Tuesday, May 29

It's a dog's life


He had known all week that something was going in.  She had a spring in her step that wasn't normally there.  There was excitement in the air but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Come Friday though when she started pulling things out of the cupboard he started to get a bit of an idea. By Saturday morning though there was no doubt about it.  He hung his head and went to sit and watch the preparations.

Tom wasn't really sure what was going on, just that it didn't involve him.  He had seen this type of activity before and it usually ended in him sitting home all alone.  They would eventually return full of wondrous new smells he had never smelt before.  At least he had that to look forward to.

Sulking over to his favourite corner of the garden.  He wondered how long they would be gone for.  Anything more than a few hours would seem much like eternity.  Based on how much they were trying to jam into the car it looked like they may never come back.

"Tom, Tom, here boy" He heard them call.  Probably just to let me know they are finally ready to leave, he thought to himself.  Even though he wasn't very interested in going over to say goodbye he was a very dutiful and pulled himself up and slowly trod off in the direction of the voices.  After all there was a chance they would leave a lovely big bone for him to chew on like they did last time.

"There you are boy" said Mum as she gave his long nose a scratch.  "Come on" she said as she walked through the door, motioning for him to follow.

Tom just stood there staring.  If he didn't know better it looked like she wanted him to go as well.  Surely that can't be right?

"Come on silly" she said kindly, "don't you want to come with us?

"Come with you?  Me?"  Tom couldn't believe his ears.  The excitement suddenly hit him and he began to jump up and down.  Letting out squeals of joy at the same time, which actually sounded more like monkey jibberish than anything else.

Heading out to where the car was parked Tom was still filled with disbelief.  He couldn't believe that he was going to see where all those smells came from.  The car was squishy, he looked around for the kitchen sink, certain it had to be there, it looked like everything else was.  There was just enough room for him to sit down.

The car ride felt like it took forever.  He still had no idea where they were taking him but he didn't care.  He was out.  He was off on an adventure and certain he was about to have the time of his life.

Looking out the window the view confirmed this.  He could see nothing but trees.  Lots and lots of big beautiful trees all waiting for him to sniff and pee on.  He couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.  It was like a dream come true.  Soon the trees gave way to long grasses and sand dunes.

Eventually the car stopped and everyone began to pile out of the car.  Tom couldn't wait till they opened his door and bounded over the seats to escape out of one of the doors already open.

It was better than he ever imagined.  The fresh air breezing through his fur, reminding him that there was still a lot of life left in his old body.  Oh and the smells.  His nostrils were overwhelmed with all the different scents they were being engulfed with.  He couldn't decide which one to follow first.

But wait, what was that?

Pointing his nose to the air he breathed in deep.  Wafting through the air was firstly the smell of sea salt and sand, but then hiding in amongst it was the smell another dog.  Not just any old dog either.  It was the pretty little doberman cross he met the week before.  Turning his head towards the beach he could see her frolicking on the sand.  Once again the day just kept on getting better.

"What are you waiting for? Don't you want to go and play with your friend?" he heard a voice ask him.

With that he was off.  Racing across the sand to enjoy all that was before him.

Friday, May 25

On being a writer

Source
One of the toughest things about trying to be a writer is getting started.  The coming up with ideas not a problem.  I have more ideas floating around my pretty little head than I know what to do with.  Actually getting those ideas out of said pretty little head and transferred through my fingertips to the keyboard and appear on the screen is another things altogether.

Writing is a process there is no doubt about that.  A process that is both different and alike for writers the world over.  Or at least I imagine it to be like that.  Having never really conversed much with writers the world over I am actually only guessing, but I am pretty sure I am on the money (or at least close to it).

For me I like to have a post title before I start writing.  It helps me stay focused on what I want to say.  Lately though coming up with a post title has not been as easy as I would like it to be.  Which is probably not a bad thing as sometimes I think that having a preconceived title would limit where the post naturally wanted to go.

After the title comes the first paragraph.  The one that is meant to entice the reader into coming to read more.  Obviously a very important feature in any post/article/written material.  For me this is where things get tricky.  You see I have my idea desperately trying to get out only I get so caught up in making that first paragraph amazingly awesome that on too many times for my liking I get in a great big tangle and nothing but swill comes pouring out.  Or worse still nothing comes out.  Though the truly worst part is when you start with something amazing and before you know it the amazing is gone and you are left floundering for words much like a fish out of water trying to breath.

Which is actually where I am now.  (Just in case you hadn't worked that out for yourself)

Last night I started to write a Thankful Thursday post.  Linking up with other writers for semi themed posts is just one of the ways I try to get around any writers block that I may be experiencing.  Plus it helps me get some readers and put myself out there.  I decided that I would write said post from my phone allowing me to laze on the couch and listen to The Footy Show while I wrote.

All was going relatively well.  The show was pretty funny and replayed many highlights from the great game the night before.  During the ads I was able to get some pure blogging brilliance out.  It was a win win all round.  Till my eyes started to blur, followed by a blackness.  It seems I was falling asleep.

Mr Awesome, who was pretty much doing the same in his arm chair (except without the blogging brilliance part) decided that it was time for bed.  Agreeing that was possibly one of the best ideas I had heard for a long time I trudged my weary self off to the comfort of bed as well.  The post, which was coming along quite nicely could wait till morning to be finished.

After a relatively good night's sleep with only minimal disruptions, Miss Two woke looking for a quick feed five minutes before the alarm went of.  She is particularly good at this.  So good in fact that I have stopped taking my alarm to bed, although Mr Awesome does not have the same faith in her.  Thankfully this morning she elected to go straight back to sleep allowing me some early morning child free time.  Which I kinda love.  A lot.  There is something extra soothing about sipping the first coffee of the morning without the company of little people.

Once Mr Awesome packed himself off to work I was ready to finish my blogging brilliance from the night before.  The better part of a post already written, including a title and great (even if I do say so myself) first paragraph.  Today really felt like it was on track to be awesome.  Sadly this was all rather short lived.

Upon picking up my phone I discovered that in my haste to go to bed the night before I had indadvertedly neglected to save my blogging brilliance.  Go me. Not.

So here I am enjoying the peace and quiet that comes early in the morning before children awaken trying to recreate the blogging brilliance of the night before.  While what I have created may still be considered by some, or possibly even many as slightly resembling blogging brilliance it is by no means even close to the post that I had started to write last night.

On the upside though it is now Friday and I have blogged which means I am now in a position to join in with Grace and flog.



Tuesday, May 22

The Price To Pay

Whether we like it or not everything comes at a price.  It might not always be a monetary price but every action, has a price.  For every decision that we make there is a cost of some sort.  Often there is more than one.  Regardless of the situation circumstances always prevail that mean in order to gain or do something we must give up something else.

On some levels that all seems fair enough I guess.  We live in a give and take world.  Our actions have equal reactions and all that.  Apparently it is the balance of life or something or another.

Only sometimes the price we pay for some things is more than what we actually get.  Now theoretically based on the whole equal and opposite stuff that means there are also as many times when we the price is lower than what we get but for some reason those times are much harder to recall.  They are also not that relevant to this post so we will think nothing more for them ok?


Certain events in recent weeks have seen me considering this whole at what price conundrum.
Let me give you a few examples.

The price to pay for Miss Nearly Six not going to school last week because of a cough and me not wanting her in air conditioning was that I couldn't go running.  Which sucked.  Big time.

By the end of the week I was irritable and out of patience.  Not advisable with one child recovering from being poorly and another trying hard not to be poorly.  Aware of my new found addiction my mum kindly offered to mind sick child while I ran.  I eventually relented and took up the offer.

I say relented because I knew there would be a price to pay.

There was.

It was rearranging Mum's lounge room.  In numerous ways.  Part of me thinks she wants it back how it was but is too scared to tell me.  Let's just say at the end of it all I was moving it rather begrudgingly. (Terrible daughter that I am, it is rather heavy furniture though)

The price to pay for not doing a load of washing each and every day, is a record breaking Mount Washmore in just a few short days.  Other associated costs include temper tantrum meltdowns when favourite outfits or preferred uniforms can not be located.  Midnight wash cycles and indoor laundries may also occur when it is realised required sporting clothes are not ready for the day needed.  Frenzied searches through baskets may also entail as the hunt for a matching pair of socks intensifies.  The lack of success on said hunt may also lead to further meltdowns.

The price to pay to be able to take these photos...
Yep that's right Gary Ablet Jr, a football superstar

Captain of the Gold Coast Suns AFL team and son of former
AFL Geelong Champion Gary Ablet Snr
...was much more than the $26.50 I paid to get through the gate.
It was even more than the chicko roll, two hot dogs, four slushies and six cups of hot chips (which in case you were wondering came to a total of $48, there may even have been another hot chips I did lose track after a while but they sure where yummy and kept everyone sitting still and quiet).

The true price that I paid to watch this sporting superstar play at my local ground was two incredibly tired and grumpy children the next day.  When I say incredibly tired and grumpy I actually mean that by late afternoon they were absolutely exhausted and totally unreasonable.  Unfortunately the two younger offspring of mine have forgotten the beauty that is sleeping in.  The late night followed by the pre dawn waking rituals led to a rather long and irritable Sunday at times.

Mind you the price to pay then was that they were both in bed super super early (and by that I mean 6pm) and stayed fast asleep for some twelve hours.  Which wasn't exactly a high price to pay at all.  In fact it was more like a little reward for some of the trials of the day.  I guess maybe there is something to that balance theory after all.


It's Tuesday and I've blogged.
Though if the truth be told I actually wrote this all on Monday in preparation for Tuesday.
Either way I am linking it up with the ever awesome Jess over at

Sunday, May 20

A moment here, a ramble there

The baby is sleeping, all children quiet and accounted for.  Mr Awesome happily amused.  All of this presents me with the opportunity to sit and write.  All feels totally right and at peace with the world.  Gentle music and the dull drone of passing cars in the distance create a background noise that is calming and peaceful.  The gentle tapping of my finger tips upon the keyboard creating a beat that seems to bring it all together.

All easily broken by the unexpected sound of voices though.  Thankfully not towards me but enough to break my train of thought.  It always happens.  Whenever the planets align and provide me with opportunity write I get so excited at the prospect my mind becomes a jumbled mess that can't decide what to put out first.

Deep inhale.

Sometimes I forget to exhale.  Please tell me that happens to you too.

Last week was a hard one for writing.  I barely did any.  In fact  I don't think I did any.  Little sleep and sick children make that totally excusable I guess.  

I really hate excuses though.

Which is a little ironic perhaps, given how well I am at finding them.  All the time.  At least I used to.  Lately I have been trying to instill a zero tolerance on excuses policy.  Naturally this is easier said than done but it is not impossible.  Like most things in life it is all about perspective.

Rather than use excuses I prefer to make an allowance.  Allowances need to be given and made on case by case scenario.  Just because allowances are made once, it does not automatically ensure they will be given again.

Anyways that was not really where I had hoped for this post to go.  Not that I really ever know where a post will go (which is part of the fun) it is certainly not where I want to go now.  After all it is Sunday, and Sunday's in my book are also known as Funday.  Grumbling about excuses is certainly not a fun post.

Mind you Funday only occurs when all the jobs have been done and one if able to be footloose and fancy free.  I haven't exactly gotten all my jobs done at this stage but I have certainly done enough to earn a bit of a reward.  In our house we have a screen time reward policy for one and all.

Speaking of which I have probably used up most my time by now.  There is movement at the station.  Mr Awesome is no longer happily amused and starting to question why there is a fridge shelf soaking in the sink.  Perhaps occupying is a better word as the shelf is far to large to actually soak in the sink.  It is more a case of having cleaner soak on it while it rests over the sink.
Please note there are some clean dishes, not just dirty ones
So on that note I guess I better get back to it!

Friday, May 18

Losing what I know

As I stated on a FB update earlier this morning


I don't like to complain because on so many levels my life is so incredibly wonderful but at the same time this week has also been a big cup of crapola as well.  Actually it might even have been longer than a week now I really am not sure.  

It is like a lazy autopilot has been switched on and I am just trying to stay in the air.  Everything is out of whack and belongs in the way too hard basket.  Every little thing seems to be getting on my normally strong as steel nerves.

I know that lots of little things that just keep on piling up, make everything just down right sucky.


Things like a sick child all week long.  The too sick to go to school but not really sick enough to lay around sleeping and doing nothing kind of sick.  The drive me absolutely batty by the end of the week kind of sick that now appears to be passed on to youngest.  Ensuring the sleep deprivation already experienced will continue to grow.

Things like the mother at school who informed me she felt the school had already gotten enough out of her and as such she was not in a position to help me find some more parents to help out in an upcoming fundraiser.  

Things like the fact I just hung out a load of towels that have sat in washing machine for more days than I care to remember.  I do know that they have been washed three times though.  I also know that in order to hang them out.

Things like the never ending leaning towers of dishes that are always surrounding my already cramped and tiny sink space.

Things likes constant piles of washing in need of washing, folding and being put away.  Only to be torn out of the cupboard, worn for a short while and then left laying on the floor somewhere between the bedroom and bath room.

When I started this post I was planning on joining in with Saturday Morning Orge Mum's

I 've been meaning to for a while.  She is one of my favourite bloggers.  Only like I said before I generally don't like to complain... so here is me trying to look for the bright side.

I know that there are many children out there much sicker than my lot.  Mums who have gone months, possibly even years on broken sleep due to tending to the needs of their sick kids.  

I know that it is nothing to serious wrong with them because for all the coughing and spluttering I have listened to this past week Miss Nearly Six is still super keen to go scootering, play hockey and just generally exert a heap of energy I don't think she should have if unwell.

I know that it will only be a few more days and they will be back as good as gold and I will get much longer intervals of uninterrupted sleep.

I know that the mother mentioned above does do a lot more than many other parents at the school (which is why I had sought her assistance).  

I know that we can all only do so much.  I don't actually begrudge what she said to me, just more the way in which it was said.

I know that if I do a load of washing every single day it is all much more manageable.  Same with the dishes.

I know that Mr Awesome is having his own crap week at work and as such he can be excused from some housework duties.  After all that is meant to be my domain.  Apparently.  Plus the past two days have seen him finally doing some dishes after what seems like forever of not doing any.

Only that wasn't so much of a bright side, more like a heap of stuff I know.  Makes me wonder if perhaps I should be joining in with Singular Insanity's
Anyway thanks to the sick children and my short attention span this post has taken the better part of a day to write.  Talk about banging your head against things.

Oh and it's Friday.  So let's get flogging


Wednesday, May 9

Wordless Wednesday

I wasn't going to worry about a WW post this week but then I came across these and just had to share



Joining in with
My Little Drummer Boys


Sunday, May 6

Bedtime Battles

Bed time can be a pain in our house at times.  For some reason Miss Just Eleven is under the impression sleep is evil.  If she had her way she would have as little of it as possible.  She was about 18 months old when we began to battle over sleep.

I was young.  I was on my own.  I didn't know any better.  Did I mention I was young?  At the time I didn't think I was.  I thought I had sailed the seven seas if you will.  The only thing left was for me to settle down and have children.  Looking back I cringe.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

Back then the Internet wasn't like it is now.  So easily accessible.  Computers were expensive and far beyond my budget.  Not that I cared.  After all the silly Internet was one of the reasons I was experiencing life as a young single mum.  As far as I was concerned I was better off without.

Desperate to avoid stereotypes and show to the world I could make it on my own without a man I worked and studied in the hope to still one day land my dream job.  Despite still not actually knowing what that might entail.  All I wanted was power and prestige.

Of course this meant that my young child needed to be placed in day care.  And of a night we were both tired and grumpy.  As much as I wanted to sit and play with my little darling.  I needed her to sleep.  She needed to sleep.  Did I mention I was desperate?

Thinking back now I can't really remember for how long I pursued it but it was more than one night.  And it was on more than one occasion.  I remember feeling at my wits end.  I could have pulled my hair out.  Why wouldn't she just lay down and go to sleep?
Source
Oh my how she would scream.

When she learnt how to climb out the cot, I gave in.  I was too worried she would hurt herself climbing out.  I began looking for the silver lining that would come with laying with her each night to get to sleep.  

Nearly ten years later I am still battling at bed times with her.

Every now and then we go through a phase where there are no battles.  

Oh how I love those times.  

Mind you I spend so long trying to work out what went right so it could be replicated at a later date that I don't really get to enjoy those times.  It all seems hit and miss.  I am yet to crack the rhyme or reason behind it all.

I know that this is a tough age.  I know that she wants to test the water and push the boundaries.  I know this is just a phase and it too shall pass.  That doesn't make it any less suckier to deal with though.

On the bright side.  Because I like to think there is always a bright side to every situation.  At least so far the other two prefer not to battle at bedtime.

What is bedtime like at your house?  Do you battle or do you have sleeping wonders?

Thursday, May 3

Thanks to The Surprise Beginning

That is of course not to say I haven't been thankful, because I assure you, I have.  
How could I not be when I am married to the best man for me, in the whole entire world?  

Without sounding all cliche (because that is certainly something I'm not) each day I feel more in love with Mr Awesome than I did the day before.  There are random moments in the day when I think of him and his awesomeness and I just love him even more.  

When I watched him score a goal last week my heart overfilled with love and it zapped around my blood for a while.  It was a warm and charming sensation that tickled all the way to my toes.  I am thankful that this week his aim was just a bit sharper than last week where he missed more than he got.

To me love should be an ever growing feeling.  The more you know someone you love the more you feel your love for them grow.  I am so thankful that I get to feel my love for not just Mr Awesome, but the kidlets as well, grow each and every day.

But enough gushing about how much I love my family and how thankful I am to have them as my family.

Today's thanks was not meant to be about them.  It is instead directed towards a lovely little blog called The Surprise Beginning.  Laureny (in her own words) is a Full-Time Mummy, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Friend, Drama Queen, Christian, Baking and Sewing Enthusiast, MCN Addict, Unemployed Actor and Very Part-Time Make-up Artist!  I am tipping that there are a heap of other awesome words that could be included.

I can't really remember when or how I first came across this little gem, but it was a while ago and I am so glad I did.  Aside from writing awesome #IBOT posts, like this one on parenting and the impact of words, there are also at times awesome giveways.  Which is where I really begin to get thankful.

You see I have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of one of the giveaways.  It was way back in March, and while I may still be in the process of reading my prize I am pretty thankful for it.  I am equally thankful for the few and far moments of peace and quiet that have given me the opportunity to read it.

But wait there's still more reason I give thanks to the lovely Laureny.

A little while ago, Laureny received a bloggy award.  Which she then kindly passed over to yours truly.


For that I am super super thankful.

Now part of accept this touching award is that I do the following 

  • Copy and paste the award on your blog
  • Link back to the blogger who gave you the award
  • Pick your five favourite bloggers with under 200 followers who deserve to be recognised and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have received the award
  • Hope the five chosen bloggers will continue to spread the blog award love
So without further ado I pass the love of the Liebster Blog to 
*Nicole over at The Sporty Mummy
*Veronica over at Two Plus Seven
*Yvette, proud owner of Delightfully Tacky Squirts
and last but not least
*Rachel at Redcliffe Style

Head on over and see for yourself why I am thankful to have come across such inspiring and wonderful blogs.

Now because there aren't already enough links in this post here is one more.  You see today, as you are probably already aware, is Thursday which means, Kate is hosting her Thankful Thursday.  Head on over and see all the other wonderful things bloggers are thankful for this week.

Tuesday, May 1

You know you're a mum when..

...You go to do one thing and it comes out another.  Mainly because the time it took between thinking and doing was so long there was more than one distraction along the way.

Oh hang on a minute.  That actually doesn't have much to do with being a mum at all.  That is more about how this post is nothing like what I had hoped for when I started it days ago.  Yes that's right days ago.  In my never ending battle to overcome disorganisation I was actually hoping to be super prepared for today's #IBOT submission.

When I found myself sitting at basketball on Saturday, without children in need of watching I might add, I realised it was the perfect chance to get a bit of blogging out the way.  As you have probably noticed I have struggled a little of late maintaining a nearly daily appearance.  Which to be truthful sorta bums me out a bit because as I have already mentioned I am a bit of a numbers gal.  When I post near on daily the numbers satisfy my ego and I find the encouragement to write a little more.  Which takes me one step closer to writing the piece that will change my life.

Now where was I?

Oh, that's right, at basketball, blogging on my phone as I found myself blessed with a few spare minutes while I waited for Miss Just Turned Eleven to start playing.

As you can see by the title it was going to be a quirky little post about some of the more unusual ways to tell you are in the company of a mother.  It was a dot point kind of thing, which is not normally my style but I thought maybe I could branch out a little.

The first had something about telling the time by what ABC Kids is showing.  To be honest with you though I felt like I was struggling with the wording.  They just didn't seem to fit right.  I let it be though planning on changing when I edited later.  Since you know I would have time for that since I was trying the whole being organised thing.

The next couple revolved around handbags, snacks, toys and spare changes of clothes that may or may not have been replenished since last time they were needed.  All very witty I assure you.

As I sat there watching one of the best under 14 games I have seen for a while I was feeling rather chuffed with myself.  I was certain this was just the kind of edgy blogging that would take me to the next level.  In between quarters I would have a quick read and smile.  Reminded of my awesomeness.  Somewhere along here I am positive I took the time to save in my online drafts folder.

Not overly surprisingly before I knew it Monday night was upon me and I realised my #IBOT post was still not complete.  Remembering my prior organisiation though I worried not, there would be plenty of time to tidy up what I had started after the kidlets were put to bed.  Or at least that would have been the case had a certain child not turned feral and decide to fight sleep for as long as possible.  Leaving one mum rather tired and far from a blogging frame of mind.

Also not surprisingly I have a bucket load of excuses as to why it took forever for me to actually get around to finishing the post.  Thankfully for you I am going to spare you the gory details and instead just cut to the chase.

When I finally got around to the post I discovered somehow all I had saved was the first line.  The first line that I hated and planned on editing anyway.  I spent all day trying to think of how I could rewrite the post and still came  up empty handed.   Well not quite empty handed just not really enough for a decent post.

Despite going to the trouble of taking a photo


It was meant to go along of the lines of

You know you are a mum who should supervise the brushing of teeth more closely when you discover such gems

 What do you think are some of the tell tale signs about being a mum?


Oh and even though it is late on Tuesday, it is still Tuesday and I have blogged to you know that that means....

#IBOT baby!