6

sunday at the festival

festival weekend

the whole town stops for a weekend.
the children in the community parade along the main street with their schools and local clubs on Saturday morning and the street is lined with hundreds of spectators.
from then the festivities begin until the bands stop playing at around 10pm on Sunday night.
everywhree you turn there is someone you know, all happy all involved in the community. whether it be helping on stalls, face painting, watching bands, watching children sing, selling local handmade craft, food and wares, watching artists and craftsmen showcase their talents, billy cart races, kids duck race, watching the children on the scout water slide or just simply sitting under a tree watching the world go by.
we spent the weekend amongst it for 2 full days and we are all happy yet tired.
i wouldn't change where i live for the world.

5

what started as our normal Friday after school play at the bakery soon turned into one of my boys "best days ever" the rain came down and all the kids kept playing, and soon they were dancing in the rain, jumping, laughing, smiling having fun that only kids can, fun that makes you wish you could take your shoes off and join them.
all too soon my boys found the biggest deepest puddle they could and they were swimming in it, jumping in it and belly laughing so hard it hurt.
after awhile in turned to mud.... now that's a whole new adventure:: sliding, slipping, rolling till ever single part of them were covered.....
nothing a hot shower cant fix (and a container of napi san )

4

it seems to be a long time since arch and i have hung out together at the park, just getting up taking Hugo to school and then going somewhere to have a play. we always seem to be running here and there
but this morning we did. we just went to th park for a play with one of my dearest friends and her twins.
the boys had a great time exploring hays paddock and Nic and I spent some quality mum time together.

3

its the little things. like actually stopping in the butterfly house and the mere stillness and wonder of little faces as they watch the world of butterflies around them, and then sheer delight when one lands on your hand. such delight that Hugo transfers it to Archie to share the moment.
its watching the orangutans till one comes and sits next to
you through the glass and you reach out to touch it and he looks at you and you look at him.
its enjoying the sunshine on your back.
we stopped and took the time to explore a few animals well.

baby Mali

we braved the queues and saw baby Mali the elephant this morning.
She is beautiful

2

enjoying the morning sunshine watching my boys at play

1 :: ginger mans

when Hugo was little he called ginger bread men "ginger mans" and the name has stuck. today arch and i made ginger mans, ducks, Bunny's, cars, trains and stars.
the boys had fun icing them this afternoon after school.

getting started

at the beginning of November last year i wrote this post, and was embarking on my first crochet adventure. it seems along time ago now. but i did start however time seemed to get away with me at the end of the year with Christmas, birthdays, parties and end of year celebrations so that when i went to sit down and pick it up again, i just couldn't work it out... i am a visual learner and when i just read instructions sometimes it doesn't sink in. i tried various u tube sites but it wouldn't click. last night at knitting the ever talented, creative and super patient Jo sat with me as i re acquainted myself with the hook and the circle in the square pattern.

sunflowers

i just had to share with you these magnificent sunflowers at work today. the children were painting a still life of them. i couldn't get over their size and beauty.
as one boy said to me "they just look like the sun, only close. close enough that you can touch it"

taking the time

how come life is so busy, i try not to let it be... but it all gets away from you.... school, kinder, work... sometimes i miss those first few years when you had nothing to do, no where to go.. the day was yours ( but i think i felt isolated at that time.. the grass is always greener perhaps)
now every day there is something to do, there seems to be little time to stop and just be present or to parent, , i hear myself always saying quick... hurry up.... we have to go... we need to be.... There never seems to be the time to guide and teach and to enjoy the moment... to sit alongside my boys and be... to watch them slowly master a new skill or to help them try something new.
My grand ideas of letting the children be involved in cooking dinner, or helping with house hold tasks, like hanging out the washing together get swept aside because there is never enough time, it gets done if i quickly do it.

time is precious and my boys are growing....
i want to slow it down, enjoy the precious moments we have because all too soon those moments are few and far between.
after a weekend of a battle of wills with the youngest who is having a very loud voice at the moment i realised after reflection tonight that its not him its all of us at the minute just constantly running to keep up.
this blog, the Internet, shopping, work, gym, school, kinder, friends... it all consumes time. i know most of these are necessary ..
i want my family to be one that is happy, fun, with sound values, with all of us looking out for each other, guiding and helping along the way, that when we need to we can just stop and help or watch the snail crawl along the path, that i can let go and watch the boys flood the kitchen as they do the dishes.....

i want to be the mum that has the patience, (organisation, time) to be able to help someone put their own shoes on, get dressed by themselves, butter a piece of toast, that can just say.... lets just be today.... or sure lets go to the park and stay till you want to come home or yes i can sit and play because i have nothing else i have to do..

its a shift though for a control freak like me, that the dishes can wait, that i can just down tools and be. i need to be organised during the days i have off to prepare and freeze meals as well as to live in the moment when we can and on the days that we can and just pack up and go to the beach or the park, or stay and play....

so i guess i think i am embarking on a little change

i need to stop, be centred and grounded believe in myself and all that i am.

maybe now is all about time.... stillness and calm...the moment and all it holds...being alongside my children.. being centred and focused.

so here's to a new start...

documenting my days of simplicity.

reading this blog...helps express what i am trying to say

sunday morning cooking

with the weather still looking ominous outside the boys and i decided to do some cooking. Hugo received a cup cake set for Christmas and he wanted to use this. inside there was a 6 pan Muffin tray, wooden spoon, apron, chefs hat, recipe book, cake mix, icing and sprinkles.

we set to it, Hugo reading the instructions and adding the ingredients together.

when the cakes were in the oven he asked if he could write the recipe out. i suggested we could stick the cup cake recipe in and he could write out the banana muffins we had also made.

i think this was the highlight for him, starting his own recipe book, i hope it will be something we keep adding to, and what we can look back on in years to come and remember all the wonderful cooking experiences we have had.

it has made me think about having my own hand written recipe book, My mum does and so did my grandma that i now have. i treasure the handwritten recipes i grew up with and i would like to do this for my boys as well. i remembered reading this blog post and its inspired me. how cool would it be to have a box on the bench that the boys can sift through to find their favourites for a dinner party, BBQ, party, afternoon tea etc.

wedding

Hugo's teacher got married today.
as we left the rain started, it poured down but it didn't deter the excitement as we arrived at the church and Hugo saw many of his friends.
both the bride and the groom are primary school teachers and they had gone out of their way to include their past and present students.
the minister spoke to the children before the ceremony and during it making all the kids feel part of the day.
the children were filled with awe in the church and when they saw their teacher you could almost hear the gasps. she looked beautiful as every bride does, so happy and radiant.
the children stood on the seats to get a better view, never once taking their eyes off their beloved teacher.
at the end of the ceremony the children formed a guard of honor, they were given bubbles and blew them as the happy couple appeared out of the church.
each child was then given a little cup cake with a message of thanks. such a small gesture, but one that each child truly appreciated.
as i tucked Hugo into bed tonight he said " i like weddings mum. how did she get her hair like that?"

inspired play

after spotting our neighbour over the fence mowing his lawn... Archie returned a few moments later look exactly like Max.
the power of play, sorting out, exploring ideas and concepts about the world.