Monthly Archives: May 2016
The RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip – RRSAHM
The RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip
Sometimes, cool stuff happens.
View Lori @ RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip in a larger map
And I’d love to meet some RSAHM readers on the way. Very rudely, I have to ask you to come to me, and please keep in mind that we’re running on a tight time-frame, potential temper tantrums (and not just the Chop– both Auntie Mickey and I have been known to have a meltdown on occasion), and the buzzword for our #HyundaiDriveBrilliant road trip is ’spontaneity’; so we may not get to say hi to everyone we’d like to. But if you’re en route, have a few spare hours and would like to say hi, I’d love to meet you. Leave me a comment here or on the map, or catch me on Twitter or FaceBook and we’ll see how we roll. We’re also looking for any and all suggestions about what to do, where to go, what music to play, and where and what to eat…. help some road trippers out here, jellybeans.
Long term jellybeans may remember a few months ago when I did the Black Dog Ride, with my mate the Bear. We cruised– at some kind of exceptional speed– down the Putty Road from Scone to TinyTrainTown.
And ever since, I’ve been aching to go back and explore.
Up the back of Sydney, across the Sackville ferry punt. And up the long, strange, windy mountain road that borders the Wollemi National Park, into the depths of the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
What a freaking brilliant idea for a ride trip.
It’s kind of kick–arse that Hyundai peeps thought so, too.
So here’s the big secret I’ve been keeping for almost a week now (excuse me while I just about burst with excitement…)
On Thursday this week In about four hours; my mate Auntie Mickey, my five year old ‘The Chop’ and I head off on the three day driving adventure of a lifetime, courtesy of being named one of ten finalists in the Hyundai #BrilliantRoadTrip campaign. We’ve been granted use of Hyundai Elantra for four days to make this trip absolutely one to remember.
Without revealing too many of our super secrets– you’ll have to watch them come to fruition over Twitter, IG, BookFace, Flickr, Google +, YouTube and the blog as they unfold. I can tell you this. The RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip is going to include, among others…
An abandoned bus, a burnt out roadhouse, a fifty foot wo–man and a sailing boat atop a mountain.
Some super sparkly Christmas lights, a five year old adrenaline junkie in a go-kart, Lori being terrified of horses (yes, really… what?) and heights, and the most amazing view you’ve ever seen.
One creepy church, a room full of butterflies, seven hundred kilometers, and a partridge in a pear tree bicycle built for three.
Annnnnd… a five year old, strapped in a car for hours at a time. (May God have mercy on us all). The Chop, who helped plan the route and choose the activities (”Harley ride, or horses, Chops…?”), is under strict instructions to be on his very bestest behavior. No whinging. No complaining. Keep up, or shut it– if you are coming on a big boy adventure with mummy, we need to be quick and tough and cool like concrete.
I’ve elicited promises, in verbal format, of all of the above. And Hyundai has assured me that the car is super kid–friendly and perfect for long drives and road trippin’. I’m taking their word for it– I’ll keep you posted with the Frazzle–Meter as we eat up the road.
We’ve also been given a fourth travel companion- a hitch hiker, if you will. He’s quite cute, smells OK, doesn’t complain about my driving and takes up almost no room at all. He has very recently been named. By me. And his name is Bob. Short for “Bob The Brilliant Bear“.
But just ‘Bob’ will do.
You can keep up with our trip live via this Google Map (which I spent hours lovingly crafting and am inordinately proud of and you really should check it out to gratify all that time spent slaving over a blue toothed keyboard), which I’ll update, cross off and generalize vandalize as we progress. And– naturally, we’ll be over the social medias. Over sharing. Because this is what I do, yes?
View Lori @ RRSAHM #BrilliantRoadTrip in a larger map
And I’d love to meet some RSAHM readers on the way. Very rudely, I have to ask you to come to me, and please keep in mind that we’re running on a tight time-frame, potential temper tantrums (and not just the Chop– both Auntie Mickey and I have been known to have a meltdown on occasion), and the buzzword for our #HyundaiDriveBrilliant road trip is ’spontaneity’; so we may not get to say hi to everyone we’d like to. But if you’re en route, have a few spare hours and would like to say hi, I’d love to meet you. Leave me a comment here or on the map, or catch me on Twitter or FaceBook and we’ll see how we roll. We’re also looking for any and all suggestions about what to do, where to go, what music to play, and where and what to eat…. help some road trippers out here, jellybeans.
With less than two weeks to go until Christmas, just about every mum I know is in barely–contained panic mode, hanging on by the skin of their very fingernails and just riding it out, hoping all those balls they’re juggling stay airborne at least until Boxing Day; being chosen for an impromptu road trip two days after the Chop’s fifth birthday was… mind blowing. To say the least. But when an absolutely brilliant adventure like this one– and the chance to win, for keeps, the awesome vroooom Hyundai we’re driving– uses it’s windscreen wipers to knock politely on the door of opportunity… you generally don’t say ‘No, sorry, too busy right now– in fact, I’m wrapping Christmas presents tonight!’
You say ’hell yes’. Ignore the filthy house, overflowing email inbox and slightly weird family relations that are the status quo of your life right now. Pack a car with one kidlet, and your best mate.
And drive.
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Previous post: Thirteen Days and Counting.
Next post: The Chop’s #BrilliantRoadTrip
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: This Ain’t No Foodie Blog.
Lori, Gone Wild. #BloggersToBorneo – RRSAHM
Lori, Gone Wild. #BloggersToBorneo
I leave for Borneo in less than 48 hours.
To be honest, I’m trying to be excited… right now, I’m just exhausted. My kids are, of course, punishing me in the subtlest of ways in anticipation of the coming separation. (Screaming at me, whinging at me, the eldest hitting the youngest and then screaming at me… generally showing me that they love me).
Obviously, I won’t be blogging directly from the Borneo, due to a total lack of internet access. I’ve got a guest poster for later this week. And I’ll be back just as soon as I have a (blessed) Wifi connection.
In the meantime, I’m sharing with my itinerary with you, so you can see where I’m going and follow along with the journey.
You can check out the Google Map and have a click around to see what I’m doing each day…
View #BloggersToBorneo #LoriGoneWild in a larger map
And, for those who are on smartphones or just plain lazy, here’s a brief wrap-up.
Day One (May 20th): Fly out of Sydney and arrive in Bali at 4ish in the afternoon. Spend the night in Kuta.
Day Two (21st): Flying into Pangkalan Bun. A river cruise in the afternoon, spending the night at the Swiss-Belinn Hotel
Day Three (22nd): Up early to travel in a klotok boat up the Sekonyer River to Camp Leakey, the oldest camp set up for the orphaned orangutans. We’ll take a tour of the camp and the surrounding areas to watch the afternoon orangutan feeding. We moor in the klotok overnight at a place named Crocodile Lake (awesome).
Day Four (23rd): Today we get to see both the morning and afternoon orangutan feedings, and we spend the night in the Rimba Eco-Lodge (which sounds pretty amazing).
Day Five (24th):Back up the river, and we’re planting trees to assist the Pesalat Reforestation program- I’ll let you know the exact GPS co-ordinates of the tree I plant when I arrive home. In the afternoon, we take a tour of the local area and hopefully see more orangutans at an afternoon feeding. Tonight we take another trip downriver to witness what promises to be a spectacular sight- millions of fireflies floating above the water.
Day Six (25th): Today we return to Pangkalan Bun and visit the Orangutan Orphanage to see the amazing work they do there.
Day Seven (26th): The local coastal area is the revised destination for Day Seven (replacing the 20km jungle trek previously planned… I wasn’t going to bail. But I’m shamefully glad the plans have been changed…). We’re touring Keluang and Bogam Bay, and visiting the local turtle conservation program.
Day Eight (27th): It’s almost all over- we begin the journey back to Bali via a town called Surubaya. Tonight we stay in Bali- theoretically- I actually hop on a plane at 11pm…
Day Nine (28th):… and land in Sydney at 6am this morning.
I’ll have a stack of photos, videos and stories to blog when I get back. I’ll miss you guys. Behave yourselves.
I’ll see you soon.
***
Please, remember to donate to OrangUtan Odysseys. A huge thanks to them for having me, and a huge thanks to Digital Parents Collective- especially Mel- for organising this trip.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
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May 20, 2013 at 12:49 pm -
What an adventure! Have an awesome time Lori. Can’t wait to hear all about your travels and see the pics
And your babies will be fine
I went overseas for 10 days when my kids were 18 months and 3 years old (and got criticised for it too – of course!). I’m an anxious person, so I was really worried about being on the other side of the world but I had such a great time (and so did the kids with their Grandma – I don’t think they really missed me that much!)Have a wonderful time xo
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May 18, 2013 at 9:28 pm -
Have an amazing time Lori! I am so looking forward to reading about your adventures. Have yourself a magical time xxx
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May 18, 2013 at 9:20 pm -
Wow can’t believe it’s here already, Lori!! how exciting! Have the BEST time! can’t wait to see the piccies and videos! Slightly jealous you’re going to be feeding orangutans! xox
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May 18, 2013 at 9:05 pm -
Can’t wait to see the pics!
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May 18, 2013 at 8:59 pm -
Oh it sounds AMAZING. Have the best time!!
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May 18, 2013 at 8:33 pm -
Have an amazing time, gorgeous
Previous post: The View From Here.
Next post: The Sunset in Borneo.
The View From Casa de Chop – RRSAHM
The View From Casa de Chop
G’day,
In the spirit of self flagellation, I’m again entering a Blog This challenge. It’s Number 37- A Room With A View.
And again, my problem is- my life is, well… boring. Very boring. To prove this point, here is the view from our bathroom window. A grey brick wall.
Fascinating stuff.
Therefore, I will take thee, readers, to a much more interesting place- the very epi-centre of the imagination of a two year old boy.
So here’s the room- Casa de Chop. Complete with drawn on elevator buttons. The kid has a thing for elevators. Weird, I know.
Casa de Chop has been around for a while now. It’s previous tenant was a large toolbox shelf-ie thing-ie that the Man bought himself for Christmas. The box came with a weight limit of 51 kilograms- it’s a tough one, it’ll be around for a while yet.
Here’s the view from the room, from a two year old perspective.
And here’s the view of the room, from our perspective.
So, you can keep your castles, beaches, buildings and clouds- it doesn’t get any sweeter than this.
Leave a Comment
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
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March 29, 2010 at 9:42 pm -
Haha. Cool as. That must be a massive box.
- March 26, 2010 at 12:57 pm
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Good post! I can relate to the boring view part, I have one of those too!!!
- March 23, 2010 at 7:52 am
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Great entry – gotta love a view like that!
- March 23, 2010 at 7:38 am
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Gorgeous post!
- March 23, 2010 at 7:38 am
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Gorgeous post!
- March 23, 2010 at 1:13 am
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What a sweet boy! What a neat idea for your room with a view post!
- March 22, 2010 at 10:28 pm
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Sweet post, Lori. Your boy is adorable!!!
- March 22, 2010 at 10:13 pm
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He is delicious!
Previous post: Twilight- Great story, drudge of a read.
Next post: Dear Man, i would like a new phone.
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: The Crappest GiveAway Ever (really, this time)
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: In The Powder Room
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: The Crappest GiveAway Ever (really, this time)
Deceptively Addictive Websites – RRSAHM
Deceptively Addictive Websites
Welcome,
Before I start, I just wanted to give y’all an update on the Man- thanks to Yankee Lori (am I allowed to say that??!) for asking. He is doing OK, just very bored and sick of being stuck looking at the same four walls (well, two walls and two ugly green curtains, anyway). They are just waiting to see what nasties show up in the blood cultures, and he might get to come home on Thursday. But this is the New South Wales public health system, so we are not holding our breath.
I just wanted to share with y’all my favorite, most addictive websites- mainly for Gem88, to get through another long day in the office (except for the baby one, OK Gem?). The sites that steal the time I really should be spending on more productive things like mopping my floors, packing up the baby clothes for hand me downs, or learning a third language.
The worst culprit, top of my Most Visited drop down, is Belly Belly (hello to anyone-anyone?- who is linking from there). It’s a truly beautiful virtual community of like minded women (and a sprinkling of men) with kids. Any mums into breastfeeding, cloth nappies, co-sleeping and gentle parenting, I advise you to have a peek.
Another time stealer is Snopes. Absolutely packed with bloody useless information. I don’t think I’ve read the entire site yet, but I’m working on it.
Snopes is responsible for leading me to this very bizarre marketing campaign, the Subserviant Chicken (type whatever you like- the possibilities are endless!)
There’s also a few fabulous, hugely popular blogs that deserve a mention- DayDream Lily and Photoshop Disasters are two of my favorites. And let’s not forget the very funny FailBlog (Fail!) and the even funnier Hacked IRL, with gems like this one..
And thanks to Kellyansapansa for introducing me to this deceptively addictive website. Who doesn’t need a USB pet rock, some yummy bacon lip balm or, my personal favourite, some juggle-able viruses. I can’t tell you how entertaining that would have been, working in the Children’s Hospital as a clown, and having the ability to juggle the common cold.
Leave a Comment
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
- February 26, 2010 at 5:45 pm
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Isn't Think Geek awesome? I tend to do a lot of my Christmas shopping there!
- February 26, 2010 at 3:25 am
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I missed some of your posts cause I'm working on a template for a business blog and it's taking all my time-stupid job!
Yankee Lori! I love it! Cause were the only two Loris on the planet and we have to differentiate between the two of us – haha!
So glad hubby is getting better. Hope he's home with you soon
Please don't think I'm ignoring your lovely awards, I just gotta get this biz blog up and running and then I'll get caught up. And can't wait to check out those sites – like blogging doesn't take enough time! - February 23, 2010 at 3:18 pm
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Thanks for the award! I love it!! And those sites you have up are interesting. I've been the to the Snopes one, but none of the others. That chicken scares the shit out of me. And he did some stuff, like sit and fly. But he wouldn't poop for me. Bad chicken.
Previous post: Sunshine Awards!
December 2011 – RRSAHM
December 2011
The last of the Retro RRSAHM series for now. This is my favorite ever video blog. It’s called Vloggus Interruptus, and you’ll soon see why.
Happy New Years, jellybeans. I’ll see you on January 2nd.
{ 13 comments }
‘Hem… *ahem*, *ahem*, *ahem*. A fractured fairytale. Definitely not for children.
***
Once upon a time, there was a young wench named Lori.
One Saturday morning, Lori and her devoted, loving betrothed, the Man, awoke at the peaceful hour of 8am, to find their children still sleeping.
In the land of the Purple House, this was indeed a unique and exciting occurrence.
“I doth think we should partake in a bit of nookie” intones the Man.
Lori retires to the powder room to grapple with her troublesome contraceptive, the Holy and Glorious Diaphragm. This Diaphragm has been the source of many a happy adventure. It lives in small, white plastic case in the bathroom drawer.
Whatever-oust. Nookie was had, and all was well in the land of the Purple House.
That is, until approximately two hours later, when the land of the Purple House was hit by the dreaded Gastro Monster. Lori and the Man realized, too late, that it was under the Gastro Monster’s spell the children had slept so peacefully.
Three days and three nights passed. The children, Lori and the Man had recovered well and continued about their daily business raising cows and harvesting crops on Farmville. On the nigh of the third day, The Man turned to Lori and said
“Does thou fancy a bit of nookie?”
“Indeed, my Lord, with your pork sword“, replies Lori.
And she skips up to turret stairs to grapple with her friend the Diaphragm.
Lori creeps down the hall, past one, two sleeping children. Tiptoes into the bathroom, and by the light of the lamp in the hallway, cracks open the drawer….
…. but when she got there, the diaphragm case, it was bare!!
Oh fuck.
Lori sent frantic message via carrier pigeon to her fairy godmother, the health line nurse, who attempted not to giggle whilst she reassured our heroine all was well, and to see the local surgeon and drink a brew of newt’s eyes and mugwort if signs of tepid infection became apparent.
Lori, fraught, came close to throwing the Holy and Glorious Diaphragm in the pig slop receptacle. Then, she remembered the tragic days of yonder Pill, when she wanted to stab her husband and run over random strangers with her car. And she decided to hang onto her hallowed contraceptive.
But she never forgot to remove her diaphragm ever, ever again.
*This asterisk doesn’t refer to anything in particular, this whole post needs a freaking asterisk. In my defense, diaphragms are supposed to be left in for six hours after… nookie…. and I normally just leave the plastic case out so I don’t forgot about it and an incident like this does not occur. But somewhere in my vomit and fever, I must have put the case away. Personally, I think it’s just a miracle I didn’t turn the Man’s second request for nookie down the way I usually do. Or things could have gotten really…. uncomfortable.
{ 11 comments }
Many moons ago, I guest posted at The Mother Media. I love this post- loved it then, loved it now. It goes a long way toward explaining this social media addiction of mine. I believe my shrink would call that ‘self serving justification’. Undeniably true… but this post holds a lot of truth in it, too.
When I reveal to people in my Real Life that I write a blog, there are two very common questions I’m asked. The first is “What’s a blog?”. After I finish explaining that and assure them that I am not, in fact, a geek, I usually get asked,
“Who reads this stuff, anyway?”
And the answer to that question is slightly more complex.
In short, the demographic of readers for most ‘mummy blogs’ is other mums, other dads, other women and men; at home or at work; with kids or without. The demographic for my blog is, specifically, other women, other mums, at home, with kids.
Most ‘mummy bloggers’ will confess that, at one point or another, their husband has told them to “Get off that damn computer!”. Things have changed. Where my mum, at home, 20 years ago, would have watched a midday movie and chatted on the phone to a friend, trailing 20 feet of phone cable behind her so she could house-work while she chatted; in the year 2010 mums log onto FaceBook, Twitter, forums and blogs while our children are sleeping or playing outside. Loneliness is less of a problem for stay at homes mums in this technological age. We have the blessed advantage of being able to go online and log on to a social life when we can’t leave the house.
It’s an accepted sociological fact that women are communal creatures. Surely, you’ve wondered why women go to the bathroom in pairs…? That’s just how our brains are wired. We like to chat, to gossip, to form friendships, networks and social circles. While we all know this can lead to catty in-fighting by immature people, for the most part, the communal, sharing women of nature brings us strength and solidarity. It’s in the nature of women to share and swap stories, ideas and experiences.
And all of this becomes even more important once we have kids.
A hundred years ago, human beings in the western world were intensely tribal creatures, much more than what we are now. The 21st century has seen most women go back to work, and families move vast distances from one another. While again, this has it advantages (especially the families-at-vast-distances bit), it also means that women are often lacking the family network that once existed. There are no grandmothers at home to help pick up the slack of a mum with a newborn. There isn’t a neighbor next door with small children, who you can laugh with, who’ll reassure you the worst will soon pass.
In this day and age, mums get all that online.
We turn to FaceBook and Twitter to share casual conversations and day to day events with those in the same situation as us. We log on to parenting forums for advice on breastfeeding, discipline and sleeping problems.
We use our blogs to vent our frustrations, to celebrate our triumphs, to engage our adult selves in a place more creative than our lounge rooms. We read the blogs of others to feel enlightened, to gain perspective, to learn, to share and to grow.
These blogs, these online social networks that we form, they serve as our community of like-minded women, as our social circle of writers, mentors and other mothers. The traditional model of women in society has changed, and we are grasping for something to steady ourselves.
The Internet becomes our community. It’s real, it’s powerful. And the bonds we form here can be as strong as those formed In Real Life.
Who reads this stuff, anyway? Other women, other men, other mother, other dads. Other bored, frazzled parents, who are reaching out for something more.
{ 9 comments }
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: Sunday, Just Me.
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: Food on the Un-Foodie Blog.
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: The Crappest Give Away Ever!!
Lori Runs Away And Finds Cool Stuff – RRSAHM
Lori Runs Away And Finds Cool Stuff
This is what I got up to this weekend…
And you…?
***
Most mums agree that mid-year toy sales are a bit like childbirth- possibly unpleasant at the the time, awesome reward at the end, unfortunately but completely necessary. And once you’re there, you start wondering who told you this was a good idea in the first place.
And that’s just the layby line.
In attempt to cut the frustration, Big W have released the first ever online shopping app for an Aussie department store. Shopping via the app on your lounge in your pj’s versus madness at midnight…? Big W sent me a $200 voucher with which to conduct this experiment. And I determine- App and Pj’s win, every time. It’s got the current catalogues, a workable search function, you can layby online and delivery was quick. The only drawbacks are it’s not available on the iPad, and while the Chop’s scooter came wrapped in black plastic, I found myself fighting the Bump for her boxed-up dollhouse, clearly visible when the postie dropped it off.
The things we do for kids. Anyway. To win yourself a $200 Big W voucher to spend in store or online, leave me a comment on this post, telling me what toy you always wanted as a kid but never ever got. (In case you’re wondering, mine was a tacky clear box full of gaudy plastic jewelry. Why? I don’t know. I think just becasue all my friends seemed to have one. Try as I might, Google won’t spit me out a picture. Sorry)
The answer that amuses or confuses me the most wins. My decision is final and no discussion will be entered into.
This one’s open to Australian residents only.
Entries open Monday 9th July and close midnight (AEST) on Monday 15th July.
The winner will be announced via RRSAHM’s FaceBook page and Twitter feed, and probably in the newsletter as well. Winners will be emailed and have 48 hours to respond to that email with their postal address, or the prize will be redrawn.
Comments must have a valid email address to be included in this competition- I cannot stress this point enough, people. The number of times I pick a winner and have no contact address for them… it makes me sad. If you’re on Blogger, make sure you’re logged in then click this link to set your email address to reply-able. Cheers.
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
- July 12, 2012 at 10:38 pm
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I always wanted a board game…no particular board game, any one of the hundreds out there would have been fantastic. I had a sister so it's not like I had no one to play board games with either! But for some reason we got through the entire 80's and most of the 90's never having owned a single one.
My best friend had an entire floor to ceiling cupboard crammed FULL of them, I'm afraid to say I would peek into that cupboard with a mix of awe and jealousy any chance I got!
I now have a baby and a toddler who already have about half a dozen waiting in a floor to ceiling cupboard…
- July 12, 2012 at 1:02 am
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Unlike many people it seems, I had a Cabbage Patch Kid and a Pound Puppy.
I realised when I was in my early teens, I never had a teddy bear. My mother had hers from when she was a kid, both my brothers had one, I didn't. I had a ton of other stuffed toys,barbies etc, but that didn't stop me from telling my mother for many years that I was deprived as a child because I never had a single teddy bear.
When I was 19, I went home for my birthday and found a huge teddy bear waiting for me. My mother said something along the lines of "now you can stop complaining". I still have him, and my daughter learned very early on that it is Mummy's bear. She can play with it, but any time she tried to claim it for her own, she got told very firmly it was Mummy's and Mummy wasn't giving it away.
- July 11, 2012 at 5:56 pm
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OH I could be persuaded to buy an iPhone JUST FOR THAT APP. I hate crowds, really really hate them, so shopping at Christmas is a nightmare. I buy almost everything on-line well ahead of time.
You know what I wanted most as a kid? A Barbie.
I know, I know.
I eventually ended up with a Sindy, who was like Barbie's poor English cousin, and I hope I was grateful at the time because she was probably cheaper and my parents went through some rough times.I've made up for my Barbie-wants by buying about a million Barbies for my daughter. It's not quite the same though.
- July 10, 2012 at 6:52 pm
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WOW which toy did I want as a child but never got..there was a few. actually {of course}…I would attempt to set the scene.. but to be honest I'm really not sure if my mother has a really good sense of humour or just plain and simple is wierd. {I think its the latter}. I was a little tomboy when I was a young'n….anyhoo I wanted a Tonka fire engine..you know the big metal ones that you can play in the sandpits with…and my mum bought me a matchbox fire truck and thought that was hilarious. And this one time, at Christmas I asked for a guitar {ok maybe aiming little high at 8} I got a little plastic one that had 2 strings and wait for it..yep she was in fits ..
then when I turned 10 I REALLY wanted a set of red stone skates. See, Xanadu was on at the movies, Cliff Richard was singing wired for sound {and the video clip had girls in roller skates} and.I could actually skate! I used to borrow my friends and skate on her driveway. I begged, pleaded and cajoled my sway into getting these skates. I told mum I didnt want anything else for my birthday..just the Redstones…and guess what I got….a pair of strap on skates. I was completely gutted! {and before you think "its probably all she could afford…I got a pile of toys that I didnt want with it. {Happy ending…I bought myself the redstones for my 13th Birthday } Sad footnote: she threw them away when I left home. They were in a box in the attic of things that were in storage 
But I did learn…I'll always get a crappy version of what I ask for.Not that I'm carrying any scars..or anything
Anyhoo – thanks for letting me rant…
and very generous giveaway. thanks for the opportunity to win! - July 10, 2012 at 5:48 pm
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A Nintendo 64.
Everyone else in the street had one… it meant we had to go round our friends place and usually sit there for hours watching them play it for the chance of a 10min go.
I'm sure my parents were just scared if they bought one, that we would be home more…. I'm starting to think my kids have too many toys!
- July 10, 2012 at 5:43 pm
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I was the kids that had a pony because we lived on a farm. But what I really wanted was a tiny tots Treehouse. Remember the big green plastic tree that popped up and had that cool little house inside? My Favourite bit was the little elevator in the tree trunk. They sell for a mint now, so I still can't have one – wah!
- July 10, 2012 at 5:24 pm
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the toy i wanted so badly as a kid and never got?
a Peddle powered car! two friends had them – red and i wanted it. with a drive way with a slight hill….and my ability to bearly stear a bike with out crashing into objects such as trees that NEVER moved…it would have been some pritty painfully good childhood memories. - July 11, 2012 at 12:34 am
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I always wanted a Doodle Bear! I know now that I am a Mama just why I never got a frickin' Doodle Bear, though.
I actually came across the last Doodle Bear at our local Big W on the day I braved the Toy Sale. I popped it in our trolley and Hubby goes 'who is that for?'
To which I replied 'Miss E' (she's almost two).
He shook his head and said she was too little to have a Doodle Bear, and would draw on the walls, and went to yank it out of the trolley.
I then claimed it was for Master S in a bid to stop him. He's almost four. Surely he won't draw on the walls. Hubby then declared there was no way his son was getting a pink Doodle Bear, and grabbed the Doodle Bear and held it up high so I couldn't stop him.
Almost in tears I declared that I wanted to buy my kids a Doodle Bear because it's the last one and I've always wanted a Doodle Bear.
At that exact moment, some random cow asked if we were getting the Doodle Bear because she desperately wanted one for her kid and I'll be stuffed if my dumbarse Husband didn't give it to her!
The Doodle Bear of my dreams!
It took all my willpower not to ram my trolley into her in the lay by line where she kept gushing about how she found a Doodle Bear!
I may or may not have considered eavesdropping on her giving her details to the lay by staff in a bid to get her mobile phone number to send her haunting text messages… - July 10, 2012 at 12:07 am
- July 10, 2012 at 12:05 am
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This comment has been removed by the author.
- July 9, 2012 at 10:09 pm
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wow, the cabbage patch kid marketing team really made an impact didn't they?????
I got a cabbage patch kid – my parents wouldn't buy me one so all my friends who had them and felt sorry for me pitched in an got me a 'premmie' baby (a wee tufy of hair on a bald head – they were cheaper…) called Geraldine Scarlet. She's tucked away somewhere still…
The toy i wanted and never got was trampoline. Oh how i longed to have my very own trampoline to jump up and down on for hours and practice my somersaults and crazy jumping stunts… I fantasized about having one so that i could jump from the roof onto the trampoline into the pool. Reality being that i would have had to share it with my four other siblings and probably would never have got a chance to enjoy it properly because it would always have been 'nearly' someone else's go. sigh.
juliachalmers at hotmail dot com
- July 9, 2012 at 9:40 pm
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I always wanted a Puppy Surprise. They were a dog with a velcro pocket in their their tummies with puppies inside. You didn't know how many puppies until you bought it.
Everyone had one but me.
Obviously I still brought it up a fair bit, because at age 23 my now hubby found one on ebay and gave it to me for Christmas!!! I cried!
AND it had 4 puppies. I totally would have been the most popular kid at school for that
- July 9, 2012 at 9:33 pm
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I don't have anything that I always wanted, not because I have everything (which I don't have everything to be exact) , but because I have cousins who have lots of toys that they share with us, plus we love to play with mud, yes MUD! We love making "mud cake" lol But now, at the age of 31, I would love to have barbies, I never own a barbie before, seeing my daughter playing with her barbie now, makes me want to have my own barbie collection. Especially the one with the bicycle
Lesley
lesleyzoe@hotmail.com - July 9, 2012 at 9:00 pm
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I so wanted a cabbage patch kid. My best friend had twins called maybelle storm and trixie lee or some-such 8 year old dream come true cheesy Americana. I wanted a boy called Korey Jean and a girl called Jessie may. It never happened. Now my daughter would like one and i can not bare to purchase one. Seriously, how can such an ugly thing be so appealing.
- July 9, 2012 at 5:53 pm
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I always wanted (and never got) one of those motorised cars- you know, the ones that you charge and can actually sit in and drive? Luxury.
Guess what I bought my son for his first Christmas?
- July 9, 2012 at 4:05 pm
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I always wanted Sea Monkeys…you know the ones where you had to fill in the form from a comic book or the like and send it away and wait for the postie? well….I never got sea monkeys. Still think I'd like to have them some day. (belnap@internode.on.net)
- July 9, 2012 at 3:56 pm
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Whoops! Forgot …. gill@2mcreative.com.au
- July 9, 2012 at 3:55 pm
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Cabbage Patch dolls are a common theme, and yes, it's my answer too!
I grew up in a family of five girls, and my parents always did it tough financially.
When Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage, my sisters and I wanted one each.
We must have reaaaallly wanted them – although I don't remember asking for one all that much, as one year my Mum actually went out and bought Cabbage Patch doll kits, which were basically just the heads of the dolls – obviously rip-offs – and material to make the bodies.
And so that's what we all got one year for Christmas – home-made Cabbage Patch dolls. We were so proud of them, even though we knew they were fake.
I still get emotional when I think about my Mum doing that for us. - July 9, 2012 at 3:46 pm
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When I was a kid I always wanted a metal detector (not sure if it's really a toy) but when it never showed up at christmas or birthdays I could never understand why. I had plans to find tonnes of money, I thought all my Mum's financial troubles would be over haha.
- July 9, 2012 at 3:17 pm
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There are a couple of things that it seemed everyone had that I didn't.
Take a hula hoop for example, although I had one at my grandparents for when I visited.
I also never had a glow worm. I know, unheard of!
But the thing that really had me upset was my lack of a cabbage patch doll. Every one got to have a cabbage patch doll, and this was before they hiked up the price and they were only $30 each. I can tell you it was something I asked for every year well into my teens. Pretty sure I've got some major emotional damage or something over this. - July 9, 2012 at 2:49 pm
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Oh this takes me back to my desperate need (yes, need!) of a Barbie bus. The bus was at the top of the list for a couple of years but Santa never came through *sad face*. What made it even worse was that a couple of my friends got one as obviously they had better Santas. I was devastated! It must have scarred me as for some reason it came up in conversation with my boyfriend in my teens (my now husband) and he desperately searched for one for me for a Christmas gift. God knows what I would've done with it at that stage of my life though, lol. I find myself looking at all the different Barbies mobiles these days and I can't help but think of my love for the Barbie bus and how these new contraptions don't come close.
- July 9, 2012 at 2:45 pm
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A ken doll. I don't know why but mum wouldn't buy us one and so my sister and I cut the heads off our extra babies and drew faces on their necks. They were the boys. It is now a tad disturbing….
Email: janeandjosh@gmail.com - July 9, 2012 at 2:11 pm
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Oh I still moan about missing out on a game boy and a baby born. Small things hey?!
- July 9, 2012 at 2:02 pm
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The walking dinosaur. I still talk about it to this day. It's a running joke between Dad & I. It was the first Christmas after my mum left & I wanted this walking dinosaur toy so badly. Dad, having his first go at being in charge of Christmas by himself & the breadwinner in a now single income family, decided that it was a lot of money (arounf $45?) and I wouldn't love it as much I said I would. I got the marine biologist Barbie instead.
I liked the Barbie, but for some reason I hung on to the idea that the walking dinosaur would have made my life perfect. I was 11. My parents had just separated. A psychologist could explain it better. Dad & I still joke about it now though.
- July 9, 2012 at 1:33 pm
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I wanted a black Rip Curl jumper. One that was at least two sizes too big. I found one and nagged and nagged my mum about it. Two weeks later, she caved in and we went to the store. I was sooooo happy. But it was gone. Sold out. I cried for days.
I know you said toy, but I wanted this jumper more than any toy, CD, video, chocolate bar or holiday put together. I'm almost in tears now just thinking about it.
- July 9, 2012 at 12:52 pm
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I always wanted a Barbie – and the Harry Potter series. Both were banned as too satanic/worldly. However, I would have been allowed a Baby Born (which I also wanted), but we didn't 'do' Christmas/birthday gifts (any toys I did have, were gifts from other family members). One of the many 'interesting' features of growing up as a child of fundamentalist christians.
- July 9, 2012 at 12:52 pm
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I begged for ballerina clothes, shoes, etc. My mum never wanted to buy them to me as she didn't like ballet dancers body shape (said big legs no boobs), and by any chance wanted me to go to ballet classes.I guess it was another era and country. As a child didn't understood for years what she meant of course and still don't get it at all.
Fiorellanaters@hotmail.com - July 9, 2012 at 12:41 pm
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I always wanted either a donkey or a rabbit. I had it planned out for years, where they would live, what their names would be, what I would feed them. Alas, it was never to be. My Mum was allergic to nearly everything but when a cat appeared at our house one day and I wanted to keep him, I had to let go of my rabbit or donkey dream forever
- July 9, 2012 at 12:34 pm
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Hiya Lori! I would always ask for a Purple Hippopotamus whenever questioned about what I'd like for my birthday or Christmas. Yeah, I was a strange kid…needless to say, I never got one!
xx - July 9, 2012 at 12:00 pm
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I always wanted a Pound Puppy. It was the only time I remember crying in the shop when I couldn't get one.
- July 9, 2012 at 11:16 am
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I wanted a goddam pogo stick! It looked like so much fun, but my overly cautious mother was certain I'd break my neck on it so refused to let me have one. Break my neck, on a friggin pogo stick, are you kidding me? I had a greater chance of hurting myself on my bike or trampoline! How high does a pogo stick go, like 3ocm? Sheesh.
- July 9, 2012 at 11:06 am
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Ah, childhood toy deprivation, I knew this feeling well. Oh, I remember being about maybe 8 when these carosel horse toys came out and after seeing my friend Christies awesome set up (she had ALL the carousel horses and the carosel frame and it was just a fucking sparkle nightmare of pink and purple plastic) being particularly covetous of that hot little number. I no doubt would have ruined the whole set up though, it was one of those toys that was made to be displayed, not played with. I have never been good with those ones, even as a grown up. I'm too clumsy and messy.
- July 9, 2012 at 10:57 am
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All I really wanted as a girl was a barbie, any barbie, I didn't care which one I just wanted to be a part of the barbie madness and all its miniature wonderfullness.
I wanted a barbie soo bad I imagined my mum buying me one at the local Fosseys. I thought I saw (maybe imagined) her hide a barbie behind her back on the way to the checkout. But alas the barbie never arrived, and when I asked my mum about this recently she had no idea what I was talking about.
Thank heavens my niece just turned 2 and it won't be long before we hit barbie age and we (I say we loosely) will be getting barbies and a camper van!
tanmunn@hotmail.com - July 9, 2012 at 10:44 am
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Ooh, I was going to say the Barbie Camper but they I saw Donna J's comment about a Cabbage Patch doll and, man, I reeeaallly longed for one of them.
- July 9, 2012 at 10:39 am
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I have no idea why but I always wanted a Cabbage Patch doll even though I thought they were the ugliest dolls ever made.
- July 9, 2012 at 1:41 pm
- July 9, 2012 at 1:37 pm
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Teddy Ruxpin.
Ironically I actually got him for Christmas when I was 4 and on Boxing Day my brother poked Teddy's eye into his head and alas he was broken. My parents told me they'd send him to the teddy bear hospital and he'd be back in a couple of weeks. He never came back.
Only last Christmas I asked my mother whatever happened to Teddy Ruxpin and she finally confessed (after 28 years) that she returned him claiming he was faulty, got a refund and SPENT IT ON HERSELF. Scarred for life lol
So technically he was a Clayton's teddy Ruxpin and even more devastatingly, they are going for a tonne of $$$ if in good condition (my darling hubby tried to get one for me)
Previous post: Something In The Water- The Muse Wars
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Random Ramblings of a SAHM: The Crappest GiveAway Ever (really, this time)
26 Years Without 'My Norm' – RRSAHM
26 Years Without ‘My Norm’
Heya,
I entered this photo in the BellyBelly photography competition this month. the theme this month was ‘Love’, and I wanted to do something a bit different. (and I won! I won! I won, I won, I won!!).
The sweetest love story I’ve ever heard is really a very simple one. Boy- that’s Norm, my grandfather, meets girl- that’s Shirl, my gran; way back in the late 1940′s. Boy courts girl in a horse and sulky when cars were well and truly the fashion; because he owns a horse, but not a car, and he’s a practical sorta fella that way. Boy and girl get married at the respective ages of 20 and 19.
They have their ups and their downs. Build a house, buy a car, have two kids and an angel baby in between. At the age of 50, my grandfather, who had never smoked and rarely drank, was fit and active, was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away when I was two years old.
My gran had never had anyone else before him, and has never had one after. She never will. Norm was her man, her one and only. She wears a photos of Norm and herself in a locket around her neck, every day, everywhere she goes.
A year or so ago, I was a guest speaker at a women’s social group my gran attends, and I stayed for the discussion afterward. The topic was married couples sleeping in separate beds. Most of the women were happy to confess that they regularly or occasionally slept in separate beds, or rooms, from their husbands. My lovely gran spoke up to say, “It’s been 26 years without my Norm (she always calls him that- “my Norm”, no one else’s)… I’d give anything to spend just one more night sleeping next to him”.
Quite simply… that’s love.
Leave a Comment
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
- April 13, 2012 at 11:27 pm
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how absolutely touching and a magnificent photo!
- March 2, 2010 at 1:01 pm
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I love this!
- March 1, 2010 at 9:49 pm
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Lori, well done on the BellyBelly win. What a lovely relationship they had. What a lovely photo and what a lovely post. xx
- March 1, 2010 at 3:41 pm
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Sweet story
and congratulations on the well deserved win!I never get why older couples find sleeping in separate beds preferable. Even if the s*x aint happening anymore it's still nice to be near the person you love.
I hope I'm still spooning when I'm 80 lol!
- March 1, 2010 at 2:55 pm
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Great photo!! My great grandma never remarried either, but she didn't talk much about my great grandpa. I love the "my Norm". I wonder if any of us will ever refer to our spouses as "my". Congrats on the win!
- March 1, 2010 at 2:04 pm
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Lovely story. I love how she still calls him "my Norm". Congratulations on the comp win, you deserve it, it's a beautiful photo.
And yes, I did wonder why all that was written like a little subtext, like an afterthought or an irrelevant tidbit! Blogger irritates me too with the way it won't let me space things and I have to edit a million times to get paragraph spacing so my whole post doesn't look like one enormous paragraph… Drives me batty too so i feel your pain!
Previous post: Weddings Are Best When…
Next post: Blog This Challenge- It’s Votin’ Time.
Random Ramblings of a SAHM: Soul Cancer.
At My Weakest. – RRSAHM
At My Weakest.
“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”
Marilyn Monroe
If you’re not strong enough, for me, at my weakest… don’t bother.
Leave a Comment
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
- April 12, 2011 at 9:03 pm
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Love you Lori, wishing for one once of your strength even at your weakest:)
- April 11, 2011 at 6:43 pm
- April 11, 2011 at 7:05 am
- April 11, 2011 at 6:54 am
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Hugs, I hope you are doing better!
- April 11, 2011 at 6:31 am
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Hugs. x
- April 11, 2011 at 12:59 am
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love it! you are amazing.
- April 10, 2011 at 11:31 pm
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A to the fucking men.
- April 10, 2011 at 11:12 pm
- April 10, 2011 at 11:12 pm
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Always here for you hun xxx
- April 10, 2011 at 10:54 pm
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The chick who posted yesterday's vlog? Gorgeous, girly, amazing, strong, incredible.
The girl who's in today's photo?
Exactly the same.
xxxxxxxxx - April 10, 2011 at 8:28 pm
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I'm here too. Love and strength to you x
- April 10, 2011 at 8:23 pm
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{{Hugs}}
Nuff said.
Sx - April 10, 2011 at 7:49 pm
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Still reading… praying and feeling for you. May peace and contentment find you in your new Paradise xoxox
- April 10, 2011 at 6:47 pm
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Bless you, sweetheart!! Be in peace and light.. XOXO
- April 10, 2011 at 5:18 pm
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Well said xo
- April 10, 2011 at 5:15 pm
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Still the most amazing person I've stumbled across, hang in there xx
- April 10, 2011 at 5:14 pm
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I love you gorgeous girl, weak, strong, I don't care xxx
- April 10, 2011 at 4:54 pm
- April 10, 2011 at 4:49 pm
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Marilyn Monroe knew how to say it.
I'm still here, thinking of you. - April 10, 2011 at 4:42 pm
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lots of love xxx
- April 10, 2011 at 4:34 pm
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That is a lovely photo. Great quote. Xx
- April 10, 2011 at 4:14 pm
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Hell yeah xx
- April 10, 2011 at 2:58 pm
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Still here. XX
- April 10, 2011 at 2:09 pm
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Even at your weakest, you're still one strong bloody woman.
Love to you x - April 10, 2011 at 2:06 pm
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Well bloody said!
- April 10, 2011 at 1:26 pm
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Love it!
And absolutely true. - April 10, 2011 at 1:00 pm
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Absolutely!
- April 10, 2011 at 12:47 pm
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Aw, lots of love babe. xoxo
- April 10, 2011 at 12:13 pm
- April 10, 2011 at 12:13 pm
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heh. nice one. so true. <3
- April 10, 2011 at 12:10 pm
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Still here for you darl! xxx
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You Can Say What Now?! – RRSAHM
You Can Say What Now?!
Howdy do,
Now, as some of you may know, at almost two and a half, my darling little Chop is still not very verbal. Most of his words are one syllable, and Ma and Da have to virtually be psychics to decipher exactly what he is demanding.
Occasionally though, he like to surprise us. Like on Easter Sunday, when my normally stand off-ish child, who doesn’t really like to cuddle (much to his mother’s dismay), came up and sat on my lap, wrapped his chubby little arms around my neck. Lovely. Although the effect was slightly diminished when he leaned in and whispered “More eggs, Ma, more eggs!”.
Cute. And very harmless. Not so harmless was when he came home from my brothers place a week ago shouting out at the top of his lungs….
“Cold beer please Ma!”.
Ahh. Of course, Chop. You can say that, no worries.
I’m off to submit this one to Funny Things kids Say…
Leave a Comment
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
- April 12, 2010 at 9:51 pm
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Hahahahahaha I love you Mr Chop, you're awesome
- April 12, 2010 at 2:18 pm
- April 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm
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It's all good until he slaps you on the arse when he says it!
- April 12, 2010 at 12:51 pm
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That was a jaw dropping moment Thea- longest sentence we have ever had!
- April 12, 2010 at 12:15 pm
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My little miss is a bit over 2 1/2 and she couldn't even say that…she's less verbal than your litte Chop.
Hope you've got the beer fridge stacked! lol - April 12, 2010 at 11:12 am
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Mwahahaha. Chop is so darn cute!!!
- April 12, 2010 at 10:58 am
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rofl..way to motivate the boy to speak :p .
You have an award waiting for pick up
http://jemikaan.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogging-awards.html - April 12, 2010 at 10:23 am
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that had to be one of the funniest things ever i had tears in my eyes thinking of him going home and you trying to give him a milk and saying no ma cold beer…. his very game, he was walking up the ramp on sat then closing his eyes and walking around in a circle….. i couldn even do that. Of course i was the onli who saw it….
- April 12, 2010 at 9:20 am
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Well I sure hope you handed that boy a beer for his hard work learning that sentence, ma!
Previous post: Smile! Now!
Next post: And the award for the Lazy Cow goes to ..
You Can Say What Now?! – RRSAHM
You Can Say What Now?!
Howdy do,
Now, as some of you may know, at almost two and a half, my darling little Chop is still not very verbal. Most of his words are one syllable, and Ma and Da have to virtually be psychics to decipher exactly what he is demanding.
Occasionally though, he like to surprise us. Like on Easter Sunday, when my normally stand off-ish child, who doesn’t really like to cuddle (much to his mother’s dismay), came up and sat on my lap, wrapped his chubby little arms around my neck. Lovely. Although the effect was slightly diminished when he leaned in and whispered “More eggs, Ma, more eggs!”.
Cute. And very harmless. Not so harmless was when he came home from my brothers place a week ago shouting out at the top of his lungs….
“Cold beer please Ma!”.
Ahh. Of course, Chop. You can say that, no worries.
I’m off to submit this one to Funny Things kids Say…
Leave a Comment
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
- April 12, 2010 at 9:51 pm
-
Hahahahahaha I love you Mr Chop, you're awesome
- April 12, 2010 at 2:18 pm
- April 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm
-
It's all good until he slaps you on the arse when he says it!
- April 12, 2010 at 12:51 pm
-
That was a jaw dropping moment Thea- longest sentence we have ever had!
- April 12, 2010 at 12:15 pm
-
My little miss is a bit over 2 1/2 and she couldn't even say that…she's less verbal than your litte Chop.
Hope you've got the beer fridge stacked! lol - April 12, 2010 at 11:12 am
-
Mwahahaha. Chop is so darn cute!!!
- April 12, 2010 at 10:58 am
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rofl..way to motivate the boy to speak :p .
You have an award waiting for pick up
http://jemikaan.blogspot.com/2010/04/blogging-awards.html - April 12, 2010 at 10:23 am
-
that had to be one of the funniest things ever i had tears in my eyes thinking of him going home and you trying to give him a milk and saying no ma cold beer…. his very game, he was walking up the ramp on sat then closing his eyes and walking around in a circle….. i couldn even do that. Of course i was the onli who saw it….
- April 12, 2010 at 9:20 am
-
Well I sure hope you handed that boy a beer for his hard work learning that sentence, ma!
Previous post: Smile! Now!
Next post: And the award for the Lazy Cow goes to ..
A Good Place To Start. – RRSAHM
A Good Place To Start.
Seven months in, and spending time with The Most Amazing Man In The Universe is still awesome.
It happens as often as we can squeeze a visit in, which is surprisingly quite a lot for two people who live so far away from one another. We’re both seasoned interstate travelers by now, and know every shortcut, bathroom, and dodgy food kiosk in both Sydney and Melbourne airports.
I go to him, and soak up my time in Melbourne, scarcely able to believe I’ll be living there soon.
More often- flying North on the weekend being much cheaper in flights than a trip South- he flies up to see me, and spends the weekend with my kids and I. A lot of the time we don’t even do that much. We just hang out.
But I think both of us are hyper-aware of the fact that, in another few months, the time we get to spend together as just the two of us, doing whatever we like, will be severely limited by the presence of two little people and very few babysitters.
So we make the most of what we’ve got. We spend whole weekends wrapped up blissfully in each other, the outside world fading away to an unobtrusive hum, any problems firmly placed on the backburner of life’s cooktop until we absolutely have to deal with them again.
No doubt, it’s going to suck a lot when the realisation hits that we have to do Real Life together, too, not just the fun parts. And that the fun parts might no longer be as secular and bubbled in happiness as they are right now.
But we melt into one another like butter. We revel in loving, in being in love. It’s nice to feel like a good person, and to see that feeling reflected in the person you’re with.
The Most Amazing Man in the Universe is good for me, and the effects of that are evident. I smoke less, drink more water. I eat healthier than I ever have in my life- while I can’t see myself emulating his vegetarianism anytime soon, he encourages me to take care of myself. And takes care of me, for me, when I refuse.
I’m not naive enough to think it will always be this blissful. But we’ve both come from places that allow us to see this awesomeness for what it is. Neither of us take the other one for granted.
And that, if nothing else… that’s a very good place to start.
Leave a Comment
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
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August 14, 2013 at 7:10 pm -
Yay! I’m so happy for you and your family.
Just completed our third and hopefully final (FINAL PLEASE?!) house move in two years and loving it.
So, does the P.O.Box still work for sending you gifts? I have one I’ve been meaning to send (and losing and re-finding with each house move) and now I’ve settled and you’re about to begin the next stage of settling it seems the time to really get round to posting it!
Best of luck with the packing
Hannah
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August 16, 2013 at 1:11 pm -
Thanks so much Hannah
xx
Lori Dwyer recently posted…Money Banks.
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July 16, 2013 at 1:31 am -
So happy for you, Lori!
I’m a single mother through divorce, and marrying my boyfriend in April. The adjustment to having 3 daughters (15, 13, 10) has been a big one for him, and doing weekends and vacations together helped the transition.
So glad you found TMAMitU!- July 16, 2013 at 11:17 am
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Thanks so much Rachel. Heh- the acronym doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it? “TMAMitU”. I really should have thought harder about that one… :p xx
Lori Dwyer recently posted…Paroxetine.
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July 15, 2013 at 8:26 pm -
As someone who did the long distance thing without the weekend visits, and made the big move, I am so happy for you, Lori! A few years later we’re married, baby due in less than two weeks, moving out of a flat in London and into a house-with-a-garden this weekend… and life is still just as blissful as it was when I used to get butterflies when his name popped up on Skype.
If you feel the bliss wearing off too much, don’t forget to peek back to how you feel RIGHT NOW, and you’ll find the bliss can last a very, very long time.
Wishing you all the happiness in the world, sweetpea
xx- July 16, 2013 at 11:15 am
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OMG JEN YOU ARE HAVING A BABY?!?! How did I miss this? BEcause I’m never on FB :p
All the happiness in the world to you too, lovely one- life is sounding awesome, yeah? xx
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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July 15, 2013 at 3:09 am -
… and you’re moving to Melbourne! Hello cafe catch ups. X
Gaynor Alder recently posted…DEATH. ARE WE ALL JUST STRUGGLING FOR WORDS?
- July 15, 2013 at 8:41 pm
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OMG YES!! Can’t wait
Will keep you posted… x
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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- July 15, 2013 at 3:08 am
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You had me at “We melt into each other like butter.”
He’s a keeper. X
Gaynor Alder recently posted…DEPRESSION IS A LYING LITTLE BASTARD :: PART 2 -
July 14, 2013 at 4:29 pm -
I’m so glad to read of your new life. Having been there I knew in my heart that this time would come when you would look forward with excitement and not as much sadness. Much love to you both as you meld your two lives together xxx
- July 14, 2013 at 10:34 pm
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Thanks so much Cathy x
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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July 13, 2013 at 12:47 pm -
You’re moving to Melbourne? Yay! I might have to stalk you, haha. It’s a great place to live. Where are you moving to? (I understand you probably don’t want to say exactly where because of stalkers, but suburbs? City? Mountains?) I’m sure you’ll be happy here!
- July 14, 2013 at 10:34 pm
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Hey Marie, northern city suburbs
Feel free to stalk me- I need all the stalkers I can get! 
x
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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- July 10, 2013 at 7:46 pm
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Best wishes with the move Lori. Although I don’t know you personally, I think you’ve made the right decision. Through your writing, you’ve just sounded so happy and positive during the last seven months
And I’m soooo jealous of you moving to Melbourne. I’m now in NSW but would love to move back to Melbourne one day! There’s just something about it, I always feel so…comfortable there.
We had our first baby when we were living in Melbourne. We’ve moved interstate a couple of times since then, and added another 2 kids along the way. All our family live in other states/overseas and I won’t lie, it’s been hard at times. However, I’m kind-of proud at how self-sufficient we’ve become and have met many, many families in the same boat. I also believe that if we choose to live overseas for a bit (which we’ve been discussing) we will manage ok as we’re used to not having family support nearby.
We’re usually not that strict on routine, BUT we always get the kids (6, 4 & 2) into bed by 6pm to give ourselves time together in the evenings (I don’t mind if they don’t go straight to sleep – they just have to stay in their rooms!). Our parents visit every few months and we’ve also had them babysit when we went overseas together, so it has been possible to escape every now and then!
Anyway, Goodluck! I hope the move goes smoothly
- July 14, 2013 at 10:31 pm
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Melbourne feels like home.
Thankyou so much- that gives me hope
I’m compiling a mind-list of survival tips and tricks for living interstate with littlies x
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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July 10, 2013 at 4:57 pm -
Your heart is in the beautiful comforting space of love while you have your feet on the ground with life’s reality.What an amazing wonderful place to be.
I wish you both so much happiness.You bring out the best in each other and that’s what really counts.That’s what true love does.xx- July 14, 2013 at 10:18 pm
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“What an amazing wonderful place to be”
That made me smile, so much. Thanks deb x
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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July 10, 2013 at 12:28 pm -
Sure, real life will hit, and it WILL be different. Sounds like you know that. So you enjoy and revel in the freedom and memories that you are making now, so that you can keep them with you, and find new ways to be together – new conversations, new activities, new dreams.
We all keep moving forward, and from the sounds of it, you’re both starting from a fabulous place.
Best wishes
Katyberry recently posted…What it feels like to come last- July 10, 2013 at 1:07 pm
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Thanks so much Katy xx
Lori Dwyer recently posted…A Good Place To Start.
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Previous post: Moving.
Next post: Paroxetine.
EveryBody's Body Is (Still) Beautiful. – RRSAHM
EveryBody’s Body Is (Still) Beautiful.
I find myself just a bit spun out to find it’s been twelve entire months since last year’s I Heart My Body link up. When I took the photos for last year’s post, I’d only been here, in the TinyTrainHouse, a matter of weeks.
It feel as though I just closed my eyes for a moment… and a whole year has passed.
But the year before that, with photos taken by Tony… that feels like a lifetime ago.
I’m cheating, just a little bit this year. Rather than posing in my undies and taking selfies in the bathroom mirror, I’m using the awesome boudoir photos that uGook did for me a few months back.
I’ve always wanted photos like these done– some kind of testament, for when I’m old and saggy and greyer than I already am. A testament that once upon a time I had it… whatever ‘it’ is. Nice legs, at least, so I’ve been told, even if slightly out of proportion. (I’ve resisted the urge to PhotoShop my tummy to flatness. It was difficult. It feel alike I should say ’You’re welcome’, but I’m not sure what for.)
Strangely enough– and this is only occurring to me just now, as I write this– I haven’t paid all that much attention to my body the last twelve months or so. It’s been a vessel for my frenzied time management, and a vestibule for my own pleasure. Other than that… it’s just kind of here. Attached to my mind. I forget about it a lot- I forget to look at it a lot.
This slightly neglected, very much taken for granted body of mine… it’s pretty damn cool.
I am, as I have been the last few years, kinda proud of my body. I’m proud of its functionality, it’s endurance and the strength it must hold, in places beneath the skin, unseen. I like surprising people when the discover I am, physically, much stronger than I first appear. In the last twelve months, my bodies taken me motorbike riding, trapeze flying and, most recently, abseiling and canyoning (details of that, coming Monday… Read along while I cry like a big girl). And next year, it’s taking me hiking through the jungles of Borneo.
It’s definitely not perfect. But my body… I like it. It’s an entirely good place to reside.
***
Everybody’s body is beautiful, and everybody’s body is welcome to join in this one. Show as much or as little as you like… just be loving it.
Share your link at We Heart Life.
Leave a Comment
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
- January 9, 2013 at 1:22 pm
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I couldn't have said it better myself. Whether someone spends hours in front of a vanity unit, dressing fancy, or not, each person is beautiful in his or her own unique way.
- December 21, 2012 at 8:40 pm
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Everybody is still beautiful. Know details about it
- October 26, 2012 at 10:05 pm
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Insanely awesome photos Lori xx
- October 26, 2012 at 5:20 pm
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I have always wanted photos like these too! You look fabulous
And your body looks pretty perfect to me! - October 25, 2012 at 11:59 pm
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Those are great photos Lori. you look divine in them.
- October 25, 2012 at 11:27 pm
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and I'm so sorry I just posted as Anon – not sure what happened there!
- October 25, 2012 at 11:25 pm
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I have sexy boudoir photo envy! You look great
- October 25, 2012 at 10:55 pm
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You're a hottie in those pics! Whoah Mumma! ;o)
- October 25, 2012 at 10:19 pm
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You always look amazing Lori and I just adore these pics of you – work it baby!
xx - October 25, 2012 at 9:07 pm
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HOT photos! Love your confidence.
- October 25, 2012 at 8:58 pm
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You look amazing! Lots to love about your body. I'm not up to joining in this year but hopefully next year I'll be loving my body like you are!
- October 25, 2012 at 8:44 pm
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Fuck yes! This is the Lori I love – Carefree and happy xx
- October 25, 2012 at 7:41 pm
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Damn Straight. These photos are awesome. I think sometimes it would be nice to forget about the squillions of imperfections we often focus on, and to just be… xox
- October 25, 2012 at 5:12 pm
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I love the picture of you on the phone. Very lovely!
Your body is taking you places so many can only dream of. Go for it!
- October 25, 2012 at 2:36 pm
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I love those pictures, Lori. You are simply gorgeous. x
- October 25, 2012 at 12:14 pm
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These photos – amazing! You look beautiful.
I love this initiative and really glad to be a part of it. - October 25, 2012 at 9:42 am
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Every body is beautiful. I love that you have linked up every year sweets. I just love it.
You didn't cheat, you look amazing and they are images that show off that amazing body of yours! xx
- October 25, 2012 at 9:27 am
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Be proud of your body! It's capable of a lot, and isn't it fantastic to surprise folks with just what it can accomplish? I've got a whole lot of power in this ridiculously short vessel of mine.
I relate a lot to the whole "it's just kind of here. Attached to my mind. I forget about it a lot" kinda thing. I used to have that too.Anyway, when I saw your link to this on FB yesterday, it inspired me to do my own.
- October 25, 2012 at 8:48 am
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I beg to differ about the not perfect bit
- October 25, 2012 at 3:38 pm
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Lori…those photos are beautiful!!!
Previous post: The Thing With Cats
Next post: Reasons Not To Confuse ‘Canyoning’ with ‘Caving’. And Other Adventures.
February 2014 – RRSAHM
February 2014
“Never regret thy fall,
O Icarus of the fearless flight
For the greatest tragedy of them all
Is never to feel the burning light”
Oscar Wilde
***
I look at this new life that we’re living. I assess what we have… what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained. There have been big shifts and little ones.
Earth shattering geographical changes- a new address, a new state. New words- kindergarten has become prep, scallops are potato cakes.
And then there’s the subtle things. The differences in behaviour that are almost impossible to notice if you’re not in the vortex of this little family of ours.
My children are closer to me, but not as close to each other. My son has blossomed and bloomed at his new school, his eyes opened to a far bigger world than what he once had. My daughter has become more flexible, more social. She is learning about change, the good and bad of it. The painful and the pleasant.
And I’m… older. More secure but somehow more scattered, much more of a mess. I feel loved and protected now. But that means dealing with a whole heap of stuff that just keeps coming. My mind vomits up all this crap, all this pain, all this stuff I never properly dealt with, and it just won’t stop. I no longer feel on edge all the time, taut and strung with my own emotions.
But relaxing hurts the muscles of my mind. Loving someone again leaves me all kinds of vulnerable and that’s difficult.
Sometimes everything hurts so much and I feel like a dick for giving up the little life we had in TinyTrainTown. I want to run screaming back to New South Wales and lose myself in a pain that might hurt less than healing does.
And then I look at what we’ve got. My kids will be the first to tell you they have a ‘new daddy’ and they love that. My son, especially. “Come with me,” he tells his friends, “I have to show you my dad!” He’s so proud of having one again. He’s so happy to be just like everyone else. It’s not something we’ve ever suggested to him- the whole idea of a ‘new daddy’ is something he’s come up with all by himself. And for his sake, I’m happy to let him run with that.
My kids love this city, and they both affectionately call it ‘ours’. Six months in and they no longer mourn for the life they had, even if sometimes I still do.
I’m still not sure if I’ve done the right thing, moving us all so far away. There’s not much I know for sure at all. But I do know my children are loved and happy. And that change is inevitable. And that the experiences we’ve had since moving here have taught all of us a lot. About each other, and about ourselves. Maybe there is no right or wrong here. Maybe there isn’t, when it comes to change and changing. Maybe what we’ve lost is worth what we’ve gained.
And, almost certainly, I’ll never know for sure. So we just keep aiming for happy. And managing any collateral damage as we go.
{ 6 comments }
Not sponsored. Just cool.
***
Olay asked me to do them a make-up tutorial. I’m not exactly sure why. I don’t think the “I just woke up and this is the best I can pull together” look is one anyone wants to emulate.
But I do what I’m told. And I like to win stuff. And this is a competition. A few different looks are to going to be uploaded to FaceBook and whosoever has the best look wins a laptop or something. Which would be awesome. So if I could harness some jellybean power and have you all Like the post, that would be very helpful. You can me out on the Olay FaceBook page, too.
I’ve also been asked to review the Olay CC Cream, which retails for $49.99. To be honest, it’s really good stuff. Forget moisturising, applying primer and then foundation. The CC Cream does it all in one, which is perfect for the time poor and lazy such as I. And it’s light and dewy and doesn’t cake in and make my wrinkles look worse than they already are. And that’s actually the defining factor in picking a foundation for myself- the wrinkle factor.
I think I’m getting old.
{ 6 comments }
I have caught some kind of travel bug, and seem to have infected my children as well.
I’ve been more places, and travelled more distance, in the last year than in the total of my thirty one years before that. Borneo. Bali. The Great Ocean Road. Every town between Melbourne and Sydney. The eternal sunshine of Cobram and Shepparton. The Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, the Alps in Victoria.
Last night we caught a boat to Tasmania. We’re going to the Tarkine- they say it’s one of the most remote, untouched places in Australia. One of the school mums got back from Tassie not long ago, and when I asked her how it was she replied in a hushed, reverent tone “Wild. Its wild, down there…”
The kidlets are excited, happy little travel bugs always ready to explore a new place, see new things. They are consummate little voyagers. I have supply-buying, packing, and hotel routines down to a veritable modern dance of flexibility, planning, and parenting.
I don’t think I did a lot of travelling as a kid, or as a teenager, or as a twenty-something uni student. It was always superficially a matter of cost, but it came down more to being afraid than anything else. I’m not even sure what I was afraid of exactly, and I didn’t want to admit to anyone that I was scared.
I want to give my kids the chance to not be afraid of travelling the way I was. Because going new places and seeing new things… it’s good for the soul.
So far, so good. As long as we can manage it, we’ll explore as far and wide as we can.
And as you’re reading this, we’re in Tasmania. A place we’ve never been before. The place where the wild things are.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, that sounds like great fun! Wish I could meet you along the way, but as I'm all the way over here in Canada, I don't think that's exactly feasible… I hope you, Chop, Auntie Mickey and Bob have TONS of fun.
Also? OMG, how cool is it that you know sign language??? I probably would already have known had I been following you in The Before, but anyways, that's a really neat thing to know about you!
– Crystal
After party back at mine?
Seriously hope you win this car!!! Road trip of a lifetime! Cannot wait to hear all about your crazy shenangians.
Sounds brilliant! Have a great time – I'll be watching on twitter.
x
OMG I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED FOR YOU!!! This sounds beyond amazing, I can't believe how fantastic it is *grins*. ROAD TRIP!!!
enjoy…. and OMG if there was any way that I could meet you on the way I would so be there……
Susan (from canada)
Awesome! Road trip! I hope you have the best, best, best time. I'd come and say hello and look awkward and stuff but I think it's a bit out of the way from my place on the exciting, modern Central Coast, plus I have this whole annoying 'work' thing that I seem to always have to do. LAME!