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Do you have a favorite child?
Okay, be honest (and you’re allowed to be… no judgies over here): do you have a favorite child?
Don’t look at me like that, Susan. I’m not asking you to pick which one you’d save in a fire. (But okay, while we’re on it, which one? Kidding!)
I know the immediate response to this question would be shock, horror, outrage, guilt. But having a favorite child is not as uncommon as you think.
I mean, if you had to take a quick scroll through my Instagram feed you would see that I talk about some of my kids a heck of a lot more than I do the others. I’m not even going to deny it. It’s there.
But, to be honest, when it comes to topics of conversation, Jonah’s drummer antics and Kari’s love for fashion honestly feels a lot more “sharey” than telling people what colour Asher’s poo was yesterday.
And our teenage sons would rather I don’t take pics of them… or talk about them… or talk to them… or look at them for too long… or breathe in the same air as them…So a lot of my current time is spent talking about my two littlest
bratskids. It is what it is. That doesn’t mean that they are my favorites. Gasp! What type of a mom do you think I am?! (FYI: I’m not like a regular mom, I’m a cool mom. #moviequote)But, what if I told you that research suggests that most parents have a favorite child. Some studies say that shared interests, birth order and gender play a huge part in this. And even if you feel that you don’t have a favorite, you most likely show preferential treatment to one of your kids, in some way or other.
Now, contrary to popular belief, having a favorite child doesn’t actually mean that you love one kid more than the other. People (you know, the clever people who get paid to find these things out) say that your perceived favorite usually is the one that your personality resonates with more.
Favoritism is essentially behavior-based… usually unconscious. And it’s essentially very fluid, since you could probably change your mind about it every day/week/month.
So yes, a favorite child isn’t that uncommon. But, I mean, don’t go all crazy with the cherry-picking. You don’t want to unintentionally create a sibling rivalry (ala Mufasa vs Scar). Blatantly favoring one kid over the other could potentially create insecurities that would lay a foundation for deeper issues.
I guess you could say that the ideal solution would be to not have favorites. But, to me, I try to make them all my favorite. (I know, how whimsical sounding)
But seriously, you guys, if I had to choose a fave, it would be the child that is the most well behaved (because mama’s tired).So yes, as you can see, I’m kinda torn when it comes to choosing a favorite. I think that each of them are a favorite in their own special way. I mean, they each embody something that I love, treasure and favor.
But I’m definitely more aware of my subconscious motivations… striving to love each of them exactly how THEY NEED me to love them, as individuals. And being aware of the things that set them apart… all my favorite things about them.
And, if we’re going to be completely transparent about this, they all contribute equally to mama being ‘zausted, so I guess there’s an element of balance.
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5 Home Date Night Valentine Activities
I’d like to think that I’m an expert at staying at home. In fact, all of my best Valentine’s Day dates took place in the comfort of my living room. True story!
I mean, I love the idea of spending quality time with my Hubstopher, but the lure of my comfy couch and pajama’s is a lot stronger than the thought of having to scramble for a babysitter, pre-cook meals for the kids, get all dolled up and then drag myself (and my Hubstopher) to a restaurant, only to check in on the kids every few minutes and then call it a night when exhaustion hits me. (At 9pm, guys. The exhaustion hits at 9.)
I mean, who says a home date night has to be boring, anyways?! When it comes to planning the perfect Valentine home date night, you need to have a few key things in place:
1. The kids are bathed and in bed by 8pm.
2. We have a list of fun activities to partake in.
3. Someone has their Uber Eats app open, because mama’s not cooking tonight!The app has a wide variety of cuisines with over 400 000 menu items available. We usually order a “starter” from one eatery, a “main” from another, and a dessert from a completely different restaurant, just to spice things up a bit! The cool thing is that the new Uber Eats delivery fee (which is super low anyways) depend on the distance between the eater’s delivery address and the restaurant you’re ordering from. So we always feel like we’re winning!
Once you’ve sorted out kids and food (at this point, you may consider taking a nap, but I dare you not to), how about partaking in these interesting home date night activities:
5 Home Date Night Valentine ActivitiesMovie Night
Set up your very own indoor cinema, complete with romantic lighting and lots of comfy pillows. You could add a romantic element to the movie-watching i.e. “One kiss every time someone says the word love” or “share a secret every time someone hugs”.
Watch your wedding video
Take a walk down memory lane by watching your wedding video together. My Hubstopher gets especially teary eyed every single time he watches us exchanging vows – it’s super cute! Up the ante, by including conversation prompts (questions in a jar) that would take you all the way back to when you first met.
Questions and Answers
We love a good questions and answers game, you guys. It’s really simple: write down questions (we usually do 20 each), place them in a jar and then take turns to ask them to each other. It makes for really interesting conversation starters and you end up learning a little bit more about your partner.
Board Games
A game night always scores a thumbs up from us. We’ve figured out ways to adapt even the most complicated of games, to a two-man show, making things a lot more fun. Hint: Add some prizes and penalties to make things a bit more dramatic and interesting. This is when I’d usually order some dessert, because with an under 30 minute delivery, it’s there before my Hubstopher conspires to win, keeping him distracted and letting mama sail to victory.
Dance it out
Move the furniture in your living room, put on those slow love songs, and enjoy the evening in your partners arms, dancing the night away! Add an element of surprise, by each creating a special playlist and then putting it on shuffle, surprising each other with your song selections.
It’s easy with Eats!
Whatever you end up doing, to celebrate the day of love, always remember that the real treat is in being together. Keep the night simple by ordering in via the Uber Eats app, and enjoying quality time with your loved one. Download the Uber Eats app from either the App or Google Play stores or order at ubereats.com
Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with Uber Eats.
Header Image: Freepik
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It’s Valentine’s Day – here’s how to do a Sunstar GUM #FreshBreathCheck! {And win a hamper!}
It was awkward. My Valentine and I were on the most perfect date, complete with roses, a moonlit walk by the beach and Leona Lewis. Until he leaned in to give me a smooch and it left me, pretty much, knocked out by more than just his good looks.
Bad breath is not cute, you guys.
And when it comes to maintaining a healthy mouth and fresh breath, getting rid of dental plaque is essential. I don’t meant to be dramatic but bad breath totally has the power to make or break that special moment forever!!! *and end scene*
Seriously though, plaque is almost invisible – it’s not easy to spot. So, if you plan to take your dental care seriously, you might want to consider investing in the new Sunstar GUM Red-Cote Plaque Disclosing Tablets. I’m super impressed with it, because it makes it easy to identify exactly where you should improve your oral care routine.
Simply brush, floss and rinse as usual then chew a tasty, cherry-flavoured tablet to reveal any plaque you’ve missed. Then brush and clean in-between again, until your mouth is completely clean. As easy as pie… but, like, fresh smelling pie. If you know what I mean.Sunstar GUM has a range of amazing products that helps you to keep your teeth on fleek. (Does that sentence make sense? Well it does to me. I can’t help it if I’m hip.)
One of my faves is the Sunstar GUM ActiVital Sonic Toothbrush – a super stylish way to ensure a healthy mouth and clean teeth and gums. The ultra-tapered bristles are scientifically proven to remove up to 50% more plaque from between the teeth than a manual brush and reach deeper below the gumline.
The GUM Expanding Floss is perfect for those small gaps between teeth. GUM Expanding Floss is easy to insert, even between the tightest contacts, and expands during use for an exceptional clean.
I love the Sunstar GUM Dual Action Tongue Cleaner so much, man! It helps remove plaque and food debris from the surface of the tongue. The two sides provide a dual-action – bristles to gently brush and a serrated edge to wipe the surface clean.
My Hubstopher is a huge fan of the GUM Original White mouth rinse, because it contains StainClear to help remove stains from in-between the teeth and the tiny crevices in tooth enamel. Made with a patented combination of fluoride, Isomalt and vitamins, Original White Rinse delivers advanced mineralisation for stronger and shinier teeth, helping prevent further staining while strengthening gums and teeth.
BTW if you’re not sure whether your breath is fresh enough, take the online Sunstar GUM #FreshBreathCheck this February on www.ivohealth.co.za to find out. You could win awesome prizes! What’s more, Sunstar GUM will once again donate a toothbrush to the Dental Wellness Trust’s oral education programme on behalf of each person who completes their #FreshBreathCheck quiz in February. Legit.
Sunstar GUM is recommended by dental professionals around the world and available from Dis-Chem, Clicks, selected Checkers, Pick n Pay, SPAR, pharmacies and dentists.
Win a Sunstar GUM #FreshBreathCheck oral care kit, valued at over R700!This February – Fresh Breath Month – we’re giving away a Sunstar GUM #FreshBreathCheck oral care kit, valued at over R700. Each kit contains easy-to-use GUM Red-Cote Tablets plus everything you need to super-power your oral care routine for fresh breath and a healthy mouth, including a Sunstar GUM ActiVital Sonic brush, floss, interdental tools, a tongue cleaner, GUM Original White toothpaste and rinse.
To enter simply find the specially marked post on Facebook and on Instagram, and follow the prompts.
Terms and conditions
Giveaway only open to South African residents
Giveaway ends on 19 February at 12pm
Winners will be announced via my social media pages
Sunstar GUM is responsible for the delivery of prizes to the winner -
An ode to the end of maternity leave (it’s also a celebration)
The other day, my friend Ella remarked that it’s especially hard to blog when you’re going through stuff. Because, quite simply, you’re not always lus to air out your issues on your social platforms, man. I mean, I’m totally not one of those aunties, in the hood, who skels in the street.
But, also, some of us aren’t that good at faking the happy. Like, if I’m upset, I’d rather talk about it. In a super descriptive blog post. Like a normal person. (hahaha)
This is a huge problem when you’re all about promoting “being the light” and all that jazz. I mean, it’s hard to be positive/happy/not a turd when you’re saying exactly how you feel and how you feel is miserable.
Anyways, I found myself in this very spot during my maternity leave. Man, friends, it wasn’t so lekker. My body was broken (like, in literal pain every single day).
Needless to say, I didn’t feel like being the light. I was in a bad head space. And then, to add insult to injury, someone’s voodoo ensured that my maternity leave falls over the school holidays. So I basically spent what was meant to be a relaxing holiday, uhh, not relaxing and alone at home with 3 small children (and pain, don’t forget the pain) for 6 long weeks. It was the opposite of fun.
Friends, I know I don’t need to tell you that I love my kids. I love the buggers… yep, they are beautiful and a blessing and the fruit of my loins and all of that… but I was exhausted and mizzy.
I tried to chat about it on the blog a couple of times but it felt like I was complaining (I was though). And I didn’t want to be that blogger, you know?
But, now that I’m on the other side of the storm, I can safely and securely say that: GUYS, MATERNITY LEAVE WITH KIDS EN TOW IS ROUGH! Do not try this at home! I repeat, do not try this!
I found myself resenting the very concept of motherhood and giving birth and maternity leave and husbands who get to go to work. When people would mention how lucky I was to be home with my kids, I wanted to, you know, roundhouse kick them in the face. (But ever so gently, so that I don’t come across as too aggressive.)I found myself waking up at 6am each morning and wishing that everyone else could remain asleep until, like, 6pm that evening. I didn’t want to have to deal with anyone’s anything for another second. The burden and sacrifice of parenthood kinda hit me in the nuts. (If I had nuts.)
Returning to work has been the biggest blessing, you guys. For starters, I actually enjoy seeing my kids now because I had the chance to miss them while I sit alone at my desk, sipping on hot coffee and thinking thoughts that don’t involve which boob needs to be emptied next. And also, I kinda am excited to wake up at 6am because my day has purpose now.
With that said, your day could totally have purpose if you’re a stay at home mom. But maybe I wasn’t designed for that purpose. You know? And I’m okay with that.
Anyways, I guess I came here to say a bunch of random, cliche-sounding ish that you would hear in an episode of Dr Phil and Oprah. Random, cliche-sounding TRUTHS, I’ve learnt. Stuff like:
This too shall pass (just like gas, and your youth, nothing stays forever)
Joy comes in the morning (in my case, it was the morning when my maternity leave ended)
Kids grow up so fast (but painfully slow, when you’re at home with them every single day)
Love on your family as much as possible (even when they annoy you)
Look both ways before you cross the road (seemed fitting, but also, it’s a metaphor… ooh deeeep…)
If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all (words have power, yo)
Live your truth (because it’s super tiring putting on a mask and we’re already drained as it is folks)
When all else fails, pray.
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Pumping at work: tips for working moms
So when it comes to breastfeeding, it’s like, totally super fun, like, all the time!
Said no mom ever.Choosing to breastfeed your baby is a full time job, you guys. I mean, sure, it IS an absolute flippen joy to beable to feed your child with your very own bossom. Don’t get me wrong. BUT it’s taxing, for sure. And the thing about the commitment to breastfeed is that you often find yourself in the act of extracting milk from your body even when you’re not with your baby. (Pumping, it’s called pumping.)
It’s even more challenging when you’re at work and your baby feeders are needing to be emptied. But, there are ways to prepare for it, friends!
Here are a few tips (you can find more on the Medela website) to help you have a more pleasant, uhh, pumping experience, at work:
Get yo’ gear
An easy to transport bag should be holding all your breast pump equipment together. Be sure to include:
– Your breast pump (duh). I prefer the Medela range, because its sucking motion mimics that of my baby’s, which means I express more milk!
– Your storage bottles or bags. I use Ziplock bags, but you can totally purchase the handy Medela storage bags or bottles for this.
– Your marker, if you’re using Ziplock bags. Use this to date the storage bags.
– Breast pads or something to clean up with. (Leaky “other” boob, anyone?)
– Wet wipes are always handy.
– Something to read, or a pic of your baby, that can help to stimulate that let down.It would be great to have a pack like this, at work, and a separate pump at home. Take this advice from a mom who totally forgot half of her breast pump at home one time. My boobs were not happy.
Get yo’ space
You are entitled to two 30-minute breaks per day, for expressing milk for your baby at work. Did you know that? Well, you are! This right is protected by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.Drop your HR an email, before your maternity leave ends, to let them know that you will be expressing and to find out about the allowed time for this and the required private room (not a toilet) for you to pump in. We don’t have to be dramatic about it, moms. I mean, an interview room or a private boardroom will do, provided there is privacy, a comfy chair and electric outlet.
Get yo’ timing right
As your maternity leave comes to an end, begin to jot down the times when your baby would usually breastfeed. This gives you an idea of when to schedule your expressing time, at work. It will also help you to express more milk since your milk supply will usually follow the same schedule as baby’s feeding times.Hey, you could even arrange a practice day, yo! While on maternity leave, allow baby’s carer to bottle feed for the day, so that you can do a trial run of pumping at work. I usually schedule my first day back at work to be on a Friday so that I can get the hang of expressing and allow my body to adjust slowly to the new routine.
You need a Medela breast pumpOkay, I’m not just saying so because I was sponsored to. My Medela breast pump totes changed my life, you guys! This award winning breast pump does the job, and then some! Most pumps feature 2-Phase Expression technology, which mimics babies’ natural sucking rhythms, allowing mums to express more breast milk in less time. HOW COOL?!
The Medela range of breast pumps are all high standard and high performance. From a hospital-grade Symphony, to a high-performance manual Harmony pump (I love mine – it’s handbag friendly!) to the double side Freestyle electric or the mini-electric (this one is great for my night time pumps), there is basically something for everyone.
I like that Medela continuously works with researchers and developers to provide us with the best feeding and breast feeding devices and products. I mean, they take their job seriously. I appreciate that. Although challenging, your season of breastfeeding your baba is so short and special. Choose products, like the Medela’s range, that will help to make the experience of breastfeeding and the collecting, handling and storing breast milk easier and more convenient.
Disclaimer: Medela gave me one of their pumps. But I’ve owned a few over the years and I love them all! My comments in this post are completely honest.
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How to Keep Your Home Tidy and Have More Time for Yourself
Sponsored – The popular psychology that comes from the Far East says that a clean house helps us keep our minds clean as well. There is even a book by a Shin-Buddhist monk, Shoukei Matsumoto, that addresses the issue — ‘A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind’.
While some people simply don’t mind being messy, we can’t deny that a clean space does transmit better vibes. There are a variety of cleaning methods out there – perhaps the most well-known is the KonMari Method. Whatever cleaning system you use to keep your house clean, here are a few tips that take inspiration from the KonMari cleaning method that you can include in your everyday routine.
Put Everything Back to Its Place
This might seem like an impossible task at first, but once you create a habit of it, it will vastly influence the overall free time you have each day.
The majority of people leave things wherever they find themselves at a particular moment. You come back from work, take off your shoes in the corridor, leave your bag in the living room, and your coat on the couch.
The situation repeats when you are leaving your home — you do your makeup and leave everything on the table. Or you take things out of the closet, and while you try them on you throw them on your bed before you finally choose what you’ll wear.
And while these actions don’t seem like anything that can cause trouble, repeating them day by day will create a huge mess that will stress you out the moment you start cleaning. The stress will also occur when you try to find a particular item the following day and get lost in the pile of things you have created.
That’s why the KonMari method advocates for creating a habit of putting everything where it belongs immediately after you are done using it. That way, you will always know where to find your things and you will have less work to do when cleaning. Therefore, you’ll have more time for your favourite activities.
Don’t Put off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today
Another thing that people often do is procrastinating and postponing responsibilities for one more hour, day, week, or even month. Although we sometimes plan when we are going to do certain things, it is not necessary to strictly stick to the schedule when it comes to things that don’t require a deadline.
Maybe you planned to mow the lawn or organise your accessories on Sunday morning. However, your friend cancelled the picnic plans you had for Saturday and now you have nothing to do. So why not finish on Saturday whatever you had planned for Sunday?
Even one day without any tasks awaiting in the morning will make you feel relaxed since you will be able to spontaneously do whatever you feel like and simply go with the flow.
Kill Two Birds With One Stone
This trick is one of the best time-savers you can use each day. The process of ‘killing two birds with one stone’ doesn’t mean that you should do two things at the same time because, in that case, you wouldn’t be able to focus on any of them properly.
What you can do instead is to finish some minor things while something else is ‘getting done’. In practice, this includes situations like wiping your kitchen counter and putting the dishes in the machine while the turkey in the oven is getting ready. Another option that can save your time is cleaning the sink while the acid you sprayed your shower with works on melting the limescale.
These little things make your home clean for longer and help you reduce your cleaning time to a minimum later on.
Do Regular Seasonal Cleaning
Even if you follow all of the above-mentioned steps and your house doesn’t look like it needs a seasonal cleaning, devote one day at the beginning of every season to detailed cleaning.
Pay attention to all the things you are not going to use in the following months. That can include putting away winter clothes that take up half of your closet, storing your roller blades or anything else that doesn’t belong to the current season.
So take these suggestions, inspired by Marie Kondo, and enjoy all the free time you have from cleaning efficiently!
This was a guest post written by Kyle Moore.
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5 ways to prepare for December in January
January is no joke, you guys. I mean, for starters there are 136 days until pay day and, secondly, why didn’t anyone wag their stern finger at me while I was spending all my moola on junk food and frivolities, in December?! Not funny. Not funny at all.
Now, you all know that I have a spreadsheet brain. I mean, I talk about it alot. So obvz you should know that my brain has already concocted a clever way to not sit with this brokeage and regret the next time January comes around.
Livin’ la vida loco doesn’t have to have a bad aftertaste, you guys. Surely there are ways to be better prepared for the big days (aka festive season)?
That was a rhetorical question, Susan, the answer is yes. Yes there are ways to prep for December… in January. Here are five clever ways to make your randzelas work for you in the new year:
5 ways to prep for December in January
Vouchers and hampers
While others are clutching to their coins at the end of January, hoping to hold on to their moola a tad bit longer before settling the debt made in December, I am gleefully giving my bucks away! Why? Well, because I start paying off on my December hampers at the end of January. I participate in an amazing stokvel-type hamper where I pay a fixed amount every month for 11 months and then collect my grocery/meat/luxury hampers at the beginning of December. These hampers are always so generous in portion size which means I will end up having enough to cover January and February too! And the peeps who run the one that I participate in makes sure to check sell by dates and only provides quality items. AND they deliver the hampers to my front door! It’s such a win, honestly. (If you’re in PE, you can connect with Christmas Made Easy here).No stokvel hamper club in your area? It’s all good. You can purchase Savings Stamps from Shoprite, Checkers or Usave in units of R10 and R20. Save up all your stamps and use it for those often pricey grocery (or back to school) purchases in December and January.
Sales and more sales!
Hot tip: most retailers run amazing clearance sales immediately after Christmas, to get rid of excess Christmas stock. I always factor this into my budget because hello cheap gift sets, future birthday prezzies and inexpensive Christmas decor! You could totally buy next year’s Christmas gift, like, this year.I have a special storage space, at home, for my gifts surplus. I regularly replenish this with items that I pick up when I have extra moola, or if I can get it at a really good price. This definitely helps me to not spend too much at the end of the year, because I have a stockpile of gifts to choose from, when wrapping those gazillion secret santa prezzies.
I also stock up on my kids summer clothing (swim suits etc) during Winter… because, you guessed it, it’s usually so well priced then.
Gift Cards are a friend of mine
Another way to prepare is to start purchasing gift cards from all your favorite stores. You can then load money on to the cards, through out the year, helping you to be spend ready, when the big days come. Oh and super top tip: some online sites allow you to exchange rewards for gift cards. I use my Baby City card to purchase nappies and milk for baby and I store up my Clicks club points to purchase gifts, toiletries and, hey, even wrapping paper.Back to school throughout the year
I try to do my school uniform purchases through out the year. I mean, why wait until January to buy the bulk of your kid’s school items? Hold on to the receipt if you’re worried that they will outgrow the items. Or, simply get a store card from your favorite school retailer, and continue to load money onto it, in preparation for those January blues.Back to school stationary can also be purchased throughout the year. A friend of mine has a stationary box where all extras are stored in and she usually tries to use last year’s stationary list, for the relevant grades, to help prepare for next years stationary requirements. I mean, how cheeky, but absolutely brilliant, right?!
Don’t be a foolio
When it comes to festive spending, I can be a bit of a foolio. You know, unnecessary and silly. So, when my Christmas bonuses reach my bank account, I immediately transfer a bulk of it to a seperate savings account (you can even lock these and only give yourself access to it after 30 days, yo!) to deter myself from spending unnecessarily. I mean, when the money is easy to access, chances are I will, well, easily access it.If you don’t trust yourself with your own savings account (I mean, it’s happened to the best of us, Margeret, don’t be a hater), then draw the money and ask someone that you trust to save it for you. This extra money will be very welcomed when the dreaded Januworry comes around.
Those are my very clever tips on how to get more bang for your buck and not be stuck in the muck (haha, see what I did there) next year January. Do you have any frugal/money saving tips to share? Please drop us a comment down below.
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It’s 2020 and I still don’t have visible abs
So it’s the start of a new year and the end of my maternity leave and I’m outchere SO ready for this new season! I love this place!
“And what place is that, my dear?” I hear you ask. (Okay, I didn’t really hear you ask, that was just me talking to myself).
Well, this “place” I am referring to is the mental head space one finds oneself in, at the start of a new year. You know what I’m talking about… the feeling of being absolutely ready (read: desperate) for positive change. It is very closely followed by the feeling that things are going to be kwaai overnight.
Lies, I tell you.
So as much as I am ready for new things… better things… I am trying to remind myself that my Baywatch beach babe abdominal muscles probably won’t surface by next week. The job of my dreams isn’t going to chase me down, like, tomorrow. I won’t suddenly wake up all financially stable. My marriage won’t all of a sudden be #relationshipgoals.
These are things that I need to work hard for. You know, the metaphorical “pedal to the metal” and what not.
Fortunately for me (but maybe not for my husband… another story, another day) I thrive on lists, spreadsheets and “making a plan”. So I’ve decided to break down my 2020 goals into bite sized chunks.
I find that monthly goals are a lot more achievable anyways. A wise man (who now again?) once said that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Well, I concur.
I am looking forward to posting a bunch of quality blog posts this year. I’d like to chat about stuff that we, as mothers, deal with on a daily basis. I mean, more than just showing you guys which products to throw your money at. It has always been my heart to tackle REAL issues. And even though I don’t have all the answers (no, seriously, I don’t) it feels good to air my own feelings out on this here blog, while giving a voice to someone who may be going through the same things or who may have the same questions. So that’s my blog mission for 2020.
Anyways, that’s enough chit chat from me… what’s happening on your side? I’m okay. Well, besides for giving myself this pep talk and trying not to eat carbs.
Hope 2020 has been good to you thus far!
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2019: Here’s what went down
It’s been a while. I mean, the last time I blogged was, like, last year. (har har har #momjoke).
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I spent the past few days wondering when the heck 2019 happened and if I can get a do over. It’s honestly one big blur and the parts I do remember makes me want to cringe. 2019 was messy, for the most part.
So, in true spreadsheet brain style, I thought to observe my pain and suffering in Sherlock Holmes style.
I mean, why hide when you can reminisce-side. (I couldn’t find an appropriate word that rhymes with “hide”).
Anyways, herewith please find my annual ‘here’s what happened last year’ montage. That’s right folks, it’s a blog montage! *insert spirit fingers*
Recap of 2019January
I went into January 2019 being so thankful for my life because we had just survived a crazy car accident that, basically, wrote off our car. I didn’t want to talk about it, because emo, so instead I wrote a bunch of stuff about the new year like how to nail your goals and how to be healthier etc.Very non-confrontational of me.
I added a bunch of other stuff in there (you know, to sufficiently distract me from my feelings) like that Fiver Party Trend and choosing the right school for your kid etc. I also threw in some deep moments, just for fun, and spoke smack about my Hubstopher (because, you know, marriage) and told you guys that I don’t want to be a nice person anymore. Subliminal blog post, anyone?
February
In Feb ish got real. For starters, I finally spoke about the accident. But I also ‘fessed up about how I think we are ready for another baby. I know, this coming from the woman who barely coped with the four that she currently had. (I evens mentioned the ‘not coping’ in another blog post). Yes, I was a walking conundrum.Oh and I threw shade at people who aren’t lekker in life (because my feelings were just that much) and told you guys about the weird Momo trend on Youtube.
March
So March issa birthday month and everybody knows how serious birthdays are to my spreadsheet brain! Like, my birthday should be an official National Public Holiday, I swear!Anyways, I got right in there with the birthday posts. I spoke about lies I often tell myself when I realise I’m one year older and I even wrote a letter to younger me. (Issa yearly introspection month too, clearly)
For balance I added a marriage-ey post into the fray and I showed you guys how totally adorbs my little girl is. She modeled a bunch of Winter looks, in her Lil Punk Boutique tutu skirt, and I couldn’t be more proud!
April
April means Easter and mallow eggs, right? (I mean, it’s a duh) So I did a mallow eggs comparison on the blog because I know how important this kind of thing is to us moms.I also wrote a post about “step monsters” (because all stepparents are monsters, another duh… yes, I am rolling eyes at myself) and jotted down some of the perks of being married (hint: it involves not having to ask for directions).
Oh and I let you guys in on a secret: I was preggers with kid number 5! (I feel like this vindicates all the hormone-ridden blog posts, so bail a sista, would ya)
May
I spent a large part of May thinking about and talking about and, well, writing about baby stuff. I was buzzing with excitement, you guys!For starters, I wrote a bit about how motherhood strips you. I also chatted about how my kids took the news that we’d soon be one man up, so to speak, and when we were planning on finding out baby’s gender (hint: the answer is never… well, atleast not while I was pregnant).
We were also prepping for our 2019 ECMeetUp!
June
June was filled with a bunch of posts about blogging and social media. I mean, besides for the usual ECMeetUp banter, I also told you guys how to stay classy on social media and gave you tips on how to start blogging.Of course there was a pregnancy update, oh and I unleashed my negative body issues on your poor, unsuspecting brains. Sorry about that. Hormones and what not.
July
As far as months of the year goes, July 2019 was a really emotional one for me. If you thought the start of the year was emo, this one was super saiyan emo.I mean, I laid it all on the table and made you guys look (ala Bird Box zombie). For those of you who stuck it out… shalom, friend. Thanks for staying even when I word vomited about my kid’s matric farewell drama and the fact that I was being a negative nelly about my pregnancy. Oh and I wrote a whole post about poop. You’re welcome.
I was also kinda informative, talking to you guys about matric farewell planning, newborn checklists and how to turn a breeched baby. All in all a pretty well rounded collection of posts… right?
August
Twas a month for baby related posts such as: Baby drop safes, Baby name choosings, Baby bag packings and, my fave, my birth story! That’s right… our Asher was finally born.
September
Pain. That’s all I have to say about September. But I managed to kick out a whole blog post about how to prepare for a C Sec birth AND I tackled the #menaretrash trend.October
In October I told you guys about Jo’s trip to the operating theatre… the kid had swallowed a coin and it was stuck! He’s okay now, thankfully.I spoke some more smack about my Hubstopher and ran a Faith over Fear series where a bunch of amazing writers and bloggers shared their faith stories with us! You guys need to read this! Click on these links to read stories by: Me, Timann, Sherayne, Nadine and Kim.
November
More Faith over Fear posts, this time by Megan and Tamsyn.Also, you’d want to read my thoughts on having a big family, my Hubstopher who doesn’t buy me Christmas presents and why I combo-feed my baby.
December
The last month of the year is usually dedicated to my Christmas Crazy. I mean, I take it pretty seriously. This year was no different. I ran so many blog giveaways that I thought of adding “everybody’s getting onnne!” to my blog bio.I was also so keen to introduce ya’ll to Girltivity, the kwaai Springbok Monopoly, Baby Born dolls (they really poop, you guys) and the gorgeousness that is my daughter, modelling some hot Barbie x MRP fashion. Oh and I baked (shocker).
So that’s my 2019… a hodge podge of feelings, being pregnant and product reviews. Atleast there’s a wide variety of content, right? If you’d like me to chat about anything specific on the blog next year, let me know!
Image: Header by Freepik
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Making up for lost time this festive season
You’ll often find me flexing my Genius Mom status ’round about these parts because… well… I have five children, people. That’s five whole human beings whose lives I contribute to in a major way. I mean, let’s just say that three of them won’t have clean bums if I’m not around. So that’s, like, a pretty big deal.
But, because there are that many children under my care, I also have to find new ways of
making them believe that I’m amazingentertaining them. This was especially challenging this December because we’ve added our latest member to the troupe a mere four months ago!So, the other day, when our eldest turned a whole 18 years old (yes, I do realize that I am now parenting another adult) I decided to flex that Genius Mom muscle once again by incorporating as many kids as possible into baking Now-Adult-Son’s birthday cake. The result? Pretty epic, even if I do say so myself. (Which I do.) I mean, homemade baking just tastes better, right?
Now, I need to add a teeny tiny disclaimer right here: I don’t bake.
Like, if you had to rate my skills and abilities on a scale of 1 to 10, I would probably score a solid -11 when it came to baking. Yep, it’s real bad.But I know that baking is a labor of love. I needed to remedy this situation AND gain the respect and awe of my children simultaneously.
So I was especially chuffed with myself for remembering that I had a box of Golden Cloud Cake Mix in my cupboard. Although, let’s be honest friends, I wasn’t going to pass out in shock if I flopped on this too. I mean, I’m okay with it. One can only have so many amazing talents (this is me trying to make myself feel better).Anyways, I whipped out the cake mix box and quickly scanned the pretty straight-forward instructions. I only needed to add the “wet” ingredients… the rest was in the box, including yummy icing! That was such a score already!
I was also impressed that I didn’t need to have special cake-making-things to make the cake (you guys know what I mean, right?) There was no mention of fancy cake making tools and equipment. Needless to say, I felt like I was winning and the cake wasn’t evens made yet.
We finally got cracking (literally, cracked the eggs, I know, I’m a lyrical genius) and, with the help of my kids, had the cake in the oven in no time! The icing was super easy to make and we got so much out of it, I could keep some aside for our Golden Cloud cupcakes (also so easy to make, my five year old practically did it by herself!)The kids enjoyed decorating the cake. I enjoyed eating the cake. Both for obvious reasons. The result? It was super yummy and moist! Honestly, I was a little bit shocked… why didn’t anyone tell me that it’s this easy to bake a cake, yo?! I feel like the universe has been holding out on me!
I’ve now stocked up on as many Golden Cloud mixes as possible. It’s such a great way to make up for lost time AND, if you involve them, you get to be creative with your family. We are loving the cuppacino muffin mix and my kids are begging me to try the bread/dombolo mix! My sussie and I whipped up some scones for her Ma the other day and, I must admit, it felt good to beable to casually mention that I had just “popped them into the oven earlier”. Watch out Cake Boss, I’m coming for you!Have you tried the Golden Cloud mixes? Which are your faves?
Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with Golden Cloud
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=729439874223131
