My Three Things. Week 4.

My Three Things is a link-up which fellow parent blogger Claire began. The idea is that it works as a positive motivator to evaluate your week. Each week I list #3things that have not gone so well, #3things I would like to improve upon in the forthcoming week, and #3things that I have done well this week. The order is important as it is good to end on a positive note. So without further ado...

3 Things That Were Not So Good This Week.

• Preparing for back to school just did not happen! I have no excuse. There was just no motivation. I walked into Clarkes, immediately got angry that my buggy wouldn't even reach the children's shoe section because of the vast amount of fellow stressed out parents, and turned around and walked straight back out again! Yes, I know, it's likely to be even worse this week.
• We didn't get to the Think Tank museum as planned, hopefully, when I write next week's #3things, we'll have finally been there!
• I lost my rag at my Biggest L whilst in a queue at Drayton Manor and immediately felt guilty. She was noticeably huffing and puffing and queue jumpers...I have no idea where she got that from. So yes, I was to blame for the whole sorry incident. It was forgotten within 5 minutes though as the queue was short and the ride was fun! 

3 Things To Focus On Next Week.

• I'll try again... getting organised for back to school and uni. There's nothing like the last minute to motivate me into action...
• Still not sorted out everything that I need to sell on eBay. It's so much easier to chuck it into the cupboard under the stairs, Harry Potter style and forget about it. My purse, however, does not agree.
• The big one! It's time for POTTY TRAINING my smallest L! The though of it fills me with dread. If you have any tips or blog posts, then please feel free to share them with me. And wish me luck!

3 Things I've Done Well This Week.

• I've switched of the trash television shows (almost all of them!) and began my reading for university. Well I say began. I began in June but took rather a long break!
• Healthy Eating. I have finally got back in the zone. My Slimming World head is firmly screwed on. Eyes on the prize an' all that!
• Had a more or less lovely and successful day out at Drayton Manor with both of my Ls. The main thing is, we came away happy and exhausted, and my Little L cannot stop talking about Thomas Land. Here's a photo of my little monkey's riding Percy at Thomas Land...

Having a ride on Percy at Thomas Land.

My Three Things. Week 3.

Ok, so I've got to week three of My Three Things. I love writing these posts, they're not too time consuming and they're such a good way of evaluating your week without beating yourself up! The original link up came from Claire over at Confessions of a Single Parent Pessimist, so be sure to pop over to her and to say Hi and have a look at how her week has been too.

3 Things That Were Not So Good This Week.

• My diet: Healthy eating? Can't even remember what that is, even my body is craving a salad! Ate loads of junk, I deserve to feel like crap.
• Lost a friendship. Say no more.
• Not had enough money to get out of the house and visit places as much as I'd have liked to. Stuck in a bit of a rut for motivation and ideas of things to do that are suitable for us as a family. 

3 Things To Focus On  Next Week.

• Preparing for back to school! My biggest L starts secondary school in September, so although we have most of the uniform, we still need to get shoes, bags, coats, and of course they have to be the 'right' ones. So if anyone has any tips on what are the 'right' ones for senior school, (I'm thinking bags and shoes here), do let me know.
• Getting out and about more. I really want to get out of the house this week, so far we have a trip to Drayton Manor in the diary and also a visit to the Think Tank museum, which I am ashamed to say I have never been to, despite it being only a 15 minute drive away from home!
• Homework! Both my daughter and myself have work to be getting on with. Must buckle down this week!

3 Things I've Done Well This Week. 

• So I mentioned that I'd had my confirmation that I'd got into my first choice university last week. This week, I've had even more good news on that front. The university have awarded me and academic excellence scholarship, which I am both very proud and in great need of. I was so thankful when I received the phone call on Wednesday.
• Cat rescuing. I went back to my roots and got involved in a bit of animal rescue this week. Some poorly feral kittens needed a place to crash whilst they awaited a cattery space, or they would have been put to sleep. So they came to stay in our outhouse for a while. It made me realise how much I miss working with animals.
• I also managed to get a bit of gardening done this week. The 8 bin liners of garden waste are still waiting to be taken to the tip though. Oh well, it's a start!

Feel free to join in with #3things this week, and as always I love to read your comments and thoughts. Remember to give me any advice on secondary school must haves too! Thanks for reading. 

Confessions of a Single Parent Pessimist: Single Parent Spotlight: Rebecca Jones

Here is a post written by Claire over at Single Parent Pessimist, featuring yours truly! I enjoyed answering the questions, it made me focus on the positive things about single parenting.


Confessions of a Single Parent Pessimist: Single Parent Spotlight: Rebecca Jones: The aim of these interviews is to show how AMAZING us working single parents are.  I’m sick of seeing the bad press single parents get...

Slimming World, Instagram and my Buddy!

So, I've managed to get to day 3 and I haven't cheated once. I am determined to stay focused, and I'm keeping myself motivated by following other Slimming World member's successes.

Instagram, is a great place for Slimming World meal ideas and support from the #slimmingworldmafia (which is how they tag themselves). I try to post a photo of at least one meal a day. It gives me a visual reminder of how I'm getting on and it's great to see the 'likes' from slimmers. But it's the 'before and after' photos from other Slimming World members that I find so inspirational. I long to get to the stage where I can post my own 'before and after'. So every time I feel the need to get a treat from our 'goody cupboard', I grab my phone and nose at strangers photo's! I reminds me of why I'm doing what I'm doing. Here are some of my own photo's from Instagram this week:

Breakfast: Bacon, egg and chopped tomatoes

Lunch: Tuna, feta pasta and salad

Dinner: BBQ chicken, roasted peppers and onions, SW chips and salad

Snack Time: Green tea, Muller Light yoghurt.

To follow me on Instagram click here.

The other thing that is helping me greatly is a Slimming World buddy. My buddy happens to be a friend from college, although I know other people use a buddy that they've only 'met' and spoken to online.

I'm finding my buddy to be a great source of support. We're both mums, both mature students, we're the same age and the same weight. We also have a very similar backgrounds and gained weight due to the same reasons. We text each other several times throughout the day to discuss our meals, snacks and cravings. We motivate each other and talk about how well our day is going. If we feel like fall off the wagon, we drag the other back on! My other close friends are really supportive, but it is not the same as having someone to talk to who knows exactly what you're going through and how you're feeling. Not only that, but I think the friendship with my buddy and I is growing and growing and we'll remain close friends, even after reaching our targets.

Ok so it is only day 3, and I have a long way to go, but something feels different this time. Perhaps Instagram and my buddy are the difference? Either way, I'm going to stay on track and continue to share my journey with you, which sort of makes me feel like I have a responsibility to stick to it. As with all things in life, there will be ups and downs, but I'll document them honestly as honestly as I can.

You can find out more about Slimming World here.

As always I'd love to hear your opinions or advice. Feel free to post below.