Costco chocolate chips. I read this post at The Art of Simple, and I KNOW I should buy fair-trade, child-slave-free chocolate, and refuse palm oil products. I KNOW I should. But after that post I thought I should try a little bit harder, at least. So I went to Costco and I bought the dang chocolate and now that there’s 2 kilos of it in my cupboard, my usual “meh”ness about chocolate (except Loving Earth chocolate because I will eat the shit out of that when it’s around) has suddenly turned into “hand it all over and nobody gets hurt”.
I have been getting disproportionately excited about Holiday-themed holiday things, So I’ve been stocking up on movies and whatnot on iTunes for the kids. “For the kids“. They have been subjected to A Charlie Brown Christmas and Dora doing Thanksgiving-themed activities, among other things. Just wait til I make them watch Garfield.
I also have been pinning them down and desperately trying to get them to love the old Wind in the Willows and Peter Rabbit TV shows from when I was a kid, but every time I flick past them there’s a bloody Dora somewhere and they want it. Mummy wants to watch wildlife have a quaint English picnic on the river in watercolours, DON’T YOU CARE, SMALL CHILD?! Let alone the attempts I’ve made to read to them from the actual books (and Winnie the Pooh) but the pictures are small and black-and-white, and it isn’t happening.
I loved “So they can’t wear nappies forever?” from The Uneducated Opinion about a stay-at-home dad wrangling toilet training, “Sydney Mother Risks Possibility of Third Son” from The Thud discussing the shithead things people say about pregnant women, and “Why your husband isn’t doing you a favour by watching your kids” from A Mother Far From Home, about the shithead things people say when women go out and leave the kids with their father. It’s not “babysitting”, y’all. Grrrrrr.
Speaking of A Mother Far From Home, she’s my podcast co-host and we are finally getting the ball rolling. You will have us in your ears toot sweet. You will LOVE her Southern drawl, except when I start speaking, because it makes me sound like my bogan is turned up to 11.
The other fun thing that October has brought has been the contents of my mailbox. Two great new books and some new season Mox shoes because I’m kind of obsessed with them (Exhibit A), and I’m now very stoked to see Vel as a sponsor in the sidebar. Hooray for cool people doing cool things!
Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley, and it was insane. I’m going to write a little post about it, but there’s a surprise for you, too. Just wait and see!
Oh and you know what is NOT ace? it appears that the walls that face the street in our townhouse (pretty much just glass windows and doors) not only let in the noise from the street (someone just lost their licence and his friend needs to go to the “torlet”, if you’re wondering) also means the street, which is pretty quiet, can hear our shenanigans.
So that means when I’m downstairs sorting the washing and I can hear the kids playing, then whingeing, the whole street can hear me screaming about children choking, thanks to both children wrapping each end of a six-foot-long dance ribbon around their necks and trying to convoy down the stairs. And seeing that one kid is way bigger and faster than the other – well, it isn’t going to end well. I thought shouting might give them a little extra fright so they knew this was a Really Bad Idea because Someone Could Get Really Hurt, when I realised all the doors and windows in the place were open. So the whole street thinks my toddlers are delinquent, and that I’m batshit crazy.
They’re not far wrong.
But what’s been Just Ace in your world? Kids trying to kill each other too?
Karin O'Grady says
October 29, 2014 at 8:36 amDon’t leave me hanging, what were the new books you got in the mail?
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 9:15 pmeeeee I got Green Kitchen Travels, and Well and Good by Nat Kringoudis 🙂
Karin O'Grady says
October 29, 2014 at 9:20 pmWell and Good is, well, good! 🙂
Shari says
October 29, 2014 at 9:23 amLife is pretty good here – I’m managing to get out and about with the boys and I even managed to get 8hrs of sleep last night! crazy – I know – I’m waiting for it all to turn pear shaped. Oh and my baby put on 1kg in two and a half weeks being purely breastfed… A) my babies grow too quickly and b) I am a dairy cow
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 9:10 pmOh man, sleep! That’s amazing. We didn’t sleep, which meant we didn’t go out. You’re already doing better than I was!
Lila Wolff says
October 29, 2014 at 9:48 amI’ve never been to balgownie but used to get to chat to the lovely cellar door staff when I worked at a winery. Would be lovely to go there.
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:57 pmIt really was so beautiful. I wish I could have seen more of it!
Rachel @ Mother Far from Home says
October 29, 2014 at 10:03 amOh can’t wait for the podcast and you DON’T sound bogan!
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:57 pmhaha it’s still weird listening to yourself for 44 minutes.
Cybele @ BlahBlah says
October 29, 2014 at 10:26 amHee hee, I had a similar shouting moment when our preschooler nearly killed one of our chickens by shutting the gate too fast. I must admit I was a bit surprised the chicken didn’t think to move, but they’re not the smartest birds our ladies x
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:57 pmC’mon chicken, get with the program!
Tarah Smith says
October 29, 2014 at 10:35 amOh this is my favourite, haha I’ve had those shouty moments with my children and then avoided all eye contact with my neighbours shortly after. I secretly feel better when I hear my neighbours getting cross and a bit shouty too…
Push on with reading old books I say, my children have grown to love listening to stories without all the colourful pictures now, thank goodness! They even loved A Charlie Brown Christmas… meanwhile I was cringing at all the attitude in the movie, whoops! haha
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:56 pmI don’t think anyone lives nearby with small children, so I’m making parenthood look totally shit!
Tasha Batsford says
October 29, 2014 at 10:39 amNew job, brain hurting, nothing left to write interesting blog posts. Send help.
Mandy says
October 29, 2014 at 1:30 pmThe idea of a new job scares me at the moment. The effort, the smiles. Ahhh!
Tasha Batsford says
October 29, 2014 at 1:35 pmI actually hit this point in the afternoon and I have nothing left in the tank. My brain is just so fried I’m a danger.
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:56 pmOh dude, that’s awesome/shit. I hope you rebound tomorrow! Good luck!
Sonia@ LIfe Love and Hiccups says
October 29, 2014 at 11:51 amMy kids are Always trying to kill each. It is a way of life! xx
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:56 pmyep I think I will resign myself to this fact!
Mandy says
October 29, 2014 at 1:30 pmAce – mangoes and a bump I can call a baby rather than food related. Not so ace – my biggest baby starts school so soon and I am scared and keep balling and keep putting off buying her uniform. She is mine, not the world’s. Not just yet.
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:55 pmOh I’m so pathetic, my three-year-old was navigating her way through a wrapped sandwich today and I thought of her eating her lunch at school and I was like “I’M NOT READY” and she’s not even going for more than a year. I nearly cried.
Kymmie says
October 29, 2014 at 2:36 pmKilling? There is ALWAYS killing at my place. And CostCo: you have to stay away from that place! xx
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:54 pmI’m assuming there’ll be plenty of killing from now until forever!
Sonia from Sonia Styling says
October 29, 2014 at 4:00 pmI really dug this post. Kinda like sitting down for a chat with you over a cuppa.
I’ve just started yoga and I’m loving it. I think I’ve gotten into it at the perfect time for me. One day I hope to be able to sit in the “proper” cross legged position and actually have both knees be able to touch the floor.
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:54 pmOh I love yoga. Yoga is always ace!
Reannon @shewhorambles says
October 29, 2014 at 4:37 pmIt’s one of the reasons we live on a one acre block- the neighbours aren’t as close so it lessens the impact of me screaming at the kids, the kids screaming at each other & all the screamo music the teenager blasts out of his room ( learn from me DO NOT buy your kids speakers with a sub woofer. That shit bites you in the arse!). We are a house full of screamers here.
As for ace things, the husband is home next week & looks like he’ll be here for good. No more FIFO ( at least for a little bit) & another adult in my house every night?! I can not bloody wait!
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:54 pmOh my gosh that’s SO exciting! you can scream at him on the regular!
Reannon @shewhorambles says
October 29, 2014 at 10:18 pmHe’s a non screamer. Total opposite to me in every single way. SO exciting!
Dan says
October 29, 2014 at 5:42 pmTorlet. Bets on his name was Damo or Wayne. It would have been burnouts in his Monaro or SS Commodore which caused Damo/Wayne to loose his licence. Ahhh, reminiscing about the time I lived in Melbourne with those guys as my neighbours.
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 8:53 pmI BET it was a Monaro!
MotherDownUnder says
October 29, 2014 at 8:53 pmOh the whole world knows our business and I don’t really care.
I am out there, first thing in the morning, hugely preggers in my too small pjs letting the dog out and most likely shouting at C to get out of the dirt and there are people walking and driving by.
I think living in such close quarters in NYC made me get over caring what my neighbours think.
You are killing me with the Costco chocolate chips.
I am considering paying the joining fee just for them!
Veggie Mama says
October 29, 2014 at 9:10 pmHaha I’m thinking the same thing, I’d blend right in bein’ all NYC with my loudness!
Katie Rainbird says
October 30, 2014 at 10:47 amAce is I planned a double birthday party with a pretty chilled out air (not like me usually!). We’re 5 & 1 now, hurrah!
Veggie Mama says
November 3, 2014 at 10:37 am5? that’s basically a teenager! School shoes in your future. Meanwhile, juni’s present has been here for three months. You think I would have sent it on time.
The Plumbette says
November 2, 2014 at 8:15 pmI think I need to go to Costco. It’s so far from me but I want to see all the fuss for myself.
Veggie Mama says
November 3, 2014 at 10:36 amYou might like it!
Alicia-OneMotherHen says
November 29, 2014 at 11:24 pmOh, I am sure my neighbours and anyone walking past thinks I am bat shit crazy too! They too, would be right! Why do they have to pick on each other?!
Veggie Mama says
December 3, 2014 at 7:36 pmIt drives me absolutely nuts.