Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
11.7.12
Drawing on plates
Take a couple of plain white plates, some children on winter school holidays and add a collection of sharpies.
Then bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 175 degrees. (The plates not the children)
Finished result
A permanent work of art to eat dinner off of, or to give away as a gift, or keepsake from their precious childhood. I have found the plates to be dishwasher proof on the top shelf, and the children to be very proud of themselves.
Wait to see what happens...
Then bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 175 degrees. (The plates not the children)
Finished result
A permanent work of art to eat dinner off of, or to give away as a gift, or keepsake from their precious childhood. I have found the plates to be dishwasher proof on the top shelf, and the children to be very proud of themselves.
12.5.12
Letting go....again
B reached a milestone in the last school holidays that makes me really happy and a little bit sad at the same time. He's riding a bike.
At eight it might be a bit late on his list of achievements, we haven't intentionally held him back. His late learning to ride has been a consequence of situation. Living in a house with no backyard close to busy roads then moving to a house on a hill. But over the holidays we stayed in the beach shack with its wide long driveway and safe esplanade bike path round the corner. B has been scooting for a while now so we hoped it wouldn't take too much, just so long as he would give it a try.
Getting kids to try new things can be tricky. They don't want to fail, so a lot of encouragement is needed. With the new bike in the car we talked to him about practising something before its perfect. We told him stories of how we learnt to ride. Our embarrassing bike crashes that had me caught up in a rose bush and his father in a creek, complete with wet newspapers he was meant to be delivering. So when he came to trying out the bike and not getting it straight away he would know its a process.
But I need not have worried, whether it was the balancing practise on his scooter or his mature 8 years, he was riding that bike within an hour. As proud as we were I couldn't help feel like I had just lost a hold of him. Now he has his own method of transport, his own wheels.
After a big bike ride along the esplanade, I asked him, "Did you taste the freedom?"
B said, "No Mum you kept calling me back."
At eight it might be a bit late on his list of achievements, we haven't intentionally held him back. His late learning to ride has been a consequence of situation. Living in a house with no backyard close to busy roads then moving to a house on a hill. But over the holidays we stayed in the beach shack with its wide long driveway and safe esplanade bike path round the corner. B has been scooting for a while now so we hoped it wouldn't take too much, just so long as he would give it a try.
Getting kids to try new things can be tricky. They don't want to fail, so a lot of encouragement is needed. With the new bike in the car we talked to him about practising something before its perfect. We told him stories of how we learnt to ride. Our embarrassing bike crashes that had me caught up in a rose bush and his father in a creek, complete with wet newspapers he was meant to be delivering. So when he came to trying out the bike and not getting it straight away he would know its a process.
But I need not have worried, whether it was the balancing practise on his scooter or his mature 8 years, he was riding that bike within an hour. As proud as we were I couldn't help feel like I had just lost a hold of him. Now he has his own method of transport, his own wheels.
After a big bike ride along the esplanade, I asked him, "Did you taste the freedom?"
B said, "No Mum you kept calling me back."
13.4.12
Easter Picnic
I have this little sister Ruthie, she is small and very funny.
Ruthie lives on a lot of land and keeps alpacas.
This Easter she had the idea to have a family picnic under a tree in a faraway paddock.
So we had to trek to the paddock.
Past the alpacas
and up the hill
Where we picnicked by lying around and eating a lot of food
We played "bunny hop", which is Ruthie's Easter version of Kris Kringle only with Easter eggs (This is a game where you take turns to select a wrapped gift, but can choose an opened gift someone else has already selected, so it can get a bit playful) Thankfully the children did not end up in tears.
Full of the view, food and chocolate, we then we made the trek back again.
Now I have to admit I was not all that keen on the idea of trekking up the hill to the picnic spot. Lacking in adventure that day I just wanted to enjoy the warmth of the house and a comfy chair. I may have even been hoping for some rain to spoil the plans, naughty sister that I am.
But I have to admit how wrong I was. The effort was absolutely worth it, the fresh air, the exercise and the view altered my soggy mood, we all laughed about this crazy thing we were doing and it felt really good. So like most things in life the more you put in the more you get out.
Thank goodness I have a funny sister.
Ruthie lives on a lot of land and keeps alpacas.
This Easter she had the idea to have a family picnic under a tree in a faraway paddock.
So we had to trek to the paddock.
Past the alpacas
and up the hill
Where we picnicked by lying around and eating a lot of food
We played "bunny hop", which is Ruthie's Easter version of Kris Kringle only with Easter eggs (This is a game where you take turns to select a wrapped gift, but can choose an opened gift someone else has already selected, so it can get a bit playful) Thankfully the children did not end up in tears.
Full of the view, food and chocolate, we then we made the trek back again.
Now I have to admit I was not all that keen on the idea of trekking up the hill to the picnic spot. Lacking in adventure that day I just wanted to enjoy the warmth of the house and a comfy chair. I may have even been hoping for some rain to spoil the plans, naughty sister that I am.
But I have to admit how wrong I was. The effort was absolutely worth it, the fresh air, the exercise and the view altered my soggy mood, we all laughed about this crazy thing we were doing and it felt really good. So like most things in life the more you put in the more you get out.
Thank goodness I have a funny sister.
9.1.12
Life's a beach
I let my worries wash away
the never ending pulse of the sea soothes me
breathing in the fresh salted air cleanses me
the thrill of the water, the chill that envelopes me, surrounding and supporting me
I become part of the bigger picture
buoyant, I am adrift from any cares
looking at the horizon I am humbled, I am tiny in the ocean
catching one pulse of the world on a wave into shore
its thrilling to live
I ride the rush of life
turn around and enter again, to wait for another chance
a chance that comes and sometimes is missed
but there will always be another wave
another wave is certain, but when? who knows?
I wait, knowing this is my time
my time to just touch the surface
feel the energy
and live
28.12.11
Happy Christmas
If Christmas is about giving then we did pretty well.
B and Little Miss received way too many presents.
At home...
and at my sister's house.
If Christmas is about being together as a family we did ok at that too.
Even when some of the family are animals....of the alpaca variety. A baby alpaca was even born while we were there.
And if Christmas is about sharing food then we ticked that box, starting with our mango prawn lime and chilli salad contribution. Yum.
We then ate a huge amount of food, delicious roast turkey, roasted vegetables, cheesy cauliflower bake and greens, with an amazing gravy. Followed by Christmas pudding with hot custard and then a helping of chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake. I was too busy eating to take any photos, sorry.
Despite all the sad memories of Mum that this time of year has brought to the surface for me we all seemed to have a really happy day indeed.
I was very pleased to capture this photo of B, as he is about to break into laughter. Something we all managed to do.
Hope you had a good one too.
B and Little Miss received way too many presents.
At home...
and at my sister's house.
If Christmas is about being together as a family we did ok at that too.
Even when some of the family are animals....of the alpaca variety. A baby alpaca was even born while we were there.
And if Christmas is about sharing food then we ticked that box, starting with our mango prawn lime and chilli salad contribution. Yum.
We then ate a huge amount of food, delicious roast turkey, roasted vegetables, cheesy cauliflower bake and greens, with an amazing gravy. Followed by Christmas pudding with hot custard and then a helping of chocolate and peanut butter cheesecake. I was too busy eating to take any photos, sorry.
Despite all the sad memories of Mum that this time of year has brought to the surface for me we all seemed to have a really happy day indeed.
I was very pleased to capture this photo of B, as he is about to break into laughter. Something we all managed to do.
Hope you had a good one too.
7.12.11
Oh Christmas Tree
Dilemma: Christmas Tree.
Our big old white plastic tree made the move to our new house, but it was on its last legs last Christmas due to sun damage. I think Little Miss told someone, "We have a brown Christmas tree." It was then that I knew it had to go.
So do we go and buy a new fake tree or get the real deal this year?
I happen to think that like dog people or cat people there are real tree people and fake tree people. I have been a faker. I didn't want the extra mess of pine needles to clean up, how would we get rid of the thing when its dead? And is it really very green to cut down a tree for a few weeks pleasure?
However I did grow up in a real Christmas tree house. Every year my Dad took it upon himself to go out and cut down a tree. We lived very close to a railway line and so he was able to clear the track so to speak and find a fairly small pine tree along the railway bank then cut and drag it home. Some may think this is stealing, others may think this is cleansing the bush of introduced species. I remember my Mum liked the idea of a free tree, but was always worried that someone had seen Dad in the act. I do recall once that he misjudged the size required and the tree wouldn't fit inside, but with a great deal of sawing and mess it was made to fit. Once the tree was in, the house would fill with the scent of pine that announced Christmas Day was close.
That pine smell is synonymous with Christmas for me. I love it, it brings back so many memories of my childhood home and Mum making so much effort. Having had quite a few scentless white (one brown) plastic Christmas tree years I thought it would be nice and proper to go for the real thing this year. In memory of all that effort my Mum made and for the sake of the kids knowing the smell of Christmas. And we can always put the tree in the green recycling bin afterwards cant we?
So for the real deal experience we went and chose our living Christmas Tree at a Christmas tree farm.
B was not convinced about killing a tree for Christmas at all.
"Trees are important for the environment." He told us. "I don't want it to die."
The Christmas Tree man then showed us that the tree regrows and doesn't die. Instead its like its had a really hard prune and shoots again. In 5 or 6 years it is big enough to be sold again by the farm. B seemed to be relieved by this information and it was a load off his mind.
This tree has been cut down three times
The tree we chose
So the cutting began.
There was an uncomfortable few minutes when the Husband had to have a go and negotiate about the price, but once that was all sorted we shoved the tree in the back of the car, just.
B complained that there was no room for him. Little Miss said the needles were hurting. I made a mental note to bring an old blanket next year to wrap up the tree.
Once home the tree was decorated, but only after I cleaned the inside of my car of pine needles.
The real Christmas tree looks fantastic, but best of all it smells like Christmas is here, plus Little MIss and B can smell it too.
Note that B will be wishing for a front tooth this Christmas
How do you solve the Christmas tree dilemma in your house?
Our big old white plastic tree made the move to our new house, but it was on its last legs last Christmas due to sun damage. I think Little Miss told someone, "We have a brown Christmas tree." It was then that I knew it had to go.
So do we go and buy a new fake tree or get the real deal this year?
I happen to think that like dog people or cat people there are real tree people and fake tree people. I have been a faker. I didn't want the extra mess of pine needles to clean up, how would we get rid of the thing when its dead? And is it really very green to cut down a tree for a few weeks pleasure?
However I did grow up in a real Christmas tree house. Every year my Dad took it upon himself to go out and cut down a tree. We lived very close to a railway line and so he was able to clear the track so to speak and find a fairly small pine tree along the railway bank then cut and drag it home. Some may think this is stealing, others may think this is cleansing the bush of introduced species. I remember my Mum liked the idea of a free tree, but was always worried that someone had seen Dad in the act. I do recall once that he misjudged the size required and the tree wouldn't fit inside, but with a great deal of sawing and mess it was made to fit. Once the tree was in, the house would fill with the scent of pine that announced Christmas Day was close.
That pine smell is synonymous with Christmas for me. I love it, it brings back so many memories of my childhood home and Mum making so much effort. Having had quite a few scentless white (one brown) plastic Christmas tree years I thought it would be nice and proper to go for the real thing this year. In memory of all that effort my Mum made and for the sake of the kids knowing the smell of Christmas. And we can always put the tree in the green recycling bin afterwards cant we?
So for the real deal experience we went and chose our living Christmas Tree at a Christmas tree farm.
B was not convinced about killing a tree for Christmas at all.
"Trees are important for the environment." He told us. "I don't want it to die."
The Christmas Tree man then showed us that the tree regrows and doesn't die. Instead its like its had a really hard prune and shoots again. In 5 or 6 years it is big enough to be sold again by the farm. B seemed to be relieved by this information and it was a load off his mind.
This tree has been cut down three times
The tree we chose
So the cutting began.
There was an uncomfortable few minutes when the Husband had to have a go and negotiate about the price, but once that was all sorted we shoved the tree in the back of the car, just.
B complained that there was no room for him. Little Miss said the needles were hurting. I made a mental note to bring an old blanket next year to wrap up the tree.
Once home the tree was decorated, but only after I cleaned the inside of my car of pine needles.
The real Christmas tree looks fantastic, but best of all it smells like Christmas is here, plus Little MIss and B can smell it too.
Note that B will be wishing for a front tooth this Christmas
How do you solve the Christmas tree dilemma in your house?
27.10.11
The great road trip- travel diary
Little Miss's Travel Diary
Tailen Bend playground
Penola
The 12 Apsotles
Otway tree top rainforest walk
Breakfast drinks at a cafe in Lorne
Fairy friends in Melbourne with red bird
At my friends house
Seeing dinosaurs at the Science-works museum Melbourne
Dinosaurs
Save the hospital at Keith
The family eating together at Keith bakery (family of four legged long tailed things)
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