A NEW New Years!

We haven't yet wished you all a very merry christmas, but we hope it was a safe and very happy one! We took a little brain brake ourselves to refresh and start a new before the New Year arrives. 

Every year we all try and take a step towards, a better you or a better way of doing things within yourself or your family! But why don't they ever work? I feel quite confident in saying that we all scratch our heads and wonder why we didn't achieve our New Years Resolution but yet every year we jump back to the habit and make another, maybe even with the same one, determined to achieve it this year! 

Chantelle - I like to start any new years resolutions on the 26th! It means by the time it becomes an official "resolution" I am well on my way to creating the new habit! However I know it is too late to tell you this now but for future New Years, keep it in mind. 

Hayley - I think it's twice as hard to achieve a new goal when there is something from the past year still needing to be let go of. So take a moment, if you please, to reflect on what is holding you down before you take that next leap. Allow yourself to let go of any regrets or guilt you carry from the year past (or longer!).  Be it an elaborate candle lit ritual or a silent moment to yourself when the clock strikes 12. It's the perfect time to forgive yourself and make some room.

Now our Mother has shared with us a NEW idea for New Years resolutions and we wanted to share it all with you. Knowing our family, this NEW idea will now become a tradition for us, so jump on board and see if your family get anything out of it (originally inspired by this post on Sunlit Spaces).

Our Resolutions for the Year.

First let's talk about writing that promise. Instead of just telling yourself, or even just saying your resolution out loud, how about you write it down, and how about trying to write it different to the usual resolution. A resolution is often oddly written/said in a way that is already discouraging, when you say "I want to loose weight" does that really encourage you? or how about "no more arguing"? Try to write it down in a positive and encouraging way, like, "I will loose weight" or "we will do our best to stop arguing, especially over little things". If making a resolution isn't working for you, try it in a new way. 

H - That was all a bit much for me...
so here are some more realistic things I should really aim for.
That last one is a lost cause really. Memory, where are you?

The next step is to place it into your stocking so that you know it will be there waiting for you when the next christmas arrives! Sit down with your family, it could be your 2 children and husband, your cat and your dog or just you but it is important anyway. Try to come up with a few goals for your family as a whole and have everyone choose something important to them. When you have done this write them down and put them into a stocking, but also write them somewhere everyone can see it! Let's just say its a new take on family rules! Its easy to just say what we want to achieve the new year but it is much harder to actually achieve it if you are not accountable for the progress.

Good Luck!

Happy New Year!

H&C x

You learn something new every week ... Week 4

FULL of Lessons

Chantelle - Take a breath

I am the person who is always moving, constantly on the go and never accepting that even I need a brake. After a hectic few months working on the upcoming website and starting our blog I signed off for 3 days! Today I am back to it and more refreshed than ever. Completely turning off to it meant that I was ready to turn back on with 95% of my brain functioning when I was ready! 

Note to self ... Just breathe! 

Hayley - Put down that smartphone

As they say, sometimes the answer is right in front of you. Having my second child 6 months ago I knew things would be different this time, but that didn’t stop me from wishing I had some more one on one time with my new little one, to get to know her better. Bonding time can be thin with a screaming 2 year old running around the house…  But it hit me, I had been wasting some of the most precious time of all - feeding time. When I would normally be soaking up all that gorgeous baby staring time, that tempting (and lets be honest, often sanity saving) “me time” on the phone had crept up on me not to mention all that multi-tasking. So down with my phone, this week I committed that time to my daughter and it feels glorious. 
Note to Self ... Ditch that phone!

The Lunch Box Curse

Packing lunches would have to be high on my "really do I have to this" list! The yogurts that come home hot and I throw away, the squashed fruit! The never ending change in what they 'like', drive me totally crazy. Sometimes I think I will spice it up, add something new, be creative, surely they will eat it today... NOPE, into the bin it goes.

Tuckshop is my hero! When I really need them to eat for brain power in an exam or a sports carnival it always saves the day, I choose the semi healthy option for the 9 year old and just pray the 12 year old makes the right choice while in line.

Now, I hate wastage, not just of the food but of the money.... mention to them that "there are children who don't even have food" and the normal response I get is "Well it is sad but, that isn't me". I used to give that response to my Mum and I always got the 'I'm not angry I'm disappointed face' starring back at me. We are lucky we have chickens to give the food to which makes it feel slightly better but seriously! How much perfectly good food that the kids could have eaten do the chickens need? They are the best fed chickens around. All I can say is at least the chickens are eating all their food groups right?!

I love the "I did eat something"... to which I respond, Eating the treat i put in there doesn't count! I tried the you don't get any treats until you eat your 'real' food thing. I tried the you only get half your lunch until you show me you even eat that thing! I tired the 'you have to eat it for afternoon tea then' thing. All of it worked... or so I thought, until I put the treat back and they are back to old tricks and the chickens are well fed once again! I don't think I am bad lunch packer but apparently others do. I think it is officially time to admit that I have the dreaded 'Lunch Box Curse'.  Now I will also admit my mum (love you mum) always packed my lunch, I'm not sure I had ever packed a lunch until I made them for other people, maybe that is the stem of my curse... thanks but no thanks mum (love you). I definitely understand why they don't want to make their own but it doesn't make them want to eat it any more if I make it and take away the hard work involved. In Fact they sneakily use their birthday money to buy tuckshop they hate what I pack so much, maybe simply because I pack it?!

As I said I hate wastage so one day when I found another lunch box full of food to throw away once again I asked very kindly... "Please go and get $10 from your room" sure enough he returned with the $10 and held his hand out to give it to me. "No, I said, you can do the honours". I opened the bin and pointed "There you go, put it in". He literally jumped "There is no way I am putting my money in the bin" ... "Go on I said"  He put it in with a look of total life destroying pain. "Does it hurt" I said. He just looked at me... "Well that is how Mum and Dad feel when we throw food away, its the same as throwing money away. "Yeh I get it" he mumbled as he dragged his feet all the way back to his room. As he walked away I felt rather chuffed and accomplished, like the lunches I pack from tomorrow onwards would be eaten. When I go and pick up the youngest school goer I mentioned this to her... she turned and looked at me with an are you serious face... so of course I start to explain as she obviously doesn't understand the concept. She talked over me and said "um no are you serious... that's just silly, now we have wasted $20! Give them money to mum and dad" and with that she turned to look back out the front windscreen and said "so how was your day? by the way I didn't eat all of my lunch either".

Ok I get the point the lunch box curse has me and it isn't letting go! The 9 year old has out smarted me and I'm not sure the 12 year old has learnt his lesson. The chickens are back to being well fed and I am left scratching my head!

Sorry to admit it but there is no advice in this post, in fact... can anyone help me cure the curse! Help! Maybe I need to hire someone to make the lunches for me or buy shares in the school tuckshop!


Chantelle x



And now for H's weigh in...

Argh I hate waste of any kind with a passion. Happily though the lunch boxes returning here are often all emptied. Maybe you need to take lessons from me lil’ sis! Tehehe kidding!! There are plenty of unfinished containers that come home here too. Though I think what helps a lot is that there is no other options for him - there is no tuckshop at daycare! Also, the staff are the ones throwing away the leftovers so I don’t feel the pain…  I’m sure once school starts things will be very different.

Browsing La Internet, I have found a few helpful tips, some genius lunch packing hacks. See the links below for some great ideas, and make sure you follow our Pinterest board “Full of Food - Kids” for plenty inspiration! 

  -  A FULL YEAR!!! worth of lunchbox ideas.

  -  Would you consider creating a lunch packing station at your place? or do you already? 

      Seems to me like it would make life a bit easier… Another set up here, and more school organising tips

  -  The lunch cooler bag we use is by SoYoung - its gorgeous, well designed and not at all tacky, if that’s important to you ;). The design we have doesn’t seem to be available, but this red scooter one looks fun. 

  -  Also just spotted these sweat free ice packs by SoYoung - how cool do they look! (Pun not intended. But I’ll take it!)

  -  And lastly, Did you know you have been cutting Apples all wrong?! 

You learn something new every week... Week 3

FULL of Lessons

Chantelle - We need thumbs!

We need thumbs. This week I realised just how hard it is to live without one of your thumbs. Like, it wasn't enough that I don't have very 'feminine' fingers as it is (nail biter alert) but I now have a stubby thumb too! The amount of things I struggled doing this week that I had no idea I used my thumbs for! Note to self ... Cut coriander not thumbs!!!


Hayley - Break the rules

Major rebel in the by-the-book mum world this week (slight sarcasm there). I know sometimes rules around children’s naps are helpful; important; even sanity-saving. But sometimes the rule book can just go jump. Fed my little one to sleep then kept her in my bed for a nap - and it was beautiful. Don’t regret it one bit. Must remember… Rules are for breaking.

What was your lesson of the week?

Hayley and Chantelle xx

Mummies can be scared of the dark too.

(and by that I mean mothers, not the ancient mummified version. Glad we could clear that up.)

I was woken up in the wee hours by a scream coming from my sons room; a nightmare. I made my way to him and found my upset little guy trying to get out, scared by something he’d dreamt about (I can’t remember what it was now, but whatever it was had obviously truly terrified him). I picked him up and cuddled him as he calmed down. As his breathing became slower, I noticed my heart still pounding. Worried for him as I was, there was something else - part heartbroken for the poor little man, part terrified of the “monster” in the dark myself. As much as I was comforting him, I needed reassuring too.

Now, the occasional and forgivable white lies such as “No I don’t know where your *insert name of excessively loud and irritating toy here* could have gotten to!” aside - I’ve never felt much need to lie to the kid. He’s switched on and curious, and we chat about nearly everything. But that night, I flat out lied. Because the truth wasn’t going to help him right now: that mummy was scared too. Obviously I knew (deep, deep down) that we were fine. But it was pitch black in there, and paranoia was setting in quick. So a string of comforting words flowed out that, as intended, soothed him, but they also helped me feel bolder. 

Truth is I’ve never been great with the dark, my imagination is far too lively to let the dark be boring. But I’ve largely conquered that fear in the last couple of years; after all the night time house wanderings with a newborn, I’ve learnt a skill or two (HA! perhaps the understatement of the year…). But every now and then it will catch me again. So I realised something - sometimes mummies can be afraid of the dark too. And sometimes mummies lie. It makes me wonder how often my own mother hid her fear to help me feel safer. It makes me wonder how many times I will do it again under this title of Parent/Protector/Monster fighter. Amazing the trust these little beings put in us as parents. The best reason to be brave. 

 So how 'bout it? Surely I can’t be the only one?! 

 H x

And now for C's weigh in...

I am a self proclaimed, scared-of-the-dark adult! Nothing else to it but that I am petrified of what is there when I open my eyes in the dark. I am lucky, I don't do the midnight walks to children very often and I certainly don't get up in the middle of the night for the toilet, by choice! Yes I said it... I sleep through the night. Sorry to all the mums reading who haven't slept through the night since... well, since they can't remember, or to all those who wake up to go to the toilet. A little tip from a friend of mine who is renovating: she recently put a dimmer in her toilet and while at first I thought 'who needs a mood light for such a room?' it eventually clicked... it's for all of us people scared of the dark!   x C

You Learn something new every week.... Week 2

FULL of Lessons 

Chantelle - Morning brains are productive brains!

It is the procrastination curse that has got me this week. Following me around like a 4 year old shadow. Although the real 4 year old brings me more joy, the procrastination only brings me bad dreams full of endless to do lists.

So my lesson this week is "morning brains are productive brains!" I realised I only get less productive the more the day drags on! So stop the procrastinating and get to it! The faster it is done and the to do list nightmare is fleeting the more time we have to be entertained by the real 4 year old shadow of joy! I know easier said than done right!?
Note to self ... Stop procrastinating!!




Hayley - Let them wander

We were in the city, and cutting it fine to meet the fam. We already had to take the long way round because of the a pram and our steps were getting rushed. The little mr took off, captivated by the enormous staircase. "Just grab him and let's go" came from the schedule-driven husband. But as I followed him I could see (besides how gosh darn quick he's getting) that his little inner explorer was on fire, he was loving this, and I just couldn't stop that.

So I let him lead, just a bit more. I picked him up when we reached the Anzac memorial and we even had a quick chat about what it was for. It was a reminder (perhaps not a lesson as I'm admittedly already skilled at taking the long, dawdle friendly route) to let the kid with a fresh pair of eyes take the lead, to go off course every now and then. To let them wander.

What was your lesson of the week?

Love Hayley and Chantelle xx

Morning You, will thank you for it tomorrow!

There is nothing more frustrating than waking up feeling angry with past you. I don't know about you but Morning Me is the hardest one to please! Maybe you woke up feeling great until your brain kicked in and you realised all the things you need to do not to mention the mess that is waiting for you once you open your eyes and sit up. Things that you could have possibly avoided with 5 minutes (I wish haha) of shuffling before bed. Days are often hard to start, prying your eyes open most of the time I'm sure, I certainly do! I can speak from experience that sometimes at night we just want to crawl into bed and forget the day that turned to rubbish after 4pm. However, I also know that doing a couple of simple things that can make it even one dribble easier are totally worth it!

So here goes... time to be kind to Morning Me!

1 -  Choose your space -For me I spend most of my time in the kitchen so this is a very important spot to have right before I go to bed. It can be as simple as stacking the dishwasher or even placing the dishes in the sink so you can't directly see them when you walk into the kitchen in the morning. Clear benches and no random piles make a big difference to my mood in the morning. Decluttering spaces, declutters my mind. It might not be the kitchen for you but choose a place in your house that you know affects your overall mood and then focus on that. Just give yourself a time limit... spent 2 minutes clearing the bench, trust me it will help you get started in the morning.

2 - Choose another space  - If you have children the hardest thing to keep in order is their toys! The best thing I ever did was put a nice but practical large box/basket in the lounge room to throw all of the toys in when I'm on the run! You don't need to spend hours organising just for them to rip it apart before you wake up. The less time you spent tidying up the mess the less you will get frustrated when they make it. If this space doesn't suit you choose another that you know will effect morning you. 

3 - Style - I love waking up and loving the space I am in so try fluffing the pillows on the couch, straightening the rug and even putting the remote away. The lounge is another space that can create clutter. It is usually a dumping ground or an everything area for EVERYONE and I imagine you see it when you wake up! So don't let it build up, simply move the 'dumped' items to a space that you dont stare at when relaxing with your coffee and whatever else pleases morning you.

4 - Mind and Body - Yoga does wonders, if you already practice it you will know what I am talking about but if you don't.... give it a go. It really is wonderful for your body and your mind. Many people preach the benefits and they are right! Now I have to admit I am the person who says "I don't have time to excersise" ... of course I do, I just choose to eat pasta and have a wine to please whichever me is most frustrated with the day. I do however enjoy practicing some minor poses at home to help my mind and body relax when I need it.  Check out more on the benefits of the shoulder stand (my go to) at http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/08/ten-reasons-to-do-a-shoulder-stand-every-day-marcus-julian-felicetti/

5 - Past and Future you - Be kind to yourself, sometimes we don't achieve everything, sometimes we dont achieve anything but.. hey, don't worry you are not the only one! Get a piece of paper or just the paper you wrote your to do list on (dont use your phone to do this before bed http://ikeepsafe.org/be-a-pro/balance/no-screen-time-before-bed/) . If you don't have a to do list ... make one. Put everything in your head down on paper before you want to go to sleep. Leave it beside your bed so you can add to it when you remember something new. Don't leave your mind thinking and telling yourself to remember something in the morning or you will never get a good sleep. If you didn't achieve something today put it on the list for tomorrow. If you really want to achieve it tomorrow put the words "I will" before it, the power of those two words will astound you. This to me is the most important, be ready to tackle your day tomorrow, be kind to yourself and assess your day to get the most out of the next one.

Its not hard to do and I know it works for me. I am a very organised person and find it hard to wind down if I didn't achieve my goals for the day, so these little tricks have become my best friend. It may not bring Morning you joy to fluff your pillows, maybe sleep does that .. in that case do that and forget what I said!!! But if you wake up in the morning angry at past you for not making Morning you happy then you know where to turn! 

And now for H's weigh in....

As much as my night time, already-half-asleep Me hates to say it, the lady is right! A little bit of something - for me usually tidying the lounge room - before bed helps Me feel a lot better not just in the morning; as its the first thing I see outside my bedroom door, but even the night of, helping me to relax a whole lot more with a little less clutter. A little habit I try to practice (though trust me, I regularly find excuses not to) is something a wise woman once told me (ok, it was my Mum. Thank heavens for mums right?) was the 15 minute tidy - for just 15 minutes at the end of the day tidy up as much as you can - its super duper effective. Oh and Yoga? Yes. A billion times yes. I don't know how I live without it, but sometimes I do and it is a silly, silly move, let me tell you! 

Love Chantelle and Hayley xx

You Learn something new every week.... Week 1

  FULL of Lessons 

Chantelle - Pick your fights! 

My lesson of the week came from a combo of 1 year old tantrums, 4 year old aggression, 8 year old spats,12 year old frustrations, 24 year old knowledge and 43 year old wisdom! This is a lesson I have learnt many times before but this week it really sunk in... well at least I think it did, I'm sure I will rediscover this again and again, isn't that just life?!

If you cant win it, don't fight it! If its wasted breath don't use it! If it will pass and everyone will survive just breathe through it. Don't get caught up in the feisty moments especially when there is so many people involved. My energy is only limited and best used on things like showering and such. 

Note to self... I must go take a shower!

Hayley - The value of 2 minutes!

This week I remembered one of those lessons that you already know you know! You know? I should have started forever ago but I didn't and I put it off but guess what 2 minutes of my time and I felt like a million bucks! Excuse me while I kick myself once again...

Note to self, just do it! 

What was your lesson of the week?

Love Hayley and Chantelle xx

This is Our Full Houses

This is Our Full Houses and this is what happens here....

We are a space full of ideas! Ideas and stories. We hope this is a place full of happy stories, sad stories, real stories, ideas to help, ideas to open your mind, new ideas, old ideas but mostly the ramblings of a mum and a nanny (and some of our friends too). 

It all started with a grand idea which is how the website Our Full House (launching february 2016... watch this space) came about but we had so many other things to talk about that we needed a separate platform to share and to create a community. 

We are Hayley and Chantelle. We are sisters and we are an unusual team! Sometimes we are polar opposites but we share the same heart, most of the time. Hayley is a "thinker" and Chantelle is a "doer", Hayley is quiet and Chantelle is definitely NOT! With different lives, roles, experiences and friends from diverse fields we hope to provide you all with plenty to read and gain from Our Full Houses (and to get to know yours too). 

Join us on the journey of learning and growing in the crazy realm of mothering, educating, living life, travelling, personal development and I'm sure more! Watch out for our weekly post for the segment "you learn something new everyday" and follow our stories for different takes on everyday situations.

Hayley and Chantelle xx