A birdhouse in your Soul

It's the start of the long weekend... bugger! forgot to put the wine in the fridge AGAIN!

2009-04-09T18:37:00.004+10:00

Seems no matter what I do I am going to die.

My dietitian rang today and told me that my recent blood tests were all good except my homocystine level... had never heard of this before so she told me about it a bit then I consulted Google of course.

Seems this stuff if it is elevated causes you to have corony heart disease. BUT apparently if you take Elevit and increase my Vitamin B intake I may be able to reduce this. Apparently it is normal to have a reading of between 5 - 15. I sit at 16 which sounds close to me but puts me at 3 X the risk. I wonder if my levels were even higher before I lost weight?

My cholesterol is good, sitting at 4.3. We don't use a lot of butter or eat fatty things and I try and eat a lot of good fruits and vegetables these days. We also use Rice Bran Oil spread instead of butter or margarine. I started using this when I decided to cut canola oil out of our diets. I love the taste of butter for cooking and using as a spread but it's a pain in the butt to have at a spreadable consistancy all the time so looked for an alternative. Found this and it has lots of antioxidents and the plant sterol gamma oryzanol, shown to help reduce cholesterol absorption.

It is the school holidays now for Easter and I have an extra one for the duration so mother of Six at the moment. Busy Busy days ahead. Was given a blow today when told by the Dept that the parents of one of my charges are putting in a formal complaint about my care of their child. Can't go into it but Dept did say that they have no question in their mind about the quality of my care and that they appreciate me as a quality carer but that they were giving me the heads up if it goes ahead next week... I've been dealing with these parents for near to two years and it never gets easier. I can imagine how angry you would be if your child was taken into care, I really can... but really they are clutching at straws as court is looming so I have to try and not take it all personally. Wish me luck with that won't you!

2009-04-07T16:16:00.003+10:00

have had a busy day with a carer friend.. came home put little boy to bed as he was asleep and told gobble dock to have a rest ..

now Gobbledock has been annoying all afternoon keeping popping up out of bed... and the little boy unbeknowst to me had been painting his walls, body, toys and bed with SHIT!

Then to top it all off cat brought in a quail and house is covered in feathers and I had to go ask the man across the road to come and help,.. had to pull lounge room apart to catch the flaming thing ... once that was done I had to set to cleaning up the SHIT!...then baby came home...she's now crying on the floor as the big girl got her up for me and dumped on the floor.. great f**king help.. have bathed stinkarse boy and put him and Gobbledock in the playpen and just put the lounge room back together..

am waiting for another carer to bring some clothes over for the respite kid i have over easter.. then have to be presentable enough to get new girl off the kindy bus after her first day at kindy.. and to top it all off.. dept wont return my freaking calls and my caseworker just told me she has quit!

today sucks

Here is a photo for your enjoyment

2009-04-06T19:14:00.002+10:00

Crikey Jingoes!!!

2009-04-06T18:59:00.003+10:00

I've been told I need to start giving my blog some attention again. I will try but who knows how it will go.

I just read my last post and my wee little babe had returned home to her Mum, well she came back about two days after that and is still here now. Although now she is a beautiful happy and content little camper who is a pleasure to have around. We've just weaned her off being wrapped so firmly every sleep time. Was very apprehensive about that as she took being wrapped as a sign that it was sleep time and settled very quickly. But only three nights into being unwrapped and she is settled and sleeping well again. No one can wrap like I can and if she is to return home she needed to learn how to sleep unwrapped as she is over 8 months old now. She is still tiny, just coming out of 000 sized clothes, probably just hitting 6 kilos.

My little Rowdy girl has gone home about two months ago and on all accounts I've heard it is going okay. I have a new girl who is lovely and has been fun to be around. I also have a girl back who I moved on a year ago as she was a ratbag who was doing my head in! Circumstances has brought her my way again... and she is still doing my head in daily! I look at her and try and 'diagnose' her and I hit a brick wall each and every time. I think is she Autistic, .. no.. does she has aspergers?? No.. ADHD?? no.. PPD??? no.. who the heck knows! She's a little odd bod of her mother's drug and alcohol making that's for sure. Off to the peadiatritian with her in another months time and looking forward to talking with him about her.

My big girl has just changed medication and we are trialling Strattera. Relatively newish in the sphere of ADHD and it seems to be doing an okay job one week into the trial. it is good to only have to have one tablet a day. I don't know anyone personally who has a child on it or tried it and Dr Google isnt much help. Anyone give me any feedback on their success or failure with the drug would be greatly appreciated. She is doing well at school mostly and has some nice friends.

I am thinking forward another 18 months and seriously researching High School options for her. She wants to go to the all girls school that most of the girls at her current school will head but I'm not sure it's the best choice for her. There is a co- ed school nearby and it's looking promising but a newer school has caught my eye and it is actually moving location and will be closer to home and I think it is a bit stricter on behaviour and expectations so it may be the winner. It is a very hard choice!

Off to clean the kitchen for the night and fall into bed. Had a late night last night just looking at 'one more thing' on ebay, but I did restrain myself and did not make any purchases!!

Oh.. I've lost 42 kilos now!! am pleased with the progress - albiet slow it is steady

Champion and Premier!

2008-09-13T19:43:00.005+10:00

That is what Rosie's team won.. the Championship and the Premiership apparently. They won their soccer game in extra time 4-2.
The baby girl has gone home AGAIN... we'll see how long for this time. She was a very difficult baby, full of wind and never could lay still - squirmed and cried constanly if put down, needed to be wrapped and held tightly 24/7. Not sure how mum will cope knowing a little about her story but oh the Department in their wisdom has made their decision so ... so be it!.
Back to four children. I keep feeling I've left someone somewhere or forgotten something now.
My weightloss is going okay at the moment. I am doing about 1/2 kilo a week with no effort at all and don't feel that I'm missing out on eating anything in particular. I can no longer eat pasta or bread really but that can only be a good thing in the long run really. I can't wait to break the 30kg mark in another few weeks!! I have such a long way to go still and I don't think there is much noticeable difference yet in my appearance but I can be patient and it will happen.. it won't happen over night but it will happen.
God I hate kids who WHINGE instead of talk..

And now she's BACK again!

2008-09-05T21:51:00.002+10:00

Poor little baby girl spent a few nights in hospital after a panic by her mum and then the hospital stuffed up some tests and it came back as an infection, another test 24 hours later revealed that the first tests were contaminated and there was nothing wrong with her at all, but Mum isn't able to get it together for the moment to parent her, does not feel able to so she's with me until they can sort something out ... really who knows what is happening, never will until she goes or stays.

I'm doing okay being the mother to five children. Routine is so very important in my house.. without it we'd be up the creek. I find that I can't be very flexible at times and Rosie has a hard time with that but her time happens when the other children are in bed and they go to bed early so there is plenty of time for her to have time with me. She made out a written routine with her counsellor the other day so that is helping her understand that she has responsibilities as well if she wants me to give her one on one time in the evening.. .by her doing her chores and being ready for that time is very important.. I can be ready but there is no use in preparing for one on one if she's still carrying on about having a shower or emptying the dishwasher or feeding pets etc. Hopefully we will get our routines down pat soon!

Soccer grand finals tomorrow morning - wish us luck! hopefully the ground isn't too soggy and the kids have a great game. Afterwards we are going to a park for a BBQ for Father's day as her aunts and uncle and cousins are all coming to cheer her on so we will all be together tomorrow instead of Sunday.

Anyway.. bottles to be sterilised again...

And she's gone...

2008-08-31T20:19:00.002+10:00

little Shayla only stayed for 24 hours and was then reunited with her Mum. It was a good outcome for her and her mum even though I would have loved to have her stay for a little longer- she was just soo tiny!
Oh well...the four I have keep me busy and I can wait until one of them leaves until a baby comes for good.. but then I won't say no if they offer me another placement in the mean time of a baby. The 4 year old is hopefully moving on in a few weeks time and that will be a relief as she's a prickly child and I just can't take to her at all.
I have asked my landlord if he will consider installing fans in our bedrooms and lounge room.. will be interesting to see what he says. I have a feeling he will say no - I have offered to contribute to the cost so hopefully that will be an incentive - who knows.. .fingers crossed.
Am minding the niece tonight as my brother and his wife have taken the girl to see Roar play a soccer game with her soccer team as a break up activity. Was too hard to contemplate going myself with the other children to either take or be minded.. easier to ask him to take her.
That's it for now!

Just a quick message

2008-08-27T23:19:00.001+10:00

A new member of the family joined us today.. her name is Shayla and she is 12 days old and so very tiny. ...... goodbye sleep

Another week, another year and rambling

2008-08-26T11:56:00.003+10:00

Rosie's birthday party was a great success! the girls all had fun and it was such an easy party as a parent to "run" ie show up and pay for it all. Seems that the going trend in gift giving is to give cash or gift cards so Rosie ended up with some birthday cash that was burning a hole in her pocket so we went to big w yesterday and she bought a skating DS game. I have asked her to think about what else she would really like to save up and buy with the rest of it as I don't want her to regret spending it on nothing in particular.

Today I have one off on a visit to see grandma and great grandma, two asleep and one sickie (Rosie) she has headache and tummy ache apparently. Did puke at about midnight so have given her the day off.

Tomorrow we go and see a specialist for some more testing for Rosie so another lump of cash to part with for the privilege.

Being very non frugal for a moment, I hired a new cleaner. She cleans very well BUT she has MOVED absolutely everything! took me over an hour to find the tv remote control in my bedroom... the laundry is so clean but she's just moved everything to one side and stacked it all up, she put the few dirty breakfast dishes that were on the sink into the big container I keep the baby bottles and emptied the vacumn cleaner bag in the garden outside the front door. She won't use my mop or my vacumn. Am pissed about that as I don't like her mop and I have a fantastic dyson that does a fantastic job which I am going to ask her to use next week as she just uses a cheap little piece of crap and seeing as though I have kids crawling around on the floor I'd prefer a better Vacumn cleaner be used.. I'm sure she also used all the stain remover spraying it on something else... it's empty and it was a brand new bottle...I am scared though. How can I bring this up?

The girl is 10... can you believe...

2008-08-23T21:41:00.003+10:00

not only is she going to be 10 years old.. but that she made it through 10 years.. or perhaps I should say I made it through 10 years of her being around. Holy moly it's been quite something.

Tomorrow she is having a birthday party at a skating rink with some friends so that will be great for her. I don't really know any of her friends so perhaps it will open doors for her to invite some home and be invited home to their houses for play dates or sleep overs etc. Not that I'm ready for her to go on sleep overs at anyone's house, but a play date is cool with me.

She spied her birthday presents hidden in my wardrobe and she knows she is getting a scooter but I'm not sure if she's seen the rest of her presents. She's scored well let me tell you and I'm not sure what came over me as I collected the gifts over the past six months. From memory she's getting the scooter, an MP4 player, a thingy dooby I can't think what it's called, two books, a keyring with soccer things on it and other things I just can't remember. Will let you know later when I go wrap them.

I've made some groovy laynard things for the girls to wear at the party tommorrow that say VIP Guest and their name... pretty funky if you ask me - which you didn't... but Oh well lol.

Here's to Rosie's first 10 years and lets hope she sees her 11th birthday LOL

Frugal is fun

2008-08-14T19:24:00.004+10:00

Except I'm not very good at it. I did well the first week of my budgeting. Then some sales were on and I stocked up on Huggies because I love Huggies ($120), then I saw kitty litter ($90)on sale and then Bio Zet ($20)was on sale.. so there went the budget...Then the car insurance was due ($301), now this week I've just had to get my CV joints on the car fixed ($570) and that was my whole fortnight's savings used up on that one as well as getting to animals desexed. vaccinated and microchipped ($350)to boot!

We are cooking our food from scratch nearly 90% of the time now though including sauces. Rosie is enjoying cooking a lot and so far we've perfected Greek yoghurt, our special 3 ingredient cake, a rich No fuss chocolate fudge cake, a no bake cheesecake slice, a coconut loaf and a tuna and corn slice - all very delicious and cheap to make. I only cook things that don't require me to cream the butter and sugar as I detest getting the mixer out. now if I had a glorious Kenwood chef I don't think I'd mind getting it out to look at it. Imagine if they came in PINK.. I'd be in love with it. So mostly mix and cook stuff. Of course it's all from the Simple Savings website that i am very pleased I joined. I thought it was a bit expensive at first but I've certainly go my $47 worth since I joined that's for sure.

Oh another thing I splurged on for myself ($24 if that is a splurge) was some purfume. Yes it's Britney Spears but it's so delicious you must go and smell it at the chemist. It's the Fantasy one and is a sweet, playful fragrance with top notes of red lychee, golden quince, and kiwi, followed by a heart of cupcakes, white chocolate orchid, and jasmine, and a base of creamy musk, orris root, and sensual woods and seriously just smells delicous!

It's EKKA time and my brother has offered to take Rosie to it with him and his family tomorrow but she was supposed to have her room cleaned by 4pm YESTERDAY and hasn't even picked up one dirty sock yet and it's 8pm TODAY! so I don't know what to do... well I know I should stick by my decision and she doesn't go but then I think she'd like to go and I should negotiate with her and let her go somehow but she's in there just playing and taking the piss so I can feel a bit dissapointed that she really doesnt give a rats arse if she cleans her room or not.... Anyway the kitchen is calling me it's a mess and I have some people coming over in the morning so I better get a cracking!

Day One of my Frugal life..

2008-07-09T23:33:00.002+10:00

Have toyed with the idea that I'm "frugal" for years now only to realise after a day or two that it's a load of crap and I'm not frugal at all. Lazy perhaps, too lazy to go to the shops but not frugal.

HOWEVER!! I have joined an online savings website and am addicted to learning more and more about saving and reducing my cost of living. I have now purchased a budgeting wallet which arrived today.. the first day of my frual existance.

It was a lot of fun to set up my wallet and handle that much money. I am going to win my war on money wastage and save up enough to buy a people mover.. yes a people mover is my motivation in all this frugality.

Tomorrow a friend is coming over to help me make a list of my pantry, freezer and fridge contents because I'm sure my compulsive grocery shopping habits of the past has allowed me to accumulate enough foodstocks to feed my family of five for at least two or three weeks without the purchase of any further foods other than perhaps milk, fruit and vegetables.

I am ready for the challenge and am looking forward to it!

Tonight... I made chocolate chip biscuits from a cake mix which cost all of 69cents and a Pineapple cake which was made from three ingredients.. one of which was a can of pineapple which has been hiding out in the back of my fridge since 2 xmas's ago..

Well day one has gone well... am looking forward to menu planning tomorrow!