I’ve often talked about my food porn food magazine addiction here on the blog, but what I’ve not mentioned – and is almost as relevant, if not more so, to the fact – is that I have a general magazine weakness that requires harsh measures to keep in check.

So you can imagine I was already on the metaphoric back foot when Magshop contacted me about a competition they are currently running, and if I wouldn’t mind passing that information on to you, my readers? Sure, I said.

Now this competition is… a holiday. And I’m not talking about the school holiday ‘holidays’ that began today in this state (do I hear cheering or the collective, sharp, deep in-breath of resignation?) but a proper one, involving the words Tahiti and overwater bungalow and Los Angeles.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll talk about that more in a bit.

[Speaking of holidays, we’ve actually been in heavy discussion about what we may or may not be doing as a family later on in the year – in the ‘can we fit in a NSW trip to see the relos?’ and ‘oh, geez, what about CHRISTMAS?’ sense. It’s tricky and I know a lot of you who live far away from loved ones often have this dilemma. We’re getting closer to settling on our plans but it’ll undoubtedly also come by making some other sacrifice. As most good things are, I suppose.]

While I was at the Digital Parents Conference on Friday, Adam was cleaning and scrubbing the place at home (For four hours!! For four whole hours!! Can you taste his indignation!!?) until it got to Australian House and Garden* exhibition standards in preparation for some of his family members, who arrived that evening and are staying for the next couple of weeks.

By which point I think I really will need a proper holiday.

Kidding! Of course I’m kidding! My overall coping methods need to be season adjusted and appropriate, that’s all. Let’s see, it’s Easter time: I’ll just hole up in my walk-in-robe with my stash of chocolate and be very, very quiet, just like any other normal mother.

(Shh… let’s just keep that to ourselves, shall we?)

If you click over to the Magshop website you’ll be able to find out more about their Mother’s Day competition, but I’ll leave you with this question: if a travel agent were to knock on your door this very second and hand over tickets to anywhere in the world – where would you go?

* At the moment, AH&G has a $59.95 for 12 issues sale, plus the chance to go into the draw. Not bad!

This post is one out of three (two to come) that has been sponsored by the MagShop Mother’s Day Present Promotion.

karen andrews

Karen Andrews is the creator of this website, one of the most established and well-respected parenting blogs in the country. She is also an author, award-winning writer, poet, editor and publisher at Miscellaneous Press. Her latest book is Trust the Process: 101 Tips on Writing and Creativity