Short post for now as it is August 6th and catching up on the last few days.
When in Hawkes Bay during the weekend, Mum and Dad had a large supply of lemons growing outside on the lemon tree and also had a container of Lite Cream Cheese in the fridge they needed to be used.
My brain decided to combine the two above mentioned ingredients together and I ended up asking Ma if I could make a cheesecake, among other items I felt the need to cook.
Mother dearest agreed and after googling for a while, as well as realizing I had made Lemon Cheesecake at some point in the past, I decided to turn it into Mini Lemon Cheesecakes :)
Although they did not quite turn out the way I had wanted, they were delish, not too sweet and really refreshing which was the best part.
Photos are on the parents' camera in HB but will try put one up ASAP.
As I start to write this blog, I am currently traveling on a bus from Waikato to Hawkes Bay and let's be honest here, that journey for me is definitely not "something new" as I have done it many times before.
We have just pulled up in Taupo and I am struggling to think what my new thing possibly could be for today. After the way my mind worked yesterday while trying to achieve my new thing for the day, I decided that some days I shall actually try and do something new and other days I will just reflect on the day and see what I have accomplished.
Turns out that the bus trip was one of the longest or at least it seemed that way, in a long time and I got really really bored... So bored that in fact I was staring at my iPod for so long I realised my apps and folders were not all in alphabetical order - weird and crazy I know but this is something that would have previously annoyed the heck out of me.
So what was my new thing for today? Haha, some will laugh but I did indeed alphabetise not only all the folders on my iPod but all the apps with each folder too :) Thinking about it, I have previously done a similar thing with all the desktop icons on my computer however I have never gone through and fully put all the folders/docs with each folder (inside the folder), into alphabetical order!
Haha, right here we go folks... This month is going to be an adventure and will hopefully be an exciting one rather than just normal life :)
I wanted to kick off this whole month of something new, with a bang today but that just did not happen. It's interesting how life and the reality of everything can actually change our daily plans.
Today I thought I would make a recipe (or at least attempt) that I had not made before. While searching online through recipe websites as well as numerous recipe books, I was as usual distracted by what else was going on on the Internet... I had been looking at websites of lists of something new as well and had been going onto a few of the websites I had used as a major reference during the last 3 years - once a teacher, always a teacher.
While still trying to find a easy but also interesting recipe (which did not use too many ingredients), I also wanted to look up a particular word in Maori so off I went to a common resource from my uni days. Before I even realised, I has spent almost 40 minutes on this website and had been totally absorbed by an interactive Maori Langauge learning tool.
Forget the looking for recipes because while my mind was wondering as it usually does, I had just embarked on my first new thing if August 2013 - not just learning a language but rather doing this through an interactive tool on a website. And if that is not awesome enough, I am pleased to say I actually passed the listening aspect which made a change from Year 11 French!
I love Maori Language and in some ways, I am actually grateful and thankful for starting off my month of new things by building on my knowledge and understanding of this beautiful langauge.
So that is Day 1 completed for you all (and for me) and I look forward to continuing my progress on the website as well as continuous posts throughout the month while embarking on numerous new adventures.
So we all know how slack I am and have been at posting lately... I say I shall try to post regularly and then it totally doesn't happen. It's not like I have that much to keep me too busy from posting yet it still never seems to happen.
A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend and last week I also had a walk down memory lane for a while. During both of these events - the catching up and talking as well as the memory trip, I was reminded of my first year of uni and how exciting that year was. It was literally a year of all things new and undiscovered which was exciting and a real adventure.
As well as all the usual adventures of moving out of home and beginning university, I had an incredible month of adventure during September 2010.
Why?
Well during that particular month, I decided to dedicate each day of the month as a special day to do something I had never done before - a whole month of doing something new each day. Some of my wacky and share worthy moments of that month included painting each of my toenails a different colour (or at least trying to), getting one of my friends to fully curl my hair, listening to music I would not normally listen to and I also believe watching 8 or 9 movies in one weekend made the list :)
Now, how does this relate to my blog post title?
Well during this month (August 2013), I have again decided to do a month of something new each day so hopefully it will happen and I shall be able to continue posting on here... Who knows, I may even get 31 days worth of posts but will see how we go.
As well as posting about my adventures, I shall try to include photos where possible :)
So for now, I shall go and write the post for 1st August 2013. - My first day of something new for this year. Clearly I am off to a great start as I am writing this on 2nd August!!!!!
I shall make up for it, I promise.
If anyone has any ideas of things I can do during the month, let me know and will see how I can fit it in somehow.
That's all for now,
From the constant traveller Kath, somewhere between Tokoroa and Taupo.
Just went on and checked the stats of my blog - just out of interest! 19 page views just in one day yesterday - I don't know if blogger.com is just making those stats up or not but it most certainly made me feel 100% more awesome than I was already feeling. For those people following the blog and following the posts of the 30 Day Shred (when I actually get around to publishing them... whoops), please feel free to comment on the blog - somewhere at the bottom of each individual blog post I do believe. When people comment, it shows that I am not just typing everything to the endless amount of cyber friends that read this, or not just typing and having a blog floating out there somewhere for aliens to read - aliens... pfft, whatever Kath... get back to your point please! Your comments, love and support show me that I am actually typing something useful for others and also helps me to remember to keep typing (NOT GIVE UP) and keep moving forward. So yea... read, comment, ask a question, show interest and tell me what ya thinking/what is helpful/what is not/what you like etc. Would love to hear from you all! Toodles xx
Written before doing the shred workout of the day...
Today, all day I have been in pain - every time I went to raise my arms, moving my legs, keeping my arms in one position for too long, reaching for things and having a painful shoulder, every time I went to stand up, all over, most of the time today I have been in pain. Because of the pain, all day I have been putting off doing the shred workout for today.
While putting off the workout, I decided to google quotes about pain and suffering combined with giving up/not giving up. I came across this quote and it really made me think....
"Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."
-Dean Karnazes
For me in my life previously, as sad as it sounds and as much as I hate to say it, giving up has always been an easier option - I dream big dreams, set goals (which in the end I realise are not as realistic as I thought) and as soon as things do not go the way I want them to, I feel like taking the easy way out and giving up. Either that or I freak myself out so much that I either end up doing things just to get it over an done with or freak myself out so much that I am just too terrified.
Seeing this quote and thinking about this quote made me realise even though im aching with pain, even though everything hurts, even though right now I can't imagine completing this goal that I have set... I've done it once before and I am going to do it again. Even though it seems so unreachable, the finish line for the goal is right there - I just need to run when I can, walk when I have to, crawl if I must and not give up to get to that finish line.
Each day in this shred workout is a goal in itself - each 30 minute workout that I get through is most certainly a milestone.
This whole marathon/half marathon that i've said im going to do - flip its going to be a beast and a half (or half a beast) but just as I have decided I am going to do with my shred workouts, I will run, I will walk and I will even crawl if I need to but I will do this half marathon!
It's Fitness Feldon Girl here and boy oh boy is it great to be back in the land of fitness posts via the internet... Last time I clogged up everyone's news feeds on Facebook by doing extremely long posts after each workout so this time I've decided to hit the blogosphere and blog it out instead :)
So welcome to the end of Day 1 of the 30 Day Shred.
Dude, who has heard the whole thing about worthwhile things in life being difficult to reach or get to? Haha, they certainly weren't kidding with that one.
Day 1 today was just as horrible as I remember it being the previous three times I have attempted to do it. i guess for all those out there reading this and wanting to be inspired to do the Shred, that previous sentence sure does not help at all - in fact it is probably the furthest thing away from help.
Pretty much today sucked and I also sucked.....
pain
lack of endurance
back to the physical challenge of level 1 etc
At least I got through it and Day 1 is done so i'm that much closer to completing it all over again - YAY!
Piece of advice for today....
I as well as others know how hard it is and today was even harder to get back into it however I did what I needed to - with a few breaks in between but got there in the end...
I aim for this blog post to be short but we all know how that has turned out in the past for moi and my blog posts!
Just been talking to an amazing friend on facebook who I met and was blessed enough to share part of my life with when I was in Wellington in 2009 - she has been working on a blog for a while and has just decided to change it (momentarily) into a healthy lifestyle type blog. Talking to this incredible friend and seeing her blog posts, took me back to a month ago and finishing my my 30/35 day shred and how eager I was to continue with it.
Long story short, I was committed (or at least I thought I was) to continuing with the Shred however due to a lack of true and utter commitment as well as other events, I completed two days and then basically (as much as I hate to say it) - GAVE UP! Since then, life has been okay yet certainly not as great as it was and my poor husband has had to put up with a moody, grumpy and to be honest literally lazy wife who has not been much of a wife at all.
Well guess what, its time to pull Fitness Feldon Girl back out of the garage where she has been hiding away from the world for the last month and kick her butt into gear because its game on or at least weight loss challenge (for myself) on!
I entitled this take four as it will be the fourth time I have attempted to do this painful, disastrous, life changing and body changing shred.
The first time I gave up after only 10-15 minutes
The second was my full 35 days which might I add, I felt like giving up countless times throughout the process
The third - only 2 days in and I chucked it all in
The fourth - ??????? Lets see where we get this time!
No more lazy, tired, grumpy, moody, down in the dumps wife/sister/daughter/friend/teacher/blogger... but rather FITNESS FELDON GIRL!
I can finally say that I am a qualified, graduated, registered (or at least provisionally registered) teacher :D
So many ups and downs have happened during the last three years of study but I am so incredibly blessed and extremely grateful for the amazing support, encouragement, and prayers I have had and have felt along the way.... It's such a weird yet exciting feeling to know that I have had people literally all around the world praying for me my whole life and in particular over the last three years of study.
At times it's been hard, other times its been easy and life has been a blast. I have meet some truly inspirational people along the way and have also been reunited with others who I am just so blessed are a part of my life.
I don't know quite how I managed to get to grad day but I did and its one memory that most certainly will last a lifetime.
So what is the next chapter in my life? Well trying to find a job and get my teacher career started with a bit of a whirlwind of excitement but for now it's just the continuous job searching and trusting in/relying on God with literally all that we have.
So once again thank you so very truly muchly to everyone who has helped or supported me/us in some way over the last three years - it has been a journey we are definitely not to forget in a while.
Right, here is a quick blog for those of you who do not already know that I am nuts...
A few weeks ago I decided that on November 9th, I will be participating in 'The Taniwha', half marathon. Yes, you did read that correctly... Me a person who can barely run a few 100meters, will be doing a half marathon.
I decided just like with my hairshave for CanTeen back in 2010, if I publicly advertise/discuss the fact that I am doing this, the more people that will know about it, therefore, the less I can change my mind or back out of it - or that is my thinking at least.
So the half marathon is happening on November 9th and I will be attempting to raise funds for a particular charity (yet to be finalised as to which charity) and would love your support along the process.
Also, if there a any other nut balls out there who would be keen to also do the half marathon, then let me know and we can prepare for it together :)
For more info, head to google.co.nz and search for "The Taniwha marathon" and you will hopefully be headed in the fit direction.
This blog was written probably about three weeks ago now but thought I would still post it anyway... The shred has not been happening as I had an incredibly painful ankle for a few days so just decided to let it rest rather than doing more damage.... But the marathon training is going to be back in action this week and will potentially be starting the Shred again so stay tuned for more blog posts...
Hey everyone,
Wow so I thought I would actually make blogposts this time around when doing my Shred journey instead of clogging up everyone's news feeds on Facebook.
So like I said on Day 1, I thought after already having done this whole Shred challenge once, that doing it all over again would be easy but boy oh boy on Day 1 I certainly found out that I was wrong. I mean seriously, what the flippin heck was I thinking? It's still exercise, it's still working those muscles that I only rediscovered a month ago so of course it's not going to be easy.... Same as that saying about good things in life not being easy - well I tell ya, trying to get a healthier lifestyle, tone up and lose a bit of beef is certainly not easy but neither was it easy to ignore everything that got me to this point in the first place.
Anyway, back to Day 2..... So it's a challenging one today and I have found getting back into the shred so difficult to do this time round. As I type this, I'm currently so exhausted (from only doing part of my workout today) that I have paused for a few moments to type this blog entry - yea I know it's no the best idea and won't help with the weight loss or the body toning but seriously, it's painful and intense hard work. And to think that this morning I decided to publicly announce that I would be embarking on either a half marathon or full marathon in November this year..... Ekkkkkk, if I can barely make it through a 30 minute workout right now (after already doing them for a month) then fudge, what the heck am I thinking? This marathon will pretty much kill me...................
Right, back to the workout and will finish typing and posting this blog later....
Fitness Feldon Girl is back after having completed her workout.... Finally. Her workout which only took her like an hour-ish to do when it's not quite a 30 minute workout. Oh dear, what a long few months its going to be leading up to this marathon I've decided to do in November.
Right, so thinking about tips for today for all those Shred fans out there.... Once again I would have to go with the tip of doing your shred either with someone or while having someone else (who you trust and know will support you) in the room at the same time. The power of encouragement and motivation (especially during those first few days of workouts is incredible and even for me going back and doing it all over again, I have to say that Level 1 is definitely the hardest and most demanding workout in terms of endurance. Today doing my workout while Nat was at work was such a challenge and I realised how much I really honestly miss and also need that support.
Even the support during the 2 minutes of cardio - going hard out for 30 seconds of jumping jacks/star jumps, followed by 30 seconds of butt kicks or skipping and then repeating both exercises/movements for another 30 seconds. Literally it's only 2 minutes of the workout but if you really push yourself during that first 30 seconds, you feel so dead and exhausted for the other minute and a half and its then that people feel like giving up or even as I have done in the past (and felt like doing today to be honest)- fast forward to the easy parts of the workout.
So, basically that is all the words from Fitness Feldon Girl for today and I shall catch ya all tomorrow.
What? After a couple of crazy weeks of camp, the Feldoonski's are off on a camping holiday!!!
When? From today until further notice :)
Where? I believe it is Rotorua but not completely sure.
How? Emptying the house, packing the car, shopping and then hittin the road in our little car!
Why? We need a decent break and we have the time so lets make the most of it.
"We are going on a summer holiday, no more worries for a day or two. Fun and laughter on Feldoonski holiday, no more worries for me or you"
More details to come after camping but for now, lets enjoy the weather we have and make the most of this great chance to take a break - now all I need is a Kit Kat to really enjoy having a break!
Something I saw on tele (or maybe Pintrest) a few weeks ago was the idea of having a memory jar.
You may be sitting there thinking what is a memory jar, or some of you may know exactly what I mean by a memory jar.
Well as I have found out over the last few years, the older I seem to get (even though I am not really that old at the moment), the more quickly each year seems to go by. When one year comes to an end and another year quickly creeps up on us, we tend to reflect on what has been and think forward to what lies ahead.
In my moments of reflecting on what has happened during a year, I realise I focus on the big things and tend to forget all the small things that have happened - all the little blessings that have come our way during the course of the year.
Well I ended up stumbling upon my solution to this problem a few weeks ago - A MEMORY JAR!
Basically the idea of a memory jar is to write down on paper, all the memories you create (and want to remember) during a certain period of time. These can be positive, negative, life changing etc. Then as it comes to that time of the year when you want to start reflecting on what has happened, you turn to your MEMORY JAR and open this fantastic jar of surprises and begin to remember how blessed, loved and appreciated you are. Apparently one of the best times to open your Memory Jar is on New Years Eve but is only some people's opinions.
Right, now that I have posted about this magnificent idea, time to go and create our very first Feldon Memory Jar....
Laughter is such a powerful influence in our lives,
Laughter is contagious and addictive,
Laughter is an amazing comforter and medicine,
Laughter is sharing your life journey with others,
Laughter is a mixture of emotions,
Laughter is a single common language we all share,
Laughter is celebration, uncertainty and confusion,
Laughter is friendship, families and relationships,
Laughter is love.
(K. Feldon, 2013)
When was the last time you had a decent laugh? Not just a laugh that lasted only a few seconds, but one where you were so happy and laughing so hard that your sides or ribs or other parts of your body began to hurt? I heard an interesting fact a couple of days ago about laughter and hence this is the reason for this blog post...
"Children laugh about 400 times a day. Adults laugh an average of 15 times a day."
Upon hearing this fact, I found it hard to believe the large difference between the amount of times an adult will laugh (daily) and the amount of times a child will laugh (daily).
I thought to myself that surely adults laughed more than this and at the same time I thought that surely children do not laugh as many times as was suggested to us.
Why do children laugh so much each day? Is this because they do not worry as much, do they see joy and laughter more simply than adults? Do they appreciate what they have in their life? Do they live for the moment rather than thinking about what is to come?
After hearing this fact, we were then shown a video from YouTube - a Skype Laughter Chain. Basically this video was a chain letter that showed people laughing. It was hilarious and I shall try to attach it to this blog for you all to see - otherwise just search on YouTube.
At first glimpse, there were only a few of us in the audience laughing however as the video continued, I could really see the power and influence of laughter unfolding right before my eyes - it truly is contagious.
At the end of the message that was shared on this particular day, we as the audience were encouraged to be more childlike in our approach to life. We were encouraged to look for more joy in our lives, appreciate what we have, live for the moment and make the most of the opportunities we have - to recognise and value what is given to us.
Being more childlike does not necessarily mean to act like little children more often (although this I already do quite a lot of the time) however it means to almost view the world and life as we know it through new eyes/lenses and from a different perspective.
Over the last few days I have personally tried to laugh more, be less grumpy, enjoy life more and view the world from a different perspective. I have also (as sad as it may sound), attempted to keep a tally of my daily laughing and I must say that I have far exceeded the 15-17 episodes of laughter a day as I have lost count of how many times I have laughed.
Imagine how different our individual lives, our suburbs, our towns, our cities, our provinces/regions, our islands, our countries and our world could possibly be if we all tried to laugh a little more each and every day.
So try it - be more childlike in your approach to life and see the difference unfold before your eyes.
Start by watching the Skype Laughter Video below :)
