The Secret of Happiness in a Flowchart (source: Explore)
Hello Friend,
We’re heading out on holiday tomorrow to Coromandel Town for a week of family fun!! Everyone’s super-excited – we’ve been counting down for almost a month now – the littles are barely able to contain themselves! And although I’m not going to be around as I’m going computer free next week, I have a couple of posts scheduled to publish while I’m away – so I’ll kinda be here in spirit!!
It appears that my ‘lovely links’ collecting is now bordering on obsessive-compulsive and I have a huge surplus that must be shared – if for no other reason than I will then be able to close the open document on my desktop which keeps my notes and shut down this computer!! So, here we go… a bunch of lovely links for you:
Thoughtful Posts
- Sometimes I have a tough time with this one. It is ok for our little ones to have feelings other than happy.
- Here are some lovely ideas for connecting with your littles when you’re apart… I hope to use some of the ideas when my parents return to China in August.
- Finding the perfect in the not-so-perfect.
- This post has some *much needed* (for me) tips on helping your littles sleep through the night, but best of all introduced me to this lovely musical pair, and this sweet video:
- Love this family motto: I can do hard things.
- 10 easy ways to connect as a family.
Crafts and Activity Ideas for the Littles
- Jean of the Artful Parent has posted a round-up of 33 nature art, craft and play activities.
- DIY family puppets and theatre
- Frida Kahlo-inspired kids art
- The Importance of Pretend Play
- There seem to be a lot of posts going around about getting your littles to help with the housework… this one on methods to motivate had some great ideas for me!
- DIY Flower fairy lights. LOVE!
- I love all ideas for memory keeping for the littles – this post is all about taking an end-of-school interview with each child.
- Beaded Bubble Wands
- DIY Lava Lamps
Yummy Recipes
- After school snack ideas
- Rhubarb Snacking Cake
- Umm… yum – a trio of tempting recipes: salted coffee caramel sauce, peanut butter ice cream, and strawberry-orange sorbet.
- 3 kinds of homemade popcorn
- One word: Trifle.
Crafty Mama
- Laundry helpers: DIY lavender dryer bags and DIY laundry detergent
- This weekend we celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. Megan has a great inspiration post for a ‘Best of British‘ weekend.
- DIY embroidery cards
- Travel Photography Tips and Photo Checklist
- I’d like to make Belle a fabric busy book for her second birthday. This 1st birthday present is fantastic inspiration.
- I honestly didn’t realise you could make a paper bag look so beautiful.
June 01, 2012 at 7:23 am, Shawn said:
Thank you so much for linking to Awesomely Awake. It took me several years to understand that a crying baby/toddler/child is OK and not a sign of a bad parent. ; ) Lovely little blog. So happy and magical. Love your purpose here. Will visit again.
June 28, 2012 at 8:04 pm, Hana said:
Hi Shawn – thanks for stopping by!! I really enjoy your intentional and thought-provoking writing. I am on a mission to be more present and really ‘live’ these years with my children. I think like you, I am slowly learning that sometimes even the ‘bad’ stuff doesn’t have to be bad. Every experience presents a lesson. I am naturally an emotional person, and I definitely don’t want my children to feel as though they have to bury their emotions – but sometimes it can be hard to let our children feel out their emotions without cutting them off… so as with everything it just means taking it one step at a time – trying to be more accepting day by day.
H xo