I'm Baaaaaack!

Well, what can I say other than I've been really slack with my blog over the last few months! For those who have been following me and waiting patiently for me to post my latest ramblings... I'm very sorry!

Since my last post, my friend has had her baby girl, and I was fortunate enough to be her support person throughout her labour. I can honestly say that aside from the birth of my own children, it is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. It was fascinating to be on the other side of the labour process and to experience it from the other point of view.

I've also been busy redecorating the kids rooms after Jack complained to me that his room was "BORRRRIIIIINNNGGG!"

He decided on a pirate theme for his room so I found him a new pirate doona cover, hung up some new blue curtains, hung up a jolly roger flag and some bunting with skulls and crossbones on it (which I made by simply printing out images onto paper, cutting and sticking on some string) and printed out lots of pirate themed pictures to stick all over his walls. He is so happy with the end result, and considering how much of it was achieved just using the computer and a printer, it was really cheap to do. I think all up for a new doona, the curtains, flag, a few ornaments and stickers it cost me about $50!

After doing Jack's room, I got the redecorating bug and decided that Ebony's room needed a revamp too. She now has a fairy princess and butterflies theme going. Her room probably cost closer to the $300 mark to do, but that was because we had to buy a whole new big girl bed and mattress, plus all the bedding and manchester to go with it. She was so excited about her big bed though and couldn't wait to go to sleep in it!

I'll post some photos later so you can see my creative handy work :)

School holidays have started, but because Jack has been at his Dad's for the last few days, today is really the start of the school holidays for us. so I'm looking forward to spending time with all my babies doing lots of fun things!

Turning off the computer... things GET done!

Well, this is the first time in DAYS that I have turned on my computer. I have become conscious of the amount of time I was spending on the computer... just wasting the day away. Precious time I could be spending with my children, husband, friends. Precious time I could be using to complete those 60 tasks I want to complete by 11/11/2011... and of course doing the usual mundane things like housework... but those are the things which tend to slip further and further behind when the computer gets switched on.

The first couple of days it was really hard NOT to turn the computer on - very much like breaking a bad habit. After the first couple of days however, it was much easier and I realised that I didn't really need to go on.

The only exception was Wednesday night when I turned on my computer so that I could talk to my sister (who is currently living in the UK) via Skype. Other than that, I haven't been on at all.

Its actually been quite liberating to realise that I do not need to check Facebook on an hourly or even daily basis to see what my friends are having for dinner, or how many loads of washing they have done today - really - who cares?

In fact, since doing my 'switch off', I have learnt to knit! This is one of the things I had on my list of things to do. I actually really enjoy it and for the first time in decades I can actually say that I have hobby! It's nice to have something I can actually do for myself as pretty much everything else I do is for my family. I am a mother and a wife - and its too easy to forget that I am also 'me' as well.

Having said that, I am now about to once again 'switch off' from the world, and go and play with my children... and who knows what else I may achieve without the distractions of cyberspace!

Fun in the sun!

Ebony must have developed a touch of the cooking bug as she wanted to make her own sandwiches yesterday! She made herself a nutella sandwich - which is really good as for the last 18 months, about the only thing she would eat on sandwiches was vegemite! 

After she made her sandwich, she announced that she wanted to have a picnic in the backyard,so we took a blanket outside and ate our lunch in the garden.

Even the Milo the cat got in on the picnic! 

It was quite a nice day yesterday (although a little chilly) so we stayed outside to play for the rest of the day. Ebony and Jack played on the swingset... 

and Milo the cat... well, he played on the trampoline!

We had a great time playing in the sun!

"Pizza, pizza, I love to eat the pizza"

Last night, as I began organising dinner, Ebony announced that she wanted to help me. As this was the first time she had ever asked to help with cooking , I took full advantage of the moment! I decided to make pizza as it would be something simple which she could help lots with.


I had a child sized apron and chefs hat in the kitchen drawer which she asked to put on. She looked so cute!


The first pizza we made was one with bacon, mushrooms, tomato and cheese. She had lots of fun sprinkling the toppings on, although she tended to just sprinkle them in one area so I had to help her to spread them out a bit.

The second pizza we made was a dessert pizza. We smothered this pizza with lots of nutella and then covered it with chocolate chips! Ebony had a great time making this pizza... especially when it came to licking the spatula clean that was covered in nutella! And I'm sure there were quite a few chocolate chips that never made it onto the pizza!

Once we had finished making the pizzas, she set the dinner table ready for everyone to sit down and eat the pizzas she had helped to make! She was so pleased with herself! 


I really enjoyed spending this time with her. It turned what would normally be a rather uninteresting job for me into a fun experience which I could share with my little girl.

Rainy Day Fun

Whilst sitting at the dining table this morning with my husband Tim, enjoying a lovely cup of tea, we started discussing how families these days do not seem to really spend quality time together anymore. 

Gone are the days when families used to sit around together doing simple things like playing board games and doing puzzles, and enjoying bike rides and picnics in the park. These days, children are more preoccupied with the modern technologies of computer games and DVD's, and the sad thing is, that as parents we allow this to happen.

I, myself, am definately guilty of this. It is too easy to turn the TV on to ABC Kids and allow my 2 year old, Ebony, to soak up the day watching Playschool and The Wiggles. As for my son Jack... if he gets onto his Nintendo DS or the Wii, it is a nightmare trying to talk to him or get him to do anything as he gets complete tunnel vision. The same happens when the TV is on.

Since Melody was born, Ebony has become a little more demanding. She constantly begs for my attention, which is understandable.

After our discussion, we both agreed that we would like to spend more quality time with the children, doing family things, rather than leaving them to their own devices all the time.

 

We spent the morning by switching of the TV, leaving the computer turned off and simply playing Playdoh with Ebony. At first, Tim said "I don't play with Playdoh" but he soon changed his mind and was having just as much fun as Ebony was!

Tim and I then did some cooking together in the kitchen (something which NEVER happens!). We made doughnuts and in the spirit of Anzac Day, some Anzac biscuits. We were both surprised by how simple and easy it is to make doughnuts. We made about 16 of them and it took very little time or effort!

After lunch, we played 'Hide and Seek' with Ebony, and sat down and did some puzzles with her. You could see that she was really enjoying spending this quality time with us, and we enjoyed it too!

Speaking of which, I am now about to turn my computer off, and join her at the dining table and do some colouring in!