'The Living Christ' update

Taylah-benet reciting week one and two Xx

Olympic fever

Olympic fever has officially hit the entire planet and why shouldn't it. Why shouldn't we celebrate thousands of people coming together from all walks of life, from all over the world, to compete, watch and enjoy this special event that only happens once every 4 years?

I was a little saddened by the fact that I don't have a TV to watch any of it {and I lack the necessory skills of my husbands to locate those 'illegal' sites that stream it live on the net} in particular the opening ceremony. Oh well, I just reminded myself there will be another one in 4 years I can watch that! Ha!

Thursday 26th July 2012 trip into the city

On Thursday the boys and I went into the city for Mathias's appointment with an Ear, nose and throat specialist. After arriving 20mins early we waited for another hour until we finally got to see the Doctor. He stated the obvious, that he has enlarged tonsils, checked his nose and both his ears. He has 'Glue ear' in both ears which affects his hearing {a concern I gained a while back} which means he'll need a hearing test in about 4 weeks. And as for the snoring and tonsils, he just said to 'see if it gets any better' !?!? I know right! I traveled 45 Min's on a train waited 1 1/2 with my two boys to hear that?!

Ok so I was a little disappointed with the outcome at first. But really, I like to believe that none of it is a waste of time or money because what if had been something bad that needed urgent attention, would it have been anymore worth the trip? I'm not sure where I heard it, but I think there is a saying, that you can attempt something 99 times and fail, but it wasn't a waste of time because you learnt, 99 ways to NOT do it.

While I'm on the topic of Mathias, I think I've finally reached an understanding. I'm not sure if it was him or me that changed anything, but I feel so much more calmer and happier with our relationship and feel I can enjoy having him even more.

I know that being a mother is the toughest job I will ever have, but I also know that it is the most rewarding. Rewarding in a way that I could never fully comprehend.

50 Traditions

So, I mentioned I missed workshop 2 'Traditions' but I did grab her handout which is a list of 50 Christmas traditions/ideas, so here it is;

1. Have a family picnic one FHE. Invite extended family and friends
2. Gift for the Saviour - Write down one thing that you will try to do in the coming year. e.g. give more service. Be kinder.
3. Remember the missionaries. Invite them over for dinner or lunch around Christmas And make a care package for them.
4. Adopt a tradition from another country or culture.
5. Invite someone over that you know doesn't have a lot of family around for Christmas lunch.
6. Write your testimony in the front of a Book of Mormon and give it to a non member family.
7. Make an advent calender.
8. Visit the grave site of a loved one passed on.
9. Wise man game - Hide three wise men in a different spot each day. Have your children find the wise men every day. Each day they get closer and closer to Jesus in a nativity scene.
10. Write down things that you are grateful for in the past year in your journal.
11. Have a family testimony meeting and testify about Christ and the things that you are grateful for.
12. Give each child their favourite piece of fruit in their stocking to remind them to enjoy the simple things in life.
13. Watch a Christmas movie one FHE or on Christmas eve.
14. Give a nativity to a family. wrap each piece individually and give a peice each night. On Christmas give them the greatest gift, Jesus.
15. Watch the 1st presidency Christmas devotional for FHE.
16. Get the kids to pick some toys they don't play with, and donate them.
17. Dedicate a FHE to talking about giving, Make a list of people that you could give something to e.g. Cookies sing carols, Christmas hamper, over the month do those things for the people you have suggested.
18. Invite a non member friend of family to go with you to see the Temple lights.
19. A FHE talking about Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
20. Wrap up 24 Christmas story books. Each night a child gets to pick a book to unwrap and read.
21. Invite a family over on Christmas eve for dinner and get the children to act out the nativity.
22. Have a special candle lit dinner on Christmas eve. Explain that it was in this sort of light that Jesus entered the world. He brought with him a brighter light that we experience today.
23. Create a scripture tree. A tree filled with verses of scripture that have a name for the saviour e.g. 'bread of life' or 'light of the world'
24. Have a simple meal on Christmas. talk about the things that you are blessed to have at Christmas.
25. Go caroling at a nursing home. Take gifts e.g. cookies, care packages.
26. Have a homemade Christmas.
27. Pick a couple of families that might be struggling at Christmas time. Make care packages for them and drop them off the week before Christmas. Talk to your children about the importance of giving at Christmas and how they feel when they focus on giving and not receiving.
28. Read the Christmas story from the scriptures before  opening presents.
29. Instead of buying gifts for teachers, neighbors, primary teachers, friends, get your children to make them.
30. Give your gifts on Christmas eve and have a big Christmas Eve dinner. That way Christmas day is about Christ.
31. Make homemade cards.
32. Make Christmas Eve just as special and spend that with one set of in-laws. Maybe stay over and have a special breakfast before going and seeing the other half of the family.
33. Get new pyjamas for the whole family.
34. Have a family Temple day during December.
35. Get your children to pick some friends that they would like to go and sing carols to.
36. Collect your loose change throughout the year and put it in a jar. give that jar to someone/a family that might be struggling during the Christmas season.
37. Write your children a letter from Santa. With the letter {if they have been good} give them some reindeer dust {glitter} that they can sprinkle on the lawn to show the reindeer where to go.
38. Make a Christmas decoration or buy a new one each year.
39. Put one present on your children's/child's bed that they are allowed to open and play with before waking everyone up. This way you might get even a half hour more sleep.
40. Go for a drive around your local streets and look at the pretty lights that have been put up to decorate houses.
41. Have Santa come on Christmas night. And have your children open their Santa sacks then. Spend the day talking about Jesus and spending time with family.
42. Get a family photo to send it to those you don't get to see throughout the year very often. Accompany it with a letter, telling them what you have all been up to.
43. Got to a local Christmas carol event
44. Buy a new Christmas CD.
45. Take a trip into the City and see the pretty lights.
46. Make popcorn and thread it onto cotton and string it up around the house.
47. Make your own gift wrap.
48. Get your children to make Santa some cookies and put them out for him on Christmas Eve with some carrots and water for his reindeer.
49. Get a photo with Santa.
50. Go around and look at the shop windows that have been done up for Christmas.

Thank you Hannah! Xx

Christmas in July

I consider myself very blessed to be part of a family that loves traditions, especially at Christmas time. I don't know who came up with the idea of having a Christmas in July, but it is a great one at that. A fond memory I have is one from when I would have been no more than 12 years old, we celebrated a Christmas in July with all homemade gifts.

Last night I was fortunate enough to make it to an activity my big sister put together for her RS with the theme of 'Christmas in July' and it was nothing short of spectacular. The evening was planned out with three 15 minute workshops 1. Homemade gifts /craft 2.Family Traditions and 3. A Christ centered Christmas. I made it to workshop 1 and 3 but sadly missed 2, but each provided such great ideas on ways to enrich this sacred and special time of year making it a more uplifting, fun, renewing, memorable time for all involved even without spending a whole heap of money!

Then there was the gorgeous desert table to finish it off. {yes, I made the cakepops}

Mortdale Ward Relief Society 'Christmas in July' Thursday 26th July 2012

I promise

Today at school Taylah-benet bought a whistle. she blew it ALL the way home, and when we got home she continued to blow it and I would quietly tell her that if she didn't stop it, and put it away in her draw I would take off her. So she would put it into her draw then two minutes later it would be right back out again piercing my ear drums.
When her daddy got home he was not so lenient with his threats and as she continued to ignore them, sure enough he took it off her and told her it was in the rubbish.

Taylah-benet made her way to where Kerry was in the kitchen and went full swing into begging, pleading, crying and vowing to her daddy to "please give my whistle back" and "I promise I will never, ever, never whistle again!"..."Please daddy Please"

I was in hysterics {which were gradally turning to tears from her heartbreaking display}, Kerry just couldn't believe it. I'm not sure how long this went on for 1 minute or 2. Really what chance did he have. None!

He got down on his knees to pick our distraught little girl off the ground, gave her a big hug and gently reminded her that there is a time and a place she can play with her whistle, but not now.

Schools back in session

School is well and truly back in session and as I predicted, my attempt to toilet train Mathias over the  two week holidays was a big fat fail. The nerf gun still sits up high in our pantry but as for the chocolates, well, they weren't so lucky.

Tuesday I took myself and the two boys to the doctors. Carter received his 4 month needles, I was given a order for an ultra sound to be done on my wrist along with instructions to purchase a wrist brace and wear it all the time. And Mathias was given a referral to see an ear, nose and throat specialist. He started snoring quite loudly over the last couple of weeks which raised the concern of his airway being blocked up from enlarged tonsils. Lying in bed this morning with him next to me I started to get paranoid that it could block his air way completely and he would stop breathing. When I look at his tonsils it is obvious even to me that they are much bigger than normal. So with that we will be heading into the city next week to see the specialist, which may result in him having his tonsils cut out. Hopefully if that is the case and he can start breathing normally while he is sleeping, he'll be able to get better sleep and not be so hyper active and difficult to manage during the day...Ha yeah, I'm not holding my breath. But I do want to see him breathing properly at night, It's kind of scary to listen to him stop breathing.

Carter is going slow and steady on the solids, he's such a sensitive baby it takes him quite a while to warm up to anything. This week I finally got to use my Thermomix to make baby food and I love it. It is so super easy and quick and I love knowing exactly what I'm feeding him. No nasty additives or preservatives.

In other exciting news, Lincraft have 50% off all their fabrics *breath* not that I have anything in mind to make, but it's always great to have some fabrics on hand! I'm a total Nana when it comes to my hobbies! sewing, quilting, family history, knitting. Head on over to my big sisters new blog 'Crafty Minx Mumma' which will be full of all her crafty homemade gifts as she makes them.

What a weekend

What a weekend! My little cousin Kimball was baptised and what a little trouper he was. I arrived at the chapel along with my aunt and all five of her kids - and they were ALL sick, including the birthday boy and as luck would have it he was the worst of them all. So he lay on a mattress with his pillow, blanket, water and a throw up bowl in tow, and stayed there while the hustle and bustle carried on around him. when it came time to start, he got up, got dressed, was baptised and confirmed, sat up for as long as he could while the guests ate, then went back to sleep on his mattress.

It really was a beautiful evening and I was so impressed at what a little trouper he was. I hope they all get better soon!

I started Carter on farex baby food last week, after two nights he started to get the hang of it. He is five months now and the time has just flown by. I've finally found my grove with three kiddies, and I am totally loving it. School goes back this week which I am NOT looking forward too, but, a kids gotta learn right!?

I have fare welled my mama tonight as she jumps on a jet plane in the morning and heads to Barcelona to meet up with my uncle and his family, they will 'vacation' with them then head back to my uncles home in France.

I will be counting those six weeks down!

Round two

Week two of school holidays started off as a quiet one. My mum had the boy grandchildren for the night so without Mathias at home for nearly two whole days, it was so quiet and peaceful. I feel like such a bad mum that I was so happy while he was not here, I was so free to do whatever, I could leave things lying around like a sharpie, without a worry that my little terror would snatch it up and create additions to his ever growing collection of 'art works' on our walls. There was not one crashing of toys or stomping of feet. No tantrums, time out, unauthorised visits to the pantry or fridge to swipe as much food as he could reach. No one shaking Carter in his rocker or lying on him.

I feel like I'm constantly trying to convince myself that I DO love him as much as I love my other two children. It's silly I guess, because there is no doubt that I do. I will always love them the same, no matter how different they are, how easy or how challenging, no matter what!

I know that I have allot to learn as a mum, and to be a good one at that. And I know I have allot to learn from Mathias. And that is why he his mine.

I would not change him one bit even though he is such a challenge for me now.

There is pending excitement along with a little bit of a gloomy grey cloud hanging over my head this week. 1. My handsome little cousin turned 8 today and is being baptised on Saturday and 2. The gloomy grey cloud, My mum is globe trotting over to France and London for the next SIX WEEKS!... she leaves on Monday.

So, for number one I am making 100 pops, that's 50 Oreo pops and 50 cake pops, now that's allot of pop! I just know I'm going to most likely be disappointed with them but I'll try my best.

And number two....Boooo is all I have to say to you.
Xx

Oh Baby, Stop growing so fast!

Up and out of nowhere within the last two days Carter Mason Cole has grown two little teeth! Well, they have only just cut through, but I can feel them! And that's enough. It was quite a shock to me as I have been treasuring every moment with this perfect little baby boy, and then to be reminded so suddenly that he's growing up and fast! Where did the last five months go!? Soon he'll be sitting up, crawling and then walking!

After my 'Fun' day at home with the kids, the day that followed was so much less-fun! It was one of those days. So when the husband came home early and made the kids and I a late lunch {because I hadn't feed them!} which ended up being dinner because it was late enough. Taylah-benet and I got to have a mummy-daughter date, and we went to the movies to watch 'Brave'

I Love spending one-on-one time with the kids, it doesn't happen as often as I would like but when it does, we have so much fun. She was so super excited to see the movie and I was pretty keen on seeing it too.

Happy weekend all!

Fun

The July photo a day list todays prompt being 'fun' I woke up this morning determined to do just that.

So this morning I made Jelly {jello if your American} play dough. A recipe I had come across online. It's basically your usual play dough with the added ingredient of a packet of jelly. It doesn't actually change the out come of it but it smells delicious enough to eat! Except for the fact that it still has salt in it. I used purple grape, and added violet coloring {optional} and it turned out great! Plenty of dough for me and the kids to play with!

After the novelty of the play dough wore off, we built a cubby house. Covered the table with blankets, Mathias grabbed every cushion/soft toy/pillow he could find along with a blanket and a few extra toys and had fun putting each of the toys to sleep in his cubby house.

I had so much fun playing with Mathias this morning, we also played with a balloon between the play dough and cubby house, it kind of made me think about how he has all this energy and tends to do naughty things, getting into things he's not allowed, that this morning as I directed his energy into each of these activities he was great and so was I. I think I could get a little exhausted having to continuously be giving him things to do, and do them with him, but for today, it was good.

One step at a time.

Just the boys and a little bit of toilet training

First two days of school holidays and it's just me and the boys. My mum offered to have the girl grandchildren for a two night sleepover so Taylah-benet is having a mini holiday at Nanas being spoilt rotten with a trip to the movies, take out for dinner and McDs' for breakfast!? I don't think she'll want to come home!

I geared myself up to toilet train Mathias over the school holidays, bribes and all. I have a container full of fredo frog chocolates to give as a reward for doing his 'business' in the toilet and a new Nerf gun for when he is completely out of daytime nappies. I have placed these up high in our pantry where he can see them so as to remind him of the rewards in store if he goes to the toilet. You think that could do it right? Not. A. Chance! He'll sit on the toilet and hold it all in, get off and yell at me 'I WANT A NAPPY!' There's no real urgency to get him out of nappies. I'm just down right sick of wiping his butt! I will persist but I think he will win, and those chocolates and gun are just going to stay there until it happens.

On a brighter note, our family has taken on the challenge to memorise 'The Living Christ' over the next 12 weeks. That's 716 words! HERE is the link to the study helps you can download and print off. Already the husband and I have felt a difference it is making, the amount of times we might think about Jesus Christ throughout the day increases. I'm excited to learn the whole thing and help our kids learn it too.