Looking forward to….

… A week-end where we are all together. I’m can’t wait for my week-end to start. The weather is quiet promising and Other Half will be with us for a whole 2 days.

As some of you know, Other Half is a policeman, which means he sometimes has to work on week-ends. I don’t mind being alone with the kids on weekdays as time flies fast with school, bath, homework, preparing dinner, and cleaning up, but week-ends are different.

It's always so much more fun when Other Half is is around.

Proof?: When Other Half is absent, the kids keep on asking several times a day when Daddy will be home to the point that when they are upset they would cry hard and keep on asking for him. I pretty much do the same thing, but my pity party involves a tub of Nutella and a bag of chips to follow. 

On top of having Other Half around, I’ll be spending my Sunday morning with my best friend. I’ll be taking her to a Zumba class, I’m not sure that she’ll survive it but then again, I’m not sure I will either… Then Sunday afternoon, I have invited a nice family to have lunch with us, which means my house will be full of joy and laughter, and that’s all I need for now…

That’s why I’m so excited that we'll all be together as we did not have the chance to be with Other Half last week. Reunited and it feels so good.... [insert cough here] Sorry, didn't mean to break into a song there.

Anyway, I hope you’ll all have a fabulous week-end filled with good laughs, love,  great food, and sweet friends…

Friday thought and song...

I just love this song and the video... Hope you'll like it too…

Why would I need to eat salad?!

So a while ago, because I had noticed that Other Half gained a bit of weight,  I told the kids that when they got out with their Daddy at McDonalds, they should push their Dad to eat a salad instead of having a hamburger, which they now do all the time…

But then yesterday morning, while I was about to get dressed to take them to school, Morgane followed me in the dressing room. I saw her staring at my derriere and I could see that she wanted to say something. So I asked:

ME: Morgane, honey what’s wrong?

Morgane: well mom, remember when you told us we should push Daddy to eat a salad instead of junk food?

ME: yes of course I do honey, and I’m glad he is listening to you

Morgane: well, mom, I think you should eat salad too…

ME: really?! Why? I don’t feel like I’ve gained any weight lately…

Then she points at my backside and says:

But mom, look! Your butt has gotten so big that you knickers don’t even cover your whole butt anymore!!!

I laughed so hard, she didn’t understand how in heaven I wasn’t panicking… And that is how my daughther learned the difference between a panty and a thong….

I'm sorry, I'm not ready for this yet:

My thoughts on the new Facebook layout....

… IT SUCKS!!! Looks like Facebook had a brain fart and we are paying for it. So as a lot of friends are having the same thought, I wmight share my opinion with the world :-)

My suggestions on how to fix it:

Source

Holy Shit!!!!

Do you remember my last post about watching a horror movie with Other Half?

Well if the first one scared the shit out of me, I think this one will find the end of me!!!

Will I be crazy enough to watch this when it comes out?... I think I’ll need to grow some balls first LOL

Monday Thoughts...

This image made me smile and now I hope it makes you smile too...

Wishing you all a Joyful Week!

Do I want more kids?…

Most of the time the answer is no, but when I start hesitating I just look at this chart (except that for me, it would be a third child):

BUT, if you are like me, still hesitating, I suggest you watch this funny video, and you will probably have your answer… I just couldn't stop laughing...

This video is sooooo true… I mean, I love having my nephew and nieces at home but it’s also nice to be able to let them go back home after a day or two. One of my nieces is 2 years and a half, she’s adorable, but now that I’m out off potty training, early morning milk calling, I can’t imagine doing it all over again… And above all, my kids are finally starting to behave (notice I wrote that in a very tiny font? It's because I don't want to jinx it!) so why on earth would I put myself into hell again :o)

Wise Words...

… For those of you who are on a hectic morning at work just like me…

HANG IN THERE !!!

I am doing my official "Coming Out"…

... So I might be losing a few friends (and readers) or maybe they weren’t friends to begin with…

I turned 30 last January and since then, I have been taking time to focus on what is most important in my life at this stage and to sort through/ eliminate what is not. Over the last year, I’ve experienced some soul-shaking, deep change. Change is always an ongoing process, but as I look back I can see the ones that are now definite. My values have changed. My habits are changing. What I need is still relatively the same but I can just see those needs clearer. My wants (the true and deep ones) are coming into focus, too.

I’m a Christian. So there you have it…  Most of the people who know me knew about this part of me but for the others that didn’t it is sometimes hard for them to understand and my behaviour in my past didn't help...

So this is my official coming out…                                  

I want this blog to represent me, and to do so I need to be honest and take responsibility for ALL that I am…

So today, this post is as a challenge to myself.

A challenge - to show the real me.

A challenge - to change and become as day passes a better person, a better mom, a better wife, a better friend.

A challenge - to be truly honest with myself.

A challenge -  to stop hiding a part of me another minute longer.

Why didn’t I do this before? Simply, because I didn’t know better. I didn’t know that there was already someone loving me unconditionally, that this person was the Lord. I’ve suffered enough. All the loneliness, the pain, the eating disorder, and the anger… I tried compensating by doing drugs and having a promiscuous life. I ‘m not proud of it, I wish I could erase it all but I can’t. But I know one thing; turning to God has changes my life and most probably has saved it too.

I forgave myself for the mistakes I had done and learned to be happy and not be driven to go to dark places. Other Half and my kids are also a big part of this shift in my life. It’s been a long journey but I’m finally starting to feel at peace and simply content and happy…

By reading these few paragraphs, many will be thinking: “Wow, Church has found a good candidate here to brainwash!”

A lot of non-believers think that Christians only believe in God because they are scared to spend eternity in hell. They’ll think that Church uses the weaknesses in people and hell as real scare tactics to gain more followers.

While I am sure that there are some churches and individuals who use these methods as a scare tactic, I very much disagree with this way of thinking. 

Do I believe in hell? Oh yes. But I have no idea what it’ll be like aside from the fact that it is a place void of God, and where spirit are eternally tormented AND THAT  IS THE #1 reason I do not want to be in hell.

I believe in God because, with Him, there is a hope, there is a true promise of happiness. And so because I believe in hell, I also believe in heaven – and there is where I want to be when my life on earth is over…

I want to go there because I love God and I want to be close to Him, and never feel pain ever again… Of course there are other reason, I want to be amongst other Christians, people I read of, people who managed to changed so many lives and inspire people to be happy and enjoy life at the fullest. I want to experience being with people fully at peace and be one of them.

There have been a few instances in my life where I really believe that I have been in the presence of God, and there is nothing like it. Never have I felt so humbled, so inadequate, yet so LOVED. All my sins washed away and forgiven. Filled with such emotions that my body automatically gives out from under me; where I kneel and bow. These very moments were the moments where  I felt safe and comforted.  

Do I know that I will go to heaven? Yes. I am confident that I will go to heaven. And I am not being arrogant or presumptuous here — I know that God loves me, sent His only Son to die on the cross for me, that by His grace I am saved, and that I will enter heaven when my life on earth is over.

I am not afraid to die.

The only fear I have about the afterlife is that my loved ones will not be in heaven with me. And this is the reason I’m putting my faith out there and try to share my secret to happiness and peace, especially to those who are important in my life. Because I cannot imagine spending the next life without my children, my Other Half, my family and my dearest friends.

I know that many will read this and think that I am completely delusional. It’s OK. All I know is that I am confident in my faith, and that I want to share my faith with others because I want them to experience this same joy.  

And yes, I am trying to raise my children in the same faith and although my Other Half doesn’t share my Faith, I am thankful to him for keeping an open mind.

I pray that by raising my kids with my faith, that they will grow to love Christ just as I do

My pastor once said that as a Christian parent it is my 1st jobs to make sure that his children will never know a day when they did not feel loved by God. And that is precisely what I hope to do.

I want my children to know that no matter what they do, no watter who they become, they are already loved and hopefully, they won’t experience the same pain I went through before finding peace in the Lord…

Thank you for reading…

PS: I took off the option to post a comment on this post because as much as I receive kind notes I also unfortunately receive some that are nasty when it comes to my faith. I accept the people who don’t believe in God as it is not my place to judge, but I ask that you don’t judge me either and if my blog post are so difficult for you to read, you have the choice not to visit anymore… But anyway, I hope you find happiness wherever it is for you…

Hello Autumn!

Autumn has begun yeayy!!! The rain is currently staying away but the crisp air speaks more of colder days to come…. I LOVE Autumn, there is just something so fresh and healthy and exciting about this season. Autumn feels like a promise of a new start. Like fresh books and walks in the park and jumping in leaves and drinking hot coffees inside while rain is pouring down my windows. Cozy knits and my beloved leather boots . A new scarf to go with it maybe. A trench-coat. A nice glass of red wine and blazing log fires. As you can gather, I am totally feeling fall today!

So again, Welcome Back Fall!! I am embracing this new season, and all the joyful memories ahead…

Wanted to share this song with you – nice lyrics and amazingly beautiful women in the clip.

ENJOY!

So some people should be ashamed…

ALERT ! ALERT ! My OCD just kicked in ! Well Iv’e been trying to control it for a while But ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

So I am interrupting my daily joyful posting to tell you:

"I’M SO DAMN SICK OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INCAPABLE OF REPLACING THE TOILET PAPER ROLL!!!!"

Evidence in Toilet n°1 of my office:

Evidence in Toilet n°2 of my office:

I see a roll on the bin and immediately my thoughts go coockaloo "hello germs! Bacterias! Lady problems!" Damn it!!! Are you a moron or what?!

So while I'm still trying to regain a bit of calm, please watch the following video and try to get the message I'm trying to pass on:

Thank you for your kind attention, I hope I never cross the path of a lady who is getting out of the toilet leaving it in the state I just found them as – I PROMISE YOU THAT ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE!!!

It's Monday!!!

… And I wanted to share with you some positive notes.

HOPE YOU WILL ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!

Wishing you All....

… A BEAUTIFUL WEEK-END !!!!

 

I married my best friend...

I always knew that on that day, my life would never be the same.  However, I would have never imagined that my life-changing moment would happen with the help of an internet dating website almost 9 years ago.  Despite living alone out of a few suitcases, with a horrible job, and not having many friends, I somehow found my Other Half.

Years ago I would have been embarrassed to tell anyone how I met my Other Half, back when meeting someone online was deemed to be taboo or too risky, and merely for the eccentric internet user.  But I have no regrets meeting him in person on a whim. Even though I was planning it to be a "temporary" thing, I took a chance.  I figured my chance was lost when he ended our first date with a kiss on the cheek, but with a stroke of luck, all the odds were in my favor, and another date followed.  Turns out, he was just a geeky gentleman.

Like the Jason Mraz song, I fell in love with my best friend. Lately, I have realized that many of my friends are struggling, some of their relationships or marriages are falling apart, so I often find difficult to answer to one question: "How come you guys are still so much in love?"

 

 

I met my Other Half when I was 21. It wasn’t love at first sight, but talking to him was so easy that somehow I felt attracted to him. We started dating, and curiosity and lust gradually turned into love. A deep and committed love. The kind of love that I witnessed as a child, growing with parents whom, after more than 40 years of marriage, are still in love.

When he asked me to marry him, I said yes, but quickly got cold feet. I needed time – I was only 25– I was way too young. What if he wasn’t Mr. Right? Can we take a year off? I begged, and he, wisely, said no.

Five years later, I have a crystal clear image of myself, in the dark, sitting in the living room, and thinking, trying to make a decision. When suddenly, I knew what I needed to do. I closed my eyes and imagined my life without him. Packing up, renting a new apartment, with a baby in my arm. Going about my daily life without him. Preparing and eating meals with only my son, shopping, going on trips or going out at night when Arthur would be with his dad, doing things without my Other Half included.

I couldn’t imagine it. It felt so empty, so meaningless. Even the promise of new experiences, of meeting new men and dating again and "making the most of my freedom" did not feel so exciting anymore. Leaving him would be like giving up a part of me – a big part of me. He was the one – and I wasn’t going to turn him into "the one I let go".

So I married him, at the age of 25. He was 35. We’ve been together ever since, raising two children, building a life, deepening our commitment and our friendship, keeping the lust, and – most importantly – laughing and having fun together. We make each other laugh, we make each other think. We have a ton of respect for each other. He’s my best friend and I think I am his, and the gender differences make it all the more interesting.

When people ask me, "What’s your secret? 9 years together, 5 years of marriage, 2 kids, and you guys still look very much in love?" I tell them that yes, we are very happy together, but I’m not sure if I can share any secrets or give any tips. A lot of it is luck, after all.

Or maybe not? I made a conscious decision NOT to let him go. And throughout the years, we have made repeated decisions to keep investing in the relationship, to keep it alive, to work at it, to keep ourselves interesting, and as attractive as age permits – for one another. I try not to push his buttons and him mine.

Will our marriage last forever? I hope so. As I have seen too many of my friends separating or cheating on their partner, I’ll never be able to believe in "happily ever after" the way I used to. But for the past nine years, and for the foreseeable future, I am so very grateful to be in love with my best friend.

Happy Anniversary my Other Half! I love you… Always….

Tomorrow is Friday...

... And I’m already celebrating!!!! Yiiihhhhaaaa!!!!

Lucky....

After work this evening, I’ll be heading home to my 2 kids and my Other Half. As I’ll open the door, I’ll hear  Arthur and Morgane shouting joyfully: "Mommy! You’re home!". Other Half will come towards me embrace me and kiss me the forehead. Dinner will almost be ready and the kids will have taken their bath and will already be in their PJs ready to be tucked into bed after dinner.

That’s a usual weekday for me… A beautiful picture isn’t it?

Yet sometimes, I’ll admit, I take it all for granted. I hang on to little things that irritate me, which turns me into a total frustrated psycho bitch. So what if the house isn’t clean when I get home? What is so bad about Arthur getting told off at school because he was just well… being a kid?!

I was surfing on the blogosphere yesterday afternoon and found a post from a wife who lost her husband. a while ago He committed suicide and left behind a wife and 2 young children. This couple used to be happy, but then depression kicked in for the husbandand at one stage he just couldn’t handle the pressure that was in his life and ended it all…

And this is what his wife wrote:

I am so jealous, of everyone.

I dropped a friend of mine home a few days ago, and watched as she entered her house. Where her husband and children were waiting. The house lit and alive and warm.

The house I come home to is cold and dark as I bundle my children inside. It warms soon, with light and laughter. But it is up to me to do that.

I miss the feeling of coming home to safety and security, the home fires burning. Ever since January, all I've wanted to do is go home, where it's safe, and escape all this pain for awhile.

I miss being married. It was never a huge thing for me- "It's just a piece of paper." It wasn't until I got married myself that I realised it was so much more.

That was one of first things that hit me, about losing Tony- I was no longer someone's wife. I was no longer one of those special women, so loved and adored that someone wanted them all to themselves.

I loved referring to Tony as 'my husband', and he loved calling me his wife. ("You know what I always remember him saying, about you? Laughing and saying 'Fuck, I love my wife'", says one of Tony's friends). We loved the idea of being married, that actuality of it... we adored each other.

"I will spend the rest of my life, waiting to die, so I can see him again. I'll never find anyone I love that much again."

"I know," says my best friend. "I know.... you were the best of mates, when you weren't fighting."

Source: Random Ramblings of SAH Mom

This post brought tears to my eyes… I felt her pain and loneliness…

I just couldn’t imagine not having my Other Half next to me when I wake up. Having to walk through life without him by my side.

Of course our marriage is not perfect, and we do fight, and I’ll confess to considering leaving him at some point. But there is this voice in my head that keeps on telling me that I can’t give up on us. When I read a post like the one above,  it reminds me that what Other Half and I have is precious. It reminds me that the Lord has been very generous with us and that I shouldn’t take for granted all the blessings I have in my life…

Tomorrow Other Half and I will be celebrating our 5^th wedding anniversary. I love being his wife, I have found peace in my heart by being a wife and a mom and I wouldn’t change anything in my life at this point…

I thank You Lord for answering my prayers 9 years ago, when in the darkness of my room I was angry and crying. I asked that you finally send me someone nice, who would see my imperfections but yet would accept them, and love me unconditionally... Thank you for all the good people surrounding my family and supporting us throught his beautiful journey... I pray that you grant us many more years of happiness together and that we may all experience you grace and your love. Amen

It is no secret for those of you who read me regularly that I am a Christian and I believe that all the beautiful things that are in my life come from our Lord Jesus Christ. It is even more evident for me as I find proof in the Bible that if we act in a Christian way towards our husbands and children, the promises of the Lord will be on our side. He may not answer when we want Him to, but because of my faith I know that I am not alone facing the bumps on the road ahead of me... It is no coincidence that I saw the post above as I am celebrating another milestone in my marriage. My questions have been answered and I know that there is nothing better than my marriage and the family I have out there...

But for the non-believers there is also an answer for you: "Cherish what you have as much as you can, as in the blink of an eye everything could be gone. " 

If you need something to cheer you up....

... Listen to this

Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining

Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day

Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me

And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see

But every time she asks me do I look ok, I say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change

Because you're amazing, just the way you are

And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are

Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she let me

Her laugh, her laugh, she hates but I think it's so sexy

She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day

Oh, you know, you know, you know, I'd never ask you to change

If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same

So, don't even bother asking if you look ok

You know I'll say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change

Because you're amazing, just the way you are

And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are

The way you are, the way you are

Girl you're amazing, just the way you are

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change

Because you're amazing, just the way you are

And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while

Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are. Yeah

I am SO READY for this!!!!!

2 months seem an eternity !...

Finally and Official Trailer, can't wait...

ENJOY!

My Mom Kicks Butt !

I speak to her almost every day. She is a part of my heart and soul, and I need to hear her voice almost as much as I need to breathe. (yeah I know I would have never said that when I was a teen)

But mostly? She kicks my butt. (Sure, it might not be that big a target anymore, but she finds the bullseye every time.)

Mom called the other day when I was wallowing in my sorrows. (Note to everyone- don't cry to someone who has walked a MUCH HARDER ROAD than you. They really have no pity.) I just maybe started to cry a little as I outlined what I felt was an insurmountable hurdle.

"Are you crying?!" she asked. "Stop your crying RIGHT NOW!! You have come too far to let this little thing stand in your way. Are you kidding me? This is nothing," she said.

She's right.

I'm a whining wimp.

I sat in the silence of my living room after our discussion, and I realized something:

I am incredibly lucky.

I have an amazing home. Sure, the basement fills with water; the walls need some serious painting, My 3 year-old swears it's haunted, but I am in love with it. It has wrapped me in its arms and made me feel safer than I have felt in a long, long time.

I have 2 loving kids kids. They sometimes fight; they leave evidence of their existence all over the house; they ignore my numerous to-do lists; they eat food (for God's sake); they talk back and they make me feel human again. They are the fix that I can't ever get enough of- as painful as they are sometimes, they are also the best things that ever happened to me.

I am on a journey that has no clear course- but I'm ready.

And to my mom? I thank you.

I thank you for supporting me, for loving me, for laughing with me, for reminding me of what is right, and for kicking my ass.

Even if it IS a size 0. (*insert cough here*)

When God Gives You Lemons…

… Make Spaghetti with Lemon Sauce and Olive Oil, served with Fried Garlic Shrimps…

Everybody who knows me will confirm that I love cooking for my family and my friends…  I wanted to cook something refreshing this week-end and push back  a little the time for warm –comfort food. So I checked in my pantry what I could do with the very little amount of  time I had before dropping my daughter to a birthday party just after lunch and was inspired by my lemons…

And here you have it a very simple and light dish! Sprinkle a bit of parmesan and basil (or arugula) on top and you get a little taste of heaven…

I don’t know why I waited so long before doing this traditional Italian dish as they are no other words to describe this dish than "Yummy"! The kids and Other Half loved it, and it certainly won’t be the last time I’ll prepare this dish…

PS: If you want the recipe, you know how to contact me !

Monday Thoughts...

And this is what happens…

…When you tell the kids to get dressed while you’re cleaning the house….

I give you the "Disco Knight" and "Batgirl" !!!

Them:  Aren’t we cool Mommy ?!

Me: Uhu…

Dear Santa Claus...

... hi there! How are you? I know, I know, it is still only September, but do you think you could bring my gift a little earlier this year? I know I’m being unreasonable, but I have been a really good girl, trust me! (Minus the way too-much-spent-shopping mishap at Zara, but sure what's new?!) It's sold by Asos, and I HEART this warm color! It would complete every outfit I have planned for the next few months! Of course I would need both the small and the big size.

Also, because it’s on the Asos website, you wouldn’t even have to go out. You could just go on Internet…

And just in case you feel really generous, I am madly in love with this bag too:

It’s the "HERMES Birkin 50 Crocodile Look Leather Dark Brown handbag”, and the great news is that it’s on sale!!!

From $1,398.00 it is now  $339.80!!! Isn’t this a bargain? See I’m even saving you some money…

Anyway, I hope you’ll give in to my request as I really, I really would be taking very good care of my gifts and I’ll promise I’ll behave well for the rest of the year.

Love, 

Joy

But Motherhood Can also Give You The Most Beautiful Feeling...

I saw this video this video this morning and decided I would post it. I felt inspired by it as they are so many truths, so many wise words, so much love in this video.

Becoming a mom is like taking a leap into the unknown. Like flying among stars.  And often, it also feels like banging your head against a wall. Like falling in love, and having your heart skip a beat every time you see your child smile back at you. Like seeing the world again for the first time. L Like being as close to God as possible when still on earth. Like trying and failing and learning over and over again. Like finally getting to know and understand your own mum. Like answering the big questions and finding you have a million new ones. It’s an exciting adventure, a long and sometimes terrifying journey and a new road to take every day.

So have a look, and hang in there because at the end, you know you wouldn’t change anything in your life, especially if after a hard day, the most honest sentence you hear from you child is simply: I love you Mommy…

Now Is There A Customer Service?

Motherhood Sometimes Sucks!

So to all the mommies out there who are doing the best they can, I dedicate this song to you….

Every Wednesday...

... this "OCD" mummy does A LOT of this:

Yup, this is what I will be doing after work and before my Fairy Cleaning Lady comes tomorrow…

Sometimes, being at work is nice, yup….

The Wedding Anniversary Countdown has Officially Started!

Other Half and I will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary on the 16th of this month. So, I thought I would start the countdown with a little bit of humour…

Enjoy and have a good laugh!

 

 

After almost 9 years together, I’m sure some of these thoughts are sometimes crossing my Other Half’s mind, and I’m grateful to him for his kind and loving heart… I’m looking forward to the many more years together to come…

 

And last but not least: