I am accountable...

...and responsible for my actions and inactions.

Sadly, although I tried, not all of my areas of focus from last week got the attention they deserved.  That isn't to say that I did nothing all week...  I just didn't FOCUS where I intended to. Those areas were:

1. Reclaim my sofa from the clean laundry mountain.
2. Enforce the new reward charts I introduced to my children this weekend.
3. Scrub that bathroom.
4. Make a donation to the Op Shop.
5. Keep the dining table a lovely space for family togetherness.l
6. Declutter the front entrance of our home so it is nicer to come home to.
7. Spend 4 hours in the games room this week, decluttering and sorting.

So... Again I confess...

NO! STOP!

No I will not confess a single thing.  The word confess implies negativity, ill doing, fault and shame. I will not place blame and burden upon myself when I KNOW i did nothing wrong...  I don't deserve that.  Be gentle on myself. I am doing my best here...

So... I will ASSESS my progress and ANALYSE my situation.  This is how I will grow from this situation. 

Progress Notes:

1. My laundry-sofa is not so high and contains piles of folded, ready to put away items as well.
2. We had a VERY successful week of charts. So much so that I have already made up new ones for this week. Plus our reward was taking the children out for a meal and an ice-cream to follow. It was not fancy, but it was a treat.
3. Bathroom unchanged.
4. I have a black plastic garbage bag with items in it that will be donated. Items that I placed in there whilst working on reducing my laundry-sofa mountain.
5. The dining table is half clear. Our charts, school notes, a pile of baby blankets, fruit bowl and loaves of bread clutter the other end.
6. I decluttered some items from our entranceway. A work in progress.
7. I opened the door to the room once and removed a cane basket that I now store my Tiny Guy's toys in.  That is one less unused item that fills its walls. 

So the question that comes up next is, where did my focus go to? I certainly did not sit on my behind all week.

• My kitchen is a little less cluttered. 
• I put in a great deal of time to my husband's business doing things like making menus, shopping for stock, strategising, helping to keep him focused and general kitchen hand duties. 
• Caring for the children.
• Eliminating some junk from the back patio, making sure our rubbish bins will be filled to capacity this week.
• Dealing with illness, my own and my children. We have change of season bugs.
• Catching up with a friend.

As I write this blog post I am being overcome with observations about myself.  Not all of them are nice. 

Firstly, I will admit something.  I have hit delete several times and reworded things that I want to say because I am aware that the language I am choosing has negative connotations or directly devalues my efforts.  For example I wrote, "I decluttered some items from our entranceway. A work in progress." But my original point was written as, "I decluttered a little junk from the entrance. A job not complete."  It is only a small shift in language but by making a feature of "a job not complete" I infer my failure at the task I set. I did not fail. I made progress. No, I did not make as much progress as I would have liked but we stepped forward in the direction I want to head in.

I also note that in highlighting that I was sick and I spent time catching up with a friend, I felt guilt settle on me like a heavy blanket and that voice over my left shoulder was chastising me for not pushing myself harder while I felt bad, "suck it up princess," and "you don't deserve to enjoy time with friends."  How awful I am being to myself!  I am ENTITLED to down time and friendships!  Neither are a privilege and I don't have to earn them. 

I am also disheartened by what I have not written here.  My To-Do List is a rock I am carrying in the pit of my belly and what I "should" be doing is a ball and chain. What I know I need to accomplish but have not yet focused attention to is making me feel heavy, lethargic and crushed. Those pending tasks have no right to eat at me in this way! Other things, for right or wrong, took preference in my week. The important tasks on those lists will get done when they need to be done and what is unimportant will just fall to the wayside. And that is ok!  Be gentle upon myself.  My lists are just a TOOL for helping me stay on track. They are NOT a weapon for self flagellation!

There is a huge catch 22 in my peripheral vision.  I want to achieve some things, but they can not be achieved (can not, or I won't let them be - something more to consider) achieved until I do other things.  For example, I have some items I want to list and sell. I want to declutter them and I can use the money for other things!  Nothing wrong with that.  But, I am embarrassed by the state of my home and am concerned anyone coming to collect things will think poorly of me for weeds in the yard and a sofa filled with laundry. So instead of action, I sit with excess stuff around me that only IMPEDES the process of decluttering!  

Ever noticed that you get more done when you're happy and enjoying yourself?  When I think back about the week just gone the times I listened to a podcast or music were the times I achieved the most. My children help more when we are all happy too.  Yes, there is a "sweet spot" for productivity in anger. I know this to be true because I have experienced it. Turning negative energy into positive achieved is possible, but who really wants to approach anything with a gut-full of frustration and red hot rage?  Maybe the 7 Dwarfs had it right all along with their whistling and singing whilst getting the job done!

Last week I set the intention to blog daily but made no promises to comply with that intention. WHAT WAS THAT? Again... Burdening myself.  YES, accountability is awesome and it works. But it can have the negative effect of bestowing guilt and keeping that nasty little voice of ridicule on the left with plenty of ammunition to fire into my brain.  "See, you knew you couldn't blog daily even before you began! That's why you didn't promise! You knew you'd fail. You knew you wouldn't work miracles and have things shipshape. You knew you'd barely make a dent. You suck!"  Setting an intention is one thing. It is a good thing.  But not if it is oozing obligation for no GENUINE purpose!

I am not sure why but I have a resistance to time constraints that I, or others enforce.  When I hit a time frame I dig my heels in and cease activity. I don't know why, it just is how it is.  Something else for the future.

Finally, I realise I am more motivated when I look after myself and my things.  I cleared my sink of dirty dishes and placed a lit candle there.  The candle makes me smile. It emits a scent that pleases me. It celebrates a clear and clean space where once it was not.  As I put away folded towels on my linen shelf I straightened the piles and aligned them all.  It is something small, but I do enjoy symmetry and order. When I can manage that, I should celebrate it! It feels good!

So now I get to hit reset, knowing more today than I did yesterday. I get to make more plans, remembering to be kind to myself, and take action.  I will not forget to reward myself for my efforts either. Even the tiny ones!

Again, 7 things to focus on in the next 7 days.

1. Eradicate the laundry-sofa from my living area.
2. Continue with our good behaviour charting with the children.
3. Make all of the dining table useful for family fun and togetherness.
4. Continue creating a useful and attractive entrance to my home.
5. Make 3 'social' calls that I have not allowed myself time to make (because I was telling myself they were not the "best" use of my time and I haven't "earned" the right to make them.
6. Vacuum my living areas.
7. Clean my bathroom.

NOTE: Much of this list is focused in my lounge/dining area. This is good. This will not only maximise progress, perpetuation motivation and self esteem, it will allow me to release myself from the bonds of "what will people think?" if they come to my home and see the chaos! 

Already I feel the tug of what didn't make this list.  The "shoulds" and other equally important or desirable goals are heckling me.  But that is not fair.  I need a place to begin and this is where I am choosing to start. An area of my home that benefits my whole family AND my friends and visitors! I will not apologise to the other parts of my home that crave my attention. I will get to them in due course!

I feel crazy writing in this way... Addressing my random, negative thought patterns as I write.  But they obviously need to be addressed.  They have kept me hostage too long and I NEED TO BE RELEASED!

My Blog, My Confessional

My life is a hodgepodge, mishmash, smoothed-up, ramshackle, abomination of what I want it to be.

There!  It's out there... I said it.

Nothing is "perfect" and I don't expect that.  But I would like a whole lot more organisation, peace, calm, productivity and fun than I'm currently experiencing!!!  I'm over being frustrated, zoned out to the chaos or too scared and overwhelmed to exit my bed.

Shit has to change!

And it will! Starting here and now.  I figured STEP 1 was to CONFESS that there is a problem. DONE - CHECK!

Next... Ugh, equally hard to do but... STEP 2 - ADMIT to how big this problem is right now.  So, here's the list...

• My clean laundry pile has eaten my 3 seater sofa! (Although - in my defence, my dirty washing  consists of one load of darks, 2 cleaning cloths that are awaiting companions for a load of their own, and my daughter's wet blanket and mattress protector that she just did about 10 minutes ago. There is one load of whites washed and ready to hang as soon as I bring in the load of dry load hanging out there!)
• My house is a sty!  Kids rooms are messy, my room is messy, my lounge is a laundromat, the bathroom could use a good scrub, the kitchen is cluttered... sigh!
• The back patio looks like Steptoe and Son moved in even though we only just put a ton of crap out for collection two weeks ago.
• My computer files are disorganised and so are my inboxes. I have 7 inboxes (WOW - only just counted them up!) not including Facebook and they are all loaded!  Digital photos are desperately in need of sorting! So many documents are redundant and need the trashcan.
• Our home internet is sick and I just don't want to deal with getting it fixed.
• There is a to-do list a mile long for things we need to do for my husband's business.
• My kids behaviour has been pretty shoddy lately and sibling rivalry does not help matters!
• Paperwork just won't stop breeding! 
• Finances are stretched.
• My games room is the dumping ground for EVERYTING and it is unusable.

There are probably more things to say but that's a snapshot of the situation.

Bad huh?

STEP 3 - KNOW WHY (So we can avoid that pitfall in the future).  It began a while ago... I don't want to think how long.  The number is not important.  I was depressed and instead of dealing with stuff, I stuffed the stuff in boxes and hid it in the games room.  Then I didn't bother stuffing it into boxes anymore. I just stuffed it anywhere I could stuff it.  And boy have I stuffed it!

Then as I moved past my depression and my husband experienced depression while I just paddled against the tide. Then, I had another turn...  It was a big long dark tunnel for us.  

Add in 4 kids in 10 years and all their things... Some that my sentimental bone will not let me part with!

Last year, with my surprise pregnancy for my 40th year, I found myself exhausted for the first trimester.  I could not keep my eyes open at all.  So beyond the bare minimums, I didn't try.  I followed my body's lead and I slept away 3 whole months.  Then in second trimester I was like the Energiser Bunny!  So much energy but so much to do!  With no specific plan of attack, like a bunny, I just nibbled at a lot of edges and made no real impact.  

Then at 30 weeks, as I moved into the third trimester, my blood pressure went up! Monitoring began weekly then twice weekly then every 2 days. I was advised to rest and even when I was active I was uncomfortable. My feet were enormous, I felt heavy and drained.  It was at this point that I took my 'bare essentials' down to nothing more than washing dishes, washing clothes and resting.  Besides doing what I had to do to help with the children, that was all I could muster. 

My dear sweet little Tiny Guy arrived early at 34 weeks. And still NOTHING beyond childcare, dishes and laundry being washed got done because we spent most of our time at the hospital with him or driving to and from the hospital.  He came home from the nursery at almost 38 weeks.  It was a long, long month.

But then, everyone knows you get nothing done with a newborn in the house!

You also don't get much done with a new business in the family!

So onto STEP 4 - WHY CHANGE? You have to know what you are aiming at!

My Tiny Guy is 6 months old and STARTING TO ROLL!!! I am terrified!  Soon, very very very soon, this little man is going to be learning to crawl! Then walking! Then running!  And if he is anything like my other two boys, he will be CLIMBING!  We are not ready to have a crawling baby in the house, let alone any other kind of mobile infant!  Too much clutter.  Way too many tiny toys. Too many hazards!

So, we need to get this SHITWRECK of a house back under control!

I have other driving forces too.

My two oldest boys really need their own spaces.  Right now they share and they aren't doing it well.  There are lots of fights and as they grow, the space is becoming tighter and tighter.  It was fun, but it isn't fair now. Time to give them separate rooms.  But for that, I need to MAKE ROOM!

Another reason... Last week, whilst in a "you rock Mama! You can do anything" mindset, I signed up to complete my studies... GULP!  I felt confident at being able to manage it at the time!  But now...not so much. :-(  That self doubt is sitting on my left shoulder taunting me with things like, "who do you think you are?", "you're going to bomb out like before!", "How selfish are you? You know that you aren't meeting everyone's needs now, so why are you taking on another load?" and "You just aren't good at anything so why bother?"

If I can get my shit together, help my family to get theirs together too, I KNOW we can do everything we want to do and need to do, and make it work.  I know we can do MORE! I know it...  I want it!

But right now, I am facing facts. We are starting at the bottom of the hill...  We really are!

Ok... I've confessed, admitted the enormity of the problem and identified how I got here and isolated some of the reasons why I want things to change.  Getting closer to the scariest part of all... But first, STEP 5 - MAKE A PLAN!

My plan includes this blog.  This confession is the first post in my accountability to getting this done. I don't care if anyone ever reads it.  In some ways I hope no one does because then, even though I made this confession public, it will just go unnoticed.  But if someone does, I hope it helps you in some way.

SIDE ISSUE: I want to post photos. But I do not dare!  Maybe I will be ok with Before and Afters, but no promises.   I will take them, but maybe not post just yet.  We will take it as it comes.

Even thinking about a plan sends me into overwhelm.  My tummy is churning and I want to go to bed to just avoid it.  But that tactic works all too well.  That is why I am here now!  I need to feel this discomfort, sit with it and move through it into the realm of ACTION!  I will go gentle on myself.  Life has been hard, that is why I am here.  That nastiness on my shoulder is being hard enough on me. I do not need to make fuel it with more power than it already possesses.  So, my plan, just for today, is to take action on 7 things in 7 days.

Sound fair?  I think so... I hope so!  I want it to be manageable! I want it to work.  

I need it to work!

My 7 things will be:

1. Reclaim my sofa from the clean laundry mountain.
2. Enforce the new reward charts I introduced to my children this weekend.
3. Scrub that bathroom.
4. Make a donation to the Op Shop.
5. Keep the dining table a lovely space for family togetherness! (Maybe the kids will get along better after a little while of this?  We can but hope! My hair hurts from pulling at it in frustration over them bickering!)
6. Declutter the front entrance of our home so it is nicer to come home to.
7. Spend 4 hours in the games room this week.   That's only half an hour a day for 6 days. It is more than I have done up until now!  It has to help!

That seems manageable enough doesn't it?

Anything else that happens, if it does is icing!

Good!  So glad you agree!

So... Onward and upward.  :-)  The only place to go is up after all!

My intention at this point is to blog each day to stay accountable and document my progress.  But no promises.  I'm being gentle upon myself and I don't need the pressure.  But I will post again on this issue, that is for sure.  

February is the New January!

As the clean slate of 2014 lies there before me, I'm filled with eager anticipation of what I can achieve this year.  I'm filled to overflowing with zest to just get going and DO!  I want to make wonderful things happen this year!

But there is a problem..

3 problems actually...

They are called, my children.

Now don't get me wrong. I love them to pieces, and I wouldn't change having them for anything in this world.  Or the next.  They are my reason. (And sometimes my undoing... LOL)

I have reached the conclusion however, that summer school holidays and that urge to get the New Year off on the right foot, are incredibly and completely incompatible!

My urge to dive into MY year and follow MY aspirations, is regularly thwarted by, "I'm bored," "I'm hungry," "Mama! He won't leave me alone" and a myriad of minor child induced dramas.  Spilled milk, lost items, endless laundry piles, first aid incidents, cartoon reruns, toy strewn living areas and aaarrrrggghhhh!!!  I am frequently left feeling frustration and impatience instead of eager and excited.

On the flip side, while I'm struggling to find scraps of time to devote to MY year, or irritated that I can not, my children are vying for my attention or zoning out in front of the TV or xBox.  They are missing out on precious holiday time with their mother.

We are missing out on precious holiday time TOGETHER!

So, I have declared that February is the new January!

What point is there to waste time struggling to make MY New Year great, just because the calendar says it is time to start fresh!  Especially at the expense of making our school holidays less enjoyable!
Why can't February, when school returns, be the beginning of MY year?

When my babies go back to school I will blissfully submerge myself into my dreams and projects for 2014.  I will let my imagination fly and fill the blank canvas of this year.

But until then, I am focusing on children.  January needs to be about them.  I'm easing up on myself as a woman with her own interests  AND as a mother.  I'm giving myself permission to start MY year when it is most convenient for ME!  In so doing, I'm allowing myself space to enjoy my babies, work on ways that will set up our year together as a family and doing MY PRIMARY JOB of being a Mama.

In 13 days I will take my babies to school, I will get them settled for their year, and I will come home and dive into mine.  For now though, its all about fun, school preparation and loving time with one another.

I feel so much lighter in my heart and head with this excision in place.  The New Year pressure is lifted.

Start where you are and do what's right for you.  A calendar and social perception should not dictate how things should happen.  You're allowed to bend the rules and make them fit to you.

My Week In Review!

The Weekend...

The best laid plans can sometimes go pear-shaped.  We were going on a day trip to Busselton, but delays caused us to reschedule. We did have a busy weekend though, nonetheless.

• Talked to my daddy on the phone.
• Went to Kmart - bought bicycle locks and kids clothes
• Went to Coles - bought plastic containers for the kitchen
• Went to Gosnells Markets - got eyebrows waxed and bought fresh fruit and veg
• Went to Bunnings - bought casters, plants and the kids had a play!  Drooled a lot.
• Cleaned out the bunny cages
• Reorganised our pantry!
• Caught up on washing
• Dyed my hair
• Enjoyed the kids giving their Papa, Father's Day gifts in bed
• Woke up to find a missing bunny! I guess I didn't close the cage properly, so after some hunting, we found him.  Then after some coaxing, I caught him and returned him to his hutch.
• Got ready to go to Busselton
• Started driving and realised I'd left a bag of gear behind that we needed & one child had no shoes! Decided to reschedule.
• Came home and had bacon and eggs
• Enjoyed a nap
• Spent some time researching bicycle accessories
• Went for a ride with the family
• Went out for dinner

The Week

• Took the Daisybug on a bus and train journey to the city to collect some important papers
• Caught up with the folding
• Went to belly dancing class
• Did a ton of online browsing for bike gear, belly dancing gear, boots, candles etc
• Took a hot lunch to school for the boy people whilst letting the Daisybug jump in muddy puddles!
• Did my e-learning for Lifeline, Mental Health
• Did some stair climbing at the train station while waiting for a friend! <puff puff>
• Bought shoes online
• Went to Lifeline for face to face training
• Slept a lot
• My bike trailer arrived!!!
• Spent an afternoon with my brother and his family at the park!
• Had coffee and biscuits with my Jenfriend
• Took hot lunch to the boy-people at school again - 10 mins on the bike!
• Voted
• Posted letters
• The children had friends over after school
• Took the kids to the shop on the bikes - NOT DOING THAT AGAIN ANY TIME SOON!
• Home made fast food - chips and nuggets!
• Wrote this post because I couldn't sleep

Hopes for this weekend...

• Clean up the house
• Clean up the patio
• Do some study
• Get casters on the rabbit hutches
• Do some blogging

My Week In Review

My Weekend... Nice!

• Slept in until MIDDAY on Saturday
• Posted My Week in Review
• Wrote Day 18 and Day 19 posts for the 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Ate bacon and eggs with grilled tomato - delish
• Collected the new bunny and got all 3 settled in a new location on the patio
• Played the mean-mummy card on my naughty boys. Will they get the xbox back?

My Week

• Got swamped in the laundry department, still floundering!
• Blogged Day 20 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Had coffee with my brother and sister-in-law
• Belly dancing class - SHIMMY!!!  Happiness is, a new coin belt!
• Penned a post for Day 21 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge even though there was no set topic
• Enjoyed coffee with my Jenfriend! <3
• Had a bit of an emotional meltdown over hormones and life
• Spent an afternoon talking and snuggling with one of my boys
• Baked cookies from my freezer dough stash
• Moved the bunny houses out of the rain - 2nd relocation this week!
• Completed the e-training for my Lifeline course - topic, addiction
• Wrote Day 22 and Day 23 posts for the 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Bought new containers for my kitchen reorganisation!
• Got back into the school baking swing of things with a double batch of pikelets and a single batch of white choc-chip pikelets. 
• Baked pizza scrolls for lunch.
• Walked an extra school run to deliver forgotten library books to the big boy
• Became the proud owner of a bicycle for the first time in 18 years!
• Had a parent teacher meeting
• Watched my little boy's class host the school assembly!

Hopes for the weekend...

• A trip to Rainbow Farm for photos in the flowers
• Get my eyebrows done
• Organise my kitchen
• Get some sleep!

My Week in Review!

My Weekend

• Cleaning the house
• Preparing party food
• Entertaining my birthday boy's friends and family.
• Cleaning up
• Napping

My Week

• Wrote a post for Day 11, Day 12, and Day 13 for the 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Posted My Week In Review for last week.
• Cleaned my cutlery and utensil drawers in my kitchen after my daughter spilled juice into them!
• Took my Bunny to the vet and learned to give oral medicines to her via syringe.  I hope it helps!
• Went to belly dancing class and played with hot pink fan veils!  So pretty and very energetic!
• Posted for Day 14 for the 30 Day Blog Challenge after listening to Natalie Sisson's Podcast twice!
• Completed my e-learning for Lifeline on Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault (because it didn't record my result last week!  Grrr) AND Child Protection
• Chilled out with a jigsaw puzzle while listening to said podcast
• Helped two friends with some very different copy writing needs
• Listened to The Desire Map AGAIN!
• Wrote my Day 15 and Day 16 posts for the 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Took the kids out to dinner
• Did some art journalling - first time in ages
• Made a call I was not looking forward to making
• Sent some emails I have been meaning to send
• Started fundraising for the 2014 Step Up For MS Challenge! 
• Created new reward charts for my kids
• Wrote Day 17 post for 30 Day Blog Challenge

Dreams for my weekend

• Sleep
• Smiles with my children
• Study
• Writing
• Editing
• A new bunny! (No, before you wonder, not to repace my sick bunny.  Another new furry bundle of love!)

My Week In Review!

I forgot to post this last Friday!

My Weekend... :-)

• Completed my Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault module for Lifeline Crisis Support training  
• Played Monopoly Revolution with the kids!
• Watched a movie with Rob.  Identity Thief
• Did some food shopping
• Got some clothes bargains for the kids for next year
• Spend the afternoon with the kids at an 8 year old's birthday party

My Week:

• Paid bills
• Located a lost file
• Scheduled a Krispy Kreme fundraiser for my 2014 Step Up For MS Challenge - details coming soon!
• Wrote Day 5 and Day 6 blog posts for the 30 Day Blog Challenge.
• Belly Dancing!
• Wrote Day 7 blog post for the 30 Day Blog Challenge and added in my own Day 8 topic!
• Baked banana bread muffins and a double sized banana bread that met a tumbling fate
• Made wheatbix slice
• Took my baby boy to the doctor after a mystery allergic reaction
• Bought a birthday present for my big boy, to add to the one that's a little too big to open (There has to be something to unwrap on the big day!)
• Snuggled and napped with my sick little one
• Wrote my Day 9 post
• Created dozens of little cup cakes for my birthday boy's class, and a huge mess in the kitchen
• Delivered cakes on foot as well as birthday macaroni cheese
• Had coffee with Jenfriend
• Soaked in the bath!  
• Wrote my post for Day 10
• Took my birthday boy out to dinner with the family
• Cleaned my house for the birthday party!
• Rearranged my kitchen cupboards

Dreams for the weekend...

That my sweet little 8 year old boy has an amazing birthday party to remember!  And that I survive the experience! LOL

WOW, What a week! My Week In Review!

I don't know if these posts are interesting or valuable to anyone but me.  But its my blog! LOL I like doing them!

• Bought new shoes for the boys
• Took the kids out to lunch
• More shopping
• Cleared out and began planting out a garden bed
• Caught up on the washing
• Went for a night time vegetable shopping adventure with the kids
• Started my Christmas shopping!!!
• Took the kids to a Bunnings workshop where they decorated hats
• Restocked bunny supplies of food and hay
• Planted strawberries and aloe vera.
• Soaked in a lovely hot bath

My week...

• Baked chocolate cupcakes
• Signed up for a 30 day blog challenge
• Had coffee with my brother and sister-in-law
• Began writing this blog post
• Made and froze 7 rolls of cookie dough for quick snacks later
• Wrote A Field Of Flowers Is Waiting
• Attended my first belly dancing class for this term and began learning to dance with a veil!
• Napped!  So delicious!
• Tested out one roll of cookie dough!  YUMMY chocolate chip!
• Completed Day 1 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge.  My post is here!
• Caught up on the FOLDING!
• Watched an interesting documentary on mothers in the US prison system.  (I WATCHED TV FOR A CHANGE!)
• Had a long leisurely soak in the tub!
• Wrote my Day 2 post for the 30 Day Blog Challenge 
• Completed my Grief and Loss and Relationships modules for my Lifeline training
• Took an invigorating walk in the rain to deliver hot macaroni cheese to my 2 schoolboys for lunch! <3
• Shared a dessert night with my brother and his family!
• Cooked chicken curry and spaghetti bolognese to fill tummies and the freezer!
• Made a double batch of pikelets (and a comical mess!)
• Wrote my Day 3 post  for The Suitcase Entrepreneur's 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Completed the E-Learning for my next Lifeline module - Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault
• Wrote my Day 4 post for The Suitcase Entrepreneur's 30 Day Blog Challenge
• Got brave and invited all my Facebook friends to my On Sparkling Wings Facebook Page and Blog

Dreams for this weekend!

• Hot Baths
• Attend a daylong workshop for Lifeline
• Do some editing on a project
• Do some more writing
• Spend Sunday with my babies!
• Get lots of sleep
• Find some missing paperwork 
• Do some baking for school lunches next week - namely savoury and sweet scrolls

Ready to Bloom into Term 3!

With only one day of school holidays to go, it feels like time to get planning for TERM 3 of 2013!

We have had lots of rest time.  As it turned out, the holidays did not contain all that much activity outside park visits, computer games, movies (home and cinema), the kids playing "real minecraft" in the backyard with shovels and sticks and lots of lazing about.  Just what we needed.  It would have been lovely to add in some adventure... But there is time for that later!  We are all well rested and gearing up for getting on with the next phase of the school year!

Wow, how fast is this year flying by?

The other compelling reason for some planning is, we have passed the half way mark of the year! Only 5 and a little bit months until this year's dreams and goals need to be reviewed for next year's resolutions!  YIKES!

So, here are my hopes for the next 10 weeks!

• Complete my Certificate III Education Assistant course, including placement for 2 weeks!
• Take another belly dancing class!
• Go back to yoga.
• Work on my studies for Crisis Supporter for Lifeline.
• Streamline how our home runs.
• Declutter all the kid's clothes that are too small!
• Do The Desire Map workbook! 
• Run a Krispy Kreme Fundraiser for Step Up For MS 2014.
• Revisit my Amazing Life and Biz Academy Incredible Year Workbooks.
• Give this blog and it's Facebook page a kick start!
• Get Christmas planning underway.
• Celebrate my son's 8th birthday and begin planning for my daughter's 4th!
• Pump some life into my Nutrimetics business and Facebook page.
• Plan for the NEXT school holidays, including some adventure!

Well that's 14 hopes.  Some of them are rather hefty in time consumption.  But all we can do is put it out there and get to work on making it happen!  Some hopes are more flexible than others.  But I am really feeling an urge to make a HUGE IMPACT on life this next school term.  I feel ready for some big changes!  

Bring it on!  

My Week in Review!

Another week drifted on by!

• Wrote about my testimonial for the Amazing Biz and Life Academy appearing in the latest newsletter.  Read the blog post here!
• Welcomed a new family member - Bunny!

• Had coffee with Jenfriend!
• Went FREE Kindle book shopping on Amazon (Just a little bit of a book buying frenzy!)
• Tweaked my blog and Facebook Page, and wrote about it
• Got my shimmy on at Belly Dancing class!  (Where did my coordination go? I only missed a week!)
• Made pikelets.
• Collected a sick boy from school... (SIGH)
• Had a sick boy at home from school for a day
• Exercised my wordsmithing abilities helping a friend advertise her business
• Spent time with Bunny
• Signed up for STEP UP FOR MS 2014!  (Can't freakin' wait! And if you feel the love, don't hesitate to donate!)
• Watched a webinar while folding laundry! (A whole lot of laundry!)
• Completed Day 1 of Couch to 5km's
• Made chocolate chip pikelets
• Wrote a blog post about my 2014 Step Up for MS Challenge
• Cleaned out the Daisybug's bedroom!
• Supervised Rob's tree lopping of the dead tree in our yard

And onto the next!!!  :-)

My Week in Review

This week's underlying thread... Connection!  It is a blog post in itself!

• Sleeping
• Wading through laundry in an effort to catch up again - sigh
• Listened to a podcast
• Reconnected with a couple of friends (far from caught up, but we made contact!)
• Earned $7 by selling 2 bags of baby stuff on Gumtree!  (Go me!)
• More podcast listening (and jigsaw puzzling)
• Arranged a coffee date with a lovely online friend who is coming to town soon! (Exciting!)
• Got myself an eye infection - ouch! Got myself some drops and ointment to cure it - ahhhh!
• Made some new friends
• Reconnected with more old friends
• Tending to sick babies
• Went clothes shopping! (2 pair pants, 2 skirts and various other bits and pieces!) 
• Acquired a rabbit hutch!!!  (No bunnies yet!)
• Baked carrot cup cakes
• Dinner partying with friends.  AMAZING food, WONDERFUL company!
• Reached a deeper understanding and relationship mending
• Found out that Leonie Dawson of the AMAZING BIZ & LIFE ACADEMY featured a testimonial I had written forever ago, in the latest newsletter!  Read it here. What a treat!

It has been a difficult couple of weeks for me.  The mojo has been low, the learning curve has been in overdrive.  My health has been faltering.  But I feel like I'm getting back on top now... I hope I am! :-)

My Week in Review

Cough... That sums up this week just passed!

• Recovering from bugs = sleep, hot baths, hot drinks + lots of tissues
• Put in a Nutrimetics order. :-)
• Filled in school paperwork for excursions
• Listed 1 item on Gumtree!
• Belly dancing class!
• Listened to a podcast and did a jigsaw puzzle, then completed the associated worksheet to the podcast.
• Meditation
• Got my new coin belt in the mail!  <SHIMMMMY>
• Wrote a blog post about 100 Things to do This Year
• Worked on a couple of draft posts
• Kept 2 boys busy as they were home from school - 1 sick, 1 with an injured foot
• Read "The Desire Map"
• Did jigsaw puzzles online
• Watched Mitchell's school assembly! Proud of my boy-person!
• Baked a cake
• Watched Dirty Dancing and folded laundry
• Friendship malfunction... sigh
• Slept, coughed, slept, woke, coughed, slept some more.
• Had coffee with Jenfriend

So happy to see the back end of this week.  Bring on a new, healthy energetic one!

My Week in Review

This week has been a bit quieter than its been in a long time.  I would love the productivity, but I need peace.

* Belly dancing class!

* Bought myself a coin belt and fell in love with costumes.

* Folded and sorted a ton of laundry.  Working on giving away some unnecessary items.

* Did a lot of dancing to loud music on my own!

* Made an enormous decision about how I will spend my time up until the end of this year.

* Reading

* Yoga class

* Started volunteering at school with a literacy program

* Made a decision that's making me uncomfortable and am now problem solving it.

* Had a sick little boy come home twice from school

* Food shopping

* Coffee with Jenfriend

* Had social plans fall through... So we shall reschedule and I will have a self indulgent night in be with a good book.
* Committed to taking up running...  Believe it or not!
* Found myself a too friendly virus and gave it a home for a few days... :-/
* Hot baths
* Sleeping

Emotional ups and downs... Physical ups and downs...  Wheeee...

My Week In Review!

Another big week!  Lots of fun!

• Caught up with photo uploads on Facebook!
• Ophthalmology appointment.
• Napping
• My first ever belly dancing class!  (LOVE IT but soooo lacking in coordination and upper body strength!)
• LOTS of walking!
• Wrote a blog post about my Depepi Magazine Article being published and on sale! <3 Awesome experience!
• Yoga class!!!  (Soooo needed that!)
• Volunteered at playgroup.
• Attended a meeting for a new literacy catch-up program they are starting at school and signed up for 2 mornings a week starting next Wednesday!
• Two of the boy's friends came to play after school one afternoon!
• Created myself a mobile "working basket" containing all the stuff I need all of the time.  (Future blog post here!)
• Set an incredible goal that makes me happy, makes many other goals fall into place and inspires imagination! <3 
• Note taking from my text book!
• Walked down DOOL memory lane with new friends! :-)
• Got inspired to write something!
• Started writing!
• Shelved writing for now...
• Dealt with the repercussions of 3 wet beds in one night! Lots of washing!
• Created two costumes for a disco with items we had around the house.  Batman and Luke Skywalker!
• Chatted on the phone with a wonderful new friend for an hour or two!
• Made a big decision about life... 
• Caught up on sleeping
• Lots of reading!
• Lots of laundry...  as always!

Its funny... I feel like I achieve more in the beginning part of the week and very little at the end.  

Oh well!!!

My Week In Review!

The highlights of the week just gone! :-)

• Baked chocolate cupcakes, jam scrolls and date cupcakes for school lunches!
• Finished reading "One Minute Millionaire."
• Received an acceptance letter to join the LifeLine Telephone Counselling course, commencing July 3rd! (Scary excitement!)
• Salvaged the lounge room after school holidays! (Oh what delights lie beneath the sofa! LOL)
• Cleaned my babies' cot now its done being used as a cot. 
• Soaked in 3 podcasts.
• Coffee with Jenfriend.
• Ruminating with Bev.
• MEGA fruit and vegetable shop... So much food!
• Culinary experiment - gajar halwa. Thumbs up but a bit less sugar next time.
• Made a giant spaghetti sauce!  
• Stocked the freezer with at least 6 meals of spag bol sauce and 6 tubs of homemade tomato soup (Rob's handiwork!)
• Caught up on my blanket fort circle reading!
• Mother's Day celebrations in bed with my babies.
• More coffee with Jenfriend!
• Lots of folding laundry!
• Long soak in the tub with a book!
• Took the kids on a 5.5km walk!

Onto another week!  Hope you have a great one! :-)

My Week In Review!

I am going to borrow an idea from a blog that I adore, tranquility du jour and do a review of my week!  I think its interesting to look back and see just what one does with their time, be it good use or not!

It has been a busy week!

• Penned Tall Towers, MS and Lessons.
• Did a tour of local playgrounds with my pal Coralie and all the kids!
• Placed a Nutrimetics order.
• Wrote and submitted my very first article destined for a new magazine! (Scary excitement!)
• Soaked in a webinar.
• Created a Facebook Page for this blog!
• Coffee with Jenfriend!
• Drew an illustration for my magazine article.
• Baked cupcakes.
• Let the kids have a sleep over guest!
• Took 4 kids on a bus and train adventure to the park to see friends.
• Ate tons of Indian Food with Jodie and Mike!
• Removed the cot from the Daisybug's bedroom and replaced it with a big girl bed.
• Gave Daisybug a nice, neat, organised and pretty bedroom!
• Caught up on washing and some of the folding.
• Lots of reading!
• Posted on my Nutrimetics Facebook page
• Defrosted the freezer.
• Compiled this list!  Ta da!

Now, on to a new week!  May it be more productive but just as fun ask this one!  That shouldn't be hard!  The kids go back to school on Tuesday!  Happy dance time!

Lessons from Every Day Rituals.

Inspiration can come from anywhere!

Today, for me, it came from a blog post, penned by the gorgeous Silvia De Vries and published by the  magnificent Pepi Valderrama on her blog.  The article was entitled The Healing Rituals of Everyday Life.

Silvia suggested an exercise in mindfulness, by either writing down or photographing every day activities.  The idea caught my attention as I've been endeavouring to be more present recently.  Simply trying to pay attention to the here and now, rather than existing and missing the beauty of the moment, whilst letting my mind wander aimlessly to the past and future with it's endless to-do list

So, I took on the challenge.

I learned an awful lot about myself, my home, my family...  Some wonderful things.  Some that surprised me.  And some, that unfortunately I'm not happy to learn!  But now that I have, I can work on  righting the wrongs, as I feel them to be.

Here is an account of my day in photographs.

So what did I learn?

• HOUSEHOLD: I have WAY TOO MUCH laundry!  But I got on top of it simply because I was being mindful to document my progress throughout the day.  

• HOUSEHOLD: Taking photographs of every day activities made me very aware of what I need to tidy up around my home!  As I went to take pictures, I'd think to myself, "Ugh, don't want that in the background!"  So now I have a mental list of to-do's to add to the already on paper list of to-do's.

• PHOTOGRAPHY: As a consequence of the above, I began working on camera angles that did not highlight what I prefer not to be seen...  Call me sneaky - I don't mind! :-)

• SELF CARE: I forget to eat!  And when I do remember to eat, I was so consumed by the process of eating, I forgot to take pictures of those moments.  You missed out on the awesome lasagne we had for dinner tonight!  Sorry!  And no, they are not sticks in my yogurt!  They are some kind of fibre crunchy thing that is actually quite tasty!

• TIME MANAGEMENT: Even though I was being mindful of my every day activities, I still 'lost' an awful lot of time during my day.  You know, those moments where we get to surfing the web for an answer to a question that should take 5 minutes at most, but ends up taking us three quarts of an hour!  Oops!  Or when you sit down for a rest and suddenly half an hour has passed.

• SELF CARE: Cat naps in the day time are fabulous!  I managed about 20 minutes and felt so much better for it!

• FAMILY: My dog is lazy!  Except when I forget to feed her.  She reminded me as I was putting the children to bed!

• FAMILY: My oldest son has a loose tooth!  Exciting!  

It was a wonderful exercise to do.  It kept me on task for much of the day and I achieved a lot.  Possibly more than I usually would.  But I'm also left with the awareness that I could have achieved a lot more!  

Oddly enough while I was folding my laundry today, I listened to a podcast talking about making the best use of your weekends (or any free time).  It wasn't planned.  I just picked something to listen to from my podcasts and that's what came up.  Nothing like a bit of synchronicity to hone in a concept!  You can find the podcast here.  The podcast is by Kimberly Wilson and is an interview of Laura Vanderkam, author of the What The Most Successful People do series of ebooks.  

Tomorrow is another day...  I'm taking my lessons from today and running with them!