Uni Exam Complete

Hi All
I would firstly like to thank Pete and Tracy fo their much needed help on Friday. Pete supervised my exam and Tracy, even though she was not feeling well, baby sat my crazy children. I really appreciated it guys THANKS AGAIN!!
I hope I did well and feel reasonably confident with all area's but the essay. I have still not fully grasped what they expect of me. I will let you know the result when they are in.
Bye for now and Happy Blogging.
Bec

Dance baby, Dance.

Hi All,
After watching Brandy dance I can't decide if she has obtained her talents from me or her dad. I know for sure I have no rhythm and if I try to shake my bootee like Beyonce I look like I have something shoved in an uncomfortable place. Tony looks like a frog in a blender, so I guess she gets it from him! You be the judge.

Very cute all the same, no matter where her inspiration comes from. Excuse the bad filming I was copying her, so she would keep doing it for the camera. As usual when the camera came out she stopped dancing. Some of you may also wonder why my kids were in their PJ's at what seemed to be the middle of the day. It was actually about 7pm and they were getting ready for bed, it is daylight savings in S.A at the moment and the transition of getting them to sleep while it is still daylight is difficult.

Bye for now and Happy Blogging.

Bec

Christmas Preperation

Hi All
I am officially FINISHED, and all before the calender ticked over to December 1st. Presents bought AND wrapped, check. Cards written out, letter and photo included, and cards actually POSTED, check, Christmas tree, decorations and lights ALL up and working, check. It's over. All that is left to do now is assemble the swing set on Christmas eve and do a food shop and I am all set. VOILA!!
Bye for now and Happy Blogging.
Bec

Christmas cards, letters and the PHOTO!

Hi All,

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have spent the last 6 years in the middle of nowhere at Christmas time.

In the middle of nowhere the mail plane would come to take out going and deliver in coming mail every Wednesday unless rain had wet the the dirt strip and they were unable to land. Usually if I needed stamps or had a letter to post without a stamp I would either include the 50c with the letter in the mail bag, or I would send in money prior to needing the stamp and they would send out stamps the following week. When it came to Christmas cards however I was VERY UN-organised. I thought it rude to send in 50 cards unstamped with the money attached and getting someone else to lick and stick for me. I also just never got around to sending in the money for the stamps to be sent back to me. SLACK I know. This "slackness" of mine resulted in literally hundreds of Christmas cards being written over time and NEVER posted. One year i found a pile of cards squashed in the glove box of the Toyota about September the following year.

Now I am living in town and the post office is literally walking distance from my house I am organised. I wrote out all the cards making sure not to seal them because I wanted to include a universal update letter of the all happenings in our little family, as well as a nice photo of the girls. I spread the picture taking out over two days and the end result wasn't perfect or what I wanted but it was OK.

As you can see, on the first day I dressed them both up and tried to use a table cloth to make a decorative back drop. On the second day I just washed their faces. I really couldn't be bothered.

Don't get get me wrong I did NOT expect perfect model type photo's, all I wanted was the both of them looking at the camera AT THE SAME TIME, and smiling. Mickalee kept saying smile every time i said it, so me trying to get them to smile resulted in me making all types of weird noises, shouting and waving my free arm like a mad woman. The neighbours must think I am crazy. Eventually I got one picture.

I ordered copies on-line last night, and I printed off the universal letter yesterday so as soon as the prints arrive look out post office here I come.

Bye for now and Happy Blogging.

Bec

I'm Gonna Miss you Mate!!

Hi All

When a part of your family has to go and meet it's maker, no matter how big or small their role in your family was it is a sad loss. On Wed the 19/11/08 I had to make to gut wrenching decision to put my best mate of 6 years to sleep. Bonnie was a kind, gentle natured dog, however her instincts to hunt were always in the back of her mind. On Wednesday morning she jumped the fence and mauled a goat in the vacant lot next door. I apologised to the neighbour and immediately offered to pay all vet bills incurred from the attack. I coped a $210.00 fine from the local council, and made the terrible decision to put her down. People who knew and loved Bonnie could not imagine her doing such a thing, but a dog like her has instincts that she obviously could not control. Even though this was the hardest thing yet I have had to do, I decided it was for the best just in case one of the girls was her next target. Don't miss understand me, she NEVER showed aggression towards the girls and if she had of I would have made this choice a long time ago. I just couldn't trust her after this.

I will remember teaching you how to shake hands with small pieces of kit-Kat (before I realised chocolate was bad for dogs.) I will remember waking up in the swag with you when I was sure I had gone to sleep with Tony, you always had a way of squeezing in there somewhere. I will remember the day you dodged 6 bullets fired at you from Tony's gun after stealing a whole rump out of the camp kitchen. I will remember how you played. I will remember how you barked like you had something to say. I will remember how you barked to let me know there was a snake under the house.

I WILL REMEMBER YOU!!

LOVE YOU BONNIE!!

Christmas

Hi All
Yes I am one of those annoying people who loves Christmas. I love shopping for gifts, decorating, wrapping, writing cards and everything. I am officially weird.

My last six Christmas's have been spent in the Gulf Of Carpentaria and have been great but this will be the first Christmas in about 6 years that I have spent with my mum and brothers. It will also be my FIRST ever Christmas spent with Dean. I am really looking forward to it and went overboard as usual. I also found out on Monday that Tony, Mum and Dean WILL be home for Christmas. I will explain the situation a little more for those who don't know it. Dean, Mum and my hubby are all away in N.S.W working on the construction of a wind farm near Goulbourn. Dean and Tony rotate on the same roster they work 4 weeks on and 1 week off, having a day off mid shift. Dean, Tony and mum were all due to fly back to N.S.W on Christmas eve. So to have our family Christmas we were just going to have it a few days early. However on Monday we found out they do not have to return until Boxing Day. HOORAY for us!!

We moved to Jamestown in June and in July Big W had a HUGE toy sale, so I did what any anal planner would do. I got in the car, drove to Port Augusta (were our nearest Big W is) and put all the goodies I wanted on Lay-by. I have been making regular payments and this Saturday just gone mum and Dean had the kids for the day and Tony and I drove over to Port Augusta with the trailer in-tow to collect the lay-by. I said earlier I did go overboard, but I do have a reason for it. Last year "Santa" bought my girls a trampoline for Christmas, but when we moved from QLD to S.A we did not have enough room for it and sold it. We did have full intention of replacing it however when we came across the Swing sets in the Big W catalogue we spend a little extra than planned to get it instead of a replacement trampoline. I was sure they would get more fun from a swing set anyway.

I have no idea why the picture is turned it isn't on my computer but for some reason when i uploaded it, it turned and I have no idea how to change it. I have decided not to put the slide on until the girls are bigger, I think this could cause injuries because they are only 2 and 1 and have not perfected the art of climbing yet. Those who know my girls know they are good at it, but they aren't perfect.

Here are all the presents waiting to be wrapped, there are gifts here for my nephews as well as the girls. All that is left to do now is wrap the presents and double check the battery situation. There is nothing worse than opening a toy that does not include batteries. I am sure these toys however will get pushed aside once the swing set is discovered.

I have done my tree but I the screen around it isn't doing as planned and the girls keep pushing it over. So I will redecorate the tree Christmas Eve before I put all the gifts under it. Putting any presents there early is just asking for trouble.
I have also decorated the back patio, it is hard to see but there is Christmas lights everywhere!! Bring on Christmas and the heat!! I'm sick of being cold!!

Merry Christmas Everyone

Bye For now and Happy Blogging

Bec

First Unit Nearly Over!!

Hi All
I am here, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I have just been busy, very busy. I have completed all the set assignments for my introduction to university course all I have left to do is the exam. That is set to happen on Friday Dec 5Th and Tracy aka Mad Quilter has kindly volunteered (after I begged and promised to babysit) her husband Pete to supervise me. This of course was a huge relief to me because it meant something less to worry about.

So even though the hard part is over, my life is now revision, revision, revision. I had to resubmit my first essay because I was WAY off track but I did a lot better second time around I got a pass. The second Essay is not back and marked yet so I will keep you posted.

Bye for now and Happy Blogging
Bec

Sunsets

Hi All

I managed to get a few pics of the sunset her on Friday night, as I said my camera is not the best but they turned out OK. Finally a sunset almost worthy of those we experienced in "The Gulf of Carpentaria".This one was taken about 7pm
This was also around 7pm

This was taken later about 7.15 and I was standing on a chair so I could get a good shot.

This is the cropped version of the photo above, this is my favourite one.

This was the last one I took, after bathing the girls, it was about 7.45pm. A little blurry but you get the idea.

Bye for now and happy blogging

Bec

Dora Concert

Hi All
I know we went to the Dora concert nearly a month ago now, but I have been meaning to blog about it ever since and just have not got around to it.

Firstly I will say I am SO glad I organised a baby sitter for Brandy there is no way she would have sat through it as I had expected. As it was I had difficulty getting Mickalee to keep still. She saw all the kids and just wanted to play with them and run around. To solve this I folded her chair up so she could jump and dance in the little space in front. I was amazed at how many people struggled to get little ones to sit and watch, some babies surrounding us were under one. They were with their mums and in most cases were not accompanying an older sibling as one would have assumed. I will say though that I never heard a peep out of any of them. At a kids concert you expect a certain amount of ruckus, crying and screaming, I never heard any. Except of course when it was over and it was time to leave, lots of tots wanted more of DORA.

The performance I will say was GREAT however it was not what I expected, I assumed it would be like the pirate play DVD, which my girls have watched a million times, they know all the songs and love it but it wasn't the same. Mickalee loved it just as much though. The costumes were excellent, but I have just one question "where was Benny the bull?".

There is a little red glow above Mickalee's left shoulder, that was the stage, my camera did not like taking pictures of something so far away in the dark.

Bye for now and Happy blogging

Bec

Visitors

Hi All

It seems that this past month I have done more kilometers than you average truck driver. OK, OK that was a major exaggeration but I have been to Adelaide 3 times in for weeks. The girls and I went down for the Dora concert, which also happened to time in with Tony flying in from Canberra, so we stayed for two nights so we get some much needed summer wardrobe updating done.

I then went in again a fortnight later to pick up Tony's mum from the airport, she stayed with us for 8 days and the girls enjoyed having nanny Betty visit.

I then returned to put her back on the plane. As she had a 10 am flight we went in the day prior so we were sure not to miss her plane, I knew my kids can be unpredictable and didn't want to risk travelling from Jamestown. I pre booked the accommodation for 2 nights, as my mum was due to fly in the day Betty flew out, so the girls and I were going to spend one night with mum. As it turns out her reason for travel was cancelled and her visit fell through. I had booked accommodation at "Adelaide Shores Caravan Park", so we could be close to the airport, and when mums visit fell through I thought rather than cancel the room I would arrange to catch up with some friends instead. The facilities were wonderful and the girls had a blast in the pool.

The pool we went swimming in was .5m deep and that allowed the girls to walk freely without being held, they both fell over a few times and couldn't find there feet, but myself or friends were right behind them to pick them up.

Mickalee with my cousins Lisa and Jessie

We also had a major break though in the toilet training the day we went swimming, I thought there was no way Mickalee would tell me when she needed to go, so I just asked her regularly and hoped for the best. After being in the pool about 20 minutes she came up to me and said mummy I need to do a wee. By the time I organised someone to supervise Brandy and got out of the pool, she had gone off again with Bradley. So while Zack watched Brandy I sat with Carol thinking Mickalee had either forgotten what she needed to do, or had done it in the pool. Then to my surprise she came up to me again and repeated her need to go to the loo. So I took her. I honestly thought to myself that this would be one of those times you took her and she didn't do anything, but to my surprise she did. My two and half year old got out of a pool to wee. OMG!! I was so excited for her.

Anyway, back on the road again next week, need to go back in on Wed to get Tony off the plane, then he is home for a week, so back in again to put him back on it.

Bye for now and happy blogging

Bec

My baby is talking

Hi All

My Weenie One is not so Weenie anymore

Brandy is now 18 nealry 19 months old and is finally getting some more words out. I am sure Mickalee was talking in sentences by this age, but she was always a chatter box. Brandy has been saying mum and dad for quite a while, but it seems in the last few weeks she has come along in leaps and bounds. So I thought I would share a video with you all of her new found words. Enjoy!

This video is probably more for those who know us and have not seen the kids in a while. Brandy now weighs more than Mickalee but is not quiet as tall as her yet. They share clothes and Mickalee hates it. I am sure this drama will only get worse as they get older. LOL!!! I shall look forward to it. NOT!!

Bye for now and happy blogging

Bec

Ram and Ewe Ball

Hi All

On Saturday night a majority of our small town got "frocked" up for the "Ram & Ewe" desperate and dateless ball. Yes I know I am married but I just couldn't pass up a night out complete with a chance to wear a pretty dress. I got to wear a red arm band to show others I was spoken for. The tickets prior to the night were $40.00, then on the night at the door they were $50.00. I am still not 100% sure what I expected on the night, but I do know the function we attended wasn't it.

To begin with the single people were all given green arm bands with a number on them and if you found your matching number you both went to the bar and received a free drink. OK sounds easy, right!! It wasn't!! The arm bands were covered by shirt sleeves, facing the wrong way or completely missing. When they were visible you had to be about 2 Inches from the band to read the number in the dark. Ridiculous!! The food for the evening was "Generic" brand chips in plastic containers randomly placed around the venue. Or you could get a satay stick or steak sandwich from the food tent out the back. A steak sandwich is just what you feel like eating when you dressed up in a ball gown. Someone obviously thought this through also. I hate to whinge but it really has put me off even thinking about attending next year, also people who I see between now and then who ask will no doubt get my honest opinion. There was no best dressed awards, or lucky door prizes, and the only attempt to raise money was a very small people auction consisting of 4 entrants. If there was a little more planning I am sure local businesses would have happily donated items to be auctioned for the chosen charity, (which I won't name) but I only heard it mentioned once. Drinks were purchased with a ticket system, which I found had good and bad points. The bar people didn't have to handle money, so that meant quick easy service, however I came home with 5 tickets, as I found I couldn't exchange them before I left.

I have to share a story with you regarding an incident on the night, this could not have been avoided by anybody, except the man with the vulgar mouth, but I thought I would share it all the same. My feet were getting tired and very sore from heels, as I don't often wear them and my friend and I went to find a seat. When we went outside we saw a bench occupied by 2 men. I approached them and asked if they would mind scooting over so we could also sit down. To which I got "That depends do you swallow?" needless to say we didn't sit there. Also point out that this guy went home ALONE!!Any guesses why.?

Me with Mickalee before I had gone out.

I wore my wedding dress, I knew having a different colour to white would allow me to wear again.
MissA having a ball

I would like to finish on a high note, all the volunteers behind the bar, in the food tent, on the door and tickets sales were all very nice and did great jobs. The band also was very good and everyone had a good time dancing and singing along. My highlight of the night however was crawling or was it falling into bed at 3am.

Bye for now and happy blogging

Bec

My new outdoor setting

Hi All

As some of you may know I have been baby sitting "Smiley" for about 5 weeks now and I have been putting the money I earn away to buy myself something. Seeing as my husband is very bad with things like this I thought I would finally just stop whinging and do something about it.

This setting cost me $400 from the local hardware store and it is my new favorite place to sit. I have also included a photo of the fish pond garden, that is currently 'fishless' due to Mickalee throwing rocks, dog biscuits and a whole tin of fish food in it. The poor fish just had no hope. We have decided to keep it 'fishless' until the girls are old enough to appreciate them a LOT more.

Bye for now and happy blogging

Bec

Toilet training update and ABC'S

Hi All
Mickalee has had a few dry days in row now and all seems to be going very, very well. She is still wearing a nappy at nap time, and wakes up dry most days, and of course is still wearing one at night. She has yet to use the loo for number two, but I am sure that will happen when she is ready, I am not too worried about it. She is going on her own without my help and isn't even using the potty seat anymore just the normal seat. Her climbing up onto it is a funny site, and she has almost fallen in once. I have also decided to buy some one ply toilet paper for her as we are going through SO much paper at the moment. I will of course keep the good stuff hidden away for me. Very cheeky I know but she does not understnad the meaning of a little bit, yet!.

I have added a video of Mickalee saying her ABC'S for you to enjoy. When you ask her to say her alphabet she says "alphdabet" but when you ask her to say her ABC'S you get this!!

So cute!!

Don't ask why she was laying on the floor because I still can not work it out.

Bye for now and Happy blogging.
Bec

51 st Post

Hi All

I can not believe I used my 50Th post for Mrwannabethebossofeveryone's demise!! Oh well I will pay more attention when I get to the 100!!!

Thanks for reading about us and out little world!! A few pics for you as celebration!!

Our first family photo Brandy was 2 weeks old and Mickalee was 13 months old! very cute

Mickalee at Playgroup "Outback" styleThis photo was taken when Mickalee was about 13 months old but I love it and wanted to share it. For those of you who love dogs his name is "Jimmy".Mickalee at the show in JamestownWhat happens when a 2 year old and a 1 year old get there own breakfast. That is a 6 pack of yogurt I should be grateful it wasn't a 6 pack of beer.Both my beautiful girls after bath time about a month ago

Bye for now and happy blogging
Bec

Karma is my friend

Hi All
I am going to tell you a story that has made me smile, for obvious reasons I will not use real names but all I will say is "It couldn't have happened to a nicer person and Karma is my friend."

I regularly keep in touch with friends from up north and like nothing more than my sometimes more than weekly updates on the little towns gossip. It is like my version of "days of our lives". I will start from the beginning and hope for you sake this all makes sense.

There is a man in town who thinks he owns the place, he has a business in town and when I first moved to "the middle of nowhere" I worked for Mrwannabethebossofeveryone and his wife. I had a very bad experience and Mrwannabethebossofeveryone tried to put the moves on me after only a month of employment. After putting up with 3 more months of being treated very badly I got the sack because the oldest daughter told them I was hitting her and her sister in the class room. I had a major personality clash with this child and she lied to her mother because she didn't like me, however now that I am a mum I understand where the wife was coming from. If I thought someone was hurting my children I would show them the door also. To tell you the truth I was glad I got fired, even though the reasons were wrong. That is how I came to work at the local hotel, where they were regulars . I put up with Mrwannabethebossofeveryones torment for the next 5 and a half years, he tried to break tony and I up when we got together among lots of other terrible things. I ignored this behaviour and never let him see me cry, he was being childish and I often used to say to friends when will he get his Karma?.

Since moving we have been kept up to date on his nastiness and about 2 months ago we heard he got in a fight at the pub with one of Tony's mates Frank. Frank was sitting quietly in the pub having a beer and "Mrwannabethebossofeveryone" walked in with "noodle". "Noodle" proceeded under Mrwannabethebossofeveryones orders to call Frank a "useless black c*#t" and knocked his hat off his head. Frank was surprisingly calm about it and asked politely for it back. Noodle said "come and get it." So Frank followed noodle and when his hat still was not returned after several nice attempts to get it back Frank knocked noodle out. This however was not the end of it Mrwannabethebossofeveryone told Frank "I am going to get Thehorsewhisperer to sort you out for knocking out noodle". To which Frank replied "I don't think so I am related to Thehorsewhisperer and he would back a brother before you any day".

That was part one we have heard nothing else about this until today. Chillilady rang me to fill me in she knew it would make me happy. I in turn rang publady and she filled in the banks.

Mrwannabethebossofeveryone was at the pub enjoying a beer when youngone started to pick a fight with him over another incident which had occurred sometime prior. Publady broke it up and calmed youngone down. While she was calming down youngone she heard breaking glasses and and all mighty thud only to turn in time to see Mrwannabethebossofeveryone old cold on the concrete. She looked up to see who had been his demise only to see Frank with Thehorsewhisperer standing behind him as back up.

OK OK, I will say at this point I hate fighting, however in this case it was about time someone stood up to the bully.
I told publady to buy Frank a carton and give it to him with lots of hugs and kisses from Bec and Tony.
We love you Frank!!

Bye for now and happy blogging
Bec

Break through on the loo!!

Hi All

I am not sure if I mentioned in a previous post or not but we have started toilet training here. It has taken a lot more than I thought it would, I had a feeling Mickalee would be very easy due to her being so vocal. Mickalee will be 3 in march and since the weather has warmed up here we started. I also started baby sitting for another 3 year old (for the sake of my blog I will call her "smiley" as I have not asked her mum's permission). "Smiley" is toilet trained but needs to be reminded and sometimes still has accidents, so I thought the girls would encourage each other.

To start with I just stopped putting Mickalee in nappy's and let her wear "knick knicks" her words not mine. I would then ask her if she needed to go. She would sit on the loo and nothing. We had several accidents which I expected and when this happened I just said things like "oh well" and "maybe next time". Reminded her to tell me if she needed to go, and also that wet "knick knicks" didn't feel nice. I think we have been trying for about 3 weeks, and I will admit the last week I have been very slack because I felt like I was getting no where and didn't want to push her.

Today we went to the park and due to all the fun the kids would have I put a pull up on Mickalee. When "Smiley" and Lily went to go to the loo Mickalee said she did too. I put her on and she did nothing. I kept praising and said "maybe next time". This afternoon after her nap "Smiley" needed to go to the loo and so did Mickalee. I thought this would be the same as the other attempts and was not paying attention, until I asked her if she had done a wee and she said "yes" (she has always said "I got no wee's mummy" or "no" before), I started cheering and clapping and high fiving and then told her she got to put a special sticker on her rewards chart. Which has been on the fridge for about 2 weeks with no stickers, she chose Dora of course. She went once more before her PJ's and got the same reaction from me she was very very excited. She even rang daddy and nanny to tell them of her accomplishment. Fingers crossed this was her "ping" moment and the run continues, we are yet to do a number 2 so maybe that will be a different challage all together.

This photo is one of my favourites, It was taken about 12 months ago (remember the date on my camera is wrong.) Mickalee used to always pee before she had a shower so I used to make her wait on the loo while I got it ready. She never went while sitting there though as luck would have it. This particular night she decided she wanted to read just like daddy. I have been meaning to send it to outback magazine for ages.

This is one I took about a week ago, when I purchased this beautiful training seat from the local "op shop" for a grand expense of $2.00. She loves it.

I am sure Mickalee will appreciate these photo's when her 21st comes around. **rofl**

I will keep you updated on how it all goes fingers crossed.

Bye for now and happy blogging.

Bec

Tattoo Pictures

Hi All

Well getting my blogging organised didn't happen I have been meaning to do it and then something else comes up as always. I find this a real shame because I enjoy it. Anyway as promised here are two pictures of Tony's newly acquired art work.

As you can see Mickalee couldn't resist showing off her new "tattoo" too.

Sorry about the picture quality my poor old camera has nearly taken it's last picture, I'm afraid.

Bye for now and happy blogging.

Bec

Powers from above

Hi All
I have been meaning to write this post for a while and as you can see today has been my catch up day. I need to be more organised with my blogging rather than bombarding you with so much information all at once.

Last Sunday night I was getting ready for bed about 10pm and was hit with a wave of worry. I felt like something was wrong, I checked the kids, all OK, I then felt sick, this was the worst worry I had experienced in ages. I called mum, in tears and told her I felt something was wrong. She said to relax and she was sure it would all be OK.

I need to explain, I am not psychic by any stretch of the imagination but I have some dreams come true, and then my "feelings" can tell me like last Sunday when something isn't quite right. Last time it happened one of dads work mates, was diagnosed of a brain tumour, two weeks later I had the same feeling and he had passed away.

Back to the original story. I went to bed uneasy, and tried to sleep. About 3 am I think I eventually dosed off. I spoke to as many people as I could contact on the Monday and everyone was OK. I tried to forget about it as best as I could but the familiar lump kept rising. For some reason I kept being drawn back to think about my ex boyfriend. I have dated him in nearly 10years, it ended badly and he is a person I would rather forget, I never think about him. By Wednesday I had enough and rang his mother. I have not got her number written anywhere and I do not phone her. I remembered the number out of the blue as soon as I decided that I would call. When she answered she started to cry and said out of all the days, what made you call today. I told her about the feeling and she told me about "Cabbage" (A friend we had back when we dated, when we split he got to keep him. I only saw him occasionally if I happened to run into him.) He died on Sunday and they buried him on Wednesday. OMG!!!! Spooky!!! She also told me that at the funeral "Bill" my ex's step dad asked if anyone had thought to call me, then I called her!! I had a good but sad catch up with her, sent my condolences and ended the call.

When I called mum and told her about it, she said I was unbelievable and if I ever had a "feeling" about her, could I call so she could park at the hospital.

Trust your instincts!!
Bye for now and Happy blogging.
Bec

Tony and the Tattoo

Hi All
My husband is officially hopeless. He is in Canberra away working on another wind farm and doesn't really like being away from us, or so he says.
In the last couple of months my husband has been VERY spoilt, and being away in Canberra has not helped his habits without me there to supervise him.

His latest purchases are listed below.

Fathers Day: $300 Hoist. Excuse: I need it to get the welder off the back of the Ute, it has been there since we have moved to S.A and it is costing me heaps in fuel carting such a heavy object around all the time. (Wife agrees, then drove to Adelaide to pick it up. Before he went away)
First year Anniversary: $280 Flying lessons (Gift from Wife)
Springs for car: $900 Safety Issue (Wife agrees, ordered, VISA'ED, Had another day hubby less while he fitted them.)
Fishing Rod: $100 I am in Canberra and need something to do on my afternoon off. (Wife didn't know until a week after purchase.) Wife wonders what is wrong with the 3 fishing rods you already own? He Forget them!!
Glasses $450 He really needed these they shouldn't be counted.!!
New Tattoo $250 The phone call went a little like this.

Him: Hi

Me: Hey what you up to?

Him: Just waiting for the optometrist to open

Me: Oh OK, so you got an appointment then?

Him: No not yet I am waiting till they open.

Me: Oh so you didn't call?

Him: No I am waiting till they open.

(this went on for a while I couldn't understand why he didn't call a few days prior to his day off and arrange an appointment.)

Me: OK then no worries, good luck call me after.

3 Hours later another call comes in from him.

Him: Hi

Me: How did you go?

Him: Oh my appointment isn't for another half an hour.

Me: See I told you to call.

Him: Never mind I just window shopped. Liked some of the rings and things I saw in the Jewellers.

Me: Really? and..........

Him: You would like them, they were nice.

Me: Oh OK I guess I had better let you go if you have to go to the eye docs.

Him: I was just ringing to ask you if I could get another tattoo? I want to get the girls names tattooed on my arm.

Me: Can you wait a few more weeks I want to build the savings up again, wait till pay day.

Him: Oh please it is only $250.

Me: Oh really, do you have to now, can't you wait.

Him: Well no I can't wait.

Me: The tattoo shop is not going anywhere.

Him: I can't wait I sorta all ready got it, while I was waiting for my appointment with the optometrist.

Me: WHAT!!!! What would you have done, if I had of said no?

Him: I just would not have told you.

Obviously the conversation didn't end there but you get it!! My husband is officially an IDIOT!!! He sent me some pics via his phone and I do like it but that is not the point. I will share them all with you once he is home and I can take some cool ones with the camera. I can't get the others off the phone for some odd reason. I told him that night when he called he owed me BIG TIME!! I need a bit of spoiling and he said "Oh don't worry I got you another Jewellery box." Your all probably thinking Oh how nice but That is the 3rd one he has bought me in 6 years, don't you think he could start buying me jewellery to put in them?? I WANT DIAMONDS!!!! Men!!!!

Bye for now and Happy Blogging.
Bec

I am still here

Hi All
Just a quick little update on the happenings around here in our little world. Mickalee is in the process of toilet training : (. No luck as of yet but I am trying not to rush her I am sure she will get there when she is ready. So far it has created more washing for me and that is about it.

I am still on the uni train, although I will admit I am struggling at the moment. I have an assignment due on Friday and only started it today because I was waiting for my great mates Ryan and Kim to visit and install the necessary program because I am hopeless when it comes to that sort of thing. I have decided no t.v for me until it is finished. Focus, focus, focus.

Dora live is in Adelaide on the 8Th of Oct so we will be heading in the day before for that also and Tony is due home then too. Hooray!!! I miss him heaps!! Can't wait.

I weeded the garden this week. The weeds were up to my waist, I have been putting it off and putting it off so it my own fault that it got that bad!! I am suffering for it now though it took me all afternoon and I have been stiff ever since!! Thank god it is done though. I ma investing in a little spray bottle for round up, and I plan to spray the suckers as soon as they appear from now on. I think that will be better I didn't want to use the big weed sprayer in that garden because I didn't want to accidentally kill the roses. I have also come the conclusion that if and when we get around to buying a home of our own it will be all concrete, fake grass and PLASTIC plants. LOL!!

Bye for now and Happy Blogging.
Bec

The Doggy Dollar!

Hi All

Thanks to my wonderful dogs "Bonnie" and "Hippy Chic" I am now $85.20 poorer. They are lovely dogs and I wouldn't be without them but some days I wonder why I put myself through the stress and aggravation. Of course I knew when I got my dog, there was costs involved and of course time and love, but lately I have had a run of Houdini acts by "Bonnie" and I am annoyed at her. Why did she stay home when we had no gate, then all of a sudden when a gate is built she decided that her fat arse could jump and she goes on walk abouts.

Anyway, since we have been in S.A the dogs have been in Clare with Tony due to me not having an enclosed yard. This is why we refrained from registering them. We needed to wait until we had come to a more permanent arrangement. This arrangement presented itself when Tony was told he was off to Canberra, it kicked him into action to finally build the gate I had been asking him for. The dogs came here permanently the day Tony left and it has all been going very well.

Tony has been gone a week tomorrow and I thought when I woke up how slack I had been for not registering the dogs yet, so I got organised and went down and did it before I forgot again. I paid the fee's "Bonnie" was $20.70 because she is spayed and "Hippy Chic" $34.50 because she isn't. No problems, I got the tags went to Venessa's for a coffee then went home about 12pm to get the girls lunch and settle them for a nap. The day was normal!! Or so I thought! I got a phone call about 2.30pm from the council saying that they thought they had "Bonnie" in the pound, sure enough I looked out the back and she was gone. I told the lady I would wait until the girls woke up and be straight down. I had not even had a chance to put her new tag on her so it was lucky that one of the ladies who worked for the council had been to my house with Venessa before and recognised her.

I went to the council office because that is where they told me to pay the pound fee's. I was very lucky as they waved the "no tag fee", knowing I had been in just 4 hours before. It cost me $30.00 to "post her bail (giggle). So all up today not including the usual food my "girls" cost me $85.20. You will be happy to know they all are home and doing well, and displaying their new I.D tags proudly.

Bye for now and Happy blogging

Bec

Blah, Blah. Blah and other irrelavant nonsence!

Hi All
I have been keeping up to date with all the little or sometimes BIG blogs I read, and my day does not feel complete until I have checked up on everyone. I went away last week as you know and I came home to about 30 new posts in my reader for me to enjoy. Despite being absolutely buggered I sat up and read every last one. So much happened in the 3 days I was away I was amazed!

I have come to a dead end in blogland at the moment, my house is relatively quite by comparison and nothing much has happened around here in the last few days so I have had nothing to post about. I am sure now that I have said it though a freak tornado will rip my roof off tomorrow and I will have heaps to talk about.

The girls are being their normal destructive selves, I am sure they think that they need to mess the house up once I have cleaned it just so I don't get bored. They conspire against me I am sure of it (NO I am not just paranoid!). I can picture the conversation now "Hey Brandy mum just picked up all the toys in the playroom.". Brandy is watching Dora. "Yeah so?". Mickalee walks to the toy room, and up ends both toy baskets. "Hey Brandy quick come here you have to see this." Brandy runs to Mickalee. "See what?" Mickalee yells "MUM!! Brandy just tipped all the toys out." OK OK they are only little but seriously that is what it is like. Mickalee is a schemer and Brandy falls for it every time. Where do kids learn this stuff from? Mickalee did something naughty the other day, for memory it had something to do with drawing on something she shouldn't of and she said "No not me mummy it was the monkey." I know I have bad days but if we had a damn monkey in the house I am sure I would have noticed it!! I don't lie, and my husband doesn't lie (except for when I ask him if my butt is getting big. I don't care how big it gets!! He better lie.!!) So why is she lying. I just don't understand. She is socialised with other kids but the kids she plays with have been taught the same values, as her and have never lied to me. She watches Nick Jr and I have seen a couple of shows about lying but it has always been related to how wrong it is. Where is she picking it up? She has also discovered how to say "NO WAY!", "No"came a long time ago but this new vocabulary is driving me insane. I hope it is just a phase and i prey for the day when she says "sure mummy!" Wishful thinking on my part I know but I can dream can't I?

Tony left on Tuesday morning for the Canberra wind farm job and will be away this stint for 4 weeks, then home for one. This is no different to the roster he was working at Snowtown except due to him being a lot closer he was able to come home during his weeks at work to have dinner with us and see his beautiful girls. Tony suffers more than we do when he is away, I am so pre-occupied with the girls, uni and house things I don't have time to focus on him not being here. I can have endless phone calls with him at night, so this helps and makes it seem like he is close by. The girls are too young yet to realise he is away, and when Mickalee does ask where he is I tell her "Daddy is at work." and she simply says "OK". One day she got mad and said "NO mummy, daddy is at school not work." I thought it was so cute I never corrected her. I also get to see the girls everyday. On a bad day with the girls I envy him 3 weeks away is my idea of heaven.

I would love to say CONGRATULATIONS to Mel from "A Dream come true" on the safe but hectic arrival of her little baby boy Ashton Blake, who weighed in at a TINY (not) 11 pounds. WOW!! Hope all is going well with your new bundle of joy!.

I hope to be back soon with something more interesting for you all.
Bye for now and Happy blogging
Bec

Travels, catching up and reminising!

Hi All,
I have not fallen off the face of the earth but I have been busy and away from the computer so I have not been able to fill you in on the latest happenings in our little world.

This is where my family gets complicated. We were once the traditional family unit but we are now made of much more than that. Since mum and dad split up they have both found happiness elsewhere and with that comes more brothers sisters. So we what once started out as 3 (Me, Dan and Josh), became 8. Deans 3 kids (Tara, Kim and Jock), and Ange's 2 (Ryan and Olivia). I am happy to report that I am still the oldest. This also means more grandparents, more uncles and aunties and of course more cousins. Anyway there is a point to telling you all this, My step dads, step dad passed away on the 1st of Sept. "Pom" (that was his well known nickname) was with Deans mum for 28 years and they were planning to get married later this year. We all knew Pom before mum and Dean got together as he was a local Owner/driver in Bordertown and with Dad being in the tyre industry we got to know a lot of the drivers. As it turned out mum and Dean had other prior commitments and couldn't attend, so I travelled 600k with the girls to attend the funeral, not only for myself but also on their behalf. The service was held on Thursday Sept 11Th 08' and was very lovely. It also meant that I got a chance to meet people in Deans family I had not met yet, As we all came from Bordertown I knew of Deans brothers, but I had not officially met them. I was also saddened by the fact that you only catch up with long lost relatives and friends at the loss of another, but it was nice to see them even under bad circumstances.

I stayed with my Auntie Suzie and her kids in Bordertown for the time I was visiting and it was great to catch up with everyone. All the kids enjoyed playing together and it was great for my girls to get to know their second cousins. After returning from Naracoorte we went out for dinner with everyone for my birthday. We all had a good time and all the kids behaved perfectly. Auntie Suzie and her family live in the same house that I grew up in as a kid and it was a little weird being there with my kids. I also couldn't get over the fact that a room that seemed so big when I was a kids was really only tiny. Also the fence at my other Aunts place that took up ages to climb over was only up to my knee. I have not been back to Bordertown in 6 years and it is amazing how much changes in that time.

While we in Naracoorte for the funeral I called around to visit my God mother who I have not seen since my 18Th birthday and she looked after the girls so we did not have to take them to the service. She spoilt them rotten, like she used to do with us when we were kids and they had a great time visiting with her. Mickalee didn't want to get in the car when it came time to leave, she was happy to stay. I said to my god mother "If that doesn't prove she had a good time I don't know what does." This trip was unfortunately very rushed but I plan to do it again with Tony as he has not been there yet. I also have family members he is yet to meet. I am sure it would be nice for him to finally put faces to names.

Bye for now and happy blogging.
Bec



Farewell POM. You will be dearly missed!! I hope there is beer in heaven!!

I am no Mona Lisa ........... BUT!!

Hi All

We had a great night Friday night and both the girls had a great time with their respective baby sitters and families, Thanks Tracy and Vanessa! I really appreciated the time out.

Tony and I dropped off the kids, drove to Clare and boarded an old big yellow school bus!! Gee that bought back memories. We arrived at Snowtown and enjoyed a wonderful meal, a few (too many) drinks and a great chat with lots of people. All was going well until.......... I ran into a guy that works with Tony. (I have seen a few of you lay out a conversation like this so thanks for the idea I am going to copy.)

Him: Hi

Me: Hi I am Bec, nice to meet you.

Him: Aren't you that girls from channel 10.

(I have never worked for a t.v station so)

Me: No

Him: Yeah, yeah you have to be your that chic of channel 10.

(I am sure if I worked for a t.v station I would not be in Snowtown pub)

Me: No really I do not work for channel 10.

Him: Yeah, you are your that girl from channel 10 (Elbows his friend) Shes that chick from channel 10.

Friend: Which chick from channel 10.

Him: You know that, that, that. oh whats her f*#^ing name, you know the one I mean.

Me: I seriously do not work for channel 10.

Friend: No mate can't help ya!

Him: Yeah, yeah I remember that's who "YOUR UGLY BETTY!!"

(At this point I wanted to punch him. HOW RUDE!!)

Me: Oh gee thanks!! but I AM NOT Ugly Betty.

I walk away and hear him chattering to his friend that he can not believe he met UGLY BETTY.

Here is a pic of me on an ordinary day! No make -up or going out clothes!! Put here solely to gain your opinion, or comparison. Do I look like Ugly Betty?

I do realise that she is a fictional character and "America Ferrera" who plays that character is very beautiful. I just want to know why is "Ugly Betty" ugly? I personally don't think she is but I obviously someone thought so. Is is her braces? or glasses? or bad dress sense? She is smart, maybe it's that? She cares about her family and work friends maybe that's ugly? I have no idea. I am not even sure why I took his comments as an insult. Maybe it was a compliment? I was drunk so maybe it was just the word ugly that got me cranky? I did have issues at school about how I looked, but only because the kids at school (kids are too cruel) had an issue it and I was constantly teased. Now I am an adult I have come to realise that the people who do care about it are not worth talking to anyway. None of my friends are going to race "Tyra Banks" down the catwalk any time soon, but they are my friends and I love them. They are ALL shapes and sizes and ALL have issues with their own bodies but I don't think any of them are ugly. I am certainly no "Mona Lisa" but .......... I am funny, My hubby says I'm sexy (his opinion is the only one that really counts RIGHT. Oh and I am happy with me.), I love and care about my kids, my family and my friends, I LOVE chocolate, I wear glasses, I am not a size 10 and NEVER will be (trust me my body and my brain came to terms with that A LONG time ago), I live in Jeans, and anything else I can get to fit my boobs right, I love my boots, my dogs, and country music....................................................... If any of those things make me UGLY!! I guess He was right!! I AM "Ugly Betty".

Bye for now and Happy blogging
Bec

I'm going out tonight

Hi All
Tony and I are going out tonight by ourselves for the first time in a few months, This will also probably be the last chance we get to in a while also. Tony is off to Canberra on the 15Th for work and Mum and Dean are also going around the 10Th. So I will be deserted for 4 weeks out of 5!! Thank-god I have made friends is all I can say.

Tonight we are off to a work party, it is an end of job celebration, as they have finished at Snowtown. I have organised baby sitters for the girls and I don't have to pick them up until tomorrow morning. It is the first time they have stayed away from home over night without me. Mum and Dean have stayed out our house and looked after them while I went to my brothers 18Th and we have spend nights away from home together but this is to be their first independent, SLEEP OVER!!!

I am confident that the girls will be fine, and the chosen people to care for them have years of experience with children and will cope very well. I just can't work out why I feel so funny about it!! I am not sure what it is, I announced when I was pregnant that I was going to take up ALL offers of babysitting, I wasn't going to be one of those mums that stayed home with my kids and missed out on the fun! By the way there is nothing wrong with being one of those mums, but that's just not me. They go to occasional care and they don't miss me, they are having so much fun they don't even notice that I'm not there. I think I just need to toughen up and appreciate the fact that my kids are socialised enough to be able to spend a night with someone else, while I endeavour to get my groove on!!

Wish me luck!! I was never that good at dancing!! Frog in a blender is more my style.
Bye for now and happy blogging
Bec

I made a scarf!!!

Hi All

I finished my first scarf it is for Mickalee and she loves it. She even wanted to wear it to bed. I of course didn't think this was a good idea, I was worried about her accidentally strangling herself.

I have seen other blogs were people tell you what kind of wool they used how many stitches etc they used to create their masterpiece. I am not that clever yet or in tuned with my crochet. I know the wool was red, and I know I used a number 4 hook. I also know I used a triple stitch which is the Australian term. Anyway I have included a couple of pics for you to see what a great job I did!! I am so modest aren't I?

I have started a scarf for myself, which keeps getting ripped, as I am not as good as I would like to be at counting my stitches!! Stayed tuned for the pics of that!!
Bye for now and Happy blogging
Bec.

Haven't they grown!

Hi All

The girls were playing this morning with a "nappy" box, and when Mickalee hopped into it I thought, Oh quick were is my camera? I put Brandy in her lap and these are the results.

These photo's were taken today as you can see the date on my camera is VERY wrong but compare them to the original "nappy" box photo which was taken I guess about 12 to 14 months ago, THEY HAVE GROWN HEAPS!!

Bye for now and happy blogging.

Bec

Tantrums!!

Hi All

As you know my girls are 18months and 30 months, so tantrums are very common in my house. I do not give in to their every whim and thus we get a tantrum. I just thought I would share a couple of the best ones we have had in the last few weeks.

Please imagine a high pitch scream to accompany this photo! For memory she wanted a circle biscuit and I said no, as she had already had one. I offered her a banana and a pear and she screamed at me!! Two year olds are so pleasant. ; )

This is when she had calmed down and decided that maybe a banana would be nice.

Brandy has not started to kick her legs yet when she throws herself on the floor, but I am waiting for it. I am sure it will start eventually. I can't remember how this started but I assume it may have something to do with me telling her for the billionth time not to play in the cupboard!

We start on our front normally then roll over onto our backs to see if anyone is watching. No-one normally is at this point. I try to ignore it not encourage it however this time the photo op was too good to miss.

Tantrums are an odd thing to blog about and I talk about my girls all the time but I decided I would share some of the BAD things with you all. I feel that when I was pregnant no-one told me the truth about children. I was ripped off and lead into a obscure version of the truth. I was told about the birthing process, the PAIN, the sleepless nights when they are babies (I was a lucky one I had sleepers so this was never a HUGE issue.) and endless nappy changes, feeds and burps but no-one talked about the toddlers. Not one person told me that I would have days where jumping of a cliff seemed like a great idea, just so I could get peace. No-one told me that I would NEVER pee alone again. No-one told me that a two year old will repeat everything she says a million times (in-case you didn't hear it the first hundred times) just because she can. No-one mentioned that they would scream at the top of their lungs as soon as I am on the phone, or that they get even louder when the call is important. Consider this my WARNING to those who have not had babies yet OR have babies that are not "EXPLORING" yet. GOOD LUCK!!!

I will also say all the things I mentioned above will happen ALL on the same day just to really test you, but it makes it ALL worth it when they say something like. "I love you mummy." Or

They sit and eat their breakfast quietly so you can enjoy your first cup of coffee in PEACE!

Bye for now and happy blogging.

Bec