Homeschooling Fashion

So what does a homeschooling, usually frumpy, definitely over 40 and bigger than I used to be in places I don't see (or want to know about), busy woman wear to Kindergym with her 4 year old on a Monday?

Why? Pearls of course!

Well, it was either that or the red bowler hat and I am saving that for Wednesday when I go to my local homeschool activity at my PCYC. :-)

Thank you to dh for his photography skills.  Check out his website for his other great shots.  I love his landscapes, and have quite a few printed and hanging around the house.

Best wishes
Jen

Fashion and Food Recipes

So I have been playing more with both fashion and food recipes.

On the food front I had to get creative the other day for breakfast.  My favourite breakfast is Dutch Apple Baby but I didn't have any apples that day.  I only had tinned peach slices.  I put the sugar and butter in the frying pan to bubble but left out the peaches until the last minute as I didn't want them to disintegrate.

I made up the rest of the recipe as per my post, just putting the peach slices in just before I poured the egg mixture over.  It came out great.  I may have made a little toffee mixture as I had little crunchy bits of toffee around the edges.  All good!

On the fashion front I have been shopping again.  I now own some black leggings that fit inside my boots and a black blouse with a little white flower print tied with a satin ribbon.  I also got a red scarf and a red hat (see below).

All this black sounds boring so I decided to see just how much I could brighten it up.  This black skirt is one I picked up at Kmart the other day.

So, was that too many colours?  

Best wishes

Jen

who is deciding that I don't agree with being frumpy at 40.

Some days I should stay in bed...

I was looking through the little movies my kids make on my Samsung Galaxy tablet and came up with this one that I made.

Ooops!


Best wishes
Jen

Fashion and Furniture

I am in the lucky position of having a huge injection of funds into my clothing budget.

Just as an idea of huge, last year we had almost $2000 for 6 people and I got maybe $100.  This year I have divided a very similar amount into separate accounts and I am getting $700.  After all I am very close to being done with breastfeeding and pregnancies for the first time in 14 years.  It is about time my wardrobe got an overhaul.

Purchases so far have been a lovely black and white spot dress that looks like it will fit me if I gain a little (depressing thought :-( ) and will still look good as I go down in weight.  It wasn't cheap (hmm, $150 from Noni B, a Liz Jordan design) but I think it could be a definite wear for quite some time, bit like a classic little black dress.  I have also spent $100 on a very nice pair of good black leather knee high boots and a black skirt with a lovely length and swirl to it (now that was a good price, $18 at Kmart).

I have always wanted to have a co-ordinated wardrobe, you know, those ones where you start with a capsule of some core basic pieces and then dress them up or down with accessories like scarves and jewellery.  It looks like I am on my way with these black items.

Funnily enough my house seems to be going through the same transition from old mismatched furniture to pieces that I like the shape of and are painted in a creamy white called Napkin White.

I am viewing my big pieces of furniture in the same way as I view my core pieces of my wardrobe.  They are simple, plain but can be dressed up with pops of colour and accessories to suit the season and fashion.  Now, it doesn't look like my furniture will be as cheap as some of my clothes but then again they will probably last a lot longer.  

But isn't it funny how fashion and furniture can have the same philosophy - some good strong core pieces in a simple colour dressed up with cheaper accessories that match the season and fashion.

Best wishes
Jen

Lessons learned today

Well, today I learnt that my 10 year old is not very patient with himself when he can't recall what he has just heard.  And I learnt that my 4 year old is very determined to be included even though I tried my best to distract him.

We have done 4 pieces of our lapbook and I need to print out 2 more pages because the 4 year old just "had to" put some pieces in "his" folder.

Well, that's ok.  Tomorrow is a new day.  Now, where is the antacid?

Best wishes
Jen

Lapbooking Adventures Pt 1

Well, today I realised that there are only 11 days until the Olympics.  I have always wanted to do a lapbook with my boys, especially Jackson as he is my arty crafty one.  Harry would be pretty happy to do one too as he is very accepting of any of my efforts.

So this year we are doing it.  Jackson would be 14 when the next Olympics come around and I think he could be a bit old for lapbooking.  Also this year the head coach of his trampolining club has been invited to judge at the Olympics.  Wow!  So good to be involved with a group which has such great leadership and great students too.  Maybe thinking that he could see his head coach on TV will inspire him!

Anyway all that aside, I have spent a good chunk of today cutting out the bits for The Ancient Olympics book.  I now have bruises in places I didn't know bruises could form.  lol

My plan is to do this one before the Olympics start and then, depending on our enjoyment level (and my patience in cutting little things out), we will do the 2012 Olympics lapbook while the Olympics are on.  Of course we may just end up watching and using any of the other myriad of free resources available on line to track medal counts, learn about events, and the countries involved.  Yup, lots of fun to be had!

What are you doing for the Olympics?

Best wishes
Jen