BLOG JUNE - Here we go

Blogging in June - Cocoa Crazy perfect for winter

Blog June started on Saturday this year. I am not very good at getting blog posts out over a weekend. But here goes. I can schedule backwards...

A little introduction is a good way to start:

Make it Magical - Maddy Magoo Fourways Fairy Building Workshop *WIN*

Fairy House built at Maddy Magoo Fourways #MakeItMagical

Kids Emporium in conjunction with Maddy Magoo has come up with a brilliant concept. A Fairy Building Workshop. This works great for a children's party and any other excuse for doing something with your child. Think Dad and daughter dates, as well as with besties or your mates. Yes, even the guys would love this! ;-)

Fairy House Building Workshop at Maddy Magoo Fourways poster

A fairy house - great concept by @kidsemp @ontrendstylevents
@maddymagoofourways #magical #creatingmagic#creativeparties #beingcrafty#samomblogger#timeoutinsta #bloggers https://t.co/Syx8iRxkmM pic.twitter.com/4muGgpFXsQ

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) March 1, 2018

Maddy Magoo Fourways is hosting the first three workshops at their branch at The Gantry, and the cost of a workshop is R295 per guest.

• You can win one of these workshops, as well as a Free Haircut.
• There's a second prize as well: A free haircut at Maddy Magoo Fourways. 

Working mothers - We are slaying it!

Janice Windt (Working Mothers Expo)

It's great to hear that we as moms are doing a great job! That working moms are super human! That we are amazing and that we as moms have tremendous value! We sometimes forget it in the thick of things, trying to get the little one to wear that extra jacket to school... Each and every day! Blah!

I was extremely fortunate to be able to attend Kids Emporium Bloggers Breakfast at Olives and Plates this past Saturday. Lauren and her team spoilt us and gave us so much soul food as well!

Stunning!@olivesandplates #breakfast #bloggersbreakfast #kidsemporium #thompsonsholidays #champagne https://t.co/Pgp7GRJNkT pic.twitter.com/ph5zpsNArE

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) June 24, 2017

As far as I am concerned, it doesn't matter to me if you are a SAHM, WAHM or a FTWM, we are all "working moms"! There are ways to deal with working moms guilt, after all!

Janice Windt from Working Mothers Expo spoke to us about the value we attach to the things we do and sometimes that can be too much! We want to believe that the more we do, the more value we have! We want to believe that the time we spent will have intrinsic value regardless of what we do. But it can be too many things that we say yes to! It can be overwhelming! One of the things that working mothers struggles the most with, is time management!

Working Mothers Expo ran a recent survey:

They asked hundreds of working moms: “What is your biggest challenge?”
Without any leading information, 84% answered "Time Management".   

In another survey, which had over 1,000 working moms respond, they found that:

• 74% of us wake up before sunrise
• 21% of us never make our beds in the morning
• 1 in 3 of us spend 9 or more hours at work, our day job, every day!
• 55% of working moms only get 5-6 hours sleep on a weeknight
• A third of us check our work email before we even get out of bed in the morning
• 56% of us never exercise
• 65% or moms are somewhat or very likely to swear at something in the morning – no judgement here!

Janice Windt also touched on the fact that we might still be craving the approval of our parents? It is necessary to figure out what still serves us, and to let go of the why? We are in a specific time-frame/season in our lives! We are doing it for our kids (or NOT!). We can let go of the exterior motives! We are in our own season! We can decide our intrinsic value and our intrinsic purpose!
We can reap the benefits of our own perspectives!

I am enough! 

Janice from @workingmomsa about finding value in who you are! #kidsemporium @kidsemp #bloggersbreakfast #thompso… https://t.co/caqJY9FK6V pic.twitter.com/X7fMbH1I8r

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) June 24, 2017

Janice reminds us that balance does not exist! We need the stress and the challenge to do what we do and pursue our goals. But we also need to de-stress to be able to handle the stress!

Janice uses the following tools to help her cope: 

- Mindjet Mind Manager to organise her life!
- Audible to listen to books while on her way.
- She also tries to go hands-free every once in a while (cellphone limits!) (Check out Hands-free Mama blog)


Working Mothers Expo has created a two-hour Time-Management Make-Over workshop.
Sign up here to be notified: Time-Management Make-over


What do you do to de-stress?


Related post: Inspiring Lauren de Swardt of Kids Emporium

#Jozimeetup Storify - Bloggers connecting with fellow bloggers, brands and PR

It's great seeing fellow bloggers, meeting new bloggers, and connecting with brands and PR. Also getting so much inspiration from the speakers!

That's why you can't miss any of these events!
Thank you Heather Step (South African Mom Blogs) for putting this all together!

Let me know of any other links and photos I should include from social media?
What did you learn from the event?


Related posts:

- Jozi Meetup at Cafe Zing - Score! 

- A beautiful living #JoziMeetup

-

Tuesday catch-up - Winter is coming

It has been a few busy weeks for this family!

- It's finally winter here in South Africa. We also had three days of no power last week with the cold! You can imagine...

- The no power also had an influence on our Internet connection! We had none! 

- Little Miss had bronchitis, and we had to keep her at home.

- Hubby and I also decided that we could definitely not have had more children. Little Miss is more than a handful. Especially when sick. There was the nightly musical beds which was aggravated by an earache on Thursday. We finally had to fetch the antibiotics as well! (Although I hate it so much!)

- I finished my 9 weeks online course, UCT Social Media Course, and it feels very strange not to have a studying sword over my head! Blogging has helped me tremendously in staying up to date with what is happening in social media, and I have more value for what we are doing and learning on our blogging journey! Especially as Mom Bloggers. We know lots!

- The Student also heard that she got a distinction in the final accounting subject for her Management Diploma. I am so proud of her. Her hard work paid off!

- We celebrated two birthdays and a Father's Day the previous week at Cradle Moon Lakeside Lodge (formerly known as Heia Safari). That's where the photo of Little Miss was taken. The cold started on that Sunday!

- This Father's Day I was reminded again of how lucky we are to have this Hubby/Dad in our lives! He stayed home for most of the week last week when Little Miss was sick, and is 100% involved in our lives! It's a blessing to share our lives with him!

- We attended the premiere of The BFG Movie on Sunday. It will start in the cinemas on 1 July. I love all of Roald Dahl's works, and we had so much fun on Sunday to listen to the creative language! This is a lovely movie for the holidays for the kids (and adults!)

- We are in the final stretch before the winter holidays, and I am looking forward to sitting in less traffic each day for three weeks. Rose and I are bonding, and I beginning to appreciate her more! She's spunky, and she moves when she has to! The traffic is not so bad now with her!

- We are not going anywhere for the holidays, but that's okay. We will get our turn...


What are your plans for the holidays?

2016 - a few notes on the start of the year!

This is the week that everything goes back to reality!
I have been back at work since last week, so it does not feel as alien, and I don't have the millions of emails to sort through!

Little Miss asked me this morning if school is going to start tomorrow. She was very relieved to hear that she has two whole days left of holidays!

Little Miss in 2016

- She is not as excited about Grade 2 as she was about Grade 1.
- She is also worried about bullies in her class this year. I told her that we would sort them as soon as they start with bullying. We have already asked that she not be placed in the same class as two kids who made her life miserable the previous years. (I hope so, but I trust the school will honour our request!)
- We bought a new school case, but I recycled most of her stationary from the previous years. She was upset at first, because it's "old"! Luckily the complaints stopped when we put everything in a new stationary box for school. You can't see the difference, and we saved a lot of money!
- She is getting big and I love all the conversations we are starting to have. Real existential questions and remarks. I was in awe last night about the depth of her understanding about spirituality!
- I will try to write it down and share it here! (If she allows me!)


MomAgain@40

- This little blog has only a year left before the 40 won't ring true anymore! (Heavens!!)
- Little Miss is also getting bigger, and I am starting to censor more about what is being put here!
- I have a year to decide what I am going to do with this blog, but I think I will re-purpose or start a new blog with a new theme! I still love blogging, the community of bloggers and what I have learnt while blogging!
(There is sooo much I have gained from my experience here!)


Me, Myself and I

Yes

- My word and my motto for this year is Yes! I already had the opportunity to say yes without thinking twice this year because of this!
- I have never regretted saying yes to new opportunities, and this year is going to be better and bolder!
- I still need to work on a Vision Board for 2016. It really works! (Does any one knows about a good Vision Board app? Off to search...)
- On the second of January of this year I became a vegetarian. I have always said that the moment I have to kill for my own food, is the moment I would stop to eat living things! I have been a hypocrite for most of my life! I am taking it day by day, but it is not as difficult to make other choices!
I still eat eggs and dairy which makes me a ovo-lacto vegetarian! (Little Miss tells me that I should stop eating eggs as well! For now I am feeling proud of myself for getting 10 days into the new year without eating any meat!) My family supports me, but it is difficult as we love to braai (barbeque)! My go-to food now for a braai is a mushroom! (Sorry Hubby!!)


The Student

- I feel unsettled about The Student as this is her year to start with a new job and finish the final studies.
- Everything is uncertain, and we don't know yet what is going to happen...


The Hubby

- I am extremely grateful for Hubby who keeps us together and fed!
- I am sorry for upsetting the equilibrium by becoming a vegetarian. (Thank you for taking it in your stride!)
- This year is going to be a better year for you as well! I know it and I feel it!


2016 is starting with new things, new challenges and lots of uncertainty!
BUT I have good feelings about 2016!


May 2016 be good to you as well!
What new things are in the pipeline that is worth sharing?

Featured blog of the month: Juggling Act of Life

We are back with the Featured Blog of the Month.
Carla from Mommy & Baby Wellness Blog did the pairing for the month of July!

I got Cat whom I have been following since I started this blog. I had the pleasure in meeting her in person at a blog function this year, and it felt like we knew each other like old friends!

Cat at Juggling Act of Life is mom of a primary school girl AND fraternal twin school boys AND Labradors. She calls herself the wife of a wonderful man, daughter and architect. She is juggling the craziness of life in Pretoria. On the blog she captures their daily lives with photography and Project Life.

She always takes the most beautiful photos, and has the most creative ideas with regards arts, crafts and school projects!


I will be following up with a couple of questions on the blog.

A snippet of our lives - sharing on social media #JoziMeetup

I am constantly being told to take photos of things, but not so much of her any more. 

Only some days...

Here's a food face she wanted me to capture!

It was a win-win! I got her to eat some fruit, and she could use her creative energies!

I loved what Marcia Francois  (The 123 Blog, Organising Queen) said at the most recent JoziMeetup about sharing on social media:

We should always realise the place of social media in our lives. 

Social media sharing is only a short snippet of a life!

Real life moments happen in between social media snippets!

Social media is not life!

It's a good reminder!

(This picture does not show the tantrum that went before, nor does it show the disorder in our house because she has been building houses with chairs and blankets...)

Related post:

A beautiful living #JoziMeetup

A beautiful living #JoziMeetup

@TheBubHub 

I am never disappointed when I attend a bloggers' meeting. The most recent JoziMeetup on Saturday was a real treat in meeting other bloggers as well as getting three inspirational talks that gave me lots to think about!

A special thanks to the two ladies who makes this possible: Heather Step (SAMomBlogs; One Step at a Time) and Laura Le Roux (Harassed Mom)! We appreciate you efforts and getting those lovely goody bags together!

Heather Step and Laura le Roux

The lovely Bub Hub at Broadacres

The three speakers were a good mix of focusing on our wardrobes, our skin and making a beautiful life!

Nastassja Petersen (MrsRogéro), a fashion and style guru, told us about tricks of illusion dressing. The peplum cut demonstrated here hides much of problem tummy area. 

Nastassja Petersen

Overall illusion trick about BALANCE #jozimeetup pic.twitter.com/0tAt5YpuYI

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) May 9, 2015

Marcia Francois (The 123 Blog, Organising Queen) knows it is possible to design a beautiful life. The secret to a beautiful living lies in intention and purpose. It starts with determining ones values, and to align that with priorities in one's life!

The secret: 1. Values - 2. People - 3. Other things

People should always be chosen over things!

Marcia Francois

It takes courage to live an intentional life! @marcia0608 #jozimeetup

A photo posted by Karen Du Toit (@karentoittoit) on May 9, 2015 at 3:15am PDT

Melanie Frost of  Mama Mio Skincare (@MamaMioSA) told us more about winter skin and how to look after it in winter. She is also very excited about recent developments in skincare which are made possible by technology. We can get back the elasticity in our skins! (Good news to me!)

Melanie Frost

The goody bag is great!

Stationary by Gumtree (name tags, bags, agenda, notebook, pen)
Mama Mio cream sample
Amway: Artistry skin refinisher, lip gloss, lipstick, hand & nail cream
Mascara: Stage Line Professional Make Up - 27 Red
NUK sippy cup

It seems I am also in a winning streak, and won a gift voucher of R500 from Just Cruizen Woman's Clothing Shop at Broadacres Shopping Centre. I had no problem in redeeming it for this wonderful jacket! 

Just Cruizin

It was also great meeting up with fellow bloggers, and nice to put some more faces to the blogs!
My blog list is growing again!

Totally divine Contreau mixes made possible by
Butterknife PR (@Butter_KnifePR)

Featured blog: Chasing Dreams

I am taking part in the South African Mom Blogs who features a new blog each month.

Let me introduce Fazila Cariem of Chasing Dreams. Fazila is a first time mom , who is currently on maternity leave. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant, however her true passion lies in health and fitness and her site is aimed at assisting working moms with tips on getting fit, running and planning healthy meals for families . She is currently studying towards becoming a qualified gym instructor so her tips and hints are quite informed!

I am very impressed by the fact that she recently ran the Old Mutual Two Oceans Half Marathon, while her baby is only 6 months old. Respect!
She also has a post up about a roadtrip holiday ... with a six month old baby without a husband.

She can also be found here: Instagram and Facebook

7 Quick and dirty tips to cement your personal brand - Stacey Vee #jozimeetup

Stacey Vee of Living Lionheart, Content Candy, iPads for Lionhearts and DigiKids spoke about personal branding at the most recent JoziMeetup.
She turned her personal brand into her full- time job!

She shared with us that she only gets 3000 page views on her Living Lionheart blog, but that she gets R8000 off her blog in a month.

She knows about personal branding! @MissStaceyVee #jozimeetup pic.twitter.com/J86FPYNDNM
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) November 8, 2014

What does it mean to be a brand, anyway?
Your personal brand is your digital footprint online!


Stacey Vee's 7 tips to cement your personal brand:

Focus should be on the following:

1. What are you selling? What's your product?

2. Who's picking up what you are putting down?

    Who is buying your product?

3. Never underestimate the power of your name!

4. Build your brand pillars
    This includes the most important attributes and principles that you want to communicate through your brand

5. Be curious
    Be humble
    Be authentic

Example @melattree

6. What's the story?
    Storytelling has become very important. Stories are powerful! It engages people the most!

7. When it starts to feel stale, reinvents yourself! Again and again!


Related post: 

- Notes from Digital You #jozimeetup

Notes from Digital You #jozimeetup

#JoziMeetUp at iStore, Sandton Drive

We had our second blogger meetup in Johannesburg this past weekend thanks to the wonderful efforts of Laura-Kim le Roux of Harassed Mom.

Laura-Kim le Roux

This time she organised two speakers,. and the vibrant actress and presenter Hayley Owen shared some of her insights about their project Digital You.

Hayley Owen

I made some notes about the importance of your own digital profile, as well as looking after the profiles of your children as well.
Especially if you are a Mommy Blogger... We are responsible for the digital profiles of our children as well!

Notes:

- Treat your own social profiles like a VIP.

- The National Prosecuting Authority has made it illegal to post naked pictures of children online.

- 3 rules to keep in mind with regards online safety. It is also a good idea to teach it to your children (Especially!!)

• 1 never talk to strangers
• Never share personal details
• Don't meet up with any strangers

Digital You

- 1 in 5 teenagers attempt suicide. When posting on social media, imagine that it is the same as writing on the giant billboard.

Digital You

- Against the law to post mean, bullying content online.

 - Signs your child are being bullied

• Reluctant or refuses to go to school
• Does not want to participate in after-school activities or play with friends
• Goes to the nurse in order to avoid going to class
• Your child suddenly spends much more or much less time texting, gaming or using social-networking websites.
• After texting or being online, he or she seems withdrawn, upset or outraged
• Your child asks to have a social media or online account be shut down - Digital You

 - Action steps to take

• NB save the evidence. Take a screen shot!
• Ignore contact from bully
• Block offenders
• Contact the site and report the perpetrator
• Report incident to the authorities
• Crimeline: sms 32211 or call 08600 10111

Digital You

- Reminder to set up strong passwords and filters on computers.

- Sexting: If caught with a picture of a child under 16 - sexy / naked: guilty of child pornography!

- Your CV is no longer well-written CV, but what comes up online!

- Everywhere you go, there's a digital camera around.

- Know the power of a photograph and how long it can stay online.

- Think about the future of your children, and their online reputation that's already available.

- Google yourself and show online footprint.

- Positives and negatives of digital you!

- Do a digital make-over!

- Get online & let people know that you have done a digital make-over

Artist Tracy Paul adds some whimsy at Macaroon

The online stationary boutique, Macaroon, launched a new series yesterday. They collaborated with Tracy Paul, well-known for her enchanting and whimsical sketches of African animals.

Tracy Paul for Macaroon - launch in Greenside

Macaroon note books and tags and cards, with Tracy Paul designs

Macaroon specialises in trademark invitations, journals, notepads, stationery sets, gift tag collections, classic bookplate stickers and vinyl products, which can all be personalized.

There is nothing as swoon-worthy as a stationary store, and you cannot walk out of this store without buying something for yourself, or as a gift to someone...

THIS is how I imagine Heaven to be!

Bloggers and journalists at the launch 

Tracy Paul thanking Macaroon for making one of her dreams come true!

Champagne, cake and strawberries

The giraffe with the beautiful quote by Roald Dahl:

"And above all
watch with glittering eyes
the whole world around you
because the greatest secrets
are always hidden
in the most unlikely places"

(I am going back for this!)

A box labelled "special delivery" with
"whimsical wishes" note cards
(For a present! Not for me!
Next time...)

Thanks Macaroon!

Warning: 
It is expensive! And you will buy something!

Eat Tweet Blog and some more #JoziMeetUp

The first Blogger and Tweeter networking event #JoziMeetUp in Gauteng was hosted this past Saturday at Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown.

I am extremely pleased that I was there because it was lovely meeting some of the people behind the blogs and the tweets, and to also get that wonderful goodie bag.
AND I've got a few more people to stalk follow! I am inspired to do some more blogging and tweeting after this!

Thanks to Laura-Kim (Harassed Mom), Sharon (The Blessed Barrenness) and Wenchy (The Nocturnal Wenchy) who organised the event, and of course to all the sponsors responsible for the spoils!

Here are some of the photos.

The beautiful Sunnyside Park Hotel interior

Laura-Kim with a toy donation for The Grace Factory

Louisa (123 Blog Myself)

Wenchy & Laura-Kim handing out the goodie bags

Sam & Sandy looking good!

Chicken Ruby 

The personalised Macaroon bag

Naartjie Kids boots which was immediately worn

Le Creuset cappuccino cups

Rain body cream (divine!)

L'Oreal lip gloss

Bio-Oil (always welcome!)

Swani Spa voucher (can't wait!)

Killarney Mall voucher

Selfie with the Wakaberry sunglasses yesterday with Little Missy on
Mother's Day