In this whole mess that our lives are right now we have an even bigger mess in our house. No one has had the engery to do anything and it was so bad we didnt even know from where to start. We had planned to work hard together today but we realized that we had to go get the tickets for the Geneva interview and just like that we were busy all morning. We went together all of us since we had some other things to deal with and we just about made it to pick up A from school.

Thankfully R got started in the afternoon and I couldnt not help out so at least we cleared up a bit which feels good.

I found the time to do some exercise too and for dinner we had ribs. Its my fav right now, tastes like heaven :) R is studying and im going to watch something, either Merlin or One Tree Hill. Hoping for a good day tomorrow....

A´s teacher has asked us for a baby picture of the kids as she has some sort of surprise planned for "open day". Me and R got a trip down memory lane looking at the pictures and this is the one we will give to Ms. Anna.

In november a boy fell in a green area called Chadwick lakes. He was so badly injured that for a long time it wasnt clear if he would live or not. The boy attends the same school as A & J and his younger brother went to pre nursery with A. I knew he was stable and getting better and the other day I saw him and his mother outside school and today I saw this in the newspaper. Phew!

Fall victim Luke Micallef becomes an inspiration (clickable link)

Just got home from diving R to a colleague of his (to catch a ride to the airport for their refresher course) and the kids to school. Only have a few minutes to spare before I have to leave again, this time to the hairdresser and I really need to go! Should have been to cut my hair ages ago but as always I dont plan ahead. Add to this 2 weeks waiting time for an appointment and then she was sick on friday when I was supposed to go made my hair into this mess.  Cant wait to get rid of it!

Wanted to write about this already on Monday but havent managed. When I dropped off J at school there was a mother talking to the head teacher while crying. They spoke maltese so I didnt really get what they were talking about and I didnt want to be nosy so I left J and went around to check up on her through the window (a routine I started when she was crying when I left her, its always nice to see that she is fine without me) and then the head teacher started crying too. She sees me and comes to tell me that one of the girls in their class died that weekend. The mum had given birth to the girls baby sister on friday and the older girl was very unwell, gastric and very high fever so her dad took her to hospital. There she had fits  but the father was told its "normal". On saturday (dont know if it was sat night or friday night but it was passed midnight) the girls granny came so that the father could go home and get some rest in his bed and she found the girl dead in the bed! :O

The teachers were rather upset and I offered to stay for a while and they were very glad I did so. Felt good for me too to be able to do something for them. Its so sad and terrible, such a young girl? How do her parent go on? And in all of this they have a new life to take care of? How can the maltese claim there is good God that helps us if praying? What did this girl do to deserve to die at 2 years of age?

(Just to be clear, the mum in the classroom was not the mother of the girl. She has a son in their class and is also the best friend of the dead girl´s mother)

...Im gonna let you iron tonight said J and woke up for the third time in 10 minutes, refusing to sleep again so now im sitting in the dark with her next to me on the sofa. She is sleeping again but for now I will leave her there and stay in the dark. Better luck tomorrow I guess :)

Last friday R worked his first day (apart from a coupe of standbys) since we came back to Malta. Almost a whole month off! What a shame....though we took the opportunity and spent the time together instead of staying by the computers. Im looking for a comeback though, he is working a bit more towards the end of the month.

Maybe some more tomorrow, now im off to iron some shirts.

Its confirmed now, R is going to Chile on sunday while I take the kids to Sweden. Slightly nervous about our flights though, after lots of research we decided to risk it with the stafftickets (standby) even though lots of ppl are travelling at this time of year. I have prepared myself that we wont make the first flight out of Munich to Arlanda so we would not manage to catch a train to my mums. Im hoping at least we will make the second flight and stay the night in Arlanda (unless the roads are decent and my mum comes to pick us up). Worst case we have to spend the night in Munich and hope to make one of the 3 flight on sunday. We´ll see we´ll see. One thing is for sure, we are busy these last few days. Yesterday R went for his vaccinations and J got some boosters too that she was due. Grocery shopping and to the hairdresser with J. Today we went to buy the tickets for me and the kids and managed to fit in a visit to Ta Qali playground and part with some of R´s friends. Tomorrow R has a briefing in the morning and then we have to clean and do laundry. Cleaning is expected to continue on friday (I always want to leave the house in perfect order when I go somewhere, I HATE coming home to a mess) and then we will spend some time together as a family for the last time in some 3 weeks. Saturday morning we should be on our way to Munich. Doubt that I will have time to blog until we are settled at my mums but now you know what´s going on here at least.

How are the kids doing btw? A is basically well but both yesterday and the day before he got fever towards the evning but today I gave before it had time to go up. Tomorrow we try without and hope that he is fine. J on the other hand is just getting worse, mucous is constantly flowing down her nose and he has a temper out of this world. Im not sure if she has a cold though or if its side effects to the injections she got yesterday. Regardless I hope they are both fully recovered and happy on saturday, otherwise it will be one hell of a trip for both me and our fellow passengers.

Now time for Merlin and fingers crossed kids will sleep well tonight.

Im insanely tired today, should have gone to bed earlier but took for granted that today would be a relaxed day on the sofa with A as tired and weak as he was yesterday. Didnt turn out like that....He woke up before 5 am, and his sickness seems gone. He is full of energy and Im not, how will I cope?

Things happen over here.....On the 21st R found out that he was chosen to go to Chile to work for 4 weeks. His employer was going to rent out a plane with flight crew for 2 months and they needed 16 pilots to go. To be chosen is nothing special really, the company has a policy where they keep a list of layover days and whoever is low on days get priority and since he used to fly boeing until some 2½ years ago he never had the chance. All of a sudden the finances looked better and since I wouldnt want to live as a single mum for 4 weeks I would take the kids and go to Sweden. We were really happy until the 23rd when the union informed ppl not to go since the company (as always) hadnt bothered to consult the union on this matter and there were lots of things that needed to be dealt with. Fine, bye bye trip to sweden however aleady in the afternoon on the 24th the lease was back on, they had agreed but everyone had to re apply. Tomorrow is the closing date and I hope he will be sent. It would be a great experience for him, pays really well and we could also go to sweden. We literally have to ready to go though as the first group should be leaving already on the 2nd or 3rd of jan! We hope R will be chosen with the first group so that some of his time away would be during the kids christmas holidays so we can stay a few extra days in sweden without missing school so fingers crossed!

In Sweden we celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve and we have tried to celebrate it here to and then on Christmas day with the in-laws but since JP was working on CD we will meet all together on New Years Day instead. R was standby from noon until midnight on CE so we chose to celebrate "swedish style" yesterday anyway so that we would be sure he would not be called out in the middle of it.

A was not feeling well and I went up with him at 5.50 but he was still so sleepy he didnt see the presents under the tree until half an hour later. Oooohhhh he said, look mommy! We talked about the fact that santa dropped them off last night and that is when A saw the envelope with the first clue for the treasure hunt we had prepared for him and said that santa also left him a letter. I said we have to wait for your sister to wake up before opening it and the same second she walked through the kitchen door he went to get the evelope. Treasure hunt could begin.

Just had to share this picture of my gorgeous family with R reading for the kids trying to get them to rest before the family Christmas gathering at his parents.

J also had a Christmas Concert. Unfortunately R was still not well enough to come and see her but I got A with me. Try to imagine the panic that occured when parents walked in and excited children screaming and crying for them! Total chaos but in the end the teachers did a great job and managed to organize the children and the concert could start.  I think they were even cuter than the Grade 1's. J knew all the songs but think she was to amazed by all parents and all children dressed up that she forgot to sing although she did most of the movements.

Here are some pics from A´s Christmas concert. The children were so sweet and even though A was a bit worried because he said only girls could be angels a few other boys were dressed as angels too.

Afterward we were invited for some snacks in the classroom.

Gingerbread cookies

R and A are waiting to see the doctor right now, can we ever be well all of us at the same time? On Thursday evening A complained about pain in his ear ? ( he held his jaw when showing us where he was hurting) and he had feber. We suspected earinfection. Thinking they would tell us to give him antibiotics if we saw a doctor I thought we could wait a bit while R thought he should be seen considering there would only be emergency doctors for 2 days if we didnt go then so we compromized and called our friend who is a doctor. She told us to come see her so she could check is ear and give us antibiotics to keep at home "just in case".

L checked his ear and said it was a bit red but not so bad so we decided the antibiotics could wait for the time being. She suggested to give him something to help the congestion and with paracetamol and ibuprofen mixed he did ok over Christmas eve and day but today when we came home from a smalld rive in the car he complained about pain again, this time holding his other jaw. He felt really warm and had 39.9 degrees of fever even though he had gotten paracetamol just about 2 hours earlier and when I stroked his cheek he screamed at me for hurting him. He said he can not open his mouth, not to eat and not even to drink (he managed to drink with a straw). Since his syptoms have changed I thought it would be best if he was seen again before starting any antibiotics, especially with the weird mouthinflammation R had recently. A did NOT want to go see a doctor and especially not without me. My poor lille boy, I hope he gets well soon.  


Update: Throat infection, antibiotics. Ears ok now though

Last week has been really busy, sick children, last day of schol, sick children again and then christmas. I will try to update on the last and even some photos, maybe throughout the day and tonight?

Now Im really tired. Have been busy all day, trying to get the christmas presents for the teachers ready. They are almost ready, just one thing cooling in the fridge and then close the bags with "gift string".

Have tried a new hairdresser today, felt really good about her and so far Im happy. Will wait a few days though before I make up my mind completely, have to give a day or two to see how the hair behaves once it "settles". R doesnt have fever anymore but he is still hurting as much in his mouth :(

Now an episode of Bones and then off to bed. Coooosy!

R is not getting any better, he is as unwell now as he was 5 days ago. Im doing my best to cope, no time for exercise though and that really sucks. How can I hope to loose weight if I dont have time to exercise? Crap!

Really early bedtime for me tonight, im exhausted