Bits and pieces update

“I’d love to”

I love hearing myself in my kids sometimes. I have a habit of saying ‘I’d love to’ (a little sarcastically) when my kids ask me to do something I don’t want to do.

The other day I asked Miss Tahlia to come to me so I could fix up her skirt and she replied ‘I’d love to’ and to me she came.

Very cute….

“Reading”

Isabella’s reading is coming along in leaps and bounds. We are making a conscious effort to read every night and she is playing heaps on ‘Reading Eggs’ website. She is just stoked she is able to read some of the basic books in the ‘Reading Eggs’ suite.

So am I!

“Pool”

Slowly but surely the pool is coming along. The coping tiles were laid last Thursday. The pebble insert is being done today and they will be back tomorrow to acid wash it and then I believe water can be filled on Thursday.

We have temporary fencing coming on Thursday and hopefully will be able to line up the landscaper for next week.

Unfortunately we are in a queue for the proper fencing – looks like it won’t be done for 4-6 weeks!

We signed the contract in May – you can get a house built faster!

“Holidays”

Michael and Isabella are into their second week of holidays. They have been spending time at the beach, going to the movies and other various activities together. Isabella has also spent 2 days at vacation care with her best friend Natalie.

“Water Park”

The girls and I went to the Water Park on the weekend with my sister Amanda and niece Alishia. It was FREEZING!! And yet Tahlia insisted that I take her down the slide (which meant I had to get wet more than just up to my knees!). The girls obviously didn’t feel it as much as us adults and spent a good amount of time swimming and splashing.

“Pregnant”

No I’m not but a near and dear friend is heavily pregnant and another announced her pregnancy news last week. Praying for safe (pain free – ha!) delivery for Kathy and a beautiful healthy baby and for an uneventful, joyous pregnancy for Nikki.

visiting reading skyping

Michael and the girls and I spent a long weekend on the Sunshine Coast this past weekend.

We stayed with my Dad (Cliff) and Step-Mum (Yvonne) and for most of Saturday and Sunday my 3 neices (Lily, Matilda and Hannah) and their mummies (Emma and Kylie) and daddies (David and Phil) were also there.

A wonderful time was had by all.

While we were all together we also celebrated Matilda's 5th birthday (which is actually in early October).

Here are some pics to prove it!

Isabella enjoying bubbles


Tahlia knackered out


The birthday girl - Matilda


The 'flowers'


We were all very impressed with Lily's ability to read (she is nearly finished first grade). So much so that Isabella and I have found some resources to make serious inroads into doing the same. Today I found some great books that have an online component which Isabella had loads of fun doing - by the end of the first 8 books she was able to read the first two readers! Exciting stuff.

My Dad has been on Skype for ages and after speaking with my Aunty Eileen in Canada on the weekend through Skype I finally got around to downloading it at home. I then proceeded to have an hour long video call with a girlfriend who lives nearby and an IM conversation with another girlfriend in the US. Tonight we 'called' Cliff and Yvonne and they were able to 'see' the girls and I on the webcam. What a great way to keep in touch!

And now it's nearly 10pm and time for this little black duck to call it a night!

Toodleloo for now Suz

oh d EAR

Poor Isabella has a perforated ear thanks to a rather sharp Yucca in our front yard!

The girls were playing in the front yard while Michael was busy cleaning the cars.

Isabella started screaming and ran inside, meanwhile Michael is outside berating Tahlia and telling her to go and apologise to her sister.

Unbeknownst to us all, Tahlia was completely innocent and the Yucca had attacked Isabella as she walked past.

She told me she was in quite a bit of pain so I dosed her up with medicine, but couldn't see anything that gave me cause for alarm.

She had an awful night on Sunday and by Monday morning there was dried blood in the ear. Doctors trip in the afternoon who advised she had perforated her ear. Poor thing.

Michael was sick on Monday too - I think there is some virus/bug going around which causes extreme dizziness.

We had parent/teacher interviews today. These were 3 way interviews with Isabella showing us through her digital portfolio. I'm amazed at how much she is learning each and every day.

She is constantly full of questions and talking about words and sounding them out.

We are trying to do lots of reading at nights too.

We are off to Brisbane (Sunshine Coast) on Friday to see family - Isabella and Tahlia have been on the count down for weeks. Michael will already be down there for work and so the girls and I are flying down together on the Friday.

Can't wait!!!