I have a cold at the moment and can bearly bring myself to cook meals let alone anything else.  I need the boys to entertain themselves for longer during the day.  But instead of playing with their toys (which we have way too many of) they play with the clean washing I haven't put away, boxes unpacked and packed, coat hangers and are constantly in and out of the pantry for food.  I am having to constantly have arguments over snacks they can and can't have. 

The tv works for my 4 yo for a while and only for about 15 minutes at a time with my 2 yo.  So why do we have all these toys if they hardly ever play with them?!  I think I will have to seriously consider reducing the amount of toys again ( I thought I got rid of heaps before we moved). 

If anyone reading this has an idea of how to entertain kids when you are sick please share.

Well off I go to see what they are in to now!

So I went with the kids to my mums for a few days and had a nice rest.  I suppose that was the best thing to come of all the chaos. 

But we are here now.  The kids are gradually getting more settled.  Jacob had his first day at his new preschool yesterday.  It went very well.  He says he doesn't like it because there are too many people there.  But he will have to get used to that.

Third time pregnant and I have lost all my tummy muscles.  I am buldging like a fruit cake.  I have had to start wearing some of my maternity clothes.  I am feeling very tired most of the time and am having trouble sleeping.  I'm not sure what the cause of that is.

The new house comes with permenant residents. ANTS!!! They are everywhere.  They turned up a few days after we moved in.  I will have to do something about them.  I am reluctant to use poisions with the kids running around everywhere.  Does anyone know of a natural remedy for ant erradication?

I'm looking forward to catching up on some lost Minti time.  Hope all is well with everyone.

Hubby has already started his job so I am home with the kids no car and I am supposed to be packing.  I guess you can see why I haven't been on here for a while. 

The kids seem to be constantly bickering and I am very fustrated with arguments.  Visitors coming today.  Hopefully that will entertain the boys for a while.

I have to go now as I have been roped in to playing hide and seek.

Hope everyone is well. Hopefully one day I will be able to get back into minti!

We also found out last night that we are moving out to western NSW.  Hubby starts a job there in 1.5weeks.  As I don't think I can move us in such a short amount of time we will probably stay here for the first week of his job and move out after that.  So much to do!!!

We are looking forward to country life.  It has been some time since I have lived in a smaller town and I have missed it. 

I managed to Jacob into a preschool already.  We just have to find a place to live now.  It is a bit hard when you live 3 hours or more away.  But I am surre that God has it all worked out and we will be there in a few weeks wondering why we were so worried about the whole thing.

Must dash.  This pregnancy is only early stages but I have to go to the loo so much. Argh!!!!

A strange day today.  I felt busy all day yet I don't feel like I accomplished much.  I think it is because the kitchen is still messy.  I guess I will tackle that one tomorrow.

We have to start planning our trip to the zoo this Saturday.  We are going to celebrate the boy's birthdays.  They are a few weeks apart and aren't for a few weeks but if we go before Jacob turns 4 we don't have to pay for him (it sounds like we are cheap scapes - I suppose we are.  Anything to save a few dollars these days).  I was thinking of making cup cakes instead of one big cake for the boy's birthday cake.  The boys eat cake in any form so I don't think I have to worry about them not liking cup cakes.

We are thinking about getting a new car with a bit more room.  But we will have to get a second hand car.  Hubby has been looking at new cars and drooling over some very expensive extras.  There are a few I like.  But I am more practical.  I want room for all 4 of us with a possible extra and still plenty of room for luggage.  Has anyone got a car they love so much they would recommend it?

Well lots to think about tonight.  Hope you all had a productive and enjoyable day.

That seems to be the case here too.  Only problem is is that Jacob thinks that because he is using the toilet he is a big boy that is allowed to do other grown up things.  Today he comes into the kithcen while I am doing dishes and says "I am recording a tv show for you Mummy".  And sure enough he has worked out how to record.  He changed the channel to DR PHIL, I don't know why he thought I would be interested in it.  I haven't watched it since I was breast feeding Jacob.  Boy was I bored then.

So all good on the toilet trainging front here.  We should be able to start on Thomas soon.

With such a grown up little boy now everything is changing.  He had to have a shower for the first time yesterday.  Now he" loves showers" and wants to "have one every night".   He is also dressing himself and trying to do so many other things without help.  Things he has been able to do on his own for some time but just refused to do.  It is like the flood gate to independence has been opened and there is no going back.  It is amazing how kids can just change so much overnight!!

We all have a bit of a cold which isn't much fun.  But we are planning on going to the zoo for the boys birthday.  They are very excited about it.   Jacob is literally counting down the days.

Hope to catch up with my minti friends tonight. See what you have all been up to.

Till next time.

I knew there had to be something to help him go it was just working out what it was.  And to prove that it was not a one off he did it again today.

It is hard to tell who is morre excited Jacob or us. 

YEAH!!!!!

Christmas day was really relaxing and lovely.  Kids had a great day.  We went to church in the morning and then had lunch at my mothers place with some friends. 

Didn't do anything new years eve.  Not much to do at mums but that was nice too.

Back home now in the heat and so much unpacking and washing to do.  I really hate this part of the holidays.  Especially when it is so hot.

Kids are well, mostly.  Thomas has caught a cold and has this sore infected finger which just won't get better.  Taking him to the doctors this arvo for the 4th time.  He has even had 2 different courses of antibiotics for it.  It all began with him chewing on his finger when he was teething. 

Jacob has had a hard time the past week and a bit.  We have been very tough on him trying to get him to use the toilet.  He will be 4 this month and he still refuses to do anything on it.  Even when he is obviously near bursting he still holds on.  He must have the worlds best blader muscles.  I can't say that we are being very patient with him now.  It has been over a year of trying and he seems to have some stuborn mental thing happening where he refuses to let go on the toilet.  We are thinking he will need to see a doctor soon.  We are threatening him with this at the moment hoping it will get him peeing or pooing.

Good news is thomas (nearly 2 ) is using the toilet quite often, almost once a day and doing a wee or poo most times.  At least we might have one of them trained soon!!

Hope all out there in Minti land had a great Christmas and new year and are doing well.

The house is a mess.  We have done play dough and christmas card making all in the first 2 hours after their Dad left for work.  And they don't stop asking for food when they are inside.  They aren't hungry they are just looking for something to do.  I will start dinner in an hour and they can help with that. 

I am sure that if it wasn't for the sleepless nights (Thomas still isn't well yet) I would be able tothink of more to do with the kids.

I have posted a photo of Thomas having his first shower.  He loves it so much that he crys when he has to get out. 

He has already woken up twice tonight so it looks like I am in for a long night.  Has anyone else had kids with this?  Did you find anything that could relieve the pain?  I am finding that nurofen helps but he needs it about every 3-4 hours which I can't do because it says 6 hourly.  I was thinking of doing panadol in between.

Jacob is better though. The doctor said he definatley didn't have foot and mouth which makes me think maybe Thomas doesn't either.  He had is first day at Preschool with no tears.  I am so happy but I can't believe that it has taken all year.  And he only has one more day then it is holidays.  Hopefully we won't have this problem next year.

Better go to bed now, no telling how much sleep i'll have tonight.  I could get lucky.  Or should I say Thomas could be blessed with a good nights rest.

Night all.

Diet is not so good at the moment.  I did really well for about 4 weeks and then the past couple of weeks I haven't been watching what I eat.  But I have still been doing exercise.  So I have managed to keep the 3 kilos off that I lost in the first few weeks.  I figure I will get back into it this week.

Jacob's preschool Christmas party was last night.  We were about 2 hours away from going when Jacob had a really bad temp and looked so poorly.  I suggested to him that we stay home but he had been looking forward to it for weeks and he just had to go. 

We arrived at the party and he had tears running down his face, not because he was crying but because his eyes were weeping.  I got him a plate of yummy party food and he had one tiny bite.  I told him that I think we should go home.  What made him agree was the fact that I said we could take the plate of food home for him to have another time.  He fell asleep in the car on the 5 minute drive home.  I felt so sorry for him.  He missed out on the band and the bush dancing and Santa!

He's still not 100% today but he is a lot better than last night.

Hubby is out all night tonight and has been gone since 2pm.  It has been quite a peaceful afternoon considering.  The kids were great.  They helped me make the pancakes, played, had their bath and then went to bed.  I even managed to get them to sleep in the same room.  Jacob is very reluctant about doing this at the moment because he says Thomas always cries.  Always isn't quite true but it is a lot.

Jacob was never crying like Thomas(20mth) at the same age.  I suppose it could be the difference in their nature.  Or perhaps Thomas feels pain more then Jacob and because he is teething again that could be why he cries.  Still not tonight they are sleeping like babies :)

Here's hoping it stays quiet tonight.  Hope you all have a quiet one too!

The diet is going well.  I had a small ice cream as a special treat for my sore throat. 

How hard is it to limit TV time for the kids when we are all sick?!  Jacob has watched so much today.  At one stage I said no more for an hour.  It was the longest hour.  I had to help him collect bugs in the back yard!!!! Not at all what I felt like doing today.

I found a bed on ebay and  I won the bidding.  Yay for me.  It was a bargain.  Hopefully it will all work out well.  Just got to get the mattresses.

Time to get the kids ready for bed, now that they have finished playing tackles on the bed with their Dad.

As for today, it is pretty much the same.  I am very proud of myself for not giving in to temptation this afternoon. I went to get a Tiny Teddy for the kids and without thinking I almost put one in my mouth.  It is amazing how I didn't ever think about the little snacks I had in between meals.  But now I do.

I haven't got  on the scales yet I think I will wait until after a week.  I don't want to get too disappointed.

I am currently trying to find a bunk bed and mattresses for the kids.  I want to get them soon so I can utilise some visitors help in a couple of weeks with putting them together.  So I haven't been on here too much.  I will get too distracted for too long if I start looking around and chatting. 

So best hop to it.

I have never dieted before.  I have always been happy being a size 14.  But now after 2 kids I am a size 18 and it is definately time to do something about it.  So I have set limits on what I can eat and the main thing to go is sugar.  I eat way too much sugar. 

The big test will be tonight once the kids are in bed.  I have to stop myself from snacking on the wrong things. 

I wonder if anyone else out there at the moment is dieting?  Maybe we could try and encourage one another?

I'll be back tomorrow to let you al know how I go.

I have not lost any weight since my first child and I just seem to be putting it on and on and on.  I guess it is time to implement all those great dieting tips from here.  Does ginger lemon and hot water really increase your metabolisim?  I hope so.

What a shock.  How depressing - chocolate anyone? LOL!!!!

Jacob replies 'it is a girl bird mummy'. 

I said 'how can you tell?'. 

He said 'you can tell it is a girl by the eyebrows.  It is the same with people.'

He was being so serious that I had to stop myself from laughing in case I hurt his feelings. 

Gee kids say some funny things.

Then we went to the swimming pool (just near the bush walk).  Again in a matter of minutes both boys were wet from head to toe.  My eldest is a little hesitant with water I think he doesn't like it in his ears.  Thomas' first time at the pool since last summer was like the first time ever.  I have never know a child with so little fear.  He has throwing himself into the water and when we were in the 0.4 -0.7metre pool he did the same thing.  I was worried he'd be scared like his brother but I had the opposite problem.  I had to keep hold of him to stop him from going under on his own.  I haven't bought him floaties or anything yet.  I think I will have to before the next swim.

Needless to say we were all so tired after that.  But what a great way to spend half the day together with your kids and a friend.