First time for the girls and first time for us driving down. Was touch and go for a while as Mathena was sickly but it is now the start of the throat "Owies" for Letitia. We are going anyways...
Will update with pictures soon...pray for our safety, harmony and health! I am just happy that the meals are all included. We'll be around Mount. Selwyn, known for the family orientedness and less "traffic" of serious skiers. Be back saturday night, 30th July.
We'll be staying at ProvidenceLodge
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Saturday, July 23, 2005
What can we do NEXT?
We've just survived a HUGE week. I hosted and babysat 5 kids (3 preteens and our own) and a busy/edgy husband under one roof. This was how it went:
Monday: The kids had other plans. We had a quiet day. Mathena started sniffling and coughing. Alex did heaps of running around.
Tuesday: We had a walk to the nearby park. The day was sunny and the kids were good. We later came home for some drawing time after lunch. Cooked dinner for 2 families. Mathena's temps. rose.
Wednesday: After another playground/park morning, came "we're bored...aunty Sarah, what can we do?" I whipped up some craft packs and they went straight into it (except for the only boy in the group who called for helped every 2 minutes with his timber model). My girls loved the interaction and fun...and starting to be quite wild in their behaviors. I am running out of ideas to cook...so I took out leftover spagetti which was promptly ignored!!!!!
Thursday: The kids stayed overnight last night...and it was BUSY! Everything had to be done last minute as the mom was "not well".
Friday: Went to the beach with the kids for nearly 2 hours. The days are feeling kinda long as my creative juices have stopped flowing with ideas due to lack of sleep and exhaustion (Mathena's feverish nights). We bribed them with yogurt to finish their soups for dinner. Mathena's still not eating well and spewing food everywhere. The laundry is piling up fast. Thank goodness the mother arrived 30 mins earlier to help out.
We basically fed, entertained, fed, played, fed, bath, fed and "disciplined" 5 kids under our roof. Kids CAN eat (everything except what's given)!! After this experience, I am very happy to stay with just having 2 girls and NO MORE! Noone can convince me to have more kids!!
The guests children (a set of twin girls age 10 and an 8 year old boy) were pretty normal for their age and background but it sure was an insight to the "family-life" of others. It was a huge lesson on stretching our openness as well as our gratitude for what we have. My girls had a ball!!! Alex showed "strictness" a few occasions and I had to "practice my breathing technique" a few times too. If things are fair, I should have lost some weight too!
On the job front, Alex was offered a job locally but unfortunately many reasons kept us from excepting it. He's now at level 2 of 6 of his other job "interest" and awaiting for stuff/ or a respond.
Pray for quiet times, plenty of rest and recovery for young Mathena who's quickly shrinking in size due to lack of food.
Have a good weekend! I'll be doing loads of laundry.
Monday: The kids had other plans. We had a quiet day. Mathena started sniffling and coughing. Alex did heaps of running around.
Tuesday: We had a walk to the nearby park. The day was sunny and the kids were good. We later came home for some drawing time after lunch. Cooked dinner for 2 families. Mathena's temps. rose.
Wednesday: After another playground/park morning, came "we're bored...aunty Sarah, what can we do?" I whipped up some craft packs and they went straight into it (except for the only boy in the group who called for helped every 2 minutes with his timber model). My girls loved the interaction and fun...and starting to be quite wild in their behaviors. I am running out of ideas to cook...so I took out leftover spagetti which was promptly ignored!!!!!
Thursday: The kids stayed overnight last night...and it was BUSY! Everything had to be done last minute as the mom was "not well".
Friday: Went to the beach with the kids for nearly 2 hours. The days are feeling kinda long as my creative juices have stopped flowing with ideas due to lack of sleep and exhaustion (Mathena's feverish nights). We bribed them with yogurt to finish their soups for dinner. Mathena's still not eating well and spewing food everywhere. The laundry is piling up fast. Thank goodness the mother arrived 30 mins earlier to help out.
We basically fed, entertained, fed, played, fed, bath, fed and "disciplined" 5 kids under our roof. Kids CAN eat (everything except what's given)!! After this experience, I am very happy to stay with just having 2 girls and NO MORE! Noone can convince me to have more kids!!
The guests children (a set of twin girls age 10 and an 8 year old boy) were pretty normal for their age and background but it sure was an insight to the "family-life" of others. It was a huge lesson on stretching our openness as well as our gratitude for what we have. My girls had a ball!!! Alex showed "strictness" a few occasions and I had to "practice my breathing technique" a few times too. If things are fair, I should have lost some weight too!
On the job front, Alex was offered a job locally but unfortunately many reasons kept us from excepting it. He's now at level 2 of 6 of his other job "interest" and awaiting for stuff/ or a respond.
Pray for quiet times, plenty of rest and recovery for young Mathena who's quickly shrinking in size due to lack of food.
Have a good weekend! I'll be doing loads of laundry.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Looking...looking...looking!
Alas! The shackles are off and we(Alex) are set free. Free to wander the world of unknown job opportunities and interviews.
Do keep us in your prayer as the entire "phenomenon" of job seeking is now VERY indepth and creative. I can see the work and thought put into preparing for it, and I can only be thankful that this is not happening to ME. I would have just "fluked" most of it. He's keeping his spirits up and aiming for a few companies. Have had a couple of "chats" with future employers and is lining up some more.
Had 2 days of Alex at home.... not sure whether there is any difference as I am more tired than ever!!! We've been tripping everywhere with him and doing MORE stuff! Phew! Can I apply for my LEAVE now?
Do keep us in your prayer as the entire "phenomenon" of job seeking is now VERY indepth and creative. I can see the work and thought put into preparing for it, and I can only be thankful that this is not happening to ME. I would have just "fluked" most of it. He's keeping his spirits up and aiming for a few companies. Have had a couple of "chats" with future employers and is lining up some more.
Had 2 days of Alex at home.... not sure whether there is any difference as I am more tired than ever!!! We've been tripping everywhere with him and doing MORE stuff! Phew! Can I apply for my LEAVE now?
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Big Sister looking over Mathena
Today for the first time in our family record, they both sat happily chatting away with their activities and I was NOT there to referee. Letitia took the role as a facilitator with Mathena's "work" while I just sat from afar and folded my three baskets full of laundry.
This lasted for 20 mins.
Alex's news: On Friday last week, just as Alex was READY to pack-up, he was asked to stay another week... till this Friday (15th).
This lasted for 20 mins.
Alex's news: On Friday last week, just as Alex was READY to pack-up, he was asked to stay another week... till this Friday (15th).
All Dressed up and NOWHERE to go!
The girls are STILL asking for dresses to wear in the cold of winter. Now little Mathena is following suit in this pleasure, except she still frog-jumps in her dresses!!
Alex's job front: Will this week be the last week? We'll see...
Alex's job front: Will this week be the last week? We'll see...
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
How cheeky can a 22 month child get?
This is Mathena when she wants to make us laugh.
She recently figured out that her facial expressions
can make us roll laughing on the floors. And so, she
does it over and over again..
She added the wet cloth for effect as well as the
ear-diggin bit.
Sigh! Our resident Clown in the making...
She recently figured out that her facial expressions
can make us roll laughing on the floors. And so, she
does it over and over again..
She added the wet cloth for effect as well as the
ear-diggin bit.
Sigh! Our resident Clown in the making...
Sunday, July 03, 2005
"MINE!!"
We had an easy weekend and went to Church (Figtree Anglican)
While still "training" Mathena to be independant in the creche (Under 5's) facilities, I went in with her and helped her settle.
While there, M encountered a little "monster" of a toddler boy who went to everyone and took (shouting "Mine!") any toy out of their little hands as well as push them away from whatever activity they were doing. M watched in horror and I observed her "stepped back" a few occasions to come away from that kid. I was not impressed but thought hard at my own parenting skills as well as about my own girls.
Mathena came home and certainly learnt from the above. Immediately she showed her new found WORD and repeated "mine! mine! mine!" to Letitia (and us!). Shocked but not mistaken, I could not decide whether to cry or to laugh. We are trying to discourage that now but one will never know....
In the work front, Alex has received his notice last Tuesday but was told to stay back till the end of next week (8th) as back-up for the project. The company moral over the "end times" were not too positive making it quite difficult to enjoy work. He's doing ok at the moment and is preparing for an interview on Monday.
Do pray for us when you think about us. Our paths are slightly blurred at the moment. We seem to have opened up a lot of choices but none without it's responsibilities and tough decisions. All roads seem bumpy whichever way we choose. Our heart strings are pulling us to stay at this lovely coastal city (though not much job opportunities), not to forget the past years of network, relationships as well as church life. Pray that this will be a time of "growing", trusting and moving forward.
It's been a while since my last post. We've been REAL busy and the holidays are here (Starting 4th July) till the end of July (3 weeks). Looking forward to having Letitia at home more and eventually having family time with Alex as well. Take Care!
While still "training" Mathena to be independant in the creche (Under 5's) facilities, I went in with her and helped her settle.
While there, M encountered a little "monster" of a toddler boy who went to everyone and took (shouting "Mine!") any toy out of their little hands as well as push them away from whatever activity they were doing. M watched in horror and I observed her "stepped back" a few occasions to come away from that kid. I was not impressed but thought hard at my own parenting skills as well as about my own girls.
Mathena came home and certainly learnt from the above. Immediately she showed her new found WORD and repeated "mine! mine! mine!" to Letitia (and us!). Shocked but not mistaken, I could not decide whether to cry or to laugh. We are trying to discourage that now but one will never know....
In the work front, Alex has received his notice last Tuesday but was told to stay back till the end of next week (8th) as back-up for the project. The company moral over the "end times" were not too positive making it quite difficult to enjoy work. He's doing ok at the moment and is preparing for an interview on Monday.
Do pray for us when you think about us. Our paths are slightly blurred at the moment. We seem to have opened up a lot of choices but none without it's responsibilities and tough decisions. All roads seem bumpy whichever way we choose. Our heart strings are pulling us to stay at this lovely coastal city (though not much job opportunities), not to forget the past years of network, relationships as well as church life. Pray that this will be a time of "growing", trusting and moving forward.
It's been a while since my last post. We've been REAL busy and the holidays are here (Starting 4th July) till the end of July (3 weeks). Looking forward to having Letitia at home more and eventually having family time with Alex as well. Take Care!
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