Wednesday 27 June 2012

Introducing Snaky Poo

As the weather gets colder and colder I have resented sharing my wheaty bag with Big L more and more, so I came up with a solution! One afternoon while the Rascals were asleep I pulled out some scrap bits of material and thanked my Lucky Stars that I bought an extra bag of brown rice at the supermarket that week :) I then set to work creating a Warm and Snuggly Friend for Big L.



            Snip snip, sew sew and a bit of rice and I had made Big L his very own Snake Wheaty Bag!






When Big L woke from his nap and spotted the snake he was overjoyed! He exclaimed "is this for ME!?" which was then followed by many Thank Yous and Kisses and his decision to name him Snaky Poo :) Sweet Boy :) I was so stoked all evening to see him cuddling Snaky Poo and giving him the odd Sneaky Kiss here and there... since then no bed time has been complete without Snaky Poo..



Hour well spent making Snaky Poo I think :)

xx

Sunday 17 June 2012

Family Fun Day

Today I have been struck by the beauty of a Fun Family Day together and how much one might think that this happens effortlessly and easily (and to an extent it does) and yet it involves so much in terms of energy level from the parents, creative ideas, and Rascally Ones getting on board. And more than anything the thought that goes into the family that you want to create, the things you want your family life to over flow with, expose your kids to and wrap yourselves in. To get to this point today we first had to do a bit of 'Parent Loving' after a particularly rough night- Neither N nor I woke truly feeling like we wanted to spend the day with the Rascals- we just had seen too much of them in the night! So as one wise Daddy once said in One of the Rascals Favourite Books "I know what we'll do. I've got a very good idea. We'll put on our coats and go to a cafe." And so we DID!

And MY OH MY are we lucky to have this fine gem a few minutes drive from our home :) Humbug Cafe :) Fantastic space with a family friendly room containing HEAPS of toys surrounded by comfy couches. And to top it off the coffee and food is just as amazing :) N and I got to relax and enjoy a coffee while the Rascally Ones played/drank fluffies/devoured fries. Big up to Humbug- they set us up for a fantastic morning! If you live further away it is worth the drive :) The experience even came complete with a box for Little S to wear as a hat!






Once we emerged from the Cafe and Our Tired Haze we noticed that actually the Sun was Shining and the Rascals remarkably friendly, so off we went to make playdough! The making was fun, Big L looking great in an apron and directing the process, but the playing was even better. We headed out to the sun soaked deck and the Rascals warmed their backs as they put their little hands to work. Some fine fine creations!

 






While we were playing I decided to put on some music. N and I are both huge lovers of a range of music and have always wanted our house to be filled with song and sound. I'm eternally grateful to my parents for exposing me to a very wide variety of music while growing up and I aim to do the same for my kids. Over the years I have truly come to love the music of my childhood. My mother always leaned towards Hippy and Country with a healthy dose of Eighties Pop and Rock, while my father loves Classical Music- the combination of my childhood. Of course there are always differences, the heavy metal teenage years still hold a very special place in my heart, and I will perhaps never quite grow to love Lionel Richie's 'timeless' voice the way my mother does. But one artist we all adore is Leonard Cohen. I have recently blasted The Civil Wars Dance me to the End of Love at every opportunity, but in the honor of 'Family Fun' today I went in search of the Leonard Cohen version- and was absolutely delighted to find that the kids loved it! Traditionally in our household after evening bath we always have a 'Dance Party' and currently the Rascally Ones favourite CD is the Soweto String Quartet. As they seem to effortlessly interchange between this and LMFAO's Im sexy and I know it- I feel like we are definitely accomplishing what we set out to do :)

As a side note I was MOST impressed with Big L today as he was singing along to Pie Jesu and actually hitting the high notes! Yeow! Might have a fellow singer on my hands!

In the end the day was totally worth getting up for :) I am as always very grateful to have such great partners in crime- Gotta love my family :)

xxxx

Thursday 14 June 2012

I've been Gardening...

The last couple of days the weather here has been Absolutely Divine :) The kind where the sky seems to go on forever and the winter sun is Toasty Warm. Unfortunately my Wee Rascally Ones have still been a bit unwell but today on the second day of stunning weather I could feel the Haze of Sick Babes slowly start to lift :) So naturally I decided to throw caution to the wind and wholeheartedly indulge in a spot of gardening while The Rascals had a nap :)

Now seeing as it is me by 'Gardening' centered around crochet far more than getting some dirt under my fingernails, although the first part did involve and ACTUAL plant! A while ago I found a sweet little light blue metal bucket that was destined for my kitchen window sill with the hope of one day housing a mint plant. I ADORE cooking with mint and even more so ADORE the smell of Fresh Mint in a kitchen :) So the first part of my 'Gardening' literally involved taking a mint plant and plonking it in its Darling New Buckety Home.

TA DAH! Minty Freshness... Now lets see how long it will stay alive!


The second part of my 'Gardening' was the opportunity to explore my idea of Miniature Gardens a little more. AKA Hooky Time! The idea of a Little Pot of Daisies has been forming in my mind and here was my chance... go go go! So I scuttled off to find my Hook and the right Yarn (I had already prepared the little wooden box on an earlier occasion). And the journey started...




 
                                The Perfect little friend for my little Daffodil :) Smiles all round...



I wonder if tomorrow will be Beautiful again? I would love to do some more gardening :)
xxx

Monday 11 June 2012

My First Baby Love

I had such great hopes for the weekend. A sleep in, cups of coffee, precious hooky time with my Blanket Love, time with my Darling Sister and her Other Half just returned from her overseas travels, some chatting with my very special Mamma and Pappa, watching my Little Rascally Ones stumbling about in their gumboots and overalls, endless swings on the swing... Alas none of this was to be... N, Big L, Little Sand I all got hit my a nasty tummy bug... Sigh... I was thankful to have my Mamma and Pappa there to help with the vast amount of washing we managed to create and to care for us. And I was surprised that although I briefly felt disappointed  that my Weekend Dreams didn't come true, I did manage to find some special and quality time with My First Baby Love - Big L. (I am hoping that this is a small sign that I'm having to work less to find the good and perhaps might be one the mending path from my PND)

My First Baby Love...

I still remember exactly what he looked like the moment he was handed to me for the first time. Just thinking about That Moment my heart feels like it will explode and I know that I will never forget it. When Big L was wee the cuddle time was boundless, but I did LOVE when the shift happened and he started to also CHOOSE to cuddle ME! ME! Lucky lucky lucky is all I can say. Initially the sweet/soft/new smell of My First Baby Love, then having those Chubby Toddler Arms THROWN around me... Bliss :) Although now in the grand scheme of things he is still so little he sure has become independent :) The cuddle time is less, and occasionally just a touch manipulative, because it might just be the trick to get him that little thing his heart desires that is out of his reach, but still sweet and kind. At the moment I ADORE it when he exclaims "I LOVE it!" Whatever that might be :) It makes my heart soar and I feel a small sense of triumph. I want him to Love and be Loved.

But turns out that Mister Independent still needs his Mummy when he is sick :) YAY for me! Cuddles Cuddles Cuddles! One of the big highs of my life was the many naps (although sick and yucky feeling) Big L and I shared together this past weekend. Feeling his warm body snuggle into me, hearing his soft breathing, getting a chance to admire his soft skin and long eyelashes... DIVINE... I do really love this little man :)



Today as a reward for surviving the weekend and considering everyone was still pretty low energy, we treated ourselves to a Pajama Day! We noodled around doing not much of anything, just playing. And as a Special Treat for myself while the Rascally Ones were resting I snuggled up on the bed with my Blanket Love. I LOVE the way it is coming along... And it is proving to be exactly the' increasing in cozy and warm project' that I imagined that it would be... Ahhhhh... A bit of Hooky Time and all is right in the world again :)



Now tomorrow we shall put on our Game faces and rejoin the world.
Thankful for finally healthy Rascals again, and loving family.
A bit of quiet time.
Creative Space.
N.
xxx

Thursday 7 June 2012

Hello? Motivation?

142 Days 8 Hours 45 Minutes

Seriously need a kick up the backside to get motivated.
While N was away I had an excuse... now I don't...

Please Motivation Fairies send me some get up and go...

At this rate I will have to up the life insurance prior to the run...

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Worst Shopping Trip EVER!

If I could give up one of my weekly tasks it would be grocery shopping- HANDS DOWN! As I am blessed with Good Little Rascals it usually goes alright, but not today... The Rascally Ones were easily distracted but when we reached the checkout I realised that the dish washing liquid had poured all through the shopping :( IT WAS EVERYWHERE! I had to pull everything out and wipe it down, rebag the fruit and veg that would still be ok to eat and redo half of my shopping again... Then Little S made a grab for the eggs...
By the time we left we were all covered in egg and dish washing liquid... and it was only 10am... atleast there would be time for the day to get better right?

The best thing to come out of the shop though was that the cheapest tissues were the cutest... I ADORE this box... I am a total sucker for happy colourful flags... I wanted to sail away on one of these delightful boats...



Yay for cheap and happy tissues!

xx


Saturday 2 June 2012

Blanket Lovin'

 With every bit of progress I fall in love a little more with this project. It is wildly addictive, beautiful, and fulfilling my every blanket dream :) Ahhhh BLISS!


My collection of yarn to hopefully complete my blanket :) It is slightly daunting and exhilarating at the same time to see all the yarn lined up.(Photo taken at night so light not great)


 Growing, growing, growing... again photo taken at night so light not great. It sure is a BEAUTY!


Well N returns tomorrow, I am excited! Distance sure does make the heart grow fonder, and the prospect of the Rascally Ones being able to enjoy some 'daddy time' thus freeing me up to spend some quality time with my blanket love only adds to the excitement :)

When I was young every time my father went away on a business trip my mother would do something wild and extravagant. As she is an artist it always involved the painting of a room. I have come to the realisation that this is officially my first wild and extravagant undertaking while N indulges in some overseas business... I'm looking forward to many more!

xxx