At iVillage we’re passionate about supporting Australian bloggers. That’s why we’ve created iBlog Friday.
It's a chance for bloggers introduce their favourite post of the week to iVillage readers and for our community to read what Aussie writers are up to.
Here are the bloggers who have sent their submissions this week. Happy reading!
Bianca Slade of Wholefood Simply has sent in a must-try recipe for Share the Love Protein Balls.
You guys cannot see me but I am short by everyone’s standards. The other day we were skipping at the gym, it is fair to say that I trip more then skip, the ropes are long, I do not need to make this skipping thing any harder for myself. Out of no-where I was handed a rope of perfect length! The owner had cut it too short for himself. This was my lucky day. I can honestly say I did my longest skip stint yet, was it the rope or the high from receiving such kindness? Who knows. I do love my new rope.
To repay the kindness I made protein balls. They have been a big hit at the gym and I hope you guys love them too. Make a batch and share them with your exercise buddies, nothing feels better then spreading the love
Read the rest of Bianca's post here.
Amanda Reboul of My Champagne Daze delights us with this adorable post called Champagne, Valentino and the Little Black Dress.
I have, in my memory bank, an unforgettable day in Paris that involved champagne (naturally), Valentino and a little black dress. It’s a memory that I conjure up when I am feeling slightly inadequate, or want to remind myself that fairytales do exist, you just sometimes have to move the goal posts.
At the time, I was living in Chantilly a beautiful town about 40km north of Paris, historically linked to Princes of Condé (cousins of the kings of France). I mention this because everyday I drove past the Chateau de Chantilly and was reminded of the opulence of pre-Revolutionary France, and dreamt a little bit about being a princess. I loved Chantilly, our house, our neighbours and the friends I made while I was there. So, when we learnt that my husband’s job was going to take us to Tokyo indefinitely, I needed cheering up. So did my friends.
Read the rest of Amanda's post here.
Mothers Day is in danger of metamorphosing into the commercial carnival of Halloween (Halloween Humbug) and Valentine’s Day and it’s getting harder to avoid being sucked into it. Tried booking lunch in a decent restaurant on Mother’s Day? Think again. There are now special Mothers day menus created especially for us, althoughI have yet to discover the perfect restaurant that serves three courses of Chardonnay, cholesterol and chocolate.
As I said, my attitude might be a little less misanthropic if Mother’s Day hadn’t fallen during this particular month.
As children, we are taught to never ever question our mothers, and I’m sure I’ll pay for this one day when I have children…but I have to say it.
There are some things that my mother was wrong about.
1. The Eiffel Tower is not very far away.
This is one that my mom will never live down. We were on a family holiday in Paris, and we were out and about doing our touristy thing. At the Arc De Triomphe (please don’t think I’m just name dropping, there really is a story here…), my mother says, “oh look, I can see the Eiffel Tower from here…it doesn’t look so far away. Let’s walk there!”
Famous last words.
“I have this new Macklemore song that I like to dance to. Mum says I can even sing it as long as I don’t sing the f… bits”
"I'm sure as sh*& tired of all this PRTR (Possible Road Trip Racism)," my toddler said. It's not often he's in such a great mood, so I decided not to tell him about Melbourne's recent difficulties with DTR (Definite Train Racism).
When we got to our hotel, my boy does what he always does – he headed straight for the minibar.
I heard a shriek.
"What in the name of Jesus and Joseph is this?!"
He was holding up one of these:
Keri Arkell of Awesomely Unprepared has sent in the cutest post, an apology written to her by her dogs, called An Apology.
We knew we’d made a bit of a mistake when Mum and that little human you guys keep inside, found us snuggled up at the crime scene this morning. It just felt so bushy and warm. We hope you understand that direct eye contact is a little difficult at this time. We are trying to come to terms with what we have done. We were cold and we can’t help it if our instincts told us to make a nest. Sure, we have a big, spacious kennel out back but in all fairness we destroyed our bed too so we needed alternative accommodation. It’s not ALL our fault, you see. I think it would be only right for you to take some accountability here too. It does take four to tango. Not that we know what a tango is. But it sounds like something people do when they admit their dogs aren’t completely to blame for something that may or may not have allegedly happened. Our lawyer told us to say that.
Read the rest of Keri's post here.
Sarah Wills of Pearls of Willsdom explores the dilemma of being a working mum in Money? Pfft. The REAL reason I'm a working mum.
Like many of you, dear readers, I’m a working mother. [Cue applause.]
Although doing actual work is overrated, I rather like heading into the office for a chat. My aim is to distract my surrounding colleagues as much as possible in order to start solid gasbagging sessions as often as possible.
I always win.
What can I say? It’s a talent that’s never accurately captured in my Key Performance Indicators, but was always mentioned in school report cards. Funny that.
Read the rest of Sarah's post here.
Michaela Fox of Not Another Slippery Dip writes a beautiful letter to her mum in her post Happy Mother's Day.
Thank you for driving thousands of kilometres across Melbourne to take me to tennis tournaments, tennis lessons, and tennis camps. Navigating the street directory was not your strong point, but your enthusiasm for sitting courtside and watching us play certainly was!
Thank you for providing us with The Best Lunches in school. Those chicken schnitzel sandwiches were legendary at primary school and I am sorry I traded them for the inferior vegemite variety. My friends reaped the benefits of my slow-to-develop palate.
Read the rest of Michaela's post here.
Shirley Harring of Rhubarb Whine has sent in a brilliant post called When Shaun Micallef Came to Visit.
Like most people, someone dropping in unexpectedly sends me into a mild spin. How clean is the house? Is my hair brushed? Are the toilets clean? (I live with boys, you get the idea).
The idea of a celebrity dropping in unannounced sends me into a major spin. I would need a week to get the house in order, lose 5 kilos, have my hair done and try for a make-over. Especially if it was a celebrity that I have a mild crush on. (Like this guy, for example.)
But when Shaun Micallef came to my house, I was naked.
Read the rest of Shirley's post here.
Michelle Barraclough of Bumparella writes about her adventures as a step-mother in her post The Mama Mix.
So by now, clever reader, you've figured out the princess-ish stepmother is me.
On my wedding day, I stood at the altar and looked at my new husband and my three new step-children and thought “Wow, I'm actually marrying four people. Hmmmm . . . how hard can Danish really be?!"
No, no, no . . . I jest! What I really thought was, “Oh God, let me be a good stepmother and create a happy home for them.” I thought it was the parents who do the teaching, not the other way round.
Read the rest of Michelle's post here.
Caylie Jeffery of Distractions of a busy mother talks about the bond between children and their teachers and coaches in this post Love Thy Children's Teacher.
I truly loved these people. They introduced me to new worlds that ignited my imagination, fascination and passion. They taught me that teachers were human people who did their very best, taking care of me at times when others couldn't.
But these aren't MY teachers that I'm talking about now. I am talking about the people who teach my kids…
My children's Kindy teachers are like soul-sisters to me. They know all about my babies- they have watched them grow, dried their tears, wiped their bottoms and loved them openly…all of the things I do and more sometimes. They are patient and kind, when sometimes I am not. They see beauty and innovation, where sometimes I can not. They are my children's carers, for half the year, when I am not. And sometimes, ever so often, they comfort and care for me…
Read the rest of Caylie's post here.
The winner will be published on Monday and that blogger will win a 9 pack of CDs from the Jazz Club collection.
This fabulous selection covers an array of repertoires, from rare historical recordings to the latest trends, with artisis including Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.
