Tug of War…

Posted on November 5, 2013 by natalietrew

I’ve…hit…a…brick wall…my brain is in a state of ‘tug of war’!!! We are ALL tired…the kids are a weeping mess. It feels like we’re running a marathon on empty. We can see the finish line, yet it’s still so far away. This year has been a massive one to say the least and with a husband who has had two weeks holidays in two years…let’s just say – we need a holiday!!!!

I don’t know about you, but at this time of year I always fall into a trap where I’m torn between wanting the year to hurry up and end so we can be on holidays and enjoy the fun of the festive and holiday season. But then I don’t want it to go to fast as I want to enjoy it and if it goes fast that means my babies will be turning another year older….sigh!!

I find once the calendar turns over to November and between the end of year jobs as a teacher, the end of year things to organise as a parent and everything that Christmas brings, before we know it we’ll be shouting out “happy new year!!!!” But for me this year is different. This year has seen so many highs and some of the lowest of lows emotionally. It’s the year my first born baby girl started prep…and it’s the year we’ve lost one of the most precious people in our lives…nana;( Yes a new year will bring a new start for everyone, but it means letting go as well…tug of war!

I’ve absolutely enjoyed the school year as a mum…having a child in prep is awesome! This year has been even more special as Sienna has had far more hurdles to overcome than Bailey ever did when he started prep. I’ve had the privilege of watching my insecure and shy girl grow and evolve into an outgoing and happy 5 year old, who is nothing like the girl who walked through those prep doors at the beginning of the year. I’m so grateful that by only working two days a week, I’ve had three days where I’ve been able to share in puzzles and games with my little preppie and now being able to help with literacy groups once a week has been a real treat for both sienna and I!

Sienna has come so far thanks to her amazing prep teacher!

At the end of this week, there will only be 5 weeks left to enjoy being a prep mum. The light at the end of this tunnel is that I get to do it all over again in 2 years time. I’m also at peace with knowing that my little girl is ready to tackle the challenges of grade one. Ask me that 6 months ago and I wouldn’t have been able to give a confident answer, but I’m super confident now…I just want to hold on to the next 5 weeks for as long as I can though;( because once your child finishes prep, they’ll be in grade 3 before you know it…which is my son!!!

How did I come to have an almost grade 1 and grade 3 child…they were only born yesterday weren’t they?;(?;(

The precious time I’ve had with Mia this year has been so special, as it’s the first time in 5 years I’ve been able to spend quality time with only one of my children, rather than bits here and there. A new year for Mia means making the decision to start her in kindy…tug of war or maybe that one is having to clip the apron strings;(

Feels like Mimi has gone from a baby to a little lady over night!

I often get into a slump where time (and the lack of it) defeats my thinking. I start to feel sad and down about how fast my children are growing up and how the weeks keep rolling into months and I somehow get myself into a state of panic where I feel suffocated…weird I know, but that’s the control freak coming out in me!!! The past week I’ve felt so suffocated by everything and on the weekend I felt defeated. But then realty knocked on the door and made me realise that I’m in control of whether I’m defeated and that I will NEVER be!

It’s at times like this that I have to put my big girl pants on, take a big deep breath and just take each day as it comes. Knowing that every weekend is busy for the rest of the year is not going to defeat me, rather it will excite me at the possibilities of fun that is ahead of us. The fact that almost everyday for the rest of the year has something on is not going to bog me down, rather I’m going to feel grateful that my life is full of wonderful people and events to create new memories at! The fact that my children are going to get more tired and more irritable as the school year gets closer to finishing is not going to make me lose dignity as a mother, rather I will try and stay as calm as I can…and that goes for keeping as calm as I can with my husband to lol!

I have faith that together we will cross the finish line at the end of the year….there may be a few bumps along the way, but we will stay united until the end! Most importantly if there is ever a time in the year to appreciate the amazing things in life, it’s now. As we venture into a time of craziness, I will remember to stop and enjoy the small things in life. I will try and be the best wife and mother I can be. I will be organised and efficient and do the most important things that need to be done in a day. When I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed I will stop, sit, take some deep breaths and remember the most important things in life are…to love, to laugh and to live like there’s no tomorrow!

Sometimes they drive me up the wall, but mostly they always make me laugh!

All in the Mind!!!

Posted on October 28, 2013 by natalietrew

This morning when I got up at 5.30 to go for my 5k run, I was mentally in a great place! I hadn’t run since my 10k last Thursday, I’d had a fairly relaxing weekend and I’d just woken from the best night sleep in a week. My legs were fresh. I told myself that this morning would be the day I run 5k under 24mins and that I did…..

As I left my driveway, I went out hard and fast. I kept telling myself to ignore any pain in my legs and to push through it. The first 500m seemed hard and hurtful, but I ignored it and pushed harder – as I approached my 1k mark I looked down and was surprisingly happy when I saw 4.35mins. When I have my mind set on a PB, I always aim to run the first kilometre around that time. I was feeling ok but felt at my maximum at this point. As I looked up at my 2k point I was hoping to reach a time of about 9.30mins so when I saw 9.20mins on my watch, it was received very graciously. By this time I kept telling myself once I get to 3k I only have 2k left and that’s easy. When I reached 3k in 14.06mins, I was starting to think that I’d reached my maximum and that the next kilometre, which is usually my slowest, was going to really let me down, but I kept pushing. I knew I must of been at my maximum because I was starting to feel that ‘I want to vomit’ feeling and when I saw 18.50mins at 4k I knew I had it in the bag.

As I started my 5th kilometre, I had no pain anywhere throughout my body. I felt strong, I felt fit, I felt like I could have taken on the world! When I made my last turn down Warrigal road to run my last 500m I knew when I hit my 5k mark and stopped my watch it would show 23mins something….I was thrilled and over the moon when I saw 23.25mins!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have been happy to see 23.59 but 23.25….a fist pump and a shout out of relief was definitely appropriate for this point in time!!! I was pumped, shocked and excited all in one! I did it finally. After running 5k in 24mins several times in the last few months, I knew I would crack it eventually, all I had to do was wait for the perfect moment and back myself every step of the way!

A run like this morning, signified to me how important our mental state is when trying to achieve anything. If I got up today with a negative attitude and no willingness to run hard, then I wouldn’t have come close to a PB, instead I smashed it by 40 seconds!!!!! If you want to achieve something, you will as I believe it’s ‘all in the mind’!

MissFit….

Posted on October 16, 2013 by natalietrew

It’s been a while since I posted a ‘fashion’ blog and I’m missing playing with my love of fashion! It is my intention to spend some more time on this section of my blog in the coming weeks:) But this week’s findings are a great one! If you’re after a new sportswear range of clothing for your wardrobe and you’re sick of wearing the same gear you’ve had in your cupboard forever, then look no further I have found the perfect range for you!

Kate Beeley is a healthy, fit and dedicated mother of 2, who has her own personal fitness business – MissFit Personal Training and in 2011, she designed and started her own sportswear range for her clients and anyone looking for comfort and style! Kate is a wonderful role model for women, especially mums who are looking to get back into shape after having a baby and need the motivation and encouragement to do so.

MissFit is a quality and affordable range of sportswear that I highly recommend. There are several items to choose from which range in style and colour to meet your needs. You can either browse and purchase online or visit the store which is located on 429 Old Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo.

I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the MissFit store yet, but I have full intentions of doing so in the near future. Instead I made my purchase of my MissFit sportswear online and I’m happy to say it was a pleasurable experience. It was easy and I received my goods within a few days of purchase. I was also lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the 30% off sale that MissFit was offering last weekend, in conjunction with the Brisbane Health and Fitness expo held at the Convention Centre.

These were my purchases:

Shorts:

Simply and comfortable black running shorts…I wore these yesterday and they are amazing!!!

These are MissFit’s new range called bubble shorts…I love anything with rainbow print. The leg length can be adjusted with the side laces – also very comfortable!

I feel like I should be out playing a game of tennis in my skorts…the material is super soft and beautiful to wear!

Tops:

My favourite top, not only because it has the rainbow print, but it’s firm and the material is lovely to wear. It also has a shelf bra to keep the ladies firmly in place!

Perfect for summer this mesh top is going to be worn heaps on my 10k runs!

I love yellow, so this top sold me straightway! Nice lightweight cotton material and could even be used casually with a pair of shorts!

Simple T style shirt but a beautiful quality material that is perfect for cooler mornings.

The total of my sale came to $157 with free postage as I spent over $150. With the 30% off sale, I saved myself $70!!!!

These are my first MissFit purchases so far. I’m all fitted out for summer now, well so I thought until I saw some of the new stock that I MUST have!! I wore my first MissFit outfit yesterday and I was so impressed with how comfortable each piece was, especially the shorts!! I find as a runner, I need my comfort to be not only in my shoes but my shorts or tights. I was so happy to finish my 10k (flat) run yesterday with the second fastest time I’ve ever run (48.32mins) – must have been the outfit…thank you MissFit;)! I look forward to wearing each of my new pieces of MissFit sportswear as I start a new week of running!

Be sure to head over to the MissFit website www.missfitsportswear and check out the full range of MissFit sportswear and pricing. MissFit Sportswear also has its own Facebook page, where you can be kept up to date with all the new stock and current promotions and discounts!

Celebrating Us….

Posted on October 12, 2013 by natalietrew

This week has been a lovely week and is always one of my favorite weeks of the year! It was our wedding anniversary:) This year marked 9 years and last month on September 21st marked 16 years together! Because the two dates are so close together, we always do one big celebration and this year was perfect!

One of the best days of our lives:)

It’s the only time of the year where we go away for the night and concentrate on us for a change. We spend so much time pouring our energy into our children, it’s so nice to be able to spend quality time alone together and have a decent conversation and meal where we are not interrupted by little voices (even though I wouldn’t change that for the world!)

On our actual anniversary day, we had a reasonably quiet day. I cooked dinner for us all and we celebrated in the comforts of our own home, as a party of 5. It was lovely actually, thinking about the day we became husband and wife and looking at what we’ve created since!

This year’s night away was amazing!!! Kane secretly booked a night away at the Stamford Plaza…we stayed there the night of our wedding and hadn’t been back since! It was so worth the 9 year wait as it’s the most beautiful place to stay. The foyer is so exquisite, the decor of the rooms, the classical music constantly playing in the background of the lifts, the friendly staff who can never do enough for you….they really make you feel like royalty and when you’re upgraded to a deluxe suite on the top-level, I really did feel like royalty lol!

For dinner that night, we had the most beautiful seafood buffet at the Stamford Plaza, with views of the Brisbane river and a lit up Story Bridge, it was so peaceful. Following our dinner we went for a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk and then finished the night with a couple of drinks at the bar – a truly wonderful night full of good conversation and laughs!

The next morning we woke to an overcast morning where we went for another leisurely stroll along the boardwalk followed by a beautiful buffet breakfast and spa! It was one of the best times we’ve had together since becoming parents. I think as one child turns into eventually 3, you really learn to appreciate the time you have alone. I’ve always loved my husband’s company. We make each other laugh and that’s always been a favourite pastime with the man who is my everything!

Now that we are back to the land of reality with our 3 beautiful babies, we will cherish the memories of our night away and look forward to next year’s celebrations, the big one – 10 years!!! Plans are already in the making:) Thank you to my wonderful husband, Kane Trew, who is my lover, my best friend, the man whose shoulder I cry on and the man who drives me up the wall, but I wouldn’t have it any other way….or maybe lol! Jokes babe…I love you forever!!!!

2 Years On…Bigger and Better!

Posted on October 10, 2013 by natalietrew

It’s been two years now since I started my journey of discovering the ‘old’ me. The fitter me, the healthier me and the lighter me! I’m happy to say that two years on, I feel the best I’ve ever felt, both physically and mentally. I feel fit and strong enough to cope with life’s challenges in a far better manner than the past. I’m simply just happier in myself, therefore I’m more in love with life and the beautiful people and things that fill it. It was the best thing I could have ever done – taking the plunge to put on my runners has changed my life forever!!!

My journey started with the want to lose my ‘baby bearing’ weight. I was the heaviest I’d ever been without being pregnant and with a diagnosed heart condition, the lights were flashing to do something about it. Originally I changed my eating habits by simply ‘cutting out the crap’ and reducing my meal size. Thankfully for me, I’ve always loved eating fruit and veggies so doing those two simple things with my diet helped me immensely!! After a couple of weeks of eating well, I lost a couple of kilos really easily, but I felt I needed more and it was after a long hectic day at home, with three kids under 5, made me come to the realisation of needing some time to myself. With that I put on my runners and the rest is history.

It took me 6 months to lose the 13 kilos of weight that I had gained since getting married and having three babies and since the very first day I started running until now, I’ve worked consistently week in and week out, building on the distance and speed of my running. Bit by bit I pushed myself to run further and faster and to date, my longest run is 10km (pb 48.52mins) and my fastest run is 4km (pb 18.47 mins). It’s been an awesome two years and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every step my foot has run on the pavement.

It hasn’t been easy though. There have been days where I’ve had to force myself to go. Winter mornings are a killer, it’s been challenging fitting exercise in while juggling work, 3 kids, a house and a husband who works really long hours and the pain from my ‘netball’ knees has at times been unbearable! But none of this
has ever allowed me to lose focus on what I want to achieve. Running is one of those exercises where your competitor is yourself, so the only person you’re letting down by not going, is yourself! That’s what I love about running though, the challenge to better me and the feeling of a pb never ever gets old…this week’s pb was my 4km hill run 19.21mins – makes you feel so pumped!!!

As I reflect over the past two years, one of the things that’s has assisted me in not giving up, is to constantly set goals. Running especially, can be an exercise where it becomes boring very quickly and because my lifestyle and my heart condition doesn’t allow me to go to gyms or bootcamps, I’ve had to choose an exercise that is convenient and non competitive. When I do feel like I’m getting bored, I know that I’m ready for a change. In the past most of my changes were an increase to distance and then I would spend several weeks or months improving on the speed of that distance. I’ve hit a safe limit for distance for my heart now, so a change now is either in routes or routines.

My mantra:)

In the past couple of weeks I’ve started a new routine and I’m LOVING it!!!! Now that it’s light at 5am, I have more time in the mornings to exercise. So I’ve decided, instead of my two work days being my rest days, I now exercise every day Monday-Friday and have my rest days over the weekend. Last weekend was the first weekend in two years I didn’t go for a run…it was lovely not having to fit it in over an extremely busy weekend, but by Monday I was chaffing at the bit to run lol! This routine also allows me time to catch up over the weekend if I’ve missed a day through the week for some unforeseen reason…meaning children lol!

My new routine:
Monday – 5k run
Tuesday – 15min power walk, 10mins of planks, squats, leg raises and lunges using my tiny pink weights, finished with 5 min power walk.
Wednesday – sprint/ short distance 3 or 4k
or 1k sprints with a minute rest between for 4km.
Thursday – same as tues
Friday – 10k run hill run 3 weeks in a row and in the 4th week a flat run
Saturday & Sunday – family fun!!

The lifestyle I lead now isn’t something I have to force myself to do. Now that I’ve been exercising and eating well for so long, it comes naturally to me each and every day. I love nothing more than to start my day with exercise. It allows me to achieve so much more in my day. I crave salads and veggies (especially if we’ve had a big weekend of get togethers) but I never deprive myself of my favourite treats…all in moderation!! The energy I have now is so fantastic and when faced with a stressful situation or a crazy busy period, I feel so much more in control rather than throwing in the towel and feeling overwhelmed by it all! I feel I’m a better mum and wife where my limits stretched now far our do my limits of the past! I encourage anyone who wants to become the best ‘you’ you can be, to start with something that makes you happy….for me that’s running:)

When I was diagnosed with a dilated aorta of the heart 2 and half years ago, I was so scared and so overwhelmed with what was inside my body. My first thought was I can’t not be here for my babies!! Now that I’m at my perfect weight for my height and I’m as fit as I’ve ever been, I’m giving myself the best chance for my heart to not get any worse. I will spend the rest of my days continuing to work to help my heart, so I can live a long and happy life with my beautiful party of 5 and inspire my children to be the best they can be!

“I think I’ve made it!!!”

Posted on October 6, 2013 by natalietrew

As the school holidays come to an end, I’ve been reflecting back on the past two weeks that have been absolutely wonderful! No stress, no rushing, no deadlines to be met…to me that is what I call bliss! The kids and I have spent many a morning snuggling in bed and days where we’ve pottered around the house in our pjs. We have done so many wonderful things from – beach play dates, to bowling, to playground visits and have swam, swam, swam! The weather at this time of year is always lovely, but this year it has been exceptional!!!!

For the first time since becoming a parent almost 8 years ago I think I can finally say “I’ve made it!!!”…through the “baby” years anyway!! It’s the first school holidays where my littlest baby Mia (who is 2 and a half) doesn’t seem so much of a baby anymore and has happily joined in with everything the two older ones have done. She is getting to such a great age now where her day naps aren’t as big of an issue anymore and she is so happy just to cruise along with what we are doing without any fuss. In the past, we would plan our days around “the baby” and choose activities that were “baby” friendly and having 3 babies in 5 years, those years of “baby” planning have gone on for a long time!! I even managed getting my toes done with Mia in toe and she was an angel!

I have spent so many hours just sitting and watching my babies play together (nicely most of the time). I seriously could do this forever. I get so much enjoyment watching their faces when they are happy and having fun. The excited looks on their faces when they’ve discovered something or created something. I’ve kicked footballs with them, taught Sienna all the passes in netball, I’ve chased each of them and been chased by each of them, we’ve walked and scootered many kilometers and my favourite – have been kissed and cuddled a million times over!!

We have spent most of the school holidays without Kane as he has worked really long hours and is currently in Sydney for the NRL grand final, but that hasn’t stopped us from having fun, even though we are our happiest when we are all together! It hasn’t been all roses. The first week was close to perfect and then the second week hit, Mia woke with croup and the two older ones started to get on each other’s nerves – but we got through it and not once did I hear anyone say “I’m bored!” Despite some downs, it really has been an awesome two weeks! And this weekend with Kane away the kids have been brilliant! So helpful to me and to each other – so lovely to see!

Now, as we prepare to face another term of work, school, homework and recreational activities, we will cherish the time we have left before Tuesday morning is upon us and we hit the ground running for the next 10 weeks! I hope everyone has had a wonderful time on the school holidays and good luck for the last term of the year – seems so crazy saying this! It’s almost Christmas – OMG!!!!!

School holiday highlights…

Spring Has Sprung!

Posted on September 13, 2013 by natalietrew

Spring has surely sprung and this year it sprung quite early!!! I just LOVE this time of year. Spring is my favourite season of all time (apart from summer of course). The beautiful clear skies, longer days, sunshine and flowers that bring lots and lots of colour! It’s the time of the year where we can pack away our jackets and scarves and start to show the world our skin again. It’s the time of year where we come out of hibernation and get ready for the festive season!!

Well I’m almost ready to think about Christmas! It’s VERY early for me to say that, but because we have been spoilt with spring spilling over into winter, I started on my ‘spring to do list’ early! (Apart of me wants to see the back end of this horrid year too). Since the beginning of August I’ve been cleaning, sorting and redecorating each section of my house. Where I would normally be only just starting my ‘spring cleaning’, I have almost finished! It’s funny how once the temperature rises, after have a few months of the cold, our bodies go into cleaning overdrive – well mine does anyway lol!

So far I’ve…
*Cleaned the windows and normally would clean the blinds but this year we installed new ones on all the windows.
*Cleaned the oven
*Cleaned the fridge and freezer
*Cleaned the microwave
*Scrubbed my kitchen cupboards, particularly the kick boards.
*Tidied up areas of the house (inside and outside) that were accumulating piles of nothing so that everything now has a place!

All I have left now is…
*Clean the walls
*Sort the kids clothes ready for the new season.
*And my husband needs to gurney out the front and back of the house!

My nice organised clean fridge and freezer and sparking clean oven!!
It’s a great feeling when your house has had a once over!!!

I love spring fashion! The weather allows us to wear a mix of our winter and summer wardrobe and it’s the time of year where you can wear all your brights and bring out your flowers to accessorise. My favourite two colours at the moment are yellow and coral…I can’t get enough of them. Whether it be clothes or accessories they are the first two colours I go for! These two colours certainly brighten up my day!

Aside from my spring cleaning frenzy and my love of spring fashion, spring allows us to spend our days outside soaking up the beautiful weather together, while creating more wonderful memories. And what better way to have the kids home for the school holidays!! We have so many fun things planned that include play dates at playgrounds, the local pool and the beach!

Taken on our first trip down at Wynnum this season…so many outings to look forward to!!

I’m hoping now we’ve venture into a new season things will start to feel happier for our family. We sure had a terrible winter with my beautiful nana passing away on June 1st. Now the flowers are blooming and there are more butterflies than ever, we can find some comfort in knowing Nana will be around everywhere!

Fluro and floral…yep it’s spring time!!!

Keep an eye out later in the week for my post on ‘A Freshen Up’…a look inside my home at my new decorating pieces!

Connie Confidence!

Posted on September 13, 2013 by natalietrew

Am I dreaming? Is it really the end of term 3? That’s really scary. This means in about 3 months time my little preppie won’t be a preppie but a big grade one girl!! How can that be. It only feels like yesterday I was nervously walking her into prep for the first time. It only feels like yesterday that she was screaming while clung to my leg not wanting me to leave her behind;( It only feels like yesterday she was suffering from separation anxiety…..how things have changed!

First day of prep…

If you’re a regular follower of my blog, you would have read all about the troubles we encountered with Sienna at the beginning of the year when she started prep. To sum it up – it was two weeks of hell!! Two weeks of tears and fears. Two weeks of my heart being ripped out of my chest every time we said goodbye. Two weeks of me experiencing one of my parenting fears, but thankfully it only lasted two weeks. After two weeks the tears stopped, the pains in the belly before school became less and less and my beautiful girl started to smile and relax into the place that she calls school! It took the whole of the first term to really settle into the routine of school and the expectations of learning, so by the time term 2 came around she was completely in ‘drive’!

Today as I write this piece, my little (well not so little but very tall) preppie is far from the girl she was 8 months ago. She now beams with confidence. She now walks with her shoulders back and her head up high. She now participates in anything that is offered to her. She is now independent and is starting to take risks. She now can confidently read, write, count and make connections and apply what she is learning to the real world. She is the girl that we’ve always seen at home at school. As a parent all you want for your children is to feel happy, safe and have the confidence to ‘have a go’! Now that this has been achieved, I’m so happy and content. It’s been a long road ‘in progress’, but the foundations that have been built so far, is an amazing starting point for my daughter’s education.

This week Sienna received her first student of the week. All year she has watched and celebrated her peers getting an award on parade and never once has she been upset or disheartened by not receiving it yet. I work on parade day and each week I would feel sad that I wouldn’t be there to see her standing up on stage holding her award, but luck was on my side!! Parade for the first time ever, was changed to a Wednesday. When I dropped Sienna off at school it was like music to my ears when her teacher told me she was getting student of the week! I quickly made a call to my mum who met me up at the school and together we sat there with such great delight and watched a very proud and excited prep girl, who walked confidently across the stage holding her award! I was so proud it brought a tear to my eye. Her award was for working really hard on learning her sight words and reading!!! She so deserved it and was well worth the wait for everyone!!!

I titled this blog ‘Connie Confidence’ as Runcorn Heights do a program called ‘You Can Do It’. It’s a program that promotes engagement and achievement, positive behaviour and well-being while supporting the students social and emotional capabilities. When students are seen showing confidence, resilience, persistence organisational skills and getting along with their peers, which are the four key areas, they receive a ticket which goes into a barrel and names are drawn out on parade for a reward. It’s a great program that is heavily immersed into each classroom and has thoroughly assisted my daughter with the issues she faced at the beginning of the year!

It’s so wonderful to see Sienna happy in her own skin at school now. It’s going to be a sad day when she has to say goodbye to prep and leave behind her safe haven and her amazing prep teacher and aide. But my Connie Confidence daughter has fought her toughest battle and from here on she is only going to become better and better as her schooling journey continues. I’m looking forward to seeing what direction her path takes – it’s such a great experience to be apart of!

So proud of my girl:)

“To me my dad is…”

Posted on August 30, 2013 by natalietrew

A mother has a special bond with her children – one like no other, but a father has a special bond with his children as well….

When I was born, I was blessed with not only an incredible mother, I was blessed with the most amazing man who I call ‘dad’!

To me my dad is….
The first man I ever loved.
The first man to ever love me.
The first man to comfort me.
The first man to make me laugh.
The first man to make me happy.
The first man to teach me things.
The first man to protect me.

To me my dad is….
My hero.
Loyal, loving and kind.
Helpful and caring.
Hardworking and energetic.
Thoughtful and giving.
Someone I can talk to and laugh with
The best dad and the best poppy anyone could ask for!

Father’s day is a wonderful day to spend time with our dad’s and reflect on the great job that they do! Everyone’s father plays a different role in their lives. Some are hands-on, some are the main provider so aren’t home as much, some are passive, some are absent and some are just big cuddly bears that love to role around on the floor and have fun! In the end a father’s love is one like no other!

Today I’m grateful for my wonderful father who has always been amazing to us kids and his grandkids – I feel so blessed to have him! I’m also grateful that my children have a loving and devoted father who love them unconditionally – it makes me happy that my children will be able to look back and have the fond memories of growing up that I have:)

Today we created more memories together as a family….

Happy father’s day to the main men in my life…

A Daily Dose of Gratitude:)

Posted on August 25, 2013 by natalietrew

When we were conceived and given life on this earth, no one programmed into our brains how to handle the challenges that life throws at us. Some of us were lucky enough to have great role models growing up to help us deal with the ups and downs of life and others have had to muffle through it on their own. In the end, I believe how you handle yourself and situations comes down to our personalities, inner strength and our mental health!

If I took a snap shot of my life I would see many hurdles in my way, but I would see myself dealing with those hurdles in different ways! In my teens I would have melted down and cried, in my twenties I would have felt sorry for myself and then I hit my thirties and something changed! My mind felt different. The challenges were greater than ever but I was dealing with them in a more calm, rational manner with grace and dignity. Did I change? Was it having the kids? I know having massive health scares kicked my butt or maybe I finally grew up lol! My whole attitude to life now is all about being happy and positive. I try so hard everyday to provide that for my family and if the days seem dark at first, I look really hard and there is always a light of goodness shining!

Now that I’m in a great place, the best I’ve ever been, I’m always feeling grateful. Grateful for life and the wonderful things that it holds for me and my family. The challenges are still there as they will always be as that is life and they we learn! But even with the challenges that are thrown our way, there will always be something to be grateful for.

A couple of months ago a best girlfriend and I made a pact to text message something everyday to each other that we are grateful for. Two months on and we are still going and loving it! It really keeps you focused on what matters most. Some days are easy and you could think of a dozen things to be grateful for and then other days are a little harder and you have to look at a lot harder, but in the end there is always something to be grateful for!

Some of the texts messages I’ve sent have been…

Today I’m grateful for my mother’s beautiful nature:) – she is such a work horse!

Today I’m grateful for my wonderful father who has always been amazing to us kids and his grandkids – I feel so blessed to have him! And am also grateful that my children have a loving and devoted father who love then unconditionally – it makes me happy that my children will be able to look back and have the fond memories of growing up that I have:)

Today I’m grateful that I was able to have a half an hour to myself to eat my lunch and laze on my sun lounge…I’m sure that’s what’s going to see me through to the end of the day lol!

Today I’m grateful for my brave children and risks they take…they make me feel like I can take on the world!!!!!

Today I’m grateful for so much!!!!!

Today I’m grateful for my husband’s hard work and dedication to his job!

With so much hatred and angst going on around the world, it’s so important to not be dragged down by it all. Having a positive attitude and being grateful for what we have is so healthy for us. It contributes to our physical and mental health more than we realise. For as long as I’m privileged enough to breathe oxygen on this earth, I will spend my days showing gratitude and instilling this value into my children. For it’s not what we don’t have defines us, rather – what we do!

Everyday I’m grateful for my party of 5!

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