Threegirls-o-rama

Hi,

I just signed an emergency petition trying to  save the crucial climate change talks in Bali, Indonesia right now by telling the US, Canada and Japan to stop blocking an agreement. You can sign it here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/bali_emergency/98.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK

Almost all countries have agreed to cut rich country carbon emissions by 2020--which scientists say is crucial to stop catastrophic global warming, and will also help bring China and the developing world onboard. But with just 24 hours left in the conference, the US and its close allies Canada and Japan have rejected any mention of such cuts.

We can't let three governments hold the world hostage and block agreement on this desperate issue.

There's still 24 hours left to turn this around -  click below to sign the petition - it will be delivered direct to summit delegates, through stunts and in media advertisements, so our voices will actually be heard. But we need a lot of us, fast, to join in if we're going to make a difference. Just click on the link to add your name:

Thanks!

I have just torn out the carpet in my living roon and bedroom. Very satisfying it was too. HOWEVER. It means the work has got to begin. Now. And continue until it's finished. If it were just the floors that need relaying, that'd be one thing. But as I surveyed my denuded floors I realised that before the new floor goes down, the skirting boards really should be painted. That would be the sensible order to do things. And if you paint skirting boards, architraves necessarily follow. Which, it turns out, is a hell of a job because the last coat of gloss was painted directly over the original gloss without any prep whatsoEVER. And so it's peeling off in sheets. Which will be totally obvious if we don't strip all the paint properly. And well, the walls need redoing too and it would be sensible to do that before the glossing. See how this is getting out of control? There are some repairs needed to the plaster before painting the walls and then once the floors, walls etc are done the 20 year old ceiling paint will look awful. So add that to the list!

 

My molehill floor has just turned into a mountainous reno. Never mind! It had to be done, but it all seems a little overwhelming right now:)

Ok, so it was Halloween last night. And my kids wanted to go trick or treating but I said no. No, I said, that is an American tradition and a waste of time as you will get virtually nothing for your efforts. And no, I did not buy lollies for the 6 children I expected to turn up. Why? Because last year when I attempted to get into the spirit of things, all but the above mentioned half dozen were even constumed. It was mostly teenagers walking by on their way to somewhere else who spied our skull and crossbones and thought they'd get some chocolate for the walk they were taking. Even last night I copped an attitude filled 'whatever!' from two 10 year olds who happened to be following the costumed six around on their scooters (in their normal clothes - no attempt at anything resembling a costume) when they saw my sign on the door saying I had no lollies this year. And when I closed the front door and turned off the lights so we could eat dinner in peace we got several pissed of thumps on the glass panel next to the door. Little shits. Do they think I will suddenly change my mind if they attempt to break my windows? Ill bred little brats.

 

Yeah, so. Grumpy 'bout that. Like I need an extra hallmark occasion to add to the budget. Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks.

 

E and S are both battling at the moment with the growing pains of friendships with other girls. To this day I have no idea how I dodged all this girly bullshit as I was growing up, but my daughters have not been so lucky. Poor S has been introduced to the concept of some friends being better than others and that being 'pretty' matters and that being told that you aren't is a crushing insult. She had no clue that we all couldn't just be friends together. And so she is cranky and emotional All.The.Time. And E, bless her, has been copping grief for standing up for the class leper. She is staunchly anti-bully and backs herself up by telling people to leave their victims alone. And when it came to telling her best friend to pull her head in, the best friend turned her sharp little claws on E. Every day is filled with so much uncertainty. The BF is moody and fickle and incredibly demanding. If she is ready to play and E is not, then E can't finish her lunch. She must stop and go play. And the BF often decides she 'needs space' and ditches E with no one to play with while she goes and plays with girls who bully E. I was preparing to write a letter to the vice principle to make sure E and BF are placed in the same class next year but E has said not to. E seems to pick these same sort of girls every year and it makes her miserable. Are all kids arseholes and I'm just clueless or have we just landed in a patch of neglected latch key kids who have virtually no parental guidance?? Do I switch schools or is this just the way it is these days? Where parents depend on time strapped teachers to teach their kids morals? I do know that if I want to be gauranteed a school filled with the children of like-minded parents, it's going to cost a bomb. Public school just can't deliver that particular thing.

 

It has been a grump inducing week and I am glad the weekend is coming. We have a birthday 'party' for my brother on Saturday. Well, we will make it a party cos my kids won't hear of taking him a present without accompanying fanfair. We will get candles and sparklers and my brother will have to suffer through my kids' excitement. Teehee. So not cool if you are 14. And on Sunday a cousin they ADORE is coming for the day. And that will rock even more than the birthday. And my babies need a break from the big bad world. Who'd be a kid again? It was hard enough the first time and this generation scares the crap outta me as an adult. I wish Richard Branson would hurry up with his lunar hotel. The moon seems a good option to me today:)

At Satch's kindy they have a teddy called Shaggy and a blue duck called Quack who go home in turn with all the children. Yesterday we got Quack for the second time this year and because it was a Wednesday, we get him until Monday when kindy's back in. Last time Quack came to visit he was treated to a bubble bath but unfortunately had to go in the dryer in order to be ready for kindy the next day.

 

 

 

This time, although hoping to mend the relationship, Quack found himself at the immunisation clinic where both Satch and Caitey got their shots. Being fair handed as I am, Quack also had his shots. He even went first so the girls could see there was nothing to worry about. I think that secretly Satch was thinking that this shit is bananas, who the heck does this to themselves?? But she was brave and didn't cry at all. Daddy, who was holding her, looked more likely to faint.

 

 

So anyway, Quack got a super duper Winnie the Pooh bandaid for his trouble. He felt faint and went a bit drama queen on Satchel's leg but was, in the end, philosophical.

 

 

Ever the optimist, Quack is hoping the weekend will make up for the unending torture he seems to encounter with our family. It's Indy weekend and we are having lots of rellies to stay who are always lots of fun and spoil the girls. Maybe they will spoil Quack too. Heaven knows he deserves it!

There is not a creature on the planet who compares to Rosie in Caitlin's eyes. In a rare moment of stillness Caitey took advantage of the cat's willingness to not run away and brought her bowl to her. When she still didn't bolt, Caitey then went and fetched a museli bar, drink and a fistful of playdoh to smoosh into the carpet and the girls just chilled for a few minutes:)

 

Tonight I laid with the girls as they were going to sleep. Satch asked me to tell a story, knowing full well how terrible my stories usually are compared to her Daddy's. I think she figured I'd run out of steam fairly fast and swap with the 'real' storyteller. But I told her Love You Forever and substituted The Baby with the names of my girls.

 

So I got to the first rendition of the song, I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, and as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

 

I told the next part of the story and sung the song again with Satch joining in at the last note with a shy hum.

 

And with each section of the story she sung a little more with me, and repeated the part where the mummy rocks her baby back and forth, back and forth...

 

And we reached the end, where the mummy gets old and the 'baby' sings to the mummy which completely choked me and Satch hummed the tune for me.

 

When the story was done and we were quiet in the dark for a few seconds she rolled over and put her mouth right up to my ear and whispered "Mummy, I LOVE that story".

 

Another minute or so passed and she gently reached over and put her hand on my chin and started rocking my face side to side. I could barely hear her muttering 'back and forth, back and forth', and quieter still, she sung the song back to me. And when she finished she stroked my hair, said "Good Night" and rolled over.

 

And Ellie, who'd been pretending to be asleep rolled over from behind me and put her arm around my waist and squeezed.

 

I'm trying out some new windows live software to post here but obviously it's still in beta for a reason! I'll stick a picture over in the photo bit.

 

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Meanwhile, I was looking at this website this morning. Go get a hanky and download the story. It's so simple and the best thing I have heard in a long time. I think I will get the kids each a copy of this book for Christmas. Thanks Brenda, I discovered it through that new website:)

 

Seriously, do it. If you are at work, shut your office door;-) (Not that you aren't working Catherine!! lol)

It's been a while since I have had the time to write an entry here. The last four weeks or so have been insane. Sometimes life just swallows you up as if you are caught in a stormy surf. It feels like you are getting nowhere yet you are fighting like mad and exhausted despite having such a long way to go to reach a calm moment.

 

Well I have reached the relative calm that has come after Satch's kindy fair. I have been pulling late nights and all nighters for a month in order to present with a stall full of products that are made from felt - either hand made felt (by me of course!) or premade felt. I also had kits of wool fibre and related paraphenalia as well as an activity table so that the kids could felt their own picture square or purse. I had examples of a range of things you can make by either wet or dry felting wool but my main earner was my range of felt hair clips. It took an insane amount of effort but I sold a respectable $93 worth of stuff/activities. Considering people like to get a free balloon and a barbequed sausage in bread and little else at these events, I was surprised and pleased with my success. I will be setting up another blog to sell stuff through. I'll post photos of some of my clips and slides  soon.

 

School holidays are about to arrive. This is a mixed blessing. It's expensive in the extreme to feed and entertain kids for two weeks. They get stir crazy if you don't do stuff though. On the up side, I can wear pyjamas for all home based activities hehehe:) In an attempt to be truly mummish, I may plan out a loose schedule to get us through the fortnight without injuring each other too badly.

 

I intend to do lots of cookie baking, art and craft and perhaps even some gardening. I can't promise gardening though. I can promise a trip or two to the video shop. God, I'm bored already.

 

Anyway, I've lost my way here and am just jibbering so will sign off now and take some photos of the hair clips. Exciting, I know. Let's face it though, if you've read this far you're bored enough to look at anything hehehe!!

 

Ta-ta!