Ticking along

Gosh, has it really been that long?

Life is ticking along nicely, and every day, I am just so grateful.

It feels like a period of calm after a long, hard struggle.

I often find myself just staring out the window at the view or looking at our big kitchen or at our spacious car

(which we're paying off but I'm still so grateful for).

I guess I haven't had much motivation to blog or even take photos.

I am just being.

It's nice, actually.

Turbo is still a bit of a challenge at the moment. His language is not the best...and I have no one but myself to blame.

"Go away!" is one that I hear about a hundred times a day.

Good one, Penny.

And Smiley and I had a little trip to Starship Hospital on Friday for his cough that he's had since late March!

Yes, that long.

I have been to the doctor so many times and been told he's ok, but his day care lady insisted that he needed a chest x-ray (because she's a doctor!! not) and got me really worried.

Turns out mother's intuition is best.

Turbo's going to see his first ever movie tomorrow with his Aunty and cousin...and I'm going too. He's even missing kindy for it. And Smiley's spending the time with his much loved Nana.

Can't wait!

Hope you're all having a fab week so far

Things I'm loving and grateful for

The people in my life ♥

Being a SAHM has enabled me to build an incredibly supportive and positive community of other mums around me.
Friends and sisters, I am so grateful for all of you.
The relationships I've formed in these last few years will last a lifetime!

Here's a snapshot of my week.

(P.s. these are not photos of the actual events this week because I'm a slack blogger at the moment and forgot my camera.

In fact, I forget my camera most of the places I go nowdays. Losing my blogging mojo? Eeeek!)

Monday

Tuesday

Please excuse the blurriness! 

Wednesday

Thursday

photo from here 

Friday

These are not all of you that are special to me, of course.

But, flip, how blessed am I?

Linking up with: 

Grateful For & Things I'm Loving

Parents who can babysit and good movies!

Mr Samoa and I went out last night, just us. It was so needed.

We saw The King's Speech

I enjoyed every minute of it. So worth it if you're looking for a movie to see.

Colin Firth is such a great actor and played the role so incredibly well.

And his relationship with his wife was beautiful. She was so full of love and support for him.

What a gem of a movie. See it!

Dancing in the rain
Don't you love the way children delight in the simple things?
Here's Turbo having an absolute ball in the rain.
Which is what we're having quite a lot of lately.

A bit of magic in the garden
Caused by all the recent rain.

Joining in with these two today

Reasons to be cheerful and what I'm grateful for

So many reasons to be cheerful and grateful in my life.

I love living life seeing the bright side, and although I don't always succeed, a post like this can really help you see what you do have

 1. Mr Samoa started work officially this week and is enjoying it. He's a bit tired at the end of each day but still, he's getting to do what he loves (teaching) and being paid for it 2. Smiley has had a 'virus' this week. That's the word the doctor uses when they have no idea what is wrong with your child but they are quite obviously not well. Anyway. He's been attached to me and in hysterics if I try to put him down. This face all week:But he's finally showing signs of improvement today after being unwell since Saturday. Yay! 3. We bought a car! A few weeks back I posted how both of our cars broke down in the same week. One for good. So we've got a bit of a loan to pay off but it's heavenly to drive our spacious new car 4. Turbo starts kindy next week. We had two visits to the centre this week and of course, Turbo, being Turbo, has taken to it like a duck to water. 5. I over heard my wonderful hubby organising for his sister to come over and babysit tonight. Woohoo date night tonight! 6. And the most wonderful news....(to me, that is - I'm sure other sleep deprived mothers can identify)...Smiley has started to sleep thorugh the night!! After this desperate post, I was at wit's end. Not coping. And after just 2 nights, he now sleeps for most of the night, maybe waking once. Can't count my chickens, though, as Smiley is very random and could change anytime. I have to stay consistent. But very grateful all the same. Linking up with these two:
  

Why don't you join in?

 

 

 

Recapturing romance

This Saturday I'm grateful for date nights

Lately I've been yearning for those days when Mr Samoa and I were dating. Butterflies in my tummy, thoughts consumed by him all day.

I know, I know. That's not what marriage is about...feelings.

But just a little of those feelings is good to have sometimes. You know, just a little more...zing, for want of a better word. And I'm not talking about sex.

We're coming up to our sixth wedding anniversary in a few months.

We've been together seven years in total now.

And I have heard of the seven year itch. Yikes!!!

Not being with Mr Samoa has never been an option. The D-word (divorce) is not in our vocabulary and goes against everything we stand for.

But I can see how people with different values and beliefs would go looking elsewhere when the feelings go walking. 

Like in the movie Eat, Pray, Love. I'm not a fan of it.

In these times, we choose to love and say those loving words and we know that soon the feelings will follow.

But we have decided to be a little more proactive in our date nights and inject a bit more romance into our marriage.  

I volunteered to organise the first night. So I got my mom to babysit and we set off on our romantic adventure.

I took him to Mount Eden that has lots of lovely cafes and cute shops. But we didn't do the usual and go out for coffee or dessert. I told Mr Samoa to pick the thing he would most like to eat or drink and get it takeaway.

He chose a chocolate milkshake! I, of course, got a coffee, a mochacino to be exact, and a piece of chocolate mouse cake. Yum!

Then I took Mr Samoa to the top of Mount Eden. We sat wrapped in each other's arms, drinking in the beautiful sunset, looking for landmarks, chatting about nothing and enjoying each other's presence. No kid-talk was allowed.

It was different and it was simple. Yet it was exactly what we needed.

Nights like these are going to become a regular occurence in our marriage.And we don't even have to leave our house. Candles and dinner in the garden? 

Since having Smiley, these nights taken a back seat.

We're so darn tired and busy.

But I don't want to be wishing for more in our marriage.

I want to make it happen instead.

We also realised we had different definitions of what romance was. Any guesses for what one of Mr Samoa's definitions was?

If you've got any different, simple ideas for recapturing romance, please leave me a comment. I'd love to hear them!

Grateful for/that...

I love being grateful. It' so much better then the alternative!

Here's my list:

1. My wonderful husband who is an amazing father. We have come so far together and I am incredibly proud of him. Love you, Mr Samoa.

2. The end of an incredibly tough year. The toughest in our marriage so far. But it's mostly over.

Mr Samoa starts work in 6 weeks and he received his invitation to graduation in May next year.

What a celebration that will be!

3. Finding these shoes! And these shoes

 You have no idea the trouble I had trying to find a really soft soled sandal for a boy. Lots of closed shoes...but who wants to wear closed shoes in Summer? And lots of hard soled sandals...but he's just learning to walk so not good for his feet. Lots of soft soled sandals for girls around too.

The hours I spent looking!

4. A girls night out for a hen's night, theme: a day at the races. It was fun to dress up and play games and laugh freely. No kids, no curfew!

But I have to admit I was home by 10pm...just too tired to join in humiliating the bride to be in town.
(Sorry about the strange photo angle. Still working on Mr Samoa's photo taking skills)

 5. Freebies!
This gem was left on the pavement for anyone to pick up. 

I was examining it and figuring out if it would fit in my car when the owner came out to help me.

She then 'reserved' it for me until I could Mr Samoa to come back and get it.

6. Everything boy-ish. Blue and red together. Spiderman.
Lightning McQueen PJs.
Tackles. Roars. Sword and gun fights.

7. Finding this Buzz Lightyear that Turbo adores for just $3 when at other leading retail stores they go for around $70. Ok, he's a lot smaller than the $70 ones but who can argue with $3?

We would have bought him Woody too but this Buzz was the last one.
Meant to be, I tell ya!
(excuse Turbo's very dirty hands...I do bath him everyday, I promise!)

8. That the journey with Smiley, the personification of cuteness, gets easier with each passing week.

I remember before he was born...I was so nervous of how I would cope with a newborn and a dynamo of a not yet two year old.
It's so much easier now and I am enjoying Smiley so, so much.
Delighting in him actually.

9. I've got to see my two precious boys grow up first hand almost every day of the week. It was huge sacrifice but something I always wanted and believed in. It's been hard but now it's over, I don't regret a minute.

10. That my boys get to grow up with their cousins. These two get on so well, and yell and shriek with joy when they're together.

11. Christmas!

And all the parties and yummy treats and get togethers that come with it.

Creating our first family traditions.

Remembering the reason for the season...and starting to teach your children about it. 

I could go on and on.

What are you grateful for?
See what others are grateful for here

I'm grateful for...

I'm playing along with Maxabella and compiling a list of things I'm grateful for this week.

1. Grommets.

I realised the other day that I have only taken Turbo to the doctor once for something not ear related since he got his grommets in July. 

Wow!

During Winter, Turbo was on antobiotics every 3 weeks with an ear infection or something related. They know us well. I'm really happy about this.

Read more about the grommets tale here

2. A busy few days socialising.

Thursday night we were at an end of year church BBQ, kids and all. Fun chaos. Friday night we were kid-less at a friend's 40th. And this afternoon I was at a friend's baby shower at the most beautiful house I've seen in a while. Tiring? Yes. Fun? YES!

3. Our first ever Christmas tree.

Plastic. 6ft. OURS!

With Mr Samoa's study, things like that to take a back seat and we just focused on pressies for each other and Turbo. This year we are starting to establish some family traditions and I'm super excited.

4. A clever little boy who can now stand by himself and makes me proud each time he does it.

Smiley will be sitting one moment and then push up on his hands into a standing position.

He wobbles proudly for 3-5 secs and then plops back onto his bottom.

5. A bit of money coming our way.

We got a government back pay which means Christmas pressies, the above-mentioned tree, bills all paid...I can relax!

Not everyone loves government departments but I am pretty thankful for them. They enabled me to stay at home with my kids while Mr Samoa studied. I told Mr Samoa we should write a thank you letter to them because I bet they never get thanked. He totally mocked me.

"Dear everyone we've ever dealt with and spoken to on the phone in the last 5 years..."

Hmmpf. I mean like to the head office or something.

That's my list for this week

What are you grateful for?