Happy Blog Day!

Did you know today is Blog Day?  What a perfect day to celebrate bloggers and blogging! There are so many different blogs out there, and I am constantly amazed by people's content and creativity.  Reading other blogs certainly inspires me, whether its their stories, the photography, the food they're eating, places they've travelled to, ways they've decorated their homes and much much more. I have laughed, cried and empathised along to posts (sometimes all at once!), and found many a kindred spirit online.

To celebrate Blog Day, I want to share with you, a few blogs that I love (in no particular order)...

http://www.saraspartyperfect.com/

Such a great resource if you're planning a party.  The parties she showcases are beautifully presented and make you feel like you're one of the guests! I know its made me look at party planning in a different way, and it makes me want to take my next party to a whole other level!



http://theblogstylist.com/

I started reading this one after attending Nuffnang's Blogopolis.  I've been dabbling in Wordpress lately and this blog has helped me immensely to understand what I'm actually doing and why. There's loads of content for every blogger wanting to improve their site. Check it out!



http://www.houseofturquoise.com/

My favourite colour is blue...in every shade imaginable, and my house is nearly 80% blue throughout. This blog features so many inspirational photos of blue interiors and exteriors, it takes my breath away! Fear not though...if you're not a fan of blue, there's links on the sidebar to other colours.



http://legomyphoto.wordpress.com/

Lego a Day is one of my favs! I love how Dan photographs all his lego characters in different situations. Every single photo is brilliant and so well thought through. He totally rocks the macro lens!

http://www.supermommoments.com/

Supermom Moments is one of those blogs that makes you want to come back for more! Seriously cool printables and activities for kids, party ideas (check out their Tangled party!), tips for mums and more.

http://carlyrobertson.typepad.com/perfectly_pretty/

This one I only came across today! That's what I love about the blogosphere...there's always new blogs to discover. I've fallen in love with Carly's blog already and I can't wait to read more.  Her photos are beautiful and I like the way she writes. There's a bit of something for everyone there. Head on over and have a peek.

What blogs do you love reading? Hook me up with your favourite links.

Give a virtual hug to a blogger today!  Leave a comment, like their fb page, follow their blog...reach out and connect, and make their blog day happy too.

Father's Day | Handmade gifts and cards

You don't need to spend a lot of money (or any at all!) to give your Dad a gift he will remember this Father's Day. As they say, its the thought that counts, and when your children are little, a handmade gift or card perfectly shows their love for their Daddy.  Here's a few great ideas I've come across that will take very little time to make!

Create a personalised print using your children's hands

Customise a block notepad for Dad's office

Create a photo collage (see tutorial)

Wrap your Dad's favourite chocolate bar with this fun printable

Make a folded-shirt card

Create a paper aeroplane card

Create a fun gift tag

Put a personal stamp on a card

Creatively include a favourite photo with your card

Showcase your favourite photos in a slideshow

Here's one I created a couple of years ago...

"Father's Day 2009"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

I guarantee your children will love creating their own gifts for their Dad, and they will be accepted with the biggest smiles because their heart and soul has been put into it.

Have fun creating!



Have you been getting crafty this Father's Day?  Add your links here...

Wordless Wednesday | 14 years today...gone but not forgotten

[image source]

Princess Diana. A true beauty.



Linking with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday

Winners are grinners!

Today I have the pleasure of making three people very happy! I love this part of blogging.

First up, the winner of the Zhu Zhu pet and accessory...

 Congratulations Lynette!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Next, the winner of the Disney Junior triple pack is...

 Congratulations Pam!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Last, but certainly not least, the winner of the PAW pet products is...

Congratulations Maree!

Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to Lynette, Pam and Maree! Please email me your address and I'll arrange to have your prizes sent to you!

Stay tuned later today for my first post in a week full of Father's Day ideas!

Meal planning Monday

This weekend, we once again shopped for our fruit, veges and meats at the local fresh food market, and once again walked away with some amazing deals and produce.  You may have read the details here of our last shopping experience, and this week was even better...$40 of meat, split up into 18 meals! Andrew and I have worked out what we'll be eating each night until September! Love that we don't have to think about it each night. One less stress after a hard day at work.  So what will the Warren family be eating this week?

Monday

Lamb chops with steamed veges and rice pilaf
(affectionately known as nanna rice)

Tuesday

Chicken breast with sage and roasted sweet potato
(adapting a sandwich from a local cafe...will let you know how I go)

Wednesday

Nigella's Steak slice with lemon and thyme
(we've bought fresh herbs so this one is early in the week)

[image source]

Thursday

Homemade Pizza
(I haven't decided if we'll be using traditional bases or lebanese bread yet)

Friday

Spaghetti Bolognese
(quick and easy kid friendly version with loads of veges)

Saturday

Pork Roast with all the yummy trimmings
(see shopping tip below)

Sunday

Devilled sausages with mashed potato
(attempting a recipe by Frills in the Hills)

Baking
Scones for school morning teas
(a great treat for an egg free school)

With all our meals, we include vegetables...either steamed on the side, or grated and combined with the meal. We're pretty lucky that the kids like them now. It makes meal time so much less stressful.

This week's shopping tip

Would you like to have a roast for dinner, but are put off by the price? This week, we purchased a rolled leg of pork.  The size of the pork was way too much for one meal, so we cut it into thirds. One piece will be roasted on Saturday night, and the other pieces were cut into pork chops. There was enough there for a further two family meals. Not only have we been able to stretch our shopping dollar further, we've reduced the risk of overeating.  I know full well that if we cook a big roast, I will go back for seconds...or thirds.

What are you cooking up this week?

I'm linking up with the Organised Housewife.

Discover | the mental wake-up call

[found on Pinterest]

In my version, the "f" doesn't stand for "freaked out". lol.  That was a nervous lol in case you missed it.  The last few days / weeks / months have taken their emotional toll on me and I don't know how much more I can cope with. I have had to take a good hard look at what I have on my plate, and some things I have had to let go of to save my sanity. Obviously there are some things I cannot give up, like work and running a household doing a little around the house. What a shame we need money to survive and its socially unacceptable to live in squalor.

This Friday, things came to a head. I had my first anxiety attack. At work. In my boss's office. I could feel a rush of heat rise up my chest and into my neck. I started doing the ugly cry and hyperventilating. I was boiling hot and didn't even realise I'd stripped off my jacket and scarf (thank goodness I didn't go further). I couldn't articulate a single word, and I really wanted to get it out. Nothing. He was worried and wanted to know where my ventolin was. That wasn't going to help. I needed to cry. Poor man. For the rest of the day I had the puffiest eyes, no makeup and a throbbing headache. I looked stoned. I could barely keep my eyes open.  Driving home was a struggle. Seth came home from school shortly after and gave me a cuddle. I slept. A migraine developed. I took some pain killers and slept more. In total, I had nearly 15 hours sleep. I needed it desperately.

Obviously this is a wake-up call. I have decided to relieve some of the pressure I put on myself, so that I can concentrate on getting better.

After nearly three years on the Scrapware team, I have decided to step down.  I really enjoyed my time on the Scrapware team and with Ange, but I just haven't been in a great creative space.  Ange has a great DT and I know they will create gorgeous work for her. I just can't at the moment.

My business Storyboard Kits, has suffered. I have just enough energy to go to my paying job each day, and then nothing left to give of an afternoon for my business.  I have decided not to release a new kit until 1 October. There's some stuff I need to sort out from the last kit, and hopefully that list will be clear this week. I need to read and respond to a heap of emails. I have disappointed a few customers and that breaks my heart. I feel like a complete failure.

The next area I need to look at is my sketch site, Inspired Blueprints, and the commitments I have to some scrapbooking magazines. Once I've figured out what I'm going to do, I'll let you know.

I will be continuing my blogging. This is one area I feel like I have complete control!

I need to look at the positives. Here's the stuff that keeps me going:

• family. I have the best hubby in the world, and two children who love me and I adore.
• friends. They know exactly when to call, or when to drop around a block of chocolate.
• blogging. I love the mental download and the support from my bloggy friends.  I love that I can blog and tweet from the comfort of my bed.
• work. I'm thankful that despite the crap I've been putting my boss through lately, he still defends me.

So, that's where I'm at. I'm hoping that I won't have another anxiety attack any time soon...too scary to think about.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again...depression is evil! If you are waiting on something from me, please be patient.

Dad stuff | Dare to swear...the rebuttal

Hi All...Andrew here, Lisa's hubby. After Lisa’s recent blog post which gave the impression that I encouraged Seth to swear for no other reason than to get him to do so, I thought that I had better clear the air (particularly with him turning it so blue). The sequence of events started with Seth coming inside with his shorts soaked which he told me came about because he had been dared to by his sister (it’s always the girls that start trouble IMHO :-). We then had a talk about not taking dares because there are usually consequences. This however, didn’t seem to sink in. He sometimes needs an example to pick up a lesson, so I then dared him to do something so remarkably disgusting that he would refuse (eating dog poo).

He didn’t get the concept of consequences straight away, but he is quite quick to display he’s a smart arse, so he headed out the back door & brought some poo inside (which was actually white & not brown). Lesson still not learnt, I raised the stakes when he came back from washing his hands which lead us to the ‘swear dare’. I thought that he might try & push the boundaries by saying shit or f*%k, but being a smart arse, he dropped the c-bomb.

He got sent to his room quickly & after a few minutes we had a talk where he showed me that he had now learned the lesson that I had tried to teach him. He apologised to me & his Mum and still a week later has not accepted a dare, even though I’ve thrown a few at him over the last couple of days to test him out.

I still can’t believe that he said it & can’t imagine the thought processes he went through to use it and although I’m not condoning what he said, I’m proud of him for having the intestinal fortitude to push his limits. Afterall, where would we be if someone hadn't pushed the boundaries and tried drinking milk for the first time?

Bakers Delight winners!

Its time to announce the winners of the much coveted Bakers Delight vouchers...but before I do that, I want to share some of your favourite sandwich fillings that you've shared with me...looks like the majority of us prefer chicken!

• Roast chicken, finely sliced celery, spring onion, salt, pepper and enough mayo to bind it together - Kerry

• Chicken, avocado and camberbert - Suz
• Fritz sausage and sauce - Michelle R
• Chicken, mayo and lettuce - Mummy to five and Leechbabe
• Roast chicken and cherry tomatoes - Michelle H
• Chicken salad with snowpea sprouts, mushroom and mayo - Melanie W
• Good ol' BLT - Amber
• Chicken, avocado, mushroom and melted cheese - Jodie
• Turkey, cream cheese, tomato and baby spinach - Kirsty
• Turkey, cranberry and brie - Rachael
• Chicken, avocado, tomato and mayo - Bec S
• Marmalade or bovril (like Vegemite) - Pam
• Beetroot and cheese - Amanda
• Salami, mushroom, capsicum and tomato paste - Mandy
• Chicken, salad (including beetroot) and mayo - Kerri
• Turkey, cranberry sauce, mayo, cheese, sundried tomatoes and avocado toasted - Jodie
• Egg and lettuce - Tam

Don't they all sound seriously delicious! I might have try a few of those combos myself. Thanks for sharing girls.  Without further ado...

The winner of the $15 voucher is...

The winner of the $10 voucher is... 

Congratulations Cheyne and Mummas Mini Mes! Please email me your postal address so that I can send out your vouchers! Enjoy eating that delicious bread courtesy of Bakers Delight.

Mum stuff | Dare to swear...

Some things your kids (and husbands) say and do just make you shake your head in absolute shock and horror wonderment. Seth is always trying to push the boundaries of what he can get away with, and Andrew is no better as he somewhat encourages him. It drives me crazy!  The events that transpired last weekend were the straw that broke the camels back.

A few months ago, Seth came home from school and declared that he had learned the rudest word in the world! Awesome. He wouldn't tell me what it was though, so Andrew took him aside and had the conversation...

S: "No, its too embarrassing"
A: "Its okay mate, just tell me what it is"
S: "Okay, but you can't tell mum, because she'll be upset"
A: "Promise" (Andrew may or may not have been crossing his fingers behind his back, because as soon as he came out of Seth's room, he told me.)

Seth then proceeded to drop the c-bomb.

Yep, you read that right. Such a proud moment...not!  More questions were asked...who taught you that, and more importantly, do you know what it means?  Now, Seth didn't know what the c-bomb meant, but he knew it was a bad swear.  Andrew tried reasoning; should you really be using a word if you don't know what it means? Promises were made that he wouldn't use "that" word ever again. Good decision.

Fast forward to this weekend. I don't know why, but Andrew dared Seth to eat dog poo. I don't even know how that conversation started.  I sometimes wonder who's worse.  Next thing we know, Seth is standing in the dining room with a dog poo in his hand. WHAT! Not a white chalky one either, a good fresh one. Ewwww!!!  Thankfully he didn't eat it...I've tasted it before and its not good, but that's a whole other story. Hands were disinfected and another "talking to" was had. What is it with boys and dares?

Andrew then dared him to swear. Why??? I ask you, why? I yelled at Andrew, then I yelled at Seth...DON'T YOU DARE! Seth looks around with the cheekiest smirk on his face, then drops the c-bomb...again! Seriously, couldn't he have just said shit, but no, he had to bring out the big guns.  He was sent to his room to think about what he'd just done.  Andrew was sent down there to talk to him about using appropriate language and accepting dares...

...and to apologise for getting him into trouble.

What do you do when your children swear? Should I be instituting the swear jar and washing out mouths with soap?

Trinkets on Tuesday

Today, is the first ever "Trinkets on Tuesday" link up with the Diva Mum herself, Naomi of Seven Cherubs.  I have had the pleasure of drooling over Naomi's accessories in person (that Diva has seriously good taste!), and now every Tuesday, she'll be sharing her favourite pieces and finds on her new blog.

I have a bit of a thing for blinged out and colourful accessories too. When you're an extra extra lovely sized girl, sometimes that's the only on-trend item you can fit in to! lol.

I have lost count of the number of necklaces, headbands, earrings, bangles, and cocktail rings I own. Add to that matching shoes and handbags, and we're talking about a pretty hefty collective. Luckily I like things that are cheap and cheerful.  I just can't resist a statement piece that finishes off an outfit.

Today's piece is the blingiest of the bling bling fo-shizzle (I've turned all Snoop Dogg...sorry, its the bling talking). This ring is part of Alex Perry's collection for Diva...and I love it! I may never be able to fit into or afford one of Alex Perry's gorgeous dresses...but damn if this doesn't look "expensive". haha.  I picked it up for the bargain price of $3. I don't care if it turns my finger black, I'm wearing it.

This is how much I love Alex Perry...when I found out he was designing glasses for SpecSavers, I booked in to get my eyes tested! Lucky me...I needed glasses. Woohoo!! I picked out two pairs.

Link up your favourite accessories at Trinkets on Tuesday. Can't wait to see what you're wearing!

btw - I just googled Alex Perry and found out he had a wife! What!! She must be the best dressed woman on the planet.