Me oh My!

While I may mispronounce and say wrong words quite often there are a few basics that I have worked hard to ensure the Little Hueys say correctly.

My instead of Me, is one of them.

As in, "I am going to my room" not "I am going to me room".

But my Popps, she loves reading, writing, talking and playing with words and recently made herself a sign for her bedroom, as nearly every kid does at some stage.

The sign simply said "Welcome to my room". Written in kindergarten handwriting.

A few days later I noticed the sign had altered and asked why.

Her response was, " I know you don't like that way, but I do, I like the sound of it, I think I am going to say 'me' from now on" 

Here is the new sign.

My has been scribbled out and 'me room' has been written in!

Do I keep correcting.? Or do I pick my battles and let this one go?

Gifts for me and gifts for you.

As a grown up, I understand that I must accept all gifts with a certain gratitude.

But when Mr H arrived home I struggled.

I got a new handbag. Which was ok, but I had asked him not to choose a bag for me as his taste and style in bags is limiting.

I smiled the acceptable smile that one gets with a new black imitation leather bag. Wondering just what it is he thinks I will love about vinyl.

Then I smiled when my perfume arrived out of the bag.

And I am still smiling two days later.

I don't have much jewellery at all, but a little piece of Tiffany's from Paris can always make me smile.

Mr H, please feel free to travel again if you return with such gifts, and please refrain from any future bag purchase that does not come from the Oroton shop.

And gifts for you: I had my giveaway on the recordable story books this week. It was my most popular giveaway yet. The correct entries were all placed in a spreadsheet including the facebook comments and removing one double up and one anon one that I have no idea how to contact. I accept Anon comments, but you need to email me to let me know who you are.

So, Lisa Walton please email me your details and Michelle Rivett, I shall email you. You are both the winners.

The Big Red Car.

For the last week I have had some new wheels to cruise around in after Holden kindly gave me an SV6 to use for my weekend road trip while Mr H was away.

After dropping the car off this morning at Holden I drove home trying to think of what to write about this car. I drove home in silence, with the windows down blowing cool air into the car. Not because I needed to but because my car, circa 1993 no longer has a working radio, the tape deck has long since played its last Kylie Minogue tune and the last guy I took it to refused to re-gas the Air Con because it is too old and not 'green' friendly. 

So as I cruised silently along, spitting out the odd bug that flew into my mouth from the open window. I tried to work out what my thoughts on this big red car are. 

Then I thought it best to share the conversation Mr H and I had in the car yesterday.

Mr H: I will drive you to work and have the car for the day.

Me: OK, the car needs some petrol so make sure you get some after you drop me off.

We plug the kids in and head off. As we go I start sharing some of the features of the car with Mr H. 

He ignores me. 

I am told that I wasn't using the gears properly.

I tell him it is an auto, that I have done a 600km roadtrip without him, that I do know how to put it in drive. I even went on gravel roads, and after all that I never once refuelled so please do so.

You can remain bug free and temperature controlled in the SV6

Mr H: No, you are not using them properly, you need this bit for city driving and this for open road and this for taking off quickly.

Me: You are driving erratically and the bluetooth doesn't work. I also don't like how the blind spot is so big in this car and the spoiler makes it hard to see out the back.

Mr H: Huh? Did you say something, I was just connecting my phone to the bluetooth, then I can also have the ipod on my iphone playing. 

Me: It was really annoying to have to get the kids seats in myself, this is not a family car, the anchor points for car seats do not come in it. I had to get the man across the road to get special tools to help me get them in.

Mr H: uh huh,  So can you feel how smooth it is on the road? And, press this button here, look, you don't need petrol, still 150km to go.

Me: The back seat is so big that I couldn't reach back to pass things to Immy on our weekend roadtrip.

Mr H: This is great, I can't even feel the kids kicking the back of the seat.

Me: I don't like how it is so low to the ground, it hurts my back to do up the kids seatbelts all the time.

Mr H: I could have three mates in the back and they wouldn't even be squashed.

Me: Are you listening to me, I don't think this is a good family car.

Mr H: Yes, I am listening, I think this car is too fast for you and I think it would be perfect for a 'me' car. Like, my Car. As in, you and the kids don't use it. I would have the steering wheel adjusted, the seat perfect, the blue tooth on and heaps of space for golf clubs in the back. I would just love to have this car. It would be great for a golf weekend away. Do you think we can afford to buy one, how much are they, is this one for sale? Ask them how much they want for it.

Me: This car is not for sale. Pick me up at 5 please.

Spoilers? What are they actually for? I don't get the 'spoiler'.

I ring and ring to see where he is at 5pm.

No answer

Finally they turn the corner and I am told how they had to go here and here and there and there and actually yes, now we really do need some petrol, yes, yes, should have got some earlier.

During my time of enforced silence driving home today I also realise that I have left the pram in the back of the car. 

Mr H, he would do anything to get one of these cars. Who makes the car decisions at your place? 

Blogging - not just a thing.

Yesterday a blogger turned up to my house.

She had homemade soup, fresh bread and her son to play with the girls for a little while. My kids love an extra playmate so it was lovely for them to break up the day with another little person.

My friend also brought over milk, cos she had too much at her place. I filled her bag with fennel and asparagus and lettuce and carrots as I knew we wouldn't get through them this week.

We chatted non stop and between Immy weeing all over the spare bed and a quick dash to get the kids off the trampoline when the rain poured down, we covered a lot in a couple of hours.

It reminds me that this blogging thing is more than just an online thing-a-jig.

It is soup delivered when you have been going solo for a week and still have one to go.

It is emails at midnight to say hello when someone notices you are still on twitter.

It is pecans arriving in the mail when you admit to having never had them.

Mr H, hope you have bought me something nice, see I got you a lovely new t-shirt?

It's not just this thing I do when I have a chance anymore.

It is something I make time for.

Solo Mumma Story Time and a Giveaway.

Routine is important for kids, and even more so for Mums.

In the Huey house the night time routine, when it works perfectly involves dinner, bath, story time, bed. 

With the girls having fairly wide reading levels right now usually Mr H reads to Immy and I read to Popps.  They have four stories each and like all kids they have favourites that we have to read every night until everyone knows every. single. word.

Doing the solo mumma thing means that this routine has needed a little shift this week.

Popps is quite proud of the books she can read so she starts us off with reading to us. Then we have two stories that I choose. And then we have the story that Daddy reads.

Usually, I am not really a fan of just passing over an electronic version of a parent.

But this book has been a fun thing for us this week.

This is the book I chose

Mr H pre-recorded the book a couple of weeks before he left and then I put it away to bring out when he was gone.

The girls are enjoying the concept that Dad is 'talking' to them. 

This book is becoming part of the 'Dad is away' routine.

The actual story line is a bit lacking, it is written in poem form and a little 'simple'. But the illustrations do help build the book a bit more. But it's the concept of hearing the person talk that is the real plus.

Once Mr H gets back Popps plans to re do it herself and have her own voice on there instead. You can also make up your own story to each page if you wanted to, especially for smaller children that wont recognise any words. We also added in the girls names, so you can personalise it however you want.

I received this book from Hallmark, and they are happy to give two of my readers a copy too, there are a few different options, and the winner can discuss which book they want with the PR company.

These are just a few of the options

Or check the website if you want to see more.

Just leave me a comment telling me your favourite kids book, or the best tip you have for solo parenting, or just say hi, I want a book.

I will draw this next Wednesday at 12pm. - AEST.

Winners will be notified via email.

If you want to comment on facebook instead of on the blog that is ok too.



EDITED: This giveaway is now closed.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Hallmark. I was not paid to write this post. I requested the giveaways for my readers and they said Okey Dokey.

Wordless Wednesday: #dressdare

I am partaking in Dress Dare which is being run by Fox In Flats

And I am not enjoying it. Will struggle to last the week.

Life in Pictures

Mr H got some free WiFi in the first class carriage of the Very Fast Train and sent an email requesting some images of the girls.

This is the easiest way for him to see them (thanks free WiFi at the conference), sorry for boring the rest of you.

We have been:

Crafting:

Messing up displays for the races:

Choosing new toys.

Dancing:

Trying to get Peppa to leave the front gate.

Night time Pj concert (don't mind the pile of washing about to be folded)

And more craft - bat making, in preparation for her party, only four months away, this girl is organised!

Dodging babies who are sleeping all over the place

We went to the Park (x78,000 times)

And as I am feeling extremely frumpy and non yummy Mummish. Here is the best image of me I could get.

Since you've been gone.

Dear Mr H,

Since you've been gone things have been ok.

Not once have I needed to pick up the wet bath mat and dirty jocks from the bathroom floor that you usually leave as my early morning gift each day.

No one has asked "Where's the meat" when I serve up a vegetarian dish that has taken me the last hour to cook.

There seems to be hardly any washing and I have just realised how many times a day you change your clothes and how much washing you create.

The fridge does not need filling.

There are no empty mugs of Milo hiding down beside the couch, leftover from your late night snack. Ditto, half empty packets of chips.

I have not got into the car and found the petrol light to be on when I need to get somewhere in a hurry.

I have had to pick up dog shit every day.

I am wondering if I will have to get the lawns done while you swishy tail it along the River Seine on the weekend.

Your filing system sucks. Those piles of paper you leave around the house  are not appropriate. They are now gone.

You know how you don't like to put a box in the recycling, in case someone realises we now have something that they want. Gone. No longer the centre piece of our lounge room.

Rest up, enjoy your trip. You have work to do on your return.

Love from
Mrs H