Oh wow! What a year we have in stall for us!
Getting fit.
Being frugal with our money.
Home-schooling our daughter.
Tough Mudder (a marathon of sorts).
The list goes on. But this is a big start! We have just tonight finished the 'alcoholic' drinks in the house, and don't plan on anymore until after our athletic adventure in August. The healthy eating part starts absolutely after we get back from holidays, you know how going away just kills the diet!
Well, to start with, this year we are super serious about fitness. I have been jogging lately, about a 3klm track around town. A little while ago I purchased a proper jogging pram so I can start extended runs when my boy goes back to school, in preparation for Tough Mudder.
Now, Tough Mudder. It is a extreme obstacle course designed by UK special forces. It is popular over seas, and made an Australian apearance last year in Victoria and NSW. 2013 is QLD's turn, and my Husband and I are in! 10miles of torture. Well, not so much, but a good excuse to get fit and have a good time with friends. Hence, the endurance running and I might finally get some upper body strength! We are not wanting to come first, but to finish. We don't want to become 'worlds toughest mudder' (a title which you can compete for). I guess the main reason we are participating is motivation for fitness, and it is something we can do as a team and show our children how to work towards a common goal. I am looking forward to the rewards my family will reap from this adventure. And the best part? I should have a bikini ready body come next summer! Lol, gosh, I have 2 children, just being fit would be good enough for me!
This year we are also becoming extremely frugal with our money. Meaning no spending on unnecessary material objects. The only things I intend spending money on is groceries. To make one thing clear, I am not telling you this to brag, but to officially committ to this task. No more sales, unsolicited spending, or unplanned purchases. Sure, we may need new underware at some stage, but we have more than enough to live and we need to start learning to live with what we have. We are off to the coast soon for a holiday, and this will be a true test of our frugal living start! Wish us luck.
Finally, I am home schooling Little Miss 4 this year. E-kindy is a new program started by the Brisbane School of Distance Education last year. She was too young then, but we are able to give it a go this year. I am keen for the one on one committment to 'play' with her this year, and I look forward to logging her progress. I will keep you updated on that one!
So, 2012 is gone, 2013 is here, I am 4 day out from Master 5's birthday, totally NOT prepared (especially with our new frugal living regieme). Good luck and best wishes for what lies ahead of you all!
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Friday, 28 December 2012
Making Memories.
This morning I am at a park in town with my kids.
As I watch them play I begin to think.
How much longer will they enjoy me taking them to the park? I love watching them play and develop their gross motor skills, and their social skills. I love that we are outside enjoying this beautiful environment, and not stuck in front of some tv show.
This coming year Little Miss 4 'qualifies' to go to kindy, but with limited kindy places out here I have decided to do kindy through distance education. Early Childhood is, after all, my background, and I am really lookong forward to the quality bonding I will get with my daughter.
But, as her schooling time grows closer, I am a little sad that soon I wont have as many opportunities to take my kids to the park. I think it will be a great excuse then to pack up the camper and explore different parks a little further away, after all, I will have a little more time on my hands to prepare for things like that too!
As I watch them play I begin to think.
How much longer will they enjoy me taking them to the park? I love watching them play and develop their gross motor skills, and their social skills. I love that we are outside enjoying this beautiful environment, and not stuck in front of some tv show.
This coming year Little Miss 4 'qualifies' to go to kindy, but with limited kindy places out here I have decided to do kindy through distance education. Early Childhood is, after all, my background, and I am really lookong forward to the quality bonding I will get with my daughter.
But, as her schooling time grows closer, I am a little sad that soon I wont have as many opportunities to take my kids to the park. I think it will be a great excuse then to pack up the camper and explore different parks a little further away, after all, I will have a little more time on my hands to prepare for things like that too!
Friday, 21 December 2012
4 sleeps till christmas!
Just in case you had lost count, there are only 4 sleeps left till christmas day, HOW EXCITING!!!
Well, I hope you are excited?
A few weeks ago I went to big town with Little Miss 4 and we passed the santa photo shoot in the shopping centre. She got a little excited and waved, cautiously. On our return past I asked if she wanted to give him a cuddle. She was really excited and keen until I got her out the trolley and the mood went down hill from there. So I didn't push the issue, put her back in the trolley and off we went. She happily waved as we went past and that was it. I didn't mind at that stage as I wanted a picture with both the kids, and as Master 5 was absent from our outing, we decided to see Santa again another day.
We have since had a few christmas events where 'Santa' has made an appearance. Master 5 declared that one of the Santas was not real cause he had string through his beard. Mind you he was wearing footy shorts and a pair of thongs too! All the frestivities have toughened Little Miss 4 and made her more trusting of the big red guy, and lately she has taken to giving him cuddles everytime we see him.
It was a little magical yesterday at the shops (sounds like all I do is shop!). We saw santa at one shopping centre and the kids said 'Hi' and gave him cuddles and they even got a little gift, then we went to the next shopping centre. They had a santa chair and christmas trees but no santa. By the time we got out of the supermarket, guess who had arrived? Yep,'Santa' had arrived. He must have finished up at the last place and magically made his way to this place too! Boy that made the kids day! It excites me that my children are avid believers, keeps the magic more real, and gives more meaning to christmas.
I have gotten christmas pictures every year with my kids, this year being no different. In the past I have not cared if the picture was good or not, I just wanted one. And every year they have not disappointed and there has been one sad child in the pictures. I must say after our false start with our santa aversion this year, our picture turned out pretty great.
Well, I hope you are excited?
A few weeks ago I went to big town with Little Miss 4 and we passed the santa photo shoot in the shopping centre. She got a little excited and waved, cautiously. On our return past I asked if she wanted to give him a cuddle. She was really excited and keen until I got her out the trolley and the mood went down hill from there. So I didn't push the issue, put her back in the trolley and off we went. She happily waved as we went past and that was it. I didn't mind at that stage as I wanted a picture with both the kids, and as Master 5 was absent from our outing, we decided to see Santa again another day.
We have since had a few christmas events where 'Santa' has made an appearance. Master 5 declared that one of the Santas was not real cause he had string through his beard. Mind you he was wearing footy shorts and a pair of thongs too! All the frestivities have toughened Little Miss 4 and made her more trusting of the big red guy, and lately she has taken to giving him cuddles everytime we see him.
It was a little magical yesterday at the shops (sounds like all I do is shop!). We saw santa at one shopping centre and the kids said 'Hi' and gave him cuddles and they even got a little gift, then we went to the next shopping centre. They had a santa chair and christmas trees but no santa. By the time we got out of the supermarket, guess who had arrived? Yep,'Santa' had arrived. He must have finished up at the last place and magically made his way to this place too! Boy that made the kids day! It excites me that my children are avid believers, keeps the magic more real, and gives more meaning to christmas.
I have gotten christmas pictures every year with my kids, this year being no different. In the past I have not cared if the picture was good or not, I just wanted one. And every year they have not disappointed and there has been one sad child in the pictures. I must say after our false start with our santa aversion this year, our picture turned out pretty great.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Shoes!
Master 5 read Little Miss 4's christmas stocking to her "Santa, Put Yourself in My Shoes".
Being the clever little girl she is, Little Miss 4 went over and read the stocking back to her brother, "Santa, Put Myself in Your Shoes".
Thinking about what she had just said, Little Miss 4 asked me "are Santa's shoes big enough"?
Being the clever little girl she is, Little Miss 4 went over and read the stocking back to her brother, "Santa, Put Myself in Your Shoes".
Thinking about what she had just said, Little Miss 4 asked me "are Santa's shoes big enough"?
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Misconception.
A little while ago when we went to town, there was a big fence around a construction site. On the fence was the construction company signs with their name on it. Driving past Master 5 got really excited and exclaimed they were building a beach!
Now, last time I looked, that is not what I saw, and couldn't understand why he would think such a thing, but I let him live in his hope of an inland oasis.
Just recently, when we drove past, he finally understood as most of the company signs had been taken away and a new one stating a petrol station was opening soon.
Makes you wonder why we all can't be as simple (or complicated, depending on what day we are at) as a 5year old. Beech Constructions, you really let my son down!
Now, last time I looked, that is not what I saw, and couldn't understand why he would think such a thing, but I let him live in his hope of an inland oasis.
Just recently, when we drove past, he finally understood as most of the company signs had been taken away and a new one stating a petrol station was opening soon.
Makes you wonder why we all can't be as simple (or complicated, depending on what day we are at) as a 5year old. Beech Constructions, you really let my son down!
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Colourful!
It is so hard to relinquish creative control of the christmas tree to the kids, when you have been the only person decorate it for many many years. But this year, I did. Completely. Well, almost!
I have previously had all gold decorations and loved my tree. But this year I had to use some of my tinsel for a school project, so when it came to buying more (with Little Miss 4 in tow), the choice in colour was no longer mine. So purple and green it was.
Having picked up my 12yo niece this morning, she is staying with us for 2 weeks, I had a nice helping hand to set up the tree (so much so that it made it easier to sit back and watch!). So each child had a colour to decorate the tree with. As hard as it was to watch Little Miss 4 put all of her baubles together, I just sat on the sofa and let them do it.
Then it came to the lights. Oh well, at least it was not as noticable re-adjusting them!
And next to put up the other house decorations and lights. Might wait a little while until it cools down!
I have previously had all gold decorations and loved my tree. But this year I had to use some of my tinsel for a school project, so when it came to buying more (with Little Miss 4 in tow), the choice in colour was no longer mine. So purple and green it was.
Having picked up my 12yo niece this morning, she is staying with us for 2 weeks, I had a nice helping hand to set up the tree (so much so that it made it easier to sit back and watch!). So each child had a colour to decorate the tree with. As hard as it was to watch Little Miss 4 put all of her baubles together, I just sat on the sofa and let them do it.
Then it came to the lights. Oh well, at least it was not as noticable re-adjusting them!
And next to put up the other house decorations and lights. Might wait a little while until it cools down!
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Getting busier!
I like it when things fall into place.
I have had a rather busy week, and more to come but this time of year I guess that is inevitable!
After a busy day shopping in spotlight :-) today, I am finally home and happy with my purchases (although I don't think I will be shopping again anytime too soon).
I have been a little worried lately that mabey Little Miss 4 wont be doing kindy of any kind next year. I did not enrol her into kindy in town, but am trying for a distance education approach. I sent some paperwork away a few months ago, and was getting worried we might not make it into the program, but I get home today and there is the email awaiting more information! Looks like things are falling into place.
I know she won't be socialising by doing kindy at home, but she is extremely social anyhow, and I don't feel this is an issue for my Little Girl! She has a best friend, and lots of playmates we regularly catch up with, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And I am pretty darned excited to have this opportunity to introduce lots of special 'learning' things to Little Miss 4 in a Mummy-Daughter situation. We already have a special bond and I am sure this will go a long way in cementing that for her future.
My head is now buzzing with excitement! All the crafty stuff I bought today and the projects I have in mind. Now this kindy opportunity is becoming more realistic. Wow, add that to all the outdoor adventures we have!
I have had a rather busy week, and more to come but this time of year I guess that is inevitable!
After a busy day shopping in spotlight :-) today, I am finally home and happy with my purchases (although I don't think I will be shopping again anytime too soon).
I have been a little worried lately that mabey Little Miss 4 wont be doing kindy of any kind next year. I did not enrol her into kindy in town, but am trying for a distance education approach. I sent some paperwork away a few months ago, and was getting worried we might not make it into the program, but I get home today and there is the email awaiting more information! Looks like things are falling into place.
I know she won't be socialising by doing kindy at home, but she is extremely social anyhow, and I don't feel this is an issue for my Little Girl! She has a best friend, and lots of playmates we regularly catch up with, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. And I am pretty darned excited to have this opportunity to introduce lots of special 'learning' things to Little Miss 4 in a Mummy-Daughter situation. We already have a special bond and I am sure this will go a long way in cementing that for her future.
My head is now buzzing with excitement! All the crafty stuff I bought today and the projects I have in mind. Now this kindy opportunity is becoming more realistic. Wow, add that to all the outdoor adventures we have!
Cheers to opportunity!
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