My body feels old

You may (or more probably may not) have noticed that I haven't blogged for quite some time.

That's because I've had nothing to say. Nothing exciting has happened - just run-of-the-mill ordinary daily procedures performed repeatedly, over and over.

It's called responsibility.

I just had a light bulb moment reading a status update on facebook.

I feel like my husband and I are ships in the night at the moment. He goes to uni. Then he goes to work. I make the dinner, bath the kids (sometimes) he arrives home and we eat. We each put a kid to bed then he hits the computer and I well..... usually hit the couch or hit the other computer or fold some washing, or clean a room. Then I go to bed while Elliot continues studying and I mumble goodnight as he stumbles into bed at some ridiculous hour.

Other nights, he walks in the door and I walk out. I come home say goodnight and we say hello the next morning.

Sometimes I feel neglected. Sometimes I feel hard-done by. But it's the same in households all around us. I'm not particularly special.

It's called responsibility.

Apparently I'm not 18yrs old anymore with no thoughts except for what I shall wear tomorrow and what date I shall have this weekend. Apparently I am nearly 29years old and that means checking the bank balance frequently, worrying about super, and making sure the car has petrol before someone drives to Cleveland. Apparently I have to provide for a family and my husband has to do so financially. Apparently 2 young people depend on me for their physical and emotional needs.

And let me tell you ........ it is REWARDING and INSPIRING and FULL of JOY and I LOVE IT . But its CONSTANT and a little DAUNTING and I WANT TO GO OUT ON A DATE WITH MY HUSBAND!!!!!

Bring on exams. I have 3 more weeks and then hopefully I can schedule a couple of hours: a) on our own and b) as a family.

Because Responsibility can still be FUN. Can't it??!??!?!

* I am not in the depths of self-despair or depression. Just making a few observations that perhaps you can all relate to. I have plans to live a little this week!!*

If you haven't already seen this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E

floating around facebook or lds.org then watch it NOW

Want to make your cooking life easier?

Do you have a slow cooker? If your answer if 'no', then you need one.

And I just noted that as of 8am (hmmm better check that time, not sure if that is right) you can purchase a whopping 6.5L slow cooker from ALDI for $39.95. It has a one-year warranty with it. But I can highly recommend aldi products - we love them and haven't had any problems with them.

I love using a slow cooker - they are brilliant. Here's my favourite reasons and why you should go and buy one if you don't already own one.

* It cooks the meat to perfection - so tender and melt-in-your-mouthness.

* You can use cheaper cuts of meat in it and they taste absolutely spectacular because it becomes so tender.

* If you know you are going to be late coming home or have a hectic afternoon, you can bung everything in earlier in the day and it's all done! Come home and serve straight to the table.

* They are my favourite possession on Sunday as we have afternoon church and are always starving when we get home at 4.45pm. We walk in to the delicious scents wafting down the stairs and eat dinner 20mins later. bliss.

* It means no more slaving over the stove for hours in the evening to get the perfect stew.

* If you have a young baby it will be your best friend. Witching hour is solved because you can just hold that baby all it wants because dinner is already bubbling away and you've had a nap in the afternoon because you'd already prepared dinner so could relax.

* Nothing beats a hot stew served on creamy mashed potato on a cold winter's night. Oh and lamb shanks done in the slow cooker....... to die for!!!

If those aren't enough reasons for you to either go and buy one for a measly $40 or dig yours out of the cupboard, then I don't think you deserve the wonderful enjoyment that a slow cooker brings.

(by the way, remember that 6.5L is huge, so if you're a small family, then maybe a smaller one would be better. Of just make a double and freeze half ready for a quick 'I don't feel like cooking tonight' meal.)

clean house vs. stimulated kids

So you may remember me commenting a little while back about my lack of cleaning skills......

I'd say that from the moment my firstborn started to crawl I have had this dilemma and feel it will be a dilemma till they are all teenagers and no longer want me to play with them :)

Here's my dilemma. How does one clean a house and keep cleaning and tidying it up all day while also being the full-time carer of active, inquisitive and adventurous children?

Here's what happens in my house: a) While I clean or tidy up one section of the home, the children are pulling out things and leaving a trail of mess in the other parts of the house; b) the children fight and someone inevitably gets hurt; or c) I put the tv on and let them sit there like zombies while I get some things done. All 3 options leave me cranky, guilty and particularly in the first 2 cases 'the scream' comes a-visiting. So what do I do instead?

For the past 4.5 years I have ignored as much as possible, played all day and gone out to lots of interesting places. Now please don't imagine a filthy home with piles of stuff everywhere all the time. Yes, on some days there is a fair bit of mess, but generally I am quite tidy. What annoys me is that I seem to tidy all the time (yes, I know that's a given being a SAHMof 2) and don't seem to get to the deep cleaning.......

Now I don't profess myself to be the best mother in the world - far from it in fact. I also don't condemn those that do have clean houses and think that you must all neglect your children. Not at all.

I am aware of my talents and weaknesses. My biggest weakness is time-management. Something which I aim to improve everyday. Sometimes I do well. Sometimes not so well.

So here's my question: Is it possible to have an immaculate house and stimulate your children all day? Or, is it a case of each taking it's turn.

I have the following quote on my wall:

If you are in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scatttered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will - to your surprise - miss them profoundly (President Monson, Ensign, Nov 2008, 84-87).

It is why I try to play with them as much as I can and create memories of fun outings but......... just sometimes I wish I could have both.............

If you have any tips for doing both, let me know!

DAY ?????

I just came across this quote on a favourite scrapbooker's blog. From Emerson apparently:

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

I've had a couple of hideous days. A couple of grumpy days and I was feeling a little grumpy again as I contemplated having no fun plans for the 'holiday' tomorrow. But that thinking has gone. Today might have been a grumpy one (heck, it's been a grumpy week....) but tomorrow is a new day and I can make it whatever I choose to. So maybe that's my grateful thing for today. I'm grateful for the sun coming up on a new day.

DAY 6

I'm grateful for food. But I wish it prepared itself.

I'm grateful for a comfy couch and wish I could sit on it longer.

I'm grateful for Masterchef. Thank goodness there is something on tv worth watching again.

I'm grateful my children can talk so well but wish they hadn't learnt my name.

I'm grateful for 7pm. There is no more fighting, no loud voices, no-one calling my name constantly. And there is silence. Priceless.

(Can you tell it's been one of those days?)

Is it awful of me to admit that I'm over this gratitude thing already and it's only been 6 days??? hmmmmm me thinks I need this gratitude exercise more than I thought!

I ust fished out a gratitude diary my mum gave me for my birthday a few years ago (she copied the idea off you Bobbie) and had many 'smile' moments.

I thought about listing them now but have decided I'll hold them so I can cheat and write them in subsequent days :-)

DAY 5

I'm grateful..... to be married.

What's great about marriage?

I always have someone to take to a party and will never be a nigel again.

I get to live with my best friend.

We have 2 beautiful boys who are sealed to us forever.

I always have someone to kill the spiders and catch the rats.

I never have to do the chores alone.

I always have someone to jumpstart the car when the battery goes flat (or rescue me at the shops when I've locked the keys in the car).

I always have someone to ring to have a whinge and cry.

I always have someone here to make me laugh.

I don't have to be in the 'dating scene'.

I can wear my pj's all day long and he still thinks I'm beautiful.

Of course, there's lots more but I could be here all night!

Here's to marriage and working hard every day to make it last. Here's to walking ahead together. Of dreaming of clear blue skies and dealing with the clouds that sometimes come along, together.

(Can I add that these comments of gratefulness are by no means in order of significance. Because clearly the gospel and my marriage would usually come before say the washing and silence. :-) )