Wordless Wednesday

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Together Tuesday

 

I'm writing this on Thursday the 23rd. That makes it a 'Mum and Tama day' that's the description we give to school days that aren't Kindy days. The day started out well enough fairly calm and at ease. T and I got Will to school and came home and had fruit toast for breakfast. Pam came over and we finally gave her the Easter card Tama made for her. Tama was compliant, for want of a better word, he was cheerful and happy. He was up late this morning and so still in his PJ's, so opted to have snuggles and watch Telly in bed. We hung out there for a while interspersed with me adjusting the washing machine and then hanging the washing on the line. I had been thinking about vintage books so I suggested to Tama he get up and dressed and we could head out to the op shops. He's a willing Op-shopper and so happily agreed. It was a pleasant trip we scored some cool stuff and had a lovely conversation.

When we got back he sat down with his lunch box. It's not full of terribly great choices today. I still need to go do the shopping but I'm feeling fairly lacklustre lately- apart from anything else I have a cold for the first time in a long long while.

I did go to the supermarket on Wednesday just for lollies. Starburst were $1.31- half price! I got 19 packets. That's 4.5 weeks worth for the senior mens hockey games. And one for me... Forrest Berries, I deserve it right? It's just one after all. I can't start eating right until after I do the shopping. It's not a big deal. They're stashed in my drawers by the scrapbooking table.

While Tama was eating his lunch I snipped open the bag and grabbed a small handful. Tucked in. 

Tama spent the afternoon playing with our op shop finds, a few games and a plastic golf set. He got progressively louder and more aggressive in the two hours before school pick-up. He refused to go to the toilet and then pooed his pants while I was hanging the third load of washing leaving me a neat package of undies, shorts and poo to find when I came back inside. 

He bashed his hockey stick on the ground and on a box. He tossed some things in the air and I threatened him with violence should he break the TV (again).

I snuck a few more lollies when he wasn't looking my way and just before we headed out to school a few more.

Tama refused to find his sandals and was cranky about going to school. I refused to carry him to the car. And he threatened me with not being my 'best boy' any more if I didn't come carry him. I started the engine and told him to hurry up. In the car I sad he wasn't my best boy anyway considering his behaviour that afternoon and I'm guessing I probably wasn't his best mum considering mine.

At school he took off to play on the grass and a couple of Mums and I reflected on our day. I expressed my annoyance with Tama taking his sandals off (They were in the car from our trip to the op shop a couple of hours earlier). And then I wondered to myself who had flipped my 'bitch switch', how and why had I gone from the peaceful cosy morning to the angry frustrated afternoon?

I did. 

I flipped it, with my sweet, sweet mega dose of sugary lolly badness. I flipped Tama's too with his carb and sugar loaded lunch. And it was about that point where I lost hope of maintaining my mood, my composure, my clear head and struggled my way through the rest of the day. It's about that point where Tama did the same too.

There is no nutritional/health benefit to the foods that he and I ate. We meet some energy needs but at what cost? Too great a cost when those energy needs could have been met with some yummy cheese, sausages, boiled eggs or some other super simple  and delicious option.

There is no emotional benefit to us eating those foods- our afternoon was not a 'treat', it wasn't something special.

I guess it saves me time and energy to eat/serve these foods but I'm pretty sure that I used way more energy and time getting Tama to do what he needed too etc.

Eating crap food, or even just less than stellar processed food has no payoff and isn't worth the price my life and my kids lives pay.

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This week on the web...

I thought Russle Brand's "Trews" about immigrants/refugees and society's views regarding them was a good watch.

I think one of the things most troubling me at the moment is the idea that we're not going anywhere. Whilst paying off debt and buying our own place would be nice it's not really what I am dreaming of. I want my life to have made a difference and I want to gain some meaning in my life by doing things that make a difference. I don't want to just live my life- I want it to matter that I did. I have aspirations and I want the people around me to have aspirations as well. So 7 choices you'll regret at the end of your life was an interesting read which got me thinking on such things.

"...the common idea about physical activitity as a cure for obesity is something we need to forget – because it’s not true."  Um.... YES!!

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I know we've just passed ANZAC day but I was searching our home library for books related to the topic and found it sadly lacking! Here's what we have...

Memorial by Gary Crew and Shaun Tan (Middle Primary up)

Dear Alison Edited by Simon Pollard  (Middle Primary up)

Harry and the ANZAC Poppy by John Lockyer ( Lower Primary Up)

Lest We Forget By Kerry Brown (Kindergarten up)

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Here's what's on my wishlist...

ANZAC Biscuits By  Phil Cummings ( Lower Primary Up)

Let the Celebrations Begin By Margaret Wild and Julie Vivas (Not specifically ANZAC but WW2 and a stunning book). (Middle Primary up)

Anzac Day Parade by Glenda Kane and Lisa Allen

My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day by Catriona Hoy.

Lone Pine by Susie Brown and Margaret Warner

A Day to Remember - The Story of Anzac Day by Jackie French

More book ideas/resources here:
http://childrensbooksdaily.com/top-20-picture-books-anzac-day/
http://www.mybookcorner.com.au/articles/899-anzac-day-books-for-children
http://ohpeacefulday.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/picture-books-for-anzac-day-updated.html 
http://www.thebookchook.com/2014/04/childrens-books-for-anzac-day-2014.html 
http://sevenlittleaustralians.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/anzac-day-in-books.html
http://www.mylittlebookcase.com.au/books/book-list-stories-for-anzac-day/
https://www.pinterest.com/starryeyedtl/anzac-day-in-picture-books/

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I would love to go to nowhere for 14 hours. :-)

I didn't realise where Teacher Tom was going with the Gypsies and was happily surprised- it was the second article I read today that really made me think... I love it when that happens!

This article is kind of interesting but the remarkable part for me was this:

But perhaps the most striking proof of such nutritional wisdom comes from a 1939 study in which a group of toddlers were put in charge of feeding themselves. They were offered 34 nutritionally diverse whole foods, including water, potatoes, beef, bone jelly, carrots, chicken, grains, bananas and milk. What each child ate, and how much, was entirely up to him or her.
The results were astonishing. Instead of binging on the sweetest foods, the toddlers were drawn to the foods that best nourished them. They ate more protein during growth spurts and more carbs and fat during periods of peak activity. After an outbreak of mononucleosis, curiously, they consumed more raw beef, carrots and beets. One child with a severe vitamin D deficiency even drank cod liver oil of his own volition until he was cured. By the end of the experiment, one doctor was so impressed with the toddlers’ health that he described them as “the finest group of specimens” he’d ever seen in their age group.

The right dose of exercise for a healthy life.

WOW- Gratitude for healing a physically broken heart.

Pretty ETSY stuff alert.....

This is downloaded and then printed yourself- so I'm not sure how good I could make it look- but I still think it's pretty darn cool.

These are the same from the same place.

These are from New Zealand she has a bunch of cool different paper thing in her store. You fold them yourself so they are mailed flat and I think very reasonably priced.

 This bunting is made from vintage lino! Super cool. She also does a very cool line in sets of ducks for the wall.

 I would love this print for the boys room.

Love this star stamp from paper sushi.

This one though is probably more useful and simply pretty.

Lots of wordy posters from these guys- great graphics, hard to choose a favourite.

Just a super cute bunny.

 Who couldn't use a door dragon?  A bear? Sleepy Rabbit? Sunny Dog? Ninja Birds??

I have a real obsession with World Maps. This one is pretty groovy. 

More cute- now with Foxes!

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'You've had a good day son....'

This was a good week....

Because....
... school holidays ended and everyone went back to school and kindy.
... I got to catch-up with the school mums.
... Robert came over for a play.
... Tama and Callum were reunited.
... I scored a bunch of lollies on the cheap for the Hockey teams- thanks to Sanderson Road IGA.
... we had a lovely trip to the library.
... we had a super yummy BBQ dinner.
... Kieran went to Nadyas.
... I was in the right place at the right time to help someone out.
... Hockey is finally settling down.
... Tama and I scored some cool games at the op shop.
... We finally caught up with Pam.
... I did some paper scrapbooking.
... The ones drew their game- it was a good one.
... Les marched in the ANZAC Parade in the city.

"You've had a good day son"  is the punchline of a joke my dad used to tell about a father, his son, a bear won in a side show at a carnival and a Mini Car... it's a great joke and the one liner punchline has stayed with us for a very long time. This weekly post is about being grateful for the little and big things in our lives and celebrating success the grand and everyday kind.

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Tama Month 46

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Flora on Friday

 

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Will Month 88

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Wordless Wednesday

 

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Together Tuesday

School and Kindy have gone back. I am alone. 

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365 2015 Week 15

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This week on the web....

I struggle so much with this stuff- I want to fight it so hard, but oh, what a monumental task. Australia is really a disgrace when it comes to race issues and until ordinary people who go about their days thinking it isn't a problem and certainly isn't their problem demand that things change nothing will change.

I liked Glennon's post on why we need 'mentally different' people in the world.

100 Ways to be kind to your child had some great simple ideas.

Learning Styles are not a thing! This was a big surprise to me.

There is a new podcast following up on Serial: Undisclosed is by the team of Rabia Chaudry, Susan Simpson, and Colin Miller.

I have to say I struggled to read this post- it is LONG but worth it. And it makes you think, a lot.

Also from Wait but why this post on the teen years was very funny (and a lot shorter).

Loved this: The Crossroads of should and must...... lost of questions raised though.

A nice one about kids, teaching and slam poetry.

One for the Ladies: 18 Ways Women are Disconnected from Themselves

Need to kick a bad habit? Turns out something I have done for a long time could be called progressive extremism.

Having worms is a good thing when it comes to autoimmune disease.... and other interesting things about gut health, general health and mental health.

This avocado and cucumber salad looks good.

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'You've had a good day son....'

This was a good week....

Because...
... Kieran had his first game of the season.
... I finished a big photobook.
... Kieran went to Nadyas for the day.
... Game of Thrones started again.
... Payday- phew!
... I hit a lightpost and knocked it over but didn't get into trouble because it was all rusted through.
... Merenia taught Will to knit.
... Went shopping with all the kids got Froyo and survived to tell the tale.
... I picked up the Goodbye Photobook and am super happy with it.
... Will, Tama and I had a yummy Gozleme from the mall. 
... The ones won their first game of the season.
... The weather got nice again.
... new knickers!!
... Kieran got a new Hockey Stick.
... Merenia got a stand for her Keyboard.
... Will got wool and needles.
... We set up the bunks in the boys room and it looks great.
... I actually did some paper scrapbooking.

"You've had a good day son"  is the punchline of a joke my dad used to tell about a father, his son, a bear won in a side show at a carnival and a Mini Car... it's a great joke and the one liner punchline has stayed with us for a very long time. This weekly post is about being grateful for the little and big things in our lives and celebrating success the grand and everyday kind.

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365 2015 Week 14

I was kind of putting off making this week with over 1500 photos for the week it was a little daunting- till I decided to keep it simple and easy...

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Flora on Friday

 

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Wordless Wednesday

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Together Tuesday

 

 My brain is stuck on thinking about Hockey and I need to get past that because it's doing my head in.

Hopefully I can get it stuck on Game of Thrones instead. :-)

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John Oldham Park, Mounts Road, Perth

Kieran had an appointment in the CBD this week- it was only a couple of hours so Tama and I went and checked out this park while we waited. It's really superb! It's kind of weird because it's right between a couple of major roads and a train line. But there's a big pond you can walk all the way aound. There's a nice little playground and an awesome slide. There's also a waterfall and a number of ponds all flowing down to the larger pond. The variety of bird life is astounding I counted at least 15 species in a very small area.

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