"Winner winner, Chicken dinner!"

Thank-you so much for all of your entries in my 'Think Pink' competition.



I popped all of the names in to a random name selector this morning.



The winner of the Mr Vintage T-shirt is....



Mariah from The Things That I Love. Congratulations!

The winner of the piece of Geek-Chic is Belinda from Be. By Belinda

and finally, the winners of the scrapbooking package are Mark & Cam....Uhhhh maybe we can substitute your prize for something else eh guys?

Thanks so much to all of you who entered. You are fantastic people. Thank-you also to anyone who did donate or purchase pink, but didn't enter. You are just as awesome!

"Absence make her heart grow fonder"

Warning, emotional rant and guaranteed profanity to follow. 

Sometimes life blind-sides you with things you could never imagine happening. The last year has offered me up a few of those situations. Mum being diagnosed didn't blind-side me. I felt it coming. I didn't want to believe it, but when she told me she had found a lump and was having tests I knew it was going to be cancer. I think she did too. That was tough, but workable. We didn't have any choice but to fight it. And we fought it, and Mum vanquished the bastard. It was hard, no doubt. 

These days it's not huge scary things like cancer that get me worked up. It's the little things. Little things, that were once big, amazing, heart warming things. Friendships.

It makes me sad to think that I once was so close with a lot of people I still call friends, but barely know anymore. How did I go from sharing every waking moment with these people, every laugh and every cry, to going weeks, months and years without talking to them?

I know you've heard it before. Hell, we've probably all used them before. Every one is just so busy with work and study. Eventually we all have to grow up and lead our own lives. These to me, are just excuses.

At what point in the latter years of our teens, did our closest friendships stop being everything to us? Because if you ask me, the older we get, the more we are going to need the friends we made as teenagers. We have history together. We made history together. We've seen each other through some of the worst times of our lives. And we have created the best memories of our youth that we will hold dear forever. At a time in life that is awkward, everyone is struggling to define identity, these sorts of friends loved each other for who each person truly were.

There are some friends that will leave or lives, but still keep in touch. Some friendships are short stories and some Epic Novels. Everyone has at least one of those friends in their life, that they know will always be there. You can just feel it. Not unlike romantic love, when you know, you just know. 

With this thought in mind, these friendships are almost like a marriage of souls, but with unspoken vows. These friends, promise to have and to hold each other, for better or for worse, for
richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish;
from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? care. "Say what?"

Well just like romantic love, friendships only last for as long as the two parties want them too. Stop trying and stop caring and pretty soon things will fall apart. Sadly, not unlike romantic love, it hurts like a bitch. 

Please think twice before you decide to not reply to that email, or to return a call. It only takes a few minutes to keep in touch. With all this technology we really have no excuses. It's really not worth compromising the love and support you have in your friends, the family you have chosen yourself.     

 

We were once close, weren't we?

Or does my memory fail to flow?

I've become a faded dolly, 

Just a girl you used to know

Once like puzzle pieces

All different, but fit together

Love, trust and honesty

It seems, too good to last forever

You've happily found a new chest

Filled to the brim with brand new bits,

shiny, sparkly, plastic and cool

performing new and exciting tricks

Now what are we left with?

A wagon with three wheels

Wondering where you fell off

And if you realise how it feels

Absence, they say,

it makes the heart grow fonder

Measured in miles or minds?

I am really starting to wonder.

"Fool of a took"

Dear lovely comment sending readers,



So...it's official. I am an idiot. A few months back when I linked my email address to blogger, I hooked it up so that all emails that went to my blogging gmail, would be re-directed to my personal gmail. Turns out, they got lost along the way. I never bothered to log in to my blogging gmail account, as when I had sent things from other personal email addresses they had always shown up. Today I got curious and thought I better check (with the competition going and all). What did I find? 47 unread emails. Idiot.



So to all of you out there who I have so rudely "ignored" for the past goodness-knows-how-long, I am so sorry! I am without a doubt a techno-noob.  I will go back and reply to any questions or queries. If you sent me a lovely comment I am so very thankful. I am one of those people in life that seems to thrive on validation. So thank-you. Thank-you for the comments. Thank-you from the bottom of my heart, for continuing to read, despite my apparent snobbery.



Much Love and Happiness,



Nicole

"My Sunshine"

I wrote this post a little while ago now, but never got around to adding the photograph of Aaliah taking her first steps.



Here it is. Introducing Aaliah...

First Steps

Think Pink!

Well, well , well. Today when I logged in to blogger to start typing this post, this competition post, what did I see? PROOF. Mariah, you did good! That is an awesome post!



For those of you who were not quite so eager/waiting for game instructions, here is the deal...



I have the following prizes to give away



1x Mr Vintage 'New Zealand's Best', women's T-shirt (size M)

1x Lego block 1GB USB pen drive

1x 'Lucky Dip' parcel of scrapbooking bits and bobs.



All you have to do to enter in the draw is send me a photo of yourself, with your pink ribbon/badge or pink product. Just like Mariah did...

You have until October 31st (Sunday night), 7pm to get your photos to inmyshoes.nicole@gmail.com.

So if you don't have one yet there is still time to go out and buy a pink product!




The winners will be drawn Monday morning, through the use of an online random selector. 

You must be in New Zealand to enter this competition.



Spread the word!

"Computer says No"

Oh my goodness. On Friday, I made myself a cup of hot blackcurrant drink, and I sat down at the computer desk. I turned on the computer, it started up. I clicked on Mozilla and the screen turns off.



Repeat process at least ten times.

I gave up then, in fear of getting so mad that I might do some serious damage. Plus I had to be out the door at 8.30 and had already wasted valuable fringe wrangling time playing 'you click that - I turn off' with my P.C.



Well as it turns out the computer is fine. Brad used it yesterday and hey presto it's all normal again.



Which brings me back to where I left off...



Are you in New Zealand?

Do you have a pink ribbon/badge/wrist band?

or

Do you have a product in your house that supports a breast cancer charity?



Can you prove it?



I want to reward your kindness and generosity! If you can prove it, catch my post tomorrow for details of how you can win a Mr Vintage t-shirt, a piece of geek-chic paraphernalia or a little package of scrap booking treats.

"Forget you"

I am back to typing in (and thinking in) full sentences. I didn't forget you! Here are a few things that I wanted to post before and whilst being ill.





1. We had our flat warming, the night before I got really sick. The theme was 'Mad Scientists Laboratory'. We
had an awesome time, and loved that our friends made the effort to dress
up. We filled jars and beakers with coloured water and actual sheep parts. In one of these pictures you can see a sheep tongue.

2. I finally got my hands on a copy of Brooke Fraser's Flags. So far only a few of the songs have really grown on me. I'm still in love with There's something in the water. Have any of you heard any of the other tracks? What did you think?

 

3. Over the weekend I went to the hair salon. I was so looking forward to it, especially as when I had tonsillitis I could hardly move my neck to wash my hair properly. I love the hair salon. Love. I went there feeling invincible as it felt so good to be out of the house. Maybe that's why I got bangs? A Gaga-esque fringe in fact. Am still adjusting to it. What do you think?

4. Bex and Andy had their engagement party. Even though I was still sick, I had an awesome time. Except I had really bad sweat/chills. Which explains my fringe in this family photo. Note the new dress? Not a good photo of the dress but I am planning on wearing it out again this Saturday night.

5. My Mum's cousin Helen is out from the U.K. It's so awesome to meet her. I found it so strange how comfortable I feel around her, even though we've only spent ten minutes in the same room. This Saturday night we are going out for Dinner at Sweet Mother's Kitchen. I am very excited about it.



6. I was gutted when I finally tracked down a song online that I'd heard on the radio. I thought the lyrics were "If I get you". Turns out the clean version actually says "Forget you" and the not-so-clean version uses another F-word. It's now stuck in my head. Song Fail.



7. My gorgeous friend Dyani, gifted me a framed portrait of yours truly. She took inspiration from my profile photo. So lucky!

8. Oh, by the way...my Mum beat Breast Cancer's butt! After less than a year, some tough surgeries and treatment she has been told that her Breast Cancer is gone. What amazing news. Words can not describe how happy I am. Congratulations Marja!

Also, did you donate and receive a pink ribbon last week? Or have you
recently purchased a product that supports a Breast Cancer charity? If
so, look out for a post in the next few days that can see that
generosity of yours win you some goodies!

"Cause baby you're a firework"

Whilst I'm recovering, most of my posts will be photo studies and collections.

I Love my sister. She is beautiful, generous, talented and hilarious. She has been through many tough times in her nineteen years, yet she's never been afraid to be herself. Proud to call her my Sister. X

'On the Shore'

Nature is a beautiful, calming force in my life.

Where do you draw inspiration from for inner peace?

Some of the simple pleasures in my life.



Drinking from these mugs..

Baking this as a thank-you gift

Walking along the beach looking at this

I'm back! Feels good to be back too. I missed you all. So I missed yet another Top Five Friday. Terrible I know. So here is a little Top Five of another kind.



Here are Five reason making me smile this week.



5. Labour Weekend is near.

4. One exam to go!

3. Bex & Andy's engagement party

2. 'Ello Luv!



1. Take that!

"When the cat's away"

Halp! I haz tonsillitiz.



When I is sick, I think, speak and type like Lolcats. This iz no good for anyone.



Will be bak to blog soonz.





X

"I am not my hair"

I'm staying in the spirit of Breast Cancer awareness month today. To show that cancer does not discriminate, I'm counting down five celebrities who have had breast cancer. 

5. Melissa Etheridge. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In 2005 at the Grammy's Melissa performed a tribute to Janis Joplin with Joss Stone. She appeared on stage proud, with a bald head which sparked India Arie to write the bridge in to her song "I am not my Hair". Melissa continues to be cancer free after treatment.

4. Olivia Newton-John. Oh Sandy. In 1992, the week after her father passed
away Newton-John was diagnosed. After treatment she has remained cancer
free to this day, and is still a tireless advocate for Breast Health.

3. Sheryl Crow. In 2006 Sheryl was diagnosed, and treated with both minimal surgery followed by radiation treatment.  Sheryl said in an interview on the Ellen show, that the song 'detours' is very much about her battle with cancer. Today she is cancer free and continues to raise awareness and funds for various Breast Cancer Charities.

2. Christina Applegate. In 2008 Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer in one of her Breasts. She  also was found to have a BRCA1 mutation, which led her to have a double mastectomy as treatment at just 37 years old. Today Christina is cancer free and is currently pregnant with her first child.

1. Linda McCartney. Many people remember Linda, as being the wife of one of the worlds most famous musicians. She was also a Mother, a cook book author, a vegetarian, a professional photographer and an activist. Sadly, after three years of treatment Linda lost her battle in 1998. Following her passing, her husband called upon his community of fellow musicians when holding the "Concert for Linda" to raise funds and awareness for drug treatments that were not tested on animals. Shortly after this,Paul McCartney donated two million dollars to the hospital where Linda sought treatment, which was more than double of it's annual allocation for Breast Cancer. The money was donated on the strict condition that it be used for the breast Cancer wing, and that it was to go towards treatments that were 100% not tested on animals. Linda may have lost her battle here on earth, but her legacy lives on.

Today as I stand collecting for the NZBCF I will think three things. Firstly for all the people who have lost loved ones to this terrible disease, I will think of my beautiful Nan and all that she endured. Secondly I will think of the brave women who fight for their lives every day whilst being treated, I will think of my Mum and the inner strength she found to fight. Thirdly I will think of the future. I can only hope that by the time I have children, that Breast Cancer is a disease that doesn't come with such deadly statistics. You can help make a difference. Make a donation, every dollar, every cent counts.

"You can go with this, Or you can go with that"

It seems there is an upside and a downside to everything. Here are a few things that make me happy and at the same time unhappy.



Happy: A beautiful sunshine filled morning       

Unhappy: Leaving my beach-side house to go to Uni.



Happy: Getting an 'A' on an assignment.          

Unhappy: Being marked 1% away from an 'A+'.



Happy: Working up a mega sweat at the gym  

Unhappy: Not being able to walk well the following day



Happy: Learning about the Treaty of Waitangi.

Unhappy: Learning about the Treaty of Waitangi.



Happy: To be a volunteer collector this Friday for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Unhappy: That there is such a need for it.



Happy: Looking forward to the Summer Trimester.

Unhappy: Realising your faculty haven't processed your enrolment.



Happy: That our driveway is being paved

Unhappy: At being woken up, when sick, by the contractors at 7am

Happy again: Having a little time up my sleeve to write this post.