How to bond with your husband…or the virtues of the Dirty Weekend…

Last weekend, my husband and I spent the weekend in Melbourne.  It was the first time we have been away without the children in two and a half years!  We had a blast!

Everyone knows how important it is to work on your marriage.  We know that we need to be spending quality time together, talking, communicating, finding things we are interested in and sharing them.  After all, if the relationship is strong, everything else will fall into place.

Well, we don’t have time for that.

What we do have time for, albeit every couple of years, is a great food, late night, alcohol fuelled, let-your-hair-down weekend away…

Sipping Mojitos at LUNCH time!

Last weekend we escaped to Melbourne to party the night away at my brother’s engagement party in Albert Park…and since we were extremely lucky to have awesome babysitters…we decided to make a weekend of it and call it therapy!

We started with lunch at mamasita, Melbourne’s coolest Mexican Restaurant.  The food is amazing, the energy is alive and the cocktails are fierce!  We ate the worlds best spicy grilled corn and guacamole to die for.   Being surrounded by so many hip, young Melbournians and drinking Mojitos at lunch time made us feel at least ten years younger!  Well, until I had to get off my high stool to go to the Ladies…I couldn’t feel my legs but I’m pretty sure I kept it together…no, I’m sure no one noticed a thing!

After lunch, we went bike shopping at Papillionaire in Collingwood and couldn’t resist a coffee at Proud Mary – just because we could.  It was real coffee too!  They don’t do Dandecinos in Melbourne people!

After spending an entire hour getting ready (total luxury) we had champagne in the hotel lobby before making our way to the party.  I LOVE a party (I was actually quite the party girl when I was young – this always surprises people – except for my best mate Cara who probably knows the real me better than anyone!) especially when you know everyone but don’t have the pressure of it being your party.  We mingled, we laughed, we danced and drank more champagne…it was FUN.  Great fun.

Party ready!

We got home at 2am and ate pizza from room service!  We laughed about the funny things that happened during the night and planned our all important breakfast stop at South Melbourne Market on the way home.  Exhausted, cheeks sore from smiling and feet aching from the very high heels that I hardly ever wear any more…I turned to my husband and said…

“so, next weekend, back to a dvd and bottle of wine on the couch?”

“For sure”, he said…”For sure”.

Do you love going out and having fun with your partner?  What is your favourite ‘date night’?

Party on!

mamacino x

100 Posts And A Positivity Party

Today I am writing my 100th post for mamacino.  It feels like a milestone, an accomplishment of sorts.  I think it’s worthy of a celebration…maybe even a party and so…I would formally like to invite you to The Mamacino 100 Posts Positivity Party!

* all images from pinterest…

Yesterday was a day of ups and downs.  I went to see a Chiropractor in the hope of curing myself of a few ills.  Rebecca took one look at my body and well, I won’t go into all the details except to say words like tension, stress, anxiety, no breath, holding on, closed were being used…a lot.  Rebecca got to work trying to open me up, unravel some tightly wound knots.  She was wonderful.  The treatment was fantastic.  I left feeling on top of the world.  But something happened in the afternoon.  I started feeling emotional.  I was sad, lonely and very close to tears.  It all culminated in a melt down after Leonardo accidentally (on purpose) dropped his bowl of pasta on my just cleaned concrete floors.  Needless to say, the bowl smashed in a million pieces which reached almost every room of the house.  Let’s just say I didn’t cope with that particularly well.

I spoke to my Grandmother in the evening and was hoping for a sympathetic ear.  I didn’t get one.  She told me to “pull myself together don’t you know how lucky you are stop trying to be so perfect what about all the people who have twins”.  You might think this sounds harsh but it was in fact, exactly what I needed to hear.  If she had have been nice to me I would have broken down.  I don’t cope well with kindness, either.

And so this morning I have been fortunate enough to have a few child free hours and I have been doing what any other sad, lonely, feeling-unsupported mum does…stalking pinterest!  I have been pimping positivity and feeling all the better for it.  I highly recommend it…but don’t search ‘adult company’…no, that was a big mistake.

Here are a few of my favourites…I’m sharing them with you to say thank you!  A huge thank you for being here with me, for letting me be a part of your positivity posse because that’s what all of you do.  You listen, you offer support and words of wisdom, you make me laugh and sometimes cry.  I love hanging out here at mamacino and it makes me so happy that you do to.

New rules to remind myself of every day….

And if that wasn’t enough….press here….and….

Love and light,

mamacino x

Get to know yourself…

Are you who you think you are?  

How does your perception of yourself compare to the reality?  Do you see yourself as being different to the person who gets up and meets the world each day?  I do.

It has occurred to me lately that I may not be the person I think I am.  Or is it the person I think I would like to be?  Or the person I would like others to think I am?  It’s extremely confusing, not knowing who you are.  First of all, how are the people you love supposed to know if you don’t know yourself.  In my experience, not being truly yourself leads to trouble.  It affects your health and well being, your relationships and your peace and equanimity in general.  If you have any doubt about how authentic your self perception is, if you’re feeling just a little unsure, there is one sure way to find out…ask your family.  But be prepared…they can be brutally honest and you may be up for a few home truths.

From Pinterest
This is how I look in my own Day Dreams…

My daughter has not been happy lately.  She is moody and rude and has real fire in her words.  It got to the point where everyone was on edge and we had to sit down as a family and talk about it.  What was uncovered was that everyone was feeling a little unhappy.  A little unloved…disjointed, not heard, unappreciated….and I thought it was just me…

Creating an environment where being kind, supportive and respectful towards each other is my absolute priority for my family.  I want my kids and my husband to know I am on their side, no matter what.  I want each of them to feel not only that I love them, but that I really like them too.  It seems this isn’t what’s been happening…

I have been thinking about this and wondering if it all comes down to knowing who you are and being yourself.  There are so many things I want to do with my life but I don’t do it.  I feel held back.  I’m scared to let go and just enjoy the adventure.  What am I scared of?  Failure?  Not having enough money?  What people will think?  I can’t quite put my finger on it…so instead, I keep doing what’s safe, what I know I’m good at, keeping the risk low but the possibility of fulfilment even lower.

From Pinterest
Do what you wanna do, be what you wanna be, yeah!

Just for fun….here are some examples of who I think I am and who I really am…

In my imagination I have long, flowing hippy hair and dangle-y earrings but in reality, it’s just a boring, brown bob.

In my imagination I lay in bed with my kids every night talking and reading long passages from classics like Little Women but in reality I can’t wait for them to get to bed so I can sit down by myself and watch Masterchef.

I want my kids to remember their mum for how kind she was and how much fun…not how clean the house was and how nutritionally balanced their meals were (I aim to do that, just without them realising it and so should really stop banging on about it all the time!).

I fancy myself as a vegan and try to be as healthy as I possibly can but the fact is my eyes lit up walking past the doughnuts in the supermarket today and…wait, I know this is shocking….I don’t actually like Green Smoothies!

I would love to move to a warmer part of the world and simplify our life by living in a smaller house with less stuff and a big veggie patch so my husband could spend more time at home with his family.

I love the idea of entertaining all of our friends and family with food and love and laughter but the idea of the house being turned upside down holds me back…Why? Who cares!

I want to see the world, I want to continue to learn, I want to put myself out there and do what I love but I don’t…and I actually know that I am the only person who can do something about that.

From Pinterest

So what about you?  Do you know who you are, or are you a work in progress?  What do you find helps to fill you with happiness and give you the inspiration to be the person you want to be?

Love and Light,

mamacino x

 

 

 

 

 

Life’s too short for tea bags…

I have just brewed my very first ever pot of tea…I mean, I’ve certainly drunk plenty of tea in my time, but never loose leaf tea brewed in a tea pot….and guess what?  I like it!

Tea time…

My good friend keeps telling me...life’s too short for tea bags!  I’m a coffee drinker really, so I didn’t get it.  To me, tea was something you drank when you had already had too much coffee.  But since drastically reducing my coffee intake, I have rediscovered tea.  In the morning, I have hot water with lemon, at midday, I have my green tea – now freshly brewed in my special pot.  In the evenings I indulge in herbal elixirs to tempt me into a state quiet relaxation.  Now I can go through a whole day with little thought for coffee (I know…traitorous!) when before, I struggled to get past 9am!  Have I swapped one vice for another?  I don’t think so.  I think it’s about finding something that is an indulgence, a ritual…something for yourself.  Taking time to brew a pot of tea isn’t just about the tea…it’s so much more.

The pleasure of the pause.  Taking time out. ‘Me time’.  Recharging the batteries.  Whatever you want to call it, it is important, essential even that we get it.  Life is busy, we know that but I truly believe it is our own responsibility to take care of ourselves.  Taking the time to brew a pot of tea and then sit and sip it at leisure is something we are all worthy of.  Truly.  If you like tea, make sure to include this nurturing ritual in your day…if not, find something you do love…but lets stop all this ‘hiding in the toilet’ for a bit of peace and quiet.  That just sucks.

In fact, I’m so inspired…I’m going to dedicate the whole month to myself!  This month I aim to go slower, live more simply, do more that inspires me and lifts me up, surround myself with like minded people who will support me, and be happy.  I am very lucky to have the support of the 30 day Self Care Blueprint, an online Self Care Workshop to guide me… but even if you don’t…why not come along for the ride anyway…I think women make the world go round but imagine how awesome it would be if we were all happy, confident and living our best life.  Well, that would just be amazing.

So…what are you going to do for yourself today?  What is your favourite ritual or ‘time out’ activity?  Let us know…we LOVE to hear from you!

mamacino x

Is your body aTemple or a Playground?

If you were sitting in a cafe, sipping on a latte, and your body sat down beside you…what would it say to you?  Would it thank you for all the loving kindness you have shown it over the years or would it scowl at you and your coffee, and give you a piece of it’s mind?  What would your body look like?  Would it be glowing and radiant with health and vitality or would it be pale, tired and terribly overworked?  Being your body is a tough job…maybe it’s time we listened to what it’s trying to tell us.

But that is easier said than done, isn’t it?  We’re busy.  So busy.  We’re stressed.  We have to go to work, we have kids to look after.  We all know the excuses.  We are very good at putting everybody and everything before ourselves…but why?

My friend and I were talking about this last week as we shared some child free time over a decaf cappucino at our favourite cafe.  We know all the answers when it comes to improving our health through nutrition and lifestyle.  We could advise a friend…even write a book!  But when it comes to comitting to these much needed changes ourselves…we always fall short of the mark.

Is it laziness?  For change to occur, effort is required.  To exercise, to eat well, to get to bed before midnight…it’s not that easy.  Do we divert our attention by focusing on others and avoid concentrating on ourselves?  Are we afraid we will fail? I am guilty of berating myself for my misgivings on a daily basis.  That nagging,  negative voice that lives in your head…I shouldn’t have eaten all that bread, I’m  supposed to be going grain free…If I’d done more exercise I wouldn’t have to lay on the floor to do my jeans up (possibly with a coat hanger)….

Do we think we’re not worth the effort?  Looking after yourself takes time, it might take a little bit of money too…sometimes we see this as selfishness, especially if we’re not supported by loving family and friends who understand how important taking care of ourselves really is.  We need to respect ourselves for our own well being but also because we are role models.  I for one want my two daughters (and my son) to grow up with a healthy view of themselves and the ability to make choices that reflect what is best for them.  The bottom line is…if we don’t stay healthy and happy and well…we can’t take care of anyone else.

Look after yourself and you’ll be doing cart wheels…though I don’t recommend it if you have had babies…unless you have your ‘Tena Ladies’ on!

As I’m getting older, I’m starting to love myself more…I know, I know…it’s so cliche…but I appreciate my body now.  Goodness knows, it’s done amazing things.  It runs, it bends in all directions in the name of yoga, it has carried and given birth to three beautiful babies (a miracle I still can not comprehend!) and it has fed and nourished those babies independently for varying amounts of time.  It has completed two degrees and is considering a third.  It has kept working no matter how much I demand of it and has dragged itself out of bed every morning for 36 years regardless of how little sleep it has received (and it hasn’t always been because of night feeds and restless children…)

When I see the beautiful young women in my life, some who are mothers and many who are not, treating their bodies and themselves so carelessly, it makes me feel really sad (and old).  Smoking, alcohol, junk food, crazy work hours…it really concerns me .  I want to tell them…you are so special…you deserve better!

So, I will…

Whenever I question my girls about something they don’t think I noticed and they ask me how I knew…I always say…”because I’m a Mum, and Mum’s know everything”.  They are young enough that they believe me and this still works as an answer…and so in that spirit, I’m going to tell you…

You are so important, worthy, good, loved, beautiful, special, unique, amazing, wonderful, clever, fun, classy, gorgeous, funny, bright, sexy…so take care of yourself, you deserve it.  And I know, because I’m a Mum and Mums know everything.

Is your body a temple or a playground?  How do you feel about your own body?  What has it taught you over the years?

mamacino x

Many Shades of Mother’s Day…

What did your Mother’s Day look like?  A sunny day, family seated around a long table under a tree in a beautiful garden…delicious food, beautifully behaved children, love, laughter, everyone dressed in white linen?  Or maybe that’s just the Women’s Weekly version.  

Everyone has different ideas about how to spend Mother’s Day but I think most will agree that a sleep in, breakfast in bed and lots of kisses and cuddles is a pretty good start.  I spent the afternoon with a group of friends sipping Prosecco by the fire and indulging in a delicious lunch generously ‘purchased’ by my wonderful friend (none of us were allowed to cook).  Our husbands both went off to the football, mine with our daughters in tow, and though this was, for me,  at first…hurtful, we soon gave in to talking and laughter and relaxed into the comfort and enjoyment that comes so easily with valued friendship.

Mother’s Day Love

But Mother’s Day isn’t easy for everyone.

One of our group had spent the morning with her family at the Mother’s Day Classic, running for and remembering a very much loved, but recently lost mother in their family.

Another was returning home to work on an assignment for the degree she is studying for while she is at home caring for her two little boys.

Absent friends were also remembered…one especially who has spent the last weeks in hospital with her newborn baby.  With two children at home and one in the hospital, we can’t imagine the stress and strain our friend has endured since welcoming her new blossom to the world but her positivity and  love have inspired us all.

And my own Mum…who lives far across the seas but who remains my biggest fan and most wonderful supporter.  I missed her and would have loved to be sharing a coffee and cake with her but we laughed over the phone and will make up for it when she visits us soon.

And so really, Mother’s Day is not about flowers or presents but about recognising all mother’s for the amazing job they do, every day.  Because no matter what the day brings, they are doing their best and giving their all.  Mothers are awesome.  Honestly, I don’t know what we’d do without them.

mamacino x

Marriage…How’s it working out for you?

This weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary with a long, lazy family lunch at home.  We think it’s quite an achievement, to be still together after so many years, kids, holidays, houses, car bingles, cooking disasters, picture hanging altercations…Is it an achievement? Or are we just lucky?  I mean, when you think about it, how realistic is it for us all to walk the bumpy road that is matrimony and still be friends, let alone lovers,  at the other end?

It seems funny that in this day and age, we are hanging on to the tradition of marriage with such determination.  Or are we?  We have been happy to let go of quite a lot that goes with it…while many of us are insisting on the white dress and big party we are happy to change our vows to suit ourselves.  Being married in a church is becoming a rare occasion while we are all packing our suit cases, sometimes several times a year, to witness nuptials made in tropical paradise (and hey, I’m not complaining).  Women are keeping their names, bank accounts and professional careers and I’m not saying they shouldn’t…I’m just wandering, what’s so important about that piece of paper?

I was engaged at 21 and married at 24.  We had a beautiful beach side ceremony in Byron Bay.  We had magnificent food, free flowing champagne, music and dancing.  We ‘borrowed’ our vows from the internet.  I wore a Collette Dinnigan dress and white flowers in my hair.  Our wedding was idyllic.  What was to follow, the marriage…not so much.  Being so young, we hadn’t really put any thought into what we expected our partnership to be.  It wasn’t a disaster but it did come close to ending a few times…should we have waited until we were a little older?  Sure, I think I could have benefited from knowing myself better and having a life for myself before I had to share it with someone else.

When I look back at our rocky path, I see it now for what it was, or still is at times.  It’s two people trying to do their best to be together while still maintaining something of themselves.  Marriages work when the compromise ratio is even.  Partnerships need equality on all levels…not to mention love, respect, support, understanding and perhaps the ability to choose battles wisely and look the other way on occasion.  This is not instant, it can’t be…it’s learned, painfully, over many years.  In our case, we were lucky to grow up together, not grow up in different directions.  I think that’s what has been our recipe for success…and that my husband is absent 6 months of the year hasn’t hurt either!

"A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year." Unknown

And so you turn around three times and you have children, a mortgage and a people mover.  Saturday nights are less about dinners in fancy restaurants and more about watching Gardening Australia on the ABC.  Family life brings pressure to the best relationships…maybe if we weren’t legally bound we’d never stick it out!  Teamwork is essential, you need someone on your side, if only to gang up on the kids.  An ally, a partner…someone to take the bins out.  You need to look for ways to make it work and I know that’s not as easy as it sounds.  I feel truly grateful for the life I have and I wouldn’t change it for the world…maybe we have had luck on our side.

My mamacino apron - gift from my beautiful husband...

And so our family lunch was, typical.  The phone rang and woke the baby and so my husband and I got to juggle him with our Spanikopita.  We made the mess of twenty people and after two glasses of wine, we didn’t care! .  My husband presented me with a thoughtful gift while I had to improvise with promises of the after-dark variety (obviously effort required but at least it was within my budget!).  It was noisy and messy but the food was delicious and the company spritely…The recipe for a successful day and perhaps even a lasting marriage too.

Persian Love Cake...the way to a man's heart...and mine too!

Lunch at home - beats chasing our 17 month old around a restaurant!

And so the question remains…what is it about having a piece of paper to solidify our relationship?  Comfort? Security?  Recognition?  Optimism?  Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s different for everyone.  If you’re a bride to be…I say to you ‘Men are From Mars…” For the Grooms I say “Happy Wife Happy Life”…have fun, look after each other and most imprtantly…good luck!

If you are interested in reading more about relationships, have a look at Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder and Valentine’s Day Is Important and if you are really interested, you might like to read Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert who examines the institution from every angle before embarking on the journey that is marriage.

Please feel free to comment on what makes your marriage work (or not)…I love hearing from you!

Oh…and just to let you know…we are now on facebook!!  So exciting…please go to the right sidebar and ‘like’ us if you would like updates of new posts!

mamacino x

Is Being A Mum Tough?

Are mums out there doing it tough?  Whenever I speak to a friend, check Facebook or pick up a book about kids or parenting, it seems there is an overwhelming feeling of crisis looming.  When did it all get so hard?  Are you doing it tough?  And what do you do to make life a little easier for yourself?

I have been in touch with three friends today who have all told me a similar story…they are exhausted, stressed, busy beyond belief and not getting enough, if any,  support from their partners.  And that’s just today.  It’s so common to see Facebook status updates pleading for sleep or a moments peace and it seems whenever I ask someone how they are, the reply is always the same…tired, busy…completely stressed out and most commonly…in desperate need of a glass of wine.

Believe me, I also have my moments.  I am a single mother about six months of the year and with three small children, it’s not always easy, however…I don’t work in paid employment outside the home (as opposed to just work my guts out inside the home).  I thank my lucky stars every day that I have the luxury of being a stay-at-home-mum and I take my hat off to all the mums , especially the single mums, who work, by choice or otherwise.

Look familiar?

So what is the problem, exactly?  I have been thinking about this while doing the grocery shopping and I realise everyone is different and all of our situations vary so much these days but based on my own experiences…this is what I’ve come up with…

Sleep

Why aren’t our children sleeping these days?  And I’m not talking about the newborns, or even our beautiful babies…I’m talking about the two, three, four and five year olds that insist on continuously disturbing our slumber.  It’s not on…could someone please do something about this?

Food

It occurred to me walking past the pre-made lasagna (that I wouldn’t feed my kids in a fit…though I’m sure it wouldn’t kill them) in the supermarket today that all of this organic, fresh is best, make it from scratch ideology is making a lot of work for us! I spend a lot of time, effort and money trying to provide my family with the best and freshest food I can, however, last night as I was heading off to Book Club, I let them indulge in their very favorite guilty pleasure which is a Family Meat Pie from the bakery with peas and mash potato.  I fed them all, husband included, in thirty minutes for about ten dollars and had hardly any dishes!  I’m just saying….

Partners

I am lucky that my husband, when he is home, is very hands on…not that he has much choice, I have to say.  Being on my own so much so my husband can do a job he loves gives me a certain amount of bargaining power and make no mistake, I use it!  But it wasn’t always like that.  Back in the old days, when I was young…I felt it was completely up to me to do everything concerning the house and children and for as little money as possible, since I wasn’t actually ‘earning’ any.  As I’ve grown older and wiser I seem to have gotten over that but it doesn’t mean I still don’t feel a little hesitant and nervous broaching the subject of having some ‘me’ time or heading out for a night with the girls…as if I question whether I really deserve it.  Some partners are wonderful and make it (bossing them around) easy, but some, ah, do not.  How many men do you know that wake up and think…hmmm, what can I do today to make life better for my wife?  Doctor Phil does…or so he says.

Children

Are kids these days more demanding than in years gone by?  Or are we just more willing to cater to those demands?  Remember your own mum saying “go outside to play and don’t come back until I call you for tea?”  We loved that!  Remember when lunch used to be a Vegemite sandwich, a juice box (god forbid!) and an apple?  Now we spend half the night making hummus and cleaning those fiddly bloody plastic snack boxes! I love kids and I’m all for positive parenting and developing their wonderful minds and imaginations through exciting and educational experiences but I’m just saying if you really don’t feel like going to the park today…it’s okay to say no…and when they ask why not…it’s ok to say because I said so!

Guilt

Ah…guilt.  We’ve all been there, experienced it…some of us on a daily, even hourly basis!  The list of things to feel guilty about is ENDLESS…letting your kids watch television, feeding them breakfast for dinner, refusing to buy your three year old an Ipod, saying no to the soccer team to save yourself a forty minute drive at 8am every Saturday morning, eating the chocolate muffin, not eating the limp organic kale, losing your cool, arguing with your partner…Sarah Napthali tells us in Buddhism for Parents on the Go, the Tibetans don’t even have a word for guilt!  It is a totally unproductive emotion.  Get rid of it!  Do the best with what you’ve got on any given day and make peace with it.  We are not, nor will we ever be, perfect so embrace it!  Yeah!  Fuck the ironing!

Fun

Fun…sound vaguely familiar? You know, it’s what we used to do in the nineties!  Have fun!  Cooking and cleaning is not fun.  Bath time is not fun (for us, anyway).  Bed time is not fun…ROUTINE is not fun.  Sure, we get glimpses of it during our day…a sloppy kiss from your toddler, someone remembering to fill the water filter…but I’m talking about let your hair down, dancing, eating, drinking, laughing FUN.  Get some, you’ll like it!  Celebrate, do something you enjoy every single day and do not sacrifice it for anything (well, within reason).

So what can we do?

Good question.  What can we do to make life easier, a little less busy, a little more enjoyable…I bet you all have ideas so PLEASE share them here with us…leave a comment, offer some advice…you never know…it might just make someone’s day.

I truly believe heart and soul that the great majority of us and doing our very best every day.  And thank goodness!  We need mums, they get stuff done.  But be kind to yourself, ask for help, demand it if you have to.  You are worth it.  absolutely and completely worth it!

Want to read more about motherhood? Have a look at Are you Perfect? and Big Fat Fail

Keep smiling,

mamacino x

PS I just Googled images of stressed out mums and a picture of a screw driver came up…oh dear!

Memo To Men…Valentine’s Day Is Important

Christmas is important, Birthdays are important…Valentine’s Day is important. 

Okay, before you all get defensive and start banging on about the commercial trap you believe Valentine’s Day to be and how it’s all a ploy to get you to spend your hard earned cash…hear me out…it’s in your best interests.

I’ll say it again.  Valentine’s Day is important.  In fact, I’d go as far as to say your decision to celebrate it or not is a direct reflection on how much you appreciate your partner.  I know, I know, they’re fighting words, but somebody has to say something.  I asked around..the response was underwhelming!  All of my girlfriends were expecting no love from their partners…no cards, no chocolates, no flowers.  This is terrible!  The thought of so many lovely women being left disappointed and sad on Valentine’s Day is distressing, and truthfully, even when we say we don’t believe in it and it’s all crap, we are still holding out just a little hope, year after year, of being surprised with a heart felt romantic gesture…

Love is in the air...or is it?

Saint Valentine’s Day became associated with romance and love back in the Middle Ages so there is no need to invest in the hyped up, commercially driven, red rose monster it has become today.  I’m pretty sure all most of us want is some acknowledgement that you think we’re pretty special. My sister-in-law, despite being a newly-wed had this to say…

“Commercially driven or not (everything is these days anyway right?), having a day to celebrate love is ok by me. Bring on the flowers, chocolates and romantic dinners. What right minded girl can really resist?” 

A day to celebrate love? What’s wrong with that?

Now, don’t get all stressed out about buying something for us, it truly is not about the amount of money you spend or how complicated you make it (though, don’t return the Tiffany earrings if you have already bought them).  We are easy to please, seriously!  We just want to know you’ve been thinking about us…

“for years, my husband (who shall remain nameless) used to always buy me huge bunches of flowers ( not necessarily the ones I like but the thought was there) then one day I mentioned that a little block of dark peppermint chocolate was more my thing, like it says ” I was thinking of you today” without spending all the grocery money! He just looked at me with this blank face and said “why didn’t you tell me this 20 years ago”. We still laugh about it and now he just gets me a little chocolate, come to think of it, he hasn’t done that for a while, might need a little nudge.”

Ideas for the Romantically Challenged

• Buy some flowers, from the FLORIST…yes it might cost you fifty bucks but it won’t kill you to put your hand in your kick!

• Take us out for a romantic dinner – it doesn’t have to be flashy but you do have to organise it…not just say, “sure, I’ll take you out…you decide where we’ll go, make a reservation, organise a babysitter and iron my good pants, no problem”.

• Chocolate never fails to disappoint and we promise to share!  I know for a fact that Green and Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate will leave  you change from five dollars!

• Sexy underwear…champagne colored bra and french knickers from Pleasure State or La Perla, yes, red, itchy, see-through polyester number from the sale rack at Bra’s n’ Things…no.

• Moonlight picnic complete with champagne, great idea…in fact any alcohol at all will always be a good idea, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

So there you have it.  We have put it out there, you can’t say you haven’t been warned.  Agree or disagree, feel free to leave a comment if you dare.  All we’re saying is make a little effort, show us that you care…I can just about promise you, it will be well worth your time!

mamacino x