The BEST Kris Kringle gift ever

If you ask me, I think Kris Kringle gifting is often a recipe for a big fat let down. One person may take quite a bit of time to think of something unique, interesting, and appropriate for the recipient, and then receive a candle/candle holder/photo frame or something equally unimaginative in return. The person who gets the photo frame is usually me, sigh.

But not this year!

This year my gorgeous work colleague, Laura, certainly used her imagination when creating this Kris Kringle gift ($10) for me. I'm sure Laura thinks she doesn't know me very well, but she zeroed in on a vital clue for this Kris Kringle. We've been chatting here and there about my upcoming camping trip over the past few months, and this is what she created:

Perfect!

In my book it really is the thought that counts, and I love that Laura took the time to think about what I might need to survive 5 nights in a tent with Union Jack and The Hatchlings.

What I love most is the laminated "Crazy Woman" sign. It will be found hanging at the entrance to our tent throughout the camping trip.

All that is missing is a set of earplugs!

Thank you Miss Laura. You're a gem.


Jen x

S-s-s-snake!!!!

It's been almost four years since our last close encounter with a snake, but in the week leading up to Christmas this guy showed up:

Sadly he didn't turn up in this conveniently sealed plastic container. Now that I probably could have handled - close eyes, grit teeth, pick up box, launch into outer space, or somewhere equally as remote!

Hatchling No.1 and I first spotted this 4 year old (approx.) Tiger Snake as we wandered casually into our tv room.

"Something's there..." said Hatchling No.1 as he headed across to the window to peer out into the garden. Expecting it to be a super cute skink I followed him saying,
"Oh yes its a....." at that moment I spotted what most certainly was NOT a skink,
"Errrgh! It's a snake!"

Mr. Tiger Snake was sliding through our garden bed, rubbing along the window pane (which probably felt nice and cool).

I immediately laid down the law with Hatchling No.1: "Stay there and DO NOT follow me outside!"

I then suddenly found I was wearing my brave trousers and went outside to watch where our visitor was going. He slid into our garage (IE. closer to the door - eek!) and hid under the car. Fortunately my sister Selma has a friend who keeps snakes, and he was extremely excited to come and collect our unwanted guest.

After what felt like an eternity, Snake-Dude-Luke arrived and set about finding Mr. Snake. I lost sight of him as he slithered off into the junk corner of our garage. As luck would have it, Snake-Dude-Luke found him almost instantly. After a bit of hide and seek Snake-Dude-Luke picked up Mr. Snake (really, with his bare hands, no joke) and popped him into his waiting plastic container.

PHEW!!!!

Snake-Dude-Luke said he was a very 'pretty' tiger snake, and set off to find Mr. Snake a nice new place to live in the State Park (where people don't live and snakes should!).

'Pretty' wasn't the first word that sprang to mind when I looked at Mr. Snake, but then Snake-Dude-Luke does have a pet snake (Death Adder, me thinks) called Tickles. Need I say more?

I would love to love snakes, really, I would. The trouble is that they stir up a fear within me that goes right to the core. When I see a snake in the wild I almost cannot breathe - that's how scary they are to me. I just can't love something that scares me that much - full stop, end of story.


I might consider therapy one day...

...but it's an unlikely prospect.

Jen x

Merry Christmas to all...

Wow - it has been a rather BUSY lead up to Christmas. My blog has been looking at me dejectedly, with pleading eyes - both of us aware of the neglect being inflicted but niether of us willing to acknowledge it....

No, I am not writing this late Christmas Eve, and no - believe it or not I have not been drinking (yet).

In a day that has cleaning, trifle making, trampoline construction, present wrapping, tree lopping (seriously!), grocery shopping, child rearing, soul cleansing, carol singing, and whatever else happens to appear...... I am DETERMINED to wish my blog followers a very merry Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Let me assure you, I have so many cool stories to share that I may be compelled to go into blog overdrive over the next few weeks. There are fancy dress parties, snakes, tanks - all sorts of things to cover. Watch this space!

Meanwhile, have a wonderful Christmas and may 2010 bring you each and every little thing your heart desires.

Jen x

We're going camping!

We've talked about it for a long time. We've danced around the possibilities - a little bit scared and a little bit excited. Yet to date we have NOT been on a family camping trip.

All that will change this summer. With my heart in my mouth I booked us into a camp site in a beautiful riverside location for January. If everything goes to plan we will spend almost a week out in the wide open spaces, testing out our beautiful new tent.

The Hatchlings are already giving their new sleepng bags a bit of running in. In fact, they probably get a test drive about once a day at the moment. The Hatchlings aren't excited about camping AT ALL.

Can everybody send us positive vibes please? Part of me thinks we might need it!!


Jen x

Workin' it baby!

Hatchling No.2 - first pair of new sunglasses...

When he decides to work the camera, man is he good at it!

Any cuter and I wouldn't know where to put him...

Awww, gee, I love him more 'n my luggage.

Jen xx

Here comes speed racer...

I am his mother - it is part of the job description.

And why would I want to post stereotypical cutesy kid shots on my blog when I have gold like this to share?

At his 21st Hatchling No.1 can thank me for taking the photos, but he can thank our neighbour "Prysa" for dressing him in this get up...

And he can thank the friend who gave Hatchling No.2 this Speed Racer costume for his 2nd birthday.

"Why, oh why?" Hatchling No.1 will ask himself, "Why did I have to try out all of Hatchling No.2's birthday presents?"

Sorry buddy, the idea was all yours...

Jen x

Pepsi - 21 months later

In February 2004 Union Jack and I got married. In April 2004 we bought our lovely house. And in June 2004 we got an adorable little pint sized puppy called Pepsi.

(She's the one on the right...)

Pepsi was the Princess of the house. As doting dog owners, you might say we 'over-nurtured' this little fluff ball. But with a cuteness rating that was off the scale, we were powerless to do anything else.

Pepsi lost some of her status upon the birth of Hatchling No.1. Yes, a lot of things changed when Hatchling No.1 arrived...

But not as much as when Hatchling No.2 arrived. He didn't like sleep much. And he liked feeding a LOT! And he didn't like to sleep much. And he liked feeding a LOT....
Did I mention he didn't like to sleep much?
And he liked feeding a LOT??

After 10 weeks of precious little sleep I was indeed a donkey on the edge. I wanted to get rid of Union Jack because he snored - but I couldn't. I wanted to get rid of Hatchling No.1 because he was a 2 year old - but I couldn't. I wanted to get rid of myself because quite frankly I was over it - but I couldn't. And I wanted to get rid of Pepsi because she woke crying babies, woke me, created much fuss, was noisy - she thought she was a Princess.

At that time Pepsi was asking for more than I could give.

Out of nowhere appeared the cutest couple I think I've ever met. They were despereate for a dog, had tried to rescue a couple from the pound but missed out - and as if by magic they appeared. This gorgeous pair took one look at Pepsi when they came to meet her and exclaimed "She's perfect!".

I rushed to correct their perception - there should be no false advertising when it comes to dogs. But lo and behold they wanted our beautiful Pepsi-girl.

I spent the week crying, sobbing, weeping, sniffing, breast-feeding - then crying, sobbing etc. all over again. But the very next week our Pepsi moved out.

I missed her, and I didnt miss her. Pepsi's new owners simply adored her and still do. After 18 months Union Jack, the Hatchlings and I went to visit our Pepsi-girl:

She'd just had a hair cut and man did she look stupid. And cute!!

Hatchling No.1 could remember her as if she only left last week "Where's her tags?" he quizzed, "Why does she have a different tag on her collar?"

Pepsi remembered too. I think she remembered how her Princess status was calously stripped when she became 'just a dog' at our place. When it came time to leave she huddled very close to her new owner - a tad nervous that we might ask her to hop in the car with us and come home.

She's still nutty - she's noisy and demanding and lovely and sweet and cute and annoying. Pepsi is definitely still a Princess. But she's not our girl any more, and our visit cemented this fact for me - just in case I was having any doubts...

Pepsi girl is exactly where she should be.

Jen x

Aussie cricket legends - the early years...

Yep - the word must be getting around town. When the Hatchlings and I head down to the local cricket ground for a hit, it's fair to say we draw a pretty big crowd. Check out our most recent cricket match...

Didn't see anyone watching? Cast your eye to the grand stand and you'll see the 30-40 onlookers. We didn't advertise - how they knew we fancied a hit of cricket that day remains a mystery...

Hatchling No.1 worked the camera while his baby brother limbered up...

The game was underway when with an almighty sweep, Hatchling No.2 attempted to put one on the boundary...

When achieving the boundary was deemed unlikely, Hatchling No.2 was quick to advise that the previous delivery was in fact a 'no ball'. Considering his position on the wicket, I concede that there may have been something fishy about the proceedings. A match fix perhaps??

...and when Hatchling No.1 dismissed the 'no ball' allegation, Hatchling No.2 felt it necessary to challenge. I think I heard a request for the third umpire at some point during the dispute.

The dispute was eventually resolved when Hatchling No.1 exited the oval in favour of the adjoining playground, while Hatchling No.2 took possession of both bat and ball, and followed his brother.

Gee I hope all those spectators hadn't paid extra for their seats in the Grandstand. :P

Jen x

Hip Hip Hooray!!

Good grief is that the time?? Exactly how many days/weeks have slipped by without me publishing this post??

Errr, hmmm, um - two weeks and two days ago, The Hatchlings had their birthday party.

As you can see, there was a Bob cake for Hatchling No.2, some rather spiffy cupcakes (made by moi), party hats, blowers, and a Batman cake for Hatchling No.1.

In the spirit of the chaos that is my life, there were no official 'party games' - this was an all in free-play-fest!! I think we were all the happier for it too. With a cubby house, totem tennis, sandpit, new toys, old toys and other kids a-plenty - keeping the little people entertained was a non-issue. Besides, many seemed to be just there for the food...

THE HIGHLIGHT - Watching Hatchling No.2 start blowing before the candles were even lit or "Happy Birthday" sung. (By golly it was HIS Bob cake and he knew exactly what to do with it after a serious month packed with other kids' birthday parties!!!)

THE LOWLIGHT - The outrageously pathetic pinata purchased from certain 'paper people' who shall remain nameless. The sportscar pinata blew a head gasket at the FIRST HIT!!!!

Fortunately the kids were all too high on the lolly-grab to clock what had happened...

Party pie anyone??

Jen x

CFA Expo

I am pleased to report that the Hatchlings (along with their cousin, Nickers) approached the recent CFA Expo Day with all the seriousness and earnest they could muster.

They have been counting down the days until the official fire season commences - you know, backwards from 165. Gifted they are, G.I.F.T.E.D.

They have drafted their bushfire plan.

Cleared unwanted debris from around the house.

Checked the hoses.

Cleared gutters.

Conducted fire drills.
You name it they've done it.

Well, at least they would have done all those things if they weren't all under the age of 5.

Jen x

Bicycles 101

I remember it very clearly – the weekend I learned to write a bike. Admittedly I was a bit older than Hatchling No.1, so the process was a bit faster. This, I fear, may be quite a long process.

I didn’t have any training wheels – Hatchling No.1 rather likes his training wheels.

Not least of which is because without them he would be lying on the ground with a bike on top of him a LOT. He likes the bell too.

I didn’t have a smooth, flat netball court to learn on. I had a gravel driveway with a slight slope down, then up. It was perfect because I could use the downhill slope to start rolling without any use of pedals, and then the upward slope would bring me to a stop without any brakes. Perfect.

Maybe we should take Hatchling No.1 back to my childhood home and ask the current owners if they’d mind us using their driveway for some bicycle 101.

No, wait! Hatchling No.1 has found his happy face! He’s smiling! He’s pedaling!

He’s smiling and pedaling!!

Hatchling No.2 is smiling too - mostly because he found this puddle to ride through. Boys and muddy water – the yin and the yang.

If I told you I caught Hatchling No.2 dipping his hands in this muddy puddle water and drinking it would you be grossed out??? I was just wondering - that’s all. No, nothing to confirm or deny at this stage, really. No, really!

Okay maybe he drank a little bit. But don’t worry I leapt into action and put a stop to it! And then every time I turned my back he drank some more. Sigh. His immune system is going to be SPEC-TAC-U-LAR!

Its all part of bicycles 101 – watch out for the next installment.

Jen x