In case you hadn't realised whilst perusing my blog I lead a pretty hectic life with just my girls, my husband, my household and my casual job as a dog groomer. We run on a pretty tight schedule most of the time to make sure everyone is where they need to be, when they need to be there and so that each of us get our time together or alone to share or just be.
I am also not one who does well with just sitting around. I almost always like to be doing something and take very few days for down time.
So on top of what you already know I also knit and sell my knit wares on facebook (you can find them here hehe www.facebook.com/knit2purl2), I study too. Currently a Certificate IV in Youth Work, although my life is changing so much and so quickly I'm not quite sure that's the right career path for me. It's a lot of trouble, sometimes what feels like more than it's worth, but there is a great feeling of accomplishment in reading results.
Just because all of the above is not nearly enough, I have just dedicated myself to doing a 200km (124 miles) bike ride over 2 days to raise money for cancer research. This is going to be a massive challenge for me. I haven't ridden a bike in about 15 years to begin with and never EVER that kind of distance. But I'm a pretty determined person, so I will do it and I will be training a lot.
I've been told I try to bite off more than I can chew. I don't agree. The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours sleep. Although of course others function well with less and others with more (my husband being on the more side). I do well with 6-7 hours sleep which leaves me with 17-18 hours of the day for everything else I love to do. Gardening, housework, knitting, study, cooking, baking etc etc etc. My list of enjoyable things is pretty long :) 14-15 hours though isn't really that much! So I run on a very tight schedule and as soon as I have my bike in my hands it will become even tighter. I have become the queen of scheduling, budgeting and working from lists! It's the way I achieve what I need/want to.
Days like today totally throw me. Today was an "everything will go wrong" kind of day and it seemed never ending.
So I've totally rescheduled myself in the hopes I can squeeze everything I need into the rest of the week and just pretend this Monday didn't happen.
I named this post "Just a Little More" because I honestly believe that most people can find "just a little more" to do in their day to make them feel a little better about it, to feel like it wasn't wasted or just a horrible day. Today my "just a little more" was registering for this ride and dedicating myself to raising $2500 in the hopes that one day a cure for cancer will be found.
Some people may think I'm crazy for always adding "just a little more", but I couldn't imagine my life any different, I couldn't imagine not doing something "just a little more" every day.
Monday, 29 April 2013
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Technology Ban - Days 5&6
Yesterday I worked, which is why I didn't update my blog for the day. I do casual work as a dog groomer. My boss is a great friend, so work isn't really work, it's an absolute blast. Miss 13 stayed home with my husband and from what I've been told he read all day and she slept most of it. I think she was recovering from all the awful hard labour I inflicted on her on Tuesday. Miss 3 was at her 2nd home at daycare.
Miss 10 and Miss 6 came along to work with me. My boss/friend has 2 kids and my girls love them. They, once again, passed on their technology ban and didn't touch it while we were there. Instead, they rode scooters, went over to the school playground and drew pictures. Miss 6 came in to sit with me for a while because she'd sliced her foot open pretty well on Tuesday night and it was starting to sting.
I was hurting, so so bad from Tuesday's gardening. I arrived at work and of course my boss had booked in the good ol' big dogs! One, a Maremma and the other a Maremma x Burmese Mountain Dog. Thankfully the others were smaller, although I think they'd all had a few too many before they came for their baths ;). It was, as usual for work, a great day full of laughs though :)
Today I intended on taking the girls out to pick some vegetables for our newly laid garden. But I remembered late Wednesday night that I had the dog booked in to be desexed and making 3 trips out just seemed too much. I was glad I made the choice to stay home instead. The dog went in, much to his disgust. He was not at all impressed by his lack of breakfast and even less impressed by arriving at the vets. I had to carry this 16kg shaking lump all the way to the cage. I HATED it! I swear there must be something in the "mum contract" that states we must always be "the bad guy". Take the kids for needles, doctors appointments operations etc and take the poor animals to lose their....well...you know! When I picked my poor man up he totally avoided me and ran for my boss instead! (she had taken me to pick him up). He wanted nothing to do with me. We were informed that he was rather well endowed for an 8 months old pup (something for dad to be proud of ?!) so he may have some pretty heavy swelling. We were also informed that he didn't cry at all and was a good boy all day. As soon as I got him in the car, he started crying. I then had to contemplate if he was in pain or just playing it up for the loves.
The kids were all very happy to see him, and him them. Miss 3 was especially happy! She was very concerned for him and had a very teary day just wanting him to come home. She actually spent some time outside calling for him :( He hates his halo, but wont leave his stitches alone, so it's a must. Miss 3 doesn't seem to understand that he's going to take some time to heal, but she is, so far, being very good with him. I'm not sure he's going to like not being able to come on a walk tomorrow.
So due to the in and out of the vet, I spent my day sorting out my linen cupboard and moving Miss 6 and Miss 3 into another bedroom. Now their room can be fully cleaned out and we can start preparing and planning for their makeover, which I've been told must include a Castle Bunk Bed! Lucky my husband and I like a bit of a challenge. Actually, I like a bit of a challenge, my husband just likes to make my visions come to life ;) Not sure he actually likes the work itself much though haha.
I know I've said it before, but I really am loving seeing the girls find new ways to entertain themselves. The trampoline has had more use in the last few days than it has since the kids got it 2 Christmases ago! Bedrooms have been kept clean, creations have been made it's great! I don't think I'll be lifting the ban. I may relax it a little so that on days no one really feels like doing anything (and honestly, who doesn't have them!) we will have movie days. But we are definitely going to remain more creative with our time. Tomorrow marks the end of the week and tomorrow we will take our plans for our garden and start bringing them to life. Although the husband will be left home to care for the dog.
Life is wonderful!
Miss 10 and Miss 6 came along to work with me. My boss/friend has 2 kids and my girls love them. They, once again, passed on their technology ban and didn't touch it while we were there. Instead, they rode scooters, went over to the school playground and drew pictures. Miss 6 came in to sit with me for a while because she'd sliced her foot open pretty well on Tuesday night and it was starting to sting.
I was hurting, so so bad from Tuesday's gardening. I arrived at work and of course my boss had booked in the good ol' big dogs! One, a Maremma and the other a Maremma x Burmese Mountain Dog. Thankfully the others were smaller, although I think they'd all had a few too many before they came for their baths ;). It was, as usual for work, a great day full of laughs though :)
Today I intended on taking the girls out to pick some vegetables for our newly laid garden. But I remembered late Wednesday night that I had the dog booked in to be desexed and making 3 trips out just seemed too much. I was glad I made the choice to stay home instead. The dog went in, much to his disgust. He was not at all impressed by his lack of breakfast and even less impressed by arriving at the vets. I had to carry this 16kg shaking lump all the way to the cage. I HATED it! I swear there must be something in the "mum contract" that states we must always be "the bad guy". Take the kids for needles, doctors appointments operations etc and take the poor animals to lose their....well...you know! When I picked my poor man up he totally avoided me and ran for my boss instead! (she had taken me to pick him up). He wanted nothing to do with me. We were informed that he was rather well endowed for an 8 months old pup (something for dad to be proud of ?!) so he may have some pretty heavy swelling. We were also informed that he didn't cry at all and was a good boy all day. As soon as I got him in the car, he started crying. I then had to contemplate if he was in pain or just playing it up for the loves.
The kids were all very happy to see him, and him them. Miss 3 was especially happy! She was very concerned for him and had a very teary day just wanting him to come home. She actually spent some time outside calling for him :( He hates his halo, but wont leave his stitches alone, so it's a must. Miss 3 doesn't seem to understand that he's going to take some time to heal, but she is, so far, being very good with him. I'm not sure he's going to like not being able to come on a walk tomorrow.
So due to the in and out of the vet, I spent my day sorting out my linen cupboard and moving Miss 6 and Miss 3 into another bedroom. Now their room can be fully cleaned out and we can start preparing and planning for their makeover, which I've been told must include a Castle Bunk Bed! Lucky my husband and I like a bit of a challenge. Actually, I like a bit of a challenge, my husband just likes to make my visions come to life ;) Not sure he actually likes the work itself much though haha.
I know I've said it before, but I really am loving seeing the girls find new ways to entertain themselves. The trampoline has had more use in the last few days than it has since the kids got it 2 Christmases ago! Bedrooms have been kept clean, creations have been made it's great! I don't think I'll be lifting the ban. I may relax it a little so that on days no one really feels like doing anything (and honestly, who doesn't have them!) we will have movie days. But we are definitely going to remain more creative with our time. Tomorrow marks the end of the week and tomorrow we will take our plans for our garden and start bringing them to life. Although the husband will be left home to care for the dog.
Life is wonderful!
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Technology Ban - Day 4
Today was HARD! Oh what I would have given to just collapse in my chair with my laptop, put a movie on for the kids and just not move. This, all by lunchtime! But I didn't I persevered.
My day started with my usual walk with the dog. If I don't walk the dog by 8:20am he whimpers at me and eventually barks from the front door whilst looking longingly at his harness. He wins, every time, he wins. Then when he gets home he jumps around me until he gets his treat. It's a ritual, and if we don't comply we are harassed, but we love him.
When I got home I called the landscaping company to order my soil for the vegetable and herb gardens. I was completely shocked that the could deliver today! In fact it took them about 30 minutes from phone call to soil dump. Brilliant! I was so excited, I've been wanting this vegetable patch done for a long time and I was finally biting the bullet and not putting it off. This brought up a couple of problems though. Miss 13 was "too tired" and tried very hard to refuse moving from her bed, but I always win out these arguments and considering the 4 days she's already endured without her beloved facebook, she wasn't going to risk anymore time. Ahh mummy negotiations how I love thee. The other problem was that no matter how many times I'd tried to get the motivation to prepare the plots we had picked for the garden ready for the soil, I hadn't done it! So it was a mad house to get them all dug up. I wanted all the soil moved before the day was through because I did not want creepy people sifting through it and stealing it in my sleep. And yes, I had vivid images of just how said people would accomplish this. First plot was done, we laid the weed mat, we ran out of weed mat (oops!). So I left my kids and husband to shovel dirt while I ran for more. By the time I got home with more it was time for my husband to get himself ready for work, which just let myself and my 4 darling daughters to do the job. I just loved how many times I was told "c'mon mum, you've done enough for one day, why don't you take a break?" This was their way of saying "please stop working us so hard, we just want to sit down". But I wasn't giving in, I was finishing this! I had 3 tone of soil delivered, by husband got maybe 1/2 a tonne moved by the time he left, that left me with 2 1/2 tonne to move! It seemed so simple.
My mum suggested kid size containers so they could help move it. I didn't have anything, well at least I thought I didn't. Behold the potties we no longer need! I swear a light shone down on them and drew me in. Yes! The opportunity to get my kids running from the front of the house to the back sporting a potty! Excellent ;) They weren't too impressed, but they rolled with it. Gosh, I love my children.
It was 6pm before we finished, but we did it. Every last bit of soil moved to it's new home. we left my husband with a little bit of leveling to do, but not much, we got most of that done too. Our biggest challenge in moving the soil was Miss 3. She thought it was the best thing EVER! Oh My God, mum has said I can actually PLAY in the dirt and I'm not being told to come inside and wash up! You could have mistaken my house for a Christmas morning. She climbed to the top of the pile and slip down it head first, time and time and time again. At the same time though, she was very determined to help too! "No mummy, I can push the wheel barrow, no mummy I can shovel the dirt, no mummy I'M using this one I don't need your help, I'll do it, go away!" Awesome little girl she is and I appreciated so much how she wanted to help, but I'd still be outside with 2 tonne of soil if we'd done it her way.
Today was a day from my childhood. I remember doing these things with my parents, the pain it inflicted and then the joy from the end product. I loved it and you know what ? With only one or two complaints, my kids loved it too! When I went out with the last load of soil and said "that's it we're done", they sighed with relief and then took a look around them and said "wow! Did we really do this, just today?!" Best feeling ever!
Tomorrow I will be off working, Miss 3 will be in daycare and the other girls have the choice of coming with me or staying home. Then Thursday I am taking them ALL out to pick their very own vegetable, fruit or herb to plant. We will also be getting some wooden stakes and painting and labeling our veggies :)
This technology ban has been the best decision I've made for my family in a long time. I couldn't be more proud of how we all worked together
My day started with my usual walk with the dog. If I don't walk the dog by 8:20am he whimpers at me and eventually barks from the front door whilst looking longingly at his harness. He wins, every time, he wins. Then when he gets home he jumps around me until he gets his treat. It's a ritual, and if we don't comply we are harassed, but we love him.
When I got home I called the landscaping company to order my soil for the vegetable and herb gardens. I was completely shocked that the could deliver today! In fact it took them about 30 minutes from phone call to soil dump. Brilliant! I was so excited, I've been wanting this vegetable patch done for a long time and I was finally biting the bullet and not putting it off. This brought up a couple of problems though. Miss 13 was "too tired" and tried very hard to refuse moving from her bed, but I always win out these arguments and considering the 4 days she's already endured without her beloved facebook, she wasn't going to risk anymore time. Ahh mummy negotiations how I love thee. The other problem was that no matter how many times I'd tried to get the motivation to prepare the plots we had picked for the garden ready for the soil, I hadn't done it! So it was a mad house to get them all dug up. I wanted all the soil moved before the day was through because I did not want creepy people sifting through it and stealing it in my sleep. And yes, I had vivid images of just how said people would accomplish this. First plot was done, we laid the weed mat, we ran out of weed mat (oops!). So I left my kids and husband to shovel dirt while I ran for more. By the time I got home with more it was time for my husband to get himself ready for work, which just let myself and my 4 darling daughters to do the job. I just loved how many times I was told "c'mon mum, you've done enough for one day, why don't you take a break?" This was their way of saying "please stop working us so hard, we just want to sit down". But I wasn't giving in, I was finishing this! I had 3 tone of soil delivered, by husband got maybe 1/2 a tonne moved by the time he left, that left me with 2 1/2 tonne to move! It seemed so simple.
My mum suggested kid size containers so they could help move it. I didn't have anything, well at least I thought I didn't. Behold the potties we no longer need! I swear a light shone down on them and drew me in. Yes! The opportunity to get my kids running from the front of the house to the back sporting a potty! Excellent ;) They weren't too impressed, but they rolled with it. Gosh, I love my children.
It was 6pm before we finished, but we did it. Every last bit of soil moved to it's new home. we left my husband with a little bit of leveling to do, but not much, we got most of that done too. Our biggest challenge in moving the soil was Miss 3. She thought it was the best thing EVER! Oh My God, mum has said I can actually PLAY in the dirt and I'm not being told to come inside and wash up! You could have mistaken my house for a Christmas morning. She climbed to the top of the pile and slip down it head first, time and time and time again. At the same time though, she was very determined to help too! "No mummy, I can push the wheel barrow, no mummy I can shovel the dirt, no mummy I'M using this one I don't need your help, I'll do it, go away!" Awesome little girl she is and I appreciated so much how she wanted to help, but I'd still be outside with 2 tonne of soil if we'd done it her way.
Today was a day from my childhood. I remember doing these things with my parents, the pain it inflicted and then the joy from the end product. I loved it and you know what ? With only one or two complaints, my kids loved it too! When I went out with the last load of soil and said "that's it we're done", they sighed with relief and then took a look around them and said "wow! Did we really do this, just today?!" Best feeling ever!
Tomorrow I will be off working, Miss 3 will be in daycare and the other girls have the choice of coming with me or staying home. Then Thursday I am taking them ALL out to pick their very own vegetable, fruit or herb to plant. We will also be getting some wooden stakes and painting and labeling our veggies :)
This technology ban has been the best decision I've made for my family in a long time. I couldn't be more proud of how we all worked together
Monday, 15 April 2013
Technology Ban - Day 3
Miss 3 went off to daycare today and with Miss 10 and 13 both away it left us with just Miss 6 at home. We caved a little this morning using the iPad, but it was only to talk to my mother in law who we'd been trying to call for a week! I didn't want to ban my husband from talking to his mum, so we allowed it lol.
Following that we headed off to the library. To start with I got told "there's nothing here mum". So I asked my darling 6 year old, why out of the 100s of books here she couldn't find a thing ? I asked her if it were perhaps the fact that she'd spent all of about 30 seconds quickly sweeping the surroundings ? She went off to look again. I loaded up on a couple of Tolkien books that I haven't read before, lots of gardening books and a course a knitting book. My husband got himself some more reading material. I think he will be back at the library before anyone because he has this tendency of devouring a book in the way a lion might chew it's prey. The 6 year old who "couldn't find anything" suddenly had a pile of books about half a mile high sitting on a chair. It was sitting on the chair for 2 reasons. Firstly, she couldn't carry them all and secondly she needed 2 free hands to keep adding to the pile! So much for there being nothing lol. So we had to enforce the negotiating techniques we are so familiar with. It consisted of "There is no way you're having all of them!" She went through them and reduced it down to an amount we could at least carry out of the library comfortably and we went for lunch. Miss 6 played happily on the playground for a little while, we ate and my husband and I were engulfed in our books. Mine being on Organic Gardening.
Once home I realised very quickly that I'd forgotten to pick up garbage bags and yes we did unfortunately did them that minute. Now, you have to understand that we do not own a car. So we walk everywhere. The library is about a 15 minute walk, the shops are right next door. So after already making that trip, I had to make it again. When you have to do it more than once in a day, you dread it. Luckily we're pretty used to it because I am absolutely incredible at leaving lists at home and then forgetting important things at the store. It's a special power I acquired upon having kids...
At the shops I decided I would get us a second hose so that my husband would remember to water his herbs. Me, being my horrible self had moved our only hose out the back to water the greenhouse and as a result of my incredulous move the herbs were dying. New hose it was! No we have one front and back, so here's hoping nothing else dies. I also got weed mat ready to start tomorrow's garden adventure. In my excitement of gardening goods I walked out WITHOUT garbage bags! At least I was still in the center though lol. So I trudged back in for them.
Not long after I got home, the husband had to get ready for work and we had guests arrive that we hadn't seen in years! That was a quick visit though, although they were back for coffee a little later :) I started on the housework that needed doing and at this point Miss 10 arrived home.
Well, can I just say I am one extremely proud mother today! She had every opportunity to watch TV etc, but instead she chose to tell her grandparents all about the technology ban. So guess what ?! Everyone was banned from technology there too! She didn't watch any TV until after 6pm and avoided it all day today. My heart swelled when they told me. If that's the kind of awesome kids I'm raising, then damn I'm doing something right!
After dinner and after Miss 3 was bathed, Miss 13 arrived home. She arrived home with CUPCAKES! Then refused to share, oh but just wait until she's sleeping hehehe. You know what else though?? She didn't watch TV until AFTER 6:30!!! She didn't go on the computer with her friend, she baked cupcakes, played with the dogs and stayed up most of the night READING. I was in shock, actually I think my heart may have stopped for just a few seconds! Tonight my 13 and 10 year old are spending a little well deserved time playing their games on the computer. I think they've earned it, I also think they're loving this more than they ever thought they would.
I am really proud of my kids :) Tomorrow I am putting them to work in the garden :D
Following that we headed off to the library. To start with I got told "there's nothing here mum". So I asked my darling 6 year old, why out of the 100s of books here she couldn't find a thing ? I asked her if it were perhaps the fact that she'd spent all of about 30 seconds quickly sweeping the surroundings ? She went off to look again. I loaded up on a couple of Tolkien books that I haven't read before, lots of gardening books and a course a knitting book. My husband got himself some more reading material. I think he will be back at the library before anyone because he has this tendency of devouring a book in the way a lion might chew it's prey. The 6 year old who "couldn't find anything" suddenly had a pile of books about half a mile high sitting on a chair. It was sitting on the chair for 2 reasons. Firstly, she couldn't carry them all and secondly she needed 2 free hands to keep adding to the pile! So much for there being nothing lol. So we had to enforce the negotiating techniques we are so familiar with. It consisted of "There is no way you're having all of them!" She went through them and reduced it down to an amount we could at least carry out of the library comfortably and we went for lunch. Miss 6 played happily on the playground for a little while, we ate and my husband and I were engulfed in our books. Mine being on Organic Gardening.
Once home I realised very quickly that I'd forgotten to pick up garbage bags and yes we did unfortunately did them that minute. Now, you have to understand that we do not own a car. So we walk everywhere. The library is about a 15 minute walk, the shops are right next door. So after already making that trip, I had to make it again. When you have to do it more than once in a day, you dread it. Luckily we're pretty used to it because I am absolutely incredible at leaving lists at home and then forgetting important things at the store. It's a special power I acquired upon having kids...
At the shops I decided I would get us a second hose so that my husband would remember to water his herbs. Me, being my horrible self had moved our only hose out the back to water the greenhouse and as a result of my incredulous move the herbs were dying. New hose it was! No we have one front and back, so here's hoping nothing else dies. I also got weed mat ready to start tomorrow's garden adventure. In my excitement of gardening goods I walked out WITHOUT garbage bags! At least I was still in the center though lol. So I trudged back in for them.
Not long after I got home, the husband had to get ready for work and we had guests arrive that we hadn't seen in years! That was a quick visit though, although they were back for coffee a little later :) I started on the housework that needed doing and at this point Miss 10 arrived home.
Well, can I just say I am one extremely proud mother today! She had every opportunity to watch TV etc, but instead she chose to tell her grandparents all about the technology ban. So guess what ?! Everyone was banned from technology there too! She didn't watch any TV until after 6pm and avoided it all day today. My heart swelled when they told me. If that's the kind of awesome kids I'm raising, then damn I'm doing something right!
After dinner and after Miss 3 was bathed, Miss 13 arrived home. She arrived home with CUPCAKES! Then refused to share, oh but just wait until she's sleeping hehehe. You know what else though?? She didn't watch TV until AFTER 6:30!!! She didn't go on the computer with her friend, she baked cupcakes, played with the dogs and stayed up most of the night READING. I was in shock, actually I think my heart may have stopped for just a few seconds! Tonight my 13 and 10 year old are spending a little well deserved time playing their games on the computer. I think they've earned it, I also think they're loving this more than they ever thought they would.
I am really proud of my kids :) Tomorrow I am putting them to work in the garden :D
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Technology Ban - Day 2
Late last night miss 6 came home to discover our new venture. Needless to say, after two weeks on a farm with next to no technology anyway, she wasn't very impressed. After two weeks without her I really wanted a little one on one time with her, so I took her down to the local market. We didn't even go inside, unfortunately we weren't very impressed at all. The good thing about that is I'm thinking of approaching a couple of local places about holding a market a little more than just bric-a-brac! We shall see how that goes, it's a while off yet. Following the market failure we went to have a hot dog for lunch and I heard all about her farm adventures :) I honestly forgot how much this tiny little person could talk! I think I said about 5 words the whole time we were out lol, but it's so wonderful to have her home.
Miss 3 had absolutely no qualms today. Seems she's picked up on this new regime pretty easily and very happily. I think she loves all the extra time with her sisters.
Miss 10 and Miss 13 both ran away from my insanity! Miss 13 decided a friend's house would be much more fun and considering this friend has a spa, I can't say I blame her. But, she will be back to her new reality here tomorrow. Miss 10 went to spend the night with her grandparents so she can catch up with her cousins tomorrow. This is GREAT! They are currently living in a caravan (so no technology anyway) and tomorrow's meet is being held at the playground. She will love it :)
My husband spent a lot of time reading again, so I'm considering this book ban on him even more haha. I don't think I would ever achieve it though :P. We also discussed the garden a little more, but we both seemed to need a day of relaxing so we took it.
I slept...till 11am :/ Well, I was up at 5 with the youngest and by 7:30 I swapped with the man and climbed back into my bed. Easy way to avoid a day with no computer :P Once I was home from my adventure with Miss 6 I started working on another new knitting project. A gorgeous cabled scarf. It looks beautiful so far and I hope to finish it quickly, that is if I can stay on task, which I'm not very good at. If it's a quick project I'll whip through it, longer ones though I tend to put aside again and again. I am already sitting here contemplating doing something else. I really am hopeless. So I bought myself a little notebook and I'm writing my knitting goals in it. I want to achieve more and have more to aim for. So no more bag of works in progress for me.
Miss 3 and 6 also did some water painting. You know those books you can buy and you just add water and it's magically painted ? We scored them for $2 and it was great entertainment for them. Especially Miss 3, she thought they were absolutely fantastic! Miss 10 made herself a lamp too from a kit I got on clearance for $7. Much cheaper than a trip to the movies, or more DVD's and a lot more entertaining for them :)
All in all another successful technology free day :) Tomorrow we are off the the library!
Miss 3 had absolutely no qualms today. Seems she's picked up on this new regime pretty easily and very happily. I think she loves all the extra time with her sisters.
Miss 10 and Miss 13 both ran away from my insanity! Miss 13 decided a friend's house would be much more fun and considering this friend has a spa, I can't say I blame her. But, she will be back to her new reality here tomorrow. Miss 10 went to spend the night with her grandparents so she can catch up with her cousins tomorrow. This is GREAT! They are currently living in a caravan (so no technology anyway) and tomorrow's meet is being held at the playground. She will love it :)
My husband spent a lot of time reading again, so I'm considering this book ban on him even more haha. I don't think I would ever achieve it though :P. We also discussed the garden a little more, but we both seemed to need a day of relaxing so we took it.
I slept...till 11am :/ Well, I was up at 5 with the youngest and by 7:30 I swapped with the man and climbed back into my bed. Easy way to avoid a day with no computer :P Once I was home from my adventure with Miss 6 I started working on another new knitting project. A gorgeous cabled scarf. It looks beautiful so far and I hope to finish it quickly, that is if I can stay on task, which I'm not very good at. If it's a quick project I'll whip through it, longer ones though I tend to put aside again and again. I am already sitting here contemplating doing something else. I really am hopeless. So I bought myself a little notebook and I'm writing my knitting goals in it. I want to achieve more and have more to aim for. So no more bag of works in progress for me.
Miss 3 and 6 also did some water painting. You know those books you can buy and you just add water and it's magically painted ? We scored them for $2 and it was great entertainment for them. Especially Miss 3, she thought they were absolutely fantastic! Miss 10 made herself a lamp too from a kit I got on clearance for $7. Much cheaper than a trip to the movies, or more DVD's and a lot more entertaining for them :)
All in all another successful technology free day :) Tomorrow we are off the the library!
Saturday, 13 April 2013
Technology Ban - Day 1
It's 7:14 here, so an hour and 14 minutes past the time we set for the ban to finish each day. My daughters are enjoying watching "The Voice", but surprisingly haven't asked to switch on our main PC, their little PC or the iPad. In fact, they've asked for nothing more than just the TV. Everyone coped very well today. The husband got a slap on the hand when I caught him on facebook on his phone lol. He did it out of habit, but quickly put it up and only caught a glimpse of one update. The 3 1/2 year old wasn't too impressed to start as she was asked to get off the iPad and not turn on their computer. She quickly seemed to pick up what was happening though and from there I witnessed a day I had barely seen since I first became a mum 13 years ago.
We all banded together to get the house not just clean, but sorted. We rid ourselves of things we no longer used, danced and laughed. Miss 10 and Miss 3 made castles and beds out of the couch cushions, Miss 13 rediscovered her love for books and plaited yarn into headbands, (Miss 6 is away with her daddy until later tonight) and the husband spent a lot of time emerged in a book too. For him though, that's not very unusual. In fact a book ban on him may have been more effective :P
The kids and I cooked together after we saw the man off to work. I taught them a bit about the food they were eating, how to prepare it and cook it. We created a pretty awesome dinner and I haven't seen my 3 year old eat with such enthusiasm in a long time. She gnawed through her cob of corn in about 30 seconds, it was impressive! At the table we discussed the day and our favourite parts about not having technology to interrupt us. Miss 10 said it was building castles, Miss 13 said reading, Miss 3 mumbled something about dragons through her mouth full of corn. We also made a couple of plans for the coming days. Tomorrow we are going to scope out a local market and the kids are encouraging me to try and sell my wares there if it looks good. Monday we are hitting up the library. I am actually going to ask my kids to do book reports outside of school :O The horror I know! But they're pretty keen on the idea and so am I. I want them to see that learning stretches far beyond school. Tuesday we will prep our yard and Wednesday have our organic soil delivered for our vegetable garden. Wednesday night we will make more plans for the rest of the week.
So, so far I am not torturing them and they don't feel totally tormented. I think they're also starting to see my childhood wasn't bad at all, I didn't miss out on anything, in fact I probably had more than they did, it just wasn't found in "things".
This is all I really want to get out of my "experiment" to have my children open their eyes to the beauty all around us.
Tomorrow is a new day, they may tire of the novelty lol. Check back to see :)
We all banded together to get the house not just clean, but sorted. We rid ourselves of things we no longer used, danced and laughed. Miss 10 and Miss 3 made castles and beds out of the couch cushions, Miss 13 rediscovered her love for books and plaited yarn into headbands, (Miss 6 is away with her daddy until later tonight) and the husband spent a lot of time emerged in a book too. For him though, that's not very unusual. In fact a book ban on him may have been more effective :P
The kids and I cooked together after we saw the man off to work. I taught them a bit about the food they were eating, how to prepare it and cook it. We created a pretty awesome dinner and I haven't seen my 3 year old eat with such enthusiasm in a long time. She gnawed through her cob of corn in about 30 seconds, it was impressive! At the table we discussed the day and our favourite parts about not having technology to interrupt us. Miss 10 said it was building castles, Miss 13 said reading, Miss 3 mumbled something about dragons through her mouth full of corn. We also made a couple of plans for the coming days. Tomorrow we are going to scope out a local market and the kids are encouraging me to try and sell my wares there if it looks good. Monday we are hitting up the library. I am actually going to ask my kids to do book reports outside of school :O The horror I know! But they're pretty keen on the idea and so am I. I want them to see that learning stretches far beyond school. Tuesday we will prep our yard and Wednesday have our organic soil delivered for our vegetable garden. Wednesday night we will make more plans for the rest of the week.
So, so far I am not torturing them and they don't feel totally tormented. I think they're also starting to see my childhood wasn't bad at all, I didn't miss out on anything, in fact I probably had more than they did, it just wasn't found in "things".
This is all I really want to get out of my "experiment" to have my children open their eyes to the beauty all around us.
Tomorrow is a new day, they may tire of the novelty lol. Check back to see :)
Friday, 12 April 2013
Technology, who needs it!
Wow! A year has already past since I made a post on here.
Well, this one will be a very short one because I only have 7 minutes until I impose the "technology ban"!
It's not a true ban, but a partial one. From 8am-6pm every day for a week we will have no use of phones, iPads, TV's, computers etc. We are allowed the radio for music and we will find other ways to entertain ourselves!
My poor children are completely beside themselves at the idea of this, actually, so is my husband. He's horrified. Oh the injustice of it all!! I, however, am greatly looking forward to it! I am tired of the "can we go on, can we go on", so for a week I get to say no, we're going to get DIRTY, we're going to explore the big wide world!!!
Unfortunately for me, today has started overcast and I'm starting to think it might rain! Great day to choose to start don't ya think ? Oh well, the dirt outside needs a little softening to help prepare our vegetable garden, and the grass is in need of it too!
Oops, 3 minutes left!
I shall return daily to update on or adventures without technology :)
Well, this one will be a very short one because I only have 7 minutes until I impose the "technology ban"!
It's not a true ban, but a partial one. From 8am-6pm every day for a week we will have no use of phones, iPads, TV's, computers etc. We are allowed the radio for music and we will find other ways to entertain ourselves!
My poor children are completely beside themselves at the idea of this, actually, so is my husband. He's horrified. Oh the injustice of it all!! I, however, am greatly looking forward to it! I am tired of the "can we go on, can we go on", so for a week I get to say no, we're going to get DIRTY, we're going to explore the big wide world!!!
Unfortunately for me, today has started overcast and I'm starting to think it might rain! Great day to choose to start don't ya think ? Oh well, the dirt outside needs a little softening to help prepare our vegetable garden, and the grass is in need of it too!
Oops, 3 minutes left!
I shall return daily to update on or adventures without technology :)
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