Wordless Wednesday - Our Mechanic Apprentice

Our Muddy Puzzler has shown a really keen interest of late in going to work with Muddy Hubby. Muddy Hubby is extremely proud, he was working on the truck last week and asked her to bring him a shifter, sure enough she came back with the right tool.

Myself on the other hand thinks of the washing! I haven't yet perfected the art of getting grease out of clothes. Any tips welcome!

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday.

Push It, Push It

Lately I am tripping over objects wherever I go, inside outside, doesn't matter. Muddy Bubby is trying to be on his feet with whatever means he can. Be it truck, cart, desk chair, high chair, washing trolley, dining chair or ladder. If he can get on his feet and push it he will.

Every so often he surprises himself and lets go and finds himself standing on his own, then he realises what he's done and quickly grabs hold of whatever is closest.

I have bruises up and down my legs where I've walked into things he's walked somewhere and then abandoned in favour of something else that moves, or makes noise. It's so much fun to watch him have fun and be so proud of being on his feet. It warms my heart and brings sunshine to a cold winter day.

Grateful for our 'Local'

When I was growing up I can always remember the TV show 'Cheers', not that my parents were big TV watchers or even fans of the show, but the theme song, it got me every time and I can still sing it today (always badly). 'Where everybody knows your name', I can remember wondering how in a big city a place like this existed, but there you have it, that's the magic of TV shows!

Well we do have a local pub, 'where everybody knows your name', it is nestled in the little village straight up the railway line. There isn't much in the village, a shrine of remembrance, an RFS shed with firetruck, a few homes and the grain silos and of course the CWA rooms. This pub used to be a sad and sorry sight, when I first started visiting Muddy Hubby out here he'd take me down for a cool drink and 9 times out of 10 it wouldn't be open, or you'd be lucky enough to find it open and be halfway through your drink and the publican would declare he wanted to go home, so you'd either skull your drink or leave it behind before he shut the doors on you.

Over the last 5 years though it has undergone a massive transformation, it was bought by a young couple who reintroduced regular community BBQ's and functions (this weekend they're doing Camp Oven lunches), they have renovated the pub inside, it is now open and light and welcoming, and the fact that they're smiling, happy publicans helps too. It's child friendly and when it's a quiet Sunday afternoon like the one just past the kids can hang out and eat their chips and iced water and give us some respite as they enjoy their well earned reward.

Yes, I do bribe my Muddy Kids with a visit to the pub for Chips and a cup of ice, the publicans have a little girl 3 months older than Muddy Bubby, so there is always toys to play with and some company for the Muddy Kids. In winter there's a roaring fire inside and a fire outside as well. The Muddy Kids love to run around on the grass or play in what was the 'Ladies Lounge', while we catch up on the local gossip!

This week I am expressing my gratitude for my wonderful local, for being warm and wonderful and a place the whole family can enjoy, and for being an excellent reward when you don't have a park within a 10 minute drive.

Linking up with Maxabella for 52 Weeks of Grateful at Village Voices. Head over and check it out, you'll be pleased you did!

The Bus

Time and Time again I am reminded that time passes quickly and before you know it your kids are growing up and doing things you thought were so far away. This morning my Muddy Pixie took the big step of catching the bus to Preschool. We have been talking about the possibility for a while and each time she's seem pretty keen, so with the start of a new term we decided to give it a go.
The Muddy Pixie was practically giddy with excitement, she bolted out the door this morning (unheard of for her who is always the straggler) back pack and all, bounced out of the car when we got to the bus stop and then held tightly onto my hand while we waited for the bus to arrive. Then the time came and up she went onto the bus and off to preschool. Simple as that.

I have been an anxious Mum and rang preschool to check she arrived safe and sound (she did), I was reassured that all the staff did the big 'Oh wow you caught the bus, how exciting, what a big girl thing to do' with lots of positive praise and high-fives (again I am so lucky to have such a great preschool and staff). So from now on this will be how it is, two big girls catching the bus to school and preschool and home again, 'except on special ocassions' as my Muddy Organiser says.

Chicken Infused Pork

No this is unfortunately not a recipe, this is a horror story (not really, but as close as I get) and yes it has given me nightmares.

We have 2 pet pigs, one girl (Sow) named Alana, and a boy pig (Boar) named Leopard. Over the last few months I have become quite fond of my pigs, they've got their own little personalities and they are very cheeky. We have been letting them out in the house paddock during the day, and in the evening they see me coming with the scrap bucket and put themselves in their pen, have a feed, a late afternoon camp in the sun, before they tuck themselves into their tin drum together at night.

A few weeks ago one of my chooks went missing, I put it down to foxes as there's been a few about. A couple of days later another chook went missing, it was at night and in the morning there were feathers in the pig yard. Now the two yards are next to each other and I had noticed the pigs digging around the fence line but hadn't thought anything of it, the chooks however have decided to start escaping that way, and unfortunately the pigs decided that the wayward chook that came wandering into their yard was a tasty morsel.

I was initially skeptical that it was the pigs, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, then one day I let them both out in the house paddock together (the 2 remaining chooks and the 2 pigs). What took place next was my stuff of nightmares. The pigs cornered the chooks in the chook yard, working as a team the had them cornered and went in for the kill. I was screaming 'Stop, Stop' but the pigs were focused on their goal and as I've since been told 'they're not like dogs you know, they're not going to listen'! One chook came squawking out of the yard at full pace, ran straight into the garage where I promptly shut the door to keep her safe. The second chook I thought was a goner, she had escaped to another corner but the pigs had followed and I hadn't heard a squawk from her, then like Lazarus rising she came flapping out of the yard at full pace, I opened the garage door to let her in and quickly shut it down to keep her safe. Needless to say the chooks and I are both traumatised.

The pigs aren't quite big enough to become Christmas Pork and Ham yet, so we have them for a little longer. I now only let either the chooks or the pigs out, never both and make sure the kids don't smell or look too appetising when we feed them at night! I have been wondering though whether my pork will taste a little like chicken and if I'll be sad eating my pork knowing the reason is tastes so good is because it was fattened on chooks?

Grateful for a night away

Last Friday this was what greeted me in the evening when the sun was going down, it had been a big week, it had rained lots and the Sunset I took as a sign of good things ahead. I was right! Saturday afternoon Muddy Hubby and I headed out, not just out, but away for the night! The whole night, away from the kids, away from the noise, away from the early risers.

We chilled out at the motel, before getting all frocked up for my Muddy Brother-in-law's 30th birthday celebrations. We walked to the venue (it's been years since I've been able to do that), we enjoyed some good company, some lovely food and some nice wine. We chatted without being interrupted, we got to eat our food warm. We got to walk back to the motel (again unheard of) and sleep soundly knowing our children were safely tucked up in bed (until 2:30am when they woke up for Nana, Sorry!) and wouldn't be coming to wake us up in the morning. Bliss, pure Bliss, I did wake up as per usual early, but I just lay there enjoying the silence, dozing lightly, not having to think about other people's breakfasts or what they're going to wear, just soaking up the quiet.

This week I am grateful for my Mum (and Dad) for looking after my 4 Muddy Kids to allow Muddy Hubby and I this precious time away (24 hours in total). I am so grateful for that morning of silence, to help me recharge and get back into Mummy mode.

This was the AWESOME Birthday Cake, perfect for a sheep farmer.

Linking up for 52 Weeks of Grateful with Maxabella at Village Voices.

What are you Grateful for this week?

Balancing My World

Today marks 3 weeks until I return to the work force! I'm in two minds as to whether I want to cry or whether I want to cheer that I will be getting to have some time that reminds me that I'm not only a Mum 2 days a week, that there are other aspects to me. Please don't get me wrong I love being at home with my kids but for me returning to work is what I need to bring balance back into my world.

A couple of months ago I knew I was ready to go back, Muddy Hubby came home one day and I was in tears, I had made a big effort to do nothing house related all day, to just play with my kids, the first half of the day was great, by the end I'd had enough. I cried to Muddy Hubby 'I don't actually enjoy playing with my kids ALL day' and I was so upset because I know how many women out there would give their right arm to be able to sit at home and play with their kids all day and I felt guilty that I wasn't one of them.

I have said it before and I will say it again, I take my hat off to full time stay at home Mums, I think they are a very special breed, with patience and tolerance in abundance, which I do not have.These 12 months have been perfect, I got the last few months at home full time before my Muddy Organiser started school, I got to be there each day for bus drop offs and pick ups for the first 2 terms, I even squeezed in Canteen Duty a few times and have enjoyed being at home full time.

I am making sure I am soaking up the last weeks, making sure I spend time with each of the kids, getting them ready too. I think it will be a bumpy road ahead til we get into a groove!