My son just saw a snippet of a movie we're watching (nothing exciting - an Agatha Christie) and he is very concerned that the 2 grownups on the screen kissed for "THIS LONG" he says as he throws his arms wide apart - eeeeuuuww.....

My son decided last night he wanted to have a sleep over at our house (!), so he wanted to sleep on the lounge.  Mummy said no, but today he has decided to have a camp instead - on the trampoline!  He made trip after trip from his bedroom to the trampoline dragging his blankets, pillows, teddy, doonas, cushions - basically everything off their beds.  He asked for help moving the mattresses and mummy refused (don't know why not!).  So here are some pics of a camp on the trampoline in the last days of winter....

Bella snuggling up:

Royston snuggling up:

Cuddling up together...

The campsite:

My Mum is English and all her family live in England.  Therefore she doesn't see them very often (understatement).  So, imagine my mum's excitement that her sister is flying out here this week for a visit.  My son is a bit bewildered by all the preparations, so he asked me "what's an aunty daphne?"

So, I explain that she is a person, she is Granny's sister, who Granny doesn't see very often.  "Oh", he replies, "When did you get her then?"  So I explain that Granny has had her as a sister since Granny was born, but she has not met Royston yet as she lives overseas.  So he asks where she lives, and I reply England, so, logically, he asks "what do they speak there?"  (English, I guess, though sometimes I wonder...).

I forget sometimes how limited is his knowledge and understanding, but he is so clever with his questions and never fails to give me a giggle with his interpretations on things.

Well, the walk to the school was great!  It took longer than I thought - it looks like such a short trip driving, but a lot longer walking. 

We arrived in time to see the kids playing sport and they were having a ball.  The school has such lovely grounds - numerous cubby houses, sand pits, a vege patch, bush all around - you could even hear birds in the trees.  I went into the office and the lady explained to me all about the orientation next term and uniforms etc....  Then we walked around and let the kids play.  When home time came I went and introduced myself to the teachers who were watching all the kids getting picked up and they  said "Oh, Royston, we've heard so much about you, you'll love it here".  It was so great!

The school only has about 30 kids and 2 classrooms, 2-3 teachers and an office lady.  I don't know much beyond appearances and what i've heard about the school from friends, but it certainly seems lovely to me and I am glad Royston has seen it now.  I only hope he feels the same way about it that I do.

Can't believe we haven't written for a week - getting slack! 

Today I have filled out the 16 page enrolment form and we are about to walk up to the local school and take it in.  I am so churned up -  my little boy is very anxious about school, so I am taking him to have a look in the hopes he feels better about it.  But I also feel kind of sad at the thought of him starting school.  Five years have gone so fast and he doesn't seem big enough for school, plus I worry that I'll lose the close connection we've had while he's been home with me.  I guess he'll be ok, but I just so want him to be happy and for school to be a joy for him, as it is not for so many of us! 

Here are some piccies of our quiet day at home...

Bella  loves playing in her pram and sits there saying "push me mummy", but notice her big brother - underneath the pram!

R borrowed the camera and took some very creative shots - maybe he'll be a photographer?

Last  but not least is his craft for the day - a kit he won at a party last night, a little "European" house.  He helped me punch out the pieces, sand some and put on some of the simpler bits - as seen here!  Well done!  This was great - he is really keen on building things and was obviously impatient to have a go, so mummy helped out (as daddy was out) and was pleasantly surprised at how well it all went. Meanwhile Bella decorated a car key holder.

It was lovely to just do things together and not be busy and I loved the fact that the tv was off all day - woohoo!

Today I have had 2 friends who are in difficult times vent to me because they are hounded by the very people who should be supporting them.  I wish people could get on!  If someone is down and having problems they don't need other people having a go at them for whatever reason.  I know no-one is perfect and no doubt there is cause for both sides, but why why why can't people see beyond their own issues to recognise a person in need.  Why can't we as human beings recognise weakness and need as an opportunity for our own love to step in and help - not a chance to kick someone while they're down.  People can be so petty sometimes.  Come on people, make an effort!  What can you do today to help someone else's day improve?

4 nights with no "beeby" - i think we might manage it!

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings."
Nelson Mandela, Make Poverty History rally, London, 2005

I strongly believe that the only way our world can move forward rather than self destroying is to raise a generation of children who are mindful of their impact on the world around them and who will share their resources more fairly.

How can we help our children to be mindful of the needs of others and to think of ways of helping the poor?

We can start with our own actions. 

An obvious way to start is to consider the products you use around your house.

One simple step you can make is when you next purchase your tea or coffee look for the fair trade symbol.  You can find it in the health food section of the supermarket, or at certain coffee shops, or online.  An added advantage to you is that many of the Fair Trade products are also organic.

Now that your pantry is slavery free, think about your beauty products - how and where are they made?  What about your clothes?  Once you start, there is no aspect of your life that can't be tweaked and improved.  All these small steps make a big difference in the world - and make a difference to you and your family as you become aware of your consumption and how you are helping make a difference.

Talk to your children about poverty and why it is important to be involved. 

There are some fabulous books around that will show them how other children live - find some books and share other  children's stories with them.  I have some great books from DK - "A Life Like Mine", "Children Just Like Me" and "A School Like Mine".  All of these are available through the Learning Ladder or Amazon or at your local bookshop.  We also source great story books from around the world - especially ones about children's lives - so, if  you see a good book on playschool or at your library, grab it!  A fine example of this is "We all went on safari" (Barefoot books), which we love - we saw it on playschool and ordered it online.  I have also seen some lovely ones through Oxfam.

A great way to develop a connection between your child and a child in a poorer nation is to sponsor a child.  You can do this through World Vision, and many other great organisations.  When you sponsor a child, you get a photo of them along with information about their family and school.  You can correspond with them and get your children to send them letters - this is a great opportunity to get them thinking about someone else and their needs.  In fact, when I left school and went to Kenya for a few months I managed to meet my sponsored child and see firsthand how they lived and what a difference it makes.

If, like many of us, you are struggling yourself and think "how can I afford to sponsor a child", you could try and get together with some friends - perhaps through playgroup or school - and sponsor a child together.  This means that  your children are seeing how community can work together to make a difference.

Another great initiative I have come across is this one from Oxfam, where for every doll you buy, they give one to an underpriveleged child.  This means that as your little one cuddles their doll you can be reminding them to think of their doll's twin in an HIV/AIDS affected family in Zimbabwe.  This is a great alternative to a mass produced plastic doll, next time you are looking for birthday presents.

Act out some simple things that will help your children understand  these children's lives - fill up some buckets of water for them to carry and ask them how they would feel carrying them 3-4 kms a day.  Serve up smaller portions for one meal and ask them how it would feel if that was all they had every day.  Get some international cook books and cook some unusual foods from these countries.  Maybe even try and learn some words in Swahili or another African language.

Get your children's school involved.  Ask the school if they can run some lessons on globalisation and poverty.  Most schools would be happy to get parents involved, so maybe run a session yourself or find another parent who has come from a developing country to lead it.  Perhaps the class could sponsor a child (as my son's preschool does).   Maybe even look into holding a Fair Trade stall at the school fete.

Get involved yourself and show your children what you are doing.  Write letters to your MP together and talk to them about what further action they think would help.

You will probably find that your children once they understand will be very aware and passionate and have more creative ideas than mine.

We live in a part of the world that has traditionally had snow in winter - but  not the last few years....  This year everyone seems to have had it except for us - we've had hail & sleet and lots of cold rain, but no snow.  So, today (for my birthday) we had my brother and his family over for lunch (and a mutual friend dropped by too)....  I rang them to warn it had turned cold and bring warm clothes (they live down the coast) and my son yelled "it's gonna snow".  "Yeah right" I thought....  Well, imagine our joy over afternoon tea when white flakes starting falling!  It was melting as it landed but it was so exciting just to see it coming down!

It just proved my sil right!  She kept telling me how cold it was - as they rugged up in their winter jackets and scarves huddling around the fire - and we kept saying "oh no, it's not that cold!"  Well, I guess it was!

Well the big news is our little lives is that we are slowly weaning Bella off "beeby".  With both mine I was happy to breastfeed as long as they wanted and then play it by ear once they got to 2.  R weaned himself at 22months - we just realised one day he hadn't had any for a week and by then he'd forgotten what to do (very funny at the time).  B however has just loved it too much and I was starting to envision a child going off to school and still wanting "beeby" (alright for some but not my cup of tea)....  So I have started discouraging her at bedtime (her only feed of the day) and trying other ways to go to sleep.  So far we have had made it to three days before she had a lapse and begged me for "beeby". I didn't want to distress her, so she had a short feed and then went to sleep. Then we start again - we are now at 2 nights without and we'll see how far we can stretch it this time.  This is actually going better than I thought!  Oops - hope I haven't jinxed myself now.....

Royston wants me to post this here so he can watch it over and over....

Well, today is my 34th birthday!  Woo hoo!  Somehow I don't get excited like I used to.... Funny that!  Instead of getting excited I think, "another year has gone by - wow that was quick - how did that happen? - how old am i?  what have i done since last year?"  and i get depressed.

I am 34 now and I still don't know what I want to do when i grow up....  I don't have any huge ambitions and no huge drive to do something amazing - yet, I niggle, do I want to be "just mum"?  Is that enough somehow?  When I catch up with old friends and we relate what we've been doing, just telling them "I'm a full time mum" seems inadequate somehow...  like I've failed somehow.  So, I pad it out with all the other things I do, so it looks like I'm doing something.

And yet, I love being with my kids.  I love watching them grow and learn and develop.  I love their sense of humour, their hugs and the great card I got this morning:

I love reading to them and making things with them.  I don't like arguing with them, but that comes with the territory.  If someone tried to take my 'job' away from me I'd be devastated.

I love doing the things I do - gardening, planning a lifestyle for us, learning as we go about life and people and God, trying to be a useful member of our society, a caring part of the world.  Is that enough?

Do you know somehow I feel that it could be.  That this is actually the best (& most frustrating) job I've ever had - and probably the most meaningful.  Yes, I am not a "yummy mummy" who looks good all the time and has her own career and own space.  You know, I am not even a good housewife - as long as it gets cleaned regularly it doesn't have to be tidy all the time.  Yet, I have 2 bright, confident, happy children who know they are loved and are precious - to me and to their Dad and to God and to their grandparents and aunts and uncles.  Not everyone can say that.

So, on the whole I am content - isn't that a good thing?  I am happy where I am, doing what I do for possibly the first time in my life.  So, why do I let these negative feelings grab me at times like this?  Who is to blame?  I don't know, but I rest, content in the fact that for now this is enough and we'll see what happens this year.  Cheers!

My daughter is currently semi toilet training herself.  When left without a nappy on she will take herself to the potty for number 2s, but, alas, not number 1s.  Occasionally she has done a wee, but not very often and largely when prompted.  So, imagine my pleasure when my son comes running to me:

"Mummy you have to come and empty Bella's wee out of the potty"

"Oh, OK" I respond and come running

Bella is just getting off the potty and I was very surprised to see about an inch of liquid in the potty - "Wow!" I exclaim!  Then realisation dawns - "it's very clear for wee!" I say.... mmmmm...

R responds, "we tricked you mummy, it was a joke, it's just water!"

Funny.....