Beautiful dreamer

Asperger’s was first recognised in late 1930’s in Vienna, by paediatrician Hans Asperger. He noticed similarities in a number children with developmental challenges and documented these. 


Now this could be another boring story of another expert on a leather couch, but Hans was living in challenging times- in late 1930’s Vienna was just about to be overtaken by the German Nazi’s. Hans knew that if he called this pattern of behaviour a disability then these children would be killed by the Nazis. So he identified the challenges of the children, but also documented these children’s stunning abilities, particularly with numbers and codes. He identified that these children would make great code breakers and the Nazis did in fact use these children to assist them in code breaking (as did England at the time).


It’s an amazing and inspiring story, one that made me cry for all the children who weren’t seen for their strengths, and then cry some more tears of joy for all the children with Asperger’s who were seen for their strengths. 


It made me think: What strength would you see in your children if their life depended on it? Do you:                           

See the Strength in your Jedi,

the Speed in your McQueen, 

the Beautiful Dreamer in your Belle 

and the Enthusiasm in your Tigger?

So go enjoy a Vienna Coffee and listen to this amazing ABC interview with Tony Attwood where he discusses the above story and other wonderful positives about kids.


Holly Treechange

flower for the library princess

I psyched myself up for work today...
A cup of fluffy coffee (you may call it cappuccino) with my school-Mummy friends before heading off helped.


You may or may not know I work in libraries.
I may or may not personally relate to this quote:

"But you want murderous feelings? Hang around librarians," confided Gamache. "All that silence. Gives them ideas.” 
Louise Penny, A Rule Against Murder

I was saved from my work-induced-funk by a miniature prince. A little boy came up to me in the Picture Book section and held out a bruised camellia that he'd been cuddling with both hands. Precious, precious, precious.
He'd picked it just for me Y.


So today I turned into the library princess under the spell of a kind hearted boy. Or to use Holly's terminology: He facilitated my beautiful paradigm shift. 




Y Cate




images
coffee bean heart
bruised camellia 

find your own answer

A children's book review Y Cate

What Kind of Fairy Is Merry Berry?

by Lindsey Renee

No dust settles on this little book. It doesn't even sit on the shelf at the library. No sooner is it returned then it is borrowed again by a little sparkly, fairy loving reader.

Aimed at Pre-Prep to Year 2 this fairy book ticks all the rights boxes. Rainbows. Glittery pages. Pink. Purple. Pink. And special instructions on becoming a fairy.

Under the glitter is an empowering message. Don't look for others to fix your world. Look to what you love and find your OWN answer. Very magical!

Y Cate

beautiful things

Beautiful things from today...

A blushing pear from the fruit shop and a 

camellia from my friend's garden.

A visit from a gorgeous friend.

And beautiful snuggle pyjama cuddles 

from my Little Bear.

What was beautiful in your day?

Y Cate

Hugging fingers Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo

live what you love

My little brother is 17 years younger than me. He was 12 days old at my high school graduation. I wish you could tell just by my simply typed words how much I love him.

Recently he was contemplating a career change. At 22 he had a secure job that paid decently, more responsibility than your average young adult and opportunities for advancement within the company.

Yet he wanted more. When he came to me his trusted big sister, I wanted to say: Don't! You have safety. You have security. You have something GOOD. But I didn't. I bit my tongue. I said: Go for it.

He did go for it. He has an AMAZING new job doing what he's AMAZINGLY good at. His job involves world renowned chocolate too so there are possibly some perks in it for me. And he's well on his way to living his dream - with a decent amount of hard work thrown in. I am so proud of him.

I am also reminded by my (now big) little brother - that living what you love is where it's at. I'm baby stepping my way there.

My co-conspirator Holly (of the awesome parenting tip posts) and I have BIG dreams. And beautiful dreams. And we're ready to make them start happening. Keep reading. Follow along. And live your beautiful dreams too.

Much Y Cate

beautiful failure

I have tried a lot of Apricot Slice recipes now. I’m trying to replicate that apricot slice from childhood, you know the one? It’s just perfect in my mind but nothing comes up to scratch. Well, tonight I tried to change a pineapple slice into apricot slice and it was definitely a fail. The kids didn’t mind, pour custard over anything and it tastes ok. But I knew. 

But as the Robinson’s say:  “Keep moving forward!” 

It’s important to talk to kids about failing, and sometimes check in and see what they are afraid of. As with all problems, the best answer can be a question: 

“What’s the worst that can happen?” 

Not a rhetorical question, but truly step out with your kids what could happen, and what is the worst. Then find the humour. So for example my little tree was recently worried about a test at school. So we talked about some of the terrible possibilities. He could not do well, do badly or even worse be so worried about it he would forget to get dressed and go to school in pyjamas!

(I find if the humour brings anything to do with toilets, it works especially well.) Then we look at the chance of that happening. Getting the calculator can always help out, you can’t argue with the facts. 

It doesn’t always work. The little tree survived the tests at school but came home from sports day upset. He hadn’t done as well as he had thought he would. I got straight into what’s the worst that could have happened and dealing with his thoughts, I forgot the biggest thing. To just be with him and have a cry and say that it does suck... Because sometimes no matter how much custard you pour on top of the apricot slice, it still sucks.  

I love this photo, it reminds me that sometimes,

 failure can be beautiful. 

Feel free to share your best failure or that hidden apricot slice recipe I am seeking.

Holly Treechange

love potion

http://www.heirloomroses.com/roses/love-potion.html#

It's nearly a year since we've moved into a lovely home. New house, a new community, new school, new jobs: and still I don't have the 'at home' feeling.

I haven't planted anything yet. Mr Blossom faithfully mows the weeds lawn but we have no gardens. Have I mentioned we live somewhere referred to as the Garden City of Queensland? Hmm, well I thought buying a plant might help us fit in and speed up the belonging feeling.

Hence the beautiful rose sitting on my back deck waiting to be planted. She's called Love Potion and I have acquired her as much for her divine scent as her glorious mauvey-pinkness.

This little jug stuffed with daisies is my other acquisition. The view in the background is from our deck. The large tree is a Ghost Gum and is home to a pair of beautiful parrots. We watch wallabies and kangaroos bound through that grass and tiny wrens twitter to us from the dark green scrub.

My pink flowery beauty therapy is working it's magic and with fresh eyes, I know I'm lucky to be calling this home.

Y Cate

blissfully blue

My pretty blue finds from today.

Feeling a little blue this morning and just impressed that I'd managed some essential grocery shopping and lugged it inside -such an effort! I was sitting at home and feeling so uninspired. Entirely lacking sparkle I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to create, work on or blog about.

One fabulous text later I was on my way to have coffee with a pair of lovely women. Thank you friends you made my day!

We met for coffee in a lovely spot and explored the nearby shops. 

I love my new linen and blue-dyed lace pincushion. Found here.

My blue pearl beads and stamp are destined for some future creative beauty therapy. I am thinking a looong necklace with an embroidered blue felt pendant. 

And the stamp... well I couldn't leave it behind.

I have made some significant progress on my cowl since posting about it here. Loving sitting in the evenings and click-clacking away, so beautifully therapeutic.

My blues beaten by time spent with friends, a little beauty therapy. The creative inspired sparkle has returned.

Y Cate 

Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Find the recipe for Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies here.

I love the decadent delicious recipes on Valentina's blog - perfect for chasing away those Monday blues.

Y Cate