Life Lately

Things have been pretty quiet on my blog recently, and I thought I would let you know I am still around! I have been dealing with a few health issues, which have taken their toll on my energy level, and I also have a new job so I have been doing training for that. With longer daytime hours, social events, days where I am in a lot of pain and also day-to-day planning of our family calendar, time to sit at the computer and type has been rare.

Here is a quick overview of what I have been up to- and I would love to hear what you have been doing as well!

I celebrated my birthday at the end of October, which meant a long overdue dinner date with my other half. We went to a local restaurant that has superb gluten free food, and then met up with some friends for the local quiz night.



I also spent Labour Weekend studying up for a fundraiser quiz night, which my team won! Quiz nights have become my new thing since my drama rehearsals have finished, and the bar tabs help!



Since I have a new job, my morning playgroup has finished, which I am really sad about as Adam and I loved going. He was happy with his dragon face paint on his last day, and he was very spoilt with a lovely goodbye gift and chocolate cake.



I got into the Halloween spirit with a group of friends, heading to the local pub for a dress up evening with great music, bar tabs up for grabs, and Halloween themed drinks. I went along as a Day of the Dead Senorita and enjoyed a few skeleton cocktails, as well as having a good boogie.



In the weekend we also took the the time to celebrate Guy Fawkes with a BBQ and sparklers! My boys have been very hesitant about fireworks in the past, but this year they loved making shapes in the air with sparklers and watching the fireworks when it got dark. I enjoyed sitting back and watching my kids play with the other children, and it was so nice to catch up with one of my goo friends who has also been unwell.



As you can see, I have been focusing on family and friends over the last month as the weather warms up. Having a health scare has made me realise what is important, and making memories is a huge priority for me.

My health is still not 100% and I have a few more investigations planned, but in the meantime I am looking forward to preparing for the Christmas rush, Lucas' birthday, getting comfortable with my new job, and finally sharing more blog posts!

A Man of Substance

I have been very lucky to have a close relationship with my dad- both growing up and now that I am an adult.


He was pretty hands on for my early years when he wasn't working, and I have lots of memories of fun weekends with him and the rest of my family.



As the youngest (by five minutes) of four children, my Dad still took the time to have one-on-one time with me throughout my childhood. He definitely was busy with work, and I remember annoying him with my constant requests to go on bike rides!



We continued to be close even through my parent's divorce, and even though we lived apart through the last couple of years of my schooling and some of my university years, I still saw him regularly. I remember he would drop everything if I needed him, even if I was a six hour drive away.

My Dad gave me away on my wedding day eight years ago, after making sure my future husband lived up to his standards!



I lived in different cities and different countries from 16 to my mid twenties, but have now ended up living just down the street from my Dad. We have coffee together at least once a week, and it is so nice knowing that he is only a couple of minutes away if I need anything.



Now, my Dad is an awesome Granddad to my two sons. He isn't afraid to get down to their level and play with them, joining in with their games and doing lots of piggyback rides.



He was so excited when he found out I was going to be a mum, as he had been told I would lever have children. I know he was a bit shocked at first, as it took a while to sink in, but he loves my two boys and it is great being able to see him a lot so that my boys have another strong male role model in their lives.



We might have different tastes when it comes to music and cars, but we both love running and have done a lot of events together such as The Color Run- even the torrential rain didn't stop us from smiling and having a great time.



I know that I am very lucky to have my dad close by, and it is awesome to be able to see him all the time. I think that Dads don't get a lot of recognition, and so I wanted to share some reasons why my relationship with mine is so special. My Dad is definitely a Man of Substance!

Tommy John has chosen NFL legend Steve Weatherford as their first annual Man of Substance. He embodies characteristics that should be celebrated- family oriented, confident and a deep care for his community. This month, Tommy John will be donating 10% of all second skin boxer brief sales towards the Steve Weatherford World Champion Foundation.

Who is your Man of Substance? Let me know in the comments below!

Appreciating my Family for NFCM

As some of you may be aware, I recently took a short break from my blogging to focus on my health. I had laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis removal in January, where steps were also taken to treat some of my symptoms. However, these symptoms continued, and in some cases worsened, and the only other option was a major surgical procedure. The incidental discovery of a rare rectus sheath hernia was also found, and so it was agreed that I have the hernia repair and a hysterectomy at the same time, requiring a full cut along my abdomen.

This was major surgery, and I had my doubts. I was worried that I would be away from my boys for so long, how my recovery would be, and there were also the fears of going under general anesthetic. I am no stranger to surgeries, having had major hip surgeries as well as three other laparoscopies, but each time I still get nervous. However, my symptoms had forced me to stop exercising, and some days I couldn't even leave the house. For two weeks out of every month I was in constant pain, and when I couldn't even walk my son to school and back I knew that something had to be done. The surgery was booked in, and I started to prepare for my hospital stay.

You can imagine that this is not something I can recover from overnight, and in fact I spent an entire week in hospital recuperating. Throughout this time, my family pulled together to help with meals, looking after my two boys and making sure that I still had everything I needed to be comfortable.



November is National Family Caregiver Month, and I wanted to highlight how important family can be when you are dealing with illness. I am so grateful to my husband for being the parent at home for the next few weeks, and he did an amazing job while I was in hospital. He still is doing most of the work around the house as well as helping with the boys, and I cannot give him enough credit.

My parents and in-laws have also been amazing, helping with transport, meals and housework. Sometimes just having company is enough, and a cup of tea with my mum is guaranteed to get me to forget about my pain for a while. My mother-in-law especially has been so helpful, taking time away from her day to help out and make sure I have everything I need.

I am taking each day as it comes, and hope to be back on my feet by Christmas!

I am truly amazed at the amount of people who look after their spouses, parents or other family members long-term. Six weeks seems like a long time for me, but those who do it every day are often under-appreciated and may not have the help of anyone else nearby. I am lucky in that I will recover with time, whereas others may have to deal with a lifelong illness or a sudden diagnosis that brings about major change to normal life.

I also wanted to share the story of Heather Von St. James, who made me aware of National Family Caregiver Month. This woman is so strong, and her health journey had me in tears. If you have a moment, I encourage you to read her story and find out why she is now fighting to change the law. Her journey with mesothelioma is a tough one, and she now devotes her time to advocating for those affected by this devastating cancer and helping inform others of the dangers of asbestos. This is particularly poignant here in Christchurch, where a lot of houses are being renovated or demolished without thoughts for the dangers of asbestos.

My blogging will be back to normal this week, as I can at least sit down and type now without being in pain. Feel free to come say hi on Facebook or Instagram!