A Quicky...

Never been before heres a little bit about me to get you started.

Just a quick one today as I have been nursing a hangover all day (will I EVER learn - Big thanks to Mum & Bling for coming and taking care of me and the kids) and have a 50th Birthday Party to go to tonight - and I am taking the kids since Hubby is not home!

Converstation I had with Grotbag last night while he was in the bath...

Grotbag: Where are you going tonight?
Me: Out with the Kindy Mums
Grotbag: Are you wearing that? (my NEW 3/4 trackies and matching top)
Me: Er no, why do you not think I should?
Grotbag: Mum! You can't wear your old clothes to go out.
Me: Their not old...
Grotbag: But they are your indoor clothes (??)
Me: Oh, so what should I wear
Grotbag: Something to make you look like a Beautiful Lady (said like David Walliams from Little Britain which is disturbing as I don't think he has ever watched it)
Me: Like what?
Grotbag: How about your red shoes (he had seen me trying them on earlier with an outfit)
Me: OK then, just for you I will wear my red shoes
Grotbag: smiles and is very pleased with himself for picking my shoes!!

It's the little things!

Love the little guy!! This is why I like to blog as this may have come and gone and been forgotten in a week!

Have a great Saturday everyone!!

Mother's Not Welcome

Never been before heres a little bit about me to get you started.


So as Father's Day is this Sunday here in Australia, Grotbag's school hold a special Dad's Night before Father's Day where Dad's can go with their children to see some work they have done and also give their Dad's the cards and pressies they had made. It was from 6.30pm to 7pm in their class and Grotbag had no Dad to take. This happens to us all the time, as Hubby works away in the mines for 2 weeks and then is home for one week (one of the pitfalls) but luckily we have a great family network and so he had a few other replacements to pick from. He chose his Grandad (my Step-Dad) who was pleased as punch to be asked.


When I dropped Grotbag at school the day before the Dad's Night there were rumblings between the other Kindy Mum's. Knowing my predicament with Dad's Night they cautiously informed me that at the Pre-Primary Class across the playground, the teacher had put up a sign (yes she actually put one up for all to see) that read "Please note: Mother's are NOT welcome on Dad's night" I couldn't believe it. Really in this day and age where there is no such thing as a "normal" family that she could actually put up a sign to say that the Mother's were not welcome!


Imagine being in a situation where the Father of your child, for whatever reason, was unavailable to go to "Dad's Night" at the school and you had no other male figure in your child's life that could also go along. Now imagine having to tell your child that he can't go to school for Dad's Night, even with Mum because the Teacher said Mother's were not welcome. This could have well been the case for our family if we didn't have any other family close to us and it just makes me so mad. How insensitive!!


There are so many what if's like what if there is no Dad around because of separation, illness or because they have passed away. What if the child has two Mummy's or two Daddy's (can they both go?) - and I am sure you are thinking of a dozen more right now - that make the sign SO WRONG.


I am thankful that my child's teacher does not share the same mentality and welcomed any family member to go. Grotbag's Grandad was welcomed warmly and had a great time looking at all of Grotbag's school work.


There are so many family dynamics these days that consideration and sensitivity at these special night should be taken into account. As should we all have the same consideration and sensitivity to others in life.


Mother's and Father's should ALWAYS be welcomed when it comes to being a part of their children's lives.


Sure hope Grotbag doesn't get her for a teacher next year. I can feel my claws coming out now!!!

Grotbag & His Grandad

It’s All About Me People!

When I first started writing my blog the only people that read it were family and friends and let’s face it they know all about the real “me”. But I thought I would write a bit of a back story of myself to let those new and wonderful people who come across my blog know a little bit more about moi!

I was born in the UK, London to be precise.

My parents divorced when I was 9 and when I was 12 my mum married a wonderful man who is my step-dad.

My step dad is English but lived in Australia so we immigrated to Perth Western Australia in 1985. Best decision ever!

My dad still lives in the UK, we don’t speak often, he is re-married.

I am an only child. I have no siblings not even halves or steps. What are the chances of that! And no I was not spoilt. However, I am very close to my cousin Bling who is like a sister. She also lives in Australia and we speak nearly everyday.

I went to a local high school. I was the girl that got along with everyone, very bubbly and just your average student. I am still friends with the girls I went to High School with. They are the family I choose!

I had a steady boyfriend through High School. A few long term relationships (and a few doozies) in my 20’s and met my wonderful husband on a blind date through a family friend in 2002. We got married in beautiful winery in 2004.

We had our first child together in 2005 – a beautiful boy named Oliver AKA Grotbag.
My hubby has been married before and I have two teenage step-children who live in the UK. The eldest has visited us here in Australia the other one will be out here in a couple of years to visit.
After 2 miscarriages in 2007 Hubby and I went down the IVF route and were extremely lucky first time. In February 2009 my gorgeous little miracle Harry was born AKA Bugalugs.

I have worked in retail and hospitality. I have been a Business Analyst, wanted to work in PR but was too old (?) and most recently worked in Accounts. All “jobs” no “careers”.

But my favourite most rewarding job and also the hardest one I have ever done is being a Mother. I strive to be the best mum and wife every day even though that does not always happen.

I have two dogs, a chocolate lab called Sye and a cocker spaniel called Jasper. We all live in a modest 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home north of Perth CBD and 5 minutes from the ocean. Perth really is Australia’s best kept secret. My Hubby works away for 2 weeks and is home for one so I am the only parent for 2/3 of the year. It works for us.

I have recently discovered my joy of writing, even though I am not very good at it, I could sit at the computer all day and just type and type. I want to “pimp my blog” but don’t quite know how or have the time to look and find out!

I love to read, catch up with friends, spend time with my family, my boys and write my blog. I also love to cook (and eat!) and want my boys to be able to cook too. I am really organized as well as completely disorganized and I blame that on the fact that I am a Gemini. Hey I’ve gotta blame something!

My main goals for this year are to finish our and de-clutter our house as it is the one thing that plays on my mind most of the time.

So that’s me!

Another Week That Was

I have neglected my blog this week as Hubby was home on his R&R and I get the guilt's if I am stuck on the computer too long.

We had a busy week this week and after my spat about living in the house that Jack built, hubby set to work getting things fixed as soon as he came home. The tap is still the wrong way but at least I can sit on the toilet without fear of falling off!!

Wednesday saw my hosting a small dinner party for my good friend B who was over from London visiting his friends and family. B & I went to school together here in Perth, and then later, in our 20's, house shared for 18 months with another friend Ho, in a place we liked to Club 180. Good times, many parties, lots of tears and funny funny moments. He was also MC at my wedding which I will cherish forever and it really was the funniest and heart felt speech I have ever heard, and Yay it was about me!!!

I really miss him when he is in London, especially as he refuses to go on Facebook. So it was great to see him and cook for him and hear all his news, good and bad. In fact writing this blog has made me sit and reminisce about Club 180 so will have to put that in a post for another day!!

Me & B Circa 1997

Wednesday also saw the start of poor Bugalugs struggle with constipation for the first time. Poor little fella. After prune juice and baby laxatives (who knew?) Thursday night I couldn't take any more of his screaming and ended up taking him to Emergency. Where of course he pooed while we were waiting! The good news was I was being a complete over paranoid Mother and the constipation was not diagnosed as severe (apparently he would be vomiting as well) but the bad news was he had got a small infection through straining and so a round of antibiotics were dispensed! Sigh.

Friday saw Bugalugs having some physio to speed up his development for rolling and sitting and Saturday night we had the night off and went to Mum's for my Step dad's Birthday dinner.

Sunday saw me hosting a lunch for friends with an international flavour. There are 3 couples and we each pick a country and cook two meals, a combination of entree, main & desert, and bring them along. Now I normally love to cook up a storm but I just couldn't get motivated. So I cheated. Gasp! My country was Sweden. So I went to Ikea. Swedish Ikea Meatballs and Swedish Apple cake for all. I got ribbed for it but figured that was my one pass out!

Grump Monday rolled around way too quickly and saw me (finally) get my Wii Fit out of the box and Hubby, Grotbag and I had a lot of fun before I cooked a yummy "last night" dinner for me and Hubby.

And then today Hubby was gone before I knew it and the long 2 week stretch starts again.

Still means I can at least get some blog time in the evenings! It's good to be back!

How has your week been?

The House That Jack Built.....

I have no idea where this saying comes from but I do feel sorry for Jack and all the crappy houses he has built!

My house is falling down.

Well that's a little bit dramatic. It's not literally falling down, more like coming a bit apart at the seams!

We live in a modest 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home that we bought 6 years ago just a few months before we were married. Before we acquired it, the house was an investment property and therefore had tenants. Tenants that did not look after the place very well. But the house was in a suburb we liked and was larger than the other more expensive houses we were looking at but needed a little TLC. How young and naive we were.

6 years later we have had a good stab at making it our own. We have completely ripped up the front and back gardens and replaced them, put in down lights, air conditioning, put up a wall in the playroom, painted a majority of the house, new flooring and window treatments. But it is still not finished and the parts that are not finished are REALLY getting me down.

This all happened yesterday...

The ceiling in my laundry has to be replaced because water has somehow got in and now my ceiling has mould. An insurance job, but it is the inconvenience that pees me off!

The new toilet seat just broke BECAUSE MY HUBBY NEVER PUT IT ON PROPERLY IN THE FIRST PLACE!

The towel rail in my bathroom just fell off.

The door handle to the playroom just came off in my hand.

Hubby replaced the tap in the kitchen incorrect so it swings the wrong way.

My tumble dryer is broke and will cost $200 to fix so am just going to get a new one next year as it's not worth fixing as the good weather is about to come in.

And that is just the start. There are a million other things but it will be too depressing to write them. And the kicker is me don't have the cash to do most of it at the moment.

I know that it does not sound like much, some of you may be doing major renovations and have whole pieces of your house missing. But it's all these little things that are making me want to scream, especially if they have been "fixed" and not "fixed" properly.

I just want my house how it looks in my minds eye. Is that too much to ask?

Sticking To My Guns & The Curse of The Wii

Can you tell I couldn't decide which title to go with?

Anyhoo....Today Bling and I went to our local Baby & Kids Market. Basically it comes around once every few months and the stalls are all second hand baby stuff, kids toys and clothes...there is always a bargain to be had!

I wasn't going to go because my parents are away and couldn't look after Grotbag and I would rather have the fleas of a thousand camels infest my armpits than take a 4 year old to a basketball court filled with second hand Fisher Price Toys!! But Bling's Hubby, who will join the cast and be known as Pirate, kindly offered to look after Grotbag....and could Grotbag bring Mario Kart with him! Hmmm, who is the biggest kid?

I was after a bath seat and Jolly Jumper for Bugalugs (and managed to score both at the Markets at rock bottom prices - yay for me!) so quickly agreed.

Grotbag loves playing the Wii, especially Mario Kart and for the most part will stop playing when I tell him to. I put a timer on as it is very easy for a couple of hours to go by and not realise he is still playing, so the timer keeps it in check. The same with the TV. Especially as he is nice and quiet and mummy can get on reading blogs and writing her own!!! .

However, today he just totally freaked out (The Curse of the Wii!!) when it was time to leave Pirates and had a complete meltdown. I get so disappointed when he act's up like that but can usually calm him down. Yeah, uh today he didn't get that memo!!! So put him in Time Out and then told him he could not play the Wii or watch any TV until his Dad (Hubby) comes home.

Then realised that was two days away! WHAT WAS I THINKING???? I usually only take the Wii or TV away for 24 hours which is usually enough to curb the behaviour and have him apologise and appreciate it more.

But there it was, out in the open and I now have to stick to my guns through fear of being a walk over. And I won't go back on my word either! I've learnt my lesson the hard way with that one!

I have to admit though, since he has been home he has played with his Lego, Tech Decks, race cars and a game of Mouse Trap so he is more than capable of playing with his toys with out the background noise of the TV.

So the Curse of the Wii strikes again but I will be sticking to my guns until Tuesday when Hubby flies home. I may be sooo over Playdoh and Guess Who by then but at least he would have learnt a lesson. Won't he?

Have you ever regretted a consequence for your kids? And did you follow it through?

Only 125 days till Christmas!!!!!

Yes you have read the title correctly...this isn't a post from 2008.I have decided this year that I am going to be totally organised in the presents department for Christmas 2009.

5 years ago Before Kids (B.K.) I would have my Christmas shopping done by October. I would have scoped out some really cool stuff throughout the year and stockpiled till Christmas. Each year I usually find a new "thing" that I love and buy 4 of them so I have plenty to share around (and usually one for myself!) and would also have a few "Emergency Presents" for those unexpected circumstances. Actually I still do have Emergency Presents all through the year, but mostly kids presents. And I have done all the Christmas Toy shopping in the July Toy sales.

But the thing is that now I do have kids and life is a little bit more hectic I see things I like, think who I can buy them for, and then promptly forget and then 2 weeks before Christmas I am asking myself "now what was that cool thing I was going to get for ....". So today while I was food shopping I bought myself a small note book that I will now carry round for the sole purpose of noting good Christmas presents, where I saw them and who they would be good for.

I love finding things that are slightly different, or a twist on an old favourite. My favourite thing that I have found this year is this:

Isn't it gorgeous! Looks like a silver necklace with faux diamonds but it is in fact:



A 4GB USB Thumb Drive!!!!

They were advertised in a parenting magazine for $59.95 but I couldn't justify the amount so managed to find them on EBay and got them from Hong Kong for half that price!!! So now I have to be on the look out for something else that makes me say "ohhh I just gotta have one of those!!!"

What your favourite "thing" this year?