I have moved!

Due to NEEDING access to my blog via my phone (so that I actually will blog) I have moved...

find me at:

http://housebuiltonlove.blogspot.co.nz/

with a whole new look!

Important Secrets

A Little Secret.... I'm Moving.

I decided I NEED access to blogger on my smart phone.

Unfortunately, I can't get it with this blog.  No matter what I do, it tells me that you cannot use a gmail address for this blogsite.  I don't know why or how, and I can't get it up on my smartphone without a gmail address... it's just being complicated.

So, I'm moving.  New title, new look - and hopefully because its about to be so accessible to me, new posts, more often!

Im reconstructing as I write, so stay tuned.... about to launch!

Welcome 2013!

I think I better find some blogging mojo again. There's this thing that happens to me when I blog, and trawl through all the blogs available for perusal at any random time. I seemingly turn into an inward focused 'life is hard' person. I don't know why it happens, but when I get too involved something chemically changes in me and I don't like it. Too much facebook, online stuff etc - what I would call living vicariously through other people's lives - it actually isn't good for anyone. We were made for relationships, true, real, deep, open, loving relationships... the kind that come from actually seeing and spending time with a person. I'm not talking about the lovey dovey type - just general friendships with people. So I'm not sure how I'm going to do this 'blog' thing and not turn into the incredible sulk ahem, hulk while trying to add a little something, a little more regularly. I'll think on that one. While I sit here, on this 30+ degree celcius balmy Sunday afternoon, Mr 18 months playing with tongs, a shirt, a saucepan and lid among other things... Mr 3months asleep and Miss 3 out to the movies with her dad, it's the very last day of our much needed summer holiday. We needed a break. Our lives have been a rollercoaster the last 2 years. We've moved house twice, I've brushed death, we've had and nearly lost 2 premature babies.... combined between me and my kids we have spent over 15 weeks in hospital since March 2011. Hospitals aren't fun places to spend time as a patient. They turn into quiet, solemn, lonely white halls at night. Deathly places. I'm sure its different if you work there, but when it's your life, and 8pm visiting hours finish arrives, it's like my heart would sink and a lump would rise in my throat as I faced another night alone in a strange place, separated from all I knew and loved. It's hard to keep your head even and stay focussed. I will write a little (or a lot) about our most recent journey someday soon. Anyway, we've had an amazing holiday getting used to being a family of 5, and just being a family again. Our baby was discharged on 2 December after 9 weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care and then Special Care and we had been split apart as a family for that entire time. We've spent time together, we've spent time with our wider family, we've spent time with friends. We've visited the beach, the farm park, playgrounds, the pools... played in the paddling pool nearly all day. Made messes of our house and barely cleaned up... eaten fruit salad for tea. We've eaten several kilograms of chocolate and treats, we've gained several kilograms each. The grown ups have started a health regime (mostly eating so far).... And it all ends today as my hubby donnes his shirt and tie, shiny shoes, leather belt, woollen socks and returns (greatfully I'm sure) to his airconditioned office tomorrow. So now, I think I might be able to find a few minutes in the day to write a little something to you readers (thanks for being patient)... maybe I won't seeing as I'll have 3 kids on my own again from tomorrow - haha - who knows. Happy 2013 everyone. I pray that this year is a year of pure joy, and a discovery of Joy Himself as each of you walks out and finds enjoyment in each moment - cause that is what this is all about anyway! x

Hello and other ramblings...

Hello again! Wow, its been a REALLY long time since I last wrote anything on here. Life has got away in me a bit these last, well 7 months. I've been pregnant and had a baby in that time even. It feels so long that in fact, I dont know where to begin. This year has been laced with challenge to challenge, its been hard for many around us, and hard for us. And as I sit here, reclined, my feet up in a lazyboy,the sun tearing through the window of Room 2, NICU, Auckland City Hospital... holding my 2 week old baby who is really only 31 weeks old, I just ponder life a bit... This year has been good. Laced with difficulty, but good. When I look at the people around me that have faced trials, challenges and depths of pain, I see a maturity that has risen to the occasion and carried on. There are great wells of tears that have been sown into the ground, a ground found ferftile for growth, because it has been dug,turned over, fertilised by the revelations and depths found in trials since gone by, but mostly, because the people have known where to cling when everything else is shaking. You can rise to the occasion when you know the One who carries you through and has seen the end from the beginning. Sure, its hard, and in the hard moments it doesnt change that sometimes we want to stay in bed in the morning, lie down flat and not get up anymore, forgetC our responsibilities and run away, or just plain break. We want to, but mostly, we get up, we face the day, we carry on for the light of a better day glimmers through a tiny crack in the door. I could write the story of my son's birth, little Ezekiel David, all 3lbs of him, and I will, but I'll save it for anothet day. For today, I just want to say, rise up. Get up again and face the world. Shake off the weight of heaviness that tries to swallow you up and find your garment of praise- the 9n that He designed specially for you. The one that looks at the rain, but sres the rainbow. What you fix your eyes on is what you get. The rain is the trial, the challenge, the pain... the rainbow is the promise that holds your feet firm. You actually can choose how you face the day, how you handle the trial, how you cone out theother side. If you find yourself facing the same thing, with the same attitude and the same heaviness repeatedly, I'd examine closely the choices you're making in facing the challenge. Where are your eyes fixed? What does that look like? Is it the right perspective or have you bought into a lie... People often say, why has God allowed this to happen? Why am I in this place? Where is He in this? Dumb stuff happens because we live an imperfect life... whether its from our own choices or actions, that of another or whether its just something we've been thrown with no one to pount at... it doesnt matter. What we do when we question Him, is we questiin His integrity. We question His love. We ques tion His faithfulness, His goodness, His perfect Father heart. We question whether He's there at all... questions are ok for a moment, but they should lead us to a deeper encounter with Him, a deeper knowledge og His love and a deeper understanding that He IS all of those things (and so much more) in absolute perfect form, far too great for our minds and hearts to comprehend... but He REMAINS all of those things even in our trials... Perfect love, perfect faithfulness, perfect friendship, perfect Father, perfect in all f His ways toward us, all of the time. Afterall, He is the Only One who never changes...

I'm a foodie....

I'm a foodie.  There, I said it.

I love food.  I love choosing it, smelling it, touching it, slicing it, preparing it, baking it, frying it, cooking it, serving it, and most of all, eating it.  I LOVE the eating part.

But to be honest, I'm an addict.  That sounds hilariously funny, because we all need food to survive (obviously), but when you get down to the raw truth, I am addicted to food.  And coffee.

Not all food.  I can't openly proclaim that I am addicted to sprouts or vegetables or fruit or anything disgusting.  But I am definitely addicted to the good stuff.

I totally love preparing food, baking etc.  For others and for myself.  I love it too much.

I often get asked the question... like how do you go from

to

and, even more common - how do you look like

within a few months of having a baby.....  it doesn't really end.

My answer is usually hard work.  Because that's virtually the nuts and bolts of it.

The fact that I get asked nearly everywhere I go, nearly everyday, tells me that there are plenty of people out there who have the same problem as me.  As a society, we seem to classify addicts as people to who take drugs, or who smoke or have these habitual 'bad' problems that affect their health/wealth etc adversely.... well, I'm pretty sure obesity and too much extra weight can have adverse health problems too.

Most people I talk to want to know and seem to think I have some great level of self control.  And sometimes I do.  Most often, I don't.  I have a degree of self control for a season of time that I know will end.  And then my self control runs out.

Addict - to habituate or abandon (oneself) to something compulsively or obsessively.

So, that classifies eating when not hungry... or eating beyond full - as an addiction.  (as well as lots of other things I'm sure).

This has been a struggle for me lately.  When it is cold, raining, and I'm bored and feeling a bit sorry for myself - I eat.  That's how I got so large in the first place.  I ate when I was stressed and feeling emotional - to help me feel better.  So I'm back to square one and if I don't sort it out, it will get out of control.

But here is the raw truth to how I have got to where I am right now.... (where I am being a healthy weight for my height)

1) I admitted that I had a problem.  In fact, I am the problem.

2) I stopped blaming everything and everyone else for my situation.

3) I recognised that to change my life and my future, with God's help, only I could do that.  I could not change it for anyone else, not for my hubby, not for my kids, not for anyone else... for me.

4) I recognised that the problem was 'bigger than me' and that I needed HIS help EVERYDAY.

5) I saw what I was, and I saw that if I continued, I would not be able to run around with my children, to play with them like I wanted to, and that I couldn't give them the future I dreamed of.

6) I recognised the example I was setting for them

7) I decided to do it, and I did it.

I don't necessarily think there is any one way of achieving weight loss.  I have a method, and it works.  I know it would work for anyone, but not everyone can apply the same degree of dedication and restriction that I do in order to achieve results.  But I think, what it truly boils down to, is that when we see and recognise that it is me and my problem, we can actually deal with it if we want to.

I'm not going to look over my shoulder and hope that someone will come knocking on my door with an ounce  (or tonne) of motivation... for any area of my life.  Though accountability works, hence my straight up post.

I had to face huge emotional hurdles to be where I am today.  I had to face up to myself, to issues with other people that I had bottled up and locked away inside me.  To excuses I had to be how I was.  I had to replace my addiction to food with something else for the times when I felt sad/bored/lonely/whatever it may be.

I replaced it by 'being' with Jesus.  You might think I'm a freak.  And frankly, I don't care anymore.  Because I know He is alive and real and He is the only one who has the power to give us victory that lasts forever.

I am honest about life and my struggles.  That is how I am made to be.  That is how He made me to be.

When I 'be' with Him, the problems of life, what people say and do to me, the lonely feelings, the boredom and whatever else - well, it melts away.  It doesn't matter so much when I'm with Him.  And when I leave my 'being with' Him... they still don't matter so much...  I don't live a blissful life where problems are non-existant and I am not so thick skinned that what people say and do just wash off me...  in fact, I feel things incredibly deeply.  But I have learned to take those things to the only one who can wash them off me and make me new again.  And I have learned that by talking about them, and honestly communicating about them, I am made more free and others are given a taste of what can be available.

I am the first to admit - I do not have the victory over food that I want.... Yet.  I want to be at a place that when I am feeling low and bingey or craving, that I don't bake something and eat half of what I made for lunch.... instead of lunch.... or in addition to lunch.  Where I am satisfied by what I eat and I enjoy the extras.  Life is not made to not enjoy food.  I don't think that living a rigid life of plain, boring and healthy food forever and never letting a morsel of goodness pass the lips would work for many people... it certainly wouldn't for me.  I love chocolate, and sugar and all the good stuff.

But I'm in pursuit of a victory that leaves me satisfied.  That suddenly goes, hey, I'm feeling a bit low today - I'll go be with Jesus for a while and then I'll be ok.  

Or, I'll bake for my family, and I will be able to open the fridge or cupboard and not have to eat some of the baking every time.

I once heard someone say that being an overcomer is where in a battle, you win at least 51% of the time.  I think that's a good starting place to aim for.  That's where I'm going to aim.

So, today, instead of hiding from your battle, why don't you choose for yourself that you will 'opt in' to a life of freedom.  See, I want to be free.  I want to live in freedom so badly and not be swayed by all the earthly things.  Living from the perspective of heaven is so much better.

It means that we get just a bit real about life, about our battles and all that stuff.  We get real with ourselves, we get real with others, and most importantly, we get real with Jesus.  (who already knows ALL of your issues anyway).

Take your battle, and try 'being' with Him.  I promise you it will change your life.

xx

what not to do......

when you start running.... here's my list compiled of what NOT to do

1. set out at 8.30am, when the traffic is busy and all the bored motorists waiting in queue have no better scenery than you in your running clothes...
2. leave less than 30 minutes after breakfast, meaning you feel like heaving about 2/3's of the way through
3. notice that there is A LOT of traffic, and not wanting to interrupt your podcast running/walking times, proceed to run down the busiest road in your city on a weekday morning
4. breathe in all the lovely fresh diesel and petrol fumes from all that traffic
5. get to the bottom of the hill, then realise that you now have to make it up some hill nearby as a part of your run (because you don't want to overdo it when you're just starting out)
6. decide that to make your run exciting (and to avoid the zillions of passing by motorists staring at you) that you will not run back up the hill you just came down...
7. Notice that the ONLY hill nearby is the steepest hill in your locality, and maybe even your city
8. Take two kids in a double mountain buggy, up the steepest hill in your locality

Yip, that pretty much sums it up.  I completed my first run today.  I feel great for achieving it, and hopefully next time, I will know exactly what NOT to do....

Running..... how's that working for you?

haha.  I've just read this great book on parenting.  It is one of THE best books I have ever read on the subject - and I am quite a reader.

The guy has this quote that he uses, at the most hilarious times - "How's that working for you?"  like say his kids are brawling and one comes in sobbing for a sympathy vote - in discussion he says, and what could you do to your brother?  son says "punch him," dad replies "and how's that working for you?"

It sounds a bit crazy - you'll have to read the book ;-)

Anyway, I was meant to begin the great running game last week.  Notice I said meant to.  Because I didn't.

I have lots of reasons, but really they are all excuses.

BUT.
I didn't get the podcasts loaded onto my iPod until Tuesday.  Then on Tuesday, I thought my princess Adelaide had broken her wrist.  I spent Tuesday and Wednesday doing EVERYTHING for her (as well as a couple of trips to white cross etc).  Then it was Thursday.  It rained.  Anyway, the rest of the week flew past. I have been eating terribly for about 2 weeks, which does not motivate me to run in any sort.  As in, I don't normally eat bread, and I myself have probably consumed 2 loaves in the last 2 weeks.... not to mention the icecream, caramel everything and so on.  You'd think I'm pregnant.  And, I'm not.  hehe.

So, I am pondering a 30 day challenge coming up soon.  Anyway, I am inevitably going to try and start the running this week.  It just happens that the podcasts that I managed to load go from couch to 5k in 8 weeks instead of 9.  So I will still reach my goal when I wanted to - provided I actually begin this week!

Now I just need to switch off my desperate cravings for baking & eating it all!

More on succeeding at that some other time......

still a battle everyday!  don't want to live that way forever!  hey food, I'm supposed to rule over you.  So help me God!  ;-)

xx

Let the running begin.....

So I bought me one of these....

A second hand one. 16gb, original generation.  Old, but it will do the job.  New for me.

It's quite nifty.  No camera, but connects to WIFI.  With a quick, cheap software update it can run apps and games and a whole lot of other cool stuff.  It can almost do anything... except for fly me to the moon.

I lost my old ipod in our move.  I actually cried, I was really upset as it was a gift and quite precious to me.  I don't hang on much to stuff, but replacing it was quite a task, which I guess, is why I was so sad.

But my new one is great.  I paid virtually the same as the original one cost.  (the original was second hand too).  It arrived and I loaded everything on, a few hours later I was making my first attempt at actually listening to a video on it - to find that the sound wouldn't work.  After a few investigations, I discovered that the input for the headphones/speakers was faulty  :'(  I was really discouraged and upset again because of thinking about having to deal with the company in Auckland that I purchased it from etc.

I figured out that I could hear it if the headphones were 1/2 plugged into the jack.  But it was very quiet and the volume adjustment made no difference to the sound levels.

But a brief thought popped into my head to pray for it.  I have what I call "weird" faith.  Like, I can believe for stuff like this to get fixed, but I struggle to believe for provisions of basic necessities!!!?  crazy.  Anyway, I didn't even really pray.  Just thought it.

Next thing, it's blasting in my ear so loud that I jumped & shrieked.  Then I heard nothing.  I resorted to that it was properly broken now.  Then I had a thought that perhaps it would work if I put the headphone jack in properly, and sure enough, now it is working A-OK!  Don't you love it!?  Someone else traded it in because it was faulty, and here I am with this cool blessing, that is working just fine!  He makes me laugh out loud - literally.

Anyway, I want to start up a couch to 5k running programme.  Losing my ipod put a spanner in the works, so getting a new one means I have to start it now - right!?

The trick is, you listen to these podcasts that have portions of walking music and running music that alternates... beginning on easy for the first week and increasing the running times/decreasing walking times as you go on.  You have to dedicate 3 x 1/2 hour slots per week to it - and in 9 weeks, I should be able to run roughly 5km in 30 minutes.  I'm not sure about being able to dedicate the time necessary, but I'm going to try.  I really want to get fit - I am so unfit it's ridiculous and it's time I sort that part of my life out.

So its me, couch to 5k in 9 weeks.  I'm starting Monday. 21 February.  Which means, all going ok, sometime around 23 April I should be able to do a 5k run non stop.  Eeeek sounds impossible right now, but I'm going to give it a shot!  Hopefully it will help me tone up a bit too!

I'll report in on it, maybe once a week.

Happy weekend all!  x

what I've been up to....

Well, the year has officially begun.  Why does it feel like the year never begins until February?  I guess I still feel like I'm on holiday until February hits, and suddenly I realise that hubby gets no long stretch of time off until December, the years programmes are beginning again and well, what do you know - here we are, a month in to 2012!

Here's a mini-update on what I've been up to:

• we just returned from a week's holiday in Hamilton & Auckland.  I feel refreshed and ready for the year to start now...
• we have a great tenant in our house, a nurse, it worked out perfectly
• I'm considering commencing a couch to 5k running program.... but I've lost my ipod.  The music is cool though, semi-addictive, so I think I'll either have to find my ipod or get a 'new' (pre-loved) one  :(
• loving the new place, nicely stretched out, seemingly perfect for my passions - cooking & having guests!
• as it seems many others are also, I am quietly heading back to old fashioned communicating this year.... I have missed and long for face to face relationships over media ones....  I will still show up, but don't count on an update heaps... perhaps the face of this shall change - we will see.
• Mr John has a tooth (or two).  Happy 7 month birthday - a  tooth!  He is keeping my hands full!
• My year is looking excitingly amazing right at the outset!  New opportunities arising, getting regularly back into some things I'm passionate about - the joys of a baby weaning himself at 6 months! :-)
• I'm busy pondering an outfit, or three, for an up-coming wedding..... looking forward to getting glammed up once again!
• I cut and coloured my hair.  Dark brown, fringe again - a long easy to hide one :)  Feeling like a new me!
• I had a child-less shopping spree while away (I had about $250 of vouchers for Auckland stores to blow).  What an AMAZING time I had! whee!
• I have been offered a few jobs lately.... I'm not even looking for work.  Quite nice politely declining!
• I had an amazing opportunity to have a hands on experience at being a chef last night.....  I went into Vie Restaurant (at Flames Hotel) and assisted them with a wedding - catering for around 90 people!  It was so much fun and made me see why I love cooking all the more!!  My job was to plate half of the entrees & then plate the veges (and decorate the plates with sauces) for the mains!!  I got a few ideas, and just loved seeing the 'behind the scenes' at how they do what they do and why etc!  Good times.... better still, I get paid for it!  A busy job still!

Anyway, that's about it from me - seeya!

Welcome twenty twelve....

"You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.  The wilderness becomes a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.  The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain.  They all shout and sing for joy!"  - ps 65.11-13


This scripture, God made alive to me in 2010.  I've come to realise that when it comes to the end of one year, you can look back - and see the harvest in the difficulties.  When you come through the challenges, and have a bit of time to 'recover' - you can see God's goodness and His hand there, while you were struggling.


Things don't always look like what we expect.  Sometimes we have a sort-of imprint in our minds of what 'abundance, lush pastures, joy, flocks of sheep and carpets of grain' look like.  


After 2011, I found myself waiting for this amazing 'harvest' to arrive near the end of the year... only to discover, the harvest happened through the year.  The greatest harvest was in my heart.


I leave 2011 knowing Him in ways I never would have before.  Knowing He sits with those battling death, and never leaves.  Knowing he is literally with you in every circumstance.  Knowing He wills people to live more than we ever could.  Knowing that He alone governs our breathing, our living, and our dying.  Knowing He is the Healer.  Knowing that He restores relationships.  I have found myself challenged in some of the fundamentals of my faith, and leaving with a new 'knowing' in my heart that there is no other that I would rather rest my life upon - than the One who holds life together.


There were other harvests - some of those being the help that was extended to us through the difficulties - practical, emotional and spiritual help.  Prayers, meals, help at home, help with childcare, conversations, listening ears, love and support in SO many other ways.  Harvests in relationships with others...  Sometimes its not until you go through difficulty that you realise the great things God has put in and around your life.


I've come to appreciate 2011 and each challenge.


I must say, I have great anticipation for 2012 in my heart - I am SURE that there will be fulfilments of some of the promises that we (and many others) have only longed for or dreamed of.  I believe there is a harvest that follows faithfulness.  God is good and is worthy of serving with everything you have.  I know no-one greater and want for no other.


Happy 2012 everyone.  May it truly be crowned with the goodness of God and a harvest that is visible to you for your life.

Room with a view...

I wake up each day, to this.  I gaze out my lounge window, to this.....

How refreshing and beautiful... and peaceful.  Even in the rain which has been a lot lately!  I grew up with a view of the sea... I seem to gravitate to a view of the country & trees and I love it!

We've finally moved, put everything away and are settling into just life again - ahhhh.  This place is bliss! ♥  thanks mum and dad!

whew!

sigh. That's what it feels like just about now. a breath of relief in a momentary stillness.

We've had a hectic few weeks!

Here's my list of what has been or is about to be:

• loads of parties and functions
• packing up the house
• every one of us being really sick - the kids for over a week!
• shopping galore (I really LOVED late night shopping before Christmas)
• cooking & baking up a storm
• Christmas day
• Boxing day (with additional Christmas festivities) & seeing my brother & family from New Plymouth
• staying with my parent's in law & siblings in-law for a few days before they left NZ for 8 months (that was a crazy, fun house - 7 adults & 2 littlies!!)
• driving to auckland to bid them farewell. roughing it for the night cause of bad weather.
• driving back
• moving in to their house
• unpacking boxes, finding places for everything
• trying to explain to an incessant miss A that grandma's house is our new 'home' and grandma & grandpa have gone on a big plane for a long time
• trying to clean, get those last couple of boxes and a few jobs done on our old place
• attempting at finding tenants and becoming a landlord! eek.
• trying to catch the in-laws on skype!

Sadly, my hubby took a week less than was offerred to him and so goes back on Monday, without us really getting a break!  Gladly I'm dreaming about our next holiday already - which we've planned for later this month!

In other news, we took a break from all the work & took the kids to the pools this morning.  Mr John LOVED it and was SO keen.  His first swim - little cutie.  He's six months old. Can you believe it!?

In another 6 months, I will be celebrating his 1st birthday.  Thank you God for preserving my wee one's life.  He's been quite fiesty lately.  His dad looked at me the other day (in the middle of a fiesty bout) and I said - it's our fault for calling him "little fiery one".

The above picture - is princess Adelaide with her "microphone" singing to God.  That's what she told me she was doing, and what an adorable job she was doing.  True worship in the sight of God I'm sure.


She is sleeping in a big bed with no bars, all by herself.   That means Mr John can finally sleep in a bed he can fit in.... 

Mind you, the bassinet was very helpful with the eventful weeks we've had.

I've gained a few extra kgs after Christmas, and I think (apart from it still being in the cupboard) I no longer have an excuse to continue eating junk.  So, I'm trying to get back on my regime!


I am 100% glad to wave goodbye to 2011 and ride off into the sunset of 2012. It looks like it's set to be a beautiful ride (once all this craziness dies down!).

Product Review - Olay Total Effects Sensitive

I've been saying for quite a while that I need to take better care of my skin.  Particularly my face.

One of the things I've been wanting to do is wear a daily moisturiser with sunscreen.  I don't want to look all old and wrinkled before my time, let alone melanoma etc!

So, product review #2 I get to try:

Olay Total Effects Sensitive

Product claims:
"an all in one product, designed for sensitive skin to help fight the 7 signs of ageing" as per their anti-ageing product Olay Total Effects.

It is designed to 'protect, calm and strengthen your skin'.

The things it does to fight the 7 signs of ageing are:

1. line minimisation
2. nourishing moisturisation
3. tone enhancement
4. gentle exfoliation
5. pore refinement
6. anti-oxidants
7. subtle lifting

It retails for around $33.  The first thing I thought when I pulled it out of the box was, "wow, that's not much for $33!!"  But comparatively with other similar products, it is around the same size and a similar price.

You don't need much for a full application, one squirt of the pump does your face & some of your neck.  So it would last a while.  It recommends twice a day on the box.  I'm not sold to that!  who applies a 'day cream' twice a day???  most people who are really into this stuff would use a 'night cream' at bedtime.

I washed my face and put it on.  My neck was a bit scratchy (which often happens with certain products) - is this meant to happen?  Afterall it is supposed to be a 'sensitive' skin product.  When I last had a facial I was all tingly and that was a good thing, so perhaps it is showing that it's working?

I have used it for a week - because I thought I can't very well review something like this after one try.

The cream smells quite 'sunblocky' - that is because it is SPF15+ and doesn't have any other fragrance added (which is good in my books).

It is thick, and my face looked positively good after first application.  Natural, but 'glowy' in a gentle, non-oily way.  Subsequent applications felt and looked good.  I felt quite assured that I was using something good on my face and it felt like a bit of a treat to put it on!

After one weeks use I notice:

• my skin is smoother.  It feels smooth to the touch.
• some of my pores appear smaller and 'cleaner' (maybe that's the more regular face washing?? hehe)
• my skin does look healthier
• I feel good - because I know I am using a good product on my skin and protecting my face from the sun!

I'm 25, I don't have a lot of wrinkles, nor bad skin tone etc.  I also feel very vain giving myself a good look over everyday and then publically reviewing my appearance on my blog!! haha

I suppose I would notice further benefits with more long term use.  I will continue to use it and might get hooked.  It is cheaper than some other creams I have tried, but I am not convinced enough to unquestionably add it to the budget.  If you regularly use qualtiy face care, it's well worth a try.  

I am convinced that I need to care for my face better, and I don't want to apply a regular sunblock everyday (way to greasy and yuck on the skin) - so I will definitely be working on it!

Product Review - Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light

So I get to try a few new great products....  on the condition I review them on my blog (sorry to my regular readers)

You may end up finding something that you'd like....

Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light

Firstly, I am a shampoo & conditioner snob.  I buy salon product, unless money is really tight.  I have ringlets and unruly frizz.  It's pretty hard to keep my hair in shape.

Anyway, I was happy to give this product a go.  The write up claimed that it is "targeted at women with fine hair who want hydration and that just washed feeling, without their hair feeling weighed down and looking flat or limp."  I don't really have fine hair, but the rest applies to me.

It apparently uses 'Clean Rinse Technology' which leaves no residue on your hair.

So, what did I think?


I was actually pleasantly surprised.  It does what is says - the shampoo lathers nicely (I didn't have to do it twice) and rinses out easily.  The conditioner glides on, and off - so my wet hair felt smooth and clean but not slimy like it still had conditioner on it.

I purposefully left no product in my hair, let it dry and went out that evening.  I got quite a lot of comments on how good my hair looked.

When my hair dried, it was ultra curly.  There was a lot of bounce and very little weight.  It wasn't hugely frizzy either which was quite nice - seeing as it was hot and raining - being perfect weather for 'boof head' me to turn up.

A few days later (I try not to wash my hair too often) and my hair actually still feels clean and looks quite good.  Impressive.  I like it better than the current salon shampoo I have (which is a new one I'm trying).

I also tried it on miss 2's hair - she has the tightest, thick little ringlets I've ever seen.  Being only 2 years old, it is still quite fine hair.  It looked beautiful and shiny and bouncy when I had washed it.  Usually I also use salon stuff in her hair because I sort of have to.

So, overall, although I don't necessarily think I am the type of person this product is targeted to - it does do what it claims.  I am fairly happy with the result, to the point where if I chose a shampoo at the supermarket, depending on price, this would be one of the first I chose.

It's a winner!  Go on, give it a go!

10 points to me!!

I'm winning at this mummy thing.

See, when it comes to new things, especially in parenting land - I often get a bit "highly strung" about them.

Before Princess Adelaide came along, I sort of thought I would have this parenting thing down pat.  Just another achievement in life - which would ride smoothly, as most of my 'achievements' do.  I had plenty of experience with babies and children so thought it would be ok.

My recommendation to most 'about to be' mothers would now be - read as little of the baby/parenting books as possible until you actually are a parent.  Cause they set you up with expectations of what it will be like, and it's much, much harder than that.

Anyway, you might remember from this, that we are on a toilet training journey at the moment.  Of course, being my eldest, this is my first time toilet training a kid.  So my approach - I expected too much of my girl, and myself - result = highly strung mother, frustration and meltdowns....

I've been here before - trying to get a baby Princess A to sleep more than 45 minutes in the day.  After a million cold cups of coffee, listening to her screaming for hours, trying every suggested method and weeks of being depressed and feeling a failure - my good friend - offered me a piece of advice.

Something like this -
instead of fighting it, just let it go.

Her number 2 was a similar baby to my girl.  He never did more than 45 minutes either.  Once she let it go, she felt better and coped better.  You know what - so did I.

I should follow that advice 95% of the time I'm doing something new with my kids.  It usually takes me a while to remember.  Anyway, the day after I decided to "let it go" on the toilet training business, Princess A decided she would actually get the hang of it.

Now, she is a bright wee cookie.  And a sensitive one.  So she's quite particular.  This has involved some wee's in the bath.  I can reassure you that now about 95% of the time, she goes on the potty.

The story goes, we were in the supermarket today and suddenly she announces, "mummy, I need to do wees" - in the voice that means, I can hold on for a minute or two, but no longer.  One problem, mummy forgot the potty.  Usually a meltdown would follow this, because the "toilet" is too "big for me".

Well, I announced in that mummy voice that we had no potty, and pak n save only had a big toilet.  To my delight, she said she wanted to go on the big toilet.  (She must of REALLY needed to go).

So I drop my trolley, load my screaming Mr John into his carseat, take him, my handbag, the toys she brought into the supermarket, and make a dash to the loo.  I was hoping like anything she wasn't going to have me sit there waiting for an hour (as she has on other days).

Well, very maturely, she did it!  Success to me!  She had to mind you, that, or the uncomfortable feeling of wet pants.  We had to make a second trip at the end of our shopping - success again!

So, since I've taken on the advice - just let it go, she is proving to me that she can do it!  And when there is a relaxed mother involved - she is even better at it!

What have we done well?  Well, we waited to train her until she was absolutely ready - I am pleased to say that she is so precise about going, that she has not had any accidents.  We have tried before - and there were accidents every time.  There is something about waiting until they are ready for things that makes it much less "work".

She initiates, I assist by bribing encouraging the right things.  (I don't bribe all the time - but you have to get your kid out of the bath to do wee's somehow!)  That should be how it is with most of their learning independence.

I'm the big person, so I should act big.  She is the little person, so it is quite ok for her to act little, make mistakes, inconvenience me with her requests for the bathroom, sitting on the potty for an hour at a time and all the rest - but I must take control.

Yep, I'm winning on this one. ;-)

Smile a little.... or laugh - a lot

As I sit here in my quiet household, enjoying a hot cup of coffee & a carrot muffin, in perfect peace (for an hour or so anyway) - I thought I'd just have a random ramble.... because today, for once, I have time.

Life has been fast paced lately.

A lot is about to change.

For the first time - I confessed to my hubby the other night - that I can't wait for Christmas to be over.

It's not Christmas' fault.  It's actually more like this - I can't wait for all the busy schedules, (you know them... playcentre, school concerts, parades, church concerts, work functions, church functions, family functions....) that run around this time of year to be over and for us to just have a break.  A relax. A full-stop - for the 2 weeks or so that the hubster gets off work.

Now its actually not going to be a full-stop.  Because in that time we will be moving house & farewelling my in-laws on a long anticipated OE slash a whole lot of other stuff.  Suddenly it has sunk in that they are leaving us.  For a good portion of the year.  That's quite a big deal.

In the mix, we are selling our house - in potentially the worst market that has existed here in a long time.  If we don't sell, we are tenant hunting.  I'm a bit anti-rentals, but with each passing week and empty open home, we're heading for landlord direction at full steam ahead.  I'm more open to the idea now.... I guess I have to be.

I'm quite aware that God is totally able to do this!!  It's just walking it out, step by step.... it's weird, knowing the next step - but not knowing how the previous step ends, or the one following.... I guess that's why they call it a walk of faith. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, Princess Adelaide is moving on too.  She's such a sensitive little poppet and every 'new' thing has to be done at snail pace.  Or perhaps, partly, HER pace., which is my SNAIL pace.  I'm not sure whether this is her daddy's determined streak coming out (which she has demonstrated since birth), or whether it is genuine need of 'slowness'.  Anyway, I finally forced convinced her, into her big bed.

How did I do this?  Well, I think God answered my prayers (Mr John is about 3cm from the top of his bassinet) - and gave me a creative idea.  I removed the up/down side of her cot, and put it against her prettied up big bed.  I secured it with string (Kiwi ingenuity).  When she came to get ready for bed that night, I gave her the choice - cot with no bar, or big bed with bar.... I was 95% sure she'd choose the bar.  She did.  Success to me!  She still cried for her cot for a few nights, but this was easily fixed by removing the sheets and being firm.  Now she climbs into big bed and settles no trouble at all.

Hopefully I have the same success when I take the bar down!

Actually, the first night in her big bed, she got out and was playing happily in her room for a while.  At about 9pm I hear a whimpering cry.  I went in, and here she was, in the dark, lost.  She'd got out to play and didn't climb back in before dark - so she was lost in her room. *cute*

While moving forward, she has also started potty training.  We were all sweet and making very few mistakes, until the 'potty' started to "hurt her bum".  So we bought a new one.  Then she chose the old one.  *grit teeth*

Suddenly though, she decided that she needed to "go wee's" all the time.  So she'd sit on the potty for an hour or more at a stretch, with no wee, but REFUSING to get off - because she needed to go.  We went to playcentre, and in the 3 hours we were there, she honestly spent about 20 minutes NOT on the potty.  I wiped my brow and breathed a great sigh of relief when her wee finally came out of hiding.

To add to this, my wee girl, when stressed, won't do number 2's.  Apparently this is quite a common occurance amongst children.  (she has been medically checked etc).  Anyway, she hadn't gone for a while, so when it came time for her to desperately need to go - she SCREAMED the neighbourhood down - trying not to go.  So you can imagine, her periodically screaming blue murder every 10 to 20 minutes ALL afternoon & night - because she didn't want to go.

Mr John was teething and cranky as.  In fact, the same day - he cried, non-stop for 3 hours.  I kept my cool ALL DAY.  What an achievement.  Grace from heaven I tell you.

So, I announced to hubster that night, that we were quitting the toilet training for a bit.  And there it ended.  A whole day passed (and once number 2's had come) my wee girl turned back into her usual, mostly happy self.

Then today arrived.  Suddenly she has decided that her pull-ups will LEAK if she wees in them (not that I mind so much), so instead, she wants to go wees.... wait for it, in the BATH.

She feels safe in the bath, and I don't mind so much.  Only that, not everyone has a bath - and some people may not like me saying "erm, excuse me, may I borrow your bath - for my kid to do a wee".  She has excellent control though, may I say, and even held on in the car for 5-10 minutes while we drove to my grandmother's house and erm, borrowed her bath.  Thankfully she is a great advocate in children being toilet trained (she did 6 of them) and so didn't mind one bit.

Miss Adelaide used her bath 3 times.

OK so I don't know how to move forward from here - but I just have to take a chill pill and deal with it, one wee at a time.

I hope you are laughing.  Cause honestly, I could have cried.

What is up with this child rearing thing anyway?  The rate that we parent's often want to pull our hair out, I'm surprised that not more of us are balding.  But for some reason (hopefully other than character development), God gave us these precious bundles, wrapped up in mooshy exteriors, to feed & clothe & somehow rear into individuals who are well rounded, great charactered adults who live their dreams and do amazing things.  *and hopefully raise some of their own 'precious bundles' - that way I can snicker at my kid's parenting woes, be a great support and help them out often.*

Last night I told my in-laws that I don't know how people have four kids.... I think I say something similar when in labour...

But, in the midst of this hilarious adventure (I'm an optimist), there is something truly beautiful happening.  The world is an ever-changing place, and though it may seem like at times, it's ever changing for worse, I have to confess - that I believe we are heading for things that people have only dreamed about in years gone by.  Amazing, good and breath-taking things.  The world as we know it, is changing.

Perhaps in all our difficulties of parenting and life in general, we forget that we are fighting for a generation who will live and do extraordinary things.  Hopefully we will do that, but our kids should only surpass the greatness we achieve.

Take a moment to put aside the challenges you have faced this year, and are facing right now - and dream a little.

Now, I'm looking forward to Christmas.

Well, until next time - by the way -

can I borrow your bath?

xx

Pecan slice - recipe

OK, so I HAVE to post this recipe - because, out of everything I made for thanksgiving - this was the MOST delicious!!

I didn't want to make a second pie, so I looked at the ingredients for Pecan Pie, and googled Pecan slice - and came up with this.....  expensive to make, naughty, but VERY VERY delicious.  This is why I say - hide it from the kids! hehe

Pecan Slice

Ingredients:
185g butter
1/2 c castor sugar
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/2 t baking powder
2 T custard powder
1/2 c brown sugar
2 T golden syrup
395g sweetened condensed milk
125g pecans, halved lengthwise

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Grease a 3cm deep lamington pan/sponge roll tin (16cm x 25cm ish)


Using an electric mixer, cream 125g of the butter and castor sugar until pale.  Beat in the egg yolk.  Sift flour, baking powder & custard powder over butter mixture.  Mix to form a soft dough.


Press dough into tin and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.


While base is cooking, cook brown sugar, golden syrup, condensed milk and remaining butter in a saucepan over a low heat - for 12 minutes, or until golden.  Stir through pecans.


Pour pecan mixture over hot base and bake for a further 15 minutes.  Cut when cool.

Honestly, this tastes like some form of russian fudge, nutty slice - it is YUM!  Go on, make it - you know you want to!

x

Pumpkin Pie - Recipe

So when I made pumpkin pie for thanksgiving - I googled and read a stack of recipes and chose the one I liked the best and that sounded the most delicious.....  I then customised it a bit for us.

It has a lot of ingredients but it is really easy to make - which is cool!!

Alas, here is the recipe for Arna's pumpkin pie:

Base:

• 1.5 cups flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 T + 2 t of COLD vegetable shortening (kremelta)
• 1/3 cup COLD butter
• 1/4 cup COLD water

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the cold water and process to a dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove from fridge and either roll out on a floured surface, then press into greased pie dish OR just press it straight into greased pie dish.  (I didn't roll it out but smooshed it in with my fingers - all good)

The size of the dish needs to be quite large - I used a 25cm quiche dish, you could use a round cake tin or something like that if you don't have something big enough.

Bake blind at 180 for 15 minutes or until golden.

Filling:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 t cinnamon
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1.5 t ground allspice
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t salt
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups pumpkin puree
• 500ml evaporated milk, or cream, or make up milk powder to twice the concentrate
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lemon

Mix well with a hand blender of cake mixer.  Pour into cooked base.

Bake at 210 for 15 minutes, then turn down oven to 175 and bake for a futher 45-60 minutes.  A knife/skewer will come out clean from the centre when it is done.

Serve warm or cool - can be deep frozen.

I found that the filling makes more than you need so I gave some away.  You can freeze the uncooked filling.

How to describe the taste..... the filling comes out like a sweet, spicy, flavoursome custard.  It is moist, smooth and quite delicious.  The base is quite savoury and complements the filling.  It is quite rich & nice with vanilla icecream.... mmmm!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

So, you might remember from this post, that I've always wanted to celebrate thanksgiving.

In September I extended an invitation to two of our friends, to see if they wanted to join us in celebrating it together.  They were most obliging (I think it was knowing they would be partaking of a feast by my hands that won them over).

So we had either Monday 10th October - Canadian Thanksgiving, or Thurs 24 Nov - American Thanksgiving - to choose from.

I googled a traditional menu, and accustomed it a bit to suit us "Kiwi's" -

Menu:

• Stuffed, roasted chicken (instead of turkey)
• Roasted vegetables
• Green salad
• Green veges
• Pecan slice (instead of pie)
• Pumpkin pie
• Iced tea
• Wine

Let's just say, it was a load of cooking, but a most enjoyable evening!

The beautiful thing about it - was that none of us have had a fantastic year this year - but we all had plenty of deep things to be greatful for.  I mean, for each of us, the year has had many wonderful high points - but underlying these have been many difficulties and challenges.

Some of our thankful things.... life, our marriage partners, our children, our extended families, our church families, our friendship, our homes, where we have been taken this year - and so many other things.

I'm pretty sure we've settled that it's a tradition from now on.  Maybe next year I'll kiwi-fy it instead of going with the American feast!  You know, pavalova topped with fresh strawberries & chocolate - and all the rest!

And in the words of my friend as they left - there goes another 4 1/2 hours - just flying past.  Great company.

What things are you thankful for?

Happy Birthday to ME!!

my weekend was jam packed and left me pretty tired -

Saturday morning, one of my besties arrived (after travelling an hour) - with a carrot birthday cake - for "coffee".

The last birthday cake I had was when I was 21.  Before that, maybe when I was 10 or so - unless I made it myself.  This was a very sweet gesture to begin my 'birthday eve' (my actual birthday was Sunday).

We proceeded to eat large slabs of this delicious cake and enjoy each other's company.  I actually ate the cake for lunch too... two days in a row.

Shortly after, one of my other besties arrived - much to my surprise - and then I knew I was in for something!

eeek - I was totally having a bad hair day!

I said goodbye to the first one - expecting her to be going, and then she announced that she was coming with me!

So I got delivered to a local beauty salon, given a brochure and told that I could have "anything you want - it's already been paid for".  My sneaky husband had been plotting for a few weeks and organised all this without my knowledge.  I almost cried.  Then quickly forgot the tears as I proceeded to be spray tanned from head to toe and having a gorgeous facial!!

I got dropped home for an easy afternoon, later to discover that I was being taken out for dinner!  The kids were taken to my parents' place, we picked up our dinner dates - and off we went - to Ocean's Resort Restaurant!

he NEVER smiles nicely for photos!!  my face is still "glowing" from my facial! (and probably aided by the glass of wine - hehe)

The meal was YUM!  I ate WAY too much and felt a bit sick.  We had heaps of bread & spreads to start, then I had pork ribs, and we all got free dessert!!  A great night out.  I was blessed that my hubby and friends just wanted to celebrate me (they even toasted me!!).

our dinner dates ;-)

My actual birthday was a lot less 'busy' - but I was still blessed with lots of lovely messages/phone calls and time with my precious family....

Here are some of my funky pressies :D

new apron!! I've always wanted one!

me - staunching my apron out (HAHAHA)

the other apron - a cute half one -

mugs and cosies - from a certain moustache loving friend ;-)


YUM!

Some well thought out reads.....

Note, I am hiding the picture of the incredibly slim, toned, non-child bearing, great looking woman in a bikini! hehe.  I don't think any diet book could make me like that! ha.

cards that say "I love my mumma because, she loves me" and show off princess Adelaide's new cutting ability.  Equipped with pictures of me, her and giraffes.....

And some vouchers so I can go on a spending spree (because you can never have enough music or clothes)!!

lucky me. 25 and counting...