RuthieStone

I really wish I had professional photographer secretly built into my body who could jump out ant any given moment to capture the stunning scenery and quirky characters that I’m surrounded by on a daily basis.

The kids are tucked into their beds and I am exhausted, the rain is falling hard now after an afternoon of drizzle and spectacular rainbows.

We spent the morning at Kanaha Beach Park celebrating Jack’s 2nd Birthday, there the sun was shining and wind in full force. We all had a really enjoyable time mingling and eating way too much pizza and cake washed down with a few midday beers! I hope we are not creating a name for ourselves with the Birthday drinking, it just seems to make the occasion fun for us all that way! It’s pretty exciting having something to attend each weekend, next weekend we have Nat and Cristy’s Wedding to look forward too.

I am thrilled to have Tina and Miss Mia back on Island after another England vacation. The month is never the same without them, Teens is officially not quite 4 months up the duff again and was feeling great until returning home to the humidity or maybe it’s a case of the “I’m not on holiday anymore” s.

I wish I was on holiday! Now I do get a holiday once a week. The kids are in school 4 days a week so I now have Tuesdays all to myself, I do do some grocery shopping etc on the odd Tuesday but manage to still call it a relaxing day off!I’m very happy with my schedule and really enjoy our weekend family time and my solo day with the kids on Mondays. Last Monday I caught up with the Van der Arks, they arrived back on Maui after spending the Summer in Europe and we are as happy to have them back as they are to be back.

An early night tonight, the only way for me to be able to say no to all the Cadbury Chocolate in the fridge is to sleep and forget about it. I’ve eaten too much this week.

This afternoon we celebrated Kayden Pritchard’s very 1st Birthday along with many of his family and friends at Matt and Erin’s house. Kayden was all smiles and so were we after a few long island ice teas! It was a great afternoon complete with light dustings of rain showers and rainbows.

It’s a shame it had been so long since we’d last mingled with the Pritchard’s, the days just cruise into weeks then before you know it it’s been months. We hope to mix up the weekend activity and see them tomorrow at Kanaha for some windsurfing action!

Happy Birthday Kayden James!

Tom arrived Yesterday afternoon, Adrienne and I went to pick him up at the airport after work. Adrienne was pretty cute, as we drove into the airport she eagerly unbuckled her seat belt and removed her purse in order to make a quick run for it. He hasn’t been here for over a year and last time the two of them ignited quite some sparks.

We drove to Georges house to pick up his new ride, George sold Tom his old single cab red Ford truck. Then we hit happy hour at the cafe, we only had 1 as our next stop was to pick up the kids from school. They were really excited to see him and stoked to be able to stay up late and BBQ with us. It was surprisingly easy  having the kids up late probably because I was in the mood, Matilda decided she wanted to go to bed around 8pm, I put her jamies on and lay with her cuddled up on the daybed outside she was asleep in minutes. Darwin went to bed around 9pm after a story and we all had good sleeps – Tills woke and came into us around 4am then woke at 6:15am, I was up with Darwin at 6am. It really great knowing Tom will be here for 6 months just living – I’m looking forward to surfing and catching up over coffee dates.

I’m also happy to start fresh again and return my smile from ear to ear. This morning Hana and I went to Ho’okipa, we walked the beach and then swam. She is such the beach dog, she loves to swim and behaved herself really well. She is still limping on her front paw, it’s been since Jason’s Birthday when she fell down the stairs – I’m uncertain about taking her to the vet but it’s after moments like this morning I feel like I want to do anything I can to keep her around and in good shape for many years to come.

Oh the life…much is happening in this life. The kids are growing every day, they are both sick at the moment a moment which seems to be lasting forever. Darwin has Pneumonia on top of his asthma and now has to be hooked up to a breathing machine twice a day to inhale 2 types of medicine each session. He’s just finished a round of antibiotics and his little body literally refused (via spinach and feta vomit all over the couch and living room floor) the steroids which he was subscribed.

Matilda just seems to have an average cold along with hacking cough, green snot and her fang teeth cutting through. They both crave my attention and affection often at the same time which is really pumping my biceps. I try very hard to remain calm in these situations and feel for their situation, it’s a struggle at times but I think I manage ok.

Sick kids defiantly makes the bedtime routine more drawn out, as does the amount of socializing we’ve been doing – good for family life not by any young singles standards! They have been getting to bed between 7:30pm – 8pm, Matilda still needs to have one of us lay with her to go to sleep which is really getting old but we can’t bring ourselves to let her cry it out. They both come into bed with us randomly, never at the same time (we won’t all fit in there together). I often still bed hop and we all (except Daddy) still manage to wake between 5:30am and 6am most mornings with the odd 5:15am wake up which makes me less in the mood to start the day.

I don’t know what happened to my early nights, I can’t seem to get to bed any earlier than 10pm these days which gives me roughly 7 hours of interrupted sleep a night. I’m not complaining – well perhaps I am, it is getting old and I’m not getting any younger. I don’t exactly have babies anymore however it does seem like they have their reasons. Urgh, is is so bad to have them sleep in our bed – I guess it is if it prohibits any life Jason and I have in that bed not just the sex. We used to lie in bed and talk for ages, we would snuggle and kiss for at least 5 min every morning before getting out of bed. But that is the life we left behind at least for the next 5 years I guess, they can’t want to be this close to me for that long – can they?

I miss those little aspects of the good old life but adore the life and lives that make my life now. I just can’t seem to feel totally relaxed in my decision makings. For example, I still feel so guilty when I turn on the telly for them to watch when I need a break or for Darwin to be bribed into taking his breather. I feel guilty when I give in to their cries in the night so let them sleep with me or I sleep with them. I feel like I should cook for them more even though they wouldn’t eat it.

Basically I’m beating myself up for not being a super duper do no wrong hero Mum who I imagine would be a bitchy bore of a person to know anyhow – I am annoying myself reading my own thoughts. But that’s why I continue to write, they are thoughts and very real at that. I really helps me collect myself and start fresh.

Lately I’ve also been weird and thinking about exercising and drinking less that my 2 drinks a day, just to give myself a bit more of a confidence boost. But the fact is I feel like I exercise just being with the kids and I’m so tired once they are in bed which is when I want to drink because I’ve been with the kids!

I’m rambling now and have neglected to mention even one the many moments that has warmed my heart and made me laugh, despite my guilt and insecurities I am very happy and confident everything will be just fine because it’s all a part of life.

Here’s to tomorrow!