se7en's Profile

We have eight kids and lots of questions about introducing new siblings, some of them closer together than others... I think the most important thing is to make sure that your older child feels like they are still the main player in the party... I always make a point of sitting with them and the new baby and saying how "I am holding all my little ones and how lucky I am to have such special babies." Suddenly expecting the older child to be big is such a giant role change that it is bound to end up hurting!!! I blogged about the questions folk ask here: http://www.se7en.org.za/2009/02/11/se7en-things-people-ask-me-about-siblings

This was a really easy lesson to learn... The price of electricity in South Africa Sky-rocketed... trebled in less than a year and regularly goes up 25%... We pay so much for electricity compared to what we used to pay that we turn everything off - nothing on standby... we all read in the lounge before bed rather than everyone in their own spot with a lamp. Don't pre-heat the oven and turn it off as you finish cooking... cook more than one dish together... Never use the power guzzler: tumble dryer... Life changing but not that inconvenient!!! Wish we had changed years ago we could have saved real money even when we were paying so much less in the past.

Why haven't I seen the Eric Carle App before it looks wonderful!!! We posted our kids favorite apps this week as well... http://www.se7en.org.za/2012/01/17/saturday-spot-se7en-1-of-our-favorite-ipad-apps

That is such a pretty Advent color… who wouldn't love to look at a string of gifts!!! My kids make our Advent Calendar each year and this year we made a really quick and easy one, you are welcome to take a look: http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/12/02/se7ens-easy-advent-banner

Hay so good to see you over here on Ohdeedoh... Huge Fan - two of may favorite blogs in the same place... made my day!!!

This is awesome - it is going to keep me busy all weekend!!!

My kids helped me make a book list of note: http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/04/15/se7en-of-the-best-bazillion-chapter-books-a-book-bonanza

And my reluctant reader, who has become avid since I posted this, helped me make this one: http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/05/15/se7en-sneaky-tactics-to-encourage-the-almost-reader

And what a lovely blog she has... straight into my news reader!!!

I live in a house full of readers and I have never held back... our books have been loved to death and then some. I have to say that if you are really concerned don't knock board books - seriously most classic pictures books can be bought as a board book now, they are just not the picture books that they used to be!!! Seriously have a look for the board book option when you are searching for books, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Meanwhile I have found the library books we take out have been carefully covered and sometimes reinforced. When we get a new book I usually cover it in contact paper or at least along the top and bottom of the spine, where they tend to take the book off the shelf to read it.
I recently wrote a post on how to mend our very many over loved books. http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/07/30/how-to-mend-a-book-in-se7en-steps

My kids have all started out with Flik Flaks... they are so cute... I wish they made them for big people and they come with such funky packaging, everything about them is cool.

What a cute party idea, my kids made their own photo props today: http://www.se7en.org.za/2011/07/22/se7ens-fun-photo-props