Suddenly Seven

Home Time

2014-03-29T15:35:00.001+10:00

My small girl and I at Brisbane airport.

If you follow me on instagram or my blog facie page you'd know a few weeks ago I buggered off for a girls weekend with Aurelia and left the boys in the capable hands of their dad (knowing my bestie only lives around the corner helped). One of my oldest friends was getting married and I wasn't missing it, and I certainly wasn't taking everyone that far half way through the school term. When we found out we were having a girl we'd talked about having boys weekends and girls weekends I didn't think it'd be this quickly though!
As strange as it felt to be away from the boys I knew it'd be over in a heartbeat so I tried to enjoy it while I could. I must say getting back into homework, bath time and cooking dinner has been hard work!

Cardigan socks. Obviously not in Mackay now Toto!

I flew to Sydney where as soon as I picked up my luggage I was cold! Cold people! I hired the cutest little car that my luggage and pram barely fit into. I never drove a beep beep car, my first car was a v6 sedan. It was fun even though I didn't think I was going to make it through some of the hills in the blue mountains!
I wanted to fit in as many coffee dates and catch ups as possible, i don't make it home as often as I'd like to and now that were in the process of building a house (eek!) our travel budget has been rescheduled for house stuff, so before we'd even left Sydney I snuck over to bondi to see my gorgeous cousin and her very handsome little man Beau who's only a couple of weeks younger than Aurelia before the trek out through the blue mountains and out to my home town.

The Blue Mountains. Beautiful but always awful weather.

I did a quick whip round the shops then headed out to see my gorgeous friend Emily and her new house which was only at insulation stage last time I was home. Whenever I see her its always like no time has passed, sign of a good friendship I think. I stayed almost all day which would have been nearly impossible if I had everyone with me.

Emily with her gorgeous hilarious daughter Grace and Aurelia.

Saturday we headed off on a road trip within the road trip to babymacs hood which was even colder and man I loved it. We wore scarves and pants with real shoes and cardigans! cardigans! Its one of the big things I miss about home is the seasons, autumn leaves and cold crisp air. there's nothing quite like it.
We made it with just time to spare to get changed spruce up our hair and get our bums to the wedding which was gorgeous, not what I was expecting but very Tina which was perfect.

Ready to go!

My gorgeous friends and their hubbies. Wedding photobooth for the win!

Before mum Aurelia and I went back to Orange we had a yummy breakfast and a walk around the markets.

Rolling green hills and moo cows, picture perfect views on our drive.

Before we flew home I stopped off to meet another brand new cousin and catch up with his gorgeous mumma and my uncle Mike.

Hunter and Aurelia. Only about two weeks apart.

It's hard living so far away and missing all the important things like new babies in the family and new houses and the everyday coffee playdates but it makes going home and seeing everyone everyone extra special.

Changing it up

2014-03-14T07:00:00.000+10:00

Lately this is what our house looks like between dinner and bed time.
Lots of books being read and listened to and lots of cars driven around.
No TV.
Parenting is a strange business, you get used to something then they grow and change and the old ways and rules don't apply any longer. Picture this: one small girl cranky because she's tired and wants to be fed constantly, four small boys all talking at the same time at me, the TV blaring with either Michael or I trying to watch something on the news or the kids watching Simpson's re runs, me trying to convince everyone to stop staring at the TV and eat their dinner. It's a pretty picture right?
So this week we've turned off the TV before dinner and it stays off until after everyone is in bed. It's been ridiculously lovely and calm. Tonight once my hungry girl finally had enough milk for a small calf she went in the swing and the boys all hung out in the playroom while I tided up the kitchen and started on lunches for tomorrow. We ended up having a bit of a sing along and requests to play that song one more time. By the time everyone was done with teeth it was only just bedtime and everyone is quite happy to go to bed.

Why didn't I do this years ago? Who knows if it would have even worked a few years ago.
Parenting, it's a strange business.

What have you done that you didn't think would work?

Another Birthday!

2014-03-11T07:00:00.000+10:00

My second babe is officially seven. Doesn't he rock a Charlie Chaplin mo' quite well?

We had his birthday party a few weeks after his birthday which meant he got two cakes and two lots of presents.Yep he has the birthday thing figured out!

I don't see James being a crowd follower. He has his own crazy ideas and no matter what you say or do he doesn't shy away from what he wants or believes in, I love that about this kid. The thing on the top of his list was a body pillow and he wanted a chocolate mint themed party. He's a one of a kind our James and I hope he never loses that.

So happy with his body pillow.

His chocolate mint cake for his birthday. Brownies, ice cream and whipped cream.

For his party on Sunday it was raining, this poor kid has had one sunny birthday party his whole life. The joys of having your birthday during the wet season!

His party was pretty low key, cake, a lolly buffet and a few friends all inside. The lady who runs the lolly buffet company suggested the moustaches and I instantly saw cute photo opportunity, pity the rain kept us inside and by the time I remembered to take the photo the kids were done with partying, Jack is missing because he was busy having a tantrum in his room after losing a game of musical chairs, yep it was one of those days.

A spot of musical statues, pass the parcel and musical chairs, there's only so much you can do inside.

See those big jars? They are full of green frogs. Green frogs!I think I'm quite in love with the lolly buffet idea. Don't be surprised to see more of these in our future!

My gorgeous boy, let's hope seven is good to you, love you to the moon and back again.

House Swap

2014-02-11T13:33:00.004+10:00

A couple of weeks ago we had a cyclone coming. To stop the house ending up looking like Dorothy's from The Wizard of Oz we decided at dinner time to move the house around, just until the cyclone had been and gone but we loved it so much we decided to keep it this way permanently. Our house is a very odd shape and I've struggled with where to put stuff and how to make it work for us, pretty unsuccessfully so far.

Before our lounge room was right at the front of the house right next to the kitchen.

Our playroom was at the opposite end of our living area. To be honest it wasn't fabulous but we didn't really think we had much option being a rental.

So we swapped the two areas around, and I have to say I love it.

Its a bit cosy and lovely. Less open and not right at the front of the house so I don't have the neighbourhood kids starring at me daily while I'm feeding Aurelia, always a bonus!

I'm so in love with the playroom, its so open and bright and having a couple of couches for them to hang out on has been a plus as far as they are concerned.

The kids absolutely did well out the swap. I've been found hanging out in that armchair when they are watching yet another episode of Peppa Pig.

Did you spy the sleeping baby? Bless her for letting me tidy up to take some photos!

Lazy Key Lime Pie

2014-02-10T19:00:00.000+10:00

Over the weekend I mentioned on facebook I was eating key lime pie and more than one person asked for the recipe, I promptly took a few photos of it, because that's what you do as a blogger. See I do remember how to do it!

Ingredients:

1 packet of plain sweet biscuits (I used scotch fingers)

50gms melted butter

1 tin of condensed milk

3 eggs

Zest and juice of 2-3 limes (depending how limey you like it,and yes limey is so a word)

Method:

Smash up the biscuits to a fine powder, unlike me who was far too lazy and busy to be arsed doing it properly.

Melt the butter and mix with the biscuit crumbs, press into a pie dish or spring form cake tin. refrigerate until cool.

Mix condensed milk, eggs, lime juice and zest and pour into biscuit base.

Bake at 170 Celsius until slightly brown around the edges, it wont be set in the middle, don't freak out. Pop it back in the fridge for at least two hours it will cool and set.

Add extra lime wedges if you have extra and slather with cream and devour like a lady with a plate or straight from the fridge like me.

Fourteen in Fourteen

2014-02-05T13:04:00.000+10:00

I love a good list. A list of exciting things to do? Even better.
I've been planning this list since New Years Eve that counts right, even though it's February? That's what I thought.

1. Read more. Not just how to DIY things on pinterest but actual books, I have a list of autobiographies I really want to read.
2. Spend at least part of my quiet Mondays doing something for me. Happy mum equals happy household.
3.Attempt to get on top of the disorganised clutter we call our house. Why did our children inherit my hoarding gene?!
4. Get some nice family photos, wall appropriate.
5. Accept I can't do everything for everyone myself and if possible outsource.
6. Turn off the TV and play more music more often. Our house is so much nicer without the TV on.
7. Try out some new recipes and don't get disheartened when the kids wont eat it.
8. Watch the godfather trilogy in one weekend.
9. Fork out the money for a babysitter and go out with my hubby. Dinner, a movie, possibly a music show (Bliss n Eso in April baby!)
10.Pack up the camper and go away, try not to stress the grubbiness of camping and live a little.
11. Learn to make pastry.
12. Cross things off my pinterest boards as done/attempted/eaten.
13. Plan a family holiday.
14. Sleep. I know it sounds ridiculous but when everyone is in bed of a night I find things to do, movies to watch, washing to fold and before I know it, it's 11.30 and I'm still pottering around the house and cursing myself the next day.

Any new years eve resolutions or lists? Have you stuck to them now it's February?

image credit

Back in the game!

2014-02-04T13:12:00.000+10:00

So I fell off the blogging bandwagon, big time, but this year I've made time for myself, it's one of those things that's been on my to do list for years that never actually happens. Last year was insane and I knew this year there needed to be a bit more balance before I ended up with no hair rocking in the corner.

With the big two at school and Charlie at Kindy five days a fortnight I've enrolled William in daycare on a Monday. So one day a week it'll just be me and the small girl. Apart from being a lady who lunches (ha!) I'm planning to blog, clean windows, not watch any ABC kids (yay!) while William gets to hang out with a group of kids his own age and hopefully start talking! Perfect way to start the week I think.

My many reasons for insanity right here.

Blog world lets do this thing.

Cabin Fever

2013-05-27T14:20:00.000+10:00

Is there anything less enjoyable than spending your weekend trapped in the house with sick kids? I often get a bit over being so busy all the time and not having a free day here and there, but after five days with small unwell sad children, I've discovered I actually like the crazy business, who would have thought! We spent Thursday Friday and the weekend like this.

TV, blankies, juice, I was so bored of being in the house I started doing weird housework stuff like cleaning fans, washing doonas and folding all the clean washing in the house I could find. My floor is still not clean and my kitchen was a mess, but man are my fans are clean!

These two both have tonsillitis, and even after 5 days of antibiotics Charlie is still not eating and has the whinge factor turned to maximum.

So while the rest of the tribe are zonked, I hung out with the kid, tea, toast and little boys in onsies, that's the best part of winter right there.

Seriously I love feetie PJ's, it's the novelty of wearing them very little and having them off by 8am or you end up sweaty.

Apricot jam, yum.

breakfast with cheeky face while everyone else had their zombie faces on in front of the TV. He appreciated my apricot jam.

While the boys watched horrible histories and cars 2 for the squillioneth time I rearranged nick knacks, dusted them (amazing!) and chopped up some cheap fake flowers that have been floating around our stuff for years. I love the yellow and pink together, it's a little bit of joy.

Sundays used to mean baking day for me but I fell out of the habit, so even though I suspected I'd only have one kid at school I made The Organised Housewife's 100 biscuits recipe. I made about 1/3 and froze the rest of the mix to be pulled out and baked later in the week I know if there is biscuits ready made they wont last! I added some caramel drinking chocolate to this batch and they are delish.

Ah sick face, this is how we've spent the last few nights, curled up on the couch or in bed waiting for the last dose of Nurofen to kick in so we can both get back to sleep. I had forgotten what it was like to be up with kids during the night, hopefully I'll be back into it by October!

Road Trip!

2013-04-15T07:30:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago we packed up the kids and basically all our possessions and headed off to my hometown, a short 20 hour drive away for a gorgeous friends wedding and a long overdue catch up with everyone, before we made it back home we went via Suger's 30th and a few days with the boys Granny and Grandad. We were gone a total of 12 days but we packed a whole bunch in!

Starting here......

This boy, 3 is such a full on age. equally adorable and devilish.

We took the boys around the track in my tarago, yep kicking it at a full 60kms an hour!

My girlfriends from home, apart from the bride and the maid of honour, we of course didn't get a photo of all of us together. Hopeless. Also when will I find a friend that is taller than me? I am always the tall one!

My wedding favour, those jelly beans are jelly belly, and freaking delish!

On the way back north we went via Wisemans ferry, the biggest kid loves going across the car ferry. It's a gorgeous part of the world that's for sure.

I seriously love these photo props, hilarious!

In case you love them as much as me we were here

The boys checking out the old school, it was tiny and would have been so freaking cold in the winter, you know I gave the boys a talk about how lucky they are. Yep I've turned into an old person.

We took the two big boys here when James was one, it was nice to bring them here as older kids and explain things to them, they are such a good age where everything is exciting and interesting, without jaded eyes.

Yep that's my kid rocking out driving the carriage.

Steam train!

What else do you do on holiday? You play with animals that could kill you! That's my Charlie holding a crocodile.

You see that face? Loved it, won't go near a dog but will play with scary things.

For such a busy trip I'm glad we managed to fit in a few fun things for the boys, there was a lot of car trips a lot of boring mum and dad things but enough fun stuff to keep them going.

Just before we left to make it the rest of the trip home we ditched the kids with their Grandparents for the night and went and partied with a heap of bloggers and hang out with Suger for her neon birthday bash. Was so nice to see her after almost two years and meet some gorgeous ladies, we laughed so hard and took some hilarious photos before this pregnant lady drove a few party goers to the pub and danced my feet to sleep!

That was our trip, 5001.8kms. When we walked in the front door I almost didn't recognise our house, we'd seen so much in such a short time.
Thankfully we had two weeks of school holidays to get over it. Next time we go home we'll have an extra babe!

Oops I did it again

2013-04-10T06:29:00.000+10:00

So for those who haven't spoken to my overly enthusiastic husband in the last 13 weeks or seen the announcement, this lady is having another baby.
Yep you know what that means, new blog name, more to add to my tattoo and my baby has been kicked from baby status to big brother.
I never expected to be the mother of five kids before I was thirty, actually I never expected to be the mother of five at all. It was not a planned baby, it was a whoopsie daisy, faulty PPE. I did feel like a teenager out of a bad midday movie telling my doctor the condom broke and I'm late.
Now that we've had a few weeks to get used to the idea Michael has decided if we can do five we may as well do six. The man is baby obsessed. I personally would like my body to resemble a 30 year old rather than the old lady who lived in a shoe.
I'm still trying to figure out how we will handle the logistics of five kids, school, Kindy, daycare, sports, homework, bath time. It all sounds to hard right now but I'm on the roller coaster and there's no exit for the next 18 years or so and I'm sure there will many a blog post about getting it wrong as much as getting it right...

I'm ready for the journey, will you come along with me?

20 in 2013!

2013-02-09T07:33:00.000+10:00

Last year was a crazy whirlwind, much more than I was expecting it to be. William kept me on my toes way more than I thought he would and like every year my list was a bit of a hit and miss.

Last year my list was like this:

1. ~~Get through every day with four kids without ripping all my hair out and/or killing someone.~~

2. Find time in the week for me.

3. Go to the beauticians/hairdressers more regularly.

4. Take the boys to their first football game.

5. Go for walks with my two smallest people.

6. Visit some family off both sides.

7. ~~Spend Christmas with those that we love, somewhere pretty.~~

8. Laugh more.

9. ~~Stop and take time to play silly buggers with my boys~~

10. ~~Go on dates with my hubby.~~

11. Say yes to things without worrying or stressing.

12. ~~Stop second guessing myself, and just do it.~~

13. Go away for a kick ass family holiday.

So I did terribly. But it's nice to have something to work towards right?

I made it to the beauticians once, ditto with the hairdresser. We saw family but we didn't really do much traveling to see them. Lucky there's a new year hey?

So my list for this year may be a little more realistic, I know we've got a lot on this year already, pretty much every school holiday has been planned already, including Christmas and early 2014.

1. Take the boys to their first football game (we already have tickets for May, is that cheating?)

2. Get a cleaner.

3. Save for a house (this better not be on my list next year.

4. Make the most of my Charlie bear before he starts Kindy next year.

5. Go on dates with my big boys, often.

6. Take Will to do fun baby things on our days just the two of us.

7. Buy a new dining table, and maybe a new couch.

8. Get some new winter boots (very important in my world.

9. Spend less time online and more time in the real world with my gorgeous boys and my beautiful girlfriends.

10. Blog more.

11. Take more photos of everyday stuff.

12. Get some nice photos of all of us together.

13. Make new exciting dinners and don't get upset when the kids won't eat it.

14. Don't feel guilty about buying new knickers/bras/shoes for myself.

15. Try to be less truthful with Michael, sometimes a little sugar coating is needed.

16. Throw some kick ass birthday parties for the whole family. Life is more fun when you can celebrate with friends right?

17. Try to keep my car clean (ish).

18. Go to see proper grown up movies.

19. Be more organised, maybe then I would have posted this around the new year instead of February.

20. Try to get the above 19 crossed off before 2014!

Right what do you think of my list? Maybe not so realistic but hey it's nice to dream, what's on your list for this year?

12 Months!

2013-02-06T07:30:00.000+10:00

My gorgeous boy is a one year old. It's still strange to think we made it through the first year. It was a whirlwind that's for sure and I'm really glad I made the time to take monthly pictures and blog about it, reading back through the month by month posts reminded me of stuff I had already forgotten.

He is our most loving boy yet, he demands hugs from everyone, if he's standing he will hug your leg if you aren't paying enough attention to him, but if he's lucky and you put your arms out he will give you big open armed, head on the shoulder kinda hugs accompanied with a little pat on the back. It's quite hilarious to watch and almost always gets an 'awww' from whoever he is hugging. I get the feeling he likes the attention, big time.

I had to bribe him with a milk arrowroot to take these pictures, which is whats hanging out of his mouth. He's walking everywhere and cracked his first tooth just before Christmas. No stopping him now he's started. He's hit toddlerhood full force and is loving it.

When I get the chance over the next few years I'm going to try to keep taking these photos with his quilt it's amazing to see how much he's grown already, my gorgeous big boy!

To see his 10 month photos go here.

Pond Scum~The new Detox?

2013-02-05T08:00:00.000+10:00

Green pond sludge drunk with a curly straw has to make it more interesting and tasty right?

I have over indulged this silly season, worse than ever before I'm sure. Sunday was my first alcohol free day since before Christmas, Christmas!
Along with the booze I've had a ridiculous amount of take out, party food, crazy dinners, big breakfasts and crap.
My waist line is suffering, my face is breaking out and I had to break the habit with something a little drastic, so this morning I had a strawberry chiobani yogurt and a green smoothie with added spirulina, I don't even know what that means but its obviously something good right?

What do you do to kick the binging habit? Liquid diet for a few days? Detox? Please tell me I need it!

Big Willie!

2013-01-26T07:00:00.000+10:00

For those of you I'm friends with on facebook, you've seen these pictures so nothing to see here, move along thanks.

Right for everyone else William had his first birthday earlier this month, James proclaimed 'He's got a number!' Because before if someone asked how old Will was James would say zero. Which to him was true, he had no number.

Having your birthday so close to Christmas makes for hard present buying, he got so much stuff for Christmas that there wasn't much left for his birthday. He obviously didn't mind a great deal and was quite happy to see clothes when he opened some of his pressies. Happy enough to give it all a little clap.

He spent all day sucking his lips in and drooling everywhere, between then and now he's popped out three more teeth, so no huge surprise.

I'm not sure where he got it from but he oohs and aahhhs at pretty much everything, It is ridiculously cute and cracks me up how animated he gets about it.

The boys were trying to teach William to put one finger in the air and when you ask him how old he is, he didn't like the look of their game and did what he wanted, which as the youngest he will do forever and get away with, that's the job of youngest right?

Breakfast of champs for a one year old consists of french toast, loads of fresh fruit, cream and a honey drizzle. Although he didn't get the honey drizzle (no honey til they are two) he still devoured it.

After breakfast a mini catwalk fashion show, new shoes require showing off.

First chocolate cake, just to make sure he is actually my son and he passed with flying colours. Couldn't take his eyes off it even for a quick photo. He wanted to stick those little fingers straight in itt.

He ate up his whole piece and wanted more. Yep he's definitely mine. A swim at the beach and early to bed and his day was done. So that's it, my baby is no longer, now a toddler in the making. His first year was full on and I'm guessing his second year will be as well, but much much more fun!

Happy Birthday baby boy!

I'm not dead!!!

2013-01-23T06:37:00.000+10:00

I'm such a bad blogger. My poor blog has been ditched since December the 9th, That's not a month that's closer to two months. Heck. Since then we finished school, had Christmas, saw in the new year, my baby turned one and now its almost time to send my biggest two back to school.
Anyway this is what we've been up to, you know in a six week nutshell. That totally works right?

Girls Night Out requires big hair, red lips and semi drunk selfies.

The boys and I got into the Christmas spirit trying to be Rudolph.

We went overboard with Christmas, well Santa did. Next Christmas one present each. Maybe two.

Nanny Pants came for Christmas and my gorgeous sister and her man. I of course took no photos.

I'd like to point out my 7yr old who is almost as tall as Nan, whats that about.

I drank lots of these.

See that's me drinking it there, with him, in our own apartment for the night, with no kids. Yes we lived it up.

I just want one nice photo of the four of them. Just one. I'm going to pay someone else to do it.

Someone took to my kids head.

11 Months, poor baby doesn't even get his own post, but I did take the photos, that counts as something right?

I bribed him with biscuit. He looks so impressed.

So that's us, six weeks of school holidays have been so full on but so nice to sleep in, stay up late, not have to be anywhere at 9am, and not having to wake up anyone for 3pm pick ups. Amazing how good it's been. There's of course been lots of fights and I have been drinking almost everyday but I will miss them when it's back to me and the two littlest boys but geez my house will be cleaner and I may actually blog occasionally. Not making any promises though.

My week according to Instagram

2012-12-09T14:00:00.002+10:00

So according to Instagram, food and the weather were important. Typical for this time of year for me really.
My baby got super big and figured out how to use a proper cup and since then is all over it.
My hubby shaved his face clean for the second time in our entire relationship. he looks so weird to me but everyone keeps telling him how good he looks.
James found my animal bag and ran around the house with it on his face singing like a muppet. Hilarious.
Charlie became a vallet shark and parked as many cars on his garage as he could. He's going to do big things that boy.
Friday the boys and I wore our red for Daniel, what an emotional day, I was in front of the TV weeping along with a lot of the country.
Finally I won the trolley lotto and snagged the double toddler trolley. Winning right there even if my kids were both sad/crying/throwing tantrums.

Playing along with Tina. You should to, it's fun.

10 Months

2012-11-28T07:00:00.000+10:00

No longer is he a baby.
10 months is double digits, that's it, he's a huge kid now!
These photos are getting harder and harder to take. I think I'm going to have to keep him busy with food from now on.

We made it to 10 months breast feeding, I'm super proud of myself. We had a few huge milestones within a few days of each other. He started sleeping in his own room not with us anymore, I stopped feeding and he started sleeping through the night. I didn't know myself!

He's become such a funny little creature and such a big boy, he's so mischievous and cheeky and has learnt how to nap! It may only be once a day but that's a huge difference from where we were six months ago!

See his9 month photos here

A day to remember.

2012-11-11T07:00:00.000+10:00

You know those days when your kids are driving you mental and you question your parenting techniques and abilities and although you know there is an end to the tunnel but you have no idea where it is or if you'll ever find it?
Then some days they do something that makes you do the ugly cry and your heart bursts with pride, and you know your doing something right and all the hard work and consistent effort to teach them to be good humans has done something good.

This week Jack and I have been talking about remembrance day and what it means and why the poppy is the symbol. After seeing the ladies of the RSL outside the supermarket he brought me change from his money box and asked me to buy him his very own poppy badge.
Anzac day and remembrance day were always a big deal when I was a kid, having a Grandad that was the president of the RSL probably had something to do with it, I'm so glad I can pass that on to my babies.

Jack asked me to take his photo, but not before I brushed his hair.
You have to look respectable. His words not mine.
Heart. Melt.

My crazy busy life

2012-11-08T18:30:00.000+10:00

I got an email the other day asking if I was OK and if there was something going on and is that why I'm not blogging as much anymore. I didn't think anyone would think there was anything wrong so to put her mind at ease and anyone else who thinks I may not be coping with four I know I keep saying I'm busy and it sounds like a cop out but I really am just busy.

I try to blog more and some weeks I do better than others but really it's not high enough on my priority list most of the time. After a full day I just want to pass out, actually some days by 1pm I want to pass out.
Our normal week looks like this:
Monday: School drop off, then Charlies swimming lesson, home for showers and whatever housework needs to be done before school pick up, homework, baths, dinner, more homework, bedtime.
Tuesday: School drop off, Charlie goes to daycare so it's just me and Will so while he sleeps I get the floors mopped, clean the bathrooms you know all those joyful things. Then I try to hang out with him as much as possible before we pick everyone up and start all over again with the feeding, cleaning routine.
Wednesday: School drop off, playdates/library/park trip. Housework, school pick up, homework, baths etc etc etc.
Thursday: School drop off, Charlie has Kindergym then home for quick lunch before naps while I cook dinner, school pick up, finish all the homework before it has to be handed in then at 5pm the big boys have swimming lessons, home for a late dinner and bed.
Friday: School drop off, Groceries/housework/library. No homework but we usually have a friend over or we go to a friends.
Saturday: Pool/beach/park. Try to have a quietish day.
Sunday: Nippers at 9am which means the big boys have a blast and I wear a cranky tired baby while keeping an eye on Charlie taking over the beach and everyone's toys. Home at lunch time, showers, naps, school baking/dinner. Washing.

Throw in a few mumma playdates and lunches and that's just about us. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted reading that. Michael is working 8 days out of 10 so most of the time it's up to me and with my koala baby I treasure nap times to get stuff done!
So thank you for your kind thoughts and lovely email I really am a-ok just really actually busy!

My Week on Instagram

2012-11-04T20:33:00.000+10:00

So this was a busy week compared to last week by the looks of things!
Last Sunday I threw the boys teddies a party. I answered the door wearing my Fiona ears, as you do. Michael and I have been engaged for eight years. Eight years! Jack gave me a foot rub and brushed my hair. Bless him.
Charlie threw many many epic tantrums. Epic. My eating better plan resulted in me eating cereal that tasted like cardboard covered in banana, and then today my biggest boy and I had a date lunch, movie and shopping, four whole hours just the two of us. Before I put him to bed he thanked me for a nice day. Love that kid. So that's my week, I'm tired just looking at it and its only getting busier the closer its getting to Christmas.

Playing along with the fabulous Tina

My week on Instagram

2012-10-28T10:30:00.003+10:00

My week according to Instagram.

I've been ignoring my online world this week and hanging out with my mother in law and spending some 'screen free' time with my hubby so I took all of six photos. We spent last Sunday at the beach with our little nippers. William is standing up more and more and destroying everything he can reach which is pretty funny to watch, the big boys are not so impressed with him. My yummy sweet chilli salmon salad, and the boys pizza. I've stacked on so much weight while I've been feeding so I'm trying to change my eating habits. How cute are my new glasses for my increasingly blindness? I now have glasses and prescription sunglasses so I can see while I'm driving. The boys had lazy dinner last week so to make me feel better about it, I made their dinner into an animal. As you do.

Playing along with Tina

9 Months

2012-10-19T08:00:00.000+10:00

One of the first things people say to me when they see William is how happy and content he is. How happy he is to go to other people for a cuddle or play pee-a-boo with. He's a real people person, and as long as I don't do anything crazy like go to the toilet or walk out of his sight he's a pretty happy kid.
I never thought we were going to make it to this stage, it seemed like he was going to be a full on kid forever, but he has started playing with his brothers more and more which is such a sweet thing to watch.

Once he figured out how to crawl and find all the things he shouldn't be playing with he was such a happier kid. Can't blame him really, his brothers do tend to move fast and from his point of view it's all fun stuff!
Can you see his gums? Still no teeth. Not even any sign of teeth. It doesn't seem to bother him, he chews and eats pretty much everything, toast, meat, pears, apple slices, carrot sticks. I'm sure with teeth he'll be a eating machine.

Amazingly we've even had a couple of nights where we slept. Yes that's right, slept. It may have only been til 5am but it's a start. I'm planning on weaning him soon. Maybe next month. I'd like to lose some of the weight I've stacked on while I've been breast feeding. I'm sure my metabolism stops completely when I'm feeding.

He's gotten so big to see how much he's changed see his month by month photos here

And just like that...

2012-10-06T08:48:00.003+10:00

..the holidays are over. These holidays have been the best we've had. We didn't even get to the 'I'm bored' stage. Amazing.We've been so busy, it's been great. Next week I'm sending the big boys to school and Charlie to daycare then I'm putting my feet up!

This is how we spent the last day of the holidays. A quick picnic in the park with Michael while he was on his lunch break. The kids and I haven't really seen him much these holidays. When he's not away at work he's working his second job. So yesterday we packed up some food and picked up Dad from work headed to the park.

Can't be a picnic without camembert and boiled eggs right?

William had his first taste of egg and was quite happy with it. Even if he did spread it everywhere.

I may have made a camembert sandwich. As you do.

It was so nice for the kids to get to see where Daddy goes to work and spend a bit of time together in the middle of the day. I can't say I minded it to much either. Next week I'm keeping him home for a few days.

Wordless Wednesday~Wedding Love

2012-10-03T08:04:00.001+10:00

Playing along with Trish~My Little Drummer Boys

Holiday Love

2012-09-29T07:30:00.000+10:00

This is what school holidays are all about.

Taking our time, not having to be at school at 3pm. Absolutely took this for granted before I had kids at school.

Ah school holidays why do you take so long to get here and leave us so quickly?