Update on 'that kid' and mortgage

Thanks to all those who wrote to suggest what I needed to do with that kid at kinder. After watching him again the next day, and giving it much thought myself, I've come to a conclusion that the kid is just behaving badly because he has no sense of boundaries. And his parents have a huge part to play in this. He needs to know what boundaries are before he can learn not to cross them. I can see while I was there the next day, that the teachers do give him a hard time - taking him away from play time, separating him from other kids, and even empowering the other kids to stand firm and tell him to stop if R starts behaving badly. And in that short 1/2 hour I was there, the kid was told at least a dozen times, by different teachers and different kids, not to do this, not to do that, or "STOP because I don't like it" .... I think it will be a long and tedious journey for this child to learn the right things from the wrong. I just hope that his parents won't undo all the good he learns at kinder.

We are now going through paper work to officially apply for a mortgage loan from ANZ Bank. They have given us the verbal OK, but then again that's what our last bank did too. Pfftt!!!! After the last decline from our long-time bank, which I later found out from hubby, that he has actually been with them for over 20 years, we are only crossing our fingers that this official application will be successful.

I have scrapped two layouts this week! What an achievement!!!!! LOL... a layout for Blue Bazaar's portal (homepage) this week, and a Guest Designer layout for a Dare blog which I cannot reveal until they put it up. So for the time being, here's the layout I did for Blue Bazaar's portal. The theme was Flowers, Leaves and Nature.

The Beauty of Hand-picked flowers... it has YOU in them.



This was a photo swap with another lady from Blue Bazaar's forum, Toni. I had to pick this photo because I just thought it had so much spontaneity in it! It will be a photo that this kid will laugh about when he grows up.

Ride On

The following two layouts are published in For Keeps #54.

Always here for you


Close-up shot.


Hands Off!!

I'll post another entry when the Dare Blog is up.

Have a good week!

Mortgage frustration

So we found our dream home. A typical dream home .... those you see in display villages. A DISPLAY HOME. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garage, outdoor entertainment area, 2 gas fire places (1 indoor, 1 outdoor), water feature, landscaped gardens..... as good as it gets.

The asking price was reasonable, with immediate lease back, good returns.... etc etc. We have been given a pre-approved figure by our bank. No doubt the amount we want to loan now is slightly higher, we don't think it is an issue. So it all seems like a dream is about to come true ..... until they came back with a phone call.

They said, it is not the bank's policy to provide a home loan for a display home. Because we are leasing it back to the building company, it is considered an investment property.

So they knocked us back with a stupid technicality. Forget the 10 years of banking with them, ALL our loans, re-mortgages, credit cards, accounts, the whole caboodle.We were ropable. It wasn't because of the amount we wanted to borrow because she said the amount wasn't the problem. It was because that house we wanted to buy, is a display home and it is just not the bank's policy to borrow for display homes.

What logic??????? They encouraged us to get a loan to buy a home, and lease our current home, and that the rent can be put towards the mortgage. But we are not allowed to find a display home that gives them a GUARANTEED return. What difference does it make to them where our mortgage payment comes from?

So we told them not to worry too much about it, cos when we find another bank or loan company who is willing to loan the amount to us, we are moving everything to the other company. And they can take their policies and shove them up their precious jumpers. We have already spoken to 10 other different companies, and they have been lined up over the next week or so to meet with us.

We are crossing our fingers.... rubbing our hands .... really hoping we can get egg on their face when we do get finance. Bwahahahaha.....

Mischief or Bully?

This is a vent. I am not the kind of mother who blindly believes her children can do no wrong. I'm always objective and I will fight for my children if I had to. But in this case, I don't know what I should do.

I did kinder duty today, and it's my 3rd time. Out of the 3 times I've been there, I've seen first hand, this kid who is just a pain to discipline, and I know the parents are solely to be blamed. Because I have no one to look after Phaedon, I have to take him with me to Ellen's kinder whenever I'm on duty. The teachers are fine with that so long as I understand that he will be my responsibility. I accept that too. But the last time I was on duty, it was during outdoor playtime that I witnessed my son being "bullied". Phaedon was innocently riding his bike on the bike track, as were a few other kids. Somehow one of Phaedon's bike's wheels went off track. So he stopped to try to drag his bike back onto the track again standing on his tippy toes. R who has been told many times (by the teachers and myself, and that is only that day while I was on duty, so I'd hate to think how many times he'd been told... PERIOD.) that he has to slow down, and not to bump other kids' bikes if they were stopped in front of him. He was going soooo fast, and I could see he had no intention whatsoever to slow down or stop where Phaedon was, and slammed right on the side of Phaedon's bike, like he was seeking thrill. It was like witnessing a horrific traffic accident. I saw my son literally thrown out of his bike, flew and landed face first, a foot away from his bike. The teacher witnessed that as well and immediately dragged him out of outdoor playtime, and banned him from playing on the bikes for the next day too. My son wasn't hurt too bad but was of course very shaken, and so was I.

Yesterday (Monday), I was on duty again. This time it happened to my daughter. He wasn't violent or anything, but this time he stole. I'm sorry I had to use that word, but there is no other description. I packed 2 bananas and 2 packets of sultanas (those little red boxes) for my kids' morning tea in Ellen's lunch box. Morning tea came, and Ellen got the lunch box out of her bag, opened it, took the sultanas out of the box and left them on the table, and must have walked away to get her water bottle or something. When she got back, she said that her sultanas were gone! Because my brains are missing a lot of things lately, I was doubting myself if I had even packed those sultanas in! We tried looking around for them, and asked around to see if the teachers saw them, but no luck. So I comforted her and said that she can have some sultanas when she gets home. Towards the end of morning tea, Ellen exclaimed very loudly that R was eating her sultanas! Now, I do not like to accuse when I didn't have proof. R had only 1 box of sultanas in his hands, box was a little crushed, and he was scoffing. He could have had that in his lunch box, no one knows! So I told Ellen to stop saying what she was saying, and tried distracting her again. By the end of the morning tea session, I saw R placed a 2nd box of sultanas, box also a bit crushed, on the table and pushed it towards Ellen. Now this got me thinking. So I asked him,
"R, where did you "find" this?" (referring to the 2nd box of sultanas)
"Under my bum."
***SHOCK*** BUT I KEPT CALM
"R, where did you take this from to put under your bum?"
"Ellen."

I went straight to the teacher and told her the story. All she could do was tell him off, that he is not allowed to do that, and that if he wanted sultanas, he should get his mother to pack it for him, and he shouldn't take other kids' food.

I can understand that there wasn't much the teacher can do... which is why I'm upset. This little rascal did this WITH intention. He saw us looking for it. He even opened up the packet to eat it! Sure he wasn't just teasing!! Do you think he was just being a 4yo menace? Or is he a bully?? It's a packet of sultanas now, but what next?!?!?!?!

This has bothered me all day. I don't know if I want to approach the mother! What if she's a cow, and bullies my daughter when she's on duty?!?! I can understand every parent has a different set of values on disciplining their children, but if they have done a half decent job, the child wouldn't be taking things from others, using it and keeping quiet about it!!!!! I've seen this mother before. She seems like a very pleasant lady. I can't see how the son is just a plain rascal! Although that said, I tried asking her to help out on a Saturday for 1 lousy hour at a kinder fundraiser, and she can pick the time, she turned around and said she cannot because they go to church!!!!!!!!!! Excuse me all Christians reading this, I'm about to swear here so please look away .... WHAT A F$%*^(#@ JOKE!!!! I'm thinking in my mind .... and now out loud.... ALL FRIGGIN' DAY??????? Your son is a classic example of a good church boy!

I'm sorry.... if I've offended any Christians but this is not meant to be a religious attack, but I'm just very angry. I'm angry and disturbed and frankly, upset, because I felt that there's nothing I can do to protect my kids from him.

So if anyone has any bright ideas, please enlighten me. I'd love to hear from you.

xxxooo

Scrap Gremlins. House Hunting. Dinners.

I SWEAR.... I have scrap gremlins in this household. That, or someone in this house secretly scraps using my stash OR I could be sleep-scrapping!!!!

I bought these gorgeous Purple Onion Designs stamps a few months back. I took them to Ruey's house for a show & tell, brought it home and never saw it again.

A few weeks ago, I asked Ruey to get another Heidi Swapp word stamp for me - FABULOUS. You know, her new stamps that is actually a collage of letters forming the word? She bought it, received it, passed it to me, I ooohed and aaahed over it, and never saw it again.

Last week, she gave me from her stash, 4 of those Li'l Davis Love Affair chipboard borders. I brought them home, and specifically witnessed myself putting the 4 of them standing in my Cropper Hopper paper holder. I had them standing so I could still see them and that will remind myself to use them asap. 2 days later, I only had 1 left, 3 others went missing.

I finally was resigned to the fact that I have lost the Purple Onion stamps. So I placed another order on Sunday. Yesterday, I decided to turn all my cropper hoppers out to hunt down my Lil Davis chipboard borders. I found my Purple Onion stamps, in a clear plastic bag, stashed in between my no-brand-name papers. Luckily, the ever-so-nice Michele from Purple Onion Designs cancelled my order and I bought something else from her cos she was just too nice.

Then I also decided to look into my other black trendy storage boxes. I found the rest of my LD chipboard borders. How they got separated..... heaven only knows.

I've yet to find my FABULOUS stamp. It's probably going to play with my head for a while longer before it shows up. Or perhaps I have to place another order for the same thing before it shows up.

All these things missing and things showing up.... it's doing my head in. What do you think? I have scrap gremlins? Or was I sleep-scrapping?

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House Hunting

OK, we have been wishing for a bigger house for a while (but if you asked Peter, he'll probably say that I was the one wishing). We have been going through a lot of possibilities - extending our existing home .... then went and bought a block of land in Bacchus Marsh (some 30km further out from the city) wanting to build a home, then realised that it just doesn't make financial sense and sold the land .... then back to extension idea except bigger and better .....

It was all good except that it stayed a plan. On paper. Well, not even on paper, it was just in Peter's head. Year after year, he keeps telling me we will get a quote but nothing gets done.

To cut the long story short, I finally proposed that we go look for house and land packages. They are generally at least $30 Gs cheaper than if you bought a block of land, and building your own. And it takes away all the stress of renovating, which I know I won't handle very well. So we looked at some completed houses and were quite happy with what we saw. We went home and Peter made arrangements to get our own property valued, spoke to his banker, and I think we are on the right track to buying a new house!!!

We are still looking around for similar deals, but hopefully a better floor plan, better kitchens, better finishings... etc etc. Fussy me, I couldn't live with a worse kitchen now that I have one that I love. Is that too much to ask?? We are looking at some tomorrow. I'm so excited!!!! My kids will be getting their own bedrooms, we'll have a proper study (not one stashed with crap and invisible floors), and I might just be so lucky to get a scrap room!!!

Oh and in case you haven't been to my house .... because we had to have the estate agents value our house, my house right now, has to be at its cleanest and tidiest state... EVER. So neat, so decluttered .... I can't scrap! I have 2 deadlines... but I cannot bear to bring out my scrap stuff and lay it out all over the lounge room again!

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Dinners

For the past week, I've been very good, cooking dinner every night. This has been our menu....

Sunday - 1. Beef & Broccolini stir fry, 2. Blanched Baby Bok Choy with oyster sauce, 3. steam rice
Monday - 1. Stewed Pork Noodles, 2. Blanched Baby Bok Choy with oyster sauce
Tuesday - 1. Chicken stew, 2. steam rice
Wednesday - 1. Lamb and potato casserole, 2. steam rice
Thursday - 1. Lamb and potato casserole (leftovers), 2. noodles, 3. Garlic bread
Friday - 1. Grilled chicken wings, 2. Cucumber, 3. Fresh tomatoes, 4. chicken rice

Ok,.. granted.... there was more than half a pot of the lamb casserole leftover so I wasn't going to cook something else. I just thought.... I'll make noodles instead of steam rice... that'll be different. WRONG! When my son saw that I was serving the same casserole, even though it was with noodles.... he screamed, "MOMMY!!! We already had this yesterday!!!"

Oh... I'm so sorry! Forgive me for putting food on the table!

And yes, I repeated the Baby Bok Choy with oyster sauce... but it was too good to only have it once! Look at it! Love the crunchy fried onion bits .... mmmmmmmm..... Ellen loves this dish, she gets to have all the super mini baby bok choys (those from the core).


This is the Stewed Pork Noodles. Super quick, faster than fast food fast, yet home-cooked!!


These were the Grilled Chicken Wings we had tonight. My first time serving this to my kids. It was surprisingly a hit. Ellen has now learnt to eat the drummettes. Phaedon didn't want to have anything to do with dinner, but when I peeled bits and pieces of the chicken wings into his bowl, he dug in and from then on, he had completely forgotten that he had a grudge with dinner. See I had left the wing tips on the wingettes? Phaedon even thought that that must be something crispy, proceeded to shove the wing tip in his mouth, chomped on it relentlessly for 1/2 a minute before I realised it. He had the tip sticking out of his mouth, and it looked like the scene in Stuart Little where Snowbell had Stuart in its mouth but Stuart's tail was still wagging outside Snowbell's mouth. ROFL... I removed the wing tip from his mouth, and half of it was 'gone'. Yes, bones and all. I guess calcium is good for kids??


OK... this must be CUI (cooking under influence). 6 nights of cooking is way over my cooking potential. I need to recuperate now. It's Saturday and Sunday coming up, the kitchen is off duty, and so am I.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!! I know I will be looking at dream homes..... BWAHAHAHAHAAAA

xxxooo mich

Cropathon

I have had a Cropathon!!! I cropped together with Jess on Friday night. Got home at midnight to find Ruey's email, asking me if I was interested to go to a crop on Saturday 12pm-5pm! If you knew Ruey the way I do, Ruey doesn't do impromptu crops. Not because she is a snob... (well sometimes she calls herself a paper snob but most of us are) but because she has many family commitments or errands and not enough cars to run them. This came as a big surprise to me so I had to ask her if she was serious!!! I saw her email the next morning, saying that she meant it. But the crop was 1+ hour's drive from home, and we had to take Phaedon for his haircut, and we had made plans to go look at some display homes, and then possibly go for lunch. There was just a bit too much going on for me to say yes to another crop (after last night's) and to drive over an hour to go there for a short crop.

Then she rang close to midday and made the offer more interesting - that Felicity was going to be there as well, and I can continue scrapping at her house afterwards! And she said that I have got my crop bag sitting at my entrance from last night anyway! OK... GOOD POINT!!!

By now, Peter had overheard everything I said on the phone to Ruey (I did that on purpose), and he said "You can go ...." and I did a mini "Yes!!! punch" inside me. So we ran through all our errands, had a quick Macca's lunch and headed home. I took off for my 2nd crop.

Took FOREVER to get there because of road works causing major traffic jams on a freakin' Saturday!! I got there at 2.30pm... half way through the crop. I never felt that crazy. But at the same time, I felt so good about this impromptu!!! So liberating!

Anyway, I did these layouts ....

Title: Cool Shades
Just love the little alien/monkey at the bottom right hand corner. Too cute not to have it on the same stage as my son.


Title: Time Out
Have been wanting to do this layout for a long time.

Title: Dance of Heritage
This layout took the longest. I spent almost 4 hours figuring the layout, and spent an entire day thinking of the title, then finally the journaling which I thought was the best thing on this layout.

Journaling: Lion Dance [wushi] is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. I was very glad that you enjoy watching Lion Dances, despite the excessively loud gongs and cymbals. In fact, you got upset when we couldn't get any closer. At the Chinese New Year festival in 2007, we bought you a mini lion dance costume. You loved playing with it. It is, after all, half your heritage.


Tomorrow, Ellen goes back to kinder for Term 2. YIPPPPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? LOL...

All right... just a short entry this time. Cuppa tea waiting for me.

Later!

ONE more sleep to ... CROP FOR KIDS!!!

It's tomorrow. All of us are so excited. It has been a crazy couple of months. We only decided to do this fundraising event in February, and from then on, it was just bang-bang-bang! During last night's final committee meeting, we all just sat there and thought... WOW! This is IT! How did we even get here? We know there has been a few glitches with emails and to some, it might even seem a disorganised. But we are certainly going to learn from this first encounter. We already have streamlined plans for another one next year! So keep watching us!

Speaking of watching us... we are going to be TELECASTED LIVE!!! on Channel 7 tomorrow! They are going to have film crew coming to film us in action and have a short interview!!!! HOW COOL!!! And the girls are all frantically making hair appointments today... can't look too shabby on national TV now, can we? :) :) I think I'm just gonna iron my hair and mod podge it down .....

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Dinoco King

OK... need to tell you this story about my son and his Dinoco King car. My son is a CARS fanatic. Not just any car... but the Disney Pixar movie, CARS. At 3.5, the number of times he's seen that movie, is equivalent to the number of days he has lived on earth. He can recite the script along with the movie. He can name each and every individual character in the movie... down to those 5-second extras. So recently, when we were shopping at Target, DH found almost an entire range of the diecast toy cars from the movie, of EVERY character. And he wanted to buy ALL of them, as a collection. I wasn't going to come between a man and his toys, so I let him. There were a few characters short, including the Dinoco King. But when we did some research at home, we realised that that was actually a rare and sought-after character. So EBAY-ing we went. After a week or two of bidding and buying, mostly from the US, we now have the entire collection. And when DH said it was going to be a collection, he meant that it will be stored in their original packaging, unopened.

Naturally, my son saw the cars and demanded some of those toys too. He particularly loves the main characters - Lightning McQueen, Mr Chick, Sally, Tow Mater, Sheriff, Doc Hudson. Dinoco King ... etc. So we got from the shops, a few of those characters for him, but Dinoco is once again, a hard-to-find. One day when Phaedon and I were shopping, at Big W, we found the King. It was like we found a pot of gold. I rang DH immediately, and he said get ALL of them (which was only 2 on the shelves anyway)!!! Of course I refused, thinking it's ridiculous! Why would I need 2 of the same character!?!?!

Less than a week's time, Phaedon lost it. We turned the toy box upside down, flipped couches, lifted furniture, even tidied up the toy room .... no sign of him. We couldn't stand him whining and whinging for days on end, "I want my Mr King... I want my Mr King"... we went on eBay again and bid for another one, won it, and told him that Mr Postman will come with Mr King in 10 days time. Then he started whinging everyday... "Where is Mr Postman..... where is Mr Postman.... "

grrr...

3 days after we won the eBay auction, my DD found the lost Dinoco King, in one of HER doll's bags.

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH

So we are going to get another Dinoco King in the mail anyway... as a spare. sigh...

MIND YOU!!!! All this while... DH HAD a Dinoco King in HIS collection.. and you think he could have said to let his son have it first just to stop him whinging????

MEN and their toys!!

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Layout & BB Celebrated Scrapper!


I did a photo swap layout for Peta, a scrapper I know from Blue Bazaar. A fabulous lady, who is gorgeous at 50!


Oh... and I'm the "April Celebrated Scrapper" on Blue Bazaar's Newsletter too!!! There was a short interview and a few of my favourite layouts posted. Still giggling over it ... "celebrated" ... kekeke... Go have a look here...

Blue Bazaar --> Newsletter --> 05 April 2007


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OK... that's all I have for now. Have a Happy Easter, everyone! Don't eat too much chocolate!!