52/52

I had planned to end this series with an image of myself and my two sisters. Dignified and all adult. However yesterday, we went back to the FOTT house for another afternoon of swimming in the pool and dinner with the family.

After all of the kids became water logged, and cold, it was time for races on the grass. It started with a game of "Ready, Set, Go" with the two youngest boys, yet soon everyone joined in.

You know how people say it is all fun and games until someone loses an eye? Well in this case is was just a really good case of grazing, from dry summer grass. Justin tripped an fell, he had Eden on his shoulders and Jarvis in his arms. He threw Jarvis to one side like a footie to save falling on him. Then Justin and Eden fell together. She did the most amazing tuck and roll and came out shaken with a slightly grazed knee.

I think Justin came off the worse, I have included an image taken with a flash of his head, but his arms are also all grazed. The images are not in focus and taken with a flash, but in spite of them being crap in quality, how could I not include them in this series, they show our crazy, fun, family in all of it's insanity. 

To see it in it's full glory you can either go to Tamika's instagram account http://web.stagram.com/n/tamikacollins/ or Levi's instagram account http://web.stagram.com/n/levishappysnaps/. While you are on instagram, why not add me as well, my link is up there on the right. 

Okay, so that is a year of my family in images.

Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

51/52

With only one week to go in this series, I realise how quickly my year has gone. Time has gone past at warp speed and both my babies have grown up so much.

I was attempting to do the 'serious' portrait of Tamika and Jarvis together as requested by my parents. We all do not do series portraits well. When I was looking through the files, I realised it was the not quiet right images that I loved the best. Plus it is hard to get an image of Jarvis... we have a runner.

Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

IT"S WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE THAT COUNTS. HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH SEAM

I have not done a post on sewing of late, as a lot have been Christmas presents. However, I took a break from Christmas sewing about two weeks ago and made myself a skirt to wear for Jarv's birthday.

Rather than just showing another skirt I have made, I thought I would show the inside and reveal I am as OCD with my sewing as I am with cleaning.

All seams are finished on the overlocker, then turned to hide this by using a French seam. A French seam is often used when the fabric is too delicate to overcast the seam allowance to prevent raveling. The construction of a French seam provides a clean, finished, professional look to the inside of the garment. But I like to use this on most garment, regardless of fabric.

Step 1

Make note of the of the difference between the “right” and “wrong” side of the fabric you are using. With a French seam's construction, it requires that you be aware of the difference so that they are properly oriented in each step.

Step 2

With the right sides facing out, pin material together, pinning entire length of edge where the French seam will be. You will be sewing the seam to the outside of the garment in this step.

Step 3

Overlock, or machine sew the edge. If machining, use pinking shears to finish the edge.

Step 4

Unfold with the right sides up. Press entire length of trimmed seam allowance, pressing both edges flat and to one common side. DO NOT press seam open! Be sure to use a setting on your iron that will not damage the fabric. Okay for the sake of honest, here is where I admit I always skip this step. I have made it to 45 without ever owning an iron.

Step 5

Fold material along newly created seam with wrong sides out. Now you are working on the inside of the garment. 

Step 6

Press entire length of seam flat at fold on wrong side. Be sure to use a setting on your iron that will not damage the fabric. Again I skip this step

Step 7

With wrong sides out, pin folded material together, pinning entire length of pressed seam created in Step 6.

Step 8

Stitch a 3/8" seam allowance along the entire length of the edge pinned in Step 7. Remove pins after the seam allowance has been sewn.

Step 9

Unfold with the wrong sides up. Press entire length of seam flat to one side. Be sure to use a setting on your iron that will not damage the fabric. Or again skip this step if like me you hate irons.

Step 10

Give yourself a pat on the back. The OCD in you will be happy with the neat finished seams!

This does add some bulk when you are using a heavier fabric, yet because of the style if skirts/dresses I like and sew this does not matter.

Now in keeping with the honesty, I will show some of the images that happened. Okay, so I am no model!

Ha! Look at me being all serious and model like!!

Close up of the fabric.

Thanks goes to Tamika for taking the photos for me.

IS THIS NORMAL FOR A CHICKEN?

As I am very new to chicken raising, I am not sure what is classified as 'normal' behaviour or not.

For the last day or so I have been noticing a hole dug in their enclosure. Today when we went up, the white girl was laying in the hole. At first I thought she was struggling to get up, so I reaching in to check on her. She then got up fine.

But it was then I saw that she had been laying on a largish round rock. Does this mean she thinks it is an egg? The white girl is twelve months old and she is a Leghorn Chicken.

We are used to weird animals, Tira is the weirdest cat I have ever known.

Does this mean we will get eggs soon? Or is she just playing surrogate mother to a rock?

 Tira likes to hang out in the cubby house

CRANKY PANTS

I came home from work today, and put on my cranky pants. They were so tight, they were choking me. The only thing to do? Throw a childish tantrum and ask "Am I the maid?". Which is obviously ridiculous, because Maids gets paid to clean up other people's crap. I work in retail, so I get paid to be spoken to like crap.

So after stomping around the house for awhile, I realised the only thing to do was to go and play in the dirt. With the chickens following me around, I dug in the soil. Turning over the earth until my cranky pants disappeared.

It was then I got to appreciate my surroundings. The plenitude of flowers on the cucumber plants, the sudden growth of the corn, even the pretty Barbie ribbons tied around the tomato trees. Talking to the 'girls', I felt the tension leave me.

The black chicken is the friendliest, she follows me closely when ever I am in the yard. The girls may have been a gift for Jarvis from Dad, but they certainly make me happy as well.

Yes, they are still "The Girls", or in Jarvis's case Duck, Duck, Duck.

 Any suggestions for names?

 My old wrinkly gardening knee, best solution for tantrums

50/52

Brothers. Step-brothers, half-brother, terms I hate. Tamika has two brothers and one is from another mother. But we are all connected. We are all family. My baby Tamika, on the day of her 21st, with her two brothers. Bubby, I adore you and I know a little person does as well.

Bailey your sense of humour cracks me up, I hope you know how much your big sister loves you.

Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

JENNY MADE THE CHRISTMAS GRINCH TEAR UP

I often grumble about Christmas. The stress, the consumerism, the forced glitz. But today I came home to a package sitting on our front steps. I opened the box, and just had to put the gifts under our tree.

As I sat there admiring the stunning wrapping (which I had liked on Facebook not knowing the gifts we for me) I started to think. All of the crap from the last few weeks, all of the stress over the encroaching Christmas period, was all lost in the moment of appreciating what Jenny had done. She had gone out of her way to know/stalk me and buy me gifts.

I had liked, and then not liked the gift FMS Exchange. But today, Jenny made me re-think my own complaints and grumbles. I complain about being split and having to travel to separate Christmas events. But what about those out there who have no one to share their Christmas with? I bitch about the consumerism of Christmas, but what about those who cannot even afford to eat.

Jenny has made me think about what Christmas should mean.. that being caring. Caring about people, whether you know them or not. Thank you Jenny for caring and buying me gifts. I actually do not want to open them and spoil the beautiful wrapping. I just want to admire them sitting under my tree and appreciate what they stand for. 

CHRISTMAS GRINCH IS VISITING LILA AT LITTLE WOLFF

Today I am over visiting Lila on her lovely blog Little Wolff. I am the Christmas Grinch, bah humbug, pop over and have a read and say hello to Lila.

As much as I want to be all sunshine and lollypops about Christmas, it just gets me down. I am sure I am not the only one that this time of the year stresses them. 

If only I could stay this stress free at Christmas

EDUCATING WOMEN: THE GIRL EFFECT

The thing I have learnt most in having my two children is that no two are alike, from pregnancy, to birth, through to the child. I was blessed to be born in a country that even when I was a single mother struggling financial I was wealthier and better off than many other women in this world.

I now know that knowledge is power, and the more knowledge I have as a woman, the more powerful I am. Studies have shown that half of the reduction in child deaths in the last 20 years is the result of increases in mothers' general level of education. 4 million children are alive today because their mothers got an education.

Give a girl, a woman, a mother the correct information and sanction her to use it, and she can work miracles in the most difficult of situations.

Technology is on our side, and on the side of all uneducated girls and women. Where schools and governments and often families have failed to educate girls and women, the mobile phone, the Internet, the radio and the television can step in. As a blogger I think most take this technology for granted, not realising how lucky we are. What I wanted to do with my series on Education was to get people to stop and take a moment to think about education.

Hop over to http://www.girleffect.org/ and have a read. Show your support by liking their Facebook page and signing the petition. 

Today the Girl Effect is driven by hundreds of thousands of supporters who believe in the potential of 250 million adolescent girls living in poverty. Girleffect.org exists to help this community continue to make a powerful case for supporting girls, by equipping them to do the best work with and for girls.

WHY GIRLS?

One study has shown that an educated girl will invest 10-20 times more income back into her family and community than a man would. Girls who receive an education marry at an older age, have fewer children, and are more likely to seek healthcare for themselves and their children. Even so, nearly 250 million adolescent girls live in poverty. Today, fewer than two cents of every international development dollar goes to girls – the very people who have the capacity to make an impact on ending poverty. As long as girls remain invisible, the world misses out on a tremendous opportunity for change.

Better lives for girls mean better lives for everyone in their communities - their brothers, fathers, future husbands and sons. When you improve a girl’s life through education, health, safety and opportunity, these changes have a positive ripple effect. As an educated mother, an active, productive citizen and a prepared employee, she is the most influential force in her community to break the cycle of poverty.

Please note: Images are not mine they have been taken off The Girl Effect Website. 

49/52

I often think Jarvis is just a mini Justin, but yesterday when I saw the backs of these two heads I realised where Jarvis gets his fuzzy hair from. I definitely know he gets his OCD from Dad as well! Lets just hope Jarvis does not get the family nose!

Jodi over at Che and Fidel has inspired me to pick up my camera and turn the focus inward. Since I already take 100s of photos of my children each week, so I thought I would twist the idea a little. What I never seem to get is group shots, images of the family together, whether it is my two children, Tamika and Jarvis, or me with the kids, or shots of Justin and I. So I am going to challenge myself to get one image of "my family" per week.

WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR FAMILY BY THREE!

Dad knows Jarvis does not need any more 'stuff', so what does a good Granddad get his youngest Grandchild for their birthday? Chickens!

Jarvis spent most of the afternoon talking to the "Ducks".

We got the coop earlier in the week, and today we went for a drive out to a farm to pick up chickens. Jarvis had so much fun, he was literally shaking with excitement shouting "Duck! Duck!' every couple of seconds. According to Jarvis all birds are ducks. There were ducks but we choose three chickens.

Chicken one is a year old, she is a white Leghorn. Chicken two is a ranga she is a Rhode Island Red about three months old. Chicken three (we think, Dad and I forgot to ask) is a Australorp, she is also about three months old.

We get home and put the chickens inside their coop and the first thing Jarvis does is go inside and sit with them. Dad is currently building an extension for them, plus we will let them out to play when we are home, I am just nervous about leaving them out alone because the back is not fully fenced and because of Tira.

Okay so now I need as much advice as possible on how to care for these three girls. Also any suggestions on names?

Miss Leghorn was shy and would not let me get her photo out of the coop, will go up and try again later.  

TWO YEAR OLD!! 24 MONTHS

 Watching the garbage trucks is a highlight of your week.

Growth & Appearance:

Your limbs are so lean and so brown, all traces of your baby fat have gone, it is like you spend all of your days outside exercising.

I gave you another hair cut, but have still left it longish in the back. But I think you miss your length as after I gave you a trim you kept tipping your head back so your hair still touched your shoulders.

Eating:

You are your father's son, you eat everything and anything. The few things you do not like you are quick to let us know. You will not take food off other people, your Grandmother kept trying to feed you last week and you got very annoyed at her. You think you are a big boy and do not want help for anyone, you rarely want help and then it will only be from myself, Justin or Tamika and no one else.

 No we did not let you eat your whole birthday cake, this was our way of letting you cut the cake

Talking: 

Still not talking, I know you understand everything, but you just choose not to talk. I will show you alphabet flash cards and nine times out of ten you get every single card correct. You know your alphabet and you understand me, so I am not concerned about your lack of talking.

 You love your alphabet cards.

Sleeping: 

You really reverted this month. No longer napping in your 'big boy' bed and no longer sleeping through the night. You wake during the night and will only go back to sleep in either the 'neck-scarf' position or cling on koala position. This started when I returned to part-time work, so I am hopeful you will settle back down and return to sleeping through the night.

Development:

You are a child of routine, you love things done a set way, yet you are an adventurous child, you level of fear of danger is almost non-existent. Climbing up and diving of the headboard of the bed. Getting your Dad to flip you over in the air. The older you get the more you want danger in your games. This scares me.
You and your Dad have started up your swimming lessons again and you love it. New swim school with new terms, but now after three lesson you already get the new words, you just have to remind your Dad.

As with the routine, you are more than a little OCD like me, things out of place upset you, you will get up your Dad for leaving his things laying around. When your Grandparents stayed last week, they stressed you out completely by leaving their shoes at the door. I had to pull them out of the bin a couple of times.

Look at Justin's Mo for Movember!

Favourites: 

Your love of cars is just getting stronger. You even will pick books at the library about cars. You even know some car models. Tamika drives a Jeep and you will point at the same model in the street and say your version of Tamika.

If it is not cars it is the garden, you think my veggie patch is just a giant mud play ground. You will play outside for hours running around getting sweaty and dirty. Your energy and love of the outdoors is amazing.

 The OCD in you is strong, look at those cars neatly lined up.

How I am thinking/Feeling

Two, wow, I knew that time would slip by fast. Being a mother to Tamika has taught me how precious every moment with a child is. This was the reason I did not want to go back to work, I just do not want to miss out on time with you. I have never been a mother who wants time out from my children, I never got Tamika babysat (bar for work) and I am the same with you. I am lucky Justin agrees. Someone offered the other day to look after you and Justin replies, "why? we like to be with Jarvis', this made my heart swell as this is exactly how I feel. Time goes past so quickly why would I want to be apart from my children?

With every stage of your development, I remember how much I love that stage in a child's life. You are a crazy, stubborn, loving child who brings me so much happiness. Happy Birthday Jarvis, thank you for letting me be your Mumma.