Our daily lives...

Tuesday 26th January 2010

What a day it was as well.. The 4 of us had an awesome day, but a day that almost didn't happen.

Richard has been pretty sick over the past few days, he had a bad case of gastro. He was still a little iffy this morning, but made the call to go out with us, and I'm so glad that he did.

We went to the Zoo, and then to a friends place for a BBQ in the afternoon. While we were at the Zoo we got to see the Panda's, Wang Wang and Funi. OMG it was completely AMAZING to stand there and watch them in the real. The exhibit it amazing as well, such a HUGE open area for them, and what really made if for me, was there was no glass wall in front of you. Out in the enclosure, you could actually see them as if you were looking at a person dead in front of you. Ooopppssss I think I'm rambling, if you get the chance, GO AND SEE THEM!!!! You won't be disappointed I promise.

Then as I said, after the Zoo we went to Lauren and Peter's for an Australia Day BBQ. We were only going to go for an hour, as we had to come home and get things ready for back to Kindy tomorrow, but I think we ended up leaving about 4 hours later. For once Richard was enjoying himself, and had a GREAT time, the boys were the most well behaved I've seen them in a LONG TIME, and Mum and I had fun talking and laughing. Now we can't wait for Lauren and Peter to come here this weekend for Richard's birthday dinner.

Here are a few pics of our day at the Zoo...

Saturday 23rd Jan 2010

Yep, you read right, my family curse has struck again. It seems that everytime any of the females in my family buy something brand new, it stuffs up on us.

I was making some cakes today and my brand new Mix master (this one here)

What do you think?? I quite like it. I've been searching for a new template for quite sometime now, but haven't found anything that was quite me... Well I think this one deffinately is... I really really like it.

A few months ago, my crappy little hand held mixer started making funny noises on me, and then last week it completely went caput on me, to the extent that the actual beaters broke. It was quite a funny experience to see these two metal beaters break at the seams. So with the money that I'd gotten for my birthday, I decided to go out and buy a new mixer, but not just a handheld one.. I wanted the whole kit and kaboodle. Unfortuantely where I live is pretty small and they don't have anything like what I want. So while Mum was in Adelaide yesterday she picked me up a "Sunbeam Mixmaster Pro" and OMG can I just say I'm completely in love with it.

I've just finished making a batch of cakes in it, and it was soooo easy. Just to stand there and watch it do all the work. I could leave it, walk to the fridge, grab the egss, and know that it wouldn't fall off the bench like mine would do. I can see me making HEAPS more cakes now...

Unfortunately I can't put any pics up at the moment coz we are STILL on Dial Up, but as of Saturday next week, our new month starts, so I'll have pics up then.

The other day we went for a drive out to Melba's Chocolate factory. On the way into Adelaide, I said that I was getting hungy, and then out of the back pipes up this little 5 year old's voice

"Well what do you think I can do about that then. Hey.. You'll just have to wait."

Everyone in the car almost pee'd themselves laughing. Mum often says that to James if she's out or busy, so we thought it was really funny that he remembered what she said to him and copied it.

Harry has not let go of his Baa (baby) since he got it for his birthday a month ago.. He sleeps with it every night. This is how I found him tonight.

..don't go together..

We had an awfully HOT day here today, it got to 39 degrees, with hotter to come over the next few days. My boys and heat don't go together at the best of times, but now that their sisters have gone home after being here for 3.5 weeks, I think they really noticed it today.. Either that or I really noticed it today. All I seemed to do was yell at the boys.

"Don't touch that.."
"Harry leave that alone.."
"James go away.."
"Harry, don't throw that at your brother..."
and the best one
"Stop throwing the cards everywhere.." - That one was while we were in Ned's buying birthday cards for this month....

I don't think it's going to get any better either. I went out to the shed this afternoon and got out our paddling pool, I thought they can cool off in there tomorrow while it's hot. At least where I'm putting it it completely undercover, and there is no way they can get burnt. Maybe I can get in as well, might help me cool down.

Well I'm a little late in wishing everyone a happpy new year, but I guess better late than never hey!!!!

I really want to try and keep on top of my blogging this year, I know I said the same thing last year, but I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew in saying that I wanted to do as much as I said. I'm going to aim for 2 posts a week on this blog and my Craft blog. I want to try and spend more time sewing this year, and less time on the computer.

We had an awesome end to 2009!!! December as usual was busy busy busy for us. Phoebe's birthday on the 8th, and Harrison's on the 9th. Although we celebrated Harrison's birthday on the 8th as we were going to be in Adelaide all day on the 9th. He thought that was great. Mum had a small party for him at her place with another little girl that she has in her care. It was a Pirate Party, so all 3 kids dressed up as pirates, and they had a pirate treasure hunt, and I made a pirate ship cake for him, although I have to admit it looked a lot more like a pile of mess than a ship. Then the girls arrived a few days later for our share of the Christmas holidays...

The following weekend was my birthday party. After spending yet another full day in Adelaide on the Friday buying all the food and drinks and everything else, we had a great night on the Saturday. A few people came early and left early, but the majority of people came and stayed well into the night. I got some awesome presents, and got to spend time with some awesome people.

Christmas Day was great. As expected the kids all got spoilt rotten, and I even managed to score some presents this year. Which was great. After opening all our presents here, we headed off to Mum's to do the same there. When the kids had finished Mum and my brother took everyone outside, and told Richard and I that the big present outside was for us. So we opened it, and were completely blown away. We got a brand new BBQ!!!!!!! We were so thrilled with that. We have been complaining for so long that we needed a new one, as we had been using Mum's which was like 28 years old. We couldn't wait to get home, put it together and try it out. So I guess we will be having BBQ's a lot more this coming year, as it's soooo easy to turn on and start.

After Christmas, we went out and did a few things, on the 29th Mum took all of us shopping for the day. The girls wanted to buy my birthday present, but while we were out and about, we had a minor car accident. Luckily the kids were all ok, but Mum and I have ended up with some minorish aches and pains. We're looking into Physio to try and get on top of them all.

The 30th was my 30th birthday, I can't believe how quickly that came around, it seemed like only yesterday that I was beginning to plan for my birthday. And now it's been and gone. I had a great day, despite being in pain. Mum and Paul came over for yet another BBQ dinner, and we had a great night.

New Years Eve, was spent at home as Rich had to work. And now we're at the end of our time with the girls. They go home tomorrow, I can't fathom how quickly the last 3 and a bit weeks have gone. We now have to wait 6 months before we will get to see them again, as they are going to spend Easter with their Aunt and Uncle up north.

OMG where has the time gone. My baby isn't a baby any more. 3 years ago and I was sitting at the computer talking to Auntie Jo in England on Skype, when I went into labour. In about an hour from now I rang mum and told her to meet us at the Women's and Children's hospital in town to look after James, and at 6:09am Harrison was born.

He's grown up into such a cheeky little monster. So full of life, and loves to give out as much cheek as he gets. His favourite past time is tormenting my brother Paul. (Giving it back to the Master, so to speak) He's also such a caring and loving little boy. You only have to have a slight worried or upset look on your face, and he comes up to you, put's his arms around you and say's "Mummy are you ok... I love you Mummy, it will be ok.."And then gives a massive cuddle and kiss.

We love you Harrison, more and more everyday. And we can't wait to see how you entertain us in the future.
Have a lovely 3rd birthday today
Lots of love
Mummy, Daddy, Kristen, Phoebe and James.
xoxoxoxo

We have tried and tried and tried to get some family photos this year for our Christmas Cards, but try as we might none of them have been good enough. I swear I tried on 4 different occasions to get some, but they all failed.. No I lie, some of them worked out, the individual photos of the boys were great, but get them together and no luck. But I'll let you be the judge of that.

Wish me luck. I have a job interview tonight at Woolworths. I'm really hoping that I get it, as the extra $$$ will come in extremely handy for Christmas. I haven't even started Christmas shopping for the kids yet. I've got all the adults stuff, but nothing for any of the kids. I guess I'd better get my A into G and make a start on it.  Apparently Woolies are putting people on for the Christmas rush, Rich is working there at the moment, and says that he is run off his feet everyday. I'm starting to get a little nervous, as I'm really really crap when it comes to interviews, but Rich said this one is more like a group interview, so hopefully it won't be all that bad.

Well I'd better go and get ready, will pop back in, in the next day or two and update you on what's happening.

Summer has started early for us here in SA. The last few day's we've had temperatures over 34 degrees, and it's going to continue, 39+ for the next few days. Luckily here where we live it's a little bit cooler due to us being on the beach front. Mind you it's still HOT HOT HOT though.

Due to the heat today I promised the boys that if they both slept today then I would take them down to the beach a bit later. Of course James thought that meant that I would take him down there AS SOON AS HE WOKE UP, but it was still really hot outside, and we had to go and post a parcel to the girls, and pick Rich up from work. So I told him that we would go later tonight after I had finished at Weight Watchers.  He loved that idea.

So when I got home at 7:30pm - the first thing out of James's mouth was, "Mummy can we go to the beach now." I had to grab something to eat for dinner as I was starving, but as soon as I'd finished we all hopped into the car, and down the road to the beach we went.

The boys had an absolute ball. Running in and out of the water, splashing me and each other, and even Harry falling over in the water wasn't enough to make him upset. I'm so glad that my two boys love the beach, especially seeing as we literally live 4 streets away. If it wasn't for the HUGE hill (and I'm talking REALLY REALLY steep) then we would be able to walk to and from the beach. Rich and I have trouble getting up that hill, there's no way the boys would manage. Doesn't matter though, we will still go, and more so when the girls are here. They're looking forward to that.

We're off to a Halloween party tonight at Mum's.
Boys are getting dressed up, but the adults are just going in what they want. Can't wait to see what the boys look like, (they wanted to go to Mum's early and get ready - so they are there now!)
Last night at Mum's we made some Pumpkin cup cakes. Mum did yellow/orange cakes, and we made pumpkin leaves to go on the top. They look so cute.

Since Mum's 50th Birthday party last year, James has become obsessed with Halloween. He is constantly talking about "Nanny's party" and how he got to dress up as a pirate, and what a gorgeous pirate he was.


So since all the Halloween decorations have been out lately, he's been asking if we can have another party at Nanny's house. Mum has decorated her place in spooky stuff, and went out and bought new costumes for the boys and the other little girl that she has in Day Care. They all look so cute dressed up.. You would think that that would be enough for him, well no.. On the way home from Mum's today, he asked me if we could go into Ned's (a cheap shop) and buy some Halloween decorations. So I guess that's what I'll be doing tomorrow while he's at Kindy. I won't go as overboard as Mum has, but I'll get a few things to hang up and around the place for him. Hopefully that will keep him happy for now. And then I guess after Halloween is over, it will be time to start decorating for Christmas.

... my Camera that is... yayayay...

I got a letter on Friday afternoon saying that the warranty repairs had been fixed and that it was ready to be picked up... You should have seen me, I was so over the moon, I've waited 4 weeks to get that letter. Knowing that Mum was in Adelaide overnight I rang her to see if she could pick it up for me, but she had just that second pulled in her driveway. So I have to wait till we go to Adelaide on Thursday this week to get it... It's killing me knowing that it's ready, but I can't get there to get it... ggrrrr......

... for not posting that is...

I just plain keep fogetting to post here. Some days I remember and then get called away, some days I just plain can't be bothered, and the rest I just forget.

Hopefully now that I've got a nice design for my blog that I like, it might be enough to keep me coming back, either that or my darling friend Skip will give me a kick up the bum if I don't come in often enough.

So much has happened since July when I last wrote on here. Richard's cousin Jenny came to vistit for a night. She was driving back to QLD from Perth, and decided to come spend a night with us. It was lovely to see her, even if it was only for 10 hours (most of that time spent sleeping.) But we did manage to get out the following morning and quickly show her around before she had to head off again.



September was Father's Day. Mum decided not to go to Adelaide for the day, so the 4 of us and Mum went out for a lovely drive and picnic lunch along the way. We stopped at a lovely park at Strathalbyn, then we went on to Murray Bridge. While we were at Murray Bridge, we went to see the "Bunyip", which is an Aboriginal Dreamtime Story. Both boys were absolutely terrified of this creature.




Then in late September the girls came for 10 days. It was wonderful to see them again. The last time they had been here was January when they went home after the Christmas holidays. So it had been a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time between visits. We made the most of them being here, including a 2nd Father's Day for Richard (Being that the girls arrived 2 weeks after Father's Day, so I made him hold on for his main present), going to Murray Bridge to see the bunyip, again, lots of park trips, a walk over Granite Island, and seeing James at Kindy.




During the winter months, we've also spent a lot of time Whale Watching. That's just ONE of the perks to living in Victor Harbor. Basham's Beach this year was a favourite spot for the whales, and on most of the days they were only about 20-40metres off shore. They were so close you could almost reach out and touch them. Whales are such amazing creatures, Mum and I would spend hours and hours just sitting and watching, waiting for a fin or tail to come up out of the water. Every so often off in the distance you would see one or two jumping in and out of the water.

Life is pretty hectic now as well. I'm in the throws of organizing my 30th Birthday party, which is going to be in Early December, plus the girls arrive on the 12th of December for Christmas this year. Plus James has lots on over the next few weeks with Kindy activities, so life is never boring here in VH

... well as the title says "THE ASHES" have started!! The holy grail of the Cricketing world!!!! I've been waiting years for this battle to commence!!! Mind you I didn't get to watch much of it last night as Rich had the TV on for yet another Michael Jackson special. Then by the time I got the TV at midnight, I was way too tired to stay up and watch it. But tonight it will be on from 7:30pm!!!!!

Yesterday was my baby's birthday... He turned 4!! I can't believe how old he's getting.. He starts kindy next term.. :( :( :(

Anyway we had a small party for him with my Mum, Grandma and brothers. And as usual he got totally spoilt. My brother in particular spoilt him rotten. Bought him tonnes of Transformer toys, which as you can imagine are his most favourite toys right now. He also got a small trampoline, a batman car, a kite, new PJ's, and a few other smaller gifts.

We're having friends over on Friday for cake again for his birthday, so much for my weight loss attempts. hehe.

Here are a few pics of his day....