A long time coming

So this weekend just gone, we finally had the weekend I have been intending on having for the last few weeks! The first weekend went awry when my back got hurt. The second weekend went off target by an all morning shopping trip (so not my idea) on the Saturday and a very-day-after-the-night-before-ish day on the Sunday (totatally self-inflicted, but oh so worth it!).

So this weekend, what did we do?! You have two choices here. You can read through the waffle or you can skip to the last paragraph. I really don't mind which option you pick! I am nice like that.

We slept in on the Saturday. We spent both nights at home.

We went and watched Erin's first scratch match on the Sunday morning. She did so well! She is little and scary, in my opinion anyway! I was a little concerned that she tripped someone over in the first five minutes of play, but Reanna assures me this is how it works (Note to self: learn some of the rules. Also learn how long each half goes for. It is a little embarrassing to be asked to be time-keeper and then to have to ask how long it goes for! I was very enthusiastic about helping though. I feel I deserve points for that).

I went to bookclub on Sunday afternoon and freaked themt all out with the fact I read two books that weekend. In all fairness, I do read fast and both books were so awesome and unputdownable (I am keeping this word, I have decided I don't care if it exists). And while it isn't exactly uncommon for me to read more then one book in a weekend anymore, these days I am mostly too busy for it to happen. Totally different books too! 'The Help' which was our bookclub book and I really should have read earlier. Luckily I loved it and it was no effort to read in a few hours. The first couple of months of bookclub I read the book straight away and then had troubles remembering because I'd read so many other books in the middle. This is my excuse and I am sticking to it. I should really pay more attention when I read though. The second book was 'The Hunger Games' which I was reading under protest to decide whether or not Erin could read it. I have touched on this briefly in my review, and I will probably blog about the whole issue separately. But for now, let's just say as an adult I loved it and I am looking forward to reading the next two (probably some time this week if I am lucky!).

Highlight of the weekend was babysitting my friends 19-month-old. It took Aimee exactly 15 minutes of having her and about 2 minutes of being in the car with a crying toddler to declare she was glad she was the youngest! We had so much fun! I barely saw her though. The girls took it in turns in playing with her very nicely but I admit there was a lot of "She is not a toy! She is a person. A little person, but still a person!" Mama phrase for the weekend! It was very, very good for my spoilt youngest diva daughter though. It is the first time she has really shown any interest in a baby (usually she just wants lots of my attention) and the first time she has really helped with babysitting! My heart melted watching her carry the baby around! The plop on the lounge was followed by a very serious "I am not very good at the landings yet". Aw. So cute!

But as thrilling as my weekend sounds, you might be wondering whtat it was I actually had planned. The answer is actually nothing. Just a weekend at home to potter around and get stuff done. In addition to the fun stuff, I also have finally finished sorting out the playroom! One more tiny wall to paint and I will post pictures!! Yay!!! You have no idea how long I have been dying for a day at home to get this done. All the sorting and organising and it looks soooooo good! And it feels even better. (All the explanation marks in this paragraph were necessary to convey exactly how over the moon I am about this.)

So in summary: we played, read, cleaned, purged and talked (did I mention a couple of marathon phone chats with friends? I had to talk to someone! The girls were otherwise occupied). And really, that was it!

Loving *Lots* of Stuff

"I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is" .... linking in with the lovely Paisley Jade with things I am loving this week. Actually because I missed last week's link I am loving lots of stuff this week because I have been adding to this post for a fortnight now!



Tacos: We are living on them at the moment! Seriously, minimum of once a week and now I have worked out there are chicken kits as well often twice a week! They are easy, the girls eat a tonne of salad with them, I can make a lot of it in advance so they only take five minutes to get ready and with the Vegetarian One (aka Aimee) it is easy to do an option for her too!
2 minute  noodles: I haven't had these in forever and suddenly I have rediscovered them. Yummy and easy (are you sensing a theme). Although I would like to know if anyone actually adds in the vegetable sachets?
Mobility: After spending so much time lying with my sore back I am massively appreciating being able to move.

Walking barefoot through the grass: Because this is just awesome. And it is perfect weather for it now the ground is not so hot after you walk off the path. I do love Autumn.

My nieces and nephews: Did I tell you I am getting another one? My sister has fostered a second little boy. He arrives today :) They live too far away for me to see him, but this is not the point! I am so excited about this!

Rainbows and leprechauns and other green stuff for St Patrick's Day: Enough said!

Any random celebration: Pi Day! St Patrick's Day! Harmony Day! Celebrations are awesome! Not only are they fun, they are great ways to discuss different things with the girls. And eat and drink nice stuff. ie lemon meringue pie for Pi day, Irish cider for St Patrick's Day (obviously not the girls!) and the girls had all sorts of international stuff at school for Harmony Day!

Googling random things that I could study if I won lotto and could spend the rest of my life learning things instead of working: So I might have issues, but this is what I would do!

What are you loving this week? Click here to join in!

Did you miss me?

I was sort of wondering how I managed to go for almost a week without posting. Then I thought about it! It has been a little busy. Nothing bad. Nothing amazingly exciting. Just life. And nothing seemed to jump out at me at as a post. So if you are interested in reading about our adventures in the past week, please keep reading. If not, please pop back soon!

Work has been busy. Nice busy, not horrible busy. The girls have had their usual dance/Guides/soccer/school life. One slight change was Reanna swapping from contemporary ballet to classical ballet. This has meant she has gone back to Guides and Aimee and have a dedicated 'study' night at Hungry Jacks (aka Burger King). She is very excited about this. It is super cute. It saves me about an forty minutes of driving so definitely is working well so far.

Awful, awful photo of me. You can see how tired I am, but you can also see how excited Aimee is about our 'study group'.

I took Erin and Aimee to the beach and we saw the 'Sculptures by the Sea' exhibition. It was great! The girls absolutely loved it! Massive sculptures (I think there were between 60 and 70) all down one of Perth's beautiful beaches. Erin took so many photos. 

I even squeezed a night out in there. I think the last time I went out for St Patrick's day was when Aimee was about two and I definitely made the most of this night. I would like to complain about being asked for ID though. Seriously, I am 32. And it wasn't like they were asking everyone! Maybe I just looked a little too excited? Hmm ... maybe I should work on this?

Check out the proof of my big night out! This is your warning about halter necks ladies. Well least those of you who are well endowed. Was it worth it though? Yes! The top looked awesome!  And don't worry, the girls wore green and had their own celebrations during the day and had a fabulous night with my parents and various sisters.

Massive excitement of the week has been one of my closest friends graduating uni! Exciting on so many levels. I am excited for her. I am excited because it means the end is in sight for me. I am also very excited because it has meant she has been visiting Perth for her graduation ceremony!

Um ... what else? It has been study week at uni so no classes (yay! Please do not ask how much study I have done. I have caught up on some housework though. This counts right?). My back is finally better I think. 

I missed you all despite my slackness and I am very much looking forward to catching up on a week's worth of other peoples' lives! Happy Hump day everyone and enjoy the rest of your week :)

I cannot believe I just did that

I had the strangest experience today. I was sitting quietly at my kitchen table typing away, minding my own business when a mouse ran across the floor (in broad daylight! Stupid mouse). I squawked. Not squealed or screamed or yelled, squawked. I feel this may be the only thing that gives me some dignity here. Keep reading!

At the same time as squawking I jumped onto a chair. Seriously. Who does that? Other then me and people on tv??? (If anyone else has done it, this would be the time to share! At least then I will know I am in good company). I am not even sure why! It gave me a bit of a shock, but I had suspected there was one in the house and I have been putting traps out, but as much as I dislike having them in the house I am not afraid of them alive. My phobia of dead things is a whole other post. So is Aimee's freaking out about killing stuff. Very not  happy at the moment.

If you have any suggestions for scaring them away or keeping them away once this one has gone to mouse-heaven please let me know! Stupid mice.

What's on your shelf?

Chalk & Talk recently asked the following questions to find out what is on your bookshelf at the moment:

1. What have you just read?


2. What are you reading right now?

3. What are you dying to read next?

As I am unable to restrict myself to a three line answer, because I have serious issues about (a) talking too much (even via blog posts); and (b) only reading on thing thing at a time I thought I would just do a post of my own. It also saves me from thinking of anything else to write about today, plus books really are my favourite things! (After the children).

So the books I have just finishend are:

1.1 'Does my head look big in this?' - Really was a great read. Reanna is enjoying it too.
1.2 'I've Got Your Number' - It felt like I was waiting for this book forever and it was definitely worth the wait!
1.3 'Enemy of God'  - A different look at the King Arthur saga.


At the moment I am reading:

2.1  'The Universe Parallel' (Traci Harding). The second in her Triad of Being Trilogy. I think Traci Harding is the only author I really read that is science fiction (and only because I love her historical fantasy stuff so very much I am just hooked. I don't even read Marion Zimmer Bradley's science fiction books. Admittedly she has written a lot more).
2.2 'Vampire Academy' (Richelle Mead). This is part of number 16 on the 100ish books in 1001 days that I am doing.
2.3 'Eclipse' (Stephenie Meyer). I started re-reading the series when I was sick, but haven't got around to finishing it yet. But this one is on my bedside table with a bookmark in it so I think it makes this list!


What I am planning on reading next:

3.1 'The Light-Field' (Traci Harding). After waiting for years to start reading this trilogy I am greedy and want it all now.
3.2 'The Help'. It is our book club book for this month. Co-incidentially, someone gave it to me to read just after Christmas but I have done the right thing and waited for it to be the same month as everyone else.
3.3 'Mercy Falls' (Marian Keyes). Ok this one isn't actually going to on my "next to read" list as it isn't due out until September, but I am so very excited about this that I just had to include it!

What is on your shelf at the moment?

Science v Art

Today's post is dedicated to International Pi Day. The one day of the year I embrace my Mathsy genes (and my love of pie).

Yes I am pretty sure I have Maths genes and I am pretty sure in my case they are very well hidden. My Mum's official title is "Post Graduate Research Fellow". In actual terms she does statistics for some medical research. It is what she did her PhD thesis on, but that is all I can tell you about it. I do actually own a copy of her thesis and it sits very proudly on my bookshelf, but in all honestly the only bit I understand is the dedication (which I helped write) and the acknowledgments which from memory I proofed. Dad lectures in Maths at uni and has a partially written PhD  floating around (I really have no idea what his is on). Sister #2 (who is three years younger then me) just finished her Maths degree. Mum and Dad were mature aged students so I feel there is some excuse for them, but I am not so sure about my sister! It is bit odd being in a family where being half way through a law degree is a bit of a let down ;)**

Law, I feel, is one of those subject areas which clearly divides those who are science students at heart compared to those who are arts students at heart. You can pretty much tell this, but which subjects they like. Hard and fast statue based classes = science. Lots of discretion = arts. Just in my humble opinion, but it really seems to be the way it works. This is backed up by (a) what they are doing in their other degree; or (b) what they did in their first degree; or (c) what their favourite subjects were at high school; or (d) all of the above.

In high school my TEE (tertiary entry subjects) were a fifty-fifty split. But the subjects I aced were History and English Literature. The double Maths was mostly because my parents assured me they would be easy marks (see how naive I was?!). It wasn't, just for the record.

To this day I still don't know what fish breathe out and why (in my head it should be Hydrogen and I can't work out why not? This has been confusing me for seventeen years now). And don't ever get me started on imaginary numbers (I know they are the square root of negative one but I am sorry you just can't make up something to make things work I don't care often Mum assures me you can). Admittedly this is probably more proof that I need to get a life then anything else!!!

But in my home we like to celebrate all sorts of things! And I do like to prove to my parents I am expanding my children to all sorts of things not just artsy stuff***.  So Happy International Pi Day everyone!!!

Our International Pi Day dinner. Homemade (aka heated) with love! We did also discuss 'Pi' as opposed to 'Pie'.



** Just in case anyone is worried about my self-esteem, this is a joke! They are all very proud of me.
*** Not that they are against artsy stuff. They are the ones who taught me to love reading and history!

Why I don't understand my children (and vice versa).

People always stop me to tell me the girls look just like me. And I mean all the time, not just people I know or people standing next to me in the check-out queue, but random people will actually stop to tell me this. I mean they do look like me, but they are mine! But more to the point, I do find the concept of walking up to a stranger and stopping to tell them this is strange. I have decided to take it as a compliment though, because in my humble and highly biased opinion they are all very pretty. The girls I mean, not the strangers.
It is also funny, because despite their similarities, different people who actually know us will each have which one they insist looks the most like me. These opinions are pretty much equally divided up between the three girls. The consensus is agreed that they all look like me not their father though (with the exception of his step-mother which is understandable!). Funnily enough, the one strangers pick as looking the most like their dad is Erin, because they are both darker. However, she is not actually biologically his!

For all their similarities they are all quite different. I have always said the difference in their personalities showed most clearly in how they would react if they were upset or got into trouble as toddlers. Reanna used to just be devastated and would cry. Erin would sulk (and just for the record it is really hard to study with a two year old sitting behind you with her arms crossed and glaring at you). Aimee would have a massive tantrum. Her first through herself down and cry tantrum was the day she sat up.
Not that I ever expected them to be the same as each other or like me. However, I thought I had a few years left of understanding them (until we hit the teenage years). But they still continue to surprise me and the following are just a few reasons I don't think I will ever understand my children, and why I think they will never understand me:-

- Reanna refuses to write properly on facebook or in text messages. This drives me insane. And yet, she insists on writing "sad face" or "smiley face" rather then using symbols.

- That they all love sport and play voluntarily at school (and not just to get out of class) and they are all talented (not to mention co-ordinated) dancers.

-They can do cool things with their hair. My talents pretty much stopped at pony-tails and plaits. Yes, three girls were wasted on me!

-They don't love Enid Blyton - wasn't this what we all grew up reading? And Enid Blyton stuff was old when I was little. Admittedly they like her stuff, and they have more options these days, but still!

- Aimee doesn't eat meat. Enough said. Although I understand the ethical reasons.

- Erin has an amazing networking ability already. She can talk to anyone whether or not she has been introduced.

-Reanna wants to do a fun run. Really wants to do one. I have agreed but only under sufferance. When mu personal trainer was suggesting I start the C25K program he asked hadn't I always wanted to run a marathon. My answer was most definitely no. No urge whatsoever!

The big question is, if I don't understand them ... how is anyone else supposed to?

(This post is intended to balance out all my pround mama posts. I am a proud mama, but doesn't mean it is smooth sailing all the time! Admittedly this list isn't really life ruining, but it does make for fun conversations with lots of eyerolling).

Why blog?

People have been keeping diaries for years. Centuries even. Hmm ... 'centuries' might be a slight exaggeration. I can't really think of the earliest diary I have read or heard about. Although clearly this became more likely once literacy levels were improved and the means to physically write became more easily accessible. Regardless, can you imagine how different history would be to study if more ordinary people had kept diaries in years gone by?

I don't know about anyone else, but I think of keeping a diary and my automatic mental image goes to a young girl. Similarly, I think of someone writing their memoirs and I think of an old man and probably one who was in the military. I also have a vague picture of a sick mother writing her story for her baby who she may not see grow up. I  have to admit when I think of someone who blogs, I think of a woman automatically and probably one with children. Clearly these are all stereotypes! And I am in no way suggesting most people fit these moulds. I would be very disappointed if they did. But it is just funny the way you get embedded with stereotypes even if you don't mean to be!

I did a fascinating assignment on the diary of a Victorian working-class woman years ago. (Embarrassingly, I can't remember her name. I was very pregnant with Erin at the time. This is my excuse and I am sticking to it). I also remember being inspired to keep a journal of my all activities when I was about 9 after reading someone Lady Baden-Powell had always kept one. I kept this up until I was about 14 I think. (I am sure this will be very useful for writing my autobiography one day!). I've read 'The Diary of Anne Frank', perhaps the most famous diary of all, and a number of biographies and autobiographies. Some of which I am sure were written with the help of people's personal diaries.

But regardless of this publication of diaries and journals and letters, did any of them really ever think what they were writing was going to become public property?

So this all brings me back to the question of why blog? I have to admit I feel a little egocentric thinking that anyone will actually care about the waffle I write on here. And of course, I had to start not one but three blogs.

The flip side of this is, I love reading other people's blogs. Just about the random stuff they say and do. However at times this feels incredibly voyeuristic. Especially when I was in the 'lurking stage'. By the lurking stage I mean when I was reading blogs and reading the regularly, but didn't follow them. In all fairness, at that stage I wasn't following any blogs but this is not the point. (Hello to any lurkers I may have, please feel free to say hi). This information is obviously in the public realm and I assume people like to have their blogs read, so I am not feeling bad about this!

So why do I blog? For me I think it is about getting back into the feel of writing for fun. For enjoyment, after years of writing for study. It is a way of feeling validated. That I have something worth saying (and I don't know why my lovely followers keep reading and keep commenting, but it really makes my day when you do! Thank you). And now I am at the point where I think I am ready to start writing down some of the stories that have been haunting me for years, blogging has been a way for me to begin to write regularly. There is instant gratification with a blog post!!

Damn.  Now I have finished this, while I was re-reading (yes I do re-read even though it might not seem like it) I have a horrible feeling I may have written something like this before? I am going to hit 'publish' anyway though because I am sure it is so fabulous you all want to read it again! (Humour me on this one).

So blogland friends. Why do you blog? And how on earth to you keep track of what you have written about before and what was just something you were thinking, but never actually blogged about?

Love! Love! Love!

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

Joining in with Paisley Jade and reflecting on all the things I am loving this week.

And I do love this post. It makes me smile all week.

I am loving my tap dancing classes. It is something I have always thought would be fun. I love the clip-clopping-tapping noises (especially when I get it right). I even loved this noise when the girls were doing tap!

I love my purple handbag. One of my friends sent it to me last year from Melbourne when I was going to a mutual friends wedding. Not only did it match my outfit perfectly, it is purple! And it was sent to me with love.

I love facebook Scrabble! I love boardgames and I love that I can play this one virtually with people all over the place. I also love that you can learn new words and that you can't cheat. I also love that 'Quidditch' is an acceptable word and 'Muggle' isn't. Or it might be the other way around, but it makes me laugh.

I love chick lit. I just finished the new Sophie Kinsella book (stay tuned for a review).**

I love crossing things off my to do list no matter how small. The list is never ending so I really feel you have to make the most of the little things!

I love going out for breakfast. Even though I think this has made an appearance on  another list recently. Perhaps even last weeks? Regardless I still love it. It is one of my most favourite ever things to do.

I love time with my sisters and one-on-one time with my daughters. My youngest sister said our day out on Monday was the best shopping trip she has ever had. She is almost 12. I love her, but we fight a lot. So I value even more the time we get to spend together and have fun.

What are you loving this week?!

(I know, no pictures again. I really do need to remember to work on this).

**update** for anyone who cares, my review of 'I've Got Your Number' can be read here.

Battle of the sexes

Today is International Women's Day. I am halfway through super long mummy-type post that I was hoping to publish today, but it is just not ready yet. So today I am taking a break from the normal, mindless waffle that I write in order to show I really do have some depth.

When one of my friends found out I have been doing poledancing for fitness on and off for a few years she told me the following quote "We won the battle of the sexes when women began poledancing for exercises". I took this to mean women had won. We took something that was found in seedy strip joints and made it our own (please excuse the stereotypes). It wasn't until I googled the quote so I could say which movie it came from (Crazy, Stupid Love which I still haven't seen by the way) that I realised that in the context of the movie they meant men won the battle. Really? I suppose you could see it like that, but I like my version better. Or perhaps a better outlook would be seeing both sides finding a happy middle ground.

It took me a long time to be comfortable with the word "feminist". It brings to mind bra-burning, man-haters who became lesbians for political reasons. (I know. Sterotypes again. Sorry). As I have gotten older I am so incredibly grateful to these women who came before me. The ones who had to be extreme so I got to make the choices. I don't have to do it all. But I am lucky. I am educated. I choose to balance my work and my family life in a way I am mostly ok with. I deal with the fact there are certain parts of my career that are on hold, because I would rather be home to play chauffeur and tuck my children into bed at night. I have a brain and F-cup boobs. I have two and a half degrees and three gorgeous children. For legal stuff and for work I use my surname. Socially I often used my ex-husband's a long time before we were married and still continue to do for family stuff. I supported my big two girls in their choice to use their surname (their biological father's) alongside their dad's. I shave my legs. I would never contemplate not shaving my arm pits. I happen to quite like men, but I don't need to have a partner. My daughters do dancing and play sport with the boys.

I want other women to be able to make these life choices. Whatever choices are right for them. Whether that is to smash the glass ceiling or to spend every single day of their adult lives at home looking after their families. This is why I am ok now with being labelled a feminist. Although personally I quite like the term post-feminist feminism. I have spent so much time studying history so I know how far we have come. Maybe this is why sometimes I forget how far we still have to go. But thanks to the women who have come before me, and thanks to the men who have supported them, I can do this on my own terms.

And while we are on the topic of history and women. Embrace the colour purple ladies. When I was at school they used to say it purple meant you are sexually frustrated. It was the colour of the suffragettes. You know if they had been at home properly wedded and bedded they would have had better things to do then think (please don't miss the sarcasm).

So wear purple proudly. Celebrate with your girlfriends. Dance, drink champagne, scrapbook or build a shed. Thank your mothers and your grandmothers. Thank the now conservative teachers you had who would have been out there burning bras when they were at uni. Thank the wonderful men in your life who don't get why feminism is needed because they really do treat women equally (re-educate them later). Remember how far we have come and don't ever think it is far enough. All people need to be equal and those of us who are lucky enough to be in the position where we do not feel discriminated against, can't ever forget we are the lucky ones. And I still maintain we won with the poledancing.

(Please tune back in tomorrow when normal programming will recommence. Not that I am convinced I have a normal blog style yet, but it might start tomorrow)

Virtual Confessional

I'm feeling really, really, really guilty at the moment and  I need somewhere to confess and people to confess too, so blogging-world friends, you are it.

Today, I had an early morning breakfast "meeting" this morning. (By meeting, I mean going out to breakfast with my colleagues, but as I never get to go to Friday night drinks I really was making an effort to get to a social thing that I could make it to). I bribed Aimee to get out of bed early and made it to drop her at childcare at 6:30am.

I made it to the train station just in time and as I was getting my smartrider (ticket pass thing) out of my bag I accidentally dropped the V can I was drinking from (let's leave my caffeine addiction alone at this point. Although this is karma maybe?). The problem is, when I dropped it it rolled off the ramp and I couldn't reach it from where I was. To pick it up I would have had to walk back down and around. Normally I wouldn't think twice about doing it, but today it would have meant missing my train. So I left it.

Now all I can see is this can lying there, that I deliberately left. Argh.

I would like to put it on the public record that if it is still there tomorrow, and I imagine it will be, I will go and pick it up.

On the upside, breakfast was great and it was really nice to do something social with my colleagues. The mama-work-student thing means that really isn't something I get to do very often. And I love going out for breakfast. It really is one of my most favourite things to do.

Learning, learning, learning

Things I have learnt this weekend. And before anyone is confused, WA had a long weekend this weekend (for Labour Day) so it really is the last day of the weekend for me. That said, it isn't a university holiday so despite not having to go to work I am sitting in a uni lecture theatre as I type. I felt it was appropriate considering the subject of this post! I should also clarify that the lecture hasn't started yet. Please feel free to imagine my halo.

So anyway. Things I have learnt this weekend:

1. The instructions on the 'shake and make' pancakes are not just for show Have I mentioned I don't cook? This may be why! I was shaking the pancake mix and it goes flying everywhere. I am still getting pancake out of my hair. The trick to avoiding this is to follow the instructions and make sure the lid is on properly. Or if you insist on not reading them properly try to avoid an audience. Mine consisted of my big two, my youngest sister and a friend of Erin's.

2. Shorts are shorter then they used to be In proportion to my increasing age and increasing exponentially with the age of my daughters. Perhaps a matter of perception?

3. A mother's work does not stop because her children move out of home  Even when they have children of their own. A shout out of thanks to my mum for printing out my lecture notes for me for this week. I forgot I wasn't at work today and that my printer at home isn't working.

4. Lecturers get a say in when the exam is Every other university lecturer may be going to hunt down and torture my current lecturer for announcing this to the class. Really. I have never heard this announced before! (Although it doesn't actually surprise me, I am pretty sure the "rule" is that it is never said).

5. The three ancient learned professions are theology, medicine and law This is a paraphrased quote and I haven't been able to work out exactly who said it first. A google search shows it heaps though so I am guessing someone said it at some point though. This is a classical definition though before anyone gets upset with me. I am a historian remember. I would like to know when it was first said though because I think it is an interesting snapshot of the attitude of that time.

6. Everything tastes better when you eat it off a stick We had the most amazingly yummy swirly potato on a stick things this weekend at the Fremantle Markets. So yummy that after we had them on Sunday with the girls' dad, Reanna and I took my little sister there again today. To back this up fruit kebabs and sausages also taste better when things are on a stick. It is just the way it is.

By the way. I am a sucky student! Lecture may not have started when I began to write this post. But it had by the time I finished. I could pretend I am good at multi-tasking, but this may be slightly exaggerated. In case you couldn't tell, number 5 above was what I learnt during class today so I really was listening!

A Rose By Any Other Name

It is funny how sometimes what you are saying really means something else. "I love you" is said so many ways other then using those exact words. Ask any man what "fine" means in an argument with his wife. No scratch that, ask any woman what "fine" means when she says it to her husband! There seem to be a few men who still don't seem to get it. Any parent knows "You sleep in. I'll get up and look after the kids" means "I love you more then anything. Thanks for everything you do for our family".
My family is not the sort of family that celebrates anniversaries. I don't know why not. (Although I am sure you have worked out by my love of celebrations I am not one of these people!). We are also the sort of people who believe in "moving" birthdays to the most convenient weekend rather then doing anything on the actual day. Well, except for saying Happy Birthday and presents and cake. But "house family" stuff, not proper family stuff. My Dad forgot it was his birthday one year! Sometimes I wonder if I really am related to these people.

Despite this, for the last twelve years I have not ever forgotten to text my mum and wish her a happy anniversary. Not really because it is her wedding anniversary (Although clearly I mean the sentiment!) But it is the message to her that I haven't forgotten another anniversary.

Thirteen years ago today my little brother died. Unexpectedly. The day after my parents' 20th wedding anniversary. Ironically, it was the first time they were planning on celebrating it. "Happy Anniversary" really means "I haven't forgotten" it means "I am still hurting too" it means "I am thinking of you and I am thinking of all of us and we won't forget". Thirteen years later it is still too hard to find the words to start that conversation. Not that we don't talk about him. We talk about him all the time. We celebrate his life. He has four sisters who remember him and two sisters and hoards of nieces and a nephew or two who don't, but know lots of the stories. It doesn't change the fact it is still hard. The pain may soften, but it is still there.

Today Mum asked if the flowers are the cemetery were from me. They were. I went yesterday. Aimee is now fairly certain we should leave Hawaiian leis after seeing some on some of the other graves. I admit I always pick the flowers carefully because I don't want to get something too girly. Mum thought the leis were a nice idea. I think because it was Aimee's! She may have thought it was a little odd if it was from me. But we might do it for his birthday in a few weeks. It will save me the flower issue.

Loving it ...... and my 100th post!

Just to clarify, this not my 100th 'Loving It' post, but rather my 100th published blog post! Wow. This definitely feels like some sort of milestone and what better way to celebrate then by joining in with this week's 'Loving It'

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.


Joining in with Paisley Jade and reflecting on all the things I am loving particularly this week


... blogging (this has to get a mention in honour of the big 1-0-0).

... 'Harry Potter' and 'Twilight'. Not just because I enjoy them myself, but I love that it is something I share with the girls. And particularly loving them at the moment as we marathoned away our being sick time.

....caramel fudge - especially when it is bought for me by someone who loves me.

... Autumn! It is my absolute favourite season.

... countdowns. I love the anticipation that something big is happening!

... spiders! The kind that are soft drink and icecream. Not the kind with eight legs. And have I mentioned before how much fun it is to add 100s & 1000s to the mix?



What are you loving this week?

Bookworms

I got a letter today from Reanna's high school. (As a side note, I love how the school posts the letters. It is just sort of ironic that primary school kids can be trusted to hand them to their parents but high school students can't!). The letter was from the librarian, deputy principal and year 8 co-ordinator letting parents know about a program being run in English to encourage kids to read and making suggestions as to how parents can help their children to not only enjoy reading, but for them to read more then one genre/sub-genre (perhaps a subtle suggestion that they should be reading about things other then vampires?).

Being a good mother, I sat Reanna down and asked her if there was anything she thought I could do to help encourage her to read more. I also gave her the letter to read. She gave me a look like I was an idiot and very kindly told me that she thought I was doing a good job. How nice of her! I think I can tick that box. Yay!**

Ironically, I had a book order arrive yesterday full of all (teen appropriate - I hope) vampire books for Reanna for her birthday. I am thinking I will read them before I give them too her just to make sure they are ok. This really is the reason ;).I also picked up a copy of 'Dracula' earlier in the week. I haven't read it before but I am thinking if she is going to be into all books vampirish she really should have read the classic. This makes sense. Right? Reanna said I should read it first and tell her if it is any good.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, I am also encouraging her to move across genres. There are also some Meg Cabot books in her present pile and some biographies (admittedly of Daniel Radcliffe and Taylor Lautner, but this is not the point).

Final thought for the day, while we are on the topic of all things bookish "you can't buy happiness, but you can buy books and that's kind of the same thing". (Stolen from  a facebook post. I am sorry I don't know who to credit it too).

Have a great day, and happy reading!



** On a serious note, I think it is awesome the school is not only running this program, but that they are encouraging parents to back it up and giving parents tips on how to do it. I did also tell Reanna that I hoped she would participate in the extension activities that are on offer. And I will certainly do anything I can that I am not already doing. Just happens that reading is clearly my thing and the girls' are all avid readers already.

Soccer Mum

Yes, I know it has been almost a week since I have posted. Mostly because for a good part of that we were at home watching dvds and reading books being isolated in our (what may have been but I really don't think it was) poxy-ness. It would have been very boring reading.

Then this week has been insane! For many reasons, not the least of being which have started my new 'career' as a soccer mum. Literally. Erin decided to play soccer this year and only do once dance class. And I know I have mentioned it before, but my daughter rocks (well clearly all three of them do, but this instance particularly Erin).

So it is her Erin's day of training and it is her first time playing soccer this year. Found out there turns out she is the only girl and the only new person today although they did say they are expecting some new boys next week. She was a bit nervous to start with, but there was an older sister watching who saw Erin was new and took her and introduced her to the boys. This girl totally made my day by the way.

Erin holds her own all session and they were worked hard. Sit-ups, running, squats, push ups (Erin asked if she could do push ups girl style. This was refused but you can't blame a girl for trying!).  Her hair is quite long and she had it in a pony-tail turned into a bun. It must have been a bit loose, because she fixed her hair back into a bun twice mid practice game (including pausing to take a kick and to call out).You just have to love it! I could hear the boys already call her name for passes and stuff. At the end I asked her if she was ok being the only girl she just shrugged and said it doesn't matter as long as she isn't ever on 'skins'. I wish I had even a fraction of her confidence and poise!

Just for the record. Erin is still all girl. Her happy moment of the day was when we found a mouth guard that matched her team colours!

 

On a random side note, Aimee has taken offence to the fact I call Erin 'Erin-my-Erin'. I have always called her that and it is her name just for her! Aimee's request to be called 'Aimee-my-Aimee' was firmly denied. She is 'Aimee-fuzz' or 'Aimee-baby' and that is that. Erin needs some stuff that is just for her and Aimee most definitely does not need anymore encouragement to make everything about her!