Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween to you all from the Vampires and Witches, Ghosts and 'Heads' of our family.

Our party was a huge success! Sarah had 5 friends over, Elizabeth just one and poor Matthew, his friend cancelled at the last minute due to illness. I was dressed as Morticia, Grandad as a 'Head on a plate', Granny as a ghost, Elizabeth a very elegant lady witch, Sarah a beautiful Vampire and Matthew - Count Dracula of course!

Everyone arrived around 6.00pm and we played lots of games, including Halloween Bingo; pass the pumpkin; Halloween Charades; The mad scientist's laboratory and the huge success of the evening a 'Treasure hunt' in the dark.

The children all set out bravely into the garden with torches, they were in groups of three and had to find Halloween words which I had hidden all around the garden. For 10 minutes, they avoided the Cane Toads and the 'real' spiders.

We ate lots of junk food and candy, as well as Pizza, sausage rolls and party pies!

At 9.00pm we finished the last stories and the parents all arrived to pick up the children. Elizabeth's friend Sam is staying over as her and Elizabeth have work together in the morning, so they all helped tidy up. Everyone made it to bed around an hour ago!

More photos and stories to follow, but now as the witching hour approaches, I am heading to bed. Until next year, I wish you all a Happy Halloween!

Morticia (aka Beverly)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Boo to you all!

31st October today and we are having our very first Australian Halloween party. It seems rather strange to be celebrating in warm sunshine, rather than having the beautiful fall leaves around the garden and the frost and snow on the ground.

Since our return from the USA nearly 4 years ago, the children have been asking to celebrate Halloween, but it is not a big holiday in Australia, so I have been reluctant. This year however, Halloween has fallen on a Friday, so it seems the perfect evening to have a few of their friends around for some fun.

We have been decorating the house for a couple of days now and today I will prepare all the final items of ghoulish delight. We are having a 'mad' scientist laboratory with 'eyeballs, guts, brain and other yucky stuff to touch. Doing a torch treasure hunt in the dark - that should be fun with our garden full of cane toads and 'real' spiders. A mummy wrap - no I am not going to be the mummy! And a Halloween Bingo!

Look out for lots of photos in the next couple of days.

If you have a few minutes take the time to Google 'Halloween' & 'Trick or Treat!' it is really interesting how the whole tradition started.

I hope you celebrate 31st October in style and enjoy your Halloween.

Beverly

Goal - Score one!

I had a great day yesterday! Amazingly I achieved at least as many of the 'chore' goals as the day before but my focus was on the 'happy/satisfying goals'.

My first achievement was the 10 pages of scrapbooking that I had planned to do the day before. On Tuesday they felt like a chore, but yesterday I had such fun and satisfaction completing them. I had 'Ol Blue Eyes - Frank Sinatra' playing and sang along while I scrapbooked.

My second goal from the day before was to take 10 mins in the garden and I did it. Elizabeth and I took a long, cold drink of lime juice out with us and we just wandered around enjoying the sunshine and the flowers. Pulled out a few weeds along the way, but concentrated on enjoying the pleasure of the garden.

Now I also achieved work goals. I washed Elizabeth, Matthew and my bedlinen, unpacked dishwasher, tidied up, sorted out some bills, fetched the children from school and last night started decorating the house with the children for our Halloween party tomorrow night.

The difference however, was not in the work, but the attitude. I had decided to focus on the rewarding things in life, because the work things would get done in anycase.

Achieving goals

In line with yesterdays post I realised by day end that I had achieved 4 of my 6 goals. The 2 that I did not get anywhere near where what I call my 'reward goals'. These were things on my list that were just for some self-satisfaction for me. I did not even take 10 minutes to renew my self by walking around and enjoying the garden and I did not get to my scrapbooking.

I did walk into my craft room and open up the album and get out the photos, but I was tired and irritable after dealing with the stresses of my day, so walked away from it again. The day ended up being an 'ugly' one.

Sarah had a great saying for it. It was a Sugar, Honey, Ice, Tea day. This is just such a perfect way to describe some of our days, and I love the beautiful uplifting words to describe one that goes south, despite our best plans and intentions.

So for today my plan is to set only one goal and that is to have a wonderful day. I will achieve the chores that I must, but will also attempt to find some time to inspire the world, time to make it a day worth living.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Goals

My friend Michelle has been talking about Goals today on her Blog - Joy Express (check it out) http://joyexpress.com.au/ and has inspired me to set a few goals for myself today.

1. Put on the washing and get it out on the line early.
2. Finish the ironing that is threatening to overwhelm my craft room.
3. Complete at least 10 pages of scrapbooking.
4. Make home-made burger patties for supper and to freeze.
5. Write on my Blog - can tick this one off my list.
6. Spend 10 minutes in my garden enjoying the beauty of it.

So often we wake up and plan for so many things to happen in the day and then become distracted with everyday chores and demands and don't achieve the few special things we want to do. Yes, I have a few chores on my list, but I have also added in a couple of rewarding things just for me. If I achieve the 6 items on today's list, then I will have achieved today's goal.

I know that I will achieve many more items, but the secret will be to achieve the 'rewarding' ones as well as the requirements.

Beverly

Talented children

As a mother I am so proud of my three beautiful children and like all parents I think they are the most talented and gifted in the world. I am proud of their achievements and talents, but am most proud of their wonderful kind and generous natures. I am proud of their courage and determination as they conquer their fears and face the world.

Today I had another amazing experience as Sarah took to the school stage to present her speech for the position of Junior School Captain. She stood up in front of around 200 students, took a deep breath and delivered an amazing oration. She spoke flawlessly and only referred to her notes once. Her talk was funny and clever and I saw the young, confident woman that is emerging from the cocoon of childhood. Without bias, her speech was the best by far - I told you I thought they were the best!

I have included her speech here and also the delightful speech that Matthew delivered a few weeks back in his bid to win the nomination for Middle School Captain. I am proud of them both, they have taken up the challenge of leadership positions in their school. Even if neither of them gain the necessary number of votes to win, they are both winners in my eyes.

Words from a very proud Mother.

Sarah's Speech.

Good morning Boys and Girls, Teachers and Principals.

My name is Sarah Adair and I would like to talk to you about Junior School Co-Captains.

Do you know what your Junior School Captain does? I sure didn’t, it just sounded like a cool position! I have realised that it is a cool position, but has so many more responsibilities than I thought.

Well let’s think for a moment what would happen if there were no Captains to help the teachers rule our school. This is exactly what would happen…..We would have disaster, chaos and mayhem, those poor teachers would be overwhelmed!

So, the captains, get to help the teachers and the principal with organising activities for the junior school. We represent the junior school at assemblies and events. We are also your voice to teachers, if you have any ideas or have a problem.

I want to be the junior school captain that you will talk to and approach. Not only for the students in my own class or grade, but everyone across the school, from Grade One all the way up to Grade six.

There are a few things you need to know about me. First of all I am not built for sport, but really love trying and giving my best. The good news for you is that I am the person that prevents you from coming last. I don’t mind that as I have other things I love. I started learning the flute this year and will be joining the band next year. I also love writing and illustrating stories and love jokes.

The other thing that I am really good at is being responsible and respectful to my teachers and my peers. So you will be able to rely on me to be a good school captain.

So after all the speeches from the other worthy candidates and myself, I hope you will consider me as your Junior School Captain for 2009.

My name is Sarah Adair and I would love a number one in my box!


Matthew's speech.

Welcome Ms. Gagliardi, Mr Cartmel and Teachers. Also welcome to all students in year 6, 7 and 8. Also to any year 9’s present, enjoy the speech. Students I would like to welcome you all by name, but I realise it would take a really long time, and sadly I don’t know all of you yet, but as your Middle School co-captain for 2009; I will make it my goal to get to know as many of you as possible by my farewell speech at the end of next year.

Now although I don’t know you yet, you need to know me. My name is Matthew Adair, the reason you need to know my name is that this is the name you need to vote for.

What do you need to know about me? I love jokes and I love fun, ask my friends. I am also good at Sport – most of the time! I belong to the Chess club and am really good – most of the time! I also belong to the Computer Club and I am really good at games – most of the time.

The thing that I am good at all of the time is ‘talking to those teachers!’ My goal as your College Co-captain is to help you learn to talk to your teachers, so you will have less problems with them – most of the time.

Another goal for 2009 is that we have more FUN in our Fund raisers. School is hard work and often boring, no offense teachers! But we do have the chance to do lots of good with our fund raisers, these Fund raisers need to become FUN raisers.

Year 6’s, I was one of you, just 2 short years ago sitting where you are wondering when this will end. I had no idea who the candidates were and just voted for the person that sounded the best on the day. I hope you will vote for me based not only on my ‘fantastic speech’ but also on my promise to really make an effort to get to know you and help you become a full part of Middle school.

Year 7’s, I know at least one or two of you, which is a start. Next year, you will leave the year 7 block and start moving around the Middle and Senior school. This experience is a bit daunting and finding LL1 for example can be quite a challenge at first. As your co-captain, I will be here for you, on year 8 day to help as much as possible and through the rest of the year as you find your way around.

And finally to my fellow year 8’s. Some of you have known me since I arrived at the school in year 5. Others I have only got to know recently. I hope you will vote and support me, knowing I will do my best for the Middle school. I will work hard to help with the organisation and make you proud that you voted for me.

I hope what I have said will inspire you to vote for me.
Thank you all for listening to my speech, well most of you!

My ramblings about cyber space and technology

I wonder where my information and thoughts live? When I send out an email or post a Blog, I often sit and contemplate what happens to it? How does it get from my screen and keyboard onto yours? I know that there is some really technical and detailed explanation, but even that does not explain to me, how I manage to send out this little post and people from around the world can access it. All at different times and in different places!

Technology is amazing today. I remember in 1983 (yes, I know that is a long, long time ago) when I started at the bank I was so excited to be allowed to operate the fax machine. We could call up the bank branch down the road and they could send us up a copy (very blurred) of a customers statement. It would appear like magic from the machine on a long roll of paper. I knew that it utilized the phone line, but how could written words travel along a phone line. Voices I can imagine, but words!

Now today, we do not even think about it. I sit at my computer and type emails and blog posts and just send them out into the Ether! Fax machines are almost dinosaurs, videos have been replaced by DVD's and those will soon be replaced by Blue-ray. Most mobile phones have more memory and capability than my first computer and digital cameras (which I vowed I would never use) are absolutely fantastic.

I know that we thought that technology would give us more leisure time, but instead our lives are so much busier. We can work at home and be contacted at home. We can receive 100's of emails from people we don't even know. I do however, love modern technology. I love the fact that I can ask a question and type it into Google and someone, somewhere will more than likely have an answer for me. I love being able to have friends across the world who I stay in touch with via email and as such nurture relationships that would otherwise founder due to lack of contact.

My children have computer play-dates! I don't have to feed and look after other people's children. Matthew will sit for hours chatting and playing games with his friends. When I offer for him to invite a friend over, he says no thank you as they can't then play together on the computer. A phone and a computer are all he needs.

I wonder what you all think about our amazing world of technology, is it wonderful or a disaster in your life.