.. a weekend of karate

This whole entire weekend has been about karate, karate, karate and i think I'm loving it just as much as Heath is. He's loving the social, learning, fun side of things and I'm loving the discipline and confidence he is getting out of it. 10 weeks ago when i took him to his introductory lesson he was far from impressed, FAR from impressed. He got push ups, about 5 sets and he just didn't understand the 643 rules which were thrown upon him. The following week when i said it was time for karate, he didn't want to go, begged me to not take him. I talked him into it that time, and i talked him into it the next few times as well.

 Saturday was Heaths 9th karate lesson and he was presented with his orange belt. Such a humongous proudness filled my entire body at that moment. I was ecstatically happy to see my little man up there being presented with something that he worked really, really hard for. And if i may say so i was also proud of myself, proud of myself for making him go and not letting him throw the towel in when it looked a little too hard.

Today was his first karate tournament and he got up in front of big crowds and did things that he has never even practiced before, did he win? .. no. .. Did he even get it right? .. no. Did he make me the proudest Mummy in the wide, wide, world? Hells yeah. Words couldn't even begin to describe how proud i am ..

Stopping to enjoy the rain

We recently took the children to the 'Enchanted Maze' at Arthurs Seat. The weather prediction was a few showers so along with the picnic lunch i packed an umbrella, for 'just in case' .. in hindsight, it's a shame i didn't think to pack 7 or 8 umbrellas, as it didn't shower a few times, it poured from the moment we got there, until the moment we left. The 'stresser' in me wouldn't normally allow the children out in the rain, but we had planned this day and a little (or a lot) or rain wasn't going to stop us enjoying it. I think the beauty about being a child, is that things like rain excite you, especially when your parents are actually letting you play in that rain, not only are they letting you, but they are ENCOURAGING you to do so. And i think the beauty in being a parent, is that when you see your children enjoying something so much, you cant help but slow down a little and enjoy it yourself too.

There was soooooo, so much to do and see in these gardens, there were the small mazes, the huge mazes, the enchanted gardens and then there were all the small things, like a beach hut at the end of a pier, a sand pit, a bridge here and there ..

From the minute we got there, after the children got used to the fact that we were indeed getting out of the car in the rain and we would indeed be walking and exploring in that rain, they were in such a rush. I reminded Heath a trillion times that we had all day and he didn't need to run, if we walked slowly we would see more. After a while he got the hang of it and started pointing out all the different things he could see.

Roxiee .. well, she was just Roxiee. She was just excited that this place had puddles which she could splash in and send people running in the opposite direction when she did so.
Not only did it have puddles, but it also had mud .. lots of mud. I really don't think she payed attention to much at all aside from the rain, the puddles, the mud and the pure joy in doing something we wouldn't normally do. And THIS is what i loved so much about our day in the rain, it was fun. And for the most part, i wasn't overly stressed about the fact that we were all dripping wet and freezing cold, i was able to enjoy this time and know that the cold/wet wasn't going to cause any of us to die an early death, and therefor it wasn't important.

.. im pretty sure i have the worlds greatest kids

It occured to me tonight as i had a movie night with my kids, just how much Saturday nights and their meaning have changed. Saturday nights used to have a whole new meaning, and although they have had a complete makeover and transformation i have to admit, i LOVE my new Saturday nights. They are much like my Mondays, very similar to Sundays and a whole lot like all the days inbetween and i wouldnt change it for the world. Shrek Forever after, it goes for around 90 minutes, and tonight for me, that meant 90 minutes of the most precious cuddles in the world from both of my adorable children as we snuggled on a make shift bed in the playroom. Im pretty sure i really do have the worlds greatest kids.

corruption in a kinder registration process

So, it's really not a big deal but it HAS really bugged me. Lastnight i lined up with the rest of the kinder parents to register our children and choose the sessions and thus the teacher that would be teaching our children next year. It was a first in best dressed situation so i arrived an hour before the doors opened as i REALLY needed the 'apple' sessions, and REALLY wanted Kaye to be Heaths teacher for the year. Many people had arrived 3 hours before me, also keen to make sure they secured the places they wanted, this was SERIOUS business to those of us that had preferences! But what bugged me, is the lady who lined up directly behind me, we got chatting and she took great joy in telling me that her best friend is the president of the parent committee and she had tried to cheat the system so her friend wouldnt have to line up with the rest of us, but she wasn't able to do it. Within minutes this friend arrived and chatted with her friend in the line briefly before dissapearing inside, only to come back out minutes later with some paperwork (not very cleverly hidden) under her arm, she stood directly in front of me, with her back to me and said to her friend in a manner which reminded me of primary school secretiveness .. "I need to show you something in my car" .. and with that the 2 ladies dissapeared for a few minutes, leaving her husband and 2 children still standing behind me in the line. When the mum and friend returned, the president of the committee returned inside to her duties, and the mum .. well she gathered her husband and her 2 children and returned to the warmth of her house, having her childs place secured already, ahead of the rest of us who were all lining up as the letter instructed us, in the freezing cold, drizzling weather ..

Am i wrong to let this bug me? .. i find it frustrating as to ME, this was a big deal .. i needed these sessions, and i NEEDED this teacher as i dont just let anybody be in charge and responsible for my children. So THIS was my first experience of the 'kinder mums' .. i wonder what the year shall bring .. can't wait!!!

hello .. i guess ..

My own blog. I feel like i'v just moved into my very own house, for the very first time. Having a blog is a big step, a very big step, well, for me it is. Im not a talker, i don't tend to talk about feelings for some strange reason. And when i say 'feelings' i also mean the good feelings, ie: i find it hard to tell someone how much they mean to me. I dont know why i struggle with this but i do. If you love someone, tell them .. right? Or if a friend is really important to you and inspires you or has a big impact on your life, tell them .. right? Yeah, no .. it's just not me and it makes me feel uncomfortable to TRY express these feelings, but at the same time, it makes me uncomortable to NOT express these feelings. I mean seriously, if i said to a good friend "you have helped me through hard times, and i appreciate that' would they roll about the floor laughing? YES, i believe they would, because they know it's not me to talk like that. Id much prefer throwing a pancake at them and hoping they interpreted that as "you have helped me through hard times and i appreciate that" .. and to be 110% honest i feel terribly uncomfortable right now because i have put some feelings into words and as long as i dont hit the delete button, i will be publishing this for other people to see ..

I dont know quite why it matters so much to me what other people think, i think it's because i am so often misinterpreted, people often mistake my shy-ish mannerisms as rude, or snobby .. or even disinterested. I dont think im any of the above, i dont think im shy, i dont think im overly rude and i certainly dont think im snobby. I think im well balanced and i quite like the person i am on most occasions.

Anywho, i had no plan of what i was going to write for my very first, and opening blog .. all the above just sort of spilled out. I'v re-read it several times and im almost certain that i wont delete, this is the start of a new me .. a more .. expressive one! So if you dont have a pancake flying at your head dont be alarmed, it may just mean that im going to start telling you how i feel .. maybe!