Making some progress

So off to a better start this week. We sold my mums sofa bed/lounge, it was sold on Sunday and collected and taken to Bright on Monday. I am sure it will be very happy there. It has been taking up room in the lounge which was already full of furniture including a large lounge and some items that I purchased to pop on the deck when it's built. So this has been part of the plan to make a little money and to increase available space. Big tick there. I am wondering what is next. We need to make the money come in a bit as well as outgoings. Selling assets is not going to solve this problem however it will do for the time being. I am so happy to have this large item go and have some space back, I was doing a happy dance as soon as we walked back inside after loading it onto the trailer.

Did some cooking as well so that is good. I am considering my next sewing project, making a massage bag for school. I need something that will hold all the linen that I require and still look good and be easy to use. I have been seeing lots of tote bag beginner blogs and I think I will try one. Just need to be an extra extra large size.

The birthday cake that I baked last week was a big sucess. We had a dear friend come and spend his birthday with us. I make a rule not to buy grown ups presents for birthdays however we are happy to make dinner and cake. I used a Julie Goodwin recipe "Burnt Sugar" cake. http://www.shesaid.com/article.aspx?n=69115906&v=4 It was decadent but not expensive, most of the ingredients were already in the pantry and we only required butter. I would love to say that it looked exactly like the photo however well it still looked very appealing. I also made some "boy bait". A lovely recipe from Gojee food top 3 recipes. http://whatsheshaving.com/2012/01/22/blueberry-boy-bait/ It's hard to ignore these recipes when they land in my inbox and sit there smelling lovely and looking so tempting. i find it challenging to find healthy (or reasonably so) tasty treats for the kids which is good but not just chips and chocolate. Pancakes and slices seems to be the most popular and at least this one had fruit as well. Also made a bircher muesli recipe that the children scoff. I remembered finally to put in coconut (shredded) and this seems to fill them up for many hours, us too.

I felt like last week we were saying No to the children all the time, no we cannot buy this, not we cannot buy that. No we cannot go there and no, No, No, NO! I let go a bit at the weekend and said yes to 2 things. Firstly the books at the op shop were a great find and we had 2 very happy children at $3.50 I felt like this was just the best, also a lego mini-figure each as a small treat. I know they have lots of toys and saying no is not a problem however it was nice to see 2 happy kiddies sitting playing legos and swapping the ones that they got for the exact ones that they wanted with each other. We had a school function that to attend on Sunday and went to the little trains. Happily enough the children were able to have a ride as part of the get together and due to a very large brunch no one request for a ice cream or any of the other treats that were available at the place other than what we had bought with us.

Thats it for a start today... progress is being made and I am hoping that I can report tomorrow of more.

this week

It's has been a funny week up and down like a yo yo. We are trying to establish a routine but that is not easy. We are making a little progress with things but not great yet next week I am sure will be much more productive.

The children and myself were in the car to do errands after school, we were talking together and my Red Headed Hurricane asked if I was a twin too. I replied that I wasn't just Alia. He then proceeded to tell me that our Petal is very, VERY special then. "More special than we could ever imagine!" I felt that he was right and agreed with him.

I did a bit of sewing. The curtains that cover my boys cupboard are finally finished and now I don't have to worry about pins appearing on the floor where he sits and plays lego or dolls with his sister. Not to mention that I am chuffed I was able to do this all by myself. I am hoping that this new found confidence with a bit of sewing will not stop and I will attempt another project next week before I go back to school.

My Petal has two new "best friends". One is a lovely twin girl and another is a girl in the year younger. It would seem that separating her from her main group of friends has not been too detrimental to her as she has managed to release her death grip on her other friend from Kinder. I am watching my Petal happier than she has been for a while with her new friend.

I have not been massaging and I am sort of happy for the break. It will be a trying year and having this time to just catch up on things around the house is helping. I have one set up in 2 weeks or less than and i am sure that I will have a few more booked in by then.

On the positive side, sewing has been happening, cooking and baking so that has been helping my creative outlet and our budget.

a break in the weather

Saturday we had a picnic, it has become a family tradition to meet up with my other half's brother and his lovely family at a park, that is sort of half way between their place and ours. A lovely big park with a lake, lots of ovals, a university nearby that sells plants and a childrens' play area. The last couple of years we haven't been to the play area however this year they were able to get a table nearby and do exactly that. My sister-in-law is very good at picking the perfect spot. This year we didn't bring food (except for a little blueberry cheesecake) we just bought some drinks. We forgot the water so this is going on the list for next time. It was a wonderful day lots of lovely food, some presents given and received, a good play and a commitment to meet up again next year for our tradition.

My Redheaded hurricane loved playing with all the big boys. He was running around mad, he even wanted to be home quickly taking a short cut as he was SOOOOOOOO tired and needed his bed. He spent time collecting acorns, he has a lot now from off the grown and I am not sure what he is going to do with them. I am sure we can find some quick craft project to use some as he has so many and so too my Petal.

We really had lots of treats today and bought a couple of things but nothing that wasn't necessary. I bought a pair of pants (my jeans are not going to cut it when I am back at study) with a voucher that were on sale and ended up paying $4.50. We had a big lovely thai brunch which cost $16 for all of us and we couldn't eat another things as we were all full oh yes the kiddies had a treat of chocolate truffles for $1 each who doesn't love treats and the lovely cheesecake which was $9.00 and there was enough to go around all of us, with a little leftover.

$16 seems to be our magic number for entertainment or a treat. We went swimming with the children on Wednesday that lovely warm day. They had a ball going on the waterslide and attempting to splash and jump on us in the water. My Petal discovered that she is able to move more freely and experimented in water even by attempting to lift both myself and my husband. Her favourite part was carrying her brother.

My Red Headed Hurricane, who we have always thought could and would talk underwater proved us correct by doing exactly that. After going down the water slide (the faster one!) and being caught by me at the bottom, could not contain himself and wait until he was actually above the waters surface and started telling me before with the bubbly glug, glug coming out as he was being lifted up. As soon as he was above the surface he continued with the conversation very excited about how fast he went down the slide and under the water. Barely finished he was off again up the stairs to manipulate the older kids into letting him go down first. My Petal liked the straight slide which goes almost as fast and makes her squeal with delight just as she hits the water with a bomb position and splashes myself and my other half with a wall of water. Giggling and laughing asking if we saw her.

A bit more distance between the redundancy and a bit more time with the family is helping the situation.

moving along

Move along!

I am feeling like things are moving a bit into more positive territory. I saw things making progress today both at home and outside. I like to stay home and feel safer when something bad happens or a big change, I am not sure which one this falls into one or the other category. I had a good day today. I spent money, getting things with money that I received from a refund. I did surveys and qualified for movie tickets, I did ironing and washing.

My other half does not want to work for someone again. I think we hate what people can do to our little family and turn our world upside down every year. I am unsure how this will work but I do like the idea of being self sufficient and not answering to a boss that might treat us and our family like dirt which has occurred too many times in the past. I like the idea of him working from home. I like the idea of being able to do other things and not having to be reliant on traveling to the city and hoping the traffic is good and he will be home at a semi-decent time. So i am open to what is happening and adjusting to this. In the meantime we are finding ways to bring in money and have very little expenditure.

We are off on a picnic with the family (brother and his lovely family) on the weekend. All we hope for is decent weather and if not we will find somewhere with cover i am sure. The simple pleasures are often the best and the cheapest.

AGAIN!

The kiddies are back at school and we are traveling along as per usual. I had just started my first massage after the holidays. Although I did massage whilst I was away.

I contacted my other half to request his presence for a parent teacher interview that afternoon late. He told me that he was made redundant. I knew it was coming, I knew I should be better prepared, after all this was not the first time, wont be the last and yet this time it hit hard. I had not had a chance after the holidays and all the bills of February and a bit of spending for preparation to put away like I had the last time. This time will be a bit harder. At least I know what to do.

So today I was cooking and trying to move on from yesterday. To look at the positives and not be overwhelmed by that drowning feeling. I know that I have to start planning and getting another income in very quickly. The savings are down and the expenses are rolling in. I am back remembering how I went last time and trying to move on. I know how we should have at least 3 months in savings (put away) to tide us through anything like this happening in this current climate. I know that I should have been better prepared and not tried to ignore what was looming. I know that I should have not spent money when we came back from holidays, I know all these things however well too late now. I have to make the most of what we have.

So today I looked at the pantry and ignored the bank account, (alright I had a sneak peek twice incase something magical appeared. You know bank error in your favour collect $2000.00.) The pantry is well stocked so that is a good start. I cooked, stuffed capsicums, salmon patties and the boys made pancakes. I looked at our veggie garden which was destroyed by the hail at christmas and hoped that something might appear tomorrow. I looked at the fridge and well that is alright too. (I know my dear friend would laugh and say that it is always full).

So how do I get an income.... my massage certificate comes mid march. We have a couple of things that are overdue for selling so that is a start, once they are gone some expenses will be reduced. Every little bit helps.

After I thought about things for a while, I felt like I could breath a bit. My head is not in a good place yet but well tomorrow I am sure will feel different again. Maybe some baking and sewing is in order to help things feel that bit better.

well another year....

Today the kiddies both started school. My red headed hurricane has his first day at prep, there was no tears, no I will miss you or don't go just yet, it was bye bye, I am going to have so much fun. So that was it! No hesitation just ready for the next challenge. Good to see that he is feeling confident and ready. My Petal wasn't quite so good but she was happy to be with her friends and start a new school year. All smiles and happiness.

I dashed home, did lots and lots of chores and even had a moment to think. I miss them dearly. My Petal was happy to be back, she is not with her core group of friends this year so I am wondering how that will work for her. I am hoping that it allows her to make a new group of friends and enjoy others as well. She normally has no problems making friends so I am waiting to hear all about it.

I have less than 1 month before I return to classes to remedial massage this time (Full time). I am dreading the workload and juggling the day to day responsibilities and family. It is going to be very interesting. At least now I have my regulars (amazing group of women that help me get through the year) I can practice on and keep massaging during the year to get my hours up and practice the new skills that I am learning. Not to mention help them. I had a lovely message today of how much one of the mums needed me and missed me. That was grand! Always nice to be need and help someone.

I have a to do list that is a mile long however I am not phased, I am just going to keep chipping away. So far my boys room has been painted. He is very happy and well that is a task that has been hanging around on the list FAR TOO LONG. So now all I have to do is sew his curtains and then I will leave it be for a moment oppps no I have to paint the skirting, he wants white and rejected my choice of wood with vanish. No problem it can go in our room instead. Which is next on the painting list. I made a start on the undercoat and that is it. The hot weather, the holidays and the assignments took over.

So for the next month. I need to catch up with the lovely friends. The ones that are still talking to after I had no time whilst studying last year to even have a short visit.

that time of the year.

I am stressed, tired and over things lately. I have been snappy and horrible and yelling and I feel like I am never going to finish and do the things all screaming at me to be done around the house, the garden and the kiddies. (Not to mention the neglected and berated other half).

Then i look up and realise that all I have is one subject to go.... 2 assignments and I am done and qualified, for this year. Imagine my surprise and amazement, normally I would have thrown it all in by now, lost interest or motivation. This time is feels different, not easy, not saying that I don't want to throw my hands in the air and so I am over this, just different. I keep chipping away. i keep practising and getting more clients and I keep going.

I also have those moments when I realise that life is good. I have a special little task completed that has been calling to me and I am so happy. My other half has been doing amazing things around the house (small but wonderful). An outside power plug, that makes my life so much easier. No cords on the steps to worry about tripping over and the vacuum actually reaches to the car. This makes me smile and remember that life is not so hard after all and someone is thinking of you. My petal is doing Occupational therapy after 11 months on the waiting list and well we are making good progress there too. My red headed hurricane is starting school next year and so very excited and ready.

So I am dashing off to do the study for the last exam tonight. I just have to find that last bit of effort and motivation and we are done!