A crazy day in the life of this Moodi Mumma....

Yesterday was one of those days where you wake up dreading it from the get go. Actually I probably went to sleep dreading it. You see Hubby is on afternoon shift, I'm sick as a dog and the kidlets have their school Disco on this evening.
 
Hubby got the kids off to school despite being sick himself and working his 3rd 12 hour shift, which was a huge blessing as I had been up sick all night. After doing the normal mundane housewifely chores, Hubby and I headed off to the Dr. It turns out amongst other things I'm fighting a chest infection and tonsillitis and have been for over a week.. So armed with antibiotics I kissed Hubby farewell and headed home for the afternoon school pick-up.
 
As usual the school decided to give short notice on the theme for the Disco, so once I picked up Moo, Boo and Loo we headed to Target to see if we could find any red clothes at their clearance sale. We were out of luck, and instead of scouring other stores for red clothes I decided that their Christmas shirts will have to suffice! Luckily the girls put up no fight on this decision :)
 
We then called into Coles to buy provisions on an easy meal to make in amongst the evenings madness (although I really shouldn't have bothered as we didn't have time), and to pull out the cash for the disco..... $4.00 each!!! At the girls last school the disco was a gold coin!! We then raced home, got the girls dressed and ready for the Disco.
 
We took Loo first as being in Kindy her Disco was from 5-6pm, the twins have just gone up a stage being in year 3 and their Disco was from 6.15 - 7.30, pain in my backside!! We stayed for a little while to get Loo settled in and make sure she had some friends to leave her with. It was really stressful as it is her 1st time and I really didn't want to leave her there, BUT we had to go pick up SL from Daycare before they closed at 5.30. Not wanting to deal with SL being tired and cranky after school and dragging him from pillar to post, I decided to leave him there as late as possible. In hind sight had I picked him up as normal, I would have been able to stay for Loo and prevent a LOT of dicking around!!
 
We picked up SL with the intention to head straight back to the Disco and stay until the twins went in..... But Moo realised she left her Disco money on the bench at home thinking we were coming back. This also made me realise we had run out of time for the twins to have dinner before their Disco, and the ever hungry SL was constantly asking me "What's for dinner Mum?".
 
SO after collecting the money we raced to McDonalds where I got the kids a burger each and raced back to the School in time to collect Loo! It was now that we realised that SL didn't have a nappy on but undies due to a good day of toilet training at school - High 5 SL - so the twins took him to the toilet before we left them to their Disco.

I now had an hour before needing to come back and collect the twins and decided to get Loo dinner at McDonalds and give her and SL a play rather than going back home. I thought this was a much more relaxing and clever option than going home, only to head back out again 30 min later.
 
WELL.... SL had different plans and despite my taking him to the toilet again only moments before.... decided to do a lovely runny poop in his pants whilst playing in the Maccas playground! Oh the joy! So now with 20 min until the twins pick-up time I had to race home anyway, clean up and completely change SL before racing back to collect the twins!!!
 
Needless to say the kidlets completely unaware of the challenge the afternoon/evening was for their sick Mumma, had an absolute blast. And despite everything that is all that really matters and why and most mums out there do what we do :)
 

Sunset taken amidst the madness :)

 

 

Kindergarten Report Cards

As mothers/parents we are constantly under the eagle eyes of our community and peers. Our actions, lack of them and the decisions we make are under scrutiny and judgement and often by those who are closest to us.

My decision to send my girls to Kindergarten when they turned 5 in the first week of school was met mostly with support but did provide me with a few scowls and negative comments.... such as "What's the point in being a parent if you're just going to send them off to school the 1st chance you get" and "I think it's too early to be sending them to school, I won't be sending my daughter until later - when she's ready" etc, etc.

Honestly it all comes down to personal preference and the individual child. In my case I felt my girls were ready and they were soo excited to be starting school! They had been to pre-school, where through-out the year I discussed my own concerns in regards to sending them too early and perhaps holding them back a year. All through the year the twins teachers gave me the same feedback - My girls were socially and emotionally developed and ready for school and their skill levels, maturity and intelligence were matched with all the other students in their pre-school & that there would be no benefit in holding them back a year.

On the orientation day last year for Primary School, I was given the opportunity to have a one on one with the Kindy teacher both before and after to voice concerns and receive feedback. She was thrilled with the girls and said that their age was not an issue and that they were developmentally and emotionally ready to be starting school.

It was with this information that I made my decision to send the twins to school this year. And wow am I glad I did!! The reports that the girls received at half year were fantastic and the feedback received from the teachers at parent- teacher interviews and at other opportunities throughout the year have blown me away!

Moo & Boo 1st Day of Kindy

But nothing prepared me for how incredible the girls yearly report cards would be! The girls have flown through all areas of their schooling, and have exceeded the "required knowledge levels" for most areas of kindergarten study. They are commended on what wonderful people they are within the schooling community and spoken highly of by both of their teachers. These reports brought tears to my eyes and an overwhelming sense of pride to our family!

I'm glad that in the face of negativity and peer pressure I didn't fold, I reviewed all aspects of my decision and went with what felt right for me and my children, now we are all benefiting from the positive outcomes of that decision.

Wordless Wednesday with My Little Drummer Boys

I love linking up with My Little Drummer Boys Wordless Wednesday, head on over and link up too :o)

Things I Know - Brought to us by Yay for Home...

I have just discovered Yay for Home's  Things I Know Link-in, and all though I may not know much, am tempted to join!

So here is what I know this week:

* I Know there are some amazing blogs out there & I would love mine to be better and to be able to design mine to suit me perfectly.

* I Know that whilst I am getting better at coping with Hubby's shift work and double shifts where we don't see him for days at a time.... there will always be a breaking point. Today it was 4.10pm!

* I Know that whilst Hubby is at work of a night, I'm lucky to have my kids asleep by 9pm even if they are in bed by 7pm!

* I Know that my children showing me the new skills they've learnt at school will never cease to blow my mind.

* I Know that I will always think my children are extra smart, extra special, extra wonderful..... Just coz :o)

* I Know that whilst Loo may be able to last 2-3 hours at school in undies with no accidents, it is unlikely the same will happen at home... as I have also come to know it is not unusual for Loo to request undies, only to poo in them moments later.

* I Know that when I send Loo to care on Monday, more often than not by Wednesday she is sick followed by  Moo & Boo on Thursday & Hubby and I by Friday.... Joy!

* I Know Moo & Boo love having me volunteer at their school and I enjoy doing it for them... even if I'm not used to being on my feet most of the day and my feet and back are killing!!

* I know our dog snores as loud, if not LOUDER than my hubby.... no mean feet!

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Twas the day before Christmas...

and all through our house, the children were restless and so were the spouse'......

On Christmas Eve afternoon we gave the girls their 1st present, knowing what a full day we had the next day we thought it would be best to give them something they might not get time to enjoy. So we gave Moo & Boo a Dora Laptop and Loo an age appropriate Laptop that teaches her animals and their sounds, counting, shapes and colours. It was a fantastic idea as it kept them entertained all afternoon and occupied when they 1st went to bed :o)

Mum & Dad came over around 5pm, we had a BBQ dinner, played Xmas music and watched the girls dance and watched the Carols on TV. Mum and Dad stayed to watch Santa come on the carols and to see the girls put out the bikkies & milk for Santa and the reindeer water and food. It was a really nice way to spend the evening and share the excitement of the fast approaching Christmas Day!!

We were a bit devastated that we forgot to buy or make special treats to leave out for Santa..... but that was soon overlooked when Loo snuck around the back of the couch to eat one of the 3 plain biscuits left out for Santa :o)

So bellies full of stolen bikkies, dressed in their Santa nighties, worn out with singing and dancing & equipped with laptops to help keep the building excitement at bay the girls headed to their beds.....

and Daddy went out the back to assemble the last bike, Mummy watched Carols until I was sure the kiddies were fast asleep then helped Daddy to finish the bike and fix the ribbons and cards.

Doing Santa's jobs this year was harder than last year because of the room changes we've had.... but it made it so much more exciting and challenging..... Hubby and I had to make sure we had thought of everything in our plan of attack. As usual we worked together like a well oiled machine and set up or Santa delivery and were snuggling up in bed in no time... Hubby of course snoring in minutes and I checking the time every half hour until I thought it appropriate to ring the bell and wake Loo, Moo & Boo!!

Doing it for the kids :o)

I have decided to follow in the footsteps of my Bestie and dedicate a blog to my kids and parenthood, a place to record the smiles, laughter, tears and milestones of my precious gems :o)

I have my blog where I am constantly whinging and whining about everything and it didn't seem fair to have my girls magical moments lost in all that drama, chaos and moaning.

So here I, half sit - half lay, with my growth - Loo who has been a permanent fixture on my being since becoming sick last week, Boo sitting on the floor and a corner of a calculator fully engrossed with Playschool, and Moo who has hijacked Daddy's iPhone again and playing games in between her Playschool trances..... Washing in the corner to be folded, dishes in the sink waiting to be washed and dishwater going cold while I sip on a cup of tea and blog :o) Priorities... I have them, they just aren't the same as other people/Mumma's lol