HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR HAUSFRAU (PLUS MY FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY!!)

Today is Mr Hausfrau's birthday!!

My German spunk is another year spunkier!

Trying to think of a great present for him was a challenge! What to buy for a man who wants for nothing? He is the type of guy who would think that a kiss and an "I love  you" would be the best. gift. ever!

In the end he scored his favourite chocolates and a ticket to his favourite music festival! The big groover that he is!!

Now - if I was a little smarter I would have searched for a great deal online

So when *Groupon contacted me last week and asked if I would host a give-away maybe I should have taken that as a sign to make it easy for myself and order his present from their site!! Did I? Sadly no - but I've got my eye out now for a bargain for his Christmas present.

In the meantime I've got my eye on this - perhaps for PrincessBF's upcoming birthday - perhaps for myself ;)

So now for the give-away!!

Groupon have given me 2 x $30 vouchers to give to 2 of my lucky readers. Perhaps to buy something for yourself or a night out for dinner with your special someone - or maybe you're like me and need a last minute present idea - Christmas is only 27 26 sleeps away!! Groupon is local (restaurants and services) and Australian wide (shopping and holidays etc)

All you need to do is pop over to their website (you can also download their app on your smart phone! Too easy!) and then leave me a comment on this post telling me what you would buy! (Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter)

You can get bonus entries too by liking my facebook page - following me on Twitter and tweeting about the giveaway!

Unfortunatley this comp is only open to Australian residents.

Are you all organised for Christmas? I can't believe that I'm about to say this but apart from Mr Hausfrau's Christmas present - I. AM. DONE!!! Everything is bought and wrapped and it's not even December yet! I'm not sure what is wrong with me!! It's a freaking miracle! A freaking Christmas miracle!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

Click here to donate

*Just for the record - yes Groupon have given me a voucher too to promote their site - maybe I'll buy the vibrating bullet - you know what I mean - You saw it too didn't you! ;)

20 years on....

20 years passed today since the day you left us. I can hardly believe it. Where did 20 years go?

You fought so hard to stay with us. Your family. Your parents. Your partner. Your kids. Your sisters. Me.

Cancer is a bastard disease. You gave it your best fight ever and man were you a fighter!

Not a day goes by that I don't think about you. Wondering what you'd be doing if you were still here. My guess it would be doing something for your beloved horses or running around for your kids. Wow - you should see them now Aunty. How grown up they are. The girls are so much like you. Splitting images!

Not a day goes by that I don't wish you were here. Would you be proud of me? Would you be happy for me? 

I'm not that 14 year old bratty teenager that I was when you left! Not a day goes by that I don't wish that you could see me now! Would you love my kids as much as you loved me? Would you spoil them as much as you spoilt me? They would have freaking loved you!! I did! I still do. I always will.

I can't fathom that I'm already 4 years older than you were when you left. I never saw you as being this age. You were my cool Aunty! You taught me to ride a horse. You taught me to drive a car. You taught me about life!

I remember the day you went to sleep for the last time. I remember everything about that day. It's funny, I even remember what I had for breakfast. I still hate peanut butter on toast 20 years later.

I understood that you needed to go. You were so tired. Your body fought a huge battle. I understood but I hated it! Hated it with a passion. It wasn't fair. It's not fair. Why you?

I'd give anything to have you back here again. With your family. With me.

I love you Aunty. Always and forever.

I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new.


I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. 



I think of you in silence. I often speak your name.


 

Now all I have are memories and your picture in a frame. 



Your memory is my keepsake, with which I'll never part.


 

Heaven has you in its keeping. I have you in my heart..

To my lovely blog readers. I really need your help. I'm having trouble drumming up support for the 200+km ride that I'm doing to help conquer cancer and to honour my beautiful Aunty. You can read more about it here. Could you help me? I need donations and help to to spread the word. Could you spare $2? Would you forward this on to others that might be able to help? I need to get the word out there!! I'd appreciate any help that I can get!

If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

Click here to donate

A ranty reformed smoker post

I'm a reformed smoker. I quit over 10 years ago.

I don't normally preach my non smoking ways.

Actually that's probably not really true.

I preach non smoking to my kids all the time. I want them to realise just how bad it really is.

I preach non smoking to my parents. I hate that they smoke and want them to be around for many more years.

I preach non smoking to my friends. But only when they are talking about quitting. I don't push my friends to quit unless they are wanting to and then I'm there. Supporting.

I really don't give a flying fuck if other people smoke. It's their choice. It's not my health.

(Why that's a big but Toni - Well yes it is 'cause this is a biggy)

I do give a fuck if people smoke in places that are meant to be smoke free!

Please don't smoke in the playground around my kids.

Please don't smoke at the local sporting field.

and the reason for todays post.

image credit

Please don't smoke standing right underneath the "No Smoking In This Area" sign right outside the entrance to the shopping centre where my son and I have to walk through your cloud of smoke to get to the entrance!!

I may or may not have said a wee bit loud something like "gotta love how people smoke in the no smoking area" - to which this lovely classy lady may or may not have replied "Yes, isn't that sad. Sad sad sad sad"

In my head I responded with "why yes, you are a little sad".

What I actually said? Nothing. I'm better than that. I'd rather come here and rant to you guys!

If people want to smoke in their house, their yard, their car, that's fine by me I really don't care! But please people. Those "No Smoking" signs out the front of shops are there for a reason! When walking out of the shops I want to take a breath of the fresh Australian air - not your second hand smoke!

Just on that last one - the smoking in the car one -  if you smoke in your car with kids in it may the flies of a thousand horses annoy you for eternity while the fleas of a million camels invade your erogenous zones!

To any of my reader who smoke - please don't see this as a personal attack on you. Smoking is your choice and I respect that! Unless you're smoking under a "no smoking" sign ;)

You can also follow me on

facebook | www.facebook.com/TheAussieHausfrau

Twitter | @AussieHausfrau

Instagram | @aussie_hausfrau

If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

Click here to donate

Just Keep Swimming!

I suck at swimming

Correction. I sucked at swimming. See that? That's PAST tense!! SuckED!

Recently I took the plunge (see what I did there?) and enrolled in adult swimming lessons.

Oh yes I did!!

Oh I had the general gist of how to swim but just plain ol' sucked at it. I was lucky to make it the length of a 25m pool! If I did make it there was no way in hell I was making it back!

So off I went with my swimming buddy and we jumped in the deep end! (I can't help it - they're just too easy to make!)

After 4 lessons so far I'm stoked to report that I AM A SWIMMER! 

I can now swim at least *100m **200m ***300m ****400m 500m without stopping and my trainer has told me that my freestyle and backstroke is pretty much perfect! Fecking perfect!! 

Booyah!

Except my breast stroke. I still suck at that.

How I'm meant to look? Just like Leisel here.

image credit here

How I actually look? 

I'm like one of those wind up frogs you put in the bathtub that kick and kick but don't actually get anywhere. 

Yep that's me!

I'll get there though. Just keep swimming and all that.

That triathlon is looking easier and easier!

*I'd love to now report that as of 12/11/2012 I can now swim 200m freestyle without stopping! That's 2/3 of my goal of 300m!! May have to increase my goal!!!

** Woohoo! I did it! My goal was 300m and I freaking did it!! Who would have thought that just a few short weeks ago I struggled to do 50m!! Last night (19/11/2012) at practise I swam a total of 1050m which included a 300m non stop swim and a few 200m ones!! So chuffed right now!!

*** 29/11/2012 - Woohoo!! 400m non stop! Who woulda thunk it!

**** 15/12/2012 - Pop the freaking champagne! I swam 500m without stopping and could have kept at it if it wasn't for my crappy impinged shoulders!!

You can also follow me on

facebook | www.facebook.com/TheAussieHausfrau

Twitter | @AussieHausfrau

Instagram | @aussie_hausfrau

If you've been following me on facebook you may or may not know that I have registered for a 220km bike ride  for the Perth Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2013. This is a cause close to my heart as I have lost some very special people to this horrible disease. As part of my entry I need to fund raise a minimum of $2500 to take part in the actual ride. I really hate asking for donations but I've been told that it's the only way! Do you have a spare $2? Every little bit helps. All money raised will go directly to support cancer patients and their families and all donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Thank you!!

Click here to donate