Memories kept.

Today I found a poem written for me by my Granddad. He was a huge part of my life even though he lived on the other side of the world. He was the one who inspired me to write. So today I'm feeling grateful that this was something I hung onto, because no-one expects their loved ones to die.

He was only in his early 60's when he passed away and it was such a shock to everyone because he was so vibrant, healthy and full of life. He was also the funniest person I have ever met.

They say people have three deaths. One is when they pass away, the next is when they're buried/cremated and the third is when people stop speaking their name.

So I'm publishing one of his poems so he'll never experience the third.

Untitled.
As last I've found my heaven
But it's right here on Earth
It's very far away
And not my place of birth
The land is rich and fertile
The sky is clear and blue
The sun shines on this heaven
Australia, I love you.

By Eric Longbottom.

- This poem is for the place I found and love and to my beautiful princess Haley whom I love dearly and miss terribly. x Always, your Granddad.

The power of grateful.

Lately I've been feeling a little low, which got me thinking about the power of feeling grateful.

I just got back from a walk around my block on one of the most spectacular days I've ever seen. The temperature was perfect, the sky a gorgeous blue sheet under which I, a healthy and fully able mother pushed her beautiful 2-year-old daughter in a pram.

A simple walk really put everything into perspective for me. If you have your health and you love and are loved then it seems quite selfish to feel anything but grateful.

I also discovered some research that proves writing about what makes us grateful increases our happiness. The research study, by Dr Steven Toepfer, an assistant professor of family and consumer studies, shows expressing gratitude through writing can significantly improve our feelings of happiness.

A similar study by James W. Pennebaker, a professor of psychology and author of Writing to Heal ($41.95, New Harbinger Publications), found those who write feel happier and less negative than before writing.

So I've decided to blog, every single day for the next month, about one thing that has made me feel grateful! If you've been feeling a bit sorry for yourself lately, join me and lets see if our happiness goes up a few notches!

They've finally killed Heidi.

Do you remember the band Killing Heidi?

It was a favourite of mine. So I was pretty excited to learn that the brother/sister duo are back with a new band called 'The Verses'. Their first album, Seasons, will be released on August 13th.

It's a little more country rock than the alternate rock of their Killing Heidi days but you can still hear echoes of Killing Heidi - Ella has an amazing voice.

Their first single, Want Everything, is very easy-listening and it's out now on i-Tunes so if you're interested you can download it for $1.69 - bargain!

An apple a day.

We've all heard the phrase 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' but new research shows that if apples are eaten regularly throughout pregnancy they can also keep asthma at bay for the unborn child.

When I was pregnant with my daughter I ate an apple every day. Not because I had some premonition that this research would come to light, but because I craved them constantly. Red, green, hard, soft, sweet, sour or bruised, I'd eat one every day without fail.

Allergies are a problem on both sides of our family tree - with asthma and eczema being most common. Perhaps this craving was my body's way of protecting my baby? In any case, she's free of asthma and eczema - though she does suffer food allergies.

Apples also have one and a half times more antioxidants than a 75 gram serve of blueberries, more than twice the antioxidants of a cup of tea, about three times the antioxidants of an orange and almost eight times the antioxidants of a banana!

Did you crave something beneficial during pregnancy? I'd love to hear your stories!

Babies biting on credit.

I'm sure many of us would like to chew up our credit cards and forget they ever existed. I don't have one anymore. Thank God, or I'd be in debt up to my eyeballs. But I'll bet you've never thought about letting a baby chew on one for comfort.

This morning on the news I heard credit cards might be a shop-a-holic's worst enemy but they're now fast becoming a baby's best-friend.

A new teething toy that looks like a credit card, complete with numbers, an expiry date and name'Ima Spender' is the latest controversial baby toy on the market.

In fact, it's reported that the innocuous looking toy, priced at $24.95, is sparking outrage by social commentators who believe the toy is irresponsible because it's grooming our children in materialism.

I really can't think why you'd want one for bub, regardless of the controversial nature of the thing! You can't use it to buy that oh-so-gorgeous but outrageously priced pair of True Religion jeans and it's no more beneficial than a rubber ring teether.

I suppose it might provide some smug satisfaction to a shop-a-holic who's given up the plastic - after all at least bub can take out her frustrations with it.

What do you think? Irresponsible or just a bit of fun?