Polly Dolly - The Park Is The Place To Be

So i'm off to Sydney for the weekend at lunchtime....but before that, i have time to fit in a quick round of Polly Dolly! ( which happens to be brought to you by the lovely Dani over at Danimezza ). This week, Dani has been inspired by some fellow bloggers and wants to know how we dress when we're being...

This is pretty much exactly what i would wear - you know, if i could afford all this cute stuff! Jeans and a soft, warm stripey cardigan are pretty much my uniform. Converse All Stars mean i can be comfy while i chase Flynn around on his trike. A scarf for a bit of added warmth, sunnies for the cool factor ( and sun protection ). A re-purposed nappy bag to hold all the extra bits and pieces, and my old favourite, Pepsi Max, to sip on while Flynn does the slippery dip ( over, and over, and over... ).

 

How about you - are you a Hot Park Mum?

Honesty Is The Best Policy

Dear Co-worker,

I want to thank you for taking a sickie today and leaving the rest of us in the lurch. Not that we were entirely run off our feet or anything like that, but rather its the manner in which your sickie has been taken that has got my goat.
I want you to repeat after me: Honesty is the best policy.
And try this one: Mental health days are nothing to be ashamed of.
Methinks the better idea - rather than chuckie a sly sickie whenever you feel a bit stressed, which you plan on doing on a fortnightly basis from now - is to be honest from the start. That way you wont be getting anyones nose out of joint, and neither will you look like a big, fat, dirty, sneaking liar when you get busted.
Busily yours,
Me

This may be the look i will give him from my desk tomorrow...

Let me explain - one of my co-workers has decided that from now on he wants to take weekly/fortnightly sick leave days. His counsellor has recommended it, and is willing to write him a doctors certificate for every mental health day he takes. This has really got my back up - not because i dont believe in mental health days ( as a person who has lived through depression and still struggles with depressive episodes, i very much appreciate a day off in the name of keeping sane ) - but rather its the way he's chosen to go about having these sick days thats got me all cranky. He is, for lack of a better term, lying about them, and expecting us to do the same ( and just accept that thats what he's doing ). Instead of going to our regional manager and saying " Hey , here's the situation, i'm stressed and a health professional has recommended time off " and organising a functional way of taking some time off, this co-worker is just going to ring in sick from time to time, and expect one of us to say he has a stomach ache/migraine/diarrhea. And when our managment very quickly get suspicious of all these random sickies - not only will he have to tell them the truth anyway, but then he'll look a selfish little whinger who's only looking out for himself.

Part of his stress has to do with the fact that we are very short-staffed around here - but rather than do things honestly, admit that he's having a problem, and hopefully have some alternative arrangments made... well, he's just leaving us in the lurch. Leaving us more short-staffed than we already are. Doing the same thing to us which is stressing him so badly. I'm all for looking after yourself but i'll be frank - what he's doing is rude. And disrespectful. ( Especially in light of the fact that another staff member was told by her doctor to take time off and she declined because she didnt want to leave this guy in the position he has left her ). This guy doesnt have a good work ethic at the best of times, so this whole " I'll just have sickies whenever i want, the rest of you be damned " attitude has only served to further raise my hackles...

What do you think? Should employees be upfront about their need for "mental health days " ( as advised by a medical professional ) or is it ok to just chuck a sickie and expect the rest of your office to shoulder the load?

Its Only One - Right?!?

I'm a little alarmed - do you know what happened? Do you want to know what i found this morning? What i saw, while i stood in my underwear in front of the bathroom mirror and brushed my hair? Do you know what was gleaming out at me from amid my luscious chocolate brown?


A grey hair.

One grey hair - next stop? Full Arctic Fox!

I'm only 27 - you dont get grey hair when your 27! But no, here it was, a shiny silver strand sticking out like a sore thumb. I was going to try and pass it off as blonde but no, there's no lying about it... it was grey. And, just like a mice, we know where there is one, there are at least half a dozen. ( none of which i could see on closer inspection.) I had half a mind to put in a plastic sandwich bag and bring it to work to show my workmates - " See what the stress is doing to me!?! ". But then i realised not only would i have grey hair, but i'd also be accused of being completely mental. ( Which may or may not be true, we dont need to discuss that right now ).

But in all seriousness - a grey hair? Am i going prematurely silver? Or is it just a physical manifestation of all the stress and worry that caused last weeks super-meltdown?

I'm going to blame the months of concealed emotions - apparently not only do they eventually cause a tear-streaked, snotty meltdown, they also come sprouting out the top of your head....

Friday Feel Goods

So - i was working by myself today. No other dispenser, and no optom, which also meant no patients...which all equals not much work to do. And what better way to keep myself amused at work ( you know, when you arent allowed access to Facebook ... ) than to make of all the things that i enjoy in life. The feel good things. The ones that make me smile instead of causing me unnecessary worry ( and bloody frown lines.... ). Things like:

* Warm days during winter. Its no secret that i hate the cold, so when we do get a mild/warm day in between the frost, i like to make the most of it - take Flynn to the park, play out in our front yard, or scour through our (small) garden looking for ladybugs or caterpillars.

This got a really big " woooooooooow! "

* Flynns excitment - his childs enthusiasm makes me smile. For example, the other day he found a caterpillar on our tree and it was like it was the most amaaaaaazing thing ever, in the whole wide world . ( And lets face it, when your only 19mths old, caterpillars probably are pretty awesome ). Ladybugs and the moon and dandelions are illicited the same " Wow Mummy - wow! " on the first encounter.

* Dessert - i've got a sweet tooth all year round but winter desserts are just so ....good. Great. Warming. Comforting. I'm thinking tonight would bea great night for a crumble and ice cream. Ooh, or homemade cheats apple danish.

*A good book - i'm a bit of a reader. I have been since kindergarten.... its only now that i have a family and, thus, very little time to myself that i appreciate a good book, the escapism that it offers. I'm in the middle of " The Shifting Fog " by Kate Morton at the moment ( yea, yea, i know - i'm only a few years behind everyone else... ) and if i had the opportunity to just sit and read and read i'd finish it in one sitting...

I am SO hanging out with these people next week!

* Text flirting with my fiance - and you can get your minds out of the gutter. I dont mean "sexting ", i mean playful little messages through the day, or a random " Love u babe xx " out of the blue. Its nice that we still do silly things like that, and that they still make me smile.

* Having " things " to look forward to - like a roadtrip to Sydney next week where we will stay with Micks aunt and unlce, catch up, go and see Cirque Du Soleil and do some shopping. Excited!

Polly Dolly - Let It Snow!

So its Thursday, which means its time again for Polly Dolly, the brainchild of the very funky Dani from Danimezza. Its been cold the last week or so, so this week Dani wants to know how we'd dress to be a ....

Just for the record... i H.A.T.E the snow. Hate it. I think it stems from a bad snow fight experience on our Year 6 excursion, and from my time spent in NJ during the winter.... but snow is cold, wet, sludgy and it makes everything look like drab grey mush when it melts. Which is why my Polly is spending her snow bunny days in doors by the fire, with a hot mug of chai latte and a yummy apple danish. When she does have to venture out, she's got some great snow pants and a (faux) fur hooded puffer jacket, sweet red snow boots and a cute beanie to keep her head warm. Thermal t-shirts and underwear are a must, and gloves and lip balm help to keep all skin protected while she's out. Which wont be for long - the fire and the danish are waiting!

And Now For Something Different

After all the doom and gloom and woe is me that i've been posting about the last week or two, i thought i needed a change. What i needed was something funny. Hilarious even. And here it is! Please enjoy the following video of beloved " Playschool " presenter Noni Halezhurst reading " Go The Fuck To Sleep " By Adam Mansbach. Hil-hairy-arse!

*Disclaimer * - yes, for anyone too precious ... there is swearing in this video. No, its not actually a childrens story. And no, it was not shown on Playschool. Please do not bombard me with comments about how its not funny to swear at chidlren/around children/about children. Its a tongue-in-cheek story about how frustrating it is to put your kids to bed. 99% of us parents have been there. If you have, you'll understand. If you havent - well your f**king lucky so just stop your whinging, ok?

And Just Like That...

... there it was, the emotional meltdown that i knew was coming. That i predicted, 2 weeks ago, was well on its way. To be quite honest, i'm kind of glad it finally happened - i feel lighter for having got so much off my chest.

From here

It started Saturday morning - Mick had to go into work for a while first thing, and ended coming home an hour later than what he had told me. I sat waiting, Flynn alternately playing and whinging that he wanted to get up on my lap, feeling lonely and rejected.
I put on my best happy face so we could go and do the grocery shopping, hoping that if i just acted happy enough i would get myself out of  my funk.
We dropped Flynn to my parents so they we could go on the "date afternoon " that i had been looking forward to for a month. We saw the final Harry Potter movie ( which was entirely awesome, by the way ) and then went home to get changed to go out for dinner. It took me a long time to find outfit that made me feel as sexy as i wanted to feel - in the end i went for something that made me look relatively svelte, though i still didnt have that feeling i wanted so badly to feel.
We at a relatively nice resturant, although their dinner menu was very limited. I order pork belly, hoping it would be a great meal and a change from what i can cook at home. Hoping for something special to match the expectations i had of the night. What i got was two pieces of salty pork and some oily lettuce.
We went home, where i wanted so badly to crawl into bed together, to be intimate, physically and emotionally, to talk and laugh and touch each other without the distraction of a child. Mick wanted to watch a Steven Seagal movie, so i went to bed by myself at 8:45pm .

I woke Sunday in my mood hadnt lifted - it had gotten worse. I had wanted so much from our date night... a break from the demands of mother hood, yes, but also a reconnection with each other that i felt had been missing the last month or so. Preparing for a wedding, and having work stress, and still pining for a friendship that is no more has stolen my focus, and i know that i've been retreating into my thoughts more often that is healthy, and neglecting Mick just a little. ( I dont think he feels that way, thats just how i perceive my own behaviour ). And i dint get anything i wanted, not even a nice meal. I felt completely shattered and utterly exhausted by everything. I couldnt stop the tears rolling slowly down my cheeks while i cooked breakfast, or tried to focus enough to read the Sunday papers. And when we went around to my parents to pick Flynn up and my sister told me to stop whinging ( about my bad night ), i'd had the night off while she played with my son... that was it.

That was enough right there. I froze with my arm reaching up to get a glass out of the cupboard, shut the cupboard door and then walked out of the room, out the front door, hid around the side of the house behind some bushes and burst into tears. There was no denying it this time - those tears and frusturations were coming out, no matter what. My dad found me and told me to come back when i was ready to talk... which was only a half hour later. I waited til Mick took Flynn up to the supermarket and i drove slowly back to my parents house, where they sat with me on the lounge and listened as i poured every.single.worry out, let all the shitty words and hurts and frusturations stream out of me. And my mum hugged me and my dad squeezed my hand and they told me how they had the same worries as a young family, and how they could help me now.

All i can say is thank fuck for parents. The AMAZING parents i have, who support me and hold me up and love me when it seems like there is hardly anyone else who will ( excepting Mick and Flynn, the loves of my life ). Thank the Universe for parents like mine - i feel so much better for being to offload, and so much better for knowing their love...

Polly Dolly - Ugging It Up

The perfect way to spend Flynns nap time? Doing a Polly Dolly of course! And thanks to the lovely Dani over at Danimezza i can... and this week, i can get extra comfy, because Dani wants to know how we style our...

 

Even though i will admit to wearing my Uggies up to the shops if i'm just running up to grab something i forgot earlier, and i will wear them if i'm only going over to visit my mum and dad... to me, Ugg boots are more about being comfortable and warm than they are about fashion. So Polly has got her Uggs on, enjoying a day at home ( without and children or hubbies to bug her! ). The Uggs are a knit design which are paired up with a soft oversized knit and comfy grey skinnies. Glasses are mandatory for all the reading she plans on doing ( both great books and great blogs ) and her phone and a cold Pepsi Max are close at hand if she needs them. Some moisturiser to keep her skin supple ( cos who needs make up when theyre having a lazy day at home? ) and blanket for extra snuggle factor and Polly is all set to relax and unwind!

Rah - Here Comes Bridezilla!

Watching other people get married - whether they were people i knew or just various reality tv brides - i never really understood how a woman could turn from a normal, sweet girl into a " Bridezilla ". I couldnt wrap my head around what could possibly be important enough to bring out that inner monster, and make women turn so visciously against their loved ones, who seemed most frequently to be:
a) their hapless fiance
b) their meddling mother or
c) one of their bumbling bridesmaids.

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

I was adamant i wasnt going to be that woman, the one who went from blushing bride-to-be to Superbitch Bridezilla.... and thankfully, so far, i havent been. I've been stressed about finding the perfect jewellery ( which i ended up getting at Macys online.. thankgod for international shipping! ), the perfect shoes ( which i'm hoping to get in when i'm in Sydney in two weeks time ) and the perfect flowers ( which are now coming from Artificial Wedding Bouquets ) but i havent cracked it with anyone yet. Except a few days ago when i kind of cracked it at my Mum for calling me at 8:30am on a workday. And i would have cracked it at her for that even if i wasnt getting married...

So back to the Bridezillas - its only 3 and half months til my wedding, but i am crossing my fingers that i dont cross over into " Bridezilla " territory before then. I can pretty much guarantee that i'll have at least one big, emotional meltdown before then ( probably over some tiny little detail which will seem insignificant by my first wedding anniversary ) but i am going on record as saying " I will NOT become a Bridezilla! ". Even if something goes wrong with my dress/flowers/shoes/cake/reception.. i will find away around it without turning all crazy deranged dragon lady.

I will NOT become a Bridezilla, i will NOT become a Bridezilla, i will NOT become a Bridezilla...

Maxabella Interviews Me!

Ok, not quite - no, Ms Maxabella from MaxabellaLoves actually interviewed herself today, but she encouraged us to play along and interview ourselves too. And me being the meme whore that i am decided to give it a shot!

My earliest memory is... catching the XPT from Dubbo to Sydney with my dad. Actually, i'm not sure if its a memory of the event or i'm remembering the stories my Dad tells about the trip. I was 3 yrs old and apparently the water fountain on the train kept me amused for hours...

Image from here

My school report usually said... " Amy is a very diligent student, and a pleasure to teach ". Ha! ( Nevermind that sometimes it was followed by " She can, however, be a little too opinionated at times... ")

My first relationship... was in primary school with a boy named Kenny. We kissed behind the girls toilets, sat next to each other in the playground, and held hands when we walked home from school. I think it lasted about two weeks. Brief, yet very intense...

I don't like talking about... whats bothering me, deep down. Oh yea, sure, i'm fine to blab about it to the world on my blog, but when it comes to revealing deep dark secrets to my loved ones, i go mute.

My most treasured possession is... my engagement ring. I had to have it re-sized a few weeks ago ( yay for losing weight! ) and i felt a little naked without it. Ask me again in 4 months and my answer will probably be my wedding ring..

My father always told me... " stop picking on your brother/sister! " Yep - i was a bit of a shit-stirrer as a kid, and my brother and sister were easy to rile up ( can you tell i'm the oldest ? ) Other than that, i think my father impressed on me that every choice we make has a consequence, and we need to own that choice, whether we're happy with the result or not.

There's me, being gorgeous... no, wait. Thats Anne Hathaway...

In the movie of my life, I'd be played by... somebody goooooooorgeous dahling. Like me, you know? I'm going to go with Anne Hathaway, even though she is taller, thinner and more beautiful than i'll ever be.

I wish I had... enough money, or enough equity, to build a home for my family. A place we can make our own and raise children. With an amazing kitchen and a big backyard. And a dog. Named Buster.

I wish I hadn't... wasted so many years as a teenager/young adult living entirely within my own mind and worrying about would happen if i stepped outside my little box. What a great way to miss out on so, so much stuff...

My most humiliating moment was... falling off a dance platform ( or " the top box " at the 'Mersh as its known - Polly may know what i'm on about ) at a local club, and landing on my arse amongst the other dancers. My crazy, drunk-dancing friend " accidentally " danced a little too far to her right and booty-bumped me right off the edge. Shame, Amy, shame.

My guiltiest pleasure is... bad reality television. Though i dont stray as far as " Jersey Shore " ( and hey, thats only because i dont have pay tv... ) i will admit to being a fan of such fare as " Big Brother ", " Pimp My Ride " and " MTV's Next! "...

My last meal would be... eaten.very.slowly. Relished even. I'm thinking something wholesome and comforting if i'm about to go to my grave - roast chicken, potatos and the most awesome baked pumpkin ever. Steamed green beans. And garlic bread. And then a decadent chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Mmm....cheesecake ( cue Homer Simpson style drooling... )

Miss Goody-Two-Shoes

I have a question - why is that when a young woman chooses not to do certain things, when she doesnt disgrace herself socially, and has a little class.... why does she get called a Goody-Two-Shoes?


First of all - where the hell did that turn of phrase even come from ( whats "two shoes " got do with anything? ). But secondly - why does a young girl/woman who lives a clean life get lumped with such a stupid and childish insult? And thirdly, now that i think about it, why is being a " good girl " such a bad thing?

Classy - very classy (image from here)

I just dont get it. I'm only 27 yrs old but maybe i'm turning into an old biddy before my time. I had my fun in my late teens and early 20's - the late nights, dodgy Sunday morning hangovers, the short(er) skirts that tempted inppropriate boys - but i was never like some of the girls i see going around now. Too many of them sadly. The dressing like a street corner hooker is bad enough, but what i really dont understand is the attitude toward alcohol for so many young women. I see Facebook statuses of friends, or friends of friends, spouting things like " TFIF! Time to get pissed! " or " Cant wait to get wasted! ".... why?Whats so good about it? Whats so awesome about drinking to the point where you pass out and cant remember a damn thing the next day?

I'll let you in on a secret - i dont smoke ( i've never even had so much as a drag on a cigarette ), i've never done any kind of illegal drug ( unless you count being able to smell pot being smoked in the beer garden at the pub ) and i dont drink. I'm not a hard line tee-totaller ( again with the phrases that dont mean anything... ) but when i say i dont drink i mean i'll have one or two cocktails 3 or 4 times a year. For example: so far this year i've had one drink when we went out for dinner at the end of April, one drink with a nice dinner i made for Mick and i and i intend on having some champa's at my wedding in November. Possibly a drink or two at my hens party and one on my sisters 21st in October.... thats it. And when i say " a drink or two " thats what i mean - one, maybe two if i'm in the mood. And when i mention the fact that i dont really drink i almost always get a sideways glance with this " Why not, you weirdo ? " look. Why is so strange that someone my age actively chooses to NOT drink/do drugs/smoke? Why is abstaining from substances that really dont benefit my body so odd?

Oh yea, because thats hell sexy ( image from here )

And just for the record, i dont think drinking is "wrong " ( smoking is on my list of " Stupid ", but drugs are definately wrong ) - its just that after those first few years of adulthood i've decided i really dont need alcohol. My body feels better without it, and a drink or two on the odd occasion is enough to " happy " me up.... i dont need to black out and spew every weekend to have fun. Nor do i drink a glass of red every night to "unwind " ( although, with a bisterous 18 mth old keeping me on my toes, i can understand how some of you do! ).

I apologise if this rant post is a bit preachy-preachy.... i just needed to vent my frusturation at the way womenhood seems to be headed. Which is down the toilet with last nights Vodka Cruisers and pizza spew...

Polly Dolly - Go Get Puffed!

Two Polly Dolly's in a row - i'm in heaven! Its only because the lovely Dani from Danimezza posted last weeks Polly just a tenny, tiny bit late but i digress.... this week Dani ( plus a few others out there ) is a little bit obsessed ( and amused by ) the....

 Now, where i live, the puffer vest is a fairly common thing - but less about being a snooty posh tennis/netball/soccer mum, and more about being warm in the outdoors. Which is wear my Polly is going this week - she's going out for a day of motor bike riding, picnics and messing about with her friends. She still wants to look cute though so she's gone with a sweet red ruffled vest over a nice warm knit. Of course gumboots are necessary to keep her feet dry, and these Burberry gumboots would be perfect. A handbag would just get in the way, so sensible Polly only takes her phone, her car keys and some lip balm which she'll stash in her vest pocket while she's zipping around on  her 4 wheeler! Some cool tunes to listen to while she's burning along and Polly is all set for a day of fun.

What do you think - are the puffer vest set snobby or just trying to keep warm?

Polly Dolly - Celebrity Stylings

Thank the Lord - Polly Dolly is here! You have no idea the withdrawals i was suffering.... Anyhoodle, Polly Dolly is brought to you, as always, by the spunkalicious Dani from Danimezza. This week Dani wants us to imagine that our Polly is not really Polly, but rather that she's our favourite....

Its tough to pick a favourite, but one celebrity i do love is Anne Hathaway. Not only is she gorgeous in that wide mouth/wide eye kind of way ( which i just dont get with someone like, say, Julia Roberts ) but in all the interviews i've seen with her she just comes across as so witty and funny and like she'd make a great girl to go out for cocktails with. Plus, i like what she wears 95% of the time, so i thought Anne would be great fun to dress. I love what she wears for less formal events so i've gone with something she might wear to a press call for a new movie. I found this great block colour shift dress which i've paired with a plain navy blazer. Orange accessories highlight the dress and bring out Annes fun side. She'd also need a tinted moisturiser with SPF factor to protect her georgeous dewy skin. Neutral eye make up and lashes of mascara to highlight those huge yes finish off the look.

Who would you dress?

Going Under

So it turns out last Sunday was no mere emotional hiccup.

Sadly, i've spent the majority of the past weekend in a funk, at one minute on the verge of tears and at the next finding myself easily irritated by the smallest of things. I pity poor Mick - i would have been no fun to be around.

And, yet, i find i still cant talk about " it ", whatever it is. The " it " that is the anxious, bitter feeling of emptiness, of not feeling " good enough ", of being worried about the little things that are out of my control. The " it " that is determined to bring me undone, the subtle creep of depression.Lets face it - i know these feelings for what they are, and what they are are the precursors to a depressive episode. You dont come out the other side of depression without knowing what it feels like to slip under its murky darkness...

But i wont let myself this time. I know what triggered the feelings, and i know that situation is so much beyond my realm of control that its not even worth dwelling on. Yet i do - and all that worry, and jealousy, and sadness spreads into other thoughts until it blankets everything i think and feel. And so, because i know that, because i FEEL that ( while i'm still able to feel anything other emptiness ), i'm going to swim against that tide for all i'm worth.

And if that means i have to talk about " it " to Mick than thats what i'll do. If it means i have to cry and sob and shake and smear myself with snot in front of him, if means baring the weakest parts of me, if it means letting the usual happy/funny/strong facade slip a little - if thats what it takes to escape the darkness this time, than thats what i'll do. It may be all i can do...

Seriously - Let Me Welcome You To Reality

I'm going to apologise ahead of time - this one is a rant post. I dont rant too much around here, and though this actually needs to be said to a few people in my real life, i have promised another person IRL that i'll keep my lip zipped ( for now )... thus, i have to get this out here. See - i've had about enough of some pretentious arseholes in my social circle and i think they need to get some perspective.

Consider this my ranty face! ( from here )

There is one person who claims he has " no " money - yet he runs his own business and lives in a 5 bedroom house in a nice area of town. I dont know how he runs his business, or if it is doing well ( and, quite frankly, its none of my business ) but i'm a bit tired of claiming he's near broke and then having other people worse off then him cover costs for things that should be shared burdens. Here's the tip - if your as bad off as you say your are sell your big fancy house, buy something more modest, and pump the profit back into your business or use it to live off for a while. If you cant even contemplate doing that, well, you aren't as short of cash as you think you are...

Then there is the person who, because of ill advised and/or stupid investment choices years ago, is a bit hard up at the moment. This happens to lots of people, so i'm not judging him for the loss of investment monies. He and his family can't afford the rent in the Sydney market anymore so have moved in with his MIL to save some money. However - in the last 6 months he has taken his family on two overseas trips, goes on weekends away once a month, and has bought one new car only to find out a few weeks later that his wife is pregnant, so they bought another brand new car. I cant stand people who claim " poor " status and then continue to spend up big on luxuries. Be realistic and get your priorities straight - and if holidays and $40 000 cars ARE you priorities, dont expect any sympathy from me when your debts catch up with you.

And lastly, the one who is relatively financial stable but is obsessed with things to the point of ignoring people: dont invite me and my child and my family places and then spend 95% of the time texting on your IPhone and even looking at me. Its rude, and its annoying. It makes me want to punch you in the nose.

So there you go - that stuff gives me the shits. Mick and I are not well off, but neither are we flat broke. We get by most weeks, getting the mortgage paid and groceries bought and the other little bills out of the way and ending up with $20 or $30 left in the bank. The few times a year the rates/electricity/rego and car insurance come due we struggle... yet we complain far less than all 3 of the people mentioned above. I'm not looking for someone to say " Oh poor you ", i'm just trying to explain how living within your means is how you live with a little breathing space. If you cant afford the repayments on your 5 bedroom house, downsize; if your so broke you cant afford rent, dont buy brand new and expensive cars; and dont become so consumed by money and things that you lose touch with people ( and thus the human contact you claim to crave ).And, most importantly,dont cry poor to me when you know for a fact that i have much less than you - it reeks of pretention and, quite frankly, disrespect

Who Loves? I Loves.... MaxabellaLoves!

And its not just me who loves the wonderful Bron from over at MaxabellaLoves... no, apparently at least 1000 other people do too. And to celebrate the fact that she now has 1000 people following and loving her, Bron is having a fabulous giveaway on her blog. And when i say " fabulous " i mean fab-u -lous! Imagine this : because she cant exactly throw a party on her blog, Bron wants to at least let us dress for a party...so she's giving one lucky reader the chance to win a gorgeous party outfit!

And not just any old party outfit either - we're talking a dress from the exquisite Leona Edmiston label, customised shoe hotness from Shoes of Prey and cute earrings from Elk Accessories. Did i not say it was a fabulous prize? So i could be winning, and wearing...

This:

Or this:

Or even a hot pair of these:

You know, i do have a school reunion to attend in October - i'm gonna cross my fingers that i win this awesome prize from MaxabellaLoves so i can knock everyone's socks off with my awesome party outfit!