Gratitude Project - 24th - 29th April

Long weekends - nothing can beat one. Except two long weekends in a row!
With the Easter weekend and then ANZAC Day following close behind, I have had a fab couple of short working weeks. And returning to work for a full five days is going to be a challenge.

Oh how quickly I adapt to being away from the office....

The best part about the double whammy long weekend, is that Mr M has been off work. It's been such a help having him at home; mornings have been easier, as have the evenings!, and we created a new bedtime routine - me reading two books to the boys, with Warrie snuggling on my lap whilst Mr M cuddles up to Mac in his bed.

The one thing that really stuck out for me this second long weekend, is how much the ANZAC day has come to mean something to me. Maybe its because I have two boys, and I can identify with the mothers that lost their sons in Gallipoli? Whatever the reason, I spent much of the Friday morning explaining (or trying to!) the importance of ANZAC day to Mac... without using the words "died" or "war", which I thought might be a little confronting for a 4.5 year old! I'm not sure how much he understood, or indeed if he was even listening to me!, but I felt like I solidified a little more in my own heart and mind as to why it is an important day for me.

When I first moved back to Australia, nearly 13 years ago, I had no real concept of ANZAC Day. I knew what it represented, and I understood the gravitas that surrounded it. But I just thought of it as a day off work and that whatever I got up to, I would be "doing it for the Diggers" - usually with a drink in my hand.

But as the years went by, and especially once I had Mac and Warrie, the value of the day shifted for me. All those men who perished in the Great War, in order that the world would be a better place, that we would have our freedom. The selflessness of those who were (are!) willing to go to war, those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, just blows my mind.

But I think the importance of the day really became apparent to me three years ago, when we were in Canberra kick-starting our honeymoon. We dragged Mac around the Australian War Memorial, (not sure what we were thinking, he was 18-months old!) and stayed for the Last Post ceremony. We had been reading the Roll of Honour, and I had just found my maiden name and was wondering if the names listed had been distant relatives of mine. Then the bugle started.

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I am not ashamed to admit that I sobbed.

Standing next to the names of possible relatives, my first born son in my arms, my new husband standing protectively behind us, on a cold, crisp and beautiful Canberra afternoon. The sun was setting, the crowd of visitors in the Memorial was silent, and the haunting sound of the bugle was echoing through the air... How can you not be touched by that?

I cried for the men whose names were on the Roll of Honour.
I cried for the men and women currently serving.
I cried with thanks that I live in such an amazing country, where everyday I take for granted my freedom to live my life the way I see fit.
I cried with fear for the world that my child would inherit, and hoped that the horrors of war will never be something that he has to experience - a hope that I am sure every single parent in the world shares for their children.

Things I have been grateful for this long weekend:

1. I think it's pretty obvious that I'm forever grateful to the men and women who put their lives on the line for their country.

2. Bedtime snuggles with my boys

3. Family time - we had a lot of it, and we all thrived!


This wasn't what I thought this post was going to be about, my intent had been "light and breezy". But I guess it was something that my soul felt needed to be told.

Do you have a particular public holiday that holds importance or special meaning for you? I'd love to hear about it!

Gratitude Project - 18th-23rd April

Well, first things first - happy belated Easter!
We don't celebrate Easter in my house, but my boys are biiiig fans of the chocolate side of things!  :)

Secondly, I had an ah-MAZE-ing night out! Here's me in the top I got from The Iconic:

It was so nice to put a face to all the names that Mr M mentions everyday... the fact that he introduced me all night as his "beautiful wife" didn't hurt either :)
But the loveliest thing I heard was, after being introduced, all his colleagues said the same thing: "whenever I ask Mr M about your kids, his face just lights up"  All together now, AWWWW!

We chatted with everyone in the pub for hours, and were then ushered onto a bus and into a nightclub - the first time I have been in a nightclub in five years! I danced and danced and danced, and was horrified when all the kids were excited to hear songs that I was dancing to when they were first released 20 years ago!
It was awesome.

Mr M and I were home at a very respectable 12.50am, not in too bad a shape. And most glorious of all was the sleep-in the next day! Once again, a big YAY for grandparents!!

On the Easter Sunday, Mr M decided that he wanted to "do something" that day, so we took a road trip up through the Northern Beaches and ended up in Palm Beach. The sun was shining and the ocean sparkling, it was stunning!

{Who doesn't love the panoramic mode on the iPhone camera!}

{Personally, I think this is one of the best photos I've ever taken!}

{The last dip in the ocean for this season}

On the Monday, Mr M and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. But given that we'd had such a epic (for us) night out, we were in no hurry to have a special "date night" for the occasion; there'll be plenty more to come, I'm sure :)

Then it was back to reality and work. Mr M is currently on a production break at the moment, which is actually fab for me; an extra pair of hands to help with the morning rush, means I get an extra 30-minutes in bed in the morning! Woo hoo!

Things I have been grateful for this long weekend:

1. The fact that it was a long weekend - four days off; one awesome night out, and hanging with my boys. Heaven!

2. The weather. I hope you had as glorious a weekend as we did!

3. Fresh flannel sheets on the bed - so comfy, so dangerous; it's a real struggle to get out of bed!

4. Family. We got to see both sides of our family over the long weekend, which meant much laughter all round. I am so SO thankful for the family I have!

What did you get up to over the long weekend?

Gratitude Project - 17th April

I'm posting this early, because Mr M and I are having a night on the town tonight and I cannot be held responsible for the state that I will come home in (nor the nonsense I would write if I was to allow myself access to my blog!)  :)

A night out! On the long weekend, with the kids having a sleepover at the grandparents! I am so excited... in fact, this is how I am feeling right now - I'm gonna have me some fun!

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I've even bought a new top for the occasion! My first non-work item of clothing purchased in.... well, a long time!

I got it from The Iconic and had it delivered within 3 hours. It was dangerously easy, and fun.

And just to cap it all off, Mr M thinks I look good in it  ;)




So although I haven't had a full day in which to find things to be grateful for, these are the things I am grateful for today:

1. Running with my bestie - this is probably one of the best changes I have made this year. Combining exercise and seeing my bestie for a chat.

2. Spotify on my office PC. I love having access to all sorts of music to suit my mood. At the moment, if I have a lot of work to do, I've started listening to "old skool house" music really loud and just powering through my work. It's awesome

3. My Mum. For having my boys tonight and for making it work, no matter what. She's amazeballs :)

What are your plans for the Easter long weekend? 

Gratitude Project - 16th April

Today is my half brother's birthday, he's turned 14. It has made me feel wistful.

I've been doing a lot of remembering/thinking recently about my teenage years. Mostly the range and depth of emotions that were in constant turmoil.

I'm excited for my brother to be going through this stage of life (though he is a much more level headed kid than I ever was!).

First crushes, first heartbreaks. The devastation of a broken friendship and the joy of mending it.

The desire to fit in, the desperation to be unique.

The sheer delight in being alive. 

He is finding his way through teenage-dom and coming out the other side, as a young man ready to make his mark on the world.

As a young girl, I never felt like I was the right age; I had always felt 16, even when I was 11 or 12.

Then when I turned 16, I finally felt like I was where I was supposed to be (age wise!). I sometimes think I've never really moved on from that age - I can stray into immature and puerile humour at any time! Which is not really helped by my paternal side of the family having a penchant for toilet humour!

I miss the newness of life as a teenager. Experiencing so many firsts. Learning how to be grown up, but knowing that I didn't have to be just yet; that's what parents are for!

And now I have two children. Crazy!!

I my mind I still feel 16. Mr M can still evoke in me similar feelings of being a teenager in love... 

These days I tell people that yes I am an adult, but I have no intention of being a proper grown up! :)

Things I am grateful for today:

1. Sunshine! I was starting to get bored of the rainy days. 

2. Bedtime snuggles as I read bedtime stories - my babies won't be small forever, I'm trying to make the most of it!

3. Exercise. I didn't want to go today (my workout buddy has been out of the office all week). But I made myself go, and did a 30-minute weights session. I love the feeling afterwards, that good sore pain that proves to me that I've worked hard.

Did you enjoy being a teenager? What's your favourite joke?

Gratitude Project - 11th - 15th April

Woah! Got a bit of catching up to do!

On Saturday, we moved the boys into Mac's old bedroom and chucked out a pile of crappy plastic broken toys, which for some unknown reason I had been holding on to. Oh man that felt good! There's still more to get rid of (to donate), but that's a job best done without children around!

On Sunday we went to my beautiful best friends housewarming party. She is amazing; not only are they in the process of renovating, but she managed to cook snacks and make delicious finger foods for 50 odd people!! I wish I had taken photos, but I was too busy stuffing my face :)

That afternoon, I went to my step-sister's place to celebrate my step-dad's birthday. She had made a Donna Hay banana cake with caramel sauce. OMFG.  I don't think I can ever exercise that cake off, but it was so SO totally worth it!

Yesterday I had to have the day off work, waiting for a tradie to come around. As he was due in the afternoon ("Sometime between 1 and 5pm"), I decided to spoil myself in the morning. I got my nails done, my eyebrows threaded and tinted and I had a hair cut! I left the shopping mall feeling like a million bucks :)

And after the tradie had been and gone, I had the ultimate experience: food shopping. With. NO. Children!! Only a parent can understand the way that feels :)

Today was back to normal, but it was all good - it's only a three day week, and same next week too!! Yay for public holidays!

There have been so many things to be grateful for over the last few days. But I'll share just this one:

There was a moment on Saturday, whilst Mr M and I were moving the cot (Warrie was trying to help, and was wedged between the wall and the side if the cot - it was freaking hilarious!), and I suddenly realised that I was happy.

Deeply DEEPLY happy.

The kind of happy that moves you to tears.

I stopped what I was doing (watching Mr M extracate Warrie from his predicament), and just immersed myself in the moment.

I let all that happiness wash over me, I let the tears prick my eyes, I let my heart be flooded with joy. And I relished in it.

So, I am grateful for that moment of happiness.

And I am grateful that I was aware of what was happening, and was able to grasp that moment with both hands and to really truly experience being happy. 

What was the highlight of your weekend?