he he he....

More trolley snooping going on here....

In Horsham last night and did a quick shop at Safeway before I came home. Lining up at the checkout, in front of me was a larger couple.. (OK... quite large...) They had total shit in the trolley, Easter eggs, chips, frozen chips, soft drink, donuts etc... gross (and not to mention expensive!!!) anyway... the husband was emptying all of this shit onto the checkout and she is reading the back of a "Slimfast" 200 ml milkshake that she must have found in one of the aisles....

Some people don't get it and never will....

Almost...

That is how I feel...

"Almost Happy with my weight"

"Almost happy with how I look"

"Almost in control of my feeling and what I eat"

"Almost making enough time for myself to exercise"

"Almost feel like I am working at 100%"

Almost....

The ONLY thing that is stopping me from getting there is me!! I have had a couple of crazy food days and I feel yucko for eating crap and not exercising enough.. so why do I do it???

I think I have said this before, but I am a emotional eater... When I first started WW, I remember telling my WW buddy that I wasn't an emotional eater.. that I just loved food. Well "HELLO SUNSHINE!!! WAKE UP!!!".. i think it took me 3 or so months to realise what I ate and when, why and I am a emotional eater...

The best thing about realising that I am is that I don't let it get out of control like it would have once done. I recognise the signs and do something to distract myself from food. Like ironing.. gardening... visit a friend... seems so basic but it is so true!!!

So... a little emotional eating going on it I am stopping myself from getting to where I really want to be. I have had more tone in the last 12 months and I WANT IT BACK!!! If anyone find it, please make sure you send it my way!!! Things are settling down again a little. A good rain will help also... but I am sure that it coming!

Other things going on??? We got a very pleasant report from the kinder teacher over the weekend, that Emilie is a delight to teach, and does the most amazing pictures... :) Can you just imagine the shoulders of Jack and myself, chest puff out with pride! And Little Laura has calmed down just so much... different girl since Emilie has gone to kinder!. We are so proud of them! Hugh.. Well he is just a shithead... 2 years old and thinks that he is the boss.. gotta love that bit of spirit... still mighty cute!

Ok.. lunch dishes are calling my name.. ever so faint.. but I can't ignore them forever! Have a great day!

Duck-a-cise

That is what I have been doing this morning!!

Here is a photo....

I spent my morning shovelling duck shit away from the walls of this shed... Three hours of solid work saw half of the shed done.... I had to pick up my kids at lunch time, so I had to leave my friend to it!

Really hard to explain a duck shed unless you have seen one... This one is over 100 metres long and they have up to 16,000 ducks in there at one time. They come in as day one ucklings and leave after 6 weeks.. full-sized ducks that you would eat!

It was my friends birthday today, usually we go out for morning tea or something, but the batch of ducks left last night, so the shed has to be cleaned ready for the next batch coming in Tuesday. They totally cleaned the shed to avoid dieases etc... very strict!

Good old fashioned hard labour!!!! Have spent quite a few hours in the duck shed over the past few years. I was pregnant with Hugh when they first built the shed and my friend was also pregnant. So the two of us would waddle with the ducks... spreading saw-dust, weighing the little buggers each week... then when they are 6 weeks old, they have to be herded into crates counted, stacked... good fun!! Her husband took over the duties for a while, but the seasons the way they have been, he has gone back to work part-time so the duck-shed duties had to resume...

Here are some more photos...

This is Hugh watching what is going on in the shed when he was a tiny bubba... we where weighing the ducks and spreading saw-dust! The kids love the shed when the ducks are little, once they are pick they are really loud and they aren't that keen on it!

About three day old ducks... cute hey!!

So, anyone else done any sort of 'duck-a-cise'????

Gardening...

If you can call it that!!! Yet another 'issue' from the lack of rain, water etc. is the slow demise of my garden....

I mowed what is left of the lawn today and each lap I get more and more pissed off. There are now large patches of just dirt, others of dead grass and the odd tuff of green grass that has been kept alive from our grey water. By the time I was finished tonight, I was filthy and couldn't see the house for dust that I had created... which creates more work... the consistent dusting inside. We have had some of the most wicked dust storms!!!

It really hit home this week when Laura stopped at each and every flower pot in the main street to smell the 'flowers' - pots of half dead geraniums... she was excited about them!! I brought two punnets of flowers today and put them in pots for the girls to water sparingly... bless their little drought parched hearts!!

I sweep down the outside of the house about every month, but it really needs to be washed. Frustrating!!!!! And it isn't like for town cousins with the water restrictions stopping them from doing it.. we simply haven't the water! We have one tank of carted in water left. We could get another load, but the forecast is for rain over the weekend. Fingers crossed we get some!

I am also sniffing... I NEVER usually get colds, but have had a dripping nose all day... that sucks too...

Hugh is going through his toilet training... he is such a clever boy. Taking to it so well! No accidents at all today!! After nearly 5 years with up to 3 in nappies at a time... that light is getting stronger at the end of the tunnel!

Tomorrow, my usual gym visit is going to be put aside for another sort of exercise. I will take photos and put them up here, but I can assure you that NO ONE else (in their right mind..) would have done it before... just for exercise!

Food has been great... I am in the swing of things with Emilie at Kinder... a big bake up on Sunday afternoon, shop and working really well! Feeling so much in control... well for today anyway.

ok.. I had something else to write about, but it has gone!! Will come to me in the middle of the night! Will be back with photos of my 'exercise'........

8 years......

Today.... 8 years ago... Jack and I got married!!!!!!!

Just sharing some photos.....

8 years.... doesn't seem that long ago!!! Happy anniversary darling x x x

New bathers....

Had a bather issue yesterday.. big one!!!

I only have one pair of biniki's... well I had more but that where all HUGE!!!... saggy biniki arse... not a nice picture... My last spring clean saw me throwing them all out... no spares at all!!

This heat wave has seen us at the pool almost every other day. Had the kids dressed and ready to go when I pulled my bathers from the laundry basket, fresh from the line and they where ripped... almost in half!!! Couldn't believe it!

I think they must have got caught in a wire on the line.. totally buggered!

With no spare I drag the kids into our little country Target (used to be Fossey's for those old enough to remember Fossey's) and found about 8 pairs of adult bathers left after the summer rush!! My Biniki top was fine, I really like it, so I was just looking for bottoms. Anyway... Size 18, Size 22, Size 16 a couple of 14, a 12 and one lonely 10 sitting on the special rack.

I didn't even try it on, but purchased this lovely black and orange print tankini set.. for only $16!! Reduced from $60!! Bargain.. and the bottom is black, so if I wanted to wear my old top I could!!

The funny thing.. I quickly dragged the kids into the change rooms at our pool to put it on so the kids could swim... tore the price tag off and quickly pulled it on.

Once in the pool, I was thinking, "God they are uncomfortable in the crouch.." I bloody hadn't removed the "Protective film" from the crouch... blonde.. I know!!

Another busy weekend planned here for this house. Jack has not long left for stock take at work, I kids have swimming lessons in Horsham and my sister is home from Melbourne for the weekend, so will spend the day catching up with her as well.

Tomorrow we have drag racing here at the Warracknabeal Airport. Jack is on the gate all day. I usually take the kids for a look.. they love the noise and cars. It is a fundraising event for WACK... Wimmera Against Cancer in Kids... who wouldn't want to support it! Then i think we will be back at the pool tomorrow afternoon for a cool down!

Just quickly.. Happy Birthday to our own Blonde amazon LINDA... the BIG 4 ... 0......

and just a plug for a local store that has just gone online !! Two sisters in Horsham opened one of the funkiest high fashion kids clothing store... please check out TOFI (pronounced Toffee) They have the summer stock on special now.... go on... get a bargain !!

Curse that caffeine....

I love coffee.... no questions about that at all.. but I drink way too much and it kept me up for HOURS last night...

I would like to only drink two or three cups a day, but I really enjoy it! I read recently that 'caffeine will be the new cigarette's'.... meaning in 10 or so years there will be all of these cam pains about the 'drug' caffeine and that it harms you, become addicted etc... made me think twice as I was stirring my third cup at 9am...

How do you wean yourself from it??? Cold turkey and try and survive the tremors?? And what do you drink when you go out for coffee??? I hate hot chocolate and a cup of tea has just as much caffeine... diet coke?? Nah.. caffeine.... I know.. a glass of chilled water!!! Now... where is the fun in that!!

Like now.. I am sitting here with a cloudy head from a combination of lack of sleep and that I haven't had a enough coffee to get going yet... when do I break that god dam cycle???

Anyway.... we had the busiest weekend. Most of you would know that Jack works full time and we farm on the weekends. The rain we had was a god sent but it means summer weeds are growing in the paddocks, which is not good!! So Jack was up at a sparrows fart both Sat and Sun to spray before it got to windy!!! And, we had shearers here on Saturday arvo, a 50th and 60th on Saturday night, I took photos for the paper on Saturday as well... very tired by Sunday night!

My food has been a little sucky... not in what I am eating, but not eating enough! Which is just as bad! Will pull my head into gear and plan a little better!

OK.. better go and have another cup of coffee... I WILL cut down... tomorrow....

Man... it hurts....

Slept well....
Little Laura jumped into bed just before 7 this morning...
I rolled over to cuddle her and that's when it hit... the pain... the hurt.. those muscles that got a nice little workout yesterday and letting me know that they are there...

But it is still all good... must be... a nice pain???

45 minutes of weights and 45 minutes of cardio...

Just cardio today.... give my little muscles a break!

Home Day today. Emilie has Kinder on Mon, Wed & Fri so Tuesday and Thursday are home days...

WW weigh in tonight and then we have Playgroups AGM.... hopefully will get some new members on the committee...

Have a great day...

Bloody blogger...

Just did this huge (well.. it was at least 3 minutes of reading) post and blogger plays up and loses it!! Here it is again...

I went to the gym today... first time in over 10 years!!! Why now, you might ask, do I decide to go to the gym after losing my weight??? I need tone baby... I could still feel better, I could still have more tone.....and it will help my metabolism... it is all going to help!!

For the past 12 months or so I have been toying with the idea.. had every excuse under the sun for not going... after reading Craig Harper's Fattiude.. and his motivational "Just do it" approach.. I went!! And it didn't kill me!!! It is amazing how good I feel for just going. I feel like I have already achieved something just for stepping foot into the door. Mind you.. I don't want to become one of the 10's of thousands that go once or twice and Never step foot into there again... This is going to be part of my new rountine... I am going to MAKE time... no more excuses!!

My upper arm strength is dismal... pathetic... nerdy.. weak.... I REALLY need to build this up. Surprised how much lower body strength I do have....

Here, in my little country town we don't have a flash Fernwood, YMCA or alike... We have a little room at our basketball stadium that has the basic equipment in it. It does the trick! I took my camera to take a photo to show you all how basic... but forgot to pull it out! Anyway... 45 minutes then a power walk around our dried up creek saw the morning in! I went with a friend.. so nice training with someone!

Ok.. afternoon tea time here.. must go and cut up the watermelon!

Big Bus girl....

Bless her heart... so excited and eager.. little is she to yet realise that each morning and night for the next 13 or 14 years will be spent at the bus stop... or waiting for the bus... or on the bus!! It is only 10 km to town, but they drop the kids at the High school, then the primary school, then the private school.. then last bus stop is the Kindergarten... so she is on there for nearly 30 minutes.


She was fine!! She knows a few of the bigger kids on the bus and Jack did the first run with her. No issues at all. Tomorrow will see her on the bus on her own!


The lovely Linda reminded me recently in my comments that I am yet to reveal my 30th Birthday present from my husband... something that I will wear for the rest of my life!!! Two new tattoo's... While in Adelaide we made an appointment with Pete from Tattoo You in Klemzig... The place was so clean and very professional.... that really put my mind at ease!!! One on my foot and one of my lower back. I forget about them already... What do you think???

Do you know how hard it is to take a photo of your own back????

I just got an email from my little sister who is living in Melbourne doing her grad. year with a large accounting firm and she has just found out that she has to work good Friday.. WFT??? She is coming home next weekend and she thinks it will be the last time for a while.. so looking forward to catching up with her!!

My food as been great! I have stopped tracking and find I hardly eat anything I shouldn't!!! I think when I track I make room for shit... does that sound stupid?? Anyway.. trial and error... just seeing how it goes with no tracking! I love where my head is with food. I have great food habits most of the time. I find sometimes, with certain friends, I eat more. I think that is because they are the ones that always comment about "WW food" and "You can't eat that"... like I have a mouth.. and I can eat what I want!! Anyway.. I think my brain goes into auto mode and I eat more.. "I will show you.. I can eat this shit and still wear my size 10 jeans"... stupid!! Anyway.. working on that!!

Ok.. better go and make Phil famous meatloaf for tea!!! Yummo and ALL the kids eat it!!

7pm Edit: The foot is a butterfly thing or maybe even a Dragon fly.. It has wings!!!! and Yep.. it fuckin' killed!! NO MORE!!!! I had to almost get him to stop!! I went pale, my palms where sweating... awful.. but worth it!!

And you use Cracked Wheat for tabouli (A salad with parsley, mint tomato sometimes feta..)

Anyone out there???

Let me share this recent experience with you!!!

Picture a HOT Saturday morning in a busy supermarket... three kids.. all tired, one sick and one mother pulling her hair out!! I was constantly telling them to stay with me, a request only taken seriously by my eldest! I walked down every aisle looking for frigin' cracked wheat... that is all I needed! Cracked wheat and a box of nappies..

Do you think I could find it?? I even asked one of the shelve fillers where I might locate it, and I was answered with a shrug??? "I don't know"...

I thought "Fuck it".. change of menu and went to get the box of nappies I was also after...

Picked up my box of Huggies and sitting beside it was ONE bag of cracked wheat!!!!! Obviously in the wrong spot, but I honestly thought... "My Lord.. someone is watching over me!"

Laugh as you might!! Go one.. have a laugh! Do you believe or have had situations that has made you think "What the"????

Other news... We had a hot weekend, swimming lessons on Sat, Dinner party here on Sat night and even if I do say so myself... I out did myself with the food!! (Thank you Donna Hay.. Easy Entertaining!!)

I have also been touched by a blog celebrity.... Steph...anymore else read her blog?? VERY funny, not a weight loss or fitness blog, but one of the funniest things I read! Anyway.. she popped by and left a comment.. NOW i am worried!! Occasionally she reviews blogs on her site and she is honest... What is she bags the crap out of my blog???

It is very early on Monday morning.. couldn't sleep.. started thinking about my next post.. writing it in my head, so I just got up and typed it! Emilie takes the bus to kinder this morning, Jack will go with her and I will pick Jack up. Nearly 25 years since Jack has taken the school bus... that will be funny!!

So excited I couldn't sleep!!!

Today is a HUGE day in the Daniel Household...

It is our little baby's first day of Kindergarten....

I am so excited for her... I got up at 6 to pack her lunch....

She is still in bed with her little uniform on the bookcase beside her, shoes under her bed and hew new pink Roxy backpack at the end of her bed!!

The Whole family is going in to drop her off.. Jack's mum is also here... excitment...

Will post a photo later....

Better go and have breakfast!!!

OKay.... Back about a few hours later and I left my baby at kinder.... I was so brave until I drove out the drive... I asked Em if she was excited... then I started to well up with tears...

Composed myself and thought " Great.. I have it out of my system now.. I will be brave at kinder.." but no...

I said goodbye and she just went off.... no tears, no clinging to my leg... just gone...

and I started to cry... my little baby was just so excited and we where just so proud of her.... Jack was so much braver then me!!!

Monday will be another hurdle... the school bus!!!

Some photos.. hot off the press!

Pumpkin...

LOOOVEEEEEEE IT!!! Roasted, mashed, steamed... anyway.. in salads, in pasta, on pizzas... the one Vegetable that really could eat day in day out.....

I am going to admit something so silly.... I went for years without it!!

Why??

cos' I HATED cutting them up!! That tough hard grey skin that would make my hands sore... just didn't do it!

When they induced that "jap" pumpkin with the soft skin, I started eating it again. And only TODAY i brought the old 'grey' kent varierty again and guess what. With sharp knives, it isn't that hard to cut!

So people... anyone else out there like me and not eat it because it is hard to cut... Buy a good knife and get into it!!!

Keep reading if you haven't read my post about that fab book... FATTITIDE by Craig Harper... everyone needs to read it!!!!

fattitude... do you have one?????

I have just finished reading Craig Harper's Fattitude... thank you to Sue, Kerry, Jodie and Di who have all read it and raved so much about it, I brought it and I too am about to rave!!!

Have you heard of Craig Harper before???? He is a exercise scientist and owns Harper's Personal training in Brighton... He also writes for WH&F... and I always love what he write.. no BS, just straight to the point...

Anyway, his book.. Fattitude is amazing... the most motivational book I have ever read... (I used to work in real estate... I have read ALOT of motivational books...)

It is so hard to try and summarise what he has to say, but I will try!!!

In a nutshell.... Just do it!! (Apologies to Nike...but they do have a point!!!) I will plagiarise one little bit from the first chapter "Not another Diet Book"-

"Over the last ten year I have been inspired to explore why two people given the same opportunities, the same information an the same resources will invariably achieve totally different outcomes - one succeeds, one fails. Let's say these two people have the same ability and the same opportunity; one person complains constantly, makes excuses, is mad at the world and blames everything and everyone for their failures; while the other person approaches the same challenge with a no fuss attitude and consequently turns their life and body around in a relatively short period of time... EVERY SINGLE DAY PEOPLE MAKE THE PROCESS OF GETTING IN SHAPE MUCH HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE..."

I found myself nodding while reading this masterpiece... agreeing with a lot of what he has written... very blunt, very to the point... Have give so many examples of people he has worked with, it is easy to relate to what is he saying to a situation or someone you know..

Nothing is magic that is going to make you thin and in shape tomorrow.. No meeting, no magic potions, no new exercise program.. They are all just tools to help you get there!! If you aren't losing weight on a program (like WW..), it isn't the program that isn't working.. you aren't!!! So simple.... most of us have all the knowledge we need to live a healthy and fit lifestyle.... we just need to do it!!!

So guys.. if you need a little bit of a kick in the arse to get to going... BUY THIS BOOK!!! and do it!!!

BTW... You can get the book from Craig's site and also Sue sells them from her Business Ideal Bodies online...

Supermarket trolley whore....are you one???

I must confess....

I look into other peoples supermarket trolleys....

While they are in the checkout, I just glance or the odd side glance while walking though...

fess up... I am sure most of you do it!!

He he he .... evil.... aren't we.... or just nosey!!

Why do I do it??? One reason... I am always looking for new products!!!

I love a new cleaning product or tooth paste, and often, when I shop I have three little kids. No time just to slowly browse. I just get the items I normally do... so I find myself 'browsing' other people trolleys.. he he he.. evil isn't it...

But then... I look at fat people's (sorry... but no need to beat around the bush.. I was one of them) trolley and think to myself.. no fuckin' wonder... Why on earth do you need those chips, full-sugar soft drink and frozen chips... often not one item from the fruit and veg section...

That is another thing that I can't understand.. why does ANYONE drink soft drink that isn't diet?? Quite a few of my friends drink the full-sugar variety and it gets me beat why??? they tell me because of the taste, but I can't tell the difference!!

Anyway..... back to my trolleys...

Today... in the supermarket quickly.. had to be quick, three kids... at the checkout there was a 'feral' family in front of me going though the checkout and her 10 or 11 year old daughter walks up to the checkout and places about 12 different chocolate bars on the belt.. kit kats, mars bars, picnics.. you name it, it was there... and not those little 'fun' sized babies... full sized bars!!

The mother, while placing a 2 x 25 kg bags of black and gold dog food on the checkout tells the daughter "You don't fuckin' need all of those"

Daughter "Yeah i do.. back to school this week and I need 'em for lunch..:

Mother ponders the daughters response for a brief moment and replies.. " well you don't need all of 'em" .....and then began the debate of how many of these fat and sugar laden chocolates where needed...

The daughter won and I can't help but wonder if that will be ALL she will be taking to school for lunch.. along with a can of coke!!!

The schools in our town do have a 'good food' policy and you can't buy crap at the schools.. that is great, but if the parents just send them anymore, where is the lesson in that. That poor girl, while now is thin, WILL end up with a weight problem.... if that is the example her family lead with.

Sure, I give my kids treats.. but they are just that!! Treats.. not an 'everyday' food!! It isn't hard people....

Ozzie.. Ozzie... Ozzie

Happy Australian Day everyone...

What better way to start the day then with a nice long walk.... followed by cooked breakfast... lunch... then a nap...

I have to go into the Australia Day awards after tea, to take photos for the paper... a real warm fuzzy... Last time I went to take photos, the person receing the award was the CFA captain and there was a fire during the presentation... should have seen the hall empty!!

Had Weight Watchers last night and I lost 900 grams.... (Nearly all of that Christmas cheer gone..) I don't know if it is just me, and that I have been to too many meeting, But my meeting was BORING!!!!! No one excited, like sitting through a RE class at school... My Mother - in - law will be here next week and will come to my meeting wth me, perhaps that will liven things up a bit!!!

I am very pleased how I am controlling my eating etc at the moment... not setting stupid goals, everything I start can be continued... and achieved... feels right....

I am reading Craig Harper's Fattitude .... brilliant... but will say more when finished!!

Just a quick run down of some holiday photos...

This is Jack and the kids in the boat on the Murray near Renmark. All of the kids LOVE the boat.. they all started as babies...

Me holding a 3 day old piglet... Friends that we stayed with in Clare have a piggery. Amazing progress from breeding to when it hits the supermarket... Wish the kids where with us.!!!

A day on the Green at Annie Lane Winery near Clare... Awesome.... Paul Kelly rocks!!!! so do the Pretenders... got wet... but it was cool!!

This is Hugh... in the red car between the rows of my brother in laws olive plantation near Adelaide...

As mentioned in the previous post, I did also get two new tattoos... I wanted to post a photo of them, but anyone who has had a tattoo done would know how yuck they get!! They aren't pretty at the moment... so will post when they recover a little more!!!

Will post more soon.. trying so many new receipes ATM... like one a day!!!

OK.. better go can hear the baby up...

When is a cappuccino not a cappuccino????

When it is made with a cup of "International Roast - catering blend" instant coffee with a froth top.... THAT IS NOT A CUPPUCCINO.. OK - GOT IT!!!!

AND with FULL CREAM MILK!!! No other option!!!

I live in the country.... but even we have real coffee... get with it guys!!!

THAT is the only complaint of my holiday!!! Had a great time, beach, family, A day on the green, tour of a piggery, got tattooed (2 in fact!!)... but will post more later!

About to head off to my god daughters - she turned one while away and need to get her present to her (A funky little kids Roxy Backpack...)

Good to be home...... (even if the scales are revealing just hoe naughty I have been!!)

Home again, home again

This is me on the beach yesterday.... nice tan hey!!

WOW.. what a great weekend.. kids had a ball, Jack and I had a ball.. perfect. The compnay was great, had a look through all of those funky beach side shops and I didn't OVEREAT!! The weather at Robe could not have been better!!! I even exercised!!!

Got home at about 5pm and started the washing machine as we are heading to Adelaide first thing Tuesday morning!!!!!

Here are some photos..

Laura on the beach... "No Mummy.. I won't get wet..."

Emilie and Laura trying to dodge waves...

Hugh... Our surf dude...

In the summertime...

Gawd.. it is hot.. Damm Hot!!!

We are in the middle of packing for the 3 hour drive tomorrow to the Beach... Watch out robe.. here we come!!! Not that Robe will notice... yet another small town that goes wild over summer break. Jack grew up on a farm just out of Robe, it TOTALLY blows him away what Robe has become! Cafes, galleries, shops... it is a wonderful holiday destination now! A little "mini-break" for us before the "big-break' the week after!!

Jack and I painted yesterday.. in the heat.. getting a fine tan!

I am reading so many motivational blogs at the moment....... One particular post was from Kathryn... mind you most of Kathryn's posts are really motivational.. but the quote from Gandhi REALLY struck a cord with me. I am sure Gandhi wasn't talking about weight loss... but he is right on the nose!!! Thank you Kathryn...

My Uncle, who lives in the Adelaide hills was burnt out yesterday. Some dick light a fire that has destroyed everything on his property, APART from the house. When he built again (pulled down his old house) he built in a fire bunker... we have taken the piss out of him for doing it for years, but it worked!! He was home and could smell smoke, he put the dogs and his mother-in-law in the bunker and set to putting on the sprinklers around the house.. 20 minutes later the fire front hit and they had to make a dash for the bunker.. not knowing if the house would survive. They saw a helicopter overhead water bombing, and it dumped on the house then took off again.. it was saved, but sheds, tractors, fencing olive plantation everything else gone!!! But, they are ok... VERY lucky...

Ok.. weigh in tonight.. will see the real damage from a weekend of partying.

Take care all!

9pm update - Weighed in with a gain of 400 grams... Ok with that!!! Will be gone by next week!!

8 Crownies + mud Cake = 500 grams gain!!

Damage control here.... Just jumped on the scales at it shows 500 gram gain.. SO FAR!!!! Beer, wine... makes me put weight on VERY quickly... hence why I am not a everyday drinker... Back to tracking for me... well until we go to Robe at the weekend!

Jack with his 'porno' moe...

The house is almost back in order.. just another few loads of washing to get though this morning. The last visitor left yesterday at lunch time.. then I had some 'quite-time' when the kids went back to bed before a quick trip into the dentist! Little Laura copped a swing in the mouth on Saturday night... it was so gross!!! You could see the cartilage in her jaw (like while under the gum...) but the dentist thinks that it is only soft tissue damage. She has had trouble eating harder foods, but she is on the mend!

Laura getting cuddled by my Mum after the incident...

Jack Parents flew over on Saturday morning from Renmark.. (they have their own plane) and flew back yesterday morning. They where quite keen to get home. A cyclone hit the south side on Renmark on Saturday afternoon. Their properties where Ok, but my father-in-law is a local government councillor and he wanted to get home. Jack's sister also made the trip down from NSW, which was great! My brother and sister both came home from Melbourne, haven't seen my brother is almost a year!!!!

My Sister Sally, me and my brother Danny

We had the entire back yard decorated with streamers etc and at 6pm (30 min before the party started) and HUGE Storm hit and wet EVERYTHING!!!!! I stood inside watching Jack madly trying to empty one of out machinery sheds.. it just finished and the rain stopped!! A few towels to mop everything up and it was a beautiful night!

Adrienne and me... (my neighbour and fellow WW buddy)

Lighting 'firework' for the kids...(That is what Emilie calls them...)

The Mexican theme was great... some dressed up!! We ate nachos, quesadillas and had a Taco bar with Mexican rice.. and mud cake for dessert! LOTS of left overs so the freezer is full.

Presents.. lots and lots and lots.. Monica, a childhood friend, gave me perfume (hugo boss.. Devine!!) BUT the reason behind the perfume was even nicer... Monica is 11 months younger then me and we did literally grow up together.. she lived 5 houses down the road. We have never had a cross word to each other... and I think the reason why is we are so different! Anyway, back to the perfume.. as kids we did lots and lots of silly things... kids things.. and one of those things was to pinch every ones rose petals and mix them with water, put it into an old soft drink bottle and walk up and down the street and sell it! We did sell one bottle!!

Monica and Me

Had the BEST night... From Jack I am getting a tattoo... I have been searching the net trying to find a design that I am really happy with and have found several.. but now I want two... I want one on my foot of a little black butterfly and a scroll design on my lower back.... we are heading to Adelaide next week, so I better book in somewhere... any recommendations in Adelaide??? I have one on my hip and have always wanted another...


TODAY.. I am back to tracking... Not that I ate that badly, and everyone knows me well enough no to give me chocolates for a birthday present! But this is it.. I am going to be a fit and healthily 30 year old...


We are heading to Horsham later this morning. I had a little accident just prior to christmas with my car and need to get my car in to get it fixed, so it is getting fixed while Jack is on holidays and we have a second car here that will fit the kids and I am going to spend my birthday vouchers and money... exciting....

Jack starts holidays tomorrow and we are painting the barge boards on the house green.. they are still mission brown. Then on Friday we are heading to Robe, SA, for the weekend. Back Sunday night and heading to Adelaide on Tuesday, Paringa on Friday to drop of the kids and back to Clare on Saturday for a Day on the Green... Home on Monday... Busy times!!

Thank you all for your birthday wishes... I have truely had the best birthday!!!!!!

30 isn't THAT old...

I still feel like a 29 year old??? In fact.. I still feel like a 25 year old!!!!

I had the BEST birthday!!! Had a fantastic party, and all had a great time!! I got so many great presents and was very spoilt!! Very...

Just a couple of Photos.. Will update more later. My house is a mess and I have to take Laura to the dentist shortly.... (little incident with a swing on Saturday night...)

A friend and her Three year old daughter made my front gate more "Mexican" for me...

My little Mexican, Hugh with Jack. Jack had a 'porno' style Moe... will try and find photo with it!

The Family.. I had TWO costumes to wear and my Sister gave me this dress for my birthday.. I feel in love with it months ago.. It is a FCUK (French Connection) dress that I saw in a magazine!! LOVE IT.. sort of looks mexican...

My sister and her boyfriend catered for us and blew us away with the result!!

More later!!

Countdown....

Excited...
Clean House.. Check
Mow Lawns (well... what is left of the,).. Check
Birthday Cake ordered.. Check
Fridge is full of food that can't be eaten...Check
Costumes... Check

This is my last post as a 20's chick... Bring on 30!! I am ready to be thirty... no crisis here that is for sure. I feel that I should be turning 35 or 38 or something. I have crammed so much into those years, it is time my age caught up to me a little!

Can't believe how organised I am.. All that is left is to clean all of the windows today... then done!
My sister is coming home from Melbourne to day with the fruit and Veg (Melbourne Market) and all of the decorations. ...

My sister is the best cook... I steal all of her great recipe and pretend they are my own when I dish them up to others... She is the head chef for my Mexican Fiesta. Last count we had 65 people coming (including kids) Can't wait ... it is going to be cool!!

Will post with photos as soon as I can..

Other Weight related stuff.. weighed in last night and lost 100 grams... cool... But they have changed the program.. AGAIN!!! I love new book for WW... cookbooks or otherwise, so I think this is cool. But I think they will confuse a few people to start with!

The basic changes : (From Memory for those interested)

• Your 8 glasses of water a day can now include up to 4 glasses of Non or decaffeinated diet drinks (Including decaffeinated tea & Coffee)
• You don't count sugar points anymore.. you still count them in your daily total, but no separate count
• You have to try and include two teaspoons of runny oil (olive etc) into your diet. Apparently WW members have shown to have a deficiency in Vit E,,, and have been starving their little brains..
• No Count is now "Core Plan" and the Carb structure has changed.. If can only have one sort of carb once a day.. Example... if you have noodles for lunch, can't have them for tea (Including potatoes)
• With the Core plan you can now snack on Fruit, Veg, Diet Yogurt, soup and air popped pop corn
• Some Vegetable now have a points value...(haven't found which ones yet)

I think that is it... in a nutshell... cool hey. I brought a new points guide, the new "Turnaround" cookbook etc in that value package they have. Haven't had a chance to really have a look, but all looks cool!

OK... sun is out now, I can walk!

Photos from Christmas....

This is a photo of Jack trying to hit golf balls at the passing houseboats from the Front of his parents house... a bit of a tradition whenever we all get together... I don't think anyone is yet to hit one.. The Girls pushing the billy cart back up the drive... how cute!!

Little Hugh taking the easy way up the hill!!

Another cute one.. This is Emilie and Hugh walking at the River edge at Renmark.. they where feeding the possums...

How many kids can watch at 5 inch dvd screen??? Some of the cousins...

YAHOO... bring on 2007!!!!

Bring it on...

This is going to be a great year and started out with 66 points of rain over night!!!!!!!!!!!! couldn't have asked for a better start to the year!

I believe in living in the present... so I am not going to reflect on the year that was.. just excited about what this year will bring!!!

Our Christmas was massive... so many kids.. so many presents.. so much yummy food!!! But the scale god have been kind.. that and I did exercise most days. Love walking in Paringa.. so much to see.. Hills to get the heart rate up a little and PEOPLE!!! When I walk here I see NO ONE!!! Love being able to smile and say morning on a walk!!! Little thing that most take for granted...

With the new year new started.. I did the official weigh, pictures and measure. My focus for 2007 is to improve my fitness, tone my body more and eat healthily, well balanced meals.

I am happy with my weight, but my body needs toning in places. I know that I would benefit from increased fitness.. so that are my goals for the year!!! Hence the record to start the year from. I got Jack to take my photo with just my underwear on (sorry.. that I am not sharing..) and it REALLY shows the areas that need work!! The muffin top, upper legs and my tummy area! Motivation is high.. it is going to happen..

I turn 30 next Sunday (7th Jan) and having a Mexican Fiesta here on Saturday night... should see the decoration my sister got in Melbourne... Blow up catuis, pinatas... Very excited!! Feeding about 80 (including kids) so it will be a blast. Have been downloading Mexican music from Limewire.. very cool.. still working on my costume. I brought a Dress from ebay that is too small.. But it had a cute little Mexican man sleeping beside a catus.. will see what can be done with it.

I will post some photos from our Christmas shortly... just need more time to fiddle with flickr..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!~!!!!

I'm excited....

I don't know how the kids are.. but I am excited!!! Really that is too dull a word to explain how I feel!! I just tried to have a little nap on the couch.. but I couldn't sleep... thinking thinking...

We are heading North into the sunny Riverland tomorrow afternoon for a week. Jack has a BBQ lunch at work, the kids and I will meet him over there and we will take off from there.... exciting!

We are taking two cars.. we have so much stuff to get Paringa, it won't all fix in one ute. Jack is driving up his WB (1981 Holden V8) ute. The kids are already arguing how gets to ride with him!

I will be pleased when we get there.. I am always a little anxious travelling. Just want to get there and put my feet up for a couple of days before Santa comes!

Will try and update over the next week, by Ma and Pa only have dial up!

Thank you all for your support over the last twelve months and please travel safe!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Better not shout, you better not cry.....

Coz... My grandmorther is coming to town....

Yep.. How Lucky am I!!! My grandmother, who is in her 80's.. (high end.. I think..) is spending a week with my Mum in Horsham, and they are coming up for an early christmas tomorrow.. I am so excited!!

My Grandmother lived only 30 minutes from me until two years ago when I aunt moved from Hopetoun where Nanna lived. Nan didn't want to be left up there alone, so she moved into a Village Life complex in Ballarat. It was quite a bit of adjusting for her, but she seems to like it.

My grandmother is from the Mallee... dry and hot!! The climate at Ballarat has made her stiff and sore. Being the golden haired grandchild I am, I brought her five jars of her favorite arthritis cream this morning to take back with her.

My grandfather passed away in 1984, so she has been on her own for a long time. Always has to have a craft project on the go to keep her hands busy.. god love her!!

I know that I am lucky to have a great grandmother for my kids.. and they suck up to her. Little Hugh was giving her cuddles and kisses... doesn't take them long to work out the system..

Nan came to swimming lessons with us this morning and the kids are waving to her and getting out to give her cuddle.. my kids will be the talk of the dining room at Village life!

Tomorrow we will have a light tea, exchange presents with Nan and Mum and then head in for the Carols at Warracknabeal..

Hope everyone else is having a great weekend and a special thank you to Sarah's class in NZ, who prayed for rain for us.. how sweet is that!!!

Take care and enjoy this next week!!!

NEARLY... losing it....

I handle day to day stresses quite well.. even if I do say so myself. But.. I nearly lost it at 1 this morning.... let me give you the run down...

Monday - I had a meeting at school (on healthy eating for kids.. great info..) and come home at 10pm, find the house empty.. front door open, tea dishes still on the table - no Jack or kids.. Ummmm.. think worse cases. broken bones etc.. ring Jack's Mobile and can hear in ringing in the ute.. Pick up the phone and ring the neighbour (at 10pm at night!!!) and get no answer. It occurs to me to check the call log on the home phone.. My Dad rang and left a message, then a number I don't know... I ring it (Again at 10pm at night!!!) and get the owner of the land that one flock of our sheep are. Relief... as he wants to know how Jack went pulling lambs from the dam! So - I knew where they were!

We fenced off the dam months ago to avoid this. Those not aware, no Dams where filled this year due to the drought and the are all almost empty. As you can imagine, quite muddy and boggy and sheep get stuck if they aren't fenced off. We have been pumping the dregs of the water into a tanker with a trough so the sheep can get water. Jack pumped water on Sunday, BUT the water has gone off and was making the sheep sick. It didn't smell brackish or anything, but we lost two sheep and the ones that got suck in the dam where looking for fresher water... fuck the drought.. So Jack jumped in and pulled out the lambs that where stuck and moved the sheep back to our neighbours for fresh water. Jack apparently had thick mud up to his chest.. fully clothed. I took his car into town so he only had my car. In his wisdom, he jumped in clothed, so the mud would stick to the clothes and not him. He peeled them off and got home without mud on the inside of my car (good thinking Jacko)... anyway.. the kids where at the neighbours and didn't get to bed until nearly 11pm!! Jack trucked the sheep to the market on Tuesday .. Gone to be roast christmas lunch!!

So.. that was just the start of it.

Tuesday, I was collecting Emilie from Take-a-break (occasional care) and I have a canopy on the back of my ute. It has a HUGE blind spot. I know it is there, I have to check each time I reverse out of a park.. well this time I didn't and run into another car. A eldely lady who has recently lost her husband. How bad do you think I felt! She was quite shaken. The damage to my car was quite minimal but I got all four panels down one side of her car.. bugger..

Yesterday morning, I go to hop into the shower.. turn on the tap and not fucking water. Some of you might recall a couple of months ago we run out of water and had to get water tankered in. Well... a pipe fitting popped over night and emptied our tank... I was still quite calm at this stage (still am really.. ) Jack had a little bit of water in another tank, so pipe fittings replaced and hooked up to the other tank and we had water again..

BUT!!! Last night at 1am little Laura come into our room and jack just lifted her into bed but she was spewing.. everywhere.. so I go to run the shower to clean the vomit out of her hair etc.. NO WATER!!!!!!! This was nearly getting beyond a joke. My daughter was covered in vomit along with two beds and no water to clean it.... So I was cuddling her while Jack was hooking in the last tank in his jocks at 1.30 in the morning.. finally get her in the shower. Laura is all cleaned up and I went to deal with the sheets. Into the laundry I find Jack's clothes still soaking in wash trough from his previous mud swimming, sheep saving exercise two nights prior.. I had to deal with an inch of mud in the bottom of the trough before I could deal with spew sheets.. arhh..

Laura is better this morning. Jack stayed up with her until past 3am, Emilie not long ago spewed and I have her on the couch with a bucket and a tanker load of water will be arriving shortly...

.. no tim tams.. no chocolate.. just lots of cuddles for sick kids..

The Good news... Lambs and ewes made good money at the market

I had my hair cut and coloured at a new hair dressers in Horsham yestesday and it is the best colour I have had a years (Since my friend retired from hairdressing in fact)

Christmas shopping is finished, wrapped and packed...

I lost 500 grams at weigh in

and with all of this happening.. I can still smile and tell people I am having a great day:) Hope you all are as well....

"Beta" blogger my arse....

Finding this new "beta" a real pain in the arse.. perhaps I need to spend more time getting to know how it all works.. I don't know how many deep and meaningful comments (ok.. A few d & M's.. but comments all the same) I have written, just to be told that I couldn't log in to post them... So Guys.. I have been stalking you and not commenting.. sorry...

How is everyone's pre-christmas dinners, drink etc going??? Everyone eating well and making great choices... anyone??? anyone????

Me??

Nup! I leave with the best intentions, but eating WAY to much. Nothing stupid like cheesecake (mmmm cheesecake), but just too much! And it has been to fucking hot to do anything at all that even resembles exercise... But I think the christmas parties are almost on the end of the run, just christmas to deal with now!!

With Temp's in the 40's, it has even been too hot to take the kids to the pool!! It has cooled down heaps, back to the high 20's... much better!!

I have one more christmas layby to collect in Horsham on Wednesday, then that is it for our shopping and presents.. ALL DONE!! I have begun the wrapping, I hate wrapping! It isn't that I hate wrapping, it is that I don't have anywhere to store the presents once wrapped. They never it back into the cupboard as well wrapped. We are heading North to Paringa (near Renmark in SA) for christmas with Jack's family, so they all have to be packed in boxes anyway (note to self.. need some boxes) There will be a HEAP of kids up there. 11 kids, with the ages 8, 8, 5, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1 and 9 months and another one on the way... BIG christmas. CAN"T WAIT!!!!!! Kids make christmas... I got Jack a few little things as well as tickets to A day on the Green in Clare, in the Baroosa Valley on the 20th Jan. The Church, The pretenders and Paul Kelly are performing. Jack LOVES these bands.. so it will be great!

I am also going to the hairdressing in Horsham. I have issues with haridressers... they keep on moving. So trying yet another one in Horsham. Fingers crossed, as I am VERY fussy with my hair colour!!!

Hugh has started to shove things up his nose.. anyone else had trouble with this?? A trip to the Doctor to get some out, and I have become quite good and removing it myself. Why????? He is still cute through....

The kids are so into christmas this year.. the whole Santa thing etc. We where in Kmart on Saturday morning before swimming lessons and this old guy, with a white beard and a fat tummy came up to the kids in the trolley (Yes, I had ALL three kids standing in a trolley) and was chatting to them. I came over and he told the kids to be good etc. and Emilie then told me, wide eyed, that he was the real santa, shopping for all of the good kids for christmas. He wasn't dressed like santa, but I have to admit, he did look like a santa character... puts a little more meaning to the whole secret santa.

I came accross a very interesting blog the other day, totally different to ANY other blog that I read. Jail Byrde... A real story of a wife with her husband in jail, living in Melbourne with all of her family overseas. Makes me realise just how uncomplianted my life is... sure, I have shit days but they pale in comparison...

It almost rained last night. We had a terrific lighting and thunder show, but no rain to follow for us. There was some areas that got some, but our tanks are still looking for some. We had the Sheep Hills Christmas tree last night. The local christmas trees have been going on for years. Everyone brings food to share, games, santa etc.. great night. Last night the CWA ladies (Country Womens Assoscation) had donated to them a heap of tinned food, toiletties etc to be sent to the drought area. I am always touched when people who aren't particiuly affected by the drought directly, think about the country folk stuggling. It can be the smallest thing, but will mean so much more to someone else. They put the family names of everyone there in a draw and 6 families received a food and tolitiles bundle, the other (us) recevied a $25 voucher at Safeway etc. Jack and I talked about it on the way home and we will put our voucher into someones mail box who might need it more then we do. Pride has a lot to do with famrers refusing help. "I'm right mate.." attitude, which is to be commended, but even through $25 isn't much to most of us, it could be a roast for christmas lunch.. So a little surprise in a letter box, with no way of knowing who is from doesn't dent anyones pride.. Sure the drought has affected us, but we still have other income.. most don't!!

Ok. better go and vaccuum... I LOVE vaccuuming.. I have a Dyson and makes my daily vaccum so much more fun...