The great juggling act !! On the grind for that (piece of) paper while stirring soups and changing diapers !!

Hey there, how are you?

I've missed you :) grab a cuppa this is a little long....

So this blog is a little bit different.... as you can see my last blog was over a month ago (I'm currently rolling my eyes back to last month so I'll just ignore that and carry on) It's because I've started up studying again...new goals and all! I have been studying on and off for the last 6 years, during that time I have worked and travelled got married and we gave birth to our second baby.

So a close friend of mine asked me to blog about it.
She wanted to know how I balance all the duties of running a household , working and still trying to be a decent wife and mum all while trying to get this PAPER (qualification). Before I get into it, I have to put a disclosure in here. These are my own experiences and what I've learnt from them there is no right or wrong !! It's purely just my experience and if it helps you .. AWESOME! If not ,sip that tea and read on its a cool story ha-ha.

THE BEGINNING:

So at the tender age of 18 where I should have been studying hard and enjoying my last year of school and gearing for exams and applying for UNI! I, instead did everything my parents raised me not to do HA! I met a (very) cute boy (now hubby) and.... well... cue the fireworks and rollercoaster's and BANG! We were blessed with the biggest lesson and reason of our lives, our baby boy Nio was born!! It was truly one of the best events of my life! And the rest is history!

And though I would never ever change a thing .. the facts were still clear as day, to the world, I was just another high school dropout teenager with a baby and to top it off I'm Polynesian... in other words.. THE ODDS WERE NOT IN MY FAVOUR! LOL
And to be honest.. I couldn't give a crap what society thought of me, it was always my perception of myself, what I wanted to look back at and be proud of achieving ! I love knowledge and have always craved it and I always knew I had to get back to the books!

And this is where my journey of studying began!!

It blows my mind what is available to us mums or everyone really. Gone are the days where "stay at home" mums or dads have to sacrifice their own personal goals, while trying to raise a family. With excellent childcare and government and or family support, we can still achieve what we want to do in life while still keeping the family close by!!

I chose the path of correspondence learning, simply because it allowed me to study when it suited me. It has allowed me to witness my kid's "firsts" which was so important for my husband and I. And while there are so many other options out there, you have to pick what works for you and what works for your family.

THE GRITTY TRUTH:

Ok... so let's clear something up real quick ..
Is this hard? Do you want to throw the towel in all the time? Is it true you don't sleep much? Is it hard to concentrate? Have you failed any papers? Does it take a LONG time to get your qualification? THE ANSWER IS YES TO ALL OF THE ABOVE! And believe me that is only half of it...
 
But guess what... is it possible? YES absolutely!! and is it worth it? HECK YES IT IS !!!
Why?  Because you can reinvent yourself and its yours! And even though you didn't take the cookie cutter way to get there ... you climbed a big mountain and moulded your own path and against the odds you achieved your goals with your growing family by your side. ( Can I get a AMEN or a handclap for that motivational vent..I KID )

Yes! It's true, this isn't for the faint hearted, it's hard, it take a lot of self drive and in my case a lot of support (from my husband). Most of my study takes place when all the family has gone to bed and it's just me and the computer. And even though the distractions of family life is fast asleep, (clean and fed ) there are other distractions:  SOCIAL MEDIA, THE DEADLY ADDICTIVE EVIL THAT IS CANDY CRUSH and don't forget that season of Scandal is waiting for you...
It never ends ha-ha! It's a never ending battle of trying to get in the zone and get things done, but somehow, slowly and surely I get things done!


WRAP IT UP:

So if you're thinking of taking on this mountain.. I say DO IT! GO for it!.... BUT... Do it for you, don't do it for others or to prove something. It has to be for you and it has to be something you really want!!  That is what has got me through the long nights and long days .. the secret is PASSION not PRIDE!
If you don't have the pre-entry requirements it takes for the qualification you want, dig deeper and ask; Where do you have to start? It might mean starting from the bottom, but hey, this is where PASSION comes into play and you cannot let PRIDE stand in the way of you getting to where you want to be. Another thing is TIME.. don't rush it, especially if you have work and young kids, do things part-time and do full-time only if you can!
Yes it is about the destination...but you can't get there with no petrol in your car, what I mean is that, you don't want to over work yourself and let everyone including yourself suffer!! Trust me I have been there and it's not pretty!

Take your time -THERE IS NO RUSH !

Last words.... remember do whatever makes you happy! Most of the time the only person standing in your way is yourself!


GOSH IF YOU MADE IT HERE!! I APPLAUD YOU !! REALLY, I AM CLAPPING MY HANDS!

Any who thank you for stopping by:)
Stay blessed and stay being you

Cat xx

Polynesian Vegan challenge/lifestyle update 17 days in ....

Hey there,

So last time I was just starting out and I honestly thought I would have updated on this sooner , but I have actually been busy just getting on with it ! 

Now I'm past half way and GUESS WHAT?  I ACTUALLY LOVE IT!! Honestly I don't think I will go back to the way I used to eat. I am totally addicted to this lifestyle and mostly it's because I have all this new found ENERGY!! I am 27 years old and for the last 7 years I have been feeling so drained..like all the time. I honestly didn't get it, I was always craving sleep ..to be honest I just thought I was lazy. But the last 17 days have been absolute magic!! Immediately I saw a difference in my energy levels and mood and even a mental difference! Not to mention all the clothes I had that were too tight are now either fitting me or getting loose!!! Whoop Whoop! 

All this was possible just by cutting out DAIRY and MEAT (of any kind) and anything that contains animal products!! It's crazy! What's more I don't even miss any of it!! This is coming from a person who didn't think a meal was complete without meat.. or the person that would eat seafood till she got sick....or the person that ate cheese with almost every single meal!! This is REAL and I still can't believe it! I read this quote the other day and it hit the nail on the head for me, it stated: 

"Vegans are like adults, you first hate them.. then you become one yourself and realise they were right all along" haha

Now....I have to be honest it's not easy at first! It takes a lot of planning and you do spend a lot  more time in the kitchen. You have to prep the food in your house before you give this a go, otherwise you are just setting yourself up to fail. You also have to do your homework and make sure you are purchasing food that is providing you with all the nutrients your body needs to function!! A good tip would be to visit  WWW.PETA.ORG where they provide you with a start kit on how to become a Vegan and I would also recommend to look up a good Vegan Nutrition Chart, print it out and pop it on your fridge!! Research recipes (there are endless vegan recipes out there ) stock up on spices, sauces and approved baking ingredients. Get prepped because being prepared is half the battle.

On the 5th day into this challenge, I did the unthinkable and gave all my meat away, it was easy but very emotional (maybe because it was $100 dollars worth of meat lol) it felt like I was closing a chapter in my life, something that I have never thought twice about and now I was starting a new one.

Day by day it just got easier and easier, and planning dinners became more exciting and the possibilities and choices felt endless..to top it off not once did meat come into mind. Pretty soon it went from a challenge to just us saying "this is the way we eat now". I say "us" because my brave hubby and two son's have being embarking on this new lifestyle with me! Goodness bless their souls.. I am super proud of them, and even more proud of the food that I am putting on the table! Proud because I know it's healthy, nutritious, filling and ETHICAL! And to top it off  my boys love it and believe me they are tough critics! Well they loved 90 percent of it, there was a meal or two I made that left us all saying YUCK!! LOL But hey that is part of the journey, we laughed it off ate it anyway and crossed it off our recipe collection.

Now I know being a Vegan is not just about the food I put in my mouth, but also what items I choose to buy like leather, fur, wool etc. To be honest, this is the only real struggle. Before this challenge I was pretty ignorant of it all, and therefore my closet is guilty of things that are not so vegan approved. However, I have made a rule that, I won't get rid of the items that I currently own, but going forward I have made a conscious effort to not buy anything that comes from a animal or is animal tested.

"I alone cannot change the world but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples" Mother Teresa

  

Apart from the personal and physical change I have noticed in myself..... I now really do feel a sense of responsibility for the life of others and all creatures in this world. Not that I didn't before but I feel like this has enhanced this feeling to a new level. This lifestyle has truly shown me that we can truly exist in this world without harming a soul! I have never felt more connected to this Earth!! Cheesy I know but it's how I truly feel!

Now a small disclosure, I am not declaring that I will never, ever consume meat or dairy products ever again! But I have made a huge leap in my life, where I am more conscious of the affect I have on the world I live in and to those I share it with. I can honestly say that I have never ever felt better in my life physically and mentally( and really why would I want to give that up!!) I do consider myself to now be PLANT STRONG!! What I can claim that this is a lifestyle choice and I intend to keep it up !!

I am excited to keep going and learn more !! 

If you want to give it a go ..I say GO FOR IT !! IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT!!

Any who that is me for now, thanks so much for reading !

Take care

Cat xx

The Polynesian Vegan (That sounds scary) 30 day trial - 3 days in ...

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by, ok, so this blog is all about me taking on "Veganism" for a whole month. Please note I am learning as I go, and in no way do I claim to be a readymade vegan master haha .I also live with three boys who love dairy, so if you pop over to my house you will still see food that is in no way vegan. But I am doing this challenge as best I can!!

If you are a poly yourself or know a Polynesian, you would know that food is a core part of our culture! In particular meat! It plays a core part in some of our customs. I, as a Tongan, can remember from before I could walk, the essential part a whole pig played in celebrating special occasions. Everything from births and marriages to deaths and visits of special relatives, a pig was always there to represent status or even to bring importance to the occasion. (There is a rich history here, unfortunately not on this blog lol) 

So the dreaded word "VEGAN" the word could make my grandmother label me MENTAL! Why? is the big question every time I mutter the word to someone. Before I give this answer I want to first explain how this whole lifestyle came in to mine. The first time I heard the word Vegan, was from my Aunt and Uncle in law who just decided to stop eating meat and take up Veganism. It totally freaked me out, I was like... is this a cult? The first thing that came into my mind was leaves, leaves and more leaves....not something I would ever be interested in. They spoke about how much it has changed their life in every aspect. And these are no hippies, in fact my Aunt's parents were actually Meat farmers! THE IRONY!!


Veganism is the doctrine that "man should live without exploiting animals" Pretty soon after studying it, it's pretty clear that it's not just about FOOD! Giving up meat and dairy was only half the deal! It also meant no more wooly clothing or anything that came from an animal( annnnd I JUST BOUGHT A DOPE WOOLY JACKET FACE PALM! ) This was going to be harder than I thought!

So the reason why I am taking this up is truly a mixture of things. One being that, I have a long list of close family members that have suffered from preventable diseases, such as heart disease, liver disease, colon cancer and diabetes and not to mention obesity !! I truly believe that diet could have played a big part in preventing these illnesses. Also after reading the devastation animal farms has on our environment is enough to blow your mind !! (LOOK IT UP) Also the damage animal fat does to our bodies and the disgusting extent that the industry put these poor animals through is heartbreaking.
I as a mother of two really want to give anything a go that makes a real difference to the world. And even if this is for only thirty days, I hope to educate myself and my family about what we put into our bodies! Basically, I just want to  be responsible for the food I cook and use to nourish my family and be proud of it!

I am really interested to see if there are any fellow vegans out there and anyone interested in giving it a go !! LET ME KNOW!! I will blog here and there about it and post some of our meal plans with pictures !! I have to say with only three days into it, I do see a huge difference in my energy levels and my anger levels have gone down lol I would have thought I would be more angry without any meat haha!! Any who the only thing I really miss is the 10 cups of tea with milk I use to have everyday....maybe this is a good thing! Wish me luck and thanks again for stopping by !!

Cat xx

P.s "Beyonce is a vegan" is what I keep telling myself when it gets hard haha

Keratin Treatment Vs Thermal Reconditioning PLUS NEW COMER - MAGIC SLEEK?

Hey, Hi

Just a little disclosure " I am in no way a professional hairdresser, this is only my experience and my personal preferences! "

So the dreaded before pics (eek).... The first pic is four years old and is one of few pics I have of my natural hair. At that point I only ever used a straightener ( GHD ) and also had the occasional blow wave. The next pic is a very recent photo. (4days ago) Here my hair has been treated with Thermal Reconditioning, and my roots have (over) grown about 4inches. As you can see, once you go straight your hair never comes back... unless you shave and re grow but I'm not looking to do a Britney anytime soon.

 

 Results

Thermal Reconditioning

 This photo is the after shot from receiving Thermal reconditioning. Also known as Japanese Hair Straightening. This process took close to eight hours to complete.... so pack a movie and food and cancel all appointments because this takes a LONG time to achieve. 

To break down the process it contains six steps (some may differ)

Step 1: Your hair is drenched with the product and is then left to sit. The idea is to let the chemical break the bond of your strands of your hair that create shape. The hairdresser will keep on applying the product to your hair till it is fully covered (touch ups)

Step 2:Rinse time 

Step 3: They then blow dry your hair straight and carefully and painstakingly get a small strand at a time and straighten your hair. At this point you will already be happy with the result. BUT WAIT there is more!

Step 4: They than re apply more of the product to your hair, covering it again like step one. This time they may leave it in a little longer and put your hair under a blow dryer machine.

Step 5: Rinse time 

Step 6: This is the final stage and is just a repeat of Step 3! Finally its done !

**It is then recommended not to wash your hair for the next 48 hours to let the chemical set.

Costs:

Varies $150s - $1000s +

Depending on your hair texture and length and also your choice of hairdresser.

My hair cost around $200

Warning: 

Please be sure of this procedure and re evaluate how much you dislike your curls....
Is it really that bad ? Are you ready to say goodbye for a very long time or maybe even forever?
 

•  Make sure you do not get your hair coloured before or after the process. If fact some hairdressers advise you keep away from colouring if you choose to do this procedure. You could loose your hair eek...

•  This procedure WILL CHANGE YOUR HAIR! It is permanent ,you can not undo it. If you spend all this money and time on it you can not go back to your curls. 

• It is very costly and you will need touch ups.Though the hair that is treated will be permanently straight, your hair regrowth will be your natural hair. This can leave your hair looking like my before pic on the left, which is awkward!

•   No volume it is pin straight! - it can look a little wiggish 

The great side to this is that its very low maintenance and easy to manage. You may or may not need a straightener to style it. It takes away so much time stressing over your hair!

Keratin Treatment

 

This is a after shot after Keratin Treatment also known as Brazilian Keratin Treatment. The procedure only took two hours to complete.

To break down the process it was a simple five steps.

Step 1:Hair wash or rinse

Step 2 : Application of product from root to bottom.

Step 3: Product is left in hair for 30mins or more under low heat with a hairdresser dryer.

Step 4: Hair is blow dried straight.

Step 5: Hair is than taken strand by strand and straightened with high heat to activate the product in your hair. 

It is then complete!! It is recommended to not wash your hair for the next 4 days. 

Costs:
Varies between $200 to $400 +

But there are heaps of deals to be had on Groupon or Grabone with prices as low as $89 with surcharges.  Just remember to book well ahead of time or be prepared to go during the week as there are never ever any weekend appointments unless you pay full price.


Warning:

• This hair procedure contains a chemical formaldehyde which is a known cancer-causing substance. (Wish I knew this before I went on with the procedure) Exposure to this substance can cause: Eye irritation and damage, including blindness.Nose irritation, including bloody noses. Skin sensitivity, rashes, and itching. Breathing difficulties, such as coughing and wheezing.



• Your normal hair will come back after you wash it, you need to activate it again with hot irons.
• The product is left in your hair so dry residue will be in your hair which can look like dandruff.
• You must use sulfate free shampoo to maintain this look.
• It is recommended to only wash your hair twice a week.
• It can also be costly as this only lasts a couple of months.

The great side to this is that it is not permanent and for at least 2 months there will be no frizz in your hair.
Your hair still has volume, and it can give you a more natural look.


MAGIC SLEEK??

So this is apparently the new straightening product! According to people's reviews (found on the Internet) it gives you the same results as the Keratin treatment. The huge difference being that it does not have the chemical FORMALDEHYDE!! I am super excited for this to hurry up and enter New Zealand!!
 

I, now looking back, to be honest wish I gave my hair more of a chance. I don't do these procedures all the time in fact I only go for a treatment once a year. I am currently trying to grow my natural hair out and just concentrating on fighting frizz. 


Any who whatever you do, really examine your relationship with your hair. Do you want a permanent change or just a temporary fight against frizz. Are your curls really that bad?  Do your homework!! And do what makes you happy!!


Cat xx

My Polynesian Hair -Thoughts and Shade

Hi, Hey!


When it comes to my personal self image I can honestly say I accept most of my flaws whether it be my big thighs or my awesome stretchmarks from my babies (rolls eyes ) I'm pretty happy or more accepting rather with it all apart from one thing ..................MY HAIR !!!

Its really thick...but not really. Its half curl half frizz and mostly just a big fro that can take up to an hour to untangle and brush. It has no body what so ever and it's dryer than the Sahara dessert! TO sum it up its just a pile of hot mess !!!

It's been my worst enemy since I can even remember. I don't know why I'm so self conscious about my hair, but it's sad to admit that I feel like a complete wild beast when I have it natural. Thinking back I don't actually think I have even one single moment in my whole life where I've remotely liked it. PRETTY PATHETIC seeing as that I should be lucky I even have hair !!(Thank you GOD) I do hope I get over this vanity stage and embrace it but to be honest I could never see that happening *working progress

"My mood depends on how good my hair looks" unknown

Wow how relevant is this statement to my life, it's very petty I am quite aware, but I decided three years ago that I would take the chemical route to permanently straight my hair. I haven't really looked back since. I have to say it has created a new sort of confidence in myself and I can enjoy myself and not be so held back by that insecure feeling. I figured if it truly improves my life for the better than why not ?

I will blog about the treatments I choose to use and what the side effects are and also what the cost and up keep is etc. It will be packed with before and after shots. (Oh dear lol)

Hopefully I'm not alone in this boat of hair issues lol But if you love what God gave you own it and embrace !!


CAT XX