salad spinner painting

Sparkler fun :) Amahli trying to blow it out

And so another year comes to an end.... more resolutions are made, only to be broken tomorrow :)...... and so it goes...

We are having a quiet night tonight. Its nice to not be racing around as usual ( we did do dinner at the inlaws so ther was mild running aroundedness when tired children hit their walls) and its a really peaceful night.
Its good to be drifting into a new year rather than assulting it :)

Today I let Amahli have her turn at the paint acitivity I set for the older two yesterday, with the "my First Stampers" set she got for christmas. She was totally taken by the feel of the tools, looks like I will have to do another sensory paint experience for her soon. She did do a bit of painting on the paper but alot of time was spent running her fingers through the painty brushes.








For Jared and Jumeirah, I got out a craft I have sene heaps before but never done, a paint experience using a salad spinner. Now I have never used my spinner, mum bought it for me and really, by the time I remember I have it, the lettuce is dry :)
And so we tested out this craft ( its ok its washable paint so we can spin lettuce again sometime) of Salad Spinner Painting.

Putting a circle cut to the size of the inside of the spinner, we also added paint ( we tried a few different methods to find one that worked the best: food colouring, watered down paint and normal undiluted paint) and then attached the lid. With a few pulls of the lever the spinner set to motion and noise, which Jared thought was hilarious.








Some turned out ok, none were quite as effective as I would have liked but its a fun activity anyway. Anybody done this before and have some hints??
We will try this again until it works!!

Jumeirah asked for "something else to do" and I got out the scraps from her Fabric Dollhouse ( the plastic insert bits) and she had a lovely time threading in and out of the plastic holes with one of my doll needles and thread. She spent quite awhile doing this, trying to make patterns and trying not to stab herself with the needle :)








When Amahli came and interupted her ( basically pulling the whole thing out of her hands whilst screeching for Jumeirah to come entertain her) she put it down and let Amahli drag her away (for a 1 year old, she pretty determined to get what she wants. Funniest thing lately is her obsession with daddys hat. He has to be wearing it at all times. He was trying to sleep in this morning and she came storming in screeching with his hat in hand.. he put it on and went back to sleep).

10 minutes later... this is what comes into view



to be quickly followed by this :)

Crazy kids :)

Happy New Year!!!!

I havent forgotten about the promise of a give away.. just need to catch up with myself and its on :)

early paint experiences/rock painting

Jared in his self designated "time -out" spot :)

Still trying to catch up to myself after Christmas.. only to realise tomorrow is the end of the year! Gosh will it ever slow down??
Today was still rainy but only lightly so it didnt really stop Amahli playing outside :) My little rain bird loves it.


I found this lovely little scene at some point in my cleaning/catch up/ take a breath schedule.... Two lovely little girls, one teaching, one learning, both loving and enjoying time just between the two of them.. how blessed am I.



I left out the rocks Jumeirah and I collected yesterday at the beach and also come paint and she had a great time creating with these smooth beauties. I wanted to do one too but couldnt think of what to paint and so I googled "rock painting". The voice from the bench says " just paint how you want mum, whats in your head?" and I realised there isnt enough rocks to paint whats still carrying on in there :)

And so I did what I was told and painted a non descript, no pattern/style/idea dot painting :) Which she promptly "fixed". And it was fun :)








I also got out this new paint set that is actually Amahlis but as she was asleep, the other two got to have a go first. ( its ok, she wont care.. really)



Its a stamper and paint set and its really great for new painters and painters who dont like to get messy (as with almost all the things I bought, they can be used for different purposes with different kids. And whilst this was primarily for Amahli, Jared will get lots of joy out of it too as its a more non-messy way to paint.)

I set it up and showed Jared how to use each of the implements and he replied "No Mum, I can do it a self". And so I continued on my never ending, cleaning the kitchen frenzy. And they continued with these wonderful creations :)



Jared worked out that if he twisted the top he could make it " like a worm!"

He was very excited, and showed Jumeirah who then took it that bit further (as she does) and made these jellyfish and then even further to make this awesome train scene.
It was a great experience for both of them.






We are currently trying to decide what to do with our fairy glen and veggie patch. Both seem to be growing rapidly but the flowers are being attacked by some strange bug which has turned them completely ugly, and much to my dismay, we have had worms in my tomatoes. So its off to bunnings tomorrow to find solutions..hmmmm....Everything else seems to be growing ok.. the beans are amazing and the girls particularly have loved eating them straight from the plant.






Carrots are still a little boring. Jumeirah just had to check them this morning, and then said " Mum its still tiny. I have to eat it now cos it wont go back in the ground."
Apparently it still tasted delicious :)

beachin in the rain

"Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain."



My carefree days are numbered..days of deciding what to do as we like, playing whatever we want, crafting, singing, imagining... in fact I have only about 5 weeks until it hits. BIG School that is. And my whole world and routine is going to have to change.
She is totally excited about the whole thing.. the uniform, friends she knows, joining the trumpet club (?)... but for me this signals a massive change in my fairly cruisy days. And so with daddy off for two weeks, I am going to make the most of doing little things that will no doubt fall by the way side for awhile until I catch up with my life and school kid :)

For the last three days its rained here and its beautiful. Making the most of the moment, I took Jumeirah for a walk in the rain on the beach two days in a row and she absolutely loved it. Unsure at first, the beach is totally different when its wet and stormy, she wasnt sure about going near the pounding surf. But the second day, she skipped and pranced and giggled her way down the beach. Umbrella was dumped about 30 seconds into the walk :)





We chatted about nothing and lots of things. Collected rocks ( for painting tomorrow). Chased crabs. Sang. Jumped. FLEW.

It was such a lovely time, just me and my big girl.

Christmas toys/ quill painting

Only photo Jared would let me take properly on Christmas day

Cheeky monkey dressed all pretty like...

My girls

Christmas day prawns are becoming a big tradition in Australia although its a more recent one.. it takes over from the hot traditional Christmas lunch as its HOT here on Christmas Day. I am not a big fan and still did my roast veggies :) Old traditions die hard.

My pretty big girl

Im finding it strange at how fast Christmas is over... I wait all year for it, dread the shops part of it, get the tree up, pressies wrapped.. and then, in a day, its all over again. I cant help but feel a little bit sad that all that happens so quickly!
But we did have a wonderful day :)

Once the day was over, I looked over our little house at the absolute train wreck it had become. Our kids got some much stuff and its everywhere. But before I panicked, I came up with a great way to rein in these toys and bring some order and peace to our place.

I made up some of these bags that I will use for toy storage. Actually, really, I am quite brilliant because not only does each toy have a home to go to, I can get out things at different times instead of having it all out at the same time. I cut a rectangle, sewed up the sides, folded down 5cm at the top to make a casing, then threaded ribbon through it to make a drawstring. ( my brain and body cant take too much more at the moment after the pre christmas making madness). I am going to hang them on my storage cupboard so they are out of the way.

Simple Neat Easy :) and now Tidy!! And it took me just over an episode of "Ugly Betty" to make 8 of them :)

And so now that its organised I thought I would share over the next few days some of the great things we found for Christmas.

Disney Pictionary

Today we had a great game of Disney Pictionary ( $80 reduced to $20 BARGAIN) and it really is an awesome family game. We were totally beaten fair and square by Jumeirah. This game is fantastic for turn taking, team work, drawing skills, ( yeah I suck, but as my daughter told me " you are a good practiser mum") and it was a great family time for us.

Jumeirahs xylophone.. complete with mallets and a note :)

We have been very lucky that Daddy has taken a week or two of work at the moment so we have had a great time as a family... helping daddy in the garden, painting, beaching, just hanging out.

When we were cleaning up the yard, we found a great black and white feather. After I yelped for them to drop it until I washed it ( bad story involving a big feather and BODY LICE.. say no more but my kids DONT pick up feathers), we cleaned it and then found some ink to try writing with it.



We looked up on the net on Quills and how they were used. Jumeirah decided that it would have taken so much longer to write in those days.
She practised her "running"writing :)



Stay tuned this week... I am doing a give away this week to mark my 100 blog :)

Christmas gifts

We drove around tonight looking at Christmas lights.. Jared would have let me drive to Sydney to find more he was so awed by them :)

So often at Christmas children are asked " Whats santa bringing you for Christmas?" or What do you want for Christmas?" and so its fairly understandable that they dont really get that Christmas is also about giving. In fact, for me, this is the most fun part of all. I love searching to find the perfect gift, wrapping it and barely being able to stop myself from showing them early what I had found for them. Its really whats powered me on in my quest to make each of my kids something special for Christmas thats just from me. And whilst these gifts have been tricky and at times almost thrown through windows, they are made because I have been blessed with these three wonderful gifts.


During the week, at random times, I told Jumeirah and Jared that they should think if there was anything they wanted to buy or make for someone this Christmas with no a great deal of response.
Today, I gently reminded Jumeirah that is was Christmas Eve and that tomorrow we would be giving gifts to our family and relatives. She turned to me with a very worried look as it dawned on her that she hadnt finished any of her thingss (oh so like her mother), and she hadnt even bought anything for her relatives. I told her that maybe she could make something instead. And so she raided the craft cupboard and went to work. From 8.30am until almost midday this little, thoughtful child made the most beautiful pictures and collages, deciding what each person would like most and then created it. And I realised that she understood that Christmas is just as fun to give as it is to get. She laminated some, we raced out and bought frames for two of them, some went into envelopes, and all were made with care and love. I was so proud and touched at the effort she has gone to.

My busy bee

Spongebob and his gang for Uncle Andrew

Scarecrow in the field for Gran

A princess, prince and castle for Grandma

( and there are 8 more just like these ones :) )

I know that tomorrow as I she gives out these little works of art, that she too will know that sense of joy at making Christmas special for someone else.

May Christmas for you be a time of love and sharing, giving and recieving, but most of all, a time to remember that we were given the best gift from God: a life that has meaning and purpose, a hope for a future unseen and place beside Him forever. What else could you want??

Merry Christmas!! See you next week!!