Inspiring junior Fiction

Hero is reading so much at the moment, I struggle to keep up to date with what she is reading. I have been conscious though, of what a great opportunity this is for me, not only to introduce great books to her. But to use books to help encourage discussions about values, friendship hurdles, loss, empathy and other complex emotions that are hard to discuss and define.

I came across this book recently, 'Wonder', by RJ Palacio. It was so beautifully written and inspiring to read. As a reader you are drawn into each characters mind and their perspective, which makes it so accessible to all types or discussion.

Here is a Review, but very roughly, the book is about August Pullman, an 9 yer old boy that was born with a serve deformed face. He and his family have decided to try school for the first time. ( He has been home schooled up till now and has endured many operations and long periods in hospital.)

There are some truely moving parts in this book, and the different relationships you read your way through are inspiring. I can not recommend this book more highly.

If you have any other great recommendations I would live to hear them!

Spontaneous Shoot!

This is what i came home to the other day! 

We had a big family dinner on that night and Jem and the kids were to roll out and cook some flat bread. I don't know who started it, but one of them thought it was a great idea to throw the flour on your face! Apparently they were very helpful in rolling them out.

If you look close enough at Iggy's, you will see the lovely combo of snot and flour! It was an vision that had to be captured.

The Golden Years

Usually when you hear the term 'The Golden Years' you think of retirement, 65+, cups of tea, lawn bowls and that type of thing. But i came across this chapter whilst trying to find answers about how to cope with a large family!! It really struck a cord with me, and made me re think this crazy stage of life.

Have a read, i have highlighted some of the key sentences that really hit home for me.

This picture is one i will look back at with fond memories, summer, sprinkler, trampolines and laughter (with some crying and fighting of cause!)

Iggy is now 3!

3 is such an exciting and cute age. Yes there are challenges, tantrums, random melt downs and communication frustrations. BUT, to see Iggy so so excited about his birthday this year and watching him go off to kinder and feel so independent and grown-up was just so beautiful to watch.

It could be that he is the 3rd child, i could be because he was with friends, it could be because he wants to grow up quicker. Whatever the reason his orientation into kinder was faultless. He was in his element, activities galore, painting, crafty, play dough, lego! And thats not even mentioning the outside activities that are on offer!

I feel such gratification when i see my kids move through life's little obstacles so confidently. Sometimes in the blur of motherhood, you doubt yourself and wonder if you are doing an ok job!

Iggy got such joy from putting on that backpack and heading off kinder.

Iggy's birthday was just so adorable. 3 year olds play so unselfconsciously with each other. There is no sex divide, and they are just happy to be around each other.

He got such joy being the centre of attention, but not in arrogant way, but in a humble way.

I don't think he could believe that all these friends that were coming were here just to see him! And bearing gifts too! 

He Loved the Party food too!

My 3rd is now 3! And is super excited about it! I am excited for me too.

Here is a cute series of pics taken on his birthday with my brother. He had such a great time with him the the tramp.

Iggy got a bike for his birthday. And it arrived with Dadda, in the back of his Ute. It was all very exciting. He has been really loving it. Stay tuned for a video, he can already manage about 20 mt all be himself! He really is such a big boy now.

Christmas and the new Year!

I have fallen a bit behind in my blogs! You would have thought with the holidays and Jem being around i would of had more opportunities to post, but it seem to fly by and before i new it another occasion would come by and here we are at the start of Feb and I haven't even posted about Christmas!

This Christmas was one of favourites. Mum really out-did herself! The house looked incredible. She had fairy lights everywhere and crimson red details beautifully placed all around, candles burning and Christmas trees twinkling.

The kids had a ball at Mum's and we as a family had a lovely time there too. It was really relaxing being at Mum's with no plans, Christmas Day in the pass, beautiful summer days spent lounging in the garden, catching up with friends and eating leftovers.

Before we went down to melbourne the kids had a very fun morning here at Sunnyside opening presents and enjoying them.

Banjo with his Toolbox! (Full of tools!)

Iggy with his rescue helicopter

Hero with her new Nano and wireless speaker

I forgot to get a photo of Roma with her new super soft 'cloud pillow' which she has slept on every night since! We had a really special family Christmas last year, it will be locked into my memory forever.

The next super exciting event was Roma's 1st birthday! Can you believe it? 1 year old already!!!

Our little angel has blossomed into such a perfect little cherub! We are loving how she is changing and working her way into this family. Jem and i cant wait to see what she will add to our family dynamic. All the kids have such different roles and gifts that they bring to the family table, it is amazing to watch how those traits effect, rub off and influence others.

We find ourselves asking, 'who will Roma lookup to?', 'who will she enjoy playing with?', will she clash with one of us?'. So many exciting moments in time to look forward to.

I love this photo of Roma surrounded by family and not understanding what all the attention is about!

Thanks to Carli for these lovely and rare photo's of me with Roma. They mean a lot.

In the last week Roma has just started walking! It is amazing to see. My last baby starts to walk away from her baby year!

The Girls of the House!

Here are some snaps that had been sitting on my computer for a while. These quite recent shots of Roma. She is such a happy and adorable little thing.

I took the first 2 photo's and Hero thought she would have a turn of my 'big Mumma' of a camera!

She did a surprisingly good job. A rare one of me that i don't mind too!

10 years

This boxing day will mark 10 years since my beautiful Father passed away.

10 years sounds like such a distance, so so much has happened and changed since then, but his presence stays very strongly with me. I love how he is frozen in time, and will now always look like he does in this picture. This is the Dad i most remember and miss. Not the one who was sick and fighting against time. It took a few years for that memory to diminish, for a long time it was still the one that popped into my heads first. Now i struggle to visualise him during his illness.

I cant believe that 10 years has passed, and that i have lived for 10 years without him with me. I remember thinking many times will i be able too? My beautiful family has helped of course, and the support, strength and secure bond with Jem has been my rock.

I can't quite comprehend how hard and difficult it has been for my mum though. My life has well and truly moved forward in so many exciting ways since he died. And although it is heartbreakingly sad that he didn't see me get married, or meet any of my beautiful children or be apart of our move to the coast, new and amazing memories are being imprinted into my life without him with me.

Mum, has had to learn to survive has a single person after being in a partnership for 30 years, she has stayed in the same house that she and Dad made into a home, looked after and managed Dad's estate. She had to learn how to be on her own especially after we moved to Barwon Heads. She had to work though the lonely times and attain the strength in which to carry though. Lucy-Lu (family dog) has been a huge key to this I'm sure. She has done an amazing job.

We have a lot to celebrate this Christmas, and it will be at my family home surrounded by my Dad's memories,  my dear brother and his partner, Jem and his family and Mum.

I hope you all have a beautiful, happy and safe Christmas.

It is so important to be grateful for what your have.

I am.

xxx

Hero turned 8!

Hero turned 8 on the 23rd of november. She chose 3 friends to come to "High Tea" at a fantastic bakery here in Geelong, James Street Bakery.

The girls had such a fun time, drinking peppermint tea (with sugar!) and eating delicious morsels.

How cute do they all look, dressed to impress! 8 is a gorgeous age.

They loved being ladies!

 Happy birthday to my wonderful daughter, who makes me so so proud with whatever she does! Her radiances is addictive and feels like the warmth of the sun on your back whenever she is around.

Lots of kisses and hugs!

a look back in time.

My Birthday 2012

Our wedding day 2007

I celebrated my 37th birthday at the start of this month. Jeremy took me to the Melbourne Cup. It took a  bit of planning, with the little ones, especially the littlest one, but it was well worth it!

Getting dolled up on your birthday was quite fun! Nothing like putting on a frock, some lipy and a fascinator to make you feel a bit special. Then spending it with my gorgeous man drinking French Champaign and being served 4 course's was such a buzz. We had a beautiful day, and when we got home i got to blow out birthday candles and eat yummy cake the kids decorated.

Whilst cleaning Hero's room a few day before the cup i saw this picture of Jem and i on our wedding day, with Hero in my arms and Banjo in Jem's. It occurred to me that Iggy and Roma are at a similar age and it would be a great opportunity to take a snap all dressed up with the second half of our family. Don't the kids look similar?

How time can fly, i remember feeling so happy and contented with my babies back then. It's still a bit surreal to think that 5 years on we would be back at this stage again! I am just as contented now. But maybe thats because this is the last time i will be re-visiting this stage again!

Dedicated to Hubby's

Something i get asked a lot is how do you look after 4 kids?! Well the answer is you just do. Like all families, you have your rough days and you great days, but as a mum of 1 or 4 you just motor on and do the best you can.

What i have found particularly tricky with 4 is maintaining and remembering the relationship you have with your partner. Jem and i have so little time together at the moment, if he was a child it would be considered neglect!

So often he will take some or all of the kids so i can have a break, or i will take them so he can work. And with 4 it is much easier if you divide and conquer. But it is really hard to keep that connection, there is always a little one, or big one breaking it constantly.

In the past month Jem and i have been alone (out) twice. It so so so nice. And an effort that really needs to be made.

Like everything with kids, it is just a phase, and we will get through it, but it is a hard one and one you don't hear talk about as much.

This post  is for you honey! Love you Jem!!

  

My first official family portrait!

And it's a classic!

It's not easy to make this happen. The stars all have to be alined! We all have to be together, no-one asleep, no-one at a friends no-one crying, and someone other then me needs to be present to work my camera!

I am quite happy with this shot. It is far from perfect, I know Banjo looks grumpy, Jem looks like he is putting on a fake happy face and Roma is not looking at the camera, But i think our family portrait is going to take a few years to get right. This was taken in Brisbane by Jeremy's sister in law. We were rushing to get to the airport in time to catch our plane home after our holiday, but i was adamant about getting a family shot taken.

I am rarely in photo's because i usually take them, so this was important to me. I am going to make it an annual event, it will be great to see the family change  and grow.

House Rules

This weeks house rules come from Iggy with a little help from Banjo!

Note the smile on the face after hitting! Do you think this rule will be obeyed?


We are heading off on a holiday to Byron Bay, which will be lovely but life is really crazy at the moment!
Here is what i am leaving behind!

THis is what my back yard looks like at the moment!!

A peek at what we have been shooting for our School Cookbook.

All this and more will be waiting my return!

But for now, rest, warm sun (finger cross) and some family time.

I will report back on my return.

xx

House Rules

Children spend a large part of time looking at what is on your wall at home, more then you might think.  I'm sure you all have strong memories of a particular picture or painting from when you were little that takes you back in time. So recently we have put up a quote board. This hangs right near out meals table.

I started by writing quotes that i came across and we would discuss over dinner or breakfast, but conversation turned to our family morals and manners. So now we call it the 'house rules' board. The kids take turns in deciding the house rules and it stays up for a week.

I thought i would share them with you as a weekly post, they are very cute, and they come with illustrations.

This is Hero's.

No dishwasher!!

This morning i woke to find that the dishwasher was not working! A fixer man was called and booked to come tomorrow. But dirty dishes in the dishwasher and all the breakfast dishes sitting on the bench had to be put at the bottom of the 'to do' list, there were many more chores that had to be done first.

So when i returned at the end of the day, with a tied baby girl and a bit of a sensitive, slightly sick and grumpy toddler, i thought how am i going to do this?!

I went into the laundry and pulled out a couple of tubs, filled them up, put them out on the deck, pulled the racks of dirty dishes out of the dishwasher and said in an enthusiastic voice, "Who wants to wash the dishes outside!!?"

WEll they had an absolute ball! They chatted and laughed and worked together as a team better then i have ever seen them work before. I know it was just a novelty, but hey, i didn't have to do them!

I think i might find the dishwasher broken more often when the family need to re bond. And i have the perfect amount of helpers for a dish washing line!