Big New Things

Hello again, at long last. It's been a while, but big things are afoot - HUGE things, even.
It's been so long between blog posts - I'm not going to lie, blogging has been at the bottom of the list of priorities lately. Life is a whirlwind, a relentless nerve-wracking rollercoaster and this is the last ever blog post I will write sitting at the computer in the hallway of this, my dear old house.
I'm sitting here typing this on a whim when I really should be packing boxes because...
WE ARE MOVING.

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Dog Zoo (or "what was I thinking?")

It started as most adventures do - with the kids nagging. This time it was for a second dog. They had all the reasons, all the well-thought out arguments, all the reasons why: Clyde the not-so-puppy could really do with a friend to play with during the long days when I am at work. He gets bored, And lonely. And if ONE dog is awesome and fabulous and wonderful, imagine the fun of TWO dogs?

I came right back with my best shoot-em-down disclaimers: I can only just afford ONE dog, I couldn't afford to look after TWO. Vet bills for two? Worming and flea treatments for two? Forgeddaboutit. Plus, who knew how much extra work an extra puppy would be? It would probably all end up on my plate, and my plate is already full.

But I wasn't prepared for their clincher: fostering.
We could foster a rescue puppy, the rescue people would pay for all the expenses, Clyde would have a friend for free... and when that puppy moved on to a new family, we'd get a new puppy. Endless puppies, endless cuteness. A win-win situation for all...
They caught me unawares with their clever logic and I caved.

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When it feels like the World is Falling Apart...

I'm almost scared to check my news feed these days - what new soul-clenching, stomach churning madness has occurred while I was sleeping?
You probably know the feeling.
I have this urge to write, to vent, and get all the *grrrrr* off my chest, but do we really need another post like that cluttering up the interwebs? Another "this world is going to hell in a handbasket" opinion piece? I doubt it.

Sigh.
Chin up, I tell myself. This too shall pass.

I've been sitting here at the bottom of the world watching the madness unfold, feeling shocked and sickened as the fundamentalist American Church aligns itself with the most reprehensible human being we've had on the world stage in a long time. Their endorsement of him is doing irreparable harm to the name of Christ (who I love and try to follow). Making excuses for his inexcusable behaviour is painting the rest of the followers of Jesus with an awful tarnished brush. What they call Christianity, and Christian values has nothing to do with Jesus.

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Good Riddance 2016 (but Thanks for not Killing Me)

Today is the last day of this bloody awful year. It has been without a doubt the hardest year of my life - yet strangely it hasn't actually been the worst year. 

Why? Because I'm finishing the year a stronger person than I began it.

My faith in God has been tested, and strengthened, because He has not failed me yet.

I've lost friends along the way, but discovered others whose worth is pure gold. 

I've had to learn to fill the roles of both mum and dad - and have since realised how incredible single mums are.

There are so many of us out there, doing the hard yards, unseen and alone, but rocking parenting in spite of the endless challenges - in spite of incredibly tight budgets, the (unfair and untrue) judgments of others and the sheer relentlessness of doing life on our own. 

I am in awe of the strength of women, and single mums in particular.

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Taking Stock (cos that's what i do when i've got writers block)

I really thought that when I got the giant boulder-sized "elephant in the room" blog post out of the way, my writer's wellspring would unblock and the stories would flow once more. I guess I was wrong about that.

Sometimes there's just so much going on that the thought of finding a way to write it all down in a manner which is honest, heartfelt, but lighthearted - yet also manages to avoid upsetting half the people in my life - well, it's just too exhausting. Consequently, I still seem to have a rather insidious case of writers block.

But I can't go wrong with a list, right? A summary of recent happenings and photos from the past few weeks? It's either that or I blurt out my angst about the upcoming Silly Season and how much I'm dreading it with a capital D. That could be awkward.

So here goes with some taking stock instead. The last few weeks I've been...

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Hello, it's Me (and Clyde the Puppy)

Tap. Tap. Hello. Is this thing on? Oh good! It's working.
Um, hi. I know it's been a while.
I can't go into the details of *why* because, um, well, I just can't.
But trust me when I say that I would never neglect my beloved blog for so long without good cause.
However, with this post, I am back.

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Flying a Kite is a bit like Parenting

On Saturday we went out to Piha Beach on the wild West Coast, in an attempt to break through the lethargy and blahness that sometimes descends on us all after an exhausting, busy week.
The car was loaded with reluctant, groaning kids, a bag of snacks, a soccer ball and our never-before-used, still-in-its-packet Kite.

We've never had much luck with kites before, but for once the wind was blowing right and the kite's string was barely let out when the wind caught it and whipped it up into the air.

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Paper Garlands and Getting to Hawaii

Did you know that I am no long the Glue Gun Queen? I have a SEWING MACHINE and I use it all the time. Most recently I used it to create a bunch of paper garlands to sell at our garage sale on the weekend.

Miss Fab and I are fundraising to get her (and me) to Hawaii in June for an international Cheerleading competition. How cool is that?
Me and Fab in Hawaii. Competing with the best cheerleading teams from around the world.
But first we have to get there.

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This is Normal (apparently)

Sometimes everything works. Every now and then we have a day - or a few days in a row even! - where everything just flows. There are no meltdowns, no raised voices, no tears or tantrums. There is no reason to tear out my hair or wish human ears came with a volume control.
Sometimes, every now and then, I feel like a good mum. Like we've figured it out. Like we are winning.

And then there are the other days.
The days where nothing works.
The days where we are like kittens in a bag, scratching at each other. The days where if it's not one kid crying/shouting/fighting/whingeing, it's another. Scrapping and answering back. Needling each other. Melting down over the littlest things. I should be bald by now with the frequency of these days.

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A Ubiquitous Post about Change, New Schools & Time Flying

Look at them.
There they are all dressed up in strange new uniforms on the first day of school.
New schools for both, and a new era for us all.
One of them is off to High School. He is very chilled.
One of them is off to Intermediate. She is overwhelmed and struggling, trying to be brave.

I look at this photograph and my heart is kind of bursting. With pride, with love, with the need to throw my arms around them and squeeze them tight.
They are my babies. They are growing up. Way too fast.

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Christmas in Hindsight

Christmas is over, and it was a goodie. Better than I'd hoped, better than last year, better than any Christmas for years, in fact.

If you read my earlier post, you'll know my theory: "less is more" and "giving is magic". Both theories held up this year.

We focused on kindness and left room for spontaneous hosting and blessing others.

Like candy cane bombing our local four square Carpark...

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Enjoying Christmas & Finding the REAL Magic

This is not your usual Christmas post. I am not going to give you another list of things to do - you don't need that. There's an avalanche of crafty ideas on Pinterest, if that's what you're after.
No. This is a from-my-heart-to-yours post about how to REALLY have a magical Christmas and actually enjoy the season.

Isn't that what we all want? At this time of the year, don't we all wish we could recapture the lost wonder and magic of Christmas?

I wanted to write this post for the many, many mums out there who are madly trying to recapture Christmas magic yet are feeling only exhausted, overwhelmed and annoyed at that little Elf they keep having to invent antics for.
This post is for you. I'm here to tell you Christmas doesn't have to be an endless stress-headache.

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Loving... NOT loving...

Golly gosh it's been years since I've written a "Things I'm Loving"post. What better way to get back on the blog-horse than with a random collection of life's moments, right?
Because when it's been so long and there are so many stories piled up that you want to write, you have to start with the easy ones, just to get the ole ink flowing.

First up, I'm loving jasmine.
It's everywhere down my street, and when I'm walking past hedges of the stuff, I can grab a bunch and fill my home with the smell of spring. Every time I walk in the front door, it hits me. The sweet sunshiney smell of jasmine.

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Taking Stock (cos I'm all outta blog love)

I need to get the words flowing again, so I'm using that old favourite formula, Taking Stock. I've been really finding it hard to blog - or to want to post online at all, really - since returning from overseas. But I love this blog, and I have no intention of neglecting it for too long, and I have story ideas rattling through my brain and I just need to get started somehow. So this is it. A beginning of sorts...

TAKING STOCK:

Making :  the most of days to myself before school holidays start. Oh lovely lovely days where I choose what I do. (But school holidays will be lovely too).
Cooking :  mostly uninspired dinners on repeat -  apart from Honey Roasted Pear Salad, which I have invented and will share with you soon.
Drinking : Six Barrel Soda - from my new favourite supplier of all things lovely, Good Thing. Just a dash of syrup and then chilled soda water. Would be even better if I remembered to freeze some ice cubes.

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Three Kids, Three Codes (makes for a busy day)

Three kids, three codes. I thought that was a snappy title for the craziness that is Saturday Winter Sport.
There are three kids playing three sports, all on the same morning. And two parents.
We didn't plan ahead, obviously.
How can you be in three places at once, watching three gripping sports fixtures in one morning when there's only two of you?
Very carefully, that's how.

With lots of overlapping, and driving and txting.
You leave home at 8.45am and you stagger in the door and zip off your (totally inappropriate) boots at 3.30pm.
You go through half a tank of gas. You cheer yourself hoarse.
And you enjoy every minute of it.

Welcome to Saturdays, with three sport-mad kids, playing three codes.

Scrag Plays Rugby
This is Scrag's first year giving rugby a go. It's the "rippa" version (non-tackle), and it's all about speed. Oh my goodness but I enjoyed watching this! Our tall lad is such a natural. the other parents on the sideline couldn't believe Scrag had never played before.
"Yep," I confirmed, "This is is first ever game..."
He scored three tries and came away with the Man of the Match award.
A mum from the opposing team said, "You might be mum to a future All Black!" (Haha - every Kiwi parent's dream?) We have been a soccer family since forever, so this is our first time being a rugby family. And we love it. Scrag loves it. And he's taken to it like a duck to water.

MATCH STATS: Scrag is playing for Eden Rugby Gold in the Under-7s Rippa grade, They played against another team from the same club so had to turn their shirts inside out to avoid confusion. The score was 8-7 to the other team, but a hard-fought match with three tries by Scrag. Woop!

LOGISTICS:  At 8.45am I take Scrag to his game, which kicks off at 9.15am. Mr G meets us there with Dash. He watches the first half then takes Dash to his training across town for 10am. When Scrag's game is over we get smoothies and head to Seddon Fields to watch the next match: Dash playing soccer. (Miss fab tags along with me; her game is not til later).

Dash Plays Soccer
Er, or should I say FOOTBALL? (the proper name for soccer).
Dash has played football since he was four years old, and he has always been a stand-out. This year circumstances forced us to try out for a new club, so  with a new team, a new coach and now playing on a full sized pitch, things are pretty exciting on the football front too.
Dash has always dreamed of being a professional footballer. He's pretty gosh darned good too, so you never know....

MATCH STATS: Dash plays 13th grade football for Western Springs Vespers (the club's second team). First game of the season, they played against a team from Manurewa, the score was 8-0 to us, including a great goal by Dash. Dash plays mostly in the midfield.

LOGISTICS: The game kicked off at 11am and I really should have planned ahead and got a ride for Miss fab to her pre-game training so I could watch all of Dash's game, but no. Instead I got to see the first half, then scurried off to brave the madness of Lincoln Rd traffic to get Miss Fab to her training on time. We were fifteen minutes late and it took me 25 minutes to find a carpark...

Miss Fab Plays Netball
Last year we had to give Netball a miss because the match day was Wednesday which clashed with Miss Fab's true passion, Cheerleading. This year my friend Justine took it upon herself to start a team playing in the Saturday league, so our two cheerleading girls could play netball as well. Justine is THE BEST coach ever. Gosh but she pulls awesomeness out of the girls in her team! The best kind of coach - encouraging, tough, firm and passionate about the game. We are super lucky to have her, and Miss Fab is loving being able to play netball again.

MATCH STATS: Our new team is called the Boston Bolts (and we have snazzy new uniforms and personalised hoodies sourced by the amazing Justine). Our first grading game happened to be against THE top team from THE top league, who won the whole thing in the highest grade last year, apparently. They were tough. But we took the game to them and made them work for their win. the score was 19-10 to them, which doesn't reflect how awesomely our girls played. Super proud netball mums all round.

LOGISTICS: After dropping Miss fab off at her training 15 minutes late at the madness that is (Ti Pai Netball courts) I drove around for 25 minutes before I found a carpark. The game started at 12.45 and we were done by 2pm, but decided to go shopping for winter clothes afterwards(what was I thinking?). So yeah.

At 3.30pm I limped in the front door, dropped the shopping bags on the floor and unzipped my boots. Six hours of standing and walking in wedge boots = not a great move. Next time I'll know better.
Cos next Saturday we'll do it all again (and we can't wait).


P.S. This post is for you Grandma, Aunty Irene, Uncle Allan, Nan and Grandad.

Bedroom Swapsies for a Whole New House

Lots of people I know are making massive moves in their living situations - shifting houses, moving towns, doing major renovations and the like.

Us, well we're staying put. No plans to move, knock down walls, or do extensions - although sometimes I've felt like we need to do SOMETHING.

[Dash's old room was less than 1.5 metres wide; it used to be the laundry; now it's my craft room]

Especially for poor Dash whose bedroom was only slightly bigger than his bed. He'd been in there for *gulp* five years, he reminded me the other day.
I shook my head, unable to accept that, I mean, it was only ever meant to be temporary. He was sharing with his baby brother, but set up a bed in the teensy ex-laundry-ex-babyroom when he found that sharing with a two year old was less than ideal.

Recently he started to experience claustrophobia at night and couldn't go to sleep in his cupboard own bedroom so we had to start looking at alternative options. How could we give him more space without spending a gazillion bucks building an extension?

[Scrag's old room which is now ours; I only painted the chalkboard wall just before Christmas]

I racked my brains and came up with a solution: We'd have to give up our giant room-with-sunroom and give it to the boys. Put french doors to close off the sunroom giving Dash his own room, which could still be opened up into a giant space when needed.
Dash's cupboard-sized bedroom would become a study/craft space. And we'd move into Scrag's old room.

The trick was to try and sell this idea to my hubby. I knew he wouldn't likely be keen - I mean, who would? Our bedroom was lush, with all that space.

I took a while to let the idea sink in, time to to bring hubby around. The fact that every night was a drama getting our big boy to sleep helped.

Finally we made the call: we'd give up our room. And do a giant bedroom swap on Easter Weekend. All systems were go.

[Our old room, now Scrag's room/rumpus. The new french doors to divide the room are still leaning against the wall waiting to be hung]

I found the perfect french doors on TradeMe for a song (rimu, with bevelled glass, just the right size); and I promised myself we'd get new carpet and fresh paint before we moved in (the carpet is completely had it, the walls dinged-up beyond belief).

We ran out of time for carpet in our new room, it would have to be an old rug to cover the spilled paint and threadbare patches. But I bought a tin of paint and set to work the day before Easter, patching up holes and painting over the giant green chalkboard wall  painted just before Christmas.

The kids and I set to work carrying armfuls of clothes and boxes of toys to their new homes on Good Friday morning, maneuvering bookshelves and relocating drawers. We left the big stuff to daddy when he came back from his game of golf.

Yes, golf. Poor Daddy went off for a game and came home to find the house in chaos, no turning back. (He'd thought we'd do it slowly over the weekend. Me, I like to get things over with).

By the end of the day we all had new homes.

[Our new room is painted in Resene Half Beryl Green - a double strength version of the soft green I painted the kitchen/dining]

Hubby and I have a peaceful sanctuary at one end of the house, overlooking the garden, opening onto the deck. We have two wardrobes and freshly painted walls. One day we'll get new carpet and that one-way film on the windows so we don't give someone a nasty surprise if they walk round the corner while we're dressing (it has happened already; I guess we could just shut the curtains??!).


The boys have a massive new space which doubles as a rumpus room. Scrag has the bunk beds AND a pull-out couch with the little TV and DVD player. It's a space perfect for sleepovers and hangouts.

Dash has a new room that is three times the size of his old cupboard. Once we get those doors hung it'll be the perfect retreat for him (and since the move, there's been no more fuss at bedtime. I think he appreciates our sacrifice).

The little room (Dash's old cupboard) has a new incarnation as a craft room/study. It's still a bit of a mess as I'm in the middle of party crafting and finishing off painting the hallway so there are cans and boxes stacked everywhere, but you get the idea. It's the perfect size for a a creative space.

We've made space for everyone without spending more than $60 on a tin of paint and $175 for some new doors. No walls knocked down, no new rooms built, but now everybody's happy and we've made the most of the space that we have.

It's like having a whole new house.

MORE OF MY DIY ADVENTURES

  

Weekend Rewind: Linking up with Maxabella & Co Right Here!

Yay, Friday, my favourite day of the week. This Friday is even more awesome than usual because (among other things) tonight I'm a guest host on Maxabella Loves' most excellent linky Weekend Rewind!

Weekend Rewind is one of the very few linkies that seem to be still alive and kicking these days (and the only one I still link up with), so when my favourite blogger and fellow-party-nut Maxabella emailed, inviting me to be a guest host, I was like, I am there.

Actually, thing is, at the moment I am not actually there (or should I say here?)
I'm having to let auto-post do its magic because right now as you read this I am actually up North in Whangarei, eating dinner with some fellow bloggers, after spending all day learning how to decorate cupcakes FANCY (at a workshop with my lovely party partner, Sandra, from KiwiCakes). Just one more reason this Friday is even awesomer than usual.

I'll tell you all about our adventure next week - and I promise pictures, lots of pictures. I am REALLY looking forward to learning how to do those fancy icing techniques - I do my best but I'm no pro. And I really want to know how to do those roses!
I'm also very excited to get to hang out with a bunch of lovely blog pals and I'll FINALLY get to meet my blog-friend Neetz in person. I bet there will be some hugging.

[Cross Country is a very serious race, obviously]

In the meantime, I've got pictures from today's fun episode of The School Cross Country. This event has always (in the past) provided ample blog-fodder. There have been stories about running while injured, coming in first (and second) place unexpectedly, and stories about what you do when you fall down (um, you get up and keep running, in theory).

[See? Serious.]

But this year? Well it was a bit of a story washout.
Miss Fab (Ten Year Old Girls) made a pact with her pals to jog round the route and try their best to avoid getting a place and therefore having to run again at InterSchool Champs (last year's torture).
So no drama there.

[One of the youngest in the group, sure, but still one of the tallest]

Meanwhile Scrag (who is still six) had to run with the Seven Year Old Boys, and while meeting with no disaster, and finishing a respectable 15th out of 50, was also unhelpful anecdotally.

So I'll just leave you with the pictures, and a round up of my latest posts and an admonishment to drag out you best post of the week and come link up on the awesome linky as soon as it opens (just scroll past the pictures of the little children running...)

IF YOU'RE VISITING FROM THE LINKY (Hello! and Welcome!): You can find out more about me on my About Me Page OR you might wanna go straight for the good stuff...

• Parties: All my ideas and tips (including Parties for No Reason and Theme Dinners)
• Printables: All my free party printables in one place. How convenient!
• Recipes: For people who like things simple, easy and delicious
• Blog Tips: Tips and freebies for beginners, code-phobes and bloggers of all kinds
• Parenting: Confessions of a lazy mother and other gems...

FROM THIS WEEK:

• The Power of One (plus One plus One): My thoughts on the XFactor NZ bullying debacle. Obviously everyone was fed up hearing/talking about it by the time I posted; the comments didn't exactly flood in!
• Ninja Turtle Party Printables: I shared the Free Printables I've designed for Scrag's upcoming TMNT party. No-one ever comments on those posts. It's OK. I'm used to it. (It would probably help if my comment system was mobile friendly, but there ya go)

And if you haven't met Maxabella yet, you should. Go there right now and say hi from me, OK?

While you're at it the other Linky co-hosts are also pretty Awesome: Life Love & Hiccups (looks like my kind of blogger); Sonia Styling (if style is your thing) and Kelly Exeter (has written a book about living Life Less Frantic).

OK HERE COMES THE LINKY...

(***WARNING: I am a bit crap at figuring out time zones and/or following instructions, so it's highly likely that this post will go up before the linky opens. Don't worry, just roll your eyes at my daftness and check back in an hour or two...)