Earthgirl's Final Battle

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  • Karmacat
    Karmacat Posts: 39,460
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    earthgirl wrote: »
    Had a great few days. Not sure where I read about life coaching podcasts but I've been listening when driving a tinkering a bit with my goals.

    It's made me realise how far I've come -I've hit lots of goals already. And how much I still need to put into health and having a decluttered home.

    I have been doing a yoga cool down after my workout and it feels so calming and indulgent -love it!
    Wonderful! I'm really glad to read this :)
    2023: the year I get to buy a car
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    Thanks karma :) and lll miss you on your travels!

    I've had a great few days. I've started on the stuff I've been putting off. I've weeded the veg patch and garden enough to plant new seeds and new plants. I've started decluttering the house From one end to another (only a tiny bit done on this).

    I've had a very cheap weekend so far, £2 spent. Galacday at my sil And a big company provided loads of football fun activities so my boys were happy for hours!

    Tomorrow is going to be my important day. I've got a football tournament to take the kids to early in the morning, then possibly swimming (haven't taken them for ages) and the tea at mil. In the spare minutes, I'd like to plan the week, batch cook anything I can and make lunches for the week.

    I'd also like to declutter for 20 mins, housework for 20mins and garden for 20 mins.
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    edited 12 June 2018 at 9:37AM
    Sunday weight in was 8st 5lbs.
    Target for the week: 8st 3lbs.
    Target for 1st sept 7st 7lbs.

    Sunday was about right spend wise. Unfortunately SIl used the items I had brought for a picnic so whilst I had snacks, I didn't have lunch with me, so £6 spent. We didn't go swimming as the boys were so tired.

    Due to roadworks and my work location yesterday I decided to go my shopping at mr m. It was actually not too expensive and I have a great healthy menu for the week.

    Worked out that I hadn't been eating enough at lunch so was starving by 3pm. This meal plan inspired by WW is much more balanced than I was allowing.

    It's looking like:
    Porridge and fruit

    Boiled egg snack

    Sandwich thin with chicken and salad, fruit,
    Low calorie snack bar, might swap this for 3 chocolate dipped strawberries.


    Ww family meal (fish/chicken plus salad and a few potato's/spaghetti Bol/pasta bake and salad/curry) all quite basic but it means I only cook one meal, some can be batched as well.

    Zero fat yogurt and fruit

    No alcohol during week, a glass at weekend days.

    I know all the research around high fat and protein, low carb, but that didn't work for me, so fingers crossed this will work and also be sustainable for the whole family and not too expensive!

    So including a Father's Day tea for 6, the weeks mesls came to £38 and that's not even at a discount supermarket. I really hope I can keep this going. We have no biscuits or crisps in the house for the first time in ages, it feels right that we all have healthy food instead of just me.
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    edited 12 June 2018 at 9:49AM
    In other news, I've been enjoying my new routine of fairly hard work out of my problem areas, plus a lovely yoga cooldown in the morning. Followed by a cleaning and a gardening task, planning the day and checking goals, prepping and food etc.

    Of an evening I've started a decluttering for 20 mins and a little meditation at 9pm. I check on ds1 and if he has not managed to get himself off to sleep we do it together, it seems to calm his mind.

    It pushes me to get everything done by 9pm so that I can relax, chat to OH and read before an early night. I'm a morning person and find it hard to wind down!

    So for the first time in ages I'm fitting everything into my day, and the key is chunking my time to do a little bit of cleaning/gardening/exercise/yoga/meal prepping/
    decluttering/meditation/whatever!

    I'm also not beating myself up if it doesn't get done and that helps too!

    Decluttering is going well, I'm going to check over the porch and the living room and then move to the dining room tonight.

    Lunch times are work on OHs business so that is happening too :)

    I'm currently planning out the summer and collating the free things we can do, and getting organised for my students. I decided to turn down work at the lunch club as I have another student booked, and it was just too much.
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    Museum worker - summer activity list for our 4 week staycation.

    Summer Activities
    o Plant cress seeds
    o Play swingball
    o Ride your bike
    o Collect sticks
    o Read a book
    o Sort or play with football cards
    o Make a model with playdough*
    o Make a den
    o Play boules
    o Play 10 pin bowling
    o Design a comic book character
    o Pillow fight
    o Water fight on sunny day
    o Write a letter or postcard to a cousin/friend
    o Do a jigsaw puzzle
    o Bake cookies
    o Design a football strip
    o try the bottle flip
    o search for cool rocks and make into monsters
    o go rock pooling
    o make foil jewellery
    o play charades
    o painting
    o play a board game
    o make a paper airplane and colour in
    o learn a magic trick
    o design a new superhero
    o find toys to sell at Christmas
    o play tig
    o play hide and seek
    o wash the car
    o learn a new dance e.g. the Macarena
    o water the plants and vegetables
    o make a mini garden in a tray
    o play a card game
    o make a video and edit it
    o build a Lego castle/house/ship/car/ pool/airplane
    o learn some new jokes and perform them in a comedy show
    o do a puzzle from a puzzle sheet/puzzle book
    o do a colouring in sheet
    o look at pictures of when you were a baby (albums on shelf in playroom)
    o learn the words to a song
    o play !!!8216;Wallie!!!8217;
    o make an assault course
    o Do a simple science experiment
    o Go on a bug hunt
    o Make up a new sport e.g. footgolf, bouleball
    o Learn how to draw something new !!!8211; Learn to draw sheets
    o Logic puzzles
    o Catch / ball games
    o Act out a play/show
    o Camp out in the garden
    o With an adult !!!8211; have a camp fire with s!!!8217;mores
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • apple_muncher
    apple_muncher Posts: 14,662
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    Thankyou for that list! I shall copy it shamelessly...

    Dd has a random inset day soon and we were discussing what to do. Currently it involves going to the big library in town to sit and read (like Matilda) and then come home for an art fest.
    NST March lion #8; NSD ; MFW9/3/23 Whoop Whoop!!!
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    edited 14 June 2018 at 6:04AM
    I have more to add to my list which is just as well as there are not as many free/cheap things to do in the area in the summer hols. I'm waiting for a country park about half an hour away to publish, and also the library.

    Most weeks there is a swimming inflatable run somewhere which will be about £3 in total. I'll set up play dates and visits to relatives for some variety.

    There are no activities that I can use childcare vouchers for, but I'm going to look into that again as I have a small surplus of childcare vouchers (£75).

    So oh and I have sat down and developed a cunning plan! A summer holiday ticklist for the kids to do every morning, with the prize of a game with dad/some screen time at 11am until 12, if they have completed their ticklist and not fallen out (they don't really fall out but this is the summer holidays!).

    I want to encourage them to take more responsibility, do a job, do a page of a work book, do two activities like colouring or Lego and play outside.

    We hope that this will keep them amused 9-11whilst oh and I work, and then oh does 11-12 and I take over for the afternoon.

    Today I've eaten well and stuck to diet and exercise, cleared the washing and spent time with the family. I have a busy day at work tomorrow so off for an early night.
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
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    Feelinglike a few things haven't gone my way.

    Tough meeting at work but I did my best without getting too involved.
    Had lots of work to do and have a lot to do tomorrow too :(

    Opportunity:
    Clear work backlog
    Plan so that have more admin time next week.
    Make a list of the things Ineed to achieve before end of month

    Ds1 unhappy all of the classes have been mixed up and he is in a class he is not happy with. I'm really upset about it for him as he doesn't have any friends in his class and he just doesn't want to go. I'm annoyed as it makes my life more difficult if he doesn't want to go but really I'm more sad for him.

    Opportunity
    Make sure ds1 sees his current friends out of school
    Encourage him to make new friends
    Let the teacher know
    Keep him moving forward educationally especially if the class doesn't give him the opportunity to stretch himself.
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
    Mortgage-free Glee!
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    Feeling much more positive today sbout ds1s class problems. Things could be so much worse and I feel this could be an opportunity for ds1 to realise he can survive and make new friends etc. I will do all I can to boost his confidence and still keep ties with his old friends strong. Note to self not to spoil him though!

    Eating wasn't great last night, had a ww meal planned but oh cooked scranmbled eggs instead as I was dealing with ds1. I was also a bit of a numpty and didn't collect things the kids had forgotten in school when collecting them. No harm done though.

    Do today I have lots of work to catch up on, ww curry in slow cooker and I have done my exercise today, finished the cleaning rota and started decluttering already :)

    This weekend I have a spendty thing (school Fayre, budget £20 sigh) and the rest free things planned if I take a picnic. Party on Saturday night need to make a rhubarb dessert to take, and Sunday football and a free event followed by slow cooker Father's Day meal for PIL with rhubarb again!
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
  • earthgirl
    earthgirl Posts: 3,762
    Mortgage-free Glee!
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    Quick update from me as still got a few things to do before I check on Ds1.

    Health
    Sunday weigh in- 8 st 3lb
    Weight loss this week - 2lbs/ all time- 2lbs
    Target for next week-8st 1lb
    Target for 1st sept 7st7lbs

    So I had lost weight this Week, but this weekend was not a good one, cream cakes on Friday, free cream tea with entry to school fayre on Saturday plus yummy party buffet on Saturday night, and free all you can eat lovely German food today. I was good at breakfasts, lunches and tonight was a ww meal. Did a big 1000 calorie workout on Friday as I had s cream cake. I really enjoyed doing it. I could definitely achieve more with more effort into exercise.

    Not sure when my weekend eats will hit my waistline, but I need to be extra good this week to hit my target. Quiet weekend planned, oh away, so there will be more chance of success.

    Money
    £25 spent at school fayre
    £40 grocery spend this week so spot on.

    Tutee cancelledbut did my extra time my teaching on Saturday and Sunday.

    Part of Easter holiday next year bought -£1100 spent. This is part of our new approach to travelling and experiencing things after being frugal for so long, and is budgeted for, but still feels extravagant.

    Brilliant free day out today,compNy birthday party at a factory but it was amazing, German company so free bratwurst and apple juices, free ice creams beautiful food and free sandpit facepaonting crafts and a digger exerpience, we were spoilt, best free day out ever! And a goodie bag!

    Also had patents in law for meal tonight to earn some brownie points!

    This week:
    Health
    Carry on with routine, up the exercise

    Wealth
    Complete more surveys
    Double check budgets for things that can be cut
    Sort out work plans for students
    Sort out and book any activities for kids in summer (mostly free or very cheap)
    Clear in tray at work

    Life well lived
    Get to the shoreline 3 times this week
    15/5/12 Paid off Mortgage 1 (£220k) Bought Dream House:www: Dec 13 - Mortage 2 -£116,508. 15/7/18 Mortgage Free Again :j

    Progress not Perfection
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