Good Mum Hunting

Tag. You're It!

2012-02-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

How hilarious is this pic!

Have you checked out Amelia aka Mama Museli Bar? She is pretty amazing. I love her blog and photos on instagram. We love the same music, the same movies. This is someone I would love to meet IRL. Remember the movie The Net? With Sandra Bullock? I remember seeing the acronym "IRL" in that movie and thinking what the hell is that, IRL? In real life. A little geek reference there for you.

Anyway, Amelia tagged me with a set of questions, so here we go.

Describe yourself in 7 words:

Happy. Anxious. Perfectionist. Organiser. Critical. Funny. Pro-active.

What keeps you up at night?

My phobias. Someone will break into my house. Then Abi wanders into our room for a "cuddle" at 3am. And then Edward cries out at 5am needing a new nappy and a feed.

Who would you like to be?

Happy and anxiety free. Fearless. Living in the alps, with a good school nearby. My kids happy and healthy. Always finding new ways to love my husband and myself. Yeah, that sounds great!

What are you wearing right now?

A black and grey Bonds dress. It's what I call a house dress. I put it on the moment I get home from being out. It's cotton and comfortable.

What scares you?

Terminal illness. Death. Failure. Not being able to shed my extra weight.

What are the best and worst things about blogging?

Best: The amazing community. The ability to connect with other people that you might not even know existed. To share in people's joy. To be inspired by parenting, cooking, travel, photography and general way of life.

Worst: Judgement. The feeling that you're not enough. Jealousy.

What was the latest website you visited?

Virgin Active - booking classes for the week

Facebook

asos.com

What is the one thing you would like to change about yourself?

Let go of the fear and anxiety. Embrace the calm. Say no to people.

Slanket?

Would I ever wear one? No. But is there a place for them? Possibly. If I lived somewhere super cold then I could foresee a slanket being part of my life.

Tell us something about the person who tagged you?

Amelia is sweet and hilarious and someone I can really relate too. Her strength and courage inspires me.

The fun part continues. Now I get to tag 5 bloggers so they in turn can share 10 things about themselves.

I tag:

Corinne from Daze of my Life

Lexi from Pottymouthmama

Court/Ballet Flats from Not My Only Shoes

Julie from Mama of 2 Boys

Amanda from Homely One

OK Go - Needing/Getting

2012-02-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

The new music video from OK Go, made inpartnership with Chevrolet. OK Go set up over 1000 instruments over two milesof desert outside Los Angeles. A Chevy Sonic was outfitted with retractablepneumatic arms designed to play the instruments, and the band recorded thisversion of Needing/Getting, singing as they played the instrument array withthe car.

The video took 4 months of preparation and 4 days of shooting andrecording. There are no ringers or stand-ins; Damian took stunt drivinglessons. Each piano had the lowest octaves tuned to the same note so thatthey'd play the right note no matter where they were struck.

This is impressive!! I love it when artists have the ability to inspire and amaze their fans.

Triple J Hottest 100 2011

2012-02-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

I did a post last year about the Top 10. I didn't listen this Australia Day but when I heard the results, I was pretty surprised. What do you think of the top 10? Any of your favourites in there?

# 10

Hilltop Hoods - I Love It {Featuring Sia}

My review: I cannot stand Hilltop Hoods. End of story.

# 9

The Jezabels - Endless Summer

My review: I adore this song, this band, the lead singer. Was ecstatic to see them in the Top 10. Well deserved.

# 8

360 - Boys Like You {Featuring Gossling}

My review: Yuck. I can barely listen to 8 seconds of this song before clicking X.

# 7

San Cisco - Awkward

My review: Local Perth band San Cisco are pretty new to the scene but this song is pretty cute. Another hipster band, who I wonder if they will last the distance. I do love the female drummer though!

# 6

Lana Del Rey - Video Games

My review: It's still early days for LDR. I feel sorry for all the negative media coverage she is getting. Too big, too soon? Time will tell. This song was released in late October and STILL made the Top 10, so she definitely has a huge fan base in Australia. UPDATE: She has just announced that she is cancelling her upcoming Australian tour and all other future tours.

# 5

M83 - Midnight City

My review: I have been a huge fan of M83 for years. The hipster kids really jumped all over this single and its appearance in the top 10 didn't surprise me. I recommend listening to the WHOLE album though, it's musical genius. One of the best opening songs from a new album in a long time.

# 4

Boy & Bear - Feeding Line

My review: Sydneysiders Boy & Bear have had a huge year. Winning 5 Aria's in 2011, they had 3 songs in the Top 100. I should like them, but for some reason I'm undecided. This song is happy and harmonious though.

# 3

Matt Corby - Brother

My review: Holy mother of God. This song is brilliant. Corby was the runner-up in Australian Idol 2007 and was blessed he didn't win, considering so many people have gone onto sweet NOTHING after winning Idol. This song was written about an argument he had with a friend. The emotion and lyrics are amazing. Plus he is pretty easy on the eye, which helps. This is dreamy. I love it.

# 2

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy

My review: The filmclip is hilarious. A struggling actor who was supposed to be an extra ended up being the star of the clip. The song? Amazing. I love The Black Keys, I highly recommend you check out their albums. They are performing at Coachella in April, and I am so.freaking.excited!

# 1

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know {Featuring Kimbra}

My review: Obviously the biggest song of 2011 took poll position. I love the song, the film clip, the artist. Gotye's songs have appeared in the Top 100 before and I'm sure they will again. But I'd appreciate the radio stations removing this song from their playlist. Time to move onwards and upward.

Currently - The Summer '12 Edition

2012-02-06T19:58:00.000-08:00

Summer in Sydney? Hardly. I can count on one hand, the days of sunshine and temps over 30'c. This has been the coldest summer since the 1960's. While the rest of Australia has battled heat waves, flooding, cyclones, fires and storms, Sydney has been wet and humid and drab. It's so sad and miserable.

So I'm declaring summer over. With only 3 weeks till Autumn arrives, I am looking forward to the change in seasons.

Current Book
Donna Hay magazines, Michelle Bridges 'Crunch Time' cookbook and Bill Granger 'Basics'.

Current Playlist

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness. This song is so fitting for our drab weather. Love her or hate her (and there are alot of haters!) her voice is haunting and beautiful at once.
Bon Iver - Michicant. I've proclaimed my love for Bon Iver many times. This song is so beautiful. I am counting down the weeks till their show at the Opera House.
Givers - Up, Up, Up. This song is adorable. Listen now!
Active Child - Hanging On. A dreampop chillwave song if I've ever heard one. This is so lovely.
The Joy Formidable - Whirring. Cute as a button, this Welsh band have a distinct indie/alt sound. This reminds me of watching Recovery on ABC as a teenager.
Yuck - Get Away. These Brit rock lads sound like 90's rockers Sonic Youth. Great track.
Florence and The Machine - Take Care (Drake cover)
M83 - Wait. One of my favourite songs from the new album, this is dreamy.
M83 - Midnight City (Live in Sydney at Laneway Festival). I was there, and this was brilliant. AND I get to see them again at Coachella in 10 weeks!

Current Colour

Grey for clouds. Green for my lawn which is growing at Olympic speeds. Red for the gym.

Current Drink

Water. Up n Go Vive. Coffee. But I'm dreaming about mexican beer that I'll be drinking whilst in LA.

Current Food

Yoghurt. Cereal. Buffalo Mozzarella. Tuna salad. Dumplings. Noodles. Chicken schnitzel. Fresh rolls.

Current Favourite Show

Gossip Girl, Wife Swap, One Born Every Minute, Spicks and Specks and Modern Family.

Current Wish List

* Faster metabolism

* Edward's teething pain to subside

* Sunshine

* Lunch at Cafe Sopra

Current Triumphs

* Went to the gym EVERY day last week except Friday. Did 2 x spin classes.

* Have lost nearly 3kgs since 'Operation Get Fit' began.

* Booked in to see a new therapist to get some advice about my anxiety. This is a BIG deal for me & I'm excited and relieved.

Current Abigail

She had a rough week last week at Pre-School. Her little friend was absent both days so she was a little lonely. And a boy with behavioural issues was bullying her all day last Wednesday. She came home with some red marks on her and I discussed with her teacher. Apparently this boy hits several children and requires 1-on-1 attention so hopefully things will calm down soon. At the moment, she loves Shrek, Toy Story books, saladas for lunch, and had the best time with her Aunty and her boyfriend who babysit the kids on Sunday.

Current Edward

The little man is teething at the moment. Which is hellish. Lots of tears, pulling of the ears, irritability and general sookiness. He eats MORE than his older sister and devours whole sandwiches, pasta, meatloaf, spag bol, and veggies. He loves bathtime, clapping, playing with Abi's toys like Woody and Buzz Lightyear, and going in the car.

Current Celeb Crush

Clooney. Getting better with age.

Current #1 Blessing

Edward and Abi are my blessings each and every month. But over the summer especially. Spending so much time together over the Xmas/holiday period makes me realise how truly blessed I am. Here they are, playing in the playroom together.

Current Excitement

* Going to the beach house next weekend for some R&R. Hoping for some sunshine too.

* Going to the gym with a friend. It's much easier going to a class when you have company. Thanks Leesh!

* Edward's 1st Birthday in 1 month which is going to be vintage circus themed.

Current App

Calorie King. Now I think twice before hitting the pantry. Did you know a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese has 852 calories?! Oh the humanity!

Coachella 2011 Fashion

2012-02-03T03:09:00.000-08:00

Coachella has the rep for being many things. Hippy, boho, folky, pop and more. And some of the fashion seen at the festival looks pretty rad to me.

Check out some of last year's threads. Only 10 weeks to go!

All images via refinery29

Dream House # 9

2012-02-02T03:02:00.000-08:00

I've been looking at dreamy houses all week. And this one, I couldn't resist to share.

Situated in Mosman, just north of the city, this house is a dream. Literally my dream. When James and I discuss what we would do "if we ever won lotto', he describes a big house on acres of land and so on. Me? I picture my house on or near the water because it is my favourite element and I feel drawn to it, calmer near it.

And IF we ever win lotto, we can have both houses, one in the county and one in the city.

This amazing house with 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms is situated on 1800sqm of land which is a HUGE piece of land in the city. Imagine the pool parties, imagine the sunsets and sunrises. This is one special home.

Valentine's Day Gifts

2012-02-02T02:38:00.000-08:00

Less than 2 weeks till Valentine's Day.

James and I don't really bother with V Day anymore. I remember the first year we were dating, I was 14 and he bought me a gold necklace from Goldmark. And a really cheesy card. It was hilarious. Then as we had more money to spend in our early 20's, we used to dine at fancy restaurants, exchange cards and flowers and trinkets. Now? I'll be happy to even get a card. From my card/stationary stash I have for emergencies. And I'm fine with that. We love each other 365 days of the year and February 14th is just another day. Save the puppy love for all those 14 yr old's out there.

Check out these rad gifts for people in L.O.V.E.

Images via urbanoutfitters

Image via Havaiana

Images via fredflare

Nursery Love

2012-01-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

My husband James is a massive Star Wars fan. He agreed with me that this is a very hip place for a wee baby to rest their head.

I love the lightsaber nightlights, the wall decals, Boba Fett lamp and most of all, the "Wampa" character rug.

This has inspired me to finally decorate Edward's room. And this nursery has me green with envy. Check out more photos and words about Rocky's nursery here.

Dream House # 8

2012-01-29T16:05:00.000-08:00

My recent addiction to Downton Abbey has led me to browsing real estate websites for houses in the country.

This one ticked all the boxes. No price listed so you guess is as good as mine. I'd say you would need to win lotto!!

Built in 1884, this gorgeous 6 bedrooms, 5 bathroom house on 12 acres of land which also includes guest house is nothing short of magnificent.

I'll start dreaming...

Christmas 2011 Part II

2012-01-27T01:53:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas tree in our new house.

Abi's great grandmother gave her a special advent calendar on December 1st. These were some of the goodies in the boxes.

Christmas lights on our street.

Watching Frosty The Snowman on Christmas Eve.

Abi and Edward opening their Santa Sacks on Christmas morning. Edward loved scrunching the paper more than the gifts, as expected.

My simple but festive breakfast table on Christmas morning. This is the only shot I took, was too busy eating and being merry!

Edward with his great-grandmother Shirley.

Mum's Christmas Tree. It's always decorated with decorations collected from her travels all over the world.

The huge Santa decoration that my parents put out every year for the kids. He moves up and down.

Edward enjoying his Vegemite sandwich.

The parentals.

The kids table where all the action was! Abi with her cousins Mikey and Lucy.

The kids eating their ham and turkey.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth!

Lunch included ham, caprese salad, noodle salad, stuffing, asparagus with prosciutto, turkey and curried egg salad. We didn't have a hot lunch this year and it was nice to have a break from the huge, heavy hot lunch.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-26T22:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas. A month ago already. It came and went so quickly.

It was a long holiday for me. It started a few days before Christmas with Abi getting sick. Then Edward caught it. And took a turn for the worst. On the eve of Christmas Eve, I had been up with Edward ALL night long. My little babe who usually sleeps so soundly, could barely breathe while lying flat on his back so I had to hold him almost all night. He slept in his old bassinet in our room, just so I could watch him breathe. He coughed and cried and wheezed, it was heartbreaking.

On Christmas Eve, with only about 2 hours sleep under my belt, I got up at 6am and headed to Woolies. And it was packed. At 7am when the doors opened, the car-parks were full and trolleys sparse! So I did my huge shop as quick as I could and headed home. To find James holding both the kids, saying it was time for a trip to the medical centre. Abi was so sick and had already been to the Dr's that week, Edward could barely breathe, he couldn't breastfeed because he was so uncomfortable laying on his side. So off we went. Both kids had a bad case of croup and Edward had a middle ear infection. So we hit up the pharmacy for some antibiotics and headed home. Where I realised I had forgotten some items from Woolies so HEADED BACK there at around 5pm. And it was a ghost town, thank goodness! Abi was really sick when I got home, so James whisked her BACK to the medical centre for another check.

As I wrapped the last of the presents on Xmas Eve, I felt sick listening to my kids coughing and spluttering in their beds. So cruel to be sick on the best day of the year (for kids!) We placed the vaporiser in Edward's room to try and clear his chest.

They were both so sick on Christmas morning, I thought about cancelling the family breakfast I was hosting and skipping the family lunch and dinner too. But we pushed on and the kids were as good as they could be.

On the positive side, the kids were spoiled and so was I. A new coffee machine and juicer sit in my kitchen. A new white kindle sits on my bedside table. Abi and Edward enjoyed being with family and eating all the lovely Christmas foods. Our special day went a little like this:

7am - Kids wake and we open Santa sacks and shower.

8am - In-laws arrive at our place for breakfast including croissants, mangoes, fruit salad, fresh juice and champagne.

9am - Present time. My in-laws were WAY too generous this year and I temporarily lose my kids in all the wrapping and gifts under the tree.

10am - Edward has a nap while we clean up breakfast.

1pm - Drive the 5 minutes to my parents house for lunch.

5pm - Head home to drop off presents and change outfits. Feeling exhausted by now.

6pm - Drive the 8 minutes to my in-laws house for family dinner.

7pm - Dinner is served. Put Edward to bed.

10pm - Head home. Edward feeds and goes straight to bed. Abi is hysterically tired by now. Delirious and sick, she cough vomits in my bathroom and cries in the shower for 10 minutes.

12am - Hop into bed and fall asleep in 12 seconds.

Noosa Trip: People

2012-01-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favourite "people" photos of the trip.

Edward digging into his avocado on toast at Seasons Restaurant on Noosa Beach

My favourite photo from the trip. Taken before a ride on the buggy

My gorgeous younger sister and her BF Carl, who we have an ongoing joke with, because he looks like Warner from the movie Legally Blonde. Oh Warner! This photo was taken on NYE, a quiet dinner at home

Happy New Year Abs!

My folks. This photo was taken at lunch at Sails Restaurant on New Years Day. It was SO hot but gorgeous.

Abi sick of posing for me, on New Years Day at lunch. She looks very 'Noosa' in her kaftan.

Dad and me on the boat, the most gorgeous afternoon.

Having a picnic down by the river, enjoying Vegemite sandwiches.

Noosa Trip : Australia Zoo

2012-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

This was our 4th visit to Australia Zoo, but Edward's 1st time. He was obviously too young to enjoy the main show but he did love seeing the smaller animals and watching his older sister running around from exhibit to exhibit.

Australia Zoo is a 45 minute drive from Noosa, the kids slept on the way which was great. After dropping an obscene amount of money to enter the main gates, off we went to explore the zoo. Abi's favourite animals were the crocodiles, kangaroos and the new Africa exhibit. Bindi, now 13, is growing up and is the star of the main show. Her brother Bob, age 9 is the spitting image of his father Steve, and Abi thought he was really "funny" because he was cheeky and told jokes to the crowd. Terri is still wearing those high waisted jeans which should be outlawed if you ask me. She is too young to look so old!

Being inland, the zoo is incredibly humid and muggy. We happened to go on a 30'c day which felt even hotter in the jungle environment. We left around 4 hours after opening time and headed back to Noosa for a swim and icecream. Will we return again? Probably. But we will wait till Edward is older and can enjoy it more. Maybe next time we will go to PissWeak World instead.

Here are the best of the 'Zoo' photos from the trip.

This is the 1ST thing we had to do upon entering the park. Go on the kid's reptile cup ride. Abi loved it and wanted to ride it again and again.

Loving the spinning snake pod!

Here's when the Canon DSLR battery gave up and I realised the spare battery was back at the house, dammit! Look at Bindi, all grown up, hurling a piece of rabbit towards this croc. Oooooooohhhhhhwaaahhhhhhh

Edward was well and truly over the croc show pretty quickly. His expression says it all really. Get.Me.Out.Of.Here!

Abi begged us to ride the pony so how could we refuse?! Now, of course, she wants a pony. Reminds me of Seinfeld. My sister had a pony, my cousin had a pony, I HAD A PONY!

This kid has no fear sometimes. She walked right up to every animal for a pat. This joey wasn't too keen on visitors so off he bounced.

Abi in front of the giraffes at the new Africa exhibit. She loved watching them eat and walk around. It was SO hot here though, no shade at all. Blergh.

I love this photo so much. It looks really 80's, I don't know why. Maybe the legionnaires hat and the colour blocking t-shirt? She looks so grown up in this photo. Can't believe she is 3 & 1/2 yrs old.

The only photo of me at the zoo. Hot and bothered and over it by then. Peace out.

Noosa Trip : Water

2012-01-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

As most people do in summer, we try and spend alot of time near, in or on the water. Noosa is great for this.

The beach is amazing. The sand is incredibly soft and white. The water temp is refreshing but lovely. The boardwalk is doted with amazing cafes, restaurants, shops and people.

The river is a short drive away and is the main attraction for watersports. Boats, jet skis, paddle skis, sailboats, swimmers, fisherman, all use the river from sunrise to sunset.

We hired a boat one afternoon and set course down the river to fish and enjoy the passing scenery of riverfront mansions, old houseboats, treehouses, waterskiiers and marine life.

My parents house has a small plunge pool in the yard which we used every day. At one stage, we had so many floats in there, you could barely swim a stroke but the kids loved it.

Here are the best of the 'water' photos from the trip.

James and Edward enjoying a dip

Abi riding, what appears to be a deer. We don't know why anyone would make a deer pool float? Deers don't swim do they?

Edward, a Piscean, is very comfortable in the water.

The lone pool noodle

Abs cooling off by the pool

Noosa Main Beach. It reminds me of Amity Island in the film, Jaws. The water is so clear and calm.

Abi in her beach get-up. I am super strict about being sun smart. My poor kids will be wearing these suits forever!

Noosa River

Edward having a steer of the boat, with a little help from his Pa.

Abi's turn to drive and she loved it!

Water-skiers sailing past our fishing spot.

My special little girl

Summer on the river

Roadtrip: Sydney to Noosa

2012-01-18T21:14:00.000-08:00

We decided to drive the 1200kms from Sydney to Noosa for our summer holiday. We have done this drive twice in the past and we are big fans of road trips, country towns, and the lovely country people you meet along the way.

Heading northbound, we took the New England Highway which heads inland. This freeway is safer than the Pacific Highway and much more quiet. Most of the drive, we had no cars around us which makes the drive much more safe, in my experience.

We stayed in Glen Innes, a gorgeous little celtic country town in Northern NSW. Our motel room was a little dusty and noisy but fine for 1 night. We ate chinese food, we showered with thongs on, we checked out at 6am and were back on the road again. Driving through Brisbane was a bit hectic. The new motorways aren't quite complete yet and we zig zagged all over the outer suburbs with our sat nav directing us in confusing routes. We knew the way so plotted our own course and finally headed north on the Bruce Highway to the Sunshine Coast.

Here are some photos of the drive, Sydney to Noosa.

Just north of Scone

Abi all set up with movies on the ipad and new headphones for Christmas

Abi and the Golden Guitar in Tamworth

Poor Edward, he was SO sick with croup and a middle ear infection. He was such a trooper on the drive though. Here we are in Tamworth for lunch

My man behind the wheel near Amidale. He did most of the driving on the 1st day because I had a virus and wasn't feeling up to the immense concentration needed to drive the highway.

The main street of Glen Innes. Lovely little country town. We always stop here on the way north.

Here we are at 6pm at the Dragon Court Chinese restaurant in Glen Innes. We ALWAYS eat here when we do the road trip. The restaurant is TINY, it holds about 30 people. But the food is hot, tasty and cheap. The locals are cheerful and friendly too.

We didn't stay here but I love the architecture. It's a complete time warp back to the 1970's. The highway is scattered with a bundle of hotels like these. Gorgeous.

Day 2 - Glen Innes to Noosa. Here are the beautiful mountains between Stanthorpe and Warwick in Sth QLD. The drive over the mountains is a little scary!

Finally, we have arrived at my parent's house. Let out huge sigh of relief.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

2012-01-15T02:11:00.000-08:00

Burning Man Festival. Held every year in the Nevada Desert, this festival is a very special one. The event is described by many participants as an experiment in community, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance. It's impossible to describe what it's all about, so check it out here on their website. I've never been, many friends have, and have said it is LIFE CHANGING.

I would love the chance to one day experience this festival, this community. But I have a feeling it might take YEARS of convincing on my behalf, to get my husband to come with me. So until then, check out the amazing video above. Burning Man festival go-ers quoting one of my favourite Dr Seuss books, Oh The Places You'll Go.

Coachella Music and Arts Festival

2012-01-13T16:10:00.000-08:00

James and I did something completely spontaneous this morning, at 5am. We booked tickets to Coachella Festival in Indio, CA.

I've wanted to attend this festival for years. YEARS! And now I am. Yes, I am nervous about leaving the kids for 7 nights but I know they will be in good, safe hands of my mother and mother-in-law. The mother guilt kicked in, as I clicked "confirm order purchase" but then James reminded me that it's been nearly 2 years since we've had a holiday together. I'm 30 and still want to do everything on my "life list" before I get too old, before I have another baby, before many things.

The timing, when will it ever be right, to leave the kids. But right now, we have the money, and James has a break from Grad School and it's our 5 year wedding anniversary in June, and the lineup, MY GOD, the lineup is so amazing. Read those bands, it's SO up my alley. I know a whole bunch of people going too. Friends from Sydney, New York, London, Dubai, all coming to Coachella to dance in the desert and soak in the sun and tunes.

I am beyond excited. Wet my pants excited. Heart beating fast excited. Since we are going to the States in October for a month, this trip in April will only be a quick one. 2 nights in LA, 3 nights in Palm Springs. I am perusing accommodation choices in LA. On previous visits to LA, I've stayed in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood and on Sunset Blvd, so I really don't mind where we stay.

I plan to shop till I can't walk anymore. To eat mexican food till my belly hurts. Drink margaritas till I giggle. I cannot wait. And when I come home, I will cuddle and kiss my babes and be content, that I did something for me.

California, here we COME!

Currently - The Xmas/January '12 Edition

2012-01-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

Whoops, I'm a little late with this one, but Xmas and the New Year just came around so quickly. Here we go.

Current Book
My generous mother-in-law bought me a kindle for Xmas. I was so surprised and excited at once. Finally I can start reading all those books I have on a wishlist in my mind. First cab off the rank is Tina Fey's 'BossyPants'. I'm about 1/4 way through, so far, so good.

Current Playlist
Wow, this is so hard to pick at the moment. SO much great music out at the moment. Here are my current favourites.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

This is my pick of albums for 2011. Each and every song is brilliant. Do yourself a favour, have a listen. This album will take you places. I'm seeing Bon Iver in March at the Sydney Opera House and I can barely contain my excitement. There will be tears shed, for sure.

The Black Keys - El Camino

A close runner-up for album of the year. Every track on this is fun and fresh. And I bet your husband's will like this one too. Turn it up LOUD and enjoy!

The Weeknd - Echoes of Silence

This is the final album released in the trilogy of albums for 2011 by this amazing new artist. It's definitely not kid friendly, lots of cursing and lyrics about sex, drugs etc. This album was only released 3 weeks ago but it's already a favourite.

SBTRKT - SBTRKT

Another fabulous album, this is my dance selection for the playlist. I'm seeing them next month at Laneway Festival in Sydney, cannot wait.

Singles that made the cut:

Lana Del Rey - Off To The Races, Video Games and Born To Die
Miike Snow - Devil's Work
Avicii and David Guetta - Sunshine (Bootleg Remix)
Iron and Wine - Flightless Bird, American Mouth
Girls - Vomit

Current Colour

Blue for water. It's all around me. The ocean, swimming pool, my drink of choice, cold showers on hot afternoons.

Current Drink
Water. Kirks Lemon Squash and Pasito. Coffee from my new Delonghi Nespresso machine, bliss.

Current Food
Smoothies. Fruit. Lamb. Chicken Schnitzel rolls. Ice blocks.

Current New Favourite Show

I am halfway through the latest season of Gossip Girl. It's the best season in years. Except Liz Hurley is in it which makes me want to barf. She is the worst villain ever. About to start watching Downton Abbey which I've heard is good. American Horror Story and the new season of Mad Men (finally!) are also on my radar.

Current Wish List
I'm about to start the Michelle Bridges 12 WBT program. And I'm terrified. Diets and exercise programs have worked for me in the past, like Jenny Craig and personal training at the gym, but I'm really nervous about what lies ahead in the future. So I'm wishing for courage and motivation, I'm going to need it!

Current Triumphs
I only gained 300grams over Xmas/NYE. This is miracle because I ate my weight in salad, ham, and ice cream. 2012 is the year I start living like a normal healthy person.

Current Abigail

My baby girl started pre-school this week. The centre is brand new and only opened this week as well. So it's been a huge week of us in the McKinnon household. Also, Abs is becoming such a little fish in the pool. Yesterday after kindy, Abi and I swam for an hour and half. With no floaties on, just diving and jumping and leaning to blow bubbles. I am so proud of her. At the moment, all Abi talks about is how much longer before we go to Disneyland? And I tell her, it's only 8 months to go baby!

Current Edward

My little man isn't little anymore. He is 10 months old this week and the light in our lives. He crawls and cruises around the furniture. He likes the water, but doesn't like the beach very much. He loves to eat toast, sandwiches, yoghurt, custard, watermelon, bananas, and pasta. He sleeps from 7pm - 7am, every night, like a little trooper. I can't believe how lucky I am to have him in my life.

Current Celeb Crush

Ryan Gosling... What a lush!

Current #1 Blessing
We survived the road trip to Noosa and back. I was really dreading how the kids would go in the car for 2 days but they were fantastic. My in-laws generously gave James and I solar heating for the pool as our Xmas gift. We had it installed the week before Xmas. Currently my pool temp is hovering around 32'c. Yes, you read it right, 32'c. Balmy and lovely. We stay in the pool for hours.

Current Excitement

About to begin Michelle Bridges 12WBT program
Planning Edward's 1st Birthday party
A bunch of close friends just had babies in the past month so I look forward to lots of cuddles with newborns and lots of socialising with my friends and babies.
Going to Laneway Festival in February
Going to see Bon Iver in March
Planning our big trip to the States in October. 4 weeks of fun filled family time in the USA. We cannot wait.

Current App

Instagram. My favourite app for quite some time. I am really enjoying playing along with Telle at fatmumslim, the January Photo-A-Day challenge is fantastic. Get on board!

Merry Xmas

2011-12-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

As you can see, my children don't do Santa photos. This is Abi's 3rd consecutive year of crying while having her photo with Santa. And I love it. It's hilarious isn't it. The things we do for... tradition? Why do we do this? To show our kids all the weird things we used to make them do? Either way, it's a quick way to blow $50... on Santa photos at my local shopping mall.

The big day is almost upon us. I wish you all a very Merry Xmas and safe holiday season. If you are driving anywhere, please drive safely. And slowly.

I hope you spend this festive holiday with your loved ones, as I will be.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, my favourite day of the festive holiday. The 25th December is just so manic and crazy, that I like the quietness that Christmas Eve holds. We watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and sit around the tree and reflect on the year and all our blessings. I am heading to Woolworths at 7AM tomorrow morning to buy food and champagne, wish me luck.

I am hosting a Christmas breakfast and having my in-laws over for croissants, fruit, champagne and gifts.

Then we are heading to my Mum's house up the road for our traditional lunch with family. Mum is planning something special this year and has kept a tight lip about it. I'm sure it will be spectacular as always. My brother is up from Canberra and I look forward to spending quality time with him.

THEN, we are heading to my in-laws house house for a hot dinner, long conversations, playing with puppies and laughter.

Boxing Day, we are doing it all over again. My aunty and uncle are coming to my Mum's place for more festivities. And my inlaws host an annual Boxing Day BBQ too so we will stop in there for more holiday goodness.

I would like to thank every person who read this little blog, left a comment or sent an email/tweet. I promise to be back, bigger and bolder than ever in 2012.

xx Sam xx

Puppy Love

2011-12-22T20:43:00.000-08:00

Meet Ziggy, the latest member of my in-laws family. My inlaws have 3 gorgeous daschunds.

Oscar who is the old man on campus at age 16. Ruby is 1 years old and she is crazy & hyper. She doesn't like anyone really, which is pretty typical of daschunds. Then here is Ziggy, who is 8 weeks old. His coat is so soft, he whimpers like a baby and he fits in the palm of your hand.

James and I discussed getting a dog this year, but felt that a new baby was enough for 2011. Maybe next year, when we can commit the time to train and nurture a new pet like we want to. And we need to agree on which kind of breed to get. James wants a German Shepherd. I want a Labrador or Beagle.

So until then, I get to indulge all my puppy wishes onto Ziggy.

Shake It Out

2011-12-15T02:03:00.000-08:00

Last week, I jumped onto ticketmaster as soon as the ticket presale started and it paid off, because I have front row seats to see Florence and the Machine in May 2012. I cannot wait. If you listen to one song this week, make sure it's this one.

It's always darkest before the dawn. So true Flo, so true.

Carol Time

2011-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

I love me a good carol. A good Christmas album. These are the current favourite Christmas CD's on repeat in our festival house at the moment.

She & Him - A Very She & Him Christmas

I love Zooey Deschanel. A have a girl crush, you can read about it here. This Christmas album is gorgeous. Zooey's voice is hypnotic. Sip a few eggnogs, and enjoy some classic favourites with a modern spin. I highly recommend this.

Christmas with the Chipmunks

My husband used to LOVE the chipmunks when he was a small. Now Abi loves the latest mod chipmunks too, so the chipmunks live on in our house! I put this on for James yesterday and he was thrilled. Me on the other hand, I need to skull a few glasses of Christmas sherry before I can handle this album. The things you do for love. Listening to Chipmunks singing Silver Bells. The kids will love it though.

Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas

A classic album. This is always on high rotation at my house, my Mum's, my in-law's place. Yes, Mariah Carey is annoying. But damn, she can really belt out a Christmas tune.

Glee The Music - The Christmas Album Volumes 1 & 2

I like Glee. I'm not a total Gleek, but I do enjoy some of the songs they cover. Both Christmas CD's are fun and easy to listen to. I find some festive albums get a little holier than thou and become overkill. These CD's are great background music for the lead up to Christmas.

Sweet Sacks

2011-11-29T02:14:00.000-08:00

I just purchased these for the kids. I can't wait to fill them on Christmas Eve with lots of cute little treats. You can purchase them from Cocoon Couture.

Turning Page

2011-11-29T02:09:00.000-08:00

This song is stunning. Yesterday while driving around, doing the Christmas shopping, I found myself crying my heart out when this came on my ipod.

It features on The Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn Part 1 soundtrack which is where I discovered this gem of a tune.

Happy listening, or sad in my case.

xx

Marcel The Shell

2011-11-15T15:45:00.000-08:00

If you only watch one youtube vid this week, make sure it's this one.

Totally cute and adorable and sweet and quirky and brilliant. Naomi at Rockstar Diaries is a fan too.

Endless Summer

2011-11-09T21:47:00.000-08:00

Finally the warm weather is here. A welcome change, from that "in between" spring weather when you still need a jacket and jeans.

After reading some summery posts by Corinne from The Daze of my Life, Kristi from Giggles Down Under and Emily from The Beetle Shack, I've been inspired to post about the upcoming summer season.

I love summer...

Late night dips in the pool, the first ocean swim, bbqs with family and friends, fish and chips, sunsets, drinking a really cold beer, the smell of fresh cut grass, sunscreen, beach hair, wearing thongs or even better, barefoot, maxi dresses, watching the cricket over the xmas break, wrapping xmas presents, big storms, starting a new year with a fresh perspective and hope.

And I've found my theme song for the summer, check it out below.

Currently - The October '11 Edition

2011-11-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

Current Book
Various cookbooks from Donna Hay and Bill Granger. I am looking forward to buying some ebooks for the kindle to read over the summer break.

Current Playlist

Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials. Holy Moly, this album is brilliant. I highly recommend it. I cried listening to a few tracks, I really connected with so many lyrics penned on this album.

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. I have been waiting patiently for this album and finally it is here! This is great music to drive to, clean the house to, just general awesomeness.

Beyonce - 4. You've got to hand it to this girl, she can sing. And dance. And her catchy songs get in your head. Abi and I put this on in the car and turn it UP! Stand out tracks are 'Countdown' and 'Run The World'.

The Weeknd - Thursday. This music isn't for everyone, but I love every single track from this album. The language and lyrics are a little controversial so this is 'Adults Only' and not car friendly at all. Let's just say, I feel a little bit cooler for having this on my ipod.

Current Colour
Green for avocados. Pink for watermelon. White for lightning. Yellow for sunshine.

Current Drink
Water. Coke Zero.

Current Food
Fresh fruit. Gelato. Salad. BBQs. Ice-blocks.

Current New Favourite Show
An Idiot Abroad. Do yourself a favour, watch a clip here. Thank me later. This show is hilarious. And annoying. And brilliant. I am biased though, being a huge Ricky Gervais fan.

Current Wish List
A magic elf to appear and do all my Christmas shopping for me. And wrap and write on cards too.

Current Triumphs
Not many triumphant moments for me in October. I have lost my willpower to ban sugar and have been drinking coffee like a mad woman too.

Current Abigail
Still loving her swimming lessons. We went to the family beach house on the weekend and she went straight into the pool, no worries. She swam and ran and dived and jumped. James and I were stoked. She also loves to help with housework by folding laundry, putting things in the sink/dishwasher and I even caught her CLEANING HER TOILET last week with a toilet brush. She loves to sing Katy Perry and the Tangled soundtrack which she quotes daily. She is very excited about all the Christmas movies coming to the cinemas including Happy Feet 2, Winnie the Pooh and Alvin and Chipmunks, 'Chipwrecked'.

Current Edward
This boy can EAT! Which is a lovely change from the struggle I had with Abi as a baby. Ted eats an avocado every day, plus weetbix, fruit, cruskits, pasta, meat, anything we feed him. He hasn't turned down a meal yet! We are still breastfeeding, 8 months on. I'm so proud and humbled by the experience. He is saying Dada, Mama, Nanna, Bubba, and makes animal noises too. And today, he mastered clapping!

Current Celeb Crush
Kirsten Dunst. I've always loved her work in film. She steers clear from the spotlight of Hollywood and I love that about her. Her latest movie, Melancholia, is receiving amazing reviews. I hope to drag James to the movies to see it.

Current #1 Blessing
My husband has been been a real tower to lean on lately. I've had some rough days these past few weeks and he has offered a shoulder to cry on and an open heart to listen. 2011 has been a truly testing year for us both. I can honestly say I am very much looking forward to 2012 rolling in.

Current Excitement
Abi got accepted into a fantastic new Kindy for next year. She has never been to preschool, daycare or kindy. So this is a HUGE change for her, and me. I am excited for her to make new friends. And for Ted and me to have some 1-on-1 time together for 2 days every week.

Current App
Speaking of lovely husbands, James bought me the new iPhone 4S. And it's a fantastic little gadget. I have been playing an annoying little game called "Early Bird" which I had to play every day until I finished every level. Cut The Rope, Instagram, Shazam, Pkt Weather and Twitter have also been on open on my phone all month.

7 Billion Inhabitants

2011-10-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

The world's population is expected to hit seven billion in the next few weeks.

After growing very slowly for most of human history, the number of people on Earth has more than doubled in the last 50 years.

And me? I am 4,544,406,922nd person alive on planet earth. Pretty impressive isn't it. To find out your special number, click here.

Thursday

2011-10-06T04:52:00.000-07:00

6:30am
Woken up with James sitting on my feet as he sits on the end of the bed and ties his trainers and leaves for the gym. Roll over and snooze.

7:30am
Wake up to hear Teddy talking through the monitor. Bring him into my bed and we cuddle then Abi comes in, crying, asking for me to put on Disney Junior so she can watch her 'shows'.

8:30am
Repair guy from Fisher and Paykel arrives to fix the double dish drawer. He takes 45 minutes to replace a part while I feed Ted and Abi breakfast.

8:35am
Slice finger open with knife trying to remove stupid child proof cap on baby food. Major ouch.

9:30am
Put Ted down for his morning nap. Abi watches ABC2 while I clean and do washing.

9:40am
Make coffee and consume quickly.

11:45am
Ted wakes from nap and we play and cuddle and laugh.

12:30pm
Unload stuff from my car and bring inside. Boxes, clothes for Ted, etc. I come back to find Ted here, not under his climbing frame but on the floor with his feet under the sofa. EEK! He moves! He crawled, did I miss it? Or he rolled over many times in a row and I missed that too? Damn it.

12:45pm
Feed Ted and Abi lunch. Abi enjoys cruskits with Nutella, Ted has banana porridge and then yoghurt.

2pm
Put Ted down for his afternoon nap. Abi and I play all afternoon, doing puzzles, building cities out of blocks, just enjoying each other's company.

4pm
I give in and let Abi play Mario on the Wii. She can't really play so I end up helping her. Then I end up hijacking the whole thing and playing for another hour! I'm a HUGE Mario Brothers fan from way back. Picture me, getting upset as I lost to Bowser many times. Then I realise the time and turn it off.

5pm
Ted wakes, after a HUGE nap. We play and cuddle and watch Abi dance around to music with her wand, casting spells on us.

6pm
I make Abi's dinner and feed Ted. He has pumpkin with cous cous, avocado and chocolate custard which he doesn't finish but Abi polishes off.

6:45pm
Bathe and dress Ted for bed.

7:15pm
James walks in the door from work. Ted is enjoying his last feed for the day. Abi is asking to play her itouch.

7:30pm
Abi is on the sofa playing Angry Birds. James and I both have a Lean Cuisine for dinner. It's mildly depressing but healthy.

8:30pm
I head to Woolies to buy some essentials. Tomorrow night we are heading to my Mum's for dinner and I am making Lasagne and Rice Pudding for dessert.

9:30pm
Driving home, pull onto my street and a teenager up the road is having a HUGE party. An 18th Birthday perhaps, or an End of Yr 12 party? Either way, it looks pretty fun. Maybe 75 cars I passed, all parked down my road. I drive past slowly and see teenagers making out, getting drunk, dancing in the rain, music pumping, strobe light flashing. I seriously wanted to pull over and go inside and see what a young party looks like again. But remind myself that;
A) I'm a 30 yr old Mum, who would appear ancient to these young kids.
B) I'm wearing leggings, nike trainers, an oversized red flannel shirt that Abi calls the "Jessie Cowgirl" shirt, hair in messy bun, looking a wreck.

10pm
Watch videos and read tributes for Steve Jobs, who passed away today. A true genius, a real inventor, a man who changed the world. Sure, he wasn't perfect, but no-one is.

10:52pm
Hit 'publish' on this post, then head to bed with a bowl of yoghurt and 2 new magazines.

That was my Thursday.

Currently - The September '11 Edition

2011-10-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

Current Book
Again, nothing at the moment. But I just bought my husband an Amazon Kindle for Father's Day so I fully intend to borrow it often.

Current Playlist

Bon Iver - Perth
Jonsi - Go Do
Friendly Fires - Hurting
Nero - Promises
Bon Iver - I Can't Make You Love Me
The Jezabels - Endless Summer
The Jezabels - Mace Spray

Current Colour

Grey for rainy days. Red for the new gym. White for clean sheets on the bed.

Current Drink

Water. Coffee. Milk. Coke Zero. This category will be boring until I finish breastfeeding!!

Current Food
Yoghurt. Museli. Dried fruit and nut mix. Cheese.

Current Favourite Show
The new season of Glee has begun and already drama has erupted. I love Dianna Agron's new haircut.

Curb Your Enthusiasm has finished for another season and it was absolutely brilliant. I actually cried in most of the episodes, they were so funny. The Office has just started again, the new season without Steve Carell. It will be interesting to see if the show tanks without him as the star.

Current Wish List
More motivation to head to the gym every day. Good fortune. Personal training with Michelle Bridges.

Current Triumphs
I joined a gym, haven't stepped foot in a gym since 2007 so it's a pretty big deal for me. And I've lost 2kgs since. Again, not alot, but I'm taking baby steps to be more healthy.

Current Abigail
Abi is now swimming most lessons without ANY floaties at all. She loves to swim but hates her goggles. She loves to dive and jump and chat in the pool with her teacher. Abi is Edward's favourite person and she is a very good little helper with him. Almost every day, she asks to watch the movie 'Tangled'. And her doll of the moment is 'Hazel', a baby Cabbage Patch doll which she pretends to breastfeed and burp.

Current Edward
Teddy, as we call him, loves to eat. His favourites are custard, yoghurt, blueberries, banana, broccoli and pumpkin. He is sleeping through the night and wakes most days at around 7am which is fantastic. His favourite time is bathtime or reading and chewing on books. He said his 1st word, BUBBA, a few weeks ago. And he is almost saying MAMA too. He is 7 months old next week, I cannot believe it.

Current Celeb Crush
Kate Winslet. Mother of 2. Hero. Actress. I love her. And her body? Insane.

Current #1 Blessing
My Mum has been a real support to me over the past few weeks. Yes, she is my best friend and we have a fantastic relationship, but the last few weeks have been a little trying and she has offered verbal and physical support, which without, I would have really struggled. Love you Mama!

Current Excitement
Is it too early to talk about Christmas? Abi is already talking about it, the tree, the "party" at Nanna's house on Christmas Day, going on holidays. I'm excited about James having 2 whole months off from Grad School from November to January.

Current App
OzWeather - to get current and accurate weather updates before I head out with the kids to the park, shops, etc. Nerdy but essential.

Minti Summer Collection

2011-10-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

I love finding and buying clothes for my kids. Even more than I love buying clothes for myself.

One of my favourite brands 'Minti' just released their new summer collection for kids and I love it. I could do some serious damage on the credit card but will try and restrain myself. I have bought things from Minti in the past and the quality is really fantastic which is really important when buying kids clothes.

Here are some of my favourite items on my wish list:

Minti Girls Relax Cat Playsuit

Minti Girls I Am Awesome Frankie Dress

Minti Baby Peace Owl One Piece

Minti Baby Peace Owl Envelope Tee

Minti Happy Face Comfy Pant

Minti Boys Circus Elephant Tee

Minti Boys Cloud Face Burglar Tee

Minti Boys Rainbow Lips Tee

Minti Boys Hello Friends Burglar Tee

Minti Girls Scoop Rainbow Tee

Minti Girls Heart Hugs Dress

Minti Girls Happy Face Layer Dress

Tangled

2011-09-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

Abi and I recently discovered the Disney movie 'Tangled'.

I bought the DVD for her in Woolworths a few months ago when it was released and kept asking her if she wanted to watch it. But stubborn Abi, wanted to watch her usual favourites like Toy Story 3, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and The Lion King. Finally, after my sister Louise chimed in how much she would like it, Abi sat down with me and watched it.

And it hasn't left the DVD player since. I can honestly, and almost shamefully say, that Abi watches it nearly every day. She is IN LOVE with this movie. We have the soundtrack on my ipod and on days when I say no to the movie, we listen to the soundtrack on the ipod dock, dancing around the house.

I'm a big kid at heart and love watching the movie too. The songs are adorable and Mandy Moore was the perfect choice as Rapunzel. My sisters and I can sing all the songs from Annie, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, we like Disney movies in our house, ALOT!

I have no idea how long this obsession might last. Toy Story 3 was the last movie to leave the DVD player, and that was on high rotation for nearly 12 months.

The last song of the movie is probably my favourite. I love Grace Potter from way back and fell in love with this song even more when I found out she co-wrote and sang the song.

Have a fantastic long weekend, and if you need something to dance to, I highly recommend this.

Happy Friday

2011-09-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a very happy Friday. This video should help.

Enjoy!

xx

Weekend

2011-09-19T00:51:00.000-07:00

Did some painting in the sunshine on Friday afternoon.

Woke up early on Saturday and headed to Palm Beach.

Found a lovely shady spot and enjoyed the sunshine and fresh breeze.

Abi and James went to the playground and Abi made friends while I fed Ted and we cuddled on the rug.

We devoured some simple cheeseburgers and headed back home.

Detoured on the way and signed up to a new gym in our area, Virgin Active.

James and I both need to change our lifestyles to include alot more exercise.

Am already looking forward to swimming and yoga and pilates.

Am sure I will bump into both my sisters, because they both work out there.

Headed to my niece's 2nd Birthday party yesterday.

Tried to stay cool in the shade with Edward while Abi climbed the playground with her cousins and friends.

Made bacon and egg rolls for dinner and read the papers.

Went to bed early and watched a few episodes of Arrested Development.

Enjoyed every moment of the weekend with my loved ones. This weekend is going to be busy. We are off to a wedding in the Hunter Valley, cannot wait!

Currently - The August '11 Edition

2011-09-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

A few changes this month, hope you enjoy xx

Current Book

There is so little inspiration out there at the moment. I was in Borders today and honestly couldn't even pick one book that sounded enticing. Still want to get my hands on Tina Fey's Bossypants and Keith Richards "Life" autobiography.

Current Playlist

Alot of great new material this month. These albums have been high on rotation lately;

The Weeknd - House of Balloons
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Drake - Thank Me Later
Gotye - Making Mirrors
Florence and the Machine - What The Water Gave Me (single)
Feist - How Come You Never Go There (single)
M83 - Midnight City (single)

Current Colour

Blue for swimming lessons. Green for baby food. Yellow for sunshine.

Current Drink

Water. Ginger Beer. Iced Coffee. Passionfruit juice. Lime cordial.

Current Food

Thai takeout. Porridge. Broccoli. Lasagne. Rice Pudding. Meatloaf. Baby food.

Current Favourite Show

True Blood is almost finished, only 2 episodes till the finale. The whole season has been quite lacklustre. The new season of Australia's Next Top Model has started off slow. I wish Charlotte Dawson was the host, she is super hilarious. Come Dine With Me, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Sesame Street have also been favourites in the last few weeks.

Current Wish List

Same as last month. A new neck and upper back. A tropical holiday. A cleaner.

Current Triumphs

James and I finally had our 1st date night since Edward was born. We went to Rockpool for my Birthday dinner and it was amazing.

Current Abigail

She can dress herself head to toe. She loves Katy Perry. She wants a pet dog. She is ALREADY talking about Christmas and Santa. She can move around my iMac like a pro, opening apps and taking photos of herself on the camera. She is 3 going on 13.

Current Edward

My little champ is onto solids now, 2 meals a day. He loves brocoli and pumpkin. He rolls over but his favourite place to be is laying on my lap. He loves to cuddle and bath time is his favourite thing in the world, besides the boob!

Current Celeb Crush

Jason Bateman. Super cute 80's child star turned movie superstar. I love him in Arrested Development.

Current #1 Blessing

I turned 30 last week and was completely spoiled by my family. It really took my breathe away how loved everybody made me feel.

Current Excitement

A few friends have recently had babies or are about to give birth. I'm super excited for them all. James is nearly finished Grad School for this term which means a few weeks of uni at nights and on weekends, no text books or study groups, yay!

Current App

Woolworths Supermarket app is awesome. You just scan items around your house and it adds them to a shopping list. It even saves your local Woolies in the app so it tells you where each item is in your local store. Pretty impressive!

Tokyo Rising

2011-09-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

This short film about life in Tokyo, post tsunami, is just brilliant.

Having been to Japan 3 times in my life, I admire and respect their way of life very much. They are amazing people and I pray they can rebuild and start again after the devastating events in March this year.

If you watch only one film about the rebuilding of Japan, I highly recommend this one.

xx

30

2011-08-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

The big day is here. Today I'm 30. I feel better today, much better than I have the last few weeks. I've been dreading today, like I dread my Birthday every year. But here it is, and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

I feel ready to move on from my 20's in a positive way. I plan to lose all that tension and anxiety about who I am and what I want to be.

I am going to embrace life. Did I think my life would be like this 10 years ago? Probably not. But I love what I have. 2 gorgeous kids. An amazing partner. A fantastic family who care about me. A new home that I feel blessed to call my own and my health. At the end of the day, what more can you ask for.

Tonight my parents are minding my babes while James and I are heading to dinner at Rockpool in the city. Tomorrow, no plans yet. We will see where the day takes us. Mathildas Market, the beach, who knows. Sunday, my whole family are heading to Bather's Pavilion at Balmoral Beach for a gorgeous lunch. Hopefully the sun will shine, the salty breeze will blow and we will laugh and be merry.

See you on the other side. xx

July - In Photos

2011-08-17T23:09:00.000-07:00

I've been so lost lately. Can't find my mojo. My blogging mojo. My friendship mojo. I'm barely holding my wife mojo together too, while focussing everything on my 2 tots.

Here is what I did in July. Easier to show you then to tell you.

She played with her toys

We went to Fagan Park in Galston,

where we had a picnic and cuddles.

My new double pram is amazing!

We drove to Glenorie and enjoyed the scenic back roads

Edward rolled over and loves tummy time on the mat

Abi is in love with Masterchef and made me play-doh cupcakes for days

We are really settled into our new place now. I have a love affair with my kitchen.

Saturday nights are for takeaway and DVDs

Edward's favourite place to fall asleep, on my lap

Abi is delighted that she still fits in the bumbo baby seat!

My little mermaid at swimming lessons

A very generous gift from my inlaws! Abi turned 3 and this is her awesome new cubby/playground. I never have to visit the park again!

Edward tried his first meal, organic rice cereal. He wasn't thrilled.

Here is my angel on her 3rd Birthday. She was so inspired by Cadel Evans winning the Tour De France that she wore her helmet around for 3 days.

We went to the beach house for 4 days. Why on earth do we need so much stuff?!

James and Abi swam at the indoor pool and enjoyed the quiet family time,

until I ended up here. 6am, Monday morning, Wyong Hospital ER. Was picked up from the beach house by an ambulance with chest pains and difficulty breathing. Once I arrived at the ER, I was more frightened by the general filth of the ER wards and the mental patients roaming the aisles. Avoid Wyong Hospital at all costs.

Edward loves sitting in his bumbo seat

Where did my other baby go?! 3 going on 13 sometimes

My crazy outspoken lady with my quiet prince, what a pair!

Siblings. Best Friends. Love.

Edward and I playing around with photobooth on my iMac

Currently - The July Edition

2011-08-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

Current Book: No new books this month. Have been reading some magazines though, Donna Hay, Real Living, Home Beautiful and Masterchef.

Current Playlist:

M83 - Midnight City
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Yeasayer - Crazy (Seal Cover)
Avicii & Sebastien Drums - My Feelings For You
Portishead - Over
Sarah Blasko - Hey Ya (Outkast Cover)

Current Shame - Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Chocolate. My cocoa friend and I have been having a serious affair.

Current Colour: Gorgeous blue winter skies.

Current Drink: Water. English Breakfast tea.

Current Food: Wraps, oats, cheerios, eggs, pasta bakes, spinach, feta.

Current Favourite Show: Curb Your Enthusiasm has started a new season and it is brilliant. Larry David is a genius. I laugh till I cry watching this show. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it.

Current Wish list: A tropical holiday. A healed back. Willpower to stick to a diet.

Current Needs: Must make time to get to the pool and swim laps. My physio has ordered me to. No excuses now!

Current Triumphs: Abigail's 3rd birthday party was a complete success! 32 guests, lots of food, wine and laughter. She is STILL talking about it, 2 weeks later.

Current Bane of my Existence: Laundry. I hate you. I often walk past you and just ignore you for days.

Current Celebrity Crush: Leo DiCaprio. I recently watched 'Inception' and 'Revolutionary Road'. He totally deserves the top spot on the Forbes Highest Earners list. What a god. Kate Winslet, you should totally seduce him!

Current Indulgence: Long showers. Sitting in the sunshine.

Current #1 Blessing: My inlaws and parents have been real troopers the last few weeks. I barely had to lift a finger at Abi's party. They did most of the catering and cleaning on the day. They mind Abi and Ted when I need to duck to the shops and run errands, they clean my house and fold my washing, they let me whinge on the phone and still offer stellar advice. I feel pretty blessed having them in my life.

Current Slang or Saying: Random movie quotes from Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Annie and Goonies.

Current Outfit: asos, bonds, peter alexander, nike.

Current Excitement: I'm turning 30 in 3 weeks. I can't believe it. I am excited, but also a little sad.

Current Mood: Feeling sorry for myself and my recent bad bouts of health. I know I'm the only one who can fix it and overcome my health problems, but in the mean time, woe is me.

Current Link:

asos.com - for great ideas for spring fashion

ittibitti.com - I am considering making the switch to modern cloth nappies. These are the cutest for sure!

qantas.com - I am always browsing on here, calculating where my frequent flyer points could take me.

Current App:

Instagram - very cool photo app. Love seeing my friends creative photos.

Renovation Photos - The Main Bathroom

2011-07-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

The main bathroom was SCARY when we bought the place. It was 3 pokey rooms. Separate toilet, separate vanity and then main bathroom area with shower and corner spa bath.

So out with the old and in with the new.

Before:

There wasn't any room to move. The spa was way too big for such a small area.

The shower was leaking in the walls and causing water damage and wood rot.

After:

Everything is new in the bathroom. The only downside is it's quite large and tiled so freezing at night!! This is the main bathroom and will only be used by guests. Abigail has her own ensuite and James and I have a master ensuite.

I picked the tiles and fixtures. I'm really happy with the finished result.

The bathtub is really deep and I can bath with both kids easily with room to spare.

Love the huge double mirror and double vanity. The vanities are custom built. I chose the under mount sinks too.

Renovation Photos - The Formal Living Area

2011-07-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

Finally!

These are just a few quick photos to let you see the final result of the reno!

Here is the rundown of our renovation.

House purchased in October 2010.

We decided that it needed complete gutting and removal of some walls and almost all fixtures.

Renovations began in December 2010. I have lost count how many tradesmen have been through my house but to give you an idea I've a draftsman, builder, apprentice builder, plumber, landscaper, tiler, painter, floor specialist and more!

Almost everything in the house is brand new. New garage doors, carpet, bamboo floors, kitchen, bathrooms, some new walls, all new LED lights, new fans, new doors and handles, new blinds and new windows.

Here is the formal living area before and after. The before shots were taken just after we made an offer on the house. I was 5 months pregnant in the photo. And my hair looks crap. My inlaws are also in the photos below. It's quite hard to see what we did here. We knocked out walls to open the area up. It was a formal living/dining area but it was very narrow and a wasted space in our opinion. Now it's a formal living area. With no furniture yet!

Before:

Formal living area

Looking at onto the porch

This photo gives you an idea how UGLY everything was. The old bar was the 1st thing to be ripped out.

This room was dark and cold. You can make out in the photo, but the carpets were soaked and stained with cat urine.

Through those doors, lead into the old kitchen and hallway. It was pokey and narrow.

Formal dining room

After:

New windows and shutters. New lights. Air conditioning added. New front door. New floors.

We knocked out the old windows and added new stacker sliding doors that open onto the undercover pergola.

This is the view from the front door. Now the house is long and open instead of little rooms and narrow halls.

New front door. I chose this. Everyone loves it. It weighs a tonne though!

New plantation shutters, I love them.

Currently - The June '11 Edition

2011-07-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

Current Book: When I have the chance, I am off to purchase the new Charlaine Harris book, the latest release in the Sookie Stackhouse collection.

Current Playlist:

Bon Iver - Perth (Paper Tigers Remix). Amazing. Bon Iver is a musical genius.
Editors - No Sound But The Wind. Off the New Moon soundtrack. I can listen to the Editors all day.
LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem. There is no escaping this song. Abi and I love dancing to it.
Lupe Fiasco - Out Of My Head ft. Trey Songz. This song is f-u-n-k-y! I turn it up and roll my shoulders and get jiggy.
The Potbelleez - From The Music. This makes me want to dance. Sure, it's loaded with cheesy riffs but it makes me want to run, dance and jump!
Bon Iver - Calgary. I couldn't resist adding this to my playlist. This song is devine.

Current Shame - Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Showering for a few minutes longer than usual. Baby it's cold outside!

Current Colour: Green grass in the yard. Grey skies.

Current Drink: Water. Fresh orange juice.

Current Food: Yoghurt and museli, weetbix, salads, salmon patties, lamb meatballs, pasta, ragu, pork stirfry.

Current Favourite Show: True Blood has started again. Parks and Recreation and Arrested Development for a good laugh.

Current Wishlist: For my random junk on ebay to sell!

Current Needs: The usual. More time for me, to sleep and exercise.

Current Triumphs: Abi has been wearing undies for 2 weeks now, with only 2 accidents. She has really grasped toilet training quickly and I hope it's all upwards from here. I bought her some cute Rio undies from Big W on the weekend which she chose. And Edward rolled over too! What a champ!

Current Bane of my Existence: Trying to get to the bottom of the washing basket. It may never happen. Also, having tradespeople at my house nearly every day for the past month. Last week involved a plumber, builder, landscaper, pool man, installation of blinds and shutters and deliveries from Matt Blatt and Domayne.

Current Celebrity Crush: Pink. I've always liked her. Yes, her music is mainstream but I like her attitude to many things. Including motherhood. She has stepped out in the spotlight with 1 month old daughter Willow and shock horror, has a normal post baby body. It feels satisfying to finally see a celebrity mother looking like the rest of us look after giving birth. Go girl!

Current Indulgence: I've cut the iced coffee from my diet but allowed myself to have one on the weekend as a treat. And a lamington too!

Current #1 Blessing: The house. It really has come together well. We love being here, living here.

Current Slang or Saying: Where's my boofy - To Edward... Do you need to use the loo - To Abi...

Current Outfit: Bonds Trackies, ASOS jeans, Toms shoes, Vans, Nikes, ASOS cardigan,

Current Excitement: We are having a Mickey+Minnie Mouse themed party for Abigail in 3 weeks, she is so excited. I'm pretty chuffed to be pulling out my Mickey ears for a good cause.

Current Mood: Happy. Super happy.

Current Link:

Babyology - for the best updates and baby related news
asos.com - for great ideas for spring fashion
ebay.com.au - I've just started selling some stuff here and while I'm still new to it, it's pretty fun!

Current App: OzWeather - to know what the elements will be like before I leave the house!

Baby Jogger

2011-06-23T23:44:00.000-07:00

Look what arrived at my house this week, my new Baby Jogger City Elite Double pram.

Even though Abi is nearly 3, and never uses a pram anymore, she surprisingly LOVES it. I wanted a double pram to start exercising and going on daily walks and so far, she loves sitting for 45 minutes on the walk as we stroll the streets.

This pram is amazing. It weighs a whopping 16kgs though, which means when I add both the kids in the pram, I'll be pushing some heavy resistance around my local streets. I'm hoping to transform my "tuckshop lady" arms into toned, buff arms.

I look forward to long walks in the fresh air, getting fit, exploring our local area and most of all, the kids to get out and about and see new things along the walk.

Currently - The May '11 Edition

2011-06-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is my 1st post in what seems forever! Will get my act together and post about the house / move shortly.

Current Book: No time for books this month. Just manuals and warranty cards for all our new household appliances. Boring!

Current Playlist:

Kylie - Beautiful. This song slid under the radar on her latest album but for me, it's a standout. I'm seeing her in concert next week and cannot wait. Her shows are always fantastic.
Robyn - Hang With Me. I love Robyn. I saw her live in Singapore in 2008 and she blew me away. Love how this song makes me feel. Reminds me of my girlfriends.
Jack Johnson - Never Know. Cruisey tune to unpack boxes and do mundane tasks like fold mounds of washing.
The Prodigy - No Good (Start The Dance). Absolutely wicked song. I have a huge desire to go dancing and hear this. Played loudly.
Friendly Fires - Live Those Days Tonight. One of my favourite bands from 2009 have just released their second album and this is the 1st single off it. I love their new sound. They are super good live too!
Beyonce - Run The World. Turn it up. End of story. Who run this mother, GIRLS!!
Bon Iver & St Vincent - Roslyn. This song featured on the Twilight New Moon soundtrack. One of Bon Iver's best tracks for sure.

Current Shame - Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Using the dryer every day. I know, I'm terrible Muriel, but the path to my clothes line is covered in overgrown weeds and it looks like Jumanji out there.

Current Colour: White. I'm loving white right now.

Current Drink: Water. Iced Coffee. Green tea. Peppermint tea. Nursing tea.

Current Food: Stir fry, salmon, lasagne, meatloaf, pasta dishes, chinese takeaway, porridge, wraps, yoghurt.

Current Favourite Show: Masterchef!! Yes, I have jumped on the Masterchef bandwagon. On behalf of Abi, we are loving Cat in the Hat on Disney Junior too.

Current Wishlist: A holiday. A real holiday with no laptops and iphones. Just my loves and me. And some sunshine too.

Current Needs: A cleaner who likes to get her hands dirty cleaning my house. A landscaper to build the retainer wall along our front yard. The obvious needs too: more sleep, and more time to exercise.

Current Triumphs: 12 weeks on and breastfeeding is still going strong with Edward. I feel more confident and comfortable breastfeeding the 2nd time around and hope to nurse him as long as possible. I love the bond we share and the beautiful smiles I get from him during the feeds. Abi is sleeping in her new room, in her big girl bed with no dummy.

Current Bane of my Existence: Washing clothes. Drying. Folding. Sorting. Repeat. Also, my hair is FALLING OUT! I remember I had this when I was breastfeeding Abi too. But this time it's much worse. I have bald spots all over my head and the bathroom floor looks a fright! Like we have a pet cat.

Current Celebrity Crush: Johnny Depp. No words necessary.

Current Indulgence: Chocolate sundaes. Iced Coffee. Super hot showers on a cold morning. Wearing tracksuit pants all day and night.

Current #1 Blessing: Having James work from home as often as he does. I've been able to duck up to the shops and do things while leaving the kids with him. It's not that I don't love my kids, but heading to the Country Road or David Jones sales with 2 smalls is quite hard. I need both hands to carry all those red ticketed items!

Current slang or saying: Has Edward done another poo? Can you change his nappy? Giggle and hoot, HOOOOOOOOT.

Current outfit: My daily attire consists of jeans, nike trainers, Bonds hoodies and tracksuit pants, Zara scarf, new RayBan specs.

Current Excitement: Edward is smiling and laughing and growing right before my eyes. I love him to bits. He is my little prince. The house is finally starting to look like a normal home, not that "we just moved in" phase. James bought a new car yesterday and expected delivery is in 2 weeks, what a bonus! No 3-4 month wait like most other cars right now. Also, we just bought a new imac and it's amazing. I'm still adjusting to the magic trackpad but the computer is so easy to use. Abi loves using the photobooth application.

Current Mood: Stressed to be still living with all the boxes and mess. Frustrated living without so much necessary furniture. We have no dining table, no sofa, no blinds or shutters and no garage. My car is too big to fit in the current garage, so we are having the whole triple garaged widened with new doors. This is happening next week, until then, I am parked outside on the driveway and have to run with the kids in the rain to get them in the car. Major boo boo.

Current Link:

Ebay - for great bargains.
David Jones - best range of cookware and homewares at the moment. Especially with the sales on.

Current App:

Twitter - I have been using Twitter more recently than Facebook. I have started following some of my favourite celebs and they write some WEIRD updates. Steve Martin is pretty funny. Sarah Silverman too.

I will miss the city

2011-05-06T02:02:00.000-07:00

Currently - The April '11 Edition

2011-05-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

Current Book(s): No new books this month. I am hoping for a new book for Mother's Day. My picks would be:

Current Playlist:

Gypsy And The Cat - Sight Of A Tear
Rockabye Lullaby: Coldplay - The Scientist. This goes down perfectly when Edward is crying in the car after a long day. He falls asleep immediately!
Foo Fighters - Rope. The Foos are back and I likes it!
Rockabye Lullaby: Kanye West - Stronger. This lullaby is awesome. Time to get my groove on in the nursery.
The String Quartet (Tribute to Moby) - God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters. This song featured in the Big Love finale and I bawled!

Current Shame - Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Easter Eggs and hot cross buns. I'm actually glad Easter is over. I indulged but now it's time to curb all that surgery goodness from my diet.

Current Colour: We are choosing colours for the house. Grey for the sofa. Taupe for the walls. White for the shutters.

Current Drink: Water, Vitamin Water, Coke Zero and milk.

Current Food: Yoghurts, Up n Go's, Spinach wraps for lunch, avocado, iceblocks.

Current Favourite Show: United States of Tara is back and it's brilliant. Toni Collette is amazing. But the supporting cast is just as good. John Corbett is seriously hot.

Current Wishlist: A holiday. We *almost* booked a holiday to Hawaii in September but decided not to. I mean a real holiday too. Where I turn off my iphone, and James leaves his laptop at home... I wish!

Current Needs: Sleep. Clean sheets. A Woolworths gift card. A housekeeper to clean my forgotten floors.

Current Triumphs: I feel like I've overcome the big hurdle with breastfeeding. 8 weeks on and still going strong. Abigail is receiving lots of attention and special 1on1 time with me so I feel pretty happy about that.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: Washing tiny swaddles and wondersuits and singlets. It's not a chore, but all I do is wash, wash, wash!

Current Celebrity Crush: David Beckham. He looked insanely hot at the Royal Wedding, he's a family man and an unreal athlete. S.E.X.Y

Current Indulgence: It was iced coffee and Starburst lollies but I just said goodbye to sugar yesterday. I will try and last a whole month without them. Fingers crossed!

Current #1 Blessing: A good friend. She knows who she is. I haven't had much help from family since Edward was born. James has been fantastic but apart from that, I've had little visitors or help. This special friend has been fantastic. Lots of support and an ear to listen.

Current Slang or Saying: I'm going to pump. Has he done a poo? What time is it? Where did I put my phone? (As you can see, I have MAJOR baby brain still!)

Current Outfit: Maternity singlets, Bonds tracksuit pants, Asos jeans, Le Sportsac Baby Bag

Current Excitement: One word. HOUSE. Ready this week. Cannot believe it.

Current Mood: Exhausted. Excited. Anxious. Short tempered. Overwhelmed. Underwhelmed.

Current Link:

Freedom - for home accessories
Domayne - for furniture
Ikea - for bits and pieces
Kidspot - recipes and articles

Current App:

Baby Connect - great for counting diapers, milestones, health checks, vaccines.

Oz Weather - I like to know my forecasts!
Angry Birds Easter - lots of fun as always.
Shopping List - great for writing and saving lists to do the groceries
LineUp2 - great for when I'm feeding Edward at 4am and need to stay awake!

90 Years Young

2011-04-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today we are off to Port Hacking in southern Sydney to celebrate James's paternal grandmother's 90th Birthday. What a milestone. Her name is Mary. She is the sweetest old thing. And such a trooper. She's had many ailing health issues lately but surprisingly continues to surge on. She will meet Edward for the 1st time today. Her party is being held at the local Yacht Club near the retirement home which she resides in.

I hope when I turn 90, I look like this... I can only hope I'm still rocking out in 2071.

Wedding Flashback

2011-04-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day. Some people care, others don't. Me? I'm excited. I can't believe Prince William is getting married. Because he is a prince of my generation, I've always followed stories about him in the media. Heck, I've even wondered what it would be like to be a real bonafide princess. Well Kate Middleton will find out today. I'm happy for them both and hope their marriage is full of love and honesty and most of all, privacy!

Telle, over at FMS has inspired me to flashback to my own wedding, 4 years ago. I'd love to go back to my wedding day, I'd do a few things differently. I wish I took more photos and spent more time talking with everyone. The day whizzed past so quickly.

Here is my wedding:

Date: 2nd June 2007
Location: Hayman Island, The Whitsundays
Guests: 50
Weather: Tropical! Humid, overcast, rainy, sunny, windy, etc.
Wedding Dress: Designed by Karen Willis Holmes

About to walk down the aisle!

The vows

"We do"

My favourite photo from the wedding

The outdoor reception

Cutting of the cake. I didn't even get a slice, I was too busy running around. Dammit.

Top 10 Mother's Day Wishlist Items

2011-04-28T05:04:00.000-07:00

To be honest, all I really want this Mother's Day is a sleep-in, something sweet and yummy for breakfast like pancakes, and lots of cuddles with my loves. We are going to Bathers Pavilion in Balmoral for lunch, the whole family, which will be an experience. 3 toddlers and 1 newborn in a fancy restaurant, lord help us!

Things are tight at the moment, trying to finish the renovations and furnish a big new house, but if money wasn't an issue, here are some things on my wishlist:

Bossypants - by Tina Fey from Amazon

Breville 'Ikon' Food Processor from The Good Guys

Breville 'Ikon' Juicer from The Good Guys

KitchenAid Stand Mixer in White from Home Depot in Castle Hill

Rain Clouds Wall Decal by Mae from Lark

Donna Hay 'A Cook's Guide' - from donnahay.com.au

MacBook Pro 17-inch from apple.com.au

Breakfast at my brother-in-law's new restaurant - Bondi Tucker

Onion Bag from Etsy

Gift Voucher from Howards Storage World

Busy Bee

2011-04-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

I totes look like this. A frazzled busy bee!

I haven't been blogging lately. Adjusting to life as a family of 4 and busy finishing the renovations on the new house has kept me busy, kept me exhausted.

James is in Albury today, at his graduatation ceremony for his degree in IT. It was logistically too hard to take the kids, so he went with his parents. I'm sure they are as proud as punch. A slave for hard work and studying, James is half way though his 2nd degree, an MBA.

The house is almost ready. About 95% of the way there. Air con has been installed. Bamboo floorboards are being laid as I type, new paint is drying and the bathrooms are being sealed. The fridge, washer and dryer are being delivered tomorrow. Carpets being laid early next week, then, we will be in. We are moving some stuff in over the weekend. Fun times ahead.

This week I realised something... That on Saturday, it's MAY! Which means it's almost June, the middle of the year. Half way through 2011. It's impossible that 6 months can pass so quickly. I need time to slow down, not to stop, but to tick by slower. I feel out of control at the moment, so many things on my plate. My concentration has been dim, my temper short, my eating habits terrible and overall speaking, I'm exhausted. The new house and renovations have sapped my energy and enthusiasm. I think once we settle in, I will relax and unwind. Until then, I'm as tight as a spring!

I'm blessed though. Edward is a prince. He is smiling and coo'ing at us now. He loves his sister and follows her around the room with his eyes. He is a water baby and loves the bath. His baby acne has disappeared and he has my fair skin and James's deep blue eyes. Abi loves being an older sister and is intrigued with breastfeeding. She watches me express milk and helps me with burp Edward and change his nappies. She is settling into sisterhood better than I could ever have hoped for.

I have so many things I've wanted to blog about but am struggling to find the time or energy. The Royal Wedding, the extended Easter/Anzac holiday, the weather, new movies etc. I promise to myself to find more time. But for now, it's off to bed for a quick nap while the kids sleep. Woo!

B-B-B-B Bird is the word

2011-04-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

This song is a firm favourite in our house. We sing it all the time. Abi thinks it's hilarious. She loves Peter Griffin... Yes, I'm a naughty Mum and let my toddler watch Family Guy occasionally. But this clip is hilarious. SURFIN BIRD!!

Outdoor Furniture

2011-04-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

The new house has a large undercover pergola. We love entertaining and spending time outside so I'm sure we will be using the outdoor room as an extension of the main house. Choosing outdoor furniture is tough because it's all so expensive. We already have an 8 seater dining table but we are looking for something casual to lounge around on and read/cuddle etc.

Patio by Jamie Durie Daybed & Bench from Big W. Yes, it's from Big W. And what great value! This is simple and modern.

Panama Sofa from Freedom. This is perfect. I would buy this in a heartbeat.

Bahama Lounge from United House. This is nice but very expensive!

Grande Sunlounger from Harvey Norman. This is great but only seats 1 person. I would love one by the pool but it's not very practical to buy a few of them.

Air Nest Sofa from Coco Republic. I'm sure this probably costs about as much as a small car. I love Coco but most things are out of our price range.

Dining Chairs

2011-04-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

Choosing the perfect dining chair involves many important points.

It must be comfortable.
It must be kid friendly.
It must be easy to clean.
Preferably modern and contemporary.
Fit our budget.

Here are a few chairs I like. We will need 6 or 8, depending on the size of our table.

Replica Eames DSR Side Chair from Matt Blatt. Unfortunately we cannot afford the real ones so the replicas will have to do for now. My mother-in-law has the real versions of this chair at the beach house and they are fantastic. Very cool chairs.

Replica Eames DAR Armchair from Matt Blatt. They have these in the food court at Bondi Westfields. They are very comfy to sit in, and I like that they have sides so kids want slip off or fall off the chair. I also like having sides on my chair but I am worried they will look too bulky side by side and that they won't fit under the table.

Bella Dining Chair from Oz Design. I like these very much. Simple and classic. But they could be a nightmare to clean with little dirty fingers around.

Nils Dining Chair from Ikea. These look wide and sturdy. They might look too chunky though? I will need to see these in the shop for sure.

Replica Xavier Pauchard Tolix Chair from Matt Blatt. These are very hip chairs. But they might be too industrial looking for the house. You can get them in various colours, I was thinking of being bold and buying them in bright yellow to make a statement. They would be easy to clean, but I'm sure the kids would need to sit on a cushion to soften the harsh feel.

Dining Tables

2011-04-18T04:33:00.000-07:00

We are yet to choose any major pieces of furniture for the new house. I am starting to freak out so have resorted to some research online to start narrowing down our selection.

Here are some that make our shortlist. Just to give you an idea, our kitchen is white, benchtops are white, walls are white and floors are natural sand coloured bamboo. We haven't picked out dining chairs either, that will be a whole other post!

Cancun Dining Table from Freedom

Carpenter's Dining Table from Freedom

Campana Dining Table from Oz Design

Montana Dining Table from Freedom

Oakwright Dining Table from Freedom

Stratford Dining Table from Freedom

Flashback Monday

2011-04-17T23:49:00.000-07:00

Busy with my newborn, I've missed quite a few flashbacks.

Well here you go. This will make up for weeks of not flashing back in time with me...

WARNING - Busy week ahead!

2011-04-17T03:31:00.000-07:00

Monday

Edward's 6 week checkup with pediatrician in Bondi Junction.
James has Grad School in the evening so I'll have a quiet night with the kids at home.

Tuesday

My 6 week checkup with my Ob/Gyn at the hospital.
Edward's hip ultrasound at the hospital (because he was breech / transverse for my whole pregnancy)
Inspection at the new house to see updates and choose colour for the splashback in the kitchen.

Wednesday

Eye test for new glasses
Possibly booking Edward in for his immunisations. The clinic nurse told me to get him done at 6 weeks due to the whooping cough outbreak. But I will check with the Pediatrician first.

Thursday

Car going to be serviced. Faulty park brake being fixed, despite having my car completely serviced 3 weeks ago. I have a car with an electronic park brake and this is the 2nd time in a year that it has failed. Very annoying! At least they are giving me a replacement car for the day.

Friday

Meeting at the new house with the guy doing our blinds and shutters. Have to choose types and colours. Going with white shutters along the front windows, blockout roll blinds for the bedrooms and light roll blinds in the rest of the house.

Saturday

Contemplating going to Ikea to pick up stuff for the new house. It might be quiet on Easter Saturday, who knows.

Sunday

Will eat Lindt bunnies and have a bbq on the balcony. Probably our last BBQ on the balcony before we move to the burbs. I'll miss those harbour views!

Monday

James has Grad School in the evening. Apparently students studying for an MBA have to still study and learn on public holidays. Boo.

Tuesday

Start packing boxes for the move. Eeeek!

Right Now

2011-04-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

Eating: Yoplait Berry Bliss yoghurt

Listening: Frou Frou

Reading: Yesterday's papers

Drinking: Water with a slice of lemon

Watching: The waves rolling in from the beach house balcony

View from the balcony

Thinking: About the house which will be ready in 2 weeks from today. F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!

Wearing: Lovable Maternity singlet, Country Road skirt

Smelling: Dettol from cleaning the house

Wishing: I could live at the beach house. I am a different person here. So relaxing and quiet.

Abi and her new friend Ava, at the playground this morning

Wanting: Starbursts Babies or a cold Kit Kat

Doing: Blogging and catching up on news

Flashback Friday.

2011-04-08T02:02:00.000-07:00

East 17 - It's Alright

Wow, this song takes me back to 1994. I was in Year 7 at school. This came out the same week as the Year 7 disco. I snuck James in, because our disco was exclusive, barf, reserved for the few schools in the area and James went to a school closer to the Hills District. We danced all night and when this song came on, man, we cut up a rug together. Then my best friend at the time fainted, because she had been jabbed with immunisations that day (to trek to Nepal with her family in the school holidays!!) and her body just couldn't handle all the crazy viruses in her body, along with the subwoofers thumping and me, in her face, dancing and sweating away. Lucky for us, ALL the parents were waiting outside the gym for the disco to finish so she was whisked away.

What a night, what great memories. That friend went on to become an Olympic and Commonwealth Games cyclist and is still competing today. We still talk every now and then. So that's my Friday Flashback.

Have a great weekend everyone, xx

Professional Photo Session

2011-04-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Taken at 2 weeks old by the gorgeous Deanna Mushins.

You can view a sneak peek of our photo session here.

Angry Boys

2011-04-03T03:12:00.000-07:00

I felt this trailer deserves its own post. The hype surrounding Chris Lilley and his new show, Angry Boys, is definately in overdrive following the trailer release this week.

If you don't know who Chris Lilley is, read about him here or watch some clips here and here.

He is pretty hilarious. Mind you, his shows aren't everyone's cup of tea. Yes, there is foul language but what show doesn't have swearing these days?!

I for one, am very much looking forward to some light hearted Australian comedy coming soon to the ABC.

Currently - The March '11 Edition

2011-03-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

Current Book (s): Save Our Sleep by Tizzie Hall. And just ordered Heart to Heart Parenting by Robin Grille.

Current Playlist: Have been way too busy to have a real listen to anything new this month. Have just downloaded the following albums and will give them a spin soon:

Britney Spears - Femme Fatale
Metronomy - The English Riviera
Lisa Hannigan - Sea Sew
Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine
Glee: The Music - Volume 5
The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You

Current Shame - Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Candy. Iced Coffee. Chocolate. Paddlepops. American Idol. I'm terrible Muriel...

Current Colour: Green for poo. White for milk. Blue for Teddy's eyes.

Current Drink: Water. Iced Coffee. Fresh orange juice.

Current Food: Lamb meatballs, lasagne, bacon+zuchini pasta, jatz, museli bars, cheese, fresh fruit.

Current Favourite Show: I've started watching Sunrise on 7, because I'm usually feeding Teddy at that time. It's terrible TV, if you can call it that. Also, new season of 30 Rock. Big Love just finished its last season, I cried during the finale. United States of Tara Season 3 just started this week, the 1st episode was brilliant.

Current Wish list:

For Edward to gain some serious weight.
For my milk supply to increase.
To push myself to sleep when the kids sleep.
For the house to finally finished. C'mon boys!

Current Needs: A nanny or house keeper. Shary Boppins will do.

Current Triumphs: Finally am feeling better after a bout of mastitis. My breastfeeding attachment is good but my milk supply is weird. Am hoping things will settle down in the next week or so.

Current Bane(s) of my Existence: I feel like a feeding cow at the moment while Edward and I get into a routine. At the moment, I feed him, burp him, settle him, then play with Abi, clean the house, do some washing, check my emails, then it's time to feed him again!

Current Celebrity Crush: Matt Damon. I love his comedic role as Tina Fey's pilot boyfriend, Carol, in 30 Rock. I loved him as Jason Bourne as well. He is a hot, family man.

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Current Indulgence: When both the kids are asleep, I take a longer-than-usual shower. It's my quiet time.

Current #1 Blessing: James has been able to work from home quite a bit since Edward was born. I've had a few days on my own but I've loved having the extra set of hands to help me.

Current Slang or Saying: It's time for a feed again. Would you hand me a cloth? Can you pass me my feeding pillow? Can you go downstairs and get me a kit kat?

Current Outfit: Lovable Maternity singlets. Am living in them! My OLD jeans fit me which is awesome. I miss my pregnancy belly but love wearing things that don't have elastic waists.

Current Excitement: Easter is around the corner. Which means chocolate. And public holidays. The house renos are ALMOST finished. I have been picking things out of the IKEA catalogue and getting vey excited to finally be in the house.

Current Mood: Happy. Tired. Excited.

Current iphone Apps:

Angry Birds Rio - This game is super fun for killing time.

Hipstamatic - Love this app for taking pics of the kids while out and about.

ibaby feed - This app is amazing. It helps me track all my breastfeeds, reminds me which side to start on next and gives me an average feeding time as well. It alerts me with a 10 minute warning before Edward is due for a feed as well.

Current Link:

Save Our Sleep - for routine information
Australian Breastfeeding Association - for helpful tips and support hotline
Taste - for great, quick dinner recipes
Babycenter - for advice and support from March 2011 Mums