I Have A Secret and I Can't Keep It Any Longer

So I have a little confession to make. Okay, maybe not so little. Or maybe not that big- it depends on your perspective I guess. Uhmmm, where do I start?

I have been avoiding this blog a little bit this past month, partially because I felt a little bit guilty about being potentially perceived as being disloyal to my readership. What am I on about?



I spent a lot of time on this blog advocating the work from home lifestyle (it is even embedded in my blog name and persona!) and to a large extent, that is who I was and what my blog was always all about. I loved working from home and getting to spend time with my little ones while earning a living.


Then recently, something HUGE happened. Out of the blue, I got an offer for a dream job (or what seemed like a dream job) at a time when my bank balance was looking a tad bit deflated- working from home means that there are months of earning a lot and months of earning very little and I got the call during one of them. Part of me missed the corporate world, being able to apply my mind to real challenges and getting to go to the bathroom undisturbed and I sometimes felt like I was wasting my qualifications with my part-time work at home. Coincidentally, around the same time, my mom, being the only other person in the world that I trust completely with my kids, stopped working full time and found herself with lots of time to spare. She eagerly volunteered to take up the task of looking after my little ones after school and chauffering them to extra-murals in the afternoons. It all seemed to make sense and to fit into place at that moment. So, after much deliberation, I took the plunge and went back to work full time.



Yikes, what was I thinking, I ask myself some days. Going back to work full time has been much more challenging than I anticipated! I forgot how nasty corporate politics can get and came to find out how it came to be that such a great position became vacant in the first place. I swopped little kids with little tantrums for grown up kids with grown up tantrums.  The little ones battled slightly in getting used to a new routine but have since settled down well, although it is a struggle to fit in everything we need to in just a few hours in the evenings. The hours are less flexible than anticipated and while I have a boss who will let me disappear for an important school event or sick child, not having the ability to do things when and how I want has definitely taken some getting used to.



Have I made the right decision? For now, probably. I loved every moment of WAHM'ing for the last three years but this is where life has lef me now. I am challenged and stimulated and thinking about far more complex issues than before and I have the chance to influence a much larger sphere than previously. I am gaining valuable new experience and learning new things. I am not broke. My children are still well taken care of and my mom loves getting to spend extra time with them. Is it worth it? Only time will tell and if not, it will be easy enough to go back to WAHM'ing- I have allowed enough safety nets to enable myself to do so should I so choose.



So for now, here is my big question...


Do I keep this blog as 'Jozi WAHM' or do I re-brand? Would keeping the name make me seem less legitimate? I would love your thoughts.

Our Favourite Family Friendly Movies This October

Given that it was school holidays, it was inevitable that we would watch a few family friendly movies this past couple of weeks. 

Last year we were invited to a couple of movie premiers that were a bit taxing as my son was still too young to sit still for very long. 
  
Now we are finally at a stage where both children are old enough to sit still for long enough to watch an entire movie and  without causing too much of an inconvenience to others and we have been taking full advantage of this fact.

Here is what we have been watching:

Barbie Starlight Adventure

Noodle is obsessed with everything Barbie related- the toys, the clothes and even the TV series so she was beside herself when I announced that we were going to the South African launch of this movie. The event was as much of a hit as the movie itself. We entered a world of pink, with an array of fun activities and delicious snacks to keep the kids entertained. Best of all, Noodle enjoyed meeting a real live Barbie and getting her personalised autograph.

Given the insane price of movie tickets these days, a free movie, slush and popcorn is enough reason for me to be singing praises. Besides the fact that I didn't have to take out an overdraft facility to pay for movie tickets, I can genuinely say the movie was actually quite cool. It was less stereotypically girly than previous Barbie movies and very futuristic- a bit like Insurgent or the Hunger Games minus the violence. Barbie, who has a few secret special talents (who lives in outer space) has to help save the universe.

I noticed that Barbie's look has changed a bit. Noticeably, she was sporting the famous Elsa braid. 

Both little ones loved it, even Squish, who said he didn't want to watch 'a girl movie'. He even turned out to like his new 'Popcorn' (Barbie's pet) toy. Speaking og toys, Noodle won a Sal-Lee doll in the lucky draw on the day (Sal-Lee is Barbie's amazing sidekick in case you didn't know). The Sal-Lee doll is something I would have dreamt about having as a child- just like a regular Barbie doll but she spins and makes different sounds depending on which way she is angled.

The Secret Life of Pets

Noodle stumbled upon the trailer for this movie, which is all about what pets get up to when their families are not around) about a year ago and has been watching the trailers on repeat ever since.

So when it finally hit the big screen, we knew we had to watch it. Noodle and I loved it while Squish and hubby were less captivated (though I can't understand why as the characters are just so cute and it has all the elements for a perfect family movie). We watched the movie in 3d. Have I mentioned how much 3d movies cost these days? Crazy!!! Luckily, there was enough action to warrant the 3d glasses.

There was also a short Minions movie before the main movie- always a hit with my bunch.

The BFG

This was one of my all time favourite books as a child so I was keen to watch the Big Friendly Giant movie.

My little ones were not as eager as the picture advertising the movie didn't quite grab their attention (come on, look at it, it is a picture of a weird looking old man) but I convinced them otherwise and they both really enjoyed this classic story. Noodle seemed to enjoy the fart humour the most (sadly).

Yes, the movie was almost as good as the book (movies are never as good as the book but this came close). Now that Noodle can read (and enjoys it so much), a set of Roald Dahl books is definitely on my wishlist for her- it might just be her next birthday present!

Three movies watched, three movies enjoyed. So if you are looking for a good child friendly movie, there is quite a bit to chose from at the moment. P.S. We already have plans to watch the Thomas the Tank Engine movie which is coming out soon and Storks looked super cute too.