Because you're amazing

Today there is no product pushing, no before and after pics, and no baby pictures. Today is about you, all of you and me.

Let me start by saying that I’ve never thought that there is anything wrong with me, I like who I am and who I’ve become. Sure, I need to lose weight but I’m doing it for me and my health. Not for vanity or to please anyone. I’ve gotten very lucky in life to have a husband who loves me, a beautiful daughter, a supportive family and amazing friends along the way.

Recently I’ve noticed a lot of fat “shamming,” I’m not afraid to laugh at myself and make little jokes but in no way am I serious. We are all amazing. Please be proud of who you are.

Sure, I’ve let myself go a little but I’m not ashamed. I’m proud that I could carry a child as long as I did. I’m proud that my body was able to bounce back after going through such a traumatic experience and I’m proud that I’ve gathered the strength to come back even stronger than before.

I want all of you to not be down on yourselves for the things that make you human and who you are. So what if you decided to eat a candy bar. It’s totally okay, that one candy bar is not going to derail everything. It’s okay to be human and it’s okay to fall down sometimes. It’s taken me a long time to accept that. I tend to be a bit of a type A and be a bit of a control freak, but sometimes you just have to let it all go. Do not think that you are not good enough for someone because 9 times out of 10, you’re too good for them.  If you have to change your standards and beliefs to be accepted, it’s not worth it.

You are amazing. Maybe I don’t know all of you personally or if I did, maybe we’re not so close anymore, but be amazing, be the change and do it for you.

Just remember that you are strong, amazing, and unstoppable.  

Shameless Food Pushing

I’ve never really believed in food in bar form…. I’ve always said that if God had intended for food to be in bar form he would have made it that way. I’ve mostly stayed with this philosophy, sometimes eating a KIND bar, but never really giving into that protein bar craze. Until now.

This is a Quest Bar and the cookie dough flavor just changed my life. Like, for real. Sorry that it's half eaten. 

I had read about them on other blogger’s sites and decided the other day that I would give in and try one. Like I said, life changing. Mainly because they don’t taste like your average protein bar, you know, like chalk. Plus, you can nibble on this bad boy all day and it still tastes great.

I’m just impressed. Product pushingly impressed. I don’t normally product push, yeah I drink my advocare Sparks and I swear by them but this is FOOD…. And it tastes like a fricken cookie.

Okay, Quest Bar excitement over… for now…. Until I find another flavor I like. Muhahahahaha….

I try to watch my language on here but can I just say that yesterday was Hell. Pure and total hell. I am a firm believer that full moons and 3 day weekends bring out the crazies. Regardless, I put on my big girl panties and a freakishly scary smile and was chipper all day, but all I really wanted was to have someone wash my hair and tell me that I’m great.

On a side note… for everyone who reads my blog, Thank you. I have had a couple people tell me recently that they read this and it just brightens my day. I started this blog for my own piece of mind and now I have people to take the journey with me. There are days that I feel alone and then someone tells me that they’ve read my blog, it just makes my day.

...like a Kardashian.

From the time I was 5 years old to at least 21, I wanted one thing: to be a movie star. I love acting, I love art and all of the technical aspects of the theatre and movies. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that Hollywood was a challenge and it was primarily smoke and mirrors, nothing was as it appeared to be.

I spent my Saturday morning doing something I never thought I’d do…. Watching the Kardashians. To be completely honest I’ve never really cared for them, they have too much money for their own good but I learned a few things from them during the 5 hours (that I’ll never get back) invested in them: fame is dangerous. You pay an awful price for being famous; your privacy. Sure, I get on here and broadcast my personal opinions and thoughts but it’s not something I wouldn’t say out loud if given the chance. People like the Kardashians can’t even sit on their porch in the morning and enjoy their coffee in their pajamas, looking disheveled, without someone capturing it on camera. I couldn’t live like that.

However, if there is one thing to admire about the Kardashians it’s their drive. These women just don’t take “no” for an answer and that’s admirable. In a sense, I want to be like them. I want to believe that I can do anything, take no prisoners and be unstoppable.

Meanwhile, this happened at my nephew's first birthday

My baby has hair!!!

And some people can't cut it at the Memorial Day cookout! 

Observations

There are so many things on my mind today but first let me start with a big HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY to my nephew, Levi. He’s such a bright light in our lives and watching him and McKenna grow up together is the biggest blessing!

There has been a lot of emphasis on bullying in the news lately and I’d just like to touch on my own experiences and observations. Children can be cruel, Teenagers are heinous, but nothing beats a jealous adult. Nothing.  You see, some people never truly grow up and learn that in order to be happy, you have to stop wishing for what others have. I was an unusual kid, an awkward teenager, but I’ve never felt more alienated than by miserable adults who believe that everyone should bow to them in all of their made up glory. They will make you miserable for their happiness.

Forgive me but I’m reminded of a quote from “Mean Girls” that sums just about everything you need to know about life and bullying up: “Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't make me any happier. All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.”

Bullys don’t go away; they just grow into liars, manipulators, and narassistic fools. And that kids, is my PSA for today!

Getting Sparked and Slammed

“We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started.”
― Henry Ward Beecher

Kudos to Goodreads for that amazing quote.

This is something that I have to take to heart most days…. My progress is not going to be the same as others. I have made progress and that’s something, I make mistakes every day and I’m not ashamed because we are all human and God made us to make mistakes.

I have recently started using some of the Advocare products, mainly Spark and Slam, and after 2 days I can say that they do exactly what they advertise… give you energy. It’s 6:21 in the morning and I’m ready to take on the whole Empire myself. (Where my Star Wars fans at???)

Last night I worked my “hell shift,” as I lovingly call it, 6a-730p and it made me realize that I NEED to get some exercise in and maybe I won’t be dragging my feet behind me after a day like that. Over the past couple of months I’ve just been changing the way I eat and drink but now it’s time to kick it up a notch. I know that if I start exercising just 3 days a week, I’ll see results. (Oh the joys of still being considerably “young”). So I’m calling out to my friends and acquaints, I need an exercise partner. Someone who will push me to my limits and not let me give up.

Recently, I’ve been working to find my balance. Finding balance is a difficult thing, especially when you’re a full time mom, wife, and employee. (Not saying that if you’re not those things, you can find balance… this is just my dilemma) I want to be a great mother, a great wife, and a stand up employee while focusing on my health, it’s just difficult sometimes and I feel like I’m neglecting something or someone. Any tips of the trade for this little thing called balance??  

Before and After

The time has come… I can finally release a before and after pic. After making small changes in my life, I can finally see a difference. It’s not a big difference and I still have a long way to go but things are changing and I’m a little giddy!

The reason I’ve been making these changes is not only for me but for this little face right here:

My sweet girl weighs 12lbs!! She’s doing so well… I just can’t believe it sometimes.

I have not stepped on the scale… I’m just going on how my clothes fit. I’ve been drinking lots of water and doing my best to stay away from fast food (I have my moments of weakness) LOL and zero alcohol. Like I said, I’ve not made any BIG changes or deprived myself… I’ve just changed things.

Anyho, among my many changes, I’ve been trying attempting to simplify my life and one major thing I’ve done is to quit worrying about designers. I used to be a designer snob… big time. My makeup bag used to be filled with anything and everything you can find at Sephora but I’ve found that drug store makeup does just fine… especially since I’ve been wearing less of it. If I can get a coupon for it out of the Sunday paper, I’ll use it. I’m a big fan of ELF and Rimmel, some of my basics:

That minute maid stuff…. AHMAZING. It makes my water taste like the Bahamas.

Well that’s it, not a big post but it’s full of updates.