UNACCOMPANIED MINOR...

School holiday time and our big guy has just headed off for a ride on a big jet plane.
He's been flying solo since the age of five, an unaccompanied minor on a mission for all the goodies a grandparent can bring.

His departure routine has been set by him and stays the same. Our crew is a no frills, no fuss bunch, it's how we roll. The apple has fallen and it's nestled firmly next to the tree.  A quick kiss and cuddle before he turns and strides confidently forward, not once has he looked back, it's not his style. I suspect and hope this confidence is a hint of things to come...the kid's got balls!

It was during our last goodbye that I felt time stand still and rush forward all at once.
  I know that we will be back at the departure gates too soon, with young men keen to explore, change the world, make their mark and start living their own lives not ours.

As the unaccompanied minor sticker was being placed around my young man's wrist I had a pang of motherly angst for the not to distant future.
A fleeting glimpse to a stickerless time when my minor's have become major's.
The imagined labels I will wan't to cover them in, from head to toe.
Fragile
Handle with care
Precious cargo
Wrong way up

The big jet plane will be returning soon enough and life back in the here and now will resume.
Our eldest will stride confidently towards us a little bigger, a little wiser, he won't look back he never does, it's not his style. The little guy will smother him with brotherly love and I'm sure an immediate re -bonding wrestle will take place. He's not yet five our little one, still he's counting the days until he too can wear the wristband of aviation independence.

 I suspect and hope this confidence is a hint of things to come...the kid's got balls!

RAINING

It's raining. It's raining lots.

 Big, fat, relentless, moody drops of blah are falling and while I usually welcome  a cozy day inside, today just feels kind of ....soggy.

The kids are bored, I'm feeling guilty about the hours of screen time each child has clocked and neither the husband or I can seem to muster any 'let's play board games and bond ' enthusiasm. 

I read somewhere the other day when a child is bored is when their creative magic really happens.

 No magic here, just the counting of hours until wine time

 (I know it's a school night, but ......searches for an excuse, nope none.....)

The little one is using this lockdown time as an opportunity for a chat and boy, does he love a chat. Silence is his enemy and it's his personal mission to make sure we are all spared any awkward gaps in conversation.

He's very considerate like that.

The eldest seems to be coping a little better with our non stop insideness by sensing our flagging energy levels. He's going in for the kill like a vulture circling his prey.

 Can I get a dvd? Can I play Wii? Can I have some Nerds? Can I have a $100 pocket money this week?

Yes, yes, no, ok $50 if you let your brother talk to you for the next 4 hours!

 The thing is, on this grey, bleak day I think we are all bonding. We're united in our mutual boredom and quest to pass the time in our separate togetherness. 

The magic is happening, it's just the understated beige kind and that's ok!

image via tumblr

AVOCA

I don't usually do a Sunday post but it's such a wet day and we are happily cosy back home after a few days spent with family in gorgeous Avoca on the Central Coast.

 The boys are busy baking gingerbread men so I thought I'd leave them to it and post a few happy snaps.

Apart from a rather dramatic start that included the car (yes again!) billowing smoke from the bonnet
  and a four digit mechanic's bill that's way to close to beginning with a two it was a lovely little getaway.

We had a great time building bonfires on the beach, breathing in fresh holiday air and slowing down a pace maybe even two.
The kids made fresh memories with their beloved cuzzies and the adults ate and drank and ate again (not necessarily in that order.)
A good time was had by all.

 Happy Sunday night, stay warm pour that glass of red and enjoy embracing the winter chill
xxx

bike ride anyone?

ROADTRIP

Bags are packed, the driving music playlist is done and all manor of electronic devices are charged.  There's a xxl snack bag capable of lasting several months should we take a wrong turn.

 Roadtrip here we come.

 Three hours away isn't exactly coast to coast but anything over an hour in a car with children warrants a title. Still I can't wait. I love that often it's the best conversation we've had in a while with kids now old enough to settle in and get into the zone. I love the daydreaming that get's done when the conversation subsides. Gazing out the window is my best idea place besides the shower! 

Who knows what plans will be hatched.

See you next week with tales of our adventure to tell x

BOYS BOYS BOYS.....

I have two boys.

It's always loud in our house. There's perpetual motion much waving of lightsabers, swords, wrestling, crashing, bashing and imaginary epic battles that would take place 24/7 if not for my periodic pleas for some quiet and stillness. 

Someone/everyone is hungry and food is inhaled at a rate of knots that has me imagining the teenage years ahead where I suspect food shopping will require quantity to be as important as quality.

Sometimes I do feel like the odd one out and wonder what it would have been like to share special mother/daughter moments. Instead I'm a happy spectator standing back and watching those big moments happen between father and son. I did take part in the monumentous occasion that was the unveiling of Star Wars trying to impart my wisdom and impress with my knowledge of Obi Wan thingy and Darth whatsit.  I took the eldest shoe shopping convinced he would be so enamoured by the whole bonding experience that we'd be retail therapy buddies for years to come but by the second pair of Onitsuka Tigers he was begging to go home.

But lately something really cool, sweet and unexpected is happening.

I'm being charmed!
My guys seem to be noticing there's a lady in the house and I love it.
Doors are being held open, bags of shopping are being carried inside and flowers are being picked by small man hands and presented with genuine affection and love.

I'm seeing that while I may never have a mini me shopping buddy (or a clean toilet seat again) I get to have many special mother/son moments and being surrounded by boys is just the way I like it.

Images by me

LESS STRESS OR STRESS LESS.....

Last night my husband and I made a pact to stress less.
 This pact was put to the test by 8am this morning and involved children's knotted shoelaces,  teethbrushing or lack thereof,  a 'spirited debate' with husband on the merits of wiping splattered pasta sauce from the stove top (for me it's asap for him.....ah yep not so urgent),  retrieval of missing toys under the couch and the constant time checking to make sure children where deposited in appropriate places with required lunches, ticked and signed notes and correct friday attire (why is it these days kids seem to need a different school uniform for every day of the week) ?

It went downhill from there. Books where dropped and picked up and dropped again on the way to the car. The 4 year old takes the same Wiggles cd to kindy everyday and it was discovered en route to be missing.  Everyone member of our little family was stressed .
PACT FAIL!!!!.....

So it was when I finally got to school with my usual calm exterior and manic interior and glanced down to notice my pants where on back the front that I decided it's time to calm down and lighten up.
We've been trying for  some time to find ways to have less stress but maybe we just need to stress less!
 The thing is we like hectic.

 Were both quite driven and passionate when it comes to doing well. Him in his work endeavours and me as the one for now steering the family ship. We aim high and are not afraid of a challenge.
We've gotten a little weary a few times this year and dropped the ball so I think the idea of making a conscious effort  to stress less is a good one.

So this weekend we will have another go at 'the pact'.
I'm going to head to a cafe (hopefully with my pants on the right way around) and hide behind a book  (NW or WHO more like it). I know a book would make me far more interesting but finding out the latest on Victoria Beckham is truthfully more where I'm at.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and make a pact with someone or yourself to stress less ..... x