'Show it Like it Is' Challenge

Nicole from Bubby Makes Three blogged recently about how lovely show room homes look.

You know what I'm talking about. Nice polished tables, bench tops that glean with cleanliness, not a piece of rubbish in sight.

I'm the first to admit I love a clean tidy home. I try my best, really I do.

But there are times, like this week, when I've been out of the house more hours then I've been in it.

When I'd rather go to the movies for the first time in six months then worry about vacuuming, mopping and putting on yet another load of washing.

When a clingy boy is teething and won't let you put him down for a minute unless you want to hear the shriek that will bellow from his mouth.

So anyway, this is the current state of my kitchen.

Pretty darn messy!!

I tell my husband all the time to take out the rubbish. He walks past the bin every morning on the way to the bus stop. But every single week our rubbish pile builds up. I get sick of nagging. So I guess I just turn a blind eye to the bin pile.

I actually did wash up last night. And even put the dishwasher through. But after that my cleaning burst ended. My energy stores were depleted.

The Amazing Race and a packet of M&M's were calling me. So the dishes were left to drip dry.

I did hope that the dishwasher fairy would come and unpack the dishwasher while I slept. She didn't.

So the breakfast dishes are still piled on the bench.

Sigh. What I wouldn't give for a cleaner right about now!!

Feel free to play along too.

That way I mightn't feel so bad for having a kitchen that looks like a bomb has gone off in it.

Letter to Malachi – Four months old

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Better late than never!!

Hello there cheeky chops. Wow four months old already! I know I’ve said it before but you are such a big boy now. You haven’t grown that much in weight or height this month (6.97kgs and 65 cm tall) but it seems like you are learning new skills each and every day.

You can now roll from your belly to your back, but only when it suits you. I managed to capture it on camera, and you look awfully proud of your efforts. You are also much more content and happy to spend some time on your belly just looking around taking in the world from a different point of view. Rolling from back to belly hasn’t quite been achieved yet, though you are very good at rolling from your back to your side, especially when playing on your play mat.

You love the sound of your own voice, and have perfected the squeal. I am trying to teach you inside and outside noises, but you don’t really listen. You have a new bed buddy, Bluey, which the Hallas family gave to you. You like to nuzzle your face into Bluey when sleeping and chat to and slobber on him when you break free from the wrap.

Your sleeping is going very well. You self settle yourself to sleep 99% of the time. The only sleep we have problems with is the sleep after your bath. You’d much rather stay awake after the bath, being downstairs with Mummy and Daddy. You generally only wake up once or twice a night for a quick feed and cuddle. I am feeling more human now and I think Daddy appreciates less wake ups during the night too. You are sleeping in your own cot now in your big boy room. I miss having you next to me in your bassinet or the portacot, just listening to you breathing.

Your first tooth is yet to make an appearance, but I don’t think it’s too far off. You are constantly dribbling and munching on anything you can get your hands on. Your new obsession is eating anything made out of cloth. It doesn’t matter if its clothes, a bib, a cloth nappy or a washer it all ends up covered in drool. You love story time and your favourite books at the moment are Incy Wincy Spider, Where’s the Green Sheep and Are You My Mother. You also love nursery rhymes and your favourites at the moment are The Grand Old Duke of York and Humpty Dumpty.

You are still such a happy and content little boy who is always smiling or giggling. You fill our lives with such joy, laughter and happiness. I’m so happy to be your Mum.

Happy four month birthday my beautiful little man.

Love Mummy

A Very Special Remembrance Day

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Yesterday the 11th November at 8.34pm my 15 year old sister gave birth to my beautiful baby niece.

She weighed in at a massive 4.43kgs, 57cm long and 36 cm head circumference. The not so little beauty is yet to be named.

She laboured for 13 hours drug free before having an epidural and catching a few Z's. Then she was ready to bring her daughter into this world. And I'm proud. So very proud.

I have been struggling with how I felt about this situation ever since I found out my sister was pregnant. And I guess I still struggle to see my 15 year old sister as a Mother.

But labour and birthing is just the beginning of a long, beautiful, rewarding, difficult and sometimes stressful parenting journey.

Now I just pray that her and her 'boyfriend' (I say that lightly as I'm not sure how long he'll stick around for) step up to the plate and love, guide and cherish this baby girl.

A Yummy Summer Salad

This is my Mother in Laws recipe. It's so easy and delish I thought I'd share it.

BOK CHOY SALAD

Ingredients
3 small bok choy, stems and leaves chopped
Fried egg noodles. I use Wokka thin egg style fresh noodles, they come in a pack of two but I only use one for this amount.
100 gm toasted almond, halved
1 bunch shallots, chopped

Dressing
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon white vinegar

Stir fry the bok choy and egg noodles in a little olive oil. You want the bok choy to stay a little bit crispy and not soggy.

Dissolve all the dressing ingredients together in a small saucepan over a medium heat. I don’t always use all the dressing, just put in as much as you like.

Toss nuts and dressing through the bok choy mix just before serving.

I'm Obsessed

I know I've blogged about it before, but I heart MadeIt. There are so many wonderful and unique treasures on there, I just can't stop browsing!! Here's a few I've stumbled across recently. The only thing I haven't found yet is a lovely personalised Christmas stocking for Malachi. There are heaps on Etsy, winter themed though for only $25 but with the postage costs it brings the total to over $40! For one little Christmas stocking.

Here's what I'm loving this week.

Lamp bead Pendant

From here

Gorgeous Owl Fabric Print

From here

Photographic Fine Art Print

From here

Junior Masterchef anyone?

From here

More Nursery Artwork

From here

A little comforter to snuggle up to

From here

What are you loving today?

There's a snake in my boot!!!

Barry's long lost relative perhaps?

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Well not quite.... there's actually a very cheeky blue tongue lizzard hiding in our garden.

We first saw Barry when we were pulling out the plants for our new vegie patch. He scurried (can blue tongue lizzards scurry?) from the garden bed to under our hedge and we hadn't seen him since. I thought that perhaps we'd upset him by destorying his home and he had packed his bags and moved to another garden. But we were wrong.

I saw him this morning sunbaking near our outdoor setting. But by the time I got off the phone to Hubby and found the camera he had disappeared again! Very cheeky indeed. Hopefully next time I see him he isn't as camera shy and I can get a little snapshot of our newest little resident.

Smile....

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What did we get up to this week?

Well....

I sliced two fingers open with the plastic lid of the sour cream, DOH!!

I have gone from wearing shorts and skirts to jeans and trackies again... HELLO SPRING!? Where are you?

I realised that I really don't like shopping much anymore *gasp*

I have nearly finished two personalised name canvas's for two special little people's Christmas present

I got super excited that the Summer of cricket has started already. C'mon Aussie c'mon!

I read about 50 pages of a book. The most I've been able to read in AGES.

I have decided that one day of the weekend is for resting and one day of the weekend is for getting out and about.

And on that note, fingers crossed the cussy weather here clears up so we can head to the markets on Sunday. These markets are only held once a month and for the last four months it's either been pouring with rain or the ground is way too soggy to venture out. At the moment it's blowing a gale and the sky is threatening rain, so it's not looking very promising at all.

Plan B would have to be to stay in our Pj's all weekend and have a Harry Potter marathon. Either way, happy days!

Happy weekend. What have you got planned?