from somewhere in my imagination

In Need of a Fun Injection? #funinjection

I am.

The Week 8 exhaustion is setting in.  The kids are tired.  I'm tired of making lunches and breaking up squabbles over silly little things.  Unfortunately it's only Week 7.

We are still settling into the big changes, each week is a little different to the last.  Some weeks are steps forward, others are steps back. 

I'm feeling a touch responsible for the collective kiddie exhaustion, I do the wake up call at 6.30 three mornings a week and right now the sun hasn't even started to peek at that time.  I am really enjoying my job but I am pining for my kidlets a bit.  I need to be more aware of making the most of the afternoons we spend together...that can be tough when they are tired.

It's not just me that's in need of a fun injection the kids are too.

So, I'm pledging to inject an extra bit of fun into every day.  To take 5 minutes here and there and be silly instead of sensible.  I'm going to drag Steven in on the act too...kicking and screaming if I have to.  That man has been way to sensible lately.

If it's something I think twice about doing I'm going to make the effort to do it anyway.

I took a baby step today and made watermelon stars for 'brain food'...I didn't have time really, but I did it anyway.  Thankyou Pinterest for some late night inspiration.

Tomorrow I've got some special Lemon Meringue cupcakes for their lunchboxes.  I think homemade pizza and family singstar/move/guitarhero might be just the ticket for Friday night.  Saturday night we are heading to the Australian Swimming Championships. 

The weather is supposed to be perfect on Sunday so a stroll along the beach and a perhaps a picnic would just be perfect.  I think there will be a day next week that is perfect for fairy bread sandwiches (like the ones I packed on valentines day) and a little after school treasure hunt in the garden just for a bit of fun. 

I'm not sure how much fun Tuesday will be, I have a 5.45am flight...I really can't see any fun side to that...but I'm sure I can find something :)

I'm going to be more unplanned and spontaneous (much like this idea), smile more, make art after dinner, laugh lots, eat dessert before dinner...those sorts of things :)

In between there will be the 'sensible' stuff like school, work, washing, cleaning and grocery shopping but all in all I'm going to be focusing on injecting more fun into our days.

Are you feeling in need of a fun injection too?  Why not join me for the next week injecting a little more fun into your days?  I'll be sharing photos from the week on my facebook page and tweeting with the #funinjection hashtag, I'd love for you to join me and share the extra bits of fun you inject into the week ahead.

Tatum xx

Crossed Off my Bucket List #flashmob @dancepad

To be honest I don't really have a 'bucket list' as such but if I did being part of a flash mob would have been on it.  I have been hanging out to be part of one for ages.

What is a flash mob?

A flash mob (or flashmob)^[1] is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression

(thank you Wikipedia)

Why?  You might ask...well I love random acts of happiness, I love things that make people smile, I love music and I love to dance (although I'm really not much good at it!).

Many weeks ago Lauren was flicking through the fringe guide and pointed out a flash mob workshop being held during the festival.  Winner winner, quick as a flash I'd snapped up tickets for my sisters, my big girls and myself.

So...Monday night, the night of the workshop, finally rolled around and we headed across town to a dance studio packed with sweaty (mostly female) bodies and learnt the moves...or, as in my case, tried to.  I just can not coordinate a left right left left, just ask my personal trainer.

Anyone say rub your tummy and pat your head?  Not me.

Dodgy dance moves on my behalf aside I wiggled my butt off and left feeling pretty pumped for the actual events.

Saturday morning Sam, Lil and I went cross town again for a bit more practice at Norwood before our flash mob debut.

At 11 we headed out on to the Parade for our 11.15 'impromptu performance' in the Norwood Mall.

To be honest I don't think I have done too many things in my life that given me that grinning from ear to ear adrenalin rush that being part of a flash mob did.  Amazing!

We met Lauren in town and followed up the Norwood performance at the Blue Note Club, which is part of the Fringe, near the Torrens.  If you haven't been around the Festival and Convention centres recently I can tell you that there are some seriously funky setups for the Adelaide mad month of March.  I think I need to have a date night with my husband...anyone want to babysit?

 

Anyway, I digress, here is a YouTube video of part of the performance.  The initial parts feature the dance pad principal Emma, some other professional dancers and some of her students.  I'm looking forward to seeing full videos of the performances, I'll share them as I find them on my facebook page as I find them!

I'm not much of a dance aficionado but watching Emma dance kind of blew me away, I would love love to be able to send Lil to her classes but it will have to wait until there isn't quite so much running around going on.

Have you ever been part of a flash mob?  Are you keen to do one?  I think I am addicted!

Tatum xx

 

A Homemade Christmas With Real Living Magazine

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang Australia, but I can't help adding that I was sent the brief the same day I had been looking for a copy of Real Living Magazine in the newsagent.  It was kind of freaky, made me wonder whether there really is some big brother keeping an eye on me. Unfortunately, it was mid-month between issues and I was told I needed to wait a couple of weeks. I was searching for the magazine for a few reasons.  First of all, I need to convince Steven that wallpaper really is okay and it won’t make our bedroom in our new house look like a reject from the 70’s.  I am also on the hunt for our perfect dining chairs and, to be honest, when it comes to finding inspiration for furnishing and decorating our house, Home Improvement Magazines are still my first port of call. A few weeks later I returned for my copy of Real Living and came home with an issue bursting with ideas for a homemade Christmas.  Right up my alley. After flicking through it over a quiet coffee (while hiding out in my bedroom) one afternoon at home, I took it with me to Adelaide over the weekend for closer read in the car.  I ended up with a list of ideas for homemade decorations and gifts, plenty of extra gift ideas for friends and family, plus I have suggested to my sister that we give the bacon, sage and almond turkey stuffing a whirl for our Christmas lunch. My favourite thing about every issue of Real Living is the way it gives an insight into real homes.  I am a bit voyeuristic in that respect.  I love pouring over house layouts and design ideas in every single issue. Unfortunately there was no compelling argument for the use of wallpaper in our bedroom this time around, leaving me with a perfect reason to buy myself a subscription for Christmas, I'll convince him yet!  A couple of things that I especially love about magazine subscriptions are… No more aimless wandering in the newsagent looking for the issue followed by a round-up of the children from the toy area and quick departure. The dollars you save. Who doesn't love saving money, and at a 46% saving on the cover price of Real Living...well, that's pretty much free by my calculations. Right now there is a third great reason for subscribing...you will be eligible to win one of 10 fabulous Hawaiian holiday packages valued at over $12,000 each with Magshop’s Christmas competition. Simply subscribe, renew or treat family and friends to any of the 35 participating titles including The Australian Women’s Weekly, Top Gear Australia, Australian House & Garden, Shop Til You Drop, UFC, Money, and many more.