June 2012Life Love and Hiccups: June 2012
Life Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and Hiccups

Saturday 30 June 2012

A Schools Out Party and Some Holiday Boredom Busters

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So School Holidays - we meet again!

Yup in NSW its time for the teachers to take a well earned rest and for the kids to torment their own for a while.

I remember when I was a kid the utter joy I felt when the bell rang to signal the end of the day and the beginning of the holidays. I can recall racing home to my mum, pinging of walls drunk and high on freedom. I'm so sorry Mum! Its just another one of those I'm sorry moments you have once you have spawned your own offspring and you suddenly find yourself filled with remorse for all you put your own parents through. ha ha.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE the school holidays, just generally I prefer the Spring and Summer breaks and not so much the ones in the colder months where you are more dictated to by the weather.

The break from routine, lunches and MY GOD the break from Homework is definitely the cream of this holiday gig. Bedtimes and Nighttime in general become less stressful as the fight to get them in to bed on time has gone from many of us parents, and is replaced with "Sure you can go to bed and watch a movie, read a book, play your iPod till it runs out of batteries at 3am. Your father and I will be in a coma on the couch if you need us!"

Yesterday, I got infected by the kid's end of term enthusiasm. I even *shock horror* offered them the day off school since, it was my day off work and all they typically do on the last day is pack up classrooms, tidy up and watch movies. Even more *shock horror* or *shock delight* (depends which way you look at it) they said "No thanks Mum, we'll go to school!" Oh bless you children, what did I do to deserve you wonderful beings who do not take full advantage of my crazier brain farts?


So suddenly with extra time on  my hands I decided to get my crafty on and don my cool Mummy uniform and throw them an End of Term after School Party!

I could have used the time to attack the mountain of washing, run the million and one errands or rake a path in the back yard through the leaves to see if we still have grass under all that mulch. But nooooo, chucking a party and making some fun holiday activities was way more fun.

So I started with making some cake toppers which I did up in excel and laminated before I punched them out with my trusty hole cutter thingy (totally the technical name). Then I hot glued them to some paddle pop sticks and wallah we had cake toppers.

I then made the label for the Holiday Activity Box I decided to put together for the kids. You see I sadly have to work through these holidays, albeit from home, but it means the kids have to kind of fend for themselves when it comes to entertainment. My hubby has taken the first week of the holidays off to entertain them, but the second week - at least from Monday to Thursday, they will have to make do with their own imaginations whilst I work. And so the idea for The Holiday Activity Box was born.


I started a few weeks back collecting things to go into the activity box (the Toy sales have been very handy in keeping the costs down). I also made up a bunch of envelopes labelled Boredom Busters. These envelopes are for my sanity as much as theirs, and to protect us all from those "Mummmmm I'm bored!" moments.

I printed off a list of suggestions of things for them to do, cut them out and put them into individual envelopes and labelled each envelope with a Boredom Buster tag. So now when they spew out the old "I'm Bored" statement, they can randomly choose one envelope and inside they will find an activity specially designed to make them LESS bored.

Some suggestions for Boredom Busters are;
  • Build a Fort with pillows and blankets.
  • Make a Movie or Create and Stage a Show. (This one can amuse them for hours as they have to make tickets to sell and costumes and everything) *insert evil mother laugh here*.
  • Play Hide and Seek - My kids use Facetime on their iPods to make it more interesting - techno geeks!
  • Craft Activities
  • Wii Olympics
  • Reading Challenge
  • Movie and Popcorn Time
  • Hey you can even slip in a Tidy Your Bedroom or Wash The Car Envelope in there!

As for the Activity Box. Well this is a box filled with special new things to amuse them on the really rainy or cold days when my conscience wont allow me to send them outside to play in the streets. That sounds way worse than what it really is, as the reality is we live in a quiet street / estate full of kids with a private park and duck ponds in the middle. So playing on the street is actually very safe and civilized - just in case you had your fingers on your phone ready to dial Docs or something.

I picked up this cane basket for $35 bucks from Kmart and I filled it with bits and pieces I have been collecting. Then on a rainy day they can choose something to play with out of the Holiday Activity Box.



It is full of  craft stuff, drawing pads and textas etc, movies, books, cards, science experiments (of the non blow up your house kind) and games they can play together as well as of course, the Boredom Buster envelopes. I even chucked in some Learn to Read and Write books for my older kids to teach their younger brother if they want to play schools (which they do, even when they are on holidays - go figure!).

So that's the Activity Box done and dusted and now it's on to Party Time.

There were blueberry muffins on the menu.....mmmmm nom nom says Mum!



I went with a bright orange theme and I'm not sure if it was me subconsciously trying to channel a summery feeling amidst the cold or if I was hoping that by starting the holidays on a bright colour would mean that I am still feeling bright and cheery by the end of the holidays. Whatever!

There was Gummy Snakes and Cheezels and a bottle of Orange Crush to really send them bouncing off the walls. I'm not sure what I was thinking giving them all this sugar but as I said earlier I had kinda gotten infected by all their end of school enthusiasm and went a little crazy myself. All together now "BRAIN FART!"


I did throw in some sliced up oranges and watermelons as a token gesture to my more responsible parenting side. Of course these were the last things to be eaten cause "You can never have too much healthy stuff at a party" said no Kid EVER!

And cake - there had to be cake! When all else fails - let them eat cake! Or just give me the cake and I will hide in a corner and eat it until it's safe to come out preferably at the END of the holidays. Again - Whatever!



Needless to say, I had some happy boys when they came home to this surprise. I earned myself some MAJOR brownie points that I can totally use for a guilt trip later in the holidays when they decide that a mum distracted by her work is not so cool after all. Hey - You do what you have to right? Right!




So tell me -What have you got planned for these holidays?
Any other Fabulous Boredom Busters I should know about?
Have you got your own hiding place ready to escape too when you need it the most?
(I do - I discovered that I can pick up WiFi if I sit in the corner of my en-suite next to the toilet.)

Once again WHATEVER! I can totally see the appeal of those words "Whatever" to end a point, it feels very satisfying and now I know why kids loves to use it so much!

I'm linking up with the ever gorgeous Serenity Now for Weekend Bloggy Reading

Friday 29 June 2012

If You are Going to Use an Excuse - at Least Floor Me With Your Creative Brilliance!

Pin It As a kid I used to come up with the most random excuses for things. I could explain away missing tins of smoked oysters from the pantry, how I accidentally drank the whole bottle of Orange Juice and left the container in the fridge and I don't know how many lost dogs and cats and possums I saved in my youth (and therefore I was late for school) but I am sure that there must be a special animal halo and a shiny brass plaque waiting for me in heaven - if only my elaborate stories were indeed true.

I have had some beautiful excuses come out of my kids mouths over the years, enough to make me at times stare in awe at them and render me speechless at the sheer brilliance of their imagination. I would have to say the best one yet goes to my middle son Sam who recently forgot to do one of his jobs which was to pick up the dog poo - because he had just eaten a slushie and had a brain freeze and not all of his brain has unfrozen yet and the part that was supposed to remember to pick up the poo was one of the parts still frozen and not working and therefore he didn't remember. (all said without taking a breath!) See what did I tell you - brilliance!

I'm supposing I really shouldn't be throwing around the word brilliant in the same sentence as excuses should I? Especially since I recently discovered that my older son's school teacher reads this blog sometimes - Hi Mrs B! We are just working on Kai's *ahem* creative writing skills :)

The old dog ate my homework excuse is soooo tired though and I would be incredibly disappointed if my kids couldn't come up with something better than that. Albeit I wouldn't exactly be surprised if they did use that one, because if our dogs can eat couches, walls and a brand new dog kennel, then some homework would be a cinch for them and merely an appetizer to the main meal of something like - the floor of the back deck with a side of brick wall? But I am hoping that if my kids are ever desperate enough to need to go down the excuse path, that they at least come up with something so creative it would wow the socks of any recipient and leave them in complete awe.

I actually found myself all excited when I saw this the other day....



That my friends is the electricity bill that was semi eaten by one of the dogs. I was uber excited that I was going to get to take a little walk down memory lane and ring the electricity company to tell them "I'm so sorry I cant pay my bill, but you see the dog ate it!". Unfortunately the dog ate the wrong page and the page with all the important numbers was pretty much left in tact so excuses were off the agenda. Damnit!

Anyway I am off to organise a surprise end of school afternoon tea for my kids. I have no idea why I am celebrating the fact that they get to torment me for a few weeks straight, but you know me, any excuse to get my crafty on, make something special for them AND EAT CAKE is a good thing in my books. I'll be back tomorrow with some pics of the bits and bobs I've put together for them!

Happy Friday!

Were you an excuses kind of gal or was it straighty one eighty all the way for you?
Got any bills you would like my dogs to eat? - we're going into business and for a fee I'll promise they'll eat the important numbers. 


Wednesday 27 June 2012

In My Defence Your Honour......

Pin It I adore my children's paintings they lovingly create and if you took a little wander through my house you would find examples of their work proudly displayed throughout. However... yes of course there is a however, there always is when kids are involved. There comes a point when you have to be ruthless and cull some of the paper clutter or better still just stop some of it coming into the house in the first place.

Cruel? I prefer to think of it as as decluttering or clutter prevention, cause that just sounds so much more umm child friendly. Wait! Hear me out - excessive paper equals clutter, clutter causes chaos, chaos equals stress, stress equals cranky mum, cranky mum means a life doomed to misery for all cohabitants. See I'm really thinking of their happiness and well being.

Recently, I got busted by a very peeved five year old and I learned a valuable lesson  - when it comes to culling your child's artworks, discretion and caution should be always be applied.

Before I argue my case your Honour, and to ensure the jury doesn't label me as a totally heartless cow, please let me share with you some evidence of my devotion to my children's handiwork.





Is that the home of a cold hearted art hater? And that is just some of the examples from the downstairs of this abode (cause I may have been too lazy to actually go upstairs and photograph some more). So please hold your judgement for the time being and just keep in the front of your mind an image of a completely loving, devoted and supportive art loving mother OK? OK!

Everyday school bags and Kindy bags come home chockas full of drawings, most of which have just carelessly been scrunched up, shoved in the bottom of the bags and totally forgotten about. And every Friday a loving kindy teacher desperately thrusts armfuls of artworks upon me in an attempt to purge herself and her preschool of some of the clutter. My point is, every day more and more crayola stained paper threatens to invade our home and suffocate us, and this doesn't even include the creations that happen inside the walls of our house.

Take Exhibit A for example.


I mean I KNOW it is an alien space can sending smoke signals to the Indian rowing his boat in the lake. Clearly any fool can see that! But HOW many pictures of alien space cans does a household really need?

My methodology has been to cull before they make an entry into our home. As I unpack the bags from the boot of the car I cast a quick glance over each of the pieces to ensure their are no Picassos or Monets in amongst the piles and then I put the bulk of it straight into the blue paper recycling bin next to the garage.

This method has worked well for me... until now.

Last week I was standing in the kitchen fussing around as ones does and the kids were outside playing in the front yard. I heard the front door slam and the stomping of some very angry little feet. Before I even had a chance to gather my thoughts, in walked one cranky little dude with a fistful of paper and a look on his face that would scare even the toughest of adults.

"MUM, Some one broke into our house and stole all my dwarwings and THEN they hid them in the bin. That's naughty isn't it Mum"? he venomously stated.

"Oh yeah mate, that's just horrible" I innocently replied. What? I was taken by surprise alright?

"I think we should call the police and make them go to Jail" he went on to demand.

"Ummm no point hun, the dogs probably scared them off and they have had a really good head start on running away and the police will never catch them now. We will just have to make sure we are more careful with keeping your drawings safe in future". I was desperate OK! I knew it really wasn't my best parenting moment and by not fessing up straight away, I was digging myself in deeper and deeper, but that look on his face was pretty fierce I tell ya!

My middle son Sammy walked into the kitchen and casually inquired as to what was the matter?

"Someone broke into our house and took all my drawings and hid them in the bin out the front so they could come back later and steal them" Flynn promptly informed Sam.

Sammy looked at me and I could see the panic in his little face and at that point the guilt threatened to entirely engulf me.

I couldn't lie anymore, well not so blatantly anyway. And more to the point I couldn't let some poor non existent sucker take the rap for my crime, nor could I have my kids frightened of robbers who break into homes looking for kids artworks to pinch.
I certainly couldn't let the dogs take the blame again as they already take so much heat for the all little junky toys I throw away they frequently chew to the point that I just HAVE to throw them away.

"Actually I may have accidentally thrown them out when I was throwing out the newspapers guys" I meekly fessed up. "I really need to be a little more careful in future" *snort*.

Happy with my explanation and free from the fear of our neighborhood being invaded by art collecting cat burglars, the kids left me to choke on my guilt and went back out to play.

Crisis averted and at that moment I vowed to make sure that any disposal is handled more carefully in the future. Oh and of course I was reminded that lying to your kids is never the solution (if there is a chance you are totally going to get caught out).

I actually have a little project listed on my HUGE list of projects that has now been bumped up on the priorities rating. I have a stack of IKEA frames I bought with the intention of turning a wall upstairs into an interchangeable gallery of the kids works. I promise to share it with you as soon as I get to it.

I figure the kids will be really happy and proud to have their work displayed, it will stop their special masterpieces from being caught up in the *ahem* newspapers, and robbers would find it much harder to hide the bulky frames in the recycling bin.

What do you do with your kids million and one drawings and artworks?
Does the dog in your house get the blame for more than farts?
Any disposal tips you are willing to share, you know from one mum to another?
Do you think Picasso's Mum kept Everything?

Monday 25 June 2012

The Bus Ride that ALMOST Happened!

Pin It This weekend I headed off to Manly Wharf to catch up with some gorgeous bloggers Fi from My Mummy Daze, Gemma from My Big Nutshell, Carolyn from Desire Empire, Veronica from Mixed Gems and Tatiana from Mum in Search.

We met at the Phoenix Yum Cha and stuffed our bellies to almost unbuttoning point...almost. We had to leave some room for dessert next door at Max Brenners. Talk about a chocolate coma, that stuff is seriously molten heaven.



It was great to catch up with some old buddies and some new ones who I hadn't yet met in person  and if you ever get the chance to catch up with a group of like minded people who you have never met before, I highly recommend you do it. Even if you are shy - push yourself out of your comfort zone and just go for it as I can almost guarantee you will have a ball.

So anyway never ones to leave a party early Fi, Gemma and I decided to round off our night at the Manly Wharf Bar with some cocktails.

From left to right is the Wharf Bar Rangoon, A Cosmopolitan and a Caprioska? Any guesses who ordered what?


Gemma scored us a seat right by the fire which was just divine, but we were also sitting right underneath the massive big TV that was showing the Wallabies Match. Typical bloggers ensuring we don't go unnoticed right?.

Eventually we decided, it was time we braved the cold and head home. Fi and Gemma boarded the ferry and I believe Gemma has a whole different adventure that took place from there. And me, well I headed to the bus stop and this is where it gets really embarrassing, because you see I haven't caught a bus on my own for like Ohhh 10 years plus! I kid you not.

My hubby had laughed at me earlier in the day, when as he dropped me off at the wharf I told him of my plans to get a bus home. "But you don't do buses" he said. And irritated at his mocking I became fiercely determined that I would prove that I Could do buses as well as the next person!

Its not that I have a snobby aversion to buses or anything, granted I am a little germ a phobic but that wouldn't stop me from actually catching one. Its just that I don't really ever need to catch a bus and despite the fact that I harp on about my love of vodka, if I go out to dinner or to a friends place I generally choose the comfort of my own car and the convenience of going home whenever I want to, over an extra drink. Besides, my friend V is always waiting in the freezer for me should I care to play when I get home.

So anyway I walked myself over to the bus stop like I had half an idea what I was doing. I sat down on the first bench of a whole street lined in silver bus benches and I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more.

Buses came, but not a single one had a suburb even close to mine listed on its bus label thingy.

Eventually I grew tired of waiting and I began to look around for a sign - not a sign from the angels or anything, more like a bus instructions sign (though I could have used a bit of heavenly intervention at that point). Sure enough I found a massive one - Right behind my head where I had been sitting. It wasn't until after I read the sign that I realised I was sitting at Stand A and I should in fact be at Stand C which was like right down the street. When did bus stops get all fancy like and segregate the suburbs?

Freezing cold and close to fed up, I made my way down to stand C and along the way I decided I wasn't too proud to ask for a little help. I approached a group of young hip Asian guys and ask them if they knew when a bus would be coming. It didn't take me long to realise that their giggling meant they had no idea what I was saying... either that all they were just having a good old laugh at this thirty odd year old woman who obviously had no idea how to catch a bus.

Next I spied two young guys with skateboards and I asked them if the bus they were catching went anywhere near where I needed to go. Jackpot!! - it did so I figured I would just hang near them and follow their lead. They told me the bus was due in 15 minutes which was music to my frost bitten ears. Panic set in when I saw them holding a little ticket and I asked them if I too needed a pre-purchased ticket, but they assured me that I could pay cash.... if I had the exact change.

Crap Crap Crap! I raced back down the street to buy a pack of chewing gum to break a note for change and raced back to the bus stop just in time for the bus to arrive.

Pleased with myself I lined up behind my two skatie buds and totally freaked when they turned around and said to me, that they had got it wrong and that this was the wrong bus. I thought at least one of us knew what we were doing! They checked the chart and told me our bus was not due for another half an hour.

Right at that point my hubby called as he was getting worried why I wasn't yet home. I told him my story and without even a hint of mockery, he instructed me to flag down the next taxi and just come home .... bless him.

I had failed my bus challenge which is totally pathetic really. I mean what kind of moron does not know how to figure out a bus stop or timetable? One who has not been let loose on a bus on her own for over 10 years obviously.

I felt bad as I waved goodbye to my cold skatie mates, poured myself into a warm taxi and gave the driver my address. I so need to get out more often.... on a bus!


Tell me did you figure out which cocktail belonged to who?
Is there some sort of course one needs to attend to figure out today's public transport system?

Friday 22 June 2012

Random - Just the Way I Like It!

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I feel so special when another gorgeous blogger mentions me on her blog, let alone passes on a special award to me like this one.


The beautiful Kristen from Me vs Myself mentioned me along with 6 other fabulous blogs to receive this award.

Now you should know the drill by now - when you are lucky enough to receive one of these you have to take a photo of the biggest mess in the house, walk down the street in your undies and tell a stranger your deepest darkest secret... no not really. But you do need to completely over share by answering some questions and then pass the award on to some of your other favourite bloggers.

So let the over sharing begin.

The Ten Questions
1. What is my favourite song? Crap! No that's not the name of my favourite song, that's my brain farting cause I can't think. Ummmmm I really can't think of just one favourite. I have such an eclectic taste in music and it's really hard to narrow it down. At a push, I think one of my faves would be Take You Away by Angus and Julia Stone.






2. My favourite dessert - Mmmmmm easy Strawberry pancake stack. Never heard of it? No me either until I found it on Pinterest and I made it at Easter


3. What ticks me off - Liars whose pants DON'T really catch on Fire. Seriously I can tolerate a lot of things, but I hate people lying to me. Oh and snobby people, and rude people and people who drive too fast down our quiet little street. Stop me now or I could write a whole post about what ticks me off. Actually I did and it was aptly called "Cause You're an Asshole" and then it didn't post properly so I have saved it for a day when I'm in a really crabby mood.

4. When I'm upset, what do I do?
- I sulk, no like I Really sulk! And then I plot all kinds of awesome revenge. No not really, actually yes really!

5. What is my favourite pet? - My dead cat Reggie. He's not stuffed or anything, but if his body hadn't been flattened by a car I may have considered it. I would say my two furry friends that are currently living, but they have really pissed me off the past few weeks chewing up my new cushions and they probably actually belong two questions up at what Ticks me Off.

6. What do I prefer - black or white? -  White, it's just so clean and pure and virginal like me *vomit*. No I do prefer white because it is just so summery and crisp and bright.

7. What is my biggest fear?
- That something will happen to my hubby or one of my kids and I am not there with them. My head spews out really horrible thoughts from time to time, usually when they are late home and I cant get hold of them on the phone after I have tried 40 times in a row.

8. What is my attitude?
- Laugh, Just laugh! Everyone will either laugh along with you, at you or just be confused in which case the solution is to just laugh some more.

9. What is perfection?
- A warm bed with a hot water bottle, a chomp chockie, and a Real Housewives Marathon on Foxtel.

10. What is my guilty pleasure?
- A warm bed with a hot water bottle, a chomp chockie, and a Real Housewives Marathon on Foxtel.
Bahahaha no actually my favourite guilty pleasure would have to be a spontaneous shopping spree at my fave home wares store.... or any any home wares store for that matter.... awwww heck any shop, I'll take the local Seven Eleven if I'm desperate enough.

Ten Random Facts About Me
Geez I over share so much on this blog I really don't know what I haven't already told you.
1. When I type on the blog or Facie or my phone, I pull faces. They are usually weird crooked smiles with my tongue hanging out the side of my mouth. Kinda like this...

Evil right?

2. I can't read a housie magazine unless my own house is neat.

3. I stole a bracelet once from Kmart when I was 9 and I felt so bad I told my mum and she took me  to Kmart to take it back and apologise. Now I have a HUGE conscience and I am forever worried about things, especially things like have I upset something by something I have said?

4. I am actually really shy, but the shyer I am - the louder I get. I'm a walking contradiction.

5. I don't eat any mammal meat. Not cause I am worried about the cute little animals, though it does play on my mind sometimes - I'm actually allergic to it after I got bitten by a tick and even the tiniest bit could kill me. Thank God there are plenty of fish in the sea!

6. I cannot walk in high heels.... at all.

7. I could eat my own weight in prawns. I kid you not. You have to physically take them away from me or I can't stop and I have been known to lick them (after they're peeled so noone else touches them. I'm sure all the local buffets have my face up on a poster saying "don't let her in"!

8. I have never mowed a lawn in my life and I don't intend to if I can help it.

9. I am petrified of petrol bowzers and will rarely ever use one if I can help it. I would rather stand at the pump and act like a complete idiot until someone comes and helps me then have to use one myself. I cant stand the smell and I am paranoid I am going to spontaneously combust whilst I am holding the handle. I never said I was normal OK!

10. I am super lazy and could sleep all day. Even this morning I could see out the window that it was the most insanely beautiful sunrise, but I was just too damn warm (my choice of word to replace lazy) to get up and go and have a proper look so I was all "Yeah nice sunrise....Snoooooooorrrrre".
   
Now here is where the paranoia sets in because I can only choose Seven Blogs I Love and let's face it I have hundreds in my reader I adore and I don't want to offend. But I am going to pick a mixture of some of my favourites who blog about all different things. Please go and say hi, I know you will just adore each of them.

And now I am going to go and stress about offending people by leaving them off the list

The Seven Blogs I'm passing this award along to

Yes I'm well aware I snuck in an extra one.

So tell me the most random fact about you?
Or how bout sharing what ticks you off or better yet your guilty pleasure?

Thursday 21 June 2012

Win a $50 Voucher to Spend at Australia's Biggest Toy Sale at Target

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You all know I love to shop right? And you all know I have like zero self control as well?

What! You didn't?

Does this look like a woman who has any self control?


On Wednesday night a whole stack of bloggers around the country were invited to a special preview night for Australia's Biggest Toy Sale at Target.We were kindly given some vouchers to spend and we participated in a twitter scavenger hunt around the store.

Fortunately the prices were so hot at this sale, self control was the least of my worries. I was more concerned with how I was going to push a trolley around AND carry anything that didn't fit in the trolley.

Problem solved - I took one of my sons with me.
 
Kai and I were like a couple of kids let loose in a toy store.... oh hang on we were a couple of kids let loose in a toy store. Righty O then.


The discounts were huge, the selection was massive and yes I may have even thrown a pot plant in my trolley too. It's a big girls toy alright!

The Target sale starts today and runs for 3 weeks until 11th July. Plenty of time for you to hit the shops and stock up for Christmas. Oh Lord I said the C word didn't I! But seriously why not? You can honestly save a fortune on all the top name brands that are bound to appear on your kids Christmas wish lists.

I was even kind enough to buy my hubby a gift - cause I'm just really nice like that.... 


OK it may have been a little bit of buttering up before I revealed to him just how much I really had stashed in the boot of the car!


If you don't have a Target store near you - No Worries Beef Curries, you can Shop Online! (That's the answer to all my problems...almost) and if you want to stay up to date on all the latest news from target, you can like their Facebook Page here.

The fabulous people from Target have given me a $50 gift voucher to give to one of you guys so you can go and shop your little heart out as well.

Terms and Conditions

Step 1. Leave me a comment - easy peasy!

BONUS ENTRY: For a bonus entry share this post on your Facebook and leave an extra comment telling me you have done this.


Competition is open to Australian residents only
The winner will be selected by Random Org.com
Competition is open now and closes at 7pm Sunday 24/06/2012. 
The winner will be announced on this post right here on my blog and will have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize. 
Make sure you contact me quickly though as the guys from Target will send you your voucher super speedy so you can take advantage of the sales if you wish.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER AS CHOSEN BY RANDOM ORG!

KEL KELLY

Kel Kelly 2 hours ago
Oh pick me please!! This would help out heaps (I could buy whatever I wanted and be able to tell the husband it cost $50 less! Best idea ever.

  Congratulations Kel. Please send me an email to lifelovehiccups@optusnet.com.au with your contact details, so we can organise your prize for you.  

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Wordless Wednesday - When Less can Mean SOOOOOOO Much More!

Pin It Its been a while since I have done a Wordless Wednesday, mostly because I just usually have way to much to say to be wordless.

Maybe I need to take a leaf out of my son's book, as it seems to him that when it comes to writing, less is more! Who knew just a few letters can translate to oh so much.

See this picture below?


Apparently that says "Sam broke my new yoyo so now he has to buy me a new one!"
Flynn Aged 5 going on 15.

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Today the whole Blogosphere is joining together to ask you to send special thoughts and prayers to our beautiful friend Trish from My Little Drummer Boy, as she undergoes Breast Cancer Surgery.
A million hearts are with you today Trish.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Why I'll Probably Hand Stitch My Own Straight Jacket!

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Its funny how life every now and then gives you a little bit of a reminder that you have let things get out of balance. By funny I mean - no not really funny at all and by a little reminder I actually mean a full body slam.

Last week I got walloped by the flu, it crept up on me then totally smacked me when I wasn't looking. The sneaky sucker did a full number on me and left me clingy to my bed for days. Even now 7 days on I am hardly a picture of health. I'm snotty as and my eyes are as red as .... as red as....they're just red OK!

Its not a big deal really in the bigger picture, there are so many others dealing with way worse. More its an inconvenience, a pain in the ass or in this case the head, and I have no one to blame but myself.

I like to think that I have got it all figured out, family, work, life, hobbies - but obviously I am very very wrong. I have as much balance in my life as a two toed elephant on a tightrope. Not that I have ever seen a two toed elephant on a tightrope for that matter - I'm just saying!

The problem is I over commit myself. I set unrealistic expectations upon myself and I get totally carried away with ideas.

Its easy when you feel like you are on a roll to take on more and more. Ideas fly through your head and next thing you know you're starting new projects, taking on extra work, revamping a perfectly fine room, volunteering to do something you really have no time to do or deciding that it is totally necessary to clean out every cupboard in the whole house like right now and it must be finished before Revenge starts at 8.30pm. And you know what? That's totally fine to take all that on, cause let's face it you've got 24 hours in a day right so why not fill at least 18 of them wearing yourself out completely.

Sound familiar? I hope so - then at least I wont feel like I will be occupying that padded room on my own.



I have a habit of getting carried away and when I decide I want to do something, I have to do it straight away, forgetting that I probably have a zillion other things on the go at that precise moment.

I lie in bed and mentally reorganise the lounge room and next thing I know I find myself downstairs, hands on hips and in my hubby's words - giving the room The Look! That look usually means we are about to start moving furniture right there and then because there is just no way I can go back to sleep until it's EXACTLY how I pictured it in my head and that may or may not also involve me getting online and looking for new cushions or paint colours. It's a bit of a joke in our family now, when I stand in a room with my hands on the hips all the males run for cover and totally over-dramatically start saying "Look out Mum's Got the Look!" They know that look means one of two things, moving furniture or a shopping trip.

If I was a betting girl I'd be putting $50 bucks on that I'm not the only one guilty of that.

I remember once going to what I thought was parent night at my son's new kindy. I was excited to get all the info and find out how his days would be spent. Turns out it was a Management Committee meeting and whilst I should have slowly backed my already overloaded ass out of there, I didn't, and by the meetings end I had a newly acquired role of Vice President of the Parents Committee. My left hand tried to pull my right hand down when they called for volunteers and it almost succeeded until no ones elses hand went up to challenge it. The right hand was victorious that night and so was my son's kindy. They just found their vacant role filled with some crazy woman who offered to rewrite and update the kindy's OHS policies in her lunch hour - cause she had nothing better to do with that time.

My husband laughed and laughed at me when I got home and told him what had happened. I soon shut him up though once he found out I had volunteered him to be the kindy Handyman. I always liked a man who is handy with tools.

My point is though, I don't know how to do things by halves. I like to blame the perfectionist trait in me or perhaps I am just sucker for punishment, which ever way I look at it, I have a tendency to go way overboard at times.... and by at times I mean frequently.

So it is my mission to find some balance, to learn to say no and to have the sense to know when I am about to take on more than I can handle.



I need to stick to my agreed work hours and stop letting it eat into my families time. I need to stop having so many projects and hobbies on the go all at once. I need to accept that it is OK to have a pantry where all the cans aren't faced to the front.

I need to get a little bit picky about how I spend my spare time as I want to enjoy my activities more, much like one enjoys chocolate dipped strawberries - you dip, you have a little taste and you savour. Very different to my unsophisticated way of dipping, scoffing and then shoving my face in the bowl to lick it clean. I have no idea why I just used that analogy, perhaps it is my Freddo Frog withdrawal talking on my behalf, or it could just be my sleep deprived brain having a spack attack..... whatever.

I can't sit still, I can't seem to just be. My brain is always on to the next task, the next activity or writing a business and marketing plan in my head for the tomato chilli sauce I just five minutes ago decided I want to launch...... next week.* Hang on, I just have to write down the TV jingle for my new business before I forget it. I kid you not! It's a snappy little tune.

I believe that balance is achievable, I just have to figure out how I can make it all work for me. I long for the days when I just sat there and read a magazine from cover to cover whilst refilling my coffee cup numerous times. I want to for at least one day have nothing on and perhaps even get to that climatic point where I find myself bored. Oh boredom, bliss - what a luxury. When my kids tell me they are bored I cant help but break into a semi hysterical crazy woman laugh as I proclaim "You don't know how lucky you are to be bored my dear child". See its an issue. I'm well past the denial stage.


So excuse me now whilst I book myself a plane ride and a donkey. I'm thinking I need to get myself to Tibet to meditate with the monks in an attempt to achieve a totally zen like balance in my life, cause I am sure I can fit that into the spare 6 hours I have left in a day and surely that's the way an over the top perfectionest would go about acheiving some sort of balance right?

WHAT???

I'm going overboard again aren't I?

Clearly this is a big issue and I need to just get a life. Besides, it would be much easier just to shave my head, give the kids some triangles to chime and head out to the backyard for a bit of chanting by the webber. I figure I would then at least have a spare hour to alphabetize the spice rack before I turn in for a couple of hours shut eye.

At this rate the only balance I'm gonna get is by holding a Vodka in both hands rather than just one. Care to join me?

Tell me do you have balance in your life?
Are you an over committing inpatient control freak like me or should I just request a single room in the looney bin?
Have you seen any cute straight jackets on ETSY lately or do I need to hand stitch my own?
(I'm thinking a Nice Happy Yellow with a retro twist by the way**.)
Do you think they have Freddo Frogs in Tibet?

*The Tomato Chilli sauce idea never got off the ground, my jingle was way to similar to the Aeroplane Jelly song to ever make it.

**I may or may not have tried but failed to google a picture of a yellow retro straight jacket, cause that would be something someone with an OCD personality disorder like me may do.

Sunday 17 June 2012

Final Giveaway Number 7 From Stuck On You!

Pin It I hope you guys have enjoyed the awesome Giveaways as much as I have bringing them to you. I have been very very lucky to have some amazing companies support this little old blog of mine and the fact they were all so willing to come up with something special for you the readers is a testament to this, so a HUGE thank you to all the wonderful companies involved in this weekends Giveaways. Make sure you check out their websites as they have the most gorgeous products - and that my friends is coming of a total shopping addict, so I'm pretty confident I know a good thing when I find it ;)

The final Giveaway I have for you today comes from Stuck on You again. Are these guys generous or what! As I mentioned earlier, Stuck on You have the most amazing range of products, everything from labels to clothing, stationery and party invites to home essentials.


My oldest son Kai us just like me - a stationery freak and he loves nothing more than writing in secret journals. Hmmm a future blogger in the making perhaps? He loves his personalised journal from Stuck on You and with his name on the cover and one every page, there is not mistaking whose thoughts are in that special book.





Did you know that Stuck on You have a huge range of Stationery you can personalise. Well if you didn't know, consider yourself now officially In The Know!


Now Flynn there eternal optimist. One of his favourite pastimes is visiting the Winnebago Lot with his Grandmother and dreaming about holidays he is one day going to take us all on in his own Winnebago. So his special travel bag is packed and ready to go!



Stuck on You have a gorgeous range of bags for your kids that can be personalised with their name. From Kindy bags to Sports Bags and Library Bags and yup overnight Winnebago Bags!


Stuck On You are giving you guys a chance to win a Wheelie travel bag AND a personalised Journal. You choose the design, the colour and of course the name!





Terms and Conditions
Step 1. You must like the Stuck On You Facebook Page (click on the link to go to their page)
Step 2. Please follow Life Love and Hiccups either by email, on facebook or through your RSS feed or Networked Blogs (sorry I don't have Google Connect anymore).
(you can find links to any of these on my sidebar - shameless self promotion??? You Betcha!)
Step 3. Leave a comment on this post telling us who you would like to win these for.

BONUS ENTRY: For a bonus entry share this post on your Facebook and leave an extra comment telling me you have done this.


Competition is open to Australian residents only
The winner will be selected by Random Org.com
Competition is open now and closes at 7pm Sunday 24/06/2012. 
The winner will be announced on this post right here on my blog and will have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.
If you simply can't wait to see if you win, don't! You can go to the Stuck On You and order any of their gorgeous products now.


CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER AS CHOSEN BY RANDOM ORG!

NATALIE BLANCH
 
Natalie Blanch 7 days ago
I'd love to win these for my daughter - she'd love the bag for travelling now, and we'd put the journal away for a future birthday or christmas when she's old enough to appreciate it :)

 Congratulations Natalie. Please send me an email to lifelovehiccups@optusnet.com.au with your contact details, so we can organise your prize for you.