Words to Live By

There are words that move you, drive you, change you.

cocoandlowe.com

I don't want to say The Fray made me break up with my ex. But those words in their song struck a deep chord with me many years back and they opened my eyes. I realised their truth in my life situation and changed my future forever.

Who doesn't love Dr. Seuss?I have power in my life, I can make things happen!

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I love Pooh. I think he puts a lot of academics to shame!

Oh what a comforting thought. In the midst of difficulty, the path through is already set. I am just to walk it, step by step.

Why I'm Brave Today

1. I let the nurse at the hospital take blood. Even though she seemed a bit grumpy.

Also..I don't think they should be allowed to say 'gosh...I'll need to get some more containers for this much blood' before they plunge the needle in!

2. I have to do financial analysis for the business plan I am writing. I wish I could just plug in a pretty, colourful graphy.

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3. I went shoe shopping and actually made a purchase. It's only five months overdue. See I hate shoe shopping. So does my mum, my friends, my man...in fact anyone who has to experience it with me. It is a truly awful experience. But I did it!

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4. Tonight I'm off to model for a fundraising fashion event. I'm not a model. 5 foot 2 would never make it in the fashion world! The brave part is not the modelling part as this will be my second...the brave part is last time my friend came to watch so at least I knew someone out there.
This time...just me & strangers. So I'll be extra brave!

Low-Fibre and Other Things I Hate

I hate the words low-fibre. It's cruel.

One of my largest struggles getting use to life with Crohn's disease is this low-fibre diet I'm meant to be on.

Goodbye favourite vegetable:

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Goodbye delicious fruit and vegetables I love so much. Goodbye dense, brown bread. Farewell chilli, my friend.

Hello...

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I've never really liked you all a whole lot. You were always so sugary, unhealthy-seeming. And now you are becoming my low-fibre friends. *sigh*

Oh, Oh, Po-ta-to

I love potatoes.

It is true.

I love finding new ways to eat potatoes.

So here it is...







Honey Roast Potatoes

• potatoes (4-6 medium)

• 3 TB whole grain mustard
• 3 TB oil
• 2 TB melted butter
• 1 clove finely chopped/minced garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of half the lemon
• half an onion (white)
• sprinkle of salt

1. Heat oven (180 degrees C works for mine)

2. Quarter potatoes and toss in a bowl with sliced onion.

3.In a bowl mix the butter, mustard, oil, garlic, lemon juice, zest & salt. Pour this over the potato & onion bowl. Mix through.

4. Spoon the potatoes & onion out and put on a baking tray/oven dish. Leave any of the remaining sauce in the bowl as it will only burn if you pour it into the oven dish.

5. Cook potatoes for 35-45 minutes (depends on your oven), turning once in the middle.

6. Remove from oven and toss in remaining mustard sauce. Serve warm.

One of Those

Yesterday was one of those days.

The kind where you drive yourself home shaking with sobs and make-up running down your face.

Does this resonate with anyone else on an average day?

weheartit.com

I've had a fortnight where lots of things feel like they are crumbling: some dreams I held onto really tight, precious time with my man (so many visitors lately...lovely but it's been months since we had us time), health, some friendships I thought were stronger and better.

Through it all I've had moments of intense loneliness. More than anything I have come to realise that I am nothing without God. That I'm a mess without Him, so it's lucky I have Him always.

I know God sees. Not in a angry policeman way. In a 'Oh my precious child, I see into your heart and love you, remember?'

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Tomorrow is a new day

Diamonds? No thanks!

Diamonds are not a girls best friend. True or false?

According to the CEA (consumer electronics association) 64% of women would rather have a digital camera than a pair of half-carat diamond stud earrring. 

Via Bing.com

I know that research is a few years old. But I wonder if that number has grown even more of us ladies discover the fun and magic of photography.

I've been looking for my ideal camera bag, which is how I came across this research. My ideal camera does not exist, I have realised. You see, I want something that isn't too bulky. I don't have a lot of gear just my camera & a couple of extra little things. I'm after a bag that doesn't look like a camera bag, you know the ones: big, black, bulky.

I want colour, I want style. I want something that will last forever. I'm not afraid to pay a bit more if it ticks all the boxes. I want something that will protect my camera because I'm a bit rough with my gear.

http://pinkpunkboutique.bigcartel.com

I like this bag because it's a bit funky. But I need something sturdier, made from leather & made to really last.

Which has led on to this thought: what if I designed my perfect bag and got it made?

It's not impossible. It's even concievable that there are other ladies out there who don't want the standard-mans-photographer bag. Hmmm....

Has anyone ever made their own bag? Or dreamed of it? Or already has their perfect bag?

Ooooo Wintery Wednesday

I thought it would be fun to link up with Wee Bit Wednesday!

{one} do you watch the history channel? if so, what’s your favorite program?No, we get terrible tv reception so only two basic channels.

{two} what is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?Snuggle up inside with a fantastic book and hot chocolate.

{three} what does your dream house look like?If I was to combine all my different ideas it would be the uglist house ever but have some amazing features!
{four} what state were you born in?New South Wales....
{five} do you have a change jar? if so, what do you use it for when it gets full?Yes! It gets raided for parking money mostly
{six} what’s the first website you look at when you get on the computer?At the moment, Stumble...Love it!
{seven} what is your favorite breakfast?I'm not big on breakfast. Lunch however...
{eight} what’s the most memorable trip you’ve ever taken?Backpacking Samoa for a few weeks was pretty magnificant and memorable
{nine} do you prefer your coffee black or with cream/milk/sugar?Weak, milk, sugar...hardly call it coffee!

{ten} have you ever done a professional photo shoot?Two, yes. I modelled for two photographers as a favour.

When the Dog Barks, when the Bee Stings...

These are a few of my favourite, house things!

[one]

 

I found this gorgeous vase at a second-hand store and I spray painted it white. It has the most beautiful detailing on it. The two soaps were an engagement present from my Aunty & Uncle. White-on-white I just love that look!

[two]

Our wedding cake toppers sit in the entrance to our house. My man chose these for the wedding and he put a lot of effort in trying to make them look like us!

[three]

 

 This gorgeous Royce McGlashen pottery 'bowl' was given to us as a gift. It is beautifully textured on the outside and a magnificant blue on the inside. It sits on the window sill, looking out to sea. 

[four]

 Flowers can brighten a day! I came home last Friday and two gorgeous pot plants were sitting wrapped up on the table. My mum has ordered them for me with a little note to say she was thinking of me. Aww..

[five]

Mingle time!

 

Chasing the Sun

Yesterday I went on an epic walk. [unintentionally]

I thought I'd take some photos by the water.

When I got there the sun was just around the corner at the next bay.

I started walking to the next bay, thinking it would only take 5 minutes. [wrong]

I got to the next bay and decided the sun must be at the next, right? [incorrect]

  


At this point I start feeling like Forest Gump. ['so I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there I thought I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there...]

I should mention it was cold in the shade and very windy. Lovely! On I went...

Finally, I neared the final bend. Sun was in my reach...

But alas, I was too late! The last rays were setting behind the hills.


 It's okay, though because I caught a tiny piece of sun on my face for the briefest of moments. [see it?]

And that is my shoe. Why? Because it took the brunt of this ridiculously long mission. Shoe no more :(

So that was my [unintentional] adventure of chasing the sun [unsuccessfully] just because I could [inspired by Forest Gump]. Next time I'll take the car!

Mighty Hash Stack

'Can we have it again?' Asked my Mr., the night after we ate this for dinner. I think he would eat this every night for tea if I made it. (I will confess he asked for a lamb steak to be added in version two!)

It's called The Mighty Hash Stack because the aim is to stack it as high as you can without it falling over. I suppose it appears to the structural engineer that my Mr. is!

• red pepper
• 2 hash browns
• 2 flat, brown mushrooms
• gruyere cheese (sliced)
• red onion (sliced)
• handful of basil leaves (roughly chopped)
• splash of olive oil
• salt and pepper
• worchester sauce

1. Roast that red pepper! Pop the oven on grill and sit the red pepper/capsicum in the oven.

2. Put hashbrowns on a tray and also put them in the oven to cook.

3. Meanwhile...pour 1TB of water on each mushroom and microwave on high for 2-3minutes.

4. Rotate the red pepper (it needs to be chargrilled almost all over...yes black!)

5. Once the red pepper is chargrilled grab it out of the oven and throw it into a plastic bag. Close the bag so no air gets in. Now let the pepper sweat it out for a good 5 minutes! Once it cools, that skin should just peel away easily.

6. Add a good dash (couple of teaspoons) onto each mushroom and add it to the hashbrown tray in the oven. Flip those hashes! Cook until golden & mushrooms soft.

9. Stack away!

10. Add a splash of beautiful olive oil, sprinkle of salt & crack of pepper. Mmmm...

Now, this isn't the most glamerous photo but boy, does this taste gooooood!

My One-Day House

I came across the gorgeous site ShoeBox Dwelling this week. It's nice to know people are designing furniture for those of us who live in ridiculously small houses or apartments!

Here is my dream list...

.one.
floating books. super cool!

 .two.
 multi-purpose, folding chair-stool. awesome!

 .three.
 I can't help wondering if this would work with a crying baby as well?

American Wednesdays

So it's Thursday in New Zealand. But in America it is Wednesday. What better reason to join...

[one]

The place I call home.

Bing.com

I live in a spectacular place which inspires me to be active, to take snapshots, to write...to live fully!

[two]

White peonies. Oh so classic, so beautiful. Yes, please!

[three]

My Mummy. 

I've had a rough week. But I love that I can pick up the phone and call my mum. She makes my heart all okay again.

[four]

Friends.

The TV type, I mean:

It might sound silly but it's a tradition for me. I fill the sink, turn on an episode of Friends and do the dishes. Makes the time fly & I know the jokes so well I don't need to see it to remember what's happening.

[nest jewellery]

I just love this nest inspired jewellery and it doesn't look too hard to make. I'm keeping my eye out for some good wire to have a go myself. Beautiful!

http://adornjewelry.bigcartel.com/product/goldfinch-nest-necklace

And that is what I love on American Wednesdays.

Oh, Decisions I Hate You!

Today I have been forced into decision-making. Intense decision-making.

My doctor told me that one of the downsides of Crohn's illness is that I can expect it to take a while to concieve and I may not carry to full term. Gosh.

Ideally I would have kids in five years time and have that happy family.

Suddenly Mr. and I are faced with some hard choices. Do we get this illness under control and start trying for kids? Or do we risk waiting and running out of time on the other side?

Oh, boy, decisions how I hate you!

A New Day

On Friday we celebrate six months of marriage.

Normally, I'm not big on anniversaries and the like. But this seems like an accomplishment.

Six sometimes-challenging, sometimes-frustrating, sometimes-wonderful, sometimes-overwhelming months.

via Bing.

I do believe a new season is about to begin. Mr. and I tend to work in six month blocks:

• we were friends for about six months before he told me he wished we were more
• it took me about six months to turn him down
• it took a year (and the end of my last relationship) to change my mind
• within the next six months Mr. and I were dating
• the first six months were totally blissful
• at the six month mark my Dad died and Mr's Mum got sick
• we were engaged for 6 + 3 months
•  

In 'Our Book of Life' the past six months will be titled:

'Entering Into: The Learning Curve'

The next six months, I pray, will be different. We will live with more love for God, for each other. We will have less fear of the future and learn to move forward despite health issues. We will treat each other better and hold fast to our precious vows. We will continue our learning with a season of challenges behind us.

The Honest Banana

It seems apt that we consider the 'forbidden fruit' that Eve ate to be an apple.

It certainly wasn't a banana. Banana's are just too honest.

Now a banana can't look tempting and be bad at the same time. If a banana is bad it shows us very simply.

Apples, on the other hand, are deceitful indeed.

You can pick the most beautiful, shiny, red apple from the tree and be 100% sure it will be delicious. It's skin displays it's magnificance and tempts you, entirely. But take a bite and it could be yellow and floury, soft and awful. The apple continues to decieve today just as it did, so many years ago.

Learning the Hard Way

Today I was contemplating the lessons in life that our parents teach us and those we learn outrselves along the way. Here are some lessons no one ever taught me and I'm learning/learnt by experience:

1. Don't Drive & Eat
It is true: don't eat sour snake lollies whilst driving on the motorway. When you start choking it is very scary.


2.  Summer, then... umm...
My man teases me so much about this because I can never remember the order of the seasons. It's not my fault, I swear, no one ever taught me as a child!

3. Following God will Colour your Life

Via Bing :)

 
No one ever taught me this lesson. SomeOne tugged on my heart one day and I decided I wanted to follow after God.

It wasn't an easy decision because I grew up in a family who didn't do this.






4. I am Not a Good Person
That's right. I'm not. Left to my own devices I am selfish and proud. I can be awful to my man, the one I love most and I am quick to forget God when life gets good. I am not a good person and I must remember this to keep my heart in the right place.

5. Marriage is a Massive Challenge 
I come from a broken family so I did know that marriage could be tough and painful. Nothing could have prepared me for the real challenge of marriage...it is tough. In marriage I see the best and the worst of myself, of my man and it is not an easy ride. No one managed to make me grasp how much of an adventure it would be and so early on.

There are more lessons I learn each and every day. Tomorrow's resolutions?

• Don't eat lollies on the move
• Enjoy the season of...whatever
• Be God's colour in the world
• Keep humble, I'm not totally awesome
• Marriage is a marathon and worthy of all the effort

Only Little Moments

In life, all we get are little moments.

We get to live second by second, not year by year.

Marie Beyon Ray once said:

'We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand...and melting like a snowflake.'

The Bible agrees; our life is a blade of grass, we are flowers which bloom and wilt.

It's not something to get down about. It's something to inspire us and act, as William James said:

“To change one’s life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly.”

Let us cherish the moment. Let us capture it fully!  

 

Don't Go All Crumble-y

What do you do when you have old apples, feijoas you found in a roadside gutter (they clean off, I promise!) and some wilting rhubarb?

Crumble, crumble x 2 !

Fruity Fruit Crumble

• Apples
• Feijoas (I used 10...but I'm very addicted)
• White Sugar (couple TBs)
• Brown Soft Sugar (3/4 cup)
• Flour (3/4 cup)
• Cornflakes (3/4 cup)
• Butter (ummm...a few big globs cubed. 30-50g?)

 Now I'm usually all for recipes and I need them exact. But this one isn't. It means you can throw in whatever you like. No cornflakes? Put in oats. No feijoas? Put in rhubarb. No butter? Ummm...I'll get back to you on that one.

1. Cut fruit up, throw in pot with white sugar and about 1/4 cup of water. Heat til fruit gets soft. (5-10mins)

2. Put fruit into a pie/oven dish. Something pretty helps.

3. Mix in seperate bowl: flour, brown sugar, flakes. Cube butter and use your hands to squish it into the dry mix. Messy, messy fun!

4. Pour over the fruit.

 
5. Now put this into the oven. 150-180 degrees C. (203 F)

6. Cook til golden (mine took about 30 minutes).







Presenting:

Apple & Feijoa Crumble w/ passionfruit yoghurt

Apple and Rhubarb Crumble w/ caramello ice cream

Now, while I was eating my crumbles I got very confused (and full). It's Tuesdays where I am. But for everyone else it is Monday.

Does that mean I can act like it's Monday? Yes? Okay then...!