Green Chicken Curry

Hello everyone. I thought I would give you a little something that will warm the tummies and satisfy any palate. This is a Green Chicken Curry that is loved by our family and guests both young and old. It's a quick one to pull together and is a recipe that usually finds all the ingredients in the pantry at any given time.

Enjoy and please let me know how it goes in your home.

Belinda

PS ~ keep your eye out for my next posting which will be an honest update on my exercise regime and how I'm feeling.
xo

Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
1.5 kg chicken thigh fillets
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions, sliced
2-3 tablespoons of green Curry Paste (This can be a hot paste, so for us 2.5 tbsp was a little on the warm side for the kids. Adjust to your family taste requirements)
2 large potatoes, peeled, quartered
400ml coconut milk
1/3 cup coriander leaves (optional ~ I don’t add these simple because we aren't really a coriander family. Again adjust to your family requirements)
Salt and pepper to taste

Note: I use a slow cooker for this dish however if you want to do it quickly a pot is just as easy. A slow cooker simply allows the meal to be prepared hours in advance and time to rest. Either way is nice and just as tasty.

Method:
1. Trim fat from Chicken and cut into large chunks.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan and brown chicken in batches. Remove from pan.
3. Add onions to frying pan and cook until softened. Add curry paste, cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
4. Place chicken and potatoes into slow cooker/pot and pour onion mixture over the top.
5. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-7 hours. In the pot simmer for 1 hour stirring regularly.
6. 20 minutes before serving, stir through coconut milk, coriander. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with cooked Jasmine rice.

A Desert that Promises to Dazzle...

Well hello everyone I hope this post finds you all really well. I apologize for the lack of recent posts however I will explain soon (just a hint, the Sohn family recently made a big move to the USA)...... I'll stop there and share more with you at a later date ~ once the 'dust' has settled.

As most of you know Sam Cosatto is a phenomenal host, an incredible cook and really just an all round exceptional person. I asked her if she would share one of her simple yet scrumptious desert recipes with us and for anyone who knows Sam or has had the privilege of sampling her treats this is a good one. Without anymore from me enjoy the read, give it a go and let us know through our comments how you and yours enjoyed this yummy family favorite.

This one is for all you "non-bakers" out there who want a quick, easy dessert that will knock the socks of your dinner guests! 
 
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
 
200g White Toblerone (white chocolate with honey & almond nougat)
2 Eggs, separated
1 tbsp Caster Sugar
300ml Whipped Cream
1 tbsp Kahlua
250g Fresh Berries
 
Place chocolate, broken into pieces in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of hot water.  Stir until chocolate melts (it should only be just warm).  Remove from heat as soon as it has melted and add egg yolks.  Mix well.
 
Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and beat until sugar has dissolved.  Fold in chocolate mixture.  Then gently fold the chocolate mixture and Kahlua into the whipped cream. ( Feel free to sample the Kahlua at this point, remember it's 5pm somewhere in the world! )  Place a few mixed berries in the bases of 4 parfait glasses or chocolate box.  Spoon over the mousse.  Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.  Top with extra berries. YUM!

Enjoy and let me know how it works in your family or as you dazzle your guests.

Sam

Spicy Lentils....Something Everyone Seems to Enjoy!

Hey there I hope you are all well and enjoying this chilly weather. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere please enjoy the nice weather you must be experiencing right now.

The other night I was at a 'bring a plate' dinner and I brought a simple dish of Spicy Lentils which everyone seemed to enjoy. Actually they enjoyed it so much they kept asking for the recipe so I thought I'd share it through the blog. It's a great dish, easy to make, extremely healthy and one everyone seems to enjoy ~ even the kids.

As a side note I have found a great curry powder from The Healthy Curry Company. It is all natural with no additives and the flavours are great. Check them out at www.thehealthycurrycompany.com.au. I really love the Vital Vegetarian Curry, the recipe is on the back and is really simple. It has eggplant and chickpeas, my kids eat it and don't even they are eating all these great veggies. So give this recipe a go and try the others I've suggested ~ Curries are a great way to keep warm in the winter months.

SPICY LENTILS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Madras curry paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
400g can diced tomatoes
2 cups(375mls) chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method:
Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring until onion is soft. Add paste and seeds ; cook, stirring until fragrant.
Stir in lentils, undrained chopped tomatoes, stock and coriander; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes or until
lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Enjoy this and other familyroom tried and true recipes. Be well and stay healthy.

Sam

Family, Friends, Good Times.... Read On!

Bonjourno!

Hi friends,

I’m back on the blog again after returning from an incredible family time away in Europe. We went to the UK for my brother in laws wedding (will blog soon about what a special family time that was), and then with about 20 of the relatives spent the next 3 weeks in Italy and France. SO much I could write about traveling with kids, not freaking out at your husband, functioning on minimal sleep and with jetlag, etc., etc., but I wanted to chat with you about the way Italian and French women look fabulous all the while daily consuming pastries, full fat dairy, wine and copious amounts of oil. For those of you who haven’t read “French women don’t get fat” you must get a copy it’s excellent.

So I was wandering around these fairytale places thinking well French women may not get fat but I think I will on these almond chocolate croissants and I found myself staring at their great sense of style and thinking about the balance that they seem to achieve so beautifully. If you have read any of my previous posts you will know that I’m the type of Nutritionist who isn’t into dieting except for medical reasons, and my mantra with food is all about EVERYDAY, SOMETIMES and PARTY foods. These European women GET that concept.

You won’t find light dairy products, pastries are literally breakfast foods with a few shots of coffee - pizza and salads with oil are standard and the gelato in Italy is unrivaled anywhere in the world and consumed regularly. We won’t even mention the wine….and let’s just say low carb diets will never take off in Europe!

The thing is they live with balance. They know it will all still be there tomorrow and don’t binge. They drink in moderation and eat their bread and oil (very good for you) as well as their fruit and veggies, they cook with flavour and use full fat everything because they don’t eat enough of it to be a problem. They eat the best quality chocolate and only need a square or 2 at a time because it’s so good and so rich. My favourite thing is….they understand that food is not to be feared and is ALL ABOUT family and friends and good times and enjoyment.

We really need to wean ourselves off all these pretend packaged foods loaded with salt and sugar and preservatives and low this and low that, and get back to basics. Our bodies and our tastebuds will thank us!

Well I’m off to make a shot of espresso and let the kids make breakfast…..

Lv Jane
PS Hey we just found out we’re moving back to Sydney in July. Looking forward to being able to finally go to Family Room Live! See you at the next one!

Making Changes that Work

As you know thefamilyroom is about strengthening families, relationships and our communities. With this in mind I would like to share my latest jewel with you.

Most of you 'regular' readers know that I am a mother of three and I run a busy cake design business which has just expanded into new premises. In my life family always comes first and I truly believe I can have my cake and eat it too (sorry couldn’t resist!).

Life is so busy that I (like you) find myself multi-tasking and trying to make the best use of every minute in a day. With this in mind allow me to share with you what my evenings usually look like.....After my children go to bed I tackle the washing, ironing, cleaning, read school notes and so on. To be honest the thought of getting all of these chores done often takes priority in my mind which means after dinner I become focused on putting the children to bed as quickly as possible. I know this isn’t great for anyone so I decided to change. I sat myself down and looked at what I wanted to achieve and how I could do it better keeping harmony in the home whilst making sure my 'jobs' didn't slip. You see I really believe children should go to bed feeling relaxed and content, laughter should fill the house rather than the sound of urgent reminders to brush your teeth and get into bed which was the current state of our home (now I know the 'urgent' does happen however we should try and make it the occasional rather than the norm :).

Here's how I made things different.....We now all pile into our bed. Each child brings a book. The child whose book is being read gets to cuddle up next to me, we all take turns and this is proving to be exceptional for the children and for my soul. Our evenings have become so satisfying for everyone, we read, we laugh, snuggle and I show my children that everything else in the world can wait. I have found that my children go to bed and pop off to sleep quickly following a prayer and a kiss good night. Yet another memory is being forged for them to look back on and smile.

Remember, our circumstances are all different. We can’t look at the way another family operates and expect to duplicate it. Some of us are single parents, some work full-time others have children with special needs and so on. Some of you have children older than mine, with them I encourage you to make adjustments that work for them and that may be staying up later, working on a project together or just sitting up and letting them know your available, you never know what will work with the teenage heart.

Friends take time to be clear on what you desire for your family and look at how you can achieve it based on the way your family looks. Talking with friends, looking at thefamilyroom posts and listening to our podcasts as well as reading parenting books are resources I use when I am confronted with the need to change.

Enjoy the moments.

Annie

Kick Start a Great Habit

It’s zero degrees outside. The kids have gone to school. The house is quiet and I’m now faced with one of the hardest decisions of my life…

… Should I take off my fleecy pink checkered pajamas and put on my track pants and sweatshirt in preparation for exercise class or should I simply sit on the couch, drink tea and watch Sunrise with Mel and Kochy. See how difficult this decision is.

But then, as if my body has slipped into autopilot, the TV goes off, my exercise gear goes on and I grab my ‘I’m going to Siberia’ coat. Next thing I know I’m in my car driving in a trance to exercise class. Why? Because I have been doing this now for several weeks and I’ve formed a habit. They say if you do something consistently for more than 21 days it becomes habitual. If I could only get my husband to pick up his jocks and socks for 21 days. The possibilities are endless.

There’s also something very familiar about exercise class. I open the door and walk in; Smiling at me are my pals, Susan and Belinda. We all arrange our exercise mats, have a sip of Evian (actually, its tap water – Evian just sounds more Gwyneth Paltrow) and we get into position.

Skinny Lucy, the instructor who looks Chinese, but has a broader aussie accent than me, welcomes me warmly, before she switches the rap/funk/rock music on and puts me, Susan, Belinda and four Chinese ladies through the most grueling ‘low impact’ exercise hour of our lives. By the end we are screaming for mercy. She works our uppers, our downers, our inners and our outers and with the little energy we have left at the end of the hour, we clap, hand over our eleven bucks and head off for a latte and some Turkish bread. We walk out of that class feeling fantastic.

My decision to exercise came after my one too many attempts to pull my low rise jeans over my ever bulging tummy – the muffin syndrome. Encouraged by Susan and Belinda, I began fart lekking (which you have heard all about), which has now lead to fart lekking and exercise class. Even my eating habits have changed in line with my new found regime. Overall I have more energy, less flat days and even look forward to shopping for outfits.

For those of you thinking about exercise classes or simply getting your body moving, put on your Nike trainers and ‘just do it’. Set your alarm clock half an hour earlier. Get up and get walking. Or, grab some friends and go to exercise class or join a gym. Seriously, if you’re not happy with what you’re looking at in the mirror, exercise for 21 days and you’ll have yourself a great habit! Enjoy.


Nicki Partridge.

Yummy Vegetable Soup

Firstly let me aplogise for the delay in posting something. We've had a very crazy week....Anyway, as the old saying goes "better late than never".

I've decided to share this beautiful Vegetable Soup recipe with you. The other night my good friend Nicki (whom you know from the blog and our podcasts) called and asked if her and her girls could come over for dinner ~ they were coming to my place later and were out at swimming lessons so decided (as they sometimes do) to come straight to ours for dinner rather than going all the way home first (oh the details....I know you love them :).

We were having a very simple vegetable soup with some great crusty rolls ~ a simple yet very nutritious meal. Nicki and her girls arrived and Nicki loved the soup and asked for the recipe. I explained to her how incredibly simple it was and how I had only started cooking (chopping and preparing) at 5:10pm and we were all sitting and eating just before 6pm. So easy, so fresh, and so yummy.

After talking with Nicki I thought I should post my little recipe ~ it's all made up from things I seem to remember reading so have a go and enjoy. If you are living in Sydney this is a perfect recipe for our cold, wet weather right now, if you are experiencing summer weather right now this soup is perfect cold as well (I know some of you think that's really gross but it's actually nice and very refreshing on a hot day).

Okay here goes!

Yummy Vegetable Soup

2 cups Chicken, Vegetable or Beef Stock (I use Vegetable)
1 cup Water
1 Large Can chopped tomatoes (if you don't want a tomato based soup simply leave this out and it will be a clear soup)
Add Chopped Vegetables (I used chopped new potatoes ~ chopped into small pieces, 1 red capsicum chopped, 1 onion finely chopped, 2 carrots chopped smallish, 2 good handfuls of green beans, 2 stocks of celery, 1 zucchini, 1 can kernel corn.
1-2 cloves of garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
To add to this and make it a heavier meal you could include: rice, pasta, beans (of any sort) or barley.

That's it friends a super easy, super yummy and super quick vegetable soup that everyone will eat.

Enjoy.

Much love,
Susan xoxo

Turning My House Into a Home ... Part 1

A few year’s ago my mother and I were driving on an isolated stretch of road in the south of Western Australia. It had been a long chilly day – frost covered the rolling green hills like a soft white blanket. Approaching the nearest town we passed an enticing sign which read: “warm fire, kettle’s on”. Without giving it a second thought, we stopped the car, grabbed our coats and went inside in search of an ‘experience’ rather than just a coffee. The café wasn’t ritzy, but it did have one thing going for it – it felt warm and very homely. It reminded me of the house I grew up in.

Arriving home in my teens and twenties, I can always remember being greeted by the familiar smell of mum’s English stew cooking on the stove, warming up my hands in front of the gas fire, lying on our modest, yet comfortable furniture and hearing the kettle whistling – on continuous boil.

Now that I have my own home, I too want to create an environment that is warm and inviting. Our lights are always dimmed, candles are flickering, music is often playing and the heater is on during those cold winter months.

I do what I can ascetically to create a welcoming environment and then my husband and I build on this by filling our home with lively conversation (usually at the dinner table), lots of cuddles, unconditional love, respect, laughter, friends, and a lifetime of happy memories, captured so beautifully in the photo’s gracing our walls.

At thefamilyroom we often talk about our homes being a haven and a safe place and that they are homes rather than houses. This is something I want, I want my house to be a safe haven, an oasis, a place where we can relax and just be ourselves. Truly not just a house – but a home.

Nicole Partridge

Zero Tolerance

Hi everyone I hope you are all well.

This post is something that I put up when we first started the blog and recently I thought it important to 'repost' this article.

I am always interested in net lingo (internet language) and mobile/cell phone speech, as it seems to be a language all to itself. I heard Dr. Phil talking about this language which made me realize that, although I'm interested, my knowledge is very limited in this area - so I decided to do some research on my own. I soon discovered that what I knew was limited to: LOL (laugh out loud), ta-ta-4-N (ta ta for now) and 4Eva (forever), BF (boyfriend), BFF (best friend forever), SO (significant other) and that about covers it for me. My own limited knowledge has probably already astounded some of you. I'm sure there are those of you out there who know very little about this new language.

Dr. Phil started me thinking about this and I was again challenged when I read something recently that included POS which to my surprise means 'Parents over Shoulder'. After reading that I decided that this needed a little more attention and research on my part so I did what we all do now, I got online and I found myself absolutely shocked at the language that is out there.

Dr.Phil believes that we should have ZERO TOLERANCE policies in our homes when it comes to communication.... I have to say, "I totally agree." This 'net lingo/mobile or cell speak' ostracizes parents from children (whatever their age) and allows our children/teens/young adults to enter into an unsafe world away from our protection. We have no idea who they are communicating with and what they are communicating about.

I encourage you to keep your computers in an open area in your home, limit access
time and check your history file regularly. In addition find something like Net Nanny or other protective software programs that will keep your family safe. As much as our children want their privacy (whatever their age) on the computer it isn't wise. We must adopt Zero Tolerance attitudes in order to keep our homes safe from predators and the like.

I thought I would give you a little sample and see if you are able to translate - just a test to see how much we all know and how much we can understand. Try your skills and see how you go with this language:

Hey how RU? RU MorF? RU SorG? LMIRL. WYCM. AEAP. Got2 go P911. PIR.

Interpretation:

Hey how are you? Are you Male or Female? Are you Straight or Gay? Let's meet in real life. Will you call me. As early as possible. Got to go, parent alert. Parent's in room.

I’m sure most of you are shocked by what you’ve just read – so was I. I knew this language was out there but to the extent that it is I couldn’t believe. You could learn a totally new language through ‘net lingo/mobile speak’......it's very, very scary.

For more information and to educate yourself on this language visit www.netlingo.com. You’ll be surprised. Keep yourself informed and ahead of the game and do whatever you need to to keep your precious children safe.

I hope this has been helpful.

Susan xoxo

Our Exercise Journey Continues

Hello everyone I hope you are all well and enjoying whatever season of life you are in. I thought I would share something with you today about our journey towards health and fitness….we haven’t given you an update for awhile ☺

As you know Susan and I have become committed fartlekers (I still can’t get used to that word). We have been fartleking (regularly) for just over 3 months now and I can’t believe how much better I feel. My shape is starting to change and my weight is dropping (yahoo!!). I must admit, the weight coming off has been a little slower than I thought – I’ve heard it said that it’s much easier to put it on than take it off and so it is. Slow or not it’s coming off and that’s what matters.

I am so glad Susan and I made this decision and committed to this journey. You see, I have always been an extremely active ‘sporty’ person (you should see my before and after pictures) however after three large babies, taking care of everyone else’s needs before mine, eating without realising, no time (or energy) for exercise I changed. It was slow but it happened and I realised that I was no longer who I once was.

You’ve read earlier that we (Susan and I plus a few others) have decided that enough was enough and this year was our year to return to health and fitness. It’s taken time, its taken determination and DISCIPLINE but the rewards are great. The rewards didn’t happen immediately – in fact, no one really noticed change until just recently, over three months of pain and perseverance and no one noticed. I had to keep reminding myself that I was doing this for ME so it didn’t matter if anyone noticed. I must admit over the last two weeks I have had a few people comment on my change and it has felt good, more in terms of feeling good because I’ve seen something through – I’ve made a permanent change in my life.

I share this with you today to encourage you to get up and go. Make a decision today (or this week) to change, discipline yourself to make a difference in your health. YOU DESERVE IT! Get healthy. I love my husband and children and I want to live a long, healthy life with them. To do so I must keep fitness as part of my routine.

I encourage all of you already exercising to continue on and those thinking about starting go for it. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Belinda xxx

The Importance of Eye Contact

I was recently at a service station near my home and was served by a woman who refused to make eye contact with me. For those of you who know me you know that I was trying EVERYTHING in my power to make her look at me for but a second. This woman was not about to connect with me (or anyone else in the store for that matter) she simply refused and conducted our business successfully but without the necessary human connection.

Before I left I thought I would see if it was only me she avoided so I casually walked around the shop all the while watching how she interacted with other customers. To my surprise she did the very same to them, not even a glance at a cooing baby!

I left the service station puzzled, trying to figure out why this woman was so determined not to make eye contact. Had she been hurt, was her morning turned up side down by some tragic news, was she ferociously insecure or had she never been taught the importance of EYE CONTACT?

I want to encourage you to USE YOUR EYES. Look people straight in the eye and give them your full attention. Teach your children to make eye contact with others. This is easily done simply by them seeing you make eye contact with them and others. Shift yourself so you are able to look your children or partner in the eyes, get at eye level with your child and hold their little face in your hands, position yourself with a friend so that they are in your line of vision and you aren’t distracted when talking with them. There is something spectacular about eye contact, it can warm the soul, can see truth, can tell a story without a word exchanged or in my daughter’s words the eyes can say, “I love you!”

Our eyes are powerful beyond what we know. As technology increases and our need to connect with the ‘outside world’ slowly diminishes eye contact may soon become a ‘lost art’. Use your eyes wisely and teach those in your world to connect with the world through their eyes.

Have the best day and as always, remember that the world looks better through smiling eyes…..:))

Susan xoxo

Breaking Down the Mammoth Tasks

There’s an old joke I remember as I was growing up. It went something like this: How do you eat an elephant? I don’t know how do you eat an elephant? – Answer: one bite at a time. Actually, it wasn’t that funny, but it helps with the illustration.

The illustration of the elephant used widely at time management courses in the 80’s represented anything in your life that overwhelmed you. In my case, it’s the stuff like the work deadlines, the humungous washing pile, ironing stack, overstuffed pantry, kid’s bedrooms, and office disaster. So how do I tackle all of this? Answer: one job at a time.

You see ever since school holidays ended two weeks ago, I have felt completely overwhelmed by the number of jobs requiring my attention. My elephant was the clean washing that had piled up in the guest bedroom, leaving no room for any potential guests and the office with receipts, mail, paperwork strewn all over the floor. Oh, and did I mention the kids bedrooms and the toy room. My elephant was huge and getting bigger every day.

The more I look around, the more discouraged I became and the less likely I was to tackle these big jobs. Throw in a bout of sickness, a tight deadline and I had imminent disaster in my home. All I could do was shut another door, apologize to my husband for the mess and buy another pair of school socks for my daughter, because I couldn’t find the others.

Yesterday however, I turned over a new leaf. I figured the longer I left this, the worse it would become until my whole family will be buried alive under dirty socks, electricity bills and un-ironed shirts. If left untouched, we would eventually feature on that new TV reality show, “I shouldn’t be alive.”

Not wanting to put my family through this humiliation, I picked up my knife and fork and began carving up my elephant. A load of washing before breakfast – I feel better already. A handbag clean-out after lunch (I forgot to mention the state of my handbag). Then I really got adventurous put away the contents of my travel bag that had been sitting on the lounge room floor for two weeks. And the ultimate: I bravely tackled half the clothes that needed to be put away in the spare room.

Tonight – my house is not completely in order, but it’s getting there. And I feel so much better. My encouragement to everyone who finds themselves looking down the trunk of your elephant, don’t ignore it, don’t put it off – just tackle it – one bite at a time.

Nicki Partridge

To All Mum's and Future Mum's......Words from the Heart

Hey everyone I hope you are all really well.

I thought I would share the following story with you today. Like me, you may have already read this however it's one of those 'keepers' that are worth reading over and over again.

Enjoy ;)


To Be a Mum

We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband/partner are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more
spontaneous vacations." But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her.

I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mum!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.
That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a caesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honour.

My daughter's relationship with her partner will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a partner who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with their child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with them again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.

"You'll never regret it," I finally say.

Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble they’re way into this most wonderful of callings – Motherhood.


I hope you enjoyed that. Take a breath now. For those of you who have children remember to hug them lots, for those of you yet to have children prepare your heart and BELIEVE.

Have the best day.

Susan xoxo

Hello to the 'Bunnings Ladies Night' Crew

Tonight Belinda, Sam, Michaela and I had the privilege of spending the night at the 'Bunnings Ladies Night'. It was a great night and we met a stack of new people so this is just a quick hello to our new friends.

We hope you enjoy our blog spot and stay with us as we continue to grow and make a difference in families in Sydney and beyond. If you've never been on a blog before don't be scared, have a look around and I know you will find something that you will enjoy whether it be a great article, recipe, funny story, great quote or fun fact plus so much more.

So relax, put your feet up and spend a few minutes with us and why not leave us a comment so we know you've arrived safely.

Take care, stay in touch and love those in your world.

Susan xo

A Balanced Life

Hello everyone.... my apologies for not updating the blog over the past few days. My delay in updating is simply due to the fact that Jane and I have been extremely busy sitting by the pool in Fiji!!!!! Yes, we are still in Fiji, with the Kennedy's (Jane's family) and are currently enjoying a week of sun, sand and total relaxation. Needless to say, we are enjoying every single moment.

I have chosen to blog about The Balanced Life because, through my work with familyroom, I have come to understand that BALANCE in our personal, family and corporate lives is greatly desired however the search for it is proving to be a major struggle.

How do we find balance in the midst of our busy lives? How do we cultivate balance and make it work?

Balance and Consistency go hand-in-hand, it's not the all or nothing or the living with extremes, rather it's about everything in moderation. It's about being wise and considering all situations before acting, it's about making smart choices, it's about breathing through everything and not striving or stressing about the issues of life.

Over the next few days we will post different topics surrounding A BALANCED LIFE. We would love to hear from you........

Have the best day and remember to smile because the world looks better through smiling eyes.

Susan

xoxo......gotta run and get my place by the pool :))

The Power of Consistency

Consistency. A word that rolls off the tongue easily, but a word that challenges each one of us every-day. Consistency is something that is required in our lives in so many areas whether it be in area of exercise, relationships, raising children, cleaning, emotions, etc., the list simply goes on and on. Consistency can be our friend or at times our greatest enemy.

I wanted to share this thought with you and allow you time to ponder how Consistency is or isn’t working in your life.

I was talking to my dear friend Jane today about raising children and how so many of us think that in order to get it right we have to be consistent in the way we discipline our children. To this end I totally agree however not only do we need to be consistent in our discipline, we MUST be consistent in our love, our words and our actions. We all know that children live what they see and as we endeavour to raise our children to be strong, confident adults we must allow them to see consistency in our lives every-day.

It is important that we (as the adults) conduct ourselves in our homes the same way we conduct ourselves outside of the home. Our children see it all and I believe that a great deal of insecurity comes from instability whether that be through a different vocabulary behind our front doors, happiness and joy in front of others vs. sorrow and anger at home, or the emotional roller coaster which causes everyone to walk on egg shells……. I think you see where I’m going.

Building consistency into our lives provides a solid, straight path for our children to walk on. The speed bumps of life will remain however that’s all they are ‘speed bumps’ and we can all negotiate a little bump here and there. Take a good look at your life and the life of your family, see where better Consistency could and will make a difference.

One of the main areas in my life that I have recently adjusted and applied Consistency to is health and fitness. As I’ve shared through the blog fitness used to be a huge part of my life until we (Philip and I) experienced change - an overseas move, three children and the fitness I once loved was lost amongst ‘life’. Yes, I did the sporadic ‘holiday workouts’ and ‘Post Christmas blasts’ or the dreaded “Summer is coming and swimwear is nearing’ exercise however that area of my life desperately needed CONSISTENCY. Now that I have made that change everyone in my life is benefiting and I’m so glad I chose to be Consistent.

As parents our children crave Consistency and it is something we can give them that costs us nothing. Consistency is delivered by sheer determination to do things differently, it’s mind over matter and it’s a daily and at times moment-by-moment choice. I encourage you to become or remain Consistent – a decision you will NEVER regret.

Susan xoxo

Health and Fitness (My Fiji Story)

Hello everyone!

Well as most of you already know, Jane, our resident Nutritionist, Naturopath and basic 'good food' Guru lives in Fiji and guess what.....I'm here visiting her! Yes, the kids and I jumped on a plane on Monday morning and headed for Fiji where we will spend the next two weeks. My husband will join us for week two which will be incredible (we are missing him like mad).

I know many of you have been keeping up with Belinda and myself as we journey towards health and fitness - general wellbeing really. In following us you also know that Jane is on the same journey. Well friends I have to tell you that the hard work is definitely paying off!

Jane and I saw each other yesterday at the airport, the first time since Christmas and pre-health and fitness journey, and we were both so excited to see the transformation with our own eyes. Not only do we feel great but we are both looking different - our shape has changed, everything looks much firmer and just in the 'right' place.

It's amazing how encouraged we are simply because we both really see the progress each other has made. The recognition has pushed us to keep going and reach the next goal. It's great to see my friend looking and feeling so great and seeing her confidence increased simply because she is stronger from the inside out. I'm sure she feels the same way about me.

So friends today I would like to encourage you on your own journey. If you've joined us and are on your way WELL DONE! If you're still thinking about it then please stand up, start moving as much as you can and know that each day you will get stronger, feel better and within a short time WILL notice a difference. Put on foot in front of the other and go for it and we promise to cheer you on. Go on, YOU DESERVE IT!!!!

Leave a comment and let us know how things are going, we would LOVE to hear from you.

Have the best day and start enjoying the new you.

Susan (from Beautiful Fiji!!!!)

xoxo

Exercise, Sex Drive and Food Diaries, O MY!!!!!

Hey again everyone!

I’ve really been enjoying reading about the exercise antics of various
familyroom team members (Go Susan, Belinda and now Nicki) and comparing them to my own!

My little weight loss program is coming along and although I stayed the same weight this week, (it happens), I’m feeling great and loving the benefits.

Eating less and increasing exercise is really the key to getting in shape and the spin offs are so worth it.

I’m sleeping better, I actually have an appetite rather than eating out of habit or because the food’s there, I have more energy and my clothes are fitting better. My sex drive is greater too, which is fun!! My man is happy!

If you had a look at my last post you’ll remember that I was going to talk to you about what I’m doing differently this time and why it’s working for me, as opposed to the yo-yo thing.

Well as I said, this time I’m doing it for me and I’m doing it for life, I’m not on a diet. Also I have a clear goal, not just ‘well maybe I’ll lose a few kgs’; I’m going for a kilo a week.

Also I’m exercising everyday and loving it…..I think I’m addicted!!

I’m walking, swimming, doing weights and floor work for abs, I’m doing Pilates DVDS (in my living room) and generally thinking more about incidental exercise – you know the kind where you take the stairs instead of the lift and park further away so you have to walk further, etc.

I am also keeping a food diary, which I highly recommend to everyone! When I see clients for a Nutrition consultation, the first thing we do is talk about what they’ve eaten for the last few days. A food diary helps you acknowledge that actually you’re not a great vegetable eater and no you didn’t even come close to 8 glasses of water today!! The diary also helps you work out what your weaknesses are and when you’re eating from boredom or pmt or depression.

Try it and see how you go.

Another key is not eating 2 hours before bedtime. As Oprah says “Not a grape!”

If you’re in bed at 10pm then there must be nothing, not a thing after 8. Your metabolism slows down towards the end of the day and it’s much harder for your body to deal with food. It may sound simple but can be so effective in weight loss.

And one more for the road, give alcohol the flick except as a sometimes or party treat. It has oodles of calories and sugar and while it may not have a lot of fat, it adds a whopping amount to you’re overall daily caloric intake. Instead of alcohol drink water and herbal teas and watch the weight come off and your energy increase! You may not know but alcohol is actually a depressant. It may give us the giggles and some Dutch courage but the end result is a downer for your nervous system.

If I’m honest, it has been hard these past few weeks to stick with the program. It’s been one of those weeks where everything goes wrong and pmt leaves me kicking and screaming. For the most part though I kept it together with the exercise and the good food choices, but it wasn’t easy. Know that there ARE and WILL be weeks like this. And its ok!

It’s not all or nothing.

Have a great week,

Lv Jane

Creativity is the Answer.......

Hello everyone. For most of us in Australia we are in the midst of Term 1 School Holidays. I love these holidays because the weather is PERFECT and life seems just right (I love going to bed and waking in the crisp air).

This morning we had one of those ‘lazy’ mornings – a morning when breakfast didn’t really get started until 10am. The troop (my children plus Belinda’s daughter Brittany who was here for a sleep over) finally found themselves hungry and requested Pancakes - so Pancakes it would be. I began preparing the necessary ingredients only to find that we were out of flour (a required ingredient for the ‘perfect’ pancake).

Instead of disappointing my loyal troop I jumped online and googled ‘Flourless Pancakes’ hoping that old faithful (google) wouldn’t let me down. To my surprise up came a recipe and I happened to have everything on hand so I went to making this new Pancake. You HAVE to read the recipe and be as shocked as I was:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Oats
1/3 cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1 whole egg
1 egg WHITE
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Cinnamon

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients and mix really well with a hand beater.
2. Pour into a hot, no-stick pan and cook like a regular pancake.
3. Turn pancakes when bubbles form on uncooked top.
4. Serve with Maple Syrup (and cream if you’ve never tried), Lemon and Sugar, bananas, fresh fruit or whatever your favorite topping is.

These Pancakes were INCREDIBLE. The kids gobbled them up and they couldn’t taste a difference. They were non the wiser and I didn’t disappoint them after saying ‘yes’ to their request. I guess I just stepped out of the box today, allowed creativity to flow and choose to look further than the empty flour jar. I’m so glad I did because I learned something new today.

Give them a go and enjoy. I’m going to try them again but substitute Ricotta for the Cottage Cheese.

Susan xoxo

Secrets from a Working Mum

Hi friends,

I hope you are all REALLY well. Today I thought I would take a moment and share some of the strategies I use to help me function as a ‘working Mum’. I really hope this encourages those of you who have found yourself in a particularly busy season. The BUSY season is exactly where I find myself right now; in the midst of much activity however (thankfully) things seem to be going well…..hence the reason I thought I would share a few thoughts:).

A quick look at my world - husband, kid’s 10, 8 and 4. I work 2 days a week as a midwife and 3 days a week in our cake business (with a shop opening soon called The Cake Tin). I’m currently taking an evening course at college, we have an active social calendar plus church commitments and last but not least I do my own cooking, cleaning, ironing, etc. Basically this is a very busy season as you can see.

I write the above (as I said) with the hope that you are encourage and see that IT CAN BE DONE and you can be happy, satisfied and effective in all areas of your life.

As you read this please, please remember that we are all different. My mother tells me that once I started to walk I charged everywhere (a glimpse into how I approach things!!!). Below are just a a few tips that really work for me, they may however freak you out, or turn you into a raving lunatic so simply enjoy, take whatever you can and if they don’t work for you remember that they may help a friend!

1. I use MS Outlook on my computer. The calendar is amazing. I put everything on it and each month I print it up so we all have a hard copy (not just me). This calendar reminds me/us each day what is needs/has to be done (eg: birthday’s, bills, assignments, car servicing, hair/dentist/doctor appointments, etc.,). This calendar allows my head to remain clear.

2. My big tip: DON”T PROCRASTINATE! Do it as soon as you can. This eliminates feelings of failure, confusion or guilt. Just the pleasure of one more thing completed. It’s much more fun to live with a sense of victory than failure

Running the House: One Word…LISTS
• My pantry cupboards can be opened to reveal what looks like plans to overtake a small nation in 3 days. There is a shopping list divided into: groceries/cold/fruit and veg/non food.
• Another piece of paper is time table listing each child’s weekly activities.
• There is a house- keeping timetable, which fits around my commitments (eg: Monday is floors, ironing, baking and general tidy. Tuesday is groceries, kitchen, and dusting. Saturday is washing towels/linen and cleaning the bathrooms)
• Make sure you include exercise in your timetable. I walk three or four mornings a week. I make this happen by going to bed at a decent hour which provides me with energy to rise a little earlier and as we all know exercise gives us more energy so it’s essential.
• Schedule “down time”. We have family night once a week as well as Richard and I spending time together. Throughout this blog thefamilyroom offers great ideas for family and partners.
• A list of suggestions for lunch boxes (thanks Susan) adorns the pantry door, as do meal plans for four weeks.

Whilst I may sound like a megalomaniac I can assure you in one afternoon, armed with a big cup of coffee, pencil and paper you could get it all sorted. It takes a bit of thinking and consideration of your family but it CAN BE DONE. Also remember that children DO benefit from being involved so include them (whatever age).

Lastly don’t’ be afraid to use hired help if that fits into your equation. Do what works for you and within your family budget. And, if you do take on the lists and you miss a day don’t stress (I should be washing the clothes presently but I’m chatting with you instead). The lists take the clutter out of my mind so I can be emotionally present rather than stressed. They work for everyone.

My little secret is to pray for the strength to do it all well, love the people I get to encounter in my busyness and look at my lists and smile. Susan is so right when she says that the world looks better through smiling eyes!!!

Annie xx

Fasta Pasta......

Ok friends, here’s a simple, tasty pasta recipe that takes only 20 minutes to prepare. My kids love it as do my hubby and I. It's also a great 'simple' dish to entertain with.

Ingredients:
2 rashers of bacon
4 large ripe tomatos
500g of Penne Pasta
1 teaspoon of Olive Oil
2 spring onions – chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh basil
1 ¼ cup of thickened cream
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:
Cut bacon into small pieces
Using a shape knife, mark a small cross on each tomato, boil for 5 minutes, run cold water over them and peel
Chop up tomatoes
Cook pasta
While Pasta, not Pastor, is cooking, heat oil in a heavy-based fry pan. Cook bacon and spring onion for 5 minutes
Add basil, cream, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes
Add tomatoes and cook for 2 – 3 minutes

Serve Pasta in bowls, top with sauce.

Tip: Add some crunchy French bread and a nice glass of wine and you have yourself a date night with your husband/partner or simply a nice dinner with friends.

Shopping List:
Bacon Rashers
4 large ripe tomatos
500g of Penne Pasta
Spring Onions
Fresh Basil
Thickened Cream
Crusty French bread
A nice bottle of Red

Enjoy.

Nicki

BEA'S PUMPKIN SOUP

This is perfect for the cooler weather that is now with us in the Southern Hemisphere. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere it would make and excellent 'Spring' soup ..... Knowing that North Americans don't really use pumpkin for much other than pies this would be a great 'new' taste sensation to throw into your family meal mix. It's super easy and yummy and it can be popped in the crock pot in the morning, mixed up when you get home (takes about 5 mins) and dinner is served. It really doesn't get much easier.

Ingredients:
1 Large whole Japanese Pumpkin
1 Large Sweet Potato
2 Brown onions
About 6 - 8 cloves of garlic
1 Litre of chicken stock
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Sauté the onion and garlic in your largest saucepan.
Add salt and pepper cook until onion is soft.
Cut the pumpkin and sweet potato into chunks and add them to the onions.
Add the chicken stock plus a little water if needed. The liquid level should be just below the pumpkin (not covering).
Stir occasionally and cook until everything is soft and almost mushy.
Use a hand mixer and mix until all ingredients are blended and smooth.
Make sure you remove all lumps, etc.
I tend to add a little milk (or sour cream) at the end which gives a slightly creamier soup. Totally up to your own taste buds!
Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with warm crusty bread maybe a salad if the soup isn't filling enough.

Enjoy!

Belinda

Autumn Classic with a Twist

This ultra-easy Bolognese recipe has been a staple for our brood for many years. I remember helping assist my mum with the preparation and fighting with my brother for the leftovers. I now get to make it for my daughter and many of our friends.

Most members of most families love sitting down to a hot bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese when the weather turns cooler. Try this Bolognese meal sans spaghetti on a busy day when cooking is the last thing on your mind.

Ingredients:
1 x Vienna loaf
8 slices of cheddar cheese or shaved parmesan
Bolognese sauce – use your favourite version (my version below)

Method:
1. Slice Vienna loaf in half horizontally and remove the excess bread from each.
2. Pour in your ready made Bolognese sauce into the empty loaves.
3. Lay your cheese of choice on top of each loaf and place in a moderate oven until the cheese is golden and sizzling.
4. Once out of the oven, cut the loaves into 2 to 3inch thick slices and serve with a simple green salad.

Bolognese Sauce – My Version
1tbs olive oil
1 brown onion
500g beef mince
1tbs minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
½ cup tomato paste
1 handful fresh parsley
½ handful fresh basil
¼ cup of good red wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Heat olive oil in the pan and sauté onions.
2. Add the mince until browned.
3. Add all other ingredients until a rich sauce evolves.
4. Let simmer for 20 or so minutes.

Tips:
1. Bolognese sauce can be made a day before or even weeks before and frozen.
2. Try to make a thicker sauce than usual to prevent it from over-soaking the bread.
2. Don’t be tempted to eat the superfluous bread, pop it in the freezer for a bread crumb mix at a later date.

Enjoy!

Michaela.

What does Your Village Look Like? (Part 1)

There is an ancient African Proverb that says, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child”. So today I pose the question to all of you – What Does Your Village Look Like?

I ask this because as most of you would agree, we live in a crazy and wonderful world. The current ‘world’ climate is that of unrest, and at times of insane insecurity (in terms of our safety) yet it is said that we are living in perhaps one of the most exciting times in history – personally I’m not sure that I agree, I think seeing the first car or airplane or listening to the first radio broadcast or experiencing electricity for the first time would have been pretty cool. In any case ‘they’ say that this time in history has topped the charts.

The wonderful world I’m referring to, well all you have to do is look out the window and marvel at the beauty that is set before us – our eyes feast on the incredible and the magnificent everyday however many of us are caught in the ‘to busy’ to see the beauty of nature that is set before us.

For those of you who are parents and those who are hoping and planning to be I would like to encourage you to begin building your village now. As a parent I believe the ancient African Proverb to be true…..it does take a village to raise a child. We weren’t designed to live life alone; we were designed to be in relationship and to help each other throughout this incredible journey. I come from a small town community and from experience I can tell you that there is much to be learned by observing a small community and how things work. From equal experience I can comfortably say and most would agree with me that sadly, the big city has lost much of that togetherness.

Many of us live global lives, meaning we live apart from family and support networks. Actually, for some, even though you may be living down the street from your parents, or in the same suburb the relationship isn’t there and hence your support structure is broken. It is essential that we build and establish our villages, our places of safety and trust in this big old world. So before I sign off today I ask, What Does Your Village Look Like?

Jump on tomorrow and read Part 2 which is about our village and our recent weekend away.

Have the best day and remember….the world looks better through smiling eyes.

Susan xoxo

School Lunches..... How Do I Keep Them Exciting?

Growing up I always had the ‘boring’ school lunch! My siblings and I were NEVER at risk of having our lunch stolen from our lockers – I mean who wanted pieces of last nights amazing roast chicken dinner placed between two huge slices of home-made bread, home-made cookies or cake or perhaps a piece of home-made apple pie plus a piece of in season fruit. Are you kidding……who doesn’t!!!!! Sadly, at the time, we (my siblings and I) didn’t realize how blessed we were. Instead we wished for Donna Statlers chocolate pudding and other processed ‘goodies’ in her lunch bag. Our view was clouded by the fact that our mum MADE everything and that when it came to our brown paper bag, she scrunched the tops down rather than gently folding ‘like the other mum’s!!!!
How funny that today I find myself doing everything I can to make lunches similar to those my mum made me. And, strangely enough I get many questions about school lunches and what I put in them. I take these questions as a HUGE compliment as I pride myself in preparing healthy school lunches for my children. It’s important to me and important to their health and well being. Below are a few ideas that will hopefully help you when and if you find yourself stuck and in a rut.

School Lunch Ideas:

• Salads are a great alternative to sandwiches. Sophia (my eldest) has NEVER been a sandwich person so I’ve had to come up with new things all the time.

• Wraps are great both the lavash bread and lettuce wraps.

• The good ole hard-boiled egg (must be left in the shell and shelled at school outside by the bins). Sophia loves the egg option and could care less about any offense it may cause.

• Canned baked beans or spaghetti.

• Bagels with cream cheese.

• Tuna/Chicken/Egg Salad – mix with mayo and a little salt and pepper and onions if you can chop them small enough to hid them (adds great flavor). Put in a little Tupperware container.

• Popcorn

• I give heaps of chopped veggies in zip lock bags (cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrots, celery, sugar snap peas etc.).

• Fruit – apples/bananas/peaches/pears and other fruits you can chop and put in containers such as: watermelon, rock melon, cantaloupe, grapes, etc.

• Another really good option (if you have time) is muffins. I make oversized muffins, which is a great substitute for sandwiches. Little muffins are great for morning and afternoon tea as well. Remember muffins don’t have to be sweet – savory muffins are yummy!

• Homemade rice pudding (way better than the bought and it’s so easy to make) just go easy on the sugar and it can almost be eaten like a meal. Chuck in some sultanas or whatever fruit you want and you’ve got a meal made for a Scottish King. All you need to do is pop your left over rice in a pot with some milk and let it simmer away whilst you clean up after dinner and zip, zap, zoom it’s done.

• Olives and feta (if your children like).

• For the avocado lover send the entire thing with a plastic knife and spoon. This is a very filling option.

• Homemade sushi – this is for the more adventurous. Although seemingly time consuming sushi is surprisingly easy and quick to make (we will post another sushi recipe very soon to help).

I think I’ll stop for now. I hope this has helped you ‘keep it exciting’. I would LOVE to hear back from you through our comments – remember something you do may really help someone else.

Enjoy.

Susan xoxo

Keepin It Alive!

We hear a lot about keeping our marriages alive and spicing things up
every now and then and in that spirit I thought I'd share a little fun
we had for my hubby's birthday recently.

The kids and I went into one of those funny little booths and had our
photo taken. Jonah was kissing my cheek and Giorgia was
smiling a big cheesy grin. We did this with my husbands birthday in mind.

As his birthday approached I got creative. I scanned the photo and enlarged
it a zillion times (it was a bit distorted but that made it all the
more fun), I then photocopied it 200 times onto A4 paper. While Daddy was at work, the kids and I spent a good few hours writing special birthday love notes to him on the pictures.

The night before the big day I waited till he was asleep (it felt like
AGES!) and then grabbed my blu tac and wad of photocopies and wandered
the house like a crazy person sticking the pics on anything I could
find. I made a pathway with some on the floor and hid a few in his briefcase, the car and in notebooks. It was a SO MUCH FUN!

Our creativity paid off! You see this along with a great breakfast and his favourite dinner WAS his present. We've been saving really hard for a big trip that's
costing a bomb, so 'extras' aren't an option right now (he would have seen a present as an 'extra' we know how hubby's think don't we!)

I think this will go down as one of his favorite gifts. It was so much more meaningful than the obligatory aftershave or electrical toy. He loved the effort and the texta written messages on the photos and a whole lot of them are still stuck up on one of our walls just for fun.

Doing this made me think about how easy it is to slip into boring and same old in many areas of our lives. I want to put the effort in and show my nearest and dearest that they're worth the creativity and the time it takes to make them feel
special, I know I love it when the same love and attention has been put
into something for me.

Coming up with something new each year is going to be a challenge, but
it'll be fun trying!

Share some of your crazier ideas for making your loved ones feel
special so we can inspire each other!!

Have a great day,
Lv Jane

Seize The Day!

I believe in the Latin the phrase “Carpe Diem”.

If there is one thing I have had to learn it is the art of “seizing the day” or to be truthful, to just stop procrastinating. I seem to use up so much physical energy finishing half a job and a truckload of emotional energy feeling frustrated and guilty when I don’t “just do it”. The things/jobs I’m talking about are things like:

➢ Filling the petrol tank before I’m in the “dear God please let me get to the petrol station” zone.
➢ The belated birthday card – what constitutes belated?
➢ Buying toilet paper before we start-using tissue, paper towels or…..baby wipes!
➢ Picking up milk when you have a toddler or formula and nappies with our babies.
➢ Paying parking fines….yikes!

I am pleased to say that whilst not entirely on top of it (especially in the petrol area) I have realized that it is infinitely more efficient to ‘just do it’ (thanks for that NIKE). We need to pull our finger out and start moving, everything from exercise (ask Susan and Belinda) to organising the pantry (that would be Nicky) we are realizing the benefits of being one step ahead.

It’s amazing how being one step ahead clears your head allowing you space to deal with the present. Try it. Don’t entertain the options. You will love the feeling!!!!

Annie xx

Personality……It’s all good!

Hi friends.

If you were to ask me what my greatest weakness is I would have to say that it’s being a high achiever. Not a perfectionist, they are neat, tidy and have their children looking immaculate and at the ready 24/7.

My tendency is to want to be the best! Not a bad thing but it can mess you up just a little when you look at what has to be done and what lies in front of you each and every day. You may wonder why I’m sharing this with you (definitely not an easy thing to do for a high achiever!)? I have decided to share this with everyone because our lives seem to be filled with so many deadlines such as getting the children off to school in the correct uniform, equipped with a nutritious/enticing lunch and the necessary books, musical instruments and permission notes or getting out the door in the morning to get to an important meeting. Add all your house stuff, job requirements and social commitments to the list and everything just seems a little overwhelming and we are, at times, left feeling quite in adequate.

Some yeas ago I read a book called Personality Plus, this book helped me discover what my personality style is and how my personality affects the way I function and my impact on those around me. Whilst I can’t change my personality as such, I can embrace my strengths and use them well. I have also had to be brave, and take a good hard look at the areas in my life that required some work. In addition I decided to make myself accountable to someone close to me – someone who would point things out (in love) and help me on this journey.

I encourage you to take the time to look at how your personality influences the way you operate in your world. Be brave and ask a trusted friend how they see you and be accountable if they have any constructive suggestions. Get to know yourself a little more and allow your personality to work for you, not against you!

I’d love to hear any tips from you “high achievers” out there! Take it easy.

Annie xx

Face the Fats!

Hi There Everyone!
I’m back on the blog after a few months of coups, threatened cyclones and no Internet connection, and am looking forward to chatting with you about the inevitable topic of the New Year amongst women - weight loss.

Before I get ahead of myself, for those of you who are new to the Family Room, I am a Nutritionist, from Sydney, currently living with my lovely family in the glorious isles of Fiji, and am a devoted follower of thefamilyroom gang.

Anyway, weight loss.

How many of you have vowed that this is the year and bought gym memberships, clothes 3 sizes too small for when you’ve lost enough weight to fit into them, and made statements like “no more carbs for me”, while piling low fat pretend foods into your trolley????

Well if the answer is “yes, I have”, I can promise you you’re not alone.

How’s it going so far?? And how on earth did you choose a method of shedding kilos with all the diets and craziness out there???

From Atkins to Oprah to South Beach and the Zone, it’s not an area for the fainthearted and often requires a degree to not only understand it all but to work out which method is going to work for you! And then you get people like me who come along and tell you something you may already know but don’t want to hear……DIETS DON’T WORK!! That is if you want to keep the weight off. Believe me I’ve tried them all and they just don’t work.

I was at a party on the weekend standing next to a woman nervously nibbling carrot sticks to keep from gorging on cake and ice cream. Surprise, surprise, she’s on Atkins – for the 4th time!!

Let me back up a bit. I have no problem with a weight loss diet for quick results if a person has diabetes or heart problems for example. If someone needs to get weight off fast for medical reasons so they can have surgery or treatment, more power to them. I have put people on those kinds of diets. Diets for healthy people, that involve fast weight loss and restricting foods dramatically, only to return to those foods, don’t work in the long run, we need something different. We need a lifestyle change.

Success comes by doing things differently. We’re going to get the same results if we keep doing things the same way. Just look at my Atkins friend.

Weight has always been an issue for me. I had bulimia as a teenager and have struggled with food ever since. The only time I ever successfully got weight off and kept it off for any length of time was when I was about 21 and was an exercise junkie. (I was also dating the owner of a gym at the time! It wasn’t all about the exercise!)

Then I happily got married a few years later, (thankfully not to the gym owner) started a family and my weight went horribly wrong again. In between babies, I had problems with my gall bladder and for 5 months, I literally had to go without any sort of fat, or I would experience horrendous abdominal pain. Needless to say I lost 20kgs, which was great after having a baby, only problem was, I had the surgery, went back to eating normally, had another baby and boom, stacked it on again.

Since then, on and off I’ve tried 100 different diets, especially as nutrition is my focus and interest, and it’s just hard work.
I’ve lost a few kilos here and there but really, I can’t keep blaming pregnancy as the reason for my pudginess, my baby is almost 8!!

So in the months leading up to January, I thought a lot about whether or not I would set off again on the road to en-light-enment in the New Year and how I would do it if I did. I read and wrote things down, I thought about all the things that have and haven’t worked in the past and all the reasons why I would like to lose weight.

Here’s a snippet of what I came up with.

Yes (deep breath, screwed up face, ugh, reluctantly) I will go down this road again and no it won’t be like before. I set a goal of 15kgs by the end of the year, with around 8kgs of that before the end of April, I have to look good in an outfit for a wedding in Europe and you can’t feel frumpy wandering the streets of Paris and Rome!!

One of the reasons why I will do it again – cheesy and very Loreal, but “because I’m worth it and because I’m doing it for me”. I really am. I’ve come to a place where I actually believe that I’m worth this journey for all it will do not just for my thighs, but also in me as a person.

I am happy to say that since January, I’ve lost 4 kgs and I’m having fun (mostly). The honeymoon period is definitely over and it’s hard yards, but the mental shift is really helping.

Next week I’ll tell you what I’m doing and how it’s different from before.

I’ll also include some really practical tips and some recipes that will help you.

I’ll leave you with your first tip, ‘You’re worth it too”…..

Lv Jane

Fitness for the Busy Person

I am so enjoying Susan and Belinda’s updates on their well-being journey.

I also have three children and I see health and fitness as an important ingredient in my life. Health and fitness allow me the ability to perform in my busy world, in addition it is an essential investment into my future.

As you know Bea and Susan drop the kids to school and then get straight into fartleking (I can’t get used to that word!) which is really working for them. I, on the other hand, am self-employed so after I drop my children off I head STRAIGHT to the office ~ like many of you. Exercise during the day isn't an option, so I choose to get up early and walk. I find this an amazing way to start the day and it is as good for my soul as it is for my body. In addition to my walking I also do sit-up’s before bed or in the morning. As a working mother this routine works extremely well for me.

I would like to encourage you to find a way to work exercise into your existing busy schedule and find a routine that works for you and most importantly is sustainable. Three times a week is a fantastic way to start and something that is manageable with most schedules. As Susan and Belinda have said, "It truly is amazing how incredible you feel once you get back into the groove of exercising regularly."

Find half an hour in your day (that may mean getting up slightly earlier....it's hard at the beginning but it gets easier ~ trust me), remove any excuses and get started. You are worth it!

Annie x

A Nice Cup of Tea

Today I heard someone talking about having a cup of tea when life gets a little on the 'hard' side.

As I listened to this person speak I was reminded of my beautiful 5"0 (Scottish) Nana. I must tell you, I had the most beautiful 'proper' Nana in the world - I NEVER, ever heard her say a bad word and I NEVER, ever saw her in anything other than dresses, lovely shoes and occassionally her dressing gown. Her hair was always done, her handbags always matched her shoes, she always had a tissue up her sleeve (or tucked into her bra), one could ALWAYS find peppermints in the green container above the fridge and she always had a pot of tea on the go!

If her teapot could talk there would be countless stories we would hear about life. Stories which included the ups and the downs life brings, the moments of joy, great belly laughter, some tears thrown into the mix and so, so much more. You see I believe that my Nana, like the person I heard speaking today, understood something about life that we all can learn - a good cup of tea not only warms our hearts but it soothes our souls. A cup of tea with a friend can change our perspective on so many issues, it can cause us to rise to the challenges life presents us with plus it can ease the pain of a broken or wounded heart. There is so much more to a cup of tea than simple leaves, or a bag and a drop of hot water.

This week I encourage you to slow down, make a cup of tea for yourself and others or just yourself. Relax, unwind and allow your moment with your tea unravel the 'issues' of life. I know that when life is moving at full speed in our home, or I'm feeling slightly under the weather a nice cuppa (as they say in Australia) is the medicine I need.

I realise now how much I learned from my Nana....she was an incredible woman whom I loved very much and who loved me right back. To spend one more day with her, sitting at her table, listening to her tap her fingers as we played cards would be almost perfect.......hmmmm

Have the best week and remember to smile more than you did last week and tell someone how much they matter to you!

Susan xoxo

THEFAMILYROOM - Starts this Monday!

Hey everyone just a quick note to let you know that thefamilyroom will be starting up again this Monday at Pacific Hills.

We would like to invite you to join us this MONDAY March 12th from 9am-10:45am in the Staff Common Room at Pacific Hills Christian School which is located at 9-15 Quarry Rd,Dural.

Join us for coffee, tea, toast and great group discussions centered around how to strengthen our families, our relationships and our lives.

For more information about thefamilyroom visit thefamilyroomaustralia.blogspot.com or call 9659-8582.

We look forward to spending time together this Monday.

Have the best weekend.

Susan xoxo

When Push Comes to Shove!

Well everyone today is going to be a SHORT entry because I am so full of energy I can hardly sit still.

Today Belinda and I met for our morning FARTLEK and boy did we push each other. We went hard, we felt it in every part of our body (our calves were even hurting). We pushed each other harder than we have in the past and we both feel like we broke through to the next level in our training.

I realised today how important it is to do this with a partner and one who is committed to the journey. As I said, we pushed each other, had we been alone today we probably wouldn't have gone as far or as hard.

So friends, find your partner, lace up your shoes, put on your old trackies and get out there and move your body. We are feeling better than we did last week and way better than we did 4 weeks ago. We have replaced old habits with a good habit and don't want to go back. Each morning we discuss our personal goals, set new ones, laugh a lot and talk about how our butts aren't jiggling as much as they did the day before (hahaha).

Have the best weekend, spend sometime outside and make sure you have a giggle or five. We totally believe in you and hope that our journey towards health and fitness is encouraging you. GO FOR IT!

Susan

Dinner Disasters!

A dinner disaster……have you ever had one? Thankfully I don’t have to many however tonight was a doozie.

For some reason over the past few weeks I have been inspired to make a Prawn Laksa ( a Vietnamese dish that I have never cooked before). Well tonight was the night. I was extremely prepared; with all the ingredients pre bought, and in my head I thought I would dazzle my family with yet another simply irresistible dinner.

As I’ve shared before, we are a ‘foodie’ family, which simply means we LOVE food; we LOVE to prepare different foods and ENJOY a great meal. So tonight would be no different, something new and something I thought we would all enjoy.

What can I say….dinner is finally finished, the kids are in bed and our meal tonight has definitely topped the list of the Sohn Dinner Disasters! My Prawn Laksa was such a let down. The kids tried their hardest to enjoy it, my hubby seemed to enjoy it however now he keeps telling me how sick he feels. I enjoyed a few bites and then decided I had had enough – I sympathise with my hubby because I feel exactly the same……YUK!

Thankfully I’m not at a particular ‘sensitive’ time of the month because (girls) we all know what that’s like…… “I cooked this entire meal and know one likes it, I tried something new, that’s it, never again, the kitchen is yours. I’m having chocolate for dinner!” Ha!

End of the story…..the Prawn Laksa menu will NOT be shared on this blogspot (unless someone has one that is TRIED AND TRUE!) nor has it made the Sohn Family top 10, 20, 30 or beyond meal idea list. Basically it was one of those nights where a good idea just didn’t work and it wasn’t anyone’s fault we all just had to laugh and head to bed a little hungrier than usual. Simply put stuff happens and we just move on.

I hope you enjoyed this little story about my Dinner Disaster. I think it’s important to share the things that don’t go right because it makes us all feel a little closer and perhaps a little more ‘normal’.

Take care and remember to keep reading about our Journey Towards Health and Fitness and consider joining us – we’d love to have you.

Susan xoxo

The Journey Continues

My apologies for not blogging yesterday, it was a busy day spent getting the house back in order following the weekend. Somehow the day escaped me and I didn’t get a chance to jump on the computer.

I thought today I would give you an update on our progress. I have to tell you WE FEEL FANTASTIC! Both Belinda and I are finding we have so much energy, which is allowing us to accomplish so much more in one day, our outlook on everything seems better (as I said in a previous post it wasn’t bad before however since bringing fitness and exercise back into our lives everything seems so much clearer), plus we are looking forward to our training everyday. Lastly, we’re fitting into clothes that were on the tight side no less than two weeks ago…..BONUS!

I’ve heard it said or perhaps I read it somewhere that it takes 7 days to change a habit and introduce a new one. I’m so glad we’ve both reintroduced exercise into our daily routine. As we’re fartleking (I think that word is so funny) we often talk about if we had left doing this for another year – or even six months – how much harder it would have been. Making this change took being honest with ourselves and hitting our laziness and out-of-whack priorities on the head once and for all.

I want to encourage you to stop thinking about getting fit, losing a few pounds or feeling better and stand up. Get yourself organised tonight and let tomorrow be your first day of your journey.

I’m so motivated and inspired by the people who have joined us both physically (our ‘after school drop off group’ is growing) plus those via the blogspot. My sister, Katherine, who is in Canada has decided that this is the year of change plus many others who have emailed me privately. Hey…. my hubby even went out and bought himself some weights the other day – every step towards health and wellness is a step in the right direction.

Nicki and I fartleked today for 1 hour, Belinda wasn’t with us she had to get her hair done (a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do), both Nicki and I are better for doing it and I’m so glad we did. The Journey Continues!

My thought for today is: One person making One choice to change has the potential to impact the multitudes. Who is on the other side of your choice?

Make sure you leave a comment and let us know how you are making out. We love hearing from you.

Susan xoxo

Getting Over Ourselves

I used to complain about having no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet ~ Anonymous


A few days ago I was complaining to my husband about how overwhelming life was. The washing had piled up, the kitchen was a disaster zone, and my fridge was desperately in need of an overhaul. Too many people, including my kids, were making demands of me. I felt bloated and tired and to top it all off, I had absolutely nothing to wear (actually, nothing I felt comfortable in).

Later that day, after tackling a few of my problem areas, I sat down with a cuppa to watch Oprah (as you do when you have too much too do!!!). What a wake-up call! Her show featured members of her audience who were given $1000 to ‘pay it forward’ In a nutshell, the concept of blessing others. One particular lady in the audience decided to help out a single mum living in the Bronx.

As story unfolded with Oprah’s camera’s following this mum around in her apartment, I began to feel ashamed of myself for complaining about my ‘lot in life.’ This woman was doing it tough. She was working full time, supporting three children, living in a tiny partly furnished flat with concrete floors, bare walls, no beds for her kids and a kitchen that was falling apart. We won’t even talk about the cockroach infestation in her pantry – thank God she got some help.

At the end of the show, I switched off the TV, repented of my winging and came to realize that life could be a whole lot worse … so, I just needed to put another load in the washing machine and get over myself.

Nicki P