Back on track

After reaching my goal weight of 66 kgs back in January, I got a little lot slack with my eating habits and slowly but surely the kilos that I'd worked so hard to get rid of, snuck back on again. I'm at about 70kg's now, so have 4 kg's that I need to shed. I wasn't too worried though, knowing that once it got too out of control, I'd reign myself back in again. I also blame most of it on uni and the copious amount of chocolate that I needed to make it through assessment and exam time. I was also very slack in first semester with meal planning and dinners turning into last minute throw togethers - usually loaded up with way too many carbs.

That's all stopping though. I've got time now to re-establish old habits and make healthy meals and snacks. I normally go to the farmers market on a Friday, but I've had to reassess that as it clashes with a 9am lecture that I know have. I was also getting frustrated with the lack of quality produce, with most things not looking that much better than the supermarket shelves.

So, I'm now ordering from here and I couldn't be happier. I love knowing that all our produce is mostly organic or spray free and coming from a 5 hour radius, thus reducing the food miles. It's all fresh and good quality and the taste is 100 times better than any produce I've had lately. I'm also hoping that we can get on the next farm tour and show the kids where all the yummy food we are eating is coming from. Getting the boxes is also going to make me think outside my comfort zone for cooking. There is always going to be some things that I wouldn't normally use, but what I can't use I'm sure I can pass on to someone else. This week we got a custard apple, which I am eager to try as I've never had one before. Everything else was stuff that I'd normally use, except for brussel sprouts which I ended up frying with garlic and olive oil and they were delicious!

Duane's also eager to get more exercise into our routine. I'm hoping to fit in a few long, hilly walks during the week and we are also going to start up our afternoon's of exercise in the front yard. It's something that we used to do, but somehow ended up falling by the wayside. So, back to making time every afternoon for playing in the front yard. It'll be a mix if kicking balls, chasing kids, stretching, skipping and some toning exercises. I like involving the kids too, not just going off on our own to do it. It's a way of keeping the kids active and trying to instill movement/exercise as a daily activity - something I need to be reminded of too.

I'm starting up weight watchers again too. My eating habits are quite questionable at the moment, I'm enjoying way more biscuits and snack food than my body needs. I need a reminder on portion sizes and to be a bit more accountable for what I eat and I find WW gives me this boost.

So this weekend, I've been stuffing my face like it's my last supper. Not the smartest way to approach a diet, but certainly helps rid the cupboards of tempting junk!

A weekend of food!

It's been a long weekend here, and I've spent it in denial that I'm a student who needs to study. I've thoroughly enjoyed not thinking about school though, but I know it's going to come back and haunt me. Probably when I'm sitting in my sociology exam next Saturday and wishing that I'd been concentrating more on my lecture notes than the kitchen!

Actually, I might just get brownie points from that lecturer. We have her lecture on Friday afternoon from 4pm-6pm. It'd be an easy one to miss, and many people do. I've never skipped it though and a few times have felt a little lonely in the vast lecture theatre, with there sometimes only being 6-10 students of the 300 that should be there. I love the lecturer though, she's a midwife and often lets it slip that she is a big water birth and home birth fan. Anyway, last Friday was a guest speaker, we didn't find out until the last minute who it was or what they were talking about. Turns out it was a nutritionist who was doing a 2 hour lecture on the merits of a preservative and organic diet. We already have minimal preservatives in the house, and limit what the kids consume in the way of numbers. I've dabbled with organic, but always get shunted back to regular because of the cost. I do try to buy as much organic fruit and veg from the market, but even then I'm tempted by the cheaper alternatives.

I loved the lecture and after hearing all the scientific reasons that organically grown food is better, I vowed that I'd try even harder to buy it. I was all motivated after the lecture, and ready to spend this weeks grocery money on as much certified organically grown produce as I could. Duane was spending the weekend playing golf, so the kids and I ventured out on Sunday to the organic market in Miami. It's only a small market, but we managed to fill a few green bags with what we wanted. The kids picked out some organic and preservative free apricots to consume in the car. They weren't even phased that they were a black colour, not the preserved orange colour they normally are.

Next we headed to the organic supermarket that our lecturer had talked up. The kids have been enjoying chia seeds on their breakfasts for a few months, so I was pleased to see a big bag of that on sale. I also got some cheap Miessence deodorant and lots of yummy organic fruit and veg. Just as I was filling up a brown paper bag with Tassie sebago potatoes, I looked up and realised my lecturer was walking in the door! She recognised me and was so excited that I had obviously taken enough interest in the lecture and was buying some organic products. We chatted for a bit and she talked to the kids, commenting on how well behaved they were.

After our purchases, the kids and I headed out to the mall playground. Grace and Xav had a blast running around, whilst I sat huddled in the corner eating a piece of yoghurt covered almond slice that I had smuggled into the shopping!

Next we headed over for a turn on the merry go round, which both kids were very excited about.

Monday was also spent revolved around food. Both kids and I have spent the majority of the day in the kitchen. First we made chicken stock from a left over roast chicken, which we later turned into vegie and noodle soup for dinner. We also made soy and linseed bread to go with it, which was just delicious freshly out of the oven in time for dinner. We also made a wholemeal date loaf for the Autumn festival up at Grace's pre-school tomorrow afternoon and a big batch of Anzac biscuits to last the week. I used a new recipe for the Anzac's, one that substituted the butter for olive oil and they are just beautiful! There were so many, so I've put some away in the freezer for lunch boxes when the others run out. I nearly almost forgot we also made a batch of mini choc chip muffins, which were yummy! Little mouth fulls of chocolate goodness, with a gooey centre!

We also had a go at making paper, which surprisingly is not that hard! Grace made some pink love heart paper and Xav made some white squares, all out of rough copies of my communication essay!

I also wanted to put some photos of my gorgeous daughter. She has been hassling me for some sticker earrings, so Thursday night I took her shopping and after 3 solid hours we finally found some she was happy with. She LOVES them and is constantly feeling and checking that they are still there. She wanted me to take some photos of her with them in, and of course I obliged. She is such a little poser and most of the time loves the camera.

Over this weekend, I'm sure she's matured again. I was told that the year from 4-5 was time for huge growth - both physically and emotionally. I just never thought I'd see it happen right before my eyes.

Now, I really should get back to study. I've got another essay to start, an exam next Saturday to study for, group presentation to finish and I really need to go back over all the notes for muscles. Gosh, I though bones were tough - Nothing on muscles!

Weekend projects

The sight of Christmas decorations in the shops has started to scare me a little. Not to mention that today is November, which means I have Grace's 4th birthday creeping up too fast and then to organise the loot for the big red guy in December. Gosh where do the months disappear too?

I've decided to try my hardest to have a mainly handmade Christmas. I've already got a few small things for my kids, but have a few ideas for other things I can make for them. I'm making some special little things for all the kids I normally buy for, which I excitedly got started on Saturday.

Making presents takes so much time and patience, much harder than just popping into a shop, grabbing something and wrapping it up, but I really love giving someone something that I have made especially for them. My main motivation though is trying to avoid the over-consumerism that often comes around this time of the year. It's so hard not to get caught up in the rush of it all, which for me just ends up buying for the sake of buying. I set out with all good intentions and short lists, but soon enough I spot things that would just be "perfect" for so and so, only to get home and realise that their present was already sitting in the cupboard. I also find that buying for kids tends to end up being plastic junk that gets played with a few times and then tossed to the side. So much waste and "stuff" filling up out houses, when it's not really needed.

Anyway, that's what I'm doing to ease my guilt. I figure if I start now and do a little every few days, I wont have to do crash the midnight sales for the presents I didn't get around to doing!

So Saturday was spent sewing and crafting. My Mil came up and the lovely women has cut a pattern of my favourite Maxi dress and has been busy sewing up another one out of some beautiful material I bought from spotlight. She's ironing out the kinks in the pattern, getting it perfect and then I'm going to do have a go at making a few by myself! So for $50 for material and a bit of time, I'm going to have 4 new dresses. I've also bought a bit extra material to make matching mini-me dresses for Grace. A little Naff, but I'm sure this is the only time in my life that I'll be able to pull off the same dress as my daughter!

Today we spent the day in the yard and also checking out some nurseries for 2 little projects we have going.

Firstly, we really want to screen off our back fence. It's ugly and if you catch it on the right angle, you can see through to the neighbours, which means that if they catch it at the right angle, they could potentially see me taking a nudie run to the clothesline. Not something I should be subjecting people too. We only want a plant or hedge that comes out about half a metre, but grows to about 2 mtrs. Seems bamboo might be the way to go, and very quick growing so that will appease the impatient side of me that needs things now, now, now!!

Our second project is part of Grace's birthday present. I've been waiting for years to build her a fairy garden, so we have allocated a section of the back yard that is going to be converted into a pretty little flowering garden for all the fairy's to congregate. She's going to have a Fairy Garden party for her 4th birthday coming up, so to avoid crazy amounts of presents we are asking everyone to buy a special plant or something for the garden. Grace is so excited about it being finished, even telling me tonight that's what she dreams about of a night - her special Fairy garden. I have big plans for it, so stay tuned for plenty of pics of the work in progress.

Well it's 9.30pm and my little Grace just stumbled out of bed all bleary eyed. She has asked me to come hop in bed with her for a cuddle and the lure of sleeping all snuggly with my little girl is enough to drag me away from the laptop.

Goodnight.

The Tantrum

Finally silence. The kids are in bed and I am glad.

I've just gotten back from an invigorating, heart thumping walk up the hill and back down. Damn I needed it, the 3 y/o has been driving me bonkers, I just needed to get away before I followed through with my threats of donating her to charity. It was hot, sweaty and humid, but nothing a quick dunk in the spa on my return didn't fix.

I think I had been lulled into a false sense of security. Grace has been perfect over the last few months, rarely causing a hassle and able to snap out of any mood easily.

Well that was until yesterday happened. Oh, golly gosh. She copped me a beauty, catching me totally unawares with, I am sure, the biggest tantrum that has ever been thrown. Ever.

The day had been going well. We were having our regular get together with Nicole & Chelsea and all the kids. Logan and Xav had been having fun together. It was quite funny actually, Xav was very interested in Logan with no nappy on. He crouched down to get a good look at his bits, then wouldn't stop pointing at them. He sees Grace nudie all the time and never takes any notice, but for some reason he couldn't stop gawking at Logan. No doubt these pics will get dragged out for their 18th!




Anyway, the 2 boys retired for a snooze whilst we had a nice relaxing lunch. Grace was missing playing with Malia, but she was behaving nicely. I should've known something was going to be brewing though, she had been up since 6am. I am also trying to get her out of her day sleep, unless it is absolutely necessary. The days she has a sleep now she wont got to bed until 9.30, which although I miss the quiet time in the day, having her up that late is so bloody annoying.

So after the boys woke we thought the kids might enjoy a stroll to the park. Walking down was fine, both kids held onto my hands and cooperated nicely. At the park was fine, the kids all happily played on the slide and swings. We then went for a little walk on an old unused bike track, picking up leaves, bark, feathers and just enjoying the stroll.

Even leaving the park was fine, no annoying whinging about "Just one more swing, puhleease", we were all happy and heading back to Nicoles.


Well that was until Miss Grace decided that she would prefer to walk alone, ahead of me, right beside the busy road. I told her that she had to hold my hand, first I asked nicely. Then it was all on, the whingy, screaming toddler noises started as she frantically tried to break from my grip. I gripped harder, knowing that if I lost it, she would be off. I regripped my hold on both kids wrist, and picked up the walking pace. Grace was still inconsolable and could not be settled, she just kept on screaming at me to let her go. Xav, being the partner in crime, then also started screaming and squirming. It was hot and muggy and I was starting to get frustrated and over it, but as we were so close to a busy road I couldn't really just walk of and leave them, although at the time I would have loved too.


Nicole was behind me all this time, staying well out of the firing line. Probably her first experience of a full on tantrum, certainly not something she has experienced from her very placid 16 month old. No doubt scared the bejeevers out of her though, considering she is 6 months pregnant and going to have the same age gap that I have between Grace & Xav. Good experience though, if you can deal with a tantruming 3 y/o, you are ready for anything!


So I mustered all my energy, scooped Xav up onto my hip, grabbed Grace firmly by the wrist and marched on back to the house. The screaming kept going, and it was a long and exhausting walk but we got there. Grace was promptly put on the step and told she was in time out. I left her for a bit until we had both calmed down then we had a chat about what had just happened. She had a drink and went back to being a happy little girl.


For the most part of the afternoon she was perfect, only breaking into her very annoying, sing-songy whiny voice every now and then. Duane only spent a few hours with her that afternoon but even my placid husband was ordering a stiff drink when she was down for the night. Actually being the non-drinker that he is, a stiff drink for him was a splash of rum in his coke!


I'm hoping we don't have too many repeats of the "episode", I'm not sure how many more I can take!

Going green

I've always tried to be environmentally friendly.

We recycle, I have a compost, lights and power points are turned off when they aren't used, I only use bi-carb and vinegar for cleaning, I always use cloth nappies and wipes, I re-wash plastic plates and cutlery and we are conscious of out water usage.

So when I heard about the diva cup I was all for giving it a go. Now don't click on this site if you are a little squeamish, it took me a while to get my head around the concept of it, but now I am a convert!

The whole thing was a little daunting to start with, but the promise of never buying "feminine hygiene" products again bought out my thrifty side. It's also supposed to be better for you body too, compared to the alternative of the chlorine-bleached synthetic fibres of tampons.

The first few goes I was a apprehensive and having visions of fronting up to Emergency and having to explain that I was missing something. Imagine having to explain that one! But it does work and I did manage this whole period using just the one tampon, and the diva cup for the rest of the time.

I won't go into all the graphic details, but it does definitely work well.

Yes, I really am just a hippy at heart!

Why oh why was I not born in the 60's? I'm sure I would have had a lot of fun had I been around in that era!!