When things don't quite go to plan!

Holidays (the school variety, when does a mother really get a holiday?):

In Tassie not so much the Sun, Surf and Sand that a lot of main-landers tend to enjoy at this time of year, but as a lifelong Tasmanian, it is all about those things for me!  Well when I can be bothered with the packing and moaning by kidlets, that seems relentless!

Completely prone to a lack of organisation I find myself still packing when we reach our designated leaving time and getting increasingly frustrated as the minutes pass and things don’t quite fit in the car the way your had hoped, and you find yourself leaving items behind.

Eventually we are all in the car and off on the 2.5hour (ish) journey!

Thankfully no one was travel sick on the journey, which is actually quite regular with my children.

I had BIG moving plans!  Almost 2 weeks away, sun, surf and sand... and half of that time I had adult people available to CHILD MIND!!

I started off well, I arrived Sunday afternoon, unloaded the car and set about making the little shack into a temporary home!  

Monday saw me arise at 6.05am (who am I?) to complete W1D1 (week1day1) of the Couch to 5K app – EASILY! OMFG!

My first attempt on the treadmill at home I failed miserably!  But who fails when they have fresh sea air and THIS view!

I had all these plans that meant moving every day but by Monday night I flicked off the alarm for Tuesday morning! Driving around to new places, walking to all these amazing views:

Then eating a huge seafood basket for lunch, had me not wanting to move at ALL, let alone at 6am!

So Tuesday we pottered around and didn’t do much of anything!  Some cooking with the kidlets, which is a HUGE treat for them, as I am a ‘no kids in the kitchen kinda cook’!

By afternoon I was well over everything so I headed out for a steady walk around the place to clear my head!

Wednesday was a new day and I was determined to fit in another run.  This time I thought I might as well push myself, so W2D1 C25K it was...

Completed!  Plus some extra cool down walking time along the water’s edge watching the birds!

It was harder than W1D1, but I completed it without too much pain, so I will stick with W2 until it becomes easier for me!

Bringing us up to Thursday when my youngest developed a tummy pain, fever and spots! I was desperately hoping the spots were just a fever rash, and was entirely relieved when they faded to nothing after her first ‘vomit then sleep’ bout!  While she slept I made a quick dash to the shops to stock up on special dessert treats! 

Did I mention this was Holiday Junkfood Fest?

The rest of the day was spent snuggling 4yo sickie, in between doing the endless washing and dinner prep for everyone else!

Friday morning saw the 4yo jump out of bed bright and chirpy feeling “I’m not sick anymore" and Mummy not so chirpy after spending a wakeful night in a single bed with her! Can you tell yet that Friday was a right off too?

My Sister and children arrived Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with us.

Saturday morning we checked out the local market and opshop and wandered around the town checking out the sites, then back to base as we were expecting another arrival.

My Sister in Law arrived later that arvo and took a bunch of the children to the playground.

Sunday was a great day with hardly any wind, so I went out in the back yard for some Badminton – movement total for the holidays creeps up to about 2.5 hours, plus incidentals.

SIL left at about 11am with my eldest kidlet and my 17yo SIL (and main childminder) in tow.  So Sunday arvo we headed off to the jetty for some fishing and sand play!

Then around to another beach for some rock pools, rock hopping and heart stopping moments from Miss 4’s antics and some more beautiful views again! 

Brings me to Today – Monday (Yes I wrote this post in a notebook while on holiday with no internet access)

My sister and children left this morning leaving me alone with 2 kidlets.  We cooked a vanilla Tea cake, Painted and Potted around the house the rest of the day.

Tuesday and Wednesday are a bit of a blur and a mix up, there was a walk to the playground, (with some laps around the fence for mummy), a trip into town and a stop at another playground! This one had Swings and Mummy enjoyed that!  Also bubbles! Lots and lots of bubbles, and popping of bubbles...

Thursday saw us head home, with a lot of vomiting and pulling over on the way... also a lovely stop of at my other sister’s house for lunch and a quick visit.  Home in time for Miss 4 to walk into the carpeted lounge room before vomiting AGAIN.  Then off we go to Badminton, and I did some walking and running around in between games!

School goes back Monday and day to day life goes back to normal for us.

Kicking Goals!

It seems the month to start kicking goals on this journey of mine!

By that I mean - I am moving at least 3 times a week - Playing Badminton for between 60 and 90 minutes 3 times a week.
I have also kicked my first BIG weight-loss goal and am currently down to 94.4kg! I have broken through the 95kg barrier that sees me at my lightest weight in around 12 years!
I fit into the wedding dress I was married in on the first of September 2001!
So important stats for anyone who wants to know:

I have lost a total of:

10.1 kilograms

  12cm from Waist

 10cm from Hips

9cm from Thighs

5cm from Arms

13cm from Chest

in 15 weeks! 

Here are the photo's in my undies to prove it ;)

14th June 2013 vs 27 September 2013

I am very happy at my current results and am not planning to stop anytime soon!
There is still a lot of fitness work to be done for me to reach those goals!

Oh and also check out my new 'Get Moving' gear....

Isn't Kate AWESOME, also, check out the AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT some of our OpMovers pulled off last weekend!

SOOOOO INSPIRATIONAL

Taking Charge?

Some would say "It's about time" others "Why would you do that?"

The truth is I am completely unsure, but I need to do something and when I have no idea where to go, or what direction to take to get there, this is as good as any leap of faith right?

So with that there, I guess one should explain my situation.

I have decided to apply for a real life job, at a real life business, that will take me away from home most days a week!
It is most certainly something I can do, and be good at, although maybe not enjoy? *shrug*
The challenge will be in actually getting the job!  I have had all of 2 'real' jobs in my life, then I have been a mother!

For 4 months at the end of 2001, I worked as a casual Sales Assistant, I was pregnant when I finished that Christmas Casual contract, so I didn't ask to continue on.
2 years later I did a 4-6 month stint working in a family operated cheese factory. The owner was a family friend and needed workers, I decided we needed the money.  It was a great work environment with only a few small issues, but after working full time from 7am-3pm, coming home to an almost 2yo and a husband, who was doing night shifts delivering pizza's, and also realising I wanted more children sooner rather than later!  I moved on from that position as the dairy season came into the 'slow' winter season. 

I haven't worked a 'real' job since, and I haven't had a 'real' job interview since 2001!
I have very little experience and am quite nervous and shy when it comes to 'new people'
But things have to change and move on.

My youngest child is 4, she will be attending school 5 days a fortnight next year,  although I would dearly love more children... because, BABIES, this is off the cards for me now.

I need to move on, I need to contribute more than just the very little housework I do.  I need to move and activate myself and my brain in ways other than playing house and parent! 

Whether I enjoy the job, whether I get the job, whether I hate the job, whether I fail dismally and never want to work another day in my life!  None of this matters, I will not get the opportunity if I don't take the leap of faith and TRY.  I have not failed if I try, I have only failed if I don't attempt it at all.

It is time to transform, it is scarey, exciting, nerve racking and mind blowing.  It will be hard.
It will require me to step up, to organise, prioritise and organise again... and I am going to try my best to take charge and be what my family needs and provide for them in an altogether 'better' manner than I have managed in the past!


In other news... I am still sitting at 96.9kg this is my 3rd weigh at the same weight, I am ramping up my exercise in september with a daily ARMS challenge (push ups, dips, bicep curls and punches) and I have started the Couch to 5K program.  I want to be 85kg before christmas, and I am aiming to run 10km's in under 60minutes by June 2014...
These are my current goals! Hopefully I will kick it!
Thanks to Kate and Blackmores, for OperationMOVE and the MyBlackmores program, they provide much needed support, encouragement and information.

Blogfast - Smile

Day late for the Blogfast Club this week!
Had a full day yesterday, the car went in for repairs and is out for a week and a bit!


Better late than never? Judge for yourself on the result!

A Haiku on the Prompt 'Smile'

Lost to a world

Confused by what I see

Your smile lives

Linking up over at Kop's Kattery today, well yesterday! 

Head over and check it out!

Blogfast - Magical Fantasy Land

It seems the challenge I set was a little harder than I thought!
Having been totally busy for the last week, with sick children, sick friends and a Surprise Baby shower planned that turned around completely with the birth of babe 7 weeks prem, the night before the shower.  An all nighter (1.5hrs sleep between 6.30 and 8am) Friday night due to the baby arriving at 11pm, playing Taxi (LOVINGLY) for the support people and family Saturday morning, cooking and cleaning for all those in need, I collapsed into bed at about 8pm Saturday night and fell fast asleep until about 8am Sunday morning! But I still didn't get up! ;)

So what is a Magical Fantasy Land?
And Descriptive Writing? Did I really? OMG!

In reality my Fantasy Land, involves Miracles not magic! The miracle of winning lotto, so there is money available to build a new house and set up our 30 acre property to be our dream!

But we are not talking reality here are we?

So lets leave the house, with it's leaking roof and float up through the ceiling, attic space, and roof, into the heavy mist and rain that pounds loudly on the tin, but hardly touches your skin and instantly dries on your clothes.  Higher you float through the Thick grey clouds pushing past the restrictions of heavy moisture laden air to burst forth into the blinding sunlight.  Hovering gently, eyes closed slowly adjusting to the new source of warmth and light before you, absorbing the heat gifted to you by the sun.  you turn your back to the sun and slowly open your eyes allowing the pupils to contract and adjust to the bright expanse of yellow light reflecting off the surface of the clouds now beneath you.
Staring around in wonder at the world around you, you notice behind you just a short way it a towering castle, it appears to be made of an intricate network of stone masonry, a huge tower in the centre, with 5 smaller towers around forming the points of a star.  Moving under the arch in the circular outer wall you reach out a hand, expecting the rough texture of stone to reach your finger tips, you find only wisps of mist swirl around and between your fingers returning to stone as they pass.
On the inside of the outer wall, you stand and survey your surroundings, far off to your right and left are walls slowing closing in on you, as you move closer to the centre tower.  There is no sign of an entry here and no way to turn off in the walls of stone.  Remembering the mists of the arch way you reach out tentatively and find your hand engulfed in mist, you take a brave step forward, feeling a rush of warmth when you never realised you were cold, completely surrounded by mist, you begin to feel constricted, but edge your way forward hoping to find...


Thanks for reading ;)
Join in with The Blogfast Club, thanks to KateSaysStuff, hosted this week over at Mummalish!
Check out the other writing pieces for the week and take a trip back through the posts to find some other challenges we have done!

The Blogfast Club: New Shoes and a new Challenge!

So this week is a hard one for me, not only because I don't really do children's writing and this is my first EVER link up so it HAS to be good!  But because to me a children's book is all about the PICTURES!
Which is totally wrong! But it is how I think!
So with no pictures to work with I am going to see those in my mind and just give the whole thing a shot anyway!

Please try and picture a little girl, or boy dragging mummy to the shoe shop, bright and colour pictures with a single line per page!

Here Goes:

Blogfast Club:  New Shoes!
______________________

Mummy, Mummy, time to shop,
Hurry, Hurry, can not stop.

Here, Here, I like these
Squish, Squish, Squish and Sqeeze.

Tears, Tears, just to small
Shhhh, Shhhh, try them all.

Green ones, Red ones, Blue ones too
Purple ones, Yellow ones, Which fit you?

Pink ones, White ones, Orange ones too,
These ones fit, I love new SHOES!


Next week we will be heading over to MummaLish to link up your Descriptive Writing about a Magical Fantasy Land.    

Fat-buster Friday??

Bought to you by Syrenex, Katesaysstuff, and MyBlackmores.

I am in Week 9 of the MyBlackmores program, I have just changed my weigh in Day from Monday, to Friday, to coincide with the OpMove check in post, and to prevent clashing with the new development of The Blogfast Club. 

So this week I did a weigh in Monday and sat at an even 100kg! That is a nice loss for the previous week of 0.8kg.  I was very happy with that because I didn't have the best week when it came to calorie counting or portion control!

This is me!

left - taken 17th June, middle - taken 15th July, right - taken 12th August. 

Then as today is my NEW weigh in day, I jumped on the Scales this morning and was AMAZED at the 99.6kg that showed up!  A loss of 400grams since Monday! Not only that I have breached the 3 figures that I haven't seen the other side of for about 6 years!

It has given me some inspiration to kick start my Diary keeping at MyBlackmores properly and caused me to really think about how much I am NOT actually doing! 
If I actually put 100% into this effort I can't imagine where I would be by now...
I want to put in more effort, I want to get myself fit and healthy and although I am making progress, I am not putting in 100 percent of what I could put in... I really need to kick it up a notch and put in my all. 

Thrilled that I have reached my first personal goal to be in double figures, I would like to reach the 10% loss goal of 94.1 before the MyBlackmores offer I am taking advantage expires.  I am pretty sure I am over reaching, however, I am seriously considering signing up for another 3 month stint!

Blogfast Club: Mirror - Reflected Pain

Background image credit

With thanks to Kate, I will be hosting next weeks Challenge!
So pop over next week with a link to your 'Children's Story' about 'New Shoes'

This is going to be a hard one for me! It will take me all week to come up with something!

This is a new challenge for me, as, not only have I never written a Children's story, I have never hosted a Link up! So if everything goes to hell next Monday, Please forgive me!

Drowning in Darkness

The distant rumble woke her instantaneously, wearing only a summer slip, and grabbing a towel as she ran through the door to the beach.  Driven by an unknown force, knowing her way by memory and experience, the complete darkness did nothing to impede her passage. 

Knees huddled to her chest, she sits on the sand, the chill of the summer nights breeze permeates her clothes and raises her skin to goose flesh.  The depths of her body not reached by the chill air, are drowned by the intense darkness the moonless night shrouds her in.
The cold fear of exposure she feels out here on the pitch black beach is only a pin prick compared to the anticipation that the distant roll of thunder promises to bring.

Head turned into the wind, toward the sound of the rushing surf, waiting, patient in the dark.  She feels the static increasing as the promised storm moves towards her, the reason she is here now, dragged out of the warm comfort of her bed, into the cold air.

Feeling the pressure change in the air around her, as she sits huddled on her towel, the rain starts to fall, soaking her to the bone.  She feels her soul start to tremble, just moments before the almost blinding flash over the ocean before her, illuminates the night.

This is it, her reason for being.

Thunder crashes in deafening throbs tearing her soul apart.  The static that fills the air holds the pieces close to her, hovering, as though waiting for something.
As her body slumps in the darkness, a new flash of lightning brings with it the promised completeness... it strikes with certainty lifting her soul-less body into the night, charging the very heart of her being and bonding her soul and body together again.

Somewhere far from here is another body, one who contains the very power to charge her and hold her together.  Setting his own energy force free, began the very storm she anticipated. 
The promise that one day they will meet and give her the wholeness she feels on this night alone,  keeps her grounded until that distant rumble threatens to break her again.

This fictional piece has been brought to you by:
Me, aka Katie aka Syrenex, as part of:
Kate Says Stuff's Blogfast Club.

Blogfast - Morning

At Kate Says Stuff and I am running late, again!


MORNING
Flickering eyelids, muffled voices, a cold chill creeps into the warmth as half of the bed empties.

"Noo, not yet, just a few more minutes"  I will the daylight to hold off just a little longer, for the clock to stop ticking, the world to stop turning.

In half an hour from now I will drag myself out of my nest of warmth and begin the day.

Within mere moments orders are given, and arguments break out.

"What do you want on your sandwich for lunch? What fruit would you like to take? Have you got your shoes on?  Find your shoes!  Have you got your shoes on?  Please FIND YOUR SHOES!  Have you got your..."

Drop everything and find some shoes!

"Have you got your shoes on?  alright, here is your lunch and drink bottle, can you put them in your bags please?  Is there time for breakfast?"

" No!"

Another day of Nutella sandwiches eaten on the way to the bus.

"Bags on it is time to go,"

"I want to be driven to school"

"Not this morning, I will pick you up after school today though."

"Then I am not going, I don't want a mum anymore!"

"You have to go, if you don't go on this bus now, I wont pick you up after school." 

They walk out the door, shoulders hunched with tears in his eyes, my boy makes his way to the end of the driveway to catch the bus.

8am, The house grows silent, I make myself a cup of tea.

"I am hungry" 

The youngest has found her voice.  Another Nutella sandwich...

"I am thirsty"

I make her a warm drink of chocolate

The phone rings.

"Good Morning" I say cheerily.

Rise of the Glums...

It's been 3 weeks since my last post, and I am not really keen on whats going on at the moment... That 3 weeks went WAY too fast for my liking, and were filled with way too much 'stuff'.

My Hubby's grand father lost his long time battle with Cancer, as a person I only met once, it was not hard for me to hear of the loss, but I do wish he had met his Great Grandchildren at least once.

I had the news that my 26week pregnant cousin and good friend, was in hospital on bed rest due to complications.  She is currently waiting on a new ultrasound on Monday to let her know if she can return home to be on bed rest in her own bed.  Nothing further has developed and we are hopeful that her bub will hold steady for at least another 4 weeks, bringing her to 32 weeks when survival has a much greater chance for bub.

My Hubby's step-grandfather went to hospital after a heart attack and was in a really bad way, expected not to survive, our whole family having virusy illness at this time meant no one could take that trip to see him.  He has thankfully recovered remarkably well and will be moved to the rehabilitation ward sometime soon.

At the same time as all this, my hubby's Grandmother (partner to said man) went in for a test requested by specialist doctors, even though results would amount to no outcome as it was already decided that they could not operate on her again, and in devastating fashion they have dislodged some 'plaque' in a vein and caused her to have a stroke.  4 days later after her brain swelling increased over time rather than decreased she passed away during the night last friday.  Her funeral was yesterday, this is a devastating blow to the entire family and I am sure most people are yet to come to terms with the fact that she will not be seen again.  I know I haven't!  She will be sorely missed come Christmas time this year as family traditions change once again and cousins, aunts and uncles drift further apart in her absence.

So basically, while all the SHIZ has been falling down around me and I have been desperately trying to cling to something that WILL NOT fall down, I have found myself completely remiss in all things #MyBlackmores and #OperationMOVE!  In fact I have done NO moving for the purpose of moving since the 29th of June and have very rarely put any information into the Diary on the My Blackmores site.  I am however proud that in all my failings I have not completely blown out my calories, I have been keeping myself somewhat in check and choosing healthier options or less quantity where I can.
The biggest blow out issue I have had would be the amount of hot drinks I have had, there isn't quite anything like a cup of tea to calm the emotions.
In addition to all that Shiz ^^ It has been School Holidays, I have had sick kidlets, and I have been failing miserably to keep up with all things house work.

So come Monday I am hoping to hop on my scales having lost a little, regrouping over the weekend.

There is a lot of healing and processing to happen for me in the next... however long it takes.  I can only hope that I can see things clearly and come out the other side more stable and sure of myself than when I went in...

Off Topic? - Not this time!

I seem to say so much in a blog post that by the end of it there are soooo many different topics going on that I am not even sure what the post was supposed to be about!

Do you ever have that?

This week I am sticking to topic, and the topic is... #MyBlackmores!

It's been a week since the token almost nude 'Before' shot... and I promised I would up date with results, well I didn't update THAT post with results... But I did weigh and measure in on Monday, after a week on the program and I had lost 1.2kg and about 20cm's... Now I say Had because on Monday that was my loss... it may be less, but is hopefully more, by now!

20cm's is an 'about' simply because at the time of initial measurements I had to under take the 'string and ruler' technique and on Monday I found my sewing tape to measure off properly, so I am allowing for variation due to mis-measuring the first time!

I am THRILLED with my result, even more thrilled at the fact that I did a 20 minute interval work out on the treadmill the other day, between walking (5km/h) and jogging (7km/h) I covered 1.83km's in that 20 minutes and it was only in the last minute of running that my ankle started to ache and hurt a little! Huge improvement and HUGE deal for me regarding ability to exercise, gain fitness and lose weight!

I have booked myself in to a 'walk date' this weekend and I will be walking between 6 and 13 km's depending how we all pull up at the half way point!

So back to my experience on the program.

I find having a Menu Plan, Exercise Plan and Diary really helpful.  Although, I haven't actually used any of the recipes yet, a bunch of people in the #opmovesomekilos group have and claim they are somewhat delicious.  I have found it a helpful way to establish a base for portion control.  Such as eating a 150g NOT 300g of Steak for dinner!
It has given me some idea on different varieties of foods to consider, especially when it comes to breakfasts and lunches, which I always struggle to spend a little time preparing because I don't want to think about it!
The exercise plan I have sign on for gives me 3 rest days a week, I expect that I will add exercise to those days as I get further on but for the moment I am happy.  It gives me some variety and a combination of strength, toning and cardio workouts.
The diary is by far the best part.  You record what you eat and the exercise you do and it gives you a breakdown of calories and even a breakdown of key minerals and vitamins so you can see at a glance where you can improve on your diet and exercise. 

I do have some issues, as the type of person who cooks with a 'in the fridge? Use it' motto, I don't tend to follow recipes a lot, which means inputting all of my meals by individual ingredients, and while that is possible and you can save 'combo's' for ease of adding them (eg. the way you take your coffee/tea) When you cook like I do, you never have 2 meals that are remotely similar in the makeup.  So I am forever changing ingredients from one thing to another and I don't want to have to weigh 8 different ingredients before I start cooking a meal just so I know I am not going too far over my intake... In addition to that, When I do weigh it all up and add it, it is recorded as 1 serve, with no option to change the food you input to a dinner for 4 or 6 or a recipe for muesli bars into 24 individual bars.  Which means working out how much you ate ie. 0.04 of the recipe (muesli bars) as your actual intake, rather than just 1 serve... (I do hope that makes sense)
So there is a whole lot of math in there that I just can't don't want, to do!

I have been doing it to date, because well... I need to keep up with it until I am confident in my ability to not 'over serve' myself.
I have been under or on target for Calorie intake on all but 1 of my days so far, and I am not feeling hungry or like I am missing out, I have cut back from 2 sugars in my hot drinks to 1/2 a sugar because I have a better diet I can taste the minimal sugar in my drinks and I find it sickeningly sweet to eat even a small amount of chocolate now. 
With July coming up FAST, I am even more aware because it happens to be the families big 'birthday' month with 6 birthdays in my close family this month, I can see I am going to need to pick up on the exercise pace to cover all those birthday cakes and desserts!

If you have any great dessert recipes that are low sugar/carbs please share!
I would love to add some desserts into my menu!

As promised... here I am, in my undies!

So on Monday I officially started doing the My Blackmores Program, along with a bunch of other gorgeous women from OperationMOVE, which I have been really slack with this year!

You can check out who is taking part and all the relevant social media info for them over at Kate Says Stuff. It is with HUGE thanks to Blackmores and Kate, for giving me a free 3 month membership.  They offer you a free 14 day trial if you are interested, or you can try you hand at WINNING a full 3 month membership over at The Shake thanks to Kate and Blackmores again!

As per my promise on various social media on Monday, I am here to share my token 'before' photo... in my underwear!  Look away now if you are about to eat or drink ANYTHING! Bahaha

Weighing in at 103.8kg (sorry about the cracked mirror)

I weigh in on Mondays and will update here with my new weight then, hopefully I will see some pretty awesome changes over the next 12 weeks!

I am currently doing the Weightloss program with an intermediate walk and tone exercise combination. 

What it has shown me so far is that if I eat regular healthy meals, I don't feel hungry and I eat better.  I don't snack on junk because I am more aware and I never leave it until I am REALLY hungry and just grab that sugar packed snack because it is easy!

The exercise program requires little or no equipment and I can do most things in my home, or around it!  I do have a treadmill and though my program tells me to walk outside as a SAHM to a 4 year old 5 days a week, it is hard to get a brisk 30 minute walk in at all let alone outside!  Also my Ankle injury is still healing and walking on uneven bush surfaces will not work well with it!

So far I am happy, the program has made me more aware of what, when and how I eat.
And although I knew I wasn't eating well before, this has given me the kick I needed to really focus on getting on track.  My overall goal is to be a healthier version of myself.  I will be losing weight as part of that journey because I have some health issues that can be *helped* by losing weight (PCOS)
I will also be gaining fitness, and increasing my energy and motivation. 
I have an ideal goal weight of around 70kg's, however, if I make it to 75/80/85 and feel happy with where I am I will try and maintain what feels right for me. 
Given that I was around 80kg and a size 12-14 when I left high school almost 15 years ago, as a relatively healthy teenager.  I think I might be happy with that!

Feel free to comment with any words of support :p

I understand that my before photo probably isn't what a lot of people will find attractive, but you need to know I love who I am, I am not ashamed of it and I am proud of what this body has achieved for me to this point in my life! 
On to *smaller*? and better things...

Love, Laughter and Happiness
Katie

Single Parenting 101...

I don't presume to have any of this worked out after all I am a married woman who, thankfully, doesn't have to single parent 24/7, or even 24/6 or 5, 4, 3... you get the picture!

My husband leaves home between 7.30 and 8am, and gets home between 5 and 5.30 most week nights and doesn't work on the weekends.

What right do I have at claiming any knowledge of single parenting?

Well last night my hubby was at a friends house, he left the house at a regular time before I was out of bed, as I have sick children who didn't attend school...  he is expected home... well he isn't.  He will get here when he gets here.
Before the kids go to bed? after? Who knows but going by experience it will be after I am in bed also.

To get on the track of my daily journey...

1.  Do get up and make breakfast INSTANTLY the moment your child asks... dire meltdowns are likely to ensue if you do not!

2.  Do not single parent while suffering menstrual cramps and depressive downers... it will only make you feel worse!

3.  Do spend all day laying on the couch and encouraging your child/ren to play computers/TV's/Playstations/Tablets... in the hopes they leave you in peace and quiet for 2 minutes!

4.  Don't get any quiet because they constantly fight even though there are plenty of those items to go around!

5.  Do feed and water said children regularly

6.  Don't feed them the only food you have in the house... it is bound to be WRONG and tantrums be encountered!

7.  Do search the entire house for the only cup the 4yo will drink out of.

8.  Don't tell her to find it, it only causes tantrums even though she was the last one to use it and the only one to have any inkling as to where it might be now!

9.  Do be absolutely filled with gratitude when hubby gets home much earlier than expected and takes charge of the bedtime routine.

10. Don't get so absorbed in watching TV shows until way later than you should have gone to bed... when you get up the next morning you start to re-live the entire mess!


I am envious of the people out there who do this alone.
Envious of your strength, courage, conviction and perseverance.

Certainly not envious of the job you do day in and out, as I realise all to well just how easily I have it compared to others!

Do you have a Single Parenting 101 tip?

Please add to my list. 
10 does not equal 101... and adding a second party to number 9 sort of cancels out the single parenting factor!

Thankful Thursday - Time to Blog

Things have been a bit manic here these past couple of weeks.

First there was ensuring preparation for Easter, then there was preparing for a wedding, then there was sick children, GP visits and complete madness!

I had a great day with the Easter preparation, hubby and I went shopping with a good friend and got him all sorted for his first Easter with his daughter.  She is 7/8 and has been spending every other weekend with him since she was old enough to be away from her mum, but he had never had her over the entire Easter weekend before!  It was a great day shopping, laughing, enjoying company and spoiling a friend in need.

I am thankful for friends, for being in the position to help friends, and for being the type of person who will help friends when needed!

The WEDDING, oh, the wedding!

How wonderfully special are Weddings?  So much joy and love and emotion!

I had everything ready except my own clothes! So I had a brilliant Idea to make myself some new pants on the morning of the wedding!  It pushed the timing and the organising to the MAX but I pulled it off, without a hitch and all dressed in new pants, we are all in the car and on our way.  We stop to buy some tissues and lunch about 30 minutes from home, with 15 minutes still to reach the venue, when I suddenly had a sinking feeling that I hadn't put the children's clothes in car!  They are the flower girls and ring bearer... I had spent hours making some gorgeous dresses for the girls and a vest and bow-tie for the little man... and I had left them all at home! We had an hour before 'start time' and WAY more than an hours travel time to get the clothes and get to the venue...
WTF am I going to do? How did this happen? ARRRGGGGHHHH!

So we continued to the venue all the while making phone call after phone call that went straight to message bank! 
In the end I rang my grandmother, who drove to my house, broke in, got the clothes and then drove to meet my husband, who I had decided had to be the driver to collect the clothes because I was an absolute mess, and there was NO WAY, I could drive that distance safely and make good time!

I am thankful for,  understanding and helpful people:
My Nan - for almost killing herself to break into my house and deliver the clothes to my husband
My Hubby - for driving the most awesome time, safely, to fix my fuck up and safe his sister's wedding, from ME!
The Photographer - for keeping the Bride constantly in the loop and holding her departure off until my hubby got back with the clothes!
The Bride - for being understanding and absolutely amazing.
The Groom - for the same reasons... shit could have gone so wrong!

The Guests - who seemed to be very accepting of the delay.

The weather that started raining on us all at the time the ceremony *should* have happened, but broke shortly before the clothes arrived for my children.

My Children for being absolutely gorgeous and so very well behaved, especially given the sicknesses they had just recovered from!

Is that enough Thanks?

I am also thankful to have a new brother in law (although really he has been for a while in my eyes)
I am thankful I have the knowledge and skills to create clothes for my children.
I am thankful that people had faith that I could do it, and that my mistakes are seen as just part of the drama that goes with a wedding!

I am thankful for not completely losing my shit until we arrived home late that night.

and Because it is Thankful Thursday I am Thankful for Leigh at Six by the Bay for allowing the link up!

If I manage 12 posts this year it will be a miracle!

You know the one where you have been sooo busy, but have really done nothing?

Yup that one!

Maybe it is just that I haven't been able to come up with anything to blog about, in what? Over a month!!!

So lets try...
The one where you know it is going to rain, you know your roof is a bit of a sieve, and you still manage to not get to all the leaky bits BEFORE they leak...

How about...
The one where you totes know how fricken awesome you are, but the world just isn't turning on your terms!

Or...
The one where you are part of this fantastic bloggy fitness connection #operationMOVE, and you sprain your ankle playing your first game of Netball in FOREVER and can't walk for 3 weeks!

Then...
That one where you realise you said YES to doing something wonderful and awesome and magnificent for your equally, awesome and magnificent SIL, and less than 2 weeks before it is needed it still isn't finished?

and don't forget...
The one where you KNOW it is going to rain, you are completely out of clean clothes and you still work on that SIL thing and don't get any washing done on what promises to be the last nice clothes drying day for about a week... yes, YES... That was yesterday!

But then there is...
The one where your heating is by wood heater and you have no firewood to speak of and you really just keep putting off making the phone call to BUY it because there is 15 ACRES of bush out there god damn it!


It is THANKFUL THURSDAY over at Six by the Bay so I am playing linky,
and I am thankful for the cool, wet change we are experiencing, because we need it and I am over the Summer Heat, yes even in TASMANIA!!!  :D

Thank Fuck it's Friday

You know I Swear, and a lot of the time, I swear a lot!

I have been criticised and reprimanded for it by many people over time.
Has it changed me?  Not, at all, so much.
What has that to do with this blog post?  Well nothing except it shows that using 'fuck' in the title isn't all that odd of me! 


I missed the blog date with Leigh over at Six by the bay, yesterday for Thankful Thursday! But in spite of my laziness you can still go check it out. (and I will be thankful at the end of this post, because everyday is something to be thankful for right?)

*Cue Screaming 3.5yo who gets into my head and has made me lose all train of thought!*


- Thankful that it is Friday... and this means the weekend, and Sunday is Me time at a Goddess Workshop. YAY!

- Thankful to my Hubby who will take charge of dinner tonight, because I have been useless at it all year week.

- Thankful for the electronic devices that with luck keep the 3.5yo entertained for hours minutes and give me a chance to blog do nothing.

and 3 is it for today because well Meh!

The way life goes! - Give Thanks

I have been meaning to post for a while, and as much as I have lots in my head to get out, I just can't sit and type it out, or if I do it comes out sounding completely ridiculous!

'Out of touch', it is what I have been feeling for a long time now... since long before Christmas.

I have identified with many, many blog posts on depression and anxiety over the last months.

 - Feeling sorry for myself.
 - Feeling guilt, about not doing All.The.Things
 - Feeling anxious, about making simple phonecalls

I have identified with a lot of things others have said, fallen into the 'at risk' zones of all the questionaires at random websites!

I have talked to the people who need to know.

I am not ok at the moment, and there is possibly nothing any one can do to help me be ok.
And that is fine with me...

I have researched, I am working on it.

The cycle will continue to move forward and I with it.

The process will be long, and at times I will be dragged forward rather than pushing through.  That is ok.
I am not willing to seek medication yet.
I am making small changes and bigger changes, exercise, practicing Gratitude and I think a diet overhaul are all things I need to approach.  If that doesn't all help I may consider a GP visit.

So, in the spirit of starting something new... 5 things I am Thankful for...

 - My 3 delightful Children, who inspire, challenge and delight me, although they demolish my boundaries and trample my spirit at times, they fill my heart with joy (at least once a day).

 - My Husband, we have had moments, both small and large.  I love him more than words, and although at times I am not always 'in love' with him, that only allows moments for me to fall for him all over again!

 - My Home, a rundown, in desperate need of repair, country house.  It is leaky, but solid, it holds and protects my family and belongings, on a quiet, remote piece of Tasmania.  Providing solitude and comfort.

 - The Internets, through all it's insanely ridiculous content, I have found support, encouragement and dare I say friendship?  I may not have met people in real life, they may not even know who I am or that I blog, but there is a sense of connection and commitment that brings me joy.

 - Family, they are there when needed, but do not interfere, they listen, they accept, even when they don't 'get it'.  They provide me with challenges, and believe in my ability, when sometimes even I have doubts.


Are you feeling Thankful today? Do you need support, encouragement, a hug? *internet hugs gladly given*

Linking up because it's Tuesday and I blogged!

Check In - December is OVER!!

Yeah ok, so that December ending thing happened a while back didn't it?!

Being true to my blogging form I haven't posted in over a month!

So this is a catch up post and a bit of a commitment record for both January and 2013!

I can't say I had a great Christmas, nor can I say I had a bad one! For the most part Christmas isn't really my thing, but all the other family members seemed to enjoy it and that is enough for me!

I didn't get all the presents completed, but didn't really need to in the end either! I do have to finish one, but thankfully, my Sister in Law is forgiving!

On to New Year and we had a quiet family night watching some TV shows.  The youngest only made it to 11pm, but it is just a late night for her anyway as she doesn't get it yet!

Linking up with Fitness Friday over at Mountains and Musings

 

My yearly commitments come in here! I am participating in OperationMOVE over at Kate Says Stuff again this month after my complete failure in December!
My commitment is to reach 700 minutes for the month, with a secondary goal of losing 1kg per week, and a Primary goal for the year to try and reach 80kg before the end of it all!
This is a big Target for me, I started the year at 107.9kg, and am currently 107.3kg... so not really enough of a drop!  However to maintain it is what will be hard!
I have a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which in my case means that I have higher levels of 'male' hormones than the average woman, it caused me some fertility problems about 7 years ago which were (luckily) easily reversed by losing some weight.  It means I will always struggle to lose weight and will put on weight easier than women without the condition.  But if I do lose the weight, the condition lessens in severity, so I have been told!

Anyway, excuses aside.  This month I have done 270 of my 700 minutes, and also spent a lot of time in the water swimming and mucking around while I was camping.
I am home now and in desperate need of new running/walking shoes, so I can get stuck in to the treadmill again.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated!
I am not a fan of shoe shopping!