It"s the simple things...

Wow!!!! It has been way too long since I last made an entry and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this keyboard again.

Greytown has been my place of dwelling for the last five days and I can tell you honestly I missed my family like crazy! Being a wife and mother is a challenge but I would choose it over being single any day.

If you were asked the question: "What makes you happy?" how would you reply? Personally, as much as I like to talk - and believe me I talk a lot - I would be at a loss for words because there are just so many things that when combined, make me happy. Ultimately I believe it comes from inside. Extenuating circumstances may play a big role, however your happiness begins with your mindset. This then extends to the people you surround yourself with. So if you choose to see the glass as half full and surround yourself with like minded people, happiness and good things are sure to follow you.

The drive from Pietermaritzburg to Greytown is a spectacular one! I was actually disappointed that I had to drive because I didn't get  a chance to really appreciate the beauty all around me. On Sunday, I left at around 5 noon and the sunset was in full swing. I cannot even describe the beauty I saw! The beautiful view coupled with the soothing sounds coming from my car radio made me feel like I could drive for hours.
Although it was overcast and drizzling in parts on my journey home today, the sights I saw were just as breathtaking. It was so calming that I didn't mind when I got stuck behind two cars and a truck cruising at 40km/h for almost 10km. I guess the music did play a big role in my mood and those that know me, know that music has always been an essential part of who I am.

Music... For as long as I can remember, my mother had music playing whatever she was doing. She exposed me to so many genres and showed me how it can really help lift even the worst of moods. I can still see her so clearly, stand up from her sewing machine chair. because her favourite song was on the radio - usually Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits - shake her hips and sing on the top of her voice. Then when the radio station would cut off the song before the guitar solo would finish, I would hear her shouting at the radio and complaining because "They chopped off the best part of the song!" Even though she knew they would do this every single time, she would still complain. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Once she even called the radio station to complain! But it was all in good fun. Then there were times when she would play her classical music full blast. Beautiful music! She would hum and la and dum-dee-dum through the entire piece and then exclaim with absolute delight: "Bravo! Lovely!" The hilarious thing is now, I find myself doing the same thing! My mother is a true lady. The way she walks, the way she talks and the way she presents herself to the world. If she doesn't have earrings and lipstick on when she leaves the house, she says she feels naked. If I can be half the woman she is...

I really missed my little pumpkin nut this week! She's spending some time with her cousins and they have kept me updated with her antics. She has yet another new trick up her sleeve. Now when I scold her, she looks at me with those big brown eyes, tilts her head to the side and her entire face smiles! How am I supposed to stay straight-faced with that?! Disciplining her is going to be interesting.I have discovered that reasoning with with her as young as she is, seems to work much better than a tongue lashing. I don't know how much of it she understands but it seems to satisfy her for that moment at least. Last Saturday, I was hanging out the washing and I watched as she discovered how fun it is to run through the clothes on the line. She squealed with glee as she ran back and forth between the clothes! Which brings me back to that feeling of happiness. It doesn't take extravagant material things to make us happy. Its the simple things. The giggle of a little child as they run through the washing on the line, the sight of your mother singing and shaking her hips to her favourite song. Seeing your loved one's face light up when they see you after being apart for a week. The smell of fresh paint because you know that means you have a roof over your head and a family to share the happiness with!
Yes, happiness starts in the mind and the rest will follow!

Till next we meet...Ciao!

Do not be anxious for tomorrow... Enjoy today!

So... I haven't blogged in like forever and I have really been missing it.At the moment I am thinking of a title for this post but nothing springs to mind. I suppose it will come to me eventually...

Life over the last few weeks has been a little strange. I have kinda been in limbo waiting for the first three weeks of July to pass. The last day of my 'darkness' is the 18th - tomorrow - as this will be signify three years since I buried my first born. I don't mean to sound morbid but those dates in July will always hold significance for me. However, I have decided to make the acknowledgement of these days a positive thing. My hubby and I have decided that the 14th of July will always be a day for our Colborne family to spend doing something up building and fun. That way we keep our mind on how blessed we are to have each other.

As the days and weeks go by, I notice subtle changes in my concentration and energy levels. My clothes are getting looser and looser and I will soon be lighter than I have been in years. For me, introducing friends, family and colleagues to Herbalife is so exciting because they get to see and feel the effects of a healthy way of living. To the sceptics out there, the only way to dispel your misconceptions is to try it and see how well it works. When you see and feel the transformation, you will never look back!

My daughter has discovered that she can climb on her chair to get to the things on the counter. As if putting child locks on the cupboards was not enough, now we have to make sure the counters are childproof!
All my life I have been interested in human behaviour. Watching this little human grow up and develop both physically and mentally has been very interesting. The way she makes the connections in her mind and observing how these become evident in her actions is so fascinating and entertaining.'Cause and effect' - a principle we take for granted is so fundamental to a child's development. I watch her with amusement as she smears the yoghurt all over her and the table top, much to her father's horror. I observe how she spreads it around, gathers it in her hands and watches it falls to the floor. Then she gets onto the floor and smears it some more. At the same time, I watch her father's body language and facial expressions as he tries very hard to suppress the urge to clean baby, floor and table which are now covered in butterscotch yoghurt. Then I realise that learning has taken place for all three of us and it was a wonderful experience!
 After a very active day just like any other, Karly fell asleep in my arms on the bed. It occurs to me that we spend so much time in the past and the future, that we so often forget to just be in the present and enjoy the moment. A simple thing like hearing her breathe and feeling her little heart beat had such an impact on me. There was a time in my life when I longed to experience that.We so often miss those moments that can take our breath away because we are too busy with seeing to our future happiness. Happiness is right now with friends, family and the good times and laughter we share.
Having said that, I have a husband waiting for me with whom I need to spend some quality time.

Please feel free to leave your comments and opinions.
Good night all.

Fast and slow

So... Hubby's sick in the bed with the flu, Karly's in la la land. It's time for me-time! Yay!!

I was having serious withdrawals and this is only my 3rd post. My ISP was down for a while and I suffered! It's just such a great outlet and I suppose and inlet too for my readers. "My readers" - ha! That's just too cool.

The Herbalife weight loss plan is still going well and needless to say it will continue to. I am finding that more and more of my old clothes are now fitting me so I can finally do away with the maternity clothes that I have wearing for the last two years. It's like a new found freedom. So what do you think I did with that freedom? I bought myself two pairs of the most divine heels! It's my gift to me for losing so much weight. I will continue to reward myself with non-food items every time I reach a milestone.

I never thought I would see the day that I would be referred to as "the chubby girl in the banking hall" or be greeted by someone "Hello Fat Lady". But that day came and was I horrified!! Then, today my ever-so-loving aunt felt it necessary to lay bear the fact that when she saw a recent pic of me (September 2011), she thought I looked, and I quote:"VERY big." To add insult to injury, she then said I looked "HUGE!!!!"
Wasn't I so glad that I had worked on it since and the weight came off quite fast too!! I do have a lot more to lose but a day at a time. Would you ever feel brave enough to tell someone how much weight they've put on? Is it an act of kindness? I'd love to hear your opinion.

No word from either of my sisters this week... I wonder if they are trying to hide something??? Hmmmm

Karly has learnt a new way of dancing. She's learnt to recognise the difference between fast and slow music and her reactions to each are hilarious. Picture it! Zane puts on MTV Base and they playing some new R&B song. Karly sticks her arms out like she's an aeroplane about to take flight, starts head-banging, while moving her little hips back and forth. Then for fun we change the channel to something a little slower. This time, Karly puts one hand above shoulder height, leaves the other one down and starts turning around like a little ballerina! Never a dull moment! This morning she decided to call 'mummy' at different octives over and over again just so that I could respond to her calls. But that all stopped when her precious daddy walk into the room... "There Daddy!"
I am so glad for that bond. A dad is so important in a little girl's life and she could never wish for a better one than Zane.

 I will chat again soon.
Bye for now...

Ready! Get set! GO!!!

So... before I sat here, I had a story line all planned out. It sounded good in my head and now... I've got my first case of writer's block!

Now that I have had a Blackberry for about a month, I have gotten really use to Blackberry messenger and the hilarious smiley faces you can use to express yourself. It's very addictive and I don't think my husband, Zane is too impressed with me and my need to 'be connected' but that's a story for another time. Sorry, I digress... Where was I again?? Aah yes, Blackberry messenger smiley faces or as we addicts call it: BBM smiley faces. They are so simple and yet manage to express exactly what you are feeling and thinking at the time of composing the bbm. When I use other forms of written communication i.e. facebook, sms's; twitter, emails and now blogging, I find myself wanting to insert a smiley face somewhere to really make a point but alas, this is not bbm :o( I guess some good old fashion expressive adjectives and adverbs will have to do.

Karly... she's just something else! She is starting to string together words to express herself easily now and no matter how many times I hear her talking, it never fails to amaze me how a little helpless baby can grow and become so independant. I must admit that it's a real challenge to curb the feisty person that is Karly. She knows exactly what she wants and she will not deviate even if you try to distract her! As she moves deeper into the infamous 'terrible twos', the more assertive she becomes. And it's not to say we don't discpline her as best we can. But every day is a new challenge and an absolute delight. Her daddy is becoming her world. Zane went to work yesterday morning and I think she must have asked "Where Daddy" about twenty times. I have not seen my husband with such a 'glow' about him in a long time. Our little blessing.

As July looms over my head, my heart begins to feel the weight of its significance.Hayley would have been three. The pain still sits deep in my heart like an anchor in the deep sea that refuses to be moved. I am afraid to really explore it in case it takes me to such a deep dark place that I will not be able to return. Besides, I don't think Karly will let me go there anyway. When I feel really sad, it's like Karly senses it because all of a sudden my little ball of fire turns into this gentle soul who is full of hugs and sweet kisses. My little blessing...

In total, I have lost alomost 15 kilos since January and the weight loss journey continues. I have 21 kilos to go but that number's not even daunting to me. It's that easy with Herbalife. Pre-preggy clothes are fitting me again!! By August I will need a new wardrobe of clothes. My two bigger sisters and I have a weight loss challenge going on. The winner gets paid R2000.00 - R1000.00 from each of the losing sisters. My elder sister is currently in the lead and I trail by 3kilos. I refuse to say die! I will win!! Watch this space!!

Looks like the writer's block disappeared quick and fast. I am hesitent to put on before and after pictures just yet but soon... I will do it soon...
For now, Karly and her antics will do quite fine

Bye for now

In the begining...

So... I'm sitting here in front of my PC wondering why in the world I've decided to do this crazy thing and yet my fingers continue to type. It's clear that deep inside I want to do this but eish... I am nervous. Questions like: "Will I get any followers?; Will my posts be any good?; What am I going say?" are swimming in my head. I often read the blogs of others and think "Wow! That was so good!" then the doubt hits, "I hope I can be as witty." But the urge to do this so strong, so I am just taking the plunge!

I got interested in blogging when I saw a post one of my former neighbours/school peers/facebook friends. Her story as a blogger mommy had been published in a popular baby magazine. I was hooked! I started reading up on how to start blogging and I learnt that I need to have a purpose for my blog - a theme that will run through my posts. A close friend gave me an idea. Blog about my 1 year old daughter, Karly (Beauty) and my weightloss journey(the bulge). That was it! It all sounded so good but now that I am here...
Well... we will wait and see.

I hope to entertain, vent, and get the opinions of those who choose to read my ramblings. I am still working out all the details but I have a good feeling about this.

So please... sit back, enjoy and every now and then, have a laugh on me :)