Cassie's Cuddles

This morning started with a house full of grumpies, no breakfast cereal and too many dirty dishes..but we tackled the problem head on. We prepared for tommorow, as we will have Jared’s grandparents stay with us for a few nights (that means all tiny objects off the floor, we don’t want them to trip!). First we will be going to a 7th birthday party, and on the way back we will pick them up. Steph and Camden will be staying at a friends house, so that I am able to fit everyone in the car, do we really need a bus??

Today I loaded some photos onto my computer. We found Cassandra with my camera a couple of days, this is her art work..I think I see a nostril.

she was hiding under my desk, um, I think that I need to clean up under there.

We went and looked for a loung again.. Jared has expensive taste!

It’s Halloween today, I knew some pre-teens would come over to our house, but I warned them that I wouldn’t give them anything for Halloween. I did up this card, and actually made some bags, because I didn’t want to turn them away. Yes, they came knocking, but Jared talked sense into me, and said not to give them anything at all. I told them why I wouldn’t have anything to do with witch craft. One of the girls told me that her RE teacher told them that it was actually a catholic holiday…Ugh. I hope she gets a better teacher. I know that wikepedia says something about the catholic church, but we all know what it’s all about now, don’t we?

Yesterday Jared asked me to make some desert for a college lunch. He said that the staff were putting on lunch for the students. I asked him how many students were going to have desert? 20 was the answer, so today I got cooking…I made apple and berry pie, a pavalova, a cheesecake and 12 custard tarts. Jared got home and said, “I didn’t want you to cook for 20, just for some!” Opps! So we ate the Pav, froze the pie, and he will take the rest. I must admit, I thought that it would be unlike Jared to take so much, and make such a scene….Ok, our communication needs a little work. Speaking of work, any idea how many dishes all this makes?

I won’t cook two dozen muffins then?

Tonight after Lachlan was taken to boys brigade, I went out to bring my other children in, but instead got side tracked into kicking a football with a couple of neighbourhood children. I was amazed (and I think that they were too), that I could still kick a footy. It was a real hoot! Cassandra ran back and forth, while Alycia, and two others kicked back and forth. E splashed water deliberatly on me, so I got the hose (very briefly mind you, due to water restrictions), and saturated her….fun!

Before I head off to bed, I just have to show you a couple of bunk beds, how cool are these?

I can’t lie and say that this has been the best day. My little family seemed dto be full of whinges today. I perservered, then thought that perhaps I should calm down and so I loaded them in the car. It went against all my parenting instincts to reward them for nit picking at each other but….we went out for lunch. It was lovely, the children were calm, polite, and less stressed. Some times I forget that school isn’t just about academics, but it’s about life and family peace. We are refreshed, ready to go again tommorow.

After getting over the shock of Cassandra escaping, I now feel up to blogging again (she is in bed asleep), I will listen out for the ringing of bells while I type.

 It was a beautiful day for the fete, plenty of people to buy all the items. We brought home too much stuff..I gave the children $7 each and said “go spend”, so what did I expect…thriftiness? We took our neighbour too, she had Cassandra on a leash, so I actually got a good look around. Check out this book, I really liked the vintage cover.

It was 20c!

Steph bought plants, Camden got a cool castle for $3, and these lovely shades (yes, they are women’s glasses), Lachlan bought a playstation 1, for $15 ( now we feel trendy!!).

 Jared and I took Cassandra lounge shopping in the afternoon.

Nope, we didn’t buy that one!

We went to Church at South Yarra, where Jared preached. It was good to hear him preach again. He preached on the inspiration of scripture. We take it for granted that christians believe this, but evidently some don’t see this as the foundational doctrine that it is.(Sth Yarra do though)

 Yesterday was Pak Arrows, we made wagon wheels for class. Then it was off to Girl’s brigade. When I went to pick up the girls, we had a little drama which is better left unsaid, but I woke up at 5am thinking about it (it’s ok, my girls didn’t do anything)..

Today I have caught up on 6 loads of washing, most is dry already.

 I looked up the you tube videos of the junior PYV camp, to see if I could spot my children. Poor Lachlan was sprung wearing his hat at dinner (What bad manners!), you can’t get away with anything around here. ” A woman is like a tea bag, you don’t know how strong she is until you put her in hot water”

Ok, I admit I just wanted to use this cute photo that I found. I hope that I am a strong tea bag!!

Although we had a lovely day at the fete today, it was overshadowed by the fact that Cassandra got out of the house without anyone knowing. A man who lives down the street named Tony found her crying with thorns in her bare feet, carrying a big red bag (something she found on a rubbish heap). Thankfully she knows where she lives, and so does he, because he found her about 3 months ago, doing the same thing. I am so thankful to God for keeping her safe. She is such a naughty little thing, and right now, I feel like the worst parent. Jared had just gone down stairs and asked steph to clean her up, as I heard this, I assumed she was being watched. So in the time, she had a nappy changed, and the time when Tony found her would have been close to 20 min? I have bells on the front door! Camden put the nappy in the bin, and since the door didn’t open again, she must have slipped out un noticed. Steph was like this, so I have hope that Cassandra will settle down sometime soon. In the mean time, I have just bought an alarm device, so that it will go off when she is more than 5-10 meters away from me. This is no substitue for bad parenting, but It might at least help while we are still in the training process. Right now I just want to cry…I get distracted too easily.

Today I sent Jared an email headed “suprise” with this picture as an attachment.

So when he got home, this is what we did…

We haven’t choosen one yet, so If you want to come and visit, bring your own seat!

I finished off some more stuff for the church fete, I would have liked to have made more, but I didn’t!

Some bibs for bubs!

A couple of little chef hats!

A monster purse (only one, pathetic I know, but I ran out of time). The metal zipper looks like teeth. I love these. I made a bunch of these once and tissue holders to raise money for something a few years ago. I thought that the old ladies would buy the tissue holders, but they all dived in for the monsters…who would have thought? It still makes me have a little chuckle when I see one of them with a purple/green or tiger print monster.

Finally some snowball spiders….

In case you want to come to the fete.

Tonight Steph made a roast dinner, good on you Steph!

Today started like yesterday, yes that’s right, another bottle of cream dropped to the ground!

I made a couple of T-shirts for some little baby blessings.

and one for Camden, they are tigers hanging off his name.

Tonight I feel very upset, as a 15 year old boy who lives in our street went up to Alycia who is 8, bent over and passed wind in her face. She was looking at Cassandra and wasn’t aware of what he was doing until it was too late. What a horrible boy. I found out when I got home from picking up the boys from Boys brigade. What do I do? Do I have to tell off ever child in the street? I want to have an open door to any children (we have a lot around here), but I will say something to him at the right time, God willing He will give me the wisdom to deal with it the best way.

Where are the boys who trust in the Lord, and want to do their best for Him? I am praying that Lachlan and Camden will become such men.

Spotted around school, I did a bit of cooking. I began by dropping the cream..Thus making me short of the amount that I needed for my recipe!!

But it worked anyway. These are for the college open night tonight.

I then made an apple and berry pie (pictured without the top)

I also made some cookies/biscuits…the word cookie sounds so much cuter don’t you think?

I also learn’t with Alycia about our Australian consitution, especially section 116, all about religious freedom. It makes me want to read the real deal. How did the government change so much in just over 100 years? Have we forgotten to teach our children and grandchildren some really important things? oh, I’m getting on my band wagon again..

This week people in our area are putting out their junk for the junk collectors. Look what was in our street! Alycia has been asking me to keep an eye out for a doll house for a little friend. She was concerned that this little girl had doll house furniture, but no doll house. We saw this, she begged me to bring it home, and then she cleaned it up. I could tell that she wanted it, but because of what she had been saying for over two months, I said that it could be her way to show God’s provision for this little girl. I called up the mum, and guess what, they have a doll house! So now we have a lovely and  huge doll house! Cassandra had a lovely morning with this house all to her self!

We had a Dr’s appointment for Lachlan today, a check up regarding his asthma. He has had his preventative dosage dropped since moving to the basin. On the lower dosage his lung capacity has dropped a little, but Hopefully it will equalise by next year. Afterward we visited my mum, who had to have a cancer removed from her face, poor thing. After lunch we did another letter drop for the church fete, at least we got to know the area better.

Just a quick post while Camden is writing his answers…

I made some hankies (or at least decorated some), with transfer paper, I think that they are kinda cute.

I also had some sippy cups that I bought from Oriental trading two years ago….so here they are..