Wednesday 25 February 2015

Puff Paint - Magic in the Microwave




We are still working through book 150 + Screen Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro.

Here's our version of her Magic Expanding Paint.


I got organised on this one, which in itself spiked the interest of my kids as I got things out without telling them what we were doing.

I had a bowl for each of them, a spoon, measuring cups and spoons and all the ingredients.

And then I told them what they needed in there bowl.

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • and they each picked a colour

They stirred away which for Miss 2 meant using her hands a lot.

Then we put the paint into icing bags as we didn't have zip lock bags or squeeze bottles

And squeezed them onto paper.

Then we popped our pictures into the microwave at 15 second intervals and watched the magic happen.


And our masterpieces we not only fun to look at but fascinating to touch




Sunday 15 February 2015

Fun Family Fitness



We are lucky enough to live in a place where it is easy to get outside and enjoy our natural environment.  Our family have done a lot of nature play over the years.  From our house we can walk to a lake, the beach, along the sand dunes.  That is why we live in a small duplex because our location is sooooooooo great!

Years ago......wow it seem like a lifetime, I was a primary teacher who dreamed up and started a business call Activation Fun Family Fitness.  It was all about family's learning physical skills to play sport and taking part in fitness together.  We all now we are our kids role models and yes we are also there role models when it comes to physical skills and fitness.  I have always played sport netball, dancing, running and even now I exercise most days, as much for my mental health as well as my physical health.  Yep family fitness is a little bit of a passion of mine so I am going to start a weekly post of simple family fitness or physical skills that are easy to do with kids.

This morning we headed out to climb a mountain.  Yep we packed the kids, the back pack for the 2 year old, water and snacks in the car. Drove 20 mins and started our climb of a small Mountain.  It was fun for all. 

We stopped and checked out all the cool things we found on the way.
 I remember playing with sap for hours as a kid
 We chatted as we went.
 Miss 2 amazed us as she took off up what is, a relatively steep mountain.  We had the back pack but she went up 3/4 of it on her own.
 We sat up the top and enjoyed the view and had a snack before we started our trip down.

And an extra bonus is that now all three kids are very content playing at home.

Here's our tips for making a bushwalk or mountain walk easy with kids.

Wear runners or closed toe shoes (amazing how many people were walking up a steep rocky path in thongs) it makes walking easier for the kids

Go in the morning when everyone is fresh and full of energy

Don't rush the walk let your kids be curious it will be fun for you and them

Start small you don't have to climb a mountain the first time around find a short walk near you.  Just google bushwalking tracks in your state and you will find one nearby

http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/experiences/bushwalking/

Pack light we just take a back pack for Miss 2, a water bottle for each of them and a snack

Put suntan cream on before you go so you don't have to carry it

Hope you enjoy a bushwalk soon!

Wednesday 11 February 2015

Somedays



Today is a Someday.

And here is my Someday Song.  Have a listen and you will know what sort of day I am having.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZ4RfLeO-U

Awake since 4:30am.

No morning exercise, it was hubby's turn which is great he deserves it but on any day exercise is my magic potion even when I am tired it helps turn a someday around.  It is my 30 minutes in the morning to think without anyone intruding on my thoughts.  A chance to get my head together, sort a plan if I need one and I seem to walk back in the door a little more on top of things.

I managed a plan which involved school drop off, me and Miss 2 being at the park and then body balance at the gym which helped my someday. 

But it is my Someday Song that is really making me feel better.

Do you have a Someday Song

Thanks to The Waifs tomorrow won't be a SOMEDAY!

Monday 9 February 2015

Paw Paw Chutney



A friend of ours had their Paw Paw tree blown over in the wind.  So there were lots of free green paw paws being given away.  We grabbed a couple and on the weekend made Paw Paw Chutney.  We would never buy green paw paws so this is a little something delicious that only ever happens when we stumble upon some green paw paws.


Paw Paw Chutney Recipe (Recipe from a neighbour)

  • 1kg of green Paw Paw
  • 1kg sugar
  • 100g of preserved or crystallised ginger (I use naked ginger)
  • 1 cup of Sultanas (I am always generous on these)
  • 6 Cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 600mls of white vinegar
  • 2 small Chillies

Finely chop Paw Paw, ginger and chillies
Put all ingredients except sugar in a pot
Bring to boil and simmer til Paw Paw is soft
Add Sugar and simmer steadily for 45 minutes (or add jam setter and boil rapidly as per instructions.  I never have jam setter so I always just simmer for 45 minutes)



This simple chutney gets my kids eating things they usually don't eat.  You just dip it in chutney.  It's been at least 3 years since we had any so bring on meals with Paw Paw Chutney.

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles of Colours.



We have always loved getting messy so when a good friend of mine sent me 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro it didn't take long for all four of us to pick out activities we wanted to try.

We have always been a fan of bubbles and sometime ago Miss 2 and I had fun squeezing a sponge in some dish washing detergent

So we thought we would take our bubbles to a whole new level and it was so simple!

Soap Foam from 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro
  • Put two tbsp dish washing detergent in a bowl
  • Add 1/4 cup of water
  • Add colouring of your choice, we used some powdered paint, Asia uses liquid water colours or food colouring.
  • Beat with an electric whisk or beater
We loved how the foam could be moulded, poured and put into things like cup cake moulds.


 How the colours could be added to each other and stay seperate or be mixed


How it felt in our hands.


And that it wasn't just for hand.

 One little tip we have if using a hand held electric whisk pop the bowl your in your sink. As we had a high edged bowl but we still managed to splatter our bench and wall with colour!

Thinking this book is going to be a gift for some people I know!

Monday 2 February 2015

Home



This weekend Miss 2 and I spent a weekend with my family in Vic.  It was a special weekend as my sister is about to get married and we flew down to be a part of the wedding preparations and spend time with her but it was flying home that I really felt I knew where my home is now.

You see we have lived on the coast in Queensland for nearly ten years.  We first moved here as we felt like we were up for an adventure as a couple and we both needed to make some career moves.  We wanted to live near the beach.  After traveling we decided we would both put in for jobs on the east coast of Australia and the first one to get one would lead us to where we were moving to.  My hubby landed one first.  Initially it was all about lifestyle and we do have a great lifestyle.  Then we bought our home.  Then we had kids.........

Ever since having kids I have always felt pulled in two directions about home.  I live here but the rest of my family is in Victoria.  And a number of times I felt a huge pull to have the my children growing up close to my extended family.  But coming home from this trip as great as it was I realised my home truly is here.

I love my house.
I love what we can provide for our kids here
I love that my husband is happy here (he often says the bus stopped and he got off and is never getting back on)
I love the community we have built here
I love that it is green
I love that we can play outdoors all year around
I love that I can walk to the beach and have a swim at 5:30am
I love the friends I have made
I love that we ride our bikes to school
I love that I can stay at home with my kids
I love that even though it is hard sometimes with no family close that as a couple we do ok
I love that my family is happy here
I love that I am happy here



I know that we may not always live here, who knows what will happen in the future.
I know I will always be happy where my family is happy.
I know I will always love my extended family and will always miss them but will make sure I see them and be part of there right now.
I know that my extended family will always be a big part of our family's and especially our children's lives.  I will make sure of that.
I know I will worry about things that you only think about if you are not close to family such as, how we will help to look after our parents as they get older, from a distance. I know we will find a way.

I know we are happy and that for now, this is truly home.