Christmas Gravy with White Wine and Kangaroos

Christmas Songs that everyone should know

Week Four

Its time for some Australian Chrissy songs

They dont get a lot of global play but we do have a few Aussie Christmas songs. 
There is some "Crusty the Swagman" and "Prawns on the Barbie" kind of songs but they're not REAL songs. 
Yes i knowthe guys in skivvies did a couple too.

Heres a few I love and think everyone should know them.

Song One:

Tim Minchin - White Wine In The Sun

Originally"White Wine In The Sun" appears in the 2008 album"Ready for This?".

The song was released in December 2009 as a downloadable single online, as part of a campaign to get it into the UK Christmas Charts.  Although it was unsuccessful he did donate 50% of the December profits of the sales to the National Autistic Society.

I love the part of his song telling his baby girl that if she finds herself nine thousand miles from home at Christmas when she is twenty one or thirty one that the family will be home waiting for her.   

He's a little too alternative for me mostly but some of his work i love and this song is one of them.

Song two:
Paul Kelly - Who's going to make the Gravy

'Song of the Year' nomination at the APRA  music awards in 1998 and Paul Kelly sang the song at the 2012 AFL Grand Finals.  

He had been asked to contribute to a Charity music album and decided to have a go at writing one.  He was inspired by Irving Berlin's White Christmas (covered in week 2 of our Christmas songs).

Its about a prisoner writing to his brother and lamenting on missing Christmas with the family this year.

The recipe for the Gravy is apparently true, Kelly got it from his first father in law. 

Its pretty Australian huh?

Song Three:
Rolf Harris - Six White Boomers

Now we are talking Christmas songs and not the current alleged criminal status of the artist. 

So What is not to love about this?  

Poor Joey loses his Mummy (probably wasn't listening and doing as he was told I'd say)   but good old Santa takes him in his Sleigh a to find her.

What do you know there are White Kangaroos pulling the sleigh. Now i had assumed that they were white because they had covered themselves in Zinc cream so they don't get burnt out in the "blazing sun" but apparently there is a reason they are white.  Mr Harris wrote the "Six White Boomer's" song because even though he grew up in Perth everyone always sang Christmas songs with snow in them hence they are white -kinda having a bit of a go.  

There is also six not twelve pulling the sleigh because he believes that one big male Boomer is stronger than two Reindeer's. Fair call.

It all works out ok they find little Joey's Mumma and its all good.

Harris actually topped the UK Christmas Charts for six weeks in 1969 with his recording of the "Two Little Boys" a song written about the American Civil War in 1902. It sold over a million copies and was awarded a gold disc.

Dedicated to my friend Bec who'll be more than 9000 miles from home this Christmas xxx

Have you been away from home for Christmas ?

Week 1: Cable Knits and Bad Perms

Week 2:You can't have Christmas without a little Bing or Bowie

Week 3:Christmas with Alvin and a Wookie

From now till Christmas each week we are sharing Christmas Songs that i think everyone should know.

Why? Why not! No real reason just some are so great and some so bad and some are just hilarious!

I'll include some fun and fascinating trivia (that you just wont want to miss) and maybe a little story of my own.

I would really really love for you to get into this with me - maybe sing a tune and share some stories with us :)

You can't have a Christmas without a little Bing or a little Bowie

Christmas Songs the ones everyone should know

This week i am bringing you two songs.  

The first one is one of the Greatest Christmas songs of all time and then one of the most surprising Christmas Duets of all time

Bing Crosby performing White Christmas 

1942 for the film Holiday Inn. 

Berlin Irving wrote this song and it originally had a spoken verse talking about the sunny weather in Beverly Hills which was dropped so the song had global appeal.

Elvis also covered this song in 1957 on his Christmas Album.  The story goes that Irving Berlin rang radio stations and begged them not to play it.

Now you probably know that one but do you know this one :

1977 David Bowie and Bing Crosby 

performing Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth for Television Christmas Special.  

Little Drummer Boy performed by Bing was written in 1941 but the Peace On Earth accompaniment was written at the time for this duet and performed by Bowie.    

After an hour of rehearsal this was recorded. 

Bowie was trying to "normalise" his life at the time (Berlin years) hence the not the Bowie you know look. 

He did the recording because he knew his mum liked Bing.

Bing Crosby died five weeks after this recording. The show aired in the states a month after his death and then two months later on Christmas Eve in the U.K.

Peace on Earth was written quickly as a counterpoint for My Little Drummer Boy in this Duet because Bowie allegedly said he hated Little Drummer Boy and wanted to sing something else.

Is there a Christmas Song that you really just dont like?



Last week we covered the WAHM 80's classic "Last Christmas"   you can see it here for a recap on bad perms, cable knit jumpers and broken hearts in a ski resort. 

From now till Christmas each week we are sharing Christmas Songs that i think everyone should know.

Why?  Why not!    No real reason just some are so great and some so bad and some are just hilarious!

I'll include some fun and fascinating trivia (that you just wont want to miss) and maybe a little story of my own.

I would really really love for you to get into this with me -  maybe sing a tune and share some stories with us :) 

Cable Knits and Bad Perms - lots of them

Christmas Songs the ones everyone should know

Lets have a little fun :)

From now till Christmas each week I am going to share some Christmas Songs that I think everyone should know.

Why?  Why not!    No real reason just some are so great and some so bad and some are just hilarious!

I'll include some fun and fascinating trivia (that you just wont want to miss) and maybe a little story of my own.

I would really really love for you to get into this with me -  bop a little, maybe sing a tune and share some stories with me :) 

This week we're sleigh sliding into 1984 with WAHM!  

WAHM's  Wake Me Up Before You Go Go spent 7 weeks at number 1 in the Australian Top 40 in 1984 and George Michael was there for another 4 weeks at number 1 with Careless Whispers.  

This however was a bad year to release a Christmas Song because it was the same year as 

"Do They Know Its Christmas" by Band-Aid which spent 4 weeks at number 1 in Australia in January 1985. 

This song did make it to Number 2 in the UK behind Band-aid of course.

WAHM did donate the royalties from the song to the Ethiopian famine charity which was 250,000 pounds!

Lots of cable knits and perms!  

Its a break up song with lots of 80's clothes and hair do's

Looking back at your Christmas's past -  What is your best/worst Christmas fashion or hairstyle story that we just must know about ?  

Doesn't have to be you 

 Come on surely Nan knitted something ridiculous one year ?

Maybe someone wore something a little inappropriate to a work function ???

Its Friday and FYBF is on over at With Some Grace 

Lots of Great Blogs posts for you to take a look at 

Mums Take Five - Biggest Morning Tea

http://mumstakefive.blogspot.com.au/

Thank you 

To all those who supported us online and those who came to our Cancer fundraising "Australia's Biggest Morning Tea"   Thank you. We raised lots more than what we thought we would and we had such a nice morning tea.  So much fun in fact we are already planning next years!

Thank you to our Blogger friends who also shared our sponsor link and generously supported us :

Bachelormum Style

Gorgeous French Dolls and keepsakes and toys in her store please take a look

The Aussie Hausfrau  

Who generously gave whilst fundraising for her own challenge Conquering Cancer Bike Marathon - whilst we eat cake :)

The Declutterbug versus Captain Stingypants

Lots of Art and Craft and an interesting ongoing Fiction story happening here

Hunting For Ladybugs

Very generously sent us some gifts to giveaway as prizes in our fundraising. 

Beautiful handmade goodies

More pictures of food 'cos it was just so good :)

http://mumstakefive.blogspot.com.au/

http://mumstakefive.blogspot.com.au/

 

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Moving House Made Easy

Moving house made easy…

Ever moved 3 states in 3 years while pregnant or raising young children? 

I have and here’s my journey and what I've learnt.

For the first 27 years of my life I lived in the one city. My parents still live in the same house I was born in. Besides lots of overseas and interstate travel, I had lived in the comfort zone of Perth my whole life. That was until my Hubby got a job with the government which meant we needed to move to Darwin. At 2 months pregnant we did the drive, yes, a road trip. We drove up to the top of WA, across and up to Darwin in 4 days, camping on the side of the road. Luckily Hubby had already been in Darwin and set up most of our beautiful 3 bedroom apartment in the city. The hard work was done but at this stage we didn't have any children or extra items to move, just our things.

That first week in Darwin was an emotional roller coaster and that might have also been a tad to do with the hormone party that was happening, but getting use to the climate in Darwin is one thing. Leaving all your family, friends and fabulous job when you’re about to have your first child is another. After that first week I fell in love with Darwin and I still miss it to this day. It’s one of those places you either love or hate.

So we were in Darwin for around 18 months before we moved down to Brisbane with our then 9 month old daughter (now 26 months old). We chose to fly ourselves and have all our belongings packed up into those big shipping containers. It is very tricky trying to pack and clean a house with no family or close friends for help or support. One of us had to take care of our daughter while the other was organising the house. While still in Darwin we made sure our temporary accommodation was in walking distance from the place we were leaving.

When we arrived in Brisbane it was a 30 minute drive to our house from our temporary accommodation, which we had in the city. We chose to be in the city because that way we could explore Brisbane a bit more before we settled in the suburbs.

For some reason, moving into this house was very time consuming. We had gone from a 3 bedroom flat to a small 4 bedroom house and yet it was hard to unpack so things were more or less thrown in were ever they could go. In the end I just didn't want to look at it anymore, I just wanted the boxes gone. It was a rude shock to see how much stuff we had that we didn't need or use! We stayed in Brisbane for 1 year where our son was later born (he’s now 6 months old) and then moved to Sydney where we are now.

So if our move from Darwin to Brisbane was difficult, what was it going to be like with two children under the age of two?? We needed a plan of attack! We called on my parents for their help. They flew over the day before we were to move into our new house. They minded the kids for us while, once again, we rushed to unpack the millions of boxes in front of us. I have to say, if my parents didn't help us we might still be unpacking now 4 months down the track!

There are pro’s and con’s with moving around, as there is with everything. The good thing about relocating is you get to experience a new place, go exploring, meet new people and learn the value of your ‘old’ friends. The hard thing is leaving those friends you make along the way. I wouldn't change a thing, but we are hoping we will stay in Sydney for another two years at least!

My moving tips:

• Try and be organised. Prepare as much as you can before you move, that way it’s not as stressful and you feel more confident when you arrive.

•  Arrange for your electricity and gas to be turned on the day you get the keys to your new place.

• Get your mail redirected (I recommended doing it for 6 months as there is always somewhere you forget to update your address).

• Try and organise your employment or study before you move so you’re not left stranded for too long.

• Search and find groups online or in the community in your area that relate to you. You will meet people and get out and about. That way you won’t feel so isolated in the beginning and these people can tell you where to go, what to do and pass on tips and info.

•  Look on Google Maps and find out where everything is located around you. Supermarket, Library, Schools anything you might need.

• Have enough money behind you for all those extra moving costs. Bond, connection fees, in case you don’t have a job lined up straight away, new clothes for climate change or new job/roll etc.

•  Do a big sort of all your belongings and throw out or donate everything you don’t use, want or need. This will make things so much easier when you unpack!

•  If you have children and you have someone who is able to mind them for you during the day, do it! It will make life so much easier.

• Be prepared for your kids to be unsettled and not sleep through the night. They may not like seeing their things packed up or they could be getting use to their new environment. If they are young they usually don’t fully understand what’s going on and can sense the stress in mum and dad. *There is lots of helpful professional advice out there about moving for children.

• Try and have a plan as to what’s going where before all your belongings arrive. If you have a floor plan of the house, make notes with your partner all over it so you can tell the delivery person what goes where.

• Enjoy some takeaway food and hopefully a few drinks to celebrate your new beginning!

Nic x 

Are you prepared for a breakdown?

By Nic:

Prepare for the unexpected – Don’t get caught without

After taking Miss 2 to the doctor’s I thought I’d duck into the shops on the way home quickly. I bought some milk, bread and something for dinner.  Packed the car, kids buckled in, went  to start the car to go home…… and nothing. Flat battery!

Now when I left the house for the doctors I knew it was going to be an all-round 30 minute trip, but I always prepare for extra time as it’s often needed when you have a baby. Before we left I change the kids nappies, gave them their lunch and off we went.

So I have a flat battery. First thing that goes through my mind is that it’s Miss 2 and Mister 5 mnths nap time now! I had timed it all perfectly so they would sleep at the same time when we got home (having them nap at the same time is my everyday goal). Second thought is that Mister 5 mnths is due for a feed. Third is that they will both need a nappy change very soon.

Usually in this situation I would call my Hubby at work and he would be able to come and jump start the car for me, but not this day, of course this would only happen while he is away. With no family here, no friends within a 40 minute drive away, I quickly got on the phone to the road side assistance company and tearfully asked them to prioritise my required service due to having the kids. Even with that they still told me there could be up to a 90 minute wait. 90 minutes with an over tired sick toddler and a tired and hungry baby. I started to panic,  thinking I didn’t have a bottle for Mister 5 mnths or a nappy for Miss 2!

I calmed down I started to think clearly, I remembered I have a backup for everything in the glove box of my car, I will survive this!

What I have in my ‘just in case of emergency’ kit:

$5 in coins - $10 would be even better, this means if you get stuck without fuel, a phone or anything  you know you could buy, then your covered

4 x nappies (2 of each)

Small pack of baby wipes

*1 packet of pre-made formula

1 clean feeding bottle

1 clean dummy with cover

*Mini snacks for Miss 2 (sultanas, fruit bar & a pack of tiny teddies)

*Small bottle of water

1 thin blanket/wrap

Sunscreen

Also it’s always a good idea to have a first aid kit in your car at all times. Even if it’s just a mini one, in case of a real emergency. I also add to mine antiseptic liquid, Panadol and extra Band-Aids as these are more commonly used by me/us.

Remember to update your kit as the kids requirements change and if you have room a spare pair of clothes and socks for each child never hurt.

*Now you would need to be aware that heat can damage and spoil some of these items so check them or change them if you think this could have happened.

Are you prepared?  Do you take extras of everything when heading out?

Food for thought for my Local Retailers

Are you ruthless with food retailers?    I am. 

Disappoint me with price, service or food quality and you're lucky if i come back.   

I very very rarely complain or make a fuss  - I just don't come back.

I will drive for a good experience and currently i don't think any local small business can afford to be losing customers.  I will be loyal to you and give you my hard earnt money if you look after me.

I will give you a fair chance. 

If i get something not so great i may blame the weather, storage, shipping conditions etc

A bad apple i may think oh well you werent to know that.

but do it more than a couple of times and Mr Fresher up the road has just got my business.

If your staff are rude or unkowledgeable on their products or if i feel i am a hassle to someones day i will not be back.  

I worked too many years in retail and hospitality to know its not that bloody hard to fake it.

If you supply me with the wrong product.  I order raw shelled green prawns and get home to find cooked imported prawns in my package.  I will not be back.  Sorry instant fail.

If I ask for thin slice i want thin, I want shaved i will ask shaved - If you are unsure ASK me better to ask than to give me the wrong thing.

If you quite clearly don't check your stock or rotate your stock or display your stock correctly. I will not buy that product.  I am not buying your out of date stock and sorry i will now never buy that product from you because my time is more valuable than to go searching through for current stock.

Word of mouth can be your best friend or your worst enemy. 

Mums talk ... we do.  We all want whats best for our family.

Best price (not necessarily the cheapest), Best quality, Best range, Best staff, Best everything.  

You chose to open a food retail business  - why would you not want to be the best?

I WILL tell my friends and family on my experiences especially if i have a bad one.

Think about it - Two schools, swim club, rugby club - two groups, social groups, playgroup, mothers group, neighbours, family, work colleagues not to mention three facebook accounts, one twitter and one Blog ..... I talk to alot of different people in one week. 

Train your staff.  I know it takes time, costs money, they don't stay long yada yada yada. Use your computer type, print and laminate your expectations of your staff and leave it somewhere for them to constantly see and remind themselves of.   Can you afford to be paying staff to stand around doing nothing, chatting to each other or looking lost when there is ALWAYS something that can be done. 

Laminate a cleaning checklist for staff to constantly do. Check the floors for debris, clean counters, glass doors, fridge seals, wipe shelves etc. 

Mums like cleanliness.  I like clean shops. I like the appearance of organisation. 

Train your staff.  Its easy. You get a new cheese in you'd like your staff to sell it.  Put a postcard size note up on your side of the counter with points on that product (google it if you don't know! ask the sales rep for information)

They can't sell something they know nothing about.  Its from where? would go with what? tastes like?  If you are promoting something i am nearly always willing to give a go but if i ask a question about it and the staff don't know i lose my faith in your ability to sell me something worth trying.

Whilst you are working ON your business (and i hope you are) they are working IN your business.  The customer sees which one?  You're paying them -  use them. 

In light of my rant I am going to start telling you all about the stores and products i find and like. I will aim not to mention the bad ones  but i don't promise that.

Please feel free to post on my facebook page or Blog your likes in food retail in your area. I'm more than happy to add them to the list. 

Please note: Most of my shopping is done in Hills District Sydney though i do get all over Sydney as i mentioned i will drive for a good experience.  

Costco - The excursion with a difference

I don't think the kids would like it more than Luna Park but i certainly found it very entertaining. So much so I'm writing a blog post on it.

Costco what an experience.  I've wanted to go check it out since it opened July last year but you have to be a member etc etc and just haven't got around to it. I had the opportunity to go today and loved it but perhaps i loved it because it was just so unbelievably odd, quirky, stereotypical, interesting, eye opening ........  ridiculous and random.

let me set the scene :

So you park your car in an over sized car park (the car spaces are quite large which was nice), walk over to the entrance ramp and get your trolley. Which you have the option of a mean ass large carton holding thing or the smaller version which is a super sized woolies trolley that holds two babies and double a full normal grocery shop.  The height of these is also a bit crazy there was a woman walking towards my fairly new car and the handle of the trolley came up to her chest.   The trolleys were my first amusement.

The second thing i found funny in a ridiculous kinda way was all these people pushing these super sized trolley's up a ramp - as fast as they could.  I would like to warn you that these people with trolleys are scary, the trip to Costco can be life threatening and you are to leave your manners in the car park.

At the entrance you are herded together like cattle and slowly you move forward by being nudged in the heels by somebody's trolley behind you it is also customary to try and gently push the trolley next to you out of your way. Please note that nobody but you and your shopping companion will find your "mooo" ing funny. certainly not the large middle aged European man that is already not impressed you are delaying his entry with a stroller.



Mooooooooooo



Once you enter the store this herding scenario disappears and becomes a Wonka land of pure imagination for super sized and random crap for purchase all in one big shed.  

Your first stop is electrical goods TV's, WII's etc then you walk past the "Hearing Aid Centre" and on to the start of aisles of pallet shelving that have kitchenware, sewing machines, umbrellas and craft. 

The middle of the store has tables of clothes, books, 6ft tall Nutcrackers, child dress-ups, sheet sets, a Halloween themed tealight holder and of course right next to socks you'll find a peddle boat for only $939.00 - bargain!

Over on the far side and back walls is the highlight and the reason i went - food .

Where else in Australia can you buy 1.36kg of Reese's Pieces!!

(for those that don't know they're m&m's filled with peanut butter instead of chocolate)

Really i don't think its any cheaper at all. Maybe if you were to buy in bulk and i mean bulk like 1000 toilet rolls. Other than that the "bulk" sized foods weren't cheap for instance tasty cheese you can buy in like 5kg blocks but it still works out about $12 a kilo. You can buy multi pack deodorants and toothpaste etc which aren't cheap they're the same or slightly more expensive than Woolies or BigW on special.   Nappies weren't cheaper either.

The whole reason to go is for the novelty of the food stuffs.  I bought a plastic 1kg tub of Vegemite and a massive 500ml bottle of Tabasco not because i like to soak my food in Tabasco but i just thought it was cool.   5kg tubs of yoghurt are slightly bigger than the 500ml ones i normally buy but seriously it wouldn't fit in my fridge anywhere.  You can get 5kg buckets of cake mix and you'll need the 12kg of chocolate ganache to go with it.

BIG is the motto here whether you are buying big quantities of things, buying big sized things or your intention for you and your family is to become really BIG.  Seriously inappropriate pizza's that would need to be cut in half to fit in a 90cm oven  and totally offensive glazed doughnuts that honestly nobody needs.  Massive tubs of Nutella, gigantic packs of chocolates and silly sized frozen cookies and ice-creams.  

You can also get your milk, bread, fruit&veg and meat here which aren't cheap. Sorry lovers of Costco but think about it why would they discount the regular stuff that you are going to buy anyway. They're counting on you to pick up a couple of loaves of bread and apples whilst you're there buying high pressure water cleaners. 

I did buy a few things - just cos i could.  The Vegemite, Tabasco and Reese's Pieces as previously mentioned a tshirt for my son, a ream of multi coloured paper and my friend and i went halves in a box of Swiss Miss hot chocolate sachets (30each) 

Would i go again? definitely.   For $70 a membership for the privildege of shopping there  I'd pass if you're looking for bargain shopping or cheaper prices.  Still cheaper elsewhere on special.  If you are looking for something different or something in bulk then yeah its kinda cool.

Also if you know them.....  you can get Churros from the kiosk (i resisted this time)

p.s.  Don't impulse purchase on large quantities of chocolates, chips, doughnuts, cakes, crumbed mozzarella sticks ........  you probably don't need it

Do you suffer from the serious " I just gotta" ?

I have it.   Its serious and I'm not sure how or when i got it.

"I just gotta"  seems to be something i say and do on a more regular basis than i thought.

It became aware to me when the kids started repeating it back to me.
me :  Come and get in the bath please
child: I am I just got to play with this car
me: No come and get in the bath now before you get cold
child: I am i just got to play with this car and then put my washing away and my shoes and THEN i just got to come to the bath.

I do it in alot of circumstances:

I go to make a cup of coffee and i never get to it because as i walk into the kitchen "I just gotta" put the dishes away or the toaster or decide to clean the benches or take out the rubbish.

I load my arms to take downstairs to the car in the morning. "I just gotta" take the rubbish with me, the parcels to be posted, the washing, rubbish, baby bag, bottle bag, handbag, car keys, somebody's book bag or hat.  One day I'll have so much "I just gotta" take this that i will forget the baby.

When there is a show i want to watch and it starts at 8.30 I always record it anyhow because i know I'm not going to be sitting waiting by 8.29.  I always "I just gotta"  tidy up, find some washing to fold when watching, make a cup of coffee, put some washing on, check the school bags, wipe over the bathroom - something!

Master R is loving games (bingo, snap, connect 4, etc) at the moment so we play one before bed and i find myself saying "yep you set up I just gotta" and do what ever it is plus three other things and he sits there waiting waiting waiting.  I must be so frustrating when you've waited all afternoon to play.

The worst is when i need to do actual work on the computer and i sit down and "I just gotta" and never get to what i was supposed to be doing and hours have gone by. 

Do you suffer from "I just gotta?" 

Is it curable?

Top 5 - How NOT to lose those maternity kilos

So i have been 'atempting' to lose the couple of extra maternity kilos that are preventing me from fitting into my normal clothes. If i don't lose them very soon i will be wearing nothing at all this Summer because i refuse to buy any larger size clothing.  

However upon reflection of my week i may have hindered this goal, yes i did all these things. 

Here is my top five of how not to lose weight.

1. Even though all the top Chefs say to "taste your food" whilst cooking this does not apply when nibbling continuously on the same batch of raw cookie dough. 

2. Celery and carrot sticks make fantastic snacks for busy mums on the run.  Cut them up in advance and store in containers in the fridge.  Great idea, however probably shouldn't eat a Freddo whilst chopping up your veg.

3. At 10am on the way home from the school drop and morning walk around the sports ground, stopping at the Servo and picking up a Coke defeats the purpose of walking for half an hour with two kids in five degrees - dummy.   (I'd been up since 4am - i was desperate)

4. Sneaking a cookie in the kitchen as your making a coffee to take back into a room full of kids going crazy does not give you any more sanity.

5. When at the Shopping Centre - walk.   Do not go back down to the car park and drive from the  BigW entrance down about 800m to Woolies.  Even if you have a trolley load of groceries and its 10pm and your tired.

I have failed this week I am sure but i can't tell because the scales in our bathroom were broken whilst i was in hospital having my daughter and i keep ummm forgetting (?)  to get new ones.


By Bel

Do You Offer??

There are some that do and some that don't.

When you are going to someones house do you offer to bring something?
When at someones house on a visit or meal do you offer to do something?
When going to someone else's home for meal or party do you take a gift?
When staying in someones home do you take something or assist?
When staying in someones home do you make or strip the bed etc?

Is it something we were taught as Children or something we have decided on our own?  
Then again...   Perhaps its something no longer thought of at all.

Is it true its not really an obligation or expectation anymore to take something when visiting someones home? 
I have kinda assumed this from my own life experiences - i could be wrong.
I am sometimes amazed in the difference in those who offer and those who don't seem to have a clue.

My sister-in-law whenever she visits always manages to end up doing the dishes, i have a perfectly good dishwasher but she does them anyways. If we're having dinner all together and I'm feeding the baby she puts a plate together for me and gets a drink for me - shes just thoughtful like that.  She'll often pick up coffee on her way to our house because i usually end up providing a meal or something.
She'll always make sure the kids tidy up the toys and even cater to my OCD ways of doing so.

Then there are those who just create more work for me. 

The ones who stay a night or two and don't bring anything, offer to help, make the bed or even pick up a bath towel.
The kids that come over to play (and it looks like a tornado has been through) and they don't even offer to pack away.  
The people that come to dinner. Generally a well thought out meal comprising of more than two courses. I have shopped, prepared and presented a culinary delight as well as run children around, scrubbed my house and well quite frankly put in alot of time, money and effort without completely losing my sanity.  Yet they can't bring a bottle of wine, a block of chocolate or even thank me for such efforts. 
What is wrong with these people!  

All of the above actually happened to me last weekend and I'm still in disbelief of these people. I've spent most of the week in recovery of their visit - washing sheets and towels and packing away toys.  I went to alot of effort to have my house sparkling, beds made perfectly as well as providing four meals to which no one offered to help and nothing was brought in gratitude. 

I am the one who has a newborn surely a little gratitude was warranted?

By Bel x

Has technology stolen another simple custom?!

So i have received an invitation to a child's Birthday Party and i have to say i am rather horrified.

Is it an invitation when the invite comes via SMS?!  

I'm serious, its an invitation to a 5th Birthday party from a class mate not someone we know well or family etc.  Those invited got a random invite on their mobile phone.

Has this simple thing also gone into history?

I'd spent the morning sorting photos and writing Thank You cards and notes to family and friends who have welcomed and supported us in the arrival of our new "Lamb Chop". Its been nearly four weeks now and i know my Grandmother will be waiting for her photo and personalised handwritten note of gratitude. 
The Thank You note i guess was one of the first to fall into the history pages. I do get them occasionally from Birthday parties, Weddings and Baby welcomes.  My Children send them to Grandparents and Great Grandparents when they receive anything from them and i usually make them give thank you's after a Birthday party. I think its a bit of a tragedy that Thank you notes are no longer customary (a statement I'm sure that will come back and bite me in the butt).

I'm not a fan of Christmas and Birthday e-cards. Its free i understand but why bother? The five minutes it takes to choose and fill in all the details etc on an e-card you could send a little personal email (if you must) and actually wish someone your best wishes. 
Facebook invites I really don't like.  I don't want everyone knowing who's invited me where etc and i wonder have i really been invited or has someone just clicked on all their "friends".  I don't respond to peoples request to add my Birthday to their Facebook Birthday lists and I don't advertise my Birthday on my Facebook account, i figure if you don't know my Birthday then you weren't really interested in saying Happy Birthday anyhow.   I don't mind people saying Happy Birthday via SMS or something i know my friends and family are busy and i appreciate the acknowledgment i just don't advertise the date. I often SMS friends and send them best wishes although I usually follow up when i see them next with a gift or card (or cake).

But back to my whinge ....

Are we really at a point of sending Children's Party invites via SMS?
If you're too busy to write the invite are you too busy to host a party? 
Was this poor Mum just out of time and three weeks before the party thought she'd better just let everyone know?  

I hope it's just a one off thing and not a trend. 
Has anyone else received an invite like this or worse?

By Bel

Saving sanity or carefully filing it away for a while?

Where I been?  Well Pregnancy is not my forte there is no glow, no radiance, no enjoyment of it at all. For me its been throwing up, headaches, back and hip aches not to mention dizziness, lack of sleep and I could keep going with the whinging but I know its temporary and in a few short months I will hopefully have another small little being to look after.

Hard to believe its March already, my lists of things to do gets longer and longer with everything I cross off I add another two.

Lists! I love lists, oh so many lists. Shopping, Cleaning, Baby, Business things to do, House things to do, Blog list of things to do and I even have a List of lists I need to do for renovations.
Do you use lists?

Folders. I'm into folders too. Maybe its some kind of not going back to work for a few more years need to feel important and busily contributing thing but I have adorned the kitchen table in folders. Bills folder, Renovations, Ready for school folder (which I'll bore you with in due course), Recipes and stuff to sort folder and Mums medical folder.
makes me sound busy and organised doesn't it? Well don't be fooled, I'm not. I'm too busy making lists and folders to actually get anything done!

come July I know my time and sanity will go out the window again so the idea is I get these things into place before then so I can be some sort of super mum who does it all .....
I can hear you scoffing well what's your secrets then?
What little things do you do to keep your sanity?

By Bel

Friends - keep them all or let some go?

Source: charmcitycurrent.com via MumsTakeFive on Pinterest

Nearly all my nearest and dearest friends are miles away from me.  i don't see them on a regular basis. Some i see once or twice a year, some once every couple of years and one i haven't actually seen for four or five years.  I've moved or they moved but it seems no matter where we are and what is happening in our lives we can still pick up the phone or catch up in person and it was like I'd seen them yesterday. 

The friends i have time for, the friends i give my time to any time of day. The friends i know i can count on for an honest opinion, to hear me when i need to talk, to share my secrets and fears. The friends i know i can rock up at the door no matter how long its been and they just go put the kettle on.   I love these friends no matter what I'd be there for them.



I have some other friends that i do see regularly or did see regularly but now not so much.  nothing has happened just life and time and i don't seem to be bothered by this. It seems too hard to catch up with them and when i do i dunno its just not that fun anymore does that make sense?

I have a friend i want to let go. we don't seem to have much to talk about anymore. when we do catch up i feel i give and give but don't get much back, its way out of balance. I don't rush to check her emails or texts i wait till I'm free. I don't return calls 'cos I'm just not up for the chat.  I feel tired after i see her like its a lot of effort.  I really can't be bothered with it i feel my time can be better put to use.
Is this wrong or has this relationship served its purpose and its time to move on.  Nothing has happened there has been no falling out or anything.  Am i being selfish.

Do you let friends go?

Do you stay friends for no reason?

By Bel

Sometimes i need a little reminder

Sometimes the day or the week rushes past so fast.

Sometimes its not till everyones in bed that i finally sit down and stop whatever it is that's been keeping me so busy.

Sometimes i forget or just don't get to take the time in a day to sit and play or read or cook or do whatever it is that i've been asked to do.

Sometimes he has such an innocent and cute way of reminding me hes here.

Yep thats my kid.

Does anyone else have those moments when all you can do is say "yeah he's mine" ?
Whether it be the kid testing the echo levels in the shopping centre, the six year old mooning the teachers on excursion (not the proudest parent moment) or the one who the night before his first preschool photos which also happen to be his first professional photos does this.

No it did not come off.  No soaking, hand sanitiser, baby wipe, baby oil or soap could get it off.  Anything i could think of i tried. I didn't think to use the Eucalyptus oil that probably would have done it, nail polish remover did but i didn't want to bathe him in that.

So Preschool photos have him wearing a lovely shirt and smile and black marker up and down his arms and legs.  The photographer offered to photoshop him but i said its ok i don't mind its just him.

 

What's important to others.

So my 98 yr old Grandmother had a small heart attack on Saturday night. Shes never had anything like this before shes had some falls and broken wrists and things in the last five years which lead to moving her to a home about two years ago.  At 98 we're lucky she's here and has all her mind. Her ears and eyes don't work well now and her writing is no longer legible but believe me she knows whats what in our family.
I live interstate to my Mum and all her family and last saw my Gran in March and for the first time i said my goodbyes thinking i might not see her again (hadn't done that before) but i am at peace knowing i have done that (i didn't get to do that for other loved ones and it always hurts to think of it). I think i have made her proud i'm not sure but we don't really know each other well. Its been hard this week being the only member of that side of my family who's not there.  Its harder when i think i have two parents i'm going to need to look after and we're all in different states and i don't know how i'm going to be in three places at once. 

My Gran is of that lived through wars and depressions era. I smile sometimes when i think of the saving of margarine containers, saving and reusing of baking paper and washing out plastic bags and hanging them on the line to dry so they could be re used.  My Grandparents were successful they worked hard and long and did very well. In return my Gran has been very lucky to have money and not have needs unrequited through the last few decades.

Even this week she worked hard to pull through and appears to have done so with no damage to her mind, a little exhausted as you would be but no damage has shown in tests.  She has asked to go home and for everyone to stop wasting their time and hers "i'm 98 and going to die next week anyhow".
Chances are she right.

Last night she spoke to my exhausted mum who's been at her bedside since Sunday, making lots of decisions and having lots of conversations of no resuscitation's and no treatments etc  for her own mother.
Gran said to her "Dear in my room in the bedside table there is a key. The key opens a drawer over in the cabinet. In a sock in the back of the drawer dear is thirty dollars. You make sure you take that OK?"
Mum just nodded and thanked her.

I just have to smile at that.

Does he now ..... hmmm (thing hubby used to do)

So we all know how annoyingly frugal i am trying to be and really it is becoming such a personal challenge in everything i do.  It all adds up i keep telling myself and MRB when sniggers over me trying to save twenty cents on everything.

The other morning we'd decided to take the children to Canberra for the day we were meeting friends at ten am so it was an early start.  Its three hours from our place in Sydney to the science museum in Canberra.  I'd been up early, made and packed snacks and lunch for everyone but agreed to allow the purchasing of drinks because it was a special day.  I'd made the kids take water bottles anyhow hoping they'd forget buying one.

So 7.15am we pull into the service station around the corner to fill up for our drive.  MRB suggests i go in and order coffees and he'll fill up.  I order the large cap for him and a small skim flat for me (in turmoil with myself over the desperation for caffine and the cost compared to the machine i just left at home). When hes finished filling up MRB pulls the car into the first parking bay outside the shop to wait for me.

The girl brings the coffees to the counter puts them down and i say "Number 1 LPG as well thanks".  "Oh" she says and she turns and waves out the window to MRB who is waving back with a sheepish smile on his face 
"We know your husband very well" she says back to me
"Really" i say thinking well we do get fuel here probably three times a week.
"Yes he buys coffee here everyday" she smiles
"Does he now?" i smile back
"Yes hes our very good customer"

I exchange politeness as i quickly tally up all the bloody money spent on coffees a week here as well as the flashes of empty twisties packets, killer python bags and coke bottles that i have seen in the car or rubbish bins. 

"Very good customer honey?"  i say getting back in the car
"Well sometimes i buy coffee here on the way to work" he smiles and says as a five year old does when sprung doing something he shouldnt have been doing.
"Is that right?"  i say thinking of how we have just funded their new coffee machine and renovations.


Service station girl wasnt as friendly today when i went in to pay for my fuel.
I expect their coffee sales have dropped and killer pythons are in mass stocks this week.

Not on the carpet!

So the girls and i were talking about Play-Doh and how lucky we were that we all had either wood or tiled floors and we probably just wouldn't let our kids play with it if we had carpet as it would just be too hard to get all the little bits up that always seem to be there no matter how careful you are.

We were chatting away when another mum "N" joined in and we filled her in on the gist of the conversation and we continued our chat of tips for removing and cleaning Play-Doh from surfaces, body parts, clothes, shoes, toys etc.

"Oh I know" says Mummy N   "We have white carpet and Little C got Play-Doh on it the other day"   Shock horror was spread instantly across all our faces and we were all gasped in desperation to immediately find out how Mummy N solved this tragedy. "What did you do?" and similar came all the questions   "Oh i know" says Mummy N with a knowingly nod   "I just got Little C out of that room and called the cleaners straight away"  we all nodded and did the understanding friendly thing.

Ahhh and then theres' how the other half live!

Have you got your keys?

I said this to a friend this morning moments before one of the things i fear the most happened.  But I'll start at the beginning because whats the use of telling a story unless you get it all in.

So i met a couple of friends and their children at the "Wiggles Play Centre" for their "Biggest Morning Tea" day which raises money for Cancer.  We'd had a lovely morning lots and lots of playing and a big surprise visit from Dorothy, Wags and Henry which Master R was thrilled with. 

One of my friends minded Master R whilst i helped our other friend out to the car with her twin 18mth old's and her 5wk old.  All was going well the kids were all buckled in and just before she closed the back door i said "Have you got your keys?" "Yeah" she said closing the door "they're on the front seat".  Yes they were on the front seat when she got to the door, it did exactly what i fear most....... it locked.

OK don't panic.  she looked at me in horror.  I ran back in the centre and got my phone we rang her husband and the call out mechanics and both were going to be ten mins.  The baby started crying then one of the twins then one stopped and the other started.  Fortunately one of the twins pulled the blanket off the baby so he was one layer less, they weren't in the sun and it was a cool day.  but they were upset and this upset us all.  My poor friend, i just wanted to break the window for her.  We just had to wait.   The poor little guys were getting hot.

The longest ten minutes went by with me saying its "OK that's eight minutes so one of them will be any time now" and "its OK they'll be OK" (when i thinking for $%^&# sake it's not OK!)
Mum did so well.  She mentioned the scene from that show "Modern Family" where the two Gay guys adopt the little girl and they lock her in the car and one of the guys i think his name is Cameron picks up a rubbish bin and runs for the car, screaming hysterically.  That wasn't her at all.   Me i think it could have been me.

Her husband drove in and he clicked the locked.  I grabbed the twin that was crying and mum grabbed the baby and dad grabbed the other twin.  They were a little hot but they were fine.  I was really surprised how hot the car was though.It was a cool day the children weren't in the sun but gee it got warm in there fast. The car must have been in the sun earlier in the morning. 

The staff were very good they came out with ice packs and first aid advice to cool the kids down.  Which we did and they settled down quite fast and they were OK. 

Poor mum she was still freaked out a bit - i was too.  I dropped a bottle of wine at her front door later this afternoon (didn't want to wake anyone - she has wonderful kids that sleep) with a note. I felt like i needed a glass of wine tonight so i assumed she could do with one too. 

I'm seriously contemplating where i could tape the spare key to my car so this never happens to us.