Lately (a catch up..)

You know it's time to write a blog post when people start emailing to see if you are alright (thank you!).
I AM! I'm actually pretty good! I've just been in a bit of a funny headspace for blogging.
Shall I catch you up a little bit?

We've all been battling the common Winter ailments - coughs and snuffles, a minor dose of the Winter Blues... head lice. Haha. Maybe not so Wintry, but definitely an ailment. Those things are NASTY!
We have come through it all, though. One of us with a bald head, and one who still has a tinge of green in her nostrils, but we're all ready for Spring now.

I've been sewing. I've filled lots of custom orders, made some readymades, and have plenty more on the go. I'm still struggling to find that balance, and things are taking much longer than I would like them to.. but I'm getting there.

We've been doing a lot of assessing of our lives the past few weeks, setting some goals, figuring things out. One of the major things to come from this, for me, is that we decided to put Mollie in daycare for a few hours a week - so that I can spend some more time sewing, put a little more energy and effort into my little business/hobby.
It has been a time of conflicted feelings for me.
While I wish I was the type of person who could thrive from being around my kids 24/7, I'm not. I feel ridiculous amounts of guilt about that. I also feel like putting Mol in care, even for 6 hours a week, is making her grow up even faster - not what I want at all! But the little miss is such a social creature, she gets incredibly bored and frustrated stuck at home with me all day and I, in turn, end up frustrated with her. Not ideal! So yeah, she needs the social time and I need the sewing time (read: the money..) Ugh. I know I don't need to justify any of this to you (you, kind blog reader, wouldn't judge me, aye?) but I'm kind of more still justifying it to myself!

The past few weeks, we've been doing bits and pieces around the house. Windowsills got painted, kitchen light got fixed, trees and plants got planted, vegies went into the ground..
It's starting to really feel like home, despite there still being a long list of things we'd like to do. Guessing that list never really gets shorter!
I think the next things on our short term list are hanging a pinboard for the kids artwork, hanging more pictures on the walls, and painting that horrible blue strip around the bottom of the house!
Midterm plans include more garden/vege beds and replacing the gas fire with a woodburner.

I'm not sure if I've even mentioned it here, but I've been on a bit of a weightloss/healthy eating mission. I completed the C25K program on the crosstrainer, and have joined WeightWatchers.
I'm struggling to stay on the wagon a bit this week (highs and lows!) but I've lost just under 10kg so far (in 10 weeks) and am excited to be starting to see the difference in my energy levels and how my clothes fit.
This Catherine Campbell print was a small reward I nabbed for myself. I've been trying to treat myself to a little something every 2kg loss : )

I think that's about as much of a recap as I can manage. Otherwise, we've just been bumbling along like usual. Mostly, anyway.

What have you been up to?

(Say hello to) My little exercise friends...

See this? Yeah, it's a cross trainer. MY cross trainer!

Sooo, I bought a cross trainer (off TM) in the weekend. A touch extreme, yes, but I feel that extreme measures are called for sometimes. My scales and my mood/general wellbeing are telling me that shits gettin' real - something needs to be done!

I have been getting out walking 2-3 times a week, but not nearly as often as I'd like. There always seems to be a boy-child home sick, dinner to be made, rain pelting down, walking clothes in the wash etc. Always an excuse to be had! See that cross trainer? I can use it in my undies, on a pouring wet day, with both boys watching from the couch, if I have to. Not many excuses I can make for that one!

Inspired by Pip, Abraham and I are doing the 'C25K' programme on it. Figured it would be good to have a programme to stick to, for motivation. Abraham is kindly playing along, for moral support. He's a good man.

I'm on Week 1, Day 2 of the programme and I can tell you, I'm so pleased I've been walking - if I went, literally, from the couch to this.. I think I would have died. Phew! Sweaty much! Knackered much? But I LOVE it.

I have also purchased a journal from the clever Emma at Emmamakes, to keep track of what I'm eating. I'm not cutting out whole food groups etc, but I'm trying to make portions smaller, avoid eating so much sugar (especially baking!) and up my fruit and veg. Simple but, hopefully, effective.

My final purchase, the most expensive, is a new pair of trainers.

I've had my last pair around 4 years, and my toes poke through at the end and sides - not such a good look. They're a pricey thing to replace though! And it's a hassle to spend time at the store having your feet assessed and shoes fitted properly.
(So thankful to be able to do this without kids. Love you, Abraham!)
I was lucky enough to have Mum go halvsies with me on these, so I could afford to get the comfiest ones I tried. Way more enthused about exercise when my feet are cosy!

So yes, it really is ON!

What about you guys? What's your exercise routine?