November Series: Thankful Thursday

Today is our final installment of our guest post series. I am so thankful to have had such wonderful contributors this month! What great posts they shared with us!!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday today with friends and family, eat lots of turkey (or whatever feast graces your table) and be sure to laugh and share stories!

Our guest post today is by Mary Biever author of Real Life in River City Blog is a corporate computer trainer, blogger, and speaker. She writes a lovely blog about her daily life in Evansville, IN.



I am thankful for…


A dead watch battery that reminded me of the value of unplugged, stopped time.

The 1st day of our family’s vacation in the Smokies last month, my watch battery died. In addition, our cabin was so remote we had neither Internet nor cell phone access. Richard, my husband, wanted our family to have an unplugged break.

Most of the time, I liked it. Except when our kids raced ahead of us on a trail and were out of contact for two hours when we had no phone access. Or when we took the mountain shortcut on the unimproved road that beat any theme park roller coaster. How I wanted my cell phone access! Everything ended well in both adventures, even with no bars on my phone.

When I couldn’t check my phone, I heard the wind rustling in the trees and the crunch of the leaves as we walked trails. We could savor the stars in the midnight sky from the hot tub on our cabin deck. Whether we picnicked by a rushing creek or cooked out at the cabin, for a few days, we were just the little family in the little house in the big woods.

I like stopping time. My babies are now teens in high school – 1 a junior and the other a freshman. In 3 years, both of my kids will be in college. Now I understand why grandparents are so indulgent with young grandchildren. They know how quickly those years pass. I can’t make back the younger years of their childhood when I got so busy meeting schedules that I sometimes left out downtime to enjoy each other. What I can do is savor the time we have right here, right now.

We’ll be home this Thanksgiving instead of in a mountain cabin. Nevertheless, I hope we can take off our watches, unplug ourselves, and savor time just being who we are. Just for today, I hope time will stand still so we can enjoy our dinner, hear the crunch of the leaves rustling in our own backyard, and maybe play a board game.

Just to help me along, I suspect my husband or kids will kidnap my phone and my laptop and hold it hostage for the day! If they do, I wonder what ransom they will demand?

How will you stop time and seize the moment this Thanksgiving?

November Series: Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday! Time for another Thankful Thursday guest post!

Today's guest post is by Marie of 1000 Reasons I'm a Crap Mom, who shares her cheeky wit about being a single mom and raising her precious little bit of joy. She tries to weed through all the millions of do's and don'ts of "tips for moms" that clutter the inbox and often wonders, between mom's feedback, the conflicting advice bombarded at her, and her own insecurities, if the blog should be called 2000 reasons. Or 5000!

I am Thankful For A Book About Kangaroos

Thanksgiving approaches, and Americans around the world are thinking about what they are thankful for this year. I am neither American nor living in the US (yet!) but I am thankful for the opportunity to be a guest on Kelly’s blog and I am also very, very thankful for a book about kangaroos.

Kangaroos?

Kangaroos!

My son C has relatives in Australia, and they recently sent a large parcel full of presents for his first birthday. Everything was lovely: the cute t-shirts with smiling crocodiles on VW buses, the koala backpack that is just too cute for words, the beautiful story books for reading at bedtime.

I had no way of imagining that “Mummy’s little bush babies” would make such a difference in our lives.

C is the best and bravest baby who ever was, but he is prone to night terrors. I do not wish those upon anyone, not even the guy who invented high heels. The night terrors are terrors indeed: in the middle of the night, for no reason I can discern, C suddenly starts screeching as if his limbs were being torn off. He is inconsolable, and anything I do to try to comfort him only makes things worse: if I hold him he cries harder, if I back off he cries harder, if I try to move him to a safe position he cries harder, if he as much as touches the headboard with his head he cries harder. He slaps me off if I try to hug or pat him, violently rejects any offer of a bottle, and generally seems to suffer a LOT until suddenly a switch goes off and he crashes back into sleep.

During this whole ordeal (which has taken as long as an hour sometimes) C’s eyes are either shut or open but vacant. And by the end of it, my eyes are usually full of tears.

It is brutal. Brutal.

(And now everything will make sense!)

About a week ago C got such a bad case of the terrors that I ended up conceding defeat and accepting our amazing babysitter Adi’s help after an hour of battle. His screams had become so loud he actually woke her up. At 4 am.

She was as much at sea as I was: singing didn’t help, cuddling was not going to happen, and the bottle was slapped off as if it were cyanide. I must admit I am such a sewer rat  that I was secretly somewhat pleased about Adi’s lack of success. The love triangle between mom, baby and sitter is a complicated one.

At her wit’s end, Adi started randomly showing things to C, hoping to distract him: “Look, sweetheart! Your ball!” More wailing. “Here’s your truck, do you want your truck?” Louder wailing. “What about your empty bottle! You love your empty bottle!” The bottle flew across the room. “Oh look! Your kangaroo book!”

The crying stopped.

Adi and I held our breath.

C stretched a tentative hand towards the book, turned a page, and smiled. He turned another page, looked up from the book, and smiled at us through the tears and the snot and the drool. My boy was back!

(The hostages were free! The bomb had been defused! The plane had landed safely! The world was safe! This must be what Bruce Willis feels like all the time.)

This midnight rescue would be enough to make me have that kangaroo book gold-plated and encrusted with diamonds, but there is more: ever since that night, if C’s terrors get intractable I show him the book and read it to him. And it helps him calm down every time.

Last year, I was grateful for my perfect baby boy, the beauteous C, who is to this day the best and bravest baby who ever was.

This year, I am infinitely thankful for a kangaroo book.

Now I just need help deciding – should I have the book dipped in white or yellow gold?

November Series: Thankful Thursday

It's Thankful Thursday, a month-long guest post series that will be shared on Mom Got Blog every Thursday!

Today's guest post is from the lovely and beautiful Sandi who authors Deva Coaching where she is always "asking the right questions at the right time". Be sure to ask her questions on her blog or connect on twitter @devacoach.


Giving Thanks


Photo credit: Mark Faviell

I’ve often wondered why we Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October rather than November like our American neighbours (yes, the ‘u’ belongs there, I’m Canadian!) In preparing to write this post, I thought I’d finally solve that mystery – although I’ve gotta say it’s not nearly as interesting or mysterious as I’d imagined!

We’re north. We harvest earlier. We celebrate earlier.

That’s it?

Yes indeed, and rather unsatisfactorily simple. I was hoping for a bit of historical intrigue, but no. Not today.

Today is about giving thanks.

Today I’m feeling especially thankful for the amazing women I know; some IRL (in real life) and some online. They are the kind of women, that if we all lived in the same city, I’d never get anything done because I’d want to be hanging out with them all the time! That kind of awesomeness that is like really good chocolate or fresh baked bread...you know you should stop after two pieces, but you can’t help wanting more.

These are the gals I usually want more of (I’m using their Twitter handles as that’s how I connected with many of them!). They are the ones who inspire me, make me laugh out loud and make me long to meet in person. In my mind I’ve already started planning a big meet-up/party where we dress up, drink martinis and chat live for hours!

For each of them, I give thanks and share a favourite post from their blogs:

@KPugs – for your dream and commitment to making a difference for the blogging community, along with nourishing home and family

@Nirvana_Mamma – for your initiative and ability to inspire so many during the summer 31 day blogging challenge and for having the courage to follow your bliss

@CrayonWrangler – for your wit & humour, gorgeous talent and ability to dance between mother, entrepreneur and sometimes philosopher

@Mofthesea – for oozing love for C in spite of oh so many reasons you challenge us to call you a crap mom; we and C are blessed

@JaneofAustralia – for living fully, persisting in the face of life’s challenges, beautifully sharing your creativity in its many forms

@ItsLeisa – for lighting the fire under my butt and continually inviting me to play, but mostly inspiring us all with your words

@KarenParitee – for wrasslin’ with those damn diet monkeys on our behalf, freeing us from their tyranny, taking ‘crushing it’ to a whole new level

@FrAmericanDream – for sharing your transatlantic journey so openly and in a way that touches the adventurer in all of us – merci!

@PrettyAllTrue – for magically weaving tapestries from the memories of life, some days inducing tears and other days? SNORT!

@thesyddiegrl – for bouncing back with humour and courage that continually makes me smile with delight

@AnneMelnyk – for your invitation to a Juicy Life; your friendship and partnership has made this a most memorable year

@andreaiolson – for your presence, a way of being that lures me back time and again, and for your delightful money experiment

Thank you.

Two small words that don’t quite cover the depth of appreciation I have for these women and all that they offer. A feast for the senses to fill you up like the best Thanksgiving dinners do.

November Series: Thankful Thursday

For the month of November, Mom Got Blog will be sharing a series of guest posts with you every Thursday called "Thankful Thursday"!

Today we welcome Jane of Australia from Life @ Number 8( http://www.janezworld.com/blog.) where she 'blogs holistically'. Her glass is always considered half-full, which shines through in her writing. 


 Last Tuesday I went on a movie binge with my dear friend Lee. We had decided upon just 2 movies this time. Over the years, I occasionally joined both Lee, and her late husband for triple-movie binges.We’d escape from a hot summer’s day into the world of cinema.

This half- price Tuesday saw us arrive with sandwiches, water bottles and nibbles.

Later, after the 1st movie ended, during the 20minute break we went for a walk.
I continued on a little further alone and purchased a crunchy crisp royal-gala apple. I bought my friend a white chocolate cup cake.

The films, while pleasant, charming and delightful were a little slow.

Mid afternoon we came out into beautiful Brisbane sunshine. As we walked towards our cars, we made arrangements for this to be a monthly event. I made a comment about how Lee’s husband would have loved the day.

A quick hug and I set out across the road, as I did I felt a sudden lightness of heart.
I opened my car door and slid in.
A wave of happiness washed over me. ‘I love life’ I thought.

Yes. I do.

I’m alive, feeling good, grown up, able to drive, with my own car, and just had a fun day with a dear friend.
As I drove home, I took a different route, because I wanted to. I drove over the newish
GoBetween Bridge, for the first time ever.


GoBetween Bridge


The toll tag beeped.

I laughed as I had forgotten it was there on the windscreen

I thought how often are we happy, and fail to see it?


I’m thankful for the feeling and for recognizing it.

Halloween and Upcoming Events

To test my bloggy speed, I am going to try to tell you as much as I possibly can in 10 minutes, since I decided to watch Modern Family last night rather than write this post. I know, bad! Oh, well...I have been under the weather for the past three days and believe it or not, I just needed to relax.

Halloween is upon us and a fun weekend is about to begin! We are having our annual pumpkin carving party on Friday. We invite some friends over and the kids go to town with their gourds...have a few snacks and many laughs. When all is said and done, we line up the Jack-o-Lantern masterpieces and light 'em up. It looks awesome! The kids ooh and ahh at the final product. I think this year, we may have a judging contest with prizes.

Pumpkin Parade 2009

Not sure how my son will top his creation from last year.....



Yes, a Puking Pumpkin

But we will see!

I am also going to participate in a weekend long Halloween Contest by the SITS Girls....The prize is a sweet new fancy camera...one that I am drooling over. I love to add pictures to the blog and I have a little Nikon, that takes some sweet shots, but the prize camera, well, if I win, wait til you see *those* shots! Look for my Halloween themed posts on October 30, 31 and November 1. This would be such a cool prize, because what you may not know is....I am a Halloween Baby! That's right! So this could be the best birthday ever! :)

November 1st is also the day that we meet our new Blogger of the Month! I hope you have enjoyed our October Blogger of the Month, David! If you haven't visited yet, please check out his site. I think you will be quick to follow him!

The Chicago Series is about to wind down...we have met The Professor, The Movie Star, Gilligan, Skipper and Mr & Mrs. Howell so far. Next week meet Mary Ann! We will then have a recap party, Chicago style! I have had so much fun writing this...and I am glad you have enjoyed it too.

Since the Chicago series has been so well received, I decided to run a "I am Thankful For......" series in the month of November. Look for Thankful Thursdays, which will be written by guest bloggers sharing their story! Can't wait! Speaking of guest posts....

Nirvana Mamma wrote a guest post to kick off Blog it Forward!! Did you see it? Well, hop on over to www.blogitforwardnow.com to check out her fabulous post! You can find the first task announced at the bottom of that post. Join in! It's a good thing!

Ok. Ten minutes are up! Hope I didn't miss anything!

Have a great day!