Today I was happy when ...

... I saw an awesome picture scene. Sun, clouds and everything was just in the right spot (no picture unfortunately because (a) I am a sucky photographer; and (b) I was driving so it probably wouldn't have been a good idea anyway.)

... the girls at least humoured me in being excited about the picture scene.

... I saw a rainbow!

... we left the house on time with no dramas.

... I remember I am going to see 'Wicked' tonight! So pretty much I have been happy all day.

... the coffee shop had double chocolate muffins. (I only get coffee and a muffin once a week so I am always a little sad when the muffin of the day isn't awesome! Today it was!)

... I remembered today is Friday Eve.

... I got an unexpected and nice sms.

It doesn't take much to make me happy

Rebellion?

Reanna was home sick yesterday with an earache. She has had reoccurring ear problems since she was 4 months old (this is a whole other story) and she'd already spent a couple of days at home in the last week. Luckily her dad was home then and it was some nice bonding time for the two of them.

As a "good" multi-tasker/glass is half full/super motivated (haha) type person I decided I was going to take advantage of a day at home (remembering I felt fine!) and clean out the kitchen cupboards. They really need doing and I have just got rid of a mouse in the house (also another whole story), but I haven't had the time to do it even though it is my 8-weeks-to-catch-up-on-three months-of-housework stage of the year.

I did not set foot into the kitchen all day (except to go to the fridge). I didn't even do the dishes. I did on the other hand cuddle Reanna and nap on the couch for two hours in the morning. I feel this was very important. Bonding, she was sick so it was important mummy time and also one thing I have learned is to take advantage of any extra napping time, extra sleep is always needed. More importantly (for the purposes of this story) I got half way through cleaning out (up!) the study. I can't really do anymore now until the playroom is done (part of the moving stuff around like one of of those annoying games things where everything has to be moved in the right order before the picture "works"). This has been a big, big job I have been procrastinating over doing but really, really needed to be done before uni goes back next semester and I am doing two units (this semester I only did one so could manage on the kitchen table). THEN later that night I went through a few of the drawers in my room while I was watching tv. So part of me was super motivated, just not to do what I was "supposed" to be doing.

But anyway .... Self set task, to the point I had messaged a friend in the morning (sort of) excited I was going to get to do my kitchen cupboards, and I didn't even attempt it! I am a little concerned I am showing signs of extreme rebellion, since I seem to be rebelling against my own orders. One facebook friend suggested it just meant I am super awesome at procrastinating. I like this better. Thoughts anyone?

"What's on your mind?"

Here we go again ;)

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. * I came home expecting to surprise the girls with ice-cream for dessert and instead got a massive surprise! Reanna and Tineka had totally reorganised Reanna's room. It looks great :) * So .... last night didn't exactly go as planned! All good, but I am surprised my hair didn't turn grey!!! * After considerable research I have decided ice-cream tastes even better when you eat it straight from the container. * Package of books + helpful Centrelink person* + "good" Tuesday + cupcakes = one very happy me * Hump Day!!!! (Sounds so much better then Wednesday :oP) * When all those things that people assure you will never happen do happen ....... :oP * According to my beautiful, intelligent, eldest niece I make the best French toast. And I wasn't the person she was telling so it must be true! * I ♥ lunch dates, BLT burgers (minus tomato), surprise presents, fabulous shoes, girls' nights out, afternoons in bed, crossing things off my to-do list and my gorgeous nieces and nephews. * Possible fire in the building is always a good start to the working day. And a good excuse to buy coffee! * I would like to apologise to you all. Kate has pointed out that after much deliberation I decided to go with hot chocolate rather then coffee. It was yummy. Other then that, previous status is valid :oP * I ♥ winter, morning snuggles, hot chocolate, new books, crossing things off my to-do list, birthdays, making plans, blogs, rainbows and cushions. * Lesson of the day: Be nice to IT people. They are awesome and they can fix all sorts of stuff. * T.G.I.F. * Late night shopping tonight with the fabulous Miss Reanna :) * Wishing my beautiful Aimee-fuzz a wonderful 8th birthday!!! * For those of you who missed me .... Friday night's shopping trip was wetter then anticipated. Borders is almost all sold out and is closing 8 July. After shopping was baking. Saturday - cleaning and cooking ready for Reanna's party Saturday night. Girls all seemed to have fun AND I got to do one of the girls' cakes for the first time in nine years! It looked awesome. Saturday night's wine and dvds were well deserved. * Aimee was awake at the crack of dawn for her presents this morning! Although it was worth it to get to go back to sleep uninterrupted until 10:30. Fabulous birthday lunch at the Bentley (I love nice places that are so kid friendly!) and then family bbqing and games and stuff. Awesome weekend but very, very, very glad to be home!!!



Picture of the week. Reanna's birthday cake! And the first one I have been "allowed" to make in 9 years!!! (It is snakes and ladders just in case you can't tell).

I may have stopped breathing ....

I just went for 48 hours without reading a single page of a single book. I do not remember the last time this happened. You will be pleased to know I have checked. I am still alive. I am happy about this!! I read. A lot. Every day (well usually). I read so much I have a whole separate blog about reading which you can find here if you are interested.

The weekend was busy though! Very busy, but so much fun. I love birthdays :) My (I mean Reanna's) cake look fabulous and her party went well (check out my photo of the week in yesterday's post). The adults may have ended up emotionally traumatised, but that is normal with 12 and 13 year olds right? The girls all had a good time and this is the main thing! Aimee loved her little presents and literally bounced all day. Count down is now on for Miley Cyrus next Saturday. This long awaited event is her "party" and her "big" present all in one.

AND to top it all off, I realised this morning that I had contact with all five of my nieces and nephews in one day! I saw four of them and spoke to the fifth one on the phone (he lives in a different state).

Hope your weekends were all as fabulous as mine, and I hope everyone has a super awesome week.

Birthday bits

I had started a post earlier about my beautiful, amazing eldest daughter. She turned 12 a month ago. I didn't end up publishing the post because (a) I ran out of time; and (b) she came home from camp and I remembered what she is really like! No, seriously I didn't end up finishing it because it was just a bit too OTT and gushy and I just didn't like the post. I do love Reanna though. This is important to note! At some point I will do a "page" at the top and introduce you all properly to the entourage, but for now you will just have to make the most of the snippets you get from my blog.

Reanna was away for her birthday on school camp. Which was very mean. She was a little concerned that she shouldn't go in case I missed her too much (have I mentioned how well they look after me?!) but I assured her I would be ok. Yes I cried on the day and the little two and I went out and got icecream and celebrated without her!

I did plan this suprise though ...


Layer 1 - wow Mummy surprised me!


Layer 2 - And Daddy!

Layer 3 - Hmmm

Layer 4 - not funny Mummy!

I think she liked the presents enough to forgive me :)




... if she is going to abandon me at least I will make it fun for her! Thanks to a wonderful teacher who smuggled the package and organised a muffin cake on the day. Reanna's reaction was "I was getting a little annoyed with you by the end". Better then crying though .... my work here is done.

How cute are the cards the little two made?




We are finally having her long awaited party this week. First weekend we were able to do it when her dad was home. So excited! Me not her. Well she is excited too. I have just bought awesome stuff for the "lolly" bags AND I get to make her cake this year for the first time in 9 years! She requested Daddy do the rest of the cooking though - a definite win-win for Mummy ;)

De-Pea-ing

I don't know if anyone remembered I posted a few weeks ago that I hated vegies. I thought of this today as I ate my lunch at my desk. Yummy chicken satay rice thing. I was actually the person who made it, but I used a packet of rice stuff in it. I didn't buy the brand I usually get this time (I can't remember why) and this particular packet had peas in it. Peas are THE vegetable I refuse to eat unless I have to (having dinner with the Queen would classify as have to) and even then I just can't chew them. I can only swallow them. Anyway ... I am at work and before I ate my lunch I scooped any of the peas out, put them in my bin and proceeded to continue working and happily eating my lunch. Sad, but true. At least I am a non-whingy fussy person? Give me that much.

Ok, ok. I really do realise how sad this is.

I sa-aid it on faaaacebook!

Please note. The title of this post should be sung to the tune of "I found it on ebay". If you haven't seen this clip, you should! And that note (like the pun?) ... here goes another week in our insane lives .....

What an amazing weekend!!! Saturday: Morning doing nails and stuff with the girls. They looked so cute and so very grown up all at the same time. Wedding was absolutely beautiful. The reception was lots fun. I had to be sewn into my dress though (Thank you M.I.L). Someone set a menu on fire. Accidentally but v dramatic. I have lots of photos :) Not of the menu fire but of the wedding in general. * Sunday: Out for breakfast, lunch and dinner in between naps and dvd watching. I may never have another hot chocolate without a chocolate spoon for stirring and I will say again how much I love places with live music, kids eating free and colouring in packs! That is it in a nutshell for those of you who missed me ;) I so do not feel prepared for it to be Monday! * Today I am Thankful for people who can make yummy meals out of random leftovers, for not having to cook and for being able to all sit down to dinner at the same time even when it is at strange times. * The girls are on number plate watch! Let me know if you see one beginning with 1E (of the "new" WA ones). We are pretty sure we have only seen as far as 1D. * Today I am Thankful for knee-high boots, hot drinks, having a heater at work and rain. * Who knew Shakespeare could be so funny? I now feel much more educated about the finer points :oP * Cold and sleepy. I wonder if I can fit a nap in between school and dance ..... * My knitting and I are are slowly taking over the world. Or the dance studio at least! * ‎"The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn - and how to change" Carl Rogers (and taken from the girls' school's newsletter). * Aimee: If there was a flood would we just hop in the boat. Me: Yes, this is why we keep it! Erin: Really? Aimee: That is a good idea. Reanna *rolls her eyes*. Welcome to a normal morning in our lives ;) * Today I am Thankful for strangers and their random acts of kindness. Especially the very nice man who told me when it was safe to reverse after I parked in a stupid spot. * Going a-Guiding tonight with my Aimee-fuzz! And I get to wear pyjamas. Definitely picked the good nights to go parent roster this year :) * I am pretty sure I would be an awesome bingo caller. * I ♥ rainbows, my stripy purple witch socks, wearing jeans to work, sleeping-in, organising stuff in boxes, Guide biscuits, facebook Scrabble, picture messages and quiet nights at home. * Pizza with Lee and the babies + DVD with my baby girls (Aimee's choice) + remembering I have chocolate + crossing a big job off my to-do list = perfect start to the weekend * Is it bad Aimee appears to have outgrown Saturday morning cartoons before me? Or is it just a reflection on the quality of the cartoons? * Finally got to take Reanna and Erin out for sushi!! * Think that is our social butterflying done for the day! Not exactly the quiet weekend at home I had originally planned :oP * Apparently you can fix itching with talcum powder. Or Mummy magic ;) * So much motivation for this time of the morning. * Got to catch up with Big M, JJ and 'Lil Em this morning! Have I mentioned recently I have the cutest nieces and nephews?! * Good friends, great music and yummy food. What else could you need in an afternoon? Oh. An Aimee quote. "Mummy, lots of old people know the words. Does that mean it is an old song?". I am so glad she has finally learned how to whisper. * Would you like some pasta with that cheese? * Aimee quote of the week (she gets two today). Via facebook chat to her dad: "btw you are moltitasking". Shouts to me "Daddy is multi-tasking! He is talking to you on the phone and it says he is typing. And he is breathing".*

No picture of the week this week. I already used it in my last post. The one of the girls all standing on their heads watching hockey. And for those of you can't be bothered reading my status updates, the stripey socks do get a mention! And if you read nothing else, read the last one if you like Aimee stories.

Hope you all had a fabulous week, an even better weekend and that the coming week is wonderful!

My children are officially nuts

So ... as I may have mentioned this was supposed to be a quiet weekend. Nothing really on. Remember as well, this is supposed to be my two months on catching up on some very overdue housework. This was a fail, although I have managed to cross two jobs of my to-do list! We managed to be out pretty much all day today.

But anyway, one of my friends who lives in a country town was in the city today playing hockey and asked if we would like to go watch. Of course we did! "Big deal" I hear you say. Or perhaps "That is nice".

Normal family outing until my daughter decided it would be a good idea to watch upside down. Naturally the others followed in suit. Funnily enough it was Reanna's idea this time.


Erin doing some weird standing on her head yoga type pose.



Aimee doing a bendback. She does this a lot. She is super bendy.



Reanna doing a headstand starting the craze.


I was supposed to get a picture of them all at the same time, but we couldn't quite manage it.

I am still not sure why they thought this was a good idea. I was a little afraid to ask. I know I have said it before .... but I blame the parents ;)

Loving It!

Hello peoples. This is another link up from Paisley Jade. If you want to join in just click here or the button below!



So many great link-ups are making not knowing what to write about impossible.

So things I am loving today ....

1. My stripey purple witch socks. They make me smile every time I wear them. Whether it is under boots when I am out trying to look pretty or at work trying to look grown up or when I am at home just being comfy. I originally bought them for part of a witch costume for a show I was in and that makes me smile too! (Please ignore my rolled up jeans, funny looking knees and the mess on the bookshelf in the background!)





2. My couch. I love my couch. It was the first thing for our new home when be signed up to build the house. You have to take your shoes up and curl up on it. It is pretty much compulsory. Now it is winter it is perfect snuggle weather complete with cushions and a our "furry" blanket. We all fit on there and can nap and watch dvds. Bliss.




3. Girl-time. Now Reanna has just turned 12 I am valuing even more the time I get to spend just hanging out with the girls. It won't be long before their lives are too busy to want to include much us time for a while. (Picture is of us getting ready for the wedding we went to last weekend).



4. My fridge. I love my fridge. It was the first time I have ever had a fridge that has looked brand new (even though I bought it from ebay it was only a few months old). It was also the first ever big thing I bought on my own. I love that it is stainless steel. I had wanted one for ages and I was so excited that I was able to get one when my old fridge died. I keep the front of the fridge for special things and it makes me smile every time I look at baby announcements, engagement/wedding/21st/18th invitations and magnets showing my favourite quotes. And inside is white and clean and shiny and I have it beautifully organised in tupperware (that I got free from hosting a party last year!). Can you tell my last one was old? (over 25 years old by the time it died!)and it is one of the few places in my house that is organised. Although I am working very hard on changing this!




5. The Entourage. Always. Forever. Even when they are driving me nuts!




What are you loving today?! The link is open until Sunday :)

Fill the blank Friday!

I am joining in this link by Lauren at the little things we do.

I think I am getting the hang of this blogging and linking stuff now ;)

1. The last movie I saw was 'Hall Pass' at the movies (and I had a free ticket! Yay!) and 'The Bounty Hunter' on dvd. I hadn't seen it before.


2. I want to hurry up and finish work so I can go home to my babies! We have a rare evening with nothing planned. So I have a possibility of something we have been wanting to do forever but haven't got around to doing it yet.


3. Surprises are awesome! Especially when they are for no reason.


4. The best accessory is fun shoes or fun jewellery. Especially when it means I can get away with wearing jeans and basic top.



5. My favorite warm drink is choc-mint hot chocolate stirred with a dark chocolate spoon. I discovered these last weekend. My life will never be the same.

6. My favorite cold drink is sort of hard to pick. I drink way, way too many V's (although I am cutting back). I love chamapange (or sparkling wine to be technically correct) and coke and cider ... and clearly it depends on where I am and what I am doing.


7. Currently loving blogging! Bet you didn't guess ;) and I am loving feeling I am getting the hang of it and I am loving that I have real followers now! (hello!)

What I love about me!

Welcome to Week 2 of "What I Love About Me!" hosted by Twins Plus One, Three Times the Fun and Twingle Mommy!

Here's how it works -

Write a post about what you love about yourself this week and then add it to the linky list below. This is intended to be a time and place for each of us to stop criticizing ourselves for a few minutes and actually remind ourselves of the characteristics we are proud to own. So go ahead, look in the mirror, and see yourself through your loved one's eyes. Notice the beauty first. Here's your place to shine!

A few simple guidelines -
•Please follow the two hostesses. If you are a new follower, please comment so we can follow you too! :)
•We'd love it if you posted the button and the linky list, but it is not mandatory.
•Feel free to link to your homepage or your specific "What I Love About Me!" post. We want this to be a fun, relaxing hop so we'll accept all links as long as they are family-friendly. Thanks!
•The linky will be open all week so feel free to link-up on your own time.




Ok clearly the above bit is cut and posted from the blogs of the lovely hostesses. I really am working very hard on learning the 'tricks' of making the technical bits of blogging work! I managed the button and have finally worked out how to post a link (I think), but the list down the bottom was a bit too hard for me. I am very proud of myself for getting this far though! Check out Twins Plus One, Three Times the Fun and Twingle Mommy for more blogland people who have joined in.

What I love about me!

1. I love that I love my life. I may not have always made the right choices and there are things I wish I had done differently/could do differently now, but over all I love my life. I am slowly learning not to beat myself up over things I have done that I now regret.

2. I love that I can nap pretty much anywhere anytime. This is very useful. Especially when I am so super busy that the only thing that gets me from 5:30am to 11pm is the 10 minute power nap. It is slightly less useful if it makes me snoozey somewhere important like in a meeting. It is also slightly less useful if I nap for too long and then can't sleep at night. But over all it is a fabulous habit and one I have spent many years perfecting ;)

3. I love that I am never bored. Except in times I have totally no control over the situation but this pretty much never happens. I can usually find something to do or someone to talk to or something to think about .... or I nap. I do love to nap. My mum told me when I was about 8 only boring people get bored. I believed her. Going by this theory I might be the most exciting person in the world! Sadly, when I used this same expression on the girls, Aimee cried for 20 minutes that I said she was boring. This wasn't actually what I meant. I don't think she ever quite believed me. The girls are amazingly good at entertaining themselves though so maybe it did work.

Hmmm ... that was a lot harder then I thought! Definitely worth giving a go though :) And can I mention again I am very proud of myself for working out how to put links in at last?!

My week according to facebook

Today I am Thankful for fabulous friends, long weekends, my sisters and that my children have learned to sleep in! * Reanna and Erin are cooking. R & E: "Ooooh .... ummm". Me (calls from other room): "Are you ok?" R & E (in perfect unison): "Yes!!" Not very convinced. * It is the little things that make all the difference. Sometimes this is all you need to focus on! :) * Apparently thinking of random passwords is my thing for the day. * Avoid Monday-itis. Don't start your working week until Tuesday :) * I now have possession of a super cool purple clutch! And I am very excited about it! Shoes next :) * Today I am Thankful that I get home early enough most days to take the washing off the line before it gets damp. * Sick and tantrumy baby + early start + school photos = not the best start to the day * All day breakfast for lunch + coke in a glass bottle + shoe shopping with a connoisseur = a much improved day! Plus as an added extra it is hump day :) * Aimee quote of the day: "I have created a new [vegetarian] burger. It should be called 'The Awesome Aimee'. You know, like Aimee Jones". * Crazy hair day is so much more fun to get ready for then school photo day. I now have multi-coloured hands (which I need to get rid of by lunch) and a splattered dressing gown (which I am glad I thought of). Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Boris copes ok with the fumes! * Today I am Thankful for things working out ok, radio stations that make me laugh out loud, ballet flats and sales. * I ♥ muffins with white chocolate, late night shopping, new shoes, things that sparkle, cushions, my pyjamas, champagne, Fridays, my girls and cuddles. * I am proud of Reanna for not being distracted by the boys during the football match. Tactic foiled boys! * Just in case we haven't done enough shopping in the last thirty-six hours ......

Crazy hair day at the girls' school.



I am pleased to say they take dressing up 'seriously'!

Apparently I wasn't very chatty on facebook this week! This could be due to my new found love of blogging ;)

I know it is Monday

Really I do, but it just doesn't feel like one! I will do my weekly facebook thing later at home. Mostly because I am really busy at the moment, but also because I wasn't organised enough to have a photo ready for photo of the week. (Like how I am assuming people care?!).

I just had to do a quick post though. For reasons I am not going into, I am not dressed today in my normal professional attire and I have even slipped my shoes off. Only in my actual area! So no-one can see me other then me. I am dressed appropriately before I come across as being totally unprofessional, but it still isn't how I would normally dress for work. I feel like a naughty kid! Having bare feet really does make me so very happy. Now if only I could sneak in wearing pyjamas to work.

So anyway, as I walked barefoot over to the window I remembered your solidarity in my earlier post about loving to be barefoot. So I just thought I would post and let my fellow bloggers know I thought about them today. It is also freezing. I am thankful for my heater! Today was not the day for bare legs, but I am still smiling!

McAwesome

My girls make me laugh so very, very much. Especially the little one.

Things you need to know:

1.a. Aimee is a vegetarian and has been for almost four years now. She doesn't think it is fair on the animals to eat them. This is reasonable.

1.b. Not relevent to the story, but by choice, I would be a carnivore. I am the person in the world least likely to have a vegetarian child.

2. Wednesday night is takeaway night in our house. Don't judge me. Aimee has dance from 4:30 to 5:30. Reanna has dance from 5:30 to 6:30 and then Guides from 7 to 9. Sometimes you just need to do these things.

3. McDonald's is often our poison of choice. Here in WA, they do dinner boxes and we can usually mix and match what is in them until everyone is happy and it is cheap. eg. Aimee gives me her meat (or chicken) patty, and she usually gets my chips.

4. McDonald's also has a burger they have advertised as the "Angry Angus".

On the particular night in question, I gave Aimee one of the buns from my burger and she decided to make a multi-level burger with chips between each layer. I think she also took some of Erin's lettuce but I was driving and not really paying attention until I heard this:

"Mummy, I have made a new burger! I think it should be called the 'Awesome Aimee'". Pause. "You know, like Aimee Jones".

I had thought she was going to say like "the Angry Angus". I laughed .... a lot. Aimee did not understand why.

I blame the parents ;)

Just in case you were wondering ....

... I had a fantabulous weekend! Thought I would update you all since you all got to hear how excited I was last Friday. I was waiting until I had photos sorted but that hasn't happened yet and if I don't do it now I will forget!

Hanging out with my sisters was great. No fights! And yes I know I am way too old, especially since I am 20 years older then the youngest, but we are sisters. We do squabble! Highlights included Aimee being highly indignant that Reanna and my youngest sister called me (she went as my messenger, she was excited about this) to turn the lights off. I quote: "They were just being lazy!!" and no she didn't turn it off. Sister #4 (aged 14) being very surprised that I thought she might talk to her nieces after I was asleep (I had said no more dvds in case I fell asleep first and they asked her. I did). It also made me laugh because she does like hanging out with them and she is dying to baby-sit. Aimee again in the morning saying very sadly she had been talking to sister #4 but she didn't answer until she asked Aimee to get her the laptop and cable. In her defence she was asleep and someone sleeping doesn't usually distract Aimee from talking. Trust me, I know!

Saturday morning was fun playing grown-ups at the kitchen tea (I am sure at some point it will stop feeling like I am playing. Maybe when I am 40).

Hen's night was soooooo fabulous!! Seven of us had a hotel room booked so we had champagne and got ready together. Costumes are so much fun!!! Dinner and more champagne and cocktails. Pub, cider and dancing until we were "sober"! Followed by pyjamas and giggling. This is all you get to hear ;) What happens on hen's night ... stays on hen's night!**

Sunday I felt great and even made it to church with the girls and training in the afternoon. The rest of the day was a dvd day on the couch in my pyjamas with my baby girls though. Twenty-four hours is definitely long enough to be away from them.

Long weekends rock!!! Monday, we ALL slept in. Then we spent the day doing some "spring" cleaning (I am catching up on stuff I haven't been able to fit in during semester) and Aimee and I are cleaning out her room ready to paint!

I think that is it! You know, just in case you were wondering!!!

** So ... is it hen's night? Hens' night? or Hens night???? I get the grammatical difference ... but I can never work this one out! If anyone has any opinion I would love to hear! Sad, but true. It is driving me nuts!

Blogetiquette ...... and Rainbows.

Part A: So, in case you have just joined me and missed my earlier post about "coming out of the cupboard" and also missed my post about paranoia. This post is a brief update. You may have noticed I have not only started publically following blogs, but I have also started commenting. Is there rules about this? Do I introduce myself? Is it just assumed I have been following (so much nicer then stalking I think) for a while before making myself known? And most importantly will anyone be offended if I say/do the wrong thing? (this is where the paranoia fits in!) If you have found me because of a random comment ... Hi!!



Part B: I love rain and I love winter and I love rainbows. I think it is safe to say that in my opinion rainbows rock. In addition to the fact they are just awesome and the sign of a never-to-be-broken promise, I have heard there is a pot of gold at the end of them. Aimee is looking for corroboration that this is in fact true. So if you happen to come across some conclusive proof … please let me know!

A glimpse into the week that was.

Today I am Thankful for rain, for not having any storm damage and for the rain considerately pausing at appropriate times so I got to work dry. * Work mode complete. Now for Mummy mode for a few hours until it is time for student mode again. * I love getting packages in the mail!!! * That awkward moment when you tell someone you are studying law ...... * The household is excited that the Big W ladies on 'The Amazing Race' are from Riverton :) * Argh!!!!!! It's E-day!!!!!! * Study tip of the day: Don't get locked out of the house the morning of an exam. It just doesn't add to overall confidence! * A few of the right words at the right time from the right person can really make your day! Give it a go .... you never know when this person is you! * Two packages in two days! I need to shop online more often :) * Today I am Thankful for two months of uni holidays, open book exams, getting good luck messages from wonderful friends, not getting hit by a truck and modern technology. * I have a feeling Aimee is going to grow up to be a spelling and grammar nazi. Who ever would have thought! * The clouds looked funny this morning. More like volcanic cloud or smoke or something then rain clouds. (Not that I know what volcanic cloud looks like, but it looked like how I would imagine volcanic cloud looking). * I have a new phone which is making me very happy. I will be even happier when I can work out how to use it! If you get a strange or v abrupt text message from me you now know why :) * Apparently changing my name to "Cat McKitten" is a bad idea :oP * I ♥ uni holidays, rainbows, humpday, lazy afternoons in bed, my stripey purple witch socks, quotes, blogs, cuddles, cupcakes, dress-ups and books. I don't ♥ exams, crickets or dodgy mobile reception. * The "snooze" button and the "off" button are not the same thing. Getting them confused has consequences. * I wonder if it is a bad thing that Aimee identifies twisties as study food? * Forgetting a password is never a good idea. So many lessons today :oP * My observation at dancing: Reanna is getting really tall. Aimee's observation (with no irony): Erin is really loud. * Major trauma this week with the footy tipping. Opinion was divided over whether to listen to Pop for the Hawthorn v Fremantle game. * So much randomness. * Today I am Thankful for technology. Which isn't new! But today it is especially because it meant I could go shopping with the fabulous Vanessa while she is on the other side of the country :) * And it is the looooooooooong weekend! * Off to spend the evening with three fifths of my sisters and a full compliment of daughters. * Aimee waking up in the morning and realising she can't talk she can only squeak is VERY funny. * I just need to say ... Hen's night!!!!!!! And if I get to check a cloak into a cloak room I am going to be so beyond excited!!! * Most fabulous 24 hours!!! Thanks for a wonderful day/night ladies!!!!!! And thank you to my wonderful peoples who babysat for me :) I am pretty sure I can hear the couch calling my name now though.


My "I got through the semester" present to myself! It felt appropriate ;)

And that is the week that was! These posts might not be the most exciting to read, but they make me smile. I guess I remember why I posted each of them. I am now laughing at the difference in my pre-and-post-exam status updates. How was your week?

Can I just say I am excited?

*Warning* this is a long post!! (But if you can bother sticking with it it is a nice snapshot to our life and the way my brain works. And possibly the reason why I should blog quickly and on the run instead of via edit and with masses amount of thought).

Once you get to know me a bit better you will find out I get excited easily and some would say excited over not very much. Personally I am ok with this. I would rather be the person who is happy and excited rather then the person who does nothing but complain and never, ever seems to be happy (I didn't realise how many people lived like this pre-facebook. It is really sad).

Anyway. Today I am excited about lots of things:

1. It is Friday And I love Fridays. I love the anticipation that it is almost the weekend. I also love that it is casual dress day at work and it means I can wear jeans. I love my jeans. I did mention I work better in pyjamas (I love pyjamas even more then I love jeans) but apparently even for casual dress this is not acceptable.

2. The weekend and this weekend it is not just any weekend here in Western Australia. It is a long weekend for Foundation day. This means that unlike other long weekends where there are things we specifically do to celebrate/commemerate events this weekend is just extra long!

3. Pyjama party The girls and I are sleeping over at my parents' place tonight with two (or three) of my (lots younger then me) sisters. Mum & Dad are away. I am not baby-sitting. Just hanging out. It should be fun! We live 45 minutes away from my family (not counting my sister and nephew who live in the Northern Territory) which is close enough to see them at least every two weeks or so, but I miss being a part of their everyday lives. Now just to see if we make it through the evening fight-free!

4. Hens' Night!!!! It is a close friend's hens' night tomorrow day/night. We get to dress up for the evening in fancy dress which I love. I am going as a girl from Gryffindor (my girls are in discussion over which one I am) and if I get to put my cloak into a cloak-room I am going to be doubly as excited as I am now!!!! Plus it has been a looooong time since I have been out on a girls' night out. Plus we have a hotel room booked so we are staying the night AND, just to top it all off I have 24 hours of childfree time thanks to a wonderful friend. I love my children! But I don't remember the last time I had 24 hours of me time**.

5.New information I have just worked out that blogger has a spell check. This is going to quite useful in my attempt to write good blog posts and sound semi-educated.

6. Dreaming v Goal Setting My first direct debit came out today which is another step to a BIG goal I am working towards (check out my other blog at Two Mummy Ducks).

7.Soup Croissant Express (a coffee shop chain) is selling soup again. I didn't bring lunch to work today in the hope that the soup of the day would be one I like (see previous post about me being a fussy eater). They are :)

8. Coffee I am not actually that excited by the coffee, but I think it might be the coffee that is making even more excited about stuff then usual. I had a jumbo capp this morning and my boss has just bought us a coffee. Hmmm. Despite my comments about caffeine addiction in my profile I have been working very hard at cutting back. This now means it seems to be having a fairly significant effect on me! (It has just occurred to me it means I have been to the coffee shop three times today when I would normally only go once or twice a fortnight! Never mind).

9. New stuff I have a bit of a splurge this week. I have been saving for a new dress, shoes, (play) jewellery etc for the upcoming wedding. And a fabulous friend is sending me a new bag to match the new dress! I also love surprises.

If you have managed to read to the end of this post ... thank you! Hope you enjoyed the insight into me :)

**Their dad works away and his roster isn't terribly consistent. When he is back he spends lots of time with them and has them sleepover and stuff, but we work more on flexible co-parenting at the moment rather then set 'visit' times. Even before he worked away they tended to go and stay once or twice a week rather then every second weekend. We felt it meant they get a better and on-going relationship with both of us. Plus I hate being away from them for more then a day so the every second weekend thing didn't really work for any of us. This changes as life changes but at the moment it works for us and the girls are happy. However, the times they have slept there recently have been uni nights for me which great is not quite the same as getting to go out. Not that I do badly in the going out stakes! I do actually have a fairly active social life. The girls are massive social butterflies. *Sigh* Now I have forgotten the point of all this. I think originally it was to make it clear the girls see their dad!! And that I am not complaining. Just excited. *end of waffle* (Although I am leaving this in as in a rambly way I think it is a nice little insight to our lifestyle ... and to my lack of abililty to stay on track!

Eight Random Facts

Oops. If you happen to be reading this from 'Blogs Tea & Me' I have managed to stuff up setting the link. Well it does find me, but I messed up the titling. Never mind! I will know better for next time .... or not. I will get there eventually!

Anyway ... my random facts

Strange book habits Not only do I love to read. I especially love to re-read. The fact in the last two weeks I have read fourish new books rather then re-reading books I already have is quite strange. I still buy new books. Well usually new-to-me second hand books but it can take me a while to read them. I need to be in the "zone".

Book collections I collect early 20th Century girls' school stories. Probably not so odd if I was 50ish, but apparently very unusual for someone at 30. I have been collecting them since I was about 7, but have only gone public about it recently. In all fairness, no-one has really thought it was that odd, but everyone knows I love books. Anyone who has been surprised has been less surprised when I remind them I have a history degree.


(A pre-WWII Boy Scout book I was super excited to find)

I hate vegetables A lot. To the point where I sometimes pretend to eat them to set a good example to the girls. I do eat salad, but I just hate them cooked. I do eat cooked vegies sometimes, but not as often as I should. Example: Two of my daughters get super excited if I cook broccoli. Unintentional reverse psychology! I am also pretty fussy about other things. My 12 year old eats most things. My 10.5 year old is fairly fussy (but I make her eat things. So does her father). My 8 year old is a vegetarian. She eats pretty much all vegies and most other stuff but doesn't eat meat for ethical reasons. Her own decision when she was about 4.

Other food related habits I hate my food touching on my plate. Example: with a roast, my meat can't touch my potatoes and vegies and vice versa. I don't think this is that strange. My ex-husband disagrees. If they touch I don't eat them. I am mostly ok with foods that are supposed to be mixed.

Paranoia Apparently I come across as being super confident. This is apparently a good lie. I check with a million people over what to wear before I go places. I check on appropriate presents. I really struggle to make the first move to speak to people. I am constantly worried I have said or done something to upset someone. I just work on the assumption people don't like me. This does make it a pleasant surprise when they do!! I don't think I am this paranoid naturally. I think it is a learned behaviour in reaction to stuff that has happened. Or it could just be that I am egocentric. An overactive imagination also means I can only watch certain tv shows and movies on my own. It also means I am careful about what I read. The risk of nightmares for weeks is often not worth it! I also am constantly making up stuff in my head. I have always done this. One of these days I will write some of it down.


Shoes I would rather not wear shoes. In my ideal world I would be barefoot all the time. I always have painted toenails and I always wear a toe-ring. Since I do have to wear shoes most of the time I love high heels. Not that I wear them all the time, but I do love them. This is something which I appear to have discovered later then most people.



Hobbies It sort of worries me I don't really have any. I feel like I am the certain person who should have hobbies but I don't! I read and collect books, but I am not convinced this counts! I also knit teddies and sometimes do cross-stitch. This makes me feel boring, but I don't actually think I am.

Motherhood Most days I still don't really feel like I am a mum. Please don't tell the children this. I have a 12 year old so you think I would be used it by now. I adore my children and I always wanted kids and I always wanted them young, but I never thought I would find them as amusing as I do.

Phobia I have a phobia of dead things. A real phobia. To the point that if I have to set a mouse trap my wonderful daughter deals with it for me. Or my ex-husband will come around for a night and sorts it out. It isn't just like I dislike them, if I see something dead it totally freaks me out. I can't breathe and sometimes I can't move. I blame a cat I had when I was little that loved me just a little too much.

Wow! That was harder then I thought it would be. It is now really quite late here and I am sure I will think of hundreds of more interesting things I could have written about tomorrow! But never mind. It was fun! You should give it a go :)

Edit

At my last annual performance review my boss made the observation that I need to proof read more. So did my lecturer when she marked my last essay. If I am going to be perfectly fair, I have had this comment on a fairly (read as very) large percentage of my essays over my academic career. Mostly it is because I am rushing. Usually because (for uni at least) I have left it to the last minute. Partly it is just being slack. A good percentage is because I genuinely read fast and I find it hard to force myself to read slowly and properly edit.

I have noticed I am doing the same with my blogging and it is annoying me. If I am going to write for an open audience I want to do it properly. No rushing. I don't want to have to keep editing posts because something doesn't make sense or I have made a stupid typo .... now just to see how I go!

On an unrelated note, and just to show I am not just sitting around thinking about blogging all day, I bought what I think may be an awesome dress for a wedding today! And I would also like to publicly note my grumpiness about how quickly children grow up.

PS I am now very paranoid about this post ... lol ... probably not that surprising!