Lovely and Yucky

Lovely is... "Mummy and Scrag" Fridays
Inspired by my parenting course, I have dropped Scrag's Friday kindy session and set aside a special day for me and him to spend playing together. He's my last kid still at home, and I mean to make the most of this year before he goes to school next April. Me and Scrag love our special days together.

We spend them playing the memory game, going to the park, playing "giraffe families", car races, baking, watching a movie or... going on a kindy trip.

Last Friday the kindy kids went on an outing to Waitakere Gymnastics and Olympic Park - and we had a blast.

It gave me such a buzz seeing my energetic son enjoying himself so much, and getting to meet his new friends (who think he's "really funny").

Fridays are Lovely.

Lovely is... my Dinner Menu Planner
We've been using this for a month now and it has changed my life.
OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but really - this simple idea has revolutionised our dinner times.
Dinner hour was the worst part of the day. Every dinner was a battle with someone about something. I was a terrible "last minute larry" cook - opening the freezer door and wondering what to cook at 5pm.

But now, all that has changed.

See the colour coding? Each person gets one day per week that they can choose a dinner from my list of options. We plan two weeks at a time.

I write in each person's choice at the beginning of the fortnight, and voila! I know what I'm cooking (and buying) for the next two weeks!

The rule is that nobody can complain about another person's choice, if they don't want people to complain about their choice. Guess what? It works.
We have had no battles and only minor complaints for the past month. I know what I'm cooking each night! Dinner is being served on time. There's less stress.
The kids also have a dinner chore, taking turns setting and clearing the table.

Eventually I can see that the idea will evolve into helping cook the meal you've chosen.
Bring on my little Junior Masterchefs! (BTW how lovely is Junior Masterchef? Those kids are amazing. We are all loving that programme.)

Lovely is... Great Role Models
Taylor Swift was in New Zealand this past week and I caught her interview on TV. Boy, was I impressed with that young lady. She is hugely aware of all the little eyes that are watching her, so she dresses appropriately, watches what she says and does, sings wholesome songs and genuinely appreciates the applause she receives and the crowds that attend her concert. She loves kids and knows they follow her. She knows she's a role model and takes it as a serious responsibility.
Taylor Swift I love you.
I just wish I'd known you were coming sooner so I could have taken Miss Fab to your sell-out concert. She loves you, you know, and so do I.

Forget about Miley Cyrus and her need to prove she's not a little kid any more. Sorry Miley, you lost me when you started dressing like a tart. Miss Fab won't be getting any more of your albums. Which is sad, because you're talented and we love The Climb.

But Taylor?? You are alright in my book. Better than alright. You're a hero and a great role model.
I am grateful for young women like you.

Yucky is... Slugs in my Rubbish Bin
Three slimy slugs waving hello from the inside of my rubbish bin lid. Look at those slimy things! How did they get there?

For some reason we often find random slugs that have squeezed between the cracks and come in from the rain on our kitchen floor. It pays to turn the light on if you get up for a drink of water in the middle of the night. Yeah.
But these three? All I know is that yesterday I spotted a slug on the floor, picked it up in a serviette and chucked it in the rubbish. Ugh.
Then this morning somehow there are THREE of them.
One slug went in. Now there are three. Was it a mama slug who gave birth to baby slugs in my rubbish bin? Or did the slug split into three because he was lonely?
It's a mystery to me.

........................
That's all I've got today. I'd better get back to Mummy and Scrag day. I think we're off to play The train Game at the park... wahoo!

{Don't forget to come back on Monday for my "Best in Blog" linky. It's a really nice way to start the week.}