Days 11 & 12: Sunny Days

Another double decker post today.

Yesterday the Brothers Thing, myself and a few of our friends headed to the East Coast and spent the day on the beach at Fraisthorpe. Just down from Bridlington.

It's the perfect beach for kids and grown ups alike, nothing to spend money on apart from an ice cream/burger/coffee van and the car park.

I honestly can't remember a day out that only cost £2.50. It's just a shame I am now a most vivid shade of red, even my legs which never usually happens.

Today was much simpler. A movie day in essence. We all watched Blackbeard's Ghost (I've been informed it's a Disney classic, I'd never seen it before) then tonight we have indulged in a chinese takeaway (wet special fried rice for me, chicken satay skewers and chips with some noodles for Mr C).

I'm still going strong on the calorie counting. So much so, that to balance out today I even had to break out the treadmill so I could eat some tea - after I had a splurge on chocolate nibbles from the sweet shop in town. Oops. Memories all the same.

I submitted a review for deadline this morning, which is never fun to write when you have a child next to you asking questions. I forget my own name when I'm trying to condense a book into 150 words. But at least it is now done. I only have 4 days now and I'm back in the office again. Eep.

Best get some activities organised for the kids to do with their babysitter.

Any ideas?

Day 7: Kids in the Kitchen

It's the last day of the weekend, the final day of Mr C's week off work and 1 one full week into my 2 weeks away from the office.

I'm going to attempt to do a sort of recap of the week so far.

Looked promising... then British weather happened. The end. How's that?

Anyway, while I was planning for this week's meals Thing 2 saw a recipe he wanted to try and make Smoked Paprika and Cheddar Risotto - or how it's now known, Easy Cheesy Risotto! Dumbing down at it's very best. With a couple of tweaks we changed Soup Addiction's recipe to something child proof.

Click here for the recipe.

Thing 2 was proud of his culinary and stirring skills. Thing 1 cutting things almost gave me a heart attack. Sharp knives and that child just scares me. Next cups of coffee and I will at last have the brew slave I desire!

Tomorrow Mr C goes back to the office and we are going to spend the day at my friend's house with her 2 children. This blinking English Summer weather that is creeping back in... gah! If I knew who to have stern words with I would.

So here's to Week 2 of the School Holidays!

Day 2: It's also Mr Cs Birthday

Today is Mr C's 40th birthday... I'm officially a crappy wife. His present didn't arrive in time.

We spent today just down the road from Bumpkinsville in York. I took the Brothers Thing to the Castle Museum and the Jorvik Centre while Mr C got himself some new ink.

Still going strong on the calorie count but then it is only day 2.

After inputting some figures on MFP I appear to have walked off an entire days worth of a normal-sized person's calories this morning. That should have created a nice deficit for the end of the week, whether I get to any scales or not is another matter.

In more girly type news, my nails are finally looking something like being presentable again. It has been a long time. I'm coating them in 24k gold strength nail experts by Avon and used the gel strength base coat too (not to mention the Rimmel white tip and Disco Ball glitter varnish for a bit of sparkle).

A Time to Look Forward

I love the promises that each New Year brings. Its like a blank canvas ready for anything. The future is ready for you to shape it in anyway that you see fit. Anything seems possible on New Years Eve.

But why, on a whole, do we keep this feeling of optimism just for the beginning of a new year? It is a feeling we should be able to harness at anytime of year. We just need to believe.

Which is why I recently got myself inked again to remind me at all times to Believe. Things may get tough and difficult and times but everything can be survived and often we come out stronger at the other side, better for the experience but its believing that we can make it through the tough times that is the most difficult life skill. One that I am only just learning, and I hope it is a lesson I can instill in my children that EVERYTHING is possible. You can do ANYTHING that you put your mind to. The only thing standing in your way is YOURSELF.

Plans

What are your plans for this upcoming brand spanking new year? I used to make lots of Resolutions. This year I am making a to do list instead, as the year goes on I will be crossing off those things that I complete and add new things I want to do as well.

At the moment I stand with three main ones:

1. Get a social life - Since having my boys I don't go out as much as I used to, but I also tend to just stay in sofa bound with my husband. I want us all to socialise more next year. It will be good for us as a unit giving us new things to talk about and good for our children to see us and to learn how to act in a new environment.

2. Remember the birthdays of those I love - I tend to be really unorganised in this respect, and they sneak upon me. If this happened to me I wouldn't like it so why do I do it to other people.  I have diaries and calenders, it shouldn't be too difficult to do (you would think!)

3. Go to Nandos - Yes shallow, but hey I really want to go!

Yes there are other things I will want to do, and will do but for now those are the main things.

I will continue my weightloss journey, but this is not on my things to do as I accept myself as I am and I am simply just making myself the best me I can be. There is nothing about me I want to change.

Currently I stand just 3lbs off my 2 stone target. Then as ever I will set my next target from then.

Questions for you:

What are you looking forward to doing in the New Year?

Do you make Resolutions?