:: The Autumn 'Spring' Clean ::

A few weeks ago I half-heartedly participated in A Beach Cottage's de-clutter mission. I did a pretty good job, but I wasn't completely dedicated because some rooms in my house are so messy that I didn't know where to start. You know how sometimes you just have so many things to do that you don't know where to start - so you don't do any of them? Yeah, that.

Gracie and I were speaking about our houses needing a good clean and we came up with the idea to follow on from A Beach Cottage's idea and host an Autumn 'Spring' Clean!

So, starting next weekend we will clean/de-clutter one room each weekend. If you spend a weekend focusing on just one room, it won't seem so daunting ... well, that's the plan anyway! Gracie and I will be posting before and after photos on our blogs, but also on Instagram and Twitter! So, if you choose to join us, use the hashtag #asclean so we can see your progress!

And now, just so you know I'm serious about messy rooms, check out my spare room. This room is supposed to be a second bedroom/craft room. Currently it is a dumping ground for things that don't have a home.

So, who's with us? Are you ready to give your house an Autumn/Spring clean?

:: Pink Picnic Party ::

Yesterday I helped celebrate Gracie's belated birthday. She set up an amazing little picnic inside her living room (the weather was terrible, but who says an indoor picnic can't be just as cute?). Gracie made pinwheels, wrapped adorable little glass bottle in lace, and served lots of pretty pink food. I had such a great time!

:: De-cluttering Mission ::

Last weekend I was on a major de-cluttering mission. I was inspired by the de-cluttering going on over at A Beach Cottage. I was sick of rifling through messy drawers in an attempt find things, so I woke up on Saturday morning and worked like a mad woman on certain aspects of our house. It's still nowhere near finished, but it's nice to see small changes taking shape!

Kitchen pantry: Before

Kitchen Pantry: After

Make Up: Before

Make Up: After

Perfume: Before

Perfume: After

Bathroom Storage: Before and After

I was so on task, I didn't even stop to get my normal camera out. So, iPhone photos are all I have! This is only the beginning. I plan to have an entirely organised house in a few weeks. I think my wardrobe/shoes will be next ... the thought of which scares me! But really, what's the use of having clothes you haven't worn in years (or even at all!) clogging up precious space? Also, you may come across some little lost treasures like I did ...

An amazing Christian Dior eye shadow palette. How I forgot about this is beyond me!

Do you have any tips on cleaning and de-cluttering your house? I've been told to take all items out of my wardrobe to get a good look at what I have. Another tip was to turn all hangers one way and when I wear an item, turn the hanger the opposite way. After a few months reassess the items one the unturned hangers. Pretty smart!

PS. I had a loss at my first weigh in! It wasn't quite the 1kg (2.2lbs) I was hoping for, but it was .7kg (1.5lbs)!!

:: Resolutions ::

Every year I make the same resolution - lose weight. And every year, bar one, I fail miserably (one year I lose 16kg, woot!). I have been seeing a PT for the past few weeks and we have figured out the issue with the previous goals I was setting myself. I don't work well with large general goals. If someone said to me, "Let's work towards losing 10kg in three months", my response would probably be something like this ...

[image via knowyourmeme.com]

I need smaller goals that I can work towards. For example, my goal for this week is to lose one kilo. And I can do that because in my head it's much easier to think, "Okay, you only have to do this until next Thursday". Then, once I reach that goal it feels great to know I accomplished something, so I set myself another small goal for the next week.

Am I the only one like this, or is that how you work too?

I plan to break my life down into smaller goals like this, because I think I will accomplish far more!

:: Melbourne - First Wedding Anniversary ::

About three weeks ago Mr LG and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary! Can you believe it's been a year already? I sure can't. For our one year anniversary we flew down to Melbourne, the same place we spent the first week of our honeymoon. We adore Melbourne and plan to spend as much time there as possible!

Anniversary dinner at our favourite restaurant - Mamasita's!

Just looking at these photos brings me back to the cooler weather, the sound of the trams, and the amazing culture that Melbourne offers.

PS. Oh! I nearly forgot to tell you all about my incredible Christmas present ...

[image via Wikipedia]

A Canon 70-200mm 2.8!!! OMG! I nearly wet my pants when I opened it!

I've been putting it to good use in the past few weeks. It's taking me a little while to get used to the size of it, but I adore it! I was truly spoilt :D

:: Happy Birthday to Me! ::

I turned 29 on the 6th of January. I'm now one year away from being 30! About a year and a half ago I decided to compile a list of 101 things I wanted to complete before I turned 30. Back then I thought I had lots of time ... and on my birthday I realised I only had one year to complete everything on the list! One year! Yikes!

I'll share some of those things with you throughout the year, but for now I'll leave you with some photos of my birthday party.

PS. I'll tell you about my amazing Christmas present in my next post, promise!

:: Christmas - 2011 ::

Merry Christmas, everyone!!

I hope you all had an amazing day filled with love, laughter, family, and friends. Our first Christmas as a married couple was fantastic. We woke up early (not too early though!) and cooked a big breakfast for Mr LG's brother who came over to our house. We swapped presents and hung out for a while before heading over to my parents house to see all my brothers and sisters.

I was given some amazing presents this year. Words cannot even express how loved I felt. Everyone put so much thought and love into each and every present. I love watching people's faces light up with excitement when they open up a gift.

While I adored every present I was given, there was one in particular that I was blown away by. I won't give anything away, because it deserves a post of it's own. I can't wait to tell you what I got!!

Now the count down to the new year is on, and also to my birthday! Can you believe I'll be 29 soon? I can't!