Friday 29 July 2011

Donna Hay... my hero!

Hi Dolls,

I hope everyone has been fabulous. As usual, I have had another chock-a-block full week.

After months of no mobile service, I finally got off my butt and contacted Optus to get out of my contract. Could not believe my luck when I had no problems getting out of it and I didn't have to pay a thing - score! So, we went straight to the Telstra shop last night so they could hook us up with the lot - mobile, internet, t-box and t-hub. I had finally talked my husband into getting the internet and everything else that goes with it, so I was pretty pumped we were finally sorting it all out... until Telstra told me that I couldn't get the internet in my area. Are you serious!? It's not like we live in the country! Their explanation was because all the internet ports in my area are taken and  there isn't any left for us, but I am more than welcome to go on a waiting list for the next available, blah, blah, blah. So I rang this morning to go on a 'waiting list', and guess what... there isn't one! Grrr... my only option apart from a stupid and expensive wireless pack is to just ring up every few months and try my luck. The likelihood of this actually happening is extremely low. Someone basically has to move and then the next person that moves in hopefully doesn't hook up the internet for a really long time and then perhaps I might be able to get it... if I ring before the other billion people also wanting the internet. So annoying... anyway that's my little vent for today... even though I did vent about it last night as well. Deep breath... moving on!

On a much more fun note, Piper rolled! My mother-in-law bought her a little tummy-time mat and she still hates tummy-time but not so much anymore. Anyway, she was wiggling around and rolled. I don't know who was more shocked, but after the initial shock, I yelped for joy and started clapping and she started giggling!
Piper also moved onto the 'big bath' this week. As with most of her things at the moment, she has grown out of her baby bath, bassinet and even her car seat. She loves being able to kick and splash and it's just too cute.
What isn't too cute is her new habit of waking up at 3am every single night. Last night was the first night in so long that she amazingly slept through. I won't hold my breath, but I am secretly hoping that this is the beginning of a wonderful night's sleep. Fingers crossed! She has settled quite nicely into the eat, play, sleep routine. It isn't strict but it helps me understand why she's grumpy, when to put her down for a nap and when to give her a bottle.

I had my Mother's group on Wednesday. There are 5 of us and we are taking it in turns having everyone over at each of our houses. Every sixth week we plan to do something fun outside the house somewhere. These lovely ladies kept making and baking things for afternoon tea and seriously put me to shame. Who has time? Especially when they do a 24 pack of mixed MnM, Snickers and Mars Cookies for $10 at Safeway! My husband is the one who cooks, I'm very lucky he looks after me. He even used to make my lunch for me when we both worked. But, this week was my turn and all the Mum's were coming to my place so I decided to give baking a go! My Mother-in-law got me onto Donna Hay and she is my kind of cooking lady. She declares herself the queen of cheats and if there is a shortcut she will point you in the right direction.

I gave the Chocolate Eclairs and Chocolate Brownie Cake a go. I must say they were delicious. They were also so easy, which is a relief because that's how I roll.

Why don't you give them a go:

Chocolate Eclairs
Serves 12


Ingredients:
1 cup (250ml) double (heavy) cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted
12 sponge finger biscuits, halved length ways
125g dark chocolate, melted
¼ teaspoon vegetable oil

Method:
1. Place the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and whisk gently until thick.
2. Place the bases of the biscuits onto a wire rack.
3. Spoon on the cream mixture and top with the remaining biscuits.
4. Mix together the chocolate and oil.
5. Spread the chocolate mixture over the tops of the biscuits.


~

Chocolate Brownie
Makes 16 Slices


Ingredients:
200g dark chocolate, chopped
250g butter, chopped
1¾ cups (310g) brown sugar
4 Eggs
⅓ Cup (35g) cocoa powder, sifted
1¼ Cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
¼ Teaspoon baking powder

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (325ºF).
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Place the sugar, eggs, cocoa, flour and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until combined.
5. Pour into a 20cm square slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper.
6. Bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted skewer withdraws clean.
7. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before slicing.
8. Serve warm or cold.


Enjoy!

http://www.donnahay.com.au/


Friday 22 July 2011

Rhubarb and my week so far…

Hi Dolls,

This week has been another busy one – visiting some of the grandparents and a lovely outing at the shops among numerous other bits and pieces.

Piper spent her first night in the cot in her own room last night. She had been napping in her cot during the day in the hope of a smooth transition to her overnight sleeps. Daddy and I weren't quite ready for her to be on her own at night, but she has grown out of the basinet which we kept in our room and we no longer have a choice but to let her sleep on her own in her own room. She went pretty well, but did wake up a few times. So fingers crossed tonight goes a bit better.

This week’s highlight was a shopping expedition at Chadstone Shopping Centre with Piper, my sister-in-law and two nephews. One of the little darlings had a play with the scissors last week and cut himself a nice little bald patch in the front of his hair. A quick trip to the hairdressers and well… it doesn’t really look too bad now… but it’ll be good once it grows back!

So, imagine my delight when I realized there are still sales happening! Then I remembered that I’m still on one wage (bummer) but quickly countered that with the thought of layby (woohoo!). I had a look at a few things in Target before the toy sale started (which started Wednesday midnight by the way) and was very practical for once… and no – I’m not justifying silly purchases that I didn’t really need. Although I do very much think that this is a fantastic skill I have acquired in all my experience and years of shopping. If you want to go shopping with me, be sure to want to buy, buy, buy, because I really can justify any purchase. Alas, the guilt overwhelmed me and my many wanted purchases, so I stuck to just buying a latch thingy-ma-jiggy that will allow the new car seat to go in the car and stay put. I don’t even need to justify that one – there is a first for everything!

We went past a kid’s clothing shop called Rhubarb. Oh my god, this shop is amazing! The sales were spectacular. My sister-in-law stocked up on a few bits and pieces for next winter for her kids and I lusted after pretty much the entire store. Our families and friends have been so generous, loading Piper full of absolutely gorgeous and wonderful gifts. While I wasn’t looking, my sister-in-law picked up this fabulous growth chart from Rhubarb that I was eyeing off for Piper. It was only $15, down from $40 (see saving more than what it was bought for, bargain - see what I did there, I told you I can justify any purchase!). It is super cute and will be put up this weekend by my husband… when I ask him. Pumpkin, if you are reading this, pretty please put this up on the back of Piper’s door. Not sure if I like my chances, I think it’s hilarious but he hates it when I call him pumpkin or any other name for that matter. E.g.: Shnookums, Muffin, sweet-cakes etc.


In a few weeks, it is my sister-in-law’s 30th Birthday! Dirrty 30! Ha, I just like saying that. She is taking a few of us to a Winery for lunch and I am beyond super excited! So for the next few weeks I need to get myself into training and start drinking so I can keep up. I am not a big drinker at all, a light-weight at best and seeing as I was pregnant not too long ago I haven’t had a drink for at least… hmm… probably a year and a half. So it’s been a long time between drinks and if I don’t want to be snoring under the table halfway through lunch – which I don’t (and I totally don’t snore, no matter what my husband might say!) – I need to pace myself. My problem is I get a bit excited and go too early, too quickly. I also don’t love alcohol all that much so I knock it back and mix it up to trick my taste buds. I think it’s a great idea to begin with, but mixing drinks just really isn’t a great mix.

My other challenge this week is to try and get myself into some sort of a routine. For Piper and myself. The sleep, eat, play routine with a bit of tummy time thrown in which is a nightmare because she absolutely hates tummy time. Wish me luck!

Flashback Friday: I Love... My Chanel Handbag

Originally posted on Wordpress - December 21, 2009.

Hi Dolls,

About 6 months ago I jokingly (sort of) asked my husband if I could spend our tax return on a Chanel handbag. He asked me how much they were and when I told him, his reaction wasn’t what I had jokingly hoped for. I told him it was an investment and I could justify this by working it out to $1 per wear. I would only have to wear this handbag every day for the next 8 years and 8 months. Unfortunately this didn’t appear to sway his opinion.
A few months past and we finally got around to lodging our tax return. Saving this money obviously did not cross my mind. A tax return is like free money – as long as you don’t get a bill! So I asked my husband what we were going to buy. He said that he thought I was buying a handbag. You could not imagine my surprise and excitement. I dropped what I was doing and rang the Chanel store immediately to see if my handbag was in stock. It was! I left work early and drove into Collins Street to make my purchase.

I finally arrived and as I walked toward the store I felt like I was on cloud nine. I had a spring in my step and nothing could drag me down from the fashion high I was on. The doorman opened the big glass doors for me and as I stepped inside I thought to myself that this is a lot like what I think heaven might be like! I glided straight towards the counter and introduced myself as the girl who called this morning about THE bag. She looked at me with pity and said she was sorry but they had just sold out. I looked at her in despair. I felt sick. This was the bag I had been dreaming of my whole life and she shattered this dream within two seconds! I felt defeated. I was beyond disappointed. The shop assistant must have realised this and offered me another bag with gold hardware instead of silver. I shook my head. Then she offered me the smaller version of my bag (which was the same price!). I shook my head again. This was not what I had my heart set on and was just not what I wanted. She then offered to call me the minute another bag arrived. I thanked her and walked out the store feeling extremely rejected. I felt so down and the high I was on just minutes ago had completely vanished.

The next day at work I received a call from Chanel to let me know that my bag had come in. The shop assistant advised me to come in straight away as she couldn’t hold the bag for me and also couldn’t guarantee that it would still be there later that day. I couldn’t believe my luck. I ran into my boss and asked if-I-could-go-early-because-my-bag-has-just-turned-up-at-chanel-and-they-won’t-hold-it-for-me-and-it-might-not-be-there-later-and-I-need-to-go-NOW!!!!! As the fashion savvy boss that she is, she immediately understood me and told me to go now! So I did. I called my husband and asked him to collect me immediately. I needed a quick exit from the car when we got to Chanel and could not waste time on ticket parking. He agreed (amazingly) and we were on our way.

We rolled up and I was dropped off in front of the store. I bolted from the car and back into my little piece of heaven. I ran directly to the counter and breathlessly announced that I was here for the bag! The lovely shop assistant smiled at me and asked me to wait there and she would go and get my bag. I beamed back at her and thanked her for all her help. I was finally getting my very own Chanel handbag!!! She returned with my bag and my heart skipped a beat. It was beautiful. I held my breath as I took it in my arms. It was love at first sight. I handed my money over and took a seat while I waited for my new purchase to be wrapped, boxed and ribboned. I felt at home here. Everyone understood the thrill of a new Chanel handbag and were all genuinely excited for me. A few minutes later my bag was returned to me packaged in Chanel’s signature carry bag. My only disappointment today was that I couldn’t show off the carrier bag for longer. I had already kept my husband waiting for quite sometime as we all oohed and ahhed over my new handbag.


I waived goodbye and exchanged air kisses and as I walked out of the store the alarm sounded. I was mortified. I had beeped on my way out of Chanel! I turned around and the doorman asked me to come back in. What had I done?! Thankfully the shop assistant noticed my panick and told me not to worry. She apologised and told me that it was her mistake and she hadn’t removed all the tags from inside the bag. She took my carrier bag away and returned it to me a few minutes later. So I went to leave again. The doors opened and to my relief the alarm remained silent.
I cuddled my carrier bag in the car all the way home. When we returned I de-ribboned, unwrapped and unboxed my gorgeous new handbag. The italian leather smelt amazing as I gently removed the dust bag that revealed the Chanel Large Shopping Tote. My handbag was magnificent and more than I could have ever wanted. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world and I suppose I am!

Friday 15 July 2011

Xmas Shopping - Check!

Hi Dolls,

So it’s been a busy week. Two words – TOY SALE! This was my first year checking out the mid-year toy sales. We usually leave all our Xmas shopping until a few days before Xmas. I always mean to make it happen earlier but the funds and motivation are just never there. It’s just more exciting picking out the perfect present for everyone on a deadline. Shopping and spending all that money at once is quite exilerating! But, now that I have a baby and it will be her first Xmas this year, no one could hold me back! As soon as those toy catalogues were delivered to my letterbox I was all over them! It felt like it was Xmas already! Looking through all the toys I wanted to get for my little girl, Piper, and for my nephews and friends babies it really brought back memories of my own childhood. I remember circling all the things I wanted when I was a kid (which was pretty much everything) and still not much has changed. I love junk mail and still circle everything I want – I mean need. So the list for my little girl was pretty much the same - massive. I also picked out her presents for when she is two – doll house, and when she is three – kitchen and when she is four – drum kit! But shhh… it has to be a surprise! I ended up with a massive trolley at two different stores and had to go back again to the original store for the things I forgot the first time. So I am now all set for Xmas and it’s only July! I feel so organized, I must be forgetting something. All I have to do now is just pay for it – Boo!!

This week, I also caught up with B & L, who are friends we made at our baby birthing classes. They had their little baby (what a cutie!) just 4 days before Piper came along. We had a great time and Piper got a little present as well – a little ittybittyindi ‘confetti’ headband. B made it and has just started her own label – ittybittyindi designs. She is so clever and creative. She makes beautiful, one-of-a-kind children’s garments, accessories and plush toys. They are handmade with a sprinkle of love, a cup of giggles and a pinch of mischief. You can be assured your teeny tot will stand out in the crowd with a wardrobe full of cheeky, cute and quirky outfits from ittybittyindi designs!

I haven’t seen B since our birthing classes and this was the first time our little girls met each other – even though Piper slept through the whole thing! We swapped birthing stories (shocking!) and it got me thinking back to when I was still pregnant. The minute anyone heard I was pregnant, the nightmare pregnancy stories came out to play (double shocking!) Seriously, no one wants to hear the bad stuff before you are about to go through it and have a baby. The thought of birth and labour and everything in between is scary enough anyway. We don’t need to hear anything else that is going to scare us more from something that happened to a friend of a friend's, cousin's, best friend's, mother's, sister's, daughter's friend. Who cares! Chances are it’s not true anyway and then what happens - you can’t sleep at night! My advice – buy yourself a full length maternity pillow (amazing) and block your ears! Whatever happens, the end result is amazing and when you are holding your little baby in your arms it is all totally worth it and nothing else matters.

I have also started my mother’s group! It’s amazing how much you can learn about a group of woman and their babies in 2 hours. It’s nice to have a reason to get out of the house and put some makeup on and catch up with people whose eyes don’t glaze over because you can’t stop talking about your baby (guilty – oops). I do make an effort and try not to talk about Piper all the time, but she’s so cute and doesn’t everyone want to talk about her? Ha, I know. I was one of those people who couldn’t stand it when all anyone could talk about was their kids. I didn’t mind a little bit of baby talk but not for the whole conversation. I now understand that if you are at home with a baby all day long, some days there isn’t much else to talk about. Apart from talking about my shows – Winners and Losers and Offspring (love them) there’s not much time left for anything else not baby related. I'm in my own little bubble. I don’t even watch the news anymore (well actually I never did) – never anything positive on the news, certainly no happy endings! So I don't even know what's happening around the world. That’s why I always try to get out of the house and be as social as I can. I still love shopping, but will have to be satisfied with window shopping until I go back to work. I have been creating a mental shopping list for months now.

Well, until next time… peace and love…







Check out ittybittyindi designs on FaceBook – ittybittyindi designs, and the online store on Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ittybittyindi

Flashback Friday: Boyfriend, Husband, Partner... Whatever!

Hi Dolls,

Today is Flashback Friday...  here is my first ever blog post! Enjoy!

At school I had loads of friends that were boys but never had many boyfriends. I kind of forgot about them in primary school when I kissed (well, more like a peck) my first boyfriend at the back of the oval in grade 4. He then proceeded to tell everyone in the canteen line that afternoon during lunch. I was mortified – he had boy germs!!
When I left school and started hitting the town with my girlfriends we met heaps of different people. We used to go out every night of the week, but we would always go to the same place every Friday night without fail to watch a band play. Some of us went out to have a dance and some of us went out purely to ‘pick up’. I was the one who went out to have a bit of a dance. I was usually designated driver anyway so I never had the dutch courage I needed to just go and pick someone up. How embarrassing! The rejection would be humiliating! I would literally die!

One of my friends boyfriends came with us one week and invited his basketball team to come along. My future husband was in his basketball team. A friend introduced us and once upon a time begun. We talked all night and really got to know each other.

The following week there were a few phone calls, messages, a couple of movies and dinner.
The next Friday night my future husband and I were sitting outside the pub singing to a song that was playing inside. The song was “Hey Baby” and he sang it to me: ‘Hey, hey baby, ooo ahh, i wanna knooo o o oow if you’ll be my girl…?’ *enter GIGANTIC pause*, then he asked me if I would be his girlfriend. So from there we became ‘offiicial’, ‘exclusive’.

I hadn’t had a boyfriend in quite a while. Sure, I had a hook up here and there but nothing I would dignify with an actual title! So when I talked to anyone about my boyfriend I felt a bit silly really. I felt like I was telling anyone who would listen about my boyfriend – like, hello, excuse me everyone, can I please have your attention – I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!!

A few years later, we got engaged and my boyfriend became my ‘fiancé’. So when I talked to anyone about my fiancé I still felt a bit silly really. I felt like I was telling everyone about my fiancé – who proposed – who I was getting married to – like, hello, excuse me everyone, can I please have your attention – I HAVE A FIANCE AND WE ARE GETTING MARRIED AND WE ARE GOING TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!! I must have been so boring during this time in my life. I don’t think I talked about anything but THE wedding!

I thought about using the term ‘partner’ although I think this made me sound like I was either an older person that never got married or gay which I am neither so decided to stick it out and get over it.
Now that I’m married I’m more comfortable with using the term husband. The truth is I love my husband to the moon and back and I’m so lucky to have him…. He’s lucky to have me too… and don’t worry, I remind him of this every day!


Sunday 10 July 2011

Something for Me...



Hi Dolls!

Some of you may be new to my blog and some of you may have followed me here from my old wordpress blog. I hadn’t updated my wordpress blog in so long, so I decided to start again here from scratch. I guess it’s kind of like a blog re-launch!
So, to my new readers and those who have just stumbled across my blog – welcome to my life on the road to fabulous! -  And to my loyal readers who have followed me over the last few years – thanks for your loyalty and patience!

My blog is basically about my random thoughts and views on anything and everything in my life. It is about my own personal style and the things in my life that I think are a little bit fabulous. Whether it is family, makeup, beauty, handbags, fashion, shoes, books, restaurants, recipes or just a good old fashioned ‘vent’, you will find it here!
 
Well, a lot has happened since my last blog post. The main reason I stopped blogging was because my work blocked my site. I used to update from work as I had no internet connection at home. With no internet at home, I just couldn’t find the time or the resources to make it happen. At around the same time, I also fell pregnant and felt pretty awful for the first month or so, hence my blog was neglected.

…That’s right, I was pregnant and am now a mummy (!) and have an 11 week old beautiful baby girl who is the light of my life, the sparkle in my eye, the sequin of my world! My husband and I are absolutely in love and cannot imagine ever being without her!

 
The main reason I decided to start this blog again was to have a hobby. Something that was mine. Something I could do just for me. My husband loves the football – obsessed really is a better description for his love of the game. He coaches a junior footy team and goes regularly to watch the local team he follows. He also has an insanely loud drum kit and can happily bang away on it for hours. It is his little bit of freedom, something he loves and I love that he loves it… But I found myself sitting at home a few weeks ago thinking about how I don’t really have a hobby of my own. My daily routine mainly consisted of feeding, sleeping, nappy changes, sterilizing, cleaning, washing, house work, more feeding, more nappy changing, occasionally venturing out to the shops, entertaining visitors, playing and singing with my baby girl and trying anything and everything for just one more smile! (It’s amazing what we will try for another one of those melt-your-heart smiles – let alone a giggle!)
My only hobby I could remember having and deeply missed was shopping, and now on one wage whilst on maternity leave, shopping is a major luxury, one which is now just a distant memory. Sigh… I also love to read. I will read anything with a happy ending. I like the predictable story of boy meets girl, they have a fight but makeup because they are meant to be – soulmates - and everyone lives happily ever after. (Awww!) Why read something that doesn’t end like that? But seriously, who has time to read now?! I just never have the time anymore.
I’m certainly not complaining. I absolutely love being a mummy. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I could hold her in my arms all day and just look at her. She is just gorgeous and I am so lucky to have her. I also now have someone to pass my beloved Chanel bag down to one day... probably when I get another one! I say this in the hope that I will one day get another one, although my husband probably has a very different idea to this, which is, well… that’s never going to happen!
So, back to my lack of a hobby… a friend recently started her own blog and business which I will be sure to plug away in a future post, when I suddenly remembered… I do have another hobby - my blog! So here I am making a promise to myself to make time for myself and my re-discovered hobby.

I was having a look through the archives of my old blog and I have decided to post a few of my favourites from time to time – they are oldies but goodies! Hopefully the newbies who are now reading my blog will get to know me a little better.

Well, that’s it for me… for now. I promise I won’t leave it too long between posts this time!