One of those days ....

Lovely friends, let me tell you a tale about a well intentioned mummy who just hasn't been able to get her act together. Yes, a tale of : 'One of those days'.
Allow me to set the scene.
 Today I am tired.

My judgement is therefore sufficiently hindered, even a little impaired :)

 

I worked a night shift last night. I had a great shift. This morning Dom has been divine, playing happily in his playroom as the rain has at times, poured outside. While there was a lull in the rain I thought, let's go see the ducks at the brook before lunch. What a fabulous idea - let's get outside for some fresh air!
 

As I grabbed the pram out of the car, I had to growl at least a million times at Dominic to stand still and stop trying to run out onto the road. Seriously, what's with that? No, it is not funny Dominic!

As I heaved the pram out of the car and slammed the boot shut I heard a crushing sound - the sound of my iPhone being crushed as I slammed the boot. I swore under my breath (wtf) but never to be deterred by the opportunity to see a duck, I strapped Dom determinedly in the pram and convinced myself that I needed a new phone anyway. I set off ignoring all the obvious signs from the universe that we should in fact stay at home and watch 'Ellen'. As we set off storm clouds followed us, but surely it wouldn't pour until after lunch?

 

It all went pear shaped as we approached the brook.
Yes, it started to rain. No freakin ducks came out to say 'hi', even they decided to stay at home and play with their puzzles :)
Then it proceeded to pour. You know, the kind of heavy shower that has you panicking when you don't have a brolly except in my case, I was without brolly and with pram.

I ran in fact, I galloped to shelter - I am not built for running you see.
I must have been quite a sight!
The shelter was facing the slide and swing that Dom so desperately wanted to play on - sheer desperation I tell you! I explained in my fake calm voice that it was raining and that we couldn't play at the moment. Yes, my judgement was so sufficiently impaired that by this stage I found myself trying to reason with a 25 month old - ha.....and they call me a child health nurse!

 

Dom screamed and I despaired. The rain continued to pour.
20 minutes (yes 20!!) later, fed up with the screaming of my little genetic marvel, I set off home in the rain.
No slide. No swing. My feet squelched in my shoes (the stinky comfy old work shoes of course) and my freshly straightened hair was beginning to frizz.
As I marched back across the little bridge the ducks still didn't come out and say 'hi'...
I muttered something about withholding their bread privileges - that would show them.
We power walked home in silence.
 

A neighbour smiled at me knowingly from her window as I walked back up our street - 'You idiot', I could hear her thinking. 'Who would go outside in this weather'?
By now feeling sufficiently irritated, I imagined flicking her the bird (like I said, my judgement was impaired) but decided that this would not be neighbourly, let alone very motherly (joke- sort of). A good mother after all would have been organised and had an umbrella in the pram console!

 

We got home. By now Dominic had calmed and was indicating that after all the excitement, he would like a Vegemite sandwich NOW...
As a lugged the pram up the front steps, I tripped.
Yes, this was my morning.
Dom smirked at me like I was some sort of circus clown - this was fast becoming a circus act after all.
I snorted with laughter. We came inside to the shelter of our little home and turned on Peppa Pig. The moral of the story? There isn't one. I just thought that this story might amuse you.

Today made me think of this poster I found on pinterest...

Poster from pinterest. Click on image for link.....

A few healthy changes......

So, I have been feeling like shite for a while now. This could be as a result of working nightshift(s) and caring for a toddler, but boy I have been seriously lacking energy. Two of my work colleagues had commented that my thyroid gland was large so I thought I best have this checked out. Turns out, some people have fat bums, I have fat pads on either side of my thyroid, and a large bum :)

 

So, with no medical explanation for my lack of energy, after careful consideration, I have made a few lifestyle changes in an attempt to address my feeling of 'blah' - yes, this is a medical term. Don't worry. I haven't gone all GP on you (that's Gwyneth Paltrow to those in the know) although I do think she is beautiful and I have just ordered her new cookbook. I heard on the radio today that she exercises for two hours a day - imagine having that luxury! Anyway, I have needed to make a few lifestyle changes for a while. During the day I don't eat when I am at home and then end up substituting healthy food choices when I am starving, especially after a night shift, for pieces of toast with lashings of butter and vegimite or sweet treats. I was becoming a little Nigella-esque, getting up in the middle of the night and shoving my face into chocolate cake!

 

Anyway, I wont go into boring details but I am attempting to change my eating habits. No more pasta or bread. I have even cut back on my coffee intake and am reducing the amount of sugar I eat.

I had a ripper of a headache for a couple of days but I must admit, I am feeling so much better! 

I have been concentrating on baking healthy treats and incorporating whole foods as much as the budget allows. Being healthy is expensive people! Raw chocolate brownie (Dominic even ate it!) and delicious healthy banana bread are all things we have enjoyed in my little family this week. Quinoa, eggs, salads, poached chicken and nuts - who would have thought by eating a nutritious breakfast and actually making time to have lunch, you could feel so good! My new addiction is quinoa porridge with almond milk, one small banana and a handful of raisins for breakfast - soooooo good!

 

With so many food blogs around, I have been pouring over recipes but one of my favourite blogs is Farmhouse Home. This year Catherine, writer of Farmhouse Home, has been featuring healthy meals and baked goods for inspiration. I made this banana bread she posted on her blog, today.

I believe this recipe first featured on Lorna Jane's Move, Nourish, Believe website. Hot off the press people and the smell of banana and coconut is whafting through our home.

 

 

Photos by me.....

 

The bread was lovely and moist and needed no accompaniment, although I suspect some butter or a little honey would taste a treat. I only added two bananas, a third would have been perfection.

 

Happy Friday! x

 

Hair...

Friends I ask you, is it possible to shed a few kilos in hair after a hair cut?

In my case, yes. After my night shift ( I think this is fairly reflective of my desperate need for a hair cut. I had had 2.5 hours sleep prior to my appointment!), I went and saw my gorgeous hairdresser Nadine at the Glamour Beaute Lounge in Taringa. I also had my eyebrows done by the salon owner Jodi, who is possibly one of the loveliest women I have met!

I HATE seeing myself in photos (make-up less too. Rarely do I wear makeup), but thought you would get a little laugh out of my before and after hair shots. See, I wasn't lying when I said I was in desperate need of a haircut and have a ridiculous amount of hair! There is zero chance of me going bald in my old age.

I have been thinking, new house new hair. So, I have been fairly daring. What do you think?

 

 

 

We are in the thick of packing and cleaning. I will be offline (not that I have been online much of late) next week, but I will return with some photos of the house and more time to devote to this little blog.

Happy Friday Friends!