ANZAC DAY

Anzac day has always been met with a great sense of pride, respect and passion in my house hold, not just because I am the wife of a serving member but because I come from a long line of serving members and it's in my blood!

My father was a Navy man, His father also served in the RAF before migrating to Australia.
Both my father's brothers served, one in the Army (whom continues to serve in the reserves) the other in the RAAF, even one of his sister served briefly in the Army.

My husbands father served in the Army, as did his father and his fathers brother.
Ron had the honour last year of marching along side his father wearing his grandfather medals, and the feelings surrounding that momentous event was indescribable.

So there is a long line of history when it comes to our family and Anzac Day, and the kids love watching there father march and take great pride in the days events.

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if at least one of my children became serving members themselves.

We as a family had a rather quiet Anzac Day this year (which is rather unusual in itself ) but then again Anzac Day is a time to remember rather than a time to get rolling drunk and stagger home.

After Ron's initial dawn service we spent the morning lazying about home researching and reading Ron's grandfather's Defence documents and enlistment paper work, spent sometime at the park as a family, and enjoyed a lovely lunch with close friends at the local League's club.  

Being new to Sydney we weren't really clued up on what was on and honestly the kids and I didn't actually expect Ron home at all, so it was nice to spend it together as a family for once.

Hope everyone else had an enjoyable Anzac Day.

Why Begin Blogging Again???

Why did I start blogging again?

I originally started blogging for the same reasons most bloggers started blogging, to stay in touch and share their life with family and friends.

At the time I created my blog I was living in the Northern Territory, a newly petrified mother, isolated from her parents living in Stuarts Point NSW and her in laws in Wodonga VIC, so naturally without the modern technology of face book nowadays I blogged, updates, family photo’s, baby milestones, adventures and major events.

But as we all do, we got busy, the kids with growing up and school, I with studying and working, Hubby with globetrotting, deployments and work, I just didn’t have the time or energy to blog, and then I got sick.

My sickness (if that’s what you’d call it) requires a mountain of medications, and some of those as a glorious side affect are affecting my memory.

It’s just little things here and there at the moment that are becoming a struggle to remember, but it’s alarming when I can’t remember what I packed the kids on their sandwiches for lunch not 30mins before, or what I was saying mid sentence (on a bad day if interrupted) let alone their achievements and success from a whole school year, or special outing we’ve shared together as a family.

So I felt the strong obligation to start journaling and blogging again, mainly for myself, so I can look back and bitch slap my memory from time to time, but also the added benefit of my family whom we’ve been separated from again to experience our adventures more “in-depth” then just the odd facebook photo.

So there you have it, I’m not blogging for fame or fortune, or even my own egotistical need to be wanted, accepted or popular, sadly it’s due to own medical induced forgetfulness that my life’s journaling reignited.

How unexciting.  

Sports Of Sorts

It's every fathers dream to have their son play some sort of man to man contact, sweaty, chase a ball, beastly sport, whether it be AFL, Rugby, cricket, union, soccer or something similar.

Well my house hold is no different, my husband isn't one of those "weekend warrior must watch football" fans, nor does he play any sports aside from the compulsory Defence Force PT sessions but we are an active family, and we both wanted the kids to play some sort of sport.


Since moving we have tried to find something for Miss Moo and Master Z to do as extracurricular activities that suited our family budget and fitted in with our routines, but we also wanted to give the kids a choice as well, I mean they were the ones doing the activities right.

Finding something for Miss Moo was easier than expected, we kind of stumbled upon a dance physie group advertised through Master Ty’s day-care that suited her flamboyant charm to a T and at $80 a term we were happy as well.


Master Z was a little harder, but as his choice mattered he opted for karate, So we gave it a shot, after one session which he did quite well, and the weeks that followed it was evident this was not the sport for him, you see Master Z didn't understand that just because he had learnt to Defend himself didnt mean when his younger brother got too much for him to handle that it was ok to karate kick and chop away at until he was rendered a defenceless huddled heap in a corner screaming for his mum.


No matter how many talks we had with him, explaining the pros and con's, and do's, don't, and most importantly why's, Master Z seemed to think this was the best way to deal with his emotions.


Now I'm a Special Educational Aide, I deal with being hit, kicked, punched, spat on, sworn at all day long and know that it is all expressive language, no matter how you look at it, it is language in some form, But my son, who is newly 8 has never used violence as a form of language in my house hold never! Yes he has screamed and cried, had numerous melt downs, but never has he hit his siblings in rage or angst before, so to see this behaviour after one karate session, ONE session, no way was he going back.


So the search continued,

but there wasn't much around, Master Z insisted on soccer but the last time he played he ended in tears due to accidentally getting kicked in the shin, not because it hurt but because master Z didn't understand that sort of accident is what happens in that sort of game, but he thought the child didn't like him, and refused to go back to play, and upon reminding him of that and going over the rules of the game, the “nervous Nelly” (as I call it) in him opted out.


So this week at their school assembly, a wonderful representative from the Giants got up and announced the NAB AFL Aus Kick program that was starting up soon, I listened as he explained to the whole school what the program was all about, and found myself in awe of how engaged he had the whole entire school hall full of kids listening and chuckled at how envious the teachers must be.


But I paid no attention to details from the moment he mentioned “various sports” as Master Z is strict with routines would have none of that I thought to myself for sure, I mean at home if you say you’re doing something, you do it, if you write something down, it’s going to be done, (he is the best shopping list recaller) if I say were going in the car he has to know were or there will be tears, change causes so much anxiety for such a boy it is hard to fathom at times, I myself suffer from anxiety and I know as an adult how debilitating it can be let alone being a child with no control of their own lives, depending on others for everything.


So I was gobsmacked when he came to me that afternoon saying how awesome it would be if he could attend.


I left it a few days to see if the novelty would wear off, but after various chats of the reality of the program he still wanted to continue with registration, he didn’t waiver, even despite knowing it wouldn’t just be AFL games, and as far as I knew he wouldn't know anyone there (hell I wouldn't know anyone there we only just moved here)


So I did it, I paid the fee’s and signed him up. (I took solace in the fact both hubby was volunteering to help out and I could be down there cheering him on)


 April the 22^nd is his first day.


 So it seems I might have to find my folding chair and thermos and get ready to cheer my boy along at the bitter hour of 8:30am everyday Sunday morning if all goes to plan.  

Drive In Movies

Going to the movies as a family with 3 kids has it's challenges and is a stressful adventure on its own, without adding Autism into the mix as well.
Well for me I have no choice and I refuse to have any of my children miss out on any experience or be the only child in the play ground who hasn't seen a movie or been to the local circus solely because one of my children has a special gift.

We've been to commercial cinema's before with all the kids, but since moving to Sydney, despite really wanting to go we really couldn't afford to, at $97.50 just for tickets, that's right just for tickets, that's before the popcorn and drinks, it was an expensive gamble to make with Master Z whom could quiet possibly get agitated with the crowds, level of noise, the feel of the seats, where he was seated, the smell of the the cinema, how bright or loud the movie was, the list is endless and there really is no telling what could set him off, only precautions to reduce the reaction he has to them and tactics to keep him calm, could be put in to place before hand.

But when my hubby found an advertisement for the local black town drive in cinema's screening "The Lorax" and "The Pirates" and only for $25 a car we thought it would be a great way to start the Easter holidays.
The kids decided on the pirates, so we packed some nibbles, drinks, chairs, jumpers, and areoguard (do not forget that) and set on our way.

Now in comparing the two there are so many reasons why I prefer the drive in cinemas to commercial cinemas aside from cost, especially with a child with Autism, here they are in no particular order.

• Room to move without bothering anyone but yourselves (depending on where you park)  Master Z along with my other 2 can't sit still especially for an hour plus, they continually climbed from the tray of ute into cab all night long. 
• You can bring your own snacks, you can still purchase cinema food there as well, we grab fresh popcorn, but if your smalls prefer something else as a treat then that is an option.
• The level of volume is up to you as the movie audio is tuned in through your radio.
• They are in familiar surrounds, it is your car, there comfort zone, there safe haven, they can bring along favorite blankets etc, Master Z Brought his Pillow Pet.
• Depending on how many cars there are (we were lucky) they can run about the parking lot during the movie if the need is there and sometime it is needed.
• Noise. Doesn't bother anyone.
• Less confined, I personally find Master Z doesn't feel confined or caged in, he loves the outdoors, yes he is scared of the dark and it was a full moon when we went, but the screen provided a lot of light, the snack shack behind us had lighting, the speaker hubs beside each car had lighting, and if he need further calming down we turned the door lights on in the car, but an after thought an a better option would be a battery operated push light.

So next time the cinema's are in your sights for an outing, consider the outdoor type if your area has them.

Happy Sane Easter Everyone.

Surviving Easter for me will require lots of fun, interesting outdoor energetic activities.  

Thankfully we live just minutes walk from a network of walk/cycle ways connect by parks with various play equipment, ponds and estuaries full of wildlife (when I say full I mean little fish, tadpoles, ducks, turtles, and eels, but enough to be awesomely fascinating to smalls)

Surprisingly for Sydney the paths are lined with thick nature corridor's not the thin one's you usually see, which harbour there own Eco system of wildlife, lizards, beetles, bugs and slugs, all the things my kids just love.

I love taking the kids for a ride on there bikes and setting a list of things we need to find before we come home, different leaves, gum nuts, flowers, or common bugs, hours of entertainment.

The boys got a lesson on mushrooms this week and why we don't eat or touch one's we don't find in the store.

An Old Hand.

I'm not new to the world of blogging, not by a long shot, I use to blog some years ago, but as life goes for all of us and mine was no different it got busy with kids, school, study, sickness, daily mundane tasks, a few removals, and some momentous family events to balance things out. As time has rolled on, and the kids are settling in there respective new schools I have the time I longed for to blog, journal and document our most treasured memories.