My Winter Reading List

Hello Everyone

I think all moms can agree with me that once you have kids, the amount of free time you have to read decreases drastically. Before my little ones were born, I used to inhale books. We spent many a Friday night perusing the aisles of Exclusive books before we went to the movies...and usually left with a book or three to read during the week.

 Not long after Master J  was born, my family gave me a Kindle for Christmas. Now, I am quite a traditionalist, so the idea of reading an ebook was strange to me. At first I missed the smell of a new book, the feel of the pages between my fingers. But soon the convenience of having an entire bookstore at my finger tips on my kindle won me over.

One of my goals for this year has been to watch less TV and read more books. Quite honestly, I have struggled with this as the draw of sitting mindlessly in front of the box after a long day with the kids has been a strong one. But with winter having arrived, I can think of nothing nicer than having a hot (quick, due to the water restrictions) shower and then jumping into bed and snuggling under the duvet with my kindle.

This winter holidays I want to set the example for my kids by rather picking up a book than switching on the tele. I have been browsing through the kindle book store and have rediscovered some of my favourite authors. The following titles are first up and I cannot wait to get stuck in:

14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson 

This is the 14th book of the Women's Murder Club series. They are real page turners and if you enjoy a good whodunnit then you will love this series! I've had this book on my kindle for close to two years...I think this school holiday it's time to get stuck in.

The Missing Wife by Sheila O'Flanagan

Any Sheila O'Flanagan novel has always been a firm favourite of mine. I enjoy her style of writing. The Missing Wife blurb sounds a bit more serious than some of her other books that I have read, but I look forward to delving into yet another one of her stories. It's price on Kindle is also fantastic - $1.20!

The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes' Watermelon was the very first "adult", door stopper sized book I ever read. Before that I devoured teen fiction such as Sweet Valley University. Therefore, MK will always hold a special place in my heart. I haven't read any of her books in the last 5 years, so I am really excited to read this book of hers. I love her sense of humour and all her books have always put a big smile on my face. Just the right thing to brighten up a grey, winters day.

Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

No holiday reading list would be complete without a Nicholas Sparks novel. A Walk To Remember was his first book that I ever read and I was hooked after that. There is something sweetly romantic about his books that tugs at my heart strings. Be warned, having a box of tissues nearby is a prerequisite for any of his stories. 

Let me know in the comments below what you are busy reading and if you have any suggestions for me.

Until next time,

XX-L

Busy Bag Exchange

Hello everyone

A couple of years ago the prospect of being stuck indoors with a then 5 year old and 18 month old for the duration of the winter school holidays scared me senseless. We were tired of our toys and I could sense cabin fever setting in already!

One evening while scrolling through countless Pinterest posts, I discovered something that American moms were going nuts about - Busy Bags. A community of moms would get together and each decide on an activity to make. Each mom would then replicate her activity by the number of moms taking part. A few weeks later, a busy bag exchange would take place and you would leave with a variety of activities for your toddler.

At the time, Miss E and I used to attend a weekly Moms & Tots class. I placed an "ad" on our local mom's facebook page and quite a few mom's responded saying that they would like to take part. So together with our Moms and Tots class, we got started on making a variety of activities. Each activity came with a set of instructions as well as what the desired outcomes were or what skill your child would develop.

Some of the activities that were included: 

• Fruit loop counting and sorting
• Sensory fidget box (looong before fidget spinners were around)
• Colour wheel with matching pegs
• Sequencing caterpillar
• Go Fish game
• Alphabet Cards
• Lacing cards
• Popsicle stick puzzles
• Shape matching and sorting
• Felt shape snake

My busy bag exchange loot.

For more ideas, you can check out my Busy Bag Pinterest board here.

The activity that I made is called an "I Spy Fish". I sewed fish out of felt and used a durable plastic for a window in the fish's belly. 

Once they were completed, I filled each fish with rice and a few trinkets such as a big brightly coloured bead, different coloured paper clips, dice, plastic fish and then sewed the tails closed. The aim of the "I Spy Fish" is to have a key printed of what is hiding inside it and then the little ones need to maneuver the rice around until they have found all the objects on the key. This is a great activity when you need your kiddo to sit quietly for a while. I carry our fish around in my handbag (even though it's quite heavy). It's great to keep the kids busy in the doctor's waiting room, at church or in the car. This activity was definitely worth the effort!

All the I Spy Fish ready for our busy bag swop day.

I really enjoyed this project and it was lovely to meet a few "new" local moms. We have used our busy bags over and over again. This is definitely a fun project that I would recommend getting involved in!

Until next time,

XX-L

An open letter to my husband on Father's Day

"A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there but a guiding light who shows us the way."

Photo credit: Tracey Baard Photography

To my Darling,

Today we celebrate you. I have loved you for so many years but with each passing day that I see you with our children, my love for you deepens.

You are the rock of this family. You are our guiding light. I could not have asked for a better example of what a loving, devoted father looks like for our children. You wear the noble title of "father" with pride. So today I want to say "Thank You".

Thank you for putting us first, always (especially when the fish are biting).
Thank you for being such a hands on, capable, 21st century daddy.
Thank you for allowing me the space to take some time out for myself to recharge my batteries.
Thank you for putting up with my moods.
Thank you for putting up with my obsessive cleaning and organising.
Thank you for doing the groceries every single week.
Thank you for working tirelessly to make ends meet so that I can stay at home with our children.
Thank you for always "making a plan".
Thank you for your endless patience.
Thank you for loving me when I'm at my lowest.
Thank you for always seeing the glass half full when I see it as half empty.
Thank you for not giving up on me.
Thank you for your words of encouragement.
Thank you for always listening and being willing to work out our differences.
Thank you for always protecting us.
Thank you for playing musical beds every night so that we can all get some sleep.
Thank you for your unconditional love.
Thank you for holding my hand through this journey of parenthood. I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else.

I love you.

Photo credit: Tracey Baard Photography

Until next time,
XX-L

Update on my Journey

Hello Everyone

For those of you who have been following my journey to become healthier, here's a little update.

(Picture: Pinterest)

The last 2 weeks have been quite challenging. I have been down with croup, so I have not been able to exercise at all and I've been on two consecutive courses of antibiotics...which is not really ideal. There were some days that I felt so ill that I just couldn't bring myself to eat. But once I started feeling better, I was like The Very Hungry Caterpillar. On top of that, I had quite a few social outings, which challenged me to make healthier choices than what I normally would - sometimes successfully, sometimes not. So, it has not only been a physical battle, but also an emotional/mental battle.

On the positive side, I will finish my last round of antibiotics tomorrow and I am feeling so much better. With the long weekend that's coming up, I hope to get out a bit and get some steps clocked up.

This morning I had my bi-monthly visit with my wellness coach / dietitian / mentor / motivator / generally the most amazing person, Amanda Weber. Each visit consists of a weigh in, measurements, a look at my food diary and then setting goals for the next two weeks.

I wasn't really looking forward to seeing my progress this morning as I felt that I hadn't given it my best try, but I was pleasantly surprised. Over the last two weeks I have lost 1.4 kilos and 3cm around my waist.

So the numbers, as they stand today, after 4 weeks on my new lifestyle plan, are as follows:

Weight lost in kilos - 4.8 kilos
Centimeters lost around my waist - 8cm

Next week our schools break up for the Winter holidays. So I really have to focus and stay on track.

My goals and plan of action of the following two weeks...

1. Drink my 8 glasses of water...every.single.day.
2. Keep my food diary religiously.
3. Watch my salt intake
4. Walk at least 3 times a week for 30 min (when the weather allows)
5. Incorporate more beans into my diet to boost my protein intake.

(Picture: Pinterest)

Have a super long weekend!

Until next time,

XX-L

Winter Comfort Food: Healthy Cottage Pie

Hello Everyone

Winter has truly arrived in the Cape. Over the weekend I was struck by a strong craving for hearty comfort food. One of my favourite winter meals is cottage pie. Below is my healthy version. It's nothing fancy, but tasted good and was a hit with the family. There is no better way to celebrate the welcome rain, catch up with loved ones and warm the soul, than gathering around a big bowl of deliciousness.

(Picture: Pinterest)

Ingredients:

Filling:
2 tbpn olive oil, divided
500g extra lean mince
3 medium sized carrots, grated
3 celery stalks, diced
2 tspn crushed garlic
1 onion, diced
1 tsp tomato paste
1tbspn worcester sauce
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tspn dried oregano
1 sachet woolies beef stock
1/2 cup of boiling water
Salt & pepper to taste

Topping:
3 medium sized orange sweet potatoes, peeled and diced.
1/3 cup of grated cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.

1. Brown the mince in the olive oil over medium heat. Set aside once done.
2. Slowly cook the onions, carrots and celery over medium heat for about 7 minutes until the onions are transparent and soft.
3. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute before adding the browned mince to the pot.
4. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and allow to simmer over a low heat until the sauce has reduced and become thick and glossy.
5. For the topping, boil the sweet potatoes for about 15-20min until they are tender. Drain the excess water. Mash the sweet potatoes.
6. Transfer the filling into an oven-proof dish and spoon over the mashed sweet potato. Sprinkle over the grated cheese.
7. Bake for 15-20 min at 180 degrees.

Serve with some steamed broccoli or a fresh, crisp salad.

Bon Apetite!

Until next time,
XX-L

Marvellous Manicures

Hello Everyone

If there is one thing that makes my heart want to sing, it's beautiful nails. Having my nails done is one of the ways that I recharge my batteries, prepare for a special celebration or reward myself for reaching a specific goal. I could spend hours looking through ideas on Pinterest of various nail designs. You can check out my Nails Pinterest board here.

One of the first things I notice about people when I first meet them is their hands. There is something about beautifully manicured nails that really speaks to me. Even though having your nails professionally done on a regular basis can become an expensive exercise, it's one that I feel can be easily justified.

But a manicure is so much more than just pretty nails. It nourishes your cuticles, removes dry skin, smoothes the nail plate, rehydrates hard working hands and improves blood circulation. Having studied to be a Health and Skincare Therapist, I have done many a manicure in my life but it takes an artistic flair and a particular passion to create some of those beautiful designs. Not one set of nails can be repeated. Each nail beautifully painted with the finest of details. Sadly, it's not a talent that I possess.

My go-to nail tech is Lisa-Marie from The Beauty Box in Somerset West. Lisa is so creative, she offers such a wide variety of colours to choose from and is always game to try new designs or ideas.

I like to wear my nails quite short and in a square-oval shape. I also prefer less "out there" designs for myself . Boring, I know, but it's my rarely seen practical side. I love having gel overlays on my nails. The best part about it is that you don't have to wait hours and hours for the polish to dry and stress about smudging them.

Below are some of the designs that I have chosen over the last year or so:

Until next time,

XX-L

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organisation, company or individual. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only.

Follow Me Friday

Happy Friday Everyone!

Throwback Thursday has been around for what seems like forever, but now the big thing amongst bloggers seems to be Follow Me Friday. So this morning I'm going to share with you some of my favourite bloggers/vloggers/instagrammers that I enjoy following. Some of these ladies live as far afield as the United States and some are beautiful local South African ladies.

At Home With Natalie

First up and probably the blogger I've been following the longest and makes blogging look super fun is Natalie from At Home with Natalie. Natalie is a mom of 4 little busy bodies with another baba on the way. Her positivity, creativity and honesty really speaks to me. I really enjoy following their adventures as a family. They live in Louisiana so it's fun to see what life is like there...kind of like traveling without the expense. Natalie often posts fun tutorials about the projects they make at home, like when they recently spruced up their backyard to prepare for summer fun. She also loves celebrating various special days (or holidays as they call it in the States) and posts some really cute party ideas. She offers an online blogging course, which I am really keen to do! Natalie is active on Instagram (@athomewithnatalie) and Facebook.

(Picture: At Home with Natalie)

The Freckled Fox

I started following Emily's blog, The Freckled Fox, through following Natalie. The first thing that struck me about her was that she had 5 kids in 5 years and she looked AMAZING! But reading further, I learnt about her intense heart-ache of losing her husband to cancer. Her strength and determination to carry on totally amazes me. She has found love again and I so enjoy seeing her updates about how her little ones are doing. She is also active on youtube and posts make up and hair tutorials. To me, Emily is an absolute inspiration. You can follow Emily on Instagram (@thefreckledfox) and Facebook.

(Picture: The Freckled Fox)

Jessica Van Heerden

I stumbled upon Jessica's you tube channel about a year ago while searching for make up tutorials. She is a local beauty who lives in Joburg. What first drew me in to Jessica's make up tutorials was that she used affordable, drug-store make up brands such as Essence and Catrice...and did an amazing job! The snob in me has always prefered higher end brands, but she opened the door to fabulous looking make up using budget friendly product for me. Her looks are always flawless. She has since started doing vlogs of events that she's been to and also covers fashion, hair and accessories. You can follow her on Youtube and on Instagram (@jessica_vanheerden).

(Picture: Jessica van Heerden)

Sarah Graham

So if you have been following my blog recently, you will already know that I adore following another local blogger: Sarah Graham. I shared one of her delicious soup recipes earlier in the week. Sarah shares so many of her amazing recipes and more on her blog on a daily basis and sends out monthly newsletters filled with all things lovely. Her drive to produce healthy, delicious food inspires me to keep on track with my health journey. You can check our her website and blog here, as well as follow her on Instagram (@sarahgrahamfood).

(Picture: Sarah Graham)

Fat Girl Fedup

Lexi is an instagrammer whose journey to health and fitness struck a nerve with me. She is a 26 year old girl who lives in the States. Lexi weighed 220kgs when she decided that she had had enough of sitting on the sidelines of her life. She has lost 130kg since the 1st of January 2016 on her own...through diet and exercise alone. I mean, what an inspiration! She often posts about what her diet consists of, her exercise routine and how she celebrates non-scale victories. You can follow her on Instagram (@fatgirlfedup) and facebook.

(Picture: Fatgirlfedup)

Until next time,

XX-L

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organisation, company or individual. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only.

My Top 5 Favourite Plus-size Looks for Winter 2017

Hi Guys

Another one of my big passions is fashion. I could spend hours and hours browsing through the shops putting looks together in my head. The problem is that most of those looks are for skinny girls....

Now before you shoot me down, hear me out. Yes, there are a few "Plus size" shops and some of the bigger stores are starting to realise that our nation is not all size eights and tens, but until recently I have really struggled to find something that does not make me feel like a granny wearing a tent. I was in my favourite plus size shop, Donna, the other day and was really impressed how they have upped their game. Their clothes are far more trendy, not as boxy and I could actually find outfits that make me feel my age and not like a granny! You can check out their latest lookbook here.

Aletté Winckler has been making some big waves on the Style and Image Consultant front. She was recently made CEO of the South African Image Academy. I have had the privilege to hear her speak about her passion for fashion and women, I've read her books, I've had a one on one colour consultation with her and I am dying to attend one of her Super groups that she offers around the country. My word of advice to you is, like her page on Facebook and subscribe to her newsletter as she posts regular updates of what is hot and what is not. Go check out her website by clicking here.

Here are my top 5 favourite pinterest looks for us plus size gals for this winter:

1. Chambray shirt with leggings and a chunky knit

(Picture: Pinterest)

I love the combination of the colour of the Chambray shirt and the comfort and textures of the chunky knit. Chambray is so versatile and can pretty much work with any colour. It can be dressed up, like in the picture, or dressed down with some sneakers. I love this look pictured but sadly because I have such big calves, I have never been able to find a pair of long boots that fit. Donna does have boots that do accommodate fuller calves though.

2. Ponchos

(Picture: Pinterest)

The ponchos are back and I couldn't be happier. They are super comfy and easy to wear! I saw one very similar to this one in the picture at Exact! I also love this colour combination of the maroon/plummy colour with the navy blue and denim. A poncho paired with some skinny jeans and booties and the right accessories can make you look trés chic.

3. Blazer, white shirt and Jeans

(Picture: Pinterest)

As a work from home mom, my general wardrobe is very casual. Most days the only other adults I come into contact with are the moms at school that I fleetingly see when dropping off and picking up my kids (and of course my hubby). So, I could potentially spend most of my days in my jammies. But once in a while I do need to looks a bit more formal (and I'm using that word very loosely here) and what better way than to dress up my staple jeans with a white shirt and blazer. Someone once said to me that one can never have enough white shirts in your cupboard. Donna has some stunning blazers in this season. I can highly recommend that you check them out. I love the comfort of this look as she has paired it with some sneakers, but it can be dressed up a bit more if need be by wearing a kitten heal or some pumps.

4. Check shirt

(Picture: Pinterest)

I love the brightness of the check shirts that I have seen in stores recently. It just adds a pop of colour to the dreariness of winter. This shirt looks great combined with a nice warm puffer vest and a knitted snood. Again, I would love to be able to wear boots like those in the picture, but I wear my outfit similar to this one with my good ol' tekkies and ankle boots. 

5. Scarves

(Picture: Pinterest)

I love scarves for winter! Aletté once said that you can wear any colour, as long as the colour that is closest to your face suits your skin tone, hair colour etc. Scarves are my way of still being able to wear all black outfits without looking washed out. There are so many youtube videos out there that show you beautiful ways to tie scarves that makes wearing them interesting and fun.

Let me know what you favourite winter looks are!

Until next time,

XX-L

Busy budgeting mom's skincare routine

Hi Guys

I am a beauty product / make up junkie. I absolutely love anything to do with the health and skincare industry...which is what lead me to my studies to be a skincare therapist and my subsequent career in the spa industry. I left the spa industry after having kids, but my passion for it has never waned.

So today I am going to let you have a peek into my skincare routine. As much as I adore the higher end products such as Dermalogica and Babor, the budget of a work from home mom just does not allow me to purchase them. I have found a few "drug-store" gems in the past though, which I'll share with you today.

Before I get into what I've been using, I just want to give you a bit of background about my skin. Before starting any new products, I would always recommend that you go for a skin analysis at your local beauty salon to determine which products would work the best for your skin. What works for me, might not necessarily be what your skin needs.

As a teen I had the typical combination skin type - shiny t-panel and drier cheeks. I used to get the occasional pimple but nothing too bad. When I started my studies, we used to do our practicals on each other, which was fantastic at first. Who wouldn't want weekly manis, pedis, massages and facials for two years? My skin disagreed and started reacting quite severely to being overstimulated. I headed off to the dermatologist and after trying a few rounds of tetracycline antibiotics and other topical treatments, I was put on a 5 month course of Roaccutane. Roaccutane reduces the actual size of the oil gland and the amount of oil it produces. It also stops the skin cells from getting clogged in the pores, which indirectly stops the P.acne bacteria from opportunistically causing acne. It also helps to reduce inflammation. It's an amazing but rather severe treatment. Because it works on the oil glad of the skin, I found that my skin became extremely dry and since then I have always had to use hydrating products.

I recently purchased a couple of the Sorbet products and I must say I have been quite impressed and think that I would like to try some more of their range. Sorbet Spa's seemed to have popped up all over the country and their products are also available to purchase as Clicks.

So this is what I am currently using:

Cleanser: Sorbet Hydro Skin 3-in-1 cleanser

What appealed to me about this product is that it is supposed to remove make up, cleanse your skin and balance it AND it's a foaming cleaner. I have, however, found that I do need to cleanse twice in order to remove all my make up. The foam smells divine and you don't have to use too much at a time. The packaging looks beautiful, but the printing is on a a plastic sleeve around the bottle which slips up in the shower while trying to pump the foam out, which is a bit annoying. They claim that the product is hydrating, improves skin texture and reduces irritation. It retails for R80. At that price I think it's a super cleanser.

Day Cream: Sorbet BB cream in Light

In the morning I'm pressed for time to get the kids to school, get my walk in and then get cracking on my daily tasks before rushing back to school at 12 to fetch little Miss E. So there is minimal time for make up during the week. That's why I chose a BB (Beauty Balm) cream as my day cream. The colour of the Sorbet BB cream in light is a perfect fit for my skin tone. It is also available in medium and dark. They claim that it will provide 24 hour moisture. So far it feels like it is providing my skin with sufficient moisture. If later on I feel I need a bit more, I might consider applying a booster such as the Sorbet Age Effect Power Serum underneath the BB cream. It also has a SPF 15 which is soooo important, even during winter. This little tube retails for R120 and a little goes a long way. 

Night cream: Salon Skin Night Recovery Cream

This little tube of face cream has been an absolute gem of a find! It goes on silky smooth and leaves my face beautifully moisturised and feeling renewed. It combines the fragrant essential oils of Lavender, Geranium, Grape Fruit and Tea tree, advanced actives such as salicylic acid as well as high concentrations of Vitamin A, C and E. It retails for R200 and I absolutely love it.

Lips: Sorbet Hydro Skin Lip Therapy

I have always had dry flaky lips, no matter what I try and it just gets worse in winter. So when I saw that this product offers 8 hours of moisture, I snapped it up and added it to my basket. It's nice but I personally don't feel that it delivers on it's 8 hour promise as I have had to reapply it often during the day. I highly doubt that I will buy this product again as I have found other lip balms that provide more moisture for a better price. This little tube retails for R53.

Weekly treatment products that I want to still add to my skincare regime:

Some other products that I would like to add to my skincare regime and which, in my opinion, are essential for a glowing, healthy skin would be an exfoliator and a mask. I am leaning towards trying out the Sorbet Salon Skin Daily skin polishing powder (R220) for the exfoliator. In my spa days I used to use the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and loved it, so I hope that this one will measure up to that. Exfoliation should always be followed by a mask, so I have been eyeing out the Sorbet Salon Skin Thermal Resque mask (R140). This mask is supposed to energise and restore the skin...perhaps ideal for winter? I'll pop these in my shopping basket next month and let you know my thoughts. 

Let me know if you have any affordable, favourite skin care products!

Until next time,

XX-L

Disclaimer: This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organisation, company or individual. All content provided on this blog is for informational purposed only. 

Sarah Graham's Roasted Butternut & Apple Soup with Bacon Croutons

Hi Guys

As many of you know, the Western Cape is experiencing its worst drought in over 100 years. The dams that provide the City of Cape Town with drinking water are dangerously low and at the beginning of the month Level 4 water restrictions were implemented, which limits potable water usage to 100L per person per day.

Since last week we have been watching a strong storm developing over the Atlantic which is promising to bring between 50 and 100mm of much prayed for rain to our drought-stricken area on Wednesday and Thursday. Snow is also being predicted for the high lying mountain areas! HOORAY! So, with that in mind and it already being much colder in the evenings, I thought I'd share with you a soup recipe that I will be trying out to warm us up. It's from one of my favourite local chefs, Sarah Graham.

Ingredients

Cooks in:  1 hour (mostly unattended)
Serves: 4-6

For roasting:
750g butternut, peeled and diced. Save the pips to pan fry as extra croutons
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, rosemary and nutmeg
1 tsp dried sage
2 medium red onions, roughly chopped
2-3 apples, peeled cored and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp of butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, rosemary and nutmeg
1 tsp dried sage

3 cups of good quality chicken or veggie stock

200g streaky bacon
Salt and freshly group pepper

What to do:

1. Rub the butternut with olive oil and sprinkle over the herbs and spices. Roast them in an oven at 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the butternut is golden and starts to caramelise.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter and gently cook the onions until softened before adding the apple and cooking gently for about 10 minutes until they have softened completely. Add the herbs and spices.
3. Fry the bacon until it is golden and crispy and set aside on kitchen paper. Toss in the pips and fry in the remainder of the bacon fat.
4. Add the butternut and remaining ingredients to the pot and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend to a consistency of your choice. Season to taste and serve with a scattering of bacon and butternut seed "croutons".

(Photo from 'Sarah Graham's Food Safari Season 2' by Ricardo de Leça)

What could possibly be more delicious and satisfying on a cold, stormy night than the good ol' South African favourite of butternut soup? You can thank me later.

Until next time,

XX-L

Winter Holiday Survival Guide

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I realised with a shock this morning that the winter holidays are a mere 3 weeks away. And for us, it's a long holiday - almost a month. My immediate reaction was one of happiness - no lunchboxes to pack, no rushing around the cold and dark mornings to get everyone dressed and to school in time. But then the reality set in...almost 4 weeks of having the kids at home 24/7 while I try and get some work done, entertain them whilst maintaining a tight budget and keeping the house clean. I started having anxious flashbacks of the first 5 weeks of our summer holidays.

One plus point of our "very boring" summer holiday (because mom and dad had to work) was that the littlies eventually learnt to entertain themselves. They learnt to play together without killing each other. They made tracks in the dirt for their hot wheels, jumped on the trampoline for hours on end and swam every afternoon.

If you are anything like me, you like to plan ahead. Because winter in the Cape is generally very wet and cold (and we so desperately need the rain, so I am not wishing it away at all), I have decided to come up with a plan of action to keep everyone sane and happy. There will be a fair amount of  "I'm bored", of this I am sure, as again I need to work throughout the holidays. But I also want to make this holiday enjoyable and make memories with my kids. So I have researched some fun, inexpensive things to do with our kiddos this winter holiday.

1. Make the most of living in the winelands
We live in a picturesque part of South Africa with wine farms on our doorstep. Many of them offer kiddies grape juice tasting while mom and dad can sample some of their wine. Follow this link to the Stellenbosch Mom blog for details of four local wine farms who offer grape juice tastings: https://thestellenboschmom.co.za/4-wine-estates-that-offer-kids-juice-tastings/

2. Make the most of the dry days
I have lived in the beautiful Cape for 21 years now and one thing I have learnt is that between the very wet and cold days, we are usually blessed with a few days of gorgeous sunshine. On those days I plan to get everyone outside, absorb some rays and produce some vitamin D. My kids love riding their bikes and being outside. Helderberg Farm has so much to offer - mountain bike tracks, walking trails, a play park and farmyard and some the best cheesecake around. Go check out their website at www.helderbergplaas.co.za . There will be plenty of muddy puddles to jump into, so just remember to wear gumboots and take a change of clothes.

3. Let them get rid of their pent up energy at an indoor play park
Recently there seems to have been quite a few new indoor play parks that have opened up in the greater Cape Town area, such as Be up! and Rush, and most recently The Playstation in Tokai. But if you are not up to the drive, the Helderberg also has a couple of options available. At the Gants centre in Strand there is Kidz Corner indoor play centre and over weekends World of Adventure at the Root 44 Market also has loads to offer our little busy bodies. For most of the indoor play areas, you play a per hour fee for your children to play. If you budget is as tight as mine is, then Indigo Spur at Waterstone Village is a fantastic option!

4. Movie day
My kids love movies...or perhaps it would be more fitting to say, they love the whole movie experience - the popcorn, slushies, big screen, surround sound. There are some fun kids movies coming up in the holidays like Cars 3, Despicable Me 3 as well as Captain Underpants. And if you are a Discovery Vitality member, kids get to watch family friendly movies for free before 19h00 - BONUS! And on the days where it is just tooooo cold and wet to venture outside, why not build a fort in front of the fire place, make some good old fashion homemade popcorn and hot chocolate and pop in a favourite DVD.

5. Family games day
We have a cupboard full of board games! Because of the fast pace of life during term, we never get to play them. So this winter holiday, we are going to have a family games day. It will offer us the opportunity to engage with one another and I am positive that we will have plenty of good laughs. Some of our favourite games to play as a family are Monopoly, Guess Who, Uno and Twister.

6. Weekly visits to the Library
My kiddos LOVE books and I love reading to them. Our local library has an awesome kids section complete with poofs and beanbags to lounge in while browsing through the books. We are each allowed to take home 7 books. YAY! Just check with your local library as often during the holidays they have a special story time where someone reads a story to the little ones. And if your library doesn't offer it, why not volunteer?

7. Educational outings
Yes, I know...educational outings. But these are sometimes really fun and I know my son loves them. Our favourite place to go is Giraffe House just outside of Stellenbosch. They have a so many animals to see and feed and offer daily reptile shows. It does however need to be a dry day to go there and wear gumboots when you do go if it has been raining. They have a little tuck shop there but you can also pack yourself a picnic basket and enjoy the surroundings at one of their picnic tables. Other outings on my "radar" for this holiday are trips to the Science centre, Observatory and the Museum. Also if the weather plays along, I would love to take the children to feed the squirrels in the Company gardens. And our favourite outing, which is always a hit, is a trip to the Two Oceans Aquarium.

8. Children's theatre
I love the theatre! There are some awesome kid-friendly shows on during the holidays. Peter Pan is on at Canal Walk, Disney On Ice is coming to the Grand West Arena and Noddy is on at Artscape.

I hope I've given you some ideas of how to survive the winter break. Let me know if you have any more ideas!

Until next time,
XX-L

Desperately seeking answers

Have you ever read an article in a magazine or online and experienced what Oprah used to call an "AHA!" moment? Well, I did, a little more than 2 months ago. I was online and stumbled upon an article about under active thyroids. As I read through the list of symptoms I was mentally putting a tick next to each one. Every single symptom.Yes, I am constantly tired, yet not able to sleep. Yes, I am super irritable. Yes, I have such bad brain fog some days that I feel a bit like Dory....and the list went on. So I decided to go visit my lovely GP and have a chat to her.

I had to wait a few weeks before I could see her, as I was not an emergency patient. During that time I argued with myself, wondering whether I was just imagining it all and perhaps just looking for an excuse for my moodiness, irritability and inability to lose weight. However, one morning I found myself screaming at my children at 6am and realised that this is not normal and that I needed help. To me, it felt like I was being consumed by a black hole and every passing day I was falling deeper into it.

First off, my lovely doctor ordered a battery of blood tests, including fasting glucose and insulin, cholesterol, thyroid function, full blood count, Iron, vitamin B and D as well as Rheumatoid factors (because all my joints were stiff and sore). Secondly, for the safety of my family and for my sanity, she prescribed a mood booster (which is the nice term for antidepressant), which she said would "kick in" after about two weeks. Thirdly, she suggested I make an appointment with a dietitian. She assured me that Amanda was not a "cookie cutter" dietitian who lumps those wanting to lose 5kg and those needing to 50kg into the same category and shoves a standardised photocopied diet into your hand while billing you a small fortune.

The following day I went for my blood tests, started my mood booster and made an appointment to see Amanda.

It took a few days before my blood results came back, but they were just as doc had expected. The good news is that it was all treatable.

My cholesterol was on the high side of normal, but nothing to worry about. My uric acid levels were raised, which explained the sore, stiff joints. Glucose and vitamin B12 were normal. Iron and vit D were below normal. Thyroid was under active.  Insulin was 16.5 when it should be less than 10.4, indicating that I am insulin resistant. That same day, I went to see Amanda, the dietitian. However, "wellness coach" would be a better description for the role she has taken on in my life.

Amanda had been in contact with my GP and received a copy of my blood results. We spent about an hour talking about my weight and health history, my likes and dislike and what my blood results show. She was so kind and encouraging...anything but the cookie cutter dietitians I have been to in the past.The eating plan that she has tailored to suit my needs is amazing! She has taken my love-hate relationship with the kitchen into account as well as the fact that my hunkastudmuffin hubby is an avid banter. She sends me daily messages of encouragement and is always available if I need to ask her something regarding my program.

We have come up with a four pronged approach to beating the blues and the bulge:

1. Medication - I am on Glucophage to help with the insulin resistance as well as thyroid medication, Iron supplement, Magnesium, Omega 3, Vit D supplement, medication to treat gout and a mood booster.

2. Eating plan - Amanda has tailored my plan. It is low fat and low carb. I have cut back on refined sugars and follow a kilojoule restricted plan. Because this has to become a way of life for me, Amanda has included little treats like Ultramel Zero as a snack with pie apples, Slimmers choice frozen yogurt once a week and a small packet of casava chips once a week.

3. Exercise - I need to try to walk for 30min daily. At the moment I am managing 3-4 times a week. I have just been walking around the field at school as my foot was still painful. Currently I manage about 6 laps of the field in 30min and I am improving my average pace with each walk.

4. Dry body brushing - I have very poor lymphatic and blood circulation in my legs due to being sedentary while working as well as being overweight. Dry body brushing encourages lymphatic drainage, reducing swelling in legs and helps to get rid of toxins...which in turn improves cellulite. It also has the added bonus of exfoliating the skin. I do this every evening before I shower.

So there you have it! I have been on my mood booster for 3 weeks now and, dare I say, that I have a bit more patience and I'm not nearly as irritable as I was before. It's been 2 weeks since I have started all the other medication and my new eating plan. The pain in my foot is SO much better! In the first 10 days I have lost 3.4 kilos and 5cm around my waist. Can I get a "HALLELUJAH" !!!!

For the first time in months, I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's not an oncoming train.

Until next time,
XX-L