Blog Swap – Misadventures in Motherhood
Hello Enchanted Pixie readers! My name is Lizzy and I’m the lucky Aussie blogger who’s been paired with Polly for the International Blog Swap Day.
I’m a (newly singled) mum of two – Ben (9) and Annlisa (14 months). We live in Western Australia in a little cottage under a hill by a river. Our home is small, but it is full of laughter, books and good food and we feel very blessed for what we have and for the love of the family and friends around us.
I’m a stay-at-home-mum turned English teacher turned stay-at-home mum all over again. I am also a lover of languages and of travel. These days, I spend a lot of time poring over the atlas with my son inventing imaginary journeys.
I started my blog just under a year ago because I love to write and because I was very socially isolated at the time. I instantly fell in love with this hobby as a way of expressing myself creatively and connecting with like-minded people all over the world.
When my son was five, he and I went to live in Sicily for the best part of the next two years. I have so many stories to tell from that period of our lives and I have started to chronicle them through a series of anecdotal Italian lessons, where I share my love for the Italian language while tying in some of our personal experiences.
I also blog about some of my silly misadventures in motherhood and some more serious stuff too, mood depending. This year, I set a New Year’s Resolution for my little family to spice up our social life by creating a challenge for us which I called The Alphabet Weekends. Each fortnight for 2014, we are undertaking a family outing or activity, each starting with a consequetive letter of the alphabet. I take photos of us doing these activities and write about them on the blog. It’s been going really well so far, but I’m still wondering what we’ll do when we get up to the letter X!
My most popular post so far is one which contains a letter to my teenaged self and addresses what I believe to be the true meaning of beauty.
Another post that I really enjoyed writing and that received a really positive response from my readers was a piece I wrote to celebrate my lifelong friendship with my best friend. It includes lots of photos of some of the incredibly artistic cakes that she has created.
I have a keen interest in natural medicine and alternative therapies and this is an area that I would like to blog more about in the future. I have written a post about DIY cupping therapy (which was taught to me by my daughter’s nonna) and in the future I’d also like to blog about my experience of placenta encapsulation and some of the positive experiences I’ve had with natural remedies.
I’m looking forward to following Polly’s adventures and with connecting with other new bloggers.
Thanks for having me Polly!
Love Lizzy
44 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 08:08Thanks so much for having me here Polly! xx
Becky Brown
May 14, 2014 at 08:39Hi Lizzy, it’s been nice to read all about you and your blog. I love the idea of the alphabet weekends that’s something I will definitely have a think about! 2 years in Sicily sounds great. I think the more exposure kids can get of other countries can benefit them in so many ways. Though this can be done at home as well as travelling! Looking forward to checking out your blog. Becky x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 09:59Hi Becky! Thanks so much for your comment :) I agree – exposuring kids to other countries/cultures can be so benefitial. I don’t think we will be going overseas any time soon, but in the meantime we live in an area with a very multicultural feel to it. Our neighbours on one side are from Singapore and our neighbours on the other side are from Vietnam … so these days my son is experiencing the world without even having to leave home!
Mummy of Two
May 14, 2014 at 10:31A great post and gorgeous photos. What an experience it must have been for both you and your son to spend that time in Italy.
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 12:38Hi Mummy of Two and thank you! Yes, it really was an incredible experience and such a steep learning curve!
Donna @OrdCyclingGirl
May 14, 2014 at 11:45Great idea to do an international blog swap! Some fab pictures here….that last one freaked me out a little though. ha! I love the idea of a blogging a letter address to ourself. Hmmm…
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 12:39Hi Donna! Yeah the cupping looks a bit freaky, doesn’t it, especially with the photo enlarged! I think it looks like I’ve grown a breat on my back! LOL – but it feels so good afterwards :)
Kirsty
May 14, 2014 at 11:47Sicily looks like a fascinating adventure, in fact your whole like looks like an incredible journey. I love the idea of alphabet weekend. Perhaps for X you could play noughts and crosses?
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 12:42Oh, noughts and crosses in a great idea! My son loves playing it on the car windows when they fog up :) Thanks Kirsty!
laura redburn
May 14, 2014 at 12:28blogging can really make such a change in your life can’t it!
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 12:43Hi Laura! Yes, it definitely can … it helped me through a time in life when I was really quite isolated, even more so than I actually realised at the time. It became my Mothers’ Group, my writers’ group and my book club all rolled into one :)
Globalmouse
May 14, 2014 at 13:02Wow, I love this blog swap, it’s so brilliant at introducing me to new blogs and this sounds like a great one. Obviously I’m really interested in travel so I love that you lived in Sicily Lizzy – how amazing! And the cakes your friend makes look fantastic! Great post!
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 13:13Thanks Globalmouse! My friend is such a talented cake maker. I’m looking forward to discovering your blog too :)
Kirsty - Hijacked by Twins
May 14, 2014 at 13:12Pleased to meet you :-) you have shared some beautiful pictures. Italy is on our to do list x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 13:14Hi Kirsty – pleased to meet you too :) If you have any questions about Italy, feel free to ask! Your recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash sounds delish!
Bex @ The Mummy Adventure
May 14, 2014 at 13:34I love the alphabet weekend idea! A weekend of xbox doesn’t sound particularly adventurous though
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 13:41haha! I’d better not even suggest the xbox idea to my son – he’ll want to rush out and buy one straight away!
Jen aka The Mad House
May 14, 2014 at 15:40Hi LIzzy, lovely to read all about you and I love the idea of the alphabet weekend. Off to read your blog now!
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 14, 2014 at 15:47Thanks Jen! And I’m off now to read yours :)
Michelle
May 14, 2014 at 16:00I’m loving reading all about the blog swap – I’m finding some lovely blogs to add to my reader! It’s amazing how therapeutic writing a blog can be, and how we can enrich our lives by doing so. The alphabet weekends sound like such a fab idea, looking forward to reading more from you! xx
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:22Thank you Michelle! Yes, I would definitely say that blogging has enriched my life over the last year :)
lisa prince
May 14, 2014 at 16:48wow you have had some experiences, love the cake , amazing weldone you x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:23Thanks Lisa. I wish I could say that I made the cake, but it’s the handywork of my best friend who is just a goddess of cake making!
You Baby Me Mummy
May 14, 2014 at 16:56Lovely to read about bloggers on the other side of the world. Your pictures are really lovely x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:25Thank you! I also love reading about international bloggers and discovering their blogs :)
Victoria Mylittlel
May 14, 2014 at 18:26Hi, nice to meet you, seems like you have a lot to write about, I would love to know more about placenta incapsulation as I dont really know to keep my placenta or not
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:29Hi Victoria, lovely to meet you too! I had the placenta put into capsules by a placenta encapsulation specialist after the birth of my daughter (I didn’t even know that was possible back when my son was born). You reap all the benefits of consuming that consuming the placenta normally would give you, except that you don’t have to tatse or smell it and it lasts a long time kept in the fridge in capsule form. It helps replace lots of the nutrients and iron lost during childbirth.
Jess @ Along Came Cherry
May 14, 2014 at 19:41Love the idea of an international blog swap. Really interesting to read about you Lizzy! x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:47Hi Jess! The blog swap is a great idea, isn’t it? Thanks for your comment :)
Cass@frugalfamily
May 14, 2014 at 21:00I love the idea of your alpahabet weekends – off to find our more now x x
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:48Hi Cass! The Alphabet Weekends have definitely got us out and going on more adventures. It’s also fun discussing with my son what we’ll do for each letter :)
Charly Dove
May 14, 2014 at 22:58It’s quite funny hearing about the alphabet weekends (I started an alphabet based photography project today). Such a great idea. A fabulous post too and great photos. Always love hearing about Australian life, it is very good there. Was there for a couple of years in the nineties :)
Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma
May 15, 2014 at 00:56Oh I like the sound of an alphabet based photo project! So gald to read that you enjoyed your time in Australia :)
ninjacat
May 15, 2014 at 08:16wow amazing photos .. I love reading about the blog swaps .. amazing people x and places
Helen Dickinson
May 15, 2014 at 09:55It looks like you had a wonderful adventure. I love the photos you have managed to capture. Something which you can look back on in a few years :) x
Rita @ The Crafty Expat
May 15, 2014 at 13:06So nice to read about you Lizzy! I really want to know what is a placenta encapsulation!
Shell Louise
May 15, 2014 at 13:12How lovely to have spent 2 years in Italy. Love the roller boot cake!
Fiona
May 15, 2014 at 18:29Oooh very interesting, I’ll check out your blog :) x
KARA
May 16, 2014 at 06:38That is the most amazing birthday cake EVER!
Laura
May 16, 2014 at 10:39The swap is such a wonderful idea and it’s so nice to meet Lizzy. I love her story, the sound of her small cottage full of love and her adventures to Italy – amazing. I just went over to her blog and cannot wait to read more from the wonderful mama
Laura x
Kizzy
May 17, 2014 at 08:09Will be popping over to find out more about what sounds like an amazing blog. Love your Alphabet weekends idea.
Carolynne @ Mummy Endeavours
May 17, 2014 at 11:09Hi Lizzy, really nice to read all about you and your blog. Sounds like your doing a great job parenting alone, your kids are lucky to have you! Love that cake :) and I also Love Italy!!! Ill definitely be popping back to read about your alternative therapies x
Fritha
May 17, 2014 at 20:37wow cupping therapy sounds really interesting! x
Lori
May 29, 2014 at 00:04So cool to find a new good read! I can’t wait to get stuck in. x