ROPE VIDEOS....

So... here we have a few little videos of Griffin on the rope course yesterday:

And to follow, a couple of photos of an awesome ear ring holder I bought yesterday:

 ABOVE:  Neat eh?  It spins around too.

ABOVE:  Coco was not impressed once she had sniffed it and it wasn't food.  lol


TODAY:  well I for one am going to sit on me butt and read... blogs!  Usual story... life is just busy and I have not been reading many.  Sorry and all that... hope to catch up with lots of you today...


ONWARD...


Change of plans for the morning.  I am grooming the dogs so I can put the bark collar back on Teddy.   While his hair is long the bark collar does not make contact with his skin, so doesn't work.
And my god, I need it to work!  He has been SO BAD lately with barking!  I am ready to slit his bloody throat... he's been driving me nuts.  
I'm sure the bark collar is a better option than slitting his throat ... yes?


Two hours later.... both dogs groomed, bathed and kicked outside.  My turn for the shower now... as I'm sopping wet and smell like a dog too now.  I wash the dogs in the shower, which means I get all wet too.  Yaaaa.


After a nice chicken sandwich for lunch, Stew and I did the grocery shopping... while Bex took care of Brylee and Griffin... she took them to the school playground.  It is so much easier to do the shopping without kids.


I'm still feeling rotten in the tummy... serve me right!  Friggin fatty fish 'n' chips last night!  


End of Day:  and I did nothing I had planned on doing at all!  Virtually no blog reading .... felt ill all day and just couldn't settle to it.
Maybe tomorrow?
ON TRACK:  yes... but only cos I felt sick!
nite nite.

ROPES!!! AND A FISH.

I'm sure I have mentioned Griffin has been doing a fitness 'Bootcamp' at school over this school term ... so, his P.E. teacher has arranged a 'reward' for all the kids who have done the Bootcamp, and we are going this morning.


It's a trip to the new 'Rocket Ropes' course out by the Airport.  
The kids do not know where they are going, just that it's a surprise!
I bet they are all rapt with it.

ABOVE: these are a couple of the courses they might be doing.  I don't know which one(s) the kids will be doing, but it looks like fun!  So long as ya don't mind heights, swaying bridges and the like.
Suffice to say... I WON'T be joining in!  I hope they have a coffee shop so I can sit and just watch!  *smiles*  OH yes... I am going!  So is Bex.  


Bex arrived last night, and is staying for the weekend again.  She was very impressed with all the re-arranging I had done too.
Steve even has a 'walk in wardrobe' down in the garage!  I must take a photo later to show you!


In the meantime, here's a photo of a wee gift Bex found for me in a Hamilton Op Shop!  I think she has caught my 'bug' for bargins ....

ABOVE: how freaking cute is he???  I love him.  Now I just have to find somewhere to put him....


ONWARD...


HI HONEY.. we're home!   And we have had a really nice day!  The kids had an absolute ball at the rope course... photos:

 ABOVE:  getting harnessed up... Bex helping Griffin.

ABOVE:  one of the instructors demonstrating how to attatch your safety rope...  Griffin is his 'model'...

 ABOVE:  all the bootcamp kids.  Griffin is the twit in the middle with his arms in the air.  He was a bit hyped up.

ABOVE: one of the 4-5 goats that were inside the course enclosure.  Me thinks they are used as lawnmowers!  This one butted Griffin.

ABOVE: this was the course our kids went on.  It looked rather scary.... but believe me, the other one was even higher!


Below: Griffin on the course.  He went really well, and only ALMOST unclipped himself completely once.  I nearly shit myself when he went to undo BOTH safety clips while way up high!  Luckily he stopped when I yelled at him!  It was a long way down.

ABOVE:  I was actually quite proud of how well he did!  And he loved it so much.  I wish it wasn't quite so expensive to go... cos I could see us taking the kids often if it was more affordable.  
I will post a few little videos of Griffin on the rope course tomorrow too.


Once we had dropped the kids back to school, Bex and I went to Manukau Mall, had a wander around and lunch, then got home in time for a little relax before the kids get home from school.


End of Day: a really neat day today... enjoyed it immensely.  
ON TRACK:  well no... but heading back that way.
nite nite.

OOO LOVE PARCELS!

Who doesn't?
Virtually all our mail now days is bills.  And on the very rare occasion, we get a parcel!


I got one yesterday:

ABOVE:  from my Mother.  A cute lightweight cardigan thingee, some felt for crafts, 2 bundles of fat quarters, two recipes for low cal (diabetic friendly) fruit cakes and some mould making things for the kids to use in the coming holidays.  She is apparently sending me a couple more parcels in the next few days too.  
Cool!


TODAY:  well.... I have a small list of jobs to do around the house, then it's off to school to pick up Griffin and take him to his Speld lesson.
Funnily, it's the only time I get to read a book nowdays!  If you consider the Kindle a 'book'!


After Speld, it will be home to do some more housework, prepare dinner etc ....


ONWARD...


LUNCHES:  SICK OF SALAD OR STIRFRY.  Ideas people, cos I am thinking PIES.  


Have not lost a pound in over a month.  Not been trying to be honest.  Just OVER being on a bloody diet.  Like, who the hell cares anyway?  Even with the Diabetes Type 2 diagnosis, I just can't seem to care.
When there is lots of stress/tension in me life... instead of putting me off food, it does the opposite. PIES... thinking PIES.... 


I drove/and or walked past no less than 5 Hot Bread shops this morning... the smell of pies was right in me face... and I didn't buy one (or two).  I feel good about that, today at least. 
As I needed cash to pay the Speld teacher, I went down to Manurewa to the bank.  After standing in a queue for about 10 minutes, my turn finally came.  And I'd left me bloody ATM card at home hadn't I?
So.. I trudge back to the car park, drive home, get the freakin ATM card... and go back to Manurewa, past all those Hot Bread Shops AGAIN... and I gets me money.  Grrrrrrr.


And I've hung out two loads of washing, made beds, tidied bathrooms, tidied the front door area, and now... I'm taking a wee break until I need to go get Griffin.


Keep lunch ideas coming... but without the processed carbs OK?  I ain't 'doing' processed carbs ... well not much anyway.  Hell, I've even been leaving me one miserable potato on the plate!  The dogs like it.


Speld... usual midday... I sat in the car and read while Griffin had his lesson. On the way home we stopped at the Pet shop and bought more flies... and in the supermarket I finally found Bran Flakes for the Mealworms to feed on.  


When we got home I changed the mealworms old bran for nice new bran...what a mission sifting out all those worms!  I ended up with a seething mass in me strainer... looked creepy.  And they are not like 'worms' either, more like caterpillars!  They cling to your fingers... freaks me out!   I don't like bugs that cling.   *shudder*


Got another parcel from me Mother too today.  But I haven't even opened it yet!  Too busy with me bugs. lol
Off to open it now.

ABOVE:  stuff for ME!  A huge packet of card, and some more fat quarters!  And I'm sure it cost more for the postage than the items she sent, cos it is heavy!  I feel spoilt today.  Which is nice.  


I am not sure why my Mother has sent me parcels!  It's the first time I have had a gift from her in a few years now!  We have been getting on like we used to years ago lately, so maybe that's it.... she feels 'kindly' towards me at the moment?  dunno... but I ain't knocking it, that's for sure.  It's nice to feel like she cares.


End of Day:  a nice day.... and now Bex is here again ... so that's nice too.
ON TRACK?  ducking me head... nope.
nite nite.

I GOT A NEW PHONE....

BUT... it's not a whizz bang fancy smancy iPhone... or anything like that.
It's just a 'normal' modest one ... cos at the end of the day that is all I need.
I would have loved to get an iPhone... but what would be the point? 
I don't access the internet with me phone, I have no need to.

ABOVE: So.... I got a Nokia 300.  It still has the capability of accessing the 'net if I want to, and I even have internet 'time' on my Telecom Plan. But I probably won't use it.
Oh and yeah... it does have a touch screen, so I'm using a 'semi-fancy' phone!  lol


One thing I did get was double the free talk time  I used to have.  Hmmmm... must remember to actually USE the free talk time.  90% of the time I forget and only ever use me mobile for text's.

ABOVE:  I took this photo with the new phone's camera, it's not excellent, but way better than me old one.


TODAY:  off to Hospice Shop for me stint behind the counter.  And to find treasure.  We loves treasure!  lol

ABOVE: son Russell sent me this photo late last night.  Cute, sorta!  I'm positive Sienna was only playing with the can.  *smiles*... Sienna is WALKING a few steps now! She is only 10 months old... talk about doing well.


ONWARD...


Hospice was rather busy again today.  I never felt less like being there today too.. I'm really tired after all the re-arranging in the house the past two days.

 ABOVE:  today's treasure:  two brand new, hand made blankets, a Tupperware lunchbox, wooden toy?massager thingee and some tights for Brylee.

ABOVE:  and this awesome, freaking totally cook glass jar!  I loves it.  I have no earthly USE for it... but I loves it!


ANNE: mate... 90% of my purchases are for my kids or Grandkids!  The blankets are for future babies... the jar... well that is mine!  Maybe!  I may yet fill it with something cute and use it as a gift?  Ya never know.


End of Day:  another busy day... which is good cos it means a good night's sleep!
ON TRACK: yes.  And just who is pac.bn?
nite nite.

DON'T FORGET... DON'T FORGET.... DON'T FORGET!!!

I am putting my hand up and owning it.  I forget things.  More often than not, it's an appointment.


If it ain't something I do regularly, I simply forget it.


Brylee had a dental appointment last week... and I forgot it.  So, the new appointment is THIS MORNING at 8.15 am.  Shit, another early start to the day.


I don't think I will forget this one.  Bex has already text'd me ... Steve set an alarm on me phone... and I am making it today's blog title!


Surely I can't forget it now?


Brylee has an adult molar coming through ABOVE the baby one ... so today the baby one gets yanked out.  Rather her than me!  Hopefully it doesn't hurt too much.


And I hope she can still go to school!  

ABOVE:  the guys last night, moving all the gym equipment from the garage up into the lounge/family rooms.  Steve is off work today, so he's going to help me re-arrange the bedrooms ... Griffin is moving into Steve's room and Steve is moving downstairs.  Griffin's room is becoming the gym.  I think that's all I have planned for today !


So... me phone alarm went off at 8am this morning... so I check it, and Steve had put this on as the 'alarm message':  "Dentist dumbass" ! CHARMING I'm sure!
Clearly I did not forget today.  Brylee did well... no problems at all.  Now I just have to hope she doesn't bite her lip or inner cheek while she's numb.


Waiting... waiting.... for Steve to wake up so we can get on with the bedrooms move around....  it's 10 am... surely he has had enough sleep???


ALSO WAITING.... for a certain DAUGHTER to re-friend me on Facebook.  Cos nothing is gunna change in that situation until she contacts me... YOU do the nasty, YOU fix it.
I may have made a mistake in what I did (even though YOU said you were OK with it) .... but you just made it 100% worse with YOUR ensuing behaviour in my house, on Facebook and blog.  Being POLITE never hurt anyone last time I looked.
Just remember... when you blank someone... IF something dreadful happens... YOU have to live with how you left things between you.  
Just ask my sister.  Relations between her and my brother Vern were non-existent ... and he died before she had a chance to rectify that.  She lives with that every day.  And that ain't 'HYPOTHETICAL'.


'They' say any exercise that makes you out of breath and hot and sweaty is GOOD eh?

ABOVE:  well CLEARLY I'm getting lots of 'exercise' today! Cos... I'm all hot and sweaty right now...

 ABOVE:  the new 'gym room'....
And, Steve suggested we put the two single beds downstairs, and put the other Queen in Griffin's room.... and that will work out much better when we have couples sleep over. Well done STEVE, I always knew there was a brain in there!

ABOVE: the two beds downstairs.  Looks good to me.


ONWARD...


TRACY B:  really?  I didn't think I looked scary!  Oh well... maybe I am.... lol.
WOMBAT: there was sweat.... it was running down me back into me knickers!  AND under that freaking fringe!


End of Day:  too knackered to cook tonight, so we all went out to Carl's Junior for a burger ... and chips.  Yep... chips.  I wanted some, and NOTHING is that bad in moderation.  Right?  *smiles*   First chips in about 2 weeks, so ain't gunna get all anal about it either.
ON TRACK:  maybeeee not.
nite nite.

LET'S GO WALKING AGAIN....

Here's hoping my back behaves itself today!


Cos I am going for my walk down to Manurewa this morning.  If my back misbehaves, I will make the appointment at the hospital for a back x-ray I suppose.  Here's hoping it's ok instead of not.


When I get home.. it will be wash the floors time.  Yep, I'm really looking forward to that.


After that, I'm going downstairs to tidy up the craft area, and maybe do some sewing?
Dunno... just haven't had the urge to sew right now!  I keep saying I'm gunna, then I find something else to do! Weird that.


I know that if I sit down and sew, I will really enjoy it,  so why don't I?


Right, enough blithering.... time to get a move on.
Griffin has to be at school by 8am for BOOTCAMP.... and I have yet to make the lunches... bla bla bla...


ONWARD...


Walk... did it, back is a bit sore, but not too bad. So after the walk, I decided to re-arrange the garage a bit:

ABOVE: Three hours so far... and it's still not done.  


Might just stop for some lunch!  


2.30pm:  still going.  Running outta steam though.  The pit stops are getting more frequent ... fingers crossed the littlies can help me a bit when they get home from school.


4PM...FINALLY GOT IT DONE... 6.5 HOURS of sheer hard work!
I am knackered... but it was worth it.
The garage is kinda in 4 Sections:

ABOVE: Section one: my new craft/sewing area... and on the other side: 

 ABOVE: Section two: this is going to be Steve's side. 
Yaaaa.... piggy boy will be in the garage!
lol.... he's not THAT bad.... but at least I can walk through my house without having to close his door cos I can't stand the mess!

ABOVE: Section Three: this end I am going to put the other spare double bed... all the gym equipment is gunna go in the spare bedroom ... somehow!
Even if I end up with the treadmill in my bedroom, I don't mind.  
Section Four: We are going to need this section of the room for storage at some point.


And now that I am totally stuffed, I need to put dinner on.  *sigh*...


End of Day: Really busy day, physically tiring too.  Now they guys are tired too!  They lugged all the gym equipment upstairs for me!
ON TRACK? yes! 
nite nite.

T-SHIRT FOLDING!

Yesterday Steve was browsing a web site and saw an awesome video demonstrating how to EASILY fold a t-shirt... so we decided to give it a go too, this is our little video (It really is quite cool!)  :

ABOVE: How is THAT!  Cool eh?  I think I will be doing it that way from now on for sure.   If Steve can do it,  anyone can.  The trick is making sure you pass your RIGHT hand OVER your left hand in the first manoeuvre, then pull your left hand towards you in the next manoeuvre. 


TODAY:  it is KELLY'S 30th birthday.  She was born in 39 minutes flat!  4 contractions 8 minutes apart, then another contraction 4 minutes later... then 3 minutes later... she was born!  I only just made it to the hospital in time.... no doctor or midwife in attendance, just a little trainee nurse who delivered Kelly in the 'prep room'!  It was awesome.  


Not sure what we are doing today.  I think Bex is heading home sometime today?  


ONWARD...


Ha!  for every easy birth story, there is always a horror story too!  I could tell you that birthing Steve was a nightmare.... he was 10 pound 12 ounces afterall... But I won't!    Lets just say... he got stuck.  Caused a lot of damage... hence my 'reconstruction' operation 4 years ago!
I suppose I can thank him for me new va-ja ja!


So... we have had an incredibly lazy sunday!  Both Stew and I had a 'nana nap' this afternoon... not sure if we feel any better for it though.
Time to sort out dinner... I'm doing a bacon cabonara dish... which is a fancy way of saying bacon/onion in a cheesy sauce with pasta!


End of Day: nothing more to add today, it's been quiet.
ON TRACK:  not really!
nite nite.

OFF WE GO TO HAMILTON TODAY

Today we will all be piling into the Highlander and going to Kelly and Rena's combined Birthday Party in Hamilton.


I'm quite looking forward to it.  We haven't been to Hamilton for a while.


I am totally chuffed with my re-arranged kitchen cupboards by the way!  I've got heaps of room for all me bits 'n' bobs now!  I am amazed at how much 'stuff' I have!  The only thing I have to do now is NOT GET MAD when I can't find anything!  lol


When we get back from Hamilton, I hope to actually get some sewing done!  I have been saying that for ages, and it never happens?  I don't know why!

ABOVE:  see this?  I really, really want to make this too!  It's a Melly & Me pattern, not available yet sadly.  But... I am going to be on the look out for fabric like that! It's gorgeous.  I even like it in orange!  But blue would be better.... ha ha ha!

ABOVE:  and how cute is this?  Copied it off someone's Facebook page!  Yep, I'm a thief.  


Right... time to get moving... want to get a few things done around the house before we head off....


ONWARD...


Well... we drove to Hamilton, had a 'party' type lunch, watched Rena open some presents and ... came home again.   4 hours out of the day!
Now I want to go downstairs and tidy up the card making area... and the sewing area so I can do some sewing.
At last.


Got a few photos of today:

ABOVE:  on the left the Card Steve and Bex made, on the right, mine. 

 ABOVE:  the turtle painting Bex made for Kelly.  Kelly loved it.

ABOVE:  see?  She loved the painting.  Stew and I gave her the large glass bottle with flowers in it, on the table.  

ABOVE: the other birthday girl, Rena.  I think she was having a good time, but getting tired by the time we left.


Now... before I go downstairs, I'm off to do something with hard boiled eggs for dinner.

ABOVE: it LOOKS easy eh?  It ain't.  I did three, two eggs split when I pressed the pencil on to the top.  One MIGHT come out right.  *sigh*... at least I tried.


End of Day:  we watched 'My Sisters Keeper' movie tonight.  I had read the book, so found the movie not so good.  It had a totally different ending from the book too... which was confusing.... but at least the movie had a nicer ending than the book.
ON TRACK: nah, I had some chocolate!
nite nite.

YAAA.... I CAN DO WHAT I WANT TODAY.

After feeling a bit blah all week, I am hoping to do something enjoyable today.


I want to sew.


I have masses of UFO's to work on... so I will do a few today I hope.


Steve is still home ... he's got some sort of tummy bug/virus.  I think Bex arrived last night ? ... but it was after we went to bed!
She is here for a couple of days.

ABOVE:  I could grab a box... each one holds at least one UFO... 

ABOVE:  OR I could do some more work on my blue quilt?  Hmmmm, decisions... WOW... I forgot how gorgeous my blue Dresden plate blocks were!  (well... I think they are!)


ONWARD...


Soooo... I had a dream last night, where I bought a two door pantry unit and rearranged me kitchen cupboards.
And when I remembered it this morning I decided that is what I wanted to do.
So, we went to Mitre 10 to check out the prices there.. the two door units there were $259, but they had a shop soiled one for $166... I thought YES... what a good price!  But first... we decided to go to Bunnings to check out their prices before buying the shop soiled one for $166.


Bunnings had the exact same one, BRAND NEW... for $78!
We didn't go back to Mitre 10!

ABOVE:  now instead of sewing, I'm waiting for me new pantry unit to be assembled so I can re-arrange me kitchen cupboards!  Steve is supposed to be resting (cos he's got the 'man sickness')... lol!  You home.. you work too!
I love how Bex has got the right attitude... watching her man work!  I've even got a whip I can lend to her.  *snigger*


And if you can see it... YES my tablecloth is ripped.  I just ain't got around to mending it yet.  Mending, like ironing, is the pits.

ABOVE: OMG ... I'm finding crap I didn't even know I had!  And I haven't even started on the 'baking cupboard' yet.  I hope none of it has got little crawley things in it!


5 hours later... no weavils.  But I'm STILL  doing the kitchen cupboards!  Steve bought me a kebab for lunch, so I stopped to eat that, otherwise... I've been in the kitchen doing the re-arrange!  I can't believe how long it is taking.
What was I thinking?


I am all hot and sticky now, feel gross!
And NO... I don't mind that NO BUGGER has said 'Hi' for hours in the form of a comment... nope.. NOT AT ALL.  *sniff*


Yaaa!  A few comments... now I don't feel so bloody NEGLECTED!  lol


Bex and Steve decided to make a card for Kelly (we going to her 30th Birthday party tomorrow, it's combined with her daughter Rena's 4th)... so they made a card.  So then I got the 'guilts' ... so I made one too.


Can't show ya or she might see them before tomorrow... but I will post a photo tomorrow night of them.


OMG, I've got corned beef cooking in the crock pot... it smells devine.  Yet I'm not even hungry. What a bugger.


End of Day: and dinner was just lovely!  Bex made a mustard sauce, I made my cheese sauce and everyone was happy.
Quiet evening.  I had the lounge to myself as no one wanted to watch Coronation Street with me!    LOL.... shame that.
ON TRACK:  yes.
nite nite.