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Self Development in the Middle of Chaos

December 6, 2012 By Janine 8 Comments

Tulip

Here at Shambles Manor the eldest is in the middle of exams, the youngest is having sex education talks at school. I'm alternating between the history of astronomy and why do ovaries look like strawberries? Please God don't let me get this mixed up and give the wrong information to the wrong kid. How could I possibly be lecturing about the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Humour, Life, Try Not to Kill The People You Live With Tagged With: humour., Life Experience

The Catch Up

November 14, 2012 By Janine 9 Comments

It's not that I have a tendency to "fail" I just sometimes take on a few too many challenges and then have to play catch-up at various points along the way to actually complete the task! So here is my latest photo-a-day pictures. 1. Something I Do Every Day - I made a list, God it was dull. I know you are supposed to celebrate the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Humour, Life Tagged With: FMSPhotoaday, humour., Life Experience

Are We Having Fun Yet?

September 21, 2012 By Janine 12 Comments

When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? Has it been a while? I've been thinking about the concept of fun this week. Firstly, going through the photo albums of the kids when they were younger, I was struck by their huge smiles. They simply looked joyous in every shot. A little bit of that is lost as they get older. Maybe they are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Family, Fun, Laughter, Life Experience

What will they say about me when I’m dead?

September 19, 2012 By Janine 21 Comments

It's the one event of your life over which you have no control. While you may be the main attraction you are no longer in a position to direct activities, control the audience or influence the speeches. Your funeral is left in the hands of those you leave behind. Don't panic, I'm not leaving this earth anytime soon, I'm not even sick, well … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Humour Tagged With: Eulogy, Family, Family Living, funeral, humour., Life Experience

Another Sad Goodbye

September 15, 2012 By Janine 15 Comments

The house is a little quieter today. There's no padding of paws up the hallway, no frenzy of barking when you arrive home, no little yap to let you know you are taking a bit too long to dish out his dinner. For the first time in 10 years we are without a pet in our household. After losing Abbey earlier this year yesterday we had to say … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Family Living, Parenting Tagged With: Chandler, Family, Family Living, Life Experience, Parenting, Pets

Challenges and Goals – Is Creating A List Worth It?

September 4, 2012 By Janine 7 Comments

Bird On A Flower

Spring has arrived and we unwrap ourselves from the cocoons created during the cold weather. As the sun warms our thoughts turn to new beginnings, spring cleaning, getting ourselves back into action. In my world yet another birthday is rapidly approaching.  Not as significant as a birthday with a "0" but a midpoint "5" is still pause for serious … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Project 44 Tagged With: Goal setting, Life Experience, Project 44

Team Sports – Why Do We Do It?

September 1, 2012 By Janine 20 Comments

On the sidelines at soccer.

I am exhausted this morning. Last night I played the longest, hardest game of soccer EVER. Oh all right, I was on the sideline but I swear I ran every inch of that field in my mind. It was finals night. Five minutes from the end we were leading 1 - 0. The Grand Final was in sight. Then the opposition scored. As the ref blew the final whistle we … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Life, Parenting Tagged With: Family, Family Living, humour., Life Experience, Parenting, soccer final

This is What Happens When I Try To Be A Responsible Parent

August 22, 2012 By Janine 17 Comments

It is clear that for 90 per cent of the time I'm flying blind with this parenting gig. Look we've survived 15 years, everyone is still here, there are only a few physical scars (Princess Child had a habit of throwing herself into activities with a little more vigour than her coordination development allowed; hence front teeth damaged on slippery … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Family Living, Humour, Parenting Tagged With: Family, Family Living, humour., Life Experience, Parenting, raising teenagers

Eight Things I’m Dreading About My Daughter Starting High School

August 16, 2012 By Janine 19 Comments

We are heading into the tail end of the year (how fast are the months flying by?). It's one of those years with a "chapter closing". You know the type, a life stage when you do things for "the last time", when you know you won't be going back. Next year my youngest child heads off to high school. So for the next few months we will be saying … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family, Family Living, Life Tagged With: Life Experience, Starting high school

Things I’m Not Going To Do Again

August 9, 2012 By Janine 6 Comments

There comes a point in your life where you have to accept there are things you are just not going to do again. There are a variety of reasons for why you won't be repeating certain activities, no longer capable, no longer want to, it would just look ridiculous ... the list is lengthy. Here's my top ten eight things I'm not going to do … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Humour, Life Tagged With: humour., Life Experience

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Janine Fitzpatrick is a personal blogger with an untidy house, imperfect children and no celebrity friends.

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Weekend Notes

WATCHINGI went to see Fiona O'Loughlin last night. She's the comedian who survived alcoholism, a two week coma from not realising, in her drunken state, that the heater in the dive she was living in was leaking carbon monoxide.  Then went on to spend … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

Watching We headed to the movies this weekend and saw the latest Spike Lee film, BlacKkKlansman. It's the story of the first black cop in the Colorado Springs police force, Ron Stallworth, who in the late 70's managed to infiltrate the Ku Klux … [Read More...]

Sleepless

So I've been awake since 3.00am. In that time I've signed the family up for an organizing app which can run a joint calendar, shared shopping and to-do lists and has downloaded a series of recipes that are supposed to make my "what's for dinner" … [Read More...]

Grey stairs.

The Widow Goes On A Date

The last time I went on a first date Bob Hawke was Prime Minister, Liam Hemsworth was being born, Madonna was singing Vogue on the radio, Macaulay Culkin was being left Home Alone and Kevin Costner was Dancing with Wolves. It was a long time ago … [Read More...]

Father with two daughters.

Another Father’s Day

Hi Simon, How's things going up there? Did you have a beer with your Dad for Father's Dad? We blatantly ignored the day here. Just pretended it wasn't happening. We still think about you every day. I didn't post anything on Facebook because it … [Read More...]

Daisy flowers

Hellooo Again

  Hi, I'm just here unwrapping the dust covers, brushing down the spiderwebs and sweeping up the left-over dreams of my tiny little space on the internet. I know I've been gone almost 12-months. I'm not even sure how that happened. A … [Read More...]

A messy scrapbooking desk

Milestone Moments

Hey Simon, Despite my best intentions to ignore the milestones they keep on happening, with or without you. We celebrated your Mum's 80th birthday back in August. A rushed trip of some 1,850 kilometres all up with just four days to do the 9 hour … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

What have you been up to this weekend? Watching  We caught Home Again in the cinema. It's the latest Reese Witherspoon film.  It's a fun little comedy. Reese plays Alice a just-turned 40 divorcing mum of two. At her birthday drinks she … [Read More...]

Picture of a beach.

Weekend Notes

  As the weekend draws to a close here's a little of what caught my eye in the last 48 hours. Watching Saw Battle of the Sexes the new Emma Stone movie about the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Oh what a time … [Read More...]

A Bag of chips, wine, chocolate, lemonade and magazine. A parody of a bug out bag for the apocalypse.

Could You Survive The Apocalypse?

South Koreans are buying "survival bags" and turning to YouTube for tips on making it through a nuclear blast. The New York Times is writing articles on How To Survive The Apocalypse and the doomsday preppers are starting to look like the smart ones. … [Read More...]

chocolate and wine

Home Alone: The Empty Nest

The empty nest looms in my near future. One more year before the youngest heads out into the world without my micromanaging her every move. I can feel the rotor blades on my helicopter starting to slow.   I heard a whisper of what may … [Read More...]

Weekend Notes

It's a long weekend here in Australia.  So it's been a lazy time. Perfect for some catch-up TV, movies and reading.   Watching I've been enjoying Doctor Doctor it was shot in my old hometown of Mudgee and gosh it's looking … [Read More...]

iVillage

Janine Fitzpatrick is a personal blogger with an untidy house, imperfect children and no celebrity friends. Read More…

Grey stairs.
Father with two daughters.

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