17/52

After a few days hanging out in the jim-jams (ok, so maybe i do that most days anyway) the boys are on the mend!!  Lachy's back in full 'mischief/no ears' swing, and Olly's all smiles again for anyone who glances his way!

 Me and monkey baked some delicious biscuits that would've been more delicious if i hadn't slightly over cooked them!

The Jolly Jumper (Love the Toy Library!)!  I realise this is slightly blurred, but this kid doesn't stop moving when he's in this contraption!!

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Yay! I'm on time 2nd week in a row!!  Thanks Jodi for the Awesome link up!!



Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

16/52

My beautiful boys are sick :(  Hopefully not for too long though, so we can start going outside again to marvel at the guinea pigs and check the chicken coup for eggs!!

 This laddy was made for the outdoors!!  He'll stay inside if he has too but the second a door opens he's off getting his gumboots on!!

This little piggy, just hanging out, melting all who see him!

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

 Thanks again Jodi for an Awesome link up!!



Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

The honesty box - random facts of me!

Here are some random facts about me that you probably don't need to know...just cause!

#  Hairdressing certificates - Check!  I can cut/colour/perm/foil and finger-wave, but i hate doing my own hair.  I have one style, called the knotted mess, and i only own a hairbrush for show.

#  I'm afraid of the dark.  I have to have a light left on in the house at night for when i get up (well, even if i didn't have to get up really).

#  I'm a 'Churchless' Christian.  For now, i find God in the everyday things, like my family, my garden, the beautiful things i'm blessed to have around me!   (please don't think i'm opposed to church, it's just not right for me right at this moment!)

# I have an addiction to beads.

#   I had my hair done in dreadlocks when i was 21.  Loved them!!  Was too much work trying to keep my fine hair matted though, so i cut them off, and gave myself a pixie cut!!

#   I've never broken a single bone in my body.  No plans to do so either.  Cause i totally have control over things like that.

#  I caught an octopus once while fishing.  I didn't know what i'd caught til it climbed up my line and tried to join us in the boat.  I hate Octopus Octopi??  many-legged beasties now.

# I don't own a skirt.  Or heels of any sort.

#  Some people have potted Pansies and Gerberas around their homes.  We have Carnivorous plants.   You know, like The Little Shop of Horrors except our plants aren't that big.  And they don't talk.  Or eat people.  Just the occasional fly that lands in the wrong spot.

#  If you couldn't tell from my afro/darker skin/ island good looks/ brown eyes, half my family are from Fiji.  Fijian-Indian to be precise.  I think there's also some Norwegian in there too, and a few other things.  Definitely a Kiwi!!

Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

4 and 23 Months! Shared aging and all :)

Things have been so hectic round these parts that i completely missed posting about my babies growing into my boys!!  So i'm joining them up today and they can share a post this month! (It certainly wont be the last thing they'll have to share!)

Olly-pop  4 Months  :) 

  
#  Let the solids begin!!  I was pretty keen to start giving you some solids in the hope that it might ease your reflux. Don't know where i got that idea, it certainly didn't work very well, but you LOVE your sloppy food!! (Especially the apple!)

#  Loving your wee dimple as you laugh at us and flash your cheekiest grins!

#  Since we were expecting you to follow in your brothers footsteps, and roll from front to back first, you decided to go against the grain and roll from your back to your front, and in just a matter of moments you became a pro at it!!

#  Your shuffling around the play mat is also getting pretty nifty! (Even when you face plant cause your head gets too heavy!)

# So curious and cute with all the expressions as you take in your surroundings!! 

# Love that you look like you can hug your big brother back now, even if you are just pulling his hair!! (It's still adorable!!)

Monkey-bum  23 Months :)
 

 
#  I'm pretty sure that your name is in the dictionary for the meaning of Mischief, Climber, Musician, Mud-pie maker (and eater), and cuteness all over!!

#  There is going to be a post on tantrums, and how sometimes ears are painted on.  And that's all i'll say about that...for now.

#  Talking.  So much talking!  We take your dummy off you most days now, and your vocabulary has just exploded!! Sometimes you even surprise me and string a couple of words together!  ('Ball-gone' followed by the cutest concerned expression) You've also started licking everything...I wont be worried just yet.

# You love on your little brother like there was no tomorrow!!  You fetch his dummy, and even put it in his mouth the right way most of the time now.  You feed him his bottle if i'm stupid enough to leave the leftover where you can see and reach it (i know, ewww).  You bounce him in his bouncer, and go running into his room to hold his hand if you hear him crying in his cot....and sometimes when he's sleeping too!!  You melt my heart!!

#  You're still a Truck/Train/Car fanatic, but last week you also started 'strumming' on everything! (You say 'brung-brung-brung' for your guitar sounds)  Today we found you a cheap little plastic guitar at the $2 shop, and on the way home you strummed it and sang me a song! ("mum-mum-mum-mum-mum-Truh")

#  I love that you're still young enough for me to dress you...in whatever i can find sometimes.

Dear boys.  You Rock Awesomely.  Me and Daddy are so Proud!!

Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'

It's in the Jeans!!

After i started reading blogs, i started comparing myself to all the beautiful images i saw.  I noticed myself starting to complain more about my appearance.  I didn't wear enough make up (or own any), didn't have voluminous, shiny, perfectly styled hair, wasn't the right weight, and definitely didn't wear the right clothes!  I started to hate my reflection, which i saw as plain and dowdy.  The more i read about putting together fashionable outfits, and how to do these simple hairstyles, and how to make your 50 layers of make up look natural (?) , the more i despised the 'country bumpkin' i saw in the mirror.  I started wearing different clothes, and begging my long suffering Hubby to buy me more skinny jeans (Damn skinny jeans!) and asking for new make up and skin products and hairstyles.

  Alas, i am a naturally lazy person at heart, and i don't want to spend hours putting on make up, or trying different hair-do's (like my kids would afford me that time anyway!).  And so my problem got worse as i started to realise that i would never achieve the image i was longing to fit.  I was one dissatisfied little tart, but wasn't able to put my finger on what the issue was.  Being an all or nothing kinda gal didn't help either, as i thought if i cant do a whole makeover, i wont bother at all.

But something happened to me the other day, and it had such a profound affect on me that i just had to share it.  I found a pair of jeans that fit.  I can almost hear the gasps of "Seriously? that was profound?" but it really was.  I've been without a pair of comfy jeans for some time now due to weight fluctuations and baby bellies, and while i didn't think anything was 'Off', now i know with a certainty that everything is Right!  
(Aside from whatever is trying to get into our rubbish out on the deck)

It suddenly didn't matter that my hair was a knotted mess, and my top was covered in food stains.  I had comfy jeans that fit me!!  And now i want to make an effort!!  Since i've been wearing my jeans, i've chosen my tops with care, brushed my hair, like, twice, and even put mascara on once!!
I do realise how ridiculous this all seems, but my identity does indeed seem to be wrapped up in a pair of blue, wide leg jeans, scored for $8 at an op-shop.  And i am totally good with this! (Did i mention that i wore pretty earrings too!?)

 These jeans have served as a slap onto the reality train.  I will Never achieve that image i coveted, because that image isn't Me. It's not who God intended me to be.  I am not a stylish person.  On a good day i wont clash, but that's about it.  I can put mascara on without poking myself in the eye now, but i really couldn't tell you what to do with concealer...well, aside from concealing....stuff...


 Does anyone remember my 13 things for 2013 list?  Number 3 a-ringing a bell??  I need constant reminding about this because i keep trying to be someone i'm not, to please someone that's not even there!!  And so i shall be issuing myself a challenge. 


 Make an effort, but make sure it's My effort for Me.  And remember that even a little effort goes a long way!

 "Hi, my name is Renee, and i don't own a skirt.  Nor would i ever intentionally go shopping for one.  I have a dress.  It sits in my wardrobe, covered in moths.  Sometimes i take it out and consider whether an op-shop would take it, but then i think naaah, i might wear it one day" (Insert Tui billboard here).

Now if you'll excuse me i have to go wash my jeans so i can wear them again tomorrow :)


Renee  :)

'Not all who wander are lost'