Exploring

This has been a good week for blogging. I haven't really been consistent in posting on my blog in the past, but have felt like I want to make it a daily thing. One of the reasons I haven't been blogging frequently is that I don't feel that I have much to blog about. This is one of the many factors that has led me to feel that I want to spend more time exploring. 

Recently I was early to pick a friend up to come to our house for dinner. I had Natalie in the car with me, so we took a little walk to fill the time. Our friend lives right near the River Torrens. Walking along the path with shady tress, green grass and water flowing by one side it felt almost magical. If we'd had more time I bet there would have been much to discover - like perhaps a footbridge to the cool looking playground we could see on the other side of the river! As we walked I thought to myself, "I really want to give my children [and myself!] more experiences like this." 

At the moment our family is planning a day trip with another family we are friends with, up to explore a country area that we haven't been to before. I'm really looking forward to spending the time with family and friends. I also hope to relax, breathe in the fresh air, have new experiences and appreciate the simple things that we tend to take for granted in the rush of every day life.

I will stop and smell the roses... perhaps literally!

Music

I love music, I really do. It is one of the things that makes life fun. It is something that lifts me up when I'm feeling down. I'll put on some good music and just keep listening til I feel like singing and/or dancing along to it. Sometimes I'll put music on while I work and dance my way around the house, having fun doing what would ordinarily be... ordinary! (Occasionally I've been singing while we drive in the car and Natalie has said, "stop singing mummy" - dang.)

At the moment I am preparing to sit my Grade 6 piano exam. It is a little scary, but the time I spend practising is amongst the most relaxing time I have each day. Having the exam ahead of me is actually a good thing in that it motivates me to make time for practice, and the habit of practicing will be good for when the exam is over - hopefully I'll still make time to learn and progress!

Lately I have spent a fair bit of time playing and singing Hymns. Just coz I can. Sometimes I have come across a Hymn that has been just right for me in that moment. On the whole, I have felt that singing Hymns invites the spirit in to my home and my heart. It also gives me strength for the challenges that I have to deal with as part of everyday life. Through singing them and really concentrating on the meaning behind the words I feel closer to Heavenly Father, and more grateful for the blessings that I have in my life - particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here is one of my favourites

Friends

Ode to My Friends

Some of you I have known for as long as I can remember
Others I have known for only a short while
Sometimes I find strength in the silent understanding between us
Knowing that you know my past, and understand where I've walked
And the things that make me me
Other times the blessing is that you are learning who I am now
Without the prejudice of who I have been
And yet at other times, you know my past but see how far I have come and can yet go
Believing the best and forgiving the rest
Helping me to be confident in who I am

Thank you for your friendship
Thank you for being there to help carry things that seemed too hard to bear
Thank you for celebrating my joys and successes
Thanks for knowing just what to say
Thanks for doing anything you can, even when I didn't want to ask
Thanks for being there at your own expense
Thanks for encouraging me to just be me
And for telling me that that is enough


Every day I thank God for friends like you!
You, my beautiful friends.

Update, update, update!

The past month or so has been an interesting one with plenty going on around here...

Natalie had her eyes tested at the WCH last week and now has glasses. Having the glasses for a while may correct the issue, but there is also the possibility that she will need them for the rest of her life. Her having glasses isn't a big deal (at least to me) but it has been fun stressful getting her to keep them on, as she has to wear them whenever she is awake.

Hayley had a health review today, and they are concerned about her gross motor skills - she scored quite low on the scale, especially considering she scored well in all other areas and has been referred to see a physio. I don't know why, but I hadn't really worried about it until it came up a month ago - possibly because she is so tiny and doesn't look like she should be standing or crawling, etc. just yet. Buuuuuuut, we'll see what happens between now and when we see the physiotherapist in a month.

Other things that have been happening this month... HOORAY mummy's back! My mum moved back to Adelaide this month, as did my grandparents and it has been good to see them all and it will be nice to see them more once they have settled in.

I have also come to see how blessed I am with wonderful friends... some who I've known for ages, and some who I have met quite recently. That is a blog post for another time perhaps <3

Children!

There is something amazing about the way a child looks at the world. Everything fascinates them. Simple things bring them joy. They don't judge. They are honest and without guile. They want to help and be a part of things. They have no malice or ill intent in anything they do. They are willing to listen and learn.

I really think that these things are some of the reasons that we need to be like little children. They are truly incredible.

I have been attending different classes this year... mostly for my SACE but I've also been lucky enough to do a term long course about 'Circle of Security Parenting' and one this term about Learning Dispositions (habits of mind that will help our children be lifelong learners).

They have been fantastic in helping me to better understand my children. It really gives you a different - and better! -  way to look at your child's behaviour, even when that behaviour is challenging for you as the parent! I plan, to blog about some of the things I've learned in the near future.

In the meantime I thought I'd mention it and let you know that if you live in Adelaide and would be interested in attending either of these, they are running them again at the same place that I have been doing them (in Enfield).

Learning Dispositions will be running on Monday afternoons and Circle of Security will run on Tuesday mornings. There is a creche onsite and all the ladies who work there are fantastic with the kids! Annie who runs the courses is lovely too :D If you're interested please let me know and I'll give you more details - I really recommend both of these courses to anyone who spends a lot of time with children, but especially parents of young children!

Our Father's Day

Today is Father's day, and it has been the most exciting one in our little family since having children. Natalie is at an age where she is more able to participate and we can do fun family activities together.

Here is the man of the day in our house.

Seriously can't tell you enough how much this man means to me!

Natalie loves him too...

I'm grateful that Jonathan is an active participant in the lives of our daughters. It is gorgeous to see how much they love him. Thanks for being an amazing husband and father!

To all fathers and father-figures out there - Happy Father's Day!

Special love to my daddy, Grandpa, Uncle and most especially to the father of my children - you're irreplaceable! xoxo