The week in review

7 weeks until we'll be lying on the floor in our new house.

How cool. Of course we'll all have mattresses (in the girls' case we'll also have their cribs too!) but it'll be slim pickins' until the truck arrives with everything else.

A big shout out to any unpacking fairy godmother's who are willing to wave their magic wand and set our lives back up down there! Seriously I am not looking forward to the packing and especially the unpacking part. Won't. be. fun. at. all!!!

Anyway, this week has been fairly head down, bum up for both of us. Work has kept Storm pretty busy this week and the kids, work and errands have kept me on my toes too. Caytee and Heidi (our afternoon babysitters - separate days!) have been really helpful but with the girls and their eye teeth coming through, there have been times of some serious whining and unhappiness from them both. Both have cut the teeth now so fingers crossed the drool will diminish and the general uncomfortableness they have had will go too.

The house that is under contract in Queensland went unconditional this week so it seems that the buyers are in it to win it so it's just a matter of paperwork with the banks and title company. Fingers crossed that come March 9th it'll be all over red rover. Whoo hoo!

Both girls are getting better with food. Syd seems to be eating more over the whole day and Kendall is drinking a bit more milk and eating more cheese. They've really enjoyed eating spaghetti.

 Syd's getting funnier as everytime she sees a camera she either hams it up or drops everything and wants to look at the screen on the back of the camera and not be photographed at all.

 So obviously you can tell  by now that both Kendall and Syd love putting the spaghetti in their mouths this way. They suck it in and eat it that way too. But before they eat it they will be sure to shake their head side to side so that the spaghetti goes onto their cheeks and sticks.

It's not all about fun...well, maybe a little....

 You may be asking yourself - where did they get such an idea on how to eat spaghetti?

Guess where?

Surprised? Not me.

Well after spaghetti {or mealtime in general} it's time for play and what better way than to encourage the dog onto the couch so that daddy has to sit in the armchair?

 Kendall has a real problem with Storm putting his feet up on the coffee table. She doesn't like it at all and insists on pulling his feet off and will carry on until he does.

 Then it's time to play on the castle. So much fun with the slide and climbing!

 This castle has helped Kendall with her confidence on climbing. She still has moments of doubts but she's coming along really nicely. By the way - check out that drool stain. {It's funny as Syd doesn't drool anything close to the amount that Kendall does.}

 A bit of time counting fish and pegs...

... plum tuckers out Syd.

Kendall joins in support of her sis.

I got some playdoh this week and it arrived in time to enjoy it in the morning sun.

 The concept of the rolling pin is eluding them right now.

 But there's lots of fine toys to play with and even the odd bit of playdoh to try and eat, hey Kendall?

 Yes, and despite there being three rollers, five moulding blocks and four colours in the pack there just had to be a fight and tears! They'll learn eventually that tears mean no one gets to enjoy it {except mummy with peace and quiet!}

 And here's a miscellaneous piccie of dress-up day. Kendall wearing daddy's hat.

 And {now I know this is a bad pic} Syd dressing up in last years halloween hat that she discovered when I got out some clothes for the garage sale. She's always the one who'll wear my scarves around the house, insist on putting on bibs, hats etc. Such a little girl! Love it! {Except when it comes to washing her face - struggles everytime!}

Gettin' closer!

Can you believe that it's now less than 8 weeks until we make the biggest move in our lives?

Yes, this time in 8 weeks we'll be in Texas. Fort Stockton, Texas but Texas nonetheless. We'll be about 7 hours driving time but 10 hours travelling time away from our end destination...Portland. Our new home.

Both Storm and I have done some moving in our lives. I mean coming to the U.S. with 2 bags each was a pretty big move in itself but we class this one as our biggest move because we now have so much more to take with us.

We're both so excited but also so nervous. The first half of April is going to be pretty hectic for us between going to L.A. for 6 days then home. Then in 3 days we have to pack up our entire lives and ship it and our car off to meet us down there and then make the trek in the RV with kids, dogs and thankfully a mother-in-law in tow.

I think we're ahead of the game at the moment. I have the house pretty much packed {well as much as it can be at this point} and have to decided to hold a "pre-garage sale" sale. This so I don't get left with much and I feel that the organized rummage sale thingey that I have a stall at {a local school fundraiser held in their carpark and advertised locally} is too close to my deadline so I want to get ahead by having something beforehand.

We've started working on the odd jobs that need to be done around the house. This weekend it's both bathrooms and {hopefully it it doesn't rain} the front and backyards.

Storm's worried that everything won't be done in time but I'm not. As long as I stick to my schedule in my book {mind you I keep adding to it on a nearly daily basis!} we'll be a-ok.

Keep your fingers/knees/eyes crossed that I do not lose this book.

Well

Well it seems that my last post has come under the radar of a family member who thinks that my opinion and thoughts on my children's religion is a laughing matter. Sorry, is worth him "laughing at me". His words exactly.

It's not. It's something I take very seriously.

And yes, you've managed to really piss me off. Hope you're happy.

I understand that this blog is a public one and that my thoughts and opinions are - as a result - open to scrutiny. I did not however, expect such blatant rudeness from anyone. 

Silly me.

Religion

Religion...such a polarizing topic.

Storm could care less about it but it's been weighing a lot on my mind lately.

I want the girls to get christened/baptised. {How sad is it that I don't even know the correct terminology for my own religion?}

Here is the dilemma. Storm is Catholic. I am Church of England {Anglican}. The girls {obviously} are nothing. Now I know that it's not a big leap from Catholic to Anglican - not as big a leap as some others anyway - but the girls will be of the Church of England faith. {We're going to follow the rule of thumb for religion choice as demonstrated by the jewish community. The child follows the mothers faith}.



Now it's not like we're religious in any way. There is no Sunday worshipping or even sporadic holiday worshipping. There is no grace at the table nor prayers each night. There is however an awareness of God on my part. Storm is cynical and wants no part of it.

So, it seems clear that the girls follow in my footsteps with the Anglican faith.

Luckily enough the Anglican church here in town is just down the street and the Reverend there was a patient at the chiropractic clinic that I first worked at years ago. I've just got to find some time to get my booty down there to find out if it can be done in my timeline.

I hope so. This is bugging me and been on my mind for a while.

Catch up time

So, I have found a few miscellaneous piccies since I've been laid up with this silly cold. I thought that I would share them with you so you can have an idea of what our day entails here at the Kulhan residence.

The girls tried chinese and cupcakes on my birthday. {Yes my dreams came true. Singapore noodles and red velvet cupcakes - who could want for more?} I am happy to report that they actually liked the singapore noodles - surprised the heck out of me! - and all of that curry flavour! I am also happy to report that my sugar addiction seems - at this stage - to have skipped a generation! Both girls are not interested in the sugary, delectable, creamy tastiness that is a freshly made cupcake. {Note my mouth is watering severely right now}. They weren't interested in cakes for their birthday and it seems to be same 7 months later {PHEW!}.

Kendall enjoyed the noodles.

 Syd was ok with flavour until she got a mouthful of extra "curry-ness". Apart from that she was scoffin' down the noodles.

 But doesn't cream cheese frosting help with curry overload?

In my case yes, but unfortunately not Syd's.

 Kendall ate a little - seriously I mean a little!

 I know what you're thinking.

Are these girls actually related to me? I mean they don't even finish off a 1/4 of a cupcake each?  Fortunately, there are other aspects of them and their personality that prove it to be so.

Thankfully. 'Cos I love them so.

So, onto another day...

A day spent in the backyard...sorry I correct myself. It was a morning spent in the backyard. On the swings, the slide and the sandpit.

Well actually Kendall did what Kendall does...played with the puppy dogs first. I mean come on people - priorities!

 Syd loves the swing. Luckily the house in Portland has a swingset already so they won't miss out on this fun!

 Yes, Kendall cannot help but look cute with that little smile.

 Rudy soaking up the sun {and for a moment - none of the girls attention!}

After the puppy play and swing time it was time for the sandpit. And before anyone rolls their eyes at my hairdressing techniques I would like to offer the following defense!

They move and wriggle and won't sit still for even a minute when it's time for the piggies to go in. I mean trying to get a center part in their hair is like well...getting me to pay for a taxi!  

 Kendall is not a big fan of sand. {Who knows how she'll do once we move down south. We plan on visiting the beach quite often so fingers crossed this "phase" of wiping sand away and refusing to sit in it will pass.}

Pony time.

One of the girl's chrissy pressies was this radio flyer ride-on rocking horse. The horse is soft and quite bouncy and for some reason this really freaked both girls out. I had planned on selling it on craigslist to get rid of it as they wouldn't even go near it but lately they've started to use it.

Syd's so happy riding her new friend.

 You wouldn't imagine that Kendall actually burst into tears just by looking at this toy and here she is hugging it as she rides...

 But as always we have tears and/or fighting. Usually Kendall is the first to get physical, leaving Syd crying.

 {I want you to know that I had the camera on sports mode and took those two pics in quick succession. I quickly put down the camera and removed both children from the situation. I wouldn't just sit there as my kids have an altercation!}

And this is where they went. To the boxes. Such fun!

A sign of things to come?

What do you think?

Is it possible that the boys in the family will escape this form of humiliation in the future?

I don't think so. I think our boys will face this time and time again.

What am I talking about? Well this is the view that I came across when turning the corner to the girls' room.

Oh the shame! Oh the laughter. Oh the amount of hairbands, bows and clips we have already. What fun it is to have girls!

 Do you think that Oscar may be worrying about what the dogs up at the park would think if they saw him now?Or perhaps he's worried that the girls won't take the headband off his mouth and he'll never eat again!

 Rudy took it all in his stride. What a good boy...

 Sorry about the blurriness but noone would sit still! Even the hugs were done in a hurry.

 And this is the new style of kisses that daddy is getting nowadays. Syd will come up as if she's about to start a kiss and then...

 ...cover her mouth with her hands before planting one on him.

Such an aw-schucks moment.