Good causes

From the very cool Rinniez here is some goodness for people to do for Easter

 This Easter season, Hershey will donate up to a total of $5,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network together with bloggers.

HERSHEY’S BETTER BASKET BLOG HOP RULES

• Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
• Create a blog post giving a virtual Easter Basket to another blogger – you can give as many Virtual Baskets as you want.
• Link back to person who gave you an Easter Basket.
• Let each person you are giving a Virtual Easter Basket know you have given them a Basket.
• Leave your link at BetterBasket.info/BlogHop comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #betterbasket blog hop, and more information about Better Basket with Hershey’s there.
• Hershey’s is donating $10 per each blog participating to the Better Basket Blog Hop to Children’s Miracle Network (up to total of $5,000 by blog posts written by April 4th, 2010).
• Please note that only one blog post by each blog url will count towards the donation.

So here is a easter basket for anyone who stumbles upon my blog.  no calories!

Reassessing the goals

Let's check in and see if I am following my own goal setting... even as I type this, I know I am going to be totally busted on most!!

1.  Go to Fitmums twice a week.
yup, been doing that EXCEPT last wednesday... my knee went bung, I had an interview with Lucy's teacher at pre school so it was just all too hard.

2. Walk the other days that I don't go to Fitmums. 
FAIL.  haven't done it.  *smacks on hand*  oh, I think i walked to get Lucy from school once. 

3.  Food... eat just one'
FAIL.  food is too yummy.  damn you food!
 
4.  Drink more water.
Semi fail.  I have drank more water in diet cordial, but am still drinking as much diet coke/sprite.

5.  Do the 2 and 5 thing
on and off.... we have been generally eating better, and I try and incorporate veggies in most meals.  I haven't been eating much/any fruit though.

So generally, I would give myself a massive BOOOOOOOOOO! and tell myself to get fucking real.  I had the thought the other day that if I had stuck to this eating healthy plan, I would have lost about 10kgs by now.  As it stands, its about 1kg if that.  meh.  I am glad though that I am still going to fitmums.  As much as I LOAAAAAAAAAATH it, I am doing it. 

Point and shoot... and being busy!

 As with most things, I have neglected this blogging business...  its been a busy few weeks!

As usual, the very awesome Fat Mum Slim has inspired me to post something.

On the weekend, it was Daryl's Birthday, so we had a nice lunch at my parents place (our place is just far too small for a family gathering) but as it turns out, it was a beautiful day and we could have had it outside at our place, but given the state of the garden, mums was still the better choice!

It was nice to sit around and eat yummy food and chill.  My mum made the cake from $120 food challenge website and it was GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!  Plus given that we could have potentially have been spending Daryl's birthday in the hospital or worse, it was nice to spend it together.

He got a new pair of work pants (the old ones got trashed in the crash) and some cologne... he has never worn it, but I was struggling for something to give him this year, and thought this might be something different.  I got him Pleasures by Estee Lauder.  I like it, I don't know if Daryl is too sure yet! Also turns out the pants are too small... back we go for an exchange!

I also went to the Handmade Market on Sunday and got a gorgeous ring (cant remember the name of the stall, I'll have to look it up) and some fabric from Formosa, a Canberra designer who makes such lovely fabrics.  very exciting!  I'm thinking a new nappy bag... if I am feeling adventurous! 

So in all, a busy weekend.

OHHH!  and I also got my iphone on Friday.  HOW DID I EVER LIVE WITHOUT IT?~?~?~


I <3 my iphone!!!!!

To expose myself......

I havent told anyone about my blog except my friend Tam.  I dont know if I should or not.  This has almost been like a diary... something that I was never good at keeping up with as a teenager, but would guard with my life.

If I was to open this up to my friends and family, what would happen?  I don't know if I am ready for my mother to see this, or my husband.  It's not that I am ashamed of what I write, but do I want them to know my inner most thoughts????  It's enough that I blather on facebook and everyone knows my every move.

Still debating this one!

Self Actualisation...

I could blather on for eons about my weight loss/gain battle... but I wont.  it bores me, so it would bore you.

However, at the moment, I am trying to 'own' my weight, instead of just failing at losing it.  Of course, I own my weight... its part of me, but I guess its more about being honest about it. 

So, in that regard, and with inspiration from Prior Fat Girl I am setting some goals.   These are only small, which is the point.  Having huge unrealistic goals are pointless.

So lets have a crack... I will check back in a week and let you know how I go.


1.  Go to Fitmums twice a week.
I am doing this anyway, but its more to just keep doing it and not give up.

2.  Walk the other days that I don't go to Fitmums.
Whether that be walking Lucy to school, or going for a walk around the neighbourhood.

3.  Food
I want to set an eating goal, but its all too hard.  To say 'eat healthy' is too broad.  I have a tendency to over eat one thing over and over.... as in whatever I am eating, if it is delicious (and isn't everything) I will eat 20 of them/it.  So I think it will be 'eat just one'

4.  Drink more water.
I live on diet coke and diet sprite. I would easily drink 2L+ of either/both per day.  If I had shares in coca-cola, I would be a millionaire from my intake alone.  So instead of constantly refilling my glass with these, I will alternate with water.

5.  Do the 2 and 5 thing
Eat 2 pieces of fruit and 5 serves of veg a day.

look at me posting pics!  haha!

Geeks on bikes

My husband is the quintessential geek.  Tall, glasses, smart.  When he told me he was going to learn how to ride a motorbike, I was quite shocked.  He didn't strike me as the easy rider type. 

Anyway, he passed his L's, bought a brand new bike and began his riding odyssey.  To be honest, he isn't a hoon, its merely an easy and cheap way to get to work.

He has 'dropped' the bike before, it fell out from under him in the wet, he skidded along, a bump and a bruise, but nothing major.

Until now.

This time, he still has a bump and a bruise, but it could have been way worse.  This time, he was hit by a car.  I wont bore you with the intricicies of the smash, but basically a car didnt see him, it pulled out in front, he tried to avoid it, clipped the front of the car, the bike fell on him and I get a call from a shaking sounding Daryl asking for my dad or brother to come with the trailer.

Its funny, when the phone rang, before I picked it up, I thought, "This is bad news coming".  But then I rationalised that the cops wouldn't call, they would turn up at my door.  I would often think something had happened to Daryl when he was late home from work, or it was wet.  But he always turned up.  He was actually meant to be home early yesterday, and when he was taking a long time, I just thought he got tied up at work.

But thankfully, he is ok.  Hobbling a bit with a badly bruised left leg, swollen ankle and sore ribs.

More photos.... and to gross out all those from Fat Mum Slim playing point and shoot

The bruises are coming out nicely now...

TRAGEDY!!!! the sewing machine has cracked the shits!

Just as I was getting into the swing of things with this whole sewing shebang, and had the most BEAUTIFUL fabric delivered from funky fabrixs

 

Arent they just GORGEOUS!

the machine decides to DIE!  IT was making some sort of clunking noise, and then nothing.  needle wont go down into the bobbin.  I rang a sewing place and its $120 just for a service, let alone any repairs that may need doing.  Its a REALLY old machine... like 70s vintage at least.  Is it worth $120 to fix it, thats the question.


I miss it already!  :((

UPDATE:  It's terminal.  Looks like I will have to get a new machine.  There is another machine at mums, but I saw some oh so nice machines at the place I took the old one for repair...ones that do wizz bang fancy pants things...  sooooooooooo much more fancier than I could ever use, but nice all the same.

My baby girls... part the first

These are my children, Lucy on the right and Emily on the left.

It still sounds weird to say "my children", even though Lucy is 4.  Perhaps because it is plural.  Emily is 4 months old now, and feels like she has been here since forever.  She is crazily similar to her sister in looks and personality, I just hope she doesn't grow up resenting the similarities.  I must remember not to always compare her to Lucy... and let he be her own person...even if they are the same!

They are just gorgeous (if I do say so myself), and are my life (of course).  For some reason,  I always thought I would have boys.  Funny how things work.  I am glad I have girls, even though I am not the girly girl myself.  Lucy is without any influence from me.  Perhaps Em will be the tomboy.  Lucy loves anything pink, frilly, swishy, pretty and generally everything I wouldnt wear in a blue fit.  She cracks it when dresses arent swishy enough.  She is not enjoying having to wear a uniform to school (well no frilly dresses at least).   While preschool does not usually have a uniform, because she goes to a P-2 school, they have school colours (purple and green).  Its not compulsory, but I jumped at the chance to not have to argue about wanting to wear her best clothes to school and get them full of paint!

Em naturally doesn't really care what she wears, as long as its warm.  My parents are always on at me about her having cold feet.  Its not my fault socks always fall off her!!!  She is starting to develop her own little personality, and while she is a very good baby, happy and smiley, when she is unhappy, the WHOLE WORLD knows about it.  We drove 40 mins from Bungendore to home the other night with her SCREAMING the whole way.  People are generally shocked when they hear her cry because it is very rare that she does.

The girls have several nicknames, I think this stems from my mum who always shortens or adds to names and makes up silly little pet names.  Growing up, my brother was boonksy, robbie-doo, robbie dicks.   I was missy.  I think I got shafted there!  haha.  my nephews also have nicknames, mitchell has always been moo, which gets several deviations, including mooseykid, mooseynoodle, magoo etc.  Liam is the weeman, and gets lots of variations, including wee-um the whecker, weedle.  So as you can see, there is a rich family history of nicknames!

Bam-ma and Mooseykid

Weeman wants to know what the hell your talking about Willis?

Anyways, Lucy is Lulu (naturally) or looby loo.  My parents call her lulu-belle, which I quite like.  I also call both of them baby girl.  Em is Emmy, Emmy-roo and for some reason, Lucy calls Em "kerfuffily"  ker-fuff-ily.  no idea where it came from, but its cute.  Their middle names come from their great-grandparents.  Lucy Jean, after Daryl's mum's mum and Emily Phyllis from my Dad's mum, both of whom have passed away before meeting their namesakes.  Em's is a bit special for me, because soon after nan died, I became pregnant with her, so I sort of call her nan's baby, like she made room for her to come.  I often think Em is laughing with my nan, since she will be staring off into space and all of a sudden starts laughing at nothing.  Nan is singing dancing dolly with her (which she used to do with me and lucy)  Lucy Jean I think just rolls off the tongue, and is used as a term of endearment and as "if you don't come here right now there is trouble"  its all in the inflection....  haha

I am totally smitten with my girls.  I couldn't have done any better if I tried.  Oh, I spose Daryl had something to do with it too.  (read EVERYTHING, neither of them got one iota of Nicholas genes in the looks department!)

Being crafty!

Here is my first bag.  So proud of me!

I got the instructions from this website I found http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/butterflies_and_fruit_pleated_tote_2

I modified it a bit, its meant to have one long strap, but I didnt have enough material, so I made 2 smaller ones... which proved difficult when turning the bag the right way out.  Needed hubby's analytical skill to decipher how to do it properly!

It even has a lining!

So as much as it is pretty dodgy when you look closely, and I am not entirely sure how long some of the seams will last (i really want a machine that does reverse without having to turn the whole thing around and go back!) but I learned a lot.... and want to do some more!  tee hee!  spotlight is my new favourite store!

Debology

Rules: YOU! Yes, you, reading this. You're tagged. Now that you know more about me than you ever wanted to know, play the game, it's fun! Let others know a little more about yourself, repost this as your name followed by "ology."

FOODOLOGY:
What is your salad dressing of choice?
I used to love thousand island dressing, but now its ceasar.  anything creamy... which is bad.  bummer.

What is your favourite sit-down restaurant?
I love a good thai restaurant. 

What is your favourite fast food restaurant?
I know its unholy bad for you, but I cant go past mcdonalds. 

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
ice cream.  lots and lots of ice cream!

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
chicken, feta, bacon, sweet potato

How many televisions are in your house?
1.  there is also one in the garage in a box.  no room in the house for it!

What color cell phone do you have?
silver and black

BIOLOGY:

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Right.  but i can do alot of things with my left, including writing.  i am also left footed.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
wisdom teeth, a mole.  babies i pushed out, so it wasnt actually 'removed'

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
the eskie when camping.

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Nope.

Have you ever fainted
yep.  once out with a friend.  people thought i was drunk, but i only had one drink!

BULLCRAPOLOGY:

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
no i dont think so.  although it would be nice to say goodbyes.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
i dont have a good enough imagination to think of something cool.

How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
Too many!!!  some i have never even worn!

Last person you talked to?
Lucy Jean

FAVOURITOLOGY:

Season?
spring/autumn.  not too hot, not too cold.

Holiday?
birthdays and christmas... anything with presents!!!!

Day of the week?
Friday.

Month?
July... my birthday!

Color?
Blue

Drink?
diet coke


Alcoholic?
beer

CURRENTOLOGY:

Missing someone?
I think about my nan, but she is not suffering anymore. 

What are you listening to?
right this second, ads on the TV. 


What are you watching
the morning show.  they are showing the red carpet from the oscars

Worrying about?
emily's sunburn. 

What's the last movie you saw?
ummm.... probably princess and the frog with lucy

Do you smile often?
sometimes

If you could change your eye color what would it be?
my eyes are fine.  i hope emilys stay blue like her dads.

What's on your wish list for your birthday?
an iphone.  not that i need a new phone... but i want an iphone!

Can you do a chin-up?
a what?  hardly!

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
indifferent.  its gonna happen, there isnt much use worrying about it.  i would lean more to excited i guess.... to see how the girls grow up, etc.

Have you been in a car wreck?

nope, a few bingles.  we had a major bingle in december where I thought it was going to be worse, but we were lucky.  I have dreams this is how i will die.  I used to love driving, now I am much more nervous about it.  I get cranky with daryl and his driving like a dick in bad weather.  yesterday, going 120kms an hour on the highway in torrential rain is crazy. 

Have you caused a car wreck?
No.

Do you have an accent?
im sure to people overseas i do.

Last time you cried?
not sure... i get teary, but not bawling.

Plans tonight?
doubt it

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?

no thankfully.

Name three things you bought yesterday?
nothing!  oh my god!


Have you met someone who changed your life?
my daughters, my husband

For the better or worse?
better!

How did you bring in the New Year?
went in to the family fireworks in civic and then to my parents place.  boring!  It was amusing to see all the silly girls with ridiculous shoes in civic though... how much are they going to regret their footwear choice by midnight!

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
sure, to see historic things.  in my life i would go back and do things a bit differently.

What songs do you sing in the shower?
i dont sing in the shower

Have you held hands with someone today?
not yet... although lucy comes over and we play slaps!

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Emily and her sunburn :(

Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
Both.

Do you like pulpy orange juice?
nooooooo.  pulp free all the way!

Last time you ate peanut butter and jelly?
i dont eat them together... i have once

What were you doing at 12 a.m. last night?
Sleeping... but i got up at about 11:30 for a drink.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
i forgot to turn off the alarm to remind me to go to fitmums, but its not on today cos its a public holiday

your turn!

Point and shoot...

Again from the very awesome fat mum slim
Go out and take a pic from your weekend.


Here is a pic from out weekend away to Gerringong.  Nice to catch up with friends...between 4 couples we now have 11 children!!!!  yipes!

 

I believe simpsons porn was mentioned.  wrong!

The only downside, and I am feeling like DOCS is going to turn up on my door at any minute, but Emily somehow got sunburnt.  She was in the shade all the time (but I guess not for some moment) and has pretty bad sunburn on her face.  I feel just awful.  She doesn't seem too phased by it though, still smiling.  It's just me that's wracked with guilt.

 

sorry bubba.  I am an awful mother.  :(

just a bit crafty....

 

Here is my first (viable) bib and spit rag.  I did a few trial runs with some scrap my mum had, just to get used to using a machine again, and get the right template for the bib.  I found one on the net, but it just didnt seem to work out the first 2 times I did it.  One was a complete disaster, the other was better but still not perfect.  It was not deep enough in the neck and would have strangled the baby!  I was also using an old nappy for the back, which I think was a bit thick.  I then decided to trace around a bib Em already had, and allow extra for the seams.  (I am REALLY bad at forgetting to allow for seams!!!)  so eventually, after after 3 or so goes, I got the one I wanted.  Time to use to good material!

I got some patchwork squares called "fat quarters" which is enough for the bib and the rag.  I also bought some flannel for the back from spotlight.  (its lucky spotlight is in Queanbeyan, otherwise I would be there alllllll the time.)  As it was, I spent $70 odd bucks kitting myself out.

So here is the first one.  You cant tell from the pic, and you probably wouldnt notice unless you are really observant (and a sewer... I'm sure my sewing friends would notice!), but when you turn the bib over, I used the wrong side of the flannel.  oh well.  lesson learned!

This afternoon I went to tuggers and got 10 more fat quarters to make some more.  I am hooked!  I also want to bring the machine over from mums (we just dont have the room) so I can make some more before the weekend for friends that have had a baby recently and we are seeing them on the weekend.  Hopefully they will withstand the washing and wearing!!!!

Remember, I am very good at doing lots of dodgy craft!  I am also very good at going overboard at first and then slowly losing interest!  hahaha!

and because I forgot to add a pic....

me and the boy

For more in the 'getting to know you' series.  (ha!)  here is something I stole from my new favourite obsession Fat Mum Slim, a fabulous blog which I hope to emulate!

Here is a little something about me and my wonderful, understanding, and geekily hot husband Daryl

What are your middle names?
Jane and Ian.  how boring.

How long have you been together?We've been married for 5, together for almost 8

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Well we pretty much started dating straight away.  We moved in with each other pretty quickly (2 months or so in) cos he had to move out of his place and I was house sitting.

Who asked whom out?
We joke about this, I say that he seduced me, and he says I seduced him.  I think it was just pretty mutual that we liked each other so we started hanging out.  The first weekend we hooked up, it was Friday night he put his arm around me, Saturday night we hugged all night (it was cold, and we were at a 21st bday outside) and Sunday night, well we sorta, you know... hooked up.  :)

How old are each of you?

I am 36, he is 29 in a few weeks.  yes, I am apparently a cougar!

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Mine.  Him and Robbie get into all sorts of geeky shinanigans.  Daryls sister lives in melbourne, his brother in perth.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?We are pretty cruisy really.  I think the hardest part is we tend to bottle up what pisses us off so we dont upset each other, so when it finally blows, we both get all stupid and emotional. 

Did you go to the same school?

Considering when he was still in primary school I was out at the pub, no.

Are you from the same home town?

Nope.  We both come from Victoria though.  I was born in Melbourne, he in Hamilton.  County boy and city girl

Who is smarter?'

I may have the education, but he has the smarts. 

Who is the most sensitive?
I think Daryl is deep down.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

We go every friday night to the club for dinner with my folks.  Life in the fast lane for us!!!

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Darwin.  Did a big road trip up the centre when my folks were living up there.  Had a good time.  I'd love to do it with the kids when they are a bit older and I would also like to do it again with daryl when we retire.

Who has the craziest exes?He does.  He only has the one, but she made our life difficult when we first started going out.  

Who has the worst temper?
I think we both do, although it doesnt come out much.  I am trying to teach him to be more patient with the girls and not blow up over stupid things.

Who does the cooking?
We both do, but he is better at it.  He is more precise and thinks things through.  I just throw things in and hope for the best.

Who is the neat-freak?

Neither... which means our place is always a mess.  I have an inner neat freak, but it is surpressed by the laziness freak.

Who is more stubborn?Daryl.  I am more willing to see both sides, whereas he sees one side!

Who hogs the bed?

We are pretty good at keeping to our sides, but now and then a rogue arm comes over and tries to crush me.

Who wakes up earlier?
I am better at waking up earlier, but perhaps cos I can hear the alarm!!!

Where was your first date?

Well that first weekend, we went to Southern Cross club and PJ's at tuggers, Saturday was the 21st at some house in higgins, and Sunday night was his place.   Later on I think we went on a real 'date', since I demanded it.  We went up to Mt Ainslie and looked at the lights. 

Who is more jealous?We're not really jealous people, at all. So neither.

How long did it take to get serious?We were pretty serious from the start.  I think it was a few weeks in when he said he loved me.  It was a bit early for me, but I was pretty sure I felt the same way.  I just knew that we would be together in some way, even when we met months before and never spoke to one another at another party (well, it was a room of geeks, one computer and me.  woo.)  I just thought there was something about the quiet boy in the corner who said nothing.

Who eats more?
Me.  He very often misses out on things because I eat it before he gets a chance!  Although he can eat a whole chicken himself!!!

Who does the laundry? 

We both do, although I tend to do more cos I am home.

Who's better with the computer? 

hahahahahahahahaha.  umm, definately him.  In fact, I think I have lost computer skills being with him, cos I just get him to do it all!

Who drives when you are together?
Hubby. I drive so much during the week.