Night night

Jean-Claude is away this week for work and I although I miss him I am ok with it. I get into my own routine with the kids and everything ticks along. Sometimes things don't get done but the important things like feeding and watering the kids do.

Yesterday I had one of the teachers from school here and she asked if I was all right in the house on my own. Did I get scared?

Big grown up me says "No" I did use to before I had the kids then I decided I just had to man up and to be honest I have been so sleep deprived for 3.5 years that getting some sleep far out weighs staying awake freaking out.

But seeing as I said that, guess what...I went to bed last night and couldn't go to sleep. I had sick Bubble beside me snoring away, and about a hundred half a dozen people getting into their cars on the street (what are they doing out at midnight). And it is windy. Way too many bumps in the night.

Time for a plan. I grab my pink girlie pocket knife and put it under my pillow. I call Cujo Stanley Sebastian  onto the bed.

Okay, so he is unlikely to do too much damage to any intruder, but he has amazing hearing so I know he will let me know if there is anything to worry about. Then time for a pep talk Why would anyone break into the house? How would anyone know that Jean-Claude is away?

I relax and start to drift off to sleep with a quick prayer and a smile at how silly I am and how the imagination can so easily click into overdrive.

Ahhh sleep at last, only to come to an abrupt end by Bubble saying "Mum, I'm going to be...Blaaaaahhhh" Poor thing. Vomit all over my bed. I don't cope with spew clean up. I can rub backs and hold back hair, but can't do the clean up of yucky things - that is Jean-Claude's job.

Off to Bubble's room we go. Her in her bed and me on the all-in-one winnie the pooh and friends blow up bed. Lucky I am a short arse as at least it goes from my head to my knees. The night continues to be a complete write-off. More sicks and lots of comforting of a very upset wee girl.

Another sick day off work. More guilt about how unreliable I feel as an employee. Loads of spew washing (thank goodness for a fine windy day). A doctors visit. An attempt to get Bubble to have a nap so I could sleep. Keep sniffing thinking I can smell more sick (don't you hate that). Way too many kids dvds - and while I'm on the topic how old is Dora and why do her parents let her go out on adventures on her own? Do you think she packs her own backpack?

Thanks goodness it is Friday and thank goodness Jean-Claude is home tonight.

Lyns
xx

Rosso (Red)

I too have seen that some of you have entered the photo comp at Sailor and Company RAW(e).

Mine is just a snapshot from our holiday in Rome, Italy 2 years ago (my how time flies!!). It is taken using our "point and click" digital.

Although not flash, it reminds me of a great day and makes me SMILE! So I thought I would share.

Taken on the Spanish Steps in Rome. Rose is courtesy of a pushy hawker...but Bubble loved it.

Hope you will enter the competition too...here are the rules:

Do not edit your photo.

It must be straight out of the camera!

Don't link up until you post your photo 

(and link to the actual post not your entire blog)

It must fit the theme, which is RED this week!

Have fun!!!!!

Lyns

xx

BLah - Monday!!

Have had a great weekend, as a result I am a little tired. Oh and I have a small volcano growing in my face so feel extra spesh this morning. At least it will give the kids at preschool something to point and stare at!!

But just downloaded photos to my computer and this one made me smile a LOT.

Never-mind the grubby handprints all over the tank. Goldie and Flash provide hours of fascination and wonder for this little boy. Jean-Claude did catch Rangi with some spoons ready to scoop out the fish yesterday so we better keep an eye on him.

Happy Monday to you.

Lyns
xx

Happy OH Birthday x

Today is Jean Claude's birthday. 

He is the big 4-OH!!! 

Happy Birthday sweet man. 

Can you believe we started seeing each other just after your 23rd birthday - where has the time gone??

Hope you have the best day and enjoy your month long birthday (in our house you have a birthday month - ummm actually Jean-Claude has a birthday month, the rest of us a birthday week...Jean-Claude makes the birthday rules it seems!!).

Tonight we are having a small family party, as planned by Bubble.

Saturday night we will go out for dinner with our parents.

In a few weeks we will have the big Fortieth Birthday Party.

Love you husband, and hope you love your birthday pressie (I think you will, it's a goodie).

Lyns

xx

Way too cute

So this is what I am loving at the moment:

My wee guy in his winter pj's.

Isn't he the picture of cuteness?

And LOVE that he stayed in his pj's all day as we all have colds and just wasn't worth the battle of getting him dressed!

Not loving that I don't really feel like blogging at the moment, but I read Widge's post and had to share this.

Lyns

xx

Small Talk

I am no good at small talk. I cringe at the thought of having to make small talk with strangers. Like husband's work-dos where I get "abandoned" to make small talk with other wives. Lovely people, but I struggle to think of things of interest to say, I am awkward and tongue tied. I am shy at heart so this kind of situation does not come easily to me, it takes a whole lot of effort. I am happy to sit and day dream, comfortable in silence.

I was talking with Widge about this yesterday in reference to going to the hairdresser.  I find the small talk awful in this scenario.  So not anything to do with the hairdresser - just me and my small talk phobia.

My head is in the sink, water gushing and the "shampoo-ist" (??) is asking me about my day...I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! I can't even hear myself.  It's like trying to talk to the dentist with a mouthful of gauze, instruments, and his hands!

Worse still is trying to listen and talk over the noise of the hairdryer. I sometimes wonder if this is some kind of Hairdresser only joke - where they watch you struggle to hear as they blast the hairdryer in your ear.

(image found here)

This is one of my few ME only times, and I really just want to sit back, read my magazine and drink my coffee (my hairdresser has the best coffee) while I get pampered. I pay a fortune for my haircuts but it is worth every cent. Not because I look stunning (impossible because I am so hair-challenged that it only looks ok on the day I leave the hairdresser), but because my hairdresser seems to understand my desire for a quick "hello, how are you" and then lets me enjoy my own time.

(image found here)

Oh, and speaking of small talk, a friend of mine was telling me of a conversation she had with her nail technician. She went to a nail place in a mall and took her 2.5 year old daughter with her. Please note: English was not the nail technicians first language. (I only say this so you can see that the nail tech was not being rude, just trying to make small talk).

Young nail tech: Looks at my friend (gorgeous woman in her 30's) and at her daughter and says. "You marry late?"

Friend: Smiles "Um yeah, I guess I did"

Silence...

Nail tech: "I marry ugly"

Friend: "I waited and married handsome"

This so made me laugh. (Hope I got this right friend).

 

Lyns

xx

Hey, Jesus

We were driving to our Family Escape on Monday morning and Bubble (now 3 and 3/4s) was VERY talkative. 

You know that kind of chatter that you eventually zone out of and just "aha" every now and again.

"Dad?!" 

she says from the backseat.

"Yeah..."

"Did you know Jesus is in our hearts?"

"Yes love, you're clever aren't you" 

We both smile, thinking where does she come up with this GOOD stuff.

Moments later I look to the backseat to see Bubble with her chin on her chest...

talking to her heart:

"Hey, Jesus...."

What a sweetie. Well made me smile anyway.

Lyns

xx

Family Escape

This Easter I had hoped for a mini holiday for our family, but our finances did not agree that this was a priority, so I had resolved myself to a nice time at home. Then last week we got offered one night away at a friend's family bach. Ummmm...YES PLEASE!!!!

So Monday morning we got up nice and early, packed up the car and drove for an hour or so to a small bay - Barry's Bay to be exact.

Nothing to do here really. Just relax, enjoy the surroundings and each other's company.  (oh and take about a million photos!!!)

We collected mussels - fun to collect but I'll pass on eating them thanks :)

After dinner we toasted marshmallows.

Then had an adventure by torch light.

We woke up to rain so went to Akaroa, before heading back home after lunch.

Was nice to escape for a day.

Lyns

xx

Not much happening

Nope, not much happening here. Has been a week of the "same old", so nothing to inspire a blog. But here is a quick recap of the week:

Sunday, we had a family trip to Riccarton Market. Very cool place, and the kids seem to enjoy looking around. We bought a dozen grasses to go in our new garden.

Below is the BEFORE shot...didn't Jean-Claude do a great job!!

Monday, back to work. Nothing eventful, kids were all good. Bubble is getting big and brave and let me go home on my own for lunch (since I started work at her preschool she has insisted on coming home with me for lunch, so this is quite an achievement).

Tuesday morning I spent catching up on errands. Then our baby (wee girl that I look after twice a week) came. She was picked up early so me and kids jumped in the car and had huge fun at the beach. Unexpected waves got us all wet, then we made sandcastles...kind of. Got home only to have Bubble lock me out of the house - Grrrrr!! I overreacted as was running late to get ready for a work meeting, but in hindsight I realise that she was acting up as didn't want me to go out (she is funny like that). Went to meeting and got home in time to put Rangi to bed - which only took FORTY-FIVE MINUTES!!!!!!!

Wednesday our bubba came again. We all went to music, and i got to catch up with friends while the kids ate and played. Then home for bubba and Rangi to sleep. Dinner was fish 'n chips at the park (we have to make the most of daylight saving and warmish evenings). Kids to bed (not too difficult tonight - phew) then lay on couch watching crappy TV.

Here are some photos of my wee dino-monsters dancing:

Today is the first day of my Easter holiday (no more work until Wednesday). We had a Doctors appointment, she was running 40 minutes late!! Went into town to visit a friend and had a great catch up. Now at home while Rangi snoozes, Bubble is still eating lunch (only taken about 1.5 hours so far!). Once Rangi is up we have a quick trip to the supermarket, chemist and lolly shop (Easter Bunny needs to find some dairy-free Easter eggs - nothing like leaving it to the last minute!!).

Lyns
xx