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.

On the day that the kids finished school we had great weather, really hot and we even had to remove our cardigans! Therefore we decided to go to Valletta for a "coffee" and wait for the dark so we could enjoy the Christmas lights and finish off with dinner on one of our fav restaurants, Avenue.

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.

The picture is not doing justice to the amazing contrasts we had outside that morning. The sun shining on the pale limestone and the pitch black clouds in the background.

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?

Right now Im feeling a bit fed up with maltese. Obvisouly not everyone is the same but they really drive me insane at times. Christmas gathering at parents in law yesterday, therefore this annoyance (is that even a word?) Would have loved to get away for a bit, dont like it when you have to watch your mouth all the time.

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

Right now it feels like the wind keeps on blowing against me all the time, R is sick and I feel like I have too much on my plate. The scale has been stuck on an even number and half a kilo and refuses go go below the magic number. REALLY need to do exercise but R doesnt even have the energy to stop the kids from fighting = no time for me to be alone. Feel bitter, sad and tired. I hope the winds will change soon for both of us....

A needed new PE shoes, had bought some cheap ones when he started school cause that was all we could find and they really needed replacing. Went to an outlet with sportstuff and found a pair that would do. They were Nike and same model as his friend M (the boy that was here a couple of weeks ago) has and A realized this and decided they were good but we also wanted to check Vincent in Sliema. Nothing good there though and we went passed a sport shop where we found a pair I thought were good but R said were too big. A was not to happy even to try them since they were not same as M´s. He did try them though and when I asked him to have a run around the shelves and come back again he fell twice, on purpose, just to show how bad they were compared to the ones we had seen in the first place. How sweet they can be in their reasoning <3

Sitting on the sofa with J´s head on my lap. She is not feeling well. She has been coughing since friday, some evenings with fever and after I made her drink some honey/lemon water this morning she threw up. It wasnt even half a cup but apparently too much anyway. Since she sleeps decently we are thinking if we should take her to the doctor or not.

Tonight at bedtime, R was talking to A about something nice he did today and said "you have a good heart". A replied, " and a good forehead and tummy too" :D

Today was the big baking day. We did lots of things, I think too many, for one day. Some came good and others no.

Now Im sticking to the sofa for the rest of the day, feels great to have my lovely husband home, he is wonderful.

On Wednesday I put together the gingerbread house I bought ready made from Candynavia on Sunday. Thought it would be really xmassy and the plan was to decorate it yesterday with the kids. When I woke up in the morning though I saw to mine (and A's) dissapointment that Malta and gingerbread houses are not a good combo.Iit had gone soft with the humidity and was showing signs of falling. R got the dehumidifier to try if it could save it but no, this morning it had fallen completely and looked like this.....

A pretty uneventful week has passed. School, exercise, shopping, xmas curtains etc but nothing much to tell. Right now Im on the sofa, friday night, R working, kids in bed and I just poured some homemade "glögg" (mulled wine) on bottles. The kids' teachers will be getting a bag of swedish xmas delicacies for xmas this year. Come to think of it, will try to find some mulled wine history and write instructions how to heat and serve it. I hope they will appreciate it. 

A friend and her two kids are coming over tomorrow, for "the big xmas baking event". It will be nice to have company, and xmas is all about having fun and creating traditions for your kids. We are both very happy to introduce our swedish xmas heritage to our kids.