I love books!

I wrote about my favourite book series here, so I will not do so again.

At the beginning of 2013 I started a book club. You can see our blog here. We have a little group of die hard book nerds and I love it. I haven't loved every book we've read but it has opened up my eyes to different genres and has definitely made my love of books flourish. There's nothing like spending a good couple of hours each month being a book geek.

Last month I added to my favourite books list when I read 'The fault in our stars' by John Green. It was recommended to me by an online friend and I can't thank them enough. It was great.I loved the main character. I really liked all the characters actually. They were great. And even thought the storyline was somewhat predictable I enjoyed the story. I've heard there's a movie based on it coming out later this year so I'm sure I'll be disappointed by that at some stage lol.

Things I'm loving - The Return!

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. 

First of all... I'm happy for the return of 'Things I'm Loving!' It had been a staple here at Following Moonshadows almost from the start and I was sad to give it up for a bit. Welcome back TIL!

I'm loving being an Aunty again to this gorgeous little girl. My sister gave birth to her 4th child on the 31st to this cute as little bundle...and look how alert she is! Cutest little gremlin I've seen in a long time! Welcome to the world Kaley. 

I loved taking some time to dedicate to a favourite past time last night, travelling up the Awhitu Peninsula to get some sunset shots. Here's my fave and a cute little church we saw on the way. My lord New Zealand is a beautiful place.

I'm loving my iPhone. I don't know how I did without a smartphone for so long. There are so many things I was missing out on that really, for me being the tech nerd that I am, I should have! Especially loving the panoramic function in the camera yesterday. Beautiful shots this phone takes. In love!

And on the note of buying stupidly expensive toys... I also love my new camera. It was time for a new one (as the rubber grip has plain fallen off the other one... and I lost it). It also goes beautifully with my new cambag (see Friday photo dump for pic of bag).

I luuuuurve my new hello kitty hispter glasses with no lenses. I feel like a badass when I wear them around the house. Everyone's had a go!

I'm loving our local library... and so is my little friend by the looks of things....

And here's a dump of some of my favourite pics from throughout the week, some made it to instagram, some did not.

I feel strongly about...nothing.

I think I do come across as quite an opinionated person, but the reality is, there are few things that I would go and stand at a picket line for. And actually, there's probably nothing that I feel THAT passionate about.

Moan? Heck yes I will. And I'll definitely pipe up in a discussion in the staff room at lunch time, but generally speaking I'm a pretty laid back dude and it surely does take a lot to get me riled up.

Hello 2014! I'm a failure!

Last year I challenged myself to 52 goals to complete. I didn't complete them all. Here are my failures and my excuses (LOL!). Luckily for me I'm a firm believer in 'if you're not making mistakes you aren't learning'.

1 Choose one thing from Pinterest a week and do it.
 Now I definitely did some of this....but somewhere during 2013 pinterest didn't become as all encompassing and appealing to me as it originally did. I got on the pinterest bandwagon very early in the piece (around early 2011) and although I think it's very useful and full of great ideas, I just don't use it the way I used to...or have found other things to replace the obsession at the moment. Now don't get me wrong - I definitely did use it for baking and making ideas and love searching it for help with things, but I must confess that #1 on my list, was a fail.

2 Make an emergency binder - see 52 to 52 pinterest board.
Thought about it... and then decided F**k that! hehe

4 Make Leah a pillowcase dress 
I have bought everything I need for this and am looking forward to making it over the next couple of weeks. This was just one where there was no way I was getting it done in a very busy Term 4 when the weather was getting hot enough to wear it.

9 Use my giant pile of recipe mags somehow.
I'm actually really pissed off to have to call this one a failure, because I'm so close. I've used about 85% of my magazines and am just working through the last few now and it's done! It's been a really rewarding experience as my and the people around me and their stomachs will testify to!


12 Build up a basic wardrobe - see pinterest 'my style' board for list.
I just keep putting this off. I shouldn't, but I do. I use the excuse that I want to lose more weight before I get clothes otherwise it's a waste of money. It's a valid excuse but my wardrobe is looking very lackluster currently. Ho hum!

16 Learn more about photography using my photography tutorial pins.
Why oh why won't I do this? No time, that's why! Need to make time for this, but I am doing OK without it. OK being the operative. 

17 Watch star wars films
How easy was this one and I couldn't do it? Slap on the wrists time. Planning to over the summer.

20 Restore nana's china cabinet
I did look into this right back at the beginning of 2013. The wood at the top is fairly cheap and has an overlay on it so it wasn't as easy as sanding and varnishing, hence, no dice.

21 Learn how to use photoshop.
I am sad to say that I made no attempt to do this. I did although purchase a year's subscription to picmonkey.com aaaaaaand managed to be awarded 'Top digital image of the year' at my photo club with a photo that I enhanced on there. Not too bad for a beginner and a fairly basic editing suite! This is the photo.

25 Read/do something with all of my books. Any ones that haven't been read/used by the end of the year will be sold.
In the process of culling these books during the holidays.

26. Get a stamp book and present all my stamps nicely.

Another one I'm pissed off I couldn't cross off. I'm about 3/4 of the way done with this.

36. Create and order a necklace from Origami owl

I got one all ready to pay for and send and then thought to myself that 'this is way too overpriced for what it is... I'd rather spend my money on geek stuff on etsy'... so I did.

38. Save all my spending money for 2 pay weeks and then blow it all in one go.

I couldn't do this. How sad is that? I'd really like to be able to. I did although manage to save up over $2000 for my mixer and my phone this year so I can't really be too grumpy at myself. I'd still like to try and do this one in the future.

47. Do another drawing challenge. 

Almost done! Hoping to finish over the holidays.

So that's what? Like a 75% pass rate. I'll take it. Especially because there are a few that will still get done and I had so many great successes with the list....Like...

• I have made a real conscious effort to try new recipes this year and because of this I've found some yummy new family favourites.
• I went to the Matakana markets and made my way over to Waiheke which are both things I've been wanting to do for a long time.
• My vision board is truly rockin'.  
• I got my full driver's license. Something that was a very long time in the making.



Yes, my hello kitty glasses are greater than everything you own combined!

• I saved up for my kitchenaide AND my iPhone. Now that's financial goals making a difference right there. I love both my big purchases so much and I'm so proud of myself for making the effort to do it on my own.

 

 And there's also a bunch of other little things that I'm truly happy I've done, or have begun to do.

But alas, as much as I love my lists they will be used in a much more down scaled attempt this year (perhaps with a resurgence at the beginning of next year with a 30 things before 30 theme) with only really using the 'Weekly 10' and concentrating more on myself.

Happy new year everyone. I hope that your year is full of failures and that you learn and grow from each and everyone. They're a necessary part of life, don't dwell on them, grow from them.

xox
 

 

Winning my heart

Five ways to win my heart huh?

1) Food. Yep, as sad as I am to say it. I am a bloke in this instance. I love food and serving me up something delicious would definitely be a good start to getting me in the sack winning my heart.

2) Commence discussion with me about any of the following;

• Video games
• Photography
• Mario Bros
• Music (especially rock/metal)
• Tattoos
• Nintendo
• Rottweilers
• NRL

3) Tattoos. I think dudes that have them are hot and are jealous of chicks that have stunning looking ones. I just think they're absolutely beautiful and tell you so much about the person. I actually think I prefer people that have tattoos to those that don't. Mostly because I know for certain that they don't look down on mine and that we have the same mindset.

4) Love my dog. I have had too many run ins with people that don't love my fur baby and too many off handed comments about how dangerous Rottweilers are. Even if that is the case (yes, funnily enough I research my breed of dog before I got him and realise they are prone to dominating beaviour - shock horror! I know about my dog!), and 'rotties' can be that way, they're not 'MY rottie'. My rottie is charming, clever and silly. He's a big wuss and if you spent time getting to know the dog and not judging him on his black and tan exterior you would know that. Rant over! Hehe.

5) Remove spiders and flying insects from my vicinity for me. I cannot stress this enough. If you're wanting to get in my good books - I'm talking to you Paul Rudd - then you have, have, have  to move and or maim creepy crawlies for me.

So that's me. If you're someone that cooks a mean seafood dinner, can wax lyrical about the nerdy, has body art, loves Rottweilers and can kill the odd dragonfly here and there then we can talk.

xox

Loving myself again (and other hippy bullshit....)

I've had a loooong time to think. I've thought about why I've been feeling so flat, about what I want out of my blog, about who I actually am; because I think I got lost somewhere, about how I want people to see me, about a whole cast of things to be honest.

I think I've come to somewhat of an equilibrium and I'm really LOVING my school holidays where I'm able to get this thinking done and really just do a whole lot of nothing. The main thing I've been thinking it to take it easy on myself. I'm very tough on myself when I don't get things done, and I think this is why I burnt myself out. I know we're all capable of it, but I feel like I'm uber tough on myself. It's for this reason that I'm not going to be giving myself a challenge in 2014, well, not a giant one like I have been (the 30 things before 30 will just have to wait until next year). Tomorrow I'm going to post about the 52 goals in 52 weeks challenge and all my failures. 'Failure'  being a good thing of course, because if you're not making mistakes you're not learning. 2014 is going to be the year where I focus on myself and do things because they fulfill me and make me happy, not because they're on a list. The list shall evolve! I'm hoping this more flexible approach will mean that I have a happier home and family life, a prettier garden, a more relaxed me, more time where I'm not thinking about all the things I have to do because I've commited to them or they're on a list and where I am thinking about and doing the things that make me happy - spontaneously(!!!) and a whole lotta lovin' of things I love to do.

In any case, I'm feeling better, more relaxed and ready to tackle the blog again.

Which brings me to... dun dun dun duuuuuh!

Yet another challenge. With a bit of a twist. I'm only going to post from these on days where I'm not normally doing another series...like 'things I'm loving' which is set to return this Friday.

This does mean though that today is free for my first post! Talking about 5 ways to win my heart. Oooo, I hope Channing Tatum is reading this... mofo needs to hit me up! I shall write that on a different post heading though so it's easily found.

Back to stay!
xox

Christmas Traditions

My family was never terribly big on traditions growing up. Now, don't get me wrong, we did some Chirstmassy things and I loooooooved Christmas, but I never felt like we had anything that we always did and would call a tradition.

I remember a tatted old Christmas Carol booked that I cherished. My eldest sister who died of a brain tumour before I was born was the original owner and I think Mum enjoyed seeing it being used. So I would clutch the book to my chest and sing till my heart's content - 'Siiiiiiilent Night, Hooooooly night. Aaaaaall is caaaaalm, aaaaaaall is bright'. I also had a book of 'The Night Before Christmas' that I would read over and over again. I really liked it because the illustrations were claymation photographs. I still pride myself today on being able to rattle off the names of the reindeers because of it.

If there was one thing I would say was a tradition it would have been Christmas Lunch, although again I wonder whether it really was a tradition because although there were old favourites there was always some variety. Some years a seafood feast was put up, others a BBQ, now and then a xmas ham. The only thing that always seemed to feature was the Pavlova... and this wasn't always consumed on the day but for Dad's breakfast for the few days following Christmas!

But when I look back on it now, I think the tradition (as corny as it sounds) was family and love. When I sang those carols mum was always sitting nearby, usually knitting or making christmas treat goodness, correcting my mispronounced words ('boughs of holly' was always a tough mother), and opening our presents on mum and dad's big bed on Christmas morning was always done as a family. There may have not been things was always did, but whatever we did - it was always with love and with one another.

Leah's choice of 'fancy' decoration this year

Now with a family of my own I have been very conscious of making deliberate traditions. Leah chooses a new fancy Christmas tree decoration every year, we have some form of advent calendar on the go (last year she had her 24 books!), we always put the tree up together and Christmas baking is a family affair. Leah loves it and I love watching her love it. Her tree decorating style was quite humourous this year when she decided all the baubles were to go onto the one branch. Pretty darn cute if you ask me!

After all said and done when I sit down and think about what Christmas is, it's food that features heavily. Last year I wrote a review about Baker's Delights Christmas goodies and this year they've sent me some more. I decided not to do a review but instead to write this post about Chirstmas Traditions. My workmates this year got to sample the Christmas Mince Tarts - look at these faces of satisfaction!

Everything that I've ever had the opportunity to sample from Baker's delight has been a smash! Two years in a row now they're been a Christmas Tradition for us. Thinking back to when I was a kid and having my mum slave over a hot stove for hours perfecting her Christmas Cake creation it is a real tribute to the Baker's Delight Christmas Cake to hear mum say "Jeez, why would you want to make your own nowadays when these ones taste so good?" Too right mum, make buying the cake the tradition and spend time with the family eating it!

Make some great traditions this holiday break. I'll see you all round next year (I'm taking a break from Blogging just for a bit) when I let you know how I've got on with my 52 goals in 52 weeks challenge and give this thing a make over!

Until then, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. xox