Stuff to Do

It's been a good year.   I'm excited to begin the next one, though.   Though much of it will be exactly the same as the year about to finish, I hope to make those ordinary things seem extraordinary. To revel in the mundane. To relish each item on my "to do" list, and finish each thing with a joyful heart. And if that doesn't work, there is always coffee!   Our NYE plans are as follows:   Let the kids have chicken nuggets and french fries for dinner. Bathe children, dress for bed, give drinks of milk. Brush children's teeth. Put children to bed. Get out grown-up food and start the party for two. Eat grown-up food, then clean up kitchen. Sit down to watch various NYE programs. Kick each other awake until midnight, when we can respectably go to bed.   Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve, everybody.   Next post I'll share my one resolution. Exciting stuff, hey?   XOXO, Sarah     

I just found out today that one of my friends from church who was expecting is no longer expecting. The irony of singing about baby Jesus while coming to terms with your own deep, personal loss is indescribable.   I am not her, so I can not know what is going through her mind right now. But I grieve with her. I ache for the child who will not rest in her arms. I weep for the miracle of that first meeting between mother and child. Of course I grieve with her husband as well, and for their children who will not get to meet their new sibling. But because of where I've been, I identify more closely with her.   There is so much I wish I could share with her, so much I want to say. I want to let her know that she is not alone, that it wasn't her fault, that her baby is safe in the arms of Jesus, that time will not erase this pain, but it will soften it a bit. That I am here, if and when she wants to talk about it, cry about it, be angry about it, or even to NOT...

Is there a middle ground? At one extreme, you could buy nothing, decorate nothing, bake nothing, and do nothing except go to church, read your Bible, pray, and listen to (Christian only) carols.   At the other extreme, you have a Christmas celebration of Griswoldian proportions.   Surely there's a middle ground in there somewhere. Surely I don't have to strip away all the 'pretty' from Christmas to prove to the world what Christmas means to me. Surely I don't have to put embroidered holly linens on every bed to prove to the world I am "Ho Ho Ho" enough?   Where is that middle ground?   We have a tree. We (and by we I mean Lachie) put up some garland around the house. We went to see some Christmas lights last night. We bought 3 presents each for our children. We plan to go to church on Christmas day. We plan to attend the candlelight carol service at our church. I've been teaching Charlie different songs about Jesus.  I l...

I've been wrestling with this particular topic lately. Am I a good steward (stewardess?) of all that has been given to me?   Money - do I really manage it wisely?   Time - I know I don't manage that well. (Facebook anyone?)   Gifts - I use my gift, but I don't take care of it as I used to. I almost never warm up before singing (don't tell my music teachers that!), and rarely rest my voice when I'm tired.   Health - Again, I know I need to do better. A lot better.   Family - Do I cherish my family? Do I treat them as I wish to be treated? Do I truly see to their needs?   Grace - God has given me redeeming grace - do I pay that forward to the people around me, or do I keep it to myself and give none to others?   Home - I have a beautiful home, do I manage it wisely? Do I take care of it? Do I keep it functioning smoothly (as much as I can, at any rate)?   Food - We are blessed with an abundance of food, as eviden...

Lachlan is down for the count today, with recurrent viral pinkeye. This meant that he could not watch the girls while I went to church and sang. I couldn't take the girls, because Charlie's got a minor summer cold, and Pippa is still potentially contagious from her chickenpox vaccination, which has caused her eczema to go weepy and out of control. So if I did take them, I couldn't send them to creche (nursery). And there's no way on God's green earth that they'd sit through an entire service. So I sent a message to the music leader, explaining why I wouldn't be there this morning, and sent a message to the photographer who was going to do our family portrait this afternoon to let her know we'd have to reschedule. Then I did what any sane mother would do, and dressed them in their new pretty dresses, and headed out to Coffee Club to get some breakfast. I also thought we'd go to Target, to get an outfit for me to wear next week when we actu...

It has just been requested that tomorrow afternoon for our family portrait session (OUTDOORS), I wear makeup. So it would appear that in our family portrait I will look like I've been punched in the face, as the sweat washes my mascara down my cheeks. You know, because sweat rings just aren't photogenic enough for a family portrait. I loathe having my picture taken. I have what you would fashionably call 'body image issues'. Apparently, I look just fine. But to me, there is no clothing (as I proved yet again today when I was unable to find even one suitable shirt) that can make ME think I look good. Add to that the fact that it's going to be in the mid-30s tomorrow (90s), and we'll be at the beach (I'm sure I've mentioned my love/hate relationship with the beach). Fun, fun, fun. Time to brush off those acting skills, this is going to be a tough one to pull off.   Say it with me - "I love the beach, I'm beautiful, I don't look l...

Come take a trip down memory lane with me -   The year is 197? - I don't remember details, but the next song I remember is Heigh Ho (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). I had this record that had images from the movie on both sides - I'm fairly certain I would sing along, karaoke style, to Someday My Prince Will Come, twirling around my room like you do if you can talk to animals. On an unrelated note, McDonald's had this ad campaign for a while, something to do with one of their collectible items, where they asked people to name the seven dwarves. There was this one person (I can't remember if it was a man or woman), who just rattled them all off - SleepyHappyGrumpyDopeySneezyBashfulDoc. Just like that. All in one breath. And it kind of stuck in my head. So now that's the way I remember their names, which can be another cool party trick. If, that is, I went to parties. :)   Not much else in the way of news today. I'm trying to get the girl...

When I was a kid, I remember my mom putting all this pressure on me to be a little 'girl' - dresses, no dirt, etc. I was a tomboy, much to her despair. Maybe I even did it to annoy her, but I'd like to think it was just my personality.   So when I had a little girl, I had visions of frilly pink dresses, but for practicality, went with less 'girly' attire. And true to that, Charlie has been fairly rough and tumble. But...   For Christmas this year, Lachlan and I thought it would be cute to dress the girls in matching dresses. So I went looking. I initially thought of a sort of fairy costume type thing, but they're too expensive. I found these precious sundresses, white with a melon-coloured floral print, and a bit of trim around the bottom. they tie in the back with a sash, and are just adorable!   I tried them on the girls when I got home from the shop, and Charlie LOVED it. She started spinning around in circles, flaring the skirt out, and say...

One of the things I love about music is that some songs seem to attach themselves to particular memories. I thought it might be fun if I take you on a musical journey with me, from past to present, through the music of my life, one song at a time.   Ready?   I don't remember what it was, but at some point  (I was younger than 5, I'm fairly certain) I remember owning a record that had a backwards ABC song. The record player, for some reason, sticks out in my mind as a Sesame Street plastic job, but I might be mistaken (it's been 30 years, so cut me some slack!)  I can actually see my bedroom at that time, I can see the frilly pink canopy bed, and smell the dampness (my room was in a semi-finished basement). I learned the song, and from that point on, I was able to say the alphabet backwards faster than forwards. It's a nifty party trick, I'll tell you. Just one of the many things that makes me... unique.   That's not a particularly big memo...

Hey there kiddo, it's me, Mum.   When you were very tiny, no bigger than a grain of sand, a doctor told your dad and me that you had died. We were sad, but we thought that you'd be in heaven with Jesus, and that made it okay. I was very sick, and very tired for weeks, and sad because I missed you. But then God did something amazing. He told me that you had been there all along, and that you had never left us at all! I loved you so much, I read stories to you, I talked to you, I sang songs to you - all while you were in my tummy. When you were born, I had to work so hard to push you out - I was very tired. You were so tiny, and you seemed so fragile. I wanted to wrap myself around you and just keep you all to myself!   You didn't crawl until later, but once you did it didn't take long for you to stand, walk, then run! You talk a lot - sometimes it's hard to get you to be quiet! You are very gentle, especially with little babies. You love to kiss yo...

I do in fact feed my children.   So I'm at a bit of a loss to explain why my children eat crayons. Surely, they don't taste like chocolate.   It brings to mind the many, many times as a child when my own mother would ask me why I'd done something, and I'd look at her blankly and say "I don't know". I remember the precise look of exasperation and incredulity in her eyes. It's the same look on my face when I find yet another chewed crayon smashed into the carpet.   I'm not really making a big deal out of this, because I'm sure it's happened to other mothers. But I'd really love to know...why? What is so appealing about crayons that they must be eaten? I don't get it.   Ah well, now I get to call the carpet man (and rearrange the furniture in three rooms so he can come do the carpets).   And hey, at least now their poop will be a pretty shade of blue, right?   XOXO, Sarah

I want to be different. Not because I like cold pizza, and not because I like Ricky Martin. Not because I like to eat peanut butter from the jar, Not because I'm short. Not because I know what Shoofly Pie is, and not because I do things like bring a hymnal to my first child's birth. Not because I watch movies over and over and over again, or because I can recall lines for almost any situation. No, not because of me at all. But because of You, and who You are to me. Because of who I want to be, now that I am Yours.   I long to be different...  

I often feel used up, dried out, and lifeless. But do I get that way from living a fuller, richer life, or do I get that way from living accidentally? Allow me to explain a bit.   I love Facebook. I've been able to catch up with old friends, even keep in touch with family, and make new friends from old acquaintances. I've been able to make people laugh, share recipes, and commiserate when the going gets rough. But lately I've been wrestling with how much time I spend there. It's like I'm using Facebook to escape to another world where I am loved, valued, and appreciated. Which wouldn't be a big deal, I suppose, if I didn't have two little people who need me. And a house that needs maintaining. I'm not saying that I should give it up completely, but I think I need to take a long, hard look at how it's impacting my primary purpose, which is first, to glorify God, and secondly, to be a wife, then a mother and the keeper of the home. If tho...

I had a great idea. Quite possibly the greatest idea ever, with the exception of drive-thru. It was fairly simple, and economical, since I had everything we could possibly need already. The idea was brilliant. The execution of said brilliant idea was a bit flawed on the first attempt. So - to help anyone else out there who might have this brilliant idea:   If you are going to let your children make Christmas cards, make sure they are   1. not tired 2. not sick 3. not hungry   and, as an added bonus, you might want to   1. Make it no more complex than gluing stuff on paper, with some coloring for good measure.  2. Have anything you want to be glued already cut out and Ready. To. Go. 3. Clear your kitchen table and spread out some newspaper, because glitter? Yeah, it goes everywhere.   And that concludes today's lesson on letting your kids make Christmas cards.   XOXO, Sarah

Both girls are sneezing, coughing, snotty, and feverish. So I'm going to be relatively out of touch today. Besides, it's not like I don't have a dozen tasks on my list, and a limited amount of time to finish them.   The doctor visit was good yesterday, in that we got scripts for a couple of medicines, a referral to a dietitian (this was particularly important to me) and some new ideas to try and combat the night time itching.   I'm going to go and try to clean up the place a bit, as I always feel better when things are tidy and clean. Whether or not that will help the girls, I don't know. But at least I'll feel better!   Gotta go, my babies need me! Sarah

Another busy day in our life.   Lachlan is having an exam tomorrow morning, (1 down, 1 to go!) The girls and I all have checkups with our GP tomorrow, so we'll be there for about an hour. After that, we go to Bible study, and then home for lunchtime and naps all around. Possibly, I'll pop into the church office tomorrow evening to take care of the bulletin. I'll see how I go. I hope to get that devotional finished tomorrow - It's a favourite passage of mine, as it was in a song I sang once for church. I'll share it with you all when I've finished.   I've also signed up to do this interview - I'll interview another blogger, and in turn, will be interviewed by a different blogger, and we'll all post the interviews on our website, hopefully making new acquaintances along the way.   Other than that, it's late and I need to sleeeeeep. But first, tidy up the kitchen.  Meh. Good night, world! Sarah

I don't deal well with it, which may be an understatement. But I'd like to try and put a positive spin on this, if at all possible. And once you've said "I loathe this climate with an undying passion that consumes me to my toenails", it's kind of hard to be positive, don't you think?   So. Like I said - I don't handle it well. I get cranky. And today has been, shall we say, rather warm. I am sweating, and mostly I've just been sitting. That's right - sweating while SITTING. I can't go outside, because my northern-hemisphere complexion gets burnt right crispy if I'm outside for more than .02 seconds, regardless of whether I've bathed in sunscreen or not.   But...   God has brought me here for a reason. I don't know what it is, but there is a reason. I might never know. I do know that He has a plan, and it's way better than any I could have cooked up. Cooked. Get it? Heat - Cooked?   Right. So I'll just...

Did not go very well. In fact, it went the opposite of well. I couldn't get my brain organised, and the kids were taking turns annoying the daylights out of each other, misbehaving, shouting, crying, whinging. The high point of today's excursion was turning around to see Charlie Brown with a pair of underpants on her head. How can you NOT laugh at that?? The second highest point of the morning was Charlie Brown getting all excited and saying , OOOOHHH, CHRISTMAS STUFF, MOMMY! The lowest point would probably be getting a babycino dumped on me. So we decided to call it a morning, come home, regroup, and try again later today. I also told Charlie that we might make some Christmas cards today, to which she responded by screwing up her little face in a gleeful expresssion. Now - off to do some housework before lunch, and during the girls' naptime I'll work on that devotional I mentioned. earlier. I've read through the passage, and I've got a rough idea i...

Monday - Shopping Day! (And yes, it should be capitalised - if you've ever been shopping with little people, you'll totally understand) Tuesday - Pippa's Allergy Testing (we're testing for cow milk protein, soy, egg, and wheat), along with checking her iron levels. Tuesday night, I've got my exercise class. Wednesday - An hour's worth of appointments for me(annual checkup), and the girls (skin check, referral to nutritionist). Then Bible Study, then home. Thursday - Playgroup, Exercise class Friday - Home ALL day! Saturday - Beach in the afternoon, followed by fish and chips Sunday - Church in the morning, walking in the afternoon.   So as you can see, we're pretty busy this week. Plus there's the bulletin for church this weekend, plus I've been asked to write a little advent devotional, plus make little party bags for Charlie's cousins, plus make playdough for playgroup. And I must really begin walking again in the morning. ...

I vaguely remember this song as having a cool intro - but I might be mixing it up with the other song I remember by Tone Loc - didn't he do a remix of Wild Thing? At any rate, I remember the intro being him saying "Let's do it" followed by a cool drum beat. That might be the Wild Thing song. Anywho, I strained my back yesterday with all the lifting, bending, and rearranging, and I still don't feel well, but I was sitting here, wasting time on Facebook, when I was seized with the inexplicable desire to wash all the linens, vacuum and mop all the floors, and alphabetise my cd and dvd collections. Weird, right? But then again, I've never been what you'd call normal. And praise the LORD for that! So that song popped into my head. Or those songs, since I'm not sure which one it really is. So I've got dressed in my athletic/housecleaning clothes, I've got my iPod, and the girls will 'help' as they wish to. And I'll try not to ...

Just kidding. About the voices, that is. It is Friday, not that Friday is anything special for me. Let's face it - I do the same thing on Saturday that I do every other day. Sunday is special because I get to go to church. Which is also a lot of hard work, especially when I'm on my own with two small people, but it's important to me, so we go. I did a huge project today, as the weather was pretty dismal for anything else. First of all, the wardrobe in the girls' room was a mess. Often used for stuff that seemed like it should go there, but was never properly stored in there, it had become an absolute dump. So I emptied it, rearranged things, went through two huge bins of clothes, threw some away, put some in a bag to donate,   ==== I'm going to interrupt here to tell you that Charlie just brought me a 'pizza shoe' on a serving platter. I need desperately to laugh at small stuff today, so that was perfect.   So - ah yes, a bag of stuff to dona...

I'm talking about my friend Amanda, who has recently launched a website detailing her exploits in the kitchen. You need to go check this out. She is seriously talented, incredibly creative, and well, she's just plain nice! You'll find her over at :   http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/   My personal favourite has got to be the jack o' lantern cake.   You rock, girlfriend!   XOXO, Sarah

My friend Heather, who I've known since high school. She's not only cool, and gorgeous, but she gets it. She truly understands what it means to be a mother. Or what it should mean. I often get sucked into my own misery, and although I do appreciate the sparkly moments when the girls do something cute, I don't often blog about it. Because I think for me, cracking wise about the negative helps me to let go of some frustration and make it not such a big deal. But Heather? She gets it. Please go visit her blog at:   http://heathersebi.blogspot.com/2009/11/gratitude.html   It's challenging, and inspiring. Keep up the good work, Heather!

Pippa has suddenly developed an annoying habit. Pushing things across the floor. Like the chalkboard easel. And her activity table. And chairs. I don't really mind, except for the fact that it's loud. And I don't handle noise very well. It makes me twig, big time. So like I said, I might have to glue the furniture to the floor. Or just get rid of it. We could eat standing up, right?   I'm seriously rockin' the 'to-do' list today. We're all dressed. I've booked appointments. I've even had breakfast! I'm feeling a bit tired (enough with the tired already, hey?), but not overwhelmingly. So I'm feeling pretty up today. It's a nice change, and I'm going to use that today to get things done and sorted. I feel this intense need to get things in order. Like my bookshelf. I'll have to post before and after pictures when it's all done, because it's a massive job. But its one that's been nagging me for ages.   ...

Lachlan has driven to work today, which gives us girls a much-needed/much-feared day at home. Much needed because I think my bottom is starting to conform to the shape of the driver's seat in the car. Much feared because it means that we're going to be here...all day. I'm hoping to take the girls for a walk later on, but mostly I want to get caught up with housework. It must sound to you like I either a) am a bit obsessive or b) my house is truly filthy. I assure you that neither is true, it's just clutter and chaos that comes from having two small people living in your house. You know, laundry, food colouring, books, toys, clothes, beds needing to be made, and so on. I'm also going to a 'Girls Night In' party tonight, to help raise money for cancer research. It should be a really good time, and because I'm bringing a fruit platter and a veggie platter, I won't have to worry about breaking my diet. I don't think I'm going to wor...

I've had to start the NaBloPoMo clock over again. I'm starting in November. I went away for a few days, and didn't even think about it, as I was so blissed out. Huge bed, heated pools, Olympic-sized bathtub, perfect shower, and a spa. That's right, a spa. I came back refreshed, which is a good thing for the entire family. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go clean up purple food coloring and muddy footprints. And puddles in the bathroom. The puddles happened because of the purple food coloring and the muddy footprints. And despite the puddles, my children still have pink/blue/purple hands and feet. And I'm not sure the colour will ever come out of the grouting in my kitchen. But I digress...   XOXO, Sarah

I'm sitting here, planning a birthday party, thinking about the playdough I agreed to make for playgroup today, thinking about making Lachlan's salad for his lunch, and just having a quiet moment. I hear gagging from the other room, and the following conversation ensues:   Me: Are you okay? Charlie: Yes. Me: What are you doing? Charlie: I'm doing exercising in my mouth.   Here's to the moments that make you smile. May there be many in your life today and always.   XOXO, Sarah    

For every opinion out there, there is an opposing view. Or maybe not opposing, but just differing. And I totally respect the right to those opinions. But that means that I respect my own right to my own opinions and choices as well.   Eczema sucks. My kids never stood a chance, really. With both parents having eczema, asthma, and various food allergies, it's not surprising that they both have all of those either diagnosed or are exhibiting symptoms. I've tried to control their diet, which has helped with the food intolerances. I've changed to a washing powder that's designed for sensitive skin. I've stopped using fabric softener. I've tried more creams and lotions than you can imagine. And periodically, they have perfect skin. But here's the rub. They both also have various external allergies. Dust and grass, for sure. And no matter what I do, I can't prevent that. I will not bubble-wrap them and keep them indoors, even if it means they get...

It's just dawned on me that yes, it's THIS weekend that Lachlan is whisking me away for a little romance. Which means that his mum is coming here to look after the girls. And I haven't done anything to prepare. Normally, I'd be preparing this place like the Hilton, days and days in advance. But here we are, on Wednesday, and she's coming tomorrow, and I haven't done anything! Today is also Bible study day, and I'd really like to go. I've decided that I'm being proactive and cutting the morning sleep out for good. Which is fine, except that it means we have to stay out of the house until lunchtime, and hang on a second why is it so quiet? Weird - they were both just sitting quietly watching a program. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Staying out until lunchtime, which means I've got to pack a box o' goodies, to keep them fed and happy. So we've also got to go to the shop, to pick up a few things, and I hope they are happy enough to...

As a child, I remember my mother being uptight about a lot of stuff, but particularly, dirt as it relates to personal appearance. I think she might have felt that if I were seen to be dirty, it would somehow reflect on her abilities as a mother. I guess all mothers feel that way to some extent, but she took it to extremes.   So I've tried to be a bit more relaxed about dirt. Case in point, last night the girls were out playing with their dad in the garden, and at one point I peeked out and Charlie had removed her pants, and her shirt was only hanging on by a thread. She was filthy, and happy. Pippa was still clothed, but also filthy and happy. I was not bothered by this in the least. Which isn't to say that I'd let them be feral at the local playground or anything, but we were in our own backyard.  Enter the kids from next door. I went out to help Charlie with something, and there were four kids hanging over the fence, and they asked me to put some pants on C...

We had a rough night here. I'm still not sure what it was all about, but Pippa was so unsettled. It's really rare for that to happen, so when it does it's a shock to the system. I tried everything, and in the end, I think she just got so tired that she gave up and fell asleep. With me. You don't necessarily want your children to be upset, but I generally don't get a lot of snuggles with Pippa - and as hard as it was to snuggle her when she was crying, it is quite lovely waking up with her beside me, safe and content.   A few errands to run today, and some laundry to catch up on. Some phone calls that need to be made, some shopping and menu planning that need to be done, and of course, housecleaning. It looks like a gray, dreary day, perfect for staying indoors and relaxing. Maybe even baking something from one (or both) of my new cookbooks! Or going to the shops and redeeming my gift voucher for a CD or two! Whatever we do today, I'm in a thankful...

What do you want from me? Holding, Snuggling, Cuddling Rocking Swaying Bouncing Patting Are you itchy? Let me put some cream on you. Are your new teeth sore? Let me give you some teething gel and Nurofen. Are you hot? Let me take your socks off. Are you cold? Let me get your blankie. Are you hungry? Let me get some milk. Are you wet? Let me change your nappy. You're still not happy - what else could it be? Unless of course, all you want is... Me. I still don't know why you were so upset. And I know that at 3 in the morning, it seems impossible and eternal. But in the light of the early morning, with you snuggled close to me, the whole world melts away we're in our own private universe, where nothing can touch us. I love you...   XOXO, Sarah

this was for yesterday. I got busy, and although I had mentally composed a post, I was already in bed so I decided to do it this morning. You get a two-fer today! So here's today's random funny: What is up with children and toilets?? Everywhere we go, Charlie has to check out the toilet. She tells me she needs to do wee or poop, even when she really only wants to check out the toilet. Do kids have a rating system? Does a wall flusher rate higher than a regular tank flusher? Does pink soap rate higher than foamy soap? I do know she's freaked out by the air hand dryers - refuses to use them. So really, what are your thoughts on this? I remember my family referring to my sister as "the bathroom inspector", so I'm pretty sure it's a common thing. But it's funny to watch, that's for sure. She has to ask all manner of questions, and inspect everything before we can go. Which is okay, unless it's a smelly toilet. Who wants to loiter in there?? It'...

I've always had a 'flighty' characteristic to my personality. My primary school teachers always had something to say about it on my report cards. One teacher said to my dad, "Sarah... doesn't think like other kids. She'll almost always have the right answer, but she'll get there a completely different way." And she was totally right about that. Like when I was diagnosed with double vision, and when my dad asked me why I never said anything, I told him I thought it was normal. I remember my thinking went like this: I've got two eyes, so of course I'd see two images. Doesn't anyone else see the logic in that? It simply didn't occur to me that it could be different. I remember in 2nd grade, taking a math test, I was sitting there thinking about how I wanted to know WHY two and two made four. Who decided that? And how do we know they were right? When I was in 4th grade, I wanted to do a whole research project on boogers. Yes, Bo...

Which means National Blog Post Month.   I've signed up for a challenge that will, I hope, encourage me to write more. Not just quantity, but quality. Speaking of writing, I've kinda sorta decided what kind of book I want to write. A funny book. A book that makes people laugh. About ordinary stuff. Like the following:   Why, in all the time since toilet paper was invented, has no one thought to invent a roll of toilet paper that kids can't unroll? A child-proof toilet paper. That's what the world needs. I can't be the only parent to ever have walked in to the bathroom and found a massive pile of unrolled toilet paper. What are you supposed to do with it then? Me - I'm a cheapskate, so I rolled it up around my hand, and placed the new 'roll' on top of the toilet paper holder. I'm not throwing away a whole roll just because it was on the floor! It's not as though I have to worry about wiping germs on my parts, is it? Which brings m...

Where is the missing library dvd?   It's been missing since July, although I admit that after an initial (and in my opinion thorough) search, I stopped looking and just planned on forking out the cash for it.   To add to the mystery, I'm only searching for the dvd itself. Not the case. Apparently I returned the case empty. Genius, right?   My first thought was that perhaps I had put it inside another of the cases we borrowed from the library. They checked - not there.   My next thought was that perhaps it fell out of the case while in transit (in the car), and slid under the seat or something. Nope.   I searched in and behind every single dvd we own. Not there. I searched in and behind every cd we own. Not there either.   Then we got crazy. I searched in the plastic box full of the girls books. I moved the tv stand to see if it had been wedged underneath. I searched the plastic tub of clothing in the lounge room. I searched our...

How to describe my everyday life without sounding like I'm complaining. Which is why I've not posted a lot lately. I don't want to be a negative person all the time, but how pleasant can you make some stuff sound before you hit the sarcastic threshold? Like if I said, "I love it when the kids don't listen to a single word I say" - clearly, I'm being sarcastic. I'm totally thankful for my family.(I've dropped the sarcasm here)  With its unique challenges, or as some would say, opportunities for growth. With its tantrums and tears, with its looniness and laughter. I love them. I love my life. Except for the times when I wish everything was different. :-)   On to other items...   I'm tired. I know, nothing new there. But this is a whole new level of tired. And I'm not sure whether it's something I should ask my doctor about. On one hand, I don't want the doc to laugh at me and say "You've got two children under...

Sometimes my brain is like an internet browser - and someone is surfing the web of my mind, flitting from one topic to the next, until they can't remember where they started out. Words escape me when I try to put fingers to keyboard. My mind doesn't seem able to focus on any one thing, and I'm constantly distracted. I can't even seem to pull together a to-do list today. So I'm just going to roll with it, and hope that it all gets done to some degree. It's not sadness, per se - it's more just distractedness, absentmindedness. I seem to remember the nickname Space Cadet from my childhood, and it fits pretty well in this situation.     I am very tired, as I haven't been sleeping well at night. No dreams to speak of, none that I remember anyway. Just waking up tired. Which, as I understand it, is par for the course. I said to Lachlan last night that it's not just me that struggles with parenting - anyone would have difficulty managing two y...

I mean, REALLY!     When you're a teenager, they're bound to get you into trouble. When you're in your twenties, they cloud your judgement more than liquor. After you get married, they never show up when they're supposed to, and when they do grace you with their attendance, it's never the right time. And after you've got kids? Forget about it. No predictability whatsoever. Or is there...?   I've been having these insane mood swings. One week I'm tripping on happy hormones, and then 3 weeks later, I want the purple Kool-Aid. (I actually do like purple Kool-Aid, but not the special kind. ) A good friend pointed out that perhaps these changes were due to hormones - as they happen at about the same time each month. Bright as the sun light bulb comes on, et Voila! An explanation of why my mood tanks every 4 weeks.   So, mystery solved. It does feel a bit better being able to predict, with some regularity, when I'm going to want more pot...

You know how a few weeks ago, I was all excited because the kids were happy, I felt good, the house was clean, and I was gushing sparkly rainbow fairies from every orifice?   Well, we've come half-circle from there. Kids not listening, house is a dump, I feel absolutely without energy, drive, or power to change any of it. I'm not enjoying cooking as much as I normally do, I just find it to be another thing on my list. The list that never, ever, ever, gets finished. The list, that when viewed at 10:30 at night, screams what a failure I am, because it's not finished.   What has changed in just a few weeks? I don't know. I just pray that the mojo comes back shortly. Because my brain hurts from the noise, mess, and lack of sleep.   In the meantime, can someone send some chocolate my way?   XOXO, Sarah

Today has been a much better day. Charlie woke up at 5:20, but let me doze until 6:50. Much more reasonable. Not as many tantrums today, and we all had a siesta this afternoon. Even the potty training is a breeze today! No accidents, we got a #2 on the potty, and she even had a dry naptime! The girls even  cooperated long enough for me to clean things up, so now I'm just hanging out and getting ready to make dinner (I'm not even going to fess up as to what we're having!). Then we'll 'do' bathtime, and then bedtime. I'll chuck some laundry in the washing machine after they go to bed, and hang it out tomorrow morning. Not sure what tomorrow holds, but that's another day, for another post. Today has been a good day. Almost as if Viggo Mortensen himself dropped in to give me a pre-dawn speech, Return of The King style. Or Bernard Hill, also in Return of The King style. What can I say, I've been watching the trilogy, AGAIN.   At any rate, I...

Woke up at 5:37am, but managed to sleep in until 6:00. Boy does that sound absurd - sleep in until 6:00am, when all sane people are still drooling on their pillowcases. Anywho, got breakfast sorted for the children, and even remembered to include fruit (Aren't I a terrific, responsible mother?). Then I turned on cartoons (scratch that about being a responsible mother - I'm still terrific), and drank my first cup of coffee. The morning was kind of a blur, but somewhere in there was morning tea, and then lunch. We're now going on an hour of trying to get Charlie to go to sleep. I know that she's tired, it's painfully clear. But she is refusing to go to sleep, preferring instead to lie on the floor and shout under it "MOM!" Which, if Pippa weren't sleeping in the next room, I would happily ignore. But seeing that Pippa needs to sleep as well, I can't let it go.   I've officially given up on getting that child to sleep. So now she jus...

This is probably my least favourite time of the week. Saturday mornings. The very thought fills me with dread. You see, Saturday mornings is when Lachlan goes to Landcare. And even though I understand, and appreciate his need to have some recreation after a week of work, it digs at me that it is Saturday mornings. If he went on Saturday afternoon, I wouldn't care so much. But Saturday morning could be my one opportunity to get some much needed sleep before facing the day.  Don't misunderstand - my irritation has nothing to do with the normal challenges of raising two children under the age of 3 - it's more to do with the fact that I feel as though my role in the big picture is undervalued. My need for sleep and recreation is somehow not as important. Whether that's because I am the stay-at-home parent, I don't know. What I do know is that someday, this will end. But until then- for me, Saturday mornings kind of suck. Now excuse me, I have to go clean up...

That's what Charlie Brown says when I ask her what she's doing, and it's something she shouldn't be doing.   So today, we have on order - some housework (surprised? NOT!), followed by a birthday party, and then hopefully a nap. A big fat nap, which will allow me to assemble the oh-so-awesome lasagne I'm making tonight. At least it looks pretty awesome in the book. If it is awesome, I'll post the recipe at my other blog, LoveCookLaugh. Because I love some lasagna. Oh my, do I ever. But that's not parenting-related, so I'll save it for my food blog.   At any rate, I'm now being begged for "after-morning tea", and since we ate breakfast at 6am, I think we're all a bit hungry. :-)   XOXO, Sarah

but as I posted on Facebook today, I think someone spiked my english muffin with pethidine. Because I'm totally NOT freaking out. Allow me to explain...   My husband's parents are coming for a few days this next week - and as I'm still in "impress your in-laws mode", I tend to clean my house like a cyclone, except I leave it clean instead of making a mess. But this time, I don't know how I've managed to do it, I've been able to keep it clean all week. Which means that while I have to vacuum and mop the kitchen floor (which I have to do every 3 days anyway - floors are my housekeeping 'issue'), and perhaps chuck a load of washing in, that's it. Seriously! I've got two children under the age of three, and for the first time in months, my home doesn't look like it's been raided by pirates. Although I wouldn't object to finding Captain Jack Sparrow in my kitchen, I must admit!   The only thing I can think of is th...

Well, what do you know. Yesterday went EXACTLY as planned. With the exception of not watching all the Dr. Who episodes, which I can hopefully do this arvo when the girls are sleeping.  I don't know how, I don't know why - but I'm thankful. At exactly 4:01, we headed out of our spotless home, went to the library, picked up some more books for the kids, and 3 books for me - The Sicilian Kitchen, The Mediterranean Table, and Self-Publishing for Dummies. Also picked up a couple of dvds to watch - Three Kings, and The Girl in the Cafe. I'll watch them at some point. Anywhooo. Upon exiting the library, I rang up the pizza shop, ordered the pizzas, then drove to pick up Lachlan. We went to the pizza shop, and it was READY, then came straight home, cracked open the boxes, and dug in. Bathed the girls, dressed them for bed, brushed their teeth, and they were both in bed by 6:30, although Charlie took ages to go to sleep. This almost never happens for us, and when it...

Maybe it's to do with the hole in the ozone layer, but the sky is always so blue here! It's always encouraging when you wake up to clear blue skies. So encouraging, that I'm going to attempt to take the girls to the library to swap out our books. I got to read one, and skimmed the other, but didn't get to listen to the one on CD. I think that medium might be a bit improbable for me at this stage. Other than that, it's a catch-up day here. Cleaning and laundry, mostly. It's pizza night again, which means no cooking for me! My goal for today is to have the house cleaned and laundry finished by 4:00, so we can:  Go to the library, pick up the pizza, pick up Lachlan, come home and eat the pizza, bathe girls and put them to bed, leaving the rest of the evening to watch a movie (Twilight) and tv show (Dr. Who - a Tom Baker episode), and retiring early.   So, given the state of my kitchen, I should probably start there. Like 5 minutes ago, if 4:00 is my c...

We will not be sending Charlie Brown to preschool in January. Firstly, I'm not sure she got in because we didn't hear from them. Secondly, after observing her, I don't think she is ready. I wanted her to be, for several reasons, but we need to let her be a toddler for a bit longer. And as much as I was looking forward to having some one on one time with Pippa Jane, I'll still get that, and Pippa will be old enough to really 'do' some serious coffee dates with Mom!   I'm starting to get some framework for Charlie's birthday party - we've been a bit slack in the birthday department for her - I'm not looking to have a huge blowout with pony rides and a jumping castle, mostly because we just don't have the space for it, but I would like to have a little something for her so she can invite her little friends. I'd also like to attempt a theme - In the Night Garden - which is one of her favourite programs. Got to start looking on E...