so it's been a while

Until very recently, I've been using Facebook a lot. An awful lot. It keeps me in touch with 99% of my family & friends, it enables me (look, a book! must add that to my TBR pile) and makes me laugh. I can look back on photos and know what we were doing (altho I haven't done much in the albums lately) BUT...

sometimes it isn't as good as journaling can be. Sometimes I just need to write and write and write...

and as Dad and Mum don't use facebook, they aren't in the loop like they should be. HI MUM! HI DAD!

2013 was pretty good to us. Sold one house, moved to the MILs for a while, then brought our new house. Fast - listed Sat morning, we viewed Sun afternoon, we brought Sunday afternoon. We've brought looking at the long term - ok school zones, lots of new buildings (pushing up the price already), close to public transport, close to the MIL and our daughter. We have managed to kill one of the two plants (possibly one for each of the house's birthdays?) but have gained back enough room for the massive trampoline down one end of the property and about the same at the front, just by filling in the drops where soil was dug out and moving the fences to the berm. I love how Si is so clever engineering wise. It will take a lot to move the new fence & retaining walls. I'm looking forward to selecting the fruit trees - proper plants, not just my roses and herbs!

2014 hasn't been so bad either. I'm on a contract with a well established company, the creative juices are flowing, we've squeezed in a family holiday, spent time with friends, and the house is reflective of who we are (and yes, Bran's room could rival a pigsty). All three boys are now playing league (Si & I are coaching Mase's team, which apart from a few unrealistic parents is great fun) and all are doing well at kindy/school. Mase is about to start 4 days a week at kindy, in prep for school - the "lasts" are starting to catch up. Si is now road cycling to make up for the fact he can't run (that achilles/plantar fascialitis is hell) and I enjoy walking with Zac. He's great company. Louise has started her own baking/catering company with a girlfriend and YUM they are already getting word of mouth jobs. 

Anyway, the next posts will be more specific. And hopefully frequent.

Picture: Mase after "helping" Louise with her fabulous chocolate cake 22 April 2014 - a preview of his pirate birthday later this year?

A very quick update on my week…

Monday – boring. So standard I couldn’t even think what to take a photo of. Or talk about. Maybe the kids’ homework? The car dashboard? Dunno.
Tuesday – got onto JetStar and brought Si a weekend home very cheap. Brilliantly cheap!
Wednesday – was supposed to be the D Day for work. Instead they didn’t show up, causing a lot of resentment. The email came thru at 1.35pm about when they were coming – it should have been a lot earlier! But I found out I was nominated for the Warriors Women in League so Lynne and I are going to the function and games on Friday. Yay!
Thursday – amazingly, I almost slept thru the night. First time in two weeks and OMG I can see my ankles again! Got called up for my one-on-one late in the morning. Jerome said that he regretted to tell me that my application for X position had been unsuccessful. Said thanks, but actually I didn’t apply for that position. His face was priceless. Honestly, I could have wet my pants laughing – if it wasn’t so tragically Mickey Mouse. Pointed out that in the general meeting the previous day he had said this wasn’t an opportunity for promotion, and that I’d taken this on board. He said he couldn’t remember saying that, but in this light they needed to reconsider my application. Half an hour later, I have a job. I really think that I was going to be made redundant but their error has meant that they can’t. But happy, as now I have a leaving date, parental leave and a job to return to. Everything I wanted!
Friday – Got wolf whistled at and turned around. On seeing my 32 week belly, his mates gave him grief. Bit late, buddy, I said. Still smiling – he didn’t expect that! Then breakfast with Michelle at Divan. Yummy muesli and fruit. Some loose ends to tie up at work and then some business reading. I need to get some chapters read and notes down.

Project 365 & a work update

Just a quick update about work - I had my interview and think it went OK. I didn't walk out with that "doh!" feeling that you can have, thinking oops I forgot to tell them this...so feeling pretty cool about things and just waiting to hear back on Wednesday.

Here's the first page from my P365. As of right now I am up-to-date (gasp!) and should be posting this week's pages tomorrow.

Some hidden journalling behind the Thursday photo, Friday is of Louise's baking and the gorgeous smell that floats thru the house when she's home; Sat was about setting up the cot and mobile (the same the boys both used, and Zac still loves), and Sunday is a portion of Bran's ticket from Mt Smart, where he took part in the march-by of all the Auckland clubs before the Wariors played and beat the Tigers.

Well! And Good Intentions...

Had a "catch up" meeting today and walked away feeling very unsure. The HR person was from AU I think, and didn't even know the laws relating to my situation and redundancy. Hmm.

Thank goodness for the Department of Labour.

My good intention is to spend time tomorrow with Z (off school, another eye infection) and get this project 365 album up and running. I think I have figured out how to create my own pocket protectors and have asked Megan (Sugar Spice blog as listed in my "following") to confirm. Of course this does mean that I will need to get my Nana's bernina record 730 serviced...which it hasn't been for 13 years, but hey. The struggle there will be keeping it in my hands and not MOTAT's!

Simon would probably like to point out that I should be completing the curtains with the machine. Or mowing the lawns if they have dried out some more - which is something I like doing, as the chamomile smells soooo nice...

Feeling Blah - so looking on the bright side...

Today we had a big meeting at work - well, some of us got carted off to a lawyer's conference room for the big reveal. Talk about scary - and my co-worker was freaking, which I admit now I have a VERY SMALL tolerance for, and that didn't help.
Upshot is our positions are disenfranchised. What a stooopid word. There are positions that we can apply for, but in full on cynical mode I don't see me getting considered. Who would hire someone 30 weeks pregnant? Would you?
So now I am waiting on my interview tomorrow. My entire paid parental leave hangs in the balance too so pretty sick to the stomach (altho that might be the two pieces of fudge).
BUT - having just got my daily fix of Ali Edwards, here's a list of what I'm currently grateful for:

• Si has a job, and is loving it (long may it last!)
• I do have bubs to look forward to (if I could sleep thru labour, that would be the icing on the cake)
• my kids are all healthy, good and adorable
• my antenatal bloods came back and they were fantastic
• I adore my totally supportive midwife
• I've had phone calls of support from suppliers already. Word got out there so fast. Wow.
• We currently have a roof over our heads and while I may have to go talk to the bank manager, let's leave that until we know something concrete, rather than all these maybes
• I might finally learn how to use Photoshop.
• This might be a new door opening.

scary stuff

Last night's stabbing in central Auckland is a little too close to home. We're on the fifth floor, the girl assaulted is on the second. The building is still partially closed off and not to make light of the feelings of the victim's family & friends, but we're scared. The office is a lot quieter today than normal and everyone who goes out is going out in pairs.

I hate this feeling. It's hard to be enthusiastic about anything too, even the Warriors tommorrow night and having friends over. Or birthdays (sorry Doodle, sorry Nicole).

altho if you do want to buy any Cub Cookies, drop me a line.