Recent owies!

I will accept any kiss betters, as long as they don't involve long hugs... not really a hugger!

My ankle - twisted just before Mother's Day.

My ankle with bruising that spread across the top too in a lovely shade of green.

My right arm, burnt by hot oil while making doughnuts on Tuesday.

Hot oil splashes up my arm when making doughnuts.

And the underside of my wrist where oil splashed up.

And doesn't that blister on the side of my wrist look gross!?

I am thinking I shouldn't do anything except surf for the next week.  lol  I don't think the kids and dh could handle having to do it all.  Love 'em but not housewife material yet.

Best wishes
Jen

I wanna know...

how all the sheets in my front loader end up inside the single bed doona cover?  Just how does that happen?  Huh?!

I wanna know...

Twisted ankles, gaining weight and no school holidays

I twisted my ankle the day before Mother's Day (13 May) and it has taken quite some time to heal.  I have only just in the last week been able to walk on even surfaces without pain.  No fun!  It has really slowed me down, so much so that I gained 2.5kg while off my feet.  Yuk!  Like I wasn't already over weight!

So... after 4.5 weeks of sluggish mum we are now 2.5kg heavier (oops, that is just me), a huge pile of clean washing way bigger than 2.5kg is piled up on my bed and in baskets around my bedroom, we are about 2 weeks behind in school and there is a huge pile of toys spread from hither to yon and the floor looks more like the backyard with all the bits of wood (we have a wood fire place for heating) and dirt on it.  Thank goodness the carpet is old anyway (wool and threadbare in traffic areas) but I would still like to be able to see it instead of toys and dirt.

So... now what!?  Hmm, I think assigning jobs to little people to clean up their toys, dirty clothes, shoes and odd bits and pieces.  And a big vacuum, and then while I rest from that (ankle still gets wonky after a bit of walking and pivoting) I will reschedule school into our school holidays and just forgive myself for life happening.  Because after all I don't exactly have any control over that do I?

Off to rally the troops with bribes of lollies if it all gets done before lunch.

Best wishes
Jen

Parenting and Sleep Deprivation

Someone said to me recently that with the last 13.5 years filled with pregnancies and extended co-sleeping breastfeeding that I have been basically been tortured with sleep deprivation.  Well, I thought that was a bit extreme so went googling as you do.  :-)

This article, published recently, did a study on sleep deprived new parents.  In the conclusions the researchers say that they found that the executive functions of the brains of sleep deprived parents (ie less than 6 hours of sleep per night and no day time napping) was impaired compared the new parents who were getting more than 7 hours of sleep a day.

"Executive function is an umbrella term for cognitive processes such as planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, multi-tasking, initiation and monitoring of actions."  Wikipedia

So maybe she was right in a way.  I have been tortured, thinking myself a failure when I couldn't think very well.

I have been full on mothering for a long time.  First pregnancy, breastfeeding one while pregnant with second, then breastfeeding two, then breastfeeding one, then breastfeeding one while pregnant with third, breastfeeding two, breastfeeding two while pregnant with fourth, then very quickly breastfeeding one while pregnant with fourth, then breastfeeding two and finally now over 40 and only breastfeeding one.  And all that time I have co-slept a variety of children.

With all that drain on my body and brain it is no wonder I don't function so well some days and haven't done for a very long time.  I look forward to being able to function better soon when this last one weans over the next 3-4 months.

Mentally I have decided to be more forgiving of myself too.  I have been doing something that I really consider to be very important, growing and feeding babies.  It was for a season and things will change soon to allow me to do the things I have wanted to do but I have had Mummy Brain and it is ok.

Best wishes
Jen

PS Don't forget to read the comments, Rebecca had an awesome one. 

Being Present and My Values

I have been thinking about my life (as you do when the grey hairs start to appear) and I have realised that I need to be present in my life a lot more. 


I am trying to act more in alignment with my values.  Years ago I wrote out my values and in reviewing them I don't think they have changed much at all.  But over the years due to tiredness, babies and just overall blahs I have dug myself a hole of guilt for the life I am not living.  I want to be more mindful of what I have and what I value in this life.

It has meant being much more conscious of how I spend my time.  My computer time has been reduced, but do you know what, it has increased the value of my "real life" and I still have enough time to keep up with friends' blogs when I do it regularly in short stints but after everything else in my day is over.   Best of both worlds!

So my values, just to remind me, and maybe remind you too if you are not being present in your real life right now. 

FAMILY: 
    I have a family which is happy to be together, who build each other and who we can feel totally safe with.  I give my children a secure feeling that I will accept them no matter what and that I will always be honest with them.  My relationship with my dh is strong with lasting ties, not just the flimsy one of a ring but a deep hearted commitment. 

FINANCIAL SECURITY: 
    I am able to pay bills on time and also live frugally so that we have funds to do the fun things like a holiday regularly and a big holiday overseas once every 3 years.  I manage our resources so that we have more than enough no matter how little or much comes into our household.

PERSONAL HEALTH: 
    I am healthy physically because I am going to live to 100 years old.  I am healthy mentally so that I live those 100 years contributing and making a difference, not just sitting around vegetating.  I am healthy spiritually so that I am more at peace as I get older, not grumpier with a life of regrets.

WISDOM: 
    I am able to teach others what I know and also am teachable.  I am a valued member of my family because I listen and have an accepting attitude.

EDUCATION: 
    I use my brain to its fullest extent.  I do not waste my potential with my education.

CONTRIBUTION: 
    I make a contribution to society, on a small scale in the groups and church I attend, and in my neighbourhood.

CHILDREN: 
    I pass on my values to my children.  I teach them by my example and my shared experiences to be responsible, community minded adults who know the value of hard work yet keep their lives balanced.

FRIENDS: 
    I develop friendships with like-minded people and work at being a supportive friend for my closer friends.  I am open to new friends and keep my current friendships strong.

Just something to think about,
Jen

Bulk buying is not always the best price

So I went shopping last week with great trepidation to a warehouse type grocery store.  I bought a large tin (1.4kg) of a nice brand hot chocolate mix and paid $1.30/100g.  At the supermarket I frequent it is $1.28/100g, not even on special, and then the store brand I actually prefer is $0.80/100g.  Boy it pays to keep track of prices.  Even toilet paper was not cheaper for 48 rolls than me buying my 6 pack of rolls at the supermarket.

Hmm, this Galaxy Tab is starting to earn its keep as I keep records of my grocery shopping.

Best wishes
Jen

Snack schedule

Things used to be very relaxed around here for snacks.  I figured they could access the fridge when they were hungry or just eat whatever they liked of whatever had been baked.  Now though as our budget gets tighter and some of the kids are not always making wise choices on the quality or quantity of their snacks I have decided to make a snack schedule. 

Monday          1    Fruit and nuts

                     2   Crackers and sour cream dip

Tuesday         1    Fruit and yoghurt

                     2   Pita crackers and mini salad

Wednesday     1    Fruit and nuts

                     2   Baked treat, yoghurt

Thursday        1    Fruit and yoghurt

                     2   Pita crackers and mini salad

Friday            1    Fruit and nuts

                     2   Crackers and sour cream dip

Saturday        1    Fruit and yoghurt

                     2   Pita crackers and mini salad

Sunday           1    Fruit

                     2   Baked treat, yoghurt

Ironically I think it is time to start packing a lunch box like I had as a kid for school.  I want to raise children who eat healthily in both variety and quantity of food.  I would also like them to learn that sometimes you don't get to eat only the foods you like.  I think learning to eat at least a small portion of a food you don't love is a good practice towards being courteous when others serve you food different to that you usually eat.  It is part of being a good guest.

On a side note a benefit could be that my baking doesn't all get eaten in one day and the electricity bill may go down because the fridge is not being opened and closed all day long by 4 little people and me.  I can hope, can't I?

I will be getting a lunch box too.  I find myself not eating enough fresh fruit so having a portion in my lunch box each day certainly won't harm me.

I am going to use 4.0 litre Decor containers.  They slide perfectly down inside the cooler bags I have bought from either Woolies or Coles over the year.  I can then slip an ice sheet down each side of the bag and lunch and snacks are done.  We will also be a lot more portable.  If I need to go out I won't need to juggle around meals but just take them with us.  

Hot lunches are a favourite around here so I think I will just add the cutlery to the box as a hint of what is to come.  I don't always like sandwiches myself so I won't make my kids eat them every day either.  I can still be more flexible about that as a homeschooler. :-)

Well, off to make up some fresh ice sheets.  Now, where did I put them?

Best wishes

Jen