The Legs. They Are Talking.

We spent a couple of hours at a beautiful local park on Sunday. We had a mission of climbing trees. So off we went.

The tree climbing lasted all of about five minutes - when the kids decided that they were too scared, and I decided that they needed to spend more time in the country.

We then went on an adventure through the gardens, scootered, and Matt and I enjoyed some time sitting on park benches, on the grass, and just next to each other semi-chatting, mostly watching the smalls and enjoying being outside on a perfect Spring day. There's something to be said for comfortable silences.

We're now just one week shy of the school holidays. I've got some ideas on how to keep the smalls entertained during the two weeks - have you got plans?

I Am A Spring Swinger

Well hello there Spring. I am so, so glad to see your sunny face. Just look at that brilliant blue sky of yours.
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It's been a while, but yesterday Tiny and I dropped the Doctor off to school, then headed to the park. Just the two of us. Soaking up the sunny rays, admiring the abundance of flowers, and pretending we were in a forest, or that we were Sleeping Beauty, or in Narnia. We love a bit of role playing.

Tiny gathered up all sorts of flowers, in the folds of her skirt, and we moved around the park taking in all the different climbing trees and spaces to explore.

We both got on the swings and we swung. If you've not known that giddy feeling for a while, it's time to get on a swing. It is simple joy.

These are my very favourite days. Spending time with my smalls with nothing much to do, except 'be'. Spending time with Tiny is one of my favourite and my best. I went back to work when she was just wee, well not super wee, but still small, and I miss being home with her. So yesterday was one of those sweet days, when we had nothing in particular to do, except be with each other. And bake a marble cake.

Now just one day 'til the weekend. Spring, please, stay around a while.

Life is good my friends, life is good.

Really Filthy Feet

Here's testament to a busy and fun filled weekend. Look at Tiny's filthy footsies as captured by my friend Anna.

You know those doughnut things on a tilt, that spin 'round and 'round? Well Tiny lies on it, doesn't move and waits for someone to push it and she just grips on like a koala on a tilt a whirl. Deeeesgusting.

So she asked me to wash her feet, I obliged. She promptly returned to the spinning doughnut and got her wet foot back in that dirty, dirty dirt.

What's a mama to do but let her play and get dirty and have fun?

Well Hello Holidays!

This is a sponsored post.

I couldn't think of any better way to spend a perfectly sunny and Spring-a-licious Sunday than heading to the park. A really, really big park. Seeing the smalls run around, happy, it's a simple pleasure. Not to mention the benefits that come with an extended park visit. Kids that go to bed on time. It's win: win.

I love a good park, and I can wholeheartedly vouch that 'Kids In The Park' at Sydney Olympic Park is no ordinary park. It's huge. It's sprawling. It's green, and there are little hills that remind me of the Teletubbies. So fun.

Given the Doctor is learning to ride his bike, we decided to check out Newington Armory . The tracks are wide and flat, so it's perfect terrain for a beginner, with Tiny riding on her push-along. In fact, if the smalls hadn't seen the playground, we could have ridden all day. But they saw it, and while they were happy to explore the Armory, they were intent on clocking up some time climbing, swinging and sliding.

No matter, we rode for about 45 minutes, explored the Armory, checked out the Birds Australia Discovery Centre, where we saw live footage of a month old eagle in its nest - pretty rad. How often do you get a birds eye view? (BOOM BOOM!)

Then we rode back, had an iceblock on the grass overlooking the Rivercats cruising past, a quick coffee, then we were whisked off to the playground by our small companions.

If you're looking for something to keep the smalls active and entertained during the school holidays - whell hellz to the yeah, this is your answer: press this - so many activities to choose from, lots are free, or otherwise under $20. There's something for sporty kids, adventuring kids, or crafty kids.

I recommend it as a super place that we'll definitely revisit during the holidays to keep the kidlets busy. As the Doctor said on the drive home: "It's my best day ever."

It's Sunday Love:: Tiny Loves Cussing

We got up early today. Well the Doctor always gets up super early. But Matt and the Doctor went bike-riding early. And about 5 minutes after they left, Tiny wanted to go meet them. So after my request of "five more minutes" in the toasty warm bed with seventy-eleven layers, we clambered out of bed. Half-dressed and hot footed it to surprise the boys.

It was wet and cold in the park. We found our boys and decided to go have a hot chocolate before coming back to enjoy the park. Maybe when the wet had dissipated. Ahem.

Tiny and I were perched at the cafe, drinking our hot chocolate and flat white respectively, when I spotted the boys. I said: "Tiny, I see the boys spying on us." To which Tiny so eloquently replied with an F-bomb.

Wow.

It's not the first time.

I've promptly gone into swearing rehab. I've gone cold-turkey on swearing, given my 3.5 year old swears so appropriately. And sometimes not so.

One morning before school, the Doctor and she had been having some biffo. She walked into me while I was getting dressed and said: "F*** man."

My swear word of choice now? Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious. Or however it's spelt. Trying saying that when you're furious.

Tiny, I'm sorry you have a PottyMouth. And it's my fault.

But how about those magnolias. That blue sky. AYE CARUMBA! (How was that for changing the subject?)

Park Life

We three braved the big chill today and spent part of the morning at the park. A rare treat, given that Mondays - my day off, are usually spent sans children. I loved spending the time with them spinning, sliding, climbing and swinging.

Next school holidays I'm going to organise some time off so I can hang out with them more. I really miss my babies. Even if we don't go away, a stay-cation is definitely in order!

Also - let's kick off Back In the Habit next Monday. I'm not ready yet peeps!

I Love Mondays

I am probably the only person in the world that does not suffer Monday-itis. The reason? I don't work on Mondays. The day is my own. The world is my oyster.

Today was no exception, spending it with my Mum, with some stealth shopping thrown in for good measure. Then we headed East my friends to Centennial Park. I love Centennial Park. It holds many good memories, as well as rolling green, a mini-forest of pines, and vast expanses. I'd happily build a house in that park. I would Clover, I definitely would, am willing, am available.

We had lunch, then spent a little bit of time at the park with my two little nieces. Man they are too cute.

Those two birds up there on the top? My sisters. Busily contemplating their navels. Or the storm clouds rolling in behind them.

Return of Big Foot

The other day I was sitting in the park with some other preschool mums. Enjoying the sunshine, sitting in the grass, taking in the delighted squeals of small children, observing others running amok. It was an almost perfect, almost Spring afternoon.

Which came to an abrupt end when one of the mums pointed to my feet and said: "How big are your..."

I finished her sentence as she trailed off.

If I had a soundtrack, it would have cut off abruptly like an old LP. The birds were frozen mid-flight, the kids on swings were stuck up in the air, gasping. Everyone else in the park - heck everyone in a 10km radius froze.

I said "Yep, you're going to tell me I have big feet."

Yes. The elephant in the room. With big feet. I wasn't going to dance around it. Mid-flight she'd realised the error of her ways, but she'd spoken without thinking, and thus was her downfall. Well sort of. If I was Shakespeare I would have rewritten that afternoon, Othello would have walked into the park at that moment, mistaken her for Desdemona, and you know the rest. Or alternatively the Capulets would have come in chasing Leonardo diCaprio and then Baz Luhrman could have taken over directing my movements. I could have won an Academy Award.

Instead I said - yes, it's hard to find shoes to fit me. And that I had lived with big feet for my whole life. I'm well-versed in trying to find enigmatic larger sizes. And shoe-sharing with my husband. And then I changed the subject. Promptly.

image via Daily Mail

Meh Monday. Or Is It MehDay?

It's not only civilians that shudder when they think of Monday. Legions of Mums are shuddering, bracing themselves, pulling the covers over their heads, fronting up to the fact that it's the start of a fresh new week.

On paper, Monday looks exciting. It's a blank week full of potential (or alternatively, it's crammed full of playdates, lunch-packing, babysitter finding, preschool volunteering, and general meal-planning mayhem).

But the reality of Monday? The reality of Monday is ugly. Plain ugly.

Especially so after such a ridiculously glorious (yes, I did just use the word GLORIOUS) weekend full of sunshine. A brief flirtation with Spring that has continued today while I've been sitting outside knitting (yes I am still going on the world's slowest scarf).

We went to the park today - the Doctor didn't want to go. He wanted to (surprise, surprise) stay home and Lego 'til the cows came home. Tiny on the other hand was champing at the bit. We went to the park, the Doctor had fun, and came back running to me to tell me a magpie had tried to poop on his head. I was a little unsure about this, and then he came back and told me again (having a major giggle-fest about it) that this bird was again trying to poop on his head. I came over to watch - and sure enough, if Spring feels as though it has sprung for us, nature is feeling it too. That magpie was not trying to poop on him (how many birds do precision poop diving?), he was trying to swoop him. Thankfully he didn't get close enough to the Doctor and the Doctor was fully helmeted up.

Then the smalls saw some kids rolling down the hill. They thought they'd give it a whirl too. With hilarious results. Rolling the wrong way, half rolling in half downward dog poses. Oh man, I wish I had a camera with me. Then it was all over in a flash because the Doctor was soaked to the core in dew.

We made a quick park exit and he took off all his clothes before getting into the car. Like travelling in his undies. Like he was Borat. Actually, it was just undies and socks. Like he was Tom Cruise. Being a mum is Risky Business.

And so we came home to have lunch and both the kids were meant to have a sleep. Meant to. But they both didn't make it. Now they're discovering toys in boxes that haven't been unpacked since we moved and chanting that they want chocolate.

Roll on Tuesday. Pronto.

Autumnal Afternoon Walks

The smalls and I have been enjoying afternoon walks. We make our way, late afternoon, down to the park, in time for the smalls to play for a while, the Doctor scoots around the path on his scooter, Tiny goes crawling off into the crisp leaves. It's clear from her expression that she's having a hoot.

Tiny loves the swing, and it's usually at this time that Matt rolls in fresh off the train.

We've been enjoying the fresh Autumn air on our faces, watching the trees shift from greens into golds, reds, leaves crunchy underfoot. Sometimes the smell of someone's fire, the Doctor asks me why they have a fire. Conversations transpire, conversations evolve. The Doctor shows us his break dancing, begs to go and play leaf races. Alas, there's been no rain lately, so leaf racing is off the walking menu. But we make our way through the second park and watch the dogs prance around on their evenings walks. We greet strangers. And those who divert their eyes - as though we're imaginary - I make sure I say an extra jovial hello. What am I, cellophane??

I don't think I've ever enjoyed Autumn as much as I do now that I have children. It's like rediscovering each of the seasons all over again.

Spider Hunter

Lately we've been enjoying getting out and about and feeling the crisp Autumn air on our fresh little faces. The smalls and I have been going walking and park-ing (not to be confused with parkour). When those to-do lists are getting to hideous to conquer, it's so good to be out and.. spider hunting!

Have you noticed the spiders wrapping up their food parcels? The big fat spiders are all about the place around our 'hood. We look for the biggest to point out on our walks. Sounds a little boring. Perhaps a little weird? Trust me, those webs are magical. When caught in the sunlight, incredible.

We've also been enjoying crunching the Autumn leaves underfoot. Tiny's been learning to listen for the birds. The Doctor's been mastering the fine art of scootering. I've been enjoying some greenery and some thinking time (don't worry, it's not been hurting too much).

Please note: The Doctor doesn't usually wear a helmet on the swing. Only for extreme stunt purposes.

Back To Magical March: Day 12

I've missed a few days. Punish me if you will, but I needed to take some time out of trying to see things magically for a moment to push through the week.

Today is Magical Thursday.

After forgetting to attend a meeting with my accountant on Monday, I turned up to see him today, albeit it 1/2 hour late. He's a rad guy. He didn't mind. He didn't even blink an eye when he saw the state of disarray my tax/accounting is in. Man, oh man, did I mention I hate paper work?

I stayed up late last night continuing Magical Methodical March. Silverfish be damned because you're not going to be eating here tonight. Awright? I even just found an invoice I've been hunting for for the past 36 hours. Magical and then some. Turn it up!

Since the last time you saw me, I've become magically hooked on Twitter. My favourite for the moment is Diddy. My goodness, his updates have made me laugh. But then I decided that things were going Twitter-ific when Matt exclaimed, "PottyMouthMama, now you're twittering to me about Tweeters." It's true. I hang my head in shame. IN SHAME MY FRIENDS. My whole life has become one online par-tay that I must attend at all hours. Breakfast, count me in. Lunch, snore - already here. Dinner, what's Diddy eating? Shame on me.

This afternoon we're busting out of the house once Tiny decides to rouse from her beauty sleep. We're heading to the park. There's no dinner to be had (let's just get it over with and delete it, no one's interested, alright?!). We're busting up some bark chip and we're gonna get vertical on the slide. Awww yeah. Magical March. Ain't nobody like you.