Weekend Activities and Fruit Cutting!

We had a jam packed weekend!

On Saturday we had our auction. It was a non-event, no one bid, no one even registered to bid ;-) We expected as much.

We are gonna advertise for another couple of weeks, and then if nothing happens, we will rent it out and see how it goes. Either way, we need to make our move to the East soon. Right after we get back from holidays I reckon.

Josie was with Granny overnight from Friday to Saturday and then Vika picked her up and took her to see Anna and Jayden. I went to pick her up around 5pm and the kids were sitting on the couch playing with the playstation. It was very cute.

On Sunday we all went to Yum Cha at Marigold for breaky. It was delicious as usual and Josie and Jayden were little terrors running in and out from under the table. Thank god Becka was there to take them to see the fish in the tanks every now and again.

After Yum Cha we went to Easties to do shopping and afterwards went back to Vika's to relax and have dinner.

I was absolutely knackered when I got home, but was surprisingly in the mood to cook (after having bought stuff at shopping!) so I made lasagne (my first!! Thanks Anna!) and cut up the chicken ready for the soup that I'm gonna make tonight. I'll also make schnitzels tonight. Its all happening in the Hill Kitchen!

So I dropped off Josie at school this morning and noticed that the plate of fruit hadn't been cut and it was already about 9am, so I asked whether someone was going to do it, and Silke (who's back from holidays! Yay!) said that whoever was rostered on had been and gone and hadn't done it so I offered to do it.

Its one of those things that you just feel special doing. Like being the classroom helper for the day ;-)

So I cut a bunch of apples and celery and peeled some mandarins. And poured some water into their little glasses.

It was fun. Unfortunately, before that Josie had gone outside to play with Rachel. In fact the first thing she said when we walked in was "Where's Rachel" ? So she went outside to play and so I couldn't watch her while I was cutting fruit. But around 920am they all came in for their morning meeting. I was finishing up as she came in, all excited cause I was still there. It was so cute ;-)

So they went into their morning meeting and I finished up and went in and said goodbye to her and gave her a kiss.

It was lovely seeing her in the midst of school stuff ;-)

I'm looking forward to my next stint as official fruit cutter ;-)

Ps. I have uploaded a bunch of new photos to flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/josiephotos/

Reprimanded!

I have been informed by Becka that I am behind in my Blog Duties!

So this will be a long one!

Disney on Ice
So the weekend before last we took Josie to see Disney on Ice with Granny and Jacqui. It was absolutely fantastic (even if a few of the performers fell! ;-). Josie sat and watched and got a bit restless once, but mostly she was great. Mean daddy wouldnt let me get her any toys but I managed to get a balloon ;-)

Saturday Lunch
On Saturday we had Vika/Becka and Anna/Jayden over for lunch. Vika was teaching me how to make a few dishes, so I was buggered (she was more buggered cause she did most of the work! ;-) but the kids had a great time. Josie and Jayden ran around squealing for much of it, but it was good. Daddy was out helping Uncle Mat move stuff and wasnt home till very late.

Sunday Playdate
On Sunday Tony, Josie and I went off to the Park to meet Josie's best friend Rachel, her brother Ben and her parents, Michelle and Sam. We had a fabulous day together, spent several hours in the park and then went back to Michelle and Sam's place where we had lunch and got to know eachother. They are lovely people with absolutely gorgeous kids. And Josie and Rachel play so well together. It was gorgeous watching them. I will update this blog with photos when I get home tonight. Ok there were just too many to choose from!!







So we hung out there and chatted about everything till about 5pm and then we went to Uncle Mat's for dinner. Played Shrek on the Xbox for a while and then went home. Josie was absolutely buggered by that time.

Mari on School Duty
So now to this morning. I was rostered on fruit cutting duty this morning. The kids all have morning tea and they have a mother come in each morning to cut up the fruit and pour the water for it. So I got there about 15 mins late and someone had already started cutting the fruit! Even the director wasn't sure why. So I got to pour water and watch Josie and Rachel play for a while. That was great to be able to just step back and watch them interact. They both have very strong personalities so they seem to alternate being boss. They played with some jigsaws for a while, and then Josie took Rachel's hand and literally dragged her over to another section, where they played for a little while, before Rachel decided she wanted to go somewhere else, so she announced she was going, but Josie didn't wanna go there so off Rachel went, and Josie sat and sulked a bit, and then went and joined Rachel.

After a while they changed again adn went to play with the Playdoh.

As I was leaving, I kissed Josie goodbye and said bye to Rachel. I stopped to sign her in and Josie comes running over.

Josie: Mummy! Mummy! I have to tell you something!
Mari: Yes sweetie?
Josie: I'm.. going to have FUN today!
Mari: *laugh* Of course you are honey!

So then I went a bit further and Josie comes running up to me again..

Josie: Mummy! Mummy! I have to tell you something!
Mari: Yes sweetie?
Josie: I LOVE you!
Mari: Awww.. I love you too honey!

So then I gave her a huge hug and left. It was so cute!

And thats it. We are starting 4 days a week this week. She will have Wednesdays off.

Oh, and Josie seems to be developing a cough and her staf was a bit redder this morning. Sooo Drs appt tonight, more antibiotics ;-(

Argh!

Another Great Morning!

Well we had another great morning this morning.

I think it had something to do with a talking baby tho..

Advise to all mothers: NEVER let your child watch morning kids TV with ads!

After every ad it was: Well I don't have that! I NEED that! I WANT this!

ARGH!

So I told Josie that if she was a good girl, I would think about getting her the talking baby doll she saw. I dont even remember what brand it was but I think it was a Chou Chou.

Anyways, the rest of the morning, and on the drive in to school I was very frankly told that: I'm a good girl, see Mummy?? And she kept insisting that we go get her talking baby right now!

So that was pleasant. Not.

Got to school early for a change, right on 830am! Lots of activity, lots of parents there. Should try and get there early more often.

So we sit down and start playing with a jigsaw. After a while I decided I had stayed enough and I should make my escape.

Mari: Ok Jose, I have to go to work now, bye bye!
Josie: Bye bye Mummy.

Thats it!?!?

So I give her a kiss, tell her daddy will pick her up from Granny's tonight and off I go. I briefly stop to get stuff out of her pidgen hole, which was a lovely painting that she did on Tuesday. I go out to the front room to sign her in and go when she comes out to see me.

Josie: Mummy, mummy, I have to tell you something!
Mari: Whats up bubby?
Josie: I'm.. a good girl..
Mari (rolling eyes surreptisiously): Yes honey, I know you are a good girl. And if you continue being a good girl, mummy will think about getting you a talking baby.
Josie (eyeing her drawing): Whats that you've got there?
Mari: Its a painting you did, I'm going to take it home and put it on the wall.
Josie: No! I need to hold it!
Mari: Ok, shall we put it back in your pidgeon hole?
Josie: Yes, ok. I'm going to do some more painting now.
Mari: Ok sweetie, I have to go now. I love you!
Josie: Bye mummy!

A quick hug and kiss and I'm off.

A very good 2nd day at school!

And we are now officially starting 4 days a week as of next week. With Wednesdays off.

Woohoo!!

School Starts!

I took Josie in to school this morning.

She chatted with her big pony all the way, and sang, and pointed at the roads that she was adamant I had to take.. Go that way! No, go THAT way!

It was a shame the first day of Term 3 was raining, but it has since cleared up luckily.

We came in, Josie saw her friend 'Wachel' and off they went together. I had to chase after them to steal a kiss!

I was expecting a bit more diffculty first day of term. A few tears, whinging.. but no, nothing. She was quite happy to starts school again. We will be looking at adding another day (she is only going 3 days a week at the moment) in the next couple of months. Not sure whether to do it before or after the US Trip though..

Only about 6 weeks to go!! WOOHOO!!!

To Skype or not to Skype..

Fun and Games this morning..

george says: when marina come to work
vika says: i dont know
vika says: she is very busy
vika says: was at work yesterday and same today
vika says: she said last night that she has a lot to do and very busy
vika says: she did not talk to me all day yesterday
vika says: so maybe she is there
vika says: just busy
george says: but not contact msn
george says: do you have
vika says: no
vika says: maybe meeting
george says: may be
george says: i try to contact mum with USA and some think wrong I cant
george says: i need marina or you halp me
vika says: whats USA
george says: this is big democratic country on west
vika says: what r u talking about
vika says: u r trying to contact mum with USA
vika says: how does that make sense
george says: i try contact mum with our friends by MSN
vika says: u r at work
vika says: mum is at home
vika says: how r u trying to do that together
george says: mum on phone
vika says: mum on the phone with whom
george says: with me
vika says: and?
vika says: do u have addresses for your friends in US
george says: and she is doing what i say
vika says: are your friends on msn?
george says: yes i just talk to them
vika says: and are they added as contacts at home?
george says: thye try and cant
vika says: who?
vika says: your friends?
vika says: they cant what?
vika says: u said that you just talked to them
vika says: i assume on msn?
vika says: so they are signed up for msn
vika says: do you have them added as contacts at home???
george says: yes
george says: i give them my email adress at home and they try
vika says: so if they are there, them mum just needs to double click on one
vika says: open it and talk
george says: on which one???
george says: it is not contact with them yet
vika says: u said they are added at home
vika says: when u open list of contacts
vika says: are they there?
george says: no they now at home and try contact with mum but....
vika says: listen to me
george says: i will call
vika says: do u have their contact details on your msn at home

after the telephone conversation - the end result was…. He is trying to get mum from home to talk to US friends… they are on Skype and she is on MSN… no wonder its not working

BWAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!

Becka's Batmitzvah Photos

Well I have finally uploaded the photos from the Batmitzvah to flickr.. see the link on the right or click here.

I have so much to do right now. Batmitzvah DVD, photo printing, puting our old home movies on DVD.. but with the Open Inspections every few days the computers have been put away (except my iMac) so I can't actually print..

Blah..

Dinner at Mat's with Becka

Ant, Mari, Rebecca and Josie came over to the flat to see the new couch and have some dinner on Wednesday night. Josie was misbehaving a little bit here and there but generally she was being a good girl.

Three funny happenings for this night:

Mari: Josie ... come take your medicine please.
Josie: (throwing up her hands) Oh for gawd's sake.


Josie: (sitting in cardboard box) Chooooo chooooo!
I proceed to push her around the flat. She thinks this is a great idea and starts giving directions. Until I die of exhaustion.


We're eating dinner, while Josie is playing Harry Potter on the XBOX, a game which I would have thought would be a bit too tricky for her as it involves quite a few tasks where you have to perform multiple actions in a row within a few seconds.

Mari looks over and sees that Josie has in fact progressed far more quickly than she herself had managed. Stunning the gnomes, picking them up and flinging them over the fence were a bit too tough for her so she ordered me to sit next to her and show her how. Her first few attempts to toss the gnomes over the fence didn't come off so well but within a few minutes she was tossing them further than I've ever managed.

The kid is scary. : )

I Made A Funny!!!!! *Geek Alert!!*

I made a funny this morning! Cracked me up so bad!!

Mat: Did Ant show you the photos he took copies of?
Mari: no, where are they??
Mat: on his thumb drive
Mari: that means accessing his memory..
Mari: random access memory..
Mari: he accesses it randomly

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

STILL cracks me up!!

For those Non-Geeky types out there.. Random Access Memory is RAM..

Ok.. so back to work.. lol..

Preschool Holiday Picnic

On Friday Josie's preschool had organised a school holiday picnic for her class and Josie, Granny and Becka went off to the Pinic to let Josie socialise with the kids.

The following is Becka's very excellent essay on the events which unfolded. I gave her this assignment on Friday night and by Saurday lunchtime it was completed. Well done Becka!

We arrived at queens park a little after 2:30 pm, Josie was pumped and ready to play! Other than a couple of little boys we were the first ones there.

Josie insisted on washing her hands in the bubbler before she began to play, confirming that she needed clean hands to play on the equipment. Then we went walking around- of course dragging me around everywhere with her by the hand- exploring what was there.

After making a full circle around the LARGE play equipment, Josie finally decided that we would go up the wooden boards holding on to the metal chain, then go down the slide which is like a tunnel, but not before looking down the tunnel and screaming 'anyone in there I'm coming down!' LOL!!

Soon more children began to come and eventually Josie's best friend Rachel arrived and wow Josie got excited! She spotted Rachel from the other side of the playground and ran over screaming WACHEL!! LOOK BECKA IT'S MY FWEND WACHEL (Rachel)!!

After much excitement they both settled down and with Josie's directions a decision was made of going on the swings and that I must push both of them very fast!! Then after 20 long minutes -by then Becka had very sore arms- they decided they had had enough! I then undid both of them and Rachel's mum gave us some bubbles. I insisted that they must sit down so as not to spill the liquid which makes the bubbles!

Then Rachel decided that she wanted to run after the bubbles so in the end I ended up blowing and Josie and Rachel ran after the bubbles screaming in delight!

Then after about 15 minutes we went on the equipment for a while until Josie decided she wanted a ice-cream. So running up to me laughing Josie says: Becka, can I have an Ice-skweme?? After a long glare from me she quickly added: oops, i forgot
pweeeeeeeeze! LOL!

So I took Josie across the road and bought her a Calippo and myself a golden gaytime. We then came back and sat down on the bench and started to eat our ice-creams, when Josie realized something and goes:
Josie: hey Becka, memba on holiday we eat my ice- bwock on boat
Becka: Yes Josie I remember, is it yummy?
Josie: yes I wike it, an memba we eat your ice-skweme in the wata on holiday
Becka: yes Josie, good girl
Josie: yeh I wiked dat it was funny
Josie: - LAUGHING-

All in all it was a fabulous day and Josie very thoroughly enjoyed herself!

Thanks Becka for a great story! Definitely an A+!

Pushing The Boundaries

As Josie IS her father's just desserts, insofar as she is the reincarnation of his own rebellious childhood, she spends a fair bit of her time working out what she can get away with. Testing the limits as they're applied by the various adults around her.

This weekend just past, Wendy and I had spent saturday morning buying a fridge, a futon, some Jamie Oliver endorsed (wheeee) cookware, and eating yum cha. We also dropped by Mum's place so I could help Ant move some junk that was to go out on the upcoming council cleanup.

After taking care of business, Wendy and I were sitting in the swing seat in Mum's back yard when Josie came seeking entertainment. Two incidents of note, one while Ant was around and the other after he'd gone to help with Mum's internet connectivity problems.

Incident The First
Josie comes to see what fun is to be had in the back yard, and as is her wont immediately begins to divest herself of her coat (and generally any other clothing she's wearing). It was a sunny day but it was starting to get into late afternoon and starting to cool.

Ant: Leave your coat on Jose.
Josie: (giving Ant the 'cute' look as a delaying tactic while she tries to think of a plausible story) But ... THAT (pointing to the sun shade over the swing seat) will keep me .. WARM!
Ant: (looks at the shade cover for a moment as if he's considering her argument - which he isn't) No, leave your coat on.
Josie: But it'll keep me ... HOT! (again pointing to the sun shade)
Ant: I understand what you are saying, I'm saying no leave your coat ON Jose!
Josie: (with a look that was 60% resignation and 40% defiance, unzips her coat but leaves it on) I'll leave it like .. that.
Ant: Ok

(I'm sure she counted this little exchange as a draw though later I saw her wandering around without her coat on ... I don't know at what stage she managed to doff it)

Incident The Second
Wendy and I were sitting on the swing seat .. and Josie comes and sits with us .. for about five seconds. Then she decides that she urgently needs her pink pram that is in the shed, buried under a ton of 'stuff'. So I go and dig it out for her. She runs off to find a 'baby' to put in it.
"Grandpa! I need a dolly!" emanated from inside the house.

She comes back with baby installed in pram. And again sits on the swing seat but feels that the pram must also go on the seat. Things are a little squished. She then decides that she also needs the pink baby capsule (looks like what you'd have in a car for a very young baby). So I dig that out for her too. The padded insert is wet because the shed has been leaking when it rains. So while I'm hanging that on the clothes line, she goes and sits back on the swing seat with pram and baby capsule beside her and informs me that there's no room for me, that I'm too big and I'll just have to go sit somewhere else.

It's good to be the Queen.