I'm not dead!!!

I'm such a bad blogger. My poor blog has been ditched since December the 9th, That's not a month that's closer to two months. Heck. Since then we finished school, had Christmas, saw in the new year, my baby turned one and now its almost time to send my biggest two back to school.
Anyway this is what we've been up to, you know in a six week nutshell. That totally works right?

Girls Night Out requires big hair, red lips and semi drunk selfies. 

The boys and I got into the Christmas spirit trying to be Rudolph. 

We went overboard with Christmas, well Santa did. Next Christmas one present each. Maybe two. 

Nanny Pants came for Christmas and my gorgeous sister and her man. I of course took no photos. 

I'd like to point out my 7yr old who is almost as tall as Nan, whats that about. 

I drank lots of these.

See that's me drinking it there, with him, in our own apartment for the night, with no kids. Yes we lived it up. 

I just want one nice photo of the four of them. Just one. I'm going to pay someone else to do it. 

Someone took to my kids head. 

11 Months, poor baby doesn't even get his own post, but I did take the photos, that counts as something right? 

I bribed him with biscuit. He looks so impressed. 

So that's us, six weeks of school holidays have been so full on but so nice to sleep in, stay up late, not have to be anywhere at 9am, and not having to wake up anyone for 3pm pick ups. Amazing how good it's been. There's of course been lots of fights and I have been drinking almost everyday but I will miss them when it's back to me and the two littlest boys but geez my house will be cleaner and I may actually blog occasionally. Not making any promises though. 

Old Lady

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at a friends place, the boys spent hours playing and I got to drink coffee and hang out with a friend.. Win win.
So last night the boys were exhausted and all three big boys passed out in front of Narnia by 9pm.

Instead of going to bed like a sensible person who will be up several times during the night with my smallest person I rebelled, decided that it's Saturday night and it's my weekend too so I made a cup of tea and caught up on some TV, played on pinterest while my hubby and I sent each other silly text messages. I know right? Rocking Saturday night right there!
A few years ago I would be just starting to get ready for a night out at 9pm not thinking about going to bed. It has been ten years since I was 18 and partying hard every weekend, I doubt I'd be able to do it now, in fact I'm sure I couldn't do it now. I really am an old lady now!

Did you have a rocking Saturday night like me, or did you party on age appropriately? 

Sick Face

So our house inspection has come and gone and I'm back to a grubby house with the help of a tribe of sick children who were so kind as to pass on their sickness to me through their desire to sleep, lay and watch TV on top of me. Thanks boys.

Throat infections, chest infections, ear infections. Lots of infections basically and lots of fever ridden boys wanting cuddles and loads of sleep, and of course an unhealthy amount of snot.

There has been many movie marathons, and medicine breaks. Lots of broken sleep over night resulting in lots of naps. There's nothing quite like a sick kid sleeping in the middle of the day.

Oh and just one hospital visit with this happy chappy who after a nap on me in a hospital waiting room decided he felt much better, pity it took til 2am for him to get there!

So today were having one more home day, some jelly and tinned fruit to get us through the day followed by pea and ham soup for dinner and fingers crossed by Monday everyone wakes up healthy and I can ship the big two back to school before the whining and fighting drives me completely crazy.

It's an outfit.

Yesterday was free dress day at the boys school, they were meant to wear something purple, green or white. Purple is a hard colour to find in the boy section, green is their school colour and white with little boys is crazy, so this is what we have. 

Jack and I created this outfit, I was so impressed he called it an outfit and was happy for me to gel his hair and snap a few pics before school, doing his KMart pose obviously. 

James, natural born model and poser extraordinaire. I often find him standing in front of his mirror checking himself out. No lack of confidence with this boy. 

There always has to be a picture together, their rules not mine.

Of course once there's photos being taken Charlie needs to be in on the action even if he is still in his PJ's.

School Holidays are sending me crazy

Yesterday was the half way mark of the school holidays and boy was I feeling it. 

No matter how busy I keep us, how many activities/play dates/outing I organise what I'm doing just isn't the same as six hours at school and when my boys get bored they fight. After yet another fight between the two big boys and another tantrum from Charlie I lost it, and it wasn't pretty. The rest of the day we grumbled at each other and I put us all down for a much needed afternoon sleep. A quick trip to the supermarket and we were on our way home when James and I had this conversation:

James: ' Mum when I grow up I'm going to get one wife and one kid, no, two kids'

M: 'That's nice mate'

James: 'Mum I'm going to have a job too, do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to be a policeman'

M: 'Are you going to be a good policeman or a bad policeman?'

(Lets face it, it's a fair question)

James: 'I'm going to stop people speeding and driving and drinking, and Jack when you get your wife I want you to be a policeman too so we can always be together OK? And we have to live near each other OK?'

The conversation went on like this the rest of the way home and I was chuckling the whole way, by the time we pulled into the driveway I was grinning from ear to ear. I really hope they do stay close as they get older and when they 'get' their own wives and kids. After all this hard work I'm doing now I hope that giving them brothers is the best gift I will ever give them. 

Because this bit is hard. 

Cheap kids fun

Well it's been two and a half weeks since Michael and I started our money detox. I haven't blogged about it, but were doing pretty badly. Before we even started this happened. Now because Michael hadn't officially started his job he didn't have any holidays up his sleeve so taking a week off to drive fourteen hours away for one day then drive all the way home means we have been chewing through our savings instead of adding to them. That's why you have saving though right? Anyway we knew Michael wouldn't be getting paid for a few weeks and we'd have to be careful so I've been avoiding the shops as much as possible. The end of year sales are killing me!

It's been school holidays here this week (and next week) so to keep the boys busy and happy I bought some cheap crafty activities and they are loving them.

I got this idea from Pinterest, it was done with plastic eggs but that looked like an expensive pain. James is doing so well with his reading and writing since starting Prep and his teacher suggested letter and word games to keep him busy over the holidays so this is my take on that. Find the upper case and lower case letters and put them together. I love craft stuff that doesn't make a huge mess that the boys can do independently. 

So a 100 packet of paddle pop sticks costed about $3. Cheap right? 

My Charlie needs to be in on whatever is going on so I grabbed some $4 textas and made these real quick. It's simple just put the two sticks together to make the shape. He spent ages at the table doing this and telling me 'mum! circwle!' 

Cheap picture book stuck on paddle pop sticks, wait for it to dry cut the sticks apart and tada! Simple easy puzzle. 

Patterns and colours. awesome right? Ice cube trays were $4 for a pack of 2. Pom poms were $2 a packet and mini tongs were $5 for a pack of 3. 

He's got his concentrating face on. 

I love activities that they can get out and put away themselves, is some what educational, and covers all three age groups. This one has been on high rotation this week. Gotta be happy with that! 

Running

On Friday my big boys had their sports carnival, neither of my boys won a ribbon but they had such a good time and really that's all that mattered. I was so busy trying to keep up with both of them thankfully Michael was with me so he could chase after Charlie and watch the kid that I wasn't watching. God knows how I'll do it in a few years when I have to keep an eye on all three of them. 

I won't bore the hell out of you all with a million pictures but these are some of my favourites.

He cracks me up this kid. 

Go!

Two hours following around your mum and dad, cheering on your big brothers is hard work. Must have a sit down on someone else's chair. 

House Love Part 1

Michael and I have been together for almost 8 years. In that time we've lived in no less than 9 houses. The maximum time we've ever lived in one house was 12 months. I know, you want to be me don't you?

So we've just signed another lease so from next month we will have been in this house for 12 months. So instead of packing and bond cleaning I have this need to re-organise and clean. I have such an exciting life don't I?

So on my list is the pantry, the linen cupboard, my clothes and this mess. 

This is what it looked like before, and no matter how much I tried it kept creeping further and further out towards the rest of the house and in the words of Marge Simpson, I spend 23 and a half hours a day in this house you cant escape me! 

In case you couldn't tell it was all me that was doing it the boys were just watching me like I was a mad woman. Which to be fair is probably what I looked like. 

It took two hours but I managed to cull an entire toy box of stuff and the joy I got from getting the dust and dirt from behind the bookshelf and toy boxes was not proper. 

The finished product! It's been a few days and it still looks pretty much like this. 

And if they do make a mess and don't put everything away its not staring at me. 

Next a big vinyl sticker for that blank wall above their little chairs and I'm done. 

Now what to do next pantry or linen cupboard? 

School Lunch Love

When Jack started school I had a four month old baby Charlie and I was fairly time poor. I sent him to school with bought snacks, some fruit and a sandwich. It got expensive and boring real quick so I started making slices and cakes for school lunches. Awesome right? 

James is only in his second term of prep so he's still happy with the funky shaped sandwiches and a cupcake, but my Jack Jack is a different story. He is a machine when it comes to food and for a while he was scoffing everything, but now he's over it and everything I make comes home without much love given to it. 

So I'm cracking out a few new recipes to try to entice my big boy back to yummy home made snacks. 

They look pretty good and nothing to exciting just Pizza Scrolls and a yummy Banana Rolled Out Muffin. 

Do your kids like home made snacks? Whats a favourite lunch recipe in your house? Help me out here!

Walk the Walk

On Friday I went back to bed at 7am after feeding the baby, making breakfasts and school lunches, and left Michael in charge of getting the kids to school and I slept til 9am (9am people! Amazing!) So by the time we picked up the boys from school I was ready to get out of the house, so off to the beach we went. 

Now to drive to the beach takes us 2 minutes, and the little hills don't seem so big. But standing at the bottom of them it is totally different. 

Jackster rode his bike and he did pretty well, not long after this he started walking, it was a steep hill. 

Charlie loves his 'tootah' but doesn't ride it, it's far more fun to push it and walk along beside it. 

Hi Jack!

William not impressed he was in the pram instead of on me. Sorry Will!

Michael tried to convince Charlie to let him hold Charlies 'tootah' up the hill. I could hear him from here, 'no I ride my tootah!' I've no idea why he is so stubborn, it definatly didn't come from me.  (Ha!..)

It was cold and looked like rain but it was totally worth it. 

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

It really is summer time here, and my boys are definatly feeling it.

I am forever wiping sweaty hair off faces so yesterday when Michael suggested he cut the boys hair I said sure, it's got to be cooler for them, and they were all starting to look a little bit like beatle extras. 

What happened next is not what I was expecting from a 'haircut' 

Before~They were all too excited to stand still or look at me, but I knew I wanted a photo of them with hair. 

Jack

James

Charlie watching what Daddy was doing to his brothers. 

After~My children now look like extras from Romper Stomper. I was expecting short but not to the scalp short! I said once before I was never letting Michael cut the kids hair again, now I remember why! Sorry hun it's back to the hairdressers for a cut from now on! 

My baby is no longer a baby that's for sure! 

Thankfully it's still a while before school starts so no creepy first day of school photos for us, the boys love it and have been feeling their own heds and rubbing each others heads, but mummy is not loving it. 

Weekend Wonder

We had a good weekend. 

I love a weekend where I can take the boys places they haven't been before or show them things they haven't seen before, this was one of those weekends. 

 Saturday we headed to Artspace which is our art gallery, they have regular 'kidspace' days where you turn up (its free), there is a heap of craft activities set up and older ladies to help you make a huge mess, take home some craft things and someone else cleans it up. Sounds good yeah? It really is.

Well its usually on a weekday but Saturday there was a book signing so it was a special event, poor Jack misses out on a lot of the fun things we do because he's at school so James was very excited about getting to show his big brother something he does that Jack doesn't.

It's funky right?

We came home covered in permanent marker and ink....

....And some fun activities to try at home, like a zine which is just a folded A4 piece of paper which you can stamp then colour in your stamps and make up a story to go with it. Simple but fun, maybe even a Christmas present or two! 

Sunday morning Charlie was off, temperature, cranky, nothing good, so instead of heading to the water park like we'd planned to I drew a very quick race car track around our deck, the boys spent ages colouring it in, making car parks and buildings. 

Then after nap time we headed off to get some culture. 

Really was some culture, singing dancing, international food, fashion parade, markets, stalls. It was amazing. I wish we'd gone earlier. 

The boys always find good money wasters. 

How funny is this photo, Charlie and I trying to take a self portrait. 

Poor Charlie he was actually really enjoying the music and dancing but he was defiantly still under the weather. 

I dragged the boys away to eat, we had vegetable samosas, satay sticks with a seriously good peanut dipping sauce, chick pea curry and freshly made naan, oh my goodness so delicious. 

The big boys loved it. Even eating dinner they were still watching what was going on.

I was feeling far to large to be dancing so I made myself comfy and watched, the band were African and they kept encouraging everyone to get closer and dance, they were so amazing to watch. 

By far the funniest part of the weekend was the amount of people that asked me about the boys and if they were all mine, or commented about me being brave to go out with them by myself. I know people are trying to be nice but it still bugs me, I figure if Naomi can do it I can defiantly do it!