HI Nickel, we all do the best we can with our kids and I won't say 4 is easy but I am used to it lol, I think the fact is building up slowly to 4 for me was a good thingLOL But it is always something new, like venturing it High school for our eldest this year.

Tiff holidays are soooo expensive, especially as the kids get older. This year we went camping because we couldn't afford much else, and WE SPENT $625 and were away Friday sat and sunday so an average of $200+ per day. We have decided that the only way we will be able to afford holidays is to camp from now on. We spent $1100 the year bf on accomodation alone for one week. As we have a wedding to go to in Mackay (the kids and arron are all in the wedding) we are stopping on the gold coast in April, just making off peak time. Accomodation in a sc unit with air con for 1 week is $910, paying for 3 kids (Jess is free being 2). In peak time it was at least $300 more. I think the best option for us is if we want to do somethng fancy like the gold coast or an OS trip then do it in off peak time, which does mean being out of school but maybe the only way. Our overall plan is a holiday house beach way in a min of 5 yrs or more. But I will have to be working then. I am planning to prob give my FT position up and do some casual teaching once Jess starts school, to help with money, but so I can still be there for the kids after school. Arrons work commitments will change as he moves into pest control so we need to consider he may not be available at 3.10pm for kids and I feel strongly they need a parent in the house when school is over. So I would be limited to teaching at the school they are at. Good luck with your return to work, I had to return to work after I had Joshua, he was only 13wks old, and as much as I would have liked to not, I did what I had to do. And it was all for the best.

sorry waffling away here. We are off tonight, Arron and I for our wedding anniversary (which is actually tomorrow). Should be relaxing I hope, although we don't know where we are going, just that we are staying away from Melb CBD, cos it is Aust open weekend, so no accomodation and if you do find something it is 3x the normal price.

see ya