In the blender

We have what’s most commonly known as a blended family. Ours is a particular blend of me and mine and him and his and none of ours. I’m not sure if this makes it easier or harder than any other blended family, but it’s just how it is.

I’d like to be able to change the frame to us and ours. Maybe that’s possible and maybe it’s not. I’d just wizz the mix a little more so the ingredients get a little smoother. Not that the combination of ingredients isn’t fantastic, unique and taste-bud popping, but at times it can be a little….lumpy. A bit separate. A bit like orange juice and milk.

In the year and a bit since we’ve lived together we’ve had weekends of kid heaven and weekends of kid heaven mixed with a bit of kid hell. Usually it’s not that they don’t get along – listening to them play Doctors on the patio, with patients and doctors and nurses and Dr Handsaw (Miss 3’s American accented pseudonym) is heaven, and they can swim in the pool for hours, and jump on the jumpoline and trash each other with make-up – but it’s that me and my guy aren’t getting along, or we can’t find a mutually agreeable family activity that can suit everyone from 3-12 (or 17) plus me and him.

But this weekend just gone it was pretty awesome as far as combinations go, in 3 nights and two days we had spaghetti Bolognaise,  a night swim in our pool, made & ate gluten free dark chocolate birthday cake, jumped on the trampoline to the light of our Christmas lights, slept in the tepee, went to the beach in the troopy, built sandcastles, went surfing, ate toasted sandwiches, swam in the pool, baked cornflake cookies, wrestled Dad in the pool, rescued the dog who escaped into the neighbour’s yard trying to get into the pool, had a BBQ, ate outside, went to the outdoor cinema and watched a Christmas movie, slept, slept in, had family Christmas morning tea at my sisters’ house with her family, ate fruit, gingerbread and croissants, swam in their pool, swam in our pool, played American Bondi Rescue in the pool, ate leftovers, did some drawing outside, watched Dora (OK Miss 3 only), played Uno, went in the pool, had afternoon tea with my sister and family and our Mum and Dad, rode bikes, played soccer at the foreshore, got soccer toe injuries, swam in the ocean, ate hot chips on the grass, rode home, swam in the pool, had showers, used 40 towels, ate chicken pie, got McFlurrys at the drive through in the troopy, watched the fireworks, drove around and saw the Christmas lights, slept, woke up in the night to sleepwalking Miss 10 with soccer injures, drove 3 girls to meet their Nan, dropped Miss 10 to school…..

Is it any wonder I feel like my hair is blown back today? In a good way, but after some of those weekends that haven’t worked I wonder what it is that made it work? All the things we did? The festiveness of December and it being almost school holidays? Or is it just that for the most part having more sisters is even more fun?

They do blue with each other at times but somehow in that is what makes it mix – Miss 3 is prone to melting down because she tries to keep up with everyone, but Dr Handsaw is a winner. Miss 5 can be overly affectionate, which is both loving and annoying at the same time, how can that not be heart-warming? Miss 8 is an angel sent from heaven (just ask her Daddy!) who eats far too many honey sandwiches and not enough vegetables, but she’s sweet like honey. Miss blonde 10 has mastered the front flip and lands on her feet on the trampoline, but is known to suffer the dramatics of soccer toe injuries (amongst other injuries). Miss darker blonde 10 can draw recognisable portraits in 5 minutes flat, so talented, and has similar dramatic soccer injury tendencies as the other 10 year old. Miss 12 is so cool, and funny and witty even when her sisters annoy her, and somehow she manages to look after everyone anyway. And my biggest girl, we adore her and are so glad she’s home, with her messy room full of baby chickens already.

And tonight – the house is completely quiet. The youngest 6 are gone, the oldest is out with her friend, and we’ve been working, and cleaning the Shed, and gearing up for two weeks of holidays on Friday with none, some, most and all of our girls part of the time.

I think it’s time to trade in the blender. I need a Thermomix!!!!