On the second day of Christmas...

On the second day of Christmas, Bruce the Elf was found getting into the Country Spirit and bucking on Daddy's replica horses! 

 

And for the Second Day of Advent.....Bruce the Elf left a fun activity (which is so damn easy to do!)....

All you need is:
1.  1 length of paper that fits around your childs head (like a headband)
2.  1 piece of brown paper to trace your childs hands - as this makes the antlers of the reindeer.
3.  2 round black dots (I just cut these from black paper)
4.  2 small white dots
5.  1 big red dot
6.  A stapler
7.  Scissors
8.  Glue

Firstly, measure the long length of paper to fit your childs head and staple together.  Trace your childs hands and then cut them out.  Staple the antlers onto the headband and then add the eyes and nose to make your RUDOLPH!  So so easy and so so much fun!

The talk around the cottage is that Bruce the Elf has the hots for Barbie....in that case, I better go and make sure she is all dressed pretty for her hot date tonight!

Santa Drop-Off

Obviously the most important part of Christmas, is writing a letter to Santa.  So yesterday, I sat down with Moo and we got down to business.

She dictated, I wrote.....

and then she decided that she was too interested in cutting the paper to make paper chains. May I add, since when did my baby become so clever with scissors? Seriously, I was freaking out - blurting out random "Watch your fingers"...."Are you sure you don't want Mummy to do it?"...."Please be careful"......and she stopped....grabbed my face with her tiny hands and looked me in the eyes. She said very slowly and very careful "Mum - I.can.do.it". Enough said.

So today, while Macie played at Daycare and William didn't know what was going on, Santa came to visit to decorate our house and deliver a very special "someone" for our darling children.

He placed a wreath on the door, put the Christmas tree up, decorated and made the cottage feel very festive.

He left a special present under the tree.....a book explaining all about his special someone....

and I wonder who that special "someone" will be???

And for now....we are off to town to pick up Macie.  I am beyond excitement....and I know that she will be too!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.....

If I had to choose one of my happiest childhood memories - it is without fail, Christmas.  Each and every year. 

My parents used to create this magical, mystical and amazing Christmas for my sister and I every single year.  Everything we did was so happy, so fun and most importantly, memorable.

If there is anything I want to do as a parent - it is to create these same memories for my babies.  Obviously Willsy is a little young for all the hype but Macie is sooo excited.  We only have to see Santa in the catalogues and she goes all goo-goo!  It makes my heart warm and fuzzy to see her innocence in full force.

So, this year - I've decided to create what I always talk about.  I'm going to create MAGIC for my children each and every day of Advent.

Instead of just an Advent Calendar from the shops - we've created an Advent Calendar box. 

It will sit proudly in the house with a new activity, gift and note from Santa every single day for Macie and William.....and I've got a good 2 days to get organised before the 1st of December dawns on me.  I'm talking Christmas Craft, Gingerbread Houses, Paper Chains, Candy Cane Treasure Hunts, Santa Sightings.....and yes my husbo is rolling his eyes at me but then reassures me "The kids are so lucky to have you Han!". 

Not only will it create magic.  But it will also force me to step away from the hussle and bussle of life - and enjoy my darling children.

It's starting to feel a bit like Christmas here.....how about you? 

The end product.....a bit of mod podge and a few ripped up magazines and VOILA.  Lots & Lots of Fun. 

Hi Han....

I find it hard to get my head around that people actually read this blog.  Recently, I have had an increasing number of people saying "Hi Han" to me as I walk down the street. 

The scene usually goes something like this:

: Stranger says "Hi Han"  or  "Hi Macie"  or  "Oh look at Will - isn't he getting big!"
: I do my usual "Smile & Wave" trick and turn to Heath and say "Who was that?"
: Heath replies "How the hell would I know....remember you have a blog Han?"
: Then there is a silence where I scan through my memory to try and work out who is saying hello to me!
: Then I go "Pfft - no one reads it anyway" and go on trying to wrangle two kids and do my list of jobs. 

But lately, I can't seem to ignore the increasing number of "Hellos" by all these beautiful people.  I love it because there is nothing more refreshing than walking down the street to be greeted with friendly faces and happy hellos.  It's humbling and surreal.

So, thank you for being so friendly. 
Thank you for being so nice. 
But mostly, thank you for reading my blog. 
You are all amazing - whether I know you or not. 

X 

I have everything.

I opened my eyes to find Heath standing at the end of my bed looking a tad worse for wear.  He had been on the dog shift with William since 5am when he took over from me and told me to go back to bed.  I rolled over, looked at my phone, saw the time was only 7.01am and groaned.  "Surely on Mother's Day I can have a sleep-in" I said with a tone laced with a combination of sleep deprevation and annoyance....and the reply "7am is a sleep-in these days" and it's so true.  So I dragged my sorry ass out of bed and went to cuddle my babies on the couch.  I found Macie in her highchair eating her much loved honey toast and William happily in his swing watching the happenings of the cottage. 

For some reason I was acting like a bear with a sore head.  I don't know what I expected when I walked out of the bedroom.  It's not like I wanted a room full of flowers or a helicopter in the front paddock to whisk Heath & I away for the day (ok maybe I wanted the helicopter)....all I wanted was a sleep-in longer than 7.01am.  I cursed myself for being ungrateful - I don't need anything.  I have everything. 

Next thing Heath and Macie disappear and come back armed with chocolates, cuddles, flowers and a card.  I swallow my bad mood, curse myself again for being a bitch and just realised how grateful I am. 

: A husbo that organises his mum to drive to town to purchase a Mothers Day gift for me even though he has been working 15 hour days on the tractor. 
: A husbo that hides the gifts down at his mum's so I second-guess his romantic gestures
: A husbo that then proceeds to cook me bacon and eggs for breakfast with steaming hot coffee
: A daughter that loves me; and
: A son that declares that I am his world every time I leave his line of vision. 

I have everything.

Bookworm...

It's wheat planting time here - and that means looooong hours for the husbo and flying solo until it's all finished. 

This is what our nights look like at the moment while I try to feed, bath and dress two kids for bed....then keep them occupied until that glorious 7pm.  Macie is obsessed with books and insists that she reads them to us - and she actually does a really great job!  Even Will loves it!

So there are lots of trips to visit Daddy on the tractor and lots of tears from Macie when we have to leave but it's not forever - and there is nothing more I love than a wheat crop - watching it grown and turn golden! 

Speaking of books - I recently made a massive order of books for the kids through The Book Depository in the UK.  I have to share this website with you - it's cheap and the postage is free.  Too good to be true hey! 

While purchasing these books, I treated myself with two books written by two of my favourite blogs ever....



Stephanie from Nie Nie Dialogues
I purchased it from here

and...

Kelle from Enjoying the Small Things
I purchased it from here

 If you love a good read  - then take yourselves off to these blogs and prepare to be sucked in.  I literally read these blogs daily.  They make me laugh and cry - and they inspire me.

So, now I am itching at the bit for our book order to arrive so I can snuggle under the covers with a hot coffee and escape to another person's world - a world that is so inspirational and beautiful.

And I am hoping that my children learn to love books as much as I do - because there is nothing more satisfying than being engrossed in a book, finishing it and than having a bookcase full of your favourite reads. 

What's your favourite book?

Mr Brown can do it....can you do it too?

One of my favourite blogs ever is Beth from BabyMac. 

If you don't follow her - do it. 

If you do - you will understand what I mean.  Her blog is refreshingly honest and I walk away revitalised and re-energised that I can relate to a beautiful Mum who I don't even 'know'. 

It was today on BabyMac's Facebook page that her status really hit home....

"Lunch making
Breakfast
Bed making
Nappies changed
Kids dressed
Washing on
Dishwasher loading
Shopping
Clothes on the line
Cleaning
... Dishwasher unpacking
Chopping & stacking wood
Lunch making

All before midday!

Women deserve medals for all the stuff they do day in, day out. If no one has told you today, I'm telling you: YOU ARE AMAZING FOR DOING EVERYTHING YOU DO. No really, you are."

 

It's true.  Even though we have the title of "Stay-at-home-Mum" or even worse "Home Duties"....it's bloody hard work.  My days look like this at the moment...

 

: Wake up at 4am to Will.  Declare to husbo to stay in bed seeing as though he is doing 15hr days on the tractor for Wheat Plant.

: Pass out on spare bed in Will's room after the 4am feed

: Wake up to Heath going to work

: Breakfast for kids

: Skull cold coffee

: Talk with Mum on phone while Macie sings her "Tomorrow" by Annie and I am trying to feed Will.

: Make second round of breakfast for Macie

: Clean Kitchen

: Load dishwasher

: Play with kids

: Put Will to bed

: Bribe Macie with jellybeans in return for no accidents with the toilet training

: Do bookwork while drawing happy and sad faces for Macie on demand

: Try to talk with my sister over the phone in 5 different phone calls to have one conversation

: Put load of washing on

: Make morning tea for Macie

: Take washing off line - put more washing on.

: Let dog off the chain

: Feed the chooks

: Wrangle two year old back inside

: Talk to client/friend on phone - all while having to apologise about my noisy child (and people wonder why I only text & e-mail!)

: Call MIL

: Feed Will

: Make lunch for Macie

: Read "Mr Brown can do it" for the 148th time this week

: Put Macie to bed - with much protest  

: Sucked in to Macies "I need to do a Wee-Wee" excuse to get out of bed

: Put Will to bed

: Escape to the shower while Macie is on the loo - yes people, it's after lunch time. 

: Offer a deal with Macie that she can have a mandarin then bed - she agrees.

: Put Macie to bed - with much protest again. Note to self:  Deals do not work with a 2 year old.

: Decide to crawl into bed myself.  Both kids are quiet.

: Close my eyes - Will cries.  Put dummy in and collapse in bed again.

: Close my eyes - Macie cries.  Get upto Macie and ask for her to go to bed. 

: Finally get a quick kip before Will cries again.  Raise white flag and get Will up. Go to let Macie up too....but she is now asleep.

:  Kids awake.  Head to paddock to drop off a hot coffee to husbo to get him through the 3pm nods.

:  Head to town to collect laptop.  Still not fixed.

:  Head home.  Receive phone call from husbo who needs a part.  Turn around and head back to town.

:  Receive another phonecall from husbo - he has worked out someone else to collect part.  Turn around and back home.

:  Make and put quiche in oven.

:  Bath the kids.

:  Watch ABC kids from the back of my eyelids with the kids

:  Deliver dinner to Heath on the tractor

:  Feed dinner to Macie

:  Read "Mr Brown can do it" for the 149th this week

:  Put Macie to bed

:  Feed Will and put Will to bed.

:  E-mails

:  Dinner

:  The Block

:  Fold Washing

...............

 

So, next time you think that everything is under control here at the cottage....take off those rose-coloured glasses.  Life here is normal - it's real - it's chaos - sometimes organised but most of the time, it's not. 

 

But that's the way I like it, love it and live for it. 

 

And that is what gives me my excuse for a well-deserved rum & coke every single night. 

 

Lately...

I was going through my iPhone this morning and it's always a good reminder of what we have been upto for the past few weeks....through the blurriness of iPhone quality photos!!

Macie's love for William has escalated to a new high.  William couldn't possibly have a big sister who is more loving and attentive.  She will make such a beautiful mummy when she is older.

I packed the kids in the car and did a flying visit to Toowoomba for ANZAC Day.  It was mayhem with all the grandkids together!

My sister managed to save these beauties from my cousin's garage!  The rocking horse was my sister's when she was a baby and the trike was actually my mums.  Photography Props Galore!!  I am planning a lick of paint and a bit of TLC on both!

Last week I declared (after many many tears of my own) that I was no longer going to fight with Macie for hours on end for her to have a daysleep.  Instead we hired 7 DVDs for $7 and each day all she needs to do is lie on her couch and watch her special movie.  Each day has resulted into this.....Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!!  But don't tell Moo that!!

14 days after getting the nasty Gastro bug, this little guy is smiling again.  It knocked his poor little body around and made him so sad and unsettled.  But we are on the other side and enjoying all the smiles and coos coming from this delightful little boy!  Can you believe he is 9 weeks old already?

Macie's Potty Chart has gone from this.....

to this.  Something just clicked for our Big Sis.  We are so totally over the moon about this!

Macie now goes to Daycare every Friday.  She loves it so much that I literally have to drag her out kicking and screaming in the afternoons.  I now spend the day in town....enjoying a quiet coffee....

...and a day fully devoted to my little man. 

Now the weather is much more pleasant, we are now going for walks around the farm with our 'babies'.  Macie seriously loves this.

This is my attempt at my sister's AMAZEBALLS chocolate slice....FAIL!