Is that HAIR on my palm?

Just lately, I have been noticing hair growing where it didn't used to grow. For example, I have hair, BLACK hair growing midway up my thigh, like some geographically confused hair from my nether region. What's with that? I have also found hair growing behind my knee and THAT one is black and curly. I also have a mole on my face sprouting like a long forgotten sea anemone, not to mention the hair I like to call Neil on one nipple.
I am starting to feel a little neanderthal and thought at the grand age of 37 I might be about to meet the dwarves of peri-menopause- itchy, bitchy, sweaty, sleepless, bloaty, forgetful, psycho, and my favourite....................seething. I feel all of these things in about an hour some days.
I have spent so much time in my life trying to REMOVE hair from places it SHOULD be and now I am hit with growth where it SHOULD'NT. What hide! What gall! So unfair.
So off to the doctor to have a chat about Neil the nipple hair and his habits. Blood test tomorrow. Called Mum, as surely she will know something, only to be comforted by the words..." I started THE CHANGE after I had you". She was 38 when I was born. By my maths calculations, I have about 7 months until I turn 38, so time surely must be running out before my ovaries reduce themselves to sultanas and the dwarves move in as housemates. Seriously, I don't have time for this. Heck, I don't have time to once again remove the hair that SHOULD be there and has crept back like mould on a crust of bread. Is menopause something to look forward to or to fear? Up side is the off button is flipped and every month is calm, cool and collected................or not.
Until then I will ride the storm, and perhaps I will take the time to have a mid-life crisis, so as not to disrupt the family too much.
In the mean time.....I'm off...I am going to investigate a certain fuzz on my palm. Well, it is a full moon I suppose!!

Stay beautiful,
K xx

Step away from the vacuum, it's MINE

HI, would it kill my man to acknowledge what happens when he's NOT here? Seriously. My DH is having a rather stressful time in his life ( workwise ) and I am being a big a support as I can. No problem. To relieve some stress, he has been playing a fair bit of golf . No problem. He says it's his "me" time and I pointed out in my rather blunt way, that I would love some of that and where do you get it. The answer? You have 6 hours of "me" time ( meaning Me and not him, just to be clear ) while the kids are at school. *sides split from laughing so hard* Oh? and what about the housework and the other stuff I do? Answer. Well, you're not doing THAT 6 hours a day are you? * sides again split from laughing*

What he didn't see is the 4 hours baking I had done and put away, the clothes that had been washed and ironed and put away, the hour I put in at the school for literacy groups and the toilets that had been scrubbed until the porcelain begged for mercy. I have to smile to myself and know that as a SAHM ( stay at home mum ) I am worth far more than any one can bring home in a pay packet. I also know that I am far more resilient than any centrelink employee gives us credit for, and I am just as smart as any accountant( let's face it ladies, without 2 incomes sometimes accounting has to get " creative ").

So SAHM's unite and lets us all secretly know that behind every great man, is a better, stronger, smarter woman.

As a little aside, I went to the mailbox wondering what bills had made their way to my house today and found a letter addressed to me. Big deal you say? Well, it was a HAND addressed, HAND written letter with a HAND made card inside. My day has been made, and probably my weekend. Thankyou so much ALI-G, you have rocked my world and you will never know how DESPERATELY I needed to hear the words you penned. We don't receive much REAL mail anymore. Everything is quicker, easier, more economical than writing a letter. The joy I got from opening this letter is unspeakable. Such a simple act, such a grand gift. Watch you letterboxes, there might just be a letter from me inside it.

Have a great day and a better weekend cherishing the "simple" things.

Stay beautiful,

K xx

We Have a Friend!!

It's official, Ethan is starting to settle into his new school. Thank goodness and we all breathe a sigh of relief. He has a friend coming over to play Friday arvo, and this kid is the DEAREST little fella. He is one the the nicest kids in my group when I help out at school. Ethan has also started talking about other boys who are in this kids little group. They are nice kids and I think it's the advantage of being present in the classroom. I can steer Ethan toward the NICE kids. The teacher has even made a point of telling me how his behaviour has improved out of sight. Acceptance is a VERY powerful thing isn't it? Perhaps we all are striving for acceptance in all we do. Hmmmm, there's a thought to ponder- and with that I will leave you to get on with your day.

I will leave a pic of my gorgeous daughter and my goofy DH taken at Crystal Creek.

Stay beautiful

K xx

What would they do without the woman?

Just a quick lookie another 2 layouts for the Bootcamp Our Way Challenge. If you aren't involved, just check out the link and jump on in. http://bootcampourway.blogspot.com/

Not sure what my family would do without me. I think they would live in their own filth and be late to EVERYWHERE they go. LOL That's why most men marry women hey?

Amanda left for her first school camp of the year today and I will miss her terribly. She's a great kid.

Have a great day everyone and catch up soon

Kxx

Give me a stiff drink

Hi all, or rather the 1 other person that reads this! LOL Just thought I would post a pic of Ethan looking WAY too cute in his new glasses. He thinks they make him look "brainier", and he is desperate to show Nanny, so here you go. He is a bit of a ring in, this little bloke. He looks like nobody else in the family, but himself.

Just been tot he school to help with literacy groups. Dear Lord, where has all the discipline in the classroom gone? Bring back the cane I say. I really enjoy going and helping in the classroom, ( and Ethan enjoys me being there ), but MAN, I feel like a stiff drink when I get home. There's 2 kids in particular that usually get into a fist fight. They roam around the room making life hard for all the other kids. These 2 are largely ignored by the teacher ( as she is probably on a horse dose of Valium) as they do what they want. One of them is incredible intelligent and so far I have had no issue with him. If you can engage him, he's fine, but if you can't ................look out. He slammed and kicked doors and I wanted to give him a good hard smack. I know that is SO wrong these days, but lets face it, touchy feely disciplinary methods aren't going so well are they? In my day ( God, I swore I would never start a sentence that way) we had to sit down and shut up and if we backchatted a teacher.........................look out. The discipline at school was NOTHING to what you would get when you got home. I am wondering where we have fallen short is the raising kids department. Is "spare the rod and spoil the child" the way to go? Easier sure, but in the long run, we end up raising young people that have no responsibility for their actions and are non-contributing members of society. We need to change something and it needs to be NOW. We have all these gadget time savers, yet we are busier than ever. Our kids are suffering, because instead of kicking a ball around in the afternoon, they are watching tv or on the computer. We are too busy, being BUSY. We need to stop. Our kids don't need THINGS, they need us and our time. Done, and said, I am by far NOT the best parent, but everyday I try and try and when I am knocked down, I try again. Maybe I am stubborn, maybe I am pushing poo uphill with a stick, but I will be damned if I will give up. Soapbox away, sorry to rant. Frustrated as hell, and looking for answers......long term.

Until next time, take time

Kelly xx

I should have eaten him

Well, I know why some animals eat their young. SO they never become TEENAGERS, that's why!!!! I have a 14 yo DS and MAN is he putting us through the ringer at the moment, So much so we are going for some family counselling. Kids these days know their rights and flaunt them at us as parents, when sometimes they need a good flogging. We have tried so hard to raise good, responsible, respectful kids that take responsibility for their actions, but I am starting to feel like a world class failure. Sometimes it would have been easier to "spare the rod and spoil the child". I can only hope that some of it has got in and I can keep him alive long enough to grow into a man and have his own children to see what he has put us through.

Anyway, enough of that, everyone has these issues with their teenage werewolves I'm sure.

We have had a lovely weekend. Went to see the Cowboys 1st home game against West Tigers. Cowboys won and it was a good game. We yelled and danced and waved banners. DS elected not to go and see his team, so everyone else went and had a blast.

Sunday, we went North to a Place called Crystal Creek , near Paluma (see pic above) and had a ball. The kids jumped off the rocks into the deep pool and we all went on the natural rock slides. I reckon it's a place to camp and we are going to investigate for the Easter hols. Us girls reckon we can take on the kids while the fellas commute to work and back. Sounds like a plan.

One of the pics is of me going down the rock slide and the other is of Josh jumping off the big rock. Such a beautiful place and it was liberating to feel like a kids again.

Until next time,

Stay beautiful and don't eat the kids!!

K xx

I love Fridays

Hi, I so love Fridays. It feels like the working week is finished ( even though mine just begins ) and we have "chip nite" with friends.

Josh and Amanda go to youth group with our friend's daughter Chloe and Ethan and our friend's other daughter Sarah, swim while the adults have some "grown up time". I love catching up with Donna and Jason, as we have been friends for many years in many places.

We had Ethan to the optometrist last week and he needs glasses. He can't seem to see too well up close and his reading and writing has deteriorated, so off we went. He scoffed at the woman's suggestion of pink ones with flowers and just wanted blue ones. He looks too cute with them on, so watch this space for a pic.

Had coffee with another GF, Kylee today and we partly shopped the Domain centre. Not a bad place I reckon and we are going back for a "repeat performance". I am so grateful to have GF's living here, and I thank God for them everyday. So grateful that He has chosen to put us all in the same place at the same time. If only He could import the Tamworth crew, and the Lismore clan, life would be perfect. Speaking of perfect, I got flowers from my DH yesterday for no reason.....hmmmmm, he must want to play golf. They are beautiful and are roses. He doesn't usually buy me roses ( or flowers for that matter ) and I am fortunate to have a thoughtful man ( sometimes ) .

Off to the footy tomorrow night. * GO COWBOYS *!! Can't wait as its' the first home game and should be a good one. Hope West Tigers bring it!

Will leave you with some LO pics of the bootcamp challenge http://bootcampourway.blogspot.com/

would be great if you could join us, hop on over and have a look. The st one is my 35th Birthday and the 2nd one is my FIL's 60th.

Have a fabulous weekend!!

Kelly xxx

Monday is the day

We had a lovely weekend and somehow Monday comes around just too darn quickly. We were supposed to have a cyclone on the weekend, but it missed us. All we got were a few showers and a slight breeze. THANK GOODNESS! I really feel for the poor buggers south of here.

I have been VERY creative in the card making stakes and scrapbooking. I have a glut of scraps that need my attention before they take me over. I found a style I liked and went for it. The result was 4 scrapbook pages and 9 cards. Unfortunately, they are all spoken for, so will have to get going and make some more.

I send an email out for a scrap bootcamp challenge to see you use up some of your paper stash. If you want to join us, then head over to http://www.bluebazaar.com.au/ and print off the sketches and suggested themes. Then, head to http://www.bootcampourway.blogspot.com/ and introduce yourself. I am determined to stop procrastinating about doing pages and 'just do it'. Hey that should be a catchcry for a sports company!!

The weather was so nice yesterday, we went to the beach with my nephew Scott and his partner Emma. We went to Pallarenda beach for a spot of fishing, bbq lunch and look around. Ethan loved the rockpool and we saw the old gun enplacements from WWII. We wanted to look at the old graves too, but we had to trek a swap full of mozzies, so that was out. Next time. I love days like that, getting out with the family with no particular plan in mind *sigh* it was just bliss.

Ethan (his hand pictured above) was fascinated by the little hermit crabs. There weren't at all afraid and zoomed across his opn palm. They came nearly out of their shells to check him out. He played with them for ages.

Crisis Averted. ......for us anyway

Well, it looks like we are safe once again, thank goodness. Cyclone Hamish looks to have moved away from us and it appears it will be upgraded to a cat 4 as it smashes the Whitsundays. It's starting to close in here now with the wind and the rain, but we will be ok. Pity the others further South though. We sure have had weather of extremes of late in this country and it makes me wonder what on Earth is going on? Is someone mad at us?
Off to do the sports run today. Baseball first, and it was supposed to be gymnastics for Ethan, but he has lost that priviledge this week. Off to see my nephews new puppy and then to buy some rosin, flute grease and a music book. Hopefully some scrapbooking this arvo. Got cards to make. My life could not be more exciting!! LOL I did wish to slow down a few months ago so here it is. Not all bad, as I am quite enjoying it.

ANOTHER cyclone

Well, it looks like there's another cyclone sitting off the coast. I'm sure it's just waiting for the Chambers' front door to open!! I don't think I can handle any more rain. We have just dried the backyard out after the last lot.
Missed my brothers' birthday on the 3rd March, so Happy Birthday Rossie. Will send the card this weekend.
Ethan still struggling at school, but the other 2 have found their niche. Josh powering at the violin and Amanda making sweet sounds with her flute.
I have been doin some scrapping, so I thought I would get Andrew to show me how to post some stuff for you to see. I think Marnie would be the ONLY person reading this, so, check it out Marn. I don't know how to make my page all pretty like yours.
Applied for a job yesterday, so will see how that goes. I quite like NOT working, but when you move to a new place, you need the social interaction. We'll see if Australia Post is ready for me!! LOL