Friday, July 27, 2018

Goals and Habit Tracker

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the company that constructed the Loop Habit Tracker or any other Apps that I mention here.  I have not been, and will not be, compensated for my comments here.  My opinions are my own!

Let's start with a quick check in on my goals for this year.

  • Prioritise my evening routine and sleep pattern: I'm still working on this one! 
  • Stop drinking soft drinks: WINNING!! I have soft drink about once every couple of months for very special occasions.  I don't even miss it. :) 
  • Complete a Bible activity and Pray everyday. WINNING! :)
  • Stretch. Working on it.  I have added cardio activity to my exercise routine as it's an easy way to keep everything moving and I will hopefully lose a little bit of weight, hopefully!  

 Tracking my Goals

As well as blogging about my goals I have found it helpful to monitor my goals in other ways too.  I started using the Loop Habit Tracker app to help me keep track of how much water I was drinking and how often I was reading my Bible.  I found it helpful and started using it for other things too!  Why did I find it so helpful and Why do I keep using it?
  1. It's so easy to use! You press the "+" sign to add a new habit/ goal you want to check.  You can give it a simple name or type it in the form of a question.
  2. Set a goal for how often you want to follow through with the habit- twice a day, 4 times a week, weekly, etc.
  3. Each time you follow through (e.g. go for a walk or exercise), open the app and hold down the check mark for the day which it highlights.  You can click back on previous days if you forget to open the app. 
  4. Click on the habit or question itself to see a line graph that shows progress, a calendar with shading for weeks when you reached your goal, and information about how many perfect weeks you have had.
  5. You can set reminders that will appear on your phone without opening the app.  Nice.
This graph shows the number of days each week
 that I drank at least 2L of water.

You still need to remember to use the app.  However, it's not complicated and you can choose to view the graphs and tables or easily ignore them.  This app has really helped me to stay motivated because I know when I have done the things I set goals to do.  It was also really great to have this available to show my physio when I visited recently.  He was able to see when I was exercising and we were able to discuss the data far more easily.  I like having something concrete like this.  I'm glad I found this app which is so simple to use.  I have tried other apps but found many of them were too complicated or had lots of bugs which made them frustrating to use.

At the end of the day, though, I would recommend that you find a system that works for you.  Cross out a day on a paper calendar, click an app, use a fitbit or similar (which apparently combines lots of data into one interface), move a magnet across the fridge or draw up your very own graph.  Find the system and use it.  I have found it so helpful to keeping me on track.

Happy Goal Kicking!



Friday, July 20, 2018

Aunties' Day 2018- Only 2 more Sleeps!!!!

This year, you have options.

#ExcitedMuch #AwesomeAunty #countdown
I am finding some conflicting information about Aunties' day this year, which I am going to take as more opportunities to honour the awesome Aunties in our lives!

Some websites are claiming Thursday 26 July 2018 is Aunties' and Uncles' Day, which will be observed in Australia and New Zealand as well as several other countries around the world.  Savvy Auntie - the website which originated Aunties' Day in USA, has saved the date as Sunday 22 July 2018.   If you want to learn more about why we celebrate Aunties' Day, check out these links:
Why Aunties Deserve a Day
Huff Post 25 Reasons Aunts Deserve a Day

Our family are celebrating Aunties' Day this Sunday - the 22 July!  I can't wait!  

Here are a few ideas for how you can celebrate with the Awesome Aunty in your life! Some of these are perfect, even if you can't manage to see her IRL on Sunday!
  • Make her a card... she loves your art work, especially if you took the time to create it yourself. 
  • Breakfast in Bed!  What a wonderful surprise she would have if some nieces and nephews appeared in her kitchen on Sunday morning.  
  • Party!! Enjoy some time together. 
  • Last year, my niece made a Pass the Parcel for the family to play together and as each person opened their layer, they had to say something awesome about me, or give me a hug or a high five, or say "I love you".  Best Game Ever! 
  • Gift card to her favourite store or restaurant. 
  • Make a collage of photos including nephews, nieces, activities you enjoy together, your Aunty/Uncle. 
  • Tell Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and all your social media channels about your Aunty/Uncle and why they are awesome.  Encourage others to comment about their own Awesome Aunties/ Uncles.  
  • Film a Video Message for your Aunty/ Uncle and send it to him/her. 
  • Video Chat or make a phone call! 
HAPPY AUNTIES' DAY!! 

Love 

Friday, July 13, 2018

I Love Ice Cream....

I love Ice Cream so much that I need to limit my consumption of it.  You see, given the opportunity, I would eat Ice Cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  These days, having made that decision, I only have Ice Cream when it really worth the effort.  No cheap 'ice confection' for me.  No sir!  If I'm going to have Ice Cream it had better be special edition!

When I stumbled upon Nitrogenie recently, I was happier than a kid in a candy store! You see, this is something I had only heard of and seeing it in real life, right before my eyes was very exciting. I had to try it.

Nitrogenie is an ice cream parlour with a twist.  They use real ingredients mixed with liquid nitrogen to make thick and creamy Ice Cream.  It's divine! This method of ice cream creation has existed for a little while, but now any kid with a tenner can have this glorious gourmet treat.  Check out the video to see how it's done.

Photo is of the delicious mint choc chip delight that I devoured last week.  Mmmmmm



Yummy, Yum, Yum.
Nitrogenie has stores all over the world.  Check it out!

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Postcard from Brisbane, QLD Australia

This week, I spent a few days in Brisbane.  I stayed in a 4 star hotel in a deluxe suite and I ate at a couple of fancy restaurants.  While I don't live far from the capital city of Queensland, my visits there are rare, So I put on my tourist hat and had a much needed 'holiday'.
Check out my recommendations of things to do.  I did some of these things during my stay.

My hotel was right across the road from Roma Street Parklands.  It is a beautiful place and you can easily spend a few hours wandering the pathways. In December, the Parklands come alive with a light display and nightly events.  There are often FREE events on during the day.  Click here for a map and information on the Family Friendly Activities/ Areas you can visit.
Just one corner of the Roma Street Parklands

The Museum of Brisbane: Level 3 of the Brisbane City Hall- not to be confused with the Queensland Museum on the other side of the Brisbane River- has some interesting exhibitions about the history of Brisbane as a city and admission is FREE! Exhibitions change regularly.

The Cultural Centre includes the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), The Queensland State Library, The Queensland Museum and Science Centre.  
There are shows on at QPAC most days and nights, with some FREE events on the weekend or during the school holidays.  Be sure to check out the website for show times.  I took a chance and the day I visited was the only day that week that there was nothing on! All the new shows started the next day!

I took a turn around the art gallery - there were several FREE exhibitions and tours as well as two paid exhibitions.  There are some lovely volunteers at the gallery who are always happy to answer your questions about any of the art. I had a good chat with one of the volunteers who noticed how a particular piece had caught my eye and she gave me quite the history lesson.  While it's a great place to visit on any day of the week, check the website to find out about special events and activities or projects for some extra fun and learning.  The Art Gallery has a cinema and installations of art in all types of media.

It's FREE to enter the Museum and Science Centre with an additional charge to enter some of the special exhibitions. The Science Centre is especially worth a visit as many of the displays are interactive!

Even the State Library has exhibitions and Events that are worth a look.  Especially for the book lovers out there.  Author Talks, Tours, Displays, Workshops and Events for kids are all there.  Just check the website to see what's on.
Brisbane's Cultural Centre at Night


Next to QPAC you will find The Wheel of Brisbane!  For the low price of $20 you can ride this giant Ferris Wheel in a fully enclosed and air conditioned gondola. Open from 10am to 10pm, you can see the 360 degree views of the city by day or night with an audio guide of the main sights.  There are packages and picnics available as well as options for special events and groups.  I went all by myself and it was a great view.  You go around the wheel 3-4 times and it takes 10-15 minutes. Of course, there is the waiting in line and the photo opportunities so allow more time for this activity.
Wheel of Brisbane

Keep walking along the River and explore the South Bank Parklands.  There are lots of places to grab a meal including the high end restaurants and more casual family dining offering a range of cuisines.  You can also enjoy a cruise on the Brisbane River which is a nice and relaxing way to see the historic buildings and other locations on the banks of the river.

I have barely scratched the surface of this buzzing city.  There are special events for children (school holidays) and for the adults; markets, comedy clubs, festivals, theatre and more.

Travel and Getting Around the City: The Spring Hill Loop (FREE), check out the BUZ buses that link the city and suburbs, run at 15- 30 minute intervals and stop at major locations in the city using the Busway. While it's easy enough to walk through the south bank parklands and around the Cultural Centre precinct, the CBD is basically on a big hill.  Many of the streets are one way and while some locations seem close by they are up some quite impossible hills.  If you aren't up for a hike, it might be easier to hop on a bus.  The City Hopper is FREE ferry service that moves up and down the Brisbane River.  Loop Buses are FREE and worth the trouble.  If in doubt, get an Uber.
The Brisbane City Hopper 

I know I might sound like I'm getting some kind of kickback or compensation from the Brisbane City Council for my comments here, but I'm not. My opinions are my own.  It surprises me that I live so close to some really wonderful things and I spend so much time on the couch.  There are plenty of reasons for that, but we won't go there today.  I'm just saying, I don't need to hop on a plane to have a good weekend!





Sunday, July 1, 2018

Happy July....

The holidays are here! Call me a happy camper.  The last few weeks at work were brutal, which should explain why I am a little late with this particular post. I am almost bursting with things I want to share with you the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

In other news... look what I made.

Isn't it pretty.  
Celebrate Friends Stamp of Approval 
by Catherine Pooler. 

More on that next time. :)