Stuff to Do

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.   ...