12 January 2012

my 500th post & the reasons why i blog

Greetings all,
Yay, 500 posts on this modest little blog of mine, thank you all for joining me on this ride.

I blog for different reasons at different times: to share sewing projects; to record children's milestones; to prove to myself i can cook; to play around with decorating ideas; & far too often, to throw up aspects of my daily life to keep my husband up to date with what we're doing, as he's far far away from home.  Sure i could email & send photos privately but he likes the atmosphere of this blog & reading your friendly comments.
 So i'm a 36 year old housewife & mother of 4 children aged 8 to 13, i've spent collectively 6 years (& counting) raising them completely alone, no grandparents on hand to help & most often 4500km from my home town of Sydney.  My husband has missed 12 of our 14 wedding anniversaries so far & we have 2 more years of living apart to go!!  
 Please don't feel sorry for us, we have big plans & a wonderful future together.  I learned to be incredibly independent young mum, trust my choices, rely on myself, i am strict with my children so behaviour is widely predictable & i am a drama-avoider.  It's a lot of work, especially as our children have strong personalities - they do challenge me & since they were tiny babies, they've asked a million questions about anything & everything - my key - i answered them all (6 years of university has been useful afterall).  I have bucket loads of patience.
My cheeky children saw the photo of the barbed wire from my husband's base in Afghanistan & said "you can be honest Mum, is Daddy really in prison??"  If nothing else, we have plenty of laughter!!
 So what is this blog - Army wife??  Large family??  Crafter??  Home maker??  Mummy blogger??  It's a bit of anything & everything as i'm all of those things.  While i ride out the Summer with swollen hands waiting for a thorough diagnosis on my carpal tunnel syndrome & surgery confirmation (from an orthopaedic surgeon, not that moronic neurologist) i am stitching some hexagons together for a quilt top . . .
 along with lots of slow cooking from scratch, it's not a trendy new movement to me, it's how my mother rolled, only she didn't invite children to help her, where i encourage my children to help.  My first born aced non-elective cooking in year 7, so she has mad skills in the kitchen.  I do still have a crappy Army issue oven in our Defence house to cook with, so hardly the dream kitchen. 
 Of course my blog will include more & more action & antics from the children, like our 3rd girl here doing her best Anna Wintour (US Vogue editor) impersonation.  Ok, all of my children need hair cuts but that can wait until first week of school in February, Summer holidays are for swimming & unkept hair. 
Now, what better way to celebrate this bloggie milestone than by heading off to a birthday morning tea with a platter of banana bread, for a gorgeous girl i met through blogs & our love of textiles.  I used a French banana bread recipe as i know she covets provincial flavour & style.  Have a gorgeous day & happy blogging out there everyone, it's the nicest place in social media.  Love Posie

43 comments:

quilary said...

Congratulations on 500 posts! You've kept me entertained and thoughtful for the time I've been following. I'll raise my cup of tea and Vegemite toast in salute to another great 500!

potts.family said...

Congratulations on all 500 posts, 4 gorgeous children and the strength to go it alone while handsome soldier is away. I admire your ability to multitask! Enjoy the birthday today and keep up the great work.
Kym

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

Congratulations Jennie on 500 posts!I love stopping by here to see what you have been up to. Love your style and how you keep everything real. Looking forward to the the next 500!

The Moerks said...

Congratulations Posie, 500 is a great number. And I am loving the mini Anna Wintour. Have a lovely day. Deb

Sindy said...

Scary thought that I have read all of those posts (luckily not all at once). Given I am such a sporadic blogger, I do admire your diligence... Looking forward to the next 500!

Mum on the Run said...

Congratulations on your 5-0-0.
Well done.
It's such a pleasure and inspiration to pop in here.
Thank you.
Here's to the next five hundred and all they'll document in your life.
:-) xx

The Jeweller said...

Can't stop giggling at the thought or Mr Soldier in prison. Well done on your 500th post. Can't wait til you're back home. Enjoy your banana bread (but don't splurge too much!!) and holidays. *Hugs*

Kerryanne @ Shabby Art Boutique said...

500 posts - wow-eeeeee - Posie you rock!!!

Keep doing what you are doing... we love all the snippets from your life and your creative adventures.

Here's to another 500 posts. ♥

Bron said...

Congratulations....keep up all that keeps you sane. x

Felicity said...

Keep the great posts rolling out Jennie and to your handsome soldier whom I know will read this - you, like your wife, are a true legend!

xx

Unknown said...

Congratulations on post number 500! I always enjoy reading your blog even though I don't comment that often...cheers to your next 500 (and more) posts!!
Amy xx

LatteJunkie said...

Congratulations! You are my heroine. I honestly can't imagine having my husband gone so much...

But I like to think that if it was needed, I could... or at least I could call on you for advice!

Leah said...

Congratulations on 500 posts! And what a lovely reason to blog. I've been thinking about moving a family recently, and think it really helped form us into a real unit. Having said that, we are now close to lots of family, and i think we enjoy it more now than if it had always been so.

Fee said...

Congratulations on 500 posts. I do so love catching up with what you are up to but don't often get the chance to comment.

Hugs - Fee

Jo in TAS said...

Congrats on reaching 500 posts, no doubt your hubby has enjoyed them all as much as the rest of us as they are so entertaining! Enjoy that banana bread... yummo!
Hugs
Jo

Jan Maree said...

Congrats on 500 posts Jennie. I have enjoyed getting yo know you and your gorgeous kids. Here's to another 500!

Amy said...

Congrats on 500 post Jennie!

I had to laugh at the summer holidays are for unkept hair! Yep, we have that here too. My eldest badly needs a haircut, but won't be getting one until late next week. They started back on the 23rd of January here.

Sannah said...

Congratulations!! 500 - wow!! That is an amazing milestone.
Looking forward to the next 500 :)
And your little Anna Wintour is a dead ringer - quite phenomenal!
xx Sannah

LionessLady said...

Congratulations Posie! Well done in everything you do! Love your kids joke about your poor husband being in prison!!!

Anonymous said...

OMG 500 posts and I was excited about my 50th...hehe, you rock Posie xx

Leonie said...

wow! 500 congratulations!
I love reading your blog and you really are an inspiration.
Can't wait to read more of your posts in the future!

Leonie said...

oh yeah, love the question about the barbed wire..hehe

The Provincial Homemaker said...

Congratulations Posie. I hope you enjoy the banana bread. Love your quip about the defence oven. Our new oven is bright and shiny - looks fancy, but oh so tiny inside. I did half a roast chicken and a couple of baked sweet potatoes the other night and I could barely fit them all in.

Steph said...

What a wonderful milestone!! COngrats to you on your gorgeous and inspiring blog! Your children are brilliant as are you my dear. Enjoy your 2012! HOpe all is lovely :) x

Brenda @ 13 Acres said...

OMG 500! wow, i never thought to check what I'm up to! Congrats on enthralling us with your tales of motherhood, cookery, plans for the future and crafty delights. I often ponder as to why I blog. I love your reasons and they are very similar to mine. I also love the fact that I get to know people like you. Even though we've never meet, I feel inspired by the posts you write, your attitude and delightful tales and accomplishments.

Here is another fabulous 500 Jennie xx

Max said...

the barbed wire thing totally cracked me up!!! Congratulations, 500 posts is incredible, especially when they're all so readable x

Ellieboo said...

Congratulations on 500 - and such a lovely post about you family and your life. 500 more please :)
Amanda xoxoxo

IndigoElephant :: Sash said...

Congrats on the 500 posts Jennie, what a fantastic milestone. I'm always amazed by how much you do, but can't get past the hexagons while dealing with carpal tunnel as well! Oh and couldn't help but chuckle at the prison question!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I love reading about you and your beautiful family, and I hope you keep doing it for years to come when your hubby comes home! xx

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Thanks for the support lovely bloggers, love Posie

Seaweed and Raine said...

500 posts? Congrats Jennie! :) What a milestone!!! I admire your dedication. :)
Oh girl! #3's impersonation had me cracking up laughing!!! Seriously. Sometimes I do wonder about my own style choices, but then I see Miss Wintour's choices on occasion, and think to myself... WHAT??? Too many times I don't agree with what she deems to be fashionable. Call me eccentric if you will for wanting to put on my body what I think looks good, or what suits my shape. Go "Nina"!!! You rock. :)

Anonymous said...

Happy 500th post! I'm a newish follower and so far I'm enjoying your 'modest blog'. I'd love to do some patchwork (by hand)... haven't sewed anything in years but perhaps I'll pick up some inspiration!

Rosie said...

Congratulations on your 500th post, and a blog tht is loved by many, including me.

I love it when I read comments and see one from Mr P

NessaKnits said...

Your blog is always thought provoking. Congrats on 500!

TexWisGirl said...

congrats on 500! and i love your all-over-the-place site! never know for sure what to expect!

thanks for mentioning your hands - i've been wondering if you had any further progress / tests. good luck!

Wendy said...

Happy 500, Jennie! This blogging journey wouldn't be the same without you...
Wendy x

polkadotpeticoat said...

And the reasons why you blog are the reasons why we are here everytime.....congrats Momma!!!

Sally said...

I love reading your blog so much. Here's to another 500 posts.

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Not sure how long i can go with the unkept hair even if we are swimming 5 times a week. It's costing a fortune in conditioner. Love Posie

Tania said...

CONGRATULATIONS on your 500 posts, I look forward to reading the next 500 in your journey of life...

I admire your independence, I would struggle in that department, but if I had do I guess I would manage. The most my hubby is away is for three days at a time, unless he goes to Alice Springs relieving, that can be 1 to 2 months but he hasn't done that for a while.

Blogging is a great way to keep people updated with what is happening in our lives, including husbands :)

Keep up the good work!

xx

All For Love said...

Oh BIG warm congrats on the 500 Posie, that is a mammoth effort. I truly love your story and although I don't visit as often as I'd like to, I thoroughly enjoy every post I get to. I really admire you and think your strength and tenacity is inspiring... I often think of you (along with other multiple Mama friends) when things are tough in my world and I'm feeling sorry for myself. Guaranteed, I always pick myself up and move on feeling stronger than before. That kind of influence is so powerful, so thank you xo

seabreezequilts said...

Congratulations on the 500 posts. Glad to see you are getting another opinion on the hands. Some specialists can best be described as pigs, I have visited a few ENT's that I would have like to stand up a give them a good slap, but I was young then and was told to respect my elders. Here's to more fab posts posie

ally said...

I'm just glad you blog
COngrats on the 500
And I love the hexies!!!!!