The Cappuccino Challenge

The Cappuccino Challenge

"Please order your drink as a TAKE AWAY today, (or use one of those thermos flasks) and go for a 20 minute walk.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a gal in glam heels, a guy in smart work shoes, trainers, slops, barefoot or in cool "Converse's". This is about a quiet walk wherever you happen to be right now.

NO cell phone on your ear, no one to talk to, just YOU and your thoughts, feelings and body responses as you wander….

Give yourself permission to look with "beginner's eyes" and imagine this is the very first time you are seeing this environment. If it is your usual hangout, start looking for things you have never noticed before, noticing how you find yourself responding on the inside.

Notice your breath and your body as you move.

Keep asking yourself "What do I love about what I’m seeing and feeling right now?" BE PRESENT. "

I started doing Kate Emmerson's "THE CAPPUCCINO CHALLENGE" - Fall in love with your real self in 30 days - from the weekend. She gave it as a birthday present on her own birthday!


Today's challenge was DIFFICULT! It is not supposed to be that hard? To be able shut down/open up for 20 minutes?

My notes for today:

- I went and bought the take-away coffee, as it is really one of my favourite spoils. It's pay-day also, after all!
- I bought a packet of Lays potato crisps as well! (Why? I was not hungry! Another spoil! And judging myself for it!)
- I contemplated walking outside, but it is chilly today. I am not in a mood for looking over my shoulder or watching out for criminals, so I went to the internal court-yard at work.
- There was a bit of sun-shine, and clouds overhead.
- I thought of getting a picture of the buildings with the clouds. (Sorry for picking up the phone when I was not supposed to!) But my phone's battery went, and it bothered me for the rest of the 15 minutes outside.
- I was thinking about everything to be thankful for: The clouds, the sky, my job and the fact that I have a job, things looking up for my husband, my family that I enjoy going home to,...
- I was feeling the chill in the air, and thinking about winter approaching. I do not like winter! But told myself just now to change my mindset, as I do every year. To embrace winter! (Maybe this year I will enjoy winter more?)
- Seeing the buildings all around, the buzz of the air-cons, and people sitting around and smoking. I am not supposed to be judging any of it, but feeling stifled in that environment. I told myself to just be aware of it!
- BUT I could still leave there with a sense of gratefulness that I am able to take my lunch-time, and that my salary was paid in today.
- I am happy, healthy and this year is going to be one for the books!
- Also thinking: I should BE PRESENT!

This was difficult, thank you very much, Kate Emmerson!
BUT! It's supposed to be difficult!
I am looking forward to each day's challenge!

I AM going to shift something of myself this year!
I will keep you posted if this challenge is going to shift me!


Please tell me how you change something in your life? Do you purposefully work on it? Do you write it down?

Grateful for this blog!

On this Monday I am grateful for this blog.

I have been contemplating what to do about this specific blog and if I should continue blogging here. I was thinking that I reach another horrifying milestone in age (guess what?) this year, and that the blog title would not fit anymore. Little Miss is also older, and would not appreciate me sharing about her life so much!

At this stage I still love blogging, and I still love this little space on the Inter-webs.


I am grateful about the MomAgain@40 blog:

- I have a journal of our life with our family and the new addition who added so much more colour to our lives! I would have forgotten so many good times, experiences and anecdotes of Little Miss growing up if it were not for this space.

- I have met many great fellow bloggers and parenting bloggers who taught me so much on my own parenting journey. If I needed advice, it always came through on this blog.

- Little Miss had a few challenges at her first week at a new school. I got a call from a fellow Mom blogger who arranged a play date on Friday afternoon. Not only did Little Miss met a fellow school pupil at her new school whom she could play with at school, but I also have a fellow Mom to help me navigate the new school! Thank you, Louisa, it means so much to us!

- I get to attend some great events, such as Hoener met die Rooi Skoene Premiere, through this little blog.

- I get to test new apps and sometimes gadgets which I would not have known were it not for this blog.

- I still use Blogger, and it has been a most stable platform for years! I have not had any issues. It's also free! (FREE!)

- This blog has taught me so much (social media, technical), and has broaden my horizons and my connections!



For now I am thankful for this Blog! The title will still cover me for a few years to come. I am a mother who had her second child over the age of forty! I am an older mother! That won't change!
This year I will look at how I share about Little Miss, but this blog is still intrinsically about how she came to change our lives. And how parenting has changed globally, and has changed us!


Why are you still blogging?

Glass full

Screen print from #Aleppo on Twitter

The ongoing tragedy of Aleppo and so many refugees worldwide struggling over this Christmas period get to me. As a mother it's horrifying watching the videos and clips on social media! Watching a boy cry for his dad that was just killed... I can't!! I am thinking about the children and how it must be being stuck in situations like that!

I am sure we have no idea!!

I am trying to tell Little Miss to not always recount her half empty glass of woe! She's got nothing to complain about! I try telling her about the situation the children - with their parents - find themselves in, but I can see that she does not really understand. I will also not complain anymore about my holiday blues after we have had our holiday break already! How utterly selfish of us!

The Huffington Post came up with a list of organisations we can donate to.
There's much more if you do a search!

This end of year I will be focusing on gratitude!

How do I teach her being more grateful?
I will go search for ideas to put in a blog post!
Your inputs will be greatly appreciated!

Yes! for 2016

Here we come!

Of course this holiday has raced to an end, and I did not do everything I wanted to do the last week of 2015!

2016, you are starting us off with a to-do list!

I uses this blog as a way to look back on a year. That makes me realize each time that I have more to be thankful for than a few disappointments and low budgets! We have family and we have good times together!

I have found my new word of the year 2016! 

It will be YES!

YES to new opportunities!

Saying YES to everything coming my way!

I don't have specific plans for 2016! Yet! 

But I will say YES to Life!

What is your word for 2016?


Related post:

Joy for 2014

A weekend from hell that made us feel very grateful!

The lamp pole in question

We got a call near midnight on Thursday night. The Student was in an accident, and she was still sitting in the car waiting for the ambulance. They were driving on an unknown dark corner of Potch, and there was a turn in the road and the lamp pole jumped in front of them! The car went on it's side before it landed on the wheels again. Unfortunately it was on my daughter's side of the car!

She told us that she knew immediately her arm is broken when she saw it behind her and had to bring it forward...

It was hectic! As a parent you want to jump in the car and race to the scene. But she is a one and half hours away! Luckily we kept talking to her and the friend who was with her in the accident. They kept us in the loop while getting into an ambulance until they were admitted to hospital.

My default mode is going into scold mode before I am able to process it: "What are you doing out so late?" And "Why don't you use the maps on your phone when you know you are prone to get lost?" (She and the friend have lost their way before...)
But if is only for the first few seconds of processing this information...
We were worried and could not sleep!

We got in the car at 6 am on Friday because we thought she would be operated on already at 8 am! Little Miss had to tag along because we did not know if we would be able to fetch her the afternoon. Just as well, because we had to wait until 6 pm for the operation and she only came out of the operating theater after 8 pm on Friday night!

The bones and muscles in the elbow had to be reattached and she has 8 screws and 2 plates in her left elbow!

We could go and fetch her yesterday and she is recuperating at home for the week!

There is so much we are grateful for:

- Except for the arm, both the students are fine! The car is written off!

- The seat belts and airbags saved their lives! There are huge glass pieces sticking into the air bags. They have minimal scratches!

- Medical Aid made everything so much easier. The ambulance took her to a private hospital where she got great care! I did not have to worry about paying exorbitant fees! Everything was covered!

- Student friends allowed us to stay over in their flat for the Friday night! That helped immensely after we left the hospital at ten on Friday night. We stayed until we were sure she was ok.

- Student friends brought her clothes and gifts and visited The Student during the course of the weekend!

- A nice old lady in the same room in hospital who took care of The Student while we could not be around!

- The personnel and staff at Medi-Clinic in Potchefstroom did a great job! Dr Hattingh needs a special mention! It seems he knows what he is doing! He also came to talk to us and her on several occasions and kept us informed. He is also very happy with the operation and believes she will regain the use of her arm!

- It's the left arm that's affected!

- This week The Student also does not have classes and she can stay at home!


Now we have an Iron Woman in our midst!


Do anyone know where we can buy a cover for an arm in plaster?
Apparently Dischem does not stock it anymore and I have phoned one pharmacy at a hospital who also do not have it in stock.

Thankful for great fathers

Father's Day card made at school

Little Miss is very lucky to have a great dad and two grandfathers in her life!
We also got to spend time with both grandfathers this weekend.
It is a blessing indeed!

Father's Day card for Oupa James

My father, Oupa James, was and is a wonderful supporting father and grandfather who is always willing to help! He is always on the go doing something for someone, or working in his garden! Running (he can't walk slowly) is how we know him, and you will always find him first at an event! That's why he is still active and loves spending time with the family! He is always game when we want to visit, and he gave up his church service yesterday morning to have breakfast with us!

Oupa James second from left next to my mum

Oupa Dries, Hubby's father, also got to spend the day with his children and grandchildren. We don't see him that often, but he loves seeing his seven grandchildren! He is also still very much active in the lives of his grandchildren which stays nearer to him!

All of Oupa Dries's grandchildren 

Father's Day card for Dad

Little Miss is very lucky to have a great Dad who does everything a modern day dad is supposed to be doing. He is a truly hands-on dad who is there for his children! He also is a great dad to the eldest who calls him "Dad" as well! He is always willing to help and drive her around!

A Father's Day is important, because it reminds us again of how grateful we should be for having great dads in our lives!

I have an experience from a previous life where the same could not be said, and that's why I am truly grateful that I am able to say thank you to the fathers each year!


Father's Day certificates printed from yourparenting.co.za

Too many Mother's Days?

Is it possible that we can have too many Mother's Days? According to my Mother, Yes!
We should not even bother about her on Sunday...

What can you say to that? (*sigh*)

This week I want to say how grateful I am for my mother, and mothers in general!

I am linking up with Bron at Maxabella loves, who has moved her Grateful for... to Village Voices



I am even grateful to the MIL.
If it was not for her, I would not have had the pleasure of having the Hubby in my life, and I would not have had the opportunity myself to be the mother again of a wonderful little girl!

Some people hate the idea of a day set up specifically for Mother's, and say that we should be thankful to our mothers every day. But I love the idea of a specific day to honour the people that are important to us.

A Mother's Day is also a way of starting a tradition in a family which we all look forward to each year!

Thanks, Mom!
I only realised how much you had done for us when I had my own kids.
There is a lot of stuff that we took for granted, and thought it was part of being a Mom.
But it is a daily choice to be there for your kids and support them in all their endeavours!
We have been lucky for all the support all through the years!
We also knew we could count on you when we needed you!

Last night Mom and Dad watched after the little one while we attended a show.
Although they were both sick and looked like they both should stay in bed, they were willing to help out. Luckily the show did not last that long...
A big thank you!

Grateful for 2012

52 Weeks of Grateful

I am linking up with Maxabella Loves and Kidspot with their weekly 52 weeks of Grateful.for this year.

There is nothing that self-motivates and aspires than a grateful attitude and perspective on life.
I am copying what Maxabella Loves says about "noticing better" (her words):

I’m Bron from Maxabella loves... and years ago I started writing down three things every week that made me feel grateful. Just plain grateful, nothing special. However, the power of gratitude to lift and inspire is amazing and before long I realised that I was living my life looking for things to be positive about. Even in the midst of a slow or difficult week, I would feel hopeful, energised and just bloody lucky to be here. One way or another, being grateful just changed the way I look at life.

This week I am... Grateful for 2012!

A New Year is overwhelming, and has the ability to knock you down with responsibilities and routine and  stuff to do...

The word for this week Beginnings fits in perfectly with being grateful about 2012. 
A New Year of New Beginnings! 
A New Year of starting afresh. 

I am always saying that I love new beginnings, and that we are allowed to make as many new beginnings that changes our lives and us for the better. 
My first blog post "Mom blogging"  states that it is all about new beginnings...
If I did not make a new beginning in a previous life, I would have "drowned" in a situation that was intolerable! 

The Toddler started her year at a new pre-primary school. She loves it already because she did not want to leave this afternoon!

The student in our home is leaving for varsity for a whole new exciting adventure!

Hubby and me will have a different family life this year as well...
Minus a family member... More time? We will see!
We have personal and physical and financial and spiritual and emotional and intellectual goals to set, and some to change this year!

Whoop-whoop! 2012! You are going to be great year!
Let the NEW begin!

Nearly taken out by a bus

I turned left into a road on Wednesday, and was confronted by a Metro bus coming straight at me in my lane...

The bus was trying to take out a taxi which was in the other lane, and it gave no inclination of going back into its own lane! I had to reverse back into the street from where I turned!

It happened extremely fast, and I did not even had time to look back if there was a car behind me.
I started to reverse knowing that it would be better for me to do that, than being hit by the oncoming bus!

It was a harrowing experience!

In a matter of split seconds my life could have changed, or it could have been the end!


Afterwards I sat there, my knees shaking!

Our existence here are very fragile...


Thank you for another day!


(Picture: Microsoft clip art: Bus)