I thought I would start this post with some pics of my most favourite things of all. These two also come under the time wasters category.
Time savers (how I manage to keep the family fed and spend time on my projects).
I do most of my clothes shopping online from this NZ store Ezibuy, they have some great stuff and are reliable and reasonably priced. I quite like this outfit, this beautiful felted wool jacket, oh and these cute pyjamas.
Chai spiced tea syrup (this is for everyone who loves chai tea, but can't be bothered boiling it up and waiting for it to seep etc). Made by Alchemy cordial company, it is delicious on icecream in milk or added to tea. They also have all kinds of other mouth watering delights like coffee flavouring syrups (such as cinnamon and hazelnut or coconut and walnut for eg.), they also have classic cordial syrups to add a kick to spirits, icecream or mineral water, mmmm check them out - honeydew, rosepetal etc
I hardly ever clean the house - I do a 20min a day essentials, and a couple of hours once a week and that is that, if it gets messy in the meantime (and it sure does), I can live with it.
My overlocker (serger in amercan), how I sewed with sanity before I had this I will never know.
Playschool, the wiggles, bear in the big blue house, and other educational and addictive kids shows. The kids sit comatose watching these shows and I can zoom around and do a milion things uninterupted.
Time wasters (the things on which I spend more time than I have, but which bring joy to my life)
The neverending garden, house, renovations and various projects that I sort of enjoy and seem to spend alot of time on.
The internet (oh procastination how I love you)
The television - the amazing race, Survivor, Black books and little britain (funny irreverant british humour), Iron chef (Japanese cooking show), Lost, desperate houswives. I know I could be spending my evening more diligently but once the kids are in bed, I just plonk on the couch with my whisky and a show and cannot move.
The kids. I never realised how precious my time was before kids, It seems that every waking moment is spent on them, if its not feeding them and fighting over bath time and getting dressed, then its cleaning up after them, and thinking of things to keep their little minds busy, craft and games and other activities and of course reading to them, patting them in the middle of the night to sooth a sore throat or a nightmare, or just spending time on the couch in a cuddle or tickle session. All this time I had before having children was wasted, the things I could have achieved, if only I knew.
14 comments:
Hi, do you know, with her new haircut I think your daughter looks like Natasha Stott Despoja, esp. when she is looking serious. That is a compliment, by the way--I just found the resemblance quite striking.
Sarah.
I've often wondered what it would be like to live life backwards. To know things and not have to think, once you're older, "I wish I knew that when I was younger". But, I guess 'one' of the disadvantages would be that in going backwards, you wouldn't have laughed, played and generally been as crazy when you were old, because you hadn't yet been a kid and realized the importance of plain old fun.
You may not think it now, but once your kid's level of independence grows, the less they need (and in the case of teenage girls - want) you, the more free time you have.
PS-Absolutely love your blog. The images are fantastic. Some of those old burda kids outfits - reminds me of the stuff my gramma made.
i love your pix!
do you think that kids could fall under both time savers and time wasters? just a thought i had... you put in so much time raising them and then when they're older you get wonderful grandkiddos to play with and make you feel young again. not to mention while your kiddos are young you get to play with them and get the toys you always wanted. LOL also you're saving time by raising them right so that they turn out to be wonderful people... anyways just a thought and i can't write as good as you... i'm off to check your links out i love them btw! wonderful stuff you find! thanks
Good post! I enjoyed reading your fave things (I also love Black Books).
what a great post. of course i don't have experience with the kid thing but it sounds AMAZING. i am really looking forward to it ... great links ... the cloths ARE reasonably priced!! thanks for sharing this. mav
Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanks for the honesty. You are doing so much....
Mary
I love your work... Can we make a change???
Thank you everyone for your comments. Thank you Maureen and Allena and Mary for your wise words of advise. I am trying (and they are trying my patience) but love will win the day.
What fabulous pictures!
My family and I live for Little Britain! Hope you're catching Very Little Britain on ABC at 8.15pm Saturdays...
fun post! i also just wanted to let you know i just saw those curry and bread photos on flickr which brought me back to your mud oven - wow wow wow! i'm soooooo envious and amazed! that bread looked amazing!
How do you get so much done with your day?
There's so much to comment about:
1. The pic with the fake boobs is priceless.
2. Thanks again for all the links for shopping - but most especially the Alchemy cordial co. I love chai and don't mind the brewing procedure but to have the flavour on/in other stuff sounds waay cool.
3. Do you have a super fast internet connection? I don't and when ever I'm online I can only get the minimum done. Very frustrating.
4. Also love and adore Survivor & Ironchef. Got on to Little Britain very late but it's good.
5. Sounds like you're a cool Mum - and you're actually interested in your kids well being in everyway - yes it takes all your time right now but you reap what you sow and you're going to have top class kids that will be your friends and our next world leaders.
your photos of your kids are always so fantastic. Such great subjects captured so well. This was a fun read. I, too, often think about how little I appreciated the concept of free time before I had kids.
fantastic post! here here for not cleaning house. I don't do it either. what's a little mess ;)
Post a Comment