Accidental Halloweeners

We don’t do Halloween. 

As in, we don’t decorate our house, we don’t get outfits ready for the big day, I don’t encourage my children to knock on the doors of strangers and request lollies and food. I don’t allow my children to eat bags of lollies and chocolates and chips and junk food just because of the traditions of others.

Except for this year when it happened.

Mr H took the dog for a walk and came home telling the girls and I to come and take a look at a house in our street, it was all decorated for Halloween. We stood out the front, just like we do at Christmas when we drive around to see the Christmas lights. Mr H told me he had said hello to the owners a few weeks ago and that she was American.

I felt sorry for her, the effort was wonderful and yet, in our area, there were no little trick or treaters walking the street. We have witches outfits in the dress up box from Popps’ Witches Ball party two years ago, so I told the girls to run inside and get them on and they could come back across the road and ring the bell.

Mr H introduced himself again and the American lady was apparently bouncing with excitement saying “YOU ARE MY FIRST CHILDREN”. 

Not sure if she realised that she was the first Halloween Trick or Treating experience for our entire family.

Before they got the three houses back to ours, the girls ran into a group of kids walking the streets who told them which houses in our area are joining in. They then spent the next two hours walking the streets, because it is quite a trek to get to the few houses taking part. They met others in their travels and they saw kids from school, Mr H met some people in our street that we have never chatted with before. Doors opened as the girls walked past, with people wanting to be friendly and all Halloweeny.

They walked in the door at 8.30pm, thrilled with their loot and bitterly sad when I told them to choose one item that they can have tomorrow and the rest is going away.

All up, they regarded going for a two hour walk in a witches costume one of the best things to ever happen.

Maybe we were already in the mood for some Halloween embracing after I spent last week on a freelance project thinking about Halloween foods. (You can see my little video over here if you feel like it). But today, I think we accidentally embraced Halloween and all its shonky commercialism and its bags of sugar and we came out of it with a new way of thinking. One where walking the streets of your neighbourhood, having some fun, being social and getting a pretty big walk in were all part of the process.

And I think we will have some streamers hanging from our letterbox next year. 

5 new things I have learnt this spring.

Some months you think there has just been nothing new that you have learnt, but that's not true, there is always something new happening around you. Well, there is for me anyway.

This spring, here are five things I have gathered to keep in my brain.


1 ) Lactose free lite milk will not whip. No matter how long you try and no matter which gadget you throw at it. If you want great thick cream I suggest just buying some double cream and accepting it with all of it's apparent unhealthy glory. Just don't share it with anyone that is on a lactose free diet.

2) People can be allergic to the colours in tattoo inks. I don't have, and will never have a tattoo. I just don't get them, no idea why, I also don't get tongue piercings, but that's just me. So when the lovely lady waxing my eyebrows got chatting about her coloured arms and mentioned she is very careful about the colours she chooses, I was surprised, but apparently some people get awful reactions to having dyes permanently applied to their skin. Apparently some people have blood systems that don't like injections of ink going in to them and you need to careful with the type you choose.

3) A pigeon can explode.

4) A kangaroo skull is the best thing ever to take to show and tell at kinder and can be re-used for the big girl the following week - show and tell sorted for both kids - this is parenting gold! Just go walking in the bush until you find one.

5) Ja'me Private School Girl is a disappointing watch so far, but that's ok, because the show that follows, Agony Aunts is totally worth watching. Funny woman talking about previous relationships, dating, partners and love, funny but also mature woman. There is so much to laugh at, and nod your head to.

Day 29 Frocktober: Just Get Frocked with Pip Macdonald

Frocks and I have a tempestuous relationship. 

Flashback to my teens and I was one of the girls-just-want-to-be-boys riding the half pipe, never caught dead in a dress. Gradually throughout my late teens I conceded defeat on Christmas Day and begrudgingly agreed to frock up. This tradition continues. I will still always wear a dress on Christmas Day. Behold last Christmas I wore a dress which I admit I have never worn again. It was purchased from a little boutique in South Melbourne called Teresa Frock Salon. It was an impulse buy to mark my first Christmas Day as a mum. Weird, but maybe, akin to a wedding dress, I’ve never wanted to wear it again. Often though with items of clothing that live in my wardrobe I whip them out a few years later and decide I like them again. So possibly there’s life in this old girl yet.

Nowadays I’m all about practical and comfortable given I tend to do the toddler fandango before and after work. I need to be able to race about the house playing hide and seek whilst secretly using my ‘seek’ time to pack my work bag and make my lunch. I often say my figure resembles that of a brick shithouse – solid, sturdy, does the job. Hence a floaty floral dress will never suffice. Nor will one of those flare at the hip numbers that only suit ladies with slim tall pins. My dresses are all about pairing with undergarments in the winter and transforming into a short sleeved dress for summer. If I can wear them to work then it’s a done deal. I’m lucky nowadays that I no longer work in a strictly corporate environment and have some flex in the wardrobe department. I do tend to like to keep ‘fun’ dresses to my weekends so they don’t remind me of work, however the lines have blurred somewhat now I have a little leeway to be creative with my choice of work attire.

So this is a dress I’ve worn quite a few times into the office, as well as on warmer weekends without the long sleeve top underneath. It too was a random purchase when rifling through a closing-down felt shop in South Melbourne called Colours of Australia. I was actually stocking up on newborn gifts when I spotted random dresses hanging on their rack that were marked down half price. Despite not necessarily being drawn to figure hugging items I decided the patterns would draw a little attention away from the curves plus I could always throw a jacket over it if I found it too revealing. Turns out I don’t think it’s too risky thanks to the cotton material and I layer it so it just looks a bit like a patchwork quilt rather than any particular fashion statement. 

I’m still not completely confident striding around in a dress, though I am getting used to wearing one to work every few days though prefer skirt and top. All I know is that I’m beginning to realise that jeans and pants are not always a short girl’s best friend and a frock that suits the figure is sometimes a more flattering option when the colours work too. So all hail the month of Frocktober and Claire’s fabulous challenge in aid of Ovarian Cancer which I’ve been learning a lot about thanks to her little tidbits at the end of each post. I certainly could not wear a dress every day of the month but thanks to Claire I convinced my work mate to take some quick cheeky shots in the park between random Melbourne downpours in one otherwise uneventful lunch hour.

I blog when I can, but tend to hangout a bit more regularly on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for having me over to play lovely Claire. x

Frocktober Guest Post: Emily and An Ode to Denim

An Ode To Denim

I know, I know - it's Frocktober and I'm singing the praises of denim. The stuff of jeans and shorts and jackets and shirts (preferably not worn all at once). Bear with me. 

As I'm writing this we're about two thirds of the way through a month of frocks, and so far my denim dress count is five. Yep, five. With at least two more to go. That means about one in four of my frocks have been denim. And I may have just bought another one (this sweet Summer number from French Connection). Clearly I have a problem.

But there is something so effortless awesome about a denim dress. I can't resist. They make for the perfect 'throw it on and don't think about it' outfit, for those mornings when deciding what to wear is just too much. They are generally ridiculous comfortable, but because they are denim - the fabric of choice for rockers and rollers, cowboys and outlaws, since way back - they still manage to look a little bit hip, a little bit edgy. 

My favourite go to is the denim shirt dress, with a button or three down the front and sleeves you can roll up as the day warms up. I have a few of these that I basically live in when it's not Frocktober. I bought them when I was living in Asia, from Muji and Uniqlo. I'm also a fan of the denim sack dress, a bit boxy and shapeless, like the one from asos that I wore on day fifteen. Day twenty saw me in another favourite - one of those dresses that I will really miss when it wears so thin it falls apart (which it will at some point, because I wear it so often). It's a cross between a traditional fit and flare frock and a sack dress, and it somehow manages to be old fashioned and modern all at once. It's from Zara and I adore it.

Have you embraced the denim dress?

ps. Don't forget why we're doing all this - to support the important work of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. Any donation you can make, big or small, helps fund research into the causes of ovarian cancer and may help develop a life saving early detection test.

Catch Emily on her blog to see the rest of her Frocktober goodness. 

Slip n sliding to big school

Immy is on the path to starting school, except it’s not really a path, it’s a super soaped up slip n slide and she is racing all the way down squealing with laughter and happiness as she flies by. I am the one left holding the hose at the side, making sure there is enough water to make it a smooth ride, right to the end.

Last week was the first school orientation morning. The day all of the preps starting school next year come in for the morning. They do a walk to the drinking taps and the toilets and meet some teachers. The teachers ask them to write their names and draw a picture before they sit on the mat to listen to a story and sing some songs.

And the Mums, the mums are breathing deeply in the staff room, or crying in the car, or chasing another toddler on the nearby playground. And the question sometimes asked is, “How are you coping?” and the mums all say the same thing.

“I will be ok.”

Because they will.

 

But that little bit of me that is not ok is the part that knows how Immy will miss the strong friendship she has with one of her kinder friends. Anna and Immy adore each other’s company. Together with Sharnie, they are the ‘creche kids’ that have been together for full days of care for over three years. They have seen other kids come and go, they watch as the ‘pre-school’ kids  all get picked up early and together these three keep playing, often last to leave, they know the drill of ‘late snack’ and how the playground gets packed up at 5.30pm. They get excited when the babies start to walk and they know all the parents that come in and out of every room to collect their kids. These three are the queen bees of their own little existence.

Together they have mastered the monkey bars, saved the lives of snails and hidden in the bushes to hide from kids they don’t like. They know the best place to look through the fence to see the fire trucks go past. They have dribbled on the books and kicked over the blocks. And now that they have mastered the art of how to open a lunch box, apply your own sunscreen and write your own name, it is off to school.  

Which means their time is limited.

Three little girls, all exactly the same, but a little bit different.

School will separate them. Anna will attend another school.

Anna was not there at school orientation.

Still, when asked to draw a picture of something, Immy drew a picture of the three of them. These three little girls from totally different ethnic and cultural groups yet still so very much the same. This basic drawing says so much. I know exactly which image is which girl. I know they are all in the same dresses because as different as they all are, they still try so hard to be exactly like each other.

We will still see Anna for a play when all the schedules align, but as grown ups, we all know, it's just never the same.

So when I think about Immy being ready for next year, I don’t even really think about school, I know that part now, I know she will find her bag hook and work out the rules of the bigger playground. I know she will hate the restriction of less free play and more structured learning yet love the songs, the stories, the canteen and the excursions.

But I know most of all she will miss Anna.

And we all know, there are no brakes once you get started on that soaped up slip n slide of life.

Day 27 Frocktober Guest Post: Skinny Girls have body issues too

Chicken legs, skin & bones, anorexic- these are all the names I’ve been called. And before you roll your eyes and sigh “oh you poor skinny girl” just bear with me for a moment.

I’ve always been a petite girl. I don’t actively exercise or diet, it’s just the way my body is. Now that I’m older I realise what a blessing this is but when I was younger I saw it as a curse. As a teenager you would never catch me wearing a dress. Even on a 30 degree day I would prefer to wear pants. Anything to cover my legs. Maxi dresses and leggings just weren’t a thing back then so they weren’t an option. It was only when I went to a catholic school where it was mandatory for girls to wear dresses during summer that I gritted my teeth and put on dress. The whole time I felt self-conscious and vulnerable. Why? Because I had constantly been teased for being skinny and ‘chicken legs’ was a name that was often directed towards me. I still remember one particular mean girl in high school spreading a rumour that I was anorexic. Now I’m not sharing any of this for sympathy or compliments my point is simply this...nobody should judge anybody based on their body size.

Nobody should feel they have the right to comment on anybody else’s body size. Please don’t tell a stranger they should eat more to put ‘some meat on their bones’ when you don’t know how much they eat. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t tell a larger person to eat less. You may not realise it but it’s just as offensive. Yes, I’m here to tell you that skinny girls have body confidence issues too As I’ve grown older those taunts have turned into compliments. It’s sad that my confidence is so reliant on what other people say but sometimes that’s the reality. Today, my favourite thing to wear is a dress.

I still have moments where I feel self-conscious but I’ve gotten better and I’ve realised I’d rather be comfortable in a light dress than thick pants on a stinkin hot day! So I embrace the frock and I hope you do too whatever your size may be! And what better reason to get frocked up than to get involved in Frocktober & raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Centre.


Thank you to Sarah from Sarahdipity for guest posting on my blog today. You can also say hello to Sarah on her facebook page.

Day 23 Frocktober: One size fits all bumps - or lumps.

The one size fits all garments are an interesting type. I think many have actually changed to OSFM or one size fits MOST, because clearly they can't fit ALL.

The metalicus range is one I have had a long standing love/hate relationship with.

When pregnant I thought it was great. Stretchy, easy to wash, no ironing required, the perfect garment really. Post baby, it wasn't quite as forgiving and I was not such a fan.

But I am a sucker for a bargain. The other week I was walking through Myer and they had one of those big sales on that you are just lucky enough to be in the right spot for sometimes. I grabbed a few Metalicus items that were half price and then 40% off the half price. Major bargain - but not if I don't wear them!

But I have. I started with the cardigan wrap in black and realised I have missed having one of these. It works with lots of things and can easily be thrown in my handbag. Unfortunately it did get a hole in the arm on the second wear, not sure how that happened, but clearly I need to be more cautious with this type of fabric.

I bought a singlet top that will only ever be worn under things. It is tight, really tight. It will never see daylight but will hold the bulges and keep them warm.

Singlet top under the dress - the only bits of it you will ever see.

I got the dress in these photos and started wearing it simply because I needed more frocks. It soon became my most comfy and feel good dress. I wear it with the singlet underneath and the wrap on top or just on it's own. I am also teaming it up with my opaque tights.

I wore it today for school orientation and it was a good choice for not being too dressy and not too casual, a great 'school gate' option.

After school orientation for Immy I dropped her back into creche where her little friends were very excited to see her. One little girl then ran up and said, ARE YOU HAVING A BABY. I CAN SEE YOUR BABY. WOW, IMMYS MUMMY IS HAVING A BABY!!

This lead to much excitement as they all patted my tummy and giggled. I informed them that there was no baby in my tummy, but they decided they could still see it and they ignored my words and just went with the idea that there was.

I could blame the hot chocolate we had this morning. But I won't. Instead I am blaming the dress.

Yes, the One Size Fits Most item does fit me, but it seems to fit well on bumps and lumps and curves too.  Speaking of lumps and bumps - remember all this dress talk is for Frocktober, and lumps and bumps on lady bits, including boobs should be checked with your doctor, it is also advised that you give your own boobs a good feel up and have a check for any lumps and bumps that shouldn't be there. Alternatively, the local preschool is a good place to go to be reminded that your tummy lumps and bumps need fewer hot chocolates and more walks - which of course is also a way to reduce your chances of lady bits cancer!


What are your thoughts on the OSFB (one size fits bumps) garment?



Wearing:
Immy: Popps old dress - Target,
Me: Metalicus Dress

Day 22 Frocktober Guest Post: Carly Findlay

I am hesitant to admit that I have a floordrobe going on at home. Clothes strewn everywhere. My house was broken into about nine years ago and I didn't really notice, because clothes are always strewn about. Must. Develop. Better. Hanging. Habits. However, there is a redeeming feature - I have a lot of pretty dresses and they're all hung up neatly in the wardrobe in the spare room. I'm a huge fan of Target's dresses, and I buy Cue on sale. I love a maxi too. Even though I'm short, a maxi makes me feel tall. I love wearing a dress with a blazer or a denim jacket or my trusty pleather biker jacket.

This dress is from Joy the Store my favourite store in London (it's even better than Topshop on Oxford Circus!). I bought it in the online sale to celebrate a rather eventful week in the middle of this year. It was on sale. I was hoping the fit and the print was as true as on the website - and when I tried it on, it was fabulous! I love the green floral - I don't look like a traffic light! - and that it goes with pink, blue, purple and black. I also love the swishy pleated skirt and the bust line. I'm also wearing my new sandals by Windsor Smith - another sale item. 

I discovered Joy the Store in London when I was holidaying in London in July 2012, I went into a few Joy stores in different areas of London, and fell in love with a gold and navy dress that I kept seeing. It reminded me of a Cue or Review dress.  I was being careful with my money, and so I waited until my last day there to buy it. I caught the train from Earls Court to Fullham Broadway with half an hour to spare before I needed to catch a taxi to the airport. I knew what I wanted. Spent my last £40 cash on that perfect dress. Squeezed it into my carry-on. And I wear that dress to VIP events, instead of wearing a suit. 

I am loving Claire's posts on Frocktober - and also all the bloggers who have got on board. What a great cause! I've donated money to Claire's cause, hoping that her little girls won't have to worry about ovarian cancer when they're my age. You can sponsor Clairey here.

You can find Carly in all of your favourite online spots:

My blog: carlyfindlay.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tune.into.radio.carly 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlyfindlay 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/carlyfindlay 

Day 19 Frocktober Guest Post: Say hello to Mandy

A big thanks to Mandy for today's Frocktober guest post.

There is a saying “Live everyday like it’s your last” it’s a great concept, but I’m a realist.  And the realist in me says it’s not possible, because I wouldn’t go to work on my last day, I wouldn’t grocery shop or pay bills.

There is also much debate over ‘saving an outfit for a special occasion’.  Why do we have to wait for a special occasion to, well, you know, feel special?

I’ve never been much of a dress wearer.  I wanted to be, but I always felt a bit ridiculous, like I was all dolled up with no where to go.  But there is a shift in the air and I’m embracing it.  We never know when our last day will be in front of us so it’s about time we embraced our inner woman and let her loose.

I’ve gone a bit crazy over the last few months.  I picked up a couple of really nice dresses from Big W.

And then I was given a cute dress from Piping Hot along with a nice tee / skirt combo.

I felt like I’d won the lotto when my name was drawn from a blog giveaway recently allowing me $250 to spend at Sequins and Sand.  I skipped past the swimmer range and headed straight to the dresses.  I picked up two dresses, (a long and a short) in the ‘wear five ways’ range.

Finally, I even bought myself a gorgeous little Wayne Cooper number, a treat for my next night out.  Budget is definitely a factor for me so I picked this baby up brand new with tags for half the price on Ebay.

Without being all morbid every day we are here is a privilege, a privilege to spend quality time with the ones we love, quality time enjoying life.  For me that means spending time with my husband and three children. This summer we plan to go to the beach, have picnics, take long walks and invite friends over to share in a meal plus much much more.  And I plan on doing this more often than not in a dress, because that is makes me happy and whilst I don’t believe I can live every day as though it’s my last, I sure can attempt to live a life fulfilled.




Mandy is also a blogger at A Little Space Like Home

Day 18 Frocktober: The dog nearly licked my dress

Are you wearing a dress?

I am. But I am not blogging as much as I was hoping I would be. Same old excuse - TIME.

I blame parents and friends meetings, school orientation meetings, tennis, ballet, work, trips to Sydney and Mt Washmore. Ok, I can't really blame Mt Washmore as I am not evening keeping up with that.

When I announced that I was doing Frocktober a couple of businesses sent me some things to support my efforts, one of those was Fashionista Depot. One of the dresses they sent me was this one.

I wore it to work the other day, lucky I work indoors as this is a light and floaty and not ideal on a windy day number.

I asked Immy to get a photo. See that dog, see that tongue? Yep, the dog wanted a piece of that dress. This is the level of professional photography you get around here.  No photoshopping to make things look better than they are.

Today's Fact about Lady Bits Cancer:

The main cause of cervical cancer is now known to be infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). There are also other known risk factors. 


If something's not right in your lady bits - ask your doctor for a check up. 

Day 15 Frocktober: A corporate day

This is a sponsored post

This dress thing is getting easier, it has taken some extra thought, there has been a need for a tiny bit of shopping but I am really getting into the frocky vibe. 

Yesterday I headed up to Sydney for a work gig at Macquarie, I had just the outfit. I am a conservative dresser at the best of times and corporate conservative navy and red are my favourite colours. 

I opted for this dress and jacket because Melbourne was cold and I knew Sydney would be warmer, I needed something comfortable for flying in and something that wouldn't crease too much as I jumped in and out of taxi's. 

I know it might sound awfully dull to many of you, but while I was at Macquarie we were discussing home loans and I found it fascinating. I really enjoy any type of consumer or market research and this was no different - except I was the consumer, not the marketing team, which is also really fun for me. Perhaps that sounds odd. I like thinking about what makes people do stuff, what makes a person decide to spend their money where they do. By learning about a persons decision making processes, you learn so much about the person. 

Macquarie have a new home loan out that connects with Qantas Frequent Flyers which they started off discussing, we then heard from Clifford. Clifford is the owner of Australian Frequent Flyers - a totally independent group that are PASSIONATE about frequent flyer points. Clifford has a million stories to tell about frequent flyers, I think he and his ilk actually use FF points like the share market. They know the value of points, the best way to get them and how to spend them. They study frequent flyer programs and buy and sell points like the commodity that they are. I never knew people were so addicted to FF points.

Anyway, as we got into the conversation the questions in my mind kept coming along. 

What makes an Australian consumer decide on a home loan provider? Do people switch very often? What makes us switch? Will people choose a home loan to get FF points? How many people collect all their points when they possibly can (Clearly not me, I suggested that Qantas owes me ten years of points for all the Optus bills I have paid and not collected points for).  If FF points are not your thing, what might sway you to a home loan - especially if the interest rates were the same as the competitors? Some in the room suggested home or life insurance or Will preparation, dull but essential things. 

I think I would like my home loan to be more crazy and creative. Perhaps they should send me random gifts, with a card, handwritten, that says "Woo hooo, we're excited, you have paid all your minimum repayments for six months, we are so proud of you, here is a bunch of flowers." Or, better still, here is the latest collection of elk necklaces for you to wear. 

Or maybe more shoes. 

I wore these to Sydney, I love a wedgie (in a shoe)...wouldn't it be nice if my home loan provider sent me shoes.

What about you, what would you like to receive from your home loan? 

Wearing:

Trent Nathan Dress, Jag Jacket, Nu Shoes