Well firstly I can't believe we are in the third month of the year already, so much has happened since my last post. Our baby girl had her long awaited HI 5 preschool party for her 5th Birthday with all her preschool friends. It went really well and we had friends from swimming come join us after the party for a swim and lunch. She was VERY spoilt!!! We gave Kade her first bike............she loves it and is getting really good on it too. Then a month later, we celebrated Christmas starting Christmas Eve at Mum's place followed by Christmas lights at Kath's, then home to bed for Santa to come. Daddy was eagerly waiting to poke the kids and wake them up when they were still asleep at 6am LOL...............See pics...........Kids were very spoilt.
It is lucky I start shopping boxing day for the following Christmas or else we would have been very short on the present front this year. My tip for having a spoilt Christmas............always check the clearance racks and tables at Target, Myer, Big W, K-mart etc and pick up CHEAP toys, clothes at end of season clearance or ebay or markets, presents for others in the fam..........Then keep a book with a list of everyone you buy for and write in it when you get home from shopping every week. This way by Christmas you have probably bought better presents for the price you would have spent, and you don't double up on presents either. We do this for kids birthday parties too. So when the kids come home from school/kindy with an invitation they go shopping in the "present box". I also get a lot of things at the toy sale at K-mart (much che
aper), and I buy things in this
sale for birthdays and Christmas for the
next 12 months. We don't buy anything for the kids during the year when we go shopping each week, so they get super spoilt at Christmas (and why not!!???). The money issue I overcome by selling off my kids old toys and clothes (still in good condition - which is a benefit of having too many clothes or toys - they stay in good condititon to resell), then I resell them and reuse the money for the following season or year of toys that I buy brand new :)) We had a quiet New Years at home. The end of January marked my baby girls first day of school - Prep at Narangba Valley State School. She is loving it and enjoying it very much. It also was my Mum's 60th party which was a country hoedown. It was sooo much fun!! and wonderful to catch up with some old friends. February was rather busy but uneventful really.
Financial situation - hasn't changed much at all, Col's job is still there but the hours are getting shorter especially with the rain lately which is very untimely with my wage finishing at Easter holidays. He is being paid but not earning enough. The work is there, just the company isn't working in the rain!!! I have been volunteering at Cafe (tuckshop) at school every fortnight and its really fun, but this will stop next Term as I will need to return to work :(( I'm also about to start my studies for ABA breastfeeding counsellor course. I'm looking forward to this. My CBS group (Community Breastfeeding Support group) I'm apart of is still active, and we are meeting at the Caboolture EYC every fortnight on a Wednesday in line with Community Cuppa (12:30 - 2:30pm). I am getting use to the school drop off/pick up routine, and am very lucky that Col is home for both so most days I go to do this without the boys. Kade is at a new ballet school and it is much better, much more challenging and she is really enjoying it! Dominic is enjoying Happy Coconuts sports program (8 sports 4 weeks of each throughout the year) and swimming. Nate is loving swimming!! I will be doing supply teaching on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays next Term and see how this goes, also may be working with a good friend of mine around Validation time. Col and I will have to play it by ear with the boys and Col being able to look after the
m, to avoid day care fees!!
Col's Dad is doing ok! He is very exhausted, is resting and keeping strong. We keep him in our prayers constantly :)) Praying for a full recovery.
Well, that was my update........my blog will be updated once a month now. I'll start at the end of this month as my little baby boy will be turning one and has his party at the end of this month. We are having a car/truck party for him.
My idea.................I have been trying to get my website up and running but don't have 1. money to get help, 2. knowledge or know how, 3. the time it takes..............so I'm thinking I might do a BLOG???????? OR FACEBOOK PAGE?????? for my Flutterby Doll Creations business??? what do you think?????
