On a more positive note...

My laundry is totally organised, empty and up to date! I am so thrilled. My house is slowly turning into the well-oiled-machine I keep promising nathan it will be! Oh and btw, my header needs changing but I have been on here a lot today, so please forgive the bad line-up job!

The Trouble with Food

Ok so I am getting sick of my relationship with food. First of all, why is it that it is only girls who seem to have relationships with food? To Nathan, food is food. That's all it is, something you do 3 or less times a day to sustain your body. Sure, he indulges sometimes, but he doesn't feel the need to. He just likes his jellies now and then.
For me? Food is so much more than sustainence; it is an activity, a reward, a pleasure, a guilty habit, a friend and an enemy. I eat when I'm with friends, when I'm alone, I eat to celebrate or to commiserate, to reward myself for a job well done and to console myself for a job not done. Food is the great win-win in my life; chocolate if I do, chocolate if I don't. Just as long as I chocolate!
And I am getting sick of it.
Even though I am not seriously overweight, I definately have a few kilos I want to shift, and I am not pleased with my eating habits They say you are what you eat, and it is true! In the change room yesterday, my thighs looked like an Aero bar and my waist had somehow turned into a donut! I am so sick of thinking about food or trying not to. I just want to find the balance that you automatically had when you were little. Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are not.
I just can't find the balance between over-indulging or over-obsessing.


Monday: Rachy wakes up and says, 'Right, I'm sick of this. I am going to eat healthy and in moderation. Not go on a diet, not try to get skinny, I am just going to be sensible. Balanced.
Monday night; Oh wow, I ate really well. This isn't so hard.
Tuesday: Hmm, maybe I should have this sandwhich without butter. In fact, do I really need this meatless, cheeseless, mayo-less, 5-salad-veggie sandwhich at all? Maybe I will just have an apple.
Tuesday night; I'm hungry. For all this hard work, I better look HOT soon!!
Wednesday morning: Hang on wasn't I trying to be sensible for health, not obsessive for appearance?
Wednesday morning tea: I geuss I can have a little cupcake, then. That's sensible. Not extreme.
Wednesday afternoon: Everyone has biscuits for afternoon tea. That's ok, right? Nice and balanced Rach.
Wednesday evening: ok just a little ice cream for desert....
Later that evening: ...and some chocolate with my cuppa...
In bed that night: Great, I'm eating crap again. I won't lose weight at this rate.
Thursday morning: either: 'Ok that's it! Size 8 here I come!'
or 'Stuff it, I've already blown it. Bring on the chocolate'

...or I have a few days of moderation that slowly morphs back into my half-a-block-a-day habit.
How do you guys do food? And how do we get that healthy: 'Eat to live, not live to eat' thing happening without either thinking about food ALL the time or obsessing about getting thin?
One of the reasons I have never undertaken a spiritual fast is because I know I would get all distracted with getting skinny. I am thinking of doing a sugar fast. Just to get some prayerful balance, not try to change anything else, just ditch all the sweets and pray a bit more when I would normally be eating choc, etc. What do you guys reckon?

Tribute to the Cupcake Diva

Just a little add on, after being so inspired by everyone this morning. I tidied my house today and actually took out some time to bake; I have to say that this is Miss Helen's influence; I have never been more inspired to make cupcakes in my life than after experience her amazing talent and culinery skills in perfecting this little artform. Mine are nowhere near as pretty, but after following her recipe, they actually TASTED like hers! I was estatic. I made a simpler version of her raspberry and white choc cupcakes, today, after overeating the first version and feeling sick.... :o( What can I say? They are just too darn good.

We also had Chicken Rice paper rolls tonight for dinner - another idea gleaned from Helen's collection. Before that I didn't even know what a rice paper roll was. hehe

So Miss Helly, I just had to thank you personally for a menu that would not have existed if it wasn't for you! I thought of you often as I dipped in my sweet chilli sauce and nibbled on my pink iced cupcake! hehe Thank you for your domestic diva inspiration; you have worked a small miracle getting me inspired to cook when it wasn't absolutely mandatory. I am definately rediscovering my inner chef! Luvya babe xox

All inspired!

Ok so I sat down with a cuppa with the intention of quickly reading Corey's blog and saving blogger for later. Miraculously, blogger somehow opened itself (no, really! its spooky hehe) so I couldn't resist on checking in on all the gorgeous ladies' updates. So about an hour later, I am buzzing with some great ideas that have just flowed together. Everyone is in sync today! hehe

• I am completely re-inspired by Corey to keep my home and family a place of joy, creativity and deliberate, invested time. http://activatechurch.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/the-healthy-hectic-home/
• Sim has reminded me how much I want to start my herb garden and the cool lessons you can teach your kids through planting together http://simoneturner.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/plant-them-and-they-will-grow/
• Bec has got me thinking about ways to share my craft with my friends, 'just because' which I love! Unexpected is so special. http://writeupon.blogspot.com/2009/02/community-with-handmade-touch.html
• Had a laugh with Trace, http://ttkj.blogspot.com/2009/02/we-are-family.html cos like her situation with Tas, I was annoyed at Nath cos I thought he didn't get me anything for Valentine's Day only he had bought chocs and flowers and was waiting to surprise me! hehe
• Helly's post http://helenfparker.blogspot.com/2009/02/little-things.html has got my mind pumping with Ariel's idea of tea-messages; how cute would it be to do a bunch of these for a friend; maybe different flavours of tea with little quotes, bible verses or special memories you have shared together or even different attributes you love about her written in teeny tiny writing.

Ladies (and Corey) you are all just fabulous! What a wonderful source of inspiration you all are, doing life and making it beautiful, creative and generous. Love you all lots!

No boys allowed!

So my hubby is away at the moment on a 'Men's weekend'. 2 1/2 days of hiking, camping, fishing and spear fishing at Wilsons' Prom with a whole bunch of guys from church. I love it when Nathan gets the chance to get away, because it really builds into our relationship. Having a few days apart helps me to really appreciate him, and when he has a chance to do the things he loves and hang out with the guys, he comes back so much more connected and happy in himself. Not to mention, its kinda fun to shake the routine up a little.

It seems so much easier to cook for just Hanny and myself, and the house is easier to tidy, too. A kind of fun, girly atmosphere settles over the place and suddenly it doesn't seem to matter if Hanny has a late night tucked up in my bed with me watching a movie, or eating a few more bikkies than she should! It just takes the pressure off for awhile, as I recognise that when nath is away, I can't do it all. I tend to settle down with my high expectations and sense of duty and I begin to rediscover pleasure in simple things, like enjoying a picnic on the carpet, blowing bubbles, dancing or just being silly.

The other evening, nath was working late and I had had a crazy day and it was quite late before I got to pick Hanny up from creche. I was a little hassled at the thought of going through our evening routine when we were both so tired. So I ditched it. I ran a bath and we both jumped in, me with a cuppa and hanny with a bowl of grapes floating in a toy boat. It was so fun to change the order of things, just breathe and realise there are no meal police who are going to beat down my door if I don't serve up meat and 3 veg every night! Obviously, I don't do this too often, but honestly does it really matter if we eat cheese and fruit and crackers one evening? I think not. It was so refreshing and I found time to really enjoy my little girl. I encourage occasional 'skipping of the routine' to freshen life and remind you what really matters in life.

<---- Dinner, anyone? Day #1 of our girls weekend; Me and Hanny made plastercine meals. Guess which one is mine? hehe

Bizzy as a bee

Life has suddenly gotten very hectic. Just 4 short weeks ago I was like 'Bring it on!' and already I am feeling a little dizzy with all the projects, deadlines and tasks coming up. My blogs may be a bit sporadic over the next few weeks. Here are the first cards I made as a stamping up demonstrator.

The Best Money I have ever spent

I am SO excited. I just sponsored a child through Compassion Australia. It was so simple. I just went to the website, clicked on 'Sponsor the Most Needy' Just two mouse clicks from google and there she was. Marie-Yves. A 6 year old living in poverty in an oppressive voodoo practicing village in Haiti.
$11 per week will provide her with food, clothing, medicine, schooling AND Bible teaching. I cannot believe that changing a life can be so easy. Its almost sad. Just one decision and a couple of clicks and suddenly a little girl so far away has recieved the help she needs. And what has it cost me? Very little. A few less scrapbooking supplies or one less foodcourt meal a week.
I am humbled and touched by how easy it was for me to connect into her world. This is the first time we have sponsored, I am sad to say. I have felt the compassion and the urge but never quite put my good intentions into action. I cannot tell you the joy that filled my heart as her precious little face popped up on my screen. As our financial viability increases I want to add more children, but for now, this little sweet Marie-Yves is our first child. It is the best money I have ever spent.

http://www.compassion.com.au/

My morning serinade

Last night nath and I slept on the lounge room floor in front of the air con for the second night running. Hanny woke us up early so we whacked a pooh bear movie on and brought her into bed with us and promptly fell back to sleep. Somewhat of a bad idea; she woke and wandered around the living room creating chaos, including getting into my scrapbooking diamantes and pulling them all off, sticking them to her legs and the carpet. BUT the cute part was that I woke up to hear Hannah singing; she had crawled up onto the piano stool and was playing and singing a little made up song. Amongst the garbled words, I heard 'mummy' in there but the CUTEST thing was that she started singing the words, 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph' LOL She has been enraptured with a Nativity DVD I bought her at Christmas, always asking to 'watch Jesus' and that combined with the singing at church has obviously inspired her little impromptu worship! Watch out, Activate, I think we might have an up and coming worship leader on our hands! LOL I nearly died, it was just too cute. There is something precious and simple and beautiful about hearing your children talk about God, and even more so to see her creatively expressing her little thoughts about God, not even realising she had an audience. I love it! It does my heart good. Ok I gotta go to bed, this is a ridiculous hour to be blogging! Sleep tight peoples!