My first professional house clean.

OMG, for the first time in my life I am having my house cleaned by someone else today.....

It is a new experience for me, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet.  Yes, I am extremely happy not to be cleaning, but I feel slightly guilty.  Yes, I am paying them, so I shouldn't feel the least bit guilty, but I do.  I also feel guilty that I am not in there helping them out.  And I feel guilty that I am essentially a Stay-At-Home mum and really cleaning the house is part of my job description.  If I was out working - then there would be no questions, I would have the house cleaned weekly, but .... oh you know the story if you are a stay-at-home mum.  Money, guilty, spending, guilt, etc.

Anybody would think my husband is a money Nazi.  Not the case.  In fact when I was justifying getting a cleaner the other day (I am only 2 days off giving birth to number 3) I said I would only have a cleaning for the first 3 months after bubs was born, and only fortnightly, just to make life a little less stressful for a bit.  He promptly said "Once you get a cleaner, you are keeping a cleaner".  Who can argue with that.  I think it has something to do with the fact that he now pays someone to mow the lawn. Fair is fair I guess.

And besides, we both work very hard.  Him doing long hours at work and at home, and me trying to build up our gorgeous e-boutique www.shimi.com.au, which was essentially started to help out with things like cleaning, groceries, and holidays.  When you work hard it is nice to have weekends free to spend time with the kids without the call of housework and yard work looming over you.   That's how we look at life anyway.

We haven't quite made the holiday yet, besides a few little trips to the Coast and to Cairns to see my family, but that is our aim this year.  A great holiday where we can enjoy each other and our kids without having to do anything.  That was going to be Dunk Island, but after cyclone Yasi, unfortunately not.  Oh well - maybe next year.

Jen
www.shimi.com.au

Day 3 of our Holiday

Well the weather has changed and I am currently sitting in the unit watching the rain fall in the pool. My kids and husband are braving the rain and still swimming but they do have a hot spa to jump in and out of which, being pregnant, is off limits to me.


This is general for Queensland I guess, sunny one day, miserable the next and it seems to be that way every time we go on holidays. Although I enjoy the rain, it reminds me of my home town which had more rainy days then sunny. Great excuse to stay indoors and sew and paint, or hole up in the craft room.


But that wasn’t going to be the case on holidays. As much as our kids hated the idea of going to the beach (strange creatures, what child doesn’t love the beach) we finally persuaded them to make the 200 mtr trek to the beach and despite the weather we all had fun. The kids played in the sand and buried dead jellyfish whilst my husband and I played with a huge kite. I am pleased to say I am quite the expert kite flyer, whilst my husband is not! Not that I begrudge him being good and something, but he is very sporty and coordinated and constantly makes fun of my lack of coordination. So it was a silent and sweet revenge when I was able to keep the kite up in the for longer than a couple of seconds.


Anyway frustration took over for him and we ended up with a terrible tangled mess that took me the good part of a hour to sort out. So when we could take the miserable weather no more we trekked back to the unit and the kids spent the next two hours jumping from cold pool to hot spa. Kids can endure anything to have a bit of fun - I wish sometimes I could live by that motto.... "the house will still be untidy after we have fun, the mess can wait".  I think that will by my new mantra every morning.

In  the meantime I am enjoying sitting poolside (out of the rain) reading my Burda magazines for the umpteenth time decided on what handmade project I will tackle next.  I think I will try this paper twirl bowl.  I am a bit sceptical.  There are definitely projects I have tried that have been photographed really well but look pretty amateurish when complete.  But it looks pretty simple with just paper, scissors and a rotary cutter needed, and if it looks like the photograph it will be a nice addition to the table for a little while.  Paper is probably the safest with a house of young kids and cats anyway....

Jen & Row
www.shimi.com.au

Holidays

I had the good fortune to have a weekend away sans kids and husband, with two very special friends at a beautiful 5 star resort on the weekend.

We made the most of it and went early Saturday morning, spent the morning shopping, lunch out, more shopping, resort, swim, bar, dinner, etc. All without having to take a little person to the toilet, which was my last experience with dining out. Not once did my friend and I have to interrupt our lunch to take one of the kids to the bathroom, but six times between the two of us. Not that we expected to go out and have our kids abnormally sit beside us and not utter a work, but six bathroom breaks was pushing it slightly. When you have got to got, you've got to go I guess.

That made us all appreciate our mini break even more I think. Shopping was even a little different to us, but I think that is a holiday thing. I make very different purchasing when on holidays to what I would normally buy. Normal shopping seems to be very practical and sensible when you have kids, but the minute I am on holidays I start looking at the gorgeous flowing Maxi's and the super high heel shoes. And I am pleased to say I invested in both (and for a nearly 60% of each - shopping is great, but when you get a bargain, is there anything better).

It did get me thinking, why don't I live like this normally. Obviously I wouldn't break my neck wearing heels to the playground, but why not through on a great maxi dress - they are certainly the cooler option in summer. Love a maxi!! Here are a couple of favourites:

http://shimi.com.au/store/product_info.php?products_id=374

This is a great little number for those of us who like to cover up the tops of our arms, from Mimosa

http://www.stylehunter.com.au/site/index.cfm?module=STORETIGERV2&bit=products&product_id=194487

These numbers are so easy to wear and cover a multitude of sins. When autumn comes, pop on a cardigan, and you've got it for another season.

Happy shopping.

http://shimi.com.au/store/

Noosa Holiday and Australia Zoo

Well I am back today from a great holiday at Noosa with the family and some great friends.  And a wonderful, relaxing time was had by all.  I didn't take a computer which I was nervous about, running an on-line business and all, but it was the best thing I could have done.  Row did a fantastic job (as I knew she would) of keeping everything running smoothly, and I didn't work at all (accept for designing a few sneeky kids shirts - Noosa got the creative juices flowing).

On our last day of holiday's we packed the car up, said goodbye to our friends, and headed off to Australia Zoo.  It was a really great day, although the kids were scatty they were so tired from the week of swimming and sun.  In hind-sight, we should have gone at the start of the holiday, but regardless it was great.  We saw every animal in the zoo, and my 4 year old, who is normally quite timid around animals, insisted on getting her photo taken with an ENORMOUS python.  So we said yes, and nervously watched as the trainers wrapped with 5 metre snake around her.  She was unfazed.....  the most she had to say about it was that the snake felt heavy and slimy.

I would love to post some photos of our experience, but in our true style we forgot our camera and had to resort to using...... a disposable.  How quickly we forget the old.