We are back!!!

We are back, and we haven't really been anywhere! Our life has been like a roller coaster lately, with so many things to do and not enough time in the day. Or is it that I try an cram so many things into my day that there isn't enough time for all them all? Is this the same thing? 

Like everyone else around me, life is far to short and we needed a little time to get back the balance of life, work, children, family time, me time, partner time, and fun. Somehow along the way we veered off the track a little! Is anyone else in the same situation, trying to get the balance right. If you have any tips let me know.

To get a little perspective for ourselves we have set a little family challenge. Each week one of the family chooses a local hill or mountain for us to walk up (see our pictures). The aim is to get an understanding of where we are and how beautiful everything is around us and to take time for life.

This view took our breath away. We live in a beautiful city and have such fantastic scenery around us that it would be a waste not to share it with you. I will try and post a picture of our walks each week for you to enjoy.

Two for Two

This week has been painful, we have just started getting back on track with our budget and "The Datto" had to have some major car surgery! Oh Well! At least it goes.

Here is our flickr Friday, where everyone in the family was involved in choosing the pictures. As you can see by the varied photo's we all have different tastes.

Friday Flickring through Dance

Hi Everyone

These last couple of weeks have been sooooo full. I read other blogs and wonder how they have time to be creative and blog. Duh! Maybe that's the problem, I should be blogging myself rather than read everyone else's. I think I really enjoy other blogs and find inspiration on the things that I want to do through them.

Here is my flickr friday which I just love. Kate from Picklebums theme this week is in honor of her dancing princesses who sound like they are getting very excited about their lessons. I really enjoyed all of yours. I am not sure what I did differently this week, but didn't get the usual list of links to give the photographers credit. Does anyone know what I did wrong? I usually cut and paste onto my blog but it didn't come up this time???

Flickr Friday - Yippy!

I hope you enjoyed Miss R's little post last time. I think she did a wonderful job posting about her 9 year old world. Thank you Miss R.





1. Winter's Coming, 2. Winter Wonderland, 3. winter meditation: loving-kindness, 4. The Winter Solstice, 5. Down the Barrel of a Gun, 6. The Avenue in mist and sun, 7. Within the bounds of the winter......, 8. Winter again, 9. winter blues, 10. Winter Beach, 11. Late autumn sun, 12. Not bikini weather

It is Flickr Friday again, and I am having so much fun. I can graze through photo's in awe of peoples creativity, and I am so glad I get a chance to share with you my flickr friday from their photo's. Personally I am not a Winter kinda gal, struggle with the cold and all that winter brings. I think I must have been a bear in a past life! LOL! But honestly Winter is beautiful and I can forget the magic of winter. It bring a time for rest, a time for reflection and a time for heart warming food.

What does winter bring for you?

Winter Wonder .....

Super Cool Wednesday - by Miss R

The title may be cool but are you? I guess so. I learnt today that you shouldn't leave the controller while you are in a race with your sister. Otherwise you lose the game!. I was at the finish line, and everytime someone went past me they electrocuted me. Ouch!

I also learnt today not to go outside with out shoes. My sister went outside when it was 9 degrees and froze her toes. Then she put her toes on me!!!!!! And I am very angry grrrr.

I learnt to not let my sister have a pillow because she is better at pillow fights than I am. I only got one hit in and she had four. She wins.

I learnt to never be in the middle when your brother is trying to give your sister a wet willy. You may get knocked around a bit.

Bye
from Miss R

Sporadic blogger

Back again... does life get away from you sometimes? There are so many things that I want to do each day that I rarely get to finish them. Below are some things I have learnt about time management:-

- Don't expect that you will be able to finish everything on your list today
- Prioritise what you feel is the most important tasks and do them first, second, third etc.
- Carry over anything to the next day.
- Still learning about other points will post once I have figured it out. Or if you have any to add please email me

Here is my list for today:-
* Do couch to 5k run
* Tell my husband how much I love him
* Tell my kids how much I love them
* Do some knitting
* Paint
* Finish off my work
* Tidy the house
* Take the dog for a walk
* Take a breath and enjoy what I have around me (sometimes I forget to do this one!)

I finished my first week of couch to 5k's. It has been fabulous. I don't think I have lost any weight (darn!) but I do feel a lot more energetic. I am looking forward to starting week 2 tonight, I hope I can keep up. I will post how I go tomorrow (fingers crossed).

It is the last week of the school holidays here, and my kids have been just brilliant. Well behaved even. Usually by this time of the holidays, they start to fight and get on each others nerves, but not this time. They have played nicely together, even helped each other out! I am sooooo impressed with them.

I hope your school holidays have been just as great.

Week one but not undone

Well I completed another run for the couch to 5k challenge. My golly I am sore, must make mental note to myself, don't do a leg workout the day before a run. I am starting to walk like I have been on a horse all day.

Quick stats for today are: I burnt off 150 calories. During the brisk pace segments I walked at 5.6 speed, and running at 8.8 speed, and today I ran 2.8k's. I assume I am going to eventually get to 5k's.

My next day is Saturday. Boy do i hope my legs work by then.

New Couch?? Or new me??

Well I have been thinking a lot about my life lately, and what I want to achieve. Have you every gotten into a rut or maybe too comfortable that you didn't know it?? Or you thought things were ok around you, but they actually weren't, and still you didn't know it?

Well in view of these thoughts I have joined the Couch to 5k club. Check out the link here http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/index.html. I started it last week, but due to work commitments (funny this is one of the things that usually gets in my way of doing what I want to achieve) I only got around to doing 2 runs. So.... I thought I would start again, and today was the day.

There is a catch, I didn't run outside, I didn't brave the elements of rain, sleet and wind. I didn't brave 0 degrees. Instead I used our trusty treadmill, in the comfort of my home. Is that still ok do you think? I enjoyed it anyway. I kept going through the full 30 minutes, and I felt ok. I felt so good all day and I had energy! My usual thing at 3pm is to search the house for any stash of chocolate or sweets. Not today, and my appetite wasn't as ridiculous as it normally is.

I AM going to stick to the nine week program! I AM!

Here are a few of my stats to keep me honest. I currently weigh 58kg (OMG did I say that out loud!!!). According to my trusty treadmill I burnt off 145 calories. During the brisk pace segments I walked at 5.5 speed, and running at 8.8 speed, and today I ran 2.5k's. I assume I am going to eventually get to 5k's.

My next attempt is on Thursday. If I don't post, please harass me to keep me honest.

My First Flickr Friday but on Saturday???

I know it is Saturday, and Flikr Friday is for Fridays.  Is there anyone else that has problems with time??  It would seem to me the more time I think I have the less time I have to do what I want to do.  Whether it be tidying up, catching up with friends, reading, cooking, life.  Never enough time in the day to do all the things I want to do!  I have read somewhere that this is a sign of not being organised enough, but really how organised do you have to be and where is the spontaneity ???  

I do hope you enjoy my late, but first Flikr Friday. I love it, it was so much fun!  Thank you Barbara for your help.

Red seems to be my favourite colour at the moment. What's yours?

1. (-- You can stand under my Umbrella --), 2. Red umbrella (xpro version), 3. red umbrellas, 4. Under the Umbrella

At the beginning...

Thanks for reading our blog.  This is our first attempt at blogging, although I am sure the younger members of our family have been blogging in some form or other without the older members knowing.  This is quite exciting and we know people have been blogging for a long time, but we have only just started and can't wait to learn along the way!   

Our life is a little adventure.  Sometimes our adventure (life) floats us quietly and smoothly down the river allowing us to take in all that is around us and appreciate what we have and would like to do, and then without us really noticing we are in the rapids bouncing around, moving from one rock to another, making decisions on instinct.  Either way, fast or slow, we intend life to be our own adventure (interesting or not).  We will sometimes make mistakes, the wrong decisions, we will also make great decisions but ultimately we are doing our best.

We hope you can come along on our little adventure with us.