The week that was.......

 

It was quite a week last week. Not only did we say good bye to our Dog, Ollie, we also dealt with horrible weather. This is a picture of our Lilli Pilli tree that broke off at the main stump. It actually landed on our neighbours roof and hubby had to pull it off. Our bird bath toppled over too.

 

Ella and Mia enjoyed crafting. Mia loves getting messy, making and creating. Ella hates any tactile, messy craft so she enjoyed sewing felt creations with the felt my Mum brought her and the cute sewing kit she got for Christmas.

 

 

I planted Basil last weekend. The rain this week has made it triple in size already. Mia is  looking forward to making bruschetta with it.

Our chook daisy pottering around the yard and more than likely enjoying the fact it wasn't raining for once.

 

Faithy girl sleeping as per usual.

 

 

 

And finally the new framed inspiration hanging in my bathroom , as a reminder of the importantce of life. I printed this off pinterest as a free printable and framed it with a frame I already had.

 

We had a gentle weekend all healing from our loss on friday. I have to say I am looking forward to this new week ahead.

 

I also did some non baking  this weekend. I will post the recipes later in the week. They certainly will become a favourite in our household. Hubby and the girls loved them :)

 

 

 

Good Bye Ollie Boy

Ollie 4 weeks old

 

Ollie  5 years old

 

 

Today was a sad day. We lost our beloved dog Ollie. We rescued him at 4 weeks old when he was dumped by the side of the road in a carboard box. We looked after him as best we could despite his huge size and difficult behaviour. My heart is broken but I know he is in a beautiful happy place and I hope he knows how much we loved him.........................

How much of what you have do you really need?

Believe it or not I used to be a hoarder. As a teenager I would drive my Mum crazy with hoarding all types of things, especially paper. [And that saying that karma comes back when you have your own children, is very very true as my oldest daughter is a huge hoarder lol].

It's funny how things work. Now I am the opposite. I can't stand clutter and  I seem to chuck everything out that is no longer needed.
I can assure you though there is still a little clutter in some drawers and cupboards I need to get rid of. But with working 4 days a week, taking my girls to dance lessons, housework, baking, washing etc I don't always get the time to go through all of these drawers.
Yes... It frustrates me but Rome wasn't built in a day and I try and let it go because I could get it done but it would mean late nights or time not spent with my daughters.
Overall though, my home is clutter free.
I'm not sure when my decluttering started but it was after I had my firstborn. I didn't want her living in clutter and I slowly learnt I had to become more organised. I was working full time out of the home with a baby. I HAD to be organised.
I also started decluttering when I started to go through my spiritual journey of living simply. I dug deep and realised that I did not need a lot of my 'stuff'.
I decided that unless I really needed it or it brought happiness / beauty into my life I would not keep it.
I also started buying less. I thought twice about what I really needed / wanted. I used to buy 2 magazines a week, would read them and feel so unfulfilled afterwards and there went $6 per week or $312 a year. So I stopped buying magazines. If I needed something I would shop online or in op shops for the best deals. I didn't just buy things for the sake of it.

I think the little things in life are what fulfill us. When we realise this, we no longer shop for the sake of shopping. We no longer try to keep up with others and we instead, choose to live a non competitive life with having less of what we want and simply what we need.

Living this way is a personal choice and it doesn't suit everybody. It also doesn't mean going without everything too. We still get a few little treats occasionally [Like my new coushin covers above]. One can't live just simply without any treats. We just select the treats we most desire, shop around for the best deal and ensure it's something that we find beautiful, that we enjoy and that will last.

A simple picture I got at the op shop [above].

I feel guilty over indulging. I feel guilty if I live in a huge house, drive expensive cars, and live an luxurious lifestyle when there are so many people around the world living on the poverty line.
Our income is already significantly low but we live such a rich life due to our frugality and our desire to just live simply.
So I am putting this post out there. To challenge others to think and reflect on how much of what you have do you really need?

Baking time...........

Each week I bake something for my girls for school. They get very few store brought snacks as they are filled with the usual colours and preservatives.
This week I decided to make two very basic recipes.
The first is chocolate truffles. So simple.
Chocolate truffles are a good way to use up the old biscuits from the bottom of the biscuit jar that a cracked and broken and ones the kids avoid.
Here's the recipe :

Chocolate Truffles

I packet plain biscuits [Maria, Milk Arrowroot etc] I use the cheap Aldi ones or plain homemade ones.
1/4 cup [or less I just guess] of cocoa.
1/2 cup dessicated coconut.
I put it all in the food processor.
Place into a bowl with 1 tin of condensed milk.
Mix together and place in the fridge for 30 mins.
Then roll into balls and toss in coconut. Place in the fridge.

The second recipe is for Blueberry Muffins.

1 1/2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup fruit [pears, saltana's, blueberries, raspberries, banana or even chocolate chips].

Cook for 15 mins on 180 degrees celcius.

They are delicious and take honestly under 5 mins to mix together. My girls love them.

This morning I also prepared one meal. I grated up 3 zucchini's two carrots, half a red onion and a cup of chesse. Placed it all in a freezer bag in the freezer. I will defrost later in the week and add some flour and egg and I have a yummy zucchini slice that my daughters also love. They eat it either warm for dinner or cold for lunch at school. The biggest time consuming part is all the grating so decided I'd get a head start today as I work tuesdays-fridays and we have dance 2 afternoons a week so I need to be organised.

So can anyone share their favourite easy, quick recipes or any tricks to help prepare for the busy week ahead?

Your feelings are Valid no matter What !!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The biggest lesson I have learnt over the past few months is that my feelings are valid.
My feelings and your feelings matter. As much as sometimes our feeings make us question why we feel that way and if we have a right to feel that way, they shouldn't.
We cannot help the way we feel. We can try and change the feelings. We can immerse ourselves in looking at a different perspective. We can talk ourselves into believing something different. But if our heart believes one thing, no matter how hard we try, we cannot change those feelings deep inside. And you know what? That's perfectly ok.
Why should we have to change the way we feel? Why should our feelings not be valid?
I think part of sharing my journey and part of invoking happiness is also recognising that even though we can be happy in our core, in our entire being, things happen, feelings arise and if that small part of us is unhappy or trying to deal with those feelings, it's ok.
What's not ok is hiding those feelings or feeling guilty about those feelings.
I'm going to go a bit personal on this blog. I need to get out what I am feeling. Because right now, I don't feel guilty for my feelings. They are valid to me.

In 2002 I welcomed my first daughter into my life. My pregnancy was perfect, an absolute dream [aside from the morning sickness lol] so when we fell pregnant in 2005 we hoped that pregnancy #2 was going to be the same. And it was to some extent. I had some bleeding at 17 weeks and a low lying placenta. By 20 weeks the placenta had moved up and all was good. By 34 weeks there was signs of my blood pressure rising [I have had high blood pressure since 18 yrs of age] and by 36 weeks it was so high I was hospitalised. By 37 weeks I was induced and after a 27 minute labour our second daughter arrived. She was a little small bundle but healthy.
I was allowed home, two days later and my blood pressure reduced but was still high enough to need medication. And still now I am medicated.
At the time I remember the Drs saying how lucky I was and how lucky my daughter was. I remember my DH and I saying "No more babies".
I felt like my two were enough.
Now 7 years on from my second daughter. I can honestly say that I have longed for another baby for the past 4 years at least.
I loved being pregnant. Even the morning sickness.Some asked if we would have more children. Especially considering we have two daughters so automatically people ask if you are going to try again for a boy.
I wouldn't care if I was to have another girl , if it was meant to be it would be. But I long for a son. I long for another child, but especially a son. My heart aches that I will never parent a boy. That I will never have a son grow up and rest his strong arm on my shoulder and say "Hey Mum" while looking down on me [which would be quite easy considering I am only 5 foot tall lol]. That I will never have a son grow into a young man and look up to his sisters. That I will never have a baby boy that my DH and I created, a mini DH to treasure.

Recently there has been so many pregnancies right in front of me. And I'm jealous. I've recogised that ache in my heart as jealousy. I've realised that I want that pregnancy to be me. It's so so so hard.
I also went through a feeling of guilt. Guilt for the women that can't fall pregnant easily. The partners that struggle with infertility. The guilt of being able to fall pregnant so easily and having two daughters that are gorgeous and healthy whilst others will never have that opportunity. And I guess I still feel guilty for that. But it doesn't make that longing and grieving I am feeling any less valid. I have every right to feel sad for the son I will never have. Why shouldn't I? It means I am staying true to my feelings.
I honestly don't think it's something I'll ever get over. I know I will always feel this way. And only now that I have acknowledged these feelings and that I know it's ok to feel this way and not feel guilty, that I have come to a small amount of peace within.
I tried to talk myself out of my feelings. I tried to change perspective and started quoting "Concentrate on the children you do have and not the ones you don't". But that quote and change of perspective didn't change the feelings in my heart and soul.

So my message to you is this........... Your feelings are valid. Never, ever, ever feel guilty for feeling the way you do about anything. Feelings need to be recognised and acknowledged and accepted. Once you realise this and stop feeling guilty for these feelings

---

 

 

Right now I'm :
                 Loving my daughter Ella's wall plaque

Feeling Peaceful in my lounge room [and so is my cat Faith]

               Embracing my now curly hair

Enjoying the rain and cool weather we are experiencing today after so many days of heat. I also hope the fires on our country are getting the rain too.

Wearing my Pj's and it's after 10am. Having a lazy monday at home , on a wet day, not having to be anywhere or get the girls ready for school.

Drinking yummy coffee from the coffee machine my parents brought me for Christmas.

Reading this Blog :
http://freespiritedtmama.blogspot.com.au/
And I love the way this family live their life, Kinda reminds me of our little family, living frugally. op shopping, and just living simply.

So what are you up to RIGHT NOW?

The Power of Forgiveness

Living a simple life is more involved than just making do, reducing spending, meal planning, baking, cooking from scratch etc, it also involves living a simple life mentally and spiritually too.
Releasing fears, forgiving, removing toxic people are all part of living a simple life too.
How can we live simply if we are carrying clutter in our minds? It's just not possible.

 Many people that suffer from anxiety and depression have some past lesson that is holding them back. Often there is resentment being held somewhere that is behind the anxiety, behind the depression. Not allowing you to be free. Not allowing your mind to release the resentment, the anger and the guilt. Before we can move on to living a better life. Before we can move on and experience happiness, fulfillment and peace we need to let go. We need to forgive the past hurts that are stopping us from moving closer to peace and contentment.
The power of forgiveness is a wonderful, fulfilling feeling.
However, I can understand that some circumstances do not allow oneself to forgive another person for their wrongdoings.
I know of a lady who lost a child last year due to another family members mistake. It has been heartwrenching for all involved and due to the circumstances this family cannot forgive the family member who caused the incident that took their child's life. As a mother myself I can totally understand where this family is coming from. How can one forgive someone who took their child's life when the person had a choice. This person had a choice to keep this child safe and they chose their own needs rather than putting the needs of the child first. Not everything can be forgiven. If someone was responsible for taking my child's life I don't think I could totally forgive. I could maybe understand it was something that could never be changed. I could accept that it had happened but if the person responsible had a choice then it would be hard to totally forgive.
But forgiveness can still occur. We still can find forgiveness in our heart and soul. If you cannot ever forgive the person or circumstance you can forgive YOURSELF for not being able to forgive.
You can let go of the guilt you hold yourself. Once you have achieved this your soul will be restored and healed. We will feel uplifted, refeshed and renewed.
If there is something holding you back from forgiving, something that is not totally unforgiveable, remember people make mistakes. We are all human and we all say and do things we later regret. We all make choices that sometimes aren't the best. BUT they are choices that we have made. We cannot change them but we can learn from them. They make us better people. Life is too short to hold grudges over minor things.
If you hold a grudge forever over a little disagreement think of all the wonderful times and opportunities you may miss. Everyone deserves a chance and even a second and third chance. If you have in you the inability to forgive than at least look at the circumstances again through a different set of eyes.Through their eyes. Offer them support. Offer them kindness. Offer them love. Do your best to help them. They may not be in the best head space either and a little love and support is something, as human beings that we all need. That we all desire. We feel so much better as people when we are helping others. Providing support and encouragement.
So I suggest if there is someone you aren't speaking to due to a rift, if a family member has upset you I suggest you look at the situation through their eyes. I suggest that you look into the situation and realise that their path is different to yours and that that is ok. If you feel this person is in need of help, bite your pride and offer it. We are all special. We all make mistakes. We all deserve forgiveness. We all need to learn to forgive. We all walk different paths. If they resent you realise it is part of their journey and not yours. Be the better person. Release yourself.