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/



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 30^th 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!

http://www.rhubarb.net.au/
http://www.chadstoneshopping.com.au/

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!