Slinking to my goal ...

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Thursday, August 14, 2008

Ngaere School Olympics - Tuesday 12th August 2008

The boys school held their own "Olympics" at the TET Stadium, War Memorial Hall and then the TSB Pool.

There were about 15 countries (I think) .. M5 was in China, and C5 was in South Korea (well he thought it was the Hurricanes until I went through all the flags of the countries and he pointed it out)

So they had the opening ceremony.

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The Olympic Flag and flame ------- the opening speech by the mayor

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First up school aerobics

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C5's first event - Happy Sack throws

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M5's first event - Quoits

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M5 at Happy Sack throwing

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C5 at Quoits

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Other events - parachute and volleyball (seniors only)

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M5's medal for gymnastics - of course I missed it as was with C5 in the Bowls event - grrrr!

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M5 at Indoor Hockey (he's very good! )

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C5 at Parachute

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C5s "girlfriend - Shiane (She-han') .. although he's going off her as he thinks she's getting a bit bossy - get used to it chuck - lol!

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C5 getting his medal for Parachute

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C5 playing indoor hockey

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C5 (right at the end) - at gymnastics and circuit (he got a medal for this too)

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The teachers playing the seniors at basket ball - while the other students had lunch

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M5 and B5 (his "friend"), all 3 Puke gang mates, and C5 and A6

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Relays at the hall .. Little Missy wanting to hog the camera !

It was a great day and the final event was going to the TSB Pool for a free-for-all swim .. The boys were soooo tried and had a crying-in-a-heap melt-down, not wanting to go for a swim, and then when I took them down to show them the smaller pool (they said they couldn't swim so they would drown - I think they thought there was only the big pool), then I couldn't get them out ..

They end of the day both boys were knackered .. not to mention C5 being blue ...

It was nice to be able to go and see them at school, as you kinda feel like they get swallowed in the school gates and "spat" out at the end of the day .. and unless you can pry some info out of them you don't have any ideas what is happening at school during the day ..

I didn't know this was even on until the notice came home the night before and I rang around to see what was happening .. the boys had mentioned something in the weekend (and M5 had a major meltdown saying the Olympics was on at school - which we now know was .. but not in the weekend) ... and were ready to go to the Olympics on Sat, and were kinds disappointed when I said it was in China and no we weren't packing our bags this minute and leaving to fly there.

Slipping, slipping ...Slack slack slack blogger

So the last 3 or is it 4 weeks have whizzed by .. and really what has happened around here .. well not much that's exciting anyway! Well OK some of it is ...

In the last month -

We went to two 40th's (what happened to 21st's and 30th's huh???) and 1 birthday afternoon, weathered 2 or 3 lots of storms (weather wise one's - not counting the personal ones), 2 kids down with Campylobactor (a notifiable disease here - lovely - not to mention GROSS GROSS GROSS), another visit to my psych, numerous meltdowns from Michael (mainly), Cameron next, then Abbie (kinda weird - you'd think the youngest would have the most!!!), now have 57 calves (but only 20 are still on twice a day feedings - and DH says the new ones will go on once a day), and well that's about it really ..

Other stuff to do with the kids :

The boys are taking the bus to school in the morning !!!!!!!!! They have been wanting to go on it in the morning since they started school, and it was probably more me then them, as in not being organised enough, but I've kicked myself up the butt, and lo and behold ..

It just happened all out of the blue - here's what I said to a friend

"Guess what happened today .. the boys went to school on the bus all on their own ..(you know they've been coming home on the bus .. but this is all different of course ) ..
I got to school before the bus .. .. and had a tear in my eye watching them get off the bus .. and happily stroll along to their classroom ..
Growing up way too quick!!
Yes I am a sook ... yes I am a stalker mum .. "

It's amazing what I get done in the extra 1 & 1/2 hrs the boys are gone in the morning ... they're gone by 8 am!!

I think my DH thinks I've been taken over by aliens !

The house is tidier - well tidier than it usually is .. and I'm baking !!!! LOL ... Wonders never cease .. lets see how long it last tho' !

On Sunday I made rice bubble cake, choc chip muffins, banana cake and cornflake rock cakes .. and I've already started planning what to make this Sunday - heh heh .... and you know what's even better haven't tasted a drop of it .. how's that for will-power!!!

Now all this enthusiasm and energy has got to come from some where right .. well ...

I started Jenny Craig last Monday - so now 1 & 1/2 weeks in to it ... so far on Monday's weigh in .. I lost 2.5 kgs, now most of that is fluid, but if I keep up what I'm doing, it surely is going to help the steady weight loss.

I've had a couple of slips .. like on Monday, when something got me really down and I ate a 1/4 pack of Shapes crackers .. but in the past it would have been the whole packet!!!

Fruit and veges - well more fruit and veges are my friend ... I've found my eating wasn't too bad - except the odd emotional junk food eating .. it was more the portion sizes I was eating... maybe also I was eating while distracted you know a little bit here, a little bit here ...

Anyhoo .. determined this time .. jeepers I have to be ... to be in a healthy weight range .. and at the higher level of that .. I have (had) 19kg's to lose .. holy mackerel batman !!

But my first aim is 5kgs, 5 kgs to me is more manageable in my head! and told DH encouraging words would help!!! and after our wee talk on Friday things between us seem a lot better .. we will see tonite if he heads out!

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This is me at my wedding 13 years ago a misely 55 kgs!!

as 82kgsHere is me now at 82kgs

.. and my dream 62 kg's ..62kgs

Now this and me out for dinner on my 30th ... at 65kgs .. this I could handle ..

Chris and I Jan 2001

The middle two are virtual models of course .. and I probably look nothing like them .. or never will ...

So the next positive thing happening in my life .. see I'm focusing on the positives to get rid of the negatives .. positive positive positive ..

The Multiple Birth Conference in October ...

But wait …There’s more....
New Zealand Multiple Birth Conference - Marlborough 2008

What's on ...
The key speaker is none other than .. my (and a lot of other's) parenting "advice" guru and all round cruisy, funny, relaxed but with great ideas that I like guy - Nigel Latta – www.goldfishwisdom.co.nz

Other speakers ..

Gill Connell - www.movingsmart.co.nz - getting your kids moving to help their development - or something like that - not attending this one and getting your kids ready for school - my last choice at the end of the conference but was running out of options

The Smooth Operator – www.cprcoffee.co.nz - how to make the best coffee in the world in your own kitchen - not going to this

Wellness and Fitness - getting your butt off the couch and on the exercise track .. all in the comfort of your own home .. or fitting it in while looking after scone-grabbers! - yep you bet I want to go to this !

Wow Dad, Jimmy Johnson only came from Scotland!! - or how to tell your kids about the birds and the bees when they ask

Jane Butler – Lifestyle coach www.out-of-therut.co.nz - getting yourself out of a rut ..the workshop is called - Time for yourself - yep you bet I want to go to this !

Special Needs Forum - not my cup of tea at the moment -- live it every day .. not like some parents, but stares me in the face enough already.

Wine appreciation - Te Whare Ra Winery www.te-whare-ra.co.nz - this is later on and conflicts ... BUT !!!!! They have a WINE TREAIL BOOKED FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS ALL SATURDAY AFTERNOON!!!!

Team Te Whare Ra- Chiropractic - Supplements more than expensive urine (love the title of the workshop) - 2nd choice

Style – Sonya Leusink-Sladen www.sonyastyle.co.nz - Perfect wardrobe - and Style on a budget - what I definitely need .. will hopefully get in to one of these

Schooling the Multiples Forum - have a school which has about 11 sets of twins talking about the experience and advice - yep going to this


Bereavement and Grief Forum - have had enough of this .. would like to move on . ... would be good .. but that's what my psych is for huh?

and as well they have an Ice-breaker on Friday nite .. and then a themed dinner and so on on the Saturday night ..

YAHOOO !!!!!!! Do I sound excited .. well that's coz I am !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is where we are staying Thursday night - Bella Vista Motel and for the conference - Scenic Circle Blenheim

.... and no kids .. did I really say that .. yep .. no kids .. a bit going on with who will look after the them while my friend N and I are away .. but keeping positive here .. unfortuantely DH will stay home too .. as it's the worst possible time to be going farm-wise ... but well you know I've always wanted to go (in a whiny toddler voice kinda way!)

So this all blasts off the first week of October .. we leave on Thurs afternoon .. and the conference doesn't start until Saturday lunch-time so a whole afternoon and Morning to SHOP and look around .. WHOOOOOOOO!!!!

DH and I went to Blenheim a couple of weeks after our honeymoon, for a work social club trip, so we've been married 13 years .. so I'm sure the place would have changed heaps !!!!

Counting down ...counting down ..

Now the other absolutely awesome thing about this as that our local club has funded the trip, flights and accommodation and conference all paid for .. Blown away is how I feel .. they have fundraised and my friend N and I put our hands up as wanting to go .. and they all said yes ... WAHHOOOO!!!

Seriously what more could you ask for!!!

So anyway .. that's all I can think of at the moment ..

If I think of anything else .. I'll be back, like a revolving door ..

Yanno .. I have been really down with a lot of personal "stuff" and things I've read (like the terrible drowning of the 18mnth old in a farm trough - OMG - terrible terrible!) .. and really reading all this I have got a lot to be thankful for .. sometimes I can't see the rainbow for all the dark clouds and rain .. but really life is good sometimes ...

I just have to fight through all the puddles and thunder and lightening and get out of my cave to find the sun .. and sometimes it really is just too hard ... but I'm trying that's the main thing .. I've got to stop beating myself up .. and give myself a pat on the back sometimes for the good things that I do ! .. and feel less guilty about the yelling (but of course get it under control) and find a way to have better coping skills or negotiation skills !

------ Oh I know what I forgot .. will be back to update later ...

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Counting to 1 ..

I'm just listening to my blog music - lol while I write up the week so far.. Eagles - a New York Minute is on ..

I don't know what it is about this song, but I really really like it ... Maybe it's the truth that in a minute, anywhere, not just New York, too that your view of life can be changed, be it a comment from someone to lift your spirits, a backlash from something you've said, or someone without thinking saying something that stops you in your tracks and leave you wondering .... mmm ..seriously ...

Things can change .. and make you stop and think ..."What the head makes cloudy - the heart makes very clear" ...

So after all that .. here's my week

Sat - Did Sadie the cleaning lady stuff and some baking - Muffins of course - Choc Chip and Chocolate Choc Chip ..and making DH's birthday cake. A2 was not impressed with the calves, cried most of the time ...

Sun - DH's birthday, cooked yummy birthday cake and the boys and A2 decorated, well more A2 ate the lollies and would stuff the occasional one on the cake, bacon and egg pie for lunch (by request), then roast beef for dinner with all the trimmings ...

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I got a text from Mum saying nana was sent to hospital in an ambulance as was having trouble breathing. It seems she has a chest infection so has been put on antibiotics and is on oxygen also.

Mon - Visited Nana in hospital, she was still having trouble breathing, and her sats would drop down to 82 without the mask, and then slowly come up with the mask on. She's finding it all frustrating, but 'enjoying" the rest I think, but you can tell she was still feeling unwell, we had a nice chat, and she said that I didn't need to come up and not too worry about the not being able to come up and see them,  I said that I really wanted to and I found it terribly hard not being able to. She said she thought she would only be in for a couple of days, but mum told me today the doctors aren't happy with her breathing and are keeping her in until after the weekend. Sis3 came down from Tauranga last nite. Talked to Sis2 that night, hopefully she can understand my views, just as I can agree to disagree with hers.

Tues - Last day with R - gave her a card, with a photo of us in it. She is going to the stroke and rehab ward in NP. DH came up with an idea to help the situation with A2's fear of mud, calves and anything rural. We cleaned out room next to the shed, and put in "kids stuff" like paper, crayons and so on and it works a dream. Wahoo!

Wed - new psychologist - Dr D, we had a "sussing out" session, and I think it will be good.I think he gets the me not liking the "naughty" school kid thing, and rote things, and really I'm an open book, and ready to sponge techniques to help me out. Did the calves all on my own, so hopefully this means DH thinks I can do the job :-0)

Thurs - calves, cleaning cleaning ..Spent a lot of time with M5 learning the letter e, and doing some homework reading and keyrings.

Fri - He remembered the 'e' !!!! WAHOO !!!

We visited the Adolescent MH team and met two Social Workers, we did introductions and so on, then I went to another room and did the history and background stuff .. meanwhile in the other room the kids were "playing" - they said they made " people" with playdoh - and M5 said he couldn't do it by himself, but asked for help, they did a drawing of a dog, and M5's was very 3d .. it had 2 eyes one on each side of the piece of the paper ... C5's was an interesting drawing ... also they apparently made funny faces out of "potato head" type of toys.

Getting all the background, was kinda scary, but yanno, it's all for the good. Anyhoo, we've got a few forms to fill out and send back - an ASEBA Child Behavior Checklist, an Attwood Behavioral Checklist, and a Connors' Parenting Scale.

It was mentioned in passing that a couple of "mildly autistic" bells ringing for M5 which kinda freaked me out, and I'm not sure what to think about that just yet, but not going to fret too much as they are also going to do cognitive assessments to gather and assess the boys strengths and weaknesses.

So I feel kind of a bit over the top with these referrals, but I'd rather pre-empt issues, rather than things turn to custard then try to get a plan in place. Funny you know they were referred for their anxiety issues, and to learn coping skills and it will also be helping M5 with his schooling as the schools often contact some of the behavioural psychologists for testing and we would have already done a lot of the testing ...

Still all kind of weird trying to suss your children out, but hopefully it highlights not too many issues, and we have a plan to help out "iron out " the rough spots.

After that I "shouted" the boys a treat at the Nickel and Dime place, M5 wanted a shooting gun thing, Cam of course wanted dinosaurs, so we got a triceratops, and anklyosaurus, T Rex, Stegosaurus and a Brachiosaurus .. is it weird I know the names of them when before the boys started school I didn't!!

Then we went for lunch at a cafe .. and the boys seemed to enjoy the fact we had "lunch together" in fact tonite in our "what did you like best about today" thing we do when I put them to bed , C5 said the dinosaurs, and M5 said the Spiderman drink bottle he got at lunch, then C5 changed his to his Batman drink bottle ...

Then we went and picked A2 up from daycare, and I made some muffins and Sis3 visited with her husband. It was a nice visit. They came down and saw the calves than were heading off to a friends place.

Sat

I heard all the kids in A2's bedroom and went in to find this ..

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The boys were all excited about going to the Special Kids "party" and had a great time ... they watched the stage show with their cousin P9, and eagerly chomped in to the free food giveaway ...

M5 loved the hot rod car .. and also went on the Merry-go-round. A2 decided she wanted to stay in the car and started to get a bit huffy.

Then it was time to go through the toy cave and the kids got some great gifts .. then it was time for home .. after 3 hours of catching up with a  few people and trying to wrangle all the kids, while carrying A2 around as she was quite frightened by all of the people.

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When we got home I rushed around like a blue-assed fly getting some dinner ready yo take to the District Hall, where we went to a "Mid-Winter Christmas" ..with Santa .. to boot. The boys loved it and ran around with the other kids .. esp J and B, and the H kids, A2 fell asleep just after dinner, so we both had turns of holding her until our arms dropped off, then someone had a spare buggy, so we put her in it for a while which lasted for about an hour as everyone kept going up to check  on her and eventually she woke up ...

Sun - After crawling out of bed, we drove up to NP to T's birthday party. Firstly at McD's then on to Banana's ..

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At Banana's was able to catch up with M and have a coffee, and relax a bit which was good, then home again to do calves. Didn't get time to go and see Nana, which was disappointing but the kids were pretty tired and it would have been a nightmare in the end thinking about it ..

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Today is brought to you by the letter "E" ..

M5 got the letter "e" today ..

That was all I was going to say about it ..

but ... I'm a person who can't just leave it at that ...

So ....he now has all the letters in his name .. and so hopefully by the end of next week, he'll have the letters in his last name .. and that'll be 9 letters of the alphabet ..

A huge achievement for him ..

Hard working wee man he is !!!

You could see his little brain ticking overtime during the time we worked on it ..

Please please let him remember it tomorrow

Windows Live Writer

So let me say when I found out about this on a scrapping blog I frequent, I was kinda sceptical .. but this "free" product seriously is so cool, and easy to use, and easy to set up ..it's called Windows Live Writer.

I write on my laptop, insert photos (without having to wait for the *damn* things to upload), change the font and play around with stuff on the page, then press "view" - then "web preview" ... suss out whether it's what I like and change or not .. then press publish or save draft .. and it's all done ...

It "checks" out your themes etc or whatever your blog has, whether it's is on wordpress, blogger etc, and then "fits" your post in to the theme and format you have for your blog .. it's just so simple ...

Now if it could only get dinner ready, make the beds and fold that huge pile of washing, I'd be sorted .. no but really this is one of the best things I've "found" for a long time ..

Oh aside from the "I'm an organising junkie" blog I found and have yet to read properly .. but I digress ..

Anyhoo .. it's here .. Live Writer download ..

No responsibility taken if it has any "nasties" attached .. but my system hasn't found any yet ..

A wonderful lady

This was in the NZ Herald today:

Unsung heroes: Nana with a heart for 'special' heart children

5:00AM Thursday July 10, 2008
By Craig Borley

Marie Jujnovich has spent 17 years helping young cardiac patients and their families. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Marie Jujnovich has spent 17 years helping young cardiac patients and their families. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A young mum and dad, proud as punch of their new family, get the horrific news their child needs heart surgery.

If they live outside Auckland, the news is worse still, as the country's only specialised paediatric cardiac ward is at the Starship hospital.

Away from the support systems of family and friends, it can be a parent's most harrowing time. But it is a time "Nana" Marie Jujnovich tries to improve for the families by giving them her time and experience.

Her own grandchild was a victim of heart disease, and she can well remember the strain that placed on the family.

"And I said to my daughter as I left the hospital, 'The humility you learn from these little children, let's never forget it'.

"You see them going through so much and you realise how important it is to give them a lift along the way."

Mrs Jujnovich has been giving them a lift for 17 years now, and her work is essential, says Heart Children fundraising manager Iyanthi Wijayanayake.

"That emotional support that Marie gives, when a family needs her to put her arm around them and have a chat with them, it's just amazing.

"She's been absolutely awesome and absolutely valuable. Being a charity, we can't really afford to have a paid person up there doing what Marie's doing."

Mrs Jujnovich said her heart was constantly touched by the children she saw at the hospital, despite the seemingly morose environment.

"People will say to me, 'How can you sit with sick and dying children all day?' And I think, 'How can't I?' You can't walk away. There is an amazing part of these children - heart children are special children.

"So I choose to be available. It's just a way of life for me now. And I'm definitely not going to stop any time soon. I can't see that at all. While there is somebody who needs me, I'll be there."


This story was found at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10520790

Copyright ©2007, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Scrapbooking

So I've done a few pages now .. and thought I'd share ..


Movin' on up...

I'm trying to be good and get myself rolling on this blogging thing .. then I think of something that would be good to write down .. for me .. well maybe to share too .. but I digress .. then when I actually get to write it down .. it's gone ..

Soo ..

Here's my last week ... boring .. but good for me .. lol

So last week .. mmm .. nominally better .. I went out with friends for a coffee and brunch at the end of the week which was good .. well really good, we haven't got together for a while, we were going to with our dh's but it all turned pear shaped with kids getting sick, other things on etc, but anyhoo .. we had the coffee, food and talked the biso .. which was good for off -loading. One of them is going back teaching next term, which is not entirely what she really wants to do we think. She has a little 8-9 week old baby, and doesn't really want to go back, bub isn't taking the bottle, and we think that just one more term really would be a good idea, but relationships are hard, and her partner wants her to go back, and so she is .. sounds all macho and stuff but it isn't just the way things go.

So the rest of the week .. on Sunday we had the HC memorial service .. lovely, but freeezing, Sally introduced the service, Fleur read a poem, I read a poem, and we put flowers up on the altar, we then went back to the cafe for coffee to warm up and the kids had afternoon tea, and some goodies donated from local businesses .. Really nice. We then had a quick "look" around a couple of the old buildings, but it was near closing time, so didn't have too much of a good look around.

P6291061Merle reading poem Cheryl at the Village CHApel

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Monday back to school ... Tues school .. and so it continued .. me fighting with the kids to get them up .. well one of them .. and the other not wanting to get dressed .. rush out the door at 5 or 10 to 9 just in time to get to school either just as the bell went or after ... Each day M5 asked.. how many more sleeps 'til the holidays, I don't want to go to school .. in my mind I was saying the same thing !

Wednesday the playgroup went to Jack & Jill's and I talked to Amanda about Jenny Craig .. $450 to join and then $150 for food each week, but she has lost 10kg's already, and it doesn't seem like it was more than a couple of months .. phew .. so will look into that after the holidays....after I save up .. WW doesn't seem to do much for more .. too much temptation and if I can have the food and plan for the day all set for me I think I will be less liable to fail .. oh and the cost of course would deter me going off the rails ..wasting money an all that .. ummm yeh !

Thursday .. school interviews .. what have I got to say about that .. mmm well that's in a private post after this .. vent vent vent, but as my sister said at least it has been picked up, her children have learning issues, and the teacher are often quick to brush it off , and at least M5 has been offered a teachers aide and follow up ..

It's just so frustrating.. with helping him to learn, as it is like his brain hasn't clicked to it .. and you can see he is getting frustrated with it too ..

So next up ... Friday .. jeepers that came around quick .. and the Sat was calves .. 11 to feed wahoo .. kinda fun .. and a couple a really sucky motors .. lol .. especially no 204 .... So every day 4pm my job begins ...now if I could get Little Missy to like being down there .. well life would be a little bit easier ..