A blessing in disguise

Under most circumstances

there can be two ways of looking at a situation.

My situation:

 I'm due to start a new job,

 my husband is away,

and my children are going to be contagious

over the next week ...

*sigh*

Do I wail and despair

or do I chortle and hoot

at the impossibility of it all?

Well, perhaps I did both ...

and then decided to call in the cavalry!

Thankfully, tomorrow morning my Mother flies in from Perth

to look after the girls whilst I go to work.

*whew*

So, although we've had a tumultuous week of
fevers, 

itchy feet,

spots 

and uncertainty,

our next week will provide a rare opportunity to spend time with Nana.

Thus, sometimes a difficult situation turns out
to be a blessing in disguise! :)

P.S. Thank you Mum

for your willingness to give up a week of your own life

and come to save us from our circumstances.

Rainbow magic

What an amazing day!

I was with my Pre-Primary kids today

... all 20 of them ...

and we had such a fun day.

We explored the colours of the rainbow and

did a bit of magic (or science) too.

The kids are super excited about doing these

science experiments at the moment

and I am getting some great compliments as a result!

It was "Mrs Magic" today! Ha ha.

The experiment:

Step 1. Add 1 cup of milk to a shallow bowl.

Step 2. Add 3 drops of yellow food colouring

 to one edge of the bowl

then 3 drops of red food colouring

 about a third of the way around the bowl,

and 3 drops of blue food colouring

 another third of the way around the bowl.

DON'T JIGGLE OR MIX

Step 3. Squeeze a drop of dish washing detergent

into the centre of the bowl.

Step 4. Now watch what happens!!!!!!!!!!!

We had four tables, each with eager faces watching intently

as the detergent swirled through the milk

picking up each of the colours as it went.

Rainbow Magic, indeed!

This is the one we did at home :)

Fabulous 15!

Apparently, it is all to do with attention spans ...

But, whatever it is -- it really does work!

After talking with an expert,

we limited our girls' homework time to a fabulous 15 minutes a day ...

And amazingly they now appear less apathetic

and, dare I say, more enthusiastic about their HOMEWORK!

The other day, in fact, they both chose to do their homework
before going off for their favourite after-school activity -- imaginative play. 

Our girls are nearly 7 years old and know that 15 minutes isn't that long,
so I emphasize this fact -- and use "you've only got 5 more minutes" to get us over the line!

What a difference these little things can make to the enjoyment of life.

Thank you Brad!

Hugs

Hugs.

Hugs are precious.

Hugs are priceless.

Hugs are made for every occasion!

Hugs can make you feel ...

supported,

comforted,

acknowledged,

loved,

secure,

and special.

I love hugs.

I love to give hugs.

I love to receive hugs.

And, amazingly, you can't fake a hug!

Hugs are for family.

Hugs are for friends.

Hugs are for babies, the elderly and everyone in between.

Hugs are for everybody!

There are all sorts of hugs:

bear hugs,

A-frame hugs,

cheek hugs,

sandwich hugs,

grabber-squeezer hugs,

group hugs,

side-to-side hugs,

back-to-front hugs,

heart-centred hugs,

and custom-tailored hugs.

A hug is a simple gesture that can say more than words.

So ... make sure you hug each and every day.

Hug yourself, your partner, your children, your friends, your neighbour, or your hairdresser.

Hug your extended family and make sure your hugs are sincere and full of love and grace.

"The Litte Book of Hugs" by Kathleen Keating is my source for different sorts of hugs.

Happiness

What do you need to be happy?

I have learnt over the years not to depend too much upon other people, material wealth or life circumstances for my happiness.

I am happy when the glow and warmth of the winter sun enters the windows of my house.

I am happy with a strong, black coffee and sizeable square of chocolate in my hand.

I am happy as I walk my very energetic and often disobedient puppy in the bush.

I am happy at get-togethers with old friends or family I haven't seen for a long time.

I am happy when I can talk deeply and trustingly with a close friend or my loving husband.

I am happy with the satisfaction of a hard day's work or the arrival of an unexpected compliment.

I am happy as I watch the rain lashing our lounge room window during a wild tropical storm.

I am happy at the memory of childhood delights or first kisses.

I am happy when I read an unforgettable book, view a fabulous photograph or see an inspirational movie.

I am happy with the sound of my children laughing.

I am happy as Spring arrives and brings with it the first blush of roses and fruit blossoms.

I am happy at the beach with the sound of waves upon the shore and the joy of shell collecting.

But I am happiest, above all, within my own skin.

It has taken many painstaking years to get to this point, but I am now happy to be who I am.

I like Funny!

Life is too serious sometimes

And sometimes we forget the magic in our lives

children

grandparents

walks in nature

animals

love

adventure

sunshine

rain

puddles

laughter

jokes

silliness

friendship

partners in life

raw food

books

faith

I am a serious kind-of gal ...

Yet my bubble of laughter always enjoys the opportunity to burst forth!

Adam

Sandler

Bedtime Stories

hilarious

clever

touching

full of adventure

AND

an

under-demiciated

butt kissing

magical

kind-of story!

Enjoy it with your kids!

Itchy feet

Oh no! I've got itchy feet again ... and you know what that means?

Time to travel!

Well, it's either time to travel, or move, to another country

-- just for the experience!

(I know which one my husband would choose ... lol)

This morning I glimpsed a croissant on the kitchen bench; the last croissant of the eight little ones we had yesterday.

Flashes of Paris emerged ... 

the beautiful Seine,

stained glass church windows,

petite cafes,

glorious gardens,

ham and cheese croissants,

coffee,

sunshine,

crisp clean air,

Beaux-Arts architecture,

tree-lined avenues,

 history,

art,

walking, walking, walking.

We were there in Summer and the weather was perfect ...

Paris lived up to, and then utterly exceeded, all our expectations!

And I would go back in a flash!

Funnily enough, my Mother-in-law and I have a pact:

if one of us wins a trip to Paris, then we will take the other.

We're not fussy either; we wouldn't complain at flying the 10,000+ miles just for the weekend!

*sigh*

Back to my itchy feet ...

maybe it's just because its winter, or the hardness of the water here.

But, there is nothing like dreaming to keep your day alive and interesting!

Ne jamais s'arrêter de rêver.

(never stop dreaming)

Shoe laces!

This is why I love my job so much ... the joy of the unexpected!

 

Would you believe that tying shoe laces

is a perk of my job?

No?

Unbelievable?

Sounds crazy?

Well, there is more to it than meets the eye ...

and more to it than the pressure I am under to untangle ratty old laces or the desperation I feel in trying to keep them tied up!

Let's consider the customers ...

Miss M is a regular; I know her shoes as well as I know my own.

They have long white laces, full of permanent tight knots along their length, and are way too small for her feet.

Her and I often discuss how she is feeling, usually in reference

to the group of girls she hangs out with these days ...

and because she seeks me out more than once a day

I am able to pass on advice regarding her choices of behaviour

 and/or how she may choose to react to the actions of her 'friends'.

 Master D is another regular customer; although he's gone through a few pairs of shoes in the last six months.

We've been through the shoes with nylon laces, which required you to tie them every five minutes and in the process devise new types of knots (that don't work)!

We've been through the shoes without laces too, which still required your assistance as they were too tight to put back on!

He and I talk about motorbikes, the weekend to come, his hair styles, but most importantly we are establishing a trust whereby he knows I will be there whenever he needs me.

Of course, there are many more wonderful kids like

Masters T, Ky and W as well as Miss A

who regularly take advantage of the shoe tying service I provide ...

 All I can say, is that it is a privilege to tie their shoe laces and, above all, converse with them.

As I said, tying shoelaces is a perk of my job!

Magic Flowers

We, as a family, have just finished a wonderful little experiment

called Magic Flowers!

You're welcome to try this at home ...

Step 1: Draw cheery little flowers, colour them in with crayons

(as felt pens will run) and then cut them out neatly.

Step 2: Fold the petals over one by one so the coloured side is hidden.

Put water into a saucer and float the flower on top.

Step 3: Watch as the petals start to open!

In about 30 seconds, your flower will have bloomed.

Vary the size, shape and folding order of the petals ...

Words like magnificent,    amazing and   spectacular   were heard during our experiment. :D

Our 'magic flowers' :)

If, like me, you are a scientist and need to know how this works ... then read my comment below!

If you like the magic side of things ... then read no further! (lol)

Wishing you all a happy day!

The love of reading

An early 'hands-on' reading experience with Daddy

Its been a few years coming ... but we are still amazed it has come so quickly!

Our girls, who are nearly 7, are now reading to us all those picture books we've read to them since they were four months old. :)

Their love of books may equal, if not exceed, our own! If the house is quiet in the morning, then you are almost certain to find them in the 'toy room' with a pile of books ...

Rachel is right into her magic book at the moment, keeping it under her pillow along with a torch (for a quick read under the sheets before sleep). Natasha is rapidly devouring the 'My Little Pony' book set ... making sure we know which pony she likes the best.

The biggest thrill for us was when both girls had the confidence to read to their Nana and Poppy during these last holidays. It was wonderful to see, considering how many hours my Mum and Dad have spent reading to them over the years.

Reading 'Clifford the Big Red Dog' to Nana

However, I had to sit through Seal's Silly Sandwich the other night! I could hardly stop giggling ... Natasha's front tooth has just fallen out and when she says her 'Ssssss' she puts her tongue through the gap and ... ohhhh, it is so funny! The book had so many S words that we were both cracking up by the end of it! :O

Here's to the ❤❤❤ of reading ... may it last a lifetime!