Vase Box

It's been a while since I've had a Vase Box, but today is the day!

After getting paid a portion of the money owed to me, I purchased a bunch of lilac for my flat. I've been waiting for a couple of weeks, both for the price to get lower and to have money.

I think I will have to have a lilac tree in my garden when I get my own place. 

Isn't it gorgeous???

Mr Gecko - Incognito

Two nights ago, I arrived home tired, but knowing that I needed to vacuum my floor and mop the kitchen and bathrooms. They were in desperate need  of a clean. As I walked toward my kitchen, I thought that there were more leaves on the carpet than I remembered. Upon turning on the light, look what I discovered...

Mr Gecko - INCOGNITO!!!!

He was about 10 cm long and at about the same time, Tarquin came out of his warm cocoon in my bedclothes to welcome me home. However on discovering Mr Gecko, found him far more interesting. So I rescued him and put him on a rock outside. Hopefully I will still see Mr Gecko around in the future. Just not on my carpet - I really don't want to step on him.

Weigh-In #3

Yesterday was my weigh in day. I had lost 0.8 kg over the last week. I wasn't enthralled, but at least I was still losing weight.
Each week it feels like it gets a little more difficult to maintain the diet. But I had a good conversation with Andy (my PT) and there was the agreement that my diet did not have to stay so restricted for the rest of my life, rather it is now to help me drop the weight. Once the weight is dropped, I can start re-introducing these things into my life, but I need to learn to do it in moderation and with thought.
There are so many things that require great thought at the moment. It is exhausting me. And I've had either a heavy head or a headache over the last 3 days. It's been a bit tough.
The most interesting reaction that Andy gave to my food diary this week was how I ate a teaspoon of bread & butter pudding. He wondered how I did that and shared that when out with a friend, instead of indulging in a cake with them (even though I had had a terrible day) I asked for a spoonful of their cake. They were happy to do that for me, it made me feel good to both get a little cake but also resist the urge to each a whole cake.
Anyway, please help me keep me accountable. 

Crazy Grass

It's so sweet to be emailed a photo from a friend of something that makes them think of you. 

Have a gorgeous friend that felt that the following resembled me 

(I don't know why?!?!?! :P)

 and decided that I need to have a picture of it!

Yeah... I am a little crazy.

Skin

Some things are meant to be

Now you've shown me the way

Got me thinking that maybe

Something just keeps telling me

If I gave you my word

Some things are meant to be.

'Skin' sung by Taxiride

More Animal Love - Tarquin

It was really nice to wake up this morning feeling ready to greet the world. I didn't bounce out of bed, but I felt ok. 

On mornings like this, 

with sun streaming through my bedroom window, 

I love to take a couple of extra hours at home before going into church to work. 

This morning it gave me the opportunity to just enjoy watching Tarquin have the life of a cat.

Sun-baking

Yawning and grooming 

I've really needed Tarquie around this week. He's been through so much with me.

It was also nice to go for a walk down some of the local streets, wander in the local nursery and look after my neglected veggie patch. I even managed to get into church at a reasonable hour!

Hmmmmm

Found this on 'quiet girl' s blog this morning. I have mixed feelings... I really love it... but feel like I probably shouldn't :P


Thoughts???

Weigh-In #2

This morning was that day of the week again. I didn't feel like I lost much weight last week, yet the scales told a different story.
2KGS!!!!!!
In two weeks I've lost 4 kgs! I can scarce believe it. It has been and is really tough, but wow.
Anyway - I just wanted to keep accountable to you - let you know I'm still losing weight.  

Animal Love

Today's gift God had for me came in the form of his creatures. Tarquin has been his usual, loving self. 
This morning he followed me out my front door and sat sunning himself. 

And what should I meet? A very friendly, although wild, King Parrot. This parrot and I whistled to each other and he kept flying for perch to perch. He got to within a metre of me at one stage. 

But then Zazu (the neighbour's Siamese kitten) came on the scene and decided to chase the King Parrot around. (Although here she is begging for pats).

The King Parrot didn't seem to mind playing cat and mouse and Tarquin watched these proceedings intently from his place outside the front door. 

I love animals. I love Tarquin so much... he's so expressive. In fact he is contentedly sitting on my lap, with the V8 purring machine going.

Homemade Homewares

Another site to have a wander through is www.kelanifabric.com.au...so many gorgeous fabrics to use in furnishings, and some lovely pattern books... check out these cushions!

I also found these cuties too...

Beautiful fabric

I was looking through the latest copy of the Notebook Magazine and came across a website with these gorgeous fabric prints. Check out www.pippijoe.bigcartel.com

 

Time

image -> http://kissthepaper.blogspot.com/

God Talks

It's funny how God decides to use us a lot when we feel at our worst.


Yesterday, I felt worse than I had in a long time. I wasn't a 100% sure why. But in my afternoon of activities I found myself walking beside a family that was going through a crisis, helping them carry their pain. 


This morning, I was up early to be at the 7am walking group with my gym in Wahroonga. As it happened, I was the only person that came for the walk this morning with the personal trainer. We had a great hour of sharing. I was privileged to have her ask me some questions that had bothered her about 'ethics' classes in schools, and deeper, why God would allow suffering of 'innocent' people.


In the midst of caring for the needs of these people, God gave me strength to continue on in a difficult situation and clarity of mind as I spoke to the trainer. One of the things I spoke of to the trainer was miracles in the world today - showing us the great compassion of God. These two days I have seen God give to me more than I had in myself to give. There is no way that I could have given to these people what I did without his divine assistance.


God still talks and 'does' today.


We just need to be watching for it.

Snow in Wahroonga

Today is a not so good day today. I feel terrible.




I've been sick this week and maybe that has taken it's toll a little, and I think there are one or two other contributing factors, but I just feel sad to the pit of my stomach. 



This morning, I was blessed with a MMS from El sharing a photo of her walk to the train station this morning. The gusty winds have made the path she was walking down look like it had snowed.

Flower-petal snow.

Weigh-In

So today was my first 'weigh-in' day with my Personal Trainer. I wasn't exactly nervous, but didn't know what to expect. I've had a bad cold for the last couple of days and so I hadn't managed any exercise.
I lost 2 kgs!!!!!
Exactly.


The last week has been really tough for me. And I can't remember the last time I was grouchy for so long. I know I can be depressed, but not a grouch for more than a day. Things have been getting slightly better as the week wore on, however I think that is something that I need see change (ie. no grouchiness) for me to be able to maintain a weight-loss program and healthy lifestyle program in the long-term. I still need to give it a couple of weeks, as my body is still settling into a very new routine (with both food and exercise) - so I apologise in advance for any grouchiness that may come your way in the next couple of weeks.


Each week, I set a goal to achieve. As most of my grouchiness is due to the changes in my diet, frustrations in knowing what to eat when and eating really late (like 10pm) because it takes longer to prepare things, my goal this week aims at trying to combat this. Andy (PT) said to keep the goal small, so this week I need to work on 'snack management'. This does not mean I cannot snack. It means that I develop a healthy concept of what things I can eat as snacks, at what time of the day and how to deal with snacking when I am out.


So, if you are interested in helping me keep accountable to my goal for the week (along with maintaining my food&exercise), there it is...


My personal challenge, to find some baking recipes that are low carb and low fat (preferably higher in protein). Under 20g carbs per serve. That might not be possible, but we will see.

Defiance

It's been a while since I have watched a movie I haven't seen before. I knew that this would be an intense movie, but hoped that it would be worth the tension.  It was.


This is an amazing movie based on the Bielski brothers actions throughout World War 2, providing and protecting Jews in a forest village. The number of people they protected throughout the war years was staggering - they provide those statistics at the end of the movie.

If you want to see an inspiring movie, this is a good choice.

Surprise!

As mentioned in the previous post, Thursday was a really bad day. I also had a realisation about how I felt about things at church that was really negative. It was based on several weeks of observations about myself, but things hit the fan on Thursday.
Later that afternoon, I had a meeting with someone who gave me a solar flower for my desk. It constantly moves. It is hard not to smile when looking at it...

 

See, how cute!

Grump!

Yes, I've been VERY grumpy.
The new diet has been exceptionally hard.
Within 36 hours of following the diet and going from grumpy to really depressed, I figured that a small friand would give me to the sweetness and texture that I felt my body missed most of all. I knew that it was off my diet, but felt as long as it was once when things are really bad, and small - that it wouldn't be heaps bad. Things did pick up a lot.
I've exercised 3 of the last 4 days with varying degrees of exhaustion, but felt pretty good on the whole with that.
I suppose the two big things with the diet I need to work through are:
1. What do I do for food when I'm out and about for hours without access to foods that fall within the diet restrictions.
2. I need to find the time to get some interesting ways to cook the evening meals. Also some quick, easy and yummy options. At the moment things are pretty ordinary. :S

Vase Box

Lemon heaven scent

Something to remind me of God while my brain cannot do it.

The start of something new...

The time has come.

A change has to be made.

A change for the better.

A lifestyle change.

Does it mean I can't enjoy food?

NO!

I just need to think about what I eat and when I eat it.

Does it mean that I have to kill myself exercising?

NO!

I just need to plan to regularly exercise, make it manageable and do it.

Can I do this alone?

NO!

I need help.

My mind plays games, so it needs encouraging words.

I crave things that aren't healthy, help me see past the craving to the goal.

I will find it hard to remember that I am doing this to...

lose weight

to be healthy

enjoy the life God has given me

feel good about investing in myself

I will find it hard o remember that...

I will feel good about the outcome

this will not always be about saying 'no', it is just for now

moderation is key

that this will take time

there are people out there who love me because of the person I am inside, not what I look like on the outside.

I will record my progress here 

for you to see

 for you find out how you can be encouraging me

for you to be encouraged by the way God is working in my life.

Please come on the journey with me.

p.s if your are a blogger 'following' the creation box is probably the best option, 

if not and you want to be notified each time I write about the subject, 

you can let me know that you want me to email the blog to you.

Vase Box

I've been waiting two weeks.

Finally my pay arrived. 

I went to my favourite florist

and

Bought a waratah to brighten my flat.

Isn't God's creative genius amazing! 

p.s if you have been for a bushwalk near Sydney this spring, it is really good season for Waratah's in the wild.

Cupcakes!

In a few days time, I probably will not be allowed to bake cupcakes for a couple of months (yes, it's called trying to lose some weight). Before that happened, I took the opportunity to bake some cupcakes from scratch. They are the Vanilla cupcakes I made before, but this time I iced them with Lemon Blossom Icing. I don't think I beat the mixture quite enough, but still taste good.

Perfect with a cup of tea!

Some creation to add to the box

This week's been a bit of a downer for me. No real reason - just don't feel great. It's harder to see beauty around me when this is the case, so I'm going to put up a couple of things I've seen over the last couple of weeks that I haven't added.

At the conference this week, there was a Bowerbird that had made it's nest right near the cabin I was in. If you don't know anything about Bowerbird's, the male makes the nest and decorates it, hoping to attract a mate. The male is black - like a small crow - but in the sun is iridescent blue! As you can see from the pictures below this Bowerbird has found bright blue 'rope' and put it around his nest. There were stolen blue pegs too :). The nest itself is the vertical twigs with the tunnel in the middle. Mr Bowerbird is in the nest in this photo.

So you will have seen my earlier veggie box post, well about a week ago, I pulled up the rest of my carrots - and have a look at what I found in the bunch.

The are so entwined that I am not going to be able to separate them without breaking them away from each other!!!!!

I love purple, and a couple of weeks ago I was waiting to cross the road at some traffic lights, and have a look at the bower of purple hanging over the fence.

Finally, the most beautiful thing that I've had happen, I don't have a photo of. When I arrived home from my conference on Wednesday evening, Tarquin came out to see me. He followed me around for the rest of the night and took every opportunity he could to cuddle up with me and purr loudly. He is an enormous blessing to me. I don't think I've posted a photo of him on here yet, so I've got one I took about a month ago of him enjoying one of my pillows and the sun.