Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a lovely Australia Day. We had a scorcher here in Perth followed by an evening thunderstorm – WEIRD!!
It’s also weird to me that today is Friday and not Saturday but no matter, it’s the day to tell you where I have been this week and what I found!
A life less frantic
Here on the blog I pondered whether a Robert de Niro approach to email could work or not (there are some unexpected thoughts in the comments!) while on Wednesday I was compelled to write about a guy who clearly loves his job.
Meanwhile a job I’d love to have this year is that of Global Blogger for CBA Women in Business. I’d love it if you had time to read this post about the last time I was in NY (can you guess what I was doing?!)
A beautiful (some may say OCD) life
Yes, my beautiful finds this week were definitely OCD related. Tessa from Down That Little Lane (most beautiful online shop ever) posted this gorgeous Draper’s Chest on facebook:
In the comments of the facebook post someone linked to this which had me swooning and coveting one!!
A happy life
This was a happy week for me as I FINALLY finished “A Manifesto for Dads” which has been a work in progress for four months now! I finally consulted with some actual dads this week to find out what was cool and unique about being a dad and their feedback showed me why I was having so much trouble writing it! As I am a mum I actually have NO IDEA what it’s like to be a dad!
Anyway, the Manifesto for Dads is so fresh its not even on The Smile Collective website yet, but if you would like to win one for yourself or someone else, let me know which is your favourite line and why in the comments of this post. The best comment I get by midnight (AWST) Sunday 29th January (as judged by me!) will win a framed A3 copy of a Manifesto for Dads in the winner’s choice of colour 
Kelly, I love “tell them bad jokes in front of their friends”. John is constantly embarassing Bell like this, but I can tell that she’s secretly proud that he’s trying to be cool.
Beautiful job on the manifesto, it looks gorgeous!
Lis xx
Lisa @ Home/Work/Mum recently blogged: I Married A Geek….Luckily
Thank you so much Lisa!!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
So glad you love my third baby so much
and OMG how amazing was that card cabinet that Ben posted?!.. am on the hunt for something similar for DTLL now..
Love your manifesto, I am sending this to hubby right now.
Have a fab weekend lovely lady xx
I totally love third baby sick … you have seriously done such an amazing job Tessa!! And my word … if you find that card cabinet I may have to take out a second mortgage on the house too!!!
AND I am very stoked you love the dad’s manifesto
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
I love the bit about watching their faces light up when you walk in the room – my 1 year old son and his 2 and a half year old sister adore their daddy and my heart melts every time he comes home from work and they race to see him at the front door. Mr 1 just wants his daddy so badly at the moment that he practically leaps from my arms to get to him. Bitter-sweet for mummy who spends all day with him but I’m so glad my husband gets that moment when he comes home .
What an awesome idea! Congrats!
Thank you so much Nina! That is definitely one of my favourite lines too. I love when my husband gets home from the gym or wherever and the way my little one rushes to the door to greet him! I know what you mean about ‘bitter-sweet’ though!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
Oh I am loving this new manifesto! The mum manifesto was my fave but this may will be my new love.
Thank you Tracey!! But what’s your favourite bit (so I can put you in the running to win one!)
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
I love “watch their face light up when you enter the room”.
Both my boys (4 and 1) first words were Dada and he makes their morning when he walks into the room. They go running up to him and I am forgotten for a blissful 5 minutes
Oh – and I would love the matching pair to your Mums Manifesto which already sits on my piano
Brilliant. I love that your have a Mum’s Manifesto already!!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
With so many things around for mums its lovely to see that the dads are not forgotten!
Whoops ! Forget to tell you the line I like the most ” you are their idol” – having 2 boys this really rings true in my household,so much so I often feel like chopped liver!
It’s so true of Dad’s isn’t it?! But us Mums get our own special things
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: The Friday Wrap Up – Post Australia Day edition
Love this Kelly! Every line is so true, but my favourite one is ‘being a Dad is not the same as being a Mum it is its own very special thing’. When my daughter was born everyone’s focus was on the two of us (her and I, that it!), it seems like everyone forgets that Dad is a very special part of the equation. It’s lovely to find something to remind us of that…
Thank you Lee!! I do agree that the dad’s very important role often gets seen as a sideline act to that of Mum!!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
My favourite is “Play their way”
I immediately thought of my husband who sometimes is made to carry our 2 year old daughter’s entire soft toy collection in his arms, and walk around the house with all of them
He also sits under curtains (playing cubby houses) and has picnics with finger puppets on our loungeroom rug…
Love it Marsha!!!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
*That should have been “Hides behind” curtains
,,, Thanks for the chance!
What a lovely job you have done, Dads are so often the forgotten part of the team so it’s nice to see something special just for them – my hubby definitely needs one of these on his desk at work
My favourite is ‘and remember you are their idol’ – it struck a particular chord as my 4 year old son wants to do everything just as Daddy would at the moment, and my 18 month old son mimics his every move and facial expression, so cute to watch especially as he is Daddy’s mini me!
Thank you Sally! I love this little story. My son is a veritable mini-me of my husband so I know EXACTLY what you mean!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
My favourite line is “You are their hero…”
My father is definately my hero. He had to deal with the tragic passing of my brother when he was only 12, and he suffered a nervous breakdown and severe depression as a result. He was hospitalized too. Whilst dealing with his own grief, he still showed my two sisters, and mum and I that he loved us. Over the years, dad continues to fight his personal battles, and I am so proud of him. He really is my hero.
This is so lovely Michelle. My dad is my hero too … I hope your dad knows he is yours
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
Tell them bad jokes..
That was the first thing my partner said when he found out I was pregnant with our first child. He said – finally I can tell those bad jokes I have stored up!
And I can tell you he has alot.
What happens when a piano falls down a mine?
A Flat Miner.
(this one he actually stole from my own dad’s collection of bad jokes that comes out at family celebrations).
But this is the one thing that he is proud of and storing up for their 18th birthdays!!
What a wonderful poster! Would look great in every dad’s shed (man cave)!
Yvette Pointon recently blogged: Sunday Sessions – Week 5 2012
That is awesome. My husband is the same – he seems to have a never ending stream of terribly corny jokes. He is hanging out for the day our son is old enough to be embarassed by them!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
I love the line “Being a Dad is not the same as being a Mum, it is its own very special thing”. I think this is such an important statement as being a dad can sometimes be seen as a secondary role by some people as dad often spends less time with the kids but this is a great reminder that dad’s are just as important and have a lot to bring to the table for their kids.
P.S. I love this idea – something super special just for those super special dads out there!!
Thank you for lovely words Amie. And I definitely agree that dads get a bit forgotten when little ones come along. But they are so special!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
I love the line “enjoy the way they make you feel young again” because my husband was afraid he was too old to become a dad, but since our son was born 8 months ago he has discovered a completely new lease on life!
that’s so cool Belinda. A lot of my friends are “old” dads and one in particular was worried about being an old dad. But 2 kids later, he is doing just fine!!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens
FAB! Another treasure Kelly, Thanks
I love ” listen to their questions and think carefully about your answers” as our children are such precious little beings who look up to us for help finding their way through the world and their approach to it… We have the ability to inspire, reassure, excite, soothe, motivate, and encourage our children with our responses to their questions (and if not careful to squash, destablise, and devalue them). By thinking carefully about our answers we give our children the opportunity to become the best version of themselves they can be, to have confidence and belief in themselves and to become truly great, empathetic people and members of society.
I simply love your manifestos! Such great reminders of being the best we can be for our kids!
Thank you so much Vic! And this is one of my favourite lines too! I think the greatest gift we can give our kids is confidence … and by listening really carefully to them, we show them important they are and this in turn gives them great confidence!
Kelly Exeter recently blogged: Where the magic happens