Fluoro Week: Tooth Fairy Bag

A whole week of fluoro posts and projects.

Because I can't help but love it!

India's first wiggly tooth required her own tooth fairy bag. 

Each lost tooth is a memorable occasion in the lives of my children: the excitement when it first wiggles; the countdown and day-by-day mirror peering; and the decisions about when and how to give it the final pull. Though the tooth in the bag is swapped for a coin, I hope that these pouches will also keep hold of the memories and that they will become personal keepsakes for my kids (Elara's is here).

India's was inspired by this and this. 

And it's out!

Picking Pockets

One girl in my family is fascinated by all things nature.

She would run her fingers across the grass and smile at the sound of a rustling leaf, as a baby.

She grows seeds and draws tulips and notices the patterns in the clouds.

She picks flowers.

And a girl who picks flowers needs pockets in her skirts.

So I made her (and her sister) one each from this tutorial.

To celebrate this girl, and affirm her love of creation, we got up close and personal with some blossoms in a day trip to Toowoomba's Carnival of Flowers.  

All the kids had a turn taking photos so that they will have plenty of visuals when they want to sketch or remember.

And the girls ended the day with some dancing in a gorgeous garden at dusk.

It's a (Geometric) Girl!

Her Mum (my sister) is lively, bold, energetic and modern.

But also sweet, loving, generous and compassionate.

This quilt pattern (found here at See Kate Sew, and which I sized down to travel quilt size), seemed a perfect fit for her new baby bundle. 

The bold of the black and white. 

The sweet of the pale pink. 

The fun of the watermelon and orange.

Arden Glow, you will be a patchwork of joy!

Spring Sprung

Weekending

You know those people who make things happen?

They get up on a Saturday morning and say "It's the weekend! Let's have fun together! Let's go and do something awesome!" And then they do?

I admire those people.

I am not those people.

I get up on a Saturday morning and let everyone laze around for a while, and then tidy the house, and then (it feels like) too much of the day is wasted to start doing anything awesome. And then, though I have enjoyed the company of my kids (and husband if he is not working), I haven't done anything that really invigorates or freshens up or brightens our week. Which is what a weekend should be, I think.

So I figured (since I lack spontaneity and have a fuzzy brain by the weekend), I might need to plan ahead. I might need to write a list. Get the kids outdoorsy clothes ready. Bake some take-along treats. Pack a bag. All before Saturday morning. And then, I might need to be brave and just go, even if I am solo parenting for the day.

This weekend I did. 

It was great. 

Exhausting. 

Worth it.

When India peers out of the car window and tells me what shapes she sees in the clouds.

When Zeb spends an hour throwing rocks into the creek.

When Elara makes space for her 'annoying' sister and they have a grand time finding hiding spots in the bush and running through the waves at the beach.

 With Spring around the corner, I will be getting ready for more happy weekending!

Three, and Number Two.

 

He is growing in speech.

I ask him "What would you like to eat?".

He says "Poo. Hahahaha".

He is growing in physical skill.

He uses a good medium pace right arm when bowling to Dad in a mini cricket game (which he also uses for smashing dinosaur toys together, pegging ice cubes into the fence/slide/outside wall, and throwing rocks at little girls). 

He is growing in creativity.

He draws dinosaurs and cars and amazing people, and makes up songs with his guitar.

He is growing in God-understanding.

His talks to God about his day and his trip overseas and baby Holly, baby Arden, and Uncle Justin (and all his airplanes) in his prayer time.

He is growing in style.

Shirts must be orange with long sleeves pushed up. Shorts win out over pants, even when it's cold. Shoes should never be worn unless threatened by Mum.

He is growing in character.

He hovers over his delightful baby cousins, touches them gently, sings them lullabies. He goes to his sisters when he needs help and helps them in return. He talks fondly of his best friends, and misses them when he doesn't see them. And, even though he is a big three year old boy, still he cuddles me and says sweet things like 

"I love you Mum. And I love poo. Hahahaha".

Happy third birthday Zebulon!

A Prehistoric Celebration

It was dinosaur party time for Zeb's birthday this year.

Oh I had fun with this one!

The invitations were designed by my sister, with Zeb riding a dinosaur on the front. I don't know of any three year boy who wouldn't dream of having a personalised portrait like that!

I had a crazy idea for the party food/table, and decided to give it a go.

Instead of dinosaur shaped foods or the like, I created an (almost) completely edible dinosaur land tablescape.

I think we pulled it off! 

 On the sweet side were iced 'grass' cupcakes, oreo covered 'boulder' cupcakes, violet crumble pieces, mini mars bars, chocolate pods, pocky and wafer biscuits (held in place by chocolate fondant), chocolate rocks (yes, that's an actual candy!), and a blue jelly swamp.

On the savoury side were chicken nugget 'rocks', pretzel piles, a mini sausage roll mountain, and green vege and dip cup 'trees'.

The volcano cake (made of 'real chocolate' crackles, with icing lava) made the scene look real (and even more delicious)!

You get the picture. Yummy food. Cool kids. We didn't need much more to keep everyone happy: a game of pass the parcel; some dinosaur tails for the little boys; hair bows for lovely girls; and take home jars filled with chocolate rocks for the big kids.

 Most importantly, Zeb had a wonderful time with his besties and a day he will always remember!

 Can I hear a RAWR?!