Long weekend done and dusted

That went quick, happy belated Australia Day to you all. 

My sister actually had the kids on Australia Day/overnight, she rang me a couple of days before to ask if she could take them up to Southbank for the celebrations and who was I to say no ;) 

I knew that they would have a ball, plus it was a much needed break for myself...her timing was perfect unbeknownst to her. I had been struggling a bit of late and not coping with my almost three year olds bad behaviour, so I was very appreciative of her offer.

It was a long day for them but they both had the best time with their aunties and uncles and cousins, my son loved the fireworks display. They were thoroughly spoilt the whole day, I still missed them though...as you do.

Timing is a bitch though, I woke up with a dodgy belly and feeling like crap. I had wanted to make the most of our child free time (minds out of the gutter thank-you). We still went to a BBQ at our friends place that we had already planned to go to, I just wasn't able to eat or drink really which was a shame. We ended up leaving early so I could come home for a sleep, I just had no energy. We had dinner reservations that we had to cancel cause I just wasn't up to it. I did manage to drag my sorry ass out of bed later though so we could go out for a bite to eat, we just came straight back home afterwards and I went straight back to bed.

It was nice to have a solid block of uninterrupted sleep though, I had forgotten what that was like. I initially woke up and looked at the clock (5.45am)...oh hell no, back to sleep. Ended up getting up around 7.30am ish but considering I'd been in bed since 9pm I think that was a good innings.

We went for a coffee and small bite to eat before going to pick up the kids, we were both keen to pick them up but it wasn't until almost 10am. They were excited to see us but I think my son wanted to stay cause he had been having such a good time. It makes me feel better knowing that they are enjoying themselves so much that they don't really think to miss us. Plus my sister said that she couldn't fault them, they were both so well behaved. Good to know that at least they behave for other people, ha.

They were both still shattered so home for a sleep for the both of them so Monday was a little wasted, I didn't mind so much though because my stomach was still off.

Back to normality today but at least it is a short week :)

Also I can't remember if I had previously mentioned but I am booked in to get all my hair chopped off this Saturday. I always say I am going to try and grow it long but I just do not have the patience to get it to the length that I want. I get bored and I don't do anything with it when it is longer anyway, it looks a bit more stylish when it is short so I am really looking forward to it.

Hope everyone else had a great long weekend (well those of us in Oz) :)

Struggle street

It's only 8.30am and I am already struggling, my daughter hasn't been well this weekend. Suffering from high temps, had the home call Dr out yesterday afternoon and there isn't anything more we can do that we aren't already doing. Obviously her body must be fighting off an infection of sorts, poor poppet. I have been up with her through the night giving her water and wiping her down with a cool cloth and giving her medicine. 

It didn't help that her brother decided to start the day at 5.15am this morning, are you kidding me?! Ugh, I am so fricken tired...it is going to be a multiple coffee day. I wish I could go back to bed but there is no chance of that happening, I will have to try my luck later today to see if I can get them to both go down for a sleep...a girl can hope. 

We went and checked out a new coffee place on the Coast on Saturday called Paddock Bakery. It was good, it was a pretty busy and happening place...it certainly has a trendy vibe. We didn't stay too long though, the coffee was great and I can highly recommend the donuts that they make...delicious. There seem to be more and more cool little places popping up on the Coast, it's about time. 

Well here's hoping my day ahead is not too painful and my daughter is on the mend, if I could be sick for her I would. Nothing worse then seeing your little ones unwell...

Have a good one. 

Terrible Twos...you mean terrible Threes, right?

So apparently it is a well known fact that it is in fact the terrible threes and apparently they magically come good at four. Although I get the feeling I might get to that and be told something different, plus it still means I have a whole year of this trying behaviour ahead of me. Serenity now...

My son isn't a bad kid, in fact he can be rather adorable at times. It is mostly just me that he puts it on for, he just does not listen and repeatedly does things he knows are naughty and has been told off for before. I just feel like I am getting more affected by it of late and finding dealing with it difficult. I am sure I have added quite a few more greys to my hair and my blood pressure must surely be elevated at times. I need to come up with a better solution because what I'm doing isn't working and I need to keep my sanity. 

Hubby suggested we get a time out mat last night, it is worth a shot...I'm just not sure how I will go having to enforce it and what will likely be me putting him back on it a million times. Has anyone had any success with some tried and tested methods? I am open to suggestions...

I did manage to get away for a couple of hours Saturday morning, I needed it. 

Here is how I spent my downtime.

Here are some more random pics of late-

This was my lovely 'happy mail' gift from my swap partner in a recent project 

run by Rin over at Papered Thoughts

It was her who inspired me to get in to penpal'ing (totally a word) in the first place and I am loving it.

Just to show how cute the little wee peg is, nawww. I sent this off recently to a penpal.

in this envelope that I made below 

We went for a swim last weekend (well hubby and the kids did, I watched from the side...not a fan of cold water). Our daughter is quite the water baby and delighted in jumping in off the side to dad. 

A pretty dusk picture

 

Burleigh Beach this past Sunday, such a gorgeous spot

Looking from the Point out towards Surfers Paradise

Daddy and Son checking out the waves

It was a super busy day, this was around 9.30-10am Sunday morning

Couldn't resist throwing this in, he fell asleep in the washing pile on Monday...so cute. 

I know it probably sounds like I'm complaining a lot of late, I think I'm just feeling a bit drained. I need to buck up and be happy...I have a hell of lot to be grateful for and I should count my blessings, I will. Take care all :)

Thank-god it's the weekend...

It has been one of 'those' weeks...you know the ones where the kids are driving you bat sh*t crazy, yeah those.

I swear to god my son is deliberately pushing my buttons and being naughty to get a reaction out of me...exhibit a - he had a biscuit and proceeded to crumble it up and spread cookie crumbs around everywhere and then came out to get me and said 'come and look at my mess mum', even though he knows that what he did was naughty. 

That is just the tip of the ice berg, I think it has been a longer week because he didn't go to kindy at all this week because of conjunctivitis and therefore I haven't had a break from him and he has just been full on. Plus my daughter is getting increasingly difficult to go down for her afternoon sleep, to the point where I end up giving up and just let her stay up till bed time. It's exhausting and she's only 13 months so surely she isn't dropping down to one day sleep already...god help me if she is.

It's been an incredibly frustrating week where I have fantasised about running away (not really) and having some peace and quiet. I imagine myself in a nice quiet cafe sipping on my latte and reading a magazine, and since this is my fantasy I may as well be eating a yummy slice of cake too.

Also you would never know it (because it didn't even rate a mention other then a 2 second conversation in the car on the morning of) but it was mine and my husband's anniversary (not wedding, just when we became an item officially) this week...we've been together now for 15 years. Before kids that would have at least been a meal out and maybe a nice card, not that I was expecting anything and nor did I do anything special (unfortunately having to pay the car rego this month has left funds low) but I still can't help but feel a little disappointed that such a decent milestone (I mean 15 years is a bloody long time) has gone by like any other day.

I also think it doesn't help that such a difficult week has coincided with that time of the month and everything seems magnified and what wouldn't normally elicit much of a response from me has me feeling like I could cry. I think I could just do with a break, we all need time away for ourselves from time to time and after the week I've had I think I've earned it. Maybe I will go and get that coffee by myself...just waiting for the husband to get back from going for a surf. His version of going to a cafe and reading a magazine.

Here's hoping the weekend proves to be better, fingers crossed.

Quality time

We actually ended up heading out for a family walk Sunday afternoon after I posted. When hubby first suggested it, it was safe to say I was not keen. I assumed he meant locally around our hilly area in the heat, thankfully that was not the case. We drove and parked the car at Macintosh Island and walked in to Surfers Paradise (our son was on his Thomas bike while daddy pushed/steered him). We then ended up having some dinner at Vapiano's, was a bit of a shamozzle...they lost my husband's order and only realised when we went to enquire after almost an hour of waiting. Unfortunately we weren't asked when I went to pay how everything was so no compensation was offered, maybe I should have said something anyway. I took a few pics along the way so thought I would share some.

View from Macintosh bridge

View the other side of Macintosh Bridge (towards Surfers)

Random street art on the bridge

Beach life

The kids Margherita pizza at Vapiano's

(which my daughter devoured and my son refused to even try...sigh)

How's the timing here with that seagull swooping in as I was taking the photo...awesome

Sunset between highrises

More random street art on the bridge on the way back

Mario Bros. 

So cool

Gold Coast represent

This was not part of our walk, I just had to share my wrapping job cause I thought it was cute

Speaking of cute, is it possible to love an envelope? Man I love stationery...

Yesterday there was a decent storm that rolled in so I took some pics of the storm clouds, they don't do it justice in the pictures though. It was only about 3.45pm and it was dark outside. 

I love cloud pics, hope you don't find them too boring!

Why...but why?

It all started a couple of weeks back, the ol' why trick. You know the one where your toddler constantly asks why to the point of madness...yeah, that one. I try and answer as best I can for the most part, but there are times (like when you tell them not to do something) that the age old 'because I said so' has been uttered from my lips. I guess we are all destined to turn in to our parents at some point ;) They really are inquisitive little creatures.

It's been an incredibly hot weekend here and the air con has been getting quite the work out...I am already dreading the bill. Yesterday we met up with a friend that we met over in the UK and hadn't seen since we'd left. It was nice to catch up after so long but I almost feel slightly apologetic when meeting up with people that don't have kids, it must seem like somewhat of a circus to them. It would be nice to sit down and have a conversation without having to get up and chase after the kids and not be interrupted every 2 mins. 

I could have killed for some peace and quiet yesterday, I woke up with a monster headache that lingered for awhile. It is that much worse trying to look after the children when you are feeling like crap, hubby was out for a swim with a mate so I had no choice in the matter. If you know of a way to get a toddler to be quiet when you have a headache, please pass it on ;)

Hubby is back to work tomorrow, I dare say we are both a little pleased at getting back in to our routines. As nice as it is having him around for holidays, it's time for things to go back to normal. 

Hope you all had a good weekend.  

It's a new dawn, it's a new day...

I hope everybody had a happy and safe New Year's! Mine was fairly low key, and if it hadn't been for some sneaky (fireworks are illegal here) local fireworks being let off at midnight, I would have slept right through it. New Years can be one of those holidays that has all the hype and high expectations around it that usually ends up being a huge disappointment. Now that I have kids, I don't have big plans for celebrating and seeing the new year in...sleep trumps all. I can't think of anything worse then having to get up and be a parent with a massive hangover and bugger all sleep. More power to you if you can manage it :)

Being the stationery nerd I am, I look forward to using my new diary. Does that make me a little bit sad, ha. Here is a picture of said new diary, isn't she pretty?! I need to start making plans just so that I can write them in there.

Plus it's always nice to start things off fresh and on the right foot, I am all about being positive this year. I want to make an effort to be more in the present, more face time/less phone time. I am a slave to social media and I need to take a step back (you guys and the blog don't count in that though!). It is crazy how fast that last year went by, I am sure there were things that I would have missed because I was too busy catching up on facebook. I think I suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out), I honestly think I would struggle to go a week without it. Maybe that is a challenge I need to set myself, I'm sure if I set my mind to it I could achieve it. It's amazing what you can accomplish if you are determined to succeed. I know that my husband would be most impressed if I were to do that, I'm pretty sure he hates my phone. It is a bit of a buzz kill, I have enough manners to put the phone away when I am out with other people. Why is it acceptable to not show the same courtesy to my own family, something's not right there. I am going to make a conscious effort to be on it less this year, time with my family should be and IS more important. 

This afternoon we went on a family walk to the local supermarket and then the park, it was nice to get out and about and do stuff like that as a family. Sidenote - man I am unfit and god damn it why do we have to live in such a hilly suburb. It was the first step in the right direction and undoing all the damage over the festive season. 

Well, I best be off to bed. I wish you all nothing but good things over the coming year :)