Journey to the Meth Lab

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Although my series on mom bloggers is technically over, I sometimes stumble across a blog I love and just HAVE to include, so I think that is exactly what I will do, I will keep on interviewing and sharing as we go along 🙂

Today I want to introduce you guys to Jozi Donjeany Meth who blogs over at Memoirs from the meth lab. I absolutely love her blog but I must say it freaked me out a little…She’s short, with a tall x-box loving husband and a curly haired tyke who is busy for days…How is this woman living my life, in a skinnier body no less…hahaha
Here is what she has to say
-Tell us a little about your family…

I’ve been married to Joe, my X-box mad dude, for 3.5 years. We met 10 years ago in London and have been together ever since. Four months after getting married, we got the surprise that I was pregnant. Our son, Ryder, was born in August 2012 and is now going on 2.5 years old. We live in our home city of Durban.


– are you the big family or small family type
I would like two kids and no more, so definitely the small family type. Hubby is happy with one. Just one. I have two much older brothers myself so often felt like an only child growing up. I want to be able to give my kid(s) the very best experiences in life, which we personally could never afford with more than 2 of them. But I also think it’s important for Ryder to have a sibling.

-What do you do when not blogging?
Blogging is presently a very small part of my life. I work in PR and marketing so my work days are pretty full. On weekends it’s all about keeping Ryder busy and stimulated. I only recently resumed blogging and currently it fits in during the precious hour or so before Ryder is awake, or after his bedtime.

-What made you decide to blog?
I love writing. There are stories swirling around in my head throughout the day that I know will never make it into actual written pieces, because of time. I usually end up posting anecdotes on Facebook. I tinkered with blogging very sporadically in the lead up to getting married, but now with a toddler I find there are so many things I want to record. Blogging beats recording it in baby books, which I never stuck to!

-What was your concept behind the blog?
Zero concept behind it. Haha. It started off as a general blog with occasional tales of my attempts to give up smoking and my wedding preparations. Now it’s full on motherhood, which provides so much fodder. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a journey that brings me so much joy that I do love writing about it.

– Where does blog name come from?
I married a guy whose surname is Meth. We have a pretty liberal sense of humour on both sides of the family, and when I was pregnant and people would ask what I’m going to name the baby, I would say it’s a girl and we’re going to call her Crystal. I use a double-barrel surname in my work life, but I am slowly getting used to the idea of letting go of my maiden name. I made a joke one day calling my in-laws and I ‘The Meth Lab’ and they thought it was hilarious. So the blog, as a collection of tales from my extended family and I, is called Memoirs from the Meth Lab. This might be utterly offensive to some and I apologise. Kinda.

-Did you find yourself nervous at prospect of letting people into your life in this way?
Yes. I’m used to over-sharing on Facebook, but that’s with only 400 of your closest friends (hah!). One of the first blog posts I wrote got a negative comment and I was so devastated it put me off it for ages. I’m older now and more thick-skinned. I try to keep things pretty light. So far there has been no need to get deep and dark and introspective.

-Do you ever worry that your child will be like “mom why are you exposing my life?” (I worry sometimes)?
Yes. I created a Facebook profile for him much earlier this year (groan) because that was my first outlet for recording important milestones. I knew he would be a digi kid and I wanted him to have a record of his early life. Mama is not the scrapbooking type. But I keep obsessing over his digital footprint and Googling his name to check what’s out on the net about him. 

-Does your family read your blog?
My husband is very inactive on social media so has only read like two posts. Maybe a few family members who have me on Facebook have read it.

-What do you hope to achieve through the blog?
At the moment, nothing but to have a record of my family life and if I can share a few important gems of wisdom along the way, then bonus.

-What do you think about the blogging culture in South Africa?
As an observer, I love the growth of blogging in SA. I’ve been following a motley crew of blogs for a while, but right now mommy blogs are what keeps me going. I can’t really provide much of an insider perspective because I’m not actively involved in “blogging culture.”

-What do you think makes for a “good blog“
Personally, I love good, creative, funny, honest writing. Things I can relate to. Great visuals are awesome, but great content still gets me. And maybe I’m a  bit of a voyeur, because I love getting an inside peek into how other people live.

-How do you personally measure success in the blogging world
I suppose follower numbers and all that will follow. But right now, I’m happy with just comments showing that people have appreciated or been interested in what I’ve shared.

Make-up must have… tutorial

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Sometimes when you are not feeling your best (me the last couple of days) it helps to still try and look your best (take your own advice Eleanor!) my gran always believed that looking good was step one in feeling good, so it’s time to fake it till I feel it 😉

Today Ranique gives some advise on how to put your game face on… and what products you will need to make that face a pretty one, hehehe

As the New Year starts its a good time to check your make-up bag/kit…
You might have a few items that needs to be tossed away.
Yes make-up also has a expiry date!
So how do know how long you’ve had your favourite lip gloss?
If you don’t remember, you need to estimate and if you cant estimate, then try to check if your make-up smells funny or funky or off.
That’s usually also a cue for make-up to find a new home in the bin.

So now that you might have less make-up…
It’s time to get some new things!
But what to buy?
Now if you’re replacing your make-up,  your brushes should probably also make it’s way to the bin.
And this time you’re going to get exactly what you need.
There are 8 brushes you need to apply your make-up with ease.

Now that you have new brushes, you need fabulous make-up to match.
Clicks and Dischem has this amazing “mini kit” with everything you need!

It contains EVERYTHING you need!
Mascara
Eyeliner
Gloss
Blush
Eyeshadow

Now if you’re someone who doesn’t wear make-up everyday,  this “mini kit” is a goid start.
You have 10 eyeshadow colour options to play around with.
2 blush options.
It retails at R279,99.
So it’s a real good saving too.
Being 6 months into motherhood has thought me to wear make-up the simple way.
Like Ella says, “Gloss and go!”
Sometimes I put in real effort and go all out with my make-up,  because I need to “carry my work” every now and then.
But other days it has to be “gloss and go!”
What’s so nice about this “mini kit” is that it has the gloss for simple days and the colour tòo for vava voom days!
But don’t fret if you’re a “Gloss and go!” girl, it’s simple…
The beauty lies in the simplicity.

You’ve got work to do….
Go chuck away the old and get with the new… It’s a fabulous way to start the New Year!
Now go shopping!

Finding your smile does wonders…

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Today’s post is late because I was out playing “reporter reporter” well I usually update the night before but wifi issues meant I couldn’t and today I was just too busy.

Playing reporter in real life is not quite as easy as the type I played as a child; asking my family questions and setting up little reports on my computer before printing out news letters, with clipart as photos…
I love writing and finding out more about people, it’s the relying on others that’s the problem, you can never get hold of people, you can never set something up quick enough… in the words of a journo friend of mine, “why cant it be; I ask. you answer. I write.we go home?”
I covered the matric results today which was a baptism of fire.
After three years of being office bound, running around finding stories and filing them before deadline has left me EXHAUSTED.
My previous job left me exhausted too, but an office type exhausted, I bet I’m not making sense ,but wrecking my brain and sorting things out at my desk is different to running around in the heat while time ticks down.
The last one left my brain tired while this one  has me tired in my body, in my bones.
God has always had a way of throwing me in the deep end, testing me and I feel like this might be it.
God gives me the worst case scenario and says…… sooooo what do you think?
and you know what I think? I think I got this, the sleepless nights worrying were completely unnecessary…if I could deal with today every other day should be so doable..
I’d say this journo thing came back to me like riding a bicycle, but that would be a lie because I tried riding a bicycle after years of not riding and I fell on my face, and I certainly don’t plan on falling on my face 🙂
It’s challenging but I’m up for a challenge and I get to come home to my gorgeous boys so no matter how tough the day is it always ends in a smile…
Here’s to finding your smile…. also look big lipped girls can pout too

My weekend and an almost instant smoothie recipe

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Aidan LOVES stickers “stickies” I noticed he got a thrill from taking stickers off clothes and putting it on things
I bought him a sticker book and it’s been quite the hit 🙂
LOVE these by woolies, where were they when I was pregnant or breastfeeding
I can’t decide which one is my favourite….
This is how I saw Aidan most this weekend…uppy mama uppy ….think he realized work was about to get full time again
Went bowling with the in laws of Friday-here Robin’s brother Allan shows his daughter how to bowl
Allan happens to be Aidan’s Godfather
I love this pic 🙂
Aidan’s aunts, on the right it’s Allan’s wife Kim and on the left Robin’s sister Mandy
Me and Kamryn 🙂
Just chilling with a blow up pool, because we can 🙂
Seeing these two together is good for my heart
A little smoothie tip:
Freeze a banana and a handful of other fruit of your choice together in a container
When you want a smoothie just blend it with a glass of milk (the frozen banana makes sure it’s nice and thick)
I add a little fun sized yogurt (when I use soya milk) and am able to change the flavor by changing the yogurt
EASY PEASY
I do this every time I go grocery shopping (whatever fruit is on sale) and can whip up a smoothie or two with minimal effort 🙂

When this wife and mom thing gets REAL

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Sometimes I feel like I’m failing my son,my husband and myself…

Yesterday was one of those days.

Picture this; I’m standing in a messy house (despite our best efforts, having Aidan “on holiday” from day care, the two day a week cleaning lady on leave for 3 weeks so far with no indication of when she will be back, and us only having random days off from work, is really starting to show).

I’m ankle deep in washed but not ironed or packed away clothes looking for something to wear to work today. Something that actually fits! I’ve got menstrual cramps, a pie made from Robs leftover chicken curry in the oven and the annoying sound of the TV ringing in my ears (can’t take music or TV when I’m tense…I’m a silence please kind of girl). The monthly budget still needs to be done and I have a strong suspicion it’s about to sound like our GPS, “recalculating recalculating”…

Aidan looks up at me with the last reminence of a discontinued lipstick (I was totally saving) plastered on his face. The cookie cutter in his hand evidence of him having packed out the toy box I just painstakingly “sorted out”.

I’m not really up to arguing with him right now, having recently reprimanded him for unpacking all the spices in the spice rack, throwing the bottles in a big popcorn bowl and then stiring it with a braai skewer he got off the table by using that same popcorn bowl as a stepping stool…

But then he starts hurling things at me and laughing like a cartoon villain.

 Rolled up socks mostly but the whole experience stings.

I don’t want a child who is into gratuitous violence thank you very much.
He seems to be doing this when tired these days and it has been added to my list of parenting queries under; why doesn’t my child eat and why does he find the naughty corner so funny. 

With the anxiety of starting a new job in the back of my mind (I don’t doubt that I can actually do it – not my first rodeo – but haven’t had to pitch story ideas in ages and I always freak out before starting anything new…its kinda my thing) 

Suddenly I was just so overwhelmed, I couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed in a heap, tears rolling down my face. 

I don’t think I would have got a mothering licence if that was a thing.

The report would say things like, questionable housekeeping habits,  not up to challenge of cooking three square meals a day, looses her temper when building blocks are hurled at her, a complete failure in the get back into shape after baby arena,works entirely too much, has counted popcorn and half a yogurt as supper for a toddler because the daily “oh dear goodness eat something!anything!please” thing had run its course…and so on and so forth.

I sat down feeling utterly defeated, calling for a life time-out (on the first of January nogal) 

That’s when the cutest thing happened…Aidan handed me his sippy cup and broke a cracker in half (not sure where he got it,don’t wanna know) handed it to me and said “share mamma”…

He lay next to me silently sipping on milk and rubbing my hand.

Meanwhile his Dad had salvaged the practically burning pie, packed our lunches (my job as he does supper and I do breakfast and lunch) and even cleaned up the kitchen. 

I found myself suddenly feeling so silly…. so what if I’m not perfect? I have found my perfect place with these two and they appreciate and accept me craziness and all and that right there is what it’s all about 🙂
 
 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR PEOPLES

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Every new year social networks are overrun by people saying things like “bleugh here comes the resolutions again” , “don’t people know they don’t need a calender to change”, “what is the big deal with new years?” , “New year same nonsense”.
I’m not of that school of thought. I’m well aware that this isn’t a Cinderella story and the clock striking 12 does nothing more than signaling awkward drunk kisses around the world, but there is just something about the new year that I love.
It’s the time equivalent of opening a brand new notebook…
So much promise and opportunity… you can do anything you want with this brand new year … and pretty much anything can happen (granted I sort of feel like this about Mondays as well)
People (the non negative ones) seem so full of of expectation and joy at this time of year and that right there is a reason to love the season.

Happy New Year guys I hope you fill the pages of this “new notebook” with great stories