A Beautiful Life

Hello Friends!

As per usual (new) tradition here is our monthly collage to glance back on all the wonderful times we've had over the past month :)

Hello There people whom I don't know anymore!

I'll admit it has been a while since I've blogged. A while referring to an extended period of...nothing.

In the last few weeks, so much has happened yet I've felt like the things that have been happening have not been ones that have been worth sharing.

Nonetheless, I'm here to share a bit anyway.

Upon my arrival at school a week before the second term holidays began, I was greeted by a frantic student bringing news of my lab having been burgled - AGAIN. Obviously I was disbelieving at first and ran to the class to find that it was indeed true and that all my HOURS of hard work had amounted to yet another let-down in the form of another burglary. After much anger, disappointment and sadness I realized that wasting my energy on feeling depressed wasn't going to bring back the computers. Aesthetics.

Now here I am after a [somewhat] restful holiday and the first week back at school and in retrospect I feel so stupid for having wasted so much time on worrying over something that I will hopefully find a way to forget in the near future.

New computers have been delivered [shockingly fast!] and will hopefully be re-installed, which is going to keep me VERY busy [although I am already!?] for the next few weeks. Fun times ahead. Curse the chops that stole the PCs...from kids!

In other news, Lee has been VERY busy with lots and lots of cars which has been keeping him happy and occupied. Yesterday I spent most of the day helping him assemble, dissemble and then re-assemble an engine. By helping I mean I undid all the nuts and bolts and put them back in. If this sounds like small fry, you're obviously not aware of how many nuts and bolts hold an engine together!

Keep smiling friends!

wx

Hello Friends!

Last night Lee and I were privileged to go to dinner with a special someone. My biological sister and I have never really been able to foster a natural relationship as we were adopted by different families, but we went out to dinner last night and it was lovely. I hope that it will be the beginning of a special relationship. 

Lee has been so supportive of me and has dispelled my silliness and fears regarding the meet-up. Thanks Bub! You're amazing!

Here are some pics - new memories being made!

Lee & Kelly

Lee and I.

Kelly and I

Hello Friends!

I found this awesome blog challenge on a few of the blogs that I follow and decided to participate and tag three people of my own!
Firstly, I tag the following lovely ladies:

1. Timor Broide

2. Ruby Hugo

3. Courtney Semanek 

Ready? Set? Go!

1. Who/What inspires you?
This is easy! The person who truly inspires me is Lee. It's funny how Lee doesn't really do artsy, creative stuff as his interests are different to mine, yet he is my biggest source of inspiration and the most supportive sounding board for any and all of my crazy ideas. What Inspires me...photography. I love seeing an image that makes the gears of my mind go into spin cycle! 

2. What is something you can't live without?
Oh boy!
Cheese Curls!

3. What is something you have to do every day that you wish you didn't?
Housework! I don't mind washing and ironing, but dishes are my WORST!

4. Best piece of advice you ever received?
"It doesn't matter what people think."
It just really doesn't! Close to the beginning of Lee and my relationship, I went through a stage of being affected by what people think. No more! Today you're headline news, but within hours someone else will be!

5. Best piece of advice you've ever given?
To a despondent past music student of mine - "Anything worth having is worth working for."

6. What is your most prized possession?
My letters and cards from Lee - he ALWAYS puts so much thought and preparation into them!

7. What are you most pleased about in your life right now?
My Nikon! Shallow I know!

8. Best book you've ever read?
Always, always it will be...
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

9. What colour is your personality based on this free test?
I remember attending a seminar for the colour code test! I was and still am a yellow through and through! Yellow and secondary Red. I love people...they're my passion! And I'm a very strong personality ..a leader not a follower and also sometimes VERY hot headed!

10. What is one thing you love about yourself?
Although this question may seem a little vain, I think self love is the key to love others too! So...I love the fact that I can see the finer details in situations. I have learnt through trial and error and general dealings with people how to discern their true intentions and things that they do not necessarily share with me. I'm not the mentalist, but I love the fact that I car enough about people in general that I take the time to look for tendencies, preferences or any small thing about any individual I meet.

11. What age/year would you like to relive?
2012!
Although last year was FULL of some of the hardest times I've faced yet, I shared SUCH special moments with Lee that I would relive in an instant because they have altered me, my views and my entire life so much! 2012!!!

That's it! Can't wait to read the answers from the ladies I tagged!

wx

I'd like to share two goals that we've decided on to fulfill right now.

Firstly, we have settled so well into our new apartment (5th month!), but we are not 100% happy as it is very noisy early in the morning and late at night. We anticipated some level of noise when staying within such close proximity to neighbors, but not THIS much! :(

So...Lee and I started talking and we decided that the best option for us would be to take a big step and move to a house in December when our lease expires. This may sound insignificant, but to us it means even more responsibility, a whole house to furnish and of course, our own privacy and space. I believe you have to dream big and make risks to move up in life sometimes...so this IS a big risk financially and in many other aspects, but it will be the very best option for us.

OBVIOUSLY...I have been indulging in whims of flawless interiors and furniture to match that.
So please let me share some inspirational images with you as part of the rpesentation of my dreams coming true ;)

Hello Again!

Hello Friends!

Finally, I have a moment to sit down and update the blog a bit!
Here is week 11 PLUS the pics I promised from my little shopping trip with my godmother Vivienne. (We went crazy...sigh!)

Lee and I used to take so many pics...wait for it....When. We. Were. Young...;) So I am making a point of it to take more so that we can preserve them for our posterity ;)

I took on the large task of repacking our shared cupboard last Saturday. It took forever and although to you it doesn't look like an amazingly neat set-up, it is - believe me! Leeron owns more tracksuit pants than I do pairs of shoes.Scary stuff.

I had an amazing mani and pedi at the Beautique courtesy of Mr Lee HRH[andsomeness] himself...It was so divine and SO welcome!

We spent a lot of time over at Imma and Abba's place this weekend and it was so very enjoyable #FamilyLovin'

In addition to the cupboard cleaning, Lee and my dressing table got an organizing too. I organized all my different routines into easy to access glass bowls. This means that my Foundation products + concealers + tinted moisturizers are in one dish whilst my eye highlighter + Cake Liner + Highlighter + blush + kabuki + fave blush + Mac Setting spray are in another and lastly my mascaras + liquid and kohl liners are in the last. Easy access for the win!

I've always loved soup because I've eaten eat often since a child. Although I didn't make this one myself it reminded me so much of my gran who so often satisfied my love for tomato soup. I miss her every day.

This was so good that I'm not even ashamed to showcase it here! I promptly went downstairs and got 6 for our parents! HAUL - SHOPPING section

These two items aren't exactly ones that I bought for myself. Mali gave these beautiful army/rider boots to me. They are the most comfortable thing next to my slippers. And they are going to be so great for winter! The bag has received SO many compliments. It's a 'speedy' type shape, black leather, shoulder strap + loads of space and just so handy and beautiful! I'm so spoiled by Lee's Imma!

Steve Madden had a sale, we couldn't walk past without going in. The result was this. I've worn one pair and people stared. A lot. I LOVE these shoes!

Viv and I went to the huge annual Woolies end of season sale to go buy loads of amazing stuff like we always do. I have seriously NEVER been so dissappointed in my life! Of ALL the things, this was the nicest and the ONLY thing I would even think to buy. What a waste of time! At least I have a stunning bikini for next Summer! And yes! It IS as bright as you can imagine!

Although I found almost nothing at the sale, I am a SUCKER for anything Country Road. Especially their sweaters. They are so amazing! Really! I got this gold studded one to style with tights and a scarf for Winter. Yes please!

These are the most comfortable and charming ankle boots ever. I bought myself a pair at Woolies last year and they were so amazing paired with stocking tights with dresses, tights, jeans, slacks...anything! Obviously as they're last season, you're probably wondering how I have a pair... Lee's mom bought these for his sister, Dani who never wore them as she wasn't too fond of them. She gave them to me the other day...Wendy - like a fat kid with cake happy!

And just to end off...firstly there are 4 items from Mango that I also purchased which were in the wash/mountains of ironing when I snapped the pics. They were two pairs of they're amazing tights + a spaghetti strap top in ivory with ribbons and a dusty pink cardigan.  Also, the pic above is from our foyer table. I shared it because I love flowers in the home as it feels like people live there whenever I see flowers in a home. And that said, I wish a wonderful week ahead and much love in your home! wends x

I am a terrible person...for promising to update and never doing so! However, on the bright side...it means that I'm so busy that I don't have time to blog which is something that I actually LOVE!

Needless to say, we've been overwhelmingly busy and I often have to remind myself that Lee and I have the same end goals because our days are lived so separately which is a grave contrast to last year's afternoons filled with laughter and talking about our dreams. 

Lee is working like a slave and learning about different people with different ideas and I am on a mission that I can't even define at school. It just feels like we're so far apart, but when he comes home at night I feel like there was no gap at all and as if everything is okay again. I think it's been such a big re-adjustment for us - this work thing that is...but we're growing, which in the end is all that matters. 

Some very good news is that I'm feeling so much better healthwise. For the past two months I have gravitated between deathly ill and decently healthy far too many times and Lee was so desperate to get me better that he made me promise I'd go to the doctor in a moment of weakness. Anyhow...it's been such a weird illness. I get supreme back ache, extreme nausea and no appetite whatsoever. It's quite scary when you haven't eaten or drank anything for three days and your body starts flashing warning lights. I am still not sure what it is that's caused the sickness, but I strongly suspect a gluten allergy or some type of viral infection. When I stay away from breads and pastas I feel like I can take on the world. When I eat them as I normally would, my body gives in. How am I supposed to give pasta up? I'm the freekin pasta queen!

In general I've been feeling much better and so many people are commenting that I look healthier, seem happier and have lost weight. I think they're all bonkers ofcourse. How can my face look thinner?! But I do have a question for anyone willing to comment - Is it possible for one's stomach to shrink so much that you eat less than half of the portions that you used to? This is a foreign concept to me. 

Last thing on the agenda for today...is my anger management issues.

I know, I am embarrassed to even admit it! I have been feeling these upsurges of anger over the past few months. There are days when my earphones tangling can send me into a rage. But my bog problem is people. I prefer staying away from people because they irritate me more often than not. I get angry at bad service - really angry. So much so that I think it's embarrassing even Lee. I'm writing this here because I think that part of solving the issue is admitting that there is one. I am already so much better - Lee says so. I just try to breathe really deeply and calm myself when I feel a fit of rage coming on. I think I'm just not letting go of stressful situations and that's translated into this anger. Anyhow - it must go! I'll let you know how I do!

That's all for now!

wends x

We started off a little early, but last night Lee and I had a lovely candle-lit dinner together. I relish these occasions where we get to spend time together and just relax. Lee has got a BIG surprise coming for him tomorrow. He asked for soppy valentines day and Oh boy is he going to get it! Watch this space!

A week and two days ago, Lee and I made the big move to our little home and boy was it a move of EPIC proportions! So here are a few peeks at our place which I have been [very] slow at uploading - Sorry!

The beautiful sunset on our first night at home - a welcome end to a VERY long day of moving!

Beautiful Roses as a gift from Lee's family, gracing our foyer with the promise of good things to come in 2013!

Our kitchen and balcony view - glorious afternoon sunshine.

A special gift from Lee after his insistence that I grow a garden - on the balcony!?

Another view from the balcony, this time of the ridge, during the day.

Welcome home! [Lee looks less than impressed]

The Passageway. AFTER my floor cleaning escapades!

My currently messy dresser - more organization must still take place.

The one side of our bathroom - a weird set-up, don't ask!

Hello Friends!

Well well well! The last time we spoke, we were surrounded by boxes, and funnily enough, we still are even though we've moved into our special little space!

A few things have changed in the past five days...

*We now have a beautiful view (of which I will soon post pics!)
*We have been lifting weights of a different kind and my arms, legs and back are against another move soon!
*We have been spending quality one-on-one time with so many of our friends and family for the first time in months! (Amazing how life experiences can bring people together).
*We have been doing grocery shopping and buying things that WE love.
*We have been listening to all our old [literally!] favourites of which Billy Joel, Alice Cooper and Julio Iglesias are but a few.
*We have been losing, finding, and losing and finding again all the various sets of access cards and keys that secure our home.
*We[ndy] has been cleaning, scrubbing, and wait for it....WASHING DISHES! - I think it's safe to say that I must be on some different cloud if I'm washing dishes!

In short, we're loving our new home and the wonderful facilities close by. AND - we promise to post pictures ASAP!

wendy x
[CEO of housewifery ;)]