Sunday 15 February 2009

Where did the weekend go?

Finally I've been able to sit for a couple of hours & catch up with all your news...Have just closed down my Google Reader & enjoyed all your new posts ;-)

This weekend has come & gone in a puff of smoke & I haven't managed to get any scrapping done, & only minimal blogging. Friday night had me exhausted from a busy week so I caught up on a bit of gossip,courtesy of UK OK Magazine. Saturday was painting & gardening day & ,of course, Valentine's Day, so we had to bring our date night forward & go off to our local haunt, Gateway.

Of course, it was packed & the cinemas were full, but there was also a very good "loving" vibe that went with it (lots of couples of all racesout together) so it was fun. We watched "He's just not that into you" and LOVED it. It was just so cute & funny & Scarlett Johannsen is one of my favourite actresses of the moment, & played the perfect part for her. We had a late night as the kids were razzing it up too, of course (the two teenage ones that is) so we had to do the late collection & some drop-offs on the way home too. We share lifts so that we only have to do one way. I prefer the late collection, then at least I know they have no excuse for getting in too late,lol!

Sunday morning is always just bliss for me to be able to sleep in. We had a lovely lazy morning & I spent hours on the phone to family in connection with the latest family drama (yes, the SAME one I told you all about SEVERAL times) It is STILL raging & cannot possibly have a good outcome, whatever happens. You know those Catch 22 situations, when you're caught between a rock & a hard place? Well, this is a perfect example & 3 phonecalls & many hours later we're no closer to a resolution. Is it only in the movies that families actually nurture & support each other? We could really do with a bit of that right now, but instead we are faced with continual challenges & ,I have to say,great disappointment.

Anyhoo...that took up a significant part of my day, but I feel it's important to be available as a sounding board & it's good to feel loved & entrusted into someone's confidence. My youngest was also in need of a bit of TLC today. She is very undemanding but has been rather too neglected of late, due to lack of finances, so weas suffering from a bit of cabin fever & dying to get out & about. Unfortunately there is not alot one can do here that is safe & free so we usually take the kids off to Gateway to movies or Fantasy Forest (a games arcade) or just out for a milkshake, etc, every so often, for a bit of a treat.

I had to be extra inventive today as I was determined not to make a trip to the ATM & draw out any money! As a result, what was left of my day was spent baking a Valentine's Cake (in the shape of a Heart) &, yes, I do realise I was a day late on this one, lol! Camryn thrived on the one-on-one attention of helping mum & it all took twice as long as she did all the greasing, measuring, mixing, etc. I must say it was great just to take some time-out & accept that I wouldn't be getting anything else done for the next hour & devote all my time & attention to my extra special little girl. She absolutely wallowed in our bonding time & it was well worth the sacrifice.

Shane played several games of chess with her while I tidied up the kitchen from a day's worth of cooking & snacking then I helped her make a single scrapbook layout with 2 of her favourite photos of our cats. I bought her her own little photo album (takes 100 photos) about a year ago, & print photos for her of her favourites that she sees when I print out our family ones. She has done 7 layouts so far & I have bought her her own Scrapbook Album to store them in. Of course, she can't work alone, so I need to help & supervise every step of the way. She only scraps when she remembers so I try my hardest not to jog her memory, lol! I noticed, interestingly enough, that she is actually quite a lot more dexterous than she was when she last "scrapped", a few months ago. Hence, her layout was quite a lot neater this time.

Again, she was relishing all the extra attention & ,while I loved it too, it actually made me quite sad, 'cos I realised how undemanding she really is & how a couple of hours of my time at the end of a busy week just really made my little one's day ;-)

5 comments:

Mette Thomas said...

Sounds like although you had a busy weekend you had a lovely one. I love to spend one on one time with the kids - well i do once i do it but seem to avoid it in place of getting other things done. Rylee is my undemanding child and just quietly plods along until i realise he is in desperate need of attention. Its a case of who yells loudest gets noticed in this house.

Hope eventually everything works out in the family seems no matter where you live in the world the same problems seem to exist LOL

Take care Mette x

Vicki said...

Have heard that the movie is a good one but not sure when I will have time to see it - might have be when the DVD comes out! LOL. Glad you had a nice time reconnecting with Camryn and without as you say, going to the ATM.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a great day with Camryn ... I think as a parent we can only do the best we can; and when all is said and done, it's not the small stuff that really matters, it's the overall picture of love and laughter that will be remembered ...

Michelle Ramsay said...

I am dying to see that movie!

Glad you had some special bonding time - the children always love it!!

Desire Fourie said...

What a lovely post to read all about your family's issues, bonding and outings. One special family you are for sure. Hugs from Desire