Schoolies

 The little boy on your left has grown 6 inches since last January and turned into this 13 year old on your right. He just started high school this week and was most gracious about it being a little overshadowed by the Short Divine One starting Prep school.

 Times have changed in other ways too. I recall back when the four biggies were in early primary when a Contact and covering marathon of several days would have to be undertaken. The Big Fella would take them out while I sticky taped and peeled and folded into the hot wee January hours once with a swarm of flying ants for company. No longer! Number Four declared it highly uncool to cover any books or even to have her mothers' uncool handwriting on them. In fact I left a pile of pens and exercise pads on the table and told them all to organise their own bags this year….and it was good!

Of course, I covered Shorty's tiny selection and took great delight in going overboard with sparkly glittery stuff because I only had to do it once!!

We bought approximately (sung to the 12 days of Christmas) seven pairs of shoes, six pairs of socks, five boys' shirts, four boys' shorts, three girls' blouses, two pairs of skirts and a laptop bag of required denomination. Not to mention the padlocks, belts, lunch boxes, etc) The coffers are well empty!

 There were no first day photos. This one was crying because she did not like the 'stupid' dress (aka the nooniform). She fell asleep at 3.45 pm after her first day. The second day was a breeze. 

homework- Day 1

This one refused to be photographed so I sneaked one from behind the tower of lunch boxes while he was checking his diary for the thirty seventh time.

We can't get a group shot because the B1 refuses to put on shoes until we drive into the school driveway and the B2 is gone to swimming training before the normal people get up. I may have to pay them to sit for a first day photo some time around the twentieth day when we've all recovered.

Wednesday I was so tired I wagged the doctor. Yesterday I came home after drop off and crawled back into bed for an hour.
Who'd have thought? Five of them…all at school. The happiness, the excitement, the bittersweet sadness, the fun, the quiet, the laundry…..the relief!

Twosies

In honour of all things twinnie, here are some twosies that have happened this week.

The little missus and I popped into Matt Blatt while Lala was twirling in a hoop at circus. The Child formerly known as Shorty informs us that this name is in inappropriate for a big kid in red group at kindy so henceforth she shall be known as the Divine Miss M. You all know she is Maya anyhoo. 

She chose this chair for her room. Is that princessy enough for you? At least it's a cheery yellow and not pink or purple. The jury is still out on the boar's head table.

Room furniture you want

 In fact she will have to settle for some rather charming felt animals from GOMA and a pink crocheted bowl which has a delightful tendency to glow in the morning sun. I just wanted to show you that because it is pretty...no? I think all gift shopping should be done in the Gomalicious shop especially if it's for me. It beats the pink aisle at Kmart which always makes me feel sightly giddy.

Room furniture you have.

Now you all remember this photo from last week of the Fishboy's room. Did I mention there is a cello and guitar in there as they don't fit next to the euphonium, two trombones and violin in the lounge?

Room sans giant instrument

 Now I invite you to see if you can find something different in these images. Compare and contrast if you will. Those music teachers have been on the Pimms again and are rolling around on the rehearsal room floor laughing. It does not fit in the Big Fella's car as it is for big fellas not big hollow instruments. The boy loves it but does not sleep with it as he does his football. Probably for the best.

Did anyone read that sign...anyone!

Room avec giant instrument

Meanwhile back at Matt Blatt, we saw these chairs. Yes, they were repro! Yes, they were lovely and yes, I wanted one in every colour. Like the bath towels I could allocate one to each family member and they would be responsible for chipping off their own hardened spag bog as a post dining parlour game.

Chairs I wanted

Instead I showed great restraint and bought these. They were display ones to entertain the kiddies of people who actually buy real chairs at Mat Blatt. The D.V. M. (remember the divine Miss M?) loved them and it was her birthday so we bought them reduced as they were a little shop soiled. They ended up in the bath anyway, then were covered in her permanent marker moniker so they were unsoiled then soiled again....the Circle of Life at our house.

Chairs I got

There has been a tiny bit of artistica going on here at work as there will never be time at home unless you count hanging the washing in colour coded spirals around the garden. I found some nice bits of wood and painted them black, then white, then red. Then I sanded them back. I don't know why either. It seemed to be the thing to do at the time. They have some contact stencils on them in Exhibit A. In Exhibit B you can see a couple of them getting worked into something.  Not sure yet. I'll let you know. Exhibit B also has the Michelin man on it as I am making some drawings for my boys' rooms of toys. The real twinnies got one each for their birthday/s.

exhibit A

exhibit B

Back later for more twinniness as it is the flavour of the month this week at our house. Stay tuned...