parfait picnique

Oh, it's a beautiful day for a picnic. So my friend A and I are taking the kidlets along to the Alliance Francais Picnique and Petanque day. Bliss. Madeleines are about to be cooked, baguettes to be bought - and french cheese shopped-for en-route.

And there shall be no indulging in pastis thanks to a wee bit of overindulgence in the champagne last night {although it was all french so no hangover!}

I'm a wee bit scared about having to converse with anyone a la francaise - but I'll give it a shot. C'est bonne...

and relax...

All this picture needs is some pink champagne, bubbles - and me...

flowers for friday

Hi, sorry for the lack of posts yesterday - crazy busy. Eek!

But look, to make up for it here are some parrot tulips - cute!

what's cooking wednesday

You know what? I'm pretty sure that the one thing that keeps me sane is menu planning. Sure, I don't always follow it to the letter, but it stops the panicked "Oh my god, what are we going to have for dinner?" at 5pm. Here's what we'll be eating this week.

Wednesday: My gal has a netball clinic and shall be starvational upon return. I'm going to cook up a beef and cashew stir-fry with lots of noodles.

Thursday: My pal, the Divine Ms M, is up for the night. Best cook up something good. Provencal chicken always goes down a treat.

Friday: Off to my in-laws for dinner. My mother-in-law always cooks up something yummy.

Saturday: We're going to friends' for 'duck night'. They'll be cooking up duck confit, we'll be bringing matching champagne and a pudding. We do it french-style and buy something from a good patisserie.

Sunday: There shall be roast and it should be pork.

Monday: Lamb backstrap warm salad - with feta, mint, peas and a caramelised balsamic dressing.

Tuesday: French lessons {with the scariest task ever - and one we're getting marked on - sacré bleu!} Chicken curry in the slow cooker is the best option.

And that's it. Two cheaty meals out and lots of fun.

my little pile of awesome

To go with our new couches we've changed our living room around - tv on other side of room and everything. So that meant we had to move hundreds of CDs from tv in order to be able to lift it. And you know what that means - rediscovering old loves.

I was lucky enough to be a reviewer for a Music mag years ago - and oh, the CDs I have as a result... But we've barely made a dint in them when it comes to downloading them onto iTunes. So I've decided to pop a little pile of awesome onto my desk and when I have a second, I'll download a CD. Easy peasy. And oh yes, I'm rediscovering some fabulosity {including a Depeche Mode tribute featuring bands such as The Cure and Rammstein - awesome incorporated}.

Say ahhhhhhh.

all grown-up

I've spent quite a few years wondering when I'd hit that mythical moment that I'd feel like a 'grown-up'. It wasn't with my first mortgage, baby, or even marriage. Even my first brand-new grown-up car didn't help. A thumping great backyard renovation didn't nudge me into grown-up territory - nor did my 40th birthday! But now, I think I've cracked it.

In the past week we've finally succumbed to family health insurance, we have Foxtel IQ and two matching proper grown-up lounges. With a matching new rug and everything.

Mmmhm, all grown up now.

it's pancake day

It's pancake day so we'll be firing up the KitchenAid for breakfast this morning - and using my new crepe pan that I bought at Aldi the other day {I have ALWAYS wanted a crepe pan - and for $6 who wouldn't snap one up?}.

It's a big day in our house today. We're getting the new couches delivered {hurrah!} and also we're finally having Foxtel IQ installed {finally!}. I can't wait to show you some photos, of the couches, probably not the IQ...

* Those pale macaron pink pancakes are ours - pretty non? And probably more sensible for a before-school breakfast than those fabulous rainbow numbers!

a shoe story

The only thing I love more than finding a cute pair of shoes is when the discovery of said shoes comes about fortuitously. Take my newest find for example. Yep, that's them, in the dodgy phone pic {with a bit of my study carpet underneath}. But even though the quality of the image is poor their attributes shine out. They are the wedge of the kitten heel world, something that I thought was a myth - a shoe with the height of the kitten heel, but the ease of walking that the wedge provides. Lovely! And have you ever seen a more Chanel-esque combination of black straps and white leather camelia? I know! So, the shoe, already perfection non?

Now, here's the story. Driving back from Beth's the weekend before last we had to stop off in Bowral so I could buy my gal a wee pressie. But, while we were there I quickly swerved into a park right outside my fave story in the Southern Highlands - Dirty Jane's Emorium {what's not to love with a name like that right?} This shop is awesome, well worth a day trip from Sydney - or even Newcastle actually... Anywhooo. Dirty Janes now has a whole separate shop, filled with different stalls all selling the most covetable goodies. In one I bought a gorgeous fabric loveheart in a frame for my gal, and in another, I spied my pretty shoes. Yep, one pair, in a vintage store, in my size, after a kick-ass memorable weekend.

They were mine in a moment.

And now, every time I wear them I'll think of my fab gal's weekend and smile.

ouch

The lateness of today's post is proudly brought to you by my hangover...

Yes, one too many champagnes may have been consumed. However, there was a spectacular win on a horsey who just happened to be wearing hot pink legwarmers {or ankle-strapping - whatevs...}. Much fun was had, and now, a nap must be had.

Hope you've enjoyed your weekend.

and they're racing

So, I'm off to the races today. It's a deliciously mild day, with an expected high of 21 degrees. Nice. I still haven't quite decided what I'm wearing - but I do have fabulous red nails {Chanel: Pirate} and I'm having a good hair day. Perfect start.

Wish me luck!

i'll have what she's having...

Look at this shot Dita Von Teese uploaded onto her Twitter feed the other day. Cocktails at Bar Hemmingway in Paris. {And would you LOOK at that clutch!}

Parfait.

wife swap

I have a new addiction. Of course it's a reality tv program... Wife Swap.

See, I'd always ignored it, thinking it was just confrontational and sensationalist, but after accidentally stumbling upon an episode of the UK series I'm hooked.

You know the drill, two wives, swap lives and live with each other's families. First, they live by the family's current rules then it's game on and the family's live by the new mum's rules. It's been interesting to watch the dynamic. Mainly because, in general, we always think that our way's the right way - don't we? Otherwise why do it? But it's interesting to see how the family's come around. Of course they've chosen extremes, and of course they put women with opposing views into different families, but it just illustrates how well 'everything in moderation' works.

There is no right way. Just lots of things that if taken on and cherished, can work out well.

Of course it also illustrates how hard we do have to work at life: marriage, parenting, working, looking after a house. But that we do need to strive to find our balance.

I know that after watching this show there are a few things that I'd like to do differently. I know I have to ensure that I always dedicate specific time every day to actively 'play' with my daughter - not sitting watching a tv show with her {laptop on my lap, working...} not just supervising homework - but getting in and actually doing something with her. Luckily kids are happy with these short, sharp moments. Fifteen minutes or so of dedicated playing with them means that you get that much longed-for time when they're happy to play by themselves.

Relationship-wise, well, hubby and I need to regularly switch off the computer and just chat. Over dinner, before bed - whenever. It'll take dedication {and not writing posts like this at 11pm to schedule for the next day...} but it's worth it.

Prioritising. That's what life's all about. I'm going to be like these mums on Wife Swap and consider my priorities and get them straight.

what's cooking wednesday

No, sadly, this amazing red velvet wedding cake I stumbled upon over at Martha's isn't on my menu this week - but oh, I wish it were. Prettiness! Instead, we're eating this:

Tonight: netball fitness training followed by umpiring for my gal. I'm celebrating the first proper day of Autumn with seven hour leg of lamb with roasted vegies. Mmmmmm.

Thursday: We'll be having steak and salad I think.

Friday: Hubby's out with some friends {I swear we do go out together!} so my gal and I will have pasta with chicken and chorizo.

Saturday: We're off to the races! Woo hoo. And afterwards heading to our friends' for some food. Yipppeee!

Sunday: Chances are I'll be recovering from champagne overload. Roast chicken dinner sounds suitably chaste.

Monday: Lamb backstraps, braised lentils, roasted carrots and green beans.

Tuesday: French lessons: slow cooker curry and rice.

And that's all folks...

even deeper...

Now I've seen this I love Helena even more.

I know, it's verging on obsession!

the big o!

Looks I luuuuuuuuurve on the Oscar's red carpet.

that's better...

There are some things in life that you just need to do - and girly catch-ups are one of them. After an incredibly fabulous weekend {it's okay, this is my final mention...} I feel so refreshed and so much happier.

I still continue to be amazed at how much you can have in common with people you meet via blogging. Although really, it makes total sense. Reading blogs is the best insight into so many aspects of a person - it's much easier to get a complete picture of a blogger than someone who meet up with every now and again in real life.

I'm so happy I started blogging three years ago - and that you guys started blogging as well. It's given me the opportunity to 'meet' some amazing people.

So, hands-up who's up for the next catch-up?

red hot

They've written an article about me over at Jezebel...

flowers for friday

Mmmmm, lilacs - just one of my favourite flowers. But the only time I get to experience them is when I visit the Southern Highlands - which I don't mind as it gives me an excuse to visit one of my favourite parts of the world. The gorgeous flowers are just one of the things I love so much about the region. It's such a special place.

But you know what makes visiting one of your favourite parts of the world even better? Catching up with some of your favourite people in the world - that's what. So this weekend I sure will be counting my blessings as I visit my favourite village in Australia and catch up with two of my favourite bloggers, and now good friends.

Lucky, lucky, lucky me.

house work

I've written a lot of articles over the years about organisation, staying stress-free, finding focus etc and I do try to always put some of the advice the experts have offered into action. It doesn't always work of course - so many times I find myself on auto-pilot just doing the craziest of things. But I'm not letting it bother me, I'm just going to give myself a firm talking to - and get back on track.

I have been busy lately, more so than I've ever been. And yet, things are going okay. We've eaten tasty, healthy meals, my daughter's been organised for school and the house is decent enough - not fabulous - but decent enough. You know, floors are clean, so are sheets, towels, surfaces etc...

My new aim is to treat any cleaning like I would any work. Allocate time to it and do it one task at a time. I'm also doing that with exercise. On the days my husband doesn't ride his bike {those very, very rare days...} I'm going to get up early and go for a walk or a ride. I did it this morning and feel just fabulous.

I'm prioritising health, happiness and getting this done. That sounds like a plan doesn't it?

playing dress-ups

There are a few events on my horizon that require frocking up. Tomorrow night I'm off to dinner with my old friends and workmates, Saturday night I have a fabulous catch-up and next weekend we're off to the races. But here's the dilemma - I hate shopping.

So I'm hoping to go with fabulous accessories a la Lea Michelle's gorgeous lips and incredible shoes at the Grammys. Glossy hair, a popping lip colour and great shoes can overshadow a much-worn outfit non?

{That said, I'm sooooooo in love with this frock - perfection}

what's cooking wednesday

Even though I'm pretty sure that last week I would have only managed around a 50 per cent success-rate with cooking to my plan, I'm still going to persist. Some weeks I manage to cook 100 per cent of the recipes on the list, others it can be as low as 25 per cent when life gets in the way... Here's what I'm going to attempt this week:

Wednesday: My gal's got a fitness and footwork session for netball, followed by umpiring classes. She'll be starvational when she gets home. So I'll have a beef curry and rice ready to serve - cooked in the slow cooker I think. Mmmmmm. Let's hope that we've got another cold day in store.

Thursday: Ballet class for the gal, so salmon patties, green beans, sweet potato chips and mash will be the flavour of today.

Friday: I'm off to Sydney for dinner to catch-up with old workmates and friends. Hurrah. Hubby and the gal will probably make home-made pizza.

Saturday: I probably shouldn't tell you what I'm getting up to as you may get jealous. I'll give you a hint though, it'll involve champagne, cheese, pork belly, French dessert and BabyMacBeth and CorinneDazeofmylife. I know, I'm jealous of myself too.

Sunday: I'll be sulking that I'm not having champagne, cheese, pork belly, a French dessert and two fun gals for dinner. Guess I'll have a roast chicken instead...

Monday: Steak and salad.

Tuesday: Long ballet class day so I'll cook a pasta bake with chicken and chorizo I think.

So, you - what's on your menu?

let there be light...

Typical, I've whinged and whinged and whinged about the heat and humidity - so today it's like winter. It's cold, grey and possibly even a bit nippy outside. But there's light. Thanks to the tidying I did on the weekend I don't have the depressing sight of messy rooms. And the house feels lighter thanks to a massive decluttering that took place as well.

Is there a better feeling than ditching stuff you've kept: just in case - or because you should?

In exciting news I went to the netball AGM last night and am thrilled with my netball team. I've got four members of my team from last year, and two new girls who are shooters - and another new girl who's a defence. A complete team! I've also got a co-coach - a fifteen year old who's very keen apparently.

Should be a great year!

shiny shiny

There's nothing that'll brighten up a drizzly, yet still horribly humid, day like a pair of sparkly Louboutins. Can everybody say "aaaaaahhhhhh".

Guess what I did yesterday? Not one skerrick of work. For the first time in living memory I did not do any work on a Sunday and it was bliss. Remind me to do it again sometime.

How's your week shaping up? I have our netball AGM tonight where we find out teams {fingers crossed my gal is in a team with some nice friends}. Hopefully I'll also be assigned a junior coach that I can mentor this year too. It should be fun.

Okay, off to make a coffee and get started on work.

fabulous with a capital F

I think the only thing I love more than a touch of whimsy is a splash of fabulous. That deer's head? Quite possibly the most awesome thing I've ever seen in my life.

I wonder if I could convince my topiary-loving husband to bring this wee pet home?

everybody's got to work...

Whoah, things have been busy in this neck of the woods. You know how sometimes you get so busy that when you stop you start to notice strange things? Like the pile of washing that gets moved from my bed to the chair next to my bed, then back to my bed... Today it's going away. Then there were the empty champagne bottles in the pavillion I noticed yesterday - from last Friday night... Eeek. Unfortunately productiveness in one area of my life seems to lead to slatternliness in others.

Not today though. The hubster's away, my gal has another pal coming over, and I only have a few hours of work I need to do to catch up. After that I'm tackling the piles of clothes - and they're all going where they're meant to be. The champagne bottles have been rinsed and moved to the recycling bin - then I'll start on the living room.

Wish me luck!

flowers for friday

Honestly, those people over at Martha can always be relied upon for ideas that are just so ridiculously gorgeous they make me want to weep. Such as this.

Makes me want to gather my egg cups {or espresso cups} and come up with a similar arrangement.

Simplicity eh, there's nothing like it...

come to mama...

How pretty would this look amidst my rather extensive perfume collection? V pretty indeed I'd imagine. The new David Jones catalogue was delivered to my in-box today and oh-my! Sadly I'm still far too traumatised by my local David Jones closing down to think about visiting. But this little pretty may end up tempting me...

Or, should I just buy it in London? Yes? Yes.

lookin' good

I'm a tad besotted with this look on the luscious Florence. Obviously her hair looks perfect {as always} but I'm also loving this couture update on Bjork's Oscar's swan frock.

Fabulous.

Don't you think there should be more fun in fashion?

vivez la langue - Paris

J'aime... beaucoup!

what's cooking wednesday

C'mon, seriously, didn't I just write one of these yesterday? Honestly, this year continues to zoom on by. But, nonetheless, here's what we'll be eating this week.

Wednesday: Roast chicken. I've got a hankering for the stuff, so roast chicken it is.

Thursday: Our gal's got ballet twice a week this year - and is always starvational afterwards. So I think I'll have to make pork cutlets, wilted spinach and mashed pumpkin {with sweet potato chips for my non-pumpkin eating gal}

Friday: Okay, the hubster's away for a golfing weekend {don't worry - I'm away with some fab gals next weekend!} and my gal has a pal for a sleepover. We might make chicken gozleme - the gals will love that.

Saturday: I'm taking my gal out to dinner. There's a place that does dumplings a few suburbs over and I'm going to sate my cravings. We might also catch a screening of Gnomeo and Juliet while we're there...

Sunday: The hubster returns - possibly with a two-day hangover. Roast beef dinner shall soothe that I'd imagine.

Monday: pasta with chicken and chorizo. Mmmmm.

Tuesday: long day of ballet - classes finish at 6.30pm. Salmon patties with roasted vegies and salad will do the trick I'd imagine.

You?

gwynnie's shoe

Dancing atop a slippery grand piano in these Christian Louboutin Colourblock Booties? Gwyneth, that's the epitome of fierce.

sleepy head

I went to bed last night at 8.30 - I know! Of course, it did have the side effect that I woke at 11.15pm completely refreshed... Honestly, what's the secret to a good night's sleep? I know it involves not being woken in the night by small beings {thank goodness those days are behind us}. And, I must say, our new comfy mattress is certainly helping to send me off to the land of nod more deeply.

Perhaps it involves this gorgeous screen behind the bed in this shot? I was so excited when I found this image that I neglected to take note of where it's from - but gee, it's glorious isn't it?

What's your dream bedroom?

grammy awesomeness

So, we had Cee Lo in an enormous feathered neckfrill and gigantic sequins skullcap, muppet back up singers, a freaky little pug-muppet/Cee Lo doppleganger bopping aside the piano and Gwyneth looking 9 million shades of awesome {loved her hair, her plunging neckline, her earrings, her SHOES!}

Awe.

Some.

frock-tastic

Here are a few fabulous frocks from the Baftas. The colour of Julianne Moore's frock is giving me palpitations. She arrived on the arm of Tom Ford so I'm assuming it's one of his creations.

Sigh.

Thandie's frock may well be my fave - the structure, the colour, the pattern oh my!

Emma Watson looks adorable as ever.

And Colin, just because...

coffee love

Check out the coffees I made for me and my hubster this morning - both with a wee accidental loveheart in the middle. {Seriously, I don't think I could have created them if I'd really tried.}

Happy Valentines Day!

ssssso ssssssexay

I must admit, I do like me a bit of snakeskin {except for last week when there was a snakeskin, on the road RIGHT NEXT TO THE DOOR OF MY CAR - I know, where was the freakin' snake?} But, I digress...

After being v envious of Mrs Woog's snakeskin shoe bargain, and then having a friend come to dinner at my house on that same night of envy {wearing the same, heavily discounted shoes - I kid you not} I've got me a spot of snakeskin craving.

So these pink Miu Miu numbers are more than tickling my fancy - they've got my fancy in hysterics! Would these not make the ideal Valentine outfit when combined with something ever-so-scarlet? Oh yes indeedy they would.

customer service?

Today I'd finally had enough and went out to buy a new telephone for my study {I know, I've been complaining for years about my old phone...}. So, after doing some research on-line we went to a store, let's call them The Bad Boys shall we? Why I continue to go to this store is beyond me. Despite their all-singing, all-dancing ads, they refuse to offer me the one thing I require when I step into a store - service.

Nobody caught our eye. Nobody came to see if we were okay when we stood in front of the phones for 15 minutes. Not the guy who assiduously stared at everything except us, not any of the others who bustled past us, doing lordy knows what. Not serving us apparently.

So we left, and went to Domayne - just up the road. We were very quickly served by the nicest of guys, talked us through all the options, explained a problem with plastic keys on phones {apparently the numbers can wear off - particularly if you're like me and tend to dial with your fingernails...} So we walked out of there with two new phones, he had a good sale - and we'll go back there again.

You can take your singing and dancing Bad Boys - just give me customer service - it's why I didn't buy the phone cheaper on-line!

just lovely

Now, while I don't tend to do anything special for Valentine's Day, these pretties I spied over at Martha's have got me mighty tempted...

and relax...

Okay, so I may be feeling a tad on the seedy side today - just a tad... We had friends for dinner last night and a fair amount of champagne washed down the french cheese, duck confit, pear, pecan and rocket salad {with a yummy dressing: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, seeded mustard, cinnamon, lime juice and honey - shaken and yum}. For afters our friends brought along a Apple in Wonderland cake - which was divine! It was quite the perfect night, except my friend's sister came along and I spent the whole night coveting her hair {yep, you guessed it, she's a gorgeous redhead}. I did have to explain to her my love of a titan hue so she didn't get too creeped out by my constant wistful gazing in her head's general direction.

I would quite like to be lying on this hammock today - but that shan't be happening. I have two gals to entertain this morning, then this afternoon my french study-buddy is coming over so we can do our french homework together {hopefully - it's already really difficult and we're only in week one!}

Tonight the gal's at a pal's for a sleepover so it's just me and hubby. We might even find ourselves something to do as we have free babysitting. Movies perhaps?

So, tell me all about you. What are your plans for this fabulous february weekend?

sweet tooth

Cupcakes spotted in a Melbourne patisserie.

I know.

{It's a dodgy, through the glass shot, after too many lemondrop martinis - but let me tell you, the quilting on the Chanel cupcake was TO-DIE!}

flowers for friday

I bought this gorgeous bunch of multi-coloured roses from the markets last Saturday. Popped into a little blue jug they are quite possibly perfection. A few have nodded and died off, but most of the bunch is still going strong. Fabulous.

sooooo sleeeeeeepy

Oh my - I seem to be having one of those "can't seem to wake-up" days. Best get some coffee in my system - stat!

what's cooking wednesday

I'm still not quite back into the swing of things - but I am loving the sense of normalcy that my gal being back at school brings. Ahhhhhh.

This week we're eating:

Tonight: Vietnamese chicken salad - I'm going to poach then shred some chicken breast, toss them with loads of finely julienned salad vegies, some peanuts and a yummy dressing.

Thursday: Salmon and salad

Friday: Friends to dinner. It's the first of our monthly "Duck Night" evenings. Duck confit, salad, potatoes roasted in duck fat - and a vegetarian option for one guest {I know - tragedy that she won't get to eat the duck!}

Saturday: BBQ steak and salad

Sunday: Roast chicken and vegies I think

Monday: Pork cutlets, mango and avocado salad

Tuesday: Busy day: French lessons and Ballet for the gal. Hubby can cook up steak and vegies.

So there you go. Aside from the duck it's a pretty light eating week. We're trying to lighten up our meals at the moment - and I'm determined to find the time to walk every day too. Gotta get fit for France!