Liebster Award number 2

Last week I was lucky enough to receive my second Liesbster Award from the lovely Lisa at Mummy Manifesto.  It made my week being nominated again, so thank you so much Lisa.  I think this is such a lovely award in the blogging community as it really shows recognition for each others talents and it's a fabulous way of discovering new blogs to read (which is hard to resist for me as I'm ALWAYS in the lookout for new blogs).

To find out a bit more about the Liebster Award (and a little more about me), take a look at my First Leibster Award

Here are the great 11 questions that Lisa had for me.  Are you ready??

1.  The 'worst' compliment that you have ever received?

Well this one I remember very clearly.  Back in the day when I was working as an Inflight Beauty Therapist for Virgin Atlantic, I was in a bar in Hong Kong called 'Dusk till Dawn'.  (If anyone reading this has even been partying in Hong Kong, you'll remember this place for sure!!).  It's one of those bars that you always end up in at the very end of the night (or early hours of the morning).  I could go on and on here (memories flooding in), but must get back to the point in hand!!  One particular night I was there a nice looking pilot attempted to 'chat me up".  After the initial pleasantries he leaned in and said "You look like the kind of pretty girl that would make a wonderful housewife!!!!!!!!"  Enough said!

2.  Your favourite midnight snack?

Not sure I'm able to stay awake until midnight these days, but if I could it would have to be peanut M&M's or white chocolate Malteasers.  (Actually pretty much any chocolate would do).

3.  The hardest thing about blogging is?

For me as a busy mum of three, I'd say it would definitely have to be finding the time to do it!  Coming a close second would be keeping up with social media - if I'm not careful that can be the biggest time sucker of all!!

4.  The one character trait that you hope to pass on to your children?

Mmmmm this is a tough one!  I'm not good at self compliments.  I think I am a pretty good listener, which is something that I definitely got from my mum (she's the best).  I really hope that all my kids learn how to be good listeners. 

5.  Your favourite birthday celebration so far?

That has got to be my 30th Birthday.  We were still living in England then and being a January birthday it was ABSOLUTELY freezing   There was so much snow that we only just made it home from a family lunch.  The following week Mr D booked a beautiful boutique hotel in Cornwall where we went with a group of our closest friends for a long weekend.  Despite the snow everywhere else, the sun was shining in Cornwall and we had the most awesome weekend chilling out together with great wine, great food, great views and great company.

England can be spectacular in the winter

6.  The one character trait you hope you partner passes on to your children?

That one has to be patience!  Mr D has loads of patience - so much more than me!

7.  The one bad habit you wish you could get rid of?

Biting my nails!  This is a terrible habit that I have had on and off since I was a little girl.  I remember my dad saying he'd give me 50c per nail if I stopped biting them.  It worked!!  For a little while anyway.....

8.  Camping or hotel?

Hotel for sure!!  I am just not a camping kinda girl!

9.  Name one blogger you want to meet in real life and why?

Mmmmmm this one has me thinking!  I think I will have to say Che from Indieberries.  I love reading her blog and she just seems like a really funny, cool kinda chick!!

10.  Your signature dish in the kitchen?

I don't really have a signature dish as such but Mr D certainly has.  His spaghetti Bolognese rocks!!

11.  Your most treasured possession?

This may sounds slightly cliched but I have three!  My children for sure!

So there you have it!  Now it's my turn to nominate some fabulous blogs that I think deserve a bit of Liebster Loving.  Make sure to pop over and check them out too.

1.  Teapots and Tractors
2.  No more pastrami
3.  Dad down under
4.  Bliss amongst the Chaos
5.  Have a laugh on me
6.  Easy Peasy Kids

And last but certainly not least, here are my 11 questions I have for them.

1.  Who is the boss in your house.  Mum or Dad?
2.  Where is the best place you've taken the kids on holiday and why?
3.  Tea or coffee in the mornings?
4.  Which social media platform do you enjoy the most?
5.  Can you share one fail safe kids lunch box idea?
6.  What is the first thing you notice when meeting new people?
7.  Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty kinda person?
8.  What is your favorite ice-cream flavour?
9.  What are you most passionate about?
10.  If tomorrow was 'date night' for you and your partner, where would you go?
11.  Where is the furthest you've ever been from home?

Well, thats it!  I've really enjoyed writing this post, so thanks SO much again Lisa from nominating me. Don't forget to visit Lisa at Mummy Manifesto and all my lovely Liebster nominees to find out how they've answered my questions.

Mrs D's resolutions for 2013

Four amazing reasons why 2013 is going to be awesome!

As I sit here on the eve of one year staring towards the horizon of another, I thought I'd make myself a little list of resolutions for the new year to help keep me on track.  As strange as this may sound, I have never actually written down any new years resolutions before.  I've often half-heartedly thought of a few (normally to loose a couple more kilos off my belly), but have never actually made a proper list and stuck to it!  So this year (or next?? bit confusing when you're sitting on the edge of a new year) I am going to do just that!

My list

• Loose that last 6 kilos off my belly (ok, I know! But I really, really do need to kick that last bit of baby weight).  Thought I'd put that one down first and get it out of the way.

• Meal Plan!  Why I have never managed to do this before I do not know!  Everyone meal plans' right??  It is something that I have always been meaning to start doing and for some reason just never do.  I have lost count on the number of times I have had to rush out to the shops (with 3 whingy kids in tow) just to pick up that ONE missing ingredient for the dinner that I'm trying to make.  If anyone has any good apps or meal plan suggestion please send them my way.

• Become a better juggler!  Being nanny mummy to three little cherubs under 6 requires a certain amount of juggling.  That goes without saying, but my goal is to try and drop less balls along the way.  As much as I love my iphone calendar I think this year I am going to go against the grain and go back to paper (with the iphone as back up of course).  I'm going actually use a diary next year instead of using my head (which if you cracked open would resemble a sieve).  Mr D if you are reading this, a lovely 2013 diary would make a great birthday pressie next week!!!!!

• Learn to say No.  I'm pretty sure if you asked Mr D and the kids they'd say I was an expert at saying No.  However, my biggest problem is that I always think I can do more than I actually can and that is often when I start to drop balls (back to the juggling).  I was particularly bad at this during the second half of this year and ended up feeling that I was not doing anything properly.

The top 5 things that matter the most to me for 2013:

1. Making sure my kids have another great year at school
2. Making sure I have a set amount of quality time with each of my munchins every week 
3. Time for me and Mr D
4. Growing my blog
5. Growing Candy Bows

• I will spent much less time ironing in 2013.  The control freak in me was just not able to let go of ironing almost ALL the washing (which is ALOT in our house) and it often ended up causing me huge amounts of stress as it piled up.  I will NOT be at the mercy of it next year (gulp).

• Growing my blog.  Ever since staring this blog earlier this year I have found it to be a little piece of something just for me!  I just love love writing it and my goal next year is to get myself more 'out there' (cyber space that is).  I'm so flattered by how many people read my ramblings and I would love to grow my member list to 100 by the end of next year.  I am on 21 members at the moment, so if you'd like to join MrsD, then just click on the "home" page at the top and you can join up (on the right hand side).  I also have so many exciting changes up my sleeve for next year, so you'll just have to watch this space now, won't you?

I will not be afraid to change!

• Growing Candy Bows.  For those of you that don't already know, I have a little business which I run from home, so that I can work around my kids.  I supply the most gorgeous hair bows, hair accessories and tutus for little girls. "Pretty little things for Pretty little people".  I have a Facebook page, which you can find by clicking here.  I currently have 293 'likes' and by the end of next year I would love have 1000.  I have had so much fun with Candy Bows this year and am really proud of my progress.  Next year is going to be even better.

• Appreciation.  I just want to say that I am the luckiest person alive.  I am loved and I have the most wonderful family.  I will make sure that every day next year I remember that.

I think I am going to stop there as I don't want to give myself too many balls (for fear of dropping them again).  I am going to come back to this blog post half way through the year to check on my progress.  (Nothing like keeping it accountable!) and will be sure to let you know how I'm doing.

Well that is me, over and out, for 2012.  I thank you all for all your support of both Mrs D and Candy Bows.  It has meant the world and gives me a constant supply of motivation.  Wishing you both a fantastic New Year's Eve, whatever you may be doing, and a fabulous 2013.  Extra Extra special wishes to my wonderful family who are dotted all over the world.  This one is for you xxx

All about me! A brief description to get you up to scratch

All about me

Hi, I’m Robyn!  Welcome to my blog, Mrs D plus 3.  I got my nickname Mrs D or Mrs Diamonds from my surname, de Beer.  I’m often asked if I’m related to the ‘real de Beer diamond’ family, but sadly I am not!  I’ll keep the name though.

So, about me!!  I was born in sunny South African in Durban, on the Natal coast.  A really beautiful part of the world if you ever get the chance to visit.  I lived there with my parents and younger brother and sister until I was 11 years old.  Then my dad took a job secondment to London.  The move was a huge challenge for us all, but Surrey soon became our home and we loved it.  To cut a long story short, we decided to stay there and not return to live in South Africa.  We soon became British citizens and after 20 odd years living there, I really do see myself as British (with African roots of course).

I am a trained Beauty Therapist and Make-up Artist and up until early 2011 I worked at Virgin Atlantic Airways.  It was a dream job and the most amazing Company to work for.  The rumors are true – Richard Branson is awesome!  I started by working as an IFBT “Inflight Beauty Therapist” where I would give beauty treatments to first class passengers on board the aircraft.  These were some of the best years of my life.  I got to fly around the world, meeting weird, wonderful and fabulous people doing a job that I loved – but that could be a whole other story to tell!!

After I had my first baby in 2006, I decided that flying was no longer for me, so I moved into working and eventually managing Virgin’s Head Office Spa, as well as working in the spas’ in the airport first class lounges.  Another job that I truly loved.

In 2011 I handed in my notice at Virgin Atlantic (which was almost heart-breaking) as Mr D had a new fantastic job opportunity in Sydney, Australia.  So me, Mr D, Master J (then 4) and Miss H (then 18 months) packed up our lives, said goodbye to our precious family and friends and moved half way around the world to set up home in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

So that brings me to how I started this blog……..  I suddenly found myself as a stay at home mummy for the first time EVER in a new country, far away from everything familiar to me.  So I started to write…….

Since writing my last blog post (the one before this) I have taken a little "time-out' due to ummm - 'lack of time'!!  (as lame as that sounds). However I do have an excuse -  we have had the most gorgeous new addition to our family, little Miss L.

I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I love writing it.

Mrs D xxx