Challenge entry for BLOG THIS

I have just joined a network for bloggers and I am taking the weekly challenge which this week is:

We'd love to know the little things in your life that make you smile.

It can be one thing. It can be a few things. It can be a material item.

It can be a person. It can be an act. It can be food. It can be anything.

You can show us these little things in any way, shape or form. Take a photo. Do a drawing. Write a poem. Or just write. Be creative.

Make us smile as well. Good luck.

Baby boy laughing

Indian Cuisine

Dancing in the loungeroom

Cowboy at the washing machine

Listening to music

Funny messages from my friends

Going out for breakfast

Sunny outdoors - weekends

Flattering comments on my posts

endorphins from working out

being a party host with the most

when its not my turn to shout

When my hair just sits right

coffee brewed to perfection

When I get a full nights sleep

when I am thin enough to bare my mid section

If you like this please go and vote for me at

http://www.blogthis.com.au/

you will have to register first...

Blogging Sensation - Sharnanigans takes Australia by storm with blogs and new book ! (did we mention she rakes in the money and the fans!)

Is it bold of me, or newage of me to make a statement such as this:

I am going to be a famous blogger, author and columnist?

Actually don't bother answering, its not a question - its a given

Well, I am going to be. I'm trying positive affirmations on for size and I like what I'm feeling.

Positive affirmations is where it is at. Just ask Louie Hayes.

Knowing what you want is half the battle. I tell you. I want it. I feel I have a way to go and a lot to learn and stuff to figure out but don't tell me I didn't tell you!!!

"You become what you think about most of the time -" Brian Tracy

If Mr. Tracy is on the money than my current obsession with being a blogger is going to set me up for great things. I think about it all the time, when I am not thinking about nappy changes.

I am obsessed with blogs.

I spend my free time reading blogs from all over the world, I have joined the Blogher community - a network of women bloggers and my dream would be to attend the annual conference next year in NY, perhaps do a spot of shopping and have a couple of cosmopolitans whilst in the hood!!!

I am studying blogs, being inspired by blogs and I have a lot to learn but I want to learn learn learn the art of blogging.

I have looked at the top 100 blogs in Australia and stumbled across the 'blogologist' Alister Cameron who is a blog coach!

What a modern career!

Well by hook or by crook I am finding out what the man has to say and he can slip me any information on how I can make it to that top 100 then I will pay for his services!

In my short blogging life so far the bloggers that take my fancy the most are:

Girl Gone Child a fabulous blog written by a wild child turned mama - she writes incredibly well and has a book deal out of her blogging (my hero!)

Speaking of bloggers who get books (but are already famous) Mia Freedman is a great Aussie Blogging Icon who was kind enough to give me some advice when emailed.

What a champion!

Down to earth and such a great writer, perhaps she is the voice of our generation... (until my voice overtakes hers of course - cue in evil laughter)

Other pearlers I have come across in my journey is Martinis for Milk and Mommi Nani Boo Boo

All I can say it is early days in my blogging career.

And I haven't yet hit my straps (is that the saying???) at all.... probably a long way off those straps in fact.

But I can feel it coming on

-- and I am a determined mofo.

I am going to learn as much as I can about the business and write the hell out of my posts and evolve until my blogging voice becomes one that resonates with some sort of people, somewhere. It's all a bit vague, but I can see the light in the distance...

Do what you love and the money will follow - they say - I do this for love not money - but isn't it the ultimate dream to be paid for what you love?

I am going to do it.

Damn it.

Watch this space.

(please - my whole dream actually relies on you watching this space, watch it, follow it, comment on it, if you don't like this space, tell me why, I don't mind - feedback is my friend)

What would you love to be paid to do?

Hey I don't mind rocking myself with these questions, one day someone will answer one hahaha.....

The Prince Kisses me

Breakthrough in my Mamahood experience.

He kisses me.

Granted, he hasn't mastered puckering up and instead just kind've sticks his tounge out.

But so so so nice to receive kiss from the Prince!

Never watch Taken

Never watch the Liam Neeson movie Taken.

Bad Bad Bad

Ten Points Weekend

Welcome to the Ten Point Weekend. The segment where we summarise the weekend into point form and then rate it out of 10 - we also find a smashing headline that sums up the weekend.

Why? Oh why not I say.

The Weekends Headline from Chronicles base camp:

Cheap Drunk and Cowboy attend Football Presentations

sporting new hair and swinging moods

1. The washing decided our house needed extensions put on and started its own room

2. I went out on the town with my Cowboy for his Football Presentation night and bought the first bottle of wine for myself for 1 year and a half.

3. I took 3 hours to consume a glass

4. I then sculled glasses and glasses of water because I felt guilty (still feeding my son)

5. I was ready to go home at 9pm because I was tired. (sad)

6. Cowboy won the Coaches Award - so very proud of him - I take my hat off to him because he is so opposite to me - COMMITTED to a sport!!!

I am the antichrist of commitment - NEVER let me on your sporting team - I will let you down. There is no I in team, but there is Me (have just wanted to say that since I thought of it)

7. Our lawn is so long the on the Ant News the headlines are "Disaster - Lawn Change is here - evacuate immediately - " (ok that wasn't quite funny, but it is sunday night and I am hungover from my half a glass of wine)

8. Trying to switch the baby from boob to bottle - he is insulted by the very proposition and I wonder wonder how how the hell it is ever going to happen. Tried tonight and he looked at me as if to say "you have GOT to be joking"

9. I have come to terms with my hair. It is not so bad. I have just been hormonal - and change is never good when one is hormonal.

10. Going to watch a movie tonight -- can't remember what its called but it is a thriller with Liam Neeson in it. heard it was really crap once - but Milk and Seven Pounds were out. And the video shop is a petrol station so we were not spoilt for choice.

out of 10? I give the weekend 7 -

Highlight: Seeing Cowboy win a trophy

Lowlight: Being a moody son of a gun most of the weekend (big cheers to hormones)

What was your weekend in 10 points, your headline and your rating?

When We Fight

I have taken the inspiration for the title of my piece from Girl gone Child (who is the most hilarious & honest writer!! I am addicted)

When we fight - my thoughts start racing and I gesticulate a lot more than I usually do. When we fight he goes silent and it makes me invent his thoughts and speak them outloud.

He says "You don't know what I am thinking"

I say "Well you don't tell me so I have to try and guess"

This infuriates him.

I am convinced that his thoughts that I am now creating are exactly what he is thinking and I get angry at them.

Am I really having an argument with myself?

Could it really be what he is thinking?
Or is he just thinking ....

ah here I go again.

When we fight I become obsessed with what he is thinking.

Some things he keeps to himself. Or he tells me as much as he wants to disclose.

It infuriates me.

I end up apologising for trying to put thoughts into his head and then out of his mouth.

I explain to him how important they are

I think I would love how he thinks if I knew what he thought and I think when we fight my thinking becomes irrational and negative and I should not assume his positive, kind head would produce such thoughts.

I think that is what I think.

When we fight I do a lot of the talking

When we fight we roll away from each other in bed and I lie there praying he will roll over and cuddle me.

I usually end up doing it.

Then we discuss how we don't like fighting.

And he tells me what he thinks.

What do you think? Had enough of the word think? Thought so

What do you do when you fight?

Twas the week(s) before Baby

i wrote this poem leading up to having baby, oh the anticipation and the fear of how fat I had become - think this fear was larger than that of giving birth haha.... definitely had way too much time on my hands when pregnant - and it was around xmas the King was born 'Twas the week(s) before baby as big as a house Every body part is aching, including my mouth The stockings were packed in the pre-maternity compartment with care In hope that my bottom will one day fit back in there; The child is nestled all snug in my womb While visions of amniotic fluid surround him like doom; Mama in her Mu-mu, and Papa in his cowboy hat, are enjoying the last of their opporurtunities to nap, While rolling over in bed, I felt such a clatter, I tried to spring from bed when Dave said "What's the matter?" "My arms have gone numb and my pelvis is aching", "I hope to God we love this little baby we are baking" A fake contraction startled me into woe Wondering if a million miles to the hospital we should go When, what to my wondering mind should I think God I miss the days of escaping worries with a drink The days leading up to the arrival of baby is like waiting for Santa when you are young anxious and crazy I guess Santa must feel similar about his annual fate squeezing down a chimney after a year of stacking on weight But when its all over and the chimney part is done He arrives baring presents and from then on its fun As a mad dust storm is then settled by rain A baby will be born to erase all the pain With cheeks like roses, if he doesn't have jaundice and I will feel elated if I escape feeling nauseous The day will arrive it is much anticipated I am sure when we meet him we'll be glad how we waited And I will hear the baby exclaim as he draws his first breath "Hello to you Mama now hand me your breast" Can anyone relate to going INSANE with anticipation? What is the craziest thing you have done leading up to giving birth?