A Winter Family Ritual

Hello and welcome back!

I know in Aus were heading into Spring now, so this post is a little throwback for you all but its something I wanted to share anyway, as I like having things like this documented for myself too. For all you US ladies (and lads if your reading this!) this may be the perfect thing to plan for your upcoming Fall/Winter time! 

Ever since I was a tiny tot, we have been having Fondue Family Nights. We have an open fire, so we light that up, eat cheese fondue with fresh bread and veggies, sit in front of the fire, roast marshmallows and spend the evening together as a family chatting away. I LOVE IT!

It is something that I look forward to each winter, some years we do it more often than others, but each year we make sure to have at least ONE Fondue Family Night.

Its brilliant.

This year was no different, the very last weekend of Winter we realised we needed to have one! 

Mum was a gem and found this amazing chia bread - score! 

Veggies galore! 

My new phone case by Kate Spade - Love it! You can actually purchase this from the Apple store if your in Aus - I had been searching online for months for it and low and behold it was in the shop!

These little guys are key to getting the fire blazing!

And so it begins!

We had one lot of the fondue cheese mix in the bread and one lot in the pot - YUM! Such a treat! 

I think one of my favorite things about these nights is that we all sit down and talk for HOURS about all kinds of things. Its nice every once in awhile to sit and chat, not just talk about day to day stuff but discuss topics and learn about each other that little bit more. The above pic is my BF Chris mid story.

So many photos here of the flames, but there is just something about sitting staring at flames that I absolutely love!

 

And there we have it, a family tradition which I love!

If your heading into the cooler months why not create a family night? Its a great way to connect and have fun! And the same can be said for Summer, I am already planning a family bbq with grilled Prawns (yum!) for Summer!

xoxo

 



My Thoughts on Blah

 

You know those days where your just 'blah' The ones where your sleepy, tired, cranky, grumpy, lack luster, and just not feeling like yourself?

Yeah I know them, I think everyone has them from time to time.

A lot of the time they are for a reason, you had a tough work day, you snapped at your partner, your sick of the same old day in day out, you don't feel excited, your stressed. Sometimes though they are for no reason at all, or not one you can pin point.

I have some tips on dealing with moments or days like this that have helped me along the way.

 

1: Accept it!
Sounds wired but as soon as I can identify that yes I'm a little grumpy and sleepy today, or I'm stressed that I'm not saving enough or I am actually upset about that comment made to me yesterday; you'll feel a bit better. Being able to acknowledge your feelings is so empowering. As soon as I can say 'you know what, I am really tired today and that's making me grumpy' I am able to better deal with it as I've identified the problem.

 

 

2: It's OK!
Know that it is ok to not feel amazing and full of energy and super bubbly every second of everyday. If you've had a rough week or a tough day or not enough sleep and you don't feel wonderful, there is nothing wrong with that! Too often I think people try so hard to avoid any feelings that are deemed negative and try so hard to ignore them and be happy and then just end up feeling more upset when nothing changes! I say feel the emotion to the fullest. Your sad? That's ok! Be sad, acknowledge it, think about it and know why your sad. Accept the emotion and you'll be more aware of all of your emotions and that much more grateful for those incredible moments in life where you feel on top of the world. I actually have found since I began to just accept how I feel each day and be ok with myself I tend to have way more positive happy days then not!


3: Don't Dwell.
This may sound opposite to what I just said, but don't dwell in a slump of grump! As soon as I can accept that I do feel angry or upset and know that its ok, I then find it easier to pull myself out of that slump. I dunno why but as soon as I allow myself to be upset I see the good in so many things and usually by the end of the day I feel fine! Or once I can identify the issue I am better able to deal with it. I once went and heard the Dali Lama speak and one thing that really stuck with me that he said was: If you have something that is worrying you or bothering you or making you stressed; you can ask yourself one question:
Can I do anything about this?
If the answer is yes then there is no need to worry!
If the answer is no then there is no need to worry!
Once I think about things in this simple way I am instantly pulled out of my slump because I either know what I need to do to change it, or I know I cant change it so I can accept it!

 

4: Do Something For You:
It helps so much when I know I'm upset, down or having a rough day that I have something planned to make me feel better. Normally for me that means getting a workout in, outside with some fresh air - sweat can perform amazing things you know! You get an instant endorphin high from a workout, so I try to make sure to get something in to lift my mood - works 100% of the time! Other things you can try is giving yourself an hour of 'you time' once your home to help re-set you into a good mind frame so you can enjoy your evening. I love taking a bath, watching YouTube, reading and doing yoga in this time.

~
So there we have it, a slightly random post from me today, but what better a day to post it than on a Monday! Make today count! Use it as a fresh start to a new week full of potential to be exactly how you want it to be! I personally LOVE Mondays for this reason - lets all change the Monday perception of being no fun and flip it and make it a great one!
Lots of love
xoxo 

Nude Nails

Happy September!
Whooo I always love the start of a new week and new month - always full of so much potential!
I also make sure at the start of each month to set some goals for myself to ensure I am following through with my yearly goals and dreams. I also note down the things I achieved the previous month too so I can keep track and be able to look back over the year and see all I've done!
~
Anyway, a quick little post today to show you a nail polish I have been loving recently.  

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Lychee is a perfect nude. I love wearing a nude nail polish when I know I want to wear some bright out there clothes for the week ahead. There is nothing I hate more than having bright pink nails and going to put on a red cardi! Just me?

I got this one whilst I was in London earlier this year and it is such a nice colour on the nails and has pretty decent lasting power, this will last on me with minimal chips about 6-7 days.

~

The top coat I've been using quite a lot too has been the Bourjois Instant Dry. This little bad boy is brilliant! It comes in a dropper form and you just pop a drop onto each nail after you've put on a coat (or two if your like me and want it really opaque) and it will dry instantly! It really does work. It doesn't dry to the point where you can start using your hands immediately as it will smudge or dint them a bit if your rough with it, but it is touch dry and completely dry much quicker than most top coats!

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Lychee - LINK!
Bourjois Instant Dry: LINK!
~
Happy September everyone, what are some goals your looking to reach this month?
A few of mine include:
1: Continue to meditate daily
2: Eat Lean, Clean & Green
3: Travel healthy (I am off to LA and to the Tone It Up Retreat this month - CAN. NOT. WAIT!)
4: Run in a 10km race!
xoxo