50 things.........

50 things I.......

Well I couldn't quite make up my mind about what to write my 50 things list about for the Blog This challenge.....I have spent so much time procrastinating 9one of my many talents) that I am now cutting it a little fine with my entry.....but....here it is....my entry list for 50 things that is split in two...

Fifty things I either would like to do or wish I knew (or otherwise known as an indecisive persons way of making a list!)
1. Travel Australia with the Mr & Madam - hunt out all the wonderful places, people & history our stunning country has to offer.

2. Travel Italy, France, Croatia & Columbia with the madam (the Mr doesn't like overseas travel!)absorb the culture, people, food & wine (oh the wine!)

3. Start my own business that satisfies me creatively, mentally, physically, spiritually and financially.

4. Hold fantastic dinner parties.

5. Stop worrying if I am doing 'the right thing' and do what is 'right for me'.

6. Completely 'green' up our house - productive veggie garden, etc

7. Completely 'green' up our house - don't fall back on chemicals, etc just because it is easier.

8. Get my photography published in something!

9. Start a yoga ROUTINE (my least favourite word) with the madam.

10. Train the dog to do some weird trick.

11. Join & be a productive member of at least three of the organisations I keep talking about - stop the blah, blah, blah!

12. Start a savings plan (that sticks) via my incredibly well paying and creatively stimulating business.

13. Make a regular 'date night' with the Mr.

14. Make a regular 'date' with my friends!

15. Read all the books on my 'to do' list.

16. Have more adventures...alone & with my little family.

17. Cook a completely Thai meal.

18. Cook a completely Italian meal.

19. Make a rainbow cake.

20. learn to speak Italian & French.

21. Keep a photo journal.(other than my blog)

22. Take the madam camping.

23. Make a mini - movie (if only for my blog lovelies!)

24. Blog the good, bad & the ugly (not just the okay)

25. Never be beige

Now....things I wish I knew...

26. That the cost of living just keeps going up!

27. That parenting is THE best job in the world but the Christmas party blows.

28. That sometimes it is just down to you.

29. That sometimes you can ask for help.

30. That sometimes wine is wine - sometimes it does not pay to be fussy.

31. That saying ' Sure...you don't need to wake me up for it though!' is not a valid answer when your Mr wants a bit of action.

32. That sex after baby...especially when said baby is a bad sleeper....can take on many, ways, shape & forms.

33. All babies DON'T sleep....despite what everyone else tells you.

34. When someone says ' I don't want to offend you but...' - they do want to offend so just smack them now.

35. Change is good.

36. Don't be the last person at the party... it's not a good look.

37. Kick yourself for trying rather than kicking yourself for not having a go.

39. Men don't know everything...neither do women (but we are just better at pretending we do)

40. Knowledge is power... Oprah says it so it must be true.

41. Op shops will always have much cooler stuff when you least expect it or you have no money...one or the other.

42. Sometimes the person closet to you is the one with the knife in your back and the person you feel is furthest away... is the one that actually has your back.

43. Different is good.

44. Instilling confidence in a child can be hard.

45. When you would love your child to be lovely, well behaved and generally ' little house on the prairie' like - they will be demonic.

46. The soundtrack to The Big Chill is timeless - especially on a 'wine night'.

47. Stand by what you say......even if your the last one standing.

48. Have your own 'style' ...all styles are made up of a lot of other things from other people.

49. Chocolate is just another word for evil.

50. Money doesn't buy class.


Now pop on over and have a look at more 50 things entries on Blog This

Things I found whilst creeping around....

I found this and really need to remember to pay more attention to including it in every day!

When I was a feminist, save the world, no one understnads me teenager this lady was my idol.....at that stage she was on Triple J with Mikey Robbins.....I had her radio show on all the time.....she was the person who 'told me' that Kurt Cobain had died...now she writes here

Below makes me want to educate and continue to nurture confidence in my daughter so she never stops being the force of nature she is....and it makes me want to keep her in the house away from the outside world........don't worry I will let her out!

Go team Julia!

Photo of new Prime Minister Julia Gillard courtesy of here

I don't think it had ever occurred to me that it would happen, which shows a little complacency on my part, but Australia now has a woman leading it. My country, my home, the place I will raise my daughter in is now run by a female. I am proud.

I know there is a question over how she was elected to power and I believe she addressed that in her maiden speech. Yes she was brought to power by male faction leaders but (as I have just found out) we never actually vote in our primeminister - the party chooses who will run and that candidate is elected in his/her seat - the Westminster system. Anyway....... she is in power. I hope and I so want to believe that she will do the right thing and if she is to believed she will endeavour to do her best by the Australian people.

I think Keven Rudd did the best he could , yes I voted for him, I hope he does stay in politics as he seems to be a compassionate, intelligent man. I also feel that we did need a change, we needed to progress and Prime Minister Gillard will do that.

I am proud to live in a country that through whatever means a woman can be in such a role of power. I am proud that I can raise my daughter in such a country.

I am really happy that I have political hope again.....

It is just mindblowing.....

Well I never thought it would happen but it has.....and I am humbled! Holly Homemaker of Good Golly Miss Holly fame has graciously sent an award my way. Oh me oh my.....I know these things aren't every ones cup of tea but I get rather stoked when it happens! It still surprises me that people actually read my blog let alone like it so when awards (and comments, new members, etc) come my way I just have to do a happy dance!

According to what I read I have to answer a few questions in order to avoid ghosts, a 400 pound weight gain and 5 years of bad sex (which in turn would mean 5 years of a rather moody Mr).....you know I'm all about the happy so here it goes.....

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A lawyer or a politician - you know save the world whilst living in some exotic location with an unlimited bank balance........woops

What is your most most prized material possession?
My camera its a Nikon D60 - I love it. It is like my second child. My camera goes places I can't and translates situations I don't know how to. It is true that a picture holds a thousand words. See deep aren't I!

Do you have an iGadgetOfSomeDescription? If so, do you realise how very lucky you are?
Yes I have only just got an iphone. I am a geek at heart and I love it as I constantly have music going so the ipod part is pretty handy. Like every other mother though I am fighting for time on it as the madam commandeers it for the couple of 'ibooks' I put on it. Oh dear. Yes I do realise how lucky I am (with everything!)

What's your poison- warm bath or hot shower?
Hot shower....I could stay in it all day. Baths freak me out - at least in a shower I just don't look down.

What's the best decision you ever made?
To stop fighting having a relationship and give in to the Mr - he drives me crazy but I wouldn't be without him. Which in turn led to the Madam. Sometimes the path you thought you would NEVER go down is actually pretty good!

Now I have to pass this on to three others. These three are just three of all the fantastic blogs out there but they blow my mind so hopefully you'll love them as much as I do.....

Amanda at Ellieboo - this girl is so talented just look at all her creations!

Beth at BabyMac - get a coffee and have a read she is fantastic and her husband makes a fantastic TV show too!

Melissa at Sugar Coat it - funny, honest, talented...need I say more!


Go forth and blow minds!

P.S. If you are looking for another great blog check out Kelly
she has a wealth of knowledge on all things wedding and much more!

P.P.S Thank you Holly

Things I came across whilst wandering

Yes I have been playing around with the design of the blog - yes I am a techno unco so it may look a little weird until I figure it all out. After surviving the long weekend it looks like it's back to 'normality' today (whatever that is!) - as it is the season for it I have ended up with a sick chick again so the madam and I are a little housebound this week - plus the Mr has me working as his 'go for' (you know go for this, go for that) for his new building inspection business. But he is at work all day today so apart from getting the house in some sort of order - hopefully having a bit of a re - do on the design of my beloved blog - this is what I have found around the place lately..............


Poster via here



Have a look at this dancing lovely.....makes me want to grab a hoop

Megan with her overflow of knowledge and wonderful ideas wrote about this in her Monday Mama.....

I am in love with this photo....she is stunning

I think this is so cool.....in my dreams I would use it everyday cycling to and from markets (in reality I would be far too cold at the moment!)

If you are having a crap day.....

If your day is not so good watch these guys and smile!





Love me xx

Monday Mama: Entertaining budget style!

We are a one income, one child family. We decided, for various reasons I would stay at home with the Madam until she went to school. It has been tight but it works pretty well. Because of the industry (building) the Mr is in it can be a bit hit and miss as far as pay goes - so we have our good weeks and our not so good weeks.

Now as anyone with a child, or niece, nephew, random friends kid knows - children can be expensive. Not only is there the 'stuff' they need but there is the 'stuff' they want (would like!) as well as all the gear you get them out of guilt and a misplaced sense of living vicariously through your kids (or is that just me!) .

Don't get me wrong the Madam does not get everything and a vast majority of the gear she has is thrifted, on sale or a gift - but she still manages to dominate the floor space in our house. With the cold weather coming in and the madam getting older (and apparently wiser) I have been looking for a few different things to keep her entertained, stimulated and to stop in it's tracks that dreaded sentence of 'I'm bored'.

So this is my top five things to do at the moment. They work when you are on a tight budget and have a child who has the energy of an action figure (or six!)


1. Make an indoor cubby - grab the dining chairs, the couch some blankets. Madam sits in hers for ages with her teddies and tea set. This is a good one for a rainy day and also if you have a child that doesn't sleep well - 3am wake up call - build a cubby - they hide and you can crash on couch for a snooze!

2. Playdoh. An oldie but a goodie. I set up the madam with a chopping board, rolling pin, cupcake holders, apron, etc we make some playdoh and she spends a fair amount of time making 'bug cupcakes' and 'worm noodles'. This is the recipe I tend to use:

Uncooked Play Dough

2 cups of plain flour
4 tablespoons of 'cream of tartar'
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 cup of salt
2 cups of boiling water
food colouring
Throw it all in a bowl and mix - it doesn't look to good at the beginning but perservere and it gets better once mixed take it out and knead and your ready to go. If you are not keen on using food coloring I usually find that a little paint helps make it different colours.

Painting and/or cutting out magazine pictures and making the 'flour & water glue' is always a good thing - most kids are happy creating anything (including mess!)

3. A cardboard box. You can't go past the entertainment value of a cardboard box. It can be anything - a rocket, a ship, a robot, etc. They can paint it, draw on it, colour it. If you don't have one at home get friendly with a local store that gets big deliveries!

4. A walk....not only is it obviously good for you but it is good for them - if it's rainy and cold throw on the beanie & boots and take an umbrella. Make sure you allow time as I know at least the madam takes FOREVER to look at everything, touch everything, talk to everyone. If you have a dog take that too. We had some issues between the madam and the dog, crazy Karma, regular walking soon sorted that out. Karma is , well, calmer and the madam isn't trying to sell the dog to anyone who walks through the door. I find on those days that by lunch time you know it has all goone to hell in a hand basket - walking solves it. Something about getting out in the fresh air and looking at the world through a toddlers eyes can really give you a whole other perspective on the day.

5. Have an adventure.....if you have a car put the kids in the car....if you don't then just walk, catch a bus (some places have free buses). Don't have a set destination just go with the flow - follow all the arrows, go south or just chase a rainbow. Sometimes not having a plan is the best plan of all.


Here are a few places on the web I visit to get a little inspiration for my parenting....don't get me wrong sometimes nothing works on the madam but 9 out of 10 days we find a way to stay out of comatose bordom.....

Childhood 101

*e* Emily always seems to be doing something cool with her kids and she has some great 'crafty' ideas.

ABC this is a great website that has some activities, colour in sheets, great links, games, etc - I can never fault the ABC - they seem to provide so many options for kids wether they watch TV or not.


I hope these come in handy. If anyone has any other ideas I would love to hear them

This is part of the Monday Mama series - so if you pop on over to The Byron Life you will be able to catch up on more Monday Mama's - Megan always has some great ideas that she does with her kids too!