school trip

Because I had last Friday off I was able to go and see #2 get his principal/s certificate and accompany #1's class on their field trip.  It was a pretty lovely day.

 Learning about the creek.

 Hanging with best buddies.

 Checking the water quality.

Doing some planting.

dramarama

Two weeks ago #2's teacher pulled me aside for a wee chat.  Turns out that the struggles we've been having at home (not listening, not doing what we asked and easily getting off track), were also going on in the class and it was becoming a problem.  At home we were regularly getting grumpy with his behaviour.  Then the PE teacher casually said something similar to me about him and I also saw the soccer coach taking him aside for a talking to.  Uh oh... where was this heading?  We were pretty concerned and set about sorting things out to help him out.  Obviously telling him to listen and asking him to focus wasn't doing a bit of good.  I am so happy to say that things are so much better now.  I am quite impressed how quickly we managed to get things turned around.  He even got the class certificate at assembly on Friday as his teacher was so pleased.

What we've been doing: 

• putting the boys in separate bedrooms = at least an extra hour sleep a night
• fish oils in his green smoothies
• using Dianne Levy's "ask, tell, act" strategy
• using Simone's reward sticker chart with both boys to earn computer time
• we also made a bit of an afternoon schedule which involves an earlier dinner (530) and being in bed earlier too, both boys seem to thrive on routine but I've really neglected having one for a long time

wynyard quarter's first birthday

It was a few weeks back now but I still had these photos to share.  The Wynyard Quarter is a great spot and there is always heaps of things on.  I love the free movies in the summertime, the kids workshops and the general waterfront vibe.  #2 is rockin a pair of 3D movie glasses without the lenses, he loves to wear them.

this moment

drink your greens

 Breakfast for the past couple of weeks has included something new.

 Yep, we're on the green smoothie wagon.  Why eat your greens when you can drink them?  To be honest I'm not a big salad or spinach fan but I know that they're so good for you. 

Of course I had to buy a kick arse new blender because my old one just wasn't powerful enough.

You can chuck in whatever you like really.  We've been sticking to the fruit and veg ones but I've heard that milk (of your choice) based smoothies are good.  The idea of milk and spinach is a bit off putting.

Our basic green smoothie:

1/2 - 1 cup of Apple Juice

1/2 - 1 cup water

1 squishy banana

1 whole apple

1 whole kiwifruit

2 big handfuls of spinach

Sometimes I add a peeled orange or lemon

Also a spoonful of soaked chia or flax seeds is good too

 The boys love using straws and I was determined to find some reusable ones which weren't those plastic twisty straws.  These stainless steel smoothie straws are from Living and Giving for about $2.50.

Now I know the idea of a fruit smoothie with greens in can be a bit freaky, but trust me you can make them delicious and get lots of nutrients into your body without too much effort.  I even managed to convince NanaD to try a bit when she was here and she thought it wasn't too bad.  The boys  happily drink down a glass (technically a jar) full every morning.

black sand... uh oh

On Sunday afternoon we went for a family trip to Muriwai.  

It's a rugged black sand beach on the West coast.

#1 and I are doing the kids marathon (part of the Auckland Marathon in October) so we did our jog on the beach.  If you have a kid aged 7+ it's quite an achievable goal.  Basically you run/walk/jog a marathon over 8-12 weeks (3-5km per week), finishing with a 2k crossing the Auckland Marathon finish line.  Most importantly the kids get a medal (and Mum or Dad can run with them too).

There was one big mishap on the dunes though.  The boys were so far up that we couldn't really warn them about how to run down safely.  #2 came charging towards us and couldn't slow down or stop at the bottom, leading to a massive head first dive, over a reasonable drop, into the sand.  I was standing up to take the picture and you can see the drop off at the bottom of the shot.  

We were amazed that he wasn't injured.  Lucky he's so bendy and the sand was so soft.

things i'm loving

I went on the year two museum trip...

the rats were the big hit of the day.

Loved eating this bacon and egg pie for dinner.

Science experiments.

Tamagotchis have new batteries and are being played with again.

nom nom

Toasting marshmellows and baking (freshly caught) fish in an old pot in the back yard.  

ravioli

I picked this up from the op shop recently, brand new, for $10.

They sell for $55 in the shops (crazy!) so it was a pretty good deal.

We made chicken and spinach ravioli, dairy free of course.

My assistant loved making it.  Me... not so much.

We topped it with yummy vegan parmesan (blend together 1/4C toasted sesame seeds, 1/4tsp salt and 1/4C nutritional yeast).  The ravioli was delicious but really not worth all the hours required to make it.  I wish I could buy dairy free ravioli in the supermarket but every variety contains cheese of some sort.

blog books and visitors

Poppa and #2 enjoying one of the new blog books together.  I've done 2006, 2007 and 2008 now.

  

It's been lovely having Mum and Dad here for the weekend.  Missing them already.

bloggy spam

So after six years of blogging I've started to get blog comment spam in my inbox.
Here is today's one:

[growing up] New comment on waaaaa.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "waaaaa": 

It's a pity you don't havе a donate button!
I'd most certainly donate to this excellent blog! I suppose for now i'll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed tο my Gοοgle аccount.  I look forward to new uρdates and will share this websіte with my Facebоok group.
Talk ѕoon!
Here is my site(always a different link at the end)

It is very annoying, especially as I think "oh yay a comment" and then it is spam.  Grrrrr.

It doesn't appear that the comments actually come up on the blog at all, just end up in my inbox.  Has this happened to you and what do I do about it?  As it's not even appearing on the blog would the word verification thing help at all?  I know lots of you clever blogging mummies will know what to do.

Thanks

x

waaaaa

Sore back, kid with flu, PMS waaaawawawa.  (Photo from July).

Actually I find grizzling so boring.  I'd much rather think of some stuff to be grateful for.

So here goes...

• I'm stoked that Alexis Pritchard (my physio) was the first ever New Zealand woman to win an Olympic boxing bout (this morning).  She's up against the world #2 next so cross your fingers!
• I got my new blender today so I can make super nutritious raw fruit and vege smoothies.
• Our kind neighbour hung out on the couch so I could pop to school to pick up #2 without #1 having to get out of his sick bed.

I read somewhere recently about someone who always thinks of things that they don't really like doing as "I get to..." rather than I have to.  I think it may have been in relation to people who couldn't have children or had lost a child :o(.  Like I get to change the wet bedding, I get to stay up all night with the sick kid, I get to pick up after my kids, I get to listen to them arguing... because really the alternative isn't even worth imagining.  Right now I get to rustle up some dinner and feed the wee lovelies. See I feel better already.

saturday

The Wynyard Quarter celebrated it's first birthday yesterday so of course we had to pop down and check it out.  There's so much to see and do down there and lots of great spots for pictures.  Will post more of our Saturday in the city later on (we also went to Pick n Mix at the Aotea centre).

this moment

{this moment} -  A single photo  - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.   Thanks SouleMama

testing testing

Who'd have thought that a little high frequency hearing loss would require so many tests?

It's probably a genetic thing, as big brother and I both have some hearing loss too. 

It's not bad enough to require amplification (hearing aids) but the ENT specialist at Starship is concerned enough that he ordered blood tests and yesterday a CT scan.  Our lovely boy is also on the list to see cardiology to get an EKG (I think), and he'll have to have his hearing checked every six months to make sure it doesn't get worse.  With him seeing opthalmology and immunology every year or two, I don't think he's going to get off the Starship books for quite some time.  Having said that, every time we go there I am so grateful that he's healthy, happy, clever, and strong.  There are so many children there who are in a really bad situation with no hope of improvement, it's heartbreaking.

RIP Margaret Mahy

Margaret Mahy was an awesome author and a great teller of stories.

We were sad to hear that she died last week.

I remember being read "The Lion In the Meadow" many times as a girl.

In turn I have read it many times to our boys.

I grew up hearing her tell stories on many occasions at school and the library.  I was excited to take the boys to meet her at the storylines festival three years ago.  We sat and listened to her wonderful poetry (Bubble Trouble and Down the back of the chair) and stories before lining up to get two of our books signed.

Those books will remain some of our favourites for years to come.  I imagine they'll be the ones that are held onto for the next generation.