Ideas Archives - Rupert Approves

Food, Foodie Stuff, Party Planning, Pregnancy and Parenting

A Farmyard Themed First Birthday Bash

May 11, 2016 6 Comments

We all know my day job is Digital Account Director, and my fantasy job is party planner, right? Well, it’s true. So with Carters first birthday on the horizon I decided to put my hobby to good use and plan him a little farm themed birthday bash at our house this past weekend.

I had the best and worst time making all the decor and baking everything. I say worst because it took forever, and best because, well LOOK AT IT 😉

Thanks Pinterest for the sheep and pig cupcake ideas!

Luckily Im a massive hoarder so I used old formula tins which I wrapped and decorated, bread boards, platters and containers I had lying around. I also bought a lot of stuff from China Town – like paper lanterns, plates, napkins straws and bottles.

The harvest table

9 months of Carter, and as my husband so delicately put it: “Glass bottles for small children, fucking smart”.

The kiddies eating area

They look more like ‘Angry Birds’ than chickens…but I decorated paper lanterns to make farm animals…sort of.

Let’s talk about the cake, shall we. I have never baked more than a vanilla sponge, but was adamant that I would make a 3 tier monstrosity that I found on Pinterest. So I did. It may have taken me close to 20 hours, but the result as SO worth it… and the cake was delicious to boot. I did have some help the day before when two friends came over to help me ice and assemble… and drink several litres of wine in the process.

Boys will be boys. My dad and Carter having a blast on the jumping castle.

Little farm dudes all dressed up

The jumping castle we hired came with a free Granny and her assortment of small children

I scattered hay bales around the garden, and covered them in hessian and checkered fabric.

Pregnancy and Parenting

Motherhood. Expectations Vs. Reality.

September 11, 2015 4 Comments

Oh, pregnancy. A sweet time of glowing skin and great plans. Alas, just as your uterus shatters, so do your big parenting ideas.

I will get my post baby body back.

No. No you won’t. Sorry. (Unless you’re my friend Amy. Fuck Amy).

I will always look presentable. No mom jeans for me!

You will never look presentable again. Yesterday I put on a crisp white work shirt and dropped Carter off at crèche. The parent gods laughed and laughed at me when Carter threw up, not once, not twice, but thrice on said shirt. I spent the remainder of the day sniffing myself, wondering if anyone else could smell the curdled Nan.

I will still cook gourmet, healthy meals.

If that means opening a tin of curried vegetables and pouring a mug of wine, then yes, I’m positively Nigella’ing this shit.

I will make time for my man. No baby shall come between us.

And if by ‘making time’ you mean grunting at each other from across the lounge, while sprawled on your couch, mug of wine in hand, and Idols Season 76 on TV, then yes, we are living the dream.

I will never drug my baby.

Until you use Telament for the first time, and the angels in the heavens open their sweet, sweet mouths and sing your praise. “Hallelujah” they chant, “for your baby shall now nap”.

I will not over document my child’s life.

I see your ’18 photos of Juniors solids’ and raise you my birth photo, Facebook gallery and 416 Instagram snaps.

I will never help my baby to sleep. He will sleep when I tell him to sleep.

Sister, you will rock, swing, walk, run, coo, kiss and lick your baby to sleep. There are days when I find myself rocking slowly back and forth…and my child is nowhere in sight. Acceptable at home, not great in a business boardroom.

I will not let one small human getin the way of my life’s plans.

And if by life’s plans you mean living, breathing, napping, pooing, working, shopping, cooking, socialising and cleaning Nan vomit off your white shirt, then sorry. They will get in the way of it all. I have held a wee in for the better part of a day. Your body is a miraculous thing. It can hold a baby, and urine for equal amounts of time.

I will not bring up my kid in adult conversation.

Boss: “Have you done that budget recon, Kate?”

Kate: “No, because have you seen how cute my baby is?”

I will still have money leftover for nice things

A telephone conversation with my husband this morning went along the lines of “Darling, remember all that money we had saved for house extensions and that new custom made TV stand? Well, it’s now all going to be spent on a pool fence and some nappies.”

I will not feel guilty about re-priotitizing my life.

You will apologize for everything. Sorry I can’t make your function, sorry I’m leaving work now to fetch my child, sorry I’m late, sorry I’m sorry, I’m sorry I take a million Instagram photos and talk about my son all day. Sorry, not sorry.

You will never be the same again.

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” and so in you the child your mother lives on and through your family continues to live… so at this time look after yourself and your family as you would your mother for through you all she will truly never die.” – Osho

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A Blog A Day Challenge – Best Advice You Ever Got – Day 5

May 29, 2014 No Comments

Birds of a feather flock together, right? So naturally the friends and family I have are just the brightest and smartest of them all.

In terms of advise though, I can’t seem to recall the best piece of advise I’ve ever received – I suppose lessons happen throughout your life, and there are times when you need different pieces of advise from different people.

Some of the ones that stick out for me however:

“Good better best, never stop to rest, until your good is better and your better is best”

I think this is my favourite one ever – My Opa always said this to me and learning this little poem is one of my earliest memories. I try and apply it to most things I do. Except Excel – Excel is dumb.

“You know how you take a screen-grab on your iPhone? Do that with your eyes every few seconds, take in everything.”

My friend Amy said this to me moments before walking down the aisle. I was so focused on looking around and literally taking in everything that only realised when I got to the end that Barry was even there. Oops.

“This too shall pass”

No idea where I first heard this , or from who – but man alive it could not be more true. From anything ranging from debt, to heartbreak to a stiff bum after squats…. it passes friends. Sit tight and be strong.

“It’s too soon to panic”

Barry the husband tells me this at-least once a week. Whether it’s to quell my nerves at the start of a race, if I’m stressed at work or if something I want done hasn’t been done like RIGHT AWAY. Wise guy (most of the time) this one.

“Dont burn your bridges”

Unless they’re a c*nt, in which case, I’ll hand you the matches.

And some more favourites. In picture form.