New year, new me, new blog!

I'm back!

I am not sure if anyone actually follows this blog anymore as I have not kept it up to date for so long. This year though I am going to try really hard to do that. I would like a to use it more like a journal of my life and my family's life. This year is going to be a challenging one for our family and I think it would be helpful to write stuff down, record the highs and lows, and just to have a place that is just for me and my stuff.

This year I will be returning to work (teaching) 2 days a week, this in turn means that the boys will be going to childcare 2 days a week (sob, sob). I am realy struggling with my emotions surrounding my return to work. On one hand I am looking forward to the challenge, to getting my brain going again, and to get my skills up to scratch. On the other hand I am dreadfully sad that the boys (but Lewis mostly) will be going to childcare. I know it is only 2 days a week, and I would have probably sent Ashton for at least one day this year anyway as he only misses pre prep by 22 days, but I just feel so terribly guilty. Lewis is only 10 months old :( I know he will be ok, funnily enough the other 2 went to child care at exactly the same age; Ellyse to a family day care mum and Ash to a (terrible) child care centre. BUT they only went for one day a week....poor Lewis has double that time! I need to focus on the days I have at home and know it will all be ok. If I didn't enjoy being at home it may be different, but I just love being home with the kids. At least I have been blessed with placements at a fantastic community child care centre that is on the same premisis as Ellyse's Kindy was. Being on the committee for the Kindy gave me a fantastic insight into the workings of the child care centre and I feel very confident that they will recieve fantastic care. Ash will be in the 3-5 room and there are only 13 other children, and 2 staff - wonderful ratios!

Anyway enough of that sad talk. There are big things to come this year as well. My darling little girl starts year one and I just cannot wait to see all of her pre literacy skills come together as she learns to read and write. She already knows a lot of words and all of her sounds which absolutely amazes me. It will certainly be interesting to be teaching year one at one school and have a year one child at another school.

I have many personal goals this year also. There is weight to lose, friendships to be restored, muscle to tone, fun to be had and Keiran and I would like to get ourselves set up for camping.

Another big goal for myself and my family this year is to live more frugally. We are not over spenders, never have been, but it is the little things that we don't really need, and the amount of gifts our children recieve. I am mainly returning to work for professional reasons, as well as having an opportunity to share a class with an amazing teacher who I have had the pleasure of teaching with before, but the money is a nice bonus. But the way I see it, if I am going to put the boys in child care then then money I am earning will work for me! I am not going to fall into the trap of spending what we earn....just because we are earning more doesn't mean I have to spend more.

Ok, I think that is a long enough entry for today. I am not going to read back over it as I am going to rest while the boys are sleeping and Ellyse is having quiet rest time in her room. If anyone is readingm thank you and sorry for the rambling first entry back!

One down

I am very happy to be back here so quickly with the skirt made. It was really easy and I think it has come together nicely. I made it a touch wider for Ellyse but I still think it may be too small. I just have to trim the belt down as it is way too long, which was lucky because I ran out of fabric to make the loops and was just going to have to sew it down.

This fabric is from a swap I recieved from Natalie a few years ago and I think it is just perfect for this skirt.

As soon as the skirt was finished Ashton put it on and was dancing around in it. I couldn't resist totally dressing him (shoes and all - actually they were his idea!) to see what it would look like as an outfit.

When Ellyse got home she was very excited to see her new skirt and has been wearing it all afternoon and it has now had its first wash after some tomato sauce landed on it at dinner.

I love this photo, he is such a cheeky monkey
give me a twirl Ash!

I am not totally happy with the pleats, or how it sits at the top but a good iron might fix that.

The start of a list..

I found this blog recently and am in love. I love many of the ideas on here but here are a few on my to do list.

The paper bag skirt
Boys tees
Satin flower headband (great Christmas gift for young and not so young)

That is all for now but I am sure I could find many more projects on there. I just hope my sew jo returns, I am forever surfing bloglines looking at all of the wonderful creations but never get organised to do any of them.

Once you try this......

...you will NEVER be without it again!

A good friend of mine visited from London recently and as she knows how I love to bake she bought me a lovely gift. She always comes with a few of these for her mum and decided to treat me this time too.

I have never really given cocoa powder a second thought......but OH.MY.GOODNESS. My chocolate self saucing puddings will never be the same again, nor will the basic chocolate slice recipe I have been using, or my Mum's rum ball recipe that everyone raves about at Christams time...they won't know what has hit them this Christmas.

I was excited to realise that we have a shop in our Shire called "Britan on the Bayside" and that the owners are parents of a little boy in Ellyse's prep class. I asked the mum about it but sadly they don't stock it. I just knew I had to get some more so got online and found that many organic websites sell it. I ordered it and some other stuff from Organics Australia Online. I had a visitor coming for lunch yesterday and couldn't wait to make some more Chocolate Slice and see if she noticed the difference....she did.

Now this is no good for the diet I am on but just thought I would spread the word for all of the other bakers out there. If you see it around buy it, you will not be disappointed!

Oh and I am hoping this is the start of some more regular blogging. The fog of 6 months of interrupted sleep is hopefully beginning to clear and I am making lists of creative things to do for Christmas.

And just because it has been a while here are some pics of my gorgeous kiddies!

Some sewing and a birthday!

Can you believe my little Ashton has turned 3! I can't that's for sure. It really feels like jsut yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital...and here we are 3 years later and although I didn't believe it at the time, we have all survived - and even gone on to add to the family!



Ashton is just a beautiful boy. I still think that he is more girl than boy - well just in the way he plays and behaves. He has had THE BEST role model in Ellyse his big sister. He is so very thoughtful, caring, loving, funny, cheeky, all the things you want in a child.



I haven't been able to finish his quilt as the pattern I used makes a very small quilt so I had to add 2 rows to it which meant that I ran out of the sashing fabric. I have been waiting for that to arrive and thought Iwould make some bunting for the party and to be used in his room also.



Here are some pics of my boy turning three, as well and a gorgeous 5 year old and a pretty cute baby too!

not the best family pic, but the only one we got, I am hoping hte one my mother in law took is nicer!

Some more recent pics

A very belated birth announcement

....and then there were 5!

On Wednesday 3rd March, 2010, we welcomed a new a much wanted memeber to our family. Lewis Ross Arthur King arrived in spectacular fashion after a very short final stage. Let's just say after a wonderful naturla delivery with Ellyse, a caesar with Ashton and a forceps delivery (5cm to delivery in 20 minutes) we have seen it all.

It seems as though Lewis has always been part of our family and I am happy to report that for me the transition form 2 to 3 children has not been an issue. For those who have been reading my blog since Ashton was born might remember a few battles I had when he was born.

Life with 3 children is busy and tiring but I know now that my heart is full and that our family is complete.

Lewis is now nearly 8 weeks old and an absolute delight. I can see the light now, the newborn cloud is lifting and I can see me getting some time and motivations to sew soon.

Here are some pics of Lewis' first 8 weeks!

The next phase....

..Ellyse started Prep today. She will be going 5 days a week 8:45-2:45. We didn't have the most pleasent of starts, the fragile, sensitive thing she is shed a few tears, but had a great day and is excited about going tomorrow. I know that within a week she will be the number one teacher 'helper' and be quoting Mrs Pascoe in her play.

Here are some pics of my big girl.

Graduating Mother's Group

Hoping my lack of sewing will take a turn soon - I think I am kidding myself with 3 kids though - will see how I go.