February - done and dusted

February - you have been a fabulous month!  And it's been great taking part in the Photo A Day Challenge!  But today marks the end.....

Day 27 - Something I've Eaten

 Not a hard one......I eat chocolate every.single.day.  I don't gorge myself on it, I actually have very good self control.  One to two bars of a family size block every day.  About an hour after lunch.  It gets me through the rest of the day......

Day 28 - Money

I worked today.....and had the terrible job of going to Ikea to purchase a piece of furniture for a resident.  It was such a difficult task.  All that wondering around the massive new Springvale store.  Gazing at all the shiny things.  And even the not so shiny things.  My eyes were glazed over by the time I reached the checkout.  But I showed amazing restraint, and only spent $30.98.  My husband is astounded......

Day 29 - Music I'm listening to

The kids received $200 worth of iTunes vouchers collectively over Christmas.  Crying shame.  The result of this was an influx of great new music.  Lucky for us, the 13 year old has fabulous taste in tunes.  My favourite at the moment, and the song I always start with when beginning my sewing days, is Florence and The Machine's "Shake It Out".  It gets things moving.

Tomorrow, March 2012.  WOW.  How did that happen? 

Tomorrow brings Fat Mum Slim's March Photo A Day to life.  Are you joining in?

24. 25. 26.

Day 24 - Inside my bathroom cabinet.

Self explanatory really.  But I will explain anyway.  This is a family of six's bathroom requirements all stuffed in to one small bathroom cupboard.  Why?  Because our other little bathroom does not have any power points!  And it's in the laundry.  And I think everyone forgets we have a second bathroom, until I'm sitting on the toilet and the door flies open and a child jiggles up and down, round and round because "I'M BUSTING MUMMMMMMM!".  And I remind them there is another toilet a matter of seconds away.....

Day 25 - Green. 

Camilia Leaves.  My favourite kind of green.  You can see the couple of yellow leaves peeking out, reminding me that although Melbourne's seasons are completely up shit creek at the moment, Autumn WILL still arrive, and then Winter WILL blow in with all its might!

Day 26 - Night.

 Yep, the sky at 8pm on a very hot Melbourne night.  Still plenty of sunlight, melted in to the clouds that are becoming more menacing each hour.  We took the kids out for a surprise tonight, to Cold Rock Ice Creamery.  And on the way home, at 7.30, Chloe proclaims it's getting late.  I think it had more to do with being tired than the actual visual cues a three year old would look for.  Oh Summer, how I will  miss you. I know before too long, everyone will be locked inside past 4pm for fear of catching the death of cold!

Day 23

My Shoes

Without my feet in them, as they are festy at present....

Thank the Lord for Novo shoe stores!  I bought these beauties a few months ago in anticipation of a really hot Summer....fail.  But they managed to get me through 8 days on the Gold Coast, trekking around seemingly endless theme parks, and I have not had one.single.blister!  Win win!

Where do you buy your shoes from?  Do you have fussy feet?



P.S. I bought some fabric last night for Ms Midge - I had procrastinated about the purchase for weeks, finally bit the bullet.  What do you think?  I LURVE it!

Photo C/o Riley Blake Designs.

Day 22 - Where I work

I often get asked what I do for a job?  As most people probably do.  When I tell them I am a Disability Carer, I get a variety of reactions.  The usual response is "Ohhhhh, You are such a special person doing that job".  It used to bother me and I would fob it off.  But over the last couple of years (I've had the same job for 15 years!) I have chosen to agree (somewhat sarcastically) that yes indeed - I am special!

One of the other responses I get bothered by, is after I tell them I work in a house.  The quizzical look on people's faces means that they either 

A)  Think that this house has padded walls and looks like a hospital

OR

B) People with disabilities aren't supposed to live in houses?

So this is my photo of where I work - the front door of a regular house, on a regular street where the people living there lead regular lives surrounded by regular people.

 Only a couple of nights ago, my husband and I were watching  "A Current Affair".  He  had told me that there was a story on Autism, and he proceeded to sit down with me to see what it was about.  If you didn't see it, it's about Ricky Stuart (famous NRL player and coach) and his family.  His daughter has autism, and they talk quite passionately about their lives.  It was quite a lovely story.  But right at the end of the story, when talking about the future for their daughter, and what that future may hold, both Ricky and his wife remarked that "there should be beautiful facilities for these kids to live in, and be well looked after". 

 I have to say - this annoyed me.

The home where I just happen to work, IS a home.  It is not a hospital, nor an institution, or a facility.  Those days are long gone.  It is a home for five amazing human beings, whom need assistance in their day to day life.  They also require support with some of the wonderful skills they have.  The majority of them also have loving and caring families who are very happy with the support we, as staff, give to 

their family members.

I realise that I will never be in these parents shoes, as I do not have a child with special needs, and I do not have the added worries about what will happen to them when I go, but I just wanted to reassure those that do have such worries - there is an answer.

Sure, there are not enough places and houses for all of those needing housing.  There will unfortunately always be waiting lists, because our Governments have budgets and can only do so much.  But for those of you who have children with disabilities, and are wondering what you are going to do when you are no longer around to care and support your children - rest assured that there are hundreds, if not thousands of people who carry out the same job as I do on a daily basis.  And we love the people we work with.  

They are our extended families too.

So - where do you work?

Favourite Photos

Day 21 - Favourite Photo of Myself

When I saw today's Photo-A-Day-Challenge topic, I was perplexed!  So many photos.  So many years.  How could I choose?  I decided the best way to go about it was to scroll through all of my Facebook profile pics.  Surely I only had photos I liked of myself as profile pics yeh?  Then I stumbled across this beauty!

Me - age 4

It made me smile.  The funny little haircut.  The UH-mazing denim dress, that I would love to have for my girls to wear NOW.  And the cheeky little smile and freckles.  Love it.  1979 was my year!

Whilst going about my profile pic search, it made me laugh at how many damn photos I upload to Facebook!  It's like a digital scrapbook.

Two weeks ago, we had a 30th Birthday Party to go to.  When we arrived, amongst the laughter at each other's costumes, my darling friends proclaimed they had chosen to leave their cameras behind because "Midge always has hers!"  Looking through all the photos - I can now see why they would say that!

Are you an amateur photographer?  Or professional for that matter?  What is YOUR favourite photo of yourself?

More Photos!

Day 19 - Something You hate to do.

Speaks for itself.  Ironing. Yucko!  And of course everyone should have their ironing balancing on a keyboard on top of the bar that never actually gets used as a bar?  That's normal yeh?  It's there because I was doing the other task I HATE with a passion - folding clothes and putting them in the never ending piles that my family then go and spread all over their room or stuff in to drawers, making the task of folding non-existent.  At least I do not HAVE to iron these days.  My dear husband irons his own work shirts, of which he has to wear every.single.day.  I will iron his work pants - only so he doesn't walk around with "tram tracks" on his pants!

Day 20 - My Handwriting 

 Urghhhhh!  I thought if I sat down and wrote something I'd be faking it!  So I found some scribble on a piece of paper here on the desk.  Very topical information!  Still haven't rung them, and still yet to block the internet on said phone!  My handwriting changes every paragraph I write.  I notice this especially at work, where we have a "communication book" for staff to write information to each other.  One day my writing will look like it does above.  The next it will be full of swirls and fun.  Multiple writing personality disorder.....

As we head way too quickly towards the end of February (!), let it be known that Fat Mum Slim has posted her challenge for March Photo-A-Day!  So if you haven't gotten around to joining in so far this year - there's always next month!

What do you hate doing?  Is ironing the bane of all women's lives?  Or just my lazy self!

Holy Mobile Phone Bill from Hell Batman!

I've been rather busy the last few days.  But yesterday went to shit because of an unexpected surprise in the mail.  A mobile phone bill for $488.70!!!  To say I was unimpressed would be an understatement.  I spent the next few hours on the phone, live-chatting and cursing Optus, all the while trying to be polite and not lose my temper.  I also had to ring the teenager of the house and explain that he does not have unlimited YouTube....contrary to his thinking.  The next task is working out how much of the $300 excess data charge I will get him to pay me back for?  In his defence, I don't think he did it on purpose - but it doesn't take away from the fact that we are  now behind the 8-ball....  It also doesn't change the fact that I never thought this would happen.  Was I naive?  Or stupid?  Or both?

So I have taken my photos for the last three days, and have popped in to share....

Day16 - Something New.  I will be trying something new, once I find the perfect Chore Chart!  It was Mr 7 year old's idea....so I'm running with it!  Miss almost 9 is most unimpressed with his suggestion....Oh, and see the lovely
before-mentioned ridiculous phone bill there?

Day17 - Time.  When I read that "time" was the photo for that day, I was sitting right where I am now, with the screensaver on.  Yep - I'm so lucky that I have the Hawthorn Football Club season fixture as my screensaver.  I love AFL football, and am wrapt that it is just starting for 2012 - mostly because it means Cricket is finishing!!

Day 18 - Drink.  This is my drink of choice each and every day.  Pepsi Max.  I only started drinking soft drink about ten years ago.  And I am now probably addicted.  This is the only caffeine I consume, and when I have gone cold turkey - I have paid the price.

Do you use a Chore Chart at home for your kids?  Please share your ideas!

Crickets

This parenthood journey is a wild one.  I find myself going from one emotional point to another, in a matter of moments.  Yesterday I was lamenting over the loss of control, now my biggest boy is a teenager.  Today I find myself in a strange place.  Home alone.

Chloe hasn't been 100% the last couple of days, and given she still had a super high temperature at 4pm yesterday, I called my boss and asked her to fill my shift for today, as it's just too hard to get someone to come in for a shift at 8am if given no notice!  As per "Murphy's Law", Chloe woke up bright as a button this morning - temperature long gone and she was keen to go to creche.  So I did the usual school run and then dropped Chloe off to her "school".

Quickly stopped in to the shops to grab a couple of things, a girlfriend popped in for a long overdue coffee (I can offer REAL coffee to friends now we have a machine!), and then SILENCE.  I was sitting here at the computer listening.  To nothing.  No tv, no music, no Dora.  Nothing.

Silence is deafening....

It was then, the realisation hit, that this would be the norm in a couple of years.  Chloe will be off to Kindergarten next year, and then school.  And I will be childless five days a week.  For the first time in over 15 years!  This realisation put me in a little bit of a panic.  Strange - I know.  But after pottering around and doing a bit of cleaning, washing the dog and eating some lunch - I had nothing to do.  Again - strange.

What do Mums do with themselves, five days a week, when there are no kids at home?  Will I put Nick Jnr on the tv to keep me company?  Will I start asking myself "what have you been doing all day"?  Please don't tell me I'm going to have to go back to full time work again?

Day 15 - Phone
The rather lonely and not used much home phone.  I honestly don't know why we have one?

Heart

Day 14 - Heart

My first order for a Vivienne Skirt and Ruffled Heart tee - going out in
the post to a very lucky little lady today.

I've seen lots of posts today on Facebook in relation to Valentine's Day!  Lots of flowers and goodies received.   My Valentine's Day has consisted of a rushed trip to the vet for my little toy poodle, who had some sort of "episode" this morning and could not walk.  Followed by a trip to the doctors with Miss 3, who had been dealing with a raging temperature for over 24 hours.  Feeling the love!  I'm happy to report that neither of them are in any real danger and have lived to see another day!

Do you celebrate with a special someone?  Today or any particular day?
Happy Valentine's Day

Wardrobe Blues

Photo-A-Day-Challenge continues.  I will have more to say on another topic later this evening!

Day 12 - Inside Your Wardrobe.  I am yearning for the day I can have a home with a walk in wardrobe.  Or a dressing room.  Either will do - I'm not fussy!  But for the time being, this will have to do.  Two door wardrobe which husband and I share.  I had a clean up only a month ago and tried to re-organise it, so all dresses are together, skirts together etc etc.  But it still looks a mess!

Day 13 - Blue.  This is the blue I am seeing today.  My Miss 3 was blue this morning, not feeling well.  So I have been able to get my "sew on" and get some orders finished as well as these two little skirts which are just waiting for buttons.  I love that there is a denim option that is not at all boring!

Makes You Happy

Yesterday - Day 11.  Makes you happy?  

Let these pictures speak for themselves....

Last night, we got our best glad-rags out and went in to 80's overdrive!  There is nothing more fun that spending the evening dressed up like a fool and dancing the night away to all of your favourite tunes, from the funniest decade.  So many memories come flooding back.  I found myself Googling tunes when I couldn't remember the artist.  Wa Wa Nee - how could I forget thee?  Had my girlfriends (who are all five years younger than me!!) in stitches with memories of concerts at Dreamworld (My Mum worked there - score), and the fact that I actually wore similar versions of these clothes back when they first flooded the stores!  Thank the Lord Supre still stocks them.....

My hair was in a mousse coma this morning, and my Husband woke from his own kind of Jack Daniels coma.....

What makes you happy?

7,8,9,10

I've slipped.  It's not that I forgot about my Photo A Day Challenge.  I just literally have not stopped to take a photo!  This week has gone a little like this:

Monday - swimming lessons resume.  Return home to start cleaning house.  Start doing some sewing.  Start doing washing.  Do not finish any of before-mentioned tasks due to play date!

Tuesday - had planned to sew all day.  Fail.  Can't even remember what it was that stopped me from plans.  Oh, hang on.  Yes, went shopping instead.  Whoops.

Wednesday - Went to work.  Got call at 1pm to say biggest boy was in sick bay.  Picked him up, took him home, administered Panadol and returned to work.  Turns out he had a virus with high temp.

  

Thursday - Biggest boy stays home from school.  I shelf all ideas of sewing - again.  Instead I get in car at 8.45am.  School run.  Shops to get husband's glasses fixed.  Visit "Gold Buyers" for first time ever, and am pleased to say they hand me $157 for the bracelet and ring I found lurking in my drawers.  Many thanks to my husband's ex-girlfriend for the spending money.  Drive around the world picking up bits and pieces and running errands.  Return home to sick child, who has miraculously managed to hang up my washing and make muffins.  Nice.

Today - Work again.  Slept in again.  Didn't have time for a shower again.  Just picked up children, posting this blog, then off to under 10's cricket.  Fascinating.

For those of you who have been waiting for my four days of photos - here they are:

Day 7 - Buttons.  Just happens that these little (well, big) beauties landed on my door on that very day!  45mm
self-covering buttons.  I obviously didn't measure 45mm when I ordered, as they are much larger than I thought!

Day 8 - The Sun.  Ok, so I didn't take a snap of it that day....just went out earlier on this strange day in Melbourne.  It's not actually that dark outside, my iPhone just didn't appreciate that glare when pointing directly at the sun!

Day 9 - Front Door.  Self explanatory.  This is the same front door I have looked at for almost eight years.  The same one I keep commenting to myself "needs to be painted".  Also the same front door I always forget has see through glass when I'm walking to our bedroom in my undies......

Day 10 - Self Portrait.  Just got home from work today.  So looked in my favourite mirror and laughed at my unkept look - but took a photo anyway!  This is what I look like when I sleep in on a work morning, and do not manage to make the shower....noice.

Tomorrow night we have an 80's party to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday.  I cannot decide between disguising myself as Wonder Woman or Madonna??  Obvious remarks from friends are that Wonder Woman has rather large lady lumps - something I do not have.   Help??

Love, love, love...

I love my husband.  I do!  I really really love him.  At times, I wonder if there are other people who love their partners as much as I love mine?  I know - soppy huh?

Why am I blabbing about love tonight?  Well - just as the kids were getting ready to go to bed tonight, my hubby and I were having a kiss and cuddle and my eight year old daughter was very amusing.  She got all funny and was laughing, then closed the door on us!  I was laughing and said to him "We are going to be very embarrassing to them when they are teenagers".......

Whilst I don't want to have huge public displays of affection all day long, for our kids (or anyone else) to see - I love the fact that they know we love each other.  I like to think that it makes them feel safe.  That their parents are a tight unit.  One that will always be there for them, for our family.  

Whilst my memories of my parents as a child aren't really clear, I don't really recall seeing them "lovey dovey".  I certainly don't remember ever being embarrassed by their displays of affection, so I'm thinking there weren't any/many!  Which would probably make a bit of sense considering they split before I hit the teenage years.  So if I can leave my children with memories of their parents still being madly in love after ten years of being together, I think that's ok?

The latest (albeit blurry) iPhone snap of us out together on the weekend xx

What I got up to today in between swimming lessons, play date, uniform shop duty and basketball training!
 Crayon Rolls for a customer.  Love my Instagram app!

Day 4 - Dinner - Love tacos!

Lastly - my day four of Photo-A-Day-Challenge - Dinner.  Monday nights are always a tricky one for dinner.  Basketball training goes from 5pm-6pm.  We usually eat at 5.30/6pm.  I decided at approximately 2pm today that we would have tacos.  It's a no-brainer.  EVERYONE, yes all six members of this family, will eat tacos!  So I cooked the meat up before training, and when we raced in the door at 6.15, it was re-heated and devoured!

What is a sure-fire dinner in your household?

Day Five

10am - Finishing off a very cute little custom order.

I had a couple of hours this morning to do what I please - so I got stuck in to a couple of outstanding orders that I had not been able to concentrate properly on whilst the kids were still on school holidays!  I love the feeling of achievement when I'm able to make something that a customer has ordered using specific fabric combinations.  This sweet little playsuit is enough to make you sigh.....

ahhhhhh.......

Day to Day

This Photo A Day Challenge is keeping me on my toes!  I remembered late last night that I needed to take Day 3's photo.....so today I have two to share....

Day 3 - Hands

 Surprisingly - I have not had a good look at my hands lately - have You?  I painted my fingernails last night, to cover the fact that it is almost time for me to get the gel overlays refilled.  I found after demolishing biting my nails for years, when they did grow back, they were frail and did not take well to the daily beatings they were receiving in my line of work - both paid and unpaid.  So I took the plunge and had gel overlays put on, and they now look remarkably well looked after!  I only have little hands, which is very strange considering my Mum has rather big hands, and I have taken after her in so many other aspects of my genetic make up.  I would love an "eternity ring" - but my husband laughs and asks where I am going to fit it given my wedding and engagement rings only just fit on my finger!

Day 4 - A Stranger

I didn't really cross paths with any strangers today, but when out at my veggie patch earlier, I noticed a stranger had been to visit.  Some nasty little sucker is getting in to my tomatoes!  The vines have taken approximately four months (!) to grow crazily and are now laden with fruit.  But these pesky little poops are chomping in to my produce.  Any ideas what could be the culprit?

And just a side-note........ I read Mrs Woog's blog post today, as I do most days, and was filled with emotion.  Her Father-in law, whom shall now be known as the amazingly insightful Dr Woog, wrote his thoughts on friendship.  It is a beautiful piece of writing, and mirrors the feelings I have for a wonderful circle of friends I have.  I've written before about how blessed and lucky I feel to have the beautiful friends I have in my life.  So I'll say it again.  Thank you dear friends - for without you, at times, I would be lost. xxxx

Patting Myself on the back!

One of the many things I wanted to share here yesterday, before the fear of burnt fish crept in, was that I have been trying some new patterns!  And I have been rather chuffed with myself - as I am finding that my abilities and sewing technique far outweigh what I thought I could actually achieve!  I continue to surprise myself!  So today I'm patting myself on the back.....

The Pierrot Tunic

The Vivienne Skirt and embellished top

I popped the pattern photo of the skirt up on my Facebook page and had an overwhelming response!  And then broke out in a cold sweat wondering if I could actually make it!  Turns out it wasn't as hard as I had anticipated - or I am cleverer (is that a word?) than I thought....It's also interesting to note that one's imagination seems to return when one's children return to school!

Today also happens to be Day Two of Photo A Day Challenge, so here is mine:

WORDS

I tried to remember reading something....anything today - and this was it.  The school newsletter.  Which leads me to this - YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  Yep, the kids are back at school.

Do you not give yourself enough credit with your abilities at times?

Photo A Day Challenge.....better late than never!

The start of 2012 brought lots of great things.....one of those things I saw lots of, but our holiday and then life got in the way of me joining in from the beginning - so here I am now!  You should by now have seen the Photo A Day Challenge, started by fatmumslim?  If not, head over here.  It's a great way of capturing your day/month/year in images.

Today I have remembered and forgotten numerous times about my challenge for the day.  Probably had something to do with being at work, picking up children, visiting Lincraft and dealing with dinner?  But here is today's photo:

YOUR VIEW TODAY

Not very enthralling to most.  But whilst I sit here and tap away on the keyboard, I am within close proximity to most that is going on in our household.  This little room is not only our office/workspace, it is also the thoroughfare from lounge room through to kitchen.  As I type - the kids are watching tv in the next room, the microwave is beeping at me to let me know something has finished cooking, and I can smell the fish cooking in the oven!  But I can also see all the glorious piles of fabric and crafting goodness awaiting me!  I think I'm pretty lucky.

That's it for now.  I have lots more to tell you, but I fear the fish will not survive.  Ciao for now!