And the happiest of New Years to you!

I realize it's the fourth, but since I have found it impossible to accomplish anything real until today then I guess it's MY New Year.

For the last month or so I have repeatedly stated what my New Years resolution will be for 2012.  It's won't be to lose weight or get in shape, the trainer I work with twice a week is helping me with that.  It won't be to swear less, and honestly my girls are finally getting to an age where I can swear in front of them and they don't look at me and fear for my soul.  It won't be to save more money.  You have to make money to save it and I am just now starting a couple of new freelance projects and I've already spent that money on a new refrigerator, because yes, I have been living out of 3 dorm-size units since before Christmas.

No, my resolution is none of those.  My resolution is to say "no".

I worked myself into such a tizzy before the holidays by taking on too much, that I really didn't enjoy Christmas and I'm pretty sure I rained on my kids parades too.  I had major projects at each of the girls' schools.  Two Girl Scout troops with promises of field trips that need to be organized.  Two ornament workshops for those troops.  An extremely unrealistic writing gig for little money that has probably, no most-likely, ruined my cred with a local writing affiliate.

Add that to all of the other things we do- soccer, basketball, religious education (I volunteer in a class), I also administrate websites, newsletters and Facebook pages.  Enough is enough!  I am just now reading the Christmas issues of all my favorite magazines!  Blah!!!!!!

For the first time in over 11 years we stayed home on New Year's Eve and didn't invite anyone over.  I couldn't handle the thought of the mess that I would have to clean the next day.  The toys, games, and little Life people scattered across my basement carpet.  I just.  Couldn't.  Do it.  And now I've decided that I won't.

I have two freelance projects going right now.  I need this work.  We need this money.  I have to chop off some other things.  I have an idea of what things are going to go, and they are the things I just don't enjoy much anymore.  The tasks that when someone asks me a question pertaining to these obligations my face falls in disgust before I can even think to stop it from doing so.

I hope I am not "un-friended" by those affected by my decisions, but I have to do this for me.  I have to learn to say, "No, I am just not available.  No, I don't have another commitment.  Oh wait!  I did just sign an agreement with my couch, my TV, the new issue of Real Simple and a liquored-up beverage.  Sorry, they will be really disappointed if I don't show up."

In April I will turn 40.  An age that I honestly never thought I would apply to myself.  Not that I've predicted an early death for myself but because it just sounded too old to ever apply to me.  With this age I have made other changes.  I work out often and twice a week I get the crap kicked out of me by a personal trainer.  I try to sleep well and consistently.  I "encourage" or is it "nag" my husband to do some stuff around here so I don't have to, and I've let my kids know I won't let them harsh my mellow anymore.

I need time to do things that I enjoy so that the things that make me money aren't deemed such a burden.  I need time for me, so that I don't completely go all crazy-ass up on you.  I need to say no, because damn it there are other people in this school, school district, town, state, country and world who have more time than I do.  I need to do it now.  Because going to see a movie by myself, or hauling my laptop to Starbucks so I can sip a latte and play Zynga's latest game on Facebook is what I want to do.  And I deserve it.

Tales from an Overextended Mom

I am overextended.  Not necessarily in the financial sense, although I'm far from flush with cash, but in the time sense.  As in, I have none.  Less than some.  No extra.  Zip.

I must learn to say no.  I must learn to say yes to tasks that make me money, and no to a few things that make others money.  In the last few weeks I have been running a book fair, helping wee ones pick out bling for their mom's at the holiday shop, crafting ornaments with girl scouts, and handling recycling for the elementary school.
In the next few weeks I am going to help at another book fair, suggest a coffee mug for dad at another holiday shop, help with math games, craft ornaments at another workshop, and deliver collected toys and crafts to two local organizations.

Oh yeah and I have a severely past due deadline to contend with, and a few other employment opportunities to move to the top of my priority list.

All bitching aside I do love volunteering.  I love being involved at my daughter's schools and I love helping out where I can whether it's at school, church, or elsewhere.  The problem is that these endeavors are wearing me out and when it comes time to complete tasks that pay me money I have nothing left.  These endeavors also cut into my "me" time, which for the last 10 weeks has involved time at the gym.  I'm on the fast track to 40 and I am making significant changes in my physical health before it gets here.  But if I'm worn out mentally, the feelings overpower my physical strength and not only do I not complete work I get paid for I don't do the work I want to do on me either.

I'm not sure there is a solution to my over extension.  My several jobs, two kids, two dogs, hubby and a house all add to my stress, but I have to cut back for so many reasons the most obvious of which is my sanity!  There are only so many mental health trips to Target-with-a-Starbucks that I can squeeze in to my already negative time balance.  So, what do I do?  What do you do?  I have such a hard time with repetition in my schedule that to live by the hour seems horrific.  But is it the only way?  Must I schedule "me" time so that I don't fill those hours with "them" time?

I'm clueless.  And I'm open to suggestions.  What can I do to find a healthy balance?  What is the proper work-me-them balance?   I'm too tired to think.  Share your wisdom, or your lack of.  I'm all ears.

I've come full circle and I got my Gleek on!

Last weekend I attended my first ever blogging conference.  Perfect timing considering my blog has sat unattended for darn near a month!

I spent two days in lovely Holland, MI at Gleek Retreat 2011 and it was such a great experience.  In addition to spending time with Heather for the first time in about 10 years, I also saw many bloggy friends in real life and even heard a few of them speak and share their blogging expertise!

It was a great way to network from other bloggers like myself, and kick back with an old friend.  The swag bags kicked ass too with fun from Bissell, Therapon, Mabel's Labels, Good Life Granola, Island Girl Bags, Rogers Jewelers and Rudy Kazoody's.

The last six weeks have been a little surreal for me.  You see, it seems I've come full circle.  One of the motivators behind the name of this blog was a major life change I made in November of 2008.  I quit my job in advertising.  Those of you that know me, and those of you that have read about my "process" for the last two-and-half-years may be surprised to find out that I have returned to that world.  Yes, the world of advertising.

I've streamlined some of my extra jobs and have contracted with an agency in the Detroit area.  I handle Business Affairs and about 100 other things.  I'm freelance so I am kind-of my own boss, and I work when and where I want. I don't feel guilt about working at home, and I don't feel guilty if I can't work at all.

So, that's one of the reasons you  haven't heard from me in oh-so-long.  There are other reasons too, but they are for another time and another post.  I'll share more about my job later, but tonight I just wanted to offer an update and a thought- we may wonder what if, and that is OK, but it's also OK to realize that you can go "home" again.  Sometimes when we go to find ourselves, we may realize we were right there all along.  I don't feel lost, and I don't regret my time away from this business, and I'm not 100% sure I'll always be here, but for now it feels right and that's good enough for me.

Being girly

I have never deemed myself a girly-girl.  I have always been more comfortable in jeans than in a dress.  When I do dress up, people comment.  Not in a bad way, but in a way that says "you look great, not that you usually look bad, but you normally don't look like that."

As I have mentioned a few times lately, I haven't been taking very good care of myself.  In the last year I just haven't made "me" a priority.  As Mother Nature has teased us with Spring I have felt the winter blahs subside (and then come back again- damn freezing rain) but the glimpse of sun and warmth has been enough to get my brain working.  "Hey!  You!  Take care of yourself.  Get off your ass!  Treat yourself!"  So, that is what I did.

I have a dear friend and her name is Alicia.  Our friendship comes easy.  We enjoy each other's company.  We love each other's kids.  Our husband's like to golf, grill and enjoy a beer.

We may not see each other weekly or even monthly, but it doesn't matter.  She gets me and I get her.  And she forces me to be "girly".

Alicia is a "cosmetician".  A "haircutteress" as Cory once called her.  Actually now her business card says "Master Designer/Educator".  She is the real deal.  Without Alicia my hair would be mousy brown.  Without Alicia my hair would have been flat on my wedding day.  Without Alicia I would never have discovered the joy of a pedicure.  And without Alicia I would not be typing this post with bronzed hands, and a healthy body glow to match.  Yes, my friends- I have been spray tanned.

I texted Alicia because my winter low lights had run their course and I needed to lighten up for Spring.  Plus, due to a new vitamin regimen my hair was A LOT longer after the usual amount of time and the pony tail was getting old.

But a haircut and high/low lights was not all that was in store for me this glorious Wednesday.  Alicia is an educator and her educatee needed pedicure practice, and Alicia needed models (and I use that term loosely) to practice her spray tan application- would I be interested? Umm, yes.  Yes, I would.

So I drive to Jackson trying to find comfort in wearing my bathing suit in March in front of only Alicia.  I arrive late, as usual, and the magic begins.  I tell her my hair is too long and she does the rest.  And that's OK, because I ALWAYS love my hair after she does anything to it.  I may question what the hell it is she's doing to me, but it always looks fantastic.  Me and my tired dawgs thoroughly enjoyed the pedicure.  I couldn't have much leg massaging because the lotions would have messed with the next step in my mini-vacation but it was lovely to sit there, soak my feet, drink my latte, and return emails on my phone.  Do I know how to relax or what?

After my pedi, my hair was rinsed, toned, cut and dried and then I entered a small room and put on my bathing suit. Ugh.

But let's not dwell on what can not be changed over night.  Let's think about how a simple spray gun gave me in a half hour what I normally would need a week in Hawaii to receive.  Golden bliss.  And then some.

You see, spray tan is pigment that reacts naturally with your skin.  But the pigment has to stay on for 8 - 10 hours to realize the full effect.  It also gets darker the longer it's on.  So, while driving home I looked pretty good (minus the messed up new hair and no makeup, etc.)...

...by late evening I looked like an Oompa Loompa and was really glad I had no where to go.  As I watched television I could feel my girls "look" at me, and then I would look at them and they would laugh.  "You just look so different."  Ya think?

Truthfully I scared myself come bedtime.  I wasn't orange but I was dark.  To say the least.  So I showered and watched the pigment go down the drain fully expecting to look like my normal booty-ass white self when I emerged from the steam.  But I didn't.  I looked healthy.

So this morning I showered again.  Moisturized generously, per my Master Designer's instructions, and Ta-Da!!  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

It was hard to get a good shot of my leg.  But I think you can get the idea.  Of course due to the camera angle it looks like I have a wee little foot, and a calf the size of a tree trunk.

I'm not dolled up by any means.  And you may have no idea how pasty I was before, but at least I look alive, and my hair looks good.

I never really thought I would ever go for the "spray tan".  But once again, Alicia introduced me to something I would have otherwise been too chicken to try.  Will I do it again?  It depends.  Ask me next winter when the "blahs" are in full force.

All in all, I feel better.  I feel kinda pretty.  I feel inspired to wait until it's warm outside and then really get out there and exercise.  (It's sunny today but cold as crap out there.) It was fun to be pampered for a day.  Maybe next week I'll book a facial and a massage.  And maybe next week a magic gnome will bring me loads of money to pay for said facial and said massage.  You know a little magic in the name of girly-ness?  Come on, it could happen.

Time

The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight.  Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time.

Ti-i-i-ime is on my side...

Time, where did you go?   Why did you leave me here alone?

I love the changing of time, but I hate the time change.  Does that make sense?

I think changing, implies gradual.  I love bright sunny days and bright sunny evenings.  I just hate losing the hour of "time" in the process.  It's so abrupt and I don't deal well with abrupt.  I don't mind change, but I hate instant change.  Such as the instant Standard Time becomes Daylight Savings Time and my whole household is up too late and grumpy when poked in the morning.

All week long I have felt jet-lagged.  No energy, can't sleep when I am supposed to, and generally just off.  My girls are the same.  My husband is right there with us, only he had to be somewhere bright and early on Sunday morning.  Work!  Ewwww.

I know I should just shut up.  I have discussed my winter blahs here and they are finally disappating thanks to the day lit evenings, and bright, somewhat-warm days.  But I'm tired.  I've lost an hour and it will take more "time" to recover from the loss.  Or a nap.  But then I won't sleep tonight.  Sigh.

ABCs of Me

Shamelessly stolen from Lori!

Age: 38.92

Bed size: Queen and it used to seem SO big before the kids and the dog.

Chores I dislike: Mopping the floor.  Thank goodness for the Swiffer WetJet!

Dogs: Maxx, our pretty, wide-assed, son who is an Australian Shepherd / Gold Retriever mix.

Essential start to your day: A banana.

Favorite color: It always changes.  Right now I am loving orange.

Gold or silver: Silver.

Height: 5'4"

Instruments you play: I played the violin.  Sometimes I wonder if I still could...

Job title: Self-employed Jill-of-all-Trades.  Writer, blogger, Social Media User, Rights & Licensing Manager, Thirty-One Consultant.

Kids: Ryann Emily, 10, and Jayden Grace, 7.

Live: Livingston County.  Transplant from the Prison City.

Mom's name: Judith :)

Nickname: Stace.  Jojo.

Overnight hospital stay: Many as a child, and two as an adult for each of my girls.

Pet peeves: Attending an event with your child and having your own conversations in the back of the room.  Commenting on your kids behavior, weight, grades, but enabling it at the same time.

Quote from a movie: "He's gonna use your ass and throw you away.  God, I would have died for you."  ~ Duckie Dale, Pretty in Pink.

Righty or lefty: Righty, thanks to Granny taking the pencil out of my left hand and putting it in my right.

Siblings: Oh my.  Bob-Rob, 30, Kasey, 27, Eric, 24, Betsy, 24, Kyle, 19.

Time you wake up: 7:30 during the week. Whenever is necessary on the weekends.

Underwear: The normal kind.

Vegetables you don't like: Brussel. Sprouts.

What makes you run late: Facebook.  The Internet.  My computer.  Like right now.

Xrays you had: Lungs, arm when I fell rollerskating.

Yummy food you make: My Mama's meat loaf.  Pot Roast.

Zoo animal favorites: Monkeys.

If you do this too, post your link in the comments!  Have a great day!

Ridin' the wave

This is me.  I could critique myself until you swore to never read this blog again.  How I wish I was a confident person.  Inside.  I can play confident on the outside, but on the inside I am usually dying.

Three months shy of 39.  Two-and-a-half years into regular therapy and I am still ridin' the wave.  The waves of ups and downs.  Days where I can run though this house and clean, then write, then blog, and by 5 I've done more then I have in the weeks before.  Then there are the days where I'm lucky if I shower.  I try to make sure no one else is affected by my waves, but sometimes they catch on.  I just hope that by laying it all out here again tonight I can put it to rest for tomorrow.  A day with so much promise, and so much to do.

Some things do change...

I admit I had a pretty definite opinion of freezer convenience foods.

After all, I worked full time in an office for over twelve years.  There are days you will not be able to get out at lunch so it was very common to see a stockpile of Lean Cuisines and the like piled high in the office freezer with names scribbled on them with a Sharpie.

But when I left my job in November of 2008, I knew I would never eat one of those things again.  I didn't have to.  I worked at home, where there are many things in the kitchen to choose from, and I don't have to label anything with a Sharpie.

But this month I am taking all 31 days to plan my direction.  I am not resolving anything, I am simply researching my options for exercise, food ideas, vitamins, and other similar topics.

Interestingly enough I was asked to try out Lean Cuisine and Skinny Cow products.  Ugh.  Really?  Sante Fe Rice and Beans?  Chicken Alfredo?  yay.

What I found when I got to the store was that the section had grown a little.  OK, a lot.  By about five freezer doors.  Comfort cuisine.  Casual cuisine.  Steams Fresh varieties.  Holy Salisbury steak!  (Which I could never eat in the frozen-microwaved form, sorry.)  I grabbed the ones that looked the tastiest and went over to the ice cream aisle.

The Skinny Cow section had not grown at all, but I found that the ice cream sandwiches, my favorite, came in about 6-8 different varieties.  I went with Cookies & Cream and called it a day.

When I prepared and ate these items later in the week I was very pleased with the quality.  The "Steams Fresh" chicken stir fry was very tasty and very filling.  So was the Chicken Alfredo.  The Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches are huge!  And, my family ate five of them before I had one!  I'm really surprised I didn't pull an empty container from the freezer.  Don't laugh, it's happened before.

As far as the Lean Cuisines I did enjoy them.  Will I stockpile them and have them for lunch everyday?  I'm sorry to say- no.  But I will keep one or two around for the days when I need to eat something before I hop on a conference call, or for when I need to eat fast, and I will try many varieties not the same two all the time.

So another learning experience for my 31 days of January.  Thanks to Rebecca for reminding me after my last post that I have a Wii Fit which can provide a great exercise option.  Duh, I can't believe I forgot that!

More check-ins at Walmart Supercenter #4584

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Disclosure:  I was compensated by Collective Bias for this shop and post.  All thoughts and opinions of this product are mine and mine alone.

I am not a determined person

If you tell me not to do something, it makes me want to do it.  Will someone please forbid me from exercising?  Please?

I have no willpower.  No gumption.  No determination.  Could it be... gasp!  I'm lazy?

If I gave exercise the time I give Frontierville I'd be on the cover of the freakin' Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.  OK, maybe that's extreme, but if you add in the time I spend on Cityville too well then it's quite possible.

I have the time to be a very dedicated person to many things.  But I am easily distracted, and quite good at talking myself out of things.  I can't resolve.  I can't commit.  I can't declare.  It's all just a recipe for failure.

I am looking for suggestions.  I will be 40 in about 15 months.  I have ideas of how I want to turn 40 and my current shape is not it.  So, what is my problem?  Why am I so easily uninspired?  Do you have pointers for me?  I have some questions....

Should I take advantage of the free months deal at Anytime Fitness?
What is the best kind of bread to buy that my kids will still eat?
If you suspect you have developed a lactose intolerance what do you put in your coffee?
Do you drink coffee?
Do you forget to take care of yourself?
Have you let yourself go?
Are you a disciplined person?  Have you always been?

Give me tips, pointers, and whatever else you have.  I am a sponge.  A sponge who has crops to tend to.

Swap out your Sweetener, when you use sweetener

Two weeks ago, on October 18th I started the Truvia Swap out your Sweetener Challenge.  I agreed to trade my normal choice of sweetener, good ole' sugar, for Truvia.

I received a sweet package (ha ha) in the mail, with spoonable truvia, a 40 ct. box of individual packets, and some samples and coupons to share.

The first place I tried my new Truvia (I have used Truvia before in a chai coffee recipe I cooked up) was in a cup of coffee.  Truthfully, on this occasion I didn't love it.  But I think I used too much.  You see, I've discovered something these last two weeks.  I don't use a lot of additional sweetener in my everyday life.  In fact, it's a nice discovery to realize how few things I actually add sweetener to- and when it comes to coffee, I add cream but not sugar.

So, it made sense to try it somewhere I did use this type of product, and that is in my Plain yogurt.  I added some to my plain, non-fat yogurt and it was exactly what it needed.  It was a tasty treat and I was very happy with the Truvia flavor.

Oddly, last week I found that I did enjoy Truvia in my cappucino from Panera.  I hit the drive thru when I was running errands and quickly discovered I didn't love what I was drinking.  I finished my errands and when I got home I figured, why not?  So I added a spoonful, warmed it back up and wow.  It took an not-so-great cappucino and made it perfect.  It's also gave me a great idea...

Why not throw a few of these packets in my purse?  That way I don't have to wait to get home to fix-up my cappucino, I can do it when I am on the go, and enjoy my drink when I am supposed to- when I buy it!

If you'd like to hear more personal experiences with Truvia visit MapTruvia and check out the Swap out your Sweetener (SOYS) Challenge forum.  You can also share this post here to get a free sample of Truvia to try for yourself.

Disclosure:  I received Truvia for free, but my opinions on the product are mine and mine alone.

A Lifetime Ago

Yesterday I returned to my Alma Mater with my husband and two daughters.  It seems a lifetime has passed since I roamed the grounds at Central Michigan University.  It's surreal that I even lived there for three years, it's as if I watched it all on TV and it was all the adventures of someone else.

Much is the same about CMU.  Yes, there are a few new stores, and yes there is a Starbucks.  I sniffed it out :)  But many of the old familiar haunts are no longer there, starting with the two apartment buildings I inhabited. 

When I returned to college in January 1994 I lived in an on-campus apartment.  I was free of the dorms but I was still on-campus.  So my rent came out of my financial aid, all other utilities were included and I could walk to class if my car took a crap.  The first of those two apartments was torn down after I lived in it (ha ha, shut up) to make room for a new music building.  The second apartment I lived in for two years, and it has since been removed to make room for a library expansion.  It's hard to point to a parking lot and explain to your 10 and six-year-old daughters "that's where Mommy lived".

We also drove by Robinson Hall where I spent the Fall of 1992 missing my boyfriend and working hard on that 1.29 grade point average. "I want to see where you slept,"  Jayden said.  Well honey, I'm thinking the teenage girl or boy who now lives in that room won't appreciate me showing up with my grouchy husband and two kids to take a look around the 12 X 12 space.  So no, wave to the building we're moving on...

Sundays were always quiet in Mt. Pleasant.  The campus is a hungover ghost town and not much is going on.  We were there for the CMU Girls Soccer game, and our girls, along with their teammates got to spend half time on a college soccer field.  They loved it.  I loved it.  The air was crisp, the sun intermittent, and I found myself hoping that one of my girls follows her Mom and becomes a Chippewa herself.  Hopefully one with a scholarship.  It was a new feeling for me, the pride of passing on a legacy to my kids.  And joy for sharing my pre-them life with them.  Of course I didn't point out the store where I bought the 3 for $5 forties, or the bar where I got smashed on my 22nd birthday and how I may not have been their Mom if I hadn't found a different ride home that night.  But I did show them Moore Hall, my second home at college.  It's a good thing that building can't talk, and I did show them where their Dad would take me to dinner when he would come to visit. 

Then as we contemplated having Pixie for dinner, or perhaps Taco Boy, my girls fell asleep in the back seat of the car and we decided to head on home.  Someday they will understand it more, and someday I will own it more and realize that all those good times were mine.

A funny thing happened at the roller rink

I broke my damn arm!!!  How's that for a story?

It seems that rollerskating with your children, while earning you cool points with your kids, can be hazardous to your bones.

It’s interesting the range of emotions you feel when you break something. The still-hiding-inside little girl thinks it’s kind of cool and starts wondering what color of a cast you may pick out. The damsel in distress thinks how great it will be to have your husband care for your every whim while you are laid up unable to do anything for yourself. The practical mom screams out loud “How in the hell am I going to get anything done?”

Then your doctor mentions the possibility of surgery, and the chicken shit in all of us loses her lunch. Figuratively of course, not literally.

I was lucky; I didn’t need surgery on my fractured radius. In fact, much to the little girls chagrin I didn’t even get a bright purple cast. I was instructed to start moving it as soon as possible, do a few simple movement exercises every day and start physical therapy after my vacation. Yippy.

In the meantime I have to remind the practical mom that it’s broken because when instincts and reflexes take over you tend to you use your arm. Your dominant arm. In my case my right arm. And it hurts when you use it let me tell you.

So we’re off to Drummond Island for our annual vacation in the Upper Peninsula, broken radius be damned. Of course “curling” is very therapeutic. As in, curling-your-arm-to-bring-that drink-to-your-mouth, which is a very treasured activity on this vacation. We shall see how much flexibility it can restore.

Am I... Nesting?

What. The. Hell.  I mean... Hell?

I have cleaned more in the last few weeks than I have in the last few years, or so it seems.  Purge, purge, purge, I'm in the mood to de-clutter.  It's amazing what I can collect, and how it stresses me out.  But it also reminds me of nesting.  You know, when you're pregnant and suddenly feel that EVERYTHING MUST BE IN ORDER OR I WILL NEVER REST AGAIN.

For example, did you know that I am much more apt to scrapbook if I have less scrapbook paraphernalia all around?  Less tools and supplies means I'm not so overwhelmed and can actually picture myself scrapping the pictures I have printed before I migrate over to digital.  Whew, it feels good.

Plus my kids are older and oddly, they seem to have less stuff.  As a result of having less stuff, I get more work done because I am not surrounded by stuff.  I hate stuff.

As a book reviewer, a dream job I might add, I am surrounded by books, but even that can stress me out if they are not in some kind of order.

All of this nesting, cleaning, purging, sorting, etc. has kept me from blogging!  See how I work?  Craaa-zzzyyyy.

Getting Real

Isn't it ironic, don'tcha think?  A little too ironic?  You know I really do think...

I can never get over how once you hear of something it seems to pop up everywhere.  Yes, of course, it's only because you are aware of it now, whatever it may be, and therefore in tune to when it's mentioned on TV, on the Internet, or in casual conversation.  For me, it's my interest in eating better and the steps I am going to take to make my family's food choices healthier and more nutritious.  The key words here are 'Real Food'.

 Last Wednesday I attended a webinar sponsored by Mamapedia and the California Milk Advisory Board.  The webinar was called "Getting Real About Health" and two of the featured contributors were Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough authors of Real Food Has Curves: How to Get Off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat. 

 

Weinstein and Scarbrough discussed the first three steps in their book and talk about ironic!  They are steps that I have been talking of incorporating already.  And really, they are not inhumane, self-depriving practices!  They incorporate some great research along with a little common sense.

The webinar also featured Jo Ann Hattner, author Gut Insight: probiotics and prebiotics for digestive health and well-being.  This is ironic for two reasons.  One, the ladies over at NourishMD praise the benefits of probiotics. So in my recent research I have heard this term used frequently, and two, she spent some time debunking the myths of the nutrition benefits of dairy, and I have a friend who after my last post informed me of his strong feelings on that subject.  (Jimmy, I neither agree or disagree.  I am taking it all in :P)  June is, after all, National Dairy Month.

The first step that Weinstein and Scarbrough list in their book is 'Learn the secrets to satifaction'.  In other words if you choose foods that taste great you will be better satisfied and eat less.  It seems odd, but they say that the more time people spend shopping for, preparing, and tasting their food- the less they weigh.  The key is choosing foods that taste great and help you feel satiated.

Step two is to 'Make informed choices'.  It's not black or white, it's not good or bad, it's about not feeling like a bad person if you can't do it the perceived 'right' way all of the time.  It's about making the best choice for you at the time.  My interpretation of this is- I won't be arrested if I have to buy a pre-made something or other, as long as it's the best choice at the time.

Finally, the third step is to 'Relish what you eat'.  Don't deprive yourself, you won't succeed.  Diets fail because we are not motivated by punishing ourselves if we partake in something that is deemed a no-no.  We are motivated by positive experiences, you have to run on pleasure.  Slow down and enjoy your food.

I don't find any of those steps absurd.  In fact, they inspired me to learn more.  I am trying to learn from a variety of sources and combine all of the information into a plan that works best for me.  That is why I was so interested in what Hattner had to say about the myths of dairy.  The first myth she addressed is that drinking milk causes early puberty.  Hattner claims there is no research to back that up and that excessive weight is generally what triggers early puberty.  Again, I am not saying I agree or disagree, but it does make sense.  Girls today drink less milk than we did at their age, so who knows?

Hattner also touches on lactose intolerance, dairy as a cause for being overweight, organic milk vs. regular milk, and if foods other than dairy are better sources of calcium.  All interesting, all valid, all up for debate.

I think what it all comes down to is that everything is going to be just fine, fine, fine, if we learn more about our food and apply that to our everyday lives.  Food shouldn't make us feel bad.  We need nourishment to survive, so how can that be a negative?  But we can make better choices.  Informed choices.  Real choices.  I, for one, am ready, are you?

Got a little Bret Michaels in me

I'm not feeling well.  And for once I don't mean mentally.

I've been having a lot of headaches.  And my eye is doing something.  It's not really a twitch so much as a tightening.  The rest of my body just hates me.

Bret Michaels had a stroke today. I wonder...

I'm gonna be making some changes.  I'm 38 now, and it's 38 or never.  I've made changes before, but now it's so much WORSE!  I feel like a hoss.  As in, "Heya Hoss, how about another helpin' of crap you don't need to eat?"

I attended a webinar yesterday called "Getting Real About Health".  It was sponsored by the California Milk Advisory Board and Mamapedia.  The authors of the book Real Food Has Curves: How to Get Off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat spoke and I really liked what they had to say.

I've also decided to spend some time with Angelle from NourishMD.  She has some great ideas as well on how REAL food can help your health in so many ways.  She's also local, and her daughter is in our Girl Scout troop.  How's that for easy access?

I don't wanna sing "Don't know what you got, 'til it's gone".  But I do want "something to believe in".  I think this is just another step on my journey, and I will share with you as I go.  It won't be "nothin' but a good time".  I swear.

Get well soon Bret.

My Space

 After a year and four months of floating from the kitchen table to the living room, to the recliner, to the end table, and cleaning up and moving my stuff every night I am proud to announce I finally have my own office.

All of the crap....ummmm.... very important items to the man of the house.... that you see in this picture used to be in the room you see below (I forgot to take REAL before pictures.)

This is a room in our basement that you get to before you get to Cory's workshop and it was a catch all.  It was very hard to see any potential in the room because of all of the stuff, and how high it was stacked.

Earlier this year Cory won an awesome slate-top pool table at an auction at his work.  It was the perfect addition to his man-cave but we were going to have to do some rearranging to get it to fit.

We have a sectional couch in the basement that after 6 years looked brand new because we have spent so little time down there since the big screen TV died. (No worries we have another one upstairs).  So, short story long, we moved our "newer" furniture upstairs with the good TV, and put the "older" furniture downstairs to make room for the pool table.  During all that moving, and removing- of the couch legs- with a saw- to get the damn thing down the stairs- we discovered that this little nook in our home was perfect for My Space.  My office that I so desperately needed and wanted.  All it took was a little imagination on my part and a lot of moving stuff, and this is what we have now.

I admit, it's not worthy of Architecture Digest, but I love it and I can leave all my work notes spread out.  All. Over. And no one is going to touch them.  I used material on the walls rather than paint and bought an area rug for the tiled floor.  My mother-in-law had a bookcase to dispose of and it matched the one I already have.  So I moved that down too and now I have a library :)

The only thing left to do is make a folding room divider to block out the look of the furnace, water heater, and workshop entry that is to my right.  The less clutter I have to see the better.  But I am so proud of my space.  It has increased my organization and productivity immensely in the short time I have been down here.  I love that I can put my kids on the bus, come home, make coffee, and go to my office.  I am usually "at work" by 8:45 and it feels great.  So great, I just had to share.

Hey, one more thing!  Come back tomorrow!  I'm going to show you how to make some awesome Tomato Basil pizza and I have the coolest giveaway from RedGold tomatoes!!!!  Did you know that RedGold tomatoes uses all midwest growers including many right here in Michigan!  So please come back!

What if the past had stayed the past?

Have you ever had a year where you had constant trips down memory lane? I'm sure facebook is the main reason for this phenomena but I am still amazed by the number of people I have encountered in the last twelve months who I never, ever, thought I would see again.

If you have not experienced this I recommend getting a job as a reporter for your hometown newspaper. It's insane who you will run into.

November 13

I have been waiting a whole year to write this post, and yet, here I sit at 9 p.m. just getting started.

All year long I have had ideas of what I might write on this day. I have had dreams about what I might list as my accomplishments and what I still planned to do. But it's funny, I almost don't feel like any of that is really important.

One year ago on November 13, 2008 I walked out of my office, and away from my career in advertising and never looked back. Seriously. I haven't even been back to visit. The week before I left, the company I worked for laid off two hundred or so employees and I found out that if I hadn't given notice I was going to be outsourced anyway. Ironically, one year later the same week, that same company announced that they will close their doors at the end of January because their only client is partnering with other advertising agencies. (OK, you twisted my arm, the client is Chrysler.)

I have mentioned on many occasions that this time of year is significant for me. I have had several life altering events occur in the month of November. When I was 22 my Grandpa fell ill in November and died on December 1st. I have had other traumas during this time as well, some devastating for me, and others where my actions have devastated others. I ended a twelve year career in advertising in November.

This year, during my week of reflection and the one year anniversary of the biggest risk of my life, we put our 16 year old Lab C.J. to sleep and I saw my girls cry for a dog that has been around for their entire lives. I saw the exhaustion in my husbands face after taking C.J. to the vet and then burying him in our yard at 10 p.m. all the night before leaving for his annual hunting trip.

Cory left Thursday night and I have that empty feeling that I feel every year when he leaves for the Upper Peninsula. My Grandpa got sick when Cory was up north, our life together has been in shambles while Cory was up north, and honestly I had a strong fear that C.J. would finally "go" when Cory was up north.

So much has happened in November that I now associate with this trip that I have spent the first 24 hours feeling out of sorts. I go through the motions, I take care of my girls, but in the back of my head there is something nagging me, and it has no name, no face, no exact anything, it just hangs there. The trip. The dog. I used to work full time?

I can't say my career is where I thought it would be a year later, because I had no idea. I didn't know I would be freelancing for my hometown newspaper, or doing writing of any sort. I didn't know I would have a part time job in retail that I truly love. I didn't realize how many people would tell me (this week alone) that the all mighty dollar has nothing on happiness and spending quality time with family and feeling passionate about what you do each day. I had no idea how much lower my stress level would be, and I had no idea how much I would miss that dog.

Speaking of missing people, I miss many of my old co-workers. I miss some dear friends who I have not hung out with in so long. There are others I miss as well. Still.

Life has it's up and downs. It has it's right turns and wrongs. I truly believe I have no regrets, but I will always wonder what if. I made the right decision one year ago when I left my career for myself. I still don't have all the answers, and I feel like I have even less time, but I'm OK with all of that. It's all about the process. My process. And it's all about being happy because you deserve to be.

What I "see" when I read my free subscription to Elle

At one point some time ago I received a free subscription to Elle magazine. I am not Elle material, nor am I am Vogue or Harper's Bazaar material, but free is free so I thumb through them when they arrive.

Well this month I decided to give it a fair shake and really "see" what I was thumbing through. I enjoyed an article about Jennifer Aniston and a blurb about Jon Hamm and then I tore out things that "spoke" to me. This is what I came away with...

The ring totally spoke to me. Maybe I do have a little Elle in me? It's stunning, and less than 3K. Pocket change right? OK, it's a want, not a need and a girl can dream.


These, on the other hand, scream for me! I love funky shoes and a girl can never have too many Chucks. Unfortunately for me, this particular pair of Converse All-Stars is only available at Macy's and they are fresh out. Ain't that a load of crap? If you spot a pair, let me know. I wear an 8.5 or a 9 :) I totally **heart** them.


Now for the ad girl in me. As much as I say I'm not an Elle girl, I'm also not a juicy girl. Juicy is not a word I need emblazoned across my ass. However, I really liked this print campaign they had in Elle. The guy in the tutu is nice but I was drawn to the line "You can always get what you want". Hmmm, let's rethink that ring up there...

Finally, I have coveted a Kate Spade bag for years. Yes, it does seem to go against everything I claim to be, but her brother-in-law in David Spade for God's sake, I think a Kate Spade hand bag is something I am destined to have. I have looked at them longingly on the web, and ahem... on ebay but I have never taken the plunge. I do, however, have a very nice Monica Lewinsky bag that I bought years ago. Just had to have it. Anyway, Elle, may not be my thing entirely, but I found some inspiration in odd places and possibly something to save for, something purple and sparkly...

It's 3:15 a.m. Do you know where I am?

Wow. I have been sitting here since about eight p.m. I have left this chair periodically to go to the loo (I've always wanted to say that), kiss my girls goodnight, make myself a chai, etc., all so I could pull an all-nighter. Ok, not an all-nighter, but probably a "I'm gonna survive my Thursday on about three hours of sleep - er".

You see, I have a lot going on right now. Instead of working full time an hour away at a job I didn't want anymore, I now work about five jobs and have a to-do list eight miles long. But I'm happier. Yep, that's right, happier.

In the morning I will rise at seven (or half past and that's still less than four hours away, in case you're counting) and I will do one phone interview for one article I am writing. Then I will write and submit said article. I will then make another call to interview someone else for the second article I am writing. I have a doctors appointment (medication follow-up anyone?) at 10:30 and I have to work at the the flower shop at one. Oh yeah I have to write and submit that second article before I go to "work".

So I stayed up late and did some work for DetroitMommies, the Examiner, here, prepped my news articles, and now I will definitely be cruising through the Starbucks drive thru sometime in the a.m. But it's all good. Because yes, you guessed it, I am happier. Even on three hours of sleep.