Sick kids. Advertising. And Ninjago...what else?

I'm at home with a sick child today, E has been suffering recurring tummy pains for years that have been investigated up the wazoo, with the only theory being that he suffers from 'stomach migraines'. I'd never even heard of such a thing, but after suffering alongside E when they attack, I can assure you it is real and awful with his pain being about a '9' on the scale and has him hugging a wheat pack and hanging over a bucket for the duration. The only small mercies are that he doesn't usually vomit, just feels extreme nausea, and doctors have assured me they generally grow out of these in their teens, something to do with their systems being immature when they're younger and sending pain messages the wrong way. Here's hoping.

So he's been in pain since Sunday and also complaining of a sore throat. As I have been headachy and sore throat-y myself, I'm wondering if we've picked up the same bug and his has just manifested in his stomach instead of his head, like mine.

Anyway so I've been catching up on work emails and doing bits and pieces whilst waiting for our doctors appointment just after lunch. I hate having time off so close to my finish date but when you have a sick child, what do you do? I think this is a lament famous among pretty much every working mother in the world, yeah?

The guilt can really eat you up, you feel guilty if you stay home, you feel guilty if you go to work and send your unwell child to school, it's an awful feeling. You always want to put your kids first but we've been on this tummy merry-go-round for a while now and it does become draining.

Hopefully the doctor will be able to figure things out and I can have my gorgeous, ridiculously energetic guy back soon.

Moving on...

So anyway, in the last week or two you may have noticed an ad or two popping up on my blog.

I write this blog because I enjoy writing and hope that occasionally something I say or something dumb I do that I relate to you resonates, makes you laugh or think or makes you want to slap me. I don't mind, unless you actually do slap me, in which case I probably WOULD mind. Or cry. Or something.

You could say I write for the love of it. Most days.

However, I am human, and a broke human at that, so I thought if I could actually get something tangible (read: cold hard cash or at least a free sample or two) out of something I love, then is that a bad thing? Don't they say that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life?

Well I won't be giving up the day job in any great hurry but I have made the decision to put a few ads on my site.

Never fear, there won't suddenly be some carnival-esque flashing banner across the top with a 'brought to you by' flash video popping up on your screens, but I have made contact with a few businesses that I regularly use myself and that perhaps might be of interest to you as well.

If like me you're into reading and makeup and playing more with your kids toys than they do, then maybe you'll find something that piques your interest. And if not, you can scroll on by, that's all good too.

You can be sure that I would never advertise anything that I don't use myself, and I'm proud to say that I am a loyal customer of all of the businesses I have chosen to advertise and would recommend them highly. In fact, I've just spent the morning on the Lego website picking out presents for E's birthday in July. Love the fact that I can access products that I can't find in stores! And the website is so damned cool. At E's age he is really into creating his own pieces, so I am absolutely loving the bricks section where you can choose windows, doors, ladders, fences, pretty much whatever you like. I remember these from when I was a kid, but these days you can't just buy the pieces in the stores. And of course, there's Ninjago...a whole section just for this. I don't think I'll show it to E just yet as there's still a few months to his birthday and I'd prefer to contain the pestering and heavy hint dropping until a later date.

xx