Blogging? Me??

Yes, tis I - the awesomely dedicated blogger!

I have been trying to post, or I've at least been thinking about it. Heaps is happening, I often find myself thinking 'I should blog about this', but for one reason or another I simply never do.

So, please forgive this random post, as I just type whatever comes to mind in order to avoid a blank page and another day passing without a post.

The girls are growing up so quickly presently. Kahlei is busy working her little legs out with big crawls and constantly pulling herself up and taking some steps while holding on. She's had her 6th tooth cut thru and just seems so much more grown up lately.

Ellie is a bit of a walking contradiction at the moment. She is very into helping, loves sweeping, packing and unpacking the dishwasher, picking up her bedroom and feeding Kahlei. At the same time she is testing the boundaries (and my patience) with talking back, selective hearing when it comes to picking up her toys in the lounge room, climbing on everything and attitude. Only hours ago I was asking her to pick up her blocks before going onto another toy when she came and stood in front of me, hands on hips, looked me right in the eye and said "What do you want?" I was seriously shocked! And trying not to laugh, because it was a teensy bit cute.

Luckily, she says cute things, too. Of late she is loving that Kahlei is becoming more fun. Then spend so much time nattering to each other and laughing at their little inside jokes. When they have meals, Ellie will pull Kahlei's highchair towards her at the bench and say "Talk to Kahlei". They have a lovely time.

In the past few days I have come to realise that I speak for only one reason - to hear the sound of my own voice, as no one else is at all interested in what I am telling them.

I am tired. The girls sure do keep me busy. I am thinking of legally changing Kahlei's name to Messy Miss. I have had a lot to do with kids in my time and I have seen lots of mess, but boy does this girl top all!!!

Ellie's name should be Miss Diva, for obvious reasons and I should change my name to something neither girl (or James, for that matter) can say for the time being. It would be nice to have a moment where somebody wasn't calling out "Mummy!" or asking for something. How do people with, like, 5 or more children do it?? I don't know if I could. I am no Super mum. My house is far from sparkling, my kids are currently only half dressed because I am sick of changing their outfits every 20 minutes and I haven't brushed my hair. I know, eww.

I'm also finding it just a little bit hard to keep to my parenting style of Positive Parenting currently. I am finding, that in these trying stages, I am raising my voice more than I would like and not finding the time for all the activities I would like to do with the girls. I need to recharge!!!

The girls will soon be off on an adventure at Nanna's for a couple of nights while James has a test done in regards to his blood pressure. I am finding myself looking forward to the break more and more while, at the same time, being more and more concerned that I won't have a clue what to do without my girls here! I plan on a big clean and floor wash the first day and I have to admit I am getting excited that the effects of mopping will last more than 20 minutes! Then, I hope to get some designing done. I have finished one kit and have some Quality Control issues and cleaning up to deal with and I have started another, which I am very excited about. So, I hope to be able to do that and catch up on my CTs.

Okay, well, I am off to indulge my love of hearing my own voice as I try to get Ellie to pick up the toys she's strewn everywhere. Oh fun!

Please leave some love to encourage more awesome blogging!!! ;)

"Kiss Me""

After we came home from our time away with my family James and I noticed Ellie had started saying "Kiss me." It was so adorable, neither one of us could resist giving her a smooch on the cheek whenever she said it, and really, who could? Then, one day I noticed that, while she was quite happy (or maybe the word I want is reserved) to let us give her a kiss, she did seem somewhat annoyed at the same time. I gave her a quick kiss and then asked her if that was what she wanted. She shook her head and said no, so I asked her to repeat what she was saying so I could try and translate.

Eventually, I realised her "Kiss me" was, infact, "Excuse me". How cute is that? I sometimes still laugh when I think about the poor thing saying excuse me and getting kisses - I wonder what she thought? Probably something along the lines of  'Silly Mum/Dad' with an appropriate sigh, of course!!!

I think it's beautiful that she has manners. I remember reading somewhere that children don't use or understand manners until they're older, but I disagree. Ellie understands manners are the nice way to say something/ask for something. She's even started saying "Your welcon" to James and I when we say thank you to her. It warms my heart :)

And Kahlei said Ta that other day! It was some unnatural time of morning and she was in our bed, meant to be sleeping and she took out her dummy and gave it to me, saying "Ta" and then she took it back and said it again. Ahh, I love manners!

Not that they don't have they're moments - Ellie loves to tell me "Give me it. Now!" when she's in a mood. Thankfully, that's not the only way she speaks! She understands that I will not respond when she speaks like this, but that doesn't stop her trying it!

Before I go, I created a template today for a tutorial on using them, so I thought I would share it.



You can download it here. Please leave some love if you grab it and I would love to see how you use it!

20% off Coupon at Digiridoo

If you sign up for the Digiridoo Scraps Newletter before October 31st you will receive a coupon for 20% off all personal use products in store!

Click here to go to the shop and you will see the News section on the right hand side, you don't want to miss this, so get going!!

Some Proof!!

After pulling out all the Xbox games, Kahlei decided to check out what was on top of the cabinet.

The night after she started standing up we realised it could be a major problem
with Kahlei standing up, hanging over the rail and crying...

...And nap time isn't the same. Luckily, with nap time she will happily look out the
window until she eventually sits down and falls asleep

Uh-oh!

Kahlei has been trying to pull herself into a standing position for the last week or so and yesterday she finally got herself up onto her feet. Since that first successful attempt she has become obsessed with pulling herself up. Everytime I turn around she's standing there smiling up at me.

This morning we did some painting and afterwards, while I was running a bath for them, Kahlei pulled herself up and while holding onto the side she took a few steps closer to the tub. I suppose she's in a hurry now, figures! I have been so glad that she's waited to do these things. I can't imagine having her walking at 10 months like Ellie did - I'm pleased to have had this time before I am chasing two girls around.

I've tried to get some piccies, but she wont oblidge! Maybe next post I will have some. Now, I am off to do some designing while Kahlei naps and Ellie has 'quiet time' (ie a nap without actually saying the word).

Home

We're home, sore and exhausted, but it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo worth it. Seriously. Even though Lowndes/Wincup didn't win. Even though Murph didn't win. Even though the Kelly boys didn't get on the podium. I'd have to say I wasn't asking for much!!! At one point I thought I was going to get all three, but no such luck.

Here are our faces at the end of the day:



Can't wait til next year! We've learnt much about the Bathurst experience and will be so much better prepared. I hope this will become a family tradition!

Crushed

Lets just say none of my people won. Sad.

update tomorrow. Sad.

My Famous Family :)

James and Ellie made it onto the news tonight! We didn't get to see it, though.

We were waiting in line to meet Roary and Craig Lowndes, Ellie had been doing sooo well - making friends with the little girl in front of us and then it came time for the appearances she decided she was going to have a cry. I saw the news guy look at her and smile and thought 'oh no', but he went back to watching Craig having his photo taken with some of the kids and the Roary model. Then, he looked at her again and signaled to his camera man to come over to Ellie. He asked if she was nervous about meeting the star and she said "mmmhmm" with a huge tear on her cheek. She stopped crying, so the camera man took the camera off her and then she started up again, so he put it back on her!! After Mum's little stint on the TV, I am beginning to think I am part of a very famous family, indeed!







Other than our little brush with fame we watched the GT Championship, which was awesome, the V8 Utes - including some amazing smashes and some of the Fujitsu Series, before it started to rain. I know, I know. This is the Bathurst 1000 we're talking about, it's bound to rain, why didn't we have an umbrella? Or poncho??? I don't know. Tomorrow, I assure we will be more prepared and if we're not, too bad - we'll be sitting in the rain until the very end if we have to.

So, we packed up our stuff, took it out to the car and went over into the paddock to catch some more drivers for siggies and to see the teams prep for the Top 10 Shoot Out. I caught Leanne Tander and got her to sign my lanyard, she was nice. I am excited to see a woman compete in Bathurst. It's very cool.

I really, really, really wanted to catch Greg Murphy, so we stood outside his garage for awhile, but when he ran past, not once, not twice but four times I was unable to go up to him. Majorly starstruck!!!!!!!!! Seriously. Eventually, another guy stopped him, so I sidled up to him and got him to sign my hat because James was starting to get annoyed at me.

We missed Rick and Todd Kelly, which I was bummed about - maybe next year and then we meandered up to the 888 garage to watch the Top 10 start. From where we stood, we could see the car leave the Pits and then watch the rest of it on the big screen  behind us, unfortunately, we were unable to hear but the crowd was getting very excited over some times, which I have since heard were seriously fast.

Again, we waited around for Lowndes for ages... I was in complete and utter pain. At one stage, I happened to glance up at the big screen, only to see Craig was not, in fact, in the garage we were waiting behind, but somewhere else doing an interview. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was about that... We left without seeing him, I just could not stand there any longer...

I will upload photos when I am not so tired!!!

Day 1 - Bathurst 1000

Today I had the pleasure of accompanying James on his first ever pilgrimage to the mount. I have always maintained that there is nothing like being there, seeing, hearing and feeling the experience that is the Bathurst 1000, so I am estatic that we're here. Not only that, but we are doing things I have never done before, too. Our tickets are general + paddock, I have only ever had general admission - man, who knew I was missing out on so many amazing things????

James, Ellie, Kahlei and I went up to the Mount to check things out. We meandered around, unsure where to go to see the practice round until we decided to check out the cars from the GT Championship, which we had seen come in. From there we discovered we could go along and see in the back of The Pits. Seeing the cars in the garages was sooo exciting! My first brush with fame was Tom Williams, I loved him in Dancing with the Stars!!! I was a little shocked when he walked in front of me that I only got photos of his back. Smooth.

We spent some time hanging around waiting to see Lowndes go to his car, by this time Ellie and Kahlei were getting a bit ratty, so we switched Ellie into the pram, which she was happy for and Kahlei was thrilled to be out, seeing everything there was to see. Eventually,  he came out and he was literally swamped with fans. I just wanted to snap a photo or two but I literally could not see the man. He made his way to his garage, but every step he was surrounded. He was really good natured about it, though.

We waited, hoping to see him start up his car and go, but he went out to watch the other racers, so we watched for a while before Kahlei had had enough.

James was helped by some scantily clad girls (he says "lovely young ladies") up to the top of the bridge and once on the other side we proceeded to the Team Vodafone tent, where we spent our life savings. Okay, so not literally, but we did all get matching polo shirts - we are going to be the cutest family out there. From there we spent the rest of our life savings on bucket hats for Crispy and I. Crispy being James because by this time it was obvious that he was burnt.

Our first family 1000 experience was so good. We're sore, burnt and tired, but it was so worth it. Bring on tomorrow.

RACE WEEK

It's RACE WEEK!!!

We've had a full day, starting with getting up bright and early and going out to BBQ Breakfast. My mum had a strange clown man admire her hair ("You have beautiful hair" were his exact words) while we were waiting in line for our brekky. The proceeds from our gold coin donations go towards the Jane McGrath Foundation.

There was a Jazz band, jumping castles, sack races and some race car drivers telling us about car safety.

We made our way to a better vantage point to watch the Pantac Parade, which I had actaully never been to before. It was exciting. Seeing the huge trucks driving by, hearing their horns, seeing the crowd's enthusiasm... Ellie wasn't sure about it at first, but soon warmed up and was waving at the drivers.

Kahlei was not phased at all by all the commotion. Not the crowd, not the huge trucks, not even the noise.

After the parade, I was approached by a Prime News Reader and his camera man. He wanted to ask me a few questions, but I politely declined, so he made a bee-line for Mum, who did not say no. Instead, she let him ask her his questions and proceeded to tell me she hated me when she was done (I know she doesn't). We've since found her little snippet on the net. Check out her moment of fame.

We made our way back to the shopping centre for a donut and a drink to discover the FPR boys there for a signing, so James, Ellie, Kahlei and I lined up while Mum went to get her wallet. When we were about 5 people away, they ran out of posters, and us we had nothing to have signed we gave up and went on to have our drinks. When we were finished we decided to see what the line was like and pretty much went striaght to the front.

It was James's first ever signing. I am so excited for us to be doing this!!!

After a little bit of a rest at Mum and Dad's it was time to go back out for the B-Rock BBQ with the Stars. James, Ellie and I lined up in the Ford line while Mum went in the Holden line for me (thanks Mummy :) and Ethan had Kahlei. Ellie made friends with one of the drivers - she got a high five, I wish I had thought to look at his name, as he was someone I didn't know. We got thru pretty quick and decided to go and do the V8 Ute



line, too. We got a free hat and pen!

Once Mum was out of the Holden line she said she would take the girls while we went back thru the Ford line to get Craig Lowndes and Jamie Wincup from 888 to sign our posters as Ellie had decided to be a pain. So, we waited and waited. This time around the line moved soooo slow. I was in major pain from a fall the previous day, but we were halfway there. I didn't want to bail. Then, when we got to the second row they cut the line!!! ARGH!!! We could see them, we were so close! There wasn't that many of us to go thru, so we weren't thrilled at all.Oh well, hopefully tomorrow!!!



Have I mentioned I LOVE Race Week???

For now I have to go to bed as I am sore and exhausted and we've got another big day tomorrow :)

I meant to post these the other day. Ellie got a camera for her birthday, the other day she ran out of memory and, apparently, had some urgent shots to take as she swiftly got mine and was snapping away. When I put all my photos on the laptop I had a look and found her perspective very interesting. Maybe we have a Photographer in the making...



The second and fourth ones are my faves.

Kahlei's really trying to stand. Today, I watched her trying to pull herself up against our coffee table. She was so intent on doing it, she had her bottom up off the floor, her little face was red with the exurtion. She was so focused. I don't think it will be long until she's pulling herself up on everything. She loves to chase Ellie around and I think she's wanting a more even playing field!

New Tooth

Kahlei's had another tooth come thru today and there's at least two more under the gums ready to come thru. She's being very whingy and clingy.

Wont be long until we'll be visiting my parents and I can have a bit of a break. I soo need it!!