water babe.

Day eleven 11/01/14

Just before bed... probably not the best timing. Ronan and I played a game of chase.
Around and around the house... through one back door, onto the deck through the other back door through the house to hide and catch your breath over and over and over again. Oh the joy in his face...

Day twelve 12/01/14

Went to Nonna and Pops for a visit. When we got there we noticed Pop had the sprinkler running off the tank. Ronan upon spotting it the sprinkler whispers to me:
"Mumma, Pop has a sprinkler on"
He sure does matey.
Ronan looking bashfully and shuffling his feet 
"Mumma I want to run in it"
I had thought about saying No, we had literally only just got out of the car and walked in the gate... we had no change of clothes. I looked at him.
Sure mate, Have fun.

45 mins later {{its off a tank}} he was done, dried and playing Lego in the lounge room for the rest of the visit.

Finn LOVED the cuddles with Nonna and Pop and growling at them.

-


Its not until typing it all out here that I realise what a busy week we have had! 

Read about Week One here.

Read about other beautiful blogs sharing this adventure.
Mummatells

This 'little' project was inspired by Daisy.

Are you participating? Do share your link below!
Any questions? Please ask below x

{#justonething365} Week One.

I was inspired by the ever gorgeous Daisy from Daisy Roo and Two.

I have done many things in an attempt to document our lives, scrap booking, Project life & even attempted to blog on a 'regular' basis. 

But this... THIS I think I can stick to.

The idea is to write just one thing a day... for a whole year... so at the end of the year you have at least 365 things written about your life... about your littles... about your day to day stuff. 

How you felt... what made you laugh... the nice stuff.

Because sometimes, its hard to remember the good stuff when you are swamped by what feels like a mountain of not so good stuff.

This is going to be fun.

I am looking forward to the end of the year when I see my book FULL of little things.

I am not giving myself any rules.

I can write one things about our day or 10.

I aim to write a post each week about our memories because I want to be able to store the photos with some of the memories as well and this is the perfect space.

I may not write every day down though... some things... well they are just for families only.

Seeings as this is the first time I have been on the computer since the end of December I am starting a little late... but never mind.

Purchased from here

Day one:

Ronan managed to stay up until midnight to watch the fireworks on tv. We had S, A & L over for a dinner and some sparkler fun, they left at around 10 and Ronan was determined  to stay up and watch them with us. SO PROUD OF HIM for making it! He loved them!

As an extra bonus... he slept until 10:45 the next morning! Happy new year indeed!

Finnley managed to sit unsupported for 5 seconds!

Day two: 

Ronan was having trouble using his skateboard that he got from Santa so not one to give up he road around on it on his stomach and glided up and down the deck.

Finnley; still working on getting his arms strong enough to hold him up!

Day four:

Ronan was compliment on his beautiful manners by a stall holder at the local market. It was such a beautiful compliment.

Finnley sat unsupported for TEN seconds.

Day five:

I had Ronan ring his Uncle for his birthday first thing, it was something that my sister and I used to do when we were little... we would ring the cousins straight after breakfast and shout happy birthday into the phone and then ask them what they got for their birthdays.

Such a great memory looking back and its something I want my boys to do as well.

While feeding Finnley, we discovered that Ronan had helped himself to the sunscreen... even though I had only JUST put sunscreen on him.
He has never done anything like this before. It was hard to decide whether to be cross or just laugh. So we wiped him up and had a bit of a chat about using things moderately.

Love this boy.

So there you go... Our first week in #justonething365 

Other beautiful blogs sharing this adventure...

Mummatells

Are you writing just one things as well? or a 52 to project?

Do you have a blog where you are sharing your #justonething365? DO share below x

I was wanting to do a portrait a week as well... but it might be all a bit too much... we will see.

Learning to be a sideline Mumma

I've mentioned before the my son does swimming lessons, he has done them since he was 6 months old he has loved most of every minute of it. I say most of it because there was a stage there where he would Koala hug me while we were in the water for about 5 lessons. That was hell but the screaming was worse.

This year he has been in the transition group where they spend 3/4 of the class in the big pool with their adult and then the other 1/4 in the little pool with their swim coach.

A couple of weeks ago it was discussed that he is old enough to go to the next stage of lessons where they spend the whole time in the little pool with just their coach and I sit on the side lines. sigh.

I took a deep breathe and swallowed that information. But since starting the transition classes his time in the big pool has become more and more stressful because he has realised that there is meant to be a bottom of the pool and that he cant touch the bottom of the big pool. The terrified look in his eyes is so sad.

It was getting to a point that I was just waiting for the okay for him to go to the next stage. But I didn't want to wish this time away. Once he changes groups, that's it, he doesn't need me for swimming any more. I enjoy the times we spend in the pool. I enjoy the water and I love encouraging him to commit to those challenges, like jumping off the mat and diving off the wall and when he does the the pure joy and look on his face of 'yes I did it' is fabulous.

So today was another one of those lessons were I couldn't convince him otherwise and then he started asking to go in the other pool. Right decision made time to move up. He LOVES the water and is always chomping at the bit to get in. but he is just not enjoying the time in the big pool any more.

So next week is his first class in the little pool all by himself. I am going to feel a bit lost not butting my swimmers on before we go, I'm going to feel a little lost just sitting on the side line.

Although I wont need to take as many towels so that's a plus, I wont freeze my but off drying him and getting him dressed before my self that's a plus.

I'm so proud of him for getting where he is. 

I cant wait to watch him grow more by achieving new things in the little pool.

But its now time for me to be a sideline Mumma.

I hope I dont cry.

Do your little ones swim?

Are they uber confident in the water?

Would love to hear from you 

x