So, like... Has anyone else noticed... What Mr Price did today?

That the freakin Mr Price online store launched today? This means (deep inhale) that you don't have to look for parking for seven hours, stand in queues and have people bump in to you all the time - don't have to look for a hundred hours for the garment in *your* size - which it almost never is, or ask someone with a ladder to "please can you get me that one there in a medium?" or try on shoes that a hundred other people have tried on or queue at the change rooms or see your bum in the change-rooms (my personal worst) or have the dude at the change rooms argue that you have seven items but his discs only go to number six and again have more people bump in to you and you don't have to check each garment for make up stains and you don't have to wait for seven other people that are gathered at the same railing as you and I won't have two busy toddlers running around the shop and pulling every hanger from every railing and nagging that they want to go home or Graeme rolling his eyes at me and you don't have to go anywhere near a Mr Price on payday weekend. Ever. 

You can shop online. "Oh, but I don't have a credit card..." I hear you say. EXCUSES gosh dammit, don't give me excuses!!! No really, you can pay via eft OR cash. No credit card required. 

How happy is your heart right now? Mine is like, dancing in fields with milkmaids. Rolling down hills. Crying. Laughing. I'm broken, to be honest. 

This is what I ordered today. Right to my freakin front door people. Mr Price at my front door. Kumaro, Amber Jones. Ding-Dong. Done. I'm winning at life right now. The best thing is, I wanted this mint green blouse in store over a week ago, but they only had SS left. Like really, who is that small? This is what I ordered. Shop here. You're welcome. 

Please note that this is not in any way a sponsored post. I am just like, crazy happy right now. Like really. Also, I should drink less coffee on a Monday. Probably.

A little bit of nothing and everything.

So after two weekends of doing... Absolutely nothing (rain rain rain)... The SUN came out this weekend. In a very big - the best - way. 

On Saturday morning we got Miriam in so that we could do a few tasks. By tasks I mean get hair cuts, have brunch at Biscuit Mill and have a cocktail at midday. You know, important things. We never pull the 'weekend card' but man. It was so nice going to a market without a pram. Sitting down and eating food in one sitting without tending to two toddlers / cutting up their food / telling them to stop banging cutlery on the table. So nice. I had my hair done for ME and Graeme got a snazzy new cut too. He's looking all hipster right now, which is surprisingly okay. 

We got the boys a few goodies at the market - including vintage alphabet flash cards, which I'll talk about in another post. Noah completely lost his mind at the 'cake on a stick'. I must get more of those. 

We took the boys to Gardens to feed the squirrels and look around. They had never seen the little fellas, so there was a lot of "What... the f... was THAT" in the beginning. You should have seen their faces. Bunny was chasing them around the park like a crazy person. He even went looking in the bushes all "I know he went this way". Of course we calmed them down and taught them all about little creatures and how they really don't like being chased like little boys do. I taught them to sit on their bums with the peanuts and the squirrels will come to THEM. Noah was all "Whatever, this chick doesn't know what she's talking about..." But they came, and the boys learned a little bit about patience, which I really enjoyed watching. 

On Sunday we went to Fairview and I got The. Most. Beautiful. Photos. EVER. I'll need to upload them a bit later. We did some gardening and little Banjoe came over to play. Again, a whole other blog post. Really, we need a dog. We need 'that' dog. Of course we don't have the time to care for a dog properly, but it's nice to think and talk about it. For now. 

I'm writing for Ackermans. Yes I am.

Guys. I'm writing for Ackermans right now. Just about three or four articles a month. Well, blog posts -columns... Not sure what to call it. The other guest bloggers are Celeste at Reluctant Mom and Margot at Jou Ma se Blog. Both exceptional writers. I am beyond honored.

When I was little I dreamed of being a real-life writer. I had a crush on Ernest Hemingway and J.D Salinger that would put your Titanic posters to shame. Being paid to write content for someone is something that I never thought would happen to me. For like, ever. 

I wrote something at www.mybalancingact.co.za and you should go check it out. Yes. It's called "I was a better mother before I had kids". Weren't we all? Now, as my regular readers, I really want some feedback - an email, a something. I know I should totally just 'be cool' about his, but man. I'm printing and framing this in my house. And sending copies to everyone to, you know - frame in their houses too. Obviously.

When you blog your birthday want-list, and it gets delivered. To your office.

So a while ago I blogged my birthday want-list and among it was a pair of very handsome looking shoes. They're available online, via Zando. I love the simple shape and the mid-heel. I am already a tall gal, so when I wear super high shoes -I feel  / look like a giant person, which really just sucks. 

Shortly after posting the list, I got a mail from Zando basically saying "You should have these shoes". Crazy, right? They sent me a voucher - No obligation to post anything about it, and were just like "Here, happy birthday chick!" Well okay they didn't say "chick" but that is how I read it. 

Sure as taxes, these puppies arrived at my office yesterday morning. I wore them everywhere, showed them off, took them for a walk and gave them a bit of sun on the balcony here. Let my friends hold them. Took some pictures. You know... The regular stuff that you do with beautiful shoes. Right?

If you haven't shopped with Zando, then you're just silly. You can buy shoes, bags, clothes, jackets, make-up, lingerie, accessories etc all online. You can pay cash when the delivery dude arrives (if you're like me and don't have a credit card) and free returns after fourteen days. They have great brands and free delivery. It's perfect for me because dragging two kids and a husband in to a shopping center on payday is nothing short of torture. Trying to fit a pram in to a dressing room with two screaming kids is well... I'd rather watch Isidingo reruns. On repeat. It's *that* bad. 

Thank you so much Zando. Sincerely. This is very very cool. Happy almost-birthday to me! 

All the girls are doing it. Right?

Guess what I'm doing this weekend? Hells to the yes. My hair is kak-boring right now, which is driving me batty. My friend Nikki has the nicest locks, so I have decided to be cool too. I won't cut it short again, but man alive. It's going to be pretty. Ombre hair, ready or not... 

Recipe: Bacon Egg Toast Cups

My friend Laurie Kemp Smith mailed me about this fantastic little recipe this morning. It's not really a recipe is it. I mean, how easy? Thanks special friend. I love it that you think of me when you find pretty and delicious-looking things. Keep it up.

Ingredients

4 slices of bacon

2 slices of bread

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Using the top of a round glass that has an opening slightly bigger than a muffin mold, about 3.5 inches, cut circles from bread. You should be able to cut two circles per slice of bread.

2. Grease four muffin molds. Place the bread on the bottom of each muffin mold. Preheat the oven to 200 C.

3. Cook bacon slices in a pan about 3 minutes or until halfway cooked. Place bacon slices around the edges of the muffin tin. To help them stay, you might want to tuck the ends underneath the slices of bread.

4. Crack an egg and put in the middle of each muffin mold. You may want to leave out some of the egg white so that the yolk doesn’t overcook while waiting for the egg white to cook.

5. Place muffin molds in the oven and cook for about 12-15 minutes until eggs are cooked to your liking and bacon is crisp. I like to leave the egg yolk a little runny.

6. Use a knife around the edges to help lift cups from the muffin mold. Season with salt and pepper and serve while hot.

Hello Harbour. You are all kinds of awesome right now.

I know this gal Emma and she takes phenomenal pictures of things and weddings. No really. Here is a shout-out to Hello Harbour. I think I need you to take some pictures of something in my life. I will create an occasion especially for it. Here are some images of a wedding that they photographed recently. Have you ever?

Go look at her beautiful photography here, but let's not forget her beautiful face (below). Well done friend. And hey - Happy birthday for today too. Nice. 

"Help your brother's boat across, and your own will reach the shore."

Dear Noah and Benjamin. Sometimes I am so busy being your mother (and nurturing my individual relationships with you -) that I forget about the bond that has fastened between the two of you. The age gap between the two of you is twenty months or so. Although, Noah was born in 2009 and Benjamin in 2010 which means that you will be a year apart at school. Noah class two - Benjamin class one, etc. Isn't that just so special?

Bunny, you could not have hoped for a nicer little boy to look up to and share your days with. I'm biting back the tears right now, but sincerely. He helped change your nappies as a newborn. Picked up your bottle when you dropped it. When I breastfed you, he say quietly and watched. When you cried, he called me. He fed you your first solids. Encouraged you when you started walking. Pulled you up (however clumsily) when you missed a step. When you were in my belly, he felt your kicks. He has always been there. The tears ran down my face when he met you in hospital. So gentle. Gushing. Proud. 

Ben, you have *whooshed* through so many milestones just watching your big brother. You started talking and singing at an age that could label you a child genius, I'm sure. You're stringing sentences at 18 months. Yesterday you said "Open the door mommy". When I ask you something - It's out of habit, almost talking to myself. I don't expect answers, but I'm getting them. When you cry I ask "Where is the ouchie" and now you say "Here it is" then "It broken" which still dumbfounds me. I feel like those characters in movies where an animal is talking and they're all "YOU can TALK?!!". It's that wonderful. 

Benjamin, you have followed in all your brother's amazing footsteps. You eat at the table with him, you have pretty much eaten on your own / with a spoon since you started on solids. You drink from a cup, you follow Noah to the kitchen and put / throw your plastic bowl in the sink after meals. You reach on to the counter and wipe spills with a cloth. You get in and out of the bath by yourself, dry yourself (kinda) and you're potty training already. You've been in a big-boy (single) bed for months and you are just... Mind boggling. I know it's Noah's good influence on you. You follow him everywhere. You stare at him, smile at him, laugh at him. 

Sure there are times when you snatch toys from each other's hands and bite / pinch / pull hair / steal food but man. The good times between you make nothing else matter. 

Noah you have decided which bike is yours and heaven help little Benjamin should he be on yours. Also, don't think that I haven't seen you take all the 'unwanted' items out of your food bowl and stash them in to his. When threatening Benjamin with a "Ben, do you want a time-out", you're sure to hear Noah's sober voice in the background "I think so mommy." Also, a poor bunny cannot do *everything* that you can Noah. Please don't invite him to jump off the coffee table with you. It won't end well, I promise. 

At bath time, Noah likes to wash your hair. At bed time, he likes to read you stories. Well, in his own way. Once you've watched your cartoons at bed time, you get up and put Baby Einstein in for your brother. "Here Ben" you say and he clutches his teddy a bit tighter with happiness. 

You guys are so beautiful together (well about seventy percent of the time) and I really hope that it sticks. I hope that you grow up together and never grow apart. Here are some pictures just from this weekend. To treasure.

"My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass."  "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply.  "We're raising boys."  ~Harmon Killebrew

"Being pretty on the inside means you don't hit your brother and you eat all your peas - that's what my grandma taught me."  ~Lord Chesterfield

Creative dad takes crazy pictures of daughters. Indeed!

I've seen this cover picture before, but while doing research for a client today... I found the whole series. It's called "Creative Dad Takes Crazy Pictures of Daughters" and it is very, very cool indeed. I feel such such a bad mother right now  -that I don't do as many awesome things with the boys. I want pictures like these! Side project:  Check. Man I love these. So much of the FUN.