It was a dark & stormy night...

Well that's what it is here. Apparently the whole state of South Australia has no power. (Well I'm hoping the hospitals still have their backup generators)

So we are "camping at home". Cooking on the camp stove, keeping warm by the fire, using sleeping bags to keep warm in bed... 

Please let the power be back on tomorrow... 

Headaches & Heartbreak

Why is it the older we get the more complicated life becomes? This week is quickly becoming hell for me, & very little of it is to do with my own close family (ie husband & children). 

I never used to get many headaches, but when I did they were always extremely painful & debilitating. These days I seem to be plagued by a constant ache, which often rises into a sharp pain & then subsides into the dull ache again. Yes I should go see the doctor, but as a mum of 5 children I rarely have the time for that!! Plus in the past week both cars have broken down, one is now fixed but the other isn't, so we have had to carefully plan when & where we are going. 

So that is the headache part of the title, but what about the heartbreak but you ask? 

At this current time I have two friends going through marriage separations/divorce. One in particular is becoming rather messy. Trying to be the best, supportive friend I can be is extremely exhausting! Especially as my husband & are close with both people involved. We are just praying for the strength for all of us to make it through

Birthdays

Happy birthday to me. I turn 34 today, believe it or not! I sometimes wonder how that happened, I don't feel like I'm mid-thirties, & yet sometimes I do feel it. 

Haha, I have 5 children of course I feel old sometimes! 

Today's celebrations have consisted of buying myself an ice coffee & donut, my husband making me lunch, getting an awesome parcel in the mail, buying Chinese food for dinner & sitting down with a special drink tonight. No big party, no cake, just some simple pleasures. And sometimes that how I like it. 

Never a dull moment

With 5 children, I guess it's understandable that life would always seem busy! But this week has been especially busy! 

Our local Medieval Faire was on Saturday & then it was Mothers Day on Sunday, both of those were tiring but enjoyable. Then came Monday & one of the biggest, windiest storms our state has seen in years! Some places had wind speeds of over 100km & many coastal areas were flooded. 

We have a beautiful ancient gumtree in our backyard, with several branches that need maintenance. I fully expected them to fall in the storm! But God is good & spared us this time. The tree lost quite a few leaves & twigs but nothing large. Many others were not so lucky. 

Addictions

What is an addiction? 

When does a hobby become an addiction? 

Are all addictions bad? 

When & how can an addict get help? 

These things I ponder, as I struggle with screen addiction, & something similar to a gambling addiction (a little different, but similar). 

Easter

Wishing everyone a happy & safe Easter. 

Mummy guilt

Some days I wonder if I'm doing the right thing by my kids. 

Having five children, trying to show them the right way, is no easy task. 

And so many people don't make it any easier! I've been called "crazy" more times than I remember, had so many "pitying" looks, had so many people pity my kids for having so many siblings. 

I had five siblings (1 sister & 4 brothers), I thought it was awesome! I always had someone to play with, and there way always enough space so we could play separately too. I've tried to create this for my children as well, but so many times it seems to all fall apart. They don't want to play together, or they only want to play with so&so, they constantly fight, argue, hurt each other. 

Sometimes I do wonder what it would be like if we stopped at 2 kids, or even 3. What would we be doing? Where would we be in life? Would I have finished my study? Would my husband have injured himself, or would he still be able to work? 

Would the kids be playing sports/dancing/something extracurricular?

There's so much we can't afford because of having so many mouths to feed. Our house is never quiet or tidy! 

And every single day I get at 5 people smiling at me. 5 "I love you Mum", 5 "good-nights", & at the very least 5 cuddles (lol more like 500). 

For better or worse we have 5 children in our family & we love them. No matter what. 

 

The life we wished we didn't live.

Ah the joys of modern technology. We can access limitless information on our phones, get in touch with hundreds of people almost instantly if we wish. And yet we often fall slaves to this great technology we have created. 

Just this week my phone battery died. It was less than 24 hours & I had a new phone in my possession, & yet I still feel lost. Due to battery dying I can't access the data on my old phone. My photos are safe (thank you iCloud), but all my contacts, notes etc are locked in the blackness that is my phone... 

Changes.

Well it seems I won't be studying this year, or not the course I had planned anyway. As it turns I'm needed at home, by more than just my 6 month old. I'm not complaining, if I had gone to study this month I would constantly be doing a juggling act between study, expressing milk, school run (with one child starting reception this year), and any housework I could manage. 

So without  study I don't have to pump, I can drop the kids at school in the morning & help my 5yo settle into his class. 

Life is still busy, but manageable. Most of the time. 

Valentines Day, 12 years & 5 kids later.

12 years ago today I was the blushing, busy, stressed out bride. Yup, we decided (as I suppose many do) to get married on Valentines Day. A day which turned out to be scorching hot, so much so that when we had our garden photo done several of the bridal party (including myself) ended up with heat exhaustion!! 

And 12 years later I'm still exhausted! But this time it's due to a full life. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Through all the ups & downs we have each other, to help lift us & give us a reason to keep on going. 

Hello

I'm not really sure why I'm starting this blog, but here I am. 

I'm a mum of 5 kids in my early 30s & I'm  looking at studying & Te-entering the workforce this year. (Which seems a bit crazy as my youngest is only 5 months old at the moment. But there aren't many other choices available. 

My eldest is starting grade 5 & is at the stage where he doesn't look forward to going to school, my second is starting grade 4 & she can't wait to get back & see her friends! My third (& prem baby) is starting reception this year, wow is this going to be interesting. He can barely sit still, he is definitely going to make his teacher sigh a lot! My fourth is potty training at the moment, which is goes to make the school runs interesting ("Mum I need toilet." Every 5 minutes) hopefully my fifth just sleep on through it all (although I doubt it)

Well I guess we shall see what the year has for us!