Shopaholic

I love to shop. 

I actually get a rush when shopping and spending money. I love spending money and when I do I spend ALOT!

I can go for months and months with out shopping. But, when I have a good excuse {change in seasons, losing weight etc etc} I go hard! It's like I make up for the all the months that I haven't shopped.  

Recently, I have had a GREAT excuse! With the recent change in weather and Bella moving out of size 2 clothing and into 3/4 she doesn't have any winter clothes. Perfect!!

Even though Charlotte gets all of Isabella's hand me downs I still buy her new things also.

I know some people who prefer to buy only certain brand name things, or only handmade things from SAHWM, or they never buy from here or there blah blah blah etc etc  I don't have any preference as to what I buy the girls. Pretty much I go with the philosophy if I like it, I buy it! 

On this occasion I headed to my local Westfields childless and went nuts!! 

Some of the items I bought weren't on the website so I have added what I could.

Pumpkin Patch had a GREAT bargain. Buy 1 get the next 50% off PLUS spend over $40 you get a $20 voucher!! If that isn't an incentive to spend lots of money I don't know what is??

Here is a picture board of most of the things I bought Isabella.

One of the things that I like about pumpkin patch is that they have a range of different collections. For example bohemian girl is the range I liked the most this Winter season. It Incorporates the same colour scheme but there is a range of different items available. Different styles of tops, long sleeve and short sleeve, jeans, skirts, dresses etc that all match and inter twine with each other. 

Mothercare does the same thing with the different collections.

I have also been buying some stuff online. I love buying some bargains from Ozsale and Brands Exclusive. 


I did manage to score some great dresses for the girls from Rock your baby
I bought these dresses for the girls to wear to Kindy! They are perfect. They can wear leggins with them, you can even put a long sleeve shirt under them! Perfect for winter wear as well as Summer wear.
I got 5 for Bella and 4 for Charlotte. Rock your baby was kind to add an extra dress in for Charlotte as a FREE GIFT!! 

Amongst all the spending of money, I usually buy for the girls and not much for Adam and I. The girls and Adam are dressed well but I feel like most of the time I am wearing my daggy Mummy clothes that are always way too big and falling off me. I need to relearn how to dress for my new figure post babies... I just can't seem to get it right!!

Still no baby??

I am such a tragic! I love my gossip websites, blogs and reading about what all the famous people of our world are up too. I have no idea as to why I am so interested but I am.


One person who I have on google alert at the moment is Jessica Simpson.


Remember these pics of her recently doing the rounds of media interviews pre baby??

Well, there is still no word if she has had the baby or not! Latest tweet 22nd of April confirmed she is still preggers.  Can you believe it? Now, I just like any other first time Mummy who puts on ALOT of weight {I gained 40kg +}  hates being told "you must be due any day now" but  you still not due for weeks!!! But... boy oh boy Jessica looked like she was ready to pop!!
It's been almost 2 months since she was doing the media rounds.


I have loved Jessica since watching her reality TV show Newlyweds. Jessica is renowned for saying some of the funniest, yet dumbest things around.


Here is some of the funny and bizzare things that she has been going around saying whilst pregnant.....


1) On Twitter she tweeted "oh my god, y'all. I just had a daydream that my vagina ate a bag of skittles" Omg that is hilarious!!


2) On the Jimmy Kimmel show she said this.... "I feel like I have a bowling ball sitting on my hookah. Apparently I have a lot of amniotic fluid, so whenever my water breaks, it will be like a fire hydrant!"  Don't we all panic and worry about this? I know I was worried about when and where my waters would break. As it turns out they didn't break and even when my Obs tried to break them she couldn't!


3) On Jay Leno she said "I just started calling myself Swamp Ass. Like, I have 'swamp ass' right now. I had major swamp ass because I was wearing these Spanx to hold in my gut. It's like the bayou up in that region."  What the?? At that pregnant, no way you would see me in suck in your tummy undies! 


4) She told the Fashion star this... "I swear, I will croak if she asks me for a pair of Nikes instead of Christian Louboutins!" hahahaha love it!!


Another thing I love about Jessica is the way she loves to do everything OTT {Over the top}! I am alot like that....or so my husband keeps telling me!


Here is a little clip that she posted on her website which has a snapshot of her baby shower.


Even though we know Jessica is having a girl and we know she is calling her Maxwell....I still want to see a some photos!!! Hurry up and have that baby Jess!!!

Bloom

My copy of Bloom by Kelle Hampton arrived yesterday and I am sooo excited to read it!!

If you don't know who Kelle Hampton here is her blog. 

I first stumbled across Kelle's blog when her birth story of Nella, her second daughter who was born with Down syndrome went viral.

I remember reading that first post; I was up in the middle of the night breastfeeding my youngest daughter Charlotte. I was so touched by Kelle’s words, the tears flowed. I held Charlotte in my arms for at least an hour after she had finished feeding. I just didn’t want to let her go.

Kelle’s writing is so real. Since reading that first post I have been a devoted fan and have fallen in love with her family and in fact her blog makes me feel like I am a part of her family!!  She writes so beautifully and her photos are AMA-ZING!

It had been some time since I had read her blog, due to work, study and family life being so busy.  One of my friends had posted on Facebook that she had bought this book.  When I saw that Kelle wrote a book I knew that it was a must have! I just had to get it.  My copy arrived yesterday and today being ANZAC day, I am hoping to find a quiet moment tonight and begin my journey with her and reading all about Nella’s first year.

Loving...

Oh my gosh it's been so long since I blogged. I miss it, but life is just so busy and I tend to spend my free time reading blogs rather then writing.


But, I thought that I would start it back up again. Not sure what direction it will be heading it but I thought I would start a post and just go for it!!


I was just surfing around and I came across these photos of Tori Spellings Malibu   home that has been put on the market.


How cute is it??

You can see all the other pics here.  I am a HUGE fan of Tori Spelling. I have actually just bought a few of her books. I can't wait to get stuck into reading them. I have wanted to buy this book, Presenting Tallulah for the girls since I first saw it. And I have finally bought it. Just waiting for them all to arrive now!

Haunted...

Last week a friend of mine posted a link on her Facebook. It read.... 

Ban Live Export

I paused and thought... huh! They export stock when they are alive? That can't be right I thought. I clicked the Link.  I was not warned about what I was going to be viewing so I will warn you. As much as the footage is VERY distressing and upsetting, I think its good for people to open their eyes to this and see what is going on. 


I watched this footage on my own on Friday whilst my girls were napping. And I then watched it with my husband later Friday night. The tears streamed down our faces. How can this be allowed to happen? How can anyone do this to another living being? How can we stop this? We had some many questions.


Thankfully there is two wonderful people doing all that they can to make a difference to these poor animals lives, Animals Australia's Lyn White and RSPCA Australia's Bidda Jones. These two wonderful ladies are doing what they can to fight this and you too can help Take Action by taking only a few minutes to sign the petition here. Animals Australia have current updates on their Facebook page here. It honestly, only takes a short moment and it will make the world of difference to these poor animals. 


When I was a 12 year old girl, I was traumatised by a school excursion to the local abattoir.  I can still see the visions so clearly. They run through my mind like a movie. Each step these live stock took till their death. As a young girl these images not only scared me into becoming a vegetarian but they haunted me. I would constantly have nightmares of what I saw. It was too much for my little eyes to see at such a young age. 


I vowed to never eat meat again, and honestly, I am surprised that my class mates were able to continue on and eat meat let alone lunch time that exact day!!


I can't exactly remember what my parents take was on my becoming a vegetarian. I dare say they thought it was just a phase. I loved, Meat pies, Spaghetti bolognese, Tacos and of course a cheese burger from McDonald's!!


But as the days and weeks went by, I didn't succumb when my Mum cooked her yummy bolognese. Weeks turned into months and months turned into years. I am very proud to say that I have been a vegetarian for 20 years now. 


I will admit there have been times in my life where I didn't like to talk about my choices. I really didn't like to get into the huge debate about it all. I would often say its the taste, I don't like the taste that's why, just so I could go about my day and not have to put up with lectures that all meat eaters would make me endure. 


It is and has always been so uncomfortable when I go out to someones place for a meal. I always have to remind people that I am a vegetarian which I always hate to do.  Not only do I feel rude but I think the host felt like they had to cook me some fang dangle vego meal which really is never the case. I will just eat the vegie part of the meal they plan to serve. In the end I just really stopped going to dinner parties and more opted to dine out with my friends. Much less complicated.


But today I stand up proud to be a vego and who ever doesn't like it can go and jump!!!

What I have left....

"A mark for every breath you took, every blink, every sleepy yawn. One for every time you sucked your thumb, waved hello, closed your eyes and slept in the most perfect darkness. One for every time you had the hiccups. One for every dream you dreamed within me.

It isn't very pretty anymore. Some may even think it ugly. That's OK. It was your home. It's where I first grew to love you, where I lay my hand as I dreamed about who you were and who you would be. It held you until my arms could, and for that, I will always find something beautiful in it."

I was "unlucky" I got stretch marks when I was pregnant. Strangely enough I didn't with Charlotte, and I figured it was because my skin had already stretched and had them. 

 I just love love love this. Even though I don't really hate my Stretch marks this really makes me love my shiny little stretchies. I guess its really one thing (aside from my girls ... obviously) I have left to remind me of the time my little princesses were in my Belly. That I... ME created such beautiful little people. I AM AMAZING!!

Are you like me?

It seriously amazes me how my house can go from clean house to trashed house in less then 30 mins! When my girls are up that's it. I spend my entire day cleaning up after them both. From packing away toys that have been played with to paint on the table, hands and faces, to food splattered around the place. It really never ends.

Some days Most days I just ignore it and sing and dance with my girls, play hide and seek, craft, read books and just bum around with them. But then, once they are in bed, it's time to put my house back together again *sigh* I actually forget what its like to not have to clean the entire house everyday. Pre baby days it was a 1 hour job on a Saturday morning to clean the entire house. Now its hours and hours on end all day every day.

Bella great at packing her toys away. She definitely needs to be in a good mood when I ask her though. She is very proud of herself when its all done. She puts everything away in the right spots too, which I love! Books on the book case toys in their right toy barrel, bikes where the bikes live, Lego's in their boxes. Is this the making of a clean freak? I hope so, well maybe not a freak as such.

Now I just need to train the Husband!! HA!

Osama bin laden

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My Dad was in the Army, he is now retired. Growing up with my Dad in the forces was hard. Not only personal challenges of travelling from school to school, house to house, but I always lived with the fear that one day he would have to go off to war. Thankfully, my Dad didn't have to go off to war as such, but that's another story.

I thought I would take a moment to weigh in on the discussion about Bin Ladens death and share my thoughts.

It was a public holiday here in Queensland. We had the TV on the kids channel whilst my Husband and I got on with the housework. Once the kids were in bed and it was time for us to put our feet up and have some lunch and watch TV, the news was all over the TV. Every single Channel {besides the kids channel}. We just looked at each other, dumbfounded. Wow Osama bin laden is really dead. They got him was the looks on our face. Then BAM! Just like that it hit me and I could see it hit Adam too. That sick feeling as we watched the footage of the Americans celebrating in the street.

Yes I believe its a good thing that this horrible man is now not alive and not in charge of Al-Qaeda.  It's left the world with one less evil person but there are hundreds if not thousands more like him.

For me I feel his death is a cause for concern.  I think we can all be 99% sure his death will be avenged only on a much larger scale. {We would be stupid to think that there wasn't a plan in place if he was ever killed}. More so now that pictures of the public in USA have been splashed all over the news celebrating a death like it's the greatest thing in the world. Why not just poke a bear with a pointy stick? A little bit of dignity goes a long way. The behaviour that's been on the news would be vilified if for example it was a bunch of "terrorists" celebrating the loss of lives after 9/11. Remember we often create our enemies by our behaviour.

Then there is the whole conspiracy theory about whether he really is dead. And the USA looking at releasing a photo as proof...

What's next for the world?

I do hope that this means the end of Al-Qaeda and we can all move past this and begin to all live in this world as harmonious as possible.

Hello

Hi Everyone...

just popping in to say Hello! I have been spending my nights being distracted by plans of my daughters Naming day and a few other things that have been going on. I am happy to say that now the Naming day is over I am free now to spend more time on my little blog.

I hope everyone has been well... I am off to catch up on what has been happening in blogland the last few months!!!

If this doesn't...

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MIA

I have been a bit MIA lately. I have been so crazy busy with life. Time just flies by and before I know it another week has past us by.


I have been working hard at my "life style change". I have been doing my best to eat well with a few little treats along the way. I have been doing my best to exercise most days.


I am very happy to report that I have lost 6kgs in 4 weeks! I am very happy with my result. I am so close to my my first goal of losing 10kgs. I can see a little change in my body. My clothes are feeling loose and I have actually had to pack some away and I hope to never have to put these clothes on again!


I still feel so exhausted every morning. The exercise endorphins that are meant to make me start to feel so energised haven't really kicked in yet. I feel exhausted most days and running around and keep my two girls happy whilst extremely exhausted is alot of hard work. I honestly have no idea how I manage to get out the door most afternoons and go and have a good work out! I think I get my 3rd or 4th wind for the day on the way to the gym and when there I give it all I have left in the tank. By the time I come home I am completely and utterly exhausted. But its all so worth it. I am hoping to start to feel re energised soon as I am a bit over feeling tired. 


Aside from that I have been spending my free time (when I can muster up the energy) I am working on my plans for Charlotte's naming day. It's now just over 2 weeks away or 16 days (eek! What a way to FREAK me out!!) I am no where near as organised as I would of hoped I would of been by now. I have managed to do bits and pieces here and there.


I miss you guys lots and I have lots of other stories to share and I will do my best to continue to blog but maybe not as often as I was before. After the naming day I will have a little bit of free time to continue to share my life with you...

Who am I? Figuring out who I am .... again

The last 3 years of my life, I feel like I haven't stopped. 

• I married the man of my dreams in October 2007

• I had my first child in October 2008

• Returned to full time work in November 2009

• I had my second child in September 2010

And that is just the big things that have happened - not the day to day stuff like, birthday parties, trips to the zoo, the park, Seaworld, friends places, and plane rides interstate. The list goes on and on.

Its hard to put this in words so I am going to do the best that I can. 


I went from being me - I knew this me, I knew her very well. I was comfortable in me skin, confident I looked after me. 


I then became a wife. Not much changed aside from my name, though it did take me almost 9 months to finally get off my butt and change it. I was still me just had a different last name. 

I then became a Mummy. Everything changed. My marriage, my body and my life. Out of those three 2 have changed for the better.  My marriage is rock solid. My husband and I are closer then ever... we fell deeper in love after each birth of our darling daughters. We are a team, a bloody good team. 


My life has changed for the better. I feel like I was born to be a Mummy. I love it. I am not one of those Mummy's who whinges and complains. I chose this, I love this life of mine. 

Which brings me to my body. The one part of my life that hasn't changed for the better. Yes, I expected stretch marks a few extra kgs. But I didn't expect what I was left with. A body I didn't recognise and alot more extra kgs then expected :( I am embarrassed, I am ashamed I am unrecognisable. 


I think that this is a huge part of why since being a Mummy I don't feel like me anymore. I don't even feel like a new improved version of me. Yes things are different now soooo different but why don't I feel like me.... the old me? I don't interact with people the way that I used to. I was someone who could chat for hours on end with a group of friends but now I can sit there in a group of people and not even enter the conversation. Still and silent. I lost my confidence.  At times I feel like I don't even know how to be social anymore.  I feel so awkward and unsure of myself and what to say. I was someone who was so active and social catching up with friends all the time. Now, prefer to stay at home, I don't get judged or stared at there. 


I was once someone who was active and fit and now I am lazy and overweight. I was a very health conscious person and watched what I was feeding my body but now I just eat cause I need to not caring what it is.


Maybe the care I once had for me is now used up on my Husband and my girls? Have I given up on me? How do I even start to get back to feeling like the old me? Am I the only one that feels like this? Is this normal? If I lose the weight will this bring back the old me?


These are the questions that continue to circle around in my mind over and over. 


I have no answers to my questions, I don't know if anyone out there does. I guess putting all these feelings out there might help me remember the person I used to be. Help me be me again....

Goodnight Kisses

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Last night was the first night that I wasn't able to say good night to Charlotte before she went to bed. I was stuck at the stupid gym *sad face*. 


I have this thing where I don't want to miss kissing my girls good night when they go off to bed. I know some might think it's silly, but I always want them to go to bed, closing their gorgeous little eyes knowing that their Mummy loves them. 


When I got home and saw that she was in bed {I already knew she would of been, so I was preparing myself} I was a bit sad. Thankfully, I was able to get some cuddles off Bella cause she was still awake.


I quickly jumped in the shower so I would be able to spend some time with Bella before she went to bed. When in the shower I couldn't stop thinking about missing Charlotte's bed time and the good night kiss... I cried....


I found it so hard when I was in hospital having Charlotte when I couldn't be there to give Bella her good night kiss. I just cry thinking about it.


I know that as they get older they will be off at school camps, sleep overs etc. I know I wont cope. I know I will be the Mummy that insists their friends have sleep overs at our house just so I don't miss the goodnight kiss and school camps... well they just can't go. 


Do you also hate missing goodnight kiss time?

Family Photos

We had family photos taken back in January by the wonderfully talented Rachel Ritcher.  I haven't recieved all the photos yet but I wanted to share with you what she posted on her blog.

We are so happy with them. Rachel is so talented and knows how to capture our girls in a way that shows off their little personalities. 


I honestly didn't think this day would actually happen. We had to postpone the session so many times due to rain, floods, sickness. 


The day of the latest scheduled session was a beautiful day out side. I was rushing around all day making sure I had all the outfits sorted and ironed. Whilst getting ready it started to get a bit dark. We had a look outside and our beautiful Queensland Summer day had turned into a Summer storm and it was headed our way. 


I tried not to panic. We all still got ready. I texted Rachel to tell her what the weather was doing this side of town to see what she thought. We decided to keep pushing on, but maybe get there a little earlier.


So we were ready and packed and on our way. A huge sense of relief swept across me as we were all in the car on our way and it hadn't rained.... yet.


The location was close to where we lived as Charlotte isn't a fan of car trips, so we didn't have far to go. On our way there it started to rain heavy and alot of it. The tears welled up in my eyes. I turned to Adam and said, 'what should we do?' He knew how bad I wanted to session to happen. Little Charlotte was growing up fast and I wanted to get some shots of her before she got any older. 


Adam said, 'We will keep driving. I am sure it's clear over there where the water is'.  


As we parked our car safe in the 'dry' car park at the location. I received a text message from Rachel. The Jetty and the beach where we were going to have our photos taken was.... C L O S E D!! Arghhhhhh!!


I mentioned that there was another little Jetty just down the road so we all piled back into our cars and headed to the revised location. Rachel had a bit of a squiz and said that she was happy with it and that we could get the shots done there.


Great I thought. Finally, its happening. What more could stop us now. The rain clouds had passed. The sky was looking clearer. Everything was perfect!


Adam got Charlotte out of the car first as she was quite upset and over being in the car. He handed her to me and in that second I grabbed her she showered me with vomit! Yep Vomit, all over my only outfit. My nicely ironed, nicely co-ordinated outfit. 


The tears welled up again. I thought how on earth were we going to get the photos done now that I am covered in vomit *sad face*


I honestly just couldn't believe my luck! I said to Rachel, 'What should we  do now?' She said it will be ok as I was wiping the vomit off my clothes. 


But thankfully, as you can see, Rachel did a great job and captured some great shots.


I am one very happy, proud Mummy!