MrsB

In 2012 I ran 1544 km, started doing CrossFit, got a tattoo, quit Citalopram and other than a break over summer holiday and Christmas – didn’t eat any sugar. So all in all it was a good year, even though it didn’t start very well – MrB got labyrinthitis right as 2011 became 2012 and [...]

It’s FrOctober… and as vain as posting photos of you outfits online can seem – I rather like this initiative and have seen lots of good come out of it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

So keep on frocking it, ladies! (and kick that PND to the curb!)

A few people have asked me how I have set up the image signature at the end of my posts.

The description is quite lengthy so instead of replying individually, I have put together instructions on how to set up a Wordpress shortcode so that at the end of each post all you have to do is type [signature] and your lovely signature image appears as if by magic! …

I arrived at BritMums Live on Friday just as Ruby Wax had finished her keynote address. I would have liked to hear her but 3pm was the earliest I could get away from the office.

I immediately tweeted Lisa and Otilia because big conferences like that are a bit scary if you don’t have anyone holding your hand when you mingle. …

I’m all dolled up and ready for BritMums Live!

I don’t usually wear heels but I am today and thankfully these wedges are very comfy – I don’t know why I haven’t worn them for over a year.

Of course I left my good camera at home today, so from tonight there will only be fuzzy iPhone photos. Tomorrow I’ll try to get a few better shots.

Here’s to a wild and wonderful 24 hours!

1. Blogging IS a great way to make real life friends
… just don’t expect EVERY other blogger you meet to be your bestie. Just like in real life, some people you click with and come people you don’t. …

I was going to write a post on why I run, but then I thought that I have written about this a lot already and instead I asked myself another question: “Why have I only been running for the past 2 years?” …

It’s Skull Saturday over at Mum on the Run.

I have a confession though – I don’t actually like sculls :|

However, when I saw this t-shirt at H&M I just had to get it for Oliver because a) it’s cute and b) he rather likes cameras at the moment.

In the 7 years that I have blogged, I have transferred my blog from a static website to Blogger, then to Wordpress.com and then to self-hosted Wordpress. I have changed themes more often than I can remember, each time fiddling endlessly to make sure that all the old information is carried across properly.

Having my entire blog online has always meant a lot to me. That is until now. [...]

Where do I start?

As of yesterday my blog is seven years old!

Seven years ago I had a newborn and a website on crankymonkeys.com that I used for posting photos. The newborn made me want to write so I started writing on that photo site. I had no idea that the word blogging even existed. I just needed to vent and to record this new adventure that had started.

This blog is now my digital scrapbook and I absolutely love tinkering with it, reading and replying to comments, interacting with other bloggers through it and sharing my stories with those in a similar boat. [...]

The very cool Jude Wharton (she runs AND she has a digital media company = cool) made my day a few weeks ago by giving me my very third Versatile Blogger Award.

(My previous Versatile Blogger Awards are mentioned here).

Thank you Jude for giving me proof again that there are people out there who read my blog other than my mother. [...]

I absolutely love having a self-hosted Wordpress blog. I have worked in web design&development for over a decade and I love getting my hands on the code and tweak the theme.

If you don’t know CSS or HTML or PHP that well, a self-hosted blog has other benefits – for example it opens up the whole world of plugins to you – little “programs” that make you site run more efficiently, and be more interactive and fun.

Here’s the list of the plugins that I currently use and am very happy with to recommend.

I read the BritMums blogging predictions for 2012 today and there was one that totally struck the chord with me:

Veteran bloggers will rethink their focus. Just like magazines get makeovers every few years, longstanding bloggers will update and adapt their blogs to reflect their changing interests and online skills. Those who started blogging as new parents will switch from “baby blogging” to write about other topics that interest them, taking their audience and influence along with them.

I have definitely reached the point in my blogging life (this blog will soon celebrate its 7th birthday) when it’s less about adjusting to life with child(ren) and more about all the other things that make up my life. [...]

I’m taking part in Sticky Fingers’ Gallery this week – the theme is “Christmas of Yesteryear” :)

I chose not to go too far back in history, only to 2009 – the last time we had a HOT Christmas in Canberra.

I had 6 warm Christmases when I lived there pre-kids and I love it that way – snow and darkness are so overrated. [...]

Dear 22-year-old me,

congratulations on your graduation!

You’ve had great 4 years but now you’re keen to get out of Small Town, Missouri and start a grown-up life.

Funnily the one thing that worries you more than getting a job and being able to pay your bills is making friends now that school life is over… You just cannot imagine how you’ll ever make great friends again now that you’re no longer in an academic situations with all kinds of extracurricular activities. [...]