Easter Time

Happy Easter Everyone :) I hope your days have been beautiful and you have enjoyed famy time.
We've had a lovely few days.
I managed to have 2 nights without my daughters this week. My husbands parents had them both on Thursday and Friday night. It was quiet without them here but gave us some time together to relax and refresh which was nice.
Friday I had grand plans to clean, tidy, rearrange. But fate had other ideas when I woke up at 9:30 am [I can't believe it either lol] and was tired and achy and sniffly all day. So I spent the day in bed and on the lounge and now am feeling ok so I think rest was just what the doctor ordered after a busy two weeks at work.Whilst I was resting I read the latest two books I purchased. I have finished 'Slow Family Living ' already. I loved it. Lots of great ideas. But also lots of things that I already do so it was conforting to know that we are indeed already living our slow family life. I haven't started 'Simplicity' yet but can't wait to read it too.

 

 

Last post I showed pics of Mia's rearranged and organised bedroom. We did the same in Ella's room. Culled lots of toys and books no longer needed and freshened her room up and changed the furniture around.

 

We made Bruschetta with our fresh basil from our garden. Mia loves bruschetta now so we have been making it often for her [and us].

The full moon was amazing this week. I did say a silent prayer as I gazed up at her.

 

 

Ella and Mia had a teddy bears picnic with their Teddies today.

 

My girl Faithy loves the box hideout I made her. I'm going to cover it in old vintage sheeting to make it look at little more elegant for her.

 

Luckily the Easter Bunny found our place [sorry about the blurry pic]

 

 

My best friend arrived in town on Friday afternoon and is leaving tomorrow :( We enjoyed coffee together on saturday morning and a walk on the beach this morning. Whilst walking I collected shells and driftwood and created this mobile.

 

Ella also spotted a Port Jackson Shark Egg on the sand. I didn't believe her when she said what it was, we googled it and she was right. Amazing find so the girls are going to take it to school for news this week.

 

 

 

How was your Easter? Would love to hear what you all enjoyed doing.

Hoping you all have a wonderful Easter Monday.

 

The Pure Essence of Innocence

"You are holding the Pure Essence of Innocence". These are the words a dear spiritual friend said to me as I held my firstborn at only days old. And he was right. Babies really are the Pure Essence of Innocence.
This week I watched my younger brother and his partner become parents for the first time.
The lump in my throat all day on wednesday was immense pride and love that I have for them. It held the thoughts of how beautiful, wonderful and magical parenting is.
I was in awe watching my brother this morning take care of his beautiful baby boy. I always knew he would be the best father. He is such a kind and wonderful man and his girlfriend is so very lucky to have him :)
Today we ventured to the Gold Coast to meet my beautiful Nephew. My two daughters took such great care of their new baby cousin and enjoyed their cuddles with him.
I, was suprised [ as I have previously spoke about my desire for more children and my grieveing of never having a son] that my feelings were not of jealousy and what if's, my feelings we that of pure and utter awe and amazement and love for this little boy who will always be my darling nephew.
And as I nursed my nephew this morning I whispered words of love, how loved he will be, how honoured I am to be his Aunty and how I will always be there for him.
Today I fell in love all over again. Today I felt only heartfelt love as I held my nephew. The Pure Essence of Innocence.........................................

Right Now................

Right NOW I'm :

Glad  the work week is over.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend.

Sorting and decluttering, Selling some unwanted items on facebook buy and sell pages, and it feels GOOD getting rid of things.

Hoping the coming weeks my children start to get better. We've had aching bodies, conjunctivitis, lump on a jaw, vomitting and now tonsilitis just this past 5 weeks.

Looking for suggestions for easy care indoor plants to improve the air flow in our home.

Waiting for the library book that I reserved to come in. It's called Far from the Tree. http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780701176112?redirected=true&gclid=COqPtbvI_rUCFQZKpgodF0oAig

Feeling very unfit and I hate to say that body image although I don't want it to, still upsets me :( I'm going to try and schedule more exercise into my days somehow.

Missing my best friend. I have very few friends where I live. I miss girly coffee / movie dates.

Wondering what I can do for my daughters for Easter. Something fun/ easy/ crafty maybe? new traditions to start? Would love to hear what others do for Easter.

What are you up to RIGHT NOW!!!!!I would love to know what is going on in your world :)

Our Weekend.....

We had a suprisingly relaxing weekend. It did start with grocery shopping which I really dislike. I dislike how busy Aldi is days, I dislike the loading of the trolley, unloading, loading again and then unloading. Drives me insane and by the time I get home I'm exhausted lol.
Other than that the weekend flowed quite nicely. Even my Mia, 7, said this morning "I feel like the weekend was a holiday". She was obviously relaxed too. She should be as she was vomitting friday night but well again on saturday, but we made sure she rested and took it easy.
Ella had a sleep over at her Grandparents house on saturday night too which made our home extra quiet.

Ella's  gardenia blossomed it's first flower this weekend. It smells divine :)

 

Washing powder was made for the next few months.

 

 

Sandwiches were made and the girls were happy it was on white bakery bread and not wholemeal.

Ella asked for a cake for school lunches this week so a simple butter cake was made [and hubby took a chunk out of the side before my pic. They girls didn't want it iced so it was very simple.

 

 

Mia's bedroom was sorted, cleaned and decluttered. It's amazing how much 'stuff' children manage to collect despite us rarely buying things for them.

 

 

 

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone that commented on last week's post about living simply in our world right now. I've taken on board and marinated it everyone's thoughts/ ideas and support given. . On todays shopping list I am getting a white board to put up in our main living area with daily routine/ chores/ jobs to do and I'm getting the girls to start to do a few more chores than they have been and I'm also going to delegate times for technology and times without.
Will let you all know how it goes :)

Slow parenting in a fast paced World

It's not easy being a parent. It's even harder being a parent that is trying to live a slow and mindful life with the pressures of living in a fast paced world.
I know this because I am in the midst of it all.
I love my daughters so much I cannot even put it in to words.

I feel so pulled at the moment. I feel as though technology, keeping up with the Jones's, peer pressure, extra curricular activities, homework and school projects, performing well at work, financial issues, are all wrapped tightly around me. Sometimes it's hard to breathe.[For instance tonight when my anxiety went into overdrive].

I have visions of living a slow, blissful, peaceful life with my husband and my daughters. Where we can awake each morning, absorb the beautiful day, move slowly, experience quietness and go with the flow.

This is just a dream.

Our mornings [no matter how organised I am the night before] consist of me rushing making beds, making school lunches, arguing with the girls about what they are having for breakfast, making my own lunch, ensuring school bags are packed and did I say arguing?

We then all head off to work / school , usually stressed and upset. Only to then come home and deal with more arguments, cooking dinner, getting washing off the line, folding it and putting it away, helping with homework [and more arguing], cleaning up from dinner, showers, tv, stories and bed [at which point consists of more arguing].

The girls then have dancing two nights a week, mondays and thursdays. They both want ipod touches [which they don't have] but consistently want to play our phones / computers etc. I feel pulled as all the children at their school have ipods. They are amongst a group of peers that embrace this technology and it makes me feel like I need to let them. But that technology itself brings more dramas. Instant messaging causes fights with their peers even whilst at home which in turn brings more tension to our home.
We visit the homes of our girls friends, who are a lot more wealthy than us and I feel my little wooden [and now mouldy outside due to the rain ] home is so insignificant and I am embarrassed by it to ask her friends over to visit.
Homework is something that causes tears and arguments almost daily and I feel is a stress we don't need.
Then amongst all of that I go to work. I need to perform well and remember a LOT!! In a mind that retains little due to how much their is to remember.

So tonight hubby and I made a stand. Girls in bed at 7:30 pm and no watching TV until 8:30 pm. This resulting in screaming and crying from them, hubby getting upset and angry and my anxiety in full force.

Where was the peaceful night? Why can't my girls just be happy to head off to bed, relaxed and happy with a kiss and cuddle at night and being tucked in by us?

Why do we live like this? Because I know no other way??? We have to work and barely able to pay the bills as it is. Because we already live so minimally and barely get by.
Because all of these pressures and influences are what society expects of us all.
It's hard too because I need silence [and the tv is ALWAYS on when hubby is home :(] which he is always home when I am. I need the house to myself just an hour a week and I would be totally happy.

I need silence. I need stillness. I need mindfulness. I just don't know how any of these will happen when the pressures are there. The homework, the technology, the 'keeping up with the Jones's, the job we have to have, the bills we have to pay.

I guess due to the anxiety tonight I am feeling a little helpless. A little like I want to be living slower and have more time with my daughters and not [I'm so exhausted, it's the end of a long work day] rushed/ meaningless time with them.

I'd love some ideas / input if any of my dear readers has any?????