Point + Shoot : Date Night

Saturday night was declared 'date night' around our place.

Seeing as Hubby nor I had any luck in actually finding one, we went out together instead. :-)



Wait 'til my fab photographer pal, Lou, sees this beauty of a shot!!!!



It's been a while.

The last 'date that springs to mind was a wedding last year

- but that was a 'ninety three's a crowd' kind of date, I guess.

And it's now May.

But we've just been enjoying a lot of family-friendly socialising this year! Honest.

It's been so long that our babysitter had all but given up on us

- which might explain why she double booked herself for Saturday night!!

Huge thanks to Nanna & Grandad for saving the day (night).

Hubby and I did the 'dinner and a show' cliche.

'Cept the show happened to be comedy trio 'Tripod' - 'cause we're real mature like that!

It was just a fantastic night.

In every sense.

Fabulous food, great laughs and, all jokes aside, perfect company.

Not to mention, tiring!!

In Hubby's words "we're soft".

I woke up Sunday morning feeling slightly weathered and had that initial, vaguely familiar feeling of

 "man, what did we do/drink/say last night?"

- until Miss Muppet gave me a swift kick and reminder that I was, in fact, pregnant and definitely alcohol free.

It seems, Hubby and I weren't the only ones to have a (tame version of a) 'big night' either.

 Magoo was pretty wiped out by his sleepover adventure too.

How was your weekend?

Are you nursing a false hangover too - or the real deal?

Linking with Lou's Point + Shoot

Shar :-)

Life Is Short

I saw this on 'Inspirational Quotes' on dirty ol' Facebook over the weekend.

I likey it.

A lot.

Shar :-)

Mum-ette?

Caution - shameless, superficial gender stereotyping ahead...

I've always thought that I belong to a particular breed of Mum - that of the 'boy Mum'.


I'm pretty confident (and content) with frogs and snails and puppy dog tails.
(AKA sport, minimal hair fuss, trucks, trains, emergency vehicles, boardies, rough, tumble and social conflicts that are resolved almost instantaneously.)

But sugar and spice and all things nice?

That one had me a little rattled (in the most beautiful, exciting way) for a couple of weeks there.

Hmmm.

Ironing all those frilly bits.

'Doing' hair.

Dora.

Dancing schools - and that whole pageant princess thing...

these things scare me a little.

(Don't even get me started on my real, non-superficial fears about raising a girl/young woman.)

But hey, I am a girl, after all.

Surely I can figure this one out.



Yep - I think I'm going to be just fine with it!!!



Are you a boy Mum/girl Mum/far too open minded to pigeon hole yourself???

Shar :-)

52 Week Project : Wk 33

This pic was snapped at a stunning park/playground overlooking the river.

A wannabe pirate's paradise - and not a bad spot for his Mum to take a few deep breaths either.

Thank you, Lou for suggesting we meet you and your lovelies in such a gorgeous spot.

As we pulled into the area, Magoo excitedly yelled at me from the back seat,

"Muuum, this is where woo marafon was!!!"

I love that he's as proud of my one, single marathon as I am!

And that he has far more sense of direction and location than I ever will!

Not only did I get to catch up with a beautiful friend and her sweet girls,

but I was reminded of a slightly less leisurely 'visit' to the same area some months ago.

(I'll be back again, Perth Marathon!)

Linking with Fi @ My Mummy Daze and her 52 Week Project

Shar :-)

Point + Shoot : Down Time

Our weekends have taken a turn for the 'chilled' lately.

Combined with cooler, soggier weather and a nesting Mama - there's no place like home right now.

Extra snippets of down time have meant a slower pace and even more impromptu cuddles to enjoy.

'Laid back' is definitely a good look on my boys!

But I may just be biased.

How was your weekend?

Linking with Lou's (in Perth - yaaay !!!) Point + Shoot

Shar :-)

Grateful for...Katy

I've allowed myself a few indulgent "woe is me", "some crappy things have happened to my family and I lately", "boo to the hoo" pathetic moments this week.

A touch of sooky-la-la silliness that allowed me to cry like a baby before pulling myself together, hardening up and putting those big girl knickers back on.

Then, yesterday, I met Katy.

Katy Hutchinson captivated and amazed me with her story.
Katy Hutchinson humbled and shamed me with her strength.

I could never do Katy's (or Ryan's) story justice here, but do take a look.

In (ridiculously) short, Katy lost her supremely fit, devoted, loving husband in a tragic, violent, alcohol fuelled act.
At the hands of a young man named Ryan.

Katy now works alongside Ryan - at her invitation -  educating students, parents, educators and fellow human beings about the power of forgiveness.
But also about the reality of young people + alcohol + violence and what that can =.

Katy spoke to our school community this week and is a living, breathing reality check.

Katy commented this week that anger is a powerful, yet destructive emotion.
It is the emotion that killed her husband - but it also the emotion that she refused to let break her down or rob her children of their mother.

Her strength of character is testament to what we can aspire to as people.

If she can stand beside her husband's murderer and feel, above all else, compassion for that boy's mother ...

- what on earth was I whinging about again????

I'm grateful that people like Katy (and Ryan) exist.

That they put life in perspective so eloquently.

That my so-called 'problems' are insignificant in comparison.

Shar :-)

Escape Routes

Something is going on.
My mind, she's wandering to funny places.

Right now, I'm perfectly happy and content - not feeling smothered, anxious, overwhelmed by domestic duty etc. etc, etc ....
but maybe I know a storm is brewing?


Maybe I'm preparing for times to come.
Like the nesting.
Man, I love the nesting.

But this forward planning has a different feel to nesting.
It's less about pretty colours, tiny clothes or super soft blankies.

For some reason I keep coming up with little escape routes in my head.
Little tricks of the mummy trade that make me giggle- and then want to swiftly store them away upstairs for tougher times on the home front.

Maybe I am missing my running more than I realise!

 Some ideas to escape the daily household grind, the incessant whining (of a junior or senior variety) or just squirrel away a few seconds of relative peace and quiet to gather yourself....

1. Start vacuuming.
Head towards a room and close the door (I choose the study - computer's there).
Keep the vacuum running  - but sit down and do whatever you feel like.

2. Take a leaf out of the man's book

Head for the shelter of the loo.

Heaven forbid, close the door. (Watch for inevitable little fingers.)

Make disgusting noises to ward off door chatters.

Drop small rocks (or similar) into the toilet at irregular intervals to avoid detection.

Sit.

Do whatever else it is you feel like.

ie. read the magazine you stashed in there earlier.

 

3. Tell Hubby you're out of an essential sanitary item and must go to the shops. Alone.

Tell the children you're going to the change rooms at the shops.

Go anywhere you like. Do whatever you like.



Muuum, why you running away??

Got anything to add to my repertoire?

How do you 'escape'?

Shar :-)