NYE!!

Only gained 1kg over christmas and am back on the diet!

25kgs to go!

Things coming up in 2012:

• The inlaws arrive.
• Going on holiday to Pambula with the inlaws.
• Miles starts at his new Prep/Preshcool
• My parents come for Christmas 2012
• J turns 40! 
• Road trip to Broken Hill for J's 40th
• Possibly a big road trip to Frazer island - we will see what we do mid year, may do something different - Bali/Fiji perhaps ??
• Miles gets his cast off!!

Thats about it.

Christmas was lovely.  Had beach trips and movies and fishing, also a great big spring clean of the house, that felt great to do.

Looking after some chooks for a friend at the moment to - kids have been loving that.

Will be bad later with some pics of Christmas.

x

update

Busy couple of weeks.

• Had Miles Pre-school orientaion and our interview with the head of the Pre-school.
• kids Christmas party a Playgroup friends house with her kids and some others - Miles had a ball playing with his friends and Greta had a ball eating all the yummy food!
• Miles appointment with his surgeon - all looks good and made an appointment to to have his cast removed on the 10th Jan.
• Had  a lovely meal out with Greta's Mums group and OMG all we did was laugh, GREAT night :)
• Jonathan is recovering from the MANFLU!  He's actually been too bad and hasn't passed it on to the kids thankfully.
• Went to a Pantamime at the Library, it was really good..lots of chaising and kids squealing, both Miles & Greta LOVED it. Santa came for a visit at the end and Greta ate her own body weight in jelly Snakes!
• Took them to the last Story time at the library for the year, was ok, lots of craft and singing but was a bit chaotic.
• J had his 2 Christmas parties, complete with bollywood costume i had to go acquire for him lol!
• Took the kids into the city to J's work Christmas party - they had such a ball and i got to wander around the city for a couple hours window shopping.  Miles got a Scooter from Santa and Greta got a Barbie - both LOVE their gifts :)
• Did food shop today.. not too bad, i got a turkey, a ham, a roast pork, some choclates and big tin of biscuits and spent just under the $200 mark so im ok with that.  I spend $100 - $140 most weeks on food so an extra $60 on hams and turkey and biscuits and chocs  was pretty good i thought.

Other than that i thought i might do a quick list of the kids Christmas presents:

Miles;
Little robot - remote control
Toy shop - to share with Greta (they LOVE to play shops together)
Lego - of a hospital
Dr's bag and accessories inc an x-ray machine
Tools and metal robot thing to make up (from his auntie)
Some books
Bubbles for his bubble maker
Ant farm

Greta:
New born baby doll
Barbie doll
Books
Dorothy cuddly
Dora doll
dora castle
Pram (from her auntie)
Vacuum cleaner (from Grandma)
and 3 great big boxes from My parents that i have no idea whats in them!

So i think they did pretty well.

Its been really tight this month, we have to pay for Miles' medical expenses on the 10th Jan so need to work that out somehow - but i get my tax return soon so that should cover a third of it.

Going on holiday in Feb and haven't saved nearly enough for that, so need to be really good with money in Jan in order to save enough for that!

Thats about it really.

x

Another great loss

I'm not down to a total of 14 kg's lost!

Im very happy with that however i do have about another 25 to lose :(  but im well on my way.

Been raining for 2 weeks, alost none stop so im very grateful we have lots of indoor activities for the little ones, other wise they'd be so bored!

We have play group and Music class and story times at the librabry.. we did have to stay home wiht Miles for that firt week and the poor little man was so so bored, but he Christmas craft has been so good and keeping him occupied.

All our activites end this and next week - we had the last story time today at the libraby :(

Was really good though, they did singing, which Greta loves!  and dancing which she is really into at the moment and can sing whole songs, mainly from the fairies and twinkle twinkle, word perfect, she amazes me with her vocab.

Erm...so a pantomime we are booked in to see next week, looking forward to that.. and of course Miles prep orientation on tuesday.

Then we have the Christmas party to go along to at Jonathans work for the kids, so quite a bit of sutff to keep them entertained until Christmas..and indoor stuff too so keep us away from this rain!

Im kinda happy its been cold cos with Miles' cast we can't let him go in the pool and if it were hot he'd want to be in he is such a little fish.

8 weeks till our holiday i am SO looking forward to that, these last 2 couple weeks have been so tiring, not had a brak all year so really looking forward to that.
I've never gone so long without a holiday - feel bad for not taking the kids anyway, its really important that they travel and get to see the world and we just havent gone anywhere all year, so glad we are going away in Jan and then hopefully to Fraser island in Aug next year then my parents will come visit in December :)

Not much else going on, just trying to keep the munchkins entertianed with lots of craft and christmas stories at the libraary and we have our playgroup christmas party, im looking forward to that next week, we are getting one of the dads to dress as Santa - so the kids will love that.

Oh i must confess to being talked into getting a santa photo of Miles.. i HATE santa photo's they're just so not me, just a bit tacky i always think and id never take my kids and stick them on santas knee if they didnt want to .. or actually i just never would anywa but Miles loved this particular santa so i had no choice!
Hope he doesnt ask again next year..

Greta is going through a grumpy phase but i think its because she hasnt slept all week during the day, i pop her in her cot and she just lays there and chats to herself but refuses to sleep - not had a day nap all week !!!
She is so so beyond tired and its tanty after tanty after tanty but she will just not give in and sleep.. so im just kinda putting her in her cot still each day at nap time and hoping one day she will start to have her nap again.

I was rumaging through the spare bedroom wardrobe and all these parcels came tumbling down on me, i didnt realise how many we actually had for the kids and Jonathan too - not a single one for me though :(
Some from us and my parents and my sister and then ones ive got for jonathan and a crafty from the kids but nothing for me :( guess it will stay that way unless i buy myself a little gift, but i kinda get myself lots of books so i guess i have them all year really! still would be nice for just one to open.. pedicure gift card! book token.. a nice lindt choccy box of something from Myer - they have the best choccy selection there especially for Christmas.. . so i might have to go and get myself something! i probably wont but i like looking in Myer at all the lovely stuff they have and DJ's too.

Ok i think thats all.. best go get her up cos she's not sleeping AGAIN!

x

Crafting

As well as getting the tree and lights up, to get us in the mood for Christmas, we have been doing a craft activity each day to do with Christmas.. Will (try) to do one a day until Christmas day..

Its amazing how excited they get, as soon as i go sit at their table they know what we are doing some craft and come running over so excited!

Greta will sit there for literally hours and take such great pride over what she's doing, i just hand it to her and away she goes, such total concentration, its fantastic.. Miles is so like me in that he starts off really well and gets into it then all too soon i see him getting fed up and rushes the end and just goes oh that'll do.. makes me laugh cos im so like that!

Anyway here are some pics so far, this is an activity from the 1st Dec and 2nd Dec, i didn't do one today as i didn't have all the bits i needed for it, but i think i can bodge it and will do it tomorrow.

Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree...

Arms and things...

Miles broke his arm on Monday, i keep recounting the story for people and really, i'm not sure what they are expecting, but when i tell them how he broke it they look rather disapointed, so i think i will just say he was sky diving or swimming with sharks or something!  He's 4, what am i meant to say!

Anyway the truth of it is that he was simply standing in the playroom off the kitchen and was between the couch and Greta's dolls house, he was half standing on the dolls house and half kneeling on the couch and kept swapping positions, i was sitting right in front of him on the couch and he's talking to me and watching TV at the same time.. then simply tripped, not sure if he went to walk around the couch and tripped over it or if he was just standing there putting his feet on and off the couch/dolls house, but right in front of me i saw him trip over and fall, not far, as he was standing on the floor, but just fell sidewards, left arm out to break his fall and cue terrible screaming - i jumped up to say 'Miles i told you not to be putting your feet up on the couch/dolls house cos you'll trip over' but before i got to say any of that i glanced down for a quick scan of any damage and his por left arm was twisted into such a biazarre shape - i kepe having flash backs of it.. it was terrible, instantly knew he had broken it.

So said to him, and by now he was totally calm just kept saying ouch when trying to move his arm, he said it didnt hurt!! high pain threshhold perhaps - ive no idea if a broken arm hurts or not..
So i said he has broken it and needs to get in the car to go to hospital - whisked him up there - and slong story short, $500 later, an x-ray and a fantastic friend taking Greta for the night and all the next day until 9pm and he has broken both bones, radius and ulna in his left forearm - he had to have surgery, which was just so scary, holding yoru baby on your lap while they gassed him to sleep and his little body went all limp.. needless to say i lost it several times and sobbed like a baby myself.. Miles however was so very brave all the time.. and the staff were fantastic, cannot find fault with any of them.

So now we are home and he has a full arm cast that will be on for 5 weeks.

He's ok at home but gets a bit anxious when we go out and about so staying home with him as much as possible.. he had trouble sleeping but actually slept all night for the first time last night.

I've been sleeping with him though so may have to get him into bed by himself soon and see how that goes.

Ok a few pics of the brave little man:

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas..

All sorted for Chirstmas this year. 

For the first time ever!

í got the bulk of the gifts in July and have just been paying them off, even the Parents gifts..

I've picked about half of it up and have gift wrapped them. Just need to collect the next lot mid Dec and then gift wrap them.

We sold j's bike, he just wasn't using it since he got his new car. I'm sure he will get a new one in a couple years.

So yeah, less than 4 weeks till Christmas and all organised! Even had a chat about what food we will buy over christmas, like extra treats and sea foods etc..

So just a home day for us, probably have a BBQ at home just the 4 of us and head off to the beach.

Then the mum in law and her hubby are coming over for 3 weeks in Jan, so that should be great for the kids to spend some time with their grandma. I'm sure they get sick of being with the 2 of us all the time!

Then we are all heading off on a holiday which is what im really looking forward to, not had once since Jan of this year and really looking forward to heading off on a bit of a road trip for a week.

So yep Christmas, and a crazy week leading up to the last week before.  I have Miles' orientation to Prep at his new pre-school/ school.  He's going to the Hills Grammar School and they have just opened a Pre-shcool for 4 yr olds, as a prep to the lead up to him starting Kindy the year after.. The Pre-school at the top of the street we live in now is so crappy, they just leave them to their own devices so i really don't want him to go there next year.. so we went and got his uniform and he is so excited to start in jan - 2 days a week!
SO we have orientation for that on the Tuesday the 12th, then we have Playgroup Christmas party, so have to rush over for that the same day after orentatin finishes.
WE also have his current Pre-school leaving party that same day which we just cannot attend, i've tried to work out whats best to go to and what he will enjoy the most and as much as i would like to do all 3, they just overlap in time and Greta will have to miss her day sleep, its just not possible..

Monday we have a pantomime at the library that i took the kids to last year and was really good fun, so going to that again.

Wednesday we have our Playgroup party.

Thursday is Christmas story time at our local library, stories and songs and crafts and snacks, looking forward to that.

And next Monday is Miles' music calss concert - he has to learn 3 songs, jingle bells being one, which he has mastered half of, and 2 others.. one he knows and the other is a new one we have to learn this week.

So yeah busy busy lead up to Christmas, glad we have a week off over Chritmas!

Weight loss wise im going good.  im donw 12.5 kgs since mid September when i started so im happy with that.

i'd love to lose another 3.5kgs before Christmas to take me under the 15kg mark, but we will see.I'm trying really hard so i hope to make it.. still another 25 or so to go after that! But im making good progress and am well on my way so im happy.
Fitting into so many more clothes that i had got too big for, so thats great.

Its warm here at the moment, very unlike last year, it was stinking hot last year, had so many days over 40 degrees C.
This year is so much cooler, well it gets hot and then gets nice and cool again.. which is good as i do love it hot but last year was a killer as we didn;t have any air con units!
This year we have bought 2 new air con units.  We have one installed in the kitchen/family room.. so thats fantastic! somewhere to cool down :) and we have 1 on the way in via courier,we orderd it about 3 weeks ago and still waiting for it to arrive!
That will go in the bedroom, the we want to get 2 fans, one for each of the kids bedrooms and just have 1 more to get then to do the rest of the house, but that will be a big one so will have to wait till next year for that one.
Least we have a couple anyway, so thats more than we had last year.

Ok all for now.

x

A few pics

Just some pics from the last couple of weeks.

Miles in his new pre-school uniform, he starts 2 days a week in Jan.

A couple from a trip to the beach over the weekend.

And at the Fairies concert.

10 kilo's

So i've lost 10 kgs this past couple of months, just over 10 actually - really happy with that.  I started in mid Sept and here we are on the 2nd day of November. 
I have a few more i'd like to lose before Christmas, about 8 or so, but see how we go..

Main thing i've been doing is lots of walking, i've cut back a lot on the 'crap i eat' and have been walking walking walking...seems its paying off.

Oh and i had a little win on the Melbourne Cup ! i let Miles pick a horse for me - and it won!

No news really, had a playgroup meeting last night where i once again put my hand up to be the co-ordinator, so that will take me through till next year, and then i go back to work the year after that (2013) so may hand over the reigns to someone else then - but im happy to keep doing it another year.. good to be involved in the kids activities.

Got a secet santa gift for a Mum i am involved in a mums group with - and along with a few other little gifts a friend had made for me, i put them on the top of the car while i got the kids fastened in and drove away with it on the top of the car !! needles to say i lost the whole lot - along with some craft i had done with the kids - so so cross at myself, and now have to go get a new SS gift and not to mention the lovely hand made items i had made for me as a gift - so cross with myself!

In other news, i  think jonathan has sold his motor bike - after his crazy friend messed us around, one minute he wanted to buy it, the next he didnt, then for some odd reason he thought it a good idea to bid on it ont he site we were trying to sell it on and almost messed it up for us again!! Honestly, who does that!
So anyway we have someone coming to see it tomorrow night with a view to buy it.

Other than that - just ploddind along till Christmas really - i have pretty much all the gifts bought for everyone.. Im really happy with that.  Its all on lay-by, even got Miles' gift from my parents a- a bike - on lay-by at the bike shop. 
Mother in law has deposited money into the kids accounts so i will go and get their presents - Miles is getting his pre-school uniform for pre-school next year.

Ok thats about it, best go get the kids dressed for Playgroup.

x

Recap

Not much at all happening really, hence the reason i've not updated in a while. Just day to day stuff.

i think poor Miles was rather bored today, did have Playgroup and story time on this morning but i cancelled it as i had to get a few things done and, well just couldn't be bothered really! Plus im on craft duties at Wednesdays playgroup tomorrow so needed to get a couple of bits for that too as well as go to an appointment at he apple store - went to get my phone fixed as the speaker phone wasn't working and scored a brand new iPhone 4 for freeWhooo Hoooo!

So just had a little tidy up at home this morning, pottering around and the off to the shops this afternoon, paid a little off my Xmas lay by and went to th iPhone store for my appointment, so not much to stimulate poor Miles, so he has been bored silly today!
I guess shopping centre and entertaining yourself at home isn't much fun for the kids, but its a very rare day when we have days like that.

i did get the stamps and ink pads out for them, and that entertained them for half an hour or so.

Yesterday was fun though, walked up to music class - a 6km trip! Caught the bus back, because i could not manage that again! Miles though the bus was great fun, we dont ever really catch busses so he enjoyed that.
Then in the afternoon we planted potting plants that we had bought a couple days ago in some big pots i had lying around and played with the water hose and poor Greta got drenched my accident! oh i wish i had my camera it was so so funny!

We had a trip to the beach last weekend, that was great fun.

Picked up my new Jeep - yes i FINALLY bought  a new car!  a Jeep Cherokee -still trying to work out the fancy sound system its a hard drive so no CD's just load the music on.  Guess they are all like that now but my car was 5 yrs old so CD's when we got that still.

its an Automatic, my first ever! took a while to get used to but im getting there - keep feeling for he clutch! But Jonathans (did i say he has a new car too - and is selling his motor bike) is manual, so i can drive that and hope i dont forget how to drive one!

Still losing weight, im 8.5kgs down :) so my old clothes are feeling so much better, they were all tight and uncomfy before, so thats great - fitting into so much stuff i wasn't before :)

Miles has to go back for an earing test as he failed his last one in his left ear.

Did a big shed clean up over the weekend at Playgroup, that was actually ok, grafted hard but was nice to be with the other mums and had a laugh.. looking forward to the next Playgroup meeting - although i have to chair so not sure about that!

Erm.. not much else really...

Got Fairies tickets for next month. 

All of Christmas is organised i think.  Got the pressies for everyone on lay by - very organised this year.  just got to get J's pressie but i know what im getting him so will get onto that soon.

Need to think of a birthday pressie though.

Most likely be boring socks and undies from me this year ! we are still broke so no money for anything but practical stuff im afraid :(

shouldn't be too much longer though - 2012 should see us get straight.

Mum in law is coming to visit in Jan so having a week away with her, then in Aug we plan a big trip to Fraser island and then J wants to go to Broken hill in Dec for his birthday next yr and my parents will be over for a visit so no doubt a big 2 week trip with them too..

SO a few trips planned and thats about it really - up to date!

x

Some photo's

Of Greta's birthday weekend..

Just a secetion of the birthday weekend, we went to a local farm and had a tour of the home there, thats now like a museum, that was great and also the farm and the kids got to collect eggs and plant seeds, it was really great - ive been meaning to take them for a few months and never got around to it.  anyway, finally took them and they had a ball there.

Then on Greta's birthday we had a day at home and we had quite a big day going out to lunch and the farm the day before..
I made her a cake - a butterfly and she got lots of gifts.

Also a couple of pics from Terrigal when we went there on Tuesday last week, will probably go again next week too.

Oh and a pic of the cup cake Miles got at Terrigal:

We went and bought Jonathan a new car yesterday.  He can't really manage at work without a car as he travels quite a bit, so we went and bough thim a lovely silver Ford Focus.

After much umming and ahhing ive decided i will just get myself another Jeep Cheroke - so we got the finance sorted out and have one to test drive on Sunday so we are off to test drive it.

In other news, i think i may be sick.  Got up this morning, had brekkie and took the kids on a nice long walk to see the alpacas and then came home, made a sandwhich for lunch and i threw up :(
I don't feel sick so perhaps just over walked myself a bit, i did come home and guzzle a pint of water .. so that perhaps didn't help.

Little one up, best go get her..

x

bad day...

I'm not really sure why...

Had a lovely week up to today, then all went a bit wrong today.

A combination of my feeling a little run down, not sure if im coming down with something - can't imagine that i am as i've only just recovered from a cold and i've been eating so well lately and also taking a multi vitamin.  But did wake yesterday with allergu issues, so popped an allergy pill - Miles hunted through the kitchen drawer and found a pack of Nurofen i think they were, and brought them to me as he knows when i get bad with my allergies i pop a pill - an allergy pill though but i guess at 4 yrs of age, a pill is a pill.. so sweet of him.

Anyway, it really zaps my energy when i have allergy issues, so last night i started to feel like crap and went for an early night.  apparently Greta woke but i was in such a deep sleep that Jonathan got up to her and just plonked her in bed next to me and went and crawled in the spare room..so i woke at 6.30am this morning with Greta saying 'hi mummy' i was like WHAT THE .., how'd  you get in here lol!

So anyway, had a couple of plans today but still felt zapped of energy.. it all just seemed to go downhill.

Thought id try and get on top of a couple of bills, rang them to arrange to pay but would only speak to the account holder - Jonathan. Called him to ask him to call them and arrane to pay but ended up having a silly screaming match..

Greta decided not to have a nap today so literally scremed the entire day away, then finally late this afternoon she looked so tired so i put her in her cot and was hoping for  a nap from her but for some un-known reason, Miles decided to go into her room and talk to her!!

So i snapped at Miles which i petty much never do as he is the the most kindest gentlest child i have ever had the pleasure of knowing and feel like crap for snapping at him - i swear the kid's only aim in life is to please other people, he is such an absolute pleasure - he thought he was doing good by going to see Greta as she hadnt settled and i snapped at him.. such a crappy Mum!

Anyway got Greta up and she screamed a lot, then when i finally got her to stop clinging for 5 minutes she picked up a crayon and drew all over the couch, then all over the table, then stuck stickers all over the leather couch...

I started to do a craft activity with Miles, after less than 5 seconds he gets bored and says ok ive done lets do something different - he seems to have the attention span of a gnat! no kidding, it had taken me ages to set up and its still hanging on the washing line drying... honeslty he pesters to do some craft, i set it up for her and 5 seconds later he is up and leaving the table as he is bored.. i give up! 

Went to the shops for a crat activity they had there and ended up getting there at the wrong time so had to go back 2 hours later when it was on.

Nothing major just 5 or 6 little things that have all added up to a crappy day and me getting cross and snapping at the kids cos Greta was over tired and Miles woke her - just a crappy crappy day.

All made worse by the fact that Jonathan is out of the house by 6.30am and doesn't get home of an evening till ..well its 8.30pm and he's not home and hasn't even left the office yet, so will be well after 9.30pm that he's home and thats pretty normal.

SO single parent mode and i've litereally not seen another human being all week, well except shop keepers etc.. no one to talk to, so it gets lonely, i have no family or anyone for a break - the only break i get is if i pay  a babysitter to look after the kids for a couple of hours...

i dont know, just a bad day.. feeling lonely today - counting down the months till the in-laws arrive.. 3 whole weeks of company for me!

it's hard some times.  I know living here is best for the kids, i know that, i know i want to give them the best start and i know this is the place to do that - but i still have huge pangs of homesickness... not even that, i just get lonely. 

i love Playgroups and things like that as the kids can play with thier friends there so its an hour off from me having to entertain them - and i really do like to do stuff with them and entertain them.. and play and paint and dance and do silly stuff but they do look at me to come up with stuff to entertain them constantly - cos i guess they only have me.

So Playgroup is great as there are other toys to play with and activities set up for them to play with and thats great - and i can chat to the other mums, have some company for an hour or so a couple times a week... i crave that. 

But when its school holidays, i see no one for weeks on end... or however the holidays go on for, and its lonely...

also i feel crap cos ive lost 5.5kg's the past 3 weeks and im so proud but today i ate half a pack of biscuits and i've done zero walking this week so im really anxious about that, i feel like im desperate to walk and burn some fat off and its been raining and its not fit into the day and its in the back of my mind all the time and its getting to me....

SO anyway.. thats it really. 

Hope for a better day tomorrow - i don't often feel so down.. a few things have gotten to me recently, and its all just got on top of me today i guess, silly little things im trying to shrug off - an old Mums group ' friend' ignoring me and inviting all the others out but me and a couple of other silly little things im trying not to let bother me.. but they do.. i had no idea they didnt like me but its been made clear lately- and its upsetting however much i try and ignore it...

What can you do..

Stick youself in single parent mode, smile and pretend all's well and get on with it!

So i'll get on with and hopefully be in a better mood tomorrow.

x

its taken a while...

To got onto this site, or any for that matter, my laptop is having a benny, i've no idea why (hmmm, perhaps too English a phrase - ' to have a 'benny' means to throw a tantrum btw)..

It takes more than an hour to open a website.. then it wont load the photo's.. i have some from this past week i wanted to upload, see how i go.

My iPhone is also being weird and wont open stuff at all or hangs for an eternity.. not sure whats going on, need to get the Hubby to check it out for me i think.

Well 4 days till my princess turns 2 ARGHHHHH.. how time flies.... when you have a stroppy little madam to deal with lol.. gosh no, the world would be so less funny (if thats even correct English??) without her and i reckon we all need a little feisty pants in our life - my little firecracker :)

No plans, just cake and a little tea party at home.  i know Miles had the party with his friends and also a trip to the zoo with his friends but i recall when he was 2 yrs old and i took him to the park with his friends and he cried and just wanted it to be the 2 of us there and was only happy when the others had gone home - so i thought im not making that same mistake again.. now at 4yrs he really does love hanging out with his friends but not untill about this last birthday really.. so just gonna do the small family thing this year and probably next too. 

She's kinda born in the school hols too so every year she gets to miss out on the cake at Playgroup and Pre-school when she starts too.. poor luv.

So anyway, yesterday i wrote down a plan of fun things to do in the school holidays to entertain the kids - i know neither go to shcool yet but we have lots of activities that occupy us like Playgroup and story time etc so i thought id have a scout around and see whats on for free to entertain them and found some cool stuff so yesterday i sat and wrote a list of fun things for this week..

So far we have had:

Monday: boring stay home day as we had some one come over around lunch time so couldnt go out.
Tuesday: Drove up the Terrigal and had a cupcake and a play on the beach..

Wednesday: we did the food shop - boring for kids i know, but i then took them to IKEA (Miles LOVES Ikea) for a wander around the kids section and then for meatballs and mash potatoes  - yummmm. then down to the little play area there that they both love.

Thursday:  We are going up to the shopping centre as they have an Alice in Wonderland Maze .. looks like great fun, you can wander through the maze they have made and chat to the mad hatter etc..
Then baking some biccies in the afternoon.

Friday: the local shops have a craft day with free arts and crafts for the kids, making maracas i think it is... plus a free little toy, so they can both have a go with that and get a little toy each.
Then come home and ive got a little craft idea for home... a little hand puppet i want to have a go of making i saw on a craft website.

Saturday is baking Greta's birthday cake and Sunday is the birthday girls day...

then next week, no plans as yet but i want a trip to the Museum in Sydney, it was so cheap last time and both kids loved it.. they also enjoy going into the city on the train and seeing Daddy for a quick cuddle.
Have a few more home craft/paiting ideas and also a trip to the kids theatre, with a couple of neighbours and their kids, that should be good fun.. also wanted to go see the Gruffalo at the Opera house and we have tickets for justine Clarke for next weekend.. so quite  a bit to entertain us and also a trip to the beach.

Its kinda nice having this spare time with no activities on as we can do lots of other fun stuff like the museums and the beach that we run out of time to do during the school term.

Ok thats about all. Have to go and unpack the shopping, its still all in bags..

Oh in other news, i started doing a bit of walking about 3 weeks ago, just too and from Playgroup and too and from Pre-school and stopped eating as much as i was and i've lost 5.5kg's in 3 weeks :) so so happy with that i feel so much lighter - a heap more to go but its a great start :)

x

P.S, i gave up with the photo's - i had some nice ones from the beach yesterday but this computer is stuffed! its driving me insane!!!!!!!!!!

will try later ...

x

on the hunt for a new car ....again!

The car situation has come up again!

Well we started looking for a new car for me.  Jonathan was going to use his bike for work... but then decided that as my car is 5 yrs old adn really was fine after we spent a fortune on fixing it after it crapped itself!

Well now it seems jonathan needs a car for work, he has won some work all over the place from the gong up to the Central Coast - so can't really be rinding all over with clients on the back of his bike! So he needs a car, he has been taking the Jeep on the odd day i don't need it, but then im left withouht a car and its just a pain really.. so anyway.  he needs a car, so we were going to get him a car and leave me with my Jeep - then the damn thing crapped itself again! The 'check engine light' keeps coming on - anyway after a few conversations we have decided to just get us both a new car. 
We were unsure what to get but as i have had 2 Jeeps now it just makes sense to go for another and they have come down in price since we got our current one 5 yrs ago.

So yep i think we will go with that..  So i've booked in the kids nanny to look after them in a couple of weekends time and we are off to test drive.

Least i know what i want now, just a bog standard Jeep Cherokee.  And Jonathan has narrowed it down to 2 cars he is interested in.  The place we are going to in Miranda has them both so thats good, we can test drive them both.

So more money to outlay that we cant afford but, i think in the long run it will save us money as we will have to spend a fortune on the engine fault and also the air con isn't working - that will be a nightmare over summer and cost thousands to fix.  SO chaper in the long run.

In other news. 

Play group today..

Went into the city on Monday to the Museum with the kids..

Just recovering from a cold also, that Greta picked up and Miles seems a little sick today, unsure if its from the 4 yr needles he had yesterday or from the cold i passed onto him im not sure.

Also counting down to the long weekend.  Its also Greta's 2nd birthday then too but Jonathan gets the Monday off!

He's not had a single day off since Feb when he took 2 days off to come away with the kids and me and my parents.. Im desperate for a holiday!  So counting down till Jan for our weeks holiday!  Jonathan will take a week off too.. the first in a while!  Well he's taking a week off at Christmas but we will just stay home - boring... need a holiday, can't afford one :(  Roll on our Jan trip with the in-laws.

Only other thing going on is Greta has started potty training so see how we go with that..

So we have Justine concert coming up at the Opera House and tinking of booking tickets to the see the Gruffalo there too next week. 

Oh and took Miles to see the Smurfs.. Miles loved it.

Ok thats all.  Must get on. 

x

We have an air con unit fitted!!!!!!!!!

That is all :)

x

Money woes!

again!!

This time we have to pay $1000 each for each of the kids to secure their places at the Pre-school (miles for next yr Greta for 2013).

then we have another air con unit to buy at $350 and we have one due to be fitted tomorrow for $500..

You just get straight and then are hit with all these bills again.. and on top of all this i need to save a couple of grand for our holiday in Jan next yr!

Anyway in other news, i went to the park with the kids and a couple of friends today, Miles had a great time riding around with his friends on their bikes.

Then Miles' 4yr check up and he had his hearing and eyes tested, and that was all good, oh she said he will most likely always be little as he has small bone structure, so he's always been around the 5th - 25th percetile but has recently had a huge growth spurt and is now around the 40th for height and weight, but she reckons he will most likely go back down and will probably always be on the short and skinny side, my lil' pocket rocket :)
Greta is the same, she's quite short too, i guess its in the genes, both sides of our families have both really tall over 6 feet memerbers and really short, just scraping 5 feet members so i guess you have to go one way or the other.
He's totally healthy though so all good, had to draw a circle and a straight line and a person and a few other bits and bobs, count to 10 and all that..

I booked Greta in for her 2 yr check while im there..

We did the weekly grocery shop and re-newed the library books. 

Then went to lunch at the shopping centre and collected Greta's birthday pressie that i had lay-by'd for her.  Just a little cot for her doll and a little high chair for her doll too and went to the ABC store and attempted to buy her a big Hoot (from giggle and hoot) but she didnt want it, wanted the small one, so i got her that one and that should do her for her birthday.  Might get her a couple of bracelets, she loves them and ive broken a couple recently (bad mummy!).. that should do her.

So other than that a good day.  They had a ball as the park and miles is getting so good on his bike.  And when we got home i paid some bills while Miles played with some toys in his playroom.  Then when Greta got up, we put some music on the iPhone and danced around the loungeroom :) it was such fun.

Then too them to bed and sat them both in Miles' bed while i read them a story.. lovely day.

Meant to be getting the air con installed tomorrow.. and its Miles' pre school day too. 

Thats about all.

x

Sick

I've just picked up a crappy cold :(

Started yesterday really, I was at Playgroup and felt crap so left after an hour.. I let the kids have morning tea there and do the craft, which was just stamping, nothing exciting.. So I left early and came home. Put Greta to bed and flopped on the couch and snuggled with Miles.

I felt a little better in the afternoon and after I got Greta up I made meatballs for dinner with Miles' help.

Jonathan didn't get home till about 10pm, I was in bed fast asleep... He woke me to say hello and brought me some water :)

He really needs to employ a couple of people to help him, he has so much work on. He's got a PA now and another PM but needs another PM really - he's snowed under, which is just fantastic! But means he's leaving at 6.55am and isn't home till after 8pm most nights.. Long days. Normally fine but when I'm sick, of course we gave no family here so no help.

Anyway, today I woke feeling rather crap :(. So I'm in crap Mum mode today.. I handed the kids a sheet of stickers each this morning and a price of paper each and that entertained then for an hour.

Then cuddles with Mummy for an hour. Greta had her nap and Miles watched TV. In the afternoon I've just opened the door as it's a lovely 26 degrees today and they are actually having a ball playing outside. I'm just sitting in the shade. They have lots to play with.. 2 cubbyhole houses, a sand table, roller coaster, a slide and a trampoline I actually laid on the trampoline for about 2 hours with my book while Greta and Miles had a ball jumping about. Now Greta is playing with the kitchen in the cubbyhole house and Miles.. Well he's hanging around me, he's never been able to just play and entertain himself bless him.. Which is not hood when I'm sick and have no energy..

So I guess not too bad really, but I'm just used to doing activities and groups outside of home and at home lots of fun craft and things.. And I've litteralt been laying on the couch all day and they've been playing with stickers and then I've sat in the chair and they've played outside. But I guess it's just once in a blue moon, I never normally sit at all during the day it's usually go go go with entertaining them and activities like Playgroups and classes and story time and playmates... So I probably shouldn't be too hard on myself.

I must have known I was getting sick. On Monday I suddenly decided to scrub the house from top to bottom, took about 4 hours but it shines now.. Thank goodness as I won't be doing much this week!

And i have a few bits to do too, I have to collect the lay by for Greta for her birthday and I have to do the weekly shop tomorrow.. Will just have a rest day tomorrow and will have to get back to it tomorrow.

I think Greta has really enjoyed her longing day .. Shed been playing in her cubbyhole house for about half an hour and I hear giggling :)

She keeps asking Miles to play with her but he's not good at playing and entertaining himself, he needs an activity set for him and someone to sit and watch him do it. But not Greta, she can just entertain herself.

Anyway. Best get back to relaxing

X..

Spring has sprung!

And to mark the start of it, we have done a few little Spring craft projects.

We planted some sunflower seeds in a little cup, decorated the cup first and then we made a little flower.. Miles loved doing that.

Then while i was getting lunch ready he sat at the bench and made and decorated a few more cups. 

Its a glorious day here, spring has certainly sprung today :)

Now to get on to the pool company to come out and uncover our pool and give it a good clean - goodness knows what lurking under there!

x

Fathers Day 2011

Was lovely.

Daddy opened his presents that the kids had made and the we went to Manly for lunch..and an ice cream of course.

Some pics of the day.

Miles painting the box we got for Daddy, we thought he could use it to keep is collection of cufflinks that he has strewn throughout the house!

A keyring Miles made along with the bookmark i cut out for Greta and she coloured in.

A card that they coloured in each - Miles wrote his name inside his :)

And a couple of pics from lunch out in Manly.

And a funny faved one!

In other news, i am re-selling my pram.  The couple who won it decided they didn't want it!! so ive had to re-list it.  So hopefully that will go for $300 - $400 again.

Felt quite crappy yesterday, ended up going to bed at 7.30pm, watching Dr Who in bed and then switching the TV off at 8.30pm and fell straight to sleep, only to wake up at 1am with the most terrible headache - a migraine i guess, anyway i sat up and had a wave of nausea hit, so i lay back down but couldn't sleep as it was so bad - now i hate taking pills but i was in agony so i got up and went and kind of blindly stumbled around to the bathroom to get panadol out of the cupboard - we dont have anything stronger in the house, i just never really take pain killers - anyway i had 2 and got back into bed, probably took them 20 mins or so to work.. so was only awake for an hour or so in total.  from 1 till 2am.. then i went back to sleep and the next thing i know its 8.45am! Fantastic! Jonathan got up to the kids, well Greta didn't wake till after 8am but Miles was up at 6.30am..

So felt great today, felt tired most of last week but repaid the sleep debt this weekend :)

Ok all for now.

Music class tomorrow.

x