A Life of Adventure....?

Do you ever wish you could vicariously live someone else's life?......

I guess that is a little bit of a stupid question - because of course! The evidence is firmly in our cultural obsession with movies, books, TV shows etc....

You see, I was having this thought lying in bed at approx 8.30am - because I didn't really feel like getting up and getting on with my day....it is a public holiday for us - The Show Holiday - although I haven't really seen much advertisement for it this year....and we are not going. But, public holidays are good, because we are all at home, without the usual Saturday or Sunday commitments...

Anyway, so I was lying it bed being a bum and quite enjoying it after a couple of 3am study sessions this week...and thinking about how it would be nice to trade my life for some adventure....However, the point is that it is now 3 hours later and I have put on and hung out washing, swept the floor, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the toilets, made my bed, chatted to the neighbour, dusted the living area, denied Amelie's request to cook in my clean kitchen, then reneged and let her cook as long as she didn't need supervision (a chocolate cake is in the oven - I can smell it now!), and had a shower and made myself presentable....oh yeah and bought tickets to Soulfest and called hubby a few times and tentatively tried to organised an early father's day celebration for tomorrow....

I don't have time to live a life of adventure!! I still have a long list of things to do  - the usual 'taking care of my family' business, including a couple of hours of law reading and an online quiz to do by midnight....so by the time I finish everything I will be totally shagged and all I will want to do is vicariously get involved in someone else's emotionally tumultuous, adventure of a life via TV or the book sitting next to my bed. 

Hmmm....

I currently wish I had more eps of this...."Outlander"

The Hard Things, And A Not-So-Good Day....

Yesterday didn't start off too well....My very-almost 9 year old was having a friend sleep over for his birthday and I was super cranky because the play room and the children's room were a mess and I was sick of cleaning up after them....bla bla bla....and the husband and I had had a 'conversation' about our finances which didn't do anything to improve my mood. I was quite possibly hormonal to add to it - so as you can see, the outlook for a productive day was pretty grim.

I was taking my 21 yo step-daughter to the airport and dropped the kids pretty early (8.05am) to school on the way. (I like to give them little opportunities for independence and responsibility - the older two were to look after the 5 year old and take him to class.)


I was trying to mentally motivate myself all the way to the airport, whilst having a mini bonding experience with B, which was pretty cool. (She has recently moved back in to our place - and its good to have her back...)

I wasn't getting anywhere with the motivating so I called Mum who was holidaying with Dad down the road, hoping for some sort of distraction to delay my day. They already had plans and I was welcome to tag a long but I declined and then proceeded to sob it out in the car. As I was heading home (after some calls to Michael - men can be so insensitive sometimes!! - and more sobbing), I heard the traffic was bad on the highway so I made a detour which lead me straight past Babushka's house. She is 87 and awesome, and there was no way I could drive by without stopping for a visit regardless of how average I was feeling. She was really happy to see me and promptly offered me food. After 2 piroshki (mince filled bread pocket things) and some jarlsberg cheese (is there anything better?) I was feeling loads better emotionally, though still a bit queasy from all the stress.

We chatted about sewing and the bean bag I wanted to make, she took me into her sewing room to go through her materials to find a suitable fabric. Babushka's sewing room is brilliant! We settled on a roll of cream curtain material with red/pink flowers on it (to match my red cushions and dusty pinkish-brown leather couch. I then mentioned my struggles with trying to figure out how to fix my couch - the underneath of the middle seat was ripped and it had become a sink hole. I wanted to stitch it but I didn't have any thread strong enough and I was concerned I would need an upholstery needle. We talked, she found me some thread and gave me tips on sewing through the leather with a normal needle.


I had found my motivation!!


After the short visit my spirits were lifted considerably and I was all pumped to fix my couch. However, on the way home I was so incredibly sleepy that it was almost dangerous - so I fell into bed on my return. After 15minutes, which felt like a blink, I got a call from Master very-almost nine's school saying he wasn't feeling well and wanted to come home. I had my reservations - he had had a late night (we went swimming and had dinner with Mum and Dad) but how can you argue when your child has gone to sick bay and the school calls you?? So I went to pick him up - then I was doing my couch.

And I did.


And it feels awesomely normal to sit on.


It took me two hours of stitching and pricking myself.


But I did it!


I didn't get a whole lot of anything else done except a brief tidy, some grocery shopping and dinner (home made pizza at the birthday boys request) - but the satisfaction of a long-put-off-job completed will last me, at least, the whole weekend!


Which leads me to a bit of a side track - why do I/we leave things to the very last minute? To the point that the said task because so urgent that there is not other choice but to do it? I could have fixed the couch ages ago when the rip wasn't even half as bad as when I fixed it (did I mention I fixed the couch???)

I also did my Brazil Butt Lift this morning after a long while of not doing it because the DVD died - easily remedied with Michael's AV receiver. I don't know why I stopped, especially since I got results! Why did I have to wait until my butt became unbearable (to me), to start again??

So many questions!

But the point is - I found my motivation, and beat that not-so-good day - and fixed my couch!


It feels good.

From Good To....

Well....Not sure yet....

Today started awesomely, woke up from a lonely nights sleep (husband was away overnight for work) and felt super motivated, so I cleaned both bathrooms and toilets and headed out to successfully acquire some tickets to tonight's Christmas Lights bus tour. I was feelings pretty productive and just a little housewife sassy, in my awesome 'I have a funky mother who gives me clothes' orange skirt.....

When.....

I ran over a sheet of metal on the freeway on the way to my last errand stop (I keep replaying that moment in my mind with all the things I should have done to prevent the 'accident'....but I guess what's done is done)....It buckled under my car and I dragged it briefly, as I slowed down to pull over. I managed to unwedge it from under the car...meanwhile in the breezy breeze on the side of the highway, on my hands knees, my awesome orange skirt was not feeling so awesome....

The car started and we headed to our next destination - on closer inspection the metal had scratched up the front under carriage of the car and it was leaking....freak out! So we bolted into the shops, and instead of searching for lego men that the kids could spend their money on in place of toxic sugary goodness (the money that the drunk man at the RSL gave them last night....I know, it was the Sabbath...all for the purpose of getting on this lights tour - which better be fabulous btw!), I relented and permitted candy.

The car made it home alive, and I placed some cardboard under it to catch the leak in case it stained the driveway....turns out it is water....is this a good sign??

Now I am depressed - though slightly better since breaking the news to Michael and finding out that he isn't mad at me (not that he ever is - but I still worry...old habits die hard...) I really hope everything is ok, car expenses at this point are the last thing we need! ....I have done nothing else except feed the kids lunch - which they didn't eat - eat snacks and read CJane.....

Now to drag myself off my amazing bed (have I mentioned how much I love my bed??...Thank you Kevin Rudd!)....and think about dinner and Christmas lights and maybe some warm egg nog when the husband gets home from dancing....(this weather is so bizarre!)

A Most Excellent Gift.....

Its my birthday in just over a week and, at my request, my amazing husband (seriously, he is awesome, I could go on ;) bought me a sewing machine. :)

Considering I can't patch a hole, fix a hem, darn a sock, and can barely sew on a button (Oh, the shame!  You can imagine how scruffy my children look sometimes :/) Add the double shame of having a dress-making Babushka....

love her to pieces!! xx

 I thought it was about time I learnt some skills myself. I did learn sewing in Year 9 - I loved it, but never had the chance motivation or the patience (or a patient enough mother....kidding...mostly ;) to continue with it.

I was spoiled growing up - having almost all of my clothes made for me up until the age of 17. When I was younger it felt kinda daggy and uncool, but when I became a teenager I realised that all I had to do was describe the style of the item I wanted and Babushka would sketch it and make it for me (I wish now that I had slightly more style back then!). She stopped sewing as much because mass produced clothing, of not so bad quality, became so much cheaper than the cost of making clothes. Which was a far point, and I was left to buy clothes off the rack....ugh :) Clothes shopping was depressing because I had so much trouble finding clothes to fit, being tall they were too short and packin' a sizable booty for my frame they were often too tight.

Over the last couple of years I have become sick to death of the struggle of trying to find clothes that look half decent that aren't ridiculously expensive. Even when you know the styles that look good on you the transient fashions makes them hard to find all the time...but I do have to say, I am super grateful for stretch fabric!!

So Anyway - I wanted to learn to sew in order to patch clothes and make costumes for my children, sew dolls clothes for Amelie, and 'alter' clothes for me. More specifically, due to my recent love for recycled clothing, I want to buy OP shop clothes and alter, remake, or add to them. Super exciting!!....Oh yeah, and whatever Michael wants me to do for him! :)


But, I guess I better learn to sew first, huh?

My new toy!

Lesson one - winding bobbins - successful!!

Close up! - not over excited at all!

Bought some remnants from Spotlight to get my practice on!

On The List.....

We have a thing going in our family....I am not sure when it started; maybe Tassie, maybe when we were at Mum and Dads, or maybe a variation from when we were kids....But regardless, it definitely stemmed from fussy eating children and me, despite the many dishes I cooked, struggling to find something they all liked.

Whenever I make something that the majority (and on the rare occasion everyone) likes, one of us will call out "On...The....List!!!"  - approving the said dish as a permanent menu item.

The other night at dinner we discussed and wrote down, all the dishes, that we could remember,were on the 'list', as we had never previously kept any kind of record.

We only came up with 11 dishes....:( Now I am sure in all my years (9) of cooking dinners (granted, not all of them have been quality) surely I have successfully produced more than 11 dishes worthy of a permanent place on the menu!....hmmmm

I wonder if I could bring the total up to 25 by the end of the year??

What's on your list? 

The latest addition to 'the list' - Tortilla Pie, made with kangaroo mince and topped with thick natural yoghurt - which I use as a replacement for sour cream in all my recipes. This dinner was all the more awesome cause I used leftover taco mince from the freezer! It was super easy and super tasty!.....And yes, my food photography needs a lot of work, as well as my plating up skills! - its called rustic...aiiiight! ;)

Today Is The Day.....

I have decided I cannot function properly at the moment without having at least one full day at home. To do all the things I just don't seem to find time to do.

Today I cleaned out the fridge, the pantry and started the kids blog....

 yeah...I kinda need to go shopping ;)

It feels great!! 

PS. As much as we try and deny it - us mothers spend a whole lot of our time cooking, cleaning, decorating, and just plain trying to make our houses awesome for our family! Here's a blog I read for all those super sassy domestic duties....

Delightful Domestic Science