My Kids Are My World

Lillie

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Here's our new little kitty, Lillie. I'm not exactly sure how old she is, maybe a few months. A friend of mine found her, which leads me to believe someone tossed her out of their car or something. I can only assume it is because she is deaf, because she is the sweetest little thing. She loves to cuddle, and every time I sit on the couch, it doesn't take her long to find me and snuggle up between me and my laptop. My girls love her, too. I am sure she is going to have a very happy life here with us.

One Of My Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:31:00 +0000

On the 20th of this month it will be an entire year since my husband left. Some days it feels like he has only been gone a few days, and then there are days I can not even remember what my life was like back then. Weird, I know. I'm not that person anymore, and I am excited to see what my future holds.

I do a lot of dreaming about that. My biggest dream is to have a place of my own for me and the kids. I know that will not happen anytime soon, but someday, I want to be able to buy my own home. I have ideas about how I will decorate it, too. Some days, I browse the internet, looking for inspiration. This morning, I found this light fixture, and I fell in love with it. What do you think?

I know it's very modern lighting, but it also has an almost castle-like feel to it. I think it's the look of the candles. I can see it hanging in my foyer, right inside my front door. Of course, my foyer will have a very high ceiling, with a window above the front door so this fixture can be seen from outside the house as well. I'll also have to find modern outdoor lighting to compliment it, but that shouldn't be too hard.

Getting Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:09:00 +0000

I have decided that I am finally ready to get the rest of this weight off. I was hoping that when I turned 40, I would be where I want to be, weight wise. Well, my 40th birthday was last Saturday, and I still have about fifty pounds to lose. I know why I haven't been able to lose it. Most days, I don't have time to come home for lunch, and I stop and grab something from a drive through. Not the healthiest thing to do, I know. Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and bought all kinds of healthy snacks, and I plan on making a lunch every morning to take with me, so I can avoid all the fast food.

I am not one to take anything to aid in my weight loss, but I am willing to take things that will help me get healthier. There is something called Nopalea that you can drink to help your body get rid of toxins. Drinking it every day can also help reduce inflammation and promote optimal health. I am willing to give it a try, and I can do so for free (and so can you!) by calling 1-800-203-7063. There is a $9.95 fee for shipping, but I'm willing to pay that to see if Nopalea really works.

I'm hoping that by the time Spring rolls around I will have lost at least some of this weight. I want to look better in all the cute shorts and tops I have for the warmer weather. I mean, I am going to be single again for the first time in a long time, and it will be nice to have guys notice me again.

Money

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000

I filed my taxes last week, and my refund check was supposed to be in last Wednesday.

I am still waiting for it. I don't know why they IRS is holding it, but the place I filed with said this sometimes happens, and that I should have it this Wednesday. I wish I was confident enough to do them myself online. I think next year, once I am officially divorced, I am going to try.

My friend used to work in a tax office, and she really liked it. I could probably take an income tax course and learn everything I need to know. I might even find it interesting. Who knows, I could even become a tax preparer and get a job doing other people's taxes. I am sure there is good money to be made doing that, especially this time of year.

Right now, though, I am patiently waiting for my check to come in. I plan on banking a good bit of it, just so I have a cushion should anything happen this year that requires money, like car repairs. I have spent too much of my adult life living paycheck to paycheck. Now that I am a single mom, I don't want to do that anymore. I want to sleep at night knowing that if God forbid something were to happen to me and I couldn't work for a while, the kids and I will be okay.

Free Phones!

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last night, my neighbor bought a new phone. Being the awesome person he his, he offered me his old phone, a blackberry. Now, if you read my blog regularly, you know I am in the market for a new phone and I have narrowed my choices down to either a blackberry or an android. So many people have recommended I go with the android, but I was not about to pass up a free phone. Unfortunately, my SIM card would not work in the blackberry. My neighbors new phone is an android-ish phone, and I love it! It's so pretty! I will probably end up getting one of those.

Right now, Sprint is having a huge online sale on phones. You can get this phone:

the Nexus S™ 4G for FREE when you open a new line of service or add to your account. ($50 MIR converts to instant + $99.99 web only savings)

Or you can get this phone:

the HTC EVO™ 3D for only $49.99 when you open a new line of service or add to your account. ($50 MIR converts to instant + $50 web only savings)

I am pretty happy with the network I am on now, but I might just be persuaded to switch for one of these free phones! This sale ends February 8th, so I need to make up my mind quickly.

Medications Are Expensive!

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am one of probably millions of people in this country who does not have any type of medical insurance. This means that unless I am extremely sick, I do not go to the doctor. When I do have to go to the doctor, I spend five hours in the emergency room. I miss when I used to be able to go see our family doctor, who I love.

Don't even get me started on how expensive prescriptions can be when you don't have insurance. Thankfully, we do have a local pharmacy that will fill antibiotic prescriptions for free, but sometimes there are medicines I need that are ridiculously expensive. Right now, Walgreens is helping people like me afford their medications with their Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. For $35 a year, I can get a family membership that covers not only myself, but my kids ( because they are under 22) and even any pets I have. I can cover only myself for only $20 a year. Membership includes savings on more than 8,000 brand-name medications and all generic medications, discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies, and you even get bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products. I know my ex could use some help paying for his diabetic supplies.

As with just about everything and everyone these days, you can find Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook.

Decorating My Girl's Room

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:50:00 +0000

I filed my taxes the other day, and thankfully, I am getting a pretty big refund. I know I have said this before, but this is the only time of year that I get to buy things I want, not just things I need. This year, I want to get some things for the girl's room. I am trying to get Brandi out of my bed and into her own. I mean, she's only 10. She should have been in her own bed a long, long time ago. My thinking is, maybe I can bribe her with new bedding and wall hangings. If she loves the way her room looks, she might just want to sleep in it.

I know what I would like to do to their room, but I guess I have to let them have a say in it, too. We searched online for house designs and found some pretty ideas. There was this one picture of a girl's bedroom, and honestly, if I hadn't just turned 40 I would make my bedroom look exactly like this picture. It had light purple walls, with white accents. There were butterfly and flower stickers on the walls, and all the bedding and curtains were different shades of purple. Not something my girls would like, but I would.

My girls will probably want me to paint their walls black with white skulls and peace signs. I remember going through a black phase myself, so I can kind of understand. The trick with them is going to be finding something we can both live with. Plus, I'm not allowed to paint the walls here, so we are going to have to find some big wall stickers to give their room personality.

Once we do, I am going to insist that Brandi at least attempt to sleep in there.

Funny Irish TShirts Review

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

I'm Irish, and what better way to let the world know than to advertise this fact on a tshirt? I was given the opportunity to pick from an abundance of FUNNY IRISH T-SHIRTS, and while a bunch of them were awesome, when I saw the one below, I immediately thought of Kasi.

The shirt is made from 100% cotton, and Kasi loves it! It's soft and comfortable to wear, and she has a thing for skulls. She was thrilled when I told her she could have it.

If you want to show off your Irishness (look at me making up words!) this St. Patrick's Day, get a shirt from Funny Irish Shirts.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Android Or Blackberry?

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I think I have finally decided on which type of phone I am going to get. I have asked several different people, and it seems like everyone has a different opinion on which is the best phone to have. If I could afford it and it was available on my plan, I would get an iPhone. But I can't and it's not, so I was debating between an android and a blackberry.

While I love the android, I am not sure a phone that is completely touch screen would work for me. I drop my phone a lot, and I'm afraid the screen would shatter within a week. The blackberry seems like a better choice, because it has a full keyboard, which will make the texting I do a red lights a whole lot easier. The blackberry is also a little bit cheaper, and since I am paying for this phone myself, cost is a variable in my decision. NO matter which phone I decide to get, I am going to also invest in a portable usb charger battery. I am on the road for ten hours a day sometimes, and I call my boss constantly. Having my phone battery die would be terrible, and would probably also get me fired.

So let me ask you, my loyal readers, which phone you would recommend; and android or a blackberry?

Mission Tuition

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:47:00 +0000

I get so many requests on Facebook for games, sweepstakes, and shopping sites. Most of the time I just ignore them, because I don't do sweepstakes, I only play one game, and I do not do too much shopping online, unless it's on etsy. I love etsy!

Today I found out about a shopping site called Mission Tuition . Let me explain how it works. Simply put, you can shop online through their site and earn cash rewards that are put into a saving account that you can use to send your kids to college. Signing up is free, and you will also get access to coupons you can print out and use to buy groceries or eat at thousands of restaurants nationwide. You really should check out their list of participating merchants. When you are ready to access your rewards, you can have a check sent to you, or you can have the money transferred to your bank account or college fund. How cool is that?

I plan on doing a lot of shopping in the next few weeks, thanks to the tax refund I am looking forward to getting. I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't shop through this site for the things we need.

Starting off the year with some home renovations

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:14:00 +0000

Guest post written by Mary Hilson

One thing that I was determined to tackle this year was all of these renovations around our household that we've been putting off for so long. We've been saving up for these too and it just now works out that after the holidays we have time to finally put time into some of these things.

But I didn't actually have time to research all of this during the holidays, so I've been finding builders and stuff like that at the last minute. A few weeks ago I was looking online for some people to do our work and I came across some Home renovations info and I think that we're going to go with that company.

We have several things that we need to do around our household, most importantly, redoing our kitchen. I really use the kitchen a lot, but that's kind of what happens with so many kids and a love of cooking. I've wanted an island to prepare food on for years now and now I'm finally going to get one. I can't wait to see the final result!

Tophatter

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of tophatter for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you looking for unique things for your kids? I know when it comes to my daughter, she likes to be one of a kind. I find it hard to shop for her sometimes, because she likes to stand out in a crowd, and that is hard to do when she is wearing the same clothes and accessories as almost every other kid in her class. I was excited when I heard about Tophatter live auctions for many reasons, but mostly because can bid on unique things for my daughter. Brandi loves jewelry, and right now there are several beautiful bracelets that I know she would love up for auction.

From what I understand about this site, at 9am pacific time, they start the auctions. Not only can you bid on the items, you can chat with other people who are bidding. Let's face it, moms these days love the social aspect of online sites. I will admit to being one of those moms.

You really should take a moment and check out this new site. Right now, you can save 10% off your first purchase by sharing on Facebook. I know that on my next day off, I will be online at 9am waiting to see what I can snatch up for my little fashion diva.

I'm Loving These!

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:01:00 +0000

Check out the picture below and try to guess what it is before looking underneath it. Okay?

So, what did you think it was? Some type of tree stump? I did too at first, but then I realized that it is a vessel sink. I love it! I wish I could redo my bathroom and put this in. Better yet, I wish I owned a cabin in the woods, because this sink would fir perfect in a rustic bathroom. Of course, with a sink like this you would have to have an awesome vessel faucet to go with it. What do you think of this one?

Okay, so it might be a little modern, but I love the fact that the water pours off of it instead of out of it. It kind of reminds me of a waterfall, which fits perfectly with the outdoorsy feel of the sink. Don't you agree?

I found a bunch of other vessel sinks that are just as beautiful as the one above. Check this one out:

It looks like a bunch of pebbles, but it is actually made of glass. I would love to have something like this in my bathroom, but with the rate with which my kids break mirrors, there is no way I would have a glass sink. It is beautiful though.

Who Would Want To Be Me?

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:43:00 +0000

Recently, both my Twitter and Facebook accounts were hacked. A friend alerted me to the Twitter issue, which was great because I never go on there, so I had no idea. Apparently I was sending spammy messages to my followers and had no clue. When I logged in to check, there was a very nasty message from one of my followers, thanking me in some not so nice terms for my message to her. You would think that if this person knew me at all they would know I would never do something like that. Facebook sent me an email alerting me to the fact that someone in another country had signed into my account, so I was able to change my password quickly there.

This experience opened my eyes to how easy it is for someone to get your information. I bank online, and I always worry that someone will try to access that information as well. There are sites like IdentityHawk that help you protect yourself online, and I might just sign up for it. I'm convinced, though, that anyone who tries to steal my identity will be shocked when they can't get credit in my name, and really, who would want access to the $3 I have in the bank? But, having identity theft protection is still a really good idea.

I Need New Everything

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:38:00 +0000

I can not tell you how excited I am that it is tax time. Some people dread this time of year, but not me. In years past, my ex and I have done well when it comes to our refund, and I expect to do just as well this year. I don;t make a lot of money, and it's hard enough for me to pay my bills every month, let alone splurge on things for the kids. It is usually February when I buy them new clothes and shoes and all the other things I can't afford during the year.

Just because I have money to spend doesn't mean I spend it freely. I still refuse to pay full price for anything, and I scour the stores for sales. This year I am going to spend some money on new clothes for myself. I don't wear a uniform to work (though I do have some company sweatshirts) and I like to look nice. I no longer need pants with elastic waistbands, so jean shopping should be fun. I also need new shoes. My sneakers have holes in the bottoms, so when it rains I walk around all day with wet feet.

This is also the time of year we all get new socks and underwear. This may be too much information, but I haven't bought new underwear since I have lost all this weight, and the ones I wear are way too big. I am looking forward to buying some that will fit properly. Of course, I will try and find a hanes coupon or two to help save me some money. I also need new bras. I haven't bought a "real" bra since my surgery. I have only worn sports bras. I am looking forward to buying something lacy and sexy. The only bras that used to fit me didn't come in any color other than white, so I'm hoping to find something black that fits. Or maybe even something purple. Or flowery. Who knows. It will be fun to have choices.

I promised the kids that I will give them each one hundred dollars when I get my refund to make up for the very small Christmas we had, so they have been planning how they will spend their money. Of course, there choices change everyday, so who knows what they will end up buying. I just hope whatever it is, it doesn't eat or poop.

Researching Camera Tripods

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:54:00 +0000

Last February, I bought a new camera. I did a lot of research before I decided on the one I wanted, and I have been more than satisfied with it. I was always interested in photography, so investing money in a decent camera seemed like a good investment. Up until a few days ago, I hadn't used my camera for more than point and shoot pictures.

My kids got a new dance game for the Wii for Christmas, and Brandi and her friend Brianna were playing it the other day, and I used my camera to take a video of them. When I went to download it onto my computer, I could not do it. No matter what I tried, I could not figure it out. Thankfully, my dad was able to figure it out for me, and I was able to watch it on my computer tonight. It came out okay, but my hands were a little shaky, so the video is a little shaky. Fortunately, you can still see how much fun the girls were having.

I think I need to do a little research on camera tripods so I can take better videos (and pictures). Now that I know how to get the videos off my camera, I will probably make more videos of the kids. They grow up so fast, and I want to document as much of their childhood as I can. Pictures are great, but capturing their personalities on video is priceless. I want to be able to look at these videos one day and remember how cute and funny they used to be.

I am going to post the video of Brandi and her friend on here and on facebook as soon as I figure out how to do it. I may need to get my dad back over here for that.

Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:36:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is coming up soon, and for the first time in 16 years, I do not have a Valentine. Well, I kind of do, so maybe it's better for me to say I do not have a husband. This does not stop me from looking forward to this love holiday, because I have my three kids to buy something for. Plus, I am sure they will get me something, too.

I found those glasses up there at Zenni Optical, and I would totally wear them. I love the little blingy heart on the side! For those of you who don't know about Zenni, they are the best place to buy glasses. Those heart glasses are $30, but they have a huge selection of eyeglasses that cost under $10. That's right. I said under $10. For someone like me on a very tight budget, being able to save money on eyeglasses is awesome. I wear glasses, and Ryan needs glasses to see the board at school, and buying glasses for the two of us gets downright expensive. I have yet to order from Zenni, simply because our current pairs are still in good condition. I do have friends and family members who have ordered from them, and they were more than satisfied with their glasses.

The next time you need new glasses, check out Zenni Optical.

Kitchen Lights

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:16:00 +0000

I have a huge fluorescent light in my kitchen. It is one of those long, rectangular ones that you see in grocery stores and restaurants. I would love to replace it with something more stylish and modern, like the one pictured above. All the accessories in my kitchen are black and silver, so this fixture would match perfectly. I have looked at several flush mount ceiling lights and while I like this one best, there are so many to choose from.

I would love to replace all the lights in this apartment. Heck, I would love to just be able to paint a wall, but I'm not allowed. I can not wait until the day I can afford my own place so I can decorate however I want.

Need To Laugh?

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:21:00 +0000

I have a new favorite thing to do when I am bored. I go online and read funny autocorrets that people post from their phones. Some of them are hysterical! The best ones are between parents and their kids, especially when they were texted by mistake. There was this one where some girl thought she was texting her boyfriend about sneaking over, but she accidentally texted the message to her mother. Her mom's reaction was great!

I tend to find the ones that are dirty even funnier. Yeah, I know. I'm weird like that. You want to know what I don't like? People w post pictures of themselves on Facebook doing the duckface. I have not seen one that looks even halfway nice. In fact, I think doing that face makes a person look stupid. That's just my opinion, of course. I would think that people would want pictures posted that make them look nice, not silly. There are also the people who alter their pictures, and sometimes, it just doesn't work. There are so many examples of Photoshop fails online you would think people would learn a thing or two. Now, don't get me wrong. I am all about playing around with a picture to make it look better, but not to change the way I look in it. Did that just make sense?

Anyway, I think I got off on a little tangent there. Sorry. My point was, the next time you have some spare time, check out the autocorrects online, especially if you need a good laugh.

Meow

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:52:00 +0000

Back in May, when we moved into this apartment, I promised the kids that as soon as I could afford to pay the pet deposit we would get a cat. It looks like I will have the money for it in the next month or so, which means we get to go kitten shopping. I'm pretty excited about it, too. My mom suggested I check out our local shelter, which is what I will probably do. My only issue is that I do not want fleas.

I have dealt with flea issues in the past, and they are so hard to get rid of. I am going to make sure that this time, I treat the kitten before we have problems. I know there are ways to get discount pet meds, which will be really helpful. I am sure I can find some type of preventive flea medicine. I think they have one that you can use once a month of something like that. Plus, this kitty will never go outside, so that may help keep the fleas away, too.

I know we are going to get a girl cat, and I have spent a lot of time recently trying to decide on a name. I want something cute, but not silly. I'm not a big Fluffy or Whiskers person. My pets have always had human names. I am leaning towards maybe Lucy or Molly. We've already had a Zoey, Ollie, Jack Jack, Oscar, Claire, Rose, Cake and Sugar. Okay, so Sugar and Cake aren't human names, but Brandi named them and she was really little when she did. I had a white cat named Princess when I was little.

Do you have a pet with a cute name? What would you suggest as a good name for a kitten?

Growing Up

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:20:00 +0000

When I was in school, we didn't get to have hallway lockers until we were in junior high school. Back then, that meant seventh grade. My kids are in a district where they start switching classes in fourth grade, which is where Brandi is right now. Switching classes also means she gets a locker in the hallway. She thinks she's hot stuff because of it, too.

One of the best things about having a school locker is decorating it. Brandi went crazy when we found some Victorious stuff that can be used to decorate lockers. I didn't have the money at the time to get it for her, but I have a feeling when I have some extra money she is going to hit me up for it. We found this cool covering that goes on the outside, but I'm not sure the school would let her use it. We also found mirrors and shelves; all the things a young girl would need to make her locker her own.

I find it hard to believe some days that my baby is growing up. It starts with lockers, and soon she'll be discovering boys and wanting to date. I can't wait. And yes, that was sarcasm.

I Want To Visit Silverlake Restaurants

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:20:00 +0000

I used to love bland food. I was the girl who ate salami on white bread for lunch with no condiments. I did not even like mayonnaise until I was well into my teens. I hated pizza as a child, and remember my mom making me a hot dog whenever the rest of the family enjoyed pizza. I wouldn't even put sauce on my spaghetti. Here is the weirdest thing, though. I have never had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I've had a peanut butter sandwich and a jelly sandwich, but never combined. I know. Weird.

The past several years, however, my taste buds have changed. I find that bland foods are, well, bland. I discovered pesto, and out it on all my sandwiches. I love whole grain breads, and eat every type of pizza imaginable. I am no longer afraid to try new foods, and have found that things I swore I would never eat have become some of my favorite foods.

There is still one type of food that I have yet to try, and that is Indian food. It's not that I don;t want to, it's just that their are not any Indian restaurants around where I live. If I lived somewhere trendier, like the City Of Los Angeles, I might have better luck finding an Indian restaurant. In fact, I discovered that there is a new blend of modern-Indian cuisine by Chef Imram Ali Mookhi that is becoming quite popular. There are two Silverlake Restaurants where he serves his creations, and I wish I lived close enough to go and try what he makes. I have heard that Indian food is quite spicy, which sounds delicious to me new palate. They have an appetizer on their menu called Sprout Street, and it's made with chick peas, potato, tortilla chips, sprout and sweetened yogurt. How yummy does that sound? Chick peas are one of my newest favorite foods, so I think I would enjoy this very much.

If I ever find myself in California, I am going to make it a point to check out these restaurants. Until then, I will continue to search for an Indian restaurant close to me.

I Learned How To Find Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:10:00 +0000

It's the second day of a brand new year, and I must say, I am really looking forward to what this year will bring for me. I know I wrote a post a couple of days ago about the things I learned last year about myself, but I didn't really touch on the things that I want to improve on this year.

The first and most important thing is my weight. I really want to lose these last 50 pounds. The second thing I want to do is get divorced. I can file at the end of February, and I'm hoping it will be a painless experience. My ex and I are getting along right now, and I am anticipating him keeping his word when he said we would do this amicably. The third thing I want to do is continue on this journey of happiness I am on.

I still see my therapist every two weeks, and I am often taken aback when she calls me an inspiration. In fact, I couldn't believe how many women commented on my other post saying the same thing. My therapist says that most women who have their husbands leave them for another woman take it personally. I didn't. I knew my marriage was in trouble, and honestly, I think my ex leaving was inevitable. He needed to find happiness, because he was no longer happy with me. Looking back, I don't think I was happy either. I chose to be strong for my kids, and did everything I could to make this transition easier for them. Sure, that included me finally figuring out How To Find Happiness for myself, and I have. It didn't come from other people, which surprised me. It came from me finally taking charge of my life and doing things I'd never done before. I learned to drive, which had been a fear of mine my entire life. I got a job, which was scary since I hadn't worked in almost ten years. Now, I love my job, which is driving a delivery van. Go figure.

I have finally found peace in my life. I get up everyday and live. I am a great mom. I am an awesome friend. But most importantly, I am happy with myself and the decisions I have made.

Now, if I could just give up Diet Coke and smoking.

A New Me For The New Year

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:38:00 +0000

I had not weighed myself in quite a while, and I was dreading getting on the scale. I worked pretty hard to get this weight off, and I was a little worried that I had gained some back between Thanksgiving and New Years. I finally decided yesterday to bite the bullet and get on the scale. I was disappointed that I had gained weight, but only about five pounds. Considering I have lost weight before and always gained it all back (plus some) I was happy to see it was only five pounds.

That said, I am also determined to lose the rest of this weight. Last year, I almost hit the one hundred pound lost mark, but for the past five months or so, I haven't lost a single pound. Since it's a new year, I finally want to get down to where I want to be. I still have about 50 pounds to go, and I am not sure how to lose it all. I know I have to stop eating fast food so much, but when I am on the road all day, fast food is easy to eat on the go. I also have to exercise more. I want to try the 90 Day Review, but I'm not sure I could do it. It looks pretty intense. I think I need to start smaller and work my way up to this. The Extreme Body Workout looks awesome, too. I want the body they say I could have. I want defined muscles and to be rid of my fat rolls. I want men to whistle when I walk by.

Okay, so I may never get to that point, but I do want to be healthier. I want to set a better example for my kids. Unfortunately, they are following in my footsteps with bad eating habits and not getting enough exercise. I want my 14 year old daughter to be proud of her Beach Body. Heck, I want to be proud of mine. I only started wearing a bathing suit a couple of years ago. I was always ashamed of my body, and I don't want my kids to grow up feeling that way.

I want them to feel how I feel now. Confident and proud of who I am, regardless of what I look like on the outside. It took me almost 40 years to get here, though. Hopefully it won't take them that long.

This is a guest post provided by Fitness Alliance.

2011 - A Year Of Self Discovery

noreply@blogger.com (jenn) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:42:00 +0000

2011 didn't start out so well for my little family. I am sure you all remember that day last February when I wrote a simple post letting you all know that my husband decided to leave me. I remember that day. I remember feeling so many things...the most prominent feeling being hopelessness.

I can honestly say that I am going to start 2012 full of hope. I learned so much about myself this past year, and I love who I have become. I always used to say that I loved myself, but looking back, I don't think that was true. I always thought I was happy, but I don't think that was true, either.

Today, on this last day of a hard year, I can honestly say that I do love myself, and I have never been happier. It took the ending of my marriage for me to realize that although my life before was important, I wasn't really living.

In the past ten months, I have learned

how much fun it is to live.
that I am beautiful, inside and out.
that being a single mom is hard work, but worth every second.
that I love working.
that I can stand on my own two feet.
that it is okay to ask for help when I need it.
that flirting is fun!
that there are men out there who find me attractive.
that I don't have to depend on other people for my happiness.
that I can forgive...even when it hurts me to do so.
that I can be friends with my ex, which is important to me for the sake of my kids.
that driving isn't scary!

So, those are a few things I have learned, and I am sure there are many, many more. I know I haven't been blogging much about my personal life. I know there are readers (or a better word might be stalkers) who read this blog simply to know what is going on with me because they are insecure in there own lives and have nothing better to do than wish they were like me. I know I am amazing, and I don't need a man to make me feel this way. I am amazing because of the things I have done this past year for myself. For my kids. For my little family. My kids will always be the most important part of my world, but I have learned that they are not the only part of my world.

I haven't mentioned this little tidbit before, but for the past six months or so I have been seeing someone. It's not a relationship, because neither one of us want that. I wanted someone who would be okay with hanging out only when my kids are with their dad, and I found him. My kids have never met him, though they do know I see someone. I am a big believer in keeping my personal life away from my kids. When they are with me, they are my priority. That said, have recently discovered that in order for me to be the great mom that I am, I need time to myself. I am a woman after all.

I know this post comes off as me tooting my own horn, but I'm okay with that. I spent too many years being unhappy with myself, and now that I am finally the woman I think I was always supposed to be, I am proud of myself.

And that is why 2012 is going to be awesome!