ultrasound results....

nothing too alarming it seems although bile duct apparently is inflamed which seems to agree with the suggestion that I have passed a gallstone....however continuing pain seems to indicate a problem and ultrasound couldn't rule out a stone blocking the bile duct.....next step ring around the list of surgeons the dr at emergency gave me and get earliest appointment I can...it would seem that most likely my gallbladder is coming out sooner rather than later........at this stage I don't care so long as the pain goes away so I can function normally again!

I am concerned that I may have to stop feeding Corey. Ultimately if I have to then I have to he goes on a bottle and it isn't the end of the world but hopefully the surgeon will be understanding that I wish to continue and try to help me along that path if it is possible.........shall wait and see I guess.......

I spoke too soon

seems that not long after my last post it came back again! It has been a long lasting but not quite as intense pain. I spent several hours in hot shower before I decided 3 days was enough and I couldn't do it anymore. My friend came to the rescue as Steve was out. She took the big kids to her place and left them with her partner and her friend and then took corey and i to the hospital where miraculously I only waited for about 5 minutes before they saw me. The popped a cannula in and took blood and then gave me some pethadeine - man that is good stuff even if it does make the walls move! Waited around for blood tests, no infection but liver function a bit abnormal they suspect I may have passed a small stone. Gave me some panadiene forte to take home and a script - lost the tablets b4 i got to the car so stopped just before chemist closed to get script. Finally rolled into bed painfree at about 1am after some panadeine forte as the two shots of pethadeine had worn off. If pain continues (well it's already started again - took some panadiene forte and hoping that will ease it and if it doesn't make me drowsy can still take kids to b'day party) then I'm to have ultrasound on monday again to see whats happening. Have a list of surgeons to call to try toget an earlier appointment as I could only get 22nd feb.......seems I might have to give in and let them take it out.

What a crappy week!

Well I finally recovered from the bloody gallstone attack (but not from the heat) so YAY!

but now my washing machine has died! NOT HAPPY!! It went along happily til it got to spin and then cracked it and wouldn't spin just made a sad little whiny noise (lol a bit like me)!

So I'm trying desperately to scrounge some funds to pay to get it repaired - have done it once before and know that i'm up for at least $100 just to get someone here to look at the bloody thing!

and it is still wayyyy toooo hot hate the heat..........

girls are coming over to scrap tonight - hope it cools a bit so I can clean up in here and so i can actually scrap!

tomorrow we are off to a 4yrold bday party adn they have air con....bliss!

It's dh's bday today but he is going to the wrestling tonight with his mates hence my scrap night!

I'm over it

over it...totally over it! I'm over this heat and over the bloody gallstones........havne't had another attack but have had pain all day - almost like an internal bruising kind of pain dunno hard to describe...........took my ultrasound to see gp - bloody useless....except to say that last nights episode could have been triggered by dehydration. Also said can't give me panadeine forte as codine in it can make it worse so gave me some buscapam - hmmm took some 5-10min ago and so far no relief.....not hopeful - waste of bloody money i think.........will have to see surgeon (he gave me referral) but he will jsut want to whip it out.......i don't want to have to stop feeding corey and am not sure how it will go - I guess this is all stuff I'll have to discuss with the surgeon really. right now i jsut want the pain to go away and it to bloody cool down so that i can get some work done........not gunna happen tomorrow anyway as it is dh's bday - have yet to wrap his pressies which i spent way too much on!

athanks for all the tea and sympathy too btw - i'm just having a grumble (where I thought no one was really listening lol)

Gallstones

Who would have thought with all the jokes as a child that I would ever have to actually face these (my maiden name being Gall)! It's funny though - I just never realised that the biggest risk factors in getting them is being fat (tick), female (tick), 30-40yrs old (tick) and fertile - as in having had kids (tick again)......so here I am with my gallstones........solution i'm told is an op........don't want to have it now while i'm breastfeeding.......option 2 manage with diet - cut out food that triggers episodes - so far icecream and cinnabon - I can live with that!

Had another attack last night - ouch! it really does hurt like all bloody hell! and during the whole episode i'm thinking - 'i might have that op after all' and 30minutes after it subsides i'm thinking 'nah i'll manage'

want my advise - don't get gallstones rofl!

Weighing up my morning

well on the bright side I was awake...which meant I was alive & breathing
on the down side my neck and shoulder hurt like hell (I picked up Corey awkardly yesterday evening but thought the pain would go away - instead it got worse).
on the up side Corey was crying...which meant he is also alive & breathing
on the down side that mean I had to move to pick him up - moving hurts
on the down side he was very wet, but on the up side dh went to get nappy etc so I could change him there.
On the up side after his feed he was full of smiles and giggles
on the down side he threw up in my hair and on my face
on the up side the hot shower eased the pain in my neck a little

so umm I guess overall the morning has been more good than bad so far!

flaked...

well it seems that the heat isn't ALL bad....it would appear to be the one thing in the world that puts the brakes on my two big boys! They have spent a lot of time inside and a lot less time running and making excessive amounts of noise..........in fact I almost miss it - if I wasn't so bloody hot myself.

Had a bit of a stress/panic myself this morning! I went to update the front page of www.scrapbookingtop50.com.au to show the date for the next cybercrop and I went and lost all the bloody images didn't I! left it in frustration for a couple of hours then came back looked again and got it all worked out - without having to run to gabbie for help thankgoodness....it's a relief as I was beginning to think I was an idiot!

now if i can jsut get my printer to download my photos to the computer like it used to I will indeed be happy.

blah it's hot in here!

...but not complaining too much.

I am making progress on getting myself in order. Straight after this post I'm going out of here - my scraproom (otherwise known as my haven, the spare room, the computer room, the garage or 'the little house - kids)! On my way out I'll be locking the door and not coming back until at least after the kids have gone to bed!

Anyway we went for a walk this morning and I posted a couple of long overdue parcels...a couple more to go but I seem to be lacking the addresses which I will have to chase up.

I have all the paperwork for top50 pretty much in order. Have put up two new ads today and have one more I'm waiting on a file from someone so getting top50 organised now. The other website I'm working on also made definite progress today - because I got organised and worked my way down a list.

After our walk the boys had a nice cold bath and we had some lunch and read books. Owen's favourite atm seems to be 'green eggs and ham' which is fine with me because I've always liked that one...also I keep reminding him that at the start of the book he thought he didn't like green eggs and ham but at the end when he tried it he found out it was really yummy...so you have to try it before you decide you don't like it don't you Owen...lol (yes mummy)!

Anyway as I said it is bloody hot in here and I have some things to do inside so I am off.

Am planning to cook buckwheat pancakes for dinner with hamsteaks, pineapple, bananas (fried) and eggs....my favourite meal from the pankcake parlour - hope dh likes it.

Update on Owen

Owen was back at the peadiatrician today to check on his developmental delays. While I was there I also had a good chat to the Dr about his asthma. I was a bit concerned about the speed the gp had written out a script for a preventer when I had really only asked for a ventolin puffer as opposed to the ventolin syrup which I was having trouble getting into him (ie he would throw it up on purpose if I forced him to drink it)! Anyway a very posative discussion and pead totally agrees with me. So in future he will have the ventolin puffer when he needs it only and paed will review him in May to see how he is going - will put the flixotide away for now.

In regards to the delays dr is very happy with his progress but at the same time is adament that it would be best for him to do 2yrs of kinder and that he really is not expecting his speech to be good enough to comfortably hold his own at school. Apparenlty funding for aides etc has to be applied for in June so he wants us to get a firm idea from kinder teacher before then and he will see us in May but 2yrs of kinder still looks to be the plan. This is fine as would rather he didn't start school until he was ready for it anyway. I am very concerned that an inability to adequately communicate in school could lead to social isolation, low self esteem and depression so I am happy for him to do 2yrs of kinder!
Actually the paed is FANTASTIC - I loved him from the moment he first explained hypospaidis to me when Owen was a day old so am happy that when we needed a pead again we found him again!

oh and I put my first banner up at top50 this afternoon, easier than I thought it would be and very exciting........have you noticed the new top50kits list yet?

Tagged again

4 jobs you've done: WorkCover claims manager, scrapbook sales rep, website designer, website moderator
4 movies you could watch over and over: Ever After, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, Bridget Jones Diary
4 places you have lived: Millicent SA, North Rocks NSW, Warrnambool Vic, Werribee Vic
4 tv shows you LOVE to watch: NCIS, Gilmore Girls, House, Hogans Heros
4 places you have been on vacation: Lakes Entrance, Bright, Apollo Bay, Adelaide
4 websites you visit daily: www.scrapbookingtop50.com.au, karens kupboard, my bank & my cc
4 of your favorite foods: cheesecake, lasagne, carbanara, bacon sandwiches with real butter and fresh crusty bread
4 places you would rather be right now: in bed - i'm tired, on a scrapbook retreat, on holiday in Lakes would be nice....umm a forth....dunno at CHA maybe?
4 bloggers you are tagging:
Ngaire http://ngbrown.blogspot.com/
Kathyrn http://uplatette.typepad.com/
TOS http://tossingon.typepad.com/tossing_on/
Julie http://www.juliemell.com/

Rach is a STAR

Well a big BIG thanks to RACH for fixing up my blog as I was busy working on another project and couldn't take the time to muck about with it. Hasn't she done a bloody awesome job! I'm lovin it!

Changes

Wow....

first I changed the template and put up a funky new header...and in the process somehow lost the comments and the links to old posts...oops. I will work on fixing it - might even create a whole new customised template - for now though I'll jsut have to live with it.

now onto the real changes - the big one!

A couple of days ago I was offered a fantastic opportunity - one that completely spun me out to tell the truth. Many people would know that I have been Gabbie's faithful sidekick at www.scrapbookingtop50.com.au for a good couple of years now. The site was always Gabbie's baby - I just helped along the journey. Well to cut a lot of waffle short....effective tomorrow Gabbie is handing over the reins to top50 to ME. Yup I am officially about to be a small business owner really and truely with my own funky scrapbooking website. How exciting is THAT!!

I can't believe how lucky I am and I cannot thank Gabbie enough for trusting me with her baby. She has down a wonderful job with top50 and I only hope that I can continue to look after it well. There will NOT be any wholesale changes to the site we know and love so never fear!

New Banner

woohoo! I decided to make my site a bit more personal (ok so I saw a friend had the exact same template as me) so I spent most of this afternoon doing a new banner! In case you are wondering it is little Corey James . It is completely different to what I intended to put in there but I love it so if you all hate it who cares - doubt if anyone is reading all my crap anyway...

off to the regular - what on earth do i cook for dinner quandry....think that Owen has dozed off again which makes 3 boys asleep - maybe I like summer afterall if it brings on afternoon naps!

Wow customer service still exists!

I ordered some Xmas gifts through my playgroup from www.toysandmore.com.au. I got them a few weeks before xmas and wrapped them and eagerly awaited the kids reactions to their presents. Owen was excited by his game but when we went to play it we popped the battery in and nothing happened! I kept forgetting to email them about it but did it late last night. This morning there was a reply - a new game is on its way - just like that! I'm impressed (ok will be more impressed when it gets here working but givign them the benefit of the doubt here lol!

embarassing moment...& life goes on

Have you ever done something so completely stupid that you just can't believe it? I went for a drive down to ikea today to get some storage things. I stopped in the cafe to feed Corey then gathered my purchases and headed out....standing at the checkout I think OMG I've lost my purse it isn't in my bag. Waving my hands around (cause I can't seem to talk without doing that) I'm telling the checkout chick that i've lost my purse and thinking OMG there was a couple of hundred bucks in there (to pay some bills) when suddenly I realise exactly where my purse is.....sitting quietly in my other hand. What a schmuck!

well that was the laugh for today.

We are sitting on the cusp of some big changes in our little household. Owen is about to start kinder. Next week both the boys move to new rooms at daycare...I can't believe how fast they have grown into cheeky little boys. I just have a feeling that kinder 3 days a week is going to be a MAJOR change in our little household! On top of that jsut as he starts I'll be doing a spot of sales repping again...yep www.alisonellisdesign.com.au have come up with yet another range of papers and mycuts which will be hitting stores in Febuary. They now have a US distributer and are off to CHA in a couple of weeks so lets hope the American market appreciates them! I'll also be repping something else this time around. Meanwhile I'm busy with a little website project - and of course 3 little boys who are growing up too fast!

Time to get organised

I don't know what has come over me of late but I have had an urge to get the house in order. It has been a mess for too long and I keep saying that it is due to a lack of appropriate storage in this house. So time to do something about it..this year I'm going to pour all available money into storage stuff. I've started with the boys room. We had two small (1 foot wide) bookcases that I've put in their room and I'm going to pick up a 3rd one tomorrow. I also got 5 9L containers with lids (2 fit nicely on top of each other in each shelf so easy for the boys to get out and put back). We've had those 5 for a while and the boys are learning to pack up their toys when they finished or at least at the end of the day. It'll take a while but I think Owen in particular is starting to see the benefits of ahving ALL the bits for mr potato head in one place! I hope to pick up another 10 containers tomorrow (but yesterday the shelves at big W were empty so hoping they restock by then)!
I need to get the masterbedroom cleared up (it has toys all over the floor which hopefully will be cleared up into the storage containers and put in the boys room) so that we can move our bed back into there and put Corey in the cot.
Then I need to get Corey a tall boy - have decided to get a cheap pine one raw and paint it chocolate brown with apple green drawers and chocolate handles...the room is apple green and I might try to get some chocolate brown curtains too before he moves in there - still have a couple of months as am keeping him close for night feeds.
When we move back into the master bedroom I want to send dh down to bunnings to get whatever bolts/screws/duvilackers he requires to put the bloody wardarobe together - we've had it for about 2yrs and its never been assembled as it was missing bits! Then I want to go to ikea or howards or bunnings and get some stuff to organise it and probably at least one tallboy or similar so that we can put our clothes away. Will try to go through dh's clothes with him and ditch heaps of them that he never wears too!

anyway all my rambling....I figure that if the bedrooms are all organised then the clothes and toys that keep cluttering the loungeroom should be able to be put away and we can live in some semblance of order....and can have visitors!

It's a miracle

well maybe if it happens for the 21 days they say it takes to form a habit. I am trying to get better organised. This morning all my dishes were done before I came out to my scrapbooking/computer room, in fact I'd even been up to bank some money so that I can pay my bills.

I am trying to keep a straight face here as I have two little 'puppies' (that look remarkably like little boys) wooffing (which actually sounds more like woos woos as they can't say 'f' properly) around my feet.

I have a cybercrop to run at top50 tonight so I'd best get moving. I'm putting some shelves in the boys room and getting plastic storage containers to go in them with all their toys in - will get a big underbed storage container too. but the shelves they are getting are currently in my scraproom with my albums in them. I'm just getting lots of wire cubed storage for my scraproom for the moment til I can afford something better. and I have to think up some challenges for tonight!

How hard is it to get a bill RIGHT?

sorry guys this is just a vent of frustration and anger at my internet company! (feel free not to read it).

When we moved the computer to our garage we had the cable moved too. I wasn't happy with paying $165 to have the cable moved and discussed stopping and then reconnecting as they have free installation deals going all the time. Well after numerous discussions with said internet company we arranged that I would pay half and they would pay the other half. She said on the bill it would appear as a charge for the full amount and a credit for half. No problem. Well then they try to deduct $240 from my account instead of $82.50!!! Well, not surprisingly jsut before xmas, it bounced so the bank hit me with $25 worth of fees and a nasty letter reminding me to have sufficient funds in my account to meet direct debits. So I ring them....well he was pretty good and very patient as I didn't understand what he was saying initially....finally they charged the $165 to my account then an additional $82.50 instead of CREDITING that amount! No worries he says, their mistake he will correct it and credit me the $25 for the bank fees too no questions asked. He wasn't sure when it would be deducted from my account. Today I get a bill, I note that it isn't coming out til the next billing day - which is next week anyway but THEY have charged me a $20 dishonour charge!!!! I don't think so sunny Jim! I rang but there is a message saying there is extended delays currently...will call back later but I am VERY VERY unimpressed with this I can tell YOU!

A year in review

I was pondering about the year just gone (ok it is a scrapbooking LO challenge) and I realised that last year was truely an AMAZING year for my family! I started by trawling through the years photos to help me think about the events of the year.....
In 2005 Brett (aged 18months) finally learned to WALK, he also learnt to talk , single words and now full grown sentences of 5-6 words, he also learnt to run and climb and kick and throw (still working on jump).
In 2005 both Owen and Brett learnt the concept of 'mine' (at the same time god bless them)!
In 2005 Owen made HUGE gains in language...from 1-2 words to full sentences and so much more. He learnt to express emotion, pain, fear, happy, sad etc. (a big thanks to Therese his speech therapist).
In 2005 I discovered I was pregnant (which was a bit of a shock) and had another beautiful baby boy. He has learnt to smile and I'm sure will be rolling over before long.
In 2005 we decided to convert our garage into a spare room/computer room/scrapbooking room and after MANY dramas and MANY months we finally got it done!
In 2005 we made the tough but CORRECT decision to rehome our dog Rufus and he is much happier with his new family...meanwhile my boys are LOVING the backyard!
In 2005 my Gran passed away, and proving life goes on, in 2005 my youngest brother got married.

and that was my year...

so roll on 2006 I wonder what it will bring....kinder starts at the end of this month, I can't believe my baby is off to kinder already, doesn't seem that long ago that I held him in my arms for the first time.

I am the Bitch from HELL

first thing in the morning at least!

Corey kept me up most of the night - so it was never going to be pretty.

Owen and Brett come in around 7ish asking for, no DEMANDING a drink.....next mistake they have biscuits in their hands which means they helped themselves - a very bad habit I have been trying to break them out of and thought I just about had! So Mummy growled all morning til I had them bundled in the car for daycare.....Hubby wants to know why mummy is in such a foul mood?
Once upon a time when we only had one little boy and I was very pregnant he used to get the boy ready and drop him at daycare letting me sleep in. Once upon a time when we had two little boys, one of whom was still breasfed he continued to get big boy ready and drop him off so I could sleep in a bit. Once upon a time when we had two boys going to daycare he used to help me get them ready and drop them off....when big boy started to chuck wobblys about going to daycare then I started to have the car so we could both drop them off together (easier and faster) and still he helped me get them ready most the time, then some of the time and now well he straps them into the car but I get 3 boys and ME dressed and sometimes breakfasted....and he wonders why I was grumpy as hell after not a lot of sleep...........deep breaths.......ahhhh i'm over it! (might be a result of all the QUIET i've enjoyed today)!

I love Wednesdays

Wednesdays............it is sooo quiet in my house on Wednesdays! Wednesdays Owen and Brett spend the whole day at daycare!

Now don't get me wrong I LOVE my kids, all of them. But, well if you have a couple of small boys you will understand just what a precious thing QUIET is!

Put a 2yr old and a 4yr old boy together and yes you get a lot of things to make you laugh and smile but you also get a lot of NOISE!

I love this one day a week that I can do things for ME! Yes normally I start out by doing the shopping but I also often have a browse through the warehouse just for ME. Yes I normally do some housework but I also have time to read some emails and forums and perhaps even sometimes SCRAP - during the DAY! Even when I have a website to do it still feels like time for ME because even if it is something I am paid to do, it's also something I enjoy doing. Frankly I enjoy doing anything in peace and quiet these days .....

well no shopping today as hubby didn't get his pay yet (payday is officially today but he usually gets paid tuesdays) so a little bit of housework and a lot of time for ME.

Some people may read that that and think i'm a little selfish but I think that time for me makes me a better Mum - less prone to frustrated bursts of yelling when I trip over a childs toy (or a child)...and it isn't just a day for me - I still have my baby at home and we can spend a bit of quality time together too - but he still sleeps a lot so quality rather than quantity.

ahhh just drink in the quietness, I can actually hear birds singing

New Years Resolutions

I've never been a big one for new years resolutions. The few that I have made have probably fallen by the way side before the end of January so these are probably not worth the 'paper they are written on' hence saving money by typing them here instead of writting them down rofl!

so here goes....

I want to get the house more organised. I figure if everything HAS a place then it is more likely to be IN it's place...this goes for my scrap room too. AND it involves a major declutter!

I want to use the backyard more, this means tidying it up and playing, bbqing and hanging clothes on the line!

I want to get into the habit of planning a weekly menu and writing a shopping list.

thats it - nothing tooo huge - mostly on the organisation front though - which is something i've never been good at (hope no prospective employers are reading this lol)

TAGGED

Never in my Life am I EVER going to travel LONG distances with 3 kids under 5 in my car!
When I was five I was happy to have everyone call me Judy and I talked non-stop (ok so not everything changes), I also got a new baby brother that year. I LOVED school - my teacher Miss Lang was wonderful. I was short - the shortest in the class and when we had school photos taken they put a tie on me and it had to be adjusted because it hung down below my school dress! I had the mumps that year and while I was sick I got my very first Enid Blyton book - the magic faraway tree (yes I still have it).
High School is not overfull of happy memories! There were good times and bad and overall probably more good than bad BUT whoever said that teenage years were the best years of your life must have had a pretty rotten life! Teenage years were full of angst and uncertainty - not years I would like to live again........But not terrible on the whole either iykwim!
I once met the guy who played 'SIMON' on A Country Practice....Back when it was still filming, before Molly died...We were on a school excursion at channel 7 studios and I lost the rest of my class for a minute and ran to catch up and literally ran INTO him (he was running the other way as he was late)...I never got a chance to get his autograph even, he just smiled and said sorry and took off and I just stuttered an apology and then ran off to catch up...not sure anyone believed me lol!
There's this girl I know who just started up her own stamping business to sell clear acrylic stamps aimed at Aussie Scrapbookers... http://www.scrappinbug.com.au/
Once at a bar ummm nothing happened.... dunno to be honest I have spent less than a dozen nights at bars - boring sod that I am!
Last Night I fell into bed around 11pm, about 12 hrs after leaving Adelaide to come home with 3 small children in the car (including one breastfed bub) in other words HELL ON EARTH! well to tell the truth they were pretty good til we got to Stawell and it got progressively worse til then but the last 30-45 min when they all fell asleep was BLISS!
When I turn my head left I see my printer, scanner, old audio tape collection and tv, and a few piles of assorted junk.
When I turn my head right I see my scrapping desk and my scrap supplies, the computer tower box thing and my 2yr old son asking me to take his picture with his toy camera! oh and the lovely timber floors of my new scraproom and the glass door looking out on a crappy gate but looking up a bit there is a lovely blue sky.
A better name for me would be hmmm dunno I like Jude - I picked it (well changed it from judy) so i think it suits me.
I have a hard time understanding how my dh went from 'I couldn't even go out with a smoker let alone live with one' to taking up the habit himself in 3-4yrs.....I don't think I will ever understand it!
You know I like you if at some point I call you a cow, a bitch or a bastard!
Take my advice hmmm the best bit of advice I have is to listen to all the advice and then do what works for you and forget the rest!
My ideal breakfast is hmmm pancake parlour - pancakes with bacon & eggs, & grilled pineapple and bananas with lots of fresh butter and washed down with a lime spider (icecream soda).
If you spend the night at my house you will no doubt be sleeping in my new computer/scrapbooking/spare room - it's lovely!
I always make a point umm dunno...I am really not very consistant lol
I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than....urgh soorry I really don't think that I can think of anything worse than THIS
And by the way I love visiting with family, but there is nothing on earth better than coming HOME.

and now I tag Julie http://www.juliemell.com/