Sabbath

For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her

wings, if they will not harden their hearts ~ Doctrine and Covenants 10:65

Holidays

I have learnt something... Yes it is true

Kids like to whine.


well maybe just mine?


We went to a zoo. I wasn't going to go. Walking in the boiling hot sun, shading the baby, and having to feed her like I was an exhibit in the zoo.. no thanks.. and I thought I would save The MR $30 by me not coming along. Turns out a family ticket was cheaper than a Dad and 3 kids ticket. So I went along, as it would cost the same if I went or not... so even if I did up hiding somewhere with Miss N.. no loss

Later that day at home Miss A says


"Mum aren't you glad you came. Wasn't the zoo great. You would have missed out on all of that!"


Ummm was she at the same zoo I was?


I do believe about 5 mins in she said she was hungry. We said no food until lunch - after we have looked at everything. And then she proceeded to whinge THE ENTIRE TIME about how hungry she was.

Miss G doesn't like walking. (though when it doesn't matter, she loves to run away from me) but because you HAVE to walk at a zoo, she didn't want to. So we listened to her whinge the entire time about wanting to be on daddy's shoulders and hopping on and off the pram.

"yeah, I'm so glad I didn't miss any of that"


We also went overseas. Yeah its been a few years since my last oveseas trip :D This island is like 2km from the main land though. Didn't take long to get there.


I was so excited when I saw the man open shop who hired out kayaks, boats and water bikes.


I haven't been on a water bike since I was about 12. He was very reasonably priced so I told the girls to convince The Mr that we must go on.


And go on we did. The girls loved it.. and loved to whine on the beach while waiting for their go. They whined the entire half hour we had to wait for our turn. They whined while watching their sisters have a turn. They whined when our time was up and we had to give the bike back. They whined because they also wanted to go on kyaks.

Maybe its just kids. Obviously they don't realise they are doing it. For it didn't seem to spoil their view of the day. They have had the 'greatest holidays' apparently.

Our patience will hopefully temper them. Our consistency in dealing with these 'whines' will hopefully teach the girls patience, charity and kindness. Will these vocal outbursts teach us to deal with feelings, wants and needs? Does whining have a place in the teaching scale of life?

Being one of four girls and getting your views heard must be so hard.


But why must they take it out on me?


They will remember what wonderous times they had, yet they probably won't rememeber the whining.

So neither will I

Hopefully they won't remember their mother whining about their whining


We had fantastic holidays how about you?

*staying at Grandma's * feeding the horses * playing with the chickens * rollerskating *swimming *up the hills *to the zoo *over to the island * swimming at southbank * take out* movies, homemade pizza nights * more swimming *lazying around in pj's* lots of tv*

come again holidays... please.

***

After writing this I came across this post at another of my fave blogs. How true! She put it all so much more eloquently than I could. Go there and read it. Mind the Gap of motherhood :)

Australia Day

Ticked off a few things on the patriotic to do list today

Wearing of fake flag tattoo

Swimming


Made lamingtons (from scratch thanks to Grandma)


Ate Lamb

Made this patriotic drink

Watched the Fireworks

I am thankful to be an Australian. To live in this beautiful country. Of Freedom and Plenty.

NOICE

Back to School Dinner

The Back to School Dinner went so well.

The girls were very behaved whilst we went shopping for all the food.

Miss A had a lovely chat with the chap in the florist where she purchased the fresh flowers from. She told him all about what the flowers were for. He was so kind and wrapped them up so beautifully for her. He even had a dog /bed/setup in there at the side of the pay counter! Dog got much love from the girls. They couldn't believe that there is a florist dog!

Table was set hours before dinner. I even let them use the Crystal glasses.
(I may have held my breath a few times, but glasses are still intact!)

Dresses were put on. Pearls were necessary apparently. Makeup applied.

Chosen Menu was:
Camembert with plum paste and crackers
Meat Pie and Wedges
Lindt Chocolates
Pink Lemonade

Chosen Theme was Choose The Right.

We spoke about how this could be applied at school. We talked of many situations.

Lastly for Family Home Evening each of the girls received A Fathers Blessing. (click - scroll down, second last entry.)

It was lovely. The most wonderful thing to see a Father bless each of his children. Even the baby had one. Thoughts of strength, friendship, love, understanding, ability, safety, and blessings were shared to them.

We are officially ready to start school

***

Now the florist dared to question if this was a party for me... you know.. .. wink wink....Back to school :D I was appalled... of course not!! I'm not excited at all ;)


I think The Mr liked coming home from work to a wife in an evening dress and pearls. Now that doesn't happen often enough!

Sabbath

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another

~ Romans 12:10

Sneek Peek

I have had this idea from Nie Nie in my ideas file for like 2 years. And this year I am doing it!


A back to school dinner.


We have begun preparations. Crowns are made, theme chosen, colours chosen (green and silver) seating decorations done. Now just to work on the menu.

We will be having ours monday night.

Just thought I'd give you a heads up.... you know if you wanted to do the same thing.



Basically a bit of an excuse to get out the fancy glasses, jazz up the table, eat their favourite food, wear a crown and maybe model their school uniforms.

Thou Shalt not covet other peoples blogs

*avoiding the paparazzi*

Yeah so I totally have blog envy.


It can be bad for ones esteem to read other creative/crafty/montessori/homeschooling/tree hugging hippy type blogs. I have decreased the amount I read - but it's too addictive, Like I don't want to miss out on all the awesome ideas (that will probably never get used, just compiled :S) And I would rather envy those type of people than movie stars, celebrities etc anyway.


I feel like I haven't done a proper craft with my kids since Miss N was born. (Christmas excluded) and sadly I think they might be happy. Happy that hours of TV and computer are part of their lives.



I feel like a failure. One of my favourite kids ideas blogs Chasing Cheerios often makes me sad. Her two girls are the same age as my two youngest. Hers seem like geniuses compared to my kids. All those montessori games are paying off.! I was so happy when she did a post this week about 'things I don't do well'. I felt like a hero - I excel greatly in some areas she does not.


This blog world is a revolving circle though, because people have said the same about me. They feel guilt over my blog! Guilt over ME? Don't do it!! When someone says to me that they love my blog and what a wonderful, relaxed, organised, crafty mum I am... I think... NOOOOOOOO It is soooo far from the truth. (But keep up the praise cause I secretly love it)



Hopefully I blog enough about lifes difficulties and not just life's pinnacles



'Cause blog life is fake



Well I hope all those copious amounts of perfect people blogs are fake


Those Fakey Mc Fakes



otherwise.... The truth is I really just am a lost cause.

***

And As a special gift to all my wonderful readers

The Oft Quoted ..... "Lucky Holly" ...... is opening her blog up to you

(I feel like oprah offering up her favourite things)

A once in a lifetime opportunity to read "Lucky Holly" (whose blog is private)

is open to you for ONE WEEK!!

You know she was recently a movie star (read an extra on a commercial) - get the inside goss!
And click through to my favourite labels of hers at the bottom of the page: Cheaper than therapy, mama thoughts, tongue firmly in cheek, taste it.

'Cause she is definately the real deal. Not fake at all.

and neither am I

... well only half the time

*click here to go directly to Lucky Holly

Dreams

I have a recurrent themed dream.

Each time it may be different but the premise is the same

Last night I was trying to get to The MR's work. He has a series of secrets ways to go that avoid roads/time consuming lights etc. In my dream I was caught up in elevators, different buildings trying to take the short cuts to get to him.

Basically in these dreams I do the same thing over and over and there is always something preventing me accomplishing what it is I am trying to do, or stopping me getting where I want to go.

Other times the dreams have been

I was at school and could not find my school bag. So I look and look and look

I parked my car, walked a few streets did whatever it was I had to do, then went to walk back to my car,but end up walking for ages saying, the car was just here. I walk and walk and walk and start freaking out that I wont be back in time to get my kids from school

I was at my parents, in my sisters wardrobe trying to find something to wear. I pushed hanger after hanger, not finding what it was that I needed. None of the pieces matched. So I just stood in the cupboard flipping through the hangers

I have been in school and not had my timetable, wandering around looking for a classroom

Sometimes I even wake up tired from these dreams!

Think I have issues much?

Normally I read nothing into my dreams. I don't even remember most of my dreams. I really don't think they mean anything. But now that I have had several dreams were I am doing the same thing over and over, or trying to reach somewhere but not being able to I am starting to think I need to look into it.

Am I unfulfilled?

Is there something I am searching for?

Something subconsciously out of reach?

Want to dream analyse me?

Sabbath

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory ~ 1 Peter 1:8

A Perfect Child

I was a perfect child.

It's true. My mother told me.

So when our children are wild and crazy (umm that would be everyday) I blame The MR.

Because his mother has told me he was not a perfect child.

***

You know - I like to read. I like to sit and be quiet. I like things clean.

So when I imagined my beautiful children to be why did they not turn out like this?

It's not like I go screaming through the house all day, whining and complaining and making a mess.

Why do they not learn from my example?

Sometimes it seems they have inherited the worst parts of our personalities. They are loud, they talk to much, they aren't patient, they can't sit still, they have weird clothing ideas, they don't listen.

Before we had kids we used to joke about what they would turn out like. We took the best parts of our bodies to create the perfect looking child. We took the worst parts of us to create the most not perfect child

The Perfect child would have

My sight (The MR is blind)

His Teeth (I had braces (and my teeth are still crooked) and he did not)

My height (We are the Exact same height )

My hair (the Mr went bald at 21)

His Smile

His Hands

His Warmth (he is ALWAYS hot, and I am nearly always cold!)

My brains :)

If we took the bad parts that run in our family and put them together we would have a:

Red headed, glasses wearing, freckly faced, crooked/buck toothed, short, bald,

big sticky outy ears, mumbling child.

I bet that child would have had the perfect personality :) and caused me no trouble

It's all payback right? I really did bring this upon myself. It makes me sad that they may behave the way they do because of me. I need to be better, more consistent, more challenging, a better teacher.

And I revel in the fact that one day my girls will get payback too.

Refined

The other night I dreamt (I think I was in a half dreaming half awake comatose state) what my One Word Should be. It was after I ran into someone who was here on holiday whose blog I read. I do know this person kinda - only one degree of seperation in this church no? But we don't really know know each other. Anyways I was having like a FAN moment.

As soon as I saw her I was like I know her, I love her blog, OH her kids look exactly like they do online... (I may have freaked them out a bit, by talking to them like I know them )... Any way I had a bit of a Celebrity Rush as she called it (such a good description!)

I was so impressed with how elegant and refined she was. Softly sweetly spoken, attentive and a good listener, very well dressed, beautiful makeup and hair and in awesome killer heels and wearing Stockings!! I dont even own a pair of stockings!! Her children were beautiful, polite and Oh so sweet and clean and neat (unlike my wild children)

Anyway I was contemplating all this in my sleep apparently and it came to me - what my word for the year should be

Refined

This year I want to become a more refined person. A good goal for someone in their 30's. Its probably high time I cleaned myself up. I am no longer a child. It also makes me think of the scriptures - A refiners fire.

I want to refine :

My speech

My attentiveness

My appearance

My home

My children

My relationships

My learning

A streamlining of sorts.

Keeping the best and throwing the rest.

30's is the new Black

This time last year I had morning sickness. Terrible morning sickness and pretty much missed out on the delight that is Christmas and my Birthday.

How can one commemorate the milestone that is 30 while feeling like death warmed up? So I didn't. I lazed on the couch and my family took me out for some wonderful Thai food.
And. That. Was. It.

Well I decided that this year, I was ready to admit it, ready to sink comfortably into saying

"I am now Officially in My 30's"
*phew, I said it*

Not that there is anything wrong with the 30's - many people say it is the best decade in your life - I am happy to agree, This decade can be all about me! It's just that I fear - I now have to grow up!
Even though my body might be ageing.. I think my mind got left behind, for I am yet to Mature!

I accomplished a few things in my 20's.

I got married
I finished my degree
Had 4 kids

Went in a plane for the first time
Went Overseas for the first time
Moved 5 times

Taught Seminary

Was a bishops wife

So what shall I accomplish in my 30's?

Any suggestions?

Of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention the MR. We kinda share birthdays. The fact that he has also been with me, my entire 20's makes it even more special. I actually don't mind sharing birthdays with him. (I hope he doesnt mind either) We share everything else, it feels kinda special to have our birthdays together too.

We went shopping and to Vapiano for dinner, walked home in the twilight from the city, to an house devoid of the big girls (THANKS GRANDMA!) I was up early the next day with Miss N, but went back to bed and slept till 10am !! Unheard of!! That hasn't happened in 10 years either.

And to end the day I sat around on the deck eating chocolate pretending to comiserate with friends that I am now in my 30's... we ate and laughed till midnight.

And thats when the last minute of my 20's ended, and I was now officially

In my 30's.

And Miss N may have indulged in her first food whilst she joined us on our birthday date.. She wasn't giving up that Pizza Crust for anything!!

Rollin'

I still got the moves ~ I can still skate in a straight line, skate backwards and do turning crossovers

I might have attempted speed skating if it hadn't been atleast 10 years or more since I last skated :)

Maybe I should take up Roller Derby :D

That's one way to take out that built up Mothering/Stay at Home Mum Aggression!

Last week I learnt that:

I can carry a three year whilst wearing rollerskates

I can take a three year old to the toilet whist both she and I are wearing rollerskates

I can survive (barely) taking 4 children rollerskating all on my own

Having a large family means breaking many rules - when your with one kid surely the others are getting up to mischief - we got in trouble for both the carrying of children whilst wearing skates - a big no no apparently (I felt like telling the 16 year old boy you deal with a three year old having a melt down who really needed to be picked up) and whilst I was skating with a six year old who was begging me to skate along with her the three year old repeatedly broke the rules of climbing up on the rink edge - another big no no - we were given death stares by the 16 year old worker repeatedly

The hire skates are the exact same ones from when I used to skate 16 years ago... eeewwwww

My girls were the ONLY ones in the entire place who thought wearing skirts while skating was a good idea - maybe they are closet 'roller dolls'

Those pristine 'white boot' skates and speed skates behind the glass display still make swoon - who wants the ugly brown 'hire skates'?

Basically I am just glad I lived through this experience and that I didn't end up on my rear with a broken hip/leg/arm/knee/insert body part here.



Next time I'm leaving the kids at home.

World Peace

Ahhh the short hair days... I wish i had my childhood photo of when I had hair like a boy to put up here.

I'm feeling like I have had medium length brown hair forever....

I desperately want to cut it off, but it's almost reached the bottom of my shoulder blades.....
I desperately want long hair so I can toss it left and right too....


oh the dilemma's


A nice short cut for my birthday?
For summer?
Or to save my babies life ~ which ever reason.



My hair has been falling out in clumpfulls with this baby (happens every time, but seems worse this time - she will have to be the last or I'll have no hair left... not to mention all the hair I'm gonna be pulling out as they grow older ;)

And every hour of every day I am picking hair off her. From between her fingers, between the fat folds of her chubby legs, from her nappy - what the? and most annoyingly from tightly wound around her neck! Decapitation by your mothers hair is not a good way to die!



I seem to cut my hair short every two years. Some times it coincides with having a baby, sometimes it just happens to be my birthday (a good way to spend that birthday cash from mum and nanna - the only time I have cash to spoil myself) and sometimes cause I have JUST HAD ENOUGH...



Ok... one more year.. I'll give it one more year.. because I got this far didn't I ~ seems to be a recurring theme in my life.. I get bored and give up!!

Long Hair it is - anyone got hot curlers?

'Cause I need some bounce so I can throw around this long hair I'm gonna have.

While I am at it (growing hair.. takes work you know...) I might join This Facebook Hair Protest for peace. Lucky Holly bought this issue to my attention. This is a group for those who wish to peacefully protest the war in Iraq by simply growing out your hair until the war is declared over


might as well focus this hair energy somewhere -



and as all the best models know - the answer is always

"WORLD PEACE"