The Year That Was... A Time For Reflection

2012... What a year it has been! I feel like I was sitting at my PC just yesterday typing up a post about “New Years Revolutions”.

 I Wrote:

“Well, I’m starting my own revolution. It won’t matter to me if it catches on or not, but it’s something I want to do for myself.”

I also went on to say how 2012 will be the year I get fit. I can happily say that I have made progress along that line! I have been cycling on my stationary bike often, taking occasional walks with my Mom, and doing some serious fat-burning cardio as well as a few strength exercises. However, my greatest achievement this year would have to be taking control of my health and changing my eating habits. From the beginning of the year I wanted to lose weight so that I would no longer be classified as ‘overweight’ and enter the ‘healthy’ classification. I got off to a shaky start at the beginning of the year and with all the stress of 1^st year, I managed to pick up quite a bit of weight. With a lot of motivation, commitment and help from my mom, I managed to do a total 360 with my habits and achieved success!! At the end of September my mom and I decided to join Weigh-Less again. It was easy at first while I was determined to make the change, but got more challenging along the way. Nonetheless, as of Christmas day I have lost about 9kgs and my Mom about 7kgs. However, I think the festive season may have set me back a bit, but I’m determined to reach my goal of 12kgs early in the new year.

Sitting here and looking back on the past year, I can say with a smile on my face that it was a good one. Despite a few setbacks and upsetting circumstances that interrupted the good times, on a whole it was a successful year. I passed all my varsity courses (with good results that I wasn’t expecting). I feel like I have gained a whole new perspective on life and grown greatly as a person, discovering part of who I am this year and possibly where my life is headed. Although, I know change is inevitable. I’m not one who enjoys major change, yet in the past fear of minor changes has led me to take on even greater changes(who knows why? I’m different like that). But in this time of reflection I have decided to accept and treasure the change. Life can’t stay the same forever, which is why I’m making a deal with myself to treasure the moments I find myself in, and make my past worth remembering in 50 years time, when I sit in an armchair and tell stories of my past (kind of the way my grandparents do with me). I want to be able to say it was all worth it and that I enjoyed it. I want it to be worth sharing with future generations (if I’m so lucky to have that opportunity). I will be ever grateful.

And so, as we leave 2012 behind and venture on into a new year, let us go in with open hearts and open minds. Love more, laugh louder, and live with no regrets.

Happy New Year Readers!

May 2013 be Your year and bring all the love and success you deserve and may your dreams come true!

Before: September 2012

Now: December 2012

Cheers to 2013!!

Until next year,

Much Love,

<3 Nicole_Kayley

‘Tis The Season... To Be Busy!

So, it’s Christmas time again, yet it doesn't feel like it should be. Maybe I’m getting too old for the childish excitement of the season. And possibly because I bought all my own presents with my mom, the surprise is sort of no longer existent. Yet, I’m probably busier getting ready for Christmas than I am during a week of varsity deadlines.

With one week to go, I have managed to bake about 6 batches of cookies, a bunch of mini fruit cakes that I covered in fondant and decorated, and yesterday I covered and decorated my Granny’s Christmas cakes (not exactly the way Granny would have done it, but certainly Cake Boss quality- I can dream, can’t I?).

Mini Fruitcakes

The Main Attraction

So, now while I frantically try to learn how to play them traditional Christmas carols on the bass by Christmas Eve, I’m listening to Jeremy Camp’s Christmas album (‘Christmas-God With Us’) in search of that Christmas spirit. I’m sure it’s hanging around somewhere.

This may also be the last opportunity I get to blog before Christmas itself, so I want to wish all my readers an amazing festive season, a special Christmas and an incredible new year!! Remember, it’s not about the presents, but the meaning behind the holiday. This year I’m concentrating more on giving. Whether it is in giving my time to someone close to me or donating food and clothes to those strangers who face a very dark holiday season. I urge you to do the same. Take the time to think of others this festive season and do something kind. As big as a car load of old clothes and such, or as small as a simple compliment. We can all do it!

Rejoice! For God is with us!

Hallelujah, the King has come!

Here’s to 2013!

Until next time,

Keep Smiling!

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Clarens... My Future Home

For the long weekend in September, the six of us (Mom, Dad, Tiff, Daisy, Chris and Myself) packed up the car and made our way down to Clarens in the Free State. The whole purpose of our trip was for the MGB 50^th Anniversary. I don’t think I've ever seen my Dad so excited and in his element as he was walking around the town square in amongst all the MGBs that had driven down for the weekend.

I have decided that one day I want to live in Clarens. It is so beautiful and peaceful. We were there for a holiday last April for Easter when I fell in love with the small town and the house in which we stayed- Apricot Lane. In the town there are a number of quait art galleries, craft shops and eateries. One could spend hours just ambling around the town square. If the opportunity presents itself visiting Clarens is a must!!

It was a great and relaxing weekend, despite the hike we did up to the top of the mountain (as per Chris’s persistent request). It was all incredibly worth it as the view from the top was breath-taking! I decided to keep this post short and add a few pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!!

Apricot Lane <3

Chris and I at the top of the mountain

Apricot Lane is the Green roof to the left of red roofs in the middle of the picture

The four of us having a break on the mountain

The view from the top

We found this on the mountain

Having a blast on the trampoline

Jam-packed in the car

My Dad as happy as can be

Only a few of the cars on show in the square

Until next time,

<3  Nicole_Kayley

Hazyview... or Rainy-view?

During varsity holidays my parents, my boyfriend and I made our way to Hazyview in Mpumalanga. My mom was lucky enough to be given accommodation for the week at the Hazyview Cabanas resort. It was such a stunning place to stay. We were near to the pool and a short walk away from the Sabie river and Body Bliss Day Spa (which I’m happy to report that we did indeed visit).

We set out on the Monday morning and took our time on the road, stopping in Dullstroom for a walk along the main road and through a little craft shop which provided a recurring joke for the week, when we came across their “willy-warmers” (it was basically a mielie with a hole in the middle). Chris got a real kick out of it.  We arrived at the resort that afternoon and it was a lovely, hot day. After unpacking the car, the guys were determined to take a dip in the pool and they did just that! I, on the other hand, decided that the water was much too cold.

Tuesday morning we took it slow and after breakfast, took a walk down to the river at the bottom of the resort. It was so simple yet so beautiful at the same time and amazingly peaceful. We must have spent an hour and a half just taking pictures there. Chris was on a mission to jump on as many rocks as he possibly could in order to make it to the other side of the river with no success. Walking back, we stopped at the entertainment area near the spa and being out of season, it was so quiet as was the whole resort. Picking up ice-creams at the shop, we made it back to the chalet in time for a game of cards (and a nap for dad) before lunch. The weather was pretty lousy, overcast and rainy for the rest of the day, so we stayed indoors and relaxed for the afternoon.

Wednesday we dedicated to driving through the Kruger National Park. With the weather still not looking up, we didn’t think there would be many animals out for us to see. However, in the end the day turned out to be rather successful. We saw many millions of buck (maybe a tad over exaggerated), a bunch of birds, some buffalo, the much anticipated Hippos (which I was all too keen to see, and one even obeyed my request for a yawn and that Hippo-noise they make *you may laugh*). We only managed to see one lion, although it was out in the distance. I was really excited to see the Giraffe and I even named one Melman (hehehe...). We were seriously close to riding into a herd of about 40 elephant crossing the road. And the most amazing sighting all day was the Cheetah. It’s an interesting story, really. In short: Cheetah walking down middle of road, at least ten cars following it and Nicole hanging out of window with camera in absolute awe. It was the first Cheetah I have ever seen in the wild and it was a pretty amazing experience. Not too far down the road we were privileged enough to see a Cheetah right next to the road after just catching some prey. It was surreal.

Thursday went by in a blur. All I remember was being treated to an amazing 30 minute back and neck massage at the day spa (Thanks Mom and Dad!). More rainy weather and a drive down the main road to Hazyview town and up to my dad’s late aunt’s farm (I think that happened on Thursday- this was back in September, so forgive my terrible memory, please). The day ended with me reluctantly packing my bags.

Friday morning we loaded up the car and headed home in the most horrid storm heading out of Mpumalanga. After a much needed and most welcome relaxing week we made it home safely. I am so grateful for that week, and it was just the kind of break I needed to get me through the final term of the year.

Please enjoy some of the photos we took (yes, only some).

A small shop in Dullstroom, I took this photo for my Grampa, Bert

Posing by the trees next to the river

The herd of Elephant crossing the road

The babies were just too cute ^_^

My Hippo-friend

The Cheetah

The pack of cars that was following the Cheetah

It's Melman!

The Cheetah kill

I loved this turtle! He was probably as tall as me (okay maybe a little shorter)
His presence at the resort represents child-friendly facilities

Stopping for lunch on Monday

Rock jumping at the river

Until next time,

Keep smiling,

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Return of the Blogger

I am incredibly excited and happy to be back on my keyboard to bring you a new blog post! I was shocked when I logged into the blogger account and saw that my last post was the 26^th of July!! *hides face in shame*. But to be brutally honest I just haven’t had the time to blog. As desperately as I’ve wanted to and all the ideas I’ve come up with, I just never found the time. However, I shall be making it up to you in the next few weeks. I have so much to share about the past three and a half months... It’s crazy!

Since I last blogged, some interesting things have happened around here that I would love to share in more detail. So, it snowed all over South Africa, I did a bunch of tests and assignments, I surprised my boyfriend with a troll cake for his birthday, we took a trip to Hazyview, more assignments, a long weekend in Clarens, more tests and assignments, some work here and there, some music along the way, an inspirational Jo’burg skyline, I lost 5kgs and started exercising, four exams later, and I finally finished my first year of varsity yesterday! That’s basically the past three months in a whirlwind, but I will be sharing more in the next few days... so stick around! And I might throw in a Snapshot post or two as well... Don’t miss out!

I went back and read the last post I wrote and I was actually surprised with myself. Embarrassingly, I had forgotten what I had even written about, but upon reading it I felt a sense of pride and satisfaction. While writing a motivational post such as that one, I didn’t think of how I would stay true to my word. Everything I mentioned about being a postage stamp and getting there rings true to my final months of the varsity year. I am quite proud to say that I did just that! I put my mind to it, I worked hard and I came out stronger on the other side. I’m hoping you can say the same for yourselves. Let me know of your motivational success stories and post a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Keep your head up, and smile!

<3 Nicole_Kayley

Be Like A Postage Stamp

The second semester has started and I can already smell the smoke of a fried brain... Eek! However, I seem to have a very positive feeling about the next half of the year. Having settled into varsity life and found my bearings and a routine (although I still haven’t adapted to waking up at 5:30am yet...), I think on one hand it will be easier than the first semester, yet still  throw out a few curve balls along the way.

I’ve already begun frantically organising my calendar with deadlines and so forth, and even begun my first project. For now I’m ahead with all my reading material, and hoping to keep it that way! It’s a whole lot easier when you know what your lecturers are talking about.

While everything sounds like a walk in the park, I realised its only still the beginning and things are about to start picking up in the next two to three weeks. Today I noticed the quote I stuck up under my mirror last year to motivate myself throughout Matric:

 “Be like a postage stamp. Stick to it until you get there.” – Harvey Mackay,

 and I remembered the powerful motivating source it was for my final school year. That is why I decided to share it with all of you. It may be just the words you need right now. I certainly did, as I realised that if I just keep sticking to my ways and stay motivated, I can make it through anything and accomplish any obstacle life drops in my path. No matter how long the essay, complex the assignment or difficult the test paper, I can do it (shouts from the audience: “yes we can!” *insert laughs here*).  

That being your motivational post for the month, I wish you all the best in all your endeavours for the remainder of 2012. Be that postage stamp and you will get there!

All the best,

Much love and motivation,

Nicole_Kayley <3

Snap-Shot! (InVerse: Never Let Me Go!)

As promised, here are a few photos from our week at RMC's Holiday Club 2012!

Enjoy :-)

The Band Set-up

InVerse in our new T-shirts (Dave, Chris, Tiff, Nikki & Alex)

Team Ahoy!!

Team Argg!!

Help Team just, you know, helping out.

The Play Cast

The Help Team again...

Shaving Cream & Peanut Butter.... 'Nuff Said!

This Little Guy was just too precious... holds a special place in my heart.

Until next time,

Nicole_Kayley <3