Have you seen the pumpkins?

At the weekend, we went to an amusement park. It's a pretty funky one with lots of amazing and spectacular rides. Plenty for the big ones and the small ones.

We are most defintely not early risers on the weekend, we prefer a little bit of a lazier start, with a coffee here, a little read of a book or the paper, and often with pajamas on, however this morning was different.

Given the long queues for the big rollercoasters and the best themed rides, you can expect to wait sometimes up to an hour. However if you stayed overnight, you get access to the park a whole 30 minutes before the public. So that's what we did. We set the alarms for 7am, dragged ourselves to breakfast and got ourselves ready to be at the entrance at 8.25! We were going to the be the first in!

We did it, not even a big drama nor screaming, just laser sharp focus on the goal! We had our rides planned out and the respective routes to maximise the time.We also decided to divide and conquer to ensure we all got to do what we wished without having to stand in a long line.

As expected Daddy and the oldest ran off immediately with the adrenalin pumping, I was also anticipating doing the same, yet I felt a different focus from my youngest.

So we walked into the park and heading to the ride of choice. My pace was fast as we had gotten up early and I wanted to maximise the 30 minutes, but as I was marching past the gardens and the displays, I heard a little voice. "Mummy you're not looking at all the pumpkins, can we stop and look at them"

Seriously??? We got up early to look at pumpkins???????????

Yup, she was completely serious. So that's what we did. We slowed right down and looked at what was right in front of us all the time. Now that was a lesson to me!!

I was so foccused on the next thing that I ignored the present, I ignored what was happening around me and I was teaching my daughter to do the same thing. I was ignoring the beauty of the moment.

So we spent nigh on 15 minutes admiring the displays and you know what, that was just fine!!
The pumpkins were arranged beautifully and they were great to look at.

So what else am I missing?
What else have I walked past?
What are your pumpkin equivalents?

and also, what else can my daughter teach me!!!

Happy pumpkin watching eveyone.

Had enough of this hair

This week I have been at a meeting in the UK. I left home at some ungodly hour on Monday and now its Thursday and I am still not home.
I am not grumbling about the nature of my work as I do love what I do, however its the intensity that gets to me.

You think I am talking about the lack of breaks and downtime, well this time, nope! Its the hair thing again.

Seriously, having to wear a wig from dawn till dusk and do it for 4 days in a row, is quite frankly awful.

My head itches, I feel overheated and sweaty and I feel massively self conscious. When a wig gets tired and needs a wash or a good brush, it tends to stick out at the back. It starts to look very wiggy and very unnatural. I hate this feeling. I constantly feel the need to run my hand over th back of my head to flatten the hair to make it look normal.

I always sit at the back of the room to ensure that I avoid this being spotted.

So as the time comes to an end and I head home, I dont just look forward to my own bed, a hug from the people I love most, but also a chance to take off this goddamn wig.

Sigh!

10 things that make me happy - 9 & 10

This week I have really looked forward to posting these blogs, just the anticipation of capturing what makes me happy has made me happy. Can it be that the act of thinking about happiness can actually trigger it? Who knows, but I hope this weeks musing have given you also some form of reflection and a little pleasure.

So today is the last update as we have now reached 10 and off we go.....

9. Planning. I love a good plan. I really enjoy thinking through an event, it could be a dinner party, a holiday, a day trip or visitors coming. I enjoy thinking it through step by step and planning for all eventualities, which train to take, which food to buy, which bedding to put on. Best of all is of course when the plan gets executed beautifully. I derive a lot of happiness when things go well, especially when the plan was a little complex and the fact that I had thought through these things and planned around them. Yes a good plan makes me happy (probably with a list or two involved too)

10. Seeing my children happy / achieve sucess. When one of the children do something they are proud of, for example play a song on the flute with no mistakes, be part of the school dance routine, when they learn a new skill. When they finish their part and they beam with pride, that makes me happy. When I hear the kids laugh out loud, because they are having fun with a friend, when they are happy, I am happy.

Maybe thats a simple as happiness is, its contagious and the more we play a part in others' happiness, the happier we end up being.

So there we have it. These are my 10. I am sure they will change over time, I can imagine some things come on the list, whilst others come off, but I am sure there remains a thread about what makes us happy.

How has your list come on?

Have you finalised your 10?

Whatever and wherever you are, I send you happy wishes......