Pondering Ponteuf

Had I known

about my wonderful surprise

 

My parents coming in for Thanksgiving,I don't think that I would have promised to report on my 29 days of giving.In fact,I may well have skipped it until after christmas.But I didn't know and I did sign up,so as it went.Once I got my head around the fact that it didn't always have to be a solid thing that was given,i.e a simple smile was enough some days,it was pretty easy to to get into the flow.Sometimes I would catch myself over thinking what I was going to give and sometimes the greatest of pleasure was making someone simply smile.As it comes to a close,I have learnt that it doesn't cost anything to make someone's day.Taking to time to stop and connect with those around us was enough in its self.Of course,I donated to charities,gave toys to toy drives,bought the unsuspecting person in the queue (line) behind me their coffee (that was always fun!!!) but I have found a balance and I will definitely do it again.

On another note,christmas is chasing at my heels like an underfed wolf,I can barely keep ahead.I don't want to rush it as time goes way to fast these days as it is but boy I can't wait to sit down with a strong cup of some sort of warm and alcoholic beverage (Yay bring on t he gluhwein)eat myself silly and watch my babes basking in the magic of christmas day.

We are enjoying the fires these days .

And,sorry but I won't be sending christmas cards this year as every time I tried to get a good shot for a card,I was met with something like this ::

So,happy holidays to one and all.

Love from myself and my rabble!!  

Not forgotten

I have been derailed with my posting due to the fact that my parents surprised me and flew in for Thanksgiving.It was a much needed and welcomed surprised.Apparently I flapped like a bird for a good two minutes!!!

Anyhoo,I have a list of my giving to post,it might not be until Thursday when they leave but it is still going strong.

Enjoy the late November sunshine,

Happy Monday:0)
 

What's for dinner in your house?

Tonight we had

:: Spinach,pear and pomegranate salad with blueberry dressing,yum!

Someone distracted me when I was deseeding and raided my stash

 

I have a suspect!

Yes that picture was taken today.A balmy 68 this afternoon!

Anyway,salad was followed by spaghetti and meatballs.

This meal comes with a promise of a whine free dinner.I am tempted to make it EVERY night!

 

As for my 29 days of giving.

It is going well.

Monday :: I purchased the top five items on my shopping list twice and popped the items in the food collection box .

Tuesday :: I gave an old lady tens minutes of my time to help her find the exact (and boy she knew exactly what she wanted!) batteries for her smoke detectors.All ten of them!She had forgotten her glasses and was having trouble.Ollie helped too by throwing in a few extra items in her cart :)

Wednesday :: I fed the meter of the car next to mine when I parked as it was expired and I spotted a traffic officer in the lot.Saved them a ticket:0) That felt great:0)

Anyhoo,that's it for today,talk soon,

xx

I should be cleaning

But it's our anniversary today.8 years.We survived the seven year itch,just!! Nah,just kidding.

I am very lucky to be married to such a wonderful man.Sure we fight,like cat and dog.But not too often.Truth be told,considering how stubborn we both are,we should be fighting more often,but we compromise and choose our battles.A lot like raising our children.

So today whilst my hubby is working I am going to go to the store and get some fresh sole,lemons,linguine and a tub of coffee ice cream.Then I am going to prepare him his favorite meal.Sole franchese (I never can spell that,I try to memorize it at restaurants but I am already using my brains memory capacity to it's limit and that one gets deleted pretty fast!!)

 

So,Mr S,Thank you for being there,being you,being so supportive through every tough battle of PPD.Putting up with my little quirks,tantrums and snoring! I love you so very much.

Happy anniversary Papa:0)

Also,

Today I did my first bench monday.What a lot of fun.I fell on my arse a fair few times trying to get this shot.

I also signed up for my first round of 29 days of giving.

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Visit 29-Day Giving Challenge
I will report back on my first day tomorrow.But for now,back to the cleaning!!! Thanks for reading, cheerio xx

In our house

Excuse me for a moment whilst I go off on one!!!!!

There is 

:: Too much yelling

::Too much whining

:: Too much mess

:: Too much to do

:: Too many dishes in the sink

:: Too many heaps of laundry

:: Too many dust bunnies

What's a sleep deprived Mama to do??

I'll tell you what,I am going to ignore all of the above,get a big mug of coffee, sit down and register for this http://www.29gifts.org/

I can't seem to activate the link today but anyway,as I was sitting here feeling a little overwhelmed with my 'lot' I flicked through Body + soul and came across the story about Cami. Immediately my 'problems' became so trivial.Still there but less important.The more that I read,the more that I became inspired.I told myself that starting Monday I would follow her lead,register at the above address and start to consciously give to those around me.It really is an amazing story.Go read and register.Join in this journey with me.

I will be recording my acts here on a daily basis.Hopefully it will help me find some balance and peace in my life because right right now I could really do with some.

In the mean time,here is some beauty that I have around me.

Cute little toes

 

Sisterly love

 

Happy,healthy babes.

A wonderfully supportive and amusing hubby:0

 

Precious time with my babes (even if  they do drive me bonkers!)

So please,join me in the gift of giving and leave a comment so I can see what you are choosing to do too:0)

Thanks for reading:0)

Once a monkey

Always a monkey!!!

I can't turn my back for a second on Oliver.Pancakes were the lunch of choice and it happened as I "set" the table.Think, me running around the six foot wooden obstacle throwing flatware down in a race to get back to the kitchen before something like 

THIS::

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Happens!!

As usual,I was too late.He always gets me that one.

Good job that he is cute to boot!

In the thick of it!

Wow,life is crazy right now.After a solid month of help from my mum(thanks mum xx) and my sis winging her way in to throw more help my way (thanks Cxx) I am pretty much on my own.Of course Papa helps when he is home.I am very lucky there I know but since everyone went back to school I feel as if my head is permanently spinning.I am hoping we will get into a good groove here and then I plan to recount our summer memories as fall begins to chase us.

A good way to keep the chill out don't you think?

This one just wont listen when I plead with her to slow down on the growing.It puts a lump in my throat to look at just how much she has grown in these eight weeks.

sigh.........

I am counting my blessings....

and I see four!!!!

Ten minutes old

Miss Annie Olivia was born at 3.45pm on July 20th 2009.Into the hands of a wonderful nurse who stopped her falling out onto the floor as the doctor raced to try and catch her himself.Well Annie had other ideas.You snooze,you lose Mr babycatcher.He really was a wonderful Doc.It wasn't his fault that once Annie decided that it was time for out we went from 2cm to a baby dangling over the floor in 30 minutes.He has just learnt that I wasn't exaggerating when I said my babes come fast.Not that I think that there will be anymore but at least now he knows!!!

Anyway stats are

7lbs 8oz of wonderful smooshy loveliness.

19 inches of deliciousness to nibble on

 and a head full of dark hair just like papa.Which is a good thing really seeing as after three mini me's he was starting to question his role in this whole fathering a child thing!!!

We feel truly blessed and our hearts are fit to burst.

Here she is freshly scrubbed up and slightly more awake.

Righty-o,I am off to enjoy my babymoon,

cheerio

x

I'll take a few more hours in the day please!!

With every child that comes into our lives comes tens times the blessings,ten times the memories and ten times the happiness.Along with that abundance of joy comes ten times the output of energy,love,nurturing and patience needed.

I feel very blessed right now.As the nesting instinct is kicking in,I am looking around at my family and feel such a bursting of pride and love in my chest.You just want to bottle up the feeling.You know,for when you are so overwhelmed by the mountain of tasks and chores,that you just want to be alone,somewhere.You could reach into your treasure closet and pull out the bottle,take a hefty swig and instantly you will be reminded what it is all for.A little tonic if you like,to get you through the tough times:0)

I could have done with that the other night when faced with the whole bathing three children,helping them with their jammies,reading stories and kisses for everyone,alone.I just couldn't seem to get in a groove.

Poor Ollie,just couldn't wait longer and fell asleep in his towel on the bedroom floor.As I walked into his room and saw him there,that bursting love broke through.I scooped him up and savoured his surrender to sleep.Another sweet memory to file away for later years,

sorry for the cluttered ramble,I am sure you get the idea:0)

Have a great day,

cheerio.

To forget and forgive.

It's been one of those weeks,not days,WEEKS!!

In the space of three hours I had the most painful root canal performed and one of the most stomach wrenching,guilt laden mothering moments ever.I arranged for Griff to stay at school for lunch seeing as the root canal would take a while but I don't know if it was just pregnancy brain or a mix of that and the novacaine but I forgot to pick him up.FORGOT!!!! I was home in plenty of time,tootling around doing 'stuff' when the principal called.I have never ran so fast,pregnant or not,to get him.Oh my goodness the guilt that ensued was more painful than the tooth and no amount of painkillers could take that pain away!I am sure that there are plenty of stories out there but I can't believe that I forgot to pick up my own child.

How could I forget this??

He is just fine.I don't think that he batted an eyelid but me,I think I have post traumatic stress!!

Now I just need to fogive myself!LOL

cheerio