It's been a while but I'm joining in with Wordless Wednesday at Faith, Hope & a Whole Lotta Love.
Showing posts with label Play. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Play. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Daddy Play
There are just some things that Mummies and Daddies see differently and I suppose that is one of the things that makes co-parenting so interesting.
The other day the boys (including Matt) were in the sandpit before dinner and I called out that it may be time for a bath soon. This was meant by muffled laughter from all of them! Hmmm, they were up to something, I knew it! I poked my head over the verandah to see three boys with face and body paint made from crushed up rocks! Matt was crushing the rocks and smearing it on the boys and also mixing it with some sand to make coloured sand. No way in the world it would have occured to me to do that if I saw two rocks just sitting there.
Needless to say, they had great fun and now the rocks are taking pride of place on the edge of the sandpit!
The other day the boys (including Matt) were in the sandpit before dinner and I called out that it may be time for a bath soon. This was meant by muffled laughter from all of them! Hmmm, they were up to something, I knew it! I poked my head over the verandah to see three boys with face and body paint made from crushed up rocks! Matt was crushing the rocks and smearing it on the boys and also mixing it with some sand to make coloured sand. No way in the world it would have occured to me to do that if I saw two rocks just sitting there.
Needless to say, they had great fun and now the rocks are taking pride of place on the edge of the sandpit!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Some Op-Shop Finds
In true op-shopping style, I went looking for one thing and came home with a few things I wasn't looking for! Oh well, we'll just have to go to some different shops another day and see if that perfect coffee/side table for our new verandah chairs just jumps out at me!
In the meantime we're having fun:
imagining with this steam train, which was only $2! Elliot was so excited when he asked the lady how much it was because I told him that if it is less than $10 we could get it. Hooray! Afterall, the thing we need around this house is more trains! :)
problem solving with some new puzzles
matching with this bingo game
I love the gamble that op-shopping is, some days it can be a gold mine, other days a huge disappointment. This trip was a gold mine!
I love the gamble that op-shopping is, some days it can be a gold mine, other days a huge disappointment. This trip was a gold mine!
Friday, January 7, 2011
The Summer of Water
This summer will be remembered as the summer of water.
For our little family, for positive reasons, our tanks are overflowing and have been for months, the boys have been able to play with water unchecked by a Mum who is a self-confessed water miser.
As I type this the rain has been beating down steadily for yet another day and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. The boys have been loving playing in the rain and puddles and having deep, deep baths every night. It is raining so much at the moment that it doesn't matter how much water we use, we can't keep up! It is completely out of character for me to be so reckless with water use, but being on tank water only and seeing all our precious water spill out of the tank overflow and down into the bush has made me relax a little. I still think about it every time I turn on the tap, but then I have a little converstation in my head about how it's raining outside and the tanks are full, so it's ok to press the full flush button for just a wee! :)
For many thousands around our state though, this summer will not be remembered with fond memories. Many towns are battling with rising flood waters, with homes inundated, with businesses destroyed. This summer will be remembered with tears and heartache. We are pretty safe from flooding here, but the town we live near is very prone to flooding and the bridge into it was closed as a precaution just after Christmas.
Please keep all those affected by the floods in your thoughts and prayers. There has been so much heartache already and the rain continues to fall.
For our little family, for positive reasons, our tanks are overflowing and have been for months, the boys have been able to play with water unchecked by a Mum who is a self-confessed water miser.
The overflow from our tanks. We've got our very own water feature!
As I type this the rain has been beating down steadily for yet another day and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight. The boys have been loving playing in the rain and puddles and having deep, deep baths every night. It is raining so much at the moment that it doesn't matter how much water we use, we can't keep up! It is completely out of character for me to be so reckless with water use, but being on tank water only and seeing all our precious water spill out of the tank overflow and down into the bush has made me relax a little. I still think about it every time I turn on the tap, but then I have a little converstation in my head about how it's raining outside and the tanks are full, so it's ok to press the full flush button for just a wee! :)
How much fun is riding bikes in the rain?
For many thousands around our state though, this summer will not be remembered with fond memories. Many towns are battling with rising flood waters, with homes inundated, with businesses destroyed. This summer will be remembered with tears and heartache. We are pretty safe from flooding here, but the town we live near is very prone to flooding and the bridge into it was closed as a precaution just after Christmas.
Please keep all those affected by the floods in your thoughts and prayers. There has been so much heartache already and the rain continues to fall.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Making Do With What You've Got
Elliot has been really interested in playing shops lately. We take turns going shopping in the play room buying books and puzzles and train engines. The boys have a little cash register that Archie received for his first birthday that came with a few coins, so Elliot 'beeps' the purchases past that and then packs the shopping in the bag for me to take on my merry way. Or, as he once said "No Mummy, you pack your own bags at this shop!". Righto then!
I've been meaning to get some proper play money for him to use, so that he can understand all those early money concepts, each coin has it's own value that stays the same, you need to use different types of coins to equal the correct amount, if you give the shop keeper too much money they'll give you some back etc etc.
Then I saw all these offcuts from the chicken coop Matt is building and I thought they'd make great play money! We got a texta and wrote on the dollar amounts and then he was off! Setting up the shop for me to go shopping! We then spent an age working out how much money we'd need to buy things at the shop, using our fingers to count on.
He does so love his numbers, my beautiful wee man!
Making money while munching on a sourdough pancake, yum!
I've been meaning to get some proper play money for him to use, so that he can understand all those early money concepts, each coin has it's own value that stays the same, you need to use different types of coins to equal the correct amount, if you give the shop keeper too much money they'll give you some back etc etc.
Then I saw all these offcuts from the chicken coop Matt is building and I thought they'd make great play money! We got a texta and wrote on the dollar amounts and then he was off! Setting up the shop for me to go shopping! We then spent an age working out how much money we'd need to buy things at the shop, using our fingers to count on.
Searching for a $2 to make $12 ....
.... found it!!!!
He does so love his numbers, my beautiful wee man!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Over The Weekend We ...
made a start on the chicken coop
continued edging the herb garden with recycled bricks
decided it was time to try out making a sourdough starter
watched new life springing up in the veg garden
played on the verandah
planted two more fruit trees in the orchard
A lovely quiet weekend pottering around the house.
A lovely quiet weekend pottering around the house.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Painting with Kids - the easy way!
After having a much needed home day the other day, the boys and I got to the afternoon and needed something to do. I couldn't be bothered (as terrible as it sounds) to get all the painting and craft things out for Elliot to decide 2 minutes into the activity that I had to finish it off because he'd had enough. I also couldn't be bothered getting something for Elliot to do and then having to distract Archie with something else while El worked on.it (probably for said 2 minutes).
I decided that water painting on the verandah would keep them both occupied for a while, and boy oh boy, did it work! They both were completely engaged for at least half an hour, until Archie decided it was more fun to tip the containers out and splash in the puddles. Meh, worked for me! After that El had had enough so went off to the garden and Archie swiftly followed.
I just gave them containers of water coloured with food colouring and some sponges and brushes and off they went, painting the verandah balustrading and the walls and windows of the house.
It was such a cheap (super duper cheap), super easy, not super messy and super duper fun! Super!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Into The Secret Garden
We're back from another long weekend with my parents in Brisbane. It was a wonderful weekend full of time with family and friends. I even had dinner out by myself with my wonderful girlfriends from our old neighbourhood in Brisbane! What a treat!
We were quite busy all weekend and we even spent a whole day at a shopping centre! I can't remember the last time I did that, especially with 2 boys, a husband and grandparents in tow! I'm not normally a massive shopper, but it was nice to wander around aimlessly and we did a bit of thinking about things that we'd like to get for the new house. A new dining suite, an outdoor table and chairs. I bought something extra special for myself that deserves it's own post, so I'll write about that tomorrow.
Today was a home day before we got packed up for the drive back and the boys spent most of the morning playing outside. My parents have the most wonderful backyard for kids, full of secret gardens and different places to explore and discover. They built their home over 24 years ago and designed and did all the garden work themselves. It was a magical yard to grow up in and I love that the boys are enjoying it as much as my brother and I did. Unfortunately some of the built features are not what they once were, the cubby/fort that Dad built is quite dilapidated and unsafe now, luckily it is not designed for little kids and they don't even know it's there! Elliot discovered the tyre climbing frame for the first time this morning and while it is still a bit big for him it will only be a matter of time before he's at the top! Archie, the climbing monkey that he is, just stood at the bottom reaching up for the lowest tyre! He definitely keeps us on our toes!
For now they are quite happy doing laps of the garden, in and out of the secret garden and looking at all the different plants, insects, flowers, birds and trees. What a childhood!
We were quite busy all weekend and we even spent a whole day at a shopping centre! I can't remember the last time I did that, especially with 2 boys, a husband and grandparents in tow! I'm not normally a massive shopper, but it was nice to wander around aimlessly and we did a bit of thinking about things that we'd like to get for the new house. A new dining suite, an outdoor table and chairs. I bought something extra special for myself that deserves it's own post, so I'll write about that tomorrow.
Today was a home day before we got packed up for the drive back and the boys spent most of the morning playing outside. My parents have the most wonderful backyard for kids, full of secret gardens and different places to explore and discover. They built their home over 24 years ago and designed and did all the garden work themselves. It was a magical yard to grow up in and I love that the boys are enjoying it as much as my brother and I did. Unfortunately some of the built features are not what they once were, the cubby/fort that Dad built is quite dilapidated and unsafe now, luckily it is not designed for little kids and they don't even know it's there! Elliot discovered the tyre climbing frame for the first time this morning and while it is still a bit big for him it will only be a matter of time before he's at the top! Archie, the climbing monkey that he is, just stood at the bottom reaching up for the lowest tyre! He definitely keeps us on our toes!
For now they are quite happy doing laps of the garden, in and out of the secret garden and looking at all the different plants, insects, flowers, birds and trees. What a childhood!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
A Simple Reminder
In a Wordless Wednesday post a couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of the house that will hopefully be ours in a month or so once it settles. Conditions of the settlement are the usual building and pest and finance and also an extra condition of the settlement of our property in Brisbane. Everything had been going swimmingly until a chance conversation with a lovely friend and old neighbour yesterday put everything in a spin.
As a result I spent all yesterday afternoon on the phone with the real estate agent and property manager, and most of the day today on the phone, again with the property manager, but also the agency principal, our solicitors, the Department of Fair Trading and the REIQ, the professional body for real estate agents here in Queensland. In between all these emotional, difficult and tiring phone calls was one lovely phone call to a dear friend who listened to my moaning and groaning with not a word of complaint! Thanks Helen! Thanks also to my wonderful Mum who listened and dealt with my tears in the way only a Mother can!
Today I was also spoilt by both the boys, each in their own special way.
Archie again had a night of optional sleep, so Matt and I were both up until after 1, then I was up again at 2ish, 5 and actually had a sleep in until 7! As a result he was soooo tired today he slept from 12 to 2:30 with a quick feed back to sleep in the middle. What a treat!
Elliot is a boy who likes to be with people he loves all the time so phone calls can be hard. I've gotten very good at being able to carry on two conversations at once, although I'm sure the person I'm on the phone with doesn't always appreciate it! He must have sensed today that the phone calls were different. Between calls I'd play a quick game of snap, or do a quick puzzle with him but for the most part he was on his own. During one phone call I looked over to see what he was up to and saw this:
He had lined up and ordered his Thomas the Tank Engine number cards in the correct order all by himself! We did it together for the first time yesterday, and I knew he'd enjoy it because it combines his loves of numbers and lining things up!
In this one simple act I saw his pride in completing this activity of his own choosing, I was so thankful for his patience during my phone calls and I was immediately reminded that in this crazy world it is the little things that matter, being at home with the people I love.
As a result I spent all yesterday afternoon on the phone with the real estate agent and property manager, and most of the day today on the phone, again with the property manager, but also the agency principal, our solicitors, the Department of Fair Trading and the REIQ, the professional body for real estate agents here in Queensland. In between all these emotional, difficult and tiring phone calls was one lovely phone call to a dear friend who listened to my moaning and groaning with not a word of complaint! Thanks Helen! Thanks also to my wonderful Mum who listened and dealt with my tears in the way only a Mother can!
Today I was also spoilt by both the boys, each in their own special way.
Archie again had a night of optional sleep, so Matt and I were both up until after 1, then I was up again at 2ish, 5 and actually had a sleep in until 7! As a result he was soooo tired today he slept from 12 to 2:30 with a quick feed back to sleep in the middle. What a treat!
Elliot is a boy who likes to be with people he loves all the time so phone calls can be hard. I've gotten very good at being able to carry on two conversations at once, although I'm sure the person I'm on the phone with doesn't always appreciate it! He must have sensed today that the phone calls were different. Between calls I'd play a quick game of snap, or do a quick puzzle with him but for the most part he was on his own. During one phone call I looked over to see what he was up to and saw this:
He had lined up and ordered his Thomas the Tank Engine number cards in the correct order all by himself! We did it together for the first time yesterday, and I knew he'd enjoy it because it combines his loves of numbers and lining things up!In this one simple act I saw his pride in completing this activity of his own choosing, I was so thankful for his patience during my phone calls and I was immediately reminded that in this crazy world it is the little things that matter, being at home with the people I love.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Sliding Good Fun!!!
At the moment I have two boys who are incredibly clingy.
I know what Archie's caper is, he has cut at least two eye teeth over the past few days. The bottom pair are definitely through although I have no idea about the top pair, I'm not game to put my finger in his bitey little mouth! As a result he is sleeping better (go figure?) but so incredibly clingy through the day. If his feet are touching the ground we're doing well. If they're touching the ground and he's not crying it's even better! Most of the time he's been in the Ergo (a.k.a. my lifesaver) or I've just been carrying him around. Not very conducive to getting stuff done, but it seems to be a bit of a 'go with the flow' week.
Elliot's clinginess, on the other hand, is a complete mystery. The optimist in me is hoping it's just a phase and he'll grow out of it soon. The pessimist in me is imagining the years ahead being a torrent of tears and tantrums, full of wanting me there, but not wanting me to do anything in particular. It's tiring to say the least!
After rearranging all the toys today we HAD to get out of the house and into the backyard. Unfortunately our house is not conducive to outside play so it can seem like a bit of a mission. I'd love to be able to open a door and let the boys run wild, but in a highset house on a busy road with bad fencing it is just not an option. So this afternoon we went and just played, no gardening, watering, washing. Just playing. And it was so much fun! Both boys love a slide and luckily we have two! They were having race after race so I was able to just sit on the grass and take photos! It was exactly what I needed after a clingy day!
Elliot is very interested in taking photos at the moment. Unfortunately his hands are a bit too small to manipulate our big DSLR camera. This was his attempt at capturing the potato patch. Not a bad shot of his boot!
I know what Archie's caper is, he has cut at least two eye teeth over the past few days. The bottom pair are definitely through although I have no idea about the top pair, I'm not game to put my finger in his bitey little mouth! As a result he is sleeping better (go figure?) but so incredibly clingy through the day. If his feet are touching the ground we're doing well. If they're touching the ground and he's not crying it's even better! Most of the time he's been in the Ergo (a.k.a. my lifesaver) or I've just been carrying him around. Not very conducive to getting stuff done, but it seems to be a bit of a 'go with the flow' week.
Elliot's clinginess, on the other hand, is a complete mystery. The optimist in me is hoping it's just a phase and he'll grow out of it soon. The pessimist in me is imagining the years ahead being a torrent of tears and tantrums, full of wanting me there, but not wanting me to do anything in particular. It's tiring to say the least!
After rearranging all the toys today we HAD to get out of the house and into the backyard. Unfortunately our house is not conducive to outside play so it can seem like a bit of a mission. I'd love to be able to open a door and let the boys run wild, but in a highset house on a busy road with bad fencing it is just not an option. So this afternoon we went and just played, no gardening, watering, washing. Just playing. And it was so much fun! Both boys love a slide and luckily we have two! They were having race after race so I was able to just sit on the grass and take photos! It was exactly what I needed after a clingy day!
Elliot is very interested in taking photos at the moment. Unfortunately his hands are a bit too small to manipulate our big DSLR camera. This was his attempt at capturing the potato patch. Not a bad shot of his boot!
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