Today

Outside my window...cool and cloudy.. The dog is sitting at the door wanting to be let in

I am thinking... that I have THREE WEEKS off work as of today...super excited!

I am thankful for...the internet- answers so many questions

I am wearing... jeans, my cons, new balance jumper and my horse scarf

I am going to...go out for a drink and dinner with my cousin on the weekend

I am hoping... that the kids survive me looking after them

On my mind... work, jobs and what to do

I am currently reading... Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

From the kitchen... soda water

Around the house... Flowers, I was spoilt with lots of gorgeous birthday flowers

One of my favourite things... a quiet house

A few plans for the rest of the week... SLEEP!! gym, hanging out with mumma, dinner dates, smiling

One photo to share..
The amazing birthday cake, Jess and Tatum created for me, satisfying my annoying request for Macaroons, I am a very lucky girl! 

Happy Friday,

xx Lauren

Fifty Shades of Opinion

Filled to the brim, the bookshelves at my house

I class myself as a pretty avid reader, growing up I would spend weekends curled up in bed devouring books, I know I was pretty pleased when I could read fast enough to knock off a babysitters club book in a couple of hours. These days I have a kindle, which I adore, I keep it stashed in my bag and I can read whenever I get a moment.Currently I'm reading Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, and before that was Kathy Lette's The boy who fell to earth.

Prior to them I read that series of books that the female population of the western world appear to be going crazy for, Fifty Shades of Grey. E.L James is a very clever woman, taking a topic that even a decade ago would've been total taboo and hidden in the dark corner of the bookshop under erotic literature and making it THE thing that we all have to read, right now! There is no escaping it at the moment, its all over the radio, on the tv talk shows and the one that I think skyrocketed the book, social media. I first came across the series after seeing a photo on Instagram. I looked it up and read a review written by a 'semi-retired male gynecologist who usually reads crime' He didn't praise the book too high, but it certainly got me interested.

In my opinion, they are ok. I described them to my mum as mills and boon on steroids- and she promptly read them too. I am refusing to have any book group discussions with her though- far to close for comfort thank you very much. Aside for the dramatic sex, the book does have an interesting story to tell, there is character development, there is drama, there is passion, love and ultimately happiness. I felt emotion- anger, happiness, annoyance whilst I read them which means that I was connected. I think they were a good read and most of all I enjoyed reading them.

Recently on Facebook I saw a conversation on how stupid the books were, how ridiculous we all were for going crazy over them. From my knowledge none of these people had actually read the book, and that annoyed me somewhat. Certainly they aren't high-brow ground breaking literature, but they are entertaining and whats wrong with that? For both uni and my own pleasure I have read more than a few novels classed as the best in the world and completely hated them, thought that they were a total waste of time. Another conversation I had we likened the books to that of Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games, all complete works of fiction but they successfully get the world to read- and that is a good thing in my opinion.

What's your opinion? Have you read Fifty Shades too? What are you reading now?
xx Lauren

Goals for 25

 In seven short sleeps I will be 26. I seriously don't know how a year has slipped past already, but I think it has been a pretty good one!

Just before my last birthday I set some random goals for the year. Some I aced and other fell flat on their face, but it was fun having something in the back of my mind and work towards.

*Save $10,000

Done! well almost, saving for the America trip in October is going pretty well in fact            

*Run 5km

Not yet, but I'm still working on it

*Eat a really fancy dinner  

I had a couple including dinner in Melbourne on my girls weekend and more recently a sister dinner here in Adelaide

*Tap Dance

...unless you count tap dancing around the lounge room...
*Take a road trip  

I drove to Port Lincoln with Tatum and the Kids, not quite the road trip I envisaged but a road trip none-the-less

*Sew clothes for myself

Nope, didn't even try
*Do 10 chinups 

I can, using the assisted chinup machine

 *Get a Tattoo

My current excuse- I want one on my foot, which doesn't bode well with the wearing sneakers every day
*Eat an ice cream on the beach 

Done- the opening of a Copenhagen near-by meant that it happened more than one

*Make the Green Dandelion blog successful

Still a work in progress
*Buy shoes from here    

Having to save for an overseas holiday meant that I gave up some frivolous things...for now anyway!

*Volunteer

No excuse here, just didn't do it, unless you count donating blood?
*Ride a Show ride  

Done, at the Adelaide Show

*Cook an Indian feast for friends

Not done, but plans to cook for friends next weekend as part of my birthday celebrations 

*Learn how to Crochet  

 I'm working on it, thanks to classes at E for Ethel

*Visit the Art Gallery

I thought I had, but realised it was before my birthday, I have been to the museum a few times though
*See the Foo Fighters live  

 Done! December 2011 at Adelaide Oval...so amazing

*Master the sewing machine

Getting there
*Take more photos of myself 

Done, especially with my HTC smartphone and Instagram

*Paint a picture

Didn't even attempt to
*Wear a size 12-14    

Nope, but I am wearing a 16/18, with both my size 16 jeans and gym pants being too big. Definitely not a 14 yet though

*Have a massage and a facial

I've had lots of massages, but no facial
*Learn to ride a bike 

Big fat fail on this one, it still scares the heck out of me!

*Plan a BIG holiday

Planning a holiday in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York in October/November this year
*Grow Sunflowers

I didn't manage to grow anything this year!

I think I'm going to set some more goals for the next year. Do you have any goals would you like to set yourself?

xx Lauren

In Extra Time

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Its been a conversation happening on Facebook lately, and one I've had more than once in the recent weeks that has really bugged me. The innuendo's that its only possible for me (and others I know) to lose weight because I have no children and plenty of extra time to do as I please.

It makes me furious.

I would like to make it quite clear that whilst I don't have any children, I still have a full-time job which begins at four in the morning. That prior to this year, in the time period where I lost the majority of my weight, I was also studying part-time, maintaining a distinction average and working on a small business.. I still share a household with my younger sister and need to do the cooking and cleaning, like everyone else in the world. For months on end I have let things slide- I haven't seen friends because in order to fit in going to the gym I had to sacrifice certain things, being sociable was one of them. This year, in order to help feel some balance again I have deferred the study, but spent a lot of time missing it, I so love learning, as well as let the small business slide. There are still big plans whirring away in the back of my mind, but I figure that there is plenty of time to make them a reality- creating a healthy, happy me is my priority for right now.

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Losing weight is hard work for everybody, it takes time, commitment and the right attitude- so can the world stop bitching about who gets it easier and just start congratulating and cheering on each person who is giving it a red hot go.

xx Lauren