This New Year I am trying to be a better mother!
I am trying to make sure I spend more time organising the house to run smoothly and less time messing about with photos and photoshop and lightroom and researching photography…!
At breakfast time we are enjoying orange juice and adding raisins to cereal, the children are at last getting into the habit of taking the bowls to the dishwasher to help me clear up and as they eat breakfast, we chat about what healthy food the children want in their lunchboxes today to help them get more “five-a-day” points…
At dinnertime the “treat” of ice cream in exchange for eating five-a-day is being kept interesting with ice cream sauces and sprinkles, cones and waffle cups and choc ices. Gx and Dx are still VERY into the whole ice cream thing. Sx’s interest has waned a little already! He is till eating more healthily but isn’t overly interested in earning ice cream.
So I am also trying to make more yummy food for them – so far this week they have enjoyed lemoncurd tarts, golden syrup sponge pudding and, tonight, iced fairy cakes.
At bathtime we are enjoying some new games – playing with the foam letters, popping open little bath beads to discover what foam shape is hiding inside and investigating just “why” the little pots make those interesting noises and bubbles when you fill them with air and submerge them. Now I just need to find a way to get them to have their hair washed without screaming…
At bedtime we have been enjoying the stories of Abraham and Moses from the bible (to back up Lx’s current topic at school of Judaism and all that she and I learnt on the school trip to the synagogue yesterday). I am learning from reading them too as I realised I know very little of how all the old testament stories fit together.
The children seem to be appreciating the calm in the mornings, their lunchboxes are going in full of more varied food and coming home empty and they are going to bed more quietly in the evenings.
It’s not perfect by a long way – and neither are they! We still have our frantic moments, our rows, the bits where Sx tells me “that’s bad parenting!!!” and the times where Dx tells me he is going to retaliate by wrecking the house.
But I hope I can keep it going. And maybe find even more ways to make life calmer, more fun and the sailing smoother…
PS Once they are in bed…I still spend FAR too much time playing with my photos and trying to learn more about photography!
My Fourtography Life 
Seems like you’ve got it all worked out 🙂
oh if only!! 🙂 !!
Sounds good 🙂 Just by trying you are a great mum 🙂
Like I say to my kids – being a mum doesnt come with a manual so I can only do the best I can. I like to think that when I mess up it makes them realise messing up is ok – because everyone does it.
That’s my excuse anyway 😉
We all do 🙂 four kids must keep you busy. I am up to my limit with 2. Are you a sahm?
I am – I am kind of a photographer too… but have cut right down on children’s portrait bookings as it was meaning I wasn’t commiting myself enough to the “Mum” part of my life. And thats the most important job ever 😀
Sounds great. no wonder your pictures are so good of the children.
I am a sahm too, being that mum presence in the home even for school age children and very important to me.
me too. THey are small for such a short time – and my daughter needs a little extra help too. Having more time for them all and for helping her has paid dividends already this year. So they help me with my photography “craving” and I take my photos of them instead of clients 😀
Make sure you spend lots of time with your camera too though – you’re incredibly talented! We’re waiting to hear news of Team Harman Photography Exhibitions 🙂
aww ladies you make me smile 🙂 Thank you. And don’t worry my camera and I will never be parted for more than a few hours 😉