9 habits for overcoming distraction, living better & loving more

I love it how when I have read someone's words that really resonate with me at various stages of my life. One person who continues to do this for me is New York Times bestselling author,Rachel Macy Stafford and her hands free way of life. I first came across Rachel's words through her Facebook posts and blog. As a new mother, I found it hard to juggle it all and remain focused on the job at hand, that of being a nurturer, loving and caring Mum.

I guess being an older Mum, I haven't been faced with as many distractions as perhaps a younger mother would in as far as cell phones and social media goes. Call me old fashioned but I still haven't really got the whole cell phone thing. I usually leave my phone at home or the battery goes flat. I never think of photo opportunities very much. I very rarely take photos of my kids, missing their first haircut, the first time they walked, their early birthday parties and documenting all the crafts and activities I did with the kids. I just did them and enjoyed them without having to capture it all on social media or via a video clip or a photo. Maybe there were times I felt regretful that I didn't capture these things but the way my kids are turning out, I think I've done an okay job in being there for them and being hands free.

Hands free for me isn't only about putting down the cell phone or spending less time on the computer. To me it's engaging with my children more and not worrying about the small stuff like I tend to do. There hasn't been a time when one of Rachel's Facebook posts has popped up about the very thing I've been struggling with on any particular day and she manages to put it all back into perspective with her plain and simple terms and gentle and wise affirmations.

Now that my children go to their Dad's 6 days out of the 14 per fortnight, I have learnt to enjoy some 'me' time but when they come back, it's full on. They're out of sorts the first night they come back from Dad's, arguing, fighting, demanding my attention and I'm worrying about what bills to pay, what school forms need signing, making their school lunches, teaching them life lessons, making sure they do their chores and on and on. Rachel's new book Nine Habits for Overcoming Distraction, Living Better & Loving More has taught me to temporarily forget about all those things and focus on the most important task and that's making sure your children's spiritual, emotional and physical needs are being met.

My children get sick. I race like a mad woman to get a towel and a bucket for them to be sick in and all I can think about is "gosh, this is all I need, a mess to clean up" and "how will get I get a, b and c done with them being sick". Rachel's words have taught me to forget about that and just be there for them. To hold their hand, to rub their back, to tell them its going to be okay. My children are now 10 and 8 and already their lives have just flown by. I don't want to regret it one day and say that I missed a lot of those special moments when all I worried about was the state of my untidy house. What I hope to get by doing these things and by remembering Rachel's words is to teach my children to know how to love, unconditionally. How they can love their children, their partners. How to be more in tune with your spiritual self and know that what you're giving your loved ones you will receive one hundred times over.

Rachel's new book is an easy read and one that you can keep on hand as a daily motivational reminder to keep what's important in focus. The 9 daily habits she covers in the book are:

1. Fill the spaces
2. Surrender control
3. Build a foundation
4. Take the pressure off
5. See what is good
6. Give what matters
7. Establish boundaries
8. Leave a legacy, and
9. Change someone's story.

All of those habits are life changing ones that will go a long way to leaving a legacy for your family and loved ones. 

I think I've definitely mellowed over the years and things don't seem to worry me as much but Rachel certainly reminds me that the precious cargo that I helped bring into this world only have one life as well and what a great start we can give them as parents if we are more available to them and not sweating the small, trivial stuff.

Rachel's book is set for worldwide release on 8 September and I was very lucky to receive a copy along with a beautiful framed print filled with Rachel's wise words and a gorgeous leather wrist band as a constant reminder.

You can follow Rachel on her blog or Facebook. Her words will resonate with you too if you struggle to remain focused on the important things in life.

Hands Free Life - 9 habits for overcoming distraction, living better & loving more

I love it how when I have read someone’s words that really resonate with me at various stages of my life. One person who continues to do this for me is New York Times bestselling author, Rachel Macy Stafford and her hands free way of life. I first came across Rachel’s words through her Facebook posts and blog. As a new mother, I found it hard to juggle it all and remain focused on the job at hand, that of being a nurturer, loving and caring Mum.

I guess being an older Mum, I haven’t been faced with as many distractions as perhaps a younger mother would in as far as cell phones and social media goes. Call me old fashioned but I still haven’t really got the whole cell phone thing. I usually leave my phone at home or the battery goes flat. I never think of photo opportunities very much. I very rarely take photos of my kids, missing their first haircut, the first time they walked, their early birthday parties and documenting all the crafts and activities I did with the kids. I just did them and enjoyed them without having to capture it all on social media or via a video clip or a photo. Maybe there were times I felt regretful that I didn’t capture these things but the way my kids are turning out, I think I’ve done an okay job in being there for them and being hands free.

Hands free for me isn’t only about putting down the cell phone or spending less time on the computer. To me it’s engaging with my children more and not worrying about the small stuff like I tend to do. There hasn’t been a time when one of Rachel’s Facebook posts has popped up about the very thing I’ve been struggling with on any particular day and she manages to put it all back into perspective with her plain and simple terms and gentle and wise affirmations.

Now that my children go to their Dad’s 6 days out of the 14 per fortnight, I have learnt to enjoy some ‘me’ time but when they come back, it’s full on. They’re out of sorts the first night they come back from Dad’s, arguing, fighting, demanding my attention and I’m worrying about what bills to pay, what school forms need signing, making their school lunches, teaching them life lessons, making sure they do their chores and on and on. Rachel’s new book Nine Habits for Overcoming Distraction, Living Better & Loving More has taught me to temporarily forget about all those things and focus on the most important task and that’s making sure your children’s spiritual, emotional and physical needs are being met.

My children get sick. I race like a mad woman to get a towel and a bucket for them to be sick in and all I can think about is “gosh, this is all I need, a mess to clean up” and “how will get I get a, b and c done with them being sick”. Rachel’s words have taught me to forget about that and just be there for them. To hold their hand, to rub their back, to tell them its going to be okay. My children are now 10 and 8 and already their lives have just flown by. I don’t want to regret it one day and say that I missed a lot of those special moments when all I worried about was the state of my untidy house. What I hope to get by doing these things and by remembering Rachel’s words is to teach my children to know how to love, unconditionally. How they can love their children, their partners. How to be more in tune with your spiritual self and know that what you’re giving your loved ones you will receive one hundred times over.

Rachel’s new book is an easy read and one that you can keep on hand as a daily motivational reminder to keep what’s important in focus. The 9 daily habits she covers in the book are:

1. Fill the spaces
2. Surrender control
3. Build a foundation
4. Take the pressure off
5. See what is good
6. Give what matters
7. Establish boundaries
8. Leave a legacy, and
9. Change someone’s story.

All of those habits are life changing ones that will go a long way to leaving a legacy for your family and loved ones.

I think I’ve definitely mellowed over the years and things don’t seem to worry me as much but Rachel certainly reminds me that the precious cargo that I helped bring into this world only have one life as well and what a great start we can give them as parents if we are more available to them and not sweating the small, trivial stuff.

Rachel’s book is set for worldwide release on 8 September and I was very lucky to receive a copy along with a beautiful framed print filled with Rachel’s wise words and a gorgeous leather wrist band as a constant reminder.

You can follow Rachel on her blog or Facebook. Her words will resonate with you too if you struggle to remain focused on the important things in life.

Bookworld Pop-Ups

You may have heard of a new craze in dining out called "pop-up restaurants"?  Well, one of Australia's favourite online book stores, Bookworld, are popping up all over town with Pop-Up book shelves stocked full of thousands of books. Check it out.

Bookworld are now giving you the opportunity to have a pop-up bookshelf in your nominated area.  Is there a school, community, sporting group, town or suburb that you know that deserves some free "book cheer" and a reminder of the joy of reading? Who doesn't love thumbing the pages of a book? As much as I love to use the internet, I don't think you can beat holding a book, smelling the pages and losing yourself in the story.

Those books on my book shelf that I read often are English literature classics like "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte or "Jane Eyre" by Emily's sister Charlotte. They have become firm favourites of mine ever since I first read them at high school. I'm quite the romantic at heart and love nothing better than losing myself in a love story. I've always found that reading allows me to escape for a while from the 'rat race' and dream a little.

I also love reading self help books too, including my latest favourite "The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself" by Michael A. Singer. It really helped on my recent journey of self discovery. 

source

The winning entry will take home a $1,000 Bookworld voucher, as well as a visit from the Bookworld Pop-Ups and a chance for your whole community to browse the shelves and take home free books. Plus there are daily prizes of $50 Bookworld vouchers to be won for the best entry.

Simply enter using the online nomination form found here by 11:59pm (AEST) 25 February 2014 and good luck! Hopefully a few good reads will be popping up at a bus stop near you!

Disclaimer:  The team at Bookworld provided Domesblissity content for this post.

"4 Play" Ignite Your Kitchen Siren + Giveaway

This competition is now closed.

Congratulations to the winner, Amanda from Baby Cake Queen

 and thank you to everyone else for entering.

That got your attention I bet? No, its not what you think it is. Rather a new cookbook by the highly successful Kim McCosker (of "4 Ingredients" fame), or "Mrs Turnbull" her married name,  just in time for Valentine's Day. A cookbook full of sumptuous and enticing recipes.

So what am I doing with a book like this? There's no love interest in my life, at the moment, but I'm finally getting up enough courage to start looking. Nothing serious at this stage but a date would be nice. I used to love planning dinner parties for boyfriends in my younger days and I reckon some of the dishes on offer in Kim's new book would've gone down a treat.

"4 Play" serves over 80 recipes, playfully written, with a purpose. Whether you want to seduce your lover, reintroduce some sparkle into your long-term relationship or marriage, flick the passion switch on, enjoying the food and suggestions within.

Mrs Turnbull has tastefully brought together a collection of ideas and delicious meals that will be the starter for releasing your inhibitions, to free your mind and savour the flavours of lovingly, homemade delicacies from aphroodisiac lore.

Each "4 Play" page oozes mood and mouth watering images. Be charmed by the secrets of Sexting, 'Foods that belong in Bed' and whet your appetite with the "The 4Play Pantry". Enjoy the ease of recipes from Finger Foods, Lick Me - I'm Delicious, Cocktails, rendezvous for 2, a Sweet Soiree and The Morning After. And to complete an evening of romance, use the playlist of soft, sexy and sultry songs to reignite the flame over a classic dinner for two.

For your chance to win a copy of Kim's new cookbook "4 Play" by Valentine's Day, just leave a comment below telling me what foods ignite your kitchen siren. The competition will close this Friday, 7 February at 12:00pm, AEST. Competition only open to Australian residents, sorry. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you've won.

Good luck!

Terms & Conditions

1. This is a game of skill.  
2. This competition is open to Australian Residents only.  
3. The prize is ONE copy of "4 Play" by Mrs Marshall.  
4. This prize is not redeemable in cash.
5. This competition is open from now until  Friday, 7 February at 12:00pm AEST.
6. The winner will be announced on this blog,  Domesblissity Facebook page and Twitter accounts and I will contact you via email.  
7. The winner will have 2 days to respond, otherwise the prize will be redrawn.

"4 Play" Ignite Your Kitchen Siren

This competition is now closed.

Congratulations to the winner, Amanda from Baby Cake Queen

 and thank you to everyone else for entering.

That got your attention I bet? No, its not what you think it is. Rather a new cookbook by the highly successful Kim McCosker (of “4 Ingredients” fame), or “Mrs Turnbull” her married name,  just in time for Valentine’s Day. A cookbook full of sumptuous and enticing recipes.

So what am I doing with a book like this? There’s no love interest in my life, at the moment, but I’m finally getting up enough courage to start looking. Nothing serious at this stage but a date would be nice. I used to love planning dinner parties for boyfriends in my younger days and I reckon some of the dishes on offer in Kim’s new book would’ve gone down a treat.

“4 Play” serves over 80 recipes, playfully written, with a purpose. Whether you want to seduce your lover, reintroduce some sparkle into your long-term relationship or marriage, flick the passion switch on, enjoying the food and suggestions within.

Mrs Turnbull has tastefully brought together a collection of ideas and delicious meals that will be the starter for releasing your inhibitions, to free your mind and savour the flavours of lovingly, homemade delicacies from aphroodisiac lore.

Each “4 Play” page oozes mood and mouth watering images. Be charmed by the secrets of Sexting, ‘Foods that belong in Bed’ and whet your appetite with the “The 4Play Pantry”. Enjoy the ease of recipes from Finger Foods, Lick Me – I’m Delicious, Cocktails, rendezvous for 2, a Sweet Soiree and The Morning After. And to complete an evening of romance, use the playlist of soft, sexy and sultry songs to reignite the flame over a classic dinner for two.

For your chance to win a copy of Kim’s new cookbook “4 Play” by Valentine’s Day, just leave a comment below telling me what foods ignite your kitchen siren. The competition will close this Friday, 7 February at 12:00pm, AEST. Competition only open to Australian residents, sorry. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you’ve won.

Good luck!

Terms & Conditions

1. This is a game of skill.  
2. This competition is open to Australian Residents only.  
3. The prize is ONE copy of “4 Play” by Mrs Marshall.  
4. This prize is not redeemable in cash.
5. This competition is open from now until  Friday, 7 February at 12:00pm AEST.
6. The winner will be announced on this blog,  Domesblissity Facebook page and Twitter accounts and I will contact you via email.  
7. The winner will have 2 days to respond, otherwise the prize will be redrawn.

Darth Vader @ Book Week

The force is strong with this one!

Not every day you get to drive Darth Vader to school. Yesterday my son's school celebrated Book Week, that once a year event that sends shivers down every Mum's spine.  The school my daughter goes to doesn't celebrate it but for the 2 years she went to the school my son goes to now, she got dressed up for Book Week and I soon learnt that she would change her mind at the last minute.

The theme for this year's Book Week was "Across the Universe" so my son was in his element going as one of his favourite characters, Darth Vader. Just about every child comes dressed up as a character from a book and they do a little parade around the teachers and parents. They get so excited. The costume was relatively easy to put together. I just used a few things from other costumes.

There was the black cape from my daughter's Halloween costume last year.

There was the black top and black pants from my son's Ninja Halloween costume from last year (plus his every day black rubber boots).


I printed out this control panel, laminated it and then pinned it to his top. The helmet I did fork out $20 for but he absolutely loves it and I'm sure it will come in handy for many years to come. He's already planning his Star Wars 7th Birthday party in November.

It was great to see the teachers getting into the spirit. There were plenty of Cats in their Hats, witches, Mrs Wishy Washys and the school principal was a Stormtrooper who was well aware of Darth Vader being in the crowd.

So from the early days of my daughter wanting to go as a "winter fairy welcoming spring" (based on a fairy book by Shirley Barber) I can pretty safely say that my job here is done with Darth Vader's mask being pulled out every August for at least the next 3 year's worth of Book Weeks. 

Did you celebrate Book Week where you are? 

What last minute costumes did you put together?

Darth Vader @ Book Week

The force is strong with this one!

Not every day you get to drive Darth Vader to school. Yesterday my son’s school celebrated Book Week, that once a year event that sends shivers down every Mum’s spine.  The school my daughter goes to doesn’t celebrate it but for the 2 years she went to the school my son goes to now, she got dressed up for Book Week and I soon learnt that she would change her mind at the last minute.

The theme for this year’s Book Week was “Across the Universe” so my son was in his element going as one of his favourite characters, Darth Vader. Just about every child comes dressed up as a character from a book and they do a little parade around the teachers and parents. They get so excited. The costume was relatively easy to put together. I just used a few things from other costumes.

There was the black cape from my daughter’s Halloween costume last year.

There was the black top and black pants from my son’s Ninja http://kinfonet.org/profiles/3686-paulsen-brobby/ Halloween costume from last year (plus his every day black rubber boots).

I printed out this control panel, laminated it and then pinned it to his top. The helmet I did fork out $20 for but he absolutely loves it and I’m sure it will come in handy for many years to come. He’s already planning his Star Wars 7th Birthday party in November.

It was great to see the teachers getting into the spirit. There were plenty of Cats in their Hats, witches, Mrs Wishy Washys and the school principal was a Stormtrooper who was well aware of Darth Vader being in the crowd.

So from the early days of my daughter wanting to go as a “winter fairy welcoming spring” (based on a fairy book by Shirley Barber) I can pretty safely say that my job here is done with Darth Vader’s mask being pulled out every August for at least the next 3 year’s worth of Book Weeks. 

Did you celebrate Book Week where you are? 

What last minute costumes did you put together?

Review: Pete & Pickles - the book

I've read a lot of books over the years, children's books that is, but "Pete & Pickles" by Berkely Breathed touched me the other night like nothing has touched me since Bambi's Mum died.  This wasn't a feeling of sadness but of love, acceptance and friendship between unlikely characters.

You might be familiar with another of Berkeley Breathed's other stories "Mars Needs Moms" which has since been made into a feature animated film.  "Pete & Pickles" is also being made into a TV series, which I'm sure my kids will just love (as will I).

This is what Berkely says about how "Pete & Pickles" came about.

A few years ago, my daughter drew a pencil sketch of an elephant holding a small pig in the coils of its nose.  I asked her why the pig looked sad. She looked at me like she does her little brother, which is without sympathy. “Because he’s lonely, Dad. But he doesn’t know it.”

As I figured that it was legal, technically, to steal from within my family, I fleshed out her premise into “Pete & Pickles,” my latest picture book. It’s about a deeply unlikely friendship between deeply mismatched individuals. That’s most marriages, of course, but please don’t tell the kids.  We just say it’s a love story.  I hope you enjoy it.

--Berkeley Breathed 

Review: Pete & Pickles - the book

I’ve read a lot of books over the years, children’s books that is, but “Pete & Pickles” by Berkely Breathed touched me the other night like nothing has touched me since Bambi’s Mum died.  This wasn’t a feeling of sadness but of love, acceptance and friendship between unlikely characters.

You might be familiar with another of Berkeley Breathed’s other stories “Mars Needs Moms” which has since been made into a feature animated film.  “Pete & Pickles” is also being made into a TV series, which I’m sure my kids will just love (as will I).

This is what Berkely says about how “Pete & Pickles” came about.

A few years ago, my daughter drew a pencil sketch of an elephant holding a small pig in the coils of its nose.  I asked her why the pig looked sad. She looked at me like she does her little brother, which is without sympathy. “Because he’s lonely, Dad. But he doesn’t know it.”

As I figured that it was legal, technically, to steal from within my family, I fleshed out her premise into “Pete & Pickles,” my latest picture book. It’s about a deeply unlikely friendship between deeply mismatched individuals. That’s most marriages, of course, but please don’t tell the kids.  We just say it’s a love story.  I hope you enjoy it.

–Berkeley Breathed