Too much...and a little bit of sanity returns

I was going to dwell on what has happened this year but enough is enough...so, in the spirit of the Season......MERRY CHRISTMAS! Santa is due in just over 20 sleeps and my little people couldn't care less! Well, its only because we will be flying down to visit my Mum and Other Dad on Christmas day. Typical kids. It has made it a little easier though, they aren't so focused on the Big Red dude. Here are the kiddos dressed up for their Carols night.

A few things to report. One that, looking back, is kinda funny depending on where you were sitting at the time. I mentioned earlier about Caitie's horrendous temper tantrums and how destructive physically, mentally and emotionally they are. Well, she got her comeuppance last week. Caitie had been horrid all week, tons of attitude, slyly being mean to her brothers, backchatting, tantrums, the works so I told her quite calmly she couldn't go to a friends house for a swim. That led to a complete meltdown with warnings from both of us for her to settle down. Eventually, her screaming tantrum got to Husband, who gave her a crack with a wooden spoon around the butt.

She then proceeded to stand in her bedroom and scream, at the top of her lungs, "Stop bashing me, I hate it when you bash me, you're always bashing me...." It took her a good half hour to settle down. I finally got her to settle and, as we were discussin her behaviour, I heard a car pull up...then a torch came through our front yard...then the knock on the door...

"Excuse me M'am, but we have had a report of a domestic disturbance, anything happening around here?" Nice young policeman he was. All I could do was be honest and tell him that my ten year old daughter had thrown a wobbly and was screaming at the top of her lungs. And do you know what the Nice Policeman did? He stuck his head around the corner and told Caitlin, "You're ten, do what your told!" I could have fainted. I then went on to explain that she had a meltdown as she had been horrid all week and I wouldn't let her go to a friends place. He was very kind and wished me a good evening...then said, quite loudly, "You're ten, you don't get to go anywhere!" I could have married him!

After they left, I burst into tears and hid in the bedroom as it was so overwhelming that one of the neighbours thought we were beating our child. After I came out, Caitie was standing there, dead white, eyes as big as saucers and whispered, "I'm so sorry Mummy." Finally she understood that screaming that out, which she does, will get her taken away from us. Eventually she asked me to stop crying cause I was scaring her. I think the lesson sunk in.

This week, she has been quite good. No complete meltdowns. A few minor squabbles, but nothing huge.

As I mentioned, we had the kids christmas carols last night. A great family night, which I thoroughly enjoy. Ok I had to drag Husband by the short and curlies but he enjoyed himself as we got to watch the latest summer storm roll in.

The storm hit soon after we got home. Caitie didn't get to sing as the storm was moving too fast and we all had to bolt. After we got home, we had the best light show. At one point, we heard the lightning sizzle through the air and then *CRACK* it hit only a few streets away.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=QFp_EYo4uL0 This is a link to some lightning footage I took last night. Some excellent strikes, especially at the 24 second mark and the 36 second mark, where a double strike is.

I hope everyone continues to be safe as we have yet another storm predicted for this afternoon. I don't mind the storms so much as the high humidity that proceeds them!!!