A Boy, A Chook and a Queen Bean

Crikey!

2006-09-04T21:08:00.000+09:30

Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin, died today. A stingray got him. The man who for many years tempted death with his antics, met his end. Best known for his catchcry 'Crikey!' as he danced out of the way of snapping croc jaws, or striking snake fangs, I'm sure he'll be missed by many.
Me? Not so much. He pretty much made Australians look like goobers. I'm very sad for his children, now having to grow up without a father. I always thought he was pretty much a joke. A harmless joke, until, of course.. that famous incident of 'baby dangling'. What the hell was he thinking back then, dangling his then one month old (without adequate neck supportage I might add.) in front of a CROC?! That's pretty much where he lost me.
Australian papers state that today we lost an 'icon'. I don't know why he's classified as that. Can anyone else tell me?

Another Wedding.

2006-09-04T07:36:00.000+09:30

I have lived away from the place where i was born and grew up for about eight years. When I go back, it still carries the feeling of 'home.'
I went home this weekend, to attend the wedding of my only and little sister. I am happy for her she is fast building her own little family unit. I love her dearly. But.

The thing is, I didn't want to go. Firstly, I wasn't invited to help do anything to help her wedding preparation. I'm her ONLY sister, and I thought we were close. Then again, it's not all about me, right? But then... every other person in our family was helping, and or in the bridal party. what the fuck is wrong with me? Again, I realised that it wasn't all about me. But then! to make me feel worse, my mother removed my brother from sitting beside me because and i quote "Lil wants the family at the bridal table." umm, excuse me? I'm not even family anymore? So it took all I had to not burst into tears and run screaming from the hall. I was actually relieved when Miss Queen Bean decided enough was enough and got that over tired she broke down. It was the best excuse ever to leave.

Back at my aunts, it left me bewildered as to what the fuck I'd done to suddenly be excluded from the status of 'family'. I'm back to where I live now.. and lemme tell ya, I'm glad I'm living here. It's fast replacing the old 'home' with a whole new feeling. One born from relief of not having to deal with family all the damn time.

Curious George

2006-08-31T22:07:00.000+09:30

So I took Queen Bean to see Curious George at the movies. Mainly because I wanted to see it, and she loves popcorn. It was great. She actually sat still for the entire movie (no mean feat for a two year old busy bee.) However, since watching it... she has done the following disturbing yet cute in retrospect things:

1. Ate bugs. Just to see what happened. Ew.
2. Tried to go flying with a balloon. Was positively devestated when gravity prevented her brave venture.
3. Rode three wheeler scooter thingy down the slight slope of our back yard. This ended in crashes, bangs, and a big googie on her noggin. Alot of tears. I showed her the impressive sized lump in the mirror, and her response pretty much covered my feelings precisely.

She said, and i Quote. "Bloody Hell."
Might be time to institute a swear jar. Or overdue, it would seem.

Cos Beth said so..

2006-08-31T07:07:00.000+09:30

And, cos she's so darn hott, I just had to oblige.

My first kiss was something else. Seriously. I rocked at it. Okay, thats not entirely the truth. The truth is, it was a slobbery gross tongue invasion and I was pretty repulsed. I was ten, and it was with my first 'boyfriend.' It happened in an old shed in some vacant land up the road from my childhood home. I remember him whispering seductively 'c'mon baby, open your mouth, just a little bit..' *shudder.* The thing was though, HE WAS REALLY LOVELY (and really hott.) Kissing aside. We stayed girlfriend/boyfriend for two whole years, though I never let him kiss me again after the tongue episode. His family moved away and I was heartbroken for years. (Well, at least a couple of weeks.)

Ahhhh, young 'love.'

Thanks for the idea Beth!

MARRIED!!!

2006-08-23T07:53:00.000+09:30

Last night, we did it! In front of an intimate gathering, consisting of rowdy children (mine) and my mother, her partner, and Annie and Mark, DH and I got married! It was a lovely short ceremony. I tasted champagne for the first time ever (yeuck.) Started at seven, and everyone was gone by 9:30. It was just, perfect.

An old friend's success.

2006-08-18T10:55:00.000+09:30

Today I discovered an old highschool friend has published his first novel. I'm terribly excited for him, kudos to you, J.C.

There is a whole story to our friendship. Complicated in only the way relationships can be when you're 15. He was one of my best friends. His friendship helped me over some important self esteem issues, past horrors, and truly, he was a fantastic friend.

Go buy the book! It's called 'Fox Hunt'. By, James Phelan.

The World Conspires..

2006-08-15T07:15:00.000+09:30

We're all still sick. Well, not all of us. It has bypassed the Boyo. The rest of us have had gastro, and now I'm pretty damn sure I have an ear infection. It is the world conspiring. I mean,

I'M GETTING MARRIED IN EXACTLY ONE WEEK!!

Please, please, please, PLEASE! cut me some slack, I've got sooooo much to do!

All things gross.

2006-08-11T06:21:00.000+09:30

We're all sick. SICK! gastro is going around, and around, and around our house it seems. Started with beanie, now chookie, and I aint feeling so hot today either. Could be just the last four days of NO SLEEP! Just trying to explain my absense, I'll be back when we're all happier and healthier.

How do you know

2006-08-04T11:55:00.000+09:30

As my kidlets get into bed everynight, one of the last things I say to them is 'I love you.' Last night, I changed my tactic with suprising results.

Boyo's room:

"G'night boyo"
"G'night mum, I love you."
"Uh huh. I love you too, if I didn't tell you everyday would you still know?"
"Yup. 'Cos you take care of me dont ya know? And you always pack a special treat in my lunch. And help me do stuff, even when I can see you're very tired. "

Girls room:

"G'night my girls"
Beanie: "night night momma, love you sooo much to the moon !" (love that so much:D)
Chookie: "G'night mum, what day is it tomorrow? I love you!'' (chookie always likes to know what is instore for her the following day.)
"chookie, how do you know i love you?''

"Thats easy mum. You tell me so."
"And if i didn't tell you?"
"You'd still tell me. You cant help it. You even tell me when you're having big grown up conversations. You wink at me! and especially when I'm at school or something and theres alot of people around. You wink instead of saying it. So you dont embarress me."

So there you have it. I'm glad they know it, if I didn't say it. Its amazing what a wink will say!

2006-08-02T19:12:00.000+09:30

Optometrist appointments are always fun. Especially with Miss Queen Bean.

"Can you see this picture?"

"Yes, I see it."

"Could you tell me what it is?"

"Why?"

and an hour later (even though the time alotted was only half an hour) we got the A O K for both girls eyes. YAY!
The boyo however still needs his glasses full time for now. His 'lazy' eye isn't so lazy now. They're both working competently together which is a bonus. Over the next three years we'll start phasing out his glasses so he'll only need them for reading! All the nightmare with patching has paid off! Great news. However, today, we also discovered that the boyo is colour blind.
Ya win some ya lose some i guess. He isn't completely colour blind, and we dont know how certain this is. We do know he knows his primary colours okay. Its when we get into shades of things that it gets difficult. Also explains why he insists purple is blue. Interesting!

Birds and Bees Be Damned.

2006-08-01T13:54:00.000+09:30

I was flip-flopping on posting this post, but am gonna do it anyhow. I have three children. Everyone knows I 'do it.' (well, at least three times they can be sure of.) So here it is.

The last week's bedroom activities have gotten a little boistrous. So much so, that, I'm waking the children with my 'noises.' My children, bless their hearts.. came running to Mummy's aid. When sent back in their beds, they of course wanted to know what we were doing.

How young is too young for 'the talk'. They are eight and seven, and I just aren't sure I want to get into it all with them yet. Can't kids just be kids? I think I'll have to say something to them, but what?
Another parenting hurdle with an impossible solution :

I need a bigger house.

2006-07-31T07:00:00.000+09:30

Eyebrow waxing. I always manage to put it off a bit too long, so not only does it hurt like a sonofa, prior to getting it done i look positively pre-historic. The trick these days is to find time to go when I dont have a beanie firmly glued to my side. This Friday past though, I HAD TO GET IT DONE. So miss queen bean came too. I bought her a new book, hoping it would occupy her. It didn't. Not when momma was doing something interesting and weird. She sat in her wee corner though, constantly asking questions.
"momma, you okay?".... (gritted teeth, cos, yes, it hurts.) "I'm fine darling." *RIP*
"What are you doing?" ..... "making my eyebrows pretty." *RIP*
"Why?" .... "umm." *RIP*
"Me too?" .... "Your eyebrows are already perfect."
"Yea Im already beautiful huh momma?" .... *RIP* "Yup."

We finish in the torture chamber, i mean waxing studio, and beanie is amazed. (Yes, people, it has been two years since i last had a wax.)

"WOW! Momma! Lookit your eyebrows. You're BEAUTIFUL!!"

So yay for beautiful me!

2006-07-26T11:19:00.000+09:30

SO PROUD!!

Miss Chooko, superstar of stars, has been invited to dance up a level in Jazz! AND! after october, she will get private lessons so she can do a SOLO!! At competitions!! She's very excited, and we are all very very very proud and ecstatic for her! It was news well recieved, as on Monday she had a shakey ballet lesson. She sits her grade 1 ballet exam on August 1st, and it was our second to last practise. The teacher (who is just wonderful) picked her up on a few things that she struggles with, and it upset her. She cant stand not doing it right. It doesn't bother her that the teacher picks it up, it bugs the crap out of her that she isn't doing it correctly, even when she's trying so hard. It breaks my heart a little bit to see her try so hard and still not quite get there. She should be proud though, out of a class of 12 students, only four were selected to dance the exam, she was one of them!
I think (totally unbiased..) she's spectacularly wonderful. And I tell her every day.

Oh NO HE DIDN'T!

2006-07-26T11:15:00.000+09:30

Oh YES HE DID.

Something happened. Something small. I asked for help in doing the dishes. DM didn't want to help, which would have been fine, I would have liked help, but hey, I woulda only been pissed for a few minutes. As it happens, I'm still pissed at this.

"I dont want to. I work all week, every day."

I WORK TOO!! Omg, do i work. I am the housewife, mother of three, loving spouse of YOU. I also work two nights a week and weekends at the local old folks home. GRRRR.

i did the dishes by myself. LOUDLY. Am pretty sure I'll be with-holding marital pleasures too.

Thieving good-for-nothing sonofas.

2006-07-19T09:17:00.000+09:30

Last night I was dog tired. Too tired to do the usual right before bedtime chores. (lock back-door, check both cars are locked, lock front door, check windows.. etc.) Now before I get into trouble, I'll have you know that my DM does lock the back door and front door before he goes to sleep.. I just 'check' them. Last night I didn't. I checked on the kidlets and went to bed. BIG MISTAKE.

The Car was UNLOCKED. My handbag was IN THE CAR. 'was' being the operative word. I woke this morning to our usual 'omg we've slept late QUICK!' rush. Everyone was dressed and ready to go at 8:30am. I finally get all three kids out to the car, and I sit down. Wait. Something isn't right. Ever get that feeling? You aren't sure what exactly, but something is def. wrong. My handbag had been emptied on the passenger seat. My purse was missing.

"Guys, did you unlock the car this morning?"
"Nope, it wasn't locked."

UH-OH. I frantically search through the mountain of crap on the car floor to no avail. Realise someone has broken in when i see the ashtray is missing. No, someone didn't steal a tray full of cigarette butts and ash. I don't smoke, and it was used for parking change. However, there was only about four bucks in change in there. The bastards too the whole tray out. Not just the change. WTF are they gonna do with my damn ashtray! Yes, I am more upset about the ashtray being missing than my purse for reasons I'll get to.

I PANIC! and pull all three kids back inside to immediately cancel my cards. I am getting frantic wondering how I'm gonna find the time to get into the bank and order more cards, go get a new license... and what can they do about stolen birth certificates? I dont wanna be the victim of identity fraud. So it's panic, panic, panic. I finally drop the kids off to school, and phone my DM all upset and feeling pretty stupid.
Get home.. collect the junk mail out of my letterbox, and lo! the mongrels took all the money out of my purse, and 'kindly' left it in my letterbox. Complete with all my (now cancelled) cards etc. Considerate thieves? PAH!

I WANT MY ASHTRAY!!

Introducing Me

2006-07-18T11:24:00.000+09:30

First blog post! I've officially joined the rest of the world in creating a blog. (well, a new blog after two failed attempts. shhh.) I want you to know a bit about me first.

I grew up in a small isolated town. The eldest of four children, I had alot of responsibility from a young age. It suprised no-one when, straight out of highschool, I married my boyfriend. We moved to NZ, and that is where I gave birth to The Boyo (now aged 8) and The Chook (now 7.) It is also the place I lost my third baby at 26 weeks, James. My marriage fell apart because of alot of factors I'd rather not bring up. I left NZ to come 'home'. When I got married the only advice I ever got was from my Dad.

"You can always come home."

For a long time I thought that was possible. But once you've left home, I dont think you can ever really 'come home'. When I moved back to my isolated town, with my two babies (then aged eighteen months and nine months) it was a very weird experience. I had no family home to come home to. My parents had divorced in my absense. Two siblings were living with my mother and her new spouse, and my youngest brother had moved in with my father and his new spouse. I was a mess emotionally and financially! but..

I decided my kids deserved a better life than the one I was providing for them. I had to get my shit together. So I left the small town full of people with small minds and big mouths, and moved an hour and a half away to a City. It is a great city. It has so many opportunities, and is right by the ocean.

I met an amazing man in a general chatroom and we chatted and emailed and phoned each other for two years. He came from America to visit with me in 2003. A wedding proposal, positive home pregnancy test and nine months later, he had to return to the states. Unfortunately he was still in New York when our daughter was born in January '04. It seemed to take a life time to get the funds together and get his spousal visa organised so he could return to us. I took the three kids to the states in the november of 04. BY MYSELF. Thats a fourteen hour plane ride. How i survived that trip, is a whole other story though...
In February, 06, he arrived in Australia for keeps. Life for us has never looked better. We're truly loving life, and looking forward to getting married in a couple of months time.