Sunrises and pirate ships

As a typical mum, I have low to NO time to myself. My days are full of my children and dancing and swimming and cooking/cleaning/taxiing and occassionally my husband.... and a few months ago I was really feeling the strain of it all. I have also been battling my weight ( again Im blaming the kids) and so I decided to forgo sleep and get up early and walk.
To begin with, I walked the streets. Boring as all heck, I quickly began to jump in the car and drive to walk the beaches, fearing my new found enthusiasm would wane if I didnt make it interesting.
And so, I started walking the beaches... every day, at stupid 6 O'clock. And every SINGLE day, I am greeted with a show like no other. Sunrise. Every day its totally different. Everyday I am totally amazed at the colours, the reflections, the show that is put on for pretty much just me.

When that alarm goes off at 6, I admit, its crap. Lately Ive been sick and we've now hit winter too so its cold and dark, and to add to all that, this whole week its been raining. But everyday, I get my arse out of bed before I change my mind and head to the beach. I come home a different mum, a different person, I come back ME. With my own thoughts and plans, with a clear head and happy heart.
At first, I was selfish and kept the image of my sunrises to myself. But being the keen photographer it wasnt long before I was whipping out the iPhone to try and capture it. Failing miserably due to the phones incapability, I began to take my own camera, sluggin it on my back to walk and click at the same time.

So I have set up a facebook page called Karina Baker Photography. Its a step in the right direction, its a step to doing more with my work. The images will be for sale to buy for your own wall, ( my neighbour will be my first sale as I captured sunrise on the day her granddaughter was born last week) and hopefully it will take off!

Go check it out!

Today was wet again so it was indoor play for tweedle dee and tweedle dum :) I needed something that was fun and different today so we set up the beach tent inside! Both kids thought this was fantastic and spend ages turning into a rocket, a cubby, a submarine, and a movie cinema :) Such easy fun.

During rest time today, I gave Jared a harder task to complete with me. We were going to create a pirate ship by cutting out paper. Its very product orientated but I think its ok to do that sometimes. I drew the lines on the paper and he began to cut. One of his biggest problems is that he gives up really easily so he took alot of encouragement to keep going. Once he started to see how it was going to work out he became more excited and focussed.

Once finished, I encouraged him to write his name ( something we have worked on for the last two weeks) and they he told me he'd made it for Jumeirah :)

How do you take time out?? Whether you are a parent or not ( I know some of you who read this arent parents as yet) time for yourself is really important.

I dare you to get up early tomorrow and see sunrise :)