By hook or by crook I'm gonna cover those books!!

Well Max is back to school & so life goes on. First morning started off well but then we had problems when he realised he couldn't wear his sport uniform. Max LOVES the sport uniform but is not so keen on his formal uniform. A number of discussions later we finally get in the car & head off....me quietly saying to myself "I will not yell, I will not yell, I will not yell!!!"

The school book orders were done differently this year. We ordered & paid for them back in November & then instead of a day at school where you could go & collect them, they were delivered direct to our home. Sounded great EXCEPT Max's books only turned up late on Monday night!!! With Tuesday being Australia Day (public holiday) it left me doing the fun task of book covering on Wednesday!!

Well I have to say I hate (make that HATE) contact so endeavoured to find a way that would be easier....after all there were 20 books to do!!! Thank goodness I only had 1 child to worry about!! We found some old calendars (my husband keeps them all....I will NEVER EVER complain about this again...they DO have a use after all!!!) & cut them up & covered the books as they were.

End result VERY boyish - all fast cars & Star Wars - me happy & my little Max estatic!!! He was so pleased that I am going to save myself the grief & do the same next year! Bless you darling Shaun for keeping all kinds of things "just in case"!!!

MEGS & all they do....in Esperance, Western Australia

My darling sister Annaliese is VERY involved with their local church MEGS (Mothers Encouragement Group) & as mentioned yesterday she sent me their latest fundraiser....A wonderful cookbook that has already been used many many times!

Just yesterday Max & I got busy doing some baking in preparation for "going back to school" with several batches of biccies that have passed the taste test! I am one of those mothers who hates additivies & perservatives in food so I am very careful about how much junk my precious one is allowed to consume - home cooking is BEST!!!

These wonderful girls (my sister is bottom RH side) put in a lot of work & all this was to raise money for a missionary Elise Long, a single mum who works with New Tribes Mission among the Menti tribe on the Phillipine island of Palowan.

In this frenetic age where we all seem busier than ever before it is nice to have this welcome addition to my kitchen shelf!!! Thankyou to all the lovely girls at MEGS, you always make me so welcome when I am over visiting.

Now more on me & the icky subject of "shop bought food"!!!!

LUNCH ORDER

I feel less than adequate

when in a rush

not had time to do

child's school lunch

Somehow a lunch order

seems less than okay

waving a red flag

stating "I'm not coping

today!"

Child loves it

delights in his choices

for me the mother

I hear the "Youv'e Failed"

voices.

TK 2009

Monday Musings...

As I sit on this warm full of sunshine day I feel a twinge of sadness. You see this is the last week of the school holidays & come Thursday we will be back into school routines with all the rush & bustle first thing in the day trying ot get out the door & to school on time.
This year I am really going to endeavour NOT to argue with my 8 year old & to get up that 15 mins earlier so the morning runs smoother!!!
I have loved the "go slow" holidays where Max can be in PJ's all day if we are having a home day & the nice leisurely pace of life. However school brings blessings as as well. I can get back to my gym routine, get out for coffee with girlfriends minus kids in tow, get back to my writing & study etc etc. So in this I thank God. He truly does provide us a "reason for each season" if we but look!!

My darling sister Annaliese sent me a recipe book made by her MEGS (Mothers Encouragement Group) as a fundraiser & in it I found this beautiful quote:

Happiness is like a butterfly, which when pursued is always beyond our grasp. But which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. -Nathaniel Hawthorne-

May you find time to sit quietly today & feel your happiness & the blessings bestowed upon you.

Max is still my "little boo"

We called him that when he was a baby & well the name has just stuck.........he makes me glad that I am a mum, glad to be alive, he is smart, funny, cute, boisterous & totally angelic when he is asleep. God blessed me the day Max was born. His full name is Maxwell but he is called Max by his friends & Maxie or Little Boo by his parents!

He is my reason for being, my inspiration and a credit to us his parents. We do not get handbooks on being parents so we learn along the way....I thank Max for helping me to learn more about me, for making me a better person.

SOUL (for Max)

I want to stand

right next to you

be with you

hold your hand

smile at you

each and every day

Days run

into days

time seems to go by

where did it start

this heart

this soul

this dreamy romance...

I don't know

it happened so suddenly

with rather a brilliant show

what was hours

seemed bare minutes

out you came just so

I love you

I treasure you

you are the ultimate prize

my beautiful son

with your wonderful eyes.

TK 2009

Grange with the Girls!

Max & I had a lovely time on Friday night catching up with a couple of girlfriends & their kids at Grange Beach for a swim & fish & chips on the sand! It was such a beautiful evening that we stayed on chatting for hours.....followed by more chatting over coffees & icecreams for the kids.....I think my life is quite boring when I hear about the crazy funny world of singledom in your 40's!!! I am so glad I am not doing that caper anymore!

Max was a total honey and played nicely with the girls....he just makes me so proud to be his mum!

scrappy mint bush
bedraggled
tough
you eke out
your very
existence
on this broken
pavement

TK Sept, 2009

This poem came out of the very ordinary. Shaun & I had gone up to Jamestown in the beautiful mid-north of Sth Australia for an airshow (Shaun LOVES WW2 aircraft...) & we stayed overnight in the old & majestic Commercial Hotel. Next morning when we went to leave I discovered this mint bush out the back door of the kitchens, it had just come up through cracks in the concrete....the image stayed with me & later I put pen to paper...

other fab places I have just discovered...

I came across a lovely fashion store recently on a web based company I buy from who sell designer gear at heavily discounted prices.....fell so in love with one Little Fuschia that I had to check for a web site & Lo & Behold it is a store that STARTED here in Adelaide!!! Robyn has put together some beautiful pieces, classy but simple at the same time LOVE HER STUFF. Check it out at http://www.littlefuschia.com.au/ & I can order on line!!!! Talking with my accountant (my husband) as we speak re a "must have" dress that I have spied!!! Have a beautiful day.....

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket" Anonymous

Today's thoughts......

Life is full of the "Everyday Surprises" ife we but stop and look around us. I am now continually amazed at what surrounds me on a daily basis that I used to take forgranted. Birds singing outside in my birdbath, my son giving me a warm hug first thing in the morning, a nice cup of tea at the end of the day.....and friends from all around the globe.

This week I have been able to re-connect with a long lost friend from USA - she is living a busy life in Smithfield, North Carolina USA & it has been jsut such a blessing to find her.......its been to long Maxine girl.

I have also discovered another "friend" by accident & she blogs beautifully.....she has prompted me to start my own blog site...so here you are Beth I am officially up & running!!!

I discovered Felix Doolittle - do yourself a huge favour & check them out: www.felixdoolittle.com as their stuff is just awesome. Notelets, writing paper, book plates, baker's sheets - all to die for!!!

My darling friend Terri put together a collection of my poems for my family before Christmas & to her I am truly indebted....thankyou for making my dream a reality! Check out what amazing stuff Terri does at www.formalcreations.com.au. My "Chocolate Pudding Nights" was all & more than I could have hoped for.

My writing group who all inspire me & keep me thinking & writing....where was I without you guys - Thursday nights are the highlight of my week!!

These are just a few of the things we can be thankful for, so today whatever you do: STOP, pause and be thankful for what you have....God is good....