Fitness & Stuff

Okay so spurred on by an impending engagement party and it being summer I've actually gone on a health kick. I've been really watching what I eat and going to the gym a fair bit too. So far I've lost 1 kilo in the past week. I suppose it's not too much in the scheme of things, but it is a start!


I also purchased these Skechers shape up shoes which have now become my work shoes. Apparently they are meant to help tone and work your muscles just via your normal walking so we'll see how they go. 

Not sure if they were the cause or not but I woke up last night with the worst cramp in my right calf muscle. I haven't had cramps like that since I was a kid still living at home. Not cool. Poor M even woke up wondering what the hell was wrong with me - I guess I didn't help I woke up saying "owwww" . Ah well. 


My car has gone in today to get fixed so I am car-less for today til we go pick up his Dad's car for me to borrow for the rest of the week. I still find it unfair that his car did the damage and he was without it for a day but I lose my baby for four. Oh well. As long as they do a damn good job it'll be alright... Which they damn well better or there shall be hell to pay. They seem nice and friendly enough though.

Engagement Party, Cakes etc..

So I've been doing some Engagement Party Planning which has me stunned at how much there is to do. M's wonderful sister helped me put together the invites, which if you ask me look classy and fantastic. I've posted the majority and we only have a few more to hand out. Steps one and two complete, step three almost. 


Step four has been a shite load of planning. I've re-done my wedding ideas book and have stuck a section in the front to brainstorm for the engagement party. I now have lists for food, drink, decoration ideas and a massive to do list. The house and yard will need a full on tidy up - needless to say I will be very busy for the next month, but it should all be worth it. 


As I had my planning book out I started putting in more photos and ideas of things I like. And got me thinking about Wedding Cakes. 


Do we want an actual cake? And make sure the place doesn't change a cake cutting fee? (Rip off!) 

Or do we go for a cupcake tower?

(Of course it won't be 21st themed!)

The more I think, the more I lean towards the cupcake tower. Though some of the cakes are gorgeous, but someone please tell me how a cake can be worth upwards of $500? It's a cake for goodness sakes! For the engagement party we are looking like having a cupcake tower since M's sister was already going to be making us some cupcakes. Apparently cake cutting is a tradition? 


I love the idea of a ceramic cake topper that you can keep forever. I think it is a really sweet momemto that you can keep and have on display. 

Bridal magazines and my planner are going to be my best friends in trying to work this all out. There are so many details and so many things to think about! 


I think I have found a hairstyle that I love too. 

As for dresses, I've decided on a style. A strapless A-Line in white or ivory. Part one done.


Oh and did I mention M is now talking 18 months til we marry? I so need to sit him down and set an actual date! Dresses are meant to be ordered at least 10 months in advance!

Australia Day 2012

If there is one day us Aussies like to party it's Australia Day. The one day to be patriotic and don the flag patterned shirt, shorts, whatever and don't forget a temporary tattoo or five!


This year M and I spent the day with his friends, fulfilling the tradition by listening to the Triple J Hottest 100 and everyone having a few many drinks. Except for me, the sober one. I don't mind, I'm over drinking these days. Too hard and not worth the hangover. 


On the way there we spotted this guy driving - do you think the flags are big enough?

Apparently, according to an article on news.com.au having Australian flags flying from your car makes you more likely to be overtly racist. What. A. Load. Of. Bull. It's patriotic. The American's always fly their flag proudly, what is the difference when we do?


It was a great day and even though I spent most of it in the shade I still got sunburnt. The pool was the best idea ever - it even had 4 seats! I so want one! 

Olivia and the fiancé and drinking Emu Export. "Wife Basher" beer apparently.

I'll add more photos when they become available to me. 


More photos are available! Here are some:

At the start of the day, all freshed face and nice

Me 

The fiancé is such a poser... I was trying to get out of the photo.  

And in Perth mother nature put on an amazing sky show with the fireworks - lightning. This photo is just amazing.

A Masquerade Party

The other weekend saw Miss Teleah's 3rd Anniversary of being  21 (aka her 24th Birthday).
To celebrate she held a Masquerade/Mask themed party. 
It was a great, mind you rather eventful night. It seems my friends always seem to have some sort of drama happening. 
Here are some of my favourite photos from the night. 

 Kristy, Lee, Carrie, Heather, myself and Jess

And yes, it seemed that Heather & I must have missed a memo that black attire was in for the night! No, there wasn't one but it seemed that way as we were the only two not wearing a black dress! 


It was a great night, but it was so nice to get home and climb into bed with my fiancé. It's those dramas that remind me how lucky I am in my relationship with M. He may not be perfect, but we are perfect together. 

Kitchen Reno

As promised here are some photos from the kitchen reno. I don't really have any before photos (didn't think of that one now did I?)


During:

And the finished result of the cabinet work! Doesn't she look amazing? I'm really proud of the colour choices that M and I made. We did good! 

 We've (I mean I) have finally moved back in all our kitchen things, and my gosh did Mark have so much crap in those old cupboards. We will be doing a tip and salvo's run to get rid of it all. We still need to pick the splash backs for behind the stove (glass sheets or mini size tiles?) and have a few more tasks, like redoing the floor so there is no cement slab showing and get our new lights, rangehood and the microwave oven in the island bench connected, plus put a powerpoint on the edge of the island bench. It will happen soon enough. For now I have a working oven and was able to make cupcakes!! See.. Proof! 

 Very yummy vanilla cupcakes with a blue and white marble look icing. The few that are left anyway.. Hehe

Twinly Love

"Two sisters, an unbreakable bond, and an incredible friendship. This is Twinly Productions, the notes and writings of two girls who found each other by happenstance, and who would remain forever twins. Twinly Productions."

We may be separated by an ocean or two, but we truly are sisters. This girl truly gets me and I love her to pieces. 
And miss her too. <3

Two Months Later...

Okay, so I failed with keeping up to date haven't I? It's literally been two months to the day since my last post. Where has the time gone? 


The end of last year was flat out busy. I watched one of my friends get married. He and his wife looked so amazing and so totally in love on their wedding day I could not be happier for them. It was the most beautiful ceremony and fun reception. Not to mention the bride looked like she stepped out of a bridal magazine. Ideas will be borrowed for our wedding that is for sure! 


M had his birthday and loved the new West Coast Eagles jurnsey that I got him and his other presents too, it was a low key event but good fun all the same.

Work was so busy at the end of the year too. Attempting to prepare everything for our 3 week break. We had our Christmas lunch which was a nice and quiet affair and a small BBQ on our last day of work too which was great. 


Christmas was such a busy affair too. We got all our shopping done in plenty of time and I had all the presents wrapped and looking wonderful. We got so spoilt. One of our favourite gifts was from M's parents. A Delonghi Pixie Nespresso Coffee Machine. If you are looking for a coffee machine I highly recommend this one, I mean I even drink coffee it makes it that nice! 

I even went and bought some nice new proper looking coffee cups so we can be all fancy if we have people over too. 

It was also my gorgeous niece Mya's first Christmas. Doesn't she just look adorable in her Santa photo? She got very spoilt by all. I have to admit having a child around again makes Christmas more fun, it will be even better when she is of the age to know all the stories about Santa and his reindeer. 

Miss Mya and I - Helping her open her pink cd player (a gift from M & I)

We did a lot of travelling on Christmas day, but in the end I think it was well worth it. I loved getting to see my extended family and those we are close to in M's family too. Boxing Day we did more of the same visiting family as well, it was nice and busy again. 


M only had the public holidays off so we had one day on our own before he went back to work. I found ways to keep myself busy though. I bought a new bookcase and office desk chair from Kmart and put those together by myself - I'm quite proud of the fact and sorted out that back room. I even went through all my clothes and found bags more to donate to the Salvation Army and there are some which I want to sell on ebay too, when I find the time. 


New Years Eve was a low key drinks and BBQ at a friends place in Perth. It was really nice and just the sort of night I was after. We even got to watch the fireworks from the end of the unit complex driveway. 


I got to the time to catch up with some friends too which was great. I even was a gym bunny and did a few workouts as well. AND I made an awesome start on the work on the fence. I learnt how to use a high pressure cleaner and got all the old paint off the fence and was up silly early to paint the fence too. 8 hours later and all but one of the interior fence panels has been painted. There is just that panel, the whole outside and second coat to go! Lol. Here is one photo which shows a "before and after" sort of look. I'm quite proud of my efforts! Painting a picket fence is not as easy or it looks or sounds, trust me on that!

Thanks to a blog I read - Domestic Divinity and the wonderful Mez I got these Windsor Smith Karri Heels on sale for only $48. They are soo cute and so comfortable. I am in love. 

And I also managed to get some bargains from Supre - lots of cute summer skirts, tops and a maxi dress or two and the most expensive thing was $15. Score!
The last of my shopping expedition was this gorgeous Fiorelli watch. Under $40 including postage, under half price! (Sorry the photo is so small, it's taken from the order email)

This now brings us back to present day. I returned to work yesterday after all that time off and it was major struggle town. So not used to having to think so much or sit in the one spot for so long but I'll get over it. Mantra: Think of the money. 
Though thankfully the workload I came back to was not as bad as I expected. Only 108 emails. And a fairly decent pile of mail. 


I'm rather annoyed at M at the moment. Last night he managed to not watch where he was reversing his car and hit my precious Imprezza. The damage to my car is far worse than his. I tried not to be angry, I really did, but every time I see it I get mad again. How could he not have looked!? He knew my car was parked there. He is going to pay for it to be fixed but yeah. Frustrating all the same. I have to take it in to get repair quotes. I'll be the one without a car whilst it is getting fixed. AND it better be a perfect job or someone will be coping it. This car has been my dream car for so long and M has just excelled at hurting it. First he opened his door into it (thankfully that mark buffed out and there was no dent) and then whilst on holidays and getting a box out of the boot he managed to scratch the back bumper. But this one takes the cake. You can't really see how bad it is in this photo, but over two panels and at least 3 dents. BLAH. Poor, poor car. 
I don't know if this makes me vain or not but I hate driving a damaged car around. It makes me feel like people judge my driving and I'm embarrassed by it. I am pedantic about my cars, I like them too be clean and perfect. 

But on the plus side our kitchen installation has started today (we'll let them off for being late this morning if they do a good job). So with luck by the end of tomorrow we'll have a nice flashy new kitchen with a dishwasher and working oven! Well once it's all been connected which hopefully won't take too long. I don't think I could stand to survive on take out and BBQs too much longer. First thing I am going to do is bake me some cupcakes!