I have come down with the spring sneezes…

I think my four-year-old computer has come down with a serious slowness virus. Or maybe she just needs to be retired…Right Roger!

I am pounding away on these uncooperative keys trying to finish this post that I started at five a.m.

Just a few things that came today that have me feeling happier…

Handy steel wonders ~ for my little food eater ~ I am graciously trying to share my precious supply of blueberries while he finds joy in watching Mom have a conniption every time he chucks imported blue gold on the floor! (Want Steel Go Here)

Wood Pencils. Been looking for these for some time. Art bark here!

Block colours! European quality! Who can say a thrilled adios to thousands of broken crayons! Bella Luna

And a few things that I am dreaming of…

Bella Luna Toys

Healthy Family Eating

Thinking our personal Master Carpenter a.k.a Grandpa might need to start thinking little girl playhouse...wink wink Dad!

My day has sailed deep into dark, usually my mind has been long ago set to sleep, yet I am here, new thoughts dancing alert, excited, awake.

Agape words ~ familiar to many ~ Spiritual love word for friendship between Almighty and us!

Agape ~ Friendship word ~ written simply ~ Love ~ in his Holy Book.

This week in my stumbling tired of days alone with babes, my husband ~ friend faraway. Uttering humble prayers for sanity and perseverance and peace ~ I found my soul ablaze with wonder.

Agape Love ~ translates 106 times ~ Charity.

Charity ~ Affection, Good Will, Love, Kindness, Brotherly Love, Love Feasts

I was searching a miracle of divine energy to get through another twilight parenting feat, the holed hour that drains all joy. I keep finding excuses for my exhaustion fuel to my tight inpatient words and actions. Directed to these marvel beauties I love. And I found this meaning of true love that I am so often wasting to the wind of my Mothering emotions. When my parenting perseverance is waning ~ I confess this ~ Agape Loving ~ is far from my spirit.

When all the world of littles is caving in around me with no obvious escape route, how often I fall steep into impatience and ugly. Am I acting love? There is no doubt I ~ love ~ maternally instinctively! I keep wondering is that really ~ Agape ~

In chaos ~ affection is first to go, good will stammers stubborn, kindness slivered thin, brotherly love family strife, love feast rather a mangled attempt at surviving the moment.

Oh receive my repenting tears ~ Heaven ~ Precious Children!

The miracle of the last days is the revelation that to Love ~ True ~ Agape ~ Charity

I wish for my Mothering Love only to be expressed Pure and Holy ~ Agape ~ Affectionately, Kindly, setting Love Feast ~ to ~ Agape Love Charity ~ in all things, through all things! All things… the ups the downs the highs the lows the dark and the light.

The mental turning of my spirit when I think ~ Love Feast, purposefully set, Warm and Kindly now! ~ In this heated, overwhelming Mothering moment ~ Can I Agape? In all things! Right here, Right now!

Mothering hope is building!

Today I am determined to gird my Mothering with Agape ~ Charity ~ setting lasting beauty banquets, a Feast of Love!

Usually on Fridays I share some tasties, here he is, all ten months of pure loving! Is he not delectable? Pure Love ~ I say ~ Pure Love!

My sister and I have been talking of ~ living poetry.

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Word lines exchanged ~ femininity ~ gender gifts of heaven

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A sister’s revelation had me wondering truth ~ I read a Kings Psalms ~ prayer poetry for his daughters ~

Make our Daughters as shapely and bright as fields of wild flowers ~ Psalms 144

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Shapely ~ Bright ~ Wild Flower

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I think I could live ~ beauty ~ the fragrant dancing poetry, natures reflection of heavens purity.

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We know, Me under the humid African heat, sweat beads and damp hair, her with curly red and four men in the making and the ponytails and t-shirts ~ garments of survival.

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We echo each others thoughts of honouring heaven, our husband, children, a world of strangers ~ with the weaving treasure of feminine art ~

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We traced each others challenge and have dug through the mass production of false stagnant beauty, her with flowing lovely among her broad of denim manly, me with light strokes and delicate details.

Contented to reflect the uniqueness of our souls. Swirling sweet, captivated by this wonder of women ~ bearers of beauty.

~ We are warming aches ~



~ Medicinal gifts of nature ~



~ Skipping School, shhhh ~



~ All part of the healing ~

Good Morning Mothers,

I would love to share some pebbles of wisdom that I have gathered over years by observing other families, reading and I guess some plain old common sense. As I wrote this I realised that if all the bellow elements came together in a day I would have perfect children! Which is of course is far from the truth! I do have beautiful, fully human, children. My goal in purposeful Mothering is giving my children methods to help accomplish what is required of them. And to set a foundation that will help them become everything they are designed to be through out their life. These tools have been very helpful in gearing me with direction and aids me and the children considerably. They are simple little things that help me…

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Have your children respond to you in a positive manor, not just a yes Mom but an enthusiastic, “Yes Mom, my pleasure!” If my girls forget or grumble in their response to me they automatically get a discipline. Advice from:
Michelle and Jim Bob Dugger

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We discipline our girls in different forms, but the most effective thus far has been taken from the advice of my Aunt Anita (mother of nine children) we call it Toilet Time or Badkamer (the Dutch word for toilet)! We give our kids a time-out sitting in the bathroom with the door shut. If they destroy things (like pulling the towels down or unrolling the bathroom tissue) they must clean it up before allowed out. This ‘toilet time’ has worked wonders! We can make it time applicable and both Marion and Davina hate it, always a plus when coming to disciplines!

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An insightful and effective tip we learnt from the book Baby/Child Wise By Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam. To always greet your spouse first before greeting the children (when Dad comes home from work.) Amazingly this establishes security in a child’s life, knowing Dad and Mom love each other. Taking this a step farther the advice is for Dad and Mom to have couch time upon working spouse arrival home. Just 10-15 minutes talking and cuddling as spouses on the couch has proven healthy and very effective in offering security to children. I must say Roger and I do not apply ‘couch time’ everyday because we often greet each other at the park or pool. Though on weekends we do insist on having 45-1 hr coffee, uninterrupted. This is a time during the kids wake time, they are learning that Dad and Mom are important to each other, they can hear us talking and laughing and smiling at each other (most of the time)…very effective!

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A long time ago I realised kids do much better when they have direction in their day. I use the word direction as opposed to ‘busy’ because I DO NOT BELIEVE children should be busy, actually I have yet to meet a health/happy busy child. Children like adults need to have a sense of satisfaction in their achievements at the end of their day. To me direction could be defined as ‘direction’ novel hey? Moving your child purposefully through out their day. Giving them an allotted time to learn/read/work/play. I generally move my children along to the next thing even if they are engaged nicely in their project. This is to help maintain excitement for an activity and avoid boredom. Boredom always breeds restlessness, the ultimate killer of peace in a home! To give you an example, my children have very little ‘free time’ in a day. This does not mean my kids hardly play this means certain activities of play are schedule for a certain time. Arts and crafts, dolls, baking with Mom, outdoor time, reading, lessons, work, it all has a designated place in our day and week. The girls do have few ‘windows’ in their day to do something of their own choice. Let me tell you, they settle right down and make the most of this time! They know is worth playing and not a time to waste! Charlotte Mason wrote about her adventures out doors with children, though she is often held esteemed for her encouragement to let children have much freedom to explore their surroundings, she in no ways believes children should be left alone to mischief! More correctly she advises direction in their hours of exploration. Having her pupils explore a field, draw it, write about it, getting to know it intimately. Only for a short time would she allow the children to make fun on their own accord. This is directive play. It is enjoyment within a time frame. It ends before the fun has been exhausted. I have seen this to eliminate bickering among siblings because kids learn to settle down and play, knowing they do not have all day to engage the fun on hand. (Please be gracious in this. If Marion has been studiously working on a picture during her art time and now time is up and is nearly done. I would not be harsh and have her put it away ‘on time’, I would let her finish, but would not let her then pull out another project in art to work on, even if she wanted to.)

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I am not sure when I first saw this ‘interrupting aid’ most likely from my Mom or Aunt…
Do your kids interrupt as chronically as mine? Is it as annoying to you as it is to me? A little way around this frustration is, if your child needs to interrupt a conversation you are having. Have your child place their hand un-disruptive on your arm. In response place your hand over their hand so the child knows you recognise they need you. When a moment arises, pause your conversation and address your child. It works wonders… when applied…I think I need to work on this one…

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Another assistance to eliminate frustration between adult and child is simply to make eye contact when speaking. I think children feel more respected when spoken and treated politely. I have a habit of calling my children with out focusing on them. I find it more effective and peaceful if I find where my kids are, scoop their face in my hands, make eye contact, smiling sweetly and ask your request, “Marion it is time to start chores may you please go get your basket and gather the upstairs piles” it is rare under these circumstances for a child to want to disobey.
Applied, this greatly helps when disciplining or correcting a child, make eye contact, talk firm but calm, let your face stay pleasant, not happy but loving, then execute the intended punishment. Like wise if a child is showing you something, art or anything really, they want your full attention! Give it to them! Sometimes in the moment it is not going to work, like when you are washing toilets or running to grab the ringing phone, communicate in some way that in a moment you will give some time to that child’s current interest he wants to share with you. Then when that moment arises seek you child out and ask to see what they wanted to share, make eye contact, get excited, show your pleasure. If a child knows he is understood, he will automatically desire to be pleasant and an asset to you.

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The tips above are my tested, tried and true!

May your Mothering be blessed with direction and purpose this week.

Guess who just walked through my door (I just have to share)? I was sure he would be off helicoptering somewhere of the coast of West Africa! He walked in just in time to help put the babes to bed, shovel down some food ~ kiss me, of course ~ and now returned valiantly back to the office where his stellar engineering skills are being put to the test! And once I thought engineering was a dull profession! I might not get to have the heart to heart or a long ‘mommy time out’ this weekend…

But at least he is here!

And I made another batch of cookies! I sat by my oven to pull the trays out if the temperature started to flail around! They turned out eatable, at least!

And can I ask you to join hands in prayer for a mother of this community? A warming ~ spirit women has found her life whirling ill. She was taken to the hospital because of a debilitating headache caused by a (then unknown) brain tumour. The pressure of the tumour made her have a seizure. She quickly underwent brain surgery, all in a matter of a day. I can only imagine… this news has bitten bitter sadness, her fight gasped the breath right out of me. She is precious ~ such rare gentleness ~ so deserving of this communities prayer gifts. Will you whisper ~ plead ~ care for her? May we move in tight around her pain, embracing our hearts around hers.

~ Thank you ~

Fridays tin is… Burnt! My Friday is going south, by the moment, my gas oven is flipping temperatures faster then a hormonal women, dashing between 200 degrees and 500 in thirty seconds or less. Not the nurturing stable environment that my cookies need for thriving! I guess my appliance are having a ‘who can be more dysfunctional’ competition. My usually very co-operative dryer plug decided to stop working, so I have to do a load in the washer then switch the plug over for the dryer. Which means one load in the time it usually takes for two, not so good for the miles of filth hanging out in my laundry room!

Of course I thought all my worries would be washed away once Roger returned home for the weekends… Which in my mind played something like this… “Oh my beloved and most incredible wife. It is the weekend, where my only plan is to massage your feet and talk from the heart and look deep into each other’s eyes. I will use my super powers to mute our children, wash the dishes and make all the food, you will have a long break, and then to top it of I will watch ‘Little Women’ with you!”

In actual reality it went something like this… “Enter engineer, and in true engineering style efficiently announces he is going to have to be gone for the weekend, smiles sadly, picks up his ringing cell phone, talks all important for a few minutes, shovels some food, eats a BURNT cookie and…exits the scene!”

So I guess that it’s friends, burnt cookies, adios husband… oh but such sweet dancing girlies (above)!

If you would like (and I would like) humour me, any thrilling adventures on the agenda for your weekend? Oh please share the fun!

It is a bit lemony in this house today with bright sun flitting and jungle fruit recovering after months and months of dusty season.

Such reasons to sip joy!

Lemonade How To:

Squeeze some tart ~ add some sweetness (I used light maple syrup ~ mix with water ~ cool with ice ~ top with mint!

Ah… summer in a jug!

My treasured friends. It has been some days since I scrawled my heart. I was quickly wrapped in your care words, comfort gifts. You stun me with your friendship, your sweet spirits extending oceans and miles and found me safe in this community of beauties.

~ I thank you ~

I am still raw. You must ~ know this. Loss aches fresh. And I only know this mothering pain recent. I am grieving but still finding humbled thanks. Today in the wake of rushing nature a whole nation of mothers will throw heavy dirt on babes death beds, and weep unimaginable grief. Today I am choosing to cling to the life that is around me, and find beauty in their faces.

May I speak of another grief? It is a lonely debilitating separation of God’s miracles! It takes us breathless through a torrent of emotions.

Let me share…

I was busy thinking thoughts ~ prayerfully ~ for you, ~ this world of women, when my sister called. She told me precious names of Monday’s Mothering community. I was so honoured to know I journey motherhood with women, brave brilliant and true. And then she slipped me pure sadness ~ that you ~ shy! You wonder if comments are really welcomed!



I took these thoughts heavy into the night, journeyed to church with this weight. As my husband sang heaven lyrics, I ~ I ~ stood broken, a tear rushing mess. With the smudges of my weakness yet still on my skin, a beauty sister ~ mother ~ greeted me. Oh I wondered at her, a marvel of God’s artistry, shining, perfectly her. But she talked of comparing and measuring and distancing speaking utter crazy about herself! And all I could think was how and who would every want to measure a life given to them against life given to another! If you ~ my sweet friends ~ find a measuring ruler in these pages, that would shake me broken! I would rather burn these pages, lost forever, fold this story away.

I desire only to join you, grow friendship, love you this `~ wild ~ modern way of meeting daily. I can see only beauty in my story if it links hands to bless.

I respect busyness and understand needing a place to come quite, read and leave. My friend if there is another reason…



Please know my story is the lines of a real and tangible life. I have failed ugly and I have wept deep, I have a daily history of humanness, I search beauty and crave heaven ~ this is my journey journal. If I could I would sit with you at Starbucks share a tea and a laugh and because we are women, slip tears. But I live far…

So may I invite you, earnestly, to join me in this blogging way of friendship. Some have asked for the comment section to open, really? Will this help? Is it truly less intimidating then an email? I am of the Kindred Spirit cloth. And pray, wish, hope, hold my breath, to be a friend of yours!

I thought I would share the rolling of my days. I learn by seeing and listening to how other families run. Though I think my life is essentially rather mundane ~ filled with the wiping, tiding, teaching and correcting, sloshed around with the constants of food and sleep. This is how my days look...

My day starts early. I am naturally a morning person and enjoy having a few hours to my self before my family greets my ‘mothering’ day. In that time I get ready, devotions, email/blog, and make breakfast.

I have taught my kids that they can not meander out of bed until 7a.m ( I use a large digital clock and a piece of paper with the time they can come out, even pre-schoolers can fallow simple time frames on their own, with this method)

My kids are suppose to make beds and get dressed before coming for breakfast, but honestly this never happens, there is something in every younger kid that needs a solid cuddle before their day starts!



After breakfast and dressing, we head out doors and I walk with a friend, Marion bikes, and Davina and Lachlan get pushed in the stroller, we power walk for 30-40 minutes. I have found this a great way to start my school day, Marion’s energy is settled and she is more focused. I feel at this point my personal importance of the day have been accomplished, devotions and exercise!

The girls then practice their music for 15 minutes. I have learnt a lot from the brilliant educator Charlotte Mason. One of her findings and successes with teaching children is to give children small but meaningful bites of learning. Her way of doing this was by (in the young years) only spending 10-15 minutes on a subject. When I read of this teaching/learning method it confirmed what I had observed while working with kids. That in most cases a child’s attention span is double their age (a two year old will give you 4 minutes of attention) (a minute or so less for a boy). Until they hit about eight years of age, and then attention spans greatly increases.
I have used this principle in my teaching and have found it to be a great principle reaping good results.

We then do chores.



Lachaln has his morning nap.

9am – 12:00 school.



12:30 – 1:30 Roger is home for lunch.

When Lachlan goes down for his afternoon nap (this is a bit of a rolling time, dependant on his previous naps wake time) I also put the girls in their room for what we call book time. They get a stack of books and have to sit on their beds and read for 1 hour. We employ the clock method again, when an hour is up they can come out of their room. If they disrupt this time for goofiness or disobedience they have that time added to their bedtime, for instance if one of the girls is acting up or comes out of her room 20 minutes into book time, she will have to go to bed 40 minutes early. I am very strict with this time and will defend it fiercely! In this one hour I race around getting things done that are much easier with out three littles underfoot. Often this means I am in the kitchen making dinner. My goal is to end this time with at least 10 minutes to saviour a cup of tea and chocolate, uninterrupted so I can actually taste my calories!



Once book time is over, the girls have free time. We then move on to a project of sorts, we cook or craft together. I allow this block of time to be a ‘freelance’ rotation, either to get caught up on extra projects or to enjoy a set play thing. I will often take some of this time to tackle an extra job, make granola, fold laundry, wash widows, or anything that is pressing to get done. Marion also has her music lessons during that this time. I move my kids along through out the afternoon projects. They generally only have an hour or so of ‘free time’ in an afternoon (I explain more about this in another post.)

4:30 Clean up time

5:00 Out door time/ swimming lessons





6:00 Bath time

6:30 – 7:00 Dinner

7:00 Lachlan goes to bed

Story time

Devotions as a family

7:45-8:00 Girls in bed

Roger and I tidy up and do dishes

FREE TIME! ~ Rather short-lived as I am always in bed by 9:00!



I hope you enjoyed coming along with us today. The above plan is simply a format and not the rule, nor does every day look the same or down to the finite minutes. It is helpful to me to know there will be respites throughout my day, and eliminates questioning from my children as of what to do next. It works for me!