Sunday, February 28, 2010

Art and the Goldilocks Zone

I had a blog post titled 'Living in the Goldilocks Zone' it's been sitting in my 'box' as a draft for a while and in it was the link for this song (which by the way I love).



The Goldilocks Zone is actually a term related to space. Earth is in the Goldilocks Zone- we have a spot in the universe that is not too hot and not too cold.... like the third bowl of porridge it's 'just right'.

We also have a Goldilocks Zone... a place of comfort that is 'just right' for us. I'm interested to know if you think our personal Goldilocks Zone is a good place to live? Or not?

Hey Jim I am especially wondering what you think?

Saturday, February 27, 2010

House Captains!

I can't believe that I never posted to say that Brody made House Captain! Hooray!!!!


And so did Kieran, HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!!!!!!

That's Mr Dawson the new DP shaking his hand. (Or should I say new 'co-DP' wouldn't want to get any ones back up. )


B and K were both great choices and very well deserving of getting the honour of HC!!
I have to say it was a relief when they called his name. He was planning on a day off school for each of the grief stages if he didn't get chosen. And said he was seriously considering leaving to get home schooled as well.
The photos are awful unfortunately as Will messed with the settings on my camera. :-(

Sand Pit!

One of the coolest things we got Will for his birthday and Christmas was a Sandpit and the associated tools for it. We used the other half of the raised garden bed we got from the neighbours. we were contemplating dividing it off and filling only 2/3's with sand so we could have a third for toy storage but I am so glad we didn't because it is a great size especially when all three kids are in there or when Les or I join in with Will.
We scored the trucks at the Hasbro sale and got the rest of the stuff super cheap (or free) from the Sally Army store that Les' sister runs. The umbrella was an old one that the Rae's were getting rid of last summer...I figured that it would come in handy and it has been absolutely invaluable.
Will's favourite part is when he gets to use the hose in there- super fun for all involved!











Friday, February 26, 2010

Mouse Trouble?



Don't ya just hate it when that happens?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

"Get a Chair"

Les told him to get a chair so he could eat his lunch at the little table.


So he did.




Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Chimpanzee, the lamb and everything else

Do you know the puzzle with the wolf, the goat and the cabbage? You know the one where you have to get all three across a river but can only carry one in your boat at any one time. If you leave the goat and the cabbage together the goat pigs out and if you leave the wolf and the goat together then you don't have a goat any more.

That's my life at the moment.

Except I don't have goat I have a sweet precious wee lamb whom I am very enamoured with. He's soft and gorgeous, has "tiny hair", is a bit of a cruiser and likes to sleep ok. He goes by the name of Baby Jake. (To distinguish him from big boy Jake).
I also don't have a wolf I have a cheeky juvenile chimpanzee who likes to use the lambs head as bongo drums if possible. Is full of energy (when he's not sick- then he's full of woe) and sees sleeping as an activity to do on me in the hottest part of the day.
And the cabbage, well that's anything in the house we can't keep out of Will's reach or that we haven't yet realised that Will has the ability to make trouble with.

Yesterday I had to put the washing out.
You can't trust the boy outside on his own because of the paddling pool.
You can't trust the boy inside with the baby because of the whole bongo thing.
So you take the baby outside and set him up on a blanket in the shade.
Return for the washing passing the boy on the way.
Race out with the washing.
Check that the boy hasn't made it to the baby.
Check that the baby hasn't wriggled too far and is not grasping a noxious weed to his sweet wee rosebud lips.
Check that the boy isn't on his way to the pool.
Hang washing monitoring movement.
The baby can't last as long as it takes to hang a load and is ready to be picked up and go inside.
The boy can last about 5 times as long as it takes to hang the washing and is most peeved at cutting his outside time short.
Deposit baby on play mat to get essential baby supplies.
Boy stands perilously close.
Boy contemplates repertoire of trouble.....

"Hmmmmm... what to do???"

  • Pull down bars from across the change mat- freak out baby.
  • Bongo's- hurt the baby.
  • Smother with pillow- surprise the baby- but also provide him with something to suck on.
  • Steal the baby's dummy and suck it- upset the baby and make the mummy grumpy.
  • Shove toy baby bottle in baby's mouth- shock the baby.

Ahhhh all of these been done before.

Let's try attempted sitting on the baby's chest.
Retrieved by mummy. Baby unscathed.

Mummy needs the loo.
Baby safely shut in the lounge.
The boy in the hallway outside loo.

Crying.

Mummy opens the door.

Boy joins mummy.

Mummy wipes nose, chin and cheeks of formally distraught and now quite snotty boy.

"Need Tampons?" Says boy.

Mummy rues boy's excellent language skills and brilliant memory.

And regrets own forthrightness while previously answering questions.

Tree Love

I love, love, LOVE our tree it is absolutely the best place to be at our place in spring and autumn, but most especially in Summer when the sweet soft pink flowers are blooming!It's an Albizzia julibrissin aka Persian Silk Tree- just in case you were wondering.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Good Scores

I try and drop by our local op Shop at least once or twice each fortnight. Lately I have picked up some cool stuff including a couple of tops, a funky table cloth and ....

These went ti Miss Wendy and Vienna.


I love Carltonware... I wouldn't collect it because we've got nowhere to display it so there's no point. This piece matches as little jug that I have it's a bit chipped around the edges but still pretty!

We don't have a dinner set and I have been on the look out for something cheap by cool for a while. These bamboo plates are just my thing, kind of kitch, great for steak and salad and I got 6 entre sixe and 6 main size so very cool for grown-ups trying to eat less and kids.

The last score wasn't from the op shop but actually a freebie from the side of the road someone had dumped their breadmaker. We brought it home to see if it would work and it didn't. Les opened it up to find it was just a belt which he then fixed and now we are enjoying the results. Well sometimes we are anyway... there have been a couple of total fails and one where the belt slipped and I just had to take the dough and make the bread the old fashioned way. Kieran is the chief bread chef- he's really getting into cooking lately which is great! Pretty cool for free (just wish it wasn't BLUE!)

Monday, February 22, 2010

Catching-up

I know it seems like I blog everyday but sometimes I set up posts to go out automatically and don't actually physically write on the blog for a week or more at a time. That is both good and bad. Many blog readers find it frustrating when the posts are few and far between so it's good to have something posting most days. It's good for me to get the memories out there and share pics with family and friends.

On the flip-side if I do that too much then I don't end up talking about what's on my mind and what is happening right here and now. It's late right now so this isn't going to be one of those posts but I wanted to say a quick hello and check in.

Last week we started looking after Baby Jake and had a bunch of other bits and pieces going on so it was at least a very full-on week, at it's worst incredibly frustrating and quite heart breaking. This week has also started on a serious low so I am hoping that we only go up from here on in. I'm philosophical about all this. Life happens and there are worse things.

The thing that has been most on our mind recently is parenting. There are things going on with all of the kids, and there choices and issues for us as parents which are new and very challenging.

I was thinking as I composed the post in my head that parenting is something that we actually don't talk about that much. I think it falls into one of those areas that while it doesn't appear controversial on the face of it it can be really contentious.

From the the time that babies are born there is the whole 'too posh to push' vs. squeeze 'em out au natural and breast vs. bottle. Then there's vaccinators vs. those of us on the lunatic fringe who are going to hell for putting God's children at risk. And then, may you be struck down forever if you deign to proudly share the latest achievement of your darling babe because lets face it you may think your comments an innocent sharing of special moments but all the other parents know it for the 'my-baby- is-better-than-yours' of some hot housing mother. I've even learned recently that there are the them and us's of the home educating world: School at home-er's vs. unschooler's, and Christian homeschoolers vs. those of us who are not expected to enjoy the afterlife.

That is incredibly sad. Parenting is something so many people are or have been involved in. There is a wealth of information and experience out there which is not being shared lest we cause offence or look show-offish. And then there are those who may be struggling with the day-to-day mundane-ness or a bad case of wanna-be super woman syndrome- admit failure? suggest that life is less than rosy? or that a 4kg midget is holding your sanity to ransom?... I don't think so.

So I'm hoping to find time in amongst parenting to actually talk about parenting on the blog. I've got some questions and I may have some answers as well. How about you?

A little Sunshine and Colour.

I enjoy Hula Girl, Andrea's blog.

It lead me to her husband Ward Jenkin's and Ward's blog.

Which lead me to his Etsy store; Ward-o-Matic.

I think I am in love.




Swoon.

I am defintely going to get that last one in the large size once all the back to school spending is past. I really want all three, but I'll have to wait and see.

Oh and check out his stamps too!!!

Change 11.23.1.10

Probably some of my favourite photos from the change project! Taken by me on the Seasprite flight....




Sunday, February 21, 2010

Food 'Pwocessor'

This is Will's little hang out in the kitchen.

It's where all his favourite toys are. The most favourite of all being the 'food pwocessor'. I find this kind of strange because he gets quite stressed and nervous when we have itactually working. But he sits there for long periods of time taking the parts on and off- juicer, lid, cup and bowl. He makes all sorts of screeches and squeals. I thought he was completely weird...


...till Les suggested he was making food processor noises!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Twenty Six

Was a bit busy this week/yesterday to get these done!



Training Issues

We have plans to start toilet training soon so introduced Will to some of the tools of the trade. Your could say he's having issues getting his head around them.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Faces 6


Ahoy There Me Sweeties!

Big sisters have a LOT to answer for.



Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Faces 5



Hmmmmm, What to do?

"Breakfast is boring.....


.... what can I do?


Hey I know!

This is cool....


.... and funny...

See?!"

Tuesday, February 16, 2010