Polly Dolly - Lovin' The LBD

Its time again ( and on scheduled time this week! ) for the Polly Dolly challenge, as hosted by Dani over at Danimezza. Though i have only been taking part for a month or two, this week Dani is celebrating a full year of Polly Dolly challenges....well done everybody! So, in the spirit of celebration, Dani would like us to dress our Polly's in a ....

Polly Dolly - Lovin' The LBD by Amy1984 featuring turquoise post earrings

Ah, the little black dress - every girls best friend. This week i decided to pretend that Polly is the same body shape as me ( rather than the supermodel she usually is ). So i picked this LBD with some volume on the top to balance out my hips, but fitted on the bottom to accentuate my curves. I went with black peep-toes and then some bold accessories for some beautiful pops of colour. Contact lenses instead of glasses, some daring eyeliner and pretty nails complete the look. So wish i had this look in my actual wardrobe!

Books Are For Everybody

Is there such a thing has having too many books? Because Lord knows i love my Dad, but he thinks books  are a big fat old waste of time ( boo to him, he's such a toad ). He'd much prefer to watch a movie or listen to music. I like both those things aswell, but i'd love to have even more books than i already have crammed into my tiny bookshelf. Just as i'm happy to watch my favourite films over and over again, so do i enjoy revisiting my favourite books.And i'm hoping to instill this love of books in Flynn. I have to say, he's already a bit of a book lover - he has at least 20 board books ( so he cant rip the pages! ) which are a mix of story books ( like " Spot Goes To The Beach " ) and educational books. And, even at the tender age of 15 months, he already has his favourites that he loves to have read over and over again. Flynn is quite happy to grab a book, climb up on someones lap ( usually mine or Micks ) and read a story. I try to be overly animated with my voice to keep him interested, exaggerating animal noises or putting extra oomph into that " Peekaboo! " or " Wow! "...


And i've found another small person who appreciates my reading skills - our nephew Curly ( who shall thus be named for his curly mop, and because i dont know whether his mum is big on me talking about him on the net ). On our last visit to Nannies house, Curly came over to visit too and sat down on Nannies lap and listened while i read Flynns all-time favourite book, " Elmo: Puppies " :

Its a cute little book, written in the style of the " Elmo's World " tv show ( Flynn looooooooves Elmo! ) and has lift-the-flaps. And, you guessed it, its all about puppies. Anyhoo, Flynn loves both Elmo and puppies so its no wonder this is his favourite book, and i think little Curly enjoyed it too. I got about halfway through and all of a sudden he's kicking his legs on Nannies lap and do his darndest to get out a "woof woof! ". He looked so excited and joyous i've been inspired. See, Curly turns one this weekend and rather than buy him some plastic toy he'll either never play with, that he'll grow tired of in a week, or that will break....Mick and I have decided to buy him some books. Funnily ( and sadly ) enough, his mum and dad dont strike me as the type to sit and read to him but just seeing his little face light up while listening to " Elmo:Puppies " I just know if theyre willing to take the time, he'll love some books for his birthday.

What about you? Do/did you read to your children regularly as babies and toddlers? Do you like to give books as gifts?

Food For Thought

I know I’ve said this a few times but – I really feel like when I step on the scales at the end of this week I’m going to have PUT ON weight. I’ve had a bad week – no exercise, not enough of the right foods. I found myself amazed that I could have been so strict for those two weeks at the start because this past week I have caved in for all the wrong things. Flynn is too little too eat a full Freddo frog – oh hey I’ll just eat the other half! I couldn’t be bothered making up a salad – no matter, I’ll just eat two pieces of toast with peanut butter! Gee Subway is tempting – nah, I’ll have Hi-GI sushi instead! See what I mean – my head has totally been struggling with the right decisions this week.

Like last night – I ate the hugest piece of steak I’ve ever seen. They didn’t look that big when I bought them but looking at them on the George Foreman grill ( hey, at least I’m still knocking out the fat! ) they looked enormous. But did I cut in half and save some for lunch today? Umm, no, I just went right on eating that delicious side of cow. I’d feel better about it if it were a one-time slip up, but its not, and I’m worried that once I hit my goal I’m going to slip-slide right back to the “wrong” decisions. Like once I’ve hit my goal weight my mind will go “ Ah, we’ve reached the end! No need to try so hard anymore! “. Its sobering thought.

On the flipside, nor do I want to be one of these women who is obsessed by food, who knows exactly how many calories and how much fat is everything, and who is too afraid to indulge once in a while. A nice, normal, balance is what I’m aiming for – I guess the occasional bad week is all part of that. Right? Right?

Treat Them As Queens

Let me ask you something – since when do 8 yr old children have wrinkles? I’m only asking because it seems that there are ( thankfully ) a small group of parents out there who think its completely acceptable to be giving their 8 yr old daughters Botox. And full body waxes. At 8 yrs old. Frankly, to these parents I say – You.Make.Me.Sick.

The most famous child beauty of them all....

Any of you who read Mamamia or New Idea magazine ( and to a lesser extent, last nights A Current Affair ) would have seen these stories already. And though I know these outlets aren’t exactly poster-boys for “serious” journalism, I don’t doubt the truth in these recent articles. I have to say – they concern me. The thought that someone, somewhere thinks its ok to give their 8 yr old daughter regular Botox treatments to treat and prevent wrinkles ( that cannot possible be there at that age ) and semi-regular full body waxes ( even though she hasn’t puberty yet, which means a distinct lack of short and curlies… ) really has me worried for the state of the world. How do these ideas even enter the head of any sane person? You can rabbit on about the role the media places in promoting one particular idea of beauty, or the ideal body shape, or whatever…. But I think, in the end, level-headed parents should be able to go someway to dispelling these media-controlled body myths. Sure, it doesn’t matter how many times you tell your daughters (especially ) that they are beautiful just the way they are, they’ll probably still want longer legs, or straighter hair or smaller noses.

But that doesn’t mean you should cave in to every crazy demand they come up with. Just because an 8 yr old sees models in magazines shaving their legs, doesn’t mean she needs to. Just because a 12 yr old thinks her nose is too big or her boobs are too small doesnt mean you go out and get them plastic surgery. As the parents, you set boundaries and give the encouragment needed to boost your childs self esteem. You DON'T plant the seeds of low self esteem by telling your daughters that only beautiful, hairless, wrinkle-free, big chested woman become superstars. You DONT (quite literally ) groom your daughter for fame by using her as a hairless human pin cushion.

 I'm going to be quite frank - if your doing these things, you are NOT a good parent....

Polly Dolly - Flower Power

I was so happy when i woke up this morning to discover that the wonderful Dani from Danimezza had finally posted this weeks Polly Dolly challenge. Seriously - i mean knowing that its still the weekend and i get to spend time with my boys is awesome, but Polly Dolly is like my one weekly blogging addiction, so to know i had that to llok forward to today was great. Like everything was coming up roses. Or flowers as it were - because this week Dani would like to know how we would dress our Polly in....

Polly Dolly - Flower Power by Amy1984 featuring fitted dresses

I have to say, as soon as i saw this weeks challenge was " Flowers " i knew that i wanted to keep the pieces fairly classic - i wanted to it to be chic, timeless outfit because ( to me at least ) the wrong floral pattern dates an outfit and makes it look too "grandma". So, thinking along the lines of a timeless pieces i found this gorgeous Burberry trench coat which has a soft flower pattern over the standard Burberry check, and then found a gorgeous Mad Men-esque shift dress. Pair these with soft grey textured tights ( the texture provided by a silver flower pattern ), plain grey booties, a chic Alice band for Polly's hair and cute love-heart brooch. Flowers without the "grandma" vibe? yes please!

Friday Feast

Am I the only strange person out there who enjoys the preparations for the weeks grocery shop? Let me explain - I do my weekly grocery shopping on a Friday morning. Just me and Flynny-boy. So, on a Thursday night i sit down with various cookbooks and food magazines and plan out the weeks menu, and write out an appropriate shopping list. I love pouring over the magazines, trying to find recipes that not only sound delicious but that are relatively healthy and that i can make on a budget. I check the ingredients list to see if it has a lot of pantry staples ( thus saving me money not having to buy heaps of ingredients i wont use regularly ) and for things i'm going to be cooking on the 3 days that i work i like to find meals that are relatively quick and easy to prepare. I really do enjoy it, even down to the 3 separate places i need to stop ( greengrocers, meat centre, supermarket ) to get the groceries done.

I also enjoy gathering new recipes that i can make for my family - hence the love of food magazines over cookbooks, and an affinity for the Taste website. So, my question to you loyal reader types is: would you be interested in sharing? I would love to start a " Friday Feast " link up, where we get to share our favourite recipes, whether they be sweet or savoury, and especially if they were budget recipes ( isnt everyone tight on money these days? ). Let me know in the comments if its something you would take part in and if i get enough takers everyone prepare for next week!

I Couldnt Have Said It Better

Those of you who are regular readers around these parts would know that I am getting married in November ( which is only 7 months away - yes, don’t remind me... ). Now I have never been the kind of little girl who dreamed about a huge princess-y wedding, and neither was I the type to know exactly what dress/theme/flowers/cake I wanted by the time I was 10 years old. Thusly, I have been a little slow off the mark in getting things organised for the big day. The dress is taken care of, both venues and a photographer have been booked, I’ve enlisted the help of a wedding planner to do the decorations ( and she's also sourcing my flowers from the Sydney markets ) and the cake is generously being taken of by Micks aunty. There are plenty of small details to be taken care of but the one big thing I’ve yet to organize is the ceremony.

Despite both being christened, neither of us is religious, so we’ve decided to have our ceremony held in a local park and conducted by a marriage celebrant ( who happens to be my old yoga instructor. ) Because I haven’t been bothered haven’t had time to find my birth certificate yet ( which is somewhere in my filing cabinet, somewhere in the garage ) so we haven’t had an official meeting with the celebrant yet, but I have been pouring over the information she gave me in regards to what style of ceremony she can do, and I have been trawling the internet trying to find some beautiful readings. I haven’t been able to find anything that really resonated with me, and that hadn’t been read to death at other people’s weddings…. Til now.

This morning i was browsing my Google reader list and noticed that the lovely Maxabella  from Maxabella Loves had made a new post, so i clicked on over. What i found was a post in regards to what marriage means. It.Was.Beautiful. I have no other words except to say that what Bella has written rings so true for me, is everything that i would like to say about what i hope for my marriage, and it would make the perfect reading for my wedding ceremony. I have commented on her post and asked if i could get her permission to use her words at my wedding, but i might try and get a hold of her on Twitter to ask the same. I've just re-read over her words again now, whilst writing this post, and they are making me choke up ( Gawd knows how i;d be at the actual wedding ). Please, do yourself a favour, head over to Bella's page and read what she has written - and then pop back here and let me know what you think, and whether you have any recommendations for a second reading....

Operation Slimdown - We've Hit The 10 Week Mark

So - its Tuesday again. And its the 2nd Tuesday in my fortnightly rotation, which means its time again for an update on Operation Slimdown! ( Ok, yep, its not really exciting, not enough to warrant and exclamation point - sorry about that ) Anyhoodle, lets dispense with the jibber jabber and go straight to the stats:
Bust: 92cm - down 1cm
Waist: 77cm - no change
Hips: 97cm - down 1.5cm
Bum: 101.5cm - down 1.cm
Thigh: 62.5cm - down 0.5cm
Weight: 69.7kg - down 1kg

Now, let me explain something - this weeks weigh in was weird. I weighed myself on my SIL old-school mechanical scales ( i dont normally use them and was curious to see if they would give the same results... ) and it came up at a nice neat 69kg. I thought " ok, better result than i was expecting so lets not get our hopes up ... ". Then, less than an hr later, i weighed myself on my parents digital scales ( the ones i have been using from the start ) and they showed up at 69.9kg. Seeing as it was almost a full kilo different to the first result i thought i'd just double check... but when i hopped on the digitals the 2nd time, the reading was 75kg! There is now way in the known universe i could put on 5 kgs in 30 seconds so i decided i would weigh myself again the next day, and whatever result that came up with was THE result for the fortnight.

So - when Sunday saw a result of 69.7kg i thought " alrighty - a nice, neat, tidy kilo! ". I'm happy with that - i'm aiming for a 1kg loss per fortnight and i really didnt think i would achieve that with this fortnights lack of exercise ( thanks crappy weather and crappy germs ). I did motivate myself to get out for a walk Sunday morning though so thats a good start to this fortnight. And at a total of 8.1kg lost in 10 weeks, i'm really excited to keep motivating myself to eat well and exercise more until i hit that 10kg goal!

Sometimes You Have To Stop Running.

Getting picked on. Tormented. Harrassed. Bullied. I'm sure its happened to all of us, in varying degrees. Its certainly not a new phenomena, and nor do i see it being phased out anytime soon. In fact, i'm pretty sure bullies will still exist when Flynn makes it to kindergarten ( 4 years from now ... ). So - just how do i raise my child to deal with childhood bullies?

Of course, i bring this up now because, like most people out there, i've seen the video posted on YouTube last week of a Sydney teenager fighting back against a bully. I only watched it the once and, yes - it made me wince. The young boy that got thrown to the ground did not look too well when he tried to get up. Did i sympathise with him though? Umm, no, not really. Its hard to sympathise with a kid you just watched taunting and punching another kid, even if he did get body-slammed in the end. In fact, i'd even go so far as to say he deserved it.

I dont want to offend anyone, or start some huge parenting argument but.... i think its ok to defend yourself when someone is hurting you. Even if that means you have to hurt them back. Shock horror! I'm not talking about little children - if Flynn ( now 15 months old ) hits another kid at mothers group or at the park, even if they pushed him first , then i tell him we dont hit, its not nice. I'm talking about children and especially teenagers, who are old enough to know better. I'm also not talking about a one-off school yard fight - you can be the bigger person and walk away from those.

I'm talking about long-term, systemic belittling and physical violence. I'm talking about having to go to school everyday knowing that some kid is going to walk up and punch you for no reason, or dak you in the playground just because he can, or who is going to yell things at you on your way to the canteen. You shouldnt have to put up with that. And its all well and good for some parents to say " just tell the teacher " but really, in todays society, what will ( can ) the teachers do? Give the bully a warning? A detention ? A suspension in the worst cases? All of which just results in the bully getting a holiday and the victim getting " Dobbers wear nappies! " from ever other kid in the school yard.

So Mick and I are going to teach our children that if someone is constantly harrassing them, teasing them everyday, kicking and punching and bashing them up.... then its ok for them to fight back. Its ok for them to be the better man and walk away time and time again but, if, eventually they implode and they've taken all they can take then yes.... its ok for them to get a punch or two in, just to give the bully some of their own medecine. To show that they have strength too, and that they arent afraid. Walking away is the nicer option, but some people just wont let up until theyve been stood up to. I know that if it came down to my child body-slamming their tormentor in a moment of rage, or bottling it all up until he killed himself, just to escape....well, a school yard punch up doesnt look so bad, does it?

Polly Dolly - She's Got Legs....In Tights. Take 2

Ok, yes, i did Polly Dolly yesterday. However, upon checking the linky over at Danimezza i found that 3 of us challengers had used the exact same tunic! Great minds think alike and all that but... i wanted to do another one, just to prove i could be different...

She's Got Legs....In Tights. Take 2 by Amy1984 featuring merino wool tops

Where the first set was all " a day at the polo " grace, i like to think this one is a bit more dirty rock and roll. I took the inspiration from the tights this time, which reminded me so much of something a Tim Burton character would wear, hence the cute " Nightmare Before Christmas" bag. ( For anyone who doesnt know who Tim Burton is, he is only the GREATEST film director ever. Well, he's my favourite at least. Go look him up... ). The scarf and the beanie are keeping Polly warm, and the little collection of badges and brooches liven up the plain black tunic. Oh, and of course, Polly is listening to my two favourite post punk/rock bands on her Ipod....

Polly Dolly - She's Got Legs...In Tights

Ah, i'm so happy the wonderful Dani from Danimezza got the Polly Dolly challenge out on time this weeek - i dont know how i would have suffered through last weeks withdrawals all over again! This week Dani has been lucky enough to have been attending Loreal Melbourne Fashion Festival and, inspired by the catwalks, wants to know how our Polly would wear...

She's Got Legs ... In Tights by Amy1984 featuring wrapped jewelry

Now, allow me a disclaimer here - I am not the biggest fan of tights. I have previously declared war on jeggings, which are the ban of my existence. However, seeing as I am not my Polly Dolly - she is far taller, thinner and more glamorous than me! - i have ignored that the fact that usually i would trumpet " Tights are not pants! ". Also - tunics are long enough to cover my Pollys bum, and thats my main thing against girls in tights ( i dont wana see your bottom ladies! ). With that said...

I found this cute H&M tunic, which is more like an over-sized shirt than it is the more kaftan-style tunics. I really got a cute, aristocratic, polo-set type feel from it .... it felt like something Kate Middleton or Zara Phillips would wear. I paired it with grey tights and some great, brown leather accessories( including a wider belt ), a soft knit slouch beanie/beret and some easy neutral make-up to keep the look classic and polished. Now all thats left for Polly to decide is - lunch with the ladies or off to the polo?

Cold and Flu and Buggy Things...

Image from here

Does anyone want my cold? I've had a cold/flu type thing for over a week now, and the constant sniffles and bone-rattling coughing fits are driving me up the wall. They are also hindering my fledgling exercise routine - by the end of the day my energy levels have been pretty low, so i havent done any exercise for the last 10 days. I'm not feeling too happy about this fact, seeing as i had done so well the last fortnight with the 2kg weight loss. I was really keen to push on and then bam! I've turned into germ city. Yuck.


However, i have been careful with what i've been eating. Granted, i did have takeaway twice in the past week but i made sure that my other meals those two days were spot on, health and calorie wise. I weighed myself this weekend, just out of curiousity and concern that this damned cold was sending me back a few steps, and i had lost weight ( i'm not telling you how much - you'll have to wait til next weeks official weigh in! ) but i'm 95% certain that had i been able to get in a few 40 minute walks i would have lost a bit more. I did take myself out for a stroll on my lunch breaks though - a leisurely 20 minute walk around the CBD near my office - and i guess thats something.

So we'll see how i'm feeling by Wednesday afternoon. Mick and I have agreed that Wednesday arvo's are my night to go out for a walk while he stays in with Flynn ( who is either in the middle of his dinner/bath/bed routine, or already asleep, when its most convenient to walk.. ), and then i can take Flynn in his pram Thursday and Friday mornings, weather permitting. So consider this me crossing my fingers that my cold clears up a little, and that the weather stays clear, over the next week....

And Its All Gonna Come To A Head...

So... remember how i said i was beginning to have serious issues with the attitude of one of my co-workers? And how it wasnt just me having these issues, but everyone else in the office? Yea, well, today we get word ( whilst said worker has gone away for a conference ) that once he gets back we're all going to have a big meeting about how his attitude effects us and effects the efficiency of the office. Its all going to come out in the open and - although it wont be pretty - i'm glad about it.

Clearly if 4 people in the office all have the same problem with one particular person...well... that person IS the problem. No? Thing is, despit being a fully grown adult male, this guy will do one of three things when we get around to telling him how we feel:
a) he'll burst into tears
b) he'll call in sick for the next two or three days or
c) he'll give us all the cold shoulder for a week.
And therein lies part of the problem - aside from being lazy, he acts so much like a child - chucking little tantrums, spending his time reading chain emails, being all sooky and defensive when someone does criticse him - that at times its like working in the office with a 5 yr old. Its exhausting, both because the rest of us pick up the slack of the work he doesnt do, and we have to walk on eggshells to make sure he doesnt have a wobbly.

Watch out towards the end of next week for an update on how it all went - fingers crossed i get to work in a professional, civil, tantrum-free office by the end of the month!

Polly Dolly - Wana Meet Up?

Oh, how i was waiting on Polly Dolly this week? I really enjoy completing the weekly Polly Dolly challenge ( proudly brought to you by Dani at Danimezza ) and when Dani was two days late in posting it...boy... i was having withdrawals! Anyhoo, in anticipation of the first ever Australian Bloggers Conference ( which i am not attending because i am both poor and not a big enough blogger to warrant attending... ) Dani would like to know what we ( or our Polly Dolly ) would where to a ....

Polly Dolly - Wana Meet Up? by Amy1984 featuring nautical jewelry

I would definately wear something like this to a casual blog meet up - say a coffee or a nice lunch with some fellow bloggers. Not that i will have the occasion for a blog meet up anytime soon ... there is only me and one other blogger that i know of anywhere around where i live! Anyhoo, i digress...i've gone with classic boot cut jeans ( no matter how many times i try on skinnies, i always see myself as super-hippy. Bootcut balances that out ) and a cute polka-dot blouse. Suede flats and (almost)matching satchel keep me comfy, and a messy bun is my "go to " hair style. The Guess watch is exactly the same as the one i wear everyday, black frames are pretty close to my favourite pair of specs ( i own 9 pairs of glasses...only 4 have the correct script in them at the moment! ) and i'd be playing Sugarlands " All I Wana Do " in the car on the way there to get me in a fun mood! Would i pass the first impressions test in an outfit like this?

Cuckoos and Elephants

As you may have heard before, i consider myself a 'reader'. Perhaps not a voracious reader, but i do like to read for half an hour before bed most nights, and quite often will pack my book in my handbag and read during my lunch break at work. Knowing this, my very thoughtful workmates bought me a gift voucher for my birthday, to be spent at a local bookshop, and thanks to them, i've been able to read two great books in the past month: " Water For Elephants " by Sara Gruen and " One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest " by Ken Kesby.

Somehow i missed all the hype over " Water For Elephants " when it was first released but had heard recent mumurings about a movie version being made....so when its cover caught my eye in the bookstore, i thought it was better late then never to jump on the " ...Elephants " bandwagon. Or circus train, as it were - set in the American South during the Depression, " ... Elephants " is the story of a young (almost ) vet who finds himself caught up in all the drama of a travelling circus ( the Big Top, the backlot, naked dancing girls, surly midgets, love, hate, trust...and an elephant ). I thought it was really well written, and the dynamic between the main characters really kept me involved. I cant say that the casting of Robert Pattinson as the lead character Jacob has me overly enthused, but i think Reese Witherspoon as Marlena will be absolutely spot on.

And then there was " One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest ". I'd seen the movie years ago but it never occurred to me to go out and read the book - until i saw it amongst the Classic Penguin selections ( As an aside, i love the Classic Penguin concept - classic reads for $9.95? I've probably bought at least 8 so far....love! ). I thought seeing as it had been a while since i'd watched the film, i'd read the book and then do a refresh of the movie. I really enjoyed the book - i think you get a much better sense of just how calculating Nurse Ratched is from the book, than you do from the movie. In the movie yes, she seems cold, but not much more than that - in the book, she's portrayed as a real bitch who lauds her power over the men on her ward. You really hate her, and i dont get that from the movie. What you do get from the movie is a brilliant performance from Jack Nicholson - having seen the movie first, i couldnt help but picture him as Randall McMurphy when i was reading the book. Verdict? The book wins out over the film...but only just.

Now all i have to do is wait till " Water For Elephants " is released as a motion picture in May, take my mum along ( its totally going to be a mum/daugher, sisters, girlfriends kind of movie... ) and then do the whole book vs movie thing with it too....

Operation Slimdown - IWD Edition

Welcome to the fortnightly " Operation Slimdown " update, proudly brought to you on this International Womens Day by me, an international woman. ( Almost. I mean, i AM a woman, the international bit is in question though... ). And, happily, on a day meant to celebrate the successes and achievements of women, i have a success of my own to share. To the stats!
Bust: 93cm -  up 1.5cm
Waist: 77cm - down 0.5cm
Hips: 98.5cm - down 2cm
Bum: 103cm - no change
Thighs: 63cm - down 1cm
Weight: 70.7kg - down 2kg

Oh yea baby - 2 kilos in 2 weeks! Screw you danish, i win this round! Ok, ok, enough gloating... its just that when i stepped on the scales i was completely flabbersgasted. I was so sure last week that i was going to put ON weight - i hadnt eaten particularly well over the weekend, and hadnt been doing teh amount of exercise that i promised myself i would - that when i saw it was a 2 kilo loss i had to restrain myself from yelling out to my sister " Hey, come look at this! ". Admittedly, after my woe-is-me rant about the evil danish, i did go home and go for a 30 minute walk ( part of which i ran...oh yea, ran... ) and i took Flynn out in the pram for a 30 min walk the next two days aswell. But 2 kilos in 2 weeks? That was much more than i was expecting. I have to say, i'm kind of proud of myself.

So, the journey continues. I'm 7.1kg down in 8 weeks...so with only 2.9kgs to go until i hit my goal weight, i cant afford to let up on myself. Much. Maybe i'll let myself celebrate with another one of those evil danishes....

What? Oh Yea - Blah Blah Blah

Blah - this weekend was a total write off, blog-wise. I had this compulsion to sit down and write, but every time i opened the lap top there was....nothing. Nada. Zip. I couldnt think of a single interesting thing to write ( interesting being the operative word ). So, in the absence STILL of anything much interesting to blog about, here is a short list of things i considered, but than thought better of:

Image from here

* I could have gone a whole big spiel about how Joe from " The Biggest Loser " has an attitude problem. Which he does, big time. Someone needs to tell him that the world doesnt revolve around him, and be nicer to Nathaniel ( even though he's a cry-baby ).

* I could have written a sob story about how everytime i have something on for the weekend i get a cold. Which i do, but i already used that as a Facebook status. Let me tell you, attending a double christening after taking too many cold and flu tablets in an effort to perk yourself up is no fun at all. If everyone in the church has seen been inflicted with the lurgy, i wouldnt be suprised...

* I could have told you how beautiful Flynn has been lately, and how proud i am of him. Which i am, but i did that last week. In a new development since then - my son has FINALLY decided he's going to walk! - and he's really turned into Daddy's little shadow. I love watching the two of them together. Too cute!

* I could have done a review of " One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest ", and compared the book to the film. Which i rewatched, after finishing the book, only i didnt have the energy ( see the point about having a cold/flu ) to sit down and be really eloquent and descriptive. And stuff.

* I could have shared some of my extensive internet "research " into interesting ideas for wedding centrepieces and bombonieres. Which I have been doing, on and off, for weeks. I am using the help of an events planner but i wasnt entirely happy with the flowers she used in the sample centrepiece she made up. And, even though she assures me the colour would be different on the day, now i'm just not sold on the whole idea. And as for bombonieres - any ideas?

Polly Dolly - Red Carpet Ride

So, welcome once again to my weekly shot at the Polly Dolly Challenge, as hosted by Dani at Danimezza. This week Dani has found herself inspired by the gorgeousness and the glamour that is the Academy Awards. I mean, lets face it, 90% of the reason most of watch them is to see all the frocks, so this week Dani has asked us to choose our favourite look from the evening and recreate it - whether we go for a style in the same vein, same colour board, or use the exact same dress and style it differently.

I've gone with Amy Adams. I did have a few favourites i could have picked from but i've chosen Amy because i loved that it wasnt the usual strapless/one shouldered Hollywood gown, and i adore the colour ( especially with her red hair ). So, inspired by the beautiful colour and unusual ( for the red carpet ) cut, I came up with this....

Polly Dolly - Red Carpet Ride by Amy1984 featuring gold jewelry

I found this gorgeous Emilo Pucci dress. I love that a) its a print and b) it has soft, feminine movement. I've paired with gold stilettos and some chunky sapphire jewellery, to counterbalance the feminity of the fabric. A simple clutch and a sleek updo would finish my Polly off. In a perfect world, i would love to wear this ( though i dont think my lack of height and the width of my hips would do it any justice ). I think it would be perfect for one of the more relaxed award ceremonys, like the SAG's or the Grammys ( where i would totally outshine Lady Gaga and her stupid egg! )

Today I Ate A Danish.....

... and it tasted good. But i felt bad. Guilty even. All i wanted was a little treat, a little Portuguese tart maybe, but they didnt have any so danish was the next best thing. But as soon as that last bite was in my mouth, i regretted having taken the first one. Why? 'Cause it had CARBS, and lots of CALORIES and it was HIGH GI. Oh. My.God. Smack my bottom, i've been a naughty girl.


In reality, i know that one danish in the scheme of things is not going to hurt me. I also know that i havent done the amount of exercise i promised myself i was going to start doing ( through various factors, but mostly because i keep chickening out. Finding an excuse. What am i afraid of? ) So when i get on those scales on Saturday morning and i have a smaller loss ( or, Gawd forbid, a gain! ) than i was hoping for, i'm going to curse that bloody danish. I'm going to blame its buttery pastery goodness, its sweet apple centre. Then i'm going to blame myself for eating it, and not exercising enough.

And then, just maybe, i might suck it up and stop making excuses. No more " aww, its too late now, i have to cook your dinner ". No more " aww, i cant go before work - i'd have to get up earlier and what if Flynn wakes up before i'm back? ". No more " I'm just too tired ". Suck it up, chest out, chin up and just.freaking.do.it....