It's been one of those days...

The day after the weekend.

Ahhh.  A new week.  I spent the weekend with 10 other ladies at a rented house in Taupo.  Drinking.  Eating.  Socialising. Painting toenails.  Scrapbooking.  Singing.  Laughing.  Shopping.  Getting unsolicited head massages.  Cursing barking dogs in the middle of the night.  It was fantastic.  Great for the soul.  The weekend was too short though.  Good times, good times… although it was nice to crawl into my own bed and get some sleep last night, I can’t wait to do it all again sometime

I came home to find Paul had an accident in the car – nice panel damage that will need fixing.  An elderly man pulled out in front of him and Paul couldn’t avoid him.  All three of my children in the car.  Luckily no one was hurt.  I’m not sure what upset Paul most though – having to calm three kids down in the backseat of our car or having to help a very elderly and shaken up man out the passenger door of his vehicle because they couldn’t get the driver’s door open.  And the amazing thing?   The five or six cars that were following Paul and saw it all happen, inched around the accident in the middle of the road and carried on.  I just shake my head.  I know I would have stopped.  So although I’m really glad that everyone is alright, I’m now faced with the whole getting-the-car-fixed thing.  And insurance.  The kids have some news to tell at news-time at school today though.  They were kinda excited about that. 

Alright – assignments to do.  Washing to fold.  News-media conferences to watch.  My heart goes out to everyone involved in the Greymouth Mine crisis.  Let’s hope all of those men walk out of there.  Goodness knows there if the amount of love, hope, prayer and positivity had any bearing on it, that they would.  All we can do is keep those thoughts positive. 

I know I’m holding my family tight.  Things change so quickly, as the weekend’s events have taught me. 

Laters

Live with Prima

November 23rd, 4.00 PST – it’s a date!  I’m hooking up the webcam and streaming live on www.livewithprima.com to show you how to make this entire Art Tray… 

The description:   Are you looking for a fun gift idea for this holiday season?  Join Nic as she walks you through a series of different embellishment ideas and then brings them all together into an artist's tray to make the perfect display piece.  Whether you are making this as a gift, whether you want to decorate it as a holiday decor item or whether you just want to enjoy making the selection of gorgeous little embellished cards, this class is for you!  The wide range of gorgeous Prima product makes it easy and the result is simply stunning!

Hopefully I’ll see you then!

This may make you uncomfortable.

This post should perhaps come with a warning because the content may make some squeamish.  You may cringe and turn away or curse that I’m bringing that topic up again.  You may sigh and roll your eyes and tell me you don’t want to know.  I’m about to talk about the gym.  Working out. Taking control of one’s life, making goals and fighting damn hard for them.  Turn away now if that kind of talk makes you uncomfortable.

Six months ago I made the decision to take control.  I was on a roller coaster of telling myself to be happy one minute, and seeing the weight going on and feeling unfit the next.  My friends told me not to worry, what was I worried about?  I laughed it off.  Maybe they were right.  Then the whole self doubting/hating process started again.

I had one of the wisest moments in my life really when I decided that If I didn’t like what I saw, then I needed to change it.  Simple.

I went to see a nutritionist and together we worked through things.   I started a new way of eating, with her guidance, and I haven’t looked back.  I started walking.  Just 15 minutes a day at first. I saw changes in my body and moved my exercise to running, and then the gym.  Slowly the weight came off.

Today I can happily say that I am in the right place.  I went to see my nutritionist today, and while there is no ‘goal’ (this isn’t just a weight loss kick, this is a change, remember?), today marks the day that I can say I am now confident that I know what I’m doing.  I’ve lost 7kg, (and I admit I wasn’t big to start with), I’m fit and I am toned.  I’m wearing singlet tops this coming summer and waving goodbye without having to hold on to the flab under my arms as I do so.

So it’s been, and still is, freakin hard work.  I’m up out of bed by 5.15am, sweating my butt off at the gym 6 days a week and pushing myself harder and harder. 

But today I smile.  Because I’ve made it.  I’m celebrating quietly to myself, and now with you because it can be done. 

My family have been extremely supportive.  They have put up with the 'bad’ food being banned from the house.  They hung out for the days when the neighbours bought over a bag of chips when we got together.  They have put up with me saying “If it’s not a fuel for my body, I don’t need it in my pantry”. They’ve had to wait for me to come home from the gym before going somewhere.   They’ve listened to me when I’m down and encouraged me along the way.

So today I celebrated with them.  I got this idea from the gorgeous Rachel Hosking.  I greeted my kids home from school today with a party.  It was a decadent spread, with homemade cupcakes, chocolate, donuts, strawberries and pineapple, and we celebrated.  I wrote them all a name place card with a note inside telling them little stories of why they make me happy.  I thanked them for being on my side while I took control of who I wanted to be and the skin I wanted to live in and we enjoyed a splash out on all that bad food that hadn’t been allowed in the house for months.

So as I cleaned up the kitchen afterwards, I decided I would share what I was thinking.  I’m not big on sharing super personal stuff on my blog, but this journey deserves a mention.  I’m not stopping what I’m doing, I’ve not reached goal, I’m in this for life.  I’m the only one that could make the change,  I’m the only one responsible for me.  I’m giving myself a pat on the back for realising it and for getting off my ass and doing something about it. 

Because I was the only one that could make that difference. 

 

 

Ahh mojo how I love thee

Ahhh mojo how I love thee.  I’m back in the creative chair and super happy about it.  I’m busy with it as well.  Perhaps filling up the timetable to overflowing was all it needed.  In fact I am so keen I’ve been awake since 2.30am.  I discovered how to create using digital elements – pick your jaw up off the floor, Andrea – and I went to bed thinking of layers and opacity and dragging and dropping.  I’m secretly squealing with excitement inside about figuring a little digital stuff out, but outwardly kinda worried about how addicted I could get. 

Alrighty.  Primo weather.  Clean (ish) house.  Assignments waiting.  Glue and paper to play with. (If I can put this computer aside)  Happy Monday!

Leaving you with Prima’s November BAP sketch layout… It was a cool sketch to work with actually, see the Prima Blog for the sketch and how to submit your version for a chance to win free stuff :)

Pics of Sth Africa – the one of me was taken by Jacob as I was looking up at the slave bell at Spier Estate.  The painting on my face was from Moyo, a cool eaterie place there.  Such an exciting, diverse place.  You’ll see a lot of layouts coming up that show off just how beautiful Sth Africa is.

laters.

And she creates…

Ahhh the drought has broken.  I’m a happy girl.  I pulled out some photos, I surrounded myself with products that made me happy and I created something I love.  Now to see if I can do it two days in a row :)

Laters

November, Halloween and the gym.

November, how I love thee.  November 1st comes along and I automatically change into summer mode.  The longer the month names get, the longer the days get and the warmer it gets… November comes and I am a happy girl.  Hello November!  Welcome!

It also means goodbye to October.  Halloween is behind us for another year and I’m always glad of that.  It’s an American tradition, not a New Zealand one and I battle with the kids about treat or treating.  I know they’d love it.  I know that they want to put in effort and dress up, and I’d like to encourage their creativity but I think the majority of people here really don’t like that Halloween is starting to creep in – like that pun?  Creep?  no?  . Anyway, I know it makes the neighbours angry when kids knock on their doors.  Do I want my kids (even if they put a lot of effort into their costumes) being one of those knocking on doors and making people angry? Do I look like a bad parent for letting them? I guess organised parties are the way, then everyone there agrees with it all.   It’s over for another year though.  Mummy guilt gone, excited feelings for Guy Fawkes day on Friday can begin :)

I have another battle going on here … my total inability to scrapbook.  I hear ya laughing.  It’s what I do for a living…. oh yes… correct… yes.  But currently I can’t scrapbook to save myself.  I have spent months creating written content.  I’ve been doing a lot of writing, research, compilations.  I’ve written some articles for magazines for manufacturers, I’ve participated in teaching and been organising some events next year (look for a new event to hit the NZ scene soon …).  But getting out supplies and just scrapbooking to create a page, no step-by-steps, no thinking about how to instruct the way it’ll be recreated?  How do I do that?  I’m giving it another go today.  I do have assignments to hand in.  Wish me luck.

For now I’ll leave you with a card I did for the Prima blog with the Jack and Jill line that is by far my favourite of the new lines they released. 

Oh!  And I’ve had a few emails asking if I’m still on my fitness kick – YES!  YES I am.  I can’t start the day without a workout and I feel great.  I’ve lost a lot of weight.  I’m at the gym at 5.30am on every weekday, at 7am on Saturdays and most Sundays I go for a run.  Unless Saturday was far too much fun.  In which case I hide til about 10am cursing that Lucy ever suggested having a quiet drink on Saturday afternoon.  Just one.  Just one glass maybe.  How many times it gets filled up is the issue.

Laters.