Tis the last day of 2008

Today is the last and final day of 2008. I cannot express how excited I am for the year 2009! I believe 2009 will be my ultimate challenge and I will triumph. It will be the beginning of the best years of my life. I will begin to make my dreams come true, and oh how I'm a dreamer :) These dreams will become my reality.

At the beginning of the week I wrote my goals and new year's resolutions for 2009. A friend of mine came across 43 Things - you can write your goals, others can cheer you on as you update your progress on each goal. I love it - you should try it!

Sorry to cut it short, I have New Years Eve plans but wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

See you next year!! :)

Millie <3

Purple Hearts...

Chikpe Toiletries

I am...

on holidays in 4 weeks (and counting)

sneezing

confused

excited

I will...

have to get up early tomorrow

be putting up the christmas tree this weekend

I have...

wet shoes

music playing in the background

a hot-water-bottle on my tummy

I can...

spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

I definately need...
a new camera

I miss...

amanda

my winter clothes

I find it difficult...
going to sleep at night
to go a week without chocolate or some sort of dessert

I love...

iain

the colour purple

caffeine!!

What are your purple hearts?

Millie <3

Beaucoup de nos Excusés

Due to a black-out in which lasted 3 days and a stubborn wireless router, I have been offline for almost 2 weeks! I can tell you, having to clean up after flood damage and fallen trees was not what we were expecting AT all. Though, I really quite enjoyed being offline. Doing things, creative things... that I wouldn't normally do if I had power AND I finished a book in a day, I have not read a book in a day in a very long time. It felt so good, I had accomplished something minor :) Iain and I played board games and cards, cooked on a camping gas stove - it was much like camping except in the shelter of our own home. We got really close and seemed to communicate a lot easier without distractions, we've been together a long time and had recently been so busy with work and everything else going on so it was great to reconnect again.

My beautiful friend bought me tickets to a band that's playing tomorrow night - 'Something with Numbers' as a small and rather early Christmas present. I only know 3 of their songs, but it's the thought that counts and oh boy do I LOVE live bands! It's not just the music, it's the way the bands interact with the crowd - the way the fans intereact with each other, the atmosphere is awesome! I feel so alive when I am there, being part of the bands amazing journey. Of course it is more meaningful when it's a band you absolutely heart. I'll let you know how it was (no doubt brilliant - but you never know).

I decided last week that I would make and send my own Christmas cards to relatives and friends. I didn't get the chance too last year with us being in USA, it's also a great chance to let them all know I am thinking of them and write them to let them know how life has this year of 2008. Isn't that amazing though - in just over a month it will be 2009! Hasn't the year gone so quickly. I remember when I was younger the year seemed so long, yet time seems to lapse so quickly when you're an adult... sometimes I miss my childhood days - it's strange though, when I was a child I was always my mothers mother, I was so mature (mum says fromt he ages of 3) all I ever wanted was to grow up, to be an adult... now that I'm here it's not all fun and games - you have so many responsibilities. I would not ever change what I have for anything in the world.

Millie <3

Moonbow - this is amazing!

Tonight, the most amazing thing happened.

I was discussing with Iain, a course I was planning on enrolling in and my career prospects. We pulled into our driveway, it had just stopped showering and I had stated that I would send my resume off tomorrow. We stepped out of the car looked up as something in the sky caught my eye... it was a rainbow - in the black night sky! It was amazing! I have never seen anything like it. At first Iain did not believe me, then he saw it - we were in awe.

According to wikipedia "A moonbow (also known as a lunar rainbow or white rainbow) is a rainbow that occurs at night. Moonbows are relatively faint, due to the smaller amount of light from the Moon... Moonbows are most easily viewed when the moon is near to full (when it is brightest)... and the sky must be dark. And of course there must be rain falling opposite the moon. This combination of requirements makes moonbows much more rare than rainbows produced by the sun. "

I feel this was confirmation for me... to definately go ahead with the plans of doing the course and sending off my resume.

The strange thing is, I finally met the lovely woman I deal with day-to-day over the phone... Let's call her CC. I had been wanting to contact CC earlier this morning about the course as she works in the area who liaise with the training organisations (colleges). I explained my concerns, and she advised that she in fact used to work at the very college I am enrolling at and that she would speak with the director (who she knows very well) to answer my queries. I explained to CC I was looking for another job, CC grinned at me and said "now isn't this perfect timing" she explained her lunch time adventures and how she ran into an old friend who works for a job agency in the line of work I am in. CC sent me her friends details this afternoon encouraging me to send my resume. I was in fact doubting whether I should or not...

I am a big believer in the Law of Attraction and that things come to you at the right time. The Moonbow gave me that last push... that confirmation saying "yes - you go for it girl!"

Isn't it wonderful how Universe works. Stay beautiful, dream big and follow them right to the end.

Millie <3

Millie's Broccoli + Cheddar Cheese Soup

I thought I would share with you, my recipe of broccoli and cheddar cheese soup - it is oh so tasty - something more for winter though.

What you'll need (based on 6 servings):

- 60g butter
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 large or 3 small fresh broccoli, chopped into small florets (I include the stalk too -full of nutrients) - or you could use 450g frozen broccoli
- 1L chicken stock
- 1/2 cup plain flour (all purpose flour) - sifted
- 1 1/2 cups milk (I use Physical no fat - any milk is fine)
- 250g shredded sharp cheddar cheese - ( I use Cracker Barrell - extra sharp)

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pot (stock pot). Cook onion in butter until softened.
Add the garlic powder and white pepper, cook for 1 minute then stir in the broccoli pieces and chicken stock. Bring to boil, once boiling lower heat and simmer until broccoli is tender - approximately 10-15 minutes.

While this is simmering, whisk the flour into the milk until dissolved. Once broccoli is tender, stir the milk mix into the soup stirring frequently until thickened. Reduce the heat and stir in cheese until melted and heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Serve in a bowl accompanied with sliced sour dough loaf/tiger loaf - or - as I like to - cut the top off a small sour dough roll, pull out the filling leaving about 2cm of filling inside (so the soup does not seep out of the roll) spoon the soup into the hollow loaf, add a touch of cracked pepper - and you're done.

You could also add chicken and mushrooms just add with the onion!

Bon Appétit!

Millie <3

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Sound of Music is one of my favourite musical films. Julie Andrews is oh so lovely! This song has been repeating in my head all day... just thought I would share it with you.

Happy singing!

Millie <3

Christmas is soon approaching (!!!)

Evening my pretties!

Well... it's getting that time of year again... it only seems but a few months since last Christmas (and what a memorable one it was too!).

My partner, Iain, and I have been umming and ahhhing about where we are going to spend Christmas this year, with who's family on what day... you get the picture.

Last year we had it easy. Iain's parents spent March 07 - Feb 08 in the US of A. So, we (all 4 of us - Iain, his daughter Bella, her mum Belinda and I - more on that foursome later) decided to head over to Missouri and spend the festive season with his family. It was amazing! I, whom had never been on a plane in my entire life and had never seen snow, was going to Missouri for Christmas! I can tell you, for 5 months I was counting the days and hours til take off.

We had an overnight stop at Narita, Japan. Definately adding Japan to our list of future holiday destinations! I didnt sleep a wink from Narita to Saint Louis, MO. I was full of excitables!

Our trip to Missouri was full of shopping, visiting rellies, eating (lots and lots of eating - oh I love food!)... heaps more shopping, site seeing - Saint Louis Zoo, Anheuser-Busch brewery tour (where I found my favourite of all beers - Michelob Ultra), the Saint Louis Arch (brilliant views from up there!)... Oh! and the City Museum was unbelievable it is as they say "where the imagination runs wild".

We also did a four day roadtrip to Branson, Springfield and the town where Iain grew up, Aurora. We saw buffalo on farmers properties - not something you see everyday in Brisbane suburbs that's for sure. Squirrels - oh so cute! When we got back to O'Fallon, the town we were staying in, we experienced a large storm with tornado warnings (the tornado didn't eventuate where we were), however, in Springfield Missouri (yes, where Brad Pitt grew up) the tornado had hit hard. We were also going to take a roadtrip to Chicago though, we decided against it as there were snow storms on the way - next time I'm sure we will. One of the best foods I ate was home made pumpkin pie *drools*, the cheese and broccoli soup + lemonade (made from real lemons!) from Saint Louis Bread Co. That diner is AMAZING! I was able to make my own cheese and broccoli soup back at home during winter - of course it wasn't the same but it was still oh so delicious! Oh! And I am making pumpkin pie this Christmas...

Iain and I decided we would love to have the family here for Christmas. We bought our first home a few weeks prior to our Missouri trip. We never got to have a house-warming so we thought we could christen the house this Christmas :)

I can't express how excited I am - maybeing something on the lines of "Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!" *runs around the yard doing aeroplanes in between cartwheels*
I have so many ideas, so many projects I want to start and finish with only 6 weeks to do it all in - EXACTLY today! I am going to make my own christmas cards and gift wrapping too.

What are your plans this Christmas?

Millie <3

Purple hearts...

Image by titania

I am...
happy
inspired
learning
tired

I will...
wake up refreshed
wear pink tomorrow
be making candles this weekend *glee*

I have...
dark hair
the air-con running
a sweet-tooth
many, many dreams

I can...
touch my nose with my tongue
use chopsticks

I definately need...
a holiday
to shave my legs *blushes*
pumpkin spice to make pumpkin pie
to make more time for me

I miss...
america
sleeping
writing daily
sewing

I find it difficult...
believing christmas is less than 7 weeks away
to whistle

I love...
music
rainbows
laying in the park staring up at the passing clouds

What are your purple hearts?

Millie <3

Bonjour!!

Bonjour, my pretty!!

My name is Millie. I am fun, creative and oh so fabulous.

This is a place for me to share the things I heart most in life, the things I yearn for, my utmost inspirations and my artistic flare.

If you heart food, fashion, travel and the written word + anything and everything creative, I welcome you to my special place... (but shhhh - it's a secret!)

Millie <3