More computer problems

I am sad to say that my laptop is currently out of order / broken
so, for the time being I am unable to do any blogging.

I am hoping that everything should be up and running again in
about 2 weeks but I'll keep you up to date

Still blogging

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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

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

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

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