Kym Piez | Australian Blogger, Photographer, Graphic Designer.: January 2011

Sunday, January 30, 2011

fancy pants

So, what do you wear when you're your husband's groupie? This was today's quandry when I went to support my hubby in his first gig of the year. Of course, I'm tired and this was a big effort to sit at the cafe venue (with children) for three hours.

The music went off (if I don't say so myself) and it was a great afternoon. But more about that later...

So this is what I wore.

And here's a view of our gorgeous garden (for those of you who have been asking).

And where have you been this weekend? And did you get all Fancy Pants? I look forward to you linking up below and joining in the fun.

Here's my button:

And my American Inspiration:

Mummy wears: SINGLET, Witchery ($20). JEANS, JeansWest. SCARF (worn as belt), Myer. WEDGES, Nine West. EARRINGS, Sportsgirl ($3). NECKLACE, Gift (thanks Rachael!). WATCH (worn around neck), Diva (gift - thanks Mum!). BANGLE, Target ($5!).

Saturday, January 29, 2011

this saturday i'm grateful for... shirts off sundays

Living in the land of the chronic fatigued (that's me) has changed the way we do our Saturdays. Gone is just one day that is a slower pace. Each day has resembled the same kind of chilled vibe lately.

This week I'm grateful for...

Shirts Off Sundays. I've been giggling over the way the little lads want to be just like their Daddy. And whenever Hubby has been out in the garden, M has come in to take his shirt off all the while exclaiming, "Daddy has his shirt off!" And little N, wants to be just like big brother, so off his goes too. And above is what I have to put up with. Hilarious.
Love in a dish. I've been overwhelmed by beautiful friends sending messages of love and bringing over food this week. How gorgeous are people like Jodi who brings potato cakes (demolished in a few moments), Leeann and Ilara with their bean and scone casserole (oh my!) and Leanne's straganoff and rice (seconds please!). I'm feeling the love and thank you from the bottom of my exhausted heart (and full tummy).
Full house. I confess I've been a little tired of hearing "When is L going to be here?" "When does K get off her plane?" But I know it's coming from a good place. One particular boy is excited about his big sisters getting here. And thankfully, one arrived from Katherine, NT yesterday, while the biggest sister arrives from Europe tomorrow (as you do). It's a full house here this weekend. And it seems I'm not the only one who's excited.

Happy Grateful Day.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

THE DAY I STOPPED WEARING MATERNITY BRAS.

*Warning: this post may be embarrasing for any male reading it because it includes the words boobs, breastfeeding and bras.

If there was a group I could join, I would. And here would be my confession:

My name is Kymmie and I stopped breastfeeding 8 months ago.

And yet, until just a couple of weeks ago, I still wore maternity bras.

What would the group be called? Lapsing Breastfeeders Anonymous? Comfort Zone Anonymous? Boobie Neglecters Anonymous?

Whatever it would be called, I've been sitting on this for far too long (more than four years, actually). And something had to be done. Thankfully I read this article at Mamamia about black holes in your wardrobe. I realised that anything in the smalls department was my black hole - bathers, pyjamas, underwear of any sort. I was suffering badly. And I had no excuse. Well, actually I had two: Big Lad M (4) and Little Lad N (1).

I originally thought I would wait until I was my 'ideal' weight before buying new underwear, but it was time. (And I don't know how long it will take to move those last few kilos.) So at Christmas time I splurged. I bought a non-maternity bra. And was even professionally fitted (um, how on earth did I get BIGGER?) And although it was a flesh coloured tshirt bra, I believe there was a happy dance as I left Myer lingerie department.

In fact, I was so excited, I told hubby about my new bra. And then he bought me lingerie for Christmas. For the first time ever. (My, isn't that brave of him?). Of course, during the the end of year sales, I visited these same stores, was re-fitted, re-sized and exchanged what I could (because most didn't fit right - damn different brand sizes). And with the fact that everything was on sale, I even came home with two extra pairs of pretty pyjamas and an extra bra). I felt incredibly fulfilled.

Not to mention pretty.

Shallow, you say? Probably. But when my neighbour came round to see our backyard work in progress and cubby house, I wasn't one bit embarrased about my knickers on the line. Because they were sexy and pretty, and new. No dodgy, holey smalls on my line anymore.

I confess the project wasn't the cheapest new thing I've done this year. But the rewards so far have been endless. I feel like a new me. And my confidence is shining from the inside out.

What did you try new this week? And when was the last time you upgraded your smalls?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

WHAT IS BEING AUSTRALIAN TO YOU?

Not being biased at all, but I think I live in the best country in the world. It's beautiful, we are free to live as we want, we live in a land of plenty, and who really can complain that Melbourne or Tassie are too cold? After all, it barely snows in this country.

After being stuck at home for, like forever, I said to hubby we should do something to celebrate Australia Day. Even if it was for just an hour. So, we made our way out to our nearest celebrating Lake Park to feel part of the day: flagless, green and goldless, red/white/blueless, hatless and tattooless (australian flags, of course).

We watched as the band tinkered on the stage, and as the scouts sizzled their sausages. The face painting tent was full as was the playground and jumping castle.

As lunchtime neared, our 4 year old decided we had to have sausage sandwiches. But looking at the line of people holding slices of bread in hope was a little discouraging. The line went on forever, and it seemed nobody else was doing a sausage sizzle (perhaps except Bunnings down the road). And there was nothing else on offer except for coffee and soft drinks.

It was a struggle, but we had him convinced that chips and a chicken burger would be better. At... Nando's. Yes, we're very Australian. And Nando's was just across the road. But it seemed Nando's just would not do. So we did Hungry Jack's. A bit further away, but yes, much more patriotic.

As we headed back to our car we bumped into some of our neighbours. They had their wine, their chicken and coleslaw sandwiches and their deck chairs out. Their daughters had socks around their ankles handwritten in green and gold "Australia" and they had their Akubras on.

My neighbour pointed out some of the sights - a first generation Asian family flying Australian flags, a middle eastern couple (complete with burka) enjoying the festivities, a group of handicapped elderlies sitting in front of us, and the band on the main stage yodelling (badly) for all they were worth, and playing their piano accordians.

She said, "It's so beautiful. I love it."

And I couldn't have said it any better.

Because it's the differences and contrasts in this country that make it beautiful to me.

Happy Australia Day everyone.

How did you celebrate Australia Day? What is it to be Australian to you?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

EAT: ANTIPASTO

SERVES 8 | PREP 15 MINS | COOKING 15 MINS | VEGETARIAN

This week there's been lots of salads. Thank you warm weather. How I love salads! And this one is fabulous, quick, easy and filling too. And if you're short of fresh staples (like my Mother Hubbard Cupboard), here's what you can make from the pantry. Serve with indian dipping bread, a crusty loaf or Brenda's amazing turkish bread and baby spinach.

fancy pants

It's a laid back Fancy Pants this week, as I've barely gotten out of my jammies. I saved you looking at me in my bedroom attire and put something on equally as comfortable - this tshirt dress. And this year, I promised to spend more time lounging on this park bench hubby bought for me at our first Christmas in this home. And I have. Pondering life in the midday sun thinking about how wonderful my hubby is to make our backyard look so majestic.

Is it just me, or do these thongs look exactly like a pair that Gisele Bundchen sells? Well, these were about a third of the price from BigW. And just as cute!

And the print on this dress is so simple, yet so fabulous. It's my favourite lay-about dress. But good to wear out in public too. To the beach, to the pool, out to the shops. Anywhere really. At first, I thought I didn't like this colour as it reminded me of my royal blue school jumper, but as it turns out this kind of blue really pops.

It's your turn...

And remember, getting out of your tracky dacks is all that's required here. And to remind you how this works: below is where you put your photo. Yes, of you. Or your hubby, boyfriend, children and/or your best friend. The linky is up all week. Can't wait to see you all Fancy Pants!

And I thought I'd add that my little boy Noah is pretty awesome too. Although during this week, I've felt he's had a little too much energy. Exhausting for me. But still, I love him to absolute pieces.

Here's my button:

And my American Inspiration:

Noah wears: SHIRT, Sprout (pre-loved by Madison, gift from mum). Mummy wears: TSHIRT DRESS, Lily Whyte ($20!). THONGS, BigW (on sale!). BANGLES, Target ($3!).

And how do you rest when your sick, tired and burnt out?

Saturday, January 22, 2011

this saturday i'm grateful for... health & the human spirit

Saturdays are the days where our household stops. No TV, no hyper stimulation. Time to spend time together and just be. And because it's our day of rest, there's time to reflect on the six past days and remember all the things I'm grateful for...

Health. This week I've listened to my body and rested (and rested). I'm not ever going to take my health for granted ever again.
The human spirit. Nothing is more inspiring or empowering than the human spirit. Or encouraging either.
My family and friends. This week, my family (and friends) gathered round and took turns looking after the little lads while I was flat on my back. Thank you Mum, Dad, Hubby, Ange and so many others who supported me this week (including my lovely blog friends!). I am forever thankful.

Happy Grateful Day.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

BEING SICK. AND BEING A MOTHER. AT THE SAME TIME.

It's happened. I've been taken hostage and taken underground. I've fought it, but she's taken over. She's forced her hand. She's decided that she's not happy with the decisions I've been making and has had enough.

Since Saturday morning... no, since before Christmas last year, I've been sick. Nauseous. Shaky. Achy. Feeling old. Tired. No, exhausted.

And I've stopped. Not because I wanted to. Because I had to. She - my body - made me.

I've slept. How I've slept. Twelve to 15 hours every night. And then another 6-8 hours during the day. At least.

After asking my eldest son to be easy on his old mummy on Sunday morning, he exclaimed that I was "a young mummy still". (Would someone please saint my perfect child, please?)

I've stopped sleeping to eat. To have a bath. To brush my teeth. To read my kids a bedtime story. And then I crawl back into bed where I feel truly like I should be. Think: magnet stuck to a fridge. That's how good it feels.

This is new to me. Very new. I've never done this before.

And I've never done this before, either:

Asked my husband to stay home from work to look after the lads while I slept.
Accepted a very kind offer from my in-laws to look after the lads while I slept.

While I was lad-free, I also stayed awake long enough to visit my doctor.

"So what lurgy brings you here?" he asked.

"I don't know. Everything." I said, trying not to cry.

"Well, do you have the flu? Are you sick? Pregnant? Nauseous? Depressed?" He pressed after checking all my vital organs.

"I don't know. I'm just so tired." Tears flowing.

Perhaps I am a little depressed. I've been feeling blue about the floods. About Lori. About Agnes.

As a very good (and very wise) friend said to me today, "We all have times where depression creeps in, sometimes we think of it as something that cripples us and we lie in the fetal position in the dark, but that's not always true."

I'd like to think that perhaps I'm a little depressed because I'm so exhausted. Because I feel so sad for those who have lost their loved ones. Yep. That's it. And my bed is the drug I need to get better.

I really hoped to share with you some other more positive things I tried before she stopped me. But I promise a more inspiring positive post later. But for now, remember that you need to stop too. Or you'll be exhausted. Just like me.

Please share what you did new this week. Was it to have a hot bath every night (like me), or to spend more time with your partner? If it wasn't something relaxing, did you up the ante this week? All you have to do is follow a day in the life of us, blog about your new thing, and link up below (oh, and add this pretty button to the bottom of your post).

I promise I'll visit you when I can. But bed is calling me right this moment...

Sunday, January 16, 2011

fancy pants

Well, this is as dressy as it's ever going to get here at a day in the life of us. Because this week's Fancy Pants is brought to you by our ten year wedding anniversary.

Of course, I have a pair of wedges on (my favourite kind of shoes ever!), and this dress is more the sort of the urban hippie thing I love to wear. Plus, it's going to be something I will wear for years to come. It's a dress, a top, you can wear it with a belt, without, and accessorise the heck out of it! It's so versatile, comfortable and stretchy (gotta love jersy cotton). Also, it will pack in a suitcase like a dream. (I just wished I had it while I was pregnant - it would have been so comfortable!)

And this little bag? I bought this before I had the little lads at a market in Kuranda, north Queensland. It's so cute and hippie. And this is the first time (in over four years) I've been able to use a bag so small. No nappies, no wipes, no kids toys or drink bottles. Just lipstick, keys and my camera. Oh, to travel so light again!

Hubby looked so swish in his shirt, tie and skinny jeans. (And in case you're wondering, we're not the sort of couple where I lay the clothes out on the bed for him every day. Hubby dresses himself, buys for himself... everything.) He's a man of independence and immense style (and just one of the many reasons I love him so).

The evening was lovely. We talked, ate out in Carlton, talked, and ate ice cream while walking down Lygon Street. My choice? The mango tango, cream and choc ripple. Oh yummy!

It's your turn...

And remember, don't you be feeling like you need to get this dressed up. Just getting out of your tracky dacks is all that's required here. And to remind you how this works: below is where you put your photo. Yes, of you. Or your hubby, boyfriend, children and/or your best friend. The linky is up all week. Can't wait to see you all Fancy Pants!

Here's my button:

And my American Inspiration:

Noah wears: SHORTS, Sprout (pre-loved by Madison, gift from mum). Daddy wears: SHIRT, Roger David. TIE, rdx. JEANS, Tarocash. SHOES, Aldo (bought in Dublin). Mummy wears: DRESS/TOP, Ishka (yes that hippy shop). WEDGES, Nine West (on sale!). HOOP EARRINGS, Target ($3!). BANGLES, Target (also $3!). CUFF, Jag.

And while I'm at it, Maxabella commented that I should go out more often than once a year with my hubby. It makes me wonder... how often do you get out with your partner - just the two of you?

Saturday, January 15, 2011

this saturday i'm grateful for... well, everything

Absolutely everything. It's been a dark week. Burying husband's, drowing families, losing houses, losing a year's supply of crops that was once a whole family's income... Every night I've crawled into my sons' beds for a cuddle while they slept and have told my husband every night how much I love him. I'm not taking anything for granted.
Holidays. While I've struggled to just chill out and relax, I think that I'm finally getting my groove back. Must be doing all that... um, not very much. And just in time. Back at work on Monday.
A night out with just hubby. A ten year anniversary is a jolly good excuse to get out without the little lads (I'm so grateful for awesome friends who also pose as wonderful babysitters: thanks Kate and David!). We tried to remember the last time we did this and it was almost a year ago. But I love that we still have lots ot talk about, and love each other's company. And once again, not taking any of it for granted.

Happy Grateful Day.

Friday, January 14, 2011

10 WAYS TO KEEP THE SPARKLE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP.

Ten years ago today, hubby (aka fiance) and I did this:

And with all the hard work to get here, I'm a tad bitter that the best they can come up with is tin or aluminium for a ten year wedding anniversary. And while I can't say we have the perfect marriage (what's that anyway?), I do have some thoughts about why we will be giving each other some sort of metal this year:

MARRY YOUR FRIEND. I knew my husband for eight years before we were married. That means that we hung out with mutual friends, each other's girl/boyfriends, even a previous fiance (I'll save that post for another time). It means that we knew each other warts and all before we got together. It also meant that we could carry on an awesome conversation on opposite sides of the room. And still can.
HAVE THE SAME CORE VALUES. One of the biggest things I adore about my husband is his love/hope in God and his sense of calling. As it turns out, it's exactly the same as mine. In all the unusual places we've ended up, we've always been sure it was exactly where we should have been. There's nothing like uniting at your core level.
KNOW YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE. You know the languages - quality time, words of affirmation, physical touch, gifts, acts of service. Your partner speaks one of these languages more than any of the others, so do you. Are you giving each other what you need? Speak each other's language. Every day. (You can learn what you and your partner's love language is here.)
REMEMBER + REFLECT. Let's face it, marriage after a while doesn't always have that same animal magnetism it did when you first got together. There's nothing romantic about being at your wits' end by 6pm, the house in a mess, still wearing your pyjamas, yelling at the kids as your husband walks in the door from work. It's important to remember how you felt in those early days, and how holding your partner's hand was just so special. It's good to remember (and talk about) those first encounters. It's amazing how good it feels to remember how it all started. For me it keeps the love alive. And reminds us how we got to where we are today.
BE A FRIEND. You know how you treat your friends? Treat your partner exactly the same way. Interested in their day? Well, now it's time to treat the person you love the most like they're the most important person in your life. Give them the best of your time, not the leftovers.
SHOW RESPECT + TRUST/SUPPORT. Did you know that women need respect from their partner, while men need trust and support? Time for more of that stuff now!
DREAM TOGETHER. My husband is the best at this. He'll share his dreams with me. Often. I love it. And although I admit I'm not as good at this as he is, I love that he wants to share all of his dreams with me. It makes me want to share mine with him too.
CONNECT. How often in a week do you and your partner regularly connect? Like have a conversation that doesn't revolve around what needs to be done, what the kids did today, your budget, etc. If you don't connect today, then it's easier not to connect tomorrow. And then the downward spiral begins. My hubby calls me on this often. (He is so wise, don't you think?) So meet regularly with your minds. We all know that once you connect that way, everything else is so much better.
FIGHT. If you're going to fight, do it properly. But ensure that you also find closure. And do that properly too ;)
MAKE UP. Even when you're not fighting. (I think you know what I mean).

What do you do to keep the sparkle in your relationship?

This post was rewound at Life In A Pink Fibro on 30 April 2011.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

paying it forward: five handmade things from me to you

Isn't this the loveliest idea ever? It's been going around like wildfire on Facebook. And I've almost done it several times, but fear about what the hell I would make sent me into a cold sweat (even though those offering were just going to make the most scrumptious things). But fear had stopped me until now.

And here I am doing this. Why?

Because I have all year to fulfill this promise.
Because it's only five things (possibly the same five somethings).
And because Cate asked me to. (Well, she didn't particularly ask me, but I started this whole thing about trying something new every week. And who best to take on the challenge but me?)

So, if I'm okay with this, you can be too.

Here's how it works:

I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people who leave a comment here. To be eligible, you must repost this message, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you, and it must be sent to your 5 giftees sometime in 2011. Ready, set, GO!

I've already got some lovely ideas, and it will be made with love. Just for you.

Are you ready? GO!

BUILDING THE LADS' CUBBY HOUSE.

We've renovated quite a few houses in our time, but never a cubby house. And for the last two weeks, that's what we've done. We were given the cubby by my in-law's neighbour. It's been sanded, primed, painted, and re-roofed, complete with painted floorboards and an extended roof which covers a sand pit. It's even in the same colours as our house. It's not quite finished yet, as there's still some paving to do around the sand pit (to keep the sand in), but we're almost there.

Apart from getting this ready for the kids, what else we've done differently is not stay behind when Daddy goes and buys the cubby parts from Bunnings, the sand from the garden suppliers and the bricks from the second hand yard. We've all gone with him to enjoy the ride. And it's been lots of fun doing everything together.

Apart from the fact that our home now resembles a beach house (lots of sand, but without the beach, hello?), the boys are thrilled with their new little backyard home.

Hubby noted, "There's people in the world [and in Queensland] who don't even have a house that's as nice as this cubby". And on one ungrateful day (which I know will happen in the very near future), the boys will hear this too.