I have signed up at the Gym - Oh My Goodness!!!

Yes I've done it, I've signed up to the gym. To the average "Joe" this doesn't sound all that earth shattering. To this just turned 40 year old chic this is a little daunting. This body hasn't seen a gym since the year 2000! BC (Before children) and newly married, my hubby and I used to go to the gym after work; because married life had been a little too good to us and we were starting to look very well rounded. During that time I continued to eat large portions, slaving at the gym and no results of any weight loss or toning had occured after 6 months! So I quit the gym. Then I discovered eating in moderation was the way to go (I did a strict weight watchers diy) and with sporadic bursts of excercise got my weight under control. Walks and swimming with sometimes large chunks of no excercise - teamed with a busy travelling work position I lost 10kgs and maintained what you would call an average figure. But then kids came along including IVF treatments and the great weight gain and loss yoyo occured, with the births of my 3 children in under 5 years. Whilst I am at my pre-baby weight now, I have never been able to shed the 5kgs I put on doing fertility treatments prior to my first baby. So what has spurred on this soon to be gym junkie? A great deal at my husband's gym (he has also been on an amazing weight loss journey losing 25kgs in a year) and the fact that my body is falling apart! My new remedial massage therapist has brought me down to earth this week and reiterated what I sadly already knew - I have "no core" strength whatsoever, my muscles are weak, my scoliosis is worsening and my genetic hunch back genes are also increasingly getting worse!!! So if I want to improve all the sore spots in my back, I need to do some hardwork! Maybe, just maybe I'll lose a few kilos in the process! (If I can just stay away from buying cadbury easter eggs LOL)

So there will be Less of This.......

 

And More of This......
http://giphy.com/gifs/26hlSWMRwZkawfR9S/html5

GOMA & The State Library Re-opened today!

I was very excited to hear that GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) re-opened today after the devastating Queensland floods. I find each time I visit the Gallery that I'm refreshed and inspired by the wonderful works of art that are on display. I visited the Andy Warhol exhibition twice, I loved it so much. The current exhibition is "21st Century: Art in the First Decade". So get along to GOMA and the state library and support a great Brisbane Art icon. There are celebration activities on this weekend - a great place to take the kids!

http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/reopening

Link to GOMA to checkout some of the works on display

http://qag.qld.gov.au/

Nervous Breakdown? #@$t Happens! So does Karma!

I got up early to start the day with some exercise and decide I should probably iron hubbies shirt. In the meantime a friend calls to see if I can take her daughter to school, "no probs" I say and then my mum phone's; and as we've arranged I'm going to pick her up from the garage while her car is serviced. So I get the kids in the big car (I'm doing the ballet drop off this afternoon) (no exercise has taken place yet) move hubbies stuff into the small car. Pick my mum up and drop her home. Washing machine has stopped on the rinse part of the cycle and won't start no matter how much re-arranging I do! Oh damn it, when my dryer fell down the other day (yes you heard me right- it fell off the wall!) it must have hit the washer (such a miracle no one was in the laundry and got pummeled and there were no dents or dings to be seen on anything???) and has broken the lid lock clip for the rinse cycle so now I'm on the phone to the service guys. Kids are asking me to cut paper for craft, they are still in their PJ's and manage to have a few tiffs too. Finally I get them dressed fed and my three plus one down to the car. We are about ten minutes late at this stage for school. But then the ultimate disaster strikes. My friends daughter walks right through the stinkiest fly ridden dog poop ever, right near the car and right near my front gate! I'd really like to know who let's their dog poop on peoples footpaths anymore? Don't we all carry poop bags in case? There is no way this shoe can go in hubbies car; so the kids get in I take the shoe after wiping on the grass is not successful and try and wash the poop off! This poop is not coming off, the flies are buzzing madly everywhere! I then find an old packet of wipes and get a minute amount off. I've used my super hand wash (no soap or water required) and I'm doing up the four kids seat belts when a woman comes walking past on the road around my car, walking the tiniest of dogs I'm sure her dog is the pooper - why isn't she walking on the footpath, because she knows the poo is there that's why! I bite my tongue (the Karma Chameleon will get her!) and I drive to school with the shoe sitting on the empty wipes bag. I drop the kids to their classes and explain to the teacher why my friend's daughter has to take her shoes off 'cause of the poo and she doesn't want this in her classroom on the carpet. I then have nominated to help in my daughter's reading class. This is chaos as my son climbs the verandah railings and has a melt down while I'm trying to get kids to cut out words from their story and stick them on their worksheets while the wind is blowing them all away! I am now home, I have picked up all the poop off the footpath, my two kids that are home today are now having a barney and it's only 11am and I don't know if I have the energy to exercise?? and then there's the very wet unrinsed and spun washing to deal with and the repair man might not get here till Tuesday! This day can only get better from here on!

Sing like nobody's listening, dance like nobody's watching, but clean when you've got an audience!

Why does it take so long to clean the floors in my house?? Firstly I have to pick up at least a thousand toys, shoes, bags, dirty clothes and anything else my tribe has decided to throw on the floor rather than put away. Then it just takes ages moving chairs etc. and hoping the little ones can keep out of the way. When in only a few hours I can feel the clean feeling under my feet slipping away, with only one meal time as rice or grated cheese is being strewn around the dining room table or sand and grass are walked in from outside. But I do feel if I wait for no one to be home they will not appreciate all the hard work to get the clean floors or other jobs done in the first place (and it's a dreadful waste of child-free time!). Often my hubby will walk in the door and I can see from the look on his face "what have you been doing all day this place is a mess" He never notices if the bathroom's been cleaned or the mirrors or most things for that matter. He'll happily wear the ironed shirts without noticing he hasn't had to iron any for a whole week or two. So I say iron the shirts while he's lazing on the couch watching the footy, and clean the loo while he's brushing his teeth! A mother's work is much more appreciated when you've got an audience! Maybe the next time you've got the house to yourself you can enjoy a book or magazine and watch a bit of Ellen!

Here's a joke that captures this topic perfectly!

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pyjamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.
The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.
In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.
He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.
As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pyjamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.
He looked at her bewildered and asked, ‘What happened here today?’
She again smiled and answered, ‘You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me sarcastically what in the world I do all day?’
‘Yes,’ was his incredulous reply.
She answered, ‘Well, today, I didn’t do it.’

Flood Relief

Sadly this month has been devastating not just in Qld with the Floods but also in Victoria as well as bad Bush fires in WA. I have been helping friends who've been affected and it really makes you appreciated how lucky you are. Driving through some of these flood affected areas has really taken my breath away - at how much destruction has been left for people to rebuild their homes. Here's a few ways of supporting flood relief initiatives.

http://writersonrafts.com/

or

http://www.powderfingerstore.com/music/detail.aspx?pid=97694

So get out and help any way you can!

Another cake

I have to say my six year old is a little more demanding of what cake she would like for her Birthday. But I have to say I really enjoyed icing this one and was reasonably happy with how it turned out. Unfortunately I just have huge inspiration late at night when there is no shops open (to head out for last minute supplies) But luckily I have a huge corner of the pantry with lollies and cake decorating stuff and was reasonably organised. The white icing is pretty easy to mould into any shape (like play dough!)and much easier to manage than butter icing and really less work. Decorations can be made before hand although I left it to the night before, and I just use normal food colouring to change the colour of the fondant. Happy baking!

I know Christmas is over but you'll get a giggle from this!

Not sure of the origin of this one but I thought you might enjoy.....

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mum all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my
children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my
doctor, sold sixty-two cases of choc bars to raise money to
plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you
could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had
to write this letter with my daughter's red crayon, on the back of a
receipt in the laundry between cycles, and who knows when I'll
find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any colour, except
purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap
in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child
out of the lolly aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the
seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like
fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult
music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs
containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret
compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the
phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says,
'Yes, Mummy' to boost my parental confidence, along with two
kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all
the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting 'Don't
eat in the living room' and 'Take your hands off your brother,'
because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing
range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for
enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same
morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room
temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to
brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to
declare tomato sauce a vegetable? It will clear my conscience
immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children
to help around the house without demanding payment as if they
were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw
my feet under the laundry door. I think he wants his crayon
back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by
the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or
leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always,
MUM...!

P.S. one more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can
keep my children happy, healthy and always believing.

*Santa has asked that this gets passed on to all the mummies you
know*

Women's Weekly Article on Mrs Crowe

A great article from the November Women's Weekly on "Mrs Crowe" aka Danielle Spencer. It's comforting to know that no matter who you are we may all go through the same feelings of putting our life on hold while we look after our small children; and this article really summed that up. The article is by Bryce Corbett,here's an extract.

"Danielle Spencer has been let in on a big secret. It’s the best known but least talked about aspect of motherhood: identity interruptus. You can read a hundred parenting books, talk to a thousand mums and still come away none the wiser to the fact that, for a woman, having children means losing track of yourself, confusing for a time a large part of who you are and why you exist.

Sure, plenty of mothers will tell you the whole child-rearing caper is hard work and most will feel compelled to couch it with the qualifier that “it’s all worth it in the end”, but how many of them will admit how their sense of self is rocked? That, in the maelstrom of first-time parenthood, it’s all too easy for a mum’s sense of identity to slip away?....."

For more of the article head to the link below or grab a copy of the November issue.

http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/news/inthemag/8113154/danielle-spencer-so-much-more-than-mrs-crowe

The Cake!

Well work is seriously taking up too much of my time and I've been working from home heaps and doing some very long awaited spring cleaning! Throwing out mags I started reading years ago! It's a very cleansing experience. Well back to the 1st Birthday cake. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out considering the disastrous week leading up to the family celebrations! My oven kept tripping the power so we needed to call in the Electricians. My hubby in his wisdom decided while they were here to tear up the place and get a heap of other things done. Not what I need with a bucket load of visitors on their way in few days. Electrician fixes our switchboard and things should be all hunky dory with the oven so I start baking biccies for the party when black smoke comes billowing out and a big bang! Oh nooo disaster! It's 5 mins to 5pm I have Buckley's chance of finding an oven man to try and do a repair it's Friday the next day slim chance of finding someone in time. Looks like I'm going to be cooking sausage rolls in an electric frying pan - let alone what will I do about the cake I haven't started! But Miracles happen sometimes. I get onto the best local Mr Oven fixit man first thing Friday morning what a fluke! He's in the next suburb and can fit me in first thing. Unfortunately fixing doesn't come cheap! A few hundred dollars later my oven's burnt out motor has been replaced and I'm in the business for getting this cake baked! I used a dolly varden tin and the basic butter cake recipe out of my cooking bible my Day to Day Cookery book from High School. I also like the daisy cupcake recipe from the Crabapple cupcake book. The icing was super yummy also from the Crabapple cookbook the Vanilla buttercream frosting. I made the faux cupcake case from fan folded scrapbooking card. The butterflies I made with a butterfly cookie cutter and "Orchid White Icing" I bought the roses from a cake decorating shop. Best of all the kids loved the cake. I just needed to sleep after such a long stressful week!

Paid Maternity Leave

Paid Maternity Leave is something I have been very passionate about. Particularly with my third child where I received no maternity leave, wasn't eligible for the baby bonus by a small margin (as the Rudd government brought in means testing) and at the end of the 12 months leave, was made redundant from my part-time role (luckily I got a new job the next day!) Let's put it this way Mum's and careers haven't been given a fair go in the past and it is still continuing to occur! Let's hope that the new schemes that have been put forward will help a lot of mother's and families to spend a bit more time at home with their new additions and allow them to keep there employment.

This is the letter I wrote to the previous PM Mr Rudd prior to the Parental Leave Scheme being approved......

Sent to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd 25 March 2009

I am expecting my third child and currently work part-time. I am disappointed to find out that the maternity payment is now means tested and I will not be eligible for any payment. I will not receive any maternity leave payments from my employer just the statuatory 12 months unpaid leave. So as a result of the government's change I am not going to receive any financial assistance for my third child even though I received the payment previously. This payment was a great help to my family’s budget and helped to pay the bills while I was on unpaid maternity leave. I may be forced to go back to work within the first twelve months of the birth of my third child as a result of this change. It is very unfair and most families appreciate this assistance and many will now miss out. I was under the impression that this payment was in lieu of any government/employer funded maternity leave payments. So much for fair rights for women! We have all of the same hospital expenses we have incurred for our first two children as well as the costs of extra car seats etc. these will now greatly burden our family budget while I have no income during my maternity leave. Very disappointed! I thought that you wanted to help working families? Our family is definitely at a disadvantage as a result of the government’s decision.

Please find below a letter I sent to the Australian Women’s Weekly back in June 2008 in regards to maternity leave which my interest you.

Dear Woman’s Weekly,
I am writing in, to put forward some of my thoughts on the great maternity leave debate! I am a mother of two and currently work part-time. With my first child I received no paid maternity leave. I did however receive the first rollout of the baby bonus. I returned to work part-time in between my first and second child, and because the company I had worked for had been taken over by a UK company, I was given 6 weeks maternity leave at a part-time rate.
There are so many reasons that women should be entitled to paid maternity leave. For most absences from work, there is some sort of paid leave and why should having a baby be any different? Firstly I believe that some government professions such as teaching and nursing require staff to work no later than 36 weeks gestation due to legislation/WPHS; their may also be some restrictions on the timeframe for returning to work for these same WPHS reasons.
I would think that most women if given a choice would prefer at the very minimum to not return to work in the first 6-12weeks after the birth of their child, to allow their recovery and to care for their new born. Women are usually not entitled to take any accrued sick leave for their maternity leave absence from work, and whilst they are not sick spend at least 2 days in hospital as a minimum.
Women are forced to use their annual leave and long service leave in the absence of paid maternity leave. Some employers, whilst they offer paid maternity leave, they do not pay the full amount until the employees return to work even though they have given a full year (12months) of service prior to the commencement of maternity leave.
Australia is one of only a few countries in the OECD who don’t offer some sort of Paid Maternity Scheme and although we have had the baby bonus for the last 4 years - this will now be means tested so that many hard working families will not receive this.
I support both stay at home and working mothers. Both of these groups of women work equally hard to nurture the Australian adults of the future. So I propose for stay at home mothers to continue to receive the baby bonus even if it is paid in installments rather than a lump sum amount and should be equivalent to a minimum of 12 weeks paid leave. For working mums to be - why can’t they receive a tax refund in lieu of the baby bonus equivalent to 12 weeks paid maternity leave? That way it is not seen as a burden to the tax payer but a way to help all Australian families.
In the process this may encourage women to return to the workplaces they are leaving behind and we may even give women the right to choose when they return to the workplace, rather than being forced because of their financial situation. Sadly the majority of many working women’s pay goes towards their hefty childcare fees.
I believe the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA), has told the Productivity Commission's inquiry into paid maternity leave that primary care-givers should be given 28 weeks paid leave, including two weeks before a birth.
Interesting times ahead! And I haven’t even mentioned how difficult it is for women to find part-time work in a professional capacity at the end of their maternity leave or the fact we need a change of mindset from employers for more flexible working arrangements for parents and a more practical approach for the provision of childcare.
Thanks for a great read and please keep us informed on the fight for paid maternity leave in Australia.


PS I read this great article on the ninemsn website - this might be of great interest to your readers:
http://optuszoo.news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=578071&rss=yes&_cobr=optus

I look forward to hearing your feedback and am hopeful that something will be done to bring maternity leave or a fair baby bonus for all mothers to fruition - despite the current economic crisis. There is no excuse for not moving forward in this area.

Yours faithfully,

Here is the Schemes for your perusal - The media really haven't given the public an in depth probe into these schemes and the pros and cons. So here are the links so you can see for yourself:

Labour Party Scheme

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/payments/family-assistance-payments/paid-parental-leave-scheme/working-parents-eligibility.html#5

Coalition Scheme

http://www.liberal.org.au/~/media/Files/Policies%20and%20Media/Community/Paid%20Parental%20Leave.ashx

It looks as though Maternity Leave payments will finally come to fruition and no matter who wins the election on August 21, the real winners are families who are about to embark on their next family member in 2011!

Who am I kidding? The blog I didn't have time to write

I constantly have ideas popping into my head of great posts to make and I jot them down on post its, in my one of three notebooks and on old business cards I carry around in what I call a handbag (really a bag with so much stuff I can't find anything in it type!) and also in my mobile. But getting the time to blog them is really rather hard. When I started my blog I was a mum of two, had just started a new part time job after my second lot of UNPAID maternity leave and thought my life while hectic, was going to move in a new direction. Well that certainly was the case, but not quite in the way I had expected. My best friend decided to move O.S. There were lots of farewell do's and I also scored her sofa bed, so decided to turn our spare room where the relies come to stay into more of a play room. That way we still had a place for people to sleep if they stayed over. The room took a while to get organised as we ebayed the old bed etc. This led into Christmas, Christmas parties, shopping and a holiday at the beach. I also had a goal to start to get into better shape. So what better way to start than a brisk walk, with a little jogging on the beach each morning. The problem with this however was I felt terrible. The festive wine tasted terrible, I felt really sick each morning, then I started to feel sick at every meal time. This just wasn't right. A girlfriend urged me to take a pregnancy test but I wasn't hopeful given we had received fertility treatment with our first two children. I took the test on New Years Day and to my utter shock and excitement baby number three was on the way. What a wonderful Gift! Now this explains my utter slackness in 2009 as I dealt with the worst all day "Morning sickness" the most intense of my three pregnancies. Who was I kidding I had created the blog I didn't have time to write! Well I have another years worth of invaluable insight to give and would love to share. Even if it has taken a little while to get back to it as they say. I have just gone back to work after my third lot of UNPAID maternity leave to another new Part-Time job. I am looking forward to this challenge juggling work, home life and enjoying every minute (well mostly) of the time I spend with my three tiddlypeeps.

Contemplating the next Birthday Cake

My third tiddlypeep is turning 1. I can't believe how fast the year has flown! Once again it is the countdown to the birthday celebrations with family and friends. And the big decision what to do for the cake? I am thinking a big cupcake. Not too tricky but a little different. I have bought some icing roses, edible glitter dust to decorate the cake. This will be the 9th cake that I will embark on for my three kids. A great place to search for ideas is Google. Just type in the theme, character or item such as "Butterfly" or "Buzz Light Year" and you will be overwhelmed with all of the fabulous ideas people have shared on the web. I thought I would post the pics of all of the Birthday Cakes I have made so far to help out with ideas. Start collecting your ideas a couple of weeks prior so you can obtain all of the lollies, colouring etc you need prior to the day or so before when you embark on the cake making and decorating. I usually make the cake in the afternoon and ice the night before the party. For a little less stress order your sponge cake/slab from a supermarket for less hassle. The Belle & Snow White cakes are icecream, very easy to make! Use a dolly varden tin line with cling film and baking paper and freeze the icecream of your choice in it a few days prior. The morning you need the cake and hollow out the top so you can insert your doll (a doll with removable legs is ideal) then ice with a cream and icing sugar mix (checkout the Women's Weekly children's birthday cake books for tips) pop back in the freezer minus the doll until just prior to serving. I wrap the doll in cling film or paper towel ice the body and pop in the fridge. Then I pop the two together just before I put the candles in and present to the Birthday princess. So goodluck with your birthday cake creation! The joy on your little persons face is worth the late night before - I am usually up till midnight as usual. PS In all your excitement about making the cake don't forget to wrap their birthday gifts!

Quineoa Fried Style (Similar to Fried Rice) - great for leftovers!

Take your leftover Quinoa or cook up a fresh batch (I had cooked mine in some stock made from Vegeta)

Then fry an egg or two like a pancake (with a little salt n pepper) and chop into small pieces.

Fry some bacon and chop up.

(I used a nonstick pan so there was no need to add any extra oil)

Then saute celery (chopped), carrot (cut with the peeler) and mushrooms chopped (you can use any veges you may have) in a clove of garlic and a little soy sauce add in some marinated peppers (capsicum).

Then add your Quinoa, egg and bacon heat through and serve this was delicious!

A tip: If your kids won't eat combo type meals , I cook some extra bacon and egg for their dinner so you're not really making two meals!

Child restraints

Child restraints

Here's the qld government link to the new laws in regards to child restraints which come into affect in March 2010. Don't risk your child's safety!

Changes to child restraint laws - Kidspot Australia

Changes to child restraint laws - Kidspot Australia

Reversible Newborn/Baby Hat

Reversible Newborn/Baby Hat

Tid Bits from a busy week!

I always seem to have weeks that roll along and then weeks that are jam packed! Friends are coming to visit at the end of the week so I have been doing some major spring cleaning which has been totally neglected while the big job hunt was on. I can't believe how the spare room goes from liveable to total disaster zone in just a few months from when the last visitors came to stay - lots of to do piles and toys everywhere! Dust inches think under my bed and too much reading material accumulating beside my bed. There are just not enough hours in the day.

The kids have been sick with colds which has meant they are waking up and causing major sleep deprivation and if their sleeping it's in our bed, so this means that myself and hubby aren't sleeping.

This week I started my new job and as usual have left any "maintenance" to the last minute. So at 5am the morning of my first day I have a major deforrestation job ahead of me. I would have thought that years of waxing and epi Ladying the hairyest legs ever, would finally be paying off but this is still such a chore ouch! and why am I always doing this at the last minute before a holiday or an occasion where I want to throw on a dress!

On my first day caught the bus or two buses which took about an hour, double the time of driving (on my second day) and so much for relaxing and reading a magazine! I had to stand the whole way in to town and had a huge walk from the end of the second bus trip which stopped no where near my new office! There are hardly any bus stops and I'm working on the fringe of the CBD, so much for encouraging people to catch public transport. So I think I'll try and carpool with hubby when he relocates into the city.

I still seem to be running around and getting the kids organised in a mad dash, while hubby cruises around in his own world getting ready for work! Need to start setting his alarm the same time as mine!

Other than a huge headache from my first day it went well. It is a nice friendly office. This is my third workplace this year, more than I've had in 15 years of work. I think once the first few weeks go by and I get into a bit of a groove with all that happens at the new company it should be quite enjoyable as far as work goes.

Watched an interesting interview with Isabel Allende on Enough Rope this week, it was part of the Elders series. It actually moved me to tears at one point when she spoke about losing her daughter. She is an author and talked about many interesting things including how lucky many women are to have the right to vote, work, enjoy so many aspects of life in the western world. There are so many cultures that still fight for these basic rights. To watch the interview click on the link http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/

So now my house is the cleanest it's been for months, I've whipped up a cake, the kids are sleeping at the same time, I've had a quick nap myself and can sit back and relax and enjoy the company of good friends over the weekend.

Actually it's time to get the roast on and have a wine I think.......

Working Mother Blog: Working from home is not all it’s cracked up to be... or is it?

Working Mother Blog: Working from home is not all it’s cracked up to be... or is it?

The New Part-time Job!

Finally after all those hours of searching on the web, revising my CV, going to interviews with beautification stepped up to perhaps 10 minutes in lieu of the normal 30 seconds of getting ready time; to allow for make up, hair and dressing up in business clobber with heels to boot, I have found a new Part time job! I am hoping I've found that elusive role that will give me the optimum work/life balance.

I start next week so I've been splurging on some new business attire, now that I've ditched (actually returned) the horrendous uniform I was made to wear at my old place of work. I have had a lovely farewell morning tea today, and was given my fave - a box of choccies as a momento (of my 5 month stint) or should I say memory, as I'll have eaten them all probably by tonight.

I am looking forward to meeting some new people, challenging work, the slight possibility of career advancement in the following years and maybe a nice holiday next year once the paychecks start rolling in.

I have other dilemnas in the next few months to contemplate such as do I keep my daughter at kindy or switch back to day care. Kindy hours are not work friendly hours. Kindy is cheaper but I think our daycare is great! How many days will I work next year? Two days just at the moment which is splendid. I have the best long weekend every week - 5 days. Should I catch the bus or drive? Will I be able to fit in a gym visit which is in the same building? All my husband is thinking about is how the mortgage will look better and the house is more of a mess with the slightly longer hours!

Ahh the joys of domestic bliss.......

The Mighty Clothes Airer

All hail the mighty clothes airer. This is one of the time and environment saving gadgets in my life. I am not a huge watcher of daytime tv and this has decreased even more so with the demands of two little ones in my life who also love watching ABC Kids. But I did happen to catch a Dr Phil program about mums and the demands of household chores. It explored a couple of mums who just never got to the important things they were constantly struggling with the housework, taking kids to school in their PJ's and not putting much time or energy into themselves or their lives just slaving away for their families. Mums tend to never sit still I always seem to be attending to something whether it be washing, putting away clothes, ironing, washing dishes, cooking etc. etc. There isn't much time left for spending time with our children, partners or even a little time to ourselves.

"Don't sweat the small stuff" great advice from a good friend. We are living in a home not a museum I tell my husband. It's nice to have a clean and tidy house but at what price? Your children won't remember your pristine cleaned bathroom or your immaculately cleaned floors. The only thing they want from you is your time, love and attention. Ironing - this was one topic I took the advice on board from the Dr Phil program why iron play clothes? (someone in my family who shall remain nameless irons undies) and I have to say I was partial to ironed pillow cases and teatowels but not any more! - I don't iron a whole lot. Firstly when I wash everything, all shirts including the children's go on hangers on a clothes airer. I have an inside laundry - very lucky I know, so clothes can be hung on the airer morning, noon or midnight as I have been known to do but whenever I can fit it in.

Most of these shirts now need little or no ironing. They are easy to put away as they are already on hangers. I only iron the kids clothes for special occasions or if it's a cotton garment with lots of creases.

The airer saves me looking at the weather and wondering if it will rain or will I be home to pull the clothes off the line. I now rarely use the dryer, only if there is a large amount of wet weather and I run out of space. I can fit nearly two loads on the type of airer you see pictured here as I use all of the side wrungs to hang all of the shirts on their hangers, once I have draped all of the smaller items on the slats. I only use pegs on tiny things such as socks. Bibs can also be velcroed around the side slats.

This airer has made my whole life in the laundry a little easier. I spend minimal time on it and get a good result. It's fairly compact even with all of the hanging items and is easy to move around as it's on casters. Thing dry pretty quickly and in summer I wheel outside for quicker drying.

I think you can track these airers down at BIG W, Bunnings or Hills. I have seen three tier airers around since I bought mine maybe I'll look at an upgrade in the near future!