Blog
my musical journey
God has been taking me on a journey lately. Healing some hurts, lifting my burdens, replacing fear and mistrust with hope, joy and courage. I shared it with a group of people from my church the other day, and that I have no idea what’s coming, but I’m here for it! Here is the journey…
What does a day look like unschooling?
The days vary depending on the day and the week, but some of the regular activities include lego (and a lot of it!), board-games (a growing passion i’m so excited about!), play-doh, painting and drawing, and generally playing with toys.
Why would you choose Homeschooling?
So I started thinking more seriously about homeschooling. In true Erin fashion, I listened to podcasts, I started reading books, I met up with other homeschooling parents and talked to them online. I felt out the idea. I started thinking about what I need to make this happen. I also investigated the alternative.
Hiking the Rod Donald
It feels like forever ago now, but the weekend after we did Woolshed Creek we got out again, but this time for a day hike to the Rod Donald hut. I gotta admit, on the way there I wasn’t as relaxed as I’d like to be about the whole thing. Looking back I wish I had relaxed more too. We had plenty of time, and stopping to smell the roses, or in this case, throw the snowballs, made for a much more enjoyable journey, and more memorable for Benny too!
Marlborough Sounds Break Away
A few weeks back Benny and I joied one of my friends and her two year old for a few days in her family bach in the Marlborough sounds. The only way to get to the bach is to boat in, or walk three days on the Queen Charlotte track. There was no cell phone coverage there and no internet. It was bliss!
Exploring Woolshed Creek
Something I love to do is travel. I also love photography and want to get better at travel photography. Recently I’ve realised that we live in an amazing, beautiful country (duh!) and I can start working on improving my travel photography even without leaving the country. Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time is getting into hiking. When Dave suggested heading away to a hut recently, I jumped at the chance!
Essential Emotions
How often do we identify with something that isn’t actually part of who we are? I realised that I had been wearing my exhaustion like a coat. Holding it tight, unwilling to totally let go of it, even when it wasn’t actually serving me, it wasn’t actually something I wanted to identify with.
Handing over the Mask
Who are you, no, who are you really? Outside of what you post on social media, outside of that perfect facade you have on at work or in public. Who are you behind the mask? A few years back I was the master mask wearer!
Ground yourself
Grounding is a practice that involves connecting with the Earth's natural electrical charge by walking barefoot on the ground. Often in life, especially in winter, we wear shoes which insulate us from the grounding ability of the earth. We sleep in beds that prevent our connection, driving in cars that are insulated from the earth. Life is becoming more and more disconnected from the earth, and especially in winter! It is no wonder our body could see this as a deficiency.
I like to move it move it
I’ve realised just recently that I don’t actually do all that much exercise myself at the moment. While I’m not a total couch potato, I’m not actually where I want to be physically. I want to feel strong and good in my body. I know it will help my energy levels when I do it in a way that honours my body, and I want to be a good example to Benny. I also have a desire to get out exploring some of the incredible hikes around New Zealand and I know I need to be much stronger and have improved cardiovascular fitness to achieve that! So while I’m working out how it will all fit together, and developing the discipline to make movement part of my every day for me, not just when I’m teaching, here are some things I’m keeping in mind…
Living my best life, in Vietnam
Around this time 12 years ago i was winging my way to Vietnam. I was coming up to my 30th birthday and life was looking nothing like I expected it to. Something about 30 make me so aware that life hadn’t gone to plan, and I totally dreaded it, wanted to avoid it and run away. So I bought tickets to Vietnam, and turns out it was the best thing I could have done.
Six immune boosting tips
Your immune system is essential to staying well, and if you have a preschooler in the house like me, you need all the support you can get!! Especially over the winter, but honestly it seems like it is all year round at the moment.
Last night I started singing
But lately I’ve really started missing it. Something in me is crying out for music to be released again. I know it’ll take some intentional changes to bring music into my life, but hopefully through that music can start coming out of it too! It is a part of who i am. A part that has been neglected too long. I don’t want to make myself smaller, make myself less for the comfort of someone else any more, no matter how much i love them. I’ve done i before and it really doesn’t end well. I want to shine again. To let my heart song be heard again.
My top 5 tips to go from surviving to thriving this winter
I used to HATE winter! I would dread it and long for the spring to come. Especially the time I spent in England. Getting to work while it was dark, getting home when it was dark, the dark grey days with little hint of the sun. The thing that started getting me not hating winter so much, or even looking forward to it, was learning to snowboard. It gave me something to look forward to. While I know snowboarding is absolutely a luxury that isn’t within reach of many, I learned some important things through that experience. Here are some of the things I learned, that will hopefully help you survive, and even thrive this winter.
Embracing the Ups and Downs: Lessons from Relationship Challenges
Coming out I was broken. Completely and totally. So far from the person I was made to be, the person I wanted to be. I had completely lost my sparkle, and I didn’t even know how to dream any more.
What is Your Rich Life?
What is your rich life? Everyone has a different rich life and what appeals to me might not appeal to you, and vice versa. Clothes are not my thing. Neither is having a flash car. I don’t have to stay in fancy hotels or eat at the most epic restaurants. But travel, that is my rich life! Time with my family, definitely my rich life.
Hydration: The Fountain of Youth for Your Body and Mind
I was talking to one of my clients the other day about the importance of staying properly hydrated, and it got me thinking, not too many people understand what happens on a cellular level when you haven’t had enough to drink, or how electrolytes can be an important part of staying properly hydrated. So, here is your chemistry and biology lesson for the day!
Take me back to Africa
Eleven years ago I was exploring East Africa. While there hasn’t been much in the way of travel in my life lately it’s nice to look back and remember the adventures.
Te Whare Tapa Whā
Often times Western medicine has focused on the physical being and the treatment of disease, to the detriment of the other aspects of our being, but te whare tapa whā takes into account other elements that impact our health and wellbeing. It is basically the four walls or pillars of our house, our being. It shows an understanding that when one wall is negatively impacted, the whole house suffers. It is looking at the person as a whole. All walls or pillars in our life need to be strong for us to be our best self. All of these pillars are interlinked, and can affect each other.
Are we crazy?!?!
Are we crazy? Maybe. Depends on how you look at it. Why am I asking this? Well, my husband David and I are in the process of putting our house on the market and buying a caravan to live in full time.