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Christmas gift idea: CUM Books daily planners for the whole family! {Giveaway!}
If you’re looking for that perfect gift idea for someone who, like me, gets a little thrill at the mere thought of having to plan something, well look no further friend! Us Polly Planners love stationery… and we go gaga for really pretty and clever bullet journals, wall calendars and daily planners. I mean, you could call it an obsession, but not to my face. Anyways, I recently received a bunch of fabulous daily planners and devotionals from our friends over at CUM Books and I pretty much went mental! Everything is so gorgeous! And there is something for everyone! For her I’ve always been so impressed with CUM Books…
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The pros and cons of having a big family
I sometimes wonder if I give off a false sense of “okayness”. I mean, I’m not sure if I accurately portray the fact that it’s flippen challenging to parent many (many) kids while maintaining your sanity, career and marriage all at the same time. I’m sure that having a big family (AND a blended family, nogals) may appear to be very Kardashian-esque… you know, all quirks and light-hearted bickering while eating salad in the kitchen at midnight. But having a large-ish family is not all TV sitcom moments and learning life lessons the quirky way. So to prove a point (aka my kids are all napping and I have nothing to…
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Get sun smart with Oh-Lief’s organic sunscreen {Win!}
Guys, we love Summer! We are water babies and would do anything to be in the pool for, like, the whole month of December. I’m hoping that this love of swimming and sun-soaked pool days will rub off on my kids. To kick start this communal – uh – love affair with Summer, I made sure to get my smallies some funky swimming gear and sun hats. I also knew that I had to stock up on sunscreen because sunburn is no joke. So I was quite keen to try out Oh-Lief’s new range of organic sunscreen. I mean, this local family business has been around for more than 9…
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Cocoa Life: How eating your fave chocolate is changing lives
You do know that chocolate really does grow on trees, right? Nope, I’m not selling Willy Wonka dreams here, my friends. The cocoa beans used to make your favourite chocolate grows on cacao trees – with more than 70% of the world’s cocoa grown by farmers in West Africa. (See why I love living in Africa?) A few days ago we had the opportunity to sit down with Yaa Peprah Amekudzi, the inspirational Head of Cocoa Life Ghana, who explained that most of the cocoa farms, in West Africa, are family-owned. And, unfortunately, due to things like climate change, disease and lack of access to new farming methods, many of…
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Co-parenting: I failed my child
I chat about single parenting, co-parenting and the blended family a lot on this here blog. But I always try to keep it neutral when it comes to sharing the deets of my own life and situations, simply because my story isn’t only MY story and I want to respect the privacy of all parties involved in our co-parenting journey. So you’ll often find me referencing a friend or family member when chatting about these topics… I mean, most blended families experience the same kind of challenges anyways. But today I need to share from my own personal experience. I need to tell you guys what is on my heart.…
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Matric Dance celebrations: how big is too big?
Depending on where you grow up, your Matric Dance (aka “prom”) evening can be as simple as “just another night on the town” or as extravagant as a wedding. My brown people usually opt for the latter, going the extra mile with the send off, sparing no expense on draping the dining room (for the photos mos), expensive catering and the hiring of high end luxury vehicles to make that special night that much more special. It’s a big night – big celebrations must be had! I totally get and support that. But I guess it’s not for everyone. I’ve had chats with people who were like, uhmmm no I’m…
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Finding hope in the poop
I was 7 years old when I attempted to wow my 6 year old cousin with my magical powers. The magic act involved making a 2 cent coin disappear. One minute the coin was in my hand… the next it was gone! I was a legend. What my cousin didn’t know was that I had hidden the coin in my mouth (yes, ew), under my tongue. I mean, those are minor details when you’re trying to establish yourself as the coolest cousin in the family. The real magic happened a few seconds later though when I realized that the coin actually DID disappear. I had accidentally swallowed it. Now, given…
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I’m not that cute anymore
I can’t remember the last time I felt attractive. I blame this on the state of my hair, the aging of my skin, the flabbiness of my body and the fact that I’ve been pregnant three times in four years. I blame it on the umbilical hernia that makes me look as if an alien is trying to escape my body through my belly button. I blame it on hormones, on the stress of life, on the fact that I’m always busy but I don’t always want to be busy so then I stop doing things and then I hate myself for not doing things. I blame it on the…
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How to keep it classy on social media
If you’re a social media maven, like I am (haha look at me making myself sound cool and important), you would know that there are do’s and don’ts when it comes to posting to The Gram or Facebook. I mean, if you want to stay in the safe zone. With that said, you could totally post a whole bunch of opinionated, subliminal updates, with the sole intention of ruffling feathers, and, you know, trying to rub your ex boyfriend’s new girlfriend the wrong way. If that’s your jam, I totally get it. Me, I am not that person, yo. I keep it safe and I try not to start a…
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All stepparents are monsters, right?
Stepparenting is not for sissies. Yes, that’s my opening line. Whaaat? It’s the truth you guys. A recent conversation with a very emotional friend made me realize that the average stepparent has to deal with a lot more junk than they actually deserve. Now, allow me to add a little disclaimer: it is possible to have a healthy blended family dynamic. So the thoughts in this post may not be for you (you go girl, keep up the great work!) but I’m sure it will speak to the hearts of those who are experiencing challenges on the stepparenting front. We all know that parenting is super hard at times. And stepparenting…
