Lately.....

This past week I've felt like Dorothy from the wizard of Oz and I've been for a ride in the house in the tornado and  CRASH!......I've recently landed again.........
Holidays are over, Fun run is over,  my phone has died , Ben has flown out, Kids have been sooo out of routine with holidays and daddy home and now the sun is going to bed later!!! and did I mention the crutches!?
I need to get my groove back!
This arvo the children were very "emotionally unstable" and  hungry and it seemed to be dinner time and so I just started cooking and we ate and  cleaned up and played out side for a little before bath time and then I checked the clock because recently I've assumed it was 7ish only to realise it was 9ish (and thus the emotionally unstable children!")  It was 4.50pm!!!  What had I done! It felt so right! Dinner was like afternoon tea and it wasn't going to be dark for another three hours!!!
This is me lately....Hopping around in a daze, routines out the window, everything taking 5 times longer to do, I've been a terrible friend, I was terrified when the tsunami warning went out to the Hawaii Islands where my parents are staying and I've been forced to take things a little slower or to do less actually.
The girls have a day at the farm for kinder tomorrow and I should be getting their lunches organised however I cannot be bothered and that means chaos tomorrow most likely but these crutches are wearing me out.....Seriously I had no idea the effort involved in hopping around all day and having to rethink the way in which I do most things eg,  Hmmm I've just successfully been to the fruit store, the children helped me by carrying a basket each, the staff brought the box of produce out to the car for me and of we went.  Arriving home sore and tired with three hungry children I wondered to myself how do I get the BOX of fruit and veggies up the steps and into the kitchen!?  I will do a post on this latest accessory of mine and some handy tips in the future.
Recently I did a post and  it was quite mmmm raw or real.  It made me edit it 5 times and question whether it was to personal, to inward,  also I had not planned it to take on the path that it did I had began writing with something else in mind and took a wrong turn.  I've still not published it and perhaps it's not that big a deal to others but to me its admitting a flaw of mine that I am quite aware of and is taking a lot of work for me to get over and accept.  I hope to be brave and publish it I've given it a lot of thought and this blog is based on honesty in the hope that it might help others or inspire them and also it's a record for my children who knows what's around the corner.....They will have this.
That's not to say that I publish everything, there are personal things that are kept close to my heart and our little family and these obviously affect me emotionally, the emotions I'm happy to write about.
So what else, I'm feeling tired and so will finish up but I am missing training with the girls and running.  Yesterday Ed and I took a milkshake and iced coffee break at the park by the lake and while we were slurping Ed looked at me and asked "Can we go for a run Mum?"  "Oh I would love to" I replied while pointing to my leg, so chuffed that he is missing our "thing" as much as me.
The other quick thing before I crash is last night I bought a Magnum ice cream (I've not had a nightly binge since the sugar challenge) and I ate it all, these things are huge and sweet and chocolaty and it was okay, I couldn't finish it, but did and wondered to my self what have I done! Anyhow Good night Sleep tight. xx

Crutches and happy thoughts.....

Sitting here this afternoon watching my children and our friends children play happily, I'm feeling blessed and content.  Conversations between adults coming and going, both fireplaces burning, pork roasting on the Webber.
This was a snap shot of our home last week after my friend and my 11km Fun run experience.  (my first of many, hopefully).  I ran it in 55mins, I crossed the line number 341 out of approx 870 participants.  However I hurt my leg in the last 100mt and hopped aided over the line.  I've been to physio for the second time  and not much has improved  and so a bone scan is next on the cards. I'm very keen to get back on my feet and today I started thinking about running and am missing it and a little worried about the length of time recovery may take, it's bloody sore at times I know that much and to be honest I thought I'd be back on my feet by now.
Ben flies out this week I was quite worried as to how I would manage but am feeling more confident now, the kids think the crutches are cool and Little Bear calls them rails, Ed shoots things with them and  I want to throw them at the wall sometimes.  I'm thankful however that Ben has been home and that it happened at the end of the run and that I'm able to drive and hop around usually pain free, it's not permanent and I will run again soon.
 Also I have destroyed another phone and have no house phone it will be 2-3 weeks before Telstra can hook me up with another phone as they're only distributing the new model that they've run out of.  So I'm not making much contact lately but am checking facebook and emails and your welcome to drop by, just ignore the mess!!  xx

Eddy Spaghetti..........

Love this age.....

Love the games....

Love the cuddles and the snuggles.....

Love the funny stories.........

Love the belly laughter.....

Love the acts of kindness...........

Love the boy things, the fascination with diggers and "fighting things" and how things work....

Love the bond between his siblings and his Dad....

Love him.........

Holiday fun!

Sleep ins (in theory), not having to rush out of the door (stay at home mum),  weather warming (very slowly) Yes It has been been September holidays!  Some holidays we spend at home intent on staying in our pajamas for as long as possible, others we might go away as a family usually a beach of some description. These holidays (of which Ben has been away for most of) we've been enjoying day trips. It's been relaxing and exciting, coming and going as we please and only travelling an hour or two here and there so apart from a few snacks not much planning is involved...relaxing.

There is so much to offer children these days and much of it dosen't need to be expensive.  I recently  came across an app which locates the nearest and dearest local parks,  fantastic if your'e planning a road trip with children and also for discovering new playgrounds in your local area. Also the local library, I think many family's have forgotten about the old  library.   Library's are such a great tool for children's imagination and learning they offer a range of Cd's and Dvd's as well as storytimes and activities for school holidays, not forgetting the thousands of books on offer.  The best part  is that its  free and younger children can enjoy a little independence browsing and choosing there own books. Another loved  freebie is of course play dates!  What child does not enjoy having friends to play with while us parents enjoy the company of others, whether its at a park with a picnic or inside with a coffee its so lovely to ignore the call of the ironing and catch up with friends instead.

With a little more free time on our hands we've made a couple of trips to the beach these holidays, wind in our hair, salt on our lips and the smell of summer evoking glorious memories!  My children love the beach as do my husband and I and we love to nick down for a coffee while the children run free and we all reinvigorate!

  My sister and brother also live in Ocean Grove and Geelong so it's lovely to catch up especially with a new bub in the family...we are all absolutely smitten, she is adorable....Ahh!

With school holidays comes the release of many new children's films at the cinema and I try to take the children most holidays.  It is, as many of you know quite expensive but its such a lovely holiday treat for all.  These holidays we saw Madagascar 3 it was fantastic the children and their cousin loved it as did my sister in law and I.  Another treat for the children was a visit to the Werribee Open Range Zoo.  We caught up with a bunch of Ben's family and had a great day.  The weather was glorious! The children were free and the animals were beautiful especially the Meerkats and Giraffes.  All Miss S wanted to see were the Giraffes and while we were driven through their paddock the keepers were feeding them they came so close we could of touched them so so beautiful,  it was a wonderful experience. We love Giraffes!!

And so now we are coming to the end of the holidays and they've been wonderful, even the days spent at home tackling the ironing while the children put glitter everywhere.  We made popcorn and planted veggies and picked flowers too.

Next week is the begining of  the final Term for the year, wow where did that time go?!!  I'm excited about summer and the girls Ballet recital and my up and coming first ever fun run! The count down is on....

We are delaying the new term though with an impromptu camping trip!!  Ben is home and we're taking the camper trailer up to Mallacoota and then on to Pambula for a week or so where we will meet up with my Brother and Sister in law and their bubs at her parents beautiful property.  All very excited, the girls have already packed  and once the weather clears we are off.

I hope everyone has enjoyed themselves these holidays and kept safe and well! xx

Reflecting on their first....

Today I have sore tonsils (thanks Emmy!) and am a little bit Blah and although I've been good and hung out the washing, vacuumed and mopped I cannot be bothered doing anything else, I'm done!! This is frustrating  but I'm not going to fight it, so here I am on the computer while Ben and the children are out....Bless him.

We've had a ball these school hols and I cannot believe that after one more term my girls will be in PREP and Mr Spaghetti  in 3YR KINDER.  I'm so excited for them and yet I can already feel the sadness and sentiments rolling  in.  We are nearing the end of such a large chapter....Their first.  What a long beautiful journey of amazing accomplishments and sleeplessness, watching these three little babes grow and become these wonderful, funny, beautiful, clever people with such big personalities and hearts.  I did not know that I could love them so much, I did not know that they would make me laugh and feel so proud and also drain me of EVERYTHING at times.....

I did not know that I would find some aspects so easy and some aspects so challenging...a work in progress.

My advice to women thinking of babies is to be proud and confident as a woman,  accept change, love and appreciate yourself, know yourself and be ready to give and to learn extreme amounts of patience. Be honest, enjoy and indulge in the little things and trust your self.
I love being mama to Lily, Scarlett and Eddy and Step mum to Cooper, four special little hearts held within mine. xx