Monthly Recap / July

July is always my favourite time of the year, and today was the last day of it. This month was pleasantly busy and I used my time productively. At the beginning of the month I mentioned how I wanted to take my blog in a slightly different direction, making more personalised posts and giving my blog in general more thought. And I think I achieved my goal, or at least got really close. 

This July marked mine & Luke's fourth wedding anniversary. We kept it low key this year and went out for dinner and drinks as the next day was our first little family road trip with Romy. Romy also hit the three month mark, it is crazy how fast time is going. I barely have had time these last few days to think about what I'd like to achieve for next month. This month Luke & I were able to cross a good couple of things off of our to-do-list and we made a lot of really neat plans for our home, and what we would like to do in the coming months. I also made a decision that I wanted to open my own Etsy store, which is something that has been on my own to-do-list for quite some time. And I've been really inspired all month to get the ball rolling on my new project, which I cannot wait to tell you all about it.

Another thing I wanted to try out this month was scheduling and planning my blog posts. At the end of June I sat down and made a blog plan for July. Once I got planning, I had so many great ideas for some upcoming posts and features. I've made in the past rough monthly blog plans but never really committed to them and would end up not posting a lot of content. I wanted to stick to my plan this time and I found it to be really successful! Out of the thirty-one days this month, I blogged about twenty-seven of them, and for me that is excellent! I loved sitting at my computer and looking at my plan and having my post subject ready to go. I was also able to have a good couple of days where I didn't even sit at my computer because I scheduled posts. I don't know why I haven't already adopted this system! It is definitely something I am going to continue with next month.

Today We..

Woke up to some lovely Romy Bear snuggles

Ate blueberry bagels for breakfast

Played cafes at home

Worked on a nest project

Stocked our pantry

and made an afternoon trip to the shops.

Start Your Week Off With..

Celebrating Five Years Of Blogging by Here Comes The Sun

Activity Jar by Twigs & Tea

Thursday by Sometimes Sweet

Sunrise by Two Happy Hearts

Have a great week.

Sunday Night

Sunday night is pizza night at our house. Luke doesn't work Sunday evenings, so that is usually our designated family night where we'll make pizzas, have drinks & watch a movie together. It is our Friday night as Luke generally has Monday & Tuesday as his days off. Our pizzas are never usually this burnt but this week I made them and got distracted watching reruns of Sabrina The Teenage Witch.

Pin Of The Week

[source]

Luke & I decided a couple of weeks ago that we wanted to buy a new bookcase to replace our current one. I've had a couple of different styles in mind, but can't seem to settle on one. I think I'll know the perfect one when I see it in person. While looking on Pinterest for book shelf ideas, I got stuck on under-the-stair-case book shelves. I've been really infatuated with them now that I live in a house with a very stair case of my own. Only under ours we have plans for our vintage tea cart to become our record player station, not a home for our books.

Fancy Folk / Time After Tea

This weeks FF is Megan who writes a lovely life and style blog, Time After Tea.

Have you crossed anything off your 2013 to-do list or fulfilled any of your new years resolutions?

Such a good question! I have actually crossed off a really big goal from my list and that was buying my first home! We have been in for a little over a month now and we really love having our own space.

Describe your style.

Eclectic is probably most fitting – it changes from day to day depending on what mood I am in. It might be bright bold colours or more classic monochromes, floaty boho or silhouette enhancing outfits – I try not to prescribe to one particular look.

Is there one thing you have bought that you think might turn into a family heirloom?

The things I really treasure from my mum and grandma is jewellery. It’s such an easy thing to slip on and remind myself of them and also adds a personal element to an outfit. I hope that one day my Tiffany’s bracelet that Brendan bought me for my 21^st birthday will be a treasured heirloom by one of our children or great grandchildren – not just because I love the design but because it has a great story attached to it.

What is one of your favourite combinations? (food, colours, fashion, etc)

When it comes to fashion I love bright bold colours combined together, I think colour blocking and mixing clashing colours is really fun and stands out – I like loud clothes and a mash of colours is the easiest way to do that. I think Bittersweet Colours and Gary Pepper Girl do it best.

Your perfect day would be...

Any good day for me starts with a sleep in and then out for breakfast with Brendan. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day so I love it even more when someone else cooks. I would then hope to do something relaxing like a facial or get a massage and then maybe a spot of shopping. I would then want to get dressed up in the evening and go out for dinner and drinks with friends or family.  The most important things in my life are my friends, family and food so it makes sense that my perfect day would revolve around that!

>> Go Say Hello!

Currently

Reading: My Sister & I have a mutual love for Mindy Kaling and she lent me her book,"Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)". And it is hilarious! I have just a little bit left of this read, but really love what I have read so far. She is a nutty little fancy pants.

Watching: "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" for the first time. Oh man, I don't even know what is happening in that show half the time it is so all over the place in the best kind of way. It is similar in tone to How I Met Your Mother, only with a darker sarcastic approach. Charlie Day is also really kind of cute.

Listening to: Empire Of The Sun's second album, Ice On The Dune. Luke Steel is quite possibly one of my favourite artists  of all time. The first time I ever saw him was when The Sleepy Jackson were supporting Silverchair years ago on their Across The Night tour. Before I saw them, I had heard 'Pack Of Nails' on the radio and I remember thinking how different and kooky he was. And ever since then each of his performances and projects have been crazier than the last. I'm enjoying Ice On The Dune a little more than Walking On A Dream at this point.

Thinking about: how there are getting fewer months towards the end of the year, and how the remaining ones are going to be quite busy. Romy has already grown so much in the past few weeks that I can only imagine how much more she is going to grow and progress. And how much more of my time I will be able to spend enjoying her sweet company.

Working on: starting my own Etsy store. This has been one of the major things I've really been wanting to do on my to-do-list the past couple of years and I finally feel ready to do it! I have been giving it a lot of thought lately and really committed to making that happen. I've got so many exciting ideas, and I can't wait to share more about this new project!

Loving: My new coffee machine! It was on my July wish list, and a couple of days ago Luke & I bought it! I no longer have to factor in leaving the house each morning to get a latte, I can now make it for myself in my pyjamas. 

Anticipating: the safe arrival of my friend Ali's baby boy! I am really excited that Ali & I have gone from being friends in our late teens, to friends as mothers in our mid twenties. Now that I know just how wonderful it is to be a Mum, I get really excited for other parents-to-be and the wonderful journey they are about to start. 

Until Our Hearts Get Tired

[Photo source /Typography by me ]

I have mentioned on here before that I have studied graphic design for three years and have a diploma in Graphic Design & Communications. And I get asked a lot why I am not working as a graphic designer, or freelancing, and the answer is quite simple - my heart just isn't in it. When I started studying design I was more interested in interior design, but fell fast in love with graphic design after I used Adobe Illustrator for the first time & started to think up cute illustrations for children's books. During the course of my studies design was one of the only things I had focus for, and cared about. A couple of weeks before I graduated from my course, I started to realise that although it would be amazing to work as an in house graphic designer, it wasn't something I wanted to do. After my studies were done and dusted, Luke & I moved from the city to the coast,  and I packed my computer away for a couple of months to decide what I truly wanted to do. Even though I had spent three years getting a qualification I won't use, it sure has given me a lot of skills that I use on a daily basis. I do the casual wedding invitation, business card, poster jobs, and commissioned portrait illustrations that I often share on my blog. And it is these little design jobs that allow me to put a little bit of myself into them, where I wouldn't be able to working for a company. I have always wanted to make an Etsy store and sell my illustrations, prints and hand-made delights, and after reading about Felicity's career changing story, I felt even more motivated to start from scratch and do what would make my heart happy. I have spent a lot of time planning my new venture and in the coming months I will have more to share about my exciting new side project. It really is never too late to change your mind and listen to what is in your heart. Especially if you believe you can do it.

Start Your Week Off With..

Summer Afternoons by Flower Child

Kara Goes For A Walk by I Just Might Explode

Slowing Down by Time After Tea

Style Icon: Kirsten Dunst by Of Corgis And Cocktails

Have a neat week.

Weekly Recap

July has been such a blast so far, just as I thought it would be. After our trip last week, Luke & I wanted to come home and make a start on our to-do list. One thing we absolutely need to do is sell our old car. Earlier this year we decided to buy a new car, and as soon as we started talking about it, the exact one we wanted fell into our laps. We snapped it up before we could sell the car we had, and we drove it to my parents house to keep it there, and it has been there ever since. So we went over to my parents house Monday & gave it a good clean & took some pictures so we could list it on some car sales sights. First thing crossed off our list, and a great start to our week. Luke also had Tuesday off and  after a trip to Bunnings we rented a bunch of movies & stayed home for a quiet afternoon, it was really nice. We started to talk about working on our back court yard and making it a cute space so we can enjoy it when the weather starts to warm up. Bunnings had quite the selection of scary garden owls!

I made a mid-week trip to Newcastle to visit my friend Ali, who is expecting a little boy in a couple of weeks, to give her a baby present. She made lovely cucumber sandwiches and we had a cute little tea party and talked about baby stuff. I am really excited to have a close friend to talk to about all the boring baby stuff, especially one around the same age as me. Ali & I have been friends for a quite a few years now, so its even more exciting that we get to be mothers at the same time and our babies can play together. On my way home I called in quickly to see my sister Ashleigh so she could get in a quick Romy Bear hug. After a busy couple of days Romy & I decided to have a lazy day on Thursday. I tidied the house and got all my jobs done for the day and watched box sets with cinnamon donuts and coffee. Friday was much the same, only the afternoon was spent with afternoon visitors. I'm new to this whole 'saturday morning' thing because for the past couple of years I've always worked on the weekends. My Mum came over Saturday morning for morning tea and coffee, and I got a quick fringe trim - one of the benefits of having a Mother whom used to be a hurr dresser! My week finished off like most weeks, home made pizza and a few sneaky drinks with Luke!

Pin Of The Week

[source]

Until recently I have steered clear of pinterest because the time I spent endlessly browsing the site, was time I didn't have to waste. Now that I spend more time at home, and Romy is being a little more generous on the sleeping front, I have the time for this wonderful site. Aside from it being an aesthetically overwhelming black hole of good taste and design, I'm still working it all out. It is so hard to stay focused on Pinterest. I started with cute laundry spaces and ended up with beautiful sitting spaces. 

>> Follow me on pinterest

Fancy Folk / The Life Of A Cupcake

I'm really excited to share this week's Fancy Folk feature because Jules,

the jubilant voice of The Life Of A Cupcake is just a delight to read.

If you like to see the glass as half full, then Jules is your girl!

Have you crossed anything off your 2013 to-do list or fulfilled any of your new years resolutions?

Yes! So far I have been doing pretty good at getting things done in 2013 :) I really wanted to focus on my creative side and taking more time to make things and do some crafting. I am really excited because I have a new adventure coming up soon! I am going to start freelance crafting for parties, weddings, showers etc! It will take some time to get everything up and going, but the thought of this happening excites and inspires me very much! And some of the little things I have done - buy more fresh flowers, compliment strangers more, drink more water, shop at local markets more often, take more DSLR photos. I make a lot of goals/to-do-lists, here is my 2013 goal list!

Describe your style

I love wearing dresses. No really, like I don't wear pants. Ever. I own over 200 dresses and I wear them all year long! My go-to style is polka dots and lots of colour! I often rock headbands and accessories and I always ALWAYS have red lips! I change things up from time to time, but I think it's mostly pretty cutesy and girly. Some days I go with more of a hippy/bohemian vibe but no matter what I wearing it's always got a bit of pizzaz. If I am wearing something that I feel is a bit dull or lacking colour, I always add a headband, a flower pinned to my shirt, a big colourful necklace or something!

Is there one thing you have bought that think might turn into a family heirloom?

I can't think of one specific thing. I am a total knick knack queen though! I love cute, little fun things around my place (it drives my bf crazy! haha!) I think the closest thing I have would be all the things from my travels. I am quite the traveller and have been to a lot of different places over the years. I always get something fun and sweet to remind me of the place I visited. These are little things that I feel I would never want to throw away because they hold so many memories!

What is one of your favourite combinations? (food, colours, fashion etc)

Mint green and red! Whaaat? These two colours together are magic. I love pastel colours with a really bright bold colour! Also avocado and cucumber, because YUM. And polka dots and bows because well....come on! CUTE! :)

Your perfect day would be...

Wake up to a vase full of fresh flowers, enjoy a delicious latte on my balcony, while reading a wonderful book. Bacon and eggs for breaky! Go of a walk around the city with my camera, go to Kensington market to go shopping! Come home, make some pretty things while listening to The Beatles, go out to an awesome restaurant and enjoy a glass of wine on the patio. Come home and get on my favourite dress (that I just bought!), have my be sties over for drinks (I looove being a hostess!), and then go out dancing to oldies! Finish the night off with snuggles from my babe!

>> Pop over to Jules' blog

& say hello!

Thursday

Today was a playing in our bedroom sunlight, hugs on the lounge, watching box sets with coffee and cinnamon donuts kind of day.

July Wish List

1. Freedom Zarra Shadow Box Frame
2. Sunbeam Cafe Crema Espresso
3. Freedom Lollipop Floor Clock
4. Glasshouse Fragrances Vanilla Noir Candle
5. Revlon 'Nude' Lipstick

Last week while we were staying with Luke's Dad in Gunnedah we were looking through some of Luke's baby photo albums and I realised that out of the 800+ photos we have already taken of Romy, we have only printed about 20 of them. And I would like to make up and start some family photo albums of our own. Photos are much nicer to look at when they are in photo albums or in beautiful frames, much better than an iPhoto slide show. Luke brought home a nice stack of photos that need some good frames to live in, and Freedom have a beautiful range of frames that would be perfect. On our drive home Luke & I covered some serious topics like candles and coffee machines and we decided that our house needs a good collection of candles and a manual coffee machine. Luke & I spend a lot of money on coffee and it is something we factor into our daily routine. So we figured we would save a lot more money if we bought a coffee machine, and it will also be a major win for me considering some days I only leave the house just to get a coffee! 

When Romy Met Elsie

On our little road trip back to Gunnedah, a small country town where both Luke & I grew up, I caught up with my old friend Kristal. We were close friends throughout high school but lost touch with one another after my family moved and we made our post-high school changes. We hadn't seen one another in about seven years, and started talking when we both found out we were pregnant at the same time. We discovered we were both expecting little girls. On the same date. With the same first name. And middle name. During our formative high school years we always liked the same things, and would often show up to each others houses wearing the same t-shirt unintentionally. So I guess it really isn't that strange we would pick the same baby name! Kristal sharing her baby name was one of the deciding factors for Luke & I when we were tossing up between Romy & Elsie. 

It was really nice meeting up with Kristal after such a long time, and it was especially nice that our daughters got to meet one another. When people meet Romy for the first time we tend to get 'oh, she's so tiny' a lot, but next to Elsie she looked like a giant! From the beginning of our pregnancies we were given the same due date, but I had Romy early, and Kristal had Elsie late. Elsie is such a little sweetheart, she was a bit unsettled during our visit and when she would cry Romy felt like she needed to also. Romy had had her little tantrum for the day just before I left the house, so she was handing out little cute half hearted sobs. It's been such a turn around for me to go from not having anything to do with babies, to talking about them most of the time and connecting with people over them. It was really nice catching up with Kristal and meeting her daughter and seeing how we have both changed so much since the last time we saw each other. I really didn't think that the next time we met up again we would both have daughters!

Start Your Week Off With..

Peach & Pistachio Ice Cream by A House In The Hills

"Eat Yourself Clean" - Getting Started By Pursuit Of Felicity

How To Create The Perfect Day by The Life Of A Cupcake

Inspirational Abode: My Apartment Tour by Hello, Mr Rabbit

Have a great week!

Three Months Old

Follow Along On Instagram

Today Romy hit the three month old mark. I cannot believe that she has been here with us for twelve lovely Sundays. Everyday with her is amazing, some days it is a little bit harder than others, but it is mostly just amazing! I feel extremely lucky that I get to wake up everyday and be this little girls Mum, especially on days like today when all she wants to do is poke her tongue out and giggle!

Fancy Folk / Hello, Mr Rabbit

Lindsey of Hello, Mr Rabbit is one of the cutest bloggers online and I am so excited to share her with you all today! She is a vintage collecting, animal loving, quirky lady with a fantastic dress collection. You would only be doing yourself a favour to check this lovely lady out!

Have you crossed anything off your 2013 to-do list or fulfilled any of your new years resolutions?

I always make a 'New Year's Goals" list at the beginning of the first day of the new year, it is such a great way to track your progress throughout the months. Successfully I have ate more home-cooked meals, traveled to new campgrounds, photographed more with film, and become smoke-free. I have yet to expand my online shop and keep up with a regular yoga schedule, but I still have six months left of the year!

Describe your style

I suppose I would describe my personal style as classic, comfy, and modest... but also somewhat kitschy (I think I'm growing out of that thought!). I draw most of my inspiration from 1950's & 1960's fashion icons; such as Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, and Edie Sedgwick. I used to not be picky about what I wore and I would try to wear anything someone had given me, but I am starting to become more particular about my pieces. I don't know, I think my personal style is maturing as of this past 6 months or so.

Is there one thing you have bought that you think might turn into a family heirloom?

I would hope I can turn off of my quality, vintage dressed into a family heirloom for a future caught or grand-daughter. I do not really hold that much value to "things" though. I have quite a few old cameras that I hope to hold on too and pass down when I no longer am able to use them. 

What is one of your favourite combinations?

I am going to base all of these on the season of summer. For food, cold lemon sun tea paired with fresh veggies from the farmers market. For colours, a creamy off-white with dark brown. For fashion, a comfy sun dress and sandals with a colourful scarf around my neck.

Your perfect day would be...

My perfect day would be a Sunday, where my boyfriend and I are so early to the farmers market, that we are the first customers there. We later walk to a local coffee shop right by the market, eat some produce in the nearby park, and stroll around by the river. My boyfriend would cook us a giant late-lunch with everything that we bought, while I bake a pie for dessert or sew something pretty. We'd spend the rest of the evening watching a film, playing with our cats and going to bed early. 

>>>To read about Lindsey's small adventures,

check out her blog

Romy's First Road Trip

On Sunday morning we left early for Romy's first road trip. Luke & I both were born and grew up in Gunnedah, and a lot of our extended family lives there. We both hadn't been back together in a good couple of years, so it was nice to catch up with family we hadn't seen in quite some time. I was a little worried before hand about how Romy would go for an extended period of time in the car, but she loved it! So much so that when we stopped at traffic lights or to give way she made little sad noises and would stop when we were in motion. So we were pretty lucky in that regard. The trip normally takes four hours, but we took our time and stopped for an hour to feed her, so we arrived late Sunday afternoon. After quickly catching up with Luke's dad and unpacking our things, we met up with my Nan & Aunty on my Dad's side. Afterwards we had pizza for dinner, which is a Sunday tradition for us that we were able to keep up with this week! 

On Monday we visited my Aunty, Uncle & Cousin on my Mum's side out at their farm for morning cups of tea in the sun. We ended up staying a little longer than we thought and didn't take Romy's bottle with us, so we had to leave to feed her. Shortly after we got back to Luke's Dad's house where we were staying, one of my Aunty's visited with her parents and one my Cousin. And following their visit was Luke's Aunty & Cousins. By this point in the afternoon Romy was getting quite overwhelmed and tired and she just wouldn't settle. After she finally settled, we had dinner and finished the evening looking through some old photos. It was really nice to hear stories about when Luke was a little boy. 

On Tuesday morning I caught up with an old friend and met her daughter Elsie, who was born shortly after Romy. The next stop after that was my Granny on my Mum's side. My Mum's Sister called in quickly also and she snapped up some cute family photos. There is only a small handful of photos of just Luke, Romy & I, so that was nice to have some more taken. We went back out to my Aunty & Uncles farm to have dinner, and it was such an enjoyable evening with baked risotto and homemade apple crumble. Romy was on her best behaviour and even skipped her nightly witching hour and was content to be nursed by everyone and fawned over!

On our last morning in Gunnedah we went out for breakfast at a cafe where my one of my Cousins works with Luke's Dad & his partner & her two girls. We loaded up on coffee and left around lunch time. The trip home went relatively fast and we called into my Sister's house on the way back to the Coast for surprise Romy hugs. When we finally got home it was quite late, so we unpacked, bought some wine and ordered in pizza. It was the perfect way to end our couple of days together. We both had the loveliest time, and getting away for a couple of days had encouraged us to plan some upcoming get aways and little day trips. 

We're Home!

We got home this evening from our little road trip, and I must say it was a success! Romy was a great car traveller, and adjusted quite well to the new environment & the steady stream of visitors. I'll post about Romy's first little trip away tomorrow, but for now there is unpacking, wine & pizza.

BRB

Luke & Romy super impressed to be awake so early

Luke & I are taking Romy on her first little road trip back to Gunnedah so she can meet some of our family we still have there. Its been a good couple of years since we've both been back and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone & taking Romy to where both Luke & I were born & grew up. I'll be back next week! Until then, have a great week guys!

Four Years

Today it was mine & Luke's anniversary. We have been married for four years. This anniversary around was just a little bit more amazing than the previous ones, because we got to spend a little part of our day with our delightful little daughter! This time last year Luke & I celebrated our anniversary with cocktails & dinner in the city and went to Jack White & Band Of Skulls gigs. If you had of told us then the following anniversary we would be organising my sister & her husband to babysit our daughter so we could go out for dinner, I wouldn't have believed you!

Fancy Folk / Stars In Jars

After a little hiatus, Fancy Folk is back! This is a weekly feature that highlights a different blogger each week with a handful of questions. Its a great way to discover new blogs, is Stars In Jars your new favourite?

Do you have any big plans for 2013?

I've only recently returned to my parents home in Ireland after spending three years teaching English to little kiddos in South Korea. My main goal for this year is simple; relax, reconnect with my family, take great big lungfuls of fresh country air and just be.

Describe your style

My style is constantly evolving... I love colour and texture and pattern. I dress for my body shape over what is currently fashionable (a lesson I learn WAY too late!!). Long dresses, maxi skirts, slouchy sweaters and moccasins are the order of the day ^.^

Is there one thing you have bought that you think might turn into a family heirloom?

I bought this beautiful hand-made Indian headdress for my Dad when travelling through Thailand. I'm in love with this piece~ the colours, the feathers and craftsmanship. I hope it's something that we can preserve and keep for my own little squaws one day!

What is one of your favourite combinations?

Avocado, strawberries and dark chocolate with sea salt.

Your perfect day would be...

Sitting Indian-style on the floor, mug of hot tea in one hand and getting crafty with a pen/paintbrush/scissors in the other. Rain pounding the windows, logs on the fire and Dylan spinning on the old Linn player. 

>> Like what you see? 

Click here to read along!

A New Direction: A Blog Post About Blog Posts

Towards the end of my pregnancy I started to think about what direction I wanted my blog to take after becoming a mother. I don't feel like motherhood solely defines me, and as everything is still so new and surreal, at this point I wouldn't feel comfortable primarily writing baby posts. There are a couple of mother-type blogs that I love to read and have picked up some really helpful bits of advice from, but I also like to read lifestyle blogs with cocktail recipes, outfit posts and bloggy-type photography (you know the kind!). Don't get me wrong, I will be trying my best to not post fifty photos a week of my beautiful daughter (for those follow me on instagram), so there still will be a generous amount of Romy Bear love here!

So last week while Romy was having an uncharacteristically long cat nap, I took the time to sit down with my thoughts about what I really wanted to put into my blog from this point onwards. I've been blogging at this space for almost two years now and even though I have shared my daily adventures that show little bits and pieces of what I like and how I spend my days, I don't really personalise my posts. I have a habit of spending too much time with an idea that the opportunity to pursue it passes. And this has especially been the case with posts for this blog. So I drew up a calendar and filled almost every day with a blog post and ideas for future features. After two years I finally have decided to go down the planned post route, and as a result I'm feeling really positive about my online adventures. And it has put me into a more organised headspace offline too. Luke & I have started to implement a routine for Romy now that she is more responsive, and I've been thinking more about how I can make better use of my time.

For now my 'Start Your Week Off With' feature will still be every Monday, and my 'Fancy Folk' feature will be up again as of this Friday. You can now expect some more lists, illustrations, daily adventures, personal updates and my journey into being a first time mum. Oh, and some consistency! And tomorrow my new blog design will hopefully be installed to keep up with the spirit of change.

My Monthly Agenda / July

TUNE / NEED / MEAL / READ

There has been some serious time elapsed in-between my monthly agendas of late. Before Romy arrived I was so focused on keeping busy at work and with baby stuff that my blog took a back seat. And now that things are a little more familiar & I've learnt the true meaning of time management, I am able to pick things up again like blog features and drawing. Another thing that I now have a small portion of time for is reading. My sister has lent me her copy of "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)" by Mindy Kaling, and guys, it is amazing! I'm only halfway through this easy-breezy type read, but would happily sit and read it cover to cover if Romy would allow me to! 

Luke & I are taking Romy on her first road trip and She & Him's Volume 3 will definitely be on high rotation for the drive. I've had a copy of this cd in my car for about two weeks now, but haven't really given in a proper listen to. By the time I get organised and put Romy in the car I generally forget to put something on to listen to, so our little trip away over the weekend will be great to catch up on music. And on my travels this month I need to stock up on some more French Earl Grey by T2, it is heaven in a box! And the last item on my agenda is to try out a new recipe each month and I'd like to try my hand at making some eggplant parmigiana. I saw a quick version of it on Better Homes & Gardens last week and thought it looked simple enough for me to make. And if I don't get around to making it, I'll leave the recipe open in my browser so my husband will see it and take a hint!