Hey Wooooooooody!!

Remember all that wood we got earlier in the year?  Yeah this big arse pile  


Well, we've managed to burn through all that already....


So, yesterday we got another lot delivered. Thankfully it was only half as much as last time.

Thankfully also we had help shifting it too - not just our kids, but my sis and brother helped out too. Thanks guys!  The cutest was Monkey tho - he raced outside in his boots, and after pushing his lawnmower round for a bit, started picking bits up saying "I's  help. I's help"  All the way to the end of the drive and back.  


One time he even returned a piece to this pile. Which was the pile we were moving.


Lucky he's cute  ;O)

A Protesting We Will Go

So. I promised talk of the protest?

It went REALLY well. I was blown away by how many people came. And with how amazing they were - it wasn't a yelly nasty protest. It was a peaceful family picnic event, just like Playcentre people do the best.  With balloons, singing, dancing and a bit of silliness.

Yes we had some MPs there. But it wasn't like some people thought it was (not looking at you Anne Tolley, Minister for Education)  She seemed to think it was a Labour event - WTF?!?  

These next shots are taken with me standing up on the corner of the statue that stands in front of the Parliament buildings, and haphaazardly (as is my way) panning around to show who and how many were gathered

Totally Awesome!!  :O) 

 Sorry, I lack the technical skills to make it into one streaming shot..... but you get the gist of it right?

But anyways..... It was great. Woulda been nicer if I hadn't almost lost my voice that morning. Thank you oh so very much to my friend R who helped me corral my kids all day!  And to my kids for being well behaved.  Typical Playcentre kids that they are tho, we go to Parliament for a picnic and one of them came home covered in dirt anyways.... *facepalm*

Apparently Dude was playing running around games with Padawan and slipped.  uh-huh.

S

I really shouldn't expect anything else from *my* kids by now should I?

on the plus side tho, I have PURPLE hair now  #WIN!!   :OD

this week gone

Hey there stranger I hear you say.....

Sorry about that, things have been brewing here - government commissioned (in fact spent $154,000 or was it million - no that seems too high. But maybe it's not) on a taskforce, whose report is recommending cutting 63% of our budget. Oh yeah, I mentioned this afore haven't I?

Sorry. So the last week has been spent organising a Picnic at Parliament kinda protesty thingy. Somehow I have ended up as the head of it. I have had conversations with our Federation Co-President (that's National level people), and the Operations Manager (another Fed person)  plus ringing Security at Parliament, an email sent straight to me from NewstalkZB!

It's been a busy busy week. Coz I also had paperwork I was chasing from the end of term (stoopid stats forms from the Ministry of Education).  But those are mostly done now.

So I was gonna post about some funny things Captain Awesome has said lately....but I was busy, and now I forget them. Or remember them, but not the context. So not much use.

Then today we had SNOW!!  My wee home town had real actual down to the ground snow. I don't recall it ever looking as thick as this.  I have pics.

Sorry to say though, I'm feeling a bit crappy - can feel a sore throat coming on. Monkey is full of yummy green snot and subsequently had me up 3 times (he can get out of his bed, crawls into ours for a feed whenver he wants. In fact he only feeds at night now!) last night.  And Captain just suggested watching a movie together.

So I'm off to do that. I will post pics tomorrow of snow, and such other things that I have been thinking about during the week - I've run out of energy to do it now. 

Plus, I will def have some pics later in the week, from our wee jaunt to harrass those idiots at Parliament have a Picnic at Parliament.  Should be good times. Dunno how I got to be in charge, but Look Out MPs - Here We Come!!!  ;O)
 

Just Wow.

Sun's not even awake yet & we have milk delivery

This.

This is the kinda thing that happens with Playcentre people. 

This is the kinda thing that keeps me coming back to Playcentre even after all the hard work, after 11 years. It's my turangawaewae (my place to stand),  My Home.

Playcentre people rock. And not in a "back and forth with a little bit of drool coming out" kinda way.   It's more of a "Wow that is so AWEsome!!" kinda way.

I'll explain.

I was at a Playcentre meeting last night, discussing ways we can stand up to the Government's taskforce's recommendations which in theory, on paper, sound like really good ideas. But in reality are pushing parents towards teacher-led Early Childhood Education, cutting funding dramatically (upwards of 60%) to "other" ECE services like Playcentres and Kohanga Reo.  The interesting part of it is that the taskforce is called "An Agenda for Amazing Children" and they want services that support families, the communities, allow for Special Needs children to have access like typical children, for it to be affordable for all socio-economic levels of society. And how do they propose this happens??  By institutionalising Early Childhood Education - Teacher-Led, in huge centres (coz at the same time Ministry of Education is changing Licensing and allowing for centres to go from having no more than 50 kids at a centre to up to 150 kids!!)

The statistics they use to support their argument are from the US, which is ok, except that we have a different style here in wee NZ, plus the stats they quote and the argument they make don't quite match up.....

In essence they are taking away the parents choice to CHOOSE to stay at home if they want. Discounting parents as first teachers, and forcing parents back into work. Don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying teacher-led ECE is evil. Just that parent-led has a place too. And the kids learn just as much as at the teacher-led services (we follow the same cirriculum, and licensing requirements AND the same regulations. thankyouverymuch)

Ugh.  Read the report, if it makes you wanna spew, like it does us, then please please please fill in a survey (the links are all there in the first link). It's a public consultation - so ANYONE can respond, you don't have to have a child in ECE right now.  I believe the changes they are suggesting will effect society as a whole, adversely, but sadly that we won't see those effects for a while yet, until it's too late.  We've had a taste of it already, and it ain't pretty.

But where is the good in this tale?  I know it's here somewhere, *looks around* this was supposed to be a positive post!

OH YEAH!! That's it - Playcentre People Are AWESOME!!

I had mentioned at the meeting last night in an aside that I needed to get milk for breakfast. Then I ended up staying there, finishing up a few things (organising a train trip/march on Parliament) and missed getting to the shops in time to buy said milk for breakfast.

I may have commented on this on facebook.

But the cool thing? this morning I was awoken (after the child came for a feed at 5am - ugh!) by a Playcentre friend trying to get in our crazy lopsided-so-it-sticks gate with a bottle of milk so my kids can have breakfast. My eyes weren't even open properly yet.

I had watered down the milk we had left in the fridge so I thought we'd be ok.

<-- The original Half-in-Half  :O) Yup. That's half milk & half water! (tricks of the trade of being a mum of millions!)

I can't help but sit here in my sleep deprived state and ponder whether this is the kind of community building and support that the Government is trying to foster with the recommendations. And whether this is the kind of thing that Kindy or DayCare parents do for each other.  


I don't know the answer to that - I'm a Playcentre mum through and through. I know no different. I see the value in having parents as teachers, in having a "village" help me raise my kid (hey! isn't that a famous saying from somewhere?!), I take joy in being able to be there with my kids in their formative years and in learning SO MUCH about their development AND my own as we go.  I know that Playcentre has made me a better parent. A better person. 


And I weep that the government thinks that a New Zealand initiative isn't worth what so many voices are saying it's worth. What so many families know it is worth. And not just coz it's Kiwi-born - but because it really does Grow Amazing Children. 


No Agenda needed.  We Already Do It!!

Plus shouldn't we be encouraging something that fosters relationships such that you get milk delivered before the sun rises by someone on their way to work?? That's a community I WANNA be a part of!!  :OD 

If You Ever Find Yourself In The Dark & You Can't See

 


 Had to dress a bit more formally today.  Well, as formally as *I* get anyways...



I loved this song first time I heard it anyways, but today it takes on deeper meaning.

And I wanna send it out to a friend who I saw for the first time in about 14 years today. 
At her dad's funeral.  

Not the best reason to catch up. Hopefully before she goes home we will have the chance for a better chat. She is an amazing woman. Well she was when we were growing up. She was a huge part of my formative years and has been in my thoughts often over the years. 

As per usual in situations like this, I find I have no words to express what I'm thinking/feeling. They all seem inane, inadequate, unable to convey the meaning I want to  share.  

Gonna share this song too, coz it always makes me think of this amazing woman - she introduced me to this band in my youth, simply by sharing something that she enjoyed. As with so many memories I have from my youth, she is there - and it always brings a smile to my face. 

 I guess I wanna say thank you. Thank you for being part of my life, part of what has made me who I am today. And today I wish you peace. As you say good bye to your dad, that you have peace, remember him as the awesome man he was. 


And that could never be in doubt, coz he raised you, and you are awesome to me.  *hug*  :O)
 

I found my theme song!!

Now to hire myself a Theme Song Guy!  ;OD

Yup that's me. Birthday suit and all....

Surrounded by lunatic monkeys too  *sigh*  :OD 

P.S....coz llearch asked. here is Ginger's head.  Not a great shot, but I'm an amatuer, so *shrug* you know, bite me. 


You can see the bruise tho where he hit the corner of the table.
Awesome children that I have  :O/

Oh!! I forgot to add....

My birthday present from my folks - picked out by my dad even!!

 The Sparklery tights that is. :O)

And Dude's head is getting betterer and betterer 

as the weather gets worser and worser - we had a monster hail storm on saturday!!  And not it's thunder and butt loads of rain!!

These photos were taken at least half an hour after the hail, but with rain still falling.....

Once again I would like to say - YAYFUCKENYAY for our wood fire.

that is all.  ;OD

Hey you! Yeah you there, the one staring at me.

Would ya quit it.

Actually I don't mind the staring - when it gives you a smile to see me dressed the way I am.

But when I leave the house like this

Or like this

Or when I wear this kinda thing  

Or Even this kinda thing...

 Please just stop and think before you look at me like this

All my 'bits' are covered. 

And I'm not asking you to wear the same as me.  

I'm sane. No, really I am.  And I am still a functioning member of society - my kids behave in public, are polite to people, have manners and listen when I talk to them (mostly!) They are loved and THEY KNOW they are loved.  And yes I look like their older sister, but I can't help my height (there's only so tall a shoe I can physically walk in). Plus, so far, they're not embarrassed to be seen with me - in fact They LIKE my clothes. 


I'm teaching them freedom of expression, but with dignity, not at the expense of others. I'm teaching them it's ok to be different, to not follow the crowd, to be yourself. I'm teaching them to be tolerant.  And most importantly that I will love them, DO love them no matter how they dress - coz it's what's on the inside that counts!


Think about what you are teaching your children when they see you look at others that way. When they hear you talk nasty things about people, esp people you don't know. You don't know the story behind how they look. 

And maybe next time when you see someone dressed a little differently to you  give them a smile instead of a disparaging look. A smile that says "well done you for being you!!"  :OD

13 years and counting.....

So romantic! he bought flowers, I put our wedding present sheets on the bed

Slightly sidetracked by a sick Monkey, this post is from 10 (*ahem* due to technical glitch - is now 12) days ago....

In case you hadn't picked up on it, this seems to be a developing theme in my life of late.

And I'm not feeling sorry for myself here. Well, maybe a little. But I'm just laying it out there - I get sidetracked from the things I wanna do by the things I have to deal with.  But, *shrug* meh. I made this bed, I have to sleep in it. 

And for the most part, deep down I don't regret my life. I love my kids, my husband, my choices (most of them - show me someone who never regrets anything and I'll show you a liar in denial!)

So! I wanted to share about our wedding anniversary. We went out for dinner - with only a few hiccups along the way. Like me waiting for him to come home before I got dressed (I had fed the kids and was getting them into bed). And he was waiting in town for me. *facepalm* 

We were only half an hour late for the booking. Not too bad really given I have to drive over half hour from our place to town.  


Another nice moment was when Captain suggested we don't talk about work, or the kids or Playcentre. Coz it's a date. It's us time. 


Huh? um, ok. well then I got nothing. 

I got a new dress......does that count?  and a new necklace (that I had worn already. shhhhhh!!)


so dinner was lovely. We were at Logan Brown. There was never a doubt it would be anything else!  nom nom nom nom 


And Captain was a little adventurous too, not just having the chicken! 


Evening went a little awry when he told me to stop talking coz he was too tired to listen anymore.


Good thing we've been doing this dance for 13 years now, and I know despite his "nice" comments every now and then, that he loves me still.


Also this kinda thing always helps.....

Awwwwwwwww!!  not that it was his idea, but still we'll let him claim credit shall we?  ;O)

Footnote:  for those who heard about Dude hitting his head 2 weeks ago (yeah, and then Ginger Ninja did it a week later. Monkey has been sick, sounding like he was gonna lose his lungs or something nasty, NOW SirTalks has the Pox. Chicken that is. Maybe I do hate my life a little......)  ANYWAYS. my point was, it's healing nicely. Dude's head. 

See ---->  


So that's one good thing from the last two weeks.  *sigh*  :O|

While We Shake Rattle and Roll here....

So, we had another earthquake here in little old New Zealand.

I thought it was perhaps a welly (wellington to you out of towners) one, but alas no. We still don't get one. It was Taupo this time  this is it here but check out the quake drums - now!!


but then I came across this wee ditty, thanks Susan :OD

that is all  *giggle*  :O)

Hey llearch do you do Hold Music too?

I've been wanting to post all week.

But then Monkey got sick (amongst all the other crap I have happening on an ongoing basis) and neither of us has been getting much sleep.

He woke in the wee hours of wed morn sounding quite wheezy. And hot too. and altho he was able to feed the noisiness of his breathing concerned me such that I rang Healthline (yay for NZ free call places!) They reckoned it was croup. 

Awesome.

So he was still on and off not sounding right by the proper morning so after dropping kids to school we went to the doc.  "his chest is clear" *phew* "it's a virus" 

"who told you? The Coast Guard?!?" Thanks Billy.  I so LOVE knowing that wee clip. 

so anyways, the rest of this week has been a mess of a poor wee boy who hasn't been able to sleep even though he looks like a zombie with black circles under his eyes, a pale face and whinyness. And a mum who due to the lack of sleep has no energy nor motivation to do stuff. 

And I don't mean the stuff like vacuuming (we all know I don't do that on a Good Day!) I mean the stuff that I need to do - work stuff. Stuff that has a deadline.  *facepalm* 

But now, four days later, the boy at least has gone for a sleep. I however am still in my pj's. All the things I have been ruminating on during the week, but unable to get to the computer to type them up are getting lost in my head. 


So I hand you over to Llearch and his hold music..... *whisper* coz I can't get the pics I wanted to post to load on this fucken piece of shit page so I'm giving up in disgust!!

Plus I have work to do. Not paid work. But work work nonetheless.  :O|