FRIENDS-(NOUN) a person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

I must say...Im completley lucky and so thankful for the Beautiful friends I have.  Im not a total party girl, I dont have hundreds of friends in every country of the world, but I do have a handful of friends that make me smile and bring Joy.

Those friends will be friends for life.

As my quote says at the begining...A true friend understand you...your past and truly "gets it"...and at the end of the day love and accept you the way you are--->warts and all.

The older I get, I come to relise what truly matters in life and what is important.  Putting 'toxic friends' in their place and not letting people get to me (although this can be hard).

I relise too, what type of people I need to be around, the sort of people that make me a better person.  Keep me positve and loving support when I need strength.

A true friend also lets you know when you need to be told.  Telling you what you NEED to hear and for me to accept that.  After all, if you cant take it from those closest to you, then there's not much hope LOL.

After all this....I have to say I have the most wonderful friends I could ever dream of having.  Its so nice to know that no matter how busy you get, how much time passes...one thing NEVER changes...your friendship.

Its great to know that if Im having a crappy day I can ring my friends and KNOW without a doubt I will end up smiling.

To me that is a true friend.

In saying all this I just want to thank those friends and just hope and pray with my whole heart that I can be that same type of friend back...give back what they all give to me.  After all, a friendship is a 2way street.

♥Thankyou all those who are in my life and bring me HaPiNeSs!!♥

Vineger...the wonder liquid!

Does anyone know just how amazing this liquid is? 
Think about it...
you can cook with it
Clean with it
deoderise with it
rinse your hair with it
Use it as a softner for your clothes
Use it for colds and flu's
wash your windows
Use it on your pets
Use it on your skin for bites/acne etc
Relief for sunburn......
Oh I could just go on and on and on!  Honestly, it is the most amazing liquid AND it's all natural...no nasties.
I was curiouse as to just what vinegar could do and how many uses it has, so I googled it.  This little book kept getting mentioned in everything I read.  This book is an absolute life saver to me.  It's called "The vinegar book...Great uses for vinegar" There you will find hundreds and hundreds of uses for vinegar.  If you havnt yet had a look at it, you must!   Go google it now.
 I find if I have a problem with something I go there and look it up.  I will always find an answer. 

Vinegar...the elixir to life!

(p.s~I wasnt paid to endorse this book at all...I just think it is amazing ;-D )

Wine Glorious wine...♥♥♥

Now...I like wine....but Let me Clarify that.  It must be good wine.  None of that cheap garbage that you pour from a cardboard box.
It has to be good quality and taste good with less preservative as possable.  That way you wake up feelimg much better and you dont get that icky feeling afterwards.  Of course all good things come in moderation, and enjoyed with good food.

The reason for this Post is that my hubby had to go out tonight to see a friend so I cooked a delish dinner, put the kids to bed and cracked open a botle of red....mmmmm, and 2 glasses later here I am writing this Blog...LOL.  No I must say, I never over drink....I just enjoy. 
All Im missing is my girlfriends...next time i will invite them LOL.

I NEED MY OVEN...RANT !!!

I have been so inspired over the last few days to get back to baking and cooking...as I love it so, so much however halfway through December 2009 my oven (my 6 month old oven, mind you) decided to just simply stop working.  I thought all would be sorted by now, but 3 months on...we're still waiting *sigh*...I have been dying to cook some yummies for the kids lunches and yummy afternoon teas for hubby,New recipes are piling up in my cuboard for delishous dinners but....Im still waiting. 

Without going into it, I have had never ending dramas from the manfacturer. After a loooooong, drawn out saga...with all fingers, toes and knees crossed, a branspankn' new oven should be here in two weeks.

WOOPWOOP!! lets see if they actually carry out on their word *sigh* 

 I need to Bake, I really do!

The Natural High!

WOW!  What a great start to the day I had.  After having my poached eggs on spelt and coffe for breakfast then rushing my rug rats out the door, I decided to hit the gym.  Im not sure if you remember, but a few months back I promised myself to lose weight and start feeling good (physically & emotionally).  Well, I had a slight hitch in the middle but I am glad to say that I am back on track.  I have been eating SOOO good, even Im quite proud of me LOL. 
So, this morning I got my Jogging shoes on headed to the gym and did a 60min fast pase walk on the treadmil doing the aerobic setting.  Up and down hills.  It was great.  It has realy kickstarted my exercise off, and I think Im back!
I am feeling as though I am losing weight....My muffin top is slowly dissapearing WOOHOO!  (still there but slightly).  I will weight myself first thing in the morning to see what I am.

Exercise is a truly amazing thing.
I find Pilates/Body Balance great for calming not only the body but for the mind as well as slowing down my thought process and re-grouping.  I also find from a physical aspect it is great for re-alining the body and keeping flexability...we dont want to all feel like old people do we??  Its keeping my body well oiled.  A wonderful, wonderful class.

Pump is a great class for strength and muscle toning.  I like this class alot as it shapes your body in a fabulouse way. 

Spin class...hate it or love it!  I Love it.  I used to hate it LOL.  NOT FOR THE FEINT HEARTED!  After sticking it out and getting over my initial UGH!  I could see I was starting to build up a stamina for it.  My physical/emotional strengths are defintly pushed to the limits in this class and I often yell, scream and almost pass out...but it is fantastic.  After all, whats 45 mins out of my day?  At the end of it all, I feel fantastic, I look a little better (well...I tell myself that anyway heehee)  and it assist in losing those few extra kg's.

Then there is doing your own thing...which was what I did today.  Usually when I do this I Do 30 mins hard on the treadmill then 20mins doing pin weights and 10-15 mins stretching and sits ups etc.

I love working out.  Some days I hate it as I find it sooo hard getting the motivation and mind behind it.  Especially if I am having a bad day, feeling tired, emotionally drained or just plain lazy.
When I kick my butt into gear and go, I ALWAYS feel better for doing it.  It lifts my spirits and is a fantastic mood booster.  It has helped amazingly with my depression.
Exercise mixed with healthy eating is a fantastic recipe for good health!

Julie & Julia...The inspiration...

Has anyone seen this movie??

Now...before I start todays post...let me just begin with apologies for not writing sooner.  Ive had a crazy crazy busy few weeks with Miss Mimi starting year two and Mr T starting his first day of Prep (a blog for another day :-D ) Also, I have had my sick mum staying with us which has been...well, exhausting.  ( but I love her to death).

So, now life is starting to settle down a little after all this and the school holidays.  I also have the dreaded "time of the month" this week and I am feeling drained, emotional, sore, exhausted and tired.  Today I decided as it is a rainey ol' day to get a few 'chic flicks', lock the front door, light my 'Ecoya French Pear' candle and have a much needed 'me' day.

SO...that brings me back to the movie 'Julie and Julia'.  Again, I ask 'has anyone seen this?'   All I can say is I AM VERY INSPIRED!  For two reasons...

1. It has got me all excited about Blogging again...it was so fun listening to all her blogging. I think what Julia did is somthing that would be very fun.  For those of you who havnt seen the movie Julia decides to write a blog using Julie child's cookbook as her inspiration. 
What I love about this is that Julia did what she loved...writing!... mixed with her other love cooking.  Combining her two loves actually made her happy and got her what she wanted in life.  So inspiring.  The key is...do what you want, enjoy what you do.♥

and 2. I LOVE COOKING!!! I LOVE COOKING!!! I LOVE COOKING!!!!

I want to cook, take cooking lessons, cook up a storm...cook, cook, cook!  I love it.

I know this movie is a girly chic flick but it was such a fun little inspiring movie.

Before this movie I didnt relise that Julie Child was a real cook ( I know...Im still learning LOL) and she has real cookbooks.  Her food sounds a little fattening and heart attack material (appently she likes butter...lots of butter) but it would be fun to use her recipes for a dinner party etc.
On the flip side, when i hear about Julia's blogging, sometimes I feel like she did when she says "does anyone listen?" and " sometimes it feels like your just writing to a big black hole" but regardless, we keep doing it.  It is a challenge and gives yourself somthing to plan and give yourself small short trm goals.  I know Im not exactly going what Julia did but it is food for thought (excuse the pun LOL).
Watching this movie made me relise my love for food...not just any food...good, well prepared food.  I love venturing to markets and picking out massave bunches of herbs, looking trough bakeries for different and unique types of breads, going to deli's and picking out stuffed Olives, roasted capsicums and marinated ocopus...as well as the unique european meats that are so lovingly prepared. picking out fresh handmade organic chocolate.   Mixing together fresh vine ripened tomatos that were grown in my back yard with olive oils and garlic and somehow adding all these things together and creating a tastey, delishous and filling, nutritious meal.(oh, and dont forget the wine ♥ LOL)  OOOOH man, I feel like cooking......Food made right, and in the right portions should be enjoyed!

Honestly, I can reccomend this movie to anyone as it is a happy movie.  I love the 1940-50's french feel it has!...if you havnt seen it, you gotta!!