Life's Whirlwind Adventures

I have mixed feelings about New Year's resolutions. I mean on the one hand they can be great, but more often then not they are lofty and unattainable and you forget about them by January 15th. So how does one go about making resolutions that are going to stick. And saying you aren't making any resolutions for the year is in fact making a resolution so that does not count. I have done many goal setting activities in the past and they all tell you to make goals that are attainable (well if you work at them all goals are attainable generally) make goals specific (losing weight can be specific) make them measurable (starting out at day one of 2017 and where you end up at day 365 of 2017 is measurable) relevant (why would you make a goal that didn't relate to you??) and time sensitive (a year is a time frame), so even those lofty I'm going to eat better for 2017 goals could fit into the SMART acronym of goal setting. So here are my 2017 goals and things that will appea...

Months ago I posted about The Bra Lounge. The only place in town I could find bras to fit the sisters into.  When you are a 36 H buying at The Bay is never an option!! So I was able to find two new bras from the Bra Lounge even though I was going in for surgery in two or so months. Then they had this post on twitter a call for models, women of every size who loved their body just the way it was so I immediately volunteered. See when I was younger I always wanted to be a model or an actress, but I never really knew how to get past my insecurities to go out an pursue this venture.  So then modelling became a bucket list item.  And I know I could model my own products and stuff but what fun is that I wanted to do an event, something that either for a magazine or an event. Now I didn't know if they'd call me back, because maybe I didn't fit their idea for a model, but I was willing to put myself out there.  And in the end, out there is where I put myself. I was c...

In July I decided I needed to take control of my health and fitness.  I've said this in the past but many times things come up and I put it aside, so in July I was keen I was going to do this part of it was because of my upcoming surgery (more about that in another blog) and part because it's the healthy choice. I think I may have even posted a blog about it in August or something you can read the link there. And I've stayed pretty true to everything. I really started out weighing 100 kg, or 220 pounds.  And though I could have had more amazing results I have had some incredible results with a little fluctuation.  I made it down to 215 lbs easily and I hovered in that area for at least 6 weeks, maybe losing a pound or two only to gain it back. Then 30 days ago (I know what took me so long!!!) I purchased the Myfitnesspal app, so I could see my macro nutrient count, and I also purchased a new scale.  The Aria scale from Fitbit with my new Fitbit Charge 2. ...

I am the worst blogger, so if you come here from time to time and read my posts THANK YOU!! I really should have known I'd be a terrible blogger, I mean I am a terribly diary/ journal keeper, but I do have like 16 of them around my house. I have been really good in other areas of my life, I've been budgeting well, I've been writing other things and finished my first novel on Wattpad , check out the link if you'd like.  I've also been very focused on my career and I am LOVING my job so there is not always a lot to talk about. I'm going to try getting into this blogging again, and hopefully this time it sticks.... but if not then hey I'm giving it a try, one year it will stick and it will be AMAZING!! So here we are at it trying to give this a go!! I have some blogs planned because there are big things on the horizon for me and I want to share them!! I also have some stories I'd like to share of my friends if they will allow it so I am asking now...

I love shopping local and supporting my local businesses! It's a passion of mine.  As often as I can I shop local. One of my favourite stores for my lingerie is The Bra Lounge.  The ladies that work there are so amazing and friendly.  And I've never left there not liking my purchase. I was a little sad I had to go visit them last week.  Not because it isn't a great time but because my last good bra had the underwire snapped in it and I had no other bras.  This wouldn't be a big deal but with surgery in 3 months it felt like I was not going to get my cost per use from my purchase. So I went in, gave a quick explanation to the ladies and got fitted with some new bras that were ON SALE!!!! I had gone in to spend no more than $110 and had resigned myself to buying maybe only one more to see me through to December.  But because the Bras were on sale I was able to get two, TWO for $107.  It was the BEST news EVER!! I was worried I would only find one...

Do you know how some people are collectors?  Sometimes they collect things like Beanie Babies, or maybe Italian Charm Bracelet charms, or Pandora beads.  Maybe they collect cars or movies or any number of items. I've been know to collect things in my life, things like movies (I had all the Disney Movies, I still do on DVD), and music CDs and Books, all kinds of books.  But the thing I collect the most frequently are girlfriends. I'm a girlfriend girl.  That's not to say that I don't have some amazing guy friends because I do and I wouldn't trade them for anything, but I am a girls girl.  I treasure my girlfriends and I keep them. If I were a collector and my girlfriends were dolls, they'd be dusted regularly and put on display for the world to see!! I've been so fortunate in my life to come across some awe inspiring women that influence me to be the best version of myself.   I've had some friends all my life, and others I've only met recen...

I swore on all things that I would not be a Hockey mom.  I mean I like hockey, I enjoy watching it, I even enjoy a friendly game of shinny from time to time, but to be a hockey mom, yeah that wasn't something I ever wanted to do. I remember how much time my Mom had to give of herself when my brother started playing hockey, and I feel that my sister and I missed out on doing some things because my brother had hockey.  Now this could be a misconception on my part, I mean I was young, like 11 or 12 when Nelson started but it was around that time that many of my extra curricular activities stopped as well.  Did the two events happen in conjunction or because of one I don't know. When my first child was born we really didn't have the funds or opportunities to get involved with hockey so we tried soccer.  I actually liked being a soccer mom, I enjoy the sport and I enjoyed taking my child to his games.  He did well in soccer and played until he was in grade 11....

Five things I remember from when I was sixteen!! 1) I got my license on June 8 three months after my sixteenth birthday. I remember the dread I felt when my evaluator was Pete, AKA Repeat Pete.  It was also during a big fire up north so there were a lot more people in Prince Albert than usual and I remember Pete telling me at the end of my lesson that I was just on the edge of failing because I hesitated at a corner that had pedestrians at it.  He told me I had 7 or 8 marks off and he could fail me but decided not too. I finally breathed a sigh of relief and did the happy dance into SGI to pick up my new license. 2) I changed schools when I was 16 as well.  I left Rivier Academy behind and went to the Public High School.  I don't regret this decision at all and I had some of my best high school years at Carlton Comprehensive High School.  I don't feel like a missed anything by changing schools although I did lose out on a trip to Europe, but at the end of th...

I enjoy doing six week training programs.  There are a multitude reasons for it but the biggest one for me is that I can see the end at six weeks so it doesn't feel like forever. And in six weeks that's when you or others will start to see a difference.  I read somewhere it takes 6 weeks for others to see the difference and 12 for you to see the difference.  And I think others have seen the difference, my brother who isn't big on complimenting paid me a compliment about looking good last week, so now this six weeks is for me to see the difference. In my first six weeks I wasn't as focused on my nutrition as I was on working out, towards the end I spent a little more time focusing on my nutrition and I carried that over on my two week break. I don't always take a two week break but I did this time, almost by accident and sort of on purpose. So let's recap the first six weeks. I started weighing over 220 lbs and my total body inches equaled 388.25 inches.  T...

So as many of you know I am a teacher, if you are one of my new readers I am a Teacher in a program for students with mild to moderate cognitive delays and adaptive functioning.  I seriously LOVE my job and I work for an amazing school district with Red Deer Public!  And my kids are AMAZING!! But each year as I work to improve my teaching and programming for the students, so here are five things I will be bringing into my classroom this year!! 1) Zones of Regulation: Since my kids often struggle with regulating their emotions this program is a great way to help them learn self- regulation.  I will talk more in another blog about what exactly the Zones of regulation are and how they work and how we are implementing them into our classroom. 2) Projects, Projects and more projects!!!  Because the focus of our program is to develop life skills our focus isn't solely academic.  It's important that our kids get numeracy and literacy skills that will help them in l...

Every year I tell myself I am going to be super organized and I am going to have lunch snacks pre-made as well and menu plans done for a month and without fail two weeks in everything falls apart and we are back to our rushing at supper to get something made, something we thought of at the last minute.  And well lunch snacks often look like those things you buy from the store in bags that may or may not be full of some very unhealthy chemicals.. (let the mom shaming begin :P) Life is busy, but I still believe it's important for our sanity and emotional health to try to make things that are easy and won't cause undue stress on the family.  It will also help with our budget to get things into perspective and only shop in our allotted amount each month/week.  So I got a head start this year. I decided to bake one day, it was the first coolish day of the summer, you could completely smell fall in the air and I thought it would be a good time to start and start I did. ...

I am struggling with the blog to find things to write about, things that I care to share with everyone that may be relevant or pertinent to them.  But does that matter??? I mean really, this is my blog, you are either reading it because one of my tags brought it up in a search engine (unlikely at this point) or you are one of my friends that clicked on the link on Facebook or Twitter (most likely). So then I can write anything and generate traffic because people will click the link regardless and if I can capitalize on those traffic increasing labels I can generate more readers.  But I have to be writing everyday or night. I wish my bedroom offered me a place to have my computer comfortably, because I enjoy typing in bed. I sometimes wish I'd just started a Video Log on youtube, that might be easier but then I'd have learn how to edit videos and stuff and seriously it is a lot of work. I've done it but I much prefer writing. I do much better when my days are organized i...

A year ago I asked for a referral to a plastic surgeon.  I am a well endowed female and all that extra weight up front was causing havoc in my back.  I have had a sore back for years, YEARS!!! My massage therapists always comment on how stressed I must be (from the tension in my upper back) but really it's just from carrying around two watermelons on my chest!! I am also tired of the propping up and pushing down I have to do with my arms in order to be comfortable driving, golfing, really anything because the size they are right now leaves my arms always at an akimbo type state, So we went in discussed the surgery and then I was supposed to call to get put on the schedule.  There are two reasons I didn't get around to calling in the first 365 days.... 1) I started a new job and didn't really know about taking time off especially since my husband wasn't working at the time, then I started another new job and maybe I should have called for June or July but I was still ...

Ok I am running out of things to blog about so I will blog about my attempt to make Big Macs at home. I saw this post on Facebook for homemade Big Macs and as we are on a spending diet I thought this might be something to try and it would at least be something different. I love Big Macs, like seriously LOVE them, but I do not like how I feel after eating a McDonald's value meal. Bloated and gassy, it's just not worth the pain for the five minutes of flavour heaven. I'm hoping these may be a bit healthier since I am making them at home, but I guess we will see. I am going to share with you my first memory of a Big Mac.  It's not even when I had my first Big Mac, but it is when I realized that Big Macs were things kids could order. We had been on a family vacation to California and we had driven out to visit my cousin DJ.  After some talk we took DJ out for supper to a McDonald's (High rollers) oh wait it was his choice.  While there I was disappointed I could...

I did a little something and got married!! No we didn't elope or anything, we planned it out and in the end it was the perfect day! My husband and I got engaged in 2009 and two years later we were married.  Yup it wasn't something we rushed into, although we did get engaged a year and a half after dating then sort of tested the waters for a bit.  I'd always had a plan to get married in Lake Tahoe, you know my favourite place on the planet!! After taking my husband there in 2010 he agreed that this would be a wonderful place for a wedding. Now we decided to get married on a Monday in the summer, not the most popular day granted, but since we were travelling from Canada this would give everyone a little time to travel down for the wedding and not feel rushed trying to make a Saturday wedding or having to leave right after. We were all on vacation anyways so it didn't matter what day of the week we chose.  We had friends and family coming from California as well, not...

Yes I just made my weight loss journey a comparison to breaking down a mountain because somedays it feels like I am trying to move a mountain in doing this and seeing very little results. I am so result driven that I have to remind myself (often) that this is a journey, it won't happen over night.  It's part of my logic also to only weighing and measuring myself every two weeks.  It can be very discouraging if I were to do those every week and so very little results. For the past two weeks I have been working the big muscle groups Abs and legs with some arm work.  I was doing so well then I pulled a muscle in my back and had to slow down.  Let's look back at where I was in the beginning. Total Inches 388.25 Total pounds 220. Bicep curls 10lbs 1 set of 15 reps after two weeks 10lbs 3 sets of 15 reps Tricep Extensions 5 lbs 1 set of 15 reps after two weeks   10 lbs 3 sets of 15 Shoulder raises 5 lbs 1 set of 15 reps after two weeks   10 lbs...

I've loved a lot of books this summer.  More than working out, more than watching television I have loved all the reading I have been able to do!! And so many good books.  I may not have taken all the vacations I wished I could have this year, but I got to travel to so many unique worlds and meet so many characters through the books that I don't feel like I missed anything.  So here are my top 5 books from this summer!! 1) Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl I  tried reading this book back in the winter and just could not get into it then. I really tried but I just was not in the mood.  So I shelved it promising to come back to it at a later date to give it one more go.  I am so glad I did but so sad I didn't take the rest of the series out at the same time because now I have to wait until school starts before I can read them.  If you aren't into fantasy this book will not be for you, but if you like those alternate universe with f...

It's a hard thing to watch your babies grow up but if they grow up to be as fabulous as mine then you are truly blessed!! I couldn't ask for a better kid, he's charming, caring, funny (even though I don't always get his humour), and he's driven.  He impresses the people he works for, they say he's a hard worker and isn't afraid to ask questions (YES that finally got driven home)!! And he cleans up pretty nicely actually!!    I still find it hard to believe that he graduated.  Not because he couldn't do it, I always knew he could he just had to put in the effort, but because time has flown by.  I still remember his first day of preschool!! I still remember when he took his first step, when he was born like it was yesterday.  And now, NOW he is this "grown ass man" as he likes to tell me jokingly as we have a rapport that allows him those freedoms.  He's not the first in his family to graduate from high school, but there were a lot ...

So my Mac book had been getting really slow and it almost seemed like I had a virus or something on it.  Emails were being sent to people that I had never sent an email too (sorry about that didn't know until some of the failed delivery notifications showed up in my inbox) and just loading things took FOREVER. I had to make it to Calgary to drop off my Waiver form and ID to Becky for Seawheeze (sad story but I will blog about it later).  So I made an appointment at the Genius Bar to have my Mac looked at.  I had to back up all the files I wanted (my writing and my photos) Which I did and away to Calgary we went. It seemed like there was no virus on my computer but it had a lot of Malware and it was uber slow.  So they took it into the back room and wiped it clean.  SO now I have a basically new computer. It's awesome to have my computer back and running correctly, but there have been a few OMG moments. Like my Sims 4 game it was all gone and I had to red...

Back in October I took the plunge to sell Arbonne as a way to make a little extra money.  It went ok and I was reaching the goals I wanted to reach but then I thought I should amp up my game to make this money making venture a bigger earner then what I was currently making.  So I listened to my uplink Stacey and bought a ticket to GTC and headed to Vegas with these beauties!!  Stacey is my upline and she is a great supporter and never gives up on me even when I ignore her calls, emails and texts.  Sometimes you just need to unplug!! But she is one of my best cheerleaders and I know that each time I want to make it to a new level she will be there to cheer and lead me on!!  Tracey and I met through Stacey and she is one of my sideline sisters. This girl is amazing I just love her.  Her bubbly personality and can do spirit are very motivating.  When you get to the third level of management with Arbonne they will give you a bonus so you can ...