Been camping!!

Not exactly 'roughin it' like I used to as a kid, because we had a TV, but we have been camping all the same!!

We went to Airlie Beach and stayed in Cannonvale at a little caravan park called Seabreeze Tourist Park. Pete stays there when he goes up there to work and it is a wonderful little park! The owner is so nice and does many things around the place herself.

The trip up on Monday was just horrible and I was NOT looking forward to doing ANYTHING!! I had Moo, Corky, Lenny, Amy, Bubba and, of course, William. Six kids in a car that do not get a long at the best of times......lets just say it was doomed from the start and by the time I got to Rocky (just a little over an hour from here), I wanted to turn around and head home!! Thank goodness I persevered and we made it all up in one piece....just!! I mean, there wasnt just the fighting kids for me to contend with (by myself), there was rain and trucks that spat up heaps of water so I couldnt see in front of them to see if I could overtake AND the numerous stops just so that ONE kid could go to the toilet at a bloody time!! I think THAT is what pissed me off the most!
The firs piece of sunshine I had seen ALL day!! I was driving when I took this - can ya tell? hehe


I met Pete in Mackay and he led for the rest of the trip (another 2 hours from Mackay). We got to the van park just after 5pm and immediately started setting up camp.......picture it being nearly dark and the skies threatening to dump a load on us any time soon and swearing adults and kids running frantically to avoid the wrath of their parents and you will get the picture! All good, though - we got basic camp set up with the aid of the car headlights and decided to set up the rest of the camp the next day.....THEN the skies decided to dump its load on us!

Tuesday was not much better - very overcast and spitting all day...not very much fun for the kids....or me, for that matter!! Because Pete decided to do ALL his work that day so that he could have a couple of days off and have a little holiday! Picture (again) bored kids, looking for something to do and by lunch time bored out of their tiny minds, babies trying to sleep and Mum trying not to pull her hair out, because there have just been WAY too many fights for her liking!! They soon got the hint that Mummy had had enough and went and played footy - with J-Man's shoe of all things!! LMAO!! Then it was 'Brandy' with the shoe and, somehow, they roped me into the game!! Thanks goodness people decided they had had enough of the sad weather and went home on Monday, otherwise we wouldnt have had that space to play in!

Wednesday was an excellent day!! We had brekky (like you do first up in the morning) and then headed into Airlie itself and drove around the new estate with $1mill views and looked at (and drooled over) some of the houses there! Pete did a site investigation on one of the blocks. Since it was cleared and there was brilliant views, I asked him to stop so I could take some photos. Here they are!

To the left of the block:


From the middle of the block:


To the right of the block:

I actually went a little shutter happy that day. hehe. After we went for the little 'Tiki tour' we headed on down to a park, where the kids played for just over an hour. I got plenty of shots of them playing, but when I wanted them all to come together, do ya think I could get ONE where they were looking at the camera - altogether - and SMILING??? Just minutes before this one was taken, they were all jumping to get in shots!! Anyway, this is the best I could do at the time!



On a crafty note: I got started on two crochet projects while I was up there! I actually finished one part of one - I have signed up to be a part of the latest SWAP over at Crafty Mamas - a pincushion swap! I just have to find out who my partner will be and then I will decide on what colour the rest of it will be! The second project was a boys beanie (finally). I decided to take up just small projects, since sitting down and working out what I was up to and where I had to go from there just didnt appeal to me at all! My big project (my shirt) I left at home hoping that the finishing fairies would finish it for me, but they must not have found the time to visit my place, coz it was the same as I left it! Looks like I will just have to get in and do it myself now, hey? ;(

Been a while!!

But I havent been idle!! As you can guess, I have been kept relatively busy with my hoard, but it hasnt been just the everyday things that have kept me from blogging!

First off, there is my sciatica, which prevents me from sitting down for long periods of time at the computer, in front of the TV or just anywhere in particular! I have not been able to sew (sorry Tracy no update on that quilt just yet!) or do much at all except read a good book or two, because crocheting with my hands in the air while I am lying on my back tends to make the blood rush from my hands and make my arms ache just a little.

Yes, I have picked up my hooks, again. Winter tends to have that affect on me. This time making a very easy beanie pattern I found in the May, 08 issue of "Get Creative" magazine. I have made about 5 so far and plan on making some more. No real need for the kids to wear beanies in Central Queensland, but they are a good fashion accessory, anyway! Here is Mickey posing for me:



I have also made up a poncho from a pattern from the same magazine for one of Weez's friends who had a birthday party last weekend. It turned out ok.....except the beanie was a little too small for her head! No matter - I took it home and added some more rows to it and it turned out fine. Here is Weez modeling it for me:



Mickey fell sick on Thursday night. A lovely vomiting bug that he has decided to share with his brothers! Nothing like sharing and I am glad they are learning that, but they have to learn that some things are just NOT good to share, hey? Bubba fell sick this morning and I dont think little Will is altogether good, either. He has slept most of today! But he has managed to keep his bottles down, so that is good.....just grumpy as anything when awake and refusing to play the game of "nice little baby don't scream in Mummy's ear". But.....we will persevere. Besides - what doesnt kill them only makes them stronger, hey?

I cant believe that tomorrow will mark 12 weeks since I gave birth to him!! I am trying not to blink, but the time is just flying by and he is getting bigger and bigger every day! He was smiling at 4 weeks, but it took Aunty JuJu to come over and get him to smile for long enough for me to take a bloody photo! Here it is:



Took me 4 weeks to get that darn photo, but its worth it hey?

In other news - my car conked out the other week! All I wanted was another week so that Pete could get my bus in order and I could run that one around! But, since it decided to play a game of its own, I have been stuck without a car for the last couple of weeks. Just lucky that Dad is on long service leave, coz I have had to call on him a couple of times to do the school run on some rainy mornings!! Other mornings have involved the kids walking to school or juggling cars (all utes) and doing several trips.

Favourite photo of this week is:



Say "Smile!" around this house at the moment and this is the response ya get from the boys!!

Sewing again!!

I have decided to lift my ban on all things crafty a little, since I have mostly caught up on my studies!!

So what am I going to make? My first EVER quilt!! It will be for Will when he finally gets big enough to lay on the floor and have a little play.

I bought some little precut fabric squares from an op shop a little while ago. They are 3" x 3", so just perfect for what I want them for! They are all different sorts of fabric - thick, thin, cotton, polyester, even denim - but that will add to the charm, I am hoping! The backing and border will be some cord or a heavy material from my stash....since it will get a lot of use.

I took out the pieces last night, sorted through them and took out the boy colours. Then I put them into groups of 4 to make up larger squares to put together.

If things go well, I will be making 2! One for the floor and one for the cupboard! Will keep you all updated here!

Been sick!!!

I HATE being sick!! And the last few days have just reaffirmed my position on that stand. I PLANNED to get a whole heap of study done, but that flew out the window Sunday afternoon, when it was really apparent that I was sick with something and not just suffering from a hangover (which I would be blowed to put a cause to, since I havent touched a drop of alcohol in nearly 4 weeks!!).

Sunday I got out of bed at my usual time, but was back in bed feeding Will at about 7. I woke around 9 feeling a lot better, but not totally. I pushed through til lunch, but went to bed as soon as the younger ones went, themselves.....not to resurface at ALL!! My throat was KILLING me and I couldnt swallow properly; my head was aching like it was about to explode; and my whole body was aching, so I just wanted to lie there, sleep through it all....tempting death from starvation, if it came to it! Come midnight, though, I was up and taking some pain killers...finally!

Monday was a public holiday, so there were no chemists open or doctors and that meant relying on what we had at hand here or what we could get from the local corner store. It was a terrible day, which involved me sleeping lots and the kids and Pete screaming at each other - mainly because, I think, he cant handle ALL (yes, we had J-Man and Corky last weekend) by himself!! Oh! We also had Pete's nephew (a troubled 15 year old), so there was someone else to add to the mix! They all survived....all in one piece by the end of the day, so that was good!

Tuesday, shops, doctors and schools were open, so off we went for the morning drop off run and I headed to the doctors! Turned out I had TONSILLITIS!! I spose I still have it, but she gave me some really good antibiotics that have kicked the sucker in the ass and showed it on its merry way! Just cant drink with them, though....had myself a small Bundy Rum the other night (as sort of a celebration drink) and felt the effects only 1/2 way through it! Next time I will put on my thinking cap and have a caffeinated coffee or something!

Yesterday was a great day! I got most of the study done that I wanted to get done on the weekend, surfed the internet a little for some things and just generally spent time to myself! It is great to do that, when you arent sick! I had the boys at home today, but tomorrow I will be in town, spending some money at the new Lincraft store!! Well, for some of the day, anyway!!

Photo of the day!!

This was taken with my phone camera, so the quality isnt too great, but it looks fantastic as my wallpaper on my phone!! Gives me a little chuckle every time I look at it! Mickey is such a little dork!

The last week in words....

First and foremost, I would like to say that computers are complete pains in the arse!! I have had nothing but trouble from mine over the last week or so! Of course, it is never my fault and all Pete's!! LOL.

With that out of the way, I can get onto the week we had!

Weez had the fortune to take part in her Aunties wedding on Saturday. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her little flowergirl dress! It was all a little overwhelming for her, though and she dawdled a little down the 'aisle', but she did her job well and made her family proud.



The wedding was held at the local park by the seaside. It was in a lovely little grove of trees and there werent too many gawkers that were a problem....thank goodness!! Where the ceremony was, is right near a playground and kids are usually running through there. There were a heap of kids there before the ceremony, but the parents pulled them away when Ange arrived....good on them!

The rest of our week was pretty quiet! The older two decided they wanted to sign up for Junior Touch, so I signed them up last week. Their first game was on Wednesday, but I didnt get to watch it, as I ran around and picked up kids from daycare and did a few other things after dropping them off. They are in the same team so that will make things easy for us! No training days, either, I dont think...so really easy! Just gonna be a little cold when winter sets its claws in, but we will cope!

Pete was home all week! He went away for a day on Tuesday to Thangool for a job, but that was it! I was quite surprised.

Not much happening on the crafting front! Although, I have been going over to Crafty Mamas and checking things out there. Pete and I took a trip into town on Monday and checked out the new Lincraft shop and went to an op shop. We found Corky a sewing machine in at the op shop for just $30! It looks relatively new, too, so we are going to check it out this weekend and see how she goes. So....each of us has a machine! There will be no fighting or bitching and whinging about having to wait to use one!

Favourite photo of the week:

Bubba truly loves his little brother!!

Hey!! I have caught up!!

I didnt even realise it! I have caught up with all my posts I have been meaning to do!! LMAO!!

So what has been happening over the last couple of days, besides me catching up on things here? Well, not much really! Ever heard of "Facebook"? I hadnt heard of it before we went up to Mackay and my Aunty was spoofin that she had an account! I made myself an account on Friday and I am officially hooked!! It is such a great way to keep in touch with family and friends. I have found old school friends on there that I havent seen since, well....since we left school, really! Next year will mark 15 years since we were in High School and I am truly hoping that we can organise a get together of some sort! Would be great to actually catch up in RL with everyone.

Little Will started smiling on Monday! Well.....not actually smiling, smiling, but he is starting to turn up the corners of his mouth a little and his face is starting to get that excited look to it - that little extra sparkle in his eyes and everything. I cant believe that it has been 4 weeks already!! Pete cant, either. He has been away for most of his life, to date, but I dont think he is missing out on much - Will is just a little eating, pooing, sleeping machine, at the moment. Therefore I dont think he is missing him as much as the other boys. he can interact with them a little more. He is also showing a little more annoyance when Will cries. He says it is because I am the one feeding him and he cant, at the moment, so the crying and waking up at nights is getting to him. And, yes, the breast feeding is going well. I am just sooo happy (and hungry nearly all the time)! Fingers crossed that it will continue!

I got my results from my Language assessment today - a D....for Distinction!! I cant believe it!! completely blew THAT one in!! I know they arent going to get any easier, so I had better get my finger out and get on top of things, hey? The other two assessment pieces I passed on, too....so happy days!!

20/04/08

(Nearly caught up!!)

This week was a little slower, but still hectic! With the kids back at school, I thought that I would have a great chance at getting more and more study done - not to be!! This week was supposed to be our mid term break, anyhow, so I shouldnt be too worried, hey? PAH!! It seemed that every time I sat down to do a little bit of study, Pete wanted me to do something (and, as usual, he is away on a job out West in Whoop-Whoop, so I cant tell him to do it his bloody self!) - usually resizing photos of jobs that he has done and sending them off by e-mail!

It's not the resizing that is bothering me - I have sat down with the technologically deficient bloke and he just wont take in how to set his camera to the proper settings! It is not, after all, his fault that the batteries fall out all the bloody time and the camera needs to be reset after this happens! It is the amount of photos! It takes up a whole chunk of time to resize nearly 100 photos! THEN to e-mail them off, they have to go one at a time, because everything goes haywire if I try to do more than one!! So, there is more time taken up! Soooo frustrating!!

Anyway......the kids are back at school and Weez couldnt be happier!! She was really lost last week! She kept asking if she was going back to school and I kept reassuring her that she would this week, but she just didnt believe me til Tuesday morning (Monday was a student free day). The look on her face that morning when she was told to get dressed in her uniform was just priceless! She also ate her brekky in record time!

Saturday, my cousin got married and we went to her wedding. It was a lovely church wedding, although I have now worked out that Pete cant watch his darn mouth - no matter WHERE he is! He has the foulest mouth at the best of times and he was in fine form before the ceremony! It was actually embarrassing to be with him!

The whole thing must have cost a fortune, though! Not surprising to me - my Aunty is good at organising big shebangs. The reception included a delicious 2 course meal, for 17 tables (not including the bridal table), with a max 10 people at each table = expensive for a starters!! Not to mention the wine bottle toppers us ladies got (stainless steel numbers with a rubber stopper) and the 50ml bottle of port for the men! There were 5 Bridesmaids and Groomsmen and their gifts were chrystal wine glasses and beer mugs - expensive little suckers, those!!

Little Will was just the perfect guest all night - he slept in his basket! He was also the warmest in the room, due to my putting a blanket over the top of the basket to prevent the cold air con from going in there! I opened it up, once and, I tell ya, he was lucky there wasnt enough room for me in there!! All I had on was a spaghetti strap top and a skirt (undies and bra as well, FYI) and it was warmer outside than it was inside!!

Hmm....just reading this all back and it seems that I was a little pissed with Pete last week! LOL He has been just the cranky little MF lately! I think all this going away is getting to him! I know that it is getting to me.

13/04/08

What a week!! monday and Tuesday were pretty cruisey - things went pretty much according to plan. Wednesday was a shocker! I thought that, since Tash is here, I would get her to look after the kids while I go and drop Corky and J-Man home and get my hair cut. As soon as I dropped off the little ones at daycare, the proverbial hit the fan!!

I had a visit from a police man to ask some questions about that Landy that Pete bought that ended up stolen (finally!! It's been, like, 2 friggin months!). My good mate dropped in while he was here, but I didnt get to spend much time with her, because Mr Policeman stayed a long time, himself! Well, at least she got the best of my hospitality - a cup of coffee that I accidently made wrong - 2 sugars, instead of one, white instead of black........had a lot going on and was making about 7 cups of tea AND coffee, holding conversation, sorting out Moo's problem and keeping an eye on the bloody time! Not good for concentrating!!

I only JUST got all 3 assessment pieces in on time!! I got my Maths and Computing pieces over and done with quickly - they were pretty easy. My Language piece was a different matter! I honestly thought I had another week to complete it, but found out on Wednesday that it was actually due on Friday!! Lots of swear words and lots of polishing and lots of hours later, though, it was complete and I printed it off and sent it Friday.....just have to wait for the results, now - that could take anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks after we come back from mid-term break!

This weekend saw us up in Mackay for my Aunty's 50th, though - perfect after the week that I have just had!! I shared the cost of hiring a car with Cam and Jules and we headed off on Saturday morning. It was a pretty breezey ride up, though long!! I really should have taken more food with us!! I spent a fortune on food and drinks at roadhouses!! We only had Lenny, Moo, Bubba, Mickey and Will with us!

Pete was waiting at the Motel when we got up there (not one that would go into my own little travel book, mind you - it was quite a terrible place - but the only thing that I could find last weekend!). He travelled from Airlee down and WAS to head out to Longreach Sunday, but cancelled that, because they DID work his butt off!

It was a lovely night and my Aunty got a lovely surprise. She knew that there was going to be a few people there, but didnt quite know how many or who - certainly not me and my little tribe of kids! Brekky the next morning at their place was just lovely, too.....expect nothing less from Uncle Kel! He is a brilliant cook at the barbie and his brekkies are just THE best after a night out!

Our trip back was a little bad. Mickey decided to play up a little between Mackay and Sarina! Quite put poor ole Cam and Jules off having kids, unfortunately!! Seems we have that sort of affect on people, I am afraid! LMAO! Oh well......ya get that!! Pete took Bubba in the car from Yaamba, thinking that he would be good company for him - HA!! He slept all the way home!! hE Should have taken Mickey - he was talking and being really loud from there til about 1/2 way between Rocky and home!! Thank goodness he had a sleep, though...he would have been really ratty that night, if he didnt!

07/04/08

Change of plans!! Seems Pete will be away for the whole week up in Airlee Beach!! The lucky bugger will be staying at Club Croc......just wont get time to enjoy it, I reckon - they will have him working off his feet, the poor bugger!

Tash arrived today and gave the kids a big surprise! So glad she is here! Tea time tonight was a little hectic. I picked up the little ones a little late, due to her arrival and they were a little ratty come that time. Big oopsies!

My Aunt and Uncle have decided to stay across the road until they go home....good and bad! We also have some boarders living there, at the moment, because they needed a place to stay! 7 people in one 3 bedroom house that dont normally live together, is just a little wierd for me!!

A full week planned ahead! Beach tomorrow, Skate park Thursday and whatever else we can fit in, in between! Tash is going home on Friday, so she wants to do as much as possible with the kids before she leaves!

Sciatica is still here! I am unable to sit down for long periods (as I have said before), which means that I am unable to sit down and do any of my STEPS stuff! AND I have 3 (yes - 3) assessment items due on Friday! Why, oh why, am I not on holidays, like the kids? I spose I will have to get used to that, hey?