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

Thursday - what happened to the days before?

Who ever called Christmas the "Silly Season" was spot on!! The whole place has gone mad!

Shopping centres are bursting at the seams, car parks are dreadful and full of irate drivers and to make things worse all my days are blurring into one and I don't know if I am coming or going at the moment.

Thursday night was the school Christmas concert. Only Alex performed this year as Oliver (and the grade 6's) didn't have to perform. Due to them having graduation on Tuesday they focused on preparing for that whilst the rest of the school were rehearsing for the carol singing. It was a good night but sadly only I went as Noel and Oliver were both sick.

We did get the Christmas tree up on Sunday (13th) after rearranging part of the loungeroom to fit it in! I looks nice although squished into the corner but I like it. Oliver put the angel on the tree this year.

I love having the Christmas tree up - if I wasn't such a traditionalist I am sure it would be up all year round.... the kids did a great job. The kids had fun decorating it as usual, not to mention their usual messing about!

Now this is better.......

Oliver had his Graduation on Tuesday night, a little sad to think that my "little boy" is growing up... this is his last year of primary (junior) school and he is venturing into the big wide world of secondary school next year! It was a good night. Great to see the girls and boys dressed up. All students did a reflective speech of their time at Kananook Primary and to thank their teachers. Oliver did really well with his speech.

Last night was the first time we sat down properly as a family for dinner as we have been so busy and all over the place. We had Veal Campagnola and it was delish.

Tonight we are off out for dinner with Sharon and Tom, which will be wonderful as we haven't really caught up with the two of them for awhile now and we do miss them. They are travelling overseas over Christmas and the New Year so this will be the first year in a quite a few that they haven't spent Christmas Day with us. We are going to the Frankston RSL so local and normally a good feed.

All happening tomorrow as my mam arrives from Queensland. I am really looking forward to seeing her as we haven't seen her since April this year. She arrives around 3pm and is catching the airport bus to Frankston so I will collect her from the bus stop at about 5.20pm.

The weekend is already shaping up to be busy - it's my last Saturday morning shift for the year, Jamie and the boys are coming for dinner on Saturday night, Sunday will have to take Mam shopping for Christmas presents and then it's back to work on Monday for 3 more days.

And the best bit my house is a MESS!!!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

A huge eventful weekend.....

What can I say except I enjoyed this weekend.....

It all started Friday night with the decision to have a nice relaxing evening just the four of us and watch a DVD together. That was great except for the fact that I fell asleep during the movie (which is actually quite normal for me!! LOL!!)

During the evening however Noel and I were still discussing the loungeroom and how much I hate the way it was set up and how it always a MESS. The positioning of the TV was all wrong for where the doors are... let me explain. To get to the toilet and the bedrooms you have to walk infront of the tv which can be painful when the playstation is out (leads everywhere not to mention children at all angles) or when there is a movie on or even just watching the TV in general. Secondly it always looked a MESS.... something I have very little patience for at the moment.. When I say MESS it has overtaken the comfortable lived in look and was just annoying! Brainwave happened and I explained to Noel, my beloved, that I think that the loungeroom would make a better dining room and the dining room would make a better loungeroom - let's swap it around. Well I cannot explain the facial expression but I felt I had a lot of convincing ahead of me for this to happen!

Saturday morning I went off to work, which for a change was quite busy. I spoke to Noel and the kids during the morning and they sounded as if they were having a nice relaxing time together. It wasn't until I got home that I saw that they had actually been quite busy and had started making the switch of the rooms. I nearly cried as they had really surprised me! So there was definately no rest for the wicked that afternoon as it was full steam ahead to finish the room changes, still a little cleaning to do, but I will be the first to admit that it looks fantastic. SO MUCH BETTER.......


bad blurry photo's taken on my phone but you get the idea, right?

Sunday was another great day... this is the first time this football season that I didn't need to be at the football club at 7am (but was booked to start in the canteen at 2pm). I actually slept in until 9.30am - I don't do that very often but I must say I enjoyed every moment of it! We all sat down and had a nice breakfast together in the 'new' dining room then got ready for Oliver's football match. It was good to go and watch a whole match without worrying about the canteen and I am glad that I went - the Under 11's had their FIRST WIN against Seaford - their FIRST WIN for the season!! So proud of my boy and so proud of the team!! Noel was smiling... Dean, the coach, was smiling... so were all of the other children's parents!! After the little happy dance we were all doing, not to mention the loud singing of the club song, it was off back to the clubrooms where both Noel and I did a stint in the canteen while the Under 16's game was played (and that was a brilliant game!!).







Last night I think we were all exhausted from such a huge weekend that it was off to bed early for me and the troops.....