Sometimes I feel like I have a lot to say, and other days I feel like I just talk too much! I'm in a mood to stop and write it all down, remember lovely things that have been happening lately to look back on and think how great my life really is!

Its early November and just yesterday afternoon we put on the Buble Christmas album! It felt so good to be back here at this season again and now with everyone another year older. It feels like every year things get that much more enjoyable as now they're able to experience even more things that the previous year they were just too little for. Its lovely! Now our eldest is really coming to understand the purpose of Christmas more and even thinking of all the fun Christmas activities we get to do together now that he is a big 5 and a half year old. I feel like life is pretty sweet right now.

The other day though it was rough going, the boys were acting up and each one of us in the house were fed up. We all had had it! So good to now have perspective from a happy day and happy weekend to look back and think what could I do better

I definitely know it all comes down to taking things more slowly. More quiet days at home with books and just a peaceful bike ride to the park or something simple. I love that we are in a smaller town now. Not so much crazy business happening.

So the boys managed to get themselves back on track and the grown ups did too :)

Now its onwards and upwards for the lovely season ahead. I'm thinking of all the things we love to do at this time of year. Its sad that old friends and the rest of the family aren't close by but I'm hoping our same old traditions can keep the same spirit alive.

I love that Christmas is here again!!

1. Got a turn of a real life Australian Army robot that searches for bombs. Asher was obessed!

2. Happy summery children at Mothers group

3.Bunderberg Drinks means Summer!

4. A moment where they are playing altogether happily

5. Our Magic Beach

6. Some special angels surprised us and gave us this beautiful new dining setting. A luxury item we've never had - a couple with grandchildren remembering what it was like to be young parents trying to get by. How we are blessed!

Today is a good day, because I have 2 children asleep at the same time. That is normally what happens but with the move and staying with family for a bit, the routine has been disturbed. I'm grateful for a day like today!

Some thoughts on my mind right now are all jumbled around budgeting - making money stretch. I love playing and figuring out how to make money go further. We are on a small amount but somehow there is always room to play and for life to feel comfortable. It is such a blessing.

I've thought about what will happen when the children will become old enough to have part time jobs. I used to catch a bus late at night all by myself at 14 years old after the thursday late night shopping shift. Looking back I don't think I'd expect or allow my kids to have to do that, but I would like them to know the value of work. I wasn't good with money til I was married, even though I started work at such a young age. However I did have to buy EVERYTHING on my own, including school lunches uniforms and pay for camps and excursions myself too - but thats another story. I really really really want my kids to contribute to the family and appreciate the comforts we provide. I know this will come with time. Its something I think of often.

A little way we have started sharing and teaching the boys so far is by buying second hand ... a recent favourite purchase is the boys first bikes! Asher is 5 and only just got his first bike - from the tip for $5. He was soooo happy it was ridiculous. So we have been riding everywhere. Jet got one too again for $5. Perfect condition - jets was almost brand new!

I am thankful for the wisdom to take care of the money we have and to teach the little ones to be satisfied with what we have. Its a great feeling to be able to make them so happy and then for it to not cost a fortune!

1.  The new wheels from the tip!

2. Outdoor playgroup, on everyday in our new city

3. We have free water parks where we are now - summer all day everyday!

4. Breakfast in bed for fathers day - he is a diamond in the rough my Johnny. 

I get so down on thinking 'is this all I do everyday - cook clean deal with tantrums give baths wipe bottoms and noses and clean some more'. This is every single day. There is no relief in this work. There is no clock in clock off - other then a few moments in the night you are not interrupted.

But then I remember somehow that I really wouldn't want anyone else to be doing this for my children but me. Even if it sends me over the edge. I try to fix the reasons for why i could be getting close to the edge everyday with  little tweeks here and there to perfect the flow of how things go.

Right now, we have had a serious answer to prayer come our way in the last little while. Our family has been longing to have daddy home more, home each night and with us on the weekend. We are so happy that our desire for our family has been granted and are soooo happy for it. He now is flying for a company monday to friday and home every night!! I can't believe this day has actually come.

Now i don't know if all my dreams are going to come true as I have longed for this day for many years now (7 years or so its been) so I am remembering that this is a gift that might only be a short season. Right now we have a new house new job and new pre school for little asher. Its a very exciting time. All new routines and playgroups to go to and outings to explore  I love the feeling that I get to make the house my own, there's no pressure to have to go to work outside the home for me so I can potter away and take my time. It really is a lovely time in life. I hope I will be able to teach our children well how we have waited for something which has now come and it is all from the gifts our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. I don't mean to sound flowery or strange but that is an honest feeling I have. These blessings have come from Him and I am happy and grateful to know that.

Gosh the news has been keeping me up at night worrying about so many different aspects of society right now. Violence and greed, drugs and deception. It makes me never want to turn the news on. It may seem naive but I am happy to keep my little family safe from harm and innocent for as long as I can. I love that I have the power to do that right now as when they get older its all from outside my control. I know that as I work hard now the lessons and training I give these little ones will be a blessing to them for their future decision making. As I hold their hand now and as they fully trust me to take good care of them I feel honoured for the priveledge  to do so.

lately at our place

Lately...not a great deal has happened but its coming up to 6 months before our first child begins school - so i constantly feel there's so much I want to do before life changes and is stuck in between the 9am and 3pm time slot.

We recently went to our annual disney on ice show - lots of fun, was able to take grandma with us and the boys were in their superhero gear they were so proud to show off their costumes amongst the pretty princesses.

As a family we climbed Tabletop Mountain. This is a full on climb! But boy what an adventure. I would recommend this for families...maybe not babies but we did it with ours. Looking back it probably was a bit risky. But the climb is so interesting, rocks galore and a serious incline. On all fours for a lot of it. THe boys were so into it - again wearing super hero costumes! Oh dear...      I loved that we got to enjoy that special day together though, having the boys see what a beautiful world we live in was priceless.

I'm really enjoying my success in not having the kids touch technology during this whole year - including television in the home. I've said it before, we watch a weekly movie for family movie night and when we visit family which is probably once a month they get to watch a little tv there if the other kids are watching it. Boy am I amazed that at home, my kids just don't need it. I think there is this trap that you (i mean me!!) just fall into with this tv thing. Like the kids just keep asking and asking so of course the easiest thing is to just give in. I'm so proud of myself for sticking this out.

I can't imagine how much tv/video games/iphone/ipad is being used as we are in the middle of school holidays...I wonder if parents tried to go screen free for the whole holidays what a difference it would make in their homes. Like just the less "frazzled" feeling enough is what keeps me motivated to keep them away from it all.

Yesterday we were able to visit a beautiful playground in the city. We were there for 6 hours straight and still they didn't want to go home at the end. I know (and heard kids yesterday) who say to their parents "can we go now, lets go home" and i know these kids are struggling to do anything other then get back to their devices because they just don't know how to enjoy doing anything else. Its so sad. What a world!

Here's a few pics from the latest at our place

xox

I've  been thinking lately on little things that make life run smoothly around our place. I reflect on them when things aren't going well and think how can I get back to that. I have these tips and secrets down pat but they are just for my specific children and situation we are in as a family as well complimenting my personality.

I find that by doing less each day is key. When i say less, of course I'm on my feet all fay long with the little ones but i mean, go out of the house less and schedule less things to do. I have found if we attend one thing in the morning ie a playgroup, music group or playground visit - i find the days go better. We come home at lunch time, eat and then all rest. Jet and Sariah will have a decent sleep, and Asher gives me about an hour to myself where he is in the toy room - listening to stories on CD and playing quietly. I reward him after that hour by having one on one with him until the others wake up.

After this rest time we will have a snack: either a smoothie, popcorn, crackers and dip or fruit. They look forward to making the smoothie and the popcorn and the 3 year old is happy to nap because he knows what he will get to eat when he wakes up.

Naptime is from 12:30 til about 3pm. From 3pm - 5pm its free play. The boys do whatever they like and there's a good chunk of unstructured time where they can just chill. It usually ends up being some kind of role playing with their super hero costumes on.

If we have something to go to in the afternoon or i have to run to the shops or something i don't feel as relaxed or chilled out in comparison to this free time. Since we have a trampoline now, we all have a decent play on there too which can tick off my 'exercise' goals for the day. Its a work out!

Its ridiculously hard what is required of stay at home ms oothers. To make it work better and smoother is my goal every single day. Routine is so key for us here. Everything we do has a routine, we all know whats coming next and i love it.

To make the mundane more managable too we like to plan family activities as often as we can. We love having friends over for dinner, beach trips and holidays away. Although money is tight, we plan to take the kids to a hotel once a quarter - thats a holiday 4 times a year! We all look forward to that so much and both John and I feel so revived from the little treat. We have been lucky enough to invest in a timeshare hotel so thats  how we manage to do it. Defenitely recommend this :)

We all need to take things slower - mothers and fathers and children. More to time to be still - not necessarily more "me" time. More time to be quiet and ponder. Other ways i try to incorporate this is by taking a bath once they're in bed, quiet reading of a good book when they are playing at a park or nicely at home, quiet music when we are driving in the car together (the classical radio station), quiet time for myself each morning before the boys wake up - reading scriptures and my personal prayer time, and something i look forward to every morning is yoga stretches and strength movements. It all helps me to manage my days and time within the chaos.

Loving life with our cherubs xo

My version of bliss

We just celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this past week. I can't believe it. I remember all the excitement leading up to our wedding day, then the packing and collection of things as we moved in together after our honeymoon. It was such a special time in our lives and I always look back with happy memories. I remember thinking - I feel so happy right now when is this feeling going to stop as in will it just fade and go back to normal and routine like soon?

I can truly honestly say, that happy giddy feeling has never really left. I actually still get excited, still want to put on make up or lip gloss before i see my man after its been a while. Maybe its because of the amount of seperation we have anyway because of the flying... but it has made for a beautiful 7 years.

I remember a month or two after our wedding John and I were asked to speak in front of almost a thousand of our youth and young people from our church. Their ages were 18 to 31 - i didn't think we had much wisdom and didn't really prepare much in advance as to what we would say. The reason we were invited to speak was to discuss how we were able to decide to get married and why we chose to do so. Some people are scared, some are from broken homes and could never see the point of marriage and some really wanted marriage but there were no prospectives. I remember standing next to john and feeling proud that i had made that leap of faith and step in the dark to get married. I know that i did cause john anguish during our dating as i was always unsure and very fearful of my heart getting broken or if he just wasn't the right one. It took me a little time to get used to having someone else as well as i was so independent. Through the whole experience i prayed and pondered and was able to receive and answer and it was YES!

Seriously from that moment on i have never looked back, i shared that with those were speaking with. I shared that we were married in the temple and i felt even more safe. John always knew very early on we would be married but i took my time to figure that out :)

He is a wonderful man that does more as a husband then any other husband I know. I feel proud and happy and am so thankful for these past 7 years of marriage and 8 years of dating - here's to 70×7 more!

A little inspiration

In between thinking on Easter and teaching my cherubs all about it, I am reading Little Women at the moment. Yes and it is my first time at the age of 30! I know that at a younger age I would not have appreciated its tone and influence like it has on me now in this season of motherhood.

This just struck me, I need to remember this day in day out during the grind - during the tantrums and 4:30am wakings (from the 4 year old not the baby!!!)

" So they agreed to stop complaining, to enjoy the blessings already possessed, and try to deserve them, lest they should be taken away entirely, instead of increased, and I believe they were never disappointed or sorry that they took the old woman's advice."

Oh that i could be a mother so intent to teach my children that well. I want to be just like her. Her husband is away at war and she is teaching her children diligently to never complain. What power she has!