Tribute to Fatherhood Week

The Measure of a Father -

A man is loved not for how tall he stands but for how often he bends to help, comfort and teach

 
When children always beg for their mother it can be hard to be a father.
 
The girls often prefer me over The Mr for comfort, reading books, food, getting things for them etc. (ie I am the good cop - I nearly always give in!)  He is a good man when he pushes beyond that and says 'no daddy will do it'. As he is very busy and household things remain mostly in my realm, I love to see when he steps into my roles and nutures, cares and comforts his girls. However they most prefer him when it comes to outdoors, cleaning, daddy daughter dates, wrestling, gardening, playing with tools, using his iphone, sitting on shoulders, waiting eagerly for him to come home each night. He also trumps me in the emergency care realm so If I was cut and bleeding I would definately go to daddy instead!
 
 
 
*Lucky for this quote as The Mr is quite short :)

Tribute to Fatherhood Week

 It takes two - a man and a woman - to form a whole.

-Richard G Scott

As both our birthdays and wedding anniversary are near christmas the Mr and I often don't get nice (read expensive) presents for eachother. We either get something small or go without and have dinner somewhere together instead.

Lately I've been getting a little spoilt for Mothers Day. It is away from all family birthdays and The Mr takes the girls shopping alone and they get to choose one gift each (knew I had all these kids for a reason ;)

This tribute is about just how very different from me the Mr is. And why that is needed in the parenting of our children. His style in most things is different from mine.


So my one nice gift for this year was a bottle of  Michael Kors - Very Hollywood Perfume.

Now the Mr had a scent in mind - vanilla

I said just go buy some $5 vanilla body spray or something (in our previous discussions of 'what scent' should be my new 'scent') but no he goes into the Shops and

Has two ladies helping him
They get out 'ingredient' lists to help him sort out which perfumes contain vanilla
(I'll show my naiveity that I didn't even know those existed)
He works it down to about 8 purfumes.
After much perusal and discussion and help from the purfume ladies he has it down to the one he wants

Now I would NEVER in a million years do this.

And I used to work in retail! for several years!

I purposely never shop in high end stores where people help you. It freaks me out.


And that is why I love this man. He does the hard yards. He does the homework on purchases. He'll talk to ladies for half an hour about which purfume he should buy his wife. My other half - my better half!


And thats why he gets socks for fathers day!

Cause I certainly ain't getting shop assistants to help me

Tribute to Fatherhood Week

A father is always making his baby into a little woman.
And when she is a woman he turns her back again

-- Enid Bagnold

Through out this coming week I'll be doing some Fathers Day Posts leading up to Fathers Day

We all know my girls are girls are a little on the Tomboyish side

It is the Mr that I find reminding them to be feminine

He is often heard to say "Like  a  Lady" to them

 sit like a lady, behave like a lady

often the only thing he says is

"LIKE A LADY"

and they all know what he means!

said "Like a LAAAADDDDY" in a high pitch english voice

Random Photo Thursday

I have a series for you today.

There were an entire series of facedown dolls

strawberry Shortcake and monkey

Rosetta and cats

And a series of blurry face closeups

this one makes me laugh

All found on my camera this week.


Presumable taken by Miss G?

Expelliarmus

Oh Harry, will you take us back? I'm sorry for saying it was over between us!

Just as I got all Harry Potter fever out of my system... Miss A picks it up!

It started with a pen for a wand. We've now upgraded to a nice looking chopstick.

She wants to watch the movies every day. 

I read outloud to them the last chapter of the seventh book, despite the fact that they had not read any other bits of any of the books. Miss K picked up the sixth book that I had here and has started reading it and is almost finished.

If I hear Expelliarmus one more time........

I was forced to google Harry Potter spells just so I could hear something different.

It did come in handy though.

I was able to tell the kids if they didn't quit it, I was gonna put a body bind on them. - Petrificus Totalus!


The poor girl has been begging to wear The Mr's glasses. So now apparently I have to buy her some Harry Potter glasses.  Her name rhymes with Harry Potter so she's been calling herself a 4 named name with Harry Potter in the middle :)

Some of us are getting sick of having to be Hermoine.

I think she must have some nerd issues. Firstly she loved Howl, then it was the new DR WHO, now she dreams of marrying Harry Potter. Isn't this what Freud talked about? Latent parent issues (*cough cough* cause The Mr isn't a nerd at all :)

But how can she marry Harry Potter, when she wants to be harry? She asked if she could change her name to Harry Potter, and that I had to write a note for her teacher at school, so she could be called Harry!

I'm sure its a phase that will wear off....

*off to the shops to find harry glasses and a maroon and yellow tie*

Flag Bunting

Now I am so up with trends that I am usually two years behind :)

You can find bunting tutorials everywhere on the internet, but since I took photos while I made these ones for my niece's birthday, I thought I would share.

Flag Bunting

Whatever combinations of colours you want.
I used 5 this time. 1/2 metre of each should be sufficient.

Bias Binding. You can buy it or make your own.


I made a triangular template out of cardboard. Use this and some rotary cutters to cut triangles out of fabric. Fold fabric in half (right sides out) so you get 2 layers with each triangle.

Cut and Cut and Cut until you have a pile of triangles.

Sew triangles together down the V - leave the top open - unstitched. So stitch down the triangle like this - V



Now get your bias binding. You can buy it but it is cheaper to make. This is how I made mine.

Cut a long strip of material 5cm wide. I sewed two strips together to form one long strip.

With wrong side facing up, fold each side in to the middle. Iron flat.

And now you have bias binding!


Fold Bias binding in half (right side facing up) and sew along edge. after about 10-20cm place a triangle in the middle of the binding. Sew along the bias binding edge catching the triangle as you go. Slowly add more triangles meeting the tip of the previous one.

Continue on and on until you reach the end.

You now have some bunting!

I ended up making 4 strands and two name embroidered ones. If you want to put letters on, you need to applique the letters on BEFORE you sew down the V, then contiue on as above. I put letters of the the girls names on, but now I would like to do one that says happy birthday!

No need to buy streamers or signs again!

Lime

This weeks addiction: Bickfords Lemon Lime and Bitters Cordial with Soda Water and lime slices

The Mr had something similar at a hotel and  bought everything home to recreate it.

When you don't drink alcohol its always nice to find drinks that aren't regular softdrink. We love bundaberg ginger beer (not me though) sparkling grape and apple drinks, strawberry blondes,  punch etc


I had many cupfuls while watching the election results on TV over the  weekend.


What do I dislike?

I really dislike it when you find a favourite thing that your kids also like.

A parents goal in life is to find food or drink that you enjoy that the children do not.

So suffice to say there is none left of that glass bottle of cordial.


I'll have to get more and hide it and only drink it late at night :) Closet drinker.


And this is why I spent all weekend singing

She put the lime in the coconut and drink it all up


Now I know why my mother loved black jelly beans and licorice growing up. She knew she would never have to share with us!! (and still won't.... *shudder* at the thought of black jelly beans)

Keys

Cheeky baby + computer =

why no interesting post today.


Well not really.

We must fix computer keys weekly if not daily around here. Miss N can get her tiny fingers into the spaces and LOVES to pull the keys off. We have a few laptops that serve the purpose of glorified DVD players and most are missing keys. This however is the MR's laptop.  I knew he wouldn't be happy when I saw Miss N inside the play tent with keys all over her!!

And why was a laptop in a tent? Because Miss G was 'camping' and watching Dora.

Except she left the laptop 'up'.

Which is a big no no around here!

Hopefully Miss N will take this computer destroying skills and turn them into fixing skills like her dad. It took him awhile but all keys are now fixed.


These would be another reason why = Birthday Bunting. Tutorial to come soon!

Thanks to my lovely neighbour. I stole her rotary cutter and good scissors. I have cut out hundreds of triangles. Would not have been possible without! I need a rotary cutter. All these years of using blunt scissors to do craft!! Bah! I must have been crazy.

Timepiece

Its Karma

I've been thinking about getting a watch.

I haven't worn a watch in over 5 years I think

I don't have a mobile phone either, so I often walk around 'timeless'

Lucky I don't go far, or loose track of time too easily.

I am home most of the time, and there are clocks on the walls ;)

So is it TIME for me to join the land of the time wearing?


So I have been thinking about it and guess what?

I won a watch in a lucky dip! Along with a pair of those toe socks!! lol

Put it out to the universe.. and it will come!


Now is the getting used to it. It feels weird. Its a pretty funky bangle one.

Along with the fact that if I made it this far without a watch do I really need one?

I have been known to sneek glances at strangers watches, or stop someone to ask the time.


And what did the Mr say?

Another piece of MIC that will break in no time!!

Mermaid Syndrome

Have I told you I'm trying to grow my hair out?

It's a rather tedious thing.

Cause you see, normally I grow my hair for two years then I get sick of it and cut it.

I'm trying to buck the trend and have been growing it for 3 years now.

Oh but I am often tempted to slice it off.

It's not unusual for me to finally have enough and cut my own hair!  off as seen in previous post.

So that means that I have spent too much of my life with hair in that gah! inbetween stage.


I'm having mermaid syndrome.

Yes it is such a thing.

It is something my mother told me years ago.

You see most men suffer from this syndrome.

When asked with any bunch of friends if their husband likes their hair long nearly all say yes. In one case only one in the group said her husband likes her hair short. I've talked with many friends about this (usually after a hot new short do they say their husbands don't like it)

And I say.. Oh you know most men have mermaid syndrome don't you?..

What???? they say

You know beautiful naked lady/mermaid with long hair to cover her body?

Mermaid syndrome.


Anyway I am currently having this.

I tell my friends I'm trying to grow my hair to cover my boobs.
OR the clean version - atleast halfway down my back.


Then I say I think it would be MUCH QUICKER TO GET A BOOB JOB
(ie to lift my boobs to wear my hair is ;)



*twists hair contemplating*


Just joking. I'll got it the old fashioned way.

I wonder how long it will be before I cut it?

I'm thinking when I do  I want to do a series of cuts, styles, slowing getting shorter and shorter.


Or I could turn into a mermaid and use my hair as a blanket to keep me warm :)

MIC

The Mr shows off his Jedi skills - with the lightsabers he fixed.

The Mr was staying home and cleaning the house. He's good like that.

A regular cinderella while I go off and party.

When I came home he tells me of a great ephiphany he had

MIC  he says

Me: ohhhhhhhkayyyy


Wanna know what M.I.C is?

Thought you might

Made In China  (and an extra C if you want MICC - Made in China Crap)

(no offense to lovely chinese people out there. We had several live with us as homestay students.)


So he's cleaning the house (just after a trip to the Ekka) and came up with this because he was thinking how all the kiddy garbage and some adult garbage was bothersome - trying to find homes for it all, and throw away the broken stuff.

So now we talk about MIC this and MIC that.

Get rid of that MIC. Why is that MIC broken again!?

These thoughts also came after he FIXED the lightsabers twice already.
Electrician he is. Rewireing and gluing stuff back down.
He fixes stuff regularly for us


All because its MIC

Off to School

Wah! My baby has headed off to school!

I was never going to send this little one to Kindy. I was happy for her to stay with me till she starts Prep. She was home with just me for 3 years before Miss N arrived. But now she is a big 4 year old. Sometimes children like to regress a little when new babies are around. It's time for her to get a bit more structured learning in - that I can't (been too lazy) to provide. It has all been such a shock as I only made inquiries on Friday. I wasn't expecting her to start 4 days later!

She was up early and excited all morning.

We arrived at school and she ran straight to the playground. (without a second glance back at me!)

I spoke to the teacher then went to hunt her down.


You want me to show you your new classroom?

No

I better show you where the toilets are

No

You want mummy to stay or go now?

YOU GO NOW.

oh..Ok bye.


So after 5 mins at the school I left without any acknowlegement from her and went to the office to do the paper work.

After that was done I lingered at the door.


I took a big breathe and said to the director


She doesn't need me. This is harder for me than her!


And we laughed

The lady said 'Well better to be this way than the alternative'

And I agree.


I'm glad my girls are so brave.

Shame their mother isn't.


I will say that I didn't cry though. A little brave. And boy is the house nice and quiet at the moment.

Sabbath

As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. ~ Psalms 103:15

 
 
 
 
We got these roses from a wedding reception I went to. Arn't they gorgeous!
They just spraypainted them blue!! What a great idea! I would never think to paint real flowers!

Harry, it's over.

For the past two months I have read every single harry potter book and watched all the movies.

I think The Mr will be glad NOT to see me with a Harry Potter book in my hands.

A few weeks ago when  friend learnt that I was up to reading the last book said

Ohhh you will be soooo sad

Why is the ending not good?

No - you will just have Harry Potter withdrawls.
I was sad for a month after I finished them all.


Hee hee


Yeah I'm a little sad.

It's over.

No more joking to the Mr that I'm gonna put on my facebook status  "In bed with Harry"  The Mr said thats it's not really appropriate :) It's not my fault he is out most nights!

No more getting the chills in the scary bits. I've had nightmares! lol

No more people dying!
I cried bucketloads when Sirius died. I have only seen two/three of the movies and I had no idea that he died!!! oh the tears!

It's over Harry.

We are offically finished!



I also didn't really like the last book.
(spoilers ahead, but I'm sure I'm like the last person on the planet to read Harry Potter)

Parts I loved but on the whole - JK Rowling should have :


Should have just stuck with Horcrux's and ditched the deathly hallows

There should have been a better showdown with Voldemort
I mean I still wanted Harry to win and all, but I want dueling. I wanted fighting. I wanted Harry to beat voldemort (thru his own power, or by voldemorts pride/mistakes)

I wanted Snape and Harry to reconcile WHILE snape was alive

Snape probably should have lived. I would have even liked to see Snape in the final battle switch sides over to Harry in front of voldemort and seen his shock before they killed voldemort

I understood why people had to die and that it was necessary that Lupin die (the last of the original order) BUT WHY did JK make them have a BABY only just before.. (sob sob.. a new werewolf harry in the making)

The non human people who died got lots of page time but snape, lupin and tonks got one liners - they're dead. Lupin was close to harry, he deserved to go out atleast defending harry or tonks, or some bravery.

Hedwig! Dobby! Dumbledore! Colin Creevey!! Snape! Lupin! Tonks! Fred!
(ok I'm not that bothered - it is war afterall - but why not Mandugus, Shaklebolt or other non emotionally invested characters ;)

I was so sure it would be PERCY that would die. Why one of the twins. I love their characters the most!

I read somewhere online - Snape - double agent, genius, potions master, unrequited lover of Lily, and he got killed by a snake!! I think snape should have forseen this and taken some sort of potion that would have protected him from Nagini.

Harry should have killed Bellatrix or possibly even Neville to make up for his parents.

All the talk about never using the unforgiveable curses in the previous 6 books and all of a sudden everyones using them left right and centre.

Even though I believe in life after death I found it hard to believe that Dumbledore was 'waiting' for Harry in his 'limbo' or whatever it was. I honestly thought Dumbledore wasn't really dead. That he would be like his phoenix or something.

The Epilogue was confusing at first, and a bit too cheesy. The deathly hallows could have been ditched and more time spent on what happened after. I mean does harry become Minister for magic like someone predicted (I think trelawney?) does he become an Auror? which is what he wanted or are they not necessary anymore (I'm sure there are still other bad wizards even if voldemort is dead)
I know you could go on and on forever if you continue to tie up all loose ends, but the other characters didnt get that.


Oh I think I need a harry potter book club or something.


Ok whats the next book addiction? I hear Hunger Games are good??

Icebergs

What do you do on a blustery freezing cold day with 34 km winds?

Go swimming of course.

I love winter in Australia.



Though I will say we didn't last too long outside, the lure of the indoor heated pool was just too great.

I think Miss N might have forgotten what swimming was, over the winter.

She liked it but held on VERY TIGHT.

I was getting cuddly cuddly hugs while she just enjoyed floating along

I'm signing Miss G up for swimming lessons. She can't wait (though she's pretty water confident)

High Expectations

It's funny how I have higher expectations of knowledge for my kids than they really have.


We bought a kite at the Ekka. Every year I mean to buy one off the kite dude.


I thought my kids knew how to fly a kite.

Then I realised I think we have only had one before, briefly. It might have been years ago.

It seems easy, flying a kite - but now that I've spent 4 days yelling:

Run, let the string go, higher, higher, run against the wind, no no wrong way, its getting too high, keep away from the road, watch out for electricity poles, keep running, wind it in, wind it in, stay still, stay still, pull pull.

I realised my kids had no kite knowledge what so ever.

And it's been fun learning.

When they did get it high (several times - very high) it was deemed too boring to just stand and hold it there. They much prefer it to fly low and chase it around. They ask to get it out every day so far. We shall see how long the attention holds or how long the kite holds up (starting to die already)

Or maybe a note for myself is -never tell kids what to do.  It takes  up to much air and energy.

Ekka

An Ekka Tale

One brave mum and grandmother went to the fair.

That's us in the middle yellow pod, and on the slides

We ran the gauntlet of carnies early in the morning. This meant there were fewer people for them to harass.This also meant that we were yelled at and constantly enticed until we left Sideshow alley

Come on ladies have a go
Have a trial for free
Hey kiddies come over here
Ahh nowwww ladies, come on have a go
Every ones a winner
Free Go
Come on now

And the list goes on and on.

Watch out for Carnies.... steal your soul they will.

A bucket of fairy floss. We even had some for breakfast the next day

This is also a tale of eating entirely too much food, yet I wanted more.

How can I go past organic doughnuts, camembert  cheese, strawberries, dagwood dogs, corn on a stick, Strawberry Sundae icecream cones, fairy floss. I can't. Plus I only eat dagwood dogs once a year. I was almost going to go back for a second one. It was devine.

And of baby animals. Most loved thing at the Ekka. We even got to hold a newborn lamb with the umbilical cord still attached! It was sooo cute!

Baa Baa Black sheep, A baby chick and a Llama

And showbags got. This is a tale of Dora bags and Bubblegum bags. Though I will give credit where credit is due. Last time the girls didnt even get any bags. After strolling bag isle after bag isle they finally relented to one bag each)


We sit and watch monster trucks (All the way from.... SALT LAKE CITY! lol lol)

We have a discussion on you know you're bogan if you have more respect for the crusty demon's motorbike tricks more than you do for the Penelope Wensley - Governor of Queensland . Definately not The Mr - he has a love for pomp and ceremony and royalty ;) and is most respectful. It was someone who will remain anonymous.

And watch fireworks. It was during that 15 mins of fireworks, when all children were silent looking up to the sky that I thought it was worth it. Not a whinge or whine or toilet break or food needed. 15 minutes of pure joy. I looked to my left and saw my family in a line heads raised in excitement and anticipation.


Most used items got from the Ekka? A kite and Lightsabers.

Ekka - Adieu for another year.... Thank goodness.

I'll remember

Phew! That was hard work (24 hrs old)

Photo Credit: Zanabelle Photography

Part Two: What I tried to forget all day.


At 1:02pm today I'll remember. I'll remember the little one placed in my arms.


I'll remember that even though I thought she would come that day (I woke up feeling funny, but no pain)


I'll remember that I dropped her sisters to school.


Then I went to the drs for my 40 week check up.


I'll remember telling him that I 'felt funny' but no contractions or the like yet.


I'll remember an hour later contractions started


I'll remember I was all alone (I sent the MR to work even though I knew)


I'll remember that the contractions weren't so bad, so I didnt tell anyone to come quick.


I'll remember that that soon changed and they got worse quickly.


I'll remember that The Mr caught a cab home and my mum drove from a party



I'll remember that there were no beds in the inn (ie hospital)


I'll remember being alone with the MR when my waters broke and he went off to 'find a nurse'


I'll remember that they quickly found us a birthing suite when I said I had to push


I'll remember that the midwives introduced themselves to me AFTER I had a baby


I'll remember that I delivered a baby 2 mins after stepping into a birthing suite


I'll remember that baby number four only took an hour or so.




And for THAT I am grateful! Kindest baby I've had so far!
Which is WHY I don't mind remembering this one.


Gah! They grow too quick.

And I'll Remember that over time the pain is long forgotten!

Eat my Cake

The party.

Beautiful weather. Nice Park. Cake.

That says it all.

 It's great to be one

Part two of this post is what I tried to not think about all day.

(hard since at my nephews birthday party this morning a few of us women folk got into one of those birth stories conversations... that go around and around and around comparing, contrasting, ooooing and ahhhing)

One

One year. 365 days 52 weeks.

I know you all know what I mean when I say

It feels like she's been here forever. Yet it feels like not long enough.


Funny how its hard to remember a time without this little one.

Maybe it's because baby's take up so much of your physical and mental time.

They get under your skin and into your brain. Changing them forever.

Maybe its that mother baby bonding thing.


Whatever it is,  I can't believe she is one already.

sob sob sob.

My baby's not a baby anymore.

*blows nose*

My heart is breaking.

Can they get any more cuter?

Random Photo Thursday

Cutting board, felt play food and mum chucks (at the computer ingoring me like usual) by Miss G

I can't hide from the truth.

HogTie

what????

Before I had kids I thought all babies would just love to be loved.

Like I love hugging babies. And I wrongly thought babies liked being hugged too.


So if I wanted to lay in bed, all I had to do was hug the baby and it would want it too.

If I want to watch tv all I had to do was hug the baby and it would too.

If I want to sit in church, all I had to do was hug the baby and it would too.

Or like today..

If I was waiting at the doctors all I had to do was hug and give affection
and the baby would want to sit and do that too.


Apart from newborns (who mostly like to be hugged) I was terribly terribly wrong.


Once they can crawl they are:

 wiggly, jiggly, bouncing, back arching gymnasts who NEVER stay still.


Why would you EVER want to lay in bed according to the baby?

What's wrong with wanting to crawl all over the floor in the Doctors?  *shudder*


Life at the moment is like trying to Hog Tie a pig.

A grey week

A few weeks ago I  found grey hairs

Grey Hairs?!?!

I found one or two and plucked them out.

I have nothing against grey - it even suits some people

But the hairs were shorter and wirey. Ewww

So I go on my merry way.



Then a week later I find more. LOTS more.

I pulled them all out.

However this way of dealing might not turn out so good

I might not have any hair left !?!



Hair I have been kind to you and not dyed you for 3 years. Please be nice back.


*wanders off to  find some hair dye*



And talking about grey-  I was grey this week when I thought I lost ALL my photos! I have printed most important photos but have not printed any this year. So I have none printed of baby N. I was beside myself! Sorry Miss N. There are no photos of your first year. My heart broke! But the Mr said Never fear. He has two backups! He was able to retrieve from the second thank goodness! I have only lost a month and half of photos! The stress made me feel glad that I have this blog! That even though they are compressed there are photos on here! phew!

and PS how I have missed you all! Did you know I have had a broken computer since Thursday??? I have missed writing my thoughts and scrolling through my millions of pictures finding the perfect ones! I blogged once from the teeny tiny laptop but it just wasn't the same.

Ya know? my baby.. my computer that has all MY STUFF on it. It felt like cheating. And nothing was in the places I like it. Well absence makes the heart grow fonder.

My heart also grew fonder for The Mr who has been slaving over my computer in the few hours spare he has. Trying to resurrect it and all. I know I know NOT:HING about computers. What will I do when The MR isnt here?? well she is almost all better. Can I hear a hallelujah!