Oh happy day, tomorrow I flyout. I am so looking forward to it. Ihave finished packing except for the little bits and pieces of bathroom stuff. I went and had a haircut today. I had a free voucher for a haircut, treatment and blowdry that I won last year. So it didn't cost me a cent. I am happy about that. And mum bought me a new pair of joggers to take with me, but I still need to find a decent pair of shoes while I am away.

On a frustrating note, my washing machine decided it is having a holiday too. It stopped working, won't fill. Bugger of a thing. Well at least we have the other one still sitting in the garage. The boys can change it over while I am away. But while mum and I went and got our hair done, dad did my washing, including hanging it all on the line, with coathangers where appropriate! Mum was very impressed let me tell you. And there were 2 loads too!! Dad better watch out, I told mum that next time she wants to go out for the day, just tell dad to do the washing while she's gone. But she won't. Oh well.

Anyway, gonna cook something really yummy for dinner, seeing as it is the last one for 3 nights that I will share with my family (and the kids reckon the last decent meal they will have this weekend). Don't know what it is gonna be, but it's chicken breast. I'll work it out while I am cooking it I suppose.

Went to my nephews 1st birthday party yesterday! My god it was hot. Yesterday It got to 41º deg here and I got a little sunburnt. But the party was ho hum. There were no games for the kids, just go play, which in itelf is OK but a little boring. No real kid food either, just bikkies and dip and meat and olive etc platters. Now I know that kids love to have other stuff at parties, and when my kids go to parties it is usually 'party food' yippee for them. The local politicians were out at the park yesterday too. Mum took the two younger kids home and Brad took the eldest to his mates place. They were planning on working on his car Sunday.

Anyway, we went out last night! What a night. I had a couple of drinks, met some really nice people, (we met up with a group of people we chat with online), and realised we are all getting old. Obviously the hotel we went to is very popular with the younger set. And I mean they looked about 12 - 15. They weren't obviously, but that is what it looked like. And I must reiterate that I am exceedingly grateful that the Lord provided me with boys. The clothes!! OMFG!! I would not let my daughter anywhere near fashion today. Clothing, what little there was of it, was hmmm how can I put this nicely? Different. Men's long sleeve business shirts and knee high boots?? And you couldn't move in the downstairs bar area if you so much as had to go to the toilet.

But got home about 12, relished the peace of no kids in the house, chatted to a friend we had with us who was staying the night and then went to bed. But get this - WE SLEPT IN TIL 10!!!. Aren't we just lazy? The only reason we got up was the phone rang and when he got there and answered they hung up!! Aarrggghhh.

I then put together my menu list to submit to the day care centre, and sent it to dads for him to print out as I have no ink, and I don't want to buy any before I go away (that would mean less spending money for Melb). Brad then took G back to the bus station, and then went to pick up the print out from dads. Mum had the kids at the shopping centre so I rang her and said to drop the kids straight back. So I got lunch for everyone and we had a little chat when she got here.

This arvo I had a little nanny nap cause it has been a rather big weekend. And I was meant to start packing cause I am out a couple of nights this week.

Better go, Connor is crying as he is so tired. Mum lets him have a nightlight and torch to play with when he goes there, and she wondered why he only slept for 3 hours last night. The kid had so much to play with and the full run of the house, cause she doesn't want him to have unpleasant memories there so won't force him to stay in his bed. Sohe bed hopped, read books by torchlight, bedhopped, played toys, bedhopped, tried to turn tv on, bedhopped and finally went to sleep. So now I have grumpy pants who kicked his toe today and has a big sore on the end of it. So gotta go give some TLC.

See yas.

© Leisa

I just realised that I have only a week to go before my Melbourne trip. Can't wait. I iknow we will have a great time, even if it is only for the fact that I will be away from the kids nad hubby for a whole 4 days. Now while that sounds terrible, I know that we all feel this way on occassion. I have the major responsibilty for them, even when their father is home and around. If he can drag himself away from ebay that is.

Just had to add that bit. I am soooo excited.

I now have to submit a 4 week rotational menu covering a healthy menu options and multicultural. I think I should be able to do this. A friend of mine sent a copy of their 8 week menu, so I will just copy things off this. Oh for friends it is wonderful. I will also incorporate ideas from all of you wonderful ladies that gave me suggestions.

Just a quick question, how many would eat soup? I never gave my kids soup until they were older, and Connor at 6 has never had it. So would this be something to include or not? I am not sure?

Apart from that, got an extra half hour in the pool today with the school kids. I had arrived early and changed and was going to sit in the stands and wait, and the teacher said I could come in and cool off. Way to go. It was so hot and the water was fabulously cold. They had just got a new filter system tho, and were still running it in so the water was a little cloudy and a few bits of bark and stuff that hadn't gone through the filtration system yet, and was freshly chlorinated but it was nice all the same.

In the change rooms, the boys were getting a little feral, with misbehaviour, so I went in and asked who wanted a Red Card which is their detention card. Funnily enough they started to quieten down and get dressed, except for 4 of them. So I threatened them with reporting them to the Deputy Principal if they didn't hurry up. These kids are just really badly behaved and don't listen very well. They took great pleasure in telling me that I couldn't do it to them, so I calmly reminded them that I was a parent not a teacher and could do what I liked! HA. That shut em up. Most of them know me from last year and know that I would have no hesitation. Their subsitute teacher couldn't believe the difference in them when they came out. (Their regular teacher had to go home). Little do they realise I have all boys for kids and nothing they can do can make me back down.

Mind you some of the girls are just as bad. Cause of numbers in the school, ALL the year 2 kids have been put in the one class. Now there are 28 of the little angels/devils? in the class. Must make it difficult for the teacher. But she can handle it, she has been teaching for 30 years and takes no sh*t.

My nephew turned 1 today, and we are having a little party tomorrow for him. Should be interesting. Then tomorrow night, Brad and I have a drinkies night to go to with a bunch of people we chat to online. That will be good. Kids are all away for the night, so naughty night tomorrow. Heehee.

Have a safe weekend.

 

Well I just went to a job interview with my sister's child care centre where her son goes, for a job as a Cook. I was so nervous. It has been a very long time since I actually had to go for an interview. Like 20 years!!

At this stage there is no actual cooking involved until they get their kitchen redone, so it is just preparation for morning tea and lunch. When the kitchen is redone, there will then be lunch cooking.

BUT...and this is a big BUT what do you give them?? I need ideas please. I know that it can be fruit cut up for morning tea, or crackers with cheese, or vegemite etc, but what other ideas? What do your centres provide? Please give me ideas.

It looks like I probably have the job, as they are desperate, and I have my Food Safety Cert 1, and my Blue Card, but now I am scared. Can I actually do it. There are about 75 kids to cater for. All right I know I probably can, but still.

So if you can let me know the sorts of foods that your centres provide, I will be so happy. Thanks.

and I didn't even dance.

We had our Valentines Dance for the High School tonight, and whoever the stupid cow was that said the finishing time was 10.30pm deserves a great big boot up their bum!!

We ended up with 117 kids, which was a great roll out for a school of less than 300 students. We are currently upgrading our school hall where it was held, and I must say that the techy guys that are working on it, did a fantastic job of working in with us, to give us what we needed for the night.

David and the rest of the Production Team did the music for us, instead of us paying a DJ to come in and do it. This saved us $300+. The only stipulations to the music were it had to be a mixture of music, and not a lot of swearing. And knowing what the kids listen to, this was a hard task. However the came through for us, and only one song had any swearing and we didn't even notice.

We ended up making about $1000 profit, so it was a success. And we also con the kids into cleaning up after, cause we always finish the last song about 15 - 20 minutes before the advertised end of the dance, so they all can help. I am so cruel to the little darlings. I know, they told me so tonight.

I am really sore now, as I didn't get to sit down all night, and got home about 11. I hope there is nothing big on for the weekend, cause at the moment my head is full of mush.
Cheers

This week is the busy week of the school year. We had the Parent Information Night for the big boys at the high school last night, followed by the first P&C meeting for the year. Good attendance, by I think only for the Wine and Cheese Platters that we were providing.

Tonight I have the Primary school Parent Information Night, followed by a BBQ, but I won't stay for the BBQ, I don't think. But will find out what the teacher plans for this year with the Year 2's.

Today I have to work Tuckshop at the High School, Dave wants to go to a formal hire shop and start looking at suits for the formal this afternoon. Don't know that I will get there. I figured we would start early on the formal stuff, to guarantee he can get what he wants, and also so that I can pay it off over a longer period of time. He wants a white suit for the formal, but we will see.

Tomorrow of course is Valentines Day, and who knows what will happen tomorrow night. Inspiration may strike and I will cook a really nice dinner for hubby and myself, but then it might be just a normal family dinner. Friday night we have our Valentines Dance at the high school. The Production Team for the school is doing the music and lights so that we don't have to pay a DJ to come in and that way raise more money for the school. We have to raise at least $10 000 this year, so we have some big things planned.

If anyone has any suggestions for a fundraiser that raises a lot of money, join the School Fundraising group and give some help. Thanks.

 

 

Author Unknown

Once upon a time the animals had a school. They had four subjects: running, climbing, flying, and swimming-and all animals took all subjects.

The duck was good at swimming, better than the teachers in fact. He made passing grades in running and flying, but he was almost hopeless in climbing. So they made him drop swimming to practice more climbing.  Soon he was only average in swimming. But average is OK, and nobody worried much about it except the duck.

The eagle was considered a troublemaker. In his climbing class he beat everybody to the top of the tree, but he had his own way of getting there, which was against the rules. He always had to stay after school and write, Cheating is wrong 500 times. This kept him from soaring, which he loved. But schoolwork comes first.

The bear flunked because they said he was lazy, especially in winter.  His best time was summer, but school wasn't open then.

The penguin never went to school because he couldn't leave home, and they wouldn't start a school out where he lived.

The zebra played hooky – a lot. The ponies made fun of his stripes, and that made him very sad.

The kangaroo started out at the top of the running class, but got discouraged trying to run on all fours like the other kids.

The fish quit school because he was bored. To him all four subjects were the same, but nobody understood that.

They had never been a fish.

The squirrel got A's in climbing, but his flying teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the treetop down. His legs got so sore from practicing takeoffs that he began getting C's and D's in running.

But the bee was the biggest problem of all, so the teacher sent him to Dr. Owl for testing. Dr. Owl said that the bees wings were just too small for flying and besides they were in the wrong place. But the bee never saw Dr. Owls report, so he just went ahead and flew anyway.

I think I know a bee or two, don't you?

"Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction."
       ~ Anne Sullivan (Helen Keller's Teacher)

Well my life is basically taken up with the kids. I work 3 mornings at the High School in the Uniform Shop, I volunteer for Tuckshop, I am on the Fundraising Committee and the P&C, and in general do a lot of working with the behind the scenes things that we as parents do for our children at school. At the Primary School, I do swimming with the kids on Fridays, and I will be doing reading with Connors class starting next week, probably on Tuesday mornings. I like to be involved, as much as possible, with all the kids schooling and keeping my finger on the button of what happens.

In the other parts of my life, I like to read, play games on the computer, and occassionally go out to dinner (once a month) with the girls from school. These girls have been friends for a long time, since our kids and their older ones were in Primary School together. I have known them for 12 years, some have known each other for longer. It is great to catch up with them. I am also going to Melbourne with 3 of them.

In what spare time I have, I love making teddy bears. I have been hand sewing these for years. I used to make them for friends and relatives as well, but haven't for a while.  I also like to do cross stich, but haven't had any time to do it. I occassionally sew clothes, like to make my own.

I also collect teddy bears. So that is me.

It's been a good week for me. I won a T Shirt in Kristen's blog on Minti Love. I guessed the right date for Ravenhearts baby birth. So I am on a roll. Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket!

It has been raining all week so far. We haven't been flooded out here in the 'lowlands'. (A friend of mine lives in a nearby suburb and is on the crest of a hill, so he is in the 'highlands' and we are in a fairly flat area)

The girls I am going to Melbourne with and I sat down on Monday and did a general plan of what we want to do when we go at the end of the month. We have booked the bus to and from the airport, and also bought our tickets for the Melbourne Zoo and Twighlights Concert. We just can't wait to go and get there. We have Saturday night free and are not sure what to do, so if there are some Melbournians reading this, what suggestions have you got? BTW we don't want to go to the Casino, and we did the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant last year. So other suggestions will be taken on board.

Connors class has their swimming lesson on Friday at 12.00. So this means that I can go swim again with them. It is great, cause it is usually so hot like today, and I get to be in the pool with them, and I get to know the kids a little bit better as well.

Didn't know whether Connor would go to school or not today, as yesterday he came home really tired and then his temperature just started climbing. He peaked at 40.5 at around 1 am this morning, after he wet the bed and slept in the lounge with the air con on. Got up this morning as if yesterday afternoon hadn't happened. So off to school he went.

Found a redback spider outside my uniform shop at school this morning, so over the weekend they will be doing some spraying round the school. I am just hoping there aren't any in the shop. For the internationals, redbacks are one of our nastier spiders. So we don't really want these in public areas around the school.