Sometimes OK is enough

I have had one of those mornings. You know the ones. The ones where nothing really goes wrong but nothing really goes right either. I even got up early to make the rush of the morning less stressful, to make more time to get more things done.

I’ve started doing supply teaching this year and I’ve been getting quite a bit of work. I’m thoroughly enjoying being back in the classroom. I like the interaction with the kids. I enjoy teaching and helping and I just enjoy a lunch time where I don’t have to listen to kids arguing or demanding vegemite not peanut butter. I like that I get to go to the toilet when I need to and not when it fits around my two kids who are at home during the day. I like the adult conversation at lunch time.

Monday I worked so I started the week a little behind schedule and that has had a knock on effect to the rest of the household. Hollie had a break down or two about stuffing up her viola playing and then about not getting her story draft written to a standard she thought acceptable. I had not made it a priority to sit down with her and help her with these to issues over the past few days as my priorities were elsewhere. Note that I didn’t say I don’t have time because clearly I do have time if I choose not to do something else. Everyone has time. I’m a mother of 5. I know about having time and commitments. I really felt like I had let Hollie down even though I know it is her responsibility to get these jobs done before today. Hollie went to school upset. I went on with my day upset.

Kevin was throwing a tantrum because I’d opened the can of dog food for him. He didn’t want to go to school because we’d upset him. On the way to school his shoe fell off and the tantrum started again. I didn’t have the patience for him. Again, I felt like I’d let him down.

As we were leaving for school Lisa couldn’t find her shoes. These were left in Daddy’s car yesterday when he picked up Lisa from kindy as I was at an appointment. This was a small issue but turned into a big one because she cried and I didn’t have the patience to deal with the tantrum because we were already running late to buy a new school uniform and take Hannah to the library at school so I told Lisa to get into the pram. Yes, a four year old in a pram! Our rule is you aren’t allowed to go to school with no shoes on. The librarian made Lisa cry when she made comment about Lisa’s lack of shoes because she knows our rules too. If only I’d taken the time to let her find new shoes this wouldn’t have happened. Again, I felt like I’d let her down.

After buying the uniforms and taking Hannah to the library to borrow a book I went to her classroom to see if the teacher wanted help with changing the readers because they weren’t done yesterday.  This is usually my job in Hannah’s class because no other parent does it. Yesterday I didn’t do it partly because I had to drop Hollie at her first day of the maths/science academy she was accepted into and then dropped Lisa and a friend’s daughter at kindy and partly because I was still trying to catch up on house work from being at work on Monday and I had a group of ladies coming over at 10am. I know I shouldn’t feel guilty about not changing the readers but I can’t help it. I love seeing kids learning. I love books and know how important reading is. I also know that essentially this is the actual teacher’s job but I also know it takes at least half an hour to do and I don’t know where she is going to find that time. This time not only did I feel as though I’d let Hannah down but her whole class and her teacher as well.


I know all of this is not really anything but I feel like I’m not doing anything well at the moment. I feel like I’m merely doing life OK. I’m not doing it better than OK. I’m stretched thin in all directions. When I got to playgroup all tired and worn out I just cried. I didn’t want to cry in front of my friends but I just felt like I was doing a terrible job of everything. After a hug from my friend I felt a lot better though. We are all Mums and we all have bad days/bad weeks. When I got home I text my husband and told him I needed a hug. When I told him what the matter was (that I felt like I was doing life OK not great. I wasn’t being a great Mum I was being an OK Mum. I wasn’t being a great housewife I was being on OK one. I wasn’t being a great worker I was being an OK one) he told me being OK is OK. That’s why it’s called OK. He made me laugh and I know he is right. I can’t be amazing all the time. Sometimes OK is enough. Tomorrow will be a better day. I hope.

The holidays

Yay. It's the holidays now. It felt so good to only have to drop Jessica to kindy today. The state school had a student free day. The girls and I walked to kindy, we gave a train demonstration (the kids had been interested in trains and I offered to bring in some of Kevin's trains to show them. We played trains for about half and hour.), spent time with the girls at home doing puzzles, colouring in and playing dolls. It was a great way to start the holidays. Now if only Lisa would sleep through tonight I might be able to feel normal in the morning.

Here are a few photos of our week.

We went to the RM William's Muster on Sunday. Instead of watching the crazy men and women ride horses, Jessica and Hannah dug in the dirt.

After a terrible night awake with Lisa I found her like this under the coffee table. No wonder she was awake most of the night. Anyone want a kiss? I certainly didn't. She is such a mobile baby at the moment. I don't think it will be long before she crawls. There is a lot of scooting backwards which is why she was under the coffee table and a lot of rocking on all fours. She's cute just not in this picture.

Hollie's class had a picnic in the park with the other classes with year 1 students in it. They modeled their costumes and then had a variety of games. I love the look on Hollie's face here. It made me want to jump in a sack and have a race too.

After nights and nights of not sleep I thought I would give Lisa a formula bottle. I thought, like with the other 3, my milk was drying up or wasn't enough for her. She didn't sleep through so no more formula just yet. I look reasonable happy about it but I was crying on the inside. All I could think was, "If she's my last baby, it's too soon."

I think Daddy's going to have to buy a gun. They are just so beautiful. Daddy took these just before dinner yesterday. Hollie looks so tired but still so beautiful. Not that I'm biased or anything.

Hollie is such a helpful (most of the time) big sister. She cut up kiwi fruit for Hannah and herself and they enjoyed it on the veranda. I love the way she takes responsibility for her sisters and is usually willing to help them. You're growing up too fast missy. 

Menu plan and family fun times

What's on the menu at your house this week? In order to help me be prepared I've gone back to my weekly planning of meals.
Monday - beef Stir Fry
Tuesday- lasagna
Wednesday - crumbed steak
Thursday - Rissoles and vegies
Friday - mac cheese
Saturday- Pizza
Sunday- roast
I braved the shops today for a huge shop. We spend so much money at the super market every week. I am glad we have girls. Can you imagine the food bill for 4 teenage boys? Yesterday I went in for 2 items. Hannah entered the shop crying as did Lisa although I was carrying her so it wasn't so much of a drama. Hannah ended up having a lie on the floor tantrum. I was carrying two babies, a huge packet of mince and trying to make sure Jessica was staying with me. My mood was impaired due to lack of sleep. I'd slept on the couch with Lisa and had my best sleep from 6:30 until 7:15am. The poor little darling is teething and hasn't been coping well at night. It is amazing people have more than one kid when they have to deal with a teething baby. Oh gosh I hope this tooth comes soon. I don't cope well on no sleep. Oh, how I am looking forward to late night shopping or just shops that are open past 5pm. Needless to say I didn't have a terribly wonderful time at IGA yesterday which lead to my less than impressed mood for the rest of the afternoon. Sometimes I want to throw myself on the floor and have a tantrum. If only that would make me feel better.
So enough whinging and carrying on. Kids will be kids. Right?
Here are some super cute moments in our family life at the moment.

This play station was given to us by a friend of ours. All our kids have loved it. We don't know what it's called. We call it the roundy-roundy because the seat swivels around. Lisa had been so tired and just wouldn't go to sleep. I went to put the clothes away and found her asleep. How can anyone sleep like this? Even after 4 kids I am still amazed at the positions they get themselves into to sleep. Stupid me decided to move her to a more comfy location and woke her up.

 I had promised the girls that if one of them got all ticks on their job charts for a week I would buy them a paint set. Luckily for me I'd bought one during the Target toy sales. Hollie, yes shock, horror, was the one who got all ticks first. She had to wait until the weekend to be able to use the paints though. Here is Hannah having a little paint. Thanks for painting the a/c pipe too Hannah.

Now you want to see something super cute? What about a  toddler who's stripped off and only wearing a backpack? Here is Hannah at playgroup after she'd played in THAT water fountain AGAIN, had got her clothes wet and then decided she was too wet for clothes. I don't understand how kids can play in water then when they've finished  decide they don't like the feeling of wetness. What is with that?

The following lot of photos were taken yesterday. The days have been really quite hot although the mornings are still quite cold. Lisa started off in a tracksuit and finished in just her nappy. I was a little surprised at how chubby she has become. I knew she was the chubbiest of my little ones but I guess because it has been so cold we haven't really got to see all those gorgeous little chubby rolls. They are so beautiful. Not so sure about the funny facial expressions though.

I know it seems as thought the other children don't exists because this post is all about the two little babies. I will endeavour to post about the others next time. I do realise I haven't even posted pics of Jessica's birthday yet. I will leave you with some cute photos of Hannah I took while she was reading a book.

Busy Holidays

The holidays were very busy. We've had the last 3 days to recover. To sleep in, to slob about, to try to get the kids back to normal after the excitement of Gran and Puff-puff and Nanny. It was great to have everyone here for the holidays. The kids don't get to see their grandparents very often so it makes it even more special.

I've been wondering where my jolly jumpers are. Yes, that's right I had more than two. Couldn't find them. Went to Vinnies and they had this one. Lisa, as you can see, loves it. Pretty good $2.

The first time Mum came to visit us in 2008 she found out you could go to the Ilfracombe pool for free and as the pool here in Longreach was under repair/refurbishment the girls hadn't been to the pool since we'd moved. Hollie was just over two years old and she remembers that Nanny took her to the pool and asked if she could take them again. Yes, in the middle of winter we took Lisa for her first swim. It is an artesian spa so it was fairly warm, just like a kid's bath minus the wee. Lisa loved her first swim. Kevin took photos because he didn't want to deal with the cold upon getting out. Lucky him.

Tomorrow we start back slowing into the real routine of life. I don't know how Lisa is going to cope with her favourite person being away all day. She has been very spoilt for the last two weeks. Kevin starts back on a student free day before the rest of us get into school, kindy, playgroup and mainly music again for another term. 

I'm also looking forward to Hollie starting Auskick this term. I hope it's on because she's been looking forward to it all year. We are also starting the girls in swimming lesson again in preparation for the summer. It's going to be another busy term. Kevin said last year at Hollie's birthday it would be the last holidays he has until June. Well he didn't really get one and the next few holidays will be even more full on with a trip to Brisbane in September and a move to Brisbane in December. At least he gets them as holidays and the kids get to see their Dad a lot. Can't imagine what it would be like with a 9-5 job.