The One Where Parental Guilt Got The Better Of Me!

Approximately 26 hours ago, Andrew and I had a conversation with the kids about Halloween.  About how they would not be going trick or treating.  About how we didn't believe in Halloween.

At precisely 4.05pm today, as I got out of the car after a day at work, I was met excitedly by Chelsea and Cadyn who could not tell me quick enough how their friends' Mum was taking their friend trick or treating, and they were invited, and they really really really wanted to go, and it was life or death, and.....well you get the idea?

As I dragged my tired arse inside, along with Chloe's tired - I've been at creche all day - arse, I repeatedly said we had told them no last night.  In amidst all of the excitement, Chloe miraculously woke up and was all of a sudden raring to go.  I told the kids they'd put me in a really crappy situation, because I would look like a mean Mummy if I said no.  They concurred.....

So at precisely 4.25pm I had three even more excited kids throwing on costumes and their silly sucked in Mum using the green eyeshadow I didn't even know I owned to make them all look "ghoulish".  We then jumped in the car and drove to above mentioned friends' house, and proceeded to paint other kids faces and carve a pumpkin face?!?!

Yes, it was lovely to see the kids so excited and dressed up amusingly.  Yes, it was lovely to see the smiles in their eyes when people opened their doors and actually showed some excitement towards them.  But no, it still is not my thing!

I'm not usually sucked in by the kids - but tonight, they won hands down!

Excitment +

See that masterful Pumpkin Face?!?!?

Tired little Fairy Witch!

Do you suffer from parental guilt?  Do you "like" Halloween??

The God Father.......Minus The Horse's Head

Yesterday was yet another big day in our family's lives....Chelsea played in her second basketball grand final in a row!  Thankfully the result was better than the first - with a super come from behind win in the dying minutes!  Elation all round as parents hugged each other, families hugged eachother and I looked down to see Cadyn crying tears of happiness for his sister.  His Dad, my husband, the coach - was not too far behind him in the tears department.  Never in my life did I ever think I would be part of a ridiculously sporty family - but I am, and I'm very proud!

After the game, we had to wait around for an hour or so for team photos, and whilst I was standing amongst the throngs of people, I spotted a girl I went to high school with.  She was actually the first person I was introduced to on my first day of high school in Melbourne - way back in July 1990!  And her name was Melissa also.  I ended up moving friend groups, but we were always friendly and as the years went by, several things meant we would always seem to see one another.

One of those things was my relationship with my ex-husband.  His best friend was Melissa's brother-in-law.  His best friend would also end up standing up with us at our wedding and was also chosen to be my eldest son's God Father a couple of years later.  I can still remember his wife's conversation with me after he had been asked to take the role in our son's life.  She had said how honoured he was and that he insisted on choosing a gift and writing in the card himself.  His words were chosen carefully and I can recall being touched with how seriously he took the role of God Parent.

I bumped in to him yesterday.  I haven't seen him for a couple of years.  And he hasn't seen him God Son for at least five years.  For some reason, unknown to me, he slipped out of our lives and cut all ties with my ex-husband.  Well, I understand that part - just not why I didn't hear from them?  I have continued to send school photos with Christmas cards, on the off chance that he still cared about his God Son, but after a while got no response, so had just assumed they must have moved.  But no.  They're still at the same address.

We had a lovely chat and I showed him photos of his God Son on my phone, and he couldn't believe how much he had grown up.  I could - because I see him every day.  I wanted to say that to him, I wanted to question why he had dropped the ball as a God Parent, and why I have to explain to Lachlan that he does in fact have a God Father, but I have no idea why he doesn't have a relationship with him.  It makes me sad.  But then I remember he has an awesome God Mother, who has always gone above and beyond - even from another State - to forge a great relationshp with him.

The amount of thought that has gone in to choosing God Parents for our children is huge.  It's not something we took on lightly.  Although they were all baptised, I am not an overly religious human being, but I wanted my kids to have special relationships with another set of adults whom they could always trust and turn to if they ever thought they couldn't come to us.

Chelsea's God Parents are amazing.  They also happen to be mine and Andrew's best friends.  Cadyn's God Parents have moved a few hours away, and in her own words are "hopeless" God Parents.  I have to remind him who they are.  I still send them school photos on the off chance they want them.  And I still dearly love them regardless!!  He also has one of Andrew's brothers' as a third God Parent - which is fabulous, because he always takes the time out to spend some one on one time with him.  And Chloe?  Well thank God we chose another one of Andrew's brothers' to step up to the plate for her!  Chloe's God Mother chose to sever our friendship, and in turn her role as God Mother, a couple of years ago.  They were very, very close and had an amazing bond.  A bond that has now thankfully been formed with her God Father's long term girlfriend.

I take my own role as God Mother very seriously!  I have three "official" God daughters, one of them interstate, one overseas and one is my niece here in Melbourne.  I also have a number of very special, close to my heart kids whom I would move mountains for!  So it really bothers me when others don't see it as such a special honour and a chance to form a relationship with a little person that can continue for decades.  My own God Mother will always have a special place in my heart and has always been around for me.  And for that - I am eternally grateful.

So - do you believe in God parents?  What does it mean to you?

The Door

I'm sure that tantalising title just made you rush right here to read?  Thought so!

Yep, this door.  Our toilet door.  After living in this house for three and a half months - we finally got our new toilet door hung today!  In the scheme of things, I know it's no big deal.  But we had every single door replaced in this house before we moved in, all except this one.  This very special door was also apparently a huge pain in the ass.  It was measured and ordered multiple times before the correct size was finally delivered.  And then we waited patiently frustratingly another few weeks to have it hung.  Which was Monday just past.  After a couple of hours of banging, drilling and getting high on the smell of putty, the builder came to declare he was finished.  But instead asked us to come and see why - in his words - he is a dickhead.  He'd hung the door on the opposite side of the door jam - and right on finishing hanging and beginning the painting,  discovered it was on THE WRONG SIDE.  Which just happened to cover the light switch......

Fast forward to this morning when it was correctly hung, painted and left in peace for the day.  Joy!

You may remember my post months ago when I announced we had bought our first house?  Well, the last few months have been met with much excitement, frustration, phone calls, money and tradesmen.  And we're nearly there!  We've I've finished decorating a few of the rooms, so thought I would share......

The all important laundry.  Somewhere I spend way too much time.  I just bought those drawer thingies from Ikea to see me through until I decide on what sort of cabinetry I need in there to solve my throwing things around in a tanty......

Kid's bathroom.  Boring but functional!

Chelsea's bedroom!  I love love love her room - and so does she!  I made her rag quilt and am pleased to say she uses it all the time.  I also made her cushion and put together those painful pom poms hanging from her ceiling!

And I covered a cork board for her to use to hang her crap on - but I need to get longer thumb tacs to use!

Terrible lighting = shit photos.  But this is our front lounge room.  The mirror was bought to hang in our bedroom, but was too damn big for where I wanted it.  I'm glad it was because I love it on that wall!  My other favourite thing is the big turquoise cushion - I bought it from Ishka and Andrew is not a fan.  Which makes me love it even more!  You can't see in this photo, but to the right is a gorgeous big bright red floral print canvas!  Yet another of Andrew's favourites.......

I picked this heavy timber sign/hanging up from one of those daily deal email things that pop up - it was $26!!!  It hangs in our back living room - which is currently doubling as my laundromat so did not get featured in tonight's post!

We still have a long way to go.  Next week, we are hoping to get our new driveway done - weather permitting.  The staircase has been sanded and under-coated and is awaiting its gloss (which will take weeks of painstakingly tedious work) and the deck and backyard are yet to be completely sorted.  But all good things come to those who wait - so I'll try and be patient!

And on a completely different note - my Out To Sea Market Night went relatively well last week!  I declared I would donate 10% of the night's sales to Foundation 18 - so I'm chipping in $35!  Doesn't sound like a huge amount, but every little bit helps.  If you're feeling charitable - pop over and chip in a few dollars for their fabulous funding for the kids of Indonesia.

Is your home a work in progress?  Do you have a toilet door?

The Mum You Are

Source

This darling little gem popped up in my newsfeed this morning on Facebook.  My own Mum had shared it.  That was four hours ago, and I'm still thinking about it.

I second guess my mothering every. single. day.  Considering I am about to venture in to my 14th year of mothering, that makes for a lot of second guessing.  I can still remember bringing home my big boofa of a baby all those years ago, and having absolutely no idea what I was doing.  I was 23 years old.  A baby myself.  And this little human being needed me.  And I had no idea what I was doing.

Three more children later, and I still find myself - at times - floundering.  Beating myself up for not being the Mum I think I should be.  Like now.  What I should be doing is sitting on the floor playing some sort of game with my four year old.  I should be doing that every day yes?  But I'm not.  And I don't.  I'm not a game player.

I worry that my kids will only remember the Mum that was cranky.  The bad cop.  Will they remember the good stuff?  I know my kids love me.  The 14 year old told me (via FB when I asked him for some sort of "like, rate, honest" shit that the teenagers do!)..........

"like ur my mum and ur funny tbh ur a pretty kool mum"

So that has to count for something yes?

I'm good at preaching.  I'm a big believer in "each to their own" parenting.  Don't compare yourself, don't worry about what others are doing - when all along - I'm worrying about what I'm doing?  Will the self doubt, as a Mother, ever end?

So I ask you - do you enjoy being the Mum you are?

Sunday Stash Debut

Today I'm doing something NEW and joining in on Sunday Stash at Finding Fifth - which is actually being hosted by my friend Gemma at Pretty Bobbins this week!  Often I forget what I have sitting on my fabric shelves, even though I look at them each and every day - so it was good this afternoon to REALLY look at it and find some goodies, and think about what on earth I am going to do with them.

I bought these Verona prints early this year with the intention of making something lovely for my girls.  Forgot it was there!  I have a bit of a thing for greys....

This is Cocoon by Valori Wells.  I fell in love with it and HAD to have it.  I am yet to find the patterns I want to use to make a little collection of dresses.  It's been on the shelf for quite a few months now.

Serenade by Kate Spain.  These prints were bought with a big order of something, and I needed to top up my package to make the most of shipping!  My youngest daughter LOVES purple, so it was bought for her.  I have no idea what I will do with it yet!

I bought all of the above three from the lovely Jewel over at The Intrepid Thread.  She is a wonderful fabric store, and will bend over backwards to help me out when I'm floundering over fabric choices.  So if you're looking for a fabulous fabric store - head over and tell her I sent you!

I believe these prints are all from the Nest range by Valori Wells.  I bought these from a seller on a Facebook marketplace.  Impulse buy, basically because I LOVE Valori Wells.  All sorts of lengths and widths here, and again, no idea what i will ever do with them!

So there you have it!  A very small section of what is sitting on my shelves.

Do you collect fabric?  And then forget you have it?

Saturday Night Boogie - Kid's Edition

I have been a good cricket wife this evening and spent time down at the club with the husband and kids.  It really does not get any easier.  This will be my 11th season as a "cricket widow" and it still sucks the big one.  Anyway, I'm home now - so what better way to spend the remainder of my Saturday evening than looking up Youtube clips???  That's right - I'm linking up with Little White Dove's Saturday Night Bloggers Boogie!  Tonight is brought to you by - my children.  Yep - the songs that are loved by them......

I'm sorry.  I really am.  Because if you play this you may very well have it stuck in your head for days.  Like Me.  A strange thing happened this week.  Mr Psy (yep, that's his name) was on X Factor here in Australia and I kacked myself through his whole performance.  I could actually see that he didn't take himself too seriously, which appeals to me.  The film clip is even funnier.  My kids love it.

This delightful little fella won X Factor last year.  I love the gap in his teeth.  I have a feeling that one day Chelsea will admit to loving him too - for now she will just say she likes the song!

Chloe LOVES this song!  (So do I ssshhhh).  We were in the car a while back and I asked her who sung this song, and she replied "Maybe".  We went back and forth a bit and then the chorus came on and Chloe yells "See Mum, I told you her name was Maybe"........

One of Chelsea's all time fav's.  This tune was on repeat a couple of years ago, after Chelsea decided she would sing it for her school's version of "Australian Idol".  She knocked it out of the park school!  

And that's all I've got for you right now - basically because all the kids are asleep and I can't ask them for the fifth!!

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend?

This Good Girl is Going BAD

Oh don't worry (Cos I know you were?) I'm just joining Blog Action Day.  Eden Riley wrote a great post today about Bloggers using their Blog for Good.  And it got me thinking - again.  In the past year I would have to say I have donated more, taken part more, and been called to action more.  Is it because I'm getting older?  Because I'm out of the selfish 20's and in to the reflective almost 40's 30's?  Or just because my eyes are opened more to the outside world and what is going on outside my immediate bubble?  Probably all of those and more.  Whatever the reason, I want to help more.  And if that is only by giving money, then that is better than nothing yes?

Soooooo.  Today I have decided I will be donating 10% of all sales I make from my Out To Sea Market Night to Cate Bolt's Foundation 18.  Cate builds orphanages, amongst many other things.   I have donated numerous times to Foundation 18, and mentioned them here on the blog, so I guess you could say it is one of my chosen charities!

Another awesome way of supporting Foundation 18 is by purchasing buttons from Skull Buttonry!  I received my first purchase from them a couple of weeks ago and will now be a regular shopper there too!

With only TWO MORE SLEEPS until my MARKET NIGHT, I need to pick up the pace!  Spread the word!  I would dearly love to be able to sell everything I've made, but am a realistic woman too.  I have fallen in love with this collection of clothing, and am hoping you all have too, and will join me Thursday night for a few $1 give-aways as well as some early Christmas shopping!

You can find the full Market Night Album HERE, but these are a few of my favourites up for grabs on the night....

Thoughts?  Causes?  Buttons?

Hope to see you Thursday night! 

xxx

Day 6 - With Added Boogie

The dancing kind of boogie - not the one you find up your nose!  Another Saturday night spent sitting at home, so why not put my thinking cap on and share some tunes?  I thought I would make it my Most Often Played list.  That is - what's been on repeat in my house lately!

I don't have this live version on iTunes, but this is the perfect version to show just how amazing Florence's voice is!  Nine year old Chelsea sits in front of the computer with her lyrics and belts it out over and over again....love it.

So I'm going to see Coldplay in exactly one month's time!  Got the tickets months ago, and as it happens, they are playing on Lochie's 14th birthday, so I'm taking him!  But he doesn't know.....ssssshhhhhhhhh.  He's SOOO in to music and has been dying to go to a concert, so this will be his first ever.  I hope he's excited and thoroughly enjoys it.  And doesn't die of embarassment that his Mother will be rocking out next to him!  Love love love this song - I'm a bit partial to a bit of Rhianna.....

Just realised as I uploaded this that Guy will have scored two from two with my Boogie blog posts!  But what can I say?  I LOVE this song!  I LOVE the artist that he has become.  And I LOVE that he seems like a really nice guy!

Another song that gets a belting.  We were lucky enough to see The Temper Trap Live at the AFL grand final a few weeks ago - and they were UH-MAZING.  And just to add to the excitement of November - they are the support act for Coldplay.  Lucky me!

I only really got in to The Fray the last year or so, but LOVE them too!  This is one of my fav's of theirs.

And just quickly - Day 6 of Kids Week Challenge....

A gorgeous Oliver + S bucket hat, made for a special little boy's 4th birthday tomorrow!  It's a free tutorial - so if you want to give a hat a go - head over HERE!

What's everyone else up to on this lazy Saturday night?  And what are you listening to over and over again lately??

Day 5 - Otherwise known as "hitting the wall"....

Day 5 of the Kids Week Challenge, and I'm feeling very very challenged.  After a few nights of terrible  sleep tossing and turning, coughing and spluttering, I've officially hit the wall.  But of course, I went to work today because I'm a martyr an idiot.  Finally convinced myself an hour ago that I really shouldn't go to work Saturday and Sunday because A) I can't swallow and am living on eye drops every two hours AND B) I don't want to be responsible for passing this crappola lurgy on to the residents I care for - that wouldn't be very caring.  So, it's a weekend off work for me, but not in a fabulous cheer out loud kind of way....

Back to Kids Week........  I seriously cannot do much after about 6pm with my dodgy eyes, so all I've managed this evening is to cut out a whole heap of fabric shapes to applique on to the pyjama tops, to match the bottoms I made earlier in the week.  It's a terribly crappy photo, but I can't even make up a good reason why - I just grabbed my phone and took it!

I also turned around from the table to find this lovely pile of fabric staring at me waiting for the final FIVE outfits I have earmarked for Market Night on Thursday.  Hopefully my eyes will appreciate a rest over the weekend and will allow me to sew in time!

And just to brighten my mood......when I arrived home tonight with the girls after work (yep, daylight savings is here, which means it's still daylight til late) we were greeted by two gorgeous ducks!  They were snacking on something in the gutter when I pulled up, and then as we were walking to the house they decided to follow us.  Sooooo cute!  Another bonus to living so close to a beautiful park with a lake!

That's it for tonight.  I hope you all have a lovely weekend.  

What do you have planned??

Day 3 & 4 - Playing Catch up and Music???

I didn't post about Day 3 of the Kids week Challenge yesterday, because I couldn't.  I couldn't because my stupid eyes were glued together!!!  Urghhhhhh......just when I thought I'd kicked the god-awful virus I had, I get some form of Conjunctivitis - mmmmmm, tasty.

Anywho - I did do some sewing yesterday - I finished off the new playsuit pattern I had started the day before!  This is it:

Another Christmas present marked off my list!  

 Day 4 - Today - was taken up mostly with sewing for my Out To Sea Market Night, which is only a week away!  But at 4.30pm I was racking my brain as to what I could make for one of the kids......and I remembered this gorgeous purple fabric, which I bought a long time ago to make a dress for purple loving Chloe.  So I whipped this little number up!  Honestly, peasant style dresses are so quick and easy - and a winner!  I've got enough of this fabric left for another dress, so am thinking I will be doing a give-away......

Isn't she lovely?

And just for your entertainment, I will share this little gem with you.....

I innocently went out to check the mail box today and found a little bubble wrap package and thought "WTF?".  Then I opened it and really thought "WTF?"!!!  I literally laughed out loud and thought someone was playing a joke on me - given my enthusiasm for the trilogy of above pictured books!  But no - I had won a CD!  I have obviously entered a competition at some stage on Mamma Mia, and was graciously gifted this lovely CD of CLASSICAL MUSIC!  Somehow I don't think it will have the same effect playing it in our little old bedroom compared to Mr Grey's playroom?!?!

Been sewing lately?  Or playing classical music in the boudoir??

Day 2 Challenge....Amongst other things

When I decided yesterday to jump in the deep end and take part in the Kids Clothes Week Challenge, I really had no idea it would take me to such a place of frustration!  Yesterday, day one, piece of p*ss!  I tackled the Scooby Doo pj's with a flurry of excitement!  I decided not only to make them for my son, but for the two girls too, and am putting them away for Christmas.  So I finished the shorts of the pj's and will do the tops another day....

Apologies for the crappy photo!  It's almost 10pm and I couldn't be fagged finding my camera.....

I will also say that along with these three pairs of pj pants, was another five!  I had orders for Scooby pj's, so they got done in the line up too!   Psst......If you would like to order some for your own kids, there's still plenty of fabric available and the pj sets I make are HERE!

So in the excitement of getting Day One's project done, I decided last night to tackle a new pattern, that I could just whip together today.......fail.  I printed off the pattern and spent the following hour scratching my head trying to figure out how the hell it all went together....and eventually gave up and went to bed.  Cue 1pm today, when I got it out again and was determined to wrap my head around it.  Approximately one hour later I literally said to myself "I'm just going to wing it and see if it turns out"!  This is how far I've gotten....

SO far - SO good!  It's a new playsuit/romper pattern, and upon trying it on Chloe - it seems to be working!  Hooray!  I'll be finishing this baby off tomorrow.  It's a Christmas present for my gorgeous little niece.  What do you think so far??


In other Breaking News -

Me thinks these carrots are past their best by date?

I decided whilst watching X Factor last night that I need to grow my hair.  And given that my hairdresser appointment is next week, I paused and captured Nat's hair......that top pic shows she DOES indeed think!!!!

I've had a lovely day, with a couple of good news stories - but nothing I can share right now!  Let's just say things are looking up in the world!

Do your kids know who Scooby Doo is?  Do you take photos of hairstyles you like to take to your hairdresser?  Or am I strange??

Another Manic Monday - with a Challenge

Good afternoon!  What a fantabulous day I've had so far - here's a run-through......

Woke up feeling like the massive gross knot that had been in my throat for a few days had finally left - hooray!

Found Chelsea and Cadyn were downstairs already in their school uniforms - hi-fived myself upon realisation that the two weeks of school holidays had ceased!!  Woohoo!

Rounded them up and took them to school very happily.  Not so happy to get to Cadyn's bag hook and find several piles of crap that had been left there for TWO WEEKS.  Including a bag of sopping wet swimming clothes from the last day of school (just savour the thought of that smell), a random pink jumper from their "pink day" AND the piece de resistance (said with French accent) - THIS:

Mmmmmm......nothing like cheese and crackers with a good dose of penicillin......this beats the wet clothes smell.

Dropped Chloe's kindergarten forms in and worded up the kinda teacher that I NEEDED the two longer sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays due to work - she seemed lovely enough, and will hopefully remember my cheerful disposition when allocating Chloe's kinda sessions next year!

Swimming - same, same.

Took seven of the ten smoke detectors I bought from Masters back for a refund.  Yep, I was kind of cajoled by a salesman that we NEEDED to have a smoke detector in every single room of our house.  Andrew did not concur.  Refund done.

Rang the concrete dude and confirmed we would be getting our new driveway ASAP! Yippee!  No more freakin mud being trawled through the house.

Remembered to email the basketball club about a uniform for Cadyn.  Figuring he can't really play naked next season?  Although it would be amusing....

Remembered to cut off the electricity at the old house.  Yep, it's been left on whilst they were selling it. But now it's SOLD.  Got grumpy at the guy on the other end of the phone who told me I would be charged $43 just for some sod to read the farking meter.  Greedy.  

And this was all done and dusted by midday!

Now I'm off to my sewing room.  FINALLY Cadyn has asked me to make him something.  Well, I lie, a year or so ago he asked me to make him some shorts, which I did. And he refused to wear them.  Couldn't give me a reason, just wouldn't.  So I sold them.  Win win.  This time round, he's claimed some Scooby Doo fabric I bought a shit load of, and wants pj's.  So, I'm joining in a bit of a challenge over at Elsie Marley - KIDS CLOTHES WEEK CHALLENGE.  Pj's today, who knows what else I'm going to get made over the coming week?

How's your day going?  Do you sew for your kids - and do they wear what you sew??

Saturday Night Boogey - The Wedding Edition

Good evening!  I still feel like shit and have been plodding around home all day feeling sorry for myself.  I feel like I have run a marathon and each and every muscle in my body is aching because of it.  Unfortunately I do not run marathons, so cannot use that excuse.  It's a stoopid virus.  So, instead of being at work tonight as was scheduled, I'm surfing the net.  And I've just come across the Saturday Night Bloggers Boogey over at Little White Dove!  


Tonight, in my boogey debut, I bring you MY Wedding Edition.....

My now big boy Lochie walked me across the lawn to Andrew, at the tender age of 5, and gave me away!  All to the tunes of Fro-boy Guy.... Remember Australian Idol?

I actually heard this song on The Today Show one morning when they put on a whole wedding for a young couple on a boat!  Fell in love with it, so had it as one of the songs playing whilst we signed our marriage certificates.  Nice.

Our first dance.  Under a gorgeous white marquee with ivy and fairy lights, in our backyard.  I have the most beautiful photo from that dance.

I can't remember if this was actually played at our wedding......it was New Year's Eve after all.  But - this song was HUGE when I first met Andrew and it was a bit of an awkward song to have playing loudly in the car, sitting next to a guy you'd just met!  Couldn't really sing out loud......

Look how young Joel and Benji are!!!  I still love this song, it was big in 2003 when we got married, and once again - the vodka haze doesn't help my memory - but I'm certain we would have rocked out to this tune too!


So there's my wedding tunes in a nutshell!  What I love most about these songs is that I do actually remember the three most important of them!!  And I love that Andrew and I chose all three for good reason.  An interesting but useless fact is that the song my ex-husband and I danced to at our wedding back in the 1990's was chosen spare of the moment because we basically had no "special" song of significance!  I can't even remember the name of it - was sort of a sign really wasn't it?

What were your wedding songs?  Or if you were to get married, which songs would you choose?

Gonna Make You Sweat!

I had no intention on writing a blog post tonight.  I have worked all day, then gone straight to the Season Opener for Junior Cricket......................................   Sorry, that is a big long line of dots because the excitement that cricket brings to my life is just that, like a long line of dots.    And now that I'm home and have make a hot chocolate, put on my pj pants and started popping the immune system boosting tablets I bought from the chemist on the way home, I decided it was a good time to catch up on all the blogs I read.

UNTIL

I logged in and found that Blogger wanted to tell me:

"You are currently not following any blogs"

WTF?!?!?!?  Not normally one to panic, I felt my heart pick up pace and my finger clicking the mouse, trying to figure out what kind of cruel game Blogger was playing with me??  I diverted the mouse back to FB, to my handy-dandy-blogging-library-friends, where I put out my anxiety ridden call to help.  And thankfully, a lovely level headed blogger calmed me by saying it had happened to her and to refresh or go out and back in to Blogger.    PHEW.  (Thanks Carmel).

So in a bizarre roundabout way, it made me think of some of the things that make me sweat.  The things that raise my blood pressure or peels anxiety out of its hiding place.  So here are a few.....

*  Meeting new people - namely Mothers whom I've never met before.  This should not worry me, but it does.  I can't help wondering what they think of me?  Don't talk too much.  Don't not talk enough.  Don't get too friendly.  Sad I know.

*  Watching my kids hurt.  Like, really hurt.  The hurt that produces tears.  Each of my four kids have done damage enough to themselves to reduce me to a mess.  And I'm pretty sure there will be more.

*  Expecting visitors and looking around to see my house resembles a literal bomb site.  Happens all too often.  Although I go into a tizz over it - it's also the best remedy to a messy house.  Never do I clean as well as when I am expecting people!

*  Big sporting events.  Strange.  11 years ago, before I met Andrew, I had never really watched sport.  Never participated in sport (well, apart from my famous season of soccer when I got the trophy for most improved).  Never had family members participating in sport.  Now I find myself at Cricket finals.  Basketball finals (remember THIS final?).  And bloody AFL Grand Finals!  It's all too much....

Ok.  I could go on and on.  But it's now 10.30pm and I need to walk back down the freaking stairs (I now FULLY understand why my pleas for a house with stairs when I was younger fell on my parents' deaf ears) and get another fancy Immune-boosting tablet, before traipsing back up here to curl up in bed and hopefully be cured of this lurgy by morn.

Tell me - what makes you sweat?  Well, apart from the obvious??

Night night!

Blah....blah blah!

I've been a busy little beaver (so childish that every time I hear that word I laugh?) this last week or so!  Apart from the fact that it's school holidays here, which itself is enough to generally send me in to a spin - I've also well and truly got my Sew-jo back!    The last few months have been mind-blowingly maniacal, and I'm still recovering.  But our renovations are ALMOST finished - just one bloody toilet door to be hung!  Our house is feeling like a home - mostly due to the amount of crap that everyone feels comfortable leaving lying around.  My Dad is recuperating from his generous stint in hospital and scaring the shit out of us all.  The sun has been shining at least a few days a week, lulling us Melbournians into a false sense of Spring.

Things are looking up in the world.

I took my two working week-days off work last week, and spent it hanging out with my two primary school kids.  It was actually refreshingly lovely.  I also took Saturday off work, for the AFL grand final.  But we won't talk about that........bloody Swans.

When Chelsea asked me yesterday if we could go and watch "Hotel Transylvania" at the movies, I said yes (if you've seen it, you will now understand the post title!).  I sms'd her bestie's Mum, who also happens to be my friend, and arranged a weeknight date.  Unheard of.  We took Lochie along too.  Had a fabulous laugh at a really great film, and was later introduced to HARRAJUKU CREPES!!!  What rock have I been hiding under????  FAR OUT!  I didn't order one because I really wasn't sure what on earth they were all about.  But I made sure to help both Chelsea and Lochie (and my friend) to eat theirs.  Now all I can think about is a return trip.  Nom nom nom......

I've also been chatting to the girls at The Handmade Library!  And just yesterday they unveiled an Amaze-balls give-away!  Which you can check out AND ENTER HERE.  I am very happy to be a sponsor of the give-away - so head on over and tell them I sent you!

And today?  Well, today I'm having another chat, and a cuppa, with Clare from Clare's Craftroom.  Clare is running a series of morning teas with a bunch of lovely crafters - so I'm wrapt to be included!

Oh - and I'm off to work!  So that's it for now.  I will leave you with some of the results of my return to the sewing machines.......

All of these goodies can be purchased from Thursday 18th October when I hold my Out To Sea Market Night!  HERE is where you will find the details.

What have you all been up to in my absence??