Wordless Wednesday | Goodbye January 2012

Photo 365 on my iPhone has made it so easy to capture and record a photo every day this past month!  It's great to look back on all of the things we have done and achieved during January 2012. Bring on February!



Linking up for Wordless Wednesday with My Little Drummer Boys; Wordless Wednesday; Better in Bulk; Live and Love Out Loud; 5 Minutes for Mom; Project Alicia; Angy Julie Monday; Naptime Momtog; Crazy About my Baybah; And The She Snapped; The Divine Miss Mommy; By Word of Mouth; Tots and Me

I've lost it!

Today was my first weigh in for Tony Ferguson, and I was very pleased to see the scales drop 2.5kg! Being the visual person that I am...that equates to five x 500g packets of mince. When you look at it that way, that is a lot of weight...that I will never see again.  I feel so determined this time, and I say "this time" because I have tried every "diet" under the sun. So, what's the difference?

My hubby has been incredibly supportive. You often hear of spouses trying to sabotage your weightloss by preparing fatty foods, or eating treats in front of you. Andrew has been the complete opposite. He has helped prepare a variety of delicious meals for us during the week, and cut back on his portions as well. In fact, he's lost weight this week too!

I have been able to manage the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program, and incorporate it into my daily life so easily. There are always challenges, and temptations in life; it is how you handle it that makes the difference. I am not embarrassed about being on this program at all, and feel comfortable taking my meals with me to work.  My co-workers have all been incredibly supportive and interested in the program. As I spend approximately 35-40 hours a week with these people; this has helped me immensely!

I have faced a few social challenges this week, and I have handled them like a pro.  First up, a barbeque at work. Instead of joining my co-workers for fatty sausages and creamy salads; I prepared a simple chicken and garden salad for myself. No questions asked, and no pushing food under my nose to try.

The next challenge came with a dinner at the in-laws, where my m.i.l. prepared her usual pilaf rice, potatoes etc with an apple tart, and cocktails. I stuck to barbequed lean steak, salad and water. When dessert was being dished up, I simply left the table. It was a little frustrating, but I was very thankful when hubby came to join me on the lounge and skipped dessert as well.

The final challenge came on Australia Day...a day that is traditionally celebrated with pavlova, lamingtons and barbeques. We went along to the Breakfast on the Beach, which was organised by the local council. For $4, you were able to indulge in sausages and eggs, cereal, fruit, juice and tea/coffee. While my family and friends were having their breakfast, I had my Tony Ferguson shake with dietary fibre, followed by fruit at morning tea.  I am so proud of myself of sticking to my program!

Statistics as at 30/01/12
Starting weight: 139.5kg; Starting BMI: 52.5
Current weight: 137.0kg; Current BMI: 51.56
Total lost to date: 2.5kg

What have I learnt this week?
Don't be embarrassed or afraid to socialise while you are on your weightloss program. There's no need to isolate yourself. Make your outings work for you!

In my next post, I'll talk about all things food. The meals I've been eating...and what I REALLY think about Tony Ferguson's shakes and soups.



PS. Before you embark on any weightloss program, please consult your doctor. 

Disclaimer: I received complimentary products from Tony Ferguson for review purposes. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

Cupcakes are piquing my pinterest!

At Christmas time, my Mum's extended family got together for a picnic in the Royal National Park. We all had so much fun, my cousin Doug is organising another get together in May at a local zoo...twelve months in between, is too long!  We know already that we're going to have a really good time, but to put the icing on the cake (pun intended), Doug has challenged us all to a cupcake decorating competition!  There is a trophy at stake, so I've got to get my a-game on!!  Thank goodness for the tonnes of crafty cupcakey people out there to inspire me.  I'm willing to work with fondant and/or regular icing, so here's a few that are inspiring me to create.

Given that it's at a zoo...do I attempt some safari animals?

Maybe I should go with a cute and recognisable character...with a bonus cookie to eat!

Given that the judges are my mum and two aunties, I could create something a little sophisticated...

...but cute always wins. Love that you can make the fondant owl separate and pop on top of frosting.

Then again...one can't go wrong when using Martha Stewart for inspiration.

These cupcakes, and many many more, can be found on my "cake stuff" pinterest board. I think it's going to be a really hard decision to make.  Perhaps I should work on the flavour first? Dilemmas...lol.




Linking up with Tina for 

Thursday Three | I love a sunburnt country...

Let's pretend it's Thursday, and not Friday! Sorry for the delay...

This week, to celebrate Australia Day, I wanted to write about what it is I actually love about this fair country. To keep it fair for my international readers, the prompt this week is to document what it is you love about your country...here goes...

Australia is beautiful!

Dorothea Mackeller described Australia best in her poem "My Country"...

"...I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror The wide brown land for me!..."

The photos below show Australia's diverse landscape...the rainforest, city, red centre, farmland, bushland and beaches. Australia has it all! There's not too many countries in the world, where you can experience all of this in one location.

My parents' house borders a national park, and the outlook was just breathtaking...so absolutely peaceful. As a young girl, my sister, neighbours and I, would play together in the bush, building cubby houses and exploring caves. It was such a free existence...and we were never bored. There was way too much to see and do.  Our house is located at the base of the Illawarra escarpment, which is equally as beautiful. I love sitting on my front porch, and staring at those tree covered mountains and cliffs. Not 5 minutes away is a beautiful lake...just perfect for fishing, swimming, and general recreation. On the other side of the lake, is the beach...with beautiful white sands, and rolling waves, that while beautiful, need to be respected.  I love the area I live in, but I also love visiting the hustle and bustle of the city, and the wide open spaces of the countryside. It's on my bucket list to travel all points north, south, east and west of Australia, and experience it all for myself...not just admire it's beauty in images.

She'll be right mate...
I love the Australian sense of mateship...the fact that during times of need, Aussies will step up and help each other out...no matter what. There have been so many wonderful examples of this, most recently in Queensland following the January 2011 floods and Cyclone Yasi. Aussies are not only generous with their wallets, but with their time...thousands of people headed north to help complete strangers rebuild their lives and their homes...offering a shoulder to cry on, digging through rubble, or cleaning up. The news reports would bring a tear to my eye; not just for the devastation, but for the resilience of the Aussie spirit. Through all the grief and exhaustion, it never faded.  They pick themselves up and move on. Supporting their mates, and working together. Love that!

[image source]

Australia is the lucky country...and our children are the winners...
They certainly are living in the lucky country. Both of our children were born in a public hospital, and were afforded the luxury of free health care from the moment they were conceived. Seth was really ill when he was born (his Apgar score was 1), and from the very first minute, he had a team of dedicated and skillful doctors and nurses caring for him. There was no question about what insurance cover I have before they performed any procedures...all patients are treated equally. In this case, for free.

Both of our children go to school, and while we pay for their education at a semi-private school...they would receive the very same education at any one of the public schools in our area. The public education system in Australia is also free.  There isn't a question about their gender, whether they will have the school supplies necessary, or whether they live in an isolated area and can't travel to school ...all children are given equal access. The Australian government is dedicated to children's education and investing in their futures, and for that I am thankful.

I love that Australia is so multicultural, and that our children have the opportunity to interact with, and relate to so many cultures. That wouldn't be possible if it weren't for migrants coming to this country, and the indigenous people of Australia.  Everyone coming together is what makes this country great! My children's own background is diverse...a combination of ancestors that came from England (one of which is a First Fleeter), Scotland, New Zealand, Greece and Bulgaria...all immigrants seeking to start a new life in the lucky country. Although our kids are Aussie born and bred, we still enjoy the traditions of our ancestors...and we're free to do so. Love that!

There's no place like home...

I have travelled abroad, and let me tell you...when you're in a pub in London and they start playing Khe Sanh, you sing along...whether you like the song or not. Then, as you're landing in Sydney, and "Have you ever seen Sydney from a 747 at night?" comes over the speakers...you may just shed a tear. You're home. Australia is my home, and it always will be.

There is so much more that I could write about, but I will leave it there, and turn it over to you!  What three things do you love about your country? Link up your posts below, and don't forget to share the Thursday Three love, by adding this button, and visiting some of the other linkers.






<center><a border="0" href="http://www.lifeasweknowit-blog.com/search/label/Thursday%20Three" target="_blank" alt="Life as we know it"><img src="http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii251/heyhoewarren/ThursdayThreeButton.jpg" width="125" /></a></center>

Is it ever a good idea to start a diet on a Monday?

Let's face it...Mondays suck, but don't let that stop you! When you have a really substantial amount of weight to lose, there is no optimum day. The best day to start is when you're ready, and for me, that was yesterday...a Monday. urgh...


I have never considered doing the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program before. Diets that include meal replacement shakes have never been successful for me. Since having my gall bladder out, I find it hard to keep a lot of foods in my system (tmi?), and shakes are pretty much the worst.  Having said that...I desperately need to lose weight. An opportunity from The Soup to participate in the Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program came my way, and it was too good to refuse.


So, my journey began yesterday with the New Start program...


New Start is designed to get your weight management journey off to a good start with some early weight loss. This will give you confidence in the effectiveness of the Program and boost your motivation to continue. On this phase you will trigger the fat burning process by replacing two meals a day with our delicious Tony Ferguson Meals. We guide you in selecting a variety of healthy foods for your third meal and snacks. This is where you will learn the basic habits that will help you maintain a healthy weight for life.


I have opted to follow the program online, and have already received plenty of support from the Tony Ferguson consultants. I feel confident that this is a program I can actually follow. The shakes and soups I've tried over the last couple of days, have been really tasty...and I've been able to keep them down!


So, here I am...day two of my program and I'm feeling pretty good. I've had a slight headache this morning, but nothing major.  I haven't been hungry...if anything, I feel full.  Since I'm a lot heavier than the average bear woman, I'm allowed to have an extra serve of protein at lunch time, which helps. As I lose weight, I will also lose the extra protein, but by then I will be more than used to the program.


Here's what a typical day looks like during New Start...

Here's what I like so far:

• The shakes and soups are tasty and easy to prepare. Great for taking to work.
• There's a huge amount of proteins, fruits and vegetables that are allowable, which is great for adding  variety to your diet.
• I don't have to prepare a special dinner for myself. I can have what the family eats, as long as it fits in with the program.
• The cost of the program and foods, is really affordable!

In upcoming posts, I plan on sharing my weightloss journey with you, and will be completely honest...if I like something, if I don't, what my goals are...and most importantly, what my results are. Here's my starting point...

Statistics as at 23/01/12

Starting weight: 139.5kg

Height: 163cm

BMI: 52.5 (super obese)

Have you tried Tony Ferguson before? How did you go? Any words of wisdom, or encouragement you wish to offer is completely appreciated.

PS. Before you embark on any weightloss program, please consult your doctor.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary products from Tony Ferguson for review purposes. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

3 things that literally make you LOL...

Welcome to another round of Thursday Three! Thanks to everyone who linked up last week. It was wonderful to read the lists of things you're all looking forward to in 2012.

For this week, I'm prompting you to get out from behind the LOL acronym, and write down what it is that actually makes you laugh out loud!

Here goes...

One...The Inbetweeners
The first time I watched The Inbetweeners was while we were away on holidays last January. There really wasn't much to watch on tv, so hubs and I thought we'd give it a go. OMG! I have never LOL'd so hard in my life! I was literally gasping for breath. The episode we saw was The Fashion Show...do yourself a favour, and watch it. Hilarious!! Be warned though...only watch if you're not offended by crass language and toilet humour.  We've watched every episode since then several times, and recently went to see the movie. I tell you, it's been ages since I've literally laughed that loud in public.

Two...The Blitz
So, who or what is the Blitz, you might ask? If you're a fan of How I Met Your Mother, you'd know the answer. For the uninitiated...the Blitz is one of the gang's friends, who always happens to miss out on the fun stuff. As soon as he walks out of the room, something awesome happens. Every. Single. Time.

To me, the Blitz will also be known as the time Eme found a sense of humour...way beyond her years. We were driving home from somewhere, and we were all looking out the windows, pointing out stuff to each other. Seth would miss it. Ever. Single. Time. Eme turned to him and called him the Blitz!! Andrew and I laughed so freakin' hard!! Who knew she was watching HIMYM so intently and picking up tips to burn her brother. hahaha.  Love it when the kids share their humour with us...especially when it's not knock knock jokes.

Three...spending time with my friends
The gorgeous Wendy had been one of my online friends for a while. We'd always gotten along quite well, but I was nervous about meeting her irl. We shared a room at a scrapbooking retreat, and had the best time...laughing and laughing, and talking crap...to the point where we were told to shut up. hehe. Fast forward six months, and I had the joy of sharing a room again with Wendy, and this time her sister Susan joined us.  The laughs were louder and longer, and so appreciated. You know when you're feeling down and you just need to laugh until your sides hurt...that's what it's like with them.  All the worries slip away, and you just have fun...staying up late and talking crap, and laughing. I really feel like these girls have been a part of my life for the longest time.  I just wish they didn't live so far away. I'll be catching up with Wendles again in March...I can't wait!! I'm well overdue for a belly laugh.

Now, it's over to you! Go ahead and share what three things have literally made you lol on your own blogs, and link up back here. Don't forget to add the Thursday Three button to your post.  As always, comments are always appreciated...please visit some of the other linkers, and say hello.



<center><a border="0" href="http://www.lifeasweknowit-blog.com/search/label/Thursday%20Three" target="_blank" alt="Life as we know it"><img src="http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii251/heyhoewarren/ThursdayThreeButton.jpg" width="125" /></a></center>

A school bag nook for a small space

I have been drooling over the gorgeous school bag nook the Organised Housewife has created in her home, as well as the other inspiring spaces she shared on her blog last week.  Although my house is a really good size, it is open plan, therefore not leaving many walls available to use for this purpose. Oh, how I would love a mudroom, or hallway that's not exposed to the rest of the house!

Seth and Eme are your typical kids. As soon as they walk in the door, they throw their school bags on the floor, kick off their shoes and move on, without giving much thought to the clutter they've just left behind. It's obvious that a school bag nook is an essential in our home to keep their school things organised.  It had to be located in an area close to the front door, otherwise I knew it wouldn't work for them.

If you're in the same situation as me, and don't have much space to spare...here's the answer you've been searching for.

Most kitchen counters have a small overhang at the end. This is the perfect spot to house school bags.  Just add a couple of strong hooks, and you're done!  I bought a set of two Vippa hooks from Ikea for the low price of $6.00. They're strong and stylish, and highly economical.  The hooks are large enough to hang their school bags, library bags and school hats together.

I like that their bags are up off the floor. You can see from this photo that their bags don't impede on our hallway space at all.  Essentially this was dead space, that has now been made useful.  The kids used to dump their bags there anyway...the difference is, now I don't trip over them!

I like having their bags in the kitchen. It makes emptying and packing their lunchboxes easier, and school notes can be placed on the bench top to be read and actioned.  In two weeks time, the kids will be back to school, and this area will be used every single day.  The next area I'm going to tackle to help with organisation, is a family command centre, which will also be in the kitchen. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, but in our case, it's the brains as well.

It's amazing the difference two small hooks have made to our home organisational needs.  How do you store your children's school bags?

5 values at the core of my heart

What are your core values?  Have you ever really thought hard about this? I hadn't, until last week when Deb from Home Life Simplified asked us to define our values for Week 2 of Simply Your Life. I have been trying wanting to blog about this for the past week, and I can't believe how much I've struggled with this. This is what I'm loving about this challenge so far...pushing me outside of my comfort zone. I've assessed myself and tried to narrow my list down to five values that I know I feel strongly about.  Other things like happiness, kindness, health, gratitude and compassion were high on the list...but when it comes down to it...the following five things are what makes me tick.

My Marriage
There's a whole heap of values that fall under this category...love, friendship, intimacy, fidelity, trust, commitment, respect, teamwork...you name it. My hubby and I are a team, and for a team to be successful, we have to work together. We're on the same page in regards to our future, we have equal say in our finances, we have fun together. We've got each other's backs when it comes to parenting the kids.  We say I love you several times a day, and mean it...and we never stay cranky at each other.  Andrew is a practical Capricorn, while I'm the typical dreamy Pisces...together we balance each other out.  I trust Andrew, and he trusts me, and we're best friends. I value my marriage, and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else.  When something is this awesome, you'd do anything to keep it...and I will as long as he keeps up his end of the bargain ;-) No need to worry there.

My Family
You may wonder why I consider marriage and family, separate values. In my mind, they're two different things. Family is forever... unfortunately the same cannot be said for all marriages. My children will always be my children. In our family, it's important that each of us feels loved, that we are important, and that we belong...no matter what happens outside our four walls.  I want our children to feel that they can come to me about anything, and that their opinions will be respected and heard. I'm honest with my children, I give them respect and I don't talk down to them. I think they deserve better than to be babied and underestimated. In return, I expect honesty and respect from them too. I also value our family traditions...the things that our family does together and celebrates together, and I love that the kids are interested in creating new ones just for us.

Education
You can take away someones freedom, but you can never take away their education. We begin learning from the day we're born, and it doesn't stop until you take your last breath. I love learning something new every day, and I love passing knowledge onto others.  I'm really enjoying witnessing my children discover their world, learning new things and sharing their new-found knowledge with me.  The way they're taught is completely different from when I was in primary (where I rode a dinosaur to school...lol). I've had to relearn the things I already knew, so that I can help them. If I don't know something, I'll look it up. If I don't know how to do something, I'll try to teach myself. Ignorance is no excuse, and knowledge is power!

Creativity
Life without creativity is very beige. I try to inject something creative into my life every single day. Being creative doesn't just mean being an artist. It can mean looking at something from a different perspective; trying new experiences; figuring out what works best for you, using the resources you have. It could mean rearranging the accessories in your home, or writing a blog post. In literal terms, I'm a scrapbooker. I'm preserving my family stories, and experimenting taking photos, while playing with paper and glue. It's a great creative release! I encourage my children to be creative too. If that means making a mess at the time, so be it...and it doesn't matter if it's not perfect. It's about expressing yourself. You don't need to be talented to be creative...give it a try! Free yourself.

Responsibility
I love this quote. I get so cranky with people who lay the blame on everyone but themselves. It is up to you. Don't fool yourself into believing that someone else owes you a living or a lifestyle. Stand up and take responsibility. I take great pride in being a productive member of society, and in my roles as a public servant and Justice of the Peace. I take responsibility for my property, my children's welfare and education,  my environment, and my finances. I am taking responsibility for who I am and what I do. Be ethical, be proactive, be a contributor, stand up for what you believe in. Be responsible for yourself.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to pursue these ideas. It's made it crystal clear to me what my values actually are, and to reaffirm the way I live my life. These are the areas I want to continue improving on.

Have you considered what your values are?

Linking up with Deb for...