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.

ARG!

Those of you who are close family members - please hold that smirk to yourself.
I just found a grey hair. Promptly, of course, yanked it out. Then remembered the old wives tale about this making them replicate even faster...

Had a good weekend with excellent effort on the field and lots of help from Louise (who got to watch Twilight in peace and quiet last night, with no little brothers around to comment! Sorry about your Dad, honey, but I can't control him) and conscripted help from Bran (hopefully that will be the last time he tries to get me up at 4am!); Zac enjoyed his playdate with Cole (they both refused to change or shower out of their playing uniforms!). So a clean and tidy garage - anyone else would park a car in there! - and lots of baby stuff to sort thru and wash. Lots of surplus stuff to list too.

No progress crafting wise but as the other half flies out on Sunday next for three weeks min I hold some hope there...

a wet & wild weekend

I must be the first to admit - I was really hoping for league to be rained out this weekend. And it was! I just had so much to do, and not enough time as it was...
* clean out study (Si did the first of his filing cabinet drawers, yay, and I think found stuff going back to 1986!)
* list the books/items I no longer want (got about 1/4 way thru, so at least some progress!)
* make up the cot (nope, not done)
* help Si plumb in the bath taps and handbasin upstairs (done! just waiting on the sealant to cure and I won't have to share my bathroom with the boys anymore!)
* exchange the library books & Cds (done, small fine, oops)
* feed the ducks at Western Springs (done, and there were heaps of eels too. Even crawling over the rocks under the double arch bridge - gross)

* take the boys into work for a photo with Ben 10 (done, they thought it very cool and wanted to bring him home. Ah, no!)
* clean up the garage (frankly, was never going to happen)
* scrap a digital layout (nope, but found my photoshop guide so some small progress)
* eat breakfast in bed (sadly, not one of my elder three made me any food or cups of tea this weekend! MIL made roast lamb on Friday as a belated birthday dinner and it was yummy)
* cleaned out and organised about half my stash (listed quite a bit)
* thought out the weeks meals in advance. Takes care of that 5pm panic!

So all in all, pretty sucessful. Plus had finished going thru all my years worth of Creating Keepsakes, ripped out the bits I use/want and filed these in clear slips. The rest are going to my midwife next week for her and her daughter to take what they want, then I guess to a kindy. Lots and lots of colour and use for a kindy collage!

Down to 9 weeks of work left as of today. Starting to get a bit scary! At least Si is enjoying his new job...we are a lot luckier than some other families. I just need to work on not being so grumpy. The family would be nodding their heads right about now...LOL

catching up

It seems lately that all I seem to be doing is playing catch-up. At work, home, league - it's really hard to get ahead. This coming weekend is going to have to be disciplined work - I have the lounge, kitchen, study & part of the garage to sort through, ad the cot to assemble and get used to (we brought a new-to-us one, as we'd given away the other years ago).

But I am looking forward to:
* looking at my baby's new bed
* knowing where my stash is at (all over the place is not conducive to scrapbooking or even journalling!)
* selling some or as much as I can of the overload. Si would be shocked, but I can actually say "goodbye" to a huge volume of my books
* planning things, like meals, in advance. I've been sort-of doing this as I look thru the supermarket brochures each week, and there is a fantastic download on Becky Higgin's blog on the 5/5 which I shall adopt
* having a place for the baby's things - need to get the other set of drawers from the MIL's garage

What are you looking forward to?

Oh, and by the way - it's a boy. "Dangly bits" and all.

weekend update

Saturday – one of those rare fine days in league where only one of the boys played – this time it was Bran, up at Hibiscus Coast Raiders. Very relaxing knowing that all I had to do was get him there! We watched the tail end of the Lion Stars play the U7/8 (oh dear, we’ll be coming up against them soon enough) and settled in for the big match.
Bran played very well (and he’s happy with his effort – bonus) – spent the first half on the far wing (converted Blake’s first try) then came off for 10. But when he went back on and scored from one of Louis’ corner kicks on the forth. He had such a big grin on his face as he turned to the sideline to give his coach Calvin two thumbs up. Absolutely priceless.
At the “aftermatch” I got to tell the parents that due to their efforts as well as the boys, the team had been selected to play at Mt Smart on Sunday, between the U20’s and the Warriors. It’s great being able to give positive feedback.
Then spent half an hour with the HBC team management, as they hadn’t been handed the ARL email listing them as playing at Mt Smart on the Sunday. I’m glad we did, as it would have been awful for our boys to get there and not have an opposition.
Quiet afternoon (grouting tiles and napping). Then off to the club for the monthly prize giving which Lynne had mostly organised. Awesome effort and 8 of the eleven junior teams represented, not bad for the first time we’d attempted to have a get-together. Acka had organised Warriors posters and One Tribe drink bottles for prizes and all I had to do was write the certificates and hand everything to Bill to present – neither Lynne nor I wanted to be speaking and sort of pushed him into it. Whoops. But parents should know who the president is, right?!! Sat around after talking to various people then went to collect Louise. Hmm – no answer to phone or text so she hasn’t come home. Again. I wish I could have said it was a surprise but sadly it’s not!

Sunday – had a bit of a sleep in (rough night) then painted sealant on some of the tile grout while Si worked on the other wall. The boys disgraced themselves and ended up having nana naps. Zac & I took Si & Bran to Mt Smart (couldn’t all afford to go, dammit) then went home to get some boring stuff done. Bran played well (no stage fright, although it was his third time playing in front of the crowd). We tried to watch at home but the stats boards kept coming up on the TV. Could hear the crowd cheering so knew it was a good match! Found out later they won 12 tries to 6.

When we picked them up we headed out south – we’d arranged to spend time at Murray & Emma’s house as she’s now moved in. Pretty cool to see things as how Muz described in November (laughing still at the size of the TV) and the kids as usual got on like a house on fire. Went to Jolly Roger in Pine Harbour for tea (the builders forgot to run the gas line, so Emma still doesn’t have a cooktop!) then back to the house. Z won at Buzz (much crowing) and I would like to think that I won the ball fight! Got home very late but happy.

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone out there is having a fabulous weekend - ours has so far been productive (nearly completed the upstairs bathroom tiling) and relaxing (I fell asleep while Si was watching Deed) and we're looking forward to tomorrow's adventure - a day trip to Taupo, Waiouru & the Army Museum.
Photos tomorrow!
And quick baby update - all well, still a surprise but I am enjoying getting the basics together. It's amazing how much we still have. Very grateful for that.