Who is MummaLish?

Firstly, I would like to welcome you to my blog. Thanks for stopping by! This is my first attempt at blogging so please bear with me while I get the hang of it. I will probably post every day over the next few days to get a ‘background’ for you all to get to know me and my blog.

Some of the things I will post about about may include (but is not limited to):

• Being a Mum – I have a gorgeous son named Ryder who is 15 months old. He lights up my life in a way I had never imagined possible.
• Breastfeeding – This refers back to being a mum but holds a special point in my life.
• Housekeeping – I am trying to de-clutter and re-organise my house and life.
• Cooking – I am always looking to try new recipes, food victories and flops may appear here.
• Just Me – Random ramblings fall under this category

Still here? Thought I’d lost you there for a moment. Hello there! My name is Alicia and I am (currently) 20 years old. I am a strong supporter of breastfeeding and I am currently training to become a Community Educator with the Australian Breastfeeding Association. My focus is to raise awareness of breastfeeding being NORMAL in the community, and in particular, ‘young’ mums. I am a stay at home mum to my beautiful son Ryder.

I have many hobbies, including reading, cross-stitch, jigsaw puzzles and now, blogging. I have been told that my mind is 10 years older than the rest of me, but I’m still a kid at heart. I like 80s music, bright colours and dinosaurs. I love to learn. My typical Friday & Saturday night consists of snuggling up in bed with a book and my son. When I grow up, I want to be me.

I’m Still Here!

So it turns out I may have announced my blog-shift a little prematurely. My transition won’t take place until the 26th. So, I’m still here at WordPress. 

To make sure you don’t miss out on any posts, I’d love it if you could bookmark http://mummalish.blogspot.com.au in the meantime. At the moment it automatically redirects back to here, but I will be changing that just before my domain is transferred, so I can keep posting to you all of you fabulous people in the event of any slight hiccups with the move. If things don’t go to plan (ie I can’t get my blog to change to Blogger) I will simply install WordPress again on my then self-hosted site and continue on where we left off. 

Should things go to plan and I do manage to transfer successfully to Blogger, you will know you are in the right place because the background and header images will remain the same. The overall “theme” of the site will of course be different though. So hopefully only minor changes. I still have no real idea if this transfer will be successful, but at least mummalish.com will be self-hosted and not hosted through WordPress. So it is still a step in the right direction, even if I don’t reach the desired destination.

So my dears, nothing will change  for a couple more days yet. There is however, the possibility that you will have to resubscribe to continue receiving notifications of my posts. If you are tired of me but just haven’t got around to unsubscribing, then perhaps you won’t need to lift a finger. But if you do want to continue following this blog, please follow me through this transition into the unknown. The easiest way to know what is going will be through my Facebook page or on Twitter. I’d love it if you could follow me on one or both of these avenues so you can remain “in the loop” during this uncertain time.

My First 5

Kiometres, that is. Yesterday I ran, as I do 2-3 times a week. There was a break in the weather so I headed out. I was mentally preparing myself during the 5 minute warm-up walk, telling myself to not burn out during the following 5 minute free-form run, but to run as much of it as I could. Well, the 5 minute free-form run came around and I ran the entire 5 minutes. And, I didn’t burn out! I kept telling myself, “pace yourself, you’re only just warming up” and I actually listened! The drills started, 30 seconds of walking followed by 60 seconds of slow running. I also kept mental tabs on that key word, slow. Whenever I felt myself getting a little too quick, I reined it in, knowing that I would have my chance to let loose after the drills. 

After I had done the interval training, it was time for another free-form run, 10 minutes this time. Ryder was just not having a bar of it. After failing to keep him distracted with a flower, I had to stop halfway through that 10 minutes. Thankfully I remembered to pause my gadgets this time. A quick cuddle and a scrounge around in my handbag for my emergency lolly stash and we were good to go again. 

Only, I just couldn’t get back into the running rhythm I had going. I had turned around and was running in the opposite direction to what I usually do, right in the middle of one of the bush tracks I frequent on my runs. I had never run this direction before and I felt disoriented. I then quickly found out why I always feel so fast coming from the footpath to the gravel track, there is a fair incline there! I ended up walking for the remaining few minutes of that “leg”, which was followed by a 5 minute stretch and recovery period. Knowing that I had already stopped when I wasn’t supposed to, I decided to run through that stretching break to make up for lost time. I quickly got back into my groove and was chugging along nicely when the final leg of my run started. Another 10 minute free-form. I made myself keep moving for this final 10 minutes, as I glanced at my watch I had done just over 4km. I thought of Kate and all the other fabulous OpMovers and I let my legs fly. 

Even when my training program said “mission accomplished”, I kept running. Even when I reached the point where I usually cross the road and walk up my driveway, I kept running. I was so close. 4.89km. I could do this. I was going to crack that elusive 5km. But then, disaster. One wheel dipped ever so slightly off the side of the path, jolting me back to reality. Thankfully I stopped instantly, without tipping the pram over or careening towards the busy road just metres away. I made sure Ryder was OK and I kept going, walking now. I had only taken a few steps when I glanced at my watch again. 5.00. It hadn’t beeped and flashed my time for that “lap” yet, so I took a few more steps until it did. I was elated when the screen changed and I turned back towards home. My final distance was 5.07km, completed in 52 minutes and 18 seconds. My first 5k, with my son on board.

I was on a high as I climbed my front steps and walked through the front door. Upon realising that we were home, Ryder reminded me that he was not very happy and very tired. Laying beside him as he fell asleep, I burst into tears as the gravity of what i had just achieved hit home. I shared my experience with the amazing OperationMove group, which led to more tears as the encourgement and congratulations poured in.

 

It may seem strange to become so emotional over running of all things, I certainly wasn’t prepared to be so completely overwhelmed either. But that feeling of “I actually made it!” was just too hard to ignore. 251 days to go.

I’m Moving!

As of tomorrow, this blog will be moved from WordPress to Blogger.  I have no real issues with WordPress, I just want to be able to access both of my blogs from one easy location. If e everything goes to plan the transition should be relatively smooth and my URL will remain the same. Should there be any issues however, you should be able to find me at http://mummalish.blogspot.com.au until I get everything sorted. 

So that’s it from me here, the next post I write will hopefully be from Blogger! Until then, be well my lovely readers.

Have you moved your blog before? Did it go to plan?

Project Finish

Today has been productive. I’ve been for a run, read to Ryder and made a list of 25 tasks to complete, which I have already started on! It feels great to have a clean house and be able to work on all those “other” tasks that get put off, time and time again.

The vast majority of my list isn’t things to do, but things to finish. Countless cross stitch projects, sewing projects and general craft projects. Study units to polish off, my home binder to organise. Things that when completed will bring a sense of calm to head and a touch of “home” to the house.

So, I’m making a pledge to finish what I have started. 25 tasks to tick off, 25 less things to think about. I’m sure if I listed every single project I’d be looking at a list of 50+. But for now, I have 25 tasks, 26 if you include finishing the list.

Follow me on twitter to see my progress, and join in with your own list-ticking at #projectfinish

The Week Ahead 16-22/09/2013

This post is a day late as I was up until midnight last night finishing a book for last week’s list!

Last week’s list looks like this:
*Run 3 times (2 out of 3 due to weather restrictions)
*Blog about “real” topics twice (Including why I want to run three times this week!) here and here
*Blog over at House, Home & Happiness at least twice (Not even once! Need to work on that)
*Finish reading Run Like A Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea A most fabulous book, very informative and inspirational

 

So 5/8 tasks complete. Not too bad, but not too good either. This week I want to:

• Run three times
• Blog here twice
• Blog over at House, Home & Happiness twice
• Submit an assessment to be um, assessed

Another 8 tasks, another 7 days to complete them. Well, I better get cracking!

What are you doing this week?

 

 

And So, I Run

I have this thing I like to do. I lace up my shoes, strap Ryder into the pram, set my watch and phone, then I head out the door. With music in my ears and a smile on my face, I run. I may not run far and I may not run fast, but boy, what a rush. The wind in my hair, my legs pumping rhythmically, the world laid out before me, I feel free. I feel alive.

It is Sunday morning and I have run twice this week. I was hoping for three but the weather has been windy and wet all week, easing up enough to squeeze a run in on Friday afternoon. It returned with a vengeance yesterday and as the day rapidly approaches noon it is looking less and less likely I will run today. If I were running solo I wouldn’t mind so much if I got caught in a sudden downpour, but it is not something I am willing to chance with my son “on board”. My usual running track has a tendency to flood in parts and be ridiculously slippery in other parts after wet weather, so maybe it is not worth the risk any way.

I am now at the halfway point of my Couch to 5 kilometre (C25k) program. To date, my longest run has been 4.41km, which took 48:52. That was on Monday. My fastest time for 1 kilometre so far is 8:20, though my fastest average pace is 11:05. Before I started I couldn’t even run for 30 seconds. All of these times have been while running with the pram, so it will be interesting to see how my times compare to running solo. You may be wondering why I shared all those boring numbers with you. This post will serve as a record of sorts, a post to reflect upon as I finish my C25K program and move onward and upward.

Onward and upward to what? Well, on Sunday the 1^st of June 2014, I am entering a half-marathon. That’s 21.1km for those who aren’t into this running business. This may seem like a lofty goal when I cannot even run 5km yet, but it is giving me the motivation I need to keep going. To continue with my C25K program, to better myself. It is giving me focus and direction, something to aim for when I’d rather stay in bed.

There are four weeks left of the C25K program, so weather permitting I should be finished halfway through October. This is perfect timing as I am going to Perth for my birthday over the weekend of the 25^th -28^th and I would love to run 5km in Perth. Once I finish the C25K program I will be launching straight into a beginner’s half-marathon training plan upon my return from Perth. I’ll be stoked if I can run 10km by the end of the year.

I run for many reasons, fitness being just one of them. I run to clear my head, to shake a bad mood, to celebrate good news, to reward myself. I run to let my brain “switch off” for a while and my feet to take over. I run to feel my body doing things I never thought possible. I run for the joy of feeling like I am invincible, like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I run to remind myself that I am only human and humans can make mistakes. I run for the surprised feeling I get when I run further than I thought I could, that sense of pride when I push myself that little bit further. I run for that overwhelming sense of happiness when I finish a run and the endorphins kick in. I run for the feeling of accomplishment when I return home, sweat running down my face and muscles twitching.

There are a lot of ways I could express myself, vent my frustrations or get fit. There a lot of situations in life where I feel like I don’t have control and am learning how to control the situations that I can. Sometimes things just don’t make sense. And so, I run.

Had it not been for Kate and her fabulous #OperationMOVE team, I would have never discovered the joy of running. To Kate and all the crew, words cannot describe my love for you all. Thank a million times over for the support, encouragement and JFDI attitude you all provide on a daily basis.

How To Change Your Child’s Playtime

The best way to change your children’s childhood for the better is to remove the electronic distractions that exist. We live in world that is dominated by the internet and the role of the internet in our young children’s lives is becoming progressively important. It is gradually becoming more of a worry simply because of the sheer amount of man hours they spend on them.

Back in the day kids would finish school and then quickly get changed and go and “play out” nowadays kids come home and sit on their Xbox or Ipad for hours on end, quickly engulf their dinner and settle down for their twilight session before bed. It really is becoming a problem and it is down to the parents of these children to intervene before the problem escalates.

All it takes is a little engagement, play football with your young lad or play doctors and nurses with your little girl; it really isn’t difficult is it? This article will highlight the best ways in which parents can reintegrate and re engage with their children before they grow up too quickly.

Engage

As parents you have got to engage with your children during playtime in order to make it memorable and beneficial for them. It really shouldn’t be a chore to help your children emerge and grow into well behaved and socially aware children. I truly fear that we are creating an Ipad generation of children who don’t really know what to do in social situations and are only truly comfortable when they are playing on their latest app.

There are many innovative companies out there that can offer your children a new dimension to their playtime. A Girl for All Time creates life like dolls that come with personalized keepsakes and a novel. These educational dolls have dual benefits, they teach loyalty as well as the enrichment of your young child’s mind.

Parents need to be aware of the fact that their children, if they aren’t careful, will become robotic on their personalities and struggle to interact with people their own age. Send them outside to play football and allow them to join different teams in order to increase social interaction. They will thank you in the long run, believe me.

Limit their time

I believe there are benefits of electronic devices and am certainly not saying there should be a ban placed upon their use by parents. However I do believe that time spent on them should be limited each night. This will make your child value the time on them more as well as look to other ways of having fun, the old fashioned way.

I am calling parents to think back to their childhoods, there were no electronic devices and you didn’t turn out so bad did you?

Encourage activeness

Get your children active; encourage them to join clubs and teams and to play sport. It is the best way to get them on the move and making friends.

It is what they need from a young age and enriching their minds and bodies can give them the perfect base they need to grow up and flourish through school.

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://1d8a787de4174f1aa625-28a4b9047a732d2a8879bfd4a1538bd8.r56.cf3.rackcdn.com/TR_Pr14__19_01_10_227.jpg

Andrew is an author who has over 10 years industry experience. He specialises in advisory pieces aimed at parents.

How To Break A Habit

Habits can be positive and healthy. When a person turns exercise into a habit or waking at a certain time to be sure he or she makes it to work on time, without rushing into part of their routine, the resulting effects can reduce stress and lead to noticeable benefits.

In fact, it can be argued that most of life is habitual. Studies have shown that 50 percent of life is habitual: patterns before heading to bed, meal times, activities, phrases used during speech and even the way we relate to other people can all be considered habits.

But, habits can also be harmful and detrimental to our health. When drug and alcohol abuse become driving factors in our lives, or eating disorders become compulsory, habits can turn into negative compulsions that have negative consequences. These compulsions can become full blown additions.

While habits may seem difficult to break, it’s sometimes necessary to do so to avoid compulsory actions and life-controlling addictions. But, how does one go about breaking a habit?

Learn Your Cues

As shown in the 12 Palms video graphic, cues are categories of behaviors that lead to specific, habitual actions. Each person has different cues. Perhaps it’s a smell, like coworkers’ lunch choices that lead to negative or over eating habits. To others it may be stressors that lead to habits like nail biting or binge-drinking. To others, fatigue may be a cue that leads to a caffeine habit that eventually becomes something more.

If you’re looking to break a habit, learning, understanding and acknowledging your cues are a necessary part to making the change.

Interrupt Your Routine

By knowing your cues, you’ll be able to interrupt your routine (which generally leads to habitual behavior). When possible, learning to ignore or completely avoid the cues that lead to ne

James is a freelance writer and founder of InfoBros. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, cooking, and blogging about health, tech and communication.

A Day In The Life Of A Table

After spending 5 years in a storage unit, I finally received my great, great grandmothers table Sunday afternoon. Yesterday, i decided to give it a little TLC.

 

 

Armed with a piece of steel wool and not much of a clue, I set to work on the legs.

 

 

Shiny!

Rusty hands

 

 

Next was the table top

 

 

Five years of crud gone. A dirty cloth in it’s place.

 

The table was finished! Now to take it to it’s new home. Pride of place in my bedroom, as my sewing table!

The Week Ahead 9-15/09/2013

So, it is Sunday night and I am thinking ahead to the coming week. I have a few goals for this coming week so I thought I’d document them here.

*Run 3 times
*Blog about “real” topics twice (Including why I want to run three times this week!)
*Blog over at House, Home & Happiness at least twice
*Finish reading Run Like A Mother by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

I am trying not to over-commit this week, hence the somewhat limited list. I’ll be back to review my progress next Sunday and write a new list!

 

 

What are you doing this week?