What a day...I need a drink!

Well....
Ventured to woolies today which trust me is a massive ordeal...
Because child #3 is still only little he cant walk on his own as he runs off...
So I pop him in the car first strapped in cause if you don't you will be chasing him all over the car like I did the other day for 20 mins in a carpark...
Then I get child #4... then I start the car for the air con and go back for the bags I need... There's usually 2 or more. When I got to woolies no baby seat trolley around in sight so I pouch baby #4 on the front of me and carry on my hip child #3. hand bag on other shoulder...
Get up to the top of the escalator and there one is... So I pop child 3 in and unpouch child 4 from front of me and head for the largest latte I can find asap!!!!!! I'm knackered and I havnt even entered woolies yet.... Coffee in hand list in other ( cause I always forget what I have to get) I head straight for a small flavored milk and the treat isle to keep child 3 amused!!!
Done!
I run into a lady with 2 boys also she has the double pram which u can use but only if your getting under 5 items.
We smile and start to chat we find out we both hav children that just started prep.. At the same school and we both have 4 children...we compare stories about how many times people say " god you have your hands full!"
We both say 3 was manageable 4 is frigging hard work!!!!
Back to the shopping.
Homeward bound... Then I do the unload of child 4 first as child 3 would run away... Then child 3 then the groceries into the front room. Whew.
2 bottles 2 bubs to bed. Shopping tired them out. Method in my madness!!! Both asleep by 11...dinner in oven... Groceries away... Washing hung out.... Awake by 1... Playtime... Lunch...load pram walk to get child 2.
Home... Afternoon tea onslaught ... Child 1 arrives... In a panic about homework... 4pm (load car.. Remember child 3 first then child 4)
Child 1 and 2 in car too... Off to swimming....leave child 1 there to walk home ... Bring other 3 home for bath time... 6pm dinner. (lucky it's pre done!)
Clean up... Lunches made... 7pm child 3 and 4 go to bed. Homework time now with child 1.
8pm bedtime child 1 & 2. (thank god!)
Now chat to husband time!!! ( non interrupted)
Watch a recorded show because we have missed all the good shows...
10pm bed.
Ready to do it all again tomorrow.
But I have to fit working in there when kids are sleeping tomorrow...
I need a drink!!!!!

Happy Aussie day!!!!

Ahhhh a day off!!!
So our tv today has cricket in one room tennis in the other... Welcome to the house of boys.
Got my hair cut short yesterday made me feel like a million bucks till no one at home noticed again the joys of living with males...next lesson to teach them compliments will take them a long way... With their girlfriends or wives....they will win so many brownie points if they learnt this very simple lesson....so that's my next mission!

Ready steady GO!

Well the school year is finally here... Grade 7 and a preppie!!!
Everything sorted and done...$250 grocery shop yesterday, bags packed uniforms brought. With the new school year however brings routine and structure and a whole lot of running around and being super organized....
I'm very nervous but excited... I'm ready to tackle son #1's homework and helping son #2 get into the swing of things.... I have a feeling it's going to be a very big year. We are also now trying to weigh up selling at the end of the year or doing an extension this decision is proving to be a very hard one...but at least I will know where I will be for the next 17 years at least with 4 boys all going to be a Marist boy. So at least that's a decision made for me the area in which we will live... Thank the lord.
Well the let the year begin.....show me what ya got for me!!!!!!

Friends...

When your having a down day or you have a lot going on you always know who are your friends.... Friends are magical and can pick u up when you need it the most!!!
I hope my boys learn to be good friends to their mates and with each other as they grow...

your house my house...

Was doing my friends hair on Sunday and it was like walking into my house but in 5 years time...
15,10,9 are her kids ages...she works full time as a lawyer.
She had every ones school books lined up ready to cover, bags, shoes and a $380 bag of uniforms for Churchie....very familiar. She informed me never ever go shopping with them at these ages...she needed a bottle of wine after the expedition....and threatened "next time you can go with your father!"

I laughed and could just imagined in 5 years time me in the same position i will have ,grade 12, grade 5, grade 2, and a preppy.....I'm really scared!!!!!! that's going to be an expensive, emotional and chaotic year!!!!! 2017!!!!

My friend is one talented lady. She stayed at home right through till all her children started school. Giving up a high powered very well paid job to be home with and for her 3 kids.
While being at home she went back to uni and studied Law. Her plan, by the time her youngest boy started School she would be finished and be a Lawyer and go back into the work force full time...
She achieved this, studying while breast feeding attending lectures at night while hubby had the kids, and studying till all hours of the morning then backing up to children early in the mornings...now that's dedication and drive.
She now works full time and is very good at what she does, she runs her family home and does sports runs, dancing lessons...her husband is a very supportive man he is chief ironing man in their household.
I love going into their home. There's a lot of love, and fun. And you can really tell she lives for her children. They are the reason she gets up of a morning and goes to work to provide for them.
I really take my hat off to her because she is a role model, of how to have it all. I have known her for over 7 years, and i have enjoyed watching her children grow.
I hope i can show my boys the balance a mother/woman can do with the many hats we wear within our life....your house is very much the same as my house Mrs KP!!!
XX

To teach how to give.....maybe a new tradition for the boys?

Been racking my brain what I can do this year to teach my boys about giving to a cause or charity or just giving to those who need...
After giving it a lot of thought I hav come up with... With #4 son being sick is hospital I thought I might hav a box at home and throughout the year when see something on special at k Mart, target or big w it can go in the box we will aim for 20 things books, toys or clothes. At the end of the year close to Xmas we will take them up the the ward Tate was in and ICU and give them to the kids in hospital for Christmas. It made my day when my son got a small gift in hospital. So I will pitch the idea to the boys tomorrow and find a box... I think this is a great lesson to teach and hopefully it might be a new family tradition.
Xx

life is about choices...

Very busy last couple of days...son #4 very hard to settle after still not being 100% and in full school swing...uniforms for son #2 starting prep (cant wait for him to start as i think he really needs it) plus school books for son #1...and trying to write up a new schedule for sport/work/homework and meal plans for the week....but that's not what i want to talk about tonight.

Tonight i want to talk about son #1.
before i start i have to give a bit of a brief background, very brief...
I got married to son #1's dad when i was 21. And had him at 22.
I wanted to be a parent and he didn't he struggled with the responsibility where i loved it.
Its funny sometimes when you think you are doing things in the right order it really isn't.
engaged, marriage, children....isn't that right??? It ended. And is was very much for the better. ii have no regrets though as i was able to meet and raise my beautiful #1 son.

We then went on to have a very tough time with #1 sons father. it has gone on for years where he is in and out of his life and even at one stage when he was 4 years old didn't pick him up from daycare for his weekend visit...he had moved overseas without telling us. He then popped back up with a wife and child 4 years later when my son was 8 and wanted to take off from where he had left off.
My husband and i have been there for him every step of the way with counselling, encouragement and having open communication all the time....

My son decided last year after approx 20 something court visits and over $50,000 in legal fees that he was better off not knowing his dad the disappointment of having him return into his life then at any moment decide to leave i think was too much for him as he is 11 now. he made a trip on a plane to see him in December 2010 and from that visit he has decided not to contact his dad again after telling us himself.

I think you get to a point where you take a step back and say i have done as much as i can, with trying to encourage a relationship that just isn't going to work because of too much time passing.

I'm so very proud of my son. he is very resilient. He is a intelligent, popular and sporty young man. and i often picture myself at his year 12 graduation thinking my husband and i have raised and amazing boy. With everything he has gone through emotionally he has turned out exceptional...he could have been "damaged" or play the poor me card...but he doesn't. He often  says to me i love my life i don't want it to change.

We have had the privilege to watch him grow and mature. And i often find myself saying why has he been treated like this by his father? He now has 3 girls of his own. that he obviously spends time with and loves very much...why couldn't he do that with his son? what couldn't he give him the time and love? and make the effort that any parent should with their children? i used to get really upset because if you ever get to meet my son he is great with little kids, very polite, well mannered, and has the most down the earth personality...but he wont get the opportunity to ever know that because he has made the choice after many attempts from us to give up on his son. I don't get sad about it anymore. Because life is about choices, i may have made the wrong choice marrying him but i was given a beautiful son.
your life is determined by the choices you make. My choice is to enjoy watching my son grow into a man. To hold his hand as he grows, and to be with him every step of the way so he knows he can trust me and depend on me and i will be there for his failures and his success. that's my choice because i chose to be a mother.