self love – aliceinhealthyland

Vegan Blueberry Pie.

August 31, 2020Leave a comment

Blueberry Pie 🥧

I was #gifted a few punnets of @australianblueberries and to be honest I was pumped as we eat a punnet every few days in our house. With smoothies, snack boxes, homemade jam and did I mention snack boxes 🤪🙈. I wanted to make up something different and get creative in the kitchen after we went to the shops. I’m craving 🤰 a blueberry pie with coyo yogurt so I thought why not make one up. It was so easy to make.
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Ingredients 🥧

2 sheets of short crust pastry(we use a vegan one)
1 large punnet of @australianblueberries
1 small red apple, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 drops of green mandarin essential oil (could totally squeeze a lemon though)
2/3 cup of warm filtered water
3 tbsp. maple syrup

Method 🥧

Preheat the oven to 180degrees.
Line a small Pyrex pie dish.
Throw in the blueberries and the grated apple into the centre.
In a bowl mix, warm water, maple, spices and citrus.
Pour over the apple and blueberry mix.
Pop some of the remaining pastry on top however you wish to style.
Bake in oven for 45minutes on 180 degrees. Then turn down to 100 degrees and bake a further 15minutes.
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Serve warm or cold. We are teaming this with coyo, but you could totally serve it up with ice cream, custard, cream. Your choice. ✌🏼

Bread Pudding Christmas Cake

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019Leave a comment

Bread Pudding Christmas Cake

This recipe was inspired by the taste of my Nanny Pat’s fruit cake and my Dad’s famous Bread Pudding. Both treats I enjoyed on special occasions like Christmas as a child.

Ingredients

1 Cup Dates, soaked in ½ Cup Boiling Water
¼ Cup Sultanas
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon or 1 Drop Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil
¼ Teaspoon of Mix Spice
¼ Teaspoon of Nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
2 Slices Rye Bread, crustless and soaked in ½ Cup Almond Milk (overnight)
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
2 Chia Eggs (to make vegan) or 1 Organic Egg
2/3 Cup Spelt Flour
Squeeze of ½ an Orange
2/3 Cup Oats
½ Cup Mixed Berries (I used Raspberries, Blueberries and Black Berries)
1 Serve 180 Nutrition Coconut Superfood Blend (optional)
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1/3 Cup Mixed Raw Nuts

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Prepare a round cake tin (20cms round) and line if you pan is non-stick. I used coconut oil to line mine.
In the high speed blender (I use the Vitamix) mix the soaked rye in the milk, flour, dates, in hot water, maple, essential oil or and spices, egg, vanilla, protein (if using) orange and oil.
Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl. Fold through the nuts and remaining fruit.
Spoon the batter into the baking tin. You will need to bake for 45minute. Turn heat down to 150 degrees and cook for another 20minutes. Check with a fork to see to make sure it is cooked the whole way through.
Allow the cake to cool a little, then place on cooling rack. Once completely cooled place the cake in an airtight container and store in fridge. Consume within 7 days.
Decorate on your favourite cake stand, top with extra fruit and serve with your favourite cold dessert. We love Pana Chocolate Ice Cream.

NOTE – You can mix in 2 nips of rum or brandy if you wish for a Christmas treat.

Recipe by @aliceinhealthyland

Dress @lovestylecoau

Images taken by Brisbane photographer @wyldefolkstudio_

Alice’s journey with Mel from The Colonic Clinic Capalaba – Part Three

September 21, 2018June 19, 2020Leave a comment

I have been seeing Mel at The Colonic Clinic Capalaba, for a little over 8 months now. So I thought it was time for a Colonic update. I have had 20 colonics now and feeling amazing about the whole journey. Every time I have a colonic I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and my brain has had a mental clear out.

A lot of you ask me regularly why I get them? Well firstly they are a great way to rid the toxins from my body. I also have them to support my own gut health, I love getting them for my emotional well being as well.  

Continue reading “Alice’s journey with Mel from The Colonic Clinic Capalaba – Part Three” →

The ins and outs of surviving the 4th Trimester – Shannon Stokes

June 27, 2017June 9, 2020Leave a comment

The ins and outs of surviving the 4th Trimester

Written by Shannon Stokes AKA @mums_bubs_nutritionist

Since I will be experiencing my forth trimester soon and I have a lot of mumma followers that are pregnant, I have asked for some nutritional information and some basic survival technicques from naturopath Shannon Stokes from Mums and Bubs Nutrition Clinic. She is a mum herself to two littleys and has survived (just) the 4th trimester twice.

Take it away Shannon…

The journey to becoming pregnant is a magical one. Its either a ‘surprise’ I am here type scenario, a long awaited and joyous time. The journey itself is nuts! Pregnancy is a whole other kettle of fish, a completely natural yet unnatural experience. Getting pregnant, staying pregnant and just being pregnant is an insane journey, and that is just the beginning.

You are a mumma! Congratulations, baby is here you have been through a marathon of hurdles, a tonne of happy gas, 9 epidural attempts, a vacuum delivery, 12 different hands up your clacker at once, an episiotomy or 9th degree tear. You now have that little bundle of joy in your arms. Perhaps you are feeling those kooky love spell feelings straight away, or perhaps you think, oh jesus what have I done? All totally normal feelings. I remember thinking oh, he’s not very cute, in fact he is a bit strange looking and gee my vagina is killing…. me where are those frozen condoms at, all in the same breath!

… All of that aside, baby is here and it’s a whirlwind few days in the beginning.

How does one survive through this sleep deprivation? The healing of the whole birth thing is one thing, but then perhaps breastfeeding is hurting like a bugger and you have grazed nipples or sterilizing a bottle seems to take forever and a day at 3am. You aren’t alone, this period is earth shatteringly exhausting, scary and exciting all rolled into one. Cue the 4th Trimester! So mumma, whilst we learn to look after this babe ( I am happy to leave that to the never ending advice from the mum tribe, in-laws and experts) I am here to help YOU make some tiny changes in your day to keep you thriving.

It starts with you and ends with you. Everything else in between is that tiny babies’. Upon your first morning wake up, (ok, so the first moment you get up for the day) refresh your self with a big glass of filtered water, and take a deep breath. That’s it for now. No matter what is happening, this is a must! Then tick it off daily as it is non-negotiable.

Below are some of my favourite 4th trimester survival guidelines for all new mums and even dads.

1. Do NOT stop your multi, infact this is a time to ensure your nutritional status is up with that of the very best it has ever been. Even if you aren’t breastfeeding.

2. Eat foods rich in good fats, think avocado, coconut oil, nuts seeds, oily fish such as sardines, salmon, qood quality extra virgin olive oil drizzled on eeeeeevvvverything.

3. Make sure you are having macronutrients with each meal and at least a palm size portion of protein at each meal. (macronutrients are the essential nutrients needed in large amounts to sustain energy and basic health. The 3 macros are Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates)

4. Take a quality probiotic daily

5. Don’t focus on trying to lose the baby weight, give yourself a break.

6. Ask for things, I wish I did this more with my first. Ask for help! (you can’t get away with asking for washing to be folded and home cooked meals to be dropped when they are 3.. dammit)! Even ask for a box of nappies to be dropped off. Use that ‘new mum’ thing a little..

7. Say no! if you aren’t up for visitors then say no, if you aren’t up for your cousins and nephews coming over and running a muck, just say no, but don’t feel guilty or think twice about it, they will understand…. And If they dont then.. meh… they will get over it.

8. Accept that some days are bad and some days are good, ebs and flows ladies, mountains and rivers.

9. Spend 5 minutes a day with your legs up the wall, relax those hips and lower back, take 10 deep breaths. (Again, non-negotiable)

10. Spend 10 minutes a day minimum outside in bright morning day light to ensure your body knows its day time and to help regulate those sleep /wake hormones

11. Don’t feel guilty, if you want to look at your phone while feeding bubs, do it. If you want to stay in bed, do it. If watching Oprah is your jam, do it, indulge a little and enjoy doing it. Stop feeling guilty. Guilty feelings radiate negative energy. If it has been a few weeks in a row then, maybe ask for a little help from a loved one and reach out if you are doing it tough… remember its all of those crazy hormones doing crazy things.

12. If you aren’t coping, reach out. You will be surprised to know that a lot of mothers find the fourth trimester insanely hard. No matter who you are, how together you think everyone is, its not the case. Speak up and your tribe will answer.

Enjoy those long loving stares into your babies eyes, explore their features and be fascinated with the whole process.. this too shall pass and then all of a sudden it’s a Tuesday night and you are writing about how to cope through the 4th trimester to a friend in need. Everyone struggles and if you think that its all too much, please reach out. It does get easier and it does get better. Trust me, I never thought I would see past the sleep deprivation either.

Thank you so much Shannon for your time if you wish to contact Shannon or learn more about her, her details are as follows.

Website –

http://www.mumsbubsnutritionist.com.au/

Instagram –

http://instagram.com/mums_bubs_nutritionist

Thank you for reading x

#showtherealyou Tahlia Aubusson AKA @housewifestyle

May 15, 2017June 9, 2020Leave a comment

This weeks #showtherealyou girl, is someone I have been fan girling over for a while now. Her name is Tahlia Aubusson. If you are not already following her then you should as I know you will fall in love with her as much as I have.

Tahlia runs her Instagram account @housewifestyle and a beautifully, raw, written lifestyle and motherhood blog.

Tahlia is a loving wife to her husband, a gorgeous mumma to her beautiful daughter Ambria, a singer, a self proclaimed for house and fashion, a writer and a photographer. I believe she is also one of the most kind hearted people I follow on social media. She has the most beautiful photos on her Instagram page but her words of honesty truly touch so many hearts.

Put your feet up, make a cup of hot cocoa and take 10 minutes to know the gorgeous Tahlia Aubusson AKA @housewifestyle…

Favourite Hot drink?

Hot chocolate, sadly I am not a coffee drinker.

Who is the Real Tahlia Aubusson?

I am in my element at home, i am such a homebody. I love rainy days where I can get all cosy inside and watch a movie with my husband and daughter Ambria. My true passion is singing and song writing, another reason I love being at home, this is what I do in my spare time. I consider myself quite funny and I’m always the one to make my friends laugh, I absolutely not not care if I make a fool of myself in fact ill do it just to make other people happy, I am down to earth, easy to talk to and genuinely just want to help and connect with others. I am all about uplifting other women and have absolutely zero tolerance for any individual who tries to intimidate or discredit another person, if you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anything to me at all. I have the most beautiful marriage and I am so blessed to truly live each day with my soul mate, James, he is 100% my best friend whom I love indefinitely. I am fiercely loyal to the beautiful people in my life, once you are in my circle I will support you and defend you no questions asked. I LOVE being a mother and can honestly say I haven’t had one day that I haven’t absolutely loved being Ambrias mother. I hate the gym but I love competitive team sports! Up until I had Ambria I had played rep soccer all my life, I also used to dance and sing professionally in stage shows across NSW. My life now revolves around raising a beautiful human being and immersing myself in my work and passions in my spare time. I have a successful home beauty business which I open 2 days a week (Monday & Tuesday) and I am thankfully booked out in advance. I love having those 2 days to work hard to be able to contribute financially to my family whilst still having the rest of the week free to be with my daughter. If I was to describe myself I would say I am arty, I love my photography, styling, fashion and music, I am a softie, though sometimes I can be head strong I will easily cry. I am happy with the simple life and it will always be enough despite me wanting to always grow and improve I am so thankful for the life I already have, I am a huge animal lover and have 2 dogs, I love food way to much and I’m constantly at war with myself over the amount of my chocolate consumption. I am happy, grateful, fun and honest and believe everything in balance, except maybe chocolate.

Could you please share a day in the life of Tahlia?

Our average day starts by me being woken up from Ambrias chattering in her cot, its the best and sweetest alarm clock ever. We always start the day by playing, ill chase her up the hall to change her nappy, we will put music on and have a dance around while I make her breakfast. We always go daily to buy fresh ingredients for dinner, after our grocery shop we will go for a walk to meet friends at the park for morning tea, I luckily have lots of friends with toddlers so we are always having play dates, I always park on the opposite end of town so i have to walk to get groceries, to the park and then back to the car. During the week Ambria has lots of different activities, kindy gym, swimming, mothers group and now she has also started 2 days of day care and ballet. On the days she has day care I work from home doing my singing, recording, blogging and the good old house work… someone has to do it, I have also started dedicating one of those days to doing something relaxing for myself like getting a massage. Afternoons james will come home and spend time playing with Ambria, we will usually cook dinner as a family and 50% of the week we have friends over for dinner, our home is the hub to all my friends.

What drove you to start your Instagram account @housewifestyle

I love fashion, photography and styling so wanted a place where I could showcase my passions and use it as an artistic outlet. I wanted to connect and form friendships with other mothers to benefit from their experiences. I also wanted to build a platform for me to share my upcoming music. I believe having these social media platforms has helped me maintain my passions and identity since becoming a mum.

What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms?

My page is full of prettiness but my captions and words are full of heart. I love being able to showcase a visually beautiful page that gives people and insight to who I am whilst maintaining a rateable and very real aspect through sharing real feelings and experiences that make people laugh or cry. I try to always respond to every single enquiry or comment for a more personal connection and have made beautiful friendships along the way by doing so.

What advice would you give people wanting to start a blog?

Only do it because you enjoy it, make it for you before you make it for someone else. I started this journey because its an outlet for me, I enjoy the calmness I get when writing and the excitement I get when taking photos, I love it! A following will come naturally with persistence, creative content, heartfelt or interesting words and passion. Dont give in to gimmicks and want quick success, you wont build a genuine community by doing so, be patient, be yourself and just enjoy doing your own thing.

Favourite Quote or Mantra to live by?

“ Be yourself, people don’t have to like you and you don’t have to care” I love this because since my early teenage years I’ve had more stones thrown at me than a witch in the 17th century! I let it hurt me so badly that for many years I had no clue who I was, who I wanted to be, what I was doing wrong or why I was a target, now as an adult I know the answer to all of those things, I am confident and content with who I am and I don’t apologise for it, i embrace it and share it with others, if they are not accepting I truly do not care.

What is something you practice daily in relation to self love?

When getting dressed I’ve stopped picking apart my body, I now focus on how my outfit looks, not my size or figure, I actively tell myself positive things and don’t focus on my flaws. I buy clothing that is flattering on me and makes me feel good,I learnt what style suits my shape and accept the way I am. I am constantly reminding myself of whats important in life and prioritise what matters. every night I will finish my day with gratitude, no matter how stressed I am ill lay in bed and think about all the things I love about my life, all the things that make me happy, whats important and whats not important and very quickly the things that had been niggling at me making me feel insecure and quickly become insignificant.

How often do you move your body?

Ill be honest here, this could use a little work. I try to go for a walk most days and will do small home work outs while Ambria sleeps, it makes me feel so energised on the days that I do make moving a priority and if you are an anxiety sufferer like myself its so important to make some form of exercise a part of your daily routine.

Favourite items of clothing in your wardrobe?

Can I say two?? I cant decide!!!! Id have to say my flowy elegant Zimmermann dresses and my casual comfy Spell Designs dresses! All are my favourites lol.

Favourite Mumlife moment you wish to share?

How on earth do you pick a favourite mum life moment. There have been so many that have filled my heart with so much love that i never knew existed. From her first smile, first steps, first hug, her crazy dance moves and bursting laughing its hard to pick one favourite but one thing that makes us smile and laugh every single day is when james comes home from work he will yell from the door “Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Aubusson” and Ambria will squeal and run with excitement, james and Ambie will wrestle and tickle for half an hour of huge giggles, its the highlight of my day.

A mumlife moment where you have felt overwhelmed?

For me this was probably before Ambria was even born. I suffered multiple miscarriages and recently shared my personal story about this on my blog. I guess my whole pregnancy with Ambria was a very stressful time for me and I had many moments where I cried hysterically from fear and anxiety. I am so blessed that she has been a dream baby, allowing me to heal and have a beautiful transition into motherhood letting go of sadness.

Do you make time for a date night? If so what do you get up to?

Luckily James and I get to have an uninterrupted evening together most nights, when Ambria goes to bed at 7.30 we will always sit down and have dinner together and talk, usually followed by watching an episode from a series we are hooked by. We actually prefer doing things as a family on the weekends but every so often my mother will take Ambie for the night and we will get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner just the 2 of us. Most weekends we have all out friends over for a get together, whilst we are not alone its still adult time we enjoy together and of course we still ALWAYS have a snuggle at night!

Want more from Tahlia?

Instagram @housewifestyle

Facebook tahliahousewifestyled

Blog https://housewifestyleblog.wordpress.com

#showtherealyou Rebecca Carr AKA @becbodymindsoul

April 24, 2017June 9, 2020Leave a comment

So excited to introduce to you all Rebecca Carr.

I first met Bec at White Bohemian when I was working in store. She used to come in store as a customer and one day we really got chatting about her passion and that is naturopathy, yoga and meditation. This naturally beautiful woman glowed health to me, and I was always so interested to know more about her lifestyle.

When Bec decided to start her Instagram I was so pleased as she shares so many useful holistic health and wellbeing tips, her knowledge about yoga and meditation and some delicious nourishing recipes with her followers.

I was so over the moon when she said yes to being apart of my #showtherealyou feature as I know you will love knowing more about this holistic goddess too.

Sit down and put your feet up. Enjoy the interview with Rebecca Carr AKA @becbodymindspirit

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The New Me. By Kirsty McKenzie AKA @themummysomniac

March 9, 2017March 9, 2017Leave a comment

I am so pleased and super lucky to be featuring the gorgeous Kirsty McKenzie AKA @themummysomniac for the second time on my blog. Kirsty is a dear Instafriend that I have been lucky enough to meet, and she has helped to guide and support me through my #mumlife journey and with my lifestyle in general. This woman has a heart of gold and is not afraid to share her trimaphs and failures (argh girl thats what I love about you). In my first interview with Kirsty, she shared answers with you all in depth about herself in my #showtherealyou segment (you can read here). This time she has returned to share with you all this raw piece of writing about how she found a new love for her body during her current pregnancy with baby number three. Wow mummas this is a must read for you all as I know you will be able to totally relate with Kirsty no matter what stage you are at with your self love journey. Enough from me, time to hand it over the beautiful Kirsty McKenzie. Arghhh I know you will love this piece as much as me.

Kirsty Mckenzie AKA @themummysomnic

As my very first (ever) stretch marks began to emerge, somewhere throughout my first pregnancy, I’m afraid to say, I cried…

I don’t think for me, that it was vanity. I struggle with change, or at least I have at times in the past (even chopping my mum bun off recently took some serious commitment). I think for me, simply, it’s hard to see something you’ve become so used to seeing, your own body, change so rapidly. After all, I had become accustomed to my pre-pregnancy body slowly changing over the previous 27 years. Yet the changes that we experience during pregnancy are over but a fraction of the time that we had with our bodies before. After a while, I accepted the changes (stretch marks and new outie belly button to be precise)… even grew to be fond of them. After all, they represent one of my greatest accomplishments in life, my eldest daughter. And believe me when I say ‘accomplishment’, the kid didn’t sleep until she was 3.5, it’s amazing that I’m even half as sane as I am.

When the time came for baby number two, I thought I was prepared for the changes. Yet like each child, each pregnancy can bring with it a whole different set of challenges. My first pregnancy, like my first child, was set out to take me to places that I’d never been before (awake all night… and not voluntarily like in my youth). To push me to let go of the things that I need to, and focus on what’s really important. My second child, like my second pregnancy, came forth to show me just how much I was really capable of pushing things (mind, body and spirit). Just when I thought I had it all sorted out, thought I’d adjusted my headspace accordingly, and knew what to expect, the second child came along to throw all of it on it’s head. To push me to my limits, and to show me just how far my mind and body could stretch, and just how much love I was capable of. There were elements of my second pregnancy, that felt easy, in the sense that I had been there before, I knew the morning sickness would end, that eventually all babies sleep through the night, and that labour is in fact the easy part… and that the hard part is what happens when you bring the baby home. But there are no two pregnancies that are exactly the same, not even for the same person… now I know.

Kirsty 39 weeks pregnant with baby number two.

I bounced back physically from my first pregnancy without any real issues, but my second pregnancy had pushed my body to the extreme, literally (10cm abdominal separation). It saddens me to say, that again, when I dared look in the mirror at my body, a mere 6 weeks later, still looking six month pregnant, I felt complete and utter despair (again I cried). I thought I knew what to expect, but this took me completely by surprise. I threw myself into the chaos that was my life as a mum of two, 19 months apart, and tried to forget. Yet, eventually, bit-by-bit, everything returned to normal, or what would become my new ‘normal’. Some time, patience and a lot of hard work, I recovered, not back to the old me, but to a new and improved me. I realised how amazing, and strong my body was.

Kirsty at 3 weeks and then 6 weeks postpartum, after baby two.

Kirsty 39 weeks pregnant and 39 weeks out

I think I had taken so much for granted in the past, but seeing how I’d brought it back (after a very long uphill climb), gave me an incredible appreciation for it.
Fast-forward almost exactly 4 years from the appearance of those very first stretch marks, and I’m sitting fat and happy at 26 weeks into my third pregnancy. I’m not sure what it is, whether it’s having been through some tough times, a little bit of age and maturity, or simply having finally worked out what’s worth worrying about in life, but I’m excited about it… about everything (Ok, still incredibly nervous about pushing a baby out of my hoo-ha, that part doesn’t change). I’ve never felt more comfortable (not so much physically, because we all know that pregnancy has the uncomfortable factor, but in the mental sense) in my own skin. To me there’s something about my pregnancy body that fills me full of life again (literally). There’s a confidence there that I don’t normally possess, a sense of pride and self love that I wish I could feel all the time. Not only have the old marks reappeared, the ones placed on my body by this baby’s two older sisters, but some new ones too. It might sound strange, but in some ways these marks are truly welcomed. Each of my children has left their mark on me, in so many ways. I’ve changed the way I approach life, I’ve learned to stop fighting unworthy battles, to accept what I cannot change, to work with the new me, instead of trying to go back to the old me. I don’t need the old me back, she’s not relevant anymore… her way of thinking, her body, her outlook (I would welcome her sleep habits back though)… because the new me, is so much better.

Kirsty 15 weeks pregnant with baby number three.

Kirsty 23 weeks pregnant with baby number three.

I’m definitely interested to see what my new body will look like after baby number three. I don’t know what to expect, I have to let it all go, and leave my expectations in the same drawer as the pregnancy tests I took (Is it just me, or does anyone else struggle to throw those things away?). I have no idea where this pregnancy will go, but for some reason, at this point (ask me again in another 10 weeks), I’m pretty cool about that.

Wow, thank you so much for sharing this piece of your thoughts with us. I love that you have found this new love and respect for your body and you are helping others do the same without even realising. Want more from this babe? Follow her journey on her Instagam – @themummysomniac and check our her blog http://www.themummysomniac.com/

Kirsty at 25 weeks with her current pregnancy with baby number three.

Tahlia Fiedler #showtherealyou

February 18, 2017June 9, 2020Leave a comment

I am so grateful to have Mrs Tahlia Fiedler as my first #showtherealyou feature for 2017. Tahlia and I crossed pathes a few years ago as we went to the same gym, but we never bonded closely to we had our little babes. I always love being surrounded by Tahlia’s positive energy and creatitivity. You can see it rubs of on her beautiful little girl Sunny too. Tahlia is a woman that preaches living a grateful happy life. I feel she sees the light in most things.

Besides being a busy mumma to Summer, a wife to Jesse, Tahlia is Wedding Coordinator three days a week and she runs not just one but three beautiful Instagram pages filled with stunning images you will love looking at in your daily feed.

So I introduce if you aren’t already following her on one of her accounts … “Tahlia Fiedler”

Favourite cold drink?

This is a hard choice its definitely a tie between Kombucha and iced latte. I generally drink about 3 Kombuchas a week. When I first started drinking Kombucha I found it tasted very vinegary but I think I have definitely got used to the unusual taste. My favourite flavour is hibiscus or blueberry. However when I am working I can’t go past an ice latte ( 2 shots of coffee, vanilla almond milk – when possible and lots of ice ).

Can you tell me who the REAL Tahlia Fiedler is?

Behind all the beautiful Instagram photos is just a every day regular mum. I grew up on Brisbane bayside with my beautiful mamma who raised me all by herself along with help from my wonderful grandparents.

When I was 14 years old I met Jesse and instantly fell head of heels for him ( I totally adored him and he wasn’t even interested in me – haha) . After a couple of months of teenage flirting he eventually decided to ask me out over msn. We have been inseparable ever since. I remember my grandpa used to pick me up from school and ask who’s that wooly haired boy ( Jesse had a big fluffy blonde hair ) and I would reply ” just a friend”. The rest is history, Jesse asked me to marry him at “Schoolies” when we travelled to Fiji together and we got married a couple years later.

As a teenager I worked in cafes and restaurants before receiving a scholarship to a hospitality and event management school. Once I finished my scholarship I went into working in hotels around Brisbane. After a few years of working in hotels I landed my current job of wedding coordinator which is what I am doing still to this day! Its so amazing being apart of someones special day. I was I was to sum myself up in 3 words It would be – determined, hard working and a little bit shy.

Tell me about a day in the life of Tahlia Fiedler?

Every day is just so different but heres a little overview of what my days look like when I am off work… because work days a pretty well just filled with work haha.

4am – Alarm goes off

5am- HIIT 1 Hr Muay Thai Class

6.30am- Get home and shower

7am- Sunny wakes up for cuddles and generally we start our day with music and a little boogie –

7.30am- We make breakfast together, sometimes we have smoothies, oats or eggs.

8am- Shower or bath and get ready for the day ahead.

9am-10am- I normally use the beautiful morning light on my days off to shoot some pics of Summer while she plays for my Instagram content. Summer used to rep for a lot of gorgeous handmade/ Aussie brands. Since I have gone back to work part time I have really cut back on the amount of companies I take on because….. photographing a toddler is hard work.

10am-12pm- I normally head out to my local fruit barn every Monday to do our grocery shopping. We save so much money by shopping at our local fruit barn. I used to go to the produce market every Saturday but now I am working I can’t make it there. The fruit barn we go to even has a sweet little juice bar attached that makes the yummiest smoothies ( snack time summer and I love banana and cocoa smoothies ). We also grab our meat for the week from the butcher next door. Its a great way to avoid buying pre packaged food as we only need to go to the main shops to buy things like paper towel and cleaning products.

12pm- Summer goes down for a little nap, which allows me plenty of time to put the groceries away. I will also prep her lunch and plan our meals for the week. We have a thermomix which we invested in before I had Summer and its really amazing it has helped so much with giving us variety to our meals.

1pm- Summer wakes for lunch

2pm- We might go visit my mamma or grandparents. We may go for a swim or play some games in Summers room.

3-4pm- Jesse gets home and we normally take our puppy Luna for a walk.

4pm-5pm- I might have photo session booked in and I normally photograph between 4-5pm at the moment.

6pm- We all have dinner together before the bath and bed routine starts.

7.30pm- Summers goes to bed and I usually will unwind by watching some Kardashians, Creative Live ( photography tutorials ), editing photos or weaving some wall hangings before heading to sleep by 9/10pm.

What drove you to create your Instagram account/business? I know you have three now, superwoman staying on top of them all girl!

Each of my accounts was inspired and came about differently. My personal account @thefiedlerfolk_ has become a place where I can share the beauty of motherhood. Its a place where I can share my style and fashion inspiration for mostly Sunny but sometimes I will post a sneaky pic of myself. I share sneak peeks into our adventures, our home and sometime our meals. I take pride in creating beautiful photos and capturing the beautiful parts of our days together.

@willowandthewoolves is a project I started a couple of months after having Summer. I get a lot of creative inspiration off Pinterest and found woven wall hangings kept popping up so I started making a couple for our home. They received such a great response from family and friends that I decided to open up a shop. I now spend my evenings weaving up a storm while watching TV I find it very calming. It has also given me so much joy creating unique pieces for peoples homes.

@wyldefolkstudio_ has been a long time coming. Photography is something I have been passionate about for a very long time. I had my first photoshoot with Studio 4 Photography back when I was 17 years old and I have had about 6 sessions with them since. it is so special to be able to look back at photos and love what you see, having professional photos taken is such a treat. Its my goal to have a professional photo shoot each year as a family. I hope that I can shoot families and make them feel as special as I do when Studio 4 captures my family There is something so special about about capturing peoples memories. I am so happy I have come out of my shell and opened up to photographing people other than my own family. I can’t thank everyone enough for the amount of support and love people have shown towards my work so far. A big thank you to you Alice for collaborating with me each month and allowing me to photography you.

Oh honey stop it, I love our catch ups!! You are too kind Tahlia! Xx

What do you think attracts women to your site?

I think the majority of my followers are generally mums who share similar values and interests. I share a lot of baby/ toddler fashion inspiration, healthy natural living and snippets of our home life.

What is your favourite quote or mantra?

“A Sunday well spent brings a week of content” Jesse and I get one day off together with our crazy work schedules so we are big believers of spending that day together doing something fun, adventurous, or productive. We love going on road trips to beaches, flower fields, or Byron Bay. If we are not out adventuring we are at home working on our little home.

How often do you find the time to move your body?

I work out 3x a week at HIIT. I love doing Muay Thai kickboxing and I am so happy I have found an exercise I really enjoy. I also love walking along the waterfront near our house.

Favourite activewear?

Lululemon definitely has the most comfy active wear. I own one pair of their tights and they are my absolute favourite luxe buy, every time I put them on a feel so confident and happy. I Also love love love Cotton On Body at the moment. Cotton on have such a cute range of active wear that’s great quality and really affordable.

Favourite clothing brand for your little babe Summer?

There’s just so many gorgeous handmade clothing out there for children now its hard to just choose a few. We love @two.darlings @little.a.handmade and @yoli_and_otis.

Go to healthy recipe?

I love cocao and banana smoothies I just toss in the below ingredients (different amounts of each every time because I am a bad recipe follower:

– 1 x banana

– approx 1/2 cup of almond milk

– 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

– 1 spoonful of cocao powder

– 1 spoonful of LSA

– 1 spoonful of pumpkin seeds

– Ice

– Blend

Your ultimate date night with Jesse your husband?

We are super grateful when my mum watches summer and we go on a date night. Its normally something really casual like a movie or dinner. Coming from a Restaurant background I love trying new cafes and restaurants. I have even written a few cafe blog posts on my blog recently.

What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/Instagram business?

I would say just be yourself, write about things you are passionate about and that make you happy. Having an Instagram business can be super time consuming definitely schedule in time to work on your business and time manage. You don’t want to miss quality time with your family, its super easy to get stuck on your phone for longer than you planned.

You are a mumma to the gorgeous little Summer who is beautiful by the way. Just like her mumma. Can you please tell us about one of your favourite #mumlifemoments? I’m sure there are so many!

hehe I am not sure which one to share. I can say Summer rolled off the bed one time when she was about 6months months old. We have a low bed but I still completely panicked and called the ambulance ( crazy over protective first time mum over here ) They paramedics were so lovely and took her for hospital for monitoring. The mum guilt still haunts me to this day.

Could you share one of your struggles as a mumma?

I really struggled like a lot of other mums to breastfeed. ‘I had bleeding, cracked nipples and a very bad case of mastitis but came through in the end as I was very determined to breastfeed. I was lucky enough to be able to feed Summer for nearly 18 months I have only just weaned her off the last couple of weeks.

Favourite meal to cook for Summer?

Summer eats the same meals as Jesse and I each night but at the moment she is loving my Thai Basil Chilli Chicken with rice. She also loves corn on the cob.

You recently started sharing your photography hobby with the world! Might I add you are so talented girl! You have your own style and I admire your work as you make it your own? How long have you loved photography or is it something completely new for you?

Its something I have loved for a really long time however since having

Summer it has definitely encouraged me to pursue it more from a professional side. Last year I was lucky enough to save for a professional camera and a couple of lenses. I have been working really hard the last few months to put together a portfolio of work. My style is very light and bright. I love clear, soft natural light.

I am overwhelmed with the response to my work so far and my heart just bursts with happiness when I people love the photos I have captured of them. It’s a really rewarding job.

Want more from Tahlia?

http://www.instagram.com/thefiedlerfolk_

http://www.instagram.com/wyldefolkstudio_

http://www.instgram.com/willowandthewoolves

Thank you for tuning into this weeks #showtherealyou feature. If you would love to share who the real you is with myself and others I would love to hear from you. aliceinhealthyland@hotmail.com xx

Megan Desmond – #showtherealyou

October 3, 2016June 9, 2020Leave a comment

I have had the pleasure of meeting this beautiful woman about two years ago. We went to French twist in Bulimba and it was absolutely lush. We talked all things fashion, blogging, food and photography. I started following Megan on Instagram just over four years ago. We both had a love for Samantha Wills jewels and I loved buying Megan’s pre loved pieces.
Megan and I have always stayed in touch, we were pregnant at similar times and our babes are around the same age. Thanks to the world of social media we are able to support one and other when needed. Megan lives in Melbourne so Snapchat and Facebook messenger has helped for us to stay in touch. I know that you will love getting know Megan and her gorgeous daughter Poppy as much as I do.

Get cosy with your bed socks, make a cup of hot tea and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature …

Megan Desmond

Favourite hot drink?

Tea and coffee! At the moment I am loving the Caramelito Nespresso, and the organic Pukka Night Time Tea. I have one every night after dinner, it helps me unwind and actually makes me sleepy, magic!

Can you tell me who the REAL Megan Desmond is?

To be honest I don’t really know anymore! It’s only now one year after having Poppy that I am able to get some ‘me’ time back! And also, everything has changed, including myself. For 11 years I worked the same job, and my interests didn’t really change. I also lived at home! Being a stay at home mum, and now home owner, it has been so inspiring, and I have many new interests including cooking, baking, gardening, plants, interior decorating, as well as my old interests of photography, crystals, and Melbourne in general. So I am excited to discover the new ME.

Tell me about a day in the life of Megan?

Poppy wakes me up (very early at the moment), I feed her in bed and we have a little play, I hate getting up straight away! Then we get up, she plays in her play room and I make our breakfast. We then eat together, and she plays again. I like to get any house work done at this point so it’s done for the day. Then she has her morning tea and a nap, we are just transitioning to one day nap now. When she’s asleep I usually have a cuppa and either keep cleaning, or lay down myself if I need to rest, hang washing out, shower and plan my day!
When she wakes up I get her dressed and we will have lunch, outside if it’s nice weather which we love! We haven’t been doing much lately because of the horrible weather, but as it’s warming up I have been taking her out when it’s nice. We live near Williamstown which is a beach town here in Melbourne, and there are so many great parks, cafes, and of course the beach!
Afternoon I get dinner ready for us all, we always eat together as a family which I really enjoy. Then my partner baths Poppy, I do dishes, she goes to bed and we like to have a cuppa while we watch a show together or a movie. This is when I usually go on my phone and catch up with my friends!

Your little girl Poppy is just gorgeous! How are you finding #mumlife

I love it! I have always dreamed of this and feel so blessed to have her. I have had many struggles, I have recently learnt to think of it more as a learning experience rather than a struggle, with your first you have no idea what it’s going to be like, and when something happens it’s literally trial and error till you find what works for you and the babe!
My main concern was sleep, and feeding Poppy to sleep was the only way I could do it. It was heavily taking a toll on my body and mental health. I think I was so extremely tired that I got quite bad anxiety, possibly even post natal depression. I was up all through the night and doing whatever I could to get her to sleep during the day, I had no downtime at all and was constantly stressed. I always wished she could just be awake all day and I didn’t have to worry about it. Her awake time was so fun and happy, but I would dread nap time.
It’s so hard because you feel all these feelings, but then you are so incredibly happy at the same time. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say it can be daunting to get help, you almost feel like you are failing. But I did and it has been life changing, we all get sleep and are much happier for it.
What is your favourite quote or mantra?

I don’t have a favourite! I find affirmations and quotes detrimental to a positive mind so I have had many, many, over the years when I have gone through different experiences with work, love, life. I will say this one is a good all rounder “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.”
How often do you find the time to move your body? I know it’s crazy busy as a mum! Do you find time at all or is it a challenge?

I have found it a challenge, being so sleep deprived it was the last thing I wanted to do! I love walking, I’m excited now it’s spring and we are only doing one nap I have more time to get out and about with Poppy and move! She will be walking soon too, so I am very excited to chase her around in the near future!

Favourite activewear?

I don’t have much at all! My partner got me a pair of Skins when I was pregnant, I won a pair of Jaggad compression tights, and that’s about as far as my collection goes! Do shoes count? My Reebok X Face Stockholm peach trainers have been life changing, so I’ll say them!

Go to healthy recipe?

We are loving zucchini slice at the moment. And it’s great to pack in the nappy bag to have when we’re out.
But we do have marinated chicken thighs and salad for dinner a lot.
Chicken thighs whole (or sometimes I use tenderloins), splash of olive oil, turmeric, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, splash of soy sauce. I don’t really use a ratio!
The summer salad we LOVE is rocket, mango, and walnuts with a dressing of olive oil, lemon and salt/pepper! Or a greek salad.
I have loved following your blog posts over the years! You are a real talent with the camera and such a beautiful writer. Being a mumma is a busy gig do you think you will get back into it?

Thank you!
Definitely! I have slowly started getting back into it, I haven’t had much to share lately, nor did I have the time or energy. I just posted about our sleep training experience, and some family photos. I’m also going to share Poppy’s first birthday party soon which was really beautiful! I always posted about Melbourne and the coffee/food culture, also fashion. I will change the direction of the blog to suit my life now.
Do you ever find time for date night? If so where would you go?

We do now! But because we are so use to not doing it we always forget. I could never leave Poppy as I fed her to sleep and she didn’t take a bottle. We have some weddings coming up which I am excited for. I am also DYING to get to the cinema and see a movie together!!!! We have had a few nice dinners together, but it is definitely something we have to do more often.

Want to get to know Megan a little more?

Blog – http://meganmynameis.blogspot.com.au/

Instagram – @megandesmond

Facebook – https://m.facebook.com/Megan-Melbourne-241073425925522/?ref=settings

Feeling Like a Yummy Mummy in my Lingerie.

August 16, 2016August 16, 20162 Comments

When Cruz was 6 months I decided I would do a little #selflovephotoshoot when I was 10months postpartum. So now Cruz is 10 months, here they are. During the last 4 months I have been working on a little self love project with myself. To teach myself to be proud of my body and its achievements. I no longer want to waste my breath on self hate chat in the mirror. Instead I will preach love. The rules of the photoshoot was to no make up, just a little lipstick, just a home camera job (nothing fancy), no photoshop or filters. I have nourished my body with good foods, moved my body in some way everyday since the birth and rest when I need too. So hey why not be super proud of my body and my son.

I contacted Robyn from @yummy_mummy_lingerie to be apart of the shoot as I absolutely love her underwear she sells. It’s comfortable, its fits my new mum shape and I feel good in it. She has been wonderful and so supportive of my mum journey. I think its only fair that I share some love in return and tell you all about the woman behind Yummy Mummy Lingerie?

Why did you decide to start Yummy Mummy Lingerie?

Hubby and I decided to become foster carers in 2013 so I gave up my career in health to become a full time mum, but knew I’d need to find a family friendly business to work in as well. We had tried for many years to have a family and had only been blessed with one son, who is the light of our lives. We decided that we would like to grow our family and we knew that there were so many little ones needing a loving home so we decided to embark on the fostering journey.

It was a serious commitment to make, as caring for a baby would mean that one of us would need to give up our current career and be home to care for bub and allow for the vital bonding to occur. However, once bub settled in with our family and I had time to think about work again, I starting looking for opportunities. The first day I looked for an online businesses to buy I found what I was looking for in Yummy Mummy Lingerie.

It was meant to be! I just loved the idea of offering beautiful and practical maternity lingerie to new mums and mums-to-be in a super convenient way and helping make their pregnancy and breastfeeding experience as comfortable as possible. We were lucky enough to be able to purchase the business and now I happily work from home doing something I love, whilst being able to be there for my boys.

Best selling product on the website?

My best selling range at the moment would definitely be the Cadenshae Maternity Activewear range. The best selling style in this range for Yummy Mummy Lingerie is the Ultimate Nursing Bra which is designed for larger busted mamas. They have literally been running out the door J

The other range that sells really well is Cantaloop. They are really great quality and super comfortable as they are seamless. They are also well priced which makes them in reach for the many mums who hesitate or are unable to spend too much money on themselves.

What is the most common question you get asked by women when buying underwear?

It’s more of a statement than a question but the most common thing I hear from my customers is– “I am not sure what size I am”. This is not surprising is it as our bodies are undergoing the most amazing transformation J So don’t be worried if you don’t know – you are not alone J My response is to ask a few simple questions so that we can work out together what size would be best for them now and some styles that would suit that particular mums needs.

Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Bra and Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief

Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blush Cotton Candy Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief

Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Bra and Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief