From Kansas With Love ...

It is such a beautiful, sunny Winter's day here in Melbourne. The early morning blanket of fog has lifted and it is crisp and clear and you just want to suck it all in.

This morning was my morning for being the "parent helper" in Beth's class at school. I do this once a fortnight and it is just such a joy to go and do, not to mention very, very interesting. I am the mother of one of the "good girls", of course, that goes without saying (excuse me while I clear my throat and beat my chest). Some of those little boys - ay,yi, yi ! I am just so not used to boys.

To be a parent helper, you have to complete four or five training blocks in regards to literacy that centre on reading and writing and how it is taught in school. Very different to when I was at school back in, oohhh, ummm, yes, let's not go there. We go into the class when they do their literacy block first thing in the morning and assist the teacher. The class is broken up into small groups and they complete different activities. This morning I took two sessions of word bingo. Great fun and so nice to spend some time with Beth in her class.

When I do this, Alice goes to a friends house who lives just around the corner who has a daughter in Beth's class and another little girl who is Alice's age. They have a play for the morning together, or should I say, they argue over what belongs to who, with moments of playfulness thrown in for good measure. That's two year old's for you.

After I picked Alice up, we were walking home, kicking the Autumn leaves, talking, trying to instill some road sense into a strong willed child. We were almost home when I spotted something sitting on our front door step. A parcel ! The parcel fairy's had been.

The very sweet Sara had sent us a parcel from Kansas. Inside were these two gorgeous koala's called Lulu and Mae. But wait, that's not all.

She has made up the best CD for the girls. We have been getting down and funky with it all morning. There is a song on it called "Number One" and we have been loving that one. Sara will have to let me know who sings it. And for me (do I sound all important and spoilt bratish?), one of her cute as a button funky monkey purses, which are cute AND functional. Great little outside pocket and little link chain thingy to put keys on. Sara has obviously heard me before. "Keys, keys, where did I put my keys?". Even kinder was the inclusion of some pieces of the funky monkey fabric and, as I pause to draw breath, a piece of my favourite and my best, Amy Butler, from the Charm range.

The lovely gocco print card is made by Sara too and she has them for sale in her Etsy shop.

Thank you so much Sara, you have made three girls day's. And needless to say, my husband will once again marvel at how I could get so excited about a parcel and it's contents. I think blokes missed getting that gene.