Birthdays and elves!

Yesterday was Cam's 12th Birthday, we hardly saw him!! he was on his new(ish) computer for most of the day, coming out every now and again to show us his new phone! I had to work for a few hours so Gary was in charge of cake and candles..yes, he remembered cake...no, he forgot candles, but Cam didn't worry. He still loved his cake!! CARAMEL MUDCAKE from the cheesecake shop (spoilt boy Today i had the grandies for a few hours while Tina and Hayley did last minute christmas stuff. I had a ball with them, taking advantage of their good behaviour, we had an elf photo shoot. Evan was the only one who wouldn't join in, he hates santa hats and elf hats so he hid inside watching tv, while we played outside with the camera. I think the pics show what fun the kids had. (amazing how cake keeps Brayden quiet LOL). Aaryn joined in too, never too old for santa fun are you!!! (and 10 isn't too old) !) (NOTE: we now have grass!!!!! our backyard looks fab, i must take pics for you all one day mustn't i LOL)

Name dropping!!!

OMG life is never dull at work..a few weeks ago it was Jamie Dunn at my registers (you remember him, his hand was always up Agro's bum LOL), last week, Tania Zaetta (who dares wins) and today...OMG OMG how i managed to NOT gape and gawp (unlike most of the customers) How i managed to NOT ask for an autograph (unlike most of the customers). HOW i managed to serve her without getting star struck..WHO?? none other than TERRI IRWIN that's who!! who incidently does most of her shopping for Bindi and Robert there, because our clothes are kid proof!!!! oh and also my most favourite FAVOURITE radio hostess in the whole world and who I have missed in the mornings, because she resigned to go into politics BUT is coming back in the New Year. WHO laughed at me when i said...OH I LOVE YOU TO BITS when are you coming back on air, i miss you so much...yes, the one and only...CAROLINE HUTCHINSON...oh yes, she is lovely!!!! OK BREATHE NOW LOL I must remember next time to grab some paper and get their autographs because well, the manager tends to get a bit testy if you ask him if you can keep their credit card slips ROFL.... Aaryn was beside himself when I told him that Terri had been in...Cam, naturally, wanted to know what the Irwins get for christmas and was surprised that they shop in a real shop and not online!!!

THEY do believe!

YES...confirmed....THEY DO BELIEVE IN SANTA...well, they do believe in dept. store santas LOL. Today we were in Myers and it all got a bit too much for Cameron, the urge was there, he couldn't resist it, I saw him have a chat to Aaryn, then they inched over to the display to have a peep, looking around incase they saw anyone from school (LOL), then it happened HE MOVED, HE GOT OFF HIS CHAIR....OMG there was no-where to run, he had them in his sights, I saw the panic in Aaryn's eyes (he's always been terrified of Santa even though he's now 10), saw Cam, pat him on the arm and tell him it will be ok...THEN HE MADE A BEELINE STRAIGHT FOR THEM, Cam, didn't flinch, looked at him and to my mortification said..

• Hey Fatman, How's ya doin'?
• Hello, young man, doin' good, How you doin'
• Doin' not to bad thanks Santa. So, Dude, you givin' away free stuff to all the kids or just the babies who believe in you?(mother faints!!)
• (laughing heartily) I'm giving them away to all good children.
• (aaryn) hmm, that counts us out then...dig in ribs from Cam...
• Well, Santa, you've come to the right place (hello cam, he was already here!!) We've actually been really good today and I reckon we can come in and see you. (quite the charmer my boy)

Santa sits back down and in they walk, right up to the chair..was going to get a pic but at $25 i dont think so! I saw them chatting to Santa, the lady at the camera asked me to keep them there because she had a problem with the photography and they needed a diversion..oh that's right, use my boys so other parents go mad at me, i dont think so LOL..I really dont want to ask what they talked about but they were deep in conversation for ages and Santa kept laughing very loudly and real laughter not just a fake HOHOHO. THEN they got their booty...a balloon and a lovely little canvas bag with a pack of crayons and sticker book...(which i might add, hasn't left their possession all day, they even tied them to their belts!). Felt very proud when I saw Cameron, lean forward and shake Santa's hand, thanking him profusely for his rather small gift! Aaryn, tentitively reached out and shook his hand, Turned around and yelled, I'M NOT AFRAID OF HIM ANYMORE HEY MUM!!!..then..as they came out of his grotto, Cam stopped, Turned..and said with thumb raised high...

SEE YA CHRISTMAS EVE DUDE and dont forget...(said address)....TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE PRESENTS FOR ME OK DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!! now where did my shy? reserved little cam go, to be replaced by this loudmouthed almost 12 year old highschooler go????

He then asked WHY i didn't get his pic taken with santa, that would have been way cool...i told him it was far too expensive and we will go out to kawana and get it done there at 1/4 of the price..his reply....Does that santa give cool presents...ok, lets go see!!!!!!! (so we will go on Thursday!!! woohoo my first santa pic!!!!well aaryn's anyway lol)......

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Aaryn has been NAGGING for over a year to get his ear pierced, today i decided ok, it could be done...so, after seeing santa i casually said to him, ok, lets go to the piercing shop and we'll get that ear pierced. What's that i see??? sheer panic?????

• oh, it's ok mum, not today, what about we get it done on the day after xmas?....
• It wont be open then, today is kid piercing day....
• Well, I'll get it done on Saturday
• Nah, we wont be here on Saturday, what say we pop in and get a price and pick out a nice stud and you can get it done right now???
• OH it's fine mum, i dont feel like having it done today, I think I'm a bit tired, can we go home now? Do you need to do anymore shopping?? What about a coffee?? do you need a coffee??
• NO, ok, lets just pick up my glasses and go home shall we??
• HUGE SIGH...yes, that sounds good mum....

CALLED YOUR BLUFF BOY!!!!!

MUMZ RULE LOL.......

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Yesterday, I had my housewarming/christmas morning tea with all the girls..9 of us lazed around, watching the kids (all 11 of them) jump and scream in the pool, without a care in the world. The day was fantastic, we had a great day of doing nothing except eat and drink tea and cold drinks.

Mother(Heather), Jackie, Tina, Hayley, Monika, Kimberley, Monika's mother on holiday from Poland, Jenny and Moi..

I took no photo's, i think Jackie and Mother did will have to get some copies.

After everyone left, i found myself thinking how lucky I am to have these wonderful ladies as my friends. We've formed a firm bond in the 12 months or more that we've been scrapping together (actually i think it's more like 24 months if i think about it..could be even longer!). Being adopted by Heather was the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love her dearly.

If your reading this my friends..I LOVE YOU ALL....you know I do LOL...

as promised

Thought I would share a few(?) pics of Cam before and during the ceremony. He is such a clown, he insisted upon posing 'just like his brother would'.

Doesn't he look dashing in his new suit..lock up your daughters!!!!

I present to you....the graduating class of 07....and yes..they are all aliens!!. I smudged and blurred their faces because..i can LOL..The night went beautifully, the children sang *cough* divinely almost like *cough* angels and the highlight of the night was when my darling boy was awarded a certificate for overcoming all his obstacles and just behaving in class!! one very proud mother indeed, especially as his teacher gave a lovely little speech about how Cam has overcome his phobia's and learnt to live with his Asperger's and how he has come off his medication etc and now today, no one would ever guess that he even had this syndrome. Huge round of applause from the parents..Gary and I were bursting our bubbles indeed!! I have to tell you, I love his teacher this year. N was fantastic with Cam, he had a bit of a soft spot for him apparently. He used to email me weekly to 'touch base' and really worked hand in hand with me and the SEU to help Cam become the lad he is today. I would like to keep N but i dont think Gary or N's wife would like that very much LOL. I am going to miss him next year, but he has made me promise to email him regularly re: Cam's progress in High School and also to take Cam in to visit him at least 3 times during the year.

and a final pic of him with his alien friend finally glad to be out of primary school!!!!

New Me!!!!!

I decided a needed a new re-vamp so, called in my mobile hairdresser Katie, who is marvelous and does a fab job and is very reasonably priced (my new do cost a whole whopping wait for it $30, cut and new colour!!!)..here's the new me and a pic of me with Katie too LOL..the necklace i'm wearing is the one i bought in memory of my Dad, it's since had the anchor attached!! will blog again later, i have pink pattycakes in the oven (cant call them cupcakes, have called them pattycakes for ever!!) and then i have to put in some caramel ones. In readiness for the BIG graduation ceremony tonight. I've bought a new dress, and Cameron has a suit and tie (omg where is my baby??) will blog and share pics of his big night tomorrow after work...till then..BEHAVE..or try to LOL

no title cos i cant think of one!

It's been a bad week, so i'm not going to blog for a few days. Just dont feel like being the 'clown' for a few days. Still feeling really bad for my friend Maree, who's 7 yr old nephew was killed in a house fire near here on wednesday morning. Too close to home that! and now, the phone call we've been dreading to tell us that Tarsha has indeed got cancer, it's confirmed in her spleen and she's had bone marrow testing done etc to find out the extent of it. They are thinking it's in her lymph glands (nodes?) and possibly liver/kidneys and bladder. Prognosis is NOT good, Poor Sandi, she's really had a tough year with cancer. Her mother has only been out of hospital perhaps 3 months after having bowel surgery etc (they lost her a few times on the table but she soldiered on) she has colon cancer, did the chemo thing and everything looked fine then, this week she too was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. she's elected to have oral chemo this time and surgery is NOT an option apparently! DOES THIS CANCER THING EVER STOP?????? I hate cancer, i just hate it, hate what it does to the patient and hate what it does to those who have to cope with it. HATE IT....and I hate that smoking contributes and I hate that people i love STILL smoke (yes, you know I mean YOU!!!) and I just HATE a lot of things today, I hate that I have to watch my friend go through the agony of losing her daughter, now that she has at last found her so to speak. I hate that after so many years of searching, Tarsha has finally, grown up, found happiness and started to become 'human', to have it all ripped away from her with one diagnosis.And I hate more than anything, that there isn't a damn thing I can do to make it all ok for my friend. and i think more than anything else too, that i hate that it happens at this time of the year, when we should all be filled with happiness. Even though, Sandi has told us, we are NOT to be upset about it all etc, because it's christmas, you still get that little bit of good old catholic guilt (oh yes, us catholics are good at feeling guilty!!!) just because you start to feel yourself smile, laugh or be happy. and now, i'm going to sit with my boys, count my blessings and watch bridge to teribithea with them (just listening to them laughing has made me smile a bit, i love to hear them laugh!) and try to forget for a moment of the 'horrors' of life and enjoy the NOW with them! thanks for listening (reading).. TTFN

Did you know???

• That all women have a 'pouch of Douglas'?
• I didn't until today. My dear friend. Sandi's daughter has been in surgery all afternoon, having fluid removed from her pouch and having bits of a mass taken for biopsy.
• Although we are trying to remain positive, after doing heaps of research, we are not expecting good news tomorrow.
• Tarsha is only 31, married just 3 short weeks ago, with a nearly 5yr old little boy. I am trying to be positive for Sandi, just being here for her when she needs me to be and taking a backward step until she asks me to step forward so to speak.
• Tarsha has a huge mass, so huge it has displaced her kidney and spleen, rising up from her liver and bladder, fluid in the pouch of douglas (which they have drained today). It is so bad (my opinion anyway) that her specialist, wouldn't even let her go home from his rooms yesterday, instead he admitted her immediately into the Royal Women's hospital for 'immediate' treatment. Results should be in later tonight or early tomorrow morning and depending on them, she'll be going back in for more surgery (radical surgery, by the sounds of it.)
• Having been through all Tarsha's trials and tribulations with Sandi over the last 12 years, this has really thrown me for a 6. I feel for my friend and her family, we are more like sisters than friends, share our sorrows and happiness together, everything.
• OK...i just needed to get all that out of my head..I have copied a bit of info about the pouch of douglas for those that would like to know what bits they have inside them!!! (AND..GO HAVE A PAP SMEAR!!!!!!! YES...TOMORROW!!!!!!!)
• Pouch of Douglas: An extension of the peritoneal cavity between the rectum and back wall of the uterus. The term "cul-de-sac," aside from being any "blind pouch or cavity that is closed at one end," is used specifically to refer to the rectouterine pouch. From that fact comes: Culdoscopy, the introduction of an endoscope through the vagina into the cul-de-sac; Culdoscope, the viewing tube (endoscope) that is used to look into the cul-de-sac; and Culdocentesis, the aspiration (withdrawal) of fluid from the cul-de-sac. In French, "cul-de-sac" literally is "bottom of (a) sack." As early as the 13th century, a cul-de-sac was a dead-end street (or a dead-end way), a blind alley. (The third letter in "cul" is silent in French; in English it is spoken. So, in French "cul" is pronounced "ku" and in English "kul"). The rectouterine pouch is called the pouch of Douglas after the Scottish anatomist James Douglas (1675-1742) who explored this region of the female body and left his name attached to at least 3 other structural features in the vicinity.