Day in and day out we are constantly left wondering if we have done enough to make a difference in the lives of others. We are left questioning whether we have become a person who is appreciated by those around us or if our presence is simply taken for granted and more often than not all that we are left with is the hope that despite our uncertainty, at the very least, perhaps we have done just enough to brighten someone’s day.

Perhaps somewhere along the way all of those little things became just enough to make someone smile, just enough to make someone laugh or maybe even just enough to remind someone that they are not alone in this wild and crazy world.

Day in and day out we are left unsure of the impact we have made. Unsure if those heartfelt words of encouragement that we so willingly shared were rich enough to light a spark or whether those wise words of love and support were warm enough to shield out the cold. Unsure if everything that we have so selflessly given was ever gratefully received.

Day in and day out we are dragged into the struggles of others, forced to use our own strength just to keep them above water. Unfortunately however, quite often when their own strength returns and they are finally able to stay afloat on their own, human nature intervenes and rarely is the rest of the world given a second thought. Rarely are those very same people who so willingly gave themselves as a life raft invited into the celebration nor are they given the appreciation that they deserve, causing them to second guess the way in which they so eagerly shared their unconditional kindness and overwhelming generosity.

Sometimes however, those very same people surprise us and out of nowhere comes a wave of appreciation. A wave of appreciation followed by a flood of gratitude that could not possibly have arrived at a better time and just like that, suddenly it all becomes worthwhile. Just like that we are reminded that perhaps just as we had hoped, we are in fact making a difference in this wild and crazy world; one beautifully fragile person at a time.

After a recent wardrobe clean out of rather epic proportions, it would seem that perhaps my Mumma was right. Perhaps it really is possible for a girl to just have ‘too many’ clothes and perhaps I am one of those girls.

For as long as I can remember my wardrobe doors have struggled to close and despite my most recent attempts at a clean out, nothing much has changed. In fact even after everything, it would still take a team full of Houdini’s just to fit another single thing in that cupboard and yet still, I am too often overwhelmed by the constant desire to shop.

Every day I am faced with the temptation of endless online sales and every day I am left fighting the desire to buy things that quite frankly, I do not at all need. A desire that despite my best efforts, seems to strengthen with each passing day.

In my defence however, I think we can all agree that as a whole, women love to shop. It is imprinted into our DNA as a top priority; a natural human instinct with a strength and perseverance like you would not believe. An instinct that may seem irrational to some, but to others, it makes perfect sense.

When it comes to shopping, all logic goes out the window and from the very first moment you walk through those doors, that pile of clothes that you so desperately want suddenly becomes a pile of clothes that you so desperately need. The result, exactly what you expected; an overflowing wardrobe with more clothes than you could ever possibly wear and an empty bank account that makes you wish pocket money was still a weekly occurrence.

However, given that pocket money is sadly no longer a weekly occurrence and I have found myself yet again, in this very situation, I have decided to opt for the next best thing as far as finances go. I have decided to hold a garage sale; a garage sale that is made up entirely of clothes, shoes, handbags and jewellery and while I must admit that it has been somewhat difficult letting go of so many well loved pieces, I have a feeling it’s for the best.

What happens next though is likely to be the most challenging of all. Given that each item is extremely reasonably priced, I have a feeling that the problem is not going to lie in a lack of customers but rather in my lack of will power to withstand buying more to take their place and with my current track record, let’s just say the odds are most certainly not in my favour.

Ps. For those of you who are free this weekend and are still trying to organise your Christmas list, please feel free to pop down and visit our wonderful Garage Sale, I promise you won’t be disappointed. In fact with lady luck on both your side and mine, you may even find that everything you have ever wanted instantly becomes everything you have ever needed!

I’m not quite sure if it was the way the sun was shining or the warm summer breeze that was floating through the air, but something out of the ordinary made today feel a lot like Christmas and just between you and me, I could not have been more excited.

Despite the fact that November isn’t quite over yet, given the rapid pace at which this year has already flown by, it is highly likely that Christmas will be here before we known it and this year, I am pleased to say that I will be more than ready.

This year, for quite possibly the first time in history I am actually organised for a change and whilst I am very much aware of the fact that we haven’t quite reached December yet, I am already feeling rather pleased with myself.

With almost every little detail crossed off my Christmas List, there is only one thing left to do and that is wait. Wait somewhat patiently for a total of thirty-five days, praying that the secret of each Christmas gift can remain exactly that; a secret. A secret which given my track record, is not at all likely to be kept.

As far as luck goes, when it comes to my brother and I playing baseball together, we haven’t exactly had much so far.

A little over four years ago we had the wonderful idea of playing B grade together, however life obviously had other plans.

Despite our overwhelming enthusiasm, just halfway through our very first game, a misjudged attempt on my part to touch first base did not end well for my poor little left ankle. Apparently my talented efforts on the field had caused not just one of the ligaments to tear but all of them, seeing me out for the entire season.

Fast forward to now, the year 2013; a year where I am finally well enough to begin playing again and sure enough, life has intervened for the second time around.

Yet again, the same infamous first base was involved, however this time it was not my poor little ankle that it claimed as its victim, but instead my big brothers left shoulder. A rather impressive dislocation that not only came with a slightly stressful ambulance ride, but news that none of us were expecting. News that would unfortunately, see the brother and sister due divided for twelve long weeks.

I’m sure that given my current tone, you are probably already aware that I was less than impressed with the idea and while accidents of course happen on a daily basis, this was certainly not one that we were in any way counting on. In fact generally speaking, I am usually the one requesting an ambulance and after three long years of patiently waiting to be back out there on that field with both of my boys, it would be fair to say that right now my heart is slightly broken.

Broken for my big brother, who was having the absolute time of his life out there on that diamond. Broken for baby Red, who still hasn’t had her time to shine in a real live game and broken for me; the girl who already misses having her clown of a big brother out there by her side.

However, despite being slightly heartbroken, I am choosing to standby the fact that good or bad, everything happens for a reason and while that reason may well turn out to be pointless and non-important, there is just as much chance that it will turn out to be wonderful. Either way, given the way in which this wild and crazy world works, we aren’t going to know what that reason is until the moment has well and truly passed.

So for now, I suppose all we can really do is sit back and wait. Sit back and wait, hoping that somehow, eventually, we develop the virtue of patience whilst counting down the days; a rather likely outcome considering that as of today we are only four days in. Just four days out of a possible eighty-four and the countdown has officially begun.

2014; please be kind.

Some days we get lucky and the world is exactly as we imagined it would be; big, bright and beautiful. Other days, that very same glistening rainbow is hardly recognisable and despite our expectations, nothing could’ve prepared us for what lie ahead.

Some days without even realising at the time, the day seems to pass with ease, as though somehow, everything found a way of falling into place exactly as it should have. Other days, it takes every piece of strength we have to simply place one foot in front of the other in an attempt to make it out the other side.

Some days the world exceeds our expectations and although we had of course hoped things would be wonderful, they turn out far better than we ever could have imagined. Other days, those very same expectations bring with them the dull ache of a long lost dream and with each moment that passes, that dream falls further from our grasp.

Some days our lives have a way of making perfect sense and be it even for a brief and shining moment, it’s as though somehow, we are at one with the world. Other days, there is not a single thing that makes sense about this crazy rollercoaster of a ride and regardless of how many times we may replay an event over in our mind, the outcome remains the same.

Some days we are filled with endless amounts of happiness and despite the terrible things that may be going on in the world, we stay true to the belief that nothing can bring us down. Other days, the only logical explanation is that life is testing us with each and every moment. Pushing us to the point of breaking, simply to answer the lifelong question; how much heartache can one person endure?

Some days life finds a way of giving us everything that we have ever wanted. Other days, we are given everything that we have ever needed and while in theory we may choose to believe that they are one in the same, in reality they are miles apart.

Some days life shines so brightly that unbeknownst to us, the colours of the rainbow become imprinted into our memories just like a magical childhood dream. Other days, life forces us to go about our days in a world that is entirely black and white and while we are often able to place all of those colours back exactly as they were, to create a world in which nothing seems to have changed at all, sometimes we find ourselves a little lost. Sometimes regardless of how hard we may try, those colours just simply don’t shine the way that they did before.

Some days the colours of the rainbow are all that matter in the world and how brightly they may or may not be shining becomes our single, greatest priority. Other days, it seems that is the last thing on our minds and the simple fact that the rainbow is still present in the sky, is enough.

Some days we get lucky and it feels as though for once, our destiny is entirely in our own hands. Other days, we come to the realisation that despite our constant wishful thinking, perhaps it was never truly in our hands to begin with.

Perhaps our days are destined to be lived out exactly as they have been and our preconceived notions of the world have nothing at all to do with the outcome. Perhaps life is made up of a certain number of ‘some days’ and a certain number of ‘other days’ and the way in which we experience them is completely out of our control.

Perhaps nothing about the world is a coincidence and everything truly does happen for a reason. Perhaps every handful of ‘some days’ is simply a misguided attempt to prepare us for the countless ‘other days’ that lie ahead and perhaps just as we had hoped, life truly does have a greater plan for us all.

Perhaps life really is just as big, bright and beautiful as we had always imagined it was and in order for us to be reminded of that, sometimes the colours in our rainbow need to fade for a moment. Perhaps just like us as people, ever growing and changing, it’s not until those colours have faded from our rainbow that they can truly begin to shine again.

One year ago today, in amongst a handful of others, a precious little baby blue bird was born. A tiny little Quaker Parrot who unbeknownst to him, would grow up to make one little girls Christmas dreams come true. With his beautiful blue feathers, his fluffy little head and his overwhelmingly cheeky nature, it was the definition of love at first sight.

From the very beginning, this little boy had no troubles living up to his name; eating almost anything and everything in sight. One of his many adorable little traits which coincidently enough, has not changed in the slightest. Just one year on and my little baby Wilbur is not only cuter than ever, but he is fast developing a personality that is unlike any other bird I have ever known.

Although like most birds, he loves his occasional belly full of bird seed, multigrain bread will always be his favourite. He loves nothing more than to make a mess with his strawberries and every time without fail, if you shake a container of macadamia nuts, he will fly to wherever you are within seconds. Savoury shapes are yet another weakness and despite the fact that he is actually a parrot and not a dog, he loves to nibble on baby sized lamb chops. Cooked beans are his favourite vegetable and just like his Mumma, he could quite possibly eat white sweet potato all day every day. Ice cream is yet another preferred treat, the CoYo version of course and every now and again, depending on his mood, he will do his best to sneak a sip of green tea.

Right from the very beginning, my little piglet has been a water baby at heart. A water baby who not only takes ‘shower hogging’ to a whole new level, but who will dive into a sink full of water at any given moment and despite being absolutely spoilt rotten with two beautiful cages as well as his very own happy hut, he is currently going through a phase where he is insisting on sharing Matilda’s bed; a phase which as you can imagine, she is not at all impressed with.

Every single day he sits himself on top of his play pen talking up an absolute storm and more often than not, his cheeky games of ‘peek-a-boo’ that he plays entirely by himself, end with a cute little chuckle that sounds a lot like his Mumma. He has an obsession with chewing tissues, loves the sound of crinkling plastic and believe it or not, it appears as though he has become quite the fan of country music.

Just one year on from the very first day that my little baby blue bird entered this world and already, he has me wrapped around those beautiful blue wings of his. Just one year on and to be perfectly honest, it is almost impossible to imagine a life without my favourite little trouble maker.

Happy first birthday my little baby Wilbur, I love you to the moon and back! xx

Throughout the course of our lives we are going to hear countless statements from varying groups of people, just as we are going to continue to have our own endless thoughts about anything and everything that puzzles us in this world. Some of those thoughts will stay with us and others will not and sometimes, the way in which our brain filters those thoughts is completely out of our control.

Coincidentally enough however, at a time and a place that I was not at all expecting, life surprised me and a wonderful statement appeared. A statement that ironically, describes the last three years of my life somewhat perfectly and as such, has resonated with me in a way that no other statement ever has before. It’s meaning however, along with the exact way in which such a profound thought is likely to impact my life, I am still trying to discover.

“More often than not, the things in life worth worrying about are things that never even crossed our worried minds.”

As we are all well aware, worrying is a natural aspect of day to day life. It is imprinted into our DNA and whether we like it or not, it’s an instinctive reaction that generally happens before we even realise. Granted, some of us may worry a little more than others, but aside from the obvious varying degrees, we have all been known to worry from time to time. Unfortunately, that’s just the way the world works and like most things in life, it is something that eventually, we get used to.

However, what if that was no longer the case?

What if we made a conscious effort not to worry. What if every single time those worried thoughts crept their way into our minds, we wished them away with nothing but rainbows and sunshine. What if instead of spending countless hours worrying about things that more often than not, never actually occur, we saved that worry for something worthwhile. Something that ironically, would probably never have even crossed our worried minds.