It's been a while!!!

I know, I'm lazy... I haven't posted in AGES!!!! but that's because we've had a really quiet time of late which is just what the doctor ordered!! It's been such a busy year and now in the lead up to Christmas it's going to be busy again, but not too bad this year!

Things with the daycare are going well. I'm full now which is good for the bank balance! I had my first friday off in ages 3 days ago.. and it was nice! I cleaned, had Yum Cha with friends for lunch, met Stu in the city and then we both had hour long massages, drinks at Fridays with Pen and some of her friends, and then continued on to dinner in the valley afterward (at Bow Thai.. where else?)

Stu's off again this week - traipsing around North Qld.. he's pretty chuffed that his hire vehicle is a fully optioned Statesman! (Leather and all!!!) When he gets back we have Christmas with his family on the Saturday and then we are off to the Sunny Coast for a week for a much needed Holiday! No rest for the wicked though over the Christmas period with only the Public Holidays to call our own, but that's okay! At least he's not working up at Woodford like last year.. we can sit in the air con and watch movies all day and just chill with the puppies! We are adding Bailey to the mix while Soni & Rod are away in Europe for three weeks... He's been unwell of late. Needs to be given injections twice a day to pretty much keep him alive.... fingers crossed that nothing happens to him while they are away and while we are the responsible party!!!

We've taken Jack up the beach twice... and both times the gearbox has overheated... (no damage... just warning lights!) we have realised that there is a guard around the gearbox.. and it likes to collect sand, which makes it rather warm under there! Stu's going to remove it before we head off road again. We were going to be going to a gathering at Double Island Pt with a 4wd group we've found.. but it's next Saturday.. and I don't think Soni would like us ditching Christmas for some driving on the sand! We're going to camp with the club at Charlie Moreland in January! Our holidays for next year are all sorted! Neurum Creek at Easter (with the dogs) Thailand for two weeks in June, a couple of days in Sydney in September for Blair's Wedding and a week in Nambucca Heads in November (hopefully in Rod & Soni's 200 and Van!) I think the year is split up quite nicely!!!

Best Wishes to all for this festive season! I hope you enjoy spending time with your families and spread the love! Lets hope that 2010 is more calm!

I need a HOLIDAY!

So... about 3 months ago now I changed my hours with my families to give me every second Friday off to coincide with Stu's RDO. You know what? In that whole time I think I have had two of these Friday's off.... Let's get it straight though.. I don't like saying no to my Families when they are in need of care. I like to be flexible with them. I love having the kids that I have... but... enough is enough. The main culprit of these Friday's has been told that I am not available anymore and as for next Friday... the day I am meant to be having off.... I will be having it and every following fortnight off..... (maybe!) Let's just say that money is a great evil... and I love money!

Last week was massive!

Monday saw me with 3 (u4's) and 1 schoolie (to be dropped off and picked up from a daily soccer school thing) Monday night at 6.30pm Stu & I went to an Aqua Class at the local centre... OUCH! around 8pm I headed over to one of my family's places for some overnight babysitting... up at 4.45am Tuesday to settle an upset child.. which woke the other one up... my daycare day started at 8am and I had 4 (u4's) and 1 schoolie (soccer school thing again!) the youngest kid I had was unwell, running a temp and such so it was a happy day! Work finished at 5.30 and we headed back to the kids place to deal with dinner, bath & bed... all of which were fun when food was dropped on the floor and I wouldn't allow for it to be eaten again! Children and their tantrums! Got home Tuesday night about 10pm. Felt like shit Wednesday morning (after being up for a 4.50am start!) so told parents not to come and tried to find alternate care for the child who had already arrived... you think there would be one person with a vacancy right??? nope.... so I had 1... and the patio guys called and wanted to build the patio for us... this was also the same day as the dust storm... where my washing was out on the line and had to be rewashed.... Thursday.. still not feeling well, but worked anyway... I had 3 (u4) and 2 schoolies... Friday... my supposed day off... I had 4 (u4) and 3 schoolies.... (2 of those children are actually mine! - although I could find no one to help me out on Wednesday... I had to do relief on Friday) I was in bed and asleep by 7.15 Friday night.... and didn't wake up til after 6 Saturday! 11 hours sleep does do wonders but left me still mega tired. We had a BBQ to go to, for which a Potato Bake was required (thanks for the 3 hours warning honey!) so off to the shoppies to get ingredients. Cooked and headed off for a lovely relaxing afternoon. Sunday was an early start... 5.30am to go to Brisbane and clean after the dust storm... one word GROSE! For those that know Soni & Rod's house... it took 2 of us 3 hours! NO MORE DUST PLEASE SA!!! We had yard work, puppies to bath, gutters to clean out, cars to wash... and our own house to clean before falling into bed about 8.30pm last night!

I was supposed to be taking my schoolies into the Science Centre in the city today... but... I ended up doing relief care again... GRRR! Was a good day though. There was a reptile show at the local shops that did photo's with either a Snake or Croc. Jackson and the girls were going to go with the snake.. but the girls chickened out! Jacko & the Snake it was! A huge Olive Python!

So now I have three left... one asleep.. others playing out the front with the remote control cars!

SOOOOOOOOOOO TIRED!

Oops... Creative Wrapping Required

We are off to one of my daycare kids 2nd birthday on Saturday and while I was getting geared up to wrap her present just before I realised that I had no suitable sticky tape with which to accomplish my task... I couldn't use the boxing tape on the roller...really.... could I??

So little Jess (the birthday girl) you are getting presents with no sticky tape - secured with silver christmas ribbon with photo stickers in the occasional spot to help it stay down! Hope you enjoy!!!

Getting on with life....

It's settled.... I no longer have 4 house guests!!! I have my house back to myself (and Stu of course).. and it's not just that.... we are getting our ceiling fans installed, our back patio back up... and retrieving our final belongings from Sutherland Street on the weekend... ahhhh... what's that I can hear? Peace and Quiet! (Until Bundy starts barking anyway!)

Things are going really well for us at the moment. We've cleared out some things around the house and it looks awesome. The back wall has been re-sheeted and we've (I've) decided that I am going to have the house rendered... don't know what they call it when the do it to a flat surface instead of bricks! It will brighten it up and make it look really nice before we sell it in a couple of years. We've decided that we are going to move closer to Brisbane for Stu's travel purposes. The best part about my job is that I can do it anywhere. We know the house that we want to buy, we just have to wait for it to come on the market - or just approach the owners when we are ready! :)

We are both considering cancelling our Facebook accounts cause we are just over the stupid politics of it all.. If our friends want to speak to us they can do it the old fashioned way... text us!

We are going to enjoy our lives with just us and our family... Friends are really just acquaintances anyway.. there is no such thing as real friendship anymore. There are those you catch up with Monthly, those you see occasionally... and those that you just keep tabs on to see what's happening in their lives... and I'm over that. After being referred to as immature, it's the only way I can see of going forward. Real friends should be able to be honest with each other - or so I thought anyway.

Anywho... here's to a new, wonderful, stress-free life without the need to keep up appearances!!!

On a final note, the last two years of marriage have been wonderful.. We celebrated on Tuesday night with a nice dinner out. We are so glad that we found one another... we fit like a hand in glove - or so I am told!

HEAT!!!

I can't believe that it's still winter... and the air con is blowing a cooling 23 deg! It's sooo hot!!! It's been great weather for the past few weeks anyway... but it was still Jeans weather... but with this heat, it's forced me to dig out the shorts and unfortunately I've had to shave the forests that were growing on my legs.. I had no requirement for the additional heat that the 'forest' provides me anymore!

I've not taken the electric blanket off the bed yet though cause I'm pretty sure that it's going to return to the crappy cold weather that is Winter.... grrr!

I'm just worried that Summer is going to drag on and on and on this year which isn't cool... but maybe it will help me in my 'discussions' with the boss about getting a Pool!

All is well with us apart from the never ending cold/flu symptoms that just won't budge... Tonsils that look like strawberries... you get the picture! We've been living on Panadol/Nurofen and the rare antibiotics the dr's give that actually work! Stu's off to the Dr tonight to get something for his. He's not able to take time off the new job yet - it's too early.

On the new job, all going well... he's finally a Policy person.. something he's been wanting for a very very long time, he's struggling a bit with the transition, but I think that he'll knock their socks off and they'll want to pay him megabucks and keep him forever! (which will also help with my pool dreams!)

Puppies are driving us mad... it's not the extra shit.. or the fact that they think the back yard looks better with large running tracks and lots of dust instead of grass... but that Bundy is just simply being a pain in the arse! He's barking non stop at everything. Collar or no collar.. he's just fighting through the cruel zapping... which leaves his throat looking worse for wear. I have however began the water bottle squirting today - which he seems to hate so he's been rather quiet.. I guess we'll just see how long it works for eh? Milo now has a zip on the top of her head that resemble some teeth marks... and Bundy has a couple of new scars on him... Ahhhh The Dominance Game!

Good thing I already wear the pants here!!! (Only kidding honey!)

Hope everyone is well and happy! Lots of love from us!

All going well!!!

So far so good.... the move went well last week although it was a very VERY long day (left at 5am... home at 7.30pm)

Ground rules were set and have been followed pretty closely... good enough for me to only have a couple of rants!

I think I was on my death bed on Tuesday night.... SOOO SOOOO sick! Living on painkillers... So bad! Starting to come good now.. although... think I need a nurofen top up! Been to the Doc and have some drugs so am hoping that I'll be all good once they kick in.

Going up to Bribie Island 4wd'ing tomorrow... Taking everyone including my day care schoolie so that the boys have an extra to play with. Should be a good day. Weather should be nice.... Looking forward to getting out and having some relax time!

Stu is enjoying the new job... Monday was his first day and there were three rounds in the pub with the boss in the afternoon! Tuesday was a pile of e-learning type stuff that you do when you start every single job on the planet! Wednesday was a holiday for Ekka... he did stuff around the house while I went to a birthday party with my daycare kids. Thursday was part 1 of his induction.. more next week, and today... I have no clue what he's doing other than a meeting this afternoon! Can't wait for the first pay to be in the account next week!

Hope everyone is well... Washing's just finished... best hang it out!

Family Changes!

My parents' have decided to sell the family home out Ipswich way and move up closer to Damian and I. They are looking townhouses/units on Bribie Island.. which has proved difficult!

They had their house put onto the market Monday last week. They had a contract on it on Thursday. Settlement due on the 19th August... moving quick??? I don't think mum was entirely prepared to have everything go so quickly, and neither was I - as I've offered to be their hotel until they find and move into a place they like... could be 2 weeks, could be a month... could be longer!!!!

I'm doing mum's legals for her to save a bit of money and I'm starting to get a little annoyed with the repeated questions! Oh well.. that's what you get when you do things for family!

I have to admit I had a little brain wave this morning when tidying the kitchen... I hate people being in the house... coming for dinner, afternoon tea, morning tea... a day or two I can deal with... Having another 4 beings living in our small house is going to be interesting... manouvering 4 cars (5 including Anita's) is going to be interesting... cooking for 6 instead of 2 is going to be interesting... people cleaning and putting things away where I want them to be is simply not going to happen.... ahhhh.. I'm just going to have to stress less and hope they find somewhere sooner rather than later...

Oh - must remember that I will have little bodies running about the house all the time too... and with Mum not working and the boys who are home schooled.. it's going to be very very busy here...

I'm going to need a holiday at the end of it all!!!!

Wish me luck.. they move in on the 8th August!!!!

Things are looking up!

Thanks Jen for the reminder that I hadn't posted this yet!!!

Stu has been successful in getting a new job. It's out of Local Government and into Qld Rail (which is presently owned by the State, but who know's what Anna's going to do with it?) It's along the line of what he was supposed to be doing in Caboolture, but then things changed! He will be able to implement change instead of just dealing with issues and complaints! He's going into the position with no knowledge of their systems or exactly what he's going to be doing, but I think he will hit the ground running and hitting many goals! I am so very proud of him! The position has been vacant for 8 months.. so he's going to be very busy and quite stressed for the first few months... but thankfully he has the 40 min train trip home to gather his thoughts and walk through the door as a happy hubby!

The biggest thing I am going to miss is having him so close.. so that if I'm having a meltdown with the kids, or just want a cuddle.. I can just call... Not anymore! Also no sharing lunch together. We have however committed to going for walks with the puppies (meet MILO! - change of name pending!!!) and maybe even some PT sessions/gym membership to get us into shape!

We are hopefully going to be able to get the back patio back up, along with a carport down the side... some pavers near the sandpit and some soft fall around the swings... maybe a camper trailer... we'll just have to see how far the extra dollars and payout stretch (long service money!!!)

Still waiting to see how much tax we are going to get back.... that should help toward it too!

For Bundy MEMBER OF THE Dog PARTY Click here to vote for Bundy at VoteMyPet.com.au

Tired... and Tax Time!

I really don't understand why I am soooo freaking tired this week.... I've had one of the easiest weeks in a long long time - with half my kids away on holidays.. I only have 1 or 2 a day... and in the case of yesterday.. she only arrived at 11am so it really was a half day at that... so why then, when I have to put less concentration into my job, am I just buggered... my eyelids feel like sandpaper and I could easily go to bed right now if Bella wasn't still here!!! If I focus on what's coming up maybe I won't be so tired!!!

Damian's birthday dinner on Tuesday night... an excuse not to cook and go out for tea... always welcome!

A weekend in Melbourne with Michael, Kylie & Oliver... please pray for some nice weather.... please....

3 beautiful nights in a hired camper trailer on Fraser Is in August... we are testing our options before we decide whether it is what we actually want... (I'm happy with a tent.. but it does take a while to put up!)

Something else exciting in here which is still to be confirmed... and hopefully a good tax return... more on that later!

A day at Sea World.. which I haven't been to in a very long time.. will be interesting to see... all in aide of my fathers 60th Birthday... (I don't need him to hold my hand on the rides anymore!)

...and that's about it for the rest of the year! Until the days off over Christmas & New Years...


Tax... why is there such a thing.... I don't like it at all! I understand that my tax payments (or lack of in this current career) are used for good things like hospitals and nurses, teachers, industrial development and Medicare... but seriously.... paying for Pollies wages, Council office refits and for Prisoners to have 3 star accommodation is beyond me! In this last financial year I have only worked and paid tax for around 4 weeks, while I was waiting for my Blue Card to come through etc... I know that I have that little bit of money coming back to me... but my confusion lies in all the money we have spent to set up this business.... yes... I added my receipts up and if it goes the way we want it to... we have a few things we can do around this place to make it much more comfortable... like put the patio back up and maybe put money toward a less guzzling car than the Statey... If it doesn't go the way I want it to, I will have worked this year for nothing, cause I really do think I have spent more than I have earnt... (waiting for the earnings certificate!) Grrr!!! The other things is I am going to have to pay like $200 to get the tax done.. no more online tax returns for me!

We are really hoping for a good news story so that we can buy Christmas Presents for the family this year.. cause without the money back.... bom bom..... you all luck out!

Here are some pics from our time at Montville where we celebrated our birthdays. Was a lovely weekend and I could have gladly stayed the whole week.. It was just sooo comfortable and homey! The spa wasn't bad either!

I wish I could put up pics of the kids that I look after so you could see how gorgeous they all are too!!! Unfortunately I'm not allowed to share...

Chinese Cookup!

Stu and I thought we would be domesticated and cook a few chinese dishes from scratch for dinner tonight with Penny and Ben.... Turned out really well.... 6 hours cooking, 30 mins eating and a heap of left overs cause we cooked far too much = chinese ALL week!!!

Very Tasty!!


Chicken & Cashew Nut


Hoisin Pork Belly


Balti Potato


Chicken Chow Mein, Pork Spring Rolls, Special Fried Rice & Beef & Black Bean Sauce....

Michelle's Wedding

I had the pleasure of being involved in Michelle's Wedding this last Sunday. It was a lovely day, raining here and there but there was beautiful sunshine for the ceremony! Apart from sinking into the ground in my shoes... it was a beautiful occasion. Here is the link to the photo's on my facebook.

I look forward to seeing the professional ones - the dude had some interesting vision!!! :)

Photo's Here.

Enjoy!

It's been a while....

Not that I have been busy... I have just been very very lazy! There hasn't been too much going on.

I found a great Pumpkin Soup recipe and there has been some in the house constantly since.. It's just SOOOO Yum!

We got a new computer so I have been dealing with the pleasures of Vista ever since... I can't even get a photo onto here... GRRRR!

The beginning of our camping season went off with a bang and a very sore head for some the next morning (not Stu or I though!!) Works picked up for me. I am now full on a Wednesday, and only one Vacancy on the other days! I work a half day, once a fortnight on a Friday and I also do some house cleaning on the Friday as well.. A bit of cash in hand you know! Other than that, I am FREE on a Friday (to do my own house work, washing, shopping, restocking) so that the weekend is happy times for Stu and I! And.. they are going to be even HAPPIER cause we are now the owners of a Road Worthy, Running, Pretty Decent 4WD!!! YAY... Please join your hands together to welcome us back to the family!

We have purchased a 1994 Holden Jackaroo - white (it now wears the same plates as the ute did!) For the age of the car in the price bracket we were looking this was the best specimen! We looked at a Patrol and and Pajero - both had huge k's and lots of scratches and dings! This one only has 114000 on the clock and is just perfect! We are so very happy with our purchase. It has one whopper of a fuel tank - 140L to be precise... and it hangs down like a bulls balls... so.. I have been told that should we want to do any form of good off road stuff we require a significant raise (of the vehicle and money!!!) and some bigger tyres! All I want is the CD player installed and I will be very happy! See photo's here.

The kids love it - their seats fit across the middle seat well.. they love the fact that their feet can reach the back of the front seats... BRING ON THOSE SEAT COVERS!!!!

Photo links to Facebook... That will just have to be the short-term solution!

Cheers all!!!


J

Rain Rain... GO AWAY!!!

Our front yard has been resembling a swimming pool for most of today.. not to mention the week that's been... rain rain rain fine rain rain!

If this weather continues into tomorrow... I have 5 children that I have to entertain - indoors!!!! I don't have a large enough car to get them out to the local play gym places so we are stuck inside... GRRRRR....

Not to mention, if it remains wet - our camping trip planned for the weekend will have to be cancelled... SO NOT COOL!

So.... Rain Rain, go away... come again another day - in a week or two's time! (But then you have to clear up again for Michelle's wedding in late May!)

Happy Easter!

What a wonderful long weekend we have had so far. There's been a chilled morning watching Gilmore Girls, a little bit of cleaning, a visit with Michelle & Paul and a nice evening at home with the new season of The Unit! That was Friday... Yesterday or Saturday was my virgin trip to Northlakes... I have to say not overly impressed... We did manage to find some new runners thanks to Mr Rudd. We like the fact that we've been stimulated! Makes the bank account look quite healthy! We've sorted out our camping stuff for next weekend.. SOOOO excited! We are seriously busy over the next few months!

Camping, Girls Weekend, Wedding Shower, Engagement Party, Michelle & Paul's Wedding, Melbourne Weekend, Birthday Weekend at Montville Cottages!

My list of things to get done is never ending... and forever spending.. but we'll deal!

I have managed to fill my vacancies, if I haven't mentioned that yet, which is allowing us the pleasures of Melbourne and Montville! We are still hoping to make it to Nambucca for our Anniversary too... only time will tell!

Happy Easter to everyone. I hope that you were spoiled and have taken a few moments to reflect on the reason for these wonderful 4 days off. I don't get religious often, but Jesus' sacrifice allows us to have eternal life in his Kingdom. I love the fact that I have a future, even after my time on this earth is over.

Cheers all!

Ahhh Autumn!!!

Perfect Weather...

I was just in awe today of the weather... there was a lovely breeze, the sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky and it wasn't stifling! There was no sweat in sight! I was even able to open the car up after a day in the sun and not have an automatic sheen after sitting in there!!!

It's the perfect time to start our camping weekends away.. First one is planned for 17 & 18th April, and then again on the Mothers Day weekend like last year. Anything after May is a little cold... (especially for someone who can't sleep through without getting up for a pee!)

We're going to try and fit as many in as possible and then we'll be back out there August - October!!!

Lots of pics to come!

Mmmmm... Campfire!
Marshmallows
Potato's in Foil
Corn in the Fire
Alcohol!
Doing nothing!!!!

HEAVEN!

(I wonder, if in a weekend, I would be able to get through all 4 of the Twilight Saga??? Hrmmm... should set myself a challenge!)

New Back Yard

Well... that's what it feels like!

We worked solid from 9 yesterday to about 3.30.. and it's like we have a new yard!

We removed the Mango Tree... One HUGE limb from the Jacaranda... an uncountable number of palm fronds... and one of those funky fir tree things with the little blue berry things on them...

I really wish I had taken before photo's to go with some after photo's.. but wasn't really thinking about that! All the leaves, weeds, well... everything is gone! Including our weird ground cover plant which will grow back within the week!

We are hoping that the lack of green-waste in the backyard will reduce the number of mozzies that are out there... haven't tested it yet... might do that later! Have to do the washing and clean the inside of the house first!

The house washing has been pushed to this coming Friday... cause they don't take payment via credit card... what company doesn't??? We don't generally have large amounts of cash on us... oh well.. it will get done next week and with that... create more work for us to do! Bring on the house painting!!!!!

Change of Pay Dates

In a large corporation, if your pay date was changing you would get more than 4 days notice... wouldn't you??? Seems to not be the case in the little mans world. The reason for the date change is so that our fortnights don't end on Public Holidays meaning pays can be late... Is that so that the Scheme doesn't have to do more work on those weeks or so we don't have to wait an extra day for our pay to appear in the account... I haven't quite decided yet! What I have figured out is that it's made a hell of a mess in our budget, cause we did have money coming in every week which worked really well with the money we had going out every week.. so now I've had to change payments, and amounts so that we don't continually overdraw the account... nice hey! Good thing I do check my email regularly, otherwise the end of the week would have come and gone and I would be missing out on a weeks payment next week.... Don't you just love it?!?

That added to the little man today only sleeping for 1 1/2 hours, when he usually sleeps for around 5 (across the day) lots of tears and grumbling which couldn't be consoled... made for a happy Jess this afternoon!

Seriously hope that tomorrow is better!!!!

Quick congrats to my cousin Sarah, who had a little girl at 1.33pm this afternoon. They have called her Lily (an ever popular name at the moment!) I think everything went well...

News for the next week!
Got house cleaners coming on Friday to wash the house down.. make it look a bit better, and so we can do some prepping for painting. (I think that's what we'll be asking for for our birthdays... Paint!!!) I'm going to do some cleaning down in Brisbane to pull in some extra dosh, and then, weather pending, we are doing the rest of the yard work this weekend. Maybe it will reduce the number of Mozzies out there so that we could go out and spend time with Puppy occasionally without getting eaten!

I don't want a mortgage anymore....

In the mail today arrived our 6 monthly statement from our Mortgage holder.

It's made me rather cranky actually because in the last 6 months, we have made $12853.75 in payments... $988.75 every fortnight without fail! In that same 6 months, we have been charged $11959.61 in interest. In total.. we have paid $894.14 off our mortgage... How good does that make you feel!

If we were renting... at $320 a week - which would afford us a nice 4 bed, 2 bath, brick and tile house with a new kitchen, double lockup garage... it would only have cost us $8320. Now.. with that $4533.75 we could have had a two-three week holiday in Thailand, Restored the Terrano to almost new. It would have been money that we could have paid off our credit cards, instead of using them to buy food as we had no other means... (I like the three week holiday in Thailand better than all the options!)

I know that having a home of your own is the dream of all Australians... Not paying off someone else's mortgage is better than paying off your own.. but from where I am sitting at the moment, earning my wonderful $287.50 a week from doing home day care, the extra $190 a week in my pocket would have made our last six months so much easier.

Bring on the Rudd bonus payment, cause that's what we are relying on to get the car on the road, and a new job for me - so that we can start to enjoy life again... actually go out for a meal occasionally instead of me saying "just let me check the budget first...."

Job Interview

I have a job interview on Friday with a consulting company who does work for.. guess who... Telstra!!!! I just can't seem to get away from the Big T's monopoly! Sometimes I think I should have just stayed working for them.. oh how different my life would be right now!!

I would be ultra stressed, hate work, miserable and causing marital problems cause of my own mood swings.. on the flip side, we would have money, I'd still have my ute... we'd be able to start a family straight away instead of waiting for like 3 years.

I wouldn't be great friends with Hayley like I am now, because I would never have had the excuse to go and meet her as I did with the day care starting and needing support. I would not have had the chance to work with both good and bad children and to work out in my head what I am and not going to do when my own little precious ones come along. I also have been able to purchase some of the items that will be required for my own child (all at a Tax Deductible Rate!!)

With that, the little one is now awake and wanting some grub... He's the only reason that I want to continue doing this - such a pleasure to look after!

Wish me luck!

What's been happening.... Hrmmm!

Our lives have been rather hectic of late. Both Stu and I are looking forward to a nice weekend, mostly at home, just to be together...

I kicked the biter.. I just couldn't deal with the constant stress of watching the child every single second. I have also had one of my children drop to one day a week cause they've moved, which isn't working well for our finances. Hence, we are trying to find someone to take our spare room, not having much luck so far!

I had to turn to the diary to try and remember everything else we'd done in the past month or so!!!

On the weekend of the 14th Feb, we were going to have a relax at home, but were informed that the roof had caved in in the second bedroom of the Dicky Beach house. Sometime during the week, the heavy rain had come through and not been able to drain out as it should... as a result some soaked plasterboard and numerous leaves fell on the bed... Thank God that there was no one staying there at the time cause it wouldn't have been pleasant.

All sorted now. Work being done next week or something to have it fixed up. On the coast front, both houses up there are now Permanent Rentals.. seems no one has the money to go on Holidays any more and a more permanent need has arisen. Means no more weekends up the coast though which is sad!

On Saturday 21st Feb.. Stu finally jumped out of the plane! It was supposed to happen at 8am in the morning but due to the overcast weather they postponed. They finally got up in the air around 2.30! He had a blast and we have video footage!! (Stu's head wrinkles!!!!) Not something that will be done again any time soon though!


To follow up those two rather busy weekends we spent last weekend (28th Feb) at my brothers house at Springfield. His tenants had moved out and the house was put on the market... They had left it in such a mess... It was two days of hard work, but it seriously paid off...

It's already under contract for the asking price and due to settle at the end of the month... I'm doing the conveyancing for Dee (trying to remember what I'm doing along the way!!) in return for a night away up the coast first week of April for Jem's birthday! Going to be lots of fun. I think I'll be the first to line up and ask for a loan once I see how much money he has again!!! :) (kidding!) Oh.. and I drove the Prado.. geese the speed of those things creep up on you.. but I was not a fan of the visibility! When (and if) our turn comes to buy a bigger 4wd.. it will have to be a Landcruiser... Bigger is better!!!

We had dinner last night at a place called Mario's in Hendra.. very nice... very posh... and very expensive (thank God we didn't have to pay!) It was Rod's birthday dinner! He got a number of gifts, a new watch from Soni, some DVD's of Top Gear, and accommodation to go with the flights to Cairns we gave them for Christmas... Hopefully the Denghi issues up there will be sorted by May!

On that front, Stu may be going to Cairns for two weeks to help with the relief efforts, I think it will be a great opportunity for him, if and when it comes about. One thing I have noticed about Caboolture is that they are kinda slack! He is acting senior (or team leader, as they call them here) for the next 5 weeks. The extra dollars will come in handy but I'm not sure whether the added work and stress will be worth it in the end.. I keep telling him to put in for some holidays!!!

From next week I have three kids on a Monday, One on a Tuesday & Wednesday, Two on a Thursday and none on a Friday... I'll be earning somewhere around $300 a week... if I'm lucky! Bleak times ahead. I have applied for a few positions here and there, and if I am successful, I'll take them, as much as I don't want to go back to work... We need the financial security at the moment. It will be nice to have a Friday off for a while though, considering I have not had any time off since July last year.

Our plans for the next few weekends - doing some much needed maintenance and cleaning up around our monstrous yard... I've lost count of the palm fronds we have sitting ready to be taken away! Lots of trimming to do cause you can barely see the shed up the back at the moment! The gardens have just taken off with all the rain that's been around. I have dinner with Jasmine (from nib) on Saturday night at Blackjacks in the Casino.. YUM YUM.. She's headed back to Newcastle... she's ready to go home! Then all of Michelle's wedding stuff starts in April and May... Need to start getting back onto the weight loss wagon! It's slowly going back on!

Being part of a Flu Shot trial next week, $250 for a jab and possible blood test. Then the Rudd Gov't payment in April... which will hopefully, fingers crossed, get the Terrano on the road. Then we'll have two cars.. for the first time since we were living at the coast in 2006!

We've been in this house for two years this year... how fast does time fly!


Cheers all!

Will try to not be as slack... but I will be!!!

PS: I picked up my layby copies of the Twilight series... Proud to report that in three days I'm mid way through number 3! I love reading them. They way that Stephenie Meyer describes things creates such wonderful mental pictures... It's just great!

How to fill a week!!!

I certainly know how to fill up a week...

Monday: New Child Started... Bit one of my existing kids... Lots of screaming and uncomfortable-ness!! Walked around 4.5 km in the hot sun picking up and dropping kids off cause I didn't have room in the car! Just a little bit of stress!

Tuesday: Stressing about the biting happening again, as the same two kids are in care... Stressing cause mum of the bitten says that if it happens again either they go or the new kid goes... finance concerns running around my head! Almost die (well it felt like it!!!) and end up in Hospital!

Wednesday: Forced to take the day off to recouperate... Couldn't rest all that good cause I didn't have my Twilight copy!! Was forced to watch other stuff on TV which wasn't anywhere close to entertainment! Got to spend the day with Stu though - which was nice! Freaking out all day about what my kids are up to with the other carers that they were farmed out to. (Yes... before you ask.. The biter attacked twice at the new careres place... NOT COOL!)

Thursday: Another new kid thrown into the mix. Biter decides to try it on again with another child in care.. Didn't like it when I caught it happening before they became attached... We went to visit Jemma and wreak some havoc over there.. Lots of sleep in the afternoon made for some quiet time for Jess! Checked my late child's hair and found that wonderful thing called Head Lice... Told parent to treat her... Pfft... waste of breath!

Friday: Biter decided to pinch me this morning... Let me tell you that I was NOT impressed. Going to be informing mum tonight that if he attemps again they will have to find alternate care! Hayley and her brood came over to play and while they were here we found that head lice were not treated last night... so home they went and out I went to buy product that I shouldn't have to... but... I don't want them, don't want Stu to get them, don't want them in my house and don't want the other kids to pick them up either. Spent over an hour treating and combing the culprit hair.. much to the childs whinging and complaining. Put a quick treatment through the un-liced head, and have put treatment through my hair aswell... now while they are sleeping, i'm going to put everything in to soak in some hideous smelling stuff to kill any possible tag-alongs... Going out to dinner up the coast tonight - which I am really not in the mood for - but have to go!


Bring on a relaxing weekend and a hopefully quiet week next week... I don't think I could deal otherwise!

What to do on a Tuesday when you have a few spare hours..... go to the hospital!!!

So.... yesterday was an um... wonderful day! The sun was shining (too hotly as usual) the birds were singing... water was seaping out of my pores and then there were some sirens and ambo men coming to get me!

Well... that's not all of the story! I had a pretty ordinary morning.. a little teary... thinking I had made a mistake with some of the children I have in care here due to a biting issue that happened on Monday. I've been given the ultimatum that if it happens again one of the family's will go... do I keep the good one or the bad one??? Anyway... after a few tears I decided that I didn't want to be at the house so I took the two kids that I had to the shops just to wander and help Hayley with some shopping she had to do. All was good there, the children behaved, the younger one had a good sleep in the pram and all was peachy, except from my mounting headache! Got home and fed and put the kiddies down for their naps, Stu came home for lunch and I took some painkillers to get rid of the headache.. they worked.... for the headache!

It was all perfect timing as usual as I started to feel 'off' while I was meeting with a new parent for a vacancy that I have! I had to excuse myself while she was filling out forms to go and lay on the floor to try and get some relief from the terrible stomach cramps I was having.. sweat pouring out from everywhere! I went and put my head under the bathroom tap and wet my hair in hopes that would cool me down and make me feel better!!! and then.... little one woke up!! (what's that I was saying about timing!!) We finished off the forms etc and she went after I promised that I would call Stu to come home! We went and played in the toy room... well..... I laid flat out on the floor and he played, and the pain subsided.... I got up to tidy up some of the room and it decided to start again, but this time it was 10 times worse! I was straight on the phone to Hayley. When she got over here (in like 2 seconds!) I think she was a little scared... I was grey and watering my carpet with sweat and just doubled up in pain... the little one was in the toy room (which is thankfully gated!) listening and watching me writhe in pain... and then the other one woke up too!! She rang the Ambo's, Stu and Mary who were all there within like 5 minutes!!! (Sirens and all.... :S) It had passed again when the ambo's got here, but they took me off anyway... and guess what!!! Walking to the vehicle... I decided to have another attack! I think the Ambo was a bit annoyed with me.. cause I was trying to stop myself from moaning from the pain, but he wanted me to describe it for him... come on!!! Use your training and figure it out!!!

We got to the hospital.. and it had passed again.... so into the waiting room I went! FOR 4 HOURS! Was out the back being checked out for another 2.5 before being able to go home... Short story.. Bloods/Urine came back fine and they have no idea! I think it was a reaction to the painkillers I took... (which I take regularly so is unusual) or... the stress I've been under.

Stu reckons that I was a pale shade of grey for quite a while, and that my eye's were almost clear. He thought that I was going to pass out when I had a smaller attack while in the waiting room!

So my kids were farmed out to other carers today so that I could rest and get back to normal before tomorrow! I am looking forward to a quiet weekend this weekend, doing nothing and just spending time with Stu!

I think I need a holiday!

The Dazzle of Twilight

If you've been paying attention to my Facebook updates, you will see that I am absoloutly obsessed with Twilight at the moment.. not just the Movie (and Rob Pattinson!!!) but with the books aswell..

I can watch the movie (legally of course ;P) and pick out the things that are meant to be in there and the ones that aren't.. I am at the point that listening to the soundtrack I can pick where in the movie most of the songs belong too!!!!

Is there something wrong with me? I don't think so... Is it wrong to strive for the sort of passion that Edward and Bella have for each other in our own relationships.. Obviously this story is fiction - easily distinguised by the fact that Edward is a vampire, but, the bottom line of the love story is the not being able to be apart from one another... Is it just me that craves this sort of depth in a relationship? To simply be willing to die for the one you love?

I think that Stu is waiting for me to get sick of it.. cause for the last few weeks (since we went and saw it the first time at the cinema) it's all that I have been talking about, reading, absorbing?? I was happy as a clam yesterday cause I managed to find a decent copy to get me through to the release of the actual film!! I couldn't fathom paying $15 each time to go and see it at the cinema.

The books are on layby and will be in my hot little hands in the next few weeks.. (Only takes me hours to get through them!)

....and so the lion fell in love with the lamb.....

The Plan for 2009

I'm still having trouble with the fact that 2008 is 0ver... so... where do we go in 2009?

The budget is done, all spending is planned to the dollar so that we are in a good position for refinancing mid 2010. Holiday in September is planned. Loss of wages accounted for!

As of Monday I had lost 4.5 kg (no doubt undone by my last two days of gluttony!!) My hope is that by Christmas next year I am down at least 20kg. I'm very certain it can be done!!!

Baby plans are on the back-burner until mid to end 2010. We've decided that we want to be financially solid, one fortnightly payment to a bank instead of 15!! (It's not that many really.... just feels like it sometimes!)

Michelle's Wedding in May means I'm g0ing to be a bridesmaid for the very first time! Bring on a wonderful day and money spending!!

Lots of improvements are planned for our little abode. New patio out the back... and if it can be stretched.. Carport too!! Some paint on the outside walls... new facia boards... 3.5 kw air con in the bedroom!!! Got a new vacuum during the week which pretty much lifts the carpet and all off the floor! Ceiling fans in all the rooms... what else?? Savings at the end of the year can be a deposit toward a pool???? (Really really want one!!!)

Plans are in place for new cars next year. 100 series Landcruiser... or 2005/2006 Prado and either a Navara or Hilux. That way we have the best of both worlds... 4wd, Ute, Child Friendly... Cars to last us at least 5-10 years!! Can't wait! Have to get a new laptop in June which I am not looking forward to... Vista... yuck!

Off to bed for me now I think... After a shower to wash my stickyness away... SOOOOO HUMID!!