100 Happy Days - Part 3

I can tell that I'm about to go back to work. A look back at the past month and my happy moment have revolved around Mini Me and food.

There is only a month left of my 100 Happy Days challenge and I wonder what sort of happy days I'll have while I'm back at work.

Splashing out

I'm in a foul mood this week.

Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's because my dad is visiting an staying with my father-in-law, which is always trying. Maybe it's because Mini Me is out of whack due to starting daycare, teething, or because she's a baby. Maybe it's just one of those weeks.

So when it was Mini Me's nine-month birthday (nine in, nine out) I needed something and thankfully my yummy mummies group had the perfect solution.

Getting saucy on Italian Sauce Day

The end of 'Looking for Alibrandi' got it all wrong. Sauce Day is not a day of Italian tunes, people wearing head scarves and families embracing happily.

It's a little more like La Tomatina... there are tomatoes thrown, tears, tantrums, fights and that's all before the first espresso. Then the stench of rotten tomatoes lingers on your skin and hair.

The paving looks like a Japanese Whaling Ship (no animals were hurt in the production of thick juicy sauce). Nonno (grandfather for non-Italians) gives a mean eye when he thinks you're not boiling the bottles properly. Nonna mutters that Kevin never checks the tomatoes properly. Sister S is being Sister S and thinks its a laugh. My very Australian husband thinks it is the best fun.

What am I saying? It's a hard slog, but it's tradition. I'm a sucker for tradition. So if ya gotta do it, then do it with some style.

100 happy days

Is it possible to be happy for 100 days in a row?

2014 must be the International Year of Niceness and Happiness. Everywhere I'm seeing challenges to pay it forward, capture happy moments, create memory jars, all in an effort to feel warm and fuzzy.

Already for my 101 in 1001 I wanted to make a list of the 100 things that make me happy. I've been slowly building that list as I go along. Then on Facebook I noticed a friend post a challenge #100happydays.

Could I be happy for 100 days in a row?

Smugness of separation anxiety

Yesterday was my bi-monthly gym visit since I started Morning Tea Leave.

The baking, coffees and Nigella inspired meals in my attempt to knock Martha Stewart off her smug perch are taking their toll. Next year's Biggest Loser will be a world first. It'll take all three trainers to focus on one person who gives the Ghostbusters dough boy a binge eating for its money.

The last three times Mini Me was in the crèche were tolerable. Yes there were tears, mostly from me as I looked at the scales, but the upside was Mini Me passed out before the car door opened and would sleep. It is the only activity that has actually tired her out. Why didn't I do this more as I spent many a day bouncing on the gym ball to get her to sleep? Every time she came away with a cold. And reread sentence one... Bimonthly visit.

New year, new me and off we wobbled.

It was the most satisfying 15-minutes of my life.

Sweaty Happy New Year from Darwin

I hate New Year's Eve - everyone in the world trying to have a good time and everyone's definition of fun is different, so invariably no one has a good time.

That's why my favourite New Year's Eves have been overseas. Being in a different location and on holiday just puts you in a happier mood.

Sadly our budgets couldn't extend to an overseas destination and there was somewhere I hadn't been in a long time; up north to see my dad.


My little flight buddy - she was a dream.

Aye Carumba, Mama's turned 50!

My family are young breeders.

Mum was 21 when she had me. My grandmother 20 when she had my mum. My great grandmother was the same and only passed away a few years ago. I definitely bucked the trend with Mini Me and I don't feel old at all.

Four generations of women in my family.

Lessons in Bunbury

Hubby's new job sees him travel often to WA's South West. As Mini Me and I joined him on his latest work trip I realised, I've never been to Bunbury.

I've heard lots about it and assumed I had been but as we drove in the realisation hit me. 

How could I assume I've been? Well I'm constantly in denial about life, I repress a lot of memories and my imagination is so vivid I truly believe I had a summer based on Alice in Wonderland.

In less than 24 hours in Bunbury I've learnt a lot more than I'm a little crazy (which I already knew).

1

Why I baptised Mini Me

This is a letter to Mini Me, to explain why she was baptised this weekend.


My Little Lady,

Firstly I have to confess, I do not believe in organised religion. I hate how humans turn something meant for good to suit a sinister agenda. I'm sure Einstien didn't dream of the nuclear bomb when he discovered relativity. I truly believe that's what has happened with all religions.

Life's a picnic

This is a little brag post. I'm riding high after a job well done for Mini Me's christening picnic we held on Sunday.

If only I could control the weather, it would've been perfect. A little too hot for my liking.

But everything else was exactly like I imagined it. Nicely presented food. Lots of tasty food. Full bellies. A game of footy for the boys. Playground for the kids. Wine for the ladies. Shade and blankets to lounge on. Perfect.

What's the recipe for this successful little party? Well here you go.

Year of dates - sailing the ocean

Marriage is a lot like sailing. During the sunny calm waters you relax and soak it in.  For the rocky times its all hands on deck as you work together to get through it.

I didn't think of that analogy as I booked November's date. I was thinking, how awesome would it be to learn the ropes on a tall ship.

November date - sailing on the Leeuwin

Frocktober 2013 Day 23 - Ahoy Sailor, it's another date

Today is our three-year wedding anniversary.

With Hubby's new job, spring fever and Mini Me's social calendar finding time for this month's 'year of dates' is tougher than expected. That's why I gave Hubby two options this month for our date... you'll have to read on to find out.

In the meantime... We're loving costumes this week, and today she's a little sailor.

Ahoy there - more donations please.

Frocktober 2013 Day 22 - Little Miss Spew

Picture this, I'm writing this in a singlet and underwear.

Why no dress you ask? Well, it is because my daughter, Little Miss Spew, gorged herself and spewed all over my friend's backyard like a 16-year-old after she sculled her first bottle of Passion Pop. It just kept coming out of her like a fountain.

Then she spewed on the way home. So everything went into the wash and we chilled out in our undies until I was convinced there was nothing left in her stomach. Then we bathed and she is now asleep.

The worst thing is she did the exact same thing, at the exact same time last week.

I'm hoping it is the rice cereal I gave her last week and today and not seeing my yummy mummy's group. I really like the ladies but if she spews every time I see them, I think I might need to stop catching up with them.

Before she gave me a glimpse into her late teen years, this is what my Little Miss Spew wore.

Little Miss Spew

Year of dates - Red carpet cinema treatment

Love is in the air, but not at our home. That's the smell of nappies and coriander (I'm going through a Thai-cooking phase).

No, it's outside. Four couples very close to us are engaged. Their love and happiness is infectious. And expensive. We've had three engagement parties in a row, and one more in November. Don't even get me started on the weddings.

But all this love was in stark comparison to what is happening in our home. We have just been too busy for romance or even each other. Then you start to neglect and be mean.

Which is why September whizzed by and we never scheduled our next date a month for a year. We opened it, but couldn't find the time to leave Mini Me with a babysitter and go out one night. And this month was a simple Gold Class movie night.

But better late than never and here we are doing September's date in October - Gold Class.

Frocktober 2013 - Our third teammate

So far I've documented Mini Me and my Frocktober exploits.

But there is a third person in our team. She may be silent in this record of our frocking, but it would be the only place in the world that she is quiet.

Introducing Sister S.

Styling Sister S

Frocking around Perth: Frocktober 2013

When I first heard about Frocktober three years ago, I thought wearing a different dress every day would be a great challenge. Then when I started getting involved I learnt about how important it is.

Frocktober is a fundraiser thought up over drinks by some Victorian girls in 2007 to wear dresses to raise money for ovarian cancer research.

Some of my past frocking exploits.

Photo Friday - week 7

I don't see my dad often, since he born, bred and ingrained in Kununurra, so you have to make the most of when he comes to the big smoke.

The weather has been wooly but that hasn't dampened our spirits and it's been a great week. That says a lot because normally he drives me nuts! Try cramming a year of catch ups into a week. You rarely spend this much time with a parent.

But it's been fun, with some great memories, and no trucks, too.

1. Hitting the town: A very late Christmas outing (or is it an early Christmas outing) with my sister, her stud and Hubby.

2. The morning after: No, thank you 1907 for a fantastic eight-course degustation, hilarious service, free-flowing drinks, seedy hangover and breakfast. You spoil me!

3. Dog tired: I hear ya buddy. Weekends are intense.

4. It's wooly out there: But it's toasty in here with my uggs.

5. In front of me: Sure isn't easy baby.

6. Adventures of a mum: Today it is Salted Caramel Macaroons

7. At the hairdresser: Zia styling.

Photo Friday - week 6

This week I failed. On Thursday the day had the better of me and I forgot to take a photo.

It wasn't even a special day. I went to the chiro, then did my washing at nonna's house because our washing machine died that weekend. That's it. I'm putting it down to a mum blank moment.

1. Hands: Mini Me is forever holding her hands together, like she is scheming or praying. I never want to forget that.

2. Have your voice heard: It's election day, and the scandal of the day - sausage sizzles. Oh and the metre long voting paper.

3. Tied up: Rope installation at Peasant's Table.

4. It's coming up... spring has sprung and the blooms are blooming awesome.

5. Take me back: A snippet of our home, a list of awesome places in the one and only NYC.

6. TV buddies: A snuggle on the couch with her best friend.

A pleasant meal at Peasant's Table

It's been a while since Bruce the Pram has found a place that satisfies his wide stature. Pram friendly restaurants can be hard to find!

But just down the road are two roomy and delicious finds. One of them is the new Peasant's Table in Mt Hawthorn. 

Photo Friday - week 5

Half way through the week, I realised I was just getting slack and snap happy. So I lifted my game and tried to think of composition and making the photo interesting. This challenge is tougher than I thought!

 

1: Cherry ripe brownie: self titled gooey, sugary-ness.

2: Pizza baby: I think Mini Me enjoyed the chillies the most.

3. Dad's are special: Yep it was Father's Day and we needed the requisite daddy-daughter photo in bed.

4. Sky-gazing: Sometimes we forget to just stop and watch the clouds. So I did just that.

5. Hung dog: Poor Frank knackered after a big walk.

6. Ducky dive: Bath times are now my favourite part of the night. A good soak after a slippery miss gets out.

7. Snuggled: it's bed o'clock and I'm tired.