Challenge 2 of the Business Mum's Network Blogging challenge is to recommend a site I like.
While not directly related to my business, my favourite site is www.simplesavings.com.au/a.php?a=231616. It's a site all about saving money, frugal hints and tips etc. The membership section has a "vault" with lots of hints submitted by members, but the best thing about it is the forum. Just like the Business Mum's Network, it has an extremely active forum with the most wonderful members. It's such a supportive place. It is indirectly related to my business, because without the savings I've made by implementing tips from the SS site, I wouldn't be able to have my own business and would be back at a full-time job I hated.
A really cool site I love that *is* related to my business is www.csszengarden.com - it's a showcase for what you can do with Cascading Stylesheets and I find it so cool!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Blah..
I've been feeling blah and down all weekend. It hasn't been helped by the extreme heat we've had - high 30s on Sat and then 40 yesterday. It hasn't been cooling down much overnight either so sleep has been fitful. It's "only" going to be 34 today!
Firstly we went up to the Farmers Markets that were apparently on at Cessnock on Saturday - got there and no sign of the markets, just a "clearance house" auction of junk. We'd gone up to check Mum's house as well, and we ended visiting Pete's parents, but I was still really disappointed about the markets. Then my sister rang - they're on holidays in Tassie and she'd been in a car accident - they're all ok thankfully but the car is going to take a month to fix, so they may be back later than planned. I'm so thankful they're ok, but it really shook me up and I couldn't go and give them a big hug and see for myself that they're ok.
Then there was just a heap of little things - the birds have eaten all of the apples we had on our apple tree and I can't remember what else - one of those weekends where everything I touched seemed to go wrong.
Here's hoping for a better week this week!
Firstly we went up to the Farmers Markets that were apparently on at Cessnock on Saturday - got there and no sign of the markets, just a "clearance house" auction of junk. We'd gone up to check Mum's house as well, and we ended visiting Pete's parents, but I was still really disappointed about the markets. Then my sister rang - they're on holidays in Tassie and she'd been in a car accident - they're all ok thankfully but the car is going to take a month to fix, so they may be back later than planned. I'm so thankful they're ok, but it really shook me up and I couldn't go and give them a big hug and see for myself that they're ok.
Then there was just a heap of little things - the birds have eaten all of the apples we had on our apple tree and I can't remember what else - one of those weekends where everything I touched seemed to go wrong.
Here's hoping for a better week this week!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Business Mums Network Blogging Challenge
In December I found and joined the Business Mum's Network run by Melissa Khalinsky. It's a wonderful resource for Australian mums of all ages who run a business - many of us have young kids and work from home and thus face all of the same challenges despite having so many different businesses! I've learnt so much already from the group and it's completely changing the way I approach my business.
Anyway Melissa has given us the first of many Blogging challenges to kickstart our blogs. The 1st challenge is to announce the challenge, so a tick for me :)
Some of the other mums taking part are:
Melissa Khalinksy - http://www.melissakhalinsky.com/blog/
Anne Maybus - http://thetallpoppy.blogspot.com/
Gina Rahmel - http://moshimoshibaby.blogspot.com/
Michele Elmas - http://www.mumsbusiness.wordpress.com/ and http://www.michelee.wordpress.com/
Justine Barsley - http://olibdesigns.blogspot.com/
Michelle Sweeney - http://tonicgifts.typepad.com/
Amy Herman - http://afaithfulwomanbookclub.blogspot.com/
Shelli Crane - http://rusticluxury.blogspot.com/
Kylie Short - http://www.tildavirtual.com.au/blog/
Amanda Cox - www.realmums.com.au/diaryofamadcow
Sarah - http://quiltfabricdelights.blogspot.com/
Why not check out their blogs too?
Anyway Melissa has given us the first of many Blogging challenges to kickstart our blogs. The 1st challenge is to announce the challenge, so a tick for me :)
Some of the other mums taking part are:
Melissa Khalinksy - http://www.melissakhalinsky.com/blog/
Anne Maybus - http://thetallpoppy.blogspot.com/
Gina Rahmel - http://moshimoshibaby.blogspot.com/
Michele Elmas - http://www.mumsbusiness.wordpress.com/ and http://www.michelee.wordpress.com/
Justine Barsley - http://olibdesigns.blogspot.com/
Michelle Sweeney - http://tonicgifts.typepad.com/
Amy Herman - http://afaithfulwomanbookclub.blogspot.com/
Shelli Crane - http://rusticluxury.blogspot.com/
Kylie Short - http://www.tildavirtual.com.au/blog/
Amanda Cox - www.realmums.com.au/diaryofamadcow
Sarah - http://quiltfabricdelights.blogspot.com/
Why not check out their blogs too?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Reading
We've been reading The Magic Pudding as Billy's bedtime story for the last week. What a wonderful story! I don't think I've read it before (although knew the vague storyline of the pudding who is never empty). I'd seen the illustrations at Norman Lindsay's house in the Blue Mountains, but somehow missed reading the book. Billy has really enjoyed it.
His reading is coming along so well. He's been learning by picking small words out as Pete or I read to him, but tonight I pulled out an old Ladybird early reader, and he can read sentences like "The dog is in the shop"! He's pretty good at sounding out words if he can't remember them. I'll have to dig out the rest of the readers now - he's more than ready for them. I pity his teachers by the time he starts school next year!! I was told recently "don't teach him to read before he goes to school, his teacher will hate you" - but how can you stop someone who is so avid about it??! He picks words out wherever we go or whatever we're reading and wants to know what they are, and then memorises them. It's not like we're teaching him to read - he's basically teaching himself! He did the same with numbers - everywhere we'd go he'd see numbers and say "oh look we're in aisle 11" or "that sign says 8" etc. His latest obsession is the calendar. He knows exactly what month we're in, and now needs to know what date it is - he has a calendar in his room and marks the days off!
His reading is coming along so well. He's been learning by picking small words out as Pete or I read to him, but tonight I pulled out an old Ladybird early reader, and he can read sentences like "The dog is in the shop"! He's pretty good at sounding out words if he can't remember them. I'll have to dig out the rest of the readers now - he's more than ready for them. I pity his teachers by the time he starts school next year!! I was told recently "don't teach him to read before he goes to school, his teacher will hate you" - but how can you stop someone who is so avid about it??! He picks words out wherever we go or whatever we're reading and wants to know what they are, and then memorises them. It's not like we're teaching him to read - he's basically teaching himself! He did the same with numbers - everywhere we'd go he'd see numbers and say "oh look we're in aisle 11" or "that sign says 8" etc. His latest obsession is the calendar. He knows exactly what month we're in, and now needs to know what date it is - he has a calendar in his room and marks the days off!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Back from holidays
We're back from Stuart's Pt - we had a wonderful week, lovely and relaxing. Photos to come when I get them off the camera. Pete took Billy to golf with him one morning and he walked around really well apparently (just 9 holes), and had a putt on each. He even got the ball in the hole a few times! We had lunch out a few times - spent more than I anticipated but it *was* holidays! I got to spend some quality time with the triplets - helping feed, bath, change etc - which was great to get to know their personalities more. I spent all day today doing washing and cleaning though so it doesn't seem so worth it now!
Back to reality tomorrow - Pete is back to work, we'll be doing grocery shopping. Billy starts preschool on Tuesday - I can't wait lol.
We've decided to start with Billy earning pocket money by doing simple chores. He still has to tidy up after himself and make his bed - they aren't paid for but have to be done to get the rest of his money. He gets extra money by doing stuff like fold and put away his clothes after I've washed them (10c) and set & clear the table (10c). At the moment we're giving him the money after he completes the task and he has to put it in his money box, but probably mid way through the year we'll move to giving it to him weekly. It's not a lot of money but enough to get him used to handling money - he can buy a chupa chup for 50c :) Once he gets a bit more responsible we'll add more like make sure the cat always has biscuits etc.
We only started today and boy is he keen - he kept wanting to do stuff for more money!
Oh and it's now been 15 days without Diet Coke!
Back to reality tomorrow - Pete is back to work, we'll be doing grocery shopping. Billy starts preschool on Tuesday - I can't wait lol.
We've decided to start with Billy earning pocket money by doing simple chores. He still has to tidy up after himself and make his bed - they aren't paid for but have to be done to get the rest of his money. He gets extra money by doing stuff like fold and put away his clothes after I've washed them (10c) and set & clear the table (10c). At the moment we're giving him the money after he completes the task and he has to put it in his money box, but probably mid way through the year we'll move to giving it to him weekly. It's not a lot of money but enough to get him used to handling money - he can buy a chupa chup for 50c :) Once he gets a bit more responsible we'll add more like make sure the cat always has biscuits etc.
We only started today and boy is he keen - he kept wanting to do stuff for more money!
Oh and it's now been 15 days without Diet Coke!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Day 3
I've just finished my 3rd full day of being Diet Coke free! I had a headache most of today, but the aching in the joints has subsided a bit and I'm feeling far less fuzzy. Hopefully I'm over the worst of it..
Monday, January 01, 2007
In Praise of Slow: Book Review
I've recently read a fantastic book that is worth checking out, particularly if you're looking to simplify your life. It's called "In Praise of Slow: How a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed" by Carl Honore.
It's a non-fiction book - the author has a bit of an epiphany when he finds himself contemplating buying "The One Minute Bedtime Story" to save time reading to his son at night. He realises that he's obsessed with doing everything faster and starts to investigate how we got to this point in time and what can be done about it. He "uncovers" a world-wide movement of people trying to slow various aspects of life down and appreciate it more. He investigates things such as the Slow Food movement, alternative medicines, "slow sex", part-time work, leisure, raising unhurried kids etc. The main point I took from it though was that it's "not about doing things at a snail's pace - it's about living better ... by striking a balance between fast and slow". I really enjoyed it, and found it quite thought provoking.
It's a non-fiction book - the author has a bit of an epiphany when he finds himself contemplating buying "The One Minute Bedtime Story" to save time reading to his son at night. He realises that he's obsessed with doing everything faster and starts to investigate how we got to this point in time and what can be done about it. He "uncovers" a world-wide movement of people trying to slow various aspects of life down and appreciate it more. He investigates things such as the Slow Food movement, alternative medicines, "slow sex", part-time work, leisure, raising unhurried kids etc. The main point I took from it though was that it's "not about doing things at a snail's pace - it's about living better ... by striking a balance between fast and slow". I really enjoyed it, and found it quite thought provoking.
We wish you a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
Xmas disappeared in a haze and now it's 2007 already!
We had Xmas at the inlaws the day before Xmas. It was fun with the triplets - both of the boys are crawling, Mackenzie gets around a bit on her back, so you really had to watch where you were walking! Then we opened presents (ours and Santa) Xmas morning and went down to Linc's grandparents for lunch.
Very exhausting! So we have spent the last week doing very little trying to recover.
I'm on Day 2 of trying to give up Diet Coke - it's tough going but I'm getting there. It's so bad for me and makes me feel dreadful, plus I hate the fact that I'm addicted to it. There's a group of us on the Simple Savings site that are all trying to do it together, so hopefully with some peer support I'll kick it :)
We had Xmas at the inlaws the day before Xmas. It was fun with the triplets - both of the boys are crawling, Mackenzie gets around a bit on her back, so you really had to watch where you were walking! Then we opened presents (ours and Santa) Xmas morning and went down to Linc's grandparents for lunch.
Very exhausting! So we have spent the last week doing very little trying to recover.
I'm on Day 2 of trying to give up Diet Coke - it's tough going but I'm getting there. It's so bad for me and makes me feel dreadful, plus I hate the fact that I'm addicted to it. There's a group of us on the Simple Savings site that are all trying to do it together, so hopefully with some peer support I'll kick it :)
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