
(If you search for it on Amazon, you can read a few pages as an excerpt - I have no affiliation with them!!)
I'm torn in two - my heart says it was the right decision, my head isn't so pleased because of the financial impact - most of the money will come from money we had set aside for other things, but we need to get a loan for the rest of it. We have an appointment with our building society tomorrow afternoon, so fingers crossed. The loan isn't really in keeping with my desire to slow down and work less, but being able to get away with little preparation for the weekend is!
Speaking of mixed feelings - this time 6 months ago, my plans for 2008 were to be working for myself on an almost full-time basis while Billy was at school, bringing in the money, paying off our debts & saving up for a trip overseas. Tomorrow, the first day of kindy, should have been the start of "life after full-time motherhood". Instead we've decided to homeschool... As much as I really want to do it, and enjoy doing it, I'm a bit torn that I won't be having that time to myself, being a "real person" again rather than just Mummy. As if he'd read my mind, Billy came up to me today, gave me a hug and said "I really like having you around all the time Mummy".. Puts it into perspective really...
Glenrock Lagoon State Conservation Area
The finished product
And while I've got the memory card in the computer, here's a photo from the Claymation workshop earlier in the week. Looks like messy fun, doesn't it?!
Chips before being broken up (or a big chip doughnut!)
Not a bad haul for $1 worth of apples!
I finally got a round tuit :) I cannot believe how much extra time I had today - I knew I wasted a lot of time online, but wow!
I made strawberry jam (without it going all over the microwave this time lol!) & multigrain bread rolls, cleaned up the kitchen & hallway which both still had stuff all over the place from our holiday, took down & packed away the Xmas tree & decorations and even did a bit of weeding! And I still found time to sit down and read my book a few times while I had a break!
Speaking of the microwave, I think ours is on it's last legs. It was getting hot on the outside & kept stopping like it was overheating while I was making the jam - I'm feeling that it might be dangerous to keep using.. Now I have to decide if I really want to replace it. I use it mainly for defrosting (mostly bread), melting stuff like butter, & cooking veges (and the jam now). I'll see how I go without it for a few weeks and then decide. Any thoughts? Is there another cost-effective way to cook veges? I steamed them tonight using the saucepan & colander - will keep my eyes open in the op shops for a metal steamer.
We've started on the CSIRO diet / eating plan again - we did it 2 years ago and Pete lost heaps then, he's added it back on so wants to lose it again. I only have a couple of kg to lose but could bid farewell to the muffin top :) We've had 2 meals from the book so far - both have been yummy! Last night was beef kebabs with couscous and harissa, tonight was roast lemon chicken with onion and pumpkin. I'm not doing it to the letter - I am physically unable to eat the amount of meat that it requires!!
I've been looking for a drama class that will take 5 year olds since Master B just loves to act - before Xmas I finally found a brochure of one in Newcastle that's just starting a class for 5-8 year olds. I left a message with them yesterday - they got back to me today and he's booked in. It sounds really good - they apparently will do a lot of playing, movement etc to increase their self-confidence. I think he'll love it! It starts at the end of Jan when Term starts.
Billy is booked into a Junior Scientist workshop run by the libraries tomorrow afternoon - it sounds fun!