the fifo wife

So one of my biggest fears of when FIFO husband is away is falling sick. I have been there once with a bout of food poisoning and it was the most hellish 24 hours of my life. Trying to care for the babies while I was resembling the fountain of David. It was horrible. I spent most of the time curled up in a ball on the lounge room floor cursing my mother in law. It was her version of marinated chicken that had got me there; how ever it was something I had snatched off B1 after I had seen the colour of the ‘chicken’. She made such a fuss that it was okay I ate it. It was not okay. Fortunately my boys where angels. Angels. And just watched TV and ate nutri grain for 24 hours as I nursed and cursed by way back from the brink of the toilet bowl.

Now I’m so paranoid I avoid eating out 72 hours before FIFO husbands home swing ends. Paranoid.

Now if I feel the slightest bit unwell or the kids are sick I start taking that inner health plus..its probably a placebo but it works for me (that is not an endorsement of any sort)

However there are times when nothing has worked and well whilst I was looking for something else on the big wide web I came across this . Ways to entertain your kids when your flat on your back (or sick) from the baby centre. There are 30 more but heres my top 10.

1. Newly crawling babies can play a mean game of fetch, which is lots of work for them and not much for you.

2. Your child and you set up a tent, which you lie down in. They pull out a pile of books and you pretend you’re camping

3.  Have special coloring books tucked away that you only bring out when your sick. Also allow your children extra time on the computer and a movie.

4. Be the patient and lie on the couch or bed. Let the kids be the doctor, taking your vitals, bringing you “medicine,” and giving you shots with their doctor kit.

5.  Board games are great, since they keep everyone mostly still and don’t require too much energy. Chess is one of my standbys. Uno is a good game, too; you can hold the cards in bed.

6.  Play-Doh guarantees at least an hour of quiet. Even though it’s messy, letting my boys play with it gives me time for a nice hot, steaming shower, which then gives me the energy to clean it all up.

7.  Put your kids in bed with you. Play with toys in bed or on the floor and nap together

8. Let your kids do something that’s normally off-limits, like drawing on the driveway with chalk. The novelty of the activity keeps them occupied way longer than usual

9.   Make it a point to have juice boxes, water, and easy snacks ready for my kids. Fill each circle of a muffin pan with a different snack – fruit, cereal, cut-up meat, diced cheese, little crackers – and leave it in the fridge where they can get to it themselves.

10. Sometimes you just can’t suck it up. If my husbands away send your children to some one else’s house.

So My lovelies what do you do when your sick and the kids aren’t?

xxDeb

So I had a dilemma last Friday and its one I have encountered before so perhaps you lovelies can help. Because I never ever know how to handle it..even after thirteen years.

B2 had his yearly check up and to check a lump that has been growing on his chest. He has had it awhile by a while I mean four weeks but its never bothered him and he is due for his yearly next week so I never rushed him to the doctors until last week where I realised it had got bigger. We went to the doctor he looked at it. Then he called another doctor into look at it. There was muttering. Then there was a rush to the pathologist and x-ray. Then it was back to the doctors to wait for the rushed pathologist and x ray.

Its funny but its always B2 that’s bumping and scraping himself. Only two swings ago he fell resulting in a four hour stay at the hospital and this is my dilemma when he fell I waited until the doctor said we are okay but had too wait the mandatory four hours. I then rang my husbands work just to have them call him to let him know what had happened, where we were and that we were okay. Heaven forbid he might here it from the baby sitter at home. By the time he called we where leaving the hospital. FIFO husband was upset but my theory was what could you do all the way over there. Its not like he can jump on a bus and be here in 40 minutes it takes a chopper and a 8 hour flight with two stops to get home. I’m also a kind of on a need to know basis. Whats the point of worrying until you need to worry..huh? But that’s me and I guess its easy for me to say.

So this time around I didn’t know what to do. It seemed well scarily scary. I was nervous and sick. I didn’t know what to do. It seemed so serious. There was lots of pushing and prodding at B2 chest. They kept asking me could he have broken his rib? Umm no I don’t think  so I would have known about that. It doesn’t hurt? Hmm no it doesn’t. B2 was more worried about weather or not he was getting a lolly at the end of all this.

So as the appointment and wait drew on and on. And the possible seriousness of the situation grew I didn’t know what to do. DO I call now? or go with what I know and just wait until we know exactly whats going on? We were heading into the weekend and the possibility of FIFO husband being able to get off the rig was getting slimmer and slimmer with each passing hour. Finally the report got back.

Nothing to worry about.

He has one rib. ONE. RIB. That’s having a growth spurt. Its not broken Its just grown so much that its come away from the plate and has curved, hence the lump. And whilst my doctors have never heard of it they are putting their faith in the x ray doctor and pathologist who read these test and images on a daily basis. It will settle down eventually. Phew.

SO whilst I never called I was about to but my lovelies but when do you call? When your child is hurt hurt or sick sick? Straight away or do you follow the wait and see and just hope that it all ends well? They are after entitled to know but when do you tell? When do you when they are so far away..knowing that they would feel more anxious and helpless  than you do standing right there in the moment?

So we are all good but what do you lovelies do?

xx Deb

I came across this via bestrecipes.com.au a while ago and its been a stayer ever since. Great Freezer recipe and slower cooker meal. Cheap as chips. Yum.

Lamp Chop Casserole

 What you will need:

1 kg of lamb forequarter chops with the fat removed

1 x 45g pack of french onion soup

1x 425 g tin of tomatoes

3 tablespoons of mixed herbs

2 cloves of garlic.

*** the original recipe doesn’t call for it but I add two stick of celery and a couple of carrots**

How to:

Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or 3-4 hours on high until meat is falling off the bone.

See simple.

Serve with mashed potatoe and steamed vegetables.

xx Deb

I know that I have been through being orgainised with meals but I thought I would start to share my weekly menu plan and give you couple of tips I swear by. I am organised at least on the food front. I just cant justify take out (that and its a forty minute round trip) too often and I feel so bad shovelling crap into my kids mouths every night of the week, its my version of neglect. Harsh I know but there are one to many large kids and we live in the country so its nothing but convenience food.

I write my menu planner on a Sunday night along with my other planner . My other tips are:

I actually try to cook two meals at once if I have the time so its just a matter of putting one in the microwave or oven,

I always make extra servings to put in the freezer

and if I have a quite afternoon I will do a whole bunch of freezer meals.

Its time and cost effective. Just knowing where you are at in the kitchen means you cant get half or all done the night before or start the morning of. Easy.

Grocery shopping becomes a breeze also.

So menu plans I know not terribly exciting but you know I share you share…yum!

Monday : chili con carne and rice.

Tuesday: pork chops and three veg with apple gravey

Wednesday: Lamb chop braise with mash

Thursday: Take out for the kids toast for me (Vegemite slices of butter on toast yum yum yum)

Friday: Chicken satay with coconut rice

Saturday: Freezer meal.

Sunday: Roast beef and vegetables.

So whats on your menu for the week?

Have a great Monday lovelies,

xx Deb