And so it begins...!

The open homes began this weekend.

Both kids were awake at 6am after I had had a night out with some friends and G had had such a tough time getting Izzie to go to sleep - I don't know if she's really having tooth pain or just taking the proverbial, anymore!

G looked aweful and i felt aweful so i let him sleep and piled both kids into the car and then did what any self-respecting, wise, intellegent, environmentally friendly mother would do when faced with such a situation - I took them to McDonald's for brekfast. I know, i know. But i took a vivid and crossed out all brand mentionings on all packaging before i hadn't it over to the kids.

We were the first in the door - me in far too big sweatpants and unbrushed locks and the kids still in their PJs - we looed very Westie-chic.

Bax said to me as we left "Bubba's naughty, I'm tired and i want porridge and feijos" - when we got home he ate a big bowl of both to top off his McD hashbrown.

back at home G was up so we spent a mad coupla hoours gettting the house ready for showing. the open home was 1.30-2.15. both kids managed to sleep well before then because they'd woken up so early.

Countdown begins.

One hour before the open home G had the truck loaded up with rubbish - full to the brim and he was off to the dump.

I was watching the clouds - in charge of bringing in all the washing at the mereist hint of rain.

50 minutes to go the sky opens and torrents of rain crash down. Thunder.. lightening.

i bring in the washing and add it to the pile hanging in the loung.

20 minutes to go G reappears nearly in tears - the tip's closed because of a diesel spill.

5 minutes to go we pile the car with the four loads of wet washing, the two overtired kids, the dog, both of us, and remember the truck is already full to the top with rubbbish.

then for an hour we drive around the suburbs of west auckland - go back to the tip - dump the rubbish. The rain is still coming down heavily.

home again. It's all over. four groups through.


SUNDAY. was a bit better.

it was mother's day. Instead of waiting for G to complain about how mother's day is just commercial hype. I said to him (before he had even opened his eyes) "What shall we do for mother's day?"

We went to a great cafe for breakfast and then G bought me a pair of very funky PJs and a pair jeans.

Went home, add a bit more of a flap around the house. Sat down in the kitchen to wait for the open Home. Then an almighty thump from the bathroom. Ran down the hall to find the kids under the shower curtain and the rail pulled out of the wall. Bax was crying "Sorry sorry sorry" he was saying "Dada wants a shower!" Too late Dada you've busted the curtain.

We were on countdown again at this point.

I raced to Placemakers and bought whatever i could think of that might help the situation.

And in about 5 minutes (and half an hour before the open home started) G had fixed the rail, we vaccuumed the rug, wiped the front step on our way out the door, had the kids in the car (and the dog) and we were off.

open Home No2 - 7 groups through.

Then at 3.30pm (it is still pissing down remember) the agent rang to ask whether he could bring a group through (for their second visit)

When they arrived we had two cute clean happy children playing in the lounge, a roast in the oven and the smell wafting therough the house, we were chatting quietly in our immaculate house (all the washing, toys and every bit of chaos hiding in the wardrobes)

What a funny weekend it was. Crazy and chaotic and hilarious.

And My Mum's in Spain learning spanish!