July 2012Life Love and Hiccups: July 2012
Life Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and Hiccups

Tuesday 31 July 2012

A Blissful and Guiltfree Weekend Escape

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Well hello there and Happy Monday! Shhhh I know it's really Tuesday now and I didnt get around to blogging yesterday. I am a day behind and I basically don't give a hootin kaboot because I am as relaxed and chilled out as a walrus after our fabulous weekend away. Yes I just likened myself to a walrus...... I have no idea why either!

Well Mr Murphy behaved himself and didn't pull any sly ones on us before we left for our weekend away. Not to be outdone though, he did save one up for us when we got home, but it didnt actually stop us from going away for once.

After we took the kids to karate and soccer, dropped them off to where they were spending the weekend, and then ran through the drill with our house / dog sitters, we were finally on our way.

We headed up to The Crown Plaza at Terrigal and checked ourselves into our ocean view suite we had booked especially for my hubby's birthday getaway. 11 long years we have waited for this kidless weekend and can I tell ya, it was worth every precious minute of that waiting.

The view was to die for. Actually considering we were up on the top floor you probably would cark it if you fell from the balcony, but the vista was just divine.

We also overlooked the gorgeous hotel pool where we were amazed to see people swimming and sunbaking in bikinis - in the middle of Winter!


We could even see the ocean from the bed. This place is a little slice of heaven.


The peace and quiet was just blissful and the two of us pretty much couldn't stop grinning at each other like a couple of rogue teens who had just runaway together and we just kept saying over and over again "How good is this"!

Minutes after we had settled in, the hotel kindly sent us up a bottle of bubbly as a welcome gift. Such a sweet kind gesture and we promptly stashed it away in our bag to take home with us. No were not being pure and sober like and yes we very very grateful, it's just that we had also brought along with us in a little esky a chilled bottle of Moet one of my hubby's gorgeous customers had given us to celebrate our freedom and well faced with the decision of which bottle to crack open, the Moet won!

I had intended to take lots of photos with my DSLR this weekend, but to be honest I really couldn't be bothered lugging it around with me, so instead I just snapped away with my phone. I looked like a proper tourist taking photos of anything and everything. Come on I was a little excited.

As darkness fell, we started getting all excited about our night out with no babysitter curfews. After frocking up in our fancy pants we headed out for cocktails. And if all the champagne and childless freedom of the afternoon wasn't enough to send us totally giddy, the pre dinner cocktails well and truly did the job. We were laughing and giggling and being gushingly smoochy like those newly loved up couples it's sometimes really embarrassing to be around - actually I was pretty much embarrased to be around us myself.



This was just what we needed, to let our hair down and just laugh and remember exactly why we have blissfully been together for 21 years.

As we walked to the restaurant from the cocktail bar I checked my phone and saw a missed call from home. I quickly dialled home all the while holding my breath and hoping everything was ok. It was. But one of my boys had called to say goodnight and I consequently copped an earful from a certain 11 year old who proceeded to chastise me for not being responsible and answering my phone when he called. Apparently when I hadn't answered he began to get worried about us and in future we really should listen more carefully for our phone when we are out! Ummm helloooo who's the parent here? I'm sure he will get many an opportunity to pay us back for the worries in the years ahead.

And so half tanked and hungry enough to eat the hind leg off an elephant we finally made it to dinner. Oh man to eat a dinner at a leisurely pace without having to worry about apologising to fellow diners for an escaped munchkin crawling under their table, numerous bathroom visits, telling kids to sit down and behave or having to cut up meals for anyone - it was such a novelty and we could not stop feeling like we were a couple of phonies playing at being grown ups.


I tell you, we gorged ourselves on so much good food. We had Entrees, mains AND we shared a dessert. I believe we were pretty much the last ones sitting there at the end of the night with the waiters eyeing us off with that look that clearly says - "Can you leave already - we want to go home"! Eventually we drained our glasses and waddled our way out of there.
 

Back in our room, with a quick phone call to reception, we had scored ourselves a late check out at 12pm at no extra charge. It is so worth just asking the question, as let's face it - a 10am check out is NOT what you want after a night of over indulging.

The next photo is of the view from our balcony of the most gorgeous sunrise ...... or so my hubby tells me. He took these photos as I was still well and truly in the land of lala at that ungodly hour.
 
After the hubstar eventually managed to drag me out of bed at *ahem* 9.30ish, we headed downstairs to top up our greedy bellies. I'm really not kidding when I tell you we ate a lot this weekend!

 
It was the most fantabulous weekend away and if I am totally honest, I really didn't feel much of that dreaded mother's guilt at all. I missed them - yes - but guilt? Nah ah! I can understand now why so many people have encouraged us to just get away for a weekend, just the two of us and it has been officially decided that this is something that we will do for ourselves and our relationship once a year from here on in.

Now I mentioned earlier that Mr Murphy didn't exactly let us get off scott free didn't I? Hmmmm an evening at the hospital with our middle son on the night we got home gave us a little reminder that you never mock My Murphy and his laws of the universe. It seems yet another one of our boys has been struck down with tick allergy and will most likely be allergic to mammal protein as well. So he now totes an epi-pen and appetite for seafood! Our weekly food bill just went up a buck or fifty. Ouch!

But as I sat in that hospital waiting room, all I kept thinking to myself was "Wowsers how chilled out and relaxed am I being about this whole situation.

I do believe a nice weekend away will do that too you!


On another note - does anyone have any natural detterants for ticks that you know about?

Friday 27 July 2012

Don't F%$# With me This Time Mr Murphy!

Pin It I'm a little bit excited today and by a little I mean humongously, as this weekend I am taking my hubby away for his birthday and it is going to be our first weekend away by ourselves for wait for it ....11 years!

I'll give you a sec to pick yourself up of the floor.

I know right? So now you can understand why I am walking around with a totally goofy look on my face like this....




A whole weekend, no kids, just me and him and lots of yummy food, cocktails, walks on the beach and well lets just say I haven't plucked, primped and preened for nothing yeah?

In typical Murphy's law I realised when I looked at my diary that I had booked our weekend away right when my monthly visitor was due to arrive, but I think some greater power felt sorry for me - the poor woman who has not been alone with her hubby for 11 years, and decided to send my monthly visitor a week early. Thank you heavens - I mean I am not intending on going all Fifty Shades or anything but COME ON, 11 years!

So many friends have told me that their monthly visitor always arrive right when they are due to go on holidays or a big night out! Seriously what's with that? Is it a cruel practical joke from nature? Oh look she's going away on a holiday and thinks its going to be all sunshine and roses - let's totally stuff her up and make her a psycho cranky cow for at least part of the duration!

hmmm

So why haven't we been away for so long on our own you may ask? Mother's Guilt - need I say more?

Oh I have booked weekends away, but I spend so much time worrying about the kids before I go that I think I manage to somehow manifest my worries into some sort of illness that they get struck down with and then I can't possibly leave my babies whilst they are sick and I end up cancelling the trip.

Arghhhhh

This week of course Murphy was playing up again and my boys were struck down with tick bite allergies. One of them is even covered in big open sores from the tick bites (sorry to gross you out). But this time I am determined to not let that stop us, and I have been applying the medicated cream to him like fifty times a day and using half a tube each application because clearly slathering that much cream on will make them heal faster right?

The boys are being shared out amongst friends and family and even the dogs have a lovely family coming to stay in our house to babysit them whilst we are gone. So unless it's a (touch wood) major major issue, I really don't need to know about any problems back at home. Let's face it - Firemen are quite capable of removing heads from chairs, stitches don't really hurt as much as everyone thinks and dogs have a great sense of smell so they'll find their way back home again.

But I may or may not phone to check in once in while, you know, just to remind my babies that I love them and all that, in case they have forgotten in the 36 hours I am away from them.

When was the last time you got away and where did you escape to?

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Happy Birthday To One Rocking Hubstar

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See that lovely man there - it's my gorgeous hubby and today is his birthday. So if you are wondering where I am today, I am cooking that poor guy a big slab of meat!

No that's not some dirty connotation, its just my way of saying I am so sorry you have to put up with a pretty much vegetarian household but cause we love you so much I am totally going to cook a cow for you!

Hun, you are one totally rocking hubstar and I am so lucky to have you in my life.

Happy Birthday Gorgeous man! I'll take you over George Clooney any day! xxx

Tuesday 24 July 2012

Make Your Own Easy Canvas Wall Art

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I'm all for reusing and recycling. Actually if I'm being totally honest with you I'm all for digging around my house and garage to find bits and pieces I can use to make up the random ideas I get in my head and as I am trying *ahem cough cough* to stop being so free and easy with money, I kinda have to get creative with what I've already got.

And so I decided I wanted to make a canvas wall hanging out of some left over material I had from cushions I made. Its for our TV room upstairs which is just one of the many makeover projects I have going on at the moment.

Now this ain't rocket science this little project. But it is quick and easy and you can totally get a little creative hit out of finishing a project in under an hour. Great news for any of my fellow project Junkies. Sometimes you need a quick and easy project to keep you motivated right?

So these were the cushions I made up using the quick and easy cushion instructions I posted about last week. I wanted to make a wall hanging that matched the cushions using up the left fabric.


I gathered up my supplies and if you use the same technique as me (that would be the quickly slap it together technique) you will need the following bits and bobs.

A canvas to cover
(You can even use Styrofoam if you have it lying around)
Clear Spray Adhesive
Material
Staple Gun
Hot Glue Gun


This was the old canvas I decided to recover. It was a painting I did a few years ago that had well and truly seen it's day.


Start by spraying a light coat of adhesive spray directly on to your canvas and then smooth your material over it and press down. I didn't have enough of this material to cover the whole canvas so I just cut the material in half and covered each end, leaving a gap in the middle.


After a few minutes of letting the material dry and set, carefully flip your canvas over and stretch the material and staple to the back. Make sure your material is lined up exactly how you want it before you staple as it's a major pain in the proverbial to have to pull the staples out to straighten it all up.


Now for the middle panel. I iron a single folded hem flat with a hot iron.


Once again I sprayed the canvas with the adhesive spray, pressed it down and stapled into the back. Then using my hot glue gun I put a fine strip of glue down the edges of the panel to seal them and prevent any fabric lifts.


Finish it all off by gently ironing over the whole canvas to get a smooth crease free finish.


And there you have a quick and easy canvas wall art to update your room.


As you can probably tell, I am having a ball at the moment getting my Martha on and I am for the first time, very grateful for my hubby's hoarding habit as I am finding all sorts of goodies in the garage to use in my makeovers.

Do you have a hoarder in your family?
What gems have you whipped up lately using stuff you found around the house?

Today I am linking up with
The Fabulous Jess from Diary of a SAHM 
Coastal Charm Nifty Thrifty Tuesday 
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Thriving On Thursdays Domesblissity 

Monday 23 July 2012

The Best Ever Chilli Tomato Basil Dipping Sauce

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I don't cook as much these days as I used to, mainly just on the weekends as it is my lovely hubby that takes care of our weekday meals. But despite not spending a lot of time in the kitchen, I do love watching cooking shows. There is something about sitting down with a nice glass of wine and watching a good cooking show and getting totally inspired to cook. In fact it's probably the thing that most inspires me to cook ..... the cooking show I mean.... ah heck who am I kidding - the wine pretty much inspires me too!

This weekend we were lurking around the city region after one of the boy's Rugby game and since we were in the area we decided it was the perfect excuse to go to the fish markets. When I say "we decided", you have to know I really mean I decided and actually come to think of it we were no where near the fish markets but somehow I managed to convince the hubstar to head in that direction anyway.

My boys so take after me when it comes to adoring their seafood and whilst my obliging hubby and two of my kids and a friend of theirs chowed down on some sashimi, my middle son Sammy and I wolfed into some Lobster.

Oh man am I creating a monster I can't afford to keep or what?



There is just something about the fish markets, the fresh fish, the colours, the produce and the buzz, it all gets me so inspired.



So I decided to cook my special secret recipe for dinner although its not such a secret now is it as I am about to publish it on the world wide web. But trust me on this, just make it and you can totally thank me later.

Tomato, Chilli and Basil Dipping Sauce



This sauce is the perfect accompaniment to go with fresh prawns and crusty bread. Mmmmm I just ate it for dinner and already I am drooling at the thought of more.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 Tablespoons of Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice
2 crushed cloves of Garlic
a generous handful of fresh Basil
1 red chilli (medium heat) seeded and thinly sliced
a pinch of sea salt

Simply chop up your chilli and crush your garlic and throw all your ingredients into a pan.
Stir over a medium heat until it begins to lightly caramelise
I use scissor to chop my basil in at this point and stir it through the sauce.
Once the basil has withered turn of the heat.



You can serve this sauce hot or cold - any which way it is just divine.

We served it over fresh prawns and some sliced up crusty sourdough sticks.

Make sure you have plenty of spare bread to mop up all the sauce. You wont want to leave a drop on your plate.





So what did you get up to this weekend?
Did you pull a con job on anyone to take you somewhere you were nowhere near or am I the only deviot around here?

Friday 20 July 2012

Krispy Kremes are SO a Remedy for Mothers Guilt!

Pin It Mothers Guilt, it is a beast that doesn't want to be tamed right! EVERY mother feels guilt doesn't she? Its the bonus steak knives you get when they hand you your precious newborn and whether you are a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum, you're gonna get those damn steak knives whether you like it or not!

I've battled the old Working Mothers Guilt for like forever. I didn't really take maternity leave when I had my babies, I started back at work two weeks after my first was born, although I did cut back on my hours and worked from home around his sleep. I had 3 months off for my second baby, most of which was clouded in PND so I don't really recall much of it which I feel really guilty about. And then with my third son I started back working after 2 weeks off - albeit contracting from home. So you see I suffer from a major dose of guilts.

For me the way I control my guilt is through over compensating. Practical right? No not so much.

I volunteer for pretty much anything to do with my kids and school and sport, cause it makes me feel better. And when I am not working and I'm with my boys, I totally spoil them in every way possible. No need to tell me I'm doing it all wrong - I know and I feel guilty about that too!

Anyway today was just another day for guilt to pay me a visit. It was the kids athletic carnival at school and I couldn't go as I had to work and I felt like the suckiest mum ever. Completely racked with guilt I organised my mum to go in my place and I braced myself to tell them the news. They were stoked! Not because I couldn't go, back having Nanny there instead was way cool!

I figured out if I timed my meeting right for work, I would have time to swing by the sports centre and say a quick hello to the boys before I head home to continue working. Excited and inspired I ploughed through my meetings and made a dash to the sports carnival. I arrived in time as my mum was taking the kids home. It was over! Done and dusted and I had officially missed my kids sport carnival.

What made it worse was when one of my boys was so sweet and said to me "Its ok Mum, just the fact you tried so hard to get there means a lot to us". Oh those sweet sweet words meant with kindness was like a knife ripping into my heart, twisting around, slicing it up and going back for seconds.

So how did I deal with the guilt that was rising up and repeatedly slapping me in the face? With these little suckers......


I partially blame the fabulous Mrs Woog as I have managed to avoid gorging myself on these babies for years, until she shouted me one the other day - actually I believe her words may have been "let's roll a Kripsy"! And just like a domestic animal that gets the taste of blood and cant get enough, I had reacquainted my tastebuds with these butt buldgers and I haven't been able to get them off my mind since. So it may have influenced my decision to buy a box for my kids to say "I'm sorry I missed your running races today, but as a gesture of my remorse, please join me in sending our bodies into a complete diabetic coma eating every single one of these in one sitting".

And we did eat every single one of those in pretty much one sitting and now I am sitting on the couch feeling totally ill and I swear my pants have just shrunk a size or two and quite frankly I am too busy crashing from a major sugar high to feel anything let alone guilt. So once again my overcompensation has successfully put a bandaid on my guilt.

By the way Mum - The boys have told me it's totally OK if I always have to work on Sports Carnival Day from now on as Nanny buys them really good stuff from the canteen and apparently Life Savers and Powerades totally trump Krispy Kremes.

Did you get the bonus steak knives at the birth of your baby?
If so how do you deal with your dose of Mothers Guilt?
Anyone know where I can buy Lifesavers and Powerade in bulk?

Thursday 19 July 2012

How NOT to Treat Your Computer!

Pin It Lucky for me I have a brother who is very handy with computers. He built my current computer system for me and saved me an absolute fortune which I am very grateful for, as I kind of suck at when it comes to anything electrical and appliances seem to have a short life span in my care.

For the past couple of months my computer has been having multiple spack attacks a day, I could'nt get on to my email, the internet kept crashing and it just generally seemed to have a bug in the system.

When my computer finally decided it didn't want to turn on anymore, I called my brother and asked him to fix it for me and he kindly agreed. Then last night the photos started coming through on my iPhone from him. It seems I did have a bug in my computer - literally! In fact I had a family of frigging spiders living in there.


That's not the worst bit though.

Apparently you need to vacuum the house that cases your hard drive every now and then so it doesn't get a dust build up in it. Dust build up can totally slow your system down and even stop your computer from booting up altogether..... so I found out.

I had *ahem* a little dust in my computer my brother tells me. Actually that's a very polite version of what he told me and the truth is my computer had um more than a little dust in it. Here's the pic he sent me - I am officially a computer Massarcist!


Needless to say my poor sick computer is still in hospital, so if you are waiting on an email from me - I do apologise for the delay. I have set up email now on my iPad and my Lap Top, but I cant get to any emails that were sent to me before today. So please email me again if you are waiting to hear from me.

 
I am definitely going to be paying a little more attention to my computer in future as I am totally lost with out everything I store on that beast and quite frankly I would be too scared to ever hand something like this over to my brother to fix again.

Fortunately for me and you if you too are guilty of neglecting your computer housekeeping, my loveley friend Margaret from Techie Mum has posted about How to Clean Your Computer - just for us! Thanks Margaret.

Did you know that your computer requires housekeeping like this? I had no idea!

Wednesday 18 July 2012

WIN a Tefal Soup and Co Soup Maker valued at $299

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Ok I am totally gonna go all gushy in this post and yup hand's up it is about a product that I was given free to try, but seriously this thing has me raving and I am soooo excited I get to give one away to one of you lucky readers.

You know that awful cloud that comes creeping into your home on a cold winter night? In our house it's called witching hour and it usually looms about 6pm just as kids are arriving home tired, cranky and hungry from their after school sports training and play dates. Hubby is stressed, I'm madly trying to finish work for the day and damn it, not a single brain cell has been spent on thinking up something for dinner.

Its about this point the kid's stares follow our every move like a poor homeless beggar eying you off as you eat a Big Mac.


Yeah I'm totally exploiting my kids with that photo, but hey - they've gotta earn their meal too! he he

I could have pashed my delivery guy when he knocked on my door with a big package that contained one of these in it for me.

That wickedly sleek machine my friends is the new super dooper Tefal Soup & Co Soup Maker and it cooks dinner AND cleans up for you. Ok it doesnt really clean up, but it does deliver you a piping hot bowl of whatever soup you can possibly imagine, in 25 minutes, WITH minimal mess. If this machine was human I would totally pash it too!


I was itching to try it out so after drooling all over looking through the gorgeous recipe book that it came with, I made my mind up. The Soup of the Day was Orange Soup - otherwise known as pumpkin soup (if my kids are out of earshot and are not listening).


It was honestly as simple as chopping up some vegies and chucking them into the soup maker, throwing in some water, vegie stock and spices and hit start.



25 minutes later we had this steaming hot soup and blissful silence as everyone was busy spooning gobfuls of delicious orange goodness into their mouths.


And I had this happy camper telling me what a good cook I was. I tell ya does it get any better?


Actually it does get better..... This fabulous contraption keeps your soup warm for 40 minutes, crushes ice for cocktails and you can even make milkshakes and smoothies in it...... on second thought let's focus on the cocktails part shall we.

As I mentioned earlier I am so excited that the awesome people at Tefal want to give one of you guys one of the Soup & Co Soup Makers valued at $299 so you can try it out for yourself. Bowchickawowwow!

Terms and Conditions
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what's your favourite soup to make. See I am not even making you work hard for this at all, that's what a good mood this machine has put me in.


BONUS ENTRY: For a bonus entry share this post on your Facebook or Twitter and leave an extra comment telling me you have done this.

Competition is open to Australian residents only
The winner will be selected by Random Org.com
Competition is open now and closes at 7pm Wednesday 01/08/12. 
The winner will be announced on this post right here on my blog and will have 48 hours to contact me to claim their prize.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

Congratulations to Beth - you have won yourself a Tefal Soup & Co Soup Maker. I have just sent you an email! Please please please claim your prize within 48 hours :)
 

Beth 17 days ago

Hehe look at them homeless boys, so freaking cute, one photo away from "please sir, I want some more", my favorite soup at the moment or mash really so the baby can shovel feed as well is leftover soup. I use all the vegetables and bits and bobs left in the fridge at the end of the week (it sounds smart but really it's just I can't cope with a teething baby and shops at the same time).
  ************************************************
Disclaimer: I wasn't paid for this post but I would totally do a zillion posts for these guys if they keep sending me stuff like this awesome machine!

Tuesday 17 July 2012

The Calm AFTER the Storm - Otherwise Known as Mornings

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It's the quiet few moments after the noise and chaos that is called mornings in our house, that I treasure the most in my day.

I know I am so not alone in the morning madness and selfishly I find solace in the thought that as I seethe at the lack of cooperation from my children's part, there are millions of other mums tearing their hair out that precise moment. Go the Sisterhood!

Despite the fact shoes have been set out the night before ready for the morning, they are hidden overnight by what I can only assume is some cruel weird poltergeist with a twisted sense of humour. Homework books disappear, drink bottles vanish, freshly ironed uniforms are crushed, kids are fighting over who gets the last serve of the Cereal that they normally don't eat but suddenly want because someone else has decided they want it too, dogs are barking desperate for their morning feed and my children seem to get some sort of sick joy out of my husband and I shouting at them like deranged loonies to hurry up and get dressed already like fifty two times in the space of an hour. ARGGHHHHHH Take a breath Sonia!

Eventually, I kiss them all goodbye as they pile out the door with my husband and I breathe in the sweet silence and absorb the calmness. I race to finish the breakfast clean up so that I can steal 10 minutes to sit down with my breakkie and a cuppa before I have to dive into my work for the day.

It's my time, ALL mine and I love nothing better than to soak up Every. Precious. Minute, eating my breakfast, drinking my cuppa and writing up my beloved lists of things to do for the day. Then ironically I put on some background music because all of sudden it seems just too quiet around here!





Do you have some special 'Me' time that you are fiercely protective of?
Do you get to eat your breakfast in peace or are you an on the go kind of gal?
Don't you hate the crushed leftovers at the bottom of the cereal box?

Monday 16 July 2012

I'm Not a Rugby Virgin Anymore, Oh and Happy Birthday Dad!

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Shirt Available here

I'm a soccer mum through and through. After years on the sidelines cheering my kids on, I know the rules, I'm comfortable that what I am calling out to my kids on the field is relevant to the game and I have a voice and more to the point, I'm not afraid to use it.

This year however, one of my boys after 6 years of being totally dedicated to his dream of playing for the Socceroos, decided that he really wants to be a Wallaby instead and defected to the world of Rugby Union.

Now this is a whole different ball game we are playing here - pun TOTALLY intended! We turned up for registration day and the coach took one look at my solid first born and rubbed his hands in glee and said "Great, we need more front rowers!" I very nearly shat my pants right there and then. My boy, my BABY on the front line with all that grunting and studs and head smashing action? What on earth had I agreed to?

I felt slightly better about the prospect after we headed straight to the local sports store and spent a small fortune on head gear, mouth guards, shoulder pads and an industrial sized drum of Dettol. But despite all that saftey gear, I still can't help but fret about my precious boy being chased down by a bunch of dudes ready to eagerly smash him to the ground.

It didn't help my fragile nerves when at the first training session of the season one of his teams mates was carted off in an ambulance with an arm that was snapped in two places. I think it was at that the point our gorgeous team manager Jody enlightened me to the fact that the canteen sold wine by the glass. Coping Cordial, liquid courage whatever you want to call it, I was very grateful to Jody and thought to myself, that's one smart team manager my boy has there.

I know nothing about Rugby and it seems that no amount of explaining seems to make an iota of a difference. It goes in one ear and out the other and I'm hands up admitting defeat on the subject. I figure I'll just cheer when all the other parents on our team are cheering or when my boy has the ball in his hands or brings down another kid on the opposite team who has the ball in his hands. In my case however it seems that ignorance equals silence and my son has been very grateful that my days of screaming out from the sidelines are behind us.... until today.

Today was special. Today our team won their second game of the season with a score of 47 to 7 and today my boy scored his first try.

Yes today was the day I lost my Rugby Virginity and graduated from the silent spectator role and let the world know (or at least everyone at this particular field) that I'm not really the shy reserved and quiet new Rugby mum after all. I screamed like a banshee as my son dodged, trampled and barged and galloped the length of the field before performing a totally unnecessary but super impressive superman style dive over the try line.


I was fist punching the air, jumping up and down and hugging anyone in grabbing distance. I desperately wanted to run out onto the field and smother my boy in kisses, but a little voice inside my head called a conscience insisted that it would just be too cruel. Instead I waited until after the game and then I went into full gush mode.

Luckily my hubby was snapping away with the camera and managed to capture his try in all it's glory, including the spectacular Superman dive.

I still know nothing about how the game is played and I am sure I will still stress about every little thump or tackle I witness, but by hell I found my voice and my enthusiasm for this game today and I am proud to say that I am now a Soccer mum AND a Rugby mum to boot!




On another happy note, this weekend my beautiful Dad celebrated his 71st Birthday. I will never ever have difficulty figuring how old my dad is turning as he turned 60 just 7 weeks after my first son was born. 60 is a big milestone birthday and my Dad had to make it one to remember for all of us by getting some bizarre illness that left him in a coma and on life support for over a week. Yeah we don't do things by halves in this family.



We were laughing today over lunch as we remembered some of the funnier moments of what was possibly one of the most stressful times of my life. You see we are a bit of a strange family with a very off centre sense of humour and whilst we waited to see if our precious Dad would wake from his coma we hatched ideas about what we were going to tell him had happened whilst he was out of it. Oh nothing too far fetched, we were just going to age him about 20 years, tell him his 6 month old granddaughter was married and that Steve Irwin was now Prime Minister of Australia. Cruel aren't we, but hey they were dark hours we were facing and our twisted plans made us laugh at a time that laughter would normally have been the last thing you would expect from a quiet ICU room.

Thankfully my Dad pulled through and is still with us today. He is adored by all his grandchildren and his kids and my mum. Not so much by the local post office, newsagency, Medicare Office and his local Aldi, but hey we cant be friends with everyone right. The thing about my Dad is he calls a spade a spade - he is also an incredibly inspiring role model, has a wicked sense of humour, is admirably strong of opinion, fiercely loyal and supportive and has the most generous of hearts, but he calls a spade a spade. He is certainly not afraid of speaking his mind which I so admire about him and a spade will never go to sleep wondering if it is or isn't, because if you ask my Dad, it's an effing spade alright!

Dad, I have no idea why, but I am not really good with always telling you how I feel in words. I give you the biggest of hugs and I hope you can feel how much I love you in those hugs, but I also hope you know that I adore you and everything about you. You are the most wonderful pop in the world and I give you a Platinum A plus in the dad stakes and I am just so grateful that my own children have had the chance to enjoy what a wonderful man and father you are.

Happy Birthday Dad and a HUGE cheers to many more and I promise you the first dance at your grandaughter Meg's wedding.


I have another exciting giveaway coming up this week, so stay tuned folks!

In the meantime, tell me - do your kids play sport? If so are you a vocal spectator or do you manage to show self restraint?