Update as promised...... told in lazy-ass bullet point style.

• It's been the season of illness and injury. I'm very much over playing both nurse and patient.
  
• Currently, Charlie has an ear infection, so we got antibiotics. No biggie, except it turns out he is allergic to penicillin. At the moment we could easily play dot to dot on him, but the rash is so big we'd get bored before finishing.
• Recently found out that Corey needs shoulder surgery. At 13 years old. Seems he's one of the rare few lucky enough *sarcasm* that his shoulder dislocates in one of three possible ways (back, forwards and down) whenever he lifts his arm. If anyone waves at him and he doesn't wave back, he's not ignoring you. He's just trying to prevent his arm falling off.
• Kaiden turned 16 yesterday. OMG 16! Mentally, I still feel the same as I did at 16. Physically though I feel older. A lot older. Scary that your child is the same age you were when you considered yourself a grown up.
• Now he's 16 I get to teach him to drive. I'm both excited and terrified at the thought.
  
• Kaiden chose to have KFC as his birthday dinner. I chose not to partake of it.
  
• Kaiden had a caramel mud cake for his birthday cake. I did partake of it.
• Charlie hasn't slept through the night for about 2 weeks due to being ill.
• I'm tired.
• Very tired.
• I've neglected my home shamefully (please don't tell anyone). And no-one open any closets or closed doors, you never know what I may have stashed there.
• My dad had an accident moving house, crushing his hand. He ended up having his little finger amputated, and the next one screwed back together in the hope of saving it. He's doing fine, and is most upset that he may no longer being able to hold onto the paddle strongly enough to continue using his stand up paddle surfboard. Priorities, you know.
• Have been struggling to balance work commitments, keeping up with the housework, spending time with the family, study that never happens, getting enough sleep etc etc. Is achieving all this even possible for a mortal woman such as myself?
  
• The sleep part never seems to happen enough.
  
• I haven't baked in a LONG time. So much so that when I did go to bake everything was past it's use by date. Even the flour. Bad stepford wife.
• I've thought of a bajillion blog posts to write in recent months. Usually while washing dishes, driving or showering. I think to myself, that's fantastic, best post idea ever, well done self! Then promptly forget it two seconds later.
• Charlie and I have been enjoying the warmer weather as we head into Spring, and have been having a picnic lunch in the back yard most days. Just a short time out from the busy-ness of life, soaking up the sun, listening to the birds, hearing the breeze blowing in the trees. Aaaaahhh.....
• Currently, watching big grey clouds rolling in, ready for a thunderstorm to happen on the first day of Spring.
  
• Just remembered I have washing on the line...........................
  

A big heart as well......

Not only does my boy Kaiden have big muscles, he also has a big and loving heart. Especially when it comes to his littlest brother.

He is so fantastic with Charlie, it makes my heart just swell with pride to see them together. The love and trust between them is awesome to behold.





















It's enough to make me weep tears of happiness.

Perfect days.

School Daze

Yep, we're in a daze.

Well, I am anyway. The kids are back at school after 2 months off. Back to having to be organised and on top of things again. Way too much pressure if you ask me.

Too much pressure for me, that is. Not for the boys.

I want to go back to the lazy days of summer where breakfast was whenever we felt hungry and there was nothing more pressing to do than figure out if we wanted to swim in the pool that morning or that afternoon.

Or both.

But as change is the only constant in our world it was inevitable that wonderful summer holidays would be well and truly over, and the new school year would begin.

And by the end of the first school day the boys brought home a bazillion notes for me to read and sign, and organise, complete with dates to write on the calender.

Again, way too much pressure. I want summer holidays back.

This year (finally) they are both at the same school again, as Corey has started Yr 8 and moved up to High School.


Corey : 13 and growing up too fast.


Kaiden has started Yr 11, which is his second last year of High School.


Kaiden : Now at Senior School and Mr Cool.

Of course I had to take the obligatory first day photos, especially on the occasion of Yr 8 and Yr 11 starting.

And as per usual, Charlie had to get in on the action.



He even insisted on wearing his little back back and stated he was going to high school too. He was bitterly disappointed when Kaiden and Corey jumped out the car and went into the school without him.

So we're back to having to get up and ready by a decent time, and having to pre make lunches again. Gone are the lovely days of lounging around in pajamas and playing xbox half the day.

Time to study. Time to work.

But time to have a little fun too, I suppose.

As they say "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

But I must say, life is certainly not dull around here. Not by a long shot!

The 'I'm too Busy to Write So Here Are Some Photos' series

Hmmm.... I see a theme developing here.

Lately it seems that whenever Charlie plays with his big brothers,

a lovely scene like this.....



soon turns into this ....



And again, from this...



...to this....



and finally to this .....



Poor Corey seems to be copping the brunt of little Charlie's over active affection.

I hope that it's just innocent enthusiasm.

Or we may have a problem......

The 'I'm too Busy to Write So Here Are Some Photos' series.

Army Cadets Formal Dinner - 20 November 2010

Just Your Average Day .... in Photos

Having horsey rides.


Baking yummy muffins.


Doing dishes.


Taking time to smell the flowers.



Having more horsey rides.



Making school lunches.



Eating an ice cream cone for the first time - and loving it!



Being studious.



Being cute.



Being silly.

Just your average day in the Eccentricity household.

Not again!

Another one of us has been struck down. *sigh*

Yes, Kaiden is unwell, possibly with Glandular Fever. *double sigh*

He's currently fluctuating between wallowing in a mass of messy bedcovers or sitting with x-box controller in hand, relishing spending the day being idle and getting to play xbox uninterrupted for hours on end.

I'm kinda nice like that when my boys are ill.

And as you can probably tell, he's not exactly at death's door.

More kind of wandering down the path of self pity, with an unhealthy dose of sore throat, chills and nausea thrown in.

He had blood tests done earlier today which will tell us if it's GF, though I have all my fingers and some of my toes crossed that it's not.

Given that he has exams next week, and should be spending this time studying English, Science, Maths etc instead of agonising over which accessories to apply to his x-box high speed race car, I will be more than a little suspicious if the blood results come back negative.



Hmmm.... doesn't look too sick to me.

Fasionable Friday

Ok, so we've had the ode to the 1950's, now we're moving on to the 1960's!

Yeah, baby!



(trying out my model poses for you all. Anyone know a good modelling agency? I'm the next Cindy Crawford, you know. What? Don't laugh, I so could be. Stranger things have happened.)


This is my modern take on a 1960's look. All I need now is for Woodstock to be revived, I'm ready to get groovy, man.

I did wear this particular dress to a concert starring a plethora of fabulous and famous aging 60's Motown singers, but it was teamed it with a pair of very high heeled, retro looking, knee high brown leather boots instead of the wedges I'm wearing here.

It was a decision I regretted.

But on the upside, I did get a lot of compliments that night. (hehehe!)



During this particular modeling session, someone decided to crash the photo shoot, so I couldn't resist including him here.



Is that an uncomfortable smile I see from Kaiden?

"Mum, you're embarrassing me in front of the whole of the world wide web".

What else are mums for, darling?

Boys and their toys, oh I mean cakes.

There's really not a lot of difference between ......

...a 2 year old boy's birthday cake...

and........

....a 15 year old boy's birthday cake.

Cars never go out of style.

Kaiden

15 years ago today you came into this world. My world.

15 years that has gone by so fast, it seems only the blink of an eye ago that you were a chubby cheeked, big eyed toddler, yet time has also slowed since you came, and it seems that you have always been with me.



And as I think about it, I realise that you have been with me for almost half my life. I can hardly remember a time when I wasn't 'Mum'.

You were born on the last day of winter, your arrival heralded the coming spring, and the new chapter in my life. Little did I know then how my life would change.



When one has a baby, it's expected that you will raise that child, shape and mould him, help him to grow physically and emotionally into the best person he can be. But little do you expect the way that tiny child will shape and mould you the parent, help you grow emotionally and become the best person you can be. It is one of the joys of being a mother, to not only know that I raised you and helped you grow, but that you did the same for me. It's a bond we will always have.



These past 15 years are full of so many memories, filled with your laugh, your smile and your spirit. You have been mine for all these years, though I am conscious that I have very few years left that you will remain really mine. You are taking your first steps into the adult world, and I long to hold you close to me but know I have to let you walk that path. I want to cling to the precious little baby you were, the cheeky toddler and the loving child, I'm not sure I'm ready to be the mother of the man I see you becoming. A man of determination, conviction and optimism.

I'm so very proud of you, of the challenges you face and overcome, the way you look at the world full of hope, the love you have for your family, and for your steady and true nature.



I'm so grateful to have you as my son.

And I always will be.

Kaiden

I recently had Kaiden pose for me. You see I really wanted to capture the green of his eyes and thought that against the green of the grass it might just work.

I was especially surprised at how willing he was to pose. He must of been in an exceptionally mellow mood that day. Teenagers aren't generally known for being co-operative.

I tried different angles. Different distances. Different editing.

And now I can't decide which one I like best.

So I ask for your help.

If you could leave a comment letting me know which is your favourite it would be much appreciated. (That goes for you lurkers too who don't usually comment!!!).

1.



2.



3.



4.



5.



6.



7.



I now leave the voting to you.

What have we been up to?

As I type this I have Charlie sprawled across me having a feed, and I juggle the laptop balanced precariously upon my knee, whilst trying to avoid the toy car being driven all over my head. But it's been so long since I blogged that I will attempt to surmount all these distractions and actually manage to type something.

Hopefully it will be legible.

And make sense.

Life has been fast paced around here lately. A whirlwind of work, school and sports.

Actually, that's just normal life in this house.

Kaiden represented his school in soccer yesterday and the team did very well. It was Kaiden's first time playing for the school, as he has just been accepted into the Specialist Soccer Program. The competition to get in was tough so I'm extra proud of him.

Also we have been carefully choosing his school subjects for next year as he is entering Yr 11 (5th year high school, starting in Feb next year). It's the all important subject choices that determine whether he gets into university. As Kaiden has made up his mind that he wants to join the army as a Mechanical Engineer it was fairly straight forward choices.

Chemistry.

Physics.

Calculus.

Somehow I don't think I'll be much help with his homework next year!

So what's Corey been up to I hear you ask?

Well he has been training before school each day for the past week as tomorrow he is competing in the State Cross Country Run Championships. Yes, it seems my long-legged, big footed (size 11 men's and he's only 12!) boy is a fast runner. Surprise, surprise.

Corey and I have been busy with martial arts training also (Kaiden hasn't been for a while due to his back injury). I'm pleased with the progress we're both making, and I'm slowing gaining confidence when sparring with the big guys in the class. Though a kick to the groin last night wasn't so good.

Charlie is.... well, he's Charlie.

He makes me smile.

He makes me laugh.

He makes me tear my hair out.

Charlie turns two later this month and I can't believe how fast two years has gone by. He is just the most gorgeous little thing and he's adored by everyone in the family.

He is generally easy going but can be stubborn at times, he sings from the minute he wakes till the moment he falls asleep and he never, ever, ever stops moving.

He's just a whirlwind of energy and activity. We'll all be sprawled upon the floor, passing out from the fatigue of playing with him, yet he's still running around yelling "More play, more play everyone!".

And on that note it's time for me to take the hint to finish up typing and instead give in to his pleas of "Play cars, mummy, play cars. P-leeeease".

How can I resist?

In the past few days, 4 things that have made me smile......

1. Having followed Charlie's instruction to lay down on the rug with him, he pats my arms and says "Good boy, Mummy, good boy".

2. Walking into the room to find Bob the Builder on tv, with an almost 15 year old watching it alone, as even though it was long after little Charlie had wandered off, he needed to keep watching to see how it ended.

3. Being woken at midnight by the sound of Charlie singing 'The Wheels on the Bus" to himself in his cot until he falls back to sleep.

4. Corey on arriving home after being away at a friends house for an afternoon, confiding in me that although it's fun to go to a friends house, he likes coming home because he gets to be with his little brother again.

Children help you to see that these moments are what's really important in life, don't they?

Gosh, I just love my boys so much.

Photos

Due to the fact that I've got a bit of a cold at the moment, this post is going to be photo heavy. My head is pounding too much to put a lot of thought into this.

So please enjoy these photos of our little adventure filled outing, as we discovered a nearby regional park last week, whilst I go lay down for a while.



Charlie was off exploring as soon as we arrived.
"Haha... you set me free, now you've got to catch me!"


The car Kaiden will get on his 17th birthday. Not quite what he had in mind!



Corey and Charlie looking over the edge of the bridge and into the water.



And Kaiden showing Charlie the other side.

Aren't my older boys wonderful big brothers?



I love this photo.



But this one is my new all time favorite.



Even at 12, he's not too big to climb trees.



Sharing a joke.



Our handsome dog, Trooper loved running free and pretending he was a wild wolf.



Completely by accident, but I like the effect of the sun over his shoulder.



Sword fighting with grass stalks.



Trying to be artistic here.

And actually, I like the way it turned out.



Corey and Mitchell - friends since Kindy. That's 7 whole years.

Over half their lives.


Someone didn't want to go home, and was quite content for us to leave him playing in a field.

For all of two minutes.

Who would he charm if he was all on his own???