I am worth it

I want to get fit and healthy.  I  have work hard all year to loose a few kilograms and to be able to run 5km around the roads.  Not fast understand but at my gentle pace.   I was truely prompted to do this when in November 2010 I got seriously sick.  I then realised that I couldn't afford not to look after myself and set out on this journey.


Now 12 months later I am finding my balance weight and can run as I wished.

I have done it.

I am worth it.

(credits Fragile Strength by L Grier)

Wordless Wednesday 29 November

Here is my photos for today.  Spring (well almost Summer) is such a beautiful time of the year.

I am linking to My Little Drummer Boys

Reaping the Rewards

There is nothing more satisfying than sitting outside on my deck after a hard days work reaping the rewards of all that labour.  It all started looking like this

and here we are now, well for the moment.  (Of course there is still work to be done but it is somewhat of a long term project.)

Peace reigns and I can briefly sit back and enjoy.  Long may it last.

Monday Menu 28 November

Can you believe that it is nearly December.  Thankfully there is only 2 1/2 weeks until the end of the school year and then we can relax, well that is after I have organised one birthday party and a Christmas party.

Here is my menu for this week.  I am linking this post to I'm an Organising Junkie

Monday  Quiche with salad

Tuesday  freezer meal

Wednesday  Meatloaf and salad

Thursday  Beef Stirfry

Friday   Hamburgers

Saturday  Leftovers

I hope have a great week.

Out

I have to honest I don't get to go out in the evening so much.  This is for an number of excuses reasons so this year the opportunity to go to an end of the year function came my way.  DH was away so I organised my baby sitter (thanks Dad) worked out how to manage Haydens needs, and off I went.  I had a lovely time and have promised myself to embrace these opportunities that come my way just a little more.

(credits  bug trail from Happy Garden from WW
scatter elements from SS4 from WW
paper and butterfly from Midnight Magic by Digi Illustions at Nuts4Digi

Font is Brown Bear)

I have to admit that it is a terrible photo of me as I forgot to get a photo before I went out so you get to see the really tired me.

As DH is away working much of each month it is pot luck as to whether he will be home to accompany me out and about.  So if I am to do this some more then I will have to plan for him being away but hope he will actually be rostered home.

I voted

It is not compulsory in New Zealand to vote at a General Election but I always feel that I can't sit here and complain about the state of things if I don't vote.  So with the children in tow off I went.

Excitedly the children spotted the signs tells me where to go to vote.

Of course a technical hitch meant I had to make a special vote.  Five minutes of paper work, naturally Hayden needed a toilet break at this time, and McKenzie asking me full volume what I was voting for in the referendum.   30 seconds later the voting done and I am out the door.

Balance

Just sometimes life needs a little balance. ...especially at this time of the year.  Fingers cross life doesn't get too hectic at this time of the year for everyone.

(Credit Chakra by Viva Designs)

Wordless Wednesday 23 November

Welcome to Wordless Wednesday. 

and then there is the one that is not quite in focus

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys

Monday Menu 21 November

Three and a half weeks until the end of the school year and everyone is getting tired so my meals are getting much easier to throw together.

Monday  Meatballs and spaghetti

Tuesday  Steak and Kidney crockpot stew.

Wednesday  flaffels in pita with rice with salad

Thursday  sweet and sour chicken stirfry

Friday  homemade pizza

Saturday  quiche with salad (the link is a video)

Sunday  leftovers.

I am linking this post to I'm an Organising Junkie

10 Reasons not to Play Violin.

So Andre plays violin and as I sit there I have noted the reason he is handing me as to why he should not learn to play violin.   This happens as he gets really tired towards the end of the school term and especially the school year as it is now.  So here they are ....

1.   I don’t like pracitse.
2.  I never wanted to play anyway.
3.  It’s all your fault Mum.
4.  It takes too long.
5.  I can’t see my fingers to get it right
6.  Practise is boring.
7.  I have given up.
8.  I don’t sound good so I shouldn’t play.
9.  I can’t remember that bit.
10.  Hayden is distracting me.

( This page is made with Crescendo kit by Nutkin Tailz Designs at Nuts4digi)

The Best time of the Night...

The best time of the night is when sleep over takes the racing mind and dream land arrives. 

I love the fact that all the soft toys keep Hayden safe and tonight he is holding the book really tight in his sleep.

Wordless Wednesday 16 November

Another Wednesday and two of my children have been playing with boxes.  They decided to see if they could get inside the little boxes we have plenty of.

They got stuck and I had to help them out.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Cute Conversations 2

Andre    Hmmmm Lifes goooood when you are eating Fahijas




...................................................................................................................................................................


I guess there is nothing more to be said.

Mondays Menu 14 November

Welcome to Mondays menu in my house.  Nothing exciting this week but it is food and we all need to eat. 

Monday  Whole chicken (in crockpot) with baked potato and green salad

Tuesday  chicken (leftover from Monday) Fahija ( I will post the recipe for this when I blog later this week and link it)

Wednesday  Tuna patties in burgers.

Thursday  corn fritters with salad

Friday   meatballs on pasta

Saturday  cold meat and salad

Sunday   left overs

I am linking this post to I'm an Organising Junkie

Chocolate Chip Brownies

I thought being the entertaining time of the year I would test drive and sweet treat or two to whip up for such moments.

Today I tried the Chocolate Chip Brownie.  Actually I found the recipe on the packaging of one of the ingredients...being the sucker for advertising I am I bought what was needed and here we are.

I am no way linked to the products or the website that the recipe is from but there you go.  One very delicious, perhaps slightly undercooked but delicious brownie.  I would say only for special ocassions as it is very rich.

Fridays Fabulous 5

I thought this week I would share some of my favourite craft I have found on the internet.  Of course I am jealous that I do not have a craft moment in me, but that is not for the want of trying.

1.  Paper clips.....ok I can do this one and they are so cute.

2.  DIY Pantone chip magnets

3.  Stenciled tote bag

4.  Lanterns

5.  Ceramic tile coasters

Now there must be something I can manage here.  Off to think about it.

Discouraged

There are days when I feel discouraged.  My life revolves around my family....I wouldn't have it any other way...I love it in fact.  But today Hayden has a gastro bug and with his medical condition it needs serious attention.  While he is not sick enough to be in hospital (which is what the case would usually be) he can't go to school which is fair enough.  Sadly being home with Hayden when he is sick is not like my other children.  He is not tolerating any of his medicines and that means special plans, careful hydration processes and constant monitoring.  A lack of behaviour modification medication means he is unable to sit still or concentrate on any task for any length of time. 

Today Hayden is not sick enough to be lying around.  He does not know what to do with himself and because of his ADHD, today he is unable to do anything and it is extraordinarily difficult to keep him entertained.   In fact today Hayden behaved anything but sick except for the many visits to the toilet.

It really is discouraging, that today just like many other in the past and as will be in the future, Hayden runs the fine line of being in hospital or not.  Oh how I wish sometimes,  that thing are not the way they and my child life was medically just like every other fun loving child.

Just as well these thoughts are short lived isn't it.

Here is Hayden at 7am today.  Looking a tad dehydrated (by about 1kg in weight) hooked up to his pump which is pumping water directly into his stomach. 

Wordless Wednesday 9 November

It is Wednesday again.  Wow the days and weeks are rolling around quickly.

Here is my photo.

I am linking up to My Little Drummer Boys

The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift I can give my children is one of opportunity.  One that listens to their inner self and finds a way to help them start on the journey they dream of.  In fact it might even be an opportunity that they have not yet identified in themselves but I can see.   it.  No pressure from me to be a ‘little me’ but an opportunity that matches their special skills and talents. 


It sure is the greatest gift I can give. 

This scrapbooking page shows Andre learning violin. 

(the credits for this page can be found here)

Monday Menu 7 November

Here I am again.  Got to love summer this side of the world and all those fabulous vegetables and fruits that you can find around and about.

Here is my menu.

Monday   chicken stirfry and noodles (a fabulously easy recipe)

Tuesday  tandori lamb kebabs

Wednesday   spaghetti carbonara

Thursday   crock pot whole chicken with baked potato and green salad

Friday   dinner out with my children.

Saturday   tuna patties in hamburgers.

Sunday    bbq

I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie

Cute Conversation 1

You need to read this remembering that Haydens cognative age is 2 - 3 years old even though he is 9 years old.

Me     What are you doing Hayden?

Hayden      Making

Me    You need to turn the hammer around Hayden

Hayden    No I can't I am 4 (years old)

Me  Can I help you Hayden

Hayden  ...continues hammering away.

Me    ouch (as he hammers my fingers)

still under renovation

Still upgrading my blog.....I can see there are some errors but that will be for tomorrow.

Sorry

My blog is under renovation.

Ok my blog is under renovation.  Please excuse me while I make some changes.  it could taken me some time to work things out.

Wordless Wednesday 2 November

Here is my photo this week.  More renovations but as you can see my son immitating his father by helping.  I love the candidness of this photo.

I am linking this post up to My Little Drummer Boys.

Happy Wordless Wednesday

My Camera

It doesn’t matter which way I look at it, my camera is all I think of when it comes to a precious possession. All the memories that it records, all the journalling that I am prompted to write. The good times, the sad, the happy and mad time all recorded to look back on and wonder what would it have been like if I did not have my camera. Cherished moments forever safely recorded.

Now I just need to get my scrapbooking printed out then it can be enjoyed by everyone.

(the credits can be found here)