:: Lavender & Lock Photography ::

So, after months of doing weddings, maternity shoots, baby shoots and family shoots under no name and no business/company I've finally branched out and created a photography business/company! Exciting times!

http://www.lavenderandlockphotography.com/

I also have a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lavenderandlock check it out!

:: Gracie's Unicorn Birthday Party ::

Earlier this year (February, I am SO behind!) I was invited to Gracie's unicorn themed birthday party. Gracie always has the best birthday themes and this party did not disappoint. The first one I went to was Alice in Wonderland themed and the second was a pretty pink picnic.

Gracie made adorable unicorn horns for everyone to wear in place of birthday hats. My little sister dubbed ownership of mine after the party and she still has it in an almost pristine condition because she loves it so much. There was fairy wands to decorate and little glass jars to fill with glitter. I loved getting my craft on. Gracie also made little packs for everyone to take home, always generous even on a day that is supposed to be about her!

Gorgeous wand by little miss Laylah.

Photo of me courtesy of Gracie's gorgeous friend Laura - proof that I was actually there!

Do you love themed parties as much as I do? I think all parties should have a theme! I'm desperate to have a 90s themed party - overalls, Doc Martens, awesome (ie dodgy) music, scrunchies, bad teased fringes - perfection!

:: Health and Fitness ::

107.5kg dead lift

I've been thinking a lot about health and fitness lately. Today marks one year since the beginning of my pancreas/large intestine fiasco and while I've had some really good days, it frustrates me that I still have really bad days.

So I've turned to my diet to see if there's something I'm eating that's making me sick without realising. I already have a list of foods I avoid due to allergies, intolerances and general inability to digest them like gluten, dairy, pumpkin, carrot, lettuce, cranberries and so on. But lately I've been directed to a group of foods called FODMAPs. FODMAP containing foods are foods such as apples, nectarines, peaches, beetroot, lychees, pulses, beans, artificial sweeteners (maltitol, xylitol) among many others. People with an intolerance to these FODMAPs get sick because they aren't absorbed properly through your digestive system and they begin to ferment where they shouldn't which causes all kinds of problems and pain.

I've been off these FODMAPs for about two weeks now and I already feel so much better. Who knew that something seemingly safe like an apple could cause so many problems? Now that I'm starting to feel better I'm getting more into gym and fitness again. Last month a few of my friends and I completed the Lorna Jane squat challenge (below) and have decided to keep doing at least 100 squats a day from now on.

This month we're completing a plank challenge (along with the daily 100 squats). I have rubbish core muscles, so hopefully this will help! Having a stronger core will help with all my other exercises like deadlifts (see first photo), back squats, leg press and even running.

Do you have any other monthly/30-day challenges you can recommend? A friend and I have decided to do one a month til the end of the year!