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Monday, January 31, 2011

Prayer of the day...

New week, continue with resolution to lose weight…
Prayer of the day:

Dear Lord,
Please help me resist:
1. The little pieces of chocolate that my colleague just put in front me.
2. The left-over caramelized juice ribs awaiting in my fridge
3. The un-opened bottle of red wine  that has been by calling me for weeks now
I have been trying to lose the 5 last pounds that keep on cringing to my hips… I’ve done it all, the gym, the Tracy Anderson DVDs, the eat only one slice of apple a day (which is clearly crazy! But as I am slightly stupid at times had to try for half a day, before indulging in a HUGE Big Mac!), and I finally managed to shred 4 pounds. I need to resist temptation if not I will have to go up a pants size, then I will really have a break into the forbidden red wine bottle! (Ok now, I sound like an alcoholic, so I’ll stop)
Besides, I really need to lose those last pounds because I can’t wait to buy the super cool leather leggings I saw a week ago at ZARA. I already have the Rocking Tee and the super high heels to go with it! Yeahaaa!!! Hot Momma in becoming!
Anyway, pray for me as there is a reason why SHRED rhymes with DEAD!

5 things I love about going to the office...

It’s Monday, I’m back in the office and even though I really had a great week-end that I wished never ended, I try to look at the positive reasons to be in the office, here are 5 of them:
1. My morning drive radio time where I can listen to whatever I darn well please.
2. The lovely quiet in my office: SILENCE IS BLISS!
3. A huge window with a beautiful view on an abbey and a park.
4. My room to stash all the food goodies that I want and the kids not finding it.
5. Last but not least: NON-STOP FREE COFFEE!
And you, How is your Monday?

Friday, January 28, 2011

12 Steps Program ? Hum, let me think about it…

Hi. My name is JOY. I’m addicted to ZARA. It’s been 2 hours since my last shopping trip. I went to ZARA for a little top and leggings, but in didn’t end there alas. I just could not stop myself. I was just out of control. I also bought some earrings, I justified it by telling myself that I had no jewelry that would match my new top. But did I stop at this? Nope! Like a real addict, I went to take more. A new sweater because you know, the 15 others that I have in my closet were not exactly this type of black.
I think I really hit rock bottom when I stopped at the silky blouses and just started talking to them. All this beautiful fabrics got me all giddy. Shopping is a real treasure hunt for me!
ZARA, you lure me with all your trendy clothes and accessories, I always come back for more, I always need something from you and I never leave empty handed.
I guess admitting I have a problem is a first step. I’ll get to the other 11 some other time. I just remembered that Morgane needs a new coat and Arthur a new pair of pants.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

10 Random things about me...

1.       I used to sneak out  of my parent’s place early morning with my dear brother. I was about 4 years old and him 11. We’d go to the toy shop, which was about 15 minutes from home to admire all the cool toys they’d have and run back as fast as we could before my mom and dad would wake up. But Shhh, there is now way my kids will learn this before they are at least 40!

2.       I have 2 tattoos on my back. I got the first one 12 years ago just to piss of my boyfriend. I went into a tattoo shop with my best friend, who was also the guy that could make my boyfriend jealous just by standing next to me. The second one, I got it on Arthur’s first birthday. It was a symbol of rebirth for me, my life had changed in so many ways since he came into my life, I wanted something that would be ours forever… I wanted him to know how special he is to me.

3.         Me playing with the contraction monitoring machine on the night Arthur was born had something to do with him arriving 2 weeks too soon…  I cried like a baby every time the nurse would come in my room and complain about false pain so she would try to convince the doctor to deliver my baby.  It worked :-) Who knew I was such a good actor?

4.        I get drunk with only 1 glass of wine, which my friends think is great because it’s really not expensive for them to take me out for a drink. If it were for a meal, then they would have to save a while in advance.

5.        I studied catering and finished my studies with honors. I could have continued working in the catering business and climb the ladder to become a great chef, but I wanted more out of life. My life is now complete with a beautiful family, a very nice house and a job that pays the bills and let me have some time for myself and the people I love the most.

6.        I’m a Capricorn, which means I’m a perfectionist, I’m moody and emotional. I cry easily but I try not to show it. Perfection is not an option, it’s a MUST! (This can make my life somewhat difficult sometimes, I'm working on not being too hard on myself and others). My birthday is 12 January, so that gives you guys almost a year to buy me a gift: you can never go wrong with bags!

7.        I empty a bottle of anti-bacterial gel in less than a week! I clean my hands, my keys, door knobs, everything with it!

8.        I hear voices! OK, OK, don’t run away. This has been happening for years and me and my other 6 personalities are doing just fine:-) My other half still freaks out sometimes, but he has been more or less got used to it for the last 8 years :-) If ever my other half dies before me (and when the kids will live their own life); he told me that the best thing I could do is to buy cats. Well at least people will think I’m talking to them right? Hum eh… Is that better. I don’t know. Wait! Don’t answer that!

9.        I’m a sleepwalker, I once woke up in my car, engine running and lights on. Maybe that’s why they say women are dangerous behind the wheel?

10.  My first crush was Patrick Swayze when I saw him in Dirty Dancing :-) No one puts Baby in a corner! I have watched that movie a zillion times and still melt like a teenager…

Just another manic mom day…

My children are the best part of my day. I used to be very competitive and self-centered, having Arthur at 25 and Morgane at 27 did put my whole life in perspective and helped me get out of my very narrowed minded focus on my looks and what would people would think about me. Having Arthur and Morgane stopped the endless cycle of self-obsession.
They are my life, my pride and my joy. But sometimes, I have to stop and think: "Am I raising them well enough?" This question has been haunting me for weeks now, especially because Arthur’ school director has got me on speed dial and calls me every now and then to inform me that Arthur has been difficult in school. Nothing serious really, but now, it’s a mom who's calling, texting me and other half for a couple of weeks to let us know that Arthur has been bullying her son.
At first, other half and I were mortified about this news. This type of attitude is not tolerated in our home, any type of violence (physical or verbal) is really not accepted. Sufficient to say, we directly spoke to our son to tell him that this behavior had to stop. I believe the message went through, he understood that he would not want to be the one being bullied and promised us that from now on, he would change...
So this morning, his dad and I decided to take him together to school and have a chat with his teacher and the ladies that take care of him after class. They all assured us that Arthur and the whole school team have been working hard and that Arthur’s behavior had significantly improved and that he really tries to behave at all time. We informed them that again, we had received a phone call from the other kid's parents telling us that Arthur had broked the other kid’s eyeglass yesterday afternoon. They all had a surprised look on their faces and they again told us that this was not Arthur’s doing and that no incident whatsoever had happened, that in fact, Arthur had been extremely well behaved. ..
So why? WHY is this happening? We have a meeting with Arthur’ school director tomorrow, I hope she will be able to solve this situation, I am at the end of my rope… I know with my whole heart that this time Arthur’s has done nothing wrong, and I’m just about to transform into a "Mama Bear" and you do not mess with Mama Bear!
I have been so upset, I am grateful to my other half for trying to keep me calm (which, I know can be hard, when the "Hulk" switch is on) and for standing next to me all this time.
NOW let’s move on to happy thoughts!...
BUT before, my prayer of the day is:
"Lord give me patience, because if you give me strength I might choke someone. Amen."

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

What was I thinking ?!?!?

Like the usual shopaholic, I found myself every now and then itching to buy a few things for parties where other half and I have been invited.  The next one is supposed to be "chic", so that was the perfect excuse to go to Zara again :-)
I have been wanting to try a leather dress and I found the perfect shoes to wear with it. I headed to Zara during my lunch break and grabbed several items to try on while I was there. I had very limited time before I had to go back to the office, it was time to play "beat the clock"!
So I scanned the items that I took into the dressing room and settled a time efficiency strategy. I tried a striped navy blue and white top with some dark blue leggings. These were great and a definite "must buy".
I decided to try the leather dress last since it intimidated me for so long… I glanced at it and realized I had grabbed a size small. Because I’m some sort of stubborn shopaholic, I decided to try them any way…Not realizing this dress was made of some sort of skin sucking fabric hand-made by Satan’s slaves themselves!
I struggled to get the dress pass the boob part (Hell! I can hear my dear brother saying: "Really?! Did you inflate them overnight?") I knew I was screwed when I could barely pass the dress over my "almost" flat belly. This dress made me look like an S&M mistress gone wrong! So, so, so wrong… This dress was the equivalent of a girdle on steroids!
I felt like a leathered sharpei, all I need was the collar with spikes on it as an accessory! I managed to get the dress off me, but not without looking like a lobster trying to get out of a boiling pot! I still have super red marks all over my body. The phrase "One must suffer to be beautiful" takes all its meaning in this situation!  But this time, I will not take it in!
I believe the temptation of buying this dress is definitely gone, I had right reasons to be intimidated by it, I learned my lesson but not without suffering!
I did consider buying the dress but just to take pleasure on setting it on fire!

A glimpse of my hell…

I have to take Arthur to a Birthday Party this Saturday, which is taking place in an indoor playground (or as I like to call it: "a preview of what my hell looks like").
My dear brother says that I’m an EXTREME GERMAPHOBE, I hate to admit it, but he’s right! I avoid hugs, kisses and especially eating birthday cakes (you know, because of the saliva and all? Visual: *shivers*). It can even get awkward because in Brussels almost everybody says hello and goodbye with a kiss on the cheek. So I tend to get into situation like I will pretend that I am coming down with a flu just to avoid the hug or the kiss (I know, I know: bad me, blah, blah, blah…). But why would you want to risk (even if it’s less that .001% chance) teaming up with germs?! Now seriously, kids can "smell" fear!!! Every time I go to a party, kids around me systematically want a hug, a kiss and all I see is those dirty fingers, the runny nose, and the little germs that just want to invade my immune system!
Don’t get me wrong, I love kids! I love their innocence, the spontaneity they bring, and the unpredictable things they will say but can’t their mom or dad keep them clean?! OK, ok, my dear brother would hit me behind the head if he heard this live… He would say: "you resemble Mom more and more each day! Actually you are even more paranoid than her!" Oh and he would add: "no go in the corner gremlina!" (yeah what a wonderful surname isn’t it ---- hum, hum)
Plus: what’s that stamp they put on the kids’ hands? Seriously they should spray antibacterial gel instead!
Oh well, I guess this is a little proof that I really love my kids dearly, even if it is a glimpse of hell for me, I’m still ready to enter it for them…

Monday, January 24, 2011

Just a typical day...

6 : 50   Radio starts on my alarm clock – I hit it a few times until it shuts up
7  : 00  Other half’s alarm clock on his phone this time and I hide my head under the sheets until other half emerges from his coma             
7 : 05   Other half jumps out of bed (how does he do that?! Seriously, he’s like those bunnies in the DURACEL add: always ready!), goes upstairs to wake up the kids and put clothes on them (wonderful me has prepared clothes the night before not trusting other half’s fashion sense)
7 : 20   Kids jump into my bed trying to kick me out of it
7 : 25   Drag myself out of bed, go into the bathroom, see myself in the mirror and scare the sh*t out of me! Is that me?! I look like the girl in “The Ring” horror movie! Think: I need coffee!
7 : 30   Put on make- up (now that’s better!) , bless other half for the cup of coffee he brings me,   which is slowly putting a smile on my face…
7 :40    Curse because I have nothing to wear!!!! Watch other half hit his forehead with is hand not believing I said that AGAIN!
7 : 50   Fun begins! I turn on my laptop, open a file called fashion inspiration, go into office looks, find the look that I feel will look great on me today, get it in my closet and get dressed!
8 : 05   Sh*t I’m late! Go search for kids shoes and coats, bless other half’s heart for preparing the backpacks
8 : 10   Kiss other half and the kids goodbye before they are off to school
8 : 15   Find my own shoes that match my outfit of the day, change pairs 3 or 4 times
8 : 20   Same but this time with bag
8 : 30   Holy Cow, got to go to work! Get into my car and leave
8 : 40   Curse the idiots that can’t drive, drive like a maniac (not always, I promise)
8 : 55   Made it to the office, turn on PC
9 : 00   Start working with 2nd cup of coffee
10 : 00 3rd cup of coffee – yummy colleague sits in front of me
11 : 10 Damn stomach starts screaming for food. Continue working and ignore the weird looks yummy colleague is giving me because of the monster in my stomach
12 : 30 Yes time for lunch, go out, buy a sandwich and of course quick stop at ZARA shop, just in case the clothes I will really need one day are there
1 : 30   Back to the office, quickly eat as I was distracted by all the good stuff in ZARA and forgot to eat
2 : 00   4th cup of coffee (have I mentioned that I’m addicted to coffee?) continue to work
4 : 30   Go through as much work/mail as I can until I feel the urge to hit my head on my keyboard, 5th cup of coffee. Wonder how the time keep accelerating?!
6 : 00   Pack my stuff, go home, curse on the other people going home too and wonder how they got their license
6 : 30   Home sweet Home! Get a big hug from Morgane, a “hey Mom” from Arthur, and a nice embrace from other half (Oohhhooohhooo, that feels so goooood)
6 : 45   Ask other half what’s for dinner (yes other half can cook! Lucky me!), set up table
7 : 00   Have dinner at table, get told off by Arthur because I forgot to say “Grace” (oops)
7 : 30   Send kids off to bed
7 : 35   Start yelling at kids to stop running like headless chicken or else! Begin a calming bedtime routine
7 : 45   Read a story (I said ONE story!!!!)
8 : 00   Tuck kids in bed, say “I LOVE YOU” in 8 different languages (my way of teaching them a language – at least the first  word they will have learned is not a cursing one!)
8 : 20   Start cleaning up the mess, prepare clothes for the next day
8 : 45   Snuggle with other half in the couch and thank God for a comfy husband!
11 : 00 Off the make-up, into sexy PJs (yes I added sexy, for the visual effect lol)
00 : 00 What happened between 11:00 and now? Let your imagination work :)
00 : 01 Start snoring, repeat all the next day!

It's about time!

After hesitating for many years… I have started my own blog. I don’t know if anyone is ever going to think that my life is interesting enough to tell the whole world, but I wanted a place where I could put my thoughts into words… So here is what you can expect to find here in a new future:
1. My ups dans downs as a mom and wife
2. My addiction for shoes, bags, clothings, furnitures, decorations (anything related to fashion)
3. Food: I'm a HUGE fan of food and of course eating! Seriously! I can eat for hours! I'm only 1,50 m but I can eat like a truck driver!
4. Lastly, being a bit unstable (hum, hum)... Now, let me explain: I am perfectly normal, but sometimes I turn  into this "little childish Gremlin" (like my dear Manu would say) and just lose it...

FAQs

How old are you?
Young enough that I can still get away with a mini skirt but not enough to show my belly button thanks to my to 2 adorable children :-)

Are you a bitch?
Well this is what I read somewhere: "Sometimes you have to learn how to open your mouth for more than just giving head" SOOO TRUE!!!!

What are your priorities in life?
Being the BEST wife/mom EVER! But looking great doing it!

What are your addictions?
Clothes, shoes, bags, food and of course COFFEE!

Do you believe in God?
Yes I do, but I don't push it on anyone. I believe that our Father touches our heart when the time is right... He has blessed me with a wonderful husband, 2 loving children, and the best parents one could ask for and icing on the cake: I also have the best family and friends to support me in my sometimes crazy life!