Wednesday, February 20, 2013

{The Grateful Project} Day 8-A clean laundry!


Today, what I am feeling so terribly grateful for, is that I finally cleaned my laundry! 

This is exciting stuff people! But the shameful thing is that it only took me just over an hour to clean, leading me to question myself as to why it took me so damn long to get around to doing it..???

Anyway, it is done now and its ready for its mini-makeover. As soon as I can decide on what exactly I'm going to do with it. 



The dreaded floor....


Oh that's right, we have black and white tiles in our laundry


Underneath all that crap, is a white bench top....


Ah, there it is



Just random crap filling precious cupboard space


Finally, a space to put the washing baskets



I was terrified of what was lurking under the sink....



Now a space for the dog food and a basket for all the vacuum cleaner and steam mop bits and pieces

This is all part of my ongoing endeavour to get organised. It doesn't come naturally to me. I hate mess and chaos, yet am surrounded by it constantly. I get started on a room or an area, and then I get distrac....ooo something shiny!

This time feels different though. I have read pretty much everything there is to read about getting organised, speed cleaning, time management so the know-how is there, I just need to get on with the actual doing of it. 

So inspired by Modern Parents Messy Kids: Project Organise Your Entire Life, I thought I would start with the laundry and, wow does it feel good to walk past that room and see the floor!


Lisa xx

{The Grateful Project} Days 6 and 7: My little man

We had a bit of a nasty encounter yesterday. Without going in to too much detail, it was the sort of situation where one is forced into defending their child and their parenting all at once. 

Apparently Marley had grabbed a little girls arm. She didn't cry or protest, but her mother happened to see it whilst I was looking away. Apparently that incident makes my child a 'bully' and me a 'neglectful parent' who cant watch her kids. 

Its not the first time Marley has been involved in an incident in a playground. And its not always Marley that is being the 'bully', often it is he who is the unfortunate victim. Its not ideal, but it is life and when you take your child to a place where they will interact with other children, it is pretty much a given that some kind of incident will occur. Most parents seem to understand this. 

We all try and watch our kids and teach them as best we can the right way to act in social situations, but no one can watch their child every single second, we do have to blink! 
And when you are the parent of two children, you have to watch both of them, which means looking away from one to look at the other. 

I don't take her 'neglectful' comments too personally. I know I'm not a neglectful parent but when someone threatens my child or bullies them, I suddenly feel this lioness instinct rise up inside me, and god help anyone trying to hurt my cub! 

Thankfully, I kept my cool and decided to leave. There was so much I wanted to say to her though. Apart from the abuse I wanted to hurl her way, I wanted to tell her that she had Marley all wrong! Yes he had acted a bit rough and that behaviour is not acceptable,  but there was so much more to him than just being a typical boisterous boy.

I wanted to tell her how smart and funny he is. And how incredibly sweet he can be to me and to his sister. He is so loving and affectionate and can be so gentle. He is friendly and polite and thoughtful. There is so much more to him than 'that kid that grabbed my daughters arm'. 

first day of kindy

camera shy??

hanging out with George

BMX bandit

He is never boring, always intense, often unpredictable and constantly questioning and challenging. There are days he makes me want to pull my hair out and yell and scream. And then there are the days when I cant get enough of him and all I want to do is lavish him with kisses and cuddles and tickle fights. 

Everyday I am grateful to have this little guy in my life. 

Lisa xx


Monday, February 18, 2013

Teddy Bears Picnic Party

Before Marley's 1st birthday party, I had already decided on the theme for his second birthday. 

This was back in the day when I was convinced I was destined to be a mother of only boys. I just knew our next child was going to be another boy and a third was completely out of the question. 

So I figured my only chance to throw a teddy bears picnic, was going to be for Marley's 2nd birthday, while he was still little and cute and loved his teddy bear and was too young to care about batman or Ben 10. 

I went into a lot of effort for the party, like a crazy amount of DIY was happening all over the place. I partly blame it on the pregnancy hormones but the reality is, im just crazy like that. 





Party table

A couple of months before the party, I set about making and gathering decorations. The first thing I did was make this tree back-drop out of brown and green card. Took me back to my primary school days! And you can't beat cheap-as-chips for budget decorations like this red-gingham table cloth. I think it was about $2. seriously! 

Teddy Bears Picnic party cake with matching cupcakes

The cake took FOREVER! All those little fondant decorations, and that picnic blanket was certainly no picnic to make. And you wouldn't believe how bad my hands cramped up piping all that grass BUT the cake turned out alright in the end and the buttercream grass tasted so yummy and not like grass at all. 


teddy bears lolly bags
The lolly bags were brown paper bags, filled with lollies of course. Red and blue personalised labels with a teddy bear cut out and red gingham bows to finish.

Teddy Bear racers


Beehive pinata


My first and only attempt so far at a DIY pinata. This thing took waaaay longer than I expected! I buy them pre-made these days....


the teddy bears picnic

Picnic for the teddy bears....they must be running late!




Pin the bow-tie on the teddy bear game

DIY pin the bow-tie on the teddy bear. This was a bit cute!




My beautiful blonde boy (left) back when he still had a hint of curls

So that was Marley's 2nd birthday. Now, he is a big 4 year old! And the batman and transformers and lego talk has been going on awhile now. We've done Under the Sea, a Teddy Bears Picnic, a train party and a beach party. I have managed to avoid a character themed party so far, but im sure ive got one coming for the big 5 party this year.


 Lisa xx

{The Grateful Project} Day 5: Costly little reminders

So today I got home to discover a GINORMOUS very unexpected bill just casually sitting there in my letterbox. Its absolutely my most favourite thing ever. Totally. I'm not joking not even a little bit. Actually yes, im completely joking because no one in the history of the world would ever consider 'ginormous unexpected bills' as their most favourite thing!

Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaay

So I got a little stressed (as you would expect) and I got a little angry with myself. I was all like 'self, seriously, get organised already!'

There is nothing I can do about the bill. It has to be paid. But there is something I can do about making sure I know when they are coming. So its time to get all grown up and sort my sh*t out-for realz this time. 

Im grateful for this (painfully expensive) yet very timely kick-oneself-up-thy-butt reminder. Its time to get organised!



Lisa xx

{The Grateful Project} Day 4: Lazy summer nights

pretty summer sunsets at Aldinga Beach


You may notice this post is one day late. That's because last night I was here /\, enjoying this view with friends, family and about 3000 tourists. Ok maybe a slight exaggeration, it was more like 2999. 

So grateful to live 2 minutes from this. I can come here whenever I want but I don't get here anywhere near enough. 

Now I just need to overcome my immense fear of sharks and learn me some surfin' moves, and Id be all set....

Lisa xx

Saturday, February 16, 2013

{The Grateful Project} Day 3:Girls night in

Tonight, I'm grateful for a night in at home, just me and my mini-me. 

While the boys are off doing manly things (Monster Trucks-can you get manlier than that!?!?), me and the little lady had a little mani/pedi sesh whilst watching the latest Tinkerbell. seriously.


pink AND sparkles!


This is my idea of a Saturday night! Im such a loser! But I love it!!

Lisa xx


Friday, February 15, 2013

{The Grateful Project} Day 2: Life's little lessons-Loving my children

This morning I received a phone call.
It is one I've had many times before. And every time it brings all these 'mother issues' up which I hate to think of.
I prefer to live in my bubble and not think of icky, feel-sorry-for-myself things like that. 


So today, im grateful that the way I was 'brought' up has made me the kind of mother I am today. No matter how crazy my kids make me, the spirited little delights that they are, they are, and always will be, the absolute most important people in my life. 

My kids are everything to me.

I assume most people feel the same way, but every now and then, I get a nasty little reminder that to some people (that I happen to be related to), this is not the case. Not.even.close. 



I cant imagine an event in my life more important than caring for my children.
I cant imagine another person being more important to me than they are.
I cant imagine not being there for them or being apart of their lives.
I cant imagine living around the corner from them, but not seeing them or speaking to them for months.

I am grateful that my kids will never ever doubt my love for them or how much I care for them or that I would go to the ends of the earth for them, for I tell them every.single.day. 

my sleeping beauties
So, today, Im grateful that despite having grown up with a very different 'parenting style', Im different. 

Im not perfect, far from it. 

But I love my kids with total and complete passion, so much so that I am consumed by thoughts of them constantly.
How to parent them.
How to care for them.
Am I doing things the right way? 
Am I feeding them properly?
Am I doing enough activities with them? 
Are they having fun?

If nothing else, I am totally and completely madly in love with my kids, and they know that.

And that my friends,makes me feel incredibly grateful. 

What little life lessons are you most grateful for?


Lisa xx

Thursday, February 14, 2013

{The Grateful Project} Day 1: The Husband

Today, on this first day of {The Grateful Project} and as it so happens to be Valentines Day, I am grateful for my husband Paul. 


The husband.

I am grateful my parents finally made the decision to move back home to Adelaide, after much pestering on my part.

I am grateful for, on my very first day of my new school, walking into that classroom 13 years ago, and sitting next to that girl, who happened to be dating this other guy who just happened to be cousins with this other guy named Paul. 

I am grateful that Paul chose me.

I am grateful that after so many loser boyfriends, Paul was actually a nice guy. 

I am grateful that he asked me to move in with him, to the house that he had worked so hard and saved so much to have. 

I am grateful that he asked me to marry him and Im grateful he made me wait as long as he did, for I really was not ready before then. 



Im grateful that he really wanted to have kids. 

Im grateful that he is such a good father.

Im grateful that he works so hard.

Im grateful that we are still together.

Im grateful that we can fight and argue and I can yell and scream, and be really mad at him, and know that he will still be here.






Im grateful that he puts up with me, messy, unorganised, fiesty me.

Im grateful to have had the same Valentine for 13 years. 

Who are you most grateful for?


Lisa xx


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Learning to be grateful

I don't know what has happened to me over the years but somewhere along the way, I have gotten a little lost.

Me as a baby with my very young parents...before siblings 1,2.3.4 and 5 arrived
I grew up in a big family, in a small town with very little money and even less opportunities. But, it was an awesome childhood! I loved being a part of a big family. No matter what kind of day I had at school or whatever friendship dramas I had going on at the time ( I was a girl, there was always drama!), I always had all these people to come home to, people that were on my side, my team.

It didn't matter that we didn't have money. Yes, it definitely sucked that Mum couldn't afford to buy me the 'cool' clothes and shoes, but I survived. 

I have fond memories of spending summer holiday mornings foraging for small change in between the couch cushions trying to find enough money to pay for our entry to the local swimming pool! Things weren't always that tight,but luxuries were always a rarity.

When I was a child, I could not wait to own my own house. I didn't care what kind of house it was, as long as it was mine and I could paint and decorate and rearrange furniture as often as I pleased.

I now have my own house. I can paint and decorate and rearrange furniture as often as I please.
But now, its not enough.

Its not big enough.
Its not made of brick.
Its not new.
Its not in the 'nice' part of town.
The layout sucks.
The bathroom tiles are ugly.
The ceiling is too low.
There isn't enough natural light.
And we only have ONE living room, ONE!
How do people function these days with two small children and only ONE living room???

Not only do I have my own house, but really, I have everything. 
Im happily married to a hard-working, loving, caring, generous man who is a fantastic, hands-on father to our two beautiful, smart, funny, outgoing children. 
We have a big family and lots and lots of great friends who make us laugh, keep us sane and share this crazy journey with us. 
We have two decent cars (that dont break down) our own business and I've even been lucky enough to be a stay-at-home Mum. 
I chose to go back to study and am now, finally, fulfilling my dream of studying interior design (despite the constant doubt and uncertainty that haunts me).

I have all of this, yet I still complain. I still whine. Its still not enough.
WTF is wrong with me???

My visit to the accountants yesterday was a bit of a wake-up call. I was complaining to him about our finances and willing him to tell me when things were going to pick up again, when we will be able to start getting on top of things again, when ill be able to go and spend money without having to think about it again. And he turned to me and said, 'I am getting at least one client a week in tears because they have no work, their business is going under, they are going to lose everything, they cant even support their families. You are lucky you still have work'

I needed to hear that. I needed to be told to suck it up and be grateful. I needed that reminder. 

But I need to keep reminding myself. Because it is oh-too-easy to slip back in to the habit of focusing on what I don't have instead of everything that I do. 

So im embarking on a little photo/blog post a day project. 

Every day, for a month, starting today, Valentines Day. 

Ill post a little later on when my first subject gets home from work....

In the meantime, tell me, what are you most grateful for? 

Lisa xx