That's MY little boy

Grandparents bring such a richness into the childhood.

I remember many many things my Granny taught me.  The stories she told me of her childhood, at how different her time was but how much the same she was in other ways.

Last week Rick's parents came to stay with us.  They live 13 hours' drive north (but they flew) so we don't get to see them much apart from magic Skype!  And despite them having 15 grandchildren aged 30+ down to Dean at 3 and greatgrandchildren a plenty, they have an ever growing, endless supply of love and affection for each of them.  My boys adore their Nan & Pop.

My MIL is a treasure and I love her deeply.  She has taken me in as her own and fills me with pride when she compliments my parenting or the love I have for her son.  I want to make her and Dad proud.  And to top it off, she loves my cooking.  She is a great culinary magician and yet, she kept asking me for the recipes of my smoothies, pasta and cakes.  We are kindred spirits for sure.

In the picture above, she sat down at the boys' little table to play with them, early one morning.  She may have a funny spanish/yorkshire/aussie accent but that doesn't stop the boys from being mesmerised when she speaks.  Here she is showing Dean the photos in her locket.  He looked intently as Nanny told him that she has photos of her 5 children in there and that one of them was their Daddy.

"That's my little boy there- your Daddy" she would say.

My boys didn't quite get the concept.  They agreed that the other children were their aunties and uncles but the little boy that was their Daddy was in fact one of them.  And then it was a little too much and off they pottered with another thought that 'flew into their funnels'.

This week I sorely miss my Mam & Dad, (Nan & Pop).  It is hard to be so far away from family.

xxx

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A portrait a week of my kiddies for 2013

Liam - cheeky mite being photographed by his bestie gal Shelley.  She gets expressions that seem to be reserved for her only, it comes from their mutual crush! (thanks Shell, and thanks for trying to decode my camera to me!!)

Dean - "I the tunnel" then the car comes whooshing along, and through the archway

Finn McMissile - the car in question.  A birthday gift from Shelley and her mummy Auntie Lesley (you two always pick winners albeit loud ones!!).

Yep, I'm linking!

xxx

3

Dean waited all day, til after dinner for his birthday cake, so naturally only 2 spoons would do !

This is what a newly turned 3 year old looks like, who has forgone every meal that day waiting for birthday cake.

While Rick took Liam for a 5 hour return trip to the airport to collect his parents, Dean and I baked a cake for his and his grandfather's birthday.  They share their birthday, separated by 75 odd years, but otherwise twins no?

In fact, when I announced that my baby was due in January 2010, my father-in-law immediately piped up and said "hold on til 13th".  I said alright, pretty much knowing it was a done deal as the same thing happened when Liam was due.  Dad said "hold on til 2 August" and I said "alright", and so it was (this date is my parents-in-law wedding anniversary and their twin daughters' birthday).  I'm a good obedient daughter-in-law I've decided.

The cake is Nigella Lawson's victoria sponge as seen on this blog before.  I iced it in a cream cheese frosting.  The colours of the layers were chosen by Dean himself and inspiration for the cake top was Pinterest (of course!!).  It not quite the creation Rick made the year before, but I am still pleased with it.

And so it is with birthdays and gatherings, I was hot and sweaty and running here there and everywhere.  Thankfully, my gorgeous friend Shelley was on board and grabbed my camera and snapped this pics.

The birthday boys and us.  I wasn't going to include this pic here as the state of my kitchen was woeful and I was just a tad sweaty and frazzled.  But I included it because this is my family and I love them so crazily.

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A portrait of my children each week for 2013

Liam - pouting over his vegetables.  He has been quite a fussy eater but this week we turned a corner.  He ate carrots! He ate beans!  He ate a zucchini & ricotta pie (recipe is in this months Woolworths Magazine).  And you wouldn't believe who I have to thank for it. . . . Yo Gabba Gabba!

Dean - the vegie eating corner also was turned by Dean this week.  Both boys watched, by chance, Yo Gabba Gabba.  The stripey green furry thing was having a party in his tummy.  

Me: "Hey Dean the carrots are crying!  Aww, they want to go to the party in your tummy, can they come?"
Dean: "Alright"

That is how the entire meal was consumed, but consumed it was!

Joining in here.

xxx 

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A portrait of my children each week for 2013

1. Liam - first time on a slip and slide.  The only time he didn't grin this big was when he was impatiently waiting for his turn.

2. Dean - in his happy place.  He absolutely loves the bath and requires much bribing to get him out before he prunes.

Joining in with Jodi

I do look forward to looking at my children grow this year and to improving my anaemic photography skills.

xxx

Shocked in Translation

My Dar and Granny with my Mum, their daughter-in-law, in the middle
(With thanks to my brother Jeremy for uploading our old family pics on Flickr!)

Warning:  This post contains a naughty word expression for those living in Australia and presumably New Zealand.  Bear with me as there is a wholesome point to it all!

I had a delightful Granny.  She passed away a few years back at the ripe age of 97.  I loved her dearly but boy could she crack me up!  It was the generational-gap-lost-in-translation thing.  You know what I am talking about, words that have changed their meaning or gained another meaning like gay, sick, bad etc

As kids we used to laugh at Granny calling our youngest brother a little faggot.  Obviously she meant a bundle of sticks because he was always wriggly and hard to hold.

But the one that got us all in fits of muffled giggles, probably because we had naughty little minds, was her story of how she coped with our grandfather's snoring.  Like many elderly couples, they slept in separate beds although they shared a bedroom.  It was more comfortable for their aged bodies I guess.  But Granny used to complain that her sleep was being disrupted by Dar's chronic snoring.

With a cheeky grin she would say "everytime he snores, I just get up and give him a root*!"

After our shock, and a little disgust at the thought of it, we would then realise her meaning and laugh at hearing her say something so 'naughty' without knowing.  What she meant was she would grab her walking stick that was next to her bed, lean over and poke Dar in the ribs to get him to roll over and stop snoring.  We knew that, but our little corrupted minds would laugh at the other thought, of our grandparents doing-it (eeeewww!).

I grew up in a household that tolerated swearing.  Each of us, my siblings and parents alike, have hot tempers.  The rude words would fly around frequently.  It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I don't swear.  It is a do-not, a deliberate decision to not swear and raise my children with the same amount of dislike for swear words.  But every now and then, the 'old woman' in me, the former person before I made a decision to love Jesus, would rear her ugly tongue and let the f-bomb or s-bomb out.  I have to be mighty angry, but with my temper, well, I am a work in progress.

But only the other day, my boys, 3 and 4 years, began saying the f-bomb. After questioning, they told me a boy at kindy says it.  It broke my heart (and relieved they didn't hear it from me!).  It is crushing to hear such young boys say such an ugly word.  I know that they don't know its meaning, and is said innocently but it reminded me that there is a big world out there that will continue to shock me in translation.

Many of my friends swear and I don't take offense.  They don't swear at me, it has just become so intertwined into our language that for most, there is no longer a 'naughty word' attachment to it.  In one of my former workplaces, I had a colleague who would apologise to me after each time she used the f-bomb in conversation with me.  In the end I simply told her I take more offense to her using Jesus Christ as a swear word.  Different standards.  She couldn't see the offense. That's ok, I was just trying to let her know what I found offensive, if she really wanted to not offend me.

So my wholesome point?  Not to judge any person for the language they use.

Romans 14:13
Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother (or sister or neighbour or stranger)**.

My new reflective, is to say nice things, to be nice, to think nice, and show love through kindness and gentleness.

xxx

*for those in the northern hemisphere, the word root has a double meaning down under. . .  are you getting my drift?
**my own emphasis

By the way, I am totally digging my Mum's Suzi Q hair-do and that dress!  Think I might get myself a hair cut!!

How I will pray for my children

I saw this on Pinterest originally from here.

I love it.  I have been praying generic prayers for my kids.  For them to have good health, to be good people and to look always to Jesus.  But I have always thought that I should be more specific and claim promises from the bible.  And then I find this gem, pinned by a delightful pinner and friend, Vanessa.

I'm not one for new year resolutions as they seem to be in of themselves set up for failure.  Instead, I am going to 'purpose in my heart' (Daniel 1:8) to uphold Christ and all that He taught.  To be the mother He needs me to be.  And to remember that my first mission field is here in my home.

Happy New Year!  2013.  *sigh*

When I was little, I used to wonder what I would be like in 2000.  And that being 23 was so old and mature.  Well, we are now 13 years passed and I am into my 36th year and I have two boys and a husband and many many things that I never imagined could have happen have happened.  Reflection is mind blowing.  Today I think it is better for me to focus on the future and to grab hold of my Saviour's hand.

I hope your new year is filled with many blessings and crafty exploits.  I'm currently working on a stashed UFO that needn't remain unfinished for another year.

What do you want for your children?
Are you working on any UFOs?
Have you made any resolutions?

See you round like a fruit loop.

xxx