Spirited Mama

Living a SPIRITED life filled with wanderlust, emotions and everything in between

Interesting Blog award from Reluctant Mom

By

On May 6, 2013

In Uncategorized

***Happy Dance*** Someone thinks I’m awesome and I’m loving the attention.  Things have been hectic in Spiritville. Great things are happening but I’ll have to keep things on the down low for now…

Thanks Reluctant Mom!!! (((Virtual Hug))) And we did meet via The Moomie Forum. I still owe you wine and chuckles… I need to visit Cape Town sometime… Like your award button better. Nimbus 2000 Model courtesy of Reluctant Mom below:

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Reluctant Mom was bestowed the “Interesting blog award by the Blurred Line” and then bestowed it on yours truly. I take this as a pat on the back ‘cos honestly I sometimes wonder “who reads my crap?” who would be interested in me? I’m ordinary and not a “cool” blogger. I blog just because I need an outlet from time to time. Ok sometimes its more frequent but hey like I said it’s cheaper than therapy.

The New Rules are:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you
  2. List 5 random facts about yourself
  1. Nominate a MAXIMUM of 3 blogs for the award – I know sometimes trying to find 5 is a challenge and it also dilutes the “play it forward idea”
  2. Ask the nominees 5 questions of your choice
  3. And finally, let them know you have nominated them
  4. But I really think we should keep this one – promise to never listen to Justin Bieber again

Thank you Reluctant Mom *curtsy*

Q’s from Reluctant Mom and A’s from Spirited Mama1:

One | What would you buy with five rand? If you figure that out let me know too ‘cos you can’t get bread/milk ? If I were still smoking I would buy loose draws 🙂 But considering that I’m a non-smoker I’d buy Wilson toffees – fck the shop at work charges so much I think I might only get 3 maybe 4.
Two | When was the last time you told a lie? And what was it? This morning as I’m trying to score a day’s leave this week… watch this space. Technically I need 2 hours off but come on why would I just take two hours when I can take a full day.

Three | When was the last time you went for a mammogram?  Was it as bad as you thought it was going to be? Never ever… Sigh – maybe it’s time to make an appointment. Oh and maybe get a once over from my v-jay jay doctor as I know I’m over due with my annual check up.

Four | What was the worst baby/child name you have ever heard? Le-A. Do you know how to pronounce it? Le-dasha-A ! That’s what her Mama gave her. I’ll be like WTF Mama????Ok it’s not that bad but my brain is on a go slow .

Five | What is the phrase you swore you would never use, and now you are sounding just like your mother and screaming it down the passage? Do you want me to give you a reason to cry? *sigh* i can’t stop it…Parenting is hardcore

3 Interesting Bloggers according to Spirited Standards:

Juggling act of life

Memoirs 4 my munchkins

http://momagain40.blogspot.com/

My questions to the 3 bloggers:

1. Does Social Media control you?

2. If given a Personal Assistant for a week, what would you ask your PA to do for you?

3. What do you make of the Guptas using Waterkloof to land their plane? <SERIOUSLY, class=hiddenSpellError pre=”OR ” Tambo to board a plane. Would never have to miss a flight cos it’s half way 🙂 >

4. Shoes or handbags? Any please list the total you have.

5. Who would you choose as the next President of South Africa?

 

I really can’t making any promises about the Bieber cos I have family members who drool over this boychild and I have found myself humming to some of his tunes… But I’ll try my hardest.

Fingers crossed for a great week ahead.

Spirited Mama

How to Unlock vertebrae?

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On April 29, 2013

In About me, Health care, Physique

Somebody? Anybody? Body?

I’m not sure how I did it but somehow I managed to lock to vertebrae in my neck… I woke up on Friday thinking I must have not slept properly hence the stiff neck… Well, Saturday wasn’t any better. Sunday morning wa seven worse. Now I considered a trip to ER but really wasn’t in the mood for drma…and I really wish I knew some medical staff as I thought I just needed some injection of some sort…

This morning I decided I needed to sort this neck issue as I can’t turn my head to the left… As I walked into the office I made an appointment with the physiotherapist. Well let’s just say that she couldn’t unlock my vertebrae and that  have to go back in the morning… And that I now take anti-inflammatory medication and I use a heat pack all day long…

I have never experienced this before but apparently it can be caused by previous incidents like whiplash Any how, let’s see what tomorrow brings.

This morning I couldn’t put my chin on my chest after physiotherapy I could BUT now I can’t look up because then my left side pulls stiff??? Can’t wait for tomorrow…

Spirited Mama

 

 

 

Mauritius…

By

On April 26, 2013

In Holidays, Time out

Right now I’m getting ready to handover my credit card to pay the accommodation I’ve booked in…. Mauritius….

Yes, whilst Winter is nearing I’m fitting on costumes. And looking for cute shorts and dresses and whatever else I can find that screams tropical island holiday. self- find a big floppy hat> I just need to get approval for my leave and we’ll be heading out in June. ****fingers crossed***

As a bonus the resort has a Kids club – now before you get that number for the welfare – we’re not wanting to leave child there all day everyday but we would like US some  adult time too. It’s suppose to be romantic.

Romantic + 3yr old = NOt POSSIBLE/ERROR/Try again in 18 years/malfunction

So on my to do list today is to:

1. Get leave approved

2. Pay accommodation

3. Breathe after payment has been approved and I view my bank statement

4. Do a happy dance

5. Pay fees for Dance Mouse – Oh yes, I forgot to mention that my child had a complete breakdown on the way to school the other day because I need to give him a letter… After 10minutes of crying/whining/etc and me trying to decipher his cryptic message it emerged that he wants to do Dance Mouse but I need to enrol him first. So I calmly told him that we will discuss this matter in the evening. We did. The child has won hand s down and will now be enrolling in Dance mouse too.

Happy Friday!!!

Spirited Mama

P.S. How lovely is the weather today??? Weird considering all the cold we’ve had the past few days…

 

Looking for a new JOB

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On April 22, 2013

In JOBS

I’m officially putting myself back on the market. I’m looking for a normal Monday – Friday JOB in Pretoria. So If anyone is hiring please point me in that direction.

Thanking you in advance.

Spirited Mama

P.S. I’m so over the commute between Pretoria and Johannesburg, it’s no longer fun/funny! And the National Bus strike is just making it more tricky… I’m having a mini meltdown as I’ve found the “ideal” school for Dudie but I’m not sure that my HR is going to be enthusiastic about adjusting my working hours. And I’m even less enthusiastic as I think that essentially it might mean that I take a pay cut…..

P.P.S. I really feel my faith and patience being tested.

Free Willy

By

On April 22, 2013

In emotions, Parenting

I grew up watching Free Willy. And I’m almost certain that I’ve seen most of it. After Free Willy 2 I was not particularly interested in seeing how/why they need to save this whale again. Now, I am an animal lover but really why could they NOT just leave Willy alone? So many whales yet they always after Willy. Maybe Willy needs to move…. just saying…

But the reason for this post is that I cried for Willy. My brother cried for Willy. And Yesterday MY son, Dudie, cried for Willy. It was nothing like the soft cries of the actors in the movie. It was more the snot and trane kinda cry. I’m at the soft cry stage now. Think  I got over this Free Willy business. Point is, my brother was very young when Willy was featured. He cried and was extrememly emotional. So much so that we couldn’t even make out what he was trying to say whilst sobbing…

Yesterday, Dudie and I watched Free Willy. Thanks to DSTV for making us pay a small fortune to watch reruns of films we can get free of charge at our local Video store when you rent the latest blockbusters…

Then Dudie got extremely emotional at the exact same spot as my brother… He cried and said that he wants his whale family. HUh? Yes, we reassured him that Willy was safe and that he’s with his family and that WE are his family AND we’re here for him and with him…. But alas, he kept crying. Is there something that we’re missing in Willy?

Then we watched Free Willy 2. DSTV – Back to Back Free Willy movies…. Bleh!> This went down somewhat better… Minimal signs of distress but no crying. He actually laughed during the movie. Then it was bedtime… .And he was sad for his whale family. Yes, he still wants his whale family too. He eventually asked me to please get him a whale family too.

220px-Free_willy

As much as I enjoyed watching Free Willy, it’s time to move on. Hopefully, I haven’t scarred Dudie for life.

<Mommy fail>

Spirited Mama

You are MORE BEAUTIFUL than what you think!

By

On April 19, 2013

In About me, I am Beautiful

I read a post The way we see ourselves on Cat’s Blog, Juggling Act of Life and all I can say is WOW! This is so true. We undermine and downplay ourselves/looks/personas/personalities/successes etc for what… For whom? Because in essence, we are our own best friend/worst enemy.

Growing up, I was tall and skinny practically all my life. And yes, being skinny has it’s perks but I never truly felt “happy” with the way I looked. Fast forward a couple of years and I became a healthy size 8 (32). Well, I still wasn’t entirely satisfied. Fast forward into marriage and a baby and voila I’m a whopping size 12(36)…. Am I happy? Most days YES! And some days I stare at mt thighs and squeeze the sides a bit and wish they were leaner. And the flabby arms, and let’s not forget that I lift my a$$ every now and then just to see what a firm buttock would look like.

What I’m getting at is that “We are never really happy with what we have” but I guess that’s what makes us human. It’s ok to NOT be happy all the time. It’s normal. It’s MY normal. somedays  I feel like  a supermodel, some days I just fell blah!  So instead of striving to look like the next supermodel, ACCEPT YOU FOR YOU. There is only ONE YOU! YOU ARE SPECIAL, DIFFERENT & UNIQUE.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

 

Spirited Mama

I dare you to tell someone that they are beautiful. It probably won’t save the world but it might just mean the WORLD to the recipient.

Seattle Coffee Company.. I seriously love you!!!!!

By

On April 17, 2013

In About me, Family, Food & drinks, LOVE, Time out

So our new ok it’s not new but it’s still new as a family affair – is our Coffee dates at Seattle Coffee Company. I love coffee but a good coffee almost as much as I love chocolate. And I love hot coffee. Now just to clarify, before anyone call the welfare and the health inspector and who ever else need to be called when a child is involved… WE DO NOT give our child coffee. We substitute with Milo or hot chocolate or a Baby Foamy 🙂

Dudie, loves his coffee. That could possibly be one of the first words he learnt to master as he always saw either Dude or myself with a cup in hand…. Yes, we go through a crap load of coffee and let’s not forget milk….. I’m still looking for a cow, if anyone has any just standing around doing nothing… So ever since my child could talk he would ask for coffee.

So every now and again, and I noticed that it’s becoming a regular must have on a trip to Menlyn, we absolutely MUST NEED HAVE TO HAVE coffee. I would generally get the Latté, Dude gets a Café Mocha and Dudie well it’s either a hot chocolate or Baby Foamy. And we recently discovered the yummy apple cinnamon muffins – YUMMMMYYYYY! As I do not have any sugar in my coffee I will spoil myself sometimes with a Café Mocha too…

I’d like to think that we are becoming regulars and sometimes it’s a quick in out dash to get coffee and sometimes its a sit down and just unwind with your coffee… The best part is seeing the pretty images they create in your coffee cream – from flowers to smiley faces. These guys and girls are really talented. And it’s fun to see the excitement in Dudie for the surprise picture that awaits… Thank you Seattle Coffee, you make my family happy!!!!

 

 

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*This post is in NO way sponsored. We are just really loving Seattle Coffee. I told Dude, We need to go to Seattle to try this coffee in its hometown…. I’m working on getting him to take us to Seattle…

OOh, I think I need to do a quick detour on the way home.

SpiritedMama

P.S. Dudie bought the Russel Hobbs Red Edition Coffee Maker. Now whilst this is not Seattle Coffee and there’s no one to make me pretty pictures in my coffee, this is seriously my vice in the early hours of the morning. You get woken up by this freshly brewed coffee in the morning. Dude programmes this machine and sets it up before bed every day so that we wake up to fresh coffee. When Dude leaves for work and Dudie is having his second sleep in my bed, I sneak into the kitchen, pour a big cup and snuggle on the couch with my coffee. That 5minutes of pure bliss. It’s quiet and peaceful….well sometimes the birds interrupt my peace and quiet but I’ve now just learnt that I do not open them up until I’m ready to leave….

P.P.S Did I tell you that I get up at the crack of dawn to bake muffins/cupcakes or whatever treats I think the boys would like… Not everyday, but they love me so much more for this….They wake up to fresh baked treats…. I jsut nee dto figure out where I can find someone who wants to treat me…

RED Coffee Maker

Almost always late

By

On April 17, 2013

In About me, Habits

I read this post over at HarassedMom about being late. If anything you need to check her son’s hairdo in this post. Love it! All I can say is that I’m happier just enjoying the moment and not stressing about the fact that I was supposed to be wherever so many minutes ago already…

I feel so much better now. I thought it can’t possibly just be me…that’s late ALL the time!!!! No matter what I do…. Even if I prep the day before…. Or get up hours before everyone else…. Sure as hell we will NOT be on time.

I must add that each and every watch/clock that you encounter in our house will read a different time 🙂 purely to give you a buffer so that you’re not  TOO late for whatever. And also that, when I moved out of my parents house, I vowed that I will NOT rush through life. I will stop and smell the roses…- My mother is beyond punctual!!!pAin in the ass punctual actually – if she says we’re leaving at 7, she leaves at 6:45! True story – ask my husband who was at the time my boyfriend when witnessing this….

 

Each to his own, I suppose. If you really want me to be punctual then I will be  albeit sans Dude and Dudie. But other than that I will get there when I get there….

I enjoy my moments. I stop to smell the roses.

Cheers

Spirited Mama

P.S. This post as in my drafts for a while so technically it’s late…. But hey it’s been crazy busy in Spiritville…

P.P.S I’ve recently been rushing my family to get things done or to be on punctual for certain events…. Well, it’s seems t obe rubbing off on Dudie as he tells me on numerous occasions “Mamma, you’re going to make me late” or Are we late? or like this morning “Well Done Mama, we early!” sigh… I try but somedays I just don’t have that extra oomph to get going or to motivate them to move swiftly along, as this is often the case. I’m done. Waiting. Checking and rechecking doors and windows just to give them extra time…

Doctor Dentist dreams

By

On April 5, 2013

In About me, Fitness, Grooming, Habits, Holidays, Running

So what does your offspring want to be when they grow up? Or should I ask what are your dreams for your offspring?

Dudie is 3 (Going on 16)turning 4 in October. He is obsessed with rocks/stones… This child collects rocks. He picks them up as he goes on his merry way and they generally end up in my bag/pockets or in Dude’s bakkie etc… But we have rocks from every place that child ha s been too. We sometimes keep the nice ones and sometimes chuck the normal ones into our garden. So we don’t really get rid of them but we redecorate the garden with them. We think he’ll do something in the lines of Archaeology/Geology, but we’ll see. He might just want to cash in on his trust fund… Note to self- start trust fund for Dudie!

Two weeks ago we had a family trip to the Dentist. Now, touch wood, to this very day I do not have a single filling in my mouth. I have all my own teeth. So I’m a happy camper thanks to a minimum of 2 annual trips for general checkups to the dentist all the days I spent under my parents roof. I wanted to preserve Dudie’s teeth and decided that a family trip was necessary. Dude is a bit reluctant a she always ends up making follow up appointments for a cavity/filling oor something…

The Dentist, I found a new one and I really think that we will stick with him for a while even though I have to pay them and then claim a refund from my medical aid – who short pays me R600 for our family trip!!!! Medical Aids suck – but then again I can’t imagine not having it either. The horror! I pay R5795 per month for the 3 of us. Every single month I die a little because quite frankly I could buy a new car/ second property/ have a holiday fund…. But then I console myself with the thought that we can utilise private facilities and that’s what I’m paying for… sigh…

I got the thumbs up from the Dentist. Dudie got a “well done Mom and Dad – this kids got no issues here”. Dude – had to make an appointment to redo a filling and fill a new tiny cavity. As we left – Dudie pipes up “Mamma, no sweets for Daddy” 🙂

Dudie has decided to be  a dentist when he grows up. He makes us sit on a little blue chair and he examines your mouth/teeth and then proceeds to brush/scratch/inspect with his tools (which is a makeup brush set- don’t fret it’s a spare one that is reserved for the dentist). On a different note, on Tuesday he told me he wants to be a doctor whilst we were lying on his bed having a bedtime chat. He then proceeded to stick a dolphin in my ear and a very hard plastic dolphin was lodged in  my right nostril too. I had to be very still so that the stuff would stay put during the exam else he had to re-insert it. And he is not very gentle. I prefer the Dentist child over the Doctor child…

Here’s to good teeth! Now get brushing. Dude says that I’ll brush my teeth away someday 🙂 I think 2minutes to brush is not enough time. I take more like 5 – 10 mins…

Spirited Mama

P.S. One of my best friend’s dad, he passed a way when we were only 7/8 yrs, used to tell me “Jy’s drie maar jou bek is sestien”!!! True story – whenever I see her mom she reminds me of this. Scary, how alike Dudie and I are… Even Dude says that we are so similar and that’s why we can get under each other’s skin…

P.P.S. Dudie gets a very limited amount of sweets. Even if he gets a small packet of sweets I remove half before he gets it. That way he think he finished all of it… Sneaky sneaky 🙂

 On Monday 1 April, we did a 5km fun walk/run at the Grove Mall in Lynnwood. We did it in 55 mins 🙂 Yay!!! we got our “A” into ‘G” and started. We are doing the next one on Saturday.

Tomorrow we’re doing the Mazda Athletics Club fun walk/run at 06:40am. Let’s see if we can improve the 55 mins….

Easter 2013… It’s really over… Already…

By

On April 4, 2013

In Chocolate, Easter, LOVE

And now we wait for … Christmas!!!!! Seriously, where has the year gone?

So after our Roadtrip, we wished for the Easter long weekend. Not that I want to wish time away, we just wanted the time-off from work…

(As soon as I got to work on Monday, Dude bbm’s me that we need to find a place to book for the weekend. The long weekend. Easter weekend!!! I don’t think that my Dude realises that other folks book “peak” holiday periods almost a year, if not longer in advance!!!!! I really tried for a day. Google/I called/I researched… But then reality hit me – This is task is putting me under duress!!! And I’m not having it. And I relayed that message as is to Dude. And that was the end of it. I also said that he can find a place if he wants to go away. I’m done. See no more stressing. Me counting down the working hours until the long weekend!!!! Happiness)

The Spirited Household loves loves loves chocolate!!!!! We are obsessed. I kid you not! I had been “Easter” shopping since January :-). Generally, chocolate lasts a week tops in our house. And it usually ends up with someone being pissed off/ crying/whining/moaning that “their” chocolate is gone!!!! We are ALL guilty of this. We take turns. We do not share chocolate easily. Not even with each other…Dude has mastered a technique – he grabs, runs off, rips the wrapping in the getaway process and gobbles it down. Me – I wait until after dark 🙂 when they’re asleep. Or I sneak it whilst cooking or supposedly going to put on more comfy clothes/shoes in the bedroom – ALONE! Dude – just tells us straight “I’m NOT sharing” and that’s that… See why Dudie perfected his routine. Genius child of mine.

So I bought some chocolate. I tried to restrain myself. It was tough but I kinda managed. But I also sent Dude with instructions on what to buy as we really needed more.  Needless to say  when he saw the stash, he freaked a bit “But why did you ask me to buy more?” Oh, 3 bunnies were omitted in the pic as I forgot about them…. The Dude stashed them without my knowledge. He only told me on Sunday that there were three other bunnies too.

Behold: (seeing this made me feel like a kid again)

stash 2

I did a mad dash through the garden to hide the Easter treats(Not all of the above though) as a very patient yet excited little boy was getting ready for his Hunt on Saturday… I did bribe him with the Hunt so he could have an afternoon nap so technically we had chocolate late afternoon…

We do not go to church on Good Friday. (generally, I really can’t imaging sitting through an extended service with Dudie.) But do go to the “Service of Light” on Easter Sunday at 5:30am. Yes, all 3 of us!!!! It’s as special as the midnight mas s on Christmas Eve. A tradition that I hope we can continue ever and ever, as Dudie would say. This year, I thought the service starts at 5am. So I mentally psyched myself as well as the boys for the early rise on Sunday. And I bribed Dudie to be good and go to bed early so that we can watch them light the Easter candle in “The Garden of remembrance”  at Church and then light our candles and sit inside church, we sit in the mother’s room on Sundays – less drama and no one even notices any disruptions, then have breakfast and score a free easter egg at church. Win-win all round.

I rally the boys thinking that the service starts at 5am. We arrive at Church 5:15am… Then I say to Dude – maybe you were right. Maybe the service starts at 5:30… “cos it highly unlikely that its only these few cars at church… Well we were very early. We got a good spot in the garden and a great seat in church. A lovely hearty breakfast and a few easter eggS!!!! Happiness all round.

Oh, Dudie asked if we could please do another hunt. In our house it’s all about compromise. So I said sure but only if we hide the eggs you got yesterday. He agreed. So we had our 2nd Easter hunt on Sunday. The dogs caught onto the chocolate hunt and ate stole some bunnies wrappers and all… Thankfully, Dudie lost count of how many he was supposed to have.

Hope you had a wonderful Easter and that you actually remember the “true” meaning of celebrating Easter. Dudie told and retold us the story about Jesus dying on the cross and how God was sad, the people were naughty and all sorts of things but it always ended with the question “Does God and Jesus have lots of Easter eggs in Heaven?” I downloaded some stories on my Ipad. Great! But one of them really became my favourite – the one that had the Narrator with a Chinese accent. Funny peculiar…

So we stayed home and over indulged in chocolate. Dude gave Dudie strict instruction that he’s only allowed two Easter eggs per day. Of course the genius child chose the bigger bunnies first… Smart kid that one.

Spirited Mama

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