I have just realised that summer school starts next week. It was meant to be ages away but it is now only next week. In my brain I thought December is a while away but in reality it starts this coming Saturday. It is so exciting that after this subject my degree is all done and I can then look forward to graduation, however I am now getting very nervous about the whole thing.
Firstly I have to make sure that I am all organised with the kids to go and stay at someone else’s place and of course make sure to pack all I need for school, me and the twins. I suppose I have this time before next Wednesday occurs however there is always other things that come up.
To get to the university in time I need to drop kids at care and then try to get to the station to catch a train to the city. I will never have caught a train from this station before so will need to find out the times of trains for the days next week. Also not looking forward to getting kids up early to get to care but one of the advantages of this child care provider is that they take care of all food needs, so mummy does not need to worry. Although I am worrying and it has not happened yet, will my kids eat the food they are presented? I hope so. If you don’t know already my girls are fussy eaters so they might not like anything but it could be good to be exposed to different and more choices. Also if they see other kids eat it they might eat it as well. I can only live in hope.
I just hope that my plan to get to and fro from the university works o.k and I am on time, also that the kids enjoy their time at the new centre and they are not too grumpy in the mornings. There is so many variables that need to work. Crossing fingers and toes they all align to let me have a stress free time.
My car also was unwell and not drivable for 2 days and now is fixed, although have not fully tested it so today is the day. I hope it is well as I need my car as I cannot get off to summer school and have the kids in care where they are booked in without the car. So send good thoughts for it to be fine, happy and well.
Do you find that if you want to go and do something that you have to plan and sort everything to the utmost detail so that you can have your time off? It would be nice to have someone else take care of these issues but it is not to be. Maybe it is the role of the mother to have to plan and organise everything. Send in your comments.
Now off to get dressed and ready to drop kids at school and then tidy the house and sort some things out.
I went for a nice walk and jog or otherwise known as cross training yesterday. I felt great and good that I did it and my body was alive. I was all set to do it again today when my nose will not stop running and eyes are watery. I know another excuse but the other issue is that I need to complete a university assignment that is due today. I need to focus on the university assignment as this is my second last subject and I need to pass or at least better than that so that I can graduate next year. I am so happy about the graduate part, but need to do well or else no graduation, right? I am just keen to get it all done, then the time will by my own again. Aside from kids and other things.
It is hard when you have a lot on and it all happens at once, especially when you just want to shut the door and be left alone to concentrate. Do you find that this happens when you have something rather important to finish? I do. I know I am not the only one.
I will put the pram in the car and the kids and I will go for a walk this afternoon after school, this way I will be able to do my study and fit in some exercise. It is such a glorious day today, sunny and so warm it would be a shame to miss out on the great weather. Don’t fear, I am still working towards The Slinky Project ™.
What do you do when you have so much on? Are you very organised and have it all scheduled? I do try and I get a lot done, however when I do need to spend my time at the computer for long stretches with uni it is hard to get all things done, especially while they are at pre-school. It makes me think that my post about “Cloning me would fix everything”, my other selves could do all the other things around the house, laundry, cleaning, and I would be left to do uni work and study? Or maybe some sewing?
Send in your tips and tricks for what works best for you. Why not continue the discussion on our twitter or facebook pages.
No Secret Meetings So Study Is Needed. Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Tonight I had my online lecture as per usual; this week is only week 3, so early days of semester 2. You would think that it is just getting to know terms, what you are supposed to be doing and figuring out what to read and so on. Well that is part of it; however it is like everyone has met up months before to transfer knowledge and skill to these lucky few that have made it to the meeting.
I for one was not at this mysterious rondevu, and I wish I was invited. The lecture notes online speed past at break neck speed and comments at the same pace, it is a different language that is being discussed. I have to pay attention to fine detail and even then, I am unsure of what is being said. Legal slang is a hard one to master, and I am sure it will come to me, but I hope it will happen before the end of the semester.
Have you found meetings, educational lectures, or even some conversations are like you missed the memo or the previous conversation completely, the issue with mine is that I have been online for all 3 lectures and still feel like this? Maybe some subjects have this clever way to make you feel stupid? Or just not speaking the same language?
More reading and research is in order if I want to feel like the party goer that can have legal conversation with ease. Students tonight were quoting cases, now that scares me! Quoting cases this early, are they closet lawyers? I always fancied myself as a lawyer, but not sure that I would get very far. I suppose it is early days, as it is still week 3 anything can happen. It can can’t it? I will understand everything that I read and master this course to gain a HD (High Distinction). I hear you laugh, but I will give it a good go!
Do you feel out of your depth sometimes, well I do. Especially when it seems everyone has secretly had meetings without me. Why do these students know more than me! Tell us your stories of this happening to you; when have you suspected that others have met secretly and left you out? Was it university, work or friends? Send in your comments.
More study awaits me. Image by FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tomorrow semester 2 starts, and it is my second last subject. Yippee I hear you say, I am nearly finished a masters degree in project management,however I need to survive this semester. The subject I will be studying is contracts management, although very interested and feel that understanding contracts is fundamental to a project going well, I am also very worried that it might be all over my head. ( I am sure it won’t be but last semester the subject was not easy, and the exam was the worst)
I have had a fascination with law and would in theory love to study law, just don’t know if I could actually do it. I have logged on to the online learning system and downloaded the material and now it is a matter of reading it and understanding it all.
It was a big shock to realise that my holiday from university is now over, the time went so quickly. I am upset as I wanted to achieve and do more. Even though I did not get some things done, I definitely had a rest and had time out.
Now I need to think positive and do a good job, as I want to do well this semester. There is an exam with this sujbect as with last semester, and I wish to be better prepared for this exam. Well I can only hope.
If you are studying has the course started again? Did you think you had more down time, I did. I think that this semester will require a lot of reading and referencing regarding cases and precedents. I hope that I remember all the facts, wish me well. Send in your comments.
Hi all Mummy to Twins readers, I would like to announce that I received a credit for this semester university work. I am very pleased with myself, thought I had really blown it and was just hoping for a pass. Phew, and hooray, glad I don’t have to do the subject again and now looking forward to my second last subject next semester.
If you are studying have recieved your grades yet? I hope you have done well also. Now off to help kids draw, and to use my time away from university wisely. Next semester is contracts management, and it sounds very hard indeed, however I am looking forward to it.
Crossing fingers my grades keep up like this and I will graduate next year, cannot wait to graduate and the count down is on. Yepeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I got a credit. 🙂
If you don’t know, I am studying a Masters in Project Management. I have elected to study online as it is easier to fit in with having kids and my lifestyle at the moment. I did start the degree without kids, but chose online as working and finding time to get to class might be an issue, online delivery seemed to be the best way forward.
Last week I noticed that the draft timetable had been listed, it was noted if you needed a remote location for this exam to contact the coordinator. Upon finding out that there was to be an exam, I contacted said coordinator and was told not to worry that I would be able to have the exam at a remote location. Just to explain, a remote location is not at the campus. The campus is in the city, and I currently live over 2 hours away.
Exam room waiting for everyone to sit their uni exam. Wish us all luck!
I emailed a request to have a remote location organised due to me being far away and commitments with my twin girls. After over 4 emails this was not taken into consideration and I have to come to campus to take this exam. As you can imagine I am not happy with this result. The university sighted costs and issues with getting my results back in a timely manner.
One of the emails stated that I could have a remote location for the exam under special circumstances. I then cited the fact that I need to drop kids off at pre-school for 9.15am and pick them up for 2.45pm. I need to be at the university for 9.20 for a 2 hour exam. It takes me 2 hours to drive or at least by train to get to the city. The exam is slated to finish at 11.30, then I would have to drive back, so factor in another 2 hours travel time. I think I would miss school pick up in the afternoon as well. If the exam was local could drop kids at school, do exam and then pick kids up. No issues at all, other than the worry about passing this exam.
The coordinator thought she was being helpful to start the time of the exam at 11.30 to let me drop of the kids at school, but then who picks them up? We are in an area with no family or many friends close by. I have made more friends that have said that can help, but I am not leaving them with one child it will be two. Also I am not sure when I will be back.
I ended up asking my husband to take the day and work part of it from home, he was lucky that he could do it. Normally he is flat out with projects and it might not have been possible. What would have happened if I had no one to ask? Why is it that the university can sight costs, I am paying nearly $4,000 for just one subject each semester, and I am not using any of the facilities on campus? The least they can do is to help me out a bit. I do understand that there is a cost associated with remote exams, but why can’t I double up with another university that is doing the same thing. Would this not reduce costs?
One of the reasons that the university claim that I need to physically be at the University for the Exam, is that they say that I am located in the Sydney Metropolitan area. If this is the case, I should be able to walk to George Street and go to the movies, maybe a spot of shopping at Centrepoint as I am so close and walking distance. What a laugh!
Living in Katoomba it is very interesting that sometimes you live in the country and then the rest of the time you are considered that you live in the city. Interesting, I fully believe that it is structured to benefit the business owner, not the customer. I am already paying inflated fees, and an extra one that they have decided to add for just this year and the remainder of my course.
I also feel that it discriminates against women with children. How do you manage to retrain, have an interest and earn the same or more money for the next job? A degree or like qualification will help. Doing flexible online study I would think that they would be open to remote venues for the exam, now it has put a whole lot more stress on the day. Thank god I have a husband that can take the day, what if I had no one? Would they have stepped up then? Child care is too expensive, pre-school is costly. To then have to pay to get to the exam by putting kids in care would have really annoyed me no end!
Why can other universities have exams in Wentworth Falls and Katoomba, and mine Sydney University cannot do the same. I am still annoyed, frustrated and felt stressed out trying to organise how I will be able to attend the exam. As a mother and a person that would like to do well with her career, I find this unacceptable and this needs to change. University and other educational institutions need to step up and make exams and courses easier to access for mothers and parents. I think they need to consider the individual and then assess from there.
Have you been annoyed at your educational provider? Have they made things difficult for you due to being a mother and having other commitments? Why is it so hard for this to be taken seriously, I think that they did not put any weight into the fact that I am the only person that takes care of my twins during the week, and I don’t have help. Has this happened to you? Send in your comments.
Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Yesterday James took the girls on a day out to the National Park; they saw the ocean and had ice-creams. On the way home they stopped off at Bunnings to get some much needed taps for the bathroom and then came home.
I was very grateful for the day, as I used it to finish my individual assignment for university. It is now done and has been submitted, the lecturer has emailed with great feedback on my graphic. I decided to do an infographic for the article that I was analysing as it is a high level presentation to senior executives. Crossing fingers it is what the lecturer wanted, I will find out soon enough. Just pleased it is done and I can now concentrate on other things.
Pity I was working away all day at the computer, and not doing something fun. After the girls came home they looked so tired. It was very cold, so organised dinner and they went to bed soon after. As I was finishing putting them to bed, I had to go help James in the kitchen with a disaster, the microwave was on fire. It was only on for the timer and nothing was in it, must have been an electrical fault.
While on the Easter break I have had an iron fall on my head, husband hit his head on the corner of the shelves in the kitchen, and last night the microwave caught fire. I know the first two are bad, but we are fine and just a little bruised. The fire in the microwave is a concern; house is fine we got to it in time. Once James realised, he unplugged it and it stopped the fire, then off to the backyard it went. It was well and truly out before it even went outside, but just in case we made sure it was not near anything in case it caught again.
I have never in all my life had a microwave just alight itself and burn through the pyrex dish. It must have been hot for that to have happened. How would you know that your white goods might do this? Is there a way to get this checked?
The girls had to be ushered back to bed as they did not want to miss the excitement of the fire in the box as Lillian has termed it. So defrosting our meat for dinner was an experience, it was done by putting it in a plastic bag and filling the sink with luke warm water, more cool than warm, 30mins later it was all done.
My body is in in a bit of pain, so wanted to use the wheat bags; however that cannot be done, as we have no microwave. Not having one is fine, mostly used to defrost things and to use for wheat packs, just a nuisance when you are tight with money.
What near disasters have occurred over the holidays? I am very pleased that we caught it in time, and that we were not on the lawn waiting for the fire fighters to turn up. I am very glad that we are all safe and well, and we still have our lovely house, very lucky indeed. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket. Send in your comments.
Today was a day from hell. The girls were upset at everything, and everything became a problem. It took hours to leave the house and mummy could not do anything by herself. We did manage to make it out the door and to playgroup, and eventually to the post office. While at playgroup the girls and I saw the hat parade at the local school and they had some much needed play time.
I seriously was hoping the day would end soon, but when I was thinking this it was only 10am. Have you had days like this? I do love the kids so much but they really tested my patience today. There has been biting, scratching, hitting, pulling of hair and you name it, it has happened here today. I am so over it, I even posted on Facebook that I needed a bex and a good lie down.
We did 3 puzzles before we even got out the door, they both wanted to make a cake and pull out many more toys. I had to put my foot down, if we were ever going to leave the house. Julia is getting very good at puzzles and seeing where pieces fit in, very impressed.
I am also very impressed with Lillian on Tuesday this week; she sewed buttons onto material at school, very clever girl. They are both becoming so grown up.
I don’t know about you, but having two kids at the same time is a challenge with sharing yourself, yesterday Julia was spending time with daddy and then Lillian wanted to get a cuddle also. Then the fight started for space, “I was sitting there!!!!!!!” Julia was upset that she was then sharing with Lillian. This does happen quite often, one child is wanting cuddle time or one on one, and then the other wants the same. What do you do when you on your own nearly all the time?
As I am the primary care giver, it is hard to just have one child to cuddle. I don’t have days when I only have one child; it is always both of them or they are both at pre-school. Maybe this needs to change? I do know that they need to do things with each parent separately; the Easter Break might give us more of a chance.
I have not done what I wanted on my assignment, although I have done a little more the other day. Still have time but hate to leave things so late. Now family are coming to visit on Saturday and need to do a tidy up tomorrow, so no study during the day. Crossing fingers it happens in the evening or at least the weekend.
What have you got planned on the Easter holidays? Are you going away or having a great time at home? Looking forward to the kids’ faces on Sunday. Have a happy Good Friday all. Now off to a well earnt rest, bed here I come!
Today I went for a nice long walk in the sunshine. It was wonderful to be all on my own and to be finally exercising. Yesterday I did about 20 minutes on the Wii Fit and then it was a bit crazy with the fact the kids kept on pulling out toys, hard to have room to do things with the floor filling up with toys and junk.
So now mummy and daddy have had lunch and rested. The girls got a vegemite sandwich each and not much has been eaten. I am about to do some study and work on my assignment for university, while the girls and daddy are in the backyard.
Daddy however wants to tidy and clean the backyard and the kids are more interested in building houses out of branches and leaves, and making a mess. Off to get my cuppa tea and get started on the study. Wish me luck, hoping to not get interrupted.
What do you have planned for the day or the weekend? Have you had time to yourself to do what you like or exercise? I must say that just going for that walk made me feel ten times better about myself. Note to self, fit it more walking. Send your comments in.
I logged onto the university website last night to discover the course content was all there. This now means that I need to start downloading, reading and researching to make sure that I stay on top of it all. After reading the course outline and skimming all the lectures to get an overview, I think this course is going to be very intense. Formulas, theories, matrixes, and much more that will take some doing to remember.
I have also noted that there appears to be an exam at the end of the course, 2 hours to be precise. Did not realise there was one and as I am an online student will have to travel to campus to do this exam if we have one – have enquired to the lecturer to confirm if we do have one as in some literature it says no and some says yes. I have also asked if there are other areas where I might do this exam rather than travelling into the campus in the city. No answer yet, but only asked late last night.
In case you all did not know, I am nearly finished a masters in project management, I have 3 subjects left to do. This semester I am studying: Project Process Planning and Control. I am rather worried that I will not do well, however this worry is not taken seriously. Every semester I have the same freak out. I will not do well, I will just pass, I might fail, and some other scary thoughts. However at the end of the semester I get a distinction and no one finds that wonderful due to fact that it keeps on happening.
I think the family and friends would be more shocked if I passed, however getting good marks is now an expected outcome (which I think is just strange, but nice). I would like to maintain my good grades as I feel that would help in employment and roles in the long term also will impress people; however I am not great at formulas, calculations or things of that nature. So I think this semester I have to concentrate on reading more, understanding the formulas and theories that are important and seeing if I can recall them. If asked in an exam about a formula or theory I am afraid I might mix it all up and not get it right, or reference the wrong one. I find it hard when there are so many to choose from. Why is it that a course does not tell you what are the standards and we can just learn the core, and if you want you can cite extra examples if you wish.
So as long as I pass that is fine with me. After this subject I just have 2 more to do, and as I am doing 1 subject a semester, my last subject is next year, first semester of 2013. Graduation will be in November of 2013 and I am looking forward to it so much. However to graduate you have to get through the subjects this year. Wish me luck, lecturers start on Monday the 5th of March and it is all done via Skype. I have to hope that I have kids in bed by this time or it is not going to work.
Are you studying? Is it something that is a passion or for a work related role? If you have kids how are you fitting it all in? I try and do most of it in the evening and now kids are at school that will help also.
After the girls were dropped off to pre-school, I headed off to return books to the library and check the mail, now the errands have been done it is me time.
I had some lunch, relaxed while watching a show by not being interpreted by the girls, very relaxing I must say. I am getting very obsessed with the new show “Revenge“, it is very interesting. Every character seems to have their own agenda for revenge or something sinister. Then I focused on creating a pattern for new pants out of Lillian’s favourite pajama pants. I have made them a bit bigger and going to add pockets. I am going to make them look unique so keen to start sewing. I am hoping that my new pattern will be good. I am starting off with just 2 pairs of pants to make sure my idea works, then if all good, I will make more. Pictures to come when I have a completed project.
It was very nice to be home alone without any pressure, any demands and to just be. I sat in the quiet for a while. I did do some washing, but there is still lots more to do. However that can be done tomorrow, as there is no urgency on anything currently, and as the weather is terrible for drying I don’t want to have baskets of wet washing to dry.
University semester starts on the 5th of March so I have spent some time checking the university student site. I have done my introduction via the online forum and have looked at other student and staff introductions. I am keen and also a bit concerned about this semester as the unit sounds hard and complicated. I am enrolled in Project Process Planning and Control, so I think it is going to be heavy on theories and data. However, after this subject I only have 2 more to do, so have to get through this one o.k, to continue on. One side of me that is keen to start study as it gives my brain an outlet other than being a mummy, but the other is concerned about the subject and what this semester involves. I am on the countdown to finishing so that is exciting but still feels so far away.
After looking at the uni course I had another “Revenge” to watch as it is so addictive. Then off to pick the girls up from school. They had a great day. Still they could not tell me what they did, however I figured out that they painted, and went out to play until it rained again, and played with puzzles. This week they have been very clingy when I drop them off, they don’t want me to leave. I just hope it gets better as today Julia wanted me to pick her up and cuddle her around the school. I know that is nice, however I am trying to make my exit not to stay there.
It was very nice to have this time to myself. I am hoping that tomorrow I will make time to start sewing the girls new pants. The test batch. I am sure it will work, just need to make sure that the sizes for the girls are correct. I have measured and will add the new measurements into the pants project.
Hope that you all had time to have some me time. What did you get up to? It was nicer weather, but still rainy so not much you can do in this weather. What was it like where you are?
Lunches are made and are in the fridge. Week 2 of pre-school starts tomorrow, yippee another 3 days off (not full days, just a school day) for me to get some things done and for my time out. I am really looking forward to it.
This weekend was busy for me. I was tasked with looking after the girls (Not like this is different from the status quo anyway) as James had to work on a presentation for his work. It was very disappointing for me, as I like the fact that daddy is available on weekends to be with the girls and to help out. I know it was work and it does not happen all the time so that is something to be grateful for. However it got me thinking. Why is it o.k. for the husband to lock himself away at the computer all weekend just due to a presentation for work? I mentioned that when I have urgent projects or things I need to do for university, I don’t get that amount of time to do any of my work. I have to do it all at night, not during the day when you are at your best. I did mention this to James and it was met with I could always get an extension on an assignment if I need to. He cannot get an extension for a work presentation.
To top it off, Lillian was so unsettled Saturday night that she was screaming and crying and was a mess. I ended up taking her to bed with me, the girls call mummy and daddies bed the “big bed”. She snuggled up to me and wanted to hold my hand and cuddle me. She was so upset. James went in at first to calm her down. He thought that worked, but when he left she was hysterical. When I first came into her room she said there was a thing coming in the window for her. I told her that she was safe and all was o.k. probably did not help that there was a house down the road having a party and playing doof doof music. The beat was vibrating on the girl’s floor. I was just thankful that Julia slept and I only had to deal with one upset child at a time.
So Saturday night I did not sleep the best, as I had a little girl trying to snuggle into me, which was very nice and wonderful, however it makes you get in all sorts of different positions that cannot be good for your neck or back. Hoping that tonight I will have the bed to myself aside from James. I was so tired after dealing with Lillian in the bed and getting up early for Julia. I organised breakfast for the kids and me, and after we were all fed, I told James that I was going back to bed. It was nice that was o.k, as I knew he was still doing his presentation. The girls played nicely with each other. They played in the backyard due to sunshine at the time, and watched Tangled, the new film about Rapunzel. The girls are so invloved in the story that Lillian was calling herself “Tangled” and Julia was calling herself “Gene”. I suppose this is a nice change from Fiona and Shrek. So I should not complain to loudly as it was nice to have that nap this morning as it was much needed.
James’ presentation is complete and I hope it will be a success on Monday. The weather here has been crazy all weekend as per during the week. I took the girls swimming at Springwood on Saturday; it started out as a nice sunny day. When we got in the car to drive to get lunch for everyone there were black clouds, and it poured down. Today it did the same thing, however it was not blue skies, there was sun and clouds and it did the same thing. Thunderstorm this afternoon and now another one while I write this, thunder getting very loud and the lightening is like flash photography.
Does any mother/partner get annoyed when it seems like that when you ask for the same thing you don’t get it? I do not begrudge James getting his presentation done or letting him have the time to do it. I just feel that he could have come out with all of us for a little family time. He likes the job, and I like him having the job, plus he is good at it. However, I am not sure why you cannot spend some time with the family during the day and then get back to the presentation later in the day or work on it during the evening. It would tire out the kids and also then we could leave him alone to get his work finished. I will use this to my advantage though, next time I have a major assignment, he can look after the girls all weekend. I think that is fair, don’t you?
