A week in the life: Wednesday

This is my second post for my "A week in the life". Refer to this post here if you want to know more about it.

Day 2: Wednesday 27th July 2011( 2nd week of school holidays, traveling Ruawai to New Plymouth)

Homeward bound 8am: Time to head home after a 12 day stay at Mum's. The kids are in and the car is packed to overflow. Bella thought she was coming too. Sadly we had to drag her out - yes drag, she was determined she was coming and got into the car three times before we managed to leave. The beginning of the 7 driving hour trip!

Breakfast: Yes I did say breakfast and yes they are chocolate and lolly covered gingerbread men.....
Zac has issues with car sickness and we have noticed it is worse in the morning if he has milk. So we left without eating and I stopped at the Wellsford Bakery and bought the kids a gingerbread man each. The lady was so lovely there, blue-eyed men for the boys and red-eyed man for Jaybug. And in my defense ginger does help with nausea!

Lunchtime: We stopped in the village of Pirongia for lunch. It was a small town and I spotted this little empty playground which was perfect for the kids to get out for a stretch. We had yoghurt, cheese slices and mandarins packed in the car for lunch. I was really impressed with Squeaks ability to get around the playground by himself. All the kids had lots of fun before bundling back into the car for the last 3 or so hours home.

Arrival Home 3.30pm: On arriving home I realised that I had no house keys! The Hubby had taken them off the keyring and taken the with him when he left Mum's to be with his family at a funeral. He was about half an hour behind us on his way home from Rotorua. So after failing to find a window to put Quack through to get us into the house, Squeak and I sat in the car listening to music, while Jaybug and Quack played outside. As you can see the outside play ended in tears and blood. Luckily Daddy arrived within 2 minutes of this happening!


 

  Dinnertime: After a long day traveling dinner was the last thing I felt like doing. So a trip to the supermarket was made to pick up milk. bread, coleslaw and a hot cooked chicken. The house was a mess, everyone was tired, but at least dinner was yum!

Flowers filling my life

Yesterday I came across a really nice skirt pattern in one of my sew hip mags. I loved that it was a long skirt but not too long for my slightly short legs. I find that I really like the long skirts and dresses in the shops at the moment but they always leave me feeling afraid of tripping over their length. As my sewing adventure has just begun I thought I wouldn't get too optimistic and use the nice fabric I purchased the other day, instead I would use a floral sheet as a practice run. I finished it in about 2 hours and was really surprised by how easy it was. Simply three tubes each one slightly bigger than the last sewn together. As I am not practiced in gathering yet I used an easy trick shown in the mag to zig-zag stitch then thread a thicker thread through this and pull to gather. Then simply make sure the two tubes are the same size and machine stitch together. I also didn't have the elastic for the waist to made a simple draw-string version instead.

My sewn bo-ho skirt

I was so pleased with it that I will now make one for 'actual' bought fabric. But I also love the bo-ho look this one has too. So much so, that I am going to wear it today to Quack's school assembly - his class of five and six year old's are running it.

My amazing Hubby also surprised me yesterday with this beautiful, bright bunch of flowers. I am so proud of him for knowing exactly what I needed yesterday to lift my mood.

Much needed brightening flowers

So today I am filled with happiness due to the wonderful bunch of flowers sitting on the dining table and the ones wrapping my waist.

A diamond in the rough, or the carpet, or the car, or the petrol station......

Five years ago this month my husband rang me at 4 am to tell me his Granddad has passed away. I was in Hamilton with my sister after the birth of her first baby. I had been intending to  be back in New Plymouth earlier as we had made plans to have dinner with Grandma and Granddad but my sister was struggling and I decided to stay a little longer. As soon as my husband called I packed up Monkey #1 and the car and headed straight home. Hubby had a very strong relationship with his Grandfather and I was so upset that I didn't make the dinner we had planned to have. But we never know what is going to happen.

That night after we left Grandma's and got monkey #1 to bed hubby disappeared to the bedroom. I went about brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed. When I came into the room he was down on one knee, in his blue undies, with a ring box in hand. He said this wasn't the way he had planned but it was the right time. Of course I accepted and he later told me that he had discussed with his Granddad earlier in the week his thoughts on asking me to marry him and his Granddad was very supportive of the idea.

Yesterday after dropping monkey #1 to school and getting petrol I looked down at my engagement ring and the world stopped. I couldn't breath, my pulse raced, my head was spinning, I started to cry, "NO!" - my diamond was gone. The claws had obviously worn enough for the diamond to come loose. My husband and I started with very humble beginnings, with him purchasing a ring he could afford at the time. Unfortunately it wasn't very well made and the claws have become worn. It is going to cost more to fix the claws and replace the diamond than the original cost of the ring. Worst part is I loved the ring. My husband had spent his hard earned money and picked it just for me. Yesterday will now be known as the Day of Diamond Doom!

Now five years and three children later we really don't have the money to replace it. I have joked about going and buying a fake one for the time being as I feel bare with my simple wedding band. Hubby said he had thought yesterday on the way home from work to buy a packet of burger rings - oh how I love his humour! So for now I will just sit and stare at the empty claws in the ring box and dream of the day we can replace it. Funny thing is with the Christchurch earthquake we decided to get organised and get some contents insurance last week. I don't think it would look too good to ring and claim for an engagement ring a week later! So for now the burger rings it may be.

So for now I must concentrate on the things I do have and that I am grateful for; still having my husband five years later, three beautiful healthy children, food in our cupboards, a warm house with enough room, great family and friends. In this light I think I can find my diamond in the beauty of the things I have, not the one that has fallen out somewhere.

My husband finally got his tattoo this weekend too. One that he has thought up himself and means a lot to him. He has a friend he went to school with who has moved back to New Plymouth and opened a tattoo shop - Ink and Anchor tattoo artspace - Ink & Anchor Tattoo Artspace Facebook page
Paul did an amazing job of drawing up the Hubby's idea and the tattoo looks amazing.

My poor ring I promise to remember you when you are sitting in the draw and all the love and memories you hold will always be in my heart xx