New Beginnings!

Sorry for the silence. The past few weeks have been hectic to say the least.

At the end of May my husband recieved the job offer we’d been waiting for, the position that would take us back home to family. When we looked n at the start date we realized that we only had 2 weeks to get our house on the market and sold, and roughly 2 months to get our affairs in order and be on our way. As a result there was many a late night, lots of stress and very little time for anything other than preparing for our move.

We had an inkling that this offer was coming, so we had already started taking steps to get ready. Sorting out citizenship and passports for our new daughter, finishing off odd jobs around the house, reducing our belongings, and organizing our house back home so that it was ready for us to move in.

We had decided a while ago that if this opportunity ever came up we would keep it secret from family so we could turn up on their doorstep and suprise them – I think for the most part they had resigned themselves to the idea of us not coming home.  As a result of the secrecy we had to get creative when it came to chatting with family as we started to sell furniture in case we let the secret out.

Seeing our families’ reactions when we arrived on their doorstep was priceless, and showed us we made the right decision. Detroit will always hold a special place in our hearts and we will miss our friends there. However, Melbourne is home, and nothing beats being back with family.

Until next time…..

Back on the Trail!

Feeling the wind across my face. Whizzing past trees just inches away. Ducking under low hanging branches. It’s hard to beat the adrenaline rush of riding a mountain bike trail.

This past weekend I rode the trails for the first time in over 2 years. In the days leading up to the ride, I was filled with apprehension for a number of reasons. It was the first time back on my bike after having my second child; I didn’t feel confident I could still ride the trails; it had been a while since riding the trail (I didn’t realize just how long until after we rode). All this doubt could have got in my way and stopped me riding. However, I didn’t let it and I had an awesome time.

The three guys I rode with on Saturday are the ones that got me into mountain biking initially. They have always been so supportive and encouraging. The first time I rode with them, was my first time on a trail. I was jet lagged, super slow and completely unfit however, Tom (my husband), Jesse and Eric helped complete the trail. One of the most memorable moments of that day was Jesse saying ‘last hill’ before a particularly challenging hill – turns out, there were several other last hills that day. It’s become a bit of a running joke with us ever since.

Best riding buddies ever!

Around mile 3, of a 10 mile loop, my head got the better of me, I started to doubt myself. The first time it happened, I’d just mastered a pretty difficult climb and was out of breath. When I came upon the downhill, after taking one look at it, I froze and stopped. I took a minute to settle my breathing and told myself I could do it. I backed up a bit and then took off down the decent. Taking that moment to refocus got me down the hill. There were a couple of other sections of tricky terrain that scared me to the point that I walked the bike. Afterwards, I scolded myself for chickening out. After I got back on the bike I talked myself through the twists and turns of the trail. “Left turn into a right turn up a hill, descent over roots” and so on, this helped keep my mind focused on the ride.

This particular trail, Tree Farm in Novi Michigan, I’ve only ridden once or twice before. It is a fairly tight, twisty and technical trail with some fun dips and a pump track. In multiple spots, I could see the other 3 just below me, even though they were a fair way ahead of me. At one of these spots Jesse shouted up the slope at me “approaching the last hill” which made me laugh. It’s a good thing he told me as, that next hill pops up unexpectedly, if you’re not ready for it.

Tree Farm Mountain Bike Trail

One of the best things about Michigan trails is the wildlife you see, a deer and her 2 fawns had crossed the track in front of Tom and were stopped just off the track when I reached him. Just moments before I reached Tom, a chipmunk had scurried across my path. I could forgo the mosquitos and biting flies though, every time we stopped to take a breather they would swarm on us.

I made it back to the car park happy and proud that I’d completed that trail, even despite the couple of times I’d walked the bike, because I know the next time I ride this trail I’ll be more confident and complete it faster.

Until next time….

Super happy to have finished the trail.

Banana Cake.

Yum. Banana Cake with lemon icing!

Bananas are one of my favourite fruits. They are great on breakfast, in smoothies and as a pre or post workout snack, my daughter loves them too. We always have a supply of them in the house. Unfortunately, the heat of summer ripens them so quickly, we get to eating them before they are mushy. No one wants to eat squishy, overripe bananas! There’s no need to waste them though. Just remove the skins and freeze them ready to pop into smoothies, or like I did today, bake with them.

I love this banana cake recipe. It’s one my Mum use to make frequently when I was a kid. It’s quick, simple, easy to make and freezes well. Perfect if you have lots of bananas to use. If you want to make a bigger cake or use more bananas, just multiply the other ingredient amounts by the number of bananas you’re using. Today I had 2 bananas to use so I doubled the other ingredients.

1 large banana – mashed

1 egg

3 oz sugar

3 oz butter – softened

4 oz self-rising flour – sifted

Large squeeze of lemon juice

Set oven to 375℉. Cream softened butter and sugar together. Add banana, mixing well to combine. Add the lemon juice, then beat in the egg. Once all the wet ingredients are mixed well, fold in the sifted flour.

Pour mixture into a greased and lightly floured tin, today I used a 9 by 13 inch tin, but previously I’ve used a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin. Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown on top. Let cool in the tin for 5 -10 minutes then remove from tin and place on a rack to cool.

Eat it as is or for some added pop, cover with a lemon icing.

Icing

6 tbsp icing sugar

large squeeze of lemon juice

 

Mix lemon juice and icing sugar together until well combined add more lemone juice or some water if mixture is dry.  Spread icing over a cooled cake.

Enjoy!

 

Until next time……….

Journey To Better Health!

Post workout! 3 months post baby no 2.  July 10th 2018

Pre kids, actually pre wedding, I kicked my butt in gear, literally and lost 30 pounds. How did I do it you ask? With a lot of hard work. It wasn’t easy, and many times I wanted to quit. The things kept me going were, firstly, I had set a goal of being slimmer, fitter and to feel beautiful on my wedding day, doing a variety of activities, signing up for some events, and lastly the continued support of my husband.

I was in my early 20’s, when I first started to be unhappy with my weight, it was especially noticeable when I tried to buy clothes, I didn’t like the fact that I was now in size 16-18. I would try working out, eating differently, however, my motivation waned when I didn’t see the results.

The Journey Begins! November 29, 2012

After we moved to the USA my husband and I joined a gym. We’d go on average 4-5 times a week usually after my husband got home from work. It was nice being able to work out together, I felt better, though, it didn’t make a huge difference to my overall weight.

About 18 months before our wedding was when I set the goal I mentioned earlier. It was in October or November that I started this journey. I signed on with a trainer 2-3 days a week. These 30 minute sessions focused on abs and strength training, on these days I also did 30 minutes of cardio. This worked well over the winter, though sometimes, getting my butt to the gym in the freezing cold was a task in itself…

Once spring hit I added running outside and cycling to my workout routine.  We’d get home from work and head outside. Usually we ran 5kms around our neighborhood or we’d ride the trails with friends. We did 3 types of riding, mountain/trail biking, road cycling or casual city rides. For added motivation we signed up for a couple of 5km fun runs, mountain biking races and even a 100 mile charity bike ride. That’s 160 kms …. When we were still in Melbourne, I thought anything over 30 kms (19 miles) was a long ride.

Although I didn’t get to my goal weight before the wedding, I did achieve my main goal which was to look and feel fabulous on my wedding day. I’d gone from a size 16-18 down to a size 8-10 that’s 5 dress sizes!

Wow… huge difference! I’d forgotten about this photo. Says it all really! March 2014

Post baby number 2 I’m basically back where I was 5-6 years ago. It’s time to kick my butt in gear and get in shape. Please follow me on this journey.

Until next time…..

Barriers

Life’s journey can be full of barries: rivers carve their own path, we can too….

Have you ever found yourself not doing something because of the what if’s, or the cost? Well that is me to a large degree; without realizing it I have questioned, second guessed, and ultimately talked myself out of doing many things. This blog is an example. I’ve thought about it and talked about it several times over the past 5 or so years and despite my husband’s full support I’ve managed to find reasons why I can’t do it: I can’t write, who wants to read it? What do I call the blog? What do I write about? Do I have the time?

Over seven years ago, my boyfriend of 4 years (now husband), told me he had a job offer in the USA.  After some discussion I decided to join him and set about finding a way to work in the USA. Eight weeks before we were due to leave my Dad had a stroke, I was not prepared to leave while he was sick. Thankfully he made a complete recovery and after much consideration I felt I could still go. Once I was confident that my Dad was recovering well, I sent off my application to the State of Michigan to get my nursing license. Then the setbacks and delays started.
I moved to Detroit in April, however, by this time my nursing license application had stalled. More information was needed and there was a lot of red tape to get through. This was a tough time for me, as I had left a good job in Australia to follow my heart; but I was now unable to work, stuck waiting for the bureaucrats to confirm that I met the requirements.

Once I finally had my license, 11 months later, I started applying for jobs. I interviewed for a position in early December and was offered the job. I accepted and they started the visa process. We returned to Australia, to spend Christmas with our families. I stayed in Australia, after my husband returned to Detroit, while I awaited the final paperwork. It never came. The position I was offered did not meet the visa requirements. I was back to square one!

I wanted to give up right then. I was stuck in Australia working causal shifts as I could, with no job options. I felt lost, nowhere was home. I am extremely grateful to my sister and friends who took me in during this time. My story could have been very different, but I found the strength to keep searching.

Barriers and setbacks are there to test and stretch us – without them we would stagnate. We can either choose to let them defeat us or we can rise above and grow…..

Until next time……

Reflections on Motherhood

Holding hands!

Three years ago today I became a Mum. From an early age, I knew I wanted a family; the vision of parenthood you have as a kid, is far different from the reality. You don’t see the constant tasks; diaper/nappy changes and the multiple outfit changes leading to piles of dirty laundry; the feeds; the juggling a toddler’s needs with that of the new baby; and the physical exhaustion that comes from trying to calm a fussy baby or the late nights and interrupted sleep.  Not to mention the emotional toll it takes on you personally and as a couple.

After our oldest was born, a distance crept into our relationship; it wasn’t intentional, it happened as a result of the changing roles in our relationship. I became a stay at home Mum or SAHM, Tom was the sole provider; the lifestyle we had created for ourselves was now altered.

As we adjusted to our new roles we were able to regain a closeness and found a way to include our daughter in our life. And now we have another daughter we are evolving once again, this time I feel it is easier, though not always.

The other piece you don’t realize as a kid are the physical changes your body undergoes – some of which become lifelong reminders. Stretchmarks, aches and pains from sitting and feeding your little one, not to mention the weight gain. Some days you become so physically and emotionally exhausted that all you want to do is shut yourself away where no one can find you; but somehow you find the energy to make it through to bedtime – both kids are asleep….. Breathe!

With all that said, I am truly blessed to have 2 beautiful daughters, my eldest now 3 is energetic, imaginative, inventive and curious. She is also a helpful, caring and loving big sister. My 3 month old is full of smiles and already looking up to her big sister. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Until next time…..

The Neverending Chore!

Don’t worry Mum, it’s only Blueberries – It’ll come off!

Laundry has never been a likeable task for me, though definitely preferable to cleaning the bathroom! – I’m pretty sure this stems back to my childhood; Every Friday after school, for as long as I can remember, it was my job to change the linen, make my bed and clean the bathroom (thankfully, I was spared the task of cleaning the toilet and shower). On Saturdays, I had to help hang the washing outside to dry, then bring it in and fold it once it was done. So for the majority of my life this task has been mine.

When it was just the two of us doing laundry was a once a week deal, sometimes I could push it out to two. However, now there are four of us it’s a never-ending pile. Just when I think I’m on top of it someone gets covered in muck of some description. It’s not uncommon for my 3 month old daughter to need a couple of outfit changes per day, sometimes 5 minutes after the last one (insert exacerbated eye roll here). And my 3 year old rough and tumble daughter tries her best to get as dirty as possible. Just yesterday she managed to get pink chalk all over her white top!!

Somedays it feeling like I’m drowning in a mountain of dirty laundry, and the kids wanting attention – but I guess that’s just life with 2 kids – speaking of which the little one is calling for me.

Until next time……..

 

This is not even half of it……

The Journey Continues!

Newly married and on top of the world…..

So I did it! I pulled the trigger and started a blog.

I have toyed with this idea for several years now, ever since we moved to Detroit, Michigan.

Prior to the move, I had a great nursing job that I loved, my boyfriend Tom (now husband) and I had just bought a house together and we were talking future plans; marriage and kids, it seemed like we had it all planned out. And, until we moved I was content with that.

Being in Detroit, away from family and familiar surroundings, shifted something in me. My eyes were opened to a wide array of possibilities, and I started to explore: could I achieve more, was there something I was better suited to….

This blog will be an expression of the self-discovery I have undergone since our move, much of it to begin with will be a retrospective look – because as I mentioned earlier I’ve procrastinated about doing this blog. Just as Detroit is undergoing a revitalization and rejuvenation, that began shortly after we moved here, I feel like I am undergoing a similar transformation, though I’m not nearly as rickety as some of the buildings.

Being here I’ve had to adapt and change my nursing role to fit a visa requirement, started a health and fitness journey with mixed results, got married, started and closed a business and become a Mum twice over. None of it I would change, but I will always be seeking Sarah – the best person I can be!