from somewhere in my imagination

The Three G's

Gossip Girl, Glee and Grey's Anatomy.

These are the 3 G's I go searching for each week.  I'm revealing my dark side here.  I don't like my television too serious, I tend to prefer escapist.

So far this season I have found...

Grey's Anatomy a little boring.  I cried in every single episode last season, whether it was quiet sobs or a few silent tears rolling down my cheek I cried.  For those who know me well they'll know that is no mean feat, to get the tears rolling but keep me coming back week after week.  I guess that's got something to do with the fact it also got me (almost) wetting myself with laughter.

In the words of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias 'laughter through tears is my favourite emotion'.  Unfortunately you aren't giving me that this season Grey's and I want it back.

Gossip Girl is going around and around in circles.  I'm loosing patience with the storyline but it won't stop me going gaga over the fashion or wanting to cry because I want to go back to NYC oh so badly.

I think it's the prince that's spoiling it.  Take your pompous ass back to Monaco dude.

Glee, hmmm, well Glee has been so stop start that I'm not really sure what has happened.  Although, it probably doesn't help that I am watching the end of last season at the same time on Fox 8 and getting everything mashed together.

However, I suspect I like where it is headed.  I have a bad boy crush on Puck.

When we were in the US we saw ads for so many TV shows, both new and old, that I had never heard of and haven't shown up on TV here.  What it makes it to our screens is definitely only the tip of the iceberg.  Some I liked the look of, there was some lawyer series with Breckin Meyer in it that looked particularly funny.

With our upcoming changes I'm going to need some new shows to watch at night (actually having channel 10 will no doubt be a novelty for a while).  I'm thinking Mad Men might be a good place for me to start.

Do you have any kickass TV series recommendations for me?

Tatum xx

10+1 Totally Random Things That I'm Loving Right Now

Ahh, sweet Monday morning.  I actually love Mondays...especially when all the washing is done and the floors and kitchen are clean.  Just a quick post this morning sharing 11 completely random things I am loving right now.

My Kitchen - Definitely loving cooking and trying out new things right now.  Think I'll be even more inspired in about a month when I have my lovely big kitchen in our new house to put through it's paces.  I just wish I had a kitchen cleaning fairy....recipe for this one later in the week!

Baseball - Slowly but surely the whole family has become hooked on baseball.  We are all loving that the ABL season has started.

Simon Says - It's a game I'm going to be playing regularly over the coming months with my boy (and most likely Miss J too because they do most things together).  He's just been diagnosed with a degree of tongue tie.  It's a relief to finally have an answer to what, exactly, has been affecting his speech.

Foo Fighters - Plenty of listening to their old and new stuff in preparation for the 5th December.  I saw them the very first time they toured and Dave Grohl has remained the sexiest man I've seen on stage ever since,  and I don't even like guys with long hair.  If they play the Ballad of the Beaconsfield Miners I am fairly certain that I will cry.

Dining Chairs - I am pretty much sold on a 10 seater with a glossy white top for the dining table (just need to convince Steven).  The jury is out on the dining chairs.  Loving these yellow babies from Domayne, the style is probably the closest we have come to agreeing on.

Paper, Paint & Glue - I've been loving me some papercrafting over the weekend.  With such a massive month ahead of us I have decided to do a December Daily for the first time so I have been busy putting my base pages together.

Bubbles - Our supermarket has $2 bubble wands.  No explanation necessary for why and how much I am loving these.  Bubbles make everyone happy.

Running Shoes - I'm loving them, but unfortunately not getting to head out on enough dates with them over the last couple of weeks.

Work - Very excited about my new job and really loving it right now.  I'm especially looking forward to dressing up for the office in the city when I start there after we move. The idea of working in the city makes me feel all kinds of grown up and gives me a perfect excuse to buy new clothes.  (Bet you are saying what a dag, can you tell I've lived in the sticks for the last 12 years, I am only moving to Adelaide LOL!)

NYC - Steven has been looking at booking flights for us to head over for 10 days in July/August next year.  That city has gotten under our skin.  Good thing S is planning on playing baseball for the Yankees when he grows up.

Summer - I love this time of the year when summer is upon us and the days are warmer.  It's time for beach days, swimming, dresses and fruity cocktails.

What are you loving this morning?

Happy Monday to you!

Tatum xx

7 Fun and Spontaneous Things to Surprise Your Kids With

It's easy for spontaneous moments to get lost or overlooked in our day to day lives.  After looking up the definition I smiled at the irony that things that may seem spontaneous to our kids often are not and can take a bit of time to set up or plan.  It is the element of surprise for them when the event happens that makes it spontaneous in their eyes.

This afternoon J and I spent a good 45 minutes or so filling water balloons.  I bought them spontaneously at the newsagent this morning, with a forecast of 36C+ an after school water balloon fight seemed perfect!

Steven had to duck home to pick up some paperwork so he timed it with school pick up.  He got the kids to head through the gate to the backyard rather than through the front door...J and I were waiting in ambush with water balloons.  The squeals and laughter were totally priceless.

The water balloon fight lasted 5 minutes, tops.  It was awesome.

The kids were just as excited about the fact we'd surprised them as the water balloon fight itself. Loved it.

While I was busy filling those water balloons here's a few fun 'spontaneous' ideas I thought of.

• Ambush the kids with water balloons on a hot afternoon, easier still get some cheapy water pistols and fill some buckets.
• Put up the tent in the backyard and go 'camping' for the night.  Just eat the marshmellows from the packet if you don't have somewhere to toast them.
• Eat dinner by candlelight (although, that probably won't work in the daylight savings states right now)
• Break up an argument or calm down a tantrum (not yours) by bursting into song and dance.  The dingle dangle scarecrow is probably my favourite spontaneous song.  Sing and dance for a while, dinner can wait another 5 minutes.
• Blow up balloons after the kids are asleep and leave them scattered across their bedroom floor, who says you have to save this for their birthday?
• Emerge from your bathroom with your face painted like a clown one morning, have a few magic tricks up your sleeve.  Go on, I dare you!
• Play a game with them that you wouldn't normally take part in whether its a video game, board game or role play.  Trust me, they'll love it.

What's your favourite 'spontaneous' thing to do with your family or friends?

Tatum xx