Sunday, 11 January 2015

Hello 2015



Today I want to share with you some of my goals for 2015 and my word of the year, I find sharing them like this useful because it gives me a sense of accountability and is also a permanent record that I can look at long after the list falls off the bathroom door!

Last year my word of the year was "organise".  "Organise" was about survival, it was about getting things done.  it helped me get through a very difficult year but left me feeling a little joyless, there isn't much joy in organising, its about discipline, management and order.  Those things don't sound much fun to me.  And they weren't.  So this year, I want to focus on finding the joy in life as well, without forgetting what I learnt this last year about how useful being organised is, arranging meetings with friends, planning fun activities to do with the boys etc.  Honestly I haven't enjoyed parenting much this last year so I am going to work hard to bring the joy back in to it, I think being organised is a big part of that but perhaps more importantly changing my mindset is going to help.  So for these reasons my word for 2015 is ENJOY!!


Enjoying life is also about reaching goals, hitting targets and I love a good list of New Years goals, and this year I did 15 for 15, (I could have done more!)
Here they are in no particular order:

1. Start writing my book,
2. Re-read the Bible-in-a-year,
3. Start a smash book,
4. Complete 365 photo-a-day-challenge,
5. Read read books not Facebook,
6. Dry brush daily,
7. Turn the TV off,
8. Finish Vegan and Vegetarian Nutrition diploma,
9. Finish Child Psychology Diploma,
10. Eat nutrition,
11. Read one book per month,
12. Start drawing more,
13. Meal plan,
14. Go camping,
15. Finish wedding scrap book.  

So as a quick run down, 1. I have some ideas for a book I want to write, and would really like to make a start on it this year.  2. I have read the Bible in a year twice now, though never quite finished, so want to have another go. 3. Smash books are a bit like scrap books but smaller and less considered, I am combining this with number 4. take a photo every day of the year and put it in a smash book. 5. I spend waaaaaaaay too much time on Facebook, so trying to rectify that by reading books on my Kindle rather than looking at FB. 6. Dry brushing has so many benefits so I intend to do it daily. 7. Like FB, I spend way to much time staring zombie like at the box, so trying to do a bit less of that (I make this resolution every year) 8. I started  vegan and vegetarian nutrition diploma and a (9.) Child psychology diploma some time ago, so really want to get these finished, actually I have to get these finished because there is a deadline. 10.  Eat nutrition - so many reasons for this one, hopefully will be able to reveal some more throughout the year, basically really want to start improving my health, feeding my body with nutrition instead of empty calories. 11. (linking to number 5)  I have really lost my mojo for reading this last year so need to give it a kick up the backside by challenging myself to read one book per month, it's hard, but I am already half way through my first book, (which I will review soon) 12.  I want to get back into my art a bit more and have some plans for what to do, again hopeful will be able to start sharing soon.  13.  Linking to number 10, meal planning definitely helps me to make more healthy meals, saves time and makes life more enjoyable by having tasty meals to look forward to. 14.  We WILL go camping this year. 15. The bloody, bloody wedding scrap book, 5 years behind on it, but I still really want to finish it.  I think I might be able to face it this year, just need to smash it out instead of being so precious.

So there you have it.  I wish you all a fantastic and joy filled 2015, can't wait to share my journey with you. 
What are your goals, plans, resolutions?

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Fun Things to do With Toddlers - Candy Cane slime (Ooblek)

Last time we played with corn flour and water it was a big hit, so it was no surprise when this festive version went down a storm. Boris played with it for ages and was totally engaged, just feeling the mixture with his fingers and mixing up the colour.





I filled the bottom of the dish to a few mm thick with corn flour, then added enough water to make the right consistency and some peppermint flavoring for an added sensory experience, then Boris added the food colouring with a little dropper. Such a great activity for my little man, he obviously responds well to this sort of sensory experience so I am going to have a go at making some more types of slime in the future. 

Sunday, 7 December 2014

Counting down to Christmas

I love counting down to Christmas and this year added a new calender to aid in our festive proem. It's  a little Christmas tree made with matchboxes.  I decorated the draw of each box and the sides of the tree with a pieces Yuletide themed scrapbooking paper, and had wrote the numbers on,  I then put some chocs or sweets into each one for Boris to enjoy every day till Christmas. 







We still have our usual calender up with new activities to do each day:






 Here are our activities for this year:

Monday 1st – Sensory activity, blue ice stars in salt
Tuesday 2nd – Make and play with Christmas play dough
Wednesday 3rd – Make special Christmas cards
Thursday 4th – Write Christmas cards
Friday 5th –Visit Christmas common and buy a new ornament,
Saturday 6th – Bring in Christmas tree and decorate, 
Sunday 7th –  Do Christmas puzzle,
Monday 8th – Send Christmas cards
Tuesday 9th – Make a Christmas wreath,
Wednesday 10th – Make Christmas tree ornament
Thursday 11th – Make Christmas biscuits
Friday 12th – ,Make a snowman of Boris’ name.
Saturday 13th – Make mince pies
Sunday 14th – Christmas discovery baskets,
Monday 15th – Play with peppermint ooblek
Tuesday 16th – Make ginger bread house
Wednesday 17th – Watch the Nativity service
Thursday 18th – Play with play snow,
Friday 19th – Wrap Christmas presents
Saturday 20th – Watch it’s a wonderful life
Sunday 21st – Drink hot chocolate with candy cane stirrer
Monday 22nd – Make peppermint creams,
Tuesday 23rd – Play with peppermint sensory rice.

Wednesday 24th – Make Christmas cake, attend Crib Service. 

Are you doing anything different for your Christmas countdown?