It's been a while...

So I took a little break from blogging, and couldn't find my way back for all this time! I finished Uni and started the juggle of shift work and mothering my three little loves, and life went on... I finished Ruby's quilt in time for her birthday, free hand, machine quilted masterpeice that she treasures, and I've gone on to make many more quilts as special gifts.

I am nursing in a busy intensive care unit and I just love my job. I am so lucky and pinch myself a fair bit, as it truly is a priveledge to work in such an environment, caring for patients and their families during some of their sickest times. It's ironic how I was initially attracted to nursing to work in childbirth and midwifery, and ended up at the other end of the spectrum in ICU where it is often end of life care. People are amazing, we all have a story and in a round about way, this is what has bought me back to my blog. 

I have a real love for the handful of blogs that I read regularly. My faves being full of food, parenting, health, sewing and general chatter that is unique to the blogging world. So I am back (for now... life you know, can get in the way haha!) to contribute to the conversations...

if anyone is reading ;)

Ruby's Quilt top is pieced

It is very exciting to get to this stage, the quilt top is pieced and looking as I'd hoped it would. The colours are perfect... pinks, greens and blues. The quilt came out a great size, this is it spread over my double bed, and it just reaches to cover the top, on a single bed it gives a nice generous overhang which is what I'd hoped for, thanks to the extra pack of white charm squares and the homespun white border! 

Now to choose some backing fabric and a coordinating binding fabric so I can move onto the business end of the project, the sandwiching, free motion quilting and binding. A few days remain until Ruby's birthday! 

xx

A Quilt for Ruby.

My baby girl Ruby will be eight years old next week. Shocking. My little girl... eight does sound very big! Ruby loves the quilts I have been working on, and has asked for a big one for her own bed. I was actually planning on making her one from the day I decided to get serious about learning to quilt properly... and finish a project! I actually began a quilt for her when she was a baby, it is ready to sew the blocks together and all, but I was a unsure how to proceed from that step, so I packed it away and forgot it!

Isn't it amazing how times have changed in the last eight years? With so many helpful and talented crafters, offering to share their skills via craft blogs, tutorials and YouTube clips, you really can self direct your own learning from the comfort of your own laptop! Maybe I will actually finish that original one too, as a spare snuggle quilt, or even just for the caravan! 

Ruby and I spent a lot of time drooling over colours and fabric ranges for her 'big girl quilt' as it has affectionately being referred to. I decided I wanted to go for Moda charm packs, as I love the range of colours and designs available and the fact that they are pre-cut is a big bonus! 

I just fell in love with Lily Ashbury's 'Summer House' range, the colours and designs are just gorgeous! 

Image from google

We ordered three charm packs, and one more Moda charm pack in white to bulk it out a little if needed. I hope to make this quilt large enough to have a generous overhang over the edge of the mattress as I think that looks much nicer. This is so much fun! Her birthday is looming so I had better get sewing! 

Terrain Quilt finished!

I wasn't entirely sure if I loved this fabric range or not. But as it came together, it became a happy and vibrant quilt, and friends and family who have seen it do a bit of "oooh-ing" and "aaaah-ing", there is something like a positive energy that bounces of it. 

This one is a keeper, and has taken pride of place on our three-seater brown leather lounge, most often it is draped over or around somebody/bodies... yes, I definitely need to make a few more of these lap quilts to see us through this winter. Autumn has arrived here in Australia, and I have felt the 1st 'chill' in the air (that means the temperature has dipped below 20 Celsius... okay, so I'm a sub-tropical girl!). 

Next on my list though, is a proper big single bed quilt, one that hangs over the bed generously, for my daughter's birthday coming up very, very soon! She will be eight years old, and has chosen some gorgeous fabrics in bright greens, pinks and blues. Can't wait to share it with you. x

Hideaway Quilt Completed!

I just sort of can't believe that I made this. I am definitely pleased with my first attempt at quilting, certainly I have much to improve on, and that's how we develop our skills I suppose. Either way, I will be very happy to gift this to my little brother's new baby if she is a girl, and I am ordering some great new fabric I found online yesterday to make a boyish one too, either way, the spare quilt will have a loving home here with my three little people!

Safe to say I am well on my way to quilting addiction, there are so many lovely fabrics available, and it is very special to create something that will provide warmth, comfort and cuddles... Happy days!

My first Quilts, part 2!

My two little lap quilt tops came together in no time! I chose a pale green backing, (which is in fact upcycled from one of my favourite 1000 thread count sheet sets, not very old at all, that had a little tear?!!) and got busy sandwiching the quilt top and the backing fabric around some cotton quilt batting. I used regular safety pins to hold the three layers nice and secure, and I actually found this step to be quite easy, and a little exciting, as I can see the quilts taking shape before my eyes! 

Sandwiched and pinned ready for quilting!

Next came the actual quilting. My new machine, as mentioned in earlier posts, came with many feet, one of which is the quilters foot. I made up a sandwich using scraps and practised quilting in the design of the stiple-stitch, and it was incredibly easy! Full of confidence I just went for it, and it actually worked!!! I had a few little hiccups here and there where I made a jagged movement or touched a line of stitching, but hey... it's all part of the process. I started at the top centre, and worked a one foot wide section from top to bottom, so there are no stops and starts anywhere on the quilt. I continued the foot wide strips until it was all done, so much FUN!!! I knew I would love quilting, and after a year of fiddling around playing with different sewing styles and techniques, I have done it!

Two quilts ready for binding. Quilted be me (!) using free motion quilting stipple stitch style.

I just adore hand made items, and it is such a delight to create something myself. One of these is going to be set aside for my brother's new baby if she is a girl, due in a few weeks (if he's a boy I will need to source some boyish fabric!) or else it will join the other will be the first of many to become my family's snuggly lap quilts, for winters nights on the lounge, or evenings camping in the caravan. Stay tuned for the finished products... 

My first real quilt.

Here we go. Clever new machine... check, some lovely charm square packs... check, white homespun... check, cotton batting... check, YouTube tutorials and Pinterest board inspiration... check! No reason not to get into my first real quilt really, so I bit the proverbial bullet and threw myself into it! Actually I made two at the same time, (because once I had pieced the first quilt top, I freaked a tiny bit about tackling sandwiching just yet and moved onto the second quilt top instead). I have a few charm packs in my stash by now, and the two I picked out first were Moda Terrain, by Kate Spain, and the gorgeous Moda Hideaway, by  Lauren and Jesse Jung.
                                      
                                                                    Images from Google

A sneak peak of the Hideaway quilt top, with homespun border in white.... so far all is good! Stay tuned!

Loving my new sewing machine!

Frilly Apron

The new Machine and I looked at each other for a couple of days. Between my shifts at the hospital, and mothering my children, the best I could manage was to steal glances, taking off the shiny plastic cover and running my fingers over the beautiful new Brother NV200 who has come to live with me as mentioned in my last post. I flicked through the manual in bed at night, marvelling at the cleverness... the stitches, all 80 of them, and wait for it..... the self threading needle! I kid you not (clearly I have a lot to learn!) So the first thing I had to do was to try out this automatic needle threading business. Oh, swoon... I am in love! What to make, what to make... and we had a friend's daughter's 3rd birthday coming up on the weekend, little girls are always fun to create things for. In my growing stash I found some contrasting green and white rose bud fabric and I knew straight away I should have a go at one of those darling little girl frilly aprons I had pinned to Pinterest in the recent weeks. Friday night I would be home with the children, the party wasn't until Saturday morning, I can do this... brilliant idea! Interestingly, I had some unexpected guests pop in on Friday evening and they stayed for dinner of course, so I was up early on Saturday morning to get that gift made ready for the 10.30am party! Thanks to my clever new machine, NOT A PROBLEM!!!!   

Just over an hour after I started, I had completed my first project on my new machine, quite delighted I am! No pattern, just cut and sew... in fact, the apron just came together really easily. Happy days! My darling daughter happily models the finished product below...

I'll say it again, I was delighted with the end product! What I was not prepared for was the three year old birthday girl's expression when she opened the gift and put it on, she really, really loved it! Wow... doesn't that feel amazing!   

Some days are simply awesome. 

A Play Mat

I've been toying with the idea of becoming brave with my machine and actually getting myself properly quilting. My Pinterest page is overflowing with inspiration, and I have collected many fabrics ready to go. My machine was very basic, a Bernina Bernette, (I have since updated... more on that later) and I wanted to experiment with sewing through layers of sandwiched fabric. I bought a walking foot and decided to make a play mat for a friend's bub. I purchased a panel of animal fabric, some backing and some cheap polyester batting and set to work.

End result was a very functional floor play mat for a little baby boy, soft and comfy... but I decided my machine was not up to the job for me and my further quilting endevours. It did the job sure, but it was a very basic 'beginners' machine which has seen me through the last 7 years, through making curtains, children's library and chair bags, altering countless items of clothing, and even creating some too.

 

Image from google 

 I've been eyeing off some fine machines for quite a while, and the more I learned about them, the more I wished for something a little more, well, clever. Behold, the Brother Innovis NV200 Quilter's Edition, with 80 stitches, many, many bobbins and so many different feet, including all one needs for quilting.

 

Image from google

I figured that now I am working, (no longer a poor student) I could afford to splurge a little, and I was lucky enough to find this little beauty for a steal on eBay. Only used twice, purchased new by an older lady, who just found the computerised machine a bit beyond her. Only one bobbin had been wound, and it was like brand new! Yay!!! I can not get over the difference to sit at this machine and sew. It is just so lovely to use and I can't wait to get busy making some of the things I have pinned to my pinterest haha! 

Sitting Mats

As I have mentioned, two of my three children suffer quite severe eczema. One of their biggest triggers is their allergy to dust mites, (which actually is an allergy to dust mite poo if we are going to be precise.) The problem with this allergy is that it is impossible to avoid entirely, as dust mites are impossible to remove from the human environment, seeing as their staple diet is shed human skin cells! Sure we can minimise exposure with strategies such as using appropriate bedding protection, minimising carpets, washing very regularly, drying linen in the sunshine, and regularly using a vacuum cleaner equipped with a hospital grade HEPA filter such as my gorgeous Dyson Vac. But what to do when Kindergarten starts and our little guy has to spend a lot of time on the floor during class time, ie "floor time". I didn't really like the idea of having him always having to sit on a chair while the others all sat on the floor during news, play, games, reading, groups or floor time. I also was concerned as I felt it would separate him from the class... well, then there was the similarity with the "thinking chair" which is a place the children go to sit when they play up!

  

So, I came up with the idea of making him a mini quilt that he could take to school to sit on, a 'sitting mat' as he calls it. I actually made two and we have been rotating them every 4 or 5 days allowing me time to wash and dry them to keep them friendly on his skin. Cotton strips, using the quilt-as-you-go method, with soft flannel backing, one in dinosaur print and the other in police print so he can tell which one is to bring home to wash and which one is fresh. 

 These were my 1st quilt-as-you-go projects, and I am quite chuffed with how they turned out, so fast and effective! Happy days!

Birthday Boy

With thanks to Pinterest, this is what I came up with for my little Lego-mad boy's 5th birthday....

LEGO CAKE!!!! 

A Chair bag!

So, it's been a while... again! But I have been a little busy on the creative front lately, for a change, I just wanted to share a few of my little projects with you as I've been on a bit of a roll! (it's amazing how the creative juices begin to flow when one is free and has something called 'time' after four and a half years at
Uni!).

A nice place to be, back behind the sewing machine....

My big school boy loves his chair bag, and especially loves the pirate pocket for his little bits and pieces. Happy days! 

When was your last Pap?

So, being finished UNI has opened the way for much needed life maintenance. As I mentioned before, I have passed on many material things and begun decluttering our home. But there is the 'other' personal decluttering to-do list, the one that has been burning a hole in my sub-conscious for a little while... the list that includes going to the dentist, sorting the wardrobe and dealing with the cloths that have 'shrunk' while I have been studying (ie... sitting on bum for hours on end feeding face with junk), and of course, the over due PAP smear!
My dear Mother-in-law has been battling cancer since November last year... 2x surgery, weeks of radiation and MONTHS of sickening chemotherapy and we are optimistic she will overcome her disease. She was found to have reasonably advanced Cervical cancer AND Bowel cancer. A double whammy, both of which she was symptomatic but admitted to avoiding the check-up for some time because of the locations of her problems.
It is sooo easy to make excuses as to why we are overdue with our bi-annual or annual smear test... 'too hard with the kids', 'haven't had time', 'too busy with Uni' etc etc... when in reality, taking off our nanna-knickers to show the Doc our lady-bits isn't USUALLY our idea of a good time. Here's the thing, the Doc doesn't actually care what our pink-bits look like, they care about the early detection cancer. If there is one thing Nursing has taught me, it is that every woman has the same pink bits, despite the fact they are all different, and advanced stage cancer treatment is far worse than early stage cancer treatment. 
So long story short, I booked in and had mine done on Tuesday. Easy-peasy, and lucky for me, my gorgeous Doc was on her last day of work before finishing up to have baby number 4, so we squeezed in a quick chat about the kids, my new job and some other goss haha!
So, now to book the dentist appointments for the family...
I wonder, when was your last PAP smear test? Do you really mind having it done?

That's it done and dusted!

So, huge news in my world.... a few weeks ago I finished my Bachelor of Nursing degree! Final grades are in, and the GPA is pretty damn impressive if I do say so myself! After my last exam, we (hubby, 3 kids and I) absconded to the beach with friends for a few days of much needed caravan camping R&R.

I felt very special and spoilt when our friends cracked a bottle of Pink Moet and Chandon in my honour to celebrate.

Mmmmm.... take me back!

Life is returning to 'normal' and I have been so busy trying to restore order to our world. I have been de-cluttering like a mad woman (after four and a half years at Uni, there is much to catch up on)! Over one (of MANY) recent champagne sipping session, we worked out that I have spent about 2 and a half years of this degree breast feeding, 8 months of it pregnant, and each round trip between campus and home is 3 hours in the car, so travel time = whoa! Then there is the 23 x 40 hour working weeks I completed on clinical practicum, which was of course UNPAID, oh how life will be so different with an income!

On the subject of income, I was lucky enough to be offered BOTH new grad positions I applied for, (life is kinda amazing right now) and I accepted one in private health as they offered me the most amazing critical care rotation.

If I could say anything to myself 5 years ago (or anyone in that position), it would be 'working HARD for your dreams is worth it!' Sure Uni is hard work, but if you love what you do the battle is half won.

Interview

I had an interview today! An interview for a position as a Registered Nurse.

 This is my second and final interview in applying for a new graduate nurse program for 2012. I can't tell you how exciting it is to be sitting interviews after working my butt off for the last four and a half years at Uni... after the sacrifices made by my family to allow me to study.

I am so excited to be near the end, I have two exams to survive (and pass!) before I can say I have finished my Bachelor of Nursing degree! I am striving toward a career in Intensive Care / Critical Care, and was lucky enough to spend 3 weeks in an ICU during my last prac. I would love to write about my nursing journey, but I am not comfortable sharing stories that are not mine to share. Maybe I will find a way to write from my own experience without compromising my patients. It really is such a privilege to care for people as a nurse, I just love my chosen path, and I LOVE my young family for taking this in their stride. There really is no perfect time to chase a dream, you just have to decide that NOW is the time, and ROLL with it! Yahoo!

I am also thankful to my favourite blogs, who I have read just about every other day, giving me welcome distraction from the study, and reminding me of what lays ahead at the end of all the hard work.

HAPPY DAYS!

Eczema Awareness Week

I want to talk about something that is an absolute passion of mine, ECZEMA!

As a matter of fact, it is:

Eczema Awareness Week 5-11 September 2011

I have three children. Aged two to seven. They have all suffered eczema to some degree. Miss 7 grew out of her very mild eczema by the age of 2, however being my 1st child, it did cause me so much distress. My boys have not been so lucky, and have been diagnosed with allergies which trigger their eczema.

When my second child was an infant, he developed eczema at about 3-4 months. I was baffled, he was exclusivly breast fed, what was I doing wrong? (He was being exposed to his triggers via my breast milk, but it didn't get severe until he was on solids, I weaned him at 18 months and things then got way out of hand) His skin was always so dry, so instintivley I would slather him in creams. I went to doctors, nurses, naturopaths, everywhere I was recommended to go. By the time he was 12 months old, (eating plenty of different foods,) he was in a dreadful state. I desperatley sought advice where ever I could, and even changed GP's as I felt like I was being judged either as a neurotic mother, or as a bad mother for letting him get so bad.

By the time he was 18 months old, I was pregnant with our third baby, and a year into my nursing degree. I was becoming increasingly frustrated and hurt by the sheer amount of (mostly well-meaning) family, friends and strangers who offered me their advice. I would be in the supermarket, and have complete strangers approach me and start asking me "what do you feed him?" or tell me what I was doing wrong, or the famous "have you tried blah blah?" or "My sister's neighbours child had eczema JUST like this, you HAVE to stop feeding him wheat, milk, eggs, soy, broccoli, strawberries, and never give him packaged foods". I became much more aggressive in my quest to find answers.

Through a mutual friend, I was put in touch with a gorgeous woman who had been on this journey with her child for 8 years and wow did she change our course! This stranger lives about 700kms away, but I phoned her up, and we spoke for so long like we had known each other for years... well we truly did, because she too knew the heart ache behind having your child scream for hours on end because their skin is crawling and on fire at the same time, she too would have to remove blood-stained sheets and clothing from her children's delicate, broken, and blood-caked skin, she too had been in that awful place as a Mum wondering desperatley "what am I doing wrong?", she too had cried everytime she came home from the doctors with nothing more than a prescription for steroid creams and antibiotics to treat the infection that had developed on their skin. She knew that feeling of not being able to help your child. A few days after our talk, a care package arrived in the mail from her, home made moisturising cream and a recipe book. She is an ANGEL!

Mother's complain of a lack of sleep alot. Mothers of children with a condition like eczema know this all too well, and it stays like that for years! These days it isn't anywhere near as bad for us, but it still wakes at least one of them each night. Oh I have so much to say,! I will have to write about eczema another time, what I can say, is that we did find some answers, and some real help.

So here is my simple advice, from the heart, paying it forward, to share the love this Eczema awareness week.

• Be gentle on yourself, it is such a hard road.
• Remember that YOU know your child best
• Take that well-meant advice with a 'grain of salt', and a smile, they really do mean well (I think...)
• Moisture is your child's skin's best friend
• Make your own cream if you want to avoid nasty chemicals and additives and save money (I have a recipe to share soon)
• Do WET DRESSINGS, ALOT, they work! (Post coming later, much to say on this, but for now, here is a you tube demonstration, maybe sponsered by tubigrip lol??? You can use simple bandages and I will source another video later that I like better.)

• Request (DEMAND!!! It took me more than one trip to doctors!) a referal to see a paediatric allergist to get to the facts- ie what are the triggers? This means a skin prick test and/or blood test. My Doctor argued that I needed to consider the distress these tests would cause my boys. I argued he should sleep over at my house one night and witness the distress they experience every 24 hours as they try to sleep and play, I held them down for the said tests, and they did not cry, right up until the itch reaction happened on the prick test... but I was SO delighted to KNOW what their triggers were, and our excitement showed them it was all going to be okay.
• Our paediatric allergist has a rule... "Treat PROACTIVELY, not REACTIVELY!" and it is so true!
• Don't play guessing games or take that advice from lovely family/friends in regard to messing too majorly with their diets. We all know kids need specific, adequate nutrition and if you go messing with their diet too much you could comprimise their health in other ways. Eczema knocks them around enough. There are actual elimination diets you can follow, the RPA hospital has a great one, but be warned, it is really really hard even with some proffessional support, going alone could be a nightmare!

I hope this post can help somebody, eczema is such a cruel condition for little ones, but it can get easier. Just this week both my boys had a MAJOR flare up, but we got on top of it so quickly this time (YAY!). I am past caring about being considered a nuerotic mother, as parents we are our children's advocates and need to speak up on their behalf. 

Back from... a busy place.

I am still here.... after a 3 month break from this little blog,

Life has been busy, I am so close to finishing my nursing degree,

and even have a few applications in progress for my first position as an RN in 2012

I have said goodbye to a dear friend, aged 28 and robbed from this world by cancer.

I have tried to be a good mate for another dear friend who is battling the same disease at 33

And I have news that my cousin, 26, is about to wage her own war.

These are young women, not fair.

One in every two of us they say.

Life is to be cherished!

I am cherishing as much as I possibly can

I am grateful for exams

Life is so busy and we wouldn't have it any other way! There is so much to be grateful for, and so many reasons to smile...

1.This week I will sit my final exams for this semester, and I can't wait! I am so pleased to get another semester behind me. After next week, I can say I ONLY HAVE ONE SEMESTER LEFT! Despite the high pressure of needing 100% to pass the clinical numeracy exam, I see the positives in that 100% means I will be competent in avoiding a medication error. I want to be safe and competent in my practice. I am confident in my knowledge for other exams too. Positive affirmations abound during exam week! I think I can, I think I can!!!!

This is my dining table at the moment, it is study and cramming HQ!!!

2) Family camping trip coming up, in our gorgeous new Jayco Expanda Van. Precious family time awaits.

3) Semester break means I will have time to work on my crochet, knitting and sewing projects! It will be like a crafty FRENZY! I want to try to crochet a baggie beanie for one of my oldest friends who is battling cancer. She is only 33 and has been fighting breast cancer since the age of 25. The battle ensues, but I hope to put some handmade energy into some special things to help her along. I also want to make more bedsocks for each of us as last years ones just won't cut it!

Thank you maxabellaloves for encouraging us to look for the colours in the rainbows. I am off now to sit in the backyard sun, and cram some more study in while the little ones dig for treasure in the sandpit.

Ciao Bella's! xo

Our precious bundle of fluff...

* So I have had my first attempt at joining in on the Maxabella Loves by linking this post... I hope I have done this correctly, and please let me know if there is some blog- link-ettiquette that I have missed, I really have no idea what I am doing hahaha! 
I am greatful for new beginnings and life lessons.
 We love animals, and we have quite the menagerie living with us. Several months ago, we lost our beloved cat to her 2nd paralysis tick in a month. She barely survived the 1st tick, (and my husband was just getting over the bill from that episode!) We use a vet-recommended tick treatment, but this tick season was sooooo bad because of the very wet summer... and apparently cats can be notoriously good at removing/reducing tick treatments with their incessant self-grooming. We had gone away for a few days camping, and friends from the nearby police station were calling by to feed her daily, only one morning she was found all-but-dead, completley paralysed, tongue protruding, and showing signs of respiratory distress. This makes me so sad. She was all alone, for however many hours, even if we were home, I am can't be sure we would have noticed in time, as she would be absent for hours, curled up in the police station back rooms where she was always welcomed and fed. Our friend rushed her to the vets and she was put down. We didn't tell our children until we came home, and we said our goodbyes together.

My daughter was devastated! She begged us to adopt a new cat, but we let it go.... until we saw this little face!

MEET CHARLOTTE!!!

Everyone is in love with her, she owns the house, uses her litter, eats so much, plays for hours and climbs everything!

Charlotte was raised around little children, and when one of my 3 little ones pick her up, she goes soft and limp and snuggly which is just lovely! Happy days!

I think she is darling.



Stress and Joy

Uuugh! So apparently sitting and knitting in front of Dancing With The Stars is not conducive to completing DKA assignment, which happens to be due tomorrow.
So computer is now on... and I find myself on blogger.... I come here most days to read my faves, but I haven't contributed anything lately as life has been busy, and I spend way to much time at the computer as it is...

The beautiful CAZ really hit a nerve with me with her post, except my 'thing' is UNI work/study/assignments. My children miss me, I know it. They ask questions like "Mummy, when you finish the Uni, will you be like a normal Mummy?" (excuse self to stick head in the washing pile and wipe tears). My husband resents the strong pull of study, he has a day off and I see an opportunity to send him out the door on an adventure with the kids to give me a few hours of uninterupted time to research and write my latest paper...or I sneak into bed at 2am after a marathon study sesh hoping he doesn't wake up and realise how late it is and remind me of it if I complain of fatigue to him tomorrow... it is a juggle, but when I drop a ball it has consequences on the people I love the most. I feel the most incredible guilt... and mostly because I LOVE what I am doing and learning and working towards. Ironic much?

Nurse, registered nurse, Sister, RN... 4 years behind me, 6 months to go and that is what I will be!

Hectic. I have almost completed the 1st semester for my final year! I should be an old hand at this by now, I have been studying my Bachelor of Nursing since June 2007, that's almost 4 years! But it does not get any easier. I started my Uni journey as a 29 year old mother of two, my youngest was just 5 monthes old! I would dash to daycare between lectures and tutorials to breastfeed him, and somehow it all just worked. Then in 2008, we discovered that we were going to be blessed with baby number three! I decided not to defer, so instead I dropped the clinical units for one year and carried on at a half workload of external units during 2009. Baby number three decided to shake things up a little and arrived in week 3 of the semester, at 6 weeks early!!! So, suffice to say, I have been a busy Mumma the whole of my Uni life, and I have spent most of this degree juggling children, breastfeeding, naps, and a shift working husband quite successfully! Surprisingly enough, I mostly feel like an at home Mumma, as I have usually only had to attend campus 2 days a week during semester, then I do my prac blocks. I feel so lucky.

But this is final year. This is when they cram having to attend campus each day (3 hour round trip in the car) for 4 weeks, then 6 weeks of UNPAID full time work on prac (yes, the childcare bills will be haunting me!)... we also have essays and papers, and assignments to churn out and exams to prepare for. And I gotta do it all over again next semester! My baby is now 2.... enough said! My middle boy is now 4, and our big girl is in year 1. This is the dining chair beside me holding the text I am reading or needing this week...

The contents of the children's lunch boxes have become much less naked and much MUCH more packaged, the homework is not being attended to every evening, the dog is lacking in walkies, and my kids are looking deep into my eyes looking for the relaxed Mumma they much prefer. So here I am, 4 years into my journey, and I am asking myself "Why did I do this?" but I remember often, because something little happens, and I feel the excitement stir.

So, VERY long story short..... I kept turning to my favourite  Mummyblogs for inspiration, Thankyou to my wonderful favourites! I just couldn't beleive it when I received a little message from the very inspirational Naomi from Seven Cherubs telling me I had WON her AMAZING giveaway! I am not sure if she would understand HOW much she has cheered me these last 2 monthes at Uni... the KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON tea towel is hanging over my study area... oh yeah baby!

The little pear notes make me smile every time I use them, I make banana bread just to use the gorgeous little Kawaii measuring spoons... ohh love! But those Sunny Mummy organisers, what the hell did I do before those! Miss 7, the hubby, and I refer to them always to know who has to be where and when, so great when hubby works 7 days a week on shifts! From the bottom of my heart, thankyou to my bloggie girlfriends, who I LOVE to visit most days, who make me smile, and inspire me to be better everyday!