Blessed with 3 beautiful children!

Planes, trains and automobiles!

I am more than convinced that Mothers are the "best drivers in the world"! Anyone who can control arguments, listen to "daily news", pass dropped toys or drinks and still keep the car on the road has got to be good!

This is how things go in my car!

Gethin: Mommy, ai aine! (airplane)

Mommy: Yes, there's an aeroplane. Wow!

Gethin: Mommy, ig ruck! (big truck)

Mommy: Yes, big truck!

Gethin: us! (bus)

Mommy doesn't reply because she's concentrating.

Gethin: Mommy, US!

Mommy: mmmmm

Gethin: MOMMY! US!

Mommy: yes

Gethin: MOMMMMMY! USSSS!

Mommy: Yes, I see it Geth! BIG BUS!

And so it goes on, for every plane, train, bus, big truck, digger and even WATER! If I dare not acknowledge his sighting I am bombarded with repeats until I issue the correct statement.
Add to this, Maddy and Ross having an argument about something trivial which soon reaches epic proportions unless I intervene! There we go - World War 3 in a car!

Yes, I definitely think "Moms" are the best drivers!

Back to school - for some!

Don't they look sweet! I took this in the first week of February when school started back again after the looooong summer. Ross is now in Year 2 (where has the time gone?)and Maddy and Gethin have started at daycare. Unfortunately, not all the smiles remained and Gethin is certainly not too impressed with this whole school malarkey. Poor boy, as I thought he cried quite a bit and when I fetched him later that day he was feeling very sorry for himself. Maddy, on the other hand, just loves going and thoroughly enjoyed her time there. Hopefully, she will use up her obsessive compulsive habit of decorating walls at school and no longer feel the need to do it at home any more.

My feelings about school are pretty similar to Gethin's at the moment albeit for different reasons. I think if I hear these words once more I shall go mad!
"Oh you're a teacher - you'll easily get a job!" PAH!!!!!!
Maybe, if you call 6 months and counting "easily getting a job"!!!
And so, on that "feeling very sorry for myself" note, I shall quit with no further comment..........

Just my "cup of tea"!

In an attempt to post more often and capture some "trivial but sweet" memories I have decided to share some of my latest acquisitions! The first one being, my new tea mugs which were very kindly given to me by my lovely Mother! I just love them!
They're from Maxwell Williams and they're all in aid of Breast Cancer and each mug has a little pink ribbon on it somewhere.

2010 - Hope it has good things in store!!!

Where has this month gone - I thought I would sneak in a quick January post as I've been so bad at blogging lately. Now, I have the massive task of trying to fit the last month and a bit's news into one little post. I think I shall cheat and post loads of photos instead.



As you may or may not know, my parents were here for 4 weeks over Christmas. We had such an amazing time and did so much. We tried to fit in loads of sightseeing around all the festivities of Christmas and New year. The children just love having Granny and Grandpa around as do I. Gethin was very taken with his "bampa" and the two were never far apart!! But unfortunately, all good things come to an end and Granny and Grandpa had to go home back to "Africa". We miss you loads! xxxx



I'm now trying to get back into the swing of life as we know it. The school holidays are nearly over and school starts again next week. Gethin and Maddy will be starting at daycare one day a week from next week. Maddy can't wait but I'm not too sure about Geth. I think he shall protest rather loudly - poor baby! I'm in two minds as I could do with some me time but I will feel bad if he doesn't go happily.
The main reason they are going is so that I can start working again. Hopefully there are some good schools around here that would like me to do some relief teaching for them. Every time we move to a new country (I know this is only the 2nd one) I feel like I am starting all over again and the thought of going to a school for the first time scares the "heck" out of me. I forget that I have been teaching for years and feel like I'm the new kid on my first day at big school. Silly but true!



We have just celebrated our very first Australia day! Its a big thing over here (obviously) and the people are very patriotic. After a lovely day at some friends, relaxing around the pool and a traditional Aussie bbq, we made our way down to the foreshore to watch the fireworks! They were very impressive and lasted for about 30 minutes. All in all, a lovely day!
Well, I best get moving and see what my lovely children are up. Have a good day and hopefully I'll be back soon.

Warm Christmas Wishes!

I'm afraid I didn't quite get around to sending any "real" Christmas cards this year so I figured I would save the trees and send a virtual one! And so........

To all our family and friends

May you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas with a very happy and prosperous New Year. This has been a very exciting but challenging year for us and we would like to thank all our close family and friends for their support.

Lots of love
Paul, Michelle, Ross, Madison and Gethin
xxxxx

Look what we did last night ......

Now that summer has finally hit, we're starting to enjoy some outdoor activities and last night we decided to take Ross to the driving range. Maddy and Gethin tagged along for some fun as well, so I'm not too sure if the "golfing world" were too impressed with the noisy family of five pitching up on their turf. This was quite a big driving range and had an upstairs area so we took the kids up there as it seemed quieter and less busy. Ross was in his element "whacking" away at the 100 balls he had to share with his Dad. Of course, Maddy needed to have a go and also proceeded to "whack" a few balls. However, they weren't going very far and most of them just dropped off the edge. The person underneath must have been wondering who the terrible golfer was above, who's balls were just dribbling miserably off the edge. I spent the time making sure Gethin didn't dive off the edge or catch any backwards swings in the face. Whenever we do something fun like this with the kids, Paul and I often make this comment to each other, "This is why we came to Australia!"




Last week I was "entered and orientated" into WA's education system. In other words, I did a two day induction course. What I thought was going to be tedious and boring actually turned out to be fun and interesting. First of all, it was two childfree days where I could relax in adult mode and enjoy some adult conversation. The course was quite enjoyable and informative with the added bonus of meeting some new people and possibly the start of some new friendships. Paul works near where I did the course and so on Friday we had the priviledge of traveling together on the bus and train. You may be wondering what's so special about that, but for us to be alone together without our kids is a very rare occurence and henceforth I'm sure you will understand why we took great delight in our bus and train date!

Poor Gethin has had to endure a few rather unpleasant doctor's visits lately. One of them was to be tested for allergies of which he is the proud owner of 3 - egg, nuts and wait for it, BEEF! We were expecting the egg and nut allergy but the beef was a strange surprise. Even the specialist was surprised at that one. Fortunately it was a very mild reaction and he said we should just avoid giving him undercooked meat. Phew! Paul is a very fussy eater and to have to avoid beef would be a nightmare as its about the only "meat" my darling husband will eat.

The last picture for today is of the visitor we found in our garden the other day. I believe it to be a skink! It was very hot on the day we found him and so I presume he was looking for a shady spot. However we thought it would be in everyone's best interests (his included) that he be moved onto another shady spot and so he was put on the next available flight (via a bucket)over the garden fence.