Countdown to 30!

Ello you gorgeous lot!

How’s it going?? Everybody cool? Enjoyed those 3 days of summer we had this week?

Some of you may not know, I am a newly single mama. I see my new self as the JLo of motherhood (y’all gonna let me ride with that & not kill my vibe ok!!) Hahaha aaaah life *big sigh*

Ok so I may not yet have all the confidence of our latino bombshell – but I will work on it. It’s still a very fresh & new adventure for me. But an adventure all the same! And who doesn’t love adventures?! So to help me on my way to becoming as fierce as Miss Lopez I’ve made myself a ’30 before Thirty’ list of some things I’d like to try out & decided to share it with you lot so you that when a day inevitably comes when I don’t feel like dragging my sorry butt off my sofa you can say Oi Rach get on with it!! (I would seriously appreciate that.) *

*My mum hates the word Oi. Like seriously used to be in so much trouble when we ever said Oi when we were younger and got the whole mum "THERES NO SUCH WORD AS OI!!" telling off. So maybe just be like, Excuse me Rach, can you get a wriggle on? But Like I’ll leave it up to you. It’s cool.

 

 

Ok here we go:

Run the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon. This one is something I am already signed up to. I don’t know how far I’m going to get with my training now my schedule is all changing around but I would still really like to give it a go.


Get back into my pre pregger clothes. I know. Not realistic. But hey I’m gonna give it a good damn go.


Try contact lenses. I have worn glasses every since I was 8 years old. So this is big. But I’m gonna give it a go and see if I can deal.


Host a swanky dinner party. Probably another Thanksgiving Feast. Ooh I do love Thanksgivng.


Create a time lapse photo thingy. Of something. This is vague. I know.


Paint a canvas. ALWAYS wanted to paint. I think Kitty is gonna need to help me here.


Do yoga every damn day. Oh god I used t love yoga. And I dunno I just topped doing it. I’m gonna start again.


Write a childrens story. Get Kitty to illustrate.


Learn to vlog. ALWAYS wanted to vlog. I am actually hilarious. You need videos of me.


Read more. This is also vague.


Go 24 hours without iphone or ipad. Maybe one for holiday. That still counts though right?


Learn how to use my camera properly. I think maybe Kim is the best person to help me with this. Her photos are AMAZE.


Start speaking French again. Like yoga, used to love the French language. Now? It’s all gone out of my brain!


Host an afternoon tea. Love a bit of cake.


Go to an Aerosmith concert. I haven’t seen the Rolling Stones and I haven’t seen bon Jovi. I WILL see Aerosmith.


Do something for charity. Also vague.


Plant, cultivate and KEEP ALIVE a plant.


Make a bedspread. This is quite a big ask.




Learn to French plait my hair. I DID THIS!!! I did it this morning!! Last night I watched youtube video tutorials (because I can do that and nobody can judge me and I only have my damn self to blame if I’ve forgotten to do the ironing or some crap) and yes I tried it this morning and I succeeded!! Woohoo 1 down already!!


Learn to do my make up properly. Again I tried to find a tutorial that I liked last night. But like, I like all the Kim K tutorials. And they do look amazing but they’re all girls with like olivey skin and dark hair and dark eyes and I’m like hmm would that look the same on me. So then my search goes from ‘make up tutorial’ to ‘make up tutorial for blonde hair and blue eyes’ but then they’re all like very pink. And I love pink y’all know I do but not for my face because I’m actually very red in my skin tone. So then I’m searching like ‘make up tutorial for blonde hair blue eyes and a bit of rosacea but not too much’ I’M A NICHE MARKET PEOPLE!!! Ah. Still working on this one.


Cook through a cookbook. Julie & Julia styley.


Make a beef wellington. I tried it once. Hideous. Must try better.


Pay off debt. Anybody who wants to help me that is so welcome.


Buy a Burberry mac coat. Only if achieved 23.


Have a facial. Like a nice spa treatment fancy one.


Spend time outside everyday. Maybe come the winter just running to my car will count?


Go away for a spa day / overnight. I have NEVER done a spa day. But I think I would like it.


Have a girly trip. Even just for a day. Like a really fun, silly girly trip. This is sort of vague.


Go back to The Lion or The Red Lion or whatever it's called in Farningham with my family and have a meal by the fire. Love this place. I’d like to go back please. And maybe learn the name.


Have professional photos taken of me & my chunk. Because he is gorgeous & I love him.

Looking forward to this new chapter :)

Love & light always.

Mx

Who Is Fabulous Malibu?

Aloha gorgeouses!

It must be that time of year again when I remember that I started a blog…!!! Oh my goodness isn’t being a mum and working full time and trying to maintain healthy relationships with your partner / family / friends and trying to work out to fit back into any of those clothes in the suitcase marked ‘Pre-Preggers Size’ whilst still trying to find time to watch ANY OLD RUBBISH on the tele TOUGH?! Oh and then like trying to keep your house clean and you mustn’t forget you’re not a good person unless you ‘food prep for the week’ … Best I find someone who can fit me another 12 hours into my day!

Nevertheless, amongst all of my other to-do list items, I am going to try and blog again too.

I do not promise any consistency.

Or good content.

So we’re clear from the beginning! And actually I thought that might be a very good place to start (no singing Sound of Music fans, control yourselves please).

For anyone new, or relatively new, to me and my social media persona – or anyone who’s been around for ages and just thinks – why the heck is she called Fabulous Malibu!? I thought I’d write a brief introduction to me, Malibu.

 

 

I started using Twitter almost 7 years ago as a very self conscious 22 year old (please don’t do the maths) and Fabulous Malibu was born! I don’t even remember how the name came about. I wish I had some inspired tale to tell you. But I really don’t. And I mean really, how inspired does Malibu Barbie sound?! Come along now. I had no private or personal information on my twitter profile, not even a real picture. I had this fab picture of one of the MAC Barbies:

 

Ah, memories.

 

Not because I was a horrible old troll or anything! Just because I didn’t particularly like being Rachel at that time. I was in a bit of weird place, just come home from uni without having finished my degree. No real life plan, no real direction. Didn’t know who I was or what on earth I was doing. So on twitter I was Malibu. My fab little alter ego. And she WAS fab! She was confident, and funny (I mean like, as I remember her. Any twitter followers might’ve thought/ might still think I was really lame. But I’m going with a very heavily biased viewpoint here). And twitter provides a really great community of people that you come to love talking to. And there are so many different little communities! I used to have a lot of trouble sleeping (I’m sure I’ve posted about that before maybe here?) So I used to talk to an amazing group of ladies in Australia – beauty blogging, sassy, gorgeous and lovely they were. And around at the right time when I wasn’t sleeping and didn’t have anyone UK based to talk to! The Glasto / Twisto community were my first group of truly, utterly, lovely people. And I’ve never even been to Glastonbury. Never met any of them. But they have always been the most lovely people. And it was a lovely lady called Nina who sent me a private message saying that she was having a discussion about whether my profile pic (of above mentioned MAC Barbie) was real – and then encouraged me to put a real one up and stop being so stupid. So I did. And then over the next 6 years or so I guess Rachel and Malibu have just kinda merged into one! And I love it! I mean like, introducing myself to ANYONE I only know from social media can kinda be a bit awkward. Hi I’m Fabulous Malibu! But hey, we go with it.

So that’s me! And I will try and get my blog back on it’s feet, but as before, no promises J

Just recently lovely Amber said to me that she read one of my posts and it made her feel better like she wasn’t a crazy person. And that made me happy. So I’m gonna do some more of that hopefully. I mean she was really drunk – but I’m still holding her to the sentiment haha.

 

Big loves,

 

Mx

Fridays Fab Five!

Hello there you beautiful bunnies!! 

Hope y'all are ok and enjoying this wonderful, wonderful Indian Summer - oh no wait, it must be monsoon season!! 

All it has done here today it rain rain rain. Bleurgh. 

Anyhoo. This kind of weather inevitably means that we spend lots more time indoors, avoiding the elements. 

So I thought for this weeks Fab Five I would talk about some of the things you can do to keep occupied when the seasons are on the change. And then I discovered a big fat tonne of really really cool ideas.

 And I couldn't possibly pick just 5 favourites and condense them. So this "list" has turned into a List of Lists!!! 

A compilation of some of my favourite 'go-to' blogs for inspiration. 

Hope you enjoy reading as much as I do :) 

Leave a comment and let me know what your favourite idea is :) 

What You Make It : 50 More Things To Do Together - This is actually a follow on post (link to the original at the start) so it's actually 100 things to do together - bonus for you! 

My Tunbridge Wells : General Activities  - This is one of my top top favourite blogs. I literally check what's coming up every weekend so I can coerce BNF into maybe taking us out for an Activity Day! Although not always avoiding the elements - a really good reference point for any parents in Tunbridge Wells or the surrounding areas! 

The Dating Divas : 65 Fabulous Winter Dates  - Some fun ideas if you have some time alone & you're wanting to spend some more time with your significant other but not wanting to ruin your blow dry. 

The SAHM Survival Guide : Activities for Infants  - You really wanna go to Sensory Explorers but you don't wanna battle with the push chair weather shield? This has some really good ideas! 

The Imagination Tree : Autumn Play Collection  - Has some really good seasonal sensory ideas! 

Enjoy! 

Mx 

I'm Alive!

Well, after this second cup of tea I will be. 

Bonjour babes!! 

I'm terribly sorry for the abandonment - it's been hella busy. I've been learning lots, doing lots, laughing lots, crying lots. And then I saw the lovely You Baby Me Mummy on Twitter has a #linkup called 'The List' ! And I thought - ah! What a super fab way to condense the last 3 (ish) months?! 

So - this is my first ever attempt at a linky uppy thing (I just watch them and read them all on Twitter quietly) so be gently & bear with me! 

This is my hugely condensed list: 

• I went back to work full time.

• Our Landlord served us notice on our beautiful little home - major sad times.

• BNF got a new job - woohoo! 

• BNF had to do a bajillion weeks training for his new job (like, 7 weeks) 

• We found another beautiful little home - with a garden!! And  parking RIGHT out the front. Ah-mazing. 

• Bubba has turned into a vampire with lots of teeth - seriously not cute to have him nibble on your hands anymore. Sharpest fangs ever! 

• I quit my job. 

• I started a new adventure Rachel Jane

• Our super fab (strong & patient) friends and family helped us moved all our crap between beautiful little homes.

• We had Bubba baptised (FAB day - remind me to do a post on this with pics) 

• We all calmed down.

That is kinda the best snapshot I can give you of my little whirlwind time. And I'm even sure that I've forgotten / suppressed loads. But the main thing is that it has seemingly calmed down back to just 'manic' mode now instead of 'super duper omg how is this even happening manic' mode. Which is nice :) 

But I do hope you've all been keeping well & I look forward to sharing more of my ramblings with you on a more regular basis :) 

Ciao bellas. 

Mx 

Now. I'm going to follow the instructions EXACTLY as per You Baby Me Mummy and just hope & pray the technology spirits are on my level today. Mwah! Xx

Pregnancy Chakra

Exactly one year ago today I found out I was pregnant. 

I was 9 weeks along already, and I had no idea. 

I only did a test as a process of elimination! 

My baby were in so much pain - I thought I had breast cancer. 

I was tired and sleeping all the time - I thought I had chronic fatigue syndrome. 

For real!! 

I even read an entire lesson on balancing your chakras and spent hours in my bedroom trying to balance myself because I thought it would help the pains in my tummy. 

I was trying to do the Bikini Series and I couldn't figure out why I was still so bloated when I was eating so well. 

I don't know how we didn't know. I remember one day I flat out refused to get outta bed and then it was 2:30pm in the afternoon and BNF's mum was requesting that we left the house, and I only agreed on the basis that he took me to McDonalds and brought me chicken nuggets. 

Seriously, we didn't know. 

So I figured I couldn't just rock up at the doctors and tell the I had chronic fatigue. They'd ask me all these questions about what else it could be. And I'd had some tummy cramps but no end product in that regard so, one Monday lunchtime, while I was picking up my lunch I thought I'd just chuck in a test and see what happened. 

Absolutely convinced that it would say negative, I took it in the bathroom at work at about 4:30pm. 

It said positive. 

I swear I nearly jumped out of the bathroom without pulling up my pants. 

I did NOT know what to do. 

I ran out into the car park, rang the doctors and demanded to the lady on reception that I needed an emergency appointment. 

"Whats the nature of the emergency please?" 

"I JUST TOOK A PREGNANCY TEST AND IT SAID POSITIVE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY LIFE!!!!"

"I have one at 5:10" 

And that was it I just went back upstairs grabbed my bag and left. I didn't tell anyone, I didn't turn off my computer. I just left. And thank goodness, as I turned out of my work car park a police car was just behind me, otherwise I think I would've driven like an absolute lunatic. 

So I turned up at the doctors, burst into tears on my doctors - who is a very formal, chinese man, who now questions my mental stability I'm sure. And he said he wouldn't see me until I had been home, eaten something ad spoken to someone in my family. 

Which, in hindsight was very sensible. So we agreed that I would come back on the Wednesday. 

I then went home (I was still living with my parents at this time) and burst into tears on Mrs Wobbly in the kitchen while she was trying to make tea for everyone. 

She then said I needed to talk to BNF. Which again, was sensible. And reassured me that my family would love me and support me no matter what. 

So on Tuesday, I had to go for a meal for his mum - I don't remember why, I think she was going into an operation or something, all I remember is it was the LONGEST meal of my life! And then afterwards we both went back and sat on the sofa and I burst into tears on BNF.  And he reassured me that he would love and support me no matter what and that I was not to make any decision based on his age. (BNF is 4 years younger than me). 

I cried ALOT this week. 

At this point I was absolutely convinced that I could not have a baby. I thought my parents would be cross. I thought BNF would break up with me. We didn't have any money. We both still lived at home. I just could not imagine any other situation. 

So when I went back to the Doctor on Wednesday I said to him that I had absolutely no idea what to do and that it would depend on how far along I was. He, being the formal, chinese man that he is, did not understand this at all. He said you either want it or you don't. Like it's really that clear cut. 

So he sent me along to the abortion clinic to have a scan to see how far along I was. 

So on the Thursday I went along there on my own. I tell you, that it the most efficient place I have ever been to. I arrived at 9:00 for my appointment at 9:30 and they just took me straight in. It's the most horrible place to go to on your own and I would say, looking back, if you do ever go to one of the places, take someone with you. You need it. So the lady said, yup your 9 weeks so if you do want to terminate you are too late to take the pill and would have to have a surgical procedure. 

Now - going back a bit here. I went to a Catholic school and they showed us the MOST horrendous video about the surgical procedure. I understand that they have to do this to literally out the fear of God into you. But my goodness does it work!!! 

And then, I went home and googled what a baby looks like at 9 weeks. And it looks like a baby. Like, a weird tadpole-isn baby. But it is formed. And it had a spine. And it has a heartbeat. 

And that was it. I was not letting anything touch that little pod and it was not coming outta me until it was cooked. It was mine to look after and that was what I would do. 

So then on Friday (seriously, this was like a REALLY messed up Craig David song) I saw BNF again and I told him that I had come to a decision that I was going to keep the baby. 

This was when he had his breakdown. And oh man did he go to town. 

He told me I was going to be a pikey mum, along with a whole load of other things. And then sat on my kitchen floor and cried down the phone to his mum. Who by all accounts was crying back. 

We had a lot of tears that week. 

Then he drove to my darlings Samanthas house because he needed to see her boyfriend Mike. Apparently they were convinced I'd broken up with him. I don't think anyone was ready for a baby. 

But he came back around, after he'd had his moment. And we were ok again. 

Then at the weekend, he had the audacity to tell me that I should stay home and he should go out with the boys because "he's had a tough week". I'm not going to tell you how the rest of that conversation went because I would have to censor ALOT. 

But once we'd made out decision we had a lot of planning and prepping to do. We needed to move out, we needed to get all the stuff for the baby, we needed to sell my fiat 500 and his civic type R and get a "sensible" car... 

And it was the toughest, most challenging year of my life. 

We had friends that didn't fully understand the concept of us not being in the pub every week anymore. I was talked about being "psycho" because people thought I was stopping BNF going out. Nobody understood how drastically our lives were changing. And it was tough. I don't even think WE understood how drastically our lives were changing. Throw into that BNF & I nearly broke up in the middle of the summer. And I thought I was going to have to face the whole thing alone. It was hands down the most difficult time. 

But it all came together. 

I don't know how exactly. But, magically, it did! 

And now we have our own little space, our family car, our beautiful Bubba and the friends that have got their head around the new life are an amazing network, and we are so blessed to have such a big supportive, loving, generous family. 

And it's like everything I was petrified about this time last year, has all come good. And it's not scary anymore. It's amazing. And I couldn't imagine my life any other way now. 

I have always believed that the universe knows what it's doing, and that everything happens for a reason. 

Sometimes when it comes about you think it's a massive curve ball, but follow it through and have faith and it might just become the best thing in your life. 

Mx 

Fastest Cake in the World?

Scone. 

Haha. Aaah I major heart bad jokes. 

Of course if you're the kind of person who pronounces scone like stone then it kinda doesn't work. Ya gotta work with me here people.

 

Anyhoo. 

I promised my darling Samantha that I would do a post dedicated to our Bank Holiday shenanigans. 

This is not that post. 

My brain is conflicted. Half of it is like HOW IS IT FRIDAY ALREADY?! THIS IS THE FASTEST WEEK IN THE WORLD!! (Not cake, week.) 

And the other half is like OMGGGGGGG FRIDAY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN BABY?! (You have to say that in the voice of Cookie from Empire. Otherwise you're not gettin it.) 

So. I'm not fully sure how I feel about this week. But I am definitely sure that it IS Friday. 

Which means Fridays Fab Five. 

This is that post. 

And maybe some more brain rumbles. 

But not the Bank Holiday Bonanza. 

That's still to come. 

Ok lets start with this weeks five alive: 

1. We have a bed!!!! No more sleeping on a mattress on the floor, rocking 'squatter chic'. And it is gooooorrrrrrgeous. It's like a Princess bed. And it's high. And it's lovely. And I love it. I'm not sure how BNF feels about the Princess-ness. But I think he secretly loves it. 

2. I have had the most wonderful evening. Well. Kinda. BNF had to unclog the shower and I had to clean Bubs' neck. Honestly, I don't know who had the grosser job. But after that I had a big bubbly bath by candlelight. Yes, I had a pile of Bub's toys next to me. No, I'm not entirely sure he didn't pee in the bath before I got to it. But hey, you gotta take what you got people. It was nice. And now I'm sitting with a cup of tea watching BNF play FIFA. All is lovely. 

3. Bubs has started on his baby rice :) it is so adorable to see him sitting in his Bumbo or his high chair. He actually makes my heart melt. 

4. I got to make my darling Miss Kitty dinner on Tuesday night. She never lets me cook for her. She's always like ooh noo I've got dinner at home. But not this time! And it was gluten free especially for her. She deserves it though she's the bestest. Ok enough gross talk. 

5. We got to Vote! And BNF and I took a lovely long walk to the Polling Station with bubs and it was just all very lovely :) I love the smell of the Village Halls. Is that weird? Potentially. But it reminds me of like Sunday School and Brownies and all the fun times. I love it I don't care if it's weird.

Now, my tea is getting cold and BNF is getting increasingly stressed at FIFA so I'm about to pull the plug and restore calm...

Ciao bellas, enjoy the weekend!

Mx

Fridays Fab Five!

I'm bringing back the Fab Five. 

It's nice to recognise all the lovely things that happen in a week and not get flat about the bad things.

Mrs Wobbly always says "Ignore the bad, praise the good." And it used to really annoy me, but you know I think the old girl might be on to something ;)

So here we go! 

1. This week I am thankful for the fact that Bubba is all well and healthy. He turned 4 months yesterday, had his last set of immunisations until he reaches 1 and weighed in at 15lb 9oz!! All going well and loving it. I go back to work this month (!!) so I'm looking forward to making the most of my last stretch of maternity leave.

2. I am excited for the Bank Holiday weekend. Our best friends brought us tickets to see Matilda the musical for our birthdays and I am soooo excited for a lovely day in London all together. 

3. I got to spend an entire hour with my sister this week. This just doesn't happen. I don't think I've seen her for that long since Christmas! So I enjoyed that time we spent together. 

4. The Tone It Up community and the Bikini Series has got me all hyped up and happy! The support that all the girls, from all around the world show each other is really inspiring and makes me smile every time I open IG. And the workouts and the losing inches!? Yeah that makes me smile quite a bit too :) 

5. Right now at this very moment in time, I am beyond grateful for caffeine. I have been awake since 4am and my head kinda feels like it might explode at any moment BUT we have big mugs of tea and Bubba is due to wake up any moment so I'll have cuddles too :)


Enjoy your long weekend all!

Mx