Thursday, June 30

Packing (Again)

Once again I am faced with the ever so daunting task of packing.  This time I am packing enough food, clothes and entertainment for week long outback adventure for four.  Rather than sit at home and mope about in the absence of DD1, we decided to take some time out for a family adventure.  To tell you the truth I was silently hoping that she said she would rather come with us but alas that was not to be.  Which is fine.  Hard to take but fine and being the open minded person that I am I totally understand why it did happen the way I dreamed but lets move right along.

I am pretty pumped about out camping expedition.  We have ummhed and arhhhed a lot over whether we can really afford it or not.  In the end we decided what the hell.  We can worry about money (or rather lack there of) when we get home.  Plus these things usually have a way of sorting themselves out. At least I am hoping they do.

We really need this time away to regroup and recharge.  Our taste of it all the other week confirmed that we need to do this.  We haven't really decided where we are going yet, just somewhere towards the west.  I like the idea of the unknown.  Makes me feel reckless and all living on the edge like.   

Unfortunately I am no where near as organised as I should be.  We are still barely packed.  The preferred departure time is approximately ten hours away with at least half of that being prescribed for sleep.  Hubs headed to bed an hour or so ago and I am seriously starting to think I should do the same.  If only I was a bit more of a morning person.  Or at least one of those morning people that began operations at about 5am.  I am more of a 10am morning person.  Mind you as a mother 10am mornings are not normally the norm.  Though the girls are all fans of sleeping in compared to some of the outrageous times I hear some children waking at.

Back to my lack of organisation though.

It means I haven't got post written and scheduled to automatically post.    So that means that you as a reader are going to have to do a bit of work to find some more to read.  Scroll down, click some links and have a good poke around.  There are plenty of archived post to have a read through.  If you are not already a follower then you should sign up now.  Pretty easy really, just a click here and there.  I am expecting to return to the blogging world in around ten days.  Hopefully with lots of wonderful stories to share.

Photo credits here

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Monday, June 27

Looking Ahead (and back at the same time)

While wasting the hours away over at my beloved Pack Rat I decided to try and pretend to be productive by scrolling through old blog post in a bid to make better use of the label system. Anyway before long I was drawn towards this post A Parenting Life: 2011 The Year of Trying written just over six months ago it is interesting to see what has changed or happened and what hasn't.

The whole meeting new people came to a holt however I have made a greater than previously effort to regularly see people and be a part of their lives and let them be a part of ours. This has so far, for the most part at least, been rather positive. There have of course been a few times when I have wondered why I thought human interaction was beneficial, but on the whole, I guess being involved with others is not as bad as I once believed.

As for the regular exercise I spoke of back then...well...I guess if we use the word regular loosely...After all every six weeks or so is regular isn't it? We did go for a family bike ride this afternoon so that is sorta like exercise.

On the whole I guess I could comfortably say that I have made a few small steps forward. Nothing to write home about yet but certainly enough to enable me to think that I am heading towards awesomeness is I could just put in a little more effort...

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An Endless Battle

That is what the washing feels like to me.  

It is a constant cycle of wearing, washing, hanging and folding.  Oh did I mention the putting away?  Probably not because that stage rarely occurs in my house.  As it is my nature to leave everything for as long as possible rather than see to it immediately the washing pile is generally on the side of humungous by the time I get around to doing it.  Which means it takes me forever to get through.  As such by the time I have finished washing it I have little to no interest in folding it or putting it away.  This in turn means the washing will sit on the couch, table, or wherever for the following week.

Today I have nearly won the battle!

Aside from the socks and knickers, (oh and the half full clothes line) there is no washing to be folded or put away.  This my dear reader is like a giant leap forward for me.  With any luck I will be able to use this excitement to create some more momentum so as to ensure I keep on top of there dread battle for the rest of the week.

Fingers crossed and wish me luck

Photo credits here
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Sunday, June 26

Catching Up

Sometimes it seems all I am ever trying to do is catch up on things.  It doesn't matter what it is I will be behind with it.  The pile of dishes I have been trying to work through for what seems like forever indicates that I am roughly three days behind there.  The washing that is slowly consuming the couch strongly suggests that I am only two days behind on the folding.  Yet the lack of clean knickers in drawers means I am at least five days behind with the washing.  

Lots of catching up to do.  

I also need to catch up with friends.  Both virtual and in the real world.  Then of course there is the endless catching up I could do with all my craft projects.  Be it sewing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, you name it, I am behind in it.  I am even slightly behind in a few of my once favourite FB games.  Actually I don't think they are even entitled to be called games I think that from now on they will be referred to as time wasters.  Let's face it that is what they are.

When I started this post though I wanted to catch you up on what was happening in my life.  It has been a while since I gave a bit of an update and since it seems like I have a bit of spare time while DD3 sleeps I thought why not?  

The biggest news is that we are ALL on holidays!  Hubs included and it feels awesome.  The kidlets have four weeks off school while Hubs only has the first two and half weeks.  It feels like forever since we all had time to just hang.  Well actually I should clarify that.  We are hanging a bit today, at least for the moment right now we are all on free time.  The morning saw me gardening at mum's while hubs and the kids cleaned up a little and played.  DD2 and Hubs are now well established in a Simpson marathon while DD1 is at a friends house.

It is so nice to know that even though dinner is already cooking and under control there is no rush to get in on the table and get everyone into bed super early ready for the start of a new week.  It feels like time has been removed from us.  Schedules and regular routines have been thrown out the window and instead been replaced with freedom and little to do.

Little to do? Who am kidding?  There is always a trillion things to do around here.  In fact there are so many things to do around here that I wonder if any of them ever really get done.

Ok so it is now after dinner and I am still trying to get this post out into the blogosphere.  Been a busy couple of hours.  What with feeding, cleaning and sleeping of children times three, one of whom has a bit of a temperature and another that refuse to rest it has been all a go for me.  In amongst it all I managed to offend someone I didn't really mean to.  Ironically I felt that someone close to them recently did the same to me.  Oh life can be tricky sometimes can't it?

Anyway I think we can safely say that there is much for me to catch up on.  Or rather catch you up on.  Or perhaps both.  Hopefully the next four weeks will see me not only catch up on many things but possibly even get ahead

Saturday, June 25

Things I know

Coming up with interesting things to write about is not always that easy.  In fact sometimes it is darn right difficult.  Lately I think it is fair to say I am struggling somewhat to think of topics to post about.  Well at least when I actually get in front of the computer I struggle.
food preparation
right in the middle of dinner prep is when
inspiration seems to hit the most
When I am washing the dishes, driving the car, hanging out the washing, cooking dinner or doing any number of other things that prevent me from actually being able to write I can think of endless posts but that is nothing new.  

What is new for me though is another great link up game that I just found and think I am going to join in.  It is called


and is hosted by the ever so awesome and very inspiring Shae who is the writer behind


Can I also just take the time to say that I love these cool little buttons she has out to share.  I wish I could work out how to make one

Any here is what I know

I know that children's laughter is one of my favourtie sounds
I know that I am over the moon about being on holidays for the next 4, yes that's right FOUR weeks I am on holidays
I know that for two of those four weeks will be a bit tough because DD1 will not be around
I know that I will both miss her like crazy and feel guilty for enjoying some time without her
I know that I want to be a writer, what I don't know is why I don't make more time to write
I know that I loathe and detest housework (but who doesn't) 
I know that I have spent enough time this morning avoid said housework and now I must go and get it out the way

and finally the last thing I know is that, while at times I might whinge and complain a bit, deep down I know how truly blessed I am.

Have a great day lovelies 
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Friday, June 24

Urrrghhhh


I am here more because I feel I should be rather than because I want to be.  

Actually that is not completely true.  On many levels I do want to be here because I love to write and I honestly have faith that if I keep plugging away here then one day my dreams of fame and possible fortune will come true.  However right now I can not really think of anything worthy of firstly me writing and secondly you reading.

As I sit here, scrunched up from the cold and blurry eyed from too much computer time my mind is somewhat numb.  I find myself at the end of a rather long day that has brought to an end a rather long week, which actually feels part of a very long month and possibly even year.  Again though I could just be taking writer's liberty.  It has been a long couple of days though.

Poor hubs has been working very long days in a bid to get the dreaded stocktake out of the way.  From the brief moment I saw him tonight before he stumbled into bed I think that this has been achieved meaning he is now on two and a half weeks holiday.  Well after 12pm tomorrow he will be.  Yipee!!! Is all I have to say about that.  Tomorrow is also the first day of the school holidays.  This actually translates into four weeks of uninterrupted mornings as well no longer battle to leave the house before eight.

However what it also means is that DD1 is off to see her biological father (whom I would like to simply refer to as sperm donor but he has requested (demanded?) I don't.  Either way her absence will mean leaving me to try and not be a blithering mess.



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Monday, June 20

Point + Shoot: Valley of the V8's

With what is almost becoming a weekly ritual I am once again joining Lou over at Sunny + Scout I love the fact that I can say almost weekly ritual.  This is about the only thing I have been able to stick with of late.  

Mind you yesterday saw me spend quite a lot of time with the camera.  It was the final day of the Supercar racing that was in town.  Hubs had a flash ticket in a corporate tent which, however at the eleventh hour he was able to swing me a basic ticket into the ground so I could take the girls in.  While he say high above the track with free grog and gourmet food, we sat trackside and munched on homemade sandwiches and lollies.  A great day was had by all though.

In a weekend all about noise it was only natural to see this guy swing by for a bit

These made their fair share of noise as well

Why watch it live when there is a big screen around?

Oh and have you voted for me lately? And by lately I mean today.  It is just one click.  Means nothing to you and the world to me.  
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Saturday, June 18

Sudden Growth

You may not have noticed, but the other night I grew.  In fact little old A Parenting Life just about doubled in size!  

How did this happen I hear you ask? Well sadly it was not from a sudden burst of energetic writing.  It was however a result of me investigating a few of the many features that Blogger has to offer.  I must say I am more than mighty impressed.  In only a few simple clicks I was able to mere one of my older blogs with this wonderful masterpiece.

There is no real reasoning behind my actions I just like the idea of bringing all my ideas to the one place. Plus there is something slightly inspiring in seeing just how long I have been struggling with the same things.  You see I have often thought of myself as a bit of a quitter.  Not the quitter of bad habits quitter (though I am this as well) but the quitter it is all too hard or too much effort type of quitter.  Being able to look back at and see I have been trying to write for some years now, means surely I am getting closer to reaching my dream.  Don't you think?

Anyway I will leave it here for now.  I remember reading somewhere that posts should always be kept to around the 400 word mark.  Which I think is roughly where I am now (note to Blogger developers pls add a word counter) (Oh in case you were wondering I am only at 247 words, shows how good at guessing I am)  The real reason for my desire to leave is that the Super Cars are in town and it is being shown on TV at the moment.  We were down there for a little while this afternoon, it was pretty cool.  I am thinking I will brave it tomorrow as well.  I say brave it as Hubs will be tucked away having fun in a corporate tent while the girls and I slum it out on the hill with the general public.

I didn't take my camera with me today but here are a few of my favourite shots from years gone by.








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Thursday, June 16

Push: Purple Shoes

One of my fav Aussie bloggers is Dani over at Hello Owl.  Each week she hosts a little game called PUSH  It is all about pushing your photography skills.  I have been wanting to play along since she started it but for one reason or another I haven't as yet.  

Now I know that what I am about to post is not exactly pushing my photography skills as it is an incredibly crap photo.  However just the fact that I have actually managed to put something together to play along has been a bit of a button pusher so here it goes.

This week's theme is SHOES


It just so happened that this week has seen me become the proud new owner of not one but two new pairs of shoes.  As a rule I am a thong type of gal.  Having lived all my life in the tropics having my toes enclosed is not exactly something that I am a fan of.  The recent bout of cold weather however has shown me the upside of having enclosed toes.

Now I guess you might think that having two pairs of purple shoes makes me a bit of a purple fan.  This is not untrue but I did not go out of my way to choose shoes of the same colour.  Both pairs, purchased from the same shop were insanely cheap.  Like together the total price was under $13!  Crazy hey?

Wanna know the really crazy thing though?

The sizes.  The pretend Converse are a size 5 while the imitation Ughs are a size 9.  Go figure.  

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Point + Shoot: A weekend get away


It was time to hit the road.  Time to get away and forget about it all.  There may only be two weeks before we are all officially on holidays but this opportunity to escape was just too good to be true.

Saturday saw DD2 turn five.  We had planned to go to lunch and then watch some stunt cars fly through the air down at the local speedway.  However the stunt cars turned out to be incredibly over priced so at the last minute a quick party in the park was organised and a dash down the track with her best friend and his family arranged.




From the moment I stepped out onto the sand I felt free.  I felt worries that I didn't even know about leave me.  For two blissful days kids ran free and I sat and looked at the sea.  Even just thinking about it now I feel relaxed and transformed.  I want to go back there.  Actually on some level I want to stay there forever.  Stay in the calm, the care free, the not a worry in the world...


 


Even though it is nearly time for the weekend again this post is playing along with the lovely Lou at Sunny + Scout Being away from home may well be fun and relaxing but there sure is a lot to catch up on when you return.  This week has just been a blur of washing and school stuff.  Yesterday was sports day and being the overly involved mother that I am I had a major part in organising the food and drink for the evening events.  I think that all turned out well and by all accounts we appeared to have raised some much needed funds for the school.  Win win all round really.

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Tuesday, June 7

Today saw me try to recreate my lovely lasagne from the other week.  The house has been a little unwell the last few days so I have been trying to cram in as many vegetables as possible.  Last night it was a delicious chicken and vegetable soup and tonight lasagne.  The thing I love most about lasagne is that it makes it super easy to pile in the veggies with little to no complaints.  

When my kidlets sit down to lasagne I can rest assured that they will gobble it all up and happily declare it the best meal ever.  They are totally unaware of exactly how much wonderful goodness they are getting.  You see my meat sauce consists of garlic, onion, capsicum,  spinach, broccoli, mushroom, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes. Oh and celery.  And yes that's right over ten veggies all at once.

Possibly a bit of an over kill but when we are all a little run down I think the more the merrier.  Plus it was more than just a little yummy.  The other great thing about having lots of different ingredients is that it makes it easier to make larger quantities.  We have enough lasagne for at least another three meals.

Lots going on this week.  But when is there not?  DD2 turns five on Saturday and we are thinking of a joint camping trip with her bestest buddy and his family.  There will also be a party in the morning.  All very exciting.  Busy but exciting.

I also need to start doing some serious work towards the school's fortieth birthday celebrations.  Agreeing to be on a committee always seems like a good idea at the time...

I could actually just curl up and go to sleep.  Which would make for an incredibly early night which does have an alluring appeal.  However my mum and DD1 are returning home from their weekend getaway which means a midnight airport pick up.  I am just a little jealous.  They got to go and hang with my beautiful sister.  Thankfully she comes to visit fairly often, well she used to.  I fear (but understand) that the visits may come further apart in the not too distant future.



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Sunday, June 5

Passionfruit Flower

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All it takes is one click a day 
It's an ego thing what can I say?


Right! Well a little while ago I promised some photos of what I have been up to.  Naturally, these took much longer than originally anticipated, but at last they are ready.  Well they will be by the time this post is published.  (Just out of curiosity I will keep track of the time 12.30pm)

Rather than just publish the photos I want to do a bit of fancy editing stuff with them.  I have started one but as I am not really sure how to best use the app it is a bit hit and miss.  (If you are interested I have a Mac and the app I am referring to is Image Tricks Lite)

Passionfruit flower from my garden

Unfortunately though I can't remember exactly what I did.  There are sooooo many different things to choose from and as soon as you hit the apply button the effects take place but the selected name disappears.  Remember a few lines back where I said it is now 12.30pm?  Well it is now 1.33pm.  

Not surprisingly sitting here is not the only thing I have been doing.  You see before I could actually upload the photo I had to edit it.  Which I started doing.  I tried a few different things that were neither here nor there and I just continued to my scrolling and clicking waiting to see how my photo would be transformed.  When it got to this one, my attention was caught and I started to be a little impressed at how cool my flower was looking.  As I sat there admiring my ability to just randomly select awesomeness the dog barked, the washing machine beeped and some idiot outside my front house decided to test his vehicle's horn.  Not surprisingly after all that the baby woke up.

So I quickly saved my creation and saw to what needed to be done.  After feeding and cuddling the baby for a while hoping for a return to slumber I came to terms with the fact that sleep time was in fact over and it was now time for us all to get on with the day.  I then hung out some washing, snapped a few shots of a beautiful butterfly that DD2 found by the pond and chatted to my new neighbours.

Anyway enough of that. Hopefully from here on in I will remember to pay more attention to what I am doing in terms of changes to photos.  Hubs just saw the photo above and sounded disappointed to see that I had removed all the colour. So just for him
Passionfruit flower edited with a glow effect
This time I remembered which featured I used.  The 'glow' under the "Quartz' tab.  Anyway it is now 2.31pm and while there is much else to show I will leave it here for now.  Apparently there are more pressing things for me to do such as




Saturday, June 4

And so the struggle continues

I am back to not knowing what to write.  As always I seem to have loads of brilliant ideas when I am away from the computer and then as soon as I get here it all just goes.

(short frustrated sigh) (make that very frustrated)

*head scratch*

I mean it has gotten so bad that I am not resorting to mentioning that I scratch my head.

twitch, twitch

(long deep sigh and big breath in as I wonder whether or not I should just delete all of this or continue on.  The little voice at the back of my head that keeps whispering at least it is something wins, and I think I will leave it at least for now)

One of my neighbours has decided to get some renovations done.  Which we have known about for quite some time.  What we didn't realise was that today was the day the noisy bobcat would be in.  After a rather pleasant morning at a local park and then early afternoon adventure to the Waterfront I was hoping for a very peaceful afternoon.  One which wasn't plagued by the reversal signal if machinery. (Grrr)

Going out is sort of an option but I am not sure I really have the energy for it.  

(short sigh and teeth grit as beeping continues)

*more eye rubbing and head holding*

I have taken a few photos today which was nice, I haven't uploaded them yet though.  I have gotten up a few times to get the card but as so often happens to me I get distracted.  Hubs is continually commenting on my many simultaneous projects.  So with that in mind I might love you an leave you for now with the promise of returning with some beautiful photos

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