Mainly Music

This is how we pass the time while the older kids are in their violin and guitar lessons...at least on the nice days! Thanks to Mrs Moses for the loan of the butterfly wings :-)

With bike in tow, and a bag full of apples and water bottles we hit the junior playground at school for an hour and a half.
Today Miss N followed her cousin around the playground and figured out that she can go across the beam bridge and the horizontal ladder to get to the slide! Yay for her, but a little nerve racking for me! Still, we celebrate all the achievements right? ;-)

Life's little crazies...

You might think from the title of this post that my kids have been up to more than their usual share of mischief making - typed even as I hear the boys getting ready for bed upstairs with more than the expected level of thumping, banging and raised voices, after being told quite specifically to be quiet and non-silly as their little sisters are already settled into bed!!!! Oh brother! Boys have sewn on ears - I am sure of it!

Anyhow...

Anyhow...this is my musings on the way life throws us curve balls, and fast balls, and hard balls, and so many different sized balls that we can barely think, let alone dodge some of the more harmless ones headed our way.

Since October I have dodged a few odd shaped balls but have also suffered a full on assault that took my breath away.
The biggest, and most painful being that my sweet mother died on November 9th at lunchtime. She lost the fight against her fourth aggressive cancer attack in the Oamaru hospital with me and my dear Dad by her side. If I could share that event in such a way that would adequately describe the depth of feelings I experienced, the thoughts that ran around my head, and the painful happiness that tugged at my heart, then I might start to try...but words fail me, and my heart interferes, and it generally becomes a bit sacred to me. She was my Mum...I miss her crazily...enough said.

A few of the other little curve balls include my 39th birthday...only significant in the fact that 40 looms but one year away, and I had grand intentions of achieving quite a few things before that number reared its ugly head. Maybe I'll list them here some other day...maybe!

I find myself at times in very philosophical frames of mind, and have to actually kick start the "just get on with it" button. Not because I'm unmotivated, but more because I sense change is on the horizon, and I'm unsure as yet whether or not I a) want the changes, b) can handle the changes, or c) even anticipate what the changes are.

Balls are in the air - dodge, catch or take it to the body?

 Some of the good craziness that has been going on - yes there are some positives - is that by driving to Mum's funeral with no oil in my car (that is a whole miracle story right there!), I now have a lovely 2004 Honda Stream Absolute; red, and sleek, and sassy, yet still spacious enough to hold our family of 6! Thanks to my darling husband who still manages to surprise me with his love and generosity after nearly 15 years of marriage!!

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Since writing the top part of this post life has thrown quite a few more dirty curve balls!  8 months almost to the day after my sweet mummy died my dear daddy also said goodbye to the world after finding out he too had the dreaded C. Such calm, courage and collected contemplation in the face of grief and dying I have never witnessed. He was my first hero.

I am also back to "work-widow" status, with my darling Husband back in the North Island on a weekly basis. That brings a few body shots with it - particularly from my little ones and their own longing for their male parent.

My biggest little one has almost completed his first year at College. Eeek - how is that possible!?  It seems barely a few years ago that I was taking him to primary school for the first time. He is handsome and so grown up in his uniform, and becoming more so in his daily life. Stop growing my son - but become the best man you can be!

I also hit that foreseen, but not anxiously anticipated hurdle, of my 40th birthday. I am officially middle aged!  ;-)
I still "feel" about 23 so I guess it ain't all bad!

More changes to come!  I've been through the key changes to the morbid minor (thank you Angela of Striking Keys for that analogy and the inspiration to actually post this monologue on life) so hopefully the key changes to come will be to brighter, happier tones.

Whatever the case, embrace it and carry on and learn what you can on the way.

Young Women's Camp

Saturday's activities were all outside and all physically active, so as I write this at approx 9:30pm the hall is empty except for a few leaders cleaning up and me, recording events for posterity's sake. The girls have all turned in for the night...oh my!!!
We got up about 7am for breakfast. Then it was outside for archery and horizontal bungy. The girls released their inner Katnis and got down in the mud on these activities.
After morning tea it was over the hill to Taieri Beach for a walk down to the rock pools...I forgot my camera!
Lunch was a yummy pasta,sauce and salad affair followed by peach crumble and ice cream.
After lunch we braved the soggy and slippery Millenium Track where there was much laughter, screaming and other hilarity, oh and eggs! Not a one was broken ;-)
Everyone was worn out when they got back...well mostly everyone!
Games after dinner topped off our energetic day. Ninja, Mafia, indoor newspaper hockey...what a riot!!!
All set for a good night's sleep and a happy Sabbath tomorrow.

Oh how I love the iPad

I have just discovered Blogger on the iPad...why this has not happened earlier I cannot say...could have something to do with my lack of most technological knowledge and interest lol.
But now the Songster is back on track with life experiences that make me laugh and cry and everything else in between!

Kids need me now so hold your breath...I'll be back soon!!!

Just a quick photo update of the kids...boy how they grow!

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!