competition · giveaway · motherhood · mothering · review · sponsored

Rescue Mumma {Give Away}

Hello friends!
Today I have an exciting new company to talk to you about…
Rescue Mumma…
Rescue Mumma is a new subscription & gift box company created by Kimberly from KimberlyRose, this service is designed with Mummas in mind!
The idea behind Rescue Mumma is proved a service to pamper Mums. We often are so hesitant to treat ourselves but this service not only will benefit you, $1 from every box sold goes back to Baby Give Back, an organisation that assists Gold Coast Mums & their children who maybe struggling.
So treating yourself can help another Mum!
These boxes are a great idea for a baby shower gift, a surprise treat to a new Mumma or even just a little gift in the mail to your bestie – because all Mums deserve to be spoilt!
I did my first ever unboxing video with the lovely Rescue Mumma box I was sent, make sure you check it out HERE.

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If you would like to order your own Rescue Mumma box or check out the site click HERE.
If you want to order a box please use the coupon code “LAUNCH5” for 5% off!
To win a box, please check out my Instagram & Facebook page! I’ll be giving away 1 box to one of my beautiful readers! So make sure you enter & tag your Mumma friends to enter too!
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Rescue Mumma did send me this box as a gift, but all opinions are my own. 

#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2017 · honesty · life · motherhood · mothering · parenting · positivity · Uncategorized

10 tiny & easy ways to turn a bad mood around. {For Mummas & kids!}

Breathe, it’s just a bad day – not a bad life.

Hey Mumma’s,
The other week I wrote a post that many of you really liked, on how to reset & remain happy as a Mumma – you can read it HERE…
Well today I thought I would do a similar post on how to turn around a bad day/mood, for kids & Mummas…

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We all have bad days… Maybe you just had a really bad nights sleep, maybe your child isn’t in the best mood or perhaps something is happening in your life that is pulling your mind to a negative place and that in turn makes you feel & act not so great… Know what I’m saying? Been there? When we are in bad moods, this impacts our entire home… The tone we have, is the tone set for our entire home – if Mumma ain’t happy, no one is happy…
So the trick in these situations is to catch ourselves… Maybe you’ve just overreacted to your child or you just can’t shake the bad mood, realise what is happening and make a conscious effort to turn it around…

Here are 10 tiny & easy ways to turn your mood &/or your kid’s around…

  • Step out of the room and breath… Just remove yourself for just a few moments and collect your thoughts and calm down. Teach your children to do this too, often if we are in the midst of a melt down I try to remind our daughter to take a deep breath and stop and calm down… Easier said than done to a nearly 4 year old, but it works sometimes… A breathing technique I get her to do is “smell the flower (big breath in) and blow out the candle (big breath out)”
  • Start the day again… We do this if our little love wakes up and is a bit grumpy. We take her back to bed, lay her down and make it fun and tell her to lay there and wake up happy… She almost always opens her eyes giggling.
  • Tickles… If that doesn’t work, tickles help break out the smiles!
  • Hugs… If you aren’t feeling great emotionally, tell your child. Say you are feeling a little down and need one of their big magic hugs to help you & your heart feel better… This also shows them that it is perfectly ok to say you aren’t ok and to ask for some help.
  • Teach your kids a joke… This always makes me laugh, teaching a preschooler a joke is hilarious, the most basic jokes crack them up and it’s even funnier if you teach it to them and then get them to repeat it Chinese whisper style to someone else in the house… It rarely comes out the way you taught it & that just adds to the humour!
  • Give massages… My little girl loves a massage & she also loves to give a massage! (*This is also a great Mum hack – lay down squirt some lotion into your kids hands and voila – free massage!)
  • Have a random treat… It maybe a special food treat or going somewhere special. But ice cream before lunch or dinner normally makes anyones bad mood disappear!
  • Get outside or get wet… The thing I’ve noticed with kids, if they are outside or in water they are normally always happier… The same applies for most people I think. So if a grumpy cloud is above everyone in your house, drag yourselves outside and enjoy some fresh air. Or if it’s warm enough, swim, play under the sprinkler or have a bubble bath…
  • Turn up the music and just dance… We did this the other day, it was just one of those really long days where time felt like it was moving at a snails pace… So I dug out my old CDs from high school, put them on and turned the music up super loud and we jumped, danced and laughed for over 2 hours! It was great.
  • Put your day on hold… Let your day go, spend the day reading books, watch a movie, colour in – do what you need to, to lift your spirits and your kids. Everyone occasionally needs a day off, the laundry will be ok if it is left for a day and getting take away for dinner will probably make everyone happy – so just take it easy and go with the flow…

Remember it is just a brief moment that isn’t positive – don’t dwell on a bad day or week.

I wrote this post last night, with the intention of making it live this morning… Well, wouldn’t you know it, today I was the person who needed this post. And you know what, I bloody suck at taking my own advice! For some reason today I just feel like I’m in a rut… Last night I was so full of motivation to have a wonderful & productive day today, I wrote a big to do list, I made plans & I was motivated… But people are mean, my camera broke & I just didn’t have a good sleep last night and I lost all motivation, to be honest today I’ve felt more down than I have felt in a very long time – sometimes it all adds up and weighs my heart & mind down. So friends, I’ll be honest, on most days something on this list usually can turn my day around – but today, nothing really did. And that is ok… Some days are meant to be bad & feeling down is ok… But I am determined for tomorrow to be a more pleasant & positive day… I am just reminding myself now as I finish up this post and sip my cider – it was only a bad day, that is all. Tonight I’ll go to bed and pray that tomorrow I will wake up with a refreshed mind, heart & outlook. But for now, the kids are asleep & I know it is ok to be a little down & just to feel it, it is so important to let the emotions come, pause & then leave. So if you are feeling down or for some reason today just sucked, I get it & I’m sending you a big hug. Tomorrow is a new day, wake up in the morning and don’t even think about today! x

I would love to know what your best tip for getting yourself or your kids out of a bad mood is?
Comment below or on my social media!
Thank you so much for reading!
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Don’t ruin a good day today, by thinking about a bad day yesterday. Let it go.

2017 · motherhood · parenting

7 months & still TV free… 

Kids don’t remember their best day of television.

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Hey friends,

Back in February I did a blog post about giving up TV (you can read it HERE)… And I said if we made it to 6 months I would do another update… So here we are… 7 months later and we still are pretty much TV free, with a few exceptions.

  • Trent & I occasionally watch a movie together when he is on days off.
  • Trent likes to watch Netflix sometimes, it’s his way to unwind.
  • LuLu has been allowed to watch DVDs a little bit, mainly because in the past month we’ve all had colds twice and popping a movie on is the only way I can get her to lay down and rest… Her DVD choices lately have been; Skippy the bush kangaroo, Milo & Otis, a national geographic doco on dogs & cats – basically any “real animal” type of movie/program! She also gets to watch a movie sometimes if she visits her best friend.

For me personally, I don’t care to watch TV at all.. I find I am far too busy for it. By the time the night ends and I’ve finished everything I need to, I’ll do some social media updates & I’m done for the night… I don’t miss it and I feel my brain is healthier for not knowing the latest happenings in Summer Bay.

Positive benefits I’ve noticed since going TV free;

  • LuLu is more creative and her already big imagination has sky rocketed even further.
  • Any nonsense catch phrases or language traits that she had that were similar to any children’s tv characters are gone.
  • She isn’t exposed to advertisements marketed for children or possible inappropriate shows/ads.
  •  I feel her vocabulary has grown even more. (I do and always have spoken to my children in a sensible manner, just as though I was speaking to an adult. Yes, when they are tiny babies I speak a little cute/baby to them, but I mainly speak very sensibly to them. This has benefited LuLu greatly and she is well spoken & has a vast vocabulary. She asks what words mean if she doesn’t know and then strives to use them in context.)
  • We eat every single meal at the dining table.
  • She is even more interested in doing learning actives and crafts and can often do so unattended.
  • She is more mature – maybe that has just come with her getting older, but I truly believe silly kid shows like Peppa Pig/Charlie & Lola etc encourage children to behave bratty & silly.
  • All her toys are being played with. Each day she swaps between toys and each day is a new made up scenario.
  • She is learning so much from doing activities, learning books & reading. She loves to learn & that makes me so proud.
  • She has always loved being outside but she is outside & being active even more.
  • My mind is clearer and not consumed with nonsense.
  • I have more time and I am much more productive.

So does LuLu ask to watch tv? Nope… She does very rarely pick a movie and ask for it, and sometimes we say yes. Or if we suggest going outside or doing another activity 9/10 times she would pick going outside or the other activity. Movies are a last resort mainly used if she isn’t feeling well or she needs to rest.
She also knows now the tv is not broken, we just don’t watch it.
Will we turn the tv back on? I hope not… I am very happy with how our lives are without it. I do enjoy watching the occasional feel good, inspiring & uplifting movie – but that’s it.
I have been asked how we stay up to date on world issues. Well, if something major happens in our world it is on social media in minutes. I follow news channel accounts for this reason and to be honest, I would prefer to personally view the segment of news updates on my phone as the chance of LuLu seeing & hearing it is low. So why is that? Because she is almost 4, she does not need to know right at this very moment how very awful this world can be. Heck I am 28 and I don’t want to know half the time about the atrocities & devastation that go on in the world!  She will know soon enough, but for now I want her brain to be full of joy & her biggest concerns only being what words mean and if she is going to play farms or barbies that day.

So, do you think you could go TV free?
If you are considering it I truly encourage you to do it, it isn’t as hard as you think and you & your family will benefit greatly from it! Personally I believe it has been one of the greatest decisions we’ve ever made!
Try it for a week, or a month or 6 months! Let me know how you go or what your thoughts are! Let me know in the comments or connect with me on my social media…
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What am I gonna tell my kids when they see all of this bullshit that goes down on TV?
When the whole world is down on its luck, I gotta make sure they keep their chin up.
– Old Dominion.

2017 · honesty · housewife · how to · life · motherhood · mothering · parenting · positivity · real · reflection · wife life

13 tips on how to reset as a Mumma & remain happy…

She’s strong, but she’s exhausted. – r.h. sin.

Hey friends,

Today I come to you weary, exhausted & sleep deprived…
(So I do apologise if they post gets rambly & makes little sense.)
A certain little mister has decided to test out how little sleep Mumma needs to survive… Sleep deprivation is torture – one I would never survive – because I suck at being a human when I haven’t had sleep. Now I don’t need a great deal of sleep, but I do need at least 4/5 hours of unbroken sleep – heck even 3 is good enough… Otherwise I just don’t function right, my tolerance levels & patience grows incredibly thin and you know if you are a parent, you need high levels of those to survive!
So anyway, my current state has inspired me to write a blog post today on…13 ways.jpgHow to reset as a Mumma & stay happy…
We all need a hand sometimes, we all have rough days that test us so much we almost break (or even do) And this is ok, it happens. But the important thing is to remember not to stay in that place… To make a conscious effort to reset & refocus on being happy…

  • Communicate & connect. Talk to your husband/partner/friend/tribe – whoever! Let them know where you are at. Take up offers of help. Trent & I don’t have a large support network – to be honest we have zero outside help, but we do have each other and we share the parenting workload evenly… He helps me so much when I am running on empty. A good chunk of the time I am the one keeping everything going, but when I am struggling he swoops in and saves me. He is incredible at getting up at night with the kids when I need help, because he knows I am terrible at life if I don’t sleep… Be honest with your husband/partner at where you are at, he can’t help if he doesn’t know.
  • Create close friendships/gather a tribe… You don’t need many friends, just 1 or 2 that get you, but if you are fortunate enough to have tribe – that is awesome too! Thankfully I have my best friend that I can have a good chat (whinge session) to about my current struggles and it is always so reassuring to have someone who understands & supports you without judgement and will listen during those real & honest talks. Aren’t Mumma friends the best?! I am so thankful for my Motherhood soulmate! (my latest column in Highfields’ style talks about this, you can find it HERE)
  • Make Mumma time a priority… Whether it be just driving to the store & doing groceries on your own, journalling, watching a movie, going to gym/church/a cafe on your own, taking a hot bath or walking the dog alone – do something for you. Do something where you won’t be interrupted (or hardly) and reset yourself… (Best time to do this is when your husband is home or you can get a babysitter/grandparents to watch the kids!) 
  • Take care of you, so you can take care of others… This point goes along with the one before, but you cannot pour from an empty glass… Keep your cup full. Take care of you!! In whatever way you need, make your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health a priority! Take care of yourself in a way that works for you! And Mumma, give yourself some grace! Stop being so darn hard on yourself!
  • Get out… As stay at home mums we are often just that, at home! I don’t often venture out with the 2 kids on my own, but when Trent is on days off we try to get out and do things as much as possible… This changes up our environment and recharges us a bit.
  • Remember your kids are and will be ok… Everyone has moments in parenting they cringe at or regret. Moments we yelled too loud or acted in a way we wish we didn’t… Your kids will be fine, it was only a moment. And if your kids are mad at you, remember they will live – having your kids be mad at you pretty much comes with parenting, it means you are parenting! You don’t have to be their friend every second. (If you react in a way you instantly regret or aren’t proud of towards your children, show your kids that it is good to be remorseful & apologise, explain feelings to them & how you felt overwhelmed. Be open & honest, you are setting an example on how to cope in a tough scenario. * example; “I am sorry I yelled so badly at you when you spilt your cereal. Mummy got frustrated & got mad too quickly, I realise that is was an accident & I am sorry.”)
  • Keep a happy heart & start each day fresh… Don’t hold onto bad behaviour, yes stick to punishments but don’t dwell on what’s happened. Move on. Strive to wake up every morning with a positive mindset and a happy heart…
  • Comparison is the thief of joy… Don’t compare, it is easy to see the instagram accounts and think “that mum has it together”… But everyone has struggles, their struggles maybe entirely different to yours but they exist. Keep in mind everyones social media account is their own edited version of their existence.
  • Get your priorities in order… Really weigh up what is important to you and your family. If you are burning yourself out trying to keep up with 10 different toddler activities during a week, is it worth it? Is exhausting yourself & making you cranky worth it? Everyones priorities will vary, so work out what works for your family. And learn to say NO – no to expectations, requests and even your kids. You do not have to do it all or be there for every single person.
  • Let it go, let it go… Go with the flow, some days are going to be absolutely incredible and some you will just want to cry. Go with it and pick your battles.
  • Savour the moment… One day you will long for this day back, don’t wish it away. Being in the trenches of motherhood is rough, but it’s beautiful and I am willing to bet one day you will look back on this fleeting season so fondly.
  • Remember you aren’t alone… Every Mumma has moments of great & hard times. Some moments we are a glowing, happy, engaged, doting mother who is fully focused on her kids and we are loving every second of motherhood. We wish these days would last forever. Then we experience the exhaustion, the feeling of barely being able to wake up because you are so tired and you swear you just shut your eyes, because you did! You feel like you are so touched out and just want to be alone in silence for 5 minutes – because silence & isolation sounds like a dream at this point. You feel like at any given moment you may just lose your mind because being over tired makes you a person you don’t really like. That mother exists too. Everyone has their own struggles, everyone (In one form or another…). I wish I was the first mother every single moment of my children’s lives – but I’m not, occasionally I am the second. Some days it’s challenging, but what counts is how we handle ourselves. Acknowledge it is a tough day/week/leap/month and work out a way to handle it… Go into survival mode, vent, ask for help, let it go – do what works for you, but know you are not alone. No one has a perfect day everyday and it’s ok for your day to not be perfect.
  • Treat yourself… Buy the flowers, buy the chocolate, buy the wine, get your hair done or buy the shoes. You are important – spoil yourself. (Because honestly, somedays you just need too!)

What is your best tip for resetting your mind after a stressful day/week? How do you maintain happiness as a Mumma? I would love to know, please comment below or on my social media!
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“What’s your go to way to reset during or after a hard day”.

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#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2017 · motherhood · mothering

What Mums really need/want for Mother’s Day! {2017}

The highest & noblest work in this life, is that of a mother. – Russell M Nelson.
Mothers Day.

Hello friends!
I know it’s been a little while between blog posts!
Life got busy! It’s always busy, but it got a even more chaotic. We are in the midst of some pretty big life decisions & sometimes something has to give, so it is sadly normally my little blog.
I always try to post regularly on my social media though, so make sure you check out those accounts! (Listed below)
But lets talk busyness – being a Mum is just naturally busy, some days I feel like I don’t sit down at all or get a moment of silence until after bedtime. Trent works big shifts, so I am on my own, from wake up to bedtime. But that is our life we chose & normally it’s great & works for us.
But add into the mix even more chaos & stress & well, it just all gets a bit darn overwhelming.
So this brings me to my point, what Mum’s really want for Mother’s Day, no not want – NEED!
Silence & to be alone.
That sounds awful – but hear me out.
Having a minute (moment, 1 hour, 5 hours – whole day – whatever!) alone (once off, once a month or even regularly) can be life changing for Mums (well, anyone really, Dads too!)
It gives us the ability to decompress, to breath – to calm our minds & hearts.
You can read, watch a movie, go shopping, just sit in silence & think, take a long bath, go exercise, journal, clean – whatever!
Everyone has different ways they like to be alone – you have to find what works for you – but it is crucial. Everyone needs this, especially Mums!
Mums never stop, we are always doing something & our minds are constantly full of 1 million thoughts & we are usually multitasking countless things.
Think of a Mum (or yourself) like a computer with 50 tabs open at once, all trying to download something – your computer is going to crash. Well, Mums crash & burn too if we don’t slow down.
So if you want to give a Mum in your life something meaningful and special for Mother’s Day this year, put down the dressing gown & slippers, step away from the foot spa & forget about the new vacuum. Tell this women who would put her own needs above her kids/family every single time that she has the day off.
Then pack the kids up & leave her alone.
(Well, you don’t have to desert her on Mother’s Day unless of course she thinks this is a brilliant idea – but just make a time & make her relax!)
I say this because the other night I was tired, stressed & I’m just mentally exhausted – my husband told me I was to take a bath, he poured me a wine, bought me in a lit candle & then took the kids out to pick up take out for dinner.
He saw I was burning out, he knows when I’m teetering on the edge of crashing & he jumped in and saved me. And I thank him for that.
But not everyone has a husband, or one that can read the signs – so tell them! Tell them you are tired, explain this – or if you are a husband/partner, offer your wife time out and if you are just a Mum with a best Mum friend – offer to do a trade. Watch your bestie’s kids for the day & then she can watch your’s next time – so you both get a break at some point! Or if you are a Mum/in-law of a Mumma with young kids – jump in! You know how hard this gig is!
Offer it just as a once off or make it a regular thing, doing so can change a Mum & her life.
And remember it doesn’t have to be some grand scale of time out/relaxation, it can be as simple as letting Mumma go out for lunch on her own, or eat breakfast in silence or doing the groceries alone. (My grocery shopping time is usually my “kid free time”)
Please never feel guilty for admitting you need a minute or help, in order to care for others we must first care for ourselves. You can be a better Mother when you learn to take care of yourself, you are also a priority. Your mental, emotional & general health is just as important as your family’s – don’t put yourself at the bottom of the pile. We Mums hold it all together, we need to stay strong so we can!
To my Mumma friends, I hope you get a time out this Mother’s Day, even if it is just an hour to flip through a magazine & sip some tea (*wine) – I hope you get a chance just to unwind.
Take care & remember motherhood is a life changing role, we are shaping the next generation & for us to do our best job we have to be our best selves.
Let me know how you like to relax below or on my social media!

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Happy Mother’s Day.
#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2016 · motherhood · mothering

Happy Mother’s Day. {To Noodle}

Firstly, Happy Mother’s Day beautiful ladies!
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For this post I am teaming up with Anne from Domesblissity, we are having a linky party where you can share your stories about your Mum, motherhood and your positive experiences about being a Mumma! I would love to read your posts, so please link up below! 
Anne is a fellow Australian blogger who I’ve been following for quiet a few years & is someone I now call a friend! I love reading her encouraging posts on homemaking, life, saving money/living with less & Motherhood. Her site is a treasure trove of knowledge & I love browsing through Domesblissity!

This Mother’s Day is particularly special for me, this is my sisters very first Mother’s Day – she just about to became a mum, like any day now!
I thought I would use this post to write a letter to my sister, on becoming a mum for the first time and also on her first Mother’s Day.
To Noodle,
Happy Mother’s Day!
Any day (or moment) now you will be holding your precious little man in your arms and I’m so excited for you!
Welcome to Motherhood, I am so overjoyed to do this season of life with you.
Becoming a mum is the best thing, it’s life changing, terrifying, wonderful, mind blowing, challenging, fun and the greatest thing!
Parenthood is a love like you have never felt and it will also push all your limits & emotions to every extreme.
Being a Mum, I truly believe is the greatest thing I have ever done – I am positive you will feel the same way with baby Yogi.
If I could pass on any advice to you it is;

  • Trust yourself and do what you feel is right. Someone will always have a different opinion on your choices, that is ok – but listen to your instincts. You already know what to do, it is intuition. I truly believe you are fully equipped with all the intuition you need. You can do this. You are going to be wonderful Mother!
  • Soak it all in. It all speeds by at a shockingly fast & fairly depressing rate – one second you have a newborn, the next you have a 2 and a half year old. And while you love watching your child grow & change into a real little person, you sometimes do long for one more newborn cuddle or one more day where you can just sit on the lounge all day and cuddle them & admire the beautiful little person you created. So, take too many photos, write down the little moments, take videos – do what suits you to capture these fleeting moments. Sometimes the days (nights) feel very long & the next second it’s all over and you are chasing a toddler around! So enjoy each stage, every stage has its own challenges and joys, but just enjoy it!
  • It is ok to ignore the laundry sometimes and just sit and cuddle your baby. I encourage it, the laundry will always be there – your baby will only need you, want cuddles & be tiny for such a short time, always make the baby your main priority – you will never ever regret it.
  • It is also ok to pick up the phone and ask someone for help or ask them to come over – to help you tidy up, to hold the baby while you shower, ask them to get your groceries or even just ask them over to have a conversation. Do not ever be worried about asking for help. (This is also me volunteering to help you in anyway you need!) 
  • Take a moment for yourself as often as you can. Our free moments are now suddenly very rare. Have an extra long shower, take the dogs for a walk alone, walk through the shops a little slower or take someone up on that offer to watch your little guy while you pop to the store to have some lunch with your husband. Having moments alone refresh & recharge us. Sometimes we need to look after ourselves first in order to be good Mums.
  • Always remember the challenging times pass. Parenthood is like a rollercoaster, most times it is exciting & fun and you love it, then there are challenging days – they test you, but they are short lived – it always gets better.
  • Our mindset as Mothers is powerful. The way we feel controls the entire tone of our home. Sometimes it is so hard to seek out the positives, but when a day is challenging or it has been a rough week, sit down & think about what went right, not just went wrong. Try and list just a few positives. Doing this can really help you see the joy and refocus your attention.
  • Believe in & trust yourself, this comes back to point 1. You already know what to do, listen to your instincts – they are always right. You are a Mumma bear, you know what to do!
Nikki, I know you know all this, I don’t think you need any advice – but it is there, just in case!
You are going to be a magnificent Mumma bear to your little Yogi bear. You will be so loving, fun & active and you are already so full of knowledge. You are so ready for this new season of your life and I am so incredibly excited to be right beside you during it!
Happy Mother’s Day Noodle, over 20 years ago we would’ve been playing with dolls and pretending to be Mums and now we are real Mums! And let’s be honest – you always were the better doll Mummy than me, so I know you will do amazing!
My heart is bursting with love & excitement for you, Happy first Mother’s Day Nikki.
I cannot wait to meet your tiny little Yogi Bear.
I love you.
– Bindy xo

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#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2016 · activities · craft · LuLu · motherhood · toddler

Mother’s Day Craft. {2016}

Hello friends!
Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, which is exciting. My sister should have had her little baby by then, so it will be a very special Mother’s Day. 
To celebrate Mother’s Day, LuLu & I made some cute cards for my Mum & Grandmother (her Ninna & Great Nin). 
We just used a sheet of A4 sparkly glitter card, but you could make this craft smaller for a card. 
Our card is a bit more like a poster to hang on the fridge and wall! 
It is a card that also gives the lovely ladies in our lives a special bouquet of flowers!


This craft is very simple and you only need a few basics things and the main item you probably have in your pantry!
You will need;

  • Cupcake/patty pan liners.
  • A piece of paper or card. (Any size you like, a plain card or an A4 sheet)
  • Green pipe cleaners, paint or felt for the stems.
  • Glue.
  • Scissors.
  • Glitter or buttons or any other embellishments you would like to decorate the centre of the flowers with. 
  • An extra piece of paper to add a message. (optional)
  • Pens, markers, crayons etc.
  • A magnet if you want to make it hangable on a fridge. 
Steps;
  1. Pick out your cupcake liners and flatten them, LuLu loved doing this! 
     

  2. Lay out your design on the piece of card. This is the part where if you want to trim the flowers with scissors, you can now. Laying it out is helpful so this way you can plan how they will look and they will fit. LuLu picked the colours of the flowers and I stacked them together, while we were doing this craft we were going over our colours and also talking about patterns (dotty, swirly etc) 
  3. Glue your flowers together and then to the card, I found glue stick wouldn’t work and we used craft glue. 
  4. Embellish the middle of the flowers with glitter or anything you find pretty. We of coursed used glitter – because glitter is always necessary according to LuLu.  
  5. Attach stems, we used green pipe cleaners & hot glue (I did that). I find pipe cleaners wont stick with regular craft glue. But painting, drawing or even using a felt stem would work as well. Work with what you have. 
  6. Attach a Mother’s Day message. We attached a small banner to the top and have written a message on the back of the cards. If you wish to attach a magnet, do so to the back of the card. And ta-da a bright and lovely bunch of flowers that will brighten someones day. This card could also work as a birthday card or just a sweet little gift to remind someone you love them!
This craft is very basic, but I think it is very sweet & any Mumma, Grandma, Auntie – whoever would love it. They are beautiful bright flowers that will never die! The best kind!
If you make this craft I would love to see them, please show me on my social media;

Snap Chat; Bindy_30

I hope you are all having a lovely week.
This weekend is my husbands birthday & my sister is due very shortly to have her baby – so it is a very exciting & lovely time for us all!
Take care friends!

#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2016 · motherhood

It is NEVER OK to call your toddler an ASSHOLE.

Ok Mumma’s,
Let us chat – again…
I have written 2 blog posts recently – you either loved them and agreed or felt like I was being judgemental and nasty. You can read them HERE & HERE.
My intention wasn’t too offend in those posts. I actually reworded both of those countless times because I was worried I was coming across “too harsh”. But for this post my thoughts are a little different, let the truth be harsh. If Mothers are good enough to speak harshly about their little children, I will speak harshly in their defence.
I am sick to death, like I cannot roll my eyes anymore they are that tired – at the trash that mothers post online, the complaining is just constant & I just over look it, but it’s the name calling & humiliating that fires me up.
So the main topic I have to talk about again – is how we speak about our small children online.
STOP CALLING YOUR SMALL CHILDREN ASSHOLES!
If you are a parent and call your small child any cruel name, off or online – trust me, they are not the asshole. You are, yes you read that right – YOU ARE.

it is never ok to call your toddler an asshole

Last night before I went to bed a friend showed me the latest “funny viral photo” that is making it’s rounds in the “Mummy Community” – I refuse to show this photo because a) it broke my heart & made me feel sick & b) I refuse to further humiliate that poor child. The photo is of a small child, I would think is under 2 (I am hopeless at guessing ages) but the little child was asleep with a baby bottle of milk laying beside him. Over the top of him one of his parents/carers had written “I’m an asshole today” in little wooden play blocks.
That to me is heartbreaking and wrong. Someone went out of there way to write that over an innocent sleeping baby – and yes children are innocent contrary to popular opinion that they are these evil little assholes sent to earth to mess up our lives.
I wish to write an open letter to this parent/Mother/father/carer – whoever did this and any other Mother/parent that willingly humiliates and name calls her kids…
I feel I have to write this, this is a very sad, ugly & concerning trend that is prevalent in the online Mummy community and someone has to stand up and say that it isn’t ok. I maybe on my own in thinking that this trend is sad & wrong, but perhaps you agree – if you do – please share this post. Don’t go along with this trend, be courageous and stand up & say that this is NOT ok!
I have a lot to say & you may not like it if you are someone who does this, but it may also change your mind.

To the parents who name call their children,
Your toddler is not an asshole – nope, not all. But you however are, if you think that it is ok to name call your child. Because lets look at this, you are name calling & ridiculing a small child online for what reason?
I would actually love, LOVE to know why you think your child is an asshole and read your reasoning behind calling them such a hurtful term online. And it concerns me that all these parents proudly & openly call their kids assholes online – even if it’s meant to be light hearted, what are they calling their kids in real life?
Because yes I do doubt your respect for your child & your parenting ability if you are proudly calling your little child a hurtful name online. You made this baby, you gave birth & now it is your responsibility to raise that child to the best of your ability. Stop name calling someone you created, it is sick! People out there are longing to parent a child and would never dream of calling them an asshole – but here you are boasting about it. Making your children into “internet sensations”.
Because they were “naughty” today – was your toddler in fact behaving like a toddler? Shock horror! Kids will be kids, kids will be challenging, but your kid is not purposely trying to mess up your day. Do you expect them to behave in a way that is beyond their age? A 3 year old will behave like a 3 year old. Perhaps they were disruptive to something you wanted to be doing? Were you more focused on your phone? The TV? Were they longing for your attention? Because that’s what kids want, your time & attention. If you give your child what they need, you may notice an attitude change. Pay attention to your child – love them, they are the most important thing in your life – well, they should be.
And I am sorry to say it, but if your kid is an asshole – take a good hard look around. Children are products of their environments, if you think your toddler is an asshole – guess who made him that way. YOU, how we behave impacts our children. If you want your kid to be better, be so yourself. Step up and Mother with joy & heart – because I am willing to bet you actually don’t. If you did, calling your baby an asshole online wouldn’t even be an option to you.
Start being with your child more, engage with them, be a role model, get down and play with your child – put time & effort, joy & heart into your Mothering.
At the end of the day you are the parent – you are the adult. We have a choice on how we behave. Kids will be kids, they will be fun, challenging, lovely, at times naughty, they will push limits and they have the ability to frustrate us and also make us be filled with pride & joy. They are learning how to handle emotions & how to act & behave. How we react to their behaviour is crucial. If we lash out in a ridiculous style time & time again, that is how they will learn to deal with conflict & hard times. Everyone loses their cool at some point, it is human nature – but being mindful to how we react is so important. They are children, they are learning – we should know better and respond better. If we want our children to respect us & grow up to be good & kind people, we have to teach them how to be respectful and good & that starts by first being a role model for them. They do as we do. Be the type of person who you want your child to be.
Name calling our children sets the standard for them, if you name call your child or your husband in front of your children – do not be surprised when your child is in trouble at school for name calling & bullying other kids. Kids act how their parents act. So if you want your child to stop being an asshole, start being a better parent. It is that easy. Putting your heart & joy into Mothering won’t give you a perfect child, no child is, just as no parent is perfect – but when you parent with heart & joy, you are changing things within yourself. You are changing how you respond, you are striving to be better, you are being more positive and our attitude and behaviour is picked up and copied by our children. Having a positive & joyful mindset & outlook influences the tone in our home and the tone in our home is felt by the entire household and influences everyones behaviour.
Do you see my point? Do you see why I believe this trend is so damaging and wrong? It isn’t right. Your child is a child, there will be days when they challenge you, there will be bad days where it all goes wrong, days you feel like you may lose your mind at the monotony of parenthood, moments when you feel like you are failing – but if you push on and don’t let the hard moments get you down & make you bitter, you won’t fail. The challenging times are easily outweighed by all the positive and joy filled times.
You may find the tone in this post a bit judgemental, I admit I am fairly judgemental to any parent that name calls or humiliates their child. If you were standing in a store and someone screamed at their toddler they were an asshole – what would your thoughts be? Would you judge? Would you think that borders on child abuse? I surely do. I find this trend appalling.
Now about this block incident, if the parent who did this by some weird chance reads this – what the hell is wrong with you? Really? I would LOVE to know what went through your head while you set this up and took the photo and posted it online. If your baby, yes that child to me is still a baby – was that challenging today, welcome to parenthood – it can be challenging – babies are babies and kids are kids. But by the looks of that photo he was napping, instead of writing a disgusting message over the top of him to humiliate him – go have a moment to yourself, have a cold drink, wash your face, lay down beside him & appreciate that beautiful baby you have, sit outside and breath fresh air – do something to regain your sanity but do not do what you did. That’s so wrong & past the point of messed up – what happened in that photo is not ok. And the sick part is that it went “viral” because people – MOTHERS actually, liked, shared & commented joking and agreeing that their children were also assholes – their toddlers were assholes… Mothers are the ones making this behaviour acceptable and it has to stop. And there were a few people who did seem to have morals & respect for kids who voiced that this was wrong and they were attacked by other parents who accused them of not having a sense of humour or that “if you think your child isn’t an asshole you are lying”.
No and no! It is not funny, not one part of that is humorous and sorry, my daughter never has been and never will be an asshole. She is a toddler, toddlers can be a handful – kids at any stage are – it isn’t rocket science – it is parenting. But I have no desire to name call, abuse, bully or humiliate my child – even if it is “just online”. Because I  appreciate & respect my daughter.
If your coping style for parenting is to humiliate your child when you have had a rough day I encourage you to rethink your strategy – there are better ways. We don’t need to bully our children, and yes that is what this is – bullying. If someone else name called your child, what would you think? Would you be horrified and mad? Well, why do you do it? When your child starts school, if someone else called them a name or made a photo of them with a cruel name written on it would you be angry? I most certainly would. Do not behave in a way that you would be unhappy with someone else doing. Just because it is “your kid” doesn’t mean you have free range to humiliate and bully them.
If you want try and different approach to parenting I urge you to explore my blog site.
On this site you will find posts that are encouraging – encouraging Mums to enjoy motherhood, to be joyful parents and to actually respect our husbands & kids. You will not read a post from me humiliating the people close to me, complaining about motherhood or just being negative.
Our attitude and thoughts control our whole entire lives, that is part of the reason I have no desire to complain about Mothering – Mothering is a wonderful & fleeting season of our lives. They are only small for so long, they will only need us for a short while – don’t waste these precious years and don’t make yourself cringe when you look back on yourself as a Mother of young children. 
Name calling our children makes nothing better.
To the parents – the Mothers, who think it is ok to call your children assholes – it isn’t. Please stop. It isn’t funny, raw or honest. It’s sad, bordering on abuse and just disgusting – you are pretty much bullying someone who assumes that you love them. Your small child, the person you created, is not an asshole, they aren’t. But by writing they are, kind of makes you look like you are.
Think about the words written here, if they make you mad is it because they are hitting a nerve?
We created our children, we are beyond blessed to have them, they are not assholes.
I encourage you to change the way you speak about & to your children, let the words you say (type) be positive. Say you’ve had a hard day, say your child is a handful but there is never a need to swear, humiliate and name call. Never.
Be intentional with your words, have your mind geared to seek the positive, realise how fortunate you are to have your child/ren & Mother with heart & joy.
#MotheringwithHeartandJoy
If you wish to read my 2 previous posts on similar topics & to learn why I feel so passionately about #MotheringwithHeartandJoy please click HERE & HERE.
If you would like to connect with me on social media please find the links below;
Facebook; Modern Wife Life 31
Instagram; @Modernwifelife31
Twitter; @Modernwifelife3

Snap Chat; Bindy_30 

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#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2016 · activities · decorations · diy · LuLu · motherhood · recipe · toddler · valentine's day

Making hearts with my sweetheart. {Easy D.I.Y Clay Ornaments}

Valentine’s Day is this Sunday…
So this upcoming sweet holiday has been the perfect excuse to do some crafting with my tiny sweetheart! 
This past week we made some little clay ornaments…
She is at the age now where she is very interested in helping out in the kitchen so she really enjoyed helping make them, rolling them out & cutting out the shapes.
They do take a little time to make, but LuLu had a very fun time making them and painting them with her best little friend.
The dough is very soft to work with and not grainy, it dries well and is a beautiful white colour. 


“Not salt dough, clay ornaments” –
Ingredients;

  • 1/2 cup cornflour (corn starch)
  • 1 cup bi-carb soda (baking soda)
  • 3/4 cup of water.
  • A few drops of lavender (or any essential oil you like) *optional.
  • Food colouring *optional. (if you wish to add colouring, mix with water first then add)
Useful items;
  • Small/medium sized sauce pan.
  • Spatula/wooden spoon.
  • Measuring  cups.
  • Bowl.
  • Wet chux/cloth.
  • Rolling pin.
  • Cookie cutters.
  • Straw.
  • Paint/glitter/embellishments/clear varnish or clear drying glue.
Making the clay;
  1. In a small-medium sized pot add all ingredients. 
  2. Stir over medium heat, it will be very liquidy for a few minutes. 
  3. Then suddenly you will notice the texture start to thicken, keep stirring. 
  4. When it looks like very smooth dough take it off the heat. 

  5. Place the clay dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cool cloth to cool down. (About 1/2 an hour) 

  6. When cool, dust cornflour over a smooth surface and knead the dough.
  7. Start rolling it out flat – you don’t want it to be too thin because that will cause it to crack. Try to not over roll it too many times as that can also cause cracking. (about 1/2 a centimetre thick is good) If you find the clay is starting to dry out or crack a tiny bit as you are rolling it, wet your hands lightly and roll the clay back into a ball. 

  8. Cut out your shapes. You can use cookie cutters for this or stamps (trim around the edges once you’ve made the imprint with a stamp) and you can even make hand prints.
  9. If you plan to hang your ornaments, make a hole in the top with a straw. 
  10. To harden you can either let air dry over night or for a day or pop them in the oven at 80degrees Celsius (175 Fahrenheit)  for an hour, turning them over 1/2 way. *Mine could’ve had a bit longer in the oven, so you could extend the cooking time for an extra half hour or so – but check them regularly, they did finish drying over night. 

  11. Once baked/air dried – decorate however you wish. We used paints & glitter and sealed them with a clear varnish.

This craft was lots of fun for both of us. I also made a few little gift tags to use on gifts. The clay was super easy to make, with the addition of lavender it also smelt nice and the bright white of the clay was very pretty – so if you didn’t want to paint it – you don’t need to. If you didn’t want to involve your child in the making of the dough (because kids in the kitchen can be a bit of a handful sometimes) you could easily whip this up while they were asleep at night and then they are all ready to paint and decorate the next day! This was the perfect activity for a play date, both girls seemed to really enjoy painting the ornaments. 
These love hearts will make very sweet little Valentine gifts for our loved ones! 
I really love doing activities like this with LuLu, it may just seem like a craft or play – but she is learning so much through play.
She was learning;
Maths; Measuring and shapes. (She now tells me every time she see’s a heart)
Science; She saw the mixture change form. From dry ingredients, to liquid and then to a clay. And then from a soft clay to a hard ornament. She also learnt that the clay was hot, but we had to wait for it cool down.
Motor skills; Scooping and tipping ingredients, mixing, kneading, rolling, squeezing the clay, cutting, painting, sprinkling glitter, helping thread the twine and hanging the ornaments.
Literacy; Following instructions and older kids would also be learning to read a recipe.
She also learnt patience while the clay was being cooked on the stove & while it was cooling.
So please always remember every single thing we do with our children is a learning experience. They are little sponges and take it all in, they love to learn. You don’t have to sit down and do actual lessons – play based learning is so wonderful for little kids. 
So I encourage you to try this craft, I would love to see your beautiful ornaments.
Make sure you hashtag #MotheringwithHeartandJoy or share it to one of my social media accounts!

Facebook; Modern Wife Life 31
Instagram; @Modernwifelife31
Twitter; @Modernwifelife3

Snap Chat; Bindy_30 
I hope you have a lovely Valentine’s Day with your loved ones. 


To read my previous 2 posts that have been very popular click HERE and HERE.

On the blog today; making hearts with my sweetheart! ❤️❤️This clay ornament recipe is very easy and is handy to…
Posted by Modern Wife Life 31 on Monday, February 8, 2016

#motheringwithheartandjoy · 2016 · motherhood

#MotheringWithHeartandJoy To the online Mummy community again…

If you haven’t read my post “To the online Mummy community” click HERE to have a look…

to the online mummy community again
Following on from last weeks “controversial” post I thought I would share some insight for you, insight on why I’m so passionate about mothering with joy…
Because that is why I wrote last weeks post, because all those thoughts were on my heart & I am so passionate about showing women that it is ok to enjoy mothering & being a wife and having a joyful heart & attitude can be such a blessing for our families.
So lets chat – again.
I’ve been through hard times – even though in the last week someone did accuse me of never dealing with anything difficult in parenting or in my life. I had to laugh at that.
I have had times that are tough and guess what – sitting around feeling sorry for myself because I was so “hard done by” & writing constantly all about how hard I had it didn’t help one bit. Once you pull yourself together and take control – mentally and physically of your life, things get better. I assure you they do.
Our minds are incredibly powerful and we have the ability to control how we feel in life. You either choose to be positive or negative, to mother with joy & heart or bitterness and negativity. And if you choose positivity I bet your life will be better. Our attitudes as Mothers control the tone of our entire home, the saying of “happy wife, happy life” is actually pretty spot on – if Mumma ain’t happy, no one is happy. I love being a Mumma with all my heart, I find great joy in mothering – want to know why? 
I am grateful for this opportunity, I’m blessed and I’m thankful everyday for my daughter. I know what it’s like to try and pray for a long time for a baby & to lose a baby you’ve longed for & love – so when I had my daughter I vowed to try my best everyday, for her. God entrusted her into my care and I treasure her everyday. 
I’ve dealt with heartbreak, pain, anger & depression – but we have the power to change how we feel in our lives – I did, so I know it is possible. I have friends who have been in similar situations, friends that have lost their babies, friends who have gone through IVF and friends that possibly may never have children – which is so heartbreakingly unfair because I know those women would be amazing mothers, who would mother with all their hearts. These women, in these situations also refuse to sit around and complain how hard their lives are – they just get up and get on with life – they are inspiring to me.
When we were trying for our daughter nothing would make me more furious than reading a post from a Mum on how hard and bad her life was and see her name calling her child… Like I would almost see red, here was someone who had what I was praying for and all they could do was complain & be mean. I always keep that in the back of my mind & perhaps that’s why it has never been a desire of mine to complain how hard I have it, my day maybe bad, it maybe a challenging week or a difficult stage – but there is a woman out there praying and longing for my bad day & tough time. I was once that woman. So I know pain, I know hard times and I know how it feels to feel so low and dark. But when I was in those places I refused to sit around & complain how hard done by I was – because yes life sucked – but we have one life. And you don’t get the days back where you sit around in self pity. I make a choice every single damn day to enjoy my life and be positive. I don’t automatically wake up as “Sally Sunshine” – this takes work, determination and heart & some days it is a lot harder than others and some days I fail at it. But I try. I’ve been thrown some hard curveballs since I’ve had my daughter so don’t think for a second I’ve had it “so easy” – every mother/parent/family has struggles, every mum has a hard time. But I refuse to let the hard times define my everyday or negatively affect my mothering style & ability. Sure I have days that aren’t perfect, everyone does and some do have it a lot harder than others – but everyone in their own way has struggles. Everyone has moments that challenge them – but do I chose to dwell on them & think my life is so hard? No, because I know what that sort of harm that thought pattern can do. It destroys us.
Now I am not saying we should never ever speak of the hard times or be honest about struggling with the challenges – that is not what I said or am saying… It is important to be real, to speak about things that are hard, to talk about heart breaking topics – but what is not ok is to ridicule and humiliate our families or just have a negative opinion constantly.
I know from personal experience that it is much more socially acceptable to applaud a woman who is calling her kids & husbands awful names & complains constantly about Mothering & being a wife, but when someone comes out and says that it isn’t that hard & that she loves her role of being a Mother & wife she is ridiculed. Where is the support & camaraderie for the Mothers who love what they do, who find joy in being a wife and Mumma?
Our families deserve respect, mothers need to realise the life they are living is a product of their own choices & it is our job to ensure our kids have good childhoods. 
I said it in the last post, children are products of their environments. If you name call your child, complain & be negative – that’s what your child will be like.
And if we want to get in a full debate about this, how about we turn the tables… Would we as a society be as accepting if a husband was to write negatively about his life, wife & kids? Like name call, complain and say how hard his life is? Would we put him on a pedestal or would be horrified that he came out swearing and cursing his loved ones and complaining about life? I urge you to think about that… Because I know the answer and you are lying to yourself if you say he wouldn’t feel the wrath of the online community, especially the “mummy community”.
Bottom line is – it is never ok to name call your kids – I actually saw a quote the other day that said “sometimes it is ok to call your toddler an asshole” – like what? People actually think that behaviour is ok & we just accept that, because the Mum is having a bad day? I will give the parents who find this acceptable one piece of advice; if your kid is an “asshole” their is only one person who made him that way and you are the person with the power to change that.
My last post wasn’t written to tear mothers down – it was written in the hope of being a wake up to call to mothers who are seemingly throwing away a beautiful season of their lives. It may have been on the side of brutal honesty – but I felt it needed to be said. I’ve been sent a large number of positive emails, messages & also received comments from other Mums who feel the same – so I know I am not alone in feeling this way.
My aim here is to encourage Mummas to change their outlook on parenting – to embrace it, to find the joy in Mothering and share it.
So if you are posting about Motherhood on social media I would love for you to tag me in it 
so I can encourage you. 
Facebook; Modern Wife Life 31
Instagram; @Modernwifelife31
Twitter; @Modernwifelife3
Snap Chat; Bindy_30
Or hashtag #motheringwithheartandjoy – I’ll be stalking that hashtag & liking and commenting! 🙂 And I hope you do the same, lets encourage each other!
I encourage you to share your joy or share your struggles – but do so with heart. We don’t need to humiliate our children or husbands to share our stories of bad days… It is ok and totally normal to have days that challenge us, every season of life is like that – but Motherhood can be extra challenging – we are raising a tiny little human! But seek the joy in each day, even if it is a small joy – find that and share it. Be real, but be kind and aim to find the joy even in the rough times…
To the Mothers who are passionate about mothering, I encourage you to encourage others. Use this hashtag, share these posts, post about positivity and the real times & how much you enjoy your life and be proud of it. 
A recurring trend I noted in many messages I have received since my last blog post was that some women no longer post the positive – because they feel no one wants to see it, no one cares and everyone just wants to read the negative – well to those Mothers, I want to read it – post the positive and be proud! #motheringwithheartandjoy
I know that at times it’s hard to post about how much we love Mothering because people don’t want to read how great you are doing & if you post the happy times you are called a liar or fake – social media users seem to only want negativity but Mothering needs to get a better reputation. We need to show the beauty because the bad is so commonly promoted. We need to do this for the Mothers who want to find the positives, for the expectant first time Mums that only see the negativity, for the Mothers who love what they do but feel they can’t say it and for ourselves.
Also I urge you to be mindful of the sort of the accounts you follow on social media. Negative voices can impact our lives. You may not notice it but who we associate with and listen to influence our thoughts and lives. Surround yourself with joy & positivity and you will feel it – it’s contagious.
It is a beautiful thing to enjoy Mothering and being wife, it isn’t a life choice that constantly needs to be torn apart negatively. 
Embrace this season of your life.
Be joyful & Mother with all your heart – I encourage you to – you will never regret it. 
#motheringwithheartandjoy

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