days 1 to 5 of 100 happy days!

Hi Peabodies

Its been a long time between posts.

I’ve been in a bit of a funky head space dealing with some proper grown up stuff  and I feel this year is slipping away super fast.

Sometimes this wacky earth points you in the right direction and you think wowzers this is for me!

I stumbled upon a great project called 100 happy days and i thought Wowzers!

Head on over to 100happydays.com and have a look. 71% who undertake this project don't finish! I think that's a sad reflection of this crazy fast paced world we live in.

Already its the end of March! I thought that by doing 100 happy days it would encourage me to slow down and take stock every day! To be grateful, thankful and take the time just to be in the moment one day at a time.

I'm 5 days in and already I can feel the difference. I'm thinking of what I'm doing, I'm more aware of myself and its pushing happiness into my conscious thoughts….’what photo could i post today?’ 

I’m fortunate that sometimes I can choose between more than one. Its encouraging in that even when you've had a bad day or your in a funk it helps to put things in perspective,

Below are my first 5 days of happiness.

Day 1 - Making and sewing things.

Day 2 - Playing with my niece

Day 3 - Getting back on the netball court.

Day 4 - Impromptu girlie afternoons.

Day 5 - High tea.

Are you in a funk? Is your year going by at the speed of light? 
Do you think 100 happy days would help you? 

Can you be happy for 100 days in a row?

Give it a try and let me know how you go!

Peas out, Jane.

Taking Stock February 2014

Hi Pea bodies.

I haven’t  been around much lately. I've been in a bit of a funky headspace. I’m feeling overwhelmed and low. This year feels like it is slipping away too fast, and I feel I haven’t got a tread on the ground or leeway into my resolutions. Some are coming along but mostly I feel like the days are whizzing past which creates overwhelming feelings of blah.

But lucky for me ( and maybe you) I do have some exciting projects in the pipeline and light at the end of the tunnel.

A good exercise to do when your feeling blah is taking stock. Pip Lincolne does this, You can read her latest taking stock here.

Pip has encouraged me to do my own taking stock so here it is,

Making : Mermaid Tails

Cooking : sugar free banana bread

Drinking : Big brew coffee

Reading: Sweet Poison by David Gillespie

Wanting: a new car

Looking: at my two beautiful girls

Playing:  Not candy crush

Deciding: where to live

Wishing: for a bigger garden

Enjoying: freedom of sewing costumes

Waiting: internet purchases to arrive

Liking: One handed Cooks magazine

Wondering: where this year is going

Loving: Pinterest

Pondering: politicians decisions.

Considering: a new haircut

Watching: Grimm season 3

Hoping:for change 

Marvelling: at the olympic athletes

Needing: a massage

Smelling: Dolche and Gabana

Wearing: tinkerbell Pjs

Following: Pip Lincolne

Noticing: the weather getting cooler

Knowing: theres hope in them hills

Thinking: too much

Feeling: overwhelmed

Admiring: seamstresses on Pinterest

Sorting: my craft hoard

Buying: groceries ( boring!)

Getting: some cupcake patty pans and other party goodies

Bookmarking: sewing tutorials heres just one of many here

Disliking: the shark cull

Opening: a new jar of vegemite

Giggling: at my two daughters laughing together

Feeling: blessed

Snacking: on savoury shapes

Coveting: a brown leather jacket

Wishing: for brighter days

Helping: my daughters

Hearing: my own voices going round and round in my head!

This feels a bit self centred at the moment but unfortunately thats just where I am right now. Sometimes you have to be, No?

This is a good reflection to do often I think.

Peace Out.

Evil sucky vortex's - You you might know them as Supermarkets.

Ok. Whoa. Deep breath Pea-bodies!

I.Am.So.Mad. 

I’ve even given myself two days to calm down before writing this, but my blood is still boiling! I don’t even know where to start! I’m flabbergasted, disgusted, conflicted! It’s an emotional turmoil in my mushy pea brain!!!

I just….

It’s so…

You don’t even….

Ok. Whoa. deep breath.

Perhaps I’ll start with a disclaimer.

When I started Mushy Peas and Me I said to myself I was not going to use it as a platform to get up on my soapbox and rant and rant! I’ve got my own personal Facebook account for that ;)

I wanted it to be a happy place about domestic-y things with a but of life thrown in here and there, So don’t panic that most of my posts will be rants. Just this one.

Ohmygodican’tbeliveititotallywentshoppingatthesupermarketandtheyhadeastereggsupontheshelffourdaysafternewyearsevethosecorporategreedyshits!

Ok.Deep breath.

So I went to do my grocery shopping and they had Easter eggs on the shelf. Easter Eggs.Four days after new years eve. Thats only a week and half after Christmas. As if they aren’t going to make enough money in January selling Australian flag gear thats all made in Bangladesh sweat shops and actually has nothing to do with Australia at all.

Easter Eggs. Four days after New Year Eve.

Easter is in April this year so even for the most organised of folk thats still 3 months too early.

I resent you giant supermarket corporation.

I resent that you use my children as marketing tools so you can make money.

I resent that you make your own labels and and have your brand and one other brand (whoever can pay higher) on the shelf. Two brands of oats is really not good enough.

I resent that you try and tell me your supporting local farmers when Lamb is $24.00 a kilo even though there is a glutton of lamb on the market due to the banning of Live Exports ( thats a whole separate post I think.)

I resent that you advertise that most of your fruit and veg comes from Australia like you deserve a gold star for it. It should be a no brainer that your doing that, why should you get a star for something you should already be doing - Isn't your giant profit enough?

So no more Mr and Mrs Supermarket.

You are deleted from my life

Unfriended!

I will get my produce from the farmers market (something I should be doing all the time but only do sometimes)

I will source my flour and stevia form somewhere else and I will protest with my dollar.

I will choose who gets my money. 

But who am I to judge the evilness of supermarket corporations?

Didn't I just pledge to buy ethically? then go out and buy form non ethical clothing manufacturers?

I even downloaded the buy ethically App - you can get that here.

I found it really really hard!

Why is it so hard?

Its hard for me with two kids to get to a farmers market. Pushing the pram around in the dirt and getting bogged, not having enough hands to hold Mis L and my veggies- Ugh disastrous.

Where else does one buy theIr flour from? ( no really - I'm asking proper like, that question is not rhetorical.)

Maybe your a working mum or dad? Who is tired! who works shifts and never gets to sleep in except on sundays - You don’t want be at the market - you want to be able to go to the supermarket to get your groceries  and night and save the weekends for family time. I get it.

Maybe your a single mum or dad who doesn't have family members close by to watch your kids so you have to take them to the supermarket  and bribe them  with January easter eggs so they stay in the trolley. I get it. 

Whatever your reason the supermarkets make it super convenient, and super tricky to go anywhere else. They are like an evil vortex sucking you in.

It’s hard out there and the Supermarkets thrive on this and it make me sick.

So whats the answer?

I don’t know.

I think its a different answer for everybody,

For me its about organisation, energy and preparation. My mantra for 2014.

I have to be organised to get a sitter for the kids, or get a trolley to hold my veggies and chuck the Pipsqueak in the baby carrier and get to the farmers market. I have to be organised to get up early to get there!

I have to be organised to bring my shopping bags, shopping list and meal plan.

So much organisation.

And being organised takes energy.

So perhaps I will just stop buying stuff altogether! I have heaps of clothes and shoes I don’t even need the stuff I bought the other day. 

I will try and go 6 months without buying any clothes or shoes for me or the kids. Or if I do buy it will be a thought out calm decision from an ethical company  - Not a frenzied last minute regret buy. Or I’ll buy second hand (which I do quite a bit for the kids already) or I’ll get on the machine.

I will save my money.

I will save the planet

I will choose where my dollar goes.

And the supermarkets can shove there USA oranges right up their backsides.

Ok? Ok.

Rant over,

Thank you or listening,

Do you think that easter eggs and hot cross buns this early is ridiculous?

How are your resolutions going?

Are you sticking to them? I’f not cut yourself some slack - The year is still only beginning. You don't need to be in a rush like you know who…..

Peas Out.

Jane.

How I aim to make the other Dance Mums hate me and other goals for 2014.

Happy new year Pea-bodies!

A new year.

I love New years day.

I love what it brings. I love the fresh beginning. The clean start.

I love making resolutions and I get excited about the new changes I can make.

I make them every year. Some stick. Some don’t. And that's OK.

I feel that change can be progress, no matter how slow.

Some people aren’t into the resolution making thing and that's OK. But I love to make goals and resolutions every year.

I know in reality its just a day - and you can make changes and goals anytime. But there's a kind of energy that comes with New Years Day. 
A clean slate. 
A new start. 
Better beginnings. 

So Pea-bodies here is a list of things I want to achieve this coming new year.

(It looks like a long list but its really not. I promise.)

2014

Get healthy:

Cut back on my sugar: 
Although I have cut out my sugar considerably it keeps creeping creeping creeping back into my diet - so I want to quit it and have control over it and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Get the Kids healthy:

Cut out the Kids sugar. Miss L eats heaps of sugar! Heaps! I wasn't aware how much sugar until I cut out my own. I want to keep sugar just for treats and special occasions!

Get Up and at ‘em:

I need to jump out of bed. In 2014 I want to become a morning person! I want to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier! I love being up at night - this is my free time, but I love getting good quality sleep more. And the kids make being a night owl really hard and the hard drive makes taping the TV really easy so I’m struggling to come up with reasons why not to turn in at a reasonable hour.

Get organised:

I want to be organised. I want to be so organised that the other Dance mums are sick with jealousy! Cakes, biscuits, clean house, washing done, places on time, gosh I'm getting dizzy just hinting about my success with this! all the other mums will hate me I’ll be that angelic!  When I’m organised and in control then I'm not stressed. not stressed is happy. Stressed is not happy. simples.

Get Musical:

I want to learn the Ukulele. I started this when I was pregnant with Pipsqueak but the morning sickness took over and I could barely get out of bed let alone play music. I love to teach my self new skills (face-painting, crochet, sewing…. I'm not always good at these new skills but I love the challenge) I think that as adults we make kids try all sorts of new things but yet we don’t push ourselves out of our comfort zone and try new things ourselves. Mastering news skills is a skill in itself i think. There needs to be something outside of work and kids. Humans are curious and clever so I think its natural to try new things, and feed that need.

Get Ethical:

I want to make Ethical decisions starting with fashion. I will sign up with Pip Lincolne from Meet me at Mikes Here. I want to start with fashion and then onto food and other things.

Get Blogging:

Lastly I want to make Mushy Peas and Me a great place for you all to come and have a cuppa and quick read whilst you're taking a break form something else. I want my bloggersphere to bring joy and smiles whilst you follow me why I try to master all the things above!

Do you make resolutions?

Do you stick to them?

Do you have a new hobby you want to try in 2014?

I think it doesn't matter how many times you start as long as you keep starting!

Peas Out
Jane.

Quitting the white stuff - a little about the beginning of my journey to cutting sugar.

Hi Pea-bodies!

I quit sugar. Yep. Me. I did that. Me. The Timtam squarfing, juice drowning, chocmilk bathing, cake face planting me.

I signed up with Sarah Wilson and did her 8 week quitting sugar detox program.

If I’m honest with you I didn't do the whole 8 weeks, I fell off the wagon about half way through, then just for good measure the wagon backed up and reversed over the top of me. 

But I got back in the wagon and I think thats a credit to Sarah Wilson's program. I’m usually more of a ‘“Oh well there goes that wagon” as I stand up and mill around while the dust clears waiting for the next wagon to come by’ sort of a girl. But I seem to be staying on this wagon and I think its because of the detox program.

The first week was easy! This is a piece of cake. Or not-cake as it turns out.

The second week became harder, and I got tired, so tired. 

But although I was tired at the same time I was starting to feel more energetic, and I was sleeping better. So. Much. Better.

In fact I didn't realise how badly I was sleeping until the quality of my sleep improved.

Then other benefits starting sneaking in, my teeth improved: no aching or sensitivity. 

My skin cleared up and people started to comment on how good I looked.

And I’ve lost some weight and a lot of bloating!

I’m calmer. I’m more relaxed. No nightmares. My reflexes have improved too - I’m catching stuff that Pipsqueak is dropping like some kind of a Super Mumma Ninja.

And people can see the difference,

They ask “What are you doing?”  and I think they are expecting responses like: 

“I got myself a Himalayan guru” or ; 

“Im using mud packs from melted Fijian snow.” Or;

“I ordered a juice off the late night shopping channel that is made from the fossilised DNA from the DODO bird.”

They expect anything thats easier than giving up sugar, because when I tell them, I cut out my sugar. They looked surprised.

And thats because the more than half the time, we don't even realise that we are eating the sugar we are eating. Its in everything.EVERYTHING! Even Weetbix! Weetbix! I always thought it was just wheat. Silly me.

Sarah Wilson takes a gently gently approach and advises to treat it like an experiment.

And I think thats the best way to go about it. Gently gently. Because once you start feeling the improvements, your motivated. Motivated and converted - so theres no need for the bootcamp do it or die approach.

Its been a good few weeks since I finished the detox and the sugar has crept back in at times, but overall I would consider my diet to be low sugar, and hopefully I can get it even lower.

My next challenge is to tackle the kids, and get them off the white stuff!

Would I recommend you quit sugar?

Yes. DO IT.

Its scary, but thats ok, start small and slowly cut it out, you will feel the difference and wonder why you didn't do it before. Or if your still scared sign up for Sarahs program like me - just try it and see how you go.

So don’t be scared, just give it a go. If I can. You can.

Peas Out

Jane.

Is it a Plane? Is it a bird? No.... its super Mini Peeps!!

Every now and then I come across a project and I think YES! This is a great idea!

And at the moment I have a lot of little peeps in my life so when I came across these great capes by Hideous!Dreadful!Stinky! I just knew I had to make some.

So I thought about the design and got all my material sorted and thought - ok now I have plenty of time before the Mothers group xmas party.

So as usual I sewed in plenty of time and had them all ready waiting to go a week before the party!!! 

I know! I know! Im clutching my sides with laughter too.....Hilarious aren't I?

As usual I left it to the last minute! I didn't get to bed until 2:30am the night before the party! 

But all the same I really enjoyed making them and I hope all the kids enjoy playing with them,

It feels like every three year old becomes obsessed with super heros -  a toddler rite of passage!!

Miss L's Mothers group wearing their capes

I used a combination of this tutorial by Marigold from Hideous!Dreadful!Stinky! and this tutorial by Lara from How Does She. These are both great tutorials so I won't go and rewrite a new one for you.

I just played around with the measurements  until I had something that suited my needs and used the plate tracing technique described by the How Does She tutorial.

I used satin and felt as I thought that the shininess of the stain was like a superhero suit and the felt doesn't fray so I was able to sew around without fear of the monogram fraying and falling off. Also the shiny vs the fluffy is a nice contrast and tactile for the kids!

This is the first time I had been back at the sewing machine for longer than 12 months, and I forgot how much I enjoyed creating and sewing! Even if it was very late by the time I had finished!! Its reignited my sewing bug - Which is great as I have a whole box of unfinished projects that need to be finished! And a big list of ones that need to be started!

One of Miss L's besties wearing his cape.

Do you have a little peep in your life? If so you should give these capes a go!

Peas out

Jane.

The hair clip that broke the Mummy camels back!

Ok. So.
After my last post, it all went down hill somewhat. I went from having a great looking clip all blue and sequinny, perfect for a dance recital to 11:30pm the next night tearing my hair out and stressed beyond belief.

Im not really sure how a tiny hair clip and a dance routine less than two minutes can cause so much stress, but it comes under the bracket of what I like to call 'Mum stress.'

Mum stress is stress over the small things, although they don't feel small at the time. At the end of the day, or the next day or after your daughter performs perfectly at her dance recital you think - all that stress over nothing.....?

Mum stress is: Does you son have a warm enough jumper at the school camp and what if it gets wet? You only packed one!
Mum stress is: Does your daughter have the right shoes on the right feet so they don't get blisters, cuts or burnt feet.
Mum stress is: Quick quick get in the bath, its already 8:30pm and you need to be up at 5am the next day to get on a plane/train/bus.

Mum stress is all the little things that make the family function  - because if Mum doesn't stress who will?

Not Dad thats for sure!
They don't stress if your son doesn't have a jumper - well maybe he can borrow one.
Dads dont stress if your daughter doesn't the right shoes - they can just wear bare feet, i'll scrub them in the bath tonight.
Dads don't care if the kids get in the bath late and bed late - They can sleep in the car on the way.

Why is it so much simpler for Dads?
Because Dads do it different.
Not wrong.
Just different.

And although I was stressed over a small hair clip which evens I type that it seems ridiculous - my stress levels have actually decreased since I accepted that Dads do it different!

Its a hard lesson for Mums to learn but a worthwhile one.

As it turns out my hair clip went from this:

A perfectly great looking hair clip - But a bit too heavy for dancing so it kept falling out!

To this:

Tiny bits of ribbon not really long enough to do anything with, after my two attempts at a ribbon pom pom failed miserably (insert Mum stress now)

To This:

 a tulle pom pom that stayed in Miss Ls hair and didn't annoy her while she performed on stage 

(very proud mum moment - with a bit of mum stress too!)

Peas Out.

Jane.