I like to experiment when I cook.  Sadly, often my creations don’t taste that great but this morning I baked muffins and they were a huge success.  Here is the recipe:

Muffins

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 cups SR flour

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 brown sugar

1/2 cup choc chips

200g cranberries

2 eggs

90g melted butter

…………………………………………………….

1.  Heat oven 180 degrees.  Grease 12 muffin trays.

2. Combine milk and lemon juice and allow to sit.

3. In a separate bowl, add all other ingredients.

4.  Add milk to mixture.

5.  Mix until just combined.

6. Divide equally between 12 muffin trays.

7.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Frosting

90g cream cheese

1 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

…………………………………………………….

1. Beat all ingredients

2. Spoon frosting on cool muffins

YUMMY! YUMMY!

After spending the afternoon in the park with my son, I felt compelled to write this post. I love the outdoors. One of the reasons for this is I find it hard to relax and focus solely on my children when I’m at home. There’s always an endless amount of housework to do: washing, folding, ironing and cleaning are just some of the distractions. In contrast, when I’m outside in an open space, I feel instantly relaxed and am able to enjoy looking in my son’s eyes. Do you ever wonder when was the last time you really gazed into your child’s eyes?  Well, this afternoon, I gazed into my son’s eyes and what a joy it was.

The outdoors is an educational wonder; a wonderful teacher. In fact, if it were possible, I think most education should happen outside. As my son and I walked along we had the opportunity to talk about colours, textures and shapes, and had many sensory experiences.

We stopped by to look at the yellow flower.

We touched this smooth tree…

…and the rough bark on this one.

My son crouched down in the long ferns that reached his height.

We went noise hunting when we heard a motor roar.  We discovered the ‘mower man’ and he waved at us.

I watched my son jump in the dry leaves that had fallen from the tree.

To top it off, I enjoyed lying in my boy’s lap for a moment. We had a giggle and talked about eyes. Eyes. I took an overdue moment to look in my son’s eyes, as the sun peeked through the trees.

I love the outdoors. God made such wonderful things.

Motherhood is a beautiful journey filled with joy, laced with challenges and encompassed by incredible love.   It’s the hardest thing I’ve done but the most rewarding.  Motherhood shouldn’t be a solo journey but one filled with connections, support and encouragement. 

I feel blessed to have a close network of Mothers around me.  I’ve been the recipient of encouragement, love, practical support and advice from these beautiful women in my life.  In addition to this support, there are many mothers documenting their Motherhood journey online.  I never feel like I’m walking alone. 

I am pictured here with an online Mother I had the opportunity to meet in real life. SquiggleMum (otherwise known as Cath) is one of the countless bloggers who is there to share the Motherhood journey. 

Since I started this blog, I’ve had many comments suggesting that I must be an amazing Mum.  This made me feel extremely uncomfortable.  The last thing I want to do is set myself up as a perfect Mother!  It is true I am passionate about mothering, I love my children and I try to be a fantastic Mother.  However, in reality, I make tons of mistakes, I get angry and cranky sometimes and things are not always happy and fun. 

About the time I was having these image struggles, I read SquiggleMum’s post Unbloggy Bits.  I love this quote: “When you are reading someone’s blog, please remember that you are only seeing a snippet of their life.  I mostly choose to share my good snippets.  I like to be positive, celebrate motherhood and share “ideas and inspiration” for other mums.  I hope that doesn’t mean people read my blog and assume my life is a happy carnival of craft activities, playschool songs, bible stories and outdoor excursions.”  – SquiggleMum (2009).

The post reflected exactly how I was feeling.  While my blog reflects Motherhood as a fun experiece (and it is) there are many parts of my day I struggle with.  This quote says it all, “Welcome to Motherhood – an adventure which can be at times overwhelming, exciting, challenging and rewarding – somtiems all on the same day!” – What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Mother (2009:2).

In summary, I want to bring two points out of this post.  Firstly, it is my desire to encourage Mothers on their journey, not to set myself up as a perfect Mother.  Lastly, Motherhood is a journey we all walk together.   Don’t do it alone.

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Peace Mitchell and Katy Garner, authors of the book, What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Mother.  The beautiful sisters have an obvious passion for the role of Motherhood.  They are gracious, kind and easy to relate to.  Peace and Katy also have a sense of humour matched with sparkling smiles.  

I’m actually very glad of the last mentioned quality because of the – ah - eventful trip to their accommodation in Brisbane.  Firstly, I have to say, my car was in revolting condition.  Anyone want a two-week-old bread roll?  Yes, it was that bad; yet, Peace and Katy were very understanding and I felt a little less terrible about all the crumbs on the seat.  Once I threw the mountains of rubbish on the back seat to make room for the beautifully dressed ladies, we set off on the 2 minute trip to the Hotel.  The jouney turned into a 15-minute-back-street-no-through-road-three-bridge-about-turn-GPS-blunder-ride. While I was hyperventilating behind the wheel, Peace and Katy were reassuring and made me laugh.  I eventually found the correct street; it’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish it – right? 

Now you know a little about the authors and my driving ability, let me tell you about the book.  Retrospect is a wonderful thing.  On countless occasions, I have thought, if only I knew that before I had a child.  What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Mother gives the reader that very perspective.  Written for mothers, by mothers, it provides friendly advice in an easy-to-read way.  As you flick through the pages, you can’t help but feel like you are chatting with a friend.  The book has beautiful images and a positive and uplifting voice.  If I had to summarise the book in one word, it would be – special.

One of my favourite pages is featured below.  While pregnant with my first child, I focused on the labour and birth so much, I forgot to invest some time reading about caring for a newborn.  I often tell pregnant mothers that, while the birth is hard work, looking after a new baby is often more challenging.  What great advice this book gives: “…be careful not to overlook the reality of life with a new baby.” – What I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Mother (2009:16).

If you are looking for a unique and helpful baby shower gift, click on the link below to buy this book: What I Wish I Knew Before I Became A Mother by Peace Mitchell & Katy Garner.

BUY BOOK

Kelly-FunMum, Cath-SquiggleMum, Peace and Katy-Love Being a Mother

I love Riot Art & Craft shops.  I would love them just for their crazy painted floors; however, I love them more for the fabulous inspiration inside.  When I walk on the rainbow floor, a quote from Dr Suess comes to mind, “Oh, the places you’ll go!”

This afternoon, I visited a Riot Art & Craft shop with my children. I allowed them to choose something to the value of $5 to create at home.  It’s special when a child can be in charge of an activity from start to end.

Go on a craft riot; it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

I’m NEVER bored.  Sometimes I wonder if my nature predisposed me to be this way or I am the product of how I was raised.  A bit of both I surmise.

When I was growing up, if I ever mentioned the word ‘bored’ to my Mother, I was immediately given ten jobs to do.  My Mother would say, “Ten jobs! Now, you won’t be bored.”

So, I learnt to look around me and create fun with what I could see, no matter what the situation.  The alternative was a little grim… ten jobs. 

It’s interesting how things come around full circle sometimes.  When my children say they are bored, (a rare thing in our house) I find myself saying, “Ten jobs!” 

In my opinion, there are ALWAYS interesting things to do and see.  I hope my children will learn, as I have, to appreciate the beauty and wonder around them and the ability to create their own fun by using their imagination.

There is something magical about water.  Water can can turn a desert into an oasis and a game into an exciting adventure.   Grab an old ice-cream bucket and give your child some animals (or dolls) and a few accessories to let fun rein.  I purchased the dinosaur counter beads (pictured) from Office Works.

Just add water to your child’s game for a magical experience.

I love period dramas.  Pride and Predjudice, Jane Eyre, North and South, Emma and Our Mutual Friend are among my favourites.  There is something about the language, etiquette and costumes of the late 1700′s to 1800′s that capture me.   When I saw bonnets advertised at Karmiu I was so excited!  I contacted the boutique to ask about the possibility of having some bonnets made to size for my three daughters.  The next step in the process was delightfully easy and personal.  I explained a little about the colours my children liked and the bonnets were made.  When they arrived, I opened the glossy white box, wrapped with a purple ribbon, and gasped.  The bonnets were beautifully crafted and captured each girl’s personality incredibly well. 

If you are looking for something special and beautiful for your child, shop at Karimu.  I am utterly delighted with my purchases.  Something truly unique.

www.karimu.com.au

A couple of weeks ago I was reading this article in the Courier Mail: Mums in fashion wars at school pickup.  It made me dwell a little on the concept of Yummy Mummies that is often splashed around the media.  The article talks about the competition between Mothers while waiting to pick up children from school.  Apparently there is a war between Yummy Mummies (ie. those who are glamorously dressed in trendy clothes) and Slummy Mummies (ie. those who are dressed in tracksuit pants and t-shirts).  I had to laugh when I was reading the article as it sounded like something from an American teen movie. However, many Mothers feel the need to continually look glamorous,like movie stars, to feel valued in society.  As if Mums need more pressure!

According to the Urban Dictionary (yes, there is such a thing), a Yummy Mummy is a Mother who is attractive, wears trendy clothes, has a great hairstyle and always looks fabulous.  Well, for me, I score very low out of those five qualifying traits.  My husband thinks I’m attractive (just as well…hehe), I love to dress nicely but I do not keep up with the current trends, I have a hair cut every 6 months and as for always looking fabulous, I have to admit to occasionally dropping the children to school in my pajamas and often in shorts and t-shirt.  By all means, a Mum should make an effort in their appearance; however, it should be remembered what Motherhood is really about.

When I became a Mother for the first time I was shocked how people viewed me.  I heard myself saying, “Just a Mum,” when asked about my profession.    I also felt the pressure to return to work.  It was insinuated to me that if you chose to be a stay at home Mum (SAHM) it somehow meant you were too unintelligent to return to work.  I have always passionately valued the role of Motherhood very highly, but it seems like society doesn’t.  Society says, Motherhood is not enough, you must have more.  From the pressure for a Mother’s post baby body to return miraculously to the ‘right’ shape to the need to always appear glamorous, Mothers have many issues to battle that detract from what is really important.

What happened to the value of investing time in the people you love the most?  What job could be more rewarding?  For me, being a Mother is both of these things combined; a rewarding God-given job yielding me the opportunity to invest my love and time in the people I care for the most.  As for the pressure to be a Yummy Mummy?  I just be myself and try not to be influenced in the fads and pressures around me, allowing me to focus on what is really important; the role of raising my children to the best of my ability with God’s help.

As for competition at the school gate; I am not won over by how people look.  Instead, I love watching the Mothers who give their children a big kiss and hug hello before asking them about their day.