Parenting 101

Today is weekly planning of groceries day. So while I do this...

Boy does this..

Is it bad to use the television as a babysitter sometimes? I don't know.. All I know is- it works!!

P.S: I found this great website to help me figure out how long fruit/ veg everything lasts.. And how to store them so they last longer. Very useful in grocery planning

Did you know you can freeze herbs? Gah! How did I not know this, all the half bunches I've wasted.

Sometimes I need a kit-kat

Today I woke up with the worst headache of the century and a sore throat to boot, luckily, today is Monday and that means Boy goes off to day care to " pway" with his friends. 

It always happens around the change of seasons. I am drinking lots of tea and resting my sore little head today.

Also- luckily, I seem to be majorly sick on Mondays lately and then fine the rest of the week ( or manageable at least) so Boy doesn't get too neglected.

I am feeling like some curry tonight to help burn the bugs away... If anyone wants to drop some of this by?

C'mon, you know you want to ... Also, could you throw in a family home evening lesson too?

Great! My place or yours?

Bad luck, Poor luck

Seems as if my luck hasn't been going the greatest lately. A multitude of things have gone wrong. But!! I'll ask you to prove me wrong if you think I'm going to let that stop me. So!

Although I have now lost my phone ( yes, that's right) it also means I can't dump all my pictures on you from the week. ( do I hear cheering from some?)
Well don't cheer too loudly because I've got more than one modern device to take pictures of happenings for me!
So (joy) there WILL be another boring photo post this week!
The show must go on..

I am SO addicted to crust right now. Gah!

I am in love with a short barely bald man.

Pinterest...you betwixt me.

-----------------------------------------------

Here is the phone scenario. I promise I will learn from my mistakes.

Today we took Cocoa dog to Breamlea Beach in.. Let's say less than ideal weather, but we bundled ourselves up in layers of jackets and boots and persevered.

We arrived and rolled ourselves out of the car, at which point I put the keys in my jacket pocket, the dog leash in the other (they're very small pockets) and my phone in the back pocket of my jeans. ( just in case we got accosted)

We got down to the beach and walked about 10 meters down before the wind nearly blew us off our feet and I decided to head towards the safety of a large dune to sit.

On the way over to our semi ( not really) sheltered sitting spot - ( at which point I moved my phone from my back pocket to my jacket pocket) Boy got blown off his feet and I went back to pick him up and carried him over to said seated spot.

We sat down and Boy pointed at the ball which he had dropped where he had fallen ( the one we usually throw to Cocoa to keep her motivated)

A big wave came into shore and I could see it would pick the ball up and fling it into the depths of the sea if I didn't scuttle down fast and then we wouldn't be able to get Cocoa to play catch and be exercised -- because when we sit she usually just sits with us..

So I jumped to my feet and ran to the ball and quick smart barry'd out cause it was cold and I didn't want it to wet my shoes.

Returning to said seated semi unsheltered spot and throwing the ball happily to Cocoa whilst huddling with Boy. The tide was coming in and I was running out of places to throw the ball ( if you throw it into the sea she swims out to it but drops it almost always on the way back in)

I went to take a photo with my phone and it wasn't in my pocket so I searched all my pockets and my memory and I couldn't find it. So I stood up and looked around a bit. Then remembered how I had barry'd down the beach a bit earlier and got the familiar sinking feeling..

We looked and looked and I convinced myself I'd left it in the car and we headed back to look there but alas no phone. Another look on the beach, another look in the car and I decided to race down the road to a pay phone and call it to see if my suspicions were correct.

It was fully charged when we left for the beach so I knew if it rang there was hope and I should keep looking. It went straight to message bank. Nevertheless I went back to the beach but by that time the tide was so far in it was up to where our butt prints were in the sand and I knew I'd lost it to the depths of the ocean.

What I learnt:
I knew it was too cold to walk the dog today!

The small house project

I wanted to put this on the blog so that we are held accountable and in 10 years if we haven't reached this goal and I am looking back and thinking "gee that was a good goal, we should get onto that" I will redirect myself.

I have this idea of my life. An idea of something simplified, yet something that is filled with generosity and versatility and sustainability and all encapsulated in a calm shell.

My thoughts are that the home you live in. The house you come home to everyday.. it is a reflection of who you are, where you are in your life. As a family, in general, what your deal is.

I think I have realised over the last fours years that a home, the way it is: how big, how small, where the rooms are. Can either encourage family unity, encourage sharing and loving each other. Or it can encourage the opposite. Separation, disintegration.

Thats not to say it is ALL about your home. It definitely depends on the people in it and the lifestyle they choose. But my view is that a home is there to encourage rather than discourage these feelings.

This is when the small house project was born.

Hunna & I have been talking and mulling through the things a home needs to function and to perform the task we think it is suppose to, and the things that just add confusion.

We want something do-able, something sustainable, something that says "us". We live here and we love it.

Here are a few ideas I have found that I want to integrate into our "us" home.

The #1st  is books

I have always wanted a library, like the ones you find in huge sprawling houses. A room filled from floor to ceiling of books to devour, discover and enjoy.

Books are the gateway to new destinations, where knowledge of all sorts can be stolen.

But considering we don't need an entire room full of books, I have settled for a wall instead.  A wall of books is what I think we shall have.

In our "us" home.

(more to come)

ask Mummy Gibson

So the other day Collette & Hayden came to visit. Then on Saturday Mum and Lisa came too. We spent the day at the temple all together and Hunna too. We love it when Mum comes to visit. Hunna especially. He has a soft spot for Mum and (now it seems) Aunty Sandra too.

What a perfect lead into..

Ask Mummy Gibson 

{see Mum's last post here}

Mummy at TOFW last year

You said there are seven children in your family. Can you tell me a bit about each of your siblings?

Pam is the eldest in my family she was 7 when I was born.  She was always the good one and could do no wrong.  I guess she had to be Mum's helper as there were 4 babies in 4 years and then me 3 years later.  She went off to boarding school in grade 7 so I would have been only about 5-6 so I don't have a lot of memories of her after that.  I do remember Mum had the sleepout full of gifts - crockery, cutlery, glassware - everything you can imagine for when Pam got married.  It was like Alladin's cave. 

Pam went on to work in a Bank and after she married and they moved to Melbourne she worked in an office for many years.  

Kerry was next, the first son, but he was a naunter and was always in trouble.  I remember him being put off the school bus to walk home - a long way.  He often got the cane at school and used to run away from home as a teenager.  I remember the anxt of everybody looking for him.

Kerry worked for the Hydro and drove heavy machinery and has continued to do that all his life.

Sandra was next she was a goody at school and got along very well with all the teachers.  I remember when she went nursing and we took her to Latrobe to stay it was really funny not having her at home.

Sandra did 12 months of nursing and then went on to office work.  Later she went back and did her nursing degree.

Sue was next after Sandra - she modelled her life very much on Kerry - she looked up to him and liked being like him I think. At 15 she went to Melbourne to a hairdressing academy which was either a 2 or 3 year course (can't remember)-  What I remember most about Sue was that she had Mum's Myer card and the big stink at home everytime Mum got a bill.  It was taken off her in the end.

Sue became a hairdresser and Mum and Dad set her up in her own Salon in Sheffield for a few years.

When I was 13 I went to boarding school, I think it was the same year Sue went to Melbourne and Sandra started nursing so Mum only had the twins at home then and they would have been only 7 - so from then on really they were the only children. 

There was never any question of Zoe and Tim going to boarding school.  They are the youngest - 5 years younger than me.  Life growing up with them was a little difficult as there were 2 of them and they were quite spoiled - being the babies.  I was always short and fair and Tim was too so I was always considered to be his twin - Zoe on the other hand was taller and dark.  She was born first and I remember coming home in the car from the hospital and Pam was allowed to nurse one of them.  I also remember not being allowed to nurse them or go near them!!  

Zoe did her Education degree after she was married.

Tim worked in Offices, banks etc.

Tell me a little about each of my own siblings.

Of my 4 children I only ever had 2 due dates - Lisa and Jessica were both due on 31st October with Simone and Collette both due on 31st January.  

Lisa was born 11th {update.. 12th} November - she was an extremely difficult birth with 12 hours in final stages and long forceps.  She was not breathing when she was born and Dr. Thomson cried once he got her going.  I was in a ward of 6 and Lisa was in the Nursery night and day - it was very difficult both to learn how to feed her and to bond with her.  I was always in hospital for 10 days and had to be induced every time.  Lisa was a talker from birth - flat out non stop chattering and often in a loud voice. She was excellent company and I did enjoy having her on my own for 3 and a bit years.  

She was very excited when Simone was born and let the whole hospital know in a loud voice that she had a baby sister.
I was worried when I was pregnant with Simone as to how I would be able to love another child so much. I needn't have worried -  Simone was born on 14th February and was so good from the start.  She ate and slept all the time - I used to go in a poke her to make sure she was still breathing.  She only took 36 minutes to be born from being induced(in those days an injection).  She was much quieter than Lisa.


Collette was 9 years later of course and was born on 5th January.  By then I was suffering with blood pressure and whilst pregnant with Collette used to have funny turns - hence an early delivery.  Lisa was 8 lbs. 2 ozs. Simone was 7 lbs. 13 ozs. Collette was 9 lbs. 3 ozs. And you were 9 lbs. 6 ozs.

Collette took 3 1/2 hrs. to be born.  She was also very quiet and just ate and slept.  My babies always slept through the night often 12 hours.  6 years later you came along and took 4 hours to be born.  You were a bit feistier than Collette so it was a bit of a shock.  You still slept all night though.


Thanks again for an insightful post Mummy. x

What have you learnt from your parents and grandparents today?

From loke to love

It is 4am and Hunna has left for work all ready. He does so much for us- not to mention working crazy hours, changing the worst poopie nappies for me and giving me the best shoulder massages a woman couldn't buy.

I love him fiercely.

This reminds me of a song..

"Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me"

and is the perfect line to lead me into..

The language of loke

From loke to love

Start at the VERY Very beginning here
(read from like to loke #5 here)

It has been a glorious week of traveling the east coast of Tasmania. 

It has been a glorious week of Kyle, no middle name, Andrews.

He isn't perfect. But he is kind, he is generous and he makes me happy. Uncontrollably, utterly and completely happy.

He is my forever. He has been my forever since the moment he kissed my wrist and I am falling in love.

He stares into my eyes and I melt into his. I feel all sparkly and glittery like I am something to be admired and in-turn I admire him back.

He leaves me, with kisses of loke, a week after he came and I return to school and life.. 

Without him I am filled with confusion and longing. I had felt so happy being busy. Working three jobs, I thought summer school was what I wanted. Where I wanted to go, but all I can think about is him. Family. Our future. Our family.

I need him to want me, I need him to need me. I need to know for sure that he feels the same way because I am setting myself up to be heart broken if it doesn't work out.

I am scared he wont want to sit under the apple tree with me forever.

I am more than scared, I am petrified. I think I love him.

A week later I fly up to meet him in Geelong.

I get off the plane having just completed a night shift at work the night before and a full on week of summer school before that - but I am buzzing.

We hadn't planned to see each other until after summer school was finished but I couldn't stay away, even better - he didn't want me to stay away.

As I come down the escalators my eyes flit around searching for him like a child looking into a candy store window. Overwhelmed by all the choices until I spot him waiting by the bottom. I look into his eyes as he smiles up at me and all my confusion melts away. This is right, this is real. I am moving from loke to love and I feel fine. He is my candy man Kyle. My sweet centered addiction.

It is the end of January. 

February is filled with hectic timetables from work and school and visits from and to Kyle.

I show him my home and he shows me his.

One day, close to the end of February, I wake up and get down on my knees and pray to Heavenly Father. I pray to him. Not to ask if Kyle is the right man for me, because I have known since the moment we met. I get down and pray that Kyle will know that I am his forever.

I keep telling the man of forever, my man of forever-- that I loke him. 

That is all well and good... except I don't just loke him. Its not more than like anymore. Its love. Warm, fuzzy, head over heels, weak at the knees love.

I am in love. But how do I tell him ?

read part two here

hey, you! yes, you!

I just whizzed myself a fatastic (fat, yes because it will make you fat) banana smoothie. yumm..

So with one hand holding my smoothie, {did I mention it has got REAL banana in it} and the other typing all on its own - I present to you.

THURSDAY'S BORED DAY..

I shall now bore you with NOT typing in courier (sigh.. I will leave you hanging on tenterhooks for a while longer)

The week that was ... and a very busy one at that.

Donna Hay salted caramel
 cheesecake with caramel sauce

questionable?

So addicted to sweet potato and cashew dip.
 must remember percentages to make exact replica
 in the "mix"

Slides at the park are slidey

Learnt how to use scissors properly

AH.. I love this kid.

Costco with the Bestie.

Hopefully I will be back to blogging regularly again next week when I have a "slower" week.. or tomorrow. Yes, I might finish some more courier moments for tomorrow.. get excited! {no not you Collette we know you can't handle BDA's (blogging displays of affection)}

Loke to Love {sneak peak}

I am still here plodding away.

Here is a sneak peak of a post I am writing up..  get excited!

*SNEAK PEAK*

From loke to love

I don't know how I got to this point. But I keep telling the man of forever, my man of forever-- that I loke him. 

That is all well and good... except I don't just loke him. Its not more than like anymore. Its love. Warm, fuzzy, head over heels, weak at the knees love.

I am in love. But how do I tell him ?

Never before seen..

It is cold, when it is cold we need gloves.

And blankets too.. because the "truck" takes 30 minutes to warm up.

Also, I am loving these pictures of Boy at Bunnings.

 Collecting more things for Aunty Sandra's planter boxes.

We have been super busy in our house this week. For some reason there haven't been enough hours in our days.. perhaps they could add a few more in?? 30 hour days would mean I could get some decent sleep!

From like to loke #5

The language of Loke

from like to loke part five

read part one, two, three and four.

It is a gloriously sunny day. Convention has come to an end. Collette, Dale & I have organised to stay with our good friends the Watts who live in Adelaide. We love to visit them. This means we will be in Adelaide a few days longer.


We have packed our bags and are ready to leave. People mull around taking room keys back and saying goodbyes.


Up until this point Kyle and I have been pretty casual in our discussions about the future.


I try to push the thought down but the odds seem to keep stacking up against me.


When I return to Tasmania on Friday, not only will I have a wedding to attend on Saturday. I will also have summer school start a week from Monday.


I will go back to three casual jobs. Full time school and life in general. I am busy. I thrive on busy.


A guy from Geelong and a girl from Launceston who meet each other in Adelaide, is it destiny or is is destined to fail?


I can't quite tell, I can't quite grasp the gravity of the situation because I am having an enormous amount of trouble thinking straight.  


My head starts to clear and I start to think about how it will all work out in the future and then he comes into view and my brain melts into mush. I am so giddy sometimes I don't know if I am up or down. 

I am standing with the bags in the court yard, waiting to leave, thinking about how it is all going to work out and feeling like a rope so tightly wound I may just snap; when he comes up from behind and grabs me around the shoulders.

My heart starts leaping in my chest. It is beating so violently it actually hurts and then he says he would like to stay with us at the Watts place until the end of the week.

All I can think about is how warm he is and how delicious he smells today... and I can't stop grinning like a cheshire cat.

I am over the moon...no, I am over pluto.

I nod, because its about the only thing I can force myself to do...that and not to drool.

I will have him to myself for a few more days.

______________________________________________

"How was the wedding?"

"It was great. They had the reception in a barn, I'll upload some pictures to facebook for you to see"

"Ok, I'll check them out...You know how I said I should visit on Monday?"

"Yeah"

"Well, if its ok with you I want to come down"

"Really? It'll have only been two days."

"Well, you go back to school the week after"

"Hmm. ok - thats a great idea.- what should I tell my Mum?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well what am I suppose to tell her? I am having a friend visit on Monday."

"Well, you could tell her your boyfriend is coming to visit"

"Are you my boyfriend?"

"Well, we've been doing boyfriend and girlfriend stuff."

"Yes, but you haven't asked."

"Oh, I didn't think I had to."

"....."

"Jess?"

"mmm"

"Will you wear my pin?"

"O.K"

"Good. Now you can tell her your boyfriend is coming to visit"

__________________________________________________

On Monday I pick Kyle up from the airport. I am feeling over pluto once again .. like the leg I had been missing for two days is back and I can walk again. 

That night we gaze at the stars on a hill down by the river.

"I more than like you Jessica Gibson."

"I more than like you too Kyle, no middle name, Andrews."

I snuggle deeper into his warm side.

What do you get when you like someone more than like but you think you haven't quite made it to love..or you're just too scared to admit love first?

Why loke of course. More than like, almost love. From like to loke then on to love.

This is the end of the story of how Hunna and I fell gloriously in loke. The great thing about this story is that from like to loke is just the first chapter of our forever. I may just write the next: 'from loke to love'.

read from loke to love here

Hunna's Phone Blog

So Hunna finally uploaded some photo's from his phone so I've put them together in a photo blog so that you can all see the everydayness of our life. Exciting right! haha

Partying it up: trying to put hats on Boy's head is
 like trying to get a cat to bathe... near impossible!

Auldyin and Boy (along with their belly's)
enjoy sport on a Saturday night

Boy and the bath = love

Keeping warm and comfortable doesn't
necessarily mean fashionable.

Cold. Freezing. Fun.

Sam & Bri & B & me

What happens when half of your
150 pairs of shoes are in storage.

Send Hunna to supermarket-
receive text that says "these ok?"

A late night ride home after being at Aunty Sandra's

Send Hunna to supermarket -
receive text saying "these ok?"

2 of 150

Boy learns how to take pictures on iphone
1 of 150

3 of 150

Do you think it's because he felt bad
 considering Annie could keep her
American accent up the whole time and
he is definitely 6 times her age and couldn't?

Receive (read between the lines) email from
one of Hunna's bosses means I am
severely guilted into pulling my socks up
with making his lunches.

Boys

Due to the the new health regulations no food is to be brought to work from home as we have had 

a bad case food poisoning and do  'NOT'  want this to happen again 

Any questions please call

(I am thinking, since when do they share lunches to get on mass food poisoning - but apparently most of his colleagues buy lunch everyday and I'd run out of food so he took practically ALL fruit last Thursday... this warranted a "state my case" scenario where he got his boss to try and trick me into letting him purchase lunch.. everyday.. I don't think so!)