This Saturday the hubster was working so I took the munchkins over to my mum and dad’s for the weekend. I have to admit that normally, when we go over there I have been guilty of taking the opportunity to pop into town unencumbered by either of them to mooch about a bit and buy the odd birthday pressie or other necessity. This is normally while EJ is napping and therefore I tend to miss out on spending quality time with JJ. He adores his Grandma and she is fabulous with him, patiently playing games and letting him help her with the dinner preparations whether I’m there or not. However this week, for whatever reason, I decided not to go out. I had taken a couple of things over which I thought JJ might enjoy – an Usborne Appletree Farm ABCs sticker book and this pack of colour and create headresses:
which came as part of a lovely pack of stationary, cards and wrapping paper which I won in the month of March for writing four posts on four different themes, my favourite of which is probably this one for The Theme Game devised and administered by Jocelyn of The Reading Residence and Iona of Red Peffer (great fun!).
We never really touched on the stickering this weekend but JJ was well up for the colouring in and he definitely wanted me to help him (read – do most of the work!).
Strangely enough I actually quite enjoyed this activity. It turns out colouring is really quite therapeutic! JJ spent most of the task looking over at Grandma (who was enjoying a well deserved sit down with a cup of tea and a magazine) and trying to recruit her to the task!
Finally we finished the mammoth colouring task and I popped the head-dress out and glued the crown together. This is the end result:
As my Dad pointed out this is possibly a bit at the Elton John end of the spectrum, but I think you can pretty much tell from the look on his face how happy he was about this entire project!
I pretty much spent all day giving both boys as much attention as I could, attempting to cut down on my phone blogging and resisting the draw to pick up my book or Kindle Fire. I don’t really know if this made their behaviour better (it was pretty good) but it made me feel more on top of things – I was trying to pre-empt their needs and give them lots of positive attention all the way up to bedtime and I think that mindfulness paid off one way or the other. Happy children: happy mummy = magic ordinary moments ❤
And then the fun began... 
Quote “Happy children: happy mummy = magic ordinary moments <3" That should be the mantra of every parent 🙂
Thanks Rosie – I think I have definitely coined a phrase there!!
A great activity to do together that sounds like it was good for you and for them. #MagicMoments
It was very therapeutic all round I reckon Fiona! And the only part of the three day weekend that we spent indoors so I definitely have another #CountryKids post lined up!!
It sounds like a lovely chilled out weekend. I am often victim of sitting on my phone and not giving my undivided attention to my girls and then actually when I do put it down I realise what fun we have. They also are a lot better behaved as well. Since Christmas I have been trying to cut down my time on social media and it definitely has worked well for all of us! x
I know I should cut down on my time on phone, tablet and laptop in their presence – sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is the time to squeeze everything in but I figure if its a choice between not being able to comment on 50 different posts and actually missing out on quality time with the munchkins then its a no-brainer really.
I am constantly thinking of something to blog that it is taking much of my time and is robbing my son of me time. Even if I am with him my mind is somewhere else (blogging). This is what i am trying to do lately. Go away from the laptop. I am now using the laptop tho cuz hubby is here and well son is not alone. Nice post! #whatsthestory
That’s it I guess – if its just you and them alone then really they deserve your undivided attention. They’re not going to want to play and include you in their day to day lives soon enough so we should make the most of it!!
aww this is fab! i am loving his super proud face on the picture with his specs!! which by the way are fantastic!!
thanks for linking up with #Magicmoments x
He bloody loved it Jaime! Who knew that something so simple could make a small child so happy? 🙂
It does look lovely! It really is a good idea to make something with kids, even if you have to do most of the work 🙂
Thanks Tarana! I didn’t exactly make it but I guess the finished product still felt like our creation!
Aww sounds like you had so much fun with him! Loving the glasses they are gorgeous, and I am sure Elton John would love them too 😉 well done you for steering away from technology for a bit and enjoying having fun with your boys, I bet they loved every minute! xx #whatsthestory
It is nice to do that from time to time Caroline! Sometimes you just have to let a few things go and really be in the moment with them!
Sounds great. Happy mummy and kids is definitely magical. The mask looks great and what a beautiful smile.
It was a right old mash up of colours – this probably tells you something about how my Christmas decorating goes – I’d love to be a two colour artfully and stylishly composed decorator but it always just ends up like a technicolour soup!! 🙂
That looks, and sounds, like a lot of fun. Definitely channelling Elton, but very fabulous! #WhatstheStory
I didn’t even realise I was doing it – this is clearly a very camp space cadet!! 🙂
Chilled and relaxing weekends are the way forward!! Looks like you guys had a lot of fun! #whatsthestory
I’m beginning to realise that Debs! We had two very busy outings on the Friday and the Sunday so this was a great battery recharge day!
A lovely way to spend some time together (especially because it was from my shop ;-))! I find colouring in quite therapeutic, too, and it does feel good to give the kids your whole attention with projects like this. I have to be strict with my phone use as it’s so easy to just check it and then you’re lost in it! The end result looks brilliant 🙂
I get lost in some form of social media every day but its not really fair on the kids. I think we all end up feeling the love if I have my full attention on them. Great products too! Can’t wait to do the other two head-dresses now!!
Oh how lovely, just look at that happy face! Great photo and what a fabulous headdress too. Great post, thank you for sharing #whatsthestory
Love to see him this happy Charly! The headdresses are fab – we will definitely have fun with the other two (an Indian Chief and a King’s crown) as well!!
It is amazing how lots of attention can make children behave better. I love the headdress. Looks very Vegas/Superhero! #magicmoments
Its pretty cool really isn’t it? I guess it makes sense that, along with not letting them get too hungry or too tired, being mindful with them is the third real key to managing challenging behaviour. Sometimes life ain’t always that easy though, eh? 🙂
I’ve noticed the same: when we do give our kids much needed attention, they have less issues.
Its fab in theory but there are times when its just not possible unfortunately!
What a lovely weekend! x
That sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon – and the headdress is wonderful, Elton John or no Elton John – I shall have to look out for that pack, my Kitty would adore it!
Its sold by Phoenix Trading Carie – try http://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk. Amanda Loverseed is the artist – her cards are really lovely!