I Love You When I’m Hanging Out The Washing

It seems like washing day rolls around all too quickly but hanging out your clean clothes reminds me of how much I love you. They are also a reminder of how much you’ve grown and what you’ve been up to (and in to). Even though you’ll make them dirty again soon, I love you.

 

Footnote: This was my second post on my blog. I think the whole thing fitted in the reader without having to click on it. I created this photo when my intention was to have ‘I Love You’ in every post. These early posts were written as if I was speaking to my kids. Somewhere along the line my voice started speaking to my fellow bloggers about my boys instead. I think I also got a little bored of the ‘dear diary’ style of writing I was doing. The photo for this took longer than the post, from memory.

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A Whole Lotta Love on a Friday -Encore Performance

The crowd are chanting and stomping their feet in a demanding way. There’s no time to catch your breath. Get out there and pelt out a couple more tunes. You will go down in history as legends. Of that, I am sure.

This is the final set and Charles is first to take to the stage. He is a true legend in every sense of the word and can rock this joint all on his own. I’ll let him take the mic now; that is if all the Windemere characters will let him get a word in.

The rules are as follows;

1.The Nominee of the Wonderful Team member Readership Award shall display the logo on his/her blog.
2.The Nominee shall nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of 7 days, all at once or little by little.
3.The Nominee shall name his/her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post or on posts during 7 days.

Over a period of 7 days (1 week), the Nominee shall nominate a number of readers that he or she appreciates – this can be done at any rate during the week. It can be all on one day or a few on one day and a few on another day, as most convenient to the Nominee.

The Nominee shall name his or her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post or on posts during the 7 day (1 week) period.

(I’ll do my nominations at the end of this post).

I am sure the spotlight will love Kimberly as much as she used to love being in it. She’s all pumped waiting in the wings so without further adieu I’ll let her strut her stuff. She might perform a tanka or a haiku tonight. She makes music with her words and paints pictures with her poems.

Patty is ready to make magic with her poetrics and the image and light show to go with it will astound you.

Thanks so much for this award. I need some sunshine right now as we head into Winter. As I’ve already received this award please check out Words for JP if you need the award rules.

It will be a bittersweet ending as the night comes to a close. There’s two more fabulously awesome people doing a duet for the last tune of the night. Time to raise those lighters high into the air as John and Kira close out this cast of brilliant artists.

The words will flow and the clarity of the message in this song will speak for itself. All you need to do is listen to the words from within.

The Rules:

• Thank the Super Sweet Blogger that nominated you.
• Answer five Super Sweet questions. (see below)
• Include the Super Sweet Blogging award image in your blog post.
• Nominate a baker’s dozen (13) other bloggers.
• Notify your nominees on their blog.

The 5 Super Sweet Questions:

1. Cookies or Cake? Mmmmm Cookies. Num, num, num, num.
2. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocaholic
3. Favorite Sweet Treat? Fudge, that’s a hard choice.
4. When do you crave sweet things the most? Right before bed which is a no-go.
5. Sweet Nick Name? Telly.

And the nominees are:

Get Me Rewrite

 Kori Miller

 Sonya Monica

  J T Weaver

  Naomi Whitacre

 Sterling Arthur Leva

 Emma Newman

Victoriablt

 Discovering Dimes

 Starlarosa

 The Jogging Dad

  Urban Wallart

Reaching Utopia

Phew! That was phenomenal.

Ok guys. I think that’s the end. It was absolutely mind-blowing. I think I’m all rocked out. Please don’t invite me to another concert for a while. I’m afraid I’m getting too old for this.

Kelly ♥

A Whole Lotta Love on a Thursday (a.k.a. Saturday)

The tunes stopped. There was a longer than pregnant pause. The lead singer fainted and couldn’t go back on stage.

I wonder if the audience will get a refund?

Hang on. Wait a sec. They’re coming back on now. It seems the show will go on.

These old fogies aren’t what they used to be. Let’s face it-who is? Let’s see what they’ve got left in them.

Hey wait! There’s someone Epically Awesome up on stage with the wrinkly rockers. Oh wow, it’s Cranky! I know her. She is the epitome of awesome. She’ll give those guys a run for their money.

If you have no idea who I am referring to you have to go to the backstage party at Grandma Says. I wouldn’t care about meeting anyone else there but her. I am in awe of this lady. She has me in stitches, tears and leaves me to think; normally all within a single post. See if you can sneak in and get her autograph. Be warned though, whatever you do, don’t drop the F*&% bomb. She’ll probably drop-kick you out the door without any help from security.

I can’t believe it! She’s just thrown an award out into the crowd and I caught it.

The rules for this award are as follows:

1. Tell 10 Epic/Awesome tales about yourself.

2. Nominate 10 Epic/Awesome bloggers and let them know how Awesome they are.

I find it hard to toot my own horn and I don’t know if any of these rate as Epically Awesome; more so Epically Awesomely Average but we’ll give it a go:

1. I love change. I embrace it; thrive on it even. No change makes for a stale, cardboard cut-out version of me.
2. I am near on completing my first picture book (and yes it does have words).
3. I can drive, apply lip gloss and hand snacks to the back seat dwellers all at the same time.
4. Handling 12 hours of children’s television programs in the background of my personal soundtrack inside my head in one day is a walk in the park.
5. I never knew that WP would unleash the creative monster that has lived inside of me, relatively unnoticed, and make me a little more outwardly crazy than I was before.
6. I have taught primary school aged children for the past 19 years and have lived to tell the tales.
7. My sister is Epic in my book.
8. My boys are my walking proof that I am a mum. On rare occasions I’m an Epically Awesome one.
9. Family is my one and only true love. Without them I would not be whole. This includes you-my bloggerellies.
10. Shyla, my 12 y.o Golden Retriever is my mate. After breaking her leg at 3 y.o and facing amputation she has shown me an awesome amount of love.

My nominees are Epically Awesome as they have chosen to follow this little Love Trail.

 fromandforkids

Shawn

contrarymom

hasanbleibel

Jill London

jfitz524

CrystalBAstrology

gurglesandwoofs

Daniel Budiarto

knieling2012

I’d also like to thank Bubbly Mel for this lovely award that makes me feel a little princessy. I’m not frilly and pink by any stretch of the imagination but I love it all the same.

I reckon Mel is a Yummy Mummy already and should drop the’ trying to’ part. She’s gorgeous just the way she is. She’s had me squealing like a little school girl since we arrived for the show. I was already excited but she inspired me to be super excited.

Tomorrow sees the encore for this fine rock star-studded performance. I think they’ll retire after that. I don’t think they’ve got another world tour in ’em.

Kelly ♥

A Whole Lotta Love on a Wednesday

We’re at about halfway through this gig and these muso’s who’ve been jamming together for over 20 years are starting to show their age. Like them though, I’m in this for the long haul. My feet are sore, my throat’s hoarse form belting out the tunes and I don’t think the ringing in my ears will cease for at least two weeks.

I was nominated by Joey at Joeyfully Stated for the Liebster award. She says stuff I only think about in the deep, inner recesses of my brain. I love the fact that she puts it all out there and doesn’t hold back. She is really glad to be alive no matter what the Home Depot lady thinks: I am sure of that. No one could be that funny and not want to be living it up at Home Depot.

Thanks, Joey. I can only imagine what going to a live gig would be like with you by my side.

Sometimes you come across someone who just gets you. Lynette from Momisms-My Moments in Motherhood is one of those people for me. I think she’s read every post I’ve written and she comments regularly. She’s one reliable lady. It’s a wonder she doesn’t leave my blog sometimes scratching her head. She assures me she doesn’t even though sometimes I do. If we had time to chat I’m sure we’d have more in common than being surrounded by sons.

Thanks, Lynette. Your support means so much.

These guys really know how to rock even if they can’t flick their hair around like they used to. There’s that and also the fact they don’t have as much to flick anymore. They hype is building now to the final awesome tracks they’re renowned for. They’ve saved the best till last. It’s gonna be a legendary finish on Friday but bittersweet all the same.
Kelly ♥

A Whole Lotta Love on a Tuesday

There’s a constant hum in the air as the crowd awaits the return of the band on stage. Fans are still buzzing from the last set (or from something else?)

The crowd is cheering. They must be coming back on. I’m having trouble seeing-the joys of being a short arse. Can someone hoist me up on their shoulders?

Amber should have renamed this award after she received it. Amber’s Brilliant Content or Amber’s Butt Crack would have fitted perfectly. She believes I’m the queen of one-liners. I think I talk too much to be restricted to one line. She is the queen of funny and I know she won’t mind me killing this award in order to make it easier.

I’m supposed to list words starting with every letter of the alphabet that describe me or some such other business which is supposed to entertain you.

I’d prefer you go and see Amber’s underwear and let her entertain you. So I’m covering my butt with one word “ABUZZ’. It starts with A and ends in Z. There were no rules posted on Amber’s post anyway so technically it’s not cheating. She’s not one to follow rules. Bleedin’ Texans!

I will nominate though.

3 of my new followers who I’m yet to go visit:

A – Aimi

B – BGBowers

C – Contrary Mom

 

If the written word, rather than singing, is more your cup of tea then Melissa has the buzz on writing. She’s a writer and aspiring author like me. Melissa wants to step out of her accountant’s clothing and I, my teacher’s threads. If she’s anything like I imagine I’ll be when I’m a full-time writer she’ll spend her day in trackies with a pencil behind her ear.

Thank you Melissa for thinking that I inspire you on what really matters. You inspire me in return to go grab my manuscript and get to it.

The next set will be where some legends are on stage.

Kelly ♥

A Whole Lotta Love on a Monday

Bloggerellies you have rocked my socks off. Thank goodness you did too as I needed my toes to count and remember the awards I needed to do this week. I’m more flustered than if I was front and centre at a Led Zeppelin concert, armpit to armpit with some die hard fans. I wonder if they’d mind if I borrowed their zeppelin to fly my awards home in.

I hope you guys are up to rockin’ out with me for awhile until we get to the end of this gig. It’s gonna be a mammoth show over the next 5 days. I’m going to post two awards each day or until I pass out from the excitement of it all.

Firstly, I’d like to pay homage to the blogenius who decided that it was totally cool to post the receipt of an award that one has already received; just acknowledge the person who bestowed that award upon you. I would more than likely give you my gold ticket if I knew who you were as you’ve probably saved me several hours of post-i-tis and the audience from burnt fingers after waving their lighters in the air for too long.

The stage is set. Let’s rock this joint.

Chopping Potatoes is what Jennifer does best. She’s got it down to such a fine art form her spuds have been Freshly Pressed. I am in complete awe of her writing style (not due to fact of the FP) because she doesn’t put starch in her posts. They’re open, honest, funny and I can relate to them.  It is awesome to have received this award from you, Jennifer. Thank you.

As I have already received this award I won’t post the rules here. You can find them on Jennifer’s site if you wish to take this award home with you.

Pieter, a.k.a  Ah Dad…, did some rocking and rolling of his own recently. He sang, ‘You Give Love a Bad Name,’ with Bon Jovi and woo hoo’ed when he reached 100 followers (I wonder if Jon has that many?). Unfortunately he’s approaching the big 4-0h, like my good self, and didn’t do so well on his hearing test. Pieter makes me laugh frequently-just don’t ask him about the air-conditioner guy. Thanks, Pieter.

I’ve also received this one before so I won’t nominate-just go check Pieter out. I’ve prepared him for the hoards of adoring fans (ahem, one or two of you) who might head over there based on my perspective.

Well that was a pretty easy first set. I’m all warmed up now and raring to hear what’s coming up next. I hope there’s going to be some classics in the mix.

Love will be back in the spotlight after a drinks break.

Kelly ♥

An Inspiring Family That Shines With Love

Oh my lordy me! I have awards coming out of my ears. I’m going to be completely honest here and tell you how much I love these awards but how much time they take up. I go in to dust them off and I come out 4 hours later. The shelf is to breaking point and I’m going to have to add another one if any more arrive. For this round I’m going to focus on expressing my gratitude to my fellow bloggers who thought enough of me to give me more cleaning. I don’t normally do a blurb about the giver but today that’s my goal. I also want to recognise the ‘family’ award the most so I’m going to give a shout out to the new members of my family. I sure you have better things to do with your time than reading X amounts of facts about me so I’ll condense those too.

Monday’s Mum is just Making It Through Monday. She’s also expecting baby No. 2 and is an aspiring author like my good self. Her birthday is the same day as my eldest and she writes about a load of topics.

The rules for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award:

1. Thank and link back to the blogger who has nominated you,
2. Post the award logo to your blog.
3. Nominate and link to 15 other very inspiring bloggers.
4. Notify them; and tell 7 things about yourself.

This one’s from Kira (who I’ll talk about more in a moment) and also Patty at Petite Magique. Patty’s bagged a swag of awards lately and is on a roll. I’m so glad Patty found me. She’s a teacher like me and she loves reading, writing and poetry. I think she’s pretty awesome as I’m sure you’ll agree.

The Sunshine Blog award is an award given to bloggers by other bloggers. It is given to bloggers who are positive and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.

The rules for this award are:

• Include the award’s logo in a post or on your Blog.
• Answer 10 questions about yourself
• Nominate 10 Bloggers
• Link your nominees to the post and comment on their Blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.
• Link the person who nominated you.

Kira, my gal pal and leader of the Three Mus’K’teers does more than hold herself together at Wrestling Life. She’s the glue that allows the three of us to keep fighting on! She composes poetry and shares her daily, brave fight with addiction.

Award Description: “This is an award for everyone who is part of the “WordPress Family” I started this award on the basis that the WordPress family has taken me in, and showed me love and a caring side only WordPress can show. The way people take a second to be nice, to answer a question and not make things a competition amazes me here. I know I have been given many awards, but I wanted to leave my own legacy on here by creating my own award, as many have done before. This represents “Family” we never meet, but are there for us as family. It is my honor to start this award.” from Shaun @ http://prayingforoneday.wordpress.com/

Rules: 1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 10 others you see as having an impact on your WordPress experience and family
4. Let your 10 Family members know you have awarded them
5. That is it. Just please pick 10 people that have taken you as a friend, and spread the love.

So I’m going to do 10 quick things about me. I haven’t posted a pic of me yet so I’ll give you some descriptive stuff to work into an image.

• I am a towering 5’4” and shrinking by the day.
• I’m a brunette (with greys for highlights).
• My hair is naturally curly but I torment it to be straight every day.
• My eyes are hazel but were chocolate brown at birth.
• I wear a size 7 1/2 shoe.
• I have one wonky tooth. Kids always ask me if it’s going to fall out.
• Bits of me have descended and reassembled in place they never existed before but I’m the same weight I was in high school-always have been.
• My repertoire of facial expressions has resulted in lines on every part of my face.
• I have two ears (really!) that are pierced- three on one side, two on the other.
• I have a tattoo of the Egyptian Isis on my shoulder blade so when I tell kids I can see what they’re doing when my back is turned I really am watching them.

The following nominees are bloggers who have recently decided to follow me. Acceptance of the award is your choice. I just wanted to thank you for becoming part of my family. I hope to see you more often than the cousin or the uncle who lives far away because, let’s face it, you’re right around the corner.

Dawn of Thoughts

Year ‘Round Thanksgiving Projext

Marriage, Motherhood and Madness

The Truth You Always Knew

Texana’s Kitchen

Soul Love

Sevencity’s Blog

Banphrionsa

Cristian Mihai

One Cold Californian

Elizabeth Frattaroli

Words of Love

Rebecca J Fuhrman

Beau Preston

Strong Blogs

Words of His Heart

Mes Ayah-Life Through the Mic

Jennifer’s Journal

John Coyote

Universal Cosmic Consciousness

Kick Start-Thoughts Unspoken

Finally to anyone who would like any of these awards and you have missed out on one for your display cabinet please feel free to take any or all. It’ll save me from sneezing every time the dust floats off of them.

Thank you for the nominations and hugs to all my long lost relatives.

Kelly

♥

Maid With Love For You

I was maid for loving you.

The maid’s got her work

cut out for her today

When she sees this mess

‘I quit,’ she’ll likely say.

♥

The T.V is on

and nobody cares

There’s mud on the sofa

shoes left on the stairs.

♥

Lego litters the hallway

There’s crumbs on the floor

And who put fingerprints

all over the door?

♥

Three loads of washing

and dinner to prepare

How does she do this?

It’s almost unfair.

♥

Wet and soggy towels

piled in a heap.

Where’s the pet frog?

Did I just see something leap?

♥

Crayon on the ceiling

Shampoo on the tile

Is it really that hard

to wipe them once in a while?

♥

Toothpaste on the mirror

Dishes in the sink

Cornflake encrusted bowls

I’m almost on the brink!

♥

Where’s she gone?

This place is a mess

What’s stuck on the table

is anybody’s guess.

♥

These floors need doing

before the kids get back.

It’s pretty clear then

I’ll have to give her the sack.

♥

Is it her day off?

Where can she be?

Oh, I plum forgot

The maid is me!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Maid with love.

Images from: here and here.

My Dream Lover

Sweet dreams, my love.

Dreams can be fun. They can also be heart-pounding scary. Others are hallucinations of sorts. Dreams where you are falling are supposed to be bad. Some are a wake up call and others should be given no heed at all. The worst is when you’re in the middle of a really good one………..BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Time to wake up.

I have had a dream. It wasn’t as awe-inspiring as Martin Luther King’s (whose speech I love and I wasn’t even born when he delivered it). On Saturday night I dreamt that Steve, my husband of 7 years, was gone. Not gone as in ‘not here anymore’ but gone as in ‘had left me’. Now I’m not a big dream analyst and I haven’t even Googled it to see what it might have meant (dreams are sometimes really not about what they’re about at all). To me it was clear that my subconscious was sending me a message through a megaphone.

This, combined with reaching a milestone got my brain ticking in overdrive.

It ticked right back to the beginning of this adventure. Not my journey through life. I love to talk but not that much. But here’s just a little history to unveil the mystery of me:

• I am an almost-40 wife and mother of two boys. I am a teacher, sister and aunty.
• I am a recovering perfectionist, perpetual clean freak and don’t like hats but wear many virtual ones.
• My home is in South Australia and I love where I live.
• I’m an ideas person until I pick the crap out of them and realise it won’t/can’t work long-term.
• I suffer from the S.A.D.S (seasonal affective disorder/syndrome). Winter gives me the shits. I am a heat seeker that must have a vitamin D deficiency.
• I LOVE to laugh and do nowhere near enough of it.
• I stay away from bad news on TV. I’m a fairweather friend of news reports who finds it difficult to process all the bad things in the world that I can’t fix.

I am also a lover of words. English, specialising in children’s literature, was my major at University. I.T was my minor. I crave to write like a druggie craves the next fix.

I am a visual person too. My first love was Art, particularly Design. I wanted to ‘be a Graphic Designer’. Teaching was my second choice (yeah, I know-‘those who can’t do, teach’).

So I packed my bindle and off I set. I know it’s not a big deal but I am autodidactic by nature. Someone who seeks out new things to teach themselves. Free Little Words began on January 1st this year after I’d thought about starting one for nearly 12 months. It has been awesome, to say the least. I have learnt bucket loads and it won’t stop here (this isn’t a goodbye speech).

I am coming full-circle back to the dream nightmare now. Change is called for by me (these next two paragraphs are a bit whingey if you’d like to skip them). This blogging stuff takes a lot of time. We all know that. Anything worth doing can’t be completed in a jiffy. For me, I know I need to streamline the way I do things to ensure it takes as little time as possible while still doing a fantastic job. I don’t start something and not finish it to the best of my ability.

I don’t want to lose my husband (he assures me he’s not going anywhere) and I don’t want to take time away from my kids (after their bed time is the usual time reserved for all things bloggable). The other day I spent six hours looking for the right image for a post. I know, six hours. Ridiculous! Did I find it? No, because it didn’t exist. So I made it myself because it had to be right (I did say I was a recovering perfectionist). When I started my blog I did all my images myself. That was the time consuming part. Here’s the perfect example. I used to let the image do the talking as I wasn’t sure what to say. I pumped out 54 words on that post. Like when meeting a new friend, I was shy and hung back. Now I find it hard to keep under 400 words. All of my images have come from the internet now for quite some time but I have lost that sense of uniqueness. And all of that is just to complete my post. One must not forget the importance of the Reader, commenting, replying to comments, finding the next awesome blogger you wanna hang out with and please don’t let a negative word escape my lips about the time taken to complete awards.

So I’m going to go back to where I started, where the enjoyment was. The only difference this time is I’ll be drawing them not photographing. I love taking a line for a walk as you never know where it will take you. I’m going to take baby steps and do one a week.

I’ve got other plans I want to implement but I’ve word bashed everyone enough for now so I’ll leave it there.

 P.S Heartfelt thanks to Teacher 2 Mum who should understand why and Making It Through Monday who made my Monday Tuesday.

Dream a little dream of love.

Images from: here and here.

Love in Da Club

I’m feelin’ the love in the club tonight.

The night club days might be over but this club I’ve joined doesn’t involve a hangover in the morning. For the bloggers who know the ‘me’ I have revealed here on WP the love for my boys will be back soon. Just for a short while it’s going to be all about me and you. If you’ve stopped in here for the first time I’d like if you’d check out a couple of older posts to see what normally goes on around these parts.

I was excited to join the ‘200 club’ this week thanks to those individuals recognising that I have/had written something worthy of reading. It left me posing more questions than having answers though. Soon after reaching this milestone I began thinking about the next one. How many followers would I like before I was happy? Then I read this post called The More at Linda G Hill’s blog. Reading this and other ‘direction arrows’ had me driving to an unknown destination and got me thinking….

Today I felt as if I was following the ‘signs’ but I didn’t know where I headed. I did a lot of thinking today, not much reading and no writing until now. I had to get a handle on all the new stuff that was going on in my head. Then Kira at Wrestling Life reminded me of another reason why I’m here. In her post about a type of Welsh poetry, I commented, ‘Words that don’t come out through my fingers end up coming out of my mouth. They’re the ones that get me in more trouble. That’s one of the reasons why I write.’

And finally there was this post from The Evolving Dad where he talked about not trying so hard and that some of the best posts are the best just because. The flow from the fingers and don’t involve as much thought and planning. I know someone who does this amazingly well. Her name is Kimberly and she was one of my first followers. Her poetry paints pictures, neither of which I can do. Words for JP is where she resides if you’d like to join her there.

And finally for tonight is a plea to all the you Fantasy readers out there. Charles over at Legends of Windemere has his first book on Amazon. You could go and have a look at his site first or go straight here to buy the book for Kindle or in paperback.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another post that is off-topic but is something I need to do before I can choose where it is I am going from here.

Once again I would like to send a big thankyou to each and every blogger who works tirelessly to ensure that their content is king (I’d send flowers but unlike a ‘thank you’ they would end up in the bin).

I’ll be playing catch up tomorrow on my reader and comments. I haven’t forgotten you!

Blogging love to all.

Kelly

Images from: here, here and here.

Ninja Loves Nappies

No more baby love.

If you were expecting potty training advice or talk of poop and tushies on toilets move along please. This isn’t that sort of post.

I’m renaming Sunday as Funday in my jurisdiction (which probably equates to about 1 gazillionth of the world’s land mass).

Just three has been in jocks for a while now. He’s still in a nappy (diapers for my U.S. friends) overnight at present but my ‘baby’ is no longer that. We have an abundance of nappies due to my fear of ever running out so I thought we’d put them to good use today. Any speak of toilet-related business ends here.

I came into the lounge room where the kids were ‘fighting’ (being Power Rangers or some other such doings) and dumped a load of nappies on the floor. They, of course, looked at me blankly until I stuck one on top of Just 3’s head, did up the tabs and explained that he was now a fighter in a boxing ring. That’s exactly what he looked like with just his face showing! This didn’t stop the fight mentality so I changed tact.

I asked them to come up with different ways to use a nappy. Here’s our top ten:

1. Just 3 went and got a teddy and I helped him to put it on. No need to worry about teddy peeing in the bed tonight.
2. Almost 6 wanted one on his head and decided he was a BMX rider so he rode around the room on his imaginary bike.
3. Next were elbow pads and knee pads for riding a scooter.
4. One wrapped around the wrist inside out was good for a tennis player to wipe the sweat from their brow.
5. We rolled one into a ball, fastened it and used it for a soccer ball.
6. I was given a lovely choker necklace to wear. I was told it could also double as a shower cap if I didn’t want to get my hair wet when taking time for my daily ablutions.
7. We fashioned one on the end of a toy sword to make a golf club. This also alleviated the Power Ranger duelling.
8. On feet they made good snow shoes and would stop your socks from getting wet.
9. Wet, inside out and rolled they were better than water balloons-no bits to clean up. Caution-if they ‘burst’ the clean up is worse.
10. Just 3 ended up looking like a ninja as we attached multiple nappies to his body. He was laughing so much he couldn’t resist.

So if you’re a little bored anytime soon and have a few spare ones left in the back of the cupboard, break them out and have fun. No mess, no fuss.

If you’re after useful uses for leftover nappies head to Instructables by clicking here.

Love your Sunday however you choose.

Image from: here.

40-Love

I love a good game.

Anyone for a hit of tennis?

Pat at New Bloggy Cat has been kind enough to hit the ball my way. I could wax lyrical about Pat’s ability but I won’t. Pat’s blog title was enough of a draw card for me. The game has only just begun so if you’d like to go and choose a seat I’m sure Pat would be thankful for bums on seats and an appreciative audience.

I certainly don’t feel like a pro in this game but at least I no longer look like a rubgy player with a racquet in my hand.

The requirements for this award are as follows:

• Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
• Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
• Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
• Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
• Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

7 things about me and fluoro yellow balls:

1. It amuses me that the word ‘Love’ in tennis means you have no points.
2. The definition of ‘crap at tennis’ in Wiki would have my picture next to it.
3. Watching tennis is enjoyable and often has me in a trance (kind of like a pendulum swinging).
4. I have been known to lose sleep just to be able to watch the end of the Wimbledon/U.S./Australian open final.
5. I have been to a real live tennis match.
6. Almost 6 is better at tennis than I am.
7. I have the reflexes of a rhinoceros.

The third and final set is upon us.

Wrestling Life

Middle School Writing MT

Rosanne L. Kurstedt’s Kaleidoscope

Molly B and Me

Child Life Mommy

The Dissocial Mom

Mom Times 4

JJ Begonia

Professions For Peace

Making It Through Monday

The Ranting Chef

Green Embers

Gift From the Heart Share and Care

Eeiilleeeenn

E-Motherhood

A huge round of applause for Pat at New Bloggy Cat. Thanks for the game, Pat.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Game, set and match!

Image from: here.

Do You Love a Good Manscaper?

D.I.Y Manscaping for Love 101

Some friends and I were sitting around discussing this hairy topic recently. Goodness only knows how it came up but we went with it anyway. The conversation went something like this:

Bonnie* says, “Yeah my husband, Pete*, does a bit of trimming and pruning. He came out to show me his work the other day and was proud of what he’d achieved. He asked what I thought of his handiwork and I was just like a goldfish in a bowl. Then he asked me, ‘do you want a piece of this?’ He’d taken to his nether region with a hedge trimmer and it was all I could do not to fall on the floor laughing. Like manscaping will make me want him more.”

*names have been changed to protect the guilty.

So in all honesty, being a woman, I do remove hair from my legs and armpits. I don’t remove hair from my arms but I do get rid of unsightly long-uns that grow on my big toe on each foot. I pluck my eye brows and I’ve been known to tend to the nasal region just recently. I do a general tidy up of the yard on a semi-regular basis. The only problem I find is that I pull out the weeds and prickles just grow in their place.

Now my questions are many but I’ll try and keep it short. I have boys. Two of them. I’m truly grateful this is not something I have to worry about for the moment but I know my time will come. I want to go in prepared for the job. Almost 6 is a hairy little monster. He had downy fluff all over his back from the time he was born. Now when he steps out the shower he gets this curly-pattern-thing going on in the middle of his back. Am I going to have to take him to a salon to have his back waxed? His brows may need a plucking if they end up being a mono. If he’s hairy all over like a baboon, where do you stop?

Now fellas, did you know there’s actually a group you can join if you’d like to beat your hairless chest with other men? Click here if you’d like to join the ‘I Love Manscaping Group’.

What’s the general consensus out there? Manscape or the natural landscape?

Manscaping. Love it or loathe it?

Love leaving the hair that’s there for now.

Images from: here.

Mind Boggling Love

Love for life.

Does your mind boggle when you think about the mammoth task raising children is?

Many people seem to think they muddle their way through or follow some type of process. Most also find the need to adapt to the ever-changing needs of their child/ren.

I’d like to think that I’m ‘training’ my little fellas using many methods. I couldn’t write a book on it as no one would be able to follow it. All I know is that I use my heart. Yes, I have those moments where I go off my noodle or show less than the required enthusiasm as I drag my heels to 730pm. Those moments are far outweighed by my desire to show the kids that I mean business when it comes to loving them.

Recently my brain cells played boggle over Almost 6’s desire to play basketball, soccer and football all through the Winter months. I’ll share my thoughts when the game is finished.

What mind-boggling conundrums have you faced?

Live for love.

Image from: here.

P.S I just noticed boggling rearranged is blogging. How pertinent.

I’m A Versatile Underwear Lover

Mine are clean. How about yours, love?

I would like to thank Amber at “Normal” is the New Boring for sharing this honour and her sexy undergarment post. If you haven’t popped over to Amber’s and met her family it’d be worth a visit. Settle in for a bit and if you check out her most recent post you might even get a flash of underwear. It might pay to take a clean pair with you.

The requirements for this award are as follows:

• Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.

• Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
• Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
• Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
• Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

  

7 things about me and my undergarments you did not (and may not have) cared to know:

1. My underwear is neatly folded and in stacked piled OCD style.
2. They are categorised into everyday wear, those ‘other 5 days’ and, finally, invisible undies (for when I don’t want people to know I’m wearing any).
3. The type that Amber wears on Tuesday are in my bottom drawer and have barely seen the light of day in….I don’t know how long.
4. My G-string wearing days are over. I never bought a T-String (these were ‘in’ after I’d had two children) unless you count the ones in the kitchen attached to the tea bags.
5. My very comfy undies are in fact Bonds. They cost $8 pair on special. Pity Pat doesn’t come with them.
6. My grundies are my pj’s even in the heart of winter.
7. Commando? Isn’t that the trainer on the Biggest Loser Australia?

So here’s my list of superhero bloggers that may or may not wear their underwear as outerwear:

The Things I See Up Here
Mrs Smith
All About Manners
Bucket List Publications
On The Fence
Words for JP
Females United Blog
Mister G Kids
Inspiration Energy
Have fun With It
A Penny For Your Thoughts
40inmy40th
Lady in the House
What I Meant to Say
Encourage One Another Daily

I bet they’re swinging theirs in the air as they read this! As always there’s no need to follow on the tradition of, ‘I’ve shown you mine, now show me yours.’ Award to the next fifteen if the shoe bloomers fit.

Love my cottontails!

Kelly

Image from: here and here.

Thumbs Up For Love

These digits love to type.

Did you ever notice what primary role your thumb/s play on the keyboard?

Mine rest quite neatly on the space bar and happen to do a top-notch job of making sure my writing doesnotlooklikethis.

When you think about it thumbs do an amazing job, quite unlike any other. Where would we be in the world of gaming without them? Try using that remote control without your opposable thumb!

On a light note, I have a quick story to tell about little. Then there’s the hospital saga with responsible, never-injured Daddy (insert sarcasm here). Note: The latter has some details that some readers who get squeamish easily may want to avoid.

Our little one has only just recently mastered the ‘thumbs up’ for a job well done. Prior to this he would point all fingers out with his thumb up in the air. Then we graduated to just his index finger pointing out with his thumb proudly waving the flag. Now he’s got it. All those painstaking attempts to help him make a fist minus his thumb have paid off. Those fine motor skills are coming along nicely thank you!

Now only if the boys and I could help teach Dad that thumbs are opposable not disposable. My OH’s recent hospital stay was due to just that. A thumb.

‘A thumb!’ you say.

‘Yes, just one, dumb thumb.’

While the rest of him was working a-ok his thumb prevented him from being home for three days. Too bad if he’d had to hitch a ride.

The basic storyline for this drama (and I do generally love a good drama-on TV) went something like this:

• visit fountain to feed ducks with children two weeks ago to give Mum some time without children
• move date palm frond away from path with hand for children to pass safely. Get date palm needle in top of thumb near knuckle.
• swear profusely and frequently over coming days that something is still in there. Squeeze the living daylights out of entry point until sweating and cursing while wife swears that it’s all in your head and to’ leave it alone’
• go to doctor and get antibiotics and anti-inflammatory tablets. Continue to work over coming two weeks even though unable to bend joint properly
• come home on Friday. Joint extremely swollen and red. Moan every three minutes as pain builds. Yell at wife who tries to make another appointment with doctor. Go to doctor after no mention of, ‘I told you so’. Doctor says go to hospital
• go to hospital and do not pass go or collect $200. In fact, pay $ for tv, medication, parking, petrol for family to go to and from hospital for 3 days, etc
• have surgery Saturday night when that thumb is normally wrapped around a glass of bourbon (FYI a 5mm tip of palm needle was removed from the site plus a sac of infected puss and wound is now packed, not sealed, due to infection having eaten away at tendon all under a local anaesthetic). Stay in hospital for two more days on IV antibiotics
• fall down drain grate up to the knee while running over to little who had fallen and hurt cheek. Extract leg to find bruise from ankle to knee cap (on hospital grounds on Sunday witnessed by several hospital staff).

The rest of the play will unfold something like this:

• visit nurse daily to have site repacked
• have wound stitched (date unknown)
• wear splint for up to 4 weeks so tendon can heal
• return to work at unknown date as boss is unlikely to allow until splint is removed.

So in closing, my OH is nursing himself back to health holding his bourbon, using the lifeline button for the TV and can employ the index finger instead of thumb for console games. I, on the other hand, got 2 hours of child-free time that day followed by almost 3 days flying solo with my kids. Add to that, up to 4 weeks with all of us home and, to be concluded by, Nearly 6 being on school holidays for two weeks as of Monday.

Has a smallish injury ever stopped you in your tracks or made a loved one shake their head?

Love your work, team. Thumbs up!

Image from: here.

I Love a Good Fight

The gloves of love were hung up recently.

An unexpected hiatus from the ring has ended! The gloves were off. Now they’re in full swing and packin’ a punch.

I have a game plan today. I’m facing a strong opponent and will probably do a little bit of dancing before any blows are landed but I’m gonna give it my best shot. Hopefully I’ll make it through each round.

Three days of no training can reek havoc with one’s routine. Lucky my sparring partner is back from his suspension in a hospital bed.

So the plan of attack looks something like this:

1. Catch up on my reader. 3 days worth-shouldn’t take long.

2. Approve and reply to comments. These people came to watch and saw a KO. Disappointing to say the least.

3. Check out some amazing bloggers who have stuck their head in for a quick look or to follow my journey to the title fight.

4. Nominate bloggers in an award post so they can hold the trophy aloft.

5. Complete 4 posts which will bring me up-to-date in my post-a-day promise to myself. I’ll back-date them later to fill in the gaps (I’ll sneak between my opponent’s legs if necessary).

So while the kids get to spend some quality time with their dad, I’ll be here fighting the good fight. Reconnecting, working on my game plan and giving blogging a good flogging. Better put, ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on ear-splittingly loud.

I’m not gonna tap out today. Can someone please have the smelling salts ready?

Disclaimer: I actually detest boxing and know very little about the sport.

I’m a lover not a fighter!

Image from: here.

I’m All Out of Love

Love has left the building.

It’s late. The well is dry. Stick a fork in me-I’m done. I’ve thrown in the towel, well just for today.

The kids have been tucked in and everything has been ticked off the list but apologies will be left here tonight as I have no love left for you. Sorry everyone.

My air love supply has been expended. I had to be the giver of love for two today.

The better half of me had an impromptu overnight ‘date’ with a nurse or two. More of the hospital love story at a later date. For the purpose of keeping this short I had both the Mum and Dad hats on today.

The opportunity was given to me to experience what all flying solo parents do every day (kudos to all the one-wo/man-bands). I only had to survive one and believe me that’s all I did: survive. That’s a good thing though, right? I didn’t curl into the fetal position or start speaking in pig latin. So there was ‘something’ good about today.

Plans are being prepared for tomorrow. It’s going to be a love fest.

Tomorrow is going to be the longest day of the year for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere who turn our clocks back in a couple of hours. Now I’m a type A person who won’t sleep any longer than normal mainly because the kids won’t let me. Pre-children I would have sucked up that hour in a jiffy and used it in dreamland. That won’t be the case tomorrow.

I’m going to make full use of that hour. Most of us wish for more hours in a day. That wish comes true for me tomorrow. What could I do with one more hour? Should I lavish my kids with an hour of Mum power and love the knickerbockers off my whippersnappers? Maybe a visit to a playground, roll on the grass with them and do some belly laughs? Or should I take the hour and practise some self-love and return a better me? Grab a cuppa to go and then find a peace-filled sunny spot for me, myself and I?

Which option should I take and what should I do in that 60 minutes? Suggest away, lovelies.

Image from: here.

Loyal Love

Love is loyal.

Loyalty should be rewarded and that is why I would like to thank Kim at words4jp’s blog (again) for including Free Little Words in her list of blogs/boggers that ‘show a strength of resolve’. Some days it does not feel as if I’m deserving of this title but strength is something I find daily in other blogs, like Kim’s, which inturn strengthens my resolve.

Continuing the Dragon’s Loyalty Award traditions I must now:

• Display the Award Certificate on your website.
• Announce your win with a post and link to whoever presented you with the award.
• Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers.
• Drop them a comment to tip them off after you have linked them in the post.
• Post 7 interesting things about yourself.

7 interesting things about me might be stretching the truth a little but here goes:

1.  I am afraid of heights but have skydived.

2.  I am an aunty on my side but not my husband’s side yet.

3.  Purple is my favourite colour but I can’t wear red.

4.  I was born with chocolate brown eyes but they changed to hazel.

5.  I live in the suburbs but it feels like a little slice of country (quiet, rural outlook, sheep at the back fence).

6.  I have had a koala walk right past me while sitting outside at night but didn’t have my camera handy.

7.  My mum named her children with the same starting letter. My sister continued the tradition with her kids but I broke it with mine.

Now the part that I love the most-nominating 15 other blogs. I’ve chosen to nominate 15 blogs that have shown loyalty to my blog. When I take a gander at my stats I am constantly amazed that only three months in and I have nearly 200 followers! It astounds me that people value what I tap onto the screen each day. So here’s to many of my ‘loyals’-some visit me every day-thank you for helping keep me strong.

Laurie’s Notes
Teacher to Mum
GAME4LEARNING
Biljanazovkic
M & A’s World
Mama Bear Musings
Inside My Glitching Mind
Parenting and Stuff
Magical Mayhem
Miss Marzipan
South Forty Rocks
valeriudgbarbu
Ray Ferrer-Emotion on Canvas
Humanity777
Cruising Through My Life

Of course, do what you wish with your award. Some of you have stated you are no longer passing on awards. That’s cool but I think it is still important to acknowledge your blogging efforts.

Love to you and your loyal followers,

Kelly.

Love is the Word

Four letters to love.

One syllable.

Four strokes of a pen.

Symbolic.

An immensely powerful word: spoken or written to someone who resides in your heart.

Love can also be felt without words. An embrace can convey it, a look can speak of it and a heart can be warmed by it.

Definition:

love

[luhv] noun, verb (loved, loving)

noun

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2 .a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

3. sexual passion or desire.

4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

I met love for the first time when I was about 8. Our Christmas present that year was a kitten. Love was defined for me that day. Kimberly was her name and she was a member of our family for about 14 years. This was despite being attacked by a dog one day when I was off school due to illness in my teens. If I hadn’t been home…… I have fond memories of my first four-legged love and she still holds a special place in my heart.

The word love was used frivolously between then and meeting my husband in 2003 on my sister’s hens night. Love took on a new definition from that moment on.

In my 30’s I found a new definition of love that I had never known possible.When my boys were born that four letter word was redefined to that of a mother’s love. And as any mother knows there is nothing with which it can be compared. I love my mum but have a deeper appreciation of her love for me since having my own children.

I am the proud keeper of love in my heart. First loves, loves lost, loves treasured.

One word, many definitions.

Love is a word I love.

Image from: here.