Friday, September 30

Things I Know


I know to you this photo might not look like much but to me it brings a rather large smile to my face.  This would have to be one of the best board games I have played for quite some time.  I know that I may be a little biased as it was created by no other than DD1.  But I also know how hard she worked on it and just how much thought she put into it.

I know my favourite square can just be seen in the photo.  It is the one that says go back 4 spaces.  It is the fourth square from the start.  It cracked me up every time someone landed there.  Perhaps it is one of those location jokes though...

I know that even though DD1 may test me in more ways than I care to admit she really is incredibly awesome.

I know that sometimes most of the time, the whole maintaining a relationship with someone is a lot of work regardless of who that person may actually be and what type of relationship you may have.

I know that I am more than just a little thankful that DD3 didn't injure herself more when she tumbled down the stairs.  I know every time I look at the bruise I cringe and beat myself up just a little bit more.

Deep down I do know that I am not a bad mother but when your toddler has a black eye it is not that easy to convince yourself of you ability to competently mother.

I know that the two men singing on the Footy Show with the shirts half unbuttoned had a bit of sex appeal about them.  I would share their names but their shiny muscly chests distracted me.

I know that I should go to bed but I really like having this post to go first thing in the morning so much better to get it out the way now.

Actually now I have thought about the whole bed thing my eyes suddenly want to shut.  So now I know no more other than it is time to sleep.

If you can keep your eyes open a bit longer you should head over to Shae's Yay for Home she is the awesome creator and  host of Things I Know.  Plus she always knows some really funny stuff.

What things do you know?

Thursday, September 29

Thankful Thursday - Patience, DD1 and a few other things

Last night when I sat down to write this post I had planned for it to be about patiences.  Most days I have a fair bit of it.  (As I am sure most mums do)  Of course other days I have next to none.  With babies and toddlers it is so easy to have buckets of patiences.  They are so small and unknowing.  They are still learning about the world and people and themselves so it is easier to find the patience needed to get through the day.  As they grow however it is as if your patience also needs to grow.

Lately I have been in need of some extra patience.  At ten DD1 is entering the next exciting cycle of life.  I remember this age.  Not always fondly either.  I remember how tough it was for me at times.  Trying to find my place in my family, at school, in the world at large really.  So much easier said than done.  Sometimes I still feel as if I am struggling with all of this.  But then that is what life is all about really, struggling to get on top and make sense of it all.  Some times succeeding, others not.

Back to my patience post.

I tried to start if off in a clever and different kind of way with a bit of a saying.

Patience is a virtue
Possess it if you can
Rarely seen in woman
Never seen in man

That was as far as I got really.  

Don't get me wrong I am certainly thankful for the patience that I do have but if I am totally honest it has been slipping a bit of late.  In my defense though it is over things where people (not just children) should have known better.  Part of me feels that rather than giving thanks for my patience I should be pleading for more.

So now back to being Thankful for DD1.

I am thankful that she is not scared to speak her mind to me (even though she may not always speak it in a way I really appreciate)

I am thankful that when she wants to be she is the best big sister in the world.  I am thankful that she wants to do this more and more.  (After five years of being an only child I think that there may have been a bit of envy for a while while DD2 came along and every now and then it rears it's ugly head again)

I am thankful that she throws herself into her school work (again only when she wants to but sometimes the school really does ask them to do boring things so I don't hold it against her that much)  A recent create your own board game activity though was not one of the boring things.  The game that DD1 created is just a little, ok a lot, awesome.

Seriously it is so much fun to play.  I am thankful that even though it was past bedtime we all took the time to play.  It was a much needed beautiful family time.

Finally I am thankful that today, two weeks and two days after she was born, I finally got to hold my beautiful little niece for the first time.  As I have been fighting off a cold since she was born I have been keeping my distance.  Thankfully I seem to be over it now and she decided to wake while I was near so cuddle time it was.

So what are you thankful for this Thursday? (though I do only have around 27 minutes of Thursday left)  If you want to see more thankful post head over to Jess at Diary of a SAHM, she has taken Thankful Thursday hostage (in a nice way) while Kate is off enjoying herself and the school holidays.  Which I must say I am also thankful for (the holidays that is not Kate enjoying herself, though I am glad she is taking some family time, everyone should always take family time).

Tuesday, September 27

Me and YOU Monday Week 8

Okay, okay, I know it is not exactly Monday any more but the link is still open for another eight hours so there is still time for me to join in with Karlee over at The Mother Experiment for her weekly link up.

It is hard to believe that for the last eight weeks I have consciously battled with the terror that is housework.  Last week I made a promise to myself regarding the start of my kitchen sink and it's obsession with constantly being surrounded by dirty dishes.  I know that no one likes dirty dishes but I have a particular strong distain for them.  Since I am the food preparer it seems a little harsh that I am expected to wash dishes as well.

So I am sure you are all sitting on the edge of your seat wondering how I went this last week?  Did I manage to successfully keep my kitchen sink dirty dish free?

Let me just start by saying I wish that I were not so lazy.  That way I would be able to remove my bottom from this ever so comfy chair and take a photo of my sink.  Sadly there are a few dirty dishes but there are also a lot of clean ones as well.  Actually my whole house is pretty smicko at the moment.  Possibly not a Vogue Living cover but it is way better than what it normally looks.

Rather than my normal 'just let it all build up' attitude I have spent all week doing the dishes as soon as there was enough to warrant filling up the sink.  Once or twice I miss judged things and there were more than I expected but on the whole I managed to have timed it so as to not be overwhelmed by all the dishes before me.  I have also been using a similar approach to the washing of clothes.  Lots of little loads are much more appealing.  Especially if I do it all as it needs to be done, like fold the washing as I take it off the line and put it in the cupboard as soon as I take it inside.  All pretty simple stuff really.

So my plan for the coming week is to maintain the current state of affairs.  Everything feels sort of manageable at the moment.  Though perhaps I have lulled myself into a false sense of security?  I am not completely deluded though as I do realise I still have a ways to go till I get the call from Vogue.

I am not going to put too much pressure on myself though.  My sister has just arrived for a visit and as she won't be back for a few months I really want to make the most of it.  Add that to the fact that the school holidays are just round the corner so I need to make sure I am well prepared.

Keep your eyes out in the coming days about priorities.  I think I may have found the answer to sorting out a few of the household issues.  Stay tuned and while you wait head on over and see what other changes people are trying to make

Monday, September 26

Monday Mention - Modern Day Redneck

With so many wonderful blogs floating around in the blogosphere it is not always easy to decide who I will give my Monday Mention to.  Some of my all time favourite blogs can be found a little further down the page on the side bar and a few of these have also snuck in here for a bit of a mention.  I do plan on adding a few more buttons but as yet this little job is still hidden somewhere on the to do list.

This week I want to recommend something a little different from my usual mummy blogging reads.  This week I want you to spend some time with 




Now I love MDR not just because he happens to have a very similar template to APL (look for the little birds on the top right of screen) but because I just love the expressions he uses.  For example who knew that a nesting box could be as cute as a mouse?  Still makes me giggle.

Like many good bloggers MDR writes with a touching honesty and talks to the reader like a trusted friend.  Even though MDR is only a new find I feel like I have known him for ever as well.  Even though we are literally on the other side of the world from each other there is still much in common.  I find it very easy to relate to what is being said.

What I really love though is that he is a he.  Sometimes to me it feels as if blogging is full of mums trying to wade through life so reading this completely different point of view is more than appealing to me.

Anyway don't just take my word for it head on over and check it out for yourself.

Monday Mention is a wonderful link up hosted by Tammy over at

Broken Hearted Mummy


(which is also a great read if you haven't been there before)  Head on over to find some more great reading and as always thanks for stopping by :)

Sunday, September 25

Looking for Inspiration

The second challenge in the first round of the Flash Fiction Challenge is under way.  I really don't want to leave it to the last minute like last time.  I really need to progress past this round.  My self confidence needs it.  My dreams need it.  I am not asking to win just get chance to go a little further than the rest.

This time the genre is fantasy and the location a crime scene with the object a phone book.  Sounds easy enough doesn't it?

So why is my mind so blank?  I have the time, the solitude, everything.  Well everything except for the words.  There is a part of me thinking that if I got up and did the dishes or folded some washing then perhaps it would come to me.  Then there is this other part of me that says gee this chair is comfy.  Of course the winning voice is the one that says to hell with it all go play games.

You see the problem is that I am torn.  There are things I want to say but I am scared to.  Scared of what they might bring with them.  Once words, be it said or written are put out there they bring back things.  Sometimes good sometime not.

This year was supposed to be my year for trying something new.  The year for pushing past comfort zones, getting out of the chair and giving it (life) a go, a real go.  I started off like a bat out of hell (which just happens to be one of my favourite songs) focusing my energy on meeting new people and regularly catching up.  I was so incredibly proud of myself, I would go along to places where I did not know a single person.  I would talk to strangers, people who I had not yet met but with whom I could become friends with.

After a couple of months though I stopped going.  It was all just getting a bit much.  If started to feel like everyone had a problem bigger than mine.  Which is fine.  I don't really want to be the owner of the biggest problem.  Nor do I want to be near the person who does.  Terrible I know.  I just don't think I have much to give to anyone at the moment.

Up until I wrote my R U Ok? post the other week I thought I was just fine and dandy.  Now I am not so sure.  

Anyways...will unpack all of that later.  All in good time.  I don't quite have the energy to deal with it yet. Dad's anniversary is fast approaching, about two weeks now I think.  That could be a good turning point. Since my lovely iTunes just started playing one of the songs from his funeral I will take that all as a sign of some sort.

Back to trying new things.

On the post before this I tried something new and embedded a YouTube clip into my post.  Two actually. Go me.  Before you know it I will be doing something crazy like a vlog post.  Though I probably won't.

I am also going to try something new in that I am going to schedule my Monday Mention post right now.  Actually this post you are now reading is also a scheduled post.  Since I am on a bit of a roll at the moment will spread the actual publishing out a bit to keep you all on your toes.

If you just can't get enough of me and never want to miss a post make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feeder or follow, or both or book mark me or do what ever it is you need to so I am at the top of your reading list.

Meanwhile I have a story to write...

Saturday, September 24

Getting Creative (slowly of course)

I just need to write.  get words out.  I sit here for so many hours and what do I get?  Not much.  Not even a high score.  Can't say I'm a quitter, I still keep on trying.  Despite never even getting close to the others.  If only real life was as easy to show determination in.  No one ever knows how hard you really try.  I don't think I ever really try hard enough.  Trying hard takes a lot of effort.  Perhaps the rewards were never enough?  Tricky balance between intrinsic and extrinsic.

(one cheek, shallow, slow released breath)

(listening to)


Well it was,
                      now it is



All careful selected for my by my lovely iTunes player from the "Possibly writing music" folder

Last one (for now)

Friday, September 23

Things I Know - Thankful Thursday



I actually began writing this post on Wednesday evening.  I had planned on being super organised and have both a Thankful and Knowing post all scheduled to go well before their respective days.  Since it is now Friday morning and I have neither post actually written I guess I have failed somewhere along the line.

So in a bid to be ingeniously cheeky I am going to see if I can be knowledgeable and thoughtful all in the one post.  Here's what I came up with on Wednesday.



For the first time since I joined in with Kate for her wonderful Thankful Thursday's I am at a bit of a loss as to what I am thankful for.  It's not that I am not thankful it is just that I worry my fabulous readers might get sick of me being thankful for all the same stuff (kids and life in general) all the time.

Last week I felt really good about my post.  It was something that I really am thankful for and something I do actually think about fairly frequently.  Why I don't know, but for as long as I can remember I have wondered what it would be like to be blind.  I also feel similarly about sounds and hearing.  Though (and I say this without any disrespect) if I had to choose between sight and sound I think that I would choose the former.  I know that the sound of a child's laughter warms my heart no end but as does the sight.  As a mother I have also come to realise that there are some things that just need to be seen.  

I know that I am thankful that I have changed my commenting system.  Last week there was a comment I wished I could individually have replied to.  This week if I so wish to do the same I can.  So I guess I will give thanks for that.  I am not overly impressed though as I had hope it could provide a link back to the commenters blog if they so wished and so far it doesn't appear to.  I do think however that could just be a result of settings I need to locate and change.  I know that when I work it out I will be thankful.

At one point in the week when I was thinking about this post I had thought that I could be thankful for our health.  There is a slight touch of irony there given we have all been a little under the weather of late however this is absolutely nothing compared to what some people are faced with.  So yes I am thankful not just for my health but also that of the kidlets and hubs.

I know that I am not overly thankful for the recent fb changes.  For most of yesterday I silently read everyone complaining about it.  I was thankful  then that I knew not what they spoke of.  Today however I know what they spoke of and I now give thanks that I am a rather adaptable kinda gal and while change is not necessarily something I love I can still go with the flow.

(And back to today)

I am still not exactly happy with the post as it really doesn't feel like it is in the true spirit of being thankful but apparently it is all I have at the moment. I had hoped that throughout yesterday I would have been able to come out with more but alas that was not the case.  All I could come up with were things like

I am thankful my neighbour came over (and wasted 2 hours of my housework time)  For like the first time ever I really wanted to get all the housework out the way and the visitor stopped this from happening.

I know I should have been thankful for the girls finding fun stuff to do after school that didn't require me picking them up till later than normal.  Only they didn't tell me they didn't need pick up until I got there.

I  know I wasn't thankful at the time that no one came home to eat the beautiful apple and strawberry pie I made for them however at about 8.30pm last night I was at it made a perfect supper for hubs and I.


So there you have it.  It appears as if this week I know very little as well as having little to be thankful for.  What about you? To find out what others know head over to Shae's Yay For Home and to see all the other thankful people go to Kate Says Stuff

Wednesday, September 21

Wordless Wednesday - Water Sunset






Playing along with the ever lovely Trish at

My Little Drummer Boys

and for the first time joining in with Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love

Head on over to them both and check out the other beautiful photos for today.  You could even join in

Monday, September 19

Starting Again

It never ceases to amaze just how quickly Monday keeps popping up.  I don't even want to think about how many weeks I have sat down to do my Me & YOU post with Karlee at The Mother Experiment.  I am physically shuddering at the thought of just how many weeks it has been now.  It may possibly even be months by now.

No doubt when I click on over to link up I will find out.  Speaking of passing weeks actually quite a few weeks have passed since I joined Sarah at Accepting and Embracing Autism for her Monday Goals...

(little sigh, deep breath, head shake)

Life has been more than just a little busy of late.  
Actually, there is a part of me that does not feel very comfortable with that statement.  

Sure there has been a bit going on (change of weather sickness, grand final games, school performances) but really compared to some, my life this past week(s) was not really hectic or thrown into any true chaos.   Certainly not enough to justify why I have still struggled to maintain establish anything that even comes close to resembling order.

Yes I do have three kids so obviously to a certain extent that keeps me occupied as well as creates the disorganisation that is my life but I see other people somehow manage to juggle with it all so it is not impossible.  In fact my own mother made it all seem rather simple and she did stuff I would never even come close to be able doing like ironing!

(Exhale grrrrrrrr, inhale peace and tranquility)

Week after week I feel like I am just sitting here saying the same things over and over.  Making the same silly excuses  Week in week out. Really I could make excuses till the cows come home (should they ever actually decide to return home of course) as to why my house is the shambles that it is, but at the end of the day we all know what the problems are.  A delicate balance of laziness and procrastination mixed with an addiction to time wasting and bright screens.

Well no more excuses.

As of right now I am going to try just a little harder to ensure my kitchen doesn't look like this



or this


All week long

Thankfully the ever wonderful Hubs got busy last night while I was putting kidlets to bed (read laying down having a rest while they fell asleep) so I am off to a good start once I jump off here and get to the breakfast dishes that is...

Seriously though, I am constantly thinking about this whole improvement thing.  Without being too critical there are quite a few areas that I should be doing better in and to tell you the truth I am not really sure why that it is.   I have taken to asking if I really am being the best me that I could be as that is what I ask the girls to be and I am not sure I could honestly say that I am even trying to be the best me I could be.  So it is with that in mind that I will try and steer myself through the week with.

Head over to TME to join in and read how others are going on their personal growth journey and don't forget to come back next week to see how I went

Friday, September 16

Comment Luv

Given the dire state of affairs in the disaster zone known as my kitchen I decided that I would try and add a new commenting section to APL.  Rather than seek any advice and start confusing myself I plunged right in and just googled commentluv as I had noticed that on quite a few of the blogs I have been enjoying lately.  (If you are interested I give a Monday Mention to my weekly fav)

At a glance it all looked pretty simple so I gave it a go.  

And now I need to wait till I have something post about, which sorta brings us all to here :)

It is rather late and I am a little, actually a lot tired.  The conference went well.  Sort of.  I felt we should have got more out of it.  I am not sure that I will be able to take DD3 again.  She is nearly 18 months old. It is a lot to ask, especially after the late night last night.  The late night was worth it though.  DD1 sang beautifully in the choir.  The whole performance was rather enjoyable actually.  Wonderful to see so many talented children in the area.

Anyway back to my point about being tired.

Fingers crossed the new comment section is up and running.  I am not even going to check until morning so please feel free to try it out.  It is the first of a couple of little changes here and there that I have planned in coming days so stay tuned.  Until then sending out fairy wishes and butterfly kisses to one and all


Things I know

"The time has come the walrus said, to speak of many things"

Well maybe not to speak of many things, and certainly not shoes and ships and ceiling wax as the next line of the poem would go.  Instead it is time to share once again the Things I Know

I know I am once again more than pleased it is Friday.  Though since this Friday entails an early morning start, followed by a full day's conference with DD3 in tow, this Friday may not be all the fun and games that a Friday is normally cracked up to be.

I know that I am pretty stoked with the fact that the school has asked me to be a part of it's well being group and as such I get to go to conference's like today.  I also know  that I think it is wonderful such conferences are happy for me to take DD3 with me.

I know that I think it is pretty cool to start each paragraph not only in italics but also with the same words. Just one of the many reasons why TIK is just awesome, as is Shae for hosting it.

I know that there are still two whole weeks left of school before the holidays are finally here.  I know that one week is not nearly long enough but I am not really complaining as the four week break in the middle of the year overrides it all.

I know that when I was checking in on Blogger stats last night I was disappointed to see only a tiny increase since last time I checked in.  However I know that the two comments that had been left in that time made up for it as they were two of the best comments I have received in a very long time.  It certainly reminded me that it is not about how many but who. (Click here to read the comments)

I know that I really want to change my comment section so that I can reply to people personally and also so they have the opportunity to leave a link back to their last post.  I know that I don't really know the best way to go about it and that even when it is a change I want for and desire that change still makes me a little uncomfortable in one way or another.

I know  that lately I seem to be thinking a lot more about my father.  That is probably just because of impending anniversary...

I know this is probably enough for one post (cue crying child to confirm)

So what do you know?

Head over to 
yes, yes I know two buttons here probably wasn't necessary but you should know  by now that I just love buttons!


Thursday, September 15

Thankful Thursday - Sight

Last week as I was going around my daily tasks my mind began to wander aimlessly through a range of random thoughts.  Though perhaps they weren't really all that random as most of them revolved around what my next blog posts would be like.  So there I was standing at the kitchen sink, gazing out the window into the back garden where the kidlets were playing.

There was lots of laughter and beautiful sister actions.  The bigger ones were looking out for the little ones and it was just one of those fabulous family moments that you wish you could bottle forever.  "Well these is easy" thought I.  There is my thankful post, I am thankful for my children and the laughter they bring.  I am thankful that for the most part they play just as sisters should.  I am thankful that they can play freely under the hose. 

Then I thought a bit more.  All of what I was thankful for went without saying.  Of course I was thankful for my beautiful girls and all they entail and bring to life.  Then it hit me.  As I stared out the window and saw, with my own eyes, I realised what it was I was truly thankful for.



My sight.

It was almost like an epiphany.  I was still thankful for all those other things but it is my ability to be able to see all of those things that I was truly thankful for.  Being able to see my biggest bend down to help up the smallest when they fell.  Being able to see the smiles on their faces as they ran around chasing each other.  

This got me to thinking just how precious sight is.  Not only that but just how much we, or at least I, take vision for granted.  I closed my eyes and wondered how I would be able to get through each day without the wondrous gift of sight.  Enclosed in my self created darkness I tried to continue doing the dishes.  As my hand reached for the next dish I suddenly froze.  Where did I leave the sharp knives?  Had I put them in the sink yet? Were they still on the side of the bench? Was this something that I sight impaired person worried about on a regular basis?  Come to think of it how did a sight impaired person even have to do dishes?

Opening my eyes I saw where the knife was and returned to counting my blessings for the fact I could see.  My appreciation and love of my eyes had just increased ten fold.  

Now I know that many people with vision difficulties are able to lead an almost normal life.  They are able to adapt and adjust, some because they have known no different and others because they had little choice.  Either way I know that I am oh so very thankful for the fact that I am blessed with 20/20 vision and I hope I never have to experience life without it. 

So what are you thankful for this Thursday?  Head on over to Kate Says Stuff and share your thanks.


On a side note it wouldn't be right if I didn't give some thanks out to my wonderful mum.  I have been a bit under the weather this week and my more than awesome mum made me some super yummy chicken soup and then an even yummier casserole meaning for two nights I didn't have to worry about feeding the troops.  Mums really are the best no matter what the age.

Wednesday, September 14

R U OK?


Tomorrow (Thursday Sept 15th)  Is R U Ok? Day.  Lots of my favourite blogs have been discussing the topic and sharing some very moving stories about why it is important to take the time to ask if someone is really ok.  Head over to Gorgeous Gemma at My Big Nutshell for a full round up.

I have spent nearly two weeks deciding on whether I should write an R U Ok? post.  

For the most part I really am ok and always have been, but notice I said for the most part.  It is hard to explain but I almost feel as if I have no right to be part of the conversation as really my life is just so damn awesome, well aside from the odd pothole here and there, but nothing really to ever complain about.

I genuinely feel blessed with all I have.  I have been fortunate enough to escape many of life's pitfalls and the troubles I have had have always been over come and left me feeling stronger than ever before.  I have no right to not be ok.  I have a husband that loves me, would do anything for me and just happens to be all round awesome (most of the time)  I have three wonderful children that are happy and healthy and thriving with life.  I have a wonderful supportive extended family, a fantastic community based school, a handful of close friends who I think would do anything for me and I haven't even started on the list of material things I have.  How could I not be ok?

When my father passed away I felt so alone.  Totally and utterly alone.  My devastation was insurmountable.  I had feared this day for more years than I care to remember.  I was also 3 months pregnant.  As a result I refused to let myself grieve.  I was worried that my baby would come out sad if I spent my pregnancy crying over my dead father.

I also convinced myself that my mother, brother and sister's grief was of more importance than mine so again what right did I have not to be ok?  Not only that but I had two little girls to take care of.  Not to mention the growing bump.  I just had  to be OK.

Somehow I got through the next six months and my baby was born and appeared just as happy as what the other two were so ignoring my grief had been all worth it.  By now however I was so good at not  letting myself be sad about dad that I couldn't see the point in bringing it all up.  

The start of October will mark two years since his passing.  Naturally I still think about him all the time.  In fact I have learnt not to do my shopping the same days as the old men in the neighbourhood as I generally come home in tears those days.  On father's day I went to buy his favourite chocolate bar, only to find they no longer sell it.  I came home in tears then.  Actually I was in tears well before I got home.  It was but moments away at the chocolate isle.

Does all of this not make me ok though?  Or is this just the way I need to deal with a tough, unchangeable situation that at the end of the day is just a part of life?

I know that two years ago when he passed very few people ever asked me if I was ok.  If they did I probably said of course and smiled and carried on as that is what I am like.  I know that the person who would probably be considered my best friend in the real world never once mentioned it.  Now I also know that is not entirely her fault, she was faced with a situation she didn't know how to deal with.  She was faced with a situation she had never experienced nor really seen anyone else experience.  But still what if she had of asked...just once.  

So where does this all leave me now?

Honestly I am not sure.  At least now I have an R U Ok? post  I also feel a little lighter for sharing.  Though I also have a small voice going this isn't even close to not being Ok.  Not being Ok is when you want to slit your wrists and stuff like that.  But you know what?  Little voice you are wrong.  This is how not being OK starts.  Just because my troubles might not be as terrible as someone else's it doesn't mean they are any less worthy.  That applies to everyone.  Don't let little problems turn into big ones.

So please if you can think of anyone for any reason that might not be OK go and ask them.  You could be the one that makes the difference.  Which is much better than being the one that your friend makes excuses for.

If you aren't OK, which is more than OK go here for more information.


Wordless Wednesday - Radom Garden

One of the reasons I didn't join in last week was because I didn't have time to take any photos and have sadly used up any on file that I deemed worthy of sharing.  This week I was determined not to miss out.  When I was out in the garden a little earlier today there was an elusive hummingbird I had thought would be perfect, but alas, he was elusive.  So here is the best my garden has to offer instead,



 Playing along with

My Little Drummer Boys



Monday, September 12

Oh!!! Tomorrow is Monday

I just had that startling revelation at twenty past nine on a Sunday night.  Since I have been joining up with Karlee over at The Mother Experiment, Monday's seem to come round quicker and quicker.  For first time readers Karlee has been hosting a Monday Me & YOU link up where we all concentrate on some kind of personal growth or improvement.

For me I thought that transforming myself into some form of domestic goddess who was able to successfully manage a load of washing every day as well as wash some dishes, put them away and a couple of other pretty simple tasks that many women manage without any dramas whatsoever.  The super funny thing about all of this was that I did truly expect to get everything under control in only one week.  Despite of course trying to do all of this for over a decade now.

So here I am some four, maybe even fix or six weeks later still no further advanced than the day I started. There have been glimpses of hope here and there, but that is all.  Nothing more substantial than hope though.  For a full recap of last week but in a nut shell I managed to get five out of six goals completed as well as a few more.  The domestic order is heading in the right direction but at the same time we have been pretty busy outside the house so there has been little opportunity for disarray to occur.  Of course this also means there is little opportunity to clean and tidy.  

Tomorrow is the clincher.  I must make up for the last week of doing nothing but getting ready for the school birthday.

Fast Forward a week and one day


Ok so tomorrow is no longer Monday.  Today is.  Only it is not the Monday that I spoke of earlier it is Monday a full week from when I started.  I really don't like deleting instead I like to rise to the challenge of turning something that could possibly really have stayed at nothing into, well, something else.

In terms of personal improvements I guess the best way to look at last week is as a week off.  After the week that was the week before I found myself some what drained and was in need of some time to replenish myself so last week was mainly about fun and doing only things I wanted  to do.  Which is really a nice way of saying I was a lazy so and so that did little to no housework.  Thankfully we were still out of the house a lot so for the most part the was little to do anyway.

Now I am not really sure how I came to this realisation but at some point in the last week it dawned on me that what I need is a schedule.  Which could be a little problematic as I like to think of myself as a bit of a free spirit....



Better than deleting

Phew!!!

It is all over and I guess I survived.  My digital presentation was watchable and I was told by some quite good.  For me personally I constantly think of all the things it could have been.  All the little things that at some point I had thought would be wonderful but for one reason or another didn't happen.  Like the written biographies of people I interviewed.  Like the full length video.  Like a whole list of other things that are some how escaping me.  All of which never eventuated into little more than a fleeting thought. 

There is this little voice inside my head yelling, almost screaming to be heard "there's still time you know!!"  And of course to some extent it is right.  

image credit
Due to the levels of activity in the house lately I have been away from my beloved iMac.  I wish I had a cool little pet name but alas, I am not one to come up with such jazzy little things.  Anyways I have missed hanging out on fb as well as the blogosphere.  Especially today when I read about one of my fav fellow bloggers had a rough time a few days ago and I missed it.  I probably would not have responded any differently but for a brief moment I thought that perhaps the owner thought I had ignored her till now.  Then I realised that she possibly had more important things on her mind than whether or not I had sent her any fairy wishes and butterfly kisses.

So this post is now some three to four days old.  I can't even remember if I had an actual point to make or whether I was just killing time.  Anyway rather than delete the post or what not I am all set to hit publish and leave you wondering Why?  

Monday Mention - My Big Nutshell

Good Morning Monday!

I am rather pleased to see that the lovely Tammy over at Ramblings of a Broken Hearted Mummy is back this week with her Monday Mention Link up.  I am also pleased to be able to say that I have managed to find a few spare minutes to join on in.

Since R U Ok? day is this Thursday I thought that it would be fitting to mention a blog that has done some wonderful work in spreading the word about the importance of taking the time to ask someone if they are in fact ok.

I was fortunate enough to come across the blog in question through another weekly link up, though now I can't recall whether it was Thankful Thursday or TIK or possibly even I'm grateful, not that it really matters I guess.  What matters is that I found her and now you will too.

This wonderful Aussie Mum blogger writes in a professional and engaging manner on a range of topics.  She is entertaining and amusing and quite possible a little crazy but in that zany totally awesome way that generally leaves you feeling a little in awe of her greatness.

Ok so to unveil this week's mention cue the drum roll now ... ... ...

I am of course referring to Gemma over at

My Big Nutshell

(See I told you she was awesome)


Make sure you check out Tammy's blog for more great Monday Mentions. 

Friday, September 9

Things I Know - Just Scraping By


So I guess the first thing I know this week is that it has been a whole week since I last blogged (and yep it was a TIK post).  Which quickly brings me to the next thing I know and that is I missed being here.

Before you get all excited and start wondering what exciting things I have been up to save your energy.  I know that I have not been up to anything really exciting.  Instead I have just been trying to stay afloat, possibly even get ahead. The floating part I guess I sort of managed, the getting ahead part...pfft...I didn't even get close.

Regular readers would know that over the past few weeks I have been trying to improve my levels of housework participation.  I know that this is much harder than I first anticipated and needs to be tackled in a whole new manner.  I also know I am still not exactly sure what this manner is.

One thing I do know though is that I am so so very glad that last week is over.  The school birthday was a huge success as was my digital presentation.  Part of the activities also included a whole school picnic at lunch time.  It was there that I heard a very excited little boy say to his friend "This is THE best day EVER!" I know that hearing that made everything in the last few months seem all worth while.

I know that trying to cram a blog post in before the school drop off is never a good idea but I also know that if I don't do it now chances are it won't happen.  How do I know this?  Well I put off my Wordless Wednesday and Thankful Thursday posts till after the school drop off and they are still non existent.

Despite having thought about what this post would be like for nearly two days now it is nothing as I had imagined.  In my head I had found a very clever way to make this thankful as well as knowledgable so as to have a two for one kind of effect.  I know that this post is nothing like that.

So what is it that you know this week?

Head over to Shae's Yay For Home and join on in

Friday, September 2

Things I Know - TGIF!


Without a doubt the first thing that I know today is that I am super super glad that it is Friday.  You see today is not just any other ordinary Friday.  Today is Friday September 2nd, which means today is the day months weeks of hard work finally come to an end as finally the school will be celebrating Forty Fabulous Years of Putting the Child First.   Which actually is not completely true as Putting the Child First has only been the motto for ten years or so.  For the other thirty they were Aiming High.

I also know that in future I need to say NO.  No, I am not able to do nearly half of the things I think I may.  I mean I probably could if I really tried hard enough but I am not going to.  Well based on past experiences I am not going to.  I am coming to the realisation that if there is an easy way or a half assed way or any way that requires little to no effort, that is the way for me.  Unfortunately I have a terrible tendency to at some point in time forget all of this and then find myself inundated with things that need to be done.  What's more they probably needed to be done yesterday and will be lucky if they get done tomorrow.

As I sit here and type (at 1.40 in the morning) I know my stomach is doing somersaults and backflips as I wait to see if my digital presentation for the birthday assembly will firstly save on the required USB stick and secondly work when I need it to.

I know that come Saturday I am going to sleep.  And sleep.

I know that once the presentation is safely out the way I can go and get started on the slideshow that is also required.  I know that both of these could have been slightly ok a lot, better if I had of started them sooner.  Like about two months ago maybe.  Actually even two weeks ago would have been better than the night before.

Earlier today DD1 informed me with much excitement that she had a black hair growing under her arm.  I I know I love the fact that she is embracing her changing body with such positivity.  I also know that her changing body brings me as much concern as it does joy.  For as beautiful as it may be to watch your daughter slowly growing to be woman it also brings home the fact she is no longer a little baby.  I can't help but wonder what is next?

So far I know it is not looking good for transferring the movie I just spent all night making to USB and I have no DVD disks to use.  I know that now (1.57am) is probably not the time to call the principal to ask her if she knows if the whiteboard I will be using at assembly has QuickTime.  But oh how I wish I could call her.

I know I am glad that at least I could transfer some images to the USB so at least there will be something to look at.  

I know that just hearing the two o'clock bird sound off has made me super tired.  Four hours sleep is plenty isn't it?

What do you know?  Head over to the ever wonderful Shae and join on in.  What's that you don't know where to find Shae?  Easy she is over at
 

Oh wait I have one more I forgot.  The last thing I know for today is that I am not really sure about the whole new Blogger dashboard.  This really wasn't the week to go and change things on me as I just don't have the time (or even the inclination at the moment) to sit down and work it all out.  I know that there is still the option to go back to the old one but I don't see how that will possibly make me like the new one better so I will stick with it a little longer.  

Have you tried it?  Thoughts?

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