Totally worn out ATM.

Hi

I am feeling my age ATM and probably beyond that. I am one worn out Mumma, my kidlets are paying out on me big time to the max, I think they have realised Dad is hardly home so lets tip this old girl over the edge, between a 3 year old with the attitude of a teenager and a 6 year old who thinks it fun to lie or stretch the truth so much it flicks back and hits her in the butt. An 11 year old who has his moments and thinks at times he is married to me the way he questions things I do and a 5 year old who looks all perfect on the surface until you blow some dust off to reveal the real persona underneath. Oh fun, oh joy.

Tim came home at the right time tonight, the second mishap Zay had in about 2 hours of trying to clean himself up after a number 2 accident but it manages to get wiped everywhere and I mean everywhere, of course 2 sisters running around pretending to throw up does wonders for him to make a show out of it all. The first time I cleaned him up and put him in the bath but of course Rainee would not bath with him even though I had cleaned him up. The second time he went to my ensuite and left a scene of destruction in there which I sent Tim in to deal with as I was in the middle of other things but I still got the cleaning job, it is just great cleaning up your house a million times over in a day.

How is Daylight saving going for everyone else??? They wont settle for a good hour after being put to bed, they just play barbies and yell out Mum and Dad every 5 mins. Then we are late for school as I can't get them moving in the morning, what fun it has been this week. I have decided that for my mental wellbeing I am going to stamp camp on the weekend and then I might just might make it through till the end of term!!! I have been so super organised on the home front in many other ways even cooking some of the best teas we have had for a long time but it is just getting the kidlets to help and stop working against me that I am finding the hardest to get a solution for.

I guess tomorrow is another day if anyone has any suggestions as to how I can make life easier with the kidlets please leave me a comment, I am fresh out of ideas at this stage other then giving a few away. LOL.
Well I better get to bed or I will not have the nice Mummy skills on my side tomorrow.
Take care
Trace.

I am in love..........

Hi,
Meet Marcus Michael, a little Angel sent from God, he is truly a gorgeous little Babe, 5 days old or should I say young and between Trin, Tim and I not too many got a look in on holding him, he has such a beautiful energy about him and he has made us both so clucky, just as well we have no say in going again or we could be in trouble. LOL. I wished I lived closer but I would wear out my welcome visiting this little fellow for snuggles.

Congrats again Brad and Kim on a divine new addition, we so wanted to bring him home. You have an amazing little family with all the different characters your Children have, Dakota sure is going to be an entertainer and hope you get rest Kim. (ha you are a Mother what is rest LOL.) But hope it all goes smooth now you are home.

Wow life is flying by at 110km an hour ATM and I dont think that will change anytime soon, it was great to have Tim around for 2 days but we have been flat out, we partied last night at friends for their Son's Birthday and I caught up with my Girlfriends Mum who I have not seen for years so that was great. We came home, put the kidlets to bed and then before we knew it we had to wake them this morning for our trip to Perth. We then had to be back to pick up Keelan around 5pm and we lost time as we forgot @#&**@# daylight savings so all of a sudden we realised 2.30pm was actually 3.30pm so mad scramble to the car and off we went. Talk about time warping, so we got home with grumpy, loud, screaming kids and Keelan having meltdown as he had a peaceful weekend with his Dad and then he comes home to madness and the last half hour home in the car was madness also.

Tonight they just wont settle to bed and that is not because it is light but I just think the body clocks are out of wack again. We have had a great day and a yummy lunch made by Mum and Dad, a couple of wines and time to chat and admire Marcus and bed will be heaven when this bod finally gets there as I am now catching up on washing and folding as you do when you have been in and out all weekend. Hope the week slows down a little as I need to catch a breathe before I go away next weekend, I have been umming and arring about going with Tim's job change but I think I will end up going to Stamp Camp, my last retreat for a very long time.

Have a great week
Take care
Trace.

Wonderful weekend creations.

Hi
This is a collage of all the wonderful work we did on the weekend. Getting it all out today I am just in awe with how much we learnt and how awesome they have all turned out, Maxine and Audrey have got talent beyond talent. I am so hooked and busting to create right now that I think it will have to be my priority today. LOL. It was great to make things from scratch to have your own unique creation at the end and guaranteed no ones turned out the same. Painting is such a fun thing to do and we really were pushed for time to achieve everything we did but now I have so many skills to apply to my layouts and other canvas ideas, these girls just make something amazing out of nothing really, they have shown me that a big scrap budget is not necessary and how to build a page using your own created embellishments. I now know how to get so much more use out of my cuttlebug and I think anyone without one will be getting one at the first opportunity after seeing just how amazing they really are.

I was not so happy with my SHE layout but that was because I rushed it and was so tired but I was determined to finish it before bed Saturday night or should I say Sunday morning but I was still pleased to finish it.

I love this canvas it will have pride of place in my house for a very long time.

This is a card I created with my leftovers from the layout. It was a competition to use your brilliance card saying and create a card but I did not finish mine on time but that's cool as I love the card. I only have to finish my techniques book now and then it is all done. I am needing to unpack my stuff now and then get creating again.

Mum and I stopped at Kareena's new shop in Margaret River, The Scrappy Cow on Friday and WOW she has a great shop there it was hard to stop spending as every time we turned around we spied another got to have item. If you are ever down this way call in it is worth a look, Kareena has some very inspirational work up also.

I am so exhausted this week I could sleep for a week, I sat down for a coffee this morning and was nodding off. OMG what's with that, I think everything is catching up with me, the Kidlets are missing Tim and not liking his long hours but Tim and I spoke about it last night and we will all adjust but we are all feeling a bit out of whack with it all. My days fly by without Tim around and having tea at night without him feels really alien to us all. The sacrifices we have to make for money hey, they are huge. I guess we will all treasure every second weekend when we have him home for the full weekend.

Well I best be off to do some more sorting out, if you get the chance do yourself a favour and do a workshop with Maxine and Audrey, you will not be disappointed they are just the most gorgeous pair of Ladies and they ooze talent.
Take care
Trace.

YAY I am an Aunty again.

Hi,
We are all doing the happy dance in this house for my Brother Brad and his wife Kim as this morning they became parents for the 3rd time with their first SON!!! Sooo happy for you both, I would love to have seen Brad's face, he has been so patient for this Son. Marcus Michael was 10lb wow he beats any of the other cousins so far for size but healthy and doing well.
Congrats guys can't wait for cuddles on Sunday. Trin was chanting the big Yes when I told her.

I am still trying to get everything sorted out on the home front since I was away for the weekend, it was a great weekend, learnt absolutely heaps from Maxine and Audrey and feel really inspired now to get creating with the techniques. Hurt my hip on Sunday as we were getting organised to leave but it is a lot better Today thank goodness, I did go into a bit of a panic when it happened as Tim's new job is long hours, he leaves home 5.50am and gets back home at 7pm so I was really stressed initially about being out of action but thankfully it's all good today.

We had a huge mind blowing learning experience and it was full on with the classes, lots of painting and using some great products, the talent of Maxine and Audrey is just amazing and they are great first aid givers too. Thankyou for the support on Sunday. All the Ladies were just lovely and they made the weekend by being so much fun.

Well better go and get things organised, time is so short with Tim not home very much, it is going to take me a lot of adjustment to get into the swing of it all.
Take care
Trace.

Finally some layouts

Hi
These layouts are my latest but its a dull old day here today so they have not come up the brightest in the photos but they are lovely and bright IRL.

I had fun playing with these papers and embellishments by Elsie, at first I was not too sure how I was going to put them together but once I started it all fell into place, the bottom 2 are a double layout. I got the crayons out and went to town to match the papers it was so much fun, little girls never grow up I have discovered and the girls just couldn't get their hands on my pack of crayons quick enough when they saw what I was doing. The most truly wonderful thing about scrapbooking is having your little girls come and join you and create, these are the most precious times for me!!

My house has been bleached from top to toe today and my sense of smell is just coming back. LOL. but just to touch door knobs and cupboards and feel them non slip again is just too good, the old obsessive compulsive disorder has been out in full swing today but hey I just can't live without clean. LOL.

I have to get organised this arvo for boxx retreat, so looking forward to it now, just have to decide which ton of stuff is coming and who is staying, always the hard part as I don't even have my pics or layout ideas on the ready, will have to go and get started on that now. Have a great weekend all and I hope to be back with lots of work completed next week and a hubby who survived 4 kidlets in my absence.

Take care
Trace.

oops missed these pics from last post.

Happy 5th Birthday Rainee!!!

Hi
It was Rainee's Birthday yesterday but with so much going on lately I am a day late getting it on my blog. Rainee had a great 2 day Birthday celebration and even asked me this morning if it was her Birthday again Today. We had Mum, Dad and they brought Mikayla with them, Jamie, Rebecca and kids on Sunday, so that made 6 adults and 8 kids for lunch, Jamie and his family arrived Friday night, it was great to catch up with them again and I hope Jamie feels a little better for a break after his trauma lately. He still has lots of bruises and sore spots and a whopper shinner on his eye. Trin was a little upset at first when she saw Jamie and couldnt understand why his eye was so bruised but after some explanation she realised he was still Uncle Jamie and he was Okay.

I am so exhausted from the school holidays, we just had the busiest time really going flat out cleaning up in amongst being here there and everywhere, it was a relief in a way to take 2 to school this morning and get some sort of routine happening again. Tim got short listed for a job interview on Friday and then got the job straight away so spent yesterday having training at the mine site and then today and tomorrow with more training learning about the company and then he goes out to the site to work on the bulldozer to see how he goes but this is looking like it will be the perfect job and he is over the moon already about the feel of the place and the attitude the company has towards staff as well as some great guys he has already met. He walked in buzzing yesterday and the scope for his pay is only up so it finally feels like 3rd time lucky he has got something he will be happy doing.

Well I better go and get some more things done, I have a short week this week with the retreat on Friday so I hope to get back here and update a little more daily and share my 3 layouts done recently.

Take care and enjoy getting back into the swing of things.
Trace.

More on my spring revamp.

Hi
I would love to say I had newly painted walls and new carpets but you just can't have it all so the next best thing for me was to change my linen, I loved sleeping in white when we stayed at the retreat and being in luxury linen is certainly worth every cent but the best part is I got the 1000 thread sheets set from spotlight with $170 off the price and then the throw got reduced as the lady only had this one on the display bed, that was from another shop and then Target had these cushions out half price so I have been very lucky with my revamp to save heaps.

Meet our gorgeous baby that finally came out to bloom, I love orchids they have been a favourite of mine alongside roses for many years. When I was about 11 I had to get my appendix out and the first thing I woke up to was Mum with a Cylinder of Orchids in different colours. I was addicted to their beauty immediately and just adore them really they just scream perfection. The other bud is coming out now so I will share a pic when they are both in bloom.

We picked up Keelan yesterday and now have an adjustment for us all to get used to each other again, he is getting a bit frustrated by the smothering from Trin, Rainee and Zay and it has caused a few flare ups today but hopefully with Jamie, Rebecca and the kids coming tomorrow it will settle it all down. Tim also has another job interview tomorrow so I have everything crossed, the other mob still have him hanging on a string so he is trying to get something else.

Jamie is doing better although he is getting bad headaches which he was told to expect from the head trauma he received and no news yet of them getting the culprits.

I scrapped today, a double layout at that, I can't believe it, I really have not had too much mojo lately but it is back which is great as I have the boxx retreat next week so I really want to get lots done. I have had a lot of misplacing things lately which frustrates the heck out of me spending so much time searching not to mention doing your head in about where you put it. I finally found the couple of missing items today thank goodness I wish that was to be the last of it but I know it wont be, I usually fly in the door from being somewhere giving everyone commands and directions for things and place things away saying to myself "Now just you remember where you are poking this woman" but alas when I go to get it a few days later it's durrrr where did I put that. OMG I lost valuable scrapping time today searching for some new papers. That is just not on. LOL.

I have heaps on over the next week, between visitors, Birthday for Rainee, kidlets going back to school next Tuesday and then I will be flat out trying to get organised for going away to the retreat next weekend. I guess I won't be bored anytime soon. LOL.
Take care
Trace.

Update on Jamie.

Hi
I think we are all still pretty numb from yesterday's chain of events but I had a good talk to Mum this morning after Jamie had returned from the Dr. and his lump on the back of his head is now 5cm instead of 10cm. That is really hard to imagine having an egg that size but Mum was present when the Head Scan was done and that is what it measured. The technician was explaining it all to Mum and said he is so extremely lucky to be alive after the beating he has endured.

Mum said Jamie is pretty sore and stiff today but was also back giving more statements to the police and my Dad was helping out where he could. A security company was coming this afternoon to put a whole new up to date system in and they are going to get a big Dog to be at the shop all the time and when Jamie is working at night by himself the dog will be with him. Dad will build a pen for it during the day to be in.

Rebecca is taking him away for a week or so but they are waiting until they feel he is not so scary for the kids to see him. Being 4, 3 and 1 in age they are too young to understand. They hope to get down here also for Rainee's Birthday next Monday so that will be really wonderful if they make it, I just want to grab him and hug him so hard right now.

Mum and Dad are pretty shaken up but holding it together more worried about Jamie as he is keeping everything inside which is so Jamie, in crisis he goes into major lock down but they have organised Counselling for him too. I just commend everyone concerned up there with how much they are going into action about it all and even the town is in deep shock and they all feel a lot less secure now so it has rocked many people.

I guess the fact that they stated "let's get a knife and finish the ---- off". is really what we are all reeling from as he really did escape with his life.

Mum told me an amazing story Rebecca told her today and it just shows how much our children can be so closely connected with us.
Jamie and Rebecca spoke to each other at 8pm and then she turned off her mobile as she thought the most important phone call of the night had been made.

Ayla their eldest Daughter who is so much like Jamie's double in many ways usually goes to bed and that is where she stays till morning but on Sunday night around 8.30pm when the attack started she woke up, hopped out of bed and came to Rebecca and said "Mum I really need a big cuddle."
So Rebecca gave her one and put her back to bed but then she came back out again not long after and said "Mum I feel I need a really big cuddle again". Rebecca thought this was really weird and so not like her. When she put it all together the next day it was all the time of the attack. Is she connected to her Father or what???

On the home front Tim's job is delayed but if it is for too much longer I think he will be back looking for another one before he starts this one. Mind you it has been a blessing having him around the past few days with all this going on. I really have needed to feel him around and to talk to.

I need to catch up on news of Kim my SIL also and see how her late pregnancy complications are going also, we may just have a new Baby in the Family next week.
Oh it never rains but poors, certainly been a hectic school holidays with everything going on, I pick Keelan up tomorrow so it will be great to see him again. I am missing him like crazy.
Well enjoy your last few days of holidays.
Take care
Trace. P.S. Thankyou for your comments Ladies, it means a lot that you care.

A Day of worry and anger!!!

Hi
I had another positive post planned for today and had my photos ready and all but a phone call this morning has seen my day spent with so such a feeling of mixed emotions that I will save it all for another Day.

It started this morning with my Mum ringing on her mobile saying her and Dad were on their way up to my younger Brother who had his shop broken into last night while he was there and they had beaten him up pretty bad but they would ring once they arrived and let me know what the situation was.

I pretty much went into a daze for the next few hours but buzzed around on overdrive trying to keep myself busy so as not to meltdown whilst having a million scenarios rushing to my head about Jamie's well being.

Lunchtime Mum rang to say he was a mess and lucky to be here as they had really done a job on him and he was very vague so they really didn't know whether he had been knocked out or what but the detectives where their interviewing him then Mum and Dad were driving over an hour to get him to hospital for tests. I could tell from Mum's voice as she talked about him she was shocked and so upset at the sight of him, apparently he has been worked over pretty well by these offenders. His Wife was down South with her family and was leaving the 3 Children there and going back to Jamie A.S.A.P.

Mum rang this arvo from the hospital to say the Head scans were normal and although he was extremely bruised and lots of soft tissue damage from basically head to toe he was allowed home and Mum will keep an eye on him seeing as she is a Nurse.

I spoke to Jamie tonight and it seems his memory is coming back to him more as the day has progressed and he told me that about 8.30pm last night he was still at work which is normal for him he works all hours but he had just finished mopping the floors and had the back door open when he heard a noise and was then met with 3 people inside the shop but before he could react was king hit by 1 to the head and went down to the ground they then got stuck into him with trowels and other things they could get their hands on. He then stayed on the ground while 2 stood over him and the others kicked him everytime they walked over him to get out the door with Alcohol and cigarettes, a car then turned up out the front so they opened the front door of the shop and started taking stuff out that way there was now 5 of them, he now had only 1 keeping him down as the other started loading stuff and they had made it clear to him they had not finished with him and that they would kill him, he tried to get a look at their faces but got kicked each time he tried. The 1 that had been keeping him on the ground moved away for a moment so Jamie seized the moment and got up and bolted to the next door neighbours and they rang the police. He said he knew if he didn't get out of their they were going to kill him as 1 made mention of finding a knife to finish him off.

Jamie is so lucky to be alive, he said that even a small country town was no longer safe and that his security will all have to be updated big time with him working at the shop all hours. Still with his humour he said 5 was a bit too many to take on. So not the best day news wise although he is still with us and thankfully home with nothing ruptured or broken and he obviously escaped at the right time to be here with us today.

I hardly see Jamie these days as we are living so far away from each other but this Christmas when we finally get to see each other again will be so special as I have realised how fragile life really is. I am so happy he escaped with his life but so angry that to the theives his life meant absolutely nothing to them that they could have left 3 little children who adore their Father so much without him and Rebecca without a Husband. I hope the finger prints lead to an arrest and the asault and battery charges get laid to these thugs, what I feel for these mongrels just can't be described.

Take care
Trace.

Our not so quiet school holidays.

Hi
These pics are my new little additions to my kitchen and dining, I really hate having a plastic cover on our lovely dining table but it just gives it that bit more protection from the kids and my craft days. The owl and little lantern now have a home in my shelf in the kitchen so I will have to share the pics of them later with their new little additions. I am really loving giving the decor a revamp and although this vase was not cheap, it will be able to be used forever with any different makeover I choose to put in it.

We have had a really busy weekend, almost that kind of dizzy feeling weekend when you really dont know if you are coming or going and mostly everyone is going in different directions. Friday started with an early start to go and meet Mum and Dad for brunch and pick up Trin. I did some more shopping getting my change of season list down to next to nothing now and will have to put the padlock back on the door and stay home!!!!
We got home around 1.30pm then it was unpack and get some order in the house as I had a girlfriend coming for drinks so she arrived about 5pm and we had nibblies and a big bottle of wine which I know I drank most of then her Hubby wanted to come around so Tim went and got him as he was the sober one and we ended up having a light tea and more drinks for me meanwhile I made plans to pick my Girlfriend up Saturday morning and go and do some more shopping and I promised her no children but then I remembered Trin had a Birthday party at 11am so I took Rainee so Tim only had 2 to look after. We got home around 1.50pm as Tim and Zay were heading out the door to pick up Trin so then Rainee and I unloaded the car and then I started revamping my kitchen shelf.

Since my kitchen was renovated I have struggled to find something nice to display in this shelf unit so I think I am finally happy with my outcome although I could do with just one more little vase. LOL.

Whilst shopping Rainee and I bumped into another Kindy Mum and her Daughter so the Mother asked Rainee if she would like to go to a Birthday party this morning at the park. So my sleep in was cut short as I had to get up and get us both organised for that. It was a lovely morning and they were really lovely Mum's and we have decided to try and get together on a regular basis at that park for the kids to play and us to chat. I also met another lady from Holland and we clicked straight away so we want to get together for coffee as well. I came home feeling like I have met some really lovely Ladies who finally have children my kids age which I have really lacked the company of since moving here.

This arvo has been just as hectic with household chores and finishing our bed revamp and lots of other bits and pieces and Tim's folks calling in amongst that.

Tim starts a new job tomorrow so we are going to be back into the work routine for him again. He will be working longer hours now so that is going to change all things around here I guess but lucky we have school holidays for another week so he has time to adjust to earlier mornings and I will have to get used to being up earlier as the kids wont get breakfast in with Dad now.

Well better go and watch Kath and Kim. Have a great night. Sorry for such a scrambled message and for those who drop by and take the time to leave a comment a big Thankyou to you, it makes my day. Mwahhhh.
Take care
Trace.

A little from my Bathroom revamp.

Hi
Just sharing the colour of our new towels and a little tizzy up I have had in my bathroom. The little cute oil burner comes from Dusk, one of my most favourite shops in this universe. I walked out loaded with 2 heavy bags on Sunday like a kid from the candy shop, armed with lots of lovely smelling candles and new little items to spruce up the decor whilst spring cleaning. My ensuite is grey and black so I can change the look by my towels and accessories quite easily.

This funny looking item is my orchid in my bathroom which is filling out day by day getting ready to blossom, the suspense is killing Tim and every morning he enters seeing if it has broken out into bloom yet. It has 2 buds like this so I will share the pic when it does finally bloom.

This is one of the roses that is blooming in my garden ATM, nature is the beholder of so much beauty, I adore gazing out my kitchen window at which roses are blooming then spending time during the day wandering around smelling them and admiring them.

The kidlets often fill a glass with water and add new ones each day. I have a vase I picked the other day of buds now in full bloom in the kitchen and then 2 little glasses next to it that Rainee has picked with her special roses for me. I love passing the joy and wonder of nature onto the Children, they are drawn to the beauty of the flowers just as much as I am.

We are meeting Mum and Dad tomorrow and bringing Trinity home. Rainee said today that she doesn't want to share me with Trin and that she should stay away a bit longer. Not a nice comment but I know the competition for my attention between the girls has always been pretty strong but usually it is Trin who will walk away and let Rainee shine. I am sure when they see each other tomorrow they will be happy to be back in each others company. I know they are lucky to have each other as I am sure there is nothing like a Sister's love. At least when I am old and doing those silly senior things they will have each other to laugh about it with. LOL.

Well better go and spend some time with the kidlets.
Take care
Trace.

PURGING!!!

Hi
Today has been a much better day on the home front, no mishaps or shameful behaviour to report. Ahhhh what a welcome relief!!

I have been in full swing of purging, sick to death of walking into the Girls bedroom and nearly breaking my neck and then needing my knee to poke the clothes down so I can shut the drawers, it has been utter turmoil in their room for ages now and I just have not had the desire or strength to get stuck into it but alas today I woke with some extra energy and the much needed strength to get in that room and purge, purge, purge. I got all Trin's boxes that she makes at Pre primary and binned them while she is not here as no doubt this last term of P.P. will see her come home with a mountain more. They are cute and she makes little people to live in them and all but seriously a room is only so big. Then the pizza box she scored off me from my scrap room purge was home to lots of little ponies with beds made from old Macca's toy boxes and tissues in them and ponies laying on top. Then the little trough's with leaves that had dried to resemble chaff, cute really that she could put such a scence together but hey if she lived in a barn then I could well be tolerant of all these little nativities and scenes she has created but the health inspector may not deem that bedroom fit to sleep in if it was not cleansed today. LOL.

So between the girls clothes and Zaylan's clothes 3 big garbage bags are going to the charity bins and I have law and order back in bedroom's and summer clothes washed and ready waiting to be worn.

The kidlets living room is also cleaned vaccumed and mopped. Don't even want to explain what lurked in some of the nooks and cranies there. I just can't believe how much constant cleaning is connected to these little kidlets and after being sick for the last week the house work gets away from you. Anyway I am feeling that light, refreshed happy dance feeling for achieving what I have today.

My sore throat is getting better and the cough has almost gone so I am feeling near A1 which I have to say is brilliant as I was beginning to think this old bod had packed it in for the long haul, I usually get over things pretty quick but the old nana naps have been needed daily and I pretty much for the past week have got up day after day feeling like I need to stay in bed for the day. I have finally got back on top of this old bug and feel so much better.

Mum is having fun with Trinity, Keelan and their cousin Mikayla. It is so breezy having 2 children home, I am amazed at how the house is so different everything is done in half the time.

Tim has an interview tomorrow so I hope that all goes well and he has work starting next week. He is getting his bar finished today so he is in a much happier frame of mind also so we may be on the road up again I hope.

Tomorrow I will take some pics of some of my favourite things I have added to the decor lately that I am loving. A little purchase here and there lately and I have a new look starting to happen in a few rooms. Hope holidays are going well for you and your little ones.
Take care
Trace.

Not the kind of shopping days you need!

Hi
Warning, do not take men shopping when they don't want to be there. They will do everything in their power to make it a shopping trip from hell.

I wake this morning with a date planned with Rainee to go shopping in peace with just her and I. This little babe loves to shop so it is always a pleasant experience with her. So whilst having breakfast, D.H. pipes up and says "Am I invited shopping"? In a puppy dog tone that makes me feel sorry for him after my comment of "Definitely NOT". So then I start thinking which is really mistake no.1. (poor thing he must want to be with us so if he comes we can take our time and have a coffee out and a nice morning with the 4 of us.)

Then he decides he doesn't want to come but then Rainee begs him and I urge him to come as well so in the end he gets ready and we head out the door to Target.

So the shopping begins with him and Zaylan conflicting over everything they can find and then I ask "Do you like these colour towels?" to which his reply is "why do we need new ones?" so I just go about picking the colour I like and he puts $20 worth into wanting BLACK towels so I give into him and put the pretty green ones back. Then the toy isle provides more disputes with shoppers needing ear plugs as when he argues about stuff with Zay he drops to Zay's age level therefore it is an ongoing power struggle till I intervene. But I am like concrete, determined not to bend and go home, so I move through the different sections selecting what I came to get and ticking it off my list as I go until the boys ( I will refer to Husband at this point as boy as he really is not looking any brighter than the 3 year old at the moment.)

I get to the line for the register and things are not getting any better and my patience is now starting to fade so when the girl starts to serve me I give Zay the car keys and send them to the car to wait for me. It takes a while to get through my big pile of stuff but at least I don't have people looking at me with the {poor you} look on their face.

I leave the shop head to the car and Tim and Rainee are standing outside the car and Tim has a look of how are you going to solve this one on his face. So here is Zaylan strapped in the car, keys on the front seat and the car is totally locked up. Oh easy I think, bribe him to lift the lock up and we are out of here. Yeh right, rethink that option right now. I am steaming at Husband but I dare open my mouth for fear of divorce courts but that may be a welcome relief after this episode of events.

So it's hot and Zay has been dressed by darling Dad this morning who put tracksuit pants on, singlet, T-shirt and polar fleece hooded jumper which I struggle to get off him let alone he be able to get out of it himself. All my bribing and pleading will not get Zay to open the door or the seatbelt he has tried and tried and each time gives up even easier. By now a older man is watching with an amused look on his face and arms crossed like we are the dumbest parents on earth so I loudly voice my opinion to Tim about how helpful some people are NOT and how amusing it must be to glare at parents with a problem. I then tell Husband to get walking fast to the Holden joint for some help as this is failing trying to get Zay to open the lock. Child lock of course is on that door so opening the handle wont get him out. Off Tim goes.

Meanwhile I have a lady with a little boy and ice cream come and offer the ice cream to Zay but he still can't open the lock, then another family offer lollipop and M&M's but still no luck. These lovely people holidaying here from Albany kindly helped and her hubby happens to be an Auto electrician but he doesnt have his tools with him so they are wrecking their umbrella to try and get something to break in with. I got Zay to take his shoes and socks off as he is starting to sweat and put a towel up on the window which I might add ( Hubby suggested so he is at least now thinking like an adult again) to keep the sun off Zay. The RAC man arrives and then he jumps into action fast and has the car opened in a few mins, of course we have a car that has great security so it all takes that bit longer. Zay wonders what all the fuss is about, he has seen kids come and go and ladies talking to him through the window but we grab him and strip him off and then go and get him a drink, it has been about 20 mins since he locked himself in the car.

So off we go to finish the last thing I have to do, I have abandoned the rest of my list and Hubby is feeling the vibes even though I can't speak to him but that is our morning adventure and I hope I have it locking in that I will not take him shopping again, no matter what!!! Mind you I dont think he would ever ask again either!!! He needs a job pronto, I really don't know how much more I can take of him being home 24/7.

I go shopping with 4 kidlets so often and yet I have never ever had this type of shopping experience. I tell you my Male is 1 of a kind and I got the lucky jackpot when cupids arrow shot through us, no wonder I get grey hair popping up by the hour. LOL.

Take care
Trace.