TTFN

Well we are all packed and ready for an absurd leaving time, kids seem excited and will soon lose that feeling when they realise they will be stuck in the car for over 10 hours.

Have made a mothers day gift with my beads (I knew this hobby would have many benefits)




I'd like to add a bracelet and was considering a necklace but think the pendant may be enough. Rainbow has inspired me though to make a simple but elegant one but I do need more supplies.

Well blogger buddies, please don't fret if you don't here from me in the next few weeks as I'll be just enjoying myself in sunny Queensland, have you heard me Lord, it better be sunny, I've only packed a light jacket!

Boring SAHM going to be GOHM!

1 more sleep to being a GOHM (gosh sounds like something from Lord of the rings) ie Going on holidays mum!

Packing is crap though when you have 2 electronic freaks (sorry make that 3) and a 10hour drive head of us, so these are the essentials:

Portable DVD is set up in the car,
Nintendo DS and Advance charged + games,
3 x iPods charged and full of quality tunes (one plays "Sonic theme song" but each to their own),
PSP charged with new games and movies in tow,
Mobile phone charges,
X-box with games (huge decision for the Big Little Man as leaving the PS2 behind meant leaving Ratchet & Clank behind),
colouring pencils and books,
Reading books,
TMNT figurines (they have to go on holidays too!)
5 x Hot Wheels cars (little man is still having issues on which 5 are allowed to come) and 1 x car play mat

I told the Man that I was bringing my beading bag and he rolled his eyes, come on, shall we read their list again.

Okay, off to pack those normal things like clothes.

Beading - I'm addicted

I'm driving everyone crazy in the house but I'm completely hooked on beading at the moment. I haven't made to much more but I have done nothing but search the web for patterns and designs, prices and beads to inspire me. My head is filling with idea's and dreams of beads and I insisted to the point of being forceful that we NEEDED to go the bead store today and so we did.

Oh, some of the most gorgeous beads are also some of the most expensive, but if you make quality it is all worth it.

I found a great forum with lot's of idea's and tips, I'm not going to join it but just scan it for all the idea's other share:
Bead and Button

I found this on ebay, I hope to have enough talent to make one and if I can I know my mother would adore one of these:

And I have one word for this piece - beautiful

To Ratchet or not to Ratchet?

Are you kidding that there is a slim possibility that you can do one or the other? Well Big Little man felt better this morning, after a quick 2 game of Ratchet of course!

Here he is playing that oh so wondrous game. And for those of you out there who are assuming this is our first go at it, no I'm sorry to say this is about our 5th round of Ratchet & Clank 2, we have conquered Ratchet 1, 2, 3 and even Gladiator, but by some miracle of our Lord Little Man managed to scratch Gladiator and Ratchet 1 is so easy!

We had plans, same plans as yesterday but nether the less they were plans to exit the home!

So we visited a local train exhibition = 1 hour


Went to the shops to purchase toy trains = 1 hour

To the playground = 15 minutes (I'm sounding like one of those mastercard ad's...


Where Big Little Man said he had had enough and wanted to go home to play RATCHET = Priceless!


So we came home and I beaded:

Visual proof of insainity

Plan a big day out, sunny blue sky, bags packed, roller blades in car with kids bikes, then Big Little man throws up all his breakfast up...

Geocaching

I heard of this interesting hobby (I guess you could call it that) from a fellow blogger (thanks Scooter!) and I generally assumed that it would not be available here in Australia, not because we are behind the rest of the world (because we are not) but because GPS is not that hugely popular here yet. But it is!

What is Geocaching? Wikipedia defines it as: an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little monetary value. Today, well over 350,000 geocaches are currently placed in 222 countries around the world, which are registered on various websites devoted to the sport.

And here is the Australia site: http://geocaching.com.au/

So all I have to do is equip myself with a handheld GPS and convince the man that it is totally worth it. Most of the caches that are on the site are not in metro area, but who really wants to trek in the city anyway, I love my city but at the same time can't stand it. So this could also mean more family outings into the country and mountains.

Oh yes, you have heard it all before, I WANT to do this.

I feel boring

You would assume that because my kids are on holiday that we would be out and about the town making the most of it, but not us! I did make a list before the holidays started with all the intentions to do the things on them and so far we have done 2.

I can't be left to take all the blame as Big Little Man wants to stay home and do nothing but play Ratchet and Clank 2, and I have been a good mum and playing a bit here and there but it is starting to get to me, I'm sure no human is meant to play for over 6 hours. I waiting for he nightmares to begin where Ratchet is after me with his Nuke blaster... Oh I recall the Thomas the tank engine nightmares!

My degrees of exercise are also very limited at the moment that I decided best to opt out of a challenge I had included myself in at the diet site, the small walks I am having with the kids and dog is not classified exercise although my left arm is getting a great workout as Deaf Dog is pulling with all force on the lead. I'm going to have one huge arm soon a bit like the character from "Lady in the Water".

Yeah anyway, my conversations with myself are also super boring, I'm literally boring myself typing here and feel like just shutting down the net but I won't as by being here is to alter my train of thought and hope to find something better to do with my days and not be so boring. Yeah whatever!

Thanks everyone for your nice comments, I was always happy enough to blog with no comments and never tell anyone about this place as I live in fear that the Man will find out and instantly assume that it is for other reasons which a way beyond my line of thought, but I feel I have found some trusting people out there is the WWW. So mmuwahhh to you all (that was a kiss) and thank YOU as it's your blogs that keep the boring SAHM not so bored, but alias I still remain boring.

Happy Easter!

There is no bigger smile then on a child's face when their mother says "YES" they can eat chocolate for breakfast!

Day 1 of School Holidays

It has been less then 3 hours since the kids woke up and they are already at each others necks. I've had too many requests for food and rejections on what is offered and I'm on to my 4th cup of coffee. I can see the next 2 weeks are going to drag on like a lead weight.

As today is Good Friday I still believe it should be a quiet reflective day, quiet I am not going to get, but we are not going to go out today so I have decided to have a "next blog" day. This is when I click the "next blog" button at the top of blogs and find new and interesting bloggers. The world is so large and filled with such interesting people and it is a great way to finding them.

Blog on!

To Lindt Easter Bunny or not

Last year I had set a goal that if I reached 70kg I would treat myself to a very decadent Lindt Bunny...but do I deserve one this year?

Money is so tight at the moment, to the point the car ashtray change is being used to buy essentials like milk. Things just keep sucking our hard earn dollars, wisdom teeth extraction's, kids sick, dead car battery, treadmill and now broken treadmill, next terms school fees are in, the holiday is looming, car needs servicing and so the list goes on. I have bought the kids some Easter treats, not many as some mothers trolleys but they truly don't need that much chocolate so enough for an egg hunt on Easter morning is plenty. But me, do I really need that bunny?

hmmm

I do want the bunny though.

I have no luck

23-26 March: My best girl girl comes to visit - I gain 2 kilo's. I shouldn't complain it was all self inflicted.


18-26 March: The man gets sick and sick people are hard to deal with but the man is just to much work sick. He was home for an entire week with 2 viral infections and a tooth ache. One infection and the associated pain running down his right side is thanks to a wisdom tooth that had to be extracted - but wait, the man is so manly he refuses to swallow pills so back to the Dr to have liquid antibiotics prescribed (at double the cost). I just wished that week would go quickly and you know it didn't!

28 March: The Lemon car's battery died on my day off, you know the day I was to get to enjoy on my own doing what I want, but oh no, I had to spend it with my FIL - oh it was a great day

31 March: The treadmill broke, just when I have set out a plan to run 25km a week and am progressing well at 8km/h

I told you, I have no luck!

The new treadmill

Oh yes, I some how managed to acquire another piece of exercise equipment (still want the bike trailer, but doubt that is ever going to happen) and it is a very flashy treadmill with a built in TV!

I never thought I would love exercising again, but before we purchased it I fell into a slump and only managed a jog a week with the dog, and may I also add that Deaf Dog is a hopeless border collie and gets tired after 20 minutes(I had to carry her up a hill one day). I was maintaining my weight and eating well enough but my fitness levels were dropping. But now that the treadmill is in the house, I'm up jogging nearly every day with gusto, I don't have to force myself to exercise I actually WANT too!

I am challenging myself to run 25km a week and hope to manage 5km in 30 minutes. I still hate long workouts, but with the access to increase speed and incline I should be able to continue on a great workout in 30 minutes. Once I can happily run 30 minutes non stop, I'll then aim at 10kms and maybe even try a fun run. Yes me, run on the road with heaps of other people for no other reason then to see if I can do it.

I think the TV makes it seem quicker and not so boring. I'm also hoping to get down to 55 kilo's by the time we head up to see mum and dad in QLD at the end of April, but that will also mean eating more cautiously and understand that several hot cross buns is not really a suitable breakfast.

Bookclub: What came before he shot her :(

Right off I was so pleased when I heard that my favourite author had released another book that followed on from her previous Inspector Lynley stories. As each of the Lynley books were released I purchased them, hard back and very expensive and for those of you who know me I don't generally buy books, that is what the library is for. But I always enjoyed Elizabeth George and I put down the book I had already started to start reading this once I got my hands on it.

Sadly I was greatly disappointed, I read it but I paused towards the middle, I just was not motivated to keep reading it, it was draining and negative, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Whilst looking for a pic on amazon to place here, a critique there completely sums what I too thought of the book:

"From Bookmarks Magazine
Scotland Yard detective Thomas Lynley is all but missing from this novel, and critics aren't sure what to make of his absence as well as that of most of the other popular series characters (only two of Lynley's police sidekicks appear—as minor walk-ons). The majority of critics cite this psychological crime novel as a deeply disturbing and unrelenting, yet illuminating, portrayal of a dysfunctional family and of the ways its members can go tragically astray. Two reviewers, however, cited a disconnected narrative, an overly complicated plot, too much detail, and a bleak, hopeless tone as major faults of the novel. There are, of course, no surprises about how the novel ends: Elizabeth George has already told that story in With No One As Witness.
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

Very disappointed, first time ever one of her books gets a :( and I'm so glad that I never purchased it as it would have been a complete waste of money.

Bookclub: The Tales of the Orori

I have been currently reading Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn. There are 4 books in the series and I really enjoyed the books, they were recommended to me by my sister and I pass on the recommendation too!

Book 1: Across the nightingale floor
Book 2: Grass for his pillow
Book 3: Brillance of the moon
Book 4: Harsh cry of the Heron

http://www.theotori.com/

The stories are set in an imaginary ancient Japanese society dominated by warring clans, and the life journey of a boy to manhood, we see how he was saved and adopted, then he finds love and his true family origins which only seem to betray him and cause his life to turn in an unexpected way. Each book continues on with a chapter of his life, but we also met many other character's that also make the books what they are.

AWOL

I am bad, I have been thinking about my blog but just never got around to posting, and then one day flows into the next and into the next and before you know it months have past and still nothing.

I also think I never post as I don't think that anyone actually reads my boring blog, my life of kids and whines, but it seems someone out there does, Thank you!

I actually came back today to find out what books I had listed to read as I have finished reading my current collection. I really need to give a review of them as this helps me to finalise the book in my mind. So the man is out this evening watching our elite nephew play soccer and it means that I can come onto my little secret place and blog away.

Everyone in this house is down with one ailment or another, flu, coughs, strain wrist's, headaches and the weather with all it's humidity just makes days drag on. I shall now go and read my blog to recap where I left off so I can update later... also need to get big little man from school.

Thanks for listening.

The Big Little Man is off to Big School

I have to say I am so proud of Big Little man he has gone off to school each and every day and not cried once, he has whinged\, which he excels at but he has been overall really good. I really hope that he does enjoy school and learns as he has so much potential and I know that if he applied himself he will accomplish great things!

I'm so glad that we started LA as his friends that he has made there are now turning into his best friends, I also believe that it has helped him cope with this new change in his life. I'm worried if he is not in the same class as his friend, but I can see that he will have no trouble making other friends.



Little man has also started pre-school and is coping well there too, strange I haven't been worried about him at all as he always came across as though these changes were more exciting then anything else. The teachers say that he is acting his age and that's to be expected. Oh I'm a very proud mum this last week!



As for me? I am loving the spare time, Peppa and I have been going for jogs and walks, I have been out shopping and just sitting back and having peace, you do not realise how nice peace is till you have some!

My bookclub is moving HERE!

I did have a bookclub at an MSN space but I no longer find the time to update this let alone update that. I also find my mac or possibly safari hate MSN and it is so slow when trying to update it. 



So I am moving my Book club here! In general I just like to review the books I read to myself, note what I have read and what I'd like to read, so here is a new chapter in my blog and making it even more boring with my limited selection of boring books!



I shall move some of the post from there to here for my benefit, so apologies if it all sounds old to you all (then again I know no one reads this but me!)



Here are the books I read in 2006:


I lived a Thousand Lives :D


The Bad Mothers Handbook :)


The Graft :(


The Kite Runner :|


Dirt Music :(


Tara Road :)


Stripe Fat in 7 Days :)


The Time Travelers Wife :D


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time :D


The 10th Circle :D


Minus nine to one :|


Family Baggage :D


A Long Way Down :|


Marley & Me :)


Past Secrets :)


Across the Nightingale Floor :)


Does my head look big in this :D


The book of Flying :)





The smilies represent a quick review, :D = I loved it, :) = I liked it, :| = Not sure(neutral feelings) and :( = Not worth the read.

BOOKCLUB Blog: The Book of Flying by Keith Miller

Today I returned my library books and hoped that my reserved book was ready, but it looks like I shall be waiting at least another month for it. I asked them to send over the book that my sister suggested and I should have a hold of that by mid week but in the intrim I still want something to read.
I grabbed a book on the "New Fiction" shelf called The Book of Flying by Keith Miller, I'm not sure why I ended up with this one as I liked 2 others, but it was 260 pages so I can get through it quickly so I can start on the next book and it is a genre that I generally don't read - fantasy.

Here is a short Synopsis of it: Our hero, Pico, is a poet and librarian, and forbidden to pursue the girl of his dreams, for she has wings and Pico does not. When he discovers an ancient letter in his library telling of the mythical Morning Town where the flightless may gain their wings, he sets off on a quest. It's a magical journey in which he meets a robber queen, a lonely minotaur, a cannibal, an immortal beauty, and a dream seller. Each has a story, and a lesson, for Pico-about learning to love, to persevere, and, of course, to fly.

I finished reading this book about a week ago, I had stopped and started it twice and it was even returned to the library at one stage whilst I finished reading Book2 and Book 3 of the Tales of the Otori. I must admit I didn't really like it in the begin, it was very strange with fictioanl creatures and odd odd lives, but it captured me in the end and I felt so sorry for Pico. I'm not a story give away person, so if you want to know what happens - read the book!

We need rain

It is so hot today and it is only 9.30am, just came back from grilling in the sun at little athletics and am so glad that it didn't last the whole 2 hours. Kids begged to turn on the air conditioning as soon as we got back and I have to admit the house was already heating up.

We really need rain, at least a week of it and then maybe a week off and one, the earth in the back yard is cracking really badly I can almost stick my hand under a huge gap now in the concrete near the pool area. I'd hate to imagine what it looks like under the concrete, I hope all the dryness doesn't make the pool crack. And thank goodness for the pool, even though we have to fill it all the time it is so nice to cool off in.

We were going to head out to SLSLS today but it just going to be too hot by 1pm when it opens, so we will go next month.

Horrible Hosts

What makes a good host? Someone who makes you feel welcome and comfortable I would imagine.

This week we have spent most of it having visitors or being the visitor and yesterday we went to my cousin-in-laws house, she has always been the sort of person you can only take in small doses but her kids seem to get along with my boys so I thought it would be a good idea.

We came over early as the weather was meant to be quite hot that day and it is a long drive there, so when we got there the kids were watching TV at a volume that would be suitable in a movie theatre not a 4x4m room so a headache started to form quickly. My mistake that morning as we were running late was to exercise first then eat breakfast but all I managed was to do the exercise so I was really craving a cuppa and piece of tea cake (that I brought). Oh no, I sat there, chatted politely and then the kids wanted to swim, bugger that, if I had to sit outside and watch the kids swim (and I did bring my swimmers but she obviously had no intentions of going for a swim - and she needs too, IYKWIM!) So I asked her where the kettle was and made my own cup of tea.

She did make lunch, but no drink offered and all I drink is water and I was not prepared to go and get another myself so I just sat there. The kids decided to watch another movie at a deafening level and even Little Man said it was too loud, but it was not turned down. Big Little Man turned into a pest as he was not allowed to play with any other toys then the one allocated to him so I had it, once the annoying show ended, I packed the kids and we went home, really what a waste of a day!