Spring Has Sprung - And Other Things.....

03Sep08 - Today I am grateful for -

• The blossoms have started to bloom.......it's a sign of warmer things to come. (YIPEE) It was a rather chilly winter - and although it was a bumper season on the ski slopes (2 hours south from here) - we didn't manage to fit in a snow trip this year. Hopefully 2009.

Here are some almond blossoms in our front garden, taken today.

• A great tutorial at Uni today - with lots of discussions on the state of Australia's education system - and all that has been in the news lately.

Sadly - our society puts so much emphasis on the measure of success for a child being how high their university entrance score is upon finishing high school.

Seriously though - one can not measure a child's ability to be successful in life in only those terms. That's really quite absurd!!
As teachers (and as parents) we must care for our students, help them to have a love of knowledge - and just give them the best tools to take on the world.
And those tools MUST include the ability to think for oneself / think creatively / think outside the box / think with empathy & compassion for one's fellow man - as WELL AS having a good grasp of literacy and numeracy, science and social studies.

Teachers and schools are asked to show their worth by children scoring well only in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

How on earth can that really work???????

It baffles me that this education system - and all the government debates - haven't really changed at all in the last 100 or more years.

There HAS to be a better way.

Frustrating - to say the least.

(and I won't even start on how low teachers are paid in this country!!! Scandinavian countries pay their teachers almost the same as doctors - whereas here - we're expected to work our magic for the kids - but live off very low wages. No wonder over 50% of new graduate teachers leave the field completely within the first 3 years.........yes - 50%!!)

Anyhoo - the discussions were good. Rant now over!!

Now I have to work out how I can change it all!!! (I'll get back to you on that one......!)

• Getting around to doing a big food shop today. It's been awhile - just grabbing small bits here and there. Our pantry and fridge are now fully loaded!!!! (we'll see how quickly this hungry family manages to consume it all!!)

02Sep08 - Today I am grateful for -

• Teacher's strike this morning for 2 hours at school - so we managed to have a sleep in. I dropped MissJ and MissE down to school at 11:00am. It was a nice and calm morning!!

• A surprise package arriving from my sister L - who lives in Darwin. She recently went to the UK - the trip was part business / part jolly - and she hunted around for some great treasures for us all.

And here are pics of the girls with their new Gap t-shirts from London....

Yes - it's a dorky photo - I know - but it's so cool that they're all at a similar height difference!!

(they're growing up so quickly - * sob*)

So here's a more relaxed shot - with Miss Molly!!

01Sep08 - Today I am grateful for -

• Having a monumental BLONDE moment - but still being able to admit it - and to laugh harder than I have in a very long time!!! I think it's a good skill to be able to laugh at your own mistakes. It's lucky I can - as I make mistakes often - and I'd be a depressed mess if it weren't for the laughter!!

• My gorgeous friend MrsSmiff came home from hospital today - after 5 days in with pnemonia. She's a busy woman - and the hospital stay forced her to rest. We're all very glad she's now home - on the mend - and resting for another week. It's also made her re-think life choices - which could be a very good thing. Life's far too short and precious to be running around after everyone except you and those that you love.

• Long over-due phone-call with my sister L. It's been awhile - and it was great to catch up. Sadly we may not be able to see one another this year (she lives 8 hours by plane away - in Darwin) - but we'll look forward to when we can.

Bad Blogger.

So apparently I'm not too good with sharing my 3 Grateful Things (3BT) each and every day.
Yes - I can admit it. I'm a slacker.
But truly - life just gets busy at times - ya know?!

I think at this stage in my life - I have to remember to be gentle on myself.
I am NOT superwomen - even though I try to be sometimes.
I am just a women, that is figuring out her place in the world; a mother, that is trying to raise 3 gorgeous girls that show me more about love than I've ever known; a wife, that is not nearly as kind to her husband as she should be; a student, that is not very good at time management and seems to always end up finishing assignments during the wee hours of morning; a friend, that cares deeply but often doesn't show it enough; a netballer, that really isn't fit enough, and may even be an embarrassment to all that play with her - but is having a damn good time at it all anyway.

OK - Things that have kept me busy these last few days.

• The girls had Book Week parade at school last Thursday. It's become an important tradition at our local school - and everyone from the Principal through to the grounds person gets in on the fun!! It's a hoot. Here's this year's effort from MissE and MissJ................(MissJ's very first Book Week Parade...my baby's growing up too fast)

MissE was a 'Fairy Godmother' and MissJ was a 'Princess' - obviously. Miss E put her outfit together herself - and luckily we found enough supplies for everything around the house and in the dress-up box. (thanks goodness for well stocked dress-up boxes - I say!!)

• Thursday was also a successful day for me - as I handed in an assignment for my counselling unit - on time. PHEW!! Apparently my brain does still function - dispelling all fears to the contrary. So - on to the next assignment I go - due next week - ICK!!

• Friday saw another wonderful day off. It's good to let my batteries recharge at the end of the week.

• Saturday was full of netballing madness.

Great news - MissG and MissE both had wonderful games - and they both now head into the finals. VERY exciting. (especially since last year - MissE's team didn't win a game all season!)
My game was a loss - and that's it for the season for us - but we had a GREAT time - my first ever season of netball - we're all planning on playing again next year. It was a hoot. Great friends, good laughs, no major injuries - all was good!!!

Here's MissG in action -

And here's MissE -

• Today - we had rain - lots of rain. It was wonderful to hear it falling on the roof - and being snuggled up and warm inside - with a fire for added warmth and visual pleasure!! (perhaps the fire was not so good for the environment - but I feel the cold - damn it.......). Our parched soils are looking kind of sad - so rain is good. I say - bring it ON!!! More rain please Mr Weather-Man!!

OK - I've stayed up far too late - once again.

Thanks for coming.

14Aug08

14Aug08 - Today I am grateful for -

• Having a day home with MissJ to rest, cuddle and just get ourselves well.

• Email from my bio dad - nice.

• Being thought about - and loved - from afar.

Internet Down - and Catching Up

 

How frustrating is it when the internet connection goes - and it takes 4 days to sort it all out with your ISP?!?!?!?!

AAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!

OK - I'm breathing again. Glad that's over. Lets get on with things.

So - I need to catch up on a few 3BT's - you know - those things I'm grateful for!!!

I'll think back - and try to make my lists. (and I'll go backwards from yesterday - so they sit right on the blog - 'cuz ya know that I need it to look right - yes??)

10Aug08 - Today I'm grateful for -

• Long sleep-ins....to allow my body some rest and recuperation from my head-cold.

• A family that allows me to have long sleep-ins when I need them!!

• Good friends for company as we laze the afternoon away watching the Olympic highlights from Beijing!!

............then.................

09Aug08 - Today I'm grateful for -

• Amazing peeps - both young and old - from Saturday netball - that make me smile and laugh - until my cheeks hurt.

• 10 gorgeous 12-Years netball peeps that I had the honour to manage this past Rep Netball Season - and their wonderful parents.

• Celebrations at the Rep Presentation Dinner - good food, great friends, fun times.

............then.................

08Aug08 - Today I'm grateful for -

• The start of the Beijing 2008 Olympics!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE me some Olympic viewing. (guess I'll be lacking some sleep over the next 2 weeks!!!) GO YOU AUSSIES!!!

• Molly after she's had her hair clipped!! She's just even more cute, cuddly and fluffy.

• MissE performing and getting an award at school today - and me being able to be there to witness it. She's one very talented little vegemite. I'm so very proud of all she does.

............and lastly.................

07Aug08 - Today I'm grateful for -

• My good friend and neighbour not being badly hurt - when attacked by a pedestrian whilst driving her car. The car is damaged. She's shaken. But she's OK. (weird things really do happen)

• Good friends and coffee shops. Couldn't live without them!!

• Friends who really do understand - or at the very least - TRY to understand - what being adopted really means to me. Their validation and unconditional support have helped me heal and grow - in more ways than I could ever describe.

PHEW!!! I did it.

OK - back to your regular programming now!!!!!

Thanks for checking in!

06Aug08

06Aug08 - Today I am grateful for -

• Friends - both in real life and on-line - close & far far away - for they constantly make me smile and brighten my days.

• The view out my front window - of snow on the Brindabella Mountains. It never bores me - and makes the cold winter weather seem all OK. (sadly - there isn't currently THIS much snow - this was taken in 2004 - but it's the same range of mountains - and I just LURVE any amount of white fluffy stuff)

• Facebook - for being the tool that helped me connect to a long lost friend - whom I hadn't heard from in over 20 years.

Holidays Over and New Semester Begins

WOW - where did that time go??

I haven't posted since 29June - how rude is that??

July just passed without even a mention?!?!

And I promised that I would be more attentive dear reader.

(I know there's at least one peep out there taking notice!!!! Thankyou!!!)

Where to begin??

Netball NSW State Age Championship's were held in Newcastle at the beginning of July school holidays.

It was amazing - tiring - exciting - a blast.

3-days of netball mayhem - never seen anything like it - but it was an absolute hoot!!

I had the honour to manage a wonderful team of ten 12 year olds.

The girls all played wonderfully - better than they have ever played before.

It was great.

Bring on next year!!

After State Age we took our time getting back home - spending nights at various friends homes - as we made our way back down to Canberra.

We were away a whole week.

Two nights here - one night there - it was super mad - but great to catch up with so many people that we haven't seen in a very long time.

We consumed vast amounts of champagne and red wine - talked up a storm - did 'Paddy's Markets', 'Yum Cha' in China Town and a Rugby League match all in Sydney (P'matta V Rabitohs) - and generally had a load of fun.

Friends are precious - even if you only get the opportunity for small amounts of time together.

All very worth the time.

Second week of the school hols were spent just lounging around at home, washing copious amounts of dirty laundry, watching films, catching up with home friends, and generally taking things nice and slow. (Poor MrW had to go back to work - so he didn't have so much fun - life returns to normal so fast!!)

21July saw school return for the kids - and back to Uni for me once more.

Already things are flyng past quick - we're already into to week 3 - I'm sure the rest of the year will now fly past before I know where it's all gone!!

Saturday netball has resumed in ernest.

School activities keep the girls all very busy.

MrW has had a couple of trips to Adelaide with work.

I have a heap of assignments due this semester.

And life rolls on as per normal.

Oh the joys of a busy life.

(wish this ride would slow down at times - to let me get my breath!!!)

What A Blast !!

We're back from the magical white stuff - and what a fantastic time we had.
(I'm talking about the SNOW people - don't go getting any wacky ideas....)

MissJ (almost 5yrs) learnt how to ski for the first time - and MissG (age11.5) and MissE (almost 9) were starting to ski backwards by the end of day 5 !!

The weather at the start of the week was all sunshine, awesome snow-cover & every lift open - and it moved into gale force winds and many lifts on wind-hold. BUT - we had a ball.

We went with CousinR from Holland - who came for a short but wonderful 2.5 week wirlwind visit to OZ - and our good friends - The Smiffs (family of 4).

Loads of laughter and good times had by all - it really was the holiday my psyche was screaming for.

Not much can compare to skiing around the slopes with my girls, my husband, CousinR and my good friends. We're already frantically doing the calculations for the next possible skiing adventure.

DAMN that skiing costs so flippin' much. (note to self - MUST win lottery to help ease the pain in my husband's pocket.......)

Today - CousinR flew back to the land of cheese and clogs - and the house & it's inhabitants seems eerily quiet and a little sad this evening.

He will be greatly missed - but here's hoping it won't be another 7 years before we're all back in the same hemisphere once more.

(oh - and yeah - not much studying going on around here - bugger!!! - better get my nose back into those books................this semester is not quite as exciting as the adventures that have been playing in my surrounds.)

ETA: labels for the photos are as follows (I can't work out how to flippy put them inbetween the photos - it JUST.WON'T.WORK. Pfffffttt!!)
Photo 1: Perisher Blue
Photo 2: CousinR & MissJ
Photo 3: MissJ (& me further up the slope)
Photo 4: MissE
Photo 5: MissG
Photo 6: MrW, me & CousinR
Photo 7: The Mob - eating lunch!!
Photo 8 : The Smiffs - D & D.

Sick And Feeling BLAH

I've been a bit sick.

I was attacked by some rotten lurgy - and I've been in bed for the last 48 hours. Head pounding, fever, really sore throat, wicked cough - something this household has all come down with in various forms this last week - and it hit me HARD.

And it all hit after a very very busy week.

Last weekend I travelled by bus to Sydney with 2 girlfriends for a weekend away from the kidlettes.

It coincided with the Quilting and Craft Show in Darling Harbour - AND the many sales that mid-year Sydney retail produces.

We had a ball - lots of chatting, lots of walking, lots of shopping, good food, good wine, good company - a great weekend away.

Back at home - it's school holidays - and we have had a visitor staying for almost 2 weeks. My husband's 2nd cousin - from France - (MissC - 16yrs) - is in Australia for 6 weeks - and it was our turn to show her around our part of this big and beautiful country of ours.

It was a delight to have her here - as she slipped into our fam quite easily. She just became the oldest sister - and my kids had an absolute ball.

Her English was far more coherent than our non-existent French - so communication was relatively easy - especially as having fun is a universal language - so that's mostly what we've done this last 2 weeks.

She's seen almost all of the sights and museums that Canberra has to offer - and we even managed a couple of days without rain. (and I'm NOT complaining about the rain - as we've been in drought for a few years now - and the sound of rain on our roof is music to my ears - let me tell you!!)

Today I had to say goodbye to MissC as hubby and the girls have all driven up to Sydney to drop her back to his family - who will look after her for one final week before she heads back home to Paris. Hubby has a sister in Sydney - with 3 daughters - so MissC fits in well there also - and she stayed there before her visit to us.

Anyway - I'm still at home - obviously - as I seriously couldn't get out of bed - and I really thought it best not to spread this lurgy around more than it needed to be.

The fam should be back home tomorrow afternoon - and in the meantime - I'm taking things very very easy.

The kids have one week left of holidays - and so do I.

So I intend to have myself a whole lot of rest - some good family time when they return - and I'm looking forward to getting 3 more subjects finished by the end of the year.

Never a dull moment in House Possum - that's for sure!!!