{Friday Five} The "I can't stop talking about" edition

I loosely decided that I need to give myself some boundaries around Instagram otherwise I'm going to end up in an Instagram coma every morning.

Some mornings I go with D to work so there's no break, other mornings I read for a bit looking out the lounge window, with a cup of tea, and other mornings I decided I should write up a quick blog, like today.

So here we go: things I can't stop talking about:


goals
Oh my soul, I love talking goals, intentions, how to get at them, how to get better at them. It's my passion :)

Goals night is my favourite night of the month!



traffic in Jhb this year
I'm boring myself but honestly, I don't remember when last the traffic was this awful. I wised up after a few days and arrive at 9:30 - 10:00 these days and leave at 3.30 to miss the traffic. Even the 3.30 didn't work the other day :o

It's good but it means I'm mixing my lives (working at home) which I'm not a fan of, because I'm a clear compartmentaliser.


podcasts
As I typed that word, I thought I should write up a full post on Organising Queen because I've realised I have podcasts for a Friday, podcasts for the shower, podcasts for editing photos, podcasts for listening with D, podcasts for driving, podcasts for cooking and also, podcast topics I simply delete once I see the topic!

Any new podcast listeners? (I'm going to keep asking) This is year 3 for me.

books
Okay, to be fair, I've always talked a lot about books but I think the book club has accelerated my bookish-ness.


Also, you know my friend Se7en builds a library every year, right? Please see if you can donate a book or three. They are gifts to these kids (and over 1000 others) so should be in gift-condition or new. For my US friends, if you shop from Readers Warehouse, Takealot or Loot, they will deliver (for low minimums, completely free shipping!) directly to the address so it's no fuss!

Read more here!



Afrikaans
The kids started learning Afrikaans last year but it was very mild compared to this year. I'm the only one who actually speaks Afrikaans so I'm the one who has to listen to Gouelokkies being read a million times a week.

And that's it for today!

I'm looking forward to a quick lunch today and then.... weekend!

What can you not stop talking about?
Will you donate a book?

PS It feels like an orange day today so I looked through my favourites for orange pics :) Which is your favourite orange pic?

Five for Friday - the crazy edition

Well, this week has felt like a month!

1. The election still has me glued to the internet but I decided tonight is my last night. I've read  Design Mom, Cup of Jo and Emily Henderson's posts, and comments (only some) and I'm understanding more about the Trump supporters but I still feel like I'm not sure how this happened. Still, desperate people.

One person told me they voted Trump and why (economics) and that they and many of their friends voted for him despite his character.

At the moment, I'm thinking MBTI's coming into play here.

I'm so grateful we have One higher to look towards.



2. In more pleasant news, my spanish exams are over and I never have to do that dance again - yay!

Results on Tuesday but I seriously don't care because I did my best and I enjoyed it, and that's what counts for me.

One of the other girls gets so anxious she was puking before she arrived tonight, and again while waiting. Shame!



3. I had a good week at work - this was the week of legal agreements coming out of my ears. I think I drafted about 8 - 10. Crazy.

4. I love my navy blue kitchen. I'm so glad I took a risk. I will write more about this on Organising Queen next week (with pictures!) but it is such a good improvement for just a tiny fraction of a kitchen makeover.



5. And last but not least, during my week of prayer/ social media fast (PS please tell me when things happen for you!), my prayer was to get offers on our house. Well, we got 2 - one truly awful one and one more decent. We accepted the more decent one mostly because I am ready for this to be done. It's been huge mental strain on me (I'm the "minister of finance" in our home) not to mention money and energy.

Anyway, today I received a copy of the signed bond grant so everything is in order and now the house is officially sold. :)

Over to the attorneys now to push through this transaction asap.

And that's me for this week!



I have BIG plans for this weekend in the "nesting" category - I want to start putting up Christmas because I'm in the mood for some O Holy Night :)

Tell me about one good thing that happened in your life this week.

Five on a Friday

Okay, I'll bite.

I opened up my Google Reader and 3 of my subscribed blogs had posts of the same name.

1. We have a move date. And it's soon! And I'm trying not to freak out because I have to have this house packed up in less than a month. On the bright side, I packed 2 boxes last night and will do another 2 boxes tonight. Then we need more boxes.

Connor and I went back to the house on Tuesday and I love it more. I keep finding more and more bits that I adore. I kept saying to the lady, "oh! I didn't see this part before, but I know exactly what I'm going to do there". She keeps telling me she loves that we bought the house because it seems perfect for our family. To that I say AMEN!



2. This week was seriously way too busy at work. I cannot even. Two functions meant 1.5 days out of the office. Feels like all the clients are fighting with me for nonsense. On the bright side, a big meeting is over and now I can stop dreaming about it (seriously I had a dream last weekend and said to D, apparently I'm worried about such-and-such meeting because I'm dreaming about it :o)


3. After that big meeting, I slept for 10.5 hours that night. No joke. It's exhausting for me thinking about all these emotionally-charged, tense meetings where people are "corporate fighting", all terse and extra-polite. Eeek.



4. It's true - it's much easier to write a blog post every day than only once or twice a week. Since my go-slow, I feel like I have to drag myself here. Don't get me wrong - I have tons to say; it's just hard when I feel like I'm talking and no-one's listening. Kind-of like talking to the nearly 7-year-olds :)


5. Speaking of which, the kids will be 7 really soon. 1 month and 4 days is what that little ticker above this post tells me. And for the first year, I don't care about parties! They elected to go on holiday rather than have a party so we'll do that but I do think we should have 3 - 4 friends over the weekend after we move. We'll see.


So what's going on in your life?
On a scale of 1 - 10, how's life going these days?

Five on Friday

There's a video of me talking (eek!) here if you haven't had a look yet.


Thank you for the fantastic comments on the potty training post. Truly awesome content in the comments.

1. This week has been crazy and sadly, it's not over yet. I have one day with my babies and then it's my work conference on Sunday and Monday. Let's just say it's going to be interesting.

2. I almost hope the music at the event on Sunday night is boring so I don't feel tempted to stay up dancing and instead can go to bed and recharge. Right there I'm showing my age.

The mothers in the office have been debating whether we'll sleep or dance - my vote is to read since I feel very behind on my reading (I haven't even finished 2 books for the month yet and it would be nice to finish with 3).

3. Today I took time off work to go to my friend, K's boy's first birthday party. Here is the baby shower we threw for her last year. I raced home, fetched V and the kids (so glad I took V with me so she could run after one baby) and raced there. Arrived only 10 minutes late.

It was an animal party and she had bunnies, a tortoise, a sheep, goat and pony there. Of course, my kids ate the bunnies' carrots instead of feeding it to them. We fed them a good lunch before the party so they weren't hungry (chicken, potatoes, butternut and spinach) but carrot sticks are their snacks...

I learned that I need to teach Connor to share...my one friend's daughter came to fetch me to "tell Connor to give me a chance" - too sweet!


4. This crafting thing is getting out of hand. I don't know how you guys with tons of "supplies" do it. I have one drawer, about 4 scrapbook paper pads of 30 pages (of course I've used LOTS of the paper) and another small basket and already I'm feeling like it's too much.

After I publish this post, I'm going to make a list of projects I have "supplies" for (do I annoy you when I keep using ""?) and choose which will get done on Thursday. I feel like this is such a novelty for me hence the "".

Are you ready?

5. This week I received two random acts of kindness - two BIG bags of Pampers. Worth R350. I am blown away. And I just remembered that another friend gave me an envelope at the party. I love my gift, Roz, and now I have to do a project in my study for a magnetic board.




And what did I do for me?

Zip!

Except getting through this week :)

And ordering a programme from my old personal trainer because I recognise that I need to make time for exercise again.

And I suppose taking off the afternoon. My kids were LOVELY today - we chatted all the way there and home.

One conversation happened in the traffic just outside the Rosebank Gautrain Station.

Connor (shouting) Mummy! DRIVE! (hates that we have to wait at stop streets and traffic lights)

Me Connor, I can't drive yet. These are the rules of the road.

Connor (thinking I'm talking about our house rules) Please, Mummy, drive. (in a nice, pleasant, non-screamy voice)

Me Aaawww, you're asking me so nicely, boy, but I'm afraid I still can't go (we're jammed in by buses, cars, etc - all in a day's driving in Jhb)

Kendra We're STUCK

V and I laughed

Me Yes, baby, we're stuck!

On Tuesday I have a massage planned and I can't wait! I'm going to need it because I have an A4 page full of tasks ready for me at work. Somehow I feel better because it's a neat and consolidated list. Isn't that crazy?

What did you do for you this week?

Five on Friday

Before I officially start with today's post, tomorrow I'm going to hold a Link party. I want to see your phone and hear why you like it/ don't like it, etc.

Yes, you read right - your phone. I'm convinced I have the oldest phone around (I've had it for nearly 4 years and of course I never get the top-end option so it could be *gasp* 5 or 6 years old!) but MandyE may just give me a run for my money.

So are you in? Tomorrow.... I'll try and post earlier in the day when the kids nap.


1. Life as a stay-at-home mom even if only for a half day, is hectic.

I know that I would be thinner... or maybe not ... as I ran after these two the whole day, shovelling some popcorn in my mouth for lunch at 3:40.

I sat down for the first time when D got home around 6 pm.

!

We had about 3 time-outs for Connor. Kendra has responded beautifully to 123 magic.

One morning this week she ran away with my phone and I said, "that's 1". She whizzed around and as she was running toward me with the phone, said, "no, Mummy, stop counting" LOL

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2. Nanny V is supposed to arrive no later than 7:30 but has been arriving 7:45 - 7:55 most days for the last two months.

This sends D over the edge...

I asked her very nicely to please, PLEASE be on time on Wed as it was D's birthday.

She arrived at 7:55.

La la la...

D announced to me this morning that he just wants this weekend over with and then he is sitting her down and having a serious chat with her.

And of course at 7:55 I checked my phone and found 3 missed calls, all from 7:39 so not very much notice.

It was a male (her boyfriend/ father/ I don't know - she is verrrrrry private) telling me that she is sick and won't be coming to work.

Of course then the scrambling began.

We both decided we wouldn't again phone D's mom to come over (we don't want to impose) and that we'd split the duties.

I had two meetings this morning so I went to work first and then took a half day so I could come home to relieve D.

It all worked out well in the end.

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3. We're having some people over for our birthday party tomorrow and we'd originally booked V to come help with the kids. Of course she won't be well so it's going to be fun trying to host and eat and control the kids. Hmmm.

The birthday banner is up :), the cupcake toppers are ready and I want to get out all the paper plates, serviettes and cups now.

If V were here, I'd use real plates but there's already so much work with the kids. Gosh, they mess when they eat.

Actually, I may still use real plates. I'll let you know. What's your vote? Real or paper plates (they are nice paper plates - I bought the good stuff just in case)?

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4. In my meeting with my boss this morning, I said something like, "oh, my life is so hectic at the moment" and ended up telling him about the personal trainer (because I had to cancel today's session...).

He agrees with all of you that the attitude is not on. Surprising as he is usually very objective about these things.

I also told him that I'm loving my meetings where I get to take charge and control the agenda. He says, "that's not surprising, Marcia" Ha!

Seriously though, I participate more, I don't let things get off track and best of all, if we're finished ahead of time, we stop (the tendency in corporate is to just talk and talk and talk - drives me nuts).

However, since I'm more emotionally aware (since my course last week :)) I also noticed that when one particular person holds meetings, I totally just relax, shut down and don't say a thing. She is a VERRRRRRYY strong personality. That's my issue though. The boss said actually I need to give her that feedback. Um, heck no!

5. And then last but not least, what did I do for me this week?

(I really love participating in this challenge as it forces me to think about prioritising myself)

I took off Wed from working on the business. D and I had our supper, watched Friends reruns and nearly spat out our food it was so funny. I just love Phoebe, LOVE her. Of course Monica is the one I'm most like.... sadly. Which Friends character are you most like?

I sorted out my part of the lounge. We bought a new TV unit (with some of the free money :)) and my videos (yes, don't laugh), DVDs and photo albums are sorted. CDs are always sorted because that would make me crazy (okay, right there, I'm showing my Monica tendencies).

BTW, what is the best (and cheapest) way to get old-style prints scanned and jpged? I don't have a scanner so tell me where is best. I've also heard of a machine you can buy to do it for you - anyone???

I made appointments with the dentist and gynae, and tried to make one with the biokineticist but we're playing telephone tag and keep missing one another.

I also made an appointment to have one of these Brazilian blowout things done and lunch with a friend beforehand.

I feel so good that my lists are shorter as we go into August.

Next up I've got to update my 36 things list and make my next one. I also want to do a new list of accomplishments, something I saw on Laura's blog that inspired me.

What did you do for yourself this week?