This is a long and funny story.......
I won a prize in the big school mothers day raffle. It was two movie tickets and a box of Raffaello. Anyway, I helped my friend Cid at her body product stall (website:-http://dare2bnatural.synthasite.com/ she makes lovely organic stuff! The least I could do Cid was plug your business!) And I asked her is she liked the aforementioned chocolates. To which she does very much. So I said I would give them to her the following night at dinner.
Cid and her family arrive the next night and I go looking for the chocolates. They were not where I had purposefully left them. So I go to where we stash all of our treats and find the box. Opened! With chocolates missing!
My dear husband had opened them and helped himself to them! Even after I told him O was going to give them to Cid. He NEVER listens to me and this is proof!
So Cid I hope you had a lovely mothers day and enjoyed your half eaten box of chocolates. Nathan birthday is in February. Perhaps you might like to give him an empty box of chocolates with just the wrappers inside!
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Mothers Day
Happy mothers day Mum! And Colette and Nan and Grandma and all the other mums out there!
And a lovely mug that says I love you and plays "Love me tender" every time you tip it up to have a sip. (It also says be my valentine but Matthew really is too small to read the fine print!)
But my favourite gift was the poem and hand print Mrs Nelson had made with the kids during class
It was such a beautiful day. It really makes a difference when it comes from the children rather than the father of your children. And also knowing the father of my children really well I went out and bought myself the notebook dvd and 3 boxes of Ferro Rochers! And then spent the day cleaning!
P.S Does anyone else think I look really attractive first thing in the morning???!
This mothers day was very special. It was our first mothers day at kindy. This involved Matthew's first visit to the school mothers day stall! Nathan was instructed to NOT forget this occasion. SO 4 days before the stall Nathan packed an envelope with $7 in it in Matthew's bag. Knowing very well the highest priced gift was $6 (such an overachieving Rickard!)
So for mothers day this year I got this very fetching coat hanger!
And a lovely mug that says I love you and plays "Love me tender" every time you tip it up to have a sip. (It also says be my valentine but Matthew really is too small to read the fine print!)
But my favourite gift was the poem and hand print Mrs Nelson had made with the kids during classIt was such a beautiful day. It really makes a difference when it comes from the children rather than the father of your children. And also knowing the father of my children really well I went out and bought myself the notebook dvd and 3 boxes of Ferro Rochers! And then spent the day cleaning!
P.S Does anyone else think I look really attractive first thing in the morning???!
Happy 6th Anniversary honey!
May 3rd was our 6th wedding anniversary. Traditionally 6th anniversaries are celebrated with gifts of candy and iron. Nathan got this candy........
I got to do his ironing!
1/4 of chicken and chips please
Now that some days it is just Ben and I for lunch we tend to splurge and have a hot lunch. Last week was red Rooster's 1/4 chicken and chips.
Man did he enjoy it!
Catch Up
It has been a while since my last post as Cid keeps reminding me. She now sends me emails to tell me to update my blog! And the reason for my lack of posting has been pure laziness! However we have had heaps of stuff going on that i should let you all know!
Firstly, I took great pleasure in torturing my children recently! Skittle have new flavours and one of them is berry chilli. Damn they are one hot lolly. So hot that I offered them to my children just to see what their reaction would be! Matthew drank 6 glasses of water after his! (didn't spit it out mind you! Couldn't waste a lolly!) And Ryan tried to wash the red colouring off to see if that would take the "hotness" away! Not successful by the way and I now need advice on how to get "washed" skittle that have been mushed into the rug out! So I guess they ended up winning that one!
Ryan had a funny comment recently after I had vacuumed out the car. The car was desperate for a vac (i don't think it had been done since leaving for our Xmas road trip and then there have been several trips to Sydney since) so it really needed it. Poor Eli who we drive to swimming (who is a little OCD but we still love him!) was having heart palpitations every time he had to get in out car! Anyway I vacuumed it and Ryan gets in the car and says "Mummy I cant see the floor!" Apparently all of the crumbs on the floor reassure him that the car does in fact have a floor!
During the school holidays we had Nathan's cousin and her friend come down for a visit. They are Queenslanders and froze the whole time. But they were a great help. It was my first experience with living with teenage girls and am I so glad I have boys! Seriously, their phone were glued to their hands the whole time! And the giggles coming from the bathroom, I'm pretty sure boys wont do that! But the girls were so cute on their first big trip away from home they took photos of everything! Apparently there is even one on Benny sweeping with the dust pan and broom! It was so lovely to have them here again but next time they might want to come down in summer!
School holidays also meant intensive swim lesson for the boys. Matthew did really well and progressed another level so he is now working on breathing and arms and kicking. Ryan didn't progress during the intensives but two weeks after he was out into Matthews old level. Ryan is trying his hardest to catch his big brother. But the baby of the family is the one to watch out for. He does the splashiest swimming arms and kickers you have ever seen! No one in this world swims with as much gusto as Benjamin Rickard! Will post photo when Daddy brings his phone home!
Firstly, I took great pleasure in torturing my children recently! Skittle have new flavours and one of them is berry chilli. Damn they are one hot lolly. So hot that I offered them to my children just to see what their reaction would be! Matthew drank 6 glasses of water after his! (didn't spit it out mind you! Couldn't waste a lolly!) And Ryan tried to wash the red colouring off to see if that would take the "hotness" away! Not successful by the way and I now need advice on how to get "washed" skittle that have been mushed into the rug out! So I guess they ended up winning that one!
Ryan had a funny comment recently after I had vacuumed out the car. The car was desperate for a vac (i don't think it had been done since leaving for our Xmas road trip and then there have been several trips to Sydney since) so it really needed it. Poor Eli who we drive to swimming (who is a little OCD but we still love him!) was having heart palpitations every time he had to get in out car! Anyway I vacuumed it and Ryan gets in the car and says "Mummy I cant see the floor!" Apparently all of the crumbs on the floor reassure him that the car does in fact have a floor!
During the school holidays we had Nathan's cousin and her friend come down for a visit. They are Queenslanders and froze the whole time. But they were a great help. It was my first experience with living with teenage girls and am I so glad I have boys! Seriously, their phone were glued to their hands the whole time! And the giggles coming from the bathroom, I'm pretty sure boys wont do that! But the girls were so cute on their first big trip away from home they took photos of everything! Apparently there is even one on Benny sweeping with the dust pan and broom! It was so lovely to have them here again but next time they might want to come down in summer!
School holidays also meant intensive swim lesson for the boys. Matthew did really well and progressed another level so he is now working on breathing and arms and kicking. Ryan didn't progress during the intensives but two weeks after he was out into Matthews old level. Ryan is trying his hardest to catch his big brother. But the baby of the family is the one to watch out for. He does the splashiest swimming arms and kickers you have ever seen! No one in this world swims with as much gusto as Benjamin Rickard! Will post photo when Daddy brings his phone home!
Saturday, 25 April 2009
ANZAC DAY
A forum that I sometimes read was asking the question what does ANZAC Day mean to you. To me it means so many things.
First of all I am the daughter of a return service man. I have been brought up with all the military rituals and ceremonies. I have done dawn services in nearly every state of Australia. I have watched my father march in so many parades. Last year I took my boys to their first dawn service at the War Memorial (we missed this morning as it was freezing and raining). I feel a great desire to pass on the ANZAC traditions to my children. The legend will only be carried on if it is passed on. Anzac day has always been about my Dad for me. A day for him. A day he needs to help him deal with the horrors he no doubt had to go through. A day to be with people who understand. So for the Rickard family we are starting to teach our boys about ANZAC day with their Grumpy. I found a great book last year called "My Grandad marches on ANZAC day" (We read it as My Grumpy marches...)
ANZAC day is a day for me to think about the men in my family who have served. Of course there is Dad, my Grandfather, my Poppy. And my great Uncle who made the greatest sacrifice for his country. So for me it is so personal. Today I have thought a lot about my Grandad's funeral, just gone 8 years ago. My Dad insisted that the last post be played at his funeral. The memory engraved in my brain as the most touching part of the funeral was my Dad in full military uniform saluting my Grandfather as the last post played. The respect my father felt for his father in law was so evident in that tribute. I will never forget that. Another ANZAC day embedded in my brain was Aunty Jo's last. Dad marched in the dawn service at the Pinegrove cemetery. Aunty Jo was ill but she really wanted to go and see Dad march. In the darkness of the morning, with him not knowing exactly where we would be he crossed the back of the parade so that he could march straight past her. His chest was puffed out proudly, marching for himself and his father. It made Aunty Jo's day. And my lifetime.
But ANZAC day is more than those memories for me. On this forum someone made a comment about anti war. However, all men who go to war do so because they have been asked to by their country. They do so in the belief they are fighting for a cause. Even if the cause isn't necessarily right, but they have been asked. Servicemen do not start wars. It is never their call to go to war. They should never bear the brunt of anti war politics. Because they have been brave and strong and believed in a cause. And done as they have been asked.
Someone asked about the relevance of ANZAC day in today society which is something I have thought hard about today. To me personally it has huge relevance. But many non military people have spoken that it means nothing to them. I cant believe how wrong they are. ANZAC's started "the Australian way". If you take pride to be an Australian then the ANZAC spirit should be your way of life. Australian's got their reputation for mateship, never say die attitude, hard work and strength from these men. Australia would still be thought of as a convict colony if not for these men. Our Australian identity has been born from the Anzac spirit. Therefor ANZAC day is relevant to every Australian and should be forever more.
Lest we forget.
First of all I am the daughter of a return service man. I have been brought up with all the military rituals and ceremonies. I have done dawn services in nearly every state of Australia. I have watched my father march in so many parades. Last year I took my boys to their first dawn service at the War Memorial (we missed this morning as it was freezing and raining). I feel a great desire to pass on the ANZAC traditions to my children. The legend will only be carried on if it is passed on. Anzac day has always been about my Dad for me. A day for him. A day he needs to help him deal with the horrors he no doubt had to go through. A day to be with people who understand. So for the Rickard family we are starting to teach our boys about ANZAC day with their Grumpy. I found a great book last year called "My Grandad marches on ANZAC day" (We read it as My Grumpy marches...)
ANZAC day is a day for me to think about the men in my family who have served. Of course there is Dad, my Grandfather, my Poppy. And my great Uncle who made the greatest sacrifice for his country. So for me it is so personal. Today I have thought a lot about my Grandad's funeral, just gone 8 years ago. My Dad insisted that the last post be played at his funeral. The memory engraved in my brain as the most touching part of the funeral was my Dad in full military uniform saluting my Grandfather as the last post played. The respect my father felt for his father in law was so evident in that tribute. I will never forget that. Another ANZAC day embedded in my brain was Aunty Jo's last. Dad marched in the dawn service at the Pinegrove cemetery. Aunty Jo was ill but she really wanted to go and see Dad march. In the darkness of the morning, with him not knowing exactly where we would be he crossed the back of the parade so that he could march straight past her. His chest was puffed out proudly, marching for himself and his father. It made Aunty Jo's day. And my lifetime.
But ANZAC day is more than those memories for me. On this forum someone made a comment about anti war. However, all men who go to war do so because they have been asked to by their country. They do so in the belief they are fighting for a cause. Even if the cause isn't necessarily right, but they have been asked. Servicemen do not start wars. It is never their call to go to war. They should never bear the brunt of anti war politics. Because they have been brave and strong and believed in a cause. And done as they have been asked.
Someone asked about the relevance of ANZAC day in today society which is something I have thought hard about today. To me personally it has huge relevance. But many non military people have spoken that it means nothing to them. I cant believe how wrong they are. ANZAC's started "the Australian way". If you take pride to be an Australian then the ANZAC spirit should be your way of life. Australian's got their reputation for mateship, never say die attitude, hard work and strength from these men. Australia would still be thought of as a convict colony if not for these men. Our Australian identity has been born from the Anzac spirit. Therefor ANZAC day is relevant to every Australian and should be forever more.
Lest we forget.
Friday, 17 April 2009
A good mother
Today I was accused of thinking I was "a good mother." It always slightly flabbergasts me that women throw that phrase around as an insult. I think women may use this as an insult because they have measured themselves to be shorter than someone else's yardstick. But you know what, I don't think "good mothering" can be measured when you have children. To me the phrase "a good mother" is a woman who has adult children that are happy, healthy, independent, hardworking with a strong value and moral base. I feel such a woman has proven her great mothering skills by what she has moulded her children into. And therefor she has earned the right to proudly say "I am a good Mum." And the world can look at what she has created and think "She is a great mum to her kids." I hate that that can be turned into an insult. I say to people when they compliment me on my children "Oh! Just as long as you can tell me that when they are adults." How can you "grade" a mother of a toddler when her work has just begun?
But more importantly I believe that the vast majority of Mum's are striving every day to do the best with what they have got. I believe there are thousands of way to raise a child and all of them are the "good" way. I use the example of my own mother and my husbands mother. To look at us we are successful, happy, independent people with a strong moral background and value system. Therefor my mum and Nathan's Mum have proven they are good mums. Not only that we love our Mums dearly and want them involved in the raising of our own children. However we were raised by two very different methods. My mums was a stay at home mum, Nathan's mum worked. My mum had the whole town practically living in her back yard. Nath's mum focused on her own kids. Two very different approaches but the same result. And i think that is wonderful and powerful.
I also believe it takes a village to raise a child. It kills me that my children don't have daily access to their extended family. I work hard at reminding the kids about their wonderful family that they have spread around the globe. I love that Ben speaks lovingly of Aunty Teesh and he was weeks old the last time she saw him in the flesh. I love that Matthew makes a list of things to ask Grumpy when they nest talk (The current question is when will he be old enough to shoot a gun!!!) I give thanks daily to the special 'adopted" family we have accumulated here in Canberra. These people offer the support for the clay that I am moulding. And they are invaluable. Because I am not the only person to "mother" my children. Many people assist in this mammoth task.
So to the person who accused me of this terrible thing of thinking I am a 'good mother". I say don't measure yourself against my yard stick. Because you measure yourself up short and then lash out at me. And when we are talking and I can see difficulties and I offer a differing view, think about it and dismiss it if you like. But know this, I care how that child turns out. That means we are on the same team. However, do not lash out at my abilities. I am raising my children as I see fit. Not to compete with you. Child raising is not a competition. There are no winners. Mum's do what's best for their child in the best way they know how.
But more importantly I believe that the vast majority of Mum's are striving every day to do the best with what they have got. I believe there are thousands of way to raise a child and all of them are the "good" way. I use the example of my own mother and my husbands mother. To look at us we are successful, happy, independent people with a strong moral background and value system. Therefor my mum and Nathan's Mum have proven they are good mums. Not only that we love our Mums dearly and want them involved in the raising of our own children. However we were raised by two very different methods. My mums was a stay at home mum, Nathan's mum worked. My mum had the whole town practically living in her back yard. Nath's mum focused on her own kids. Two very different approaches but the same result. And i think that is wonderful and powerful.
I also believe it takes a village to raise a child. It kills me that my children don't have daily access to their extended family. I work hard at reminding the kids about their wonderful family that they have spread around the globe. I love that Ben speaks lovingly of Aunty Teesh and he was weeks old the last time she saw him in the flesh. I love that Matthew makes a list of things to ask Grumpy when they nest talk (The current question is when will he be old enough to shoot a gun!!!) I give thanks daily to the special 'adopted" family we have accumulated here in Canberra. These people offer the support for the clay that I am moulding. And they are invaluable. Because I am not the only person to "mother" my children. Many people assist in this mammoth task.
So to the person who accused me of this terrible thing of thinking I am a 'good mother". I say don't measure yourself against my yard stick. Because you measure yourself up short and then lash out at me. And when we are talking and I can see difficulties and I offer a differing view, think about it and dismiss it if you like. But know this, I care how that child turns out. That means we are on the same team. However, do not lash out at my abilities. I am raising my children as I see fit. Not to compete with you. Child raising is not a competition. There are no winners. Mum's do what's best for their child in the best way they know how.
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