Love and Chaos in Brussels

New Blog ...

2011-06-27T12:11:00.001+02:00

I have a new blog ... why don't you check it out here

Christmas Day

2009-12-27T16:36:00.002+01:00

This was the kids 1st christmas without any family around, other than their dad and I. I thought they would miss their cousins more but no, they were quite happy with how christmas turned out. It could have something to do with the gifts.

We had a very quiet christmas dinner on Thursday evening, just the four of us. So quiet in fact, I forgot to bring out the crackers. Then I spent the rest of the evening doing the little elves work (lazy little buggers never wrapped the presents). While Brad was sleeping on the couch. He had to sleep on the couch all night to protect the presents / santa from the dogs. I'm glad to report that none of the presents were chewed up or peed on during the night.

Christmas morning started very early 5:30 to be exact! I tried to go and get back in bed after the presents were all opend but that didn't work.

We were going to friends for christmas lunch despite the fact that Rourke has chicken pox (it's not been fun let me tell you) they decided that their youngest is bound to get it at some point. (and we love them for it cause it would have been very boring to stay at home all day). So after doing the turkey we hit the road to Duffel.

Everyone had a great time, the kids got on grand, the parents did as well (why would we not?) and so we got back home at about 21:00. Needless to say Lulu and Duke were very happy to see us, I on the other hand was not so happy to see them as they did their usual trick of destroying everything in sight.... one day when they are really old and decrepid and spend all their time just haning out and not destroying my house I'm sure I'll love them more.

And that was christmas, and we'll have to wait a whole year to do it all again. I wonder who'll be around for next christmas?

45 Life Lessons by Reg Brett, age 90

2009-11-25T10:16:00.001+01:00

This is something we should all read at least once a week!
Written By Reg Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
To celebrate growing older, he once wrote the 45 lessons life taught him. He said-------

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch...
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25 No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27 Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time... You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves."

Christmas.... 1 month to go!

2009-11-24T14:28:00.002+01:00

I LOVE Christmas! and living in Europe is great cause it's cold and all Christmas and you can have a fire and holly and maybe even snow.... I heard someone playing carols in the metro station yesterday and got this warm feeling.... Christmas is coming! Brad always says that I should have been American cause then I could really go over the top and not seem strange.

My kids still believe in Santa, and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny etc. and I'm very glad cause it means they are still innocent enough to believe in these magical creatures of childhood.

In Belgium, on St. Nicholas' Eve, December 5th, or the weekend before, children put their shoes or small baskets at the hearth or beside the door with carrots, turnips, and a sugar lump for the saint's horse and a glass of wine for the saint. There may also be a picture they've drawn (or a list) showing what they would like. They believe St. Nicholas rides on horseback over the rooftops, dropping his gifts down the chimneys. In the morning shoes have been filled with chocolates, spiced speculoos cookies shaped like the saint and Piet, oranges, marzipan, and toys. In the spirit of St. Nicholas, treats are meant to be shared, not hoarded. Bad children, of which there are none, would find twigs. Since the sixties, however, such negative and frightening aspects have faded away in Flanders. In French-speaking Wallonia St Nicolas comes, as well, where he is often accompanied by a donkey and Père Fouettard, as in France. Some places celebrate similarly to that in Germany. Everywhere in Belgium speculoos shaped like the saint is very popular.

Since our kids go to a French school they are very much aware of this event (not that you can miss it, it's everywhere you go) so they get presents twice in December. (on a much smaller scale for St. Nicolas, but they still get something).

So, like all kids they have been busy writing their letters to Santa (cause he's the one who brings the most presents) asking for all the things they want. All the shops advertisements are being read from cover to cover and pictures cut out to send along with their letters. The other afternoon while driving home they were having a discussion between the 2 of them as to what they would all like when Riley mentioned that she would really like a piano.

Well Riley how do you suppose Santa would fit a piano down the chimney I asked (thinking I've just found a very good excuse for not buying her a piano) O that's no problem she replied, don't you know that Santa can do magic. He makes everything very small to fit down the chimney and then it pop's back to normal size!

There goes that excuse!

The big tooth fairy / mouse debate

2009-11-11T20:54:00.003+01:00

Riley lost another tooth today, and on the way home tonight her and Rourke had this whole discussion with me about the tooth fairy vs the tooth mouse.

She wanted to know if the tooth fairy or the tooth mouse was going to bring her some money. Then she told me that there best friend Caroline did not only get 2 euro from the tooth fairy but she also got a book. Well now, I did not have a book to throw in so I was racking my brain to come up with a good reason why the tooth fairy / mouse would not have a book for her....

Rourke solved it by asking how a tiny little fairy would be able to carry money and a book.... which lead to the two of them discussing that a fairy might not be able to carry a book but a mouse could carry a book on it's back.

This debate lasted the entire trip home (a good half & hour) and it was declared that she would only get money since we're not sure that there will be a mouse around to help carry a book and should it rain the fairy will not be able to fly so she'll have to get a lift on the back of a mouse which means that the mouse will not be able to carry a book and a fairy carrying the money on it's back.

phew!

O and then they told me that their cousin's in South Africa said that the tooth fairy / mouse does not exist and that it's really the parents who swap the tooth for money and then when you are big they will give the teeth back to you.

Well that's the cousin's for you, as for my kids they still firmly believe in the tooth fairy / mouse, Santa, the Easter bunny, St Nicolas and Jack Frost

Eye of a Tiger

2009-11-01T12:06:00.004+01:00

Rourke came running into the kitchen this morning:

"Mommy I'm a tiger, look....!"

"I have speckles in my eyes look"
Me: "Yeah you do"
Rourke: "See it means I'm a tiger"

When I walked passed him a bit later he was sitting in front of a mirror practicing growling.

Halloween Obsessed

2009-10-28T15:18:00.000+01:00

My kids are crazy about Halloween, in fact, they really should have been raised in America just to justify their obsession with this holiday. Ever since September they have been talking about it and trying to decide what costumes they would get this year.

In the preschool section of their school they get the opportunity to dress up on the last day of school before the mid-term break, however since Riley is now in
year 2 she doesn't get this opportunity anymore. This however, did not stop her from declaring that she too needed a Halloween costume.

Rourke has been asking me when it's going to be Halloween every day for the past month and when I explain to him that it's first his birthday, then mine then Cliff's and then Tracey's and then after Tracey's birthday (29th of October) it's Halloween he get's really upset with me -- 'you're joking!!! how can it still be so long?'

Last year my brother took my 2 kids and his son Trick or Treating in Brussels but since then my brother and his family have moved back to SA and we've moved to the sticks! .... the result to my poor kids disgust: no where to go trick or treating. They are not impressed with this at all.

Rourke even suggested that they dress up and go and see if the farm animals don't have anything for them.....

I've noticed that there are a couple of houses in the street close to our house has some Halloween decorations in their window, so I might just pop round and see if they would mind if the kids came Trick or Treating on Saturday night.

But first, tonight I have to ice my Halloween biscuits.

Only In Belgium....

2009-10-16T13:43:00.001+02:00

Found this article in one of the local newspaper's .... this really is a strange country...

Belgian 'Miss Homeless' wins a year rent-free
58-year-old Therese Van Belle from Schaarbeek, Brussels, won the first 'Miss Homeless' contest.
Related Articles
The final, which took place on Saturday evening in Brussels, saw 10 finalists vying for the place of Miss Homeless, along with the prize of a rent-free year in a flat.
The aim of this remarkable initiative is to call attention to the problem of the homeless.

Organiser Aline Duportail of the company Artefix said that "with this ‘Miss’ contest we want to expose the problem of homelessness in Belgium. This is certainly a very good way to boost the contestants' self-confidence."
There were five different parts to the Miss Homeless contest, including a talk with each contestant. The jury judged the candidates based on their "will to get themselves out of a difficult situation."

"Their inner beauty and strength, motivation to take part in the contest, personal story, and solidarity were also decisive factors," said a competition official.

flandersnews.be/Expatica

Today is Belgian National Day

2009-07-21T11:57:00.003+02:00

You know when you've been in Belgium too long when ...

1. You always stop your car for traffic from even the tiniest little road from the right.

2. You consider breaking the speed limit normal, and honk and flash at people who don't.

3. If you have had less than 10 beers you drive your car home, but you still don't indicate when turning or respect the speed limit.

4. If you have a car, you consider any other means of transportation slightly suspicious.

5. You know the names of at least 10 different sauces for chips.

6. You catch yourself ordering a "Supplement Frites" with every single dish you have in any kind of restaurant.

7. You give other foreigners lectures on the difference between fake and real monastery-produced beer.

8. You don't drink the last two centilitres of a Westmalle trippel.

9. You never wear any colour brighter than dark green. You automatically assume anyone who does is either a. Dutch b. Scandinavian c. American or d. Extremely childish or rude

10. Just one day without rain even in July and August can make you happy.

11. On Saturday morning and Sunday evening of any sunny summer-weekend you accept spending more than three hours stuck in traffic jams on motorways in order to get to and from 100 km's of coastline that are completely cramped with high-risers 20 meters from the beach.

12. You don't mind that bouncers have to be given at least 20 euro when you leave a disco as a bribe for letting you get in next time

13. You consider it normal that even the train to and from the airport has announcements in both Dutch and French, but not in English. You don't react when all the foreigners storm out of the train at the announcement of Brussels North when coming from the airport.

14. You do all your grocery shopping in either GB or Delhaize, and you don't understand anyone who shops in the other supermarket chain.

15. You consider it normal to go out to a restaurant at least five times per week.

16. You think it is logical that shops are closed Sundays and evenings, but buy the booze you consume in night-shops between 4 and 5 AM Sunday morning.

17. You use and understand abbreviations like NMBS/SNCB, MIVB/STIB and SMAP/OMOB.

18. You only buy the most up-market chocolate brands, and feel sorry for the geeks who buy "white products".

19. You start going to Quick instead of McDonalds and you have actually tasted the Quick Bearnaise Burger.

20. You think it looks nice when the type of pavement tiles in front of each house are different, and you don't mind falling over lopsided tiles occasionally.

21. You take dog-shit on the pavement as just another challenge on you daily walks.
22. You keep three colours of bin-bags for different kinds of waste, and remember which days to put out which kind of bag on the pavement in front of your house.

23. You don't mind when most streets are full of bags that have been put out on the wrong day, not even in the summer when the combination of the sun and intrepid dogs makes it a very interesting experience.

24. You automatically assume that everyone else speaks at least three languages, but refuse to speak more than one yourself.

25. You have given up on any sensible political discussion on the language divide in general and the Brussels Capital Region and the future of Belgium in particular.

26. You consider politicians and the police worse than criminals, with the possible exception of paedophiles.

27. You consider it perfectly normal when the names of towns on road signs change from French to Dutch and vice versa every 5 or 10 kilometres of motorway.

28. You have understood that the hassle of monthly visits to the municipality to obtain papers or residence permits is reserved for recently arrived foreigners who move every 6 months, and you therefore don't complain over your own annual visit where you wait in line for an hour or two.

UUUGGGHHHH!!

2009-06-17T20:06:00.003+02:00

My frustration levels are SOOOO high at the moment it's not even funny. It's been the afternoon from hell!!!

Our train just did not arrive... not early, not late NOT AT ALL!
The next train was only in 1 hour
I have to talk to Riley 6 times before she maybe listens
Rourke tried to steal a chocolate in the shop

Really can you blame me for feeling like I need a whole bottle of wine, never mind a glass. Brad is leaving for 3 weeks in South Africa in the morning and if this is what they are going to be like for the entire time I might just become an alcoholic.

So excuse me if I try to calm down and relax before my very had working husband comes home to a bitch of a wife on his last night at home.... not how I envisioned tonight.

If surreal had a nationality, it would be Belgian

2009-05-29T11:34:00.002+02:00

Thought you might enjoy these weird and wonderful things that have happend in Belgium during the past 3 months:

Nepotism? Nooo...

One in ten politicians hails is either the son or daughter of an existing politician. The proportion is an astonishing four in 10 for francophone federal ministers. The Brussels Parliament recorded the lowest number of family ties with only one in 20.

No joke, really

Pigeon fanciers can sleep better at night knowing that their prize birds can now be insured against theft. The insurance company Marsh also insures against fire, predators, during transport and electric shock for €20 a year. Last week also saw a pigeon called Jonge Supercrack sold for a record breaking €110,000 in an online auction. Ludo Claessens from Putte sold 72 pigeons at the auction, averaging €10,000 per bird.

Window rent rise

Prostitutes occupying the windows around North Station in Brussels are feeling the pinch of the credit crisis. While they pay between €150 to €300 a day to rent a window, the price is set to rise as Schaerbeek commune ups the taxes on the specialised ‘waitresses’ from €2,500 a year to €3,353. Last year, this tax brought in €450,000 to the commune, its third biggest source of revenue.

Testers sought

The Michelin Guide of prostitutes in Belgium is hugely popular with 20,000 active members who exchange tips and ratings. The owner of hookers.be wishes to stay anonymous but says that there's a real demand for the website's services. There are 100,000 registered users and the site has had over 500,000 hits, he says. Anita in Rue de Livourne? Tania in Aarschotstraat?

Stamped and still delivered

Avid letter writers have taken to hunting down batches of old stamps at the country’s flea markets to save on postal costs. La Poste/De Post confirmed that it will post letters using stamps from as far back as 1962. One woman is even drawing on her batch of stamps from 1936, apparently unnoticed by La Poste/De Post. "I’ve got thousands of them," she said.

"Elevated" Lunch Company

2009-04-30T09:42:00.003+02:00

I'm not sure how much you know about Belgium.... After all Belgium is a very small and often neglected country.
The reason I'm asking is actually cause I wanted to know whether you knew that Belgium has a royal family?

You didn't? No worries I'll give you a quick over view of the "Royal Situation"

Since it was founded in 1831, Belgium has been a hereditary constitutional monarchy. The King, whom the Constitution places above ideological and religious considerations, political opinions and debates and economic interests, has a role as arbitrator and guardian of the unity and independence of the country.

King Albert II, sixth King of the Belgians, took the oath on 9 August 1993. He is married to Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria.

The King and Queen have three children: Crown Prince Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent.

Prince Philippe and his wife, Princess Mathilde, have 2 daughters, Princess Elisabeth and sons, Prince Gabriel and Prince Emmanuel and then Princess Eléonore.

Princess Astrid and her husband Prince Lorenz, have five children: Prince Amedeo, Princess Maria Laura, Prince Joachim, Princess Luisa Maria and Princess Laetitia Maria.

Prince Laurent and his wife, Princess Claire, have a daughter, Princess Louise, and two sons, Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric.

Prince Laurent is a bit of a black sheep and often is in the news over some sort of a scandal while Crown Prince Philippe and his wife are much loved.

Anyway, the whole point of this is to tell you that I had lunch with Prince Laurent today.

Me, lowly Belgian that I am, hardly able to speak any of the countries 3 official languages..... Can you believe it?

Let me tell you all about it:

The Time: 12:00 - 13:00 CET
The Country: Belgium, Population 10,414,336 (July 2009 est)
The City: Brussels
The Place: Pizza Hut

Yip you read it. Pizza Hut - good enough for royalty

We had a team lunch at the Pizza Hut across the road from my office on Tuesday and there having lunch with someone who was not his wife (i'm just saying not accusing him of anything) he was. Even stood in the next to him.

And no, just like everybody else we all went about our lunch without saying anything to the man. This is not England or the States people, we find living with the famous normal.

Future Schmuter.....

2009-03-15T20:20:00.003+01:00

Have you ever wished that you knew what the future held for you? Well, let me tell you knowing what the future holds is totally overrated!

Tonight I saw what the future is going to be like in mmmh lets say about 10 years, and let me tell you it's not pretty.

Screaming, stomping upstairs, doors slamming, crying and claims that this is the worst day of her life, that I'm a horrible mother and I never want her to be happy and I'm mean to everybody.... Wow it was something

To add to this Rourke was crying non-stop and didn't know what he wanted (let me tell you, telling a tired child that it's ok you know they are crying cause they are tired is not, let me repeat that it's is NOT a good idea).

What I do know is there is no way Riley is going to be an easy teen, I just hope I'll be able to handle her as well as I did tonight. (even if I have to say so myself, didn't even raise my voice and managed to stick to my guns. ).

On a lighter note, Rourke added to the decorations on display in the house, he brought home 4 new stones (ugly, dirty, muddy stones, one which I'm not even too sure if it is an actual stone or hardened cow dung...). These are now proudly on display next to some of my candles.

The joy of cleaning

2009-03-14T09:29:00.006+01:00

I don't know how many of you have tried and succeeded in getting your kids to tidy up. My kids don't particularly like doing it and every time I decree it to be cleaning/tidying day I'm greeted by moans and whining that would impress just about anyone. Then after my usual threads of no playing Mario Kart (Rourke's favorite game to play on the wii) and no more going out to the horses (Riley's favorite thing to do) they sort of give in with somewhat bad grace.... o the joys of having kids :-)

I must say that once they start cleaning they really get into it and I have to watch out as Riley will try to use the dish cloth to wash anything from the floor to the van. For some strange reason Riley wants to wash the car all the time. Now, it may sound like a good idea but when you see what she does you'll understand why we object. Imagine this: big van, little girl and a wet cloth that's all folks she wets the cloth and wipes the bottom of the van with it .... not a pretty picture.

Rourke likes to have things ordered, when cleaning his room he will line everything up on the floor all along the walls of his room, in single file. Pens, cars books soft toys paper.... you name it. .

Another thing they love to clean is the bathroom wall. They love to use their face cloths and bath gel to "wash" the wall. I mean we all know how dirty the wall gets.

So Rourke was washing the wall the other night and then moved on to other things. I found him in the bathroom washing the floor....

A new baby in the family

2009-03-06T17:16:00.003+01:00

Matt & Jac's baby, and Thys's little sister, was born today - Ciara Grace Benadé

I have no further details but we are thrilled to have a new member in our family, Riley really is thrilled to at last have a girl cousin. Now, we only hope that we'll be able to meet her one day before she's o lets say 18. Adelaide sure is far away and I don't see us going there any time soon.

So with Ciara's arrival there's only one more baby due any day... the arrival of Richard and Marié's 2nd.

Will keep you posted

Public Transport

2009-03-04T20:23:00.002+01:00

If there is one thing that really pisses me off it's how people seem to forget all basic principals of logic and good manners when it comes to public transport. I mean, it just strikes me as being logical - but would you not think that before you push and shove your way on to the metro that it might be better to wait for those people who are on the metro and who needs to get off to get off first.

Really, these are educated people, all dressed in their power suits acting like my 4 year old. Or they seem to lack basic respect for anyone else and just think of themselves, regardless of who they might walk over in their attempt to get on/off the metro.

Anyway I just thought I would get that off my chest

Life Lessons....

2009-02-25T19:06:00.003+01:00

I had barely put my foot in the door tonight when the kids bombarded me with news about blood and babies and cutting the stomach open.... all very jumbled and hard to understand.

Turns out that they had witnessed their first cesarean section today... luckily it was on a cow and not a human being. They were suitably impressed. Riley especially with the vet for first sticking his whole arm up the cow's bum to feel where the calf was before doing the cesarean. Then she wanted to know if it's the same for humans, do the doctors also have to stick their arms up your bum to feel where the baby is before cutting the baby out the mommy's tummy? (Rourke was born by cesarean so they know that babies can be cut out of the mommy's tummy. We haven't yet covered natural birth yet.)

Cliff was not so impressed with it, said it was rather gross. I thought it might have made them want to become a vet but Riley wants to be a teacher and Rourke wants to be a racing car driver....

Needless to say life on the farm is teaching the kids quite a bit. Makes me wonder what they are going to be telling me about tomorrow.

So much for the golden rule

2009-02-20T21:39:00.003+01:00

Probably from the day after she was born Brad has been telling Riley that she will be allowed to date when she's 35 or he's dead, whichever comes first (and he has no plans to die early).

When she was 3 there was a little red-head boy at church who caught her eye. She would follow him around (he's about 3 years older than her and his parents and us used to joke about the two of them running off together. I'd say Bevan was her first love. Alas, after going away on a 2 week holiday to granny's house she was devastated, upon return, to find out how fickle a boy can be because while she had been away he had gotten a new girlfriend. That was it, her heart was broken. This callous boy of 6 had broken my girls heart.

But time heals all things and she's happy to talk about it now, if not still a bit bitter and when you ask her what daddy's rule is she will say "I can have a boyfriend when I'm 40" (Que rolling of the eyes)

Yesterday on the drive home the following conversation took place:

Riley: (in a dreamy voice)"You know what mommy?
Me: "What Riles?"
Riley: (still in the same dreamy voice)"I'm in Love"
Me: "What?"
Riley: "I'm in love"
Me: "With who?"
Riley: "A boy" (duh! not said but clearly said in by her tone of voice)
Me: "A boy in your class? Rafael? (she's been to his birthday party recently) or Alejandro ?(also a boy's at who's house there was a play date not to long ago)?
Riley: "mmmmh I don't know, I just had it in my head but Rourke took the name out of my head"
Me: "Hey Tige put the name back in your sisters head"
Tiger: "ok here you go and points his hands at his sisters head gjoop! all done"
Riley: :"Juliano" (said in dreamy voice and with a dreamy look on her face)
Me: But Riley what about daddy's rule?"
Riley: "I know, I know, no dating till I'm 40 ..... but his lips taste like strawberries"
Me: "How do you know that?" (no shock here, I'm as cool as a cucumber)
Riley: "He kissed me, on the lips"

Good thing it was her grandfather driving and not her dad he might have driven into something. I wonder if I should tell him about this before he gets back from South Africa or over the phone while he's still there?

General Update .... no news

2009-02-10T20:35:00.003+01:00

I feel really bad for not having written in ages, it's part being too busy and part being too lazy.

So while I'm watching a bit of tv I thought I'd take the laptop and catch you up with what's been happening.

1. O'Mally is back... thank goodness. It turns out that Brad had locked O'Mally up in the shed without realizing it. Cliff (Brad's brother) had to go get something in the shed after about 9 days and there he was. Shame the poor thing was really traumatized. But, after a couple of bowls of food and some loving attention he's back to normal.

2. Brad is going back to SA to sort out some stuff for the Granite business he's opening. We're not sure if it's going to be for 2 or 3 weeks yet. Life is going to be very different without him here. We have quite a routine worked out.

3. Cliff is going back to SA. We've loved having him here. He's been here since early December and we've really enjoyed having him here. Now we're just hoping he gets his studies sorted out so he can come back in August.

4. My parents are going back to South Africa. Indefinitely. My mom is really not happy about it but on the other hand if she wants to be with my dad it's the only thing for her to do. Hopefully my dad will be able to sort out his business and life so they can come back and settle here permanently.

Well, that's about it in a nutshell, not much else to tell.

O'Mally

2009-01-18T13:25:00.004+01:00

O'Mally has gone missing.

It's not strange for our cat to just take off and disappear for a couple of days in a row, but he's been gone for a whole week now and I'm starting to fear the worst. He settled into like on the farm so well, picked up weight, calmed down, became affectionate and now he's just gone.

My bed is empty, that warm spot left behind after one of his naps no longer there.

I've imagined hearing his little bell a couple of times and stormed outside calling him checking all the doors and windows, only to find ..... nothing.

I don't think I'll be able to convince Brad any time soon to get another cat, and the fact that I'm sad about him is strange to everyone else in my home so I decided to write about it and at least share it with someone, anyone.

In the mean time I'm finding house training the puppy to be harder than potty training the kids.

Polar Bears and Snowmen

2009-01-11T21:35:00.001+01:00

Mommy come look, quickly! There are polar bears outside!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning.

So, as I mentioned Monday was B day - as in Back to school and Back to work after 2 weeks of holidays. I got up early on Monday to take the dog out for her business, a job a dislike under normal circumstance, never mind in the cold and dark. The moment I opened the door I knew this was not going to be a normal Monday morning. The whole entire world was covered in a thick white blanket of snow. Needless to day, Lulu did not like the idea of going out in the snow to do her business, in fact she refused and the moment she was taken back inside rewarded me by doing it in the kitchen.

Telling the kids that there was snow outside helped with getting them up. And we manged to be ready on time. Lulu had to go into town with Brad as we could not leave her home alone all day, as much for her sanity and ours. So there we were all 4 bundled into the van with an extra blanket for the kids to sit under and Lulu, only we didn't move. Brad tried for quite some time, to drive out but we ended up side ways in the drive way. We couldn't revers out or drive out forward. We would just move about a meter in either direction and then just spin the tires (and we have snow tires on the van).

So after trying to get out for about 20 min we called it a day and moved back inside. I called my boss who guess why I was calling the moment I mentioned having a slight problem and called my dad to call the kids school.

We spent the day sitting in front of the fire drinking hot chocolate, watching DVDs. I took the kids out to build a snowman but Rourke was not too interested saying that it was too cold outside. Riley didn't much care for my snowman and would not even let me take a photo of her next to it.

O and the polar bears, yeah Rourke spotted these fluffy white things walking around in the field next to the house and decided that they were polar bears and no matter much many times his sister screamed at him that they were just sheep he did not want to believe her.

It's been a whole week now since it snowed and everything is sill covered in a think white blanket. This has been the coldest winter in something like 20 years in Belgium with some places reaching -20°C . Even this morning when I took Lulu out again it was -11°C. But they promise that it would start warming up by the end of the week, by then we should reach +1°C

Polar Bears and snowmen

2009-01-11T14:22:00.003+01:00

Mommy come look, quickly! There are polar bears outside!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning.

So, as I mentioned Monday was B day - as in Back to school and Back to work after 2 weeks of holidays. I got up early on Monday to take the dog out for her business, a job a dislike under normal surcomsance, never mind in the cold and dark. The moment I opended the door I knew this was not going to be a normal Monday morning. The whole entire world was covered in a thick white blanket of snow. Needless to day, Lulu did not like the idea of going out in the snow to do her business, in fact she refused and the moment she was taken back inside rewarded me by doing it in the kitchen.

Telling the kids that there was snow outside helped with getting them up. And we manged to be ready on time. Lulu had to go into town with Brad as we could not leave her home alone all day, as much for her sanity and ours. So there we were all 4 bundeled into the van with an extra blanket for the kids to sit under and Lulu, only we didn't move. Brad tried for quite some time, to drive out but we ended up side ways in the drive way. We couldn't revers out or drive out forward. We would just move about a meter in either direction and then just spin the tires (and we have snow tires on the van).

So afer trying to get out for about 20 min we called it a day and moved back inside. I called my boss who guess why I was calling the moment I mentiond having a slight problem and called my dad to call the kids school.

We spent the day sitting infront of the fire drinking hot chocolate, watching dvd's. I took the kids out to build a snowman but Rourke was not too interested saying that it was too cold outside. Riley didn't much care for my snowman and would not even let me take a photo of her next to it.

O and the polar bears, yeah Rourke spotted these fluffy white things walking around in the field next to the house and decided that they were polar bears and no matter much many times his sister screamed at him that they were just sheep he did not want to believe her.

It's been a whole week now since it snowed and everything is sill covered in a think white blanket. This has been the coldest winter in something like 20 years in Belgium with some places reaching -20°C . Even this morning when I took Lulu out again it was -11°C. But they promise that it would start warming up by the end of the week, by then we should reach +1°C

Holidays are over.

2009-01-02T15:32:00.003+01:00

Well that's it folks the holidays are over, ok we still have the weekend but today is the last work/school day that we are off. It's hard to believe how quickly the past 2 weeks have passed. We've got some friends/family coming to stay over for the weekend, meaning it will be a busy one.

We didn't do anything special or go anywhere special. Brad was working up until the 24th and went back to work on the 27th. At least he's been off a couple of days (went back to work today). It's been really cold here, in fact I'm watching snowflake's gently fall down to the earth at the moment. So we did what should be done during cold winter days....we slept and watched tv and drank coffee (no don't worry didn't give the kids any of that). We did have a great New Years party at The Bok, only got home after 7 yesterday morning. My parents went out for the day so we played tag watching the kids for ½ the day while the other one/two (Cliff is still visiting us) slept.

There has been one big change to our family though, we got a dog.(photo's to follow later) She's a boxer puppy named Lulu (Riley picked the name). Lulu loves Rourke and follows him everywhere, they spend ages running around the house chasing each other. Riley loves her in theory, but only when she's sleeping and not chewing her papers.

O'Mally is not to sure about this new addition and is dealing with it by staying upstairs sleeping in my room most of the day. Only to come down at night since the puppy has to sleep in our room. I feel as though I've got another child in the house what with having to get up and take her out several times a night.

Monday morning will be back to usual, getting up way too early

2008-12-26T17:40:00.002+01:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Credit Crunch.... affecting everyone

2008-12-14T10:40:00.002+01:00

Riley had been lamenting all year long about the fact that she still had all her teeth while her cousin and friends at school all started losing theirs. She would make us feel them every other day trying to talk us into telling here that they are lose.Then, all at once she had not one, not two but four loose teeth. The front four.

Last Saturday morning her dad asked to feel them and the next moment he had pulled both of the bottom ones. After a couple of tears over the blood she was totally thrilled about it. Every phone call or person who we saw or spoke to had to be informed of the loss and she would show her gap off with pride. She was a bit disappointed when she realized that she was no longer able to bite her finger nails (something I'm thrilled about).Come night time we put the teeth in her slippers, one in each for the Tooth Fairy to find and reward her for.

Fast Forward to Sunday morning................

A very excited Riley came running down the stairs waving her money in the air,

"Look look what the Tooth Fairy left me, all this money." and then

"This money smells like The Bok"I was starting to think that she might have woken up when her dad came home from work and put the money in her slippers.

"All money stinks, cause so many people touch it." " Anyway do you think daddy is the Tooth Fairy?" I asked her.

" No" was her reply still frowning.

"Well how do you think it is that the money smells like The Bok then, maybe it's just other money"

"No I know that money is out of daddy's wallet, I saw it in there, the one has a little mark on it." "What do you think happened then?"

" I think the Tooth Fairy didn't have enough money so she had to get some out of daddy's wallet"

It seems even Riley is aware of the credit crunch, damn kids of today, can't keep anything from them for longAnd that was it, she had solved the mystery of the Tooth Fairy's money smelling like The Bok all by herself.....

Long live the legend of the Tooth Fairy. Now we just have to wait and see if she'll recognize her dad this year when he makes his annual appearance as Santa.

Getting Settled

2008-12-06T18:59:00.004+01:00

Wow what a week, we moved all our stuff (and you would not believe how much stuff we have) into the new house in the rain and snow. Let me tell you it's not the best weather for moving house. However, I have the worlds greatest husband who worked his tail off to get us into the house by Saturday night despite having to work at the pub as well. So last Sunday my mom (who's a god sent) and I started the huge job of unpacking and finding a spot for everything.

Now it's Saturday night and we have a fire blazing, furniture to sit on, my computer up and running and the boxes, well all I can say is "out of sight out of mind" . That is until I need something in one of those boxes....but a girl needs some down time too.

It's great having all this extra space but believe it or not, I'm finding myself thinking that we should have gotten a bigger house. I know, crazy. I've gone from living in a 2 bedroom apartment with a tiny kitchen to a huge old farm house with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 toilets, a huge kitchen and laundry you'd think that we'd have ample space for all our stuff.

But I'm starting to get cold and the fire and beckoning so I'll have to tell you more about the house some other time.

Leaving my beloved city behind

2008-11-28T13:44:00.000+01:00

We are in the midst of moving from the city (which I love dearly) to the country (dearly loved by Brad & the kids)
As you can imagine, spending time on the computer has taken a serious step or two back on the list of priorities
So until I can find the time/energy to catch you up, spare me a thought as I still have loads to pack

If this happens at 4 what is going to happen at 16?

2008-11-19T21:30:00.003+01:00

The school called Brad today, asking him to please come and collect Rourke from school as his been vomiting and is clearly quite sick.

Fast Forward to his conversation with me:

B: "So the school called and told me that Rourke is sick, been vomiting all over and that I need to go and pick him up"

J: "Really. what the hell is wrong with him, he was dead fine this morning?"

B: "O his perfectly good, nothing wrong with him. Turns out he had a boat race with Fabrice and as a result he vomited all over the show. He did win the race at least"
(boat race is if you both drink the same amount of liquid to see who can drink it the fasted without stopping)
J: "The kid's only 4, don't know what we're going to do with him when his 16"

That's right folks my 4 year old son is having boat races at school until he vomits but is very proud about the fact that not only did he win the race he also got to spend the rest of the school day at Ouma's house.

Wonder what he's going to get up to tomorrow.......

Child of our time

2008-11-05T21:44:00.003+01:00

The following conversation took place in the van while driving home after watching Brad play rugby:

Me: (to the other adults in the van) "I'm sure these kids are going to sleep like logs tonight, what with all the running around they did today"
Brandon: (my brothers kid, aged 6) " Not me, I've got so much energy left I can run home from here."
Me: "Really?"
Brandon: " Ja (yes) but you'll just have to give me the gps so I will now where to turn left and where to turn right"

Strange Habbits

2008-10-30T15:46:00.001+01:00

I don't know what it is about going out for a meal that does this for my kids but it happens every time, without fail. It doesn't matter if we're just popping down to the Snack down the road or if we are going to a proper restaurant (I use the term proper very loosely, a proper restaurant just means a restaurant where you don't get your food served to you on a tray).

They always need to poo.

Both of them, sometimes more than once during our time there!

It drives me crazy. It doesn't matter whether I make them go to the toilet before said trip out the house, they still claim to need to go to the toilet.
What really get's me is it seems they know it's something I can't argue with them about, it's not like I can tell them, no you can't go. I mean what kind of a mother would that make me?

At least I know that if either of them ever suffers from constipation I just have to take them out for a meal, and hey presto, problem solved!

About a mommy

2008-10-13T20:21:00.005+02:00

I found this "questionnaire" on one of the blogs I read http://metime.typepad.com/me_time/ and decided that since she put out a general tag I'll consider myself tagged, so here it is. I hope you find it informing/interesting:

Here's the low-down on me as a mommy:
1. How long have you been a Mom? I can’t believe how long it’s been: 6 years and 1 month.
2. How many children call you Mommy? Two!
3. Girl? Boy? or both?: Girl then a boy
4. Did you know what you were having? Yes, found out as soon as it was possible for me, I wanted to be able to pick a name and get all the stuff.
5. How old were you when you became a Mom? 26 and 28.
6. How long were you in labor? The first time: 1 week (very little pain but steady contractions every 10 min and then 4 days of intense pain and contractions between 2 min apart and 40 seconds apart and it ended in a natural birth after being induced and my water broken to try and speed things up. The second: 9 hours. I was induced with Tiger at 38 weeks cause the Dr didn't want him to get any bigger. Only I didn't dilate past 5 cm and he went into distress and they could no longer pick up on his heart beat so I was rushed in for an emergency c-section. The Dr even nicked him on his head in her rush to get him out.
7. What’s your favorite thing about being a Mom? There are so many things, but my favourite would have to be when they crawl up onto my lap for a hug and a snuggle and the way they smell.
8. What’s your least favorite thing? Again, so many things. Least fave, I suppose, is them not listing, it drives me crazy!
9. Do you want more kids? No - we've talked about it a lot and when I wanted more Brad didn't and when Brad wanted, I didn't but I would say we've decided not to have more. We have 1 of each and they are potty trained and all the other things so having to do it all from scratch again just seem to daunting.
10.Do you plan on having more soon? No - if it happens it will not be planned
11. How many times have you been pee’d on? This is something I didn't keep track of, Tiger did it a couple of times but Riley poohed on Brad one night just as he was on his way to work and he had to change his shirt, pants and shoes - as you can imagine he was not .
12. Barfed on? A couple of times and so has my cousin. Riley was sick once and then got sick all over me but she wouldn't let me put her down so I could get cleaned up (she was very little and just putting her down would just have made the situation worse). I called my cousin to come round and try to help me by taking Riley while I got cleaned up, only Riley got sick all over my cousin as well.
13. Is your child named after anyone? Yes, both of them. Riley's middle name is Catherine after my gran, and later we learned that Brad's great grand ma's maiden name was O'Reilly so she's got 2 family names. Because Brad and all 3 his brothers are names after their dad we decided to continue the tradition but I drew the line at naming the poor kids after his grandfather, his father and then adding his own name to Tiger is called Rourke (I'm a fan of Mickey Rourke) Douglas (after Brad's dad as well as being 1 of Brad's middle names) a James after my dad (James being the English version of Jacques)
14. How did you come up with their name? Even though Riley is used as a boy's name we saw a TV program with the Olsen twins and one was called Riley - we liked it. I wanted to continue using the Irish name theme with Rourke and also like Mickey Rourke which is how we came up with Rourke's 1st name.
15. When your child gets in trouble, who is the bad guy? O I don't come anywhere near Brad apparently I'm a really push over although I really don't think I'm all that bad. I'd say we sort of balance each other out, he takes some things more seriously than me and visa versa.
16. What is the longest you have been away from your children? 2 weeks. I went to the Dominican Republic on holiday with a girl friend in March. The kids stayed home with Brad and my mom helped out. They loved it, wasn't very impressed with me when I came back. It seems my kids are quite independent…
17. Bedtime routine? We brush teeth, have a drink of water and then read a story or two, it all depends on how tired they are and what the time is. They have a night light and a cd player for music. Most of the time they stay up reading or coloring in bed till the fall asleep. Once again this depends on how tired they are. They also, often sleep in 1 bed.
18. Are your toes painted? Not at the moment but they are most of the time.
19. Last movie you saw in the theater?: “Death Race” a girl friend and I went and watched it purely for Jason Statham and he did not disappoint.
20. One thing you will not give up just because you’re a mom? Having a social life and going out for a good meal and dinner with friends. My mom has the kids every Saturday night giving me 1 night off a week and then Brad also watches the kids about twice a month so I can go out with a friend or two.
21. One thing you did give up now that you’re a mom: One thing? I'll mention 2 big things: Not having to cook dinner when I'm not hungry and a tidy house.
22. Best Mom perk: Watching and listening to them playing when they don't know they are being watched/listened to.
23. Snack, do you sneak bites from your child? Only when they’re not looking else all hell will break loose.
24. When the kid is napping, you are: At work or doing laundry, surfing the net, reading a book watching TV often all of the above simultaneously.
25. Where is your child(ren) now? In bed, asleep.
26. Favorite place to buy maternity clothes? H&M in Belgium and Woolworths in South Africa.
27. If I could do it over…I’d have had the kids later in my life. I love them but only discovered life and what all I could do after having them. Having said that, I'll still be young enough to enjoy life by the time they leave home .
28. Did it turn out the way you expected? Not at all but that's good life should be full of surprises.

I tag anyone who wants to participate. Please link back.

Helping Out

2008-10-08T21:01:00.002+02:00

I'm not about to pretend that I harbour feelings of love and adoration for my husband at all the times. In fact, there are times when I wish I could fit my hands around his neck and just squeeze. Don't get me wrong, I love the man but boy or boy there sure are times when he really pushes that love to the limit.

Now, this is not going to be a blog about all the things about my dear husband which annoy the life out of me or all the things I love about him, maybe on another occasion, it's actually about single parents.

I honestly don't know how single parents cope. Really, the idea of doing this, working full time, trying to run a house and trying to raise 2 normal, balanced and happy kids on my own totally freaks me out!!

It I were a single mom, my kids would be at school from 8 o clock in the morning till 18:30 at night, 5 days a week. They would live in an apartment (much smaller than the one we now live in). They would see me when I was tired and cranky after a long day at the office and they were tired and cranky after a long day at school. We would have a real problem getting stuff for school from the shops if the teacher doesn't send a note at least a week in advance. We would even have very little time to do fun things.

I would more than likely resent the fact that I never had any free time, and then take it out on them even if it's not their fault. There would be no one to help me when they are sick or when I'm too sick to look after them. All of which does not result in happy, balanced, normal kids, in my opinion. In other words, for those out there who are doing it and making a success of it all I can say is:

HATS OFF TO YOU!

I really don't know how you do it.

So, Brad and I may have a bit of a unconventional marriage, but it works for us. We are raising these kids together(and they seem pretty normal, balanced and happy to me), helping each other, each doing his bit, while at the same time giving the other person the time to go out every so often and decompress.

Man, I am so glad that I don't have to do this on my own. Now I just need to remember that the next time I feel like strangling my husband.

And the Tiger turns 4

2008-10-07T22:11:00.006+02:00

It's hard to believe that it's already 4 years ago that Rourke made his rather dramatic entrance into our lives. And it's maybe even me who thinks that it was a dramatic entrance but since it didn't go at all the way it was planned (as far as you can plan a birth) but there you go. The fact of the matter is, my baby turned 4 today.

"They" say at 4 a child is "Energetic" and "imaginative. Often impatient and silly, they discover humor and spend a great deal of time being silly and telling you "joke."

Well, that is just part of what Rourke is, he is also very daring and completely fearless. Loving and affectionate, in awe of his sister most of the time and totally and absolutely obsessed with all things fast. Planes, motor bikes, but most of all cars.

Rourke is totally nonchalant about his birthday too, compared to Riley. Riley planned her birthday all year long, making plans and list of who to invite. When asking Rourke how old he turned today, he would answer, ask Riley she knows.

He was very happy with his racing cake, to take to school this morning and even more impressed with his gifts, which consisted, out of cars, more cars and a electric racing tract. (not sure if it was for him or for his dad). When we asked him what he wanted for supper it was very simple, Mcdonalds. I know, very healthy, but it was his birthday after all and the last 4 th birthday we will be celebrating....

Now we only have his birthday party to look forward to, and then we are done with birthday parties for the year.

I nearly had to walk to work today

2008-10-06T20:36:00.001+02:00

The 3 biggest trade unions in Belgium have gone on strike today, to protect wages & the workers purchasing power. This means that there is no public transport, no busses, no trains no trams no metros. It's also affected the schools, the retailing sector and all administration services.

I don't know what other people do on days like today. Because we live in Brussels I had no problem coming in to work. Brad felt sorry enough for me to drive me to work, else I would have had to use his bicycle or Rourke's scooter. My mom is watching our kids which means that Brad can also carry on with his work and not have to take the kids along to the house he is renovating. However, what about the other people who may be able to get to work but have no one to look after their kids so they have to put in leave to stay at home, meaning that they lose one days leave due to the strike.

I'm also not sure how this strike is going to improve things. The whole entire world is busy going through an economic crisis. How is demanding bigger salaries going to solve the problem? I mean if companies have to pay bigger salaries they are going to have to cut cost to be able to do that. How are they going to cut costs? By cutting down on the number of salaries they are paying out, in other words this strike action could result in bigger salaries for a couple of people because a couple of other people are no longer receiving salaries. I'm just saying it seems like a pretty stupid solution to me.

It's Rourke's birthday tomorrow so I popped out to the shops during lunch time, (There is a huge supermarket very close to my office which is very convenient since the supermarket closes to our house is not quite as big.) only to discover that they were closed. Really even if you have to operate on a skeleton staff I would stay open. They are so busy everyday, I can just imagine how much money they are losing today by being closed. Now I just hope that my supermarket has enough of the cake mix that I need to bake a cake for Rourke to take to school tomorrow.

How Does is work?

2008-10-02T21:32:00.003+02:00

This might not be a good topic for everyone but there is something that I would really like to know/understand. Also, I write this while fully knowing that I could very probably come across as very shallow and vain.

Anyway, here goes:

I go to the gym after work every day, it ,very conveniently, is right next door to my office. Also, if I decide not to go I have to walk past it and will more than likely feel very guilty knowing that I really should be in there. But that's not what I want to write about.

Belgium has a very big muslim community and we have all types/kinds here. So what I can't understand is this, there are a couple of muslim ladies who come to my gym. They wear full muslim gear out in the street but when they come in to the gym and change into sweats like all of us. How is it ok for them to dress like that? (I have no problem with it, I was just wondering how it's ok according to their beliefs), it's just that it's not a ladies only gym it's a mixed gym. How is it ok for them to uncover their heads in the gym but no where else?

If I "had" to wear traditional clothes like them every day I would so not be in the gym either. I mean if nobody is going to see you or your figure for that matter what does it matter if you are not 100% toned or even 80 % for that matter. I go to the gym to try and look good, ok, reasonable in the type of clothes I like, but really if I wore a bag all day every day I don't see the point in going to the gym every day.

Therefor, if any of you have any ideas about this, don't be shy, tell me what you think

Nomatophobia?

2008-09-18T20:15:00.002+02:00

Does my daughter suffer from Nomatophobia? (that is the fear of names, in her case her own name).

Okay, so maybe not actually suffering from it but, okay let me stop right there and tell you what this is all about.

The other day the kids were playing in the park and I over heard some of the girls call Riley "Caroline". At first I thought I miss heard but then I heard it from another girl. Still I thought they must just have confused her with her friend.

Then this afternoon Riley walked down to the shop with me and on the way back a little girl said "hello Caroline" and Riley answered back. So when we walk on back home I ask her about this. Turns out, Riley has been telling kids that her name is Caroline cause it's a far nicer name than Riley, and she would have liked it far better if we had called her Caroline.

Well, I tried to explain to her that grandpapa's Harley is called Caroline, so we couldn't call her Caroline and besides, we wanted to call her Riley. Riley is unique and pretty and very few girls are called Riley. Also, if she doesn't like Riley she has a middle name, Catherine or Cat, which she can use if she really doesn't like Riley. But, there you go, she likes Caroline and wants people to call her that, at least for now.

To be fair, I don't use the name my parents gave me. Only, well because to be called Marie-Jeanne in Belgium, is the equivalent of being called Gertruida Johanna in South Africa (my apologies to anyone called Gertruida Johanna or any version of it. I know you didn't chose your name either). So, I use a version of the name my mom and my aunt call me, Mary-Jo which, has been shortened to Jo. My parents totally understand where I'm coming from since my mom also got very traditional South African names (Alberta Hendrika), luckily for her, her mom decided to call her Alta.

So, here we are 3 generations of women, all not using our "birth" names. What does it say about us? Not much other than the fact that even though our parents like Riley's parents thought they were doing a pretty good job when they chose names, it doesn't mean we're going to like them.

Do you use the name your parents "saddled" you with? Or do you love your name and thinks it suits you to a "t", let me know.

I think I'll just sulk for a while

2008-09-17T19:15:00.003+02:00

You will not believe what my darling son told me tonight, I still can't believe it and his dad thinks it was very funny.

"Mommy, you are going to have another baby" "Why?" I asked very surprised by his comment, "in your bum" ha ha " cause it's so big"

So excuse me while I sulk for a while, obviously going to the gym is not paying off.

Bowling with the 6 year olds

2008-09-14T20:18:00.005+02:00

Phew, 1 party down 1 more to go. At least I have a couple of weeks before the next one.

We took Riley, 5 of her school friends, her cousin Brandon & Rourke Ten Pin Bowling. On the one had it's easier than having a party at home but trying to keep 8 kids busy and off the furniture of the bowling alley, while all the while they speak French vs my English, is quite a challenge. But it was fun as well, they get really excited even if they only hit one pin and get really excited whenever anyone hits anything.

One thing that I've found very funny is the number of times they have to go to the toilet. They all went to the toilet at least 3 times within 1½ hours. And they don't go alone, they go in little packs. They talk & giggle a lot too.

There's the little diva, dressed in a pink dress, pink leggings and pink shoes. She's got her handbag & cell phone and actually phoned home after 45 min to give feedback. She's even more bossy than Riley.

There's the curious girl who has a million questions about everything, from how the balls get back to them, to why do they get to play with a railing while Tracey and I don't.

There is one little girl who is a little bit of an outsider but never the less, makes sure that the other girls don't forget about her.

The one little girl is the second youngest of 6 kids and quite happy to just do her thing and talks the hind leg off a donkey, or should I say, off Tracey.

Then there is the best friend, she and Riley sat under the table looking at a book about horses which she got Riley and walk hand-in-hand down to the Pizza Hut.

Riley told me tonight that it was the best day ever and she would love to have it over again and again. I think I can wait until next year but then we'll do it again and hope that it will be the best day ever, again.

Random ramblings

2008-09-11T21:01:00.003+02:00

I have very little to blog about tonight, really my life is rather dull at the moment. I go to work, I come back home and & try to stay on top of the washing and tidying, and general up keep of my family. In between all of that I try to find some time to relax and do some reading.

Rourke has been asking a million questions and if he's not happy with the answer he just keeps on asking. Like tonight, he wanted to know from me why Bumblebee (character from Transformers, which he has a dinky toy version of) is fat? I mean, I really don't know. It could be because he is a camaro which transforms into a robot, so yes, that might make you a bit heavy.,but according to Tiger that is not a good enough answer, so he just keeps on asking me, thinking that in the end I might just give in and give him the "right" answer. There is no outsmarting him by telling him that I just don't know the answer and that he should ask his dad because that, is not a good answer either. So he just starts asking even more questions about Bumblebee like why is he so fast? why is he a robot etc etc etc.

(for pictures of Bumblebee click on the link, if not interested, just skip and read on)

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?p=234,

Then Riley is drawing, and dancing, and talking non-bloody- stop. Really, this child never ever stops talking.

Brad's been stomping around the house as well, he's working waaaay too hard. He's renovating a friends house and it's turned out to be a far bigger job than anticipated. He's juggling this as well as picking the kids up at 3, and managing the pub and playing rugby.

Speaking about rugby, he came home last night telling me that he had to visit the emergency room. The good news it, it wasn't one of his knees (thank goodness about that, don't think I could handle another broken knee). He had a hole in the top of his head, not huge but quite deep. The strange thing is what they did, they didn't put stitches in his head, or a staple, they poured glue down the hole. Glue!!! I ask you? what is this world coming too?

Anyhoo, I have some more boring things to do, like hang out the washing, ensuring that Brad has clean dry clothes for rugby practice tomorrow. Hope he won't need another visit to the er.

Question on my mind

2008-09-10T20:38:00.003+02:00

This is not a blog about the kids or anything like that. I'm just telling you about this questions I would love to have answered, because in my mind it just does not seem possible:

How do you stay skinny if you eat a foot long baguette every day for lunch???

I wish I knew the secret for just about every Belgian women I know and or see at lunch times eat bread for lunch everyday yet stay skinny!!!

Aah for a great big peanut butter syrup sandwich, which does not go straight to my thighs!!!

The "Cosmic Twins" turn 6

2008-09-08T21:56:00.005+02:00

Just a couple photo's of Riley's party with her "cosmic twin" Allanah.

Can't believe the girls are 6

Super Mom? I think NOT!

2008-09-03T20:20:00.004+02:00

I was being super mom last night. Came home cooked dinner plus two extra lasagne's to be put in the freezer for future use. I bathed both kids, caught up on what happened during the day, check with Brad on what was new in his world etc etc etc...

I put them to bed (the kids, not Brad), read a bed time story, house hunted on the internet with Brad. O I also did a load of washing and hang it out to dry. Cleaned the kitchen (including the dishes).

Now, I realize that most of you would think and or assume that all of this is run of the mill for every mother. BUT, Do not be fooled into thinking for one moment that I'm your run of the mill mother. If I manage to do ½ of this I am proud.

Today was a different story, I went to the gym after work, came home and fed my family in procession. Rourke was asleep, Brad was off to rugby & Riley was starving so she ate her school sandwiches (which would explain why she was starving, she gets a packed lunch for a reason).

Now I'm shouting at them to go to bed, and stop asking for things which they are just to lazy to get for themselves. See, I knew being super mom last night was not going to last ... it just makes the next night seem like hell.

Tomorrow night I have to bake a cake & make up party packets to send to school with Riley for her looong awaited birthday. After hearing about it for the past year I wonder what she is going to "fixate" on next. Will keep you posted.

Back to School

2008-09-01T19:50:00.005+02:00

Today was the big day: Riley started 1st Grade. I can't believe how time has flown. Just the other day we brought this (not so pretty) tiny screaming bundle of joy home and this morning she started a brand new stage of her life. She really is a big girl now.

She woke up at 4 o clock this morning wanting to know if it was time to get up yet, yes, I'd say she was excited about going to school. She even managed to get dressed without any fuss & was very worried that her dad would not wake up in time to take her to school on time.

The moment I walked through the door this evening she was beaming and bursting with excitement to tell me how fantastic it was. All her friends are back at school, her teacher is very nice & tomorrow they are going to the chocolate factory. Her teacher also said that she has to do her home work every night and that she has to go to bed early (to think I've been saying it all along yet she never gets so excited when I tell her that).

She also came home with a 5 page list of instructions for us from her teacher. Brad took it to work tonight to have it translated for us, by a friend.

Rourke also enjoyed being back at school. He has the same teacher as last year so there has been very little change for him.

In short, I would say today was an all round success. I started working in my new team today and even though the work might as well be in Greek I'm sure I'll catch on in no time.

PS. I also found a house I really like (we've decided to rent as buying is just out of the question at the moment & we really need to get a bigger place). Now all I have to do is convince Brad that this is the house for us.

The Rules of the Road

2008-08-31T19:44:00.003+02:00

We walked over to my mom's house on Friday and the trip was slightly longer than usual.... It takes an adult, walking at a normal speed, 20 min to walk from our house to my mom's. With the kids, on a good day, it takes roughly 35 min. On Friday it took an HOUR!! Really coming near to the end I was starting to wonder why on earth I ever decided to have kids, etc (come on you have to admit that most of you have wondered that as some point).

The reason it took so long was this: Rourke's scooter broke on Thursday which was a terrible loss as he is very attached to his "speed machine". Brad, knowing this came home with a brand new one which he was very excited to try out on the way to Oma's (Flemish word for Granny) house. The problem came with the fact that Riley's scooter was at oma's house so they spent the whole time arguing & making deals as to who gets to ride it when and for how long.

At loooong last we had reached the last traffic light, the end was in sight.... While waiting for the light to change so we could cross a young guy came and stood on the other side of me. Right at the same moment Riley got tired of waiting for green stepping off the side walk this guy did the same. Only, I spotted what Riley was doing and told her: "Hold on, get back on the side walk we only cross on green, you really should know better." The guy, stepped back onto the side walk and waited for me to give the go ahead: "ok, now that the light is green we can cross".

Riley is starting "Big school" tomorrow, can't believe it..... Not sure how I feel about it either, will post and let you know how it all went.

Getting Dressed for Dinner

2008-08-19T18:31:00.002+02:00

I wasn't planning on writing 2 blogs in a row but my darling daughter has driven me to it.

My mom is off to Ireland for her friends brothers wedding & my brother and his wife are expecting their 2nd baby any day now so we have decided to go out for dinner (despite being on diet).

Dinner is about 3 hours from now & she's busy getting dressed.

Have I ever told you that my Riley has a flair for the dramatic? Well, as a friend described her the other day, Riley is a bit of a Prima Donna. (which is very true, only I have no idea who she gets it from).

So, out she comes having put on a flower girl dress, she wore to her uncle's wedding 2½ years ago. Only, she's gone through a growth spurt recently so it was very tight. She also informed me that she was planning on wearing her mask (she made it at school & is, true to her style, very elaborate).

My daughter is very annoyed with me now, lying here next to me on the bed in a pair of jeans & a lovely purple knit top. So much better suited to Pablo's (the Mexican restaurant we are going to tonight).

Food Glorious Food

2008-08-19T18:16:00.004+02:00

You know how when you really try not to think about something, it's all you can think about? Well Brad is on diet (a much needed one but that is neither here nor there). Him & one of his barmen have a bet on with each other, whoever loses the most weight by a certain set date will receive 300 euros from the other one. This is quite a good incentive & one that is much needed.

I have decided to join (also cause it's much needed) unofficially.

All our conversations are about food, what we feel like eating, when we can eat, what we'll eat for dinner/lunch. It's all we can think about, all the time....

I used to have really good self control and watching what I eat has never been hard for me until recently, now I'm as bad as Brad at it. Wonder if it has anything to do with being married to him for this long, after all these years he is starting to rub off on me in stead of me rubbing off on him.

Now, I need to find something to do to take my mind off the cake in the kitchen the kids had made at my mom's today.

Fickle Kids....

2008-08-17T18:47:00.005+02:00

"Daddy is the boss & you're an ugly mommy & I'm not going to sleep in your bed cause you have a funny bed!"

All of this just cause I was not going to give Tiger another biscuit.... and then just about 3 min later he was asking me to carry him to the lounge cause he was too lazy to walk the 3 meters from my room to the couch.

This is not the only time, both of them repeat something like this a couple of times a day only to want a favour a couple of minutes later. The whole day long they seem to switch between loving me & finding me to be the best mommy in the whole wide world to disliking me & telling me how horrible I am & how they wish I was never their mommy.

You would think that by this time they would have cottoned on to the fact that my usual response is "fine if that is the way you feel but I still love you and always will".

Here we go again, only this time it's Riley because I wouldn't let her watch another dvd

Fun fun fun.....

My love hate relationship with the hairdresser

2008-08-08T21:45:00.003+02:00

I lurve going to the hair salon, if I had the time & money I would go every day. Lying back, having my hair washed for me, my head massaged, it's pure heaven!

But with all things that seem to be too good to be true, there is a down side.....

I came out looking absolutely dreadfull today, much like any other time I go for a hair cut. Why is it that hairdressers are unable to understand what I want. I mean it's not like it's rocket science, is it? I asked for a bob, I mean that's simple enough isn't it? Instead I have a mullet! A freaking mullet!!! The shortest part of also too short for me to cut the rest of my hair that length so until it gets longer I'm going to have to put up with this.

Pity it's summer so I can't hide it all under a cap. I guess I'll be avoiding the rain cause getting this lot wet and curly would be even worse!

6 Strange Things You Didn't Know About Me

2008-08-03T21:12:00.003+02:00

6 things you may not know about me:

I have a total irrational fear for moths, I can handle any other creepy crawly but moths freak me out!
I can't make myself vomit, no matter what... strange thing I know but a friend & I decided to become bulimic (yes I realize it sounds crazy but we thought we could have it all, eat what we wanted without picking up weight. We were very young & stupid)
I hate me knees & if I could afford it would have lipo done to my knees
I think Bruce Willis is beyond gorgeous (Brad knows & understands)
I'm a sucker for celeb gossip
I LOVE Christmas & would go totally over the top if Brad would let me

Electricity: How Riley understands it

2008-07-28T20:30:00.005+02:00

Brad took Riley to go and watch the fireworks at the royal palace on the 21st, in celebration of National Belgian day. To say she loved it would be an understatement!

On Sunday we happen to drive past the palace & she was very excited to tell us about the fireworks:

" Hey daddy this is where we came for the fireworks hey? Mommy the man from the electricity cut the electricity to make it all dark so we could see the fireworks. When it was finished he fixed it all again with some cello tape" (scotch tape / sticky tape)

Electricity::

2008-07-28T20:30:00.001+02:00

Embarrassed Mom... very shallow I know

2008-07-25T21:45:00.004+02:00

Despite the risk of you'll all thinking that I'm a terrible mother I'm going to admit this...

even though I love them to death, I'm sometimes ashamed of being seen with them....

Ok, let me try and explain: They are loud & pick their noses (I know all kids do but it's still disgusting!)

Riley has the worst dress sense in the whole entire world. I know all kids like to dress themselves & can wear pretty strange combinations but I swear my daughter has no cooking clue of what goes together. Most of the time she looks like a what I imagine a chameleon on a smarties box would look like. According to her, the more colors & motives you wear the better. The other day she left the house wearing a beige, pink & black pair of cords under a denim skirt with a army green trim and a picture of Winnie the Pooh, a black Adidas t-shirt with Adidas in gold lettering. A blue & orange rain coat & to round it all of, a pair of pink & grey shoes. Seriously would you not be embarrassed to be seen with that??

She's also cut her own hair, way beyond me or any hairdresser being able to fix it without resorting to cutting it all short (which her dad threatened to do).

Rourke at least has a better sense of style & not only because I still pick out most of his clothes cause even when he dresses himself he does a pretty good job. If only now I could do something about the dirt.

Wait I haven't mentioned the dirt yet have I?

In Belgium kids are clean. I mean at any time of the day, at school, or in the park the kids are clean. My friends kids & strangers kids they all clean. Then come along my two & it's just shocking! When we leave the house & you tell Riley to get her shoe's she does, only she carries them in her hand not on her feet. Then they also lie down in the middle of the shop or on the side walk or climb up everything. This is just what they do, they like to touch everything & to my absolute horror put things in their mouths aaarhg!!!

I've tried to explain about germ & dog pooh (which is every where Brussels being a lot like Paris in that regard), yet they just can't seem to help themselves.

I actually can't believe that they are not in hospital dying (I'm very happy about it, just can't understand it). They are in fact, very healthy....

All I'm saying is just once do I want to go out with my kids & be proud of how they look, so people can admire them. Very shallow I know.

The joy of summer holidays...?

2008-07-23T11:49:00.003+02:00

I never thought I would be saying this: "I'm bored out of my mind at work" It's been a very hectic & busy 14 weeks & now that the project wave is over I have 2 more weeks to kill at work before my long awaited holidays. Which is going to be for the whole of August.
Yeah, I know, eat your heart out!!!

However, until that time I have to keep busy at work making sure that everybody on my old team is implementing the new way of working sticking to the new procedures etc etc. I have discovered that I thrive on urgency and stress here at work cause when there is no stress
I find it very hard to stay motivated. I really do prefer things to be busy & hectic & crazy, (at work not at home).

At home I want the total opposite

At home I want things to be calm and quiet & ordered. Not that that ever happens. Not with 2 little energy filled monsters running around and jumping up & down.

I'm not sure how Brad is going to survive this week. Since my mom will be in South Africa till Sunday at 14:12 (yeah he's counting the hours), he has not 2 but 3 kids he's looking after. Yesterday, they found some eucalyptus oil, meant for the steamer and decided to "oil" the floor.
Our whole apartment was still smelling like it when I got home last night.

Then there was the incident of the pudding.... They have a VeggiTale DVD with a recipe for Petunia's worm pudding. They decided that they were going to make it, so wile we were having a lie-in (yes in general we manage to have those at least 1 day of the weekend) they watched the
recipe and copied it. Only, we didn't have all the ingredients and it was all a bit quick for themm never the less, they brought their creation for us to taste.

Here is how they made it: 2 eggs
countless spoons of Nesquick??
milk
water
sugar
not so fresh cream that I forgot we actually still had in the fridge
all mixed together in a bowl

They both were very disappointed when I declined to taste it and proceded to poured it all down the toilet before flushing it away. Luckily I could tell them is was because the cream was off.

Brad's taken the 3 of them to Plankendael today & is going to meet of with a friend with a daughter as old as Riley & Brandon so at least I don't have to wonder about what the house might smell or look like when I get home tonight. Only have to worry if my husband is still going to be sane....

School Holidays & Birthdays

2008-07-02T22:05:00.004+02:00

School holidays have started and the kids are loving them. They've spent the last 2 days with my mom and will spend tomorrow with her as well cause she is leaving for South Africa tomorrow night for 3 long weeks. Okay, so both her and my dad think "3 short" weeks since they haven't seen each other since January, but how o how am I going to live without my babysitter??

Don't get me wrong I'm fully aware of the fact that it sounds terrible, however in my defence, I live for my Saturday nights. It's the one night I get to go out with my friends, have fun and not worry about getting home on time and then to sleep in the next morning (not that I manage to do that too often, the habit of getting up early is just too engrained). Also, both she and the kids love their Saturday nights & Sunday mornings together.

We have a totally crammed weekend ahead of us. It's Brad's birthday - the BIG 30!!

We have a friend coming to visit us from Holland, been invited to a wedding, a 1st birthday party, not to mention the party that we've arranged for him. We have another friend who's birthday is on Saturday as well. To make life easier we've decided to have a combined party to avoid forcing people to choose who's party to attend. We starting off with dinner at Caprice accross the road from the Bok & then the party will move back accross the road. We have another friend who will DJ so I think it will be a blast.

Now, if only I can come up with an idea for what to buy the man. Sure he's given me hints: a mustang, or a motorbike, preferably a Harley Davidson... doesn't ask much does he?

Rourke recently asked for a hair cut and explained to Brad exactly what he wanted.....

Since the haircut we have to "do" his hair every morning to make sure it stands just right.

Cold and wet in Brussels / Warm and sunny in Portugal

2008-06-07T21:13:00.003+02:00

I'm totally knackered! Can't even explain why since I slept for more than 12 hours solid, and no, before for you say it's from too much sleep that is not true. I've been averaging about 5 hours sleep everyday and then 10 hours at the office. Meaning, the one thing I don't have is too much sleep.

Brad just called me to tell me that he has spent most of the afternoon sitting next to the pool enjoying the sun. He is in Portugal on rugby tour. Just the fact that he is there is making me quite happy cause I've earned 100 euros. Some of the rugby guy's were so sure that he was never to go away on tour with them they actually made a bet with me. Hence the fact that I was very keen to let him go. But to be fair, I spent 2 weeks in Punta Cana so a weekend in Portugal is nothing.

The kids are also not too upset that he is away, as this means that hey are allowed to sleep in our bed with me. The have been complaining quite a bit the last while cause they never get to sleep there. It was such a treat for them I didn't have the slightest problems getting them to go to bed. They must have been rather tired as well cause they were asleep within about 5 min.

Tomorrow, if the weather is better (it's been cold and pouring with rain the last couple of days) I'm planning on taking them to the St. Anthony's Faire, which should be fun for them. I'm sure that if there is face painting the Tiger will want a Spider man face. Even Riley is starting to wonder why he always wants the same thing painted on his face.

Anyway, the Euro Cup football is not proving to be too exciting so I think I'll be off to bed and try to catch up on some more sleep.

Stay at home Friday

2008-05-30T21:07:00.004+02:00

The kids stayed at home today cause Brad felt like keeping them at home. When I left for work this morning Riley was lying in bed with Brad and Rourke was trying to convince me that he wanted to go to church, rather than school and that he wanted to wear his pj's. Riley just wanted to stay in bed. I guess they convinced their dad.

They did a bit of tidying at The Bok and Rourke helped Patrizia set up the chairs for the patio at The Coolock. Meanwhile Riley went for a hair cut. I'm quite surprised by this cause she's been trying to grow her hair for ages. But I looks gorgeous and she is thrilled.

She's going to the stables with her friend Yoko tomorrow and came and asked me if her hair will still be short tomorrow cause she wants her friends to see it that way. "How do we make it stop growing, mommy?"

O and Brad gave himself a hair cut and a shave so he is looking very handsome indeed!

Now only the Tiger and I need to do something with ourselves.

I clean forgot that it's fathers day on Sunday and never got Brad something. I'm feeling terrible about it. If you have any last min ideas please let me know.

3 Home cooked Dinners in 1 week...

2008-05-29T20:45:00.003+02:00

Our e-mail connection is up and running, yeah!! We've been struggling for quite some time to get it sorted out and so at last we had a technician come round and fix the problem. So you know what this means - no more interuptions.

The last couple of evenings the Tiger has been taking ages to fall asleep and calling me to tell me that he can't sleep cause he doesn't like his room. No further explanations just that. Or he'll tell me that he can't sleep fast, which is his excuse when I tell him to lie down and go to sleep quickly. Tonight it didn't go too badly, after their story and some water they fell asleep in no time. It would be great if I could find out what makes it all go well some nights as appose to others

Riley on the other hand was her "emotional" self. Asked me to put O'Malley on the bed with her only to start crying about 10 min later cause I didn't hear her calling to ask me to take the cat off her bed. She honestly drives me crazy by thinking that she needs to cry of every little thing that doesn't go her way.

She was very happy tonight to be my "sous" chef. She eagerly stirred the bolognese, dished up and served everyone. Now if only I could get her to eat the food as well. Rourke on the other hand complained about the food the whole time only to end up eating it all.

And to think I have cooked 3 dinners this week already, the only night I missed was Wednesday night and that was cause I went out for dinner with Tracy. Who knows I might just turn into a better mom after all. At least, I would say this is a step in the right direction. Brad says this must mean that we are a regular family now...I don't think we'll ever be a regular family.

Weekend News...

2008-05-25T19:42:00.003+02:00

Riley got me really worried on Saturday morning, she took a good look at me and told me: "mommy you are really getting old, look at your face here and here..." pointing to my forehead and cheeks. I mean that must be one of the worst things a child can tell you! Or am I wrong? At least Tiger was quick to tell me that it wasn't true, "you're just brown mommy not old" Bless his little heart. I am working very hard at forgiving Riley for her comments though (ha ha).

We had a great visit with some friends whom we haven't seen for nearly 6 years. They lived in Brussels when we lived here the first time but moved back to the UK shortly after Riley's birth. It was a real treat catching up with each others news and finding out that after all this time we still had loads to talk about. They seem to enjoy being back in Brussels so much they even said that they would love to move back.

Speaking about friends, I must admit that our friends back in South Africa is the one thing we really miss. Don't get me wrong we love our friends here and our lives would be very dull without them but some friends just can not be replaced.

Friends in SA pop over to visit you at your house unannounced, they'll come over for a bbq or just a visit and the kids will just run amok in the back ground while you are sitting back having a good old "kuier" visit. Here, you see friends for dinner or at the pub or make arrangements to meet somewhere. To have them visit your house, or visit them at theirs, takes planning and invitations. Then again, at least you don't have to worry about people dropping in when the house is looking like a bomb site...(which may be a good thing in my case)

So to our friends back in SA, we miss you guy's and wish you were closer, and remember just cause we so far away doesn't mean you can't pop over for a visit at any time.... you'll just have to put up with a untidy house.

O and some celebrity news...the Baa-Baa's were in The Bok on Thursday night. (The Baa-Baa's is the international rugby team called The Barbarians aka the Baa-Baa's). Yes, ladies and gentlemen my husband's humble establishment played host to some international rugby players. I must admit that he came home a little disappointed "they really are not as big as you would think" "some if them are even smaller than me". Shame, poor man but at least he had a good time entertaining them.

Time to get back to picking up after everyone, never know who might pop in un-announced...

Happy News and Bureaucracy

2008-05-22T20:39:00.003+02:00

I was so excited to hear from my friend Charmaine today that their baby girl was being born on the 30th, which means that next weeks after years of dreaming of becoming parents their dream will at last come true. The fact that they have found this baby girl to adopt is a true miracle and no one deserves being parents more than the 2 of them.

Yeah Char you are going to be a mommy next week!

You really need to have lived in Belgium or be living in Belgium to truly appreciate how bureaucratic this country is. It's incredible!

Brad's brother Cliff would like and come and stay with us, while studying here in Belgium. In order to get his study visa we need a number of documents from our local commune. The commune is Belgium's version of the local municipal office for each and every neighbourhood. For any documents you then have to go to your local office in person to pick it up. Brad went to go and pick up our "family set-up" document today only to be told that he will not be able to get it. Because he is in the process of registering as "an independent" self-employed he is considered to be unemployed and thus not in any poss ion to get the document on his name. This means that I'm going to have to take a day's leave to go to the commune to pick-up this document on my name. And no, no one is allowed to pick-up documents on your behalf, not even your husband.

I had to go and sign some documents at the bank today and even that was quite an effort. Like in most other countries the banks here are open between 9 and 4 and they are also closed for an hour during lunch. The one good thing that has resulted from this is the fact that I've activated my on-line banking so at least I'll be able to do all my banking from the comfort of my couch from now on.

The next thing to achieve would be getting my kids to eat their dinner without tears and tantrums. Why or why must dinner times be such a torture session? I mean, lasange is really not the worst thing ever to eat, is it? Normaly Rourke has no problem eating and will eat just about anything. On the controry Riley ate it all with the least amount of fuss. Some days you feel like you just can't live with them but you also can't live without them can you. All that's left is to love them even when they drive you insane.

And I do, they really are great!

Wacky Wednessday

2008-05-21T20:45:00.004+02:00

My kids firmly believe that I'm a mean and horrible mom, but I've just had enough. At bed time tonight I discoved half the bedroom floor sopping wet and sticky with a couple of books lying in the sticky mess.

I love books and really want my kids to learn to love them as well and part of loving books means taking care of them, so when I saw that I just got really annoyed and decreed that no liquid was allowed in the room from now on. So this is where the mean and horrible mom comes in. Up until tonight they have gone to bed with a sippy bottle filled with juice, or water or milo (a chocolate malt drink) but no more. I can't even blame them cause it might have been the cat who knocked over the bottle of water and a bottle of juice to create the mess and as you can well imagine both kids swore high and low that they did not create the mess. So the only way to avoid it from happening again and for mean mommy to make an appearance we shall have to stick to the new rule.

I've had a really bad head-ache all day long and spending most of the afternoon working on my presentation for the meeting tomorrow morning hasn't helped much. I normally have no problem speaking in public but I received so may comments after last weeks meeting that I'm starting to feel rather pressured to perform. Two of the navigators (people navigating us through the project) told me that I'm totally over performing and the one even took my notes away from me before I left the office tonight. At least my head is feeling better now.

The one side effect of working on the project is that my eating habits have taken a terrible turn for the worse. I've been eating so much junk it's disgusting and it's starting to show in my clothes which I hate. Only problem it's a bit like a bad circle cause you get to a point where you or at least I think what's the point of trying and then I hate myself again for giving in so quickly when I know I'm going to regret it later. What I wouldn't give for a magic potion to keep my weight where I would like it to be with the least amount of effort from my side.

I Love Tuesdays

2008-05-20T20:54:00.002+02:00

I LOVE coming home on a Tuesday, I mean seriously it's just this really great feeling, knowing that it's the one day of the week that I'll walk through the door into an extremely clean and tidy house. Tuesday is when the cleaning lady comes and makes my week.

I would love to have my house look like this every day but I don't live alone, so it only looks like this for about the 1st 2 hours after we all get home. After that, water is spilled on the bathroom floor by two "swimmers" splashing in the bath while Thomas O'Malley the Alley Cat walks through it leaving his paw prints all over the side of the bath and all around the basin. He just loves sleeping in the basin.

Then there are the school bags, discarded shoes and jackets, pictures drawn during the day and toys. Mail on the dinning table, property magazines keys, sunglasses wallets and handbags.

I love my life, my kids and Brad but I would so love to have a more "museum" look to my house. So for those couple of minutes I'm in museum heaven!

Riley had some really exciting news to tell me when I saw her this afternoon. She was bursting to tell me that she had spoken to Carson and Caroline is was going to go to South Africa with her and Tiger on holiday. Carson is his best friend Caroline's dad. And even before I was able to say anything about this she also informed me that it will be no problem for Caroline to go with cause she understands both English and French and can act as translator between Nanna and Caroline. Then so proceeds to show off her translating skills by repeating a couple of sentences in both languages.

I think I'm going to leave the explanations as to why Caroline can't go on holiday with her to Brad. I know it's a bit chicken of me but let's face it I can't always be the "bad cop"

At long last, I'm blogging again

2008-05-19T21:07:00.003+02:00

It's just after 9 in the evening, I have a kitchen full of dirty dinner dishes to do, washing to sort, a bathroom to tidy, and that's just the most urgent of the things which need doing around the house but I've decided if I don't get blogging now I'm never going to get back into doing it.

I never have time but I really want to get back to doing it cause I really enjoy it. So, I guess the washing-up and cleaning-up will have to wait a little longer. Not to mention the fact that I'm totally brain-dead by the time I get home at night. The new project that I'm working on at the moment is taking it's toll...One of the directors at my work said to me the other day that now that I've finally started using my brain at work I'm I really interested in going back to my old job once the project ends. Now, I never thought I would say this but I've become quite ambicious and have no desire to go back to my "brainless" job. You'll have to watch this spot to find out where my working brain takes me.

With the arrival of the warmer weather (apart from the last 4 days) we've done up our patio with a nice big table and chairs for entertaining (bbq's) and some potted daizy's. Which brings me to the tail about our christmans tree. We threw the afore mentioned tree out after christmas waiting for it to die, only it never did. so we bought a nice big pot and re-planted it. What we didn't expect though was that we would plant it, water it and kill it, all in 2 weeks. We are still watering it hoping for a re-vival but I must say I'm not feeling to hopeful at this stage.

There is a total train strike on in the entire Belgium starting from 10pm tonight for 24 hours. This means that I have to meet my boss at 7:15 tomorrow morning for a lift to work (as you can well imagine the kids are not going to be too happy about being woken up, fed and dress before that time, so I'm considering letting them sleep later and getting Brad to get them ready for school). The one day of the week I have to work at the remote site is the day of the strike. Now, I'm just wondering about the trip back cause my boss is even more of a workaholic than what I am and I really don't want to stay at work as long as he does. I guess I'm going to have to beg a lift back into town off someone else. This is one of those times when I miss having my own car.

Now I really have to get myself into that kitchen and start cleaning, and do excuse any spelling errors but for some strange reason my spell check is not working?

Still blogging

2007-10-30T17:35:00.000+01:00

No I have not broken all my fingers rendering me incapable of typing or decided to give up on blogging. I have, in short, just been too busy. Getting home after 12:00 at night does not really make for good blogging.

So, the kids are on holiday, mid term break and slept over at my parents last night. This is why I can sit down and type, they are not home yet.

Our friend Tracy had his birthday yesterday, and a group of our friends went out for dinner at his favorite Thai restaurant. It did unfortunately not go down too well with most of the friends. They seem to prefer steak to Thai food. I actually felt rather sorry for him, cause some of them were rather vocal about their dislike. Sometimes I can't understand people. I mean, it's his birthday, just pretend you are having a good time, rather than hurt the poor guy's feelings.

I think my poor mother is going to sleep like the dead tonight, she's had all 3 her grand kids for the past 2 days and they can be quite a handful. She is very good with them though, she keeps coming up with things for them to do. She's gotten them to cut out pictures and stick it on mugs. It's their little project. They also paint, and play hot potato/cold coffee and other games from when she was little. Rourke is also picking up more and more Afrikaans. At home he even tells me certain things in Afrikaans.

I am still working the shift from hell. I really hope I'll do something else next week cause 4 weeks on this shift is enough to kill anyone. Also, getting up this early is HORRIBLE! At least, I don't have to take the kids to school this week so there is less of a rush in the morning.

Not much else going on. Better go check up on supper as the kids will be home any moment.

Back on line!

2007-10-24T19:52:00.000+02:00

Hey I'm back on line can you belive that? I've been having withdrawl symptoms.

Okay, so it's freezing here, can't believe how quickly the weather has changed. I've had to take Riley to school in the mornings since Rourke has been sick. The poor baby has been complaining big time about having to go to school at night while the stars were still out. Even I've found it hard to get up early enough to get he dropped of at school and then right across town to make it to work by 8.

Rourke is still a bit under the weather, he is probably not going to go to school again tomorrow. Tomorrwo is also the last day of school as the kids are closing for a 7 day mini break.

On Sunday there was a "Welcome to Belgium" fair. My parents took the kids there and I met up with them there a little later. They had a really good time, the kids not my parents. Not that they had a horrible time. They had their faces painted and loved the magician show and Riley also liked the Gospel choir which performed.

They also left with loads or freebies like pens and coloring books.

What is unbelievable is how Rourke did not move the whole entire time his face was being painted.

Laptop being re-worked

2007-10-22T17:10:00.000+02:00

Just to let you all know I had a great birthday party
How could I not, the Springboks won! Yeah Boks!

Anyway, my laptop is being re-worked so
I'll tell you all about it as soon as I have it back plus some photo's

Hope it will be soon!

Happy Birthday to me!

2007-10-19T09:40:00.000+02:00

This sooo not how I imagined spending my birthday, in bed feeling miserable. Yes, you will notice that I'm yet to admit how OLD I'm turning today and that is because I still have to get used to the idea myself.

Brad was fantastic this morning, even after getting home at 3:30 he got up with the kids and sorted them out for school. I, really would have done it myself but he would not hear anything about it.

Tiger was very upset that I was not taking them to school since I was home, he also doesn't see how me being sick and feeling terrible makes any difference to anything. I'm home therefore I should be taking them to school.

If anyone out there can help me come up with a reason, which they would understand, as to why my kids should wear jackets when it's 8 deg outside and raining please, let me know. This morning again, both of them insisted on wearing these tiny little t-shirts and nothing else.

Getting back to the age issue, ( I know I just can't let go can I?) I know I'm getting old when technology is passing me by. The kids (well Brad got it and wrapped it, in newspaper) got me an IPod. Only thing is I know what you are suppose to use it for I just don't know how to down load the music on to it....will have to wait for someone younger and more technologically advanced than me to show me the ropes.

Feeling all sorry for myself

2007-10-18T19:45:00.000+02:00

I've been joking about not getting up on my birthday this year, hoping that it would mean that it just is not happening. Well it turns out I was right. I am sick and it's horrible. I mean it's one thing to stay in bed cause you just want to bunk of work (not that I ever do that) but to really be sick on your birthday just sucks in a major way. I'm feeling rather sorry for myself too.

I went and saw the Dr. today and got an antibiotic and some painkillers and was booked off for the rest of today and tomorrow. (I'm sure my boss is loving me)

Now I really need to get better cause on Saturday night we having dinner with about 20 of our friends before the rugby game (it's the final and we are all hoping that the Springboks kick some English butt), and then there is a huge party afterwards with this really cool band playing. So, I really can't afford to still be feeling sick and sorry for myself.

O what's wrong with me? Well it's a throat infection (but only on the one side of my throat). I know it doesn't sound that bad but it involves ear ache and not being able to swallow, a generally sore body and cold chills too. So, I'm not suffering from some life threatening illness but I'm still feeling miserable and that on the eve of my birthday...poor me

Here's to hoping that I wake up in the morning feeling fresh as a daisy (a young one) and without a sore throat. (a girl can wish can't she? if only I could wish my age away too.

Have to set the alarm tonight

2007-10-17T21:52:00.000+02:00

I overslept this morning, and not just by a couple of min by ages!

I woke up to Riley calling me "mommy your phone" it was my mom sending me a text message telling me to send the kids pj's with them this afternoon and what a good thing she did too. It was 7:35 which is 5 min after I should have left for work!!! Nightmare!

I fell asleep on the couch before 9 o clock last night, evidently I woke up at some stage and moved to the bed and was still there looong after I should have been up. I was still planning on packing the lunch boxes so this morning before I flew out the door I made a couple of sandwiches (which came back home) and had Brad shouting at me to go, he would sort out the kids.

I got to work only 5 min late, unbelievable!

I ended up walking home tonight as well. Someone had jumped in front of the metro so it was not running, as there are no buses running in the direction of our house I had to walk. Good think I was wearing "flat and sensible shoes" nawh I was wearing cowboy boots but at least they are relatively flat. Then I ended up walking from our house to my mom's cause my dad arrived tonight and we were going to have supper together.

The kids were totally besides themselves to see my dad. They were shouting in jumping and wanting to go play, (poor man just got off the plane and already he has to perform). One thing is sure my mom is really glad to have him here.

And now for the big, no huge confession, on Friday, I'm going to be OLD! and I really really really don't want to be. What is a girl to do?

Tired Tuesday

2007-10-16T19:57:00.000+02:00

I'm coming down with a major cold, my whole body is aching and my head is pounding and has been all day. The thing is, I really don't have time to get sick now. I know that when you get sick you get to stay home from work but staying home from work turns out to be even more work.

So, I've taken some Corenza C with the hope that it will work it's magic ASAP!

Brad joined the gym this week, he's got a bet on with a friend of ours that he could not loose 19kg between now and December. He would feel so much better if he lost the weight not to mention how much easier it would be to find him clothes. (they really only cater for really small men in this country). I really hope he sticks to it. Also, the 100 euros might make it worth the effort. Up to now he's been really good.

I want to join the gym as well, there is one right on the corner from my work, only I'm not sure when I'll find the time to go. My foot is also a bit sore still, actually wonder if my foot will ever heal enough for me to start running again. Anyway, I'm going to see if I can pop into the gym at least 3 day's a week even if I have to do it during lunch. (it will make a change to working through every lunch). So here's to hoping that this will help me get rid of those last couple of pounds that I just can't shift.

The kids are really excited cause my dad is coming tomorrow. Rourke is planning on boxing with him or boxing him is more what he has in mind and Riley is planning on using him as her horse. No doubt my mom is also very glad that he will be here at last. So, apart from my dad's youngest brother and his wife, his whole family is now living here.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

2007-10-15T21:16:00.000+02:00

Where to start? I am thrilled about the rugby score from last night South Africa 37 Argentina 13. It's off to the final on Saturday night and I am hoping for a big score against England. Ok, enough about the rugby cause I know not all of you get it.

I'm working the early shift this week so I get off at 4 rather than 6:30. Brad's got a friends car for the week so he and the kids picked me up from work and we went shopping. Now, unless you don't have a car and have to pull (you know in one of those little granny shopping trolleys), or carry all your shopping home, you will not get this, but this is really something. It means that we can buy more than just the essentials. Also, Brad took me shopping in this huge mall where I've never been before. O' to be able to wander down the broad isle of a shopping centre again. And I got a vacuum cleaner! I know it's not something most people get excited about but when you're starting over again it's great to get one of those little essential things which makes life just a little bit easier.

We really want to move outside of Brussels and think we may have found our dream house. It's a run down house in a tiny village about 24 km outside of Brussels. It's a real fixer-upper and is just perfect for us. Now we have to find out about a home loan and whether we would actually be able to afford it. Will keep you posted.

One very happy woman

2007-10-12T21:17:00.000+02:00

Okay, okay, so I know I didn't write last night but hey, it was Brad's 1st night back so do you really blame me? ...... Didn't think so.

Anyway, as you can imagine I am a very happy woman to have my babe back at home and I do believe that he told me a number of times that he was thrilled to be back at home and how much he missed both me and the kids.

We all got loads of things,, not only from Brad, but,also from the family back in Pretoria, so thanks for all the lovely gifts guys we loved them all. It was like a mini Christmas.

This morning, it was back to the real world again. Actually, it happened last night. Not long after going to bed I woke up to Riley's crying. Found her sitting up in bed crying her eyes out but she can't seem to tell me why. Eventually, Brad fetched her and put her in bed with us. The only explanation we could get out of her was that she was thinking. Not long after that, Tiger made his way to our bed so now there were 5 of us (the cat was there as well) in the bed. I am a bit of a claustrophobe so I ended up sleeping in Rourke's bed. At least, that way I could breath and have some space.

This morning Tiger had such a bad chest on him, and we don't have any idea of where it came from, that it was off to the Dr. this afternoon, after school. Luckily he doesn't need an antibiotic yet so I just hope this cough mixture sorts him out. (very glad that Brad is back to do the dr. run since I would have had a hard time getting off work to do it).

I think we are going to have quite a busy weekend. There is a speaker from Australia here so we will go and listen to him at church and for a change it will all be in English! It's also Brandon's (my nephew) 5th birthday on Sunday and so we are going to be busy with the kids there as well. I must still get a gift for him, just have no idea what to get him, boy's are sooo much harder than girls in that department.

Then there are the two semi-final rugby games to watch on Saturday night (France vs England) and South Africa vs Argentina on Sunday night. The kids will be sleeping over at my mom's house on Saturday night so I can go watch the game and I, of course, will be wearing my new Springbok shirt that Brad brought over for me - Go bokke Go!

And I just remembered there is some biltong in the cupboard....

Brad is coming home / Bugly Shoes

2007-10-10T21:17:00.001+02:00

Brad will be home tomorrow YEAH!

I've really missed him and so have the kids so it will be fantastic to have him back at home. Not to mention getting our lives back to normal. Ok, back to what we call normal but at least the kids will not be getting home after 8 every night. Shame the poor monkeys were really tired tonight.

I got the strangest text message from my cousin today: "asap 32 or 34 faded faded at bottom only or dark?" I had no idea what that meant so after a quick call I found out that she was off buying some jeans for me and wanted to know what size and color. I really hope they fit, it's not often that other people can manage to buy you a pair of jeans which fit. I'll keep you posted.

Speaking about clothes, if there is one thing I've noticed about the women who live in this country is that they all (now I know that I'm generalizing) wear the ugliest yet practical shoes. It's not just the "older" women it's everyone...going to the office, the movies, the shops no matter where they go or what they wear the all wear these bugly (butt ugly) shoes.

I mean, I also own flat practical shoes, we do a lot of walking, buy how can the women of a whole nation wear such ugly shoes??

Now, I'm off to go de-hair my legs, after all my babe will be back tomorrow...

In need of an early night

2007-10-09T20:41:00.000+02:00

I can't believe it, I just managed to somehow delete the whole entire blog that I wrote, man that sucks in a major way. humpf, (huge sigh), now I'll have to write it all again.

Ok, let's see. O yes loved loved loved the concert last night, they really do still have it after all these years. Sting's son's band Fiction Plane were the opening act and you can clearly hear that his dad has had an influence on his music. He also shares his dad's vocal abilities.

With only 4 hours sleep last night I was a bit like a robot today, just keeping my head down and getting on with it. Picking up the kids from my mom I quickly had some supper which she told me she had to hide from the kids. They had had not only 2nd's but 3rd's as well and then wanted to eat my food as well. Maybe they should have though cause about 5 min after eating it all promptly came back up. Not sure what it was,might have been my stomach going into shock, I don't get much time to eat at work.

I'm off to bed for an early night.

O and I spoke to Brad again, poor guys are having just terrible weather. The rain is just not letting up. So much for a short summer break.

I also found out that Harry Connick Jr is performing here in Antwerp on the 29th so now I'm just looking for someone who wants to go with me. Anyone interested?

Out Rocking the night away

2007-10-08T17:00:00.000+02:00

Okay so I'm off to the Police concert tonight after work so this is all you'll be getting from me today.

I promise to write more tomorrow but if I don't get down to work I'm never going to make it to the concert on time.

Don't worry the kids are well taken care of, my mom is sleeping over at our house

Roxanne.....

My baby is 3!

2007-10-07T20:06:00.000+02:00

I can't believe how the time has flown, Rourke, my baby is 3 today! It feels like just yesterday that he was born and today he's this cute little funny guy who has loads of energy, is always up for any challenge and can pull the funniest faces.

We didn't do much for his birthday today, my mom slept over last night so I could go out for dinner with some friends and then go and watch the rugby. Who would ever have thought that France would have it in them to beat the All Blacks? Okay, I'm regressing, so to get back to today, after opening birthday presents in my bed we walked down to the local market to get a couple of things for Rourke's birthday cake which he's taking to school tomorrow. We then took a bus and met up with my brother and his family at a Quick which is Belgium's version of MacDonald's only it tastes even more like cardboard. The only reason we went there is because they have one of those indoor play areas and those are few and far between here.

The kids spent the next couple of hours running and climbing and screeching their heads of (funny how they all feel the need to screech at the top of their voices when they are having fun). Back at home Tiger had a much needed nap while Riley helped bake his cake and make up the sweet packets for the kids in his class. Then she set up "house" on the patio and invited us for tea. ( she loves playing house and inviting people over for tea and always wants some real cake or treats for them to eat.) I had some cake mix left so I filled a muffin tray and baked a couple of mini cakes. These were done just in time so we had a little party for Tiger in Riley's "house".

Well, that was our day in a nut shell, apart from the usual cleaning and washing that has to happen on a Sunday. Now I still have to do the dishes and ice the birthday cake so I better get to it.

But before I do, let me get serious for a moment, during the last couple weeks Brad and I've been talking about having another baby. Now that the surrogacy plan has gone down the tube we thought that we might want to have another baby of our own. I've always said that I didn't just want 2 kids. I've always worried that I might regret not having more but after thinking about it a lot we've decided not to go down that road again. There are a lot of reasons for our decision. But, at the heart of it lies the fact that we have two fantastic healthy and normal kids. We couldn't ask for better. To be honest I'm also not sure that I could really go through it all again, the sleepless nights the teething, diaper rash, etc. This is not to say that I don't get those broody pangs when I see a cute little baby, but, I think this is a good decision for us.

So, to all of you who are in the middle of diaper duty or teething or the terrible two's "good luck I'm thinking of you" To Char, as you know I'm truly sorry about how things have worked out I would have gone through it all for you again.

2007-10-05T16:24:00.000+02:00

Why is that it that the kids wait until you're totally rushed off your feet and about to finally get out the door before they tell you that they really don't like what they are wearing because it's:

a. hurting them (funny how for the past ½ hour that they've been dressed they could sit on the couch watching tv without any apparent discomfort)
b. doesn't match with their shoes (even thought they picked what they are wearing despite objections from you about "the look")
c. stupid (? yeah I also don't get that one)
d. too hot / or too cold (once again in spite of my comments about that when they got dressed)

When this happens I feel like I'm going to explode, all morning I've been asking nicely and trying to help while telling them that we need to leave soon and then they wait until there is no more time left. When I point this out there is an even bigger drama on hand cause now I'm being an ugly mommy. Man do I wonder about my/our decision to have kids at those moments.

As you've probably guessed we had one of those mornings again. I really don't understand how one pair of sock, which is identical and bought together can hurt while another pair doesn't. And how do you wear a coat every day and then just decide that it's lame and you don't want to wear it anymore? If there is anyone out there who can explain this to me, and how to react to this please do!

I must say taking the kids to school is also really working my guilty button. I mean, we never planned for me to be a working mom and I stayed at home with Riley and then Rourke until we moved here. (we don't have a choice at the moment but that is a whole other and very long story). So, I do feel guilty about them going to school even if I know that it's also the only way for them to learn French and to cope here in Belgium.

This morning Tiger cried from when we got off the bus until 10 min after getting to school. He was just holding on to me and not letting go, it broke my heart, poor baby! I also know that he was most probably his old happy self 10 min after I left but still....I do feel bad for so many reasons.

As you may be able to tell I'm in a self doubt of my mothering skills mode today, do you ever feel like that? Wondering if you are really screwing your kids up by just being their mom? I do from time to time and when I tell Brad he thinks I'm crazy. Bless him

I must stay I'm really missing him and not just because of all the things he does to make my life easier (that is part of the reason) but I just miss knowing that he is going to come crawl into bed next to me at some stage in the early hours or that I can just pick up my phone and phone him. But I do hope he is enjoying his time at the beach.

Doing the single mom juggle

2007-10-02T20:52:00.000+02:00

No single mom is an island!

Well, I'm not really a single mom, but for all purposes I am this week. Brad's gone to South Africa, for about 10 days, on a business trip/ mini break. And let me tell you, it takes quite a few people to get everything running smoothly in my life without my husband.

First, I had to arrange to work a later shift, as getting to work by 8, after first getting the kids to school, is just impossible (this is normally Brad's job, in fact today was the 1st time I met Tiger's teacher). Then there is my new favorite person, Julda, who comes to clean and do the ironing on a Tuesday.

At 3, Tracy picks the kids up from school and keeps them entertained until my mom gets home, at 5, from picking up my nephew from his school. What you have to realise is that Tracy is a man of 39 who has no kids of his own, so this is really quite a thing to ask him. The reason why Tracy can do this is cause he works as one of Brad's barmen so, while Brad is away he works the night shift. He gets on really well with the kids and spoils them rotten, which makes this all work better, for instance, he took them for some, (if not the most delicious), Dame Blanche (vanilla ice cream covered and hot melted chocolate) today as way to pass the time, what with the rain going to the park to chase pigeons is just not such a temping option.

And then, finally, there is my mom, who looks after the kids and feeds them supper until I get to her house at about 7. Then we have to pack all their stuff and catch 2 different buses home. So by 8 we back at home and by 8:30, if all goes according to the plan the kids are in bed, and asleep not long after.

Phew that is quite a jigsaw puzzle! When Brad is here it all goes so much smoother, that man is a STAR!

At least the kids, my mom and Tracy are all being great about it and it's only for 10 days (don't think any of us would have lasted much longer).

So, tonight I have some spare time to sit in my super clean lounge and study some French or watch some rubbish on TV or go to bed cause there is no ironing and no cleaning to do. Thank goodness I didn't even try and do this all on my own!

My own blog at long last

2007-09-27T22:03:00.000+02:00

So, at last we are up and running. Well maybe I shouldn't say running yet, better first see if I can find enough to write about.

I'm also not so sure that this is a good thing, as it is I find myself spending way to long in the internet at night while I should be sleeping or even more productive and do the ironing rather than finding things to iron in the morning when we have nothing but time on our hands, well that is in between feeding the kids and the cat, dressing the kids (which any parent of a 5 year old girl and a nearly 3 year old boy will be able to tell you (I hope) can take ages even if they picked their clothes the night before). Not even this, seems to deter me. What is it that I spend hours on the net with at night? I have no idea, just random surfing and before you know it it's 01:03 and I'm still up.

Rourke did something to the tv this morning, meaning that he pressed some buttons and not his father (and later was I to find out), nor me, could do anything to get it sorted. (there was no school for them today, something to do with celebrating being French speaking, I'm not totally sure, so my dear son decided to make a couple of changes while his dad was not watching him) anyway, when we got home tonight there was no tv and I must admit we had fewer arguments than usual. I did manage to sort it all out again but now I'm wondering how long I can keep them under the impression that the tv's not working?

I would just also like to mention that I managed to get Riley to eat all of her supper tonight and she liked it, all of it. What is this magic food that did the trick you may be asking yourself, nothing other than Royco's chicken, cup a soup. I mean she just could not get enough of it, even asked for more and told me that I should definitely buy some more of it cause "it's delicious!" If only it was this easy every night....

I must say I'm thrilled that it's weekend tomorrow, this has been one long week. I'll be so glad to be doing a different shift at work next week cause this new shift really did my head in this week. Just way too much paper work to be properly organized and the fact that I only had 3 day's training on it didn't help much either.

Well look at the time, see once again I've spent too much time on the net and still haven't done any of the ironing but at least I can say "this is it then my first post, of many I hope". Now it's of to bed, just me and O'Malley (our new kitten) listing to the rain. I think winter is here.

Jo's new blog

2007-09-27T19:33:00.000+02:00

This is just me, testing if your new blog works! :o)