I sent them to their room…
Posted on August 21, 2008
Filed Under life on the pickle farm, the twinadoes
Actually they sent themselves….
After having a play at a kinder friend’s house the girls have discovered the idea of ‘playing in your room’ and they like it!
There are a few reasons why I like them to play out in the lounge room - I like to be able to keep half an eye on them, or at least an ear; I also like them to be part of general family life not locked away in another room; and our house is COLD right now and there is only one small oil heater in their room which we only run at night. Still, despite all of this when they begged me to be able to play in their room I could see the attraction… no Muski and no me.
Muski is at the stage where he is able to get to every playing surface in the lounge room. In case you missed it, check out this photo from the other day - no he still can’t walk but that doesn’t stop him climbing onto tables and the couch wanting to join in and ‘play’. To the girls Muski playing = destruction and frustration. It’s also means being restricted a little with what they can have out in so far as what is safe for Muski. He only sleeps after lunch for an hour or two and of late the girls have been begging me to ‘take him away’ ‘put him to bed’ ‘make him leave us alone’ and I think the frustration levels have risen to such a point where they were being not so nice to their little brother, and not so nice to each other which inevitably means I end up being not so nice to them. They told me themselves ‘we want to have a break from everyone’.
So I took a day or two to digest the idea.
Playing in their room… on their own.. away from everyone… away from me… less fighting … less whining… Let’s try it!
Tuesday morning I attempted to tidy up their room a bit. I took out toys that we’d stored in there which were mostly for Muski. I put away in inaccessible places (ie the top of the wardrobe and the big bottom drawer) some containers of toys that I knew would make quick easy messes and be painful to pack up. I tried to make space for playing (it is not a huge room and is pretty full of furniture already) and I tried to let go of my misgivings of how much mess and mischief they could get up to in there….
Tuesday afternoon, after kinder, they were tired and narky and not feeling very charitable towards anyone, least of all their brother and so I quietly suggested they could play in their room while I cooked dinner… and that was the last I saw or heard from them.
I wandered in around 6ish, timidly opening the door, scared to look and see what I might find on the other side…. Yep, there was mess, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There were a few whines when I told them it was time to pack up but ten minutes later they emerged ready for a bath and their room was pretty darn tidy!
Yesterday they spent almost the entire day in their room - give or take a meal or two and some chasing each other around the house screaming and giggling (please tell me the weather will get better soon!!??). By the end of the day their room was a disaster zone but they packed up without too much fuss (a huge improvement on the usual) and all in all it was a day well spent for everyone. They got a break from Muski and I got a break from them so they got a break from me yelling all without anyone having to go anywhere…
Today was kinder Olympics and then a friend over to play - so we just won’t talk about today’s mess, whinge quota and packing-up-less-ness ok…. but today was not normal so that’s ok.
I am still not sure about this new found love of the bedroom… I wonder how long the good packing up ju ju will last, but regardless… at least it has been a nice change in the middle of a long period of cold, wet, inside weather.
Wordless Wednesday - Tortillas
Posted on August 20, 2008
Filed Under creativity
“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.”
-Craig Claiborne
Find more wordless Wednesday at Five Minutes for Mom
I carried a watermelon??
Posted on August 19, 2008
Filed Under life on the pickle farm
If you were a teenage girl when I was a teenage girl then I am pretty sure you will recognise the quote that is the title of this post…
“I carried a watermelon????”
As said by Baby in Dirty Dancing when she can’t believe she said something so stupid the first time she was introduced to the very sexy dancing instructor played by Patrick Swayze.
That line could easily be the story of my life.
As a teenager I did it often - replayed all the stupid things I had said over and over in total disbelief that I could have been so un-cool. I am not a teenager any more (I am sure you are surprised to read that!) but I still find myself replaying conversations in my head, wondering how ‘un-cool’ I sounded to those around me.
I can’t believe I said that!!!! Did I embarrass myself and not even realise it at the time? Did what I said come across the way I meant it to? Did everyone think I was just a total moron for even opening my mouth at all?
Surely I am not alone here? Am I the only one who often finds herself thinking “I carried a watermelon??????”
Organise ‘08 - Christmas Presents!
Posted on August 18, 2008
Filed Under 2008 the year of organisation
I am in full Christmas present mode at the moment. Yes, I know it is only August, but I set myself this little goal back in July to actually be a bit organised for Christmas this year and definitely NOT leave everything to the last minute!
(since I used a photo of Zoe’s first Christmas in my last Christmas post thought it was only fair to show Izzy’s in this one)
I am not alone in this ‘plan for Christmas early’ caper…. there are a couple of other bloggers that I enjoy reading who are doing this too and I’ve been getting inspiration and stealing ideas left right and centre..
Journeyer wrote a series of posts on the subject with some great ideas.
Housewife Hiccups has a great post about her Christmas Planner.
As always Planning Queen over at Planning with Kids has a great series of posts and better yet she has shared her Christmas planning spreadsheets - all the lists you’ll need already done, awesome!
I am all set with a present list now to keep track of who we want to buy for, ideas for their gifts, what we actually end up giving them and approx how much it cost. I’ve also started a ‘gift list’. You see, I have a habit of buying random ‘cool things’ when I come across them because I am sure it would make the perfect gift for someone. I bring it home pack it away and then come Christmas or birthday I promptly forget I have it and buy something else. This will not happen this year - the four packets of water pastels I bought for $1.99 each (bargain or what!) will no longer reside in my present stash by the end of the year!
I want to spend wisely on presents this year. When I leave things to the last minute I often end up spending more than I’d planned on a present just to get something.. anything.. before the big day. It also often means dragging cranky children around shops filled with other cranky shoppers, not to mention Santa looming from every corner (Zoe has always been petrified of Santas - I wonder if this year will be different) and buying something that I don’t feel all that great about on many levels. I don’t want to do that this year.
I’ve already made a start on the buying for this year, and I didn’t even have to leave home to do it! I used the Twinadoe’s Kinder Bookclub - not only did we get seven items for less than $50, the kinder receives a percentage of our sales as books which is win win all round. The Toy library has just put out their toy catalogues and they receive a percentage of sales in toys for the library so we’ll support them too. We have four great catalogues to choose from - educational based toy companies rather than Doras and Barbie filled shops which makes it even better! I think I can get all my kid presents done by the next visit to the toy library and I won’t even have had to enter a shop… or pay for postage!
The other big goal for this year is to make more presents. In the past the girls and I have made some gifts for family, this year I’ll take that a step further with making gifts for friends and gifts for our own kids too. I always love the idea of this but I admit I am always still up at midnight on Christmas eve trying to finish off several presents. I am not super confident that this year will be any different but even if I am up till the wee small hours if we manage to make more than 50% of our gifts it will be worth it.
I’ve begun the fun part of the ‘make more gifts’ project - sitting here in front of the PC looking at loads of wonderful crafty blogs and websites in search of ideas. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy this! It justifies hours of happy net surfing as I sit here and dream of the wonderful and amazing things the girls and I are going to make. Yeah, I know that I am not as clever and crafty as these bloggers and that our presents won’t turn out quite so wonderful, and it will be a lot of work, but it is fun to dream.. so for now just let me enjoy it ok!
And so you can enjoy it too, here are a few links to great home made, crafty gift ideas. If you are friends and family reading this feel free to browse the list and wonder if you might be getting some of these great things… then again I might have kept the links that I really want to make secret so as not to spoil the surprise… I guess you’ll just have to wait till Christmas to find out!
Awesome easy tutu tutorial at Skip to My Lou (by guest writer Mammasdoodles) - I think one of these will find their way into my girls Christmas stockings, and maybe for another little ballet princess we know.
Soap Buddies from Plumpudding - how cute are these and such a great idea! She has some other great ideas and projects to make too!
Groovy felt covered hair clips at Angry Chicken - heaps more crafty goodness here too
Ribbon key chains and Hobo Bags at JCaroline Creative - loads more good stuff there too.
The Crafty Crow has heaps of great craft activities for kids, lots of inspiration and ideas all the time!
I think I still have a bit more blog hopping to do to find the perfect gift ideas for everyone. It’s those impossible to buy for grown up men that I find hard. But it’s ok, it’s hard work, but someone’s gotta do it right?? I do have plans for a trip to the fabric store and a day or two creating here and there to see if my ideas will come to fruition but in the mean time does anyone want to enable me by sharing some of their favourite crafty gifty links?
Sunday Already?
Posted on August 17, 2008
Filed Under creativity, life on the pickle farm
The end of a crazy week, or the beginning of a new one, depending on how you look at it. This past week has been crazy busy, so much to do, so many places to go and two birthdays to celebrate! The coming week is looking to be just as crazy with kinder Olympics and yet another birthday party!
I played along with Sarcastic Mom’s Weekly Winners for the first time last Sunday and got so many lovely comments and had such a great time checking out some new blogs and some awesome photography, so I thought I’d join in again. Slim pickings on the photo front this week though. I took quite a few photos at my niece’s birthday today but mostly of other people’s children so they are not for my blog, but here are a couple of my favourites that I can share…
Head on over to Sarcastic Mom’s place for more weekly winners and just a damn good read in general!
syndicate me
think, grow, love...
Categories
new cool people and ace things...
oldies but goodies!
flickr me
archives from way back when
take a look
I recommend...
