Didn’t win anything…

no luck on the Melbourne Cup…oh well there goes another year.

Had fun doing a bit of cardmaking while the kids played.  Had a lovely relaxed day with a bbq lunch. Had my first attempt at painting the kids faces…not completely happy with the results but a bit of practice and I’m sure I will improve…kids were happy so will keep at it.

On the agenda for tomorrow – call the new school or organise the transition, call aussemble to chase up my quote and call Ikea to arrange for Corey to go to the care thingo on Friday morning when I go shopping.

Cup Day tomorrow

I haven’t been home with the boys for cup day for ages…they are usually with Daddy – even before the divorce as I used to go to a scrapbook retreat.

I’m taking them to a mates place for a Melbourne Cup BBQ.  I put my bets on at the TAB today and while I was there I put a $1 each way mystery bet on each of the kids.  Hopefully they will enjoy watching the race and hoping their horse wins.

I cleared a proper path to my scraproom today too, that was the only constructive thing I did all day but hey it was relaxing.

oh and for the record…kids Dad remarried yesterday. Kids got to ride in a limo with the bride to the wedding and I’m told that the driver was so impressed with their behaviour that he gave them lollies. Am told they were good all day/night (I picked them up from the reception at 9ish).  Most importantly they had fun.  Funny for the day….Owen had so much fun he said that he hoped I had another wedding some day so he could come.

Halloween & Christmas

Yes I know the two don’t really go together but that is what is on my mind today so here it is.

I really am not a big Halloween person but Cindy (my mate and boss) is. She thinks any excuse for adults to act like childrens seems like fun, possibly she is right.

I couldn’t go to the big Halloween crop tonight because I have the boys but I popped into the sale with the boys in costume (batman, spiderman and a pirate) and had their photos done..it was all a bit of fun and the photos are great.

We had a lazy day after that just hanging about and watching Mary Poppins. I went into my scrap room and tried to start packing up some stuff for me to scrap with over the coming months when my room is out of action. Instead I got sidetracked as I found some goodies I had forgotten about. My Xyron 250, some cool Clear swirly stamps and lots of bits and bobs…I am going to have to clear it out a lot this week so hopefully I will have more luck on my next attempt.

And Christmas I said…yes indeed I did.  I am flying to Adelaide to spend Xmas with Mum and Dad while the boys are with their Dad but Sue & Yo and the kids are coming down to Melbourne so I have arranged to have Christmas here with them on the 29th. Its a small thing to many but I’m happy and so are the kids.

So now onto my 50 by 50 list….

I’m working on #2 as you know (and am no doubts sick of hearing about)…as a result of that am now also working on #8 declutter the scraproom. I thought I’d throw in another attempt at #12 update my blog daily for a month  – perhaps I will have more time as I won’t be doing stampin’ Up anymore (more on that tomorrow when I am officially not a demo anymore).  So with all the christmas going’s on I think I’m gunna try to do #41 handmake cards and get them out on time, #42 take the kids to carols by candlelight & #47 decorate the whole room for Christmas not just the tree…so who knows I might just manage to cross off as many as 6 by Christmas! Wish me luck!

 

oh and kids Dad is getting married tomorrow. Kids are going to ride in the Limo with Bev (the Bride) to the wedding, I’m picking them up around 9 from the reception.  Congrats to Steve and Bev, I think they are going to be very happy together which can only be good for the boys.

catching up

ok so I guess I disappeared again….

what have I been doing?

not a lot really. I have been enjoying work, although I am still struggling a little with the lack of a day off to myself.  I am enjoying my time with Corey though and trying to make better use of my evenings and weekends….

I had THE BEST time when Sue was here – even did a bit of scrapping and lots of shopping, something I would definitely like to repeat.

Have done a little bit of SU stuff – looking forward to my new Calendar Card Box Class in October.

Brett was invested at Joey scouts – photos to come they are on the other PC. He was very excited.

what else….oh yes Brett turned 6! how did I forget that…amidst a pile of lego and chocolate icecream cake Brett turned 6…and of course to celebrate at school at lunchtime he ran head first into a concrete table (failed to stop or duck far enough in time) and came home about 1.30 with a HUGE egg on his head. He is/was ok though thank goodness – and yes photos of that to come too!

Owen is reading early chapter books – we have ordered the magic school bus ones from bookclub – love that my book purchases help to support the school too.

what else…oh I got itchy feet and decided I needed to get away so I took the kids to the Grampians for the weekend not just gone but the one before.  We had a lovely weekend…lots of walking …again photos later….

I’ve been going swimming on Thursdays after work as the boys have after school sport so don’t need to be picked up til 4pm. It gives me 30min of swimming laps at the local indoor pool. Its not as nice as the other centre (water is colder and there are more people around) but I am improving and getting some exercise so I guess its all good.

and now that just about brings us up to date I guess….

will try to stay in touch better.

New Sovereign Hill discounts

I have new discount coupons for October and November. The same deal as previous months which is pay for one adult and get one adult free OR pay for one adult and get 2 kids free.

SepOctOffer

I am very excited to have won a prize for referring the most people. The boys and I get to go and have a family potrait done at Red Hill Studios at Sovereign Hill!

Today was a rollercoaster.

I have spent months stewing over where was best to send my kids to school and whether I should move them next year or the one after. I finally decided to move them to Werribee for next year. I spoke to our assistant principal who agreed that it was the best decision for my kids. They run and autism/aspergers program at Werribee which will be great for Owen. I had spoken to Werribee months ago and was told the zoning would be lifted next year so there would be no problem with their enrolling for NEXT year (but not this year).
So this morning I went down to enroll them with forms filled out and was told NO they wouldn’t accept them!
Why? I asked and was answered that they wouldn’t because they go to Glen Devon and they wanted to support the newly merged school (Glen Devon is merging with Glen Orden). Surely I can still choose where to send my kids I say. I’m told no can’t and to speak to the principal of GD. Was also told that they would be ringing the ones who had already been enrolled to tell them they can’t accept them!
By the time I went from one school to the other I had worked up way too much anger and was shaking. How dare they tell me that I have absolutely NO SAY in where my kids go to school. How dare they refuse them on those grounds, surely this is discrimination. Back at GD I met briefly with they lovely assistant principal who basically got me a little more calm and spoke to principal but he wanted to see me…not his doing, nothing he can do, out of his hands etc etc. Why was I told to see him then? So then he says that at a meeting of Principals in the area this morning they had all agreed to refuse enrollments of GD kids at the other schools ‘to support the new school’. I asked who suggested it he couldn’t say, didn’t bat an eyelid when I said well you were in the meeting weren’t you paying attention (I was PISSED OFF). He just went on about not his decision and I would have to talk to head of Werribee.
I tried to call her back at home but was told she was in and out of meetings all day and unavailable but would call me back tomorrow.
I was really ticked off and so I rang the region office. They called back within an hour and he got some more details. The head of Werribee called me back at lunchtime to say sorry and to say they had been advised that they couldn’t take enrollments from GD and had been trying to sort it out all week but it had been resolved and I was most welcome to come back and enroll me kids!

OMG what a drama for something that should have been so simple!

So kids enrolled for next year. I have a meeting with the girl from the aspie/autism program the first week back to discuss the program a bit more and to organise a gradual transition program for him. All good.

Still extremely disappointed to think that a group of school principals can attempt to railroad parents into attending the merged school by cutting off the other options. I urged against the merger as it will be difficult for many parents to get their kids to that school and easier for them to go to others. How dare they discriminate on the basis of which school they attend!
Anyway all sorted for me and hopefully for everyone after my call to region this morning. Mama bear was on the warpath – don’t anyone get between my kids and what I think is best for them GRRRR!

on a good note – then I went shopping and bought new pretty purple shoes!

She’s coming……

yup Sue is coming for a GIRLS WEEKEND!!!!!!

kids will be at Daddys. We will be scrapping and catching up.
Friday localish will have to go to A Scrappe Angels Heaven (and pick kids up from school take them swimming and hand them over to Daddy) then will have to do some scrapping somewhere details to be arranged!
Saturday the plan is to head EAST
Sunday evening we will take the kids to maccas for dinner
monday well school assembly then ????

sounds like fun?! I’m excited!

Quick Catch up!

Ok so this will be brief as I somehow did something to my shoulder this morning. Its very sore around the shoulder blade when I move it or lift stuff (lifting with EITHER HAND I might add) but it has improved since this morning – probably just a muscle strain and will be right by tomorrow. It did get me a day off work as I didn’t think I would be too much use their today.

Ok so I know I’ve been absent from my blog for some time.  A few things have been going on.

School – I am going to speak to the lady at Werribee Primary tomorrow about the Autism/Aspergers group they run at that school. If Owen can get into that program and there is a chance it will help him with his social skills then I think that it will clinch the deal and I will send them to Werribee from the start of next year.  I think Brett will settle about the same whichever way he goes and it may be good to get him away from the Bullying that he is currently witness to anyway.  Moving next year will also give Corey time to become familiar with the school before he starts the year after…and as a bonus the uniform is Grey and Burgandy (much easier to scrap)!

I am looking forward with some trepidation to getting the boys school reports on Thursday. I actually am anticipating that Owens will show huge improvements (but I wonder if they are huge enough to bridge the gap that existed between where he was and where he ’should’ be).  Brett I know is having some issues with cutting and his writing isn’t good. I actually am beginning to suspect he may need some help from an OT with fine motor skills. It is hard not sometimes to know where he should be – usually an older child is a kinda measuring stick for ‘normal’ but Owen clearly isn’t. I wonder if Brett is perhaps a little less mature than his classmates. He seems a little fragile emotionally of late and I can’t get much out of him as to why, it’s not like him.  Anyway will see what happens when we get his report and talk to his teacher and go from there.

Corey toilet training – only two accidents yesterday but I don’t think we have had #2s where they should be as yet so still a way to go but progress is definetely being made on that front. Now just to find his birth certificate so that I can get him enrolled for Kinder next year.

I am looking at another term of swim lessons I think then re-evaluate if I am going to continue. I am improving but had never learnt breast stroke and well I can sort of do it but it ain’t pretty!  Need to improve my fitness generally I think as well.

Did a SU! Demo on the weekend in Hamilton which was great fun despite a few little issues like printing my instructions and leaving them at home! Still it was a fun weekend and put a few extra $’s in the bank account.

kitchen – well have been snowed under with other stuff so have done nothing on that front yet.

School holidays – are coming next  week – yay! Plan is to try to finally sort out the playroom and to do some cooking together in between other things. Kids are going to family daycare/holiday program tues/wed both weeks and big boys going to holiday program on the 2nd monday too. So looking out for an excursion for me and corey – something a little bit special just for him…no idea as yet though?!

New Sovereign Hill discounts for everyone!

Please feel free to print out these discounts and use them and share them with your friends.

They have my name on them because I signed on to be an agent for them. I get a years family pass for free on the condition that at least one person uses a coupon every 3 months so it helps me and it helps you if people use them!

The Great news is that there is now an ALL YEAR ROUND discount of 10% so that helps everyone anytime til the end of the year!

Secondly they are running a winter ‘Frozen in Time’ Special from Sat June 27 to Sun 26th July (right through school holidays and more). This one is either 2 adults for the price of 1 OR Pay for 1 adult and get 2 kids in free! Great for those with older ‘kids’ too!

I will upload them to the little box for you to download but here they are now too..

All_Year_DiscountForm60014_

Frozen_In_Time_Offer60014_

still alive…still slack….

and have yet ANOTHER sinus infection and am toilet training Corey (so far so good only a few accidents)

will do a proper post soon. Am getting ready for a big SU demo on the weekend but once that is done I will have more time!