Sentimental Attachments

Isn't it funny?..The sentimental attachments we develop for our possessions. For me, in this particular case, it was my Nanna's dining table setting. My Mother recently told me that Nanna bought this table second hand when she was young, sanded it back and did it up.....hmm, must run in the family then. I didn't know that little tid-bit originally. My mother and her siblings grew up around this table and then me, my brother and cousins also grew up around it. I remember crawling under it and playing through the weirdly angled legs when i was really little while all my Aunties and Uncles congregated above. My Poppa would sit at "The Head" of the table, as was the custom and My Nanna would sit on the side and I would always try to score the seat between them, to enjoy Nanna's Cooking. We all know Nanna's cooking. It is the best. I remember my cousin used to tell her, "Nanna, you make the best tinned spaghetti." and he'd get this silly grin on his face. It sounded so nuts, we'd all laugh but she had that little extra touch that made everything taste better. She really was a great Nanna. When i scored that wicked position between Nanna and Poppa, i remember Poppa would always distract me, he would tap me on the shoulder, "Look, Whats that over there?" he would say and point across the house. When i would look, he would pinch all my yummy baked potatoes. It would take me a few seconds but when i clued on, i would look at him and he would be silently laughing just waiting for me to click on......Its just such a fond memory. Cheekiness is definitely a strong family trait and it comes from BOTH sides of my family so I never had a chance.
Anyway. Sometime after my Grandparents had passed, I, thanks to my mother was lucky enough to gain possession of this table. We were just starting out and really needed a dining setting. All the memories came flooding back and i was so sentimental about it, it was surreal that it was in my house.
A few years has passed and the sentimental novelty had worn off, a few chairs have gone and the ones that remain are not being used anymore because they are so uncomfortable. The angle from the chair to the seat was 90deg and they were rock hard. We decided we needed a bigger table and decided to sell it. We bought a new, much bigger table and suddenly had a huge storage problem, I checked with my family and it was good to go. so I put it up for sale. SOLD! Ok, finally we will get some space back i thought. The guy comes to pick it up and as he loads it into his car, I lost it. It crept up on me, i wasn't even thinking about it. But it just crept into my thoughts as i watched him tying it down, "that was my table, I grew up around that. My mum did too", and i just cry.
Look i'm not some insane whack job honest. Let me make this clear, i wasn't on my hands and knees begging the guy not to take my table... Screaming out "Whhhhyyyy, Why did i do this!!!??" It was a silent trickle of a few tears that just crept up on me, i said goodbye to the guy and went into the backyard. My husband came out, having heard little sniffles and asked me what was wrong. I just looked at him and laughed. It was a touch embarrassing i'll admit. He just realised on his own and gave me this look like OMG (you know like when you're caught crying in a movie). He reached out a pulled me over and said, "Come 'ere you little shkip" and gave me a hug and rubbed my back...Yep i know, I'm a sook. Right Here. That's ME.
I still have little reminders of my Nanna here. The Rocking chair in the twins room, we use to calm them at night, some costume jewellery, all my pots and pans, i call them "Nanna's Pots" and i think about her every time i pull one out to use and thats almost every day. I like it that way.
Now we have OUR table, one we chose, we can fit 8 comfortably, 10 at a squeeze. Now we've started making our own memories around it. We had our first sleep overs on the weekend and woke up to a house full of people. We made chocolate chip pancakes for all the kids. It was lovely to have a full house in the morning.
But once again, isn't it funny, The sentimental attachments we develop for our possessions?

The Little Things

Lately, i've become all too aware of how much we, in our house, rely on the television for entertainment. In the last 10years, i have become a total lounge lizard. I'm pretty sure i've said in a previous post. I HATE MY COUCH. Maybe its because its not the right couch for me, we bought it for looks at the time and didn't really think about the comfort of it. Maybe its because we (my couch and I) have become too close and our relationship has soured. My family and I are starting to really enjoy the outdoors again. Starting to come out of our little cocoon and socialise. I am so lucky where I live. I have a lovely quiet street with great neighbours that we get along with and sometimes hang out at the end of the day, we help each other wear our kids out for dinner and bedtime. The girls have finally become big enough for a helmet which pretends to protect them in their little bike trailer. Seriously? Baby helmets need a.......re-model.

We I have become completely addicted to riding. I am beginning to ride everywhere. Now we have borrowed our neighbours bike trailer and are just about to buy our own. Sean is big enough to ride his bike by himself (with us) all the way down to the lake or up to the shops where we live. I'm finding our relationships are improving since we've started taking time AWAY from the television. Conversation has reappeared, patience for the little ones and interaction is growing too. The girls are starting to really interact with Sean and he is so happy about that. We had so much fun on our first ride, we rode up to the shops for Hubby's paper, then down to the lake for a coffee and for Seany to have a play. Then on the way home, we stopped at the park for a little break and a bit of a reward for Seany's huge ride. The kids had a blast...So did Daddy and of course it makes my heart flutter when everyone is happy.

It means we are doing our job right. Right?

The truth about Twins

Since the Twins were born, people have said to me, "I don't know how you do it." Or "I couldn't do that" and when they notice i had a 3yr old (at the time, now 4yr old) they looked like their eyes might pop out of their heads. "Gaw, he must be a handful too, how does he cope with the Twins?" I felt a little angry and insulted they would judge my little man so harshly, defence mechanism i guess. At first i was always replying, with a smile "Its fine, its not hard at all, the twins are so easy all they want is each other and they are completely content and my Son just adores them and helps me out heaps" Well,  whilst it was true, we all know it takes a little more than that, a clean nappy, a full tummy and some little distractions always help out. BUT I always knew it wouldn't always be so easy. So my reply slowly changed to, "No, its fine, they are all great, its not hard at all......Yet, I know the hard times are coming"

Here They Come!!

Sean has turned 4 and is now at Kindy. The attitude, the tantrums, the ownership of.....everything. Well, enough said.

Summer and Lily are 13months and both walking now. Very exciting times but i am hesitant in my excitement...I know whats coming....This afternoon I walk into the quiet loungeroom and this is what i found.

THIS IS MY ANGEL, LILY

Summer was asleep, thankfully otherwise she would have been standing in the draw giving Lily a shove to make room for her, i think.

WE HAVE CLIMBERS PEOPLE....TWO OF THEM! CLEVER ONES! I am in for it now.

Our yard is pretty big, so all of our stuff is nicely spread out. We have our patio and then in the corner of the yard we have a timber fort with a swing, in the middle a plastic baby playground with steps and a slide, then and a huge trampoline. My parents very kindly donated their old pool lounges to us which we've set up under the patio on the pavers (My husband believes I can SIT on them to WATCH the children play) P-F-T Yes i hear all you Mothers out there laugh hysterically and scoffing at my husband in disbelief...He comes up with some great ones. Now. My actual plan with this time is to wear the KIDS out so i get a nice quiet evening to myself once dinner and bathtime is done.

 A few weeks ago, we were enjoying our outside time in the afternoon.  I was chasing Summer and she was crawling away from me like lightening, laughing her little head off, she found her little pusher and started walking around the yard. Lily was playing with the water table, which is under th patio and Sean was climbing his fort. I had a moment of calm and my attention wandered off with my thoughts, then i came back. I was walking across the yard and I looked around to find that Lily had climbed up onto one of the pool lounges and was happily and wobbly walking the length of it and Summer was making her way up the steps of the baby playground halfway across the yard. My brain just switched into panic mode OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, how did this happen?! S**T I need to be split in 2. Who do i go for first??!

Imagining, Lily falling off head first onto the pavers (which she actually looked like she was about to do) and at the same time, Summer falling from a higher height head first onto the grass. OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD ARGH! Then I hear Sean, "Mummy, come push me, Mummy! Mummmmmmyyyyyyy!".

"Errr, Um, I can't right now Seany" I said looking from Summer to Lily. Trying to Sum up which one to go for first.

"But....Mummyyyyy, Why???? I want you to push meeeeeeee." you know that really annoying whining but somehow demanding voice they put on.

Then i shift from panick to NINJA STEALTH MODE. WHAAAA, I ran over and scooped Lily up by her belly in my right arm and I kept running to get to Summer just in time to scoop her up as she takes her first tumbling step down the slide. I took a few steps away from the playground and placed them both on their bums and keep walking to Sean to push him on the swing...PHEW. How did that happen so fast. That situation changed in like seconds. I looked back at the girls sitting on the grass happily babbling to each other...A wave of relief washed over me. That wasn't so bad...right.
So. If this is the beginning.........help?

The only certainty in life......

This morning a very close friend of the family, lost his battle with cancer. Its been a long haul for him and his loved ones. Only a few months ago he was cleared of all the cancer and given a clean bill of health. Then it quietly and ferociously return, spreading all throughout his lungs and stomach, no fighting it this time. In the end, he drifted off peacefully and painfully. Surrounded by his Brother and Wife, listening to his favourite songs. He actually passed away earlier this week but his wife got into his bed to say her goodbyes and he came back! She got 4 more days, the power of love hey?
I remember him out boating mostly, laughing heaps and having heaps of fun, i looked after his younger boys alot, i adored them. I remember him quite literally throwing me around the dancefloor at tipplers and boat haven. I remember him taking me for a burl on his motorbike, late one afternoon, he went so fast and we had no protective gear on, i squeezed him so tight while i screamed my head off right into his ear. It was SO MUCH FUN.

I am so thankful we reconnected with him for my father's 60th a few years ago, we had a few years apart and we had always missed him. He was an awesome guy to be around. I will remember him as the loving, funny, generous and very fun man we all grew to know and love. I will cherish the memories always. I only hope our relationship with his family continues. All his Son's just mirror him, in every way, they are great people to know also.

My Passion

My Passion, other than my family, is finding an old piece of furniture and making it my own. The more "well loved" the better. There are little pieces of my heart and soul in every room of our house.
I know i get this trait from my mum. When i was little my room was full of unique things she had hand made and i loved every bit of it. I kept it all in excellent but well loved condition until it was time to get my older stuff.
I find while i'm working on these projects, I also give myself a little time while i'm on autopilot to think. Really think about the big stuff. Where I'm going, What I want, although today my head was a broken record thinking about one thing over and over. Anyway, this latest project of mine, i'm pretty sure is the biggest and most testing one ever...I have always loved the Kura Bed from Ikea for my Son. Everytime we go through there he climbs up into it with no regard to the perpex guard covering the ladder. We are always on a pretty tight budget and i could never justify the amount for what it was, really? Its pretty...well...ugly. So I started looking on eBay. Found one, bought it and much to my disappointment, when i got it home realised the panels were water damaged and there were gouges, deep scratches and dents all over the timber. After a little planning, some new MDF, heaps of sprays cans (I wouldn't recommend for this project) Months later. I finally finished it, tonight. It was totally worth it.
My little boy crawled into bed and told me,"I love my new bed Mummy" and gave me a huge smile...He calls it his Transformers Bed because it is Optimus Prime colours, God love him...again, totally worth it.

Now they are 1!

So, one very busy and hectic year has flown by and my babies are 1, I can't believe it.

Time really does fly when you grow up hey. We've just finished the girls birthday party and it was great. It was a little overwhelming, the playground and blow up pool got a hiding. But the kids all seemed to enjoy themselves and that's what its all about after all.
After enduring horrific toothaches over the past 3 days, (due to the pain killers i had taken over the last couple of days) i was scattered and shaking this morning as i tried to get everything underway. A lesson there, i've learnt the hard way. My dear friend helped me ice and decorate the centrepiece of the cake for my little "Cupcakes" as i call them, because i couldn't pull myself together to do it. I am very happy with the end result.

Its been ages since we've had a get together. I think it was a yr ago. It was great to see everyone. Its a shame we need an event to all get together now....Can't wait for the next one....at someone else's place.

Kristy xx



Finding my Bliss

My son has just started Kindy, he's so proud and he loves it.  2days one week, 3 days the next week. I actually prefer the 2 days. I miss him.....i know, next year will be worse, starting Prep. I love being with my kids.

Watching my Children interact with each other...watching the Twins develop. As Twins and as Individuals and watching my Son's face glow when he's with them. Summer has just started waving and saying hello, she waved at him today and i'm pretty sure his heart skipped a beat.

As i mentioned previously, all my concerns about having Twins did fade away and if i had my choice in the matter, i wouldn't change a thing. They have changed my world. I AM the happiest i have ever been. I am completely smitten with my children, i've noticed i just can't pull myself away from them, I can't stop watching them, studying them. Is this normal or am I alone here?

Okay, so maybe i'm sounding sickly sweet so don't get me wrong, my life is NOT perfect.
I am alone alot, i mean without adult company. I am currently working very hard to develop new friendships and new routines. My friends and I (as they say) are living on parallel lines. While we have the love and adoration for eachother and a strong history which i believe at this point helps keep us together, we are all Mothers and have a hard time getting together. I find it very difficult to make new friends, I find it very hurtful when i reach out and am ignored or brushed aside like i don't matter. I know people are busy but seriously it takes ZERO effort to respond these days. You don't even have to pick up the phone. Maybe all this autonomous technology makes people forget to consider actual real life human feelings. I am outside my comfort zone here, I don't have a thick skin, by any means. I rely on my parents alot, especially my mum, not for help alone but for sanity and companionship, it took us a long time to get here, but we're in a really great place, she is the Nanna to my children, that i remember having. We talk almost everyday. I couldn't live without her. My husband is on afternoon shift and as such we are like ships passing in the night. With little money, few friends available for a visit and twin bubbas to look after, I find myself trapped on the couch...I HATE MY COUCH! I've become a little exhausted from wanting to do things, wanting to go places.

So today, i got off my arse.

The girls went down just before i took Sean to Kindy. Hubby was home. So i dusted off the joggers, got my iphone and headphones and went for a walk. A fast walk...without a pram. It was so freeing, I was soaring, I was in my own headspace, with my own music. I found that spring in my step. I needed a bigger hill to climb, what always seemed so big i conquered so quickly, it was great. I had so much energy when i got home. I hope i can do it again tomorrow. Actually if i can work it right I can ride my bike to Sean's kindy, we have a child seat on the back of it for him, i don't think we've ever used and on Thursday, i am starting Zumba. I'm so looking forward to it, i LOVE Zumba, i was doing classes when i found out i was pregnant, I was going to continue at a steady pace but then i found out it was twins and i couldn't do it anymore. A daytime class, while my husband is home to look after the Twins. Yes!

I can feel the change already. Watch this space.

Kristy xx