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

The Power to Carry On... Don't Give Up!

Hello everyone!

Well, after many requests from Susan, I have finally sat down to put together a post. I really hope you enjoy it, it’s simple and I hope encouraging – as I see it, sometimes the important things are found in the simple and the ‘everydayness’ of life.

My year has started off strong, as you have read Susan and I are committed to getting into shape, plus I have decided that I am going to put more time into ME. Unfortunately this is something that has gone by the wayside over the last few years, being a mother of 3 and having other requirements on my life I sort of put ME at the bottom of the list. This year I am changing that because I realise that in order to give more of myself I need to keep my tank on full.

Today I thought I would share with you about my amazing TWIN sister Caroline (or Caz as we call her). Caroline is the same age as me, she is 37 years old (that was a joke…..hope you got it, we’re twins), she is a single parent to 4 fantastic kids and over the last 3 years Caz has had to fight the biggest battle of her life…… Breast Cancer. The picture above is of Caz and I - Caz is on the left and that's me on the right :)

I am continually amazed as I watch my sister walk through this part of her life, I can’t walk it for her but I try and be there in any and everyway possible. Her strength, dignity and sheer determination inspire me everyday. Regardless of the day Caz may be having, and some are harder than others, she continues to give of herself to her children and to those in her world. I am so proud of her!

I wanted to share this story with you to encourage you – you know, by encouraging each other we give COURAGE. Courage to deal with whatever it is we are facing and whatever mountain is in front of us. Courage tells us we can climb that mountain it just needs to be done 1 step at a time (remember Rome wasn’t built in a day). Also, strangely enough a lot of our healing and strength comes from helping others. Like my sister I encourage you to extend a hand to someone else in need – it’s amazing how great you will feel.

As I watch Caz walk this journey (and as I walk it with her) I can honestly say it doesn’t matter what your mountain looks like, it may be your health, your marriage, hassles with the kids or your parents or something else. Or, maybe like me you have decided that this year you are going to build health into your life through exercise. Whatever it is you CAN do it and you WILL.

Be brave in whatever situation you find yourself in. I know my sister has a long way to travel to be well, but she would say, “Don’t give up, within you lies the Power to Carry On!”

Belinda xxxooo

Sacrificial Parenting....

So often we hear amazing stories of how many parents gave up so much to provide for their children. Being 1 of 9, I have seen this first hand a million times over. My parents gave up so many material things to see us all feed well, clothed well, sheltered well, schooled well and launched well. I will never cease to see them with a slight halo perched on their heads.

I was reminded again of their constant sacrifice recently when my daughter came back from a weekend at her father’s house, which is a new move in our family’s dance. I was naturally happy for her to be spending this time with him and his family. I knew she would return home full of excitement and stories, but I wasn’t prepared for her not missing me.

That’s right…she didn’t miss me! What?! I am her mother for heaven’s sake… I gave birth to her and raised her alone and she professes to not miss me? I have relatively thick skin, but this hurt. This was my baby spreading her wings. Ouch!

Whilst listening to her stories of obvious delight, I kept hearing my mother’s advice to me pounding in my head…“parenting is not about you dear”. I could have easily responded to my daughter with ever so sweet manipulation, reminding her of the fact that I was her mother (as if she had forgotten!) or that I had missed her the entire weekend, but instead I chose to swallow my hurt to allow her to be free and uninterrupted in her happiness. Allowing my insecurities to taint her joy would never be fair. It was only at this moment that I truly felt that I had sacrificed as a parent.

The more affordable home, the less expensive shoes, the fewer overseas trips, the nights in rather than out, etc….these are only material and often pre-warned or expected things for parents. This new sacrifice for my daughter winded me without warning. I am so glad I chose to listen to my mum’s advice at that moment that otherwise could have hurt us both. She was truly free to rave about her father and her time with him – guilt free and all smiles. After all, it’s actually not about me when it comes to her.

Michaela

Welcome to MONDAY Day 4!

I’m calling this Day 4 because I took my ‘break’ over the weekend. Unfortunately Saturday and Sunday didn’t see much exercise - other than chasing the kids and walking the 1K IKEA parking lot. I’m blaming it on the rain (which we desperately need!).

Do you remember that song ‘I Don’t Like Monday’s'? Well today was my Monday. It was a soggy morning – one of those mornings where you are sticky from the moment you get out of the shower (sorry Northern Hemisphere readers, you guys are still cold...how i longed for the cold today). Anyway, Belinda and I faithfully met after school drop off to keep ourselves going however we both looked at each other and said, “I so don’t feel like this today.” Isn’t it funny how those are the days you most benefit from doing what you don’t want to do. I had just received a visit from a VERY regular monthly guest (come on girls you know who I’m talking about….) and we were both tired but hey we are determined and we weren't about to let ANYTHING (especially fatigue) take us off track so away we went.

We had a great walk!

Upon returning home I only had 1 hour before I needed to head out of the door again for an appointment. I asked my hubby if he thought I had time to skip, shower and be out of the house in an hour to which he replied, “Of course, come on I’ll set the timer – it’s 7 minutes today right?” I should have known that would have been his answer, I was secretly hoping for a no but he was right.

As I was skipping my little heart out I told him how grateful I was that I was back in the swing of exercising regularly and how you never regret exercising because you always feel great afterwards. The problem with exercise seems to lie in our heads and that painful journey towards the first steps. As I see it we need to mentally prepare ourselves for change and for continued patterns of change, which result in lasting change, which conquers bad habits turning them into good habits.

It’s all in our minds and once we renew our minds our bodies seem to (and will) follow very willingly. When it comes to exercise it’s almost like our bodies have been craving change but the change needs to start in our minds. I really hope that makes sense for everyone.

Friends today we walked because we didn’t feel like fartleking (my monthly guest was really playing up) but we walked further than normal and I skipped for 7 minutes rather than 6 or 6.5 minutes. It was hard today but in the midst of what seemed hard we pushed ourselves further and the end result was GREAT satisfaction, personal gain and strength and increased joy because both Belinda and I know that we can and we are moving ahead in this crucial area of our lives. Today was a CHOICE and we made a great one.

Before I sign off I want to tell you that I ran into three people today who have been inspired by our increased level of exercise and our funny stories about how it's all working out. I wonder who would be encouraged to make a difference in an area of your life if you chose to have a go!!!

We love you, totally believe in you and know that the world ALWAYS looks better through smiling eyes. Have the best day and remind those in your world how much they matter to YOU!

Susan xoxo

Great Meals in NO TIME AT ALL!

Here I am sitting at my kitchen table on Sunday night. The kids are all tucked into bed, the sound of the dishwasher is my current companion, the washing machine and dryer are both going at full speed (when do they EVER stop?) I have washed my kitchen floor, folded two baskets of laundry and finally have found time to sit down and relax…..what a GREAT feeling.

We’ve had a fantastic weekend full of fun, friends, laughter, a day out on the boat, great food and being chased by the police (yes, that’s true but it’s another story for another time….we weren’t doing anything illegal just found ourselves in a funny spot at a funny time).

Anyway……today I ran into a friend and she said she had made Annie’s ‘Carrot and Coconut Soup’ from the blog this morning – I’m sure it was great. I told her I was going to post my weekend recipes tonight because they were fantastic. So Liz this is for you – thank you for trusting our tastebuds and trying some of our family favourites.

I planned my weekend menus on Thursday which allowed me time to pick up all that I needed and time to organise what I was cooking and when. Both meals required overnight marinating which sometimes puts us off (I know) however both of these recipes are so easy and so healthy it’s worth it. And to top things off, they literally take about 10 minutes to prepare, pop in the fridge and then pull out to either pop on the bbq or in the oven.

Both recipes are great for company (I served the Portuguese Chicken to friends on Saturday night and they loved it), a busy weekday dinner or a lazy weekend lunch with friends. Plus my kids all gave the all important familyroom tried and true thumbs up of approval – a definite bonus.

Here you go I hope you enjoy:

Lamb Souvlaki with Tomato and Onion Salsa (you can easily substitute with chicken or a firm fish if you aren’t a meat person):

➢ Soak bamboo skewers in water for 1 hour to prevent burning.
➢ Add some rich hummus to your grocery list and serve it with this it’s a perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients:
800g lamb, chicken or firm fish cut into 1 inch x 1-inch cubes
4 medium pitta breads
2 small Spanish onion (the red one) chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup low-fat plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 medium egg tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons tahini

Method:
Marinade – Process together until well combined 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves, ¼ cup low-fat plain yoghurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves, 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar. Place meat in a large, shallow dish, mix marinade through, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Tomato and Onion Salsa – Combine chopped egg tomatoes, 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon paprika in a medium size bowl.

Yoghurt Sauce – ¾ cup low-fat plain yoghurt, 2 teaspoons tahini, 1 tablespoon hot water. Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until combined.

Pita Bread – warm pita bread in the oven and serve. You can either cut the pita’s in half and put filling inside or simply use the pita as a base, cover with sauce (both yoghurt and hummus) followed by the lamb, chicken or fish and then the tomato salsa.

Recipe #2 – Spiced Portuguese Chicken

Ingredients:
1 small red onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 ½ teaspoons chilli flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (this is beautiful)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1.4 kg chicken thighs
1/3 cup (20g) chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges to serve

Method:
Put the onion, garlic, lemon rind, chilli flakes, paprika, oil and vinegar in a processor and mix until a smooth paste forms.
Score the chicken thighs with an X, place in a large shallow dish and cover each piece. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven or bbq to moderately hot (approx. 200C or 400F). Place chicken under or on the bbq grill and cook for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through (if you don’t want to do this just leave it under the grill and turn after 10 minutes and cook until done – same on the bbq).
Sprinkle the chicken with the parsley and drizzle with any pan juices. Serve with lemon wedges

Serve this with a simple salad, avocado slices, corn on the cob or even as a chicken sandwich with Turkish bread. It’s beautiful and very light. Enjoy!

Susan xoxo

Day 3 – My Little Red Bicycle

Do you remember your first bike? Do you remember days spent riding up and down the street, riding to your friend’s house, riding with no hands (look mum no hands and no legs….whoops…..ouch!). The feeling of the breeze, that rushed through your hair and whipped your face as you whisked up and down and all around. Days spent decorating your bikes with (at times) old cigarette packages, balloons and racing stripes.

My favourite bike as a child was little red bike with a nice seat – I’m sure it was a hand me down from someone, which really didn’t matter at all, because that bike was beautiful. I’m sure most of you have a similar memory of a bike or perhaps another childhood treasure.

I wanted to share my bike story with you to take you back to 'days of old' and then to bring you to where I am right now…at my kitchen table, once again sweating and feeling absolutely fantastic following a 5k bike ride!!!!!

Today was a very busy day, we had our school swimming carnival, which meant Belinda and I were unable to fartlek (if you don't know what that is, read yesterday's post) after school drop off. Instead we were required to put on our cheerleader hats (thank heavens it was only the hats and not the entire uniform...hahaha) and sit, with our amazing hubby’s, poolside and cheer our little angels on as they used every bit of energy they had to make it down that 50 meter pool. It was a great day however we were both determined not to let the day go by without doing some form of exercise.

After dinner, clean up and organising the kids we decided to jump on our bikes and hit the pavement. Now that the ride is over and I am sitting here writing I must admit, as I said above, I feel fantastic and I’m so glad I went.

I have to say that riding a bike with purpose (as opposed to the pleasure ride) is a totally different experience especially at 37 and following the birth of 3 children. The excitement and joy I had when I was 8 just didn’t seem to find me. What did find me was a terrible burning sensation in my thighs and butt and I realised for the first time in years that my tailbone does exist - the seat felt nothing like my little red bike with the nice seat. In addition to everything I’m quite sure I swallowed a few BUGS…..which, funny enough did take me back to my childhood. I’m sure you can all relate!

After all is said and done we had a great ride and we will be out again (however our hubby’s are insisting we get lights which is probably a good thing since daylight savings is coming to an end). We are both feeling stronger, more alert and full of energy from simply making a choice to prioritise exercise in our life.

For those of you who have joined us well done. Keep going and share some of your stories with us, we can’t wait to hear from you.

Have the best day and remember to smile.

Susan xoxo