Sacrament Meeting

For the past two weeks, we have had children down with one thing or another. The first week, I took Ethan to the movies and he ate almost his entire body weight in popcorn, starbursts and fizzy drink in the space of 40 minuets and then spent the next hour and a bit telling me he was "going to hurl" (direct quote) and it wasn't the food he had eaten there He told me it was the nectarine I had made him eat before we left. Around midnight I got the call from the bathroom from him "mum you gotta come and see this" Thanks E really charming..So all cleaned up back in bed sleeping. However it was Sunday and although I knew he didn't have anything contagious I didn't want him going to church (or any of the others for that matter) telling people he was throwing up the night before.. So for the first time in 11 years I found myself in sacrament meeting sitting on my lonesome. It was the strangest feeling to not be on the verge of an anxiety attack for the hour and a bit that Sacrament goes for. But the really silly thing was...I sat there and missed my little family. I did totally enjoy watching other families sort out their little "reverant issues"

I guess that them being away and me having the chance to be there by myself, really made me thankful for the fact that I have a family that I absolutley adore. Some times I will be sitting in sacrament meeting Adam and I will look at each other and silently decide who is going to take Addison and Spencer out, in my head I might be thinking "why do I bother??" Then I will make the effort to look over at my big boys..and the answer is there...That is why I bother, it really dosen't seem that long ago I was hauling them out to sit in the mothers room. In my heart I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Through consistancy my children have learnt(are learning) what is important to us. I love this photo because it almost sums up how sacrament meeting goes for us!

 

 

Our Latest Adventure

As a family we love to jump in the car and go for long drives. Sometimes we will let the kids choose where we are going, as in they will take it in turns choosing straight, left or right at intersections... This trip was planned though, we went to Tarraleigha. For us the most important part is the music..if we have good music we can deal with any thing else. Lucky for me the kids all love The Killers, Greenday and classic Live selected Beatles classics ..Sadly for me the boys don't like Taylor Swift, (Lillie and I only got to sing to her songs a couple of times)Tim Mcgraw ...who dosen't love "I need you??" We are still working out the happy medium

Anyway it was a beautiful day..(Speaking of Beautiful days..for me today was perfect I got to spent time with my little Addison doing one of my absolute favourite things laying down this time on the trampoline looking at shapes in the clouds..He snuggled up to me and we found dragons,planes and dinosaurs. I felt like I defrosted for the first time since winter) Here are the photos

This makes a difference in my Life

I have decided that each week I will either put a link to you tube or include a quote from one of the leaders in our church. I was brought up in an Mormon family,and those beliefs have filled my life with a fullness that I know can not be sustained in any other way.One of my beliefs, that I hold especially close to my heart is the knowledge that my family will be together forever. Adam and I were married in the Sydney Australia Temple. The ordinances that are preformed there (like marriage) last not only for this life time but through out all eternity. I can remember attending a wedding and it was beautiful.The bride looked perfect and the groom very handsome and the service was really special.I could tell that the couple loved each other very much and it definitely was one of the most special days in both their lives(so far :))I can remember as the celebrant said these words "till death shall part thee" and you know most people in the room would have though nothing of it. However to me is sounded almost cruel..looking at those two so obviously in love, ready to start out their lives together,walk through all the joy and hardships. To eventually hold one of their own babies in their arms. To know that it was only "until death shall part thee" Right then I said a prayer of thankfulness to Heavenly Father, who loved me enough to send his son, to earth to suffer, bleed and die for me. He made repentance possible, so when I make mistakes I am able to repent, and make changes in my life to hopefully not let that same mistake keep happening.I was filled with gratitude to know that there is the opportunity for everyone.One of the biggest blessings I have in my live is to know that we are a Forever Family.

I love this

I am Torn

The more I write on here I am well aware the..well lest say stranger I am going to make myself sound. Having said that, so it is out in the open and recognized..

For the past week or so I have been trying to be like an ostrich, along the lines of it I can't (or in this case won't) see it, then it isn't really happening.As in head in the sand. Spencer (my baby who will most likely from now on be referred to as Bitsy, a name he has had since he came home from the hospital)has been showing signs he is ready to be toilet trained****post on hold I need to snuggle Addison*****(Although that may get annoying..I want to include "disturbances" as this is firstly and fore mostly a journal for my children)a normal sane person would probably be pouncing on this opportunity. For me however it makes me heartsad ( if that makes sence?) My head is saying"this is great, lets get it started" but my heart, and what I tend to think with mostly is saying he is just so little, he is my little baby. "I think we should wait a bit longer.." So, anyone that knows me will no what the outcome of this dilemma will be...

How Committed ??

So it is going to take me a little while to get into the swing of writing regularly..Obviously...

The Older three have started back at school today, I always feel a little sad when they have to go back. I really love having them all to myself. Holidays are really my favorite time of the year, summer especially watching all the amazing games they create together usually on the trampoline. It makes me smile as the older ones patiently (sometimes not so) "teach" the younger ones the rules.

We spent these holidays at home.Having little outings every second day or so. We became huge fans of Princess Park,sticky date pudding (thanks Greta)and job charts

Committed

I have been really inspired by some of the blogs that I have read recently... I am from now on going to make a concerted effort to "do this!"
I thought since this is my first day re committing to being a blogger I might tell you a little about my family.
First there is my husband Adam. He really is my best friend,one of the things that I love about him the most is that he knows me so well and still loves me! I some times (Adam if you are reading this..note the word SOMETIMES) feel sorry for him. He tries really hard to clean with me after the kids are in bed for the night. He will take the T.V room for example, sing out "Maisy it is done..." In my O.C.D mind it is no where near done...curtains aren't pulled across evenly...the toy baskets aren't sitting in the right spot on the rug..Heck as I am typing this I am thinking to myself "YOU SOUND CRAZY!!" Mabe this blogging thing really is a good idea. It really gives you the chance to reflect on yourself huh? He works really hard, not just at work but at home,he is the sort of Dad I always wanted for my children..They have it all with him, secret bedtime stories, handshakes and their own jokes. Sometimes they don't even have to say anything to each other but the three of them will all start laughing. I really love that their relationship is so close.
NELSON is our eldest child. How to describe him...I get really choked up writing emotional things about my children. Firstly Nelson is dependable, I know I can trust him to do something I have asked him to to. Thoughtful...he would never willingly want to upset someone. I love that he is growing up, when the boys were younger. I wanted time to stand still, for them to always be little and here with me, to keep them safe and know what they are doing. However as they have grown, I just feel immense pride in the job we have done so far..He isn't perfect yet..but I can see the potential.
ETHAN..Where to start, he is the child that from his early days has kept me running to keep up with him, physically and mentally. Never has Ethan taken no as the final answer, there always has to be a loop hole..some way we can strike a deal. Although a little annoying, I also love it, there isn't much that will keep him from trying. I love that he takes his punishments with out a fuss. He knows he has done something wrong...he will wear not being allowed to use the ps3, not even asking until his ban is up. When it gets near the end of a two week ban, there appears the negotiation again. I love it!
LILLIE..I am sure is going to change the world in a way. For such a little person, she has so much passion. There is no in between for Lillie it is awake and full on. Worrying about the aminals and why would people want to eat an animal? don't they know they are beautiful? I love the way when she is really concentrating she curls her hair with a finger or occasionally her tongue will creep out the side of her mouth. She lives to help, there is nothing she wouldn't do for you. Lillie is the "defender of the un defended!" If there is a cause or a person that she feels needs attention she will make it stand out.
ADDISON..Has the most beautiful eyes, that almost every time he looks at me my heart melts. (Even when he has tipped a 5kilo tub of icing sugar over Spencer's head) I am really enjoying his age. Everything is very emotional for Addison (seems to be a theme in our children!) he either loves it or hates it. And we definitely know about it! This morning he had me walking all over Eastlands looking for "amal crackers" still didn't find them, we came home with several different boxes of cookies but he is still asking for them
SPENCER..My baby boy what can I say about him, he is another one whose eyes just melt me. When he snuggles into my neck I feel really at peace! he is our perfect little boy..I am sure this blog will become full of stories of adventures of Addy and Spencer
I hope this first new enthusiastic version of my blog hasn't ranted on for to long..I will get better with time I promise!

Love Mary-Anne

Done it again

Tonight I sat down to do some "proper" scrapbooking..Jumped online to find a quote I wanted and somehow ended up here!!
I am excited about this next month..Adam has holidays and so far two days into it, great! Today we took the children up to Mount Wellington for a hike and picnic lunch and they had a great time. Exhausted but great