Million Dollar ideas...

Ever thought you had a great idea only to find that it has already been done?

That was my day today.  For the past week I've been holding onto an idea that would revolutionise my wallet in more ways than one. Firstly, I'd have more room in it to secondly hold the millions of dollars that I would no doubt make on the idea!

But it's been done and so I have down loaded the app that will only revolutionise my wallet in one way, by emptying out the dozen or so loyalty cards that I have.

So Stocard has been added to my phone and off to Woolies I go to test out the app that woulda coulda shoulda made me millions - if only I was the first to think of it! #wherehaveibeen

Conscious

For the past year or so I've being banging on about living consciously to anyone who would care to listen.  I think that having a child changes the way we think and so I'm trying to change from a life of excesses to living a life more true.

I've made small moves, I planted a vegie patch, this is two fold in it's purpose, one is to have fresh vegies and the other is to cut down on our carbon footprint as a family. We've also installed solar panels for the same reason.

I have also - which has to be the biggest change - been very diligent with menu planning, shopping to a list and trying to get the food budget under $200 per week without compromising food quality. 

Part of my banging on included wanting to creating a budget, but like all bad habits it was hard to break - self delusion is so sweet.  But this was the week of change, when I mentioned that I was going to do a budget to the other half I was given this response, but we do them all the time and we never stick to them,  normally I would fold at this point (sweet delusion), but this time I had this response, would you tell a smoker that?  If they said to you that they were going to give up...AGAIN, no, you would say good on'ya and do what you could to encourage them.  

Creating a budget has been eye opening, I said to one person I didn't realise how poor we were?  Not that it's as depressing as it sounds, but I can now see where all our money goes and some of the places are ridiculous and too embarrassing to give examples! However this is a turning point, I feel empowered by this information and ready for change.  I'm ready to be conscious of our financial limits.  This includes realising just because you qualify for a $25K visa limit doesn't mean that you can manage it!

Metamorphosis

On Thursday I started my Metamorphosis program.  I've weighed, measured and completed one workout and it hurt.  Actually I think that the weighing and measuring hurt more than the work out and that burnt! 

Good Food Good Service

Last weekend we went out for dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday, and I just wanted to give a holla out for both restaurants.  

Firstly on Saturday night we went out to Sun & Mei in Mornington.  I can't say when we last had Chinese food but I can tell you it was very ordinary.  Sun Mei was not that, it was clean and delicious.  Out of the 4 meals ordered the Golden Pork was by far the favorite on the table but all the rest were lovely as well.  On top of this the bill was only $110 for 4 adults and 2 small children!

Secondly we went out for lunch at the Boat House in Frankston.  When we first shifted to Frankston we were on the look out for good restaurants so we went to the Boat House and I've got to say the food was in-eatable.  

But the Boat House has been taken over and the new management have polished what was always a rough diamond .  The re-furb is minor but the feel is fresher and lighter.  The food was good, I'd put it up with a really great pub meal.  Money wise at about $30 for a main. 

Sugarless

So we are at the half way mark of our 8 week sugar free adventure, to be honest it's been relatively painless, more good than bad.  The hardest thing to change has been soy milk in my coffee, so now I'm limiting this to the heart starter in the morning, one in the afternoon and drinking camomile tea instead.

The best and unexpected improvement I would have to say has been in my energy levels.  For the past year I have struggled with lethargy in both mind and body and I have spent a lot of time and money on trying to fix this with health care professionals of all kinds, but feeling no better for it.  Finally putting it down to just getting older (right I've said it) and having a young child.  But now I'm so much more driven and focused.  I feel more alive and ready to take on the world, not just the pretend energy I'd put out cover how I really felt.

When we bought this house, one of the more interesting aspects about it was that it had a detached studio.  We always imagined R working from home and to have a separate space was perfect. But we soon discovered having a young child that adored her Daddy in the mix it wasn't practicable, and the room became our sin bin.

However this is about to change, with R starting a new job and DD being a bit older, this room will now become his office.

This is my job today, to clean out this room and get it ready for decoration.

Hopefully I can turn this...

Into this...

This is our Easter project

We have been living in our house for about a year now and finally we are starting the vegie patch that I have been wanting since we moved in.  I'm not complaining mind you, we have been very busy and very poor completing all the other jobs that needed to be done to the house - you know, the ones you don't know about until you move into the house and all of a sudden the stumping, plumbing, roofing and the rest all take priority!

But needless to say we have the wood and the inspiration and have positioned the beds, now to put them together.  This is our Easter project, what is yours?