Grateful for this blog!

On this Monday I am grateful for this blog.

I have been contemplating what to do about this specific blog and if I should continue blogging here. I was thinking that I reach another horrifying milestone in age (guess what?) this year, and that the blog title would not fit anymore. Little Miss is also older, and would not appreciate me sharing about her life so much!

At this stage I still love blogging, and I still love this little space on the Inter-webs.


I am grateful about the MomAgain@40 blog:

- I have a journal of our life with our family and the new addition who added so much more colour to our lives! I would have forgotten so many good times, experiences and anecdotes of Little Miss growing up if it were not for this space.

- I have met many great fellow bloggers and parenting bloggers who taught me so much on my own parenting journey. If I needed advice, it always came through on this blog.

- Little Miss had a few challenges at her first week at a new school. I got a call from a fellow Mom blogger who arranged a play date on Friday afternoon. Not only did Little Miss met a fellow school pupil at her new school whom she could play with at school, but I also have a fellow Mom to help me navigate the new school! Thank you, Louisa, it means so much to us!

- I get to attend some great events, such as Hoener met die Rooi Skoene Premiere, through this little blog.

- I get to test new apps and sometimes gadgets which I would not have known were it not for this blog.

- I still use Blogger, and it has been a most stable platform for years! I have not had any issues. It's also free! (FREE!)

- This blog has taught me so much (social media, technical), and has broaden my horizons and my connections!



For now I am thankful for this Blog! The title will still cover me for a few years to come. I am a mother who had her second child over the age of forty! I am an older mother! That won't change!
This year I will look at how I share about Little Miss, but this blog is still intrinsically about how she came to change our lives. And how parenting has changed globally, and has changed us!


Why are you still blogging?

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?

10 Things that make me Happy

I was tagged on Instagram by Moipone Islam at ferocioushaven

Here is mine:

10 Things that make me happy!

(Not necessarily in this order)

1. Happy is a choice! I choose Happy!

2. My Eldest. When she’s happy, I am happy! It is so-so-so GREAT that everything is working out this year for her. She is finishing up with her studies, she got a REAL job, she is madly in love and she’s got a car!

3. My Youngest. She makes us happy every day! (Sometimes crazy, but mostly happy!) Just being her! So glad that she is in our lives!

4.  My Husband!  He’s our rock and showing us each day what a good husband, father and provider he is! He is the best chef as well!!

5.  The extended family that cares about us

6. Friends that care

7.  Our dogs (Hubby won’t agree on this one! ;-) )

      8.  Coffee/Red wine (equally happy!)

      9. Books/reading.

      10. Blogging

What makes you happy?

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?

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

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

Mom Again published in Your Baby this month

Interview this month in Your Baby and Toddler 

Link here to full article: Your Baby

Blog directory of healing through storytelling

Kristin Brumm over at Wanderlust is busy compiling a directory of blogs that addresses issues of struggle and trauma.
It is a directory of blogs by people healing through sharing their stories through blogging.

I have written before about her haunting of words as she deals with her own struggle through writing, after a divorce and domestic violence led to the discovery of child pornography in her home, and the subsequent fleeing of her family home to keep her children safe.

Healing through storytelling - Blog Directory

The issues that are being addressed:
- Addiction
- Grief and loss
- General Medical
- Mental Health
- Trauma and abuse

The compilation of these was inspired by the following post:
The healing power of storytelling.

I still sometimes get out my soapbox to raise issues with regards domestic violence, emotional abuse and unfathers, but it is so much part of previous life, that I feel as if it happened to somebody else...

Time and change do make a difference!

I wish I had something like this to consult when I had to go through tough times, but it is nice to know that these are available.

It is always good to know that you are not alone!
Somebody else has dealt with the same issues already!

If you know of  any blogs that can add to this directory, please notify Kristin so that she can add it to the list!

Thanks Kristin!

Goodbye 2011!

2011 was a great year!

I checked my stats to see some of the most read posts!

It is always interesting to see what gets the most views!
It seems it is those posts where you show the real you!
(Or that I am NOT Powerwoman... ;-) )

Number 1 for 2011:

Stuff you allow your toddler to do
Those things that you thought you would never allow your little ones to do...
Just for the sake of a few minutes of breathing space!

2.

Winnie the Pooh quotes fo an un-peachy Friday
A black Friday post about relationship problems.
Nobody says it better than Winnie the Pooh!

3.

A strange week
A strange week in the middle of winter with a public holiday, the lunar eclipse, AND a sick toddler!

4.

Reasons why you should not stay
I took part in Kirstin's of Wanderlust_lust Speak Out campaign on domestic violence on 18 November.

5.

Christmas lights
We did a drive-by to a nearby house decorated in Christmas cheer!
The toddler loved it!


Hope 2012 is going to be the best EVER!

Second Blogoversary

This blog was two years old on Saturday! 584 posts with this one after two years... Happy birthday Blog!

I read my first blog post again, and my goal for this blog stays the same. I have recorded so many of the milestones in my daughters' lives.

When I try to tell someone about the reasons for my blogging, I sometimes get stuck when I see the look of confusion on a face...

But bloggers know why we blog, and that we become somewhat addicted to the daily post. (I give myself off over weekends.)

I have met so many interesting people!
I have learnt so many new stuff about parenting!
I have learnt so much about social media and networking through this!

Blogging on...

My first post two years back:

http://momagain40.blogspot.com/2009/08/mom-blogging.html?spref=bl: "Blog by Karen du Toit about becoming a parent after the age of 40, the second time after 15 years. It’s all about new beginnings. Being a ..."

Plagiarism of blog - dealing with it (work in progress)

I have mentioned already (The Yin and the Yang...) that I have found my blog to be ripped off big-time on another blog. I do not understand what the meaning could be of this? It seems it is ripping off other blogs as well! They are not using Google Adsense, but they have listed the blog on various sites.

The link: http:// funny dash toddler dot blogspot dot com

I will start a process of getting them to take it down. I will report back here of my progress to get it removed.

This is the most recent post of mine on the blog which is plagiarizing my content:

1. I cannot comment on the blog, although I have tried. I wanted to demand them to take it off!

2. I have done a Sidewiki inscription on the most recent blog post of mine that is plagiarized on that blog. I don't know if it's anything worth? I don't see any other way of contacting the blog author/s.

3. My next step will be informing Google about the rip-off! Will let you know how it goes.

My second most recent blog post plagiarized on this blog site

4.




The Toddler being scrapped; or why fellow bloggers are nice!



Lynette at A work in Progress created this scrapbooking art work

Lynette of A work in Progress asked me to send her the picture of Mieka that was taken at the day care a while back. I had it up here on the blog.

My Hubby asked incredulously why someone would do something like this? Because she is very nice!
(Am I right, Lynette? Wink smile!)

This is one of the reasons I have found blogging to be so satisfying. I have met the most wonderful people here who are trying to live normal lives... Some get hit by life! Somehow we get through it by blogging about it, and by encouragement and sympathy from fellow bloggers! It is sometimes also just nice to find out that we are all the same... We struggle with the same issues, no matter where we are in the world!

Thanks Lynette, I can't wait for the real thing. (Yes, she is even sending the scrap book creation by post!)
This is so very sweet and nice and thoughtful of you!

Jinxed weekend

Mieka at Tiny Tumbles this morning

I should not have scheduled Friday’s post, loaded with all the positive gratefulness for the weekend ahead. Because I jinxed it!


The day started late. Not unusual for us. We normally manage to get us out of the door at a manageable hour. As soon as I got in the car, I noticed that I forgot to comb my hair. Luckily I had that quick check in the mirror...

I had cereal in a bowl on my front seat in the car. As I started to drive, I realised it was a big mistake. Cereal and milk were spilling. I tried to eat some on the way to the day care, but Mieka spotted it. At day care I had to give her a few spoonfuls before she was satisfied.

My car’s petrol indicator came on during the drive and I had to stop for petrol. That translates into a definite late! The petrol attendant also told me that three of my car’s wheels were at a higher level than it should be... Worrisome! We trust those guys too easily. I have been trying to remember where I had filled my car the previous time, because it was not at the usual place. I will not go there again!

I missed out on my morning coffee with colleagues because I was late. I also noticed that my scheduled post at 7 am did not go up. Thanks Blogger! I had to post it manually, something which I try to avoid at the office.

The rest of the day was not that bad... A meeting was cancelled, and on a Friday it’s a bonus!

We had to go to our nearby Mall last night because I had to buy a stork party present. Not my favourite activity! I love buying and giving the clothes, but stork parties is not my thing! (Only for my best best friends. Maybe!)

Today was the stork party. It took up our whole Saturday, because it is a whole hour and half drive away. Luckily there was no funny stuff, and for once I was glad that I had to attend to the toddler the whole time. She got a whole lot of attention from me! Dries found Barista (coffee) Pinotage red wine at the nearby shop, and that helped a LOT!

Now there is a wonderful lazy Sunday to look forward to. Dries is planning a nice meal, and we can chill for the day!

Blog BDay

Blog Birthday. Can you believe it? This little bloggie is a year old today!
How has she grown?

From this:

To this:

When reading my first blog post about Mom blogging and the reason for putting down my memories of the precious time spent with our little baby, I know that I have succeeded. It has surpassed my own expectations! She became a toddler already in his time. I have “proof” of all her baby- and toddler cuteness.

The Baby Diary book has not been completed. Who has a completed baby diary with all the photos? (Please let me know it’s not only me.) BUT, I have a virtual record of all her milestones. How great is that to be able to go back and read about it! (I am planning to make a Blog2Print from it.)

The highs: She’s got a tooth! The lows: She’s not sleeping well! The highs: She’s walking! The lows: she’s sick! It’s all here... A year of living baby-rously! (Pardon, but I like the pun.)

The best: I got to know a great number of wonderful blog friends along the way. Thank you for all the wonderful comments on my posts, and all the advice. Thanks for reading! That is something I did not expect. How I look forward to each and every comment on a blog post.

What I also did not expect is to have found so many wonderful wise normal abnormal funny wicked people who also put their lives into words. And to find that deep down we are all the same. We have all the same fears and the same expectations and we struggle with the same things! And the more transparent we are in our lives (virtual and real), the more we connect with each other.

Hubby just said that I’ve got two “babies” now. Our real baby and this blog! Maybe he is right? I get withdrawal symptoms when I am not able to post a blog on a regular basis. Nothing gives a kicker than posting the most recent blog post.

So, here goes... *Publish post* (Huge smile!)

Life is good! Award

Actually, life IS very good! Especially when you get passed on a “Life is good award”. Thank you very much, WarsawMommy! Even more sunshine for this time of the year!

The questions that accompany this award: (Of course, there is something you have to do! That’s why it’s taken me a week to put up the award and write the post!)

What do you do when you’re bored?

What’s that! Moms don’t know what it means “being bored”! I would love to be bored (to death)! If it would come to pass, I would just sit and enjoy it… OR, read!

Are you an autumn, or a spring?

Autumn. But spring at heart. ;-)

Quick! You’re stuck at an airport for hours, and the only options are crossword puzzle, or an old novel nobody’s ever heard of. Which would you pick?

Being bored! Fabulous! Then the novel.

Jane Austen or Emily Bronte?

Jane Austen.

Do you feel prepared for the five other questions coming your way?

I should have been prepared?

Who’s your hero?

Superman!

In real life – every one of us!

Favourite word?

“Toddler” (I am one-track minded at the moment. Before “toddler” it was “baby”.)

Are you one of those “checklist” people, or are you a “wing it and hope everything goes well” sort of person?

Checklist person. I cannot function without my diary.

What phrase has stuck with you in your life?

‘We are all one.”

If you were to choose between coffee and tea . . . which would you go with?

Coffee! (Even though I know that I must switch to herbal teas for my own health!)

I have to pass this award on to six more people:

1. Cat at Juggling Act of Life. She has a daughter and fraternal twin boys. It sounds very hectic to me! But she takes it all in her stride…
2. Shayne at [Time-Out]. Unfortunately she has gone private with her blog. I enjoy her beautiful photos of her most recent achievements in the kitchen. It sounds divine every time! (I am in awe of everyone who can bake, and who seems to enjoy it while doing it!) I also love her “count-my-blessings” type of posts, or “things I realised”.
3. Yvonne with 2412towers and the funny twisted story of her divorce, and subsequent reconstructed family after a new marriage. It’s a laugh with a tear!
4. Rock Mom at Snuggle Buggle Rock Mom. Love the way she talks about her “shrimp”; of being a single mom; and being so candid about her life.
5. I’m so not a blogger struggles sometimes with the blues, and we get a peek into that side of her personality. Love it that she shares her feelings. The photos are always very beautiful!
6. Simply-Mel. Very candid about her life with kids and her weight loss. Which she actually accomplished quite well!

They make me realize that we are all struggling with the same mundane daily grind, but that LIFE IS GOOD, never mind the small stuff!
Keep going, Life bloggers! :D

Receiving some sunshine - award

Rock Mom passed on the super cool Sunshine Award.!

! Thank you very much, Rock Mom! You are brightening my day/week. I need a bit of sunshine here! (What is better medicine than a sunflower on a dreary day?)

The easy rules are:
Put the logo on your blog
Give props to the person who gave you the award
Pass the award on to 12 bloggers
Write their names and links to their blogs on your blog
Let them know about their award by posting a comment on their blog

Sunshine blogs:

• Life is like a box of chocolates

• 2412towers

• Laughs to birth and all things that follow

• Tertia

• Life with Luca

• Crazy kind and unrefined

• Snuggle Buggle Rock Mom

• Mommalicious Mammas

• MumDrum

• Jou ma se blerrie blog

• Harassed Mom

• WarSawMommy

Feel the sun shine, today! :D

Blogger comments frustrations

Powerwoman has a gripe with Blogger comments! You write something from the heart in a comment post, and “publish” it!
No! No! AAARGGGH....!!!!! Where is it? It is gone!
I have to do it all over again.
- Write the comment.
- Select profile. (Sometimes there is only an empty profile box. What’s with that?)
- Try to decipher the word verification.
- Wait and wait... (I don’t think it is only our slow connections responsible for this)
- Published! Celebrations! It happens very seldom the first time!
I sometimes just give up after a second try. No wonder we struggle to get comments for our blog posts!
It is not that easy! It is as if The Bloggers (Blogger team?) have conspired to make it as difficult as possible to get a comment into the Bloggersphere! (I must add - sorry Bloggers - but Wordpress give a much better experience every time!)

I think it should be one of the easiest things to be able to comment on a blog post.

AM I WRONG?

Rock Mom passed on two blog awards

I felt so special last week when Rock Mom passed on two awards. Thanks, Rock Mom! You made my day(s)!

The one is the Rock Star Award, which I pasted immediately on my blog. It looks good, doesn’t it? I will pay it forward in the future. Definitely! The rules? There are no rules, and you can give it to whoever you like. Rock Mom got it from Mrs Blogalot. Great idea! (Feel free to pay it forward).




The Beautiful Blogger Award comes with rules:
1) thank the person who nominated me for this award
Thanks Rock Mom!
2) copy the award & place it on my blog
Done
3) link to the person who nominated me for this award
Rock Mom
4) share 7 interesting things about myself
- I am a closet vegetarian. I belief we should not eat living things, but I do! (Hypocrite!)
- I love Cheese Curls: I am able to eat a whole bag by myself!
- I am still enjoying Sex and the City, second time around (always hoping for that episode I missed the first time)
- I love red wine!
- Love reading (although I haven’t been able to do much of it since the baby)
- I got two extra ear piercings in my right ear when I was a teenager, and that was the best I could muster for my rebellious side!
- I would have loved to be a stay-at-home mom! (Sigh)
5) nominate 7 bloggers:
- 2412towers
- Mumdrum
- Rock Mom (really, not because she passed on the award to me)
- joumaseblerrieblog
- Life with Luca
- Peas on Toast
- So Close
6) post links to the 7 blogs i nominate
Done!

Virtual kids

The technology has its advantages when you are trying to sleep. At half past 4 this morning, Mieka was sitting next to us in bed, bobbing on a video playing from my cell phone. It struck me that my daughter of 9 and half months is growing up in the virtual world. I am writing about her in the virtual world of the Internet. She is represented in the digital domain in a blog. My eldest daughter of 16 years has made her own digital footprint already, she uses MXit and Facebook. When Arnia was born, I did not have a cell phone or a computer. Since then, our lives have changed considerably with regards to technology. How are things going to change in the next 16 years? It feels like there is a quickening with regards to time, but also to the exponential quickening of the use of technology. Are we all going to tweet on each other’s tweets, playing mafia wars and building farms in a virtual reality? How are we going to talk to each other in a few year’s time? I find it very exciting.