The Night Before School

Lexi: "Mummy... are you going to cry when I go to school?"
Me: "Yes..."
Lexi: "Could you do it at home?"

This child will break my heart!

Tomorrow.
Tomorrow is a new chapter.

My "baby" starts school.  Big school.  5 days a week, someone else will be responsible for her.   Someone else will be teaching her and guiding her... and putting up with her.

I'm sad, but I'm happy.

Sad because she is growing up right before my yes, so so fast.  Sad because as a mother it is hard to 'hand her over' to the care of someone else 5 days a week.  Sad because school will bring about change, and even more independence.

Happy though, because 12 months ago I wasn't sure if she'd be ready and she's grown and developed so much in that time.  I am so proud of my little girl.  She is funny, happy, confident, independent.  She is so sure of herself.

We had a meet and greet at her school on Friday afternoon - to meet her teacher (and teacher aid), see her classroom and meet some children in her class.  She walked in, introduced herself and informed her teacher where Memphis came from (thanks for that Lexi).  She sat on the mat happily and quietly, listened for her name and raised her hand when it was (finally) called (last one on the roll - good luck with that, Little Miss Impatient!)  The teachers were talking to the parents, mostly, as they told us what to expect, what to bring, where to find things.  Lexi raised her hand after hearing where the bags go (I will never, ever, get used to calling bag racks "Port Racks", bloody Queenslanders) and declared that her mummy and daddy had not bought her bag with her.  We didn't need to, but she didn't really understand that it wasn't actually a school day.  At least I know she was listening!!

A big day tomorrow for a big girl.
I hope she's ok.  I do know she will be.  But I'll always worry, and always hope.

The night before her first day of school

Just Another Aussie Day

My Littlest Aussie - and the first temporary tattoo of what I imagine will be many!!

Having been in Australia 15 years, I consider myself an Aussie.  I hold citizenship here, have been back to NZ only once (last year) and have lived here 3 years longer than I lived in NZ.  I like it here.  I think I'll stay.  I'm raising gorgeous lil Aussie babies too, which helps ;)

We had a quiet morning, a nice sleep in after a late night with visitors.  I didn't hold a lot of hope for the weather holding out, but it came right and the afternoon was spent BBQing, listening to Triple J's Hottest 100 and enjoying the company of good friends - ours and the children's.  It was really nice!  I've stuffed myself stupid on food though, as always, and am now feeling very couch-potatoey and blah!  We've eaten vegemite sangas, I made cobb loaf, kangaroo steaks hit the BBQ.  I made 2 soft serve ice creams for dessert - Strawberry & Blueberry, and Mango.  We nommed on lamingtons and BBQ shapes.  YUM!  It's all about the food with me, haha.

Ty mans the BBQ

The kids had a great day, and sleep came to them as soon as little heads hit their pillows.  

I live for these days.  Giggling children, playful antics, great company.  I adore the ages all three are at right now.  The kids LOVE company, they adore playing with their friends.  They're of course at an age where there is a bit of a battle of the wills, but they're also at an age where they play well independently and together... with each other, and with other children.  There was a lovely little group of children, and it was just a really nice balance... although, completely dominated by girls!  

The key to a great Aussie Day?  GREAT MATES.

Tomorrow we have one last day before our little world changes.

Tuesday, our Lexi officially starts Primary School.  Part of me will cry, whilst the other breathes a sigh of relief that I've gotten her this far ;) Tomorrow will be spent ensuring everything is ready for her... and that her Aussie Flag temporary tattoos have been rubbed off!

96. I've learned to braid!

96.  Learn two different types of braid (2/2)

Oh how I wish Lexi had lovely long hair, thick and easy to braid and play with.

Alas, she has mousey, messy, slow growing hair!  Damn!  That said, I still managed to achieve this goal!  Thanks youtube!

Fishtail braid!

Rather messy French braid!

Heheh aftermath :P

Not so great in my own hair!

Daddy is also learning the basics ;)

PROJECT 365 {{WEEK 3}}

Project 365 - Instagram Style

15th of January 2014 - Memphis enjoys a bit of sunshine at the park

16th of January 2014 - Zavian hanging out at Uncle Jason's house

17th of January 2014 - The fam bam enjoy a cool down at Gardeners Falls

18th of January 2014 - Memphis meets a python at Australia Zoo

19th of January 2014 - We visit Ettamogah Pub for lunch

20th January 2014 - Home made fruity-poles - YUMMY!

21st of January 2014 - Memphis waits for the paed, and does so very cutely!

Elephant Mobile (10)

10. Handmake something beautiful to display

Once we (read: I) had decided on the theme for our new babies nursery, I knew I wanted to handmake stuff for in that room - and that I wanted to make a mobile.  Something sweet, simple, but beautiful.  Yellow, white and grey.  Elephants.  

Thanks to my old mate, Pinterest, I found a mobile that I wanted.  However, the $60-70 price tag that came with it, didn't bide well with me (and was an absolute NO from Tyron!)  Instead I made it for approximately $15 and only a tiny amount of loss of sanity.  Good price, I say!

Ready to create

After searching for the price of an elephant punchie on ebay, I realised making my own elephants was not going to be the way - $30 for a punchie!  

So I searched for some already cut and found someone who had them and enquired if she could custom do some to my colour scheme.  She was happy to, so I purched 120 punchies for something like $4.  Score.  I didn't even use them all - so will be (one day) using the leftovers for some artwork on his wall.  The ring was just a cross stick metal ring from Spotlight, for a couple of dollars.  Invisible thread was $2.  And I spent more on ribbon than anything else, but even that was less than $10.  

Elephant punchies, ribbons... it's all go!

I was determined I'd do this!!!

There was of course frustration... a tangled mess of elephants and invisible thread when I was putting it all together left me cursing, annoyed and seriously considering an etsy purchase of one premade and not-tangled.  I whinged to my poor friend, Bonnie, the entire time I was making it.  Not that she could do anything about it, but she just told me to get on with it :P  No mercy, there!  In the end, I spose I could say I did enjoy making it!!!  Eventually, like... when it was on the roof and dangling there all pretty.

Complete

That said, hindsight is a wonderful thing and honestly, I don't think I would do it the same way I did - not that I plan on ever doing it again haha.  I am notorious for making things more difficult for myself and this - was no exception.  That said - it's complete.  I finished it sitting on my lounge room floor, less than a month before he arrived, watching trashy tv whilst Ty was at poker.  Good times!

So far - it's held up well... I did wonder if the fan or wind would turn it in to a crazy tangled mess... I begged and pleaded in my head that it wouldn't, lol.  But so far, so good.  It's just out of the way of the fan that all it does is slightly flutter.  I have put just enough rows of elephants I think, that it's not too easy to get all tangled.  I have had only one minor detangling issue, where I swore at it for 10 minutes after quite a lot of wind from a storm sent it into a jumbled mess.  I got it detangled though, and you'd never know.  It did more damage to the outdoor gazebo ;)

I think the best part of it all, was that people didn't look at it and think it looked silly.  Ty even told me he liked it and that was something as he rarely just out and says things like that.  I call that a win!  Now, to never ever move, as god knows how I would transport it!!!!

4. Snail Mail

Christmas photo... hope those who
got one liked it - I didn't print enough!!

4. Send 5 “snail mail” letters/cards to overseas friends/family (5/5)

I am not one to send snail mail.  I have the best of intentions... but I forget.  I rarely go near a post office... and lets face it, who wants to drag 3 kids in to a post office?!
That said, I did utilise the birth of Memphis & Christmas to get number 4 out of the way.

So some lovely friends and rellies overseas received Christmas cards from me for the first time ever as well as a cute little birth announcement.  I even sent it to more than 5 people.. but the first 5 who got them were Jade & Brendan, Aunty Claire & Uncle Junior, Denise & Warren, Aunty Christine & Uncle Stephen, and the Reddalls/Jones clans.  

It was kind of nice writing out cards and putting in photos of the kids and Memphis.  I know that no one would have expected to get anything haha, I'm just useless like that!  That said the novelty wore off when I got to the post office and spent over $30 sending cards.  Ahhhhhhh! I thought.  That's why I use email and facebook!  Haha.

Birth Announcement that we sent <3

86. Donating

86. Donate/give away 101 items (101/101) + more!

Prior to Christmas I went on a bit of a rampage through our wardrobes.  I hoard clothes.  Out of laziness more than anything, but as I get bigger or lose weight I tend to look at my wardrobe and think "I'll fit that again".  Fact is, I've not really gotten a lot bigger or smaller... My weight shifts around a 5kg area and doesn't do much more (yeah yeah, I could try).  So it was time to turf the excess.  And yes, I still need to get rid of more.

Ty, the kids and I filled up bags and boxes... over 100 items of close, 50 soft toys, a few bags of old toys the kids no longer play with.  We filled the back of the car right up full, and headed to the salvos bins in town and loaded them up.

I don't have pics (dunno why I didn't take one!) but it was nice to see it all go, and to people who can use it.  The kids were a bit unsure at first (had no idea what we were doing - garbage bags to them make them think we are throwing their things in the rubbish!) but once they understood they were happy to give their toys to children who needed them.