Rewarding Challenges

Today I had an appointment with the physio to treat these painful shin splints (pain in the muscle), I will hopefully go for a small jog tonight or tomorrow morning and following stretches three times a day and arch supports for my shoes I should be back to pounding the streets and longer distances (or should I say gracefully striding along on my toes) fingers crossed as I'm finding running very rewarding of late.
 Speaking of rewarding, today was the end of our sugar challenge!!!  I found it really helped my diet in ways previously mentioned and although I cannot wait to indulge in pancakes with maple syrup and strawberries I have no desire to eat 2-3 rows of chocolate or add sugar to my coffee.
 Another area that I've been challenging myself lately is the dreaded budget.  I like to go over it every couple of months, especially when I feel like going on a big shopping spree it changes my perspective of whats important.  So this month the aim was to cut food and groceries down buy $100 per week and general spending/shopping down by $150 per week.  In two weeks I've gotten groceries down by $200 and I've not been shopping for myself or the children or home etc in a fortnight!  I don't know how long this will last but if I can achieve a month of no clothes shopping etc every say six months and stick to the new budget every spending month than  that would be quite wonderful.  My budget is quite generalized for spending I have food (this includes cafes,groceries and even magazines), general spending(clothes, entertainment, toys, car wash etc),  bills, house repayments/ interest, fuel and cash out.  I find this gives me a little more freedom, if I want to eat out a lot one week I'll cut down on some items at the supermarket etc.  Some days or weeks we need a little frivolity as opposed to counting every last dollar.  Next month I'm going to compare our electricity supplier with others and hopefully safe a bit there also.  Going back to my groceries and food budget I've replaced one of my Safeway shops with Aldi and have found a great little fruit shop which has great tasting produced (sometimes a little blemished, less chemicals perhaps?) and it's really very cheap.  We only eat meat 2-3 times a week, although we eat fish 2-3 times which can be expensive however very HEALTHY so worth it, And also I'm going to save heaps on Chocolate and Sugar!! x

Happy thoughts before bed

I'm on my way to bed, I feel drained and sleepy and am going to bed earlier than usual which is another of my little challenges this week.  It has been a long day, very emotional and I've thought way to much, am sure that I shall sleep well tonight and a new day should be there waiting in the morning.  I did go for a run today which of course helped but I later realised that my phone is not working at all and so have missed my husbands little message's throughout the day which always give me strength.
 So happy thoughts before bed, I have a beautiful little life that I'm very in love with, I am still challenging myself and growing as a person, meeting wonderful people, my beautiful husband is home in 3 or 4 sleeps, I found words of encouragement and although written by a stranger I'm sure they were aimed at me, my 3 little angels are safe and well tucked up in their beds dreaming of their special places and I remembered to lock-up the chickens  tonight (Jack frost has been out of late). Nighty night. x 

A little bit of Saturday....

Beautiful day at the beach today, fresh salty air, gorgeous company and envy over those lucky few on there boards in that glorious swell.....ooooohhh to be free to be free!  The children kicked of shoes and built sand castles while we sipped on lattes and milkshakes.  Lots of cuddles and daydreaming out to sea, that magical sea!  The children  and  I will awake in the morning revived from the salt air and the sun and I shall sneak out for a run as I missed out this morning.  Hopefully another sunny day and  outside again we can play!
No sugar now for SIX days, I'm proud to say that little in my cupboard  actually contains sugar apart from the sugar (which I've left on the bench) and the honey  and that chocolate which is still in the cupboard and not been touched since Sunday.  Each night I've fought my sugar cravings and by night two I ate and ate (sugar free), searching for the hit.  Tonight I've not even flinched, I don't think I want it, wow....
Today my phone is playing up, I cannot be heard when I make calls so it's like I've been prank calling people all day and I can hear them and their worried, confused voices.  The timing is perfect however as on Tuesday I ordered myself a new phone as the camera and often the touch screen don't work on my current one, to often man handled by kiddlets one, two and three!  Hubby also has the charger for our big camera and  he's away so I am having  big happy snap and hubby withdrawals! Watch out  happy snap blog coming up!! x

The Sugar what?????

I've just eaten a spinach, beetroot and goats cheese salad with chickpeas and lemon yogurt dressing, whoo hoo!  Mrs Spunky is doing a two week sugar free challenge, absolutely no sugar, no honey, nothing, zip, not a trace, she's even checking the ingredients on breads etc WHOO HOO!!!
 I decided to see if I could cut out the tsp of sugar I have in my coffee twice a day, It somehow was quite easy, I don't miss it at all, very surprising.  So as The Sugar Challenge date neared I somehow decided to see how I would go.  I'm still deciding if this was a good idea or not.  The timing was as good as it could get, the new fitness routine and step up from walking to jogging has really increased my confidence and enthusiasm.  Also my diet to date is quite balanced and contains minimal processed foods.  The real challenge for me, oh golly! "the kids are in bed and I'm exhausted, if I just fold that pile of washing and tidy up I can treat myself to 1/2 a block of top deck" challenge.........
It's day four and I'm coping, a little surprised to see what they sneak sugar into these days but going well.  It's quite amazing actually by challenging yourself how you end up looking for healthier alternatives rather than simply omitting sweet.  My downfalls in the healthy eating department are not enough fruit, not enough water and too much Chocolate.  While I've not yet found a replacement for my nightly binge (Mrs Spunky told me to try fruit, an orange perhaps, well last night I wanted to throw an orange at her! )  I've replaced honey on my porridge with dried and fresh fruits and afternoon snacks are now natural yogurt and fruit and nuts rather than well no yogurt and probably not enough fruit.
So these changes are okay, the one thing I've not omitted is the soy milk of which I probably drink 500ml a day, it contains raw sugar.  Everything else is gone. Yay!  I think I'm feeling better and I seem to be sleeping better, as the weeks progress I will notice more of a differnce.  Some of the girls are doing the challenge for weight-loss others for a healthier lifestyle, the idea is to make the challenge a couple of times annually to create a healthier happier you.  Have a look at  fitness food and style a very inspirational blog where Danny keeps a daily record of her diet, including photographs of the food and also before and after shots of her pregnancies.xx

 I would like to introduce.......

  

Little Bear....  Mr Spaghetti....   and      Miss Rabbit....  X

Simple and sweet

 Siting here in our backroom looking out into the surrounding bush watching the heavy clouds rambling through with each gust of wind, I've a moment to stop and enjoy one of the most rewarding yet simple things in life....A peaceful cuppa.
 Little Bear and Miss S (who now prefers to be called Little Rabbit) have had an exciting dress-up day at kinder and Mr Spaghetti has had an unexpected nap  and so now after healthy snacks in the car and warm milk at home they're content on being content...yay!!!
So in this moment of calm I'm looking out at the view and thinking back over the last few days and looking forward to the weekend ahead. We are now on holidays, we've a relaxing weekend approaching, I'm feeling happy and not drained as is often the case (new work-out routine to thank for this),  and my big accomplishment this week running the local lake 6km non-stop!  The thought however that is lingering in my mind at this time is when my darlings came to my bedroom recently requesting that I hop back into bed while presenting me with a bowl of  Weetbix and cold milk a glass of water and three beautiful smiles....Breakfast in bed! Melt my heart and how I cannot wait until they're old enough to use the stove and make me a coffee.
Simple little things that when taken note of  can be delightful and add difference to your day.  Letting a smile from a stranger reach your heart and uplift your mood, chatting with a neighbour as people generations before us did, complimenting someone knowing you may have helped turn their day around, catching up with good friends who make you feel great, three empty plates at the dinner table veggies and all, seeing the dining room cleared of ironing, a beautiful bird call that can be heard over everything else, a party invitation, listening in on a sweet imaginative conversation between children, romantic text or compliment from a loved one, chivalry and beautiful manners, and of course the smell of fresh washing that has dried on the line. Ahhhh.....Take note and let the simple things delight.x

Serenading the sitter

 35th birthday it read on the card, I quickly messaged the sitter are you free, are you free?   A glass of wine, some lippy and heels on my feet?  Please be free, oh be free, oh wonderful one,  I've people to meet and glances to steal,  faces to see that I've not seen for years.
 It's an old school friends birthday, we've laughing to do and stories to hear, Oh please say you'll do it my babysitting dear. Waiting and waiting for the sitters reply, who to ask next if the answer is "nigh"?
Oh what shall I wear? Should I drink or drive?  And who will be there?  If I know no-one I'll die.
Then I think to myself if it's no I won't mind, I've so much to do and so little time. It will be freezing out there and there's grey in my hair.  I can just stay at home, yeah I don't mind a no.  At home there's a fire and children to cuddle and wine in the cupboard if the days full of trouble.  I'll get a good sleep and pick up that book and defrost that chicken and have a good cook.  Well the moments arrived my phone says with a beep Oh what will it say as I jump to my feet! x