Two weeks later…

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on March 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

I am really happy with my decision to stop blogging. I have made so many wonderful connections in the virtual world since starting my blogging journey over a year ago, but some balance was much needed and I know I’ve made a very good move.

This final post is just to let y’all know that you can still find The Mindful Mum on Facebook and I would love to see you over there! It’s an interactive page where I’ll keep sharing the things I find that keep me inspired and on my Mindful path, in the hope that they might inspire you too.

~ Pam ~

Isle of Skye, 2009

Posted in: Other Random Stuff | Tagged: Blogging, Facebook, Mindfulness, Photos, Travel Photos

I choose to disconnect

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on February 14, 2013 | 6 Comments

I was going to write a post this week about the genuine joys of aging, inspired by my last aquazumba class which was attended by some fabulously slim and energetic 18 year olds. I also intended to write my weekly Listmania post today. However, prompted by an article called How to Miss a Childhood, I am cutting down on my online time. Please have a read of the article if you have a mo, and let me know what you think. Judging by the feedback over at The Mindful Mum on Facebook and in my local mothers group online, as well as the comments on the post, a lot of mums, myself included, have found it pretty emotive.

I’m taking a break from blogging for a while. One thing I will really miss is being part of 52 Weeks of Grateful. Remembering to be grateful and making a conscious decision to start from a standpoint of gratitude rather than of dissatisfaction or desire when contemplating my life is one of the greatest lessons I have learned in this blogging journey. I am going to buy a very pretty notebook and turn it into an old-fashioned Gratitude Journal.

I will continue to be Mindful to the best of my ability. I may even finally get around to reading my dusty copy of Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World !

Life as the full-time stay at home mum of two little girls is just too busy for me to keep trying to stretch myself in so many directions, and reading that article has made me question my use of social media in general. While my use of my phone is nowhere near as extreme as that described described in the article, my social media time does warrant some analysis, and yesterday I pledged to only use Facebook when they’re both sleeping. By this afternoon in the back of my mind I’m thinking, there are other things I’d like to do with that down time than Facebook and blog. I love to read, why not just get the chores out of the way and read novels every single day, whenever I get a chance? I want to cook more and I’m always thinking I don’t have time. I want to learn more about Buddhism, but I never seem to have time to read Buddhism for Mothers of Young Children. But really, I can make time for whatever I choose.

I choose to disconnect. For a while at least.

Thank you for visiting The Mindful Mum 🙂

Posted in: Other Random Stuff | Tagged: Blogging, Buddhism for Mothers, Facebook, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Mindfulness in a Frantic World, SAHM, Social Media

I’m grateful 6/52

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on February 9, 2013 | 8 Comments

Firstly, I am grateful that both my girls are napping right now. Ah, the Golden Silence! And without napping girls, there can be no post, so without further ado…

This week I am grateful for the lovely area in which I live, that gives me so much pleasure when I am out pounding the pavements doing battle with the baby weight (and making promises to self about not baking any more delish biscuits from my new Vegie Smugglers ebook. Or at least, not gorging myself on them when I do!).

I used to exercise in the glorious in its own way City of Glasgow, Scotland. This could not be much further from that! All of these pics were taken on my smartphone while listening to very loud music and feeling very good indeed 🙂

I’m linking in with 52 Week s of Grateful hosted by Maxabella

Posted in: Gratitude | Tagged: 52 Weeks of Grateful, Health & Fitness, Photos, Walks

Listmania #3: Crushes Then & Now

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on February 7, 2013 | 16 Comments

This week’s Listmania prompt is, who was your biggest or most embarrassing crush? Who makes your heart go crazy these days (or is at least easy on the eyes)?

My list is very short! And easy, as the answer is one and the same to both questions: Jon Bon Jovi. Back in the 80’s, now, always and forever!

And I’m not embarrassed in the least 🙂

{photo credit: http://pinterest.com/pin/229050331020463460/)

{photo credit: http://pinterest.com/pin/97390410661599269/}

Linking in with Deb at Home Life Simplified for Listmania

Posted in: Other Random Stuff | Tagged: Crushes, Jon Bon Jovi, Listmania

I’m grateful 5/52

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on February 3, 2013 | 8 Comments

After a pretty hellish week at the coal face of parenting very small children, I suddenly arrive at Sunday and feel utterly at peace with my lot. Probably something to do with the fact that Sunday is our Saturday due to my husband’s work, so this is the start of our weekend. Plus, I got to go out and have my Me Time – a Metaqua class followed by an Ethiopian curry at the market followed by a proper coffee and a short stroll around the mall…all ALONE, gloriously alone 🙂

I’m grateful for my chunk of Me Time. Keeps me from descent into complete FT SAHM lunacy – today I shall just peer at it from afar.

I’m grateful that I get to live in a small town with a big cultural mix. Ethiopian curry at the market followed by coffee picked up at the new European-style deli/cafe today. I can have the best Thai food I’ve ever had outside of Thailand anytime, too. Oh and Vietnamese spring rolls. Indian butter chicken. German bratwurst. This is not a big place by most people’s standards, I think the population including outlying areas is only about 70,000. No Starbucks, no Myers etc. (thankfully!) Small enough that I can have a chat with the Ethiopian lady that made my curry, and bump into a friend while I’m eating it; small enough to have a good talk about cheese with the deli owner’s daughter and to know that every time I go into town chances are I’ll run into someone I know. But still with so very much to offer besides!

I’m grateful that my body is healthy and getting stronger by the day. I walked over 130k in January and I’m aiming for 150k in February. I’m grateful that I have legs that work, unsightly with thread veins though they are! I’d go bonkers if I didn’t exercise. I need the time out and the endorphins! I’m grateful that my husband supports me practically in my efforts to feel empowered and strong via daily exercise.

I’m grateful for my smartphone. I recently discovered the joys of Endomondo via a girlfriend and a group of us mums are doing monthly walking challenges. So motivating and also a lot of fun!

I am grateful for my lovely group of mummy friends and the way we support each other in our efforts to get and stay fit and healthy, and to bring up fit and healthy children.

I’m grateful for the many fabulous connections I’m making in the online world via blogging and Facebook pages. I am learning so much about health, happiness, motherhood, womanhood, possibilties, other worlds, other people’s experiences…

Today is a bloody good day. I’m grateful for that. And it’s not over yet!

I’m linking in with 52 Week s of Grateful hosted by Maxabella

Posted in: Gratitude | Tagged: 52 Weeks of Grateful, Blogging, Endomondo, Facebook, Food, Friendship, Gratitude, Health & Fitness, Me Time, Metaqua, Motherhood, SAHM, Walking

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on January 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

The fabulous Kat over at I Saw You Dancing has nominated me for this award. How lovely!! Thank you Kat 🙂 I discovered Kat’s blog last year when she was hosting Blogtoberfest, and then in December I also took part in Reverb12. Both wonderful projects, and I can’t wait to see what Kat has in store this year.

In keeping with the requirements of the award as stipulated by Kat, here are seven things you may not know about me:

I speak Spanish. Probably a bit rusty by now but if I went back (which I would love to do!), I could more than get by.
Before I became a SAHM I was a finance analyst for a large multinational. Very glad I am that no longer!
I think I’ll always be a backpacker at heart, and I very much hope to travel a whole lot more in the future.
I love (British, not Kiwi) Marmite (known as Our Mate here in Australia) and orange marmalade sandwiches. Yum! But perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea.
I was brought up heavily in the church (of Scotland, then Baptist), and I used to be a born again Christian. Now, I won’t have a bar of it, and I lean toward Buddhism, if anything. I really want to learn more about the Buddhism but it keeps getting put on the back burner, life gets in the way yadda yadda… So, I focus on my Mindfulness and that’s about all the spirituality stuff I can handle right now!
I’m an alcoholic, 10 years sober.
I am only 1.9 kilos away from my pre-pregnancy weight, and Miss A is 10 weeks on Friday. Woot!! Via clean eating and (admittedly a lot of) pavement pounding while still allowing myself the occasional treat. Very happy. Alas, I am rather further away from my pre-first-pregnancy weight 😉

My sidebar blogroll lists the blogs that are inspiring me right now. Which blogs inspire you? Please share!

Come and say hi on Facebook or Twitter!

Posted in: Other Random Stuff | Tagged: Alcoholism, Blogging, Buddhism, Pregnancy weight loss, Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Listmania #2: My Current Season

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on January 29, 2013 | 8 Comments

Currently, we are enjoying our Summer here on the Mid North Coast.

My Summer hates / lows:

It gets too bloody hot! Anything over about 30 degrees and I start to lose the plot; I’d so love to do more walks with the girls but it’s just been too hot and humid to bear it or be sun safe, especially with the baby being so small. Looking forward to term starting again, as while neither of the girls is in daycare, we will get our scheduled activities back, some of which are in places with beloved aircon. I never minded the heat when I was child-free. I didn’t mind it so much when I had one baby. Now, with two children, it’s making me into a crazy person – roll on Autumn!
It’s very light in the morning, which I love in principle but it does mean that Miss M wakes very early. I’ve been trying to beat her so I get some alone time of a morning, but she’s never far behind me, if not before me!
Bit of a wet spell going on at the moment. I am not much into cyclones of any category – ex or not, just the thought of one coming freaks me out. But, today we have almost clear skies, and Oswald has skipped us. Very thankful. And my thoughts are with those who have been so badly affected, some of them for the second time in as many years.

My Summer loves / highs:

My Summer Baby, obviously – Miss A born end of November 🙂
Blue skies and sunshine make me smile
It’s not cold – yay, I hate the cold! (yes, and the heat….fusspot!)
Fabulous seasonal produce e.g blueberries
Less washing because we wear less clothes, or in Miss M’s case, mostly none at all – my little streaker!

Linking in with Deb at Home Life Simplified for Listmania

Posted in: Other Random Stuff | Tagged: Listmania, Summer

I’m grateful 4/52

By Pam @TheMindfulMum on January 28, 2013 | 17 Comments

I’m sitting here feeling grateful that it’s not as blindingly hot as it has been, while also waiting for ex-tropical cyclone Oswald to come through the Mid North Coast. So, mixed feelings this afternoon!

I’m grateful that both my babies are napping right now, because it’s perfect weather for getting a bit of cabin fever, and two-year olds are not good with cabin fever. Nor are the parents of two-year olds.

I’m grateful we’re on a hill and so not at risk of flooding. Grateful that we are prepared – big shop done yesterday so we’re not going to run out of food while we wait it out!

I’m grateful that today is my husband’s day off and we’re all together while it’s going on. I know that we’re at low risk of major incident here at home, but since watching the Queensland floods on TV two years ago, I have become quite frightened of weather like this. I really realised how powerful Mother Nature is and how we tiny humans are in many cases so powerless against Her. I’m now working on not passing my fears onto my girls, and instead I plan to instill within them a healthy respect for their country’s climate and weather.

I’m still so very grateful that I get to bring my kids up in this wonderful country though, despite the extremes. When I think that in the UK you can sit under grey and rainy skies like this for months on end, well, I don’t know how I’d go bringing kids up over there, I’m bonkers enough as it is – a touch of SAD would tip me over the edge!

I’m linking in with 52 Week s of Grateful hosted by Maxabella