Defeated

Defeated.

I woke up this morning and I felt completly and utterly drained from work & home life, drowning from paper work & bills that keep coming in, overwhelmed by what needs to be done & what I want done, frustrated by things that I can't change (nor legally talk about without putting more fuel on the fire) our new puppy has me at my whits end, and quite frankly just plain ol defeated by life. 

As I sit here writing this my dog has gone and taken a

large s**t on my freshly cleaned white carpet

and then stepped in it and walked around....AWESOME!

I've been trying so hard not to let things beat me down, but I'm not doing a very good job of it.  All life's "obstacles" seem to be attacking from various points on the playing field and it had me so overwhelmed I actually broke down yesterday over the carpet cleaner not showing up!  The worst part in all of this is that it's in these moments when I feel like the worst mom ever, and that's not right!  They have a hard enough time being away from their Dad for the majority of the month, that to add a Bitchy (that's being nice) Mom to the mix is not cool at all.

So after todays episodes of defeat (one after the other), I got to thinking that perhaps I needed to find a way to deal with these things in a more productive way rather than just whine about it and feel sorry for myself!  Today I actually was one of those people that annoy me...not gonna lie I had my own pitty party and it really wasn't all that wonderful!  So what I need is a plan of action.....

POA ~ I've done these in the past and failed horribly, my guess is that what I was planning just wasn't attainable...lol...or not simple enough?  So here's my thought on my POA....simplicity.  Keeping it real, and attainable.  There are 24 days left till the New Year so for these last days of 2011 I will post daily what I'm Grateful for....big & small!

Today I'm Grateful for my 2 wonderful girls who mean everything to me!  They are kind and considerate of others, they LOVE school and their friends and of course their family.  They have their moments when I just want to pull my hair out, but who doesn't experience those times?  My youngest actually wrote her letter to Santa with a wish list for everyone in our family!  My oldest has been making present boxes for all the presents she plans on making for our extended family!  They have a sense of humor unique to their personality and come up the funniest ideas.  They look out for one another which just makes me happy that they can have a relationship like this already...they are awesome, amazing, talented, kind hearted, and loved!   

 

Feeling Great and Loving It!

November has just started and already I feel as though I'm making tremendous gains in my strive to live a healthier life!  The day after Halloween (the day when my house was filled with the kids candy bags and our left over Halloween treats) was the day that I decided to look at each day as a new beginning.  Forget what poor choices I had made the day before and start guilt free! 

During the first week I've been paying more attention to the food I'm eating, the activity I'm getting in, and my water consumption...why do I have such a hard time getting my water in?  I started personal training with Jo from JDFT and thought I was going to die during my first PT appt (which just happened to be my Fitness Test)...note to self: NOT a good idea to have blood work done the same day you start PT!  Total Dumbass!  I was given some "homework" and I have to say the stairs and I are frenemies...although I never thought I was going to be able to finish what I was given in the allotted time I'm proud to say that I not only finished, but with time to spare! Yay me :)

Today I went to my first official class at the gym - Guns Guts & Butts - it was great!  I can say that now, however during the class I was sure I was going to die...I'm beginning to think this may be something thats going to be a reaccurance...lol. 

I also attended a meeting at the Red Deer PCN for their Healthy Choices, I'm excited to start this program.  Not only is it free, but it sounds as though it's going to be filled with great information and support.  Just wish it wasn't such a long wait to begin...possibly the only negative to the program.  However while I wait for the classes to begin there is a walking program called the Newfoundland Trek which should be a great motivator to keeping up my activity.

There are really only two requirements when it comes to exercise. 

One is that you do it.  The other is that you continue to do it. 

It's Not What You Have, But How You Take Care Of It!

When I was 6 years old I knocked out my 2 front teeth....2 front adult teeth to be exact!  It was just another day at school  (well actually it was Rodeo day so it was kind of special) and our class was outside on the playground when it happened.  It was 24 years ago and I still remember it clear as a bell. 

A bunch of us were playing on a contraption that was soooo much fun....it was two tractor tires stacked upon each other with sand in the middle to hold the wooden pole in place.  On top of that wooden pole was a do hickey (not sure of the technical term) that had about six ropes attached, it was those ropes that my friends and I were hanging onto as we ran around the tractor tire and when at the right speed we would jump and hold onto the rope and swing around barely above the tires.  Yep you guessed it, I slipped and let go of my rope mid air and landed face first into the tractor tire!  Knocked the one tooth out completely while the other dangled on by a string, well actually a gum. ;) 

The teacher was in such shock at what was happening that it was another six year old who took me into the washroom and went and got the secretary.  It was quite the chaos after that, there was blood and kids who were curious, and of course my six year old friend.  So my mom was called...greaaate call the woman who passes out at the sight of blood...my tooth was put into a container of milk, and we were on our way to find a dentist who would help a girl out!  (There was a dentist in our small little town, but he refused to help...Thanks for your help)

Finally a Dentist in Red Deer was willing to give me a look.  Well to make a long story short...my teeth were sewn back in and my mom had to bring me back in every 2 weeks, then once a month, and then finally every 6 weeks.  About 8 years later I got headbunted by an adorable little cousin (good thing he was cute) and that's the end to having my own teeth!  It was decided that I was too young for implants, so the next best thing was false teeth.  Also known as a flipper, partial plate, a pain in the ass.

Roughly four years ago I took the plunge and started my journey to getting myself implants...it was a process, but it was so worth it!  Because it had been so long since I had actual teeth there had been bone loss, meaning that I had to have bone grafting done in my mouth before they could install the steel posts, and then wait about 6-8 months for the implant procedure. There were many consultations, x-rays, driving back and forth, long hours in a dentist chair, a lot more money than I was expecting to pay (always get your quote in writing with a signature!), and numerous days of pain associated to the surgeries...but it was soooooo worth all of it!

The point I'm trying to get at is that nothing worth waiting for comes easily! Chances are you won't lose your good health quite so fast, but when you do have it, you have to remember to take care of it. 

I love my new teeth!  The story of my teeth comes to play with the story of my health.  I haven't always been the size I am now, I've actually been yo-yoing for the past 10 years...I go up I go down I go up I go down...I've tried quick fixes - they work really well then you gain it all back + some...   It took me 22 years to get my new teeth, but it will be a lifetime of taking care of them the proper way to make sure I get to keep them!  This also being true for my health, it's about the lifestyle changes and mindset to maintain it...which is exactly what I plan on doing!


I now understand the frustrations my own mom had associated to dentist visits and the bills that tag along, the waiting game for appointments to start, the drive to get there, the hours of missed work, having to deal with insurance companies...Thank you...  

Look Beyond the Past

Yesterday I logged into facebook and the first thing that showed up on my wall was this:

This one rings close to home for me...twelve years ago if you were to tell me that this is how my life would be I would have told you you were crazy! 

I didn't believe it was possible for me to lose my "good health".

However, I'm learning that it's far more beneficial to focus on the future, where I can actually make a difference!  A difference is exactly what I have planned for the upcoming weeks, months, year...so many ideas just need to figure out how to get started.  Which will be simply by starting one day at a time!

Just a Typical Week

This week has been insanely Crazy!  I've loved every minute of it!  Our Mondays are insane - I work every Monday during the same hours my kids are in school, then we come home for a quick snack and spend the next 2.5 hours hanging out between the Hockey Rink and Dance Studio, then grab a quick bite to eat and head back home just in time to catch our Shaklee Team Conference Call, then bed for the kids while I try to play catch up on emails and phone messages.  Then I crash...or lie awake in bed thinking of all the things that I need to get done later in the week.  This past Monday was no exception!

Tuesday was a day of deliveries...Shaklee products to new customers & toys that my kids have out grown going to new homes, and a meeting at the Legion where our next Shopping Extravaganza will be to discuss the layout and go over last minute details. This last one ended up lasting a lot longer than I had planned and quite frankly too much thinking for one afternoon...lol.

Wednesday I spent the day working on an upcoming challenge that I'm really excited about.  If it's as successful as I believe it will be it will have a great impact on many lives!

Thursday was an amazingly busy day!  It started out in Sylvan working with the Social Media Rockstar Jennifer Belanger...I thought I knew quite a bit about social media - turns out I've got alot more to learn!  Then I was off to Red Deer for more Shaklee deliveries (which I forgot at home on my steps...crap) and doing a quick Costco run.  I got back to town just in time to pick up my babysitter from school and then make it home to make supper and off again! This time in support of a great cause...The Breast Cancer Fashion Show. Last year they raised over $6000 and I'm hoping that they surpassed it this year, even with the little mishaps it was really a great evening spent with friends. 

Friday was another day spent working on our top secret upcoming challenge! It's going to be so much fun :) Friday night was a night of dressing up and celebrating Halloween adult style!  Maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem as though all the outfits are getting skimpier and skimpier every year?

Saturday...well today I managed to get up, get dressed, pick up my kids, feed them, drop one off at the neighbours while taking the other to Lacombe for her 3rd Hockey game this season (also her lifetime total), back home to pick up my other daughter and the neighbour girl from a Birthday party, and back home in hopes of being able to finally recover from the night before...still waiting for that recover!

Sunday is a day that both the kids and I are looking forward to...their Dad comes home! It's been 21 days since he was last home and we are all looking forward to him being here, we miss him so much when he's gone and so we try to make the most of his time at home! 

Next week looks as though it's going to be a complete right off...can hardly wait!

I Love These Kinds of Days!

Today was the kind of day that I love having!  We went to a Fundraising Trade Show, and by we I mean my kids and I.  I thought for sure my kids were going to be bored and driving me crazy within a couple hours. Nope they totally rocked it!

I really should start at the beginning....my day started out with me finding the missing book of raffle tickets! You can't imagine how excited I was to finally find these...so very very excited. 

Then both kids did everything they needed to without any resistance! Ate breakfast, got dressed, brushed hair and teeth, washed up, and then helped pack the truck. Yep they did awesome today!

Left on time, made it on time and was set up with a great table!  The girls helped me set up the table (excellent helpers for sure) and we were ready to roll.

I absolutely love talking with people, especially about Shaklee! Today was no exception.  I met some very wonderful ladies (and a couple guys) whom I was able to share my Shaklee story with and was able to hopefully help them with their questions in regards to cleaning without chemicals, enjoying a satisfying snack and/or shake without all the "extra" additives, and natural supplements that not only work but actually do what their supposed to without any "nasty side effects".

As per usual I spent more money at the other tables, but can you blame me when there is so much great products out there just waiting to be picked up?  Some delicious spices, a little bling, some sweet treats, a little aroma therapy, and then the items I picked up from the silent auction! Yep, great day :)

Clean up was a breeze, and so much better when I don't have to make all the trips back and forth by myself! 

Came home and was beat, but feeling great about how the day went.  Next Trade Show is scheduled for November 5 and I'm getting excited about it!  Means we are getting that much closer to Christmas!!

My Little Helpers!!

Simplicity...One Step at a Time...

Success is achieved and maintained

by those who try and keep trying.

~W. Clement Stone

Lately I've been struggling to stay motivated...with everything!

There are so many things on my "list" that needs to be done and I have no idea where to start.  Start. That is what I think every morning. Today I will Start ____. Then next thing I know it's later in the day and I haven't started anything!  I know for the most part it's about taking those steps one at a time and slowly but surely I will be at the place I want to be, but I don't understand why it has to be so hard?

I know what I want, I have a good idea of what it's going to take to get there, but there seems to be nothing to kicking my butt to start.  My reason(s) for getting Healthy are quite simple:

I want to watch my kids and grandkids and 
even my great-grandkids grow up, and even more
so I want to be an active part in their lives!

If I was to stay on the same path I've been on that is not going to happen. Never. It will be the exact opposite and I won't live to meet my great-grandkids guaranteed.  Someone asked me the other day "Why don't you do something about your weight?" My response "I am"  I know that only I can do it for myself, but I just wish I didn't feel so alone in the process.

So today I made a plan...it's really quite simple...today I'm going to start....tomorrow I'm going to keep on going...and the day after I'm going to continue....repeat!  Simple yet realistic.