Goodbye 2010 Out With The Old In With The New

I am ready for a new year. I know that last year at this time I made some goals that well to be honest I didnt follow through with. So this year I am making only small goals that I should be able to handle this time. Or lets hope I can. I know that it's a trend to jump on the weight loss bandwagon but this year its last step I need to overcome to get healthier. For 2010 things that I have done but didnt have on my goal list for the year were I quit smoking, I am trying to get 6 hours sleep a night instead of the 4 I was getting, I am trying to do more family functions, I am taking more pictures of the kids and family, and I cut way back on energy drinks. For 2011 I had said this every year that I must lose weight, well this year is the year. I am tired of being unhappy to look in the mirror and it is eating at me. So Goal number 1. this year I want to lose weight my long term goal is 80 pounds not sure if I can do that in a year but I will do my best. Goal number 2. To have that 30 product samples done in the next few months to get my website up by the spring. Goal number 3. To spend less time working ( I currently put in about 65 hours a week) and more time with kids, family, and well if I had any friends that were physically in my city and not online I would spend time with them too. Goal number 4. Finish my blog. Well have my web designer finish my blog. Goal number 5. Learn to have fun again. I have lost that along the way when I became the responsible mom type. LOL I think that these are realistic goals. I am hoping they will happen because I have not finished a New Years Goal as I call them in forever now. I really want to make this happen this year.

So I am sitting at home tonight well working. My husband works graveyard so he is off to work tonight, and I have my step daughters and my youngest. My older kids are at their dad's trying to convince him to stay up all night with them. I am trying to live with what my mom said, that the state of mind you are in at midnight will be your state of mind all year long. So my goal is to get really positive and happy in the next well few hours here. LOL I cant remember the last time I went out and had a good time for New Years's but here is where the positive attitude comes in. At least I am home safe and not out with those that tend to be a little wild and crazy. I dont have to worry about drunk drivers and I can enjoy my Corona on the comfortable spot on my couch. Happy New Year and Thank you to all my followers I have gained this year. I hope to gain many more in the new year to come.

Pin It

My First Award!! So Excited

Hey All!

I just got my first Blog award! Yay! Thank you very much to Vanessa from The Queen of Swag for giving me the Stylish Blogger Award!

Thanks so much for this award!

I now will nominate other blogs with this award! Here's how it works...

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award!

Here goes! ....

Seven things about me: This is really hard for me

1. I love to BAKE and if I could have picked any Career it would have been to open a bakery.

2. I was 8 months pregnant with my first daughter when I got my Associates Degree and hope to get my Bachelors someday.

3. I worry constantly every day all day

4. I love the show EXTREME COUPONING! I want to do the same thing and this will be my motivation. Have you seen it?

5. I love the Movie the Notebook and The Time Travelers Wife

6. I watch all the reality shows and cant get enough of them.

7. I loved high school and wish I was back there for just one day.

I nominate the following blogs for the award!

1. Colleen at Shibley Smiles I read her blog daily

2. Lee Ann at The Life of Rylie and Bryce too.

3. Family and Life in Vegas

4. Sew Much Ado

5. Tiffanie at Three Peas in a Pod

6. KDBuggie Boutique and Designs

7. Being Frugal and Making it Work

8. The Etsy Shop Spotlight

9. Sarah at Crazy House

10. Adriana at And Baby Makes Three

11. At Second Street: a creative blog

12. Kim at Chubby Cheeks Thinks

13. Jennifer at Mom Spotted

14. The Florida Hogans

15. Kelly at Kelly's Korner

I will leave a comment letting you know I am nominating you for this award. Have a safe and happy New Year.

Pin It

A Picture Says 1000 Words

Now Me In Black and FAT

Then with bangs and skinny

Well I have to say that it was very eye opening and shocking to see this picture taken of me on Christmas Eve. I know I have said this before but it really was something like WOW is that me. I cant believe I let myself go so badly. I keep putting myself on the back burner and putting work first. I worry so much about the bills getting paid that I dont think about anything else. It actually consumes me sometimes. I have had a rough few months with one thing after another but it could have been worse. I am such a worrier that I worry about being really "sick" so I think in my head that if I get skinny then I will have some illness since my Grandmother died so fast from Cancer a few years back and she dropped a bunch of weight. I have fought with thyroid issues for the past 11 years since my son was born but I am on medication for that. I always have an excuse of why I cant work out which before I didnt really have to work out it was more of what I ate, now after 4 kids and my thyroid I will have to work out and eat right in order to lose the weight. I kept thinking it was not that bad, although I knew it. I was living in sweat pants and pajama's and not really wanting to put anything on knowing it wont fit anyways. I am starting to think that this weight is the cause of some of my issues, my depression, my hips hurting, and my tiredness. Those things could be tied to this. This is the heaviest I have ever been in my life even when I walked into the delivery room for my youngest I weighed less. I cant take this anymore, it actually disgust me. I dont even want to look at the picture. It was very hard for me to post this but I am hoping that I can really make this work this time. I am signed up for the gym and will be going starting Monday. I think Weight Watchers is having a special for online. And I did find something called My Fitness Pal from another website that I will try. It is an online journal for calories and exercise. I actually wish that I could be on the biggest loser that starts on Monday but I will have to do my own biggest loser. This is serious to me, I quit smoking about 2 months ago, I have cut back energy drinks to a few a week rather then a few a day and I am really trying to get healthy. This is part of it, and this is something that I have to figure out how to over come. I do stay up late at night to work and I have always thought of food as being my energy. So when I am living on four hours of sleep and I am dead tired I feed my face to try to keep myself awke. I think that and the 4 soda's a day will be my first habits to kick. I can not "night snack" anymore. And I need to get back to water and not soda. Goal 1. already set for Monday. I only have 3 Goals for 2011. I will go into more of that on New Year's Eve. I cant let this weight consume me anymore. It is bothering me more then I knew. I am embarrassed to even leave the house anymore. This is my second post about this but I am hoping to find the strength for it to be last. Good Luck to Me.

Pin It

A Christmas To Forget and not Forget, My Venting Post

First I wanted to say Merry Christmas from my family to yours. Second I am sorry for most of this post I need to vent and I might sound like well Mrs Scrooge. I am missing my son because he is with his dad this year and after 7 years of him traveling and not having him every other year it does not get any easier. We did call him this morning so that helped. I have to say that this year was not a Christmas that I am used to. The whole season actually. I normally do so many things I didnt do this year. It was almost like another day and not really that special which honestly broke my heart. With my Dad's Aneurysm I just was stressed and worried and not in the "spirit" Then when he was recovering and things could be better they just were not. I didnt bake much this year, I didnt even get to make Santa cookies I had to steal some from my moms. I woke up a few days ago to go to the restroom at 3am and stepped in a puddle of water to my ankles. The house was flooded and we rent so not much I could do other then be at the mercy of my landlord. I had planned this week to wrap and bake and do all the things I love to do. But instead I spent the week pulling up wet carpet and moving all the furniture from four bedrooms into the kitchen and living room. It was a mess to say the least. My house was like that for three days. I am sorry but how can you bake when you cant see your kitchen floor let alone get in there. I had one little square on the couch that I was working 10 hour days from. I stayed awake for 24 hours because I was so determined to get my house back together before Christmas so my kids could enjoy the day. I didnt sleep and I worked and worked. Christmas Eve was here and I had not even wrapped family gifts. I made it to Christmas Eve Dinner with not an hour of sleep. So you can guess how much fun I was. I came home and stayed up more to wrap the rest of the gifts I had, but I fell asleep and my kids were up before me , meaning Santa didnt eat any cookies and Santa didnt put new gifts under the tree but left them in my room. I had to have them go back to sleep so I could try to pull something off. Oh the stories I had to make up this morning. Then there was getting out of bed. I was supposed to be up and ready to go to my grandfathers at 9am and I couldnt get out of bed. I was so sore and my hip hurt so bad I didnt think I could walk. I have never in my life that I can remember missed my Grandfather's breakfast. Wow it still bothering me now. Its a tradition I never miss and I missed it. The whole day has just been a blur of trying to smile for the kids and be jolly when really I want to rewind a week so I can do this right. And my Christmas list, well lets just say I can save it for next year. I know I sound like a immature cry baby right now, but that is how I feel. I promised myself I would be more honest with my blog and here I am being honest. I did get some money from Christmas from my husband and my wonderful parents but with me when you give me money guess where it goes? BILLS, and gifts for others and that sort of thing and how can I spend money from my parents when they surely need it much more then me right now, so really today was just another day. I know the idea is not the getting its the giving I am just bah hum bug so Merry Christmas to me as I just worked a zillion hours and now I have 2 hours to sleep (or better yet clean the house) and back to work it is for me another zillion hours. On the bright side because I do feel like Scrooge right now. I have to find a bright side and that is My Dad lived through an Aneurysm and I am very lucky to wish him Merry Christmas this year, and very lucky to get a hug from him and very lucky to tell him that while the carpet guys were replacing my carpet the smells in the house reminded me of him. He laid carpet my entire life as well as almost all of his. I have healthy kids and a roof over my head and I have food in my fridge. Those are my bright sides and I Cherish those things. I hope that you had a very Merry Christmas and I am sure that once I catch up on sleep I will not feel so grumpy. LOL

Pin It

Traumatizing Car Ride and Why and I So tired??

Hi my blogging friends, well its the beginning of my work week and I like to always share what I have done on my days "away" from the computer. This weekend was a busy one, we had a birthday party for my nephew on Sunday. It was fun and the kids enjoyed Peter Piper. I had never been there so I enjoyed myself watching them play the games and my littlest one loved to go up and down the slide. She could not get enough of it. I came home and made some yummy fudge, I am still getting to the Sugar cookies, they will be done this week. Monday my son flew up north for his visit with his dad. I always miss him when he is gone for a week or longer, and we have been doing it for 7 years almost back and forth. We were playing around with the timer on my camera phone and got this picture taken. It will be a memory of the worst trip to the airport ever. It was pouring down rain and I had a hard time seeing the road. I started to have a panic attack so we got off the freeway only to find out why I couldnt see was because I had a ripped contact. I had no glasses and still had to get to the airport. I got there not sure how but I did it. My son is 11 and he even said that ride made me very nervous. The ride home was worse. OMG I could not see at all with the back spray, the wind, and the fact that I was practically blind. I had to get off the freeway and back on three times because I freaked out and then finally got to a point I could get off and just take side roads. I was traumatized for sure. I didnt leave the house once today. I learned a very good lesson, I will always put my glasses in my purse from now on. Never go out of the house with only contacts. I have been so tired lately like cant keep my eyes open. I have battled with thyroid issues since my oldest was born I am thinking its time to get that checked again. I cant get anything done being this tired. Anyone battle thyroid issues? PS. how do you lose followers, am I boring my readers?

Pin It

A Total Duh Moment! What is yours?

Okay here is my DUH moment for the week. I dont know if you can see the picture so I will try to explain. I have said it over and over that I love to blog hop. Its just a way for me to feel like I am not the only one out there that has done things, or is going through things. Being at home most of the time with children between 3 and 11 I really dont get much adult interaction. Blogging is my way to talk to the world in adult terms and to stay sane. So anyways as I ramble on... I always go to the blogs that are on the list of my favorite blog hop and I read them and I post comments most of the time and I follow them on google friend. So last night I was doing this but I realized "hmm I think I already followed this blog" so I would push the follow, the little box that looks like my picture here would come up and I would push google and proceed. I never realized that not every time I follow someone this box pops up, sometimes its another one with the website and blah blah. I finally read the print on the top that says I already follow this blog and by doing this I can follow it another way or log in. Hello DUH. Now I get it. I mean really I have been blog hopping since I started this blog and following others because well frankly I like to have others follow back so I am hoping they will return the favor. I guess you learn something new every day and what a true statement for me. Please share your DUH moment for the week with me. I love to read my comments and feel like I am still part of the "Norm" and that staying home with 7 kids has not put me on the waiting list for the next straight jacket and padded room. Wait that might be a vacation. Note to self going crazy may not be so bad. Happy Sunday everyone. Enjoy your last week before Christmas and dont get lost in the crowds. LOL.

P.S. I know its early for me to post this but I am going to try to whip out a hat or two tonight so I am blogging early.

Pin It

The Things We Give Up To Stay At Home With Our Kids...

My daughter (the adorable child in the picture) will be 4 in a few weeks and when I think back about before I had her and decided to be a Stay At Home/ Work At Home Mom the things that I had that I dont now. I am not complaining really just more of a thought. We as moms tend to give up things for themselves to sacrifice for the kids. When I knew that I wanted to stay home I decided to cut back. What were the first things I cut back, the pedicures, the acrylic nails, the highlights, waxed eye brows, clothes for me, and the gym. Now I know your thinking that all of those things sound materialistic and the trade off is so wonderful, your right. But as the years go on I begin to sink into the couch a little bit further, my roots grow a little bit longer and my gray hair gets worse. Sure I can pluck my own eye brows (umm I have not done it in about 6 months, so they are caterpillars). I can do my own pedicure, but what fun is that when you cant sit back in the vibrating chair and let someone else scrub your feet and massage your calves. And the last time I bought an article of clothing for myself was about 3 years ago when I actually knew my size. I done with all of that, I believe someone somewhere said love yourself before you can love others. I may have just made that up, but I swear I have heard it. Little by little I am taking back those things that make me feel good. Those things that I enjoy. I am turning 35 and maybe its me getting old because I think that is the second post this week I have mentioned my age. My subconscious is taking over. It time to show myself some love. I signed up for the gym today. I have not worked out on a regular basis in a very long time. I am actually looking forward to it. I think the gray hair is taking over my brain cells. I actually want to get up off this couch that I work a million hours a week and work out. Ive already made an hair appointment for a few weeks from now. I am not going to get it all back but I will be happy with some. I get to stay home well work from home be with my kids and enjoy myself. I think I can have my cake and eat it to. What do you think? Did you give up anything to stay home?

Pin It

Question of the day and Mexican Wedding Cookies

I have been thinking about this question all day. Should the past stay in the past? I have had a few things come up lately that have got me thinking about the past and things that I did or people I knew. I cant help but remember and I have to say that most memories are good I mean the ones I want to recall anyways. Some are not so good and those I prefer to leave in the past to begin with. I think of things that I said I would have done by now at this age and yes my birthday is right around the corner and I do get this way around this time of year, but this time I am 35. That is a big thing for me, not sure why. But those things I said I would do I have not done. I think of the way that I used to be compared to the way I am now, yes that is physically. And I think of people I left in the past and should I have left them there? Could I have brought them with me and still been at the end results I am now. I did decide to make a few changes to myself just because I did say that I wanted to do certain things and have not done them yet. I am trying to get healthy as one of my things that I have always said that once I was done having babies I would work on me. Umm my baby is turning 4 in a few weeks. Guess I am a little behind. This all started from my daughter going through old pictures for school. She has been working on Heritage week all week long, starting with a report on family, then a family tree and presentation, and tomorrow she has to bring in a food from her heritage. Since I love to bake that was the perfect opportunity to make Mexican Wedding Cookies. I just love them and I was so excited to make them. Okay first, I think that I made my balls a little too big. I had to triple the recipe just to get the same amount as the original recipe said it would make. So if you like yours big like I do I would start off with doubling it and then cook them a little longer. I had to throw out the first batch because I didnt taste them before I rolled the powdered sugar on. I mean really isnt that the best part of them. How was I supposed to know the center wasnt cooked yet. The bottom was brown just like the recipe said. So here you go, thought I would share. Enjoy, and what do you think, should the past be left in the past?

what you need

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

make it

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and pecans, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended.

SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Pin It