Thursday 29 March 2012

Stop! How a few seconds made my stomach flip.

Today (and it's only 8.34am) I am having one of those days.

It would seem that not only did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, but alas, I also have my grumpy knickers on..

What really tipped me over the edge I think is whilst dropping M1 at cross-county training earlier in the morning I returned back to my car (with M2) to see him run BEHIND a car and almost get hit. 

My stomach flipped as I (and the teacher - thank you!) called his name out.

Thank fully the mum saw him and stopped.

It still makes my heartbeat too fast, and my eyes tear up when I think about it.

How quickly these things happen.  I am pedantic about them walking in front of cars and not behind them, but as they say, in 1 second things can change.


So, now to move forward and on with my day.  It's almost time to take M2 to swimming and, then home to make some chocolates for Easter.

Time to change those grumpy knickers.  Deep breath.  M1 is OK and M2 loves "mummy and M2" days, so would be unfair to her not to enjoy it.

Keep smiling everyone, and hold those children close.  
Everything can change in a second.


Monday 26 March 2012

Grateful for Baking.... Birthday Cake!!!

I seem to be all out of kilter with my blogging and which topic is what week etc  at the moment, so to heck with it all. 
 I am posting a short one about baking.

This is extra special, 'cause I don't normally like to post photos of my two monsters (M1 & M2), because I like the anonymity... 
But this is an exception.  
I guess I am ready to come out of the closet.



Baking makes me happy because on the weekend my beautiful girl, M2 turned 4.  And I had the pleasure of baking and decorating this cake for her.

 And this was the end result that really counted.



I am grateful that I have  the opportunity to do this for her.

Sooz xxxx

PS - No, that is not me at the back, that was our wonderful face painter Nadia.

Friday 23 March 2012

Memories...... Grateful for them and more...

I have a terrible memory, ask me in the morning what we did or talked about the night before, and more often than not I will draw a blank.


However, I do have some great memories........

Memories of when I was a little girl and going to visit my grandparents - we would collect the eggs and feed the chooks;

Remembering going on  a grade 2 excursion and getting to wear a new red dress with tiny little straps on it;

The smell of the paste in the pink pots we used at primary school.....

Then as I get older -

Winning my first ribbon at Pony Club;

My first "real" kiss (at an Iona College school dance, if you must know) - how cliched!

The last day of school.

Meeting the love of my life.

Getting married (I remember vividly walking up the back steps to the Church, being handed a glass of water and my dad looking at me intently saying "you don't have to do this if you don't want to".)
 I did it - Best. Decision. Ever.

Finding out I was pregnant.

Holding my babies for the first time.

Arriving in London, travelling in Italy etc.

Great memories.  I think having written this I have only started to tap into the wonderful memories I have.

I am hoping to create beautiful memories for my children, just not sure how I am doing with that.





Wednesday 21 March 2012

The Fairies Have Come to Live

Do you have a little girl that  loves everything fairies.... well we do!

It is M2's Birthday on Sunday - she turns the big 4 
(almots a grown up if you ask her).

  We have been busy preparing for her first "real" party.  
One where she actually gets to choose who comes.  
As part of her gift, we are inviting the fairies into our garden.

Here is how we are making own little world of fairies.....


Firstly, we cleared a garden, removing all the weeds etc
(something we have been meaning to do for ages).

This allowed space around our perfect tree.



Secondly, hubby went to work creating.
He cut the tree off a little and made some steps.
Starting to take form....




The door is 3D but doesn't open.
We will be planting flowers and putting in some better solar lights. 
A trip to Bunnings I think is in order.

I will post some better pictures soon.

What do you think? 
Do you have a little girl who would love some fairy magic?
(google "fairy doors" for more inspiration!)

Saturday 17 March 2012

Peace - in so many forms. Grateful for...

I love the 52 Weeks of Grateful posts by Maxabella Loves.  Each week I love visiting other blogs and reading their interpretation of the theme (if they are using it for inspiration) and just seeing really what they are grateful for.

This week's theme - Peace.  I loooove this idea.

Peace can come in so many unexpected ways.  Here are just some that I find, sometimes'


  •  the peace and quiet on my back deck in the morning or afternoon
  • watching my children sleeping 
  • lying in bed awake in the morning before anyone else is making noise
  • standing under the shower, in our now, beautiful bathroom
  • sitting with a cup of coffee, quietly
  • listening to rain on our tin roof while sipping a glass of wine (on our deck of course)

So many ways.... do I find each of theses - daily?  weekly?  No, but when prompted I realise how many opportunities for peace there are within my life.

But also I am grateful for PEACE. 


The kind that means we are not at war, within this country anyway (and that is not to diminish the job our soldiers and their families are doing overseas - fighting and peace keeping at all!)

I have travelled in countries where I have witnessed sobbing mothers unwilling let their boys board buses for military service (Turkey).

I have visited the beaches where the troops of "The Great War" landed, and turned the sand and the water red with their sacrifice. (France)

I have stood in the trenches of Gallipoli,gobsmacked at the proximity of the "enemy" trench.

I have listened to the last post played, and each time it makes me cry.

Yes, I am grateful for Peace.   In all its forms.

Lest we forget.


Wednesday 7 March 2012

Baby, it's 3am I must be lonely...

......... is that how the song goes?
(warning - this post is a bit rambling and boring - sorry!)

Last time I remember getting up at this ridiculous hour was to breastfeed my beautiful baby girl M2 - who is now almost 4! 
I actually miss that experience and snuggle time.

Today (or is it still tonight?) I just. can't. sleep.  Again.



I don't know the last time I had a really decent sleep.  
Not falling into bed exhausted. 
Not lying there with your brain ticking over the 100s of things 
you need to do tomorrow/the next day/ next week.  

What the children and hubby need for you to organise for them.

The things you didn't get to tick off your "to-do" list at work.



And on, and on it goes.

I have always been a bad sleeper.
 I remember playing cards with my BIL until all hours in the morning.  
They were staying with us between houses, and him not being a great sleeper either, would stay up with me.  Good memories.

So today I am going to have to make a choice.  

Obviously I am going to be tired.  But what mother is not normally?

So here is my plan.


Remember to breath.

Remember to step back and re-frame something if it is starting to annoy me.

Sit here and watch the sun peek out from behind the clouds as another Brisbane days wakes it's sleepy head.

Look forward to catching up with my SIL for a quick bite of lunch at one of my favourite cafes (OK - my favourite:  Flute!).

Know that as my Mum would say ' This too shall pass" and look forward to another new day tomorrow.

So that is the plan.  Well that, and lots of coffee.



Keep smiling, thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day.

Sunday 4 March 2012

Grateful.... for Drink!

Now most people that know me, know that I like (ok, really like) a glass of wine.  This however is not going to be a post about how I am grateful for wine. Because, sometimes, I am really not grateful for wine.

The drink I am most grateful for is.... (drum roll please!) ....Milkshakes!  Yes, milkshakes.



Milkshakes are like a universal symbol for the good life.  My kids love milkshakes, I love milkshakes, and my husband is also partial to one every now and again.  They remind me of being a kid, and of "Happy Days" and the innocence of a time gone by.

Last week I had a +1 after school, a lovely girl from M1's grade (yes a girl and they have no hang ups about hanging out together...).  They normally get on well, but on this occasion, what really made me smile, is they made a milkshake together.

They negotiated what should go in it, who should put what in etc etc.  For my M1, who is bit of a know it all control freak (but yes I mostly love him for it), to see him interact so seamlessly with this beautiful Miss 8 made my heart sing.





So, this week, I am grateful for drink, but especially milkshakes - chocolate of course. Click here to see who else is Grateful for Drink at the Kidspot 52 weeks of Grateful.  What is your favourite flavour?