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!

un-squeezed

Sometimes it troubles me just to what degree the world squeezes us... no, rather, me into its mould. Life just kind of passes by in front of my eyes and so often I don't really stop to challenge my thoughts and view them in light of Christ. I find myself justifying why I like or don't like something, or tend to tell myself that it is ok. But I guess the lingering other question at the back of my mind is... "but is it profitable"(spiritually) ? Not that everything we do must have a spiritual goal but that I, as a Christian remain un'squeezed (there, I think I invented a word), that I remain confident in who I am in Christ, that I not feel I need to be like the world.

Persecution always seems to put things in the proper place... I deliberately picked this book

recently to help me and my Joshua to appreciate a few things - the freedom we have as Christians, the true value of things and the joy that comes from Christ even in the midst of suffering (oh, and I so hate to suffer!! I also so hate to be misunderstood or thought of as wacky and fanatical!)

We are only part way through the book (and Josh is constantly trying to beg me to read more to him (I have to forbid him from reading some books so we can do some together reading - so love to have these times... and to discuss things as we go, too...)

The book tells the story of Natasha (year is 1975+), eldest daughter in a family where the father is jailed for 6 years merely for preaching the Gospel in communist Russia. It tells of the constant fear Christians lived under of the police spying Christian activities and making arrests... Children who accepted Christ were so cruelly isolated and tormented (under teacher's encouragement)and had to learn early the cost of following Christ, to be wise if they were interrogated (giving out names of no other believers) and to treasure the precious, uninterrupted Sunday School lessons, etc.

Of course books like this are intended to stir, to provoke, etc. and I confess to often feeling such thoughts and challenges after reading... at least for a little while... I guess that is why I need to make challenging books like this more a part of my diet - to help me gain a better perspective.... not just to appreciate my freedoms in Christ but to make better use of them, to treasure and guard them and pray for those who suffer, remembering that they, too hate to suffer, are mere humans (not some stoic saints who are stronger and more 'suited' to suffering).