Things I'm loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

1. Loving being married for almost a year! Can't believe it was a whole 12 months ago.  I love him more every day (collective 'awww')

2. Love learning to sit up time in the pillow fortress.

3. LOVE these rolls.

4. Loving my juicer and having lost almost 6 kgs in 13 days!

5. Loving organising a baby shower for my best friend.  Even if I won't be able to attend :( boo.

Not particularly loving my husband having to go back to work this week :(

Ribe bubble honey slice

An oldie but a goodie - and so easy too.

I'm making this slice for a baby shower I'm organising (post to follow tomorrow as it's one of my 101 challenges) but can't attend because I have a funeral to go to. Booo.  The only difficult thing about making this slice is that being on a detox I could eat any of it! No bowl lick, no licking the spoon - nadda :(.

Rice bubble honey slice.

50g butter
1/2 - 1 cup honey
2T sugar
5-6 cups of Rice bubbles.

Melt butter, honey and sugar into a syrup.  

Stir rice bubbles into honey mixture.

Press into dish (make the slice at least 2cm thick) and refrigerate until hard.

DONE! How easy was that?

"A photo is usually looked at - seldom looked into"

Just about to do something again that I am starting to absolutely adore - put a big black line through another of my 101 challenges.
Just a note, I keep saying I'm going to go birthday to birthday as the year for these challenges (my birthday is in 9 days) but I feel like I'm cheating.  So am going to officially do it from 1st Jan 2012 to 1st Jan 2013.

I have been working on this one for quite some time and only today have I completed it - uploaded all my photos to an online photo storage for good 'cloud' keeping.  I originally said I was going to use picasa, but found that I liked silckpic a little better.

This challenge stemmed from have a giant heart attack the last two times our computer decided to die wondering if the back ups I had would be enough to save my precious memories.  I have two back ups on my computer with Apple's Time Machine running diligently in the background to ensure I never lose any but still I worry.  Just feel a little safer with them all backed up on the internet now.

In addition to this I've also used this site to set up a monthly reminder to be emailed to me to keep the photos up to date and to upload the photos I've taken in the previous month.  Very clever if you ask me.

"Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard."

I got a very sad phone call last night around 9:30pm.  We don't get many phone calls (pretty much it's either my mum, my best friend or my sister) and having a little one those that do call usually do so earlier in the night rather than later.  So when the phone rang last night at about 9:20 I had a feeling that it wouldn't be good news.

My 'Aunty' Dawn passed away last night. I put 'Aunty' in inverted commas as she's really no relation to me - she is my dad's cousin's, wife's mother. But, as families have a habit of doing, she was always 'Aunty' Dawn to me.  And definitely not as distant as the relation ties to myself would indicate.  There was never an event that she didn't make it to and Leah's middle name is taken from hers.  We both, Mr. Man and I love and have a lot of respect for her and although she was very old and had many visits to the hospital over the past few years she was a battler and it was a shock to hear she had passed.

I have many fond memories of Aunty Dawn.  One when I was a child heading up to her place in Whangaparoa with my Nana.  We had a lovely lunch and I remember her teaching me how to make bottle top robots using leftover bottle tops and a piece of string. I was only quite young, maybe 7, and was having a little trouble with the stringing up of the robot.  She was very patient and helped me kindly.  I'll never forget that day.

Another fond memory I have of Aunty Dawn is how much she liked dogs. Up in Whangaparoa she lived next door to my dad's cousin and his wife (who I also call Aunty and Uncle), Uncle Trev and Aunty Barbara who own a gorgeous staffy/malamute cross called Rocky.  Aunty Dawn would often have her front door left open so that Rocky could come and visit and buy treats especially for him even though she didn't own a dog herself.  She also loved our dogs.  During our engagement party our first Rotty, Vince, was about 6 months old and roamed around the party which we had at our place.  Many times during the night I couldn't find Vince and upon closer inspection found him sitting under a table by Aunty Dawn getting fed tidbits throughout the night. Just a month or so ago on a visit down here to meet Leah she commented on how beautiful and well behaved Jake was.

We didn't get to see her much, but I will miss her a lot.  She was always keen to hear about what you had been up to and asked after everyone.  She was a very intelligent lady and would always be able to talk about anything that was going on in your life with interest and knowledge.

We love you Aunty Dawn and we always will.

More of the same :)

I've been loving having my husband home so much that I've forgotten about you all, my adoring fans. Lol yeah right.  All 3 of you!

But... not all has been lost.  I've been pretty busy. Getting out making the most of my holidays with friends - had another lovely trip to the Botanical Gardens today - see photos below.  Most taken by my wonderful photographer friend Lynn. But unfortunately haven't been able to get out to any of the other Parks I have in mind because of our stupid wet Auckland weather at the moment - boo.

I've also been meaning to write about the 101 challenges as my entry each day but as I said - have just been too busy makin' memories, so I'll update ya today (:

There are a few items on the 101 list that I've begun but will not be crossing off until they're done because of the nature in which I've worded them.  Eg: 2. Get the family together consistently on a monthly basis for dinners & 5. Write in my journal on a regular basis.  The words 'consistently' and 'regular basis' mean that I have to be doing those things for a good chunk of time before I consider them 'done' but I have made a dent.  October of 2011 was our first official family dinner that I got everyone together for and we've had one each month since - October was at our place, November was at Mums, Christmas day was December's and my birthday will be this month's get together. I even created a timetable so that we won't forget...or at least I won't and then I can annoy everyone and make it happen.  So we're doing well there.

I've also started a journal.  It took me ages to figure out what I wanted to use.  I have wanted to be able to keep a journal for as long as I remember.  I used to write one between the ages of 13 and 15 and they're funny bone tickling to read now. But try and try as I may - keeping a handwritten journal NEVER seemed to stick.  So it took me a very long time to figure out how I was going to keep a journal digitally.  There are some cool apps for iPad but I don't have a wireless keyboard and didn't really want to buy one so that was out (finger tapping a whole journal entry would be death as far as I'm concerned).  After many weeks of thinking I finally decided on a blogger blog - just one that I keep private.  Have since made 5 entries and it's so easy to just tap away while I watch TV.  Yes I know last nights entry (shown in pic) is a slight cop out :P.  I love it.  Fingers crossed this is the way that keeps me going with journalling - I'll be damned if I don't finish this list!

For challenge #11. Learn to say hello, goodbye and thank you in 20 different languages. I have made a little table of the languages I want to learn and these 3 things said in those languages...now to study.....

For #12. Write a bucket list I've taken huge inspiration from tumblrs like this and this and have begun a board on pinterest with some of these things on. In the style of the first linked tumblr I have begun to make little cards and will then attach them to a frame I make (see both the cards I've begun to make and the idea for the frame below).

I think I've found my poem for #76. Find a favourite piece of poetry – frame it, hang it, but will wait it out and search a little longer before I decide it's my framer.  It might be used for my other challenge of choose a poem to memorise but me thinks Shakespeare might have to appear for that one. This is the poem I adore.

I promise myself…

to be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind;

to talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet;

to make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them;

to look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true;

to think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best;

to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own;

to forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future;

to wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet;

to give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others;

to be too large for worry,

too noble for anger,

too strong for fear,

and too happy to permit the presence of trouble;

to think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds;

to live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

Christian D. Larson

And lastly, I've made a fairly sizable dent in #69. Read 20 new books. And a few old and dear ones. In fact my friend Lynn who took most of the beautiful photos at the top of the post blogged about reading yesterday and got me to thinking about what I have left and what to read. So far I've read 4 ology books which I blogged about here (I only counted this as 1 off my 20 as they are such an easy read). I read the whole 'Hunger Games' series after being recommended it by a work friend as well as the fact that it looks like the movie is going to be the next best thing and I really like reading books of movies - before I watch if I can. I loved the series - couldn't put the iPad (with kindle app (recommend!!!)) down. I'd read it if I were you :)

I've just begun to read "The Land of Painted Caves"....again.  I started earlier in the year when Mr. Man bought the book for me but didn't get into it. It's the 6th and final book in the 'Earth Children's' series which I've read all of.  I think I'm in a better head space to finish it now (read:not pregnant and uncomfortable when reading in bed) so that will be #5 of 20 down. Which begs the question (and hopefully fulfills Lynn's request) what to read for the remaining 15 and what are old favourites?


These are some I know I will need to include in the 15;

• Seriously I'm kidding - Ellen DeGeneres
• The Green Mile - Stephen King (A movie I love but a book I haven't read) and possibly more Stephen King depending on how this goes - I really like 'Misery' (both movie and book) and enjoy many of the movies based on his books.
• The millenium series (The girl with the dragon tattoo, The girl who played with fire and The girl who kicked the hornets nest- Stieg Larsson
• Room - Emma Donoghue
• Storm Born - Richelle Mead
• The True Blood series

I also want to attempt the first Harry Potter book again to see if I can get into it - based on last times attempt it's highly unlikely, but you never know. And 'The Whitcoulls Top 100 books" will help me with the rest.

And old favourites?
I'll have to go with 'Bridget Jones's Diary' by Helen Fielding, 'The Clan of the Cave Bear' by Jean M. Auel some Marian Keyes and possibly even the first novel of The Hunger Games series again - that's how much I liked it.  Think I might read 'The Witches' by Roald Dahl again too (:

Conquering Challenges

I've crossed a couple of things off my 101 Challenges List today;

I baked for Jake today. 'Tuna Triangles', although as you can see I made some of his into bone shapes.  What a lucky boy!  He even got to lick the 'bowl'.  The verdict?  Have a look at the photos and see for yourself!

Licking the 'bowl'

This is the recipe if you also have a spoiled pup!

Tasty Tuna Triangles
From "Dog Treats"

1 can tuna
4T Olive oil
1 egg (I used two)
1t dried thyme
1t dried oregano
250g cornflour
150g rolled outs
50g flour

Drain the tuna in a sieve then puree it with the oil and the egg in a blender. Mix the puree with the other ingredients to make a dough.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Roll out the dough to about 1cm thick and cut into triangles.  Place biscuits on baking sheet and bake for approx 25 mins.

The biscuits will keep for about 2 weeks.

I also completed my 52 quotes deck of cards today.  I began making this before Christmas but soon found I had no binder rings and only got around to buying some last week.  They've been sitting in our spare bedroom since and only today did I manage to finish the deck.  I'm really pleased with it and I love all the quotes. <3

Aaaaaaand I need to include a recipe or two that I've made over the last little bit but haven't got around to writing on the blog.

The first is an apple cake (from yet another magazine pull out) that I made for a Christmas Eve BBQ.  Went down a treat.

Apple cake with Vanilla Syrup

150g margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
400g can diced apples
1/2 cup milk
1T bitters
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup standard flour
2t baking powder
Vanilla extract with seeds


Topping;
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
50g margarine 


1. Place margarine and sugar in a saucepan large enough to mix all the ingredients. Heat, stirring until the spread melts.  Remove from heat.

2. Lightly beat eggs into the saucepan mixture. Stir in flours and baking powder and mix to combine.

3.  Pour into a 20cm round lined cake tin.

Topping;
4.  Mix oats, flour and sugar together in a bowl. Melt margarine and mix through dry ingredients.  Sprinkle on top of cake mixture.

5.  Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out cleanly.

6.  Serve warm with softly whipped cream and drizzled with vanilla extract.

Easy Chicken Stir Fry;

400g Chicken Breast
2T Sweet Chilli Sauce
1T Hoisin sauce
1T Soy Sauce
1 Red Capsicum
Spring Onion
1/2 Head Broccoli Florets


1.  Slice chicken and capsicum into thin slices.

2.  Spray pan with cooking oil.  Brown chicken and add capsicum, spring onions and broccoli.

3.  Combine hoisin, sweet chilli and soy sauce in a small bowl and add to the pan.

4. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Serve on boiled rice.

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, for me....and I'm feeling good"

First of January!

Mr. Man and I have both decided that 2012 will be the year of health for us - and with that comes weight loss.  Yes, big cliche of a New Years Resolution here folks, but don't be so pessimistic.  You are the ones that will hold me accountable!

For me personally I completely loathe my body at the moment. Poor diet, little exercise and the fact I created a human in the past 12 months has seen me balloon to a weight I'm terribly unhappy with. But there's no excuse to stay that way. Especially when I'm not happy with the way I look or the way I feel, both self esteem and health wise.  I feel groggy.  I feel sluggish.  I waddle. Not cool.

ENTER MOTIVATION!

There are lots of things to motivate me.  If all the things in the last paragraph aren't enough I also have the fact the Little Miss and whatever siblings she ends up with would like a mother that can run around with them and will be around for a long time. I would like to be able to fit into clothes from any old where without having to use the plus size section, in fact, I'd like to have a size or two above where I need to buy again (just incase I would like some give in my clothes!). I want to feel good about myself. Period. Oh... and one of the things on my 101 list is to lose 10kg and I'll be damned if I don't complete that list!

The boy and I decided we would start with a body detox (yet another one of my 101 list challenges) so this week we are weaning off bits and pieces - who knew you had to do a detox to get ready for a detox?  The clock striking midnight last night saw us swear off sweets and all things naughty and throughout this week we will eliminate other things that we won't be able to have during our 7 days of doom - bread (yes even the good kind), red meat, chicken etc.  Yes, yes I know these are good things, they're just not allowed during the 7 days we are detoxing.  Thank goodness fish is or I think I'd go fully batty.  If you're interested in seeing which detox we are basing ours on you can find it here.

Another little awesome thing that I came across is the 'Reboot your life' website.  Found via this blog while trawling pinterest. It's things that we all know really.  Just some ideas for getting a kickstart. Now there's NO WAY I'm having only juice for 60 days but I think the 15 day juice + raw fruit and veges seems doable and I like the idea of perhaps doing a juice cleanse every 3 months or so for 5 days. In light of this new motivation we went out this morning and bought a juicer!

And a fancy one at that.  Very exciting. Started off very tamely by making a fruit only concoction - yum.

And then moved on to adding in some veges.  It's really good for me because I don't eat a lot of veges as I dislike the texture.  Had no issues guzzling down the juice with spinach and carrot in it. Yum Yum!

It may not look too appetising but it is delicious!

So... am feeling really good today.  15 hours of eating healthy, even did 30 minutes of exercise on the bike this morning.  Watch this space... you just know at some point in the near hungry future I will be pulling my hair out, but for now I bask in the haze which is January 1st.