Tag: school holidays

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Things to do

Review: Cockatoo Island

On the last weekend of the spring school holidays I took the family for a sleepover. A sleepover with a twist; we went glamping on Cockatoo Island.

Hubby and the girls at the accommodation office on Cockatoo Island
Hubby and the girls at the accommodation office on Cockatoo Island
View of the tents on Cockatoo Island. Our tent was near the water. What a wonderful view!
View of the tents on Cockatoo Island. Our tent was near the water. What a wonderful view!

I was so excited and so were the kids. I was looking forward to exploring what the island had to offer, relaxing at a cafe and later at our tent with a glass of wine watching the sun set and the boats go by. Some of this happened but not the way I had envisioned.

Getting to Cockatoo Island

As the name suggests it is an island and the only way there is by boat or ferry. We were lucky to park the car where hubby works so that saved with money for parking for the weekend, and then walked around the corner to the ferry. We had to take the ferry to one stop due to low tide and then get a bus to the next place to get the ferry all the way to Cockatoo Island. This was great for the girls as they loved the fact that we took a car, ferry, bus and then finally ferry again. A big adventure just to get there.

Cockatoo Island Wharf, Cockatoo Island. Sydney Harbour.
Cockatoo Island Wharf, Cockatoo Island. Sydney Harbour.
The girls on the wharf waiting for our ferry back to the city.
The girls on the wharf waiting for our ferry back to the city.

What did we pack?

If you are staying on the island you need to make sure you bring everything you need with you. This is why I decided on glamping as it means we are not carrying too much with us.

We took the following with us:

  • Change of clothes for everyone. Basically just a shirt, shorts and other essentials
  • We all had one pair of shoes, however since it was 34 degrees for nearly both days we were there a pair of thongs could have come in handy
  • Food for dinner, we had a BBQ that we organised ourselves
  • Plates, cups, forks, knives, spoons and so on.
  • Weet-Bix for the twins and 5ooml of milk that was in a cool bag (kids are fussy and having breakfast for them was essential. Hubby and I waited till the cafe was open and had a bacon and egg roll)
View of the buildings and cranes on Cockatoo Island
View of the buildings and cranes on Cockatoo Island

 What can you do on Cockatoo Island?

  • Explore the island
  • Get a tour by a guide or do a self guided tour
  • Learn about the buildings and the history
  • Kids can collect clues and colour in a book that you can get from the vistors centre
  • Relax with a nice drink and watch the stunning harbour view
  • Have a lovely BBQ
  • Camp and stay over on the island

 

 What did we do?

After we arrived we organised our ice for our esky and then made sure we had wine for the evening. Silly to have to race to do this but the place to purchase wine closes at 4pm and we had a 2pm check-in. Once this was organised we relaxed a bit in our wonderful tent.

The tent and amenities that were provided were wonderful. The glamping tent came with camp beds, linen, towels, toiletries – soap, shampoo, conditioner and the like. It was a huge tent and I am glad I did not have to carry it or put it up. It was good to have it there and ready for us when we arrived.

After we sorted ourselves out we then went off to explore the island. We did get the self-guided tour (headphones that when you enter a number it tells you about a certain area or building), we just explored and had some fun. It was a hot day and the kids had fun running around and looking at the wonderful view.

The beautiful sunset that we saw on Sunday the 5th of October while on Cockatoo Island.
The beautiful sunset that we saw on Sunday the 5th of October while on Cockatoo Island.

 

I wore my Fitbit Flex and I did the following steps:

  • 17,480 Steps on Sunday (this was the hottest day and of course we did the most walking! The twins met a friend in the tent next to ours and ran around so they must have done well over 20,000 steps as they were running around like mad people)
  • 9,987  Steps on Monday

So as you can see you do a lot of walking! So make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

What did we eat?

I went shopping and got some sausages, chops (otherwise known as roast beef on the bone), and some nice bits of steak for a BBQ. We also purchased some fresh bread rolls, salad and and drinks to take with us. I froze the drinks so that they would stay colder longer. This was a good help especially with a very hot day that I did not expect.  The island has a wonderful kitchen facility for all that stay and we used this area to cook and eat our BBQ feast. Since we made friends with our neighbours we ended up having dinner with them as well. It was a nice evening.

BBQ, Kitchen and eating area for those who camp on Cockatoo Island.
BBQ, Kitchen and eating area for those who camp on Cockatoo Island.

Before I went to Cockatoo Island, I did some research and realised that the pizza place on the island closed at 3pm to families…YES silly really. The weekend we visited, it was the October long weekend, the start of daylight savings and also still school holidays. So why close a place where families can eat and enjoy the island from your cafe/restaurant. I was told when I emailed before our visit that the owner has it as an adults only area after 3pm and if we wanted to come back during the weekday, not school holidays or the weekends it will be fine. I did mention that we were visiting on the weekend and due to school holidays that being there on a weekday would not be possible. I also explained that we were there for a family outing so having children with us was a given.

This is why we chose to take food for a BBQ for our dinner on the Sunday evening.

Other areas that offered food were all closing at about 3pm or 4pm… weird? Why did they not stay open to at least 7pm or 8pm or later… it was of course an island, people were staying there and they in turn could make more money. Strange if you ask me. You are stuck on an island where businesses could earn more if they stayed open and catered more for their customers.

Not sure if there is a reason for this but we could not understand it.

If you are thinking of staying on Cockatoo Island it is a wise idea to bring your own food if you have kids. Most likely places will not be open or if they are your child might not like what is on the menu. It is not like you can go down the shops to get what you need when you are in the middle of Sydney Harbour.

 

There is a fire pit and the ranger on the island lit it for the evening.
There is a fire pit and the ranger on the island lit it for the evening.

 

Things that need improvement

  • More family friendly businesses. Families with kids go to Cockatoo Island for something to do and they are prepared to spend when they are there, even more if you are staying on the Island. To not have venues happy to accept families was a major disappointment. I was so looking forward to sipping a cocktail while having dinner and looking at the harbour. This was not to be due to the fact the only place to do this did not cater for families. I spoke to other families and they said the same thing. Families with kids are being discriminated against and this is a big negative for a fantastic venue like Cockatoo Island.
  • Open longer and provide places for kids to be while parents are allowed to eat.
  • We tried to rent a boat to go around the island but when hubby tried to do this he was told to call a number to organise. He said that if he had known this we would have done it before we arrived. However the website said it can all be arranged from the island. We did call the person on the number we were given and the person called back and then found us to discuss renting a boat for all four of us. He took one look at the twins and realised they were tiny. He asked how old and we told him they were six. He said that it depends on life jackets for the kids as we all had to be safe. He came back with the smallest life jacket he had and tried it on one of the girls. It was too big and that meant we could not go on the boat. We understood this and don’t want to not be safe. However if we were able to organise this before we got to Cockatoo Island maybe we might have been able to rent the boat and have this experience. This also means that the money for the boat hire, about $100 was not earnt and this person lost out on the money. Better organisation would mean a better experience and more money in the businesses pockets. A win, win really.
  • Staff argued with us when we questioned why they took the lids off our bottles of wine when we purchased them (Having staff that don’t argue might be a good idea). You are not allowed to take alcohol on the island and we did not. You are only allowed to purchase it there and drink it in certain areas. The cafe/bar where you buy it, or say your tent or BBQ/Kitchen area. We made sure to purchase ice for our esky that was provided and not having any lids on bottles of wine made it hard to fit everything back into the esky. We were told that not having any lids on the wine is for our safety. Really why is not having a lid something that makes it safe?

    Not having a lid makes it more easily spilt, or drunken by other people that are not supposed to have it. Having a lid on a bottle of wine is from my understanding safer than not having a lid on it.

Cockatoo Island Promo Shot from their website. It shows a lid on a wine bottle although this is not allowed for your safety of course.
Cockatoo Island Promo Shot from their website. It shows a lid on a wine bottle although this is not allowed for your safety of course.
  • Seagulls are everywhere, and they are feral! I don’t know what can be done but they need to try and remove them or at least make it easier for the vistors to the island. When we were doing the clue finding with the kids we had to leave many areas as the seagulls were nesting and had eggs that they were protecting. They were getting rather upset and some were looking like they might attack. All they need is a kid to be attacked or something bad to happen and then there might be a major issue. We were fine and left them well alone, however the kids did point out that the island should be renamed, Seagull Island rather than Cockatoo Island.

As you will see the promo image from the Cockatoo Island website shows that you can sit at your tent with a nice glass of wine with a lid on the bottle no less. However when you get there for the same experience, lids were confiscated and the top of the bottle was stuffed with kitchen paper to make up for the missing lid.

 

Looking at the fire while the sun sets on Cockatoo Island
Looking at the fire while the sun sets on Cockatoo Island

What to pack if you wish to stay on Cockatoo Island

  • Food if you wish to have a BBQ or if you have kids with you
  • Lids for wine or anything that might have lids taken away from you
  • Cups, plates, knifes, forks, spoons, bowls,cups, glasses, and so on if you are bringing food
  • Change of clothes, change of shoes if it becomes cool. We just brought walking shoes and as it was hot did not have thongs or sandals
  • Hat
  • Suncream
  • Toilet paper. The ladies toilets were fine and always had adequate paper but hubby said the mens did not. So we were lucky to have some with us.
  • Note: there is no power for electrical items so make sure you charge your phone and devices ahead of time. My iPhone 4s died early into our first day there so that was not good but to be expected. It is an old phone that has a battery that is on its way out. I am hanging for the new iPhone.
  • Games for the kids. Card game, a ball or maybe a board game for something to do after you are back at your tent
Enjoying the fire and outdoors on Cockatoo Island
Enjoying the fire and outdoors on Cockatoo Island

Did we enjoy Cockatoo Island?

We had a great time but some of the things that we expected made the trip for hubby and I not as great as we hoped. Just a little more work on what they offer from hours and accessibility for families to services, and customer service side would have made it fabulous. From my perspective, Cockatoo Island needs to think about who visits their island. It is most likely families who come for a day or stay over, that said they are there to have fun and spend money. It is hard to do this when you cannot due to businesses not catering for families who are prepared to spend when they are there. Think about returns that they have lost due to such silly decisions to close a venue off to families at 3pm.

I loved camping, being somewhere different and it was great as it was a holiday without having to go to far from  home.

Relaxing at our tent on Cockatoo Island
Relaxing at our tent on Cockatoo Island

The kids loved it and enjoyed racing around and exploring everything. It was the first time for the kids to go camping or really glamping. I did tell the kids that normally we would be camping in a sleeping bag not a bed setup with all the bed made for us.

We would definitely go back. Now we know what we need to do for our next stay or we could just do a day trip. Hubby would like to learn more about the buildings and one day we will go back to learn more.

Have you been to Cockatoo Island? Did you stay over? What did you think? Did you have fun?

Our tent when we were glamping on Cockatoo Island
Our tent when we were glamping on Cockatoo Island
Categories
Things to do

First Time Glamping

I have treated the family to an overnight getaway. I am so excited and for a while it was a mystery to hubby where we were going. However this did not last long as I needed to tell him due to logistics and how we got to our destination.

Where are we off to you ask?

We are going to be glamping on Cockatoo Island this October Long Weekend.  We are off this Sunday and back home on the holiday Monday. The twins have no idea where we are going and they will be so excited to find out that are staying on an island in a tent in Sydney Harbour! Cannot wait to see the kids faces.

The tents on Cockatoo Island
The tents on Cockatoo Island

Why Glamping?

I have been camping and know that you need to bring quite a bit of stuff with you. With two adults and two kids the things to pack would be extreme. It is just for one night and I wanted to make things easy on us. Especially me and hubby.

The tents are provided as well as the beds, linen, towels, pillows and a couple extra things. This cuts down on what we have to pack. Ideal really for a short getaway.

Why Cockatoo Island?

I wanted to go away but by the time you factored into plane fares, rental car and of course hotel stay it adds up for just a weekend away. Thousands of dollars for say a two day getaway. Nope not interested in spending that much. Cockatoo Island was reasonable in costs and the best thing is that we can drive to the city, park the car and get onto a ferry and be there easily. No extra payments for hire car, or flights. It is a holiday somewhere we have never been. It will be like we have travelled but we are still in the same city.

Cockatoo Island was cheap considering it has wonderful views and has a lot on offer, I wish I could have booked another night time did not let me (I wanted to do it on the long weekend and could only get Sunday night so that is great and happy with that. Was aiming for Saturday but that was full). There are tours that you can do yourself or have a guide, play tennis or just relax. There are also plenty for the kids to do. Check out the video below:

 

Cockatoo Island also offers great education programs for kids. Below is the video for Primary children but they also have a program for secondary students. This looks amazing and what a great place to make history and facts come to life. I cannot wait to experience it and share it with the kids.

More images and stories to come soon about our weekend away.

Have you been glamping? Did you glamp on Cockatoo Island? Was it for a night or longer? Let us know how it went. The school holidays are nearly over and we have had a jam packed two weeks. This is a perfect way to end the holidays and relax with the family before school resumes.

How were the holidays for you? Hope you are relaxed and have managed okay.

Categories
Things to do

Time Out Idea: Kids Sleep Over With Family

After the twins birthday party, I was asked by their Great Aunt if we would be happy for the kids to have a sleep over at their place. I said that sounded fine, checked with hubby and he thought that would be a nice idea. She mentioned that this will allow us to have a break and for her to catch up with the kids.

Little did I know was that it was not just one night that she was thinking about, in fact it would be two nights and we would have the ENTIRE weekend to ourselves. To make it even better, the kids are being dropped off some time on the Monday…Yes, they are coming home Monday so we get to do whatever we want on the whole weekend!

The kids bags are packed. Ready to go to their sleep over tomorrow.
The kids bags are packed. Ready to go to their sleep over tomorrow.

I did think she had mistaken this coming weekend for the October Long Weekend and had to check. She told us the dates, 27th and the 28th of Sept, so we booked a hotel in the city for us for the Saturday thinking it was just one night. It gets hard with hubby’s work being away on a Sunday so Saturday is still good enough for us.

This sudden weekend by ourselves took us by surprise and got me thinking… Do your kids have a sleep over at relatives? I do understand that if they are too young this might not be possible, but if they are older it might be a great idea.

Holidays are tough when you have to keep the kids entertained and seem like you are always on the go with no rest. Kids visiting with relatives is great as they can learn from them, catch up, have adventures and just have fun with other people. I have found that on the odd time that the twins have slept over their Great Aunt’s they have had a wonderful time.

Lillian especially has been so excited she has packed multiple bags with so many things ready for tomorrow. All their bags are packed with my help today. I am not sure exactly what they have packed, but I think there are many toys, a music box, their perfume, and other important items that must go with them. It was so cute that she raced off to get it all done and her sister then helped get all the extra bags. I wonder what their Great Aunt will find when they unpack?

So I put it to you…

Are you able to have the kids/child sleep over at a relatives? It does not have to be for the entire weekend, one night is ample at times. The kids are so looking forward to their “two night sleep over” as they are calling it. They are looking forward to having adventures and being on their own with family, without mummy and daddy. They are saying how big they are now they are six.

This was unexpected and not planned, but it is going to be lovely…. Me Time, Us Time, sleeping in…. No one asking me to make them breakfast, well at least not till Tuesday.

It might be something to think about organising for next holidays or just the weekend? Start small and I am sure you will love the extra YOU time. It is also a cheap idea of the kids going somewhere without breaking the bank (Assuming you are in the same state and not too far away. If you are not that close it might not be possible)

Let us know if your kids have regular sleep overs with family members? What are their favourite parts of the trip or getaway? Send in your comments.

Categories
6 years and beyond

We Saw Saturn

Last night after our BBQ with friends a man came in and said his hellos. He was an astronomer, and he had come to stay to look at the stars. The weather was still, and there was no wind. The sky was bright and you could see all the stars with the naked eye. It was amazing!

The other amazing thing was this lovely man said that he would be happy to show us what he was looking at and give a talk while he set up his telescope. I must say it was not what I expected. I had a vision that the telescope would be like the ones you buy off the shelf. No this was not to be.

The girls waiting for the telescope to get set up. They were very curious about what the astronomer was doing.
The girls waiting for the telescope to get set up. They were very curious about what the astronomer was doing.

His telescope was HUGE and I am sure you are thinking yeah right! However it had a big wooden brackets and circular additions to allow it to swivel around. I did not realise that you could make your own telescope, however if you know what you are doing and have over 30 years of experience like this man did I am sure you can do it.

Just picture it. It is pitch black, there is a group of mainly men, a couple of women, and 2 kids. We were all rather jolly and silly by this time so there were a lot of jokes about Uranus…Yes it was done to death. The poor astronomer has probably heard these types of jokes too many times. However he was polite and nice and laughed them off.

The twins were fascinated how the telescope got put together and its size. They were learning about the stories of the stars, the milky way and the southern cross. We also learnt that there was a second southern cross created by the devil to fool us. I had no idea until last night. Star gazing is fascinating and exposing kids to the great galaxies and universes is a great thing.

Getting the telescope ready
Getting the telescope ready

Once the telescope was all set up, it was then pointed in the direction of Saturn. Each person was kindly given the chance to see the rings on Saturn and the moon Titan. The girls were amazed and at first Julia was asked what she saw. She said nothing but the lens had to be adjusted. Once it was fixed, she saw Saturn and Titan fine. Lillian was amazed that she was able to see a planet through a telescope and was happy that she and daddy were the only two people who saw shooting stars. Yes I missed this and Julia also.

We were very lucky to have had this opportunity and I am pleased the girls had this experience. Have you taken your children to the observatory to look at the stars? Sydney Observatory have some wonderful things on these school holidays. Wish we could do them all!

Do you love gazing at the stars? Do your kids? What is your favourite thing to do with the kids and star watching? Let us know.

Categories
Things to do

Get Up Close with Dinosaurs

Do you need an idea of where to take the kids? Well this one will keep kids and adults occupied for hours! Yes the whole family will find something of interest. Recently we took the twins to the “Tyrannosaurs, Meet the Family exhibition at The Australian Museum.” It was amazing and very interactive for the kids. So if you need somewhere for the kids that is different and also educational this is a great place to go!

Excited and cannot wait to go and meet the Tyrannosaurs
Excited and cannot wait to go and meet the Tyrannosaurs

 

Here is a sneak peek of what the exhibition is like.


When we all walked in the kids were super excited and we did not know what to expect. There was a walkway and to each side screens with video on them. On the screen was images of Sydney one at the Opera House and the other looks like it is Phillip Street. The video below shows what happened when we went through this walkway to access the exhibition.

I obviously did not care if my kids or hubby were attacked by a dinosaur. I was too busy giggling and filming on my iPhone.

Once we were at the exhibition there were places for the kids to touch dinosaur bones, interact with the screens. This interactive screen allowed you to click on an egg, hatch a baby dinosaur and drag it onto the right time where they would have lived. I had no idea when where to put them but it was very clever and a fun way to get kids interested and involved.

The girls playing with the touch screen.
The girls playing with the touch screen.
There is now a dinosaur on the loose
There is now a dinosaur on the loose

 

A Dinosaur Shadow Comes to Life

Turn the volume up to experience full roar!

The twins were rather shocked that the shadow came to life. The noise was very loud!

We had tickets that allowed us entry at a certain time. I think we could enter at 12.30, so we had time before we went to the Tyrannosaurs exhibition. This allowed us to see the rest of the museum as well. It was a good experience for the kids. In the bone and skeleton section there was a lady with bones and items that kids could touch. She told the kids all about the bones and asked questions of the girls. One thing that she asked the twins was why is it that the pelican bones are so much lighter and more hollow than the elephant or other bones. The answer of course was barbecue pelicans fly and need lighter bones to be in the air. Yes the girls got that one right!

Domestic Bliss. Reading the paper while the dog is at your feet. The cat is chasing a mouse. While the bird is in its cage.
Domestic Bliss. Reading the paper while the dog is at your feet. The cat is chasing a mouse. While the bird is in its cage.
A horseman on his horse. Yeehaa!
A horseman on his horse. Yeehaa!
The girls at one of the skeleton remains of a dinosaur.
The girls at one of the skeleton remains of a dinosaur.

We also looked at some very nice and big lumps of gemstone! Yes I would have loved to have left with a lot of it in my bag. I know it would be obvious I would have it as I could not lift it and therefore, would have to drag my bag out of the building. Plus it is all behind glass and I would not be able to get to it is a big deterrent and of course getting to trouble is BIGGER ONE!

Just amazing and impressive gemstones on display.
Just amazing and impressive gemstones on display.

More About Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family

How much are tickets?

$62 for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids if you buy at the museum on the same day

$57 for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids if you purchase tickets in advance

Kids under 5 are free!

You can see all the museum as well as the Dinosaur exhibit with this ticket. Great value to see everything.

If you are a member of the museum it is cheaper.

When does it end?

The Tyrannosaurs exhibition closes on July 27th. Better get there to experience the fun before it ends.

A Bit of Fun

You can download the Tyrannosaurs Photo Bomb App and enter the competition to win tickets and a trip to Sydney.

Hope this has given you another idea for the kids. After we left the museum we decided to go to the Botanical Gardens so the girls could run around and get some energy released, this worked out well as we had a long trip back to the mountains. I find it best when kids can have some time playing and running around before they get back into a car where they cannot move much and are rather restricted.

Categories
Sewing

Sew Gabba Gabba Shirts In 5 Steps

Do your kids love Yo Gabba Gabba? Mine do and in fact they are rather obsessed with the show and of course the characters. When the girls were about two we took them to see Yo Gabba Gabba at the Opera House. They were so happy and hysterical when their favourite characters graced the stage. At the time Lillian’s fav was Foofa and it has remained. Julia loved Muno, and still does but now is wanting everything Toodee.

I of course was online and fell across an advertisement saying that Yo Gabba Gabba was going to be in Sydney. Yes another show! It was going to be at Luna Park and we were all lucky to attend last Saturday the 28th, and how amazing it worked in being the first weekend of the school holidays.

So what do you do for your very obsessed kids who want to look the part when they attend the concert of their dreams? You make each child a t-shirt with their favourite character on it. Yes that is what I did! What a nice mummy I am.

Sew Yo Gabba Gabba Shirts in 5 Easy Steps
Sew Yo Gabba Gabba Shirts in 5 Easy Steps

Here are the instructions on how I created these super wonderful shirts that would make any child obsessed with Gabbaland amazingly happy. Trust me, the twins thinks they are amazing.

What To Do:

Disclaimer: I am not selling these shirts or profiting by the Yo Gabba Gabba characters. I am just a mum that wanted to do something special for her kids.

Step 1: Pick shirts that are similar colours for the character you are wanting to add to the shirt/long sleeve top. I made sure to pick a bigger size as I did not want to do all this work and have the girls grow out of them too quickly.

Step 2: Find a picture of the character that you would like, Muno, Plex, Toodee, Foofa, Brobee, or DJ Lance Rock. I found that having just a head shot and limiting it to just top shoulders was best. This allowed me to Just focus on the face and spend time getting that right.

Once I had the picture of the character I made the image bigger in Photoshop. Once I had this image the right size, I then printed it out. I found printing with Microsoft word gave me the right alignment on the a4 sheet better than just printing the image itself. To make it easier I created a word doc of each character and then all I had to do was print.

I used these pictures, but you can find them all online if you do a simple Google search.

Step 3: You will need to print the same character several times. The reason for this is so that you can cut out all shapes that go into the character, eyes, pupil for the eyes, body, nose, mouth, teeth, whiskers, flower and so on. Think about what you need for each material colour and cut it out accordingly.

All the bits to make Foofa out of material. Getting there.
All the bits to make Foofa out of material. Getting there.
All the bits to make a material Toodee. Looking good so far.
All the bits to make a material Toodee. Looking good so far.

NOTE: Make sure to wash your fabric before use. You don’t want to spend all this time to then wash it and it shrinks or the colour in the fabric runs. I used cord for the dark pink on the Foofa shirt and it is fraying more than the Toodee shirt. Next time I will pick just plain cotton material and make the patch in that before I sew it on the shirt.

Step 4: Sew the bits to make the character. Do all the creating before you attach it to the shirt. It can get a bit fiddly but stick with it. You will be amazed at yourself when you are done. Trust me!

Step 5: Once you have your character all finished, pin to the shirt and sew it on. Now you should have finished shirts or one if you just making one. I have to do things in twos.

See the finished product

Here are the girls before the show at Luna Park wearing their new shirts mummy made

Happy girls with their new Toodee and Foofa shirts.
Happy girls with their new Toodee and Foofa shirts.

Here are some pictures of the day at Luna Park

Amazed and happy to be at the Yo Gabba Gabba Show
Amazed and happy to be at the Yo Gabba Gabba Show
The girls took their toys that we got at the last Gabba Show with them. They wanted Muno and Foofa to be there with them. While the kids were dancing Foofa and Muno had a rest.
The girls took their toys that we got at the last Gabba Show with them. They wanted Muno and Foofa to be there with them. While the kids were dancing Foofa and Muno had a rest.

DANCING TO MUSIC IS AWESOME!

How cool to be so close to DJ Lance Rock and all the characters from Gabbaland.
How cool to be so close to DJ Lance Rock and all the characters from Gabbaland.
We had a 4pm show at Luna Park and when we left it was dark. The ferry trip was amazing for the twins. They loved seeing the city lit up.
We had a 4pm show at Luna Park and when we left it was dark. The ferry trip was amazing for the twins. They loved seeing the city lit up.
Managed a great shot of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city while on the ferry. Hubby did a great job with these shots.
Managed a great shot of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city while on the ferry. Hubby did a great job with these shots.
Categories
5 years and beyond

We Survived Term 1 of Kindy

Term one for Kindy is over.Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Term one for Kindy is over.Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Term one has ended. Yes the kids have survived their first term at Kindy and so have I. Who knew there would be so many notes home, events, things to do and of course the magic of hearing your child read. It has truly been an eventful time.

Not only have they grown with their education, the girls have grown more height wise. We are not huge so don’t think that we have had a massive growth spurt. However it is just enough to have to tell the kids to sit down when I brush their hair. The extra height is also giving the twins an edge to get into more areas of the house. Not a major fan of this new found talent but they think they are super clever.

I must admit that I am keen to have sleep ins in the holidays and to see if I can get some things done around the house. Holidays have started in style with a trip to the movies. Yes, kids and I went to see the new Muppets film, “The Muppets Most Wanted“. It was funny in parts and the kids loved it so that is the main thing.

The one thing that I will not miss is the morning melt downs; the screaming when I ask kids to brush their hair, to find the other school shoe and where oh where is their reader for school? Or the school hat? It is not me that is going to school and I don’t care if you don’t have your hat and cannot play outside. It will be so nice to not worry about any of this for the next two weeks.

What about you? Have you survived the first term of Kindy? Are you thankful for the holidays? Will you get a sleep in? I might not, but not having to be anywhere for a certain time is relaxing enough. Send in your comments.

Categories
5 years and beyond Uncategorised

Aquarium Visit & Darling Harbour Adventures

Wow look at all those fish!
Wow look at all those fish!

My mother treated the girls and myself to a day out at Sydney Aquarium yesterday. The day was nice and sunny, the kids were so excited to see all the different animals. Previous to going I emailed mum a link that said that you can get a family pass for $60, but of course there was fine print to say that this deal was not available in school holidays. Mum was fine with this and purchased the family pass at the higher rate as it is school holidays.

The girls and I arrived at Darling Harbour ahead of time which was great planning. We parked the car, got our stuff and proceeded to walk to the Aquarium.  When the twins and I arrived at the Aquarium there was a huge crowd, kids and families everywhere. Well it was holidays, so it was to be expected.  Since there was heaps of people the line to get in was huge. I decided to queue in the pre-paid ticket line to help us get in sooner. Mum and my sister arrived in time as the line was moving quite quickly.

When mum arrived she told me that she had learned that adults were being charged at kid’s prices. When we approached the desk the man behind the counter refused to give back the extra that mum had paid as she was firstly denied the deal of the $60 family pass due to school holidays, then to find out that adults could get in cheaper on the day and to then pay more was just rude. Oh well, we all went in and proceeded to have a great time.

The girls were amazed at all the fish and animals that were in the big tanks, they loved seeing the clown fish and all kids at the tank yelled, “There’s Nemo!” it was so funny!

Searching for Nemo
Searching for Nemo
Found Nemo!
Found Nemo!
Here is a close up of one of the Nemos
Here is a close up of one of the Nemos

My girls were worried as they could not find Dory but did find one so relaxed after that. Phew!

It was nice that they were able to get up close to creatures like sharks, dugongs, star fish, sea horses and many more!

It was not until we got to the penguins that Lillian told me she needed to go to the toilet. I looked around and could not see where there was a toilet. There was no signs anywhere, just the green exit signs. My sister the girl’s aunty needed to go also so we all went off for our search for a toilet. We wandered around aimlessly in our search but could not find one anywhere. My sister is pregnant and I had a five year old child with me so it was lucky that we all made it without an accident.

We ended up asking a girl behind a counter where the toilets were, she then told us to go through a door marked, “Staff only”. I told her why would we venture there as it was not where we should be going. She then said to go through the first door on the left. We got to that, and it was locked, we then continued down the corridor to another “staff only” door and that was open. All of us went through this door to finally come out to the area where the food was. Finally there was signs saying where the toilets were. We all went, I made sure to go as I had no idea when I was going to get back there next.

The next drama was to then find my mum and Julia, there are no signs to let you know how to get back to any of the areas in the centre. So we left them in the penguin area, but we had no idea how to get back there. It amazed me, and my sister how a place that is full of kids, parents and a lot of people cannot have signs to where the toilets are, and of course directions for where the sharks are, or where the tropical fish are. What happens if you would like to go back for another look?

Finally mum answered her phone and we met up with them. Phew!

I am not having an overall whinge about the place. We had a great day at the Aquarium aside from a little drama. The kids got to see great creatures, and have a wonderful experience.

Some things that I think could improve the Aquarium:

  • Signs to show you where each areas are and arrows to indicate how to get back if you wish to.
  • Signs to the toilet. Essential I think!
  • Make sure that ticket price includes all shows.
  • If you have deals on the day you should honour them and refund what the customer has paid. Don’t change the rules that it is suddenly cheaper. As I have said we tried to get a cheap deal but was told due to school holidays we could not. So think that they should have helped mum on this one. Oh well, we had a wonderful day and it was great that mum took us all out.

After the aquarium we had lunch and then went off for the kids to run around a bit. Darling Harbour has some great things for kids to play on, there is a playground, water play area, slippery dips, merry go round and other rides.

The girls went on the merry go round, then got totally soaked in the water play area, then had a bit of fun in the sand pit, then they went off for fun on the big slippery dip.

Both girls were super brave on this massive slippery dip and went down head first and did all sorts of tricks. They are action kids and had a blast. There were tears and tantrums when we were leaving as they were having so much fun.

As you can imagine both kids were very tired and slept in the car on the way home. I am so glad that we got to spend the day with my mum the girls Nana and my sister, the girls Aunty. It was a lovely day and it did not matter about the little upsets that we experienced.

The kids cannot stop talking about the aquarium and the fun they had at Darling Harbour.  At the Aquarium shop I got the girls some Octonaut thongs (these are shoes in Australia), they love them.

Have you been having great adventures these school holidays? Where have you taken the kids? Is there somewhere that has been exceptionally great? Let us know.

Categories
5 years and beyond

Aquarium Visit & Darling Harbour Adventures

Wow look at all those fish!
Wow look at all those fish!

My mother treated the girls and myself to a day out at Sydney Aquarium yesterday. The day was nice and sunny, the kids were so excited to see all the different animals. Previous to going I emailed mum a link that said that you can get a family pass for $60, but of course there was fine print to say that this deal was not available in school holidays. Mum was fine with this and purchased the family pass at the higher rate as it is school holidays.

The girls and I arrived at Darling Harbour ahead of time which was great planning. We parked the car, got our stuff and proceeded to walk to the Aquarium.  When the twins and I arrived at the Aquarium there was a huge crowd, kids and families everywhere. Well it was holidays, so it was to be expected.  Since there was heaps of people the line to get in was huge. I decided to queue in the pre-paid ticket line to help us get in sooner. Mum and my sister arrived in time as the line was moving quite quickly.

When mum arrived she told me that she had learned that adults were being charged at kid’s prices. When we approached the desk the man behind the counter refused to give back the extra that mum had paid as she was firstly denied the deal of the $60 family pass due to school holidays, then to find out that adults could get in cheaper on the day and to then pay more was just rude. Oh well, we all went in and proceeded to have a great time.

The girls were amazed at all the fish and animals that were in the big tanks, they loved seeing the clown fish and all kids at the tank yelled, “There’s Nemo!” it was so funny!

Searching for Nemo
Searching for Nemo
Found Nemo!
Found Nemo!
Here is a close up of one of the Nemos
Here is a close up of one of the Nemos

My girls were worried as they could not find Dory but did find one so relaxed after that. Phew!

It was nice that they were able to get up close to creatures like sharks, dugongs, star fish, sea horses and many more!

It was not until we got to the penguins that Lillian told me she needed to go to the toilet. I looked around and could not see where there was a toilet. There was no signs anywhere, just the green exit signs. My sister the girl’s aunty needed to go also so we all went off for our search for a toilet. We wandered around aimlessly in our search but could not find one anywhere. My sister is pregnant and I had a five year old child with me so it was lucky that we all made it without an accident.

We ended up asking a girl behind a counter where the toilets were, she then told us to go through a door marked, “Staff only”. I told her why would we venture there as it was not where we should be going. She then said to go through the first door on the left. We got to that, and it was locked, we then continued down the corridor to another “staff only” door and that was open. All of us went through this door to finally come out to the area where the food was. Finally there was signs saying where the toilets were. We all went, I made sure to go as I had no idea when I was going to get back there next.

The next drama was to then find my mum and Julia, there are no signs to let you know how to get back to any of the areas in the centre. So we left them in the penguin area, but we had no idea how to get back there. It amazed me, and my sister how a place that is full of kids, parents and a lot of people cannot have signs to where the toilets are, and of course directions for where the sharks are, or where the tropical fish are. What happens if you would like to go back for another look?

Finally mum answered her phone and we met up with them. Phew!

I am not having an overall whinge about the place. We had a great day at the Aquarium aside from a little drama. The kids got to see great creatures, and have a wonderful experience.

Some things that I think could improve the Aquarium:

  • Signs to show you where each areas are and arrows to indicate how to get back if you wish to.
  • Signs to the toilet. Essential I think!
  • Make sure that ticket price includes all shows.
  • If you have deals on the day you should honour them and refund what the customer has paid. Don’t change the rules that it is suddenly cheaper. As I have said we tried to get a cheap deal but was told due to school holidays we could not. So think that they should have helped mum on this one. Oh well, we had a wonderful day and it was great that mum took us all out.

After the aquarium we had lunch and then went off for the kids to run around a bit. Darling Harbour has some great things for kids to play on, there is a playground, water play area, slippery dips, merry go round and other rides.

The girls went on the merry go round, then got totally soaked in the water play area, then had a bit of fun in the sand pit, then they went off for fun on the big slippery dip.

Both girls were super brave on this massive slippery dip and went down head first and did all sorts of tricks. They are action kids and had a blast. There were tears and tantrums when we were leaving as they were having so much fun.

As you can imagine both kids were very tired and slept in the car on the way home. I am so glad that we got to spend the day with my mum the girls Nana and my sister, the girls Aunty. It was a lovely day and it did not matter about the little upsets that we experienced.

The kids cannot stop talking about the aquarium and the fun they had at Darling Harbour.  At the Aquarium shop I got the girls some Octonaut thongs (these are shoes in Australia), they love them.

Have you been having great adventures these school holidays? Where have you taken the kids? Is there somewhere that has been exceptionally great? Let us know.

Categories
4 years and beyond

Disco Anyone?

Kids having fun at the disco
Kids having fun at the disco

We all went off to the local RSL for a free kids disco. They had face painting, balloons, a clown (Mr Puzzles) and of course music to dance to. The kids were a little shy at first and with mummies help warmed up while watching Mr Puzzles do his show. They could not stop giggling with the magic show and had a blast.

It was topped off by a pre-school mate of theirs joining us for the disco fun and then we all went off to dinner at the local chinese place. All in all a good night was had by all.

I must say well done to the RSL as it was good to have some fun free entertainment for the kids.

What have you been doing these school holidays? Or if you are not on school holidays, what have you done to keep your kids busy? Send in your comments.

Categories
4 years and beyond

Epic Train Trip

Do your kids love to go on adventures? Mine do, so with this in mind I took the twins on a train trip to the city to visit their Aunty Kay for lunch. I was not sure how this would go as it takes us two hours to just get to Central (for those that don’t know Central is the main train station in the city that you can change trains and that is where the train terminates), then after Central we had to get a train to the city.

It was a big day. Thank god for technology I had my iPhone and the Google Nexus, however the iPhone ran out of power quite quickly and caused a few arguments.

Just on board and cannot wait to start travelling
Just on board and cannot wait to start travelling
Lillian showing bummies the view out the window
Lillian showing bummies the view out the window
Julia showing her puppy dog the view out the window
Julia showing her puppy dog the view out the window

The girls loved the train but after a while it got a bit much. I got questions like, “Mummy is this our stop next?” and “Mummy when will we get there?” I did explain that it was a long way and I will tell them when we get off the train. The girls were very good and I was very proud of them. They did not misbehave at all and on the whole were very good. Both kids on the way there did not need to use the bathroom, so that was good planning or just good luck, not sure.

On the harbour bridge and can see the top of the opera house
On the harbour bridge and can see the top of the opera house
City train and looking at the harbour through graffiti
City train and looking at the harbour through graffiti
The girls with Aunty Kay
The girls with Aunty Kay

We made it to the city, and to Kay’s work o.k, kids were happy and super excited to see Aunty Kay and where she works. Pity we could not stay longer as Kay had to return to work and we had to get the train back home. Although it was not for long staying in the city, the adventure was with the kids having their first train trip to the city and sharing the adventure.

On the way back Lillian slept all the way up the mountain and Julia played the Nexus without having to fight her sister for a turn. It was a big day and we were very tired once we returned home.

The weather was fantastic also as it was the first time in weeks we have had blue sky and no rain! Heaps of washing to do and I am out and about. Thank god today as like yesterday it is blue skies again. I managed to get four loads of washing done so that is good.

What fun adventures have you had with the kids these school holidays?  Send in your comments.

Categories
4 years and beyond

Last day for Term 2

Today is the last day of term 2 for the girls. Yes term 2 of pre-school has come to a close. After today we are on holidays, for I think a couple of weeks. Only 2 more terms left and my little babies, well not babies anymore will be off to big school next year. Yes soon I will be a mother to two kindy kids.

I am busy doing a tidy up as I have been lazy this week and not done much at all to my upset, but I am a bit out of sorts and the rainy weather does not help. I just want to go back to bed!

Are you thinking of what to do with your kids over the holidays? I know I am.

I am thinking of the following:

  • Visit the city on the train and go to the Opera House
  • Visit my sister for lunch in the city and another big adventure on the trains
  • Have play-dates with their mates from pre-school
  • Take them off to different places for adventures
  • Do craft, painting, drawing and anything else
  • Movie days
  • Cooking days
  • Go to playgroup holiday activities
  • And anything else that I can think of

What have you planned for your little ones?

Categories
4 years and beyond

Half Way

Next week is the last week of term 2 for pre-school. I had no idea it was nearly over, half way through the year already! Only two terms of pre-school left for the girls. I was rather sad to realise this, although Kindy is next year, I do like the pre-school they go to and I think the girls will miss it next year.

Have you suddenly had this realisation, that your little babies will not be long at pre-school and it is flying by. I have and I better get my skates on to do more at home for school readiness and getting school uniform supplies (with the school uniform stuff I am getting bigger sizes to make sure they will fit for next year, however as my kids are small it is hard to judge what will fit. They might have a growth spurt between now and next year, it is possible)

Do you have plans for your kids over the school holidays? I do want to travel in the city on the train with the girls, I plan to visit my sister for lunch. It will be a big day as it takes two hours each way on the train, however it will be a great adventure for the girls.

Talking about time flying, today is the shortest day of the year and after today the days get longer. This is good as it then makes me feel that we are soon to have warmer weather, although we have not really had winter yet. It has been cold and icy but not as bad as it has been. I think the next month or two it will really kick in and give us a winter.

Send in your tips for keeping kids occupied during school holidays. What have you done to help your kids get school ready?

Categories
4 years and beyond

Grand Plans

I have many things to keep me occupied during the day, and the main one is looking after the girls. Other than that, housework, laundry, trying to keep fit and lose weight, university, sewing and attempting to start my own business from home (the business idea is based around my sewing, it will happen I just need to get focused).

I am the type of person who has a million and one things she would like to achieve, however I know it is not practical. I would be happy getting the house clean, keeping it clean and being able to do study or even sewing /another hobby and maybe get the chance to go and exercise. Yes that is a simple want. Then why can’t I get my ideas for bigger, grander ideas out of my head.

Maybe it is the frustration of school holidays with no me time? Maybe it is just that I am not as focused as I should be. I have great plans for my home based business, I also would like to write a children’s book (I have a great idea but the challenge is to get it written and then maybe if lucky published). I know, just focus on one thing right? Well it is easier said than done.

Before kids I was the same but more focused, now I seem to be trying to fit it all in with a very narrow window of time. Maybe that is the real reason I think of so many things to do with my time. I have time to think about what I can do and then I have more to choose from when I do get time to myself.

Today is Thursday and the girls and I were going to go to the park with the kids and families from playgroup, but they were naughty so I told them we were not going anywhere. Now I have kids that are asking me if they can go somewhere, and maybe late afternoon we will. The sun is hot today and we have a high UV rating. It will be better for them to play later in the day, especially if it is to be outside.

I do marvel at women who have more kids than I and manage a job (full time or part time), manage to look after the house, look after the kids, and more. I find it hard with two and the lack of family that can help, means I don’t know how I will do a job even when kids are in school.

This week is the last week of school holidays aside from next Monday which is a pupil free day (which I find annoying), after two weeks break I only get the kids in school for two days rather than three. So all the things I want to do is now put in those days only. The second week of pre-school will be great as they are back to their full week, yes three days of kids at school! I can do some of the things I have been dreaming, plotting and planning about.

Do you find that in the time that you have for you, there is always too many things to do. I find it hard to pick what to do first. Currently university is the priority, but soon that will not be. I just hope that kids are still in school when university ends. I would like to have some time for me without study. What are your grand plans? Do you get time to do any of them? Send in your comments.

Categories
4 years and beyond

New Tinker Bell Film

Waiting to see Tinker Bell – The Secret of the Wings
Waiting to see Tinker Bell – The Secret of the Wings

This is the first week of school holidays and you guessed it a great kids film is on at the movies, it is the latest Tinker Bell film; The Secret of the Wings.  I thought why not take the twins to the movies and have a day out. As you would have thought, this news was met with cheers and giggles. The girls love Tinker Bell and of course fairies, so seeing the latest installment of the Tinker Bell films was very exciting for them.

I managed to get to the centre early and thought it was wise to purchase tickets first, as said it is school holidays. I did not want to leave the ticket purchase to find out the session was sold out. As happened, there was a few people but not as many as I was expecting. Maybe it was due to seeing the early session? Probably the afternoon time might have been busier? Not sure but thought it was a good idea to get in early and then we can have lunch there, and go home. It is a 40 minute drive to the movies at this centre so thought I did not want to come back too late, as then I will have very hungry and tired kids.

The film was a hit and as it turns out Tinker Bell has a sister. Tinker Bell and Periwinkle were born from the same laugh of a baby, so they are twins! Although they never said they were twins, both Tinker Bell and Periwinkle’s wings are identical. So I would conclude they are twins. The only problem is that Periwinkle lives in the winter woods and Tinker Bell lives in the warmer climate so cannot live in the cold and vice versa for Periwinkle.  It was an enjoyable film, Lillian was a bit worried and scared at parts and ended up sitting on my lap for cuddles. It really wasn’t scary, but it was a bit worrying at times for the characters so I think she was upset that it might be getting scary.

According to the Hoyts website the Tinker Bell film is about: “Tinker Bell meets Periwinkle and ventures into the winter woods with her and Tinker Bell’s other friends to find the secret of fairy wings. If you are interested Wikipedia has a great history and breakdown of Tinker Bell. Worth a look.

Both girls were very well behaved and also held on and did not need to go to the toilet until after the film. No nappies so that is such a big deal. I have big girls now. We drove down to the movies and they held on, we go the tickets and then went to the toilet. So I am a very proud mummy that they are doing so well.

Before the movie I purchased new sandals for the girls as Lillian’s are getting too small, although still fit they soon will not be able to be worn. Julia’s seem to be broken and not sure they can be mended. I ended up getting half price on the second pair and of course both girls wanted the same type. Very lucky they had two of the same in the right size in stock. So good deal on the shoes. Cheap tickets at the movies, then had lunch, kids played at indoor play centre and then we went home singing away to a great music CD.

Kids fell asleep in the car, and no one wants a rest in bed now we are home. The girls are watching Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons.  Will organise an early dinner for them so they get off to bed at a reasonable time. Tomorrow we are off to a family lunch, then free tumbling classes at the gym, and then playgroup. I should contact some parents of the girls friends to organise some play dates. I also need to focus my time on uni study. My job with the school holidays is find things for kids to do.

What are you doing these school holidays? Have you taken the kids to the movies lately? What have they seen and did they enjoy it?

The girls new sparkly sandals
The girls new sparkly sandals

From Kids Spot here are some ideas for school holiday activities:

Categories
3 years and beyond

The stress of motherhood

Lately everything is a drama, kids, house and you name it, and it is an issue. I must admit it has been school holidays and I have had sick kids, first Lillian was ill and then it was Julia’s turn. I am just grateful that they have been ill in the holidays. This way I can maximise my time while they are at school and they also don’t miss school (both girls really love going).

Lately the fact of no breaks or any time out has added to my stress, frustration and annoyance. Have no fear; I have had wonderful times with my little princesses. We have cuddled, hugged, danced, watched films, gone on walks, to the park, gone visiting, and just had some fun times, but it has been a trying two weeks.

Is it just me that feels this way? Or am I feeling like a bad mother who just needs a holiday alone, well I can only dream. That said, I don’t think I would like to holiday alone, but some alone time would be lovely.

Do you feel like sometimes all the stresses of the world are upon you? Do you just want to run for the hills? I would never do it, but I have had some great daydreams. What do you do to de-stress? I have had great plans to have a relaxing spa bath with some Epson salts, this has never occurred as kids are up and down to the bathroom and I don’t want to share my bath. Selfish I know but having kids and toys in the bath is not relaxing, it is fun but I want to have some me time. Then the later it gets the colder it gets, so no bath as yet.

I have been trying to have some relaxation time and have attempted to get up early for exercise and me time. Although the getting up early was thwarted due to sick kids, and mummy being exhausted dealing with this.

So will try again for exercise and me time tomorrow morning, and will go to the pool for aqua aerobics. I am making use of daddy being home. Do you have times where things are very stressful or just frustrating beyond belief? How do cope or relax? Send in your comments.

Categories
3 years and beyond

Harassed

Do you find as a mother that you are the one getting asked for everything, mum this and mum that. Why doesn’t daddy get asked? Today you might have guessed, I have been harassed by kids, and things to do. I did not even get to do anything that I had planned. Although I never got to do anything I wanted to do, I did manage to vacuum the living room and change the sofa covers.

I do find that days that I feel harassed I don’t cope very well, getting interrupted and asked a million times for things is quite frankly, bloody annoying. If this is what it is going to be like for the next two weeks, these school holidays are going to be long for me. My countdown is on, 16 more days to go till they go back to school.

This might not be the entire kids fault, Lillian is sick with tonsillitis and I think Julia has it as well or well on her way. So kids sick, mummy harassed and did not have a great weekend.  The girls never sleep during the day, Lillian passed out on Friday and had a couple of hours sleep, and she also fell asleep in my arms and did not move when I put her in my bed to have a nap. I was planning on cuddling up next to her, however I had to urgently use the bathroom and when I got back to the bed, could not squeeze in.  Both girls are on antibiotics and hope they are well for Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Wednesday the girls and I are visiting their great aunts, and Thursday we are off to the Play School Concert.  The girls have no idea what show we are off to on Thursday so cannot wait to see how excited they will be, will be interesting to see what presenters will be in the show. I am crossing fingers and toes it is the girls favourites. Lillian loves Abby and Julia loves Jay.

If kids are well enough we are going to play group on Tuesday but not sure on that one. Lillian has not been looking well at all, and I think she needs her rest. Luckily the husband and I don’t have tonsils so we are safe, just might get a bad cold, if we are unlucky and get infected.

Do you find it difficult being the go to person all the time? Why can’t you just sit down and not get asked to do something /questions/find things.  Why is the weekend not relaxing for all? It is probably due to kids being ill.  The girls did not want daddy much and were all over me like a rash, it is nice to a point.  However I would like to do some things as well as daddy. Although daddy did not do much fun stuff today, he tidied up the backyard and front, taking things to the tip (we had piles of things to organise, and then we got busy, so we were over the mess). Today it was freezing and kept on hailing and snowing off and on, so thinks the inside job was the better option.

Send in your comments, do you feel harassed by your kids/family/friends? Currently it is just the kids that are the issue for me, I do understand they are young, sick and need me. Some days it is easier to cope and others I just feel harassed everywhere I turn.