photo catch up

Wow. One month since I've blogged.  Believe me, I've needed to. I just don't have the time. Or if I have the time, the inclination or energy to do so. I come up with the best words and blog posts in my head while I'm driving, hanging out the washing, cooking or knee deep in nappies. Even at work. All really inappropriate times to blog. Now let me see....

Jensen wrote "The dog chased the cat".

Wading pool fun

Hens night!

My nerdy children at the library

easy peasy craft

Helicopter at school

11 years together today!

Celebrated a wedding

got to dress up all pretty-like

celebrated my Oma's 95th birthday

hung out with my sister

Went on a bush walk with the crazies

Proud mummy moment (held back so many tears!) at the Kindy concert

Made an Advent calendar

christmas photo with the dog

home made WOD

Turned this pillow case

into this nightdress

Wore red in rememberance of Daniel Morcombe

Andrew got his tattoo coloured in...

Nanna-made dress

riding the train, waiting to see Santa

family Santa photo

Andrew's work Christmas party

I am still on my paleo challenge, about 27 days to go. It can not go fast enough. I'm over it. I'd like to eat normal food, not make 2 different types of dinner, eat something the kids can eat and not spend a fortune on food. While it's a healthy choice, this paleo challenge, it's EXPENSIVE.

So I eat a lot of repetitive foods and left overs. Its cheaper that way.

I am looking forward to chocolate, pizza, a normal biscuit etc, even white potato.

There are some things that I will continue to eat. Like granola. OMG. That stuff is awesome.

Challenge accepted!

Last week - remember ... when I ran 2 laps unbroken at the gym?? Well, this week, I ran 3 laps unbroken. Something I never thought I could do. That's 1.2km, people! Took me forever, and I wanted to quit before the 2nd lap began, but didn't because, well, I don't know why. Probably because I wanted to prove I could do it - to me and my PT. I guess it sort of felt like he challenged me. Challenge accepted, and completed.

New Header

Woo Hoo!

A new header!

This is the old one ....

and you can see my new one, but this is it in case I ever decide to go through the ordeal of changing it again...

2 and a half hours of work, editing and making the darn thing sit right on the blog, and it's up!

Thanks to Blissfully Domestic's tutorial!

PT session

Weigh in day today... Apparently I put on 200g this week. My trainer reminds me that we didn't have a session last week. I'm ok with the 200g gain then. Even still, it's 4kg loss (3.8kg if you're going to be picky) in 3 weeks.

After my warm up (200m row, 200m run, 10 squats, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups), I'm told we're doing some box jumps. Now, a few months ago now, I mastered box jumps. I did them. I have video proof. The next week, my brain went back into fear mode and I couldn't do it! We left it for weeks and weeks and today it was sprung on me. We started out with 3x 20kg weights, moved onto 4, then added a 10kg, and then another (then replaced the 2x 10kg with 1 x 20kg). One last 20kg was placed in the stack - and I did it!  I can jump onto that! It's even taller than an actual box (for box jumping)! So proud!

Wait, there's more weights there than I thought! He must have snuck that it!

At my last training session, I was told that I would be attempting 2 laps unbroken. So, 2 x 400m laps without stopping (because now I can do 400m without stopping). The ultimate goal is to be able to run 3 x 400m laps unbroken. Well, today I broke my 2 lap record. I can now run the 2 laps without stopping!! I really did want to give up. But I didn't. The 2nd lap was slower, but I didn't stop to walk. I find if I distract myself, by singing in my head, it helps me to focus on something else other than how far I've got left to go. I have songs on my iphone that get me ready to want to run, but I can't take it with me (I forget my arm thing) and I can never remember the words to the song  - or even the song just for the tune! I end up singing in my head songs from Jensen's kindy, or other kids songs.  I really need to sing something faster, as it seems the slower the song, the slower I run...

Paleo Day 15

It's boring, but what other choice do I have? Bacon and egg for breakfast.

I don't even remember if I ate lunch.

Dinner - butter chicken. I know all my family eat this, so I make it often. This time, I managed to take a photo!

Butter Chicken
(I didn't use the toddler milk in the background though...)

Halloween + Toilet Talk

I'm sure other people really want to hear about toilet antics. But as a mum, I love hearing about the leaps and bounds of children, learning new things. Well, here's what's just happened in our house.

Last night was Halloween. I'm not big on Halloween. It's an American tradition, and really, just involves dressing up and knocking on strangers doors and asking for chocolate and lollies. I'm ok with dressing up. I love it when my kids dress up. I am ok, sorta, with chocolate and lollies. I do think my children eat too much junk, but am aware there are kids out there who eat more junk than my kids, and other kids who eat waaaayyy too much more junk than my kids. I like it in moderation. It's the knocking on strangers doors that gets me. What are we teaching our kids. This doesn't help my stranger danger discussions. My baby is only 19mths, what must be going through her mind?

My Princess Fairy

My Pirate

I was a witch!

James (as Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly), Jensen,
Monica (as Dracula) and Eden

Despite all this, we went trick or treating and had Pop handing out the lollipops while we were gone. Eden managed 2 houses before the 3rd she had to eat a lolly. I was very surprised, that even though we started out at her bedtime, and she was really tired but said "Ta" at each house. Jensen was really excited, pigged out when we got home, had some dinner (pizza - but what can you do...) He used his manners all the way around. He didn't complain about walking, just told me his muscles were getting stronger!

Eden didn't eat any dinner, but had 2 bottles of milk (equating about 450ml!). Between the 2 bottles,  she was walking around. She came over to me while I was eating my dinner (salmon and roast vegie chips) pointed at her backside and said "Yuck. Bum" I asked her if she needed to go to the potty and she said "Yeah!" and ran off. Got her stripped off and on the toilet - the nappy was clean and dry! Normally, she'll sit on the toilet, play with the toilet paper and want off. This time, I sat her on there, she played with the toilet paper. I turned to go and get her toothbrush so she could occupy herself by brushing her teeth and I hear wee and poo! I couldn't not have been any more prouder! OMG! She had told me she needed to go before she had already gone! I was so excited. I think she was too tired to be excited, but she had a big smile on her face.  No body else seemed to be as excited though.
Today, though, not as much success. We're still a work in progress and she is only 19 months old but I'm confident she's going to 'get' it soon!

Paleo Day 14

To be quite honest, I can not remember what I ate today. Probably bacon and eggs, leftover chicken fajita and I had some salmon and roast vegie chips.

mmmm dehydrated apple!

We have been using our new food dehydrator, and have made lots of apple and pear. It doesn't seem to last in this house though! It gets eaten straight out of the dehydrator!

Paleo Day 13

Garage Sale Day. I also managed to duck up to the gym for a quick weigh in. 1.3kg loss at the end of week 2! Awesome! Brings the total weight loss for this paleo challenge to 4kg! So pleased! 4kg to go!

I only ate a handful of mixed seeds/ nuts from Aldi, drank I don't know how many cups of tea. For lunch - around 2pm - roast chicken, avocado, a tomato and some lettuce again.

I went out for dinner with the girls from the gym, to Hogs Breath.  I had the Natural Prime Rib lite cut with grilled mushroom. the Paleo diet doesn't allow for corn, but I ate mine anyway. I got the guilts, but oh well. I had a good night! 

Paleo Day 12

It's boring, but I do live on left overs. I had bacon and eggs for breakfast (yes, again) and leftover something for lunch. I made Fix and Forget Chicken Fajitas. But instead of tortillas for the fajitas, I had baby cos lettuce leaves.

My kids actually love this! 

I did have 2 pieces of Loving Earth chocolate. Oh my, it's good!

I started to stress out (and burst into tears) about tomorrow's garage sale.

Paleo Day 11

I attempted the Almond Banana pancakes again and still failed. They still look like scrambled banana. On the other hand, with honey drizzled over, it's not too bad!

Went out shopping with mum and the kids and shared a salad with mum

Pre-shopping drinks. My green tea, mum's ice coffee,
Eden's pink baby cino (with marshmallows on the side)
and Jensen's green mini cino

Cajun Chicken Salad

Ate a bit of chocolate and ate the last (about 4-5) double choc biscuits. No dinner.

Having an it's all too much day

I just sent my kids to bed (well, an hour and a half ago now...) And I feel terrible. I feel like crying. I'm crushed. I was horrible to them. I didn't mean to be. For some reason they were just really frustrating me. It wasn't their fault. I could blame PMS and my stupid body for having to go through this every month, but I can't. I wont. I was a bitch. They're just kids. Kids being kids. Jensen was pesty, noisy, over the top, kept interrupting and talking over the top of, playing with Eden's train tracks (she got train tracks because he kept shutting her out of their room to play by himself coz he didn't want her to wreck it) and not letting her have a turn. Eden was just tired, grumpy, hungry, whingey, wriggly and bored.

I'm just a horrible mum. I'm sitting here still feeling the need to cry, surrounded by boxes left unpacked, stuff strewn everywhere from the move 2 weeks ago, with a million things going through my mind. The assignment that's due Monday that I've started, done most of it and just need to tweak words and add a few more bits of information, and then fix the referencing; the exam that's in 2 weeks; the garage sale that's on Saturday; are the carpet cleaners going to do a good job on Monday; I don't have a PT session tomorrow coz he's away, so what exersise am I going to do instead?; I didn't make dinner; what's for dinner tomorrow night?; I want to buy that satchel bag so I can cart my macbook laptop around and not have the stupid tupperware drink bottle LEAK all over it again; what do I wear to this hens night next weekend?; What do I eat/ drink on this hens night seeing as I'm doing an 8 wk paleo challenge?; What do I wear to the wedding the following weekend?; Why can't I get motivated to finish this assignment?; I'm tired.

God, I'm such a whinger.

We Heart Life's I Heart My Body 2012

I was too afraid last year to participate in We Heart Life's I Heart My Body challenge, but I really should. So I did. If you follow me on Instagram, my picture is there. This picture.

Be nice, people.

It's a bit brave of me, and oh - so - revealing, but this is me. This is who I am. I try hard to cover it up.

But you know what? I went from a size 10-12 when I met my husband. Ballooned to some really heavy weight, fell pregnant. Gained more weight. Had a baby. Breastfed. Lost weight. Plateaued. Lost more weight. Fell pregnant. Gained more weight. Had a baby. Breastfed. Lost weight. Started at a gym. Lost more weight. Gained muscle.

I've hit a turning point. I'm nearly 30 and live in jeans and t-shirts. This is me and I need to feel more like a woman (preferably more 'sexy' but I'm sure that will come with more weight loss!). So I decided to change what I wear. I have gone out and bought shoes - I'm not a shoe person. I've gone and bought some dresses (ok ok, 2 - and one was a hand me down).

This picture is me being brave and buying new swimmers, forcing me to see the weight loss, and what I actually look like.

This is me. I heart my body.

Paleo Day 10

Not much going on here. I'm getting bored. Eating lots of left overs. I had the last of the apricot chicken for lunch. 

But for breakfast I attempted the almond banana pancakes (recipe coming soon)

And left over meatballs and roast veg

Dinner or Snack? Zingy Chicken

I thought I'd make something different for my kiddies for dinner:

Zingy Chicken.

Jensen's not a big meat eater, but he did eat four morsels of this!

This is where you can find my really easy (not paleo) recipe:

Paleo Day 9

My days are pretty boring. For example, I took Jensen to Kindy, dropped off at the old place to let the Exit Cleaner we hired in, came home. Gave Eden a snack. Got her ready for her nap, put her down for a nap. Spent 45 mins updating my blog (backdating coz over the weekend it kept freezing hand having a heart attack). Then worked on my assignment. I think I could have finished it too but Eden woke. I was hoping for another 30 mins from her, but ah well. Got her up, made lunch. Left Eden with her grandparents, stopped at Kmart. Bought new swimmers (size 10!) and a dress (size 14 - what's with the sizing!?). Picked up Jensen, came home.

Boring.

But here's what  was on my plate today:

Bacon and eggs and mushroom for breakfast.
Lunch (and dinner - coz I live on leftovers!) :

Salmon and carrot and sweet potato 'fries'.

I also had 2 x snacks  of 2 biscuits each. And I lost count how many cups of black tea.

Paleo Day 8

Bacon and egg and mushroom for breakfast!

Kindy Run

Decided that I'd try and make the family ice cream and I'd attempt Paleo Coconut Milk ice cream. Remember we've just moved? I spent an hour (instead of doing my assignment) looking for the darn ice cream machine. I found it. Thank goodness, it was driving me mad not knowing where it was.

Before I started to make ice cream (which I will post recipes for later), I had morning tea. A cup of black tea and a slice of Paleo banana bread.

Then I attempted the coconut milk ice cream. If I only knew how this stove top worked, I'm sure the process would have been a lot quicker!

This was really gross apparently. I didn't have any, but Jensen's words were
"This tastes really terrible"

I also made Paleo Double Choc cookies. They taste terrible. Maybe it was my ingredients. I'll attempt them once more, just to be sure. I'm going to eat them regardless.

Left over apricot chicken for lunch.

Pick Jensen up.

Made meat balls for dinner. I can't make meat balls for the life of me, but these ones are cooked in the oven. Will be doing this next time! They worked out! Shame Eden only ate one and Jensen only ate 4. They seem to be starving (and they should have been after their big swim!) at night, but never want to eat what I cook. :(


I forgot to take a photo, but there are leftovers, and I'll edit this tomorrow with a photo!


The meatballs must have been good coz Andrew ate 2nds!