Video killed the Radio star...

Her cuteness is killing me. 2 and half year olds are just too precious!

I'm turning into one of those parents.


The ones who make countless videos of their children. Endless family movies!


I've never really been into videoing my kids ( Christmas Movies aside ;)

I've always felt they were kinda pointless as I rarely/ if ever would watch them. I'm more happier looking at photos. Plus home videos make me cringe. I hate it when someone puts a camera to your face and says 'say something..' which is followed by a lot of um's and a wave and a 'hello' ... LOL pointless!

I might even have pyschological isssues because one of the few video's of me as a kid is me singing Kokomo by The Beach boys. Badly. Very Badly (I have mentioned here before that I cannot sing at.all. )  Obviously I couldn't sing as a child either..  *shudder*

So I've never really been big on subjecting my kids to the same
(Christmas movie is hard enough to pull off!)


This leads me to this week where I have videod my 2 year old .....

singing a crazy version of round and round the garden like a teddy bear, pretending to be a baby with lots of wah wah wah's,  running commentary about cars on our walk home from school drop off, chatting on a toy telephone telling strawberry shortcake that there just ISNT any more room!, her commentary on her favourite book, a big "I Love You and smooch session with lots and lots of slobery kisses all over me..... I just can't stop!

and I'm getting annoyed when she is doing something supercute with cute talking and she STOPS the minute I start taping! I have lots of video's with me prompting her to say what she was just saying seconds before! or short 20 second snaps of nothing..... wherein I turn it off with a pffffft! Yes a crazy video orientate parent! Someone stop me!

Maybe I am really feeling the loss of toddlerhood. (when you're pretty sure its your last child so many issues come up!) That squeaky breathy baby talk will be gone soon! OH NO! I love misprounciations! I love baby lisps and crazy talk! Gone! All gone and since I can barely remember what my older children were like as little ones it makes me sad ... and desperate!

I love it when she calls softdrink FRONK FRINK my new favourite word of hers. Makes me giggle every time. (more often on Monday nights as that is the only night they have fronk frink) I loved it when she was being super adorable in a lift the other day and the other ladies in there just sighed with happiness and cooed over how cute my daughter is!

She always been shy of strangers and not a big talker so this cutesy talking phase is doing my heart in!

In keeping with parental mistakes - I'm joining in. First child has most photos. Last child has most videos and perhaps photos too and newest clothes (handme downs rarely make it four jumps) . Middle children miss out on everything. Gotta keep up with the normal so my children have something to complain about. "I'm the youngest and spoilt..." "Im the middle child and got nothing.." "I'm the eldest and I'm not bossy at all ;)"

I'll be out there with my phone videoing all the mundane things. The songs, the picking flowers, the endless chatter about nothing.

So my kids can cringe when they are older.

Maybe I'll even get someone to sing a better version of Kokomo.




*don't feel bad for my other kids.. I've got several videos of them as little kids. Self Videos. Love kids filming talking to themselves and doing house tours with your phone. Plus its not really true about the photos thing. We didn't have a digital camera till our 3 kid. SHE has the most photos. So I don't wanna hear ANYTHING about the middle child missing out!

Stories. Life Stories

One of my favourite hairdo's at the moment..

you know if anyone cares about how I liked hair in a hundred years...

Lately I've been thinking about journals. Writing out some history.

Last month we had our Annual Relief Society Commemoration.

We had a sit down dinner and discussed our favourite parts of this book.

daughters in my kingdom

One sister commented on a favourite section. page 32-33

It was about a womans journal entries.

July 14, 1846  I am very uncomfortably situated for a sick woman. The scorching sun shining on the wagon through the day and the cool air at night, is almost too much of a change to be healthy

October 15, 1846 We have taken posession of our log house today. The first house my babe was ever in. I feel extrememly thankful for the priveledge of sitting by a fire where the wind cannot blow every direction where I can warm one side without freezing the other. Our house is minus floor and many comforts but the walls protect us from wind if the sod roof does not from the rain

December 6 1846 My baby is sick and getting worse. Has cried all day but I cannot see what ails him

December 12 1846. The baby is dead and I mourn his loss. We have done the best we know for him, but nothing has done any good; he continued to fail from the time he took sick. My sister caroline and I sat up every night with him and tried to save him from death, for we could not bear to part with him, but we were powerless.. I still have friends who are dear to me. If I had not I should wish to bid this world farewell, for it is full of disappointments and sorrow. but I believe there is a power that watches over us and does all things right

June 1 1987 Sister Elvira Holmes baby died. Recieved an invitation to come and spend the day with her which I accepted.

The sister said that this reminded her of the importance of keeping a journal. Even though the woman was from a different time to ours she felt connected to that sister from hundreds of years before. Even though years seperate us we often have the same feelings and challenges!  We too have felt cold or sick. We too have complained of the weather. We too have put up with substandard cheap accomodation.  We too have sat up all night with an ailing child. Hopefully none of us will go through the loss of a child but we can understand her pain and see that we do make it through trials, and then we are required to help others and strenthen those who may go through similar trial. She felt strengthened that other sisters feel the same way she has at times.

We never know when OUR words may bouy up another!


YES! Oh yes I so needed to hear that. I want to leave something interesting behind for my family to read about me. That my children and grandchildren may see that our lives are in different times but can still be similar. I also want to leave advice or feelings to them, that though I might not be there I understand!

Ever since starting this blog I have been terrible at journal keeping. I supposed that is what this is meant to be. Except that this can in no way be personal enough. I'm not sure I'm that vunerable to put those things out there for everyone to read. As much as crafts and cooking and photos are great, it might not be the only thing of importance I need to pass on to subsequent generations.

It doesn't help when a famous blogger { C. Jane } is doing her life story in posts. I've been pondering on this before that (so don't say I'm copying :) but her posts are definately making me think MORE about it. Some of my favourites were the posts about her first  5 loves . I would love to be able to blog something like that without embarrassing myself or hurting people's feelings! Sometimes I think there is so much to learn from the difficult, hard, embarrasing, or just plain different times of our lives!


And I KNOW it must be something important because I have had no less than 5 experiences lately to do with family history, journal keeping etc.

As I sat with my Grandma last week she was telling me war stories with her time with Z special unit. She mentioned her father was an accountant (I've always seen photos of him in his army uniform so I never really knew he had other career). I knew her family was from Cairns but somehow my Nanna was born in Sydney. She told me her father had a bad kidney ailment and at the time the only hospital that could do the needed surgery was in Sydney. They moved for the operation and ended up staying (her mother had family in Sydney).

Then another occasion  talking with my mother in law about another Grandma and how she was injured on the back of a truck going to a dance. A train hit their truck and a few people were injured. Grandma was unconscious so the hospital just left her be! When she woke up (days later) instead of dying THEN they worked on her! She had to have half her head shaved and then when she was better she had to start at a new school and everyone thought she was weird! {Poor thing how embarrassing} The train was in the wrong and she received a pay out which at the time was to pay for her to go to business school! What an interesting story about some of our relatives.

This week we came across old family photos of my childhood. The girls asked 'who is that?' I stated that it was grandad's father and mother. I then said 'well actually that is grandad's stepmum'. They turned and said 'Just like you mum! Grandad is just like you. What happened to him, then happened to him so he was a step parent'. It bought tears to my eyes that they realised how special grandad is to us. That even when someone might not be a blood relative they can still indeed parent you.

These are some simple reasons that have happened to me just lately. How important to keep these stories. However my own stories will be important too. If I'm not here who will be able to say what I thought about anything!


I have a terrible memory. My sister tells me stories about our childhood and I have no idea. Perhaps because she is 6 years younger and these stories come from a child point of view looking up? Also I was married by the time my younger brother was 11. I missed growing up with my brothers and sisters as teenagers. They have memories that I just do not. I find writing my history hard.

But it must be done!

A few years ago I cleaned out a carboard box that held all my childhood journals. It was dirty and dusty and I put them in safer and cleaner place. I decided to read through these books I was keeping. To say most of it is rubbish is an understatement! Scribbles, fights with friends, boys and more boys! and mundane info! They are funny and they will be kept as a reminder of who I was BUT....

These are not the things I want to leave behind to my children! It will truly be sad that the years where I can leave an important message behind I have let time get the better of me. That the silly musing of my youth will be all that they have! I believe an adults take on what I can remember will be beneficial. Comments on how I stood strong, did the right, how my faith has shaped me, how I am able to bear trials, the wonderful childhood I had, righteous examples and friends and leaders and teachers who cared about me and shaped my life. They deserve to have a little recognition for all the hard work they have put into ME!

So now.... How do I go about it?

What are your tips for journal keeping?


Here are some of mine.

Start chronologically and write my life story
Use photos as a writing prompts
Try to write weekly in my own journal about things that are happening right now
Ask older relatives to tell me a story from their or their families personal history
Write them down!
I found going through photos with my  Nanna prompts her to talk about that time



and perhaps if I get up the guts I'll post some things here.

You know that's if I get around to writing anything.. PLEASE let me not procrastinate!

Easter 2012

It's been easter overload here on the blog the last few weeks.
So I promise this will be the last Easter Post!

We had a quiet leisurely Easter that seemed like we did nothing....
we stayed home most of the weekend
{I was feeling bad for not organising a holiday or camping or fun things to do!}

but the photos tell another story. Phew!


Hope you had a Happy Easter!

Suprise Eggs

After a month of attempting to collect every eggshell I cooked with (some didn't make it)
I had about 30 eggs to play with to make our surprise eggs.

To make surprise eggs:

When cooking just slice the top off the egg to preserve more of the eggshell.
{alternately you could blow the eggs but I find that too much work and too many eggs to use up at once}

Leave plain {like here } or decorate.
This year we decided to dye our eggs.
We used a few lidfulls of food colouring, a cup of water and 1/4 cup of vinegar for each colour

When dry fill with birdseed, confetti, cereal, glitter or anything small.
This year we tried birdseed for the first time. Very good!

Glue 2 small disks of tissue paper over the hole on each egg.

When dry turn over the other way so it is not visible in your egg carton

Enjoy having an 'egg fight' with family and friends and smashing them over your head.

or you end up doing a funny dance with your hands in the air

{To avoid hurting eachother I make the kids smash the egg in their hands a little before throwing it}

Pretzel Bunnies

We have made soft pretzels for Easter for the last four years.

Usually we do the regular pretzel shape (as it is to be said the shape of arms folded in prayer - and we talk about Prayer and Christ Praying in Gethsemane for us)

This year we made regular pretzels but we also made these Bunny shaped ones. Easy and Cute

I found the original idea  here in the April 2011 friend magazine

Here's how to do it:

I use this recipe to make our soft pretzels

(though be careful with the bicarb - I use less as the taste is quite strong)

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

5 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

                    

1/2 cup baking soda

4 cups hot water

1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.            
   
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.               

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.               

When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.               

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.               

(we used currants for the bunnies eyes)

here are our regular shaped pretzels.

Easter Countdown Calendar

Inspired by this idea found via pinterest


Yesterday my mind just couldn't rest until I had made this easter countdown.

I had all necessary items except little magnets. A quick trip to the shop fixed that!

It's a very simple idea but I think will work well.

--------------

These plastic eggs are quite large{around 8cm tall}. The only size that Woolworths was selling. Which is perfect because I hope to squeeze four treats into each egg! Countdown calendars can be tricky for big families! {I wonder what people with LOTS of kids do?}

Basically hot glue gun a magnet onto the back of each egg.

Add numbers, stickers, decorate each egg.
{I looked for easter stickers and found none. Last year I saw lots!?! - so ours are plain}

Attach to your fridge and you have an instant Easter Countdown!

Fill with daily activities, scriptures and treats!


*** UPDATE
It seems my glue peeled off easily from the plastic eggs that were filled too heavily. So I covered the magnets with tape as well to ensure the eggs didn't come apart/fall off the fridge.


We've changed the direction of ours so it starts at 7 so when each egg is used you know how many days are left to easter - We changed our christmas countdown last year.. made it easier to tell there was 15 days to go etc...


some ideas:

Palm Sunday activities
{we get palm leaves from our neighbour and wave them around and make palm crosses}
Dye Eggs
Make Easter Cards for Grandparents and family and friends
Make Chocolate Easter Nests
Make Hot Cross Buns
Do a Passover Dinner
Egg Hunt
Watch Easter Movie

Easter Grass

Our Easter grass is done and grown. I think we even have time to grow a little more. Personally I want to try this one


How to grow Wheat Grass

I purchased my wheat grains from a health food store. Cost me all of 30 cents! You can grow wheat grass on paper towel without dirt if you wish! Here is how we did ours.

Place a thin layer of dirt in a dish/container. You can line it with plastic wrap if you wish esp if you are growing it in a cardboard container. Place wheat berries all over the dirt. You can bury them, we did a little of both, some under the dirt some above.

Water every day! I placed a water bottle mister/sprayer next to the dirt. The girls were to spray it three times a day {It got sprayed a lot more than that! Just too hard to resist for little girls!}

The wheat will sprout within one day! I swear that stuff grows while your back is turned. I really felt like it was an alien thing growing growing. It was almost creeping me out! {can you tell we don't do living things often?} One day it grew one centimeter within a couple of hours! We didnt keep exact measurements but if you keep a ruler near by the children could measure it as it grows.

To extend the life of the wheat grass trim it regularly.

Here is how ours grew in only ONE WEEK.

I had someone ask me: What the heck is easter grass and what do you do with it and why?

If you need some justification in you life {I often do} here are some reasons:

:: watching seeds grow gives room to talk about new life.
For christians Easter is the ultimate time to talk about life, death and life after death.

:: Even though it is not spring here for many people it is.
After a cold winter some lovely greenery in the home is welcome.
I also told my children that chicks, bunnies and plants are used at Easter as it was spring when The first Easter occurred, even though it is not here.

:: Easter Bunny believers will love leaving it out as a fresh snack for their visiting bunny

:: I've seen people use it in easter baskets instead of the plastic/paper fake grass
It's alot cheaper and is natural and will compost.

:: Makes great table centre pieces

:: Wheat grass takes about a week or so to grow.
Children can anticipate the coming of easter while looking after their grass.

:: All my school age children have been following lifecycles at school this term. They have grown grass heads, alfalfa sprouts, tadpoles. Another example at home is always good and they wanted to take it to school to show how much faster it grew than the school ones!

Enjoy creating different scenes with your Easter Grass! Ever evolving.

*note do not leave inclosed for long periods of time. I left my cake stand dome over the grass for a couple of days and spider web like mould started to grow. Wheat grass likes air! Wheat grass will be perfectly fine if covered for a few hours though if using for table decoration.

Easter Tree

Our Easter Tree is up.

It's not the most beautiful or perfect but each egg and picture of Christ was hung by the girls {I'm sure I might even it out over time or add more ;) I love it when the girls say things like, Easter is like Christmas. We have a tree!

This year we have two trees. The other one is housing the 30 tags for the Living Christ Easter Countdown . Previous years we have used the branches to hold things we've coloured for family home evening from the life of Christ. Some years it just holds eggs and bunnies. Whatever you choose to put up the kids will love.

I've done a tutorial previously found here. But it is so easy. This year I didn't even bother painting the branches from our yard. I liked it au natural. When we trim our hedges, trees etc we leave it in a pile in the back yard to dry out.  This gives us stacks of branches to use throughout the year for decorating and fire! When I'm done I'll throw them back. Place branches in a vase or something to keep them anchored and decorate.

Its always fun unboxing things that have been put away for a year. My easter wreath is missing though (I think I threw it away, it had lasted through two easters and was a bit sad looking) so another thing on my easter to do list. Our wheat grass spouted in one day. Today (day three) there is definately visible little green fuzzy roots. Though I wish I saw THIS! before we planted. What a fun idea to do with Easter Grass with a spiritual message!

Lots of easter things going on here.

Sometimes I feel sorry for him

Sometimes I feel sorry for him.

Not often. But Sometimes

Especially when I find these pictures around the house.

They make me do an eyebrow raise, huh?


Is that what our life 'really' looks like?


HA HA HA HA HAH!!

Even though he's outnumbered I think our house is pretty fun. Our girls are sort of tom boys and enjoy computers and many of the interests of The MR. So life isnt THAT BAD for him.

But it still makes me do a double take everytime I find a family drawing by the girls.

OH my dear Mr... You are a rare man!!


*wondering if I've had an extra child? - my sister lives here and gets included in lots of pictures.

Cornflour BiCarb Soda Dough Ornaments

There are just so many beautiful white ornaments around lately.

LOVE LOVE the look, not the price tag.

Even homemade with air drying clay can be too expensive especially if you want to make a lot. Those tiny slabs of moulding clay for $5 each won't get me many.

I've used salt dough before - especially if it is the kids using the dough it's a good cheap alternative.
found here and here

But it still looks a little too homemade- ish

I came across this dough recipe that uses cornflour and bicarb soda and I think the end result is a little more professional looking. The dough seems to be a little more white clay- ish. It will cost about $5 for the ingredients and will give you 50 or so ornaments.

Cornflour Bi-Carb Dough (this will make alot. I did a half recipe and got 20 ornaments)

 

2 c. baking soda
1 c. cornstarch (cornflour)
1 1/4 c. cold water

Mix soda and cornstarch together, in a saucepan, blending well. Add the cold water and mix well until mixture is smooth. Cook on medium heat for 2-4 mins until it has consistency of moist mashed potatoes. Stir constantly. Spoon out on a plate. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to cool. Knead dough and roll out on waxed paper. Cut out designs with a cookie cutter or shape by hand. Let dry until hard, 1 or 2 days. Paint ornaments with Tempra or water colors. Dry well and coat with clear shellac or clear nail polish. Hangers may be mounted on back with glue, or pressed into dough before it dries

 

I don't have the patience to wait days for it to dry so I dried mine in the oven on very low heat for 1-2 hours. (be careful though - I know have some brown ornaments - lucky I can just paint over it)

 

 

For these I used cookie cutters. Roll out dough, cut out shapes.  Using rubber stamps, stamp in any letters or pattern you want. Doilies can even be pushed into the dough to give a dainty look.

 

I used an alphabet rubber stamp set a friend gave me {I am so blessed to know so many wonderful people who give me stuff! That and I have a lot of ex pat friends who move alot who gift me their craft supplies because they can't move it all! I don't think I have had to purchase any craft things in years! I am truly blessed!}

 

I can't wait to make more. I'm thinking people's initials for present tags, personalized gifts, cute sayings stamped into everything.

 

I'm going to make more and experiment with painting them. Something nice and sparklely.

 

Show me if you make some too!

Preparations :: Easter

tutorial on how to make these coming! So easy and cute!

It's 30 days till Easter! {well its 28 now... I'm late in posting!}

We started off with this 30 day countdown which uses excerpts from The Living Christ

Last month I was saying to a friend how I need a calendar that runs before things happen. Like reminders two weeks or more before a birthday, before valentines, Pancake Tuesday, Easter ... all the holidays that you need to prepare for well before the day actually hits.

Easter confuses me with its changing dates. Especially when it is at the beginning of April because in March I think I have plenty of time, turn the calendar page and BAM Easter is in 5 days! I've been doing fairly well this year in being prepared but I'm thinking a calendar with those little printed reminders... before the day would be awesome. One day I'll be organised I swear.

So to help myself and maybe you if you wish I'm writing down easter preparations here

RIGHT NOW::

:: Suprise Eggs
I started this week on my {Surprise Eggs}  I find I can collect more eggshells the earlier I start. Each year the girls seem to need more and more (12 is no longer sufficient!) The hardest bit is remembering NOT to crack eggs in half when cooking. I use a sharp knife and slice the top off the egg. Empty the egg into your cooking, then wash the eggshell out. I store them in an open egg carton so they can dry out. I found some gorgeous surprise eggs over at O Happy Day . Filled with Gold glitter or birdseed or cereal so the mess can be left behind in a park without worry. Great idea! My kids really enjoy this easter activity. One of our favourite Easter Traditions.

:: Easter Tree
Decorate with eggs, religious things, whatever you wish really. I made names of Christ birds to hang on ours this year using this dough recipe

:: 30 Day Living Christ Countdown



TWO WEEKS OUT::

:: Easter Countdown Calendars
Easter Week Activity Countdown
12 day treat or activity Easter Countdown

::Growing Easter Wheat Grass
Pretty Wheat Grass Tutorial at Ecoki
Our previous wheat grass

:: PINATA!
Egg Pinata
Chicken Pinata
Easter Basket Pinata

ONE WEEK OUT::

Palm Sunday - we read the story and act it out with real palm leaves and make palm crosses
Passover - celebrate on the real date or the thursday before easter as Christ did
Hot Cross Buns - We've made these Easter Friday for the last few years
Soft Pretzels - we make these around the day Christ prayed in Gethsemene
Dying/Decorating Eggs - A must and fav with the kids.
Easter Candle Ring - we love candlelight and quiet thoughts and a devotional if I can sneek it in


 "Without Easter we would have no Christmas" - this was our starting quote with the children. They had to think really hard why it was so! If Jesus had not given his life so we can have eternal life he would have been just another special but ordinary person. Because of Easter and his ultimate gift we want to celebrate his birth.

Easter seems to be a much more solemn holiday than christmas. I hope that I don't cheapen that, but my goal is to try and put as much if not more effort into Easter than I do at Christmas. It's such a special holiday {and a lot less commercial -if you ignore the cocolate eggs everywhere} that there seems to be a lot less stress associated with this holiday. I'm hoping to use that to my advantage to give the girls lots to ponder on at this time of year. { no end of years parties, no presents for others to buy, no work/christmas parties - therefore ideally I should have lots more time and focus for Easter}

Enjoy! I hope my efforts will result in a greater love of Easter and Christ for my children

Growing. me and her.

6:30 am birthday morning. Very excited over an unexepected drawing tablet for the computer

I've never really had any problems having a bunch of young kids.
I know kids, surrounded by others with kids and it just seems normal to have a gaggle of little children.

But as my eldest just turned 11 things are dawning on me.

I felt fine having kids under 10. I'm a young mum and I have kids.

11 just seems so old! I feel like I am entirely too young to have any children over 10 years of age.

I associate with so many people with little children. I'm at the school for hours daily amongst children. It just seems like teens are so far away for me (even though bizarrely I work with the teen girls at church - so I should have SOME idea!) I never had much of a problem sending my kids off to school (there were always a bunch more at home) I was more excited about that stage of life. They still seemed to be kids and that was a part of kid life.

But it seems like everything changed over night (not really, she's still acting the same)
but it was just really bought to my attention like BAM!

She received money for her birthday from her great grandma. Immediately she wanted me to take her to Toyworld to spend it. Funny thing is we strolled the isles for ages and she came up empty handed. She found maybe one thing she wanted but didn't want to spend all of her money on this very small item. I stood there realising that she has perhaps realised she is no longer a child. Last year she found plenty of toys to spend her money on. This year she found none.

She is in that tricky place of no longer a child yet still not teen or woman. She is not really into makeup or clothes or music quite yet. It left her thinking hard about what would she actually spend her money on. I could only come up with two options. I said 'lets leave here and head to the bookshop and smiggle. You like reading and drawing I say, maybe you'll find something there?'

I avoid the shops on Saturdays, and the centre we were in was really busy. She got briefly separated from me in my the crowd. I said 'here hold my hand and we'll walk fast through this crowd.'

I'm used to small hands.
Tiny hands of my two and five year olds in my hand.
Keeping them safe and allowing the older girls to walk on their own.

I grabbed that 11 year old hand and felt shock. {instantly to my heart}

Her hand was as big as mine.

It felt so weird and out of place. It took a bit of manoevering for us to get comfortable.

Even she felt weird.

Growing. It happens.

To the child and the parent.

And we cannot stop it but must continue on, following the ride.

Albeit, running from behind to catch up! My child is gone and I'm scrambling, refinding her.

But luckily and hopefully its just a better version each time.

And maybe we'll even hold hands a bit more often.

Meow...A Cat Party

Miss K decided on a Cat Theme for her birthday. I wasn't sure if she was a little too old for this, but she insisted. I thought it was sweet that a turning 11 girl is still young at heart. Much preferable than the alternative. It was also a good theme as she was able to help and make alot of it with me.

The cat theme came about by her year long obsession with these books . Warrior Cats!! . Many of the kids are reading them. If you like reading, animals and adventure I'm sure your kid will love these books. We even watch the warrior cats YouTube videos. and online games. And love to pretend play 'cats'

One of the main cats is orange so that became my theme.

Cat Plates, Cat drinks, Cat Themed number birthday shirt, Pin the tail on the Cat Game, Cat Pinata.

I purchased a letter stamping kit and made each of the girls a Cat Tag Collar. These are made by hammering the letters onto washers. Using a nikko to make it black and wiping the washer before the nikko dries will leave the inside of the letters dark enough to read. We attached them onto some lace ribbon for instant cat collars.

Decorate a Cupcake. Each girl recieved a cupcake with the idea to make a cat cake. Licorice, sour straps, mini m&m's, freckles and tic tacs were used. The large birthday cake was made in similar fashion. I will say it was one of the easiest and quickest birthday cakes I've made. I'll be sure to stick with that style in the future.

We made cat masks using pipe cleaners and pom poms and pens and cat tails by stuffing newspaper into knee hi stockings and tieing them around their waist with elastic

Mouse hunt game using fillable plastic easter eggs. Good time of year to have this idea as plastic eggs are plentiful at the moment. Basically draw a mouse face with nikko onto one end of the egg. Hot glue gun some little felt triangles for ears and a piece of string for a tail. Fill with treats and hide around the yard for the 'cats' to find. The girls were really into this game and insisted on finding the mice on all fours and picking them up in their mouths! I made 24 but the children would have loved more and to keep looking.


All in all the girls enjoyed the party and most of them (bar one child) were interested in sitting and doing crafts. They were all eager to 'just play cats please?' worrying that their parents would be there to pick them up all too soon leaving no time for Warrior Cats!


I collected these ideas from varying places. Credits go to:
 maya made
 maya made #2
Whimsy Love
Parents.com


MEOW!

Nothing. Nothing at all.

While we play "I'm A SUPER" alot we aren't achieving much superhero things.

Why no blogs?

Because absolutely nothing is happening.

I thought when I sent all the kids off to school I would have sooooo much more time.

Just me and one little one.. easy right? right?



Except it just seems a big rush in the mornings and then she never wants to leave the school playground, we finally meander our way back home. I sigh at the trashed house, and we wash dishes and clean breakfast /getting ready mess. I sit down and check the internets (mistake) then before lunch I start cooking dinner/snacks/desserts. Sometimes this takes me hours. Then I realise little miss has been watching tv the whole time so we play a little. Then I try really hard to make her nap (which results in me fallling asleep and her doing whatever she wants) and then its back to school to start it all over again starting with dreaded homework and afternoon trashing the house and eating dinner causing more mess.

Sometimes I wonder that all I accomplish each day is 2 loads of washing, cooking and cleaning the kitchen and lounge. Nothing anymore than that gets done! sigh.. because I've gotta get deeper than that!


When the 3 girls first went back to school I told myself that I will give myself a week of doing nothing to recover from school holidays. Then I will pull up my pants and write a schedule for me and Miss N. We will do 'school' and activities. We will meet daddy for lunch in the city. We will make things. We will do things (and therefore have things to blog about). We will have an super clean house, and be organised, and just have oh so much fun!


I think the kids have been back at school for 5 weeks now?

hmmmm and I don't have any of the above done. None at all...


and nothing to blog about this week except for this post about nothing being done.

One Night Camping

We went camping for one night on the weekend.

It was a group camp with other people from our church

We had so much fun.

Never have we camped where we have known every person in the campground.

There were around 60 of us and we had the campground to ourselves!

Before we left I said

This has the potential to be an awesome weekend full of fun
Or I am imagining the little children forming packs of wild crazy kids not being able to calm down because of so many friends in the same spot. Lord of the flies here we come.

I had also heard several "I'm sleeing with ____ in their tent"  "____ is sleeping with us in our tent"
The details seemed to change daily.


I am so pleased to say that the former happened and not the latter.

Apart from the teenage boys with fart bombs and water bombs the children's behaviour was great!

So much fun I hope to go camping like that again!

activities:

Fire and more fire

Toasting marshmallows

Big Screen outdoor movie

waterbombs and running around crazy

Making face paint out of charcoal/fire leftovers

Group running/obstacle course games

Thanks always to the Mr who put in A LOT of work to go camping for just one night. We had a packed to the brim trailer with tents, a huge tarp, everything for outdoors movie (computer, projector, speakers, extension cords etc), ropes, first aid kit, ax, hammers and the list goes on. He set up a lot of stuff and then had to pull it all back down the next day.

Charity. A real love.

It's the day of love

I didn't accomplish half of what I pinned {on pinterest}


{will I ever?}

A few years ago I decided that we should give the girls things on Valentines. Not that I want to buy into the commercialism of spending money on one day to show your love, but give them one simple thing ~ like a single flower, a chocolate, a homemade card, a heart shaped pancake breakfast. As a gentle reminder that their parents love them. Whisperings of being kind to others, to share love with the world. The world can always use a little more of {real} love in my opinion.

{Today's gift was heart pancakes and red valentines balloons}

I've been reading on Charity lately. Click here for all 53 Scriptures that mention Charity
{great reading for valentines day!}

We all know if we have not charity we have nothing.


However a few others that caught my attention mention to be clothed in charity or to put on charity.


1 Peter 4:8 
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: ^afor ^bcharity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Doctrine and Covenant 88:125
And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

Colossian 3:14
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.


I really liked these statements. Sometimes we all feel like failures in this tough gig called life. Especially if you have high expectations for yourself. I'm always questioning if I do indeed have Charity :the pure love of Christ.

I like that it might not necceasrily be something that is with us always, BUT we can still choose to cloak ourselves with charity.

I felt the symbolism of a beautiful shawl that I can pick up and it will warm me when I need it.

At times it can be hard to have charity, Especially when we don't feel certain people deserve our charity. In our families we might think.. but THEY need to be kind/help out/say sorry to ME!

Do I like to help people that can help me back? Do I  like to help people who through their own bad choices have ended up where they are. Do I feel they deserve to be there, or don't deserve help?

I can choose the cloak of charity - its always laying right where I need it, within arms reach. I can cloak myself with it and give the pure love of Christ.

Instead of romantic love {which the Mr tried to tell me we have everyday so why do we need to celebrate on a forced/commercialized day?} maybe I can use the day to celebrate love for mankind.

Today may be a day designated for romantic love. But I think it is ok, if not better, to firstly love ourselves ~ how unique, special and wonderful we are. Treat yourself. Secondly love your family. It doesn't matter if we don't have a significant other today. We all have family. Let's tell them we love them. A call or letter to mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Lastly show a kindness to a stranger.


And we all will be better off for celebrating a day of love.


I've received two random acts of kindness from strangers today already! And I found a heart shaped leaf laying on the road {you know I see and photograph any natural heart}


Time to pass it on xx


Happy Valentines to all my family, friends and strangers alike who read this blog!

I LOVE YOU!

and I fell off a waterfall...

It's my birthday and all I got was this huge gash to the head...

Well Ok not really. The day started out like this:

Where she received all her desired gifts : Sunglasses, watch, hat, mini book reading light and bra's!

Then a morning shopping with mum to spend birthday money and to buy new shiny kids high heels for church. Then off to lunch at the children's favourite place of Sizzlers...

But the day ended like this:

and 7 hours in Emergency.

The poor little darling today is sore and tired and says 'she feels like grandma and it hurts to bend over {we've since talked that she will now have more compassion for old people and her grandma that has a sore back}shes got a nice headache and wants to lay down all day.

A walk with friends to a waterfall shes been to several times ended with her slipping on some moss/algae and falling 5 metres off said waterfall. Friends mother carried her all the way back down the path and bought her home and we took her up to the hospital. Her Dr was very nice and looked after her really well she said. He even called home at 11pm to check on her.

She had large bruising to her back and hip, a few scrapes and a 6cm gash to the top of her head where afterwards the doctors said they could see her skull and it was bruised.

She did say a few times.. why did this have to happen on my birthday?


We told her she is lucky she is alive with no broken bones and that it'll make her 9th birthday one she will never forget xx

Pool Party for Nine

It seems I am a sucker for parties.

My children seem to get a party {however small or simple or large} every birthday.

I know people who only do parties every second year or every four years
{1,4,8,12,16 - all important birthdays - I really LIKE that Idea!}

However it just seems we always do parties.

Have I told you what lovely neighbours I have? {I do...3 very nice ones}
Well one of them let us have Miss A's party over at her house. Why you ask?

Because they have a POOL!

Miss A felt very lucky to be able to have a POOL PARTY for her birthday.

Me? I was just happy that amongst all this rain, there wasn't any rain or storm happening. I had to walk 8 children + my own 4 home from school to the party. I also had no back up plan. This was to be a very simple party.

Simple is my favourite!


Curly Straws and Softdrink
Packets of Chips
Cupcakes

and LOTS OF SWIMMING.


Just right for a birthday at this time of year.

And I think they enjoyed it very much. I couldnt get them to leave the pool when their parents arrived.

13 years ago...

{what I was doing the night before I got married: My awesome Sydney Friends took me out and dared me to wear this granny outfit they bought along. I was too scared to wear this out in public}

We didn't really have much opportunity to celebrate (alone) this weekend for our 13th Wedding Anniversary but as we tiredly drifted off to sleep on Sunday night we had a conversation:

Do you remember what you did the night before we got married
Could you sleep (I was confused to what bed I slept in..my whole family in a hotel room?)
What time did you get up the morning of
Were you nervous
Thoughts running through your head

It was funny to hear my husbands side of things after all these years. 
He was nervous, alone, praying really hard, cried (happy tears of course)

{I have a terrible memory. I couldn't remember much at all. Maybe this blog is a good idea!}


If you could go back what would you tell your younger self?

You are doing the right thing. Life will turn out pretty perfect. Relax, he will turn up (he was stuck in traffic and late for the interview with temple president - I was petrified to go alone and worried that my tears of nervousness would be mistaken by the Temple President as a young girl who didn't want to get married) Enjoy and write down every feeling and thought from today, because believe it or not you WILL forget.

I was a pretty relaxed bride I think. Flowers bought the day before from the florist across the road {I still have a love for those Irises} Photos, Lunch with family in the Temple Cafeteria {it was great} and escaping for a slow drive back home to Brisbane stopping for whatever we wanted, and a Wedding Reception back home a week later.

I may at times want to cringe at the simpleness of it all {which felt far from simple at the time}but I loved it. I just wanted to get married, be happy with the Man I loved and not be in any debt. Pretty sure I covered all that, and the pattern has continued since.

I am that younger girl, and she is me.

Never forget. Use each day to love more. Make your goal to be more in love today than on that day.

Sci Fi Birthday Party

Sci Fi party: The Mr decided on a Dress up/Themed party for his 40th Birthday.

His once-in-every-ten-years-party. So he wanted to put a big of effort in.

Invites

The Mr is celebrating the end of his fortieth year on the planet.

Turning 40 is "halfway" through his life he says and so

he wishes to celebrate with some of the things he likes.
The theme for the party is SCI FI.

Dress up in costume as a science fiction character from either film or television.
 His Favourites, include, Start Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Babylon 5, Dr Who to name a few.

Here are some of the details of the party:

Fancy Dress. Here are our Fun friends and family who dressed up as per invitation.

1. Star Trek  2.The Milky Way  3. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

4.Alien Baby  5. Captain and the Enterprise  6. Astronaut

7.Bazinga!  8. Mulder and Scully  9. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Birthday number from photos and more paper stars
(I told you they are quick, easy and addictive - I still have the ones from Christmas up!)

Dry Ice for fun effects

The Tardis Door/Entry

We arent big party people. We love to entertain and its not unusual for us to have people over weekly, but it isnt very often we try to throw big parties. I believe we've only had four between us (my 21st and 25th and The Mr's 30th and 40th)

What we have learnt:
::Let people know that their presence is more important to you than their outfit (yes several people told me they didn't come to our party because they couldn't think of a costume.... sad face :(

::We asked for adults only party because between our invited friends there would have been 60 children (and our house just aint big enough for THAT party) however this also prevented quite a few people from not being able to attend. I need to think of an idea where kids can be somewhere nearby but not 'at the party' (hello... dear neighbours.. I need a favour.... ;) suggestions appreciated.
        

::The Mr recluctanly joined facebook last year. He thought of all those invites he missed getting via facebook and did the same. Maybe not that many people actually check their facebook   - handwritten invites next time!

::Whilst it may look like we are loser no friends (well, its always a possibility ;) several people also had to work. I really think there should be a ban on people who have to work on Saturday nights. Really.

:: Over invite if you want a big party.
(except the time you do that everyone will come and your house will explode with people ;)


But even though we were low in expected numbers - and felt a bit silly, I learnt that it doesn't matter. We were there and our children were there. We had fun coming up with ideas and preparing. We had fun decorating, creating and having a common goal. The girls spent hours decorating and making their own outfits.

They dreamed, and planned, and giggled and spent hours days experimenting with dry ice effects.

And I suppose that is the best gift one can ever give.


Hope you enjoyed and loved your birthday party Mr


 see you at 50 ;)