Refreshing for the New School Term

We are only a few days into our first week of school holidays here in WA, however , we are going away for most of break so I really wanted to get organised and sorted early.

With only one Term to go of school, the kids school bags, shoes and supplies are getting a bit grubby, disorganised and need a little refresh. 

Each holidays I like to give the kids school bags a wipe over. They are made of a PVC type fabric so can't really be chucked in a machine (well its no benefit) but just by using a spray bottle and cloth, they come up sparkly and clean!

I like to use a Eucalyptus spray (diluted using the Eucalyptus cleaning solution) for the initial clean and then a quick once over with Pinoclean for a disinfectant of germies!

All our kids have a whole set of school clothes as a spare in the bottom of their larger pocket ( I just bought generic and plain items from Best and Less) of their school bags. 

When I was away a few weeks ago, I picked up this handy plastic pencil case, perfect for storing wet or soiled items or to keep the clothes safe from lunch box spills. 

The change of clothes now has a new home and it folds nicely in the base of her bag.

Stella has a little zippered purse in the front pocket of her bag (I don't quite trust Max and Lacey with one yet hehe) and this holds a few dollars in change. Just in case she needs to buy something from the Canteen, I forget money for an excursion or 'ice cup Friday'. 

I simply topped up the change, cleaned it up and popped it back in the front pocket. 

Before the term ends, its also a good idea to check your kids school supplies, pencil cases and other items like hats etc incase they need a top up or replacement. Some teachers may send a note home (Stella's teacher has a small printable she uses where she ticks the item that needs to be replenished) but you could also ask your children.

Stella needs new Wind up crayons , and because we are heading into our extremely HOT summer, I bought a new roll on Suncream for her to use at break times. 

All the kids sneakers have had a run through the washing machine and look like brand new and all their school hats have had a thorough wash and dry in the sun (helps to kill any left over germs).

I am now free to go on holidays, enjoy myself and return home and not have to worry about back to school preparations. 

I think I may just try and be this organised more often! 

Back To School- Homework Supplies

Even though are children are young and are in early grades of schooling, they still receive a small amount of homework. 

They also love to draw and write random notes on any piece of paper they can find!

For this reason, I have always kept a caddy full of stationery and drawing supplies , within reach and convenient to them. 

As with anything, these things tire, get ratty and need an update. 

The caddy we use is from Pottery Barn Kids and can be found HERE.  I bought this quite a number of years ago and it is still in great condition , despite its rough treatment by the kids. I did line the compartments at the base with clear contact when I bought it , to protect the base from pencil stains etc.

There are quite a number of caddies on the market these days like THIS , THIS and THIS. 

Something that is transportable, easy to carry and has a few compartments for different supplies.

So with the back to school sales at the moment, I took advantage of the prices and bought some new supplies for our caddy. 

Gave the caddy a clean and filled it with some new goodies! 

Its amazing what creativity some new supplies and a few days at school can inspire! 

Our Max drew this the same day I gave the Caddy a tidy. He never , ever draws. He would much rather play with his cars or Ninja Turtles , but I was so pleased he joined us for a drawing session. 

And he is so good at it when he wants to be!

So there you have our answer to making the homework time a little easier! 

I have found it a challenge to be able to supervise the other children that want to sit and create at the table, while Stella is doing her homework, whilst I am trying to help with the said homework too! Throw in the fact that its cranky hour and I am trying to prepare dinner! Phew, hard work!

Anything to make this time easier, I say! All the supplies, in one convenient spot.

Perfect ...

Its only the beginning ......

I have you singing the song now don't I? I know , I know, you'll thank me later. Its been in my head since I started thinking about this post!

On Sunday, when I was getting all emotional over our precious little 3 year olds going to Kindergarten this week for THREE FULL DAYS, I made a statement to my husband.
Whether it was to justify to myself , that my tears were warranted , or whether it was to wipe the smirk off his face as he stared at me crying hysterically. You see, he likes to laugh at me when I am crying over silly things. Men, meh!

The simple words "They don't need me anymore , I am redundant" slipped out of my mouth before I even had a chance to think about the meaning of them. The reason behind them. And just how quickly it sprang to my mind.

I kinda got to thinking, in a very Carrie Bradshaw way. Complete with conversations with my inner self and everything.
Am I redundant?

Now that these 2 little people are at school for a few days a week, every week. Spending more time with their teachers on those days than me. Do they need me like they always have done? Like they have , right up until 8:10am on Monday morning?

Thankfully, my inner voice was kind. Yes, of course they do!!
Just because they are big Kindy kids, doesn't mean I am any less important. Doesn't mean they need , nor want me any less.
In fact, I think my role is a little more valuable now. They are going to rely and depend on me for much much more than they have for the past 3 and a half years of their little lives. Just like Stella has and does! (Could there be more to what I have been doing all these years? Surely not!!)
I am not only their Mum, I am all those boring things to them too - their organiser, maid, cook, cleaner, chauffeur , personal assistant etc.
But most importantly, I am their strength. I am the person they will turn to for advice. To answer their never ending barrage of questions. To give them a cuddle when they come home and tell me of that naughty kid in the playground that teased them.
I will have to pick them up when they are down, to dust them off and send them back out to do it all again. And hopefully they will grow and learn from each incidence. It will break my heart and make it ache to think that it is happening to my little baby, but that is life. Life can be cruel and we all need to learn by our own mistakes.
I am no longer their safety net. I can no longer control their surroundings and situations. I can no longer be with them each and every minute to protect them from the kids or people that will try and put them down.
And that is what scares me.
When I thought about it. That is what I was crying over.

Not the thought of them at school. Not the thought of them in their school uniforms (although that is totally gorgeous too!). Not the thought of having a few days without them ( its sad now but I know I will learn to love it!).
But more the fact that I am not redundant. This is only the beginning.....

I have been there and done it before. I have a daughter in Year 1 as well. And that is what made me so emotional.
Seeing her blossom and develop. To change and mature. Its overwhelming. And now we get the privilege of seeing it all happen with Max and Lacey.

My job is far from over. It is only the beginning ........
Every year in the lives of our children are important. And luckily, there are many many more to come.
Kids adjust to the change of environments and routines more than adults, it may take me a while but I will get there .
And every step of the way, I will be here. Just for when they need me , because I am lucky to be their Mum.

Back to School - The BIG first day!

The day finally came!! The much anticipated first day back at school! Not forgetting the first day of Kindergarten for Max and Lacey! 

On Sunday, the day before school starting, I was finishing all those last minute jobs. Ironing on school labels to socks, ironing the first day uniforms and packing their bags. And whilst doing so , I became quite emotional. 

Ok , Ok , I think you would call it hysterical! The tears started flowing and they flowed freely for a few hours! I couldn't believe that our little people were going to be starting school.

Doing things independently and that the 3 and a half years had flown by so quickly. 

However, it was hard to be sad about it , when they were clearly so excited and confident about their new phase. Plus I knew I could not be emotional on the morning of school, as I could pass my moods and anxiety onto them and that would be awful.

So, on Monday morning, from the minute all 3 big kids opened their eyes, there was a buzz of excitement in the air!! 

I packed 3 lunch boxes for the first time, with a few sets of eyes watching my every move and seeing what they would be snacking on for the day! Again, so much excitement over the small things, like their own snack containers and what they will get to eat and when! 

I layed out all their uniforms, socks and shoes. 

I did some 'First Day Hairdos' (and our Hair caddy is working a treat , see my post on it HERE)

And then the obligatory 'First Day photos' happened. 

Be still my beating heart. They look gorgeous in their uniforms! 

Two super excited little kids. Aren't they just the cutest?

And all of a sudden I have .....

And I am one proud Mumma! They are kind, happy and polite kids.

What more could you ask for? 

And then ......

They walked into school, with their heads held high and their backpacks like trophy's on their backs (poor Max, his backpack nearly goes to his knees!)

And they didn't turn back and hardly said goodbye! 

And we headed out for Morning tea with Master Angus (he was very sad he couldn't stay at school too!! Even had to take his backpack in and put it with the kids ones !)

And we enjoyed the day with Daddy home (he had the day off to help with settling into classrooms)

The day flew by , and it was time to pick them up.

Again, more happy, smiling faces with lots of news to share! 

A very successful First day thankfully! 

Back to School Baking - The Recipes

Earlier today I shared a post on my Back To School baking and freezing system. 

I definitely have some super favourite recipes that are high on the baking rotation at our house, but I do like to try new recipes out as well. Especially when baking in bulk, to keep the kids interested in the goodies. 

I find that most recipes freeze well. I haven't ever really had an issue with many things other than scones, they tend to go a little hard when defrosted. But on a whole, I think that as long as the items are sealed then you should be right.

I have tried many a Banana bread recipe but this is by far my favourite yet. So moist and delicious and the brown sugar and oat topping really makes it feel and taste special. Its a big batter recipe too , so I made a loaf, 12 muffins and 24 mini muffins all from one batch.

I use this recipe from a little delightful.

I also made a yummy Sultana Loaf and used the recipe from HERE but decreased the butter to 150g and sugar to 1/2 a cup . 

I like baking loafs as they are yummy , don't need icing and are easy to cut up into whatever portion sizes you need. 

Another family favourite of ours  is the good old Date Loaf. The kids especially love it! 

I used this easy recipe from HERE. 

Biscuits are always a hit when it comes to kids snacks. They are easy to make, bake and eat. You can also change a basic recipe by changing the flavours you add to them. I use this recipe from The Organised Housewife HERE. I didn't add the sugar , and divided my mixture in half. One half I added white and milk chocolate chips and the other some Passion fruit pulp (left over from Australia Day Pavs). They take next to no time to cook and the mixture really does make a heap of biscuits!

These were the major snacks and recipes, not forgetting the good old Zucchini Slice. By cooking the batter in Muffin tins, they are perfect for lunchbox snacks. 

This is the recipe HERE,  that I have used since I have started making this dish. I add Carrot and bacon as well but you could really add whatever you wish. 

Well there you go, all the places you can find the recipes to bake up a storm of your own!! 

Do you have any great recipes that freeze well? I'd love for you to share!

Back to School - Baking

Tomorrow is the big first day back to school for West Australians. I am so emotional about the whole thing. Especially with our twins starting Kindy.

One of the biggest time wasters of school prep is the lunch box snacks and with 3 kids going this year, I know I have to be more organised. 

With Stella last year my lovely husband would make her sandwich the night before when he was making his own for work. Then in the morning I finished it off with snacks and filled her water etc.

Our lunchboxes generally consist of a piece of fruit (apple, Mandarin, banana) , some grapes or strawberries cut up in a container, some crackers , a yoghurt and a homemade treat/snack of some sort. 

I am running with the same plan this year, however I know I will have to tailor make each lunchbox to suit the child. Ie; Stella likes Bananas and Max and Lacey don't.  Lacey likes Kiwi fruit and Max doesn't. Things like that. 

Max is our difficult eater. I don't know so much that he is fussy (well of course he is a little) but he is not a big eater. No meal is ever completed and 4 out of 7 nights a week , he won't eat his dinner. I used to worry about this, however now I figure that if he was hungry , he would eat. We are not force feeders in our house, but rather , there is no food after dinner. Eat your dinner or eat nothing at all. 

Anyhoo, I worked out that per term I would need 140 snacks to last me the 3 kids each having one on their school days (M + L are 2 days one week and 3 the next). Plus I wanted to have extras for the afternoons we have sports and activities on, I can grab a few things and they can eat them on the way or before we get there.

With my choices of school snacks, I am rather open minded about what they are. I am a real believer of 'everything in moderation' and our kids aren't additive sensitive so we are lucky. Plus at least with home baked, I know exactly what is in everything. I figure the sugar content would be the same, if not less, than a store bought muesli bar or pre packaged snack. 

As a bonus, in Kindergarten , the teachers make the kids eat their fruit first, then when that is finished , they are able to eat anything else they have. 

I am happy for them to have A PIECE of loaf or slice , or one biccie , when the rest of their lunchbox is fruit, grains or dairy. 

So the great bake off began!! 

Soon I had a stock pile of Banana bread and muffins (same batter just different ways of cooking)

Passionfruit and Choc chip biscuits

Zucchini slice (cooked in a muffin tray)

Small chocolate muffins

Date Loaf

Sultana Loaf

Then I sliced the loaf, divided the biscuits etc, and packaged each bit in a plastic sandwich bag and wrote on the front, what it was and when it was baked. 

These ziplock bags were all put in a few of these handy Kmart plastic baskets (I think they are around $3 each) and this is how they are stored in our freezer. 

I now have a freezer draw like this ;

A terms worth of yummy, home cooked snacks. 

I have another draw that also has a basket , this is my husbands snacks , just so he can't get in trouble for pinching from my lunch box supply. And I also made a few bags with multiple pieces for those sports days, or even a Mummy snack once in a while. 

I understand that not everyone likes the idea of frozen goods. Or you may not have the freezer space, but I guess its all about finding out what works for you and your family. What makes your life easier and most importantly , what you enjoy doing!! 

I'll be back with a post on the recipes and links to recipes I used, later on tonight. 

Back To School - The FUN stuff!

With still a week to go until we return to school in the West of Australia, everything is starting to come together, but all with as little effort as possible!! ha

Call me lazy, but organising school supplies and the like is the last thing I want to do in the last few days before school starts. I want to play lego, make some Play dough biscuits, have my hair done by my resident hairdressers (Stella and Lacey) and generally just lap up their company before school so rudely takes them away from me!

So here a few things that have been ticked off the 'Back to school To Do List' but all the fun stuff of course. The things that are actually fun to go shopping for. 

With Max and Lacey heading into Kindy (4 year olds) they are required to have a change of clothes in their bags at all times. (Stella is also required to have one just in case)

This being for little toilet accidents they may have at school, or in Stella's case when she was at Kindy - because she got wet through water play activities or got too messy while painting etc.

As mentioned in my previous Back to school posts the school we are at now requires full uniform through out all grades, including Kindy and Pre Primary. 

So it was a bit kinder on the hip pocket, and to save an expensive uniform set from just having to sit in the bag as a back up throughout the year, I purchased a number of basic uniform items from Best And Less. 

Most department stores (the cheaper ones usually) generally have a range of generic uniforms in the basic colours, and it just so happens that our school uses one of them! Win for us!

So for each child, a basic polo shirt ($5) and lightweight shorts ($7) and a set of underwear will be put in the front pocket of their bag in case they may need them.

We also bought some tracksuit pants (we are unsure if they kids will need them with our temperatures up here but after having such a hot summer they may feel it when it cools off some) , a lightweight jumper and a set of culottes for the girls as our uniform shop does not sell these. 

Oh and I can't forget the bike shorts that our nearly 6 year old insists she has to wear under her skirt! I thought I had a few more years to worry about seeing her knickers but obviously not!

I am not normally a huge fan of licensed merchandise , however our kids love the stuff! So a few exceptions need to be made , and the smile on their faces is so worth it! Plus a $3 water bottle will have no love lost if it breaks or gets lost somehow.
So the water bottles the kids will start the year with are these pop top ones from Coles for $3 and the lunch box containers , these click ones from Woolworths ( I think they were about $3 also).
The kids have a cool container and I get to keep my Tupperware safe. Win win really!

Back to School is such an expensive exercise , and all the small things add up. Well so do all the big things. So this year we are starting out with our existing cooler bags, as they are all in great condition.
Don't get me wrong , I would love to buy Max and Lacey a Fridge To Go cooler like Stella has (at the back, hers is well used !) as we absolutely LOVE them ( see my review on the product HERE) however at this stage buying 2 of them is not that feasible, so that is something we will work towards soon enough. Instead, Max and Lacey are using their Penny Scallan cooler bags that they have had for a few years now.

New backpacks were a MUST this year, as Max and Lacey's existing backpacks are too small to carry all the necessary things for school. Stella has had her old Penny Scallan backpack for both Kindy and Pre Primary and it is still is great condition but seeing as though she is heading into Year ONE we thought it would be nice she got a new one too! 

I honestly love these backpacks!

 I love that we can wipe them out every so often.

 Love that they are waterproof. 

Love that they are hardy! 

And of course love the designs!

I bought these before Christmas on sale from Motherslove, they were cheaper than other places I had seen and I got them with free post so that was a bonus too! 

Upon returning home from our trip away, I was welcomed by 3 large boxes of school supplies. Another thing that I did before Christmas and I am so glad I did ! 

Luckily our school has a Stationery supply order system, and this is my first time using it. It may not be the most cost effective way of shopping ( however I think the prices are quite competitive) but you can't beat the convenience. Delivered right to your door, you've got to love that when you live 1800km from the capital city and the main shop is Kmart! 

Within a few hours of being home, the bags were unpacked , washing machine was running and I sat down to mark off the goodies! 

This year is our first for having to cover school books. Fortunately I had these covers put away from a big sale that Spencil ran on one of the discount sites (think it was Brands Exclusive) and I had just enough for the sizes and styles she wanted. It made short work of a job that could have taken hours!
I would highly recommend these covers and you can buy similar from 2Kool4Skool, Spencil and I have even seen some in Kmart!

And one of the biggest decisions for me was the type and brand of Labels to go with. They all look gorgeous and at this time of year , there are some great packs and savings to be had. However I ummed and ahhed for so long and just had to make a decision and came out with these basic labels from stuck on you (this post is not sponsored, I am just sharing the love!).
Most of the packs from other brands had so many different labels in them that I really doubted I would ever use, and would end up costing me well over $100 for the 3 kids. Really I just need iron on labels and basic name ones so this was the best value for money. Plus the designs are basic (I won't get sick of seeing them before they run out!) and can be used on anything and everything!

So there you have a few of our FUN things we have marked off the list. There really isn't much more to do. Just the application of the iron on labels and baking of the lunchbox treats. I will be trying out some new recipes this year, so I will keep you posted with any ones that prove a success!

If you haven't read them already, don't forget to check out my other Back To School posts HERE and HERE and from last year HERE.

Back to School - Hair Station

If you have girls, doing hair is a large part of the before-school -rush. It takes time and patience and even though I am a hairdresser, I still struggle with getting the girls to comply and create a neat look that lasts all day. Especially now that they like to request certain styles!! 

School for us starts at 8:10am with the classroom opening at 7:55am so its an early start, which means there isn't a lot of time in the mornings . I certainly miss that extra half hour we used to have before we moved. 

To make the mornings easier, I thought we needed to create a few stations to help and the first being a 'Hair Station'. 

Somewhere that all the items we need for doing the girls hair in the morning. 

Something that was easy to transport and could be taken to the living or dining areas if the need arises , and light enough that the girls could help retrieve it for me.

While away on holidays, I made the most of checking out my old favourite department store , Target!! Target oh how I miss thee!!

Anyway, I picked this white tin up from the Laundry section for about $7.50 on sale. It is metal, plain and has a handle. Perfect!

All that was  needed for it to 'look the part' which is of course, very important , was attaching a cute tag. This is actually a Project Life Card from a school mini kit, I just trimmed it down to a smaller square shape and re -rounded the corners. Tied with a simple piece of Bakers twine and everyone knows what its for. 

Then I collected all the necessities;

De tangling spray

Hair Brush

Comb (for creating straighter parts and sections)

Hair Lackeys

School clips/Accessories

And of course, Suncream. It is a crucial part of our School Prep and therefore this is a great place to store it. 

I found these School clip sets at Best and Less while on Holidays as well. They are the perfect colour to match the school uniform and will save our pretty clip collection from being lost!

Now the tin has pride of place on the Bathroom bench top. The vanity in the main bathroom is small, however I feel its the most practical place to have the Hair station seeing as though it will be use daily!

Hopefully this a a problem area of our School day prep that has been conquered. Stay tuned to see if it works!! It couldn't get much better and I have a feeling I am going to be run off my feet in the mornings now!! 

Back to School- Shoes

                             

Its nearly that time again, and its a bitter sweet one for me. I love School holidays, the relaxed mornings, kids playing and no strict schedule. BUT .... I do also love the routine, less bickering and a cleaner house during the School term.

Seeing as though we were away for the first 2 weeks of January, I had to plan early and start organising our Back To School items and lists in advance. The booklists and School bags were bought between Christmas and the New Year and extra uniforms and the sandals bought while away (we took advantage of the shops while visiting family)

I know that most other states are returning to school very shortly (perhaps even next week?!) but we still have another few weeks , thankfully. So over the next week or so, I will be running through our choices and a few ideas to make the Back To School process a little easier.

After moving towns, our kids now go to a Public School (which is fantastic!!) and therefore things are a little different for the uniform and requirements than when Stella was at the Catholic school.

This year our twins, Max and Lacey, are starting Kindergarten (they turn 4 at the end of April) which is  2 days one week, 3 days the next and Stella is going into Year 1!! We can not believe we will have 3 at school. Time flies when you are busy! This Mumma is a bit emotional!

At our new school , all kids are required to wear a full uniform from Kindy and must also have appropriate footwear. Stella was always able to wear thongs (for easy removal and playing) and casual clothes but I must admit I like the idea of a uniform more!

Everyone has a different opinion about school shoes, and we aren't ruled by any colour or material restrictions so for sneakers we have just gone with basic Kmart ones. Super cheap at $8 a pair for the twins, and Stella's were around $15. I found hers from last year to be quite good quality for the amount you pay for them, she found them super comfortable and they are cheap enough that when they grow out of them, or they get covered in red dirt (like they all do in the Pilbara) you don't mind chucking them and buying a new pair!

  

                           

Sandal wise, the girls have gorgeous Target sandals, and Max has a pair of velcro strapped ones. Again, easy for them to put them on and off themselves, cool and comfortable and seeing as though we aren't at a private school, these are fantastic on the hip pocket.

                          

Like I said, everyone has a different opinion about kids shoes. Do you buy more expensive ones for fragile , growing feet? Or are kids just hard on their shoes regardless, so you buy cheaper ones because they grow so fast? 

I am of the cheaper option, seeing as though Stella went up 3 full shoe sizes during the last 6 months, her shoes don't wear out before she grows out of them.

Anyway, that's our Term one shoe picks for this coming School Year!