The ups and downs of an awesome weekend.....

It's been a hectic few days....To say my weekend was big would be a massive  understatement... I had an amazing time...I'm tired.. so so so so tired.. I have no idea how long ago  it was when I last washed my hair.. was it Thursday? or Friday?... or yesterday... I literally can't remember.. days seem to have mashed into one..... my brain is calling out  for a break... Easter cannot come fast enough!!! Even though its four days away.. and only 4 days off... I am hanging for the break away from normal life...

Over Thursday and Friday last week, like a lot of bloggers I headed to the Digital Parents Conference.... I loved dressing up 2 nights in a row... I loved meeting amazing women... who I have followed for some time and who are even more amazing and gorgeous in real life! The only downside... I didn't get to actually go to the conference day to truly immerse myself ! I had a ticket, but double booked myself to do a wedding makeup on the same day! (my blonde brain doesn't work so great most some days!)  


I went to the pre conference drinks.. but the actual conference day so I didn't get to mingle and meet as many people as I would have liked to, and I didn't see any of the presentations which I heard were awesome, tear-jerking and raw, and apparently I won a prize... which I need to still follow up!!!

I did get to go to the dinner dance ... the party to end all parties ..... well I really don't get out much so it was pretty awesome!  Im borderline extrovert/introvert... so it still hard for me to be flamboyant enough to just waltz up to people and introduce myself..... A lot of these women are pros at what they do and I certainly don't have that confidence in my own abilities.. I will   always be a small fish in a big pond.. but I'm ok with that!

Next year I am not going to double book myself so I can immerse myself in all of it, and get as much as I can out of it... I have had a sneak peak this year!!

I also cant wait to meet many more awesome bloggers in real life in the future...

Gorgeous Fiona and  I 

Lovely ladies Fiona@ (my mummy daze)  and
 Lee (mummy issues part 2)

I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son who I would have loved to have met but who was there in spirit (and cardboard!!)  at Life Love & Hiccups.... 

Until next time , life is too short  to drink crappy coffee... 

The joy of the ANZAC biscuit!

At this time of year I crave comfort food... The warm days, followed by the crisp evenings are one my favourite things about Autumn... as well as my favourite holiday; Easter.. 
Although this year, please, please, please tell the Easter bunny to come and go already!! 
I am hating the chocolate temptation every time I walk into, well just about anywhere... Those Eggs have some kind of magical power ... saying "buy me buy me, eat me, eat me !!" Why oh why does Easter chocolate taste so much better than regular chocolate! It must be a nostalgic reminder of our childhoods... thats all I can think of anyway! 
Makes me think the Easter bunny does exist after all and he likes to punish me every year.. 
So to curb my egg eating frenzy, I have turned to the beloved Anzac biscuit to save the day! They are my favourite biscuits. They have so much going for them!  So easy to cook, so fast and so god damn tasty!  This weekend  seemed like the perfect opportunity to get my Anzac on .. so I got all domestic and decided to cook numerous batches of them... My house now smells like a biscuit factory!! mmmmm Least it doesnt remind me of the chocolate eggs!! 

With my Anzacs this year  I am" trying to be healthy"(except for the eggs)  so have changed up the ingredients a tad... and I was more than pleasantly surprised with how they tasted... They were lick your lips delicious !! I will definitely be  making  them again! And I dont feel so bad as they are relatively low in sugar.. and have healthy oil as apposed to regular butter!! 

Ingredients 

Makes about 30 medium sized

1 cup of Wholemeal or Spelt Plain Flour

1 Cup of Rolled Oats

1/2 Cup of Coconut Sugar 

1/2 cup of Desiccated coconut
2 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds

125gm of coconut oil

1-2 tablespoon of Rice Bran Syrup 

1/2 teaspoon of Bicarb soda 

2-3 Tablespoons of water 

Method
Preheat Oven to 175 degrees. 
Mix Flour, Oats, Sugar, Coconut and Chia Seeds. 
Heat the Coconut oil over the stove or microwave (or if you are lucky and live in the tropics you won't need to heat the oil at all as it will already be a liquid). Add the Rice Bran Syrup and 2 tablespoons of water. Lastly add the bicarb soda, and stir until well mixed. Stir the liquid mix through the dry ingredients, if still crumbly add another tablespoon of water. Note: If the ingredients are too dry the biscuits will fall apart.. so more wet is best!  Also you can cut down on the sugar or syrup as they were very sweet... 
Roll into balls and place on lined tray. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Once out, leave on the tray for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack! 


Then all you have left to do is get stuck into one (without burning your tongue of course!!)

Go ahead, give them a go ... you won't regret it.. and you just might never  go back! 

I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son at Life Love & Hiccups.... 

Until next time , life is too short  to drink crappy coffee... 

Camping... For or against???

Darby and Aunty Laura

Darby and Aunty Laura

Posing with the big Wombat.... I had the most expensive 

and yummy hot cross buns in hand... I look 

happy.. before I got delirious!!

Who would have thought I would change my mind on camping?? Certainly not me, thats for sure! 
Yes I am one of those annoying people who couldn't think of anything worse than sleeping in a tent... and going rough! 
I like my creature comforts, my idea of a weekend away involves a cabin by the beach, with a proper bed and my own toilet and shower. not roughing it in the bush. 
But after this weekend I may have changed my mind ... just a little 


My parents are complete opposites to me and love nothing more than getting down and dirty (well you know what I mean) .. and love camping... They go away a few times a year, they have a camper trailer... and every accessory you could have with a tent! 

I always make fun of myself at how precious I am about camping! 

I'm not saying I have never camped... 

As part of my parents camping obsession I remember most of our holidays involving sleeping in a tent as a kid.. I also went on an around Australia trip when I was about 13 for 6 weeks... That involved our little family of four sleeping all cozied up in a two man tent! Very snug to say the least! 

Then a few years later, I went on a Central Australian school camp for 2 weeks... with every night sleeping in a tent with my best friend!  I think since then I have avoided camping trips altogether! I hate the set up, the pack up, and the uncomfortable mattresses.. oh and that eerie feeling of being out alone in the wilderness!! I think my camping days were over once I saw the Blair Witch Project! (undoubtedly the scariest movie I have ever seen!) 
I would do it if I had too... but to be honest I always squirm when someone mentions the C word! 

I always have my bad hips to fall back on... well it isn't good for me to sleep on a mattress with no support... 
But after seeing my parents set up on the weekend ... I am thinking a night camping could be a relaxing trip away... (for one night at least!!!) 

So on Saturday, my sister, Darby and I went on a road trip to visit mum and dad who were camping with their dog Millie, in the bush near Trentham - a small town about 15 mins from Woodend and from Daylesford.. 

The only problem was, we didn't really ask for directions of where  they were staying.. and without any mobile range, we had to guess.. and yep you guessed it ... ended up doing a lot of travelling to find them!! 

We  left Melbourne around 12pm, the idea was to spend a few hours with them at their camp site.. we arrived in Trentham just after 1pm, and after numerous attempts to call them, we took ourselves off to the visitors centre to find out where the nearest camping grounds were.. the logical thing to do, right? So after being told the nearest camping grounds were 15 km away in a little town called Blackwood.. we decided that mum and dad must be there.. as we knew they were a little way out of Trentham... so with that.. we went and got some food as we were all starving ..We found an artisan bakery heaving with people.. it was almost like being back in Melbourne... I eyed off the hot cross buns and bought a six pack - $14... the most expensive hot cross buns i have bought.. but they were worth it.. they were still warm, just out of the oven and were delicious... I got into one straight away! 
We then went to another bakery, picked up a few pasties and sausage rolls... and went on our way! It would have been nice to have a look around as there were many gorgeous shops.. it was very much like a smaller scaled back version of Daylesford and somewhere I will have to visit again... The highlight for Darby was the most interesting animal statues in an antique store... They looked soo real!! 

We jumped back in the car... scoffed some food and headed off to this caravan park... when we got there, we looked around for the familiar white Ute, but we could not find them... with multiple calls to see if we could get on to them, we decided we would call it a day and go back to Melbourne, very grumpy and tired at this point! 


We were on our way back, when we got into range, and our phones started beeping with multiple voice mails, and messages!! Arrgghhhhh... so we turned around again and headed back to Trentham.. met our dad and followed him into the wilderness... They were camping in the bush bush... no toilets or showers involved... eeekk!! I was freaking out!! 

Even though we were only going to stay for an hour or so.. my bladder was telling me I needed to go to the toilet, and the thought of sitting over a hole was somehow making me need to go even more!!  

We arrived at their campsite, where about 10 other campsites were set up.. mum and dad, had everything, their own kitchen, sink, stove,  a sitting room in their tent, and a bed on a proper mattress, propped up on a camper trailer,  tables, chairs, campfire...they had the lot!! 


This was much more deluxe than the camping I remember as a kid... Maybe I could get used to this! After a cup of tea and some toasted marshmallows by the fire, I was sold... and said I would come next time.. maybe just for a night!! Even the toilet was ok! Although that may change when it comes to going in the middle of the night! 


My main fears of the creepie crawlies are as not so bad when its winter...And Darby loved it!! He would have a ball!! I don't want to rob him of something that I was so very lucky to do as a kid! 

Even after all that travel, we felt as if we had been away for quite awhile!! Getting out of the city and into peaceful bushland was what we all needed! 

I could get used to sitting by the camp fire!!

My mum, dad, Millie dog and Darby!! Camping is fun!

Looking Right at home!

My Little Batman - six pack and all

The rest of our weekend involved,  relaxing, mixed in with loads and loads of walking.. a weekend without a car, meant we didn't go far... Batman had a sleepover at his Aunty and Uncles.. We caught up with Darbys dad and went out for Breakfast on Sunday and Monday and just stayed around home!! Luckily the weather was gorgeous so we didn't mind being outside! My pedometer got a good workout too!! Although I cant wait for my car to be fixed and back in my garage!

Who loves camping??? What is your idea of a good weekend away? 

I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son at Life Love & Hiccups.... and read about her hilarious antics at learning how to master a SLR camera.... Fab read as always!

Until next time , life is too short  to drink crappy coffee... 

Wonderful Weekends... Superhero fun!

This weekend was very quiet... I think I am still catching my breath from such a tumultuous start to the year... From now I  really need to crank it up a notch to start enjoying 2012... Although having just booked an Overseas holiday, I now have something amazing to look forward to!  

I seem to however know how to do add spark to my life in all the wrong ways... like banging up my car... Yep I had an issue with my parking once again.. It always seems to fail me.. So I started the weekend with a car looking like it should be on the back of a tow truck, well it is all taped up now.. but this was the before... (no way I was going to be driving like this!) Needless to say, I kept pretty close to home.. and I am not worried about it getting stolen!!

On Friday night we had a family dinner.. and then I enjoyed a night on the couch catching up on my reading... this was accompanied by chocolate... So much for my pre wedding diet... Hoping that motivation will kick in soon!

On Saturday I dropped Darby at his Aunties (it is so handy that she lives around the corner now!) Then I went for 3 hours of "me" time at the hairdressers.. My hairdresser was sick, which I was so disappointed with... it is like catching up with an old friend when she is there.... oh well it was still relaxing, reading trashy magazines and having head massages.. Ill take that over most things! I then went to and got a coffee and I was set.... except I had no where to go.. a very quiet night in! I really need to coordinate my hair appointments with my social calendar, such a waste of a good hair day! 

Later in the day I did a makeup trial for a bride of a friend.. I haven't done any one's makeup for ages, so I thought I may have lost my touch.. but it worked out in the end and the bride was very happy, which was the main thing! I have two weddings lined up in the next month which will be good for my confidence and my hip pocket! After  that Darby and I headed to the shops to get him his Batman Pyjama's, this was as a result of stickers he has been rewarded for over the week! 

The highlight of my weekend by far was Darby's costume change in a public place...  stripping off his Spiderman costume at the Clinique counter in Myer... down to his undies and singlet... and then putting on his new Pyjama's... I couldn't help but giggle (and get a few shots of him!!) So cute and absolutely no shame at all!!

My weekend, although quiet, was a nice chance to spend quality time with Darby and soak up his cuteness!! 
 I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son at Life Love & Hiccups....

Until next time , life is too short  to drink crappy coffee... 

Back on track for 2012....

After a week off blogging about my weekend, (last week was a complete and utter disaster..well for the most part I  couldn't get out of bed, let alone sit in front of my computer)  I'm back now, but really I don't have to much to report on!! 

Life is chugging along... we are into February.. and to be honest I am pretty glad to see the back of January... It was the crappest of crap months... and I really hope 2012 will start to be kind to me and those around me from now on ...... So Happy New Year to me... 2012 starts now!!! 

My fab friend Janine made this gorgeous dress for me!
I chose the fabric and we ummed and ahhed over
the pattern, finally deciding on this flattering
one!! I wore it proudly on Saturday... I love
that its a one of a kind! It also makes me feel
very feminine and girly!! I am putting in another
order!!!

Here is a little snapshot of the weekend that was : 

❤  On Friday night I dropped Darby at my sisters for a sleep over... as it was fairly last minute I didn't make any plans... I was however longing for a night out.... well just some one of those impromptu dinner outs, with a glass of wine and cheap and cheerful food and company.... I reminisce about the days when this was possible... 
So it probably sounds out of this world crazy that I would want to go out with Darby's dad for dinner... We have been separated for almost 2 years now and yes we get along, but not really on a "I want to go out for dinner with you"basis... but heck I decided to give him a call, knew he would probably be free and met him at a local pizza restaurant.. The funny thing is, there are absolutely no romantic feelings whatsoever, not even the tiniest bit... we can be adults about everything.. even I am proud of my self... sooo grown up! What do we talk about??? Not much really, Darby, work, friends, food, wine, whatever.. but it is actually enjoyable... I still find him annoying at times, but more annoying like a big brother or something! I still cant say that things are not rocky from time to time, but at least we can   be on friendly terms... We enjoyed dinner, I dropped him home and that was it! A nice night out... of the very unconventional kind!!  

❤ On Saturday morning I reluctantly went back to my personal trainer for some hell.... well it wasn't as bad as I thought it may be, but I seriously have lost my fitness since 2011... time to get myself into shape... might have to set myself a new challenge!! I have a big occasion to look good for, so  I need to shift some kilos pronto!!

❤ I then went to visit my aunty and we took Darby to Bunnings so Darby could have a jump in the jumping castle.. it was heaving with people, no, make that men... it surely is a place for the guys to hang out at and get away from their lives and to sneak in a sausage sizzle!
After that we met up with Darby's aunty on his dads side... I get along with them really well and they have just moved into the neighbourhood which is fabulous because Darby will become a cousin in the coming months and I will become an Aunty for the first time.. something I am ecstatic about! 

❤ On Sunday I broke my 11 day coffee drought!! I can't believe I have gone that long without coffee!! I decided if I was going to have one , it would have to be a good one! So we traipsed off to a remarkable cafe nearby home... The coffee is always amazing... Just as I had remembered, such a perfect anecdote after a very low few weeks!! Now that I am back on the coffee train, I know I can go a few days without it and that's ok... I now just want to drink Quality over quantity!!(not that I can stomach more than one a day) 

In the afternoon I did a bit of shopping... I discovered  I may have a new obsession! Cinnamon sugar covered pretzels!! Mmmm they were amazing... like a doughnut- but they say they are low in fat.. bit doubtful about this fact... but Ill take their word for it - it was either that or a cupcake so I'm sure I made the right choice!! 
Ill be sharing a healthy recipe soon on another of my favourites - Pancakes... hmmmm stay tuned!

I have exciting things to plan this week... One year birthday of my blog... and booking of a big trip!! Yay something to look forward to over the coming months... Ill share the details soon!
Hope you had a good weekend...and your start to 2012 has been happy and healthy x

I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son at Life Love & Hiccups....

Until next time , life is too short  to drink crappy coffee... 

A never-ending weekend to reminisce and recharge...

I feel like I have been on a never  ending  weekend, never quite sure where it started or where it would stop... Its been going on forever.. 


Time seemed to stand still... Leaving work unexpectedly on Thursday when I received sad news about my cousin... I had been on edge all week expecting this phone call, but I was still never quite prepared for it or the raw emotion it brought  about.. not a great look in a new work place, meh... I wasn't caring too much at the time! 
The rest of Thursday was an emotional roller coaster, I may write about it at a later stage (or I might not)  so I will skip forward a day.... 

I woke on Friday morning, like the previous day had been a dream..... I decided I needed to stay  at home and spend time with my family.... I could have fronted up for  work... but I still wasn't feeling like it was where I was supposed to be at that moment..

Darby and I spent the day with my parents, sister and my aunty. We  wanted to do something for her birthday which fell the day before.. with all that was going on, she didn't get to celebrate too much, so we took her cake and candles and sang her happy birthday.... 

We also sat around looking through my aunties albums ... she seemed to have captured some delightful pictures of our childhood than my mum and dad have..... I scanned a couple below.. one of my favourites was with my sis and dad at the zoo... I look so happy..Love it!! My mum and dad agreed cos I saw them sneaking out the albums to take home and scan them all....

After some birthday cake we all needed to walk the calories off so this involved a trip to the park.. This park has the coolest flying fox... even I (along with all the adults)  had a good old crack at it!!  Here is a video of my sister on it! We completely monopolised it ..... so much fun!!  This was the perfect anecdote to a sore heart! Some good old fashioned laughter......

Fun on the the spinny thing!

Darby wasn't feeling the best all weekend, he has had a cold and it seems to have gotten worse over the weekend.. so we went home and he slept for 3 hours and then went to bed, so I sat on the couch on Friday, watching bad movies and playing around on my computer....Time seems to disappear whilst reading other great blogs!!!  

On Saturday we managed to sleep in ... and with no where to go we  stayed in our PJ's all morning... I was in mine till 11.58am...... I didn't quite make it to midday!! We went out to get coffee.. and I had an urge to buy a candle... I have never been a candle kind of gal.. I never 'got' the fascination with them, yes they smell nice, but what else do they do???  My sister loved them.. but I was sitting on the fence... But of late, not sure whether due to a couple of candle presents, I have started to get a slow burning love for them (pardon the pun!!)!  So my excursion on Saturday was to buy a new candle.. I settled for a GlassHouse candle in Neroli and Sweet Myrrh aptly named Rodeo Drive... aka Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, it smelt divine.. I love these and Circa Home ones,  I can see this becoming an obsession.... Ill just work my way through them.. (slowly!!) 

So I went home and burned to my little hearts content, Darby and I had a night in, watching DVDs and eating homemade burgers yum... 

Sunday, Darby spent time with his dad, so I had lunch with my sister and then just relaxed... the week ahead is going to be a full on one so preserving all of my energy was the smartest thing I could do.... 

Poor Darbs... Not feeling 100%

Hopefully next weekend I will have more to report and I will be  back to my happy, coffee loving self... Oh and I have exciting things to organise this week... I'm beside myself! Will share soon! 

I am linking up with the adorable and gorgeous Son at Life Love & Hiccups....

Until next time , life is just too plain short