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Monday, August 6, 2012

#Day 65 summer blog

WHAT HELPS ME GET THROUGH A MELT DOWN?
NOTHING!
I yell and scream and cry and freak out and then it turns into a full on anxiety attack in most cases.
Its really awful and I don't know what to do about it. That makes me sad.


In other stuff....I have pictures!
John and I went to Te Papa last week......




Sunday, August 5, 2012

#Day 58 + summer blog

DAY 58 WRITE UP SOMETHING ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCE
John worked on this wind farm Te Apiti Wind Farm
I don't know much about it or about alternative energy sources. It is a very big wind farm lol.

DAY 59 WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU "ROUGHED IT"?
Lol. I have never "roughed it". Actually as I write this, I do remember the ONE time I have been camping. It was like ummmmmmmmmmm

14years ago? I think? I don't know. That was the time I ever roughed it. Although it wasn't really roughing it as we had working flushing toilets etc and it was ONE night for school camp.

DAY 60 HOW DOES YOUR LIFE MEASURE TO THE VISION YOU HAD WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
I thought when I was younger, that everything would be like Fifth Element or The Jetsons etc.
I thought we would be run with robots, sky scrapers, so much technology etc that we would be like The Jetsons with space crafts for cars etc.
Boy was I wrong! Now, we have the technology, but we are also struggling with everyone else to get by comfortably. This is but isn't the way I thought it would be. I always knew that money etc would get worse. I just "knew" and freaked out and worried about it a lot as a kid. Now its not much better, but I am more realistic.

DAY 61 SHARE SOME ART YOU HAVE DONE OR SOMETHING YOU LIKE
I am not too sure how to answer this. Im not an arty farty and I don't really have anything to share otherwise.

DAY 62 POST A BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO
This was a standard color picture when I took it. I then uploaded it to some app on my iPod and turned it into this.......This is Declan.
DAY 63 SHARE AN IDEA OF A HOMEMADE GIFT TO GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE
Im a really boring person as I am finding out more and more with each post on this challenge.
I don't do homemade gifts or ANYTHING.
My idea of homemade gifts is whipping up a batch of biscuits and putting them in a store bought gift box. (and I have done that)

DAY 64 WHAT FEATURE WOULD YOU HAVE TO HAVE IN YOUR DREAM HOME?
The must have feature I have to have in my dream home is a HUGE kick arse kitchen!
I think I could handle living in a tent as long as I had a kick arse kitchen like in one of those mansions on the Kardashians lol.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

#Day 52 + summer blog

DAY 52 TALK ABOUT A FREE ACTIVITY YOU DO WITH YOUR KIDS
My free activity is taking them to either the lake for a walk and feed the ducks or take them down to my mums and we stop at the dog park on the way and let the dog have a run around.
There is heaps to do with the kids, you just have to look for it.

This is from when John took us to pick up pine cones a few years back.


DAY 53 WHAT IS YOUR BEST GARDENING TIP?
Im not the gardener of the house. John is. He has heaps of "advice" but doesn't follow any of it lol.

DAY 54 HOW DO YOU BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT?
If we ever manage to have summer this year, I spend most of summer inside with the curtains shut. No such thing as AC in our house. Then its lounging around watching telly in barely enough clothing to be acceptable and eating salads and easy fast food. Lots of ice cream, water etc and lots of water fights outside (on our water days)

DAY 55 WHAT'S A BAND YOU HAVE BEEN LIKING AND LISTENING TO LATELY?
At the moment, I have my iPod on shuffle and its playing a wee bit of everything.
Yesterday, I was favourable to Pink, Lily Allan, Disturbed, Matchbox 20 etc and some Ed Sheran, Train, and others I am having a mind block on.

DAY 56 GIVE US 3 EASY SNACKS FOR CHILDREN OR TODDLERS
Some recent snacks I have been giving the boys are:
"little sausages" or cocktail sausages (while I am cooking dinner)
raw veges (capsicum, celery, carrots etc) and aioli dip (store bought)
fresh and tinned fruit

DAY 57 IF YOU HAD A SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
If I had a super power? I thought I already had one....Im a mum. What do you do?

I want the power to be able to bounce off the walls at 6am and keep going til 10pm.
Thats the super power I want.

Friday, August 3, 2012

#Day 42 + summer blog

DAY 42 FAVOURITE VACATION/HOLIDAY
Funnily enough, I haven't actually taken a "holiday". I have stayed in hospitals, friends houses, family houses etc, but never had an actual bonafide vacation. Sad eh?

DAY 43 THEN AND NOW PHOTO OF YOU
I dont actually have another photo of me other than the one I originally posted on week one. Sorry people. Im not a photo person. Im the one taking the photos. Even if I take a photo of myself in a mirror, I NEVER ever look as good in the picture than I did no more than 2mins before in the mirror.

DAY 44 ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR CHILD
The only piece of advice I want to give my boys is to be yourself.
I have spent my whole life changing myself into someone who I thought others wanted me to be. I don't think I have ever been happy. I am a people pleaser and a door mat. I let people walk all over me and treat me like utter crap and Im an implosive person. Im the person that gets sick of it and thinks about stepping out in front of the train.
All I want for my kids is to be happy, be themselves and do what they want to do (when they are older) as no one can make your life but you.

DAY 45 GOT ANY GOOD MAKEUP TIPS/ROUTINES?
Im sorry. This is a short and sweet answer. I don't wear make up. I don't like it, it never looks right on me and I can't apply it to save myself. I also don't have the time, patience or money to spend on make up lol.
I have however just recently (ok almost 5months ago) gotten my lashes and brows tinted, but again I don't have the time or money to waste doing that on a regular basis.
I do wash my face every morning with Nutrogena oil free grapefruit face scrub. Thats it. No moisteriser or anything.
Im a simple girl really lol

DAY 46 FAVOURITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE
Again, a short post. I don't have a favourite room in my house (unless my bed counts). I hate my house. I hate the fact that nothing we do makes it look any better. I hate that its so dark and small.
My dream is to win lotto, knock it down and start again (unless I can sell it in the meantime).

DAY 47 A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
Is this something I have done? I do RAK all the time. Im a sucker for being nice to people.
I remember this one time, I offered to take this ladys trolley back for her (she had four kids with her I think) and it was raining. Not long after, I got some movie tickets sent to me in the mail. I thought that was pretty cool. Made my day until I realised that those two little tickets were going to cause nothing but arguments in the house lol.

DAY 48 FIVE THINGS TO DO IF THE POWER GOES OUT
Hehe all I can think of is "go to bed and snuggle with John"
Hmmmmm last time our power went out, I snuggled up on the couch with a book and read with my iPod playing.
There isnt much you can do when the power goes out. If it's night, light some candles etc.
I loved it when the power went out. No TV, no computer, no internet, no nothing and it was fantastic!
That doesn't really answer the post title, but what do you do when the power goes out?

DAY 50 IF YOU WERE PRESIDENT OR PRIME MINISTER FOR A DAY, WHAT ONE LAW WOULD YOU CHANGE?
I can't answer this. It would make so many people mad! There is soooo much I would do if I could, but I would also upset so many people. This is the sort of stuff I tell John. We kind of think a long the same lines as each other, but it's not something I am willing to share on here.

DAY 51 WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY?
Oooh I love this sort of thing.
I would knock my house down and start again with the house of my dreams.
I would give money to Johns nana to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life.
Take a holiday around the world etc
Thats the most part of it. The rest of it would be on silly little stuff like cars etc.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

#blog challenge Day 41 Fave blogs or websites

BLOGGING/LINKY GOODNESS
This is about sharing blogs or sites I visit.

local sugar hawaii blog She is a fantastic blogger. I stumbled on her blog from Michelles Blog
I stumbled on this site from Michelle too lol Latte Junkie
The host of the blog challenge is another I visit goinggreenwiththegrizls
I heart organizing
I heart organizing projects
I heart organizing Pinterest
Googie momma and everything she posts. She has a Pinterest page too that you HAVE to follow!
Kiwi Mummy Blogs is where bloggers from New Zealand have their blogs posted. Mine is on there somewhere and its where I found Michelle.
Oh and I can't forget to add my friend Trishy because she would never forgive me haha

I think thats about all I can find while I am on Johns laptop.

Have fun and on Michelles blog she has link goodness (where I spend HOURS)

Much Love

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

#blog challenge Day 40

The Hardest Challenge I have been faced with


I was going to put this in with my catch up blog posts, but after thinking about it and reading other blogs I decided it needed its own little post of its own.

I have been faced with some difficult challenges over the years. I wouldn't call them hard as such though.

I moved to the other side of the country when I was only 18yo to a place where there were no friends or family. I got pregnant not long after that and had to do so much alone. That would be a difficult challenge.

John and I moved house twice from Waikanae to Upper Hutt and then on to Masterton (where we are now) and that was hard, but very easy to manage.

Isn't it amazing how we use the word hard when we could use another word instead?

I have been hit with lots of challenges over the years and I would call them hard, I wouldn't class one as harder than the other.

John and I have had so many steps to climb up over the years.
He has had health scares, work accidents, accidents and brushes with death in the 10years we have been together.
We have had two babies, three house moves, job changes and bought a house.
We got married (that was HARD).
And here we are today.

If I really had to sum it up, the HARDEST challenge I was faced with was having John in hospital not knowing if he was going to come home.

A few years back, John was really sick. He thought it was the weather and that he hadn't stopped to eat all day.
He was cold and clammy and pale and looked AWFUL.

We later found out that his heart was literally beating out of his chest! I googled and tried to get him to let me ring an ambulance and in the end he DROVE himself to A&E. He was up there for about an hour when the nurse rang and told me he was staying in and I could see him the next day.
Little did we know, he was near death. He had Ventricular Tachycardia and there is no known cause for why John has it. They had to shock him three times and pump him full of any medicine they could find for the heart.

When I think about it now, it scares me how close I came to losing my best friend. It was around that time when Johns aunt decided to give him a kick up the bum and get him to make an honest woman out of me!

John has had two more episodes after that and has had some investigative surgery to try and find out what is wrong with him. Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again because I try not to think about one of the days John might not of come home.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

#blog challenge Day 36-39

DAY 36 HOLIDAY TRADITION
I dont think we had a holiday tradition as kids, but when I met John 10years ago I found out his family had one.

Every Christmas, everyone would go to the family home. There was mum, dad and the three kids and mums nana and anyone else who came. Everyone would bring a plate and pitch in to help with the dishes etc and the food. The presents would go under the tree until Dad would sit in his "Santa" chair and give out the presents.

I thought it was a great tradition and it turns out everyone in Johns extended family did the same thing (which is what I found out when we went to Johns Aunt and Uncles house one year for Christmas).

I am a family girl at heart and I loved how Johns family would get together every year. Even when we took over the house and everyone started doing their own thing, we still had Johns Aunt and Uncles house to go to for Christmas so that Andrew and Declan would know what Christmas and family means.

DAY 37 WOULD YOU WOULD ATTEMPT IF YOU COULDN'T FAIL
If I could do anything knowing I couldn't fail, the list would be endless.
Im a pussy! P U S S Y! I am scared of my own shadow at the best of times, and that holds me back from doing things I would love to do.
Things I would do:

  • Ski
  • Travel
  • Fly
  • Scuba dive (Im scared of the ocean)
  • Sky Dive
  • Travel
  • Travel
  • Get my degree (I failed my exams, thats the only thing holding me back)
Oh this is endless!

DAY 38 SONG LYRICS YOU FIND MEANING IN
Call me a scrooge, but I don't really want to share any lyrics. I listen to a lot of music and most of it doesn't have any meaning to me. Its just music I listen to when Im in a particular mood. One song that is always popping into my head though is I know who I am - Israel and New Breed
Here are the lyrics:


Chorus:
I know who I am 
I know who I am 
I know who I am 
I am yours 
I am yours (2x)

And you are mine 
Jesus you are mine 
You are mine 
Jesus you are mine

I was running, and you found me
I was blind, and you gave me sight
You put a song of praise in me
I was broken, and you healed me
I was dying, and you gave me life



Lord, You are my identity

I know, I know…
Chorus

I am forgiven, I am your friend 
I am accepted, I know who I am
I am secure, I’m confident
That I am loved, I know who I am
I am alive, I am set free
I belong to you and you belong to me

Chorus 



DAY 39 PET PEEVES
I have HEAPS of pet peeves although putting them all down is harder than it sounds lol

  • I hate cleaning the kitchen and having crumbs on the bench
  • I hate cleaning up and the kids or John making a mess not long after
  • Why do I always seem to have to change the toilet roll when its empty?
  • Same with the coffee jar and the sugar jar
I hate being a mum sometimes...we get lumbered with so much stuff while the kids and hubby get to play the "its not our job" card *sigh*

Monday, July 23, 2012

Blog Catch Up #2 From June 29

This is a HUGE catch up that I have been meaning to do for AGES.

DAY 29 WRITE A "HOW TO" POST
I have to be honest, I have been slowly neglecting this as the prompts are getting harder for me to do. A "how to" post makes me run and hide. Im not good at writing anything let alone a how to post and actually putting some thought into it lol.
So with the help of a fellow blogger, I am writing about a typical weekend in my house.
HOW TO SURVIVE A WEEKEND!
I dread weekends. I have two VERY ACTIVE boys that are up at sparrows fart and need to be occupied 24/7.

The only way you can survive in my house is to have a never ending supply of food and drink for the boys and then throw them outside (if its raining, put a coat on them). If that fails, pop in an action DVD or a sci-fi and give them a bowl of chippies or popcorn and a blanket.

Once you have done all that and they are quiet, you then have to think about what will happen when John gets home from work on Saturday afternoon. The only way I have found to do that is to keep him occupied with the telly (or computer game) and food and then curl up with a good book until its time to make dinner.

Then its start all over again on Sunday with John home. Thats pretty hard as John can be worse than the kids at times and its very hard to get him up to do something once hes on the couch engrossed in telly. Im pretty lucky its winter, because its perfect fire and telly weather.

DAY 30 MY SENSE OF STYLE
This post would be a bit hard on me too. I dont have a style as such. I wear what fits and what I feel comfortable in. I have tried trends and I just dont have the body shape (or money) to pull any of the current trends off.

Everytime I get dressed, I think I look like a movie star.....really I look like a frumpy mum with messy hair and a belly that looks like a baby is about to drop out of it and an ass to match.
This is the sort of stuff I would wear if I could look like the movie stars.
DAY 31 SOMETHING ECO FRIENDLY YOU DO
We are eco friendly (well I would like to think so)
I take our cardboard boxes (from packaging, food etc) to the local kindy for the collage box a long with my magazines and newspapers and plastic bags (for changes of clothes etc).
We have a compost for our food scraps. John dug a hole in the ground and when its full, hes going to fill it back in and thats how we make our compost.
When I was pregnant with Declan, I bought MCN. Those snazzy nappies with snaps and patterns etc on them.
Its not a lot to us, but its a wee bit more than anyone else would be doing.
I know that there is a lot more that we are doing that I just cant think of right now....oh water....I try and save water and tip grey water into the garden etc instead of tipping it down the drain.

DAY 32 SHARE A POEM
Im not really a poem type of gal, but my nana owned a book by Pam Ayres and I love her poems. There are too many to share, but here is one.
OH I WISH I'D LOOKED AFTER ME TEETH

Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth,
And spotted the dangers beneath
All the toffees I chewed,
And the sweet sticky food.
Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth.

I wish I’d been that much more willin’
When I had more tooth there than fillin’
To give up gobstoppers,
From respect to me choppers,
And to buy something else with me shillin’.

When I think of the lollies I licked
And the liquorice allsorts I picked,
Sherbet dabs, big and little,
All that hard peanut brittle,
My conscience gets horribly pricked.

My mother, she told me no end,
‘If you got a tooth, you got a friend.’
I was young then, and careless,
My toothbrush was hairless,
I never had much time to spend.

Oh I showed them the toothpaste all right,
I flashed it about late at night,
But up-and-down brushin’
And pokin’ and fussin’
Didn’t seem worth the time – I could bite!

If I’d known I was paving the way
To cavities, caps and decay,
The murder of fillin’s,
Injections and drillin’s,
I’d have thrown all me sherbet away.

So I lie in the old dentist’s chair,
And I gaze up his nose in despair,
And his drill it do whine
In these molars of mine.
‘Two amalgam,’ he’ll say, ‘for in there.’

How I laughed at my mother’s false teeth,
As they foamed in the waters beneath.
But now comes the reckonin’
It’s methey are beckonin’
Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth.

DAY 33 PLANS YOU HAVE FOR SUMMER
Oh this is easy! We have LOTS of plans for summer! Luckily Summer is in November so we have plenty of time to get saving!
  • We need to re-build our wood shed and look at building an extra one
  • We need to get some WOOD
  • The house needs the painting finished outside
  • The yard needs cleaning (which may happen this year)
  • Under floor and ceiling insulation before summer is out
  • We are hoping to do a re-jib and paint in the boys bedrooms (I think its called drywalling?)
  • oh and now my brain has gone blank haha

DAY 34 FREE DAY....WILL COME BACK TO THIS

DAY 35 A FEAR YOU HAVE
I have a lot of fears....one is flying.

John watches A LOT of "air investigation" programs on National Geographic (or is that Discovery?) and I am already freaked out about flying as it is without all that. 
We had to go to Auckland last November to the hospital for John to have a procedure done.
We flew up in a 737 and it was a really bad flight for me. My seat was next to the wing and we were packed in like sardines. I got really scared and wanted off the plane, and having John talk about the plane dropping out of the sky was FREAKING me out even more.
I dont know why I am scared to fly, I mean I have done it twice about 20years ago in a little pencil plane.
I think its weird how your fears can spiral out of control as you get older. This is a fear that can seriously hold us back from doing things in life (unless I am sedated that is). It was great view from in the plane, but I was too scared to enjoy the flight (and really it was only about 30mins in the air anyway).

Thats my fear.

This is the end of this catch up. Hopefully I will be back on board in a few days.

I love reading comments that you have sent in, and I love to visit everyone who visits me. 

Much Love
Vikki


Monday, July 9, 2012

#blog challenge catch up

IM BACK!

IDEAL DAY OF "ME" TIME
I dont have an 'ideal' day of me time. I spend a lot of time at home alone so I get to do what I want (unless Im broke). I like to be surrounded by people who love and care about me. I like to watch Telly and DVDs etc and read. So that my day. Its pretty small and boring compared to what most people would do I suppose. Im a home body and find it hard to make friends, so this is what I have always done.

WHAT DOES YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER DO THAT MAKES YOUR HEART MELT?
My significant other isnt into showering with gifts etc. Most of the time, he is too pre occupied with other stuff to notice what I do or dont do hehe.
When he is outside pruning the rose bushes back, he cuts me a single rose. Its barely opened. He cuts all the leaves off the stem and makes sure it has a beautiful smell. Thats what he does that makes my heart melt. I often find those roses hanging up in my hot water cupboard to dry (he does that).

BEST GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED
Thats a hard one.
When my nana went to a nursing home, she gave me her microwave. That was a god send :)
When my nana died, my mum bought me a chest freezer and a new free standing oven/stove. We really needed that.
When I was pregnant with Declan, my mum gave me a HUGE slow cooker.
I have had heaps of gifts and they all have their special "best" sticker on them.

HOW DO YOUR LAUNDRY? SHOW YOUR TIPS
Um, I dont. I usually wait until I can't move in the bathroom anymore and then I throw it all in the laundry room and leave it and then wash it all in one go. Then it goes in the dryer and onto the couch.
I don't have any tips. Im a slack house wife. I have charts, lists, notes etc and I still cant turn into Martha Stewart.


Okay so thats a few catch up blog posts.
Things are crap here. Im not allowed to talk about it so Im not doing so well.
Since I can't talk, Im off to watch GLEE

Much Love



Friday, June 29, 2012

Cancer is awful!

I had no other idea for todays title.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been hit with the Cancer bomb.
Its awful!

Johns dad went into hospital last Monday with a suspected Gall Bladder problem. A few tests, CAT scan etc and they found a growth on his heart and spots on his liver. They managed his pain and he went home (I think he would of been chomping at the bit to leave).

Last night, we got the call that the biopsies were back etc and the cancer is EVERYWHERE. Not only that, but poor dad has Rheumatoid arthritis too. I am slowly falling apart while trying to hold everyone up (John, his brother, Johns aunt). I know that there could be years, weeks or even months left and am trying to focus on the long term (him being here for xmas etc) because while I am grieving, he isnt dead yet lol.
I am also feeling a wee bit selfish at how I am feeling. He isnt MY dad, and this isnt MY family (ya know), so why am I sad and feeling like everything is falling apart around us?


I feel for mum as I have no idea what they are going through. They have been married for 32+years and together for longer. They have also just gone through a family death a few months ago. 


While I SHOULD be doing my blog challenge and catching up, its the last thing on my mind at the moment.


Okay, Im off to stoke the fire and make a cuppa and gorge myself on chocolate while deciding on what to make for dinner.


Happy Friday everyone
xoxoxo







Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Happy Tuesday! #BlogChallenge

I have a few posts that I need to catch up on today......

Photo as a child
I dont have a photo of me as a child.....unless I turn my house upside down looking for one (and the chances of finding one is pretty slim)...sorry people.

Most Recent Words of Wisdom?
We are going through some major stuff at the moment. I think the most recent words of wisdom given to me has been "Don't be afraid to ask for help"
I have had a pretty bad upbringing and had to rely on myself for everything, so it is hard for me to swallow my pride and ask for help. Whether it is support I need or something else, I find it super hard to ask for help or to accept any form of help.

The next posts are from bloggers....


When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Hannah @ Baby Knows Best
Ohhhh this is a hard one.....I wanted to be so many things when I grew up.
I wanted to play Saxophone.
I wanted to be a teacher (primary/kindergarten)
I wanted to be a vet
I wanted to be a nurse
I wanted to be a mechanic
I think I have FINALLY settled on being a mum.


Favorite Blog Post you've written before this challenge. Alecia @ Chicken Scratch NY
I have a lot of favourite Blog Posts.
I wrote a post about how petty and horrible some women can be. I was very angry after years and years of harrassment and bullying. They had attacked me left right and center and I really should have left, but there were some really nice genuine people on there. I didnt name names, I didnt even put up links etc, but my blog had the most views and it still does on that one post.
I wrote a post about how PC we are becoming and its taking all the fun away from things and about how competitive people are now.


Favorite eco-friendly thing to do. Shai @ The Vagabond Studio
I dont see myself as an Eco-Friendly person....I do stuff because it makes sense to do it.
I turn off taps so they dont drip
I turn off lights to save power
We have a compost and a vege garden (although its not really a garden at the mo)
I just do stuff.


Ok...now for my post
We are going through some stuff at the mo, I dont particularly feel like doing the blog challenge anymore. I am going to keep doing it though as I am doing it for ME and not anyone else. It will also keep me occupied.
Today is a wet cold day. The kids are off at school. Declan got "star of the day" yesterday and has a few more newbies started. Andrew is doing pretty well too. John is out in the wop wops working today (in the rain etc) and we have Johns younger brother staying with us at the mo while hes on holiday.
Thats pretty much it. I want to spend some money, but we are flat broke til John gets paid and the credit card doesn't look too healthy lol, so most likely catching up on blogging and watching MySky stuff.


Much love
xoxoxo

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Something you are proud of the last few days #summerblog19

Today is something you're proud of (hence the title)
I have heaps of things I'm proud of from the last few days.
To other people, they are silly things. To me, they are important.

  1. I cooked a FANTASTIC pickled pork in my slow cooker on Saturday night. I had it with honey glazed yams and mixed veges. I found a recipe online (thank you iPod) and we had Johns nana for dinner before we went out to the movies and she babysat the kids for us.
  2. I got us a great trailer of wood. Its a little trailer, but the wood is a great mix and dry.
  3. I got the kids to help tidy the lounge on Saturday
  4. Apart from a few baskets of laundry that need folding (the sock basket and my clothes), I am UP TO DATE and we have an extra couch to sit on!
  5. I have done some dusting.
  6. I am slightly more organised than I used to be
  7. I got up at 7am this morning and did my dishes while I waited for the kids to get up (and our visitors to get up)


As you can see, I have a lot to be proud of.
Thank you to Kassandra Groll who put this as a summer blog challenge.


Today is a surprisingly warm day. Slight breeze which is chilly, but there is NO condensation on the windows and the house is all open to air. Its Tuesday so I have to pick up Johns nana (why do I say that?) from grocery shopping in a few hours. I bought Fifty Shades of Grey last week and lent it to her to read and then got told its NOT a suitable book for her to be reading. I really didnt think it was that bad, but I was informed that its quite raunchy and has BDSM in it etc. So if she skips all that stuff, there probably isnt much of the book left to read lol.


Anyway, have laundry in the machine and dishes to dry now.
Much love

Monday, June 18, 2012

Summer blog #15 - #18

Photos I am proud of
I take a lot of photos and am proud of every one I take. 
Here a few:
My baby, Tungsten. She is a whopping Great Dane/Bull Mastiff cross and about 6years old.


Muffins I made John. 

Mr Andrew Pants 

Declan

The boys eating muffins for breakfast.

I don't have a lot of pics of John as he doesn't like to have his photo taken and there aren't alot of me either as I'm the one behind the lens lol.

Fitness guru or Couch potato?
I'm not one or the other, I'm both! I can go days without going to the gym and I can go days of nothing but the gym. I'm not going to lie and say I LOVE THE GYM, because I don't.....I also can't sit around home and do nothing either. I have SADD. Its Seasonal Depression and when Im feeling a bit blue, I get up of my butt and go to the gym. I'm lazy though, if I don't go to a gym class then I only do about 10mins at a time.

3 things I am proud about my personality?
Um......Can I answer this some other time?

A recipe you love
I have a recipe that I use all the time. Its so basic and easy and its my go to recipe when I feel like something healthy, but something easy too.
I buy Healthy Food Guide magazine and belong to their Facebook Group and also have their website Healthy Food Guide as a back up on my computer/iPod Touch/Johns Laptop 

I use 5pm Panic! for a lot of meals when I meal plan etc and its really good. Okay, heres the recipe:

Tortellini Bake

Ingredients
  • 2 x 300g packets fresh meat-free tortellini pasta
  • large jar tomato pasta sauce
  • bag baby spinach, chopped
  • 180g reduced-fat ricotta
  • 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella


Instructions
Preheat oven to 220°C. 
Spoon pasta into a 7 cup-capacity baking dish. 
Add sauce and spinach. Mix to combine. 
Spoon into a 7-cup capacity baking dish. 
Top with crumbled ricotta and mozzarella.
Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling around the edges. 
Garnish with parsley.

Anyway, its a fab cold day. The fire is going yet again, there is snow on the hills behind my house. I have my brother and his work mate coming for dinner and to crash on the couch.
Happy Monday
xoxoxo





Thursday, June 14, 2012

ARG! 15 tips on life? #blogchallenge day 14

Today I am meant to write 15 tips to help fellow bloggers in life. This challenge is a CHALLENGE! It is making me think outside the box and look inside ME!

These are my tips as cliched as they sound so bear with me :)

  1. Smile. Because you never know who needs it and who will be watching
  2. Dress like every day is a date. It makes you feel fab (and you never know who you will bump into)
  3. Eat the Tim Tam. If you don't, it will be FIVE Tim Tams tomorrow
  4. Laugh, laugh and laugh some more
  5. Cry, cry and cry (if your going to, it means you need to)
  6. Watch that Twilight movie (or any cheesy movie)
  7. If those dishes need doing and you don't want to, JUST wash the plates :)
  8. Ask for help. People might not always be there, but you asked and that is what matters
  9. Get a pet....a cat, a dog, a rat etc it doesn't matter.
  10. Go to church (if you're a church person), you need the people more than you will realise
  11. Have a PJ day. Dvds, fire, blanket, snacks and PJs
  12. Stop making excuses. If you don't want to do something, just say it :)
  13. That 10min walk the drs advise, really does WORK
  14. If you want it, and there is nothing stopping you....go get it!
  15. Try and live life like there is no tomorrow......sometimes its the kick you need.
I think that's it! Other than the age old "be true to yourself" because really if you can't be true to yourself, then who can you be true with? 

I'm at home watching Suburgatory on the My Sky with the fire going thinking that I need to buy food because of course I didn't yesterday.......so I'm going to love you and leave you now.

Happy Thursday Arvo
Much Love
xoxoxo

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Where am I at the end of the year? #blogchallenge day13

I have so many things that I would like at the end of the year. Its the same goals I have at the start of the year lol, its just that things crop up and my goals get pushed to the back burner.
I have things like a new kitchen on my list etc, but thats not really where I would be is it?

30kg lighter would be nice (ok yup.......)
travelling (ummmm)
working (working on that one)

The stuff thats on my "to do" list is

New kitchen
travelling (or at least a family holiday)
renovations on the house (at least start that)
a full re paint of the house (inside)
the outside needs finishing (painting)
the yard cleaned up
doing up the boys bedrooms (thats a dream)

I just want to be the person that I used to be (well ok I AM that person, but I need work).

I think the hardest thing about doing this challenge is that I have spent a lot of my life trying to please others and being shot down, bullied, taken for granted etc that I just don't know what to do when I have to think of the positive things in my life or think about ME for a change. I am writing this as I have a cuppa before going to my weekly church group (and then hopefully do the grocery shopping) and no doubt I will remember so much more once I click on the "post" button.

So how do YOU see yourself at the end of the year?

Much Love
xoxoxo

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Best Day of My Life/Worst Injury

Best Day of My Life
I have a lot of days that I would call the best day of my life.

The day I gave birth to Andrew was a good day....although when I reflect on it, it was one of the WORST days of my life followed by more days that I would love to erase (but I want to keep the baby that I had lol).
The day I gave birth to Declan was a good day...better than Andrews birth and the days after were better too...although now, that perfect baby is a hyperactive 5yo lol.
I bought a house
I got married (and even though I can look back on that day and wish for something better, I am happy that I got married....and the GROOM was late!)
Those are a few days that I would consider the best in my life. Its really hard to sit and write about them and narrow it down to just ONE day. They are all good in ways, but shadowed by regret in others (that makes me sound like an ungrateful horrible person).
Ok Im moving on now hehe

Worst Injury
I dont actually have a worst injury (unless giving birth counts). I have never broken anything, fractured anything, been admitted to hospital for treatment (except for when I got my tonsils out and had the kids). Im a healthy person with no injuries (fingers crossed it continues).

Right O thats the summer challenge done! Time for an update on us :)

Today is a CRAPPY day! We woke up to rain, wind and a cold day. I have been ringing around for firewood because we are running out (John said, not to worry about getting wood because he would get it....I should have known better and we have also been screwed around by people I thought were friends who said they would help us out in summer). Lesson learned? Dont ask for help because in most cases you dont get it and then when people ask you for help and you say no, they seem to think its ok to bitch about you not helping them.....yeah life sucks arse. Im am SO not elaborating on this lol
I have the kids at school. John is at work and Im just wasting time at home before I go have a coffee with Johns nana in town (which I dont actually want to do, because its warmer in my house for a change).
I have bills coming out my ears and stress up to my eyeballs. Im one of those people where a fallen tic tac is enough to make me spazz out and stress and worry and I have no idea how to get around that. It creates a monster.

Enough of me spazzing out....time to go and do a clean up and go meet Nana for a cuppa in town.

Have a great day.
Much Love

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Guilty Pleasure/Cooking Disaster/Famous Art

Today I have THREE updates for the blog challenge.....my fault for slacking (and John being home yesterday)

Guilty Pleasure


What is my guilty pleasure?
This was hard, but watching telly with the kids yesterday I got my guilty pleasure....
I may be 28yo, but I love watching Disney movies, Disney channel, High School Musical etc and Trashy reality shows (think Teen Mom, Teen Mom 2, 16 and pregnant). I had a crap childhood. I didn't get to watch much cartoons etc and I didn't get to go out to town or have friends over. I was also robbed of my teen years (although I try not to think about it that way) so I am still growing up now. So, while I am doing my blog update, I am watching Adventure Time (even though its really dumb).

Cooking Disaster


I had to ask John for help on this one. His answer? My pasta bake!
A few years ago, I made a Pasta Bake for dinner. The instructions on the sauce jar said "Place uncooked pasta in dish" so I did. I cooked it for the stated time and put cheese on top and then pulled it out and dished it up for dinner. The pasta DID NOT cook! It was raw, hard, crunchy and in the end we made toast (I think)...this is something John and his brother will not let me forget (a long with a lot of other things). John said this is my disaster...he will eat most things I cook, but this he didn't. Since then I have pre cooked the pasta for my pasta bake. So when there are instructions, you don't always have to follow them lol

Famous Art


Im not one for art, but my walls are covered in what I call "famous" art work. Andrew and Declans stuff is all over my walls, my pantry, up the hall way etc. I also have boxes and boxes of their art in cupboards. I have certificates on the wall too. With the kids art, I also have Johns National Certificate. These are my famous art works. I would like to say that if money was no option, I would hang a Mona Lisa or something but I wouldn't. I have no idea what is art and what isn't, I also have no idea on what is famous or worth money.

So there you have it.....my guilty pleasure, my cooking disaster and my famous art on the wall. I had a few days to think about all this and I still needed some help.

The kids have come in looking for food (even though they got two helpings of breakfast not even 1hour ago)...better go.

Happy Sunday
Much Love
xoxoxo

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge Week One

I found a Blog Challenge and although its Winter in little ol NZ (New Zealand), I thought it would be a great thing to do to get out there and have something to do over the gloomy days.

Its already 6 days in, but Im starting from the beginning.....here goes

Why are you doing this challenge.
I am doing this challenge for myself and to get out there in the blogging world. More for myself.


Post a picture of you smiling.

This is me on Monday 4th June 2012 the day after I got my hair cut

15 interesting facts about yourself

  • I like to read
  • I like to watch movies
  • Im a secret Fan Girl
  • I have two children (Andrew 8yo and Declan 5yo)
  • I live in a little town called Masterton, Wairarapa in New Zealand
  • I go to church
  • Im 28yo in August and I only got my second stage driver licence last July
  • I am a list freak
  • Sometimes I feel that my life is not as exciting as other peoples (especially when I read blogs)
  • I spend a lot of time on Pinterest
  • I want to travel the world, but have a fear of flying
  • I collect things
  • I started to scrapbook and have only done ONE layout in 5years lol
  • I dont drink alcohol and when I do, its only 1-2drinks in a blue moon
  • I have been with my best friend for nearly 10years and we are still in as much love as when we first met.
Meaning behind your blog name.
There isn't really a meaning behind my name. 7 years ago, I was just starting out on my own with my husband (we only just got together) and I baked and cooked and even though I had some slight depression, I had a zest for life. Over the years, I lost my zest for life and now I want to get it back again. My blog is about me having to answer to myself every day so I try to achieve something so I have something to post about.

Short term goals for this month and why those goals
  • To try and be more organised (my house is pretty small and cluttered with toys etc everywhere and dishes on the bench lol)
  • Do more with my boys (they are currently in an After School Program to interact with other children)
  • TBC (because this is very hard)

Nicknames you have & why you have them.
I don't really have any nicknames....I have lots from my childhood, but I that isn't my life anymore and the people that gave them to me aren't people I talk to anymore.

Picture of something that makes you happy.
This is a pic of my family and my brothers family.

Thank you for letting me take part in the blog challenge
Much Love
xoxoxo

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Start of a new week.......

Declan got sick last week. The day before he started school.....
He would cry out whenever I cleaned his nose or got him to blow it and then started to not listen and turn things up again.

I took him in for a check up with the nurse this morning before school, and the LEFT grommet has all but fallen out and the RIGHT ear is so full of fluid etc, that it "may or may not" pop. My poor school boy is still having ear issues and I cant do anything to help him.

On a positive note, welcome to new followers and dont forget to check out Nicole

Im laxing in front of the fire today....Declan has an after school group to go to at 4pm which is something my church started last year to get the neighbour hood kids out and about, so will update on that tomorrow. In the mean time, Im off to do some time sucking with some link goodness.

Much love
xoxoxo

Friday, June 1, 2012

Welll........

It has certainly been a while!

John got sent to AKL again for 3 nights! The joys of working for a huge company lol and being the safety officer! I am sooo proud of him...and did I mention, he got head hunted? AGAIN

Andrew had another birthday and I couldn't believe (like every year) that he is growing so fast!
He wanted his very own party so invited TWO friends lol and had a quiet day at home in front of the fire, playing lego and watching movies.

Declans school days were fast approaching and before I knew it, his visit was here. I had to scramble to get his shoes, stationary, rest of his uniform, a new bag etc etc etc oh and the birthday present. His last day of Kindy/Daycare came around not long after and it was an emotional day for ME and the teachers.
Im on Johns laptop (again) so will have to put up the pics some other time.
He started SCHOOL this week and has settled in fast and well and his hyper-activity was a HUGE worry to me, but his teacher seems to have sorted this out her way (which is great).
The parents are very snobby lol......but thats something Im going to have to face. Either he went to Andrews school and got bullied etc or he went to a better school and I have no parental friends there lol.

John has been working hours and hours and hours and is very tired and stressful and sometimes I look forward to being asleep when he gets home, but I miss him terribly when hes not here. I miss not having someone to share my night with and going to bed alone. I miss everything when John is at work at night and I worry that hes not looking after himself with all these hours he is doing.

ooooh I have some bloggy linky goodness before I forget

I heart Organizing and everything on her site lol
I heart Organizing projects
Pinterest
Googie momma

I have heaps more, but again Im on Johns laptop so havent book marked them lol

Much Love
xoxoxo