Digital Parents Blog Carnival is HERE

I am so excited to be hosting this months Digital Parents Blog Carnival!

This is a much sought after role and every month from now well into 2013 is already spoken for.

THIS is the gig everyone wants to be a part of.

Digital Parents brings together some amazing bloggers, some of whom I share with you here.

I love the welcoming sense of community Digital Parents has to offer, I really feel at home....

So sit back, relax, and think of my html stress (I'm only kidding, I looooove html code) and read some fabulous stories ♥

Don't forget to send some comment love their way too!


Kristyn from MummyK

Best of both worlds - My action plan on teaching my child the richness of both cultures of her parents. It is difficult but essential in teaching her the history of her own heritage.
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Denyse from Denyse Whelan.Education Specialist.

Gifts for the Teachers - Denyse Whelan is an Education Specialist who shares her knowledge and experience of 40 years as a teacher & school principal.
She knows that at this time of year, there are "buy me for your teacher" signs at gift shops and department stores. Denyse also asked some parents & teachers what they would like, and what they give teachers. Here's her ideas, and those of others. Feel free to join in!!
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Alli from Motivating Mum

Get off the computer and into the world - A little blog post on the joys of getting that face to face action.
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Georgia from Parental Parody

An open letter to my nearest and dearest re: my birthday - It's almost time for my annual 25th birthday. After years of receiving losing scratchies and ill fitting clothing of questionable fashion, I'm taking a stand against crap birthday giftage.
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Kristie from Hespera's Garden

Today is October 15 - October 15th. International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. This is the post I wrote, remembering my son Avery who died July 15 2011.
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Jade from Jadeluxe

A Domestic Helper's Life - Heartfelt reflections of a Hong Kong housemaid on her experiences - and the lessons she's learnt.
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Kel from Anything, Everything & Inbetween

You'd better not pout, I'm telling you why...Obama is coming to town! - Forget Noonamah - Where the hell is Darwin? A personalised guide to the Northern Territory for President Obama, November 2011. The man should be warned...
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Marissa from Beautifully Organised

Keep your house tidy easily with 3 simple rules - 3 steps to get your house clean and clutter free easily.
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Mandy from A Little Space Like Home

Perfectly Imperfect – Motherhood - Motherhood, undoubtedly our toughest job, but whose rating your performance? Would you pass? At what point do you say, I’m doing OK!
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Janelle from Me and Mia

Daydream Believer - What are your goals, short or long-term? Do you go after your dreams? How often do you find yourself crossing them off your to-do list? Here are a few of mine, including one I'm about to step out and achieve!
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Days like this... by Lisa Jay

Fingerprints on my lens - Documenting fragments of my days with my children & realising that the ordinary is beautiful.
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Jodie from Muddled Up Mumma

I admit I Was a Bully at School - Bullying is a complex issue and Muddled Up Mumma is putting her hand up to say she’s not in denial, is admitting to it and realises the effect she’s had on someone else’s life.
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Kellie from The Good, The Bad and The Unnecessary

Copy Paste is Copy Waste - Some great advice here
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Crissy from Phenomenal Woman

Mmm It's Friday, Friday, woo! - THIS weekend, is particularly special as I am celebrating. I am celebrating a date for my mother's arrival from Italy!! I cannot believe it. I have waited my whole life to be reunited with my mother and it's finally time. 6th December! I am so excited I could almost pee myself!! This could not have come at a better time.


Sarah from That Space in Between

The slap...it got me thinking - Those strange memories from childhood about what sort of a parent you might be (or might not be).
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Deb from Home Life Simplified

Letting Go of Perfectionism - I am a recovering perfectionist and share my views on letting go of perfectionism. It seems many others share my issues as this post was shared more than 50 times! There must be a lot of us struggling with this.
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Becky from Becky and James

Epiphany. Thanks to I Heart My Body 2011 - How the 'I Heart My Body 2011' movement turned on a light bulb and gave me an aha moment.
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Kirsty from Mummy To Five

Things I know,Cheeky Christmas pranks you can play on your kids! - With Christmas approaching, I’m sharing with you some of the funny pranks you can play on your kids to make Christmas more fun!
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Dorothy from Singular Insanity

The Squishy and other celebrity encounters at Problogger - The people I met at the Problogger Training Event
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Alyce from Blossom Heart

Bullying - No Way! My Story - Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will cut me to the core and remain stuck like thorns for year. With children of fellow mummy bloggers being bullied weekly, and the bullying I have heard of within the bloggosphere, it's time to speak out against this crap and for those bullying to grow up.
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Debbie from Aspiring Mum

Am I Good Enough? - My self-doubt comes into play when I receive an email entitled, "Are you good enough?"
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Bronnie from Maid in Australia

Random Acts of Kindness - A random act of kindness makes a maid's day.
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Melissa from The Things I'd Tell You

I Dedicate my 1000th post for Charlotte Olivia - A lovely way to celebrate a blogging milestone
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Kate from Puddles and Gumboots

Is Life a Juggling Act? - A great question to ask
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Michelle from Farmers Wifey

Remembering - Something that is very close to my heart ♥
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Please vote..go on

Okay lovelies, I've relented and added myself to this competition. I think I have a grand score of.....5 votes....GO ME!!

I'd love some more votes so why not click the link and find Farmers Wifey (at the end of the list) and click vote!

You can vote once a day too...what fun!!

And check out some of the other blogs too..some awesome reading and talent ♥

Enjoy every moment

One day last week after we had finished our jobs in town, I took the kids to McDonalds for a snack.

We sat inside and at the next table there was a mum with her two young children, probably aged around 3 and 4......

As I watched this mother, it brought back alot of memories for me.

She spent most of her time out of her chair, wiping a face, tending to a child out of their seat, or wiping up a spilt drink.

My kids sat and ate their meal, and were on their best behaviour (aged 6, 8 and 10).

As she walked past me while taking one child to the toilet for the 3rd time, her eyes met mine and we both smiled.

She said "look at your beautiful children, sitting there and behaving".....

And I replied "I've been where you are, I can guarantee you".......

I have been there...with my 3 babes under 4 years old - two in nappies, two with pacifiers (lovingly refered to as their "gars") a huge double pram and an equally sized nappy bag.

I remember........

- wishing the kids were old enough to feed themselves
- wishing the kids would sit still
- wishing the kids could be taken out in public without embarrassing me
- wishing the kids could entertain themselves for longer than 5 minutes
- wishing the kids would go to sleep at a respectable time
- wishing I could have a ful nights sleep

Wishing the time away, not realising that it goes so fast............

Now I find myself fondly remembering those times when my children were babies, and I'd give anything to have that again....

...those chubby cheeks
...warm snuggly baby hugs
...rocking my babies to sleep
...that amazing newborn scent
...soft wispy hair
...the amazing first steps
...breastfeeding and that exquisite closeness....

My children have grown so quickly, and the years have melted away, and they are now in another stage of their lives.

It's an exciting time, yes, but those first few years when I first became a mother will always be so special to me...

Don't wish the time away.

Enjoy every moment........


Image Credit

House Update

Well The Money Pit is certainly living up to its name.

We keep throwing it in.

I must remember where I planted that special money tree...

Things are moving fast now. The carpenter has finished all of the skirts and architraves and is doing his final sand and check next weekend. Then he'll put up the rest of the verandah soffits.

He still has the internal door locks and cupboard handles to do but that happens after the painter has finished.

The final piece of fretwork is in, my child free craft room is calling me! And two more ceiling roses are up in the foyer and in the mudroom....




Our tiler is back tommorrow and will start on the wall tiles in the bathrooms, laundry and kitchen. The floor tiles are done and they look amazing...very traditional as you can see!

The three bathrooms have mosaic floor tiles, each with different colours being white with green, white with black and white with red. The tiles will compliment the walls in the bathrooms and the rooms they are attached to if applicable.




The laundry floor tiles are cream with red and the wall tiles will be cream also.



So our plan of attack is :-

Tiler this week

Carpenter every weekend

Plasterer next week for his final check and prepaint

Kitchen people back to install laundry cupboards and benchetop after tiler finishes

Painter is back in the next two weeks

Plumber back soon to finish off piping to the tanks

The Hubbster and I are talking paint colours, toilets, taps, shower screens, ceiling fans and pendant lights and this will probably take us up to Christmas.

Now that I've realised it's only 6 weeks until Santa parks his sleigh on the front grass, it's looking highly unlikely that we will be living in our house by then.

We will do our best and I'm sad that this might be the case, but really after living in the shed for 3 years, what's another couple of months to get it right....

I'm so looking forward to unpacking our things, to finding my slow cooker and to finally being able to live in our dream home ♥

My Three Little Birds: Part 3

Miss D

My first little bird arrived after 25 hours of labour.

And she was worth every push and groan and frustrated cry that came from me.

I had wanted a baby for as long as I can remember. Actually I can tell you that I was in highschool when I first thought about what my child would be like.

I always thought my first baby would be a girl and I was right (actually I knew what they all were in my heart without finding out the sex).

I just knew.

I wondered would she have long hair as I did when I was a child, and what colour would her eyes be?


Would she look like me? And would she share her love of dancing as I had?

I wrote this for her:-

"My darling, you made me a mother.

I dreamed of you and wanted you for so long...I knew you were somewhere waiting to come to me..you are everything I yearned for and the minute you were put in my arms and I looked at your face, I knew you.

I really knew you...It was almost as if we'd met before...all these years I had waited to have a child, and as I looked at your beautiful face, I knew there and then that I would give my life for you."

She is so much like me, my husband often comments (when her and I are arguing - and yes we do!) that "Wow Michelle, it's like looking in a mirror......")

It scares me how much she is like me, her personality and the way she thinks things through, that is why I think sometimes we clash.....

I'm basically fighting with myself!

My mirror twin!

She is such a good little girl, so helpful and kind and caring.

My little doll. A beautiful, smart and talented little bird..

She loves fashion. I love taking her shopping, just the two of us, and we love trying on clothes, and jewellery and doing girlie stuff ♥

We have another date soon to watch the new Twilight movie. I think she wants me to wear a Team Jacob tshirt.

For her, I'd do anything....

I also think she's smarter than me. Already. No seriously...

And she can sing and dance and act and hopefully she'll become famous and I can finally have my overseas holiday I'm craving...

The final word must go to The Hubbster who said to Miss D recently " You will make a very fine lawyer one day because you're very good at arguing"...

Touche.

My Three Little Birds: Part 2

Mr C

My calm, calm baby boy.

My blonde haired, blue eyed special little guy ♥

I've been trying to decide what to write about my Mr C (aged 8). So many words come to mind - passionate, caring, focused, funny, energetic, creative......

He has an older sister and a younger sister and sometimes, when the girls are fighting, he will look at me and say "those girls are so much trouble Mum!"..

I mother all of my children the same way, but there is a special bond between my son and I..as all mothers and their baby boys have I am sure...

When he was born, he was such a placid little baby, he didn't really open his eyes for the first two weeks - he would keep them squeezed shut most of the time, and we loved when we could actually see his blue eyes.....

I carried him around with his head on my shoulder, looking outwards and I didn't even have to support him with my other hand, as he would just lie there with his head resting, looking at the world while I went about my chores....

When he turned 2, we thought we'd been hit by a cyclone. THE ENERGY this kid had was amazing....

If there was a cupboard to look inside, he was there. If there was a door to slam off it's hinges, he'd have a go.....he would run ahead in the shopping centre, which was scary as I had a 4 year old and a newborn to deal with at that time.....

I tried the wrist strap attached to him and me, so he wouldn't run too far, but he'd still run...and the strap would stretch, and people would stare. Or trip!

Now he is 8 years old and he still has that amazing energy that he channels into sports......he excels at anything he tries - tennis, cricket, rugby league and now AFL...he is my star ♥

He is so kind hearted and has so many friends...

He is smart and creative and loves Lego and Star Wars and Ben 10 and Indiana Jones.

He is a wonderful storyteller and the way his brain works..and the things he says, just thrill and amaze me...

To share some thoughts from my wise and funny little man, I've borrowed some blog entries that will definately make you smile....

Mr C - I'm allergic to bad squirrels. They make me vomit.


Mr C: Mummy

Farmers Wifey: yes my love

Mr C: what are those things under your eyes?

Farmers Wifey: they're bags honey. They're bags...


I had just put the kids to bed and Mr C (aged 7) comes out and seriously says "I just don't feel like going to bed at this stage"....

As I walked him back to bed I said seriously "Well love, I don't feel like entertaining you all night at this stage"....


Football obsessed? Noooo way.

Mr C (aged 6): Mummy, who is the Prime Minister of Australia?

Mr C again: It's Darren Lockyer, isn't it????

My aussie readers will appreciate the giggles. My overseas pals can can google Mr Lockyer to fully understand!

He has enriched my life and he makes me smile every day. I love him and his passion for life.

My special little guy ♥

My Three Little Birds: Part 1

Miss T

The spirited child.

Do you have one? Do you know one?

Do you want one?

My third born, Miss T has evolved from a sweet, chubby baby into a headstrong, defiant 6 year old. I'd love to share some things about her...

♥ She has the most amazingly, funny personality..and her teacher thinks she's a cracker!

♥ She is very sweet, and loves to help carry in the groceries.

♥ Our favourite games are a million kisses and the tickle game on the bed!

♥ She is very robust and is the boss of the family.

♥ Everyone at school loves her, including the mums.

♥ She loves ravioli.

♥ She has great fashion sense, and thinks nothing of wearing a skirt over jeans.

♥ And she wears odd socks alot of the time.

♥ She loves dress up clothes, and adores her pink sparkly school shoes.

♥ She loves her brother and sister. Most of the time.

♥ She can sniff out a chocolate biscuit even when the biscuit tin is hidden in a cupboard behind closed doors.

She keeps us busy with her antics, and I really have to remind myself to focus on the positives, praise! praise! praise!, pick my battles and remember......

"Everyone stay calm"....

We've had 4 trips to Accident and Emergency for varying reasons including the coin incident. You can read about it here and here.

You may also remember the bed throwing incident.

She sometimes wakes up in a bad mood, bosses everyone around, then kicks some toys across the floor on the way to the kitchen. She's really tough like that.

And I've now just realised that she has chewed her way through my laptop powercord, not unlike a beaver knawing on a piece of wood.


I love her to bits. She is funny, cheeky, energetic, very smart and can outbuild and outdesign anyone with lego. I think she will be an architect when she grows up.

She can design a house for me in some exotic location to repay me for putting up with years of stress and visits to the hairdresser to tend to my increasing amount of grey hairs.


Miss T crying - "I thought I'd be up there forever".