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Wellington, New Zealand
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

good'n'crazy

first of all, thanks to all those who asked:

YES. i survived the sleepover.
i slept. they didn't (so whaddoicare)

...and 14 sleeps to italy!
i think i may actually pee my pants
(from the excitement you understand. not from any previously unmentioned bladder control issues...)


WARNING: LONG POST!
filled as always, with photos and interesting tidbits

my day off (friday) was interrupted by a sick child, so i resigned myself to not doing much. at least i could still work out (on my exercycle). miss 13 wasn't particularly ill, she was just feeling very flat. we like to call these days off 'mental health days', ie where a day at home is good for the soul, and day of missed school won't kill you.

i had previously committed to take miss 11 and 5 of her classmates to our local SPCA as part of ther 'a 12 year old can change the world' social enquiry. we loaded up the car with shredded paper (for bedding), blankets and cat food and off we went.

the puppies were just totally depressing, and that's all i'll say. cute but depressing.

i don't know this guy's name, but he's blind in one eye and very cuddly.
there are currently 39 cats awaiting re-homing.

this is tiny- he climbed right into miss 11's lap and made himself comfortable while she groomed him.

friday night miss 17 got a mercy call from the hockey 1st XI to play in their final (play-off for 3rd and 4th).

they made a guard of honour for her before the game - this is her LAST game of hockey for her college (high school) - EVA. they won 6-1.

the game didn't even start until 8pm, so by the time we got home, i'd been up and on the go (and totally over the day) for way too many hours.

still, look at the lovely weather i got to stand in.

we build 'em tough down here - 'twas but a passing shower...

saturday morning we were up early for a family photo. the FIRST weekend post-netball and i drag my family out of bed for a photo. there's a whole other post on family photos that i'll share some time too!

anyhoo - it went really well, and we all went out for coffee and hot chocolates afterwards.

then it was home to get ready for the SLEEPOVER - you know the one, where you take in 11 teengers you hardly know and entertain them for the next 18 hours.

so here's the dealio - MOST of the girls had never been to my house before, so i was expecting to run up and down the stairs several times to answer the doorbell and make the acquaintance of many-a-new parent.

guess how many parents came to the door.

ONE.

as tara said to me when the same thing happened to her a couple of weeks before:

"i could have been an axe murderer and they just DROPPED their kid off!"

in this age of helicopter parenting and OTT PC, i find it unfathomable. i guess the bottom of my long drive looked good'n'average'n'safe-like.

fast forward to the next morning. the invitation CLEARLY stated 'collect at 10am' (coz, ya know, after i've had your kid 18 hours, i'm gonna want to get on with my day).

the first got collected at 10.10 - the last at 10.35. admittedly this parent got lost, but PULEEEZE!!! where are these people's manners?

and how many came to the door you ask?

TWO.

i'm over it now, but i would NEVER leave my child at someone's house without going to the door and meeting the 'rents'.

how's it work where you live?

anyhoo - back to the party
-here's miss 13 again - that's her on the wall too

tara came up with this cool pass the parcel idea a few years back. once the kids are old enough, you can make them WORD for the candy, and make it interesting too!

attached to the candy is a question about the party girl
it's fun - AND you get to know your friend that little bit better!

that's me on the music

the final round i absolve myself of responsibility
that's tara trying to be impartial while the girls pass it around on the last layer
-funny-

i made THREE pizza doughs in the bread maker. this is them: slightly out of control during the 'proving' process.

2 kid-friendly pizzas and this one. it's all about the combination of flavours. trust me.

a little bit of rock band
and no party at my place is complete without a little 'craft'

they made these
i made TWO banoffee pies. one with a gingernut biscuit base, and one with a krispie biscuit base.

AMERICAN EQUIVALENT: Graham Crackers

Here's the recipe:

mix together 250g biscuits (cookies) - crushed with 150g melted butter
press into pie/flan dish. refrigerate

slice banana on the base.

for the topping:

125g butter
395g condensed milk
50g brown sugar
3 tablespoons of milk

bring to the boil then stir for around 5 mins until it thickens a little.

pour over bananas and base. refrigerate.

KIDDING!!!
when caramel sets (it won't set rock hard tho) - top with whipped cream and grated or flakey chocolate.

ENJOY!!!

i only have one day in the office next week (monday) before i head out of town for my work annual conference. when i get back, i literally only have enough time to unpack, do laundry and pack again before we head out to italy - no peace for the wicked!!!

18 comments:

mandyb said...

and you made a comment about my e-mail making you tired (cos it was busy-ish!!!!) but yours had WAY out done mine.... you are a machine!!!!

Janine said...

Thats so interesting about the parents Sue. Kinda blew me away how so many of them did the drop and run. Sounds like the girls had a blast, who wouldn't with the things you organised for them.Nice to read that the young ones went to the SPCA, sounds like it was an eye opener for the kids as well.

Betty Manousos said...

I liked so much your photos, your daughter is so handsome and adorable!

Live.Love.Eat said...

Wow, what a party. The pizza looks amazing as do the pies. And you look like so much fun!!!!!!!!! You stopped by a while back and I owed you a visit :)

Susan Holt Simpson said...

Wow - what a great peek into your life. I have to comment on the parents dropping off without meeting you. It's the same here! I can't believe people are so "trusting" (stupid). Sorry, but I said it. It is stupid to leave your kid at a stranger's house believing only what your teen tells you about the other. Don't they watch the news?

Lucky for them, they got YOU instead of an axe murderer!

y u l z said...

That looks yummy ! I should try this one :)

KK said...

May I please come to the party next time? It looks like such fun :)

Jaina said...

Looks and sounds like a fabulous party!

Melinda said...

Well that looks like fun and a yummy dessert too!

Meelie said...

I am with you Sue re. the parents! I would never never..... and how rude not to even come and say Thank You the next day. How did the kids know the parents were there - did they text them or soemthing?
I was stunned in Ireland when Sinead had a 5 year old birthday party- we were pretty new to the place and didn't know the parents and these 5 year olds were just dropped at the door!!!!!! Unbelievable!! Looked like heaps of fun though! Love the craft project.

the mama bird diaries said...

i am so jealous that you are going to my favorite country ever. xo

Grand Pooba said...

And there it is again to torture me! At least the recipe is there so I can make it myself!

However I'm going to have to figure out how to convert grams to cups!

Party looked like fun!

Claremont First Ward said...

Your daughter is so beautiful, and it's official. You are super mom!

Elizabeth said...

I wanna know how to make a little paper basket like that!
And there is NO WAY I'm going to take my kid to a "stranger's" house and not go meet the parents. What if there were no parents home and the kids planned this whole charade so they could have a big party on their own? Ugh. Besides, I'm too nosy and would want to go inside the house to meet the parents AND check out their house. :)

Heather said...

Holy Hannah I think you are the best mom! Remind me when I have teens that I want to be just like you. (Skinny too!) I would be very nervous not knowing the people who were in charge of my kid(s). I was a nanny a few years back and the dad is a judge. They had very strict hang out rules, and one of which was an adult had to be home and no sleepovers unless they (parents) knew the other fam. Its sad we have to worry!

cat said...

Great post and you are one brave mom! I would so not leave my daughter with people I have never met! Not even at 18!

That banoffee pie looks great and yeah, wish I was going to Italy as well. Love the place. Have some pistacio gelato on me!

mommakin said...

When we have kids sleep over I ask the parents for contact information. And I ALWAYS go to the door. That's crazy stuff...

kimcox said...

Wow you are a brave momma. That many teenagers I'm not sure I could do it.

I have 2 girls 11 and 4. If I take either of them to someones home I get out go in chit chat and get numbers. Sometimes my 11yr old tells me I NEED to leave that I have stayed too long. But I have to check them out ya know.