[~brighteyes~]

Hi ladies,

This is the one thread that notoriously drops off my tracking when things are busy at work. Especially when a new one starts

Len- you sound so positive going into unemployment soon.

I've been down quite a bit lately. And keeping busy with stuff at work so I don't have to think about much else.

Trying to work out how much expenses would be for me, to work out if I can get a house loan is proving difficult as I don't have the figures to work with from a household in Sydney with only 2 occupants. I had worked out stuff when my brother was going to go in with me, but since threw them out when he decided not to and mum said I could move in up here till needed.

Ray is being his usually aloof, painful self. Pestering me about what he does with my ancient piano (after I organised for the Salvos to pick it up and other stuff, and they then turned it down..of course while he was overseas for work in NZ). I figure I tried my best for it (which I should have had to do), its his problem now.

Starting to look at dating again, which makes my situation painfully apparent in my eyes. Not many guys want to date someone who has a kid with another guy (no matter how much of a jerk they are) or with a chronic disease. So far not a lot happening. 3 e-mails from one guy and 1 from another. I guess the being told by males my whole adult life how attractive I am doesn't counteract the kid and illness.

Aleisha has settled down quite a bit, not so many teary nights now, though she is always worst the night she gets back from Ray's.

My mum has clued into what Ray has been doing affair-wise, asking me a few questions today. We didn't talk too long about it (she asked if he was dating ___ putting things together from Aleisha always mentioning she is there when its his weekend), but I was shocked mum picked up on it, and you could see her opinion of him dropping even further than it had been.

Savanna

[BonKalKady]

Hi guys remember me

Has been a while since I've popped in again LOL. Life is so busy!

Savanna: wow just realised after reading your post that you & Ray have split. Scary going back on the dating scene I bet!

Bon is going great, not long till our 02 bubs are turning 7! eeeek. Loves grade 1, doing really well with reading, I think he even amazes himself at how much he can actually read!

Thought I'd post a pic of him; this was him on first day of school this year.


Anyways just wanted to say a quick hi hope everyone is doing well!
Net

[Gin and Tonic]

Hi Everyone
Welcome back Net! I didnt know you had a girl -it must have been years since you last popped in.

I am back from my trip to Singapore. We had such a great time. We were upgraded in the hotel to the fancy schmancy wing with complimentary cocktails in the lobby lounge, all day snacks, breakfast buffet, butler service....it was all so amazing, I am going to find it hard to go back to slumming it in a regular room next time we travel. They even went to the trouble of putting rose petals in the shape of a heart on our bed when we arrived and gave us a cake to celebrate our anniversary.

It has been nearly 20 years since I was last in Singapore (as a scungy student backpacker) so this experience was a bit different! We ate our way around the restaurants and I went crazy in the shopping malls, although it isnt easy buying clothes in a country where "large" is a size 8. I felt like a heffer everytime I wanted to try something on. I tried an extra large belt on in one store and it didnt even go half way around me. What the?
So I stuck to the American stores and got some great bargains with the sales on. I also bought the kids all their summer clothes for next year.

We visited a few friends who live up there and DH ended up bringing one of their kids back with him to visit his grandparents in perth for a holiday. It was his first experience travelling with a child without me and he realised how I feel when we travel with the kids. He said he didnt relax at all, worrying about how the boy was feeling, had he eaten enough, why wasnt he sleeping....welcome to my world!

On the job front, a friend has put an idea in my head for another career change into television. Not sure what that will entail so I am doing some research on it now. I am not sure that being addicted to TV qualifies you for a job in TV but I am going to explore it further.

This post has been edited by Gin and Tonic: 17/06/2009, 08:27 PM

[~brighteyes~]

Welcome back Net!

Yes Ray and I have split again for good, though he is still causing dramas in my life. It's like he has nothing better to do than make my life miserable. Been venting in my diary a lot. It's bad when you flinch at any messages on your phone in case its one from him being a toad again.

And yes being on the dating scene again 10 years later is scary, not that I've got to the dating part. Haven't found any yet that its worth getting to the dating part with...and I'm probably a lot more pickier in my 30s than I was in my 20s (well look who I ended up with last time ) and thinking about a nearly 7 year old (acting like a teen already)

We're having Aleisha's brithday party up here at mum and dad's on the Sunday in 2 weeks time, so on her birthday and just happens to be my weekend with her as well. She's invited 15 kids, so I'm hoping a few can't make it as its a lot to fit inside when we have so much furniture squeezed in the back room.

Ray was invited to come, but I think won't turn up for the party as my best friend (who he hates for no real reason at all...except maybe they saw what he was like before I could realise) is going to be there with her 2 kids that Aleisha really wanted there.

We bought her birthday presents yesterday- new dressing gown and undies (which she's allowed to have now), some school hair clips and tights, and a set of many kids earrings and necklace with a dragonfly pendant on it.

Now I just have to make plans for the party food. She wants me to make a number 7 cake with fairies and snake lollies on it. The 7 isn't too hard, but the fairies could prove difficult. I may be spending the Saturday before cake decorating.

Cheers,
Savanna

[Nerual]

Hi girls,

I"m back & i'm somewhat human again! Finally work has dried back up to my preferred dribbling in rate & I can focus my attention on other things. So far i've put a little time back into the house....still have bathrooms to clean, windows to clean.....its always there, & spent some time back in my boys class rooms. In Nate's class they are mimicking MasterChef primarily as 3 of the children's parents are Chef's & the teacher's love for the TV show. Today they watched a huge NZ Salmon be filleted. I then HAD to buy salmon on the way home for tea tonight. YUMMO!

Last week I bought myself a slow cooker. Cooked a delicious beef stew with dumplings, & today have a vege/minestrone soup on. My boys aren't huge on these types of dishes as yet, aren't keen on their food mixed together & saucy, but will continue to offer it & hope that eventually they'll try it. Mind you they eat all the ingredients, just not in a stew like mix IYKWIM.

It was Zane's birthday 2 Sat's ago. He's 7. SEVEN! How time flies. He had had the week & 1/2 leading up to it home sick with a nasty chest infection which after being on antibiotics, was well by his birthday, which lucky for him co-incided with a soccer carnival. He LOVES his soccer & for him playing 5 games was as good as having a party.

We didn't do a party for him this year (did a big one last year before we moved, with the science theme...Professor Jellybean! she was awesome) rather he had his 2 best mates over & played Wii & a few party games & had cake (a mini party) insted.

School holidays start this weekend & we're kicking it off by taking the boys to a NRL game on the Gold Coast & staying the weekend with my Dad.

My Dad is going really really well. He's just last week moved into the house He & mum were building. ITs very sad she never got to see it finished. The builders had started the early construction of the frame & windows before she went into hospital & never saw any further. & no doubt unpacking was difficult for him. But he's really looking forward to showing it to us & having us stay he night this weekend. Any ideas of a house warming gift??

Anyway, i have the boys toys to sort through & cull today so will leave it there for now.

Hope you are all well,
Lauren

This post has been edited by Nerual: 22/06/2009, 11:42 AM

[map70]

Oh no, you reminded me birthdays are coming up! Ive got Valentino forst on the 7th then Sasha on the 30th, Aug 23 is Leo then Raf 7 Sep...and then DH and my 10th wed. ann.the next week and the week after is my birthday!!!

I think this is more of a diary entry but here it is anyway...

Here is an update on us since I never have time to keep up with everyone!
(Definatelly no time to read everything since I last visited! )

We have been busy with 4 boys as it must be expected.
The two older ones; Sasha and Valentino are in school and playing soccer. Raffael only has 1 day in pre-school and Leo -thank God- has no teeth yet and is not crawling! (sounds terrible but the longer it can be delayed this month the better-it will be any moment though-for both!)

We had a shocking month this June.

Looked like another busy month of parties, soccer, playdays and got myself organised so that the 2 school boys had eye & hearing tests organised (new 4 yr testing-so booked 6 yrs old too) and also our annual dentist appointment for them and me booked for end of 3rd week.

But...

Week 1
It all started Sunday 31st May:
Raf fell off my bed; trying to get to Leo's cot while watching kids videos and landed on the floor with his left arm in the cot bars.
Result: after sitting in emergency for half a day - very sore arm; possible fracture/dislocation, lots of x-rays and a trigger thumb later, we are still in and out of Dr.s offices!

June 2nd - Sash and Valya got eye tests.
They are slightly longsited, could use help from glasses, I was told.

Friday 5th- Valentino slipped on our wooden floor (socks on) and fell back straight on his head; had a fit, eyes rolling back, after what seemed a long time to DH, he stopped and was then sleepy, confused etc...which is when I rushed in after hearing DH repeatedlly telling him not to sleep, wake up etc. I'm glad I didn't see him having a fit!
We rushed to the emergency and after 4 hrs and some x-rays were back home again!
Raf specialist Dr that afternoon.

Week 2:
Thursday & Friday -More Drs visits for bad colds that Raf & Leo got & Valentino app.

Week 3:
Just getting better but a busy week with school stuff etc.

Thursday 18 - Almost 2 weeks after Valentinos fall, Im just about to feed Leo and get out the door to pick up Sasha & Valentino early to get to our dental appointment and...
The phone rings, its their school...
Valentino fell of the monkey bars he might have broken his arm and is looking very pale and wont talk.
Back to emergency (where they recognised him!) more x-rays , arm in cast...no soccer! (he LOVES soccer).
(He has to see orthopaedic specialist tomorrow ;Raf is going next week for thumb).

Week 4:
This week couldnt get worse, till Leo got sick again after visiting one of the Dr surgeries(he was almost back to normal). He has been very congested and has a bad cough (worse than before) and if he gets worse tonight I am sending DH to the Dr! Im sure they must think I am a hypochondriac or maybe I might get a visit from DOCS with all these breaks!
Speaking of which, Raf bumped his nose (Sunday)on the corner of the kitchen island bench and now its bruised and swollen! He is my clumsy one. I dont know how many times he has bumped his teeth and they have bled...none of the others ever did that. Maybe its the way he walks or just the fact he is a very active boy. I wonder what Leo will be like.

Sorry to waffle on and on....I love the boys but they worry me when these things happen, although I must admit we have had a very good run of no breaks/bumps till this month for any of them. 2 years ago within 4 months of each other #1 and #2 had surgery but it was for appendicitis (Sasha-then 4) and hernia (Valya-2).

Less than a week to go and I still have Orth. Specialist app. for Valya, kindy play day, Yr2 dinner, wedding, and Raf's Orth. Specialist app.!
I feel like I'm running a business with all these appointments!!!

Anyway, if anything else happens this month I will be a nervous wreck!

[~brighteyes~]

Good heavens Marina! I'm surprised you haven't downed a few bottles of something after those last few weeks.

Patiently waiting here to see if Ray calls Aleisha tonight...or even decides to take her on the weekend like he's supposed to for that matter. Would much rather be in bed, as I'm aching (from last night's needle I think) and going to bed early sounds great. Plus Aleisha has a bit of a cough and is pleading to sleep in my bed tonight, so may let her for once. I'm not waiting up past 8 o'clock for him to call, seeing he knows that is her bedtime.

Did I mention we got a Wii and a Wii fit? I've lost 2 kgs in the last 3 weeks, so finding it quite good. Averaging about 4 times on it a week, which is a better exercise ratio than I was managing before.



Heading off to bed,
Savanna

[~brighteyes~]

Thought I'd lost the thread again. But we just haven't been posting.

Aleisha had her birthday and party yesterday. Went pretty well, but I think I was over it before the kids were. But at least they were reasonably quiet.

Ray popped up with his parents earlier in the morning to give her his present (which wasn't worth the money seeing how crappy this camera has turned out to be...but leaving it as his problem...I have no problems with her using my decent camera) and his parents came up too. Mum invited them in, but I was too busy cooking stuff for the party, then say a brief hi while they had a cuppa. Ray kept going in and out waiting for his parents to hurry up who were having a nice chat to my parents.

Thankfully no pesky messages from him, which seem to be the bane of my weekends lately.

Some exciting news from my brother and girlfriend, who also came over for the party. They're expecting a baby in Feb. So I'll finally be a real aunty! Mum is estastic that she will getting another grandchild.

Savanna

[Miss Ireland]

Hello Ladies

Firstly a huge Happy Birthday to all kids who will be turning 7 ! How scary is that ? Wish it would all slow down a bit.

Marina oh my god is all I can say to your post. Stay strong honey you are amazing.

DH is in Tokyo this week so he is missing Sami's birthday but he gets back on Saturday morning so will be back for the party which is the important thing to Sami. We are having a Disco..hee.hee... I think I am more excited then Sami. Been buying like crazy all this disco stuff and loving it !

We are all good. Sami is doing great at school and is such a lovely boy bless him. Adam is full of personality and keeps us laughing and loves to challenge me most of the time. I am doing goog. Loosing weight which is great. It's coming off slowly but at least it's coming off. I've been able to fit in to clothes I bought ages ago inthe hope of loosing so that is a great boost for me.

I'm going back to Ireland in 2 weeks for a week by myself. Doing a quick visit to see my Mam and Dad. Lost of friends parents have got sick and I just think god 2 years is too long now to leave not seeing them as they are getting on. DH will have the week off work and look after the boys. I'm really looking forward to the break and the me time. Hoping I will not worry too much about my boys back here.

OK off to tackle Sami's bedroom...oh I wish I had a magic wand.

take Care

[Gin and Tonic]

Hi all
Nice to finally see a flurry of activity here.

Marina you poor thing, what a month you have had!

Birthdays are in full swing in this house. T's is this week so we are having a spiderman party on Friday. G's is in a couple of weeks but we are having a cupcake decorating party next week. kids are on holidays for two weeks so it is just easier to organise it now rather than when they are back at school.

I am considering a weekend in Melbourne in a few weeks time for a friend's 40th. Not sure if I have enough FF points left after Singapore, but here's hoping!

On the job front, I finish up in the first week of September. I am following this TV idea a bit further and doing a TV production course on the weekend.
It is very hard being at work knowing I am leaving, but I have to keep my eye on the prize. If I last until September I will get an extra 6 weeks pay as I pass an anniversary date for my long service leave.