Blathering

It seems I've started a habit of taking my pictures late at night, which is my excuse for the poor colours, shadows and other general crappiness. These ones aren't even the slightest bit interesting, but I figure now we have an sd card again (the other got perhaps trampled? perhaps taken apart by an inquisitive small person?) I'd better put something up.

So here, some random stuff:

The scary whatsit. Pearl gave an almighty hysterical scream the other day and was frozen in terror by a red-eyed bug that was climbing on her. Apparently "it either had two heads and four eyes, or it was two bugs, climbing on one another to make an Eiffel Tower". She drew it for us so we too could experience the full terror of the scary whatsit.

 The Scaled Dinosaur. For no reason other than I thought it was really cute, and a great picture.

 Maybe it's guarding the place, as we are packed. . . .  off on holiday tomorrow. It's going to rain. A lot. But who cares!!!! Squeeee anyway!!!

 If it's very picturesque and I get some time I might even keep this somewhat updates now that I'm a fully fledged member of the fancy phone generation. Well, not that fancy, but fancy enough for me.

I'll try to get some better pics up after this shonky effort.

Some Days

just end in tears.

The End.

New Technology

Both L10 and I both got some new technology today. As usual, I'm not enjoying mine yet. 

He, however, is pretty happy with his decision not to buy a fake security camera, not to buy a remote controlled helicopter, but to save for months and get himself his very own mp3 player. Mostly I'm filling it with science podcasts for him, so if you have a burning question about DNA. . . he's your man.

Did I. . .

blog this before? I dunno, but I didn't take any pics today, so it will have to do. And anyway that maths link is freaky interesting. Who knew that was even possible? So you really should listen to it.  I'll blog it again another day if you don't.

Why Sisters Are Awesome

Well, mine is anyway. Yesterday, when I was bemoaning being hassled about my un-smart phone, non-FB, non-twitter life, she reassured me that was okay because I was "living life properly". Ha! I thought of that today when I was the only parent at soccer practice reading an actual paper book. It was a fine place to be.

She also makes me laugh like this:

At least it wasn't FART that she added to the fridge list, although to be honest I'm tempted now - just to hear the giggles from the small people around here.

Bad Airport Selfie

Saying goodbye to Aunty Iz.

Taken moments before P7's goodbye tears struck. . . 

Secret Visitor

Squeee! Aunty Iz was up for work and came to visit us. 

Boo! She's as self-conscious as I am about pictures. So here she is looking super glam - look at those beautiful French manicured nails and those impressively square-heeled boots!

I'd pop the cute as pie pixie cut in for posterity, but she'll not let me take any more pics then, so I'm trying to be restrained.

Husband

Cuteness From P7

This morning
* Muuuuum, the computer is running out of battery powder!

Tonight
*P7 (being tucked into bed): What day is it today?
Me: It's Sunday.
P7: Yay. It's free choosing day!
Me: For sleeping games?
P7: Yes. Usually there is a selected order, but on Sunday I can play any one I like when I go to sleep. I'm going to do the one where I'm the fairy queen and it's my birthday.

Thank goodness for free choosing day. No worries about self-discipline with this one.

She lost a tooth today too. If P7 is consistent about one thing, it's her reluctance for goodbyes. They just kill her. Mornings at school, birthday party drop offs, airports - they all give her the collywobbles. And so it was that tonight she asked for the tooth to put under her pillow, but first she had to kiss it goodbye. She almost baulked, then she remembered she was going to get it back, thanks to my previous lies. So it got a kiss and a loving "I hope you have a good holiday with the fairies, and I'll see you soon." And then she really showed her empathy by saying "And say goodbye to the place where you came from" and she shoved the tooth BACK INTO THE GAP!! Presumably so that it could have a final moment with its toothy friends. Ewwww. But very kind.

Playing Minecraft

I took this pic yesterday, because as I walked up the stairs and saw L10 engrossed in Minecraft, hiding out on our bed to escape the family noise, I just thought he looked so delicious I had to run back down and grab the camera. Something about the concentration and the colours and his disheveled hair

 and the ginormous feet that he is still growing into.

Book Parade Day

I love book parade day! I'm just a little nostalgic that this year it's the last one that both of my children will be part of. *sniff* Still, I reckon they rocked it, so I've blogged far too many pictures:

And walking through the streets with the school:

This Is How Dull My Week Has Been

Seriously. A picture of my new socks. Runner's socks. I'm trying to stay inspired, but I'm already bored of it. I've run for 9 days. I'm sure I'm doing my knee in. I bought a pedometer and it depressingly told me I can run for about 1.3km* before it hurts and I call it quits, which is pretty tragic. I also read that it can take about 18 months before you get the runner's epiphany endorphins. I don't think I can wait that long.

I like my floor though. In its own banged up way.

*To clarify, that's one point three. It looks like 13 in this blog font. I wish.

Chinny Chin Chin

L10 spends hours reading in kind of weird, hunched up, Gollum-like positions, and apart from his gammy back (I know! at ten! poor boy, there's no hope for him but to follow in the gammy-back family tradition) he always suffers from reader's chin. A kind of sore red dry patch right on the end that never really goes away. It bothered him so much tonight that we fashioned a wee chin cushion out of some old socks. Ewww. But I hope it works anyway.

Two Things I Have Discovered In The Last 24 Hours

When I am (youthful, slim, gorgeous and) insanely rich I shall buy all my clothes from

Bettie Monroe

So beautiful.

And I shall buy a million pairs of

Atheist Shoes

because I can. Especially the ones labelled 'candy testicle' because how good is that for a colour choice?

A Little Preparation

Usually the Book Parade is sprung on me and it's all a bit of a hurried mish mash, but for some reason this year my children have given plenty of warning and even decided fairly firmly which characters they are going to be, with a good week to spare. The chainmail for L10's Frodo is all knit up, and Bunce brought around a bunch of metal and leather bits and bobs to complete the sides.

I practiced the green Bad Jelly face P7 wanted and experimented with wart application (a bubble wrap bubble)

 and she practiced looking decidedly evil.

But the most fun I had was putting together the sack full of Tim and Rose, or as she wanted it labelled, the 'ingredients for boy-girl soup'. 

Heh. Now I've given away all the fun bits my Friday post is going to be much more dull.

Running

I'm not good at undertaking sensible, big things, but I'm okay at making myself do one small thing every day, as long as it really is every day, so I don't get in the habit of excuses.  Like blogging for instance. 

For the last six days, I've been a runner. The first day I ran for about four minutes before reaching gasping stage. On the up side, I'm twice as good as that already. Once it hurts, I stop though, and that's it. I'm not really into suffering.

42kms ain't gonna happen.

From Lovely Nicci

This is Helen's Rolled Oat Fudge which is awesome because it has no flour, no sugar and needs NO COOKING! High five that. 

Helen's Rolled Oat Fudge

In large pot (stovetop) or glass bowl (microwave) melt together:

180g butter

4T honey

2T cocoa or carob powder

Add:

3C rolled oats (decrease if you add optional extras)

1C sultanas/currants/raisins/diced prunes

1C coconut

2/3C skim milk powder

Walnuts/sunflower seeds/sesame seeds etc. optional (decrease rolled oat quantities accordingly)

Only TBH I have been eating lots of weetbix slice too, which has lots of flour, oodles of sugar and is covered in chocolate. But let's just blog the healthier one eh?

This. . .

is why I'm taking P7 to the WOW in October. She got herself ready for school this morning looking like this:

Even scarier, this is how she posed when I asked for a picture:

Check that pout!

Making Chainmail

Finally I have managed to find a way to get L10 to nag "Mum, get back to your knitting!"

Fibre

Just started to get back into some spinning

and now L10 has asked for some knitted chainmail for book parade next week. Eep!

Puzzle Time

OMG what was I thinking?

Redhead Horrorshow

What with all the chocolate around at the moment, P7 has forgotten to fritter all her pocket money on sweets, so she had enough to spend it on. . . . this shocker:

It's actually for her Bad Jelly costume for book parade, but she's enjoying being a curly auburn bombshell meantime. This photo has had no fiddling - I'm shocked and slightly horrified at how completely plastic-dolly she looks.