One Word for 2014 - BEGIN

Welcome to 2014 I hope you've enjoyed the first week of the new year. This year I'm wanting to do things differently than I did in 2013. My New Years Resolutions for 2011, 2012 and 2013 saw me wanting to be more ORGANISED and like all resolutions I'd failed within the first month or two of the year. This year as I read a few of my favourite blogs I read how they were picking a word to live by in 2014 and it got me thinking what my WORD would be?

After spending a few days thinking about it I asked God to give me some help as I wasn't been inspired by the words I was coming up with and then on Saturday I found my word. I'd like to say I found my word while sitting quietly and reflecting on things BUT that wasn't the case. I found my word during my weekly Weight Watchers meeting and when I heard it, I knew in an instance that it was my word. I felt like I was having one of those 'ah ha moments' that Oprah talked about so often.

When I found my word I quickly realised that I'd already been using BEGIN prior to hearing it. Towards the end of December I'd decided that 2014 was going to be the year that I actually lost weight instead of bouncing around the same numbers like I had during 2013. So this year I've decided to:

Begin eating at regular times to kick start my metabolism.
Begin drinking more water everyday.
Begin walking so that my weight loss journey can be kick started.
Begin de-cluttering the house of all the stuff we've accumulated.
Begin decorating the house as we're nearing two years since we moved in and none of the rooms are decorated yet.
Begin spending more one on one time with Mr Opoes taking, relaxing and planning family activities.
Begin organised so that I know what activities are happening at kindy or school this year.
Begin spending more time doing fun things with the children.
Begin been a better mum and wife.

I know that I'm a bit slow to this trend of picking one little word to focus your year on and around and then sharing it, especially as other bloggers have been doing it for a few years now. I'm looking forward to trying this new approach especially as I've never been able to stick to New Years Resolutions for more than a few days and what I like about this 'trend' is that it allows me to re-start whenever I feel I've lost track of what I was meant to be doing. I'm excited to try this new approach especially with my word as it'll allow me to begin fresh every day while also allowing me to try different things if and when I feel the need to do so.

So tell me, have you written down a few resolutions that you're going to try sticking to or have you picked a word which you're going to focus your attention on. I'd love to hear what you're wanting to achieve this year?

Megan

Christmas Ornament Exchange

Early last month I put my name down to participated in Amy from One Artsy Mama's Ornament Exchange and because I live in Australia I knew that I had to post my ornament off before the 30th November due to the fact that it wouldn't arrive in time for Christmas. So I waited for Amy's email to arrive, I was like a kid in a candy store, I couldn't wait to find out who I was making an ornament for.

 

Amy contacted me with my partners details, the lovely Jessica from Cox's Corner was going to be my partner. Like me Jessica likes traditional ornaments and she also like traditional coloured ones. Jessica also has a girly, crafty and elegant side to her so I was fairly confident that making something for her was going to be simple. Unfortunately, when purchasing my craft supplies I wasn't able to follow a traditional colour scheme to the full extent however I went with a red and silver theme as I had difficulty finding gold sewing pins. It's always a little difficult finding craft supplies because we don't have the huge range of items over here and if we won't to buy overseas then we have to content with the price, postage and the wait for the items to arrive.

 

So taking the time I had available to make my ornament I decided to make Jessica two slightly different red baubles for her Christmas tree. I don't have any photo's of me making each bauble because I worked on them during the evening after the kids had gone to bed or during nap time and I either forgot to take pictures or the lighting would have been too bad to show you what I was doing. I am hoping that both my baubles fit in with the ornaments that Jessica already uses to decorate her Christmas tree.

 

 

The first bauble I made Jessica was a sequin bauble. To make this I used a polystyrene ball, sewing pins, a silver ribbon, large and small red sequins. All you do is put your pin through the hole in the small sequin and then thread it through the large sequin, this will help keep the large sequin in place. Then all you do is pin them into your polystyrene ball making sure to cover all the white of the ball. When you have a small section left (just enough for one sequin) put your sequins together, then push it through the ribbon and push it into the polystyrene ball.

 

 

The second bauble is a mixture of sequins and ribbon. I got the idea of creating a shape with the ribbon really late one night and I spent hours working on it. I had to play around with it and I would have to say that I probably spent more time working on that small quarter section of ribbon that what it took me to thread the sequins and position them in the correct place.

 

The silver section is a mixture of small and large sequins 
with clear beads to hold them into place.

 

So I'm hoping that Jessica gets my two baubles in time for Christmas and I hope that she likes them. I'm a little nervous that they will be too big, too small, the wrong shade of red, too silver......... I can't wait to hear what Jessica thinks of my effort and to see if it goes well with her decorations.

 

So what do you think? I'm really happy with the way they turned out and I'm thinking that I might make a few silver and purple sequined baubles for our Christmas tree. I hope Jessica enjoys them and she gets them in time....

 



Megan

A Lego Ninjago love affair.....

Caelan has had a love affair for the last six months with Lego Ninjago. For his birthday he received a story book and his interest was renewed. We've discouraged him from collecting any of the Ninjago range because I don't  feel that it promotes the values that I'm trying to install in my son. As a seven year old he is highly impressionable, all his friends are into Lego Ninjago so he thinks that we should get him some pieces so that he can keep up with his friends. I've been arguing regularly with Caelan about when I'll buy him some Lego or why I'm being so mean and not buying it for him.

So I thought I'd compromise, I decided that I'd make a Ninjago mask for him and Mackenna. I wanted to make something that would look similar to one of the Lego figures while also being a little different. Caelan had drawn something up in Art class while at school. What he'd done wouldn't hold up to been played with because he'd used a sheet of A4 paper to construct his mask. Mackenna also wanted to play with Caelan's paper mask so I decided that I would make her one as well. Having Caelan's paper mask meant that I had a template that was the correct size and shape for what Caelan wanted.

I didn't take any photographs of the process but it's rather easy and the good thing about these masks is that you can create any shape you want as long as you decorate the mask to resemble a cloth wrapped around the head. So I got some cardboard from one of the many moving boxes that we had floating around the place to achieve a more user friendly mask. I Googled the Lego Ninjago to get an idea about the various colours used, the different shapes and how much of the face was covered up. Mackenna's favourite colours are purple and pink and none of the Lego Ninjago figures are pink or purple so I had to create my own special Ninja just for her.

Source

What you will need

cardboard (any kind will do but the more heavy duty the better)

scissors

pencil

black felt tip pen (whiteboard marker)

coloured paint

paint brush

hole punch

string

Method

1. Using a pencil draw the shape you want to create onto your cardboard, making sure that you draw on the side you'll be painting on.

2. Cut out your mask and round of any edges that might be sharp.

3. Hold your mask up to your child's face and mark the idea location for their eyes. If the mask is going to be a surprise estimate were the eyes will be located. Using the point of your scissors (or any other sharp pointed object) push the tip into the area that needs removing. Carefully cut out the area so that your child will be able to see out of once they are wearing their mask.

4. Using your felt pen draw the outline of how the folds would be if your face had been wrapped with fabric. Remember to outline the eye area and the outside of your mask.

5. Now paint the various sections different shades of the selected colour or just paint the entire mask the same colour.

Caelan's Blue Ninjago Mask

Mackenna's Girly Ninjago Mask

6. Using your hole punch create a hole either side of the mask, try to make sure these are level.

7. Take your string and cut two equal lengths, this will allow you to loosen or tighten your mask when needed. Attach each piece of string to the mask.

8. Present the mask to your child and tie the mask up for them. If your little girl wears her hair in a ponytail secure the mask to her face by using the ponytail to help hold the mask in place.

Let the kids outside and watch them have hours of fun running around playing Ninjas. As you can see I never got to add the string and this is because Caelan decided that he now likes Star Wars Lego so I'm hoping he doesn't want me to make him a storm trooper mask.

Megan

NOTE: This is not a sponsored post all the thoughts are my own.

the joys of being a big sister..

We were at the shops earlier and I was trying hard to control the girls behaviour because I'm getting sick of people giving me dirty looks every time we go out. I'd given them both strict instructions on what I wanted them to do and what would happen if they didn't follow the rules. So we were in Big W looking at the gardening section for some children's gardening gloves for Caelan when I turned around to see what both girls were doing.

Neither one was standing beside me and they weren't holding hands like I'd asked. I was about to turn the pram around and start looking for them when I heard Mackenna talking nicely to Viveca. I moved into a position so that I could see them but they couldn't see me and this is what I heard:

 

Mackenna: Sweetie just lift your legs up high and you'll be in there.

Viveca: Why!

Mackenna: I'm going to take you shopping like you've never been before. Remember you are old just like mummy and your legs won't we able to walk you around.

Viveca: Why!

Viveca: Sore bottom.

Mackenna: You just climb in and I'll take you to the toys, that will help your bottom and your legs.

Viveca: No, No, No stay will mummy.

Mackenna: ohhhhhhhhhhh all right.

Mackenna: Sit down in the car, sit down in the car. No standing for long times in the car.

Mackenna: You can't beat that, beat that. You can't beat that.

Viveca: (silent for a long time) all right Nenna.

So this is what they were doing. I know it's not the best thing to be doing in the shops but it did allow me to find what I wanted. We purchased the gloves and then it was off home. A success and no one commented on my naughty girls.

 

 

 

Megan

babies first foods

So the one thing my kids get excited about when we go to the shops is the lovely people who give out food samples. Here in Australia, your child only receives a sample if their parent is with them. So you can imagine how much food we get given if the four of us sample the food and then I have to listen to the sales pitch for foods I'll never buy because they're uneconomical or because I consider them to be too unhealthy. So you can imagine my surprise when I spotted a lovely little Parisian set up outside our local Woolworth's store for 'Yoplait' new Cal-tivate yoghurt. Two of us tried the passionfruit flavour and the other two went with the honey flavour and it was liked by all.

There's only one flavoured yoghurt I like and its passionfruit, so I was surprised when Caelan also gave it a try. After eating the yoghurt that had all the seeds I decided I'd try the yoghurt on Quinlan. This was the first food he'd tried since he was born and as he'd only recently turned 6 months I thought I'd try it out just to see his reaction. Caelan helped take the photo's while I fed him.

Here is my favourite photographs of Quinlan giving it a go. He is surrounded by his cheer squad who also taught him about sharing.

Quinlan has two spoons in his month in this picture as it was more of a race to feed him
 instead of having him try the Honey flavour.

Megan

Scholastic a great fundraiser and a good read.

Both Mackenna and Caelan received their Scholastic book lists the other week and Caelan had a list a mile long of what he wanted. I found Mackenna's in her school bag so she didn't know anything about what was on offer. I've always enjoyed getting the little pamphlets even when I was in primary school. I'd do what Caelan does now only difference being I never asked mum or dad for the books because I knew that I either didn't have enough pocket money and I'd have to ask for the rest or because there was something else I didn't want to miss out on. So I'd save my money and daydream about the books. 

When Caelan was in Prep I got him a Lego book from Scholastic. I'd never seen anything like it in the stores and he's addicted to Lego so I knew I couldn't go wrong. Well this time I placed my order with Marchant Park because it gave me extra time to look over the pamphlets, I could think about what I wanted instead of making a rushed decision and I had time to find the money I'd been putting aside to buy the children's some books. Hands up if you love moving.

So I purchased 6 books. It should be 2 books per child but they will share some. I'm now on my way to growing their library, helping them read better and allowing them the chance to learn to love reading. I was amazed that these 6 books only cost me $20 and even better there was no charge for postage or petrol. What was even better I got the books back while dropping Mackenna at kindy so no one saw them and I then had the opportunity to hide them away. So this is what I got each child, I'll show you the books and then give you a breakdown of the costs involved.

Caelan has received the following 3 books and I'm hoping that everyone will get to use 'Silly Milly and the Mysterious Suitcase'. If Quinlan is lucky he might get to have a look at the 2 Lego books Caelan received but I wouldn't hold my breathe if I was him.

Silly Milly was a little too easy for him, might give it to Mackenna.

So this is how much each of Caelan's books cost. Silly Milly $3, Fight the Fire $3 and Escape the Lego City $4.50. Total cost $10.50

Mackenna got 2 books I'm hoping she really likes them. I read Hattie and the Fox to the kid's after we got home from school. They all liked the story but when I gave it to Mackenna she seemed upset she really wanted Caelan's Book Silly Milly. Here is what Mackenna got.

I might give Mackenna Silly Milly and Viveca Hattie and the Fox. Not
 sure will watch to see how the kid's go with the stories.

Mackenna's 2 books were really cheap and I always love a bargain. Strawberry Shortcake Activity Book $2.50 and Hattie and the Fox $2. Total cost $4.50.

Viveca ended up with only one book but I'm hoping this book will help her toilet training. I saw this title first and I knew straight away that I wanted this book so there was no question about who was going to get this book and teaching aid. Viveca's book cost $5, so that's how I got 6 books for $20.

This book comes with a crown and reward stickers that go on the crown.

This is a good little book. The stickers you'd give your child as a reward go onto the crown and this helps reinforce the behaviour that you want the child to do. Viveca is getting there she knows what it feels like to need to use the toilet but with all the driving we do each morning and afternoon she doesn't get too many opportunities to use the toilet.

So all up each book cost me $3.33 which is a bargain. I don't know of any book I could get for that price. I'm going to paying more attention everytime these pamphlets get handed out at school or kindy.

Megan