The stork is fluffing his feathers.

But it's not for me. My sister is due to have her third baby after Christmas. And since the day she had that second pink line, you know the one? That leaves you with goodbumps on your skin and a flutter in your heart?

That's the one.

I've been thinking, dreaming, searching, and living - baby sprinkles. And I was chuffed that she wanted me to throw this afternoon tea in her honor.

And so now that uni is finished and I have time to spare. I have been creating.

And with the help of my beautiful friend, I hope to make this day a lemony, sunshiny and beautiful day full of celebration and joy, all in anticipation of a new life we can't wait to welcome here with us.

And while I created, the kids wrote to Father Christmas.

Tilly wants Darcy for Christmas..after I explained that she already has Darcy, she wrote for a rabbit.

Ahem.

And she wants an Iplog, even though that was followed with 'What's an Iplog'? Good question kid.

Darcy wants a lego train, a dvd and a DS game. But he's thought of a thousand things since, so there might be another letter to Father Christmas in the works.

I love having time on my hands. And how much do you love this sunshine!

xx

Sleepover!

Nothing screams School Holidays more than a sleepover. Don't you think? Tonight it was my niece and nephew, Dante and Tess. The one and only victims of our sleepovers. I still feel we're all a little young to do 'outside of the family' sleepovers.

They scare me.

After many hours spent on the trampoline, creating quite amazing games actually, it was inside for tea. This time - Tessa's favourite. Mashed potato and meat pie. It turns out, Dante doesn't like mashed potato, so I've promised chips next time.

Chips fixes everything.

I added salad to the meal for my benefit. Do you know it's going to be sunny and warm next week? Time to get rid of the extra 'padding' I acquired to get me through the winter.

Then we assembled the beds, and the kids watched a movie. "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" to be exact, thanks to my brother in law, Ben, who made an emergency trip to the DVD shop for me.

Didn't they used to have home delivered movies? That was cool.

 Of course, what's a sleepover without rough housing on the beds!

Earlier in the day, Tilly and I did some 'craft'. Aren't I just the school holidays mum of the year...

Aren't I?

On today's list was mini cake bunting.... I am planning my sisters baby shower which will be in December and am trialling a few ideas to include in the day. This is one of them.

Makes a very cute little cake topper....I haven't quite mastered it, but for a first attempt - it's not bad!

I'm not a real crafty mum. I just pretend.

Earlier in the day, before the sleepover commenced, Tilly and Darcy decorated the backyard for me. Pegs on the lemon tree was the biggest hit.

Apparently.

Darcy has promised me he'll remove them before, well, Christmas. Because otherwise Father Christmas might mistake the lemon tree, decorated with pegs, plastic pegs, for the Christmas Tree. And leave all the presents outside.

And to think, all these years I could have decorated our tree with pegs and the kids would have thought it was, well, Christmas.

Don't you honestly just love that about kids?

Later in the day, when the big kids were playing big kids games. Tilly came inside as a pig. I'm not kidding. She just kept snorting and snuffling at me. It looked a little something like this.

 Isn't she beautiful?

And as they lay watching movies and falling asleep in the loungeroom, in pure, sleepover bliss. I indulged myself with a pile of catalogues and bit of ABC Tv. 

I'm not being funny. I love catalogue day. I save it up for quiet moments like these!

 Shut up.

And just to end off this post, a picture of mine, Jenny's and my sister, Sarah's kids. This was taken on Tuesday when we all trekked down to Normanville for the day. In sights were sandy beaches, long walks, sandcastles and a trip to the reservoir.

In reality it was rain, $18.50 fish and chips, and Jenny, Sarah and I huddled under a gazebo whilst the kids played on a ramp. Funnily enough though, and again it's why I just love kids, they had the best time ever. Playing. On a ramp. But it had high, sloped and muddy sides, and hidey holes underneath. It was kid heaven and a muddy bum. 

I love school holidays x

What do you do on a day like today?

Friday, September 3rd. It was a day that looked like this. At lunchtime. Obviously, Winter has failed to get the hint that his time is over. He's sitting there, stubbornly, refusing to move over. It's quickly turning into one of those embarrassing moments; the other season are standing in the corner, whispering "I wish he would just give it away, it's humiliating". It will take him years to recover from this kind of shameful display.

He gave it to us in true, winter style too. Maybe displaying his bitterness at having to move over and hand the sceptre over to Spring.

But, despite it being a student free day and having two extra kids roaming the house, it was quite an enjoyable day. So what do you do with four kids inside, while a storm rages outside?

Firstly, you light a fire. Warmth is important for happy people.

You then trek out in the weather to the local fish and chip shop. Is there anything better than hot chips in bread, with sauce?

No. No there isn't. Except maybe hot chips in bread with sauce, on a scorcher of a day.

We put on movies with the kids. Today - Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.

It's for the kids - what?

We bake cupcakes.

And we pass around the beaters, taking it in turns to lick off the batter

I wonder why the kids tend to get sick at the same time? No idea.

There may be a little playing with pet shop toys (which are not right just quietly, have you ever seen an animal with a bouncy, giant head like that? I thought not).

Just for the record, today the animals are 'Talking to each other'. Nice.

Then we eat said cupcakes...with the hot pink icing.

After dinner (which, funnily enough, wasn't the cupcakes) it's time for bed, extra nanna rugs included on this cold, windy night.

And when all is quiet, except for the deafening wind outside. I curl up with my favourite nanna rug, warm and happy in my cosy lounge room and watch friday night tv.

I do love days like today.

What did you do?

About me: 1 of 7

One of the most important things about me is that I have a couple of these:

  

I have Darcy, six. And Matilda, three. They are almost seven and four. Seven. And Four. How? Anyway, that's a whole other post. So these little kidlings keep me busy most of the time. 

Darcy is a little man. He often says things to me like 'You are beautiful mummy' or 'You are so nice to me, making my breakfast'. It's those little things that count in life. He also notices if I buy new clothes and will always comment appropriately. I firmly believe that it is because he sees his dad do the same thing all the time. I really am lucky to have two amazing boys in my life.

Matilda is, well, me. If I had died at some point in my life, well she is me incarnate. It's really scary actually.  She has the same caring, loving side which can quickly turn evil if things don't quite work out the way she sees fit. She really is my little girl with the little curl, right down the middle of her forehead. My motherist used to say the same thing to me all the time as a little girl and now I truly know what she means. 

Together, as brother and sister, they are amazing. They get on like a house on fire. They play trains and cars, cops and robbers, mums and dads, dogs and cats. You name it, they play it. They even call each other 'hun' and 'darling'. Cute. 

 But. 

Is there anything more soul destroying than fighting? In particular kiddly, bickering, dibber dobbing fighting? I'd say not.

 except maybe working in retail..my soul is still trying to put itself back together

They fight too. A lot. But I reckon that's just kids. I still have a dent in my shin where my sister kicked me during a cat fight as (almost) teenagers. I wonder if it's too late to sue?

I also have one of these:

He's been around for almost nine years. But I can honestly say it feels like much, much less. We say it often. And we feel lucky. He really is my best friend. Half the time is spent rolling my eyes at his stupid 'Dad's joke' routines, the other, cracking up at his quirky jokes and his general bitchiness. Love this man.

We all live together in a modest little house where you will find muddy footy boots at the front door, and unfolded baskets of washing in the living room. Where you don't have to take your shoes off and where you'll more often than not be offered a 'nanna rug' for your knees. It's home. And I love it.

Stay tuned :)