New thread time ladies


http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/forums/ind...howtopic=884048

Gold!

Silver

Oh well booby prize then.

Landscaping in the dark tonight.
Yes Alinta we are doing all the work ourselves except for the concreting. I don't want to think about how much turf we have going down but I know it's covering 40% of our block

I'm watching Australian Story tonight and it's so sad. I often choose not to wath that show because it's so heartwrenching so often. Prior to my viewing choices I had coffee with a friend who's ittle girl has leukaemia and consequently feeling very fortunate and lucky tonight that my family are well and healthy. So hugging them all a little tighter tonight

Hi girls

Just finished watching Paper Giants, about Ita Buttrose and Cleo magazine. Really great drama actually, enjoyed it a lot. I loved reading that magazine when I was younger ...

Surviving the school holidays, only just though Today wasn't too bad, actually, as Poppy had a playdate and was out for much of the afternoon. Jack is a handful, it seems to increase day by day He is such a persistant little booger, you take him away from something and he just goes straight back to it. The rate we're going, we won't have any chairs left for him to climb on by the end of the week Lucky he's cute I reckon ...

Still waiting for my iPad, was supposed to be delivered today but it was a no-show So who knows when it will arrive now (well, I do actually, it'll be tomorrow sometime while I'm at swimming and otherwise out and about with the kids). Sigh.

Caught up with Laura briefly on Saturday (too briefly, oh well!). It was lovely to see her! Our kids all seemed to get along well too.

We're getting ready for the Easter weekend this week. Sel/Des, are you around on Thursday? There's a possibility that DH will have a meeting in Geelong on Thursday afternoon and so we'll all go down and hang out while he is at the meeting before we head down to Wye River for the weekend. Would love to see you if you're free.

Mulan -- how's your foot? Coping with the landscaping? You guys are so good, doing it yourself!

Well, I can't remember what I read in the last thread, so will leave it at that. Talk to you all again in a day or two I hope.

Cheers
Lissiloo

Im glad to hear paper giants was good Liss. I started watching it on iview and fell asleep but I know from the few minutes I watched it wasn't the quality.

That sucks your iPad didn't arrive Liss, did you get the 2. I'm itching to get a 2, I adore my iPad but I have the apple bug of desire. My toe sucks doing the landscaping. I did work out the harder the sole of the shoe the better I can walk on dirt, manure and mulch. So I ditched the running shoes and gumboots and have a pair of court shoes I'm wearing to do the gardening. It looks hilarious and out of place, but preventing pain is my priority and the bonus is I will buy some new shoes when it's all over.

Jack is either one of my children, or a boy . We had our chairs sitting on the kitchen table for years, and we had our lounge cushions on top of the lounge to make jumping from the coffee table to the lounge a less pleasant option. Ah the memories of 3 under 3, crazy times!

Liss - speaking of Asher keddie, I'm a but scared dr Chris isn't going to feature as much in offspring this season. Oh the horror!

A curtisism that I love is how he snuggles in when he gives a hug, and moves his head up and down as if snuggling into a cosy pillow. Sweety. Not so cool is when he turns an expected kiss into a big ol lick. That's a bit gross, he thinks it's funny though...

Today I'm being the pied piper and taking 6 kids to the movies to see Rio 5 of the kids have only been once before!! But I'll just buy plenty of food.

Kids awake, up we get!

from the country

Weather is actually nice! I don't know what I did wrong, usually I have brought rain with me. (I know, it's because I left the dogs at home. If I had them, it would be wet and muddy.)

I watched Paper Giants too last night (and the night before). J is funny, he was watching it too, and kept texting me commenting on it: "Milson's Point! Used to catch those trains" or "Nice tie" or "Oh oh" (when Lesley caught the lift with Dan and his family). Silly boy!

Had a crap night's sleep last night. Took ages to get to sleep (after midnight), then woke at 3am with a sore shoulder. Took 2 more Dolased and didn't get back to sleep till after 4.30am, and was rudely awakened at 5.30am by Leo crying and saying "Poo poo". Took him to the loo, no poo after all, D had wandered after us in a sleep-drunken haze and kept bumping into the walls!!! Back to bed IN MY BED (okay, so I'm lucky it's a double), and then I was just nodding off again when the girls burst in at 6.30am. They said "Where's Tez?" and I said "The other room" and told them to go away. They then woke my dad up to tell him there was a dead spider behind the bed in their room! I finally got some sleep after that and dreamt that I was so tired I was walking around with my eyes stuck shut and my teeth were falling out. When I did actually wake up at 8am, I felt like my eyes wanted to stay shut, and my teeth felt like they were about to fall out!

I thoroughly enjoyed Paper Giants as well.

Janet what day should we meet & seeing the weather's fine shall I come to you?

huge day yesterday - I had 4 kids all day as a friend had all day uni committments & her husband was in Sydney for the day for work so I looked after her 4 & 2 yo. It would mostly have been easy but Carys had a non sleeping day ( I think the longest stretch she had was 15 mins), the other 3 had lots of toileting accidents & there were a few adversarial 4yo moments which stretched my patience. No major conflicts though.

Have had a playdate here this morning & will be off to another a few doors down the street in just under an hour.

We had a fab weekend away. Wish it didn't have to end. Alex was good for the in-laws, and I think they will be happy to babysit again

I think I have fixed our washing machine. Doing a test wash now. Fingers crossed taht it is all good and i can cancel the service call, and save us $200-300!

Looking forward to Easter this year,e specially the extra day off.

Making rocky road for Alex's teachers tonight. Quick, easy, mess free. Maybe Alex can help me.

back to work - lots to do... will post again tonight if I get to sit down

Hey all. Had a great time the last couple of days in the beautiful weather. Yesterday we packed up a picnic lunch and headed to Umina. That huge grassed area next to the driveway to the holiday park we stayed at last year has been completely transformed. There's now a fenced in playground designed for younger kids - big sandpit; pirate boat with bridge, slide, periscopes, megaphone, plank on spring to jump from; under has a 'fish 'n' chip shop'; cubby house; swings. Outside that there's an area designed for bigger kids - biggest climbing net I've ever seen; flying fox; different types of swings; 1.5m climbing wall; merry-go-round; paths for bike/scooter riding. There's also heaps of picnic benches, tables, bbqs, toilets and heaps of grassed area for ball play still. It's awesome. I just hope it's looked after. When the kids had eaten and had a long play, we headed to the movies to see Hop. Sweet little movie, though I did want to strangle the rabbit for a while there.

Today we packed another picnic lunch and headed to The Entrance. The playground there is much smaller but perfect for kids of mines' ages. Still fenced in which meant I could sit and relax knowing Miss R was 'safe' (it's right on the water). The grassed area was much bigger but I knew that so some balls had been packed in. Jill met us there with her boys and the kids all played so nicely together. There were a couple of little tantys but no big fights. There was a small train doing loops of the area and the boys kept chasing after it, all the way to the other side of the park. I felt bad for the driver. He had to be annoyed at having to watch harder to make sure he didn't run them over. It was very cute, though, watching Miss R do her best to keep up with the boys. And they were all very good at keeping an eye on her. We stayed til 3.30pm when they have the pelican feeding display. I've seen it a few times but it's good every time. Miss R just kept saying "Wow, lots birdies".

I think we'll be having a mostly at home day tomorrow. I do need to duck out to a couple of shops - to grab some parts for the dishwasher (broken drawer runners) and another jacket for Miss R. But mostly I need to catch up on some folding and clean the floors. They haven't even been vacuumed for 2 weeks and if I can mop too, that will be a bonus.

Megan - that sounds a bit of a full on day.

Liss - bummer that you're still waiting for your delivery.

Mulan - good that you've found a shoe that works for your poor toe while landscaping. And if you need a new pair after, bonus.

Mandy - awww on the cuddles. Miss R is a good snuggler too.

I'm pretty tired. Might head to bed. Night all!

What a great couple of days Cheeks, all the sctivities sound great. I wish we were closer to the coast, I really miss it. I can just imagine Miss R running about with the boys

Celia great job with the washing machine!

With everyone off to the movies nobody's mentioned seeing Rango. Any reviews in here? It's the one I thought I'd like to take Caelan to see (and for my own amusement of course )

I'm having a lunch meet with Janet today

All these meets!! Mandy and Megan we should try to reschedule our weekend in Wagga!

We saw hop too! quite good! Cheeks LOL why did you want to strangle him? that playground sounds unreal at Umina!!

Tried to easter cook today with pretty much a flop dontyou hate cleaning up the mess for nothing? made osso bucco for tea so hope that isnt a flop too it is in the slow cooker!

BLR - just the attitude was very similar to DS#1 at present. Smart-a*sed back chat, etc.

Been to the shops and vacuumed. About to mop. So, only thing on today's to-do list that won't get crossed off is the slow-cooker dinner I had planned. Didn't get it sorted in time so we'll be having a vege lentil casserole instead.

Yes Bon I'm definately up for that! It'll have to be after July now though as I have too many things on before we do our UK trip in June/earlu July.

We had a great meet with Janet & family, Caelan had a blast with the kids as usual. Thanks Janet, I just wish we had nicer weather!

Had an awesome time at Megan's today. Hooray for baby cuddles with Carys!!! Thanks for having us, I know we are a bit of a collective whirlwind in the school holidays.

LOL Cheeks at the movie character being like your DS1. I know exactly what that's like (A). Megan saw a small example of it today when I said "5 minute warning, then you all need to get your socks and shoes on" and A said (in that horrid know-it-all voice that only children can do) "I don't need to put socks on, I only need to put shoes on." I mean, really, so she had shoes without socks, but why the need to point it out, she freaking well knew what I meant!!!

Megan, this is the place I was talking about. I forgot that you were also a fan of Pillars of the Earth. For some reason this place really reminded me of that. It was a weird, almost religious, experience to be touching something and imagining how it was 700 years beforehand. (I have a photo of J standing in one of the ovens in the monks' quarters - I'll bet the monks cooking their food never imagined a strange man standing in it having his photo taken...!)

I'm at the movies as I type I took my nieces in, since karri is still in America. I drew the line at Beiber but am semi watching fast and furious. Can't stand Vin Diesel *insert low grumble grumble and intense stare* there are heap of kids here too, from 2-8. Bizarre! Grace is watching Scream and I stayed with her til her boyfriend arrived. I hate scary movies even more than mindless car chases
Rio was good, kids enjoyed it. The main character bird annoyed me though. I preferred despicable me that we watched on DVD before coming back to Naz.
Better get back to the movie, I just had a toilet and Internet break...

Janet that place is gorgeous! We'll definately have to try to stop for a look.

Despicable me and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs have been the only kid's movies I've actually enjoyed for the last few years.

I'm having 4 yr old not listening issues right now. Even his DC and school have mentioned it, though they did say it was expected and age appropriate. There is no punishment big enough for him to actually take notice and/or not laugh at me.
I know, I know, positive reinforcement and praise the successes. But it's so f-ing hard to smile and praise when I feel like running away!

Codex - praise and positive reinforcement are great, so is some stern words or consequences that if he doesnt listen you perhaps wont listen to what he wants. Not sure though, sometimes I think half our behaviour problems these days are that we are way too into the 'positive' way to change behaviour. I do agree, but I do also think that children need to have discipline as well. Its a trying age though and you just need to find what works for them. Byron and Mason both need different ways of discipline. Byron does well from positive reinforcement, and is not good being told off hes fairly sensitve. Mason needs a lot harsher 'telling off'. Are you heading away these holidays?

No movies been seen here! Apparently Cars 2 is coming out over winter, so we will see that with the boys as that is there favourite movie.

Just editing the most gorgeous newborn session I had yesterday. What a way to finish off my portrait sessions. Outdoor barn type session, it was lovely. Gorgeous wedding today, weather is beautiful I cant wait!! Then just need to make it through the weekend weddings and I am finished!!

Boys are doing good, nothing new, nothing different. Sharing their beds well, and generally being good. Looking forward to being more active again, and being able to do more with them, weve been fairly house orientated these last few weeks.

I've been aaaaaall about the discipline here for the last year or so, that's why I think I need to change something and see if it works . I really have tried the harshest punishments and he still shrugs them off, with the added bonus of getting worse because he's getting some kind of attention.
If I ignore him, DD goes insane with the teasing and DS gets destructive.
Sticker charts work well for him so I'll go the positive and see what happens, it's just not natural for me .

So by Monday you're done? Phew, I was getting anxious on your behalf.

Kimbal responds well to the sticker chart, Lu still couldn't give a sh*t. We deal with her by minimizing damage done to others by time out ie solitary confinement!
They are ready to go home now, except they don't know it yet their behaviour is a mix of overtired and overindulged- didi tell you yesterday Curtis wanted a toy in the shop and I wasn't obliging so he yelled over and over 'I hate you, I hate you mum!' as I left the shop. Then at the next shop he called me 'stupid mum' for nit buying an Easter egg. He is 2!! I felt like advertising that although he was the only child with us that Peter and I don't speak to each other like that and he'd picked it up from a child who'd obviously picked it up at school

We do a mix of positive reinforcement which is partially successful and strict disciplinre which is also partially successful. If only those two parts would make up a whole

Good luck with the sticker charts Codex

Hooray for being almost finished Alinta!

My 4 year old is a breeze with discipline, I do feel very fortunate after the other two, I do really hope I;m not speaking too soon though. She is still naughty but responds so beautifully to positive reinforcement and withdrawal of attention/time out, even when she is incredibly strong and determined (AKA stubborn as a bull). She has amazing emotional regulation skills though so that makes it much much easier. I think that I am so much more specific with labelling the positive reinforcement now too, I can easily see where I went wrong and need to refine now with my eldest two.

Has anyone seen chorepad on the iphone/ipad. OMG that has changed our world over the last few weeks. I have put in behaviours not just chores into it. The kids love the points star system and trading in the points for their rewards which includes trading for pocket money and all sorts of things. I do make sure they are getting lots of points anyway. eg 2 points a day just for brushing their teeth and 1 point a day for getting to bed before bedtime. All three of them love it so much right now. I don't expect it to work for us forever but I am loving it. School holidays have been quite a lot easier with it. Although we have been one child down for most of the holidays too.

Mulan, that sounds promising. Although I fear that it would just turn into another competition in our house. (Literally everything is a competition between the 3 girls. They are so adversarial.)

Megan, I told J about your sliding doors, and he is highly interested (despite my prediction!). I couldn't remember whether the screens are also in 3 panels? Maybe a photo on FB would be nice, so I can show him rather than just try and describe...!

OMG, I have had the day from hell. Bad behaviour during breakfast meant that 3 out of the 5 children were told they couldn't have the promised trip to the lolly shop for a milkshake. Since one of the remaining 2 was Darcy, I figured that A could just go with my dad when he went to the supermarket, and have her milkshake then, so it wasn't an issue having the others see her getting it. D didn't know he missed out.

Of course, when Z lost her milkshake privilege, she had the meltdown to end all meltdowns. She was squealing (deliberately, loudly, high-pitched, ear-piercing), kicking me, and did something else physical to me that made me lose it entirely - I grabbed her arm and dragged her into her room and told her not to come out. (Normally she keeps up the screaming, and kicks the closed door, but she actually stopped.)

Anyway, we all got over that one, and then my dad and I took the kids down to a riverside beach. All was going well until one of the boys left one of the little sand toys in the water and it floated away. Well, you'd think the world was about to end; Z was hysterical - if I hadn't stopped her, she probably would have tried to swim after it, despite not being able to swim. (It's not like she's attached to it, it was the first time she'd seen it.) OMG it was horrendous, she was thrashing around when restrained, and when she eventually calmed down enough to play, she helicoptered over the sand toys, and started crying again when D took one down to the water's edge - honestly, it was bad. That girl has some serious psychological issues.

The afternoon has been okay (tantrum-free), and the boys are now in bed, and the girls are in their room (I will go and round them up to the bathroom for teeth-cleaning soon). I have a wine, and SVU is on at 8.30 (is it 8.30? or 9.30?), and then I shall be off to bed. Home tomorrow after lunch - might make it an early lunch

Oh, in a piece of excitement that I missed, there was a drug raid 3 houses down from our place at 4.30am - J said he heard these loud bangs, went outside but didn't see much in the immediate vicinity, and found out from our neighbour this evening when he got home from work!

Oh I forgot to say I have the best husband ever. You have to see fb pics to understand my excitement. It's one of those moments that I feel old and very tragic that I'm so excited over because the simple things are such a wonderful thing too. The thing I love most about my life right now is I appreciate so many of the simple things and very much how hard DH and I are working at everything right now and we are enjoying doing these simple things together. We have been an awesome team doing the landscaping together. I'm so proud of him and what we have achieved.

One pic loaded Janet

It's in my albums Janet.

hello from my sick bed. I have done something to my c something in my lower back,and am on antibiotics and iron tablets for other problems thanks to my doctors appointment that I should have had 2 years ago !.
the back is ridiculously painful though,I can hardly move !.

You would have seen last night we were at the state trials for Lachy's football. He has been waiting years to do this (they only have an u12 and u16 state side). so nerve wracking, he got injured in the second half, but it was enough to get him through to the next round. From 4 teams last night, they picked 2 teams to play this weekend, and he is in the top 26 run on sides, in his favourite position, so he has an excellent chance to get in to the state team, he is pretty small though, so that will work against him. If he gets picked he will travel to Melbourne to play all the other states.
Today I took him to get some new shoulder pads, I was expecting to pay $80 or so, and when I got there they had some in a reduced bin for $5 ! so I also got him some skins and a Dragons ball as a reward for getting this far.

I have booked flights for J and I for Sydney, but still haven't worked out what to do with the kids it is causing me some stress, but we are getting there.

Mulan, I am going to check out that app, good work on the landscaping.
On Discipline.
I have to say I've never used reward charts or stuff, if I did it was short lived. I am pretty strict on my kids on some things, mainly respect things, manners, but I am very laissez faire on others, I try to pick my battles.
I think my kids are pretty well behaved in the whole. If something is done more than once and it is wasteful or destructive, I come down really hard. Usually to bed immediately if it is night. If it is daytime, they have to sit at my feet until they have had long enough to think about what they have done. I have found over the years that is about the worst punishment kids can get, my kids hate having to sit anywhere boring where I can watch them.

Janet I built in the competitiveness to some of the chores/tasks/behaviours with my kids as well, otherwise the teasing from competitiveness was going to be an issue. So if they help someone achieve a point then they get a point too. eg helping DD remember to brush her teeth then they got a point. Doing an acitivity together without arguments got a point (eg. putting washing away, packing away toys, playing a game with lots of laughter). Sharing for 20 minutes gets a point (for both sharers)
I'm adding to the task list frequently so it's got lots of options for the kids. Oh and DH and I are on there as well and the kids are realising how much stuff DH and I do as well. Daddy got LOTS of points for his work today.
Payouts are going joint too. So I explained to them that they can bank their points together for a payout. It's all customised. I need to earn 4000 points to get an ipad2, but I had to claim some points for my choice of takeaway dinner on Tuesday so the kids can see I'm not going to just earn points randomly and too quickly as well.

Mulan, smart and sensible people like you mak me realise that I should probably have had fewer children, or none. I'm not cut out fir thisparenting ggig.

Mel, well done to Lachlan.

Megan, thanks!

Hope you feel better quickly Mel, and have lots of help in the meantime. Is Justin still working heaps or have you been able to relax a bit (now the $US is do good? ).

Parenting...I'm starting to think there's something in large age gaps because if I'd waited a bit longer I would have realised that sleepless nights etc etc are nothing compared to school aged issues! How heartbreaking to potentially have to deal with social issues/fights with friends/boyfriends and girlfriends times 4?!?! But then there must be something in the small gap because there's not one child I could imagine not being here (in general, sometimes missing one or three is no problem )

Easter hunt day today!!! Hope it's not too hot outside because we've had a couple of years when they've been melted by the time of discovery. I love the Easter hunt tradition, getting all the cousins together.

Goodmorning!

Janet - sounds like one of those days you wish you could just walk away from them all. Z sounds like she was way overtired and emotional. Hope the drive home today is relativly quiet, as quiet as it can be! Do the older girls have any sleepovers on these holidays? Does Z get put out by having everyone home over the holidays? I think your doing a great job with all of your children, everyone does things differently and has good and bad moments of parenting.

Mandy - nice words from a 2 years old mouth! I can just imagine the looks you got! Masons hot tempered too, he launches himself at the person hes annoyed at. Thankfully he difuses as quick as he starts.

Mulan - its great that you are and dh are working so well together. Its a wonderful feeling.

Reward charts havent really helped here either, Im not huge on them. Positive encouragement is always done naturally, and harsh telling off. Respectful well manered children is prime for me, other things I dont worry so much about. Kids are just being kids after all, and testing the boundaries is all part and parcel for growing up and learning.

Had a beautiful wedding yesterday, so so stunning. Coped pretty good actually, although my feet and pelvis are sore today. They have a day to recover before the next big one though I love my job so much, not one minute of it feels like work, its so rewarding, I feel very fortunate and blessed that I took a chance on it. Just getting all the files off the computer now, dh is outside planting our trees that arrived yesterday and building the limestone wall thats going around the kids sandpit. Lucky kids.... its 9 metres x 5 metres so they are very lucky to be getting such a big sandpit!

That's not a sandpit, that's a desert!

Janet what are you talking about? You're a great parent.

Woohoo gooo Lachy!

Shane's taken Caelan to the park, I'm 1ht while feeding Carys then will be getting back to cleaning before Ky & Neil get here tonight. Oh & they finally found out they're expecting a girl

Oh & Happy Easter/fertility festival/cluster of public holidays - whatever your persuasion is. Stay safe & have a lovely time

OH MY GOD Alinta, that is a massive sandpit, as Megan says it's a desert. That is 40% of my backyard and after the last 2 months with a sandpit out there I'm very pleased to have it gone now.

Turf is done and the weather forecast should help us over the next few days. Our tank is empty now so it needs refilling so we can empty it again anyway. Now all the hard landscaping is done I'm so looking forward to plant selections and choosing where they will all go. I'd love to get a tonne of gardenia's. They are far too water thirsty though so I'm sticking to natives.

Janet you are a wonderful parent. I don't think I could even imagine life with 5 children. Considering you have twins too you are bloody brilliant. I know I had to stop at 3 as 4 would just be too much for us. I have moments where I wish we had gone for more but I know DH would have always had some resentment. Parents are supposed to make mistakes but the worst thing we can do is put ourselves down as well.

LOL its not that big!! We have a large backyard, there is still going to be a huge grassed area, as well as G's current huge 9x9 shed. The kids fort/play swing thing will be going in the sandpit, then they will have space to dig in it. I wanted a pool but G said no. So sand pit it is. Its been dug down to just under a metre, and then 3 or 4 trailor loads of white sand are coming on Wed to fill it. THey love to dig, and I like them to play outside We both win!

Megan - how lovely to be having a girl cousin close in age for Carys! Cute!!!

How's everyone's weekend going? We have had a sleep in, and soem quiet play time and watched Men In Black and part of MIB2. Alex is now sitting down to reading eggs. Signed him up today. Why does it make him do everything twice? He's gettign frustrated with that. How do I check what level he is on? I'd like to know how far along we are before I sign up.. no point signing up for a year if he is close to teh end of their syllabus.

Looking forward to egg hunt on Sunday. It's a bring a plate affair and I am bringing mini quiches. Would they keep well overnight if I were to make them the day before? What do you think? Also bringing rocky road for some chocolate overload.

Alinta - what a sandpit! I agree! More liek a dessert! I am envious of anyone with a big back yard

Janet - I have seen you in action. you're a good parent so stop saying such rubbish about not having kids.

Mel - looks like it is all systems go for Sydney, and the US is all booked as well? Did you get your wish to stop in London? We're considering a US trip later this year. Hoping that if the AUD stays strong, it will make the trip a touch less exy for us.

I was just having a $hite morning. Sorry about the brain explosion! Z woke up calling out for me at 5.13am and so I brought her into my bed, but me getting up woke the boys, so they came into bed with me too (and yes, I was singing "There were four in the bed..." in my head!). Z fell asleep again, but the boys thought it was waking up time, and I had just taken 2 Mersyndol to get back to sleep as my shoulder was giving me grief, so I was completely drowsy and they wanted to get up by 6.30am. Anyway, that's my excuse.

Mel, I parent the same way as you do - come down hard on lack of respect, bad manners etc (basically anything that impacts someone else negatively), and let a lot of things slide that my mother would have conniptions about!

I just seem to have run out of patience to deal with the constant competition and b**chiness. When I say competition, I mean they will literally knock each other over in order to be the one who gets the packet of dried apricots from the cupboard (yes, trivial stuff like that). I know that the pain I've been experiencing doesn't help, but I need to make more effort to be involved instead of just throwing my hands in the air.

Megan - how exciting to have a niece on the way!

Had an easy drive home (unlike the traffic leaving Sydney in the opposite direction, who encountered an accident at Pheasant's Nest - the tailbacks would have gone for at least 10km). Tried to have a nap, but as usual I was woken 10 minutes into it by someone ringing on the doorbell trying to sell something, and couldn't get back to sleep. Looking forward to my bed tonight...!

I know I can have a whinge here so bare with me. My toe freaking kills me. It's so ridiculously painful tonight and feels about the same as it did the day I broke it. ****ity **** **** **** I almost wish it had been cut off. Mersyndol for me tonight

Janet, your post reminds me of an interview I saw once with a whole lot of Kennedy cousins. It included Maria Shriver. They were rattling off all the (mostly unreported) achievements of the younger Kennedy generation, and they were quite remarkable. When they asked Maria how the Kennedy's achieved so much and did things that most people would find difficult as a matter of course, she pointed to the fact that they all came from large families, and they were ridiculously competitive, they would compete over anything, and so the continuously raised the bar on achievement in the household. I have always remembered that, and I have always allowed a bit of good natured ribbing amongst my kids, and competitive spirit. They start over apricots, but hopefully it will turn into school marks etc, so don't completely discourage it, it is healthy !

I have muddles through this parenting gig, but I think the way I do it is working pretty well so it is probably the only way to do large families (the laissez faire bit that is lol)

Mel when are your Sydney flights & will you have any time spare for a meet?

Mulan - owww! You forgot to add "tits" on the end

Celia yes I'd make the quiches the day before, they'll be perfectly fine

Oh janet how annoying being woken from a nap for something like that - grrr!

Just waiting up for the dishwasher to finish so I can unpack & re-stack it to go on again. I think we used just about every pot, pan & bowl we own tonight.

That is interesting, Mel. And I am not against a bit of healthy competitiveness. I suppose it's the pushy physical competitiveness that knocks people over that crosses that line into disrespect for others... If only I could teach them how to differentiate between the two!

Mulan, I hope you are getting the rain we're getting! Steady since I crawled out of bed at 7am. Will be perfect for your new turf!!!

Having a bit of a chuckle - J did a load of washing yesterday, but didn't hang it out. He put it on the line yesterday afternoon, planning to leave it o/n and then today. Well, it's still there, but it's saturated I'm on my second load of the morning, after 1 last night, and 1 overnight, and have another one to go after that. The dryer is getting a workout. If the boys are allowed to have a lazy day today (they're watching Thomas DVDs - or "deeby-deebies" as Leo calls them), then so am I - folding washing, and knitting. Maybe even a nap later

Janet, I was just looking at the photo of the kids on FB and marveling at the resemblances between certain ones . Grace and Zara are like twins!

Funny you should say that, Codex. A couple of weeks ago, Z walked G into her classroom and there were two Year 2 boys there, and one grabbed the other and pointed to Z and said, "See? That one! They look the same, I told you!". Cracked me up, until I realized the teachers are going to have the "twins" at school together next year...

I'll add the tits this time then Megan. ****, ****, ****, ****ity, sh*t, bugger, ****, TITS. I'm so sick of this pain and I know I should just stop walking around on soft surfaces, digging mulch etc. I can't leave it for someone else to do as DH doesn't have the time right now. I still have no idea what do do about shoes to wear to the wedding tomorrow. I'm wearing the dress I wore to Sel's wedding. Heels are out because of toe. Black flats to suit are also out because of the shape at the toes. Boots are out because they have heels. I have a pair of strappy black sandals but broke one last week. I can wear a pair of flat colarado court style shoes but it looks very ordinary. I really shouldn't care though, comfort is more important.

Mulan, I hope your pain has eased somewhat overnight. Can you tape the toe to its neighbour? I found this really helped when I broke my toe a few years ago. The minute I untaped it, the pain came back. It took several months, though, for it to heal to the point of not being tender (I thought this was abnormal until I asked a few people, who said they'd experienced the same thing).

I need sleep. A was still awake at 11.30pm waiting for the Easter bunny. She only went to sleep because I told her he always waits until children are asleep before he comes! And then she was up at 5.43am excitedly hunting eggs with her sisters.

J has taken the girls to his parents' place. I think he's leaving them there and coming back, but I'm not sure. If he stays, I think I will put the boys to bed, and go back to bed myself!

sorry Megan, I didn't answer your q re Sydney. We have been fluffing about, J booked both of us, but we have come to the realisation that is just can't happen, the two grandparents there are, whinge and moan so much it makes it impossible to deal with, so I am probably bringing Lachy or Audrey depending on whether Lachy gets into the state team. At this stage I will stay in Paddo on the Thursday night for the event, an then head down to Ramsgate for the next two as we have football tickets on Sunday.

Mel, would love to catch up on the Saturday - would you and your entourage like to come to our place for lunch or dinner?

Sounds fabulous Janet. Do you know if the 113 still runs from Ramsgate to Hurstville ? I wouldn't mind going there to get some Dragons merch, and I could go on the way to your place.