Category: 4 years and beyond

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4 years and beyond

Indoor Play Centre Fail

Free Sandwiches that I got from the unhappy lady @ the indoor play centre. Pity the girls did not eat these. Some did not look that flash I thought. But it was nice to be given them all the same.
Free Sandwiches that I got from the unhappy lady @ the indoor play centre. Pity the girls did not eat these. Some did not look that flash I thought. But it was nice to be given them all the same.

Yesterday I went to an indoor play centre to the exhaust kids. The kids had a great time but I thought it was a terrible outing. Here are my reasons:

  • No food for my girls to eat, no hot chips avail as I promised them for a treat. No simple sandwiches like vegemite, cheese or honey.
  • No staff to service the area and could not use my free voucher for tea
  • Bad service and scrunched up face when I asked about the chips or adequate food for the girls.
  • I did get a complimentary plate of food while they heated up the oil for chips, however it was nothing my kids would eat so back to square one. Although nice it was given to me with a grumpy tone and curled up face.
  • After I went to check how they were going on with the oil and the chips after over 20mins the lady had not even put the chips on and I then had to wait 10mins more or so. I know not much but you would think if a customer wanted hot chips, the staff once the oil was hot would take the next step. Put the chips on without having to be asked again to do so.
  • I was in a play centre and did not want to have to leave the kids all the time to get food. If the place was managed properly and stocked accordingly this would not have happened. The girls were content. There was no one there other than us, and the exit was being watched by me while I went to check on food so I was covering my bases. Still I think staff should have said, “Don’t worry I will take the food to you, you go and be with the kids” This did not happen.

I usually make the girls lunches but as a treat offered to have hot chips, so thought if I made a lunch it would have gone uneaten. Why make lunch when there is the option for other food. I must say that this is not the first time that this has happened at this indoor play centre. Maybe I should have just made the lunch as their track record is not the best. However, if I had made the lunches the hot chips would have been available and my lunches would have been a waste.

Maybe I am expecting too much? Am I? I don’t think so. As a customer of a kid friendly place that charges $28 to enter for a play, I expect that there is service, food for the kids and also adults; Nothing fancy but enough to tide you over, not to have nothing and no service.

Happy Girls with some hot chips. Finally. Although we waited forever the kids did not eat as much as I thought. Maybe they were not hungry after the long wait!
Happy Girls with some hot chips. Finally. Although we waited forever the kids did not eat as much as I thought. Maybe they were not hungry after the long wait!

If there is nothing being provided please don’t charge people to use your services. This way there will be no expectations of what is there or not there. I would have organised a packed lunch and there would be no complaints.

Another issue that is a worry is that there was no staff monitoring the play area. Not one staff member popped their head in to see who things were going, if any person needed anything and to check if there could possibly be any injuries from children being a little more creative in their play.

It is a sad state of affairs that it is school holidays and this is what you get at a council facility. I do understand that some kids were still in school when we attended, but some pre-school kids and other schools were already on break. Maybe they don’t care until the weekend? Maybe it is no care attitude until the first week of the holidays? If this is so, it is a bad attitude to have in business.

Have you been in this situation; stuck somewhere after you have paid your money and no food, no service and just bad attitude from the staff. I am going to write to the organisation involved and see what they say. Not happy and think those things can improve. Send in your comments.

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4 years and beyond

Perils of Sharing a Room

We live in a small house so there is not much choice for where the twins sleep. I have been trying to move them into the spare room as it is bigger and soon they will need bigger beds but the hubby is hanging onto our space for as long as possible. If the kids moved to the bigger room, our study would wind up in their old room, it is just smaller much smaller.

Today like most days I wanted some time for me but it was not to be. I did not want to do anything fancy, just have a rest as I am still unwell due to a bad cold or it could have been the flu, I am not sure. The girls had a big day out at some friends and were looking so tired in the car. We got home and made cupcakes and they were acting like a nap would them the world of good, and I was looking forward to one as well.   I took them to their room after much complaints and yelling by them, as they did not want to go and have a rest, but they finally succumbed. I told them that if they behaved they would get a cupcake each when they get up from their rest.

I thought I was rather clever with this bribe of the cupcake, however it was not to be. Both girls were naughty, yelling, screaming, making so much noise. I had to get up so many times, yell at them to stop. Take them away from each other, and say that if they kept quiet they can sleep with me. Maybe now I can get some sleep? Julia did want to come in the big bed with me and cuddle me but after I offered it she was not interested, and the same with Lillian.

I do believe that the reason that they get up to so much mischief is due to the fact that they are always together and share a bedroom. If they were able to be on their own and not have the stimulation from each other, I think they would have a nap during the day. This day napping has been a thing of the past for years now. I don’t know how other parents of four year olds or even three year olds have them sleep during the day. My girls are keen to do heaps of activities and want to know what the next thing is to do. It is very tiring actually.

Now that we are in school holidays it is going to be a long two weeks for me. What shall I entertain my little bursts of energy with tomorrow? Or the next day. I think going to the park and doing some running with them might be in order, maybe kicking the ball around might help. Saturday is a flower fair that their artwork at school is a feature so thought to go and have a look at that. Sunday friends are coming to lunch so that is some days sorted.  Do you have trouble keeping your energy levels high during school holidays? I know it does not help when you are unwell as I am. Send in suggestions to keep me sane and the kids happy.

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4 years and beyond

Chocolate Koalas Are Extinct!

The twins have taken to a treat that we call chocolate koalas; the proper name is Top Taste Yummy Tummy Koalas™. For a long while now I have noticed no chocolate koalas at Coles Supermarket. Today I enquired as to why and when they might get more in stock.

I did notice their numbers were thinning at Coles like in the wild but thought that they would get more in. However was told today that whoever is in charge of purchasing has decided to no longer stock the chocolate koalas.

As you can imagine I was very sad to hear of this as the Top Taste Yummy Tummy Koalas™,are very tasty and a nice surprise for the girls and guests alike.

We are very much fans of this cake and would like to see it in Coles or another local supermarket soon. Coles here is moving to another location and maybe they might have room for it then. Who knows? Has a supermarket or shop stopped stocking a product that you or the kids love?

I do hope that the chocolate koalas will not be extinct for long as we miss them. Maybe I need to write a letter to George Weston Foods Limited the people that create the chocolate koalas and see if they can be put back for purchasing at Coles. It is worth a try.

P.S. Have emailed George Weston Foods Limited to see where they can be purchased now.

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4 years and beyond

Sewing or Study?

Today is the last day of term 3 for pre-school so my last day to myself before 2 weeks of school holidays. So the dilemma today is what to do? I do have many things to fill my time with but what would be the best use of my last day to myself? I really just want to do some sewing although I do desperately need to do some university study and start my assignment. Maybe I could do a bit of both?

I know many women love the school holidays, I for one am not over the moon that I lose my 3 days to myself each week. The girls are into everything and it is hard to keep the energy up all the time to keep the little girls entertained. Let’s just hope that the weather is good for the holidays so that we can go to the park, have some outdoor time and maybe have some play dates with their mates at school.

I think the plan for today is trying to fit in a bit of both, I have been getting more and more frustrated that I have not got back to my sewing and finished off the pants for the girls and started on other projects. Do you feel frustrated when you don’t get to do your own thing? Is it a pet project that you have been wanting to finish or just start?

The university study is also important as contracts law is something that you cannot instantly know so a bit of reading or thinking on some questions might be useful.  I think I will have a look at the assignment today and do a bit of sewing also. This way it will make me feel like I have done something more for me. I am still feeling sick from the flu/a bad cold so not the best. Mostly would like to curl up and go back to bed. However if I do that, I lose the day and will just get annoyed that I have not done anything with it. So I will pop a cold and flu pill and solider on.

Is it just me that has these dilemma’s on what to do with your day? Do you spilt things up so that you feel like you have done a bit of all things you wanted to do? Or is that annoying as you never seem to finish anything? Send in your comments.

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4 years and beyond

Birthday Party Success

The girls birthday party was at a local park this year, and as mentioned in a previous post was a teddy bears picnic this year. We were lucky that the weather was good and not too cold and not too hot.  Not many people rsvp’d so was not sure how many to expect but was happy when nearly all invited turned up at the park. The girls were happy to see their friends from childcare, next door, pre-school, family and friends of mummy and daddy came also.

Julia playing in the lake
Julia playing in the lake

Both girls were very spoilt by such lovely presents and I was thankful that we did not get given anything too big! We have a small house with no storage so big toys would have been a hassle and a worry – where to put it all. I currently have the problem with the stuff we already have so have to juggle things around again. I am sure every mother or person goes through what is used and not used. I give to charity or chuck what cannot be given away. So will go and do that again.

As you will see from the picture of the cakes, we made two cakes in the shape of a 4. This was all due to my nifty purchase a cake tin that can do any number combination. I purchased it after Christmas last year and think it was a marvelous thing. Have used it a couple of times but not for a birthday party. If you are interested the one that I have got is a Wiltshire Bake A Number Cake Pan, it is great and can give you all the numbers so no more multiple cake pans and worry, it can also do letters as well.

4th Birthday Cakes
4th Birthday Cakes

If you are planning a party I would recommend having it in the park (as long as the weather is good), it was much less fuss than having it at the house. As mentioned we don’t have a lot of space, so the park gave the kids room to run wild and for us to not worry about the numbers. The cleaning up aspect was easier as well as we just had to take things home or put things in the garbage so easy all round. We did hire a big table and six chairs to give some people places to sit and room for the party food, but other than that it was all simple to organise.  Maybe next time I will not be ill with the flu for it all, next party it would be nice to feel better. Have you had parties in the park for your kids? Has the weather behaved? If not what happened, and did it the party still go well? Send in your comments.

After the party
After the party
Categories
4 years and beyond

My Babies Are 4

Today my twin girls are four. I cannot believe it has been four years but it has. They are such little adults at times, and of course still little girls who are still learning things and finding out about the world. They were born so small and are still compared to other children their age, but this is probably down to genetics and the fact that they are twins so they are small compared to having a singleton. Below is a picture of me with the girls soon after they were born. Look how small they both were! Lillian had a bit of jaundice so she was a little darker than Julia.

Mummy and the girls on the 27th of Sept, 2008. Julia on left, Lillian on right.
Mummy and the girls on the 27th of Sept, 2008. Julia on left, Lillian on right.

We celebrated with the opening of presents, and then got organised to go and see Madagascar 3 (the girls call this film the animals) at the movies. The movie was a hit as well as the birthday presents, after the film we came home to cupcakes and the girls wanted daddy to put their dolls house together

The girls were lucky to receive:

  • A Doll’s House and the furniture that went with it
  • Wooden food, cake, eggs, milk bottles and the like
  • Card games with some windup toys

Both girls were asking for a dolls house and little did they know that mummy and daddy had organised one for their birthday, thanks to Aldi. Aldi is the place we purchased the wooden cake and other food toys, plus all the other furniture to go with the doll’s house. Aldi is such an amazing shop to purchase toys from. They are wooden, well made and just such a reasonable price. The girls were daddy’s assistants to help build the dolls house, however sometimes the screws got dropped and the child responsible would not know were to look for it, so not great at assisting but was trying to help.

Doll house assembly
Doll house assembly
Nearly there
Nearly there
Finished Dolls House - Now the twins can play!
Finished Dolls House – Now the twins can play!

We have organised a party for the girls at a local park so they can celebrate their birthday with friends. This is to happen Saturday but the kids have been a bit sick but on medicine and getting better, so by Saturday they should be much better than they were. Currently it is raining the weather is not ideal for park outings, however the report for the weekend claims it will be sunny so crossing fingers and toes that is correct as we don’t have an alternative. It should be a fun party, it is to be a teddy bears picnic so fun for the kids, just need to finalise games to be played and sort out the cake.

The journey with the twins has been an amazing one and I must say it was not as bad as I thought it would be with twins as my first children, but there have been times that are very testing to say the least.  Currently the girls are testing my patience and now being four I am sure will present us with new learning curves. Other than the standard issues I am very proud of the girls and what they have grown into. Both girls are very smart, happy, healthy, energetic, got a great sense of humour, and just very nice and good spirited.Below is a picture that shows them currently so you can see the difference from when born to now.

Fun at Playgroup
Fun at Playgroup. Picture was taken a couple of weeks ago and wanted to have a nice one for today that they are 4 but it has been a trial to get one. Maybe tonight I might have better luck.

I have tried to get a nice picuture of the girls together today but have gotten angry faces, both girls put their hands over their faces and so on. Not wanting pictures today.  It did not make me feel good as I try and take a picture every month on the 13th to have a record of how they are growing and changing.  Have you had your kids be silly and not want photos taken? If so is it just a phase? Or is it a sign that I am taking too many photos? Happy Birthday to all people that are celebrating a birthday today and if you are twins happy day also!

No Pictures Please - Angry Face!
No Pictures Please – Angry Face!