JANUARY - HEALTH AND FITNESS ROUND UP

Can you believe that tomorrow is February, its ridiculous.

School is back in swing for us here (our final year EVER) and the struggle of getting the teen up in the mornings has already begun. Homework isn't in full force yet, but I am preparing myself for that fight too. To all the parents out there, no homework disagreements do NOT get any easier. Sorry for being the bearer of bad news.

Anyway on another note, I have so far been sticking to my health and fitness challenges for the year. My water intake has almost doubled which for me is almost unheard of  amazing, adding slices of lemon or lime and lots of ice has made it easier for me to enjoy, but I am continuing to work towards my goal of drinking only water during the day, coupled of course with shots of caffeine. So far I am pleased with my progress and what I am aiming for.
February's goal is for me to make time to sit and enjoy a healthy breakfast. So many mornings I am fueled on coffee alone which doesn't give me a proper start to the day. With loosing weight my ultimate goal, eating three healthy balanced meals is something that I need to reintroduce, along with drinking more water and eating a healthy breakfast every morning, I also need to limit the amount of carbs I devour.
As far as exercise. I still need to move more. My excuse for not doing more exercise at the moment is the stifling heat. I really need to stop being a big baby and just get out there and do more. I continue to join in with Fat Mum Slim and her Make Life Good - Get Steppin' challenge. I am finding the Make Life Good community so uplifting and encouraging, coupled with the encouragement from the beautiful Suger and Styling Curvy, I have all I need to make 2017 my best year yet.

beck xx

If you want to join in and make some new changes to your life, this is the month by month challenge that I am following. It is simple and full of monthly changes that are achievable to make you live a more healthy active life.

It is not too late to start living the life that you want.

TIMES ARE CHANGING

I woke early this morning. It was still dark outside and there was the sound of rain on the roof. I checked the time. Three thirty two. Too early to start the day but I knew that sleep for the night was over. My mind was in overdrive. I closed my eyes and took a walk down memory lane.

School is back today, and although I've had many years practice with first days back, today is different. I am totally blindsided that this particular school year has arrived. I've known it was coming of course, but over the summer break I pushed it to the back of my mind. I've been in complete denial and today I finally have to face facts.

My youngest son is beginning his final year of school.
This is my final year of being a school mum.
We are tackling grade 12 for the fourth and final time.

Instagram and Facebook have had me all emotional this past week. Seeing little kids trying on their prep uniforms for the first time, shopping for school shoes and books, smiling  into the camera so proud to finally be "ready" for school. Mums posting how they are going to miss their babes as they start this big new adventure. So many new feelings so many years ahead.
I want to be back there. Feeling as though I have years left ahead of me to nurture my boys and enjoy their younger years all over. This finishing school business and being all grown up is hard to bare. It has crept up on me all too fast.

Nothing ever fully prepares you for when you become a mum for the first time, and nothing fully prepares you for the day that your babes become grown ups. I am still coming to grips with the changes.

How did we get from here....

To here....

This maybe our very last photo of the first day of a new school year, but I am sure that it wont be the last of the firsts that we will share. I just need to remember that when one door closes another opens up with new things to learn, new things to experience and through it all I will still be your mum and you will still be my boy.
Good luck with your final year of school my boy, may it be all that you expect and all that you dreamed.

beck xx

ITS HOT HOT HOT

Can you believe how hot it's been ? We have been having some extreme temperatures here, and don't get me started on the humidity. Oh lord it's been high. Sure we are used to long hot humid summers Queensland here, but this year it's reached a new kind of high, a new standard of awful.

The gardens are suffering. I've been dumping copious amounts of water on them morning and evening, and the grass is beginning to brown again even after all the rain we had earlier on in the month. I can't even begin to think at how it's affecting the older folks.

Night time has been just awful, without airconditiong in our bedrooms its been a struggle to get a good nights rest.

The temp has been high all over this wide country of ours. How have you been coping ?

beck xx

HOW DID WE GET HERE ?

It's scary you know. To be on the verge of being made redundant of the best job that you could ever have asked for. Being a mum.

It seems silly to say that our job as mums come to an end because we never really get relived of the position, we are always going to be a mum, but there does come a time when like it or not our mum duties wind down and we are left wondering where did those years actually go.

This week I'm left staring down the barrel of mum redundancy. It's 2017, I'm forty two years old and tomorrow my baby turns seventeen. My BABY. 

On this day seventeen years ago, I had no clue as to just how fast today would arrive. Pregnant with my fourth son I thought that there was nothing but time up my sleeve, that the days would be forever long as they can be with four tiny babes at home, but in reality once they start on their schooling path time flies in the blink of an eye.

Benjamin James, you have bought so much love and laughter into our lives since the moment you arrived to our crazy household. The quiet babe who somehow instinctively knew just how to fit in perfectly with our rowdy bunch. A calmness surrounded you, making it easy to parent you in between the chaos and madness that buzzed around us. I will be forever grateful for the quiet times we shared at night once the lights were out and your brothers slept. So many beautiful memories, cherished times.

In just one short week you begin your final year at school. I sit here wondering what lies ahead once the last lunch box has been made, once the final school bell rings and I am no longer the mother to school children. Where does that actually leave me ? Still a mother I know, but my purpose will change, I will no longer be needed in the same way.

In the blink of an eye I became a mother.
In the blink of an eye you grew up.
In the blink of an eye we are here, balancing on the edge of a new horizon.

How did we get here so fast ?

Happy birthday my beautiful boy, remeber I am always here for you and that I will forever love you with all my heart.

love mum xx

FIRST WEEK NEW YEAR

Its raining like it hasn't rained in the longest time. Roads are closed and pools are overflowing, thankfully though it has help drop the temperature. For now.

The rain is just what we need around here at the moment, the grass is now green and lush, the gardens drinking in the fresh goodness and blooming beautifully. 

The downside...the crazy's are out. Accidents are happening more frequently because people don't adjust their driving to compensate for the wet roads. I just hope that nobody gets hurt in their rush to get nowhere.

Hey, can we talk about the newest health "revelation". Its watermelon did you know ????

It's now apparently a super food. Now I'm not knocking the term super food, but how much money is going into the studies that require a food to become super ?  It seems to me the only thing that is bought about these studies is a higher price at the supermarket, one of course the farmers miss out on. Maybe I am wrong and I hope that I am but my thinking is that these scientist could be used in other areas.

On other news, I keep forgetting to carry my phone to count my steps for Fat Mum Slim's Make Life Good stepping challenge. I really think that I need to invest in a fitbit or something like it. 

I am also headed on the right track for this months personal challenge in drinking more water. I could do better, but I am drinking more than usual. Today I will make it a priority to up the anti for myself and my health. 

So how are you going on your health challenges for 2017 ?

Are you on track ? 

Are you yet to begin ?

I am sure that like me once the kids are back to school, and husbands back to work that our routines will be more stable and much more easy to achieve. Good luck, and I am hoping that this first week of the new year is being to  kind to you all.

beck xx

NEW YEAR NEW GOALS

I've deemed 2017 the year to kick some personal goals, concentrating on both my physical and mental health. Its definitely been a long time coming and with the help of some fellow bloggers who have tempted me with a few challenges that I have joined. I am excited to see the changes they will bring about even though its in the very early stages.

Apart from these awesome challenges, I decided I needed just that little bit more to keep me motivated. So as I do on multiple occasions, I turned to Pintrest, looking for challenges to further inspire my good intentions for 2017.
There were so many pins offering to help guide you to a "bigger and better" you. But knowing that if I tried to take on something too big to soon I would become overwhelmed and most likely fail. So I searched and sorted through the challenges until I found the perfect one for me.

Change is hard. But with this challenge, all you have to do is make one small change a month. Its simple, and something I know I will be able to achieve without to much fuss and bother.

We have all made New Year resolutions with good intentions only to wane from them just a few weeks in. But this challenge shared by eHow.com is more then a resolution. Its a simple but effective way to change bad habits at a slow pace.

I don't know about you, but for me that is definitely doable.

So if your ready to make some small but significant changes in your life, and are ready to break bad habits and introduce new healthy ones. Why not join me and many others from around the world over at Fat Mum Slim's STEP CHALLENGE on face book, or join little old me on this 12 MONTHS TO A BETTER YOU.
No one will belittle you if you stumble, no one will laugh at you if your goals are not fully reached. Its all just for a bit of fun and a few laughs while trying to follow a better path for a healthier you.

beck xx

HAPPY NEW YEAR - Ringing in 2017

Hello 2017    I don't think you know how happy I am to meet your acquaintance. Around here we are glad for the fresh start, the chance to live a another year that will hopefully be much kinda than the last. Another year to love and grow together, the chance to make more memories.

Although 2016 was filled with a lot of grief and hardships, there were moments of joy peppered throughout the months that I must not forget.

Our second born son reached the fabulous age of 21. It seems that it was only yesterday that we found out we were having him. Raising this kid has been a fabulous journey.  A quiet achiever, he continues to grow and change.

Our third born son turned 18 this year, and although it is a little overwhelming that we now have three sons over this milestone age, it is also a proud parent moment that we have survived and managed to guide our boys into wonderful young men.

And if that wasn't enough, our baby boy turned 16 and graduated grade 11 in award winning style.

AND LEONARDO FINALLY WON HIS OSCAR

This morning I spent my time in the pool reflecting over the last year and what I can do to make sure I get the most out of this brand new one. The sky was brilliant blue, and fluffy white clouds were slowly drifting by filling me with hope and excitement for what is yet to come. My goal is to be really productive this year, to fill my life with purpose, to stay centered and calm. To build a new found relationship with myself thanks to SUGER COAT IT  and her fabulous Confident You challenge, and FAT MUM SLIM'S new Make Life Good challenge. I also have plans to bring this blog back from the dead it really did suffer last year ...
I have every intention of fulfilling these promises to myself but be aware that at times I may be yelling out to you all for some much needed support and I hope you all know that I am here for any of you guys to. Just holla...

So cheers to the brand new year everyone. May it be full of love and laughter and that you fulfill all of your dreams. I'll leave you with this.

beck xx

Fifty two weeks 

unwritten

Twelve months 

to be lived with purpose

Three hundred 

and sixty five 

sunrises 

to start over ...