Have you ever told yourself, “I’m going to get myself fit!” I know I have. But you always wonder where to start? How much is enough or too much?
I’ve found a great link to some info that spells out the way to do it right. Have a look and see if this site answers all your questions about getting started. It’s never too late to get moving on your fitness!
Jamie Thompson – Fit 4 Life
I am not a ‘finance’ person….my husband despairs of me ever really knowing how to manage money….I am sure I could if I had to, but he’s so great at it so he gets the job. 
Having said that, my role within Fit 4 Life is to manage all the accounts. I was pretty freaked out at first as I have NO background in accounting at all.
With great trepidation I began to process our bills, donations and GST, all the while having minor freak outs. We started out using a software-based accounts package that was very thorough and did everything we needed, but was a bit daunting especially when I had to process all the bank statements manually.
After awhile, our accountant recommended that we switch to Xero. I was very reluctant as I had just got comfortable with what we were using and another change was daunting, but I did it and boy, I am so happy we changed.
Xero is a browser-based accounts package. It is modern, efficient and makes all those small tasks like reconciling bank statements a breeze! The reports are clear, we love the expense claim section that our staff can use and it has reduced the amount of time I have to spend on accounts freeing me up to do other things. Definitely a great package for any business.
Now, most of you won’t be needing to do accounts for a business or charity like I do, but Xero is also designed to help with household finances. I definitely found when we were using a computer programme to track our finances, I did a much better job of keeping to budget and our allocations. Xero would be a great asset to your household as well.
What’s so great about a browser-based programme is that you can be anywhere in the world, on any computer and still keep up with the accounts at home or work. So, if you’re looking for some help in your finances and keeping track, check out Xero and see if it’s for you.
Have a great day!
Christy – Fit 4 Life Staff and Accounts Manager
It’s that time of year again….Round the Bays!! It’s a fantastic experience to walk (or run) around the inner harbour inlets with 75,000 other people raising money for worthwhile charities.
Last year we had an awesome experience as a Fit 4 Life team and we’re looking forward to
this year’s event. If you’re a Fit 4 Life member or want to join our team, drop by Fit 4 Life and join in the fun!!
See you there!
I wrote some thoughts down about Whitney Houston’s death in my personal blog and thought I would share that link here.
Enjoy!
Christy – Fit 4 Life Staff
It’s a wonderful time of year especially in New Zealand where we are enjoying our summer holidays. We hope you’ve enjoyed the articles written by our staff this year and look forward to another year.
Fit 4 Life is growing by leaps and bounds and we’re very proud of all we have accomplished in the nearly 2 years since we opened. Above all we want to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ who came to offer forgiveness and the promise of spending eternity with God. What an amazing gift!!
Be safe over the holiday season, enjoy your friends and family and we’ll see you in 2012!!
With less than 5 days till Christmas to go, you are either sitting back relaxing, stoked that you did everything before the December madness or you are like me dashing around after work doing last minute baking, making Christmas cards/newsletters, shopping and wrapping gifts, putting up trees and trying to fit in catching up with friends and family before everyone goes away! Either way, I hope you have fun looking at some links I have below to inspire you with loving your friends and family to another level at your Christmas functions or parties you put on in the New Year.
One thing about me, you learn pretty fast if you know me, is that I’m a HUGE fan of Amy Atlas. She has inspired me to be able to love my friends to a gourmet Amy Atlas level. Here is her link to check her stuff out. Be sure to click on ‘eye candy’, to see all her beautiful featured tables.
I just love, admire and appreciate her style in catering for events so much. From her buntings to straws, cakepops, (which I learnt how to make this year, so will have to share some more on this on another blog!) fine detailed food tags to funky backdrops, cute packaging and the list goes on with everything all colour coordinated and matching!! Incredible!
Since it’s Christmas time, I thought you might like this link, a friend gave me from Amy Atlas’s site to a fun Kids Christmas party.
A highlight of this year for me, was receiving my very own “Amy Atlas table” created by my friend, Sarah for my birthday. I felt soooo loved and still remember the feeling of being in awe of the “gourmetness” and just overwhelmed that someone made it just for me! Thanks Sarah for going ALL OUT!! Note the amazing apothecary jars that were given to me as a gift that you can fill with all most anything and it makes it look even better.
A couple of months later my friend Christy and I were honoured to put on a special baby shower for Sarah and her miracle baby boy. I got to use all my new jars and stands and make it look like an Amy Atlas table.
For some other special friends, Marlon and Lily, I created a dessert table for their wedding. From Chocolate Mud cake with ganache layers to Red Velvet with Vanilla layers, Lemon cake with Lemon Curd, carrot cake w
ith cream cheese icing to Vanilla and Banana Cupcakes with Butter cream icing and rose buds and pearls on top, there was something there for everyone’s taste buds!
I’m putting on 2 baby showers before Christmas and I’m excited to use Amy Atlas-like straws that I adore. The red and white ones my favourite, however green and yellow are the colours for the sunflower theme. Since Sarah’s shower, I learned of this party store called Poppyseed. It has so many fun things in it, that you need an hour just to look at all the cute accessories and take it all in. So I have got a couple of fun yellow things (I was very self controlled) to make the table look gourmet and love my friends. So if you love the Amy Atlas style then check out the Poppyseed link for ideas that you can get from just around the corner. Online you can shop by product, colour, party packs, different themes, cupcakes and cupcake accessories.
Here’s a fun link to see how my favourite red and white straws have been made into a Christmas wreath. Gosh the ideas are endless!!
Hope some of these links inspire you to have some fun being creative in loving your friends and family.
Merry Christmas!
Kirstie – Fit 4 Life Staff
Christmas is coming and it is that time of the year again. Everything is all abuzz. I love it but I also can get in over my head trying to ‘do things’ rather than just enjoying the time for what it is. For me it means celebrating the birth of Christ, as Christ brings hope, new life and unconditional love to those who chose to believe.
I came across this great post yesterday, ‘Shifting our Perspective Back onto Hope‘ and it was a good reminder. Whether you have Christian beliefs or not, maybe this will be food for thought for you too.
I wish you a lovely end to the year, and a meaningfully Merry Christmas!
I am sometimes a bit of a geek when it comes to techno stuff. I don’t really own a lot of gadgets but I like to check out new stuff. Something I have been checking out from time to time is GPS watches. My wife is a runner and I had thought of getting her one, but at that time they were very large and cumbersome. I personally don’t run (at all) but I started researching again the other day because a friend of mine was looking for one.
I am not gonna give you any massive insights into which one to buy but they are way cooler than they used to be. I found this awesome blog that has very in depth reviews of a lot running technology. So if you are interested in running/fitness technology check out this site: http://www.dcrainmaker.com
Jason – Fit 4 Life Staff
Have you ever wondered how to keep your finances in order. How do I budget or plan for the future? I’ve found a great website that can be a great help with those of us who have a hard time keeping our heads above water with money! It’s called, Sorted and you can click on the following link to check it out. http://www.sorted.org.nz/home
I hope it will help you come to grips with your finances and get on the road to being stable and not stressing!
Jamie – Fit 4 Life Staff
Over the last four or five years, I have learned about friendship from a completely different angle. Up until then most of my friendships had been pretty fun, deep, but life was good and simple and enjoyable and my relationships reflected that.
Five, almost 6 years ago, my husband and I went through a four year ordeal at our former workplace, that rocked our world and changed our lives forever. It was hard and whilst we had each other, we also learned we had some amazing friends who stuck by us, who encouraged us and motivated us to keep on going and when things came to a head, they grieved with us and have helped us heal. I learned how amazing it is to have close friends share those most intimate and scary journeys that life presents from time to time.
In the midst of my own pain, some dear friends of ours began their journey with infertility…none of my standard answers or thoughts could have bring comfort or healing to their broken and wounded hearts as they endured medical procedures, pregnancy loss several times and the ache that was there every day….to hold their own baby in their arms. I learned to walk alongside giving comfort when I could, I learned that my standard answers were actually just annoying and hurtful and ignorant, I learned to listen, to cry and to encourage without giving false hope (I am still learning all this!). It’s hard being that person sometimes because we grieve and hurt, but it’s still not as deep as what our friend is going through. Then, I was able to rejoice with them when their precious son was born this year….what a wonderful day that was!! I was privileged to be present at his birth and to experience their amazement at what God had done…the miracle that He had provided. WOW!
But now, I am on another journey with a close friend and this one will not have a happy ending, this one is gut-wrenching, sorrowful, heart-breaking and sad beyond belief as my friend watches her beautiful 16 year old son suffer through terminal cancer. It was a shock when I found out in January (I’ve known her son since he was a baby), but then we had the hope of surgery and radiotherapy and it seemed like maybe, maybe there would be a joyful outcome, but then in September that dream was shattered. My heart broke for her and her family, and part of me wondered if I could be the person I needed to be for my friend. To be there through this most horrendous nightmare she experiences everyday.
I’ve learned a lot…..to cry with her, to pray with her, to hug her when she’s hurting, to go with her to appointments, to provide distraction when one is needed, to be her sounding board and emotional backstop and more than that to just be there and one day to be there when she farewells her son for the final time. It’s scary to be one of those friends that has to help her through this and everyday I feel inadequate, but she reassures me that just being there is what she needs most.
So, if you’re journeying with someone through a hard time…hang in there! It’s tough, but the joy of being able to be there for someone else you care about is huge. If you’re going through hard times, rely on your friends. They love you and care about you and want nothing more than to be there for you. And for those of you who are just ticking along….learn how to be a friend in those hard times….learn to listen, to care, to not give advice, to cry, to mourn and to rejoice. That’s what friends are really for!!
If you want to read a bit of my friend’s son’s story, then you can go to this article
Take care
Christy – Fit 4 Life Staff