5 Lists to survive the upcoming holiday Season

List making

The End-of-Year rush and busyness come with a lot of stress. Although December is a time to love, it is also a time of upheaval and being out of your comfort zone! You know it's near the end of the year, and there is some sort of overwhelm! It's holiday or no holiday! It's family time and friends' time! There's preparations, and sorting out some of the stuff that had been put on the back burner during the year.

I have a permanent feeling of anxiety, and when I try to pin-point the exact reason for it, it's not only one thing. The dietician told me this morning that "stress" is the number one complaint she hears from her clients. They are all stressed at the moment! (And of course the diets take a knock!)

The only way I know how to take control of the end-of-year madness is to make lists. Prioritize the important stuff and what needs to be done! It helps you feel more in control. I always enjoy Marcia's Instagram lists on Organising Queen. Check out her 3 Kinds of lists for your bullet journal. She is by far the List Queen!

Things that are not so nice about America - travel insights from San Antonio

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- The heat in summer. You can't spend too much time outside. With temperatures of over 30 degrees it gets very uncomfortable! A braai (barbecue) outside for the whole day is not possible! The heat and the mosquitos make it impossible!

- As much as there is the most wonderful food options available, I found myself saying "disgusting" many many times to all the processed and packaged options that are available! Where have you heard of a hamburger with a waffle on top with syrup accompanying it?

- Most of the coffee in the restaurants are not good! They also don't do cappuccinos very well. Starbucks gets my best vote!

- There were fireworks each and every night. The poor animals...

- The president did not deliver on his promises (say the locals).

- Although they celebrated their independence there were a lot of discussion going on in the blogosphere about the fact that they are not free!

- The education system is also not of the greatest. Teachers are not paid decent salaries, and home schooling and private education seem to be the way to go!

- They are still debating gay rights, although gay marriages are allowed since only very recently!

- The air con in all the buildings is a necessity, but it detaches from the outside world.


This is the best negative list I can come up with. The positives of America that we experienced in San Antonio still far outweigh the negatives.

It looks like a great lifestyle to be living!

Things we love about America - tourist insights about San Antonio

San Antonio residential suburbs from the air

We are still jet-lagged after we arrived back in South Africa from our two week holiday in San Antonio. We visited my brother who is staying and working there.

It has been a fantastic holiday and we had so many great experiences!

I feel the same way about America after I have watched Avatar and walked out of the movie theater. Earth did not look as great as the planet portrayed in the movie...
South Africa looks a lot less inviting now...


10 Things we love about America

1. Everything is BIG. The houses, the cars, the shops, the products, the food...

2. There are no fences and no security gates. It is safe there! We could walk in the middle of the city without eyeing every passersby with suspicion that they are going to grab our bags.

3. The streets are clean. They even had a campaign "Don't mess with Texas!", which are still reflected in badges and t-shirts and advertisements.

4. The people are extreme friendly, and a "Thank you!" is always met with a "You're welcome!" (No, we are not as friendly as they are, although we think we are!)

5.  The weather is HOT in summer, but there are air-con everywhere! (It's a hot humid temperature!) The sun also sets at about 9 pm in the evenings, which gives them a very long summer's day each day!

6. Everything works there. There is wifi in every restaurant, shop and even the cars have wifi. We stayed connected the whole time!
Online orders get delivered the next day, and you pick it up on your porch.

7. The shops have a huge variety to choose from. The biggest sizes imaginable are available!

8. The highways are going everywhere, and they are big! (No signs of tolls there!)

9. It is green everywhere in summer, and it feels like bush veld when you drive out of the city.

10. There are restaurants everywhere, and it seems the locals like frequenting them. We even had to wait early on a Monday morning to get a table at a favourite breakfast spot, The Pancake House!


They really have a great lifestyle going on there!



Related posts:

- Initial thoughts about America

- Wordless Wednesday #274 - NASA in Houston

10 things to love about load shedding and blackouts

A list of all the things that makes load shedding a positive thing!

I know that a lot of businesses suffer, and that there are people as well that suffer during these blackouts!
That is unforgivable!

But while the South Africans are getting our fair share of power outages, and we are dramatically declaring "Doomsday!" in all our discussions with each other, I thought I would focus on the "benefits".


10 Things to love about Blackouts:

1. Revelling in the quiet! 

We've got so much noise around us, that it actually feels like a relief to hear yourself when the white noise of the machines powers down.

2. Time for reconnection

There is nothing as good to sit with the family around candle light and talking. We can bond again!

3. Braai

This is a very good reason to start the fire for a barbecue. (Not that we need any excuse for a braai...)

4. Lighting

We can use all our candles that have gathered dust in the cupboards.
There is nothing as romantic sitting by candle light or bathing by candle light!
I love using my solar lights as well during this time!

5. Good excuse to not be able to study

When the power is down, we can't access our online study courses and MOOCs.
Getting a free pass for the night!

(Photo taken with a flash on Friday night)

6. Going to sleep early

There is nothing that makes us more sleepy than the dark. We have been going to bed earlier because of the load shedding.

7. Catch up on downloaded movies/series

We rarely get time to watch the downloaded movies and series, and load shedding gives us an opportunity to catch up on it. (While the batteries are still charged, of course!)

8. Watching stars

We can see a bit more of our starry sky here in the city when the power goes down.

9. Telling stories

We can tell stories to each other, and also when the children go to bed. It also adds to our bonding with each other.

10. Listening to music/radio

We can crank up the radios we don't usually play in the evenings, and we also take turns to play our favourite music (on our gadgets) to each other.


Please let me know of other things to love about load shedding?

My summer list

We went straight into summer this year, and of course it feels like everything is on fast forward by now...
Heather of One Step at a Time tagged me a while ago with this one.

1. What is your favourite thing about Summer?

The heat and the early sun and green grass and sitting outside and spending time outdoors... I love Summer!! It is my favourite season!

 2. Do you have a favourite Summer drink?

I have one favourite drink: Red Wine. In summer with a cube of ice!

Yes, this! #redwine #capetown #shiraz #Cloof

A photo posted by Karen Du Toit (@karentoittoit) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:33am PDT

3. Is there a location you like to go to each Summer?
Any place that's not home, but I prefer the beach!

Next time I am doing this, Cape Town! @ Garden Court De Waal pic.twitter.com/gA8b123pVO
— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) October 9, 2014

4. Is there a location you like to go to each Summer?
No, sometimes we go to the bush veld, and sometimes to the coast.
And sometimes we go camping. It does not matter!

5. Dresses or skirts?
Pants

6. Sandals or ballet pumps!
Sandals

7. Do you prefer to wear your hair up or down for Summer?
Always down

8. Deep smoky eyes or bold lips?
No, light make-up on both my eyes and lips.

9. Favourite perfume for Summer?
The perfume I have on my dressing table. It is different each time I get a new one!

10. Last but not least, favourite music for Summer?

It is an old song, but it has been remixed. Love this!




Please feel free to tag along!

What I would like to buy for Father's Day at the iStore #lovefromistoresa

I wish I could just walk into the any iStore and buy for all the fathers in my life some of these wonderful gifts.

I have a great father and father-in-law, and Hubby is the best father to our children.
I do not think we say thank you enough for what they have done for us and our children.


The gifting guide doesn't make it easy, but here goes my list: 

(For future reference: This can be a gifting guide for myself as well! (Not so subtle hint!))


1. A new iPad (more than the 16GB he has)

2. Any of the Knomo briefcases that they have in store.

3. The Fitbit Flex to keep track of his exercise routine.

4. An iHealth Blood pressure monitor.

5. The Apple TV.

6. A Tech 21 Protective Case.

7. An iTunes gift card.

8. An iStore Gift Card.

9. The Marshall Stanmore stereo speaker.

10. A MacBook Air.


Rattle and Mum compiled the complete list of Father's Day gifts that are available at the iStore. Head over there if you are still stumped for a Father's Day gift!


Disclaimer: I received two of these products from the iStore for Father's Day. 
Hubby will only know which two on Sunday. Thanks, iStore!

My Love List

Things I love
(Not listed in any particular order)

- Sunsets
- Flowers

- Anything to do with my daughters
- Anything to do with my husband
- Our two dogs
- Coming home at night after a long day at work
- Food prepared by Hubby
- Coffee
- Red wine
- Browsing in a book shop
- Browsing in a liquor store at the red wine shelves especially
- My iPad and my phone
- gadgets
- apps
- Archives
- Libraries
- Books
- Coffee shops
- Restaurants
- Eating out
- Braais
- Reading
- Internet surfing
- Internet research
- Coffee dates with friends
- Family gatherings
- When my children are happy
- Romantic comedies
- Movies on the big screen
- Blogging and reading other blogs
- Twitter
- Vacations with my family - anywhere, but especially the beach
- Poetry
- Toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches
- Date nights with Hubby
- The winter sun
- Listening to music

I saw the love/hate list over at Lynette's My Life Perfectly Imperfect-blog who followed it from Allie's footsteps.

It is good to see how many things there are on the list!
It is also a work in progress...

Maybe I will work on the hate list, maybe not... I prefer to spend my energy here!


Please let me know when you have compiled your own lists?

Rhetorical questions for dieters

Dieting is hard! Real hard!
It's been four weeks and it is going s-l-o-w!

There are some rhetorical questions I have found that help me when motivation is low.

Rhetorical questions for dieters:


- Where does this food looks the best: on my plate or on my hips?

- Will I feel better staying in the office or going to gym during lunch-time?

- What is the best choice on the menu: salad or a burger?

- Will it make a difference if I eat this cookie now?

- Will the next glass of red wine taste as delicious as the first?

- What should I drink that is the most healthy: water or wine? (Substitute: Water or coffee? Herbal tea or coffee?)

- Does going to the gym makes me faster than a coach potato, even though I only clock up 2 kilometres in 20 minutes? (As seen on Keep calm and run)

- Should I just give up when the needle doesn't want to budge on the scale?

- Does it help to make this healthier food choice?


If you have any more questions I can add, it would be great!