Category — kids

We recently took the kids for a mini holiday to one of my favourite places within sensible driving range.  I LOVE the river.  As soon as I get up there I feel calm.

We squeezed in quite a lot, and I even read a book. First stop was the races:

We had a lovely (although slightly slanty) picnic:

And the girls got some practice in (I used to love doing this with my dad – such a brilliant memory – for me anyway – it probably wasn’t quite as much fun for him until I’d had enough practice……):

And then there was the Golden Cow, the pedicure and massage,  a wicked kids playground, golf for the bloke, the very little cooking, the pool, the very yummy dinner and the just going slow for a few days…..  Lovely…..

….and I got very envious of mag / book collection at friend’s house recently. Bought these on Monday:

My smallest (soon to be middlesized) assistant chose this fabric from that haven tessuti to make this dress:

Am booked in to do this market (more to come on this when I finish my contract at the end of the month) so busy getting things together for this. Dress is on the post Nov 15 todo list (unless it proves irresistible before then….)

Anyone got any hot tips for using these dishdelishous japanese books / patterns?

I worked from home on friday so we had a slower start.  We “made” time (by being late) to further embelish some imaginative play.  Off to creche went the wicked fairy and the tiger butterfly. 

Right, I’m off to work on a quilt for my mum – it’s her birthday next week and let’s just say, there’s a fair bit to go……..

I was challenged earlier in the week when I arrived at kinder pick up on Thursday.  The fill in teacher had brought in snails for everyone to draw and to plonk onto black card to watch the trails.  Cute (ish).  But when I arrived, it was evident we had someone who was OBSESSED with them.  She had been drawing them all morning and playing with them constantly.  She had even built a house (weetbix box) complete with grass and a lovely lace bed.  “Can I take one home mum?”  My immediate reaction was an understanding and sympathetic “no – we can get one from the garden if we really want to”.  We “relocate” stacks and they eat our veges – I had never entertained a snail for a pet.  Well, I have never seen anyone so sad.  She was devasted – she knew all about how to look after them: to give them grass or white paper to eat; and to flick water on them to keep them moist.  When the tears started, I reconsidered.  Do I give in to the tears, what’s wrong with a snail, why can’t she just have one, who am i to determine what is considered a pet? etc etc.  Anyway, Daisy the baby snail came home with us.  She had the big responsibility now of a pet and she was loving it.  We took Daisy to creche the next day to show her friends there.  When I arrived for creche pick up – there was a sad story waiting.  One of the 3 year olds at creche had stolen Daisy from her weetbix house in Dusty’s locker and stepped on that sad snail several times.  Dusty walked in just as it was happening.  My heart sank.  Even though I wasn’t a huge fan of Daisy, I was so sad someone so little could be sooo mean. 

So the search is on for a pet.  Not sure if the timing’s right for a dog but we are on the hunt for something to scratch that itch as it were.  And we have been having lots of discussions about how not to be mean and how to be respectful of other people’s things. And what we do when people do mean things to us.

that’s what the last few weeks feel like. buzzing on by. Did get to a few brown owl meets, a couple of ivanhoe quiltoffs, a perle 8 but mostly hanging with the fam. Took Sadia to the last qtr at the MCG to watch the tiges not quite lose to Melb (if you want to dip your foot in at the footy, the ‘g lets you in for free for the last qtr – great option for certain 3 yr olds who don’t concentrate on far away games for that long. We got to sing our song – which she loved.  The other kid is totally converted to dad’s poos and wees so I have to fly the black and yellow flag – I refuse to be outnumbered).  

We also went to Peter and the Wolf played by the Heidleberg Symphony:

Someone had a practice exam – freaky man – it’s ok anti-over schedulers, she only does ballet, she LOVES it and she can opt out whenever she wants.

I got a new neice – two weeks early:

and she got a quickie quilt – which looks like its still on the camera so that will get aired sometime in the next 100 years (I wonder what blogging will look like in 100 years?  perhaps we can just think things and it will go on our blog – that could be very very dangerous….and really quite messy in my case…)

xoxoxo

Had to have the lime papercuts from cookie’s fabric delights yesterday. Have been thinking about new cushions for a while for the couch. Will also do a couple more when I get some of that fancy printing fabric. (Jemima is in the photo as it was the only way I could keep pushy, cranky little person out of the photo.) One of the othersides is this gorgeous vintage curtain fabric – an op shop find from a few months ago.  This is such a quick turnaround for me – the papercuts didn’t even make it to the stash.

Got an impromptu night out with mr last night, lovely relos offered to hang out with the girls.  They also provided some one on one attention for our day in the city on Thursday. 

Puppets at Fed Square, Ferris Wheel and Birrarung Marr park. (this is Gordon – he is staying with us for a week from creche – the kids are keeping a scrapbook of what we get up to with him)

Knowing we would be cooped up in the house today, I took the girls to breaky.  They smoozed a cookie -

Tomorrow, we will have to do something though – we all get a bit frayed around the edges if the girls are left to their own devices for too long……  Happy Rainy Windy days

One of the ladies turned 5 last week – I can’t believe it.  And for 9 months she has been talking about a spotlighting party.  To anyone who has been in the ute for traditional spotlighting: you’ll be relieved to know that she just means looking, not anything more sinister than that.  It was a quiet birthday year this year, last year’s dino party at the museum was ridiculous really so it was a much smaller affair this time. 

So the kids decorated their paper glasses Dame Edna style – Hello Possums – thanks to Nikki for the tip off re the glasses at Riot Art.  They are also at Windmill but I didn’t get there.

We covered our torches with red cellophane (I called the ranger a few days before looking for any intel I could pass on to the kids about the possums we would be looking for.  I explained what we were doing and she said “you do realise it’s against the wildlife protection act to shine any type of light at wildlife??”  Great, there goes the party…..  Anyhow, it turns out if you tint the light with cellophane, it’s not as damaging or disturbing.  Gave the kids something to do – they were soooo excited to have torches out – it was gorgeous.)  We had a quick bite to eat – Planning Queen style:

Then we gaggled off to the gardens in such of something to spotlight:

The kids had soooo much fun running around the park spotting possums.  We were looking for the Powerful Owl but she remained elusive.  Then we walked back home for ice-cream cake:

Thanks to everyone who helped on the night – to Mum for coming down and helping get things organised, Nic for the tea cups and Carmen for the grownup food.  Happy Birthday kiddo:

the front on photo is rather X rated so we just have the side profile.  So you can make an informed decision, this is the same kid who steals bubblegum from the supermarket, who gangs up with her cousin and sits on her older sister and who has selective hearing like I have never experienced. 

What else? 

•  Thanks to this lady for helping me upgrade to my new look and for just being fantastic really. 
• I finished and delivered some crowns (finally) for handmade helps. 
• We have a school reunion coming up – not sure on that.  
• I cashed in on a facial I got for christmas the other day and I almost bought the cleanser and the moisteriser – the $205 price tag meant they stayed at the salon.  Does anyone spend that much on face stuff?  I almost fell through the face hole of the massage table thingy.
• busting to do some sewing but its a jungle in there and I cant seem to face it.  That’s my next job.
• hair growing but slowly.  If I had clippers in my house I reckon I would’ve gone the zzzzz – its all boofy but not quite long enough.  patience young grasshopper.
• had a lovely convo with a friend in a far away place and have had a few quick chats with oldies in other lands afar – feeling lucky in the friends and life department.  Especially missing rockgods in the stickyouty part of ol’ blighty.  Go the canaries. 

life goes on hey
xoxox