Meg
meandmeg.com

Jax and I were alone in the car the other day when he exclaimed "mom I just saw a castle up on that hill, it was blue." Knowing the area I knew he was referring to a church. I said to him, "I know what you are talking about, it is actually a church." I paused and then thought "I wonder if he knows what people do at church?"  Obviously I asked him. "Jax what do you think goes on at church?"
 "When people die you go to church for the funeral" he responded. Hmm.

Clearly, Wizz and I do not frequent church. When I was little we attended Sunday school, but from the age of six, I have probably gone to church (for service) maybe a dozen times. Every once in a while our dad would make some proclamation about being a failure as a father for not instilling the importance of attending church, so we would be dragged off. We would attend once and then that would be it for another year or so. That suited me fine. I am not one for organized religion. This also angered my father. How could I make such a statement when I had not read the bible? I was uneducated.

I'm a bit ambivalent about it. Part of me feels like I have a responsibility to take him to church so he can experience it and see what he thinks. At least that way he would know what goes on. I don't need him asking "who died" every time someone says they went to church. What I've realized is I have to open up the religion discussion. I am going to shop around, maybe we will hit temple this weekend and head over to the synagogue next.
With Easter coming I have an opportunity here; our kids think Easter is when the Easter bunny comes and we eat chocolate, that's it. The fact that Jesus rose again (I think, right?) is not even on their radar.  Not sure yet if I care.....

M.

I know we don't all have the time, nor the energy to put into decorating Easter eggs. So, I have compiled a list of 3 simple solutions to achieving posh Easter Eggs, made easy! PLUS If you have a little extra time, or want to get more ideas, each of these links will bring you to an array of ideas and fun projects!

Bubble Packaging Technique:

This one looks like fun! The best part is, even a toddler can do it!
Consists of simply rolling an egg onto bubble-wrap with paint!First, coat a piece of bubble packaging with acrylic paint, then roll your egg over the paint, repeat with another colour once dried.

More on this technique as well as many more ideas here: www.familyfungo.com

Washi Tape Easter Eggs

These don’t require any dye at all, simply eggs, washi tape, and scissors!

Boil eggs, let cool and go crazy cutting out patterns and designs with Washi Tape, stick to the egg and voila!!

Easy for older children, and adults....may just try this one myself ;)

For more on this technique visit www.lovelyindeed.com 

Thread Wrapped Easter Eggs!

Ok, we all know Martha Stewart has it going on when it comes to crafting, but could the simplicity and beauty of these eggs be any more AMAZING?

Simply boil and dye eggs and wrap with neon string. May be easy for the kids to colour the eggs, but parental involvement is needed for the string! 


Here is the link to Martha's gallery of eggs....warning, you will fall in love!

www.marthastewart.com

Not from drinking. I'm hung over from my trip. Maybe it's jet lag. But I think I'm hung over from being alone and having freedom. I returned from South Africa last night and the harsh reality that climbed all over me was extremely jarring. I wasn't in the house twenty minutes and Malone thought she had gas, then looked at me and said "I think I pooped a bit in my pants". At the same time Freya took off her diaper and peed on the couch while Stella laid crying on the floor because I trying to get her to take a Hello Kitty costume off and put her pajamas on. 

 I stopped right there. I looked to the heavens and said to myself: "what the f*ck is wrong with me"? I couldn't believe the chaos. The major issue is I felt like somehow my energy, my presence alone was responsible for the girls behaviour. It would have been deeply upsetting to a person who has half a brain; luckily I'm too stupid to get terribly upset or hard on myself. I simply opened up a bottle of champagne (that I promised I wouldn't open until Stella's birthday, I also said no drinking for at least a couple of days) and toasted my return to my spazzed-out life.

 I've had the t.v on all morning; I have got to ease myself back into this mothering thing. Freya woke up at 7:30. She was the last one up. That is unprecedented. If I think about, I bet not one of my siblings will ask me to watch their kids when they go away; I think they're all too scared I will screw them up. I may be the smartest person after all. 

 Cheers, cheers.
 L

 P.S. Go to Cape Town.

Meg Wismer 
meandmeg.com 

It was this way before she stayed with us (incase you don't know, Leigh has gone to South Africa on vacation and left me with her children). The kids always seem to blame Stella for every little thing that goes wrong around here. All of them do it. This is how it went down at breakfast the other day: 

Billie: Mom, my finger is sore. 
Me: Why is it sore? 
Billie: Stella scratched it. She slapped my face and my bum. She's bad. 

A few minutes later I noticed there was ripped paper on the floor. I asked who did it and to clean it up. 

Billie: Stella did it. 
Me: No she didn't 
Billie. Stella isn't even here. 
Kai: No, I did it. 
Billie: Oh. Kai, you're bad. 

That evening I was reading a book to them, the last page was ripped out. 

Me: Who ripped this book?
Billie: Stella did it. 
Me: Billie, Stella doesn't do all the bad stuff around here. 
Billie: Yes. She's bad. She hit my head. Any ripped book in this house is blamed on Stella. 

I have started to ask them really random stuff now, like "Who left the barbecue cover off?" Guess what? It's always Stella. Now that she is staying with us, I realize why they use her so frequently as their scapegoat. Last night my husband asked me "How did dinner get so burnt?" I responded: "Stella did it." 
 
M.