I have just come to realise how wonderful my parents are, well not just, but I had a light-bulb moment yesterday, when it dawned on me that I have been raised by an amazing couple.

When we were growing up, we had a huge family – us with 5 kids, and my dad’s 5 sisters with 5 each, and Mum’s sister with 4 (yeah, yeah we are all Catholic, lol !!), so family gatherings were always on a major scale. As we grew up, there were always friends over, friends parents, an aunt or uncle, grandparents, lady next door etc, and never once did my parents say that someone couldn’t stay for dinner, or have a drive home, or stay the night if they needed to. Everyone was always welcome and my parents made that person feel special, which in turn made us feel special. As we got even older, married and aquired in-law extras, it was always understood without the words ever having been spoken, that these extras were now part of the family too.

I am very lucky to have had the exposure to such a loving upbringing, and I actually told my parents this yesterday. They were touched. I just to tell them that I had assumed that all families operated in this way, but that isn’t the case, and I had taken for granted their unselfish nature. It is never to late to tell your parents that you love them and appreciate all they have done for you – I did and it was wonderful.

Last night I was listening to a CD that my mum had made. Her father, my grandfather (or Pa as he was called) recorded himslef talking and a selection of his (and our) favourite records from the 60′ and 70’s. As i listened to the first of the 11 CD’s, and heard his voice it was such a blast form the past and I got all goose-bumpy and nostalgic. I couldn’t believe how many of the words of the songs I could remember. Holly was with me and aghast that I kept saying “wow, that is my Pa, not your Pa, but mine”. How can she fathom the meaning of this? The importance of hearing a long lost voice, someone she has never known (he died in 1986). At one stage I could hear Nanna banging away in the kitchen, like she was doing the dishes, and it took me back to their old house, and I could imagine exactly the way things would have been at that moment in time. I then wondered if he thought that we would be listening to these tapes 25 years later, me with my own children in a house that he never knew existed, and probaby didn’t exist way back then.

Can’t wait to listen to the rest of the CD’s and see what memories they provoke.

The longest weekend ever really. We went to Sydney for James and Sascha’s Engagement Party and it was great. They didn’t know we were coming, so the look on their faces when we walked through the door was priceless.

We stayed with Lisa and Graham in a motel on Pittwater Road (where the traffic is loud and continues all night long), but the kids loved it, all being together, and consequently woke up at 5.30am, ready for more shinanigans. L & G were out the door heading home at 6.30am, and we left at 7.15am. So much for long sleep-in’s and late check-outs when you are in a motel with kids!

We stopped off at the beach on the way out of Manly, Meg freaked out and Jess screamed when put on the sand. My kids are just not beach trained. City dwellers for sure. The drive home was long and hot and Holly ended up in the front keeping Justin company while I sat in the back of the van keeping Jess and Meg from suffering exhaustion from crying so much. Thank goodness my ears are still blocked from this cold – it dulled the noise somewhat!

So home now and ready for a good night’s sleep in our quite street, comfy bed and tidy house. Another week of school holidays to go, but this week is full of anniversarys and birthdays, and then off down the coast next weekend. Phew.

link to some photos

Here you can see Meg with our new puppy and other family shots from over the years.

I feel as though I am getting over this flu now. My ears are still blocked but at least my thraot doesn’t feel like I’ve swallowed broken glass and my skin doesn’t hurt to touch! I’m going out to lunch today with Rach and Zara, Holly is coming along too, and Meg and Jess are having a fun day at daycare. All this week Justin has been sitting in training – a 15 day course squished down to 5 days – thus starting at 8am and finishing at 7,30pm each day. I don’t think Meg has seen him for 2 days as she is asleep when he gets home and asleep when he leaves. I would hate to be a single Mum and doing this whole thing on my own. It would be terribly lonely and the thought of no repreive from being the one in charge of everything is scary. Rach’s husband is away in the US for 2 weeks, so she is feeling this worse then me, but at least I can now ring her at 5.30pm and not be worried that she is frantically running around getting dinner ready for Matt, like I would be if Justin was due home any minute!!

7.30am, fast asleep with the flu and the phone rings. It is my youngest brother James. He is all excited and happy cause he just asked his girlfriend Sascha to marry him. She said yes of course.

This is very exciting for us as Sascha is a Sydney girl and the wedding will be very flash indeed.