Baking

We're off camping this weekend, and so I am baking up a storm: apple cake, jaffa friands, zuchinni slice, spaghetti bolognaise, creamy rice, bread rolls and a loaf of bread too.

Got the radio on the old fashioned station: "I remeeeemmber youuuuu", and I am happy as a pig in mud. Been a long time.

Without trying to sound negative, I just KNOW that when I get home with the kids, they are going to say "What's to eat Mum?" and then they will like nothing that I have cooked.

Well, poo to you... eat it or starve. Got a roof over yer heads, warm clothes and food in yer bellies. Be happy to be alive and going camping... yay.

Everybody loves Thursdays

On Thursday I take the girls to school with me. This is the one day that I KNOW I just drop off and then go home again. So the girls get to come for the ride.

They look forward to Thursdays. I shake my keys and say "GIIIRLS!" and they know. So cute. The boys love having them in the car and like to put the windows down so that the air gets on their faces.

But this morning, Ruby wouldn't get out of the car when I got home.? Go figure that one out. I mean REALLY wouldn't get out. She kept moving away from me when I tried to grab her. In the end I had to leave the door open and just go inside. Bizzaro!

Celebrations

Sometimes when you are eight it is just time to celebrate. Celebration means so many things. This particular day meant drinking out of a silver goblet, with a custom cut straw and a chunk of orange on the side. Sipped (all at once!) throughout the meal (and whilst doing homework) this is a great way to celebrate...? life, living, being alive...

Turning 21

The first of my neices has turned 21! I don't really remember when she was born, but I remember all the rest... it makes me feel old, but a good old. I can't believe that all that time has gone by... where did it go? what have I been doing? Oh... that's right, having my own kids and all the other things that make life. How could I forget.

Now she is a grown up and doing all the things that I used to do, living in the same city I lived in, flatting with friends, having a life that is full and independent. It seems like only yesterday that it was me. Yet, here I am with a 10 and 8 year old, an ever expanding tummy and a headache... I am old, well.. middle aged... and that's OK.

Out of the mouths...

The Middle Man shared some news with me in the car going to school.

"Did you know that butterflies only have a certain number of flaps before they die?

"Yep, once they've used them all up, they die. Imagine that... imagine having, like, 10 flaps left and thinking "I better use these ones really well cause I'm about to die!"

Utterly GROSS!

The end of week 2 and look at it. 

So gross. What is it? How can it be possible to not change in any way. The only difference this week is that there are a few bits of dust on it. Dreadful. 

I'm going to chuck it today. And vow never to eat margarine. Ever...

Caring

One of our neighbours is unwell and will be for a long time yet. It's so hard when you are not overly close to someone but you want to care and do something. There are so many family members coming and going it really isn't our place to add to the mix. So this afternoon I will send the boys in with this bunch of flowers for her. I took so long choosing. I really didn't want an 'organised' bunch, but by choosing the hydrangeas I kind of took that away... they are so round and perfect in their little bunches themselves it is impossible to not have an 'organised' posy. But with the help of the lovely ladies, we mixed them with these beautiful dusky pink Lissy's, tied with raffia so not too fussy and I am happy with the result. She will be able to just plop them into a jug and not worry about them.

Look who joined us for breakfast

Got Juliette out this morning  while I was making lunches etc, and she eventually left me and slithered all over the counter as the kids ate their brekky. So quiet. Just before I took this photo she was drinking the water out of the glass... looked so cool.  Just ever tentatively touching the water and taking back long draughts, but again, so silent. She is getting a lot bigger now. I weighed her too this morning... 118 grams. About 50 gms since November.

Margarine – Day 6

If I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have believed it.

It has not changed colour.

It has not changed consistency.

It has attracted no animals, not even insects.

It has no smell.

I am gob smacked and I think it is disgusting that people think it is an alternative!

Collections

Which reminds me! I used to collect Smurfs when I was a kid. I still have them somewhere... I will dig them out and have some fun with them... surely there must be something I can do with them, and their mushroom house...

Bandages

Remember oh so long ago when The Big Man broke his finger and had? to go to India all bandaged and sore... well, the story is still going on.

Today he is off at the local hospital having that very same finger operated on. Lots of scar tissue has caused the finger to not bend completely and so, because The Big Man wants his finger to bend properly, he is letting people cut his finger open and fiddle around in there. Go figure!

He was completely not fussed about the whole thing. I, of course, am envious because I crave the deeeeeep sleep he will be getting. I just hope he doesn't come home all "woe is me". You know what men are like when they have a cold... imagine the possibilities if they have a sore finger!

Oh... and I forgot to mention that he thinks he is going to play football tomorrow night! The mind boggles, it really does!

Oh dear

The Middle Man is desperately needing some independence at the moment. We are at crisis point actually, so yesterday afternoon I let them go across to the park to play. About an hour later, imagine my surprise? when they called me over to have a look at the amazing work they had done along with our Little Neighbour from next door.

Lots of tools were scattered around, along with a great big digger truck, and they had successfully dug a hole at the foot of the slippery dip ladder, with a castle next to it, complete with moat. They had gone so far down that there was actually water in the moat! The Little Neighbour had run home for more water to fill the moat - a whole cup full!

Added this wonderful work, they had used all the sand out of the hole to completely cover the slippery dip in a layer of sand aproox 15cm deep. What a fantastic find if you wanted to bring your toddler along for a slide. What a wonderful feeling to find this when you are your wits end and the park is your saviour.

Oh, my Little Men surpassed themselves. So proud of themselves, I couldn't ask them to undo it all and thought I should just go over to the park after they had gone to sleep, but oops I forgot to do that. Hmmm....

One good deed...

This morning as I was in the chemist waiting to be served, a friend of mine was buying something and was 95 cents short. She hadn't noticed I was behind her yet, and so it was quite nice for me to say "I will pay the difference for you." She turned around and was so thankful. She had pain and needed the painkillers she was buying.

Vowing to pay me back asap, I followed her outside to go and get a cuppa while I waited for my prescription to be filled. Next thing I know, she trots into the coffee shops, orders me a coffee on her account as thankyou for my kind deed.

I now have renewed faith in the goodness of human beans.  Thankyou.

Ahhh.... Fresh Air

Ruby has just discovered the beauty of an open window. Both the girls, Ava and Ruby tend to sit on the seat next to me and stare intently at me in order to NOT miss out on a pat if my hand comes remotely close to them.

I have always wondered why they never had their faces out of the window like every other dog in the world. Well, today my little Rube finally discovered how blissfully aromatic the air is out there. The whole way home she balanced carefully on the seat, only just tall enough for her chin to reach, she did a splendid job.

She gave me a filthy look when I put the window up when we got home too...

So nice... and refreshing

 

When I see things like this, it makes me happy that there are still some people in the world who understand the innocence of childhood. How gorgeous is the artwork and their music is lovely too. None of this hip jiggling, sexy move stuff that so many of our little darlings imitate from the adults in our world. Head on over to reneeandjeremy.com and download a free song. Your kids will love it... eventually.

Saturday afternoons are spent here...

 

Dharma for Kids

Saturdays 3.30 - 4.15pm
Ganden Kadampa Buddhist Centre, Palm Beach  

Mar 6, 13; Apr 24; May 1, 8, 29; Jun 5, 19, 26; Jul 3, 10, 17

Dharma for Kids introduces children to simple Kadampa Buddhist teachings and meditations designed to help them solve their problems and develop a happy heart. They will learn how to practise loving kindness and cultivate a positive mind. Classes also include simple prayers, fun activities, and discussions relevant to their everyday experiences. Suggested age: 4 - 10 years. Parents are welcome.
$3 suggested donation. No bookings are required.

We are currently into experiments...

This one is to leave a tub of margarine out of the fridge indefinitely and see what happens to it...
We do not eat margarine and never will. We are butter lovers. I hope to educate the boys that margarine is not good so when they leave home in 10+ years, they will know what to buy at the supermarket. I am a tad early with this lesson, but there is so much to learn, I have to start somewhere...

This photo was taken this morning, 48 hours after I put it there... It has not melted, it has not changed colour, the flies are not circling, in fact the only change is a tiny little indent that looks suspiciously like a finger print!

Tuckshop today

Off I go this morning armed with earplugs and a kind and patient heart. Yep! I'm on tuckshop today. Off to make sandwiches, toasties, hamburgers, apple slinky's, frozen everything and the odd pikelet.

My favourite part of tuckshop is the serving. I always bags NOT to have the icecream window. I like the other window where the tiny little Preppies come with their money all hot in their hands, wondering what they can buy with this much money. You can hardly hear them they are soooo timid, and they look up at you with these big eyes full of terror. And then, once the deal has been done, they back off from the window with such excitement in their eyes... "I did it. I made a purchase. I have something in my hands. I bought it myself!"

Yep, that's the best part.... oh that and the fact that I get to see my kids in their land, in their world. Playing with their mates, running past, sidling up to the window "Can I have a frozen juice cup Mum? Pleeease!"

It's so hard being a mum

After posting that last bit about yelling at the kids, I kept thinking about it, wondering why I had down played it so. I yelled really loudly at them. I made them cry and it hurt my throat. My voice has been different all day.

I have felt quite ill about it all day... trying to understand where that anger and frustration came from so quickly!

But then after talking to another couple of mums, I  realise that we all do yell sometimes. And yes....  their throats hurt too... and that even though it's not ideal, it happens sometimes because it's really hard to keep on listening to the same old stuff over and over again. It's hard to hear your own voice repeatedly sounding worse and worse, getting more angry, getting no results. It is is hard to hear your voice that sometimes you don't even recognise anymore. You are numb to it, you are immune.

So, yes, today I did a bad thing and I yelled at my kids. And I feel sick about it and I hope it never happens like that again. I don't know how to make sure it doesn't, but I know that today I nurtured myself. They were safe, they were at school. I took time to visit an old person, to be humbled. I took time to have lunch with friends and chat about every day stuff. And I took the time to wander my favourite store and touch and see and listen and smell to the beauty that surrounded me there.

When I picked them up, they were glad to see me. It's OK. We went off to the shops to buy the 'party food'. We haven't argued yet. It's looking good for the night. Perhaps I will snuggle up to them in bed tonight and whisper in their ears. I know I will tell them that I love them. And I do.

I yelled at my kids

and feel really bad about it. Really bad because I really really yelled. And then I had to send them off to school for the day with heavy hearts.

As much as I try not to, I am beating myself up about it. It's hard not to. But today is today and each minute is a new opportunity. Tonight is an opportunity to make it up to them. It is 'party night' because they went to bed nicely last night. I told them what if they managed to actually go to bed without fuss, etc etc etc (I don't need to elaborate, we all know what kids are like at bedtime!), I would throw a party.

Well, they called me on it. So tonight is party night.

Another little person is having a nice day today, a little party in a bus. This is Grand Nana. She is 88? I think, and she is all ready here to go in the bus and get an ice cream. The bus driver bid us farewell, reminding me that when they leave, they are clean and beautiful. When they come home they are covered in icecream drips and oh so happy and fulfilled. No doubt she will sleep like a baby tonight.

This way or that way?

Hmmm...  I was brushing The Little Man's hair for school this morning. We didn't have a lot of time. We need time when we brush The Little Man's hair because: when we brush it, it becomes a haze of golden fluff which extends approx 15cm from his head on all sides. This is undoubtedly beautiful to me, his mother, however it can cause problems for The Little Man when he arrives at school.

So... to avoid this problem today because yesterday he slipped in a puddle and all his 'friends'? laughed at him, I decided that I would not brush it all and then wet it all an then dry it all (hence the need for time). I would instead, brush each individual curl (!@%#^%!!!) and try and regain some order that way.

You should try it some day.

Anyway as I was individually brushing these curls I made a discovery! All his curls curl the same way... anti-clockwise. Again and again and again I tried to curl them the other way, but no, they just wouldn't play. Then on the way home in the car,  I began wondering if everyone who has curls only has them curling ONE way. I started checking mine out... so far, mine ONLY curl clockwise. I still have one section of my head to go, but I think I'm good in saying that I am a clockwise curl girl.

So... here is my challenge to you (you know who you are)... if you own a curl or two, please investigate and get back to me. I'll publish the findings and perhaps once and for all we can get to the bottom of this 'This way or that way' curl mystery.

The Summer of

Yep... forever more, the summer of 2009 -10 will be known in this family as The Summer of CafeWorld. It took over our lives and dominated in a shocking, addictive, but loads of fun way. We cooked and cleaned, we redecorated, we expanded, we woke religously through the night to serve our meals to our happy customers and at the end of it, we are here.

Nothing to show for it. Hmmm... nothing. Just an emptyness a bit like when Big Brother finished and we suddenly had to go Cold Turkey after we'd watched these people for months.

But even though 'I am over' Cafe World, I still can't delete the application from my FaceBook. Too much work has gone into it, too many hours slaving over the keyboard... I don't cook meals anymore, I just feed the hoards of avatars with the gifts I receive from my friends. I don't redecorate anymore, I am happy with my little Italian restaurant. I won't expand again... I would have to hunt down more neighbours to do that and I am buggered if I am going to beg and plead for that (although I did beg Ms McGinty to start a farm... which probably turned out to be The Summer of FarmVille for her).

Nope. It's over. Almost. Like a relationship with a useless man, this too has run it's course. It's over CafeWorld. I'm done!

But dang, it was good while it lasted.