Tasty Summer Treat!

*The following post is a review of Smooze Fruit Ice.  I received 8 products to test and give my thoughts on. All opinions expressed in the following post are my own. No monetary compensation was made for my opinions.*
 

I was super excited when I was contacted to review the Smooze Fruit Ice products.  It has been stinking hot here lately and I was pumped to try out a new frozen treat.  Upon receiving them, they promptly went into my freezer.  I think I checked them every couple of hours to see if they were frozen yet haha! I'm not sure if it is my dodgy freezer but they seemed to take a bit longer than normal ice blocks to be completely frozen. 
 

 When reading all about Smooze Fruit Ice, the first thing that stood out to me was that they are dairy free.  With allergies on the increase, it is so refreshing to see companies making yummy treats for those who can't indulge in dairy ice cream.  "Smooze Fruit Ice is made with a base of coconut milk, with real fruit added to create four delicious flavours – Pineapple + Coconut, Pink Guava + Coconut, Mango + Coconut and Simply Coconut.  Available in boxes of 10, Smooze Fruit Ice doesn’t need to be frozen all the time, making it a convenient addition to the pantry all-year around."
 

I have to admit I was a bit worried that with the Smooze Fruit Ice being made with coconut milk, I thought the coconut flavour would be quite strong and overpowering. I was however pleasantly surprised and they offered a sweet refreshing treat on a hot afternoon.  They were  a definite winner with Devil Spawn who devoured two in one sitting.  That's the great thing about them, they are small enough for little hands to handle.  The thicker cardboard packaging also means that they aren't too cold for little hands to handle. 
 

 In my package of yum I also received a few drink recipes to try with the Smooze Fruit Ice.  The breakfast smoothies weren't overly appealing to me but when I saw a Mocktail recipe I just knew that I had to try it.  Turning it into a Cocktail of course.  It was delicious and hit the spot after a long day of toddler wrangling. 

Tropical Mocktail
1 Coconut + Pineapple Smooze Fruit Ice
1/2 can Passionfruit Pulp
1 serve of Sugar Syrup *see note
1 Handful of Ice
 

Method:
In a blender mix together Smooze Fruit Ice, Sugar Syrup and Handful of Ice.  If you are using Icecubes from your freezer then I suggest smashing up the ice before blending otherwise it will take forever to chop up the ice. 
 

Pour mixture into a glass of your choice (or in my case plastic cup because I have a toddler and we can't have nice shit when he's around) and mix through Passionfruit Pulp with a spoon.
*Note: Sugar Syrup is made with 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar and a dash of water, enough to make a syrup consistency.
Add alcohol of your choice. I used vodka and I was yum! I think Malibu would go nicely with it as well.

 

 Smooze Fruit Ice doesn't need to be frozen at all times, so makes a great addition to your pantry.  In my local Coles I found them in the same aisle as the Ice-cream cones and toppings.  The media release I received stated the RRP as $6.49 AUD for a box of 10.  I went into Coles this morning to suss them out and found out that they are $5.99. Score! I love them so much I went and got my own box as we finished off the products we received yesterday.
 

They will definitely be a feature in The Funny Farm's Summer this year!
 

What's your favourite thing to eat or drink on a hot day? Have you tried Smooze?

Self Harm FFS

Hi! This week I decided to do FFS a little differently and did a Vlog.  I was scared as hell and it took me about 50 takes to do.  Devil Spawn also kept running from my bedroom to the bathroom through the whole thing.  I haven't rewatched it for fear that I will delete it, so here I am in all my rawness.

Those who self harm may find the following Vlog triggering.  If you or someone you know is at risk of self harm please seek professional help.

Linking up with Dear Baby G 

Why I Started My Blog

Welcome to Reader's Choice Thursday! I hope you've all had a great week so far.
 

This weeks topic is 'Why I started my blog'.
 

I started my blog in April 2011. It started off as a place for me to vent. I used it as a sounding board for my thoughts and frustrations.  I didn't make it known to everyone that I had a blog as it was all pretty dark stuff at the start. 
 

I then came to the realisation that 'hey maybe someone could benefit from this'.  One of the things I enjoy about the blogs that I read on a regular basis is that they all talk about things that resonate with me at different times in my life.  There have been many times when I have been reading through a post nodding my head, and feeling better about losing my shit that morning because I know I'm not alone.  That's the kind of space that I wanted to create for my readers. 
 

For me writing has always been much easier than talking. I shut down and change the subject when walking one on one. I'm not particularly good at portraying what I am feeling in the spoken word.  Give me a pen and a piece of paper though and I can write you an essay.  My blog became a way to let people know where I am at. 
 

Sometimes life can be way to serious.  I check joke sites regularly and spend most of my online time on them.  I tend to mostly be in a cocoon, choosing when I want to engage with a news story.  We don't watch the news. Devil Spawn and I watch The Simpsons instead.  I'm sarcastic by nature.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that sarcasm is my second language.  I love making posts that poke fun at the stuff that I have done through the week or that have happened to me in the past.  I love sharing with everyone the stupid shit I have done and I love reading other peoples examples of stupid shit they have done. 
 

Facebook got too crowded. You know, when you have all of these people on your friends list that it's too much drama to delete so you kind of censor yourself.  Believe it or not, that's what I tend to do.  My blog became an outlet for me.  I found myself writing negative status updates all the time, so I would sit down, write everything into a post and while I wouldn't always immediately feel better, it did help. 
 

In summary I created this blog for myself first, then the more I became confident in my writing, I started writing it to include YOU, the reader.  I love the community that a Blog creates and love getting to know all of my readers through comments.
 

Why did you start your Blog? Link up below and let me know.
Don't have a Blog? What's your outlet?

Emotional Cost of Parenting

 As I have stated in numerous earlier posts, I struggle with the mothering gig.  Especially the emotional side.  Most days feel like a giant mind fuck and I am ready to hide under the blankets and never come out again. 
 

In Part 1 of this Two Part series I covered the physical costs of becoming a parent. Part Two will be all about the emotional responsibilites of becoming a parent.  Something that you never fully appreciate until you become a parent.  You can work in childcare and still not fully comprehend the emotional toll having a small person who you are completely responsible for 100% of the time.
 

One of the things that scared and continues to scare me most is that this little person depends on me for absolutely everything.  There is no handing the child over when you need a sick day.  This little person is your everything and they think you are their entire world.  A baby in simple terms is a completely selfish creature.  They don't care if you are sick, have only had 3 hours sleep or are hungry enough to chew your own arm off, they want your time, love and attention.
 

I think one of the hardest things as a parent is seeing your child sick and there is nothing you can do about it.  It could range from a common cold to a life threatening disease but you will still feel like you are completely helpless.  For me the first cold was the hardest.  Devil Spawn was only a couple of weeks old and he snuffled and tossed and turned in his sleep.  There wasn't much I could do but seeing him being so uncomfortable was heart breaking. 
 

There have been numerous studies performed on the importance of getting enough sleep to encourage good mental health.  Babies...they don't care how many studies you've done, they want up and they want up now.  Overall Devil Spawn has been a pretty good sleeper.  He slept from 8pm until 6am from about 3 months onwards and would have a decent nap during the day.  All that changed at 18 months. He decided to scrap the daytime sleep. Me? I wasn't so ready but finally admitted defeat when I realised that no day sleep meant he was in bed sound asleep by 7pm.  That was up until about 8 months ago. He decided sleep was for the weak. One night surviving on just 3 hours sleep and was up and at 'em the next day like it was nothing.  Mummy on the other hand was ready to kill the first person who crossed her path.  11pm was an early night in these parts.  We muddled through it and just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.  I don't question it and am just loving the return of the 7pm bedtimes.
 

Tying in with the physical costs is the emotional guilt of providing the money for those costs.  Unless you are heartless, than you WILL worry about where the next meal is coming from.  As your child gets older you will also begin to worry about the *wants* that you can't provide.  Now this isn't a given, if you have a career that pays well, or you and your partner both do, then this won't be such a big issue but we all have to start somewhere.  The funny thing about chilren is that they don't always come when you are expecting them.  If we waited until we could afford them, then we would never have kids.
 

I'm linking up with Jess for IBOT :)

The cost of being a parent

I've made no secret that I stuggle with this whole mother hood thing. I've even been know to say that it is butt fuck hard.  What I talk about however is the emotinal side.  The physical, providing side is pretty damn hard too.  From the moment you find out you're pregnant you are bombarded with the costs of being a parent.
The National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling did a study and put the costs into a lump sum figure.
In fact, the report shows, the total cost in today’s dollars is
$448,000 for the average family to raise two children from birth
to age 20. For the average couple with two children today, those
children cost around $310 a week, or 23 per cent of average gross
household income of $1,324 a week.
This figure takes into account most of the costs involved in
parenting, including housing, transport, recreation, food, clothing
and education.
Now I don't know about you but my income isn't 1,324 a week. In fact it's much less.  This means that I have to be crafty in getting it to stretch. We don't always get the things that I *want* but we rarely go without the things we *need*.  Many people will say that all children need is love but that is a great big bunch of hooey.  Children need food, water and shelter, all things that are easily accessible in the Western World.
Let's break this down a little bit. What are the individual costs you'll most likely see in raising a child. I have a 3 yo so can only vouch for the first 3 years personally but here it is.
 

Cot - $100+
If you can find a decent second hand one you can really save a lot of money.  Or you could go down the co sleeping route...which I found I needed and craved my space once Devil Spawn started sleeping through.
 

Pram - $100+
This isn't necessary but if, like me you don't have a car then it is very much needed. The baby trolleys are usually few and far between at the supermarket and unless you have a sling which can be costly then you are going to need a pram.
 

Nappies - Av $20 per week.
Whether you go disposable or cloth, they are going to be costs involved.  The start up costs of cloth nappies can be in the $100's however they save you money in the long run.  Disposable nappies are a bottomless pit of cost.  It's also a case of trial and error of finding the ones that don't give your baby a rash, don't leak and don't need a loan taken out to buy them.
 

Feeding - Av $50 per week
In the first few months this all depends on whether you breastfeed or bottlefeed.  Breastfeeding is completely free.  Bottlefeeding involves formula which ranges from $16-$30 a tin. When Devil Spawn was a baby a tin would last about 10 days.  Don't forget all the bottles. You can get inexpensive ones for $10 for a 3 pack, but the trouble with bottles is that you have to keep replacing them.  Your baby outgrows the teat flow, the numbers wear off, making preparation innacurate.
 

Once you move into solids there starts to become a steady increase as you buy foods that bub can eat as well, until they are eating normal food and your grocery bill has increased by about $50 a week. 
 

Clothing - Never ending
In the first 12 months, babies generally grow and grow.  You feel like you are constantly packing clothes away and getting new ones out.  If you can get hand me downs, then this is great.  If you can't then it can be an expensive venture.  The average cost of jumpsuits is $10. Unless you plan on washing every single day then you are going to need 3 or 4 at least. Thats $40 right there.  The funny thing about kids is that they keep growing and wearing out their clothes, so you need to rinse and repeat that process every couple of weeks.
 

Toys - Never ending
Toys aren't a must but they sure as hell make this parenting gig a ton easier.  Devil Spawn is spoilt for toys.  His room is choc-a-bloc with everything a boy could want.  I don't like to spend more than $40 for a toy.  The average cost is around $20.  I try to buy good quality stuff because I would much rather it last than break after the first use. 
 

Lotions, Potions and all the stuff for the Bums - Average $20 per week
The stuff you need during a nappy change can rival a make up artists arsenal.  There is wipes, nappy rash cream, body wash, moisturiser, talc powder and heaps of other stuff that I can't think of right now.
 

Misc - Average $200 per week
This is everything else but not including the shelter.  This is the electricity and phone.  If you have a car then you have to factor in upkeep costs and money to put fuel in it.  Fridge break down? Yep you'll be paying to fix that too. Washing machine die? Until you can afford to fix it or buy a new one then you will be making the trek to the laundromat.
 

This is part one of a two part post about the responsibilities of raising a child.  This is the very average break down of the costs. There are lots more things that I haven't taken into consideration including daycare, school, and entertainment costs. 
 

Part two will delve a bit deeper into the emotional responsibilities of being a parent.  The things that you provide to make your child feel safe, to set a good example.

My life would be different

It's Thursday again (phew where are the weeks going???) and we all know what that means right? It's Reader's Choice Thursdays.  This week I did things a little different and created a poll on my Facebook Page for readers to choose.  The winner this week is:
My life would be different if I'd never met...
 

This topic really took a lot of thinking.  I have so many wonderful people in my life that I wasn't sure who to write about.  So many people who have made an impact on my life, impacts that are both good and bad.  I decided to stick with the good thought and chose to write about one of my best friends. 

When I was growing up I always had friends, but I needed my space. I couldn't handle being in close quarters to anyone for too long, it would drive me crazy.  I don't really keep in close contact with any of my childhood friends.  I am Facebook friends with them and occasionally catch up when I am at my parents but that's about it.  I wasn't the easiest person to be friends with when I was a teenager.  More so than most teenagers.  I was bat shit crazy for most of it.  Once I finished school, we didn't really hang out much.  We all went our separate ways and started our lives. Me...I was hellbent on ending mine.
 

Fast forward to 2007 and a near fatal OD. I was in a coma for 3 days, in ICU for 4 and then transferred to the Mental Health ward when I stayed for a month.  Two weeks into that month I met my best friend.  She was very standoffish at first and I've often told her I thought she was a cow for the first couple of days she was in there.  Slowly the ice started to break and we took great delight in pissing off the nurses and other patients. 
 

She's been there for my ups and my down, down lows.  For the first time I have a best friend who I tell absolutely everything to. She is the only person who knows everything that goes on.  Most of the time she knows more than Papa Devil about the way I am feeling. Why? Because she knows what I am talking about.  For the first time I have a friend who 'gets' it.  Self Harming isn't easy to deal with.  Having someone to talk to who knows the desperation you feel when you need to cut, that it isn't all about attention is so valuable. 
 

We've now been friends for almost 6 years and still as close as ever. We speak most days, usually sending each other hilarious memes to describe our days.  My life definitely wouldn't be the same without her.  Sure I could ask for a more normal friend but where's the fun in that ;)

Since When

Today's post is a guest post. It's bought to you by one of my friends Sarah. She wants to have a bit of a dabble in Blogging so be kind :)

Sarah is currently on leave from my wonderful job to raise my daughter from a teeny tiny bub who decided that Christmas was too fun to miss out on last year and surprised us by arriving 2 months early.

Welcome to my first post. Thank you to Musings of the Misguided for hosting it for me.

I had been thinking about putting fingers to keyboard for some time, and have decided to bite the bullet.

So many things lately have made me ask “since when?”. None more so than the treatment of a lady who tried to create a space for women, by women without the fakeness of those popular women’s mags.

So here we go...

Since when did we start becoming a bunch of bullies who think it’s fun to bucket crap on someone just because they made a typo? Oh wait, that’s thanks to social media like Twitter and Facebook. Yes, Facebook has it’s merits, but I’m yet to understand Twitter. Limited characters, misconstrued meanings...

Since when did we start thinking we are entitled to Freedom of Speech? It’s Australia people. It’s not in our constitution. FoS is an American constitutional right, not an Aussie one. If you think someone has taken away you’re free speech, toughen up, princess and blog about it.

Since when did it become okay to teach our children that it’s acceptable to be rude, bigoted, ignorant people? IT’S NOT OKAY! I swear it seems worse than it did back in the 50’s and 60’s. And it’s just getting worse every day. I don’t know what the solution is, but I’m trying to teach my LO acceptance and tolerance. Manners have just gone out the window. There is a distinct lack of discipline that only started in the last 10 to 20 years. Please and thank you, please people!! And a simple “excuse me” wouldn’t go astray either.

Since when was it acceptable to threaten someone in any way, shape or form? It’s not cool people. Get over it. Grow up.

And one more, just to lighten the mood a bit...

Since when did Christmas card stamps start coming in packs of 20?? Normal stamps come in packs of 10, so why not Christmas card stamps too? Argh, it did my head in yesterday, because I only needed 10 and because they weren’t a pack, they weren’t self adhesive and I may have had to lick them, if not for the wet, squishy thingo they have at the post office.

Thank you to all who stuck with it and read it until the end. Thanks again to Tegan and Musings for hosting this for me.

Maybe I’ll start shedding a bit more light on what goes on in this overactive, yet mummy-addled brain of mine.

I still feel like a child playing dress up

Over the weekend a parody hashtag was created on twitter called #fakemamamia. I personally thought it was hilarious. It bought together many like minded women who weren’t afraid to laugh at a situation and who realised that being a mum wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops and shit.  What was created from this hashtag was Unreal Women. The start of a woman's online mag that was breaking the norm. Until the mainstream got a hold of it.  Sadly it’s over before it even began. All over a typo. Seriously.  Death threats were sent. Seriously.

Where I am going with this is that the following post was a submission I made to be included in the mag. The mag is no longer going ahead but I wanted to help tell it’s story.  To show the damage that can be done.  

I'm 24. I have been living out on my own for the last five years. Yet I am still waiting for someone to come along and tell me they caught me out, that I'm just pretending.  I don't feel like a real grown up.

When I was little I always loved bags. I still do and get a new one every couple of months. If my bank account allowed it I think I would get a new one every month.  One thing I always dreamed about when I was little was that I would have enough 'stuff' for a 'proper' handbag.  You know all the 'grown up' stuff that we see our mums stuff their bag with.  I now have the oversized handbag, complete with all the stuff. I still feel like a child playing dress up.

I always buy organisers when I get the chance. I love stationary and have way too much of it.  The diary is another thing that I saw as a 'grown up' thing.  I couldn't wait to be old enough to fill it with all of the activities I would do. All of the appointments I would be attending. The outings I would be invited to.  I have those things. I still feel like a child playing dress up.

As a female, the go to present is smelly stuff. I have enough lotions and potions to sink a battle ship.  I wear perfume every day. It's another thing that I equate with being a 'grown up'. You have places to be so you need to smell pretty.  'Grown up' things.  I still feel like a child playing dress up.

I always had a large collection of hand me down make up when I was growing up. I would sit in my room trying on different colours.  When I feel like being 'pretty' I put make up on. Sometimes it's for a night out. Other times it's to just do the grocery shopping.  I use foundation, mascara and lipstick. I'm not particularly good at applying it. I still feel like a child playing dress up.

Growing up I would fantasize about making my own home. I would think about all the stuff that I would buy and fill my house with.  I would picture all of the things I would use to decorate and how I could finally be able to display all of the ornaments I had collected.  I have all of that. I have so much stuff. My house is set up into a little home. It's not perfect but it's mine. I still feel like a child playing dress up.

Unlike other little girls, I never dreamed about having kids. They just didn't factor into my future plans.  I now have a 3 year old son.  He depends on me for everything and loves me to death. I teach him things without even realising it, I'm moulding a little human being. I still feel like a child playing dress up.

My whole life feels pretty surreal to me most days. I try not to think too far ahead or I get overwhelmed. I do things my way. Not everyone agrees with it, but I speak my mind.  I might feel like a child playing dress up but I'm an adult who's learning to cope in the big bad world.

Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT.

FFS Friday 16th November

Friday! Yay! FFS time! Yay! This post really is my favourite to write.  While not so fun experiencing it all at the time, it's so simple to write. I also love reading everyone else's posts and laughing with (ok you got me AT) them about their FFS moments of the week.  So here we go....
 

I had so much FFS that I decided to start writing them down on Sunday FFS
 

On Friday I (stupidly) took Devil Spawn with me shopping for a party dress. He ran around the shop while I attempted to dodge the stares of the very impatient sales assistant FFS
 

The dress that I went in for, wasn't available FFS
 

I couldn't find what I wanted so had to submit to asking the impatient sales assistant for help. FFS
 

What she picked out actually looked great NO FFS
 

I spent a small fortune on said dress. The straps broke after wearing it for an hour FFS
 

Devil Spawn lovingly passed on his gastro. Which decided to rear it's ugly head while I was at the clubs. Throwing up in a club toilet is never classy FFS.
 

I was at home, in bed, completely sober at 1230am I continued to vomit most of the night FFS
 

Papa Devil looked after Devil Spawn all day Saturday so I could sleep it off. NO FFS
 

We were all in bed by 730pm because we were all so exhausted. Which was lucky because Devil Spawn decided that 3am is totes a cool time to wake up for the day. FFS
 

Tuesday morning Devil Spawn woke up covered in a rash. We spent 3 hours at ED while he was climbing the walls FFS
It was an allergic reaction...to something FFS
 

They were gone by the end of the day. NO FFS
 

He woke up the next day covered again in the rash FFS
 

I did 5 loads of washing to wash all of his bedding and our clothes because my washing machine is shitty and only lets me do half a load FFS
 

He woke up again on Thursday covered in the rash FFS
A friend and I walked to and from Mums Group this week. It was stinking hot. I'm unfit. I nearly died FFS
 

That's my week of FFS. What's pissed you off this week?
Linking up with Dear Baby G head on over to read other peoples FFS moments and maybe feel a little better about your week.

Lingerie Football

Welcome to Reader's Choice Thursdays.  This is our third week and so far I have learnt so much. The most important thing I have learnt however is to not tweet while watching trashy tv if I still don't have a topic or a certain blogger (I'm not mentioning any name *cough cough* will take it with both hands and I'll be writing about vjazzling or like this week....Lingerie Football.
 

So what exactly is Lingerie Football? Despite the name, the women don't actually play in skimpy lace numbers.  No they more closely resemble a cheer leading outfit than something you'd wear under your clothes.  It was founded in 2003, originally as a pay per view event showing opposite the half time of the Superbowl.  It is now a staple of Superbowl Sunday and is shown in over 85 countries worldwide.  The game consists of two seven-a-side teams.  Each team can have up to 20 players but only 14 are used on game day.
At the moment Lingerie Football is only played in the US and Canada.  However it is currently being promoted in Australia with the hope to officially start a season in 2013.  It is not without it's opposition however.  Sports Minister Kate Lundy was quoted as calling the sport ''cheap, degrading perv''.  This hasn't stopped women trying out though.
  

There are some groups who call Lingerie Football a sport that makes women into sexual objects.  Me? Hey if I had a body like these girls I would sure as hell be showing it off too.  These girls are athletic and strong.  In my opinion they are actually providing a positive body image. A hell of a lot better than any Runway Model that's for sure.  No one is forcing these women to run around chasing a football in a bikini and let's be honest there's more skin on display at the beach than these girls are showing. 
 

Critics are up in arms that this sport has tickets sold that are targeting families.  Are we really turning into that kind of world. A world where no one thinks for themselves and has to have a government dictate what we can and can't do.  Use your common sense people.  If you don't feel comfortable taking your kids to this kind of sporting even then don't but don't ruin it for the rest of the people.  Do I think it should be aired on Free-to-air television? No, but people who are willing to pay for it shouldn't be denied.  All of the women involved are consenting adults, who are over the age of 18. 
 

What's your take on Lingerie Football? Pervy or perfectly fine? If you had the body and the confidence would you do it?
 

For more Reader's Choice Thursday head on over to Help!! I'm Stuck!!

Wordless Christmas

Today I decided to link up with Trish over at My Little Drummer Boys  for Wordless Wednesday.  It was bought to my attention that today that there is only 42 days until Christmas so I decided to do a looking back over our Christmas' so far with Devil Spawn.

 

Dissection

I decided to do a bit of dissecting today. What on you ask? The Shopping Centre of course.  Yep it's all hard hitting action around here.
There are many different kinds of inhabitants that frequent The Shopping Centre.  Not all of them are rant worthy, most of them are.
 

The Teenager: This is one of the inhabitants that get on my last nerve frequently.  Sure there are nice ones around....those ones don't hang around shopping centres acting like wankers.  You know the ones, they are loud, obnoxious and always in large groups.  The local Shopping Centre tried to stamp down on these creatures by saying people under the age of 18 couldn't be in groups of more than 4. Yeh it worked for a whole week I think.
 

The Senior Citizen: This inhabitant tends to save all of their shopping adventures to one day. The dreaded Pension Day.  The general consensus is that this day is a Thursday.  Around here it seems to lean more towards a Friday.  The Senior Citizen has two very distinct categories. There is the cute little old lady/man. They fill you with all good stuff and remind you of the Disney industry generated Grandparent figure. Then there is the complete polar opposite.  The nasty, rude little old lady/man.  I understand that we should respect our elders BUT respect should be something that is returned.  You being over the age of 60 doesn't give you the right to push in front of me and my son at the checkout. If you have less things than me, I might have let you go first anyway.  You being rude about it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
 

The Bogan Family: This group of inhabitants don't have shoes, clothes are usually ripped and dirty, just like their foul mouth.  Don't get me wrong I drop the F-Bomb like the best of them, but there is a time and a place.  Walking through your local Shopping Centre is not that place.  Also please try to keep your kids in some kind of control.  We all know that Shopping Centres are like drugs for small kids but if you're too busy snogging your latest Baby Daddy, then that shit is not cool.
The 'Whoops is this a Shopping Centre, not a nightclub': There is a whole post dedicated to this right over here
 

The Large Group: When I say large group, I am talking more that 5.  A large group on its own is not annoying.  It's when said large group insists on walking in a straight line across the walkway.  You know, blocking the whole fucking thing! Have you ever tried to navigate a pram or trolley through one of these groups? It's damn impossible.  None of them move, none of them acknowledge that there are OTHER FUCKING PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO SHOP TOO!
 

The Dreamer: Although the name may lead you to think that this person is all arty and swish. No. This person is too busy in their own world to realise that there is actually other people in the Shopping Centre.  You know, people who are trying to get shit done.  They wander around, saying hello to the 500 people they know, usually done in a door way of a store.  Don't even try saying 'excuse me'. It will fall of deaf ears and you'll be forced to look like you are a member of 'The Bogan Family' by cursing them out.
 

The Get In, Get Your Shit and Get Out: This is me. I don't like shopping for the sake of shopping anymore.  All of the above inhabitants have ruined that for me. 

Which inhabitant are you? Are you a little bit of different ones?
 

Linking up with Essentially Jess for IBOT

The REAL affordable gift guide.

Now that we are on the countdown to the fat man visiting, it's time to start thinking about what to get our loved ones.  Or the people you have to get gifts for.  I've seen a few gift lists getting around already but I haven't found one that is in the budget of struggle street.  I couldn't give Devil Spawn the gifts I do without the joys of Christmas Layby.  For everyone else, I usually do a mad dash in the month before Christmas by trying to find shit that is cheap but doesn't look it.

For the Devil Mama:

Retro Slushy Machine, Kmart: $39

As soon as I saw this baby in Kmart I knew I had to have one. So I could share with the whole family. Ah hell who am I kidding, my first thought was 'Woo vodka slushies'.

Slushy Magic, Big W: $14.86

Slushy without the mess? You had me at hello. This bad boy would be great for more vodka slushies.  Nom nom nom

Mighty Peep-Toe Heel, Target: $50
I love a hot pair of heels. Sadly they do not love me.  I would buy these just to walk around the house in!

A6 Patten Journal, Typo: $6.95

 It's no secret that I love notebooks. When Typo opened up near me I nearly wet my pants with excitement. It was a porn shop for the stationary lover.  I could spend hundreds in there. Then my bank balance kindly reminds me, calm down fuck head you haven't got enough money to buy all the things.

For the Devil Papa

West Tigers Jersey, Best and Less: On sale for $40
Devil Papa is a mad West Tigers fan.  I usually buy him something footy related for Christmas. Last year him and Devil Spawn got matching footy shorts. They look a bit cute.

Dogfight Double Gift Set Spitfire MkVB/Messerschmitt Bf109-F 1/48 Airfix from Mega Hobby: $29.74

Devil Papa loves making model airplanes. In fact he loves all things war planes.  This is definitely a go to gift for us.  It's something that he will use and he enjoys.

Galway Pipe, Dan Murphy's: $29.45

Devil Papa loves a good drop of Port.  Me personally I think it tastes gross. This is his favourite kind, so it's an easy, inexpensive gift.

 

Gifts for the Devil Spawn

Hot Wheels Colour Shifters, Kmart: $15

I always wanted one of these when I was kid. So of course what use is having a kid if you can't live through them.  No doubt I will get sick of picking up the pieces after a week but it will be fun while it lasts.

   Despicable Me, Kmart: $13

This movie never gets old. Even after Devil Spawn watched it 4 times in a row while I was sick.  Sadly our copy has died so this is on the wish list.  One of my favourite things to do on Christmas Day after stuffing yourself with too much food is to lay around and watch a movie. So I try to get Devil Spawn a DVD in his massive Christmas Haul.

Rectangular Family Pool, Big W: $30.

Australia is known for it's stinking hot climate.  Rockhampton Christmas Day is usually no exception.  There's nothing better than getting rip roaring drunk and lounging around in the kiddies pool. Best thing is that this can be used by the whole family.

What's on your Christmas wish list this year? Do you leave your present buying to the last minute or are you super organised and have it all done already?

 Note: This is not a sponsored post I just really like all this stuff.

Confrontation

It's Thursday again and you know what that means....it's readers choice.  This week was a bit of a curly one and I really struggled with how to approach the writing of it.  I didn't want to write and comment on a story that wasn't mine but I still wanted the person to feel like I had acknowledged their choice.  Normally I just sit down and write but this one needed and deserved some more thought.
 

This weeks reader wanted to know if she should confront a family friend.  I first started with pulling apart the situation and trying to provide an answer.  However it just didn't sit right with me that I was making comment on this person's life.  I just didn't feel like I had the right.
 

So with all of that aside I decided to write a post about confrontation. Good old confrontation. We love to hate it.  Me, I hate it and avoid it like the plague.  Confrontation rarely makes me feel 'good'. It rarely resolves anything for me. If anything it makes me stew more.  It makes me hate myself that little bit more.  I go over the situation again and again, thinking of ways that I could have made it different.  Thinking of things that I could have done differently. 
 

I have trouble expressing my emotions appropriately. I have never made a secret of that.  I tend to go all guns blazing then feel bad for it later.  I take a point and run with it.  Most of the time it's the right thing to do, sometimes it's not.  It's easer to get caught up in the moment, to get caught up in other people's opinions and make rash decisions.  It's something that I need to work on. I have fire. I know that, and anyone who knows me well knows that I am passionate about a lot of things. 
 

Like I said, I avoid confrontation like the plague.  There is a lot of things that I could do differently.  For one, letting things fester is not good. This usually ends with me getting angry and saying the first thing that comes to my head.  I try to pose my argument without swearing but once I get past the point of seeing red, then it usually results in me just telling the person to fuck off. 
 

Before confronting someone we really need to take a step back from the situation and assess if the confrontation is worth it.  Will you talking to the person about their behaviour make the situation better or worse? It's sometimes hard to take a step back when you are in the thick of a conflict but it can really be beneficial in saving a relationship, if you wish to.  You have to think about the situation and whether it is something that you think will continue to come up and cause conflict or if it is something small that you will be able to look the other way about.  Only you can make that decision.  Different things affect different people in different ways.  What is no big deal to you, might be hurtful or irritating to another person. 
 

Confronting a person, if done in a positive way, with thought for their feelings as well can result in a compromised situation for everyone involved.  Talking 'to' a person instead of 'at' them can go a long way to helping them understand your feelings towards an action.  Going in gunho about what you want and not listening to what the other person has to say, always has the result of them getting defensive.  It's human nature that when we feel 'attacked' we either fly or fight, both of which aren't reactions that are conductive to a positive outcome. 
 

What are your confrontation techniques? Do you avoid it like the plague too? Has confronting someone ever gone completely pear shaped despite your best efforts?  

Random Post

I decided to have a bit of fun and went searching for random post ideas and stumbled across this site.  There was pages, upon pages of post ideas. This one however caught my eye and I decided to give it a go :)
 

Wearing your ear buds place your MP3 player on "Shuffle." As each song comes up, relate what it means to you or what it evokes in you in terms of emotions and/or memories.
 

I Hate Everything About You - Three Days Grace:  This song takes me straight back to my dark bedroom when I was teen. Music blaring in my earphones.  Jogging on the spot for the biscuit that I dared to eat.  In front of a mirror, so I could see everything that I hated.
 

She's So High - Tal Bachman: I love this song. It always makes me sing out loud, even though I can't sing to save myself.  It makes me feel empowered.
 

Bootylicious - Destiny's Child: What woman doesn't need a pick me up when they are feeling shitty. This is one of my songs I play when I'm getting ready to go out when I really don't want to go anywhere.
 

Sugar, We're Goin Down - Fall Out Boy: For years I had a crappy copy of this song and it cut off just as it was getting into the good beat. I used to blast it when I needed something quick and in my face. I've got a decent copy now and it's still one of my favourite songs.
 

What Would You Do - City High: This was on my first compilation cd.  It was the only decent song on that compilation cd. I played the hell out of it. 
 

Feelin' Way Too Damn Good - Nickelback: I love Nickelback. I am not afraid to say it. This isn't one of my favourite songs but it's up there.  It pretty much sums up my life. I hate getting too happy about anything because it will no doubt come crashing down around me as soon as I do.
 

Without Me - Eminem: This song made me fall in love with Eminem. I managed to talk my parents into buying the album. You know because it was full of adult content and I was 14 at the time. They of course bought it without checking what the hell it was about. Win for the 14 year old.
 

Firework - Katy Perry: This song will forever be imprinted in my mind to make my entire body hurt. Why? Because it was one of the tracks in Pump.  Pump that made it hard to even sit on the toilet. You know because you did so many squats that your thighs are on fire just sitting on the couch! Yeh that kind of Pump.
 

True Love - P!nk: This song kind of describes Devil Papa and I perfectly. We know all the right buttons to push. We can fight like animals but we love each other so fiercely. 
 

Numb - Linkin Park: When I was a teen I was always on forums for self harm.  When this song came out, the forums where all a flutter because the film clip included self harm.  Of course the song was disected every which way but loose.  I watched the film clip over and over again.
 

What's your favourite song? Does it have a special meaning to you? Or do you like it just because it makes me you jump around the room?

Girls night

This Friday night I am doing what every girl needs every now and then. I'm having a girls night out.  You have no idea how much I am looking forward to it.  Nothing beats letting your hair down sans kids with your closest girl friends.
 

I'm doing the preparation for it now because having a child has bought out the need to have everything organised days in advance part in me that was always laying dormant. I whipped out one my new notebooks and started making a list, checking it twice all that shiz.  Like I said I am super excited.
 

It got me feeling all stiff in the pants about past nights out and I started looking through old pics.  Oh the shame but oh there was so much fun had in making all that shame!

So with that I decided to share with you all my girls night adventures in picture form. Have fun and let loose baby!

 No girls night out is complete without the drinks before going out. You know because drinks at clubs are so damn expensive.

Screw cups and straws. They're overrated.

Occasionally I'm a laaaaady and use a grown up glass.  

Motorboating always makes the night much more fun.

It's not a night out clubbing unless you take at least one selfy in the toilet.

Then of course there is the morning after where you check out your wounds.  These are usually caused by the fact that the only time you wear heels is when you go out once every 6 months.  Of course you've never worn the shoes before and you will always get a blister.

Do you enjoy a good girls night out? Or maybe a boys night out? Are you long overdue for one?