Two digits

Joshua you are now a wopping 10 years old! We just love you to bits! Here are some things you

love doing at the moment:

• being quizzed by Daddy at Bible story time.
• playing entomologist (you recently went to a workshop on insect pinning and mounting and came back all inspired. So far you have managed to catch a cockroach (hmm... no surprises at where you found him), a few amphids, a bright yellow moth and a dragonfly. Today during our walk around the lake you discovered a little black beetle which can only be spotted in flight when the orange thorax can be seen.
• Playing, talking about (for long lengths of time with your cousin), dreaming about and creating things from Lego or drooling over their catalogues
• using a pocket knife to 'carve' things (or rather slice your finger:)
• Reading all things adventure and lots of Geronimo Stilton books
• Drawing cartoon characters. I find your artwork all over the house - mostly faces of funny men or illustrations for posters threatening younger siblings to stay out of your room and our of your room of exhibits (as you call it).
• entering every competition you can in hopes of winning something. You have before. Many times. Some good prizes, some, well, not so good...
• having hugs and kisses from Dad and Mum (though you would hate to admit it) You don't like it when Grandma kisses you in public or calls you "Joshy" but you just love, love, love all the mushy stuff (secretly)
• anything computer related. We wonder whether you might follow in Daddy's footsteps and become a programmer.
• picking scabs (again and again). Still don't get that about boys...
• organising others - making sure people are where they need to be (at the right time), doing what they should be doing and informed about what they need to be. Can sometimes create issues with siblings but can also be used greatly - we just pray the Lord would use this about you, for his Glory.

A sample of your daily piano practise...

We love you Joshua

Yesterday you stood up and shared at Great Grandma's Funeral. You looked nervous at first, but bravely soldiered on. When you got to a humorous part of your acrostic you broke into a smile and from that point on you looked very confident and relaxed. Well done, Joshua - you did a great job and I'm sure Great Grandma would have been mighty proud of you just as we are.

So may parts of your life are still fitting together.

Like this puzzle I discovered in your 'room of exhibits' there are so many pieces yet to fit together. Some are hard to fit in, some come easily. When the Great Puzzleteir is the one putting the pieces together, Josh, the picture will begin to form something awesome!

XOXOXOXOX - (yes we KNOW you love these!)

scarves for the newborn

Conversation with Rosa:

I was sorting through clothes in my wardrobe, putting items into drawers...

Rosa: I think maybe this scarf will fit me. Maybe when you grow out of it I can have it.

Me: Oh, Rosa I don't think I will really grow out of a scarf but you can borrow it sometimes

Rosa: But babies don't wear scarves

Me: no, they're a bit too little

Rosa: Maybe when you are born it won't fit you

Me: Oh, but I am already born - I am not going to be a baby again

Rosa: No... but in the Bible, it says that when you grow up then you can be born again!

Me: Oh... No, that is a different kind of born - not like being born like a new baby ...

... and on the conversation went:)

Interesting what ticks through the 3yr old brain

And the opportunities...

Hospitable?

Here's a challenge to hospitality that couldn't be expressed any better. Check out this blog if you don't mind a challenge. I can very much relate to this post. Sorry all you folks out there I haven't had over for a meal yet... the Lord is working on me;) slowly....

I know, I know this blog post looks BORING but please, do take a look!

boys

Tonight I sit here smiling. I am smiling at my big boys latest thing...pranks. Gotta love boys - they get such a thrill out of seeing their Mum fall for it again. He has tried taping up the end of the tap so water goes everywhere when the tap is turned on. It worked. He tried putting sticky tape under the bottom of the computer mouse so that Daddy thought something was wrong with his mouse. He gets such a thrill out of his mischief.

What he doesn't know (until he sees this post) is that while he was out with Daddy last night I found his latest book of prank ideas and I am now in the know. At least I hope I am.

The thing I love most about boys is that they are usually transparent (at least mine) they really can't hide their mischief without eventually spilling the beans. Gotta love that.

Oh, and after showering recently I asked the 'obvious' question first, "hey, Josh, did you remember to use soap?" only to meet with a blank look and a silent pause followed by a "no". Sometimes the obvious things are not always obvious. But hey, who needs soap/shampoo/towels, etc. anyway?

Boys make me smile ...

rainy days

During the recent rainy weather...

Rosa has been busy doing lots of this...

My very clever big sister made her a folder with lots of patterns for her to make from this site for her last birthday. Rosa has been begging me to do it with her again. The above free domain book is easy to print and you can buy the coloured foam from craft shops/dollar shops, etc. The book has a number of animals along with pictures showing the steps to follow. Thanks Angela, it has given her something to do while supervising big brother's lessons.

Joshua had a go at this....

Woops... just realised the final finished project isn't in photo form yet...

We both enjoyed putting this together. Feeling all inspired he went on to do another similar project - an aircraft carrier on his own. Looks great... will show you soon... (along with the finished one above;)

Greens

It all started with lawn grubs. They joined a committee and decided to attack when our attention was diverted (we had guests). They had a jolly good feast. The lawn was left weeping, sobbing and, well, naked! Half of our back yard was left mere dirt with a few odd clover popping through. Those fat lawn grubs were rolling about with gorged out bellies. They were laughing. We were not.

This led to the introduction of Mr turf. Hopefully he is a well-adjusted character with strong determination and the ability to influence his power. At any rate he looks nice, leaves no residue inside the house on the bottom of little feet and has been a welcomed addition to our back yard. No more Mr Lawn grub please - you are most unwelcome and we will see to it that you find your visit as distasteful as we do yours.

With the introduction of Mr. Turf came the regular watering and then the idea that maybe the veggie patch could do with a bit more attention. Enter baby spinach, lettuce, beans, snowpeas, chilli plants and coriander. Then when visiting, our Liberian friend introduced us to potato greens (she cooks with the leaves of the potato plant) and casava plants. So our garden is beginning to thrive (despite me).

Baby spinach before shot:

Baby spinach after:

The thriving baby spinach (really should be re-named in our case - massive spinach) has been a staple part of our diet of late.

Potato greens:

Introducing Spinach and Fetta pie:

ok, Mr. Lawn grub, though I do not like you (not a bit) maybe your influence has led to this yummy result. Kind of. Indirectly. So ok, a little thanks to you... but we shall just shake hands at the gate - that is as far as our friendship goes.

And as for this ugly box that I collected from the side of the road. I have plans. Red, fruity plans for this box.

greens

...and a sneak peek of some outdoor fun I've been having

About time she says!

My very generous and sweet, kind-hearted and game hubby suggested that my longed-for trip to Canberra take place the last week of term while he had no work between programming contracts (oh, I so love those spaces between contracts!). In fact he suggested it on a Saturday afternoon and I was on the plane Mon. morning! Anyone might think he was keen to be rid of me for a week;)

I jumped at the chance. Here is the very sweet reason why... my sweet lil' sister lives down in that far away cold place! And as she would heartily agree - it was jolly high time I visit her!

Was loverly just to catch up - sit together, watch her J play violin, demonstrate her very clever arty side (like her Mamma) see where she and S go to school...

Check out her favourite Koko Black to see if it was really what it was cracked up to be. It was.

Watch my hilarious brother-in-law play with toys he assured me he purchased for the kids. Ok I admit, S had great fun holding up a cloth for him to aim at. It really is a Father/son toy (with emphasis on the Father part:)

My lil' brother decided to drop in, too while I was down there. He had a few weeks before his new job whisks him away further north. We got to meet his sweet heart Zoe. Not bad, Sam!

We also managed to squeeze in a trip to the famouse Floriade flower festival

Awww... but have been missing them so since coming home! Oh, I just love that face, S! I am missing that cute, Grover-ish boy talk too, S! XOX

post

...to blog or not to blog ...

Ah... NO - i am heading to bed:)

Ever feel that way and waste blog space saying so?

Yes, i know, I'm weird:)

Idle children

What do your children get up to when having unsupervised play? In our house I have discovered that being idle (more likely to happen when unsupervised:) tends to be an unprofitable exercise for all. I do not fancy idle children though I must confess that it is inevitable at some stage... no two ways about it. I love to see my kids busy doing something - even if it is contemplating their bellybutton as they lay on their bed (though I could think of kazillion things better to contemplate:) Sometimes I am surprised to see the activities my kids get up to when left to themselves... productive activities, that is. Like...

Inventing their own games. I've no idea what this one was about except that it involved putting your feet up on the table and obeying orders from big brother (funny I think he was boss in the last game I observed;)

Or this...

I believe this one involved waiting until big brother was out to conduct a musical duet which involved the piano (played rather aggressively) some maracas and a little plastic tambourine which Owen scored from brother's treasure drawer for following big brother orders in the last game they played:) It was quite the duet. I think the song could be titled something like "while brother is out we shall sing with all our gusto for we may never get the opportunity again!"

Unfortunately idle children in our home do tend to find their pecking order, seem to need to be very vocal in sorting out their differences and seem to need to continue pursuing their original intent in being 'king' or 'queen' of the castle.

There, now, I have been completely open and honest and though I might sound quite negative I now have it off my chest and would love to hear any wisdom and insight into how I should/could help my children to show more than the odd occasional signs of affection for one another.

I know, I know... I guess it comes back to heart issues so I guess it is back to my knees again! Never should have left that position in the first place!