It's been so long.....

Well we certainly have been busy and I have tried to sit and blog wondering where to start?  Do I back track to where I left off or just pick some highlights or should I just start up again from this current minute?  Needless to say this is a conversation I have had in my head for awhile now especially with all the ups and downs that have happened in the the last 9 months.

 

My job changed, my world changed, we needed as a family to change as did I as an individual.

 

There is is in a nutshell....

 

CHANGE!!!

 

So I decided I will start with the here and the now.....

 

If I can get extra spare time to back track I will as there are many many beautiful memories I really need to write about to have that keepsake that hopefully one day when I am long gone be treasured by our future generations.  A little melodramatic... oops sorry!!

 

So here's to creating more special memories and looking into the future.....

 

Blood Tests all clear......

Today was my third day off work due to tiredness and not feeling well at all.  As I mentioned on Tuesday I had blood and urine tests to ensure that nothing awful was going on in this body of mine. 

 

 

So off to the Doctor's I went......  The results had returned today and although I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself out of tiredness and stress the results were actually quite good.  Thyroid all good, no signs of any infections, cholesteral perfect, yes perfect, my blood sugars are way too high. 

 

Needless to say that it was quite a relief hearing that I wasn't facing anything life threatening except for a DIET to help lower my blood sugars without changing my current Diabetes medication. 

 

Some things in life need to change a little for this member of the House of Murray.

Surprise Alex....

While the kids were in Brisbane Noel and I became renovators and decided to revamp Alex's bedroom into a special room for a growing girl.....   here it is now:

Do you think she likes it?

This is 2 am in the morning...... honestly I don't think she could believe her eyes!!

A lifestyle change for us all...

A bad result at Weight Watchers last night and a few other issues that I have been dwelling on saw me issuing orders in our house last night to the tune of "We are ALL going to change our lifestyles!! No choice - it's just happening!!"

As you know we (I) menu plan weekly in order to know what we are having for dinner but it got me to thinking that planning the other meals is important as well. The kids normally have a set lunch each day - a sandwich, 2 pieces of fruit, cheese sticks or cheese and crackers, a fruit juice and a treat. But as for Noel and myself it's hit and miss, sometimes a frozen meal, sometimes I make the effort to make us lunch otherwise it's the local takeaway gets our business and that can mean anything for lunch. Breakfasts are pretty much in the same category unfortunately. The kids are organised but we are not.

So #1 change as of this morning was everyone had/took prepared foods to get us through until we get home tonight and have dinner. This is now going to happen EVERYDAY!

Treats will also be carefully examined probably must to the children's disgust but if I want to help all of us then so be it. I wil not outlaw the "nice" foods but I do honestly think they need to be better controlled.

The house is ALWAYS a mess!! I swear to God when we go to work the messy fairies come in and do what they will as there is no way with 2 at work and 2 at school that the house should be as it is. Don't get me wrong - we don't live in a tip or anything that drastic!! It's just not neat and I seem to spend most of my time especially on the weekend cleaning up and picking up things that obviously no-one else sees.

Thankfully Noel is brilliant when it comes to doing the clothes washing, cooking and helping with the kids, which is such a help and I am truly thankful that he is a hands-on dad/husband. Infact I am quite spoiled to have him in my life.

The kids are okay when prompted and I mean PROMPTED. Constant reminders, sometimes resorting to yelling and things do get done. BUT once again it's the little things even the daily repedative things that are neglected. Saying this though they still expect their pocket money each week and everything else that they ask for or decided they want. Go figure??

So # 2 change is that there will now be rosters implemented and to "earn" their pocket money and to save my sanity the listed chores/tasks we need to be done. I don't think that is that unfair? In fact they should be grateful that they will get rewarded for helping out around the house - I know some kids don't get paid, it's just expected by their family circumstance that things get done. I have even given myself a roster but of course won't officially pay myself!! LOL!!

The final thing that has been bothering me lately is that we are "too busy" or "too tired" to bond as a family. I understand that with work, school and other activities there really isn't a great deal of time. But I have at time fobbed the kids off and even Noel because I am too busy or too tired only to look back and realise that I have been selfish and we could have done something together. Time isn't going to stand still and we will never get the opportunity to do certain things again once the time has passed. Thinking about what I have already missed out on, makes me sad and I don't want to miss anything else.

So # 3 change is to implement quality family time together even if it is to read a book or play cards. As of today we will sit at the table as a family to eat dinner, a fond memory I have from growing up was always sitting at the table and talking about each others days and we do actually do it just not all the time. Instead of everyone doing different things we are going to make the effort to at least do something together each week just the four of us - even if it's for 30 minutes.

Watch this space... the Murray family are making some positive changes.

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Change of Christmas Plans......

Usually around Sean's birthday, if not earlier, Noel and I try to get the family together to discuss Christmas. So with the fact of the whole family getting together for Sean's birthday we decided to wait until then. Last Sunday (while out for a family lunch and Sean's birthday) the subject of Christmas was brought up.. or should I say buying presents was discussed and hosting Christmas was (as usual) mentioned.

Firstly buying presents ONLY for the kids was agreed by all although some years this never gets adhered to!

Secondly, with regards to hosting the actual Christmas Luncheon no-one put their hand up for Christmas when Noel asked if anyone else wanted to do it... infact everyone laughed, comments were made about how good last year's turkey was and then there was a comment made that "we used to offer but you two (meaning Noel and I) always say you are doing it". So as the discussion pretty much finished there with no-one positively saying they were doing Christmas, Noel and I presumed it would be Christmas Day at our house as it has been for many years now.

Needless to say everything seemed organised last Sunday..... so in usual fashion, off I have gone and I have started planning my decorations, the menu and all the little touches that I add to make our Christmas Day special... in fact it has consumed most of my thoughts over the last week. I love Christmas and it's truly the one day I look forward to each year.

All was starting to look good (albeit on paper) ..... until I got a phone call last night!

Noel's mam rang. She said that her and Dad had been thinking about it all week and they would really want to do Christmas this year! I was a little in shock and during my silence, mam went on to explain she had already spoken to Vicky who thought it was a great idea and would be much easier for them especially as Vicky's parents live in the next street. I was a little upset and as I said silent for a while on the phone thinking of why people couldn't have just spoken up last week!

The next sentence floored me.... "you are quite welcome to come? Of course we would love you be here but it's up to you" which sounded like we are now hosting Christmas at our house whether you decide to come or not. To be honest it felt as if they weren't sure if we would attend as it's not at our house... and what's with that?

So not only had the topic now changed from nothing during last week's conversation to a complete change of plans without the normal group discussion but yet reassurance had already been received from Sean and Vicky about their attendence before even deciding to mention it to us!!

Mind you saying that, it probably wasn't meant to be as bad as I have portrayed it and if anything, it may have just been the way I interperated the situation last night more than likely due to the shock of recieving the phone call!

Before continuing here is some background into our family Christmases. The Murray's (Noel's family) and the Davies' (my family) have been having Christmas Day's together since Noel and I met and starting courting..... so for the last 20 years. Traditionally my mam and dad held Christmas every year. Everyone went to my parent's house - maybe the fact they lived on a golf course was the inviting factor. My dad passed away but mam kept up the tradition, even when she eventually remarried. Of course, that tradition finished when she moved to Bribie Island. Since then most years my mam flies to Melbourne for Christmas.

With the situation with my sister, I actually haven't seen her or her family on Christmas Day for the last few years and this year will be no exception.... so sadly the only one I have to factor in from my side of the family again this year is my mam.

I won't lie by saying I wasn't upset about the phone call or the change in plans... because I was last night. I think Noel was also upset. I am still a little concerned with the comment made about joining them for Christmas as what sort of people would we be if we chose to stay at out house for Christmas Day, especially after years of expecting people to come to ours. But I have thought about the whole situation since the phone call, in fact it's all I have thought about.

Please don't get me wrong, now that I have thought about it I am actually GLAD (sort of....) that someone else wants to do Christmas Day and although it is a day we love hosting we have always got the feeling no-one else has wanted to take the reigns anyhow. Mam and Dad hosted Christmas lunch many years ago and I can remember clear as day afterwards mam said that "they were getting too old to do this!" and to be honest the only time Sean and Vicky have ever offered was the year that we took our family to Brisbane for Christmas. Now I don't want to sound bitchy but as you can imagine, it's just become somewhat habit for us to host Christmas.

Now I actually do feel a little guitly. Maybe it's our fault and we have selfishly monopolised Christmas Day without realising. All these years believing that people have been happy to come and sit at our table to enjoy Christmas Day when maybe they have really been wanting to host Christmas themselves. Or maybe we, ourselves, caused this situation by wanting to host Christmas and some how made others feel that they didn't have any other choice.

Now after thinking about the situation and even though I would still love to be hosting Christmas this year and would happily host it every year without question, I DO actually feel this is a change that obviously needs to happen especially as the family grows, a change in routine and expectations will probably do us all good. Who knows what will happen from this year on, Noel and I hope that the load will now be shared with all families taking turns in holding the special day and putting their own twist on the day! Maybe we may only get to host it every 3rd year from here on in.

Needless to say Christmas will definitely be a change this year but the most important thing of all, especially with Clare coming down from Sydney and my mam from Queensland, the important people in our family will all sit down together and celebrate as a family no matter where we are......

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com