Making the most of our {bonus} Kinder year

I won't ever look back on this year and wish that I had sent Baden to school when he should have started with his peers.  Apart from getting to spend some special time with my little boy, it has also been fantastic for him.  He has grown and developed so much this year and his language and social skills are far better then this time last year. 

I'm not sure what the weather man is up to, but we are getting something similar to our winter here this week.  Instead of locking ourselves inside we decided to go for a ride and explore our 'backyard' 

I've completly failed Blogtober this year.  Oh well.  There is always next year.

BlogtoberFest

  Offically late to this years BlogtoberFest.  Better late then never though and it might get me blogging and showing some of the things that are in the works and that I have finished in the past few months.

I can not believe that we are already into October.     To join in with the BlogtoberFest fun make sure you stop by Shells in the Bush's Blog.

Blue Blanket

It has been a long time between posts (I really need to do something about that don't I)  I don't know about you, but the year is screaming past at an alarming rate and I can not believe that we are only just over two months until Christmas again.

Anyway,  Whilst I have not been blogging I have been knitting.  I finished a bassinet sized blanket for a friend for her baby shower and it was very well received.  It is always nice to receive thanks for a gift that you put many hours into creating.

The pattern is Western-hills - The blanket  by Julia Stanfield.  It is a free pattern and a delight to knit up. There will be more of these and I'm thinking that the next one might be a rainbow inspired piece.

More information can be found here.

Where is the year disappearing?

I don't know about you but this year has disappeared at an alarming rate and before long it will be Christmas and we will be wrapping up another year.

The car speedometer says that I have done alot of km's in the car this year and I know that it is not lying.  Baden is attending a kinder two towns and 30km from home.  Then there is the swimming and dance lessons in town and back and forwards from Melbourne for different appointments and it feels like I am never out of the car.

I have also managed to get myself onto two committees this year.  I am scaling down next year (I know famous last words) and will stay on one.

There is knitting happening here and there and then there is the pile of material that I bought at the very beginning of winter that I had massive plans to sew things for myself that is still sitting taunting me from a to-do pile.

I would also love to get back into regular blogging.  Hi to all those that have hung around waiting for the next post to pop up in your reader.  So to kick things off I thought that I would join in with Pip's Taking Stock

Making :  An Eco Fairy for a WWFY job
Cooking :  30 second Orange cake
Drinking :  Raspberry, Strawberry and Loganberry Tea
Reading:  The End of Your Life Book Club (have a feeling it is a box of tissues read)
Wanting:  More time in my day
Looking:  At the pile of washing that needs tending too
Playing:  Connect 4 with the kids
Wasting:  To much time on Pinterest
Sewing:  A calico strip on the back of a blanket for a friend
Wishing:  That my sore neck would take a hike
Enjoying:  Listening to the kids laugh
Waiting: For Tim to come home
Liking:  My special friends that are more like family here due to our closeness
Wondering: What next year will bring
Loving: That my Mum hoped on a plane at a moments notice to come down and spend the week  
               with us so I could go into Melbourne for a few appointments and not worry about the kids  
               or being back for school collection.
Hoping:  That tomorrow's morning tea goes well
Marvelling:  That Baden has done so well with his speech this year and so many people have         
                       commented on how well he has done and how they can now understand him.
Needing:  To do grocery shopping
Smelling:  Dinner in the slow cooker
Wearing:  My bright yellow cowl
Following:  Two kids on their bikes
Noticing:  The change in the seasons just around the corner
Knowing:  I am loved
Thinking:  Of what I should be doing
Feeling:  Overwhelmed
Bookmarking:  Ideas for School Holiday Craft Program
Opening:  Bills
Giggling:  With the kids

Do you find that the year is flying by?
Do you need extra time in your day to get everything done?
What have you been making?

Terrariums...

A gathering of a few things at home.  Goggle and youtube searches by Miss 7 and a head full of ideas saw us head out collecting.

The rain and wind did not stop us.  With shovel in hand, bucket over arm and raincoats on, we ventured out.  Stopping to investigate and talk about the different moss along the way and searching for the piles that were the perfect green.

Scooping down again to gather rocks and a few succulents.

Home to put it all together. 

What a wonderful activity to end the school holidays.
Have you all had a great time?
I am not looking forward to the routine of getting out the door 5 days a week in the pea soup sky and sleet that greeted us on our walk to school this morning.

52...

 

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week."

Amelia: We have hit the 8 year old hormone surge.There have been so many tears over the last two weeks.  Quietly I hope that my beautiful little girl is still in there somewhere.  I'm finding this stage of parenting hard.  Any tips?
Baden: A boy of wonder.  planning his next move in this world.


I have lost count of where I should be up to with taking photos of my two.  I really need to remember to pull out the DSLR more often.
Joining in with Che and Fidel

Dinosaur Adventures

The kids and I visited Eastland Shopping Centre yesterday.

Don't be fooled in thinking that it is FREE as advertised.
Yes, the kids got to enjoy dressing up in cute white lab coats complete with a pair of safety glasses. This cost $5 each and they had a great time.  They received a jigsaw puzzle that will be fun to put together next week.  (a photo in an egg will set you back $12)
It was very noisy and we could not hear ourselves think, let alone the many screens set up to teach information about these prehistoric creatures.

The little man was in his element and the smile on his face was well worth it as we walked around and had a look at the Dinosaurs.  Allow at least an hour to do this 'adventure' of which 20-30 minutes will be standing in line waiting to get in.

 

These are Animotronic dinosaurs.  Some make loud noices and are life like. So if you plan on going make sure you have prepared the kids, go to the toilet before standing in line and feed your little dinosaurs before heading towards the line.