I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and create a Facebook page for The Daze of My Life.
If you're on Facebook and want a bit extra Daze, click on the box on the left to 'Like' me.
What will happen there?? Who knows! Try it and see.
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
My brief career as a child spy + Spy Kids 4D giveaway
When I was a wee lass, my family moved to Trinidad. As we were coming through customs at the airport, I was carrying a Sesame Street Spy Book to help pass the time on the flight. For some reason the men at customs believed it was an actual spy book. I must have had that look of being an international spy, all at the age of three. They spent quite a bit of time working out the banana codes, while my Dad went off his brain at their stupidity. Finally, after some time, me and the book were let go.
Over the years that little tale has been told at many a family function, with chuckles of 'Who'd really think a three-year-old was a spy.' I'm guessing that Robert Rodriguez, writer and director of the Spy Kids franchise, must have listened into this story at some time or perhaps he was behind us in that customs line. Sadly, he hasn't sent me any royalties which I'm obviously owed, but what are you going to do?
When I returned home from holidays this week, I discovered a parcel with three 3D Blu-Ray copies of Spy Kids: All The Time in World from those kind Roadshow people. Not only is the movie 3D but it comes with special scratch and sniff cards that make the movie a 4D experience. Cool. I can't tell you what the movie is like as I don't have a Blu-Ray player, but I was a fan of the first couple of movies. It also features Ricky Gervais and Jeremy Piven, so bound to provide a few laughs.
If you'd like to win one of these babies, please leave me a comment below about a moment in your life that could have made a movie.
Entries close Sunday February 5, 2012, 11.59pm (AEST). Open to Aussie residents only.
Over the years that little tale has been told at many a family function, with chuckles of 'Who'd really think a three-year-old was a spy.' I'm guessing that Robert Rodriguez, writer and director of the Spy Kids franchise, must have listened into this story at some time or perhaps he was behind us in that customs line. Sadly, he hasn't sent me any royalties which I'm obviously owed, but what are you going to do?
When I returned home from holidays this week, I discovered a parcel with three 3D Blu-Ray copies of Spy Kids: All The Time in World from those kind Roadshow people. Not only is the movie 3D but it comes with special scratch and sniff cards that make the movie a 4D experience. Cool. I can't tell you what the movie is like as I don't have a Blu-Ray player, but I was a fan of the first couple of movies. It also features Ricky Gervais and Jeremy Piven, so bound to provide a few laughs.
If you'd like to win one of these babies, please leave me a comment below about a moment in your life that could have made a movie.
Entries close Sunday February 5, 2012, 11.59pm (AEST). Open to Aussie residents only.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Bliss
Before the past five weeks of holidays become just a faint memory, here is a little recap of all the fun we had....
 |
| Playing with good friends |
 |
| Baking for Chrissy |
 |
| Beach babe |
 |
| Dad and son at the races |
 |
| Tortured by big sisters |
 |
| Harbourside picnic dinner |
 |
| Visiting the museum |
 |
| Just hanging in the backyard |
 |
| Swimming at Balmoral |
 |
| Practice putting up the tent |
 |
| Mount Warning |
 |
| Fishing in Pottsville |
 |
| Hurt head |
 |
| A lot of running on the beach. |
 |
| Waterslides |
 |
| Rain, lots of rain and floods. |
 |
| Dancing on the beach |
 |
| Good view for an Australia Day drink |
 |
| More dancing on the beach |
 |
| Goodbye beach... |
 |
| ....Hello, Sydney. |
Monday, 30 January 2012
A little bit different
We made it home safely from the north coast, around a few flood detours. I had a bit of a heavy heart being home. It will be years before we get five weeks to spend together as a family again, it seemed to fly by. But we did a lot of fun things and created a whole bunch of memories.
Skip was back to work this morning. As he came out cleanly shaven, the girls barely recognised him with five weeks worth of beard gone.
Goosey went back to preshool, so eager to get there. Lil, D and I dropped her off. The teachers oooh and aaah'd over how much D had grown. Goosey ran around discovering her place again. Lil felt a little weird that it wasn't her preschool anymore and commented on the new layout.
Lil doesn't start school until the end of the week, so I'm enjoying spending time with her before she goes.
When we got home she commented: "I think this day should be called 'a little bit different day'. Because dad looked different and preschool looked different. It's all a little bit different."
She nailed it. There has been a definite shift. It's a new year and everything has changed from the last. Something new is in the air. Reality is here and it's time to get moving and shake the sand from our toes.
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Floods and foreheads
It's been wet. That is an understatement. On Tuesday the rain started coming down hard. Very, very hard and did not ease in the slightest until 4pm on Wednesday. I can say, without hesitation, I've never seen rain like it. Ever.
A couple of times I thought of going down in the lift to the chemist about 10 metres away and I didn't dare go. The weather was too awful.
Yesterday afternoon, we decided to go into town (Kingscliff) to get some supplies. Roads were flooded, the rain still pelting down.
We turned into Chinderah and the Tweed River had swallowed half the road. We were forced to drive in the breakdown lane. Just after we slowly drove through, the cricket on the radio was interrupted by a somber voice telling us that the small town was being evacuated.
We got our supplies and headed back to the village we're staying in, having to turn back a couple of times as the roads were flooded.
As we pulled in our holiday home the rain stopped. Finally. The wind dropped.
We seized the moment and took to the beach. It was far too rough to swim, but we ran and played and soaked in the fresh air. It was glorious.
Later that night, the girls had gone to bed. I was settling D when I heard a sickening thud. Goosey had dived and whacked her forehead on the metal corner of the bunk beds. I came out to see her pale and a dribble of thick red blood running down her face.
Having knocked her head a few times before and sat in the ER with her, I knew she didn't have a bad concussion. The gash was deep and probably could have used some glue or a stitch. That would mean driving in rising flood water at night. Instead, we managed to patch her up quite well.
So not the best day of our holiday.
Two more sleeps and we're headed home. Fingers firmly crossed that we get some dry weather to enjoy here and then for a safe drive home.
A couple of times I thought of going down in the lift to the chemist about 10 metres away and I didn't dare go. The weather was too awful.
Yesterday afternoon, we decided to go into town (Kingscliff) to get some supplies. Roads were flooded, the rain still pelting down.
We turned into Chinderah and the Tweed River had swallowed half the road. We were forced to drive in the breakdown lane. Just after we slowly drove through, the cricket on the radio was interrupted by a somber voice telling us that the small town was being evacuated.
We got our supplies and headed back to the village we're staying in, having to turn back a couple of times as the roads were flooded.
As we pulled in our holiday home the rain stopped. Finally. The wind dropped.
We seized the moment and took to the beach. It was far too rough to swim, but we ran and played and soaked in the fresh air. It was glorious.
Later that night, the girls had gone to bed. I was settling D when I heard a sickening thud. Goosey had dived and whacked her forehead on the metal corner of the bunk beds. I came out to see her pale and a dribble of thick red blood running down her face.
Having knocked her head a few times before and sat in the ER with her, I knew she didn't have a bad concussion. The gash was deep and probably could have used some glue or a stitch. That would mean driving in rising flood water at night. Instead, we managed to patch her up quite well.
So not the best day of our holiday.
Two more sleeps and we're headed home. Fingers firmly crossed that we get some dry weather to enjoy here and then for a safe drive home.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
School , it a cometh
While I've been away, I've had lots of time to think about Lil-Lil starting school. I must admit, I've never understood the mothers who weep at the gate as they wave goodbye on that first day of school. I've always thought it would be more exciting than sad. As the day approaches though I'm starting to get it.
Lil-Lil and I have been through a lot. Being a firstborn she's has the rough job of breaking me into motherhood. It's been a long journey these past five years, which is why I think firstborns have a unique relationship with their parents. Poor kid.
As I get ready to send her out into the world I'm starting to panic a little. Have done well enough by her? I should have has more patience, been more engaged, soaked up the days with her a little more. Will she cope being thrown into the deep end of school?
Maybe it's my anxiety, knowing all the challenges she's going to face. Bitchy girls, cranky teachers, teasing boys. Mental arithmetic. Urgh. Her innocence will be lost and at the moment I'm soaking in that gorgeous innocence. She's naively so happy about the 'fun' of big school, but it's really her first step into a lifelong journey of challenges.
Of course there is the selfish fact that she's going to need me less. That Maddy or Sienna or whoever at school is suddenly going to be smarter/cooler in her eyes. She will probably worship her teacher.
As much as I've downplayed it to myself, starting school is a big deal. And I will miss her. That precious time of her being a little kid at home is over, but I feel lucky to have had it.
I'm also a teeny bit excited to watch her blossom, as I'm sure she will. I will probably shed a little tear on that first day, but also a big sigh of relief that we made it this far. That we've survived the first leg of childhood relatively unscathed. Let's hope we survive the next!
Lil-Lil and I have been through a lot. Being a firstborn she's has the rough job of breaking me into motherhood. It's been a long journey these past five years, which is why I think firstborns have a unique relationship with their parents. Poor kid.
As I get ready to send her out into the world I'm starting to panic a little. Have done well enough by her? I should have has more patience, been more engaged, soaked up the days with her a little more. Will she cope being thrown into the deep end of school?
Maybe it's my anxiety, knowing all the challenges she's going to face. Bitchy girls, cranky teachers, teasing boys. Mental arithmetic. Urgh. Her innocence will be lost and at the moment I'm soaking in that gorgeous innocence. She's naively so happy about the 'fun' of big school, but it's really her first step into a lifelong journey of challenges.
Of course there is the selfish fact that she's going to need me less. That Maddy or Sienna or whoever at school is suddenly going to be smarter/cooler in her eyes. She will probably worship her teacher.
As much as I've downplayed it to myself, starting school is a big deal. And I will miss her. That precious time of her being a little kid at home is over, but I feel lucky to have had it.
I'm also a teeny bit excited to watch her blossom, as I'm sure she will. I will probably shed a little tear on that first day, but also a big sigh of relief that we made it this far. That we've survived the first leg of childhood relatively unscathed. Let's hope we survive the next!
Friday, 20 January 2012
Perception is every thing
This morning while buttering toast I quipped to the kids that we had 8 sleeps left of our holiday.
Lil-lil promptly burst into tears and sobbed: 'eight sleeps? That's not long at all."
I tried to console her saying: "We still have eight whole sleeps. We've only been here for six sleeps. We still have lots of time to have lots of fun."
Tears stained her red cheeks as she tried to process this. She sighed and said: "It's still not long enough. I want to be here forever."
Me too, kid, me too. Not the optimist I wanted her to be, but I understand.
Lil-lil promptly burst into tears and sobbed: 'eight sleeps? That's not long at all."
I tried to console her saying: "We still have eight whole sleeps. We've only been here for six sleeps. We still have lots of time to have lots of fun."
Tears stained her red cheeks as she tried to process this. She sighed and said: "It's still not long enough. I want to be here forever."
Me too, kid, me too. Not the optimist I wanted her to be, but I understand.
Posts
