The first water fight of summer 2011

Today was yet another beautiful, summer day in sunny Mosgiel

To celebrate the heat and 'just about holiday-ness' of the day, the first water fight of summer was born!
It all began with me mowing the lawns...

Hubby chose his most advantageous position (the upstairs window in our bedroom overlooking the front lawn)...
chose his weapon (an empty contact lens solution bottle)...
took aim and fired!

I was completely unaware of the stealth attack and ended up well doused right down the front of me! It was actually a welcome and refreshing wetting...for a change!

Of course, the main event occurred later in the day. The pictures tell the story better than I ever could...




The end result:
Five perfectly soaked and happy children.
One thoroughly soaked and happy daddy/uncle.
A well watered lawn, therefore happy grass (?).
Five children showered, warm and clean, therefore happy mummy.
Lots more towels in the laundry to be washed tomorrow...mmmm!

Magic at home

Cheeky three year old that she is, little Miss C has discovered magic!! Thanks to Barbie movies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and other Disney wonders.

Anyway...we enjoy the odd trick or magic show at home these days which usually take the form of her pulling something "super-amazing" out of something else - not always a hat!

The best one so far made me laugh out loud (excuse the expression but it really did!). She found a lovely golden envelope (the hat) and a Thomas the Tank Engine domino (the rabbit), and took her stance before me. With a twinkle in her eye she slid her hand into the golden envelope - much like they do at major award ceremonies - and glanced merrily up at me. Now this next bit is the bit that made me laugh...

She glanced merrily up at me and said, with all the expression only years of showmanship could develop, "Wait for it" - Oh how I laughed at that in itself but then, as if my breath-held face of anticipation didn't convince her fully, she added, "Are you waiting?". I couldn't hold it in...hence the laugh out loud!

Oh the funny moments only mummys get to enjoy!

What a treasure! Too good not to be shared!

School Holidays

The last two weeks were holiday time! For some mums I know the mention of these two words fills them with dread and despair. For me...I relish not having to get out of bed so early, not having to make lunches, find homework, rush kids out the door etc etc etc.

But gosh have the last two weeks flown by fast or what!!! I could hardly believe that it was really back to school day this morning. Good job my big boy was eager and ready to get up at 6:30 this morning!! I had set the alarm for 7:00 and it did go off - but it was only Ben coming in and out with queries and cuddles that made me get out of bed in time to get everything done on time for out the door at about 8:45.

These holidays were filled with all sorts of busy-ness. Nothing really really exciting but lots of little things that kept the boredom bug at bay.

Of course we had other little boys and girls come to visit fairly regularly which always helps the time pass. We had an outing to the Tropical Forest at Discovery World at the Otago Museum. This was my first time and I loved it!!! What a great way to pass an hour or two. I was planning to post photos but my camera lens steamed up as soon as I got it out so that was the end of that! Could have had some awesome pictures of the boys running through the tropical "jungle" and my wee girl trying to "pat" the butterflies! I even had one land on my NOSE which would have made a great shot I'm sure!! And seeing Darcy just about collapse from having two beautifully blue winged creatures flutter from his bald head to his ear was very precious!! I was the butterfly magnet of our family that day which made the boys a bit envious!! Well, what can I say...I'm delicious!!! Hahahaha

Another holiday highlight were going to see "Ice Age 3" with Jen and the boys. It was great entertainment - although a certain small person did try to hide from the dinosaurs at one point ...she's just too cute! Seeing the boys laugh out loud at movies is always a highlight for me!! We recommend it!

The other great time passer this holidays was Desi's fold out foam couch!!! The fun had by bending and folding it into various huts and jumping places was second to none! And it was something all three kids could do together! I like it when they play like that! Warms a mother's heart!! :-)

Sorry there are no photos but what can I say....I just enjoy the moments and sometimes recording them pictorially just passes me by. I'm already looking forward to the next school holidays!

The best thing...

• about being pregnant is having Ben give my bump kisses ands hugs goodnight!!! So cute!! He is such a great big brother - most of the time!! :-)
  

• about explaining why sharing is important to Caitlin is seeing her teach her big brother about sharing - and seeing him give her hugs and kisses to make her happy again after he didn't share his sweets with her.
  

• about already being a mum is getting to help a friend with all her first baby needs/issues/problems/concerns/joys etc and also remembering all those things from my own first-time experiences....and second time....and third time.....and looking forward to fourth time!!!!

• about winter time and our not-so-recent house renovations (see old posts for more on this) is my fire!! I love it and how my whole house is warm almost 24 hours a day. Everyone coming through the door mentions how warm it is here and I love that! 22 degrees is good for me!

• about going to church and teaching my Relief Society lessons are the things I relearn all the time! Like counting my blessings....I need reminding now and then....and how to really try harder to live a life following the example of the Saviour. We are very blessed in all aspects of our lives and i am so grateful for all the many small blessings I enjoy on a daily basis. 
  

There really are too many things that I could add to this list so I'll stop...maybe there might be some more in the future! Start your own - I dare ya to get positive! :-)

I miss Nana

I really am the luckiest daughter-in-law that ever lived!!

The old saying that goes "you never really appreciate something until it's gone" is SO true. I know that whenever she goes away I think to myself that things will be fine, Phill will step up to the plate, the kids will be angels and I will be able to handle three kids, two cats, three guinea pigs and a husband with grace, charm and elegance; but lets be real here!!!! 

Doing all that is hard!!! 

Especially when it's been raining pretty much constantly for two weeks (ever since she left - coincidence?!!!!) and a lot of things have happened in between times (the Jenkins family arrived the day after her departure; District Conference (say no more!); two boy birthdays; a baptism (actually took place the day before she left but did cause a little stress!); a confirmation; Ang had her baby (yippeee); Phill wanted the bookwork done for the tax return time of year (aaaaaaaaargh); etc etc etc (I will bore you no more with the list that has been this month!).......suffice it to say that I appreciate Nana more and more with each time she goes away. 

I get a little bombarded with being the only one who does washing, folding and putting away...although the boys are pretty good at helping with that....and dishes breakfast, lunch and tea...although Lissa does sometimes help with that....and cooking those breakfasts, lunches and teas seven days a week....although on Sunday Phill did a fine job of roast chicken, roast potatoes and veges (loved him so much for that one!! Yay for you honey!)....it really is hard work all this household stuff. And when you try to fit in homework for the boys, funtime with all the kids, a little one on one with each of them and hubby as well.....alone time for me or doing what I really like is a bit thin on the ground!!

This is not a whinge - please don't take it as such - it is simply an appreciation of how much I miss and appreciate Nana. She helps keep me sane and stable and not constantly running round in circles.

Look forward to August!! But then a whole new chapter begins............mmmm enough said!

My claps go out to all mums out there - especially the ones doing it on their own! The ones who manage to stay youthful and fun and have their homes organised by ten each day get extra claps! 

I might get there one day - and pigs might fly - I'll enjoy the ride!!!! teeheeehehehhehe

The day the Guinea Pig died...

And I was singing Bye Bye Miss American Pie".....

No not really!

I was out and about for the morning and got home sometime to a wee note from Melissa saying "bla blah blah etc and you may want to check the guinea pig". "Mmm", I thought, "curious".

So I checked the guinea pig. Poor Lazer. Sitting on the grass all puffy looking. She is usually the first one to scamper away from you so for her not to move at all was VERY out of character. Oh dear...

I reached in to grab her to put her in a box to take to the vet. She had no strength in her legs to stand up. Not good...

In the box beside the fire to keep warm (I thought maybe she might have some kind of guinea pig flu or something). Checking on her now and then. Still breathing. Not moving much though. Doing the usual stuff around home. Checked her again - eyes glazed, no movement, oh dear...not good...poor Lazer.

Jared came home from school - gotta break the news sometime. So I said quietly to him " Jared Lazer died today". Little face dropped. "What was wrong" he asked in a small voice. "I think she ate something that made her sick" (She was looking a bit bloated). Face lifts a little "Can we cut her open to see?" Oh Jared! The hard facts of life are no problem for you to deal with!! And "no, we can't cut her open! Yuck!"

She was buried and the plot was decorated. Her headstone is a brick and a paua shell and she is sprinkled with lovely white sunflower seed husks. Not sure how long they'll stay lovely and white but it does look quite pretty against the brown, freshly dug soil.

So here is Lazer as we remember her... Talk about cheesy grin eh! He was so proud of her and she had the cutest babies! Bye Bye Lazer. XX

Easter as was...

I warned you I had some things I needed to tell about - so here I go.....

Well the Easter break was fairly low key for us this year. No treasure hunt for chocolate eggs (I don't believe in them personally, plus it saves the kids teeth and Phill's waistline!!), no trips away before the "summer" ends (although the weather this year was glorious and certainly trip worthy!). It was just me and the kids at home - Phill was working (flying in a plane I think) and Nana was doing her thing (can't remember what) - passing the time in whatever way we thought fun at the time.

I decided we should decorate eggs!

So 4 eggs were boiled in a pot.

While we waited for those to cook and cool, Ben decided he wanted to make a little man-egg in an eggbox house. Luckily an empty one was handy (a box that is). Emptying the egg was not so straightforward!!! Oh my goodness!!! I just about burst something crucial blowing the innards out of that egg!!!! If you've never tried it be warned...it is not for the weak lunged or weak bladdered. I seriously nearly popped a blood vessel or three...even after enlarging the pin hole a couple of times!!

Phew - said egg was finally blown out (into a cup for later use - waste not, want not) amidst cries of "He's doing poos!" and "yuck, that's gross" from eagerly watching kiddies - never having seen this incredible thing done before.

A little vivid marker created little man-egg, and a "little" cellotape and cutting transformed former empty eggbox into luxury man-egg home: complete with bed, table and chairs and a loo. House and Garden eat your heart out!!

Unfortunately no photographic evidence remains of his life - which was incidentally a lot longer than this mummy anticipated!!

By now the originally planned, hard-boiled eggs were cooked and cooled, ready to be painted. (I thought about using actual paint but decided that feltpens would be a better idea.)

Jared dropped two (I had to cook more so he could try again!), Caitlin easily gave up on hers and ended up eating it instead, but Ben persevered.

It took a couple of wipes down with baby wipes and a few colour suggestions from mum but he finally created a masterpiece in hard-boiled egg design which was definitely photo worthy.

So here is a proud Ben and his beautiful egg!