New Year Resolutions … in advance!

Only two more weeks of school (+ 2 days) after this week – then the kids will be on holidays – and I will “semi” be on hols too.  Yippee.  I can’t wait.

This has been quite a difficult year in many respects.  I have built my Virtual Assistant business to a point where I could probably work more than full time hours and earn heaps of $$$s, but that was never my aim.  My aim was to work from home and be available for my kids.  Mostly I’m not strictly working from home – I go and work at other offices, but I have really been enjoying that.  I even get to go to a “work” Christmas Function on Saturday night. 

Next year it’s likely I will be increasing the days I work at the church.  I have chosen to stay as a contractor, rather than being a salaried staff member – it gives me a bit more flexibility with when I want to work, and I think it definitely works out better financially at tax time! 

Anyway … the whole point of this post is just that I have been reflecting on the year that is almost over and thinking about how it’s been.  I know I have worked a bit too much when I have had the kids – but it’s been a necessity.  Next year with Bella at school full-time I should be able to achieve all of my work during school hours.  This will mean when I am with the kids I will be a bit more available and actually “there” IYKWIM?

It’s easy to just work, work, work and justify it because you NEED to earn money – but then you forget that you have 3 beautiful kids who are growing up WAY too fast, who need you, who want to spend time with you … so you examine your goals and priorities and think how you can improve next year.  That’s what I’ve been doing this week.

I’m hoping to have a day off during the week next year which will allow me to do stuff at school with the kids, keep on top of housework, do grocery shopping etc.  I am also NOT going to work on Saturdays next year (or Public Holidays!).  I desperately need a day where I can sleep in, relax and start doing many of the things I don’t currently do due to lack of time.  Organising our photos, scrapbooking, sewing, embroidery, reading … so much I would love to do.

One of Bella’s little friends had a birthday recently and I decided to have a go at making an apron as a present.  I copied one that Bella was given as a gift and it mostly worked out okay.  I’m certainly not a dressmaker like my Mum who just “whips things up” in the blink of an eye.  I’m more of a “this will take all day” kind of girl, but that’s okay.  As long as I get a finished product at the end, that’s the main thing.  The birthday girl was very happy with her gift, and her Mum has already ordered 2 adult versions once I get some time to sew (in the holidays!).

Miss Bella modelling the finished apron:-

It was lovely to make a gift rather than buying it.  It would be nice to think I could make gifts for friends next year for birthdays etc. but I know that’s probably being a bit too ambitious!  We shall see …

I hope you are having a great week?  Mine has been busy but not unbearably so.

Thanks for stopping by….

Fee x

The Good Old Days

Dad was cleaning out his shed, and came across a whole pile of photos/slides.

He sent me through this photo yesterday.  I’m not sure about the wrinkled effect on the pic – perhaps it’s going out in sympathy with the wrinkles in real life?!

I would have been about 15 in this photo.  Mum sewed all of my tutus – and this was the last one she ever made for me.

Angus discovered my pointe shoes this afternoon in our craft room.  He asked if he could have the bag they were in (which was a bag my brother made in the Airforce way back when!).  Bella just found the pointe shoes on the floor in my room and wanted to try them on.

This was our recent conversation … “Mum when you die can I have these ballet shoes”?  “Sure Bella”.  I don’t think I’ll need them when I’m gone!  LOL.  Maybe I’ll be doing ballet in Heaven? 

Hope you’re having a great week?  Mine has been hectic and busy – I am hanging out for the Christmas school holidays to start.  Can’t wait to have less work and more time with the kids.

TTFN,

Fee

Lovin’ This …

I just want to share a few more recent shots of the kidlets.

I took this one of Bella and her best piggy mate Penelope.  It’s a terrible shot in that I’m too close, it’s blurry and the contrast is all wrong BUT I love that it captures Bella doing what she loves … feeding Miss Penelope some carrot.  Boo just loves that little pig and is forever cuddling her and giving her carrot treats.  So gorgeous.

Here’s another shot I took … before the camera died the night at the beach!

I really love this.  It was going on dark so the lighting isn’t very good – but in some ways that contributes to the “mood” of the shot.

George said “take one of me doing this Mum” and so I did …

Have a great weekend.  I’m feeling slightly better today, so hoping I’ll be back to full-strength tomorrow.

Fee x

I’m officially sick

Well after spending most of this week feeling tired, with no energy and just very BLAH – I’ve decided today that I am actually sick. 

This is made infinitely worse by the fact that 2 of my children are also sick, and G would pick this week to be away for business – so I can’t even palm sick people on to someone else so I can wallow in my sickness.  Woe is me! 

Miss Boo started complaining of sore ears about Tuesday.  By last night she was crying because they were really sore – and of course they only ever tell you these things after the Doctors are closed and the only option is to go to A&E at the Hospital.  G-r-o-a-n.  I ummed and ahhed but decided that crying over sore ears probably meant they were infected – and we could either stay home and hope we would get through the night – or the other option would be that we would be driving to the Hospital at 3am in the morning.  I went with the option of taking her, plus the two boys, to A&E – hoping that we would be seen in double quick time and home again before we knew it.  Oh, I’m such a comedian!

The flashing sign indicated that non-urgent cases would wait 3 hours to see a Doctor.  I decided we would risk it and wait to see if they might get us through a bit quicker.  We sat … and sat … and sat … you get the picture!  After 2 hours (probably half of which involved having a child in tears saying “I want to go home” and falling asleep on me) I decided we’d had enough – so home we went – dosed the patient up on Panadol and thankfully made it through the night okay.

I was on the blower to the doctor first thing and managed to get a morning appointment.  The verdict:  infection in BOTH ears.  Poor wee dot.  So she’s on antibiotics which hopefully will clear the nasties up.  She’s a pretty robust kid who doesn’t make a big fuss about things, so when she’s crying with sore ears you know they really ARE sore.

What really irritates me about the hospital is that they don’t really triage patients well.  The nurse/doctor asks a few questions at a window – you sign the paperwork – then you WAIT.  If someone could have taken 5 mins last night to take Boo’s temp and look in her ears, they would have said “whacky doo, this child has ear infections, here are some antibiotics, go home”.  But instead you get left in the waiting room for ever and a day – until you get tired of waiting and go home (which I guess is the hospital’s preferred option) – except people really are SICK and need some attention.  Why can’t they allocate one doctor to do a GP-type after hours service?  I’m sure they would clear their waiting room in double quick time and still have plenty of staff available to look after the urgent, really sick people!  It’s so frustrating. 

Anyway, that’s my rant for the day.  George is also under the weather.  Nothing specific – a bit like me – just tired, headaches, generally feeling “off”.  Blech.

I’m hoping we will all be feeling MUCH better tomorrow.  For now it’s an early night for me.

Fee x

My Boy

We had dinner at the park a few weeks back (on that glorious night without wind!) and I managed to get a few shots of the kids before the batteries went dead in my camera (and my supposedly charged spare wasn’t charged at all).

I captured these shots of Angus and I just love them.  They are so him …. his sense of fun, his clowning, and his serious side as well.

Bella was trying to make him look like he had reindeer antlers! 

 

Now, on to an exercise update.  Ummm, progress to date: NIL.  Exercise completed: NIL.  Slack:  YES.  Could do better: YES.  One of these days.

To be honest I’ve not felt well this week.  I think I’m just plain tired and tuckered out.  My life has been mental the last few weeks/months and I think it’s starting to take a toll.  It must do sooner or later I guess.

I’m hanging out for school to finish – then I’m taking a BIG long break with the kids.  I will work one day a week, but the rest of the time it will be sleeping in, going to the beach, and just having fun doing stuff with the kids.  I can’t wait.

Oh, and other breaking news … I gave up coffee today … and I have a HUGE headache.  I don’t drink a lot of the stuff, but for years if I haven’t had my early morning “fix” I get a headache mid-morning that can’t be shaken.  I’m looking forward to seeing if I feel any better without coffee in my life?  Perhaps that will spur me on to exercise?  Here’s hoping…

Thanks for stopping by…

Fee xx

Oh, and if you’d like to win a free print, check out my friend Donna’s Blog.

Getting Fit (well trying to at least)

I am an unfit slob – that’s the truth.  I am a “thin” unfit slob which makes it easier to get away with – but I am definitely unfit – and the time has come for action.

I had considered getting a gym membership, but there’s no way I can fit in regular gum visits with having the kids and my working schedule.

So, I have decided to “do it myself” at home.  I’ve been Googling tonight, and I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of sites online which provide free exercises.

Here are the first few I found this evening, with more to look through later on.

http://www.netfit.co.uk/fitness/home/lowerbody/beginners1/index.htm

http://www.free-online-health.com/home-exercise-programs.htm

http://health.ninemsn.com.au/fitness/exercise/694916/at-home-exercises

I’m going to write myself up a schedule for what I can do, and when – then try and stick to it.  I’ll start slowly and build my way up to the Tae Bo Kickboxing video I have sitting on my shelf in the lounge room! 

Seriously though, it’s high time I made an effort and got serious about exercise and being healthy.  I’m even thinking about giving up coffee.  Not sure whether I could actually do it though.  I’m not a tea drinker – I’ve never liked the smell.  However I tried a raspberry and peach tea the other day which wasn’t half bad – so perhaps I could start drinking some of the herbal blends instead when I feel like a hot drink.  It’s mostly just a social thing isn’t it – having a coffee?

So how about you?  Are you an exercise junkie – or a slob like me?

Fee

BBQ Builder – Extraordinaire

Well I’m feeling quite proud of myself tonight.  Angus and I managed to build a BBQ this afternoon.  When I say we “built it” – I mean we managed to get the legs stuck on, with a rack in place and wheels on the bottom.  Believe me, that’s quite an accomplishment when you are as technically challenged as I am.  I won’t tell you about the part where I burst into tears because I couldn’t tighten the darn screws – and wished I had an electric drill that would do the job for me (or a husband – but let’s not go there!).  Angus was fantastic – I couldn’t have done it without him, and I think he’s quite enjoying being “the man about the house” helping me out.

Anyway – I would take a photo of the thing of beauty – except I ran the batteries dead in my camera.  There’s always tomorrow….

We decided to get takeaways for tea in celebration of building a barbie (because by the end of it all I was too exhausted to cook – and the fact that I don’t have a gas bottle yet might be a slight technical hitch!  ).  Off to the fish & chip shop we went, which also conveniently does chinese.  Then we went and sat down at the foreshore in town and watched the sun set, and the lights come on in the port.  It was so pretty, with not a breath of wind (which is pretty amazing for here!).  A walk on the beach and a quick play for the kids at the playground rounded off a pretty awesome afternoon/evening.

It’s nice sometimes just to do something spontaneous and fun … and make the most of the moment.  I need to remember to do it more often.

In other breaking news … I have signed up to do my Certificate IV in Bookkeeping via correspondence.  Exactly when I’m going to fit in study I haven’t quite worked out, but I’m sure a few spare hours each week can be eked out to hit the books?

I’m planning not to work too much over the Christmas school holidays, apart from my Monday’s at the church.  I really NEED a break and it will be good to chill out with the kids and enjoy summer together.

Well must away.  Thanks for stopping by.  Will post some pics soon-ish.

Fee x

Funny Poetry

The lads have to do poetry recitation at school tomorrow.

Angus was initially going to do Waltzing Matilda by Banjo Paterson, but I said I thought it might be a bit hard to recite without breaking into song! 

He has chosen “Pioneers” instead.

George wanted something a bit more light-hearted and said one of his friends had found a website called Poetry for Kids so we Googled that this evening.  We had a few giggles over some of the poems, but in the end he chose “My Elephant is Missing” by Kenn Nesbitt.

This was my fave though.  It’s also by Kenn Nesbitt and entitled “My Chicken’s On the Internet“. 

Hope you’ve had a good start to the week?

Fee x

Mao’s Last Dancer

I went to the movies on Saturday night to see Mao’s Last Dancer.  I really loved the book so I’m always a little wary about seeing a movie based on a book – they can be a bit hit and miss.

I’m happy to report that the movie was every bit as good as the book.  Having done ballet for 10 of my 40 years I really love watching ballet – so this movie didn’t disappoint in that respect.  Friends I’ve spoken to who have seen the movie have also really enjoyed it (without being ballet nuts like me!).

Li Cunxin is a pretty amazing person I think.  He was a poor peasant boy who trained hard to take the dancing world by storm, and then went on to have a successful career after dancing.  He finished his dancing career in Australia and still lives here with his wife (who was also a dancer) and their 3 girls.  One of their daughters was born profoundly deaf and was one of the first people to receive a cochlear implant.

I highly recommend the book, and the movie, if you enjoy a good story/autobiography?

Fiona

Don’t …

… go on carnival rides with your son.  It’s a really, REALLY bad idea.  Especially when you are sitting at your computer 7.5 hours after the event, and you STILL feel queasy. 

It was the Sunshine Festival in town here this weekend -  an annual event.  This year they held most of the family fun activities down at our newly remodelled foreshore (which is still a work in progress, but a whole lot better than what was here when we moved in 2001!).  I digress!

They had this ride there called the ‘Tumbler’ and George decided he would really like to have a go on it.  Angus wasn’t keen so I said I would go on it with him.  BAD MISTAKE!  It’s like a ferris wheel, but instead of nice sedate little carriage things you are put in a cage (ah warning bells should be ringing about here – but no – on she goes!).  So the way the Tumbler works is it goes around and around (like a ferris wheel) except your little cages actually rock backwards and forwards.  So when you are going forwards you go up over the top and then your cage sort of swings back – then forward again as you swing back up to the top.  And did I mention you go fast – VERY fast?  End result??  You feel sick.  Aaaaggghhh.  George and I did about two rotations and wished there was a red button we could push to get off that darn ride – an ejector seat would have been ideal.

However we discovered that if you closed your eyes it wasn’t so bad – almost relaxing – ALMOST!  Who am I trying to kid?  It was terrible, horrible, awful … and never to be repeated.  Oh I didn’t mention that it does stop – and then they spin you back in the other direction – fast, VERY fast.  Joyful (not even!).

Angus said to me afterwards, “I was waving to you Mum and you weren’t waving back”.

“Um, that would be because I had my eyes TIGHTLY SHUT.”

You live and learn … and feel queasy for a good, long while I’ve discovered.

TTFN.

Fee