buying new swimmers is the WORST

With the change of season here it is time to get new swimmers.  Over winter children have grown taller and having a wedgie with  your swimmers is not acceptable at school swimming.  For some reason the elastic in rashies is designed to last about three months, so they collapse halfway through the summer season and the girls emerge from the surf wearing a sort of elastic dress.

So off we went to the shops for hopefully an easy purchase of new togs for school.  HA!

Maybe I am the only mother in Brisbane who doesn't want her 10 and 12 year old wearing push up bra bikinis.  I am pretty sure my ten year old does not need padding on top.  It was very difficult to find just a one piece normal shaped swimmer.  And with a rashie to match - because their white white pale skin BURNS so easily.  We finally settled on Speedos (thank you speedos for not changing your design.  Ever.), even though they were pushing the budget they were not pushing top padding.

I also needed new swimmers.  When the elastic disintegrates around your arms and you are swimming freestyle laps...it gets a little bit TOO freestyle.  I grabbed a pair of speedos without even trying them on in the shop (because really, I would rather eat a ball of hair than happily try on several pairs of swimmers in the shops) - fortunately they mostly fit except for the back fat.  This I plan to get rid of with my lap swimming.

I broke in my new swimmers by doing a quick km in the pool.  All good.

And hopefully the agony of buying new swimmers is over for another year.

This is exactly how I look in my new swimmers.  Focused.  Fit. In my head.

running away to join the circus

After a concerted pleading effort by my oldest daughter in the first half of the year - I relented and let her do circus classes.  With flying trapeze.

It is a bit of an unusual extra-curricular thing to do - but she loves it.  I think it is awesome for her fitness and trust and self-confidence and meeting different kids.  She loves the flying trapeze and the tissu.

You can check her out getting a catch on the trapeze here:
/http://www.streaka.com/profile/circus-arts/v/nY2laan5rfM/vel/17210/

The trainers at Flipside Circus are great, and treat the kids really well.  Annika has her first show coming up and she has been chosen to go on the tissu.  Heights don't really worry her (complete opposite to me - I start shaking and my blood runs cold when I am further than my own height off the ground).  She also loves balancing on the globe ball.  Pretty much anything high where she can climb.  Monkey child.

Circus is not that cheap, so she wasn't going to be able to do it next term.  But her teacher sent emailed a grant opportunity from the federal government called Creative Young Stars.  I figured - I can fill out a form.  So I did.  And we were the fortunate recipients of a grant - yay!!  So Annika has one more term of hanging around upside down.

So every Saturday morning I spend watching my oldest child swing and climb high.  With a big smile on her face.  I just hope she doesn't run away to join the circus.  I would miss her too much!
 

This is a picture of someone doing tissu - not my daughter, just an image search person

party news

It's like a little knocking on the back of my brain - 'update the blog', 'write about what is happening' - but most of the time it is fairly easy to ignore.  But here is a quick update:

Fortieth birthday op shop party went very well.  It was a bit overwhelming having nearly all my friends and family at my house at the same time - but it was lovely to see everyone.  I had a bit of hostess anxiety about making sure everyone had someone to talk with, and a drink, and something to eat, and the running schedule of the night - but that's part of the fun....isn't it?

I was really happy with how everything ended up looking.  Op shop theme is a great theme - nothing needs to match!

So much food - thanks everyone for cooking!

My wonderful cake made by the beautiful Kerrie.  It is caramel mudcake topped with chocolate mudcake, topped with a tea cup cake -  I think it is symbolising all the many cups of tea I have had with friends and family over the years, and many more to come!

My dress was $7 from the op shop - hand made by somebody and fitted me like a glove.

Lanterns on the deck ready for the party.  I love these lanterns.  I had the same champagne type ones in my house when I was small.

Chris made a wonderful speech.  Love him.  Mostly gorgeous and only a little bit embarassing.  Mum also made a great speech, revealing parts of my personality from when I was small that still ring true. Annika wrote me a song. A real proper song that she sang and played the piano accompaniment. I felt so proud and I cried and laughed and then cried some more. Some of the lyrics are
'you think you're so hilarious, but I don't always agree, 
you know deep down inside, I laugh until I see, how amazing you are'
and
'I've never had a day when I didn't love you, 
I've never seen a day when you weren't strong, 
I've never been away without missing you,
 I've never seen a time when you didn't sing a song'. 

 Such a wonderful gift from a beautiful daughter. It had a chord progression and everything (did I mention I was proud?).

All of us in our op shop clothes.  Such fun!

I had live musicians playing - it was really nice and added excellent ambience.  There was some very interesting oufits.....I think everyone had fun finding that special something at the op shop.

My girls had a wonderful time going through all my photos to make a photo timeline for me. It is astonishing how pictures of me as a girl look just like Annika.  The genes are strong there.  We picked way too many photos, so we had to do a cull to see what made it onto the wall.  We used little paper doilies to mark out the timeline.

In all the preparation for the party I kind of forgot the fact that I was turning 40.  Maybe I am supposed to have a midlife crisis or something.

But I'm not.  I feel blessed with family and friends.  I know I am redeemed with God.  I am cool with the fact that I have never backed a trailer, been to Paris or folded a fitted sheet.  I have learnt so much and I have so much more to learn.

Bring on 40 more.