week twentyone // eli @ home

week twentyone // eli @ home

This was Eli's last week of homeschooling before he returns to school and Miles first week back.

It's been a wonderful to have Eli learning at home for a while, he has impressed and amazed me at how he has done. Hard working, diligent, responsible, organised, eager to understand and eager to do his best. Also a big fan of all the online platforms, he is such a 'tech guru' lol!

Us parents are super-duper proud of his focus and his good attitude. It's been a real blessing to engage deeper in his learning and see what a good little student he is :)

It was also nice to have a bit of special time together this week while little bro was getting back into the school groove!

#coronadiaries #homeschool #project52

34.52 brotherly teeth brushing // siblings learning to get along

Big brother giving little brother a demonstration on 'how to brush your teeth like a boss'.

Little brother soaks it all in. 

Much giggling and brushing and bonding (and spitting) ensues. 

Heart melt xx

It's funny. Sometimes you have those parenting challenges emerge, and you dig in, and work hard, but then as change tends to happen slowly, you kinda forget to even notice the results. Oops.

As mentioned previously, Eli and Miles went through a stage where they just seemed to be riling each other up all the time. In retrospect I really think this little laundry project was a turning point in their relationship. We did a lot of other stuff too - talking things out, skilling them up in how to work things out, role play for conflict resolution, etc. (Also, alternately pulling my hair out and praying for patience!). They did a lot of work too, in recognising the kind of brothers they wanted to be (best friends!) and implementing a lot of self control and trying new strategies. Maturing too, I guess. 

But then I kinda forgot to keep track of it, lol, till just over the last few days I suddenly realised, wow these two have been getting along so great!  When things weren't going well, it had been so easy to focus on it. Funny how the absence of a problem makes it even easier to forget to recognise and be grateful for improvement!! I suddenly became conscious of how they were playing well, talking through problems calmly, working things out , doing chores together happily (like putting away the laundry while giving each other a high five and shouting 'team work!' for every item complete, haha!) and just having fun together without it constantly dissolving into problems. 

And the change happened so slowly I didn't even realise!

Isn't it funny. I worked so hard, they worked so hard, a good change happened but we didn't even recognise it when it came. I wonder how often that happens in our lives. It can be so much easier to focus on the problems and overlook the successes. Well, of course as soon as I did recognise it, I was sure to tell the boys how lovely it was to see them treating each other lovingly and as best friends. They are pretty proud of themselves too! I'm also musing about what else I can do to help celebrate and cement their brotherly bond and progress/maturity.

Of course, there still are, and still will be ups and downs but it warms my heart to see their bond blossom and hopefully we are all on a better track. Lessons learnt will help us all the next time issues crop up again (as they inevitably will because family/siblings/life/etc!).

Siblings can be life's greatest challenge when you are little but hopefully become more and more a blessing and support as they grow and face life together. That's my prayer!

32.52 little landscapers

We are in the middle of a big garden overhaul (well, big for us, this ain't Backyard Blitz, haha!). 

The best part is the opportunity to get the whole clan outside working together in the sunshine. Just love these family projects and being outside together.

Eli especially works hard, without break or complaint. My happy helper, he amazes me!

These  kiddos hauled greenery to the trailer, raked and chopped. A day's work (well, a short afternoon, let's be honest) well done.

Will they remember these days - and will it be fondly or as slave labour?! I'm not sure but I know I will treasure them in my heart always xx

Project 52: A portrait of my family, once a week, every week, in 2017.

eli // seven

Seven years old, my dear boy.

Our little rocket, we do love you. You have flourished this year and matured so much. You love riding your huge mountain bike like a speed-demon with Dad, reading like crazy (ahem, Captain Underpants are the distinguished novels that really got you rolling, lol), and obsessed with gems and crystals and rocks (and trying to find them). So grown up but you still love snuggles with your Mum (phew!). 

You have overcome challenges, you have persevered through so much, and always, always, always with that cheerful, unflaggingly gracious spirit. You are always thinking of others. Always ready to help cheerfully, unprompted you often go out of your way to do a kindness for someone in your family, and rush to help anyone in need. You sacrifice immediately without second thought, always so generous and so happy to share. You amaze and inspire me, my boy! You are brave and kind and so tender-hearted. You are so sincerely sweet it makes me cry. You are also so genuine and honest, I just love your pure spirit, and the deep thought processes that you share with me. Big spiritual questions, thoughtful musings about how the world works, your busy mind is always working. You are also wild and loud and silly and funny and challenging and you never.stop.moving!

All these things are what make you YOU. The boy that God gave us. The boy that we adore - just as you are. 






Happy 7th Birthday, Tiger. Can't wait to see you continue to grow and shine xx 

The Annual Interview with Eli...

What are you going to be when you grow up?

An archaeologist. I mean a geologist. 

What’s that going to be like?

So, you dig for stuff in the ground and I want to dig for crystals and gems. 

What are your favourite toys?

My crystal collection but they are not a toy.

Who are your best friends?

Oh that's a bit hard. Are you allowed to write down God?? Ok, God, Mummy and Daddy. Actually I love everyone in the world. 

What makes you happy?

When you and Daddy take me to restaurants and give me special stuff and give me presents on my birthday. 

What makes you sad?

When someone punches me or hurts me. 

When you dream at night, what do you dream about?

Digging for crystals and gems and rocks. 

What do you like to do with Daddy?

I like when he beats me up with wrestles. and when he gives me presents on my birthday and Christmas and he gets really excited and says 'MY BOY!'

What do you like to do with Mummy?

I love when you help me do my crystals and digging for gems. And snuggles in the morning.

What do you like to do with Lily?

Lots of stuff. I like playing games with her and walking her to her class at school.

What do you like to do with Miles?

I love playing poison bal and when he gave me his camera and playing Lego! 

What’s your favourite colour?

Every colour and most of all Blue and green

What’s your favourite book?

The Jungle Book

What does Daddy do during the day?

He sometimes does cleaning. and he doesn't have computer time in the day so he has it at night and sometimes he makes dinner or goes to work. 

What does Mummy do during the day? 

Oh Mum. Sometimes working and sometimes making dinner for us and cleaning and sometimes you take me to restaurants. 

What do you do during the day?

That's really hard! I get ready for school and then I go to school and then I have afternoon tea and then I play outside and then I watch some TV and then I have dinner and that's what I do for the day! 

It's good to be seven because.....

Because I'm nearly really old and I'll get to be a grown up and you get to do lots of special stuff when you are a grown up like have fun with your kids and give them wrestles just like my dad and mum. 

The Birthday Collage...

25.52 that sibling life // little brother

I just can't even.

If these photos don't summarise life with an adoring/annoying younger sibling, well, I just don't know what does!?!

Ah, the plight of the long suffering (yet secretly loving it) (I think) older sister. Noisy and boy-sey he may be, but he loves and adores you, truly.



One day, I pray, you will be all grown, and you will be the dearest of friends, united in shared memories of family life and someone to roll your eyes with at all the weird ways of your parents. I know it won't be perfect but just remember, sweet kiddos, that no one else has shared this unique family life like you and your siblings have. I pray that this shared childhood experience bonds you, so you can support each other through whatever life is going to throw at you. Siblings can be such a rich blessing to each other. Flawed and messy though our family may be, if I can emerge from this these early years of parenting knowing that I have helped nurture a strong bond between my children, that you will be there to cheer each other on and support each other when we are gone, I will be so very happy and grateful.

I pray that you will love each other through the mess and cheer each other on through every success.




Project 52: A portrait of my family, once a week, every week, in 2017.  
(posted with Lily's permission!)

22.52 Winter is Coming

My boy. Rugged up and ready.

Project 52: A portrait of my family, once a week, every week, in 2017. 

17.52 {with his headphones on}

Eli loves to listen to audio books and music, especially in the evenings when he is trying to wind his bouncing self down for sleep. I discovered him like this one evening - clearly sleep had over taken him mid-scroll for his next book selection!! Melt my heart, why don't you, kiddo?? 

For my own memory file, I want to record here that his favourite current audio books are Chronicles of Narnia, Veggietales stories, Where the Wild Things Are and Anne of Green Gables :) 

Project 52: A portrait of my family, once a week, every week, in 2017. 

11.52 farmer's market

My boy and I had an early morning outing to the local Farmer's Market before we headed on to church.

We had blueberry bagels and coffee (well, babycinno in his case!) and perused the stalls, picking up all kinds of fresh, local, delicious goodies. Eli could choose any fruit or vegetable that he wanted... and he chose a punnet of figs and ate about five in a row!! This kid loves his food, that's for sure.

It was such a lovely morning of wandering around and exploring with my sweet son, eating and chit-chatting together, bundling up memories along with our fruit and vegetables. 

We will be back.... and not just for the blueberry bagels!

{Project 52: A portrait of my family once a week, every week, in 2017}

8.52 {what scares you} tired goggly eyes

A tuckered out little boy, eyes ringed by goggle marks, taking a little poolside power-nap xx

Soon, all smiles again, my little sunshiney son....

We have just returned from a two week road trip up and down the East Coast of Australia. We swam, swam, swam, like never before! For most of the trip, I either could not be bothered to pull out the 'big camera' (so slack!) and then when I did found it wasn't working as I had killed the battery. I revived it just in time to take a couple of shots so here they are. When I get my act together, I might try to put all my phone photos into one big blog post just to commemorate the trip as it really was something special.... we visited SO many places and saw SO many lovely friends. It was a really special trip, filled with adventure and memory making and sunshine!

This week's photo theme was 'what scares you'. Well, it was something that scared not me but my darling middle man, which was swimming. Ok, not a huge fear but he just wasn't yet super confident in the water. We made it a little challenge over our two week trip up to Queensland to try and swim every day.... and we did, and then some! The kids swam every day and often two or three times in a day! From hotel pools to my Dad's pool to the beach to the river... they swam and swam and swam. And this kid, this beautiful boy, went from a fairly tentative swimmer to swimming three laps of the pool in one go, diving, jumping and just going for gold. It was amazing to watch, I was so proud to see him flourish with confidence :) 

One morning at my Dad's pool, the kids decided to make a world record of spending the longest time in a pool (ha!). Three hours later, Lily was asking me to call the government and inform them of their progress and Eli was asking if they could sleep IN the pool overnight so they could keep going. When I let him know that would not be an option he eventually dragged himself out to have a little power nap poolside. Then jumped back in for another hour or two!

{Project 52: A portrait of my family, once a week, every week, in 2017)

7.52 {faceless}

Keeping the soap out of his eyes!

{a portrait a week throughout 2017}

30/31 {the january project} back to school haircut

Back to school tomorrow, so it's time for a freshen up. 

Snip, snip!

(Don't worry, he is not cutting off the ear, just trimming around it, haha!)

{january photo a day project}

18/31 {the january project} a surprise adventure

Every now and then, (I won't pretend we are organised enough to make it super consistent!), we like to take one of the kids out in the evening for some special one on one time. 

A special outing can go to 'next level' exciting when you make it a last second surprise.... after bedtime!!! Such a simple thing to do but it makes it that bit extra fun :)

So, Eli was already tucked up in bed when I came into his room with clothes and shoes and said 'Quick, get dressed, I'm taking you out for ice cream!'. Surprised and overjoyed was an understatement!

We got in the car and I jokingly said 'So, do you feel like some icre cream??' And Eli replied sweetly 'I don't mind, Mum, what do you feel like?'

#meltmyheart 

Well, I felt like ice cream of course! 

So we went to the foreshore and ate gelato, walked around the lake, chatted and played. It was simple and lovely.

As we drove home Eli said quietly 'Thanks for taking me out, Mum.' I said 'That's okay, buddy. I just love spending time with you.' He replied 'I love spending time with you too, Mum. It's my favourite thing in the whole wide world'

That's why this kid has my heart forever. He exhausts and yet melts my heart like no other.

Love you, sweet boy xx

{the January photo a day project... but I couldn't choose just one, could I?!}

17/31 {the january project} bubbles

When Daddy 'accidentally' puts in too much bubble bath.....

{a photo a day in January}

7/31 {the january project} Look, Mum!

'Look at this train, Mum!'

Look, look, look.... such a frequent refrain, it can be easy to forget what a privilege it is. To be the one they want to share their joy and achievements with.

Thanks, dear son xx

{a photo a day in January}

20/30 - rest and reconnect

A bit of a cough on Monday morning, 

combined with a boy thoroughly exhausted as he nears the end of his first semester of full time school,

led me to declare a home day for him.... rest was needed! 

#mentalhealthday

The rainy weather gave even more justification for a day snuggled in bed, just reading and reconnecting. 

Honestly, we have all felt the effects of end of term exhaustion and so it was good and much needed for this mama bear too, to spend a little down time snuggling with her beloved and tired little cubs. 

PS Had to sneak this one in too ;) #brotherlylove