Blog candy alert!

Jean is having a major giveaway this week. Hop on over and leave a comment to be in with a chance to win! Gotta run, a house full of kids turning up very soon......Wish me luck!

Take time to smell the roses if you don't have coffee.

So I was wondering what tragedy of my life to poke fun at for this post and decided while looking through some photo's I took this past 2 weeks that actually I could do a nice post. You know, pretend like I live in The Little House On The Prairie, kinda, with clutter, and practical clothes for running, and washing up liquid, but you know what I mean. I managed to (unknownst to myself) catch some nice pictures that mean a lot to me and show that it's not all fire and brimstone here! And sometimes it's ok to blog about, well, just stuff! Also it saved me sending the kids onto the roof to create a "scenario"!!!

Like having two kids who kill each other all day long but still love each other enough to want to spend the night together....

(They are *gasp* not mismatched pillows, she robbed his. But it probably wasn't a matching set anyways!)

Or realising your baby that you took home from the hospital not 3 weeks ago is able to blow bubbles, and loving it....




And these babies are still coming back to us. A pair this year. See, we can't be that bad!.....


The kids finding the halloween nightsticks and saying "Oh go on so, but turn the lights off"....because I secretly wanted to have a go too! Cathal on the left, Missus on the right!


And that seeing a moon like this, in this day in age, with all our technology and sparkly fandangles, still makes me gasp in awe (see, the prairie in me is coming out!!!)


I was just glad to have a decent camera on hand that could take the moon picture. For you unsavvy, it was, turn on, Auto, click, and pray for the best! I really must learn how to use that camera.

You know, for times like these....


Coffee anyone....???

Parenting for Dummies

I was lying in the bath wondering why I never had anything to blog about (reason for lying in the bath to come soon.....ish!) Anyways, I figured it was because I have nothing to blog about except the kids really and while they sometimes do silly, cute or dangerous stuff, I don't have enough material to work with. Or the battery is dead in the camera while they are doing it. Or Cathal is swimming when the small mackeral come in and they look like pirhanna fish splashing through the water but Mother Organised didn't even think to bring the camera. Or.......
I could go on, but I won't or I'll use up my one blog post a month on it. So, as I said, I was in the bath, thinking, as you do at such times, and was thinking how my kids still share a bath sometimes and is that legal now? And thinking of the little bath chairs they each had. How I shared a bath with my sis until I was about 6. How I shared a room with the same sis until I was 16, should I let the kids get bunk beds like they want? And my mind wandered, as it does at precious times like this, lying in the bath, and I recalled a blog post by Lynda about her next bestseller! Like her, (ya'all need to read the post!) I have "parenting issues". Like "Where the hell did you come from?" or "If I feed you chocolate will you stop asking me questions?" or "If I feed you to the....." No, I don't say that really, that was for shock factor. Really. I have no idea where that thought manifested itself from. Really. Truely. I love my kids. That's why i have nothing else to blog about!
So! (Getting away from that......) I had an epi.. (hang on, gotta go Google) Epiphany! Thanks to Barbara for getting me in the bath (I said I'd tell ye about that later!) and Lynda I realised I don't have to wait till my child breaks an arm so I have cute pictures of casts to photograph or scrapbook (touch wood neither have-I can guess what next months blog post will be....) They only get "internal" stuff like fluid on the hip (not nice) and they don't let you stay to photograph that stuff. Like the battery in my camera would be ready anyway.
So......back to the bath and thinking, and (man I have a lot of thread veins, I think I'll stick to showering) I had the bright idea of Parenting for Dummies! (I know, I googled it, it's already there, but I bet they're not REAL dummies, like I was my first time out of the hospital with a tiny human being) So I was thinking I could pass on those tiny bits of info that don't make it into the books (that are written by people with well behaved, mannerly nieces and nephews) I can give tips from the heart. What has worked for me. Oh wow, I can make a difference! Not really, but I've spent so long typing now with a faulty Shift button that to stop now would crush me.....

So, Number one tip (that I ALWAYS give new Mommies) is, "Don't take anyone's advice or tips on raising YOUR child" I do, really. I say, "I could give you advice, but I won't, but I will tell you that when your Mother in Law/sister/lady on the road/libriarian starts saying "You shouldn't be doing" or "That child should be" just smile and say "Yes, I'll try that" and make her a cup of tea or give her a brandy or get a dose of the cramps, whichever will shut her up quicker. I say Her, not for ease of typing, but because it's mainly "hers" that give advice. Which is why I'm here!

Seriously, (This is the serious part, you can disregard the above!) I was lying in the bath as ye know by now, and so bathtime was on my mind. I got to thinking about my early trials as a Mother Bathing a Baby. (In BOLD 'cause we're worth it!) I picked up a nifty trick (all by myself) after I nearly drowned my firstborn reaching for shampoo (It was a horrific experience, for me, he was fine in 2 seconds, I cried for 2 days) I found, if I had to bathe my child in a full size bath, to fill the bath a bit, put a folded towel in the bath (the length of the baby) put baby on towel and wash. No slipping on the enamel/plastic bath. The baby will stay on the towel. Yes, you have a sopping wet towel but you also have a baby in water you can manage. (Actually, if I may, one piece of advice, don't use baby oil IN the bath, unless you're an octapus! After the bath, fine! It just makes them so damn hard to get a hold of! I learnt that first time around! And therin lies "Parenting for Dummies"

With my second, the trauma of "full size bath" must have been in the back of my mind. She was bathed in the kitchen sink until she grew out of it. It's funny to hear someone talking about "how lucky ye are, we were bathed in the kitchen sink" Hey, if it was good enough for them, it's good enough for me. And if it delays a few stray grey hairs along the way, I'm happy. So The Missus was bathed in the kitchen sink until she was ready for the bath chair. I got a lot of thumbs up (one through the window down at MIL's house from the Auntie next door, and my Mother approved) but I got a few, "Have you not got a baby bath? Then why are you ....?..static.....white noise.....going into a tunnel......Sorry, I can't hear you......"

Take care of your babies as best you know how. Next installment: Antibiotics. Only kidding! Actually I think I should finally come out about my fascination with windows in the dark.....
So that's my input for today. I hope to come up with and remember a few more gems to part with ye. Most will probably be hindsight, but hey, my hindsight might be your 20/20 vision! If you'd like to leave your tips on what has worked for you I'd love to read them. (And maybe use them!)

Where does the time go?

So, what have I been doing with all my time?

Well, The Missus started school.

She loves it and has already been in trouble for being the ringleader in a waterfight in the bathroom. What? This sweet, innocent child of mine?

I don't think so.....

Jerry has been taking Cathal fishing a lot lately. Look at him all grown up, scratching his arse like the big boys. I'm so proud of him. I think we're doing a fine job!


Then these babies have been keeping me occupied in the evenings. They come every year around this time but this year is the first time we've been getting 2 together.



What else? Oh, there was a festival on this weekend and we went to the festivities yesterday evening. I think we managed to get one photo of us without someone sneezing, blinking, doing bunny ears (Cathal!!!) or being slapped. We did good!


There's just something about this picture I love.


Now I remember why I don't blog so often. These pictures take forever to upload! Happy now K? Now stop texting me telling me to update the blog!!!

Bless me Blogspot for I have sinned.....

It has been bloody AAAAAGES since I've blogged. I have a few excuses. I've been run off my feet since the summer holidays started and are now nearly over. Also the charger for the camera died so I've been without a camera for ages and lets face it, my blog would be damn boring without a few photos of the kids covered in paint/muck or doing something they shouldn't be doing or looking cute. Also I've been lazy about blogging. There you go, excuses out! Amen.

The summer has pretty much been a washout. I've managed to bring the kids to the beach a few nice days and more often than not I've brought Cathal down for a dip even when it's been raining if it was warm. We had a lot of hot muggy weather with no sun. But he loves swimming so I sat on the beach under a towel while he swam in the sea. The kid is nuts if you ask me. But then, I'm biased.


Cathal is fantastic in the water. He goes straight in and down, no faffing about.

The Missus on the other hand is more like Momma. She dips a toe in and quickly retreats from the freezing cold water. And it's always freezing cold here. She has up to now managed to go as far as her ankles but today was the big one! She went as far as her thighs. Yippee! She'll be a mermaid soon!

"You can do it, come on a little further"

"Yayyyyy, I did it, look Mamma, I'm swimming!"


"I need to wee Mama"


"Hmm, I know there's a way through the seaweed"


"....somehow...."


"Did you find the way yet Cathal?"




She's happy to search for pretty shells in the coral. And between you and me, so am I....

Funky Fairy!

OMG what a give-away! But it'll probably go to someone in the States as there's so many visitors from there. Oh, imagine the egg on my face if I was picked! Anyways, have a goo and stick your name in, if you're not in you can't win! Good luck everyone and thanks funky fairy!

Thanks girls!

Kate and Clare awarded me with this.....


and I'm so chuffed! I nominate Mandy, Jean, Ais, Noelle,,Tigger Eva and Aine

"Don't run so fast, you'll fall"

Did she listen?

How cool is this?

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com




Found a link to this over on Jeans blog. I could pass away an evening doing these!!!

"I want a pony"

The dreaded words finally arrived. I tried to convince her that we don't have the facilities for a pony or horse but really that's wasted on a 4 year old. I tried to convince her she'd be fine with a My Little Pony teddy but no. Well I can be as bull thick as she can! And untill we live on a ranch this is the best she can expect!







Yes, I know the last one is a donkey, but beggers can't be choosers!

Crappy photo alert!!!

I really must get myself a new camera or at least craft during the day so the pictures won't be so bad.....
Anyways, here's tonights efforts. I bought this frame from the 2 Euro shop



and turned it into this....



Thanks for the idea Sarah! I pulled the back/box from the frame, inked it, stuck flowers on, some ribbon, a bit of bling and glitter paper for the photo frame. Then for the outside frame part, just rub-ons and some "Ring Bling" from the 2 Euro shop and Bob's your Uncle! It's for Leah's best friend in school so that's why it's sooooooooo girlie! I can't wait to see it with the photo in it and the back stuck back on. I had so much fun making this and it was very easy to do. Give it a try. I'm glad now I went back and bought 3 more frames!! If you try it please let me know and leave a link to your blog in the comments section.
TFL

A few crafty presents.

This is what I made for Cathal to give his teacher yesterday before they got their summer holidays. She's into arts and crafts herself so I hope she likes them. The tin was free with Lyons teabags and I just covered it with paper, ribbons and bling. The notebook is just a plain notebook covered again with papers, rubons and bits and pieces. The jar has a little frame on it and some ribbon. I filled it with snazzy paper clips and mini bulldog clips. Thanks for looking!

My little visitor!

This chappie usually turns up around November but Jerry spotted him in the garden tonight. Seems a bit of an odd time of the year to see them. I hope he's found somewhere dry to sleep tonight. It's teeming down here at the mo....

Oh I do love to live beside the seaside!

As if all the fish in the sea weren't enough, these cheeky chaps have taken to visiting me lately for the bread I throw out for the birds. It feels a bit freaky when up to 40 of them are circling the house....

New Do!

After a little "episode" earlier this week which resulted in me calling the doc with a suspected stroke, I decided to "Stop the bus and get off" for an hour (Thanks Sabrina!) to get my hair done today.
Yes folks, I finally had my first (and hopefully last) Anxiety Attack! It started with a racing heart and finished with a racing thunderous heart. I called the doc when it didn't stop after an hour and she gave me some techniques. Rub the left side of your neck and breathe deeply and hold it. It opens some artery. I've decided I need a bit more "Me time". We'll see if I manage an hour next week.....
Anyhoo, I went to get the auld gruaig done today and I love it. Sorry I have no "Before" photos and I did think of it but I was chasing my tail as usual....





Jerry was making me laugh when trying to take these photos with the webcam. Man, you ask for a little help....He like's the new do too ; )