Month: November 2014

#100ActiveDays – Day 26

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

Day 26 – Dog Walking

I don’t actually have a dog, but my friend does so I was able to take advantage of the surprisingly wonderful weather today and go dog walking with all the children.  Even managed to fit in a touch of tree climbing!

I have had some awesome ‘challenges’ to keep me active over the next 74 days but do keep them coming and I will let you know how I am getting on shortly.

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#100ActiveDays – Day 23

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

These boots are made for walking….  I have actually got some new walking boots as I am doing so much of it in such horrendous weather, my feet can at least stay nice and dry.

As much as I love walking – and I do – I am seriously looking for some “out there” activities and I want you lovely people to be involved.  So here is what I want YOU to do….

CHALLENGE ME!

Yes, challenge me to do some sort of activity and I will try my hardest to get involved in it within my #100ActiveDays

Think of me as Harpenden’s answer to the funny guy they have on BBC Breakfast trying all the weird and wonderful sports!

Just a quick note that I HATE HEIGHTS!  Seriously.  It’s quite a new thing, started in my 20’s but anyway, I really do, so if you were to recommend some sort of abseiling or sky diving type activity, I can tell you now, I aint doing it!

Also, despite my best efforts, I don’t have a money tree, may be worth bearing in mind?!

So come on peeps, what would you like to see me doing?  Scroll right to the end of the page and leave a comment or you can Facebook or Tweet me your ideas and I promise I am going to try to do as many of them as possible!

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Full Disclaimer – It’s ultimately up to me if I do your suggestion or not… I’m not flipping insane.

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#100ActiveDays – Day 17

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s miserable, it’s not exercise outside weather, but no drama – I have Davina which I am still loving.  I would quite like to get some more exercise DVD’s though as I find them really good in this weather, around the kids etc… so please leave a message in the comments box below and let me know!

Thanks peeps x

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#100ActiveDays – Day 15

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

Day 15 – getting rid of an awful cough & cold and Walking!

I haven’t written for a few days as I have been nursing a horrible cough & cold. I have still remained active, walking journeys I would normally drive etc but haven’t quite felt up to the normal activities. If there is one thing I have learnt over the last few years, it’s to listen to my body.

To keep things even I am going to continue with today as day 15 so I’m not missing out on the grand scheme of things!

Day 15 is walking & getting back into things!

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Post-Cancer Breakthrough Moment!

Any Human Heart, Cancer & Me, Journey Back to Health, What's Happening?

It can be strange when you are going through something quite massive – but I am sure it is not unique to me and can be applied to any situation – that sometimes the biggest breakthroughs or realisations (good and bad) can come out in the strangest of ways.  Like after my mum died, I didn’t really cry at any of the big things I was ‘meant to’ cry at, like her funeral, but when someone would make it through to live rounds on X-Factor, the first thing they do (after hugging Dermot) is call their mum and that would just set something off in me.  The fact that they could ring their mum and tell her that something amazing had happened to them and I couldn’t would have me in tears every time.  Bizarre but true.

During my last 3 month cycle of chemotherapy a friend came to visit me I asked how she was and she said “we are all fine, just plodding along, nothing to report really” and I remember being flabbergasted.  I couldn’t even think of the last time I had given an answer like that.  I remember almost crying to my husband that I wanted to tell someone that I was ‘plodding along’.  No one had cancer or was dying or being born – we were all just happily going on with our lives.  After agreeing he would like that too and a few reassurances from hubby that our time would come I left it, unconvinced.

A friend just text asking how I was and this is exactly what I put…

We are okay thanks, just ticking along really.

Probably sounds ridiculous but I feel like I just had the most amazing post-cancer breakthrough moment.  Finally I feel like things are on a slightly more even keel and not full of drama.  I mean don’t get me wrong, life is still life, but for this little sliver of time, everyone is all good, we are all just plodding along and there is nothing really to report.  To be honest, it’s probably been like that for a while but knowing that I have finally reached that point in my own head feels amazing!

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The Liebster Award

Writing & Blogging

After being nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award I have now been nominated by Staying Mom for The Liebester Award.  I am so thrilled and really appreciate it.  The Liebester Award takes the same notion of giving bloggers a chance to nominate other blogs they enjoy.

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How it works…

Post the award on your blog.
Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.
Write 11 random facts about yourself.
Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 200 followers.
Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.

11 Random Facts

As we are slowly getting into the Christmas spirit, I thought I would give you 11 random Christmas related facts about me…

  • Christmas is irrevocably my favourite celebration of the year.  If I could only celebrate one thing, Christmas would be it.
  • When I was a kid, Christmas was a frantically hectic day spent travelling from one family member to another.  I loved it but when people talk about playing with their toys and falling asleep in front of the Queens speech, that NEVER happened.  We would be rushing on to someone else.
  • When we were little my female cousins and I always had to be in the same dress or we would be heartbroken.
how we roll

how we roll

  • Love a bit of charades!
  • I don’t like Christmas cake or pudding, no one on my side of the family does, so we never have it.  The first Christmas my husband had with us, he was horrified there wasn’t any so now we always have one… and only one slice gets eaten.
  • On the top of the tree is an extra special decoration – a framed picture of my mum (who I lost to cancer 6 years ago) on her wedding day, undoubtably my favourite decoration.

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  • We’ve started a tradition with our kids, they get new pyjamas and a Christmas book on Christmas eve.
  • I am totally doing Elf on a Shelf this year.  Nothing like a bit of Christmas inspired bribery!
  • I am (somewhat amazingly) known for my Mince Pies – which are actually more like Mince Stars and I give out to friends and neighbours as a little pre-Christmas treat.

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  • My favourite thing about Christmas are the traditions like Christingle and Nativity and the ‘spirit’ of Christmas.  People are kinder and more charitable.  Myself included, I don’t normally drop jars of treats into people.  It’s like when you have cancer, people are kinder to you, and I love that.

The 11 Questions Posted by the Presenter

  • What is your favorite quote?  “A woman is like a tea bag.  You never know how strong she is until she is in hot water” – Eleanor Roosevelt.  This quote seemed to follow me around when I had cancer and had never felt more true.  I also love “A woman should be two things, classy and fabulous” from Coco Channel – equally true!
  • Your favorite food?  Steak.  I have a rule that if anyone else orders steak at the table, I order it too, otherwise I will spend the whole meal with food envy!
  • Your favourite vacation?  I really don’t know, so many different trips and holidays have been amazing and my favourite for different reasons.
  • Your favourite book?  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  • Your favourite colour?  Green
  • Your favourite movie?  Love Actually
  • Your favorite outfit?  Jeans and heels really – not terribly specific
  • Your favorite place?  My heart will always belong to London (and Harpenden) but Edinburgh and Bath are the two other cities that I could easily belong too.
  • Your favorite drink?  Vanilla Latte – ideally from Costa, yum!
  • Your favorite flower?  Roses, always.
  • Your favorite blog?  I literally can’t pick one.  I get excited when I see any of the below pop up in my reader.

The 11 Blogs I Nominate…

My 11 Questions Christmas related questions…

  • What are you doing for Christmas this year?
  • Frozen or Toy Story?
  • Favourite Christmas TV special?
  • Favourite Christmas movie?
  • Favourite carol?
  • Turkey or Goose?
  • Favourite Christmas vegetable?
  • Coloured lights or white lights?
  • What colour are your Christmas tree decorations?
  • Any family traditions?
  • Your favourite thing about Christmas?

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#100ActiveDays – Day 14

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

Day 14 – The day of rest!

I am not feeling very well today, seem to have this cough/cold/feeling a bit rough thing my kids have been battling with the last few days.  I did walk journeys I would normally have taken the car for so in that aspect I was more active than I would have been but otherwise, bit of a rest day!

#100ActiveDays – Day 13

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

Day 13 – Keep on Running

I went running early doors this morning.  I must admit there is something very wonderful about running whilst the rest of the neighbourhood (except the bankers who are already on their way to work – and there are A LOT in my area) are just stirring.

Plus I had an amazing sunrise to run to this morning….

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#100ActiveDays – Day 13

#100ActiveDays, Health & Beauty, Journey Back to Health

Day 13 is the day of walking!

Just over an hour to be precise and I kept it at a high pace. I made a point of keeping my posture really good, something I am generally shockingly bad at! Shoulders back, stomach muscles (what I have of them) tight… I could feel all my muscles working so much more.

Another thing I discovered today – roller skating makes your back & shoulders seriously ache the next day! Still worth it though