Time flies when you’re having fun

Life is insanely hectic…

I have 3 kids going to scout group camp on the weekend (Corey will be invested as a Joey on Saturday at camp) and I’ve agreed to go and help in the kitchen…yes clearly I’m insane (especially as it was meant to be my kid free weekend).

So before camp I have to organise 3 costumes with the theme ‘wildlife’ for the dress up evening.  Owen wants to be a penguin – not too hard will sew a white front onto his old harry potter robes, pull the bottom in a bit and add flippers.  Corey wants to be  a bat – have sewn black fabric onto a black (ok navy really) windcheater along the side seam and up the arms, in the morning I’ll trim them into batlike shaped wings (or so they will look when he holds his arms out).  And Brett – not to be difficult or anything wants to be a turtle – but insists that the shell has to be big enough for him to fit in!  Well I cut up an old laundry basket (the big tall kind) and covered it in some old white curtain lining I found in the sewing box and added a tail….cut out some arm holes. Tomorrow I need to add some shoulder straps to hold it on and paint it (while I’m waiting for chrisco to be delivered)…… at least I’ve managed it (or will by the time I’m done) without spending any money!

Meanwhile I have exams starting on the 28th November which is alarming.  I am behind by at least 2 weeks with both my stats unit and my psych unit and simply not confident that I can pull off good grades this time around….please do what you do – say a prayer – send out a vibe or something….something that keeps me motivated and clear headed so I can concentrate on the study I need to do to get through the next couple of weeks!

and then there is that man in my life….yes he is still there…my boys met his boy (who is a month older than Owen) and they all want to see each other almost as much as I want to see him and vice versa!  It feels good…it feels comfortable and yes there is that elusive fireworks…that feeling that they are never far from your thoughts…the smile when the phone beeps cause it is most likely an sms from him.  I keep thinking that I should be alarmed about the speed of things and yet I’m not because it feels good, it feels right….and yet at times I find the fact that I’m not alarmed alarming in itself if that makes sense….who knows if these things are supposed to make sense at all right? so, because I have little choice, I am just going with the flow and letting whatever will be ….be, and hoping for the best.  He makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he can cope with me being a stirrer and he can stir back just as well…so there’s hope….

like I said…life is crazy right now….fun….but crazy!

Zero…

how did I forget to blog the newest member of our family?! Zero has been with us for almost 3 weeks now and is a constant source of delight. He is so funny to watch chasing his tail or stalking/chasing a fly. And the peace and harmony when he curls up on my chest of an evening and purrs! He’s been sleeping on the spare pillow on my bed. I am so glad I decided it was time to get a new cat!

When I finally acted on it I posted on facebook a simple status message that ‘Jude needs a kitten’ and within half an hour a friend posted her friend had some almost ready to go….and now I have little Zero who’s mum is half Birman and who was born on my birthday! Some things are meant to be!

picture to follow – its on the other computer oops!

Zero the day he came home, sitting on my knee!

Australia Day is coming!

and I have been busy planning a bonza Aussie BBQ at my place. I will have (including me and the boys) 6 adults and 5 kids here for Australia Day and the menu is looking good….yet to be completely finalised but so far (and with the help of vibe village for contributing marinades, chips, pitos and chocolate) we will be enjoying something like this….

Chinese (honey/soy) chicken on sticks

Portuguese chicken on sticks

Moroccan lamb on sticks

Tuscan beef on sticks

Thai prawns on sticks (maybe)

sausages

vegies on sticks (maybe)

possibly some grilled polenta

toss salad/potato salad/cold boiled eggs

roast lamb and rosemary kettle chips

sour cream and chilli pitos

cadbury white bubbles chocolate

and Pav for dessert

And we have Aussie plates, cups, a flag, hats for the kids, apron for me, temporary tattoos, beach ball etc to make a real Aussie celebration (looking at the food I’d say we are also celebrating multiculturalism)!

Now just to finish cleaning up and get everything on sticks and marinading  – oh and make the pav etc!

I’ve been buying things a bit at a time mostly at $2 shops – dread to think how much I have spent though!

I’m going to the movies tomorrow!

with the kitchen taking financial priority at the moment all unnecessary spending has been stopped and stamps have been listed for sale.  My big sister (who happens to be THE best big sister ever) saw me comment that I would wait for the Time Travellers Wife to come out on DVD because all $ were going to the kitchen and sent me an sms saying she had put $ in my account and to go see the movie! Isn’t she the best?! So tomorrow after my cardmaking session with a mate I am off to the movies (on my own) to see The Time Travellers Wife. I have been hanging to see it after I read the book a few months ago so that will be my treat. Then Sunday I am off to get the rest of my kitchen and Monday is Brett’s eye test and the real start of the clean up as the kitchen goes in in two more weeks!

 

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.

thoughts on being a single mum..

When I was little and I painted a picture in my head of what my life would be like it always included a pretty little house with a husband and kids…..
My house is hardly pretty but at least it is mine (well ok the bank owns a chunk too), the kids are there (although I pictured them better behaved lol)…the husband…well if the one I had was the only option then best to do without anyway…

there are ups and downs of the whole single mum thing.
I get to set the rules and what I say goes…..
…..but if I’m tired sometimes it is difficult to always follow through
I don’t need to consult anyone else about major purchases or decisions….
….but I have no one to discuss them with to help me decide.
I get every second weekend off, I can sleep in, I can go out, I am FREE….
….but every second Christmas they go to Dads…

I know that their Dad loves them and it is ‘fair’ that they spend every second Christmas with their Dad. And I have no problems when they spend Easter at Daddy’s but Christmas is harder.

Why does this hit now? Cause I had to discuss with the ex when he was having them so I could make plans. So he will take them on Xmas eve which is a Thursday this year in the evening and bring them back Sunday night…it’s only 3 sleeps….I could go somewhere….I could stay home…it isn’t like I have no where to go or no friends to go to…but I don’t want to be a downer on anyone’s Christmas either… I thought about doing Christmas for them here on Christmas Eve but then they would go to Daddy’s that evening and either take their toys or leave them neither option is ideal….So I think we will have ‘our’ Christmas when they get back from Daddy’s. Maybe one day it’ll be easier….everyone has a Christmas without their kids eventually as they grow up and get involved with other people right?

but really if every 2nd Christmas is the worst thing about being a single mum then surely its only one day in 730! So I’m gunna do my best to learn to enjoy a Child Free Christmas, one with no fights over new toys and no constant stream of chat about the intricate details of the game from one boy who has no filter to detect boredom in his audience, one where I don’t have to help 3 little boys to get food before I eat mine. Surely a Christmas without the responsibility of children can be enjoyed (in the knowledge that I can then do it all again a few days later with the kids)…the best of both worlds right?

Cancer is such an ugly word

and I don’t know why I’m writing this because it just makes it real but hey thats just me, part of my way of processing I guess.  My mum just broke the news that my Godfather – my ‘Spare Dad’ has been told he has just 2 years left.  I don’t see Bob or talk to him or email him anywhere near as much as I should but anytime we can pick up where we left of. Bob has been my Dad’s best mate since they were 10years old – 50years of friendship is a long time.  The man is no saint but he has always been so full of life and energy and love.  He’s been breaking the news by telling people ‘I’ve got something I’m just dying to tell you’…still cracking jokes no matter what…that’s my Bob.

Someone tried to explain what a godfather was to me a long time ago, ever since I’ve always thought of Bob as my spare Dad, 2years just isn’t enough…

This is no occasion for ‘get well soon’ card…where is the ‘that really sucks’ stamp when you need it.

Bye bye birdie…..

oh so many years ago in another life before kids I used to work in workcover insurance….

one day my immediate supervisor transferred a call through to me from our new member of staff in our Bendigo office telling her to ring me if she needed any questions answered (ie don’t bother her lol)…who would have guessed that we would become such good friends at that time.  Some silly french lady who didn’t understand that the term ‘silly cow’ was a friendly jest!  Since that day this girl became a part of my life. She didn’t just help me move house she was a whirlwind of packing frenzy. She stripped wall paper, she ripped up carpets and polished boards. She put up with my 8 month pregnant exhaustion. She helped me through the times when little baby Owen didn’t want to sleep…she took me to hospital when I had a gallbladder attack.

I knew that she was moving back home to France. I know she needs to go that she is doing what is best for her and for the kids. And yes I was going to miss her but hey we haven’t seen ‘that’ much of her lately anyway….but you know what…we didn’t need to see each other to stay friends. A little dinner and a chat was enough to remind me and you know what I am gunna miss that girl!  She is off soon to the airport….going home  and it is bitter-sweet for her as she goes home to so much but leaves stuff behind too.  Take girl and stay in touch cause I am gunna miss having you here.

What a beautiful day…

the boys all woke up early but once I got over that we got organised and enjoyed a nice walk down to bakers delight.  I love fresh bread and rolls for lunch – even better as we have a pile of fresh ham off the bone to go with it!  And with Mum and Dad to help we were able to entirely ditch the pram…wow my boy is growing up so fast…

I’ve been pushing a pram around for 6.5yrs now – it feels a little odd to go out for a walk without it and yet I am doing it more and more these days.

No photos to share as I forgot to get Mum’s downloaded before she left and my good camera is dead so we were using mum’s and Stephens…will get them eventually.

It was nice having Mum and Dad here and they got on really well with Stephen too which I guess I thought they would but well it is still nice.

Dinner (cannelloni with veal/pork mince/tomato sauce and topped with a cheese sauce) is all ready to be popped into the oven later. Stephen is coming back to eat with us. I might let him share my scraproom to work on his medieval gear while I scrap later tonight too.

I even made a tag with some of my SU stuff (which really is a big deal as I totally suck at tags as a rule.