<BGSOUND SRC="my-girl.mid"> Ahhhhh.... here I am again.... So much for the monthly updates.... But surely you all didn't expect me to pull that one off, full of great intentions and then reality kicks in... Need 48hr days and 3day working week!

Everyone here is well and school is back (YAY) and the kids are doing fantastically, Max has slotted back in very nicely with a few 'high fives', a kick of the soccar ball and some endering hugs from his mates and it was 'BYE MUM' and which point I chased him round the playground demanding affection and kisses!!! His teacher is young, enthusiastic and very approachable which makes a change from some of the teachers we endured last year... Unfortunately Mrs Down- the teacher we especially DIDN'T like is now running the Kindy... where Ruby will be in two years but we will worry about that when we get to it! Max has offically reregistered for soccar and is raring to go, the club assumed Si was intending to coach again, but he can only really do Wed training session so he and another Father are sharing the duty. We decided it may be better for Max if this year we all stand at the side lines cheering. Simon can still be personal trainer extrodinaire !!
I can not believe I nearly forgot to tell you all Maxi lost his first tooth!!! It was as though he only cut it yesterday.. Simon and I had a little tear in our eyes to think our bootiful boy has made and passed another mile stone... I know a bit pathetic and soppy, but I am a mummy after all !! And taking into consideration 20yrs of inflation (I used to get 20c), after much deliberation it was decided the going rate for a perfect bottom tooth would now be at $2... Maxi's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he couldn't stop grinning (much to my disgust, its when he sticks his toung through)

Eve was a little defient in the first week... taking on the teacher!!! (she had been warned about a lipstick she had snuck to school... and after the third warning it was taken from her by Miss Stevens and put on the teachers desk... Well Eve decided to go and retrieve the lipstick herself!!! So as you can imagine that went down like a lead balloon... hence we had a chat about how at school Miss Stevens is the 'BOSS' (as Eve always likes to know who is in charge...who is the Boss!)) Then of course there is the permanent removal of her scissors story... which luckily DOESN'T include hair cutting, But anyhow. Socially she is doing very well and has made lots of friends and has been invited to her first B'day Party, where she was seen to be holding hands and looking generally as though she was in the 'Cool Gang', which is a massive improvement and quite a relief, she seems very happy in herself and is quite a changed little person.

Ruby and I have started Dance on a Tues morning, Playgroup on a Wed morning and Storytime at the libary on Thursdays... and as far as she is concerned we are going to school! The first morning of dance she did a fabulous full strip which involved not only removing her clothes but literally flinging her clothes over her shoulder... all I could think was where are people going to think she got that idea and what do they think I do at home to music!!! She loves to tell people about 'dancing, and I do turning, turnin around' then she sings you a song and does the actions to go along with it. Miss Ruby is forever singing and making up songs about dog and babys going to sleep! I am rather concerned about how overly girly and maternal she is... We shopped around Coles (like Tesco) the other day with a carrot (yes, really a carrot) on her shoulder as she proceeded to 'pat it's back' and sing it baby sleep songs... Quite disgusting if not a little odd! Simon likes to tell people she os her mothers daughter... and all I can do is pray shes not! (she is no where near as hyper as I was- Mum likens me as a child to be more like Eloise (only with more discipline...) unfortunately for Archie, he would remember couisin Eloise... anyhow moving right along!!

For those of you who have not already heard Simon (and his team)won the (touch) Rugby final. He was so excited you would have thought he single handedly won the match! What I liked was when Christopher (that I used to nanny, who is now 10, anyhow Chris was saying how his team had won the State Tee-ball competition (which is quite an honour, two years in a row) and Si proudly exclaimed he'd won the touch rugby at which point Chris fell about laughing... as far as he is concerned touch rugby is not a real game, only I remember when Simon taught Chris to throw and catch! The other good news for Si is the new guy at work, Jesse, he is a 23 yr old aboriginal footballer, which has 'shut-up' the racist boys in the lunch room and given Simon a bit of moral support. He feels the dynamics have really changed and will hopefully keep improving esp as another one or two of the older crew are planning to retire in the near future.
Angus (Simons car) is awaiting the fitting of his new door after the guy who backed into him took 9 weeks to come up with the money and then with new brakes it will be like a new car (well as new as '67 can be). and for those of you who are interested Sim and Mark went to see the DJ, CJ Bollan the other night and apparently had a wicked night, pretty hard core, (not my scene) but I managed to get free tickets through a girlfriend in the industry!

I hasseled the department of Family and Children Services (the people we report to about Eve and who are responsible for Eves wardship etc) anyhow, about having a babysitter supplied once a month for a night off. They have respite care available, but that involves all the kids going to someone elses house.... I DON'T THINK SO... so I asked about babysitting and we've got Sat night once a month for three months approved... YAY... we just have to work out where to go first.

I have actually started negotiations for more support to be given to the Foster Carers Familys, there are hugh areas which need addressing, things such as free memberships being available to the zoo, water parks, sitech, movies etc... these are available for Eves Mum to do with her but then Max has to hear about all the wonderful places they have been... It is difficult to understand the rationale sometimes, if you abuse your child they give you massive financial, emotional etc support. But as a foster carer you recieve $76 per week to cover Eve's daily expenses, plus clothing allowence x 3 times per year and they pay her school fees. But ultimately We as a family have welcomed Eve and We as a family should feel there are some benifits to all the hard work. I always stick my nose in, but this is something I feel is important, esp as some familys have up to 5 foster children, they deserve gold medals and red carpets.
The department tried to guilt us into taking Eves baby brother when he was 3 weeks old, but I couldn't see us coping with that esp in such a tiny little house, and the issue of car seats etc... Babys are lovely but a lot of work and I think Simon would have had a pink fit!!

We are still looking to move, unfortunately, But it is not easy to fing 4 brm houses let alone in our area, and price range! FUN FUN FUN
My best friend Vanessa had her second child last week a girl named Abby-Rose (8.6 pound !!!), only they all the way over in Queensland and I won't be seeing her for a while, last time I was her support person for the birth of James ( three months prior to Rubys Birth) and this time I can't even see her, so I have felt quite sad and very far away.
Escha is going well I have little time to spend on it but am manging to keep up with the orders generated by friends... so that is good, and have seem some positive results.A big soap making session due this week (which I might add is good clean fun HAHA) and I have as yet to perfect my moisturiser technique, its qiute like making a mayonaise... only harder, mine have ended up a bit thin!
I recently made up a tea for a friend of dads who suffers from krohns disease (not a cure but a complimentary therepy) and he says he feels better than he has in 12 years and the symptoms have eased, the side effects have eased, and his level energy has gone up ! His Dr has even approved the tea which is made from Fennel, Star Annise, and Cummin (very similar to baby colic medicenes but no preservatives etc)... he asked me to make something to ease thrush (a side effect from the antibiotics and steroid medication) and it ended up better than we could have imagined!!


Any how enough raving on, still no photos- there are some on Dads digital camera from Mums 50th B'day Party !!! I'll have to try and put some on for you to see. Take care. We love you xxxx