Resolution...check!!

I dont do New Years' Resolutions. Lots of people don't, coz they know they wont stick to them. My reason is because I dont think we need to wait til New Years' to decide to make changes in our life. Lose weight (classic "I'll start my diet on Monday!"), change careers, save more money...whatever it is, if we really want it, why wait? Do it now!

My "New Year's Resoultion" was made back in March or April. I had recently begun working 4 days a week (a jump from the previous 2 days a week) and was finding it really tough. The house never seemed to be tidy, I was always tired and the kids began a year of being sick.

So I decided that next year I would do my utmost to cut back work to 3 days. I let my principal know as often as I could that I was finding it hard to juggle everything and when it came to the crunch in November, I requested and was granted 3 days of work for 2012. Jump for joy, laugh and cheer!!

3 days of work and then 4 (consecutive, very important!) days off. One day will continue to be the necessary Mother's Group morning (which often spreads to lunch and even afternoon sometimes!) where the kids play with their friends and I sit, chat and laugh with the mums.

Friday will be Megans' 3yr old Kinder day (very excited about this, both her and I). I originally thought, "Great, 1 kid out of the house, I'll use that time to clean." Then I realised that Alex (being child #2) and I have never had regular alone time. So this will become "OUR TIME".

And then the weekend arrives where we can all do family stuff together, or clean or just bum around...whatever.

So I can say that I have already ticked off my major resolution ~ work less! Now about losing weight and saving more money....hmmmmmmm! :)

Birthday, Christmas, Family and Friends...

Phew, what a busy week it has been! A birthday, Christmas Day and lots of catching up with family and friends.

Alex's birthday was great. He loved being the centre of attention, especially during this frantic time when people's minds are usually in three places at once. The beach was fantastic fun, and though not his first visit, it was the first time he really enjoyed his surroundings.

Christmas Day was easy and stress-free. We opened presents (after brekkie would you believe!!), had a lovely lunch with Nana and Grandpa and then a quiet evening playing with new toys.

And then the past few days has been time to catch up with family that we didnt see on Christmas Day (plus a visit to the movies with a friend for me, lovely!!)

Tomorrow is another visit to friends then watching the family NYE fireworks in Geelong with Aunty, Unlce and Cousin.

Then a bit of relaxing time, I hope...

A day in the life of the Birthday Boy

Thought I'd document Alex's second birthday pictorially this year....

Still in PJs...opening his presents...

Talking Iggle Piggle...yey!!

Fun with his new spinning toy...

At the beach with Dad...

Loving the water with Mum...

Having a great time...

back home...sharing an icecream with the dog...

enjoying his favourite dinner~ chicken, silverside and salad...

cake with a singing candle!!!...

...and then getting ready for Santa to arrive...

Hope every birthday is as enjoyable as this one, buddy!!

Clean!!!

They are well loved, but becuase of this Moo and Robbie get filthy. I have written about them in the past and I do so again. My kids are important to me and Moo and Robbie are important to my kids, therefore it is important to let the world know!

So these beloved friends have had a well deserved wash (with the help of the kids) and are haning out to dry.

The kids dont care how manky they normally smell, but I do! So now they are back to smelling fresh!

Simple pleasures...

There's nothing like being up before everyone and enjoying the quiet. It doesn't happen often-usually coz I like to stay in bed as long as possible on the weekends.

But today when Alex got up at his usual time (the crack of dawn!) we went outside for a bit of a play. It's gonna be hot today, I can feel it in the heat of the early morning. Not quite hot yet, but warm with a promise of heat.

So we set up the shell and put water in it so that the sun will warm the water for later this morning. Then Alex hopped in the swing for his favourite outside activity. He could sit in the swing for hours and be happy!

And I'm happy watching him...such simple pleasures!

How far would you go?

I watched a movie today that made me think of things I would never have considered before. If any parent has not watched "My Sister's Keeper" then I recommend you do- and with several boxes of tissues on hand.

The essence of the film was how far do you go to save your child's life. Until this movie I would have answered the generic "step in front of a bus" type response. Having watched the ordeal this family goes thru made me seriously think about how far I'd actually go.

I would like to think I'd match the tenacity and never-give-up attitude of the mother in the movie without question. The gut-wrenching agony of watching my child go through pain and suffering would make me so intent on doing whatever I could to stop it, regardless of consequences.

But with outsiders glasses on, as viewers, we see what this does to the rest of the family. And our basic need to protect our children may be prolonging the pain as well as prolonging the inevitable.

It's a horrible situation to be in with incredibly difficult choices either way. Hopefully this is something I never have to consider, let alone go through.



(footnote- before this movie I knew about cancer, it's treatments and side effects. But now I understand it so much more and have an enormous amount of respect for anyone dealing with it, either themselves or someone they know)

Not long now....

I've been off the grid for a while...work, sickness, exhaustion...many reasons. But the countdown has begun...for many more reasons!!

• Only 7 days of work left until school holidays begin...enough said...I'm buggered!

• It's 11 days until my baby turns 2. He started the terrible two's about 6 months ago, but when he is at his best, he makes my heart sing and the smile can't leave my face :)

• If it's 11 days until Alex's birthday, then it must be 12 days until Christmas Day. The kids are excited about it all this year. They are at the age where the magic is beginning. We have an elf living with us at the moment (thanks Belinda for the idea!!). He flies home to the North Pole each night and tells Santa if the kids have been naughty or nice...a great incentive for them at the moment. Plus it's loads of fun looking for his new hiding place each morning!!

• New Years Eve is in 19 days- nothing special really except I'll get to catch up with a friend I haven't seen in ages, which will be nice!

• My principal meanly reminded us that school starts again in about 8 weeks!! How cruel to do this so close to holidays starting! But I am looking forward to tackling Prep again, with a new group of people to work with.

• 8 weeks and a few days until my little girl starts 3yr old kinder! We went to orientation today and she loved it. A few friends we already knew and so many more ready to make next year. I bought her a new kinder tshirt (which is miles too big for her!!) and can't wait to see her in it. She's growing up so fast and I love seeing her mature, but I also want to hold onto every moment and milestone for as long as possible.

So with all this forward thinking and also reflection on a crazy, busy,  momentous year...it's no wonder I'm exhasuted. I'm looking forward (haha) to being able to just "be"!