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

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Who wants to be a Millionaire?

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If PROCRASTINATING was a job I would be a millionaire. No kidding. I am AMAZING at it! I am also AMAZING at working under pressure and to strict deadlines. Today, my brain feels bleh, yet I have so many things that I can say or talk about. I am just not finding the right words to express myself.

I am trying to tidy up my office and get my admin on track because soon I will be going on maternity leave and I would really like to let to let the temp start on a clean fresh slate. And hopefully that temp will reciprocate…. when I am due to return to work.

I have loads of personal admin to sort out too. I still have to organise the resident alien’s nursery. I still haven’t packed our hospital bags @ 32 weeks pregnant (hyperventilating here…) I am having more and more Braxton hicks. And by golly some of it is getting intense. Also, we are doing minor revamps and touch ups at home. And just for the fun of it, we still haven’t figure out what we are doing for Christmas.

So just for today I am taking the day off. I am cutting myself some slack and pretending that I am a millionaire today! I can literally feel myself winding down as it is that time of the year to wind down, reflect on what has been, create some festive memories and start afresh with a renewed outlook on life.

Spirited Mama

Put your best “leg” forward with Adriansa

*sponsored*

A little while ago, I received some products to review. I don’t know about you but it has become more and more apparent and important for me to trust fellow human interactors to review products. I am NOT just going to splurge my hard earned cash on something just because…well ok we all have certain things that we buy just because. BUT there is definitely an increase in consumers needing trustworthy opinions and reviews.

I received a package from Adriansa

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AdrianSA

“Adrian South Africa was born out of the need to provide Women In South Africa and Africa with stylish leggings and stockings. The Factory Adrian Fabryka Rajstopy was established in 1984 in Poland. Currently the second largest manufacturer of high quality ladies hosiery in Poland and supplying global multinational brands Adrian has become a truly global brand. Created, Designed and Owned by Women. Adrian is the only women owned establishment manufacturing and employing mostly women in its manufacturing plants throughout the world. Our monthly production of tights, socks, leggings and hold ups exceeds 1 million pairs in all the latest fashionable patterns,colours and trends. Our Award winning products can be bought all over the world and now right here in South Africa. Adrian South Africa is a partnership between Adrian Fabryka Rajstopy Poland and Adrian South Africa ‘s CEO Mrs Nasrin Ebrahim Ismail in empowering South African Women.”

Adriansa has already featured in GLAMOUR guides, you can read the article here.

AdrianSA, not your average stockings

Now let me point out that this is not your conventional blackmail or bare beige stockings as we know it. This is fashionable and sexy indeed. These days pregnant women can be fashionable. The maternity leggings are really comfy and soft to the touch. What I love most is the “mamma pouch” as I call it. It supports my ever growing belly and it fits comfortably over my belly.

The Tania stockings (they all have individual names) – besides a fashionable pattern, has a reinforced crotch which is a bonus as I generally tug and pull on my stockings to get it to fit just right. A very interesting fact is that it is marked left and right, in the crotch to ensure you know which leg goes where. (Somehow this has always bothered me cos I never knew the front from the back or if I was wearing my stockings the right way around.)

CupofSox

Have you heard of the world famous CupofSox. Generally, I don’t buy such longs socks as I am currently 30 weeks pregnant and most socks just feel like it’s choking my legs. However, CupofSox are light weight, breathable and very comfortable around my legs. Guys these socks actually have a refreshing scent. The secret to keeping that scent is to store your socks in its cup after you have washed them. Did you see the pretty birds on them? Also, I think it constitutes a cool gift-so much better than your average pair of socks.

I also received the kit ray- it’s a bottle sock, which essentially is a bottle warmer. Now I am most excited to try this one out for the resident alien, but it seems Dudie has decided he will just help himself to this one. He uses it to keep his drinks warm😁

Also included was the Shapewear with anti-cellulite effect. If I wasn’t #30weekspregnant I would be wearing it right now…but I will most definitely be trying this once the baby is born. Who would want to try this Shapewear?

Adriansa has a fully functional online store, you can shop here. Did I mention that this product is endorsed by European standards… You will find the leggings, stockings, maternity wear, Shapewear as well as CupofSox but you will also find they are introducing some new products like Handel Street-the uber leather duffel bags.

It’s not all about women either. They have a mens range too – Meggings for men. Go on have a look, www.adriansa.co.za perhaps you could be your own “secret santa”….

Happy shopping.

Spirited Mama

Currently in Spiritville

Currently update:

Last night Dudie received a certificate at his prize giving…drum roll..for MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS in Grade 1. Whoa! this kid only told us that we needed to attend and that he will be getting a certificate. No clue what for. Nada. He was mute about it. He is such a modest child. We are SUPER proud of him. Of course we had to celebrate and at his request for Sushi, we tried out the newly revamped Ocean Basket @MenlynPark. Wow, lovely. We will be back soon. We were a bit stuffed so we agreed that we could do a special dessert over the weekend.

The other night, I was getting so hot so I woke Dude in the wee hours of the morning to ask him to switch on the aircon. He happily obliged, switched the aircon on and went back to sleep. The next morning he says “WTF, why did you wake me to put the aircon on?” My response – The remote is on your side… He says he’s going to put a glass of water on my side and wake me during the night for a drink…

We are torn between slaving away behind the stove to cook Christmas lunch or whether to dine out this year. For us it is the preparation rather than the actual eating of the meal that is our festive spirit!

We only have 10 weeks left before we are a family of four.

Mom, Dad, Dudie and the resident alien. Need to give him a spirited name as he cannot be the resident alien forever.

Today is the 1st of December. Tonight we haul out the Christmas tree and transform our home into a festive place. We will be indulging in chocolate and of course Christmas carols. The countdown to Christmas has finally begun, even though I have not done any Christmas shopping. We have been very pre-occupied with the resident alien but even his nursery isn’t done. I haven’t bought everything that I need or want…

Oh, and I still haven’t packed our hospital bags.

My pet peeve for December – Dude wants to go away for an impromptu weekend. In December! He does this every year and every year I say well then YOU find a place to go to because people book a December getaway a year in advance. Any suggestions? Will have to be in Gauteng though as I don’t want to venture too far from my Doctor or hospital.

Here’s to 2016 Festivities!

Spirited Mama

 

Year end drain and winding down…

Can you feel the Year End drain?

SO many of us are feeling that year end drain. I know I am and I know my family is too. Gone are the days when Dudie couldn’t wait for Santa to bring him an alarm clock – you know cos he started big school in 2016 (grade 1) and this clock would help him get ready for school every day. Yeah right! This Mama, aka Santa, stepped in and blessed him with an alarm clock. For the record that ship has sailed as the novelty wore off so quickly. No matter how many alarms were set, if he was tired he just would NOT get up. Fuck the alarm clock and all. He will not get done. He will moan and be difficult with each and every task staring him in the face. Until I lose my shit – then we argue and then he says Mom you’re being rude….the joys of parenting.

Winding down for the year end

Whilst we face this year end drain and frantically trying to tie up loose ends, it is also the most wonderful time of the year. We are preparing for the festivities, for Christmas. The festive season is upon us. A time of joy, laughter, lazy days spent around the swimming pool…and lest we forget the final weeks before the resident alien arrives. This will be our last Christmas as a family of 3 because next year we will have another little boy joining our table.

My advice – cut yourself some slack. The kid made it through the year unscathed. And tonight we will shed a silent tear of pride as he owns that stage at his prize giving ceremony. We only have 3 days of grade 1 left. Go on have a drink or eat some cake cos I’m #30weekspregnant remember…10 more weeks…Somehow, I have a sneaky suspicion that the resident alien will arrive earlier. Let’s hope it’s not too early.

Happy festive prepping. We need to finish the baby nursery.

Spirited Mama

P.S. This morning conversation with Dudie

Dudie: Mom can you pray when you are dead?

Me: I don’t know, I’ve never been dead.

Memories

 

Memories need to be savoured

Some days I find myself sitting quietly and reflecting and savouring my happy childhood memories. It wasn’t all moonshine and roses but I chose to remember the good old days…

I remember that fresh baked bread smell and warm biscuits smell coming from Mamma’s kitchen. Stealing half the cookie dough that was left to “rest” when Mamma wasn’t looking.

Some of my best memories were created during school holidays when we went to visit Ma, Mamma’s mom, on the farm in the Cederberg. There is nothing quite like running out in the wild, diving into God made rock pools and picking your fruit straight from the tree and collecting your veg from the garden. There is also that other side, the one that freaks me out a little, about having to slaughter your own meat. I never ate freshly slaughtered meat. Just couldn’t stomach that meat. Don’t get me started on seeing a headless chicken running around the tree – it’s great fun at the time but then they expect you to eat it. No can do.  Up until today I still don’t like freshly slaughtered meat, fresh milk and fresh eggs – it is just too rich. Nothing quite like picking those cherries from the tree – I love cherries – and I used to eat it to my heart’s content. These days they just don’t taste the same…Picking Almonds from the tree. My pockets were always filled with cherries and almonds and you would generally find me sitting on a big rock watching the pigs paly in the mud. We used to love feeding the lambs and billy goats their milk bottles.

Reflecting on the memories

I remember Ma making me rooibos tea, not a teabag from the shop. This was pure rooibos from the tea field complete in her home made little bag and all. And of course those “harde koekies” she used to bake. It wasn’t ginger but I’m also not entirely sure what they were.  I distinctly remember her last batch she made for me, she was in her 80’s and it was just before I moved to Gauteng. She came to visit Mamma and as we stood in the kitchen waiting for her to unpack her basket she said to me “ooh jchent “meaning kind or child” maak tog vir jou moer koffie want daai koekies is so hard en moet gedoop word. And believe me it was moer hard. I ate them with the same conviction as what I always ate those cookies. I didn’t want her to be disappointed…but fuck knows why that batch was SO hard.

Ma also had a puffadder, yes a real live snake, living in the big tree in front of the house. like right by the gate -you need to pass the tree to get to the front door. She called him Oupa. He used to slither on the stoep to wherever he went during the day and come back at night. And this was whilst Ma and the dog would sit on the stoep. They never bothered each other. They had a mutual living arrangement. I shat myself thinking we used to sleep on that stoep, in summer under the beautiful starry skies. Where was Oupa all that time… Probably sleeping on the bed next to us…

Creating new memories

After I moved to Gauteng I used to have weekly Sunday afternoon calls with Ma. I just wanted to check in on her so to say as she lived by herself. I could hear the excitement in her voice every single time as this was as important for her as it was for me. She always said that I must come visit her cos she will NEVER get into an airplane. And she never did. If there was a storm MA would end our conversation so quickly because we cannot possibly use the phone during a storm. She would close all the mirrors and the tv with a blanket because of the lightning. Before they got “Telkom lines” they had an operator system. How each resident knew whose call it was, was beyond me but apparently everyone had a different ring tone/number of rings. But let me tell you those old people were naughty – they used to listen in on each other’s conversations all the time. Sometimes we had a few calls during the week too.

Ma passed away in 2010, just before her 94th birthday. Someday we will take him back to the Cedarberg again, as he was only 5 months old when we went to the funeral. I miss those good old days. I miss her cookies and I miss her rooibos tea. I miss her cuckoo clock – this thing was the most fascinating clock ever. I even miss those rogue geese and ram that used to chase us ALL the time.

I miss Ma.

Spirited Mama

 

Thankful Thursday

I thought instead of a normal blog post I would do a roundup of what I am thankful for today….

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Thankful Thursday Roundup

My Dude, Dudie, resident alien.
The family and friends in my life right now.
The cooler weather in Pretoria today.
Electricity because whilst I should be studying I made an omelet and I’m watching Lucifer on catch up.
My health, wealth and prosperity (I think I am very blessed).
My home, my bed, food and all my creature comforts.
We only have 6 school days left for 2016.

The little bouts of rain making our garden come alive again.
I have little over 10 weeks left before the resident alien joins us in this realm, well that’s if he stucks to his due date. (I am hoping I can have a natural birth again)

Sometimes life gets very busy and very often I forget to just reflect and be thankful for my blessings. So before I get too lazy, let me get off this couch because I have quite a busy day….
I want to check out the new revamped @MenlynMall and of course @H&M and @KrispyKreme all before I go for my 4D scan of my resident alien.
I also need to factor in study time, so I still need to inform Dude that he is on supper duty, I have an exam tomorrow morning.

Be thankful for what you have…I have so much but I am afraid I could go on writing until infinity if I really set my mind to it.

Spirited Mama

My hips don’t lie

Pregnancy, hips & pain

Nope, I am NOT Shakira but damn my hips don’t lie either…I think this pregnancy is taking it’s toll on my body. Granted I am 7 years older than what I was with my first pregnancy. With Dudie I had a fairly easy going pregnancy after the ALL day sickness and vomiting for 6 months. I did have swollen feet then and I definitely have it NOW again, just it feels worse this time. Dudie drained my body of calcium and I had super sensitive teeth. Now the resident alien is draining my body of calcium and magnesium and even my slow mag supplement is NOT enough to keep up. Did I mention that the resident alien has given me 5 months of ALL day sickness and vomiting. Oh I love my boys but OMG they take morning sickness to a whole other level.

This morning at 3.am, as I was re-positioning myself for the 5219th time as my hips are killing me and no amount of pillows are making it any better, I woke up with a sharp pain in my left calf. Instantly, my calf muscle went into a spasm and it felt as if my calf was sitting right under my left butt cheek. I grabbed Dude by the arm, and basically slapping him on the chest all whilst screaming “Help Me” in the process. (Dude said that he got such a fright cos he thought WTF – he is being attacked. I think he just got a preview of the imminent birth of the resident alien..)

He was awake in 2 seconds flat and said “what what”. I explained that my calf is in spasm so he proceeded to do a lift movement with my leg, if anyone walked into my room you would think I was busy with a body beat session. Somehow, the muscle started to relax and Dude of course just started snoring again.

Amidst all of the commotion, it took all of my might to restrain my pelvic floor muscles from relaxing because I needed to pee very badly. I hopped, yes I couldn’t step on that leg, to the bathroom and eventually got to empty my bladder, as one would do during a normal 3am pee break at #29weekspregnant.

I am pretty sure that I woke the entire neighbourhood this morning with my scream for help. As I sit here now, I can still feel how tender my muscle is. Let’s hope the slow mag kicks in quickly. My feet are swollen again, even though they are elevated…

It dawned on me that my mind might be young BUT my body is 7 years older with this pregnancy. Hope I can bounce back as quick as what I did with Dudie….

Spirited Mama

P.S. I have had this type of muscle spasm once before as young adolescent. I was asleep next to Mamma. The exact same experience only when I screamed for help, Mamma gave me a moerse slap on my thigh. I jumped out of bed so fast that my muscle just reset itself. Crisis averted thanks to Mamma’s unconventional ways…

Work work work work….

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Rihanna’s “Work, work, work, work…” could literally be my meme today…

Work…enough said

It has been a really challenging Monday. From the time I walked into my office at 7:45 right up until I left now. I have barely had time to pee, that’s how intense it has been in my office. I was planning on working a little longer but my NEED for food right now has been so excruciating that I just packed up and left. I have eaten all my snack bires, fruit and cranberries. There is literally nothing left in my drawer😆 (Note to self-replace snacks at work).

I am beyond tired. I really want to catch up on series but also read my book. Never,ind the fact that I have draft blog posts hanging in mid air and another exam on friday.

I am waiting for Dudie to finish his Golf lesson so that we can literally just go veg out at home. The bonus is Dude is home already and busy cooking supper.

It’s going to be an early night for the Spirited household. Let’s hope Tuesday is kinder to me… can the holidays come already…..

Spirited Mama

P.S. I could eat supper now and just go to bed already.

Roundabouts

My life lately has felt like one big never ending roundabout. Somehow, I just felt out of sorts.

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But in all the events that have made me feel like I am stuck in a roundabout there has been some “memorable” moments too.

Does your life sometimes feel like a roundabout?

Yesterday I collect Dudie at school. I decide lets drive with ALL the windows open as there was a refreshing breeze. Well you had to drive slightly over the speed limit to enjoy that breeze. So we are homeward bound and Suddenly Dudie screams and I almost freaking stop in the middle of the road. Why did he scream as if someone was being murdered? Because the wind swept his school hat off his head and into the oncoming traffic.

Now, I have to calculate the risk of getting that school hat back, but that would mean I would have to run into oncoming traffic. Or I write off the hat and fork out another R130 for another school hat. School uniforms are crazy expensive. Why???

So I decide screw that let’s get that hat back. We make a u-turn at the next traffic light only to find the wind and traffic has now swept the hat back to the other side of the road. It’s 2pm traffic and people are crazy fast on this road. So we make a few u-turns because every time I get close to this hat it’s not in the spot where I last saw it. Also, I’m 28 weeks pregnant and need to take very calculated risks…so eventually I said screw this and park the bakkie on the island at the traffic light and jump out to pick up the hat. Hat recovered. Mom scores big time with the Dudie.

As if one roundabout isn’t enough…

Fast forward until Dude walks in the door looking all glum…why because he can’t find his wallet ANYWHERE. He called a friend at work to please check if it’s not there. Said friend is at the gym and will only be able to check in about 30 minutes or so. Oh and we live in Pretoria but he works in Johannesburg, so it’s not just quick drive back to work to check.

Now, I am writing exams on Friday and Dude and Dudie were supposed to collect the youngest dog, who got spayed cos we can’t deal with a newborn and puppies in 2017, but now he doesn’t have a single bank card or drivers license. So I say let’s move now cos I don’t want to be stuck in traffic and you know I need to study. With pregnant belly and all off we go.

Side note, I’m not sure if Dude gets a kick out of driving each and every vehicle we have until the reserve light comes on. I can’t comprehend this. Why? When we always have to be somewhere quickly we must first stop for petrol or diesel…..I digress

I stop for diesel. Then off to collect the dog at our trusted Vet, who is now closing his practice and immigrating. We have been with him for about 13 years. Where am I going to find such a great vet again. (On Wednesday evening After being discharged from hospital we quickly drop our dog at the vet. Receptionist is freaking out cos I had a weird look on my face as the resident alien just kicked my ribs and because I still wearing my hospital id band. She thought I was going into labour.) I settle the bill and we get the dog. Homeward bound.

On route Dude’s friend calls to say that he found his wallet and will keep it safe til the morning. As we get into the house, we (Dude) says there is enough leftovers for supper. I go try to study. I emerge from the room every now and then for some snacks or a drink. Then I announce I’m having a muffin and yoghurt for supper you guys need to sort yourselves out. The Dudie goes and checks the kitchen and very unamused announces, “Uh where’s the supper?”. Whilst checking the microwave and oven😂. Dudie settled on cream cheese and salticrax. Dude settled on fish.

I go back to study, Dudie brings two of his favorite stuffed toys to help me. Then asks “Are you like doing sums? Or those words that you can see or touch uhm like nouns or is it the ones that hold  a place?” I figured he was referring to pronouns. This kid thinks I am clever but he forgets that I too attended school once upon a time, or back in the olden days like he calls it.

I asked Dudie if he wanted to help put some oil on my growing tummy but oh boy, this kid used about 1/3 Of the bottle on my tummy. If you dropped me into a deep fryer you could fry up 1 kilogram of calamari for the amount of oil on my tummy.

So even though I feel like I’m in a bit of a roundabout, I still have so many memorable moments with my spirited family. They keep me grounded. And they sure keep me entertained.

Happy Friday.

Spirited Mama

P.S. I think my exam went way better than anticipated this morning. Granted I didn’t get much sleep but I am taking a siesta right after I post this.

#freethenipple

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Do you know about Free the Nipple

@freethenipple Have you seen this? Are you aware of it? What do you make of it?

I wrote a post about Empowering Women, you can read it here, and it just so happens to be based on my opinions and thought about gender equality or rather gender inequality. This past Sunday, @carteblanchetv did a segment on the #FreetheNipple by founder Lina Esco. Here is a snippet of what Free the Nipple is about, just click here.

Even though we claim that we live in a society where we preach gender equality, are we really seeing women and men as equals? Lina Esco even made a movie about the campaign.

Out of sheer curiosity, let’s do a poll:

Spirited Mama

P.S. This also brings me back to a question that surfaces ALL the time – What is SO wrong with women breastfeeding in public? If you are hungry, you get something to eat. You eat in public don’t you? So why can a mother not feed her hungry child in public?

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