Thank You Jennables!

I've had a crap few days. 

A migraine yesterday and today either  a left over bits of migraine hanging around or sugar withdrawal headache.  Who knows? 

Its been 3 whole days and no sugar.  I have decided I like my coffee with no sugar.  Really. 

But I haven't managed to get moving today.  I put on my make-up, cleaned the kitchen and did a load of washing, and flaked out about the house. 

I was feeling pretty down by the time Steve got home and we had dinner (a chicken stir fry with soy sauce and basil).  

So I decided maybe a walk would cheer me up.  

I put on my shoes and went down to Jennie's and said "Wanna come for a walk with me?" 

She looked at me like I had grown another head.  Or three.  

"NO." 

Oh. 

"I've spent 4 hours walking the Geelong Foreshore in the freezing cold and  rain herding a bunch of kids around.  I hurt all over.  I don't want to fo for a walk with you.  I am not doing anything tonight". 

Oh. 

But she is a trooper, my Jen.   She picked herself up and booted herself out the door. 

"We're not walking fast.  Just a stroll in the fresh air.  Just one lap." she said. 

We did 4 laps at not much slower than we usually do. 

And I came home feeling human again. 

Best friends are just the best. 

Really. 

And we get another gold star on the calendar :) 

Gold stars - focusing on the positive and celebrating the small achievements.

I am loving looking at my calendar.   Every day we exercise I give us a gold star. 

My life can be very up and down.  Last week I had several days out of action with a migraine.  When I am well again, I feel very behind.   

So  I am trying very hard to focus on the small achievements that every day brings.  Even on the worst days I can get a few things done.  Last Thursday I even exercised.  I earned my gold star. 

Today is not an exercise day but I have achieved in other ways.  Some day to day cleaning done.  A few "extra" tasks accomplished.   It's another gold star day.  

What I'm coming to realise is that every day can be a gold star day.  Even when I'm sick and not able to do the normal things,  I can still be kind to me, and give myself a star for the things I DO get done.  It might just be making the bed (before climbing back in again).  Or stacking the dishwasher.   Or getting dinner on.  Some days the smallest, simplest things are big achievements and I want to focus on that feeling,  of pride in a task completed, a job done, instead of feeling the guilt of all the things I didn't get done.  When I'm sick I have enough pain to deal with without beating myself up and piling more on.  

We don't give ourselves enough pats on the back.  Or enough gold stars. 

Love 
S xxx

Week 1

This week Jennie and I sat down and talked.  We pulled out the butchers paper and textas.  We had a look at what our strengths are.  We looked at the things we liked and didn't like in our lives.   We prioritised.  We set goals.  And we decided upon actions.

We made commitments to each other,  and wrote down specifics on our calendars.  

This weekend it has all started.

Yesterday we did a fitness test and recorded our baselines for a 1 km run (walk), sit ups, push ups, and stretches.  FOr me  I knew my results would be low.   I wasn't prepared for how low.  And for how that would make me feel.   It feels crap.

But...  after our 10am exercise session I felt good.  And I felt good all day.  I was excited about our planned Double Date Night.  But I don't think it was just that making me feel so good.  


We also had our first double date in a long long time.  We piled the kids into one house.   We got dressed up   (although Jennie was a prude insisted she would not wear Clitter - but used sparkly eyeshadow instead).
We had a 3 course meal. The carrot and parsnip soup worked beautifully dividing orange and white down the bowl.   The crockpot chicken curry was good.  And the lemon custard cakes for dessert were truly divine.

We played the Logo Game, Scattegories and  The Simpson's board game.

We laughed.

And we connected.  As friends, as couples.

Isn't that what life is about?

Love
S
xxx

Introducing the Hedwacks

We are the Hedwacks.  Two families, best friends, and we live on the same street 4 houses apart.   We have been best friends for 15 years, and  in 2011, following a terrible storm,  our two families (4 adults, 5 sons, 4 cats and a dog) lived together for 4 months, bonded, blended and became one.

We are the Hedwacks.

Family J

• Spouse 1  -  Doug, and his inner Lemming
• Spouse 4  - Jennie - the inexorable Force of Nuture
• BoyChild 1 - G
• BoyChild 3 - N
• BoyChild 4 - O

Family E

• Spouse 2  - Steve 
• Spouse 3 - Sophie 
• BoyChild 2 - T
• Boychild 5 - C

This year we are wanting to make some changes in our lives.  We want to be:

• more active
• enjoy our children and our families,
•  organise our lives and homes, and 
• improve our health. 

To achieve these goals we are 

• starting an exercise program loosely based on the Couch to 5 K running program. 
• quitting sugar  (fructose). 
• planning family nights, Hedwack days (where we take the kids out) and date nights -  some joint and some with just our own families, to nuture our relationships. 

These are our adventures,  brought to you by Sophie and Jennie.  

Stay Happy. 

S

xx