Arty Beach Morning

I so enjoyed this morning, doing a bit of art at the beach. It's so nice to pack a few materials and snacks and ride down the beach to do our learning activities.

I always get a bit excited when Kees gets into an art activity, because it's not what he's really into.

It was all going beautifully. Who was I to discourage experimentation with saliva and sand?

Kees made a storm, I did a flower of course, and...

Jimmy's art was very....black. I hope this doesn't express his inner feelings. ??

After that we cemented our knowledge of meteorites and craters by dropping big rocks off the deck and into the sand. xx

Wee hoo!

I know for some parents, an indoor playcentre is a noisy, crazy nightmare. But man, the kids LOVE IT SO MUCH. It's like a dream come true for them. And on rainy days, I am very grateful to let my bold adventurers loose in the ball pit, jumping castle and slides while I do a bit of sewing or check my emails. And who doesn't love hot chips? (By the by, I did - believe it or not - meet a lady the other day who screwed up her nose when I mentioned the possibility of fish and chips for lunch. She actually said the word - brace yourself - "disgusting". I was dismayed.)

 

Knackered. Home for a nap. Yesss!

Beachy Winter Morning

What a beautiful morning. It brings me so much joy to watch all these sweet children playing freely in nature.

Idyllic.

I didn't realise how important freedom was to me until I had children. The idea of freedom drives many decisions we have made for them. That feeling of space, to be able to run, skip, hop, jump.

To breathe.

Kees has always been the sort of child who has demanded this. As a baby, he would get bored inside - I know that sounds crazy, but he would. He would cry inside, then I'd step out the door and he'd stop. Step back in, start crying, step out, stop! It often feels like the backyard is too "bound" for him. Even as a tiny tot, he'd be over fences and off down the street, or up on the neighbour's garage roof.

When my children are outside somewhere beautiful like this, their spirits soar joyfully. 

My Striated Pardalote!

Blustery Days

Firstly, I need to say: I am totally in love with Jimmy's cuteness. I could just watch and listen to him all day. I don't know if it is because he is little, or because he sings "Jack and Jill", or says "creeped", or giggles his head off when we play Gorilla on the trampoline. There are so many things that make me die from cuteness overload.Jimmy is so lovely, he makes me want to have more babies. Somebody please talk me out of this. In light of overpopulation.

On this day, we enjoyed a lovely afternoon with some beautiful sisters at the park. The sun shone, the wind blew, the children played, we drank tea and listened to Jane's hilarious tales of skiiing. Please write a book, Jane! We say "kill two birds with one stone"; in Holland they say "swat two flies with one smack"! Kind of looks like two flies down there.... two very pretty flies of course. ;0)

Then it was time for everyone to scurry home to cosy dinners and baths. With a pot of soup all ready, we were able to stay a bit longer. Yay! I hate leaving at the most beautiful time of day....

So, the boys and I went for a walk. It was blustery and freezing and fresh, the sunset was crisp, clear and perfect, and I loved it so much!

Where we live, really cold weather like this is reasonably rare, so to me it is precious. We lived in London for two years and I just loved the seasons. Now, if I don't get a good "wintering", I miss it. A bit like a bulb that needs to get really cold before it can bloom. ;0)

In winter, I enjoy nothing more than a bracing walk out in the fresh air, with my warm coat and my face all nice and cold. If it's cold I love it, if it's windy too, I'm in heaven! What a great way to clear out a few cobwebs. I should do this more often. xx

Getting to Know Our Local Environment

Just a few snaps of us enjoying some activities at our local environmental centres!

The Sky Was So Blue Today ...

You really can't beat a winter sky in Brisbane. What a beautiful morning at the Billycart Markets. Hope your sky is this blue today! xx

Children Chipolatas

We have recently been enjoying this adventure-filled book:

in which the pirate dinosaurs try to capture children and make them into their favourite, "children chipolatas."

It has some great key ingredients for kids: danger, dinosaurs, pirates, heroes and heroines, explosions, battles, and of course, sausages. K and J liked this book so much that I decided to take them to our local butcher so we could find out how they make sausages!

The kids were definitely riveted. It was disgusting but compelling. We all learnt a lot.

Suffice to say, I won't be eating these again in a hurry. ;0)

Where I Live #4

I snuck off from a family ride to the beach the other evening, when a little something lovely caught my eye. What a privilege it was to be able to admire this charming sandcastle; a special surprise. I imagined the enjoyment some little people must have felt, whiling away their afternoon completely absorbed in creating this beautiful artwork. Thank you for the pleasure, left there for everyone to enjoy.

PS: Sorry about the tone in the last post. I was having a little bit of a moment. I am usually more circumspect and patient about these things. I know people are just looking out for my kids and I am grateful for that loving concern. ;0) xx

The Urban Meadow

I'm as a big a fan as any of a freshly mown lawn, but there's something else I love: what I like to call "the urban meadow." Sometimes unruly wild grass looks so fetching; I feel like I'm in the country. And there's something truly heavenly about cool, thick grass under your feet. Ahh.