Ok - so here's the deal. I've been tagged by Laine - over at IckleKids to do 6 Things Meme. I've been updating my blog these last few weeks, and she seemed to like one of my posts about this amazing love story out of china, and tagged me there! So here we are....

The rules of 6 Things Meme - I have to answer 6 questions about myself. At the end of the post, I then tag 6 people and post their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and ask them to read my blog. Then, I must let the person who tagged me know when I've posted my answers.

6 Places I have lived
1) Massachusetts USA - I was born there and lived there until I was 16. It's such a beautiful part of the USA, and if you ever get a chance you must visit it. It's hard to pick a season to visit because they're all beautiful, but if you want to see outstanding autumn colour, then go in the Northern Hemisphere Autumn.
2) Orlando Florida USA - We lived there for about 12 months when I was 11. Whilst living in Florida we travelled to Mexico where my younger brother was born.
3) Broke, Hunter Valley, NSW - Australia - I was 16 when we moved to Australia. I hated it, but grew to love it over time. The Hunter Valley is a truly beautiful part of NSW.
4) North Ryde, NSW , Australia - I moved to Sydney to live with my brother who was attending Macquarie University.
5) Glenfield, NSW, Australia - moved in with my long term boyfriend, now husband, into our first home.
6) Georges Hall NSW - Settled into our current home. We now have 2 gorgeous kids.

What I was doing 10 years ago
Ten years ago I was working for Qantas at Sydney International Airport. I was a Customer Service Agent, and duties included working in the Qantas Club & First Class Lounge, First Class Check-in as well as check-in for other classes, assisting with arrivals and departures. Not just for Qantas but for the 26 other customer airlines that Qantas did the ground handling for. Whilst at Qantas I became pregnant with my first child and after she was born I went back to work for 18 months, but eventually left because conflicting schedules with daycare and shift work!

5 things on my to do list:
1) Go to work Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
2) Take my son to a birthday party on Sunday
3) Get some work for ID Your Child done
4) Place some orders for customers
5) Spend time with the kids

Snacks I like to eat
1) Chocolate - who doesn't like to eat chocolate!? Oh - I know - my niece's boyfriend doesn't like chocolate - he's allergic to milk.
2) Dips & crackers
3) Chocolate Chip Cookies - homemade of course
4) Home baked biscuits or bread - warm with butter
5) Mangoes, strawberries, apples

If I was a billionaire
1) I'd give a good portion to charity
2) Pay off my parents debts and buy them new cars and set them up so they wouldn't have to work again
3) Work for a charity
4) Set up trust accounts for my children, ensure they had enough money for their education and to set them up for when they leave home
5) Pay off our debts and build a new house and buy a new car
6) Travel the world
7) Pay for my friends to come and visit me

Now, I tag the following people:

http://rainbowdesigns.com.au/blog/
http://www.momentbymoment.com.au/cafeprem/momentbymoment/

We're past the 1/2 way mark - City2Surf

WOW - overnight we've had $150 donated. That brings our total so far raised to $351 - we still need an extra $149 to reach our goal of $500.

If you can help us or if you know of someone who can help us reach that goal, please forward the information with a link to my fundraising page.

Every $$ is greatly appreciated, and it would be such a shame if we came so close to our goal, but didn't make it.

To all of you who have already so kindly donated/sponsored us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I'm sure the children and the families of those children who will benefit from the funds raised thank you also!!!!!

Please follow the link to see how we're going and to make a donation!
http://city2surf.everydayhero.com.au/Jennifer_Kohen

Please also pass this info along, wouldn't it be great if we could surpass our goal of $500 before August 10!


Starlight Wishgranting

A dream come true

A Starlight Wish is like a dream come true for a seriously ill child. Sharing a special, once-in-a-lifetime wish brings a family together, and is an experience that stays with them forever. Starlight aims to grant more wishes each year for children with serious and chronic illness.

A Starlight Wish provides meaningful experiences, has life impacting benefits and is an opportunity to share in a dream come true. A Starlight Wish gives the whole family a break from the stress of their child's illness. Fulfilled wishes provide lasting memories for the child, and it's rare that a day goes by without the family mentioning their special experience.

Just last Christmas, the generosity of the Australian public meant that Starlight could grant more than 152 urgent wishes for seriously ill children, children just like Christian, who wanted a Rocket Ship Cubby House, so he could use it to escape and visit planet Starlight.
"The day we heard Starlight were able to grant Christian's wish was amazing - the best day since his illness was diagnosed. It has become something special for him to look forward to every day."
Mum of Christian, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour just before his fifth birthday

BEAUTIFUL PRAYER

BEAUTIFUL PRAYER

I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary

I asked God to grant me patience God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own!, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

If you love God, send this to ten people and back to the person that sent it.

THIS DAY IS YOURS DON'T THROW IT AWAY

May God Bless You,
'To the world you might be one person,but to one person you just might be the world'

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.

It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.

The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.

Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin..

In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.

At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality.

In the beginning, life was harsh as hey had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.

Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'

In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'

The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.

'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?'

Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.

In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever.

Retail therapy is great isn't it?

Retail therapy is great!

The only problem I have with shopping with the kids during the mid year school holidays is that K-Mart, Target & Big W all put their MASSIVE TOY SALES on at this time.

Who in their right mind wants to go toy shopping with the kids in tow???? I know I don't, hence I usually avoid the sales, for me it's sometimes worth paying the extra couple of dollars just to avoid the crowds.

I had to go to Big W today to exchange something that I bought yesterday (another story), and being the first day of the Big W toy sale there were, needless to say, A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE!!! The queue for the Lay-By desk (which is at the back of the store - oddly enough right next to the toy dept.) was almost to the front door where all the registers are!!!!!! OMG - is all I could say.

I was staggered at the amount of toys people had in their trolleys and queuing in the Lay-By queue. Now don't get me wrong, I love to buy my kids things, but this was bordering on ridiculous!!!!!!

It just got me thinking that we are such a consumer society, give it to me now, I want it, I need it, I will have it!!!!!! It made me think of how much we buy and all the packaging that is so unnecessary. I know at Christmas time, it takes me almost a month to get rid of all the packaging that gets tossed, because I put it in the recycling bin and that only gets collected fortnightly. Note to Council - at Christmas have weekly recycling pick-up!

Anyway, I walked out of Big W vowing to not go overboard on my Christmas shopping this year.