And then there was one

Yesterday was Hallie's first day of school. She was so excited and couldn't wait to get there to put her bag away and get started. Sarra is starting grade 2 and Hallie goes to kinder two full days on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Halie even dictated to me how she wanted her hair and yes under her uniform is her sipderman undies.

When we got there Hallie was a little shy and looked like she might start to cry, hiding her face behind Simon's legs but then she saw that her friends from last year were there and her teachers were still the same so she put on a brave face and went off to play.

I am all for pre-kinder because last year Hallie had a whole year of familiarising herself with the classroom, teachers and fellow students. It made yesterday such an easy transition. Sarra played the big sister role very well, making sure Hallie was all settled in before going off to her class. She loves having Hallie at school and even though they have different playgrounds, she can talk to Hallie through the fence.

Sarra with her best bud Naomi, joined at the hip since kinder

As we were coming in the school gate, all the other Mums cheered Hallie on and said she looked too little to be at school yet. (for Xmas her new 3/4 shorts were only a size 2 but mostly her clothes are a 3, sometimes a small 4 and she is 5yrs in April) Her school bag certainly looked too big. There are only 185 kids at Westbury so we all know each other and watch each other's kids grow up. In Hallie's class there is only 11 kids so I am loving the small class size. Sarra has about 23 kids in her 2/3 class.

So after all that excitement, I ended up being late to pick them up from school because I went to the hospital to see Mel and Tyren and got carried away holding him. What a terrible mother, late to pick up her kids on their first day of school. Yikes! Hallie and Sarra were not worried, they were too busy playing in the kinder playground.

After school we heading off to Kit's for tea. She decided that because Simon was working, there was no way I should be at home alone on my birthday. Oh yeah that was yesterday too. It started off beautifully in the morning when my good friends Phyllis gave me some roses from her garden and a loofah brush and some Body Shop shower cream. I don't know how Phyllis finds these things out but The Body Shop is my favourite place for stuff like that. I must take a photo of Phyll's garden as it is amazing.

This is what we had for breaky. Homemade choc cake from Simon and my fav choccie milk and vegemite on raisin toast. (seriously you must try it)

Kit had asked me what I wanted for tea and I said, 'whatever is easiest'. Kit said no my kids always get to choose so you are too. It meant alot that she said that because I love her to bits. She is a pretty special person. Well in that case............... we had roast chicken and vegies and baked raspberry cheesecake. Did I mention she is a fab cook. Between her and Mama Jackie and Mel I am going to have to start living at the gym.


The kids played outside after tea and Sarra took off with the camera. She loves Toby the dog. He looks big but is very friendly and gentle.



Because we knew yesterday would be busy Simon had prepared a surprise for my birthday last Saturday. I will post that soon. I have just not got round to it. I hope Oliver does not get too lonely without the girls at school but I certainly will love just one.

Adam Rouse arrived with a load of wood that Oliver thought he would help with in his pjs.

I had to give the kids a second bath after our birthday treat at Kit's as Bishop was keeping an eye on the kids outside and showing them around the farm which was very lovely thanks Bishop, but they had no shoes on!!

Big boy bed

Now that Oliver is nearly 3 (March 4), we decided that it was time for him to move on up in the world out of his cot and into a bed. The only problem is that Oliver shares his room with the computer, computer desk, printer, scanner blah blah so you can see how that kind of stuff just takes over the room. I need some feng shui for my blogging you see.

This is Oliver's old cot which used to belong to the Prebbles and before that Scott's sister Gwen Barf. We worked out that Oliver was the tenth baby to use it. It has been repainted but has bite marks, stickers and even on the boards underneath, Sam Prebble has written her name in wobby red texta. I don't think I would ever have wanted a fandangled new cot because this one had so much character and memories wrapped up in it that a new one would have been too boring.

Simon being very innovative, came up with the idea of a toddler bed. We found one at Target on sale for $120 and so brought it home and put up. In the post Christmas sales we got Oliver a pillow and single bed doona that I decided just had to go on his toddler bed. Problemo was that the toddler bed still only fits a cot mattress so I have wrapped his single bed fitted sheet and doona probably twice around the bed to make it fit.

Once we had done all that we sat back to survey our project. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. It is the poxiest bed you have ever seen (obviously why it was $120). It looks like a little dog bed, being so low to the floor but Oliver loves it to pieces and thinks he is such a big boy.

The miracle of birth.............

I have had THE most amazing day today. At 4.50am, Dean text me and said Mel was in the hospital in labour and if I wanted to come in, it would not be long now. Well I jumped out of bed, pulled on some clothes and tore down to the hospital, thinking the worst thing would be if I did not get there in time.

I arrived there just ahead of Jackie and the kids. Mel had decided long ago that Jackson and Charna could be present at the birth. Jackson is 10 today (Happy birthday mate - sorry you have to share it now with Tyren) and Charna is 5 in June. Kealin until today was their youngest at 3 but Mel already decided that he would not be at the birth.

having a break in the tea room about 6.30am

Mel was 7cm when I got there and doing real well. She was so amazing and being a real trooper through all that pain. I was so in admiration of her. Dean was a perfect support. Hand holder, back rubber and water boy all in one. When I held Mel's other hand, I expected to have it half squeezed off but Mel was kind to me.

By 8am, Mel had not shifted off 7cm so they decided to give her an epidural, well Mel decided for them! Jackie and I took the kids down to the cafeteria for breaky while they did this and Mark came and picked up Kealin. Kealin had his mind on McDonalds and nothing else. He definitely had his priorities in order.

When we got back up there at 10am, we just chatted and dozed until it was time for Mel to push. After nearly 1 hour of pushing, Tyren Corona was born at 12.57pm weighing 8.87 pounds. Jackie had gone to pick Mark and Kealin up and take Mark to an appointment at St Vincent's and would you believe it, she missed the birth by about 6mins. Aah!

Jackson and Charna were so good. I sat Charna on my lap right at the front so her and Jackson could see Tyren make his way into the world. It was so special and emotional. I loved every minute of it and am so in awe of Mel and what she did to get this little tiger here.

Funnily enough Mel was not up for photos just yet. Gee I wonder why!! She was just so relieved it was all over and was happy to watch us oohing and aahing over Tyren. What a precious experience that I will never forget and will always cherish. I tell ya it's so much better being the one not in the bed doing those hard yards.

big bro Jacko

Princess Charna

Proud grandma

PS To see some more photos of little Tyler check out Mama Jackie's blog, the very proud grandmother. Mel is going to hate that photo of her.

Dr Harry in the flesh

Yesterday me and the kids tagged along with Mum, Collette and Jessica for Mum's traditional end of school holidays (brace myself to face those ratbag kids) lunch. Mum wanted to go to Dr Harry's place where we could check out the animals and more importantly tuck into the yummy food at Dr Harry's clucky chook cafe.

While we were there, Dr Harry himself came in to say hi to everyone. He went around every table and sat for a chat. I thought he was really friendly and relaxed. He asked the kids about their pets and we talked about his filming schedule.


Next time we will take the kids on a guided tour so we can check out more of the animals. Sarra's favourite was the ducklings and Oliver liked the pig. Hallie liked the pony. I liked the rhubarb crumble.

A play with Lilly

This week Lilly came for a sleepover for one night. Hallie was so excited and felt very grown up to be having her very own friend over, even if they are cousins.

Sarra went to Lilly's for the night so Hallie got to sleep in the top bunk which really made her day. She is getting very excited about starting kinder and is doing the usual - wanting to wear her school uniform everyday.



I took Lilly to music with Hallie and Oliver and they had a great time playing the instruments and Lilly even knew the 'naughty cat' song where you get to chase someone around the circle who has been a bad cat getting their whiskers in the butter!!

Of course my kids did the mandatory strip off to play outside thing. Why they do it I don't know.

House update

We have been very busy the past few weeks doing 'block stuff'. The bricks are all on and now its time for the plaster. Arrgh plaster dust. Gets into every nook and cranny.


Also check out this blog post of Jess with my kids. Obviously they were all bored today.

Don't know what this lip business is.

Girls weekend

Last weekend we had our Stake RS overnighter at Camp Banksia at Port Sorell. I went down with Kylie and Lisa about 5pm. When we got there, we did the most important thing first and went to Shearwater to grab a bite to eat. Jackie Webster and Liz Walker came with us and we had a lovely time together.

I shared a cabin with Kylie Bailey, Coral Crossin, Liz Walker and Lisa Wheeler. Our stake leaders, Jennie Taylor, Ruth Pawson and Deidre Triffitt had organised a relaxing weekend for us women to have some time out. Aah it was bliss.

Friday night we had a lip sync to music performance by each ward. It was a crack-up. Can I be biased and say Deloraine's was the best. Deidre, Emily, Louise, Liz and Jackie had dressed up and mimed a song about the new girl at school. Jackie played the 'new girl' and it was hilarious.

Jackie playing the 'new girl'

Devonport ward

We didn't go to bed until midnight and then we chatted til 2 in the morning. Luckily breaky was not until 8 o'clock so we had a bit of a sleep in.

Merley, Vicki, Phyllis, Alison and June

Toni, Em and Lil

Tania with all her friends :)

On Saturday we had a range of workshops, lunch and a testimony meeting. Even though it was raining we still had a great time enjoying each other's company and just relaxing with people that you don't normally have time to just chill with.

Women who Glow workshop by Carol O

What was really nice was that our whole family got to go together, the first overnighter we have ALL been on. Us girls are all so different but like Bish Prebble would say, it's the differences that make us a strong family unit............. um whatever!! :)

Notice that Collette and Jess have the same photos on their blog. Well just to set the record straight, the photos are off my camera. See only SERIOUS bloggers take their cameras everywhere girls.