Knitting fool

Yesterday afternoon, before Rosie decided to feel icky, we spent some time with my friend Jakie and one of her daughters. Since her girls are now teenagers jakie decided to clean out her craft closet and give the entire contents to my girls. To Lily's total joy one of the projects was a Learn to Knit set. She was thrilled about it.

Last night we didn't even unpack all of the "stuff" cos Rosie felt so crummy but after I put her to bed Lily went in search of the knitting needles. My Mum was a fantastic knitter. After many attempts to teach me she sat me in front of a mirror and gave it one last shot. I am left handed so I would hold everything the opposite way and it drove her insane that I couldn't figure out what she was doing and she couldn't figure out how to teach me. The mirror trick was successful. I never really learnt more than putting a few stitches on and doing a few rows.

Last night Lily sat down with the instructions and her needles and yarn. Her Nannie taught her a few years ago but she hasn't been near any knitting in a couple of years. she asked me to show her what to do. We laughed and laughed. You see, if I don't think about what I am doing I can just do it but the second I tried to show her I forgot what to do. I was casting on and then after 4 stitches lent over to show her what to do and my brain went numb and I couldn't do it. I was just winding yarn around a needle?

We finally figured it all out and she was off.

Don't expect a scarf anytime soon. It took 2 hours for her to do 60 stitches

Look at her proud little face

Probably not how you are meant to hold your needles.
the concentration. At one point her knitting was so tight she couldn't get the stitches off one needle and on to the other.

Love this face. This was when she had a millimetre between her needles and they got stuck. Not sure how to get less tension. Guess I better google it.

5 year well visit

This morning I took Rosie to the pediatrician for her 5 yr old check up. I wish I had taken my camera because when she had her hearing tested she looked like a little rock star in a recording studio it was hilarious.

Anyhoo, the kids is as healthy as a horse and growing big, this was said with a little cough. She is finally firmly embedded on the American charts and stands in the 25th percentile for height and the 10th percentile for weight. Barbara, who is my friend, couldn't help but giggle at those stats. She still would really like her to put on a few pounds but is no longer at all concerned as Rosie is no longer frail. Not bad for a kid labelled "failure to thrive" 4 years ago.

She had to have a blood test which came back clean and clear, ditto her urinalysis. She needed a couple more catch up shots and she is a year behind on a couple of them.

Her stats at five years are as follow:

Weight 34.75 lbs
Height 41.5 inches

Last year she weighed 30. lbs and was 39.5 inches.

I could have sworn she has grown at least 4 inches but I guess she has only grown these 2 and it just looks like a lot more when I put her in clothes that are suddenly way to short.

Barbara strongly suggested a flu shot since we are leaving on a jet plane soon and heading somewhere cold. Since both the girls
were with me she suggested we do both today. Lily freaked out. For sometime now she has been very nervous about shots and I think that since this was RoRo's visit and not hers she was 100% shocked by the idea. She totally wigged and ended up in a panic over the idea. Barbara left us alone to talk and came back a few minutes later and asked me to step outside the room. They had just received a new shipment of flu shots this week but only had one left. What did I want to do. I had already told Lily she WAS getting one and but couldn't expect her to take one when it was Rosie's visit yet I couldn't back down. I said to forget and we would go back when she had more. The nurse then came in to give Rosie her DTAP and Lily just fell apart. She cried and cried and buried her face in my chest and couldn't even look and it wasn't even her getting the shot.

Barbara came back in and talked to Lily. She told her that everyone is scared of something and that it is OK but she wants to help her overcome it. So we are going to start working to get Lily over this fear. She was truly petrified and even though she knows it is completely irrational she can't control it. I spent many many years of my life being petrified of dogs, to the point I would stop breathing until I passed out, (that only happened once) so I know how she feels and I know I have to get her through this, and I will.

Back to Rosie, she decided that she would be the 1 in 4 kids who gets a nasty reaction to her shot and her arm is really swollen, red and painful and she has a fever of 103.4 so I dosed her up with M0trin and she is asleep. Brighter days ahead.

Here she goes again

Well it's that time of the school year again, Honor Roll time. And yes, she did it again. These posts are getting very repetitive. We are really proud of her and the effort that she puts into her schoolwork, even though she considers school BORING.

Waiting for her name to be called

All smiles, oh wait, she is ALWAYS all smiles
Cheerful little bean
What is this, a fake smile?

BORING, by the way, is her new favourite word. I am getting really tired of hearing it as everything is BORRRRRING. I know it's just a phase but not one that will pass fast enough in my eyes.

Air-robics before breakfast.

This morning the girls woke up earlier than usual, for a school day and accompanined me to the bathroom whilst I showered. After a couple of minutes Rosie let out this very excited sounding, " yes, lets go" and they were gone. I was just happy to have 20 minutes alone and was quite sure they wouldn't get into much trouble as it was only 6.30am.

When I came down the stairs about half an hour later I was very surprised to see the elaborate set up that they had put together for themselves. Every single pillow off of the beds and a couple from the couch plus all the fluffy throws they could find. My first thought was, sheesh, thankfully they don't know where the spare pillows are kept. I walked past them and mumbled be careful. This was way to much activity for so early in the day.

As I started to make breakfast the shrieks and laughter exploded from the other room so I picked up my camera and lurked from the kitchen, straining to not get caught.

If you click on the photo to enlarge it you will see a slide show of smaller ones underneath it. It's like watching the whole thing in slow motion.

I love how Rosie tries to do it too but sort of just throws herself into the mass of softness.

I have no idea what caused them to be so batty before they had had even a morsel of food but whatever it is, I want some.

This is why we love Half The Sky

Please take a moment to watch and listen to this video. Rosie is one of the very lucky ones that was helped by Jenny Bowen and Half the Sky.

I've been to China, I've seen the sadness on the faces of the babies, especially those left behind. Look at the babies in the Half the Sky facility, they are smiling. Children in SWI's rarely smile but these precious babies know they are loved. I would like to think that they will all find their forever families and learn the love of a family but I know that is just a dream

This lady has changed the life of 1000's of children. My daughters life was changed forever because of her. My life was changed forever because of her.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Every single time I see a baby without a mummy, I cry.

Love day

Valentines Day isn't just about lovers young and old it is a day to love, be loved and cherish your love, not just for your spouse, partner or significant other but for all the people in your heart.

There is no love in the world as powerful as the love of a Mother for her children. I am privileged to know this love.

The love I share with my husband is a different love and it fits like a favourite sweater, even on my bad hair days and fat days, my cranky days and OCD days. He is there, always even after 27 years.

My Brother and Sister stole my heart the day I was born. Always there and knowing me inside and out. I thank my lucky stars for them. I also have cousins that mean the world to me. When it comes to family, I hit the jackpot.

My Father is a man that I use to measure other men by. Many will come close but few will ever succeed in being the man and Father that he is. I love him dearly.

My girlfriends, oh come on, we all need them, I love them dearly. But I keep my true friends close to my heart. I have many acquaintances but only a handful of true friends.

My heart, that I always wear on my sleeve, is so very full with love.

♥

I adore this time of year. You see I absolutely love hearts. I know it's a peculiar thing to love but I do. Even the diamond in my engagement ring is a heart.

I also love to see the world adorned in red and pink. That is also peculiar as they are not my favourite colours.

The girls asked yesterday if they could do a love day project. I thought it was a lovely idea. Once we got to the craft store it was void of all things love related. Apparently if you craft you must be 3 months ahead of the calendar, I had to come up with a project and fast. This idea has been floating around in my head and I had planned on doing it for Easter but 2 little girls wanted a Valentines day project and I was not about to disappoint. And I didn't even get this off of Pinterest, it's from my head.

Here are our supplies
Skinny sticks ~ we stopped at the park on the way home and picked these up.
Floral foam
wooden hearts
spray paint
Coloured foil covered wire
Spanish Moss
ribbon
foamies
foil cupids.
container

Lily was in heaven when I told her she could do the spray painting

groovy love stickers
Rosie decorating a heart
more spray paint.
cupid
the finished container
Daddy helping out
All the little hearts we could find at the store. Each one painted and decorated by the girlies
Daddy helping out again
Ta-Da. A love tree.
They did such a good job and are so very proud of their project. Me too, I think it is gorgeous and it makes me smile each time I walk past it.


Disclaimer: We had to go outside to spray the sticks (especially since Lily was doing that job) so I took a really nasty looking old sheet that I always use when I do projects involving spray paint. I then thought they would want to come back inside but they didn't. It was cold yesterday and that is a rarity here so the girlies wanted to freeze their bums off outside. So in most of these photos is the nastiest looking sheet you have ever seen. I actually don't know where it came ftom. It looks like something from the seventies. Maybe it was my MIL's. Now I suppose it looks a lot better at least it is ballet slipper pink.

HTS walkathon.

Today was the day of the Half the Sky walkathon.

Yesterday it was pretty chilly around these parts but this morning it was downright freezing. We woke up to a frigid 48 degrees. I bundled everyone up really, really well and off we went. Due to the cold we decided to let the kidlets take their bikes or scooters with them. A quick whip around on them and it was back to walking. It helped to warm them up.

I was still so cold when we got there that I decided the only thing way of warming me up was to throw myself in a fire, I didn't do that but I did drink up cup of coffee. It took all of 0 seconds to hit my bloodstream and there was no stopping me. As the kids rode their bikes I ran with them for 2 miles and then walked a mile and then took off running for 2 more. (that dear readers is the reason why I stay away from ALL caffeine). Coffee even makes me talk fast. It was a good thing though as it gave the kids a great boost and they just kept on going. They walked and rode their little feet off and I am very proud of their efforts. Rosie went for 5 miles and I actually lost count of Lily's laps.

The group of kids walking for the children left behind in China was truly inspirational. Every single one of them was full of enthusiasm.

The 3 photos on the left of this sign are of Rosie and her Nanny whilst in her orphanage
On your marks, get set, GO GO GO
Hubby and our friend Linda. Hubby was cold
1st lap
My jacket is missing here so it must have been after my run
Friends. This is what our get togethers for China are all about. Lily and Sofia.
Fashion is always a priority!
I just happened to look down and spot Mae with her orange
All the fabulous kids that participated. Every single one is a star
woohoo, no, she didn't have coffee
I think they are trying to hide behind the origami tree
Here she comes again
Someone needed a pickmeup

I can do this Rip-Stick, watch me

Hmmm, maybe not!
Miriam, our ringleader for the walk, getting ready to call the first raffle ticket. It was a lucky one!
The 4 of us after the walkathon.


The final tally for the day isn't in yet. We are hoping that the company that one of the Dad's works for will match our donation.
What I do know however is this:
Thanks to all of you and your generous hearts my 2 little ones raised $276 for Half the Sky.

Thank you all so very much for showing your support to what we believe to be a worthy cause.

Dancing dragons and kids, oh my

For as long as we have been members of our local FCC group we have also always attended functions given by the other FCC group down here even though they are much further away. I love all the families in that group and many of them have been friends for years.

We were invited to their Chinese New Year picnic and signed up to attend. We signed up as guests as we are not members. In fact Jacob and I are known as the gatecrashers. We crash every Halloween party that they have and at least one other party every single year. When I handed over my money to Lori for the picnic she just looked at me and said, just give me your ^*% membership dues instead! So I did. We are now card carrying members of the group. It's a bit sad really cos now we can't be the crashers. Viv said I am only sad cos I had to pay dues for the first time. LOL That comment absolutely cracked up the hubs and I.

It was really super to see so many old friends again. Our children are all getting so big. I swear it was five minutes ago that Lily was one of the youngest.

We had such a wonderful time with just one little issue, it was freezing! Thankfully my friend Grace lent me a jacket. I already had a cardy on.

The entertainment was first rate




I think this guy is really creepy.
There was a balloon man there. He made balloons that made your eyes pop out. Never have I seen such a talent with balloons.

This is Erin with her balloon
and Rosie with hers
She's a butterfly if you can't tell.
Lily got Daisy Duck. The chap didn't ask you what you wanted he just created something and handed it to you.
This is his apron and those are his balloons.
Ro Ro hanging in the playground
Lily playing chase with Erin and waiting to get caught/seen

In her own little world on a scooter
Jumping bean
I took this from miles away. Lily and Erin burning rubber
ooops she lot someone
It was fun, so much fun.