43 things to do before I turn 44

I think this list may be slow to build. I sat down to write the list but only thought of a few things. In a year where I want to go slow, that's probably a good thing. Right?

1. Host a tea party. A grown up one with pretty frocks, ribbon sandwiches and champagne.

2. Sew the curtains for Ruby's bedroom.

3. Take Ruby and Max on an aeroplane.

4. Plant out the front garden.

5. Read a new author every month.

6. Try a new recipe a month - to expand (my fairly limited) cooking repertoire.

This will be me by the end of the year....

well maybe not, but perhaps my family will be more interested in dinner.

That's as far as I've got. I'll keep adding.

xx

Weekend happiness

I bought a new lens. An insanely fabulous 85 mm lens. I'm loving it. Desperately need to get out and about more to take pics.

I know there are many people blogging "a photo a day" projects, I'll try for a photo a week.

From this weekend, our beautiful chooks:

Last weekend, Jan and I had a brief photographic adventure in the parkland under the Story Bridge. A glorious couple of hours.

Have a happy week.

peace and love, k xxxx

A list

Life has been chaotic. So of course I'm back obsessively writing lists to regain some sense of control, or at least the illusion of control - which is sometimes just as good :)

A list of things for today:

• prepare for the new job (news: I got the job I desperately wanted. I'm very pleased).


• frantically finish everything at current job so I can leave in 2 weeks time :)


• make practical plans for getting to work on Monday in the rail strike. Bob help me.


• find the school shirt we borrowed from Emily (I know it's here somewhere)


• remember to polish school shoes


• find library books and missing Roary car (no chance)


• collect toiletries to send to Victoria - a friend's sister who's a Red Cross volunteer says there's plenty of food and blankets and clothes and toys, but a shortage of toiletry items.


• remember to write down the stories that Ruby and Max tell me....for example: I was thinking today about when we were at Noosa. Ruby and I made 3 trips to a shoe shop. Ruby eventually decided on a pair of Birkenstock sandals. By the 3rd visit, the shop assistant knew our names and most of our life story - Ruby became very animated and chatty in the presence of comfortable shoes. She even helped to sell some shoes, praising the virtues of Birkenstocks (a bit like an evangelist) to everyone who walked within a 50 metre radius of the shop door. When we left the shop and were walking back along the Noosa River foreshore, Ruby was wearing her Birki's and chose to stop everyone we saw - who was wearing Birki's (and there were a lot of them) - to ask them how they liked their shoes. She was a cracker. When we got back to the unit and were having afternoon tea she said "when I'm a grown woman I won't do work like mummy - because it's boring. I will have a shoe shop and I will only sell Birkenstocks". I suggested that she might like to have a bookshop because she loves books so much. She quickly changed her mind and declared that she would have "a shoe shop and a book shop and a small place for mummies to have cups of tea". Sounds like a divine place, I can't wait to go. Max, meanwhile, can't decide if he wants to be a champion racing car driver or a firefighter. Both noble aspirations.

Other snippets from today:

Ruby has been working on her "vision for learning this year". The teacher didn't seem to know about this when I asked her this morning so it might be something Ruby has started for herself. Where does she get this stuff? Anyway, her vision so far is: "to work hard so I get more free play time". And she wants to practice a virtue. She's chosen "peacefulness". I suggested she does peacefulness very well and she might want to choose something else, but she's determined. So be it.

And a quote from Max: "why does school start so early? Do they know ABC kids is still on?"

wishing for some peace and calm.

Incomprehensible

The tragedy across Australia today is heartbreaking.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/our-darkest-day-20090208-810q.html

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25024363-3102,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25024236-3102,00.html

I can't imagine how the families impacted by this horrific weekend are going to rebuild their lives - but I hope they find the strength, courage and support they need for the days, weeks and months ahead.

sending peace and love, x

Flourish - fabulous, elegant, so pretty and now open

It was our very great pleasure to go along to the opening night of a beautiful store which is a new business venture for our dear friends Jan and Ruth. Flourish is a scrapbooking store with flair. Beautifully decorated, thoughtfully stocked with delicious products and with incredibly fabulous creative souls in charge of their classes and design (Lorna and Briohny). I can feel the promise of many happy and creative days spent there with these beautiful, kind, warm and generous women.

Megan took some amazing photos on the opening night.

the tres chic entrance area:

some lovely products (and one of my fave photos):

beautiful Bazzill (row after delightful row of it):

the glamour girls (Briohny, Ruth, Lorna, Jan):

some lovely guests and super scrapbookers/photographers - Rachel Richter, Leanne Stamatellos and Michelle Jamieson:Ruth and Jan with super talented and super fabulous Ngaire Bartlam - looking very much like a formal and fancy pic with the Queen :) : and lastly, a pic I like because if you look really hard you'll see a photo of me and my love :)
If you live in Brisbane, you should pop in to Flourish - it's at 3/12 Kenrose St in Carina. Jan and Ruth will make you very welcome.

wishing you peace and love, k xxxx

And so it begins.....

Ruby started back at school on Wednesday. Max started at a new kindy on Friday. It's been a week of excitement, drama, tears and joy.

Ruby was happy to get back to school and her friends and to continue her relentless pursuit of knowledge. She was anxious about starting Year 1 because she can't spell "investigate". Not quite sure why it was such a big hurdle for her, but when I told her there are probably some grown ups who can't spell "investigate" she felt a lot better about starting Year 1.

After dropping Ruby off at school I took Max to kindy. The very same kindy he's been going to for 3 years now. He sobbed and ranted and clung to my leg. "I need Ruby, I need Ruby, I need Ruby". Oh dear. I wasn't expecting this to happen. Then he realised that all his friends (he only has a few close ones) have started school this year. More drama. It was a tough job convincing him to stay.

Then on Friday, Max started at his new kindy (Wynnum Manly C+K) where he'll go every Thursday/Friday from now on. He was excited about starting, but collapsed in tears when we actually got there. "They don't know me, no one will like me......." and on and on and on. I wasn't expecting it to be quite the drama it turned out to be, but then that's Max. After he questioned the teachers endlessly about why he had to call them "Mrs..." and what they would be doing at specific times of the day and what kind of toys they had and what programs were on the computer and whether the teacher actually really liked little boys or if girls were their favourite......and more, he began to cut them some slack. When I left he was sitting on Mrs O'Shea's lap snuggling into her neck - all part of his cunning plan to make them love him so he never gets in trouble for doing crazy naughty things.

At the end of the day Max declared that it was "the best kindy ever" and that he loved everything. He has happily agreed to go back next week. Thank heavens.

There's been a whole lot of other stuff happening this week which has been completely exhuasting. Looking forward to a better week ahead.....

sending you peace and love

kath xxxx

A week in Noosa

I had almost convinced myself that I wouldn't enjoy going back to exactly the same unit in exactly the same town for 2 years in a row. Of course I was wrong.

We've just got back from a very fabulous and restful holiday in Noosa. Going somewhere familiar, was just what we needed. Ruby and Max enjoy feeling connected to a place and to people, so they loved visiting the same places around Noosa, doing the same activities (going to the beach, going out in a boat, swimming in the pool, going to the movies) and catching up again with Frank (resort manager) and his little dog Buddy.

We were all feeling very calm and zen when we got home last week. So much so, that we've already booked 2 holidays for this year - to Melbourne in March and Yamba in December. :)

peace, k x

One word for 2009

Welcome 2009.

For the last few years, I've chosen one word for the year. A word to focus on, a word to shape my efforts and push me along in a direction I'm hoping to go.

Last year my word was Believe. This year, my word is BREATHE. It's not too fancy, not too aspirational, but just what I need. Less chaos, less panic, more resilience, more mindful breathing.

I feel a bit guilty that my word isn't ambitious, but I think I'm exhausted by my own ambitious expectations. I'm now looking for a quiet patch and am hoping 2009 is the year for it. But honestly, 4 days in and it doesn't appear to be shaping up that way. Let's see how it unfolds.

''Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.'' Oprah

wishing you peace for the year ahead.
xxxx

Ready to leap into 2009

2008 has been tricky. Challenging, confronting, annoying, frantic and just plain tricky. Of course, there were some fabulous days, but mostly it's been a very long, emotional and exhausting slog.

I'm now (finally) realistic enough to know that 2009 may bring more of the same, but I'm hopeful it will also bring more understanding, compassion, patience, thoughtfulness, contentment, peace and love.

I'm thankful this year ends today. I believe you get a fresh start at new year's. We're ready to leap into it.

Be happy and safe tonight.
xxxx

Happy everything - from us to you

I've always enjoyed the days between Christmas and New Year. A time for calm reflection, playing with new toys, reading new books and just quiet pottering around the house. In theory anyway ;)

Our quiet pottering was interspersed with quiet cursing yesterday while we put up the new trampoline.

So as the season for wearing funny hats comes to an end, happy everything from us to you.

peace and love, k, m, r, m xxxx

Peace and love

After many years of wishing and sending peace and love, here they are. These sweet little poppets arrived from Canberra, made by my very dear and talented friend Cindy. Thanks Cin, I love them. xx

peace and love, k x

I made a pavlova!

It was on last year's list :)

We came home today. I like coming home. Ruby does too. The boys seem to be wishing they were still somewhere else.

wishing you peace and calm.

Time to play

I'm looking forward to playing lots of games with Ruby and Max through the school holidays. We're big players - well Ruby, Max and I are - Mark, not so much.

I was very *very* very pleased that Ruby has figured out how to play Scrabble. I LOVE Scrabble. And she's competitive. She played really well. I don't like to lose and it looks like she might be tough to beat as she gets older.

This was our first ever family Scrabble game. :)

Can't wait to play the other games after Christmas!

xxxx

p.s. Max was pleased that he got to spell out "poo" :O

Thankful for traditions - new and old

I love Christmas trees. LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

Each year we make or buy new decorations, it's one of the things we do each Christmas. Ruby and Max have made MANY decorations for the tree this year. Our dear old tree is groaning under the strain of bazillions of lovingly made 'gifts for the tree'.

How do you decorate your tree - with sentimental stuff or designer flair?

peace and love to you xxxx

The big list

I don't think I've been a super achiever against the list this last year. I think I put too many life goals on the list. Realistically I should have known that I wouldn't have the $$ or the time to do ALL of the things on the list. So the next list will be more achievable. Maybe. Or maybe it won't be. I am always an optimist. Always setting challenges that I can't possibly achieve. So be it. But I LOVE trying.

So what did I do?

1. see a platypus in the wild - well no.
2. run for 6kms without stopping and without collapsing - well no. But I did make 3kms.
3. lose 6 kgs - well no. But I lost 2 - 3kgs.
4. re-read "The Art of Happiness" YES. Done
5. learn about Catholic religious practices so I understand what Ruby's doing at school. YES. Done
6. help with reading in Ruby's class for a morning every 6 weeks or so - Ah, no.
7. write a card or a letter each week - well not each week, but I did write at least 1 a month.
8. sew my own skirts. Yes. Well I made 1.
9. take Ruby and Max to Canberra. I took myself to Canberra (but only for work). Did not take the kids anywhere out of Queensland this year. :(
10. read 5 new authors. YES! Sure did.
11. order Moo cards. No. I didn't because I changed my mind.
12. make a pavlova. No. But I ate a lot of meringues. Surely that counts.
13. have a holiday in Sydney. *sigh* No.
14. hire a kayak every now and then. Only once. Not often enough really.
15. buy a Max ring. Yes. Maybe. I got a cheap ring (gorgeous black rose) and Max has said it will be a Max ring until we can afford diamonds.
16. do a photo session every month. Yes. I have taken a lot of pics this year.
17. learn how to use the different functions on my camera properly YES! I did a fantastic photography course and am booked in for another one in a couple of months time.
18. use the treadmill at least 4x every week. ah, no. I did it for a couple of months, but it didn't last.
19. ride my bike! Yes. But only once. :)
20. organise play dates for Ruby and Max. Yes, they had a few.
21. print all of Ruby and Max's baby photos. YES.
22. buy a new suit. I'll get another one in winter. YES.
23. have a pedicure. YES.
24. reconnect with Rod and Donna. Sadly no.
25. take a Pilates class. No.
26. learn how to use CUBA (work thing). YES!
27. take Ruby and Max bushwalking. YES
28. read the newspaper. More than just on the weekends that is. YES. Not every day but regularly.
29. subscribe to Crikey. YES (and no). My dear friend Sam sent me her subscription very regularly. Thanks Sam. xx
30. blog at least once a week. I'm going to say YES. It was close.
31. practice compassion everyday. I've really focused on this. So YES.
32. write to Souerng often. No, not often enough.
33. stretch every day. No.
34. download fave songs/albums from the internet. Um, no. How did this get on my list?
35. make time to escape every month or so. YES, I believe I have.
36. write my "I believe" manifesto. YES.
37. back up my digital photos. YES. I've started, just recently.
38. surprise Mark. Maybe.
39. replant the front garden. Nope.
40. stick with natural medicines to improve my health. Yes, mostly.
41. spend a day with Mark every month or so. Only a few days this year.
42. buy some gorgeous new perfume. YES! Of course.

So in the last 12 months I've done 23 out of 43 things on the list. I think that's OK. My next list might be a wee bit less ambitious but I'm happy with 23 things.

peace and love, k xxxx

A happy day. Lots to be thankful for around here.

It was my birthday yesterday. I forget how old I am now. Sadly the kids remember the number very clearly. It's a number somewhere between 0 and 100. :)

Things that I loved about my birthday:

• It was a happy happy day. It started with a phone call from Mum before any of us were awake. And then Max (in our bed) rolling over sleepily and saying "do you know it's your birthday today?" before he even woke up properly. And then a big hug. Ruby was close behind with sleepy but intense and sincere birthday wishes.
• Cake and chocolates were prepared before breakfast but it was decided (not by me) to save them until dinner time because someone thought 7am was too early to be peeling and scoffing white Lindor balls. *sigh*
• I received lots of beautiful wishes yesterday from family and friends - thanks so much for thinking of me. xx
• We tripped up to the Eumundi markets for a family day out (thanks to Mark for taking the day off work x) - it was hot and humid and we were all sweaty and stinky by lunchtime. Lurvely.
• I had a fabulouso coffee and a stroll around Berkelouw bookshop (which I LOVE). Only bought one book for me (a stephanie Dowrick one cause I'm in *that* frame of mind). 4 for Ruby and 1 for Max.
• We ate deliciously healthy market foods - organic vegie meals and frozen mango juice ice blocks. Yum.
• I had a big long and high swing. I love to swing, so invigorating, wish I did it more often!
• We came home, sat on the front verandah, drank beer and ordered Indian takeaway for tea - yum yum yum butter chicken and naan. I don't think it gets any better than that.

It was a perfect day. Here's some pics:

I was very spoiled this year. Tickets to Billy Joel (it was a seriously brilliant concert), a new tripod (hooray!), a book, a Billy Joel DVD, some cutlery that Max chose for me to take to work and more. I also got Wes' single CD! I love Wes, but I think we only played the CD about 37 times yesterday, not nearly enough really. ;)

peace and love xxxx

The theme is thanks

I stumbled across nablopomo this morning. I like it. Every month there's a theme. This month's them is 'thanks'. I love having a theme, a word, something to focus on.

I'm feeling very thankful today. I've got a good home, I'm well loved and we're pretty safe and secure in as many ways as we can be.

I'm thankful for an afternoon of pottering and dithering yesterday with Jan and Ruth.

I'm thankful for the friendship and kindness of the lovely Bernadette who makes the best coffee in Wynnum and who happily dispenses medical/relationship/parenting advice with her coffee.

I'm thankful for a week off work to get organised before Christmas.

I'm thankful for the support of good people in my local community. A quick visit to the local shops yesterday turned into more than 2 hours of chatting with people here and there.

I'm thankful as always for Ruby and Max and their generous love. Ruby came home yesterday with her little craft creations, including many, many love notes for me and her daddy. She writes about her love. Max talks about it. He gushes with love and describes his feelings beautifully.

And today, I'm also thankful to Rachel for pics like this one from a recent session:

what are you thankful for?

sending you peace and love xxxx

Not a preppie anymore

Ruby finished Prep last Friday. She's excited about being a Year 1 kid next year. And I'm super excited that Mrs McConnon will be her teacher again next year.

Ruby's had a big, positive and fabulous first year of school. Thank heavens! Her end of year report card is lovely:

Teacher comments:
Ruby's commitment to work and her exceptional behaviour have contributed to a very successful year. Interactions with peers are always peaceful as she has the ability to negotiate and compromise in a calm and quiet manner. Independence with learning is demonstrated when she orgaises her materials and work space efficiently and effectively without assistance. Ruby has made exceptional progress this semester with her reading and writing. Her ability to spell phonetically is very accurate and she is able to confidently read back her own writing. During handwriting tasks, Ruby is still using 2 fingers with her thumb to support the pencil. Ruby has established a very sound bank of sight words and is reading books confidently. In the area of Early Mathematical Understandings, Ruby has grasped the concepts covered this semester. Ruby has also made sound progress in the area of Active Learning Processes. This was especially evident during discussions and activities on our Bay Unit. Ruby has been a fantastic role model for her peers and it is wonderful to see the amount of effort Ruby puts into her work. Well done Ruby.

Student comments:
At school I enjoy drawing, the sandpit, collage, writing, seeing our buddies and going to Drama. My friends are Emily, Macey and Meika. This semester I have learnt how to write the right way and how to look after our Bay by not putting rubbish in drains. I have learnt about fairies and how to look after our Nazareth House buddies. My buddy has helped me with Healthy Harold activities. I need to work on writing. I am good at reading and drawing.

I love how they ask the kids for their assessment of their own progress. Beautiful. It's been a good year.

Day One

Day 1 of summer. I love summer. For the first day of this beautiful season, a quote:

"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air". Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I really would loved to have met RWE, many of his words inspire me.

And day 1 of the advent season. I've joined up for Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class. I'll get many, many prompts between now and 6 January to get me thinking (and writing and photographing) about what I love the most about Christmas. I'm excited!

Our tree is up, we're tinselled out.

Can't have a post without a photo, so here's a pic from 1 December 2004:

and from 1 December 2005:

and from 1 December 2007:

I'll try and post often during December. No guarantees of course, but I'll try.

wishing you peace and calm

k xxxx

Random things

I love lists. So here's a list of some random things about our lives from the last couple of weeks:

• We have been *addicted* to Australian Idol this season. We've never really watched it before, but this year we fell for it completely. Max loved Teale, Kath and Ruby loved Wes (and Luke) and Mark loved all the girls (of course) but especially Sophie and Roshani (oh blergh). We all had 1 vote each every week, although sometimes I snuck in 2 ;) There was some quiet sobbing when Teale left. Max was shattered. He kept saying, very quietly: "I voted for him you know. I loved him very much". Yes, we know Max. But hooray for Wes! We're not sure quite what we'll do on Sunday nights now.
• Ruby's end of year school performance was today. I was in a mad rush to get there from work and forgot my camera. *sigh* One of the other mums took some pics for me. It was fabulous - lots of energetic singing and dancing to Wiggles songs. Cute.
  
• School finishes at lunchtime on Friday next week. Good grief, how did that come around so fast?
  
• Ruby and Max have prepared their lists for Santa. Max has asked for a trampoline, a Roary racing track, a Hot Wheels racing track, any kind of racing track that's available really, a Spiderman motorbike, a Roary DVD, any Roary stuff really and a lot of things that he says he can't remember but Santa knows about. Ruby has asked Santa to bring her a surprise present.
  
• There's been a little bit of drama at school with a boy (who has special needs) attaching himself to Ruby. He was pinching and hitting and pushing her over every day at lunch time but she didn't say anything because she didn't want him to get in trouble. It seems to be mostly sorted now, but it was tricky for a week or so while Ruby worked out how she could talk to the boy about being her friend and not hurting her. He has since written her a beautiful card saying he won't hurt her, that he wants to be her friend and that he really likes her lunchbox. I'm super impressed by how Ruby has handled this.
• Max took up soccer. It lasted for one week. The boy has no staying power.

• Max got accepted into an incredible local kindy. We put his name down quite late, so were very grateful to get a call offering him a place on the days we'd hoped for. He starts on January 30th and he cannot wait. He's got the t-shirts, the hat and the library bag and he's ready to go.
  
• I've thrown myself into the world of C+K with great gusto. I'm always committed to doing volunteer work in the community so I've been thinking about being how I could be involved in Max's new kindy. So last night at the AGM, in a moment of madness, I offered to be the President. Looks like the year ahead will be challenging but fun. I'm looking forward to building even stronger connections with local families and the community.
  
• Ruby was the prayer monitor at school last week - it was a responsibility she took very seriously. We talked about what she could pray for and what she should place on the prayer mat each day. She thanked God for jacaranda trees and the rain we received (although she may have overdone the prayers for rain) and her friends and her family and rainbows and other random things. Beautiful.
  
• Jan and I took R, M, E and H for a quick (and chaotic) photo shoot a couple of weeks ago when the jacarandas were flowering. I really want to get out and about more taking pics. Here's a couple:

• I went to Kylie Johnson's Christmas show last weekend, with my dear friend Jan. I've loved Paper Boat Press things for a few years now, but this years treasures are gorgeous. I bought some of these:

pic from www.biome.com.au

• I've been on a ticket buying frenzy the last couple of days. We've got tickets to The Awfully Big Adventures of Peter Pan in January; Tina Arena in March and Spaced Out Santa next weekend. I'll probably take a breath and stop ticket shopping for a little while.....
• We're getting ready for Christmas. Hoo haa, we love Christmas. We'll be decking the halls of Chez Thompson this weekend.

and to finish this marathon post, a couple of random quotes:

1. Max "I like daddy lions best. You know, the ones with beards". heehee


2. "I don't think Max has turned his brain on today"


3. "mummy - is the Santa that comes to our house different to the Santa that goes to other people's houses?" "no." "mmmmm, well then why does Santa put fruit and toothbrushes and apple juice in our Santa bags? Emily and Sarah and Meika and Macey don't get fruit or other stuff like that. They just get toys".


4. "Mummy, did you know that the Tooth Fairy pays $20 for a tooth?" What???! "Yes mummy, that's the amount he pays. it's a fact".


5. "Mummy I love you so much more than you love me. I don't think anyone else loves you so much" oh dear.

Sending you peace and love,

k, m, r, m xxxx