Stay Tuned!

House Rules

I'm currently reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult. I'm up to page 225 and I've got to say it's very hard to put down.

Today I was reading it and I have an overwhelming desire to share this part of the book.

Emma

From Auntie Em's column:

When did they stop putting toys in cereal boxes?

When I was little, I remember wandering the cereal aisle (which surely is as American a phenomenon as fireworks on the Fourth of July) and picking my breakfast food based on what the reward was: a Frisbee with the Trix rabbit's face emblazoned on the front. Holographic stickers with the Lucky Charms leprechaun. A mystery decoder wheel. I could suffer through raisin bran for a month if it meant I got a magic ring at the end.

I cannot admit this out loud. In the first place, we are expected to be supermoms these days, instead of admitting that we have flaws. It is tempting to believe that all mothers wake up feeling fresh every morning, never raise their voices, only cook with organic food, and are equally at ease with the CEO and the PTA.

Here's a secret: Those mothers don't exist. Most of us - even if we'd never confess - are suffering through the raisin bran in the hopes of a glimpse of that magic ring.

I look very good on paper. I have a family, and I write a newspaper column. In real life, I have to pick superglue out of the carpet, rarely remember to defrost for dinner, and plan to have BECAUSE I SAID SO engraved on my tombstone.

Real mothers wonder why experts who write for Parents and Good Housekeeping - and, dare I say it, the Burlington Free Press - seem to have their acts together all the time when they themselves can barely keep their heads above the stormy seas of parenthood.

Real mothers don't just listen with humble embarrassment to the elderly lady who offers unsolicited advice in the checkout line when a child is throwing a tantrum. We take the child, dump him in the lady's cart, and say, "Great. Maybe you can do a better job."

Real mothers know that it's okay to eat cold pizza for breakfast.

Real mothers admit it is easier to fail at this job than to succeed.

If parenting is the box of raisin bran, then real mothers know the ratio of flakes to fun is severely imbalanced. For every moment that your child confides in you, or tells you he loves you, or does something unprompted to protect his brother that you happen to witness, there are many more moments of chaos, error, and self-doubt.

Real mothers may not speak the hearsay, but they sometimes secretly wish they'd chosen something for breakfast other than this endless cereal.

Real mothers worry that other mothers will find that magic ring, whereas they'll be looking and looking for ages.

Rest easy, real mothers. The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you already are one.

For all the beautiful mums I know x

You Could Have Heard A Pen Drop!

I'm working away yesterday (at work) and the kids are pretty quiet. YAY! Then there is a massive burst of laughter, followed by more quiet... then another massive burst of laughter.

I'm thinking I really should get up and check what's going on but I'm in the middle of processing... next thing, William comes running into me, turns around, drops his pants, lifts his top and shows me this...

Caitlin is standing just to the side of the door wondering if I'm going to crack it or laugh. I laugh. Not just a little giggle, but a big belly laugh. It's too funny. The tongue makes me laugh more than anything. So, thinking they are in the clear and mum isn't going to crack it if Caitlin continues to draw on William, I'm presented with this...

It's a bit hard to see, but Williams nipples have been transformed into eyes pmsl.

Then we have drawings on the inside and outside of his hands...

And his beautiful face! Complete with an 'L' on his forhead, a goattee, earings and assorted other random marks.

His legs were quiet a treat too! Got to love these kids!

Creating for Scrap Girls

I love getting little packs of joy from Kylie to prepare samples for the Scrap Girls Challenge Kits. There's always many interesting 'bits' to play with as well as gorgeous co-ordinating papers and cardstock. Here are my samples from the March challenge kit.

I've received my May kit to play with... it's so pretty!

A Front Door View

New home... new view from the front door! Jump on over to the Little Scrapbook Shop Forum and share a photo of your front door view. It's so interesting to see the world through someone elses door!

Mow, Mow, Mow the Lawn...

A new backyard, a new lawn mower and a new lawn mower man! William decided that he should now be responsible for mowing the lawn. The backyard at least. It was a cack watching him pushing the mower... zigging and zagging, ducking and weaving all over the place. He did finish the job... not quiet to our usual standard, but I can live with some areas not done if he's going to have a go.

Let's see if he has the same enthusiasm next time the mower comes out of the shed...

Grandpa Ray, Christine... and the motorbike!

The kids love having Grandpa Ray and Christine come to visit. They get lots of attention which of course all children love.

But... they especially love it when they come on the motorbike!

Grandpa Ray lets them sit on it, start it up and rev away. The kids think this is tops!

Grandpa Ray has promised that next time he comes he will bring a small helmet so he can take them for a quick ride around the block. He'd better not forget cause the kids sure won't!

4-7-11 @ Little Scrapbook Shop

At Little Scrapbook Shop we are running a year long challenge, 4-7-11. We've broken up the year into 4 parts, each of which has 7 challenges.

The first parts challenges are inspired by the 7 Wonders of the World. I chose the Northern Lights for my inspiration.

If you're looking for some inspiration or a challenge that's a little bit out of the box, pop over to the forum and join in all the 4-7-11 fun!

My Son's A Destroyer!

William is so determined to play NRL and AFL this year. He has resigned with the Kellyville Magpies for AFL, and he's signed up with the Quakers Hill Destroyers for NRL.

Ask him which he likes best, and he replies "NRL and AFL". He loves them both!

On Saturday he had 2 trial games against the Penrith Warratahs. Here's a few of the 123 photos taken!

Very excited to have a jersey on

On field

mmmm... pondering what will happen next

Going in for a tackle

The chase

He only had one complaint after the games... he didn't score a try!

Missing Teeth

Suddenly William's mouth has decided it's time for top teeth to just start falling out. They're dropping like flies!

Sadly his bottom teeth just won't budge. It's off to the dentist this week to have another 2 pulled out as the new ones are already up behind them.

Regardless of any toothy action in this snap, check out those eyes! Bloody beautiful!

Too Soon

I love school holidays. Not just because you don't have to 'rush' so much, but simply because I love hanging out with the kids. Sure there are times when they drive me insane, but overall, I really enjoy having them around.

This is the best photo I got on their first day of school for 2011. We were all tired after the big move and no-one wanted to be posed and snapped... and we couldn't work out the best place to take the photo either.

Not that it matters cause I love this photo of them.

The holidays went way too quick and I would have loved another week with them. Why do the holidays always end too soon?

Moving Out...

From signing contracts and paying deposits, it certainly didn't take long for the 28th of January to come and the trucks to roll around and move 12 years of living from Oakhurst to Hassall Grove.

No moving day is ever short of a drama, and ours was not an expection to the rule! It was a long, long, long day.

I did manage to get some photos of us moving out on the day, but I didn't get any of us moving in! It was just too hectic, too stressful and there was way too much going on.

Here's a few from Radford Place before we left... note Tour Guide Caitlin!

Finally I can say YES! We are moving today!

William was very excited by it all.

Sweet & Sassy Caitlin

Ta-da! The garage!

Nope, nothing left in here!

Packed up and clean as a whistle.

So many bathroom antics took place here.

No more using this toilet.

It's been scrubbed clean too!

Nothing left in this wardrobe...

except Caitlin of course!

Not a spare square of space in the front room.
Packed to capacity!

Thank you Radford Place for 12 unreal years x

January... where have you gone?

And what's happened to the school holidays? In a blink of an eye it's almost over!

Sorry for being slack Grandad & Grannie, here's a photo overload just for you!

~ Christmas Eve ~

Evan, Caitlin & William putting our reindeer food

~ Christmas Morning ~

Happy hugs alround!

~ Christmas Day ~

Spending it with Grannie Annie, Grampy and a whole lot of cousins!

~ 27th December ~

A visit from Poppy & Granma on their way home from Brisbane

Santa left a reindeer behind in Caitlin's bed!

~ 31 December ~

Cooling off

~ New Years Eve ~

Taylor and Racquel

Evan & William

Shanice & Caitlin

Caitlin's sparkler action!

~ 2nd to 9th of January ~

Holidaying at Lemon Tree Passage

A drowning cuddle!

Fun at the park

There's no place higher than daddy's shoulders

So brave!

Holiday Hair

Will try not to slacken off so much in the future... x