Day 243 - Beauty And The Geek Party

The neighbours are having a themed party for Kev's 30th tonight, and Nathan was all excited to get dressed up. Admittedly once I realised it was based on The Big Bang Theory and not the reality TV show Beauty And The Geek I wanted to get dressed up too, but, it was way too late to organise something. 

Once Maddie and I came home to get Maddie to bed and so I could work I had to call Telstra for the third time today, and I still didn't get put through to a supervisor despite me asking repeatedly for one. They told me the problem was on our end, but my trusty tech help desk told me that they were wrong and Simon came around to fix it. Unfortunately people parked, not only in no stopping zones right under the signs, which is my pet peeve, but they also parked us in, IN OUR DRIVEWAY! To say I was cranky would be an understatement. Thankfully Nathan knew the guy so we got them move their car over so Simon could actually park legally to fix the net. Turns out he was right and all Telstra had to do, was reset the line, which made for a fourth call and despite requests I still was not put through to a supervisor. Not impressed with Telstra, and super worried about the Morgan's help desk leaving now, what will I do when I need late night techspertese?

Day 242 - Splash

After science time today I thought I would let Maddie cross the stepping stones on her own before we went around the gardens. We crossed it successfully on the way to class and I thought Maddie would be ok to try it on her own on the way back. She got to the next one after this, tried to go too fast and slipped into the water. Only one foot got wet, but it was the end of the world and made Maddie so cranky I had to take her shoes and tights off on the spot and then she demanded that I took her home. So much for my idea of having her turn around at the other end so I could get a photo of her face. 

Day 241 - Costume

Maddie's dance concert costume arrived today, and when Cass handed them out at the end of what was the craziest dance class ever, Maddie had to put it straight on. It is a super cute costume and I think Leah and Grace might have a little bit of costume envy. I am a little nervous about getting Maddie's hair into a high pony tail for the concert as its just so fine and most of it isn't long enough, I guess nothing that a can of hairspray cant fix. 

Day 240 - Water Feature

After all our painting work we have done recently I thought that I would have a look to see if this water feature would actually go with the new colours on the house. I am not convinced that it does go, nor am I sure that I want it on the deck like I had originally planned. There are just too many decisions these days, and apparently I can not make one.

Day 239 - LOCK UP

November 12, 2012 the holes were dug for the piers for the extension, August 27, 2013 our house is excitingly up to lock up stage. I am super excited to be able to walk into the extension and know that it is going to be part of our house soon enough, and we are going to have so much more space. The Merbau doors look awesome, Mark got such a bargain on all the windows and doors, its a shame that he couldn't use them down the coast, but an awesome bonus for us!

Maddie and I made a start on priming the cladding in the area that the deck is going into as I want the bottom rows painted before we have the deck added. Maddie was pretty happy to get to paint the bearer with all her 'animals' but was less impressed when I told her that all of the yellow needed to be covered. I love her little pose in this picture, it is too cute! 

Day 238 - The Last Of The Cladding

It was touch and go this morning, trying to work out if I had ordered enough weatherboard to finish the job seeing as we used a little bit of the outside of the house. Rob and I were sceptical that there was enough, but with his careful use of it, he managed to finish cladding the house with about one meter left over. This wall, went together quickly and he was able to get all of the eaves attached and finished off as well today which is super exciting. I can't believe how awesome the house is coming along, it looks totally different now.

I am glad we didn't attempt the cladding ourselves now, even if it did cost a fortune as there was so many little things that needed to be done in order to get it to all line up with the existing house.

Day 237 - A Lot Achieved

 While I primed and painted a wall of the extension today Maddie and Nathan dug the holes for the landing out the front. We have changed the design of the landing, making it a little bigger and removing the stairs, so it is all one height but goes out just as far as it would have with the stairs. Hopefully council wont make us submit another amendment to the D.A but at this stage one person is saying that they will need one, and another is saying that they will assess it when they come for the next inspection and let us know.








I think now that the cladding is painted, that you can really tell the difference between the old and new lot. I am hoping that by putting something over the join that it will become much less noticeable. It also doesn't help that painting over the old cladding, the paint seems to be glossier than over the newly primed weatherboard.

I am pretty happy with all that we have achieved this weekend, but I suspect Nathan is exhausted and probably needs a day off to rest.

Day 236 - Excited Much?

With Nathan's help, I got the rest of the wardrobe out of the old nursery injury free this morning. While he was pulling part of the side wall out I lifted a tiny piece of carpet that wasn't actually stuck down and revealed a nice patch of floor boards. So while Maddie and I took a few things out to the ute for the tip run, Nathan decided to attack the carpet, after telling me that we wouldn't be lifting it today.  We were pretty excited by what we found underneath as the floor boards looked awesome, but upon further inspection and after the removal of the strips that held the carpet down, the floor boards are not up to scratch so we will still be covering them after all.

Day 235 - Hilarious

I had to use this as my photo for today as I am still laughing at it hours after first seeing it. That would be so funny to watch the cleaners reactions as they go in to sort out the room after you check out. I don't imagine that they would find it funny though.

Rob clad the side wall of the extension today, that was a challenge as he had to work it all around the scaffolding. Just the back wall, eaves and the doors to go and we will be at lock up, that is so exciting. I can't believe how much he has knocked over in a week.

Day 234 - Big Changes

Today I took 62 photo's, thats a little excessive I think, but then it was a big day with the dining room window being replaced with a set of merbau doors while we were out at Science Time. This photo is going to be awesome to refer back to as we change the house. The Sun rising in the reflection totally proves that I was up way too early today though. I guess it was the excitement of knowing our house was going to be changing in a huge way today.



By the time Maddie and I left for Science Time at the Botanical Gardens we were leaving the house with a massive hole in the wall, while any blue sky that was out this morning disappeared under a mass of clouds. By the time we reached parliament house it was raining and I was super nervous about us being left with a hole in the wall for a couple of days. Thankfully the rain was short lived and by the time we had reached Science Time it had stopped.

The topic for todays class was reptiles and frogs and Maddie loved being able to pat a Shingleback and do her paper plate craft, but I think her favourite thing was looking at x-rays of a frog and snake. We went for a walk through the kids garden and the rainforest before heading home just as the rain started again. The tall tree's make Maddie look so little on the rainforest walkway.


We got home just in time to help hang the doors, before realising that because we reversed the frames, we were going to have to turn  the doors upside down and alter them a little as well. eventually, after a lot of altering I helped Rob put them back on so he could install the locks and call it a day. I will have to remember to take a shot from outside but this shot from the kitchen shows just how different the dining room is looking. It is so much more open and bright, although I hate that at the moment everyone can see in and see all the clutter and dust everywhere if they wanted to. We will have to work out screens and curtains soon, especially something for tonight so I can work without everyone passing being able to see in.

Day 233 - More Work

Another big day for Rob today, weatherproofing the door frame,cladding around it and installing eaves and all of the trim and sealant that goes with them. The eaves are crazy fiddly so I think Nathan will be pleased to be getting out of that job, although he could really make a start on the other side of the house if he wanted to.

A big day for us today, bloods, swimming and then swinging by the preschool to discuss Maddie attending next year and to pick up an enrolment pack. I managed not to cry although I came pretty close when they started talking about leaving her on her first day. Maddie loved the look of the playground in there and was eager to start today, thankfully that is not an option as I am so not ready for that step just yet.

Day 232 - Cladding

A big step on the extension today with Rob coming back to start cladding the extension. We had to head out this morning, but thankfully Rob arrives very early in the morning so after he made some flashing for the windows and packed out the part of the wall where the house meets the extension we were able to be here to get a shot of the very first piece of cladding go on. We were out until about lunch time, so when I came home to the cladding being done almost to the height of the top of the windows I was shocked by how much was done in such a short space of time.


The rest of the afternoon was spent cutting the pieces on the right angles and getting the eaves cut to be put in place tomorrow.










From under the carport the extension just looks like I have forgotten to paint that end of the house, it is awesome how well it blends to the rest of the house, although looking closely at it, you can tell that the cladding is different. James Hardie, have obviously changed their weatherboard moulds as the wood-grain in the new stuff is slightly different from the old house and no where nearly as pronounced. Hopefully with a bit of paint it will not be noticeable to anyone not looking closely at it.

Day 231 - Socks

Maddie is not in a good mood today, the little cranky monster just wants to hang out in bed with her dummy and her sock and not be spoken to. Totally my daughter, not that I can blame her, it is so cold out there it is actually sleeting. I think this sock hat is totally taking her addiction to a whole new level though. I couldn't help but laugh when I walked in and saw it, and boy was my laugh met with the crankiest of looks that Maddie could muster.

Day 230 - Cuteness

This morning was the screening of The Princess And The Frog as part of the Disney Princess month of movies that the cinemas are doing. We got there a little earlier than Mum and Maddie was in a cooperative mood so I took a photo of her sitting, waiting for Mum to arrive. The movie was quite funny for us adults, but I don't think it was one of Maddie's favourites, even if she did talk about the princess kissing a frog the whole way home. She looks so cute in red, we will have to dress her in it more often.

Day 229 - Window Exchange

Rob came over today and helped Nathan to remove the window from Maddie's baby room and move it to its new place in the extension. I can't believe how easily windows come out of houses, I think the hardest part was actually lifting it down once it was cut free. It seems strange to be dismantling the baby room, and I actually felt a little sentimental when we started pulling it apart, but it is awesome to be finally taking such a big step in getting the extension moving. 

Once we worked out that we didnt want the bathroom window close to floor level, it didn't take long to get all of the new framing in place for the bathroom window and the window itself installed. The Tyvek proved to be a bit more of a challenge though, it is so slippery so it proved to be quite frustrating to get it attached and tucked under the old work in a way that was taught enough to be weather proof.




I took this photo of the window in its new place while Nathan and Rob were cladding over the hole in the wall around the bathroom window. It wasn't until I had uploaded them and Leah told us to look at it that we saw this creepy reflection of Maddie in the window. She is unrecognisable and if it wasn't for her top we would probably still be arguing that it isn't her.





While I was attempting to rip apart the old wardrobe from Maddie's old room the pry bar bit me and it hurt. A LOT. The wardrobe is really hard to break apart and once I had hurt myself after only about 10 minutes I decided to call it a day and not risk further injuries. Hopefully all of the plaster comes down easier and without injuries.

Day 228 - Growing Up

I was totally unprepared for today's snail mail delivery despite knowing that if Maddie was going to get a preschool placement the offer would be coming any day. Today's letter advises that they do have a spot for Maddie and gives us several choices for where we want to send her and which days and times she can attend. I have to admit, that the whole idea scares me senseless and 6 hours at school at such a young age seems like 3 hours too long. Unfortunately I didn't check the mail until after 4 so we have to wait until Monday to find out what positions are left, and what Maddie will actually get. Hopefully she will get a place at Harris Park, and while I think that she will need two days towards the end of the year, I only want one day to start her off. Gosh her first day of preschool isn't as far away as I think it should be. Time goes way too quickly as an adult.

Day 227 - Ballet

In dance class today the kids got to try out the ballet bar again which Maddie loved. Once all the kids had 'helped' Cass to drag it across the room they all lined up eager to be shown what to do this week. I wonder if it is because it is something different, or if they all are excited by ballet, but they sure do cooperate a lot more when the bar is out. Loving the dress that Claire and Hugh gave Maddie for her birthday, it is super cute.

Day 226 - Looking Old

This poor old car is looking worse for wear, but that doesn't stop Maddie having to use it most times we are outside. Today after having it for at least a year, Maddie actually asked for the toy phone to be undone as it was still cable tied to the car. I am glad that she is happy to play outside while I do some painting, as it is taking me forever to get anything done at the  moment.

Day 225 - Bubble Beard

Maddie was swimming around her bath pretending to dive for fish like she does at swimming and came to the surface with bubbles all over her face. She thought that it was super funny when I showed her and proceeded to give herself a bubble beard.

Day 224 - Plaits

Maddie found the hair chalks today and decided that she had to have a rainbow plait. The coloured sticks are so much harder to use than the purple one we have, but I am hoping that they wash out easier as I am not setting them in. Maddie loved the colour in her hair and needed a photo taken to check that I had done it right. If only the photos had of come out clearer, they are all so fuzzy.

Day 223 - Hunter's Party

Today was Hunter's birthday party at the Kingston Miniature Railway Station that I didn't even know existed. It has an awesome area for parties, that is fenced off from both the trains, and other people so the kids can run around freely. Maddie loved the train rides, and I think Nathan did too as somehow I only got the one ride, but Maddie must have gone on it 3 or 4 times. Aside from it being a bit chilly for the parents who were standing still in the shade, the location was awesome for a party. Now that Maddie's party is done I am finding tonnes of locations that we could have gone with instead of crazy busy Lollipops.

Day 222 - Sad Movies

I thought I would have last night and tonight off working and watch chick flicks instead, after being told that The Note Book and The Time Travellers Wife were really sad movies, I was reluctant to watch them, but it turns out that The Note Book was only sad at the very end and The Time Traveler's Wife was sad for about 10 minutes in total. I think Leah might think I am a bit of a ice queen now though, as she was shocked I didn't think that the movies were sad overall. The Time Traveler's wife was my favourite of the two movies, but I don't think that I will watch either again.

Day 221 - Work on Fairy land

Checking Facebook today I found this awesome post from Nyngan Police "We appreciate your calls but we cannot arrest anyone at Channel Ten for killing Patrick." What an awesome way to humanise their page, and connect to so many people to a place a lot have probably never heard of. Their status has 3805 likes, 673 comments and a whopping 8853 shares, someone is definitely doing the social media thing right.

After yesterday's lack of doing anything at all remotely productive I thought I better do some more work on the Fairy Garden for Maddie. A bonsai plant that I absolutely love and a little house started the second bird bath garden, and the tiny, tiny cat that I bought a little while back will soon sit outside the house. Now I just have to find the tree ornaments that I picked up in Bredbo and the moss mat, and work out how they are going in.

Day 220 - OMG They Killed Patrick

If the writers of Offspring were aiming to write a story line that completely shocked all of its viewers, then they succeeded. I would be surprised if they themselves aren't shocked by the crazy reactions that are flooding social media today. As someone who only recently got into the show, I am glad I did, except for this weird feeling of knowing my reaction and feelings of sorrow are completely irrational, as Patrick isn't a real person. I know that he isn't real, I know that it is just a T.V show and that it is all fiction but I am sad and it seems that I am not alone in my grieving for a fictional character. My Facebook feed is inundated with posts about it, whether they are sad with me, or whether they are completely bewildered by the effect of one episode on such a large amount of their friends. I am not looking forward to Patrick's funeral next week, I better go buy some more tissues this week.

Day 219 - First Bloods

Busy morning today, before Maddie went to her swimming lesson I had my first blood test to track my cycle and attempt to pinpoint when or if I ovulate. The Canberra Fertility Clinic has the WORST parking in Canberra, its at the John James Hospital where the car parks are absurdly small and hard to get back out of in a car any bigger than a mini. The clinic itself was awesome, I was shown what to do and was only there about half an hour, which seemed fast seeing as the waiting room was packed. It turns out that Grace and Elsie's dance teacher Casey works at the clinic, so Maddie was pretty impressed and happy to stay, especially once she was handed a stress ball when I was. Hopefully these tests show something and it isn't too long until we can conceive as I think being here between 7.30 & 9 is just too early to be functional and out of the house.

Day 218 - Zoo Time

Mums and cubs at the zoo again today with Hugh and Claire and all the Morgan's for Graces actual birthday. The weather was shocking, it was cold windy and drizzling but the kids enjoyed the giraffe painting, book reading, snake patting and feeding Hummer time. Maddie and I walked around the zoo after the class with Hugh and Claire and I think the highlight of that for the kids was getting to use an umbrella each and being able to run around. Unfortunately for Claire Hugh took her umbrella so I am guessing she was super cold and wet by the time we finished walking around. I am pretty sure that the Zoo is the coldest place in Canberra these days, hopefully they open the aquarium soon so that if the weather is bad, we can hide in there.

Day 217 - Allergies

After a lot of tears from me yesterday thinking that Maddie would miss Grace's party as she seemed sick all morning until we gave her antihistamines, this morning she woke up a lot worse. Poor Maddie had no voice this morning and was very unimpressed with it. A quick trip to the doctors revealed that she has an allergy to something and another dose of Zyrtec cleared her right back up. I wonder what she has reacted to, with the wind so insane over the past few days it could be just about anything. At least she isn't contagious and got to go to the party yesterday, and a few days of antihistamines she should clear right up.

Day 216 - Grace's Party At Lollipop's

Grace's birthday party this afternoon at lollipops went awesomely. They seemed to have enough staff there to actually run it and while there were still a lot of kids at the centre, it seemed to be quite a bit calmer. Grace loved the throne chair and was pretty impressed with the Mermaid Barbie that we got her. Maddie loved the pass the parcel game that Leah organised to replace musical chairs, which was so much more suitable for this age group. I love that Maddie sat right next to Grace for the party, she is really taking the Grace is her best friend to heart trying to be around her almost constantly when they are together, it is pretty cute.

Day 215 - Meme

I found this on my news feed today and thought that it was just too funny not to share and then keep a record of it in my blog. I totally relate to this, the days just go so fast and we achieve nothing other than of course a shower and us still being alive when Nathan gets home.

Day 214 - Hugh's Birthday

Maddie was super excited to get to go to Hugh's birthday party today, although it did take a little convincing that it was in fact Hugh's Birthday, and hers hadn't come around again. Hugh loved the mega blocks that Nathan picked up for him, and while they aren't the size we were aiming for he sure did seem to like playing with them. This photo was taken while we were all singing Happy Birthday to him and he was telling us all to stop, it is so funny how shy so many people get when it comes time to cut the cake.

Day 213 - Science Time

Today Maddie had her first Science Time session which was ran at the dinosaur museum this week. Maddie was pretty impressed with the magnifying glass and loved looking at the rocks and fossils with it. The instructor was awesome, managing to keep control of all of the kids that attended for the whole lot of mat time while he talked about different dinosaurs and one kid answered all of his questions. The activities were awesome, with playdough foot prints Maddie is obsessed with, paper plate dino craft, colouring and a toy dinosaur that they could climb onto and pretend to ride.

We attempted to check out the museum afterwards, but Maddie was starving so she was overly emotional and insanely naughty so we headed over to Cockington Green for some lunch and a quick train ride. Thankfully once Maddie was fed she was in a much better mood so we were able to pick up some fairies and explore some of the gardens a bit more in the sun. The Cockington Green membership has now paid for itself, and even though the Science Time class wasn't at Questacon, I think the Questacon membership will soon be worthwhile too.