FOUND

World Cup Victory!

2011-10-25T16:50:00.000+13:00

Ye ha! The All Blacks won. The rugby world cup and the cup came to ch ch today. We managed to get a primo spot and got some awesome shots. Fantastic! Go the BLACKS!

Snow fun!

2011-07-27T14:56:00.001+12:00

This is our snow man. It was miss a's first snow experience. She loved it but after making the snow man was crying witt cold so we could not get a photo with out her crying

Awakening

2011-07-25T16:38:00.000+12:00

Awake!
Last night I was awake for two to three hours..
Miss A had vomitted all over her bed. (isn't amazing how V manages to get on every sheet blanket etc.) Miss a was very chatty once the "yucky' had been cleaned up. ( Sheets etc scraped, rinsed and in washing machine. YUCK! Wool duvet that is dry clean only in a wool wash in the sink. Please dont shrink!!!)
I finally got her back into bed, made up with all the spare blanket sheets etc. and a towel on top in a vain hope to catch any more. I gave her a bowl also in vain hope that she, unlike her brother AND father, might be able to get the V into the bowl! Ah time to hop back into my warm bed. But sleep evaded me.
So I padded down to the lounge and turned on my laptop and read some of your blogs. Thankfully we left the pellet fire on last night as it was supposed to be a very cold night. The lounge room was lovely and warm. I cuddled up and "surfed the web"!

I read some of my own blog and realised there is a whole lot good stuff and bad stuff that has happened since I stopped writing.
I did run my Half marathon!
I got down to 75.8kg
My Personal trainer moved to Dunedin :(
We have had 2 Major earthquakes and large aftershocks.
We got a DOG!!!! Gemma I love her but my goodness she has almost caused more upheaval in our lives than the earthquakes. Almost!
I have been to Australia twice.( My lovely sister had a baby!)
My "Boys"went to Disneyland and Canada
I studied part-time at University and got an A+
My best friend moved away:(
I gained around 12 kilos.
I have lost and gained around 5 kilos over and over since September.
I have a new personal trainer.:)
My Girl turned 3
and My Boy turned 13!!!

and (don't judge me)

Yesterday My Hubby and I cleaned down the ceilings and wall in my kitchen for the first time in seven years!!! G-ROSSS .
We are on a misson to clean one room a weekend and prepare for painting etc. Very exciting. will have to do befores and afters on here.

Family Pic taken at the Opening of our new School hall. Hubby did the officially opening speech etc, 'Sir Chris!'

Me finishing the Christchurch 1/2 marathon 2010 2hr30mins

Aunty and Rico!

I Surprised Lisa it was awesome!

Miss A and 'Destructo Dog'. AKA Gemma!

My Beautiful Girl!

We walked to the devils punch bowl in Arthurs Pass

Miss A walk the whole way!

Miss A with her cousins Miss N and Miss B

I'll Share more later
I just really want to get this postpublished!
I back and I'm waking up!

Look at me!

2010-02-26T07:37:00.001+13:00

Annalise turned two this week and is very proud that she can dress herself! Me thinks we might have trouble going to music like this! She doesn't want me to help or change the ensemble! A new trend maybe!

My little girl is growing up

2010-01-24T12:39:00.001+13:00

Demo pt 2

2010-01-24T12:36:00.002+13:00

Check out the noise. Matt and his friend Josh

Weighty Matters

2010-01-17T09:22:00.001+13:00

I have been at this weight loss thing now since Boxing Day 2008 When I jumped on the Scales and was 99.8 kg! (This is not the largest I have been though) I lost a couple of Kgs by Myself Just by cutting out some of the snacks etc and trying to get some more exercise. But in March I decided I had to do something DIFFERENT! I have tried a myriad of diets etc over the years. I've been to the gym and had Gym memberships that I paid for and never used!!!
I first went to Weight watchers when I was 18 and weighed 78kg. I lost weight , put some on went back lost more weight got to my goal of 63kg when I was 20. THen I steadily gained weight over the years until about around 6 year ago I was up at around 110kg. I again lost weight and hovered around the 90 to 100k mark except when I was pregnant . I Actually lose weight when I'm Pregnant! I get So Sick. I generally lose around 20kg in the first trimester and put some back on in the rest of the pregnancy And Seeing as my last two pregnancys didn't go full term. I was around 80kg after having Elizabeth and 83kg after Annalise. After Annalise was born I steady gained back the weight over 8 months tto be 99.8 on boxing day.

Anyway After talking to my Sister Lisa. I rang a personal Trainer!!! Thats Right a PT. I decided That I would Spend the money (invest the money in ME!!). Because I really was shortening my life with this weight and lifestyle. (I'm Pre Diabetic).
I met Tarsh and my life has changed.
I now weigh 84.9kg . I run 3-4 days a week , 5 km in 39mins I train with Tarsh once a week and I am fit and Strong. I am still on a journey and its not always easy. I have had a plateau in my weight loss lately basically because I was having to many "treats"
Yesterday Tarsh and I worked out a deal Perfect eating =1 treat per week (ie a slice of cake with my coffee) Perfect Excercise =another treat.. We had a good talk about things and I'm back on track.
I still have around 20kgs to lose. I would like to do that this year.

My Top Tips for losing weight

Use a small plate (portion control) mine is 20cm (8 inches)
Have a plant based diet. lots of fruit and veges Think about planning meals with f&V as a base.
Eat a healty plate 1/2Veg (non starchy Vege)1/4 Carb ie rice potato pasta 1/4 protien
No eating after Dinner. ( I find it easier not to start other wise its hard to stop the snacking)
KEEP A FOOD DIARY!!! I lose more weight when I keep one than when I don't
Get a Personal trainer. Having someone who knows what they are doing is awesome and they are always there to support you.
Read some good exercise magazines I read fitness life and healthy Food Guide
Exercise lots and get sweaty! Make your heart work. I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I'm in the Right Zone.
Believe you can do it.!

I never thought that I would enjoy running! But I love it!
Feel free to look around my blog and see some of my weight updates.

Demo pt 3 Dad gets in on the act.

2010-01-16T18:53:00.001+13:00

Chris has to finish off. 3 very excited boys!

My little he-man!

2010-01-16T15:11:00.001+13:00

My son and husband are demolishing our old wood shed and matt's old hut to make way for a new lawn area. Matt is loving it! All I can hear from inside is matt yelling like a warrior! Give a boy a sledge hammer!...

Candy Exchange

2010-01-15T10:10:00.001+13:00

The great candy exchange.
Woo hoo! It was fun.
Thanks Dee for the lovely parcel. I loved the cinnamon chewing gum. And that Nut roll? mmmm Who would have thought of salty peanuts caramel and marshmel1ow. I savoured it, one bite a day for a few days! Thankfully no one else in the house liked it. More for me. The wafers were great too.

I had fun shopping for my parcel. It was hard trying to make the final choice. Unfortunately some lollies didn't make the cut. Sorry !
i Took these photos and have only just worked out how to link my Mobile blog to this one So see photos below.and also this one I hope you got your parcel Dee.

"Sailing" on the Opihi River

2010-01-15T08:52:00.003+13:00

My beautiful girl loved this dingy and did not want to get out.
Taken on January 2nd 2010 . We were on holiday at the Opihi River staying with our friends Drew and Lou. The weather was not good but we decided that for sanitys sake we had to take the MSC "many small Children" for a walk down to the river mouth.
So We skimmed stones and tried to "sink" various logs etc by throwing stones at it. All the while counting the number of attempts it took us to hit the object.
Annalise took a shine to this dingy and did not want to leave. ( don't worry the boat was on dry land the entire time) Pretty Cool photo HUH?
This is my first successful post from my mobile yeeha!!!

2010 Big hairy Audacious Goals

2010-01-13T10:42:00.002+13:00

Its Over a year since I started blogging! (Not that I have been that regular at blogging!)
In fact I haven't blogged since I was at my sisters. I have taken lots of photos in the hope that I would blog. And I have many blogs written in my head. but mmmmmmmm!

Anyway
Weight Update:
85.1 kg
I gained some before Christmas in the working full time , end of year madness. but miraculously I did lose weight over Christmas. Even so I'm still bit heavier than I was in november. :( but onwards and upwards

Running:
This morning I ran my 5.3 km Run in 39.25 minutes. I am very pleased with this I have been under 40 mins now for the last three times. I am going to extend my run to 6km later this week.

Injury:
I have a strained rotator cuff in my left arm. Its been sore for a while and only just got around to going to the pysio. ow ow OW!!!!! but hopefully it will now get better got anothe torture session I mean physio session on thursday.
So No upper body workouts for me at the moment.

At my Personal trainers Tarsh She had a question on the board,: What is your big hairy audacious goal for 2010? Well Mine is......

BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL 2010!

To Run the Christchurch half marathon in JUNE.

I am running the City to Surf on 21 march (12km)

I also would like to drop the rest of my excess weight around 15 to 20 kilos.

What is your Big Hairy Audacious Goal for 2010?

Candy exchange 2

2009-11-29T07:44:00.003+13:00

Sent!

Candy exchange

2009-11-29T07:41:00.001+13:00

These KIWI sweets, lollies are winging their way to you dee!

Glad to be here

2009-11-06T22:51:00.000+13:00

I'm here. In Brisbane. Sitting in my sisters lounge blogging on her laptop. Little girls are asleep. Praise God!
I'm enjoying the weather. It has been warm and wet. We had a storm last night I have never seen lightening like that before. I was like a little kid watching it in the dark getting more excited as the storm got closer and closer.
Today we caught the train into the city and met my Dad for lunch. This was quite an experience. My wee girl was not happy to be on the train on the way in. She wanted to walk around. Mmmmm! It was better on the way home though. Did I mention the train ride was an hour each way?! on the way back I think we sang every finger play song known to mankind but it kept the girls happy and the trip seemed a lot quicker.

My darling trainer made me a program to do here at my sister's in her Gym ( Lisa has a gym set up in her garage lucky girl!) Lisa and I both did the program this morning. I am a ditz at working out the weights on the dumb bell and ended up with TWICE the weight I should have. For the first set. Man ! It was hard! Then we figured out what I had done. I was relieved! Any way it was great working out with my sister and a brilliant start to the day. Did I say that my day started at 4am aust. time.! and I had not slept for 24 hrs the day before. Surprisingly I'm not that tired.
Having just typed that ... I suddenly feel very tired
So that's all for now.

Can't Sleep and an update

2009-11-05T05:03:00.000+13:00

Can't Sleep. Miss 20months woke me up at 2.30am. She has gone blissfully back to Sleep.
Not Me. I'm tooo Excited!!!!! I fly to Australia today to see my darling sister and Family.
I tried to get back to sleep for an hour and then gave up . Padded down to the lounge and came to read your blogs. But I have been thinking that I have woken up at 11.30pm Australian time. and potentially may be awake for 24hrs straight as Lisa and I are known for the first night together being a long one.. Oh I have to stop thinking!
While I'm Here I may as well update you.

Weight update

84.7kg last night..

I had been thinking that I hadn't been losing much lately, But Tarsh wrote down for me my last 12 weeks worth of weigh ins . It was brilliant! .I could see a steady downward trend apart from a few blips where life happened. It is easy sometimes to be downhearted if we soley measure sucess by numbers. I have been feeling great lately about my overall well being and fitness and I had been less worried about my actual weight but then the other night....
I tried Wii Fit at my neighbours place. And the stupid damn game said.....
that I'm OBESE!!!!! Still really?
what the????!!!!! What has a girl got to to?
This is all based of course on weight height ratio BMI which is not the be all and end all. It does not take into account fitness level or body fat or muscle mass. but I let it get to me. A little worm that started to eat away at my happiness.
That is why I love having a personal trainer. I see her every week and she can say the right thing and help me get back ontrack. those "worms " don't get a chance to hang around for long.

If you are wanting to lose weight and haven't tried a personal trainer. Give it a go. I thought it would be too expensive but My Trainer costs me less per week than I would spend on a gym membership and going to say weight watchers. and she does it all. my Diet and Excercise. Anyway. My husband the most gorgeous accountant ever! who does not like parting with money , says it is the best money we have ever spent. He was very resistant to the idea of a personal trainer at first. " too bloody expensive and where's the money going to come from....?" Has never complained about the money from the first week I started. And It has meant some sacrifices but they are worth it and so am I . You are too!

Next post will be from sunny Brisbane! Yay!
I hope I can get back to sleep now.

Back on the Wagon

2009-10-26T07:46:00.006+13:00

The blogging wagon.. that is. I never fell of the weightloss wagon. Just stopped blogging. I didn't stop reading your blogs though.

Weight loss Update

Weight: 85kg
Measurements
Then
April
weight 98.5kg
waist 122.5cm
Hips 128.5
Now
October
Weight 85kg
Waist 98cm
Hip 113cm

Thats 24.5 cm off my waist and 15.5cm off my hips. I 've also lost approx 4% body fat.
I'm really proud and amazed at my results so far.

On saturday at my trainers I did 120 yes 120! press ups! Man Style ! In 10 sets of 12 with lots of other cruel and unusual Punishments , I mean exercises thrown in. I was a sweaty little puddle at the end of the session. But again I was amazed at what I am now capable of. When I started with my trainer (six months ago) I could do 3 mens press ups!

Now I'm going out for a run. And I hope to extend it by a km today. I've made my self a new running playlist on my ipod to help keep my pace up.
BTW I just discovered podrunner. Its been around for years but I'm new to all this stuff. I'm not using one of theirs today because I want to try my one out but I'll give it a go this week and let you know what I think.

Trapeze!!! and Weight update

2009-09-28T22:14:00.011+13:00

This weekend I did something that I never thought I'd ever do ....

but had secretly dreamed of since I was a little Girl....
I
I had a trapeze lesson!!

Yes! Like in the cirus!
It as at Circo Arts at the Christchurch polytech.

It as amazingly awesome , scary and very painful the next day!
The photos say it all really.

The bruises on the back of my legs are a sight to behold!!
Will I do It again .?
YES!! I just want to work on some more abdominal strength so I don't need help to pull my little legs on to the bar!

I know I haven't blogged for a while.
Lifes been busy and a bit blah with sick kids etc...

Weight update.
Last saturday I weighed in at 86.4 kgs. I have not really had any great losses recently. ButIi'm hoping for a good one this week.
I'm feeling good about my body and I'm really amazed and proud of my self for the things I am able to do now.
I have been running! Tonight I ran non stop for 28 mins and I enjoyed it. I got my self into a rhythym and I felt really great. I felt like I could have kept running but it was getting dark. so I had to head for home.

Gosh I needed to get out of the house tonight! It is only the first day of the holidays but it was wet.... ! My big boy Mr 11 was great today. It was Miss 19 months who was doing my head in.
She is at that pointing and yelling stage when she can't make her self be understood. And man!! can she tantrum!!! Matthew didn't really tantrum untill he was 7 or eight! but whoa this girl's making up for it.

She is adorable though! MWA!

Annalise falling over in dafodills at Hagley park.
First time really playing with playdough ( not eating it,.... much!)

Weight update

2009-08-22T14:39:00.002+12:00

87 kg today! I Lost 1.4 kilos in a week. Yay! I was really good about keeping my food diary and writing down everything I ate. (even the naughty stuff!)
Unfortunately My Darling hubby also lost weight this week. ! Because we are still the same weight! That is so not fair. How can he lose weight whist sitting on the couch for the last few nights eating chips!!! and other bad things and doing no exercise????!!!! Grrr! It makes me mad!
He thinks this is hilarious and has said that he might have to start running again.!!
Well that we would be good for him. I'm still gonna be less than him soon though!
He is proud of me though and so am I.
I am looking forward to being more active this week . (having got over all my bugs!)

Oh and I bought a new dress for a ball I'm going to on Friday. So I'm really looking forward to that. (the dress was size 16) I 've just got to add a few embellishments( GOK it!) and I'll be ready to go.

Wordless Wednesday: Toilet Humour.

2009-08-19T06:00:00.003+12:00

Weight update: Goals reached!!!

2009-08-17T06:40:00.002+12:00

This is me in January 2009 on our holiday in the Catlins. I was around 99kg and a size 18-20 then.

Just kidding. We were very close to ths Sea Lion, though!

This is similar to my profile photo

Love that camera angle. Not!

That was then and this is now.

I started this journey by seeing a personal trainer. I met Tarsh for the first time on Tuesday 24 March 2009. I didn't weigh in that day. The next time we met was April 4 2009. I weighed in at 98.6kg. (didn't take photos though) These photos are taken at Chris birthday party on July 4 (3 months later) i was nearly at my first goal; to be under 90kg.

I reached my first goal (to be under 9okg) on Saturday 18 July. I weighed in at 88.8 I lost 2 kg that week to "smoke" that goal! I had been hanging around it for a few weeks.
I got Tarsh to take a photo of me. I'm in my excercise clothes and its taken at Tarsh's studio. No make up etc. so its not the most flattering picture..... But its a record and I can take similar "real" photos to compare as I get even smaller!

Unfortunately the next week I put on kilo ( hell week , Hubby away, Me teaching fulltime UGH!!! Matthew's birthday and wine to cope! oh dear!!!)
Have since lost it again. Yay! and now despite having being ill and the kids being ill for the last couple of weeks. I am now 88.3 kg! and The same weight as my Hubby! This has not happened for at least 12 years! So I have nearly achieved my next goal which is to weigh less than my darling hubby! So Chris , you go a head and eat those Chips and that ice cream because this girl is going to be less than you next week and never again will I weigh more than you!

Chris turns Forty!

2009-08-16T08:23:00.000+12:00

Yes my wonderful husband has turned forty! So Now I can tell about the surprise I planned for him. Here is a clue: I hired him a porsche 911 for 24 hours!. He was very surprised and really happy. The best present I could have got him (apart from one to keep, of course!)

When I met Chris He had a framed print of a Porsche just like this one, on his bedroom wall . It is his dream to own one. He wanted to achieved that by age forty, however life happens. Maybe by 50?.
Any way he had been a passenger in a porsche but never driven one. So I decided to hire one and (with a little help from his folks , and sister and my mum) did it!

The porsche arrived the night before his birthday. The first drive was about a minute after the person who delivered it had left! Chris took his dad (Jim) and Matthew for a ride. Chris had a huge smile on his face that just did not leave his face for 24hrs.

I decided we would drive to Hanmer Springs ( An alpine thermal Village about an hour and a half from where we live). We left about 9.ooam ( one of the few times I have not had to chase my "boys ' to be ready! They were waiting for me!) and drove to Amberly where we had brunch.
Then back in the car and on to Hanmer. Except we had to drive past Hanmer and into the Lewis pass to "drive on the hills" I think Chris would have driven all day, if given the chance.
We stopped and took photos in the mountains and then turned around and drove back to Hanmer where we climbed Conical hill and had a snow fight! Then went for a soak in the hot pools. Luxury!
Later we had a late lunch and I got to drive for about 10 mins before we drove home.
Chris and Mathew returned the vehicle, I picked up Annalise in our normal ride( the Rav 4) and we met the "boys" at Burger King ( the "boys" favourite takeaway)
It was an awesome day. Much better than my dismal recount can portray. The photos tell it all really.

I haven't blogged for a while

2009-07-16T14:53:00.003+12:00

Hi sorry I haven't blogged for a while. Life has been a bit hectic with the big party for my hubby turning forty and school holidays. I have been exhausted! The last two nights I have been in bed by 7.00pm and I'm starting to feel a bit better.

Weight wise
I had a couple of blip weeks with not quite so much discipline in the food area and not as much exercise as I would like. However I still lost the first week and stayed the same the next. I'm back on track this week though and hoping to have a number less than 90kg on my trainer's scale on Saturday.
Weight last week was 90.7kg

People are noticing my weight loss especially since I have changed my hairstyle. I like getting the comments but people say "you've lost heaps of weight" And I think yeah but "I've still got a heap to lose!" Losing weight is hard work it requires me to be organised and focused and consistent and I'm finding that very draining at times. Don't get me wrong. I'm not giving up. But I have to keep reminding my self that its not just about the numbers on the scale , it's about making the changes to my lifestyle that will enable me to be successful. I do need to be organised and on the ball. I have to plan when I'm going to exercise, I have to plan meals ahead of time and make sure I have the right sort of food in the cupboard so I can't have an excuse to eat the wrong thing.

I can do this!

My Girl has just woken up. So I must stop and we are all going to the green grocers to stock up on the fruit and veges. My wonderful hubby did the rest of the shopping the other night. Bless him!

What is you're biggest challenge at the moment?

How many children do you have?

2009-06-28T14:09:00.000+12:00

Elizabeth Emma Robb
18.12.04

These photos are of our daughter Elizabeth Emma Robb. Who was stillborn on December 18 2004.
I keep trying to write a post about her but words fail me and I end up crying. ( even after all this time.)
I have three children. Matthew (10) Elizabeth(4) (in Heaven) and Annalise (16 months). People ask me all the time "How many children do you have?". Sometime I say two sometimes three depending on how much of myself I want to invest in the conversation.. Invaribly more questions follow; How old? oh A big age gap! Did you plan it that way? Sometimes I can smile and say things like" things didn't quite work out how we planned" and move the conversation on . Other days I say we had a still birth and then a miscarrigae and also trouble concieving as well and had to go through a fertility clinic.... Some days I want to say something outrageous "like yes We tried having other children but they just kept on dying!"

Why am I writing about this now? Its not her anniversary or anything. I guess i think about her everyday and yesterday some I had just met asked me How many childen do I have? I only mentioned Annalise and Matthew. She then asked about the gap and I felt the need to explain, but then I realised she was just asking what it was like having a littlie again after a gap. I breathed a sigh of relief and said" It took some getting used to." I guess I can be a bit sensitive about it sometimes.

Some day soon I will post a blog about Elizabeths birth. I have written the story down. I kept a diary after she died and it really helped me with my grieving. I read it from time to time to see how far we have come through the grief.

I having been scrapbooking an album about Elizabeth for the past 4 years but I just can't seem to finsh it.( everytime I start working on it I get cget caught up in the emotions again. mmmm! I need to really do some work on it and finsh it. I need to be in the right space to be able to do that.

Blackberry Envy!

2009-06-27T21:09:00.006+12:00

I am officially a crackberry widow! ( may be not)
My Husband, got a new phone for work. A blackberry. He has been wanting one for a long time.
I was non-plussed. But I got to play with it earlier and it is very cool. He has not had the blackberry out of his hand all day ( I exaggerate but not much!)
I spoke to Chris's sister and her hubby in Canada this morning and Russell was telling me that there was a survey done of male blackberry users and 60% ( the article I just readsaid 35%, but Hey as my Dad says"never let the truth get in the way of a good story!) of them say that given an ultimatum by their wives "Get rid of your blackberry or I'm leaving!" THEY WOULD CHOOSE THE BLACKBERRY!!! I don't think Chris would make this choice , not unless the blackberry could cook!! LOL!
But seriously . I would really like a blackberry too! mmmm don't think I'm gonna get one though.
The blogging tools are pretty cool.

Chris is turning forty on Tuesday 30th July. I am getting pretty excited because I have arranged a big surprise for him and he knows nothing!! ( I will blog about it with photos. He may even let me use his blackberry he'll be so stoked!!) I love surprising people. It has been so much fun organising it. I can't wait for Monday night . That's when the surprise starts.

Weight Update
91.6kg 400g loss
I had a very busy week and was feeling under the weather and tired this week. I only managed to do one exercise session at home and a small walk. So I'm glad that a still had a loss.
I've diarized my exercise for this week . So hopefully this will help me to do It!!

Goals this week
to get down to the 90kg mark
to exercise in some form each day
to complete two sets of interval training on my bike
to eat a decent breakfast each day ( I'm going to make up some more muesli when I've finished typing this)
I'm going to write these out and put them on the fridge door!

I'm so excited

2009-06-22T19:39:00.004+12:00

I am so Excited!! I have a follower who is someone I don't know and has no connection to except that I found her blog and started following. Thanks Madeline! Madeline's blog is a cerebral blog for me. It makes me thinks and question things/issues. I have found a whole world of more academic type blogs by clicking on some their links. So if you feel like you might need to think a little bit deeper and get some new perspectives give it a go.

Right now I should be working!!!! Miss One is in bed . Hubby at a BOT meeting and Master Ten happily occupied and ready for bed soon. Dishes done Kitchen tidy. No excuses! but then i just had to check some emails and well... Here I am blogging instead of doing dratted paper work!!! I'm really good at that. Procrastinating by cleaning etc when I have an even more unpleasant task to do.

Weight update
92 kg on Saturday 20 June I had a gain two weeks ago, 400g (after the "binge") this week I lost 900g to get down to 92kg.
People are starting to notice now. I got a lot of people commenting today that I had lost a lot of weight. Its nice to get the feed back.
Highlight of my week. Going for a 2 hour hill walk with some girlfriends. Before I would have been the "fat chick" huffing and puffing" at the back that everyone had to wait for. That is not the case any more!! Woohoo I was even at the front. I really enjoyed it.

What was the highlight of your week?

Goal for this week;
I'm starting interval training on my bike. So I am aiming to complete two sessions on the bike.
I want to lose 1 kg this week. So I'm keeping my diet clean. ( APART FORM NOT EATING BREAKFAST THIS MORNING AND EATING A APPLE MUFFIN AND DELISCIOUS DATE SLICE AT MAINLY MUSIC!!!)

I'm going now to do my paper work mmmmm ......

Confession Time!

2009-06-11T16:55:00.002+12:00

Ugh! Why do I do It? Last night (late) and today when I got home from work I had a binge! Last night it was two cooked onion sandwiches with tomato sauce ( four pieces of bread ) today it was toast 5 pieces of bread!!!!! with ham and marg and some of the casserole I was cooking.
I'm so mad at me!! I know it's to do with emotions. Last night it was something I was watching on t.v triggered some feelings from my childhood but it was also coupled with a craving for onions.
Today It was tiredness and mmmm not sure what else. School(work) was actually really good today.
Now I'm not sure what to do about it. I've already exercised today and I'd been really good with my eating today up until the binge!. I think I'll just eat the vegetables for tea and get on the bike again.
What I really need to do is to Unpack the feelings rather than stuff them down. ugh!!!!!

Are you reading my blog?

2009-06-10T08:43:00.003+12:00

Hey! I'd love to know who is reading my blog.
So ,If you are, please click on the "follow" link on my side bar. Then I can read your blog or just be nosey and see where you're from etc. I
'm still new to this blogger thing. Does anyone know how I can see how many "hits 'I get etc? Not that I expect many, I'm just interested.
If you do read my blog please comment on my posts I'd really like to hear what you have to say.
Thanks
Cassandra

Doing life

2009-06-07T07:45:00.004+12:00

Yesterday I went to the mainly music Conference here in Christchurch. If you don't know about 'mainly music'. Click on the link above.
The main speaker (via Dvd) was Mick Duncan. Wow! He inspired me. Go to this website and click on he and his wife's profiles then check the alongsiders link.
This was the verse that he preached on Micah 6:8 "

He has showed you, Oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

One phrase he used was "doing life with people" Get alongside someone who is hurting, searching etc and do life with them. I love this.
So many people wonder how to reach people for Christ? Do life Baby! Do life!!!!

Weight update

2009-06-03T14:58:00.002+12:00

I saw my trainer today and weighed in. I am now 92.5 Kg. WOO HOO! 1.1kgs down since last ime.

I would like to be below ninety by the end of June.

Things I can do Now that I couldn't before.

Fit into my size 18 button fly jeans( these are a tighter fit than some of my other jeans. And I last fit them just after having Annalise ( i'm always skinner after pregnancy I get sooo sick) and before that not for at leastr four years. )
Do 17 standard press ups in a row and then do a futher 17 girls press ups with out stopping
Wear my Chuck Taylors. My Feet have lost weight too.
Do Bird dog ( a crazy exercise that i was just too "unco" to do)

I'm sure there are a heap more things. I just can't think of right now.

My goals for the next week are to:

go for one outdoor adventure cardio session hopefully without children
Drink more water
increase my Vege intake. it has slipped with the onset of winter. (Bye Bye Salads hello soups and vege bakes.

Do you have any goals this week?

I'm Over it.

2009-06-01T23:13:00.002+12:00

I have been sick with a yucky cold and "flu" and a" little bird" ( something I haven't had for years and normally only get when I'm pregnant, and never want again! ) for five days. Ugh!
I'M OVER IT!
I am feeling a lot better now. Although I have been left with a parting gift of a sinus infection. mmmmm...! But thanks to a little Nasal Lavage and accupressure that is clearing up and is not so painful at the moment we will see how it is tomorrow.

The Mission!
I missed my weights session with my personal trainer on saturday due to being sick , but I booked a catch up session for Wednesday my goal was to be under 93kg so I hope I can achieve that.
I was back doing my cardio tonight and managed to do 45 mins in the Zone ( my target heart rate for fat burning 130 bpm to 155bpm) my average was 141bpm. Then I did two reps of my home "weights ' workout. I feel great! Pumped, even, which is not so good as I should be going to bed now , (hence why I'm blogging insted)
Food diary wise, I'm not great with eating when I'm sick but I think I've managed pretty well considering how lousey I've been feeling.
This is a link to Tarsh, my personal trainer's website and her personal trainer, Broni's website. Broni has been working with me while Tarsh has been on maternity leave. Tarsh comes back soon and it will be a big change for me as I have spent more time with Broni. But I'm sure it will be ok as I really felt that Tarsh was on my wave length when I started this.
Hopefully it won't be long until I've achieved my first mini goal of reaching 90kg. I'll definitely post a photo. MY darling husband has also said that he will buy me a new Pandora charm when I achieve this mini goal. Mmmmm...Will it be the Gold and diamond one? ( I don't think so Tim!) Maybe a glass bead . I wonder if they have a miniture set of scales?

Yum!!

2009-05-26T14:09:00.007+12:00

Winter is very nearly almost here! It has been cold.
I'm thankful for insulation and concrete floors our house is warm!!
I have been making soup Pumpkin and my favourite at the moment Mexican Spiced Tomato soup from Destitute Gourmet. It has red lentils in it and is SOoo yummy especially the next day and even cold! And also spread on toast too! mmmm. I have also used it as a pasta sauce and spread in calzones and as a pizza sauce.
Yesterday I made my first Tea Cake. Its more like a loaf than a cake but I think it may become one of our staple baked goods. It is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre and best of all egg free . As we have just found out that Miss 1 is severely allergic to eggs. Here is the tea cake recipe. courtesy of a kiwi icon Alison Holst. I call mine Lady Grey Tea Cake , as I used Lady Grey tea.

Spiced Tea Cake

1 Tea bag any type
1 Cup boiling water
1 Cup dried fruit ( I used Craisins, sultanas, apple,and currants)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Mixed Spice
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbsp Oil
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Walnuts or other raw nuts, Chopped
1 1/4 Cups wholemeal flour
2 Tbsp Wheat bran
2 Tbsp Wheatgerm
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
pinch of salt
NB. in NZ 1 Tbsp =15mls
Pre heat oven to 180 Celcius Make tera with bag and water in medium sized saucepan.
Leace to draw while you prepare the fruit. Discard teabag add fruit, spices oiland sugar to pot and simmer uncovered for 5mins.
Stand Saucepan in Cold water to cool.
When cool add all dry ingredients ( which have been previously mixed together.) and stir until there are no streaks of flour visable. do not over mix. Mixure should be moist enough to drop in spoonfuls in to tin. if not add 1-2 tbsp water as you mix.
Turn into prepared tin (loaf tin)
Level with back of dampened spon and bake for 25-35mins
Cool on Rack . When cold Wrap in cling film and leave overnight in fridge before cutting ( this is the HARD part , because it smells devine!!!
Cake needs to be cut with a sharp knife otherwise it will crumble. Serve as is or buttered.
Approx nutirtional analysis per Slice ( if cut in to 12 slices)
693kj 152 KCal, 5g fat, carbs 24g

With all this talk of food you may be wondering how the weight loss is going?.....
I was 93.6kgs on Saturday and I have lost over 4 cm from my waist and hips since the beginning of april. I'm happy with my progress. Need to keep the momentum going. I have been trying to get my exercise done in thmorning before miss one wakes up. but not so easy some days. Today I put the exercies bike in the play pen and baby Mozart on the tv. That gave me 1/2 an hour until she decided to really get my attention by getting in to the china cabinet and throwing my favourite china tea cup on the floor. That was the end of that. I'll try again tonight.

Weight?

2009-04-19T22:50:00.002+12:00

I 'm seeing a personal trainer now. Things are going well.
Weight on Saturday was 97.1kg. Yay! I'm doing it.
My short term goal is 90kg
"Its easy to be 90KG"
Woo hoo!
Will post a photo when I get to 90kg and one of me taken at Christmas time to compare.

My Beautiful Children

2009-04-19T20:35:00.004+12:00

I Love this photo.

It is of my son Matthew holding his sister Annalise for the first time. He is ten and she is five days old (32 weeks , she was prem). She is studying him and he is a little bit worried. She's so tiny.
I remember he kept saying "You're my sister."
That was just over a year ago.

Today I watched them playing together. Annalise just loves Matthew. She giggles when she sees him and wants to be where he is and wants to play with his stuff.( not so good!)
Matthew is very protective of Annalise. He watches over her. Sometimes he is a little too protective, like when he is telling my husband or I what we should be doing with her!

It is such a joy to see them interact together. Because there such a big age gap I sometimes worry that they won't have that close relationship that siblings can have. However, so far they seem to be very close.

My children are my treasure.

I love you Matthew, Elizabeth(in heaven) and Annalise

Organising and planning

2009-01-08T09:17:00.000+13:00

One week in to the new year. Its been pretty good. I have lost some weight. Haven't lost my mind and only very occasionally my temper!

My son has been away for four days with a friend so I have had some time to get somethings sorted out around the house. I get a real need to get everything reorganised at the beginning of the year. I make lists( in my head mostly, sometimes on paper) of the things that need to be sorted (usually things that have been bugging me the previous year!) and make plans for getting everything achieved. The thing about me is that I sometimes don't quite finish a job before something interrupts me or I get bored and see another thing and start that. That would be Ok if I didn't mind having things "almost but not quite', but I hate it! So I am trying to be conscious of what I'm doing and slowing down a bit and finishing a task before starting another. It means that sometimes children will have to wait, the phone will have to ring, the person at the door will have to wait a bit longer, the emails will remain un-checked until I have finished what I'm doing.

Weight wise. The main reason I need to lose this weight is for my health. I'm 34 and I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy. I do not have on going diabetes but I am Pre-Diabetic. My parents both have Type 2 Diabetes. It is critical that I live a healthy lifestyle.

So I need to lose weight but I also need to exercise regularly and eat healthy. low fat and salt and no high sugar stuff. Stick to the complex Carbs.

Post note: Friday 17 April 2009 .This so classic me. I got interrupted and never finshed this and wasn't sure it was what I wanted to say. Its not perfect, so that is why I didn't post it.
So now have a few months later.

Losing it!

2009-01-02T08:19:00.000+13:00

Ok So this is my first time blogging. Thought it might help!
The title of this blog is losing it.
Hopefully the blog will help me to find some things!

Losing it. I want to lose this weight which is just symptematic of other things I need to lose and some things I shouldn't.
Some days I am losing my mind :) Some days I'm losing my temper:(

I realise that I eat emotionally . So when the above happens I want to eat to make it feel better. not just nicely eat but stuff my face . There is something about stuffing that makes me feel better?!?
Yesterday it was bread and butter while cooking tea with tomatoe sauce and marg and some mince that I was cooking up for the pizzas. 2 pieces eting sneakily because I was fustrated/angry disappointed/discontented! I knew it was no good But it did stop the feelings. Need to find others ways to calm down.
If you read this don't be too shocked I'm going to be brutally frank here!

Weight 99.0kg (OMG!!!)
( have lost 700g since boxing day!)