Perspectives

One of the wonderful things about having children is the way you are constantly forced to change your perspective on the world. Seeing things through their eyes is without doubt one of the best ways to ensure a daily dose of 'awe and wonder' in your life.

We had a wonderful day at Kew Gardens on Sunday where this idea of perspectives was something we (the grown ups) thought about a lot. 

The Treetop walk literally made us see things differently.  From 30m or so above the ground, walking through the leaves, how could it not.

After lunch we played wheelbarrow races, gave the children 'elephant' rides and generally romped on the floor. I haven't laughed so much for ages and the children truly loved it with us 'on their level'.

Kew Gardens is beautiful at this time of year and the children were exploring their independence as well as their surroundings, going on bear hunts and various other expeditions.  Simply observing the way they live so completely 'in the moment' was an interesting shift in my perspective. I'm going to try it more, it might well be one of the best ways to ensure a bit more wonder in my own life!

bubbles

Friday afternoon, the sun was shining and one of Rowdy's friends had been given some bubbles in a party bag at school.

The two boys took it in turns to be the 'bubble blower' and the 'bubble catcher'. They played for about an hour until all the bubble mix had gone.  There were no cross words, many squeals of delight and much romping, stomping and climbing in pursuit of the ones that were getting away.

There are few things that children love more than bubbles. 

I remember when Frog was just learning to talk shouting to me in M&S "look mummy bubbles, green bubbles!".  They were grapes.  It still makes me smile. 

I love bubbles too.

holidays

It's been ages since I last updated this blog; not because there has been any shortage of awe and wonder simply a shortage of time!  


We've been away on a fantastic adventure to Ko Yao in Thailand and had an unexpected (and eventful) few days in Singapore because of the ash cloud. 


There were so many moments of wonder from our time away that I could write about it's hard to choose just one.  And I'm sure as time passes I'll write about others.  But perhaps my perfect moment was this... 


An early morning (as so many good times with my children are) and the promise of some special time together taking a walk.  This time to the beach to see the sun rise. A first for both of them and a moment of joy for me - the pink sky, the mystical rocks in the sea and the squeals of delight from the children as the big pink blob inched its way over the horizon.  Glorious.


http://www.koyaobay.com/data/koyaobay_pavilions/home/#

The bakery

Juggling two children, a husband, a home, a job, being a school governor as well as studying is never easy. Something always has to give. Sadly this is often 'special time'; that one on one time with the children. And because she's at school, it's more often than not the Frog who misses out.

This weekend I promised her special time, but the only time we could fit it in was if we did an early morning walk together. (Her early: 5.30; mine: ideally a little later). So up early (hers), we rugged up and set off.

Our special time was magically dusted with the lightest sprinkling of snow and punctuated by squeals of delight. It was silent and cold - the sky was black and the street lamps orange. London still asleep.

We walked to the Organic Bakery on Landor Road and Frog ordered - pain au chocolate, croissants, white bread (for bacon sandwiches) straight from the oven and still warm when we got home. Delish!

We chatted, caught up on the week, held hands and just were together. It was only 20 minutes, half an hour at most, but special, special time indeed.

superman!

Over the Christmas break we got to watch some rubbish tv. (I know this is completely outside the boundaries of 'awe and wonder', but we're still human). Anyway there we were watching superman 3 and Rowdy was totally captivated. He didn't really get the plot, but he instinctively understood being a superhero - they fly, they have superpowers, they generally take care of things! And Rowdy like all other children wanted to be one.

So - a red jumper, a cut out blue S, a cape made from a scrap of red fabric, a load of safety pins and a huge amount of 3 year old imagination later - SuperRowdy flew into my world. (Who needs Woolies after all?) And it's been truly wonderful having him there.

Seemingly against my quest for awe and wonder this little bit of TV actually inspired many, many hours of imaginative, happy and great fun play. Not just the making of the costume and the role play of being a superhero, we've also spent a lot of time thinking up some cool new superpowers.

Christmas Tree

Decorating the tree is always much anticipated in the Benson household. Opening up the Christmas Box and unravelling the lights, unwrapping the baubles and uncovering all the forgotten books and other Christmassy bits and bobs is part of the magic of Christmas.

In my imaginary world of perfect parenting Frog and Rowdy dance around delicately and joyfully, carefully and precisely adorning the tree with each decoration, creating a symmetrical, sparkling vision of festivity.

The reality, of course, is different. I spend most of the time sweeping up broken glass baubles, shouting at the kids to put their slippers on and trying to pry the chocolate decorations out of their hot, sticky hands before they both end up in a completely demented sugar rush. Both children end up crying. The tree itself ends up totally lop-sided with the decorations hung on only two of its many branches and our angel looks as though she's hung herself.

But that moment when we've finished and we're all snuggled up on the sofa with Rowdy silenced into a hypnotic trance by the twinkly lights that's awesome!

An angel in our midst

No-one could be more excited than a six year old picked to play the Angel Gabriel in the school play. Not only a speaking part, but the part with the best costume!

Frog came home from school on Thursday last week the bearer of the news that she was the chosen one this year. To say she was thrilled would be a massive understatement (such awe, such wonder). Determined to be the best Angel Gabriel ever (no competiveness there then Frog?!) she announced that I needed to make her a new costume ... "the grim old thing at school mings, I just wouldn't be like a proper angel!"

Indeed.

So we did make a new a costume and as always when we make things it was huge fun and a great way to while away a winter weekend. And, of course there is the miracle of turning some scraps of fabric into a dress fit for an angel, the best angel ever of course.

Christmas Pudding

Christmas Pudding - evocative, sensory and luxurious; delicious, abundant and stirred with a wish. The subject of my favourite chapter in a book ever*, the beginning of Christmas, just a dessert but so much more.

This weekend we made our Christmas Puddings, a little late this year but hopefully not disasterously so. They take days of work but time is part of their luxury. From the soaking to the stirring to the steaming it takes its own time, there's no rushing a pudding.

Christmas is clearly a time for awe and wonder - and cooking is part of that for us. It's magical how some flour, sugar and butter can turn into so many different, delicious things. Throw in some spices and a handful of fruit and Christmas begins.

I'm going to try some new things this year - marshmallows from the Jamie Oliver mag, vanilla fudge from Life is Sweet (thanks Rose!) and gingerbread with 'stained glass' centres for our tree, my guess is they won't last 'til Christmas Day.

The kids love cooking but the wonder of making the pudding is extra special; as they stir and make their wish it's the first time in the year they think about Santa!!


*Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

cup cakes

Nothing much to do with awe and wonder, but I'm really rather proud of these cupcakes I made for the Children in Need cake sale at school tomorrow.

I hope the children love them!

Diggers

It's always a treat in November when you have an unexpectedly sunny day. Today was one of those days: Sydney sky, sunny, not too cold. The perfect day to grab our micro scooters and race to Brockwell Park to feed the ducks. I love my micro scooter, I love how free it makes me feel and how quick it is to get places - even more I love the excuse my children give me to ride it!

We got waylaid on the way to the park by diggers. Any of you with boys will understand, you can't ever scoot past a digger.

They inspire awe (look at the size of that scoop!); they encourage wonder (I wonder what that bit's for?); there are questions that I can't answer (Who's driving? What's that man doing? What's that bit called?) and some I can (Why are they digging up the road? why are they wearing helmets?). We watched and chatted and watched some more.

It's lovely to scoot and it's nice to feed the ducks, but it's even lovelier to be side tracked on a sunny day by diggers. Such a luxury to forget the time and concentrate on what Rowdy is really interested in, his curiosity - awesome, wonderful.