Spring - and all that entails

Spring. 6am. City. 9km run. Morning tea. Shower. Invitations. Italian night.

Tomorrow is spring, a fresh month, a fresh season, and three months till the wedding. Count down it on!

Tomorrow I get up at 6am (well I'm supposed to be, as long as I'm ready to leave by 6:15) and drive into the city.

We will be running our first 9km run tomorrow in the city. 8.2km run last Saturday, will be the longest I've ever run in my life!

Morning tea, muesli bars, gatorade, will be morning tea for us after our 9km run.

Shower, the most amazing show, thanks to my sis A, (the shower in my house is more like a broken hose, I have to run around it just to get my hair wet) I will give my hair a good wash, then jump straight into my trackie pants.

Drive home from my sisters, then finish cutting and printing the last of the wedding invitations. So close to being finised!! Then print the names on envelopes and out they go!

Italian night at church. Music team at my church (organised by mum) will be running a fundraiser to raise money for music equipment. A fun night of music, food and entertainment.

This comes to the end of the 1st of September. Hopefully I can start doing aphotoaday with fat mum slim. I've been meaning too so many times but then just get sidetracked by being so busy.

Here's to a brand new day, a brand new season, and many more to come!

What are you looking forward to in spring?

Linking up with Grace at Flog Your Blog Friday

Leibster

Each person must post 11 facts about themselves 

Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you 

Choose 11 people and link them to your post (they must have 200 followers or less) 

Provide 11 questions for the people you tag 

Tell the people you have nominated

1. I like red hair, I don't care, it's nice and pretty, wish my hair was naturally red, more red than orange though.

2. I bite my fingernails when I'm nervous, unfortunately.

3. I gag at cold vegies, almost throw them back up.

4. I feel out of a tree, backwards when I was 12. Not from a high distance but feeling weightless for any length of time knowing you are going to crash into the ground, and hitting branches on the way, that is scary.

5. I ran into a glass door, green garbage bin, and a letterbox, which I knocked over (I was in kindergarten) my sister A tried standing it back up but to no avail, so we did the smart thing and ran.

6. If I did as much exercise in reality than what I thought in my head, I'd be a freaking body builder. Same goes for reading, and studying and well pretty much everything.

7. I drink way to much coke zero, I can count 13 empty cans in my bedroom...

8. I get mistaken for a 50 year old (I'm not yet 22).

9. I make lists, and if my hand writing looks messy and rip it out and start again.

10. I have a thing for neat handwriting.

11. I'm a Jesus Freak.

Questions posed to me by Kelly at Handmade Tears and Triumphs

1. If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?

My Family

2. If you could drive any car of your choosing, what would it be?

A combi van.

3. What picks you up when you’re down?

Talking to Sam or reading a book to forget my own story

4. What’s your favourite Karaoke song?

5. PC or Mac?

Mac

6. What food do you despise?

Runny eggs

7. What one Super Power would you choose?

Power of knowledge

8. If you had to relocate to a new country, but you could choose which one, where would you move?

England or Russia, leaning more to England as I can't speak Russian (yet)

9. What is the best book you’ve ever read?

The Hunger Games

10. Do you think Australia should become a republican nation or are you all about the monarchy?

I'm all about the monarchy. I dunno why, I feel like it's current history and I love history. I don't think australia would benefit from being a republican nation. At least being apart of the commonwealth we have a connection to other countries, outside of war.

11. What do you think of my blog? ;-)

I love reading your stories about your children, I can't wait to have my own, (actually I can lol, but I've got plenty of time before that happens, hopefully, fingers crossed). 

As I am fairly new to blogging, I do not have 11 followers to tag, so I am just going to pose 11 questions to anyone who reads this and you can answer if you wish.

1. Most embarrassing moment.

2. Most cherished memory.

3. How did you get into blogging?

4. Whats your dream job? And do you have it?

5. Favourite past time?

6. Favourite/ Dream Holiday destination

7. Favourite name, if you could change you name what would you change it to?

8. What do you listen to in the car?

9. Worst drunken night adventure/puking moment?

10. First kiss?

11. How many times a day do you say um, yeah, mhuh or shhh?

Enjoy.

The Tea Experience

"A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

I must admit, I am not a tea nor coffee drinker. Though I wish I were.

I love to read books, and I love to eat biscuits, (covered in chocolate of course) and nothing looks or sounds more perfect than sitting outside on a park bench, underneath the warmth of the shining sun, the play of birds in the background and a gentle breeze blowing by, reading a book, eating a chocolate covered biscuit and drinking some tea.

If only I could understand how to make a great cup of tea.

I made my first cup of green tea last week, and I must admit, it tasted much like hot water... Not much else.

Maybe I didn't leave the teabag in long enough? I was quite impatient. Or maybe I'm drinking the wrong type of tea?

It could just be my lack of experience and maybe I should just persevere and continue acquiring a taste for tea.

I like the quote that begins this post, a touch of wisdom in the everyday world.

I imagine Eleanor Roosevelt was sitting outside, in the White House garden, reading a book and sipping some tea when she come up with this quote.

Linking this post with I Blog on Tuesdays

Now to other News

Gosh I hate the media. Honestly I am really starting to hate the news and its stupid advertising of peoples pain, but more so people who believe every word of it!!! Do they not understand a difference of perspective?!

Firstly, Pippa Middleton, looks like a sweet girl, all those photographs of her at friends weddings, and walking down the street, or attending an event with her sister... So why am I reading about Miss Middleton crying her eyes out because she's no longer the centre of attention? Not only this but peoples comments about how she's an attention seeking idiot. Yes because she really has posed for magazines and done multiple paid interviews where she does a tell all. *cough*

I'm sorry but her first ever interview was when she was at a ski resort, because she paid the photographers to follow her there and to interview her. Yes she paid those photographers to follow her walking to and from shops during the day. Because she deliberately went to events with her sister knowing she'd be photographed. (Please note the sarcasm in this paragraph, is quite hard to portray through writing.)

Because she did all those things on purpose....

It's not her fault that she was a maid of honour for her sister's wedding, which mine is for me, and that her sister picked out a beautiful dress that made her look gorgeous. I'm sure Kate didn't pick that dress out thinking "This one will make Pippa out shine me", and I'm sure Pippa didn't see her dress and think "Now this will shoot me into stardom".

I'm sure not every soldier is well behaved,
but should we forget their service?

Now to the second section of my ranting. Prince Harry (it's all about the poor royals right now), and his naked photos. Because I'm sure no one else has ever gotten their kit off and had photos of them taken. Yes he has a position that he was born into which should demand responsibility, but as the old saying goes, you can't pick your family. 

Prince Harry is third in line to the throne, behind his dad and brother, but as soon as Prince William has a child, Harry will be fourth in line, and depending on how many children Prince William and Kate have, will determine his new rank, as Wills and Kate have more kids, the further away from the throne he'll get. 

So all this talk about the pressure on him and what not to be a mature man, come on, he's 27, what were you doing when you were 27? I'm sure you weren't staying home on a friday and saturday night out of respect of some embarrassment that may befall your family, I'm sure you would stay completely sober on a trip to Vegas.. Yeah right.

Shock horror, people are calling for his title to be taken off him, supposedly cause him less pressure to act properly, because it's done so well so far. He can go back to afghanistan, he can live a normal life? The media will stop following him?

No, the fact is, whether he cease being His Royal Highness Prince Harry, and becomes Harry Wales (as the royal family do not have set last names, they take the name of their fathers title, his father being the Prince of Wales, Wales is used as their last name). His title will not change his blood line, will not erase who his father and mother are and who his grandmother is, nor will the media forget all the years watching him grow up to not be interested when he does get married years down the track. I think not.

Unfortunately for Prince Harry, this is his life, and I'm sure he's accepted that, he does not have to participate in royal events, his untitled cousin Zara Philips is still photographed. So the title or not will really not make a difference.

The only thing that will help Prince Harry not make an embarrassment of his family, is for the media to not right a story, if only people cared more about the damage they were doing to people then about making money.

Well that's been a longer post than I expected. I just hate it when people abuse others who are in magazines, when they DO NOT know the whole side of things.

I wont say poor Pippa and poor Harry, this is their lot in life, and they'll be a hell of a lot stronger then the people throwing them abuses. 

I will say poor us, poor us for believing that they do these things on purpose, that because they are famous means that are somehow superhuman and above mistakes, poor us for being more interested in the actions of these people then the fact that half the world is still starving, why is that not the leading story on the news? Poor us.

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror,

I'm asking him to change his ways,

And no message could have been any clearer,

If you wanna make the world a better place,

Take a look at yourself and then make a change."

-Michael Jackson, Man in the Mirror

What's In a Name? Part 2

Since I wrote my post about my name two things have happened regarding this very topic.

I went to the chemist to refill my prescription. I'm patiently waiting for them to call my name, when they do, Breen, Ellen, is what called out. I've had my surname be confused as this before, believing that my last name is the hyphen not the first.

But alas, she assumed my first name was Ellen. 

I do not know nor understand how this mix up could have happened as it clearly states on the prescription my whole name. 

So having put Ellen Breen on my prescription packet, she's also put it on my follow up prescription. So hopefully the next person will let me explain before they think I'm a fraud trying to use someone else's prescription.

So I said two things, the second being...

I had to ring up vodafone yesterday to register my new visa card, telling them my name, explaining the hyphen to her, and how to spell Ellen. I receive one of those annoying messages enquiring how my interaction with customer services was.

It was awkward to say the least, maybe it was a bad line, I don't know.

But anyway, so I'm sent this message via text, and its address' me as, get this, Katie-Jane......

I've only had my name completely changed once, when my new english teacher, knowing my name was a hyphen and had ellen in it, called me sue-ellen in front of the class. Very funny and embarrassing. 

JANE!!! How on earth did they get Jane, we even spent a good two minutes on the phone yesterday with me explaining my name to her... It baffles me that they could not only mix my name up but create an entirely new one! What the....

Anyway, my funny story for the day. Very random that these two events happened to close together, and right after I wrote a post about my name. Must have been fate.

Running My Blues Away

"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise, I lie down until it goes away"

-Mark Twain

I cannot believe I am actually saying this, but I am enjoying running!!

The quote above used to be my mantra, I used to admire the sunny day from inside my house, in my uggies and with my books and t.v.

Now I've been running, and the days have been so sunny, I'm finding myself outside more and more.

It all began one depressing night in June, when I tried on my wedding dress, and the worst horror that could ever befall a bride before her wedding day happened, it didn't fit... My dress did not zip up!!! Holy crap, I put on weight, how did this happen?!

I'll tell you how it happened. I'd finished uni two weeks prior to this day, exams and study over I spoilt myself, eating my favourite chocolate, Cadburys Caramel Mousse, eating approximately three or four blocks a week, usually consuming a whole block in one day, to add to that my mantra and my love of all things indoors. 

It was the middle of winter so good reason for staying indoors.

So there began my journey to lose weight. But how was I going to do this? I am a picky eater and hated exercising!!!

Insert my big sis A, she had previously done two running programs, and 9km run last year and a 21km run the start of 2012. Yes she jogged the whole 21km, it blows my mind that she did that!!

So she insisted I join this group, the group she'd trained with to do her fun runs, Cantoo. 

Me in my Cantoo shirt and running gear

Cantoo is a not-for-profit organisation that raises money for cancer, they have charity runs, but not only this, they train you as well!! So if you haven't run a day in your life, (and I hadn't aside from quick burst of racing to get shotgun) they have programs that help you gradually increase your stamina and develop your own style of running.

I am currently in week 7 of the 10 week program, the big run 9km run is on the 16th of September, I've lost about three kilos, and you guessed it, my dress fits!!

A huge relief that was, pulling that dress on, with all the fear in the world that my dieting and training had not done enough, but alas my fears were unfounded. It fit, and now its the long run to the altar, and the fun run.

A huge thank you to my sister A, she is an inspiration and she ran 21km and lost 14kg. She has a completely new outlook on life and is looking fabulous. Thanks sis!!

Linking this post up with Flog Your Blog Friday

Bright Star

"Bright Star-would I were stedfast as thou art."

-John Keats

Bright Star is a motion picture directed by Jane Campion, starring Ben Whishaw playing John Keats and Abbie Cornish his muse and love interest.

It's a movie that depicts the last three years of John Keats life, his turmoil of having no success and fortune off his poetry and loving a girl he could never make his wife, due to his lack of fortune and income.

It makes me wonder why so many artists are never acknowledged in their time, unappreciated and their art ridiculed. 

Another thought that occurred to me is when do they stop being made fun of and start to be taken seriously. 

When do they make the transition from being a talentless, naive young man to being one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era.

Is it during his time period that this change occurred or not until centuries later? Is this having come about because society has a knack for ridiculing anything that is different, new, world changing, thought provoking, idealistic?

Whatever the reason I hope that we have learnt from the mistakes from the past and can give credit where credit is due, and when it is due!

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It's loveliness increases it

will never pass into nothingness."

-John Keats

Linking up with Fly on by Friday  

What's In A Name?

I have an interesting name, ok it's more different then interesting, Katie-Ellen is my name, two first names. Never really thought it was much of a big deal, everybody always called me Katie.... Now everyone calls me Kate. I constantly struggle with how to introduce myself too strangers. I like my names and am proud of them, though I have a few issues which I will divulge.

Firstly, the story of how my name came about, my mum loved Anne, her mother, my grandmother, was not such a fan, so Annie I was not. Then came mums second favourite name, Ellen, but alas would not do as my elder sisters nickname is Ellie, Ellie and Ellen would just be way too confusing. Then came the suggestion of Katie. Mum wasn't sure, wasn't a big fan, then playing around with a few ideas and putting names together, Katie-Ellen was born, pardon the pun.

Secondly, everyone called me Katie, as you can imagine Katie-Ellen is a mouthful, so it was shortened to Katie, then to Kate. So to close friends and family, I'm Kate. To strangers I'm..... So bringing about my dilemma.

Introducing myself as Katie-Ellen, I have confused people, they believing Ellen to be my last name.... Then having to explain to them that I have two first names. By introducing myself as Katie-Ellen, people also assume that that is what I want to be called, not realising I was just telling them my name and that I am not going to jump down their throats for calling me Katie, or Kate. I know people who do not like their name shortened, I am not one of them.

To conclude, I believe a name is as unique as a handprint, and by that I mean that a popular name is not regular but loved more than most, and a unique name is one of a kind. I love that names have meanings, Prudence means wisdom and Belle is French for beautiful, I would love to name my daughter Prudence, though I don't think I'm going to get my way somehow.

To conclude, this will be an ongoing topic of interest as I will never be changing my name. Soon too be a Mrs. I believe that a last name is the only change a gal needs. If you're wondering, yes I do have a middle name.

"All that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters."

-Gordon Lightfoot

Changes

Changing or rearranging a room is as good as a holiday. A statement I wholeheartedly agree with, nothing brings more happiness and renewing vigour then a changed room.

This trait I have learnt from my mother, who learnt it from her mother, and I can assure you it does not lie solely with me but also my sisters, and will continue to be a family legacy for many more generations to come.

I also love the idea of decorating my own house, as the wedding draws near this prospect is becoming more and more enticing. I am accruing furniture left right and centre, and I haven't even seen the inside of the house we are renting yet!

Not to worry, I have a bookshelf, so all my books will be nice a happy all together in one nice, big, shelf, is it bad that this is one of the most exciting things about getting married and moving away.

I must look on the bright side, because as it were, though a marriage is exciting and moving to a new house is also, but moving four and a half hours away from home, in what is considered a country town, though it is less country than it is Sydney, is a very daunting thought. So I preoccupy my thoughts with painting and decorating rooms, rearranging those rooms, then doing some more rearranging.

The whole reason for this post is that I can not find a blog page I am happy with, and each time I change it I feel renewed to start afresh and begin blogging again.... Which leads to me forgetting about my blog, I have concluded that this is because a) my computer was be stupidly slow and I was sick of it and gave up, and b) my blog page was just not looking anything like how I felt it should, as a true reflection of me. Now that my computer is fixed and I'm buzzing along again at a normal pace, I have dedicated a few good hours to coming up with a page I feel happy with. I feel, with the help of my sister and her excellent photography skills, I have done effectively today.

Don't fresh starts always make you feel like the whole world is ahead of you, ready to be tackled, and by world I mean the little bubble in which I inhabit.