Stuff to Do

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...

To all dads, everywhere - but especially my husband, and my father-in-law -   Happy Father's Day!   XOXO, Sarah

I'm a sharer. I grew up in a family of sharers, and although I did not acquire this particular habit until adulthood, it is one I sometimes cherish, and sometimes regret. I often walk away from a conversation wishing I had not shared quite so much. But it just doesn't feel comfortable to hold it in. It's not me, and likely never will be. Tears, laughter, anger, disappointment, happiness - it all comes out at full-speed, with no filter. I am a firm believer that a burden shared is a burden lightened. But the flip side to that is that if I'm the one who's always expecting others to share my burden, then it probably gets awfully heavy for them, and at some point, they can't carry any more. So sometimes I need to be available to lighten someone else's burden. And I am, but not everyone is comfortable sharing their load. Which is totally okay, but I can't be there for someone if they don't let me. I want to be though. Yes, I've got issues, problems, a...