Zone Diet

5,000 followers on twitter giveaway with Holland & Barrett

2013-03-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

If you didn't already know, last Monday I hit 5,000 twitter followers (yay!), and to celebrate the lovely people at Holland and Barrett (a UK health store) have allowed me to giveaway a selection of my favourite healthy food products (to bake with, snack on or just enjoy as you wish!).

The prizes include all of the above..

Cocoa Nibs (raw chocolate perfect for my chocolate protein brownies)

Total Sweet (healthy alternative to sugar & used in my healthy pumpkin muffins recipe)

Chia Seeds (as featured in my Overnight Oats & Chocolate Pudding recipes)

Stevia (natural sweetener as featured in my breakfast cookie recipe)

Oomf Bench Pressed Oats (protein oats.. click here for a full review)

Tiana Coconut Flour (I haven't used this yet!)

Dried Apple Rings (the perfect snack..click here for more snack ideas!).

To enter all you have to do is tweet

" I've entered @nicsnutrition @holland_barrett #nics5000HBgiveaway "

and be a follower of both myself @nicsnutrition and Holland & Barrett @holland_barrett - it's as easy as that!!

You still have a week to enter, until H&B pick the lucky winner.. Good luck!

Nic x

My Case for Plant-Based: First 30 Days Following a Plant-Based Diet!

2013-03-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

image via Mind Body Green

I can't believe it's already been 30 days since I adopted a plant-based vegan diet. If someone had told me a few months ago that I could -- and would -- go 30 days without touching cheese, I probably would have told you that you were bat shit crazy. But here I am, healthier and happier than ever and more importantly, so very proud of my will power.

Let me paint the picture of my former self to you for a moment: I really did think I was a very healthy eater. And I guess to some degree I was, but again, it's all relative. I was never pigging out (okay, well sometimes), but for the most part I really did treat my body with respect. I rarely ate processed foods, never touched a refined carb, did not even dream of drinking diet soda, and I made sure that veggies were always the star of the show. I rarely ate meat, and if I did it's because I forced myself. I thought I needed it for protein. I did, however, indulge in creamer and half & half in my coffee regularly, and I was not ashamed to nibble on a block of Manchego and a few glasses of wine for dinner. Yes. Cheese. For. Dinner. It happened more than I'd like to admit. Come to think of it, cheese was always present at lunch too, and I occasionally snacked on it as well.

So when I decided to go plant-based, I was a little nervous, but I was ready. I knew I needed a bit of an intervention in the cheese department, and I also wanted a way to shake these 10-15 lbs that seemed to be glued to my body. Morning after morning, I'd get on the scale, frustrated and wondering why I couldn't lose weight. I guess my mind had a funny way of blocking out all the excess calories and fat I had been sneaking in. On top of it all, my skin looked like shit, but I blamed it on anything else I could think of; the weather, my moisturizer, my makeup, etc. Never did I once truly examine all the foods I was putting in my body and even think beyond calorie count. Healthy eating never really went beyond vanity for me -- until now.

Without getting into all the details of why I decided to go plant-based (notice I'm saying plant-based? I have found a lot of judgement around the word "vegan" especially since I still wear leather, etc. so rather than deal with that, I will start to use plant-based for the most part when describing my lifestyle), in short: I felt it was healthier for me. I did lots of my own personal research, and ultimately this is the choice I made for myself. I'm not here to convince you of all the reasons you should do it too. I will never be that person. I'm just here to share my experiences.

So what are a few things that I've noticed?

My energy level immediately went through the roof. I felt oddly zen, yet energized, if that makes any sense at all.
I felt extremely clear-headed as early as Day 2. I still feel this way. It feels almost as though a fog has lifted.
I've lost around 5-6 pounds. I truly expected to lose more, but I have to remember that I'm 32 and I've been yo-yo dieting for the past 20 years. Yes, 20 years. I went on my first diet at 11 years old, so my metabolism isn't exactly in tip top condition. But I'm patient and ultimately the way I feel outweighs any number on the scale.
My skin looks amazing. No amount of highlighter or shimmer powder can achieve this glow!
My stomach felt much flatter within the first couple of days. I feel like I've lost a layer of bloat.
I don't feel overly full or bloated after eating. Instead, I feel satisfied and energized.
Everything I put on looks better. I'm sure this has to do with the 5 pounds, but it almost looks as though I've lost more weight than that. I feel more toned and less puffy.
The past week or so I have felt really tired, so I started taking a B12 sublingual supplement (the kind you dissolve under your tongue) and this has helped a lot.
I haven't given up the wine, but I have cut back a lot. I'm just not craving it (weird, I know).
I have gotten extremely creative with cooking. I'm experimenting with new vegetables, and eating lots of "non-breakfast foods" at breakfast (ex: brown rice with hummus and chick pea salad).
I don't miss cheese.
I swapped in my creamers/half & half for vanilla or hazelnut coconut milk creamer. It's delicious.
I feel empowered, awakened, and enlightened. I cannot believe I allowed myself to stay in the dark for so long and never questioned what I was truly putting in my body.
This was not hard, at all. Not even a little bit.

So, all in all, I'm feeling amazing and I know this is a permanent lifestyle change for me. Will I never break down and have a slice of pizza? I'd be lying to us both if I said that. I'm human. But I really do not miss the foods I've eliminated. The thought of eating cheese, drinking milk, or touching a piece of meat genuinely freaks me out.

I'm happy to chat with anyone who has more questions or could use a little inspiration to get started on the same track. Again -- no judgement, but I really do want everyone to feel as good as I do!

Cheers to everyone who has supported me and shared their personal stories, tips and recipes!

FINALLY HERE

2013-03-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

The builders are supposed to arrive around lunchtime today. I really hope they can do the repairs fast... because if they can't get it all done today, they will have to come back on the 12th, which will just drag it out for another week.

I hate distruptions in my house. This is doing me head in... but at least I am managing to hold my frustrations in.

I am one of the most impatient people I KNOW! I want it done YESTERDAY!

When I know I have to wait, it just makes me anxious... because I don't know exactly what the builders have to do, and if I have to take everything out of the kitchen cupboards? Cover everything from dust? Bla bla bla. See... already doing me head in.

I think I have a touch of OCD sometimes.

Sheesh, I don't even have a photo to start the day with! Outrageous!

So instead I give you the number 25. 25 Days of following our OFL plan. 25 days of being spot on with everything. 25 days of feeling bloody proud of myself.

Yes, I got bored hence all the colours. I will come back later with some photos of hunky builders... I hope! There has to be some positives eh? *smiles*

ONWARD...

TRACY: as the builders will be here today, I will find out all the finer details today I suppose.
My biggest concern is how much dust there might be when they do the back garage wall... because we have a lot of stuff/equipment in the garage.

So far, today has not gone to plan for me. I felt really ill when I was making the lunches so had to go back to bed for a while. I've got a cracking headache and my tummy is doing flip flops.

You know when you put on a top that is just that wee bit too tight and it pulls across your back? Well today I put on a top that was way too tight last time I tried to wear it.... and today? IT FITS again! Shit that's such a neat feeling!!!

I brought Lacy and Keera over for the day... Lacy has done some housework for me, and so has Bex. Now we just have to wait for the builder to arrive....

Anti climax ... the builder arrived, mucked around with kick boards in the kitchen... then left! Seems it's only the kick boards that need to be replaced. And he has to get them ordered and made... so who knows how long that will take!
I cannot BELIEVE the building company didn't order the new kick boards WEEKS AGO, when they knew they would have to be replaced! Freaking useless.

I didn't even bother to take a photo... it wasn't worth it!

Now I am like... CRABBY. Annoyed. Frustrated.

The flooring man is calling in shortly to drop off materials and 'scope' the job. *sigh* Don't tell me they don't know what the hell they are doing either. Surely not?

Super food Sunday: Maca

2013-03-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

Okay...what is this stuff. You're seeing it on the shelves at Whole Foods, you're seeing it in bins at the health food stores, and now you're hearing it's an aphrodisiac. What is the deal with Maca root? Lepidium meyenii, known commonly as maca, is part the crucifer (think broccoli) family native to Andes. It's been used for centuries as a root vegetable and a medicinal herb, and what your'e probably seeing out and about is the root powder - just ground straight from the root veggie itself. Some facts: in Peru people use it to make cakes, bread, porridge, beer (chicha maca - I've had it - it's wild) and even salads from the leaves. A real showboat this plant.

In small scale clinical trials it's been found to boost libido and even to alleviate anti-depressant induced sexual disfunction. That's pretty huge since those are pretty popular drugs these days. Other trials have shown that maca has favorable effects on energy and mood, may decrease anxiety and improve sexual desire. What else you ask? Okay I'll tell you: it's rich in amino acids (protein building blocks), phytonutrients, healthy fatty-acids, vitamins and minerals. It supports neurotransmitter production. And Katie and my favorite attribute? It's a powerful natural adaptogen. Whats that? Well, essentially it helps balance endocrine health by supporting the adrenal and thyroid glands to produce hormones determined by YOUR unique body. Under producing? Maca can balance. Over producing? Maca can balance. What's this mean for you? Regulating metabolism, increasing energy levels and often times overall sense of well-being. It's often called the Peruvian ginseng since ginseng is known to do the similar miracle work.

How do Katie and I use it? Well with our 'wired and tired' clients we find it pretty darn helpful to throw a tablespoon in their smoothie each morning. We've seen lots of people come back with improved energy and balanced hormones. In fact...we use it practically everyday in our smoothie creations. Additionally, and equally important, it's fun to say maca.

DAY OF REST? NAH...

2013-03-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have no intention of doing bugger all today!

I am going to prepare a few meals in advance, so if our kitchen is out of bounds at any point over the coming week, we can still eat!

I'm thinking of making a huge meatloaf or two, and a couple of nice beef stews that can be frozen and brought out as we need them.

THANK YOU PAULA for the excellent idea!

Once I have got that done I will then go downstairs and work on the three bags I got started last night.

It took ages to cut out all the bags pieces... and pin up the parts that need quilting...

ABOVE: see... three all ready to go!

The picture quality sucks because I'm having to use an crap camera card. My good card is full... so I need to get it copied off to a disc asap.

So... that's the plan for today.... and bugger it... I just remembered we have to do the grocery shopping too. Well, at least I will have all the necessary ingredients for the stews and meatloaf I suppose. Have to find a positive in going grocery shopping if possible eh?

ONWARD...

Apparently it's raining in Hamilton! Now we just have to hope it's coming our way too!
We all stayed in bed till well after 9am today... bliss.

After the kids and Stew have had their breakfast we will go and do the shopping.
Online shopping? Well I did think about it once or twice, but haven't done it yet. I'm not sure the supermarket where we shop would deliver to our place... we are a bit of a distance from them.

It's RAINING !!!! Real heavy rain... we needed this so badly. I hope it gets up north where it is desperately needed.

The rain... lasted about half an hour. Now... we have sunshine and steam. Humidity is high again.

Grocery shopping is done... and all put away... except the meat.
When Steve gets home (in an hour or so), the men will move the big double fridge/freezer into the lounge in readiness for the big 'fix it' this week.

Stew cooked an amazing dinner tonight! Roast leg of lamb, roast potatoes and onions, peas, broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce and gravy. OMG it was so good.

My turn tomorrow... will be hard to top that dinner.
Tomorrow. *sigh* Not sure what to expect as the builders will only be here for a few hours after lunch. Probably not much will get done.

End of Day: There's some changes coming in this house, and I don't mean the repairs. It will be a waiting game... but it will be a significant change when it does happen. I'm not 100% happy about it, but it does have it's good points I suppose.
nite nite.

Prescribe Nutrition is Spring cleaning

2013-03-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

March 1st...wow. It feels like just yesterday we were launching the first New Year | New Rules program, and now suddenly Spring is on the horizon. It's funny how every passing year we seem surprised how fast time is going, as if it's speeding up, but we all know it's not. There's not much we can do about it, except of course, slow down, take care of ourselves and love every passing minute.

We decided March will be the month we kick our blog into high gear. Why? We're getting amazing feedback from everyone doing our program, reading our newsletter or simply following us on Facebook. As it turns out people are hungry for knowledge on how to feed both body and mind for the long haul. So that's what we want to give you on a daily basis - tips on living an optimally balanced life while living in the world you live in, because like we always say, life is not a diet.

March is going to be all about Spring Cleaning at Prescribe Nutrition. Out with the old and in with the new. We'll be going over everything from cleansing superfoods to meditation to dealing with Spring allergies. Who's in charge? Katie Jasper of Katie Jasper Health - mastermind of nutrition - with a specialty focus on brain & hormone health. Megan Morris of The Root of Health - sensei of nutrition - with a specialty focus on digestion and food allergies. Finally our beloved Anne Decker - mother of 2 brings us love on many levels. There aren't many ways to describe how we feel about her. She's smart, funny, organized, thinks BIG and might we say, damn beautiful - inside and out.

We'll keep you up to date on what's happening at Prescribe Nutrition. Right now we're pretty darn excited about Eating Well asking us to run our New Year | New Rules program for a THIRD time (!) and our next program: Get Balanced, which dives deep into the root cause of fatigue, excess weight and balancing your stress hormones. What are your stress hormones? Exactly.

Stay tuned and please let us know what YOU want to hear. We love feedback, comments and requests. Our dream is to make Prescribe Nutrition a hub for interactive wellness. Just getting folks saturated with knowledge. Love it.

Let's rock a healthy & happy world TOGETHER,

Megan & Katie

A RARE WEEKEND

2013-03-01T10:22:00.000-08:00

I think I'm going to call this weekend 'The Calm Before The Storm'.

WHY?

Because on Monday the builders arrive to start work on the kitchen repair... and I really don't know exactly what they will be doing! I think the cupboard uprights have to be replaced. And the corrugated metal thingee along the outside of the kitchen bench has to be ripped off to see what water damage has been done behind it. Apart from that, I've no idea!

And then on Wednesday and Thursday the flooring is being ripped up and replaced.

So... this weekend better be nice and quiet, cos it is going to be bedlam next week!

Steve, Bex and Dante are off to Hamilton this weekend... visiting with some of Bex's family.
It will be nice for them to get out and enjoy being their own little family for a couple of days.

While they are away, Stew, the kids and I will probably have a very pleasant weekend too.

I have plans to make a 4-5 section screen for in the garage.

ABOVE: something like this. The beauty of mine will be that I can change the fabric when I get bored with it! I'm quite excited at the prospect of making it because it is for a special area in the garage.

More on that another day... say in two weeks or so.

So today will be about getting up to date with the housework, washing etc, then moving on to do some sewing and perhaps getting the materials necessary for making the screen.

Yaaa... I love projects.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: this kid makes me smile... this was his face when the flash went on my camera... so cute.

ABOVE: I'm gunna miss him while he's in Hamilton.

Well... I've almost got three bags cut out and ready to go.
We went out and priced the wood, hinges, etc for making the screen, and picked up a few groceries.

I'll probably go and get the wood etc tomorrow. For now... I'm going to go have a quiet hour or so before getting back to the sewing.

End of Day: well I got a good amount of 'sewing' done tonight... even if it wasn't actually sewing! I finished cutting out three CUTE BAGS ... two are on order and the third is a spare... someone will want it one day!
nite nite

Join me for a Sparkle Spa Party!

2013-03-01T07:19:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to announce my partnership with The Green Spa & Wellness Center in Brooklyn! I will be offering exclusive lifestyle & wellness workshops each month at the spa, kicking off with our big SPA-tacular launch party on March 21st!

Following the Sparkle Spa Party, I will be hosting in-person workshops at the spa on the first Friday of every month. Ladies will enjoy a glass of champagne as we delve into topics surrounding the pursuit of life, love & effervescence.

Join me on Thursday, March 21st at 7 PM and enjoy all of the fabulous treats below (24k anti-anging facial -- need I say more!!?)

RSVP directly to the spa as space is limited. Hope to see you there!

Chocolate Protein Brownies Take 2

2013-02-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

There seems to be a lot of love for my (sweet potato) protein brownies (thanks Ollie Best!) but not everybody liked the idea of sweet potato in a brownie.. so, listening to demand here is a new chocolate protein brownie recipe, minus the potato (and replaced with another secret ingredient!!).

To make these delicious chocolate protein brownies you will need:

1 can (240g drained) of chickpeas

3 egg whites

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (or swap for ~1 tbsp cocoa & ~3 tbsp milk powder)

100g dark chocolate chips

½ teaspoon coconut oil (vegetable oil will do)

2 heaped tablespoons of quick oats or porridge oats

2 tbsp of sugar or stevia (calorie free sweetener)

½ teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt

And here's what to do..

1) Add the chickpeas, egg whites, chocolate protein powder, oats, sugar/stevia, salt and baking powder to a food processor.. whizz until smooth.

2) Melt the oil and dark chocolate chips for a few minutes in a microwavable bowl and add to the food processor then whizz again.

3) Pour in to a small baking tray lined with baking paper and smooth out with a spatula

4) Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 175 degrees C until cooked

5) Slice in to 9-12 slices, allow to cool and enjoy!

Per Brownie (x12): 85 kcal, 5g protein, 10g carb, 3g fat

Happy Baking!

Nic x

IF I SAY I HOPE IT'S A HECTIC DAY, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE IT WON'T BE?

2013-02-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Didn't sleep very well... kept remembering things from yesterday. Like, the damn bus's motor was still running when I jumped on it... and I didn't give it a second thought.
But I do remember when it shuddered and stopped! Weird that...

I never, ever want to hold some poor kid's broken bones together again. I kept 'feeling' them crunching and grating in my hands... it makes me cringe over and over again.

I hope that memory buggers off soon. Sorry if that was too much information for you, but I tell it like it is/was. I have never been in such a horrible situation like that before. I hope the bus driver and the two kids who were injured are on the mend and back to work and school soon.

Because Brylee and Griffin heard a bit too much information about the children in the crash when I was talking to Bex, Steve and Stew, I have decided to keep them home from school today.
There is no way I want them talking about 'details' to other kids in the school ground.
The school principal said that was a good idea.

Thanks Lorraine (my sister) for suggesting it... I would not have thought of it... I'm still in a bit of a tizz over it all.

ABOVE: the front of the bus after it was pulled away from the tree. It's a bloody miracle ANYONE survived! So very sad that an 86 year old man died in such a tragic way.

Griffin has vowed to never go on a bus again! I will have to talk to him about how, just because this happened, it does not mean going on a bus is any more dangerous than going by car or train. Hmmm, actually, he said he didn't want to go on a train ever again too. *sigh* We will work through it.

So.... today? I should start sewing two bags that have been ordered. But I think the kids and I might just go out and have a nice day shopping or something? Just have a lovely day and think about nice things.
Sounds like a good idea...

ONWARD...

The day has started off very slow, which is nice.
I just heard from the School Principal who said both children on the bus will be having surgery today ... but they are doing well.

The school is accepting donations to go into gift baskets for both children, so I will look for a few suitable things to give as our contribution.

MARYH: swimming in the sea? Yep, I think we will ALL be just a little bit scared after that poor man got killed by a shark at Muriwai. Actually, I doubt I could get in the water right now!

Been talking this morning about seatbelts. Why the HELL don't buses have bloody seatbelts? How many people have to suffer horrific injuries and/or DIE before something is done about safety on buses???

We took the kids out to the mall, gave them a nice lunch, visited Spotlight (as ya do) and bought a few more fabrics for bags and what-have-you then came home.
Now the kids are enjoying their games and Bex and I are going to sit down and watch 'Home and Away' that is always taped, that way we can watch it while having our lunch usually.

I tried to have a 'Granny' nap this afternoon. Didn't work. *sigh* Why do people decide to ring me when I'm trying to have a nap???
Yeah, I know.... maybe I shouldn't even try.

I am looking forward to dinner tonight. It is 'Takeaways' night. And I do believe I am going to have something rather evil. I'm in the mood and it's my ONE free evil meal a week that I have allowed us.
I hope Stew isn't too late home, I just read on the news that there has been a 5 car pile up on the motorway he comes home on. Luckily, only one person has been injured.

End of Day: after feeling a bit shaky in the morning... I came right by the end of the day. Dinner was lovely too... and I enjoyed every bit of it.
nite nite

Anna Asks: Simple math, right?

2013-02-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

1 + 1 = 2?

Everytime.

But is a calorie always a calorie? Is weight loss all about what's going in vs. what's exerted out?

Photo by Barrett Loving Photography

Anna asks us this burning question:

I have been told weight loss is almost purely mathematics. Why, if I am counting calories and burning them am I not losing the weight I "should" be? What gives?!

You know she aks us the toughies...

To back up a bit I must disclaim, Megan and I aren't lovers of weight loss as a focus. I mean everyone loves to lose weight {if, of course, they really need to} but it's FILLED with expectations, stress and many times the opportunity to really miss the boat. We can have hyper focus on weight loss, actually lose "the" weight and still feel like shit {pardon me}. That kind of path is usually followed by some sort of gimmicky weight loss plan, pill, creme, and so on... And the cycle continues.

We posted this image last week and it was a hit. Why? Because it's true.

Diets? They're for the birds. When we say the word d.i.e.t. we are simply referring to the food that is put in your body. Not the shrinking waistline kind... Ok so there's that.

So a calorie is not a calorie?

Nope. I mean, yes... but really no. Let's take a really basic example. A bag of a popular snack chips up next to a serving of almonds.

Snack chips vs. Almonds

150 calories in our snack chips and 170 in our almonds. What's the difference you ask me... everything. You have option 1 with over 40 ingredients {MSG being a big no in our world} most of which aren't recognizable nor would you eat them if given to you alone. Option 2 contains almonds, plain and simple. There is no digging, wondering or worrying {unless of course you are allergic.} Those two snacks are going to process in the body completely different because of their make up. Option 1 has zero nutritional value {that label says it all} and option 2 is packed with healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and have huge health promoting properties. So... a calorie. is. not. a. calorie.

If a calorie is not a calorie, then basic math is tough when looking at weight loss. We at Prescribe Nutrition believe weight loss to be a side affect of internal balance - harmony so to speak. What the h*ll does that mean, Katie? It means that in order for the body to lose the weight, the right factors must be in play. A good dietary clean up is always in order. Take the gunk out. Period. Of course you can lose weight counting points and still have your cookies, diet coke and low fat yogurt but are those aren't feeding your body what it needs AND will likely lead to yo-yo dieting. Plus - doesn't that numbers game get old anyway? HECK yes.

Where do I start?
Like I said above we start by encouraging our clients to take out as much processed, packaged and preserved foods as possible Then, if we can get them excited, taking a break from gluten, dairy and sugar {our top allergens and inflammatory foods} as a great way to stage a new baseline. Follow our favorite food guideline:

Good food goes bad

You need the active properties of real food in order to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in their most "whole" and accessible state. If it's real, it's fair game. You'll certainly want to balance out your macro/micro nutrients. Fill up on the good stuff and we promise you the body will support you.

Alright, alright... so I'm doing all this and haven't lost a pound?

First question I'm going to ask you - how do you feel? You might want to punch me but that's really what I care about: how you feel. Do you have more energy, are you sleeping better, constipation relieved, how about your moods, concentration, and so on. That's #1. Don't worry, I'm not going to dismiss the weight loss question. I just want you to step back and acknowledge how awesome you now feel. Here comes the second part of the weight loss picture - YOUR BODY. The internal workings, under the hood. Take a peek at a recent blog I wrote for our great friend, Kayla, at Fit For Moms about the symphony that is your hormones. Symphonies have to have all instruments working harmoniously in order to sound right, right? Well that same principle applies to your body. All the right things can be going in but a number of factors play a role in how your body responds to them - hormone balance, optimal gut function, food sensitivities, stress level {again stress level} and more. I don't tell you this to overwhelm you, I tell you this to give you hope. If you're doing all the "right" things and the weight doesn't budge, don't give up - keep digging. You need help, Megan and I got ya.

Functional health empowers us to want to know more - want to ask what and why. We know that takes time and energy but we think it's way worth it in the long run.

Eat well + have fun, that's what life's about.... we'll help with the rest.

Cheers,

Katie

FINGERS CROSSED FOR A CALM, NICE SORTA DAY

2013-02-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday is done, in the past and I for one am happy about that.
Next time I have to go down to the school... which I hope will be soon for an I.E.P. about Griffin, I'm taking Stew with me!

He will stop me getting so bloody mad. He can ask the questions and see how the Teacher answers.

Now, as it's days since I posted a gorgeous photo of Dante, I will rectify that:

ABOVE: his favourite place.

ABOVE: on Granddad...

ABOVE: I think he looks like a little puddin'. I call him 'Podge'... but I think I should stop that cos he might get a complex!

We have two little fledgling grape vines, one is still VERY small, the other is a wee bit bigger. They have been in the ground for about 3 years and we finally have grapes!
I 'harvested' our grapes last night:

ABOVE: our grapes!!! Yep, all TWO of them.
I offered to 'share' our grapes with Stew, but he was a love and let me have them. Awwwww... ain't that so sweet of him. lol

I am now wondering if I need to move our grape vines to a 'better' place, cos clearly they are not doing well where they are. *smiles*

Anyone know when is the best time to move a grapevine???

Today is 'Keera' day. We are going over to Henderson until 1pm.
Then on our way home I'm going to stop in and pay for next month's Smartbox in storage. We pay, then our Insurance Company reimburses us. Yaaa.

Weight Management Plan. I'm changing the 'name'.
From now on when I refer to our efforts in relation to food/exercise etc, it will be called our...

What do ya think? It kinda ties in with the 'ONWARD' that I put on my blog every day.
Sort of like... let's get on with it! It takes the focus off Weight... and more on moving forward in a positive way.

ONWARD...

Having read the last few comments on yesterday's post, I'd like to clarify something.
Yes, I was angry and antagonistic AFTER the interview. I did not bite his head off literally, but I did point out that he was going against what all the experts and previous teachers had agreed to do or NOT do.

If he had read all of the information about Griffin and his learning disabilities, he should have done what was indicated in all the reports. Griffin CANNOT write. It's as simple as that. He needs to TYPE his work on a computer. Full stop. End of Story.

Now as for how Griffin feels about his Teacher? I would say him coming home crying because he got shouted at, or made to stay in at lunchtime because he had not finished the HANDWRITING sheet given to him is a bit UNFAIR.

Apparently that has happened three times so far this year. So... do you wonder why I'm not happy with this man?

MASSIVE ACCIDENT ON ROAD BEHIND OUR HOUSE.

When I can stop shaking so much I will fill you in.

So, I'd just got home from dropping Keera back to Lacy.

I sat down and then... BOOM ... big noise and even bigger JOLT of our house. I thought it was an earthquake, but then Bex said she could hear someone screaming out "Ring 111!!!".
I immediately jumped in my car and took off up the road.

To see this. The bus was horizontal to the road, there were two adults and a little boy lying on the ground and a young girl on the bus. She was on her own, so I jumped in the bus and sat down opposite her and supported her until the ambulances arrived. She has some nasty injuries, but I am sure she will be OK after things mend.

I did all I could to reassure her that everything would be alright.

I have NEVER been in that situation before. To tell you the truth is was GOD DAM AWFUL.

After about half an hour (not sure how long to be truthful, it felt like a long time!), three ambulances and at least 6-7? Police cars arrived and blocked off the road and started tending to the injured.

I think I will leave my account there for now... I'm in shock and can't stop shaking.

Now we have the police helicopter buzzing around, and it landed behind our house, doesn't help my nerves!!!

Found out that one of the men involved sadly passed away. Made me start shaking again.

End of Day: please don't worry about me! I'm a tough cookie. I'm going to just relax and watch Coronation Street ... so much for having a 'calm day'.
nite nite.

BEASTIE GIRL: I am not going to speculate on HOW this accident happened. It is up to the Police Serious Crash Unit to figure that out. There is some suggestion that the bus driver had a 'medical event' (heart attack or similar)... but that is just speculation at this point.

Manuka Honey Health Benefits & New Zealand Honey Co. Product Review

2013-02-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of honey, not only because of its super sweet and delicious taste, but because of the health benefits. I personally like honey in tea (instead of sugar.. it's delicious in herbal teas too), drizzled on fat-free Greek yoghurt & granola, as a natural soother for a sore throat and as the perfect bed-time drink with a squeeze of lemon in hot water. Honey also is great in cooking (check out my honey and mustard glazed chicken recipe for proof!).

Today though I bring you two new products that have become (almost) part of my daily eating routine.. New Zealand Honey Co.'s Manuka Honey with Lemon (with Vitamin C for your immune system) and Blackcurrant Cordial with Manuka Honey (with 37% of your RDA for Vitamin C per serving plus apple cider vinegar).

The Manuka Honey with Lemon is super sweet and tasty and I cannot wait to try their Manuka Honey with Root Ginger too. The blackcurrant drink is equally delicious and although the bottle says that you can drink it with either hot or cold water I cannot seem to budge from a steaming hot blackcurrant drink - it's like goodness in a glass! You can also warm some in a pan to serve over meat.. sounds good to me!

In case you're wondering what benefits manuka honey can offer you.. here you go!

Soothing Sore Throats
Manuka honey has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and has been proven to help with sore throats: just take one teaspoon of Manuka Honey three to five times a day and let the honey melt in the mouth first before swallowing slowly to coat the throat.

Improved Digestive Health
Honey feeds and boosts the growth of the digestive flora (good bacteria), in our intestines. These bacteria help to absorb essential nutrients, neutralise harmful toxins and strengthen the immune system.

Antioxidant Boost
Antioxidants help to protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals are formed from many sources including radiation, pollution, stress and naturally from metabolism within our bodies. These free radicals may cause cell damage resulting in disease and accelerated ageing. Antioxidants are suggested to be the body’s only defence against free radicals.

Boosting Energy & Controlling Hunger
The sugar content of honey is a great natural source of carbohydrates, which gives strength and energy. Honey has a medium GI which means it provides a relatively steady release of energy - meaning you can keep going for longer!

I hope you've found this product review useful.. do check out New Zealand Honey Co.'s website for recipes.. The manuka honey and cinnamon smoothie is on my 'to make' list for sure!

Nic x

CLEARLY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BUTTONS

2013-02-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

I think I have a problem... with David's Emporium.

That place is lethal for my wallet!

A N Y W A Y.... here's what I got there yesterday:

ABOVE: lots of buttons and embellishments!
I don't know what I will use them for YET... but even if I just drool over them... that's OK eh? *smiles*

ABOVE: can you imagine these gorgeous little teddies hanging off a bag? Too cute.

Now, Today: I've got an eye appointment courtesy of the Health System. It's standard for anyone with Diabetes to have their eyes tested for free every two years, to make sure the diabetes is not impacting on the health of their eyes.

That's fine with me.

After that, home because Brylee and Griffin will be home at lunchtime as it's Parent / Teacher Interviews in the afternoon.
This year I am going... so will be out at school mid-afternoon for about an hour. Provided they are not running late. Usually... they are.

Bex is cooking dinner tonight, so that's taken care of at least.

THE TOOTHACHE:
Steve has ONE tooth in his mouth with a filling. All the rest are perfect.
The one with the filling was repaired two years ago... and they damaged the nerves. So, it was killing him for the past few days, and he finally got time off work to get it pulled out.

Now this wouldn't be my blog without photos ... so be warned... the last one of the following three is rather iKKKK.

ABOVE: Mr Puff Face.

ABOVE: Yes Steve, you look like a right twit.
I would say DORK, but I know Mark in the Cayman Islands would be offended for Steve if I called him that! You see Mark, I remembered. lol

ABOVE: this one is just to gross you out! One dead molar!

Apart from everything else going on... I'm in a bit of a 'down' mood. Some things happening in the background of me life ... which I have no control of. Yesterday I just wanted to go to bed and pull the blankets over me head. Down... but trying not to let it affect me too much, even though it does.

ONWARD...

Right, here's a video account of me morning:

ABOVE: me having a yak with YOU.
*smiles*

The afternoon is going well. I got a bit of sewing in before I have to go to the school... which I'm not looking forward to at all.
I just feel like whenever I go down there it's a waste of time.
So ... we shall see. Better take a pen and pencil to jot down 'stuff'.

School Interviews:

Brylee's Teacher is lovely. We got on famously. We discussed the never ending issue of Brylee not being able to maintain friendships. I don't think she ever is going to learn from her past mistakes. With Brylee it has to be 'her way' or no way at all.

GRIFFIN'S TEACHER:

Yes it requires CAPITALS!!!!

Less than one minute after meeting him, he showed me Griffin's Writing Book.

And I spat the dummy... literally looked at him and said "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING???"

He has been getting Griffin to write out pages of SINGLE LETTERS.... you know, the stuff you get a little 5 YEAR OLD TO DO.

I pointed out that Griffin is NEVER EVER going to be able to write fluently or legibly... to which he got all stroppy and said he was not going to send MY SON out into the world without being able to write properly! Then he just went on the Defensive.... trying to explain what he was doing.

What the fuck? Has he not read all about Griffin's last 6 years in school?
Has he not accepted that Griffin CANNOT WRITE?

I was so mad, which didn't help when he cut our interview short and literally told me to leave his classroom.

So I left, but NOT before telling him I wanted an I.E.P as soon as possible... THANKS.

I was and am still SO ANGRY I am shaking.

I do believe Griffin's teacher does not like me now. TOO FUCKING BAD.

If necessary, I will request Griffin is put in another class.

ONE VICTORY TODAY: I have not run to the pantry and shoved the first thing I see down me gob. There will be NO MORE EMOTIONAL EATING done by me.
It does NOT help. All it does is make you hate yourself just a bit more.

End of Day: Bex made a lovely spag bog for dinner... and ... I ate my medium portion, and left 3/4'ers of the pasta on the plate. I simply didn't need or want it.
Another good day on the WMP for me.
nite nite

TRACY: The teacher knew of Griffin's school history, and what has been tried/done in the past. Griffin has been at that school for over 4 years. I truly think this teacher has his own agenda... which is to be 'THE ONE' who finally teaches Griffin how to write. That is the only thing I can think of to explain his attitude.

WHAT DAY IS IT....?

2013-02-25T09:27:00.000-08:00

IT'S DAY 19 of my/our Weight Management Plan, and I'm happy to report that one's resolve is holding firm.
It is getting easier and easier to keep it up... I want 'it' to become NORMAL asap.

Everyone in the house (well... OK, not Brylee and Griffin) are being ever so helpful.
When Steve cooked on Sunday night, he dished up my dinner and then enquired on whether the portion size was good?
See.... looking out for his Mum. Awwww.

It must be a bit difficult for him and Bex, they love chocolates and lollies and the like... but I have warned them that if they MUST have some... they need to smuggle it into the house!
I don't want to see it... cos I might be tempted to nick it!

lol....even saying that makes me laugh inwardly, cos I am feeling so good right now I don't think I would nick it. But... let's not take that chance eh?
*smiles*

It's weird that, cos I can see sweets/chocolates etc every time I go out, but I can resist. Is that weird or what?

Eleven more days until I will get on the scales. It is rather FUN and FANTASTIC to know that the scales are no longer dictating how I feel EVERY SINGLE DAY! I am positive I will have a loss on Day 30. And if it's only a little loss, well hell... it will still be a loss, and that is totally awesome.

I am only going to think POSITIVE thoughts about this 'Weight Management Plan'... no negativity is going to creep in. NONE... ya hear me?

I would LOVE to think my positivity is going to rub off on some of you 'out there'! Anyone with a weight problem KNOWS that at the end of the day it will only work if your head is in the right PLACE. AND if you really, really want to lose weight for YOURSELF.... not cos someone thinks you SHOULD.

NOW: onto something else.

CUTE BAGS... Yes I can and have made to order. These bags cost around $50 ($N.Z.) to make.
I have in the past made them, and sold them at cost.
Now if anyone wants one I will charge $60 Plus Postage cost.

I am going to be making a few more soon... cos I have really enjoyed having a reason to make them!

These are a few of the possible fabric combinations I'm playing with:

ABOVE: I just LOVE all the combo's!
I have a fair amount of the Shells and Fruit Lady fabric... I got it from an Online Fabric Shop in New York of all places!

IF anyone is interested, just leave me a comment, or email me at : stewandchris@hotmail.com

I plan on making one of each fabric combo over the next week or two.

TODAY: I'm off to the mall to post a couple of little parcels to girls down the line. (Jo & Tracy)

NEXT thing I MUST DO is take a few photos of Dante, apparently his little cherubic face has not been on here for a whole day! OMG... how remiss of me! (*tongue in cheek*) Bex tried to tell me he hadn't been on for over two days, she lied. tut tut.

Yo Bex! Karma. And I.O.U. Don't forget that eh? dumm dee dooo... payback is such a bitch. Worse, you don't know WHEN 'it' will happen!

ONWARD...

Anyone wanting to make a bag like mine themselves, the pattern is on my blog.
Just do a Google search, type in "Diet Coke Rocks, CUTE BAG" and it will come up. It is on my post dated: Saturday, October 23rd, 2010.

So.. Bex, Dante and I went out, posted the parcels and I took her to David's Emporium. She LOVED the place! We would have stayed much longer than we did... but our Dante had other ideas and decided to scream the place down!

So... came home. Just as well... I was busting for a piddle! lol

Steve has had another raging toothache for the past few days, so this afternoon he went to the dentist.
I have photos. I will show you tomorrow!

Tonight's dinner (cooked by me) will be Beef Spare Ribs in a Sticky Rib Marinade, with a pasta/egg/tomato/chive salad. I don't think I can ruin that!

Griffin got his first pimple today. Steve sqeezed it for him. Too much information? lol
I was like, damn, I didn't get a photo of his first pimple!

End of Day: another awesome day, but too hot and muggy. I hope that next summer is way better than this one... I'm hoping that by then I will have lost a decent amount of weight and will find the heat more tolerable. Fingers crossed.
nite nite.

5 TIPS FOR BETTER DIGESTION

2013-02-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

In honor of this evening's Oscars (just trying to weave that in), our stellar group of NYNR'ers (oh hey) who are working big-time on their digestion as we speak, and our never ending quest to just feel damn good. I thought I'd throw out 5 tips to improve digestion. People seem to like lists. They like short lists. Maybe you do some of these or none of these, but this is a good place to start if your digestion is off and you've had it. Alright, let's get cracking:

1. Chew.

Simple right? Apparently not. Sometimes when we sit down to a meal we act like we've just entered the Tour de France. Relax. It's not going anywhere. Why do we this? Maybe because we've gone too long without food...but that's another post entirely. So why does chewing matter? Because digestion begins in the mouth - actually it begins in the brain when you look at the food. Just looking at that Thai curry bowl (you're welcome) makes your brain produce enzymes to prep what's about to come in. The point is to start breaking down food before it hits the stomach. Too many big pieces of food in the stomach = more work for your belly and poor breakdown which leads to gas, bloating, heartburn, belching...and worst of all, can lead to food sensitivities and allergies. So slow your roll. Okay I promise #2 will be shorter...maybe.

2. Address Food Sensitivities

Alright this one is a biggie. I kind of went for it with #2. Sometimes the whole gluten-free, sugar-free, lactose-intolerance thing gets a bad rap. People think it's a trend. I'm going to tell you something - it's not. We're eating a LOT of foods these days we didn't evolve eating. Food sensitivities and intolerances play a massive role in IBS symptoms. I repeat MASSIVE. Most common culprits = gluten, dairy, sugar. Is it fun eliminating food? Not really. Can you do it? Yes. Working with a nutritionist, (ahem), can be a huge help on this one.

3. Increase Good Gut Bacteria

There are good guys and bad guys in the world of the gut. Heard of probiotics? Fermented food? These are things people are now recognizing play a huge role in gut health (which = overall health). Some liken gut flora to a "forgotten organ" due to the extensive role they play. More on that here. Whether it's mild or severe digestive symptoms, when I work with clients, this is the first place I go. Natural ways to get it? Fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, plain & full-fat yogurt, kefir and kimchee. Taking probitoics? All are not created equal, but definitely look for ones that contain the strains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

4. Don't Get Seconds

Sorry. This one sucks. Bottom line: the acid and enzymes that break everything down lose their working power when you've stuffed yourself full. Just take a break. Eating smaller meals can make the difference in everything from constipation to bloating.

5. The 'Raw' Movement may Not be For You

Raw diets are rad in that you're pretty much guaranteeing lots of fresh veggies, fruits, seeds and nuts in your diet, which is cool...but if you're the type of person who eats a salad and feels gassy, bloated, and maybe even gets loose stools or constipated, try switching to cooked veggies instead. Soups, light sautees, roasted veggies: these may be easier for you to digest. Some people do great with salads and raw veggies, but remember you and your cubicle partner do not have the same digestive system. So listen to your belly - pay attention to what foods work for your constitution. Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it's ideal for you.

MONDAY'S.... I JUST LOVE THEM

2013-02-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Apologies to anyone who has to go to work.... while I get to stay home and do the housework, cluck over babies, sew, go shopping, bla bla bla!
It's such a wonderful life I lead. lol

Right...here's more photos from yesterday:

ABOVE: Stew and Keera, she is one of the happiest babies I've ever met.

ABOVE: Rena modelling her new outfit. I gave it to her before her birthday because I wanted to see if she liked it. She did. So she got it early.

ABOVE: Stew and his darling granddaughters.

ABOVE: Steve and Keera, she clearly loves her Uncle.

ABOVE: Sandra... doesn't she look so cute with the hairband you made? We LOVE them.

ABOVE: I said to Steve ... "Go and stand by the pillar so I can get a lovely photo of you and Keera". So that is what he did! What a dick... he knew exactly what he was doing.

ABOVE: now THAT is better.

Today: once I get the kids off to school I plan on sewing. Hopefully I will get both bags finished today.
I will need to go out at some point for cord for Kelly's bag, and maybe a few other bits 'n' bobs.

ABOVE: just cos I can... views on me 'bun'? I often up it up just to get it off me neck... but I've never gone out with it up like this.

ONWARD...

The builders arrive NEXT Monday to start work on the kitchen, then the flooring company arrive Wednesday 6th to lay the new floor. If the builders don't finish their job on the Monday, they will come back on the 12th to finish off.

So, all going well our damage will be all fixed by 13th March.

The outfit Rena is wearing is IDENTICAL to the one I just got back from Hamilon.

I popped out this morning to buy more dowel and cord so I can finish Bex and Kelly's bags.
Kinda got distracted by other things...

ABOVE: I decided I needed a new hacksaw... why are there SO MANY to choose from? I hummed and ha'aaed for ages before deciding to go with a 'middle of the road' one cost-wise.

After Bunnings, I went over to David's Emporium again and picked up some lace, braid, ...

... buttons and pretty embellishments for cards.

NOW... I can get back to me sewing.

*Hi*.... been sewing for the last few hours... and here are the results:

ABOVE: Kelly's Zumba Bag. She can have it next time she comes up... as an early Birthday Present.
Ha! So much for me NOT giving Birthday presents to me grown up kids. *sigh*

ABOVE: Bex's Baby Bag... THIS is also her early Birthday present. I think her Birthday is sometime soon? (yep, just checked the Birthday Book), her birthday is in March. OH and she ♥ LOVES ♥ orange. Just sayin'.

I have really enjoyed sewing again. I love being productive ... and it's even nicer if you enjoy what you are doing.

My 'turn' to cook dinner tonight. Chicken nibbles baked in a Lemon & Herb marinade, accompanied by rice and stir fry veges.
I need a WOK. Might just go looking for one tomorrow.

WHOOPS! I forgot the rice. Dinner was a flop too... the chicken was too rich, and I kinda burnt the bottom. Not often I have a failure... dammit.

End of Day: a lovely day, thrilled to get two bags done and dusted in such a short time.
nite nite.

SUNDAY... SEWING HOPEFULLY

2013-02-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

Today, all going well.. I intend to make a start on two more bags. One will be Bex's Baby Bag, and the other will be Kelly's 'Zumba Bag'.

I sent Kelly out yesterday to choose her fabrics for her bag, this is what she came home with:

ABOVE: Very pretty, I will enjoy transforming it into a pretty bag for her.
Bex's, not so sure. It is a rather bright orange... (whoops! there's that word again!)... but anyway, hopefully it looks nice once teamed with the blue she chose too.

ABOVE: Right, Jo... get back to me with your address so I can send you the pretty wee girl's outfit that has no home!

AND.... anyone got a wee boy around 1 year old who can use the wee jumper? It is brand new, never worn... and apparently quite hideous! A bit like the wee girl's outfit... unwanted, and lucky it didn't end up in the bin.

Moving on... Bex did a bit of shopping for Dante yesterday at Farmers... they were having a sale again.

ABOVE: Dante is growing so fast he needed bigger summer suits, so Bex got this lot for under $40!

ABOVE: Talking of Master Dante... how darling is our wee man? Such a spoilt little bugger, he loves nothing more than being held up on your shoulder while you pace the floor with him. *sigh* Can anyone else see a definite ginger-ish tinge in his hair?

ABOVE: And yes, the men are trying to teach him bad habits already! He looks so content! Bet in a few months when they WON'T let him drink it he won't be quite so happy.

Ok... enough for now, I want to get the washing on before I venture downstairs to the sewing ...

ONWARD...

Does anyone else have trouble with vacum cleaners? I swear to god ... every single vacum cleaner we have ever owned has been utter shit.
This one has constantly given us problems. Stew has literally taken it apart fully, and he still can't find a reason/blockage why it's not working.

The only vacum I have owed and loved was a Kirby. Stew didn't like it much cos it didn't get into the corners well... but I thought it was a fantastic machine.

I might even investigate getting one.

ABOVE: now there's two of them trying to make it go. Fingers crossed...

Stew's sister has arrived for a visit... we are having a lovely time showing off the grandkids, Rena, Keera and Dante.

I had had a very productive few hours... I stayed and visited with Khady for an hour or so, then took off downstairs to get started on the bags for Kelly and Bex.

ABOVE: Great-Aunty Khady and our Keera.

ABOVE: Rena's turn for a cuddle.

ABOVE: it was lovey to see Khady, although we live in the same city, we don't get to see her nearly enough.

ABOVE: Lacy walking Dante around.... the expression on his face is so funny.... I'd love to know what was going on in his head!

ABOVE: I think I'm making good progress on the bags... hopefully I shall finish both of them tomorrow.

Steve and Bex cooked dinner tonight. Steve made an amazing marinade for the pork chops he was going to cook... accompanied by a lettuce salad and mashed potatoe with little cubes of apple in it! The pork chops were delicious, he had grated apple on the top of the chops too. I am so impressed with his and Bex's dinners!

And even more grateful that they are trying different things... it's fun trying different dishes.

End of Day: I took lots more photos today, which I will show ya tomorrow.
Time for me to relax for the evening...
nite nite.

EDIT: No ANON, Amanda did NOT send them back, our daughter Kelly went and got them back.

WOW CRACKS... AND BABIES

2013-02-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

It has been a long, hot, dry summer here.
We get cracks in our lawn. Well to be honest, you can't call them 'lawns' right now... more like weeds and crispy bits!
I will show you:

ABOVE: Lacy sitting beside one big crack... you can't tell... but it runs along the lawn quite a way...

ABOVE: she decided to see how deep it was seeing as she could get her hand in it...

ABOVE: hmmmm, quite deep then! Up on our back lawn most of the cracks are that deep!!!

ABOVE: these cracks are not as deep, I think! They are down by our lounge. As you can see, there is almost NO actual grass growing, all you can see is weeds.

I hope we get rain soon.... and lots of it. For a week would be nice!

Now... here's a little video I took last night when Lacy, Keera, Kelly and Rena were visiting...

ABOVE: Our gorgeous 'Auckland' Babies. I can see them growing up together and hopefully being great friends all their lives.

TODAY? I'd like to start on anothe UFO, so I can keep to my 'schedule' of getting at least one finished a month. THEN I can start on something new!

IF the girls let me!
Bex wants a baby bag now (she's been using my bag), and when Kelly saw Lacy's last night, she now wants one too!

I told her she had to go to Spotlight and choose the fabrics herself. I shall probably go and make sure she gets the right sorta fabric!

Bex bought her fabric on Wednesday... so technically, I could start on her's today... hmmmm.... maybe.

ONWARD...

Today is a gorgeous day! Sunshine, but not too hot. We are heading out soon to Botany Mall.... I want to look at another sort of doorguard.

ABOVE: this was my BEST doorguard ever... but in the past couple of months it has sustained a bit of damage. First Sienna put her foot through it, and last night Lacy did too.

I am going to try and mend it or maybe put some other fabric in place of the mesh.

This morning I managed to fall over it, hurting both my knees, and both my arms! I even managed to jam me fingers in the sliding door of the linen cupboard too! Not fun.

We are trying to confine Coco to just the laundry and hallways of the house while she is on heat. I can't bear the thought of her lying on beds or couches/cushions right now. Ikkkky.
Hence the doorguards being up.

ABOVE: this is the fabric for the next baby bag I will be making. Bex LOVES orange. I don't think I will ever be able to look at anything orange again without getting reminded of 'The Outfit from Hell'.

Botany ... where Kiwiyo is... and I learnt today that my resolve can easily be dented. After last night's naughty dinner... I had promised myself that I would be EXTREMELY good today.

I had a small helping of Kiwiyo, and while it wasn't that much, I still feel I shouldn't of had it.
I am going to fast for the rest of the day cos I really don't want what I ate to impact on my loss this month... and I am really hoping for a decent loss on Day 30!

Bearing in mind I am not going to gauge how well I've done on NUMBERS alone, but rather, more on how I feel, and how my clothes fit.

I found a new door guard, a retractable one that I hope lasts the distance. I'm still trying to decide where to fix it. I want the kitchen to be safe guarded from crawling babies, and the stairs.

ALRIGHT ALREADY.... I won't fast. I will have a TINY dinner, and some fruit. OK? *poking me tongue at ya* lol

End of Day: Stew's turn to cook. He made a Chicken/Bacon/pasta dish ... it was really nice.
We all had a lovely relaxing evening... and then everyone went off to bed. I stayed up because I've become addicted to Real Life Medical stories on YouTube. OMG YouTube is addictive!
Must work on curbing that.
lol
nite nite.

Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetable Recipe

2013-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

The other week I finally took the plunge and got my hands on a slow cooker.. I'd heard great things about slow cookers and was drawn in by the promise of healthy, easy and hearty meals (in just one pot!). The recipe that I have for you today was inspired by one that I saw on a YouTube video. The end result was delicious and as such I cannot recommend slow cookers enough. Today's recipe uses beef.. beef is not only a great source of protein but is rich in iron (needed for oxygen to be transported around the body - a lack of energy can be a sign of iron deficiency), zinc (for your immune system) and B vitamins (to maintain a variety of healthy bodily functions).

Here are the ingredients that I used..

700g beef (I used diced casserole beef and removed any visible fat)

1/3 cup flour (enough to coat the meat with a thin layer)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large spring onions

5 carrots

4 large mushrooms

1 tsp garlic granules

1/3 cup (80ml) tomato puree

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup (125 ml) red wine

2 tablespoons of thyme

Salt & pepper to season

And here's what to do..

1) Coat the beef pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess and pop the meat into your slow cooker over your hob or frying pan if you have a conduction hob like me with the oil - lightly fry the beef pieces until brown all over and put to one side
2) Add your chopped veg to the pan and fry until softened
3) Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, red wine, garlic and thyme and cook for 3-4 mins until softened
4) Add the beef back in to the pan and mix well
5) Add your beef mix to your slow cooker and cook for 3-4 hours on high, 4-6 hours on medium or 6-8 hours low.. then season with salt and pepper.

This recipe served 4 hungry mouths and I served it with a side of basmati (low GI) rice.. additional spinach and crusty bread is optional :)

What are your favourite healthy slow cooker recipes?!

Happy Cooking!

Nic x

*This blog post had been kindly sponsored by XLS Medical.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACY, AND PAYBACK.

2013-02-21T09:37:00.000-08:00

Today is Lacy's birthday. She is 33! I don't give out presents to big kids now... but she is lucky cos I actually made her something she said she DIDN'T WANT... but secretly I think she will be thrilled with it!
Time will tell. We will probably have her over for dinner tonight.
Lacy... Don't expect cake !

Yesterday, while backing out of Lacy's driveway, Bex yelled out "Look out for that silver van!!!"... and I literally SHAT MYSELF with fright!

She. Was. JOKING.

Ha ha ha ????

LIKE HELL.

I have warned her that I will get her back... AND. I. WILL.

When she least expects it.

A bit like me getting Lacy back by toilet papering her house.

I'm already laughing cos I know EXACTLY what I'm gunna do to her!

Now, she is shitting herself. *insert evil little snigger here*

Also yesterday, my washing machine shat itself and stopped spinning out the water.
So I'm lucky ... Steve is handy like that. When he got home he hauled it outside and looked into the back, where the filter is.

ABOVE: Steve hauling it outside. I had already drained the water out with a syphon hose.

ABOVE: Oh my god. So glad there wasn't any dead critters under the machine. Just dust, dirt, twigs, leaves and a few other 'sundry' things!

So, Steve found the problem, the filter was blocked by....

ABOVE: Bex's hair clips!!! I virtually never use hairclips, so they had to be her's. Oh well... she did clean the mess up, so I forgive her.

Coco came into heat again yesterday. Man yesterday was a busy day! Anyway... it's back to keeping her locked up for almost a fortnight. Making sure she doesn't escape out the front door looking for Mac ... (well actually, any boy dog would do, she's a hussy!). We really don't want her to have puppies again this soon.

Right, off to do the lunches, make beds, tidy the house and then sew a bit I think.

ONWARD...

So... I went out for some dowel... to finish off a UFO (Unfinished Object), and got ummm... a little bit more stuff than I intended:

ABOVE: the new dog collar is for a 'fake' bark collar I'm going to make. We have one and it works EXTREMELY well, but the dog who doesn't have it on still barks and howls like crazy at the drop of a hat. So I am making a fake one to put on the 'other' dog, so it thinks it's got it on and hopefully won't bark!

The trick is to switch them around all the time so both dogs get zapped on and off. I hope it works.

The other things are gorgeous buttons... which I got from David's Emporuim on Cavendish Drive. Oh my god, I so have to take Bex there! She will love it. I sure do.

ABOVE: I finished Lacy's gift .... now all I have to do is hope she likes it!

COMMENTS TODAY? Has everyone gone bush after me rants yesterday? Am I boring today? *smiles*

SOUTHGIRL: Nope, it's not a wallhanging... I will show all of it once Lacy has arrived and received it. And Nope, I'm quite sure you are not DUMB!

ABOVE: She got her parcel. I had to use three separate pieces of gift wrap cos I didn't have any single piece large enough.

ABOVE: As you can now see, I made her a 'baby bag'... NOT to put THE BABY IN ya twit!!!
But she tried anyway.

ABOVE: Clearly, she LOVED IT. She screamed when she realised what it was... be thankful you were NOT in my lounge! It was LOUD.

ABOVE: Another nice photo ...

ABOVE: and another one of her being a twit.

Bex has spent a long time in the kitchen today, making two cakes for tonight. One is a Banana Cake and one is an Apple Pie Cake.

Lacy arrived, smelt the cake... and sneaked into the fridge and....

ABOVE: she took a bite out of the banana cake!

Now that Stew is home, he's off to get dinner. This will be the first takeaway meal we have had in 2 weeks! Wow we are doing well.
I've decided to partake in fish 'n' chips and a little piece of Birthday Cake tonight.

As it will be my first 'naughty' meal, I hope I don't end up regretting it.

IF I DO... well I will be able to use that feeling to my advantage... and probably won't do it again? Not sure. I'm probably trying to talk myself into believing it's OK... lol.

We shall see in an hour or so I suppose...

End of Day: the fish 'n' chips? Nope, did not enjoy them at all. The cake? Yep, liked that and don't regret eating some at all.
Tomorrow.... right back on track.
nite nite

REALLY???

2013-02-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

I would like YOUR HONEST opinion people.

Is this wee girl's outfit HIDEOUS???

ABOVE: I have bought three of these outfits for three little Granddaughter's birthday's this year.
I sent Emily her's this week (her Birthday is today), it was received and this was the response apparently:

*Hey Chris, thought you would like to see this:

STATUS UPDATE ON AMANDA'S FACEBOOK:
"So it's the thought that counts, that's fine but seriously, if your not gona make an effort, maybe just don't waste your money and a card will be just fine.
Disappointed.

COMMENT: Amanda: Ems birthday tomorrow, she got a parcel this mornin, that's fine but the present, well lets just say, that person should know WAY better than that. Funnily enough they did the same thing at Xmas for Liam, do I send them back or give them away? My kids will never ever wear them"

The above arrived (as a comment) from an anonymous person on my blog, who felt the need to send it to me. I don't know if I'm happy about that, because it hurt a lot to know how she felt about my gift to Emily.

Emily, who WE adore and have not seen since October. Looks like we won't be seeing her, her infant brother or big brothers for a very long time.

Seems we are negative, evil people.

OH and for the record: SEND THE GIFT BACK THANKS, before you throw it in the bin.

EDIT: I FORGOT Amanda did not like Orange. I don't like orange either, but I thought this little outfit was really cute.

2nd EDIT: I would NOT have put this on my public blog normally, but after EVERYTHING ELSE Amanda has done to our family over the past YEAR ... she had it coming! I could no longer let my readers think she was a nice daughter... when clearly she isn't. She has done so much damage that almost EVERYONE in our family NO LONGER wants to know her.

KARMA is a bitch, and we hope it bites her in the arse real soon.

MOVING ON... because that is all I can do...

Bex, Dante, Lacy, Keera and I are going to Sylvia Park today. It is Keera's access visit with her father today.
Bex and Lacy will go girly shopping with Dante while Keera sees her father.

THEN after that, we are meeting up with Lynda for lunch.
We have agreed NOT to talk about food or weight related issues cos we really don't get on if we do THAT! lol
*sorry Lynda, just sayin' how it is* *smiles*
I think we will be clucking over babies somehow!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING EMILY, we love you no matter what. Love Grandma and Grandad H.

ONWARD...

JO: IF it comes back I will send it to you! Thanks.

Point taken... it was nasty of me to 'talk' about this here. But... and you have to know there is a BUT... I was livid, and there has been so much hurt dealt out to ME and others in this house in the past year, I really, really wanted to hit back.

MY PREROGATIVE. MY BLOG. MY FEELINGS. MY WAY TO VENT.

And as MY BLOG is the way I choose to vent, there ya have it! PUBLIC? To fucking right.

I know it is immature. I know it is mean. I know it is setting a bad example.

Fuck, I'm not stupid.

But I am human.

And MY GOD she had it coming.

There is no point me trying to talk to her about all she has done... because in her eyes she has done NO WRONG. (oh and there is the little problem with her REFUSING to answer her phone when she sees it's me on the line).

Would you like it if you couldn't see your own grandchildren without an express invite? Without them saying 'YES' then taking it back while accusing you of MAYBE....

- Swinging their baby around by it's legs!
- Throwing it up in the air!
- Or WORSE, Pinning it on the clothes line and then swinging it around???

Thanks for THAT Andrew. Yep, that really, really hurt.

HOW would you like that thrown at you???

LIKE WE WOULD EVER do that to a baby or any kid for that matter!

Because there is a very long history of behavior dealt out to ME and Steve, Bex, Lacy AND Stew ... I am not going to go on and on about all the other things Amanda has said and done.... just know this was not a random, left field attack on my Daughter.

It was my way of showing her how much she has hurt US and FUCKING PISSED ME OFF.

Last Straw.... last VENT about that daughter of mine. I have no intention of PLAYING ANY MORE GAMES with Amanda as someone so eloquently put it.

This is no game. It's my life. And it has sucked for a very long time. Doing this was like me drawing a line in the sand. Now we can all move on, knowing where we all stand.

Amanda has no idea what she has done... or what she is denying her children.
We are actually FANTASTIC Grandparents. And I can say that because WE BLOODY WELL ARE.

And I have taken the HIGHER GROUND for too bloody long, it was CHOKING ME. I feel so much better now.

Anyone who doesn't like it... that is your problem, not mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The visit with Keera's father went well. Bex and Lacy shopped for fabric at Spotlight, then Bex, Dante, Keera and I had lunch with Lynda and her 1 year old Grandson.
We had a lovely hour or so together, then off home we went.

NOW... I'm going to sit down and just relax for a while.

Let me SINS sink in. Cos I do feel a bit bad for having aired dirty linen on here.
Bad - YES ... Regretful - NO

I am very happy to say that today's shit storm HAS NOT sent me head first into the pantry.
HOURS and HOURS with a psychologist has been so worth it. I may still have 'KNEE JERK' reactions SOMETIMES, but I put that down to ongoing PROVOCATION.

My will to lose weight and be fit and healthy again is still SO VERY STRONG.

I want to live long enough to see my grandkids when they are adults... adults who give me GREAT-GRANDKIDS one day.

EDIT: apologies on her surname being on here, I totally missed that fact... and it has been rectified now.

Dinner tonight: some interestingly flavoured sausages (Pork/Apple/Sage & Chicken/Tarragon), accompanied by potato wedges, and green veges.
I'm quite looking forward to it too... I'm rather hungry... but thankfully I haven't got the shakes this afternoon. Not sure why. But it's good.

End of Day: Looking forward to tomorrow. I'm done with today.
nite nite

Anna asks: Supplements. So many... how do I know what's right?

2013-02-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

So... Anna wants to know - how the heck do we navigate the supplement world? We know we can't get it all from food {we wish} so how do we know what's best, what to take and when.

Whew. Can you say "can of worms...." but alright, we promised we'd dig in so here goes. In our world, supplements are a bit like prescriptions - hence "prescribe nutrition." What I mean is that one size does NOT fit all. Sorry food pyramid {I know it's a plate now}, but we know each person has such individual needs that requires their diet and supplements to fit them. Really low on energy (among other things)? I go straight to the B's... Having some gut/digestive issues? We know you likely need some good bacteria and digestive enzymes... Feeling low, blue, and/or anxious? Might need a little love from Vitamin D or some friendly amino acids. So there's that. Got it all figured out? Probably not, huh.

If Megan and I had to brand a signature series it would probably look like this: a really good grade fish oil {EPA/DHA}, a jamming probiotic {we love Ultra Flora Balance or VSL3 if your system is in real need!}, vitamin D3 and maybe a whole foods based multi vitamin. Maybe a multivitamin? Yep... the body has a really hard time absorbing all that is in a multi. It's not bad to take one but it isn't the catch all. You need to identify your individual needs based on how you feel and your diet and go from there. This isn't to say taking a multi is a wash... it's just likely you need some back-up. Got it now? Probably still some ?? That's OK. Our goal with clients is to help navigate this complex world of nutrition {and the supporting supplements} so you don't have to. I hope this note allows you the opportunity to ask yourself, "What do I need?"

Sending you some Vit D {we need it in MN!} love,

Katie

Metcalfe's Skinny Topcorn & Rice Cakes

2013-02-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

As I said in my ‘healthy snacks’ YouTube video last week, the Metcalfe’s Skinny range is pretty new to me. When I first gazed my eyes upon it in the supermarket I thought it may actually be too good to be true – hurray for me that it wasn’t! The motto on the front says ‘good for fitness freaks, snackers and veggies’.. the ultimate light snack to be enjoyed any time, just like crisps but with much less calories, fat and saturated fat. Each bag contains on average just 120 calories, 15g carbs (same as a slice of bread) less than 5g of fat and provides nearly 3g of fibre.

Most of us eat by volume.. which means that larger portions will often leave us feeling more satisfied. A bag of crisps certainly doesn’t fill me but these bags of popcorn are in another league.. they are huge in comparison and as such, extremely satisfying. They really do satisfy hunger cravings and also make the perfectly healthy (and acceptable), wholegrain cinema snack!

Metcalfe’s Skinny Topcorn is available in five different flavours.. Chocolate crackle (yet to try but I cannot wait to!!), wasabi (the perfect amount of hotness and tanginess – and possibly my favourite for post work-out/between meals), sea-salt (classic and a favourite with my friends), sweet ‘n salt (the most more-ish popcorn, and possibly my favourite flavour for the cinema) and heat ‘n sweet (if you like sweet chilli you will like this!!).

Also available in the ‘skinny’ range are these rice cakes, which come topped with yoghurt, dark chocolate or milk chocolate. These beauties are the ultimate sweet treat and are made with some wholegrain rice too. They are so delicious that it’s pretty much impossible to resist eating all three at once from the pack (unless you kindly share them out!).. at only 80 calories a slice they are a lower calorie treat but half of me wishes that they were packaged in two’s not three’s.. but maybe that’s just me being picky (and on some occasions three may be actually needed!).

You can pick up the Metcalfe’s Skinny range from selected Sainsbury’s stores, Ocado and online.

I hope you find this review useful.. happy healthy snacking!!

Nic x

I AM PATHETIC, SNACKS.... AND 'CLEAN EATING'

2013-02-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Bex and I did a very MODEST 20 minute walk... and by last night I felt so, so tired!
PATHETIC. How the bloody HELL did I let myself get so unfit???
So overweight AGAIN??

I am so angry with myself. And sad.
SAD that once again I have to lose it all... and get fit again.

5 years WASTED, when I could have been fit and happy with myself. *sigh*

MOVING ON.

SNACKS: I am really scared of even having one snack during the day. Scared that it will be the beginning of over snacking. I've done it before. I know my own weaknesses. Snacking is a HUGE one for me.
So... no snacking I think. Which makes it a bit hard when one is a diabetic! I get the shakes REALLY BADLY by late afternoon.

When this happened in the past I'd quickly make myself a peanut butter sandwich, then I'd be OK again.

I don't want to eat peanut butter sandwiches anymore.

I'll leave this problem in the 'too hard' basket for now... any ideas... gimme!

CLEAN EATING: what the f*#@ is with this 'saying'? What is 'CLEAN' food ... and if it's not CLEAN... does that make it DIRTY then? Explain this someone. (OK, I do get what someone kinda means when they say it, but come on!)

Say this to a kid and try to explain it eh?

"Griffin you cannot eat THAT, it's dirty"

Hmmmm... thought provoking me thinks.
Perhaps it would be better to say 'Good' or 'Bad'?

Here is a photo of me sushi from last night (Stew's plateful):

ABOVE: they were all chicken... some with teriyaki sauce, some with cranberry sauce, and differing stuff inside too. I asked Stew to bring home another bottle of Cranberry Sauce ....

ABOVE: and that is what he brought home! I didn't like the Sweet & Sour, the Teriyaki was too strong, but I do like the Plum and Cranberry. I'm not even going to worry about how much sugar or whatever is in it... it's yum and that's all there is to it! It's not like I drank a whole bottle full... *SMILES*

Lastly for now, a really cute video of Teddy after the bath Lacy gave him yesterday:

ABOVE: poor bugger. He's been in a cone for two months already.

ONWARD...

It is a stunning day! And I'm loving the quiet leisurely mornings once the kids are at school. Some mornings I walk around in me nightie for an hour or more! Luckily no one has knocked on me door ... me in my nightie ain't a good look!

Going out soon, just for the hell of it! Spotlight, here we come!

So frustrated, so, so angry right now and the worst thing? I CANNOT say a word here or anywhere about it. But ... thanks to seeing a psychologist for the best part of 6 months I am LEARNING to let things go. At least I can thank 'someone' for that, but then again, I wouldn't have NEEDED to see a health professional to help with depresson if it wasn't for 'someone'. Grrrrrr.

Retail therapy, here I come! dum dee doooo....

WOW... who needs a slap then?
My little rant above was NOT anything to do with a person in HAMILTON.
If I wanted to rant about HER, it would be on my PRIVATE blog.
Another daughter of mine is driving me nuts right now.... and she knows it. And OMG she's on the phone right now going on and on at me... maybe I should hang up ... yep. I did.

Oi CRANKY: yes I think I got all your emails! I've not updated P.I.Y. in a while cos all is going well! Shock horror!

Right, now that I'm feeling better (Ha! I ended up hanging up on a certain pain in the butt 3 times today!)..I will show you what I bought today:

ABOVE: two gorgeous bath towels (half price), a beach towel (half price), a metre of fabric (20% off) a new card cutting punch, and some metallic paper. Just love that Spotlight shop!

I am now going down to the garage to sew... yaaaa.

ABOVE: yaaa, another cot sheet done. I love this one. The other thing I did was continue working on a UFO, something I started about a year ago ... I should have it finished in a day or two.

It is Bex's turn to cook tonight. She is doing a beef stir fry. Should be nice.... even though I'm probably not going to have any! I had a large salad for lunch, so am not hungry at all yet.

LEIGH: that is a novel idea. Teddy has the same problem every summer... His skin goes bright pinky/red and he whimpers and cries and can't keep still.... suggests it is an allergy.

He has been on Steroids and Anti Inflammatory medication before, but as they will shorten his life, I only use them when he is really bad.
Actually, now that I think about it, he probably SHOULD have gone on them this summer, but I've been a bit distracted.

Poor bugger. He has been a bit neglected this summer. Now I feel bad.

End of Day: well...it's been an up and down sort of day. Glad it's over.
nite nite.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACY, AND PAYBACK.

REALLY???

Anna asks: Supplements. So many... how do I know what's right?

Metcalfe's Skinny Topcorn & Rice Cakes

I AM PATHETIC, SNACKS.... AND 'CLEAN EATING'

5,000 followers on twitter giveaway with Holland & Barrett