Feeling thankful for:

• a little baby who has learnt the art of sitting up!

• 3 boys chatting in their pyjamas. A glimpse of the friendship that is forming between them.

• an abundance of rain that has seen us kept indoors for most of the week.

• a large undercover area downstairs. Plenty of room for running and jumping and drying washing on said wet days.

• that my children love to play on these amusement rides even if Mama has no coins!

• days that are so full, some of us can't stay awake during dinner.

• a visit with a dear friend who needed some distraction from waiting for baby. (Pleased to say that a baby boy, Israel, arrived last night!)

I hope you've found some moments of gratitude this past week!

x Shara

Feeling thankful for:

• the ability and tools to cut the boys hair. It saves us around $50 at the barber. Plus, we have a lot of fun experimenting with weird and wonderful styles before buzzing it all off.

• my Mum taking the big boys for the whole day on Saturday. To the beach for swimming, fish & chips and ice cream. They had a great day!

• a wonderful local library. We visit every Thursday afternoon as a family. It has a delightful children's area that keeps the boys occupied while Kaleb and I search out books.

• Caspian joining us at the dinner table.

• 3 little boys all in a row at the dinner table. 3 little boys who all love to eat!

• Sunday morning sleep ins! 

• watching Kung Fu Panda 2 with Roman and giggling non stop together, because that movie is so funny. 

I hope you've got many moments to be grateful for this week!

x Shara

This week I'm thankful for:

• wonderful time spent with family and friends celebrating Roman's birthday.

• finishing a knitting project that has taken much of my time and brain space!

• a husband who handles middle of the night vomiting children much better than I do.

• a beautiful linen skirt my Mum found for me at the op shop for 50c.

• lovely, happy packages waiting at the post office for me.

• an awesome rainy week, filling our tanks, followed by a beautiful, sunshine filled weekend.

• listening to Roman read books, all on his own, with just the occasional help from me. It's opened up so much independence for him. Reading is awesome!

I hope you've found much to be thankful for this week!

x Shara

Feeling thankful for:

• plenty of rain. Filling the tanks and greening up the lawns and gardens.

• gorgeous yellow roses blooming.

• watching Leo move into the world of imaginative play.

• a generous home schooling family in our street who gave of their time this week. Showing us the ins and outs of their day as we prepare to home school Roman once this term finishes.

• Kaleb having the weekend off again.

• watching the boys craft together, play together. Hoping their friendship will strengthen as they spend more time together.

• watching Caspian try with all his might to get crawling. 

Hope you've had a wonderful relaxing weekend.

x Shara

Thankful for:

• new tyres on the car. A gift from my Dad.

• a surprise visit from my older brother. He was in the 'neighbourhood', which is funny because he actually lives 12 hours north from here.

• an impromptu afternoon and evening out for Roman at a friends place.

• plenty of sewing time over the weekend.

• a little bit of rain. It all helps.

• Kaleb and I experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. Grateful for a local library with lots of recipe books.

{delicious hot Churros with chocolate sauce}

• even though Leo has officially stopped napping in the daytime, I did enjoy 2 impromptu naps from him this week. I forgot how lovely it is to have both him and Caspian asleep at the same time!

{I found Leo napping in this precarious position, sans pants!}

I hope you've found many reasons to be grateful over the past week.

x Shara

Gratitude Sunday

I'm grateful for ::

:: Funny pictures I see on Pinterest. Like the one above. I like to laugh, it makes me feel good!

:: The Sunday night exhale. Kaleb's RDO's are Monday and Tuesday, so Sunday night is actually our Friday night.

:: A new friend. A school mum, whose daughter has become good friends with Roman. The more we chat, the more we find in common. Her and her 3 girls spent the morning at our home on Friday. It's so great to have female company. Something I've been missing for a long while.

:: Living close by to my Mum. She broke her arm on Wednesday and it's a relief to know I will be able to easily help her out over the next month or so.

:: Mulberry Season. We pick a bowlful each afternoon. The boys have them scoffed before any make it inside.

:: Roman having a 2 night sleepover at his Nana's house, Friday and Saturday night. I missed him terribly, the longest I've been apart from him. But I must admit I did enjoy the extra peace and quiet ;)

:: Kaleb being able to easily get Caspian off to sleep at night after I've breastfed him. I was pretty full on about being the #1 parent for Leo, which left me feeling burnt out. This time around Kaleb wants to be equal parenting partners with me. I'm so blessed to have such a caring husband...

X Shara

Joining in at Wooly Moss Roots.

Gratitude Sunday

:: I am grateful for the 2 years I spent with a teeny, tiny, barely functional kitchen, because it has made me really, really grateful for the large kitchen I have now!

:: I am grateful that I love to cook and bake, and that preparing a 3 meals a day for my family doesn't feel like a chore (most of the time!)

:: I am grateful for a couple of early nights this week. Leo has been OK with bedtimes and when he goes down early, I have been too.

:: I am grateful again, for my once a week sleep in, Kaleb is currently working a 4 day week, so we have 1 sleep in each and then 1 day we get up together. It's been really nice!

:: I am grateful for my growing knitting skills. This week I finished a knitted gnome for Leo (I'll share him on Wednesday) and now I am trying something a bit more advanced! Knitting seemed like something I should leave in the too hard basket, but as I move through some simple projects, I am realising that it's not so bad after all, (and remembering that I had similar thoughts when I learnt to crochet).

:: I am grateful for 2 really cool days (slippers and jumper cool), it's unseasonal but very welcome.

:: I am grateful for our new bed frame that arrived this week, many months after ordering it. We have been lucky enough to have a king size bed our whole married life, and I don't think I could ever go to something smaller. It is a real luxury, and I never take it for granted!

What are you grateful for?

x Shara

Joining in over at Wooly Moss Roots!

PS: It seems a bit funny to say "our whole married life"! We've been married 5!

Gratitude Sunday

:: I am grateful for Sunday Sleep-ins. Thanks to my Husband, I didn't get out of bed until 10:30 this morning. Although I didn't get to sleep before midnight, for the second night in row....

:: I am grateful for children who are happy and healthy. Even if the youngest is a night owl! (see above!)

:: I am grateful for the convenience of nearby shops. I wasn't up early enought to bake bread for lunch.

:: I am grateful for air conditioning in the living area of our home. The last 2 days have been so warm - just a taste of whats to come - and it helps to turn the air con on for an hour or two in the middle of the day, so we can enjoy lunch and a rest in comfort.

:: I am grateful for the slivers of moments I see our boys playing together, giggling, tickling and lots of smiles.

:: I am grateful that when Kaleb does alot of overtime, during the week, they give him an extra day off. I love the relaxation that happens on a 3 day weekend!

:: I am grateful for the wisdom to release things that are getting me down. External problems do not have the power to control my emotions. Some things are not worth the worry. 5 years ago I wouldn't have known how to do that.

:: I am grateful for spring gardening, and the oppurtunity to be outside together. After 6 years of apartment living, it's so nice to walk out our front door, into our own space.

:: I am grateful for toddler naptime!!!

:: I am grateful for easy 1 tray dinners. Quick, easy and minimal clean up!



x Shara

Sharing gratitudes with friends over at Wooly Moss Roots!

Gratitude Sunday

:: I am grateful for op-shops and the chance they give me to find all new (to me) summery linen for Roman's bed. Everything in the picture was purchased for a total of $8.50!

:: I am so glad that friends of ours moved into our old house. They needed somewhere to live right when we were leaving and it fit perfectly for them to take our place. It's also turned out to be good for me, because a book that I had been waiting for, that was on backorder, arrived at their house this week (even though I had changed our address with the company), and they were able to drop it off today.

:: I am grateful for 2 mattresses that came into our possession today. Someone was giving them away and they will come in handy when we have our family to stay over Christmas.

:: I love having our new big yard and garden, and the opportunity it has given us this week to work together as a family. Every afternoon, Kaleb has been mowing the grass with our old fashioned push mower, and Roman and I have been filling bucket after bucket of weeds. We are not finished yet, but it looks so much tidier. I love that Roman is still at the age where weed pulling is fun and not chore!

What are you grateful for today?

x Shara

Join in over at Wooly Moss Roots...

Gratitude Sunday

I love to read Wooly Moss Roots, and every Sunday, Taryn shares a lovely post, listing all the things she is grateful for. I have always enjoyed reading it and now another of my favourite bloggers, A Crafty Little Nest, has joined in, along with, I am sure, many others!!

So without further ado, here is my first GRATITUDE SUNDAY list!

 

:: Finding a beautiful yellow rose blooming in the garden, and noticing 5 more buds!! The best part is I haven't had to tend this plant at all! The owners have done such a great job with this garden.

 

:: Living a quiet life, and being able to really slow down with the boys in these past weeks. Particularly as Roman has been experiencing anxiety and periods of crying etc. He needs me close and lots of hugs. And Leo, who we have been night weaning, needs lots of extra daytime hugs too, to fill up his love tank, and get him through the nights.

 

:: The online community. Through the internet I have been able to connect with new people, which has led to real life connections. Like THIS group! We've also been able to get some silkworms and Kombucha SCOBY, by way of Facebook!

 

:: I am so grateful for Kaleb, who has been a huge help over the past few weeks, with my back so sore. He took time off work to look after the boys and our home, so I could rest in bed. He has helped me get dressed and undressed, to the shower and toilet, brushed my hair and cooked and cleaned. I am reminded of this verse, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him...But pity the man who falls down and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

 

What are you grateful for?

 

x Shara