Archive / November, 2011

I am so emo I could eat the world, like Jimmy…

I am sitting here, trying to read the iBOT posts the lovely and extraordinary Jess from Diary of a SAHM hosts every Tuesday.  And I am so grateful to her for doing something that I know is a lot of effort.  Because she loves to.

And then in my bloggy wanderings I saw this by Gemma from My Big Nutshell, and she wants us all not to be concerned.  She is going to be ok and is slowly and surely returning.  And despite how she must be feeling and her family obligations, her husband spent 20 minutes on the phone to me this morning explaining something that must seem so simple to him (because he is an expert), because I have my first uni exam for this course tomorrow, and I am slowly but surely freaking out.

Not in a “oh my god, I am going to fail this exam” kind of way.  Although there is a bit of that.  I am freaking out in a “why am I doing this?” kind of way.

Why have I added something that is so much pressure and so much stress just for one unit a study period? I am already overloaded just being mum to these kids, as hard as that might be to believe.  And you all know how I feel about being labelled a super mum.  And how I don’t believe in super mums at all.  And how it still seems like I mostly have it together.

And I’m just wondering if I really have it all together, why do I keep searching for more?

Why does this blog matter so much? Why do I put so much effort into it? Why, at the moment, do I resent it just a little bit?

And why does studying matter? Is it really about finding a better life for my family once I have finished studying and can go back to work? About providing my family with financial security and giving my husband a chance at doing something different to a job that he is so exhausted of and by?

Or is it selfish? Am I wasting my time, my family’s time, and other people’s time (like Mr. Nutshell’s)?  Is it really worth it or in the end am I just going to end up back at Woolies – a university drop out who couldn’t handle a Bachelor of Arts, and now a Bachelor of Technology?

I’m not doubting my ability.  The truth is I know that whatever I put my mind to, and throw myself into, I can achieve.  I’m a freak like that.  It sounds arrogant but it’s the truth.  If I want something to work it will.  If I can’t be bothered, or go into something half assed, then it will not happen.  It’s that simple.

So I know this is all achievable.  This is all possible.

But I don’t even know if this is what I want, how I want it, or whether my very breath is draining my family and loved ones resources.

And then there is this blog.  It’s a bit like being a celebrity, blogging.  You GOTTA take the good with the bad.  And the negative reactions or the low stats, they are like the paparazzi, getting in your face.  But your content? Your readers?  Your comments? They are your work.  What you share with the world! Your music, your films, your art – your writing.

For me, I just want to share.  I want people to know what I am going through.  I want people to look at what I write and say: “Yeah, been there” or “yep, I get that”.  Or I want them to laugh, be taken away from their mundane as I share mine (I know, the irony, right??). And when you get that – that is completely overwhelming because you’ve actually reached someone.  Anna Millie at Confessions of a Psychologist wrote about Starfish today, and can you believe, I just want to reach people – one starfish at a time.

Today I have studied for an exam.

I have had four coffees, two Coke Vanilla Zeroes, about fifty glasses of water.  I’ve eaten not much, but I did have a chocolate muffin and it was bloody delicious, even if it was about a zillion calories.

I have cuddled tired and sore children, fed them, changed them and taken one to the toilet numerous times.  Just so she can check it’s still there.

I have talked to my husband and dealt with my own aching and throbbing ears and headache.

I have put my clothes in the dryer in the middle of the summer, because the humidity is clinging to me more than my monkey babies do and the clothes will not dry.

I have tried to do the dishes three times and been interrupted every. single. time.  I have given up.

I have had my feelings hurt and possibly hurt other’s feelings.  I have given kisses and made phone calls that possibly have made people’s day (especially Mr. Nutshell – I just know he liked my heavy breathing as much as his wife does).

I have mended wounds.  And attended to my own.

All just today.

I’m not a super mum.  I’m a person.  And lately I feel like everyone is just as tired, overwhelmed, overworked and over-emotional as I am.  It seems that is just part of being  a person now.  And I’m finding that hard to accept.  I don’t have any answers.  Just lots of questions. Please God, don’t let Roo hit the “why” phase just yet…

My entry to this week’s 52 week Project with Fiona at My Mummy Daze. I have been spending inordinate amount of time doing this.  I don’t know how I look to you (I’ve been finding people think I’m a bit psycho or stressed in pics that were taken at calm times), but that moment to me was a point this week where I just stopped, cuddled, and bloody enjoyed it.

Over the two weeks of Christmas and New Year I will be taking a Bloggy break.  Instead of new and exciting posts, I will be scheduling re-runs.  Just like on the TV.

If you have a favourite post you’d like to see again, please let me know in the comments (something along the lines of: “that one where you…”) and I’ll save you the trouble of searching through my archives.

Also, after Christmas, due to Blogger being a total bully, I will be removing my Google Friends Connect widget on the sidebar before they remove it for me in March.  It’s a bit sad because I was happy and excited that I’d reached 200 members. If you follow me on Google Friends Connect, I would LOVE it if you could like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or Subscribe to Daisy Roo and Two via email.  I’m going to be starting the new year with a new attitude, a fresh outlook and a whole bunch of exciting and interesting features**.  Minus Google Friend Connect thanks bastards.

**I may or may not be lying about the new features.  That could just be a line to grab your attention and keep you coming back.  I am not lying about the Google Friends Connect thing. Seriously.

Dear Santa, do you want milk, or beer?

Because if I were you, I’d want beer.

Just sayin’.

We live in Orstrayya according to Roo.

So I’m hoping you brought your shorts and singlet.

And enjoy that beer we leave in the fridge for you.

On the mantel will be a PRETEND, WOOLLEN knitted drink of milk and cookies.  A nice friend gave them to me in a secret santa (yes, it’s called identity theft, get over it, Santa).  DON’T EAT THOSE. Just go to the fridge, grab yourself a cold one.

DO NOT EAT THESE. Roo tried already.  NOT tasty, she will assure you.

Now, while you are relaxing, here’s my list for this year…

1. Santa, I love you and all, but do you think you could actually do a bit more around the house for me?  I mean, you show up, you drink our beer, you leave presents under the tree but you NEVER help clean up the mess you and your reindeers make.  I know it sounds ungrateful, but come ON! I have enough to do!

2. Santa, could you tell Rudolph to keep it down on Christmas Eve? Good, because I have THREE kids, all of them needing their sleep DESPERATELY, and we have a tin roof.  Keep your landing to a minimum of decibels, and I shall leave TWO beers ready – one for you and one for Rudolph.  But remember, drink driving is not cool.  I can only imagine how dangerous drink sleigh-flying would be.  So take it slow, take it easy and I hope Mrs. Claus gave you a portable breathalyser for Christmas.  I’m assuming you celebrate your Xmas in July, seeing as December is your busy season…

3. If you could provide lots of smiles, giggles and joy on Christmas Day, I don’t think I could ask you for anything more.  I MIGHT even let you off cleaning duty.  I want nothing more than to see my gorgeous babies smile at the gifts we (let’s face it, it’s  a collaborative effort) give, the paper, the boxes and all that food!!!

Now, if you please, Jess at Diary of A Sahm tagged me to send you this letter and I’m going to send you to five more bloggers that need their list to get to you as well.

Could you go over and check if Robyn has had her baby yet? If so, make sure you take the new gorgeous squishy a present too!

Could you see if Kate needs a hug, or a beer also?

When you get to Penny’s, she’ll probably help you check your reindeers are all happy and healthy and ready to continue flying.

Give Fiona my love, and also give her 1000 Facebook likers.

Tell Lolly to not eat too such sugar this Christmas.  Or to eat as much as she likes.

Oh Santa, one more thing…

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

That’s How I Roll (with my blogroll)

This week I’ve got some beauties to share with you and switch up my blogroll a bit!

Remember, every week I am going to be changing my blog roll, and choosing the 10 blogs that I am reading and loving the most right now! There are so many, so I figure this will never get old (for me that is!)

The idea is for me to describe the blog and why I love it in one word, and for you to click through and see why! So share the bloggy love and let me know in the comments who are your faves right now!

Bright and Precious - insightful

Jolene’s Mumbo Jumbo - #singitbaby (hashtags and hyphenated words are totally counting as one word).

My Little Drummer Boys - soul-quenching

NeeSay: The Menagerie and Me – star!

Writing Without Pay - wordsmith

Confessions of a Psychologist - honest

Mummy Issues: Part 2 - authentic

Everything Is Edible - #sayitsister

The Country Life Experiment - #treechange

Slightly More Depth Than A Teaspoon – #getthatbabyoutofherbelly

I am aware that all the hashtags imply that I find it incredibly difficult to explain why I like a blog in one word…

 

Friday Night Off? Yes please!

Sometimes, it all gets a bit too much for me.  And I feel like I need a break.

Sometimes, a certain movie about werewolves, vampires and a silly girl with a death wish (literally) is released at the cinema.

And sometimes, with that in mind, I make a point of visiting My Bestie Amelia in Canberra (an hour and a half away) to attend said movie.

Usually, I drag the whole family with me (Pal is my chauffeur and the children my entourage), Pal and Uncle Brettie babysit all six kids between them, Roo trashes Sissy’s room and everyone ends up overtired and cranky.  The boys scream all the way home after dinner and we all fall in a heap of overtired and stressed emotion when we get home.

It’s a totally typical Family Day Out.

Considering I was already feeling very over it.  And Roo had been banned from My Bestie Amelia’s house without adequate adult supervision**, My Bestie Amelia suggested she would meet Pal in Yass and we could do a handover.

Like when I was a kid and my parents would drive to a halfway point and hand over my brother and I for weekends with Dad.

Only more fun.

** (Pal) + (iPhone) = inadequate adult supervision

Also, I had this little beauty in my possession, and seeing as there is no Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar in my town, Canberra is the closest and I SO wanted some pizza and to put my HEP (healthy eating plan) on hold until I got home the next day.

And on hold the HEP go…

We ate.  And ate.  And ate.  And ate.  And then remembered there was still dessert left for when we got home from drooling over the Twilight Hotties seeing Breaking Dawn.

The children enjoyed their kids meals (which, for a kid-size pizza that would happily feed me, and a juice, was only $7.50, is a steal to keep your kids happy and still be able to eat the spicy/nommy/DON’T TOUCH THIS KIDS, IT’s MINE Upper Crust Pizzas).  You could even say we achieved Dinner Peace with Pizza (too corny and obvious, probably.  But they gave me free PIZZA!!!!).

To be honest, I was totally blown away with how generous the servings of salad and dessert were (one dessert fed two children.  Happily.  And there was so much chicken in the Caesar Salad that if I’d added a bit of lettuce it literally would have fed my family of five for dinner). I thought that they might be a bit stingy because I had a voucher, or even use the less quality chicken or something.  Not a chance.

I was so impressed! The kids had a fabulous time watching the pizzas be made at the pizza bar while we waited for our (huge) order and the staff at the Belconnen Crusty Pizza were fabulous and fun.

If I lived near a Crust Pizza it is totally possible that I would be having Friday nights off cooking dinner every week.

After dinner, we went to the movie, gutsed ourselves on Maltesers and Jubes (as you do), made ourselves feel better by drinking water and not soft drink and all round had a fabulous time.  Even if My Bestie Amelia had a superstar Hollywood moment and insisted on wearing her sunglasses in the movie theatre.  (This may or may not be because her prescription glasses fell out of her bag before we even left the house, and without her prescription sunnies she couldn’t actually tell the difference between Edward and Charlie)…

Now, down to the nitty gritty…

Do you want to win a Friday Night Off?

Yes, I thought you might!

You will receive:

1 X DVD to watch after dinner

1 X Pack of Uno cards (FUN with a capital F!)

A Friday Night Off Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar Voucher which includes:

2 Upper Crust Pizzas, 2 Kids Meals, a Salad, 4 Desserts and a Soft Drink (1.25lt) at any crust store.

 To win, fill out the form below (Rafflecopter is fun!) and tell me what you would do with a Friday Night Off in the comments!


Aussie Giveaway Linky
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