A minor glitch

Yesterday was horrible....one of those days you wish the earth would open up and swallow you whole.
I can't really go into details as we are still ironing out a large problem and organizing plans b, c and d.

On another topic...

We are planning on up grading our car in the next 6 months or so, at the moment we have a daewoo nubira and its a great economical small car. But it cant fit us all in and if we want to go out as a family we have to take 2 cars. hence when we have the 4 kids we stay at home.
So I was thinking of a Kia Carnival or similar large 7 seater and Darian is thinking of a Holden Zaphira which is the same size of the car we have now but is a wagon and has 2 dickie seats for the extra kids, It is also a 4 cylinder and the larger people movers are 6 cylinders..

So does any one own any of the various people movers and what are their opinions on their chosen car.

A new guide

Last night Talia took her guide promise...


I promise that I will do my best: to do my duty to God, to serve the Queen and my country; to help other people; and to keep the Guide Law.

She was so nervous and even though I reminded her that she was going to do great, she was so scared that she was going to make a mistake that she did...isn't it sad that a child automatically thinks that they are going to fail, no matter how much I boost my kids up and get them to believe in them selves It upsets me that they think automatically of failure rather than success...

So any way she froze and forgot the last sentence of her promise (which Wallaby helped with) and she is now a fully fledged guide...

I am so proud of her...

Something to share

I was sent an email the other day that I had to share...

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same.
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

A trip to AQWA

We had a nice quiet weekend, the girls went to their dads so we only had Matthew and Megan for the weekend. We decided to take the littlies to AQWA...

The cost worked out to be $15 per person which isnt bad and the kids loved it all. They saw lots of fish, seals, stingrays, sharks and all that...

I will let the photos tell the story

Finally I am going to do a catch up....the last month or so has been so hectic...

We are now settled into our new house, it is nice to have everything at one house....for a while there we were living out of 3..
We moved Darian out first and during the week I cleaned his house ready to get new tenants in (as he broke lease, the sooner the better as we were paying 3 lots of rent at that stage)..
the next weekend we moved me out of my house, I then spent the next week cleaning my house, organising carpet cleaning and still taking Matthew to swimming lessons, gymbaroo and therapy...

By the end of the month I was exhausted and still no tenants in Darian's old house....it seemed really strange as there is a rental crisis nation wide...but all we could do is wait...

Finally last week the real estate agent rang and let us know that the house has been let...(big sigh of relief)

So we are here for at least a year...if not more

Matthew is going well, I have stopped swimming lessons for now as he has a chest infection and I am going to wait till we get back from over seas before starting up again. He is still enjoying his gymbaroo and it must be helping as his Physio can see the difference, so much so that she is happy to leave him go for 6 months and then see him for a review.
He is also seeing a OT weekly now, she is concentrating on his fine motor skills, he does things like pegs, stacking bean bags, painting and play dough.....we will be seeing her for another 5 weeks..
We are also attending a group speech session to help with his speech, this goes for another 4 weeks.

The other good news is that his carer's allowance has been approved, so this will help pay for gymbaroo and such...

The girls are going OK, not brilliant, there are a few small issues with family blending but nothing we cant work through. Its all going to take time, tolerance and patience.

Africa is getting closer, I have paid for my dress and have my fitting next month. It all getting very exciting and I am getting a bit nervous as well...not about the wedding but the whole flying over water thing...

Well that's about it...well what i can remember at the moment

Only 56 days till we fly

Have you ever done

Have You Ever Done…
highlight the ones you have done.

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
2. Swam with dolphins
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
8. Said “I love you” and meant it
9. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s nappy
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 8 states/Territories
41. Taken care of someone who was **** faced
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River (any river will do)
82. Been on television news programs as an expert
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Eaten fugu (pufferfish)
89. Had a one-night stand
90. Gone to Thailand
91. Bought a house
92. Been in a combat zone
93. Buried one/both of your parents
94. Been on a cruise ship
95. Spoken more than one language fluently
96. Performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show
97. Raised children
98. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (45.5 kilograms)
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Ridden a bike
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

the joys of moving

Well i got some good news this morning, our application for the house was accepted and we sign the lease on Monday and get the keys Friday....

So next weekend we are shifting Darian's house and then some time before the 24 we will be shifting my house...2 houses to pack and move and then clean.....yukk...

I am so sick of moving, however the house is much bigger. It has a covered patio out the back so the kids can get out and play, double lock up garage with automatic door....huge kitchen (no dishwasher :( )...4 bed 2 bath and 2 living areas with aircon....and hopefully I can get broadband....

I am having to send my cats to Jenni as it is no pets...very sad but I know they will be in good hands...we will be getting fish instead.

It is a bit closer to the girls school so I just have to psych my self up for some pretty busy weeks...

A busy time ahead

Well our flights are booked and paid for, we are leaving early August and spending the month in South Africa. Not sure when the wedding will be as the church is yet to be booked.

As if thats not exciting enough we will be spending a night at the Shamwari game reserve, this includes 2 guided game drives (one in the morning and one in the evening) and I get to wake up to the lions roaring (I hope).....

It costs a fortune but it is going to be once in a life time experience...

We are staying in the tented lodge....shown here

At the moment we are also looking to move, my lease is up at the end of may and I am sick of looking at houses already. We applied for a nice one yesterday and are just waiting for a reply....

wish us luck.....

A nice surprise

yesterday morning while we were having brekkie there was a knock on the door and in walked Aunty Jenni and Uncle Dave....there was a high pitched scream from the girls.

They were on a quick trip over for a wedding and came for a flying visit.

They stayed for lunch and after a teary goodbye from the girls they were off, but not before some photos....

An Easter Getaway

I know its a bit late, being a week since easter weekend started but you know how it gets...
I dropped the girls off at their dads Thursday night, they were very excited as it was going to be the first time they saw their new baby brother...he was sooooo tiny...6lb.... I said good bye and went home and packed the car so we could be ready to leave as soon as Darian got to my house from work...

We left about 6ish and I knew Donnelly River is about 3 1/2 hours from Perth so 4 from us if you don't count peak hour. We got down there about 10 ish which wasn't bad...we set the cot up and put Matthew to bed as he didn't sleep much on the way down..

The next morning Matthew was up bright and early feeding the kangaroos with Kendall, Kim and Elisha. We then went out and fed all the 28 parrots that came to be fed sunflower seeds. We all went for a walk and lounged around. The weather was perfect.

We booked the flying fox and all had a turn on that, which was great fun. Matthew went down with Darian.

Saturday we drove to Pemberton for a look as Eric, Dianne and the kids hadn't been before and I was going to show them the Gloucester Tree....$10 per car to look at a big tree, no one was game to climb it. Eric and Dianne decided to look around Pemberton I thought since we were so close we would drop in on Mum.

It was only 30km away and we found her house with no trouble, she was surprised to see us but as we had the key to the house we couldn't stay long.

Sunday Morning we woke up and the easter bunny had been, no only that it was freezing cold and raining..brrr...Luke and Matthew had a egg hunt inside and we all spent a lazy day lounging around. That night we had a BBQ and the kids had some fun with sparklers.

Monday morning came too fast as we had to pack up and hit the road before the traffic got too bad. I think we went through about 10 speed traps on the way home, but we got home safe and sound.

I then went and picked up the girls who I missed like crazy....

What the padeatrician said

This morning Matthew had his appoint with the pead...an hour and a half later we have some answers and some more questions..

Firstly he definaltly does not have any form of autism, thats the only definate...
Matthews problem solving skills and comprehension are at age level which rules out most of the nasty stuff and that is a relief, he can problem solve, listen and follows instructions and has a willingness to try at most activities.

If asked he can point to most items but is unable to verbalize which is probably due to his poor muscle tone. Which is another reason for his delay in fine and gross motor skills. The mind is willing and more than able, just the poor little body cant keep up.

So the paed wants a blood test to check the levels of muscle enzyme and iron levels (so we went and did that....poor little mite struggled a bit and now has a nasty bruise...) and he will be seen for OT, physio and speech.

The paed wants a review in 6 months to see if all the swimming lessons, gym and play group are making a difference...we will have to go on wait lists for the therapy.

He is also signing the forms for carers allowance for me, to help pay for all the swimming, gym and extra stuff that will help...

So thats where we are

A visit from the tooth fairy....

Eloise is very excited after weeks and weeks of a wobbly tooth it finally came out...yipeee.....she looks sooo cute and even sounds funny...Talia never sounded funny due to her always missing a front tooth and she learnt to talk with it out...so weezie sounds great..the tooth fairy gave her $1..

Well this morning I drove Darian to work as he is bringing his new work ute home...its only a 2 door a step down from the 4 door 4WD...but it will save us a heap in fuel...this fortnight has cost a heap running 2 cars... he is really enjoying his new job so that is good

I finally sent off all the documents to renew his passport/ duel citizenship yesterday as well as a request for an emergency passport, which if accepted will come back in 14 days. Darian received some very worrying news about his brother back in SA, he may have cerebral meningitis....they are waiting on tests...hopefully things can be confirmed soon and they can get the right treatment started for him...I cant even imaging how Darian is feeling with all this going on with his brother and father and being so far away from them...

The only other news is that the girls have a new brother, Marcus Scott was born on Tues....they are very excited and cant wait to see him, which I am not sure when will be as their dad canceled this weekends visit.

Matthew's Assessment

Well we have just returned from Matthews assessment with the Joondalup Childhood Development Team. Today we were seen by his case manager, physio, O.T, and speech therapist. The Paediatrician was off sick so will be seeing him on Wednesday...

So after Matthew got to play lots of games and running, jumping and all those fab things. I recieved some initial feedback from the group...

Well basically Matthew needs help, he is at the level of a 18 month old with his speech, gross and fine motor skills and his social skills....he has a vocab of about 25 words. The speech therapist wants him to do speech therapy.

The physio is concerned about his lack of muscle tone and his balance, she couldn't tell me more until after the pead has seen him, but suggested that we get him into swimming lessons to strengthen his core muscles and agreed that some kind of kindy gym would be good for his gross motor skills.

The OT want him to be seen as well as his comprehension and social skills are delayed ...

There was so much information was thrown around the room that my head is still reeling. But now that he has been assessed he can now go on the appropriate wait lists and he will get some help..

So starting tomorrow Matthew is starting swimming lessons (yes I have to get in the pool with him) and next term he is starting gymbaroo, I went and spoke to both and booked him in explaining that he will need to go into groups developmentally not by his age...so we are going into the 18 month old swim group and the 16 -24 month old gymbaroo group...but we always have the option of moving him...

So now its just up to the pead and then it will be a waiting game....

Happy Birthday Talia and A wedding Update

Today is Talia's 9th Birthday....happy birthday love....cant believe my baby is 9.... we are having a party on Sunday. This is my first effort with planning a party at home....I am stressed...I don't know how people do this every year....

My passport arrived the other day.....very exciting....not only can I leave the country but they will let me back in!!!!
We are still waiting for the 20th March for Darian to get his fingerprints done by the federal police so that he can re-new his South African passport. So until then we are on hold for the wedding date...we are pretty certain it will be in August sometime...

Also some very exciting news, Darian has a new job, he started this morning. So my thoughts are with him. Hopefully he will be much happier and he still gets a company car. So this will also affect when we go overseas, though his new boss knows we are planning for Aug and he is OK with it.

So things are on a roll.

A white dress.....

Well I went and put a deposit on my wedding dress today.....YES a wedding dress....Ironic really that this has gone from a little no fuss ceremony to a church wedding with a white dress...

I still have to pinch myself sometimes that it is all real, if someone had said to me this time last year that March 2007 I would be in love, engaged to be married I would of laughed out loud....I was still in Vic saving madly to move, hating ALL men..

So anyway back to the white dress, I went into the shop to look for a elegant cocktail dress that could pass as a wedding dress. As it is a second wedding for both of us we didn't need all the fuss and ho hum of a large wedding...and any way we are getting married in South Africa.....

Yes another shock to the system. Darian is extremely close to his family (and all of them are over there). He wanted his parents to be at the wedding and since all of my family cant be in the same room as it each other most of the time I don't need the stress of it all....so eloping to South Africa sounds perfect to me....

So since we made the decision to get married over in Port Elizabeth, Darian would really like to be married by his family pastor, so a few inquiries by his parents and its all OK for the church.... So in all reality a cocktail dress isn't really appropriate (yes I could get away with it..but) I saw this dress while trying on certain cocktail dresses and thought why not....so I did...I fell in love with it... its nothing fancy as we have a 20kg weight restriction on the plane...

So the only sad thing is that the kids cant come and be part of it...but we have spoken and they are fine...we are going to do something really special when Darian and I get back.

All journeys start with a single step.....

Well I thought I better take a photo of my ring and blog it...

So here it is....and gee my hands are looking OLD......

This morning I went and had my interview for my passport which went really well....so in about 10 days I will be able not only leave the country but they will let me back in....

If only renewing Darian's was that easy....talk about forms, forms and more forms, and thats not including getting certified photo copies of pass port, ID book, photos and finger prints which we now find out that the federal police can only do and they are fully booked until the end of March....

Then it gets sent to Canberra, South Africa and back to Canberra....and then finally back to us...taking approx 6 - 8months...

I also received a letter with an appointment for Matthew with the early intervention team...so the ball is rolling on that account ..

Some very exciting news

On Sunday Morning my very special man proposed and of course I said yes.....

I new a long time ago that this was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with, It feels as though we have known each other forever.

He is one of the most kindest and gentlest men I know. We can make each other laugh, he washes the dishes, vacuums and does all the ironing. He is a fantastic father to his own daughter and has taken to my 3 with out a blink...some would say that this is too good to be true...I say soul mate...

I finally found him...It has taken many years of heart ache, loneliness and finding out who I am. And as corny as that line sounds in "Jerry Maguire" it is sooooo true...he completes me...

I know the next question will be "when is the wedding?"...well some time this year, no set plans yet.....

School has started at last

well what can I say, after a few minor hick-ups...the girls are at school and are happy. Talia is in a split 4/5 grade and Eloise a split 1/2 grade, they both have female teachers and seem nice...

The girls were so excited this morning and we actually got to school early and I managed to settle both girls into their classes...

So I am now a free woman again...hmmm what to do????

Ok I will tell....

I have been questioned by a number of people about the significance of the 17th Dec.....

some thought I was pregnant and others engaged....

well the truth is on that date Darian and I decided that we were going to live together once both of our leases were up...well mine is up before his so we are going to find a house together...we would love to buy but the housing prices in Perth are beyond a joke....so we will be renting...

We told the kids and they are quite pleased...

We are still hoping and planning on going to South Africa later this year...we will see.

Today we went to the school and picked up the kids book and stationary for this year....yippee this means that school is just around the corner. Now I get the fun job of covering books and labeling everything....I just love it...

Tomorrow is Australia day and here is Perth they have a huge fireworks display called the Skyworks ( everyone calls it the skyshow as thats what it was called) on the Perth foreshore however as much as i would love to go, it wont be happening with 3 kids....so we are going to go to a smaller fireworks display in Mindarie keys.

Tomorrow is meant to be hot and 37....yukkkkk

A very expensive oversite

isn't it funny how life is...everything was going along smoothly and life was just getting back on track from the move...we are getting ready for school and the only thing I have to get in the next few months is a chest of draws each for the kids and Talia needs a new mattress for her bed. Which I was going to purchase this fortnight....

Well that all went out the window this morning when I received my phone bill.

Can you believe it was $600.......

I only use my phone to log on to dial up, every other call is made on my mobile

And all due to BL**DY TPG internet...

They have been getting me to dial down to Rockingham every time I log onto dial up.....

I should have made sure that It was a local call, but I didn't think....so i rang TPG and asked for a number that is a local call...they have none...she then gave me a number for Broome (can you imagine my phone bill then)

So I have canceled my tpg internet service...told them to politely stick it and we are now using Darian's service...which i know for a fact is a local call as i rang telstra...