Smashed

And not in a good way! Generally my 15 minute drive home is uneventful and has been for the last year and a half. That is, until Tuesday. I was stopped in traffic just minding my own business and deciding what to cook for dinner for the tribe when BAM! I was hit from behind and slammed into the car in front of me. Un-freakin-believable! This old codger couldn't even speak english! The back of the people mover is banged up pretty bad and there is some minor damage to the front of the car(I won't know the extent of the damage until Monday when the smash repairs assess it for the insurance company). I ended up with a sore pelvis which is all bruised up from the seatbelt and my shoulder is sore as I had my hand on the steering wheel and ended up jarring it from the impact.

Then I find while getting checked out that I have about a 7cm gab between my abdominal muscles with a slight hernia. I am looking to get this operated on(and be rid of the loose apron skin from 5 pregnancies). Before I do this, I am aiming to lose 10kg and land myself around the 70kg mark. This will really be what gets me motivated to lose the rest of the weight now. I've lost 20kg since this time last year and I really only want to lost the next 10kg and be close to my goal weight.

I've been trying to think of ways to keep me motivated and I think I may blog more into my weight loss blog and take pictures of what I am eating each day to keep me accountable. I'll have to get that organised soon and post the link so you can all give me a virtual kick up the butt when I need one!

Until then, this was dinner tonight. Rice paper rolls with spinach, rice noodles, grilled chicken and carrot. I only ended up eating 3.5 of them before I was full.

These are super popular with the kids, they are great for lunch boxes too. It's a good way to use up any leftovers as well.

Been Inked

Not many people know that I have a tattoo. It's on the back of my neck and is easily hidden by my long hair. I learnt a valuable lesson after having this tattoo done back in 2007. Never trust someone to do a freehand tattoo on a body where you can't see what they are doing! I had asked for a shooting star with some swirly lines for the tail (read: girly) and one of my kids names underneath. Not too big because I don't know how much this will hurt!

Well, it did freaking hurt. I was ready to punch the guy out (lucky he was behind me huh!). My swirly girly lines are straight (and blue). The star - it's ok. The name? It's so small, you can't even read what it says now. Thank goodness I can't see it every day!

You'd think that after this experience there would be no way anyone would be inking my skin again. Wrong. I have been following an apprentice tattooist who goes by the name Fizz for sometime (probably about a year now). She does amazing work and so I contacted her a few weeks back for a consult to see what she could do with fixing up my tattoo. So yeah, we've worked out what to do about it now and I'm excited to see what she will come up with to fix it, but I also got a new tattoo on a whim.

It was a totally different experience this time, it only hurt in some places but not anything like I experienced last time around. It might be because I had two drug free home births since the last time, but I think it really comes down to her skills. She did an amazing job and if you live in Perth I would highly recommend you pay her a visit for your next tattoo. I wouldn't visit any body else for a tattoo now!

Find her on instagram - fizzing

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FizzInkTattooDesigns?fref=ts

onOr visit/call the shop - La Tattoo Studio, 89C Whatley Cresent Bayswater. (08) 9271 4440

Oh and here is my crappy old one to be fixed up, stay tuned for that one:

Dust off the cobwebs

Oo-er. I haven't posted in this thing since March? My bad.

I decided to revisit my blog and now I'm considering blogging again. Life isn't any less hectic that it was at the beginning of the year, but I do miss blogging and the blogging community (I haven't even been reading my regular blogs - shame on me!!).

Anyhoo, I'm in bed with a sleeping Princess next to me because I can't get her to sleep in her own bed no matter what I try - however this is a story for another day. My brand new macbook pro is on my lap and I am trying to learn my way around it. So far so good, I'm considering upgrading our desktop to a Mac as well.

The month of September has been pretty eventful and on my travels I kept thinking about my little blog and how much I wanted to get online and write my adventures. It has been a big month of massive group workouts, finale party with the Michelle Bridges and following my most favourite band to 3 different states for 3 concerts in 5 days (and I will wait til my blog post about this to tell you who that is). Tell you what, I felt every bit a rock star doing all those airports and late nights.

I'm still enjoying my job, there have been some not so good things that have happened and I was tempted to leave. I'm glad I didn't because I am still learning a lot and I know the organisation well now. The certificate IV that I was studying is now complete and I have already commenced my Diploma (not bad for someone who 'ruined their life' by having kids young, eh?).

My kids are doing great. The eldest turned 10 in July and received a brand spankin' new iPad 3 from my Dad. Totally awesome for him, I couldn't be happier for him but jeez Dad all I got for my 10th birthday was a bike! Perhaps when I turn the big *gulp* 30 next year, I might get one too. *hint hint*

The hubby is about to walk into a shitfight over my stepdaughter. She has asked us to come and live with us and her mother has spat the dummy over it. I'm not sure how far this is going to go, but I can totally see it heading to court and getting expensive and messy. Let's hope for a good outcome that meets the best interest for our wee girl. She is a kind, sweet kid and all we want is for her to have the best.

Before I go, I am still yo-yoing with my weight and it's driving me crazy. I cannot seem to push myself to get below 79kg, the goal is so close but it's proving difficult to get there. Posting about it will hold me accountable and hopefully get me past this roadblock that I've reached. I need to lose a few more kg to at least fit into my new work uniforms that are coming!

I hope all is well in bloggie land, I'll be off to check my reader and catch up with everyone.

More posts to come!

Mama Tee xx

Just like Christmas...

So those of you who use facebook regularly have probably noticed all the ads down the right sidebar. Mine is filled with weightloss ads, mining jobs, clothing stores, shoes and make up. Most times I just ignore them until I spotted an ad for Bellabox.

Basically for $15 per month (and you can cancel at any time), you get a surprise box each month with samples of all sorts of beauty products. You can also purchase the full size items on the website if something does take your fancy. I have not been able to go out and find new cosmetics in some time and this seems like a great solution.

So in February this cute little package arrived at my door.

Then under the lid....

Supppppperrrrr cute! Open the tissue paper and....

Hello goodies!!! The chocolate hearts were a nice touch, but I quickly passed those on to some of the kids (I'm on a health kick people!!!).

The Sanctum Body Soothe I believe is almost the full size product. The product is as described: 'For all over body hydration spoil yourself with the light, nourishing Body Soothe lotion from Sanctum. Enriched with aloe vera, calendula extract, macadamia oil and jojoba oil, it absorbs quickly into the skin for instant hydration. Locks in moisture for a radiant, natural glow. Certified organic and 100% against animal testing.' After using it for a few weeks I can confirm that my skin is feeling much softer and nourished, however the scent is not my cup of tea. (RRP $16.95)

The B by Bloom eye shadow is also a full sized product. The duo I got is called Waikiki and I have been wearing these shades to work almost everyday! The colours are vibrant and shimmery, what more could a girl want!? I will definitely purchase other colours and what's more, you can stack the pots together! (RRP $9.95)

I'm not much of a face mask person, I don't want my kids teasing me about the gunk on my face either!! The EmerginC Vitality Mask is 'A rich, buttery, creamy mask with co-enzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid that soothes, hydrates and nourishes skin. Suitable for all skin types - particularly recommended for red, sensitive, dry or tired skin.'It's not like the traditional masks that dry hard so I found that a bit weird and I wasn't quite sure whether it had been on long enough (I was studying, cooking dinner and wrangling 5 kids at the time). My face was deliciously soft after using it and I would use it again, but the price tag is a bit steep for a girl that doesn't use them often enough! (RRP $79.95)

My most favourite product in the box has to be the Sasy n Savy Rose Lavender Hand n Nail Repair Creme. 'Skin nourishing evening primrose and macadamia oil soften and smooth. Shea butter soothes and heals dry skin. Vitamin C & E defends hard-working hands from damage. Helps diminish signs of aging. Use daily. Ideal for all skin types'.It smells DIVINE and my hands look amazing, I received this just after I had gel nails removed and my nails are back in tip top shape much quicker than normal. This sample went a long way and it's definitely worth the price. (RRP $36.00)

Lastly is the Star & Rose Confetti Rose Soaps. 'This stunning new range of Rose Confetti Soaps from Star & Rose are ready to capture your heart. Featuring beautiful roses made entirely from quality soap, these packs make the perfect gift or are ideal when pampering yourself. Twelve soap roses, three each of pink, ivory, yellow and red, are all contained in gorgeously presented gift pack. Instead of buying a bouquet of roses, try a box of them instead!' I haven't used mine yet. Firstly, I don't have a bath and secondly, it smells so pretty and looks just as good. It has it's own spot in my bathroom to make it look cute. These would make a fantastic gift! (RRP $9.95).

I can't wait to see what the March box brings, I will be writing about those products soon!

March so far...

Holy cow, please explain how it got to mid March so suddenly??!

As per usual life is just super busy for me and honestly I don't think I should have any hope that thing will ever slow down until I reach retirement...or win lotto.

We've had a whole lot of little events so far this month. On Labour Day, I went out with a bunch of workmates to a pub down by the water to celebrate one of our Managers 40th birthday. It was a blast sitting around in the shade and drinking beers! I am blessed with great workmates, well and truly!

Then the hubby turned 29! One more year before he reaches the dirty thirties! We got up early and took him to the beach. The kids had a ball but I don't know about the hubby, he isn't fond of sand at all. Anyway, we were making the most of the weekend as he had booked the entire weekend off. Very rare for us to have a weekend together!

How gorgeous is my girl?! She is almost two now and is a water baby. It was hard to drag her away. After the beach we went home and then the hubby went out to meet some mates at the pub followed by a family BBQ. The next day was stinking hot (41 degrees!!) and I think we were both feeling a bit green around the gills, so a movie day it was!

Next up was morning tea day at work. I have been dubbed the cupcake queen at work, however this time I wanted to do something slightly different and made these babies...

Mini cinnamon buns!! They went down a treat (yeah I know, sooo bad for the waistline especially once I added the icing!!) The hubby and I also celebrated our wedding anniversary on this day (4 years married).  He's not the romantic type at all, never has been and I'm cool with that - otherwise I wouldn't have married him. So anyway, I wasn't expecting anything from him at all. I was super busy at work that day as I was doing another staff members work while she was off sick as well as my own. At 1pm my hubby arrived at the office to pick me up and take me out for lunch. The bugger had even planned it with my boss to have the afternoon off! Bubba girl was with him (the others at school and daycare) and she made a very cute date.

We had an amazing lunch before I was dropped off at the hairdresser, where I spent a relaxing 2 hours getting my hair done (woohoo! No regrowth!). It was later that night that he revealed that he had tried to get our bridesmaids and groomsmen to join us at the beach where we tied the knot for a picnic lunch but he just couldn't get it to happen with their commitments. Naww, bless him for trying and it just shows that he has a bit of romance buried deep down in there somewhere!

March has been full of celebration! I love it!

I've also been approached to try out something interesting that I'll be blogging about if it all goes ahead. At this stage the fine details are being worked out, but I am soo excited. Stay tuned and Happy St Patricks Day for tomorrow!

12WBT Blogger Challenge Week 1: Introduction

So Whirlsie at Nutritionally Yours has put a call out for people to participate in the 12wbt Blogger Challenge. I'm really excited to participate and just what I need to stay on track with my blogging during this round.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.  What makes you, you? My name is Tracey and I am a busy mum of 5. I landed my dream job almost a year ago and loving it, I also study as well (cert 4 in HR with plans to complete my Diploma later this year and then onto my Associate Degree in Business next year).

I am super disorganised. I laugh...a lot! I tend to have a million projects going at the same time. I love love love going to pole dancing classes. I love to meet new people. My house is always messy(hello, I have 5 kids). My kids are the best thing that ever happened to me. I've been used and abused in the past and I came out on top a stronger and more independent woman. I am addicted to facebook. My code name at work is Cupcake Queen (because I make the yummiest cupcakes apparently, not because I eat lots of them!!). My burlesque name is Tracey Lovely'n'Lacey. Haha, is that enough? I could go on all night!

Why did you decide to do the 12WBT? This is my second round and I didn't achieve what I wanted to achieve, so I am doing it again this round to finish what I have started! I need the guidance and support that Michelle Bridges gives me along with the support from the Perth crew (the Perth Ghetto crew in particular!).

What are you hoping to achieve through the program? I want to get fitter and smaller! Obviously! I hope to get down to 75kg this round and be able to run the whole 1km time trial by week 12.

Why have you decided to blog about the 12WBT? What will be the main focus (eg, food, exercise, a bit of everything?) I wanted to get back into blogging again and this just seemed like a good starting point! I'll be blogging about everything I suppose, and not just about 12wbt (all 12wbt posts will be tagged if you don't want to read the other stuff!)

How will you be exercising this round? Gym, home, outdoors or a mixture? A bit of everything! Whatever will fit into my crazy busy schedule. I have been doing things that are a bit outside of the box though, such as pole dancing, burlesque amongst other things (ice skating tomorrow!)

What is your greatest strength that will help you? Wow...tough one, this round it would be my determination, I am determined to get through this and reach my goal!

What are you afraid of? I think this answer will be the same for most people. I am afraid of failing. If this doesn't work for me then I don't think anything else will. I'm trying to to think about this though. I will not let my fears get me down!

What are you looking forward to the most over the next 12 weeks? Working out with the Ghetto Crew! They are AMAZING! So supportive and the seasoned girls are so knowledgeable and heaaaaps of fun!

What is your downfall? Food? Exercise? How will you overcome this? Exercise is my downfall as I find it hard to schedule it in. The hubby works night shift so quite often he is leaving as I get home and then I have 5 kids to tend to. It makes it very difficult to get out and to the gym. I start work at 7am which doesn't help either and he works weekend(finishing at 6am most of the time!). 

I'm not 100% sure how I will overcome this because I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I think I will just have to push myself to get on the treadmill at home and not laze around and say that I am too tired. I plan to get a crosstrainer for at home too.

If you had to pick one word to motivate you over the next 12 weeks, what would you choose? Twelve. This is what size I plan to be at the end of round! lol

Gooooals!

Lookie at who is blogging so soon after the last post! Haha.

I need to make some changes somehow. I am finding it really hard to train at home and I'd rather be with my Ghetto Crew training, they keep me motivated and keep me going. I'm in a hard place because I haven't got the support to get out of the house whenever I need to train and I am forced to do it at home. I suppose the main thing is this time I AM doing it at home, I'm not just sitting on my butt watching tv and thinking that I should be training right now.

I did a C25K run tonight and I had to push myself, my right shin was burning though and I did have to stop and stretch a few times. But I did notice that I can run a bit easier that it has been. All I was thinking about was what Lucia said at out Ghetto Crew info night. Yes, it's fucking hard to start running, it sucks and it hurts but if you stick at it, it will get easier and you will start to love it. Reminding myself of that helped. I ran a bit easier (besides the pain).

So anyway, the reason I'm posting today is to make public my goals for this 12wbt round. I'm taking just little steps this time. Last time my goals were too big and I gave up because they just weren't realistic.

This time:

I want to be able to run the entire 1km at the week 12 fitness test. I don't care how long it takes me to do it but I don't want to stop and start like I did on week 1.

I want to be able to wear a size 12. I set this goal at New Years, I currently wear a size 14 top and 16 bottom, I'll be happy to be in a 12 top and 14 bottom by the end of round. The work shirt I wore to work today was a size 12, but it does seem to be a big make. It was kinda cool though.

Blog my way through this round! No slacking off.

I would like to get to 75kg. My ultimate goal is to get down to 65kg.

Build up my strength. I'm not one to go and do weights, mostly because I have no idea what I'm meant to be doing or even if I am doing them right. This must change. When I did the beginners poledancing class I realised how little strength I had. I loved every minute of that course and I want to work my way through to the advanced stages. This is an area I need to improve on.

Step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I have started doing this - burlesque classes and running in front of people. I have this one in the bag.

And finally, as a visual I want to fit into this dress:

It doesn't look like I have far to go before it zips up huh? It's getting there but I also want to be able to put it on by pulling it over my hips, not over my head like I do now. This dress is a small 14/large 12.

So there you have it. There are my goals for Round 1 2012. I'll have to revisit this post at the end of round and see how I went.