Memories with the olds

I would give anything to go back thirty five years. Sitting in a cinema in Mount Gambier at the age of ten, about to watch ET for the first time. One of the few times I ever went to see a movie at the movie theatre as a child.

I don't remember if both my parents were there, I wish I had a better recollection. I do recall crying like a baby though. That little alien got me good!

via GIPHY

On Saturday night I went to the theatre to see Mamma Mia 2. My father seated on one side and my mum on the other. I never thought this would make me emotional, but it did! I realised then, that this was the first time since I was a child I had been in this situation, and it brought a tear to my eye. It happened at the beginning of the feature, and thank goodness the lights were out. Here's this weirdo with tears in her eyes at the start of a movie.

I am the oldest of five, and for the first time in 44 years, I was sitting in a theatre with my parents all to MYSELF, and it felt special. By the time I was five, I had four siblings, so alone time with just me and the olds after the age of one was pretty rare!

Well, towards the end of the movie, Mamma Mia had got me good too! That I guess, is what happens when you go to the movies in a fragile state. You get emotional at all the shit. I was doing the sly eye wipe. Dad was too, god love his precious soul. I can see where I get my big softie sook genes from.

When mum had mentioned she was going, I jumped on board quickly. This was my opportunity to get out of the house away from my husband and kids, YES! Even the checkout lady at the cheap shop was saying YES, when she heard me and mum talking about in front of her, the day before.

I am so glad I went and spent this time with my olds, doing old people shit like going out ot dinner at the RSL after a movie. I should have stayed out longer and told mum to drop me off at the pub before dropping me off at home, because it wasn't much fun coming home to a trashed house and the kids still not in bed.

You can't have it all. What I had sitting in that theatre with my mum and dad was pretty close to it though.

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What I haven't shared on social media

There's no huge scoops or secrets here. I've just been a bit quiet. School holidays, busy doing all the things and not necessarily sharing all the things.

The alarm is though set for 6:30 am for school to start and I am back to work for another term of gymnastics coaching. Totally ready.

I am forever finding photos like this on my phone. Warms my heart. Crazy kids.

Ghostly makings with tissues. 

Taking yet another requested photo. Spoilt cat. It meows at her window in the mornings to be let in. Does my head in, but in comes the cat, through her bedroom window for a quick cuddle until it realises the head chef hasn't yet served her meal.

Local library school holiday activities. Making shit that lives on the kitchen table for a week then gets thrown out. Always fun to take part in. 

Face painting. Those eyes. The girls did each other. I can't even remember what Summer did to Izzy.

This one is constantly nagging me to be more grown up than she is. In the school holidays I let her dye her hair. Not permanantly of course. She was a little miffed when this washed out in a couple of washes. I am constantly reminded how my mum waffled on about what lovely hair I had when I was young, and why would I ever dye it? Children have the most amazing highlights that we all pay a pretty penny for, to get when we're older. I can see Mums point now.

My early morning breakfasts before the people wake. Poached eggs on sour dough toast, with ricotta, feta, spinach, avocado and spring onion. It's a fave at the moment.

A friend showed Isabel how to knit. She lost interest, but it ignited that time my Gran tried to teach me. I am at knitting squares to make a blanket...

There was a party down the road, this turned up in our trees the next day. The kids had to retrieve and bring it inside. 

Joining in and sharing at Denyse Whelen's Blog for #lifethisweek

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Wattle Range Photographic competition 2018

The Wattle Range council photo competition is on again. I attended the opening, on the evening of the 6th of July at the Millicent library gallery. I've chucked a link to the librarys facebook page so you can have a look at some of the winning entries. 

There were over 400 photos entered from 74 photographers. It is wonderful to have our council area on show like this, and I believe we are the only council area in South Australia who has a competition exhibition, where photographs are used in a free council calendar.

Photographs entered must be taken within our local council area, with several categories of entry, like people, business and industry, black and white and landscape.

I didn't get any prizes for my photographs, so many amazing photographers in our region. I do enjoy entering and being a part of it. I enjoy putting my perspective of our council area in with the mix. Community is so important and I am proud of our community and what our area of South Australia has to offer. 

Photographs from the competition are chosen to feature in our local council calender for the following year. These are my entries I put in for this year. I was lucky to have a couple of photos in this years calendar, so hoping I'll see a couple of these in the 2019 calendar!

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The struggle of feeding children

Hamburgers for the win

There are but a few dishes made in my own kitchen, my children will actually happily eat. Homemade hamburgers, spag bol, hotdogs, sausage rolls and pizza. Most other things are hit and miss, mostly miss. 

Summer, my youngest announced last night that she only likes the fried rice from the shop, and Izzy had jam on toast last night for dinner. It seems 'brown' sausages' are out of favour and 'red' sausages are in.

My frustration is high and motivation waning.

I see loads of recipes online, claiming "kids will love it" or "kid friendly". WHO are these kids? 

I can't remember my son being so hard to feed. It seemed like he ate everything put in front of him and was always thankful, which is one of the things I love most about him, he always said "thanks mum". Good food memories with that one.

There were probably times when he wouldn't eat something, and if so, it's probably one of those memories that parents of older kids forget. Like childbirth. It's natures way of making us go back and do it again. It's probably why us parents persist with feeding our children, although right now, I am seriously considering outsourcing! 

Say "Yes!" to takeaway fried rice! Fill the freezer with hotdogs and pizza! 

But the mum in me is wondering where the veggie factor comes in. How do I get healthy food in? I suppose I am lucky they like fruit and raw veggies, so I guess it's up to me to start serving more of that (This might me somewhat of a lightbulb moment).

The struggle continues.....

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How will we get there? - Kindergym transport theme

I can't believe we are half way through the year, AND in week 10, the last week of Term 2 here in South Australia. 

I've survived being the sole Kindergym coach at our gymnastics club for two whole terms, and I am enjoying it so much!

When I first started planning Kindergym sessions, I had the help of my predecessor, who was great in sharing her resources and ideas. I also tried to look online for ideas, searching Kindergym themes, but there's not much out there specifically aimed at Kindergym.

With that in mind, I thought blogging some Kindergym theme ideas would be a fabulous thing to do, incase other Kindergym coaches were looking for inspiration.

Our theme for this term has been "How will we get there?". So a transport theme. Cars, trucks, trains, planes, boats and buses. Stop, go and wait. Fast and slow.

We've been cooling down at the end of sessions with Wheels on the bus, and Row, row your boat, along with our favourites Der Glumph and Open, shut them. 

Cellophane crunchy, crackly fire

Firemans ladder. I have also used an octonut in halves either end of the parallel bars to make a pirate ship.

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