I love a Challenge - Easter Holiday Planner Printable

All over Blogland and Pinterest there are squillions of printables. Downloadable printable templates to fulfill your every need from organising your home, your grocery list or your home budget, to calenders, baby shower gift tags, cookie jar labels and everything in between.

As you may have figured out, I love a challenge so yesterday I decided to have a go and make my very first Button Brain Printable.

As the Easter school holidays are hurtling towards us and I have Zip-Zero-Zilch planned as yet, I thought it would be fun ( and terrifically organised of me) if I made up a an Easter holiday planner for Miss 9.

It took some work & several hours of 'research' online, before I finally went back to the art program I know and understand.

I made up some little Easter Egg graphics, added some text, played around with the layout, played around with the layout some more... and more and more and more.....

But finally, I think I got something that someone out there might like to print.

 So If you would like to download my very first Button Brain Printable Click Below:

Easter Holiday Planner Printable Link

Just download the PDF to your computer and print away.

So how do you think I did?

Cocktail Dresses for Cruising

If I tell a mum at school that I write a blog, usually the reaction is a polite but blank smile.

Trying to explain to non-bloggers (or non-blog readers) what the point of a blog is, is nearly impossible.
Mostly because in my case there is no actual point. I don't review products, I don't have a sponsor, I don't make any money and usually I don't have anything profound to share.
I just like to write.
And over-share.
And off-load.

I can't explain why I like it, why this has become my hobby. It is no more significant than if I spent my time knitting or perfecting the art of cake pop making (NOT gonna happen). Yes, its probably a bit of time wasting nonsense and yet, so is just about anything we do outside the confines of our working hours.

In 2 weeks I'm heading off to a blogging conference, this year aboard the awesome Carnival Spirit Cruise Ship. I've been to the last two Digital Parents Conferences and loved meeting other bloggers. They get me, (or if they didn't, they did a great job pretending to understand me!)

I have a room-mate matched up, I have my plane tickets booked. Hubby and kids are well warned and prepared. In the wee small hours I briefly considered booking in for spray tan and some botox but I decided that a weekend cruise probably didn't warrant that degree of vanity.

So yesterday I tweeted one of the organisers to get an idea of the plans for the first evening - how we would all find each other aboard this enormous ship.
She wrote back with details and asked if I had my Cocktail dress ready.

I chuckled, then realised she was serious. A cocktail dress! Not an item that is essential in the wardrobe of a night shift nurse with 4 kids in hometown Wangarattta. I can't say there are a great number of Cocktail dress worthy events on my calendar.

I'm not even sure I know what makes a dress a 'Cocktail dress'. Are there Cocktail dress rules?
I am worried now that I will commit a Cocktail Dress faux pas, and of course be completely unaware.

Fortunately, I turned to the endless wisdom of google, which gave me not only the definition of a cocktail dress ( including the variations of hemline length and acceptable standard of dress by accompanying males) , but google also offered examples.

Now I know what I'm looking for, I'm off to shop... where do you think I will find one of these ?

Linking Up With Jess For I Blog On Tuesdays

I'm Loving This.

So there's been a bit of a blogging slump for me... too much to say that I can't really say out here in blog world and yet the mundane is just so... mundane.

But today I read THIS POST from Mrs BC's House of Chaos and I thought, that's an awesome start.

A snap shot of ten things I'm loving right now.

1.RUNNING. It's freeing. It's empowering. It's bloody exhausting. But I love it. I love knowing that I've put a few kilometres under my feet. I love the endorphin rush. I love the fact that my butt is now smaller and that I'm not gasping for air when I have to chase the puppy. 

Most of all, I love the zone I get in, where I can't think about anything other than breathing in and out, and where my feet are heading. It's enforced meditation, a compulsory clearing of the mind. Breathe In Breathe Out. That is all.

2. MY IPAD MINI. At Christmas by a freakish but fortunate set of circumstances my husband brought home a brand new Ipad Mini. He already has an Ipad so I claimed it he very generously gifted it to me.

AWESOMENESS!

As a night shift nurse who often gets to work to discover I am destined spend the next 10 hrs sitting at the bedside of a delirious patient, this little gadget of wonder is my new night companion. From banking to games, to blogging and reading via the Kindle App, this little dude does everything except make me coffee. LOVE LOVE LOVE

3. BUNNY RABBITS. Oh yes, we are a newly converted bunny friendly household now. If you caught my post where we gave Miss 16 her rabbit, you'll know this was something she wanted for a REAAAALLLLLLLY long time. 

Like, forever. 

We already have 2 small puppydogs and a rather cross cat, but Gimli the bunny has settled in nicely and has made best buddies with Teddy. Teddy is taking his role of big brother and protector very seriously and his favourite thing to do in the whole wide world is to lick Gimli's ears til they flutter like a helicopter. So much cuteness.

4. CHERRY TOMATOES. They are tomatoes, they are like cherries. What is not to love? I'm snacking on a punnet a day. I could blarb on about the vitamin C boost, making healthy choices,  blarb...blarb...blarb  but you know what, I actually never think of those reasons. I just love the way the skin pops and the juice flows out. Tasty.

5.Re-READING. It's so easy to flop on the couch and let the Television take you and your brain cells on a little holiday, but since I started doing exclusively night shifts, I have lost touch with all those series that seemed so important before. I never watched the end of Offspring, I have no idea what happened in Homeland. I have only seen ads for the INXS story and for Love Child. The noise of the voices and constant harsh jarring advertising makes me cringe. 

So I read. I am re-reading my lovely Marian Keyes novels, And having a wander with Jodi Piccoult. I have read and reread Any McNabb's autobiographies. There is something truly blissful about opening the pages of a loved book. The familiarity and certainty of where the story will travel allows you to sink into the story fully and enjoy the journey. 

6. WALKING MY MUM'S DOG. I mentioned earlier that we have two small puppy dogs. Neither of them are particularly enthusiastic about walking. Teddy (laid back hippy cavoodle love child) humours me and waddles around the block. Abby ( paranoid schizo crazy poodle girl) spends every second of a walk trying to convince me she is dying a horridly painful death. She cries, yelps, lies down on her back and refuses to walk. She runs ahead and turns around trying to jump up into my arms. Anything she can do to get out of this crazy 'exercise' business.

My Mum and Dad have had to go away for a couple of weeks and I have been babysitting their dog Billy. He's a tough wiry boy, with some Jack Russell and a whole lot of bitza. He's strong as an ox, and he adores going for a walk. He grins as he leads the way, sniffing and weeing on every tree, stick and dainty flower he can get close to. He likes to say hello to every dog, cat or snail he discovers and he can walk for miles. Yesterday we got close to the little creek near their house and he took off racing along the bank, under the low hanging branches, through the reeds. He discovered some ducks and considered having a swim with them. He was so joyful and happy and In The Moment. 

7. J-MAN GOING TO WORK. I can't say much as it is early days. But.... J-man is trialling with a local builder/joiner with the idea that if all goes well he'll be taken on as an apprentice. Anyone who read my RANT about the stupid Unemployment system in Australia knows this is a big deal. Huge. Enormous.  Fingers, toes and eyeballs crossed that it continues.

8. WHITE GOODS. Weird choice perhaps but here's the thing, I am so bloody grateful for my washing machine and my dishwasher right now. Between J-man's dirty work gear, all the school uniforms, work uniforms, ballet/jazz/hiphop gear, teenage " I wore it for 5 minutes so now I need to change my outfit" clothes plus towels, sheets and underpants, I firmly believe that the washing machine, not diamonds, are a girls best friend. 

Second to that is the dishwasher. I know I am very lucky to have a dishwasher and yes, we can survive just fine doing our dishes by hand, but guys, it just makes mornings and evenings so much easier. 

9. COOLER EVENINGS. I can handle the heat in the middle of the day, but there is something exhausting about a hot night. You can't sleep well, you feel like you need a shower, even when you just got out of the shower, your pillow is too hot and for some reason all the animals can't respect personal space. Finally we have a few cooler nights, and we are all much better rested. Well rested means no grumpy teenagers in the morning (who am I kidding, one of them is always grumpy!) and energy to get through the next day.

10. BANJO KAZOOIE. Little secret I need to share with you. I'm a complete dork. A nerd. I am happily living in the 90's with my Nintendo 64. Yes blog readers. I love my games. I am the master of the early editions of Spyro The Dragon on Playstation and on Nintendo 64 I am quite partial to Banjo Kazooie. It's okay if you don't know the game. Just know that this weekend, I'll probably be kicking back with a glass of wine, a bowl of chips, control stick in hand showing my kids how to defeat Gruntilda like a boss. Because deep inside I'm actually twelve.

What are you loving right now? 

Linking up with Jess for I Blog On Tuesdays

Unbalanced

Once again I have got myself out of balance.
Working too hard, working too many night shifts. Saying "Yes" to everyone at work.

I've let my time and energy get spread so thin at work that I'm not being the parent I want to be.

Yesterday morning, I came home from my 8th night shift in the fortnight to find Miss 9 sitting at the table eating breakfast.
Her hair was fuzzy, fresh from bed. She had just pulled it back in a hairband without brushing it.

I was tired, so tired. I just wanted to fall into bed. 
I didn't say hello, or kiss her good morning.

I grabbed a hair brush and BRUSHED that hair, quickly, careless of knots that pulled at her little head. She just sat there quietly while her head got yanked around and I made it neat.

I didn't kiss my husband "hello". I didn't cuddle my dog. I didn't tell my kids to have a good day, or that I loved them as they walked out the door to school.

I haven't blogged in 3 weeks, even though I love it, I haven't seen my friends for ages. I haven't returned phone calls ( or library books) and I haven't cooked properly for days

I am out of balance.

I cancelled last nights shift.
I have given myself a few days off. 

I need to set some rules that I stick to, so that I can be the Mum I want to be.

How do you keep the work/family balance? 

Linking with Jess for  I Blog On Tuesdays xxx


 

Ten Reasons Teenagers are great

1. They can make you coffee - this is an important milestone for any teen, the love and gratitude that pours out from Mum when they bring a lovely steaming mug of coffee is comparable to the elation you felt the first time your small child successfully wiped their own butt. Extra points for a couple of pieces of peanut butter toast. 

2. They can organise their own playdates. Even better, at those playdates you no longer feel that slightly wary "oh god, please don't hit little Johnny over the head with the Tonka Truck this time" feeling. Teenagers know how to share with their friends, to take turns and to not cry if they don't get the cupcake with the most sprinkles.

3. They sleep in !
   I repeat - They sleep in !

4. They take care of their own personal hygiene. They shower themselves. Your back no longer aches from bending over the bath tub, no tears and tantrums on hair-washing night. You no longer have any information about the consistency of anyone's poo. You don't have to wipe anything .  I know ! Winning!

5. They get your jokes and can hold a real conversation that doesn't involve Barbie or Thomas the Tank Engine. Real genuine discussions with actual multi-syllable words. 

6. They can sit through an entire movie without needing a toilet break. 

7. They can help out. Teenagers are capable of washing a sink of dishes and they can finally reach the clothes line. I'm not saying bribery isn't needed to get them to help out, but it sure is nice to be able to share the workload a little and if it helps, think of it as 'preparing them for when they leave home'.

8. The angst of finding a suitable babysitter with National working with Children certificate and at least three references is no longer needed. Yes my friends, teenagers babysit themselves !! It has been years since I worried if a day carer was secretly a deviant, or felt the need to place hidden cameras in a stuffed teddy bear. 

9. You can start to reclaim some of the space from the acres of Lego, matchbox cars and Barbie dolls. I'm not saying teenagers don't have stuff - my girls have enough makeup and hair product to put on a broadway show of Priscilla Queen of the Desert- but it isn't taking up every centimetre of the floor and cupboard space in the family room. I can now sit on the couch without the unexpected surprise of a stiff Barbie leg venturing where it wasn't invited. A walk to the bathroom can be made without turning on lights and checking for Lego landmines. 

10.  Teenagers are a photograph coming into focus. All your hard work, all the worry and fuss. Every time you guided them through saying 'please' and 'thankyou', each time you sat them on the naughty chair, every parent teacher interview at school, every exhausted phone call to your best friend asking for ideas. This is where you finally start to see the results. It's not perfect yet, there are glitches and stumbling blocks. But ever so slowly, through the teen years, the picture comes into focus and you see the grownup person you have been nurturing.

It's a beautiful thing.

Linking with Jess for  I Blog On Tuesdays xxx


 

The Bath - IBOT

Steam warms the room as hot water pours into the spa bath. A few drops of beautiful oil adds a delicate scent to the air. Large fluffy towels lie folded at the step, flickering candles give a soft glow. I have my favourite music playing softly in the background. A lovely fat book, freshly selected from the library waits for me, a glass of wine on the ledge beside me as I dip my toes into heaven. I sink in slowly, savouring the delicious pinpricks that spread across my skin, adjusting to the new soothing warmth.

'Just what I needed. An hour or two to just be calm and serene'

photo credit

Total relaxation. I sigh, closing my eyes and resting my head back to float in this cocoon.

Knock Knock

A whisper through the door .. "Mummy I forgot to give you a note from school."
I smile gently and softly say "That's okay chicken, you can show me in the morning. Go back to bed" .. I drift my fingers across the surface of the water, watching tiny bubbles form and disappear.
A louder whisper " Mummy I love you. Are you going to kiss me goodnight?"
I reply "I love you too sweetie, and I already kissed you when I put you to bed, remember? Hop back in bed now okay ?"
Little feet patter away.
I force my shoulders down, stretch my neck out and let the heat work its magic on the bunched muscles.

photo credit

"Calm and serene...."


Knock Knock

"Babe, do we have eggs?" asks The Man I Married.
I open one eye and reply "Yes. Third shelf on the fridge."
He leaves.  He returns. "I can't find them. Are you sure we've got some?"
I sigh.: " Well they were there this morning.. do you need them right this second?"
TMIM replies " No, don't worry, just relax and enjoy your bath."
I turn on the spa pump and jets of water start to knead my back. I can't hear my music anymore, over the noise of the pump. I stare at the flame of the candle, imagining it is alive. 

 'Shhh, relax. Calm and serene, calm and serene'

photo credit 

Knock Knock

"Mum, did you wash my skirt for school today? I can't find it." she yells through the door.
I sit up, water sloshing against the bath edge. 
"I washed everything that was in the hamper. If you put it in there I washed it. If it wasn't in the hamper it was not washed. I am trying to have a bath."
There is no reply but I can sense she is still there waiting for more.
"I do not have it in here with me."
"Fine " she says, in that way that tells me everything is far from fine. A few seconds and a door slams.
I sit there, water cooling on my back as I try to gather myself and find my happy place again.

photo credit 

 'Relax. Be calm and serene, please be calm and serene'

Knock Knock

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

"What?"  (hissed between clenched teeth.)
J-man says through the door " Do you know I have an army cadet camp this weekend?"
I roll my eyes. "Yep. I know that."
"It's just that I need to get my snacks. We have to take our own snacks. When do you think we can do that?"
I count to ten. "How about tomorrow hmm? Because right now, I'm naked in the bath. "
J-man thinks it over "Yep, good plan". He walks away.

 'Focus! You are Calm and serene !'

The spa pump is giving me a headache. I can't get comfortable.

photo credit 

Knock Knock

The Man I Married opens the door and switches on the heat lamps. I am blinded. .
 "Wow, it's too hot in here." He flips on the fan and any exposed, damp skin on my body immediately puckers into goosebumps.
"Is your bath nice? The dogs wanted to say hello."
Two fluffy dogs come jumping onto the bath ledge, knocking over my glass of wine. They both enjoy the spilled contents as I watch.

 'Calm and serene have left the building'

I gaze at TMIM. I can't find words, or at least any words that will not leave him and I at loggerheads.

"Actually, I think I'll just get out."

He looks at the bath and then back at me. " So soon? That's a bit of a waste of all that water don't you think?"

He walks out, leaving the fluffy ones behind, trying to jump in the water with me. Damp puppy paws have reduced my towels to a dirty mess.

"Bonkers" I mutter. "My life is completely bonkers".

Linking with Jess for  I Blog On Tuesdays xxx




 

IBOT - Scones and Jam

My skin has been troublesome lately with a fresh dose of Shingles, weird 'other' rashes, a swollen eye and eczema. Today after a few days reprieve it took a turn for the worse, itchy and hot and just generally unpleasant to dwell inside of.
All in all rashy, itchy skin is not the worst affliction on the planet, but it is hard to keep that in perspective while clutching icepacks to your chest and snorting Zyrtec.

It's time for some TLC, a gentle few days, some down time. Time to indulge a little and feel nurtured. I don't really eat chocolate and it's too early for wine....

Time for tea and scones.

When you are feeling like crap , recipes with 3 ingredients are a gift from heaven!

3 &1/2 cups SR flour
1 cup lemonade (once again thanking The Man I Married for the Soda Stream he bought himself me for Mothers Day one year)
1 cup cream

Mix, cut out circles with scone cutter or glass. Bake at 220 until golden brown on top.

 
Yummmmmo!

 
A gorgeous hot cup of tea in a pansy teacup and plenty of jam.

Hopefully the "Itchies and scratchies " fade quickly but in the meantime I have scones to keep me company.

What is your 'comfort food ' ?


Linking with Jess for  I Blog On Tuesdays xxx

The Australian Government and how to break a family - IBOT

So J-man finished school at the end of last year and in the 8 months since, has taken his resume and cover letters to every business in our small city. He has gone everywhere from plumbers and electricians to the pet shop and the funeral home.
Nope, the answer at most places is.. "we don't take resumes directly, you have to go through the agencies".

Excellent, lets do that shall we.

NO WE SHALL NOT !

The Man I Married and I work, bloody hard, to provide for our family. With four kids, a mortgage and school fees the cost of living is high. Luckily my man has a strong work ethic and often puts in 60 hours a week to provide for us.

Mr Centrelink says we earn too much.  He also says that J-man will be judged based on our income until his 21st birthday. We are penalised for trying to pay off our own home and for staying married.

What this means is J-man cannot register with Centrelink as unemployed. He hasn't actually asked for a cent, just acknowledgement of his unemployed status. The Centrelink system won't let him register unless he is entitled to a benefit and he doesn't qualify for a benefit.

NO ! says Centrelink.
If Dad would just kindly give up his job, or even better, move out, we can give you all the help you need.

But as long as Mum and Dad stay married, and as long as they are honest hard workers, you, my boy cannot have that status. Legally Mum and Dad are financially responsible for J-man (and our other kids) until their 21st birthday. There is no youth allowance or work-seekers help for kids of parents who work hard.

Without the Unemployment status, none of the employment agencies are allowed to assign him a case manager to help him. He's on his own. Furthermore, the exclusive Job seekers network where so many employers advertise their jobs is not available to him... Employers who are tempted by lovely government subsidiaries to employ someone out of the Unemployment sector.

So let me say it. Yes Australia is a good country, we have plenty, but we have a sucky, stupid system that continually punishes those who work hard and actively encourages families to break up, to give up.

I am so angry and disheartened I am finding it hard to type. We always told our kids to have a good work ethic and to put in 110%. I guess we should have told them to do a half arsed job, not commit to anyone and lie on their applications.

If anyone has any ideas. please bring them on, I am at my wits end, J-man is demoralised and I want to picket my local member of parliament for the unfairness of it all.

He's old enough to die for his country, to father a child or go to adult prison, but Centrelink still bases everything on the parents until they turn 21. What about that makes sense ?

Sorry to have such a negative post for IBOT

Welcome to Sturdy One - IBOT

You know who rocks?
Jai! Jai rocks.
Jai the JB Hi-Fi guy.

Image credit

 

On Thursday my laptop that was the replacement laptop for my old laptop that got dropped, which was actually a replacement for the laptop that Miss ? dropped a hot chocolate into... Ahh never mind!
I'll begin again.

On Thursday, my laptop decided it was going to go to heaven.
It gave me one warning, stuck out its tongue and turned up its toes.
To say I was disturbed is putting it mildly.
My laptop is my connection to you guys! To my blog, to Twitter, to my online store, to Candy Cush Saga y'all!!
On Sunday I went to JB Hi-Fi and stood amongst the bazillion other shoppers trying to make head or tail of the bazillions of different computers available. I knew I needed a laptop, with a decent graphics capability and good internet speed.
Somehow in all the noise and crazy that seems to be the hallmark of Sunday afternoon shoppers, I failed to convey those two needs adequately to my patient but harried salesman.

Crazy People ! Image credit

I brought home a cute little laptop, functional, petite and woefully inadequate for the job.
I spent yesterday trying valiantly to make the newcomer comply with my commands. Over and over it crashed. It refused to open apps, it refused to close down, it refused to turn off its fans. Worst of all, it refused to open twitter.
OMG!!!!
I didn't even try to download my art program to it, I just knew it couldn't cope. Poor baby computer.

 

Image Credit

This morning I went back to visit my salesman Jai.
Jai smiled, nodded and in a flash of a second, he was agreeing. Petite One was the wrong computer. Totally wrong. Not her fault, she was never made to get her hands that dirty.

Here's why Jai rocks. Within 7 minutes of my walking in to the store, I was walking out with a more suitable model. Jai didn't try to blame me for making the wrong choice and he didn't question my need to return Petite One. He helped me understand what I needed, and found a model that suited me. He smiled and agreed that Sunday Shoppers are crazy. He gently reprogrammed Petite One so she doesn't have to remember her traumatic visit to my house.

Then with a wave he sent me on my way, with Sturdy One.  A more robust, gutsy, graphic oriented, internet loving laptop.

Jai at Albury JB Hi-Fi , you made my day. Thankyou!!

Have you had good service lately? Give them some world wide loving xx

Linking with Jess for  I Blog On Tuesdays xxx

Spot the difference food-fail - IBOT

Yesterday I decided to make something luscious and decadent for today's lunchboxes.
I spent ages pouring through my recipe books and finally decided on these little gems.

Double Caramel Raisin Rolls , oozing with soft gooey, buttery caramel. 

They look divine and -wonder of wonders- I had all the ingredients in my cupboard.
I made the dough and it was smooth and silky, it rose beautifully.

I punched it down and kneaded it, then rolled it out to fill with soft butter, cinnamon, sugar and plump raisins, then rolled it up jelly roll fashion.
The base of the baking tray was spread with more butter, cinnamon and sugar and sprinkled with chopped pecans. Oh My!

The dough was sliced up and set in tray to rise again and the smell throughout the kitchen was beautiful. Who knew I was such a dynamic whiz in the kitchen ?

It was around this time that I started to fantasize about a possible stint on MasterChef. Oh the praise, the quiet nod of approval from Gary, George would roll his eyes in pleasure. How the public would adore this unassuming mum who could produce heaven on a plate without so much as breaking a sweat.

It was time to pop these babies in the oven and wait for the magic...

Twenty five minutes later it was time for the great unveiling and I wished Matt Preston was there to 'lift the cloche' . (I don't have one but I can pretend)

Errrrrrmmmmmmmm.

What The ??????

Where the heck is my gooey caramel?
Where is my melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness?

I am choosing to not share the original recipe photo with the kids. I'll  tell them this is exactly how they are supposed to look, slather on the butter and honey and make myself a nice hot cup of tea.

This is why I am not a food blogger.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this sort of thing .....

Linking up with Jess..

She wants to be a nun

"I want to become a nun" she tells me earnestly. "A carmellite nun".
Hmm this is quite specific.

Then the penny drops. "
"Have you, by any chance, been watching Sister Act ?"

My little Miss 8 nods and clasps her hands together.
"I don't think I want to go to a place where you can't talk because I wouldn't be very good at that, but I want to go to Nun house where they sing all day."

Freezing cold, dreary grey Victorian Winter School holidays mean lots of inside time, and my youngest has been going through my old dvd's and even the VCR tapes.

No Bratz movies or Monster High, Not the latest and greatest in high-tech special effects.
She is a traditionalist.

The King and I
The Sound of Music
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Wizard of Oz
Mary Poppins
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory


Basically anything that has lots of music in it.
Add to this her newly aquired favourites of Pitch Perfect, Sister Act 1 and 2, Footloose and Xanadu.

It's a singing, dancing stage show at our house. The older kids are doing a FANTASTIC job of scratching their eardrums out with a fork as my youngest "etcetera ... etcetera...etcetera" s several thousand times a day and practising her Hail Mary's.


What's showing on the small screen at your house these holidays?