OUR VISIT TO THE IPSWICH ART GALLERY

This week we decided to head to the Ipswich Art Gallery as we heard they had some Lego artwork pieces on exhibit. We had been meaning to get along to this gallery for a long time and decided to head in the week before school holidays for a quieter experience. The exhibit closes on Sunday 7th October 2012.

The Lego Brickworks exhibition displayed some amazing art pieces made purely from Lego. The boys thought they were pretty awesome but I must admit I was a little disappointed there were only 10 in total on display. Nevertheless the pieces were beautifully constructed and showed great detail, giving the boys a different perspective on how they could use their own Lego at home.

I found the Wild Things exhibit upstairs in the Children's gallery held their interest for a lot longer, providing all the boys with something to keep them amused for each of their age groups. The exhibit is based on the popular children's book and movie of the same name. The toddler area was great for babies and toddlers, providing a soft play zone for exploration. The rolling green faux hills and dress-up pieces assisted those slightly older to embrace the 'wild thing' inside of them. There's an excellent art and craft zone set up for the children which Bailey & Dane enjoyed sitting at creating their own little 'wild things'. We spent well over an hour in here playing, creating and viewing the other art pieces on display.

 

 

The gallery also had other items on display that were of interest to the boys. Dane was very keen to take his time looking over roughly 100 handmade hats and beanies, all showcasing the creator's artistic flair. I found the indigenous pieces the most interesting, making use of raw materials like feathers and flora.

I can highly recommend making your way along to the Art gallery within the next couple of weeks if you can. It will be school holidays but I can't imagine it getting overly packed. Street parking is close by and only costs $1 per hour in the area close to the gallery. I can highly recommend lunch in the beautiful Indian restaurant next door if you are looking for somewhere a little different to dine. The prices are reasonable, the food delicious and the service amazing. They were more than welcoming to us, even though most places cringe at the sight of 4 young boys entering their premises!

Link for Children's activities at Ipswich Art Gallery: http://www.ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au/kids

KEEPING BUSY!

Popping back in to do up a new blog post and realised it's been almost 3 months since my last update! Life has been keeping us super busy lately and I have found it hard to get in here obviously but I definitely have no shortage of ideas or things to write about. So first, here's a quick update as to what's been going on in our lives this past few months.

Bailey has recently turned 9 and is continually thriving and pushing himself a little more out of his comfort level. His social skills have improved out of sight since making some close friends that he gets to see every week. His confidence is soaring thanks to a realisation of his sporting abilities, excelling in Ice-skating, Soccer and running. He never ceases to amaze me with his drive and determination.

Dane is 6 now and is such an affectionate, loving little boy. He still has moments lacking in judgement but they are decreasing as time passes and he is proving to be a good mate to his 2 younger brothers. Dane has recently started reading and is still really enjoying Homeschooling. I once thought that he would eventually ask to go to school, seeing as he has never been, but he seems determined to continue on this path with Bailey. I really feel that Homeschooling is a better option for him anyway, given his concentration issues and his inability to keep his body in a relaxed state.

It's often easy for me to forget that our little Ehren is only 3. He is quite mature and intelligent for his age. He is now able to hold a conversation extremely well and is naturally inquisitive of the world around him. He loves doing his preschool work at home and is constantly asking me for his 'schoolwork' when he sees his older brothers completing theirs. He is currently practising writing numbers and drawing common shapes. He is starting to become a positive role model for Fraser which is lovely to see, especially as they are only 14 mths apart in age.

Fraser has grown up so much this past few months. He recently turned 2 and is talking up a storm. He is a very determined child who shows no fear in getting his point across, which I guess is more a positive trait when he's the youngest of 4 boys! He also loves sitting down to do 'schoolwork' which for now is mostly crayon drawing and practising pencil control. He has just commenced the beginning of toilet training, which we will step up more once the weather is reliably warm. I'm looking forward to not having any more nappy changes in our house in the months to come!

Clif and I recently celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary. We are the happiest and healthiest we have been since the day we got married. I managed to get back into my wedding dress for a happy family snap, which is a goal I set myself shortly after giving birth to Fraser. Life couldn't be better right now. I'm very blessed for all I have in my life, both with my family, friends and the life we lead.