3 Today

You’re Three today, “hip hip hooray”, you’re three today. 

But there’ll be no party, no presents, no cake, because you’re not here to celebrate.

I often find myself wondering who you would be, our little boy, now Mr Three. 

Would your favorite things be trains, or cars or trucks? Or puppies & ponies or even ducks?

Would you be loud & messy like your brothers or would you be very different & like no others?

When we see the white butterfly you often send our way, we’ll know you’re with us as we commemorate this day.

For our second son who was born in June, you came too early & left way too soon.

We’ll light your candle & release a balloon & send Birthday wishes to our boy on the moon. 

For a part of our family you’ll always be, from now until eternity.

Because our love for you is off the charts, Ryan James- your name & face, forever engraved upon our hearts.

Happy 3rd Birthday baby boy 🎈

xx

Fan Girl Friday #12

Hello Bright Ones, 

So it’s been a little while since I last blogged, for many various reasons, most of which are pretty boring & not worth explaining here so let’s just say I’ve been busy with “life.” Maybe I’ll do a monthly recap post or maybe I won’t, but I figured the easiest way to get back on the “blogging bike” so to speak, is to jump back into my Fan Girl Friday post.

So let’s dive on in shall we, with 2 bloggers I love & follow across multiple social media platforms 🙂 

Kirstin & Co

I love the way Kirstin writes her blog. When reading it, it’s like you’ve just sat down and are having a chat with a friend. Her sense of humor is what keeps me coming back for more & I always have a laugh whilst reading or a smile on my face after finishing one of her posts.

Her blog is a bit of an eclectic mix of lifestyle, fashion, food & fun and one of my favorite things she does is her video segments “cooking with Kirstin”

She is my kinda “cook” with simple, tasty recipes that everyone/anyone can make & not a one features even a hint of kale 🙂 as she herself tells you, she’s #kalefree & this Tim Tam salad proves it. Besides, anyone who also has to eat a few choc chips when opening a bag, for quality control purposes of course, will always win me over.

Some posts of hers I’ve enjoyed are: 

How to quit kale 

Twenty Things I’ve Learned in my 40’s

Five ways to lose weight fast 

But there are sooo many others, it’s best if you just pop over to her blog & start reading & discovering her humor for yourselves 🙂 

Pinch Me Beautiful 

Bec is a fellow coastie & a close friend of my sister in law which is how I was first introduced to her blog which is a lovely mix of devine recipes, cute crafts & stunning photos of her & her families life including the cutest little cat ever!

Some of my favorite posts of hers include:

 This beautiful photographic recap of her & her daughters day out at  Norah Head 

This recipe for Mint Chocolate Brownies – ummm yum! 

This Cute craft idea- Pom Pom Cupcake  

She is also extremely talented, making & selling the most amazingly beautiful wall hanging weaves I have ever seen. She takes custom orders & also runs workshops or one on one classes so you can learn to make your very own too. This is definitely something that is on my “to do/wish/bucket” list.  You can see all of her marvelous creations over on her Instagram account & her hashtag #pmbweaves 

Here’s a small sample of some of my favorites she’s created so far.

Seriously talented right! To see more & be kept in the loop of all of her crafty/creative genius & goodness, follow Bec’s blog, you won’t be disappointed.

As I love these blogs & the ladies behind them, I follow them both on Instagram & Facebook too! Fan Girl much? 😉 

Who are you fan girl crushing on right now? Which blogs are you loving or who should I be following? Share & give your favorites a shout out in the comments below.

And as always you can come say hi to me over at Messy Rainbows on Facebook or Instagram too. I love hearing from you.

Taking Stock ~ March 2016

 
 

Joining in with Pip from Meetmeatmikes & doing my quarterly taking stock post. If you want to play along, I’ve attached a copy of the list at the end of this post for you to copy & paste, just be sure to credit & link back to Pip if you do.

So 3 months of the year have flown by already. Here’s what I’ve been up to.

Making: School lunches & healthy treats

Drinking: Water, caramel rooibos, Apple & ginger tea, regular tea, hot chocolates but NOT soft drinks!

  

Reading: besides the occasional bedtime story I’m not reading anything at the moment, unless blogs count?

Wanting: Sleep & a bit of time to myself.

Looking: Up at the sky, a lot. Trying to take the time to find some peace & calm in my days & also for my photo of the day for the challenge I set myself this year to capture #366_skies 

 

Playing: Stages- cd by Josh Groban in anticipation of attending his concert next month

Deciding: whether or not to have a party for Peanut this year? He’s turning 5, which feels like a big deal (it is a a big deal) but we had a party last year & said we’d only do one every other year.

Wishing: the cycle of sickness would leave our family already. It’s been weeks & weeks of continued illnesses & I hate seeing the boys unwell, plus the crimp it’s putting in our socializing is killing me.

Enjoying: far too many hot cross buns & chocolate eggs

Waiting: For my new little niece to make her entrance into the world. Any day now. (* edited to say she has now arrived!!! 🙂

Liking: All things “Unicorns” yes still! You can see a few of my favs here in my flavor of the month post

Wondering: If Pumpkin will ever learn to self settle & sleep through the night. 18 months now, it’s getting beyond a joke!

Loving: My walks around the neighborhood. I love exploring new streets & getting out in the fresh air & sunshine, it’s good for the soul & my sanity.

Pondering: what to do whilst hubby is off on holidays… go away? day trips & outings? Get things sorted & organised around the house? Maybe a bit of everything? 

Considering: What’s next? 

Buying: Baby gifts, Easter eggs & new pj’s 

 

Watching: The Big Bang Theory, The Mindy Project & because of Mr 4- Dr Who!! He loves it.

Hoping: the world & people in it get their shit together…. It’s scary to think what kind of society my boys are growing up in. 

Cringing: Could Donald Trump really become the next US President?

Needing: A good nights sleep. 

Questioning: Life choices & what the future has in store 

Smelling: Vanilla candles & slow cooked bbq pulled pork

Wearing: New pjs, skirts & dresses

Following: The lovely Sam from The Annoyed Thyroid & the super funny Rachel from Toilets aren’t for Turtles- check them both out in this Fan Girl Friday post  

Noticing: The birds in our backyard. Last year there were 2 doves that came to visit, this year their family has expanded & there are now four of them who hang out on our fence 

  

Thinking: of all the things I have to do & want to do & how I should stop procrastinating & just do them! 

Sorting: Boxes. It’s been a year since we moved & we’re STILL unpacking & going through boxes.

Getting: Fit & Healthy- (hopefully) by Moving More in March

Bookmarking: Easter treats & crafts

Coveting: new homewares- couches, furniture & decor, just can’t make up my mind on a style or theme & then there is the little issue of $$$$ 

Disliking: how often I have to sweep & vacuum. Dark carpets & hardwood floors are not forgiving & show every piece of fluff, dust & crumbs! 

Opening: Happy Mail, as part of the Oh so Happy mail project started by the lovely Chantelle aka Fatmumslim. It’s nice to send & receive a little bit of happy & kindess.

  
Giggling: with & at my boys & their funny little ways. 

Feeling: stressed out & worn out. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart!

Snacking: On fruit, homemade bliss balls, nuts & yoghurt 

Hearing: the rain falling outside. It’s starting to feel more like Autumn now.
 

Do you Take Stock? Let me know in the comments below so I can come check out your lists too. Or if you haven’t done it before why not give it a try now or Pick 3 words from the list & share your answers in the comments.

                                  Lozzie x

Want more MessyRainbows in your life? Come hang with me over on Instagram or Facebook 

Making :
Cooking :
Drinking :
Reading:
Wanting:
Looking:
Playing:
Deciding:
Wishing:
Enjoying:
Waiting:
Liking:
Wondering:
Loving:
Pondering:
Considering:
Buying:
Watching:
Hoping:
Marvelling:
Cringing:
Needing:
Questioning:
Smelling:
Wearing:
Following:
Noticing:
Knowing:
Thinking:
Admiring:
Sorting:
Getting:
Bookmarking:
Coveting:
Disliking:
Opening:
Giggling:
Feeling:
Snacking:
Helping:
Hearing:

Flavor of the Month {Unicorns}

I’m totally loving unicorns right now. What’s not to love about these magical mythical creatures?

I’ve come across some of the cutest & best of the best unicorn themed items to share with you this month & honestly I want them all! 

  

1. I absolutely love the little unicorno figurines by tokidoki & have 6 in my collection already, but this larger unicorno figure Pixie is all kinds of awesome & I will have to add it to the collection at some stage. 

2. This woven unicorn soft toy from Kmart is all kinds of cute. I loved it so much I bought one for my new little niece to be, although truth be told, I want to keep it for myself! 

3. This unicorn & raindrop mobile designed by Birdynumnumdesignco is available from Down that Little Lane. It’s so awesome and would add a great pop of colour & whimsy to any nursery.

4. Got a little miss who loves unicorns & jewelry? You can’t go wrong with this sweet little unicorn pendant from Prouds.

5. These Unicorn Little Critters by Little Pouts come in either a large size with an extra accessory of your choice, a sweet mini version or even as a rattle. They’d make a cute cuddle toy or cushion for the cot or bed. 

                              LOZZIE X 

Do you love Unicorns too? Which one would you pick from the above list? Have an idea or suggestion of what you’d like to see in an upcoming flavor of the month post?  Let me know in the comments here, or come say hi over on Instagram or Facebook 
 

As always, items featured in my flavor of the month posts are not sponsored nor are there affiliate links. They are just things that have caught my eye, that I love & want to share with you.

Fan Girl Friday #11

Hello Bright Ones, 

Hope you’ve all had a super week!  Any exciting plans for the weekend?

We are suppose to be catching up with some friends but after a couple weeks of Pumpkin being sick on & off, now that he’s FINALLY on the mend, Peanut has of course come down with a cough & cold! I swear it’s a never ending sickness cycle here sometimes & I always say the easiest way to guarantee your kids will get sick is to make plans! Aargh it’s soooo frustrating & I’m a little bit over it.

But enough of my little pity party & on with this fortnights installment of Fan Girl Friday. 

This week I’m highlighting two creative ladies over on Instagram.

TheBeeCreative

Bee is a talented artist who loves to faff around with leaves, flowers & sometimes food to make some truly amazing creations. 

  

She also does dot paintings on rocks, wood & canvas & sells some of these beautiful pieces on her etsy page Creationz by Bee. I’ve purchased a few items of hers but my favorite is my purple painted rock necklace that I always get compliments on. 

Seriously do yourself a favor & check out her page & you will fall in love with her magical images & artwork too. 

  

Wildflowerseasoul

Michelle’s gallery is just dreamy. I was drawn to it because of her beautiful  beachy photos, but I love all of her images, they are so pretty & soothing to look at. 

  

She also gets her creative on from time to time & comes up with some fab pics such as these below

  

Her Instagram feed is a bit of an eclectic mix, but each & every image is lovely & just makes me want to see more. So go on, click the link with her name above & go show her some page some love. 

Next time on Fan Girl Friday I’ll be highlighting two blogs I think you’ll like. Til then, stay colourful & bright. 

                            LOZZIE X 

Are you on Instagram? What’s your profile name, leave it in a comment below so I can come & say hello. 

You can also pop over & say hello to me on my Instagram page here or on Facebook I love hearing from you 

Move More March

  

Following on from my Fit & Fab Feb, I’ve decided to focus on moving more in March! 

Of course I’ll still be focusing on those goals I set myself in February like limiting processed foods & drinking more water/herbal teas, cutting out soft drinks etc, but I’ll also be making more of an effort to get off my butt more often. 

Whilst I was pretty good & stuck to my goals for most of the month, I did kind of come unstuck a little towards the end of Feb & this first week of March has been a bit of a write off.

I’ve had a sick & teething bub on my hands & I’m an emotional eater so being stressed out & tired has seen me reach for the not so great food choices a bit more & feeling like I want to eat my body weight in chocolate & icecream! Oops!

However that’s life right, so just gotta dust myself off & get back on the horse or wagon or any other metaphor that sees me moving forward!

I had a birthday last week too which saw me over indulge a little too much also, but as I’m now closer to 40 than 30 & they say it gets harder to lose weight as you get older (I find it’s always hard!) I’ve decided this is the year to focus on me & become the best version of myself I can be. I still have a few years up my sleeve before I hit the big 4-O but when I get there I want to be 40-“fit & foxy” not 40-“fat & frumpy.”

So Ive pulled out my Fitbit to help motivate me & see just how much I move or don’t each day. 2 days a week I walk my son to preschool which is about 20 mins each way. I do this to drop him off & pick him up (unless it’s raining or ridiculously hot, I’m not crazy!) on these days I absolutely kill getting in my 10000 steps a day, usually more. So those days are easy & I’ve even noticed my fitness increasing just by doing this.

I have also been trying to get out 1 or 2 more times during the week for a walk on my own or pushing Pumpkin in the pram but have only been doing about 30-35mins. So for the remainder of March I want to increase this to 3 times a week & aim for a minimum of 45 mins building up to 1 hr. 

It’s these small but achievable changes combined with last months goals that I’m hoping bring big, long term results. 

                              LOZZIE X

How often do you exercise per week? What’s your favorite activity to do that sees you moving more? If you have kids how do you find the time to incorporate exercise into your day? 

Tell me all your tips & tricks here or over on Facebook or Instagram I’d love to hear from you  

Flavor of the Month {Cactus}

How can something look so cute & pretty but be sooo prickly! There is just something about a cactus that makes you want to touch it, but then regret that you did straight away… Ouch! (or is that just me?) 

These cute cactus finds will bring you all there is to love about cacti, minus the prickles.

  
1. Cute crotchet Cactus pots by CactoCactus

2. Little Cactus cushion cover by DaisyDaisyHandmades 

3. Cactus phone cover case available through Casetify get yours here 

4. Sunnylife neon cactus light available from Little Paper Lane

5. Sterling silver & opal inlay cactus necklace by Sunfacetraders

As always, my flavor of the month posts are not sponsored, nor are there any affiliate links. They are just items I’ve come across that I love & want to share with you. 

If you like this flavor of the month post you may also enjoy some of these previous ones too 

Donuts

Ice cream 

Rainbows 

                               LOZZIE X

Do you get the overwhelming urge to touch a cactus plant when you see one? Which is your favorite from the products above? Do you have a “flavor” you’d like to see me feature in an upcoming post? 

Share your thoughts here on the blog or over on Instagram or Facebook. I love to hear from you 

Fan Girl Friday #10

Hello Bright Ones, 

Can you believe another fortnight has rolled around already… & it’s almost March! 

I love March because it’s my birthday month but also because it’s Autumn & that’s my favorite season. 

Haven’t had a lot happening this week. We did the usual preschool run twice & I went to my dads earlier in the week to visit my step sister who is out visiting from Canada again for a few weeks. I’ve got some friends coming round for lunch tomorrow but apart from that it’s all been pretty ho hum, housework & wrangling the boys most days. I don’t mind the quieter weeks though. 

Right-o, so this week I’m highlighting two Instagram accounts that are just the bomb! 

1) Kellysnapshappy

Kelly’s feed is just so beautiful to look at & her photos are magic. 

However it’s her two hashtags that I really love & just had to share them with you 

#Kellyplayswithflowers 

  A lovely collection of words & images made using flowers that are both clever & lovely. 

& #conesbykelly

A selection of candy, flowers, food or anything else you can think of tumbling out of ice cream cones & it just works! 

  

I love her creativity & the execution of her ideas. Each one is so unique & beautiful. 

I promise her feed is worth a follow, so go & check it out. 

Secondly we have another aesthetically pleasing account by yet another creative soul,

Runnerkimhall

Her gallery is so pretty.  It is so calming & stunning. Her photos are amazing, as is her talent but it’s the captions she uses for each snap that just completes it. 

 

Trying to choose just a few images to convey & capture the beauty that is her feed is almost impossible as I love them all. But if you like what you see here, click on the above link to her page & you’ll find much more to love & lose yourself in her pastel dreamland. 
   
                                    Lozzie x 

What is it that draws you to follow an Instagram account? Do you like to get creative with your photos & props? Who are you fan girl crushing on right now? 

I love hearing your thoughts & comments so please share them here or over on Facebook or Instagram 

(Not so Red) Velvet Cupcakes

  

I’m always looking for quick & yummy treats to whip up when having people over for morning tea or play dates & you really can’t go wrong with cupcakes (well you can & I do sometimes- I can stuff up packet mixes! I’m not much of a baker, but I’m trying) but kids & adults both love them, so they’re an obvious choice to please the crowd.  

So when I found a recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes in the Thermostruck cookbook I thought it looked super easy, even for me, (yes the girl who cannot bake) & because I could use my Bellini (that I lovingly refer to as “the poor mans thermomix”) it would make it even quicker & easier too. 

However upon searching my cupboards I realized I didn’t have any red food coloring. Which by the way I was surprised to find is what made just a humble chocolate cake or cupcake “red velvet” I thought when people went on about how good red velvet cakes were they must have something super special about them, but really it’s just chocolate cake with colouring… Who knew? 

Anyway, as I didn’t have the colouring I dubbed them “Velvet Cupcakes” & to substitute the red colouring I decided to add choc chips, because that’s a suitable replacement isn’t it? Besides, everyone knows most things taste better with choc chips or sprinkles, am I right?

So here’s my adaptation of the Thermostruck Red Velvet Cupcake recipe 

My (Not so red) Velvet Cupcakes suitable to make in any thermo cooker.

Makes 16

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter – cut in cubes (80g)

400g can condensed milk

1 cup self raising flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (16g)

1/2 cup or a big handful of dark or milk choc chips (depending on taste)

Method

Preheat oven to 180•c Line cupcake tins with papers or silicon moulds. 

Place all ingredients except choc chips into the thermo bowl. 

Mix on speed 4 for 2 minutes or until well combined. 

  

Add choc chips & gently stir through with a spatula or spoon. 

Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases & bake for 15 mins. Stand for 2 minutes & then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

We ate ours as is & they were delicious, but you could ice them with cream cheese frosting or any chocolate icing if you wish. It might pretty them up a little & help hide the cracks, if you get any (see, still not quite nailing this baking thing yet 😉 

  
       

However you have them, Enjoy.

                               Lozzie x

What’s your “go to” recipe for quick & easy entertaining over a cuppa? What’s your favorite type of cupcake? Did you know food colouring was what made Red Velvet, red? Do you have any baking fail stories to share? 

Tell me, tell me… Leave a comment here on the blog, over on Instagram or Facebook. 

Fan Girl Friday #9

Hello Bright Ones, 

Phew, another week down. Time just flies on by doesn’t it. We’ve had a good but busy week here again. We took a scenic drive on Sunday to explore a bit more of our area & had lunch overlooking a dam. It was so pretty & picturesque out there. 

Monday we had a lovely play date with friends. Took a walk to the local cafe &  enjoyed some yummy treats before we walked through the gardens & fed the ducks.

It’s the second week of getting into the routine of the preschool run here & even though it’s going well, I’m exhausted. Maybe it doesn’t help that I’ve been up most nights with a sick little bub this week too though. 

So I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend. It’s meant to be quite hot here so happy to just lay low.

Now getting onto Fan girl Friday & since its been awhile I’m highlighting two blogs this week. 

  

First up we have 

The Annoyed Thyroid 

Sam is such a sweetheart & her blog is full of fun, inspiration & waaay too many yummy treats that are dangerous for my waistline! 

As her bio says, she’s “living & loving life after cancer & looking on the bright side” & that, she certainly is. 

She loves running & has participated in many fun runs & half marathons in some awesome places around the globe. My favorite was when she was in Disneyland & even wore a mini mouse skirt as part of her running ensemble & the lucky lady is headed back there later this year to do it again! 

Sam co-hosts a weekly link up “Down the Rabbit Hole” every Saturday along with some other lovely ladies, where they share some awesome link lists & invite you to to do the same or just share a favorite post from the week. It’s a great way to discover some other awesome blogs & interact with the blogging community. I love how she always includes the “national day of…” in her lists too.

A few of my favorite posts of hers include:

101 things in 1001 days 

Choc chip honey cake

Thermomix Fudge 

Taking Stock -Feb 

I could honestly list a bunch more links to all her awesome recipes & words of wisdom posts along with down the rabbit hole links, but it’s best if you just head on over to her blog & check it all out for yourself. 

Next we have Toilets aren’t for Turtles

My brother in law actually got me onto this blog & I’m glad he did cause I love it. 

Tackling parenthood with honesty & humor, as it should be. I love Rachel’s posts & will often laugh out loud whilst reading them & also think to myself oh my gosh this is sooo true! 

She’s a mumma of two & shares the highs & lows of parenting & all it entails with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

A few favs include:

First child vs Second child– funny cause it’s true! 

Some days I just suck at parenting – this could be me on any given day! 

10 reasons living with toddlers is like being at the zoo

10 signs you’re a Fitbit freak – as I’ve just recently pulled mine out again I found this hilarious 

If you liked those, there’s sooo much more where that came from so pop on over to her blog & read more hilarious posts like an episode of Ben & Holly Reimagined or that time she bumped into Commando in a children’s change room. 

                                        Lozzie x 

How’s your week been? What are your plans for the weekend? Who are you fan girl crushing on right now?

Tell me everything by leaving a comment here, here or here. I love hearing from you