September 2012Life Love and Hiccups: September 2012
Life Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and HiccupsLife Love and Hiccups

Friday 28 September 2012

It Stunk Before I Got Here - REALLY!

Pin It Don't you hate it when you walk into a public toilet and it stinks like really bad and you just know the person that comes in next is going to think you were the one responsible for the stench.

This happened to me the other day at Pancakes at the Rocks. I walked in to the most God awful smell and I paused for a moment and thought to myself - I can turn around and make a hasty retreat or I can go in quickly and hope no one comes in whilst I am in here. My bladder insisted I stay!

So I am in the cubicle and weeing as fast as I can whilst simultaneously breathing through my mouth and praying no one else comes in. Multitasking extraordinaire I tell ya.

Then I heard it, the creaking of the door and the thud of the cubicle door closing beside me. This was quickly followed by a quiet but forceful exhalation of air and although I couldn't see my neighbour, I could just picture her face all screwed up as she sat on the toilet and recoiled from the horror of the smell.

Damn it! I know she thinks that I did it. Why does this always happen to me?
If I fart then I am happy to own it, but I didn't stain this public bathroom with this putrid smell. I am so not taking the blame.

I'm thinking if I quickly finish my business and perform a super speedy handwash, I could get out of here before she comes out, and she won't be able to put a face to the smell that I just know she is sitting in there all smug like and assuming is mine.

I'm pulling everything back up when I hear the sound of her yanking the toilet paper from the dispenser. Shit shit got to hurry. Oh damn it - my skirt is caught in my undies.

A quick yank, tug and a flush and I am heading to the sink. 

I hear her zipping as I turn the tap on and reach for the soap, but the soap dispenser is empty so I have to go to the other sink.

Flushhhhhhhhhhhhh

Crap *cue frantic hand scrubbing*

Too little too late! My cubicle neighbour is coming out and as fate would have it she just has to be a perfectly made up young woman in her late twenties or early thirties.

She glances at me as she makes her way over to the sink.

"That soap's empty, you can use mine" I offer. "Geez Sonia", my head says, "like you own the soap or something".

She took some soap and returned to her basin without a word, but from the corner of my eye I could see her screwing up her nose. 

Damn, she does think it was me that made this smell.

I can't help myself, I turn to her and say "Wow, this bathroom stinks doesn't it, some poor bugger didn't agree with the food". And I snort.

WHAT? REALLY? That's what I come up with and a frigging snort too *head smack*. The whole time the words are coming out of my mouth, all I can think is "Smelt it Dealt it".

She gave me a small smile and pointed to my skirt "You have toilet paper sticking out of your skirt". And with that she walked out.

Man I hate it when that happens, being blamed for a smell I didn't make as well as getting toilet paper stuck in my undies just to you know, completely smash the ego.

Feeling deflated, I opened the door to leave just as another older woman was walking into the bathroom.

"It stinks in there and I didn't do it" I snap and walk out.

Have you ever been blamed for a smell that you didn't make?
Why the hell is it not the law that every public bathroom has an automatic air freshener that detects smells and zaps them with odour eliminating molecules.
Why is it always me?

Thursday 27 September 2012

You Googled WHAT????

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I got seriously caught out yesterday by my 11 year old and his friend and they now know for certain that I am a total amateur when it comes to this parenting gig.

It all came about when they asked if they could borrow my iPad to look up something on Google.

Seemingly innocent yes? Little did I know all my integrity as a parent was about to go down the googler .... get it gurgler ... googler. *ahem*

I was on the couch with my nose in a book and they planted themselves at the kitchen bench. Next thing I know they are snorting and laughing like hyenas.

"What? What's so funny guys?" I innocently enquired.

"You google the randomess and weirdest things Mum" scoffed my son.

"What are you talking about - Like what?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

"Like stuff like When does a Boy's thingy Grow" he barely managed to get the words out with the laughing and the tears.

Crap CRAP CRAP! "Give me that!" I exclaimed as I snatched the iPad out of their shaking with laughter hands.

"Why did you Google that Mum?" he asked between hiccups.

Oh man how do I get myself into these situations and conversations with my kids.

"Because a mum isn't born just knowing all this stuff about boys you know" I said. "I don't have those body bits so I was curious OK".

"You could have asked my mum, she knows that kind of stuff" piped up the friend.

"Yeah? Well I bet she Googled it too!" I muttered as I tucked my iPad under my arm and made a hasty exit from the room.

When I got upstairs to the privacy of my bedroom, I sat down with my traitorous technology, and stared at the item that just single handidly gave my game away to the joy of my son and his friend. I clicked onto Google and cautiously eyeballed my recent searches.

What I saw no longer looked like the innocent enquiries of a curious mum, but more like the evidence of someone who seriously does not know what they are doing!

You want examples? OK in the spirit of totally exposing myself as a clueless fraud, I'll share some with you.

When Do Boys Thingies Grow: I told you I was curious as to when my little boys become um not so little boys. Don't judge me! I know about girls and puberty but boys mmm not so much and I had just watched a program on Fox about a man who's thingy never grew and I was concerned. OK let's move on shall we.

Weird Freckles on Kids Heads: My 5 year old had a strange mark on his head and I was concerned .... Come on! I am a mum, it is my job to worry about these things!

Can You Damage Your Insides Holding in Farts: I am not even going to go there as I can't even begin to explain in any way that is NOT going to make me look like a complete tool.

What were Nat and Mel Fighting about on X Factor Australia: Serious current affairs people.

Can You Drown Your Own Kidneys in Wee: Alright look, when you are lying in bed at night with a full bladder and you are too tired to get up to visit the bathroom before you go to sleep, one has to be sure of the safety of your decisions.

Legal Ways to Stop Your Husband Snoring: Again - Late night questions. The legal part? I'm not so sure what I was thinking there and if I admit it had anything to do with shoving a pillow over his head I may be arrested, so best leave that one alone.

How Long Does it Take for a Cervix to Grow Back: I forgot to ask the Gyno as I was slightly distracted by the camera poking around in my whoo ha.

Shade Plants that are Hard to Kill: Clearly I had my gardens best interests at heart.

So there you go, join my kids and laugh at me if you feel the need. I may have just blown my cover as a parent who knows everything and my son may have just had that life changing moment when you realise your parents are human after all. But I KNOW the answers now, cause Google told me and Google knows EVERYTHING!

What's the weirdest thing you Googled lately?
Anyone know how to delete your Google History?

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Home is Wherever The Sign Says It Is!

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It's no secret I love to just potter around my home. I'm a homebody and damn proud to admit it. Whilst I love visiting new places and getting out and about, home is where I am most comfy and at ease.

If you have followed this blog for a little while you would know by now that I love to foof around the house. I find ideas in magazines, Pinterest, shops and lifestyle TV. These ideas give me inspiration to have a go at making things myself. Just random stuff to brighten up little corners of the house and occaisionally the walls. Some ideas work out great, others yeah not so much. But you gotta have a go right?

My home is ever changing and my friends often joke when they come to visit that something is different every time they come. Heck things can even change between the time by hubby leaves for work and arrives at home again. I like to keep them guessing!

I have over a dozen different projects on the go at the moment, from room makeovers, sewing projects, organisational changes and and craft projects. But being a true Gemini, I often get bored before I finish one task and cant wait to begin the next - hence why I have so many different projects on the go at any one time.

This home sign was just one of the projects that has been sitting on my desk for quite a while now. I brought the letters a while back and I have been collecting shells and star fish from various shops whenever I spot them. I have seen some gorgeous signs floating around lately and I wanted to have a go at making one myself cause I figured if I got it right I could save myself a ton of money compared to the prices you could pay in the shops for something similar.

I finally finished today and as promised on Instagram I wanted to share it with you guys. So behold my latest little tribute to my beloved home sweet home.








Are you working on any Home Foofing projects at the moment?
Is there anywhere else I should know about for home inspiration?

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Could You of At Least Bought Me a Drink First ... or Dimmed The Lights!

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Photo courtesy of some poor girl sharing her very intimate moment...
in other words I have no idea where the image is from! Please don't sue me, I'm a little fragile at the moment. 
I would like her legs though!

It was biopsy day yesterday. Some special time with my Gyno AND my husband. Yes I took my hubby with me. I was incredibly nervous and well we pretty much do these type of things together, you know for better or worse and all that.

Both of us have very clear roles to play in these situations.

I kind of freak out and get teary, ask a million questions and then spend the rest of the appointment staring at walls.

He holds my hand, keeps the mood calm and listens to the bits that I don't hear whilst I am super busy blanking out. Team work right?

Though I have to say my gyno was a little surprised by the presence of my husband yesterday. Not so much him coming into the office with me, more the part where he followed me into the treatment room.

"Oh Okay you are going to join us then?" he enquired of my husband.

"I just do as I am told Doc" was my hubby's response.

I pipe up with "Nothing he hasn't seen before like a zillion times right *weak laugh*........ well um obviously" yes it was my lame attempt at humour under pressure.

*Crickets*

"Its a bit foreign but we will just work with it" said my very patient doc.

Happy with his response, I plonked myself on the table and assumed my position.


Now the irony was not lost on me. I had spent all night worrying amongst other things that the garden may be a little um overgrown down there. I haven't had a wax job in like ....... I haven't EVER had a wax job. I am more of a DIY gardener type if you know what I mean.

But the man I would normally be trying to impress was sitting at my side, holding my hand and telling me I'm doing well whilst another man was at the business end of things. First of all I was lying there thinking to myself OF COURSE I am doing well. There is really not a lot of effort involved in lying there with your bits on display and second of all This is so NOT the two men type of situation most woman fantasize about.

I feel sorry for male Gynos and Obstetricians. Doctors usually evoke a certain air of sophistication. You know handsome Doctor, incredibly sexy and intelligent brain and all that. Yet when Gynos and Obstetricians swagger through the doors of the local coffee shop, all the woman shut their legs iron tight and stare into their coffee. Ripped off much? How many years did you study for?

I do believe that Gynos could put in a little more effort into making the whole experience a little more romantic and um special for us gals. Burn some candles, play some Sade, Dim the lights and all that. Heck offer me a martini and I'll leap on that bed for you. I may even do more than just think about visiting the waxing salon.

Now I am not even going to expand upon the ridiculousness (is so a word) of a Male Gyno telling you as they prepare to take a chunk of your cervix for a sample, that this isn't going to hurt at all. Ummm helloooo - Please explain to me exactly HOW do you know that? Tried it much lately?

I cant help but wonder what Gynos talk to their partners about at the end of the day.
"How was your day huni?"
"Well you should have seen the state of the first Vag ....."
"Oh man it was a Jungle down out there today...."

 OK lets not go there.

What about sexy time? How does the wife or girlfriend of a Gyno make her um lady bits look a little special or unique so they are more memorable than the dozens of other lady bits her partner has seen that day?
Is there a criteria for good looking lady bits?

Whilst I am ever so grateful for these wonderful men and woman and all the fabulous work they do to keep our galleys in shipshape for us, I can't help but wonder if they ever considered just how unsexy that job may be when they were filling out their uni applications.

But Proctologists really got the bum end of the deal didn't they! They get to hang out with nothing but assholes all day. What were THEY thinking? Did someone swap their uni application as a prank?

Disclaimer* Whilst I am joking about all of this please know I DO NOT take any of this lightly. I am very grateful for all the wonderful Doctors who look after all body parts. I am just crapping my pants at the moment and humour gets me through my day. Whatever works for you right?

Monday 24 September 2012

RIP Harry ..... AND Geeze Harriet Too!

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Last week my 5 year old went to a birthday party - a pirate party to be precise.

My hubstar did the awesome daddy thing and took him whilst I hung out drinking cocktails at my own friend's birthday party. I love it when Carl goes to birthday parties, he always comes home with the best school yard goss. I digress.

After their party was over my boys arrived to the shindig I was at and my over excited on a sugar high boy proceeds to tell me about the bestest lolly bag like EVER! It kind of came out like this "dhjsd ehyruijhfu sgdjgajs dhjZDH it's So Cool!"

I looked to my hubby for some sort of explanation to this mad rambling and he tells me that the party favours handed out at home time were Piranhas.

I laughed at the idea of a packet of Piranhas exciting my boy so much ... until Carl explained to me that the Piranhas were not the edible kind, and whilst they weren't exactly the specific breed, they were indeed fish. Two Gold fish in a plastic bag to be precise!

What the F%^*!

Yes, the lucky children were given Goldfish to take home from the party.

Now I am all for totally cool party bags, hell I go out of my way to make sure my party bags get nothing less than a totally rad 10 out of 10 score with the Squidgens. But really? Goldfish? I at least stick to filling those bags with loads of sugar!

Lucky for these two fish - Harry and Harriet, we happened to have a bowl at home that had been vacated only a few days earlier by my oldest son's Siamese Fighting Fish (RIP Indie). So we plopped those two little party favours into the bowl for the night until we could get to a pet store the next day and find out what we needed to keep them alive.

I wasn't thrilled about this whole situation as Flynn had only been asking us for fish a few days earlier and we had told him that he had to wait until he was seven, as that was the age his brothers got their fish and that was the age we felt he would be responsible enough to look after his own gilled friends. We also were so not ready to deal with the story of life and the guaranteed tears when inevitably these fish carked it.

The next morning my hubby visited the pet store, who had already been visited by numerous other weary parents of party goers that morning and found out that we not only needed a tank, but a pump and a filter and numerous other expensive paraphernalia as well to help us keep these fish from going to the light. Alternatively we could just change the water in the bowl every second day and hope for the best.

We went for the hope for the best option. Not that it really mattered as by the time my husband got home to us, we were already planning funeral number 1. Harry had found his way to the light and was now lying sideways at the bottom of the bowl whilst a distressed Harriet swam around him.

Apparently Gold fish lose their memory every 15 seconds so the poor lass was going through a hell of a time freshly grieving every 15 seconds as she remembered her partner had passed over. We needed to get that corpse out of there fast before she was psychologically damaged for life.

Not that we really needed to worry about that too much either. Sadly days later Harriet went to the other side as well.

                          We now have this ..........                                                   And this ...........


People can we please just stop with the party bag competitions already. There is nothing wrong with a dozen mini packs of smarties, a few red frogs and a plastic toy.

What's the most out there party favour your child has brought home?
Do fish really lose their memory every 15 seconds? 
Cause that would kind of suck to be Harry then right? 
He had no chance of keeping Harriet happy! None at ALL poor Bugger!

Friday 21 September 2012

Would You Like Some Champagne with Your Eggs?

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Hallelujah I am officially on holidays for a week and a bit. Can you picture me doing a totally unco happy dance as I say that? Good! Now make it even more unco and you are getting closer!

I do love my work, you would hope so considering I have been with the same company since 2000. I am very lucky to be able to work from home, but I work hard and if I do say so myself, I have earned myself this break.

School holidays start next week here in Sydney so today was the only day I officially had to myself before the craziness begins, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend the morning than a champagne brunch with some gorgeous bloggy pals (albeit Laney joined us via Facetime).

We headed back to the Little Darling Diner at Balmain, a gorgeous diner with the most divine decor and food. We set ourselves up on the soft leather club lounges and there our bums stayed .... for hours whilst we gas bagged.

When the waiter asked if we would like champagne with our brunch - who were we to say no. Champagne and eggs? Yes Please!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if the school holidays are just beginning for you too - well um Good Luck!












Fiona, Me, and Val

Thursday 20 September 2012

I'm Putting My Big Girl Panties On!

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I am so sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone with my melancholy post yesterday, I really didn't.

I had a whole different post scheduled for today, one that involved chopsticks and dead pet fish but when I woke to so many beautiful emails this morning and messages asking if I am OK I realised I owe you a little more in the way of an explanation.

I am OK, really I am. I've just had a crappy week or two. We all have them from time to time and I believe they are there to make us appreciate the good days a little more than I normally do.

I promised you guys this blog would be honest and real and that I wouldn't just slap on the big fake cover up smile I am usually really good at putting on. We all have crap days right and I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel even crappier when I feel like I am the only one having a shitty time at the party. So if that's you - please don't feel bad, you are not alone this week, the party sucks big time and I want to go home!

I'm a natural worrier and you know what they say, give a worrier a worry and they will make a three course meal out of it - well that's me and I am popping buttons at the worries at the moment.

It's nothing out of the ordinary really, stuff that millions go through everyday but given I am such a pro at worrying, a massive over thinker, anxiety prone and so God Damn tired, I am struggling a little to muster up a fakey smile.

I had a not so good pap smear result and I have to go in for a biopsy next Monday and even though I know of so many woman who have been through the same thing and are fine, I'm anxious really really anxious.

I have beautiful friends going through the most awful things at the moment and my heart just aches for them and their families and they are haunting my every thought.

I have an ever growing to do list, actually I have three, one for work, one for home and family and one for the blog and instead of being kind to myself and feeling happy and satisfied at the things I cross off, I punish myself by adding two more in its place. Because it keeps me busy and being busy means you don't have time to over think right? Wrong! You just get really tired and over think even more.

I have kids who need their mum, but their mum is so damn busy distracting herself and piling her plate with way more than she can ever get through, that she is not really listening the way she should be and I feel overwhelmed with guilt that I am not being the Mum I should be, the Mum I want to be.

And I have a husband who is so patient, so kind and thoughtful and so so tired himself and I selfishly snap at him because he is there in front of me and for some stupid reason I feel safer snapping at him than anyone else.

He brought me home the most beautiful flowers last night to cheer me up, all white, my favourite. And I cried. I cried because I was tired and emotional but mostly because I felt guilty that I have been such a moody mean cow to the man I love.

And I hate my fat ass!

So there you go, I have just spewed out my mind onto the table for all to see and I feel better for it I have to say, though I am really sorry you had to see that. But I did promise Life, Love and the everything in between didnt I?

I have a week off work next week. I'm putting my big girl panties on, getting this biopsy out of the way and find out what we need to do next. I am going to spend some special time with my boys and just listen to their endless tales with my full attention. I am going to sit down somewhere quiet and stare into space and think about nothing. And I am going to cook my hubby the best meal ever and dig around inside me until I find the woman that he misses so much.

She's in there, but she's being a bit of a wuss and she's just a little frightened of coming out and facing the chaos she knows she has created.

So thank you for all your beautiful messages, for taking the time to ask if I am OK. And if you are not really feeling 100% OK at the moment, please don't fake it, talk about it, get it off your chest - I guarantee you will feel much better for it.

And don't forget to breathe ...... just breathe!



How are you doing at the moment?
Do you have days where you just struggle to hold it together?

Wednesday 19 September 2012

How Does One Forget to Breathe????

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Sometimes you just have to stop! Just sit, catch your breath and let the giddiness pass.
It's too easy to just get swept up in everything around you and forget the basic things like breathing.

I am being totally serious when I talk about the breathing part. Too often lately I have noticed that I am rushing around like a complete looney trying to get stuff ticked off my to do list and when I do manage to pause for just a moment - I realise I am holding my breath. Does that sound familiar?

Why? It's ridiculous when you think about it. There is enough craziness in putting ourselves last as we race around trying to be everything to everyone and do everything for everyone, but to forget to breathe?

I can't help but relate the breath holding to some kind of survival technique. You come up for air for just one moment, take a big breath, then dive back into the water, or your day, or life.

Nothing can be too important to take priority over the simplest things like breathing right?

Work will still be there, the house wont disintegrate under a bit of mess, the emails wont disappear if you just ignore them for a little while and as much as I wish it would, the laundry wont just get up and leave.

But some moments wont wait forever. The ones where you just sit quietly and take in the beauty around you, listen to your child tell you about their day or just sit silently beside your partner in quiet camaraderie.

I'm not very good at just stopping. I never have been, but I'm sure as hell trying. Are you?
 

Do you forget to breathe?
What do you do to remind yourself to just stop every now and then?

Tuesday 18 September 2012

3 Whole Days of Blogging Shenanigans!

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Last week a whirlwind hit Sydney. No it was a literal whirlwind, more of a Holy Crap Bloggers there are in town kind of whirlwind.

I spent Thirsday night in the city and my roomies for the night were Kristy from The Imperfect Mum who I have been bloggy buddies with almost from my first week but have never actually met in the flesh (by the way she is every bit as kind and passionate and gorgeous as you would imagine her to be) and my adorable friend Fi from My Mummy Daze.

So we hit the town and worked our way from the top - down and yes now I AM literally speaking when I say from the top. We braved the SKYWALK at the Sydney Tower Eye .... holy crap oh yes we did!

Thank you so much to Jenna from Hausemann Communications for organising this tour for us and also to Kimberly from Sydney Tower Eye for giving us the full tour and totally scaring the bejeezers out of us when she made the glass platform suddenly jolt out over the city and then daring us to jump on the glass platform to test its strength. I know but a dare is a dare right?


 Needless to say cocktails were called for after that little exercise and the remainder of the night was spent drinking Caprioskas, Long Island Teas and gasbagging over dinner before we eventually hit the sack.

We were all there to attend the Inner B Blogger event at Balmain on the Friday which by the way was an absolute blast.

The event was organised by Stiletto Media on behalf of Inner-B and the theme for the day was all about Planning for ME Time. You know that thing that you usually feel so guilty about doing, or you leave at the bottom of the priority list so it is the first thing to be scratched out when you run out of time! Yep that thing.

The day was held at the gorgeous Little Darling Diner at Balmain and we were pampered with Manicures, Massages and High Tea all the while being introduced to the gorgeous new range of Inner-B organisers, Planners and organisation tools. I will be sharing more with you about the fabulous new range in the weeks to come but I just wanted to share a few pictures with you of the day.

 1. Kristy The Imperfect Mum & Tina Gray, 2. Little Darling Diner at Balmain, 3. Gemma My Big Nutshell, 4. Some of the gorgeous new Inner-B Planners, 5. Pretty Details. 6. The gorgeous Nicky Arthur and Valerie Petersen (Inner-B) 7. Fiona, Tina, Me, Kristy, 8. More pretty details

1. Val and I, 2. Downtown Balmain, 3. All in the details, 4. Bloggers working Instagram, 5. Noms, 6. Nicky Arthur (Author or How to Be a Happier Mum), 7. Inner-B Note Pad, 8, Holly and Abi from Good Golly Miss Holly 9. The Cork Master

 No I didn't fart - but I do believe I was dribbling!

Back from Left to right: Gemma (My Big Nutshell), Me, Val (Inner-B), Fiona (Stiletto Media, My Mummy Daze), Tina (Tina Gray {Dot} Me), Nicky Arthur (10 Week Mind and Body Transformation)

But that was not all my friends, throw in Kids Parties, Birthday Cocktail Parties, Normal Weekend Jobs, Rugby Team Bonding at Luna Park and an afternoon with my beautiful Mum at the Better Homes and Gardens Show (thank you Umi Loans for sending us) and well I was spent! Hence no Blog Post yesterday. I was too knackered to feed myself let alone write anything remotely intelligible.

So there you have it - 3 crazy days of hilarious blogging shenanigans and one tired little mumma later. I just adore all the people I meet through this blog and all the wonderful experiences I have been very very fortunate to enjoy.

Thank heavens though School holidays are next week and I have a week off work. I need to relax a little, schedule in some Me Time and perhaps tackle that Spring cleaning list before we drown under the winter dust!

So sorry about the link overload in this post, but I didn't want to leave anyone out!

Anyone keen for a little Sky Diving? I'm TOTALLY JOKING!

Friday 14 September 2012

It's All in The Method .... AND the Giveaway!

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So it's no secret around here that I am a neat freak and total germaphobic and nothing is clean until it is scrubbed to within an inch of it's life and you can see the wave of fumes emanating from the surfaces. Well at least that's what I used to think anyway.

Once a month I used to swipe my arm along the Domestos shelf in my local grocery store and dump bottle after bottle of that bug killing potion into my trolley. Ok slight exaggeration, but I did buy a hell of a lot of that stuff and used it liberally like I tend to do with my anti aging wrinkle lotions - cause everyone knows more is more effective right? ummm yeah.....

Then somewhere along the way I saw something on TV about going green in the house and protecting your children from harsh chemicals. Yikes! I thought sterilizing my house from top to bottom with bleach WAS protecting them.

Nope Vinegar apparently was the way to go according to this TV show. And so back to the grocery store to do a sweep of the vinegar shelf and before I knew it I was happily spraying away my own mix of "Green" cleaner and making my house smell like a Fish and Chip Shop (sales of frozen chips may also have increased at my local grocery store during this period).

So imagine my horror when I was recently invited to attend a demonstration event by ENJO and Method and I discovered that the amount of vinegar my kids were absorbing by touching and walking on all my clean surfaces, could possibly be doing more harm than good. You could hear my halo ping as it bounced off my head and on to the floor from miles away.

Did you know that if you stand in a shower and rub a piece of garlic on the soles of your feet within minutes you can taste that garlic in your mouth! That is how quick our feet can absorb chemicals into our body. Eeeeek!
 
Method products are the baby of Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan. They are cleaning SUPER-heroes. And just like every great superhero, they gained their powers after being exposed to toxic ingredients that you find in cleaning products. And how did they put their superpowers to work for the good of mankind? They created non toxic cleaning products that people don't need to be locking away with a key and a guard dog.

With their combined powers at work they, they set out to save the world one kitchen, one home at a time, by creating an entire line of home care products that were "more powerful than a bottle of sodium hypochlorite. Gentler than a thousand puppy licks. Able to detox tall homes in a single afternoon."

Method were kind enough to send me a few (total under-exaggeration) of their fab products to try out in my own home.


 A total bonus feature of Method Products is the packing is gorgeous and you can totally colour co-ordinate it to your decor. An OCDers Dream!

So my opinion after trying out all these products. 100 % SOLD!


You can find out more about this awesome range of products or buy them for yourself at Method's website. Like Method Australia on Facebook and stay up to date on the latest Method news, info and deals. And of course you can check out the fab video below from Method - Clean like a Mother!


Life Love and Hiccups is super stoked to welcome Method on as a 3 month Sponsor of this blog. A total clean freak / over protective mother / blogger and a non toxic beautifully packaged cleaning range = a match made in heaven ..... a very clean heaven!

Alright, I know I have hinted at this long enough on Facebook and instagram - you wanna know about the giveaway right? OK!


The fabulous people at Method are so keen for as many people in Australia to discover for themselves these brilliant products. So they have given me a stash of awesome Method products for one lucky winner to score.

Terms and Conditions

To enter this Giveaway and to win all those gorgeous Method products above just do the following;

1. Like Method Australia on Facebook Here and don't forget to say hi over there
2. Leave a comment on this post telling me what's your favourite cleaning tip.

BONUS ENTRY: For a bonus entry share this post on your Facebook or Twitter and leave an extra comment telling me you have done this.

Competition is open to Australian residents only
The winner will be selected by Random Org.com
Competition is open now and closes at 7pm Friday 28/09/12. 
The winner will be announced on this post right here on my blog and will have 5 days to contact me to claim their prize (in the event of the prize being unclaimed it will be redrawn).
By the way my beautiful buddy Fi has a special button up on her blog at the moment where you can get free shipping on Method orders over $35 until 30/09/12. Go Here for more details and look for the Method button in her sidebar.

WINNER WINNER WINNER
Lee Alexander 
My favourite cleaning tip is - to clean the microwave put a cup of water in it and nuke the beejeebus out of it. The inside of the microwave will easily wipe clean! True story! xxxxx

Congratulations Lee. Can you please email me your address to lifelovehiccups@optusnet.com.au so we can arrange to send you your prize.

Disclaimer: Method Australia is an official Sponsor of Life Love and Hiccups

Thursday 13 September 2012

I'm Here, But Not Here Here, I'm Really Over There!

Pin It What on earth could a mum of three boys give to three little girls in the way of advice?
I asked myself the same question at first. But then it hit me like one of those slap in the forehead moments.

Find out what I came up with in my letter to Bianca's girls in today's It Takes a Village over at Big Words - Lush Tales of Life and Love.

Thanks Bianca for letting me join in with your fabulous tribe. xxx

It's OK to Admit You are Not OK!

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One of the things I learned over the past year or two is that the more you open yourself up and share the secrets inside of you, the ones that your ego tells you to keep tucked away, the less scary those secrets become.

I have done it, I trusted my friends and family and all of my online friends - you guys, with a massive secret I kept under wraps for so long, my own battle with Depression. And in every case as soon as those words left my lips or were published on my blog, I felt lighter, relieved and and less scared. I am no longer afraid to speak up when I feel the shadow return and I am no longer afraid to say when I'm NOT OK.

I still live with Depression and an Anxiety Disorder but with the help of professional support, support from my family and friends, medication and taking care of myself, I'm doing fine and I am happy .... more days than not, genuinely happy, something I once thought I would never be again.

Sadly someone can be struggling and though they would give anything to ask for help, they just don't know how to bring it up themselves.

That's where you come in, where I come in and where we can all make a difference to someone who needs help but can't find the words or strength to ask.

Today is National R U OK? Day in Australia and it is a day that we are all called upon to support each other and ask the question - Are you OK?

Too many of us feel as though we need to suffer in silence. Some just quietly withdraw whilst others like me, tend to hide their pain behind a big smile or a loud laugh. Some of us even go out of our way to control everything around us, make it all seem perfect, whilst inside it is all one big shattered mess. I know this because this was me and I know there are many of us that deal with things the same way.

R U OK? Day is not about reaching out to those around us on just this one day every year. It is about creating an awareness, a community who regularly reach out to our family, our friends, our neighbours and our work mates and genuinely asking the question - Are You OK?

Sometimes you may need to ask more than once before you get the real answer, but in doing so you may help someone that felt beyond help. You may just save a life.

If you need help, if you are not feeling OK, please please please take that hand that is offered. You do not need to do this alone.

You can find out more information on R U OK? Day here at the official website. They have a great list of resources to help you ask the question that can make a difference and just importantly, advice on how to tell someone that you are not OK.



A very special friend of mine, Gemma from My Big Nutshell is hosting
 From Gemmas Website;
"The Australian blogosphere has united to inspire all Australians to take responsibility for the people in their lives who may be struggling and need an opportunity to say 'I am not OK' to a friend or family member. May our words and experience give hope and call everyone to action to help stop little problems becoming big ones."

Wednesday 12 September 2012

No one Cleans My Locker as Well as You Do!

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Flynn's Kindy had a bit of a farewell brekkie for one of their gorgeous teachers who is getting married. And by the way, when I say gorgeous - I mean like drop dead, don't stand next to me please, stunning. The girls call her their princess and the boys? Well the boys just call her over and over again as they love any bit of attention from their beautiful Alex.

The kids were asked to dress up for the breakfast just like they would for a wedding and they were also asked to write a special message for their precious teacher.

Flynn needed no prompting when it came to dressing up. This kid loves fashion! He has his own style and he knows EXACTLY what he likes and doesn't like.

As for the special message? Well he is a man of few words it seems.

Just in case you are wondering the picture above is Alex and her pig which is rolling over for her cause yeah why not! Relevance? Zilch! Sentiment? Heartfelt!

This photo below was taken by my beautiful friend Cath and that adorable little girl is her daughter, Flynn's girlfriend / best bud and apparently my future Daughter in Law. I'd welcome her into our family any day and especially as she comes with THE best Mum and Dad and 3 awesome sisters. By the way Cath - did I mention I bags Christmas?

The expressions on these two in this photo is just priceless and it totally cracks me up just looking at it.


What cracked me up even more were the captions you guys came up with on this photo on Facebook.
They were seriously hilarious and every single one of them made me cackle as I could just picture the kids as a little old couple saying those things.

I have to share some of them with you. Just cause it's Wednesday and everyone needs a good laugh on Hump Day right!

Sarah  "Big... HUGE mistake Flynn for taking the last chocolate cake. You will learn."

Megan  "This is not a good start to our honeymoon, you eating the last chocolate cake Flynn!"

Laney  "Don't think our actual wedding cake will be chocolate Mr, I'm traditional all the way! No way are you putting grubby chocolate hands on my dress!"

Sharon  "Pffft she eats the icing off and then hands me the rest...this isn't going to work out"

Beth ‎"don't even think of taking my cake woman, a mans got limits"

Stacey  "This is it for the rest of my life... I'm going to enjoy this cupcake"

Bronwyn  "If...you..even...THINK ... about smooshing that all over my face we are THROUGH!!! I take the car, the house, everything!

Erica  ‎"What you mean I have to share with her?.. what's mine is her's too.. no-one told me that."

Sally  ‎"don't even think I'm gonna vacuum that mess up, I'm over it already OMG"

Jess "Mum was right! The way to a mans heart is through his stomach! "

Any other captions you can think of? Come one I need a good laugh!