What a Week!!

18/05/07 You know those days when you really should have just stayed in bed. Well today was one of those.....! After a normally busy week of work, taking kids to sporting practice, getting called in for extra hours etc I was feeling pretty jaded. But hey it's friday!! Friday's are good days, right. Well instead of doing what I was going to to until my 12pm start, I end up spending the morning chasing up my son Aidan's homework, which is WAY behind. Contrary to the story he told me. "It's still at home!" , It is located safely in the classroom.While I am there I collect extra readers for him to catch up on over the weekend. Seriously annoyed I go home to get organised for work. Hubby (who has taken the day off) asks whats wrong.(Bad move for him!!) So we then have a discussion about how I rely on him to make sure homework is being done etc, being that I work later hours. This is followed by tears(from me) and promises to do better and the writing of a list(from him).
So feeling totally drained I head into work thinking well things can only get better from here!! (Bad move for me!!) Being a bit emotional (and unknowinly suffering from pmt), I burst into tears at the girls asking the perfectly innocent question..."Are you ok?"(Bad move for them!!) I pull myself together and go about my duties and all went ok till about 4:45ish. Then it happened!! I smashed a window!! Well actually it was the fixed section of the sliding glass door in the nursery!! I had mopped the floor behind the couch and then pushed it back into place. Unfortunately it went a little further than that and hit the door which then smashed. Fortunately it is one of the safety ones with the film, and therefore didn't shatter everywhere. But it was still a BIG booboo! Once again waterworks reigned, and words flew, (under my breath away from little ears of course!) My wonderful boss and fellow colleagues were all very supportive and assured me that all was fine. "As long as you weren't hurt. It's just a thing! I just call someone to get it fixed!" my boss says to me while hugging my sobbing frame. "Yeah but it's a BIG thing I sob, Not like I just broke a coffee cup or something!!" So anyway the end result was that she called O'Brien glass and I waited with her till they came and fixed it which ended up being 9pm. (so much for my 6:30 finish)Although it was insured it still cost $250 in excess fees, so I felt pretty bad. So is it just mirrors that you get bad luck for....hmmmm? Well I'm sure it will be good for a laught at this years staff xmas party!!
19/05/07 Once again soccer morning has rolled around. Sadly I report that the Leopards lost this game . They put up a really good fight nd played well. But the mustangs, who appeared to have a bit more experience, triumphed over them. They also had a very tall boy on their team who had long legs and ran like lightning. The other players all came up to his armpits. (What the hell do they feed these kids??) But it was a fair game and hopefully the Leopards learnt some tips from the way the other team played. Hopefully the coach will intergrate some of it into training this week. My boy Aidan got "Player of the Game" this week as he has improved greatly and was instrumental in preventing a number of goals by the mustangs and came close to kicking a couple for our team. So well done Aidan!! And Good effort Leopards!! I know they had fun regardless, which in the end is what it's all about.
After soccer I went and picked up my new toy!! I have bought a treadmill. I am on another weight loss journey and am determined not to be "fat and forty" next year. So I have about 15 months to lose at least 30kg. To date I have lost 3kg in just under 3 weeks, and now I have the treadmill I am determined to push those figures!! Will keep you all posted!
About lunch time Tahlia and I headed off to Bauple for an overnighter at Mum and Dad's. Mum had wanted a hand with some computer stuff and the lovely people had a clothes dryer not being used which they had put my name on!! (Thanks mommy and daddy!) Mum had figured out most of the computer stuff(smarty pants!!), so only needed a tiny bit of assistance, but it was a nice break which was badly needed, though it could have been longer!
21/05/07Tahlia played checkers with Poppy and fed the kookaburras, even having one land on her lap. Mum and I checked out medieval costumes in preparation for my sisters October wedding. I have decided on going as a buxom tavern wench and am looking for an outfit to pattern mine on. I think I have found one but am not really sure, will keep browsing for a while. So whatdya think??

Well here goes another week....and it's gotta be better than the last one....right??
P.S.Forgot to mention in previous posts, I've had all my hair chopped off.....have had some blonde foils put through too but don't have a pic of it yet...but here's the short hairdo!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Ok, anyone know where the pause button is?? Things are just swimming by so fast, my head is swimming. Is kind of like that scene in Disney's Alice in Wonderland at the end where she is being washed back past all the characters she met along her journey back to the door she first came through. Hmmm, maybe I'm dreaming??
Lets see last entry 4th May.....
05/05/07 Saw another victory for the now infamous Leopards. The score was 4/0 once again and we awarded player of the match to the only girl on our team Mikhaila, as she actually managed to stay on her feet for the majority of this game. She usually spends half her time on her butt!! Well done Mikhaila!!
06/05/07 Remember how they say that pets become like their owners?(or maybe it's visa versa?) Well i think in our current times their is an updated version to that. I think computers become like their owners. I say this because the power box in my computer died, and I am sure it was just in sympathy with me!! You see, my power box is feeling a bit low, it wants to die too, however my hard drive keeps arguing with it all the time.
Powerbox: "(Yawn) I'm tired, farr too overworked, I am burnt out, am going to have to stop running soon!"
Harddrive:" Oh no you don't, I am far too busy for you to go pulling stunts like that."
Powerbox:"But I just don't think I can run much more...I am sooooo tired!"
Harddrive:" Well look, I have to take the operating system to work, it needs to be there for a few more days, can you just hang on a bit longer??"
Powerbox: "I'll give it my best!"
Harddrive:"Thanks, I know you can do it!"
So Powerbox plugs away, coughing and spluttering and yawning, but gets harddrive and the operating system to work. So comes the weekend.
Powerbox:"Ok, time for me to conk out now!"
Hardrive:"No just not yet, just need to supervise the soccer program this morning, hang in there a bit longer."
Powerbox:"(Yawn) Ok, will try!"
And so on and so on, poor powerbox just has to keep on plugging away. If only he could shut down that blasted hard drive!!
After antoher busy week at work, we come to Saturday once again!
12/05/07 The Leopards play the Cubs today, and I am telling you that one of those cubs are lucky i didn't turkey slap him in the middle of the field. It seems the ref thought he was reffing a Rugby game, not soccer. One of the kids on the cubs team was at least twice the size of the kids on our team and not playing nice. After pulling Aidan back and throwing him to the ground he proceded to the next child and used his elbow on him. No penalties were called and play continued...not happy Jan. But it seems that these kids are driven by the types of parents that push their kids to win. Till today these kids were also undefeated! Not anymore. The Leopards beat them 8/1!! And they didn't play dirty to do it. Let that be a lesson to you Cubs....playing dirty is not the way to win....!!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!

Well it has finally happened!! Our wonderful Centre Director, Lisa, is now also owner!! (happy dance, happy dance) Lisa got the phone call at around 2:30 this afternoon. I was cleaning the front foyer and therefore heard her on the phone and from the snippets heard I gathered it was the phonecall we had all been waiting for. After she hung up I immediately asked "Was that it?"
She looked at me with a relived smile and replied "It's mine!!" I let out a peircing squeal of delight which sent shock waves through the centre, and race over to give her a huge hug!! Heads popped out of doors with the general mumble of "What the...?" Jo who had been sitting in the nursery had seen me run from the direction of the kitchen following the sqeal and thought that I must have found a rat or something dead!! PMSL. Penny apparantley got scared to death and it seems she is holding me responsible for the skid marks in her jocks!! But once the reason for the high pitched echo was revealed, everyone was just estatic. We have been waiting for this news since December, and there has just been one holdup after another so you can understand our excitement. For the last two years the centre has been owned by someone who showed very little interest in the centre and showed very little appreciation for the excellent staff she has had keeping it running for her. Lisa on the other hand will put her heart and soul into the centre and already has a wonderful working relationship with her staff. That can only bode good for both children, parents and staff!! So today dawns a new beginning and we will all be looking forward to turning up to Snugglepot Garden (new centre name) for work on Tuesday!! Hip hip hoooray!! (happy dance, happy dance, happy dance!!!!!)

Hat Trick!!

28/04/07 Well Ok. I'm not quite sure that they call it that in soccer. (not too sports savvy I'm afraid). But you get the idea right?? The Leopards are once again victorious (3 games out of 3) taking today's match 4/0. Seeing the beaming little faces coming triumphantly off the field makes the early mornings and organisation all worth it!! (will I still be saying that when the winter freeze sets in?? Hmmm??)
After todays game there were some extra surprises when the team were all presented with practice jerseys and caps embroidered with the teams name and a Leopards face. One of the team parents own two Cheesecake shop franchises and are sponsoring the team. Her hubby was questionably allowed to choose the colour of the jerseys. Take a guess......WHITE!! We all had a giggle with her as she relates the moment when he tells her the news. "What were you thinking? A bunch of 7 year old boys (+1 girl who spends a considerable amount of time on the ground.lol) running around in WHITE jerseys on a soccer field??" LOL. I guess Napisan* sales will be on the rise through to November!!
Just want to say a quick thanks to the people who have popped in and left a comment on my blog. I love reading them. Keep up the good work!!

Just a Quickie!!

21/04/07 Another win for the Leopards. Tougher game this week but they are real troopers and take the game 3/2!! Go Leopards go!!
22/04/07 After doing the routine catchup on housework we go for a drive and explore Toorbul and Donnybrook. Really liked Toorbul, nice quiet looking place and the kids were thrilled with all the kangaroos, they were literally EVERYWHERE along the esplanade!!
25/04/07 Anzac Day. A day of rememberance. Also a day for playing catchup and having some family time. Well at least that was the plan. We had planned on an afternoon fishing with the kids. Gib sets out with Tahlia to put some fuel in the car and return some DVD's. 20 mins later I get a call. it's Gib, on a good samaritans mobile. "Can you come and get us....we've broken down. We're on Henry Rd, down toward Dohles Rocks." So I load the boys into the car and head on down to rescue them. "What's wrong with it?" I ask. "Not sure, Could just be out of petrol." Gib replies. (Our petrol guage is out of whack ever since we had the petrol pump replaced, doesn't pick up under 1/4 of a tank, sometimes runs empty on half!)I look at him in disbelief, "I thought you were going to put petrol in it?" I say. "Yeah yeah.. I just thought I would go down and check the tide first." he replies. "Umm so you passed TWO petrol stations to go and look at the tide first??" I ask in utter bewilderment. "Well it might not be that yet!" Say no more, but I had trouble hiding the smirks.
So we head home and pick up the jerry cans, go to the petrol station and fill them up, return to the car and top up the petrol....still won't start!! I go home, get a mobile phone and on return find that he has flattened the battery trying to start it. So we hook it up to th 4WD and try jump starting it...no luck, time to call the RACQ! As I leave Gib says, "I wonder if the two jerry cans just weren't enough given the angle it's on having pushed it off the road. Oh just wait for the RACQ, if they can't get it started I'll have them tow it to the garage." So I head off to take the kids home while he waits for the RACQ guy. He mentions the petrol thought to him and so they try putting more fuel in first....VROOM. First go. Hubby comes home looking very sheepish and embarrased. But hey it could happen to anyone right?? And the good news is...the tide was in!!! But the fish were safe for another day!! Hehehehe....

Another One Gone!!

Where'd that week go?? Lets rewind to........
14/04/07 The morning of Aidan's first big soccer match!! Excitement is high as he straps on the shin guards and pulls on his extra long socks. Loaded up with jerseys, orange slices, cold water and freddo frogs as incentives, we head on down to the field. Kick of has been changed from 9:45 to 9:00 but the opposing team haven't been notified. Anticipation builds as we wait for them to arrive. Luckily they arrive early so we only kick off about 5 mins late. After much running around, random kicks and a few laughs, Aidan's team, the Leopards acheive an awesome win of 7/nil!! Go the Leopards. After shaking hands with their opponents and giving them 3 cheers they run excitedly off the field and we award Jono player of the match, given that he kicked 5 of the 7 goals. Freddo's are shared all round. Go the mighty Leopards!!!! That's Aidan running in the green and white jersey, front left!
After the game we head home where Gilbert gets ready for work and the children and I pack the car ready to head up to my parents for an overnight visit. (past problems resolved!) We detour to the shops for some quick grocery shopping so that nanny and poppy aren't eaten out of house and home. After driving for 2hrs 20 mins amidst the usual "Are we nearly there??" We arrive and the kids are in high spirits. After a fortifying cuppa (for the big people!) the kids start begging poppy to go for a ride in the tractor. (actually a ride-on mower with a trailer attatched)
While the coast is clear Mum and I go and look at some pictures that she took of my new neice, she is very cute!(Just like her aunty!!) I have also got my mum blogging and added her link to my page, so pop in as she has some more pics posted of Cheynita.
Mum presents Aidan with a surprise birthday cake after dinner and we all watch DVD's before bed. Sunday rolls around far too quickly and it's time to head back to the hustle and bustle of the city!! :(

16/04/07 First day of my first full week back at work. Due to a pupil free day I take in the tv and playstation to keep the older two amused till their dad can pick them up at 2:30. Schools back tomorrow!!

17/04/07 Due to some late night prep Monday night we arrive at school 7:50am as Tahlia has an excursion to Underwater World and the bus leaves at 8:15am. After waving her goodbye and settling Aidan into class, Alex and I head off to kindy for a day of fun(for him) and work(for me!)

After arriving home from work I hear endless tales from Tahlia's excursion.....it would seem a great time was had by all!!

18/04/07 Another day at work followed by tennis lessons for Tahlia and then off to a friends house to help out by icing a wedding cake. All was finsished and looking gorgeous by 11:35pm so I drag myself home to bed to catch some shuteye for work next day as I am rostered for a 6:30 finish.

19/04/07 Bleary eyed and a bit under the weather I arrive at work. Sadly I hear a report that one of the little girls that used to attend the centre is being beaten by her father. It has been reported, all we can do is sit and wait for news....very emotional day. To top it off I have a huge stand up fight with the centre licensee, who thinks that she can come and stir up trouble because our director is away. Despite her ordering me off the premises for standing up to her "lord of the manor attitude", I continue doing my job with the full support of fellow staff and our acting director! During our fight all staff were hiding behind closed doors cheering me on quietly...LOL. No-one has any respect for this woman who often pays us late and still hasn't payed anyone's super!! She left feeling a little winded I think. After next Friday she should no longer be the licensee as the contract should be finalised and our awesome director will also be the centre owner!! I worked on till 6:30 feeling nothing short of exhausted!

20/04/07 Hooray it's Friday!!! Start the day with a massive headache (stress induced no doubt.) Survive the day on nurofen, caffiene and chocolate!! I amso happy I am doing the close with Mandy, she is so efficient!! 6:20 close doors and go home to collapse! Thank God it's Friday!!!!!

Birthday Week!!

09/04/07 One of those days where I really just don't see the point of getting out of bed. Luckily I have a mission to complete!! Aidan's 7th birthday is tomorrow and he has put in his request for a cake. My mission.....(seeing that I chose to accept it)...make a chocolate mud cake and arrange it into a soccer trophy!! Husband is sent on a supply gathering mission and I then begin my assignment in earnest!! Mid afternoon my 14year old nephew arrives and proves to be an effective distraction to the children. Shaping and icing the cake becomes an easier task with Ashley on "kid duty"! Mission completed by early evening!!

10/04/07 My middle child is 7. He awakens with a proud smile on his face and that readable expectation of ensuing gifts. He is presented with present No. 1. The delight on his face as he reveals his new RC Police car is priceless!! His second gift, a new playstation game is embraced with equal excitement. After a quick test drive of said police car, he plays ratchet and clank with his cousin(also a playstation expert)! Battery pack for car is placed on charge. After dish duty, bed duty and floor duty are completed we leave the house to embark on today's mission. Taking my nephew home to Mt Walker. Aprox 1,1/2 hrs later we arrive at our destination and deliver "the goods" to my sister. After some mother/teenage son exchange we enter the house for coffee and offcuts of mud cake which I had brought along. The kids play playstation and my sister, Linda and I discuss plans for sugarpaste castle construction for atop her wedding cake come October 31st. My head spins as the intricacy of the castle increases by the minute. Linda has been placed in charge of template creation after which we shall plan a day for joint construction work. A short break is required in order to feed a baby roo in care. Mid afternoon we board our vehicle and set off in the direction of home, being greeted by hubby/dad and Aidan is bestowed with more birthday hugs and good wishes. The birthday boy's request of chicken pasta is consumed and followed by the traditional singing of "Happy Birthday" and lighting of candles on trophy cake! Candles are extinguished with one breath!! Happy Birthday Aidan!!

11/04/07 Gib finishes work at 9:00 to allow me to go to work for at least one day of sanity. The day runs smoothly although some of the staff have obviously been eating too much chocolate and are slightly hyperactive. Just as well we work in childcare!!!

My usual 6/6:15 finish becomes a 6:45 finsih due to a late parent, apparantley caught in traffic on the gateway! I wonder if we will get paid the late fees for that? Hmmm.......