Welcome to 2011

I have tried many times in the last year to write here regularly with little success. I have many ideas of what to write about when I am out and about but when it comes to sitting down and writing, my mind goes blank or to be honest I can't be bothered.

In my defence 2010 has also been a pretty big year for me. On the plus side my business has grown and has provided us with the much needed extra income, however that hasn't come without a cost.

Towards the end of last year it became clear that whilst I love what I do it was taking over my life completely. It didn't help that Jon's role at work was also becoming more demanding of his time and attention.

The result was that neither of us had any energy left to focus on ourselves, each other, our children (other than doing what needed to be done) or our future.

We realised this a few months ago and made the decision that this had to change. This is easier said than done when you are in the middle of it.

Now Jon and I may not have been in the same room much for the last 6 months but it seems we were still on the same page.

I signed on with a new business coach and my goals are to grow the business while providing a balance with the rest of my life and Jon resigned from his job in mid December.

He doesn't have a job to go to and we are not sure whether going back to a high pressured job is the way to go for him (despite the fact that he is very good at what he does).

Jon is very motivated and very driven and in the 10 days or so between the resignation and Christmas eve, he set up a business, is in discussions to go into partnership with another business and is applying for jobs.

This should be a scary time for us. We have a huge mortgage and big monthly expenses with all the activities we provide for our children, but we are not afraid. For both of us it feels like things are exactly as they should be.

This post was supposed to be about how I would find something to write, it seems it wasn't that difficult after all.

Anyway, some of my facebook friends are taking daily photographs and some blog friends are writing daily blogs with the help of http://dailypost.wordpress.com/

I will try and post something 5 days a week. I can't promise 7, I am after all looking for balance, though I have a feeling I may find it here.....

Formatting

Please excuse the formatting with my last post(and many previous posts). Blogger drives me crazy sometimes.

Febfast

Today is the last day of my alcohol fast. I have been doing a sponsored alcohol fast with Febfast.

This is what they do :-

“We work to reduce the impact of alcohol and other drugs on young Australians by raising funds to support organisations working in research, prevention and service delivery concerning alcohol and other drugs use by young people.”

I looked at their website in January and followed the links to the various charities they support and have to say I was moved by what they do and also disturbed by how young, children (yes children) are being affected by drugs and alcohol.

I know my son is approaching the tweens and is not too far off his early teens. I have to say it does comfort me somewhat to know that organisations that can support both youths and their families are out there.

I don’t feel I drink excessively but that doesn’t matter. It’s the perceptions of our children that matter. Unfortunately CJ seems to think that Jon and I drink a lot, though when we ask him to seriously think about it, he realises we don’t – but what discussions are happening in the playground between their friends. Do they perceive that us as parents are drinking and lot and that that is ok. This is before we get onto talking about drugs.

Last weekend we went as a family to a BBQ, the day after I commented to my son about how much I enjoyed it. His reply was, "Even though you didn't drink". I am glad I did this fast. It really wasn't a hardship but I hope to have shown my son that you don't have to drink to have a good time.

The event ends today but if anyone would like to sponsor me they can do that here.

Good or bad?

Miss T aged 6, was taught today at school about 'Good Foods' and 'Bad Foods'.

What happened to not attaching emotional labels to food?

Then the Dr gave her a lollipop when she had her swine flu vacc - a few hours after she had a filling at the dentist!

Idols

You may already have seen this on the email, but it made me smile, it was sent to me by my sister.

Find out who truly is your role model. Mine was Gandhi.
DON'T SCROLL DOWN YET!!

FIRST, do the simple math below,
THEN, scroll down to find your hero.

It's CRAZY how accurate this is!
1) Pick your favorite number between 1-8
2) Multiply by 3 then
3) Add 3
4) Then again Multiply by 3 (I'll wait while you get the calculator.....)
5 ) You'll get a 2 digit number.....maybe 42.

6 ) Add the digits together. Example 4 and 2 = 6
Now Scroll down
...................

With that number, see who your ROLE MODEL is from the list below:
1. Albert Einstein
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Mother Theresa
4. Ronald Reagan
5. Bill Gates
6. Gandhi
7. Eleanor Roosevel

8. Babe Ruth

9. Cherub/Claire

10. Winston Churchill

11. Barbara Walters
12. Dali Lama

I know...I just have that effect on people...One day you, too, can be like me....Believe it!

P.S. Stop picking different numbers!! I AM YOUR IDOL, JUST DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!

Our dog

Our dog has had to leave us. She has been a challenge from the day we got her. She was a rescue dog, her mother didn't survive the birth of her pups so she was hand raised by the Vet nurses (one being our next door neighbour).

When she was 5 weeks old she got parvo virus and thankfully as she was in the care of a vet nurse she got the treatment she needed very quickly. We brought her home when she was recovered at about 7 weeks old.

She has always been a bit biteish (a word invented by my kids) but she has been getting worse. She knocked my 6 year old daughter over, stood over her and bit her face. That was the final straw for me but it took me a week or so to actually do something about it. Out of courtesy to my neighbour I wanted to speak to her first. Unfortunately she was away and wouldn't be back before our holidays.

Winnie was going to be looked after for us while we were on holiday by a family friend but she has small children and I was too scared to put them at risk. So I called one of the Vet nurses, who wasn't surprised to hear from me (my neighbour had been letting her know what was going on). She took the dog back right away and has found Winnie a new home with a couple without children.

My kids - well I have told them that she has gone to do some intensive training and provided she passes she will come home. I will tell them soon that she has had to go to someone else.

I feel bad about it but mostly I feel relieved that my kids can play outside without being bitten.

Beautiful Blogger Awards

Thanks Kristy for tagging me.

7 things you don't know about me.

1. I am a Chartered Tax Advisor and have worked for "both sides", as a tax agent and as a tax investigator, though I haven't practiced tax since 2003.

2. Jon and I got married in Barbados. We took a few close family members and friends with us and then had a big party for everyone else when we got back home.

3. Each of my 3 children were born in different countries and have different passports, England, New Zealand and Australia.

4. I have been identified several times by people I have never met before, just by my eyes. Apparently they are exactly the same as my fathers and grandfathers. Freaked me a bit at the time but now I think it's pretty cool.

5. My first car was a pink Citroen Dyane. Just like this one but my dad painted it pink for me. Yes it is a "convertible". I loved it and Jon was so proud to be seen it it!

6. I luuuurrrrved Jon Bon Jovi until very recently. I saw picture of him recently and he now looks a bit erm - "plastic". Think I need to reserve judgement and do a bit more research!!

7. I once slept through a Metallica concert.

I am pretty sure everyone has done this already but if not, I look forward to reading about you.