Lightening Online

We received a catalogue in our mailbox recently that had me scratching my head and laughing at the same time.

I mean, who buys this stuff????

A Nose Shower Gel Dispenser?  Complete with green gel!!!!  Ewwww……

After Dinner Arguments - because divorce rates are so healthy we all need a little “kick along” to end our marriages????  I mean, who needs help in the argument department???  Sounds like fun…NOT!!! 

Apparently “Best served after all throwable objects have been removed from the table….”

Or buy this for your wife (and you’ll not NEED the above game!!!!):

Perhaps you could buy her this as well (although you’d also have to read AND apply for it to work…):

I wouldn’t buy it for your husband though.  Might not go down too well.

And what’s the go with this????

Is nobody spontaneous anymore???? 

Here’s a hint fellas, try vacuuming the floor and see what happens.  You aint gonna need no date planner.  There’s nothing more sexy than a guy cleaning, believe me!!!! 

Okay, this one actually is kinda funny…

As long as you give it to somebody that doesn’t live with you!!!

The nuclear doorbell.  It carry’s on with sirens and all sorts when you ring the doorbell.

But this one is nasty!!!

Merry Christmas, here’s a chocolate bar you can’t actually EAT!!!

It’s a chocolate bar mouse.

Way to tease a girl!!!

Well, someone obviously buys this stuff or why would they make it?

So tell me, what’s the weirdest Christmas gift you’ve ever received?

Well, I didn’t quite make it to 100….

51.  Hairful Wednesday

To cut or not, that is the question.

52. Thanksgiving Lunch

Absolutely gorgeous photographs!

53. Queensland Cruise - Day 5 Cairns

As you can imagine, I am SO totally jealous.  But happy for her of course.  I’d love to take a cruise…one day.

54.   Money Saving Tip #87

Kids come up with the zaniest things.  I love how they think outside the square.

55. Christmas Decorations/ Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to reflect and be thankful.  Oh yeah, and I admitted that my lights from last year are still up!  Saves me a job this year!

56. More Shares and a Tutorial

Handy if you’re interested in doing some Christmas craft.

57. Letter From Jesus About Christmas

A good reminder of what Christmas is truly about.

58. Do you believe in miracles?

Help Becky’s dream come true.

59. Tatted Earings

I’ve never seen this done before.  It’s quite effective.

60. My Most Favorite Thanksgiving Cartoon

NOT Big Bird!!!!  *sob*

61. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hope all celebrating had a lovely Thanksgiving!

62. Traditions

I think I should write a post on our Traditions….

63.  Traditional Portraits?

I just LOVE this photographers work!!!

64.  Scenes

And more posts about photography.

65. Exhibition Update and Plans for the Future

66.  Bungee

67. Chantilly Cream and How To Make It

68. Angry Anus Burger from Hungry Jacks

ROFLOL.

69.  They Said

70.  Great Op Shop Finds

I have actually left a few more comments than the 70 I’ve listed.  Some blogs where I’ve left several comments over the week, I haven’t linked to every single time.

But I have achieved my main objective which was to get back into the habit of stopping to make a comment.  I’ve even added some new blogs to my google reader (it’s okay, I culled a few too that I wasn’t really reading anymore).

Or Not….

This cracked me up when it landed in my inbox this week.  Hope it makes you smile.  :)  Thanks LS.

Leave a link to your Smiley Saturday post in the comments section.

Happy Smiley Saturday one and all. 

P.S.  Kids are playing Christmas music and having a ball.  Planning to put the Christmas Tree up today (hopefully).  Lots to smile about here - I LOVE Christmas!!!!

My kids have been having lots of fun getting creative with their food of late.

This is one of Trailer Boys creations (he’s not quite 6):

Face, body, legs and arms.  The rest of the apple pieces are fingers.  All out of proportion but doesn’t he look good enough to eat???? 

I know that we’re more than half way through the week and I will admit that I’m finding this challenge somewhat “challenging”.  Of course, I’m making it more difficult on myself by deciding to link to the posts I’ve commented on.  As a blogger, you can never have too many links (hint! hint! ROFLOL) and since I wanted to track how many comments I’d left this week, I decided I may as well do it this way.  Of course, now all of these posts have 2 comments from  me - 1 on the blog and 1 here (and no, they’re not the same - mostly).

1. Robo Boot Goes to a Graduation Ball

Kell has a wonderful gift of writing.  A very entertaining tale!

2. Queensland Cruise Day 1

I am SO jealous of Libby getting to go on a cruise.  It looks FABULOUS!!!

3. Juggling Act

Yeah, we can’t all do everything.  Bit of a pity that!

4. 1am 1st January 2000 (what were you doing?)

5. 27ish Weeks

And sporting a wonderful baby bump.   I wish I had been blogging during my pregnancies!

6. My Surprise

A gorgeous new addition to the family.

7.  Living/Unschooling Maths

Includes some great resources for homeschooling or giving your kids some extra help with their maths.

8.  Open Letter to the Lady in the Blue Top

ROFLOL.  What would you do if your breastmilk hit another patron in a shopping centre?

9.  Christmas Cards and Christmas Dinner

When do you start your Christmas decorating?

10. Burning Question - What’s For Dinner?

Need some ideas for food when it’s hot?  Kate’s readers have some great suggestions.

11.  Prep Whispering

Kids are so much fun when they start school.

12. Have You Got Everything?

CB says goodbye to her son as he heads on an amazing overseas adventure!

13. Saturday Memes (a smiley saturday participant)

I had no idea there were so many Saturday memes floating around.  Thanks for participating in Smiley Saturday for the first time Irishcoda.

14.  Fast Enough?

Oh, my goodness.  Imagine how fast you could get from Sydney to Perth if we had a train that went this fast.  I could do the maths but I can’t be bothered.  LOL.  Let me know if someone does.

15.  Simple Butter Cake Recipe

New recipes are always a winner with me - particularly ones that don’t require multiple steps.  I love the “chuck it all in a bowl and mix” type recipes. 

16.  How Aussie Are You?

Kate answers these questions -  a great way to get to know a blogger a little more.

17.  Six White Boomers

Too early for Christmas music?  I say definitely not!!! 

18.  Started Making Christmas Presents

These look AWESOME.  I’m not making gifts this year - but now I wish I was!

19.  Weekly Winners 45 2009

Some great shots of her son’s formal along with some really interesting vehicles people chose to come to the formal in.

20.  Attack of the Optimist

McMommy’s posts always make me smile and this one is no exception!  I love reading about other peoples plans and family traditions at this time of year too! :)  I totally want one of these too but you have to call to order one outside of the USA/Canada and the phone call alone would probably cost me a fortune.  Not to mention the postage/shipping.

21.  Another Finish

Frogdancers latest craft project - I don’t know how she fits it all in!!!!

22.  To Write Love on One’s Arms

A touching way to reach out to those suffering from depression and self harm.

23. The 1/2 Week That Was

The phone call that everyone dreads - the school with news your child has hurt themselves.

24. 10 Things That Make Me Uncomfortable?

What makes YOU uncomfortable?

25. What To Do With Leftover Bread

What do you do with your leftover bread and crusts?

26. 10 Children’s Christmas Activities in Melbourne

Now I miss living in Melbourne even more!!!

27. These Little Guys are in the Shop Now

They are adorable too!!!

28.  I Made Fabric Bags With Ties

Cute little fabric bags for gifts.

29.  High Tea

My favourite!!!  I need to put one of these on with Princess Singstar methinks.

30.  Better Late Than Never…

An update from the travellers at Ozdyssey.  Makes me itchy to get back on the road again!!!

31. Awakening of Less Cheerful Feelings on Arrival Home

Patterson’s Curse or Salvation Jane?

32. Homemade Mermaid

Too, too cute!!!  Ivy I mean.  Oh, the mermaid is cute too.

33.  Jason Donovan

Yes, I was in the era of teens “in love” with Jason Donovan…

34.  Beanie Bag Games

Who knew there were so many different ways to play with small bean bags?

35.  My Baby Is a Schoolgirl

A bittersweet moment for any parent.

36.  Movember Magnum PI Mo Challenge

All for a good cause of course and nothing to do with wanting to be as sexy as Magnum!!! 

37. There’s a Whole Lotta Chopping Going on

Happy Thanksgiving to all those in the US.

38. Buns

SO adorable!!!

39. Elbows

We have all been melting in the heat wave!!!

40. Bohemian Muppets

So cute.

41. Eat Up, Everyone!

These are SO cute!!! :)  Oh, I said that for the last post didn’t I?

42. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!

I am SO off track with my hearts desire for a simpler life.  I really think I need to get back to reading more simple living blogs in the hopes they inspire me back into it.

43. Next Year!

Change is never easy but most times VERY worthwhile.

44. Saturday

What does your ideal Saturday look like?

45. Email From Santa

My kids had almost grown out of Father Christmas by the time they were passed the “too frightened to go near him” stage.

46. My First Giveaway

Pop over there to enter this lovely giveaway.

47. Christmas Hope

I so love reading all the blog posts about Christmas - especially those who share how Christmas inspires them to reach out to others.

48. I Can’t Believe It’s Nearly Christmas

Kids really make Christmas lots of fun!!!

49.  A Break in the Machinery - Part 2

Depression effects so many people - either through their own experience or a loved one.

50. Finally Back From a Long Blog Holiday

Life can and does get in the way of blogging from time to time.

I’ve actually visited more than these.  Some blogs I couldn’t comment on or I felt I had nothing to say.

Don’t despair if your blog isn’t here.  I still have 50 to go.  Make sure you leave me a comment if you’d like me to visit. 

I’ve been going through my blogroll as part of my commenting challenge and noticing how out of date it has become.

Some of the blogs listed haven’t been updated in a while.

Some have decided to go private and I haven’t been invited (*sob*).

Some have changed URL’s and I haven’t updated the link.

And no doubt there are some new ones out there (or new readers that have blogs).

SO, it’s blogroll update time.

Please click on the little blogroll link up there below the header and check the link to your blog.  If it needs changing or you have a blog to add, please leave a comment so I can fix it all up.

Thank you.

Last time I reviewed a lego product, I asked Trailer Boy what his dream Lego would be.

His response?

A caravan!!!

This might not be quite the same as our caravan but it’s pretty close:

And the lovely people at Zing actually remembered that was what his hearts desire was.  How nice is that??? 

I was going to keep it for his birthday but he was so sick recently that I brought it out as a “cheer me up”.  And it certainly cheered him up!!!

Even though it’s a smaller set, Lego had still packaged it up into numbered packages to make building it easier:

I’m not the world’s best Lego builder so this was particularly appreciated given he was not well and needed lots of help (and Farmboy is busy at the moment).

Every time I help build a new set of Lego, my heart always leaps to my throat wondering if a piece is going to be missing.  It’s NEVER happened though.  Lego must have some decent quality control.  Which is nice in this day and age of “cutting costs to increase profits”.  It might not be the cheapest toy to buy but at least you feel like you’re getting something for your money.

I still cannot believe how much detail they get into their kits.  This one has little cups, a pushbike (much to Trailer Boys delight!!!), a television.  Once made up, it opens up and you can actually play with the people that come with it - put them in the back, put them in bed etc.  So much FUN!!!!

He’s done nothing but play with it ever since we put it together!

A message from Trailer Boy:

It’s Good.

I like the inside of it and that they can surf.

There’s a thing up there (the top) where they can sleep.

The best bit is the drivers seat.

Thank you to Lego and Zing for sending it to me.

Thanks from me too!!!  I think you saved my sanity, trying to cope with a sick little boy!!!  :)  No doubt this will remain a treasured item in our home for years to come!

We’ve had a couple of concerts in recent weeks that the kids have been involved in.

The first was our church’s Strawberry Fete. We hold this each year as a fundraiser. Basically it’s a concert but we sell strawberries and ice cream as well as have a cake stall, plant stall and some goodies for the kids to buy.

This year’s theme for our Sunday School portion of the concert was Superheroes.

Lleyton was Robin in one skit:

And a Gangster in another:

Singstar Princess was one of Superman’s cheerleaders:

And my little superhero:

The second was Singstar Princesses first dance concert.  She only started dance at the beginning of this year and while she did do one dance at our community concert, this was the first “official” dance concert for her.

She had an absolute blast!!!!

She was in 1 less dance than her class due to the term she missed while we were away.  There were a number of “combined” dances though so she was in 5 altogether.  I won’t bore you with photo’s of all 5 though!!! 

Here she is at home before we left:

So far I have been pretty lucky with dance outfits as the dance teacher co-ordinates what she wants and we just pay a set fee per year.

I tend to get pretty stressed trying to work out dress ups and costumes and the like.

But the kids love the chance to get up on stage and perform and they’re very lucky to have the opportunity.

I have been a terrible blogger of late.

Not so much in the writing side of blogging.

More in the commenting side of blogging.

You see, no one understands the true value of blog comments more than a blogger.

So in my mind, part of a bloggers role is to reach out and encourage other bloggers by commenting on their blogs.

I think it’s a fine line because some bloggers get worried their comments will only be construed as self promotion.

But it’s all about community isn’t it?

I find blog commenting is bit like blog writing.  When you’re in the habit of doing so regularly, it tends to just “happen”.

Get out of the “habit” though and it becomes easier to just read blogs quickly and move on to the next one.

Once upon a time I did a lot of blog commenting.  I’ve always got something to say so it’s not that hard really.

BUT, I’ve gotten out of the habit and fallen into the “read and move on” category.

I’m still READING.

I’m still appreciating what the blogger has to say.

Just, perhaps, not really letting them know.

So, I’m setting myself a challenge.

Comment on 100 blogs in 1 week.

At 14-15 blogs per day, it won’t be an easy challenge.

I’ll be posting next week on how I went.

Anyone else want to set themselves a blog commenting challenge?

This joke was recently shared on one of my yahoo groups.  It really made me laugh.  Hope it makes you laugh too. 

David  staggered home very late after another evening with his drinking  buddy, Paddy.   He took off his shoes to avoid waking his  wife, Kathleen..

‘Well,’ Kathleen  said, ‘it could be the open front door, it could be the broken  glass at the bottom of the stairs, it could be the drops of blood  trailing through the house, it could be your bloodshot eyes, but  mostly …… it’s all those Band-Aids stuck on the hall  mirror.

Happy Smiley Saturday everyone.