Make it Monday: Christmas Cards #2

 In a record late finish for me this year, I finished making Christmas cards this weekend. I sent fewer than usual this year but it still took forever.

 I used one design from last year and came up with two more using my Gonis stamps, cutter and pointer pens. I really like the finish.

 Also using Gonis products I did some special finger-painting cards with the kids which was messy but fun. They don't look as smart but I think they are a lovely keepsake for friends and family.

Gratitude

Santa?

Last week at the Kindergarten Christmas party, Joshua met Santa for the first time and he was amazed.  I noticed it again this week at the Christmas market.  It's so sweet, he's not scared but he's not sure what to make of him yet.

I also learned this week that St.Nicholas and Santa Claus are two different people in Germany.  It's only taken me almost nine years to realise this.  I'm not sure how long kids will go along with this given the rise in American films which are already confusing matters.  German friends are always asking me if we really wait until Christmas morning to open presents.

The children are still at an age where they don't really think about it too much but I think Isabella may start asking questions next year - why is it different for her and her cousins?  It's always been important to me that the kids have the magic of Christmas for as long as possible.  And even with one culture, they ask questions early.  "How can this present be from Grandma? - Santa brought it" etc. 

It also changes depending on religion - here the Jesus child brings the gifts for catholic children.

For now, I think we will just see what questions come and answer them as we go.  I'm just looking forward to having two happy children next week and some quality family time.

Two years!

This time two years ago, I was relieved that the baby had finally put in an appearance - ten days after his due date, but to make up for it, just a three hour labour.  We were nearing the end of our first day together, daddy had brought the big sister to the hospital for their first encounter and I was adapting to being a mummy of two.

When we thought about having another baby, Isabella was about one and a half, she had been a dream as a baby and she was still at the cutest of ages (scientifically proven!)  Naively, I though - this is easy, let's do it again.

The jump to two is way bigger than the switch from none to one.  First of all, Joshua is a very different child.  He refused to sleep in his own bed for ages, during the day he would only sleep on me for six months and he is way more active.  Secondly, while you can divide and conquer when you have two children and are lucky enough to have an amazing co-parent, you get way less 'time out' than with one.  Plus, Isabella quickly moved from the cutest age to the Jekyll and Hyde stage of threenager and beyond.

Starting nursery made the biggest change in Joshua.  I was seriously worried that he wouldn't settle in as he had been such a clingy baby.  Now he runs in every morning (after a goodbye kiss) without looking back and has developed so many skills over the last twelve months.  

He adores his big sister and most of the time she loves her role as teacher and often leads him into mischief.  Our little boy has completed our family in so many ways.

Every day, both of them amaze me in new ways.  I am so proud of how far we have come over the last two years - through all of the ups and downs and I am equally excited about the next two years and beyond.

Make it Monday - Ceramic Drawing with Children

Through my Gonis sideline, I came across ceramic drawing recently.  I bought a turquoise pen to try out for myself and knew that Isabella would love to try it.

A few months ago when Nico was donating blood, they had a kids corner where she did something similar on glass.  Last time we were at Ikea, I snopped around the bargain corner and picked up a couple of dirt cheap mugs (because you can never have too many, right?) and let her loose on them.

I love that she tried it and liked it, I also love the relaxation that the activity brings out in me.  It's so nice to let your mind wander and really doodle. The pens are washable if you don't bake the finished product in the oven, so it's up to you whether you keep your design or start over with something new.

I really recommend trying it whether, you do it yourself or let the little ones go wild.

Make it Monday - Salt-dough Christmas Decorations

 This week I promised myself I would do more with the kids so we started our Christmas projects and made these decorations over two nights.

 On the first evening I made the dough from 2 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of water. It was very easy. Isabella loved making her own shapes. Joshua got confused between playdough and cookies but managed a few shapes too, with guidance.

 Once we had baked them a few times in the oven and let them cool, they were ready to paint.

 I let them loose with my Gonis acrylic paints and again, Isabella loved it. Joshua hated it. He liked the idea but preferred using his hands over the brush and just wanted to run around with paint everywhere. He managed a few designs though.

It took a lot of self-control to let the kids get creative and paint how they wanted but I love that we have some real keepsakes here. I would definitely recommend it. 

Light Upgrade

We've struggled for a while with the light in Isabella's room.  With the ceiling being at a funny angle, most of the light is at one side of the room only and it is not where she sleeps.

She's at an age where she's enjoying books more and more and of course, we read to her on a night.  We were stuck between using the very bright desk lamp next to her bed, or the 'big lights' which were further away, until we found this strip light at Ikea.

It is lightweight, pretty and fixes perfectly on the sloping ceiling thanks to some double sided sticking pads that come with it.  After a few wobbles about not messing with the wire, and the dangers of electricity, Isabella loves it.

It's so pretty - a perfect and inexpensive uplift to a little girly room.

Make it Monday: Lanterns

This year we are going to two lantern festivals and the kids are making their own lanterns for the first time in Kindergarten.

The first festival is with my friends from the post-natal class I took after having Joshua and I decided to surprise the kids with new lanterns.  I ordered these kits from Amazon and over three evenings last week, I managed to put them together. 

They are sturdier than lanterns we've made before, although some bits fall off and I'll need to superglue them before the big night.  There's going to be punch, sausages and singing.  We are in charge of the campfire bread.  Look out for the recipe!

Woods

Last week while my Dad was here, we had plans to get out and about with the kids.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't great so we decided not to go too far but get the rain clothes on, pack some hot tea and snacks and discover a local play area.

The kids both had adventures in the woods with their respective daycare groups at the beginning of Summer last year and loved it, but we had yet to go there as a family.  We took the trailer with us and had a little walk through the woods to this huge sand dune.  The whole place is ten minutes drive from us and the kids are the perfect age for us to go there more often now.

We were there for a couple of hours and it wasn't as busy as I had expected on a bank holiday.  The kids ran around, climbed, discovered dens and made up their own games. I actually found it quite relaxing.  We'll definitely be going there again.

For me, it is the perfect inspiration to get outside more before the weather gets too cold and discover some local areas.

Make it Monday: Friendship Bracelets

Yesterday I saw a video on Facebook which I unfortunately can't find anymore but it was something like this.  It was so easy, I thought I would give it a try with Isabella and she could do it.  It involved counting and colours, so she learned a bit too.

Of course, Isabella's concentration did not last very long so I ended up making most of these three bracelets.  One for her, one for Joshua and one for Isabella's little friend.  It was a fun, easy little make and it's great for using up scraps.

Motherhood

For the last four years a lot of my reading has been based around motherhood and I've noticed a couple of things.

First of all, despite what social media might lead you to think, 99% of mothers struggle, especially at the beginning.  I've faced the struggle myself with both of my children.  The thing is, there is no handbook.  Being a mother is such a huge responsibility and nobody can tell you how to do it.  Lots of people think they can tell you how to do it but at the end of the day it is such a personal thing - each mother and each child is different - and many of those well-meaning pieces of advice can end up putting more pressure on us.

Personally, I fell into the trap of thinking that my second child would be as 'easy' as the first.  I thought, "now that I have learned how to be a mother, I can think about having another baby" - I was so naive!  My son is so different and has taught me a whole new set of lessons over the last year and a half, plus my big one skipped the terrible twos but became a terrible threenager and turning four certainly hasn't helped matters.  I've now accepted the fact that I'll never be done learning with these two (and we're certainly not planning a third!)

Secondly, there is a whole different pressure on mothers as opposed to parents.  Nobody asks dads how they are coping with the work-life balance and nine times out of ten, it's mummy who has a lot more to plan and organize for a family.  Sometimes, I really feel the weight of that pressure. On the other hand, I am often the quietest when I am out with mummy friends and the 'husband bashing' starts because I am truly blessed to be with a man who pulls his weight around the house.

What mummy blogs and magazines have also taught me, is that there's not just a lot of struggling mums out there - but a whole lot of support if we learn how to ask for and offer help in the right way.  It has helped me so much to see that I am not alone in the struggle.  While lots of these blogger mums suffer a huge backlash for being open and honest about their feelings, exactly that frankness has helped me in some of the darker times and while I am not ready to be so open online, I do what I can in the 'real world'.

And before the bashing starts - just because I struggle at times does not mean I do not love my kids.  They are my biggest blessing.  Perhaps that is why I feel the pressure so much; because nothing is more important to me.  At the moment, our work-life balance is changing again and I am already feeling blessed to be able to spend more time with my children and after some close to home experiences, I am feeling more grateful and privileged than ever to be a mummy to my two wonderful children.

Make it Monday: Crochet Ladybird

 At the weekend I finished this little guy. I got the pattern and wool on special offer when I was ordering some other wool earlier in the year.

I chose the ladybird because Joshua is in the ladybird group at nursery and I've got something else lined up for Isabella.

The pattern was straight forward for a relative beginner like me. It took me a month but it was a busy month and I hope my new commute will help me find more time for crochet.

My first crochet animal! Both kids love her already.

Harbour Boat Trip

Last week we took the kids out of daycare to travel to Bremen and take them on their first boat tour.  We were lucky to have glorious weather that day and a lovely breeze from the river.  We took water and snacks and had a wonderful family day out.

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that you don't have to go far to get that holiday feeling.  I love these day trips and I hope we'll manage a few more.  This one is still one of my favourite memories from last Summer.

I wasn't sure how the kids would react but they both loved it.  They sat and looked for a while and then they ran around and played a bit but all within limits and they were not a bit of trouble.  Isabella was very proud to tell her Grandma all about it on the telephone.  She loved spotting other ships and some of the industrial areas, especially the 'broken down pirate ships'.  They both slept well afterwards too!

For me, it was a sign that we can do more with the kids and it's wonderful to enter this new stage as a family where we can do more and the kids are a little more independent. 

Make it Monday - Frozen Necklace

Isabella was inundated with Frozen themed craft gifts for her birthday.  Finally, I had time to open some with her yesterday.  The first one we completed was this necklace.  It's actually two bracelets but they can be joined to form a necklace, which she prefers.

Everything we needed was provided but we had to make most of the charms.  I've dabbled with jewellery making but never anything as fiddly as this and I'm really pleased with the outcome, especially since I didn't have the tools.

It was also really fun for Isabella and for me to do something together.  She often sees me making things but can't often join in yet.  This was perfect for doing something together and she has a pretty new necklace as a result.  Really looking forward to crafting more with her in the holidays and making more time to be creative with her and Joshua in the future.

4 years old!

Our little girl turned four on Monday.  I don't know where the time has gone.  It's always at these big milestones that I get emotional and reflect a lot on the past and it seems like just yesterday that she arrived.  

Since her brother was born she has certainly become more of a little girl and less of a baby.  She surprised me so much in how fantastic a big sister she is. There's never been any jealousy between them (I'm well aware that it will come at some point) and she is like a little mummy to him. He adores her too.

She started Kindergarten in October and is consistently praised for being social and including all her classmates in games.  That's also the reason we had twenty children here on Monday for her birthday party.  We hadn't expected that everyone would be able to come but it speaks volumes for her that so many did and luckily the weather was good so we had cake and games in the garden.

It is the biggest honour and pleasure to watch this girl grow and learn.  She is so clever and inquisitive and while it is at times exhausting, I wouldn't have her any other way. I'm loving this stage, as I loved every stage she's been at and I'm looking forward to all that her fifth year is going to bring.

Make it Monday - Party Bags

Today I've been making little party bags for Isabella's party later.

We took some plain breakfast bags and stamped them with the same colours and shapes as the invitations.

Each one has a lolly, a little bag of skittles and a glow in the dark jewellery item. We also got some water guns on offer but they were too big so we'll hand them out separately. Can't wait!

Make it Monday - Birthday Invitations

 Isabella turns four this month and there's going to be a big party. As a child, I never liked having to pick and choose among friends and I hated being told "sorry, you're not invited, I'm only allowed ... friends." Since Isabella is so social and often praised for including everyone at Kindergarten, I told her she could invite everyone. Hence a day spent making twenty-one invitations and a week hoping half that number might already have plans.

 While we were out on Saturday, I stocked up on pink card and flower stickers. I found a tulip template online and resized it.
Today I cut out twenty-one pink tulips. Isabella helped me stick on the flowers, I added washi tape and wrote the friends' names and she went crazy with a flower stamp and my ink-pad. Then I wrote the details on the back.

It was a fun, practical project and Isabella loved helping. I always forget how easy and fun it can be to get her involved in crafts.

Height Charts

 Following on from Monday's post, I used the long weekend to get the second height chart finished and Nico helped me hang them in the kids' rooms.

The photos are adorable. They're such a fantastic visual record of how the children have changed so much already. I can't wait to see when they're finished (and the kids are taller than me!).

They look great, I was really happy to have made something for them that's a nice memory and also brightens up their rooms. I hope they'll last!

Make it Monday - Kid's Height Chart

For a while, I've been looking for a height chart for Joshua. Isabella has one with stickers but I haven't been able to find anything similar.

Then I saw this. It's one kit that can be a tree or a flower and I couldn't resist getting one for each of the kids.

At the time I didn't realise that it was a make-it-yourself kit but that's actually been half the fun. I finished this one for Isabella within a few hour and now I just need to fill it in and hang it up.

Just Joshua's to do now - good job it's a long weekend!

Reading Review - Kids edition!

My reading has slowed down a little at the moment and I'm good with that.  This month I thought I would share with you some of the reading I've been doing with Isabella.  She's now three and a half so we read to her and I try to be consistant in reading English while Nico reads in German.

The BFG - Roald Dahl

We've been reading this since my Mum came to visit before Christmas.  I try to do a chapter each time but sometimes we mix it up.  I was a little unsure if she was ready for such a long book but she really enjoys it, she is excited to find out what happens next and she tells her own stories with giants and the Queen!  I love Roald Dahl and I would definitely recommend reading this.

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes - Mark Pett and Gary Rubenstein

This one was recommended as a good book to read to girls.  I think it's a good message for boys too to be honest.  I'm not sure she totally grasps the message yet but she does enjoy this one and along with Tiger in a Tutu, she's enjoying it just for the story right now.

Green Eggs and Ham - Dr Seuss

Isabella has three Dr Seuss books and we love reading all of them but I think this is her favourite right now.  The words and rhyme are amazing and I love that Isabella's learning English through such a talented author.