Friday, October 29, 2010

Be Full Of Happy.


Happy Friday. I'm smiling because it's no more sleeps until I see Hubby. Oh boy, how I miss him.



What are you smiling about today?

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Spaghetti & Meatballs.


Before I had Lacey I was a good cook. I hosted many dinner parties, always cooked for Christmas and baked most weekends. And then I gave birth and I lost that love for it. Hubby took over the cooking duties {although he did do a lot of cooking anyhow} and I never really had the need or desire to cook. Until now.


I have boxes of recipes that I've kept and never attempted. Many, many cookbooks that have sat, neglected, in the bookshelf until my cooking mojo returned. I've always dabbled in sharing food and recipes here, on my blog, but you'll be seeing them more now that I have to cook. Doesn't this make it more fun?

This spaghetti and meatballs is super cheap {under $15 for the whole meal} and delicious. I'll definitely be making it again. I even made this while talking on the phone to Sarah, and she probably didn't even know that I was multi-tasking. Talk about talent!

Ingredients
500g beef mince
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
400g dried spaghetti
1/3 grated parmesan to serve

Method
1. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley. garlic, milk and half the tomato paste in a bowl + mix well. Roll into even balls.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook meatballs {in batches} until browned all over. Set aside.
3. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to {now empty} frying pan. Bring to the boil.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar.
5. Add meatballs to sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer {uncovered} for 5 minutes.
6. Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
7. Serve by dividing spaghetti among 4 serving bowls, spoon meatballs and sauce over. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with salad {if you so desire}.

Enjoy. xx

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Give A Little Love.


Now that Everyday Everybody has been retired to the lovely graveyard of posts that once were, I'd to start something a little more fresh and fun. I'd love to put a call out for people that might like to contribute to Fat Mum Slim. I will share guest posts on an irregular basis {so don't stress friends that don't love guest posts, I'll be here 98% of the time}.


I'll be introducing the following new {yay!} sections to Fat Mum Slim. Email me if you'd to contribute and let me know what section you'd like to write in:

Mama Moment: How I Do It.
This will be an insight into the life of a Mama. A sweet little interview on how you make your life work for you. A sharing of little tips and tricks that make your life easier.

Local.
I'm nosy so I love seeing into other people's lives... and I'm guessing if you read blogs you do too! I'd love to see a snapshot {photo} of one part of where you live {it could be your bedroom, the local beach, your favourite tree - just something you love about where you live}. Accompanying the photo would be a paragraph or two about why you love your space/town/home/etc. If you have more to share you can make it a little longer.

I Heart.
A picture series of 5 things that you love. This can be your own photos, or others that you've gathered elsewhere of what you love - with a sweet few words on why you love what you love.

Let Me Teach You How To.
Everyone is great at something, be it sewing, hula-hooping, baking a mean souffle, typing really fast, writing poems, cooking scrambled eggs, taking photos, making friends, being organised, drinking beer, picking a great wine... well the list could go on and on and on and on... If you've got a gift/talent don't keep it to yourself, share it with the world {or at least the readers of FMS}.


So, if you think this is something you'd like to be part of email me and express your interest {don't send me your post just yet}, and we can get crack-a-lacking.

BLOGversation: Setting Goals.


I am big on setting goals. It's just something that I've always done - either in my head, written in list form at the start of every year or by the way of a vision board. It's not an aggressive thing I do, it's more because I like knowing where I'm headed and it comforts me to have a plan. Plus I like writing lists. I'm kinda addicted.


My blog never really had a plan. It was sorta a diary, and then it became an addiction and now it kinda has a life of it's own {although it's been a little sleepy of late}.

I often get letters from people wanting to know many things about blogging but the main topics are:

1. Can you help me get a writing gig?
2. Can you help me design my blog?
3. How can I be a professional writer?

The truth is, I have no answers. I'm not a writer. I have no connections. I can't design to save my life. I kinda fumble my way through blogging.

I kinda {wow, how many times can I write that in a post?} got a little side-tracked there... but today I wanted to ask the bloggers among us: What's your blogging goal? What do you hope to achieve through blogging?

And if you don't have a blog, I'd love to hear if you set goals in your life. Do you set goals for yourself to achieve?

I'm looking forward to taking a sneak peek into your minds. x



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Home Sick.


A few months after I met Hubby {who was then my boyfriend} he went away for work. He jetted off to work in Bali just after the Bali bombings. I missed him terribly. You know what it's like when you've just met each other. You want to spend every waking {and sleeping too} moment together.


He'd come home every so often, and I remember that drive to the airport to pick him up. It didn't matter what time of day or night it was, I was there. I hardly slept the night before. My stomach did flip flops as I drove along. It felt like it took forever to get to the airport, even though it was only 30 minutes from home.

Driving him back to the airport {to go back to work} was always a super fast trip and I never wanted to say goodbye. I'd have a few tears as I sadly drove back home.

Eventually his stint of working overseas was over and he was back home for good. We moved in together and barely spent a moment apart. We married and then fell pregnant with little Lacey Mae.

Whilst pregnant I couldn't stand to spend a moment away from Hubby. I get pangs of homesickness whilst doing the grocery shopping for work alone. I wanted and needed to be with Hubby. I'm not sure if other pregnant women feel the same, but it was an overwhelming need to be near him. So overwhelming that I'd well up with tears in the cereal aisle. {Crazy? Perhaps}.

Now Hubby is away again for work. Now we have Lacey and life is a whole lot busier. I still miss him. Of course I miss him helping at around the house and cooking for me, and all that stuff. But mostly I miss his company. I miss him. I miss his presence. I miss laughing about stuff. Stupid, silly stuff. I miss seeing his smile. I miss talking to him. And I know he misses me {us} too.

Five years ago this month I married my best friend. I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I know that Hubby will read this {surprise Hubby!}. I know that he's a little homesick too. I just want to say, thank you. Thank you loving me the way you do. Thank you choosing me. Thank you for being you. I love you. xx

Monday, October 25, 2010

Churros & Chocolate.



I have a guilty pleasure. Some afternoons, whilst Lacey sleeps I switch on the TV and watch cooking shows while I work. Well, one cooking show really: 5 Ingredient Fix. Claire makes everything so simple and easy. She's helping bring back my cooking mojo... that and the fact that I have to cook because Hubby isn't around.

One afternoon Claire made churros and I was impressed at how simple it looked, so whipped some up myself. I didn't have any fancy nozzles, so mine were smaller than what they should have been... but still as delicious as ever. In the ingredients I forgot to write chocolate, so don't go trying to chop milk... it's meant to be milk chocolate.


Point & Shoot: A Glimpse of Summer.


We were teased with a little Bondi Summer this weekend. We only got a couple of hours of sunshine before a storm rolled around. This time of year is really busy in Bondi, if there's a sunny day. People can smell Summer and they rush for the beach {as you can see in the photo above I snapped on Saturday}, presumably either to work on their tans or for a dose of vitamin D.

One days like that {where the sun disappears and the clouds roll in} we can hear it unfold from home. The people flock back to their cars and zoom back home. And that glimpse of a Bondi Summer is gone.

How was your weekend? What did you get up to? Share your Point + Shoot below if you like. x



Monday, October 18, 2010

A Tale Of Sushi Shenanigans.


Before I begin this story I should tell you three things:


1. I don't usually drink. Perhaps maybe 2 or 3 times a year I will. But that's it.
2. Hubby's away for work for four months. He's back for most weekends... but for the most part I'm single parenting it.
3. Lacey's favourite food is avocado. Loves it. Big time.

Let's start at number 1. I don't drink often. We rarely have wine in the house, and I've never really seen the attraction of ending the day or week with a glass of chilled wine... until this week. Single parenting and working full-time from home is... hard.

When my cousin texted and asked us over for dinner... I jumped at the chance. Not having to cook? Tick. Having someone else to entertain the toddler? Tick. Tick. Tick. And when she asked if I wanted to partake in a glass of wine before heading out to dinner... I couldn't text back fast enough {it doesn't help that I can't use my phone still}. Yes!

So we all {Ma, Sis, Lacey & I} headed over the bridge in peak hour traffic for wine, dinner and good company.

We started with champers and moved onto wine over dinner. We were in a happy mood by the time we arrived at Japanese.

And now let's move onto number 3. Lacey loves avocado. Lacey also loves sushi. Combine the two... and you've got toddler heaven. I ordered her sushi straight up as the night was getting late and I was sure that she was hungry.

The waitress brought the sushi to the table and as she did I noticed a huge glob of wasabi on the side {oh yes, you can see where this is going} and my mama intuition told me to take it off the plate. The wine told me that it'd be fine.

I feed Lacey {who is in my arms} the first piece of sushi and then began to get distracted with chatting, and sipping and chatting.

The next part happens in slow motion. I see the waitress approach the table with a look of horror on her face, she slowly raises her arm and points at Lacey, yelling, "Waaaasssssaaaaabbbiiiiiii!"

And I freak out.

Lacey has put a tablespoon or so of wasabi in her mouth. I scoop. I scream. I wipe. I yell.

"Give her a drink!" yells the waitress pointing to the water.

I've watched enough Footy Show, Big Brother & Jackass to know that water makes the heat worse.

"I need milk!" I yell back, "Do you have milk?"

The waitress shakes her head with a look of horror still on her face. My cousin grabs her purse and bolts off to find the closest milk-selling-place. And I continue freaking out, wiping Lacey's mouth out and... well, freaking out.

Lacey is in my arms screaming from a mixture of the wasabi and my freaking out.

Eventually we both stop freaking out. Milk is consumed and the wasabi incident is over.

And we laugh.

I knew a day would come that Lacey would eat something that she shouldn't as a toddler. We all have. My brother ate snails. I ate dog poop. And Lacey ate wasabi.


So share, what did you eat as a toddler that you shouldn't have?

Point & Shoot: Blue Skies Above.


Hello.



How was your weekend? Ours was wild and windy. It was so windy here that we thought we might get blown away. Seriously. Well, that was Saturday... Sunday was perfection {blue skies & sun-shining perfection}. Am I getting old? Don't old people talk about the weather? Moving on...

My weekend was filled with ♥ getting my hair straightened {permanently} ♥ avoiding getting my hair wet to not ruin said straightened hair ♥ cute little people named Lacey ♥ spunky big people called Hubby ♥ dinner at Ubud ♥ making churros {more on that later} ♥ & happily relaxing too...


How was your weekend? What did you get up to?

If you played took a photo over the weekend, I'd love to see it. If you're new around here and have no idea what Point & Shoot is... you can check out the details here and play next weekend if you like. We'd love to have you. xx



Thursday, October 14, 2010

Chocolate Fudge Bars.


Hubby set off on a work thing on the weekend, and I wanted to send him off with some goodies for the road. So Saturday night I whipped up these chocolate fudge bars, which I know he's enjoyed in the past. I actually used to make them a lot for school events when I was nannying, because I found we always had the ingredients in the house... and it's too easy {and delicious}.

Sadly for Hubby, he forgot to take them with him... so they were left for Lacey and I to enjoy. He did enjoy a few before he left, and we wrapped some up for Gaga {grandma} to enjoy too.


Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup coconut
1 tablespoon of cocoa
185g butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method
Place dry ingredients in bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla. Mix.
Press into a small lined tray. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

Once cool, ice with chocolate icing {1 cup icing sugar, 2tbs cocoa, 30g melted butter, 1 tbs hot water} and sprinkle with coconut.

Enjoy in moderation {if you can resist!}. xx

What Makes You Happy?


I'm taking a sneak peek into your mind today... if you'll let me. What's making you smile today, my friend?

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Inspiration Boards.


When I grow up... I want to have an office, with a big desk and an inspiration board in my house. I have a little inspirations pieces up here and there in a pokey little home... but I dream of a big board, with a chunky white frame and lots of bits of pieces that I can spend moments daydreaming about.


Whilst we're on the topic of inspiration today I thought that I'd share a few inspiration boards that I found online. Perhaps you'll find them... inspiring {see what I did there? I made a not-so-funny}.

Do a place that you keep all your pieces of inspiration? A board, a journal or perhaps even a folder?



BLOGversation: Blogger's Block.


I went for months and months and months without running out of ideas for blogging before I hit a wall one day, and had nothing. It usually coincides with other things going on in life, where there's no room left in the brain for creative... stuff.

I usually go for a walk, people watch, read magazines, draw or write lists to get my blogging mojo back.

My question for you is: Have you ever had blogger's {writer's} block? Do you ever get stuck in a blogging rut? How do you pull yourself {and your blog} out of it?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I Am Imperfect.


I am imperfect.



I leave the cap off the toothpaste {always}.
I can't spell acommodation or embarassment.
I am clumsy.
I worry too much.
I exercise too little.
I have fluffy hair {not curly or straight, just fluffy}.
I waste too much money on magazines.
I still don't know how to use my phone {& have only managed to store 3 numbers}.
I take blurry photos & lack focus {in life & in photos}.
I am scared of death.
I cry more than I'd like to admit.
I can't say no.
I am hopeless at swimming.

I am imperfect, but I am trying to love myself anyway. And that's okay. xx


This is part of a protest against perfectionism that Brene Brown has created {that I discovered via Susannah Conway}. I think it's an amazing movement. Because perfectionism is out... {not that I know anyone perfect anyway, do you?}.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Rustic Hamburgers.


I like to describe my cooking style as rustic. Not because I live in a quaint, country home and cook from scratch... because I don't have an eye for details. I like details when I see them, I just don't like putting details into things I make or do. I like to cut corners and get there the fastest way possible.


Chopping garlic, ugh. Herbs, blah. Finely chopped onions, get outta here. And when recipes call for vegetables to be chopped evenly and of equal size... I know it's just not going to happen. I pull out the rustic card.

Last week Braun sent over a whole heap of goodies including the ingredients to make delicious hamburgers and a cordless blender/chopper. Heaven.

So I made hamburgers, and I didn't chop a thing. I even made a tomato sauce to go with them... and didn't have to fuss with dicing and slicing. Impressive, eh? Especially for a self-proclaimed rustic cook like me. And the added bonus? No onion scented fingers. Sweeeeet.

The burgers were really delicious, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Ingredients
750g beef mince
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1 whole egg
1 tsbp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp grated parmesan
10g chopped parsley
30g breadcrumbs
100g chopped carrot
100g chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
50g chopped celery


Method
Chop the vegetables & herbs {you can use a nifty chopper-upperer like I did}. Combine all ingredients together to make 8 patties. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to help them keep their shape.

Preheat a heavy pan or BBQ and lightly oil the surface. Cook the patties for 10 minutes each side.

Once cooked create your hamburger, add whatever your heart desires.


How do you like your hamburgers? With pineapple? Egg? Cheese? Tomato or BBQ sauce?



Point & Shoot: Nothing Much Doing.


Hi.


How are you? The weekend whizzed by again at the speed of light. I don't know why I expect any different, it seems to be the way now. Remember as kids how long it felt between Christmases? It felt like years and years... when it was really just one. Times do change, don't they?

We had a child-free night on Friday night, and then {as it always seems to happen} Lacey slept very, very poorly on Saturday night. It's as if she's trying to say: "Don't ever send me away again!" Although she has the very best time when she stays at her Gaga's house.

My highlight of the weekend was having a facial, eating sushi with Hubby {on our child-free night} and then the phone call I had with Lacey on Saturday morning...

Me: Hello Lacey.
Lacey: Hello MumMum. I love you MumMum.
Me: I love you too. What have you been getting up to?
Lacey: Me farted. Bye!

I hope you had a lovely weekend. I'd love to hear {or see} what you got up to... and hope that you have a lovely week ahead planned.

Share your Point & Shoot below if you like. I'd love to see part of your weekend. x



Friday, October 8, 2010

BLOGversation: Naming Your Blog.


I've talked about blog name regret before. There are days when I don't love the name of my blog, and I often have a list running through my head that I'd like to change it to... but am never brave enough to change it.


So I thought I'd turn the tables. How did you come up with your blog name? Do you love it or loathe it? Or just feel that it suits you and your blog?

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Life Isn't A Dress Rehearsal.


It's easy to forget to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the destination. I'll put my hand up and tell you I'm guilty of that. I daydream about the clothes I'll wear, the way I'll feel and even more so what I'll achieve when I get to my goal weight. "Life will begin when I'm thin," I tell myself.


The funny thing is, that I'm living it all right now. What did I think this was? Was I living some pretend life until I got to the real thing? It's easy to think that this is some sort of dress rehearsal, and live life as if it's just a practice run.

As I did up my jeans last week and had that moment of pride, my mind did wander off and think about the future. "Well, this is good," I thought, "But won't it be even better when these jeans don't fit at all?"

The pride I have for myself is fleeting, and the self-depricating thoughts quickly creep back in. "You should have lost more by now," I tell myself, "It's embarrassing that you got yourself to this size anyhow." And the pride is gone.

Between last week and now I read something that brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. Geneen Roth, author of Women, Food & God, wrote, "Change happens not by hatred but by love."

That sentence has been playing over in my head all week. I've been hating myself into change, hating myself into doing better, hating myself into losing mediocre amounts of weight.

I do wish that I'd lost more weight than I have already... but hating myself isn't going to make the weight come off any quicker, or make the journey anymore enjoyable... in fact it will probably do quite the opposite.

There's a lot of lessons for me to learn along this weight loss journey. Although I'm losing weight at a slower pace than I'd desire {which has everything to do with me not working hard enough and nothing else}, I'm definitely gaining life lessons. Life isn't about the final destination, which for me was being thin, but about the journey along the way.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Letter To Lacey: Thirty Months.


Hello Miss Destruction.



You have the ability to destroy a room in one single swoop. You're Trouble with a capital T. You never ever, ever {ever!} sit still.

Yesterday you put coins in my computer's disc drive, the day before you emptied the bookcase by climbing up on a chair and the day before that you threw things in the toilet.

We put things up high so you can't reach them, but they're never high enough. You'll climb and climb until you get your little hands on them.

The other day you put on mascara {as you can see above} and you kinda missed. "Like a tiger" you told your dadda.

You scream so loud I'm surprised the neighbours haven't ever complained. You laugh just as loud too. I asked the lady next door if she ever heard you cry, and she said, "Yes. But I still thought it was cute".

We don't think it's so cute. The crying, no. The laughing, yes.

The other day Dadda was putting together your trampoline {that you've seen a thousand times before} and as you lingered around him you cheered on, "That fantastic Dadda!"

That same day I told you all about Santa and how he brings gifts while you sleep. I wanted to amaze you. To get you all excited about the presents under the tree. All I got was a half-hearted, "That cool Mama".

"You happy MumMum?" you ask me almost every day.

I wonder why you ask me that. Do I seem angry? Or mad? Or sad?

I am happy Lacey. I'm exhausted. But I'm happy.

Thanks for asking. xx




Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Eat: Lemonade Scones





I've made scones with same recipe ever since I left home. I make it up as I go along. A few cups of self-raising flour, some icing sugar and some cream. I took the leap recently and made lemonade scones, and it paid off. These were delicious. Fluffy. Warm. Lovely. Delicious. I asked Hubby to pass me the recipe so I could write up this post and as he did he said, "This one's a keeper!"


And it is. Even little Lacey approved. We won't be going back to my old faithful recipe. These are a winner. x

Monday, October 4, 2010

We're Going To The Zoo.


Last weekend {when the weather was perfection, not like this weekend just past} we were invited to the zoo. We're big fans of the zoo and have been zoo friends since Lacey was about 12 months old. Being a zoo friend means you pay an annual membership and then can visit the zoo as many times as you like. As many times as liked turned out to be a lot. We know some of the animals on a first name basis (Mary the Gibbon, I'm looking at you}. So we jumped at the chance to be special guests at Taronga Zoo.

Taronga Zoo has just launched a new App that has everything a kid/adult/anybody needs when visiting the zoo. A little more about that in a moment though.

We started the morning with a bit of breakfast with the birds. We met an owl and we also met a few hungry kookaburras who eagerly swooped down and stole a few bacon and egg rolls out of unsuspecting hands. I'm petrified of birds, so this had my heart a flutter, and not in a good way. I couldn't get rid of my breakfast fast enough.

Having just joined the big bad world of iPhones the week before, Hubby and I were pretty excited to explore the new App. To be honest... I haven't quite got the hang of my iPhone... if someone sends me a text I moan and groan about how difficult it is to reply... I need smaller fingers. I usually end up writing things back like, "Cool" or "Ok". Long conversations via text are a thing of the past, until I get used to it.

So Hubby explored the Zoo App. You can explore the zoo, learn about animals... and if you take a photo of the listed animals you can unlock special information. Sweeet. Hubby was happily snapping away at Lions, Tigers and Bears... oh my!

We were the only people in the Zoo. It wasn't yet opened and we were treated like VIPs. We even got to hand feed the giraffes. They have such long tongues and pretty eyelashes... and such sweet personalities. I have a new favourite animal at the zoo. We also saw the chimps have breakfast {they like oranges}. We then moved onto pat snakes and look at lizards. I was definitely more scared of the birds than the snake. Go figure.

There were lots of lovely bloggers at the zoo too. I got to meet Lori from Random Rambling of a SAHM, Christie from Childhood101... and I got to spend time again with Zoey from GoodGoog {who now works for Kidspot with me, have I told you that yet?}. Lacey loved her little friends, especially Immy {daughter of Christie}. She never wanted to let go of her little hand... and I know if they lived close enough they'd be the best of friends. Lacey would make sure of it!

If you're in Sydney {or ever visiting} you can get the App for free from the iTunes store. You can see a little more about it here too.


Mum's the word: a survival guide for the modern mama


A few months ago I was asked whether I'd like to be editor of an eBook about motherhood, and of course I said... yes! Earlier this year Kleenex surveyed a huge handful of mums about everything it entails to be a mum. I then studied the survey results, decided how the book could help find solutions, as well as be entertaining and but together the little eBook. I also asked a few blogging friends to contribute too. You'll see Liss from Frills in the Hills, Christie from Childhood101, Nicole from Planning with Kids and Jenny from the Shopping Diva as well.

The book, titled Mum's the word, is free and you can download it at KleenexMums here. There will be a flashier Flash version available later in the week, so if you want to wait. I'll tweet or something when it's available. Enjoy. x

Point & Shoot: A Not So Grand Final.


Last year our football team got the wooden spoon {which means they came absolutely last}. This year they made it into the Grand Final. Pretty impressive, eh?


We were all geared for the game. Lacey had her little jersey, Hubby had his big one. Last time Hubby and I ventured out to watch the Roosters play in a Grand Final live, it rained. It poured. We were soaked. And we lost the game.

This time we watched from the comfort of our own home. And we lost again.

I love the spirit though. People smile and wave in the street. People paint on walls, gates, and put up streamers and flags. As we drove around it seemed like it was a little bit like Christmas. People were so happy. I'm sure the spirit is a little different now that we've lost though. I'm still proud.

Lacey loved it. She was cheering, "Go Roosters!" and waving her flag in front of the TV.

How was your weekend? What did you get up to? Do you stay as far away from football as possible?


Sunday, October 3, 2010

Who is Fat Mum Slim?




Welcome to Fat Mum Slim. It's so nice to have you here. I'm Chantelle. I blog here. I'm a mama, a wife, a sister, a daughter, and a friend. I like to take photos, write stuff {sometimes I over share... whoops}, play pretend, sleep {oh, how I miss it!}, be inspired, watch trashy TV, swim in the ocean, go for walks, visit new places and make my daughter laugh.

I don't like to fold washing, makes beds or constantly pick up after an inquisitive toddler. Enough about me though. Let's talk about my blog...



In July 2008 at 8:15pm a blog was born. She was unplanned, but a happy surprise. Proud parent Chantelle has nurtured her through the many sleepless nights and says she's a joy to behold. Both Mum and blog are doing well.

In all seriousness though, Fat Mum Slim was born through a desire for me to shift the baby weight. Whilst the baby weight has lingered through the years, Fat Mum Slim has grown and blossomed into a source of much pride and joy. Two and a bit years on FMS has allowed me to share my life, my ups and downs, my daily joys and so much more. So much more like having a total career change from being a full time nanny to being the Social Media Editor for Kidspot and the Editor of Birth.com.au. FMS has changed my life completely, and I couldn't be happier.

Well... perhaps I could if I won lotto, lost the baby weight and met Oprah.

Want to get in touch? You can do so here.