Making Me Smile

{artist's impression: kids playing Wii}

I'll tell you some stories from my week which made me smile, but there are no photos.
Why? Because I have to share my rechargeable camera batteries with the Wii remotes until we get around to buying some more. And when you spot a great photo-opportunity it's such a hassle to fumble the batteries out of Wii remotes, what with numchucks and rubber sleeves and all; plenty great snap-worthy moments have past by sadly unrecorded.

My battery-less camera sits photo-less and I've had to use all my creative powers to bring you some pictures. Because a post without pictures is for me like Lady Gaga without her wierd outfits (unrecognisable and slightly boring).

Making me smile this week is...

{artist's impression: Dash making lunch}

Dash waking up before 7am every morning and making his school lunchbox. In fact, the first morning he also made Miss Fab's lunchbox, but she was in a morning-grump and was less than impressed and complained about his food choices (don't worry I scolded her ingratitude)... so Dash gave up being the Lunchbox Angel for his ungrateful sister, which she now regrets.

{artist's impression: Dash with lunchbox}

But that first back-to-school morning, to wake up to the sound of fully-clothed Dash saying, "I've made our lunchboxes"...?
Priceless.

Loving that he is being so responsible.
Grateful that there's one less job for me.

{artist's impression: back to school}

Also making me smile is the kids being back at school.
A quiet house. Floors that stay clean. Blogging time!

Loving a few hours to myself each day.
Grateful for a great school and good teachers for my kids.

{artist's impression: brotherly-sisterly love}

This one really made me smile.
The kids have recently been given MP3 players and they have both become huge Stan Walker fans, especially Dash.
Both my kids belong on the stage. Neither of them lack in confidence.
Miss Fab has been planning and practising her entry for "School's Got Talent" since last September, singing and dancing in her room. the choice of song changes weekly, but it's always a Stan Walker track.

So this morning I hear this from the next room...
DASH: Hey Ab, you know how we both love Stan Walker?
MISS FAB: Yeah?
DASH: Well do you think we could maybe do something together for Schools Got Talent?
MISS FAB: What, do a Stan Walker song you mean? Together???
DASH: Yeah, maybe that rap song of his cos I'm really good at rap...

Awwwww, shucks. Now wouldn't that be a sight?
I must mention that there is no guarantee there will even be a "School's Got Talent" show this year. And if there is, it will be in September. But hey, isn't it sweet that Big brother wants to get up on stage with his Little Sister in front of all his school friends??



Loving that he wanted to sing with her.
Grateful for Stan Walker - an awesome role model.

{artist's impression: my pregnant belly}

OK this next one is one of those "if you don't laugh you'll cry" stories.
I'm in my bedroom hoisting myself into a brassiere when Miss Fab walks in.
She smiles at me sweetly as she walks over and slides her arms around my waist...
"Hey mum," she says gazing into my eyes oh-so-lovingly, "Do you know that your tummy looks like there's a baby inside?"

Waaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

And then. I drop Scrag off at kindy and run into a (tiny little) kindy mum who had asked me yesterday if I'd be interested in doing a Boxing class.
This morning she asked me if I'd mentioned the class to my friend Meg, "I've noticed she's looking amazing," this skinny mummy said, "What's she been doing?"
I listed off Meg's amazing fitness efforts... the gym, Couch-to-5k programme yada yada yada.
"Yep she's pretty amazing," I conclude.
"So what's your excuse????" she says to me.

Gulp.
Sputter.
Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!

Feeling really good about myself here, people.
Obviously my return to gluten-free eating is not yet paying many dividends. My extra-sweaty-house-cleaning is obviously not shaking any pounds and neither is my sporadic walk-to-the-cafe-instead-of-driving. And I haven't kayaked enough for it to count.

So here I sit. Salvaging my self-esteem and kicking myself for not coming up with a witty retort.

Loving that I'm still loved by my family even if I'm 13kg away from my goal weight.
Grateful that tomorrow is a new day and I can still justdoit if I want.

Right, now I'm off to use my Active 2 Wii game* - with heart rate monitor and fitness band.  The very same one that helped Kristy kick her Christmas pounds, and which awesome fit-and-fab Meg helped me set up yesterday. You just wait, skinny kindy mum. This time next year I won't be mistaken for a pregnant lady!

...............................................

• Active 2 is awesome and clever and best bought from NZGameShop - currently only NZ$22.95 + Free Postage
  
• The pencil-pictures are created from old photographs in Photoscape, in Edit/Home under Filter/Pictorialisation/Pencil - lots of cool effects to play with there