Busy Beaver

Isn't it amazing how much you can get done when you're the only one in the house! With DH working and the girls at their grandparents, I been able to complete everything on my 'to do' list and more this weekend. Not a whole lot of scrapping going on, but hey, the day is young.

My newest pages...

Lots to do

Elisa went down to Mum and Dads on Wednesday, and Brooke is about to head down there after school. Both girls are over the moon excited to be going to Nanny and Papas. Elisa especially just couldn't contain her excitement. She was so funny to watch.

So...I get a couple of days to myself. DH is working, so I'm going to busy myself with:
Scrapping
Church Service Project on Saturday Morning
Attend a baptism
Type up Presidency Meeting Minutes
Type up job descriptions for our Relief Society Board Members
Design the Visiting Teaching Handout for March
Do some exercise
Create this weeks 365 pages
Put together the Relief Society Newsletter for March
Go to our Ward Conference on Sunday

Wow, I guess I do have a few things to get done huh. Always looks like more when you actually list it. Here are the projects I've done this week, and also last weeks 365 pages:











Have a great weekend everyone!

Being a good mum

I thought Brooke would be raring to go for the new school year, but it's almost like it's the end of the term, and she's showing tired signs, being difficult and grumpy in the mornings and evenings. I spoke to her teacher and a few of the other mums and they say their kids are the same. Could be the heat, could be that the holidays took more out of them than we realised. I'm sure some of it has to do with her reduced sleep hours. She still goes to bed at 7.3opm, but because it's been so hot she is quite often lying there still awake at 9pm. It will be nice when the weather cools just a little.

Brooke got really grumpy at me last week when I told her (firmly) for the 4th time to go brush her hair before school. She stomped off to the bathroom, mumbling under her breath and closed the door. I promptly opened the door and quietly asked her if she was choosing to have a good day or a bad day. The choice was up to her. She thought about it for a few seconds and answered "A bad day!". Well I can tell you that was not what I was expecting to hear, and I burst out laughing. She couldn't help cracking a smile then, realising how silly she sounded. She snapped out of her bad mood then and there, and the rest of the morning went smoothly. I realise that how she responds to me is directly related to how I respond to her. I am trying to be more patient, speak softer, be more understanding. I'm not always successful, but I'm trying. We've started saying morning prayers before going to school too. And when my patience is being tested. The Spirit immediately calms us/me, and I know our prayers are being answered.

The girls are really enjoying Family Home Evening too. It's a new thing for us, but the kids love it. This weeks lesson was from the Nursery Manual, "Heavenly Father Has a Plan for Me". They loved all the singing (we sang LOTS of songs) and enjoyed making the mobile and colouring it in. It's hanging in their bedrooms now. Next weeks lesson is about how to pray.

And now for my latest 365 pages:





And here are some pages I've done for The Digi Chick:





My New Years Resolution is to do focused teaching and spend more quality time with Elisa. I thing we're achieving that. I feel like I've been a good mum today anyway. Today Elisa did some Kiwi Kids homework about the numbers 0 and 1.
She traced the dotted lines in her homework book, then I got out the shaving cream and we played with that on the kitchen bench, drawing 0's and 1's in the cream. She loved that.

We then went upstairs and played a number recognition game which she also enjoyed, and read a farmyard counting book that she got for Christmas from the Kemps.

Then Elisa and I played 'Mums and babies' (she was the mum), and decorated some bikkies with icing and sprinkles. We had a great time, after which she happily went down for a nap. We were expecting Aron and Clara to come over and play after school today, but they've postponed their visit till next week now, so I'm thinking of taking the girls for a bike ride or a bus ride after school instead. I'm sure they'll enjoy either activity.

Back with a freebie

Hubby's Grandfather passed away last week just a few days short of his 94th Birthday. We ended up flying down for the funeral, taking the girls with us, which they thought was just fabulous. Our girls love their Nana and Poppa to pieces, and Brooke has been asking to go down for the last 3-4 months, so you can imagine how happy they were to spend nearly 5 days with them. Granddad's funeral service was really lovely. Read the little story on this layout about what Elisa did:





We came back just in time for Brooke to start school for the year. She is Year 2 now, and has been placed in a Year 2/Year 3 mixed class. Her teacher is fresh out of teachers college, and seems OK so far (fingers crossed). Brooke is happy to be back with her friends again.

Elisa started Kiwi Kids today, which is an extended Playcentre Session for the over 3 yr olds. She loved it. Got paint everywhere. Now that Brooke is at school, Elisa and I will have little teaching sessions at home each day. Topics will include letter and number recognition, counting, writing practise, computer skills, music, art etc, concentrating on just one topic each day. She enjoys that too. Today we did some art, then practised counting on the Playhouse Disney Games Website. I think I'm going to get her a little wee computer mouse that fits her hand better. I've seen them around. I made this for Elisa too. She of course thinks it is just wonderful and insisted I post letters to her immediately. I'll make one for Brooke next week using different papers.



I also finished last weeks 365 pages. The theme was all about Brooke. This week will be about Elisa.


See the separate pages close up HERE and HERE.

And I promised a freebie didn't I? Here it is, a quick page of this layout from my last post. Click on the image below to download from 4shared:



OK, that's about it for now. Have a great week!