Tag Archives: Exercise

New Zealand… The Land of the List!

Posted in Life, The List by

I am currently sitting in Sydney airport waiting for my flight to Melbourne trying to work out two things…

1. How to recap all the amazing things we have seen, done and experienced while we’ve been away and

2. How to overcome this sinking feeling that life starts again tomorrow… Reality is about to smack me in the face.

Now I know that most of the time good holidays have to come to an end… And that life isn’t actually that bad… It’s just not the unrealistic holiday life you get used to… So I thought that I might just spend some time reflecting on the trip and updating the list… and maybe, just maybe it will start to squash my super Monday blues

The list was a little loaded this year, in that I put quite a few things on my list that I knew I would cross of in New Zealand… Some planned adventures that also made fun list additions.  When I made the list I had guessed I would complete about 10 things while we were here… But it turns out I managed to squeeze a few more in.  And to be honest, I think this is the best way to work through some of my highlights from a pretty jam packed and incredible time away… Ok so here’s what we crossed off…

IMG_45491. Visit Hobbiton – completed: 01/01/15
This was a super fun way to start the new year.  I have to admit The Shire is about the only thing that I loved about The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit movies… I like the idea of homes and villages just for short people, where everything is in reach and there is always food!  So, while you can do lots of tours throughout New Zealand for both movies trilogies, the only one I had any desire to see was this and it was the best! 90 tiny houses with tiny windows, chimneys, jars and clothes… just perfect! Oh and we got have a drink at the green dragon which was pretty cool too.  I think what helped me enjoy this even more was the fact that we saw the final Hobbit movie on Boxing Day… And the day before we had jet boated around the rapids from the barrel scene in the second Hobbit movie… So I was in the Tolkien zone!

IMG_4547100. Touch a volcano – completed: 02/01/15
So it turns out that we bookended the list in the first two days of the year! That, I didn’t plan… It also turns out that touching a volcano wasn’t that difficult to do in New Zealand, although the one I used for the list was a bit of a turbulent trip. What I had forgotten when I popped this in as number 100 was that New Zealand is pretty much lots of old volcanoes stuck together… In face the whole city of Rotorua is in a dormant volcano… Seriously New Zealand is pretty much a massive death trap!  During a cultural dinner we went to the guide tried to convince us that Rotorua was safe because it had geysers… Places were boiling water and steam spew from the earth… Because these released pressure… I am not convinced that that volcano couldn’t blow the whole town to Australia if it wanted to… No matter how many geysers they have.  But nevertheless thats were we lived for a couple of days… in a town, in a volcano… crazy!  Anyway, I have been side tracked… I did also travel out to an active marine volcano called White Island, as while it isn’t a lava spewing volcano it was still pretty crazy! It spews steam, mud and sulfur and smells pretty bad, but it was pretty amazing to walk around, get pretty close to the main crater and live to tell the tale!  Although I did feel like I might die from the sea sickness I experienced on my way to the island.

IMG_454821. See some black sand – completed: 02/01/15
On the way home from the volcano we stopped at the popular North Island costal town of Ohope for a swim… And the beach had black sand… I don’t know why this fascinates me as much as it does, but it really confuses me. Apparently it is a west coast trait… And I have no idea why the sand is black and I don’t really care… I love it… Although it gets pretty flipping hot!

 

 

6IMG_48756. Swim in a thermal pool – completed: 02/01/15
The second of January was a big day… And what better way to finish it then to have a spa… A natural spa… In a thermal pool in Rotorua…

 

 

 

33IMG_4870. Rent a bike and go on an adventure – completed: 03/01/15
90. Ride a push bike without tears – completed: 03/01/15
Riding mountain bikes through the redwoods in Rotorua was Dave’s only request for the trip… And it almost didn’t happen as we almost couldn’t get bikes… But it did and I survived… I won’t lie, as much as I try to like riding bikes and even sometimes pretend that I do, I just don’t really enjoy it… And I was almost 100% sure this trip would end in tears, literally, that’s why these were both on the list… But I rode my bike through the Redwoods and a there wasn’t even a single tear. In fact, by the end of it I was almost enjoying myself… Almost

IMG_486735. Go Hiking – completed: 03/01/15
This one wasn’t planned, but it was great. Dave and I took a quick road trip out to see the blue and green lakes in Rotorua because they were listed as ‘things to see’ in one of our travel books, but on the way we passed The Buried Village and because I am a sucker for a tragedy I made Dave stop.  The little museum is basically the remains of the town that was there over 100 years ago that was destroyed when a volcano blew… The volcano also destroyed some natural terrace thermal pools which would have been pretty awesome… Anyway, as we walked around the grounds we found a little optional trail which turned out to be a little hike to a pretty awesome waterfall… Well worth the spontaneous stop and detour from the path.

IMG_486865. Go on a luge – completed: 03/01/15
Ok… So maybe it wasn’t just the second that was a big day… The first three days of the year crossed 8 things off the list… That’s a pretty big start!  The luge was heaps of fun, it wasn’t quite the lying down, no breaks, concrete death that I had imagined, instead it was more of a glorified go-kart and it was great.  And while I did try to go with out the breaks for a little while, I had to start using them again after I had my cart on one wheel… I didn’t want to smash my face!

 

5IMG_53002. See two oceans meet – completed: 05/01/15
When we were planning our trip I was told that at the top of New Zealand you can see the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea crash into each other because they don’t mix.  Convinced it would be epic, I asked Dave to change our plans so we could go and see it. These were my holiday requests… The Hobbits and the oceans crashing.  In anticipation for the trip I googled it… And I was a little disappointed… in the pictures they just mosey on together… Meeting but almost ignoring each other… Not quite what I had in mind.  But the trip had been changed and we were heading as north as you could go so that I could find out first hand that they meet, high 5 and go on there merry way… You can see the colour difference and it’s still pretty cool… But there was no crashing…

IMG_573353. Go in a sea vessel… Kayak, Canoe, Paddle boat whatever – completed: 06/01/15
I could have crossed this off on the 2nd when we headed to White Island, but because the boat part of that trip was so yuck I didn’t want to taint the list with it… And I knew were doing this cruise, to a place called ‘Hole in the Rock!’ So this time armed with artificial ‘sea legs’ I enjoyed a boat cruise around the Bay of Islands to the Hole in the Rock and while we were there I also got to cross number 99. See a wild swimming animal as we stopped to watch some Dolphins playing

10. Order fish at a restaurant – completed: 06/01/15
I know this seems kinda lame, but even though I enjoy fish, I always wuss out when I am out. I always panic that I won’t like it, or it will make me sick… That’s why this made it on to the list… And thanks to some salmon I chose at a waterfront restaurant called 35degrees south it’s now off the list.

IMG_602434. Stay at the Langham – completed: 07/01/15
Just before Dave and I got married we entered a competition to win a trip around the world to all the Langham hotels by having the worlds most romantic proposal… And we almost won… We got in to the top 10, and then didn’t quite get our second video up to scratch because we were too busy enjoying our honeymoon… Anyway, we decided that if we could, if were near a Langham we would stay even for just one night… So thanks Langham Auckland for being our first international stay… Your beds and pillows are just as good as the Melbourne ones!

IMG_616983. Go to a live sporting event – completed: 08/01/15
This was another unplanned New Zealand adventure… But when your hanging out with family and they offer to take you to the tennis you go… Seriously, who wouldn’t?

 

 

 

IMG_639829. Take a selfie with the selfie stick at full extension – completed: 10/01/15
I know selfie sticks are annoying and perhaps as the Wanganui paper described ‘the most narcissistic present this Christmas’, but Dave and I became the proud owners of one and used it with pride! This was no ordinary selfie stick either… It extends 4feet and is operated by remote and it helped us capture some our and New Zealand’s finest work!

So that’s the list contributions… There is so much more of our trip to tell, but I think maybe I will save I that for another day, as I will be surprised if anyone actually made it through this far… But the list is well underway thanks to New Zealand… And our families who gifted us some of these adventures and some of the cash we spent on making them happen! Monday you can still happen tomorrow… I know you will anyway… But you can’t kill my holiday joy that easily!

The 2014 List Wrap Up

Posted in Life, The List by

The List 2014 good sizeWow… another year done, another list being signed off… and to be honest I feel like this year the list has been put on the back burner… not because I have stopped loving it, or because it was no good, but because real life got in the way. Which I actually think is really nice… It’s nice to know that I didn’t need the list to make my year what it was, and that my year was awesome even though I only just scrapped through with just a pass… well maybe a credit.  There was so much jammed into this year and while the list didn’t play as bigger part as previous years it still brought a lot of joy to my life… so here is the final re-cap… which is big because it’s been a while since I did a list up date.

Just like all the other years those that have a blog of their own have a hyperlink so you can just click it and read all about it… and the ones that don’t are all listed below with either an explanation of what did or didn’t happen…

  1. Do the 1000 steps – completed: 26/02/14
  2. Make a loaf of bread – completed: 10/11/14
    It was actually four mini garlic breads 
  3. Use my day off productively – completed: 18/12/14
    It may not have been quite the way I had imagined but I think I did use my days off more productively, with errands, moving house and with work…
  4. Cook dinner at least once a week
    I am ashamed to say that this didn’t happen… there are lots of excuses I could make, but they wouldn’t be worth reading.
  5. Do mine and Dave’s family trees – completed: 29/12/14
    I have done the easy bit – back to our grandparents, including their siblings, but now I need to expand a little and get some more detail. 
  6. Try a green juice – completed: 11/01/14
  7. Go to two weddings – completed: 28/03/14 (Wedding 1; Wedding 2)
  8. Eat something from my veggie garden – completed: 8/02/14
  9. Run 5km without walking
    This one is on the list for next year… running you will not win.
  10. Be a more informed consumer – completed: 31/12/14
    I know I still have a long way to go, but I feel like its better to have started the journey than to know nothing at all
  11. Go 1 week without a sometimes food – completed: 1/02/14
  12. Embrace home cooking
    Again not completed…. And only excuses.
  13. Read the New Testament
    I feel like I should just copy and paste from the one above… I did start this one well, but got distracted and it stopped.
  14. Stop back dating blogs…. Post it when it happens or not at all
    Not always consistent, but better… but probably not quite ‘better’ enough.
  15. Go Low FODMAP for a week – completed: 10/03/14
  16. Do another boot camp – completed:1/03/14
    The George women know how to exercise together! 
  17. Get a sun reflector for my car – completed: 14/01/14
  18. Help someone set up a blog – completed: 09/01/14
  19. Review the books I read on amazon – completed: 31/12/14
  20. Send one handwritten note of gratitude to someone each month
    To be honest… I just forgot.
  21. Complement a stranger everyday for a week (different strangers otherwise it would be creepy)
    We even had this as a goal for our small group and I still struggled with it. I know most days I encourage my clients which are kind of strangers… but not quite what I had in mind.
  22. Break a rule – completed: 27/12/14
  23. Swim 50km, not all at once, but over the year
    This was a disaster… I only swam a km… terrible form…
  24. Update my resume (Not because I want a new job but to reflect on my accomplishments) – completed: 27/10/14
  25. Walk/Run 300km – completed 02/11/14
  26. Buy a house – completed: 3/02/14
  27. Do another fun run – completed: 16/11/14
  28. Cuddle a baby less than 6months old – completed: 17/01/14
  29. Get a massage – completed: 29/08/14
    Thankyou Donvale Beauty! 
  30. Be Vegan for 24 hours
    Nup… just didn’t happen… I don’t think I was committed in my heart
  31. Go in a sea vessel… Kayak, Canoe, Paddle boat… whatever – completed: 31/12/14
  32. Go out in country Victoria for the day – completed: 30/08/14
  33. Build a sand castle – completed: 30/12/14
  34. Write at least 3 letters to my prayer pal
    I think I wrote two… Sorry Tess.
  35. Play a board game with friends
  36. Enter a colouring competition
  37. Make a cushion – completed: 20/08/14
  38. Cook fish – completed: 7/01/14
  39. Learn a song on clarinet without Dave’s help
  40. Plant something in the garden – completed: 04/11/14
  41. Play Mini golf
  42. Follow through with Dave’s Christmas present again – completed 15/12/14
  43. Take Dex for a play date with Abe or Diesel
  44. Learn a song on the guitar – completed 16/11/14
  45. Go to Costco – completed: 13/11/14
  46. Try 1 recipe from each recipe book I own
  47. Take Dex for a walk every week
  48. Work as a teacher – completed: 03/05/14
  49. Get some fresh flowers to brighten a room – completed: 22/10/14
  50. Hire a bike and ride around the city
  51. Get a fake tan – completed: 10/01/14
  52. Go to a pump class – completed: 15/04/14
  53. Go to a spin class – completed: 13/02/14
  54. Do something truly Melbournian – completed: 26/07/14
  55. Make my own advent calendar – completed: 26/11/14
  56. Find a train free route to work – completed: 22/01/14
    It is train free, but it’s not all that convenient… I am not sure which is the lesser of the two evils. 
  57. Get a timer for our Christmas lights – completed: 09/11/14
    Although we are a little scared to use it given our old old wiring at home
  58. Go to Bright – completed: 01/11/14
  59. Put Pa’s videos on DVD
    This is still on my wish list though… I am keen to keep things documented. 
  60. Try Pilates – completed: 4/02/14
  61. Use my new paper diary more effectively
    This just didn’t happen… my iPhone reigned supreme.
  62. Be better at visiting my grandparents – completed: 8/12/14
  63. Go to the cricket
  64. Cook all meals at home for a fortnight (no lazy takeaway or eating out just because)
    Again… a fail… maybe next year.
  65. Go fruit picking – completed: 03/11/14
  66. Get awesome Christmas jumpers for Dave and I – completed: 07/08/14
  67. Start my Australia camping pictures map
  68. Go camping
  69. Walk across the bridge in Kilcunda – completed: 10/01/14
  70. Go to a cemetery – completed: 12/01/14
  71. Join a book club – completed: 2/01/14
  72. Read 12 books – completed: 18/10/14
    1. Flash and Bones – Kathy Reichs
    2. Let me off at the top! – Ron Burgundy
    3. Divergent – Veronica Roth
    4. Insurgent – Veronica Roth
    5. Allegiant – Veronica Roth
    6. A Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin
    7. A long way home – Saroo Brierley
    8. The Fault in our Stars – John Green
    9. The Giver – Lois Lowry
    10. Reconstructing Amelia – Kimberley McCreight
    11. The Rosie Project – Graeme Simsion
    12. The Lunar Chronicles: Cress – Marissa Meyer
  73. Try some regular yoga – completed: 10/04/14
  74. Do 5 different exercise classes – completed: 11/09/14
  75. Do a trail walk/hike – completed: 13/09/14
  76. Go a month without playing games on my phone – completed: 1/02/14
  77. Put some nets on my veggie patch – completed: 15/12/14
  78. Take a photo everyday – completed: 31/12/14
  79. Get there and stay there
  80. Have a picnic in the backyard – completed: 19/12/14
  81. Swim in the ocean at least 5 times – completed: 30/12/14
  82. Actually finish our wedding guest book
  83. Update our displayed photos – completed: 24/05/14
  84. Keep my corner clean – completed: 31/12/14
  85. Pretend to be a morning person – completed: 21/10/14
  86. See the movie Frozen – completed: 12/01/14
  87. Exercise 4 times a week – completed: 31/12/14
    Almost anyway, certainly better again this year, and now that I have joined a gym I have to keep it up.
  88. See ‘Saving Mr Banks’ at the movies – completed: 4/01/14
  89. Have dinner and go bowling with Dustin and Rachel
  90. Do my chores and pull my weight around the house
  91. Just stop picking
  92. Play Super Mario Bros
  93. Save some of my pocket money each fortnight
  94. Cook something from each of my Donna Hay magazines
  95. Try at least one thing from each of my Women’s Fitness magazines
  96. Do my 2012 and 2013 scrapbooks
  97. Wash my car by myself
  98. Go on a push bike adventure with Dave
  99. Finish going through my cooking magazines and either save them or through them out – completed: 22/05/14
  100. Drive a bus – completed: 11/05/14
    There is even video footage of it! 

The grand total… 62 out of 100, certainly not by best year, but actually better than I expected…

2014 – Through the eyes of my iPhone

Posted in Life, Project 365 by

Here we are again at the end of another year and it’s time to have a look back at the year through the eyes of my eye phone… It’s hard to believe another year has passed and that so much has happened. Although I feel like I say that every time I get to this blog, as I am getting older it certainly does feel like time is getting faster. Even though last year was busy, I feel like 2014 has taken busy to a new level! There have been 3 big weddings, some changes at work, a fortnight without Davo and a new house just to mention a few, but rather than talk about it all here, recounting all the moments and emotions, I’ll let the photos do the talking…

January…IMG_2826

Highlight: Bridesmaid Summer Fun! January was filled with bridesmaid goodness in the lead up to Kirsten’s wedding. There were mini bootcamp mornings with Rachel, a hen’s night, a bridal brunch at the red cup and a girls weekend at the beach… What more could you want?

February…IMG_2827

Highlight: February was a big big month with two massive highlights… 1. Kirsten got married and 2. We brought a house! As far as months go… in 2014 it didn’t really get bigger than this!

March…IMG_2828

Highlight: More bridesmaid fun! This month was all about Sia! A French themed Hen’s extravaganza to start the month and a beautiful wedding to finish it. I also got to pretend I was a kid each weekend too, with my Christmas present of Disney Princess Movie Marathons at the cinema.

April…IMG_2838

Highlight: April was a mixed month of birthday goodness, books and footy… and mostly just fun

May…IMG_2843

Highlight: Well I don’t know if highlight is the correct word, because it was a lot of hard work and a little rocky at the start, but certainly the most significant event of May was our house move… into a house of our very own!

June…IMG_2840

Highlight: June’s highlight is kind of mixed in with May’s as it was in June that I really started to settle in the new house and learnt to enjoy creating my own space… with the biggest highlights being some simple things like hanging out wedding pictures and getting our super cute key holder. Oh and the Keith concert that was a good highlight!

July…IMG_2844

Highlight: Dave coming home safe, sound and fired up from Mexico was definitely the highlight of July! It was such an incredible trip for him and for us and even though it sucked being without him, I am secretly glad he went.

August…IMG_2845

Highlight: Again some little things from getting my new cushions, to breakfasts out and days off… it was all good, although one little thing really stole my heard in August, and that was meeting my friend Flic’s baby boy!

September…IMG_2846

Highlight: September brought some improved set ups, including an extra screen at work to help me continue to being extra nerdy and finishing the set up of our gym at home. We were also able to be apart of the beginning of Oz 2015 – which is going to be awesome… maybe even more awesome than our 3am casting. Oh and the Hawks won the grand final… it’s nice being a supporter of back to back champions.

October…IMG_2847

Highlight: Nothing is better in a busy year than a weekend away… which was one of the best bits of October… We also got to do some date day catch ups and to be honest any time I get to hang out with Davo for a prolonged period of time its good!

November…IMG_2848

Highlight: List madness made November a winner. Costco, Bright, apple orchids, bread, flowers, veggie patches and Fun Runs… so much list goodness! Oh and we got a new car… win.

December…IMG_2849

Highlight: I feel like Christmas is always the highlight of December because so much Christmas fun happens and this year was no different… Dinners, advent calendars, carols, and just so much food. Special mentions for this December though go to Dad’s Wedding, which was amazing and magical and just very lovely, and probably should have gotten a blog of its own and also to New Zealand… specifically the North Island where we are currently exploring and which has made this Christmas even more special.

So there you go, 365 photos attempting to sum up a crazy, fun, out of control year!