Insomnia

Ugh, its 3:30am and I'm still wide awake! We're meant to be getting up early and heading for the beach. Not sure if I'll make it. Perhaps if I'm not driving..... I love snoozing on the beach! It will be our 1st beach day for the summer and I can't wait. Mr S is doing a training ocean swim with a group he likes to swim with, eldest and youngest offspring will have a surf and middle offspring will stay home as she doesn't like the beach.
I've been flat out getting things finished off at work for the year but have finished and will be on holidays for a few weeks, it should be lovely. I'm going to catch up with girlfriends and daughters, do some craft and sewing, get to the beach as often as I can and read the stack of library books I have sitting on the piano.
We have had 3 functions in a row this week and its been very enjoyable. Youngest had her school presentation night and did extremely well receiving quite a few awards but not Dux as she has the previous 2 years. Apparently she missed out by 4 marks. She was quite pleased about that as she didn't want to get it again as she didn't want the notoriety and comments from her peers. I'm hoping she gets over that next year, not that we care if she gets it or not, I just like to see her doing her best and having a relatively good attitude and that had really slipped this year.
I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. We are helping out at a community/church lunch for disadvantaged families, it should be a ot of fun. Our family are organising the children's activities.
Eyelids are drooping so I'm off to bed, night all!

Pools, Formals and Federal Elections!

We've been super busy. Mr S is running in the election tomorrow, we had a big hole dug for a swimming pool on Monday and last night was middle offsprings year 12 formal to which parents were invited. Lots of fun but also lots of shopping etc to get ready for it. I could't find anything to wear despite numerous shopping trips until 2 days ago when I found a gorgeous dress, and to sweeten the discovery it was reduced by $130.00. Will try to organise a sneak peak for you, would you believe I didn't get any photos of myself as it was all about our little princess :)
In the meantime, here's our hole, it's a beauty!

Dieting and Shopping!

Just a quick update, nothing very exciting.... I'm still dieting but its become a bit of a slog, I'm persevering with it though. I figure a little bit of slow weight loss is better than none at all, especially with all the christmas festivities looming. In fact just staying the same weight is a plus at this time of the year.
I can't recall what I had lost the last time I posted about it but I have lost just over 18 kgs. I've come down from what we Aussies call "larger size" 18 to a normal size 14. And when I say normal, I'm talking about size 14's in ladies clothing stores not your little teenager stores where a size 14 is like a size 12!
Life has been hectic but fun. Middle daughter is graduating from high school,and we have been shopping for dresses and getting hair done etc.

Faith

During the school holidays we had the privilege of hosting a beautiful young lady from Uganda in our home. Her name is Faith and that is what she inspires when you hear her story. Her maternal Grandmother was murdered by rebels, her father became a pastor and her Auntie who had many friends abducted, raped tortured and murdered by rebels now runs a ministry that nurtures and heals young women who are able to escape from the rebels.
Faith told me how she basically grew up in a boarding school many days travel from her parents and with very little opportunity to contact them with no reliable mail or phone services. Her family come from an area called Gulu, where it is still unsafe for children. The african people refuse to join the rebels so to find recruits children are abducted, tortured and turned into killers themselves while still young. Children walk for many miles every night to find somewhere safe to sleep or if they are "lucky" they go to boarding school. Faith told me of fleeing into the jungle as even the boarding school came under attack one night during a war. Amidst gunshots and explosions she ran toward the river but was unable to cross it, so she hid in the jungle beside the river and when she awoke in the morning she had many, many mosquitoe bites all over her body and suffered very bad malaria many times while still a child and staying at boarding school with no-one to comfort her.
And yet despite all that she has suffered and witnessed, she radiates love, joy and peace and a sense of hope. She says that no matter what happens God is always faithful in protecting and providing for her and her family.
Just an amazing young woman. She is now in her mid twenties and working on her second and third Uni degrees!

We All Do It!

Something we've all done from time to time.....at least girls do, and I don't mean dribble!

Sliding into Summer!

I went for a lovely walk this evening with my youngest daughter. My kids all have such long legs that she had to practically take half steps so I could keep up, it gave us both a bit of a giggle.
I love this time of the year, beautiful warm evenings, so perfect for BBQ's and walks :)
Here is a pic I took, we live near a lake and as we were walking I looked across and saw this view, it looked twice as remarkable than the photo. There is a sports field that was lit up with bright lights giving a daylight affect in the trees, it was lovely.

Feeling Fine!

I had another go at shopping for new clothes yesterday, I was desperate, everything was looking so frumpy and big on me, I've dropped 3-4 dress sizes. Well, after a wobbly start earlier in the week I'm just letting you all know I've adjusted :)
The shopping trip was very successful, and I came home with 3 new outfits including shoes. Feeling great!