Hidden treasures

Look what I found. Quite unexpected. In a file called "precious things".

Precious indeed....

Today

Stole this idea from Cathy Zieleske's blog (http://cathyzielske.typepad.com/) who got it from Ali Edwards' blog (http://www.aliedwards.typepad.com/)...

TODAY....

Outside my window... It's bright. Not a lot of sun, but enough. It is cool enough for a light sweater. Nice to go for a walk in.

I am thinking... about how I need to get off the computer and go and pick up my Dad for lunch. He will be wondering where I am....

I am thankful for... not having to work right now. And my husband who is so supportive to allow me to make this choice.

From the kitchen... last night - home made mini pizza's for the kids (made with the kids) and pumpkin salad for grown ups!

I am wearing... black shirt, long watermelon coloured twirling skirt, pink havianas. And the earrings I wore on my wedding day(and Alex noticed!).

I am creating... a blog post!

I am going... to pick up my Dad for lunch.

I am reading... a number of vampire porn numbers and some new ones recommended by Sussanah.

I am hoping... the kids have a great day at their sports carnival at school and Lucio enjoys his first non-relative sleep over tonight at his best friends' house. they are twin boys, Reede and Lane. they are gorgeous boys and I love their family. We have been slowly getting to know each other for the last two years. Love that their family also goes slowly with building trust and adores their kids.

I am hearing... Nothing. Except the hum of the harddrive.

Around the house... things are tidy. Nice. Quiet.

One of my favorite things... New makeup...waiting for me.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Playdates for kids. Wine with my mum tonight. More exploration of a new find ....go here....you wont' be sorry...

http://www.lobotome.com/index.html

x

Synopsis of days...

So it's been five and a bit weeks since I embraced a new way of life. This is kind of a long post, so settle in...if you can bare to get through my ramblings...

I have not missed work at all. I am sure that is not surprising. It has surprised me how little i have thought of work. I have always been so focussed on work. It has been such a big part of me, so much of my identity. To suddenly not be that person anymore - to not identify myself as that woman who for 15 years was certain about what i did and was comfortable with how it defined me.
I know that work life is just a small part of us - and at the end of the day, it really is so insignificant. But it for so long been a huge part of me. I invested so much of myself (sometimes in a detrimental way) to my work. I achieved so much. I am really proud of my accomplishments.
It's just weird. Like when Alex asked me to marry him I agreed, on three conditions...one of which was that he had to accept that i wasn't sure I wanted children. I was pretty steadfast that I wouldn't change my mind. But I did. One day I woke up, quite literally, and said, "I want a baby...I want to be a Mummy".
It is that experience, and several others, that I know never say never! You just cannot predict what can happen in your life, who will come in and who will leave and how you change and how all the experiences you have alters you, inspires you, changes you, moves you....
I have been listening to that PINK song, Who Knew? a lot lately. I have come to really like her music - when for years I really dismissed her. She has been touring Australia and while I haven't been able to get to one of her concerts, I did watch a "all weekend" special on Austar. (I didn't watch it ALL weekend....just off and on when I had the chance!) and found her to be a really interesting chick. Loved her views on things and so started paying more attention to her music. So different to the usual music I like. But that's Ok. I am not a music snob. I know what i like. Music transports you. i don't believe you can love or not love music just because of its genre or because it's cool or whatever. It's the feeling it gives you. I am proud to say I love Galveston by glenn Campbell. I am sure Mr campbell does not forfil most people's checklist of cool....but the song reminds me of being a kid. Hanging with my dad. How could you not love that?
So back to PINK....and Who knew? ..."When someone said count your blessings now..For they're long gone..I guess I just didn't know how...I was all wrong...They knew better. Still you said forever...And ever. Who knew?"
So who would have thought I'd be where I am right now? Not me.
Wondering if I will ever get my 'professional' mojo back. Wondering if I even want it back?

I have done things I have put off. And this makes me happy. I did cut my list in half...and half again.....but that cut away part....I want to get to those things too.

Crafting....I have pulled out and dusted down my craft stuff and called upon my creative juices to make things. Pics in the collage of one of my projects - I will unveil it when done - but it's made from felt and will ultimately be a hairclip holder for Aria. My eldest niece, Anneka, came and hung out with me and did craft with me. It was great. She's 13. That's usually when girls don't want to hang out with 'older' people. I think she may see me as the 'cool' aunt. I like that. We talked about school and music and mobile phones. No boys yet....
I know I am not earning any money at the moment, so should be budgeting. But that's the part I struggle with. I am used to disposable income. I want to be better at being wise with money. To ask myself (at least sometimes) is this new pair of shoes a case of NEED or just WANT. So anyway....pic of Aria's latest twirling skirt. How divine is that?
http://kidsgotstyle.com.au/catalog/lulu-cancan-skirt-strawberry-p-5856.html?osCsid=3097c4185c260780479182be68a17719
...Go there and you can see similar ones....they come in many different styles/colours etc. A must have for any little twirler....
I have had time to WATCH and ENJOY the twirling for a change. And take pictures. Lots of pictures.
I have been able to be the cool mum and have Lucio's friends over. A lot. I had a house full of 8 year old boys recently and as long I spoke the language of Star Wars and Indiana Jones all was good. I love that Lucio and his friends love to draw. Check these guys out.....drawing the pics of the covers of the DVD's and XBOX games. I made sure when I served up pizza I said, "Here you go boys, may the force be with you..."
Gardening. I still have so much to do. This is a sneak preview. I am so happy with it. Has inspired me to do more. Has frightened me as to how expensive it is and how exhausting it is. Kind of like childbirth....why didn't anyone tell me this? LOL
I have been to a Tupperware party....and bought stuff that I don't really need but it's pretty and will redefine my cooking prowress (still a work in progress)...
I have framed photos that i have had for ages and actually put them up on walls....and found a perfect spot for this very personal and special piece done by Mandy at belle and Boo ( http://www.belleandboo.blogspot.com/) .....I see this everyday and some days it makes me smile, other times it gives me a lump in my throat and other times I get angry. But I am so glad I have it. Thankyou Sheye x
More shopping....nothing like shopping online huh? Who doesn't love it when the courier arrives and yells out "Parcel". It's like heaven. Got myself a booty of new Benefit products. If you haven't tried them, you must. I highly recommend the Dandelion powder. Never leave home without it. http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/gp/browse.html/ref=sc_bb_c_3_169082011_1?ie=UTF8&node=351574011&no=169082011&me=A2CD3UT466CEX4&bcBrand=core&clicked=center-32&ext_id=ps_ggl_SBAU+en_Australia+Brand_benefit+make-up_&SR=sr2BI13go11sb91pi1ai2
Been hanging with my divine cats. Tsar and Misha. The russian blue little spunks. Love them. They calm me.
Been reading! Love the quiet times to do this.
Been on many coffee dates with girlfriends. Coffee dates that turn in to lunch dates adn then before you know it, opps, it's time to pick up the kid from school. How indulgent but wonderful.
Poor Leoni, the divine cupcaker from Happy cakes http://littlecakesformyhappy.blogspot.com/
I see he at school drop off and accross the car park hand motion "Coffee?" and she has been known to yell back, "Get a job!". Jazmin called me "temptress" yet still came and had coffee and then trawled the aisles of Spotlight with me.....
We have hosted BBQs - perfect weather for it. There has been some great friends and family who we haven't managed to see for so long. It's been great to catch up. Drink wine. Nothing like sausages on bread. So Australian!
My cooking skills have kind of stalled. I need to work on that. My office renovation hasn't commenced yet. i am a little overwhelmed...but I am getting there.
I have three big bags for the Salvation Army. I know there is more to come.
I give myself a foot massage every night. I am drinking less coffee (ironically).
Kids start school holidays today. It will be nice to have the holidays be just about them. Not me thinking, ok, i am off work....now let's try to get a zillion other things done...as I would normally do. I have done all the other little things and can just hang out with Lucio & Aria. That will be nice.
Aria and I going to see Disney on Ice in Brisbane in a couple of weeks. Will be great to see this, have a 'girlie' little vacation and hang with Haida and her kids.
Am starting to think about Aria's 6th birthday party....next month. How can she be turning six????
Wow, this really has been a rambling crazy post. Just a snapshot of where I have been....x

Rockstar

There has been plenty of PINK songs being sung around this house lately. The kids belt out SO WHAT like there's no tomorrow. It's hard not to start singing along and feeling like all is good in the world.
Love hearing the kids sing and laugh.
Here's a couple of rockstars...Aria & Paige.

x

The girl with the arched eyebrow.....

Noone can deny...there is something about my little girl. Miss Aria has her very own sense of style. She comes home from school and immediately changes out of her uniform and in to "pretty clothes". It may create more washing for me...but I kinda love that she appreciates the many pretty things she is lucky to have.
Today she has sprayed some of my perfume. She has put on this red necklace of mine she is wearing in these pictures. She puts on her patent leather shoes that looks like tap shoes. She does her eyedo. Today she also put on some eyeshadow (because she is only allowed at home with this)....bright pink.
I love this about her. She is strong and independent and fiesty...yet still so girlie.
What's not to love?
We are now going to cook pancakes.

Makes my heart sing........

Miss Aria with her Aunty Sheye when she visited in May.
That hug says it all. x

Did you know there are personal shoppers at Hardware stores?

Did you know there are personal shoppers at hardware stores? I am serious.
I wanted to post a bit of an update of what I have been doing as a lady of luxury....

I have baked every day. Honest. I have mastered banana cake. I have made numerous offerings to my family who politely encourage me. Lucio, bless him, just tonight said, "Thanks so much for cooking mum. I know you tried really hard. But do you mind if I just have a bowl of fruit?".

I was a bit broken hearted. It's probably number 7 of dinners I have been very excited about, have followed instructions, presented said offerings in fancy bowls using best cutlery and new linen....and it looks amazing...but doesn't taste so good.

Like I said, my banana cake is good.

I will perservere. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I am gardening. OH yes. For those of you who know me well I am sure this will be greeted with a range of smart ass comments like, "Oh, don't break a nail" and "did you work up a sweat?". Mock me if you will, but I have kicked ass in the Bourke's backyard lady of luxury edition. However, I have indeed broken a nail or two, developed callouses on my palms and my feet are in dire need of a good pedicure.

I am taking pictures and plan on putting together a whole post dedicated to my gardening prowress.

My induction in to the world of gardening has been smooth. After a morning of coffee with the girls discussing my bold plans of hitting the hardware store (and them snickering) I did indded enter a brave new world. I have a picture here to prove it. Yep, that was taken by me INSIDE a big super hardware/gardening store.
I had my list. My plan I had drawn up, with measurements. And my scrapbook of pics torn from many magazines. First friendly service person I saw, I showed my scrapbook to and said, "I wanna do this. Where do I start?".
I have no doubt I had "GIRL HAS NO CLUE" in neon on my forehead, but they were so kind. I could have had a camera crew with me for a reality program called "The girl hasn't got a clue" or "Does the weed killer come in pink?".

It was fun. Kind of like real shopping - maybe even a little better. I had my own personal assistant who scurried around after me with his pen and paper and wrote down my order then I just took the paper to the "trade checkout" (getting the lingo here) and a big truck (driven by men with great guns) turned up on my door the very next day. I didn't even have to push a trolley.
How come I haven't discovered this sooner?

Ok, so several days on, and yes, the broken nails, aching body, tired limbs....I had no idea this gardening stuff was such hard work. I somehow screwed up the measurements and only got half of what I needed. That's when Alex stepped in and said, righto, let's hook up the trailer and get serious. And serious we did. Trailers. And equipment.

Ok,so you get the picture. Watch out for upcoming post with pictures of my efforts....

For my star wars lovin' boy....

Discovered Picnik.com and found that for the modestly photoshop challenged souls like me....it is pretty fool proof. Had fun playing around yesterday and did this little image of Lucio. Isn't he gorgeous?

And more from her....

Aria drew a picture and I asked, "what is that?" and she handed me the pen and said "You write it" and she dictated to me, "The Celotto family are good...and it's a trophy of the goodness of July".

How great is that? The trophy of the goodness of July? Yeh, I think that is pretty cool. I am pretty sure that this statement has more to do with the fact that a certain someone celebrates a birthday in July rather than the coolness of the Celotto clan....

And the painting she brought home from school today had the caption "I love my mum because she has a gentle voice". Ahhhh. Collective sigh. Obviously I am less cranky than I have been! I am pretty sure my voice isn't always gentle. But I am thrilled that is what she remembers and loves.

Can I ask what other parents do to preserve their kids' numerous art pieces? Aside from the stuff brought home from school, both my kids are very arty. Probably has something to do with their Nanna being an artist and art teacher, and me always encouraging their creative juices....but I am running out of room and am on a 'culling' mission at the moment. I have heard of people scanning the images and then throwing out the originals....but that takes a lot of time and I am not sure i love that idea. However, I am not keen on what I have been doing either which is to keep everything and have boxes and boxes of it....

Ideas please?

x

stuff about me

Suz left a lovely comment to my last post so i followed her over to her blog...http://3peasinapod-suz.blogspot.com ...and she inspired me with her meme...so here's my list of 8 things....

8 things I am looking forward to:

Ooohh..just 8??

1. not working
2. being inspired by new things
3. doing things i have put off for a long time
4. Being in my children's classrooms more and getting to know their teachers better and actually remembering their classmates' names (and maybe even some parents too!)
5. entertaining more...more BBQ's at my place, some girls' nights, something themed cosmopolitan so Leoni @ Happy Cakes can make her famous cosmo cupckes for me....
6. pedicures with Aria
7. Quiet times during the day when I am at home pottering around doing my thing and the kids are at school and Alex at work
8. Hiking with my cousin 2 days a week

8 things I did yesterday:

1. made me famous salad for dinner
2. had lunch with an old friend who made me remember people I hadn't thought about in awhile which made me feel like so much time has just flown by so quickly and I wondered how I could have forgotten so many old faces
3. rescheduled Aria's horseriding lessons
4. spent time with Lucio helping him with his homework. I learnt that male tight fitting tartan pants are called Trews. Why he needs to know this I am not sure.
5. talked to Sheye on msn and laughed out loud as i ususally do when we start our 'hood talk when we msn (she understands!)
6. shaved my legs
7. sat on the couch when everyone else had gone to sleep and channel surfed on cable
8. approved a big financial package at work

8 things I wish I could do:

1. get a book published
2. snap my fingers and have all my photos printed, organised in chronological albums as well as well organised back up disc of digital images
3. have a DSLR camera and take great pics*
4. have more energy
5. spend more time being creative
6. be more patient *
7. learn to play the guitar
8. sing like zooey deschanel from she and him (that pic is of her with guitar...)
(*I did steal some of these from Suzy - they were just spot on!)

8 shows I watch:

1. anything on crime channel
2. Jon & Kate plus 8
3. Birth day (Aria's fav show - all about childbirth)
4. Cold Case (always makes me cry)
5. Australia's next top model
6. Hmmmm...don't watch a lot of TV...
7. I love a good doco...love Australian Story....
8. Umm....music...love watching old music clips from the 80s...
Oh how could i forget? My absolute fav is Californication. and I always love SITC and Seinfeld re-runs.

Tag 8 people: I won't force anyone...maybe I've inspired you to do this too?

x

STOP this ride! I'm getting off.....

Yes please. U-huh. That's right. I got on this roller coaster a little while ago now and for some time i have been questioning whether I really have been enjoying how fast it's going, the turns, the sharp corners, the unexpected dips, the huge drops....
So i am getting off.
This is the analogy i have used to describe my life....a merry go round of life. Some days it's more like a roller coaster.
I have been wondering what I should do....doing so much soul searching....and yet not ever really making a decision. I said so many times (even wished it, prayed for it) that the universe would make the decision for me....and now it has.

How do i feel? RELIEVED. Truly relieved.

It goes like this....for fifteen years I have worked in government, in a very stressful job, working my way up the corporate ladder, always being so committed, loyal, diligent....last year I reached the pinnacle of my career, getting as high as I could in my line of work in the city where I live. I worked my butt off for the last six months in that role....and all the while questioned whether it was really what I wanted after all.
Now a chain of events has enabled me to break free.
On May 26th I will walk out of my palatial top floor office-with a bar fridge/ocean views office, and drive out of my coveted basement car park space, and come home and awake the next day....with no rush to transform myself in to corporate girl while getting kids ready for school, making lunches and logging on to laptop...taking calls while plaiting Aria's hair, making appointments while signing Lucio's homework....I will focus only on them...and then when they are settled in class I have the day for ME.

Can you believe it?

I feel brave. And scared. And so optimistic. And open...to anything. resolve. relief. powerful.

I have started writing lists already....and am committed to cutting hte list in half and then prioritising and cutting it in half again.

I am going to make some affirmation cards up and put them around the house....things like

IT'S OK TO DO NOTHING

ENJOY THE QUIET

THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME FOR THE IMPORTANT THINGS

BREATHE

REDEFINE YOU

OPPORTUNITY IS EVERYWHERE

THEY ARE ONLY LITTLE ONCE

NO REGRETS

Stuff like that. What do you think?

I am still proceeding with caution...still not entirely convinced...but feel good about it.
Know that I am tired of being exposed to trauma.
Know that I am tired of having flashes of crime scenes, injured children, beaten wives while i am doing my groceries.
Know that money is not everything.
Know that I won't regret being more available and PRESENT for my family.
Know that when I heard a quote "Who were you before you put yourself last?" I couldn't really answer it.
Know that I have been amazing at my job.
Know that I can be amazing at it again one day if i want to.
Know that I can never do it again if i don't want to.
Know that my kids will remember this time.
Know that I will smile more, frown less, fill my soul more...

My last trip away for work next week....5 days in Brisvegas. The longest I've ever been away from the kids.

But know that when I come back, I am REALLY back.

And you know what else it means? This blog will have the cobwebs brushed off. Damn, I may even give it a make over. Who knows?

The options are limitless.............