Facebook is my library.and I love bloggers!!

I love reading, always have and always will.  Lately if I am picking up an actual book it means I have insomnia as for me it is a guaranteed way to put me to sleep!!  Before kids I would buy at least 2 books a month and when I was pregnant, crazy and I thought we were moving I packed up all my/our books.  I gave away 2 boxes that I did not want anymore and I think there is 3 big and 2 medium boxes filled with books in our shed waiting to be unpacked and re read again.  This does not include our ever growing children's book collection.  God bless my local salvos shop!!  Even thought they are 3 and 1 my boys love their books and I really hope they will read because they want too and not because they have to.  There is nothing better than being lost in a good book but at the moment I cannot get truely lost as I always have one ear open waiting for the inevitable "muuuuuuum" or "waaaaaaaaaaaah"!!  The only must read I have at the moment is my trusty toddler book!! 

Sadly in the last 3 years I can count on one hand the number of books I have read.  Which is where facebook or more importantly blogs come into my story.

Nearly a year ago I found blogs and I have been hooked.  I have so many I read and enjoy.  These are  funny, touching, inspirational, crafty, thought provoking, and I love being invited into bloggers lives. I know that there are blog readers but I prefer facebook as I can access it on my phone.  Just like I have my favourite authors I have my favourite bloggers who I must read everything they publish and  I love going through my facebook feed seeing all the titles and clicking if something catches my eye!!   I think I have about 50 I "like" and am constantly finding new ones. It really is like a library, bookshop or one big magazine!! 

Yesterday it occurred to me I prefer reading a blog to a magazine, newspaper or watching any of those "news shows" eg 60 minutes. That article in the sunday paper absolutely sealed it for me.  I cannot stand that ratings grabbing sensationalism that passes as information/entertainment.  I much prefer to hear people tell their own stories without having their words twisted or being asked stupid questions guaranteed to cause pain or embarrassment.  I  love reading 3 of the 4 blogs "featured" and the other one I had not heard of but is now another one for me to read!! I hope the bloggers in question demand a retraction be printed but most of all I hope they know how fabulous I think they are. 
Now my confession to all you bloggers is that  I am a shocking commenter, as in  I hardly ever comment.  In fact I have never commented on at least 5 of my favourites !!  I will try and resolve this by actually commenting sometime soon!!  In my defence I read a lot of blogs on my phone and it can be hard to comment as my phone does not always cooperate!!  This is where the "like" button is one of the best inventions ever!!

I started this blog as a way of participating in a challenge and I have been completing the challenge just doing it in my head!!  I have a fair bit going on at the moment and life is a little uncertain as we wait for the next stage of house building to begin and I have well and truely buried my head in the sand waiting for this next stage to begin and your blogs have been a great distraction!!  I hope to be able to blog a little more when life settles.  I have plans to write about the house building process and what no one tells you as the further into it I get the more false and misleading information I came across. A lot like child birth and parenting!!
Thank you to all the bloggers I read for being so funny,crafty, inspirational but most of all being REAL!!

I am linking this post today with

52 WEEK CHALLENGE- WEEK 6

Week 6 is all about goal setting. 

I have one goal this year and that is to get our house built.  It is consuming our lives and I cannot focus on anything else until that is complete.  I know life is going to be fantastic when it is built but the stress and worry are really overwhelming.

However I have been planning and thinking about how to make the house a  very organised and tidy home and looking past the building stage. When moments of clarity kick in and things seem less stressful its actually enjoyable to look forward instead of looking around.  I would be kidding myself if I try to set other goals as I know until life is settled again there is no way I can think about other things and give my whole self to anything.

Here is a list of my "goals" although it seems like to-do list!!

• Sort out and pack all our existing things
• Throw out/donate/sell ALL unwanted things
• Find furniture which is practical for the new house
• Stop stressing out so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

52 WEEK CHALLENGE- week 3

Week 3 is all about a mission statement.  I did not have to think too hard about this one as I know what mine is. I fell in love with this picture months ago and knew it was exactly what I wanted for our new house. I have brought it ready to be the first thing I put in the house.  There is a couple of different ones that I will buy when I find/remember where I saw them.  One is just for boys and the other is one for mums.  This picture is basically everything I wish for my boys and its also a great reminder for adults too.  Imagine living in a world where everyone followed what the picture says?

As far as a "mission statement" I feel my kids are too little at the moment to fully understand but it is something I would look at in the future. 

ps the pictue came from here!!

52 Week challenge- Week 5

WEEK 5

I am cheating a little bit and skipping weeks 3 and 4 for now.  Firstly I had major technical issues and could not access my blog and second I had a change of heart over blogging (not doing the challenge) after seeing some very ugly online bullying .

The first issue seems to be fixed for now but I still cant download the task from week 4!!  It was so frustrating as I have had week 3's challenge in my head but could not write it out.  I could read other peoples but not comment.  I would love a new computer!!

The second issue was an eye opener and nearly made me give up.  I was in complete shock and seriously doubted whether this was something I wanted to open myself up to.  I have cut certain people out of my life as I do not want to deal with their drama so why would I want to invite this kind of thing into my life?   After some serious thought I had another "light bulb" moment.  BY PRESSING "PUBLISH" I HAD FULFILLED A DREAM!!!!!!  The dream being a published author.  No one can or will take that away from me and I am here to stay!!

Back to the challenge which is a "catch your breath" week and for me that means finishing weeks 3 and 4!!

52 week challenge- WEEK 2

Week 2 into the 52 week challenge and after last weeks easy challenge this one had my brain in overdrive.   I could not get my head around it until i had an Oprah "lightbulb moment"  This is not a test, there is no right or wrong answers and the only person it matters too is me. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!  I know I am totally slow on the uptake!!!!!!  Anyway 11 days after the challenge was issued here are my answers!!! 

Initially I was going to say I value my family but I more than value them.  They are my world and life.  To clarify when I say family I mean my "nuclear family" thats my 2 babies and the HOTH. 
 I decided my VALUES are things i want to teach my boys as they grow

After I established these little facts in my own head it became a bit easier.

1. RESPECT   
2. HARDWORK
3. LEARNING
4. PLAY/FUN
5. UNIQUENESS

 RESPECT; yourself, your brother, mother, father, friends, extended family, home, possessions.
HARDWORK and LEARNING;  both these things lead to the next value PLAY/FUN. 
UNIQUENESS; be yourself and never be ashamed of who you are.

Week 2 done!!

Disclaimer
3 years of basically only reading kids books (some without words) has turned my once clever brain into mush!!  Don't get me wrong I am glad both my boys LOVE reading and I am glad that I am able to give them that gift but it has seriously played havoc with my ability to read and write!! 

Tuesday 10- TV shows

What a fantastic idea, I cant believe I have not come across this (and blog even though I like it on facebook)!!  Here are my top 10 fave tv shows. 

1. THE SHIELD  without a doubt the best show I have ever seen. 
2. SONS OF ANARCHY  only halfway through the first season but am absolutely in love with it
3. 24   is there nothing Jack Baur cannot do???
4. SEINFELD    never gets old no matter how many times I watch it
5. TWO AND A HALF MEN (with charlie sheen)  I like the new ones too but not as much as the old ones
6. EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND 
7. SPICKS AND SPECKS
8. BROTHERS AND SISTERS 
9. ARRESTED DEVELOPEMENT 
10. BOSTON LEGAL  

That was fun cant wait for next week!!

52 Week challenge-WEEK 1

52 week challenge


I have been thinking about blogging for a while now and i think this might be the thing to get me started!!





Thanks to facebook I came across this challenge and have decided to participate.  Apologies in advance as i have no idea what i am doing blogging wise but am hoping to learn as I go!! 

The first week of the challenge is all about 2011 and all the good things that happened in every aspect of your life EASY

• The most important event was the birth of my second son 5/1/11  He is an absolute delight and angel of a child,
• My eldest son turned 2 in March and it has been wonderful to watch him grow from a "toddler" into a proper little boy.  Tantrums and stubbornness i would not trade him for anything!!
• Clocking up 11 happily unmarried years with the HOTH (story for another day)!!  We fight like cats and dogs but without him I would not have my 2 boys or be able to stay at home with them!! 
• Finding a house builder who is not out to rip us off and who actually want to build the small house we are after
• The baby finally sleeping through the night after 8 long months and being able to share a room with his brother.
• The legal system working in our favour when we had major issues with another home builder.
• Being surprised with a family trip to Fiji at Easter with the HOTH's family as a Christmas present, its going to be great!!
• Finding out my 2 year old has a place at preschool starting in February.  He is very ready for a day a week of something other than being at home with me and I am very excited to have a day with just the baby. 
• On the 30/12/11  I decided to change my whole outlook on life and decided that life is way too short to not live it.  I have become spontaneous and stopped sweating the small stuff.  Example; buying a yearly pass to our National Park so that we have to get out and use it.

 It definately was not an easy year a lot of sad, horrible, frustrating and bad things also happened but this challenge has been great in making me put all that aside and look at only the good things.  Looking at this list its become clear how important my family are to my happiness and they are my main driving force.and i am grateful to have them in my life.