Turtle Power!

"I remember when these were trendy the first time around". I may be in the minority, but I feel a bit smug saying this to my children. I love it when they love something that I love(d).

When my girls were little and very into Care Bears, they were most impressed that I had carefully preserved half-coloured in colouring in book from when I was about 10 (yes, I also realise that I am a total pack-rat. I am getting better - promise!). My love of the Care Bears may have also been the reason why they each got a Care Bear that Christmas, and why we still have them. (Ok. I do realise I still have to work on the pack rack tendencies).

A few years later, I was horrified because the girls didn't know what Smurfs were. A quick trip to the DVD shop and I rectified that gap in their pop-cultural knowledge. Sadly, they were not impressed by the cartoons. Fast forward a few years and, much to my annoyance, they were begging to take DVDs out again after the new Smurf movies were released. Pixie may have informed me that it was different now they were cool again.

Humph. Children. Who would have them?

I was re-telling this story and some genius decided to say my time would have been better off introducing them to Shakespeare. I did point out that I had that covered already, and that I was aiming for well-rounded children, and that sharing my 80's childhood was important. Perhaps not my finest moment, but true!

I also gave the girls my precious Princess Ringlet (who had a rainbow mane and a "growing" tail), when they loved My Little Pony and were old enough to not wash her or cut her hair or leave her outside.

My most recent conversion has been the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT for those of you old enough to remember).

I took Tink and the Pixie to see them at the drive-ins. Buglet didn't wan to go. This was a great plan that did not pan out. The drive-ins reached maximum capacity and closed the gate two cars before us. The girls were so good about it and didn't complain at all (plus I really wanted to see it) so we raced home (not exceeding the speed limit, obviously) and picked up Buglet (who decided she wanted to come after all), and Z (who Buglet had ended up babysitting) and made it to the real cinema to see it.

Spoiler alert: If you don't want to hear about the movie do not read the next paragraph
It was a great movie. They kept all the essential bits of the old version, and it felt "right". For the purists, the only thing I would complain about was that in this movie Splinter started off as a rat not a human. This bugged me for some reason. I loved how the fight scenes were realistic in that the turtles didn't always win against immeasurable odds. I note that someone who refers to fight scenes with Mutant Turtles as being realistic should not be taken too seriously. Would definitely recommend it to fans.

The girls loved it. Buglet (after being the one who didn't want to come) has ended up a massive fan.

At Guides last night we made these the best Christmas decorations.

My lovely co-leaders didn't tell me, because they thought that I would be the most excited person there. I was. Buglet may have been a close second though, and gave all sorts of instructions how the Pixie and were not to stuff our ones up. I was so excited that I needed to go and have a lie down to recover after making them (I am also suffering from Man Flu). So much happiness!! So very much happiness!!

Moral of the story for the children out there: When your mother tells you something from her childhood is awesome, believe her, she might just be right.

Moral for parents out there: Share those moments with your children. They might like them, or they may just humour you, and if nothing else you may have fun remembering.

Disclaimer:

• I am not qualified to give craft advice.
• I am not qualified to give advice on what is cool. Ask my friends. Ask my children.
• It is doubtful I am qualified to give parenting advice, there is still time for me to stuff up.
• I am not even allowed to give legal advice without supervision.

I would recommend finding more reliable sources for any advice of any nature.

The Top Ten

I have been tagged in one of those facebook things were you are supposed to list 10 books that have influenced me.

It is no secret that I love to read, and I am often asked for book recommendations. I have been meaning to do a post on my most favourite ever books for ages so this facebook "challenge" seems like the perfect time.

These are my fail-safe books. The books I return to time and time again, just because I love them. Please note I use the term "books" broadly; I have cheated a bit to refer to authors and series where I just can't distinguish.

Some of the adult book selection.
Featuring:
Chick lit, Janet Evanovich, Clive Cussler, vampire, horror, and Virginia Andrews

So here goes (in no actual order) ....

Can you keep a secret? - Sophie Kinsella  I love this book. I laughed until I cried the first time I read it. And the second. And actually a few times after that. I only very rarely buy other people books,  it is such a personal thing, but this is one I have bought for multiple people. To quote my sister "I turned into one of those people you see at the airport reading and laughing to themselves". Pure chick lit and it is awesome.

Mists of Avalon - Marian Zimmer Bradley No idea where I got this book from, but it is one of the books I always take me when I go away. Mist of Avalon is an Arthurian story from a female position. I love Arthurian books but this is my favourite. It is part of a series too.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea  - Jules Verne A childhood favourite. No idea why this particular book appeals to me so much, but it does.

Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll  I love Alice in Wonderland too, but this one is on my top ten. Another childhood favourite.

The Ancient Future - Traci Harding I bought this book with a voucher I won as a prize in Year 12. I read it and re-read it and was beyond excited fourish years later when I discovered it was the first of two trilogies. Be warned! The sequels are different to the original, but very good. The first book is historical fantasy (a genre I love), the second a cross between fantasy and science fiction, and the third is science fiction.

Harry Potter  (Books 1 to 4) - JK Rowling I read these before the movies, and while I enjoyed all the books, the first four are the only ones that make my top list. For me, I think the series lost some of its magic when it became too adult. That said, I have read all the books probably once a year since I first started reading them (or since they were published for the later books). Buglet loves them. (Tink has never had any interest in reading them. Pixie started but I think has only read the first couple.)

Light a Penny Candle - Maeve Binchy I don't know if this is my favourite just because it was my first? I love all her books. Even the short stories and I don't usually like short stories. Mum introduced me to Maeve Binchy books to me in my early teens and they have remained a firm favourite ever since with me and my (adult) sisters.

Marion Keyes Picking favourite book written by Marion Keyes would be like picking a favourite child; it would depend on my mood. And it would be mean.

Abbey Girl (series) EJ Oxenham and The Chalet School (series) Elinor M. Brent-Dyer The beginning of my love for early 20th century girls' school stories. I have collected them since I was 8 (and moved on from Enid Blyton) and they are my fail safe comfort distraction when I am sick and tired and can't think.

The Magic Faraway Tree (series) - Enid Blyton I refused to read anything other than Enid Blyton until I was about 7. This series and all the school series would have to be my favourite, and have been loved by the girls too ....

...... One of my happiest parenting moments ....

*pick Buglet up from school one day in Year 1*

Buglet: Mummy! Daddy! Do you know Moonface, Silky, and the Saucepan Man?
DB: Huh?
Me: Yes, yes I do. And I love them.

Moments like that are priceless. I don't know who was happier, me or Buglet. If this does not make sense to you, read The Magic Faraway Tree!!!

Bonus extras: The Divergent series, the Hunger Games series, Jodi Picoult, Nicola Thorne, Robin Cook, Dan Brown, Diana Gabaldon, Piers Anthony, the Percy Jackson books ..... have I mentioned that we love to read?!

Current I-am-so-happy-that-my-girls-love-to-read moment: Tink informed me that she finished the book that she got out of the library on Monday morning, but she is keeping it until next Monday so that I can read it too.

My childhood favourites (ok, and the girls' books too).
Half-filled from when I was re-doing the girls' playroom.

Manic Monday (aka Part 1 of 'This is how I do it')

As someone who balances work, paid and unpaid, family and study if I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "I don't know how you do it" I would be very rich and could possibly retire. I would also be very rich if I had a dollar for every time I had heard "starting them young", but that is a whole other blog post.

I got an email from my lecturer  today saying how close we were to finishing. This would have been much more encouraging if she hadn't have listed all the things we have left to do, but it is still nice that she cares.

As after an adult life time of being asked how I do it, and never having a good answer except "caffeine, napping and an amazing disregard for housework", I decided I would actually write down how I do it. To be fair, "caffeine, napping and an amazing disregard for housework" does help significantly, but it does take a little more than that. One day I might need to prove to the girls how impressive I was, and how much I am here when they complain about absent parenting (so far so good as previous posts will show). I am also thinking that writing it down will serve as a reminder about how hard it is, so I don't go back to study before the girls are self-sufficient. Don't worry, I will spread this out over the next few weeks, so you aren't all totally bored.

Mornings
Today my alarm was set for 5.30am, I had intended to get to work early. Not to mention Monday is supposed to be one of my dog walking mornings and I am supposed to get up at 5am, but I was up late last night, I need some sleep, my back hurts I am great at making excuses ..... This would be more convincing if I hadn't had spent the snooze time contemplating how I feel like I've had more sleep if I wake up around the 2am mark (not unusual for me), because if I go back to sleep easily it feels like I've had two nights sleep. Early morning musings don't actually have to make sense.

I actually got up at 6.15am and ran around frantically.

Wins: having change for the girls to donate to some thing at school, having my clothes ready the night before, and remembering to have breakfast (I do try and eat breakfast at home to set a good example).

Fails: Not remembering what it is the girls are donating money towards, Tink telling me she needed money for the train home as I ran out the door (thanks to my mother for sorting this one), and being yelled at by the Pixie for being grumpy at her when she wouldn't get out of bed.

Could go either way: Not getting a seat on the train. Winning 'cos it means I can read a fun book; failing 'cos I can't study (personally I count this as a win because I have a bad attitude towards study).

The Day
I made it to work by 7:30am. This is a massive bonus because it is my busiest time of the year.

Wins: Remembering to buy white out after Pixie put a reminder in my phone. Organising lunch with a girlfriend next week, getting a whole agenda drafted. Sorting out for the big two to go on camp during the school holidays. Remembering to text a few people about random things. Leaving the office at 5.40pm and making it to the train on time.

Fails: A panicked phone call to Mum when I realised I hadn't heard from either her or the girls after school today. The number of phone calls I have to make tomorrow. Forgetting to do some Guide stuff. Stuffing my friend around working out a day I could do lunch.

The Entourage after school
On Mondays Mum picks the girls up from school and another friend who lives near us to ferry them all to confirmation classes (well except the Pixie, Mum drops her off at my sister's house). I don't feel too bad about this one, partly because Mum offered, and partly because it is as important to her as it is to me that the girls get this opportunity. Plus she is driving someone else too, and I get them all home. Mum drops them at one train station, and I meet them at another.

I love my train trips home. It is the quiet zone where I transit from work-mode to home-mode and gives me very precious reading time. I don't study on the trip home so it is always fun reading time, and reading is one of the things that makes me happiest.

Wins: Waiting at the train station to meet the Entourage plus one. Not traumatising our Monday passenger  too much (he puts up with the girls quite well!). Being at the right train station (Monday is the only day I use this train line).

Evenings
I drop Buglet at her dance class, our passenger at his house, then bring my little two home. About an hour of driving gives us lots of catching up time which is sometimes nice, sometimes tiring, but it does make me feel like I am not missing out on so much! Mum feeds the children so I have a very lazy dinner (toast tonight, please don't judge me - I made sure I had a very big lunch), do some housework (I use this term loosely, but I usually get something done), shower, discuss homework and school and all those sorts of things, and pick the Buglet up at 8.30pm. Family rule is if I have to pick them up after 8pm from an activity, I get to wear pyjamas. I am the mother, I get to make the rules. I try to get there in time to watch her Buglet's last 20 minutes, and the trip home is a good chance to just talk to her. Luckily Monday night seems to have reality tv shows on which I do not like, but the girls do. This means the little two are happy, and I don't feel bad when I am doing other things.

Conversations today include Tink's badly studded leg from her soccer game yesterday, Pixie having a "man" vein in her foot (shaped like a man, not looking like it belongs to a man, it took me a while to work this out), our costumes and food and activities for Guides on Wednesdays, the fact Pixie is playing in a school sports carnival tomorrow which I am not 100% sure I knew about and which does mean I have to reorganise my usual Tuesday plans. Bonus is I will get a bit of a bit of a sleep in tomorrow!

Pick up the Buglet and shoo them all off to bed. Some nights I do housework, some nights I study, some nights I curl up on the couch to read.

Evenings all get thrown into chaos the one Monday a month I have a Guide meeting after work. An adult type Guide meeting where we do the behinds the scenes stuff for the state, not the fun unit stuff. Those nights I am very nice to Apple who usually fills in the parenting blank for me.

Tonight I have blogged (clearly!) and studied. I will be in bed by 10:30pm tonight! Tonight I am just tired.

Fail: having an assignment due on Friday, reorganising plans.

Win: Pyjamas, cuddles, Tink bringing me home muffins she made at school, and studying is much more fun with a cool pen.

Hope you all had a happy and productive Monday xxx

Happiness is the little things

I think this is especially important when you are stupidly busy.

You have to take the moments to appreciate the little things when they happen. As they say, in the end it is the little things that are really the big things (or something like that).

As I type I am enjoying a cupcake. Instant happiness.

I was given a car-warming present this week. I would like to introduce "Sir Hilton of the Paris Yaris":

He sits in my car guarding my Guide Hall keys and preventing me from putting junk there. More importantly he just makes me happy.

Yesterday was full of dramas. (If you missed the post and are interested ... click here!). But even amongst the insane stress levels I have had from every aspect of my life in the last fortnight, and really it has been one of those times where my work/personal/parenting/Guiding/study lives have all collided, there have been some magical moments.

In my adventuring with the girls in the late afternoon, we went via the carwash. Keeping Paris the Yaris in good condition is a number one family priority.

While we were sitting there Pixie decided to help me unstress.

"Sit still Mama, and pretend you're in a day spa. Look! You have Twisties and facebook".

Pixie shoves Twisties at me*.

"Look see that sign that says 'message box'. We are going to pretend it says 'massage box'. It's ok if I don't have my seatbelt in the carwash isn't Mama?"

Without waiting for a reply she proceeds to undo her seatbelt and starts massaging my shoulders.

"Now close your eyes and pretend you can hear the sound of waves at the beach. You are sitting on the beach".

Sound of the carwash changes.

"Oh listen a storm! Mama I don't like this bit. Are you still stresseled? Does that feel good?"

*Yes these were the same Twisties I had bribed her with earlier. Those Twisties really were the gift that kept on giving! Thank you Twistie Fairy.

Lesson of the week. You have to find your time-outs when and where you can get them, and remember happiness comes at the most unexpected times.

*Disclaimer*: This post was in no way sponsered by the Twistie company, but if they decide to donate Twisties to me I shall not refuse!

Wishing you all a day full of happiness and if you can't have sunshine, make sure you find your rainbow xx