Autumn Love

Here are a few things I am loving at the moment...

A few little finds in life that are worth sharing

1. This present...

Organic Chai Tea- Make your own

2. Mmmmm home made goodness

3. Wet adventures at local wonderlands

 4. Our new George Foreman steamer thanks to my brother- AWESOMENESS! Tonight was rice, steamed veges and a yummy home made satay sauce- best tea in ages!

5. http://www.pandora.com- Internet radio station. Check it out- it's all we listen to now! 

Loving healthy food (except chocolate obviously atm!), having my family together again in between hubby's bike training, cuddles from the cat now that our dog isn't around anymore, friends and family, fun and laughter.... 

A new card game that I will fill you in on soon!!!

There is lots to be thankful for! 

Orange monsters

So this is how the hour or so panned out yesterday, I'll set the background
 (so you don't think Master Four is a COMPLETE monster....)

I always hesitate writing about these moments as I would sound a lot more in control if you plainly just never found out. But parenting is already behind such closed doors already and all of us act like we have it all under control  when sometimes... just sometimes... we actually don't, and are all in the same boat.
This is new to all of us.

So I figure why hide the most terrible moments away?

Once you can laugh about them of course...

We need to share, to feel a "phew I'm not the only one!" So I continue...

We had come out of a time when daddy had been away all the time, and recently absent four days straight for a bike race. For my son especially, this takes it's toll big time and we always expect a bit of colourful behaviour at the end of it. As you know our little family dog has just died and what a shake up this has been. It seemed Master four had come out fine from the experience, not quite understanding what happened but they all react in different ways and this was his. We had also just got back from a flying visit up North to support the race, mummy was sick, tired, busy and running low on patience.

So it all came crashing down after school yesterday...

I could feel it brewing, from lying on the floor of the chemist waiting for the script to clear his dots to tears in the car, to the absent look of tiredness and loss of hearing.

Once home it was time to put on the cream, so after a long bath which was a mission in itself to convince it was needed... it was time.

With this kid, opposite to the other he hates anything different in routine, wet, yukky feeling or dirty. We are getting somewhere with this but some days this strong mindedness can get the better of you!
So mum wasn't in the mood. I wanted it done, I wanted dinner on and I wanted to go to bed.

Once the cream was going on it was shock horror time. Of course being Betadine cream it was bright orange and he was not impressed at this. So this naked little body started crying. Standing back and then running. Out the door went little bum, half covered in orange dots, half applied wailing around down the drive and around the yard...

Because a sprint challenge is just what mummy feels like when fighting off a cold!

So race we did as I grabbed him in a fireman's hold and took the screaming mess back inside wondering what the neighbours must be thinking and too angry to laugh but hearing a faint little giggle inside the pit of my stomach.

The only way now to approach this mess of emotion was to lock ourselves in the bathroom to prevent run aways and finish the course of cream. So this we did until I got so mad a I excused myself from the little room until he (and I) had calmed down. But upon trying to finish the task had found he had locked me out of the bathroom!

Giving to the count of three (which has never been a winning result with Master Four anyway) three came and went and it was time to turn into ARMY MUM.

We have a secret door to the garden behind the bathroom which I knew if I took all of the stuff out of the way I could come through this door and jump through the window at him. At least mummy is still cleverer... at this stage.

The look on his face was priceless! It was almost all worth it for that moment when mum came charging through the jungle and hurdled through the opened window!

Taking him firmly by the arm we marched into his room, curtains closed and goodnight.

It was 4:15 in the afternoon.

You know when you have to follow things through completely even when you don't want to/can't be bothered? This was that moment and I knew for him to know not to behave like that again it had to be a big consequence and a swift one for a strong minded little boy, I had to win these important ones.

So the door was closed, dinner was skipped and we were greeted at 5:45am to a sorry face and a much more controlled four year old boy.

He must have needed it, and so did I. Extra sleep and extra space. This mission complete.

Now for a giant breakfast.

The day I was a model...

Pin Up Makeover...

Sneak peek.

To Murphy

So this is where we part my friend, 

And you'll run on, around the bend,

Gone from sight, but not from mind,

New pleasures there you'll surely find.

I will go on, I'll find the strength,

Life measures quality, not it's length.

One long embrace before you leave,

Share one last look, before I grieve.

There are others, that much is true,

But they are they and they aren't you.

And I, fair, impartial, or so I thought,

Will remember well all you've taught.

Your place I'll hold, you will be missed,

The fur I stroked, the nose I kissed,

And so as you journey to your final rest,

Take this with you

I loved you best.

Missing you so much mate x

Our treasured dog...

Ah the familiarity of the blogging world.

I am finally writing here again and it is not that I haven't been writing.. just everywhere but on my blog - for a local magazine instead.

There is something freeing about the blog world.

I got somewhat excited as I prepared to write, the beauty I think is that I had no idea what I was going to write about- but that is OK.

Do I tell you about my sick dog, my sore back and exhausted body after this long week or the lumpy custard my husband has lovingly (bless him) served me up as a treat... my new work load, my big 30 coming up or my new love of health..

It's been a while.

Well right now I am tired so I will keep it short.  The central focus of my life this week was my special pup Murphy. He was my first baby, the dog who gave us some practise before children, as they do. Suddenly he started throwing up and didn't stop. After rushed trips to the vet but no answers found he gave up on eating and finally drinking, making for a long teary night as I worried he would drift away from us as we slept.

These are the times you realise how close your animals are in your life, your unit, your family.

The tears didn't stop as I thought back on the lack of walks, the scoldings when we were stressed and the lack of time we had for him once the kids came along. As it goes.

It was a scary night as I waited until morning light to ring the vet and wait on their doorstep tears and all.

Sedation, x-rays and an empty wallet later we were no more in the know and a no happier dog, just told to wait it out and see. That word... time.

A sore guts just seemed like such a weak answer as he choked every time I feed him water through a syringe and he collapsed when he stood to try to go toilet. Completely exhausted one night, I actually slept through the night but found him saturated in a pool of urine as he hadn't had the strength to get himself up to the toilet himself.

My heart was breaking as I nursed him. Nothing else mattered and kids demands seemed more selfish that normal as the reality lay our dog was possibly dying.

But the love of animals is a powerful force and their determination to stay loyal and stick around. Tiny progress today, step by step he has sniffed at food then had a small taste. He wanted to chase a cat and tries to go toilet more. He walks down to be with us on the couch and looks at us with some life, not hunched over and giving up in his eyes.

This is Murphy:

The sweetest dog in the world... and on the mend.

There was nothing else I wanted to write about tonight... but him.

Treasure your furry family members.

Note writing...

Note writing.......

I got sent to the principals office at primary school because of it.... well love letters. 

The simple and creative gesture of a note is fading away as technology takes his place in modern society.

The postal service is at risk.

Kids, there used to be such things as pen pals! 

It's shame and in my simple little way I won't let it die out for my family and I.

Miss five has a best friend in Auckland, even though it takes a lot of encouragement to write a letter sometimes it is worth the excitement when one arrives back in the post on a sunny afternoon. 

Notes are also flying around our home at the moment and us as parents where not seeing how important these had become to Miss five until daddy heard this...

"Here is a note for you Dad."

"Oh thank you!"

"Daddy... why don't you and mum ever write back?"

Heart drop moment. 

So, here I sit... writing notes. I was in bed but my motherly conscience could not bear it. First note written back and ready to be placed on the end of a princesses bed in just a few moments....

The simple things. 

Exploring your own back yard

Lately it has dawned on us that (since the sun has finally decided to show his face) we live in such a beautiful part of the country and many find, you don't end up venturing out to your own backyards and exploring what is at your doorstep. So with that in mind, the last few days have been adventure days, new places, free entertainment and loads of fun! I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

Sometimes, you just don't need that big overseas holiday!