Time Flies...

Before this post begins...will you be kind enough to answer my quick poll?
There it is just there on the top of the right hand side of your screen.
THANKS EVER SO MUCH. OK lets begin...(you did cast your vote YES?)

Is it really Thursday again already?

Not that I am complaining, I LOVE Thankful Thursdays.

This weeks list is a little different, sometimes I like to mix it up a bit (in case you hadn't noticed ;)

In fact I have loved Thursdays for a long time now.

Thursdays when I was a teenager meant Thursday night shopping, then when I met the GM, it meant the start of our 4 day love fest as we only 'saw' one another Thursday night to Sunday night. Then before I was a mother and stuck in corporate land, it signalled that Friday was almost here and the week would soon be 'over'!

Now, I LOVE everyday and I am truly amazed at how fast the days fly by when you are a) a parent and b) happy.

I can say with experience that when I was lost and couldn't find my way, the days still went fast but in a 'mouse on a treadmill' kind of way....

Can anyone relate?

It is my MISSION to rid all mothers (and fathers) too of this 'groundhog day' experience.

It really isn't necessary.

Things are not as complicated as they seem (except in the case serious illnesses & medical conditions)etc

You just have to make the decision that you WANT to be happy, YOU CHOOSE to be happy and then deal with your issues....ie whatever is causing this unhappiness or un-satisfaction with your life.

You have to train your brain to see the sun, the light, the good....
It is really just a choice.

If you get nothing else out of this post then please get this....

There is no manual for the mind, we can't x-ray it and see that it is broken.

Be aware that your mind is very valuable and what you let into it, affects what comes out of it!

Its just like when you tell yourself NOT to think about something in particular and then that is ALL you can think about.

So make yourself a 'Sunny' List. A bright list of things you can focus on when it seems your mind is focusing on the wrong things...

And this is how this 'Thankful Thursday' is different..

Here is my Sunny List. It is split into 2, basics and extras.

My basics list reminds me...

*I have a family
*We are healthy
*We have good food to eat.
*We have a home & all the comforts anyone could wish for.
*We live in Australia!


My extras list reminds me...

*We have a car and can go anywhere we want to.
*We have computers & internet and can access a wealth of information at any time.
*I have friends. Old, new & virtual(hello virtual friends, 1 day we shall meet f2f)
*I have peace in my heart and home, this is the icing on my cake of life...

Who thinks, or has ever been told 'You can't have your cake and eat it too'?

I have, but I disagree.

I think if life is like a cake (as opposed to a box of chocolates, RUN FOREST RUN), then look how much choice we have!

In your CAKE of LIFE, you can:

Choose your flavour...
Follow a recipe or make up your own...
Select your ingredients, cheap or quality...
Try different methods...
Bake it for as long as YOU want to, you will soon know when it burns!
Let it cool (and if you don't, you're icing is going to run ;)
DECORATE! Oh this is the fun bit, YOU choose it all and how it LOOKS to others...

The icing on your cake!

Now comes the most important CHOICE...

Is your cake for display? For others to look at and admire but never get to taste?

WHY?

Is it because it is FAKE CAKE inside?
Styrofoam made to look like a cake, sitting in the window?

Don't let your efforts in your cake of life be for nothing but display.

Choose your flavour, bake away, enjoy the icing on your cake of life...
then DIG IN!

Yes, you can bake your cake and eat it too!

Eat it up, share it with friends and then bake another one tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...

I am off to pre-heat my oven of life...hmmm Thursday, late night shopping anyone?

TV update..

The 'TV free' challenge is rockin!

I said I would update each night on this blog but that proved too much so here is my first official update...

'TV FREE' has meant exactly that. Our family has been free of being sucked into the TV and free to pursue other activities. I had many a chats and emails with people about this 'TV Free' experiment.

We joked I would schedule activities every 5 mins or so to keep my kiddies entertained...most definitely NOT.

Remember that thing called imagination and creativity?

My kids were free to use it and not in a 'here is art supplies or lets make this craft kit or how about we play this' kind of way.

Nope, more in a 'hmmm ok TV is off, mum says find soemthing to do, oh look there is an empty basket' and here is what we got...

Maths on the calculator whilst sitting in a basket...as you do ;)



Hmmm then we decided, hey this can be my car..




And then, mum look at me, I am a police car, complete with sirens!



This little combo of a calculator, basket, 2 cups & a plate, kept my nearly 8 yr old sonshine entertained for nearly an hour!

I didn't feel guilty for not 'playing' with him and he didn't even ask me too, he just enjoyed coming up with things. This made me happy and reminded me of the thousands of dollars worth of toys this child has and yet with no TV to watch, he chose the simplest objects to create his world for the afternoon.

Do I need to talk about too much stuff? Nah leave it for another post ;)

Of course our whole family is benefiting from this TV FREE gig...

In the last 2 days we have; baked, played UNO, rode bikes, de-weeded the garden, coloured in, written scripts for movies complete with 'parental guidance recommended for young viewers' (clearly my sonshine who has been watching too much tv ;), and Marvined (oops did I just write that ;), all on a school night...AMAMAMAAAAAAAA

The GM even thinks we should make the TV Free gig a permanent arrangement Monday to Thursday! Well footy season is coming you know so he wasn't about to give up his fridays :)

I love it and it is working for us indeed, how are you guys going?
Have you stuck to it or are you just watching less? Less is a great start!

So whilst I have just encouraged you all to NOT watch TV, now I am going to be a total hypocrite and encourage you to watch some TV...

Sunny Mummy TV that is!

Episode 3 was filmed yesterday and yep, you guess it, Mr You Tube cut me off again!

This time I was even watching the timer...well the first 5 mins I was, until I get so carried away I think you are all sitting my loungeroom for a chat and well....
I just keep going and going and, you get the idea!

So here it is:




Let me know what you think and keep the questions coming!

How often do you want to see an episode of SMTV? I need to schedule my recording times into my week, fortnight or month ;)

I am off on canteen duty today, I have a feeling I will need a small personal loan for all the friends my kids want to bring up to Mum on canteen. You get things FOR FREEEEEE according to my kiddies!

I can hear the GM now explaining "Guys it is NOT free, Mummy has to pay"

"How many friends can we bring?" they are both asking....

Wish me luck ;)

Buffet of Life tickets on sale NOW!

The wait is over...

You can now secure your tickets to our first ever Sunny Mummy event on Saturday May 29th and be the first group of Sunny Mummies to celebrate in style!

Tickets to the 'Buffet of Life' mothers day breakfast in Darling Harbour, Sydney, are just $89 and include a delicious breakfast, bubbles and beautiful inspiring messages from our guest speaker, Joanne Fedler and Sunny Mummy founder, Stacey Sullaphen.

As a mothers to small children, these women know putting yourself first can be difficult sometimes, but we also know that a mummy with a healthy mind, body and soul is the best gift a child can receive.

Both Joanne & Stacey's motivating tips and strategies will inspire all
Sunny Mummies to shine!

PLUS there will be gorgeous giveaways and.... the ultimate Sunny Mummy goody bag!

Tickets are strictly limited so grab your mummy friends and secure a table NOW to celebrate motherhood with fellow Sunny Mummies!

TV Free...

NO I am not giving away a TV, sorry to disappoint ;)

This Sunny household is going TV Free for the rest of Feb at least!

Why this decision?

Well it is NOT because of the AMOUNT of TV my kids are watching, it is the viewing options available and what my kids WANT to watch that disturbs me.

I myself hardly ever watch TV...this is why I am usually found in a circle of friends who are discussing the latest news chiming in with "WHO died? Whoooaa when did that happen? oh NO WAY etc etc" Ummm yep, in my quest to be Sunny, news just doesn't cut it because well, it isn't sunny enough for my liking.

I know I know, I SHOULD know what is going on in the world, but I am more concerned with that is going on in my world and making sure we are all happy and healthy.

OK losing the point here.

My point is this, I don't want my son calling his sister or his friends SUCKERS because some sponge named 'Bob' who lives in a pineapple under the sea does...

Seriously, WHO THINKS UP THESE SHOWS?

Or my daughter, telling me that a girl named 'London' has special talents....SHOPPING and that everything is soooo LAME!

Gone are the days I could get my kiddies to happily stroll down Sesame Street, or convince them that BEAR really could smell what we ate for breakfast from his BIG BLUE HOUSE :(

Now I get told that is LAME and for BABIES!

So, we are going TV free simply because my kids don't like what I think is suitable viewing and I think what they want to watch is filling their heads with JUNK.

The same can be said about most adult shows too.

Luckily I can say I escaped the Home & Away trap years ago. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you how if you called my house at 7pm I would either, NOT ANSWER or, answer in an AD break and seriously question why they would think it is OK to call me right when Vinnie is about to DIE?

I think back then, I was making up for lost time because I never actually watched a soapie or anything other than ABC kids or documentaries for the first 13 yrs of my life. For all the things my Dad did wrong, I can see now where he went sooooo right.

"We have enough drama in our own lives" he would say (ahh yep Dad no surprise there) "without having to watch it on TV"

So back to MY kids. There will be no TV because, quite frankly, I wouldn't allow someone to come and empty their garbage onto my lounge room floor, so why on earth would I allow the TV to empty virtual garbage into their heads?

The trouble is...I already have.

There is the new vocabulary; loser, sucker and lame to name a few. There is the ideas, "Mum, I can make popcorn in my undies you know!" I'll let you sit with that one for a moment and imagine HOW.

So now I must undo the damage. OK damage is probably a little too dramatic and YES I know they will hear it at school. That's OK, I am only in control of what happens in OUR family and we will simply reinforce that there is no room for this kind of silly talk and ideas in our family.

Having said that, imagine how great it would be if all the parents got together and developed a code of conduct in families. A declaration of no bullying, no junk food, no junk talk or thoughts!

That parties were kept simple and not "well honey the Smiths did have a jumping castle, petting zoo and a small car to giveaway so I guess we should too, best we whack it on the visa seeing as WE HAVE NO MONEY!" That the tooth fairy ONLY carried gold coins and not bloody EFTPOS! That Santa only bought x amount of presents and NIKE'S were off limits until you could buy them yourself...

Ahh imagine how simple parenting would be (I need to stop now because clearly there is another WHOLE post on this idea ;)

Back to TV again. Our kids NEVER watch TV before school, but they certainly do after. So from today, they are free to read more, run more, talk more and just BE more without absorbing the rubbish that is created as entertainment for our kids these days.

I bet your thinking "Yeah, we never had those kind of shows". This is true, however watch an episode of the Flintstones now, and I bet you pick up on all the innuendo that went RIGHT over your head as a kid because you were too focused on how funny Dino was when he locked out Fred :) Meantime you missed Wilma & Betty having a good old gossip about how terrible the men were!

So who is with me?

Who is brave enough to declare their home a 'TV FREE' for the next 7 days?

So many of us complain about how little time we have, how the kids dawdle and are sooooo slow. Take TV out the equation I bet you find you have just a little (read A LOT) more time on your hands.

Time to read to the kids or to yourself, time to play, exercise, plan, bake and dare I say, time to get Marvining!

Close your mouths now ladies, if you get marvining, your man will be happy, you will be happy & you would have exercised too, do you really need any more reasons to switch off that screen?

I will set up a discussion board on facebook for you to share your discoveries in your TV FREE WEEK and I shall do a quick report here at the end of each day to let you know how our family is going.

Leave a comment to let us all know if you're in, all those to commit and leave a comment on here & the facebook discussion page will go into the draw to win A TV!

Yes, our old one from the garage that is practically brand new but you can't even give away these days because everyone wants a flat screen ;)

Don't worry, I won't give you my old TV, I will give away something AWESOME from one of my Sunny 'Business' Mummy friends!

So be sure to leave a comment here & on facebook to confirm your entry and
stay tuned (to this blog, not TV that is ;)

Keep Shining,

Stace x

Thankful Thursday...

Every Thursday bloggers from far and wide, list 7 things they are Thankful for...

Here are my 7 for today in no particular order:

My Sonshine

I am thankful for this mini-GM that we are raising. He is so thoughtful and affectionate yet oh so much a rough and tumble boy. I mentioned on faceboook last week that I woke up to him standing over me with a tea towel channeling a waiter, asking me if I would like a beverage? Melted my heart and this Saturday gone, the GM and I were presented with this 'menu'...



Of course I had to take the tea & 10 hugs...
you don't get that in a cafe! Currently taking registrations for interest in marrying my son hee hee there will be another lucky girl in this world just like his mummy who got to marry his daddy :)

My GM (gentleman for newbies)

He is doing the morning thing RIGHT NOW as I write this and prepare for a meeting today (wish me luck). He is cool, calm and collected and totally ROCKS my world. Don't get me wrong, once I wrote him a list of 25 things I hate about you...hmmm that sounds really bad but I was having a moment (I have those you know) and the cute little thing addressed each point (all were petty and ridiculous)..



Did I mention he rocks my world?

Time alone

Time to be, to just be me, to sip a latte, read a mag and write, write and then write some more.....bliss!



Time alone makes me a better wife, mother and human being!

Health

Always thankful for good health, without it we have nothing and most days I think about how thankful I am that my children, my husband and myself are healthy.

Ideas

I am thankful for all the ideas I have. Some I think are AMAZING at the time, then I realise I might as well have been on crack for how absurd they were and others, well are AMAZING and I can't wait to implement them all and make the world a better place :)

Energy

I am grateful for my energy. I am a road runner...beep beep.
Hopefully there isn't a coyote wanting to blow me up ;) actually there are probably a few of them but I'm too fast hee hee

Someone in the last few days told me that in 3 yrs time, I won't be able to keep up my energy and interest in Sunny Mummy...

WATCH THIS SPACE! I AM a Sunny Mummy,
it's who I am, it's how I roll, it's what makes me ME.

Which leads me to the next thankful item...

Sunny Mummy

I am thankful Sunny mummy, it's not a status, its a way of life!



I didn't start it to make money, I started it to encourage Mummies the world over that you don't have to ENDURE motherhood you can ENJOY it.
Making money to inspire, encourage and support you all to SHINE is an absolute bonus and a dream come true...thank YOU!

Keep Shining,

Stace x

PS Tell us ALL, what are YOU thankful for?

I am a Sunny Mummy!

Thanks to Sharnel at My Life, My Loves for suggesting that Sunny Mummies might like to declare so on their blogs, website, facebook page etc

You totally need to check out Sharnel's blog for the most devine inspiration on all things lovely, especially dessert buffets, yummo!

What a GREAT idea I thought and my lovely friend and Sunny Mummy designer, Sarah from Style Me Gorgeous thought so too!

So much so, that when I got home from Bizness Babes today, I had my own piece of sunshine waiting in my inbox!

The 'I am a Sunny Mummy' button is now available to declare to the world that you are a Sunny Mummy and try to SHINE no matter what the weather!

I am going to go and figure out now how to make this available for you to download yourself off here but in the meantime, please email me at stacey@sunnymummy.com.au to get your button NOW!

Thank you to each and everyone of you for your neverending support, the official site is looking A-M-A-Z-I-N-G ...stay tuned!

Keep Shining,

Stace x

I have a confession...

OK here goes, I buy my kids clothes, toys, hairbands, cards etc etc at the shops.

Yes so, I hear those of you that do the same say, that's where you go, to, you know, buy things!

Yes, this is true and I happily bought away, purchasing mass produced, cheap and nasty, no thought or ethics behind them, not environmentally friendly, crap from China never giving a second thought to who or how it was made along the way.

A couple of nights ago, I read on a blog (I WISH I could remember it so I could put it here) about the hard work, passion and creativity that goes into handmade things. How this blogger couldn't believe the amount of people that shop for mass produced, cheap things in a no-mans land like target.

It got me thinking, hmmm I do that. Then I immediately defended myself and thought, well that's all I can afford. However, how many times have I purchased something only to have it fall apart after a couple of wears or stand in target kids section, like I did the other day, and think 'oh my, look at the winter clothes for the girls, I would NEVER dress my 4 yr old girl in black or super short shorts that look like they have been ripped with lacy leggings underneath.

I wouldn't want my 16 yrd old (if I had one) dressing like that, why on earth would I dress my 4 yr old in it?

I also don't shop online for my kids clothes GASP, yes I know..shocking! I am not up to speed on who sells what, when with the best labels, buys. I am not really into labels for my kids (different story for me ;) as I think spending that much on clothing is crazy with the rate they grow and how messy my kids are.

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to support online stores and since beginning Sunny Mummy I have made virtual friends with some of them and have signed up to their newsletters, always thinking, yes I will get on there and check that out...

Well today I have had a light bulb moment. OK lets not go that far, it is stuff for kids after all not curing cancer, still I like pretty things and my prettyness tank is OVERFLOWING!

Today I spent the day at Allies Attic Designer Baby & Kids Market

To say I DIED and went to HANDMADE HEAVEN is an understatement!

I had an absolutely beautiful time wandering around, taking in all the gorgeous things and feeling the PASSION from the women (mostly mums) who have lovingly created them....

All of a sudden, target symbols shot out of my eyes as I realised what I had been doing all this time....WHO I had been supporting!

I can tell you RIGHT NOW, I will not shop anywhere else for my kids and pressies ever again. I am a work at home Sunny Mummy and these creative and gorgeous Sunny Mummies need our support.

Allie, who owns/runs the market needs our support too!

Like the designers that sell their creations at her market, she too is a work at home mum, and by shopping at her market, you are supporting the stallholders who then support Allie....WIN WIN situation. Not to mention the environment and supporting Australia at the same time.

The next market is on Saturday the 20th of March at Sharkies, Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club from 10am - 2pm. If you currently shop in no-mans land, you should definitely come and check it out.

A few tips, keep a list of things your kids need and any birthdays etc coming up that you need to buy for. Then start popping $5 or $10 in jar to save for Allies. Before you know it, you will have list of what you need & who you have to buy for and can get it done in all one place! Plus you have cash on hand which is always nice for the stallholders although Allie is very clever and has an eftpos terminal in case you forget to bring cash :)

Here are my purchases pictured...



I met come lovely lovely ladies today and I want to say HI to them all and thank them for their creations above...

Julianne at Giggle Spot Designs
The girls at Mougiddy
Corrie from Retro Mummy
Erin from Purple Frangipani.com
The girls at Urchin
Rochelle at Summerblossom
Thingk Baby International

So, if you're like me, and frequently shop in no mans land, won't you give handmade a try? You will not only be happy with your purchases, you will be happy knowing you supported Mummies in more ways than one!

Keep Shining,

Stace x

Save the date!

This mothers day weekend will be like no other...





Tickets are strictly limited!

Only Mummies who register their interest will receive ticketing information.

Email info@sunnymummy.com.au with the number of tickets you wish to reserve and prepare to be walkin on sunshine...

Its a love story baby just say......yes

Tonight I purchased a fabulously pretty E-book full of Blogspiration from FatMumSlim titled:

Let's give them something to blog about...



Which you can get your hands on a copy here

I'll be honest, I thought there is no way I would need this, I have enough topics in my head to be blogging well into my twilight years :)

However, I think Chantelle is FAB and of course I LOVE to support other Mummies pursuing their passions and for $7.95, lets face it, it wasn't a hard decision to make financially!

Anyway, I am getting off track, the point is...Mission Accomplished Chantelle, your gorgeous pages have inspired me to share my love story.

Chantelle says "Everyone loves a good love story, right?

So that's why I am getting all Miss Swift on you...I like Taylor swift(and Hannah Montanna)and I am not ashamed!

Why am I thinking of her now though?

Is it because she is down under? Perhaps its because its valentines day on Sunday..

Nope, none of the above. Its because I have always joked with my GM how embarrassing the story of how we met is, so I suggested we make one up!

I am not kidding, the GM is from South Africa and my BIG imagination decided it would be far more interesting to tell people that we met when I was on Safari in Kruger National Park and I took the GM home because he caught the springbok ;)

The real story will now be told Taylor Swift style!

You are only allowed to read it if you read it to the tune of Swift's Romeo and Juliet!

OK ready?

I was so young when I first met you (18), I close my eyes and the flashbacks start I'm standing there...

On the dance floor breathing stinky air,

See the lights, see the colours ;), the music sounds.
I see you make your way through the crowd-
You say hello, little did I know...

OK that's enough Taylor, I was getting bored with it so imagine how you feel!

Truth is, I met my GM when I was just 18 yrs old at, yep you guessed it, a stinky dance club called Colours (I cannot believe I just admitted that publicly but, hey I am all about keeping it real).

Little did I know that this was the man I would marry and share my life with.

Chantelle's tips include telling readers where we met: Check.

When we knew it was love?

Hmmm I seriously can't answer that. What do you know about love at 18?

I can tell you this, after almost 10 years of marriage and 2 children later, its only NOW that I realise that its a love story and baby I'm glad I said YES!

There has been sunshine and there has been rain, hell there has been a few cyclones too but through it all I now know this for sure....



Love is not in the falling, its in the staying!

Keep Shining,

Stace x

PS I will return my usual posting very soon, just got inspired by the fab book to share a little more about me :)

Thankful Thursday...

Here are 7 things I am thankful for this Thursday as part of
Operation Think Happy:

*My daughter starting school and having such a lovely time every day.

*Being able to walk my kids to school.

*For finding my obsession, making it my profession and now I never have to work a day in my life!

*Happy Mail Exchange organised by Chantelle at FatMumSlim, where I get to wrap up and post off a gorgeous little pressie, for a stranger in some far flung location and they shall do the same for me.

*Opportunities...they are EVERYWHERE!

*For every mother who has CHOSEN to become a Sunny Mummy.

*My dedicated and extremely talented friend Sarah from StyleMeGorgeous whom I get to work and play with!

Now its your turn, go on..leave a comment and quickly list 7 things you are thankful for today!

Keep Shining,

Stace x

Sad Happy...

Can you feel happy and sad at the same time?

As I sit here and write this post, I know that you can...

It is Sunday night, and I have had an amazing weekend.

The kiddies spent all day Saturday and overnight at Sunny Nana & Poppy’s.

The GM & I got to catch up with 3 lots of friends from Friday night to Sunday night.

This makes me happy :)

If I was still in Newcastle, this would not have happened. Being back in Sydney has given us back our friends yet leaving Sydney 4 years ago, gave me something else all together...

If I hadn't left Sydney and dealt with my issues...

I would never have been able to see the pain.

To recognise, the hurt...

To understand how it feels...

To know, that everything’s going to be alright.

And I... would never have been so HAPPY.

I don’t care how cliched it sounds, it is as though I was blinded by my own pain and now I can see it in others.

I want to help, to guide and encourage*...but you have to be ready.

Some are, others are not.

What makes a person build a wall and not ‘hear’ what is being said?

What makes a person stay with someone, even though that someone does not love them, or their children, the way they deserved to be loved?

What makes a person feel so angry; they want to hurt those they love so deeply? To then feel so guilty, they then want to hurt themselves....

Hurt people...hurt people.

Read it again, hurt people...hurt people!

You have to know you have been hurt.

You have to acknowledge it.

Once you acknowledge it, half the battle is won.

Once you acknowledge it, you can get help, acquire the tools you need and not repeat the pain, that was inflicted on you, to others.

Most of you are probably reading this and thinking I am referring to women.

I wish I was.

If I was referring to women, it would be more accepted.

We are pretty lucky as women. Most of us talk...

We ask each other how is everything going?

We cry, we share...

Most men don’t.

No-one thinks to ask them “Hey, how are YOU?”.

A couple has baby...the baby gets fussed over, the mother gets fussed over, how many people stop to ask the father “How are you?”

How many men feel comfortable calling up their mates and saying “Hey, I’m not doing so well. I’m tired, I feel the pressure of providing, my partner and I are not as physical anymore, I am feeling left out....I AM NOT OK!”

There are tears on my keyboard :( The tears are for the men who are so brave.

Who are wonderful husbands and fathers yet feeling depressed, hurt, angry, sad etc

Who are feeling like they have no-one to talk to.

We all have a story.
We all have feelings. We need to share them.
Open up the lines of communication between your partner and your friends.

ASK...
LISTEN...
UNDERSTAND...
And HELP.

The greatest thing a child can have, is 2 parents that love each other.

2 parents who are physically and mentally healthy.

Tonight, I am sad happy.

There are some men suffering and only the ones who acknowledge the pain and seek to understand it, will change.

For now, I peek at my babies sleeping and I know they are incredibly lucky.

Their mother and father are deeply in love. They talk about EVERYTHING and no topic is out of bounds.

My GM is snoring on the couch...he is dealing with his own problems at the moment which I hope to write about once they are over to highlight the ignorance of some people. However, I am happy and ever so thankful because we talk, he has help and endless support.

I wish the same for the millions of other men who are struggling with something, somewhere, right now...

Stace x

*Legal Disclaimer: I am NOT a qualified professional in psychology or counselling. This article was written from a personal standpoint and I strongly encourage anybody who is reading this, that may need assistance with their emotions or mental health, to seek assistance from your GP immediately.

Thankful Thursday...

Last week, I told you all about Operation Think Happy

Holly from Mama Dearest/Domestic Goddess has started this Operation and every Thursday, Holly and many other bloggers, have pledged to list 7 things that make us happy, that makes us thankful, that makes us love life!

So here is my inaugural list, in no particular order:

My health and that of my family. Without it we have nothing.

My mind...it is wired on sunshine & I am truly thankful that I see the sunny side.

My GM...they broke the mould when they made him.

My kiddies, Sonshine & Starshine...they crack me up EVERYDAY!

My friends...the old girls ;) & the new ones! They know I am a road runner (beep beep, Hi Kel!), that I can get carried away with my world and yet they know I love them, value them and we always pick up where we left off :) They make my life even brighter!

Rain...it is raining now outside my window..it smells beautiful, sounds beautiful and I wouldn't take away the rain in my life because it made me the Sunny person that I am!

YOU, yes YOU who is reading this post! I am so thankful to be surrounded by more and more Mummies who are seeking the sun and wanting to ENJOY motherhood. Without you guys, I would be just 1 Sunny Mummy shining on my own family. However, together...we are Sunny Mummies from all over the world, changing the face of motherhood and SHINING on society as a result.

Know that I am THANKFUL and HONOURED to be sharing motherhood with YOU!

OK so there you have it, of course there is loads more but I have to save some for every Thursday.

Perhaps you willl struggle to come up with things..thats ok, thats what Sunny Mummy is here for...to spread the rays!

www.sunnymummy.com.au is very close and soon you will be able to pop in for a visit anytime you need to feel the sun on your face plus loads loads MORE!

Now go on... tell me, what are you THANKFUL for?

Sunny Mummy TV

Quite a few weeks ago, I set up Sunny Mummy TV and thought it would be great to film my first episode on the Sunshine coast, which I did.

However since I have been back, life in Sunny Mummy land got very busy and so I have only just uploaded the first episode today.

How cool is it that you can have your own channel on Youtube?

They are so generous over at YT and I was singing their praises after I loaded episode 1 which you can check out here

Episode 2 however, is a different story...

10 minutes is not that long Mr Youtube!

I really have alot to say and I dont appreciate that you took 3 hrs to load my little episode, only to advise me that you had aborted my file because it was over 10minutes long!

Ahh so I shall learn from this and in future I will have to say what I have to say, in 10 mins or less ;) until I get a REAL TV show that is!

So I had to edit it, which is why it suddenly cuts off...

Not very professional indeed but you know I always look on the BRIGHT side, so lets consider Episode 2 very cutting edge seeing as some of it hit the cutting room floor ;)

You can check out Episode 2 here!

I also want to thank you all ever so much for your ongoing support and encouragement!

I would love to hear your thoughts on SMTV?

Do you have anything in particular you would like me to talk about?

Let me know, nothing is off limits ;)

In the meantime, in true Oprah Style..I am going to start doing Sunny's Bright & Shiny things! I will tell you all about my fave things/finds that make me warm and happy!

Perhaps I can give a away a car too! Hey, anything is possible ;)

Keep Shining!

Stace x

Care-a-lot

Today I spent my last 'official' day at home with my daughter, Starshine.

Starshine is the name she has given herself seeing as our son got SONshine. I actually started calling her moonshine until I was alerted to the fact that Moonshine is very, very strong alcohol! So she suggested Starshine :)

Starshine and I took ourselves off to Max Brenner for Choc dipped strawberries & babycinos followed by a trip to the movies to see the Princess & the frog.



It was our special day to have just 'one' more weekday babycino seeing as these will be a school holiday treat now...

My baby is going to BIG school and she is so excited.

I am too except when everyone keeps talking about her FIRST day at school, I can't help but think about her LAST day at home.

All of a sudden, my mind is playing tricks "Is she ready? Did you PLAY with her enough? Did you spend enough time with her?

There will be no more ABC kids together, rushing out to get the mail, baking up a storm....

The days when I wanted time to myself, 2010 couldn't come quick enough.

Now that its here, I ask... "So soon?"

One chapter of motherhood has ended for me today and a new one begins tomorrow.

Likewise, a chapter in my daughters life has done the same and tomorrow signals the beginning of so much...

Days without mum, meeting lifelong friends and, in Starshines words "Yay I can go to the canteen!" and "Will I go to school FOREVER?"

Today as I watched her tuck into her choc-dipped strawberries and proceed to tell me "this is the best day EVER", I wanted to say "Excuse me, but wasn't it just yesterday you tried your very first ice cream?"



And now here you sit, eating choc dipped strawberries on our last day at home together.



"Me too" I say, meaning this is the best day ever!

So as my baby girl steps into the world of big school tomorrow, I want her to remember:

*I am proud of you.
*Be proud of yourself.
*Classroom is for learning.
*Playground is for playing (don't be a jabber jaws in class like your mum was)
*Not everyone will be your friend, that's OK, the best friend you can have is YOU!
*I am here for you.
*There is nothing you can't tell me.
*Have fun.
*Tell the truth.
*Remember...you have a BIG brother (pull that card if you have to)
*Please bring home your lunchboxes, your brother has already cost us a small fortune!

and Care-a-lot is a place you can ALWAYS go!

Love your Sunny Mummy x

PS have you ever watched the Care Bears movie?

Starshine (which sounds alot like a care bear doesn't it) loves this movie and the theme song is just lovely...we could ALL do with remembering that Care-a-lot is a place we can visit ANYTIME we want x

CARE-A-LOT
Carole King

Care-a-lot is a place we all can go
Whenever we choose it
Care-a-lot is a feeling we all know
We never do lose it

We can find a secret place
To rest and make a new start
If you don't know where it is
Look inside your heart

Care-a-lot is a playground you can't find
For laughing and swinging
Carousels playing music in your mind
For dancing and singing

Sometimes you feel so glad
Sometimes you feel so blue
Share your feelings, it's not bad
Feelings are just you

When you're lonely, don't you fret
You're not alone, you just tend to forget
Care-a-lot is easily found
You've been there and you have friends who care
Don't you let your sadness get you down

It always helps when you sing a song
Good cheer carries you along
Darkness leads to sunlight
A new day comes--it's all right

Care-a-lot is a place you'd like to be
Riding on a cloud
You'll care a lot, it's a rainbow fantasy
For laughing out loud

Care-a-lot is a place we all can go
Come to Care-a-lot, it's a place we all can go
Come to Care-a-lot
Share-a-lot
Care-a-lot