JUST A TINY BIT OF HAIR

As I mentioned yesterday, Keera got her first ever haircut... at 10 and a half months old.
I was asked to do it:

 ABOVE:  Before...

 ABOVE:  During...

 ABOVE:  After.

 ABOVE: an incredibly rare shot of me minus makeup!
AND no earrings or necklace.  Naked almost!

ABOVE:  The many faces of Keera.

Today is our 26th Wedding Anniversary.  I hope you have a lovely day Darling... see.. I didn't forget for once!

Today:  no firm plans until this afternoon when I have Hospice Shop.

I wouldn't mind doing a bit more sewing... I made a round mug rug yesterday, but I'm not 100% happy with it.  So I gave it to Lacy!  Better to get something not quite perfect than nothing at all I say.  *smiles*

ABOVE:  the round mug rug.  See... not that good.

Sometimes Dante gets grizzly and Bex isn't quite ready to feed him and get him to bed, so I pop him over my knees and pat his back while moving my legs in a rocking motion:

 ABOVE: see... just lying there like a baby...

ABOVE:  9 times out of 10... he falls asleep.  It's so cute.

ONWARD...

This morning Bex and I decided to go for a walk, it's a gorgeous day out there.  Crisp and cool... perfect for walking.

ABOVE:  The walk we did this morning, it is 2.74 kms long, and it took us 40 minutes.  The 'Start/Stop' point is not actually where we started.  I wasn't going to put the 'real' point on as it would literally be giving my address away to hundreds of people!
That would be a bit silly.

Cooling down now, might have to do some housework before I get cold!  

It's weigh in day tomorrow.  Hmmmm.... once again I am not expecting too much... but ya never know!  I've been known to surprise even myself.

Upon reflection... I am not going to let my weigh in bother me if it's not much... as long as I am staying on track MOST OF THE TIME, and have now added exercise in as well... I will be happy.

My weight loss is not a RACE, it's going to be a slow and steady ONWARD FOR LIFE thing.
No unreasonable expectations, no feelings of self loathing shall creep in.
I'm doing it my way, and that is just fine.

Why am I saying this again?
Because I read a blog today where the writer has lost an amazing amount of weight in just a short time... and I was comparing myself to her... and starting to feel like a failure.

BUT NO!   I shall not compare my losses with anyone else's... that is just setting myself up for misery.  ONWARD... MY WAY.

MY WAY

That makes me smile.  I cannot stress enough how good that makes me feel, knowing that I can do this my way, and it's RIGHT for me.

MUG RUGS FINISHED

I have really enjoyed making this little set of 4 mug rugs, they didn't take very long once I could actually sit down and sew.

 ABOVE:  ready for stitching....

ABOVE:  all stitched, titivated and finished.  So cute.  It's going to be hard giving them away!
My favourite is the blue bird, followed by the orange one.  I had fun using a multi-coloured thread on them... and I love the flowers too.

ABOVE:  it wouldn't be my blog without a photo of a grandbaby eh?  Dante is teething on that toy... he loves it.

Today?
I think I shall be starting another little project... it's to be a gift for a dear friend overseas.  So... it's HUSH HUSH until she gets 'it'.  Which will be a while cos I have to make it first!

ONWARD...

Lacy and Keera arrived for the day.
I was down in the garage making a pattern... when I hear Lacy yell out to me:  "How much do you love me?"
My response: "What have you done!"

ABOVE:  she spilt an entire cup of milo on the carpet!  She tried to cover it up.. didn't work.

ABOVE:  Teddy trying to lick milo off the carpet.  

BELLA: Milo is like hot chocolate, but it has a slightly different taste.  Same thing really.

Lacy is worried Stew is going to be mad at her... but the carpet needed to be cleaned anyway, so we will just have to do it now!

I'm trying to get some sewing done this afternoon, but so far the girls have dragged me out of the house for a walk, then I had lunch... and now Brylee and Griffin just arrived home.

Before I know it I will have to get dinner started.

Keera just got her first haircut.  By me.  Will show you tomorrow.

OH and... I just growled her for touching the Sky and DVD players under the telly.  She sure in hell didn't like that!

End of Day: an up and down sort of day... feeling a bit flat tonight. Might go to bed early.
nite nite

BABIES AND BUBBLES

Well... I have some photos I took yesterday first up:

 ABOVE:  The girls with their babes... Bex and Lacy get on so well... it's nice to see.

ABOVE: Keera would love to get on better with Dante... but he just doesn't appreciate her company!
Funny that. She wants to scrag him.

ABOVE:  I'm pretty sure she wasn't trying to KISS HIM... she's into ummm... biting right now.    Or ... she will just suck ya face off!  lol

Best to keep an eye on her around her cousin.

Dante just  ♥LOVES♥  his bath... he lies there and coo's...

ABOVE: Bex didn't INTEND to give him a Bubble Bath, but she put just a little too much Lavender Bedtime Bath stuff in his water.  Oh well... he loved it.

TODAY:  off to Manukau so Bex can keep her Doctor's appointment, and I shall babysit Dante.  Hard work that is!  We 'shop' while she's away.

After that, I will have lunch and go to the Hospice Shop for me stint there.

ONWARD...

Had a good morning... while Bex was at the Doctors, Dante and I power walked around the mall for almost an hour.  Why waste good 'exercise' time was my thought.  Wish I'd thought to be wearing me sneakers though.
Oh well... next time I will.

I picked up my automatic needle threader too... I bought one about 7 months ago and it didn't work, so returned it a few weeks ago and now... I've got a new one.
Which is very timely as I will have bindings to stitch on by hand tonight.

The four coasters (mug rugs) I'm making are looking bloody gorgeous!  I will find it rather hard giving them away.  *sniff*
Maybe... I will keep them!  lol

It's now lunchtime, so before I head out again to the Hospice Shop... I might just have something to eat.

I decided to wear me sneakers to work.  So.. I slip me feet into me sneakers... and they are LOOSE as.  So I had to pull the laces really tightly to make me sneakers stay on my feet!
My feet have shrunk! 
AWESOME... always thought me feet were fat buggers!  
Off to Hospice now... with comfy, warm feet.  It's a wet, windy and cold day.

I think today is the second time EVER I have not bought any 'treasure' from the Hospice shop!  I feel like I'm slipping up!
It was very quiet in the shop this afternoon...  sometimes we had NO ONE in the shop at all.
And it was cold.  

AND I left my Diet Coke at home by accident ... so I had to drink WATER!  Ikkkk... wash my mouth out with Diet Coke!.. which I did the moment I got home.

End of Day:  well another good day as far as I'm concerned.  Dinner was cooked by Bex, so that's 4 days in a row I haven't had to cook!
I got the 4 coasters (mug rugs) finished tonight, will show you tomorrow.

MUG RUGS... I LOVE 'EM

When you want to make something that is finished quickly... but is still cute and useful... you can't go past a mug rug... or ten!

I love them. There are just so many different styles to do... I've spent a good deal of time on Pinterest finding ideas.

I've go 4 ready to sew:

ABOVE:  they don't look like much right now... but wait until they are done.  They will be gorgeous!

A certain little man is powering ahead with his development, rolling, and now kinda sitting:

ABOVE: he can sit unaided for a little while, but he ends up slumped over his feet... or ...

or... he face plants!  So he's not quite there yet.
But it won't be long.  He's also drawing his knees up when he's on his tummy.  All good.

ABOVE:  'The Wall'... so far.  I want to add a few more little things... like a heart?   Time will tell.

On Masterchef on Friday night one of the Chefs cooked little venison pies.  They were not just any old pie, there were lots of different steps and techniques involved.  So... Steve decided he would give it a go... with beef instead of venison.  

And I have to say it... with Bex helping him... they turned out some BLOODY AMAZING, to die for pies!

ABOVE: The pies.  The recipe is on http://tvnz.co.nz/masterchef-new-zealand/masterclass-episode-10-venison-and-field-mushroom-pie-5352714,  and remember... Steve and Bex used beef instead of venison.  It was delicious!!!

Now for today, sewing.  And just spending time with the family.

ONWARD...

BELLA: just type in 'metric conversions' on your computer.  You should find all the conversions there.

HAPPY ELF MOM:  portion control.  That's all there is to it!

I've been doing some sewing this morning, but now I have to stop to make lunch.  I'm making scones with jam and cream.  

This afternoon Steve and Bex had visitors... it was lovely to see them spend time with their own friends.

 ABOVE:  Here we have a small baby (Alex), a medium baby (Dante) and a large baby (Keera)... plus Steve and Bex.

ABOVE: Lacy got to have a cuddle of wee Alex... he is only 8 weeks old.  

ABOVE: Proud new parents, Nicky and Sam.  Keera quite liked Nicky.  *smiles*

 ABOVE: Baby Alex got lots of cuddles... and I missed out!
I was busy sewing.

ABOVE:  Dad Sam... got cuddles with Teddy and Coco.  

End of Day:  well I got all four mug rugs (Coasters) almost finished tonight.  I'm putting the bindings on and tomorrow I will hand stitch the back of the bindings.
Not much else to blither on about, so...
nite nite

PINTEREST IS SO ADDICTIVE

Who else pops over to Pinterest to find JUST one thing.... and ends up wondering where the last 3 hours went???

Seriously, that site is so addictive.

I was on it last night trying to find just the right recipe ... and 3 hours later I was no closer to finding one.

 ABOVE:  I found this... which is quite funny.

 ABOVE:  this one makes me laugh every time I read it.

 ABOVE: yep, and this one.

ABOVE:  I would LOVE to do this at the top of our stairs.  Stew liked it too.

Today?  off to Spotlight to take that glue gun back and get another one... then I can finish my projects.

Some housework will be on the cards too.

ONWARD...

I went back to Spotlight and got a glue gun that wasn't damaged, plus just a few other little bits 'n' bobs.
Now I've finished my little painting:

WE HAVE ROLLING BABY, AND NOW... WE HAVE CRAWLING BABY TOO

Keera has been on the verge of crawling for over a week, and finally yesterday, she did it!

Lacy cried.



Now, nothing is safe.  And the stair guard must go up.
By the time Lacy and Keera went to bed our wee Miss Muppet was crawling much faster, and with heaps more confidence.  In a couple of days there will be no stopping her!

 ABOVE:  a couple of right twits.... in front of their 'masterpiece' of a cake.  It was a layered concoction of chocolate cake, caramel, bananas, whipped cream, chocolate sauce...and then another layer!

 ABOVE:  see?  It was amazing... but very rich.  I couldn't quite eat my piece... but then I did have a large piece!  We only do the naughty cake once a fortnight now, so I don't feel guilty about it.

ABOVE:  I decided to paint my 'words' last night.  Wish is staying all blue, while Believe will have all the letters a different colour.  It's not finished yet.  And the one I bought yesterday (LAUGH) is going to remain white.

TODAY?  Don't know.  There's a few jobs to be done around the house and yard, so probably a stay at home day.

It's a long weekend here too... Monday is a public holiday, to celebrate our Queen's Birthday.
So yaaa... Stew will be home for 3 days.

ONWARD...

We were discussing how good the lounge and family room were looking, and Bex (bless her heart) said why don't we put the 'new' green bench seat at the dining table because it will take up less room than the chairs?

And my mind went into overdrive... and I got on the net immediately to look up pine bench seats!!!!

And then... I stopped.  Cos the last thing we need in this house is MORE furniture.  I will just use that new 'old' bench seat at the dining room table!  SORTED.

I finished my 'WORDS' for the family room wall:

ABOVE:  I can't wait to get them on the wall to see how they look.  *smiles*

ABOVE: this one is my favourite.  That blue BLING button has been in my button box for a long time ... I'm so happy I found a use for it at last.  I put a few crystals on 'Wish' too.

I'm having a whale of a time doing some craft stuff today.  I've just made a little painting to go on the wall as well.  It's not quite finished... I'm off to Spotlight to get a hot glue gun... cos I need one to finish the painting.
It's a multi-media painting.  

I will show you the finished stuff on the wall... probably tomorrow when they are up.

Well, Bex and I went down to Spotlight to get a hot glue gun.  I also bought STEW a new ironing board... and some iron on crystals.  There was a big sale on (30 - 60% off) so I couldn't resist.

BUT ... when we got home I saw this:

ABOVE: Now I have to go back tomorrow and exchange it.   Annoying as I really wanted to finish my little project tonight.  *sigh*  
The only positive is that I do get to go to Spotlight again tomorrow!  Yaaa.

End of Day:  a lovely day, worth repeating tomorrow!  *smiles*
nite nite