The baby is in da house!

The Canadian-Mexican-Australian family has arrived! 

Sister E, husband O and beautiful baby O are here for six weeks which is really exciting for everyone, especially my Mum.

Baby O is the bomb. Here he is with Aunty K.

I am not sure how he feels about the heat. (But check out those blue eyes!)

Someone else is not so excited about losing the limelight.

H x

T Dog Tuesday

Hi peeps!

I hope you have all had a great week!

On Friday I am officially 18 months old! Who would have thought this handsome face could be so young! I have achieved a lot in my short life and have really brought a great deal of joy to all those around me.

Dad and I now like to 'hang' in the front yard. We check out funny people (mainly women) who walk past. I let them know that they are not welcome here. I can be very scary when I need to be.

I know, unbelievably good looking.

Watching TV - what's with all the ads!?!

Wet willy kisses for Mum (every girl loves them).

Hanging with my mate Wal. I was a bit put out being made to stay in the backyard with him but sometimes you have to do these things for your friends when their parents aren't there. Baby.

See you all next week when I am over the hill.

T x

Run for your life!

I have been running for fun and fitness off and on for a few years, but really committed when I was training for the Western Mudd Rush in August last year.  I joined a training group run by E (colleague, friend and amazing PT) which was tough but well worth it. It definitely ensured that I crossed the finish line in one piece. Since then, I have kept up the weekly training (of course a few misses here and there when I have HAD to go down south), and after the Christmas period I am slowly getting back into running.

There is a point to this post - before you close the browser due to boredom.  I wanted to let you know about a few handy resources that have made my journey from tortoise to cheetah much more pleasant.

The Spibelt

This is not your standard bum bag (or fanny pack as the Americans like to call them – just wrong people!). The pint size pouch has the ability to stretch perfectly over an iPhone and car keys, and will keep your precious items perfectly still as you run! It does not bounce, slide up or fall off, and for about $30 – THE BEST NON BUM BAG EVER!

Runkeeper

This handy little app will track your activity through your iPhone using GPS.  There are a variety of activities to choose from including running, cycling, swimming (with an iPhone??) and snowboarding (handy!). You can link it to your music, set targets and even switch on live tracking so peeps all around the world can watch you run for gold! At the end of the workout, you get an overview of your activity including total time, average pace and total distance. Quite useful if you are looking to beat your PB.

 

Get fitted for good shoes!

This is a must must must! It is all very well and good to go for fashion over practicality (as I normally would), but when your shins are burning and knees are twinging you will be cursing that you didn’t get fitted for proper running shoes. I have been to Total Triathlon in East Victoria Park and the guys are great. They have good quality running shoes at a range of price points and really know their stuff! I ended up with this pair of Asics Women’s 2170. Not exactly fashion forward but they are lovely to run in.

Find out more

I have subscribed to the running e-newsletter from Active and this weekly mail out provides me with a vast array of information on many aspects of running, from training to equipment to diet tips. It really is worth a read for additional insight and inspiration.

So there you have it folks. They are my must-haves for those interested in getting back on the track.

 

H x



Thought for Sunday...

 

H x

Happy Australia Day!

I hope that wherever you are, you are able to enjoy a cold beer, meat pie and swim at the beach in our glorious country!

 

H x

Mish's Chicken Sang Choy Bow

A and I have been trying to eat quite healthy food lately so I decided to give this recipe a go. I increased the portion of mince and added a chilli for a bit of a kick. Can I blow my own trumpet and say that it was very successful!

 

Note: this is not a 'first date' meal - never had I experienced so much messy goodness!

 

 

Chicken Sang Choy Bow (Serves 2)

 

Prep 15 Minutes

 

Cook 10 Minutes

 

248 cal per serve

 

INGREDIENTS

1 large iceberg lettuce
olive oil spray
220g lean chicken mince
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 red capsicum, diced
3 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 handfuls bean sprouts

 

Select the best lettuce leaves and if necessary trim them with scissors to make at least 6 large ‘cups’. Place in a large bowl filled with iced water to crisp.

 

Lightly spray a wok with oil and heat on high. Stir-fry the chicken and half the shallots for 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the carrot, celery, capsicum, sauces and garlic. Stir-fry for another 4 minutes.

 

Transfer immediately to a serving bowl. Scatter the remaining shallots.

 

To serve, arrange the lettuce cups on a platter with the bean sprouts. Spoon a little chicken mixture into each leaf, top with several bean sprouts and fold the lettuce over to enclose the filling. Eat with your hands.

 

Enjoy!

 

H x

I heart icecream...

One of our favourite rituals when we head to the great South West is top head to Simmo's Icecream shop. We have been there countless times on a hot summers' afternoon and sampled many of their fabulous flavours. From Rum and Raisin to Mars Bar to Mascarpone and Fig, there is something for everyone. Great, now I am craving a scoop and it's not even lunch time!

Cousin S sent me this photo of her Dad, brother R and our Grandad having a cheeky cone or two. Delish!

 

I highly recommend!

 

H x

The simple things that make you smile...



When you're having a crappy time at work, it's nice to have work colleagues who do little things to try and cheer you up.

 

H x

T Dog Tuesday

Morning peeps!

 

Another great week in the life of T Dog. Mum and I went on a massive expedition around the Swan River. Obviously being as hot as I am I needed to cool down. As you can see, Mum has been teaching me how to put filters over my photos so I look even better!

 

Even though I have the biggest ears in the world I pretend that I can't hear her when she calls me to get out of the water. She is so dumb and falls for it every time.

 

Haha!

 

T x

Bar hopping in the sun!

Friends J, K and I hadn't caught up in a while so we spent Sunday afternoon bar hopping around Perth.

 

We hit up The Garden in Leederville as a starting point and as the drinks started flowing before you knew it we were two bottles of wine in and jumping in a cab to town!

 

Bob's Bar is on the roof top of Print Hall, a new bar that has opened in Brookfield Place at the bottom of the new BHP Billiton building on the Terrace. Here are a few snaps of our afternoon.

We then moved on the The Aviary for some more roof top action before heading to the Mechanics' Institute, one of Perth's newest small bars in Northbridge.

Drinks flowed way too easily, and as always the conversation went from up here to down there. Another successful afternoon!

 

H x

Recreating 12wbt...

So the festive season may have caught up with me and I am rehashing some of the best Michelle Bridges 12wbt recipes.

 

My stand out favourite was Caramelised Pork with Sweet Potato Mash and Apples. Here it is!

 

I cannot get over how tasty yet healthy it is. A even loves it (but his portion size would not be approved by Mish) and I highly recommend you give it a go!

 

H x

Brag book!

Here is an updated pix of my nephew O.

He is channelling his Mexican heritage.

 

Sister E and husband O have unfortunately had to push back their down under trip due to a few hiccups with paperwork and getting baby O's passport - the kid is already on the 'International Wanted List'.

 

Hopefully not long until I get to cuddle him!

 

H x

A Little Princess

In the wee hours of yesterday morning the world gained a brand new princess, Charlotte Grace.

 

My dear friends S and J will be the most amazing parents - Miss Charlotte you are one lucky little lady.

 

I cannot wait to meet you.

H x

WeWOOD - iWOOD!

When sister K and I were gallivanting around the south west a couple of weeks ago we visited House of Cards where the delightful owner Liz was sporting a funky timepiece. K was on it like a car bonnet and we were told that she purchased the wooden watch from WeWOOD, and was in LOVE with it!

Well obviously I didn’t need any more encouragement and snapped myself up this treasure for a steal.

WeWOOD is an environmentally friendly St Kilda based company specialising in wooden watches. Their philosophy is One Watch – One Tree – One Planet, meaning one Timepiece plants one tree, and together we help to ensure the health and survival of the natural world. Here are some more pieces from their current collection.

Did I mention they smell amazing?!?

 

H x 

Peas in a pod...

Over the festive period on my down south adventures, sister K and I headed out for a day of ‘true Margaret River’. First we headed to Eagle Bay for a dip which was a glorious way to start the day. We had lunch at an olive farm, Olio Bello which has the best food – I would highly recommend the Ploughman’s Platter. We then made our way back up Caves Road, stopping only at wineries that we hadn’t been to.

Our last stop was a delightful find, House of Cards, recently opened by a young couple. As well as having some great wine, the cellar door features an array of gifts and homewares. Elizabeth (the owner) informed us that the majority of pieces were designed mainly by friends she met when she studied fine arts at university.

I found this pair of white Pea Pod studs made by Tdesign, a collection of work by Sydney designer, Tania Gnecchi Ruscone. At $27, what a bargain for handmade jewellery!
 

Here is a sample of other pieces she has designed.
 

 

 

 

I think I will go back next time I am in the area and stock up on presents (who am I kidding, I want some more grey ones for myself!)

H x

T Dog Tuesday

Morning!

 

Me and the fam had another great weekend by the seaside. I really don't know why we don't just live there to save ourselves the car trips (they can be so tiresome!)

 

As you can see we spent a lot of time relaxing, playing ball and eating sand.

 

This is the life.

 

T x

Letting go...

H x

A little piece of history...

This is a plaque from the sun dial at my grandparents farm near Dunsborough (my obsession!). It was created by a dear family friend.

Lobethal is German for "valley of praise". I think it is fitting for this beautiful property.

 

I am truly blessed to have known such a place.

 

H x

Healthy (not boring!) snacks...

One thing I really struggle with is trying to find convenient, healthy snacks. Often pre-packaged foods are laden with calories not to mention uber amounts of preservatives and other additives.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love a good old Big Mac, but I am trying to eat a little healthier and explore more options with food in general.

 

On Facebook I follow a women's personal training group, Babes on the Run. This great pic came up on their feed.

 

These snack ideas are more innovative than simply 'having a piece of fruit'.

 

I'm off to find edamame!

 

H x

 

PS - I think I just love saying edamame. Edamame edamame edamame.

go-go? Yes please!

I was lucky enough to stumble across this fabulous furniture store purely by chance. go-go is located in the northern Perth suburb of Osborne Park, adjoining an industrial kitchen fit out store which I visited for a project I am coordinating at work.

I have been eyeing off these stools for a while so you can imagine my sheer joy when I spotted them at $46 each! 

The showroom has only been open for eight weeks, and the online store can be found here.

Here are some other delights that are on offer.

 

 

As you can see, the stool I purchased has been approved.

H x