A Positive Year - Day 342

Day 342

Well, it's the last day of the year, and what a year it's been!!

This has been a lot of new beginnings for our family and we have had a fantastic ride!!

To sum it up, here are some of the things that have happened this year....

• The girls started a new school and are thriving in their new environment.
• One of my dearest friend's got married to a great guy (and the added bonus, I got to fly down for the hens night as well as the wedding!!)
• I got to have another weekend trip to Sydney for my school reunion.
• We were able to have a weekend get together of fun with our closest friends.  It has been so long since we were all in the same place at the same time.
• I started 2 new fantastic jobs in places that I love.
• I had surgery on both my hands.
• The whole family has started a new healthy lifestyle and the kids are embracing it as much as us adults by becoming our personal trainers and motivators.
• My hubby and I got to go on our first overnight trip by ourselves in 12 years to Melbourne.
• And last, but certainly not least, I won a game show (and had a fantastic time in the process).

This is only a quick overview of the things I can remember but there are so many other things that had happened.  It was definitely a jam packed year full of highs and lows.  Although the lows aren't fun, I have definitely learnt from them and would not have appreciated the highs if the lows didn't happen.

I hope that when you look back on your year that you feel like I do and you can smile and appreciate what the year has brought you and I sincerely hope that you have all had a fantastic year and I wish you a happy and positive 2013 full of love and laughter.

A Positive Year - Day 341

Day 341

I have proven to myself today that the saying is true "once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never forget"

Although I was a bit wobbly to start, it didn't take long for me to get the hang of it and keep going.  I think the reason I was a bit wobbly is because I still don't have the strength or confidence back in my hands as yet.

We didn't go for a huge ride today because we had already been for a big walk and a swim and I wasn't sure how my hands would hold out, but it still took a bit of effort to ride for the little bit that I did (especially up the big hill of our driveway!!)

The girls are pretty keen to hit the bike tracks over the holidays so I am getting myself ready for our first big ride.  I am not sure where we will go but I am sure we will go down somewhere near the waterfront and make the most of this gorgeous weather.

A Positive Year - Day 340

Day 340

As much as we have been having fun out in the sunshine for the past few days, life still catches up with you and there is work to be done.

Today our messy house caught up with us and it was time for a big clean!  Although I don't like the act of cleaning because I find it totally boring, I do love it when the house is clean and tidy.

When we all band together and attack the mess, it's surprising how quickly you can get it done and then be able to get back to the more important things, like swimming and having fun!  Perhaps if I am really lucky my trainers might forget to make me workout too!!

A Positive Year - Day 339

Day 339

Watch out waterfront!  We are on our way!  Armed with 2 crazy kids and 2 psycho dogs, this should make for an interesting workout!

I am just wondering how long we can go for before someone ends up going into the water!  Perhaps I should start taking bets now!!

Insert slight pause here as we are now walking..........

We just arrived home and we have two slobbery, panting balls of fur who are now passed out happily in the backyard!  What a gorgeous day for a waterfront walk!  We decided to check out a different waterfront and went to one closer to home.  It was so quiet and peaceful down there and wasn't packed out with heaps of people.  Wow!  Talk about your own piece of paradise!  We will definitely be heading down there more often!  I just hope no one finds out about it!

Now after melting away at the waterfront I think I will go and recharge in the pool!  I am replacing all wine with swimming so hopefully it will help with my quest to reduce the size of my ass!

A Positive Year - Day 338

Day 338

Today we decided to take our exercise to the mountain and do a bit of hiking.  A bit of a change always spices things up and stops it from getting boring!

We all agreed that we wanted to go to Mt Tamborine and check out somewhere new.  After the line up to get into the Glow Worm caves was too long, we decided to head off down the road and stop at the first hiking place we could find.  We ended up at Witches Falls.

It wasn't the longest of hikes (it was about 3.5kms when include walking to the lookout) but it was still a good workout with all the extra hills and stairs.  There was also a lot to check out on our travels as well which took our mind off the exercise.  This is the type of fitness I love!  A lot of distractions so I don't think about the work!

Now we are back home and chilling out by the pool for the arvo and soak up the sunshine!

A Positive Year - Day 337

Day 337

Well another Christmas is done and dusted and what a Christmas it was!  We were woken at 3.30am by our youngest daughter screaming out in excitement that it was Christmas.  We managed to convince her to stay in bed until 4.30am while she wriggled with excitement giggling.  It's hard not to get into the Christmas spirit when the kids are so excited!

Today is my other favourite day - Boxing Day!  This is my self proclaimed official day off for the year!  Every year I have boxing day to relax and chill by the pool while my hubby takes care of me!  He is an awesome supporter of boxing day and I am so lucky to have him!

Even though today is raining I will be making the most of today!

A Positive Year - Day 336

Day 336

Merry Christmas!!

As I am planning on eating, drinking and being merry I thought I should probably write my post a day early because I am sure that I will not even think about it on Christmas day!

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas day and get super spoilt by Santa and enjoy every minute with your family and friends! 

A Positive Year - Day 335

Day 335

Well Christmas Eve is finally here!  This would have to be my favourite holiday!

I love everything about Christmas!  All the cheesy carols, cartoons, music and decorations!  It is hard not to enjoy something when everything is lit up or sparkling!

I also love how excited the kids!  My youngest was up at 5am all excited because there was only one more sleep to go!  I still remember being that age and how I couldn't sleep and how I thought Christmas Eve was the longest day and night ever! 

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a great day celebrating with your family and friends!

A Positive Year - Day 334

Day 334

Another gorgeous day leading up to Christmas and we are going to make the most of it!!

I am sure that no matter what we do there will definitely be some training involved.  I have to admit that I am feeling so much better after all this healthy food and training and I have so much more energy (just don't tell my girls I said that or they will be even more ruthless!!)

This gorgeous weather has definitely helped in motivating me to get out and get healthy.  Who can resist the call of a warm sunny day!  I absolutely love this time of year and will squeeze every minute out of it!

A Positive Year - Day 333

Day 333

You would've thought that surviving the end of the world would be a good excuse to have a day off from training!  Obviously my ruthless trainers don't agree with you!  lol.

I was lucky to have a bit of a sleep in this morning but ever since then they are back on the job, making sure that I drink my water and do my fitness. 

We started off with a few laps in the pool and then after our big fruit and veg stock up for the week we are now setting out with the dogs to take them for a walk before heading back into the pool for another swim.

I am loving their dedication and the fact they have not given up on their old mum!  It has also strengthened our bond even more than it was.  I just hope they let me have a glass of wine this arvo!

A Positive Year - Day 332

Day 332

Well today was the first weigh on my fitness challenge with the kids.  In the first week I lost 2kg, 3cm off my waist and 3cm off my hips.  Not bad for a first week of the kids training me!

The girls are so excited because they have made some money and I am totally chuffed because these personal trainers only cost me $2 each for the week!  Now that is a bargain!!

The scary thing for me is that they now are even more excited about this challenge that they are gearing up for an even bigger week of training this week.  Boy am I in trouble!

I am so proud of how they have taken this challenge on board and how committed they are to it!  It has been a fantastic bonding project for us and we are loving every minute of it (no matter how painful it is!)

A Positive Year - Day 331

Day 331

What a fantastic day!  The girls and I have been at home all day waiting for some furniture to be delivered and we are making the most of it!

As we couldn't get out to do our training we opted for laps in the pool.  My arms are no exhausted!  My trainers worked me as hard as ever and I knew that I was in trouble when they stopped calling me mum and started calling me by my name!  At least at the end I got a pat on the back and was told "good work babe" so I must've done alright!  lol

To top off another day of bonding I am quite excited about being able to sleep in our new bed tonight!  We had our old bed for 17 years so, as you can imagine, it was quite flat and lumpy and uncomfortable.  This is also the first time that we have had a matching bedroom suite so I am feeling a little posh right now!

So if the Mayans are right and world is going to end tomorrow at least I worked my butt off today and I will sleep well tonight!  Bring on the next adventure!!

A Positive Year - Day 330

Day 330

Well the training is back on and as ruthless as ever!!  We couldn't get out yesterday morning because I had an appointment and we never made it out the day before either.  Well we definitely made up for it today!

I had to get to the shops to do some final Christmas stuff and my harsh trainers decided it would be a good way to fit in a workout and walk there and back.  I am pleased to say that I outlasted one of my trainers because she ran into a friend and wanted to go back to her place and play.  My youngest daughter is rock solid though and braved the heat and hills to do the whole trip with me!  I can honestly say that I have never loved our pool as much as I did when we got home!  My poor legs were certainly feeling fatigued by the time we finished and it was great to soak in the cool salt water!!

It has been fantastic watching the girls embrace this challenge with such enthusiasm!  They have not dropped the ball once and have kept focussed on the final goal.  Paying them $1 per kilo lost doesn't hurt either!

A Positive Year - Day 329

Day 329

My whole life I have always been the type of person who tries to please everyone and a lot of the time it is at my own expense.  I don't consider it a bad trait to want to see people happy but unfortunately not everyone feels the same. 

This has been a big lesson for me to learn.  I now know that it is absolutely impossible to make everyone happy and I am now okay with that.  I now know that it is not my responsibility to keep the peace or make sure everyone feels happy.  Happiness must come from within themselves and all I can do is make sure that I don't do anything negative or hurtful and the rest is out of my hands.

An even harder lesson for me has been that I don't have to accept any negativity in return.  Supporting someone does not mean that I am an emotional punching bag.

I feel better in myself for finally working this out and I will be sure to do everything to make sure my girls don't fall into the same trap that I did.  All of the positivity and support I have offered to others over the years I am going to make sure I offer it to myself first!

A Positive Year - Day 328

Day 328

Today hasn't been the best of days.  I know we all go through them and this is my turn to have one.  It's always hard to find something positive on these days but I am determined to see the year out on the same positive note that I have been hovering about all year.

My positive post today is how lucky I feel to have such wonderful kids and husband.  Without them I don't know where I would be.  Their unfailing support and sense of humour lightens the darkest of days and I am so grateful for them.

I also love sharing the happy times with them and I am looking forward to when it comes about again.

A Positive Year - Day 327

Day 327

This morning I was a bit rebellious and went out for a girly breakfast with two friends that I haven't seen in ages!  I even celebrated our breakfast by having a pancake with ice cream (that was the rebellious part) lol!  Although my trainers will both be ruthless in my workout afterwards it was totally worth it!!

It was such a great way to start the morning!  Down at the waterfront, the sun was shining and it was a gorgeous morning, and to top it off the markets were in full swing!  I couldn't think of a better way to start the day!!

The only way to top off a morning like this will be to spend the afternoon lazing by the pool with the family!  I love these kind of days!

A Positive Year - Day 326

Day 326

Well we are onto day two of the holidays and of our family health kick!  My two girls are being awesome trainers and nutritionist.  They are ruthless!!

I was hoping by day two they might've gotten a bit bored and ease off a little, but no!  They are more determined than ever!  Secretly I am glad they are still keen on doing this because I need the motivation but I will never let them know that!!

Now it is time to sign off because they are cracking the whip and we are walking to the shopping centre instead of driving!!

A Positive Year - Day 325

Day 325

Finally the school holidays are here and we have started off with our fitness program!

I was woken by my youngest at 6.15am who was demanding that I get out of bed and get ready for our first workout!  She is already on the ball!  My oldest girl was a bit harder to wake up but she got right into it straight away and we headed out for our morning walk with the dog.

We have headed out to the fruit shop to stock up on all things healthy and they are making sure that I drink plenty of water and watch what I eat.

I am so glad we have decided to do this project together!  Not only is it healthy but it also encourages them to think of others.  Which at their age can be a bit of a challenge!

I know it's going to be hard work but I think we will all come out of the other side much better off for it!

A Positive Year - Day 324

Day 324

Well finally the last day of school is done!  The girls had a great time at their celebration of success activities and they came home full of stories and laughs, and even a few tears from my big girl because half of her friends are leaving to go to a trial year of high school.

I spent my last day of freedom working in my old job to help the new manager, and I have to say that I am so glad that today is over!  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a horrible day but I am totally exhausted!  I had forgotten how draining that job could be!

Now it's holiday time!  I have employed both my girls as my personal trainer to keep me motivated to get fit and healthy!  We have come to an agreement that I will pay them $1 each for every kilogram I lose and they will pay me $1 each for every kilo I gain.  That should keep them focussed to be ruthless!!  lol.  We are already planning some fun activities to do over the holidays!

Now the fun begins!

A Positive Year - Day 323

Day 323

Well the end of the school year is coming up so fast now!!  Tomorrow is their last day and I have been asked to work so that should keep me out of the shops for the day!

It has been a fantastic week leading up to the end of term, it have been the perfect ending to a great school year!

I can't believe it was only a year ago that I was so nervous about changing their schools and how they would settle!  One year on and I am so glad that I did it!  It was the best thing we ever did!  Not only have their grades skyrocketed even further, they are both so much more confident and happy.  As much as they loved their other school and their old teachers, this environment seems to be a better fit for them.  I hope it continues on like this next year!

Until then I think we will sit back and enjoy the holidays!

A Positive Year - Day 322

Day 322

It was so good to be able to go out for a walk along the waterfront this morning!  I haven't been able to do that in so long and I had been missing it!

I couldn't stay out too long because I had someone coming to the house to do a quote for a new patio roof but I was grateful for the couple of hours I had.  Also I was walking with my friend who pushes me to work harder and walk faster so I don't slack off.  The added bonus is we get to gasbag the whole time we walk along which makes it a lot more entertaining!

To top off an awesome morning I have my oldest daughter's graduation ceremony from Grade 6.  They don't usually have one but because half the grade is moving onto high school for a trial year they are having a special ceremony for them.  I just can't believe how fast they are growing!!

A Positive Year - Day 321

Day 321

Well we are finally into the last week of school for the year and now the fun begins!

The girls are so excited for all the things they have planned this week and all the fun they are going to have over the next few days and it is wonderful to watch.

They have thrived and come a long way in their new school,.  They are both so happy and settled and much more confident.  I never knew they could change so much in a year!

I must admit I am also looking forward to the holidays so we can really get into the Christmas spirit!  It's time to make the most of the silly season!!

A Positive Year - Day 320

Day 320

I thought I'd better start today's post before I get caught up in the day and forget again!!

Although it is still the morning, there are still heaps of positive things I can write about!  Firstly, I am sitting here watching my girls play together, they have been so sweet and happy with each other now for a couple of hours.  I love the days when they get along and are friends.  Even though they do fight occasionally, it's no where near as much as when they like each other!

The other positive thing I am happy about this morning is that it won't be long until we have our new bed so will be able to get some decent sleep!

Our current bed is older than our kids and it is flat and rickety.  None of the furniture matches and it all just looks cheap and nasty.  This is the first time we have ever had the expendable cash to be able to afford a good bed with a great mattress and matching furniture!  It was a great feeling to go to the shop and pick it out!  We even got to do one of those sleep tests to see which mattress would suit us best!  Now that's a step up from when we got our last bed!

A Positive Year - Day 319

Day 319

Oh My God!!  I completely forgot to write my post yesterday!!  That is the first time in a year that I actually forgot!  I guess the end of year and the silly season is finally catching up with me!

Yesterday we were invited to a Christmas barbecue and swim at a friend's house in the afternoon.  The kids had a great time splashing about and running about everywhere and while us adults relaxed with drinks and awesome conversation.  It was a great way to end a busy day bed shopping!

This is the best thing about Christmas, everyone is happy, the weather is gorgeous and there's plenty of barbecues and drinks to go to!

A Positive Year - Day 318

Day 318

I have had a very much needed quiet day today.

The last couple of months have been so full on and although they have been absolutely fantastic, I have been feeling totally drained.  So I decided today would be a day of regaining my mental strength to get me through the holiday period.

Christmas is always my most favourite time of year but it is also the most draining so I am recharging my batteries as much as I can before the busy time really hits.  I am determined to end the year on the positive high it has been all along!

A Positive Year - Day 317

Day 317

Today is a great day!!  Not only is it another gorgeous and sunny day but it is the day I finally got the mail I have been waiting for!!

Anyone who knows me would know that I am not the most patient person in the world so this whole waiting game has been driving me crazy!  I have to say I handled better than I would've before but I am still human so it was driving me a little nuts.

Now we can finally move forward and start to finalise a few things that we have been dying to do!

What a perfect early Christmas present for us!!

A Positive Year - Day 316

Day 316

I love the smell of freshly baked cookies.

It has been a busy time of year and my girls are absolutely exhausted so I thought I would make them a special treat for when they get home from school.  It is so hot at the moment so people will probably think I am crazy for baking today but the look on my girls faces when they get home will be worth it!

They have had such a fantastic year at their new school and I am so proud of all the fantastic positive feedback I have received from their teachers which is another reason why I love doing special little things for them.  It's nice to see that they can still appreciate the little things.

A Positive Year - Day 315

Day 315

Today is going to be one of those extremely hot days!  It is forecasted to be 39 deg celsius and it already is very hot and humid. 

The old me would've seen this as a good excuse to have a bit of a whinge about how hot is was going to be, which is pretty funny considering I love the heat!  But it was a good excuse to have something to whinge about!  The new me is embracing the moment and looking forward to a bit of a shop in the air con followed by a swim.

It's funny how differently you look at things when you change your perspective!  I have noticed that I am not complaining much these days at all and I am looking for things that make me happy and avoiding negativity.  That's not to say I don't have any down days because that's just impossible!  But instead of wallowing I pick myself up and look forward to when it's over!

I am so happy I took this project on board!  It's exactly what I needed to show me a different, and more positive, attitude!!

A Positive Year - Day 314

Day 314

Aaah another gorgeous sunny summers day!  As much as I would love to spend the whole day relaxing by the pool, there is ironing to be done and boy am I glad that I have finally finished it!

Now I am going to enjoy the next 90 minutes of peace before the kids finish school and laze around the pool soaking up some serious sun!  This heat wave is awesome!

A Positive Year - Day 313

Day 313

Today was a great day to catch up with a friend and go to the movies.  We haven't been having much luck in catching up lately so it was good we could finally get to today!

Even though it is the lead up to Christmas the shopping centre was no where near as busy as I thought it would be which was an added bonus!

It is so hard sometimes to be able to take time out of work and from kids to be able to just chill and go with the flow so it was so good to be able to do that in the luxury of the awesome new movie theatres at Carindale.  It's always nice to feel a bit posh!!

A Positive Year - Day 312

Day 312

Today would have to be one of my most favourite days of the year!  There is no special anniversary in our family or anything but it is always a happy day.

This is the day we decorate for Christmas.  Not only that, it's the first day of summer.  My most favourite season!

Today has definitely been a perfect welcome to summer!   A nice hot sunny day, Christmas decorations, lots of swimming and to top it off a couple of cosmos by the pool.  What could be better!!