Oh hey there! I'm still alive

I am still kicking!

Just in case you were wondering...which of course you were no doubt. 

I've kinda missed my little space here on the ol' internet.

It's been an interesting couple of months full of highs and lows.

I have literally become a space cadet. If something isn't written down that I need to do or go to...it probably won't get done/or attended. 

I missed church one week because I had in my mind we were still in the afternoon...4 months into the year. I am still paying for that one amongst people that already knew before now.

The masters is going fairly well. I still suck at doing assignments earlier enough so it's not a rush or a day or so late. Of course it doesn't help when your teacher changes the assignment a week before it's due and you only find out a couple of days before it's due. 

I also went and visited my brother and sister-in-law in QLD for a quick 5 day trip and loved it!

I wish they still lived closer...along with all my friends who have moved up there!

It was fun while it lasted, but alas reality reared its ugly head and I was forced to return to work and study yet again. If only money didn't rule our functioning ability. 

The boat is going fairly well. It's starting to get quite cold on board and reminds me of my previous freezing apartment at times. A heater is on my list of things to acquire. Until then my jumpers have become my best friends again!

Speaking of boat life, I really need to write more about the hilarious things that have happened since I've been here. All I'll say is there's nothing like sharing facilities with a bunch of strangers...

It sure is a life changing experience. 

Well this girl has work in the morning and is dying to get warm in bed. 

I really do need to write on here more often...it will happen...I'm even going to write it down so I don't forget!!

Gratitude Sunday

Where has the time gone?

It feels like forever since I wrote anything on here...and my posts tell me it's been a couple months since I wrote last. 

I've had the occasional blog post written in my head, but never got on the actually blog to write it.

I could have started this year off with a recap of my 2012, or what my goals for the year are, 

but I never got around to writing those either.

Some how I find it perfect that today is when I wrote again.

There is never enough gratitude to be expressed.

and with that being said, here's some things I am grateful for at the moment:

- Changes

- My calling with the Primary kids at church

- My time with the girls I babysat, which came to an end this past Thursday

- The home I have

- My family

- Work

- Clean water

- Downsizing

- Getting to start my teaching course soon

- Almost being 22

- Feeling like I am moving in the right direction

- Fun texts to and from my brother and sister in law

- Free feeds and the company that comes with it! (It's always appreciated)

- Music for every mood

- My lil bro getting his mission call (England London South Mission!)

- Good walks and chats

- New friends

- Holidays

and so much more...

Gratitude Sunday

I've been a little slack with my Gratitude Sunday posts of late unfortunately, so I thought it about time

I do one. I've kinda missed recapping the things I'm grateful for in my life.

My SIL's sister brought up a quote which said something like

"What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today?"

Pure brilliance right there if you ask me!

So here goes...I'm thankful for:

- All the extra work the past week and a bit has brought (despite my very tired body)

- Beautiful days to wake up to

- Friends moving into my ward

- My new calling in Primary with the children at church, because despite how tiring they can be, they are totally worth it :D

- a new netball season starting up again this week

- a few new goals I've set for myself

- Being on the way to saving a set amount by the end of the year

- An awesome fireside tonight

- Promptings to do things

- 2 full MnM dispenser for when I need a little chocolate hit

- My brand new overlocker machine :D and at a bargain price!!

- Having a quick catch up with the parentals before they went away

- Dinner dates with friends

- A new month of daily photo challenges to complete

- The wonderful discover of sandwich thins...they're perfect for me

- My home and safety while so many in other parts of the world have lost so much

There is always something to be grateful for! So what are you grateful for at the moment?

Gratitude Sunday

Hmmmm so it's been a few weeks! Time certainly does fly.

This week I am grateful for:

- My new calling at church working with the Primary kids

- Seeing my family this weekend

- Celebrating my little bro turning 18

- Daily photo challenge

- Extra work

- Getting to go to Sydney this coming weekend!

- Celebrating Lewie and Katrina's love...via a reception :D

- 'Date' night with Cat

- Good food

- Daylight savings...despite the 1hr less sleep I got

What are you grateful for this week?

Gratitude Sunday

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately.

I find when I stop and think about things, I realise just how grateful I am to be where I am in my life.

It's nice to occasionally just stop and think about everything that you have right now,

in this very moment. 

Lately I have been grateful for:

- Having a fair bit of work between my jobs, which helps me to be both pay for things and save for travel and other fun things I want to do

- Time with my family. No matter how brief it is, seeing them is worth the 6 hours round trip of driving

- The sunshine; it always lifts my mood

- Friends

- New ideas and inspiration

- Music

- Feeling the spirit

- The knowledge that I can be with my family forever, especially those who have moved on already

- The innocence of children

- One very happy, smiling little girl who I got to hold today

- Seeing others happy

- The ability to let go off some pain that I've been holding on to 

- Being alive

- The possibilities that the future can hold

What are you grateful for at the moment?

The 'good ole' days

You always hear people say 

"oh I wish it was like the good ole days"

or 

"that reminds me of the good ole days"

via

It's funny how getting back into things you used to enjoy, or when you eat something you haven't had in ages and remember how good it is that all these good memories come flooding back.

My dad has just taken over a pharmacy not too far from where I live and I have been helping out there this week. I used to work in his pharmacy, where my family lives, for about 4 years. 

I loved working there, so being back in a pharmacy and having the knowledge come back has been awesome.

My dad's been staying with me over the last week and it's been good having him around.

Working together we don't always do so well. 

We can both get very stubborn, but hey that's what families for right?! 

He also brought me some Reese's Pieces and a could treats from his latest trip to the states and boy do I like me some foreign chocolate! :D 

It's nice to enjoy the 'good ole days' once in a while!

Gratitude Sunday: Ode to Technology

This week I've really been thinking about how grateful I am for technology.

It not only allows me to have access to so much information at the quick press of a button,

but it allows me to be able to keep in contact with my family.

It's gotten to the point where my niece always tries to show me things with no matter what phone she has...which often ends hilariously.

Tonight she tried to use the home phone to show me that she was only one shoe.

After explaining that I couldn't see because it didn't have a camera, she huffed and took it over to my dad to try and 'fix' it. 

Alternatively she requested to see my on the 'puter'.

Enter facetime. 

I got to see my niece, little bro and dad. 

Though my niece is yet to master how to use the ipad properly so I can see her.

I swear she spends more time looking at herself then talking to me :D

I am so grateful that I live in this amazing time where we can feel connected to our loved ones all around the world.

I got to speak to various family members that are holidaying in the states over the last month and it's been fantastic.

Skype and Facetime have become my best friends in the technology world!

Here's to technology!

Guest Posts

While I wasn't writing much on here during July, I did stop by a couple of other blogs to throw my two cents into the mix.

Over at Along Abbey Road you can read about the night my sister, brother and niece stayed over and Darcey got a little gassy.

While over at Teatime Thoughts I shared a little about giving new foods a go while away on holiday

and included a bunch of photos of different food I ate in Japan. 

Go and have a little squiz if you feel so inclined :D 

Gratitude Sunday

It's been a couple weeks since I did one of these...so here goes.

Over the last month I have been grateful for:

- Having my little bro come and visit...a couple of times

- Building relationships with friends

- Having sunshine to break up the dreary winter weather

- New shoes...and the deals I got buying them

- Going old school and playing different boardgames with people

- Free weekly rentals from the video store

- SLEEP! Apparently we are best friends now

- Getting to watch bits of the olympics....some seriously amazing athletes out there!

- Reading stories of people doing the right thing and standing up for 

- A random late night chat with Dad while he has been in the United States

- Any extra work I can get

- Good hair days...they seriously just make it all better

- Chocolate

- Fresh water...seriously loving it at the moment

- My new phone

- Skype...THE BEST THING EVER!

- Mexican food...apparently I'm obsessed with it at the moment

- Getting in the Aussie spirit

- Tips that help me save just that little bit extra towards Europe

and finally

- New and exciting things in general

What are you grateful for at the moment?

30 Years

Today marks my parents 30th Wedding Anniversary!

I couldn't be happier for them.

It has been such a blessing to have my parents married my entire life.

It's been good to see that marriage can be a wonderful experience, but that there are also times when it can be a struggle and takes effort. 

Just like anything that is worth it, it takes effort.

To celebrate, we went out to dinner as a family last Friday.

Unfortunately one of my brothers and his wife couldn't be there, but hey they're on holiday :D

It was really nice to go out and enjoy a meal with my family.

I love the relationships that I have with them now. 

Sure we don't always get along, but things have gotten much better over the years.

My parents aren't huge fans of pictures and I didn't have a camera on the night so there isn't one of them, but I do have one of the gorgeous cake my SIL made.

and being that the 30th anniversary is celebrated with pearls, Dad gave mum some nice earrings.

Congratulations again Mum and Dad! 

Here's to 30 years of marriage and hopefully many more to come!

Gratitude Sunday

This week I am grateful for:

- Seeing my family

- Celebrating my parents 30th wedding anniversary

- Having fun with Janelle and Leah

- Finishing some of my post exam tasks

- Learning how to play a new game

- My car still holding out

- Enjoying holidays

- Extra sleep

- Fun sleepovers with my niece

- Giving things one more try before I have to accept defeat and walk away

- Little things that make it all worth it

- Perspective, perspective, perspective

- Life...and learning to work it all out as I go

Gratitude Sunday

This week I'm grateful for:

- Being able to spend quality time with people who care about me

- Seeing my family

- Having a warmish bed on these cold nights

- Getting good advice from people

- Seeing other's perspective

- Pinterest ideas

- Sunshine

- Moments that make things better

- Choc mud biscuits...they're just amazing!

- Sweet treats from my visiting teachers

Lazy Days

So I had my last exam on Friday and I've been enjoying the days since...without any guilt!

Sure I've been to work a couple of days...but only for a couple of hours each.

I was able to go home for almost a week and it was nice to chill out with them and have a few good chats with my siblings. It's funny how our relationships have changed over the years.

I've also loved the extra sleep...I get seriously stressed during exam time and don't sleep properly at all. It was nice to be normal again....somewhat anyway :D

Now that I've had a few lazy days, I am going to start working on a list of things I have been putting off or have wanted to do for ages but study got in the way of.

I have till the 11th of July to find out my results and so I am going to start getting on with it.

Starting with a few little presents for my pregnant friend.

I think I'm going to enjoy the holidays! :D

Except when not long after I wake up I hear a strange male voice in my apartment and walk out in my pj's to find a young electrician fixing my thermostat....that was slightly awkward :P

Other than that...bring it on!

Gratitude Sunday

This week I'm grateful for:

- Finishing exams!!

- Being home with family

- Getting into a more normal sleeping pattern again...stress does weird things to me!

- Being at Devonport Ward and seeing heaps of good friends I haven't seen in a long time

- Sunday roast dinner

- Heaters that work

- My niece not waking up too early when I was babysitting

- An amazing talk, that was exactly what I needed to hear

- 'finishing' my 101 in 1001...though I didn't complete everything

- My relationships with my siblings

- A lesson that had me thinking about what I could be doing more

- A little time to really relax :D

July Swappers

Are you interested in swapping buttons for July?

If you want to organise a different arrangement than the ones on my

Sponsor page, then let me know.

I'm open to changing things up.

Just send me an e-mail through to lisas.life.blog(at)gmail(dot)com

I've got my last exam tomorrow and then I'm heading up home and I'll get to see these cuties!

Almost a week of time with the family, don't mind if I do :D

Gratitude Sunday

Sooooo it's been a couple of weeks since I've done one of these...my bad!

Apparently I have been having too much fun the last couple of Sunday's with my family 

and their in-laws.

This week I am grateful for:

- Good music

- Family...especially the visit from my little bro this week

- Having another exam over

- A new tv show to watch...The Mentalist!

- Lunch with friends...at the awesome Burger Got Soul

- The beginning movie session of the Harry Potter marathon Janelle and I will be having over the next little while

- Fun afternoons with the girls I babysit

- Days at home on my own

- My clothes finally drying! All this rain doesn't help!

- My favourite lollies on special

- 24 hour Kmart...it's like home :P It has most things I need...no matter what time of day!

- The internet...for basically everything.

- Good food

- Making decisions and being happier for it :D

Phase 10

Have you ever played Phase 10?

I first played it with my brother and sister-in-law 2 weeks ago.
Then again on Sunday.

My winning hand first time around

Oh and last night I may have bought the app for my ipod :D

Just slightly addicted since the first time!

I like that it is fairly simple, yet requires you to constantly be thinking to not allow 

someone else an easy win.

I find that this game brings out both my good and very bad side. 

I am WAY too competitive! It's a problem...

The main point is...if you haven't played this game yet, go and try it.

It's too much fun not to play!

Gratitude Sunday...The Mother's Day edition

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there!

Not only the ones that have given birth to a child, but to people who raise other people's children too.

I love my Mama, but I also have other women in my life that have been like mother's to me.

I am so grateful to have the mother I do. She is just the right one for me. We've had our 'moments' but all the sweet moments wash those away. 

My mum is:

- the little lady (literally :P) that gives a lot of love

- the woman that gave me life...and carried me around for 9 months :D

- the one I can cry to

- the one who I can call anytime I need anything

- the woman who puts up with my father and his crazy adventures...for the past 30 years!

- the one who would try (often found her asleep on the couch) and stay up to make sure I got home ok when I worked the close shift until 2:30am

- the lady who *sometimes* lets me take pictures of her...none of which I can find right now! :'(

No matter what she will always be my mum!

I love you Victoria! :P he he he

Sorry I couldn't be home today!! Hopefully you had a wonderful day! 

Gratitude Sunday

This week I am grateful for:

- Fast breakers and firesides

- Honesty

- Seeing my sister, niece and nephew for a little bit

- My ice-cream 'date' with Maz before she left for Japan! Jealous... 

- Dinner and random hang outs with Janelle

- Laughter

- Goals for improvement

- Fun games with the YSA

- Having good work colleagues

- Water

- Seeing Lewie G...the post mission version

- Positivity

- Motivation

- Awesome lessons at church

- Time...it is both my friend and enemy

- Renewing my love for Bones...the tv show

Gratitude Sunday

This week I am grateful for:

- Chats with my Mum

- Autumn leaves and the beautiful changes

- Nerf gun attacks

- Scavenger hunts around Hobart

- Dinner with the girls coming up to YSA over the next year

- Playing cards with the brother and my SIL's family

- A bed and blanket to keep me warm on these horrible cold nights! 

- Tender mercies

- Music

- Seeing friends I haven't seen in a while 

- Spending an afternoon with a friend and her camera :D 

- Words of wisdom from others

- A new start each day to try and improve

- Goals to work towards

- Funny shows to keep me entertained

- An ok amount of tips to help pay for my stupid, extremely expensive parking fine! :'(

- A life to live