So ... after much thought, I feel like my last post was lacking. I left some things out - unintentionally of course. But there is so much to losing weight that we get overwhelmed! So here is part II
Just to be clear, yesterday's post was all about Moderation. I firmly believe that all things in Moderation. One thing I failed to touch on (look at that, I forgot something ... huh ... weird - sarcasm!) is that, yes you can and should eat the things you want. However, if you eat 17 bowls of chips and argue that they are different chips, and then 15 pieces of mini candies arguing they are all different ... you won't see the results you want. You have to make a cut back. It doesn't and in my opinion shouldn't be extreme. I feel like to the most people who don't stick with their weight loss plans are overwhelmed, frustrated and too tempted. After all we are all Social Butterflies and must go to every Birthday party, bachelorette party, bridal shower, baby shower, etc etc etc ... and we want to eat all those little goodies we see!!! If you give in a little to temptation you will feel vindicated and satisfied but still have a sense of accomplishment. So, when I say indulge yourself, I don't mean in 82 bowls of ice cream, I mean in smaller portions and less often. Moderation. I just wanted people to know that I don't think you can lose weight by eating the same amount of junk food just in a different format.
Additionally, no, I don't think Junk Food is good for you. In fact, one of my favorite books growing up was "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food" by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Remember those books?? Yeah me too ... good stuff! But anyway, it's all about these two bear cubs that eat too much food that isn't good for them. Of COURSE you should eat carrots over chips, or celery instead of ice cream. But the reality of the situation is that we as people on a course in life can't flip a switch and change our habits overnight. Well you can if you are on one of those super crazy ultra weight loss make over shows. But those are professional trainers with monitoring from doctors. Real life isn't a TV show and we shouldn't expect those kinds of results in real life. "Slow and steady wins the race!" Sure those people looked fabulous after such an intensive regimen, but did they stick with it? Did they learn anything? Most sure, but for regular people, who don't have someone other than our own minds screaming in our ears, it's not like that. Starting small will get you big results in the end. Mostly because you'll see how easy it can be and stick with it longer!
Note 3: EAT BREAKFAST. This should be self explanatory but for most people it isn't. Breakfast is LITERALLY breaking a fast that you had overnight. It's the best method of jump starting your metabolism for the day. There are arguments all over the place on weather it should be the largest meal of the day or the smallest, but my personal opinion, I look at it like fueling for a marathon, would it be wise to carb load before or eat a buffet after? Your body works off of carbohydrates (carbs) that is the "gas" for your "engine" (What? I married a mechanical engineer, what do you want from me?!) If you only put a little gas in, you're only gonna go a little way. But if you fuel properly, you'll last longer. Now, don't take this to mean you go to Bob Evans and order the Farmers Breakfast every morning and say "Well Christie told me to start my day like this!" No. Just eat more than 1 slice of toast, or a cup of yogurt. You're just going to feel hungry sooner. Eat a healthy lean protein like turkey bacon, or eggs and some carbohydrates, like whole wheat toast or an English muffin.
Lastly, the people who experience the best outcomes are the ones who have an accountability buddy. In college when I was on my own "I want to look hott for summer" mission, I had a buddy "Dubs" (What up Dubs!) She and I would push each other like CRAZY. If one day I didn't feel like working out she'd drag me to the gym, and vice versa (Although the vice versa of that rarely ever happened but still). I had the closest thing to a 6 pack when I went home from school since I was 10. If you have someone to hold you accountable, you will be less likely to "cheat." You will also have someone to talk about temptations or bad days and they will (hopefully) keep you on track. This should be someone looking to do the same things you are. Same or similar goal in mind. If you are working with someone who wants to lose 5 pounds and you're on the road to lose that baby weight, you won't feel equal, get frustrated or embarrassed and quit. We don't want that. So pick someone you get along with, won't quit on you, and push you to reach your full potential.
All that being said, I think I'm more satisfied with my outline for this thought. Bottom line, don't over think weight loss. Sure it's hard, or else everyone would be skinny and I wouldn't have anything to blog about. But at the end of the day, set a goal, a real achievable believable goal, get a buddy, take baby steps, and knock it out of the park!
Excuses don't elevate you to excellence. Hard work, perseverance, and attitude are the steps that will lead you to excellence.
Stick it out, you'll get there, and you'll be happy you made the climb!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Just Eat It!
I remember when Subway Restaurants first became really popular, or at least when they hit Ohio. I started off timid with just a cold cut sandwich they used to offer and then progressed to the Spicy Italian. Mmmm Salami, ham, cheese ... DELICIOUS. Why is it that all the very best tasting foods are the worst for us?? I tell people all the time that donuts are my Kryptonite. I may and or may not die with a donut in my mouth. If that doesn't happen I'll die eating chips.
I like many women seriously struggle with my weight. And I'm not talking vanity 5-10 pounds. I'm talking 30+ pounds. I don't want to accept reality that I'm no longer 10 years old with a six pack that can eat whatever I want. The fact of the matter is that I'm not nearly as active as I used to be. I played 4 sports when I was in elementary school and was decent at all of them. Now, I'm lucky if I get 2 walks in a day. It's hard to want to work out and do the things we know we should when we're in a constant state of exhaustion. So ... here is the key to weight loss and also HAPPINESS with yourself!
Weight loss in my mind = depravity. Horrid horrid depravity. We must deprive ourselves of everything in order to lose weight and be successful. I disagree. Strongly. I have a degree in Sports Management (Which to some of you means a degree in play time!) but many of my classes discussed health and physical education. In fact, pretty much all of them. I studied this. I know this. And my ultimate mindset is ... Everything in Moderation. There are SOOOOOOOO many fad diets these days. (Atkins, Paleo, South Beach ...) You can stand in line to buy groceries and look at the covers of 47 magazines and they will all tell you how to lose 50 pounds fast! Everywhere all the time we are talking about losing weight. Every New Years you can almost FEEL the resolutions being made to lose that poundage! But the problem isn't that we haven't tried the right diet yet, it's not that we haven't paid Jenny or Weight Watchers to take the weight off for us, it's that we try too hard. Yep. You heard me ... or read me ... whatever, we try TOO hard. Think about this for a moment. We live in a society where instant gratification is the only way. If we cut everything out of our diet I'll lose 90 pounds in 90 minutes ... PERFECT. Well when that obviously doesn't work we get frustrated and quit. I'm not seeing the results I want, forget it. I think in my past personal experience I have tried a lot of different weight loss techniques (from anorexia to calorie counting to exercise to the max), and to my unsurprise the only thing that works is Moderation. Don't over think it. You don't have to never eat a donut again (unless you're me with a Homer Simpson like addiction to those stupid fried sugar things of deliciousness - DOH!) or cut out chips! That's what every weight loss show and health expert says, but in my opinion it's unrealistic! If you cut out everything all at once - like Atkins which you must not eat carbs - your body will adjust and then when you give in to temptation one day and eat something ... what happens ... your body goes ballistic and balloons like crazy! YIKES! So where does that leave us? Moderation. You can eat cheese, and chips and candy - just not nearly as much. Take baby steps! The smaller you start the bigger the results.
For me my will power is about nill. So instead of every time trying to resist and failing, I give in. I restrict myself but I give in. Not only am I working toward a goal, but I feel better! I have a much more positive attitude and my results are more to my liking because I'm able to stick with it for much longer. For example, my love affair with chips. On bad days I will take the whole bag to the couch and watch out ... they won't last long. But on days when I'm conscious of what I'm doing, I put a small portion ... okay a medium portion in a bowl. That way when I'm done I'm done. I had my chips, but not an entire bag in one sitting. Moderation. If I want candy or chocolate, I don't go to the grocery store and buy the regular or even the king size. Instead I buy a bag of the bite size ... Yep bite size. Again, on bad days I'll eat too many, but on good days, I control myself to 5-7 pieces of 35 calories a piece candy. I get the taste, but reduce the caloric intake. Moderation. Instead of putting 4 pounds of cheese on my salad, I put a lite sprinkling. Moderation.
So what about the exercise part?? So what if I eat less, that won't give me the ultimate results! Okay yeah you're right, exercise should be a part of your life. But remember for some people the caloric reduction will be enough to start seeing results sooner! Just depends on your body and your BMI (Body Mass Index). But here is how you can start ramping up an exercise routine without going banana's. If you haven't been athletic, or it's been a REALLY REALLY long time, it's better for your health to start slow. Heart attack's are a real threat if you are there physically. Putting too much stress on your heart all at once isn't wise and you should always consult with a physician before beginning any long term weight loss plans. But here is what I recommend. When you're going to the grocery store, park 15 spaces further away than you normally would. Every additional step counts. When faced with the option, always take the stairs versus an elevator, especially when it's only 1 floor. Do your stairs 4 extra times in a day in your home. Do some leg lifts, crunches or lift small weights while watching TV according to your ability. *Hint if you don't have weights, soup can's make an AWESOME substitute! Take a 10 minute walk in the middle of your day.
There are so many ways to become healthier. I just don't personally think that all of them are the best way. That's not to say that people don't experience results from doing those other things!! I just think that for the majority of people, we look at weight loss from entirely the wrong perspective. We think if we pay more, buy that, don't eat ever again, we'll get the results that we want. Who want's to be miserable??!! Not me! I want to have a life and lose weight too!
So have your cake and eat it too!! Just cut that piece in half ;)
I like many women seriously struggle with my weight. And I'm not talking vanity 5-10 pounds. I'm talking 30+ pounds. I don't want to accept reality that I'm no longer 10 years old with a six pack that can eat whatever I want. The fact of the matter is that I'm not nearly as active as I used to be. I played 4 sports when I was in elementary school and was decent at all of them. Now, I'm lucky if I get 2 walks in a day. It's hard to want to work out and do the things we know we should when we're in a constant state of exhaustion. So ... here is the key to weight loss and also HAPPINESS with yourself!
Weight loss in my mind = depravity. Horrid horrid depravity. We must deprive ourselves of everything in order to lose weight and be successful. I disagree. Strongly. I have a degree in Sports Management (Which to some of you means a degree in play time!) but many of my classes discussed health and physical education. In fact, pretty much all of them. I studied this. I know this. And my ultimate mindset is ... Everything in Moderation. There are SOOOOOOOO many fad diets these days. (Atkins, Paleo, South Beach ...) You can stand in line to buy groceries and look at the covers of 47 magazines and they will all tell you how to lose 50 pounds fast! Everywhere all the time we are talking about losing weight. Every New Years you can almost FEEL the resolutions being made to lose that poundage! But the problem isn't that we haven't tried the right diet yet, it's not that we haven't paid Jenny or Weight Watchers to take the weight off for us, it's that we try too hard. Yep. You heard me ... or read me ... whatever, we try TOO hard. Think about this for a moment. We live in a society where instant gratification is the only way. If we cut everything out of our diet I'll lose 90 pounds in 90 minutes ... PERFECT. Well when that obviously doesn't work we get frustrated and quit. I'm not seeing the results I want, forget it. I think in my past personal experience I have tried a lot of different weight loss techniques (from anorexia to calorie counting to exercise to the max), and to my unsurprise the only thing that works is Moderation. Don't over think it. You don't have to never eat a donut again (unless you're me with a Homer Simpson like addiction to those stupid fried sugar things of deliciousness - DOH!) or cut out chips! That's what every weight loss show and health expert says, but in my opinion it's unrealistic! If you cut out everything all at once - like Atkins which you must not eat carbs - your body will adjust and then when you give in to temptation one day and eat something ... what happens ... your body goes ballistic and balloons like crazy! YIKES! So where does that leave us? Moderation. You can eat cheese, and chips and candy - just not nearly as much. Take baby steps! The smaller you start the bigger the results.
For me my will power is about nill. So instead of every time trying to resist and failing, I give in. I restrict myself but I give in. Not only am I working toward a goal, but I feel better! I have a much more positive attitude and my results are more to my liking because I'm able to stick with it for much longer. For example, my love affair with chips. On bad days I will take the whole bag to the couch and watch out ... they won't last long. But on days when I'm conscious of what I'm doing, I put a small portion ... okay a medium portion in a bowl. That way when I'm done I'm done. I had my chips, but not an entire bag in one sitting. Moderation. If I want candy or chocolate, I don't go to the grocery store and buy the regular or even the king size. Instead I buy a bag of the bite size ... Yep bite size. Again, on bad days I'll eat too many, but on good days, I control myself to 5-7 pieces of 35 calories a piece candy. I get the taste, but reduce the caloric intake. Moderation. Instead of putting 4 pounds of cheese on my salad, I put a lite sprinkling. Moderation.
So what about the exercise part?? So what if I eat less, that won't give me the ultimate results! Okay yeah you're right, exercise should be a part of your life. But remember for some people the caloric reduction will be enough to start seeing results sooner! Just depends on your body and your BMI (Body Mass Index). But here is how you can start ramping up an exercise routine without going banana's. If you haven't been athletic, or it's been a REALLY REALLY long time, it's better for your health to start slow. Heart attack's are a real threat if you are there physically. Putting too much stress on your heart all at once isn't wise and you should always consult with a physician before beginning any long term weight loss plans. But here is what I recommend. When you're going to the grocery store, park 15 spaces further away than you normally would. Every additional step counts. When faced with the option, always take the stairs versus an elevator, especially when it's only 1 floor. Do your stairs 4 extra times in a day in your home. Do some leg lifts, crunches or lift small weights while watching TV according to your ability. *Hint if you don't have weights, soup can's make an AWESOME substitute! Take a 10 minute walk in the middle of your day.
There are so many ways to become healthier. I just don't personally think that all of them are the best way. That's not to say that people don't experience results from doing those other things!! I just think that for the majority of people, we look at weight loss from entirely the wrong perspective. We think if we pay more, buy that, don't eat ever again, we'll get the results that we want. Who want's to be miserable??!! Not me! I want to have a life and lose weight too!
So have your cake and eat it too!! Just cut that piece in half ;)
Monday, August 27, 2012
Free.99!
When I was in college my roommate and best friend told me about a company giving away free samples of deodorant ... Awesome! So I went on the website and got one. No strings attached - love it! Since then I have been hooked! I sign up for free stuff anywhere. (Seriously, what better way to get hooked on free stuff than in college!!??) I got out of the habit for a little while, having a job and a credit card, I could afford to buy things instead of getting them for free. But about two years ago my husband did a financial overhaul on our life. He made a lot of decisions to help get us out of the debt grind. It's working but it is a SLOW PAINFUL process. We are making incredible headway, which is exciting, however, in the meantime I'm stuck with zip dough to do anything fun with. And while I have not been working, I need something to liven up my daily diligence. I started googling free stuff. I found one of the greatest websites of all time!! And I'm going to not only share it with you, but some other awesome ideas to have a life on a budget!
http://www.sweetfreestuff.com ... This website is awesome. I have been requesting and getting AWESOME free samples of dozens of different items. It is literally no strings attached free samples. Some of the companies giving away samples may want you to fill out different information, like their facebook page, or have you fill out a short survey. The beauty about this website is, that you can pick and choose what you want to get for free. Anything from health and beauty products, free diapers, restaurant coupons and so much more! I can't even list everything I've gotten from this website it's been so much and so awesome! I look forward to the mail coming every day because there may be a free surprise in there! If one of your choices asks for too much information that you're not comfortable giving, just ex out of the page. It's brilliant. I love it mostly because I don't have to sign up or on to the website and it gives me all the freebies out there all in one spot! SCORE! Like I said I've been using it for months and have had no additional spam, no viruses nothing. Just a great site with free goodies!! They post new things every day so make sure you check often, I used to skip days and missed out on some hott stuff! They usually post the new deals around 2-3 pm EST.
A friend of mine told me about a service that our local libraries do and I thought hmmm could be cool. It's not cool it's AWESOME. Our local libraries rent toys!! FOR FREE! That's right, you can check out toys for babies, toddlers and kids like you can check out a book. It's amazing. Our library has an incredible catalog of toys at their disposal! Don't worry all you germaphobs out there, they thoroughly clean the toys upon their return and before they are sent out again! They have tons and tons of toys that you can request that are in great shape and will make your kid happier than a monkey on a banana. My sweet cakes LOVES her library toys and you will too. Plus your kid can get the benefit of Christmas come weekly. Check your local library for similar services! Your kid will never suffer from toy boredom again and you'll thank me!
Cleveland zoo offers FREE Monday's! That's right, you can get into the zoo for FREE on Monday's! I understand that it's a bit crowded on these days, for obvious reasons, but if during the spring, summer and fall months you need a zoo fix with out the zoo price, go on Monday.
If you're also plum out of fresh ideas and bored with the same old deal, visit your states website ( i.e. http://ohio.gov/tourism/ ) and see what your state recommends to do! There could be many things in your area you either didn't know about or didn't think of!
You can also find a local outdoor shopping area and just make a day of it. Window shop, go in stores, sit and have a beverage and people watch. These outdoor malls are magnificent during warm weather seasons. There is so much to do AND you can get a little extra exercise just doing all that extra walking. Spend a day with your friends or with your kids and you would probably end up spending very little. Plus you may find a great little store with some super sales!
Finally, here are my favorite things to do with my family when we have the time to get out but not the money. Go to a new park we just discovered, visit the metro parks, have a picnic, or go for a long walk. All these things are cheap, great for you and a lot of fun.
So now that you're in the know!! Go and be FREE!!!
http://www.sweetfreestuff.com ... This website is awesome. I have been requesting and getting AWESOME free samples of dozens of different items. It is literally no strings attached free samples. Some of the companies giving away samples may want you to fill out different information, like their facebook page, or have you fill out a short survey. The beauty about this website is, that you can pick and choose what you want to get for free. Anything from health and beauty products, free diapers, restaurant coupons and so much more! I can't even list everything I've gotten from this website it's been so much and so awesome! I look forward to the mail coming every day because there may be a free surprise in there! If one of your choices asks for too much information that you're not comfortable giving, just ex out of the page. It's brilliant. I love it mostly because I don't have to sign up or on to the website and it gives me all the freebies out there all in one spot! SCORE! Like I said I've been using it for months and have had no additional spam, no viruses nothing. Just a great site with free goodies!! They post new things every day so make sure you check often, I used to skip days and missed out on some hott stuff! They usually post the new deals around 2-3 pm EST.
A friend of mine told me about a service that our local libraries do and I thought hmmm could be cool. It's not cool it's AWESOME. Our local libraries rent toys!! FOR FREE! That's right, you can check out toys for babies, toddlers and kids like you can check out a book. It's amazing. Our library has an incredible catalog of toys at their disposal! Don't worry all you germaphobs out there, they thoroughly clean the toys upon their return and before they are sent out again! They have tons and tons of toys that you can request that are in great shape and will make your kid happier than a monkey on a banana. My sweet cakes LOVES her library toys and you will too. Plus your kid can get the benefit of Christmas come weekly. Check your local library for similar services! Your kid will never suffer from toy boredom again and you'll thank me!
Cleveland zoo offers FREE Monday's! That's right, you can get into the zoo for FREE on Monday's! I understand that it's a bit crowded on these days, for obvious reasons, but if during the spring, summer and fall months you need a zoo fix with out the zoo price, go on Monday.
If you're also plum out of fresh ideas and bored with the same old deal, visit your states website ( i.e. http://ohio.gov/tourism/ ) and see what your state recommends to do! There could be many things in your area you either didn't know about or didn't think of!
You can also find a local outdoor shopping area and just make a day of it. Window shop, go in stores, sit and have a beverage and people watch. These outdoor malls are magnificent during warm weather seasons. There is so much to do AND you can get a little extra exercise just doing all that extra walking. Spend a day with your friends or with your kids and you would probably end up spending very little. Plus you may find a great little store with some super sales!
Finally, here are my favorite things to do with my family when we have the time to get out but not the money. Go to a new park we just discovered, visit the metro parks, have a picnic, or go for a long walk. All these things are cheap, great for you and a lot of fun.
So now that you're in the know!! Go and be FREE!!!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Feedback
So I've had a few posts and some people are checking me out, I think it's time for some feedback! I have many more blog ideas but I want to hear from you! Is there anything in particular you want my ideas on? Easy hair? How do I know who to vote for? (PS I won't tell you who to vote for, just how to help make up your mind!) More fitness info?
Feel free to comment at any time on any of my posts! What's right wrong or indifferent, I'd LOVE to hear from you! Plus you can e-mail me directly any time you like!
I'm not above being proven wrong, if there are some tips I give you don't agree with let me know! Or if you found something particularly helpful, that'd be nice too!
Let the free for all BEGIN!
xoxo
Christie
Feel free to comment at any time on any of my posts! What's right wrong or indifferent, I'd LOVE to hear from you! Plus you can e-mail me directly any time you like!
I'm not above being proven wrong, if there are some tips I give you don't agree with let me know! Or if you found something particularly helpful, that'd be nice too!
Let the free for all BEGIN!
xoxo
Christie
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I gotta put on my face!
When I was little my parents used to watch the Lawrence Welk show. Now, granted most of you are WAY too young to know this show so here is a link to two youtube videos! ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU_m9pauvns or http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=zgsRiqzoQ9g&feature=endscreen) Okay now some of you who actually watched those can't believe you just watched those. Some of you wanted to gouge your eyes out and still others are left wondering ... wtf. I get it it's a little out there, but that show started back in the 60's and hit it's high in the 70's. So aside from the out of touch clothing and super hair styles, the show had merit. It was like a giant talent show every night. They had the best dancers (back when it was cool to be a male dancer) the best singers and musicians. Bottom line it was good ole fashioned quality family television programming! And you can bet your bottom dollar my parents LOVED it! And to be perfectly honest with you all ... so did I! My brothers and I would fight each other on who had to take a bath first because none of us wanted to miss it! (Yes I'm serious as a heart attack right now, that show was the diggity!) I wanted more than anything to be on that show, even though when I was watching it it was already off the air, we were watching re runs. Never the less, I thought every woman on there (except for this one woman who played the piano like no one I have ever seen then or now - Joanne Castle, not a looker but she could pound the keys!) was beyond gorgeous - the woman in the second link was one of my favorites. But my all time favorite was a Latina woman who sang beautifully. And what's more she was the prettiest woman I'd ever seen. So not only did I want to be on the show, I wanted to be her! I would go up in my room stand in front of my mirror and sing my heart out ... terribly. But if you notice in the video's the fashion then was shiny lips. Until I got my first lip gloss I'd lick the bajeebers out of my lips to make them look that shiny when singing into my hair brush. But it was my first idea of what make up should be. Now I understand that that show was a bit over the top in terms of make up, but the women looked beautiful. So I would sneak in my parents bathroom and watch my mom do her make up to see how this magic happened. Pretty soon, she taught me a trick or two. Since then, I've adapted my own styles of "putting on my face." Husband approved! Most of you who have read through past posts know that I swam in college and hopped aboard the "easiest way possible" train. Minimal is awesome. So if you're like me and too lazy to spend 50 hours in front of a mirror (I don't like my face that much) or if you're afraid of make up ... once again I'm here to help. Hold your applause please! Really you're making me blush! (pun intended) There are only 4 things I think you need to make a complete face. And if you are NOT like me and have amazing skin, you can even get rid of one. Look at you! Over achieving already! Here's your gold star. Okay to secret to easy awesome make up is .... Powder, blush, mascara and lip gloss ... BOOM! Consider your mind blown! These items you CANNOT mess up, and will make you look beautiful and put together, and take less than 5 minutes.
If you don't know where to start let me help you. I prefer Cover Girl pressed powder in the silver compact. I have tried other powders (even others by Cover Girl) and none work as well. It goes on beautifully, it covers well, it's easy to apply, and it's mid range in terms of cost. If I can't buy that compact, I won't buy any at all. Sometimes I use loose power instead or a bronzer, which is nice, but I like the compact because I can take it with me and don't have to ever pack a separate make up bag. I can touch up anywhere and I always look great ... or well as great as I can! If you have great skin, you can skip this part. I like it to smooth out my uneven skin tone (that means that some parts of my skin are darker than others, mostly due to sun damage) Next is blush. This one can get a little trickier. Don't get scared keep reading! Blush takes a little more trial and error, you just have to find what fits you. It depends on the complexity of your skin. I found and love Cover Girl Classic Color blush I use 540 Rose Silk. It's a gorgeous color and makes my cheeks look sun kissed with a hint of sparkle. It also comes in a compact so I can take that with me easy peasy any where I go. Love it! (PS If you're starting to think I'm a paid endorser don't, I don't have enough readers for that ... YET. These are the actual products I use and love) In fact, my blush is sitting in front of me right now! The other thing I love about this blush is it lasts forever! I use it nearly every day and it lasts months. My mascara? Great Lash by Maybelline. Super cheap and totally the best. Don't worry yourself about clumpage and all the other issues make up companies try to mess with you about. This mascara is $4.99 anywhere you go, it lasts and it rocks. It's the one with the pink bottom and green cap - can't miss it! Lastly, and easiest, lip gloss. You can use chap stick too. Anything you love. Here are a few of my favorites. Chapstick brand with the black label. This has been my favorite for a long time. My husband recently told me he loathes the smell (which I love ironically enough) so I switched to Nivea. In LOVE with this brand! And if you're careful you can get it on the super cheap. Watch for coupons and wait for it to go on sale at your local store and you'll feel like you're stealing it! It works great and both brands leave your lips looking finished with out color and moisturized. I'm not big for color, I feel like it makes my teeth look yellow ... weird yeah. Anything by Wet n Wild. Yep, I said it ... I endorsed it wanna fight about it? It's SUPER cheap but lasts and works just as well as anything else. It may not tout the lasting qualities of some of the better brands, but seriously, how hard is it to reapply? They come in tons of colors, I usually go for palest pink or closest to nude. They also sell a clear if you just want shine. A tube usually runs about $2 bucks so you can pick a bunch of different colors and run wild with out breaking your budget!
Application? Easy. First apply your pressed (or loose) powder all over your face. Make sure you rub the applicator pad up into the corners of your eyes, over eye lids and around your jaw line. That is still one tip I'll never lose from my mom. Make up line is the WORST. So make sure your powder is blended in with your neck!! Next take a few swipes of blush and apply in upward strokes on your cheek bones. Practice this a little to you see what looks best for you. Every face is different so what works for more cheeky girls doesn't work as well for us round faced gals. I also slightly swipe once over my nose and chin (with out adding any more blush to the brush - say that 5 times fast!) This is just to make everything look smooth and together, not really to add any more make up to your face. Then apply mascara. Don't pump the brush in and out of the bottle. I learned this trick from Cindy Crawford. We're on a first name basis. When you pump the applicator brush into the base it pumps in air which makes your make up dry up faster. Instead, swirl the brush inside the tube and pull out. To be honest, I pump a little maybe 2-3 times, but no where near what moms in my day did. They pumped it like they were preparing to blow up a bike tire. Try to avoid that it'll make yours last longer. And finally, apply your lip product of choice. Your face looks fabulous and ready for anything! Sometimes when I'm feeling frisky and I have a big event I'll add more make up and steps, and you can too when you want or feel comfortable. But these are basics for every day.
Apply, love and show it off! Go you gorgeous girl go!
If you don't know where to start let me help you. I prefer Cover Girl pressed powder in the silver compact. I have tried other powders (even others by Cover Girl) and none work as well. It goes on beautifully, it covers well, it's easy to apply, and it's mid range in terms of cost. If I can't buy that compact, I won't buy any at all. Sometimes I use loose power instead or a bronzer, which is nice, but I like the compact because I can take it with me and don't have to ever pack a separate make up bag. I can touch up anywhere and I always look great ... or well as great as I can! If you have great skin, you can skip this part. I like it to smooth out my uneven skin tone (that means that some parts of my skin are darker than others, mostly due to sun damage) Next is blush. This one can get a little trickier. Don't get scared keep reading! Blush takes a little more trial and error, you just have to find what fits you. It depends on the complexity of your skin. I found and love Cover Girl Classic Color blush I use 540 Rose Silk. It's a gorgeous color and makes my cheeks look sun kissed with a hint of sparkle. It also comes in a compact so I can take that with me easy peasy any where I go. Love it! (PS If you're starting to think I'm a paid endorser don't, I don't have enough readers for that ... YET. These are the actual products I use and love) In fact, my blush is sitting in front of me right now! The other thing I love about this blush is it lasts forever! I use it nearly every day and it lasts months. My mascara? Great Lash by Maybelline. Super cheap and totally the best. Don't worry yourself about clumpage and all the other issues make up companies try to mess with you about. This mascara is $4.99 anywhere you go, it lasts and it rocks. It's the one with the pink bottom and green cap - can't miss it! Lastly, and easiest, lip gloss. You can use chap stick too. Anything you love. Here are a few of my favorites. Chapstick brand with the black label. This has been my favorite for a long time. My husband recently told me he loathes the smell (which I love ironically enough) so I switched to Nivea. In LOVE with this brand! And if you're careful you can get it on the super cheap. Watch for coupons and wait for it to go on sale at your local store and you'll feel like you're stealing it! It works great and both brands leave your lips looking finished with out color and moisturized. I'm not big for color, I feel like it makes my teeth look yellow ... weird yeah. Anything by Wet n Wild. Yep, I said it ... I endorsed it wanna fight about it? It's SUPER cheap but lasts and works just as well as anything else. It may not tout the lasting qualities of some of the better brands, but seriously, how hard is it to reapply? They come in tons of colors, I usually go for palest pink or closest to nude. They also sell a clear if you just want shine. A tube usually runs about $2 bucks so you can pick a bunch of different colors and run wild with out breaking your budget!
Application? Easy. First apply your pressed (or loose) powder all over your face. Make sure you rub the applicator pad up into the corners of your eyes, over eye lids and around your jaw line. That is still one tip I'll never lose from my mom. Make up line is the WORST. So make sure your powder is blended in with your neck!! Next take a few swipes of blush and apply in upward strokes on your cheek bones. Practice this a little to you see what looks best for you. Every face is different so what works for more cheeky girls doesn't work as well for us round faced gals. I also slightly swipe once over my nose and chin (with out adding any more blush to the brush - say that 5 times fast!) This is just to make everything look smooth and together, not really to add any more make up to your face. Then apply mascara. Don't pump the brush in and out of the bottle. I learned this trick from Cindy Crawford. We're on a first name basis. When you pump the applicator brush into the base it pumps in air which makes your make up dry up faster. Instead, swirl the brush inside the tube and pull out. To be honest, I pump a little maybe 2-3 times, but no where near what moms in my day did. They pumped it like they were preparing to blow up a bike tire. Try to avoid that it'll make yours last longer. And finally, apply your lip product of choice. Your face looks fabulous and ready for anything! Sometimes when I'm feeling frisky and I have a big event I'll add more make up and steps, and you can too when you want or feel comfortable. But these are basics for every day.
Apply, love and show it off! Go you gorgeous girl go!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Go Go Gadget Green!
If you're as old as I am you'll recognize the title of this entry ... Good ole Inspector Gadget! Wasn't that cartoon great? It was about this guy who was supposed to be a secret agent but he could never do anything right. He was such a bumbler! But he wasn't even a real person, he was made up of all these specialized mechanical parts and all he had to say was "Go go gadget _____" and some part of him would spring into action. It was hilarious. So often I wish I had some Inspector Gadget qualities, especially when trying to raise a kid and take care of a house! But one of my favorite things to make me feel like I'm making a difference (like Inspector Gadget when saving the world) I like to use "green" products. There is literally so much talk about going green it could make you puke. But I truly think it's worthwhile. Now, I have to say that not everything in my house is green. We leave lights on, I don't turn off the water while brushing my teeth and we don't have a rain barrel. But those things are for the "advanced green person." Which if you don't know by now I am NOT. I do what I can because I think every little bit helps. So here are my tips if you want to go a little green!
First of all, the easiest part about going green is cleaning products. Serious! So many companies are going green that they come out with new products all the time! My personal favorite is Clorox. First of all the brand has been around for a ridiculously long time. That speaks to me in terms of reliability. Second of all, they have a GREAT line of awesome green products for seriously easy money. Their brand is called "Green Works." LOVE this stuff, it smells great, works better and doesn't kill my wallet. I use the dish soap, the spray cleaner and the wipes. If your store doesn't carry that or can't find it, or if you try it and I steered you wrong, my second favorite is Seventh Generation. I only use the dish soap from this company because the laundry detergent is just too expensive, but the dish soap isn't. It again smells wonderful and works like magic! Using these products are easier on the environment and help make every day tasks a little better.
The second easiest thing to do to go green is recycle. In my house I'm a recycling nazi. I put EVERYTHING in the recycle. In fact I had to request a second recycle bin from the city because ours was always overflowing. Now, the reason this isn't first is because in some places they don't offer recycle pick up. If that's the case, you can store your own recycle in a regular trash bin and google search the nearest recycle facility. Unless you live off a dirt road like my grandparents, you should be able to find one you can make a weekly trip to! Or if you are like my grandparents, who live in Michigan, they save cans to take in and redeem for the nickle. A nickle a can goes a long way! This service is only offered in select states so check the top of the can! Even though my husband argues with me on this, I have to stand firm. We live on an incredibly busy street, and when our rubbish service comes around and they dump the recycle bins into the truck, the wind blows 1/4 of it out into the environment. Now ... what sense does that make? Yeah none. I'm left walking down the street picking up other people's nasty trash! YUCK! So I buy super cheap, plastic trash bags. The super off brand (not the off brand but the REAL off brand) bags where you get 300 for $1.50. We keep a plastic bin under the sink, I line it with one of these bags and when I take out the recycle to the bin in our garage I tie it off. This helps keep all my recyclables contained and that way they won't escape to become litter. The bags are incredibly thin and the people at the recycle facility should have no problem snagging them open. (In fact, they are usually pre-ripped when they make it to the bin) Plus the bags are plastic themselves so they too can be recycled. My husband says I shouldn't but until the City yells at me and tells me to stop, I won't. It makes sense!
Finally, try to use reusable items more often. I am a guilty self admitted user of paper towels. I like them for lots of reasons, however, I have been hanging a towel in the kitchen off of my cabinet handles. This way if I just need a quick wash of my hands I dry them with the towel. I still use paper towels, but at least I make them go farther. Do this in your bathroom too! I know Kleenex has come out with those disposable clothes, but really ... you can just change our your towels more often. I've used a towel my whole life and don't recall a doctor ever telling me I got sick from drying my hands with one. So get over your germaphobia and save the earth a little!
Now there are TONS of ways to help make our every day lives a little more green, but these are my favorite and easiest ways to do that! Green it up!!!
First of all, the easiest part about going green is cleaning products. Serious! So many companies are going green that they come out with new products all the time! My personal favorite is Clorox. First of all the brand has been around for a ridiculously long time. That speaks to me in terms of reliability. Second of all, they have a GREAT line of awesome green products for seriously easy money. Their brand is called "Green Works." LOVE this stuff, it smells great, works better and doesn't kill my wallet. I use the dish soap, the spray cleaner and the wipes. If your store doesn't carry that or can't find it, or if you try it and I steered you wrong, my second favorite is Seventh Generation. I only use the dish soap from this company because the laundry detergent is just too expensive, but the dish soap isn't. It again smells wonderful and works like magic! Using these products are easier on the environment and help make every day tasks a little better.
The second easiest thing to do to go green is recycle. In my house I'm a recycling nazi. I put EVERYTHING in the recycle. In fact I had to request a second recycle bin from the city because ours was always overflowing. Now, the reason this isn't first is because in some places they don't offer recycle pick up. If that's the case, you can store your own recycle in a regular trash bin and google search the nearest recycle facility. Unless you live off a dirt road like my grandparents, you should be able to find one you can make a weekly trip to! Or if you are like my grandparents, who live in Michigan, they save cans to take in and redeem for the nickle. A nickle a can goes a long way! This service is only offered in select states so check the top of the can! Even though my husband argues with me on this, I have to stand firm. We live on an incredibly busy street, and when our rubbish service comes around and they dump the recycle bins into the truck, the wind blows 1/4 of it out into the environment. Now ... what sense does that make? Yeah none. I'm left walking down the street picking up other people's nasty trash! YUCK! So I buy super cheap, plastic trash bags. The super off brand (not the off brand but the REAL off brand) bags where you get 300 for $1.50. We keep a plastic bin under the sink, I line it with one of these bags and when I take out the recycle to the bin in our garage I tie it off. This helps keep all my recyclables contained and that way they won't escape to become litter. The bags are incredibly thin and the people at the recycle facility should have no problem snagging them open. (In fact, they are usually pre-ripped when they make it to the bin) Plus the bags are plastic themselves so they too can be recycled. My husband says I shouldn't but until the City yells at me and tells me to stop, I won't. It makes sense!
Finally, try to use reusable items more often. I am a guilty self admitted user of paper towels. I like them for lots of reasons, however, I have been hanging a towel in the kitchen off of my cabinet handles. This way if I just need a quick wash of my hands I dry them with the towel. I still use paper towels, but at least I make them go farther. Do this in your bathroom too! I know Kleenex has come out with those disposable clothes, but really ... you can just change our your towels more often. I've used a towel my whole life and don't recall a doctor ever telling me I got sick from drying my hands with one. So get over your germaphobia and save the earth a little!
Now there are TONS of ways to help make our every day lives a little more green, but these are my favorite and easiest ways to do that! Green it up!!!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
"Cheap" Fashion
If you ask the people that know me best they will tell you my wardrobe of choice is sweats and a T-shirt. I got in the habit in college because I swam and we had morning practice. To be honest, when you leave your house at 5:30 in the morning to go hop in a pool or lift weights for an hour and you don't come back until afternoon ... really what other options do you have? I'm not dressin it up to go hike across campus and work out. That being said, I can class it up every now and again as well. The one thing I dislike most about fashion is watching shows like "What Not To Wear" or mini fashion segments of morning shows talking about how you can dress so cute for so cheap. Since when is $100 for a pair of pants cheap? Or $75 for a shirt? Does it light up? Will it give me super powers? No just a regular plain shirt? Well alright, that's not cheap. Well okay maybe if you're making 6 figures it's cheap, but in middle class world, that's not cheap! So here is my philosophy on fashion made easy! First and foremost know your strengths. If you have great legs acknowledge the fact and wear short shorts. Or if you're chesty, play to that. Know your shape and what looks good on you. Focus your efforts on accentuating what looks best on you. It's true when experts say that when you follow this method other peoples eyes are drawn to that area. Sometimes this can be hard. I LOVE huge baggy shirts because I feel hidden, but when I have to face the world and make a statement, I know what works. For example, this past weekend my husband had his 10 year high school reunion, so I'm meeting a bunch of people for the very first and maybe ever time. My first thought is I want my husb to be proud and want to "show me off." My second thought is, I want to feel confident amongst so many new people. I have this amazing pair of white capri pants from Old Navy. I bought them YEARS ago, they are stretch and look and feel incredible. If you like fashion with comfort, STRETCH is the way to go! It looks like denim but gives like cotton ... drrroool. My top? This amazing sleeveless v-neck number. It's black with a cute white pattern. It's tight, however, the way it's cut on the sides (that kind of scrunch up), the pattern, the material and the cut of the neck line, all make me look fabulous. And seriously I rarely say that. I wear that top ONLY when I'm trying to impress. It highlights the girls up top while slimming my waist like you wouldn't believe. I put this top on and it looks like I lost 10 pounds. Keep outfits like this on standby. They not only make you look good but they make you feel good too! I paired that with a pair of CLASSIC open heels from Maurice's. Again, they look awesome but they are the most comfortable heels I own! Where am I going with all this?? Well, tooting my own horn first, it's not often I feel that I look amazing, and at this reunion I think I won. But also, telling you how to piece together a great outfit. First shop selectively, we all have been known to buy something we're not sure of in the store. If you try it on and aren't sure don't buy it. We rarely return stuff then you're stuck with a piece in your closet you never wear. Try on try on try on. Unless it's something you already know is right for you ALWAYS try it on. And the best way to know if you like something is if you pick a few other pieces as well. Pants shopping? I pull 3-5 pairs off the rack and head to the dreaded fitting rooms. (Hint ... pick up pants you know will be too big first, don't pull the pants you hope you can fit into, going back for a smaller size feels MUCH better than going back for bigger!) Try on pairs that you're really not sure about first. Easy eliminations make your trip in there much faster. Then to the pairs you think you're going to be crazy about. Sometimes you might be in for a shocker, you may change your mind and go with a pair you thought were on the chopping block. But the comparison factor really helps in the decision making process. The same rules apply for all other clothing as well. Know when you're going in what kind of money you want to spend, what kind of clothe you like, fit and size. It'll make a trip go by much faster with much less hassle. Where to find cheap buys??? I'm a sucker for sales, but I can't peruse the 80% off racks until I loose 100 pounds or become European. The sizes are always too small and the items left have the weirdest patterns! (That's not to say that some super finds can be had!) But I love Kohl's, Target and Old Navy for great items that are actually cheap. Most Kohl's stores send out "shopping" passes, aka coupons, for around 20% off, hit that store up find some sale items and go crazy! They also still do the Kohl's cash when you spend $50 which is an added bonus sometimes. Target is always great to super cheap cute stuff, plus it's like Starbucks there are Target stores everywhere you turn! I prefer Kohl's for dress clothes and Target for every day or athletic wear. Old Navy is awesome for preppy stuff, quirky fashion or that simple piece. I don't have one close by so I'm not known to go often anymore, however, I get awesome discounts via e-mail and shopping online is really easy too! Make sure you sign up for any e-mail offers from your fave store to make sure you get the best deals!
So go forth, shop until ye drop and save money like a piggy bank! Oh yeah and don't forget to have some fun while you do it!!
So go forth, shop until ye drop and save money like a piggy bank! Oh yeah and don't forget to have some fun while you do it!!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Nails Nails Nails
Most of us who watched the Olympics got to see some of the athletes Nail Art ... AWESOME. Needless to say I'm not very feminine, but I want that in my life. But alas, I'm not talented or coordinated enough to pull off that kind of elaborate handy work, and that's why they have access to free spa treatments in Olympic Village and I don't. But here's the thing, after watching a great many nail techs do their best to make my paws look presentable, I've learned a few tricks to make at home manicures that much easier. So here are some ideas to make your next do-it-yourselfer job look less like a 5 year old and more like "yer darn skippy I did those myself!"
The first step is to clean up your nails. And I don't just mean underneath the nail, I mean clean your nail beds and the nails themselves. I start by washing my hands. This may come after removing nail polish, or starting off if my nails are devoid of color. Then I go to work. You can buy super cheap wooden manicure tools (they look like shish kabob skewers) at ANY Walgreens - it's my favorite spot to find cheap and good manicure items! (THEY HAVE EVERYTHING!) I use one of these to clean under my nails and push back my cuticles. After that I trim the cuticles that are left and trim up any hang nails - which there usually are a great many. After that I take a nail file - or emery board for those of us more advanced, and try my best to shape my nails into something not so horrendous looking. So far, so simple. After that's done, take your polish and shake well. You're supposed to technically roll the bottle between your hands like you're making a play-dough snake, but not all bottles are shaped right for that, and I still use the ole shake and apply method. After that opener up! I recommend doing this over a paper towel, even if you're at a table. Past experience has told me nail polish is hard to get out! Apply the polish first with your dominant hand - so if you're right handed put the polish on your left hand first etc. It's less intimidating and quite frankly applying nail polish with your non-dominant hand is like trying to lick your ear, ridiculous and hard. Apply in downward strokes starting in the middle of the nail and going from cuticle to tip. Don't be afraid to have polish on the applicator, but make sure you don't have too much either. If you do get an overload of polish, don't panic, just use a q-tip to gently absorb some of the excess. It's best to have as even of an application as possible, overages take longer to dry and cause unsightly pockets to form which usually stay tacky for so long you'll end up with a smudge, imprint or worse. Also, if you apply too light, you'll find yourself doing coat after coat which gets redundant OR see through polish which doesn't look as finished. That being said, you can use those same wooden tools used to clean your nails to scrape along the edge of the nail to clean up any "outside the lines" polishing! PS use a new one, the last thing you want is some nail gunk in your fresh coat! Then move on to your next hand. I know it's hard but it has to be done. Fashion has not yet caught up with us "don't have a lot of money and have to do this myself but I'm not real coordinated with my other hand" kinda gals! So both hands have to be painted (for now). Apply the same technique and remember, now you have a way to safely remove the polish that you got on your finger with out messing up your other nails, so go crazy! If you go a little too Bananas, you can always put a little nail polish remover on a q-tip and rub around your nails on your finger part to remove excess.
Let dry for at least 20 minutes, most of us don't have that kind of time I know, but unless you have the super fast drying nail polish, you'll end up with a lot of damage. So here's what I recommend, do it a while before bed, after you've showered and while you're watching TV, this is down time for most people anyway, so there shouldn't be much you need to do.
One last thing you should know ... if you're planning to give yourself a Mani Pedi (which I'll talk more about how to do Pedi's or Pedicures in a later post) DO YOUR TOES FIRST. Can't emphasize that enough ... If I've seen it once I've seen it a thousand times ... you go to do your toes only to find that you just did your fingers and can't use the acetone (polish remover) because it'll mess up your nails and on and on and on. So if you are planning to do both ... START with the feet!!
Hopefully you find this helpful and your next at home treatment will be much less stressful and you'll be steppin out in style sayin ... "YEAH you KNOW I did my nails myself!" and not "What? I have nieces!"
Have fun, stay safe and don't spill the bottle!
The first step is to clean up your nails. And I don't just mean underneath the nail, I mean clean your nail beds and the nails themselves. I start by washing my hands. This may come after removing nail polish, or starting off if my nails are devoid of color. Then I go to work. You can buy super cheap wooden manicure tools (they look like shish kabob skewers) at ANY Walgreens - it's my favorite spot to find cheap and good manicure items! (THEY HAVE EVERYTHING!) I use one of these to clean under my nails and push back my cuticles. After that I trim the cuticles that are left and trim up any hang nails - which there usually are a great many. After that I take a nail file - or emery board for those of us more advanced, and try my best to shape my nails into something not so horrendous looking. So far, so simple. After that's done, take your polish and shake well. You're supposed to technically roll the bottle between your hands like you're making a play-dough snake, but not all bottles are shaped right for that, and I still use the ole shake and apply method. After that opener up! I recommend doing this over a paper towel, even if you're at a table. Past experience has told me nail polish is hard to get out! Apply the polish first with your dominant hand - so if you're right handed put the polish on your left hand first etc. It's less intimidating and quite frankly applying nail polish with your non-dominant hand is like trying to lick your ear, ridiculous and hard. Apply in downward strokes starting in the middle of the nail and going from cuticle to tip. Don't be afraid to have polish on the applicator, but make sure you don't have too much either. If you do get an overload of polish, don't panic, just use a q-tip to gently absorb some of the excess. It's best to have as even of an application as possible, overages take longer to dry and cause unsightly pockets to form which usually stay tacky for so long you'll end up with a smudge, imprint or worse. Also, if you apply too light, you'll find yourself doing coat after coat which gets redundant OR see through polish which doesn't look as finished. That being said, you can use those same wooden tools used to clean your nails to scrape along the edge of the nail to clean up any "outside the lines" polishing! PS use a new one, the last thing you want is some nail gunk in your fresh coat! Then move on to your next hand. I know it's hard but it has to be done. Fashion has not yet caught up with us "don't have a lot of money and have to do this myself but I'm not real coordinated with my other hand" kinda gals! So both hands have to be painted (for now). Apply the same technique and remember, now you have a way to safely remove the polish that you got on your finger with out messing up your other nails, so go crazy! If you go a little too Bananas, you can always put a little nail polish remover on a q-tip and rub around your nails on your finger part to remove excess.
Let dry for at least 20 minutes, most of us don't have that kind of time I know, but unless you have the super fast drying nail polish, you'll end up with a lot of damage. So here's what I recommend, do it a while before bed, after you've showered and while you're watching TV, this is down time for most people anyway, so there shouldn't be much you need to do.
One last thing you should know ... if you're planning to give yourself a Mani Pedi (which I'll talk more about how to do Pedi's or Pedicures in a later post) DO YOUR TOES FIRST. Can't emphasize that enough ... If I've seen it once I've seen it a thousand times ... you go to do your toes only to find that you just did your fingers and can't use the acetone (polish remover) because it'll mess up your nails and on and on and on. So if you are planning to do both ... START with the feet!!
Hopefully you find this helpful and your next at home treatment will be much less stressful and you'll be steppin out in style sayin ... "YEAH you KNOW I did my nails myself!" and not "What? I have nieces!"
Have fun, stay safe and don't spill the bottle!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Handsome Hero
Husbands are awesome ... sometimes. My hubby got my blog all fixed up so that people can actually follow me now! He's an absolute genius when it comes to, computers, cars, carpentry, plumbing, electrical anything, professional photographer ... basically everything. Except for some reason common sense. There is almost nothing my husband can't do, or learn to do exceptionally quickly. He's kinda like a super hero super freak mix. (Kind I know, but it's true!) I love him unconditionally and will the rest of my life, but he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't occasionally irritate the bejeezus out of me. For example, most women woo at the fact that my husband built our daughters crib from scratch by hand. Or that he has taken this house circa 1940 and revamped or fixed nearly every bump and bruise. Or that he's built a car (a race car but a car none the less) from the ground up. It's awesome right? Yes. It is. Until it becomes known that your husband is the end all be all for free labor. It's amazing to me how big his heart is, and also at times frustrating. He is so eager and more than willing to help so many people that it sometimes takes it's toll on me. Granted this is a difficult area. As a wife do I complain that EVERYTHING on our house that has been started is not finished? Or do I sit back in awe at his immense generosity?
Women are often now so eager to find that right somebody! And to be honest, it is wonderful. But don't think that once you find them, get in a long term relationship or even married that things are going to be perfect. I'm not a bubble burster, well at least I try not to be, I try to be more realistic. But sometimes I feel more lonely now that I'm married than I ever did single! But again, it's that fine line. My husband is out changing lives, helping people when they're in difficult situations. Really I couldn't be prouder, but the fact that he's often not home due to some emergency furnace outage, makes it hard to not to feel lonely and sometimes jealous of those people in need!
We have worked and talked and often "debated" about his generosity, and at the end of the day the generosity always wins, but it's something I'll have to struggle with for the rest of our lives. We're in it to win it no matter what. But the lesson we can understand from my fine line frustrations is that, marriage is a give and take. You must take the good with the bad. The fact that my husband is a fix anything - do anything super hero freak is awesome!!! But it comes with a cost, his weakness (or kryptonite) is helping people. He just can't resist. So while I love everything about him, sometimes I struggle to keep my jealousy in check.
So ladies! Please know that you may have the perfect man, but remember there will be valleys in life. Just keep yourself in check, tell your mate how you feel, and remember that at the end of the day, you're in love and saving the world one washer at a time!
PS My husband is super handsome and ridiculously athletic too ... it's a miracle I found my way to him before his shyness broke and some other girl scooped him up! (Be jealous ladies!! Be jealous lol)
Women are often now so eager to find that right somebody! And to be honest, it is wonderful. But don't think that once you find them, get in a long term relationship or even married that things are going to be perfect. I'm not a bubble burster, well at least I try not to be, I try to be more realistic. But sometimes I feel more lonely now that I'm married than I ever did single! But again, it's that fine line. My husband is out changing lives, helping people when they're in difficult situations. Really I couldn't be prouder, but the fact that he's often not home due to some emergency furnace outage, makes it hard to not to feel lonely and sometimes jealous of those people in need!
We have worked and talked and often "debated" about his generosity, and at the end of the day the generosity always wins, but it's something I'll have to struggle with for the rest of our lives. We're in it to win it no matter what. But the lesson we can understand from my fine line frustrations is that, marriage is a give and take. You must take the good with the bad. The fact that my husband is a fix anything - do anything super hero freak is awesome!!! But it comes with a cost, his weakness (or kryptonite) is helping people. He just can't resist. So while I love everything about him, sometimes I struggle to keep my jealousy in check.
So ladies! Please know that you may have the perfect man, but remember there will be valleys in life. Just keep yourself in check, tell your mate how you feel, and remember that at the end of the day, you're in love and saving the world one washer at a time!
PS My husband is super handsome and ridiculously athletic too ... it's a miracle I found my way to him before his shyness broke and some other girl scooped him up! (Be jealous ladies!! Be jealous lol)
Monday, August 6, 2012
Olympics
You know what ... I love the Olympics. And I know I'm not the only one, but as of recent there are some people on facebook saying they haven't watched much or any at all! That's like saying you'd rather not watch the Superbowl or even one game of the World Series - crazy! Not only do I enjoy watching the country I so proudly live in dominate, I really like watching sports that I'm neither good at or know much about and learning. Ask me anything (except stats) about volleyball and I could pry tell you! There's something about it that just makes me want to know more. I like playing volleyball, but as my ultra competitive neighbor can tell you, I'm not very good. When I was a kid I had HIGH aspirations of becoming an Olympic athlete. (But I also wanted to be a Paleontologist ... seriously) I was going to go in track and field. Which now seems a joke since I am incredibly slow, but when I was in elementary school I was the fastest kid in our whole school and second fastest out of 4 area elementary schools. I had a natural ability to run very very fast. Now, if there had been someone in my life to foster that ability, I think I could be there right now. No one told me to do it - go for it. My parents were always excellent parents, but they were not domineering. Which most people would say is good. I think there are two sides. Parents who demand excellence from their kids usually get it and it's honestly for the betterment of the child. My parents attitude was "she's doing better than we ever did" and that was something to celebrate. I could do anything I wanted and stop doing anything I didn't want. For example, they took me out of dance and all my sports (except swimming) because I never said I wanted to keep doing it. Little did they know I DID want to keep going, I think I was oblivious when they asked. Around 5th grade I had wondered why my schedule wasn't as full as it used to be, and a few years later I realized that my parents had to sign me up and they stopped doing that a long time ago. When I tried to break back into softball, I went from being on top to terrible. I no longer had good cleats that fit, my mitt was too small and I didn't have socks, sliding shorts, or a bat bag. Needless to say, that year was my last year. I'd lost my stuff. Not my parents fault, they were only doing what they thought I wanted. But I often longed for parents like my friends have. Parents who only allow all A's (maybe I would have made National Honor Society in high school - like EVERY single one of my friends!) Or the parents who dictate where their kids will go to college, or guide them into what they will major in. Don't get me wrong, my friends whose parents were like that acted miserable, but today they are much better off for it. When left to my own devices I tend to get crazy ideas like I wanted to be a Theatre major in a small school. Yeah that didn't work out so well, I switched majors half way through school (which I had always vowed never to do) and went into sports management. I graduated with Honors sure, but now I'm a stay at home because I can't break back into the sports industry! It's a tough economy for sports and it's a tough world in athletics - very competitive ... go figure! So needless to say, I was groundbreaking and I failed. I don't blame my parents though. They just sat by and loved me unconditionally supporting me no matter where my crazy mind took me! How is that NOT awesome? But I can't help to think that if my parents were different in their approach, where would I be? Could I have been an Olympic athlete? If they knew how things worked and had me apply for college sooner, would I have as much debt? Would I have switched majors? I have two older brothers who both went into the military right after high school, so my parents were about as clueless as it comes to the college application process - no blame there! Neither of them graduated from college, so how could they know?! I applied incredibly late, and only to a few schools. I only visited one, and that's where I ended up, mostly because my very best friend was going and it's the only one I got accepted to.
So where am I going with all of this? It's my insights to parenting 101. As I am a new parent I am determined to combine the best of both those worlds. I will push my children and probably make them do a few things they don't want to do. But as my own personal philosophy goes - how do you know you won't like it unless you try it? How do I know my kid won't excel at sports until I put her in some. If I watch her like a hawk to make sure she does all her homework in a timely way, she won't learn to procrastinate like her mother. If I pay attention we can start looking at schools a year in advance. It's the little things to help mold our children into better versions of ourselves. It's what every creature wants - bigger, better, faster, stronger, smarter. Mostly I can only keep my fingers crossed and pray a lot that she'll turn out all right, but I feel as moms we have a lot of ability to make not only a major impact on our kid, but on an entire generation. And when you "look at life like a chess game instead of checkers" ... it's makes all the difference in the world. I want my kid to be better, so this world will be better.
So if you have kids 2yrs+ NOW during the Olympics is an AWESOME time to reflect and begin to make an impact on their lives. See what they are into and NURTURE NURTURE NURTURE that need or desire! We love our kids and always want the best - we are always searching for ways to make an impact and I think the Olympics is one of the best stages for that. Life lessons, dreams, hopes, values, morals ALL rolled into one world wide event. Take advantage ... I know I will.
So where am I going with all of this? It's my insights to parenting 101. As I am a new parent I am determined to combine the best of both those worlds. I will push my children and probably make them do a few things they don't want to do. But as my own personal philosophy goes - how do you know you won't like it unless you try it? How do I know my kid won't excel at sports until I put her in some. If I watch her like a hawk to make sure she does all her homework in a timely way, she won't learn to procrastinate like her mother. If I pay attention we can start looking at schools a year in advance. It's the little things to help mold our children into better versions of ourselves. It's what every creature wants - bigger, better, faster, stronger, smarter. Mostly I can only keep my fingers crossed and pray a lot that she'll turn out all right, but I feel as moms we have a lot of ability to make not only a major impact on our kid, but on an entire generation. And when you "look at life like a chess game instead of checkers" ... it's makes all the difference in the world. I want my kid to be better, so this world will be better.
So if you have kids 2yrs+ NOW during the Olympics is an AWESOME time to reflect and begin to make an impact on their lives. See what they are into and NURTURE NURTURE NURTURE that need or desire! We love our kids and always want the best - we are always searching for ways to make an impact and I think the Olympics is one of the best stages for that. Life lessons, dreams, hopes, values, morals ALL rolled into one world wide event. Take advantage ... I know I will.
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