There’s something about pregnancy that bonds women everywhere; we congratulate one another and commiserate with one another – sharing our experiences of morning sickness, nausea, being kicked in the ribs and all the rest that occurs during the “glowing” months.

As "glowing" as my belly was, here at 39weeks with Bliss.

Even once you’ve left the pregnancy stage behind you, reminiscing can be fun…and a good laugh! Once you’re through the rough bits, there’s a lot to be nostalgic about – especially as you get to know and love the child that came from it.

I must admit when I was pregnant with Bliss a lot of the books out there just weren’t my cup of tea. I wish I’d had Kellie O’Briens new book around to read (and my iPad to read it on, of course!).

Kellie’s newly recently released an ebook, takes you through her first pregnancy, with beautiful daughter Ella and then her first year as a Mum.

One of my favourite lines is this “When you start rabbiting on to the telemarketer about the amount of nappies you go through in one day and he actually hangs up on you, you know you’re in need of some serious help.”

Not because I could relate or anything *hangs head*.

But tell me this, which mother amongst us can’t relate to this experience of a play date? Play dates allow you to waste away (ahem, spend) an afternoon with a friend and claim interaction with others is in the best interests of your child’s mental and physical development. Her latest play date? OK, so she slept the whole time.

At this point I’ll stop quoting from the book and suggest you just go and get yourself a copy. This ebook is the perfect gift for yourself, or an expectant mum you know – and a wonderful way to support the sisterhood!

What makes you laugh and go “ah-ha!” when it comes to books about motherhood and pregnancy?

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• how to hold your pregnant belly
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It was no small irony that a couple of weeks ago an amazing gift pack with the film “I Don’t Know How She Does It” arrived on my doorstep. It was a Wednesday and I had had one of those crazy days you imagine when you think about the whole motherwood-work-runningabusiness thing.

In between arriving 20 minutes late to pick up my beautiful Bear on his first morning of childcare. (Let’s just say I’m very thankful he is too young to remember that and be utterly traumatised by it. Me? not so much) to The Architect being called into an off site meeting half an hour before I was supposed to drop Bear off with him and hand over the afternoon pick up of Bliss and dinner-bath-bed routine (let’s also just say that leaving my baby boy with the office receptionist, as lovely and trustworthy as she is, does not leave me feeling like mother-of-the-day let along mother-of-the-year) it was a strange day.

When I first heard about this film, I immediately wanted to see it. Whether you are a SAHM, WAHM, working mum or something else who hasn’t at some point related to the “doing it all” vibe of motherhood? It’s everywhere. Clever to make a film about it really :)

I expected to feel a bit uncomfortable watching it; since becoming a Mum I’ve had seasons of being home full time, working part time and now running a business and each have offered unique challenges. Through each season I have realised that whether I am working or not, I am the sort of person who will be doing something and having (and sticking to!) boundaries is an ongoing challenge. There was one scene where I avoided my husband’s gaze but mostly, it was fun and lighthearted look at modern day living and I really enjoyed it!

I’m excited to say I have a wonderful gift pack containing I Don’t Know How She Does It and 4 other great DVDs to giveaway to one lucky reader…

to find out more, and enter visit my Facebook Page.

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How are you feeling today? Happy? Flat? Excited? Stumped? I’ve got something super lovely to share with you today that’s bound to get you smiling.

The incredibly gorgeous and wonderful Naomi, from Seven Cherubs, has dedicated a big part of her own life to the pursuit of happiness, and sharing practical ways to encourage others to join her. Her latest (and possibly greatest, thus far) way of doing this has been to release an ebook called “Pockets Of Happiness“.

Naomi says,

I am a seeker of happiness. Meaning: I am on a journey to discover what really makes me happy. Since having children I have felt the importance to seek for this happiness in a greater capacity.

For some people happiness comes easily, for me not so easy. I really have to work hard each day to find and see the good in my life and I have to remind myself that the enjoyable, fun time in my life is now. That there is no need to wait for it,happiness can be for me today.

My goal and journey is to find that happiness now. To reach a place where I feel content with my life just the way it is and to not rely on people or things to give me what I need to feel happy….

My hope is that this book will help you find small pockets of happiness each day and allow you to learn more about what makes you happy.

This is a book that lives up to it’s promises! What’s more it’s easy to read, not to long and very affordable at only $4.95!

A couple of my favourite sections in the book include the idea of borrowing happiness when you are just too tired and overwhelmed that you don’t know where to start, and the very practical happiness activities that Naomi has lovingly included.

Follow this link to buy Naomi’s Pockets of Happiness ebook

The Pay It Forward Giveaway

Today I’m giving away 4 copies of Naomi’s book and all I ask of the winner is one simple thing, to pay it forward. You don’t have to giveaway 4 copies, but if you win this ebook then please buy at least one that you can give away to someone else. Naomi is such a giving person, I really want to embrace that as we embrace happiness.

To enter please leave a comment below about anything to do with happiness, this ebook, why you’d like it or who you think you could give it to.

I will draw four winners on Sunday 4th December giveaway updated to Sunday 11th December due to recent blog hiccups.

Disclosure: I purchased my own copy of this book and let Naomi know that I wanted to write this post. While she kindly offered some books for a giveaway I declined as I had already hatched my little pay it forward plan.

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If you’ve been reading this block for a while or if you’ve ever been to my house then you’ll know that I am no suzy homemaker! Here are five of my tried and true tips to do the absolute bare minimum when it comes to housework…

1. Do it straight away. It will always be easier and take less time if you just tidy up straight away.

2. If caught out, shut the door. What else is there to say but when you get that unexpected visitor or when it all gets to much, grab the nearest washing basket and stuff, run and shut!

3. Flowers are a great distraction…but make sure you bin them when they start to shed/die!

4. A clean and clear kitchen table and toilet go a long way to making your appear in control and clean…ish.

5. Know your strengths and if you can afford it, outsource.

And as with most good things in life, do as I say not as I do.

Are you a domestic diva or a domestic failure? What’s your best housekeeping tip?

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When you are pregnant and then a Mum, you are bombarded by stuff – stuff you “need” to make your life easier, to make your kids happiers, to keep your home pretty.

I paid $10 for this facewasher.

Yep $10 for that stained piece of cloth! I was seduced by how soft it was, how white it was and how pretty the embroidery was (embroidery that is now causing holes to form) and so I splurged. I paid $10 essentially to wipe my kids butts. Worth it, hey?

There are so many things you can buy when you are having a baby and a lot of them are very expensive. I’m not saying be stingy, I’m not even saying be cheap, heck I know that sometimse it really is a case of “getting what you pay for” I’m just saying be real – don’t buy into the idea that you have to have the picture perfect nursery, or the prettiest or most expensive item available. Your kids won’t care what clothes they wear, what pram they ride in or what you use to wipe their butts! I’m 100% certain that a $1 washer from target would have fared just as well as my $10 one but I got suckered into the idea that having beautiful things is good and more than that, that buying things would help me stay in control; that even though I felt totally out of my depth I could go shopping and spend money we didn’t have on things we didn’t need.

A few years and another kid down the track I’ve learnt something some women know all along – my kids could care less if their clothes are from target or GAP, new or second hand, heck most of the time they’d be happy to run around naked! They do care that they are loved, fed, safe and enjoyed – they want to play, laugh and learn and they want to do those things with me!

What crazy expensive and unnecessary things have you bought? Go on…you can tell me :)

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Today I should be at the Problogger Training Day but I’m not.

Since Monday afternoon when I took Bliss to the Dr with a temp of 38.6 I’ve had a feeling today wasn’t going to happen for me. When I took her back on Wed and she had a temp of 38.8 and started a round of antibiotics I was still holding out hope that she’d be well enough to go to childcare today and that Bear would cope ok being lugged about with me all day, sleeping here and there in the pram. In my heart I knew it wouldn’t happen, but I didn’t want to give in. I so wanted to be there today, to learn and connect with so many of my online friends.

But sometimes being a parent, and especially being a mother, means you have to miss out.

I’ve wanted to write this post for so long but can never get my thoughts straight and I worry I’ll either sound like a wannabe martyr or like an arrogant so-and-so. Neither of those extremes appeals to me but I’m going to muddle through it and hope you catch my drift…

Being a parent means that sometimes you can’t go, you can’t do and you can’t have the things you’d like. Most parents realise this, some don’t and send their children to childcare while they are contagious or come for a playdate with a sick child (and let’s take a moment to say Grrr! to that) but most – they get it.

The thing about today is that my kids aren’t all that sick. They aren’t contagious and both of them would have managed, if a bit crankily, through today if I’d decided to go to ProBlogger but today I’m seeing the other side of the coin…

I am embarrased to say that the thing that tipped me over and made me not only realise that it was impractical to go but that I wanted to stay home was learning that a couple we used to go to church with, who are around our age with two children only slightly younger than ours have had the shattering diagnosis that their almost 3 year old has multiple, aggressive, inoperable brain tumours. News that I can’t imagine receiving, let alone living with and yet there it is.

I am more than blessed to have these kiddos; even when they are sick it’s really a privilege to be their Mum and to be able to take care of them. Yes, I’ll be watching the twitter stream closely today and Bliss will probably spend a bit of time on the couch watching a movie – I won’t win any awards for grand games and activities – but I’ll be here and we’ll muddle along together at home and I know both kids will be the better for it come tonight.

Being together; today I’m just not going to take that, or them, for granted.

What do you do when your kids get sick?
Have you ever had to miss out on something you really wanted to do to take care of someone?

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