Tag: Children

Categories
family anecdotes

31/52

And… it’s August.

And before I start on ‘where is the year flying to?’ and ‘I can’t wait for the winds to kick in… NOT!’ I should focus on the topic of this week’s post: competition.

You see, the first weekend in August is also the weekend of our local Women’s and Girls’ Chess Tournament.

Back in 2017, Miss now-14 won her division and the whole kit-and-kaboodle, with the massive perpetual trophy name plaque and everything. Last year, she placed second.

Miss now-11 was U10 champion in 2017 and U13 champion in 2018.

I entered for the first time last year and placed third. The 2019 tournament was held yesterday. Miss14 won the U18 division, Miss11 placed 4th in U13, and I won myself a red-ribboned medallion. And great fun was had by all!

Here’s hoping you have an enjoyable week this week too, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Random thoughts

29/52

Guess what Hubby took the kidlets and me to the other week? Archery!

Not too far from us, there’s a guy who runs an archery store, with a 6-lane indoor range inside it.

We had a ball! I stuck with a recurve bow, as did Miss11 (pictured) but Hubby convinced Miss14 and Master10 to try compound bows. And oh boy – they look so complex! (And so dangerous too…) so I was happy to use my traditional bow, despite pressure from Hubby and two cherubs.

And Miss11 and I didn’t do too badly, either.

Here’s wishing you a focus-filled week, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
momentous events More about me teaching

28/52

A new semester starts today.

For 4 out of the 5 in my household, today marks the start at a new school too.

Exciting times!

(Feel free to guess the kidlets’ schools from their uniforms…) And have a ‘new’ week yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
places to visit

2/52

Last week’s photo showed one of my favourite places: this week’s is another. Kings Beach has a outdoor community swimming pool, built next to natural rock pools my cherubs love to explore.

This was Miss10 and Master9 the other week:

And check out the crowd on the beach behind them! It was a sweltering day – that photo was taken around 10am.

Have a great week, dear Reader 🙂

– KRidwyn

Categories
Life Random thoughts

On sleep…

So I’ve been a self-diagnosed insomniac for years now. And I’ve kinda always prided myself on what I’ve been able to accomplish on minimal unconscious time.

But I’m coming to the realisation that these days I can do less and less.

And that saddens me.

Time was, I could go to bed at 2am, get up at 4am, do a 16 hour day, or an 18 hour day, or perhaps even more… and do it all again the following day.

No more though.

I’ve always been an early riser. At the moment, I’m up at around the 4 – 4.15am mark. And I love that. I love my morning routine, and I never want to give it up.

But it’s meaning that I can’t stay up too late at night. And that’s the bit I don’t like. I crave the ‘me’ time I get, after the cherubs are in bed for the night. Perhaps I’m just being a little too selfish? Wanting ‘me’ time prior to 6am, and again in the evenings?

I’ve been told I’m a pragmatic person. Realistic. Maybe I am; I don’t see it myself. And I certainly don’t want to acknowledge it in this particular set of circumstances! I want to have my awake time and keep my patience (and my sanity) too 🙁

I guess that’s my arrogance talking though, yeh? And that’s a little embarrassing.

So I’m going to stop typing now. And try this week to (as a wise friend once suggested) be ‘rhythmic in my rest’. Feel free to join me in a ‘seeking sleep’ quest this week 🙂 or not, too 🙂

Either way, have a great week, dear Reader!
— KRidwyn

Categories
Life teaching Work

And… it’s all over :)

until 2020, anyway! The CCC musical, Conundrum, was an absolute blast… and now the adrenaline is wearing off, I’m realising I’m the most exhausted I’ve ever felt in my life. And my back is SORE!

But it was worth it to see the smiles on the kids faces. And I learned heaps too 🙂

And check out these beauties!!!

Very blessed.

See you next week… I’ll have managed some sleep by then!

God bless,

– KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Life More about me teaching

I GOT A MEDAL!!!

My first ever 🙂

So I took a break from creating the sets for the musical I’m directing (opening night just 4 days away, tickets available on 07 5436 6777) and took Miss13 and Miss10 to the Sunshine Coast Womens’ and Girls’ chess tournament. They begged and wheedled, so -for the first time ever – I entered myself, as well.

It was scary! But I’m glad I did.

Miss 13 earned 2nd place in U18 division.

Miss10 won the U13 division (her sister’s title from 2017).

And I came 3rd in the Adult division! Woot!!!

Here’s praying that you have a successful week too, dear Reader!

— KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity teaching Work

Sipping from the saucer #28

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: “The LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and I’m sipping from the saucer.”

I like the visual, so I’m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me. And finally – nearly 9pm on the second last day of June – blessing #28.

So if you’ve been reading recently, you’d know that I injured my back (herniated two discs) last Saturday, and spent pretty much this whole week on painkillers and icing my back FAR more regularly than I’d like, in between spinal adjustments at the doctor. By yesterday afternoon I could handle over 45 minutes before it started getting uncomfortable – and the doctor was surprised when I walked into his office without the assistance of crutches. The power pf prayer, huh? Because James 5:16 is DEFINITELY one I’ve been holding on to this week!

Anyway, today was the last day of school before our mid-year holidays. I’d organised a HEAP of stuff to happen this week at school, and unfortunately had been away for all of it. But I *really* missed the kids, and seeing as it was really going to be problematic for Hubby to pick up our cherubs this afternoon, I thought I’d brave the sitting and the driving, and go collect them. And arrive early enough to see the donations we’d collected at our major fundraiser for the semester, being given to the representatives of the animal shelter we’d fundraised for at our final assembly.

And thus: my blessing for the day. No sooner was I out of the car than Middle Schoolers saw me. “Mrs Bloxham! Mrs Bloxham! You’re here! How are you? Wow! You’re here!” – a veritable chorus of kids who were surprised and pleased to see me, who wanted to wish me well, who’d heard of my injury and who had been praying for me -it was SO beautiful, to be welcomed back so warmly!

And thus ends my litany of blessings for this year’s #blogJune. Tomorrow’s post, my final one for the month, will be a ‘wrap up’ post. And then the blog will return to its regular Monday morning post. And yay for that, cos I’m tired!

Anyway, here’s hoping that your day was a blessed one too, dear Reader 🙂

— KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges

Sipping from the saucer #21

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: “The LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and I’m sipping from the saucer.”

I like the visual, so I’m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

And now? For blessing #21.

And this post *should* have been published yesterday – but with the craziness of this week, I’m going to chalk that one up to ‘lack of timely organisation’ and smile cheesily at you. Sorry about that.

This blessing comes courtesy of Miss10, who I’m guessing was inspired to look for blessings while reading this blog the other day. You see, yesterday afternoon, Mr9 vomited.

He’s not normally a vomit-y child; it’s been while since he’s done so. But yesterday afternoon was one such occasion.

It wouldn’t have been too bad if we hadn’t been driving home at the time. Or if he’d warned me. Or if I hadn’t been in the fast lane, on a traffic-laden main road.

Oh well. This stuff happens.

So how is this a blessing exactly, you may be asking? You know, I was thinking exactly that when Miss10 suggested it too.

The blessing comes when you realise that yesterday, I was driving our Toyota Aurion. The six year old car, which I wasn’t actually meant to be driving. The car I *was* meant to be driving was the 3 week old Toyota HiLux.

Aha! The blessing!

I have a feeling that Hubby would have hit the roof had our son decided to redecorate the inside of the new car. The old one? It was, well, not quite ‘okay’ but certainly a lot more palatable. (Ha! Wrong word right there, yes? Although I’m chortling as I type, so maybe it was the right word for me… now I’m cleaned up the entire mess, and slept, so it’s yesterday’s story and not today’s reality LOL)

Anyway, I’m choosing to agree with Miss10. Thank you, LORD, that I had driven the Aurion yesterday. Because cleaning that one, was far preferable!

Here’s hoping you could find blessings in your day too, dear Reader 🙂

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Christianity family anecdotes

Sipping from the saucer #14

I work at a Christian school. The pastor of the church which established our school has a saying: “The LORD has blessed me so much, my cup is overflowing (taken from Psalm 23) and I’m sipping from the saucer.”

I like the visual, so I’m using it here, in this month-long blogging challenge focusing on the blessings God has poured out on me.

Today, blessing #14.

On Tuesday this week, I was driving from school to collect Mr9 from his CrossFit class, when two ambulances hurtled past me, sirens blaring. A police car followed – and as I gradually made it to the scene of the accident, where a fire engine was also on scene, I noticed that traffic had started to pile up quickly – far more quickly than I had anticipated. The accident, although not a major one (minor injuries only, from what I could gather) had occurred on a roundabout which was a major thoroughfare for the area, meaning that the ‘rubber-neckers’ (as Hubby calls them) – people who slow down more than is warranted, so they can stare at the action – were holding up traffic more than usual.

Now this wouldn’t normally have been too much of a problem, except that on a Tuesday afternoon, I’m on a pretty tight schedule. Leave school at 4. Collect Mr9 at CrossFit by 4.15; head back to school to collect Miss10 from her private Dance class at 4.30.

And, judging by the traffic jam, that was not going to happen!

Cue phone calls. To the school’s Outside Hours Care. To the Dance teacher. To my parents, who live quite close to the area, and who were able to look after Miss13 and Mr9 for me while I doubled back to battle the traffic and collect Miss10 from the school.

And – HUGE blessing! – everyone was able to accomodate me (and Miss10, Miss13 and Mr9) – with zero notice, with zero fuss, and with care and consideration all around. How awesome is that?!

I’m surrounded by so many who care for me, who love me and are willing to help me and my kids when I need that.

And I’m so blessed to have these people in my life.

So thank you, people! I appreciate you and want you to know that 🙂

And, dear Reader, I hope you too can have a truly Blessed day today!

– KRidwyn