Dating

I haven't really had much to blog about lately, not even any pictures to add from Easter away at Bear Gully. But I have been busy - dating :)

After my Christmas break I returned to normality well rested, emotionally rejuvenated and ready for a fantastic 2012. I promised myself at the end of 2011 that I would spend the month over Christmas getting myself back to the best that I can be and then on my return I would start D A T I N G!!!

It was pretty scary at first, I put together my online dating profiles and then uploaded on to two popular dating sites - and then I waited and waited.

The images (or lack of images) that I had on my profiles were a few years old so I recruited my very talented sister Jo to take some photos. It seemed to work as I was then inundated with contact from prospective suitors :)

Although I knew what I was looking for!!

While I was away down the beach I read a fantastic book called The Secret which encourages the reader to put positive thoughts out into the universe and what you put out you get back, and what you ask the universe for you shall receive. So that's exactly what I did, I placed my order for a wonderful man (or what I wanted my wonderful man to be) and sent out my request. I knew that it may take a day, it may take a week, a month or a year for him to arrive but my order had been placed and now I had the utmost confidence that he was on his way.

So out I went into the world of dating with an initiation at a dating event which consisted of about 100 singles who were 30+. It was a great night and a good opportunity to chat to different people, one guy even took my number and called but I just wasn't that into him.

I then thought "I can do this" so I finally responded to one of the guys that had contacted me via a dating site and exchanged emails prior to catching up for dinner. Nice guy and we had a lot in common but that came to an abrupt halt when I received a follow up email saying thanks but there was no chemistry. Basically I'm glad that I had seen a fabulous movie called 'He's Just Not That Into You' as it saves a lot of heartache and I can easily say "that's cool, he just wasn't that into me" without taking it personally :)

And then I met Brad :)

One of the girls at work had been trying to set me up with her sister-in-law's brother since last year. I knew at the time that I had to get myself sorted before I was ready to meet him so when I got back from the Christmas break I said that I was happy to meet him. The only information that I had was that he was 6 foot 7, liked country music and his birthday was the same day as mine! So my details were passed on and then I didn't hear anything........

I felt like Ginnie out of 'He's Just Not That Into You', how can he not like me - he hasn't even met me yet!!

Then 2 weeks later I was returning from lunch when I noticed that I had missed a call; my scream of shock when he had left a message on my voicemail gave my work colleagues something to giggle about :)

Brad and I have now been on 4 dates (the first date was a shocker) but from date one he has made me laugh, and he's nice, really nice so that was enough for me to give date 2 a go. And I can say I'm so glad that I did as he definitely impressed and this Saturday will be date 5 :)

Things are going well, really well.

And I'll let you in on a little secret - that wonderful man request that I sent out into the universe at the beginning of the year, well the universe delivered pretty much exactly what I ordered :)

Brisbane

Last February Ali and I headed to Brisbane for the weekend to share in the celebration of Nick and Simone's recent nuptials at the Burningman Festival in Nevada. 

 

Ali and I flew up on the Saturday morning and after checking into our accommodation at Toowong we found a nice little cafe for breakfast before hunting down a day spa to enjoy an afternoon massage prior. 

We then joined Nick and Simone, their family and close friends for a magical celebration at Walk-about Creek, The Gap.

We had a wonderful evening, with lots of happy tears viewing the photo's of their marital day then celebrating and dancing into the early evening. A great night and the newlyweds both looked so gorgeous and happy :)

Ali and I then spent the Sunday hiring a couple of pushbikes and enoying a cycle along the Brisbane River, quite a humorous experience as I hadn't been on a pushbike since I was a kid and it took me quite a while to get my confidence back on a bike and the 'wobbles' to a minimum - great fun though :)

We then had lunch at Sizzler (and discovered why they went broke in Victoria - terrible!) prior to catching the ferry down the Brisbane River to Brians Wharf where we finished our sightseeing with a glass of wine at a nice restaurant on the river watching the world go by before dashing to catch our flight home (just) :D

A wonderful weekend, great friends, excellent weather and a fun, enjoyable time in Brisbane :)

Much love Nick and Simone, wishing you a life of lots of love, laughter and special memories xoxo

Birthday Presents

I was very spoilt this birthday :)

Thank you mum, dad, Jo, Cam, Angus, Daisy and Mia for the joint Christmas / Birthday present, I am so in love with my new MacBook Pro.

Thank you to Ali for the T2 flavours to replicate the amazing Organic Iced Tea we enjoyed at New Years.

Thank you to Naomi for the gorgeous scent of the Fig and Berry candle.

And Thank You to Nicola for a top just like the one I had admired before Christmas, some very cool OPI nail polish, salad servers and tea towel. PS: And the sock knitting book :)

Image thanks to JoEly

Crochet

Image via Vintage: Jotex

After seeing this blanket on Pinterest my next craft goal was to learn how to crochet. Thanks to a very patient (right handed) sister who sat so I could mirror her, and lots of trial and error I am so pleased to share that I have completed my first few granny squares (even if I do still 'knit' my crochet) :)

Blog Crush

I have a new blog crush :)

Image via The Glitter Guide

Last night I stumbled across Camille Styles through Pinterest and it's like visual candy :D

So if you're wondering where I've disappeared to, I'll be drooling through the Camille Styles archives.....

Have a great weekend xo

Home Grown

A beautiful Caprese salad with home grown tomato and basil - YUM :)

Sleeping

Since the New Year I have been really good with a healthier lifestyle. I have gone for a walk nearly every day, even continuing the momentum this week since returning to work. I have improved my diet and have been eating healthily 80% of the time, including more fruit which is unheard for me (the other 20% has been a new found love of Tiny Teddies thanks to a Christmas gift from my lovely sister), and I haven't had a drink since New Year's Day.

And I'm feeling better, I've got a bit of a tan from getting outside and my legs have been getting around in shorts, something I haven't done for about 3 years!

The one thing that does need work however is my sleeping ritual!!!

When I was down the beach it was easy, the sea air makes you sleepy and each night we would have dinner about 7pm and relax for a bit before the Kookaburra's would chuckle their goodnight call at 9:15pm and off to bed we would all go. As there was no electricity and internet access was limited, I'd usually read a little bit but by 10pm I was sound asleep and would not wake until 7am the next morning. It was great, I felt refreshed :)

Back to reality. Back to electricity. And back to the internet!

I know this habit needs to change but each night I get home from work after sitting on a computer all day, go for my walk, have some dinner then out comes the computer. Then I go to bed about 10pm with my computer and about 11:30pm I'm telling myself "GO TO SLEEP". I'm not tired, I don't feel tired. That is until I try to DRAG myself out of bed at 6:30am!

This habit has GOT TO STOP! Starting tonight there will be no more computer (that includes iPhone pinning) in my bedroom.

Now all I need to do is find a way to relax and get a peaceful, refreshing nights sleep :)

Any ideas?