Doesn't time fly when you're having fun!

I can't believe we're half way through the year already and I'm only doing my 2nd blog post - must really try harder to update more often.

So much has happened since I last wrote (obviously, it's been 6 months), Mr Fox was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis shortly after Christmas.  At the same time he stumbled on the Nerd Fitness website, both of these things caused us to evaluate the way we were living our lives.  At the end of January we started a 6 week trial of paleo eating - this is basically eating like a caveman, no grains, limited dairy and no processed foods.  This was a massive step for me, I'd been veggie since I was 13 and was now starting to eat meat.  which turned out to be the best thing for me, I lost 6lbs in the first week and lost 1.5 stone easily. I've now started doing body weight exercises 3 times a week and am working towards lifting weights.  I can't wait to see the changes in me and in my body, I love to push myself, it's so rewarding.

With regards to the rest of my resolutions things are going great, I'm spending more time with Mr Fox - even if it's watching a DVD on a Friday night.

I've made 3 more sock monkeys, a doll's quilt, a quilt for my little girl, a bag for me and loads of wash kits as presents. I've also made some strawberry and some cherry jam for Christmas presents.  I am currently working on a union jack quilt for my son.

I've not paid off any debts yet but am due to receive a lot of money back on a PPI claim so this money will be going to clear several debt.

I think that's it for now, I'm going to post some pictures of me and my weight loss progress so far as well as all my home made things when I get the time.

New Year's Resolutions

Ok, I know that it's a bit late to be deciding on new year's resolutions but my theory is that you're only setting yourself up to fail if you start something so soon after Christmas.  For example how am I supposed to lose weight with 10 tonne (slight exaggeration) of chocolate in the house, or how am I going to become more active when there's frost on the ground and I just want to snuggle up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate.

Anyway, enough of the excuses, these are my new year's resolutions/goals

1. Lose weight ( I know it's cliche but I really want this so top of the list it is)
2. Pay off at least 1 of my debts
3. Try making different crafty things (so far I can make sock monkeys, make up bags, Jams & Chutneys but it would be good to add some more things to my repertoire)
4. Finish the craft projects that I've already started (2x Cross stitches, 1 Hand bag, 1 Purse & 1 quilt for Dolls bed)
5. Get the garden to a presentable state
6. Blog more, even just to celebrate the little things in life
7. Go on more date nights with Mr Fox :-)

I think that will do for now, I hope to keep updating this list as I go along x

And so it begins ....

I've never been one to keep a diary, when I was in my teens I was of the belief that good girls kept a diary and that bad girls didn't have time!

I've not been at work the past few days and have been sorting through a variety of paperwork dating back over a period of 7 years.  This made me feel that life is just passing me by and I'm just spinning the wheels.  I'm stuck in a rut and feel like I'm going nowhere fast.

Amongst some of the said mentioned paperwork was a notebook that i bought in February 2006.  Inside the front cover I've written "My book of happiness and goals".  The first page i introduce the purpose of the book, that I'm going to write a list of all the goals and dreams that i have for the future and write a mini diary.  I have 3 pages listing all of the things that i want to do with my life, and i have 2 pages describing how i felt when i found out i was pregnant with my son.  That's it. (See first paragraph).

Sorry for rambling but this is going somewhere (I think!)

So this is it, the reason why I suddenly felt the urge to star keeping a blog, I need to prove to myself (and maybe to my kids in years to come) that I am human, that i have hopes and dreams, and that no matter what happens when life throws you lemons it's time to make lemon drizzle cake - yum!

As I've said I'm writing this for me, if anyone else wants to read it they're welcome along but don't expect any literary masterpieces, English was never my best subject I'm a geek till the end!

I think that explains my reasoning, now to get down to the nitty gritty.  Out of that 3 page list of dreams written five and a half years ago what have I achieved?

1. Buy a House - we moved in the beginning of July 2006
2. Have Children - I have an amazing 4 yr old son and a gorgeous 20 month old daughter
3. Visit Ireland - spent 2 weeks travelling all over Ireland in May 2006
4. Work on-call - started on call in July 2006
5. Clear catalogue balance - August 2011 - took a long time but that's a story for another post.

At some point i will list the remaining items on my dreams list and write a bit more about me. I can't promise how often I'll write but i hope to break my previous record of 1 entry in 5.5 yrs :-)