Sweet Things

Today Kangaroo was with just me. The two of us together and it was absolutely lovely. Kangaroo is charming and bright and I love him so much but because our time here gets so crowded sometimes I don't get to see this and we definitely don't take time to simply be. I didn't necessarily plan today but I knew Mr E and my brother had big post birthday plans for Mr E's bday but they were only able to take Kookaburra and my niece, so I knew I had Kangaroo all to myself. I was nearly the fool and thought to burn this precious time on what I viewed was necessary but fortunately a new resolve on priorities made this past week, came to our rescue. I'll post them here so I will remember....

1. Spirit
2. Husband
3. Children
4. Home/Family
5. Friends

Having these priorities listed is going to help provide the clarity I need over what is important and what can wait.

So today, Kangaroo and I escaped our house and had a milkshake and donuts and a lovely conversation over his new 'Roary the Racing Car' colouring in book which he had paid for himself at the bookshop. He charmed everyone everywhere we went and was praised repeatedly for being so good and chatty. I desperately need some nice new clothes, so Kangaroo helped me shop and his endurance whilst a woman tries on clothes was admirable and I just know his future wife will be thankful for the training I've put in ;)

Naptime seemed so long as I really missed his company but when Kangaroo did finally rejoin me I asked if he would like to walk to the nearby park, just he and I again. Such lovely chats about this and that on the way. A horse and its rider ambled past us, the sky was crisp blue and the company and chatter was so sweet, all of this was only marred by the gradual increasing length of our shadows reminding me to really enjoy this precious time.

I want to remember pushing my beautiful boy on the swing and listening to him hum and sing, and recite nursery rhymes. Possibly my favourite thing has been Kangaroo beginning to recite 'The Swing' with me by RL Stevenson and making letters in the sand because he wants too.

Today was so happy, no housework was done but my baby boy and I, we made time to be still for a bit and play.

I vow to make it happen often.

We made a song for the swing and he was obviously happy because he said this is about me with his smug happy smile:

One, you're lots of fun
Two, I love you
Three, happy as can be
Four, it's you I adore
Five, it's great to be alive
Six, pick up stix (?)
Seven, we're in heaven
Eight, great mate
Nine, we're feelin' fine
Ten, do it all again?

'Yep!' says Kangaroo.

And the icing on the cake has been whilst I was dressing Kangaroo after bath, "Mummy, did you like going to the park with me today?", to which of course I replied, "I certainly did!" and what did my sweet thing say to that? "My pleasure," with that lovely little grin of his.

who will survive?

I'd love to write something riveting and interesting, funny and enlightening but... I'm too tired, and the school holidays have begun. I'm sure it has nothing to do with a late night and a great bottle of wine, yummo ;)

For me these school hols, mean its time to step up and be a good Aunt, to care for my nieces and nephew for at least part of the two week stretch. It is also the first time I'm actually facing the possible dilemma of what to do when it all goes to pack on the hols. Today is Day 1 and since 7.30 this morning, all the five kids have needed from me has been sustenance and a point in the right direction. I suspect this won't last :)

Well, I'm wrecked (I did mention that didn't I) and its half three, only a few more hours to go and the kiddo's will go home and then for my little fam it'll be bath, dinner, books, bed so it can all start again tomorrow.

I do have a theory though....

If it all goes terribly south, I know where the alchopop lives and I can join the kitten under my bed for refuge, then the kiddos can go 'Lord of the Flies' on each other and well, I'll miss the others but it really would be survival of the fittest.

Cat Capers

Kookaburra and Merlin

Poor little Kangaroo has been feeling for a long time now that Merlin the cat just doesn't love him the way that he loves Kookaburra. To add to the trouble, Kangaroo may be small but he still manages a good rough handling of our poor old pal which, I imagine, for a ten year old puss can be just a little too much to bear.

Coming to Merlins' rescue last week is Morgan the Kitten. She is seven months old, affectionate, patient, amusing, and trouble.

Kangaroo and Morgan

A new pet in the family brings so many great things and the memories created are worth the effort. Among the funnies though has been the shock deposits that this tiny creature leaves in her kitty litter and in tribute our boys have been singing one of Phoebe's classics from the 'Friends' years :)

Our new friends full name is

Morgan 'Cap'n Bones the Pirate' Le Fay - name negotiated by the family. Can you guess who added the pirate part?

Making Math Easy

Nuts for You

I'm so grateful for convenience. How long did things even just fifty years ago take? Think further back to one hundred years. Can you make a mental list of what you're grateful for in our modern lives?

I long for a more simplistic and innocent way of life but I have to be honest, I am so glad for our supermarkets.

During Autumn, our program for Kangaroo explored preparation for winter. We lightly touched on how animals take care of this, particularly squirrels.

Our follow up activity was to make 'Nut Butter'. Very simple, all that was needed were the nuts (any variety) and vegetable oil to act as a binder and preservative. We chose regular peanuts, already roasted and in the shell, but if you choose raw nuts be sure to roast them at about 180 degrees for a few minutes either side and keep watch as nuts burn quickly (I'm great at that part :)

Kangaroo and Kookaburra shelled their nuts.


A very looong process, but enjoyable. Made me feel like we were spending real quality time together, we were so companionable and laughed a lot. After eating lots of the scrummy roasted nuts, enough did make it into the bowl to be processed.


Yum, Mum :)


To the food processor we put one cup of nuts to two tablespoons of vegetable oil and then blended the ingredients on medium speed until it reached a peanut butter type consistency.


Taste testing.


Approval.


Bottled.

This took so long to do, we enjoyed it heaps but I'm reluctant to do it again for so little product. That's what I mean by thank goodness for modern life because yonks ago there wasn't even a food processor to speed it all along.

Kangaroo and Kookaburra regularly ask for a repeat of this activity and recall it as being well worth the effort as their 'Nut Butter' was the best ever :)

Doesn't Kangaroo looked incredibly pleased.

As for the innocence that I mentioned at the start. Well, our boys are kind of a little sheltered, they had no idea that when I was killing myself laughing at them when they were singing

"Look at our nuts, look at our gigantic big nuts!!!!"

that I was laughing for an entirely different reason to their own.

When two Souls Meet

Love

I love you
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.

I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;

I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can't help

Dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find

I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple.

Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.

I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good.
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.

You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.

You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.

by Roy Croft

Congratulations Mr and Mrs R.E.

5th June 2009

May your love Bloom and Stay Beautiful

Blah!

Just following on from yesterdays post, I remembered what Blah! was



An art lesson with Kookaburra.

Our art curriculum is Artistic Pursuits: An Introduction to the Visual Arts and the above is Lesson 5: Artists Paint Landscapes in Oil Pastels.

Please, please notice that there are no vehicles of any sort in this picture which is something of a miracle for transportation obsessed boys :)

As for French, well we've embraced the car obsession.

La Voiture

I wanted to teach our boys the fundamentals of Drawing, perspective, contour, shadows etc etc and for that we are using Mark Kistler's Draw Squad and so far both Kookaburra and I have benefited from Mr Kistler's wisdom.

Wish I could add more, but I haven't packed myself or cleaned the house, and I'm to leave for the Goldie in the next hour. Somewhere in there I also need to sew a button back on my dress for the wedding, but first I need to find that said button!!!