I’ve started a new blog: Sit Walk Sleep Rise. It’s a home schooling blog and will record our learning experiences, books we’re reading, play, adventures, whatever! It’s mostly for us and our children to look back on, (and also for me to have evidence that I have actually taught them stuff!) but may be fun for other homeschoolers or whoever to look at too. Feel free to pop over. It’s new and still needs a lot of work, so be kind now. Most of the posts are copied from here, so there’s not much new stuff yet.
Archive for August, 2007
I’m often coming up with random questions (who doesn’t) that I ask myself and rarely bother asking someone else. Sometimes I’m curious enough to find out and sometimes not. Here’s the first of many. If you know or are curious enough to find out feel free to let me know.
(OK, I know it’s a completely weird one, but I’ve been reading packets in my quest to make more things from scratch.)
- Why does commercially made pasta not contain egg?
Toilet Rolls and Two year Olds
Published August 27, 2007 Family , Our funny kids , Parenting 2 CommentsWhat is it with little boys and toilet rolls? I guess it’s probably just the beginning of the general boyish fascination with toilet humor, and with two little boys in the family, I’d better just get used to it. I know that it’s not just my boy that has a thing for all things Toilet.
After blocking the toilet completely last week by unravelling a whole roll of paper into it and flushing several times, this is what B2 got up to just a day later.
In case you’re wondering, no that isn’t B2 in the photos…that’s little R5months – Just learned to roll and busy getting caught up in the fun of unraveling 24 toilet rolls through the lounge and out on to the deck to make train tracks.
(Incidentally D did unblock the toilet. The following afternoon. Yep, I simply didn’t unblock it and it flushed satisfactorily if you only did a half flush. If you did a whole flush, (and I can’t believe I’m telling you this) the water rose and rose right up to the brim while I shreiked “No NO NO NO NO STOP STOP STOP STOP AAAAArrrrrrrgggghhhhh………. bother!” while it dribbled over the side on onto the floor. It is probably way too much information to tell you that fortunately for us, there were no ‘number 2’s’ until after the toilet was unblocked. But I’d rather just mention that in case you were all imagining, well….too much.)
Overheard this gem this morning. They didn’t know I could hear them.
B2: I love YOU!
E4: Ooohhhh B…Why do you love me?
B2: Just Because.
E4: Well, I love you too.
High Points today
- Warm sunny spring weather.
- My bulbs are flowering…fresias. Love ‘em.
- Coffee with friends at weekly Mother’s group.
- E4 cheerful and happy today, spent ages (probably a few solid hours) colouring and practising her writing.
- The kids and I saw a hedgehog wandering around the back yard.
Low Points today
- B2 blocked the toilet with a Whole Roll of toilet paper.
- It’s still blocked at 10 pm because I can’t face digging it all out. D has gone to bed. (Yep, I admit, I was fully expecting him to deal with it when he got home. Is that bad?)
- R5months fell off our bed today and it was my fault because I left him there and he’s recently learned to roll and yep..he rolled off. Thud. Scream. Cry cry cry.
- R5 months fell off our bed AGAIN! Thud. Scream. Cry cry cry. (Yes people, I did it again. I can’t believe I’m that stupid to make the same mistake TWICE IN ONE DAY!) Red mark on head. Consider lesson learned.
- I’m facing a heavy relational issue and it’s hanging over my head. I hate confrontation, and I have to confront something. (Involves my child) It’s a serious issue, and I’m such a chicken I’ve put it off for 2 weeks.
E… you are such a treasure. I am so enjoying our days together and discovering things about you. I love learning with you, and learning about how you think as we chat along in our day.
You have a beautiful heart and an enormous capacity to love and be loved. Ever since you were a little baby, you have spread your joy around with that lovely happy smile of yours. You love being with other people and they love being with you. You’ve always been able to make people smile, even strangers in the street, and we’ve always said there is something of God’s favour on you in the way you make people feel happy. You have an irrepressible joy inside you and it just bubbles out all day long with your chatter and singing and dancing.
Today your little brother R rolled around the room for the first time and you were so excited you nearly burst. As you told me about what he’d done you whooped and smiled and delighted. It showed me ever so clearly that you are an encourager and that you genuinely rejoice at others’ successes.
I love it that you love to dance. Music really gets you going and I’ve so enjoyed watching this interest of yours gain momentum as you’ve grown. Your bubbly happy personality shines out when you dance. Keep it up girl! Dance like the princess you are.
I hope you know how proud I am of you. Just for being you….just the way you are! You are a great kid, a lovely daughter. Your brothers adore you, and I’m so blessed that you love to play with them and are so kind to them. It’s been beautiful to watch the bond grow between you and them.
I love you so very much. Sometimes I can’t believe how lucky I am to have the family I have and you my first born are a blessing from God for all of us.
Big Hugs!
Mum.
“I’m so tired. “
I hear myself say this a hundred times a day. R (nearly 5 months) has a wake up at 5am habit and to me, anything before 7:30am is still The Middle of the Night. He’s not waking hungry because he refuses to feed…and actually he’s tired and should just go back to sleep, but whines and carries on to the point that yesterday I spat the dummy and grabbed my pillow and went to sleep the last part of the night (from 5:45 until the big kids wake up around 7:30) on the couch. Poor husband was left holding the baby. Literally. He (baby that is, not husband) still shares the room with us (us being husband and I , not baby and I) because his (R’s ) room still looks pretty much like it did here.
I’ve decided that sleep can never be overrated. I have been getting tireder (I know that’s probably not a word, but if I was talking to you face to face, that’s what I’d say) these last few weeks. R had a week of fevers about 3 weeks ago, which over the course of the next week developed into bronchiolitis. Poor little chap. He’s been rather miserable and now has terrible sleep habits during the day and at night. I think he’s finally recovering now.
D works late hours during the week….only getting home at somewhere between 6:30pm and 7pm, sometimes not seeing the kids before they go to bed. As for family dinners…well, I can’t remember the last time we ate together at the table. OK, so it was probably last Monday (his day off) but it seems like we never do that anymore and I find the evenings the most tiring part of my day. Not just because I’m tired, but feeling lonely by then, feeding, bathing and putting the children to bed on my own. To me it’s supposed to be family time, and I really wish his job didn’t take that time from us. We’re currently considering a new job/business opportunity that would mean more family time, flexible hours and in a field he loves, but being our own business would mean a degree of risk, so….still thinking through that one. I’m so excited about the idea though as it would so fit in with our family vision and home schooling plans. (Oh, and by the way…the family breakfast thing just isn’t happening! It’s mostly my fault because I find it so hard to get up early….especially while R has been sick, but I still hope we can work towards that as the children grow)
So…sleep is something I really need. I know tonight will be a late one as I have a large order (and another one) to get done by Monday. A Sunday afternoon nap might just be the thing for me….ahhhhh.
I have been becoming increasingly concerned with the state of affairs in our nation. After reading and about the Sex Education for Kindergarten Children in Germany (which lead me to this post worth a click too) and also the fact that it has outlawed homeschooling, I began to consider what things would be like in New Zealand if home schooling were illegal. Apart from the state already meddling in family life with the passing (despite clear opposition from the majority of Kiwi’s) of the ‘anti-smacking‘ bill, it would be a further step in the direction of state control. Maybe for now the impact on our children wouldn’t be that great (relatively speaking). But the inevitable result wouldn’t be very different from what is happening in Germany. Why do I think this? Because of similarities it seems in the philosophies of the respective governments. I thought it interesting to note the extreme state interference in the lives of it’s citizens, and it echoes of a tragic past in that nation. Does history have to repeat itself?
Shocked as I was to read about the depravity of the German educational brochures, it served to remind me that moral decline isn’t just a bit of liberal teaching here and there, or ‘innocent’ or ‘pragmatic’ movement away from the absolutes of God’s law. Once begun, it seems that the progression of evil is truly horrific and it’s a slippery slope for a nation to begin on that course of rejecting God and His Ways.
How I love our National Anthem and I’m sure I speak for the majority of New Zealander’s when I say “God defend our Free Land”!
“..if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
I was tagged by Nelba over at Chocolachile
- It always takes me ages to think of random things. Well actually I think of heaps of them and then consider what people will think of my list and decide against it and go round and round in my head trying to think of ‘acceptable’ random things.
- My self confidence has dropped considerably since becoming a mother. I hate to admit this. I think it is because although in many ways, my children have brought out the best in me, the pressure of parenthood has also brought me face to face with my most terrible attributes that hardly surfaced before. (Like a toothpaste tube, what’s inside will come out under pressure) I’ve been shocked at how angry and selfish I can be. This is not nice. (There’s an excellent post about motherhood and anger which I’d recommend to any mother to read. It’s by Carrien at She Laughs at the Days.)
- And now to be less serious; my toes are in height order. I know, that sounds ridiculous, but some peoples’ second toe is longer that their big toe. Mine is not, and so they are in a neat little row, like the Von Trapp family. I like that.
- I’m not afraid of heights but I am afraid of falling. Again. Sounds ridiculous. But let me explain. Top of Table Mountain leaning over a cliff? No problem. Auckland’s Sky Tower, looking through glass floor? No problem. Leaning over a railing on a tall building? No problem. Standing on the top rung or second to top rung of a 6 foot ladder? Decidedly nervous and sweaty palms. This is because I doubt my own physical ability. I know that the mountain or building won’t crumble beneath me, but I’m not so sure that I won’t lose my balance on a ladder. Also, I suck at rock climbing for the same reason. I’ve only ever done indoor climbing and I’m fine until I have to take a risk and let go of one hand hold to get to another or something like that.
- I remember pulling the hair of a little girl in my class when I was 5 years old. I think it was a one off event. She was from Africa (I think) and I was curious about her tightly curled hair. I remember grabbing a handful and pulling quite hard. Poor little thing. I still think of her and feel bad about what I did.
- My favourite outfit (most reflective of me, most comfortable) is a pair of jeans, t-shirt and jacket. Jandals most of the year would suit me fine.
- I simply cannot resist chocolate and if there’s some in the house, it’s only a matter of time.
- When I was in high school considering a career, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do other than nursing. If I had to do it all over again, I’d more than likely do the same.
Edited to Add: Whoops I forgot the rules.
The rules:
1. Let others know who tagged you.
2. Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
3. Those who are tagged should post these rules and their 8 random facts.
4. Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.
So I tag, The Bean, and Mother Me. But only if they want to. Cause I’m nice!
I have so little to say it’s not funny, but you gotta start somewhere and since I haven’t posted in about 12 days, I’d might as well start here:
About a week ago, my new friend N came around and was supposed to be sketching some ideas for our kitchen and we ended up rearranging the lounge, and attacking the clutter and inch thick dust on the bookcase. Here’s a before and after:
The shelf at the bottom that you can’t see has a basket of books for the kids, (library books) and E’s box of colouring books, and other art supplies, and a box of cars for B.
And now one side of the lounge looks like this:
The large couch is the one seen in this post, which has swapped places with the TV.
The other side still needs some work, although the TV table looks much better than it did back in this post when I first started to whinge and complain about the state of our house. Where the TV was back then, is where the bookcase and lamp are now. Those with sharp eyes will notice the torn curtains are all gone, and we’ve actually grown to like the bare windows during the day, as there is much more light.
It was such a simple move, but now I feel so FRESH! I love the more open space, and finally our home is starting to reflect who we are and how we want to live.
This move was all possible because I’ve recently put my kids into TV detox. (They were becoming seriously addicted and ironically after I saw something on TV a few weeks ago about kids and TV, I decided to make a concerted effort to seriously limit it.) Having only one TV aerial plug point in the room (where the bookcase now sits) we had never previously considered having the TV anywhere but there in that corner. Now I’m so glad it’s gone to the other side where it is less of a focus and now the bookshelf corner with reading lamp is so cosy at night. I feel like we’ve created a bit of a library and I’ve started reading more, and listening to music more in the evenings because it’s so nice there. The children have started to get a book and sit there and read during the day too.
The detox is going well…they are hardly even asking for it now, and I’ve noticed more imagination play going on. There are more altercations between them but this is related to too much tv as well …(a whole other post here which I may write someday).
