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.