Weekend pieces

Little Bears favorite thing in the world,
found like this.........

and like this.......
A naughty puppy making her mark.

Fixed by daddy with love.

Secrets shared on top of the ute.....

Miss S.....

Where there's Heidi there's a stick...

Mr Spaghetti.....

Gumboots all the way....

Plum the naughty puppy and me....

Thoughtful hubby....

Good food after hard work.....

Playtime....

My boys...sent me this while
I was at the hairdressers...

Sunday thoughts...

All is peaceful all is calm. The house is empty at this point in time.  The children are with Ben (hubby) taking Cooper my step-son home to Geelong after a lovely, noisy, excited weekend with us.  I love having a full house.  The noise and the mess don't worry me for temporary catch-ups with friends or family, it's messy love... So Ben is taking them out to lunch and then to the park by the bay, it will be warmer there and I wish I was with them although we don't all fit in the car and the solitude is so so so lovely for a while, Ben knows that I need it and this memory for the children of them with daddy on this fun day running around at the park by the bay full of freedom, fresh sea air and daddy, will be a happy one that they will remember forever....
 I'm feeling tugged at times when Bens home, I want to spend every moment with him and the children, however I also need to rejuvenate, I really do need some down time and some private time with my beautiful husband.  Saturday night I'd organised a double date night with good friends of ours, we were so excited babysitters organised, outfits chosen and then Miss S, 'oh dear' became ill....poor bubba, poor mama and papa.  Not to worry ! We've had a lovely weekend, some moments to ourselves, Miss S is fully recovered and everyone is happy.  Good food, snuggles and cuddles, laughs and dreams and some wet, cold days.  Winter will not last forever I am telling myself....
Friday I registered for the 6km Ballarat fun run and the following day caught up with a group of social runners.  Running without the pusher I surprised myself completely and am now mentally prepared to train for the 12km run instead.  I'm so proud and excited and hooked on running, the mental challenge, the physical challenge and the tight butt!!  Ben and I have a bet actually, we are both going to run and first to finish between us gets either a fishing charter or a day at the spa!!!  I've got this in the bag for sure!!!  I'ts our own little challenge...together...I'ts already so much fun and it will entertain us even while we're apart.  I'm so proud of my darling for setting this up and even though I laugh at him and my own jokes (I honestly am soo funny!!)  to much, I love him to pieces, he's so supportive and romantic and knows me so well, we are so different, complete opposites and sometimes that is hard, but we're good at getting through "stuff" and he laughs at my jokes and me his.  I get  scared that one of us will leave this world to soon, so again take note and enjoy the little things!!!! xx

Our Home

In our home on any day you may find;
There's drawings on the walls, and children being kind;
There's yoghurt in our hair and of course a bear in there.
There's a blanket cubbyhouse and cushions on the floor;
There's coffee on the stove and a knock at the door.
My beautiful son yelling frustratedly at me; "I'm able! To do it myself don't you see and I really don't mind if it bothers you and me!"
There's most likely noise and singing and  laughter, although sometimes there's roaring and a guilty mama after;
 And so I cry on the phone to my husband in Perth so supportive and loving every cent he is worth.
There's hopefully music playing and bottoms wriggling to the beat,
And me dreaming of the summertime oh I miss the heat.
There's wood on the fire and washing on the line;
 There's dishes in the sink and never enough time;
There's lifes little messes and toys all around and so many delightful moments waiting to be found.
Life is what you make it that is what they say, a home is where the heart is.... Have a happy day. x

CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY

I felt a little lost this weekend, It started Thursday morning  my beautiful Mr Spaghetti awoke pale and with a sore stomach.  Poor little thing was miserable so we cancelled kinder for the girls and a long awaited play date with a much loved little family.  By lunch time Mr Spaghetti was actually sick and  then seemed to pick up however I rang my brother and cancelled our 5km run together along the coast, oh I was soooo looking forward to this run....not to worry poor Mr Spaghetti cheer up little buddy. On our way home from the coast we'd planned to pick up my stepson so that he could spend the weekend with us and some family friends that were coming to stay, however you guessed it... we cancelled.  I sound as though I'm feeling sorry for myself don't I? It wasn't that bad,  I was more worried about Mr S although as I've mentioned before our family has spent a lot of time being ill of late, colds and flu and the dreaded gastro and now my heart just sinks, I'm beginning to feel  "over it", "over" the weather, grey cold and wet, "over' the bugs and virus's and "over" being stuck inside, I was craving fresh air.  So Friday afternoon, fully recovered and everyone healthy yet maybe contagious?? We rugged up and took the dogs for a walk along the road  through the bush, bikes, prams, scooters, three children and two dogs.  I gained my fix of fresh air, the kids shook the wiggles out, we walked up and down hills, through puddles, swapping bikes and prams and scooters and taking turns to walk the puppy.  Once we arrived home warm and relaxed, calm and content the children played and I had a quick play on the computer, I came across the words "we choose to be happy" or there about ( I would of made a link although I didn't  bookmark the page).  There are choices I make, I choose to be positive as opposed to being negative, I choose not to be quick to judge, I choose to do the dishes before the children are in bed, I choose not to litter (major pet hate of mine), I choose not to put my fruit in a plastic bag at the fruit shop and I choose to wear pajamas all day some days sad but true. But choosing to be happy, aren't you just happy or not? I know positive thinking and exercise and being kind to others etc effect our moods, but actually choosing to be happy??
 I slept well last night and awoke this morning and said to myself  "I choose to be happy" it seemed to make sense  "I'm going to be happy today... all day?"  That's what I've done, the children were non responsive to the " please pack up the lego, get dressed and finish breakfast so we can get to swimming on time" request and  three requests later I stayed happy and they eventually responded after turning of the TV and pointing out on the clock when we were leaving dressed or not.  And so on and so fourth, I had this little mantra going on in my head all day and perhaps today was going to be a great day with or without me saying this to myself but it seemed to put an extra skip in my step on this cold wet day and we made it to swimming.
Right now the children are all asleep, the house is cosy and warm, i'm enjoying a glass of wine while watching the football and writing this and tomorrow while enjoying breakfast with my lovelies I'll tell them that its only three sleeps until Daddy's home.
 Sometimes there's no choosing. x

Melting moments

My darlings are in bed,  they've been asleep now for nearly two hours I've just been down to check on them and they've not moved.  Last night Mum and Dad came for dinner which was lovely and relaxed although Mr S did not want to go to bed he's so stubborn and yet so gorgeous.  When he's fighting the idea of sleep we have a little routine,  if that fails  I put him to bed once again and then after closing the door  (he sleeps with it closed) I wait in the room with him until he gives in and snuggles into bed.  I usually sit in the rocking chair trying not to count the minutes although I've had to stand lately as  he's been getting on my lap, I don't want to get into the habit of rocking him to sleep no matter how lovely it is.  So Mr S is snuggling into my legs as little ones do, chatting away and eventually asking "why aren't you speaking to me mummy?" followed by  "mummy I love you, I love you, why aren't you answering me" so once again I repeat that it's time to sleep and once he's in bed I'll tuck him in.  Three times he walked towards his bed and then turned away at the last minute "stubborn!"  Eventually he snuggled down and we had our kisses and our "how much I love you's"  and then half asleep my three year old said to me "mummy I'm sorry I hit you before" tears welled up in my eyes as they are now.  My beautiful boy did throw a tantrum earlier and did whack me gently though surprisingly in the face as a result.  Now just before sleep he's thinking of what he'd done and is saying sorry to me, oh melt my heart I would go through it all again for that moment with my handsome boy.
 It had been a funny few days before this highlight, I've mentioned before at times I feel as though the children are getting a little cheeky, not listening or doing what is asked of them, and Mr S seemed to be crying in protest more regularly, I was lacking patience and tolerance at times.  I wish I was always my calm, happy self  that's how I would describe myself although some days its as though I've run out.  I'm now recording these days to see if it's hormonal.  If so can anything be done? Damn those hormones honestly don't we women have enough to deal with!

Anyhow my point is that today compared to the previous three was easy and flowing, a normal good day.  And this is how it began....I was awake lying in bed wishing I could make the children breakfast and myself a coffee and crawl back under the covers with my book, although I had my group training session that I do love.  Right at that moment "bang crash!!!!! Time to get up.  As I got to the kitchen the girls almost started crying worried looks on their faces "mummy it just..."   Oh those angels, they'd decided to put away  the groceries that had not yet been put away and after a few to many heavy items on the top shelf of the fridge the shelf slipped out, ooops....  I hugged my darlings what a sweet sweet gesture,  I was so proud of them and as I looked up from our cuddle I noticed the large box of fruit that they'd unpacked high into the fruit basket a beautiful colourful prism. Bless them...

I am often upset with my efforts as a mum I find some parts come easily and other parts or times are such a struggle, sometimes I'm so riddled with guilt and other times I'm cruising along dreaming of another! Looking back on moments like these though I'm thinking at this moment that its okay and that they are beautiful, caring children and Its not so bad the job that I'm doing, at this moment.....x