Boxes are packed.

We're moving house.
Stick around, i promise to be back as soon as possible.

This was going to come later in the week, due to my laptop deciding to play up on me (maybe it's telling me i need to concentrate more on packing?) I'm just going to put this up now, while i have this minimal access thanks to my dear sister letting me jump on her laptop today. Hopefully in the moving time i can fix my laptop too and then i will be back with some great things!

Fight the Chill

Winter.

I've posted about the Winter Blues before, as more of a depression thing, but as winter fast approaches i feel the need to open it up again.

Everyone has a favourite season, mine used to be Summer until my second pregnancy spent very big in very high temps with no air con. I thought Autumn was pretty awesome after that, but this Autumn has been pretty chilly and I'm not liking that. So right now it's Spring. Maybe not.
I like warm temps (not hot) and i do not like the rain (unless it's a hot day, so i can go dance in it like nobodies business). I like to sit in the sun and watch my kids run amok. I like sunny mornings where i leap out of bed ready to tackle the world, rather than the dreary cold one's where i just don't want to move. I like warm summer nights sitting outside enjoying a cold drink and talking with good friends.
All if this i long for when winter is yet to hit.

So i ask, how do you get through winter? Are you a fan of the cold rainy days that drag on for weeks? Do you have any tips you would like to share that may help other's to have an easier winter?

The Facebok De-friending.

Something happened recently. I was defriended by someone on Facebook. Not someone i am particularly close with, but someone i don't think i have ever wronged or upset. Basically one of Mr Black's friends girlfriends.
It was only recently that we became Facebook friends (like this year).
I'm not upset she defriended me. We didn't interact much (other than her asking me to make something for her unborn baby). I didn't even notice until last night when Mr Black was logged on (a rare occurrence) and i saw an update from her and i noticed when i logged out and into my account it wasn't on my feed (which then prompted me to check).
What baffles me is why she would defriend me, and not him? Seeing as we are sorta one and the same?
Am i the only person who feels like if i have one person from a couple on my Facebook, that i need to keep the other. I can't just defriend one and not the other? I mean it is essentially pointless and if i did i would assume that they would both still be reading all my stuff.

I am also a serial defriender (that is why I'm not offended in the slightest). I like to keep my Facebook friends list small. It's mostly family, and friends i see regularly in real life. If i don't interact with people regularly i delete them. Simple. No point in lurking around in the background, even if it's just Facebook.

What is your take on the Facebook game? Are you a serial defriender? Or a friend collector? Do you ever browse your partners Facebook? Do they browse yours? Do you keep someone if you want to keep their partner?

Ok so maybe I'm a bit hurt, i think mostly because i am worried i may have unintentionally upset her in some way, and how the heck do i act around her now because we do still see each other in social situations. But i don't think i will lose any sleep over it. Especially as i wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for Mr Black.

Writing.

Writing.
Most of us eat, sleep and breathe it.
Every thought, every experience, it's something to be written about.
But what do you do with those moments you don't want to share with every Tom, Dick and Harry?
Me personally, i have a Journal (Diary, whatever you want to call it). I put pen to paper and i write. It's completely free, and i don't have to moderate anything in there. Sometimes i will take something from there and adapt it and turn it into a blog post, but mostly it's just writing for me. Documenting. Recording. Releasing.

In it i write letters to my children. I use it to hold inspiring thoughts or quotes. I vent or divulge in some of my deep dark secrets. But it is my place for me, where i can be unedited, i don't have to think about getting the wording "just right" or if i write this or that how it may offend someone.

I used to keep a diary for much of my teen years. I stopped not long before meeting Mr Black (sometime when i was 18) and when i found out i was pregnant with Bluey i burned them all in some sort of major ritual that was supposed to symbolize me letting go of the past, leaving it behind and opening myself up to the future. Really i just think i was so embarrassed by the things i wrote from 12-18 that i didn't want anyone to ever be able to read that shit stuff. Really who wants to read a teenagers angst and turmoil anyway?


But now I'm back at it. I do give it more thought with my maturity, after all this is something i assume my children will read one day (especially as there are letters to them in there). I think with age, becoming a mother, i have gained a lot more wisdom and perspective than my teenage self.

Do you keep a journal? (Diary, whatever.) Did you keep one as a teenager? Do you still have them if you used to keep them? (Would you be interested in sharing some of those entries with me? If so please let me know and leave your email for me to contact you on).

If you're interested this is what my current journal looks like

Holiday.

It's been quiet on The Mummy Autobiography over the last week, yes?
Well it's because that was our view for a few days. Yep right up there. Isn't it beautiful?
The kids and i packed up and headed north to stay with my bestie and her very gorgeous family for a few days.
It was wonderful and i did a lot of writing whilst up there, a lot of chatting, and a lot of just relaxing, something i haven't done since....oh i don't know, high school?

What has everyone else been up to these school holidays? Anyone go away anywhere?

As a bonus I've thrown in this picture which is my besties interpretation of me in sand form.

Want to catch up?

Come in.
Wipe your feet.
Would you like some tea?
How about a coffee?
Wait....I don't drink either.

I know i know pick your jaws up off the floor. It is actually a true fact that i do not drink tea or coffee. Nor does Mr Black, so we are a caffeine fee house (that's if you are able to overlook his serious coke drinking problem, or his love of Iced Tea's....yeah i don't get it either).
It's funny because a lot of people with children stare blankly at me when i say i don't drink coffee or tea. I do get the questions of "How the hell do you stay awake then?" I don't really know the answer to that.

I've also had many people tell me stories about how in their early 20's they didn't drink it either, but they used to love the smell and eventually they grew to like coffee. I never really understood that until my pregnancy with Greenie.  I never ever liked the smell of coffee, i always thought it was revolting. Then, when i was about 6 months pregnant with Greenie, i walked past a Gloria Jeans one day, and that was it. I was hooked like a drug addict, every time we walked past cafes or coffee shops I'd find some excuse to slow down and amble past soaking that coffee goodness in through my nose.

Still couldn't stand to drink it though.

I figured once i gave birth to Greenie it would be gone. As most pregnancy cravings, they're there when you're pregnant, and gone when you're not right? Well it seems this is a smell that has lingered for me. So i am often eager to "Go get a coffee" with people and really i just order a milkshake and sit there sucking in the smells like a junkie.

What about you? Do you drink coffee? Or tea? Do you love the smell of a freshly brewed pot?

Late to the game

I admit it.
I wasn't going to blog today. I wasn't feeling too greatful, instead i felt like i was drowning in a sea of darkness.
But this afternoon it hit me, something that has often brought me a range of emotions in the past, and many times calmed me, music.

What i listen to can depend on my mood, or what i have handy, or even what may just be stuck in my head.


What about you? Are you a music person?

Today i am linking up and playing along over at Maxabella Loves. You should too!

Unwanted Friends?

Dear Friend,

I watched the other day as you yelled at a berated your child. You spoke down to them and screeched in anger. They didn't listen to you, of course, children don't respond well when they're being yelled at and called names. But i watched silently. I did not judge, instead where i disagreed with your choice to handle the situation, i reasoned that that day could have been the worst day in your life, that you were having a moment, and that you were brave to share that with the world. To say "Hey i have bad days and lose it at my kids too. It's ok, we all do it."
Not my choice in actions, but like i said, it wasn't my choice to make.

A week earlier i watched you run around like a chicken with it's head cut off when your other child went missing. You were too busy trying to eavesdrop in on a private conversation and didn't notice for 10 minutes they had gone until i said something to you. You found your toddler on the road you told me. You had lost your child within another 5 minutes. Again i didn't judge. I kept my opinions to myself, after all toddlers are tricky little people aren't they? They're fast and they fit through ridiculously small spaces, it could happen to anyone i said. And i knew it could.

I listened to you when you expressed your disgust at my use of cloth nappies. I laughed along when you said they were yuck and stinky. I didn't try to educate or sway you. I just smiled and said "There are a lot of benefits, and besides i don't have to worry about how much nappies cost".

I listened to you when you spoke to me about the hardships in your life. I empathised and offered to help, to provide respite if you needed at any time. I acknowledged that it wasn't an experience that i could say i had been through, and i wouldn't pretend i understood, but i was happy to listen if you ever needed to vent.

I did not judge you. There is a lot i did not agree with, i did not understand, but i did not put you down, i did not lie to you, i simply chose to see the positive, to be compassionate.

How i wish you could do the same. I wish you didn't belittle me because i "have such well behaved kids" that i "couldn't possibly understand". We have bad days too, my children just know they have expectations to be met and when they don't meet them we talk about why they didn't and what we could do better next time, i don't scream at them and let the whole world know my business. I don't call them names. I talk to them calmly, and like i would like to be spoken to. I don't pretend my life is perfect, because perfect is different for everyone, i let you know about our flaws, our bad days. I guess they're not "bad enough" for you. I guess you treat people like you treat your children, with berating and looking down your nose at them.

I'm sorry that your life is that bad that you cannot offer others, not even your children a warm smile. Some understanding, or simply some respect. I have tried, but now i feel it best to keep my distance, to remain polite, but detached. I don't need to be belittled, and my children don't need to be around your abuse. I am sorry that it has come to this though. It is for these reasons that no, i do not wish to make play dates with you. Please stop asking.

I hope that one day you can find your spark, or your sense of common decency one day. Remember do onto others as you'd have them do onto you.
Regards

What about you? Have you ever made friends with someone only to realise that they're not the type of person you want to be friends with, but you cannot seem to escape them? Do you speak up when someone does something you strongly disagree with? Do you turn a blind eye? Or do you offer understanding? Have you ever written or wanted to write a letter to a person to tell them what you really think of them?

Oh Jackie O!

Ok, I've watched many people blog about this, and i have agreed with the majority with the lack of compassion and support that has been showed. However i only just sat down to read the article myself this afternoon after a busy weekend, and i am just...i am furious!

Ms Goward, are you a fucking parent yourself?
I am absolutely calling for her sacking, because she is NOT fitted to be a "families" minister. How the FUCK is Jackie O endangering her baby to have her child in her arms as she crosses the road? How is that endangering her child?
I have talked before about my love of baby wearing and essentially holding your child in your arms is the same no? And i don't know about other parents, but personally i feel my children would be safer in my arms than in a stroller if were were crossing the road and something awful were to happen. So uhhh, maybe I'm a really terrible parent and i should have my vagina sewed shut to stop me from procreating and screwing up our human race any further, but how the fuck is holding your child in your arms when you cross the road dangerous?
What is dangerous about it?
Is it just because there is a bottle in the child's mouth? Because working a bottle really isn't a hard learnt skill, and i don't see how it would be distracting to crossing the road.

Are we as people that bored, are our politicians that freaking bored they have nothing better to do than to sit around and watch celebrities cross roads and then waste time bitching publicly about the way in which they cross the road?
Are you fucking kidding me?

When there are children out there being beaten up, suffering emotional abuse, being molested, or starved, no, it's apparently more important to police how "awful" it is to cross the road with your baby in your arms. The safest fucking possible place.
So Ms Goward, i would hide your sorry arse, because i am sure that there will be many mothers happily ready to tear you a new one.

And to other politicians or people who are lucky enough to have such a public soapbox, please think twice about what you say and how you would like yourself portrayed because Ms Goward has just lost any respect people may have had for her with that stupid piece of  crap she dribbled.
And Jackie O? Keep on doing what you're doing, a wonderful job, and remember the stupid bullshit comments like this come from sad sad little people with nothing better to do. Feeding your baby while you walk? There is NOTHING wrong with that. Nor is there returning to work when YOU want to.


If you'd like to read some more and what other bloggers are saying about this you can check out some wonderful posts at GGMH, WoogsWorld and The Things I'd Tell You