Emergency declared

Miss T yells with a distressed voice from the bedroom "Mum, come quick! there is an emergency in the back yard!".  I instantly think, oh no the trampoline, surely it hasn't toppled over in this crazy weather?!?!
I go to investigate and she informs me "Mum, look, all the pink flowers have fallen!".

Kids! aaaah ox

The world has gone cRaZy!

Early this evening, what should have been a quick trip to the shops and a bit of fun for my daughter, turned into me walking away feeling like I had done something seriously wrong, like broken the law!

I had to get a few groceries for the kids dinner this week and told my Miss 5 that she could have a ride at the shops if she was good, but that I wasn't certain they had one there.  (I honestly couldn't remember).  Upon walking in she quickly spotted a Barney ride way down the other end of the shopping centre.  I told her to ask the lady at the supermarket for some change so she could have a ride after we did our shopping.

Fast forward to 'after shopping' for Miss T to have a ride.  She hopped in, put her money in, then I decided I would take a photo of her with my mobile phone.  This is something I have ALWAYS done with my kids.  Sometimes there are other children around, but I tend to wait for them to be out of the picture before I snap away, or I ask them to move.  Today this wasn't an issue.  It was almost closing time so there was absolutely no one down this end of the supermarket, oh except the cleaner.

Yes, the cleaner and this is where it got interesting.  As soon as he saw me taking a photo he told me I couldn't do that and to put it away.  To say I was knocked for six is an understatement.  What the?!?! I cannot photograph my own child ? Where are the signs to say this is not allowed in this shopping centre?  There are no other children around, so only my daughter is going to be in this photo........ I took the photo, I wasn't going to let him stop me.  He then got onto his handheld radio and called security.  I kid you not.  I continued to tell him how utterly crazy this was and that he could call security and they would not stop me.  I then proceeded to tell him that they need to put up signs and then remove the rides, because all parents do this.  So instead of standing there and thoroughly enjoying the look of joy on my daughters face I was sad, angry and confused and questioning this cleaner.  I know he doesn't make the rules, but he did choose to enforce them by calling security.  Then, out of the blue, he radio's security again to tell them it's all okay.

Mate, if you are going to make that call in the first place, then why take it back minutes later ? The damage has been done, you have made me feel like a filthy so and so.......how about we follow through with it ?

I hope there is never a 'next time'......hopefully other shopping centres aren't they same, though the cleaner tells me the same thing happened to him at another shopping centre?

Have you ever experienced this?  I can understand these 'rules' being in place at swimming classes, soccer classes etc as there is no way of not getting other children in your photo...... and I know perverts have been caught at outdoor venues photographing children getting dressed for swimming etc, but this is NOTHING like that.........

meal planning fun

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Argh, why do kids have be such big pains in the bottom when it comes to dinner times!  Well Miss T, not Master J.  Master J eats most things.

Wouldn't it be good if they could just say in advance, Mummy I'm not hungry tonight and then you could bath them and put them straight to bed without even trying!

So I made gnocchi last night....not from scratch, decided if it was a hit I would try from scratch another time, but I did make the sauce from scratch thanks to a lovely recipe from Vege Smugglers.

First few mouthfuls Miss T was saying how beautiful and sweet it was and I couldn't believe my ears.  But then after the fourth mouthful she rejected the rest.  I'm pretty sure she liked the gnocchi, just not the sauce, she kept asking for cheesy sauce.  My usual threats of sending her straight to bed did not work.  She came back twice but didn't touch it, wouldn't even let me feed it to her :/  I guess on the upside, at least Master J ate his and he even gobbled up his sisters leftovers for lunch today.  As he was eating it he was telling me how yum, delicious etc it was, aaaaw.

It's hard to know with Miss T what is normal 4 year old (nearly 5) behaviour and what is linked to her Eosinophilic Oesophagitis.  I don't think yesterday was normal behaviour as she barely touched her kindy lunch too, even though it was something she'd had a few nights before and loved :sigh:

Anyway, this was a big blow for my motivation, getting back into a proper full week of meal planning.  I hadn't really planned much out lately for the kids, just gone with suitable ingredients already in the pantry/freezer based on what I felt like cooking at the time.

Last week was much more successful and consisted of in no particular order;

Creamy garlic chicken pasta (yes I just made this up lol)

Cheesy spinach lasagne

Baked Beans

Tuna Mornay

Sausage and Veges

Yes, we are all allowed the quick/simple/slack meals like baked beans.  Thank goodness there is something that comes straight out of a tin that Miss T can eat lol

This week I have planned the following and again, in no particular order.  I just write it all out and cook what I feel like from the list each day;

Pasta with a cheese sauce with pureed cannellini beans mixed through
Chicken nuggets and roast veges (homemade, sorry had to put that, but it really goes without saying due to Miss T's allergies that it would be homemade)
Mushroom, leek and bacon risotto

Gnocchi with a red pepper and tomato sauce  (bought gnocchi to see if the kids like it.  Will try making it when I am in the right frame of mind lol)

Pizza - baby spinach leaves, lamb, chicken and bacon
Meatloaf with potato, beans and carrot

Sausage and veges

What are you eating this week?  Do you send your kids to bed on an empty stomach if they won't eat their dinner?  Tell me about meal times at your house, yes, even if they are mostly successful and without fuss :)

Are you a lover or a hater ?

It is almost that time of year when the mid year toy sales begin!

It is something that you either love or hate!  I am sort of in between.  I get peeved off when you see stores doing the sneaky thing of including everyday price items in their toy sale catalogue and then there are the retailers who are generally higher in price everyday, so their sales aren't always the greatest.  I think you will know who I am talking about here and no, it's not Myer ;)

I always go for a look, but I don't always buy.  I need to be certain it's a good deal before I get the credit card out.  And the shops always have a toy sale towards the end of the year too and I remember particularly last year, I had purchased some Zuzu pets and accessories for my nieces, daughter etc in the mid year sales only to have Kmart sell them and some Barbie things for ridiculously low prices later in the year.  I did pick and choose though, as some of the mid year Zuzu Pet prices were still over priced imo.  Oh and I did fall into the trap last year of probably buying more than I usually do, as I just couldn't resist some of those bargains at the end of the year, oooops!

So, are you a lover or a hater ?  Do you have a special way of organising yourself for the mid year toy sales ?  Do you go totally crazy and buy a stack of things, or are you retrained ?

There is such a thing as too many toys right ?

Psst, please share with me what you are on the hunt for this year, I need as many ideas as I can get!  Thank you!

roll on matchbox good times!

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Ever since Rob Thomas tweeted about their next tour, myself and many friends have been desperately hanging out for further news, dates for the single or album release, official tour dates, anything!

So what we do know is, originally tour was to begin in September, in AUSTRALIA!  They have now said that will more likely be October.
Single will be released...oh I can't remember when, was it June ?  And the latest and greatest news is, the new album NORTH will be released in September!  September 4th to be exact.

So Matchbox Twenty fans, that will give us about one month to learn the lyrics ? lol.  I know we were all worried about attending concerts and not knowing the words because the timing seemed all wrong.

What will you be doing come September 2012?  I will be singing my little heart out.........I hope the kids don't mind!

Click here to see an article released this week

From the ALLERGIST MOM. Please read!

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A friend linked me to this blog entry by the Allergist Mom.  http://theallergistmom.com/2011/10/25/let-me-introduce-myself/

Warning, whether you have children with anaphylaxis or not, you will need tissues.  This story is completely and utterly terrifying.  It can be difficult enough to live the life of one child with anaphylaxis, but three?!

Do you know anyone with food allergies ?  Do you understand the severity ?  Do you have any questions that you are too scared to ask them ?

Ramblings of a Mummy: keep track of your epipens

Ramblings of a Mummy: keep track of your epipens

At the conclusion of Food Allergy Awareness Week I felt it important to revisit this post of mine from a short while ago.  This is essential!