Photo-a-Day Challenge

I've really enjoyed FatMumSlim's photo-a-day challenge for December. I've never done a photo challenge before and, in the past, have found it a bit annoying when my Instagram friends have spammed my photo feed with pictures of apples, grass or an artistic shot of their car keys. BUT, I had never tried it. I am particularly enjoying following #fmsphotoaday and seeing how much better blogger photographers have interpreted the day's challenge. Chantelle over at Fat Mum Slim also does a top 4 post each day of her favourite pics that have the challenge's hashtag. Pretty cute. 

So head over to Instagram to see my latest daily photo and maybe even jump on board with the challenge yourself!

Notable 'grams: Brooke Fraser

This lady is my hero. Anyone who's known me for a month or more knows that I LOVE her music!!! Brooke Fraser.

She's just released her fourth album 'Brutal Romantic'. 

I'm heading to her Sydney show March 18 next year and can't wait!!!!

📷 by @scottligertwood

A photo posted by Brooke Fraser (@brookefraser) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:48pm PST

You can check out her website here! 

Lessons Learned: Family Road Trippin'

I think the first family holiday must be some kind of rite of passage for a mother. It puts your planning and list making skills to the test and reveals the type of parent you really are. In my case, I was that mum who had the wall space above our spare bed covered in colour coordinated lists with squares instead of bullet points for easy tick-offing. The suitcases were open and piles of clothes and necessities were stacking up a week or more before the day of departure. This was going to be an almost three week trip. And I was going to be prepared. 

Overall, it was such a special time for our new family and the hundreds of photos we did take just don't do it justice. It's one of those times in your life you wish an invisible cameraman was following you and later, whenever you want, you could pull out the video archives and replay the memories. I'd like to think all the hard work I put into planning helped it be such an enjoyable time. Here are some valuable lessons I learnt throughout the process of planning, packing and travelling on that first family holiday. 

Photo credit, Jim Champion

Going Out

I'm in the grip of turmoil and only just emerging from some kind of hazy fog (thanks to sleep training, my husband's willingness to bounce on a fit ball at three thirty am and red, red wine). It has been a beautiful turmoil as anyone who has made it through the first year of their first child's life can attest to. This past week I have slept my first six plus hours straight since halfway through my pregnancy (just over a year ago). Longer baby sleeps means the return of a glass or two of red in the evening, more civilised conversation between myself and hubby and a vague glimpse that the 'real world' is still going on outside my mummy bubble.