My guide to surviving and enjoying life's mundane

What I was like in highschool

2012-02-02T12:36:00.000+13:00

It was the early 90's when I first stepped onto the high school bus for the very first time wearing the school uniform policy white ankle socks while I noticed other girls were already breaking the rules and donning white slouch socks instead.

The next day I wore my slouch socks and didn't get away with it.

I wasn't part of the in crowd that all played a variety of sports and hung out on Saturdays at their brothers rugby games, I blame that entirely on not having a brother....

I did however come from a family home where my parents were house parents to 5 or so way-ward teen boys at a time. That was awesome. Not.
Surprisingly none of them were part of the sporty in crowd either, they were more the type that wore Iron Maiden t-shirts under the school policy jacket even when it was 30 degrees and carried a white sheet of paper around in their pocket to be signed in and out of class everyday.

I spent my teen years floating among groups that were somewhere in the middle of these.

I entered highschool somewhat disillusioned as to what I hoped to accomplish. The years prior I had read up on Sweet Valley High and Judy Blume religiously, watched every single episode to date of 90210 and was ready to take on everything the glamour of popularity had to offer me.

Unfortunately in my experience (maybe blame my small town?) the class bitch didn't look half as hot or make a group of gorgeous fun friends like Kelly Taylor did on the show.

It wasn't until I was about 23 that I realised I did it all wrong back then. It finally dawned on me that to make lots of friends with great people it works in my favour to just be really friendly and nice! Amazing revelation there.

So I guess you could say I was a slow learner.

Academically I wasn't interested and I was lazy. I did well in English and Art because I tried in those areas, everything else bored me senseless.

The subject that I dreaded though had to be P.E, mostly because I hated getting changed in the dead of winter into awful little green shorts and yellow t shirts. When we had elective sports on a Wednesday afternoon I took debating and theatre sports, (before I got my own car and just went home) no change of clothes needed, and I was actually pretty good at them. I won a $12 cheque for a speech I gave on Violence in the Media to a group of old fellows at the Rotary club one time.

front row on the right is me 13

I had started high school as a hardcore Drama nut ready as ever to be cast lead in the school annual production, I did one show, in the chorus, and never went back for more.

As I got to 15ish I had friends in the cooler side of the middle scale (I had it all ranked out, trust me) and we discovered parties and stealing parents alcohol and how to hold your best friends hair back to vomit. We spent our pocket money on 10's cigarettes and lots of air freshener and stain remover.

This was the year I also developed a slight wee crush on my art teacher. He was a middle age bald guy that most kids hated. But I thought he was awesome. I think it was because he was the first person to really look at me (and not at all in a creepy way) and say "Hey you've got talent, and you can do this if you pull finger and work at it".

I didn't get into a lot of trouble at Highschool, yet I was in no way a goody-good either. Basically I think most of my teachers just gave up on me and stopped hounding me for homework pretty early on. I did break a boys arm, but was never caught. I foot tripped him during peer support training in a game involving trust of all things. Terrible I KNOW!

My interests during high school revolved largely around the pop culture. Labelled clothing, bags, shoes, labelled anything and everything were HUGE.
My school bag was a ridiculous Country Road tote style bag that all my friends had too and wore around our backs, boys loved to come up behind us and flick it's contents all over the ground.

Lip balm was big. Body shop brand it had to be, apricot, strawberry and kiwifruit were the favourites.
I had the "right" shoes that were made in a one off shop in Christchurch that made leather shoes especially to fit your feet and had swear word names for the soles to choose from.

The first "pop alcoholic" drinks came out. The coolest one was called Vault which had a metal tab on the packaging rumoured to double the alcohol content if placed inside your drink (it didn't of course). But even though it tasted like rancid wine it was cool to put these tabs on your shoes. Yes indeedy.

I listened to the Top 40 and video recorded my favourite clips in the first few years, then I discovered alternate rock and the grunge era had me scouring op shops for old Men's cardis and going to parties with FUDGE in my hair. I became an art room groupie and had any time access to the art room and dark room which made me feel a bit speesh.

Yeah I had it so mixed up.
I had all the right things, for some pathetic reason I liked to pretend my parents were well off even though we absolutely we not back then, but my personality and attitude was so poor.
I was pretty won over by all things teen media related which in hindsight really was not a good thing for me. I collected Girlfriend and Dolly magazines for years which filled my mind with such S@#*! and really gave me an obscured concept of what/who I was meant to be.

So I pretty much wouldn't want to do it again thanks. And trust me, YOU wouldn't want me to do it again either.
Thankfully I changed.
A lot.

Today I'm linking up with Mama Kat's pretty much world famous writing workshop

you should totally check her out she is hilarious!

doin life after all the big stuffs out the way

2012-02-01T19:12:00.000+13:00

Righto so I've figured out today with the help of you all, commentors, emailerers even txters, that this blog is just totally reflecting my real world life right now.
I'm in a transitional phase that I can't really do anything about but ride it out and wait till whatever happens next I suppose.

It hit me while I was chatting away to Gooseman as he worked from home today.

He sat at the kitchen table with his laptop while I washed dishes and told him I was fully OK if he ever gets transferred in his job to another city or something like that. He looked at me with those "Far out what sort of nut bag am I actually married to? eyes" while I babbled on....

Then I just blurted it out "I'm BORED!"
So he told me to take the dog I wanted so madly for a walk.
But no, I wasn't actually bored in that moment at all, or any days for that matter. I love my free time while the kids are at school and I even love working 2 or 3 days a week.
I had to refine my statement.
You see I can't see anything in the near future that builds excitement..
We've done all the big things like getting engaged and married, had all the babies we want and can handle, brought a house, got a dog and too many cats, you know, all that interesting stuff that makes life EXCITING and new and stressful.

Gooseman is happy in this phase, he says it's a time to sit back relax and enjoy as things become slightly easier with the kids (pfft) and maybe a little more financially.
But I really am an ants in my pants person.
And then I thought of the title of this blog
that I had been again considering changing, because I'm not in the same phase I was when I started this, finding joy in the mundaneness of toddler food and playground visits.

I'm antsy in this new phase and STILL need to find that joy within this new mundaneness that inevitably occurs. It'll always be there realistically. Even if I grow my children up and land the career of my ultimate dreams, I'm still going to have to wash Goosemans socks, hang them out to dry and leave them on the couch washing pile for him to fish through every-other day.

So the blog for now stays.
The title definitely has to stay until I master the art..if ever.
lets hope so!

As for your wonderful encouraging comments and suggestions of starting a photography blog, I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet.
Also I found my passion for writing on this space so it would feel a bit like cheating on my first love.
I love the process of placing a random picture I have taken and making it fit perfectly to my words (well that makes perfect sense to me anyway) it's THIS that gives me some of my biggest satisfaction on here.

So Thank you fabulous bloggy pals

p.s I wasn't calling any of your blogs boring. When I was writing last nights post I was actually thinking of a lot of overseas blogs that I LOVED when first starting out almost 3 years ago that have stopped or gone totally commercial or stick to such a strict blogging "routine" you get no glimpse of anything personal any more. Just a generalisation really.

Love you ALL and you ALL know who you are
XO

my mind thoughts

2012-01-31T21:22:00.002+13:00

I'm tossing up between a big blog overhaul make over type shin dig (which realistically I really don't have time for) or actually just saying..."see ya" and posting ".....and they all lived happily after. The End".

Cos honestly blogging just aint doing it for me any more.

I'm not inspired.

Alot of the blogs I read when first starting out have become sad sporadic sites just like mine OR have wiped completely off the the face of blog. So I guess it's just part of the process.
Or it's more of the same old same old.....kinda like a favourite magazine that repeats after a few years.
I hate when that happens to my favourite mags.

I've become really over the word Vintage
and stuff made out of felt.

I'm wanting something new!
What is new?
Whats the next big thing?!?!

Check out some more of my vintage baking I found over the weekend

mmmmmm not pretty.
They were from Boots's 5th Birthday party.
yeah GROSS
do you know what's really bad?

The kids have known they were there all along!

I've read the first couple of pages of this book which everyone tells me is AWESOME, but I'm struggling to get into it. Did anyone else get that at the begining?

The kids went back to school yesterday and I'm so pleased with the classes they have gone into. This year I want to make a conscious effort to meet some other parents. (Which actually for me means getting up early enough to put make up on and get dressed in proper clothes so I can walk to their classrooms).

Since starting the new school I've just sort of hung around the mums I already knew and really made no effort at all to meet new ones, but this year already there are some friendly peeps in the girls classes that I've got talking to and the girls even invited a pair of sisters over this afternoon to play (one in each of their classes totally convenient!) which is awesome because Belle's best friend just left for another city last week.

Belle loves the Bieber.

She just decorated her $200 scooter in $3 I heart JB stickers.
Then Neb needed to borrow it yesterday to go scooting with his friend and I seriously worried for his safety. He managed to ride it with the handle bars facing backwards. And he was quick.

Does anyone want a cat?

or a puppy that keeps chewing everything we own?
Kidding about the free puppy
but not the cat..
How do you talk someone into taking a cat?
we've come to realise 3 animals is 1 too many.

So if you want it I'm offering free postage
to anywhere in the world.

I've started training in photography and have actually taken a few sessions on my own in my job and it's coooooooooool!!
I'm absolutely loving it.
and it's crazy hard work too.
Some kids are awesome to photograph and some are just SO NOT.
Like woah,
I come home and it makes MY kids look angelic,
which is sayin something.

So now I of course want to go and study and learn Photography properly if we ever win lotto, not that I ever buy a ticket, but Gooseman does every now and then, so he said he'll send me and then I can get one of those flash as cameras with the cool lenses etc...
yip
go lotto.

my instantagramin sunday

2012-01-22T15:37:00.003+13:00

Some of my most favourite moments this week captured on the wonderful world of i phone awesomeness

I think I might post this every Sunday for those of you not fortunate enough to watch my life live on Instagram ;)

The Birthday Girl yesterday morning in our bed, complete with awesome bed hair, ready and waiting for present time to begin.

A quick sneaky coffee and breakfast date we stole together while going out for birthday party supplies.

We ended up opting for take away after Belle's HOT chocolate really lived up to it's name.

We celebrated my girls seven years with family and her best friend from School.

Uncle Gooseman is always holding the baby.
Looking forward to the next few weeks when Thumbelina isn't going to be the youngest cousin anymore!!...

Cake.

Half price sushi day. My work lunch on Friday.

Warm still nights at the river
while releasing puppy Joss's super crazy amounts of energy

Just me and my biggest boy.

My week on Instagram bridgewidge

also linky partying it up with P.J Things I'm Loving

Seven

2012-01-22T14:50:00.000+13:00

I always loved that game word association at school,
actually playing that IS one of my fondest memories of my whole entire public education.

We all used to stand up at our desks and the teacher would begin with a random word and each of us would say the next word that is associated with that previous word. Any stumbles or wrong words and you're out!
I was pretty much awesome at it.
I could go all day.
I'm one of those kids that read the dictionary for fun
and I wasn't even bright.
I was the worst kind of nerd, a thick one!
haha

Why am I bothering to tell the big wide world of internet this you may wonder,
it's because of My Girl,
my first born girl who turns Seven years old tomorrow (which actually is only Three minutes away).

You see she is a girl of many names. Her main nick name is Belle which is used here on the blog and in real life, but then after a while even that gets boring and I often end up calling her Ballerina, which after a while sticks and sometimes Gooseman too refers to her as that aswell.

One day after he said it he stopped in his tracks and said how weird it is that her actual name is so far away from what she is being called. But to me is still makes perfect sense, because it's all about word association, or in this case name association.

So that's ok.
We're all good.
And this girl of mine is awesome.

Happy Birthday sweet Belle aka Ballerina, Gab-ra-smell (thats not one I use) (often), Gabby-belle, Gabrie-elly, Baby.
We love you!

Summery

2012-01-08T10:59:00.003+13:00

Here's how the summer holidays are shaping up in our wee corner of this world

Exercising Joss at the river and finding varying decent and some not so awesome dog parks all over town.

Entertaining little girls who love to bake

waiting patiently for these

Mine had red currants from our garden

While I waited for the bread maker to do it's magic with our brownies I had a sudden urge to quickly whip out the paints. Yeah it's a giant grey pear and I can't show you the actual finished work because I blatantly copied it off a print I saw off pinterest that I liked and I don't want hate mail. thanks, I'm not going to sell it or even show it on here as mine so that's ok, right? eek

Baking day round 2.
Cute as pinny from Tea's etsy shop Loveknot. I brought a couple a while back to save as gifts and the girls absolutely LOVE them!

Strawberry heart cupcakes were on the menu this day

My Christmas lilies died and the tree and decos were packed up and put back in the garage roof

We picnicked in the New Year with good friends

We splashed out and went to the movies as a whole family on Goosemans last day before starting back work. The movie theatre was practically empty that day and I'm guessing here's why

just a small example of the adrenalin that pumps through our veins even while we sleep.

The all day breakfast after a night like that

making funny hairstyles in the bath

move over Kate Moss.

the good stuff

2012-01-06T23:00:00.001+13:00

So just to state the obvious, my blogging life has been incredibly slack lately. Truth is my head has not been in the right space for it at all. I've been in a huge negative mind space where all I have felt like doing was moaning about anything and everything so I kinda thought it best to play by the rule if you have nothing nice to say.....say nothing at all.

But this week I've been trying hard to pick out anything that brings happiness my way. Be it the smallest little moment, I've captured it, usually as an image on my phone and I'm also documenting a few on this app I came across the other night. Gooseman also printed me out the year long calendar which I've put together and now graces our toilet door as a daily reminder.

I stuck up some of Cats photography too which hides the plain white card holding it up. Creative points one.

And even though I have to admit that I'm pretty stoked that Christmas is over I really enjoyed my Christmas card garland that I hastily stuck up one early morning before leaving for work

I might just leave it up there for a few weeks yet. Yes those are a pair of Paisley Jades coasters as ends, cool huh!

Loving making my own bread. And the yummy cooking smells that are over-riding the heinous cat ones that some neighbouring kitty keeps leaving in our laundry...grr

Watching Boots dance in the pool to the background music playing. This girl was awarded most promising dancer at her end of year prize-giving. She doesn't even know what it means, but I was beaming.
About this time last year I said a short wee prayer asking for a place to take her for lessons that we could afford, DAYS later, by chance I heard our school news bulletin advertising Jazz dance classes in the school hall, affordable and basically out our back door.
I've just got a strong feeling about this one for her, she is so passionate when moving with her entire body. I totally Love watching her.

I spiced up shower time on Wednesday night and did the whole when a swim counts as a bath routine. Took the shampoo and p.js and they came home when the pool was closed to bed. Idyllically I'd love to say they went straight to sleep like little angels but yeah, no.

I'm loving that today after I woke up and had a bit of a hormonal spaz Gooseman and the kids got busy and tidied up the mess that over took every room in our house and Goose even pulled out every single item in our linen cupboard and folded it and put it all together neatly! I could stare at this all day. I don't consider myself an organisational freak in any sense but man it feels good when it's done.

Ok so these cupboards I cleaned out a few weeks ago. So boring I know, but bare with, they were filthy. Spilled spices, pasta and general crud lined them all and after washing them, vacumming them, the works baby I'm still opening them throughout the day just to bask in their little clean glory. Call me crazy, what evs, but this kinda stuff really does it for me.

The bottom of these shelves were a grimy greyness.

New togs. So loving that one pieces are back, my stretch marks are ever so grateful. I've gone up a size (boo) so had none to wear until today when I picked these up half price with an amazingly generous boob cup that keeps them all in nicely (my personal hell is finding anything my size that fits my un proportioned to the rest of me mammaries in). Yes they are a tad granny, but they could be worse, so I'm supported and happy.

I've been ace-ing it (yeah I'm sure that's a word) at work and last month came out as top salesperson with the highest sale nationwide and in the top ranks of other aspects to my work aswell so I'm still loving that. I'm being trained in the photography side at the moment and can not wait until I'm let loose in the studio on my own. It's heaps of fun. Not so fun working during the awful quakes we have been bombarded with again lately and the panic of not knowing exactly where all my family are when I'm there, learning/trying not to panic when they happen.

Found this blog just lately which I'm enjoying. I think I'm the last around to find them but wow, love how real this girl is.

So that's me 2012 style. Be back around soon. Still waiting on the magazine article I'm meant to be featured in, possibly the up and coming February issue.

linky partying it up here

Cos everybody needs keyboard waffles

2011-12-28T10:46:00.000+13:00

Today I'm feeling obliged to make stuff.

This is a microwavable smore maker

We get given an array of makers as gifts.

To add to the stack we have waiting in the cupboards already which include pie maker, toastie maker, ice cream maker (still unopened in it's box from last year), popcorn maker, soda maker, waffle maker, coffee maker, tea maker, rice maker, chocolate mould maker.
Add from this year crepe maker
and bread maker (hooray actually looking forward to using this one)...

I feel like theses appliances are whining at me to use them. Oh hang on, no, that is infact my children hounding me to dig them out of the bursting cupboard, make them messy, make what they make just for the sake, clean them up and put them back in a space in the deep dark cupboard.

Seriously I feel like I'm being given MORE WORK in these supposed to be easy way of making thing gadgets.

mashed potato mker

Today Belle wants to make cupcakes.
I prepared for this yesterday after I had escaped to the mall on my own for 2 hours peace but was called by her as soon as I arrived if I would come home and bake with her.
I told her yes, as soon as she cleaned her bedroom, knowing this would buy me the rest of the afternoon.
It did.
So while I shopped I brought a packet cake mix because since I became a working Mother of 4 it's all I can handle in the brain function department.
If anyone ever buys me a cupcake maker I'll actually scream and may just throw it back at them
See I already have one of those, it's called a muffin tin and an oven.

a 2011 recap

2011-12-12T09:40:00.001+13:00

Many people I talk to are commenting how fast this year has flown by, I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact nearly all of us in my homeplace revisit a certain day in back in February daily? For me when I think of the start of this year it begins there. I don't really remember much of 2011 before that.... but stuff did happen AND funnily that stuff actually does feel like a lifetime ago.

Seeing in the New Year at Caroline Bay carnival

In January we had a New years camping trip with my side of extended family.

I attempted and pretty much failed a two week sugar shock diet. I lost weight just as quickly as I put it back on again plus some...
Moral of the story eat properly and leave fad restrictive diets alone *yawn...

I read this book. Which upon reflection I have mixed feelings of.

The kids started a new school

Win. We are SOOOO pleased we made this change. It was a scary decision but it was very much the right choice. All our kids are doing very well there and it's so close to home. Bonus.

a short couple of weeks later this...

I dabbled in reluctant Homeschooling....

I fell in love with Adele

Love in a box arrived from you

I took up drinking from jugs bigger than my head.
Just kidding.
I already did that.

We rode a storm or two in our family life.

Hope was restored

More love from over the ocean

iphone ~~obsession~~ goodness took over my life

I fully quit Facebook.

Our Church changed. Alot.
with the arrival of a new Pastor and our old one of 20 plus years retiring. He's cool. It's just different.

I met some local bloggers online and in real life.

I made some lovely new friends

After a turbulent ride we arrived at some answers and a diagnosis with our struggling boy

another big ups to our new school who picked it up right away and were able to offer so much help!

I took to listening to this over and over

Greymouth

The amazing sunsets in Hokitika

A Kea. Native NZ bird in Arthurs Pass

We were blessed with a healing family holiday on the West Coast

When we got home it snowed.
Heaps.

More unscheduled time off school.
A big understated "Hooray".

I became the Mum of a 12 year old.

I finally became a coffee dependant adult. MUST. HAVE. AT. LEAST. 2. FIXES per day

My last baby went off to school.

and I replaced her with a dog...

I joined back to facebook
haha
yeah

A perfect part time job landed itself right on my lap.
I pretty much couldn't have come up with anything more suitable myself.
Thanks God.

The year is wrapping itself up in the form of concerts and break-ups from sport and activities. Lot's of plates with food involved. Sparkly tinsel and songs about Pahutukawa. Ready to roll it all out again in a new shape next year. AND this is my 400th post I've just clocked up here.

I've changed a bit. Relationships have shifted from what they were a year ago with some people in my life. My interests have wavered. It may have to do with all of a sudden being busy in new ways after a year or so having breathing space from activities. It's a new place and I'm still finding my footing but it's a happy place.

...amazing year this has been.

Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone if I don't get back here before then XO

WW Merry Christmas Baby!

2011-12-07T09:39:00.001+13:00

Note: No Child or Santa replica were harmed during this photograph

Photo credit = stolen off my friend J's FB album

why I've been MIA

2011-11-29T20:38:00.001+13:00

Wow what a week or two here...

It started with a haircut.....
(hehe sound familiar?)

Where we left off in blogdom last post I was taking Neb to the barbers for a case of "might-be-nits" (argh I just scratched my head). It turned out he was fine, he got a well needed haircut regardless, all with a little drama thrown in as the mall had a fire drill and was evacuated mid way through his appointment.

It was a family affair, the two barbers are my youngest Sisters and Gooseman came in for a cut during his lunch hour

waiting outside with the half cut do

At this exact time last Tuesday I was sitting in Christchurch Hospital twiddling my thumbs, suffering the worlds worst head cold/hayfever (not sure which it is) and reading subconsciously about Kim Kardashian's 72 day Marriage sham.

Gooseman was pacing back and forth from the Hospital to the car trying to feed parking metres after seven hours already clocked up, all while our biggest boy Neb was in surgery for an emergency appendix removal.

Yup, gulp, our 12 year old baby being operated on, out of our sight and reach until the Nurse would come and get us to meet him in the Recovery room, where we were unable to get a word of sense from him for the rest of the night.

It was a super long day, but he is now healthy and recovering perfectly.

I'm Thankful.

Thankful for acting on my Mothering instinct when I booked him a doctors appointment after a day at home with on again off again stomach pain.

Thankful it was caught early enough.

Thankful for a Country with free healthcare (despite the highway robbery in parking metre costs outside the hospital)

Thankful small miracles aligned so I was able to have some time off work. (There is normally no one available to cover, we run a very tight ship at the studio).

Thankful Gooseman has been able to work from home when I have needed to work during Neb's post op care.

Thankful for this super awesome kid and all the one on one time we've been able to share together lately.

Thankful for caring friends.
A meal prepared for us after a second day at hospital (amongst other dramas with another child that I shall not delve into).

It was a lifesaver. And delicious! Thankyou Claire.

The rest of the week has whizzed by into a state of blurr.

The girls danced on stage in front of a few hundred parents in their first ever Jazz dancing recital. Boots is definitely a wee groover and at one moment I was praying she didn't fall off the stage during Adele's Rolling in the deep, giving it her all and making sure she was in front centre stage. Hard to remember she has only just turned 5 at times.

So here I am. Back again, from outta space, or so it feels like it. There has been so much happening that I'll probably drop bits and pieces in through posts for the next couple hundred years.
Hope you're good bloggy family.
I'll be back...

world famous lice muffins

2011-11-16T09:50:00.001+13:00

I was listening to a little convo the kids were having over breakfast yesterday morning and discovered my younger three kids fully believe I'm famous!

haha

Because I write a blog, just like a bizillion other people in the world, but ME, their Mum is famous, which in turn makes them famous too because they essentially are the stars of my blog. When I began to butt in and correct them, they were most disappointed to find out they were protected by different names and were not quite as famous as they thought. All except Belle, who's nickname is used in real life. She took the star card and ran with it.

In saying that, keep your eyes peeled chch peeps for the next issue of this mag because it features yours truly. (A really scary pic of me and my chins and nostrils I might add)

Just to change the subject entirely, I have Neb home today, he's booked in for a drastic haircut after finding a bug-thing-could-totally-maybe-have-been-a-nit in his hair last night. I'm taking no chances. And now I'm scratching like a mad woman. He's my only kid that's ever had them, he must have sweet tasting for lice blood or something and my other children thankfully do not.
They give me actual nightmares.

I got my washing machine back just before the weekend. Huge sigh of relief. I will never take a load of washing for granted ever again after not being able to do one in my own home for over 3 weeks. We are all smelling better, we may have lice in our hair (or hopefully not!) but we smell like laundry detergent again and have clean clothing. Yuss.

I baked again this week. I kinda had to because since working I regularly run out of basic essentials like milk and bread because I'm not here to police it and my kids gleefully go through these things just in one afternoon tea time binge. So I made Bran muffins. Yes I felt like a Nana. I've never actually made Bran anything, hence why I had a full unopened packet in the cupboard. These were surprisingly easy, hardly any ingredients AND now that I'm grown up I LIKE Bran Muffins. I can fully appreciate their goodness and benefits like keeping regular and slow releasing energy for a busy workday lunch etc...
My kids, however, do not. All their muffin lunches returned back home untouched even though they were moist and delicious.

Alison and Simon Holst 100 Favourite Muffins and Slices, best muffin recipes ever.

Actually I just might do a giveaway on this book one day because it changed my life. For reals. And everyone except my kids think I make a pretty mean muffin.

Righto off to get this kid to the barber for a number 1

memories are made from the simple stuff

2011-11-13T16:23:00.001+13:00

What to do when the kids are going stir crazy at home.

Pile them into the car, despite the howls of protest coming at you from all directions.

Throw Gooseman the keys,

Drive off down the road as the rest of the neighbourhood let out a collective sigh...

a moments peace from the loudest family in the world.

Less than a minute from our home is the Ashley River.

Now that the Pup has completed all of his vaccinations we were able to take him with us.

I think it was pretty much the highlight of his life so far

Warning instagram pic haters. This post has an overload. Why carry my HUGE camera on a peaceful family outing {no really, surprisingly once we got there is was} when I can just pop my phone in my pocket.
So there.

The girls and I spent most of the time picking ~~weeds~~ wild daisies.

Stopping off at the dairy on the way back home for an ice cream. And that was all that was needed to blow some of the cobwebs away and change everyone's moods. Simple. Cheap. Way more memorable than a trip to the mall.

And this wee guy grossed us all out blowing off all the way home! My car smells awesome.

no more man beans

2011-11-09T21:27:00.001+13:00

Poor little Jossy got his manly bits removed this morning and tonight he is wandering around the house in circles, not quite knowing what to do with himself.

He was so well behaved at the Vet and was quiet all afternoon while they kept him in for observation. When I walked into reception and spoke he heard my voice from the other room and started whining. My heart swelled gigantor right there.
Awww my lovely little pup ~~who I wanted to giveaway last Sunday~~.

While "he" (haha just kidding puppy boy) spent the day at the Vet I had a bloggy coffee stopover at our usual hang the Coffee Co-op in Addington. Met some new faces. Scored a big bag of baking. ooh yeah! Miriam rocks. Realised as I was walking out that I totally should have brought a load of washing with me! They have a laundry and my laundry at home is still currently machine-less grrr. Wanna smell my month old sheets???? I know you do. Got my first little start on some Christmas shopping on the way home. Ugh not loving that much. Do you know how many toys four children and twelve years of parenting can accumulate? Heaps. So I'm pretty much refusing to buy any more. Mean aye. But if you could see the state of my kids bedrooms and the mess of unplayed with toys in there, you'd understand why. I really want to make a positive effort to make this Christmas more than just about stuff. But yeah, going to really have to work at it too.

hmmm I FELT like I looked better than that today. obviously not. ha. plus I also smelt like dog..sorry J and M sitting next to me!

Everyone ate my cake without eggs on Goosemans Birthday. It was fine. Just for that night only though. So big newsflash food allergic peeps....Dana's Chocolate cake CAN be made eggless. Woohoo. And you're welcome ;)

I saw this top today after my coffee meet up.

No I didn't buy it even though it was only $12. Cos you know, that would be lame.
Even I know that.
Plus it doesn't even have my url on it so kinda pointless.

just to state the obvious superwoman i am not

2011-11-07T17:12:00.000+13:00

I feel like the biggest loser on the planet whining about HOW INCREDIBLY TIRED I am learning to cope between this work-home-life balance thing, but *yawn
here I go again....

When I'm at work I give it my all. I'm pretty good at my job. It's full on, busy, being pulled in all directions the entire day, putting on a happy face to clients and I can totally pull it off and then some.
Yet it comes at a price.
Once I get in the car to drive home,
utter exhaustion.

I worked 3 days in a row last week and have taken what I thought as two days to recover before I return tomorrow.
It's Gooseman's birthday today "Happy Birthday (again) my awesome hot as Goose xoxo"...

Anyway, I thought, today, since it's Monday and I love Mondays when everyone is back to School and Work that I'd clean the house since it's hardly been done in a month of me working AND bake Gooseman a Birthday cake. (I also haven't baked anything in over a month). Sounds pretty simple to me. Something I did without barely batting an eyelid 2 months ago.

But it wasn't. At all.

I have been trying to bake this cake since 10am this morning.
It is now almost 5pm.

To begin with I was missing 3 major ingredients.

Which I had to go to the shop for 3 separate times.

INSANE

And just as I have gone to ice the cake I've realised I have no icing sugar. Too emabarrased and rather frustrated to return to the supermarket AGAIN this afternoon I've sent Newsboy down on his scooter.

Big Sigh.

We truly can't do it all.
I knew I should have ordered a cake from the mall.

Are there manuals on how to adjust to this life change? Maybe I might write one so when other people venture into this doing it all world they'll be comforted knowing they arent the only ones with 5 inch thick dust covering their entire home and a pantry that is full of I don't know what anymore.

But in saying that I am having fun. Really.

Just.need.a.cleaner.
and.cook.

wordless wednesday: my kids a bit cute

2011-11-02T17:44:00.000+13:00

I wish I were a pump rocker

Belle 6.9 years

two for one (my email reply to Cat)

2011-10-31T10:53:00.000+13:00

Hi

Hows it with you?

Just riding through the tiredness here...the work days itself are fine, it's the at home times that are hard!

Yesterday was a bit of a mare..

I tided up lunch dishes after having a mid afternoon snooze on the couch to make room for dinner and during this Boots came running in to tell me that the puppy had just done a "giant poo" in the lounge! But not to worry because he did it on an old school notice on the floor. Yay!!! I took one look at it and it was HUGE, like he must have eaten something naughty and it was not working with him, so I picked up the paper to take outside and because my hands were wet and there was a heap of poo which was heavy for the paper it ripped and splattered EVERYWHERE....

So I cried.
heaps.
I had no idea how to clean it up.

Our (newish) washing machine is at the shop so I knew I couldn't clean my dirty towels after either.

so I cried HEAPS more
and swore lots
and just kept crying
and no one helped me
so I swore more

Then Belle arrived home from her friends house, with her friends Dad who I suspect I have already made an idiot of myself in front of one time when she wanted to have a sleep over there so she just dialled up their phone number, asked for the Dad telling him I wanted to speak to him, gave the phone to me, I had no idea what was going on, had just walked through the door, she had only played there once so was in no way ready to go there for a sleepover as we hardly know the family and when the penny dropped I had to tell him sorry but Belle had called without my permission, then tired to laugh it off the next day when I saw the parents at school, they actually didn't recognise me because I had no make up on and looked positively frightful and they were really confused then, so I laughed it off and it sounds no where near as bad as it was, but it was not cool, and I felt like a super dork.
So there.
And now, again, he most likely heard me howling like a freak as he rang the door bell right next to the open window and was greeted to the foul stench when Gooseman answered the door. Argh

So then I ordered Gooseman to go the supermarket and get me some cleaning products.
yeah I'm nice like that under pressure.

While he was gone I poured a tall glass of wine, not even in a wine glass, just in a really tall regular drinking glass.
Classy.

He came home armed with cleaning lotions and potions and a hired rug doctor cleaner thingiee from the supermarket and $96 poorer...

But he then proceeded to wash the carpets.
Woohoo Gooseman.
My actual hero.
It's amazing how clean washed nice smelling carpets can change your entire outlook on life,
for at least ten minutes anyway.
During this cleaning process, I was busily vaccumming ahead of Gooseman washing, the kids moaned to be fed, constantly.
I managed to whip up some kid dinner
though despite it being 6:20 pm I was missing a kid...
Newsboy had left around 4 hours earlier to go "scootering" with his friend and I hadn't heard from him since!
I sent Neb over to the school grounds to look for him.
He came back Newsboy less

Thankfully my unclassy wine had sat on the bench basically untouched so I piled my 3 remaining children into the car and went on a hunt for Newsboy.
We found him at 7:05pm.
Awesome.

Got home
began making chicken spinach pasta for us who hadn't eaten yet and the chicken which had been in the fridge waiting for obviously a couple of days too many smelt baaaad so had to throw it out.
I'm a little phobic of chicken and smells.
Always better to be safe than vomiting.

I started to defrost some out of the freezer. I accidentally ended up boiling it in the microwave doing that.
Take three.
Success. finally.

I'm cooking, quickly and I hear a blood curdling shriek from the toilet....

Belle is the type of kid who runs around everywhere she goes and only stops once she's run into a wall or fallen over her own feet. Last night as she danced her way to the loo she ended up catching her toe under the toilet door OUCH! during this manoeuvre she shat her pants.

I have no washing machine and serious chicken hands.
and a bleeding crying child.

Gooseman is still cleaning carpet with his ipod in oblivious to it all
Puppy walks inside and pees on the newly washed carpet..

How was your Sunday?

Love and light crazy house
Widge xo

whadda you chat about over your coffee?

2011-10-28T12:22:00.005+13:00

I've been told numerous times throughout my life that when I talk, I talk about a lot of crap, for lack of a better word, but that which sums up what the person (s) each time was meaning.

It's something that has stuck with me. I can recall almost every incident of who, when and where it has been said. Usually a passing comment from someone lurking in the background as I've nattered away to a friend on the phone (before I got all techno and then became phone phobic I used to talk ALOT on the phone).

I can understand what they mean, cos I guess I do, talk about crap. Take this blog for example, as it was said to me yesterday, it's about nothing. and it totally is.

What do non crap talkers talk about?

What do interesting bloggers blog about?

Pondering....

Interesting that someone who professes to want to write and communicate has been told this over and over again! hmmmm

Is there a reoccurring sentence in your existence that stings a little, unintentionally, each time? or am I over sensitive?

a movie phrase we use all the time at our place that no one else gets. mystery revealed

2011-10-26T10:51:00.000+13:00

So INSANELY tired.

yip.

Yesterday was my first morning getting the kids off to school {alone I might add, Goose starts work at 6am} and then heading to work for 8 hours, looking presentable too.

We did it.

I even got to 3 out of 4 classrooms before the final bell rang and dropped Neb at entire different school for the day while he does Technology education {Home ec or Manual when I was a kid}. There was no puppy explosions on the carpet this morning hooray!

No shouting even.

I was up at the crack of dawn, if I actually slept anyway, I'd been so restless about it. Time and Mornings and Me don't mix well.

"Snap cups for me" I'd say

Snap Cup Scene from Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Movie (2003) | MOVIECLIPS

Thank you God for takeaway pizza. Dinner sorted. Plates and utensils un needed.

The bitter-sweet results of Belle's hard work this year jumping through her reading levels left me trying really hard to stay awake listening to her read a very long book on the life of ducklings at the SPCA {I think} at a grand speed of around 1.3 km per hour......Homework has NEVER been my strong suit.

We'll get there. Can't wait to see my butt and chins shrink in the next couple of months because I'm not perched on this computer chair everyday any more...as long as we don't make the pizza a regular thing hey?

note to self

2011-10-23T19:27:00.004+13:00

Sending erotic text messages to Gooseman
and technology savy 12 year old sons
do not mix.

Close call

I remembered just in time to grab the phone off him in a rather panicked state after asking him to text his Dad to pick up ice cream cones from the supermarket.

He was saved.
Unscathed.

eeeeek

feelin kind of driven

2011-10-23T12:22:00.000+13:00

It's been an interesting week. Definitely far from mundane, for me.

I can't quite believe that it has been school holidays and I haven't been tearing my hair out over it at all, for like the first time in years!
(or having it fall out of it's own accord like at the beginning of the year, I have a soft fuzzy regrowth style happening lately).

I've just completed my second week of work. I'm learning a lot about myself. My confidence is soaring.

I'm amazed at how quickly things have happened. I took a moment on Thursday night while out for dinner with my new work mates (colleagues?) surrounded by people who were utter strangers to me mere weeks before, sharing and tasting new food with them and thought wow at how life works.

The day before, in wild rain weather, I had a visit from a local freelance writer who braved the storm and sat with me at my kitchen table interviewing me for a story she is writing for our local newspaper magazine. She inspired me heaps. And gave me advice for stepping out into my own dreams. She also encouraged me with this place.

This blog.

I've been pondering what's gong to happen with this baby...

It's changed. Life's changed. I've changed.

and that's ok.

I don't aspire to be a professional blogger so I have that freedom to take it where I want, it's coming along for the ride with me, most likely dropping off and picking up new people along the way. And that's life. It's what happens in the real world, blog is meant to to be a reflection of that.

What's with the cars you may be wondering. They were parked all up the main street the other night as we were waiting to pick up takeaways for dinner. Maybe I should dedicate a blog to taking pics of my surroundings while waiting for fish and chips?! I seem to do it a lot.

linked up my iphone in a week pics over here

Hi

2011-10-18T22:52:00.002+13:00

The weirdest thing I have found about going back to work is that my mind is occupied on something completely un related to everything that my mind had been occupied with constantly over the last seven years as a full time stay at home mum.

It's a totally foreign concept to me.

Like there is an actual world going on outside of background Spongebob noise and wiping runny noses that I completely forgot existed. And for 19 hours a week now I participate.

It's kinda awesome.

Of course in this last week my life outside of my new world as a part time employee of an exceptionally crazy busy photographic studio has basically been narrowed down to stern focus on keeping the house running and my children cleaned and fed and little time for anything at all else, but I'm sure once the school term starts back up and a real routine is in place there will be time, once again, to do general stuff, like hanging out with friends, baking, reading and maybe getting groceries...

oh and just have been reading some old posts from when I totally LOVED blogging (I'm feeling kinda over it this year) and these comments had me giggling. again.

http://widgetlucy.blogspot.com/2010/06/always-remember-knickers.html

I brought proper work pants from a nice shop and wore lipstick

2011-10-12T12:40:00.000+13:00

Yesterday was my first real day (gettin paid!) at my new job as a studio assistant in a portrait studio.

My brain actually hurts from all the stuff I'm learning.
But mostly I learned
I MUST make sure to eat breakfast before work days.
also take a drink bottle.
and food, if I don't want to spend an hours wages on lunch.
Comfy shoes = necessity

I learned reading the text from Gooseman "what's for dinner?" is NOT what I want to read after a full work day.
I need to be better prepared.

So far I really like working. I especially like it knowing it uses up a few days of the school holidays where I would otherwise be stuck at home with bored children. I know that sounds horrible to some, but pffft, it's my truth.
I'm appreciating today, being at home, blobbing with my children, knowing that tomorrow, I won't be.

I think variety must be the ultimate key to my happy existence.

I learned I'm not used to writing much, with an actual pen and paper. There is alot of paper work and I can't even work the correction tape thingiee. I kept breaking it because I repeatedly used it upside down.

I remember when I was in school I had a massive writers bump on my middle right finger, now it's practically gone. It's funny the small things you realise when venturing back into the world outside of home's four walls.

doing stuff takes time

2011-10-07T11:47:00.001+13:00

I count myself pretty lucky that I am placed in this world with an array of wise women friends. Actually lucky is probably the wrong word here, blessed more like.

It's a cool feeling coming away from a conversation with new insight to something helpful rather than a niggly un restful feeling after indulging in idle chatter or gossip. The latter is something I deeply want to work on!

I've had both these experiences a few times this week.

From some of the good stuff I've mulled over what a new friend and I discussed concerning meeting our dreams in our lives. I love what she said to me about the need to invest time, and lots of it to accomplishing what is our hearts dream desire in this life.

We're all different, obviously, and find contentment in an assortment of ways. Yet to get to that place of being fulfilled and alright with what is already on our plate with being a Wife and Mother is a crucial step BEFORE taking off on the rest.

Some of us do have way more "out there" dreams that feel as though they are only attainable through some miracle encounter with that right person who is of course going to be blown away by our talent and feel the need to make us instantly successful in our chosen field without much effort from us, purely because the talent is there, somewhere, despite having nothing yet to show for it, because we are just cruising along...waiting. This was a ding-ding! moment for me in our conversation. I have been hitching that ride.

I've been saying for awhile that I want to write also to develop my art etc but am I actually doing those things? Investing real time to them? Short answer no. In fact, when I do these things, it is in my leftover time. Which, when I pull the "I've got four Kids a Husband a dog and two cats card" (and now a job!) that seems like a good enough excuse, but in truth, we always can make time for what is really important to us. Are my dreams important to me?

source

Probably not enough.

Are they any less desired?
No.

Has this scenario the opportunity for frustration on my part? Yes.

Possibly even bitterness and looking elsewhere to lay the blame for me not getting to do what I really want to do in my life? Yes.

Even thus far in my existence I could blame having Children too early, not having enough money for study, missing the boat in my prime before I developed hips, chins and grey hairs (ha). But I could, and sometimes I actually do use these excuses.

There is also the bizarre sense of shame that accompanies big dreams. That it's embarrassing that someone so ordinary like me or you would dare to think we may chase something so extraordinary. This is largely to do with our Kiwi culture. We are brought up with being taught not to blow our own horn. We should blend in, nonchalant is far more acceptable than looking like you're trying, just incase you fail.

Investing TIME. Doing the WORK and being READY, so when that person who does admire my skill may say "Have you got any articles or work we can use?" I can whip it out and say "Yes!" confident that to date that is my best.

I have a challenge for you. I've been considering this for a few months. One of the first steps to living our dreams (if you're not already) is being un afraid to voice them. This can be a scary thing! I'd love for you to either write a post about one of your biggest dreams and leave a link for me and others to read in the comments below, or if that is too scary just write out a sentence in the comment section.
Think of me as that guy in the beginning of Pretty Woman on the Boulevard crying out "What's your dream? Everyone has a dream..."

Oh and Thanks Miriam for all your wisdom that I just shared in most of this post!

just sayin all sorts of crazy

2011-10-05T11:02:00.006+13:00

I've been reading over old posts from when Megs, Stina and I started blogging. It's interesting how this bloggy thing has evolved....and its nice going back as there was a certain amount of freedom in the older posts when we were thinking no one else was reading.
With no bloggy genre to fill.
Back then I had never heard of a "Mummy blog", but I do know I sure as hell would have been mortified to be classed as one. Ha. It took that road all on it's on.

check out my funny new shoes. so pointy!

Strange too, reading in a past tense, of what now has come to be the new normal. Life has changed for the three of us although the seat I sit in and type remains the same as it has ever been, our worlds outside of my small computer corner in my living room has shifted and reformed in many new areas.

For instance there are new relationships, we are mothering kids with differing needs than they had two years ago, we've been new places, experienced natural disasters and we all have jobs (real ones with employers who pay us). Yes, that's right, I was employed last Friday!
Bit of a fluke I suppose, I had not even been looking for awhile and BAM I get a phone call out of the blue for an interview, then another to have a sort of on the job audition, then a third to say "Hey want the job?!"..um yeah. Thanks.

I start next week.

Here's something I noticed while being interviewed by prospective employers in my Thirties...

To begin with I wasn't very nervous. I realised I have this new found confidence that I did not possess Ten or probably even Five years ago. I would've thought the fact that I have been out of employment for almost Seven years I would be the opposite, but as I sat there being interviewed I kept thinking
"This is great, this is who I am, I am really good at this, this and that and if it's not right for your company, that's ok!"

me 8 years ago during my last reign of employment. Neb's (buzz light year) 4th birthday.
before I developed hips.
and chins.

I'm feeling less of a need to prove my perceived idea of coolness and more of a need to admit my actual coolness that is me and makes me who I (not you or her or that styley looking chick in the fair trade coffee shop listening to her ipod of bands I've never heard of) am.

and just to share something totally uncool about myself
because I can, because that's who I am too, just like you and her and that ipod chick, still deeply uncool at times and that snippet being that I MUST

go now and get in the shower and get dressed as it is 10:28 am, Boot's is having a rest day off school already (she is completely exhausted) and her DVD is finished, the dog has peed on the carpet and I really should be wearing a bra at this time of day.

it's been a lot of caffiene this week

2011-10-03T12:08:00.001+13:00

Just survived a mammoth week of birthday partying overload.

Thankfully my Mother-in-law makes the kids cakes. One thing ticked off..

Boots officially left preschooler-hood on Thursday (around 12 noon to be precise) and then Newsboy turned double digits yesterday after a sleepover involving other double digited males from his class. We sent them to the local pool to burn off boy energy, filled their growing bodies with pizza and popcorn, chucked on the x box and sent them to bed where they actually went to sleep for the entire night! Whoop!! (I was bracing myself for the worst).

He was happy. Honest. He hates posing for photos.

See.

And we finished up our weekend with a combined family affair yesterday afternoon as my Diggie (Granddfather) celebrated his birthday too.

Just so you know, if you're ever considering having 492 children, they cost a FORTUNE to Birthday, Start school and send off to school camp all in the same week. Like ridiculous amounts of $$$.

Sweet proof they do love each other, somewhere, deep deep down

I'm considering getting this one framed and placed on top of the t.v

for you know

those moments..

My two best friends this week

Blue and I have only met once. I usually hangout with green or sugar free, but Gooseman was thoughtful when he saw bluey at the supermarket and brought her home to introduce us. I like her...she's a tinge tropical.

Phew. Done and dusted. No parties next year.

I mean it this time.

lasts and firsts

2011-09-26T12:20:00.000+13:00

It's been a time of lasts and firsts around here lately

Our Last Kindergarten Disco held on Friday night

This is Boots' mini version of the NPLS (Stina, Megs and I).

after a First School visit that same morning.

Spot my first decent sized bookcase gifted to us by some overseas venturing friends!

I've only been after one for about. most .of. my. life (ask anyone who actually knows me). I'll probably dedicate an entire post to it once I have it all sorted.

I love her. My last.

Today is Boots' last day at Kindy. Ever.

yeah they spelt it wrong..

Her graduating crown

This Lady is amazing. She has taught My 3 youngest and today she seemed genuinely sad to see Boot's go. She called her a delight to have in their Kindergarten family.

sniff

Boot's went out with a bang

treating her friends to a butterfly dance which I have videoed

sideways though unfortunately.

Too cute.

Her teacher was actually quite moved!

As I walked home from Kindy this was the first song that played on random shuffle on my ipod

First of the summer wardrobe was purchased this weekend

Last little moments were snapped up

more taking the piss of our online social encounters

2011-09-13T10:39:00.001+12:00

I found this on UnSolicitedious' blog. Hehe. Creepy

I joined Twitter properly the other week. Yeah crazy. Especially after all my drying out from FB. But thankfully I just don't get what all the hype that goes with twitter is all about? Frankly, I'm happy to let it stay that way. This must be what "normal" people are like who can handle fb well. Fb was way more satisfyingly nosey for me, however 4 months on, I'm happy still without it.

I have no idea and don't even want to know what google + is....

Do you know what else, it turns out almost everything is some form of social networking site now without us even knowing it when we sign up for it. Take Pinterest for example, and my most recent discovery of Instagram. I was happy with that just being a place to make cool photos on my i phone, little did I realise until just a few weeks ago that people can follow you all day long as you post your pictures (if you go public, which I'm not). C R A Z Y

We are living in a world of everyone constantly calling out for attention for every little microscopic detail of our day to day lives...*ahem, hello blog. Yes I'm guilty!

Confessions of a Coffe Group Dropout

2011-09-12T22:21:00.002+12:00

I was sent the book Confessions of a Coffee Group Dropout written by Eleanor Black last week.

The title had me straight away, as I have posted before, my friends and I are not your ordinary die hard wanna be super mums. So I thought this would be a great laugh along story of some desperately failing Mother on the verge of coffee group social suicide as a work of fiction.

However when I read the blurb I realised the book is an actual guide on surviving the first year of Motherhood against what the author perceives as fluffy pink blissfilled days that the media portrays {wrongfully} modern day Mums to be.

Eleanor Black uses her own experiences and those of 50 or so other Kiwi women where expectations were not perhaps met regarding pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and in particular socialising with other Mums, in which her experience was an at times ugly and highly competitive shock to her. She offers a huge range of advice and each chapter ends with further reading recommendations of other sources.

On a personal note, despite definitely not fitting into the media endorsed "Super Mum" category by any means, I still struggled a little to relate to alot of the negative experiences Eleanor based this book upon. Yes I know, have witnessed and heard the revolting side of competitive parents over the years, but mostly what I got that left a bad after taste in my mouth was the at times judgemental attitude and comments the author made about these Mums that she even dedicates a page to describing as "so called representative Mummy types" including The Yummy Mummy, Slummy Mummy, Alpha mummy, Eco-Mummy, Professional Mummy, Helicopter Mum, and finally The Free range Mum as women readers should likely avoid.
To me, I felt as if the author more or less feeds further toxicity into the already fragile world of early Mothering that she is warning new Mothers of.

Also I come from an experience where my coffee group completely changed my life for the better! Admittedly, it wasn't my first coffee group experience. In my Plunket group I had felt utterly inferior and so out of my comfort zone being the youngest mother by at least Ten years when I had my first child. I stuck with the six week baby educational part and decided not to continue on with the meetings at others homes.
I came home and cried, so disappointed that I hadn't met someone I clicked with. BUT that came two years later when my Mum saved the day and rallied up some like minded girls together she knew from Church and we took off from there. Yes, I firmly believe that is the key to successful coffee group bonding experiences. Like mindedness!

And Ten years later some of those girls are now my most treasured friends. Coffee group for me = personal sanity and loneliness saviour! (Apparently there is the added social benefits for the kids involved too, and I believe, more importantly it's valuable for our kids to witness us having friendships and watching us relate to others).

My personal irks with parts of this book aside, I know that there are many of you who would LOVE what this Author has to say. She writes in a great, easy to read style using humour and I know many of you could probably very well relate to what she has encountered.
Despite the title of the book, Eleanor Black writes only one chapter concerning her horrible coffee group experience and why they are not for her, the rest of the book offers sound advice on things like post natal depression, re entering the workforce, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and all the other bits and pieces that come with baby rearing.

Now if you would like to get your hands on this new piece of New Zealand literature you can buy it from all leading bookstores and online for around the $29.99 mark.

Happenings

2011-09-11T16:14:00.000+12:00

Since I last wrote about my quest for the perfect job once Boot's goes off to school the irony struck me hard that my feet barely touched the ground in these last few weeks as life just happened. Constantly.
I had kids sick home from school. a lot. Appointments, stuff just popping up all the time that really made me realise I'm not ready to be at an employers beck and call.

I have however romanticised with the idea of learning to write. Properly, so that I could eventually freelance here and there from home when I have the time. If anyone out there knows ANYTHING of how to go about this, I'd love to know what I need to do and how to go about it??!?

As usual I'm still taking pictures, of everything and anything throughout my day, even though I'm not blogging about it all so much.

Here's a glimpse through the lens of Widge September '11

I parent helped on my last ever (ok and only 2nd ever) Kindy trip last week....I was dying.
For a coffee partway though.

And realised it was Boots' first time ever on a bus! Ha. weird...

I have this strange habit of taking photos while I'm in the car waiting. This is our main street, outside of the fish and chip shop where I was parked up.

This was taken while Gooseman sussed out some motor potential in a car yard.
I often walked along this road after school when I was a teenager from the high school to the main st. The kids wanted to know what the building was used for but I couldnt tell them, I have no idea. Much to their frustration.

This little cottage was out my left window.

I'm not really a huge fan of Spring. Everyone else seems to love it, but to me, it's still cold and I prefer the rich colours of Autumn over the candy colours of spring blooms. It's also the time of year for my most loathed of all type of weather. Sunny cold days. Shudder. Nothing makes me feel worse than when the sun is shining but it is still freezing outside.

That all sounds very grumpy. Just call me the spring grinch.
Bring on Summer!!

Newsboy's Basketball season began on Friday night. I enjoy watching him give his all to the game where his height (or extreme lack there of) doesn't hold him back.

Boots and I visited our usual mall hangout that finally re opened this week after being closed since the February 22nd quake. It wasn't very exciting. We really haven't been missing out on much. You may notice I was still to chicken to park in the mall car park. Thankfully there was a space left away from all the buildings. Although when I got back to the car I did notice I was parked right under a large tilted palm tree held up by rope. Probably why the park was free! Funny the things us Cantabrian's take into consideration now.

Boots and I op shopping.

Still loving Joss BUT having a puppy is so much more work than I first anticipated. This little guy made him self pretty ill for a couple of days when he chowed down all the cats food.
argh! Doogy diarrhoea is not cool. Especially at 2am.

Newsboy was selected from his school to attend a special training day with a couple of All Blacks

Some of the rellies came to watch

That lady in the red is my Nana FYI

yeah I did.

Nothing more to say about that, except that he was tired ok. and I needed free hands to take the pics..

Moving along now

just incase you are beginning(?) to wonder if I have gone completely C R A Z Y.

My mum actually took a picture of me pushing Joss in the buggy which she said I had to blog especially after saying how much I missed pushing the buggy in a previous post. But the pic of me was all chins. Couldn't do it. Sorry Mum.

I realised this weekend that this time last year I was flying my way back home to chicken pox infested kiddos after just having hung out with these cool peeps!!)

Stole this pic off Simoney

My newest yet-to-frame poster for the kitchen

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My fur baby

2011-09-02T18:36:00.000+12:00

We adopted and named Joss on Wednesday afternoon.

I am up to my elbows in house-training, big wet doggy kisses and soothing cuddles. This guy had a major rough start to life but even in the two days that he has joined our family he has relaxed significantly.

Even amongst the chaos of very excited and so far hands on children (offering to clean up the messes! how long will that last I wonder?)

He's so lovely.

multiple floor puddles and all.

His most favourite afternoon activity so far seems to be curling up on me in the sun for a cuddly snooze.

I never thought I'd gush over an animal. Ever.

But he's awesome.

not so mundane monday

2011-08-29T18:49:00.000+12:00

I love it when a day takes me on a completely un expected route. This morning as I was gearing up for a major spring clean Gooseman calls me from work and tells me to check my emails.

He had sent me a link for a puppy adoption from the pound.

He organised for me to make a visit that morning on the condition I look only at the dog we were interested in, (pfft as if) who already had another set of owners lined up.......the race was on.

I txt Stina and Megs that I was making my way into the city for a a quick coffee catch up, Megs was busy but Stina was free yippiee!! and keen to come puppy shopping with me!

We arrived at the pound before it opened so took a quick detour to the beach for a cup of creamy coffee.
and some browsing at pretty things...

It turned out, later at the pound, the puppy Emily that I had my heart set on, had been homed to another family.
um disappointed.
She was cute.

I sussed out the rest of the litter. There was a little guy hanging back from the group that were proceeding to maul Stina and I with yappity barks and soft nips. They call him Woody. We wont be keeping that name. But I am seriously in love....

eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Look we have the same colour scheme goin on....

Of course nothing is actually official yet. There is a process. We have to be chosen. We've filled out the application forms and have to ring them tomorrow with our final decision after sleeping on it.
As you may have guessed, I've totally made mine.

strictly for the love of write

2011-08-23T23:36:00.002+12:00

How to start a post about what is consuming my constant train of thought and frenzied flurry of emotions lately without sounding sickeningly melo dramatic and cliché?
No idea.
All I know is that my fingers are craving to type, and that the soft click clack of the keyboard relaxes and excites me at the same time.
I've gotten myself up out of bed, buried myself under a thick cosy blanket and made myself write what is going through me.
It's about Boots turning five.
It's about me leaving the position I've had, mother to a preschooler for twelve years.

More than a third of my life I've had at least one little security blanket to drag along with me here there and everywhere during my week.
I'd grown pretty comfortable in that place.
I was happy to strike up new friendships while pushing the tyre swing at the local playground.
I really loved pushing a buggy.
I loved Mainly music.

I don't want another baby.
I. really. don't.
Maybe a dog...

I don't feel as if I have empty arms.
It's more about what now?
What's next?

At least one person asks me EVERYDAY what I'm going to do once Boots starts school. It's an incredibly frustrating question to answer. Gooseman suggested I go in for the shock value and respond with "Well now I can work my escort business from the comfort of my own home during the day"....hmmmm no?

This year, in preparation of this up and coming transition, I have done nothing.
Actually nothing.
No running coffee groups or parenting training courses, PTA secretary-ing, woman conference planning, all the stuff that made me feel like a productive member of the community (and completely wore me out while doing it all at the same time) is gone.
I wanted to focus on my own family this year and I have.
We've had a major year in amongst this nothingness.
We've floundered at rock bottom, exasperated at times yet we've pulled through.

I think I'm already bored.
but in a weird way, because I'm not bored during the day, I still have a million things to do. I'm just looking for that next something. I'm not one to sit at home and twiddle my thumbs.
I'd love to learn something, but I can't decide what or how to afford it.

It's such a strange place to be in.
It's huge to me.

finally my monday on a thursday

2011-08-18T10:28:00.003+12:00

This week did a runner on me.

Monday - School, Kindy and Gooseman's work were all cancelled as winds bashed at the walls of our house and snow fell in all directions.

Neb turned twelve.

He doesn't want to be plastered all over the blog any more, fair enough, since he's going be a teenager next year. eek

We bunkered down and celebrated with family in front of the fire with ice cream cake and chocolate sauce

Tuesday - woke to our second thick covering of snow for the year. We made good use of a five dollar DVD rental Rango and watched it for the fourth time...ugh

I got my paints out, then got frustrated and decided maybe arts not my thing after all....I sulked a while.

Wednesday - I lay in the warmth of my bed praying Gooseman didn't crash on his way to work in the dark..

Cabin fever was rife. I considered running away, if only it wasn't so insanely freezing and wet outside.

Instead I enforced child labour and made them clean for more screen time. It took most of the day until they understood that I meant business.

They mocked murdering each other in their bedrooms that they were banished to until tidied. I cranked up my i pod till almost it's highest volume.

Thursday - Everyone where they're supposed to be, no sound in the house except for the soft hum of the heater. Lukewarm coffee that has been reheated twice (I don't know when I am going to learn that there is no use trying to make it while the kids are getting ready).

I'm going to go and wash my hair, for ages, and have no one come crying to me while I'm naked and wet while letting all the hot steam out from the room.

yay spring...I see you

Wordless Sunday : reflection

2011-08-14T14:56:00.001+12:00

an oldie but i love it

linky partying it up this week at Kendyl's Place

good books and chocolate in bed

2011-08-13T17:10:00.002+12:00

I've been away.

On my biggest reading binge since having kids.
I'm really proud of myself actually
because I devoured two big fat mumma sized novels in less than a month.

ok maybe they aren't THAT big..

And I owe it all to you Francine.
I know that it has become deeply uncool to gush about you in the presence of literature-genius-reader types, but I'm taking a stand.

I first loved you in Redeeming Love many years ago.

You opened Bible stories in a whole new (and INTERESTING) light for me in Lineage of Grace...Who would have thought those names we hear briefly were actual people, with feelings and thoughts?

You moved me into the wilderness of the mountain village in The Last Sin Eater...I didn't want the story to end.

And now most of all I'm mourning the loss of Marta and her girls. Sigh.

This two part series is about Mothers and Daughters, love, misunderstandings, trying their best, failing, grace and yes I have to admit there's a certain amount of overkill on the cliché in some situations, but I can look passed that and enjoy the story for what it is. I am definitely not a literature snob. If the story entertains me, grasps me, gets me actually finishing the book! it's a winner to me. And the fact that I read both in quick succession speaks volumes in my world in an ever present leaning tower of unfinished reading.

I will admit to preferring the fist novel over the second. I felt the character of Marta was much more developed than any other in the stories. I wanted to know more. Her daughter Hildemara Rose becomes the focus in the second half of book one and my heart bleeds for her during this time, yet by book two her character changes drastically and I felt like I couldnt like her at all for a large portion.

For those who don't do the God thing don't be put off picking up one of her books (if you've even made it this far on my post *smile). These books are great for explaining the difference between finding a a personal spiritual journey with God instead of nasty ol religion. Although sometimes there are a few preachy parts that even I admit to glazing over a bit.

I've decided I no longer like rating a book by stars (e.g 1 - 5) as each time I do this I start comparing it to others I may have given the same rating and then I think I need to go back and change others accordingly. Is that obsessive enough? I'll just say at this point in time I thoroughly enjoyed escaping to bed early and entering Marta's world especially with a creamy milky bar. Sigh. Bliss.

Distracted

2011-08-11T17:21:00.005+12:00

First off THANK YOU for all your encouraging comments and emails concerning my last post. I feel so much more uplifted and positive about the whole thing and I can even admit now feeling slightly excited about this new path I'm stepping out onto.

Today I was digging around in some boxes in the garage trying to find my CV and ended up getting pretty distracted when I came across some of my old school work. Some art workbooks from high school with sketches and ideas and comments I had made, which I now view as being so hard on my self!

Here's a few of my faves from back in the day

That last one is of Liam or Noel from the band Oasis along with a cringe worthy teen angst poem attached haha.

Today I also branched out and wore my handmade necklace (I mean Simone's, I promised it to her!). It got a whole lot of compliments while I was out at a friends birthday tea party. I felt spesh and super creative ha!
So I'm thinking I may have to make another few.

yeah I actually did

So anyway

back to that CV preparing.....

linky partying it up over here

Making it work

2011-08-06T14:43:00.000+12:00

As my youngest babe heads towards starting school in less than 8 weeks, life for me, as I have been expecting, is due to change.

I've been browsing situations vacant pages, mostly with a vacant haze over my eyes as job after job listed is something I barely understand let alone be anything I'm qualified for.

This impending employment has been something I have been fearing for years. But it HAS to be done. I thought I didn't want to work because I might be a bit lazy, maybe. But no, it's not that at all. The fear is largely stemmed from the thought of being STUCK. Trapped. BORED out of my mind that craves to be stimulated out of my dreams and passions, that seem way too far out of reach from the route my life took more than 12 years ago.

The pressure of a work, life, family balance overwhelms me beyond comprehension. I truly have no idea how other working mothers do it?

The last time I dabbled in a bit of part time work I had only half as many children as I do now, they weren't in school and when I got bored of that I had another baby. Easy out ;)

I've spent the morning looking at available positions I think I could handle, then comes the application process that stumps me, the letters, the referees, the hours to work around children, the school holidays, the professional, tidy {fashionable if retail were to choose me again} clothing that I do not own, the fact that I've been out of the workforce for nearly 7 years and my confidence plummets further.

There's got to be something, out there somewhere, that will work for me and the family. Something that wont drive me berserk in boredom and routine. I've been trusting in this for the last 4 and a half years, something that is going to work out. But still I'm petrified my lesson could be to be stuck behind that checkout clocking in and out at rotating shifts...

I hope I get that bone thrown, and especially that I don't drop it.

my creative space

2011-08-04T10:40:00.001+12:00

I've had this insane craving for getting my creative fix lately, yet still the motivation to actually DO anything has been virtually nil.....

I made this necklace the other night. I do not know why. I would never wear anything like this in a million years, I think it's because it looked like an easy project to accomplish, and it pretty much was, I sat on the couch watching a movie with the hot glue gun. Anyone want it? ha

During the school holiday the girls and I got some paints out and decorated rocks that we found on our West Coast escape which they successfully sold at a stall in the Kidsfest market here in Rangiora.

Even getting their pic in the local rag...

The boys cleared out a bunch of their old toys and books and my parents jumped in and gave them a few bits and pieces to sell and they ended up making a whopping $73 between them all!!!!

I was gobsmacked. Especially after I had tried to warn them they might not sell anything at all. We'll definitely be participating in that holiday activity again. It's not often things make $$$$ rather than cost it with four kiddos.

Thanks Heaps to Nan and Granddad for spending the day with the kids at the market! Total highlight to finish off the holidays!!

For more creative spaces go here

Snows and pimples

2011-07-25T11:18:00.003+12:00

It started snowing last night!!

and my camera battery (both) died :(

So in between squeezing as much charge juice in as I could to grab a couple of pics from the comfort of my doorways I managed to get a few.

Just so we can acknowledge, officially, that it snowed here this winter.

I squealed with excitement at my for reals (no altered or i phone goodness added fake) Bokeh!! Gooseman thinks I'm crazy and says "bokeh" to me to mock me now.

And no, that is no illusion. My 4 year old has a huge whitehead on her cheek! what's with that!!?

HUGE

(enlarge pic, you'll see)

I was so excited I hardly slept a wink last night. And now I can't help but keep singing "It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas". Which is mental.

I've never even experienced a white Christmas.

Wordless Sunday: Liquid

2011-07-24T23:18:00.001+12:00

Linky partying this week over at Leonie's blog

Westies for a week

2011-07-22T22:24:00.009+12:00

Hello

We've been on holiday.

To the West Coast. To the actual best place on the entire west coast.

My parent's bestie's B&B for 5 nights for share heavenly bliss, even in the middle of winter.

We spent the first night with the owners P & S, they cooked us a delicious roast. The kids were AMAZING and POLITE-ish (I had been so worried about them being served up dinner from normal people who cook normal food). They more than handled it.

P&S left very early the next morning for their own holiday and left their home in our hands.

The house was incredible.

Gooseman and I were in the luxury suite. Huge bed, en-suite with a big beautiful spa bath, I'm talking the works burger baby.

Neb had his own "big boy" quarters. Seriously, like his own entire apartment at the other end of the house.

He loved it.

Newsboy had his own room and double bed too (the boys have to share a closet sized room at home). They had toys of lord of the rings characters and other boy stuff, he made an entire little world in his room and played for hours. By himself.

All Belle wished for before we left was that she could sleep in an upstairs room. I told her she could, then realised once getting there it was only a one story house.

Or was it?
There happened to be a stair case that led to only one twin share attic style bedroom, perfect for 2 little girls.
PERFECT.

And this is only the bedrooms.

The dining room is like a restaurant setting but with way better views.

I felt inspired by everything around. There was just so much to look at.

Outside was Goosemans love. The spa pool. He soaked his stresses away for hours. and hours. and literally I'm telling you HOURS.

We also had our own little bush walk and glow worm cave !! just in the BACKYARD. yep. Completly awesome.

And the kids. The kids behaved so well. It was like another universe, where kids are good, and play outside with the dog (which I am totally in love with) for hours, and are really clean, because when anyone starts to get a little whiny, you just chuck them in the spa and feed them a mini hot chocolate in gorgeous little poka dot mini mugs and send them off to bed in their amazing bedrooms.

I started to love them so much I even endured a 4 hour game of electronic monopoly *shudder* with Neb and Newsboy. I kicked their butts. I even enjoyed it a bit.

Trips to the Hokitika supermarket counted as a daily outing, and we went wild and let them choose 2 zombie chew lollies each and they thought it was Christmas. Seriously, something weird happens to our family on that west side.

Last night we splashed out on fish and chips, and being this crazy little town of Hokitika, we had to wait for ages, so we ran around the street like loons taking photos of the world famous in New Zealand Hokitika clock tower.

To get the photo meant standing (stranding?) all of our beloved offspring in the middle of a roundabout, in the dark. Ahem. Responsible much? and it wasnt even worth it cos the pics didn't even turn out well.

This is what blissed out family bonding looks like.

Later

2011-07-17T09:50:00.003+12:00

image

My creative space

2011-07-14T15:26:00.001+12:00

I was putting away groceries yesterday when the urge just hit me to get my paints out right then and there as I emptied the fridge to make room for the new vegetables.

I cut the base off some limp celery and stamped it all over some card resulting in this. Which I then hunted out some frame things I had picked up at the free shop last year and hot glued it on and va laa!

Check out actual for real creative makings here...

monday morning

2011-07-11T10:59:00.001+12:00

Walking through the rain,

hesitant at first

I continue on

the icy drops refresh yet slightly sting

my fresh morning skin

Praises beat through my ears

and out from my soul

as my pace quickens

the stinging is oddly welcome.

The sun arises from it's hiding spot

warming the earth

like a heated towel

and above my steps

in striking colour

a smile so wide {inverted to the human eye}

that covers right over

us all.

I hear the still voice

that speaks

Sometimes it's necessary to walk through the rain

that stings a little,

and removes comfort

to receive

the promise

in all it's amazing splendour

Wordless Sunday Black and White

2011-07-10T17:32:00.004+12:00

Beautiful child of mine

linky partying this week at MNM's

Here's alot of food.....The widge menu.

2011-07-08T10:45:00.004+12:00

Since writing this post about the crazy cost of food over here in kiwiland I have started freaking my family out almost on a daily basis by photographing our dinners right upon serving. Every time SOMEONE asks me why I'm taking a picture of our tea WITHOUT FAIL. They then moan about the food WITHOUT FAIL and I sigh....

The problem with feeding a large family is there seems to be no single dish that pleases everybodies (at the same time) personal taste. If I let it get to me it can be seriously disheartening, being the only cook in the house, all the while trying to work with what I've got and what I can afford.

The following meals are our staples. We are a very Meat and Veg type of family. In summer it's almost always meat and salad, we eat salad for as long as possible throughout the year.

Gooseman has mostly shaped what we eat as a family as in the beginning of our relationship he was extremely fussy, not eating anything that contained onion as an ingredient, no pasta dishes, no fish, no curries, no rice, and had to have gravy on all vegetables for an example. He has however changed over the years THANK GOODNESS and now eats a much wider variety of meals. But I will say the years of cooking have been a challenge and at times very limiting and boring. Hence why I never needed a shopping list because I basically brought the same things everytime. Lately I've felt like I was in a bit of a rut with the menu. I was absolutely so uninspired to cook, knowing most of it gets thrown away from kids who don't eat it.

Our fortnightly spend up is usually around the $300 mark, this tends to be for the pantry essentials, meat, cleaning products and personal items etc. I then go back and forth to the supermarket countless times during the fortnight and stock up on milk, bread, fresh vegetables and fruit, treat foods and the odd item we need to take a plate for social reasons etc...this most probably almost doubles our first initial spend so I think we are seriously fooling ourselves on saying we get by on the $300 a fortnight.

I've been trying to limit my extra supermarket trips, for instance, when we are broke I can't do it and HAVE to find a way to make do with what we have, so I need to do this even when the money is there.

I have also been a lot more vigilant in using the things that need to be used up before they go bad (I used to be a sucker for this!, Sometimes having to throw out trays of bad meat!!!) So it has meant more organisation on my part and discipline, also forward planning to decide which vegetable needs to be used up and cooked with each meal etc...pretty basic stuff I know, but when life is busy with night time sports practices, meetings etc it's easy to cave and go for the quickest, easiest, convenient option.

So on to the food for a brood of very opinionated children. These are a selection of our main meals during the last couple of weeks. There have been times too where we ate Toasted sandwiches, or the kids had dinner with friends and once Gooseman and I went out for dinner so the kids had takeaways brought once but apart from that we managed to not buy any. We don't usually buy takeaways as a main meal ever. If we are to have them it is with one child at a time now and again.

Lamb chops (brought on special) is Neb's fave. Bulking it out with vegetables and baked potatoes. Belle would not eat anything in this meal so she had this

Only because I had the saveloys left over from a lunch with Goosemans parents. I think she ate one and that was all she had from this plate. grr

Chicken fried rice is another staple around here because Gooseman likes it (now) but all the kids except for Boots DO NOT. This meal makes 3 of my kids actually cry. It's a great way to use one chicken breast and odds and ends of vegetables up. Requires a bit of planning though because the rice really needs to be cold for a day.

Bacon and egg pie is a meal I make for the kids when Gooseman and I want something they wont eat, or if we are going out together. We don't like it because it's very basic of just eggs and bacon, but the kids LOVE it, also great cold leftovers for lunch boxes the next day. Oh, and I never eat spaghetti from a can. ever. That's my "thing".

Lasagne is another meal we usually have a couple times a month. Not my fave but it actually gets eaten by everyone!! (even my meat free girl Belle). And it's a goodie for leftovers the next day for Gooseman to take for work.

Homemade pizza is always a winner. Kids can choose their toppings. I have recently begun making my own bases which is very time consuming and actually pretty messy too, but it does taste better than brought ones.

this is a very basic kid topping pizza of bacon, ham, cheese and pineapple

The meat here is a recipe of Gooseman's family called Chinese steak. It uses cheaper cuts of meat like rump, which is sliced thinly and left to marinade for as long as possible during the day in 1tsp of salt, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 TBlsp of cornflour which tenderises the meat and creates a yummy gravy. I know big SODIUM alert, but we don't have it often due to having to be prepared and all that.

I served this with vegetarian cannelloni which is Gooseman's new favourite dish (hurray! after many years of saying he wouldn't eat it!!) I have the recipe in this post. The kids say don't like it at all but they get through it. Belle went to bed very hungry this night because there is nothing on the plate she would eat.

I've been making pudding more often too on nights where I need to fill up small tummies and that has been a big hit. I've made chocolate self saucing pudding twice this fortnight because it's easy, cheap, warming and the kids love it.

I had a go at making my own crackers. My kids love crackers more than biscuits, but they seem to be way more expensive. I didn't rate them, they tasted to me a bit like pastry, but the kids polished them all off with toppings.

More cheap lunch box fillers and apparently very good for trading if I pop in a few extra ;)

School lunches are another big hurdle. On stretched days I rely on things like:

Raw carrot sticks (which is way cheaper than fruit)
Mixed dried fruit (e.g crasins, apricots, raisins and currants)
A hard boiled egg in a zip lock bag to contain the smell!
As a treat bacon sandwhiches which actually get eaten and are more filling than just the basic spread fillings.
Popcorn
Corn thins with spreads or cheese
Muffins (which can be frozen)
Waffles
Pancakes rolled up
Yoghurt - our local supermarket often sells youghurt about to expire at reduced prices and I grab these every time I see them. Did you know youghurt can happily live up to 2 weeks after the recommended expiry date? it can. I also buy bulk 1kg pottles and divide it into containers.
Baking- cookies, slices, rice bubble cake, cake etc

So that is just a SMALL snippet of how we do it. And I have to admit winter meals are just so much uglier to photograph than summer meals. But I'd love to see and hear more of what you eat. If I figure ever how to do a linky party I might just throw one, one day.

Boots the closet bilingual

2011-07-07T16:11:00.002+12:00

The other day Boots started reciting this Maori thanking that she must have learned at kindy recently for before they eat lunch. I had no idea she had this in her! Anyway it ties in nicely this week for Maori language week. Keepin it cultural

Please excuse my sister and I at the begining of the video trying to urge her to do it for the camera *cringe

and wow TWO posts TWO days in a row! Blogging mojo back much

10 good intentions

2011-07-07T11:44:00.005+12:00

Inspired by Miriam, I've taken a quick look around my home and found many good intentions that need to be followed up on. Some not so big and some very big....

Number 1: Let's at least get in the right month shall we? This is my most loved calendar from Dee over at Our little love nest that I won in a giveaway. I'm just really terrible at changing it over each month. It drives Gooseman and some of my more anal retentive kids a little crazy as they remind me constantly...the wall it pins into is really hard and it hurts my fingers.

Number 2: This painting I started for Megs. I wasn't happy with the bent leg so I painted it out and never got around to painting it back and finishing the rest of the job.

Number 3: Speaking of painting....this canvas is still haunting me.

Number 4: This gift I received from Lee at Cloud Nine Creative which I LOVE and really need to buy a frame for!

Number 5: Newsboy has been asking me to sew these head phones to his puffle. As you can see he's got pretty dusty waiting. Not looking very happy about it either.

Number 6: These books that I really need to get read that have been sent to me specifically to review on here.

Number 7: So I have this idea for a children's book. It keeps playing on my mind. Gooseman keeps asking me when I'm going to do it. I found this book at the library last week after I was wondering how on earth you go through any process like this.

Number 8: Bed room makeover for the girls and re painting this dreadful colour scheme *shudder* that was here when we brought the house. I'm not even enlarging the photos because I dislike it so much.

Number 9: Now this one effects you, and you and you who I have promised mail too and I have no excuse except for that I am seriously so terrible about getting around to what I say I'm going to do sometimes (and I'll admit a little performance anxiety has come into play too). I know, I really need to do better. I haven't forgotten.

Number 10: I brought myself this and have never bothered to use it to learn. But after my Sister picked up a hook the other night and started an awesome blanket I am inspired.

two in one day

2011-07-06T18:03:00.004+12:00

I made a little pact with myself this year to keep fresh flowers in our bathroom. I've been a bit slack on it and I also don't have a lot in the way of vases so I painted one of these glass bottles from the inside with white paint which I've been planning to do for ages. No flowers yet, it's still wet.

I'd like to get a small selection of sizes. I quite often buy thrifted glass bottles and jars when they take my fancy, usually to keep my baking ingredients in. Old big lolly jars are awesome for this.

This glass jar is one I picked up a couple of months ago and it is home to the special stones Gooseman and I collected on holiday in Queeenstown. Along with a few shells and the odd stone one of the kids purposely picks for me from time to time.

Gooseman brought home the white rock from Gore Bay this weekend for me. It's a thing we do. I like it. Am considering painting a small design on it. The front stone has a duck on it given to me from my Mum for my Birthday this year.

Oh and check out my clean as windows and sills I scrubbed furry mildew off last week! Finally. Whoop!
Linky partying it up at more creative spaces here

pinned in real life

2011-07-06T13:24:00.001+12:00

Inspired by Dee and co I pinned real life. Admittedly probably THE most simple thing I could actually make, but hey, baby steps.

Actual pin

mine

I doubt I'll ever wear it. I'm not exactly a pearls kinda girl but I liked the pinned version. She had finer fake pearls which fell nicer. And of course if I tried it on with an actual outfit it might work.

I like hanging with these people

2011-07-05T21:07:00.003+12:00

I've had different post ideas running around in my head all day and then, now, as soon as I sit to write one I can't even think. Actually by this time of night I struggle to even remember names for simple everyday items, like my kids. I thought I was going insane for awhile, or like, really sick or something, but apparently it's age, stress and over-multitasking. Makes my words just go.....

So here's some pretty pictures of a pretty day we had in the weekend instead. This is us in the car driving. Exciting stuff..

We took a mini roadie to a place called Cheviot because Newsboy had a rugby game out that way, a bit of a hike, almost 100Kms from where we live so we decided to make a day of it and visit a place with lots of childhood memories for me called Gore bay. We had a makeshift lunch in the car (it was cold-ish) of Chippie sandwiches (technically rolls), fizzy drink and pick n mix lollies then it was off down to the beach for a walk and some exploring.

It's a great place for rock pools and the kids and I were dead set upon having a look at some starfish and crabs but unfortunately the tide was coming in.

really fast.

But like I said, the kids and I were really keen to see some rocky shore life and I stupidly tried to beat the tide. I just needed to get around those rocks, really quickly, just for a second....

Thankfully Gooseman is kind of sensible and got us to turn back moments before the water completely covered the rocks we had just scaled. I've promised the kids a camping trip here next summer instead, and in reality it saved me from dealing with a child who was planing a starfish kidnapping as he wanted to bring some back home to live with us....yeah. Good smell.

Some of the treasures we found (and left at the beach)

Then on the way home, no country kiwi outing is complete without a traffic jam

and a browse through the local goodness. Pretending I could be a well meaning buyer of antique furniture while Gooseman waits with the car running.

'twas a lovely day with the people I heart

Friday

2011-07-01T12:29:00.002+12:00

Saw this on pinterest. Can't find where it originated. Goosman knows which one I think is funny cos it's true...shhhhh spam ninja

Where my babies came from

2011-06-30T21:37:00.005+12:00

I thought I'd write about something that has been playing on my mind abit lately. It's not something I've really shared on here before, though I havedone on some people's comments at times. To be honest, I have kept it quiet inmy posts because for once, somewhere, I'm happy for others to presume I couldbe different. Everyone who knows me in real life knows all about it and I haveto admit there are times when I have felt good knowing it hasn't been a blogthing too.

Now I've just made it sound far more of an issue than ever!

Basically I want to delve into the topic of caesarean birth (or births in mycase because I've had 4 of them). The first thing people usually say to me whenthey hear this is "Wow I didn't think you were allowed to have4!?"....

The reason I want to write about it is because no matter what, there is astigma attached. Whether they are planned or an emergency (I've experiencedboth) there is a side order of disappointment, perhaps even grief, the need tojustify the situation and at times in my case, because I have never actually"birthed" any of my children an odd feeling of not being womanly or a"real mother". That last thought has been fleeting as I know it is in no way true, but it has reared it'sugliness at me at odd times during my parenting journey.

In the past I have experienced over-sensitivity in areas of hearing otherpeople's birth stories. I really struggle with the line commonly used by manyau natural birther's with "how proud of themselves" they are. I canunderstand how they would be, (I know I would be) yet as someone who absolutelyplanned on having a very similar experience yet somehow "failed"it can't help but dig at an already gaping wound (no pun intended...ok yes it actually is ). I alsoused to get so upset when Gooseman would affectionately joke to the kids thatinstead of singing "Happy Birthday...we should be singing Happy Cut-outday"
grrrrr (He has stopped saying that after I finally told him it made me feellike crap).

It's not something I think about constantly or anything I even got reallydown over at any particular time, it's just a thing, small thoughts here andthere, that especially during my early parenting days, plagued me from time totime.

On the upside it makes giving the "Where do babies come from"question in those early years a very quick and satisfying answer!
My babies (all but the first one who got totally stuck and looked like analien cone job) had beautiful shaped heads too. And yeah then there is thesignificant upside to the planned c-sections of nopain etc... BONUS and yip I have to go there, apparently nice benefitsfor Gooseman too, being all tidy and un-stretched down there..winky wink.

Most people are already aware of the physical challenges post caesareansurgery entails but I thought I'd get this other stuff out there incase othersare ever having these thoughts. That from what I have discovered are a normalprocess to the disappointment of a well thought out expectation. I havepersonally known women who have felt so ashamed at having had to have ac-section that they tried to keep it a secret in the first days after birth. Ieven have a friend who was told once by another "well meaning friend"that if she were to have another caesarean (after her first emergency) for hernext birth that she would be very disappointed in her. Really sad stuff.

As mothers we all want what is best for our babies and when it comes down toa healthy Child verse a not so healthy traumatic delivery dangerous to bothMother and Child I'm sure that any parent in their right mind would take anyopportunity possible to make sure this happens.
I can't speak for the ones who belong to the "Too posh to push"brigade giving the rest of us a bad name as I know nothing about this kind ofpractice. Basically for me, and so many other Women out there, the naturaldelivery process fails us and stresses our babies out and we are left with thisoption, that significantly saves many lives these days. By the time that babyis placed in our arms, no matter how it got there, all that is important isthat little life.

Water for elephants and small town regent goodness

2011-06-26T16:16:00.004+12:00

The Regent Rangiora


My town's movie theatre old school stylin

On Friday night a couple of my sisters and I treated ourselves to a night out to the movies to watch Water for Elephants. We stayed close to home and used our local theatre which is quaint and set the mood for this vintage styled film perfectly.

The more I think about this movie the more I fall in love with it. It appeals to everything I'm into at the moment. The cinematography is exquisite. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful lighting that carried on throughout the entire film.

Though set in the depths of the American depression of the 1930's, Reese Witherspoon's character Malena dazzled in beautiful vintage attire. Even that vampire guy scrubbed up nicely ;)

Images

While I looked for images for this post I realised that I am not alone in feeling inspired by the visual beauty of this film. People are even creating Water for elephant themed weddings!

images from here

So despite the 3 news lady giving the movie quite a rubbish review I thought it was great and can't wait to watch it again. Might even have a go at the book...

linky partying it up with Paisley Jade

Are those golden eggs?

2011-06-25T00:03:00.001+12:00

Today I attended my first ever farmers market in a beautiful little place out this way called Ohoka.

I wanted to take way cooler photos of all the amazing produce they had on show but it's kinda weird asking "Hey do you mind if I photograph your pie?" "No I can't afford to buy it, I just want to put it on my blog?...um a blog...I just write a silly blog thing, it's just for fun...um..never mind...so how much did you want for that pie?"

I didn't even bother asking the fish guy.

I brought some beeswax. It was really cheap. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but I remember a while back I wanted to make something cool ( not a candle, that would be too obvious) and it required beeswax and I remember thinking to myself, "guh I'm never gonna buy me some beeswax" and then lo and behold, I found some today, I just can't remember what I wanted it for???....does that ever happen to anyone else? Or better still, do you know any cool things to do with beeswax?

I noticed something today. I'm so not farmers market breed. I felt like I was walking around with a big fat sign on my head that read "Yes I buy the bulk packs of the worst possible type of prisoned and tortured chicken caged eggs because they are really cheap!".."and yes my boots are from K mart...clearance price..."
I brought some spray free potatoes and pumpkin and felt really proud of myself when I declined a plastic carry bag....justified much?

I think the suspicious smell that greeted us (I'm so not kidding, think Ohoka's finest version of The Daktory) was making my head a little fuzzed because I actually got out my calculator (ok phone) and worked out that they sell their big, organic, corn fed, free ranging, privileged life living chicken eggs for a whopping $1.10 each while I pay for my scrawny, under privileged, abused (probably not even REAL CHICKEN possibly mutant-bird-come-alien) eggs for a measly 16.333333333333 cents each.

Ah well. For now, It's most important that I get protein into my kids bellies, and eggs we eat a tonne of, when they leave home I promise to buy only rich man eggs. Promise.

Next week it's the monthly craft market. I'm donning my funkiest earth mother threads (not really, I don't have any) I'll keep you posted!

Wordless wednesday i creating

2011-06-22T16:20:00.003+12:00

I drew this with my stubby fingers on my i phone the other night on the Sketchy app

You are making me a mountain

That cannot be shaken...

This super cutie is Israel

Bokeh-fied

Yellow boy in a black and white bokeh-fied room

Besties

I wonder where she gets this from....huh Megs?

oh dear

yeah I love my toy

Loving this this week

2011-06-18T21:55:00.004+12:00

My newest app Bokeh Booth

New damage from Monday. This is the main street of my town.
Loving my town, not the damage :(

Meal no.1

Feeling proud of myself for making this meal stretch to it's fullest

Day 2 Cold chicken sliced into pita pocket with soft cheese and cranberry jelly YUM!

saving the left over meat and using the carcass for stock


This meat made individual Chicken pies dinner No.3

They weren't really this yellow .


Stock which was made into soup = meal no.4

Loving all the great ideas from the comments on this post. Thankyou each and everyone of you. I'm so slack at returning comments. Sorry.

Big fat laser cat. We originally were taking his picture because he was sitting on the computer chair on his butt just like a human. He's totally freaky. And his eyes are the proof!

Fat freaky cat doing sit ups. He sleeps on his back like a human wannabe.

Thursdays thrifty finds. A huge stack of recipe books were being freshly stacked at my local Sallies just as quickly as I was grabbing them to take home. 50 cents a pop.

These spectacular sunsets which my photos are nowhere even close to capturing what it was truly like

This found it's way onto the girls bedroom wall. I haven't painted it yet. For now I've cheated and stuck on re use-able stickers which match the rest of their bedroom wall. It's not staying, just visiting.

Our star rugby player. Newsboy winning most improved player two games in a row then today playing his best game EVER and earning a well deserved Player of the day. So thrilled for this much needed confidence boost and positive attention for our special wee man.

Linky partying it up with Paisley jade

Million dollar grocery bill and a yummy healthy-ish muffin receipe

2011-06-15T14:27:00.003+12:00

I have just returned from my fortnightly grocery haul.
Today I kept my shopping spree local and chose to shop at this supermarket which is only 5 minutes down the road from my house.

I usually take a 25 minute drive into our closest mall and use a cheaper pack your own grocery store, The petrol as I realised today is worth it with the amount I save on the grocery bill. However today, I really didn't want to risk being far away from home (or in a mall car park!) if/when another earthquake hits.

A few years ago when our youngest was a baby we really struggled to fit two whole weeks worth of groceries for a family of six into just one trolley. We either used two or carefully stacked an over flowing often embarrassing trolley bursting at it's metal seams.

Today, with a six-fully-eating-at-every-meal-person family, the smaller trolley from New World was barely full as I began to load my food onto the conveyor belt at the checkout. Just as the checkout lady was almost finished I happened to ask what the total was running (I had chosen a free lane where the screen for customers was not working) "$426...." she replied as I had a quick heart attack right there on the spot (already more than $100 over my usual shop). She noticed my face and asked me if I would like her to stop there. I looked down and noticed it was all vegetables left to go through and said "um no..they are the essentials..." (in my head I said all sorts of swear words). This woman was lovely and extremely accommodating and suggested I go through whatever she had already packed and return anything I pleased.

And so I did. See no shame. I apologised profusely and was met with total understanding. I ended up returning over $80 worth of food and I am still gobsmaked at how incredibly high over I had gotten. I usually buy all the same things give or take and always buy on special so I don't bother with a list but from now on I think it's going to have to be mandatory

So since returning a bulk lot of my meat I'm looking for suggestions. What do you eat? What do you feed your fussy kids? I have many popular cookbooks on this sort of thing but unfortunately most of the recipes just aren't to our families taste. For example my kids and husband will. not. do. lentils. full. stop.

I already bake the lunchbox treats (which is almost and sometimes actually MORE expensive..$6 butter anyone!!)

Anyway I think it would be great to share some ideas around. Maybe join me in posting a midweek meal like Frangipani does over here for some added inspiration?

A big thing in this house from now on is making sure one of my kids in particular gets a healthy but high calorie diet because of medication that may suppress the appetite so I'm going to be doing a lot more baking and providing dessert or ice cream to finish off meals. I guess like they used to have to in the old days.

These muffins are a new favourite in our home (until they find out they contain pumpkin) shhh

Pumpkin Pie Muffins (aka in our house "Donut Muffins"...they smell like mini donuts)

250 grams of cooled cooked mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup plain white flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Mix wet ingredients together in one bowl. In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients and then combine carefully. Fill a muffin pan, I usually make mine on the big side and only get 9 out of this. Bake at 210 degrees Celsius (200 fanbake). Serve dusted with icing sugar.

My kids gobble these up for afternoon tea then I wrap and freeze the leftovers individually for the lunch boxes.

Wordless Sunday

2011-06-12T15:36:00.000+12:00

Linky partying it up with Dee

oops and I only just read the rules...supposed to be only one photo. meh

Mcloven

2011-06-10T09:33:00.083+12:00

This week I'm loving

Grapefruit season

Air mail.

Getting my tea towel (s!) from my swap partner. Thanks Lyndel!

This lovely book I picked up from my library

My library. Which is a bit broken after all that ground shakin. I love my library alot. This is a place where I have spent many, many hours of my life. Ever since I was little I've loved this place. My parents were never big library goers when I was small so I have to say I have completely developed this love all on my own. I used to get them to drop me off here for a couple of hours all the time growing up.

This rocking horse and the most delish shop it lives in. You can read more about this experience over here..

Hanging out at Belle's assembly and seeing her get a certificate for her awesome trustworthiness. Excuse the blurry pics my battery was dying

Being inspired on my newest addiction Pinterest

Loving that I picked up this second hand wooden house thingy and actually got motivated and painted it on the same day! That never happens.

It's still not complete though. I'm thinking of decorating each window space with some funky as wall paper. Maybe.

Loving how happy this girl is with a pen and some paper.

We went shopping together especially for a real artists sketch pad. She had exactly what she wanted in mind and was ecstatic with this pink plastic folder she found to keep all her drawings in. I love how she delights in sharing a common interest with me.

We sat in the car while we picked up takeaways for dinner to take home for the rest of the family and I had a quick go at drawing her

Haha fail on the mouth and teeth and protruding cheekbone but I really like the eyes and eyebrows, Which incidentally were done the fastest, which makes me aware of needing to loosen up and GOING FOR IT! Half my life time ago my art teacher was constantly telling me this. At the moment I just have to keep going even when I know it's no where near up to the standard I like. If I don't practice being crap I'll never get to where I want to be again. word. ;)

Linky partying it up with Paisley Jade

opps I vlogged

2011-06-09T22:45:00.000+12:00

Linky partying it up with Gail

THE vomit cure wonder

2011-06-08T21:34:00.043+12:00

Had Belle home throwing up this morning but she perked up midday after a nice big drink of flat coke.

before coke

True story. I wish I had realised this years ago because flat coke works. NOT flat lemonade like when we were kids. Coke. The "bad" one. Laden with caffeine and apparently strips rust from nails.
Go feed this to your unwell babes and it instantly seems to work wonders. Awesome!

I can hear my MIL shaking her head in disapproval from here...

So after the coke fix the girls painted t shirts for the rest of the afternoon with some fabric paints that I gave Belle for her birthday along with a couple of plain cheap tops. They had a great time. Boots ended up with a helping hand from me after she was stuck on drawing "poos" on her top. First a big green one that I disguised as a caterpillar and then she got a sneaky black one on there just as we were packing up so she painted some white dots on it and called it a nest. ? Why my almost 5 year old daughter wants a poo top is beyond me.

and now just see what difference that coke makes to a little girls face..

after coke

don't judge me.

We should have long weekends every week

2011-06-06T17:37:00.004+12:00

Queens Birthday weekend here has been mostly full of rainy indoor entertainment. Newsboy finally got around to making those waffles.

Belle cut up a bazillion-trillion little bits of paper like this, in every corner of every room of our entire house...

I gazed out of the window at this and retreated back to my warm spot under the orange blanket on the couch.

We ate popcorn for lunch.
Three days in a row

We turned our lounge into a surround sound movie theatre
a few times.

Thankfully today the sun turned up for the Queens kiwi birthday bash

Nan (my mum) cooked sausages in bread on the mini cooker, to add to our feast of quiche and muffins and Granddad and the uncles played ball games with the kids while the rest of us sipped hot drinks.

My nephew Uppy got a little too puddle happy and I couldn't resist taking photos of his makeshift pants which are actually a man sized hoody with his legs through the arms. Good ol kiwi ingenuity at it's finest.

Thumbelina's growing up

Merry go rounding until the nausea is unbearable and Uppy can no longer walk in a straight line

My second to youngest baby sis and her man testing out my newest app!

All round a gooood long weekend. What have you been up to?

A letter from my 85 year old self

2011-06-04T11:05:00.000+12:00

Date: 4 June 2065

Dear Widge (yes that name stuck)

I know you find this weird, unbelievable even, but it's me {you} and we're old.

You are finding this a difficult exercise, I remember, because at 31 you really can't think of many things worse than being 85 right now. And that's perfectly natural. I also know you feel very blessed we made it this far.

Though I have a few little tips for you to help make this ageing process a little more of a gentler ride. To begin with stop striving. and I mean it STOP RIGHT NOW.

Write from your heart.

Stop comparing yourself to people you actually know nothing about.

Love and make peace with your boobs (you should see them now! teehee.....seriously. Or get some surgery)

Get that mole checked.

Quit the V energy drinks ( I glow green at night now you know)

Gooseman. That old bald bird guy is a treasure. Don't be afraid to dream. DREAM together and try not to feel discouraged when some dreams don't eventuate because some ultimately will. Keep laughing together.

The kiddos. Now I realise this is a tough subject. You want to hear "it all turns out fine!" "stop freaking out!" but I know even if I tell you this you won't listen. Because I know you. So I'm going to give you this advice instead:
Work harder but RELAX.
Make that effort of consistency, it really is not an option.
But chill out on the things you can't control.

Visit your Grandparents.

Keep life in this order of priority

Faith
Gooseman
Your Children
Everything else

Paint, draw, create. Make it part of your daily habit.

Keep writing.

But do these things in a way that you expect nothing from them. Only the personal satisfaction of creating.

Continue to sing in the shower while pretending you're a popstar, it's an indulgence you never grow out of.

Now get off this time sucker, finish your breakfast and help that boy of yours measure the flour he needs for the waffles he's begging you to let him make. (I have it on good authority that there is a certain lovely woman out there very thankful for his cooking skills).

Love Me, you, widge (you get the picture)

Linking up here with Lyns

Thankday Thursfull

2011-06-02T22:49:00.007+12:00

and Take two...

I'm trying to be clever and write a post on my phone from the comfort of my bed while waiting for my electric blankie to crank up to the hottest setting and I managed to make my last effort turn itself into crazy code.

Ahem. Take three...

phew! Didn't completely loose it this time. I'm thankful for that.

I'm thankful for my awesome as i phone (yes I know...STILL going on about that) It's like a new baby. But better behaved. And more brainy. You'd be forgiven for mistakingly believing I was being endorsed by apple. I'm not. But hey.

I'm thanking my beautiful friend Stina for asking me out to lunch yesterday. We shopped and scored THE most amazing bargains! we happened to turn up on the day that some stores finally re opened since the earthquake and they had a whole lot of old stock to be rid of so we're talking $5 dresses, pants, skirts, jackets WHOOP! We had a field day. I'm thankful for the yummy chicken tikka wraps we ate. They were DELISH. I'm thankful for my placid (at times) youngest child who didn't mind being completely ignored while we gasbagged and tried on clothing for hours. (again Go the iPhone entertainment on hand).

I'm thankful for the group of friends that filled our home last night while we binged on waaay too much dessert.

My beds too hot now.

And I'm getting really tired.

But I wanted to say Hi and thanks Thursday.

Nun nite

P.s I have no idea why my paragraphs aren't happening

oh and now they are. awesome.

In the last week of May eleven

2011-05-27T13:17:00.000+12:00

This week I have hibernated during the day between the family world of my homely four walls.

I have organised and tidied my space and floated within the peace that brings to my life. It's simply amazing how much my mood improves when the house is clean and orderly. How much smoother our mornings go when four kids arent looking for seven socks.

I have rested. Guilt free, in the knowledge that things have been done. That I have worked to earn my break. On Monday I took a whole afternoon and watched a DVD before the kids all arrived home from school (I never do this). Mindless shopping, internet browsing, yes, but a conscious effort of sitting down and doing something for me, for pure enjoyment, and once again GUILT free, never. And you know what else I did that's really naughty? I ate one of these for lunch. Oh yeah I did. and it was gooooood (and then I only ate a plate of broccoli for dinner). BUT not because I HAD to, because that was all I felt like. cos I can.

I watched this movie with my greasy lips

I really enjoyed it. It's basically about nothing. Just watching the lives unfold on screen and it got really bad reviews. I love movies like that.

On Tuesday I hung out with my bestest friend after he took an unexpected half day off work. We went clothes shopping and had coffee and lunch. Just hanging out in our home town. twas nice

On Wednesday I played in paint while I had a sick babes at home

Thursday....more sick kiddos

fire blazing, p.j wearing, house smelling of baked goodness

and today, Friday

some of this going on

it's really good...
get an easy peasy recipe here

journal scribbling

practising to draw what I see, not how I think I see

and finally gaining personal insight.

What's been a happening in your neck of the woods?

LOVING

2011-05-27T08:53:00.004+12:00

I love being sent a song in the mail that totally meets me where I'm at...and look it's the beautiful South Island of NZ!

I love you tube. For finding more of what I want. Look a love letter written just for me...and you

Loving the girl with this voice

What if your blessings come through raindrops...

2011-05-22T14:05:00.000+12:00

This morning while getting ready for church I was reading Laura's blog post, the only one I chose to read today while I blow dryed my hair...{as you do...cos reading blogs is normal while doing this right? serious multi tasking}

image

Anyway the video clips that she shared completely changed my day. Have a look and really listen and see what I mean.

Wordless wardrobe

2011-05-18T22:15:00.003+12:00

I have no idea what to post, but I want to post anyway. And it's Wednesday, it's a practically a rule to post on Wednesdays, when all else fails we can post a wordless. So this is my pic for this week...

The girls and I were walking home from their jazz dancing class on Tuesday night and spotted this. Our house is next to a walkway and I wonder how many people are entertained (or frightened) as they pass us by?

I thought I'd join in with Clare for a Wardrobe Wednesday this week especially when I spotted others wearing jeans this time

Boring outfit I know BUT if you want to really know the truth as to why I'm putting these pics up, it's because my thighs look deceptively skinnier here..I really should clean my mirror first though. (those are not actual spots ON MY FACE, it's the mirror) Hmmmm

Shirt : Glassons

Jeans : 12 dollar awesomeness from K mart (I have have 2 pairs)

Jandals : yes it's officially winter in 13 sleeps and I am STILL in my jandals. Even though we get frosty mornings here in the South Island. I am very attached to them. $5 from factorie (before the earthquake closed the store down) grrr

Matching iphone in blue : Gift from Gooseman the Great xo

There we go, a bit of hipstamatic arty-ness camouflages the mirror goobies.

Away from blog, in my *ahem real life, every second Wednesday is my grocery day. That fortnightly process fell today

Boots and I posed for self portraits over lunch. Secretly I was trying to discretely check my lunch wasn't plastered all around my face....I'd struggled with a messy wrap.

So what do you do when you're at the supermarket?
I stand around and photograph fish
yummy

Actually this wasn't taken today, I took these on Monday while at the shop with my Mum. She asked me what I was doing and then walked away pretending not to know me. A man kept getting in the way of my shots, I don't think he was too impressed I was photographing his dinner to be. I pretended I was from food and saftey just for a split second, in my own head.

Then my nephew shoplifted

He expressed great remorse after I took it off him to pay for the kinder surprise he had half chewed so I did what any awesome Aunty would do and let him have it after he put his head in his chubby little hands in utter despair and quietly told me he was sorry.

Then he tried to eat the toy inside.