Expect nothing...appreciate everything!

WOW!  What a  year My family and I have had.  To be perfectly honest, Ill be glad to see the back end of it. 

That said, I wanted to just write about although there is bad...there is always good to counteract.

I believe this.

There is ALWAYS someone out there worse off than you...and more often than not theyre happier, hehe.

I feel in this world we forget to just simply STOP and smell the roses.  Something we need to do, not once every now and again but every single day.
Look at the things we often over look.

For instance, to me...
The simple pleasure of sitting on the beach, late afternoon deeply breathing the salty air and watching my children, dog and husband play and run is just simply breathtaking.  The peace, the calm, the contentment. Perfect!

Another.  There is nothing more decadent, indulgent and sensual than biting into a semi-soft chocolate Lindt ball.  The hard shell, cracking and the gooey inside pouing into my mouth.  YUM! Pure pleasure.

Also, the feeling you get when you are with your most favourite people and you are having a huge, big belly laugh.  You know the kind that makes you wheeze, make tears run down your face and your stomach muscles are so tight they hurt...that is awesome.

Flowers...almost everyday My gorgeouse 7 year old son pics a flower for me.  Whether its a perfect gardenia from the neighbors garden (oops...) or a wilted dandelion...to me it makes no difference.  They are all beautiful.  Beautiful because flowers just are that.  Also, because my son gave them to me...he thinks of little things like that and to me thats special.  I put each and every one into a vase.  My house is always full of fresh flowers...lucky me!

Finally...those night i go to bed and that drizzly rain outside starts to pour.  My bed seems so much more snuggly and it feels that little bit sweeter knowing the next day is a day off...and there are no plans! ahhhh...PURE, AWESOMENESS!

Its the little things in life that make life wonderful.  There is so much uncertainty in life (so expect nothing)...but so much beauty (appreciate everything).

Just had to share this positive little thought.

What simple things make you happy?  I would LOVE to hear them...

Ahhhh...its that time of year again!

We are in the process of getting ourselves organised for another caravan trip.  Yay! So excited and well and truly overdue.
This time we are heading to Ballina.  I cannot wait. We are heading off for 5 nights and 6 days.  We are heading off with my brother and his wife and their 5 year old daughter.
It's the start of spring and I hope the weather stays as perfect as it has.  Ive been making list {as you can see in the pic} planning and packing.  Today we aired out the caravan and washed all the curtains.  Its been closed up a little too long over winter so its nice to get in and get it ready.
Im in the process of planning meals.  Ive visted many websites for inspiration for example applevalleygirl and taste.com.au.
Even though we are caravaning I still enjoy my cooking and having a nice meal with a glass of wine after a long day reading and at the beach.  Im honestly not one for baked beans on toast or sausages on stale white bread for dinner. (although the odd sausage for lunch is good) Even on a budget we can still cook wholesome, tastey, yummy, gourmet meals.  Once ive decided on the final list I will post what Ive come up with. hehe.
Anyhoo...i will update with pics as time goes on...happy spring, all xoxo

Im so excited!!  Ahhhh....just thinking about it makes my body relax.

1000 awesome things...

Hiya all....I thought I would just pop in to share with you all a site that I stumbled across recently...http://1000awesomethings.com/ 
I thought I would share as it pretty much is....well....awesome.  I like it as it is a blog a guy has set up and he puts a simple pleasure on it everyday.
Here is what he wrote on his blog...
"1000 Awesome Things is just a time-ticking countdown of 1000 awesome things. Launched June, 2008 and updated every weekday."
Some of the reviews people have written are...
*“Strangely heartwarming… perfect for rainy days.”
*“Honors the little joys of life.”
*“Laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with just enough sarcastic nostalgia…”
*“Laugh out loud. You feel like you’ve thought of these things a thousand times but just haven’t stopped to write them down.”
*“A lovingly beautiful blog. It’s like being a three- or four-year-old and looking at the world for the first time again. Read it and you’ll feel good about being human.”
...and my personal favorite...
*“Given the hectic nature of our lives, it’s easy to overlook the little things that make it all worthwhile. Thank goodness we’ve got this new site to remind us of life’s small pleasures. They’re just getting started with the list but we’ve already identified a few favorites including that pile of assorted beers left in your fridge after a party, locking people out of the car and pretending to drive away, and finding money you didn’t even know you lost.

This last comment pretty much sums up what this blog is all about.  Looking at the simple things in life (that give you a buzz) that so often get neglected and overlooked and just appreciating the small things in life...a motto I 100% stand by.

Once you start filing through this blog, i guarantee that you will be at your computer for hours. 

What things can you come up with...? (leave a comment here)
 
3 big pats on the back to the creator of this blog...YOUR AWESOME!!!!

The big smoke!

Yep, holidays are great but wow, its great to be back home! 
Sydney was a whole lotta fun.  We were busy, busy.  Did alot and caught up with alot of friends. We enjoyed ourselves and the kids had an absolute ball.

It all started early last wednesday when we all rose out of bed early at 5am to get to the airport by 7am.  It was super exciting!

After an hour and a bit, on the plane we were in sydney!!!!

Next we picked up our rental cars and were on our way to our accomadation in Cronulla. 

Little T and his cousin waiting for the big plane to take off...

Miss Mimi on the big plane holding her baby (Timmy) just before take off.  Her little cousin is in the back ground.

We spent the next few days just relaxing and catching up with friends...

With my most favorite gal pal...

One day we went for a drive to Kurnell, which is pretty much neighboring to Cronulla.  We got fish and chips and went for a walk along the headland.  It was soooo beautiful.  I didnt relise it until we got there but this was the actual site where Captain James Cook landed on Australia.  There were all these monuments and the kids had fun looking at them...

It was such a beautiful place.  Very green and lush and as we walked around the headland, I found my dream home....check it out..........

Cant you just imagin sitting here in the morning with a cuppa tea or in the afternoon with a glass of wine?

The kids admiring the view from the house.

I mean seriously, this house came out of nowhere and has everything....Ocean views, fireplace, beautiful big massave trees.  It was just stunning!

Dont you just love these little steps?...

We then did the whole city thing.

The kids Loved the city.  The last time we were in the city was when Miss Mimi was 2 and Little T was 4 months old so they dont realy remember it, this city trip was fun for them.  Unfortunalty, the day we travelled to the city it was cooooold, wet, windy and grey...but we had fun anyway!  We made sure we found a cute little german pub (yes...underground it was) for a warm cosy lunch.

The boys ordered 1litre beer jugs (as they do) and it was Shnitzels all round...

The kids loved the opera house, harbour bridge and seeing the big face of Lunar Park.

The bridge!

The amazing Opera house.

You can see Lunar Park in the background.

So, Thats our trip....I must admit, I am glad to be home.  I relise I love my own bed, my own car and my own food, my own surroundings...but it was still great.

I am so thankful to have shared this with my family xoxoxo

Weighty issues...*sigh*

Why is we are never happy with ourselves?  I try so hard to be content and happy with...'me' but there is always somthing I pick at.  At the moment its my weight.
its funny, you know, Ive never had weight issues EVER in my life until I hit my 30's.  (or is it since having kids...mmmmm???)
I was always a slim ( I used to weigh 49 kgs before kids), fit, healthy girl that could eat what ever, when ever and could wear pretty much anything.  Now its all about calorie counting, counting points, portion control, weighing, measuring, not wearing certain things etc etc...This is all quite foreign to me.  Dont get me wrong...I have always eaten quite good, even as a teenager I was more of a subway eater rather than good ol' Maccas.  Ive never realy liked deep fried or greasy food In fact the thought of that sort of stuff turns my stomach *ugh*.
Im now a 31 year old mum of 2.  I weigh 59-60kgs and Im 162cm tall.  I know Im not grosley over weight and to be honest I dont want to sound as though im obsessed, but I am bigger that what I used to be and it feels bizzare.  I would like to get to 55kgs to feel healthy. 
The problem is it is soooooo hard, I try....I realy try!  I do the portion control and points thing for about 6 weeks and the weight does come off however when i start baking or cooking things for the family it slowly, slowly comes back on.
I do go to the gym, I love the gym but at the moment Im in the process of changing gyms... woohoo! so I havnt been for a while....Im hanging out for the new one to open this Tuesday YAY!
I guess what Im trying to say is why does weight loss need to be an issue with us all?  Im not talking about unhealthy, overweight obeseness...that is a whole nother issue, but Im talking about those couple of extra ones that creep on.
I hate them, I want them gone, because I know a few grow to many... but I also enjoy food....to me it is the soul of life.  I like my food.  I enjoy wholesome food, comfort food, entertaining food and healthy food.  It all good. 

I was looking at Jennifer Aniston the other day and I thought "wow...she has an AMAZING body AND she is *shock shock* 40!!!!!!"

I did the same with Gwyneth Paltrow a while back who I think is about 37..amazing body and what sucks is she has had 2 kids *sigh*

I also happen to know these two beautiful woman work their butts off like nothing else.  They have personal trainers, dieticians, MONEY! a nanny, gyms in their own home and watch every little thing they eat.  They are super lean and work hard for it...Good on them I say BUT lets get back into the real world.

I...a 31 year old married mum who rarely has a baby sitter, struggling to make ends meet with money, struggles from day to day just to get... life done.  No help, nothing.  I do it all alone (with my hubby of course)....and besides, I kinda want to enjoy what I have which often involves food.  I dont want to pick food to bits and scrutinise each and every bite...  I would LOVE to look like those girls, but I somehow need to find a happy place with it all.:0( 

I just wish I could be happy with the way I am.  I 'Think' I look ok but my mind tells me constantly Im not what I used to be....why cant I be the way I used to be??? (size 8)

Anyway, I guess it will just be one of those life long issue with all woman...somthing that will never end untill I just simply learn to be happy with 'ME'!

♥♥♥