Princess Amelie: Why I shouldn't bounce...

...on the bed.

Mum's post: Oodles of buttons

Chia needed a button sewn on her fave jean skirt so we pulled out the button jar to find one that would fit & Amelie promptly emptied the contents onto the floor.
Chia helped me find the right button but helping me sew was out of the question -who has time for sewing where there are oodles of buttons begging to be shot across the floor?
I needed something to keep them busy while I worked and this was the result:


Materials needed:
3 pieces of card stock
Thick marker

Write a size at the top of the card stock.
Draw circles for your buttons (as you can see I was in a HURRY and the sizing is not quite right, but hey, it took less than 5 mins & they LOVED it!)
Let your kids play with them.

The girls played with these for a looooooooooong time (20 mins) and didn't want to pack up for lunch (we ate late that day!). Later we added a "medium" page as Chia noted that some buttons weren't small or big.

Chia's photos!
Yep, her first time to use a camera alone & she went camera crazy! Here is our *tidy-perfectly organised* room as seen through the eyes of "T".
I give you our room:
(*note the nice box of stuff-we-need-to-get-out-of here which always ends up mixed with where-is-my-fave-stuffed animal/doll/car/princess dress/shoes?)

Hmm...?

"SMILE MUMMY!" ....Runs off to find the next victim
Not bad T, it's in focus!

I love this one, it has an artsy feel to it.

Trying to get close up & focus

Still trying...

"LOOK MUMMY, I DID IT!"

"I DID it mummy! Can I SEE!!"
Good job T, in focus again!

Princess Chia: The hat

Look at me!

Princess Amelie: driving cars without boys

Look what we made! By we I mean me (see the sticker fish, flowers and artistic flair?), Chia (scissor master, waves in the river and lake, bushes, road and the RED house?), Mia (park, pink & purple house, 7 Eleven, etc) and mummy (big green background).
We found the idea here and it was great fun for a rainy freezing cold day. We worked on it in the morning, and again after nap. :)


Bbbrrroom, bbrooom!
(We used glue instead of tape everything & didn't cover it with contact paper cos we don't want to keep it forever.)

The Princesses: Fun times 2

These are the only photos from our whole visit. Who has time to take photos when you're busy having fun?

We snuggled, watched a movie, ate cookies and drank Indian spiced milk.
(Check out Mr. Romantic Ryan with Chia on his lap.)

Look at funny Hunter with his apple! Ha ha ha!

Mum's post: Cute short film

A friend sent this to me saying it reminded them of one of my daughters who is obsessed with a boy. I thought it was so cute, I'm posting it here.

Princess Mia: Pirate Sisters (aka the other side of the princesses)

Hi this is mia I hope you like it but we are the pirate girl' s and

Daddy is a pirate dad and we are funny one' s

Haha

We like to be funny [Hahaha] I' m saying [ little one I need something to eat go get me something to eat] -Mia runs off to eat snack-

This is a Japanese thing. -Mum

Hiiiyyyyyyaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh

What a cutie!

What handsome pirates I have! -Mum

The Princesses: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Better late than never. :)

Mum's post: Crafty stuff

Our camera has been in hiding since Christmas (it's probably hidden somewhere in the wrapping paper and gift box pile that I desperately need to sort through) so I've been posting a lot of old stuff.

Here's an alternative thank you card/book or memento for someone(s) special that is sure to get rave reviews!
You'll need several sheets of coloured card stock folded together to make a booklet, cut 2 holes about 3 cm apart in the center, thread with a string, & tie together. We print out photos and each person gets one page to decorate themselves, with things from the craft box (i.e: large box of junk that mum collects for crafting), then we collaborate on the others.
We've made several of these, however, I forgot to photograph the rest of them... too bad!

As you can see, Amelie is mad about cutting and gluing, Chia is mad about sequins, feathers, and all things girlie, and Mia did a fantastic job with front page. They each did their own page, with minimal help, after all, it's their creation.

This one is an alternative thank you card we collaborated on for Yoko, Chia & Amelie's P.E teacher, 'cos she puts up with a lot. Their P.E slot is right after their afternoon nap and Chia has gotta be one of the crankiest kids ever when she wakes up.

Mum's post: Drawing and reading

If you want hours of fun, give your kids a large cardboard box. Sadly, this one only lasted 30 minutes before being demolished.

Chia loves drawing and goes through paper like anything, so she's started to use the whiteboard instead. These are the first men she drew -there's usually many princesses in puffy dresses, so I thought it was worth recording.

"You can't make me smile!"

Chia has times when she won't look at the camera, or won't smile, or hold still... any number of reasons and excuses to create bad photos. She does like looking at herself afterward though and will be quite sad if she looks less than Princess like.

(The occasion for this posed photo shoot was to celebrate completeing book 1 of the "Meg and Tommy" reader series. She's now up to book 4 but the photo part of the celebration has been put on hold for a while)

"I AM smiling!"

We call this one the peasant smile.

Christmas Open House

Every year we have held an "Open house" around Christmas time for our friends and neighbours. Here are a few photos from this year.

Mia, Celeste & Grace getting ready for the musical

All dolled up

Here is Jun-kun, one of Mia's friends. This photo shows his one side of his personality, which keeps everyone around him entertained.

Rehearsals

Jun-kun & Yuya

Oodles of cakes and cookies

Some of my friends

Chia wore her favourite shirt and skirt (purple with a sequin heart, & pink with white polka dots)

Another friend

Iven explaining our work in Cambodia

Amelie posing with a pouty face

Dawn & Kiyona with some friends

Lee & Yuya had the audience chuckling

The audience

Mia & Jun-kun

I like this photo cos you can see Mia poking her head out, she's not supposed to be there, but she's checking on Yuya to make sure he's not hurt for real. :)

Mia as she exits the stage.