Monthly Archives: May 2017

Penguins of Madagascar – A Secret Agent Party! (& Free Templates!)

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(Updated with link to free Top Secret file invite download)

(Note: I’m sad because there aren’t any real good pix taken by me at the party. Mike and I were all too in the mix. However, be warned, this is still a photo HEAVY post!)
(EDIT: Added my favourite part: The invites!)

If I were ever on the hunt for all things 6 year old, after this weekend, I’d know exactly now where to go…You know, magical six year old things like a steady bubbling anticipation of one’s birthday a month in advance already, with regular check-ins on the calendar –how many more sleeps. That’s eventually followed by the ultimate crescendo of unadulterated excitement over another birthday that has finally come. (although truthfully, that’s a lot of adults too.) The inexplicable thrill of sticker books, and the joy for all things crafty. The enjoyment of creating things with your hands – even if it’s just your mom giving you pretend power tools to help her with bedroom décor DIY. All these sweet and adorable things that you’d be crazy to not want to collect and keep for later enjoyment.

I’d also be sure to get samples of all that energy and love for dance and music, even the awkward but cute moves. And I’d definitely grab a few sprinkles of Continue reading →

Little Girls Winter Warm-up with Cotton On Kids

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With winter well and truly on the way (well, we can only hope what with our current drought), you know that as a mom your mind is already flitting through the thousand and one warm, practical and cosy, yet cute as a button outfits your kids are going need for the coming season. At least, I know that’s where my head is at, amidst the myriad of other really pressing items of motherhood too.

And it’s a fact that everyone shops differently for the kids. So the way I shop for our kids depends on Continue reading →

Morgan-Lee’s 6th Birthday: Let me tell you about my 6 year old!

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Note: I’m only a week late for this, but that’s ok. Let’s just pretend it’s 19th May and Im slap bang on time, and not drowning just little bit in the storms of life. 😉 Also, as parents, I think it’s perfectly acceptable for any parent to go ahead and brag about our kiddies. Because, personally, I think it’s less of a brag and more just voicing our amazement at this creature that God has beautifully and uniquely crafted. I mean, sure there is alot we parents nuture within them. But mostly, the way I see it, is that we are merely protectors, guides and nuturers to these little beings, to help them on their way, and help them find their path, and their purpose and joys in this life. And generally to teach them how to NOT be little a-holes that grow up to be big a-holes. The rest was all our Creator. He takes all the credit for his creations. So, please indulge me a little now then to voice all my amazement of my six year old Morgan-Lee…and maybe also a few fears that grip me at times…

Sitting here staring at my pc…slightly at a loss for words as I try to stitch together all my emotions and thoughts and joys and hopes for my first born’s birthday today, and weave it into some semblance of a true reflection of all the love the pulsates through my entire being for this child.

My thoughts constantly drift back to the Continue reading →

Big LIFE things!…(Looks like it IS a year of incredible change!)

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Side Note: This was meant to be a quick midweek post to share some of the amazing changes thats happening for us right now. But what with this being my girl’s birthday week and all, things are downright crazy. Also having people in and out of your home fixing things that break at such lousy times makes you lose touch with the whole date-time continuim. So much so this post never saw the light of day. But I’m pushing it out the nest anyway! Because instead of getting started on party prep, I wrote this instead. So, hell yeah, its going out!

Time to hitch those big panties up real high and toight, I’ve got some big life stuff happening right now!

And I mean big! Well, to me they are big…Wait, no…No, this really is some major life stuff things happening here. Any way I slice it. Some days it feels like just too much to actually juggle..and like I’m getting nowhere as it is. And am I a nutter for even thinking of taking all this on. Especially when I know how many times I’ve dropped all those juggled balls in the recent past. But then I remember all the other times I’ve dropped the ball, and oh, look Continue reading →

Celebrating Forty in the French Corner: Our Franschoek Getaway

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Warning: Super long post and loads of pix!
If there is one thing I don’t do much or enough of on this blog, is sing my hubby’s praises. For the man he is to us. To all of us. I mean, I do sometimes– one can’t quite help but bring it up now and again when delving into certain parenting matters on this blog, as it is so integral to our journey. But not often on it’s own. And its not for the lack of wanting, but mostly because I often feel I cannot find words that adequately express my feelings, appreciation and admiration for him. And that I often feel like trying to put it into words may cheapen what I feel, or not accurately embody what I have for this man in my heart. So often his birthday comes and goes, with little to no mention here.

And that long, maybe almost pointless ramble was just to let you know that his recent birthday was a big one: His 40th! Yes, folks, the big 4-0! The beginning of the Continue reading →

How to Avoid Tearing During Birth

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Its enough to make you go all Michael Jackson-esque, and grab your own crotch and wince, right? You know? The thought of ripping that delicate flesh of…down there. At least that used to be my reaction as a youth, whenever I heard these horror stories of women who had birthed and torn themselves to seemingly shreds. And I mean, just looking at the stats of all the stories, it seemed like it was inevitable that a woman was to tear more often than not. Even as excited and relaxed as my view on birth had always been, that little factor of tearing, or worse yet, being SLICED open by the doc always seemed to be looming in the back of mind. Like a tiny little birth bogey man, grinning in the back shadows of my thoughts.

And I don’t think I was the only one who thought like that. Right? I mean, you still Continue reading →

But I wanted Blue Balloons…A Mother’s Confession

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Yes, in case youre wondering, I’m back on to our recent gender reveal of our third baby. Hope Im not boring you with it already, but there’s just so much more to that day. It was seriously a fun and lovely day…but I wasn’t kidding when I said it was emotionally taxing. Yes, for the girls, for sure. Their reaction was something else – something I wasnt quite prepared for. (read here). In fact, I was a bit blind sided at first. But, what you might not know, is that it was a bit hectic for me too. And please make no mistake, I am no liar – I truly am beyond filled with joy that we are having another girl. And I guarantee you, it would the same if it was a boy. In fact, I feel a touch horrid for even voicing this, but I’m also Ok voicing it -if you know what I mean…But I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t secretly hoping it WOULD be a boy.

Maybe you’re judging me because of that confession right there.*Trax bracing for the judgement* And whilst I won’t truly Continue reading →

A Decision to Birth at Home

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As any parent would gladly offer up to you, the path to parenthood is well-laden with poigniant decisions that need to be made. All of which are always so personal and unique to the dynamic of your own little family. And in a perfect world, we could all share our decisions, if we so choose to, without fear of judgement or ignorant side comments tossed our way. But alas, that is not the world we live in – and that’s ok, I guess… So against all good and sane advice, I’ve decided to go public with our decision to birth at home. Obviously all well-laid plans can go completely to shit in the birthing world – I am pretty firmly rooted in the land of reality, so I’m not oblivious to this. And that’s also ok – for I am also completely open to unpredictable nature and rhythms of birth. But mostly, I am deeply and strongly rooted in the confidence and belief I have in my body.

Although, that statement is more around birth itself, than around homebirth, isn’t it? So last night, when Mike very casually asked me, “so, Continue reading →

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