What has been happening in May?

May was a pretty busy month for us. We changed to Sunday Mass to help out with leading the rosary before mass. Usually we go on Saturday night so that we can have a family day each Sunday. It is the only day we really get to sleep in so I take full advantage of it most weekends. I stay in bed most of the morning and then we usually do something with the younger children in the afternoon .

In May Amelia turned 12 and Brigette 16. Amelia had a party at Hungry Jacks and Brigette had a night out at the movies with some girlfriends. Brigette is studying on line the tests for getting her learners permit and will probably go for the test this week. She does pretty well with the on line tests but wants to do better so that she can feel confident that she will pass.

This month, the Novita Physio was visiting Port Augusta and Joseph went along to see her. The local Physio is concerned with Joseph's knee and the amount he throws it back when he is standing. The physio that we do with Joseph will be changing a bit over the next month and we will work on getting him to hold his knee in a more natural position.

We also had diabetes endocrinologist up in Port Augusta yesterday. Tom, Amelia and Christopher all had an appointment with her. Their management is going pretty well but there is always room for improvement so we have made a few adjustments with the boys pumps and we are changing Amelia to having lantus insulin in the evening. She is only going to be on daily injections for another 3 months and will be starting pump therapy in August.

Steve and I finished Season two of Downton Abbey and started watching American Horror Story. It did have some scary things in it but over all I enjoyed the story line. We are now waiting on Season three of Downton Abbey to arrive. I am really enjoying spending time with Steve watching different series. In the past, most of our dates nights have been dinner and movie night. What I like about watching a series is talking and speculating about what is going to happen after each episode.

Wordless Wednesday.

Here is Joseph and our cat CC. CC doesn't normally like Joseph and runs as soon as she hears him. She was happy to sit in the chair with him on Sunday though since Brigette was there too.

Weekend wrap up

We have had a busy but fun weekend here this weekend.

- Brigette had a job interview today for a job at Hungry Jacks. Yesterday I took her to Target to get a new outfit for it. This will be one of the last outfits I will buy her since she was offered a job at the interview. She starts work this Thursday. Brigette is our 4th child to start her working life at Hungry Jacks. Daniel, Sam and Madeline all started work here so we are keeping a family tradition going still. One of the things I love about having our older children all close together is they have become a little more independent of us close together too. I still cannot believe we have 4 children that have a little bit of financial independence.

- Last night we got to Mass a bit earlier so that I could go to reconciliation before mass. Reconciliation is a chance for a new beginning and to turn my life around. A good way to start the new term. I have a renewed vigour for all that I need to do this term.

- The temps here have been wonderful for the last week. Every day we have had lots of sun. Yesterday since the sun was shining, Steve and I walked Joseph into town for our food shopping. We had a small list so most of it fitted in the basket under Joseph for the walk home. It made a big difference though to the weight of the pusher and I am sure I used some muscles that I didn't know I had.

- Today we went back to Gladstone Square park. This time, Tom was with us. He didn't want to come on Wednesday. The children all had lots of fun again. I am sure we are going to be taking the children to this park quite often especially once the weather warms up.

I hope you have all had a great weekend.

Therese.

Happy Birthday Brigette.

Today Brigette turns 14. She is home from school though. Brigette has a grass allergy. When she touches grass, she gets some pretty awful rashes. She woke up this morning with two rashes on her leg. We have some cream to put on but she doesn't like putting it on because it burns. She put some on so hopefully they will disappear soon.

Happy Birthday Brigette. We hope it is a great day for you even though you are not feeling well.

Brigette.

Couldn't miss out on the action. Since I asked people to visit Tom's blog, She asked me to link to her new blog.

Brigette's blog is called Blah Blah Blah.

Go and see what she is up too.

Therese.

Wordless Wednesday!!!!!! Brigette's confirmation

Brigette with Sian. (Godparents daughter)

Brigette with her God parents, Malcolm and Bernadette.

Brigette with our Bishop, Bishop O'Kelly.

Our Trip to Adelaide.

While we were in Adelaide we were able to catch up with family and friends. On Saturday night we went to my friend Lynda's house. She had a great meal for us and we really enjoyed spending the night with her and her children. I must say a special hi to Toby who wanted to know if I was going to talk about our visit with them on my blog. So here you go Toby, you get a special mention.

Here is a video of Amelia at Lynda's house. Amelia really loved Mary's Barbie Camper van. In this video she is showing how to set it up.



On Sunday we decided to go to Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. After mass we saw some friends that we haven't seen since leaving Adelaide in 2000. Bob and Toni were there with their youngest daughter Catherine. We had coffee with them and then went to their place on Monday night for tea. They served a great meal and we had a wonderful time with them too.

Tuesday, Steve had his meeting so I took the children shopping for winter clothes. We left Adelaide early Wednesday morning. I thought that Joseph would sleep for most of the trip but he was a bit upset for some of the trip. I sat in the back seat with him for a while which Christopher thought was pretty funny since I hardly ever get in the back. This video was about 15 minutes before he fell asleep when we had just another 100 km to go or so.




This weekend, Brigette will be confirmed by our Bishop, Bishop O'Kelly. She has taken
St. Gemma Galgani as her patron saint.

Therese.

Happy Birthday Brigette.

Yesterday Brigette turned 13. We now have 4 teenage children. So far the teenage years haven't been too hard for us. Sure we have had some challenges but overall I like having teenage children around. They help out with the younger children a lot and do lots of chores to help the house run smoothly.

Yesterday Brigette had the day off school because she wasn't feeling well. Today she is home too but I think she is getting over the cold she has so will probably be back at school tomorrow. Today she has opened up her facebook. I wouldn't let her have one before she was 13 since Facebook don't allow children to join under that age.

Happy Birthday Brigette. Dad and I love you very much and are really happy that you are a part of our family.

Getting ready for First Communion and Confirmation.

June is a packed full month for us. The first weekend, Amelia will be making her First Communion and a fortnight later, Brigette will be Confirmed.

Amelia and I will visit Spotlight next weekend to choose the fabric and pattern for her dress. This week we will revisit John 6 and talk about the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and read all the reading which foreshadow the Eucharistic Sacrifice.

We will be busy but I am looking forward to going through it all with them. I hope Joseph is a good baby for the next couple of weeks so that I can get everything done.

My Camera is back.

So here is a photo of the bags Brigette has been making for her friends.

Lots of Sewing!!!!!!!!!!

Brigette is becoming quite a sewer.

She wanted to make two bags for her two friends from school. Most of the patterns I had were too complex and I knew that if the bag took her too long, she would give up and not finish them.

We searched the internet for some free patterns but all of them had something wrong with them. Then we found one that was too small. I thought, I can use that as a guide and make the bag bigger so printed off the pattern and made it bigger.

Finally, I had something that was acceptable.

I made the first bag up for her since we had changed so many things, to make sure the bag was going to work. She did the second one. She received most of the instructions from me in bed. My sewing corner is in our room so that made it much easier.

I wish my camera was back so that I could take a photo of one of them but it isn't. Brigette has also made a baby blanket and two sleeping bags for the baby. She wants to make some overalls too. I am really impressed with all that she has done. Maybe she will have the same addiction as me when she is older.

When I get the camera back, I will post pictures of the baby gear that she has made.

I am such a bad mother.

On Sunday our daughter Brigette turned 12 and I didn't blog about it.

We celebrated with a BBQ at Lions park which Brigette invited a couple of friends too.

Happy belated Birthday Brigette. I am sorry this is late going up. We love you very much and are glad you are a part of our family.

Mum and Dad.

Back Beach.

This morning at Back Beach.

Having a snack before we walk out to the mangroves.

looking for treasures. We found three tiny crabs.

Look at this shell mum!!!!

Mum!!!!!! Look what I found.

Pick it up so we can show everyone how big it is.

Views of Port Augusta.

The Water Tower.

Inside the Water Tower

Looking south

Looking north

Looking west

running races.

I took the children over to the Water Tower on Sunday night and we snapped a few photos. I was going to put them up on Wednesday but wasn't able to with the trip to Adelaide.

Brigette's new outfit.

Here is the photo of Brigette that I took of her new outfit. It was all ready for her to wear to camp but the elastic in the top was too tight so she wore a different top with the shorts.

The pattern we used was The Lizzie McGuire Simplicity Pattern I showed here

I have started my summer sewing

Here is Amelia in her new bathers. I wanted something modest and stylish. I had this pattern sent out from the States a couple of years ago. Click here to see the site I bought them from.

Today I also helped Brigette sew her first pair of shorts. She is going on camp on Thursday for one night and wanted a new outfit to wear. I will put some photos up of the shorts and top when we finish her top.

Wordless Weekday.

Our younger 5 children at the circus this year.

Brigettes musical theatre performance

A hectic day.

Yesterday Madeline, Brigette, Tom and Amelia were in a concert. They all belong to the Musical Theatre and yesterday was their mid year concert. We had a hectic morning getting all the housework done but it was worth it. Steve and I took Christopher along to see the show.

Tom, Amelia and Brigette all did a dance. Steve video taped them and as soon as I have worked out how to put them up here I will.

Madeline did a mono log from the Secret Garden. She was very nervous and it was very hard to hear her. I was still proud of her getting up and having a go.

They had a second show in the evening and I went to see the end of it. I saw Madeline and she did much better. I was right up the back and was able to hear her. She also didn't look as nervous. It was great to see her up there on her own doing it.

Wordless Wednesday