"You better shape up...!"

We don't own a scale.  I have been breastfeeding my 14 month old for the last 12 months.  I was one of those lucky women who could eat anything while breastfeeding and not pick up weight.  After 6 months of breastfeeding I weighed 8kgs less than when I got pregnant.

The problem is now that I have stopped breastfeeding for about 2 months...but I have not stopped EATING with the inevitable consequence being I have gained weight like a lion gains on a gazelle!  

How do I know this if we do not even own a scale?  We were at my moms on Sunday for potjiekos (YUM, I will miss you my friend) and I climbed on her electronic bathroom scale for laughs and giggles.....guess what...I am back at my original pre-pregnancy weight! (Insert mortified face here)

I weigh a whopping 72 kg.  Let me put this into perspective for you.  I am a mere 1.65m tall and in my 25 years this is the 3rd time I have reached this shameful milestone.  

Without wasting any time, I pounced on Pinterest on Sunday night and lo and behold, I found the 30 DAY SHRED!!  I actually found a couple of promising {before and after} pictures and after doing a bit of research, decided that THIS was my way back to skinny-wearing-without-the-inevitable-muffintop days.

What is the 30 DAY SHRED (I always say it in a booming voice in my head).  It is a 25min workout video consisting of 3 levels.  You start at Level 1 for the first 10 days, then do Level 2 for the next 10 days and finish off with Level 3 the last 10 days (this is where you lose your baby/chocolate/potato chip pooch and get those awe inspiring flat(ter) abs.  The videos are available on youtube (you can also order the dvd if you wish).  

I wanted to wait before posting on the workout because I wanted to experience it for myself.  It's really not that bad, for someone who haven't exercised in about 4 years, I was able to complete the whole 25 minutes (doing lady push-ups I must admit) before giving up or collapsing of exhaustion.  

In other words, I recommend this workout!  

I will be posting the terribly embarrassing BEFORE photos on day 15 when my body is in better shape :)  

I must add, that for the first 13 days I am following a strict protein rich (low carb) kickstart diet AND that I will also be doing the following:

1.  30 day planck challenge

2.  30 day lunge challenge

3.  30 day squat challenge

I found a really neat CHART to use to mark off my progress on "A mater of choice's" blog.  I don't have her permission to post about her chart on my blog, but I hope that she will forgive my arrogance because the chart her hubby made her is so user friendly and motivating!

Here are the measurements I'm starting with:

Please hold me in your thoughts, you are welcome to join me in my challenge and comment on how your progress is going or if you would like me to post the 13 day diet.  Please note that I am in no way a dietitian or a fitness professional (I'm just doing what I feel will work the best for me).   I'm so excited to see progress!

{L}

  

Masterchef Mystery box partytjie

Ons het Vrydag aand 'n Mystery box partytie gehou in ons klein Equestria huisie. Ek het die idee by my skoonsus gekry, en dit het SO goed gewerk. Ek begin Maandag weer skoolgee na 'n lekker lang vakansie en die 'dinner party' was 'n lekker ontspanne voor-skool-weer-begin partytie. Van my gunsteling dinge om te doen is om mooi te maak en lekker kos te maak vir vriende wat kom kuier. Omdat dit twee van my vriendinne en hul mans was wat kom kuier het, het ek 'n bietie meer vroulik gedek.

Ek het die laprose by 'n vriendin se troue in 'n ruiker gekry, die servetringe het ek van lint gemaak deur die 2 ente met 'n gomgeweer aanmekaar te plak en die glas blomflessies het ek weereens die gomgeweer ingele en 'n bietjie versier.

Wat is die reels?

 1. Elke paarjtie pak 'n verassings boks, hetsy dit vir voorgereg, hoofgereg of nagereg is. (Die gasvrou kan besluit wie pak vir watter gereg) 

2. In die boks moet ENIGE 6 bestandele wees. Dit maak dit interessanter as mens nie jou boks volgens 'n resep pak nie. 

 3. Die paarties mag hul boks oopmaak net voor hul hul gereg moet maak en mag dan ook hul fone en enige resepteboek gebruik om hul gereg reg te kry, elke span het ook net 'n uur om in kos te maak.

 4. Elke 'span' moet die skottelgoed wat hy vuil gemaak het was terwyl die volgende span begin. 

 Die span wat voorgereg moes maak het heerlike varsgebakte (gekoop by Deeghuys) croissants, met geroosterde knoffel tamaties, salm, salm roomkaas, roket en komkommer op.

 Vir hoogereg het ons lekker aartappelskyies, geroosterde botterskorsie, beesfillet met 'n camembert en ui marmelade sous gehad.

Vir nagereg (wat my werk was) het ons peppermint crisp sjokolade bruintjies gemaak met koffie likeur en vanielje room en 'n blueberry sousie.

 Die atmofseer was ontspanne, ons het lekker geeet en lekker gekuier. Dankie Eloise en Celanie dat jul kom kosmaak en skottelgoed was het in my huis ;)

 Op 'n meer styvolle noot ek het die idee by Merricks art gekry (een van my gunsteling styl blogs om te lees) om 'n weeklikste styl pos te plaas. Ek sal nog my sus en skoonsus oorreed dat ons een kleding item vat en op 3 verskillende maniere opdoen. Op Merrick se blog noem hul dit Raiding my sisters closet, ek dink die gepaste arikaanse weergawe daarvan sal wees Koeksisters se klerekas...maar ons drie werk nog aan die naam vir die konsep. Hou die spasie dop, die jaar beloof groot dinge vir Make me some happy :)

 {L}

New Year, New Opportunities

Any new years resolutions?  Cliché I know, but I think resolutions are a good thing.  It keeps us moving forward and it helps us to evaluate where we are in our lives and where we want to get to.

My resolutions for 2014 are:

1.       Post WEEKLY on ‘make me some happy’ (this is a big one)

2.       Get fit

3.       Crochet more

4.       Socialize more

5.       DIY more

6.       Create more moments with my family

7.       Expand my family ;)

8.       Do not fall behind with my school administration (first year as a teacher)

9.       Get a monthly facial

10.   Work in the garden

That’s it, I’ll leave it with these 10 for now.  I think this is already a handful to master.

On a more crafty note, I went a bit fabric-crazy during the holidays. 

Seeing that chiffon is making a comeback I was determined to make myself at least 2 tops, 2 cotton dresses and a skirt.  I just love the pink Aztec print.  A valuable lesson I learnt from working with chiffon:

Before you cut out your pattern, make a saturated sugar or starch solution, dip the whole length of the fabric in the solution and hang straight to dry.  It causes the chiffon to become stiff like cotton and subsequently the fabric is a breeze to work with…no more stretching, cutting skew and getting caught in the machine.  Afterwards you just rinse the garment and TADAA, soft and flowy like it should be. 

The holidays were so busy but so far I've made...

A Salmon chiffon top using Simplicity pattern number 1806

A cotton dress (60's) work in progress made from Simplicity pattern number 2922

These are projects I still have to do before the end of the week:

I still have so much to do, I love taking my time though.  On Friday we're having a Masterchef Mystery Box party.  I got the idea from my sister in law, who held one very successfully.  I'll let you know how it went and how it works.  

I'm eager for the holidays to be over to get back into our routine.  I hope this year is a big year for us and for you.   Blessings and good luck for 2014 for everyone!

{L}

'n Onderhoud en 'n Dames tee in Standerton

Ons trek Mpumalanga toe!  Ek het vrydag 'n twee onderhoude gehad vir onderwys poste in Mpumalanga.  Die hoof van die Azalea skool het my 'n Departementele pos aangebied en ek het aanvaar.  Ek begin in Januarie!

'n Stadsmeisie oppad plaas toe verruil ek nou Pretoria se pers vir die Hoeveld se goud (en natuurlik pienk en wit kosmos).

So gepraat van pienk en wit, Saterdag het ek saam skoonma en skoonus na APK Standerton se damestee gegaan.  Skoonus was ons tafel se gasvrou en het haar tafel prentjie-mooi gedek!  Skoonma (hekel-fundi wat sy is) het vir haar roos borsspeldjies gehekel wat sy vir elke gas gegee het.  Die roos se patroon is beskikbaar HIER.

Dankie skoonsus vir 'n heerlike oggend!