December down under day 20

Bunny had her cake and ate it too!
I've started journalling in my December Daily before blogging now. Especially as the Internet was not working here for a few days.

December down under day 21

A picnic, stories and HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE STEVE!!!!

December Down Under Day 19

Today we did 2 Truth in the Tinsel ornaments (peg dolls of Mary and Joseph) while Edward slept
We got our dishwasher fixed YAY!
Edward was keen to watch while eating lunch

Edward and I played outside and cooked tea (well I cooked EJ ate 80% of a banana) while Emily slept.

We also had our photo canvases arrive how exciting!

I’m just writing on my foundation pages and will be ordering prints later in the month and assembling it all together later. My secret weapon? Tags in kraft and white for my journalling and washi tape so I can move it all around. Thanks to Simple Scrapper for the kit!
I’m also cutting my December Daily word art on the Cameo and adding that in.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
You can listen to my interviews about December Daily here.
With guests like Katrina Kennedy, Lynnette Penacho, Monica Bradford and more – I know you’ll enjoy it!

Our Home: 30 Days of Thankful

I’m so thankful for the lovely space we have for Emily (and Edward) to run and play – even though is was rainy most of the day – we still managed a picnic.

I’m posting a quick thankful thought each night as part of Cathy Zielske’s 30 days of thankful project

Cold porridge, cold tea, warm heart

Some amazing things that happen when you become a mum.
Somehow all the important things have to wait, and you can learn to survive, and even thrive, without them.
You may never actually finish a cup of tea in one sitting and it's a very rare to actually eat meal while it's hot.

I saw this dedication in my own Mum, but now I have my own children, I too love watching and playing, learning and creating with them.

...And I'm thankful for the microwave

Emily and Edward it is a blessing to spend each day with you.

You at 3

You wanted to help sweep up the circles (aka skirting board)

You love your baby brother, especially when he laughs! You call him My baby Edward

Asked for my ‘activity box’ (nativity scene) and remember about the advent calender a few weeks ago. You asked me for the doors that open up with Jesus and Mary and Joseph and presents for the baby in them.

You have taken well to your new glasses, though we are just not so sure how much you can’t see without them, for eg hats on the floor in the games room!

Eye patching is a challenge, but you eye are growing stronger every day!

You were so thrilled to head to the beach at 7am this morning with Daddy, you got dressed in record time. You have been so happy telling me that you got to build 2 sandcastles and go into the beach water two times!

I love you sweet girl

Take 12 August 2012 #take12

I’m sharing my finished layouts this month yay! I love this kit from Paislee Press in the Digi Game this month.

Winter in Perth is delightful. Despite Emily's cold we had a lovely day with the normal washing, cleaning, cooking interspersed with:
Calculating
Role playing
Jumping
Jigsaw puzzling
Reaching
Watching
Swinging
Photographing
A lovely winters day.13 August 2012

Diptych by Paislee Press (The Digi Files 44); Fonts: Verdana,Georgia-Bold

So I was a bit late on Ella's Take 12. On the 12th of each month I stop and take (hopefully 12) photos of our daily life. I ended up taking these photos on the 13th, but who’s counting?

I used a 8.5x11 template this month and resized it. Wondering how? Here’s a demo.

Resize digital scrapbooking templates

What is Take Twelve?

The goal of the 2012 Take Twelve Project is to take 12 photos on the 12th day of each month for a full 12 months—and scrapbook them! You can join in the fun any month of the year, but we hope you'll join in starting January 12. Get the scoop at ellapublishing.com/taketwelve.
Learn more about the history of the Take Twelve project and see Ella’s FAQ section.

Are you taking 12? Don't forget to share them on Instagram or Twitter with #take12 hash tag or in our Flickr group

I've been using Instagram to take my photos each month (mostly) supplemented with my Canon IXSUS point and shoot.
 
Here’s my photos for the Take 12 year so far…
 
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Melissa
PS Have you got the free Ella Sampler ebook yet?

Digital Scrapbooking: My baby boy and my little girl

Emily at her first show

Daddy was excited to take Emily to her first Royal Show on the  5th of October 2011. Mummy was a bit disappointed she couldn’t come, as she was expecting Nano and had morning sickness.
Heading off on the train, Emily could hardly contain her excitement and kept breaking into big smiles every few minutes.
Emily was very brave and patted all manner of animals, she and Daddy liked the furry donkeys and the house of the three little pigs.
Of course no trip to the show would be complete without watching the Wood Choppers in action.
There was just a little time for a ride on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ride (who knew they were still around?) and then some blue icecream before the trip home.

Cute and simple baby card

 A quick baby card I put together with Emily for our cousins.

I just popped some handmade paper over a gingham background, found a matching ribbon from my stash and mounted an epoxy sticker on some white high gloss card.
Rounded the corners and popped in the mail!

Simple and fun for Mumm and Emily to do together!
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Mini Mani: Clouds

Emily and I used Essie Bikini so Teeny and Konad Plate m79 for a cute cloudy nail stamping manicure.

Emily's was all done in 15 mins while Edward slept.

My little girl

Just let me check on little Edward
Mummy do you want to play with me?
Edward is a happy baby
Golden curls
Drawing pictures
Carrying baby doll in the new carrier
Learning to tell the time (well sort of)
Learning to share even the favourite toys at Pebbles
Loving babysitters
Loving to visit Aunty Lauren at work (not for much longer)
Learning surprises can be good

Nearly three

Emily's quotes of the day:

Wednesday: Xavier is Edward's best friend.
Elyse was very kind to let me play with the phone.


We can talk about that later (when I asked her about dance during her tv show - a rare chance to watch tv in the last month!)

Saturday: On arriving home after swimming: I can't see my Mummy and baby Edward (we weren't in the family room)

I don't need anyone to come with me at swimming - I am in the big girls class.

Sunday: We have friends whoever I. mt Barker, they have two dogs, Tiny and Sophia.
Daddy: What are their names?
Emily: Ben and Becky

Monday: Peppa pig is a pig.

Having a Mum with 3 doctors appointments a week and then all the excitement of a new baby brother and lots of visitors has been pretty exhausting for her. We are gradually returning to normal, or rather defining the new normal with two little ones. It's so lovely to hear Emily say "I'll just check on baby Edward" when he cried and that she gives him a little kiss On the head before bed and when she gets up.

Emily at 2

I'm not two and a half I'm two
After Mummy's birthday the baby will come
When the baby is born Aunty Kath will come
Then it will be my birthday and I'll be three (holding out 3 fingers)

Emily loves crafts and when I suggest an activity the response is:
I'll give you a kiss (kiss)
You are my best friend!

You are two best friends (to Phill and I)
We can all be best friends together.

Last week Emily was playing so nicely with the babies and toddlers at Craft group. I didn't have to interfere/settle disputes in about 45mins of play! The had fun collecting rocks and making ice cream in the cubby house.

Daddy is an Engineer

Phill headed down to Kwinana today for some testing and Emily was intrigued as to what he was doing.

I explained that Daddy was helping them check to see if the big machines worked.
"What are they for?"
"For digging up things out of the ground, like metal, to make things out of."
"I know they can dig something out of the ground!"
"What will they dig up?"
"Some worms!"

Melissa

*affliliate links where possible- please use them to support my blog*

Playgroup WA Annual Fun Day

Annual Fun Day:


Emily and I headed down to Whitford Nodes Park (oh the water looked stunning!) and joined a couple of thousand Mums, Dads and children for the Annual Playgroup WA fun day.

We parked on the north side of the park at just after 10am, and got a lovely spot in the shade.

After waiting around putting on sunscreen, playing 'tee-ball' and on the balance beams, I finally spotted other friends from playgroup coming out from the Baby Animal Farm. Emily was keen to go in so we queued up and she got to pat the sheep, pigs, chickens and goats.

We then rejoined the group over at the Water Play area. The children loved playing with the water toys in the big trough. We headed to the Scitech display, where Emily enjoyed the maze and playing with some soft toys that were there. We stopped for morning tea under a tree and then queued up for the bouncy castle.
Emily loved the bouncy castle so much that after the rest of our playgroup left she and I queued up for another 20 minutes to have another turn!

We didn't make it to the Bubble Station, Sandpit, African Drums or Jungle Sports - but after 2 and a bit hours both Mummy and daughter were feeling tired.

'via Blog this'

Melissa

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It just takes a little encouragement...

Image by mshanhun via FlickrTo help Emily eat her porridge at 6am
Before you know it she's finished and wants more!
To help Emily think of a game to play with her toys at 7am
Next thing I know I'm singing "There were 7 in the bed and the little one said"
To remind her the toys can ride the bike rather than climb on Mummy's crowded lap at 8am
Now it's time for Spot to go to the potty and Giraffe needs a birthday cake baked!


Melissa

*affliliate links where possible- please use them to support my blog*

PS Like this post?

• Overheard today (mshanhun.com)
• Today Emily... (mshanhun.com)
• A Day in my Life, so far (mshanhun.com)
• The power of one thing (mshanhun.com)

A Day in my Life, so far

I thought it would be interesting to share my day as a stay at home/work at home Mum today.

Up early, (before Emily) to eat porridge and up and go.
Say bye to Phill
Check work emails and answer student questions on the forum as Emily eats her breakfast
Build a farmyard with Duplo, Megablocks and some other plastic blocks.
Start a load of washing
Come back to find Emily has put Grandma and Lego (the girl Duplo character) to bed
Eat 2nd breakfast, eggs and baked beans on toast and work on my website while Emily watches Peppa Pig and Playschool
Hang out the washing and love the smell of summer in the air and the cool easterly (which will no doubt be warm soon!)
Remember to check the cricket scores! :) Go Warriors
Convince Emily there are no bees so it's safe to play in the sandpit
Attempt to fold washing and talk to Emily through t he window (but go out every 2 mins due to flies, running out of water or the lid I've angled to shade her falling down
Give Emily a bath
Make lunch (salad vegies and philly, plus some nuts & dried fruit) and Emily's lunch (3 fish fingers, salad, Heinz Salad Cream, nuts and dried fruit)
Print off 3 cinnamon bun recipes and start making one of them (why do I always want to bake when it's time to mark assignments)
Put Emily to bed for her afternoon sleep (twice!)
Write this blog post
Sleep!
Mark some assignments.

Let's see how I go with that!
Melissa

*affliliate links where possible- please use them to support my blog*

Today Emily...

Image by mshanhun via FlickrToday you wanted Aunty Lauren to read you Spot books (the same ones as last fortnight!)
Today you go Aunty Lauren to show you the clock (How long till Peppa Pig?)
Today you pretended to be a jelly fish with bunny's orange blanket on your head
Today you made the blankets into a car and went driving with bunny
Today you played by yourself happily until it was time for Peppa Pig
Today we snuggled up on the couch to watch Dorothy the Dinosaur
Today you asked "Emily wants a little taste of Mummy's fried egg"
Today you celebrated my pretend birthday again!
Today you went to bed happily until you spotted a hangnail
Today you told me "40 to seven, time for bed"

*affliliate links where possible- please use them to support my blog*