Life's Whirlwind Adventures

I am struggling with this post.  I just don't know what to include in it. I have made it to the gym once this week, and I played soccer once this week, which is totally not on track for my goal, and my eating was better, there were no chips, chocolate bars or unhealthy snacks. I've been moving a lot during the day getting my steps in (I have gotten 8000 steps each day and some days I've doubled that). The weirdest thing is that my wake up is 5 am every morning! This is completely nuts because I had set a goal to be up at 5 so I could go work out, but when I first set that goal it wasn't happening, I could set alarms and they'd go off and I would want to die.  So I said nope, morning workouts aren't going to work for me.  And now that I've cut the 5 am wake up, I'm up at 5am.  I just fear that if I start using this and try to get up at 5 and go to the gym I'll have a hard time waking up! I did lose another pound, and no I am not looking for it...

I have this great new planner that I bought at Michaels, I had one last year and started using it then but now it's taken over my organizing life.  It's great and I love it! It's helped me plan out my financial habits, my gym habits and all the activities in my life.  So this is where I was at the end of last year.  There wasn't as much movement as I had wanted I definitely didn't stick to my healthy eating as much as I could have, but there were no serious back slides and I did have some movement. In December I changed my weight loss goal, I have a big goal, but each month I didn't make that goal, it became discouraging even though I had made it a portion of the way there.  So right before Christmas I wanted to lose 6-7 pounds I gave myself 4 weeks to do that and I did it.  Even through Christmas I have kept that weight off, so my jeans still love me. I reset my goals in January deciding I'd like to lose 2 pounds per week for a grand total of 8 pounds i...

I'm trying to think of my proudest moment, I've had a few proud moments that I take a lot of pride in but my proudest moment really has to do with my children. I am proudest of the strong working young man Chandler has become, he never gives up and he always does what he needs to do.  He's kind, grateful and has a great sense of humour. I am proudest of the compassionate, loving, space invading young man Leigham is, he loves everyone and is always first for a hug and quickly goes to those who look down. He's a genuinely kind soul who isn't afraid to show his emotions. I am proudest of the determined, outspoken little boy in Theodore.  He knows what he wants and he will go for it and don't you stand in his way, he is not a push over and will not let anyone be the boss except mommy and daddy.  He's a go getter, he just needs to learn to pull in his temper with his brothers. I am proudest of all the moments I get to be a mother and friend to my ...

This is going to be a picture blog, it's going to have some random pictures of me to illustrate not in words but images how I've changed or grown in my life! Leave me a comment below, and Share on Social Media!!! 

Why is it easier to point out the things we aren't so proud of, I could come up with a list of 10 characteristics about myself that could be improved.  Yet coming up with three that I am proud of.... a struggle. Well maybe not so much a struggle as there are ones I am proud of having, but I know that I can always improve them and they aren't perfect. So here are the three I feel are pretty much me without much need to a total overhaul. 1. I feel I am a good listener.  I am an active listener, I listen to listen not to respond.  I'm obviously not always perfect at this but I really try. 2. I am empathetic.  I feel for people when they are in a tough situation and even if I haven't been in that situation I can feel how they feel, this is obviously to a lesser degree than what they are feeling but I can definitely envision their trials and tribulations and how I would be in a similar situation. 3. I am imaginative.  I have a huge imagination and I can fin...

Alright here it is 20 Facts about me. 1. I was born in Fremont California and spent my first 2 and half years as an American Citizen.  I still retain my American Citizenship even thought I no longer live there. 2. I moved to Canada at 2 and half and got my Canadian Citizenship, I still have the Canadian Citizenship card. 3.  I have lived in Newark, Prince Albert, Wakaw, Saskatoon, and Red Deer.  There may be one other location but I don't where it was except it was an apartment in California. 4. I have two siblings, and two nephews from my sister and step nephew from my brother. 5. I was a teen mom, my oldest son was born when I was 19. 6. I have two more sons. 7. I have worked many different career paths in my life, as a bakery assistant, waitress, model, actress, customer service representative, teacher, social worker, program coordinator for people with disabilities. 8. I have dabbled in Home based businesses with Arbonne and Fifth Avenue Collection. ...

I am a creature of habit, in the oddest ways.  I stopped blogging in June because I went on a road trip and I was super busy with that, but also my computer screen cracked, and not just a little crack, it was such a significant crack I could not use my macbook pro.  I was devastated and annoyed, I have a back up computer, a HP laptop, and it's a good computer, but it's just not my Macbook. So aside from not writing anything about what I have been up to for the last 6 months of this year, besides in this last month as I get back into blogging, I haven't been doing any writing at all not even on my novels.  I could say I was mad at myself but I knew what I was doing and I just couldn't bring myself to type on the HP, the tracking pad is much to sensitive and when I type on it I get the urge to throw it from time to time. That being said I am blogging again, it's time to get my summer blogged, my back to school blogged and all the fun things in between!! I...

I complained in a previous post how I find it very difficult to get up and work out in the morning.. and what happens???  I wake up extra early and could have worked out but I decided not to. I did however get a workout in and feel great. It was after work and I finished the workout I had done the day prior adding more reps and man do I feel it! I love feeling sore like this though and I know it is all worth it in the end. Last week here is my workout break down and my weight difference: Weight Difference: down .5 lbs Workouts: Sunday 46 minutes of Aerobics and Yoga, Monday 25 minutes of Aerobics and 9000 steps, Tuesday 40 minutes of swimmng, Wednesday biking and the exercise park circuits (45 minutes), Thursday rest day but I did 7101 steps, Friday went for a walk for 40 minutes, Saturday played soccer with the boys for 20 mins.

More than anything else in my life that confounds my schedule is my exercising.  I want to be a morning exerciser, get up before dawn and do sun salutations as the sun rises, seriously this is a dream, like a bucket list item.  And it doesn't matter how hard I try, or how much I plan for it, it just never really happens. I don't know why it is, maybe I stay up to late watching television, or maybe I just like to sleep until the time I was born.  I was born at 7:08 am and when I don't set an alarm clock I generally wake up at this time. I have gone weeks trying to get up at 5:30 and all that's happened is I get grumpy, I really want to be a morning exerciser but it just doesn't fit my schedule then. The only time it's going to fit my schedule is going to be in the early afternoon or early evening.  Maybe in three years when my young boys are older and can be trusted alone and to get ready for school this can change, but my reality is that exercising in the ...

I know I'm not consistent, it's what kills my blog. I know I need to be more consistent with sitting down to read, but my bed is so comfortable.  Like so utterly comfortable that to not be in it after work is really difficult. And then once I get into bed it would take a crowbar to get me out. I'm taking April by storm. I am going to really focus on myself and building a schedule that gives time to my kids and time to my own interests. That's my trouble is that I give way more of my time to my kids and to just finding excuses to not do things than I do to doing those things I know make me feel good.  So here we go.  30 days of healthy eating, 30 days of exercising, and 30 days of writing.  Even if it's just an update on the exercise routine I did that day.

I started my 30 days again.  But this time I was really following the meal plans so that I could track how effective this plan was for me. My starting weight was 205 pounds, I had gone up a few pounds, but I was ok with that.  Fluctuation isn't the worst and all things considered my clothes were still fitting very well.  I was also a total of 344.25 inches which is still lower than they had ever been so you know I believe the scale lies and also I was heading into my monthly cycle. I had a couple Instagram posts showing my packing of my foods so that I had an easy week, it was a lot of prep work but really it wasn't that much and made my mornings getting to school so much faster so worth it.  My mornings are a blur, getting up working out, doing my hair, make up getting lunches packed for the kids and getting the kids ready to leave the house.  It is go go go here, so anything to make it easier I will take it. My first week was amazing, everything was going...

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...

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 ...

So I set my goals you can see something about them here. But here's the written down version of what I am trying to do. I am trying to spend some time focused on myself and on the things that I love about life.  I love running and exercising, not for weight loss (happy side effect) but for how I feel afterwards, that feeling of accomplishment and strength.  I love eating healthy food, food that not only fills and sustains you but food that also helps your body work in optimum capacity but that also tastes great!! I love when I find recipes that not only taste good but are in fact good for you!! I love writing and spending time in my imaginary worlds building characters and the world so that people may also come to enjoy them as well. I also like to focus on my job now, my job that is a dream job for me!! So let's start with writing. I vow to spend 60 minutes a day writing, thirty on my blogs and thirty on my novels. I need to get my second novel done and uploaded to Wat...

I've decided that I have a new five year plan... I mean you should always have a new five year plan and to be honest I've never really had a five year plan,  just a wing and a prayer!  And really it's done well for me so far, but I wan to be more organized and really plan out what we are going to do, how we are going to get further ahead. Things aren't great right now, the recession has hit our house and it is a little scary!! I am working at the moment, but my husband is not and there are just no jobs out there.  But this too shall pass and my husband will be working again and we need to be ready with the important goals when that happens. So where do I want to be in the next five years - A permanent teaching contract with Red Deer Public Schools as a Foundations Teacher! -A new home in a new community either in Red Deer or one of the communities within 20 minutes of Red Deer. -A new Mercedes paid for with my Arbonne earnings (RVP here I come) -A lake...

For my entire life I've been very good at making plans, starting plans and being able to see the big picture or the long term goal.  I just suck at following through. I tell myself it is because I have poor self control, poor discipline and I lack motivation to keep working at a goal.  What horrible negative self talk that is?  It's disgusting and when I see it written down I'm so confused because that is not who I am that person who makes excuses for why I am in the same place I was, the same place I wish to escape from.  That's not me!!! It's a trap, I mean this self fulfilling prophecy I am creating in my head, it's a trap.  But what am I afraid of?  I think I'm afraid of success.... that is so dumb!! I'm afraid to succeed at my goals, to show everyone exactly what I can accomplish when I put my mind to it.   For all my life I've watched the story of my family struggle in poverty, struggle with weight issues, struggle with labels, ...

Man I can't get out of this funk!! I've tried and in some areas of my life I am almost back to normal, but in so many areas I am unmotivated, I have absolutely no desire to get on board. I've looked at my computer every night after the kids have gone to bed and I'm like nope not today.  I'm not a great at writing at night, yet that's the only time I really have to write.  I'd love to get up before my family and do an hour of writing but that means I have to get up at 4.... and even then who knows if the kids would get up as well.  I can't sneeze in the morning without hearing the baby call out, "Hi, Hi" repeatedly.  And the thought of waking up at 4 am sends me into a mental exhaustion just having the thought. I like to sleep.  But here is what I am promising myself to do.  I am going to start May 1 and I am going to diarize my day.  On this blog, so that means 7 days a week I will be blogging about my day, my boring, boring day. But it...

I am again joining up with  You Signed Up For WHAT?! ,  Mar on the Run , &  Eat Pray Run, DC , for their Friday Five Link Up!! So this week it's a fitness theme!! Here are my Five Fitness Goals for 2016 None of these are written in the SMART format but they are summarized for you!! 1) This year will be my fittest and healthiest year to date .  I am going to focus on my health and do things to improve my life and stop sabotaging myself.  I am going to focus on my eating, eating whole foods and foods that are fresh and not processed or from fast food restaurants.  It's going to mean I have to break habits, like eating donuts with my coffee or eating McDonalds when I am feeling rushed, which truly aren't habits I'll miss but I've got to get more organized. 2) I am going to run my fastest 1/2 marathon ever.  Which as long as I beat my time from last year, I'll hit this goal.  I am shooting for a time that is under 3 hours and I know that w...

Does anyone else feel absolutely drained in January?  Like in your head you are ready to do all these great things and get the year jump started into something AMAZING, but your body is like "nope, let's sit this out for awhile." That's me, as December rolls to an end I'm already with goals and resolutions and I've plans to get things done. I work out a schedule to allow me time to do all the things I want to do, balancing all the things I need to do with all the wants in my life. And on paper it looks GREAT, absolutely do-able and then January 2 rolls around. (Let's be honest January 1 is a write off for most people) As of January 2, it's like all the adrenaline that has been coursing through my body to get through the holidays takes a flight down to Cuba, not to be seen again for months.  (ok maybe not that long, but it takes awhile to convince it to come back)  I definitely go into the hum drums in January, I don't want to do anything, I ...

I could sit here and say that I wish that I didn’t gain weight so fast, I wish that I wouldn’t find sitting around watching television so enjoyable, which are true statements, but that’s not going to get me anywhere.   I need to get myself back into shape, not to be skinny (because I don’t care, I love my curves) but to have energy to be able to run with my kids and to enjoy another 60 years with my family.   That’s what I want, I don’t care about the number on the scale anymore, but I do care how many hours a day I can spend chasing after my kids who are bundles of energies and I want to be that grandma that can play with my grandkids in the next 30 years.   So because I’m going to run the Seawheeze in August I have a short term goal (in the grand scheme of things) that   is just for me that will help me gain more energy.   But in order to do this, I have to lose the baby weight (and lazy weight) I’ve put on since I started trying to get pregnant with my P...