Sabrina and Scentsy!

Okay, I am not usually one to be pushy about buying Scentsy products. I believe if you try the product, you will love it and just naturally want more. I am going to step out of my normal ways for now. January's warmer is SO STINKIN CUTE!!! How can you NOT want it???? SERIOUSLY!!!!

 This warmer is a perfect gift!!! AND VALENTINES DAY is just around the corner! It would be perfect for most any female. Even if you just wanted to treat a friend to something cute and special...this warmer would work!

So send me an email telling me how many you want. I seriously have a feeling this warmer is going to sell out quickly!!! My email address is joyfullemons@hotmail.com

Warmer is not available for purchase until January 1st! Get on the list to order now!

Christmas with a capital 'C'

Much to my dismay, I wasn't able to stick with the Embrace Reasons To Win challenge that I gave myself. Life just got so crazy! I was flying high!!! Then hurt my back and fell down hard to the bottom. I was bad to myself! I ate whatever I wanted to, whenever I wanted to. I was grumpy. That took up about 12 days of the month. For those that may have been looking for my posts...I apologize for not keeping up with it!

The countdown is now on my friends! Do you realize...we have just under 5 weeks left this year! Wow! It's time to start breaking out all of the traditions...and decorations...and music for the Christmas season! 

As a child, I always looked forward to December. It's my birthday month...and of course, what kid doesn't look forward to Christmas! When my kids were little, I still had great excitement involved for the month. 

As my children have started to grow up, I have seen the err of my own ways. I didn't spend much time with them when they were little teaching them about Christmas. I was always concerned about them feeling loved enough. I like to show my affections with gifts and food! It is always a tradition to spend the holiday meals at my parents house, so I didn't really have much to add for food. I way overdid it with gifts.

Now that is the only thing my older kids focus on...and it makes this season less than fun. At the end of the day on Christmas day, there is usually an evening filled with disappointment because the gift list still had some wants left on it. I plan to change that. It's not at all about gifts. Most people that would read this already know that. 

As we embark on the stress filled month of December, I am going to relax. I will be finished with this semester in ELEVEN DAYS!!! I will be able to spend the time doing only things I want to do! I am overly excited about that! There is a movie out there waiting for me to watch it from the beginning to the end without interruption! Not sure which movie yet, but it's there. I will also spend my time making crafty things and cooking =) 

This December marks the 'Late 30's' for me. I'm proud of it! I'm in the best shape all around now than I have ever been! Emotionally, spiritually, physically, you name it...I've never been better at it! 

I have also been learning some new choreography for Zumba! I will have at least four (4) Christmas songs on each playlist! I think that is going to be fun!!! 

For now though, it's time for my head to hit my pillow...so I will continue my excitement later!!!

It's called Christmas...what more can I say!

People of Youth

I was reading a blog yesterday by Sarah Markley. She is an amazing blogger. She was discussing what is true. After reading her words, I felt what she was referring too. I went to pick my kids up from school. Usually, I will sit on my phone and play games until my kids come out. I took a different approach to my time waiting. I decided to people watch. I watched all of the children as they walked on unaware of my presence. 

They say that children are a good mirror image into what their parents are like. I believe that I fall outside of that fact, as do my children. I often find fault in my children, complain about their mistakes, express my disappointment in their decisions, and worry about what their futures could possibly hold. I have so much more than what I think about that I should be thankful for with my kids. (I don't know if that sentence actually makes any sense or not, but I couldn't figure out how else to word it) A lot of parents have to deal with issues in their children's lives that far surpass anything I have experienced. They have life threatening illnesses to handle daily. Some of them have disabilities that require so much that it is mindblowing. I am not one of those parents. 

I was never, nor have I ever bee, skinny. I am healthier now than I have ever been. I am far more conscience about the need for a healthy lifestyle than some parents. I struggle constantly with my children over food. They are skinny. It doesn't seem to matter what goes into their bodies, they remain skinny. Both of them take medicine daily. There are weight requirements for them to take the medicine. My children are always walking the line of being underweight. If it weren't for their height, both of them would be able to wear the same clothes that a 10 year old would wear. It is challenging, to say the least, to try to get them to understand the importance of nutrition. They know they won't get fat if they eat nothing but junk. They know they don't require exercise to remain skinny. What I can't get them to understand is that even though they are skinny, I whip their tails as far as being fit is concerned. 

I am thankful that I have never experienced the feelings associated with being a parent with an overweight child. I am fortunate enough to not have to deal with allergies, ailments, or disease. I hope that my children will never experience the emotion involved with being overweight. There is a lot to be said about ignorance being bliss. I watched all of the children walking to their rides. I was saddened to see that more than half of them were seriously overweight. I felt anger toward the parents that allow their children to be so excessively unhealthy. How can a parent do that to their child? Why in the world would a  parent just sit back and allow their teenage child to be 50lbs or more overweight? Don't the parents know that they need to be a positive influence in their childrens lives? They should encourage their children to be active! They need someone like Jillian Michaels to come whip their bo-hiney's into shape! Gah it irritates me.


Then I sit and take a look inside. I go within my life. The saying 'Don't judge a book by it's cover' if fitting. here. I need to change. I need to get my children off the couch. I try to encourage them to exercise. It falls on def ears. I need to change the situation so that exercise is no longer an option. It's difficult. We live pretty far from any type of athletic facility. I would take them to the track at the high school since I pick them up from there every weekday, except the elements are of concern for my toddler. I am totally willing to take my kids to the rec center. They love to swim. My husband (the one with the irrational fears about children) refuses to allow Logan into a public pool without his strong arms there to save the day in case of an emergency. There are a multitude of reasons that I have come up with to not force my children to be active.

I will gladly listen to any suggestions that my friends may offer to get these kids active! I think Jillian should change her words just a bit. I think it should read more like..."You want be healthy? Then shut up and do your mountain climbers!"

Pork & Ravioli Stoup

I was lacking motivation yesterday. It seems to be my daily routine lately. I had a craving for some ham. And creamy soup. Here is what I came up with.

Pork Stew Meat ( Whatever portion is appropriate for your guest list)
1 medium white onion
1 orange bell pepper
1 package (From WalMart) Portabella Mushrooms
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 small container heavy whipping cream
1 box chicken stock
1 stick butter
flour
water
1 package premade ravioli (I used four cheese)
Olive Oil

Not actual stoup because I didn't think to take a picture

I don't measure. Everything above is approximate. Cover the bottom of a pot with olive oil. I used a dutch oven. Chop onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Add to hot oil and saute with garlic. Remove veggies and add meat. After the meat is browned, add the entire stick of butter. I never said this was a healthy recipe! Then add whipping cream and flour to create a slight rue. Add chicken stock and water to make into a soup. About 30 minutes before ready to serve, add ravioli and let cook until they are soft. Voila! dinner is ready!

Embrace your 'you'ness

A couple of my pals have been a great influence on me. They are dedicated, hardcore, supportive fitness junkies. I have been blessed to be welcomed into their group with open and supportive arms. Together, four of them worked hard, sweat a lot, supported the life out of each other, and lost a combined total of 50 lbs. Their latest goal is going to get knocked down like a measly little fly in 10 days.  They decided that they weren't going to waste any time. They accomplished their first goal early, so they started a mini-challenge. The challenge for the few days left is to each burn approximately 270 calories a day.

In ten days, this amazingly strong group (Bree's bankers), will embark on a completely new fitness challenge. They have had me PUMPED!!! Each one of them has credited me with influencing them. I promise that if I was an influence, it was completely unintentional. They are always, and I mean ALWAYS, positive and supportive. They filled my sails! I am reminded of the class slogan that one of my sisters had in her senior year, "Look out world, here I come." I have been motivated to stay positive, always looking for ways to be a newer, brighter, healthier me. I decided to Embrace Reasons to Win. And blog about it. Eek!

And then it happened. A couple of turns of events transpired. It was like a ninja hit me. Day by day, the wind began to calm. The storms of excitement began to move. A hiccup here, and a negative burst there. My sails are flat now. And the most recent injury to my back has guaranteed that the wind will be a distant thought for a bit. I lack desire now. It seems to be pointless. Battling an uphill walk with a bitter cold wind. It's amazing how the best intentions can change so quickly.

I'm still searching for reasons to win. I know that this little slump will be a passing thought before too long. But for the moment, the reasons are out of reach for me. I can feel the emotion starting to creep in. I have spent time thinking, reminiscing, pondering. The evil of all things Bree is Facebook. It's a fantastic way to socialize. I love all of the support and encouragement. What kills me are the happenings on Facebook that aren't as obvious. Facebook can kill a persons spirit. One conversation between mutual friends can wound me. A new friend request accepted can cause a wall to be built in seconds. As sad as it is to say, for me, sometimes the lack of communication is enough to devastate my day.

I wish that I could just get above it all. Become untouchable emotionally. Get to a point where the little things don't bother me or build up. This little blog is not a cry for help. I am not asking for an outpouring of support. The motivation behind writing all of this down is to follow the quote "Embrace your 'you'ness". Be it right or wrong, this is me. My husband tells me I care to much. I am too nice to too many people. He wishes that I were more calloused. There are times that I wish the same, however, it just isn't in me to be that way. I will get past this little slump. I have been here before. I was emotionally miserable for quite a long time. I'm sure everyone has been there. And most people make it out just fine.

It would be wonderful to have that small group of people that pull your own head out for you, like Christina Yang. Sometimes, life just seems unfulfilled without a Yang in your life. Now that I have gotten onto rambling and sadness...I will try to turn it around with some quotes that Bree's Bankers have been fostering...

"You wanna be skinny? Then shut up and do your mountain climbers!"

I am going to start Monday

Have you ever had the intention of doing great things, Monday? 

Ever had a bad habit you wanted to kick, starting Monday? 

What was the last new beginning you promised yourself you would start, Monday?

We have all done this. There are some people in this world that never have any intention of making positive changes. I like to believe that they are few and far between. I mean, even the Grinch came around after seeing joy in others! 

So why do we set ourselves up like that? Why do we care enough to know that we need a change, but not care enough to follow through with the change? Words are powerful! Spoken words, to a friend, colleague, family member, or group have a tendency to help keep us accountable. Why do we always tell our best friend we are going to start our change in life, tomorrow?

It's because we know that we need too. We only half way commit. We lack the desire to actually follow through all the way to the end. We are scared. Intimidated. Especially when it comes to exercise. We don't want to feel the burn from an awesome workout. We don't want to take the grief from our family members or friends about spending less time with them and more time with the gym (which is a completely different blog that I'll get to next, I hope).

I have known my entire life that I needed to shed these unwanted pounds. I've never been skinny. I hear that I am now. I see that I am smaller than I've ever been before. I can still stand to shed some more. Don't worry, I'm not going to become one of the people that has such a delusion of self that I take it too far. I was intimidated in the past. Even when I fell in love with Zumba, I was intimidated. I saw the amazing instructors at the front of the class. They had their hiney's millimeters off the floor during squats. They were jumping and jumping and jumping over a foot or two in the air with every single song. But at 5'6 and over 200 lbs, how the heck was I gonna move this house without experiencing the excruciating burn. Heck, my calve muscles might even {whispering} break off!!!

Then it happened. One of those amazing instructors caught me and a couple other gals giving her grief. Her class was SO easy, I barely even broke a sweat (all in jest, of course). And she did it. She challenged us. And, to make matters worse, she challenged us on FACEBOOK!!! Gah! I can't back down from THAT! Her challenge was simple. "Jump when I jump and squat as low as I do when we do squats." She didn't ask anything unreasonable out of us. I certainly couldn't back down! The next class I went to had a LOT of people in it. I'm talking over 70. I did it. I couldn't jump as high as she did (still can't), but I did it. And ya know, my muscles didn't break off. I didn't shake the earth beneath me. And I got a taste for it. I figured if I could do it once, I could do it again. And again. And again. 

That was the extra push that I needed. That was what made me decide to finally get off the crazy, heavy, unhealthy road I was on. I won't make resolutions any more. Resolution is just a big word for setting yourself up for disappointment. And just like the title of the Blog, you won't hear me say, I am going to start Monday. Because I am human, if I allow myself the avenue to back out, then I welcome in reasons not to. If I come across a new idea, a new workout, a new type of eating habit, I will start it today. Even better than that, I will start it now. 

An acquaintance of mine that is a Zumba instructor is starting a seven day challenge today. While I am not going to announce on Facebook that I am going to follow her challenge, I still have plans too. Her challenge is this...

Christy Marshall Fulton

My seven day fitness challenge: 30 minutes of physical activity per day, 200 sit ups/ crunches, 100 push ups, and 200 squats/ lunges...... No fast food and No fried foods. Who's going to join me? Wednesday, Nov. 9 is Day One - Let's Get It!

I'm going to start...TODAY!!!! Now, in the famous words that are listed below...

"Do you wanna be skinny?!?!?! Then shut up and do your mountain climbers!" --Jillian Michaels

Embrace Reasons to Win Day 7

So I skipped a couple of days for my challenge. I am SO guilty of struggling with consistency. This is something that got me thinking. I wonder if there is an app for that? Bwahahaaa...I kid. I kid. But seriously, is there a pill for that? A magic pill that will help me stay on track, focused, and remember the things I am supposed to do?

Five-hundred-thousand doctors out there will tell you yes, there are many pills to choose from to enhance your brain. How the heck is the average Jane supposed to whittle it all down and get it right? That my friend, is the million dollar question.

I don't know. I am NO EXPERT! I DO know that all of the fitness experts that I listen to say that we should all be taking vitamin supplements. Let's face it, if we ate all of the food that "our body needs" to get the amount of nutrition that is suggested, we would all be puking it back up by the end of the day. I mean, seriously, have you paid attention to ALL of the suggested foods in order to have proper nutrition? It is insane! 

Yes, there is a pill for that. It's called a vitamin. I have never been one to be consistent with taking pills (Uhm, hello child number two). I found a couple of articles from some of my favorite sources about the vitamins that active women should take. Women's Day  has a nice short little list to follow. I like simplicity. It makes things go quickly! Livestrong has a few more listed than WD. I know, I know, Lance took some drugs to accomplish his goals. We are all human. The information still seems to be pretty valid so don't give me grief! If you are looking for a highly extensive (nine page) list, that ever so HOT HOT HOT man, Travis Stark is an advocate for Prevention magazine and they have more than I think we need to know on this page!

So, now on my little month long journey, I encourage you to drink plenty of water, pick a couple of things to help improve your life, quit smoking, and take some vitamins! Also, don't be too critical of yourself if you seem to be less than successful at something! I mean, life is pretty stinking short and who wants to spend all of it as a Debbie Downer?

Have fun Embracing Reasons to Win!!!

Eek! My bad!

Geez. Only a few days into my challenge and I dropped off. I allowed myself to get overwhelmed with my own situations. Had a fabulous time at the Master Class with Heidy and Armando. It's crazy how our perceptions of images are different than realities! Ashley Bittle pointed out that Heidy is indeed a rather vertically challenged woman. She doesn't seem to be below average on height in any of the pictures that I have seen of her. Also, I imagine Armando is now BEYOND ROCKSTAR for one lucky lady that he grabbed out of the crowd and serenaded in front of all 300+ people! I am beyond impressed with him!

Saturday's Jam session was wonderful! Catherine and Stephanie are amazing with their energy and enthusiasm! They certainly gave us quite a workout, renewed interest in Salsa, and some fabulous routines! 

My husband commented that he is getting tired of Zumba. This is a common problem for instructors. It takes a special man to tolerate and support a Zumba instructor wife. I promise that the instructors are very aware of how blessed they are to have that special man. They also listen to them when they say they are getting tired of being neglected. We start backing off and staying home more often. That is, until the next big event comes along! 

I wanted to do so many things today. I wanted to attend Ashley's (Bittle) class. I want to experience her party! I've been around her at Zumbathons and other Master Class events. I want to experience HER party. 

I also wanted to practice the choreography I learned at the Jam session so that I could bring it to my classes this week. I even bought the music today, knowing that I would be getting half of it from the Mega Mix that should be in the mail soon.

I have school work that needs my attention. And laundry. My room has never been and stayed so messy. I need to buy new shoes. I have SO many things that I need to get done that I am overwhelmed by it all.

I have spent most of the day reading articles (school work) about Steve Jobs. I have learned a lot about him. I have learned things that I can actually apply to my challenge, even though his life is not directly related to fitness.

I'm sure everyone knows that Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple. What I didn't know, was that Jobs recruited a top notch executive from PepsiCo. A few years later, that top notch exec played a crucial part in getting Jobs fired from the very company he helped co-found! There are several other ventures that Jobs went through to help get him to the top of the income ladder. 

The key takeaway from the history of Steve Jobs would be that sometimes a person can only be successful through failure. 

How many times have you started an adventure down the path of a healthy lifestyle? 

Were you successful with every attempt?

How long did your success last?

What have you learned from those journeys?

I bet if you pick out all of the things that worked for you, you'd be amazed. And I wonder if it is possible that if you put all of those successes together, would you finally find THE right way for you to be successful?

Have a glass of water and think about it for just a bit =)

Embrace Reasons to Win Day 3

I can hear it now. "***Oh! No she didn't! How cliche!" 

Meh, deal with it and smile =)

Why are you allowing yourself to live with smoking? You already know it's bad for you! I'm not going to bore you with a ton of statistics or plea's to stop now. I will give you just a few that you may not be considering.

1. The CDC estimates that adult male smokers lose an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lose 14.5 years of life because of smoking, and given the diseases that smoking can cause, it can steal your quality of life long before you die.

2. Tobacco is responsible for nearly one in every five deaths in the United States and is the largest cause of preventable death.

3. Right now, nearly one in every five of those deaths means there are children that are mourning the loss of their parent. A loss that is devastating. That could have been prevented.

We all know that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. There are things that we can do to make it a better situation if we are here tomorrow. 

If you have ever suffered the loss of a significant other, parent, or sibling, and you are a parent that smokes, I ask you...do you remember that feeling? Why would you want to put your kids through that!?!

Is your child's well being enough of a reason for you to win? 

***This blog post was NOT directed at anyone in particular! It is a topic that goes along with changing lifestyles and becoming healthy. THAT IS ALL!!! 

Embrace Reasons to Win Day 2

I am very elated with the response that I received from the first days post! Just knowing that I might help one single person make smarter choices for their health is so bittersweet! I'm going to make it simple on myself today, as I am dealing with a lot right now. I am simply going to post a link to my thoughts for day 2. It's a great point of reference.




http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/13-healthy-habits-to-improve-your-life

Embrace Reasons to Win and enjoy the ride!

Last year I tried to complete the 'Attitude of Gratitude' challenge. I fell short! I think I made it to "N". I have done a lot of living and a lot more learning since then. This year, for November, I will post 'Embrace Reasons to Win and Enjoy the Ride'! 

Thirty days hath November. It goes without saying, 30 days hath my challenge! Let's see how far I make it!

Day 1 

WATER!!!

I can't even begin to preach enough about drinking plenty of water! Everyone knows it is SO important. Few people make it a priority. Every source that I have looked into suggests that you do the following to make sure that you hydrate well:
drink about half of your body weight in ounces per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water.

One of my really good friends has a weight loss blog. She likes to refer to common things to give perspective on the amount of weight her group has lost. It does the trick for sure! So I will try the same thing here.

I currently weigh 170lbs. According to the suggestions from my sources, that means that I should drink 85 ounces of water as a base amount every single day. 

I have a sneaking suspicion that everyone that would read this blog is familiar with a bottle of soda. They are pretty easy to consume. Eighty-five ounces of water is equivalent to a measly four bottles of your favorite soda. That means you can have one on your way to work, one with your lunch, one on the way home from work, and one with dinner. 

Most of us probably drink at least that much of our favorite drink every single day! Let's try to make sure that we accomplish this very simple goal for the entire month of November! 

DID YOU KNOW? Japanese researcher and doctor of alternative medicine Masaru Emoto showed that water carries energy and is affected by music, words and prayer. 

The link to the above Did You Know can be found Here

With this in mind, let's also make it a goal to keep ourselves surrounded with positive music, positive words, and positive prayer!

~Sabrina

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday (ON WEDNESDAY!!!)

Wordless Wednesday (on FRIDAY! GEEZZZ!!!!!!)

Wordless Wednesday (On Thursday, again)

Flexor digitorum brevis

Flexor digitorum brevis

Did you know that was a muscle? Me neither. Until I made it sore. How is that even possible? I noticed it hurting a couple of hours after my completion of the C25K plan for the day. It is a muscle that I guess is underdeveloped. See here for details. 

I guess I'm going to have to strengthen that muscle pretty quickly if I'm going to start running on a regular basis. It seems like this is the best way to strengthen the muscle. What craziness!

Jeepers, Creepers, babies and more

Yesterday I got up and at 'em at 5 am. I had a lot to do and I wanted to include working out into that. I was at the gym beginning my C25K program. It is amazing how few people are out and about before 7 am on a Saturday morning.

On my way out the door I noticed that one of my best gal pals had posted a blog. Her hubby is out of town on business and her dog is not liking it. Mac had her up at a very unreasonable time of the morning. There might have possibly been an axe murder outside of her home. Thank goodness for Mac and his incessant barking. It was more likely a cat running amok, but the axe murder sounded much more suspensful!

I was one of three people (including the employee) at the gym. The other person was an older man that just didn't really seem to fit the 'athletic' mold. He is probably someone that walks the track for a way to pass the time. In my mind though, that initial thought running through my head, it says creeper. 

He opened the door for me to walk into the gym. He was a walker so he went one direction on the track and I went the other. The first five or so passes I made sure to smile when we crossed paths, all the while trying to figure out just why this man would be out this early walking a track at a gym. Once I started jogging though, even for only 60 seconds at a time, my ability to focus on the creeper (or notsomuch) was replaced by the overwhelming need to breath. My pace slowed as the 20 minute program ran on. By the end of time period of running/(more like wogging) walking was coming to an end, "lap 23...breath in...breath in...breath out..." were the only thoughts I was capable of forming. 

Finished my workout and then headed to WalMart. The guy that parked across from me had to have been one of the members of ZZ Top only he was crackhead small. The athletic guy that continued to cross my path every couple of aisles struck me as odd because he was wearing flip flops. I REALLY wanted to look in his basket to see what such a fit man would buy, but I couldn't get past noticing he was wearing flip flops. I do remember that he grabbed a bag of potato chips, allowing me to hold my head a little higher since I had zero junk in my cart. Athletic guy was in the check out line just before me. ZZ Top Crackhead was walking through the exit just in front of me. While loading my groceries into my truck, Athletic Guy pulls up in his mini van and says "You shur are purddy". All I was able to do was say thank you politely with a smile and continue loading my groceries. Why in the heck were all of the creepers out with similar goals around me? Guess it was just my morning!

I managed to whip up a pretty yummy quiche for the fam and left to meet Amanda. She was nice enough to invite me along to Just Between Friends where we both scored some pretty fabulous deals! The company was great! Her husbands friend took us all out to eat lunch at PF Changs Bistro. I had never been there before. It was really good! Not so great on my meal plan and calorie count, but good nonetheless. 

I was able to get home, walk in the door, sit down for around 10 minutes, and I was off and running again. This time I was headed to Jen's house to pick up some much needed guides for my Accounting class. Of course, I was welcomed into Jen's home with a hug and smile and a "Hello Miss Sabrina". I love that kid! Chas is such a polite and considerate young man! After hearing my smartypants remark about being sleepy, Jen poured me a very delicious cup of coffee and had me taste her very scrumptious treat. We were blessed with each others company for less than 30 minutes, but it did my soul some good to see her. 

I decided to take a little side trip home. Who knew that the route from Catoosa to Inola would take you through Claremore for a pedicure? Crazy, I know! I justified my indulgence by reading my MIS book while I was being pampered. There was a guy there (I guess he could have passed as a creeper as well) getting a pedi done. I don't see that as incredibly off. I'm okay with manscaping to a degree. In my honest opinion, all feet are ugly. Pedi's are just a method of pampering for me, but perhaps a necessity for others to avoid in grown toenails or remove unwanted callouses. This man? Was extremely particular about the type of polish and nail are they were putting on his toes. What the? I was going to share a pic with you, but I can't figure out how to get it from my phone to my computer without uploading it to Facebook first. 

That was the end of my adventure with the creepers =)

Wordless Wednesday (On Thursday)

I Will Always Have That Hope

My skin is incessantly itching. 

I have a lump in my throat. I feel like I could vomit.

My head is pounding.

I can't stop clenching my teeth.

I feel dehydrated, as if I haven't had a drop of water in days.

This, my friends, is a typical Sunday...the entire day...during every semester of college. I usually excel when pushed to the end of a time limit. In fact, I often put things off until the last minute knowing that I will prevail. For some reason, and it truly boggles my mind why, I can't seem to get it together as far as my studies go. 

I always have a plan. I will spend a specific amount of time studying each day. I will stay up after Logan goes to sleep and study for at least two hours. Logan always winds up staying awake until after 1 a.m. when I plan like that. I can't function on three house of sleep, therefore, my plans to get up at 4 a.m. have just been squelched. 

I wake up in time to get Chris and Kayla to school. Dash off to Zumba in Tiawah. I'm early, so I will sit and study for at least an hour before anyone shows up. Oh, look! I just got a text message...wonder who that could be from? Well, since I've got my phone out, I'll just check Facebook real quick. And before I know it, my first few peeps start to show up. So much for studying a bit. Zumba on for an hour, pick things up, and head back home. By the time I get home, I could eat my own weight in food because I am STARVING!!! So I eat lunch with Logan.

Lunch is all done. Now time to try to get Logan to take a nap. Three hours later, I am either still trying, or I have fallen asleep with him. Aaannndddd now it's time to get Chris and Kayla from school. I get them home, snacks served up and ready to eat, look over at Logan in his high chair...sound asleep...drooling. Fantastic. It is now 4:30 p.m. Time to start dinner prep (if mom isn't home and working on it already). By the time dinner is eaten, everyone is settled, and I can study some more, I have run into the exact same routine that I experienced the day before. 

I usually wind up spending all of Saturday and Sunday trying to shovel as much information as possible into my insanely busy mind hoping to be able to successfully regurgitate it for the assignments that I will have to do. I have a panic attack in my mind, ALL. DAY. LONG.

Why do I put myself through this time after time? Why don't I make the necessary changes in order to have a more successful career in college? Why? Why? Why?

Fabulous questions. I don't know the answer to any of them. I just muddle along and do the best that I can. That is all I can do...is my best. 

Actually, I can do more...I can hope. Hope that one day all of these comes easy. Hope that somehow, someway, I can get Logan to bed around 9 p.m., get up at 4 a.m. with Tom and Logan not wake up raring to go, get the kids everything they need throughout the day, Zumba, get my school work finished...dare I say it...{whispering} early, and still manage to properly hydrate, feed, and rest myself. I will always have that hope, until maybe one day, some magic lil' fairy will come reprogram my life to flow smoothly.

Wordless Wednesday

My Strange Addiction

Sometimes we get overwhelmed with our own lives. We find challenges that need overcome, but lack the direction to use the resources at our disposal. I can at least speak for myself on this topic. IDK about the rest of the world. 

I'm overwhelmed.  Logan is a challenging child. He won't fall into a bedtime routine. I've tried SO many things! I was going to blog tonight about how frustrating it is to go for over 2 years without a week full of great sleep. While trying to get Logan to relax and wind down, I changed the channel on the T.V. to TLC. A show came on called "My Strange Addiction". 

Watching an adult woman eat dryer sheets, a different adult woman, 25 years old to be exact, that grew up transgendered and now lives her life as an adult baby, and now an adult woman that has found herself addicted to eating her husbands ashes. Whoa. I think my life is pretty fantastic. I can handle knowing that my worst affliction is a toddler that wants to see and be a part of something big. 

Sleep is overrated anyway. 

Wordless Wednesday

A blogger that I follow, Tasha Does Tulsa always does a 'Wordless Wednesday'. I like the idea, so I'm going to apply it to my blog as well. Here is to the first Wordless Wednesday on Lemons Life!

To FLY or not to FLY

Yesterday, I didn't make my bed. I didn't swish & swipe. I didn't have a location all set up for my Zumba class. I was sitting in my pj's playing on my computer when I got the text message stating that Destiny Life Church would be kind enough to let us use their facility. That was around 8:22 am. The class was supposed to start at 9:30 am...and I still had to get my daughter up, both of us dressed, fed, and on the road for our 30 minute drive. Thankfully, we were able to make it all put together and on time. I didn't fix my hair first, or put on my make-up like I usually do. I didn't complete any of my morning routine. 

I was feeding Little Lemonhead his lunch...pb & j sandwich, of course...when I realized at 1:24 pm that we had a 1 pm appointment in Tulsa. Luckily, the therapist was considerate enough to just have a phone conference with us instead of canceling the appointment and charging us a $25 fee. Ugh! I checked my calendar the night before. Part of my morning routine is to check my calendar for appointments. Dr. Conger commented that he would like for us to bring all things FLY Lady that we had at our disposal next session. He would like to help encourage the use of it. I think it is actually a great idea! 

Dinner went well. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn. Go to meal and comfort food all in one dish. Perfect. After dinner the Big Lemonhead and I took the Little Lemonhead outside. Once he saw his sister get in the pool, he became interested in getting in. So we had a huge Lemon party in the pool for at least an hour. When we came back inside, Little Lemonhead was beside himself with grief from being removed from the water before he was willing. So we let him play in the bathtub. Needless to say...I went to bed without shinning the sink...or doing the dishes. I tossed and turned in bed until around 2 am. 

I wasn't able to pull of my morning routine as scheduled this morning...because I still had left over dishes from the night before. The trash men came and left around 6 am this morning and our can was nicely resting far from it's designated spot. So now we have a full trash can and get to deal with the pleasures of that for another week. Is it a necessity to FLY daily? No. Can I only function if I follow a stringent list of to-do's and plans for each day? No. I can continue to muddle through. I know I will have a LONG list of things still on my to-do list. I will forget to meet up with someone for something. I will run behind all day long because I remembered at the last minute that something needed done. 

FLYing isn't for everyone. I can certainly see where it IS for me =) Let me know if you want some help in getting started with the FLY Lady. I have a lot of backup to work with you!

Hit the Ground...FLYing

Most people think that I am a very well put together person. They count on me to do things. They believe that I am capable of anything without even the slightest struggle...

Okay...well...that is what I think people think of me. I could be totally off and they could think of me as the real person that I am. I am REAL. I am REAL-ly...really disorganized...forgetful...mindless at times...and exhausted. 

I've tried throughout my entire adult life to be the person that I think everyone else thinks I am. I've never been successful at it. No matter what I've tried...it has always fallen to the way side. 

Jen and Alicia seem to have it together. I tell them that ALL the time. They have different methods of achieving their greatness. 

Jen chooses to FLY.

I haven't figured out how Alicia does it yet. But I will!

I'm all about reapplying things (that is a term from my Gatorade days...it means stealing ideas in a pc way). I've complained to Jen about all of the tension and troubles we have as a family. 

She gives me that "bless your heart cupcake...I've already been there" expression and guides me on her journey. She FLY's. 

So here is my understanding of FLY-ing. There is a website...click here.

Everything you could need to get your life in order is already laid out for you in baby steps on this site. You just have to decide to follow them. 

I have been working on the baby steps. They have to be modified a bit...since there is more than one family living in this house. Work in progress folks...WIP (another acronym from Pepsico, i.e. Gatorade).

Day 1 --- Shine your sink.

Day 2 --- Get dressed to shoes.

Day 3 --- Do what you have already done.

I've started a Control Journal. When I initially looked at the link to create one...I was blown away. 19 STEPS!!! Holy COW!!! I don't want my life to be MORE complicated...and if a simple thing like a control journal is going to take 19 steps...well bless my soul!!!

Jen encouraged me through it. Here are her words from Facebook: "Jennifer Murray It's a lesson in baby steps! One bite at a time, remember? Just do the first step today. Worry about the next step tomorrow!"

{Sigh...} Alright. I'll give it a shot. Better than a kick in the head...right?!?! So I looked at step 1. By golly...it was far easier than I anticipated...and seemed rather juvenile. All I had to do was get a 1 inch 3 ring binder and put a picture of the fam on the front and about 15 sheets of paper on the inside. That is all? I could have gotten my life in order almost 20 years ago by starting with this simple step? CRAP!!! I was cynical that I would feel any sense of accomplishment from it. Who knew that finding 15 sheets of paper would be so challenging!!! It is. Especially if you are as unorganized as I am, and have to work around 2 families including a napping baby. 

At the end of the evening, I DID have a sense of accomplishment from completing step 1. I'm finished with step 3. Tomorrow will be another footprint behind me to getting my life in order. 

My life didn't get this way overnight. It will take time to get it in order...one baby step at a time.

Oh My Parm!!!

Blogs are so amazing and interesting! IDK who the creator of the Blog was...but they have sure enriched my life! I love that some of my friends blog =) I wish that some of them would take it up as a hobby! I was reading one friend in particular and she gave me the perfect idea for dinner tonight.

I haven't ever really paid much attention to the Pioneer Woman. I have a couple of friends that refer to her recipes. I figured I would give it a shot. O.M.G!!! It was WONDERFUL!!! I added some hillbilly to it...instead of using linguine I cooked up some egg noodles. I think we probably had some linguine...but the other kind was already open. I have to say...do not attempt this meal if you are looking for a diet friendly recipe.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!

My cup runneth over

The latest trend going on Facebook right now..."In honor of Mother's Day...post a pic of your mom..."

I haven't participated in this trend. Unusual...I know. I am not participating out of respect. I <3 my mom beyond measure. Sigh...my mom doesn't like her pictures. She doesn't want to have them posted on the internet, unless SHE puts them up there. 

I don't really understand why.

A couple of my friends have lost their mothers this year. Honestly, I cannot even begin to wrap my brain around a possible thought of that happening in my life. Two of my friends that are sisters just lost their mom. Her funeral is the day before Mother's Day. Oh. My heart aches for them. I can't really say or do anything to comfort them right now. I don't know that I will ever be able too. Even though they are not close friends...they have been on my mind since they posted the information about it. I hurt for them. They have my deepest condolences. 

I hope...and pray...that each one of the people in my life that still have their Momma's by their side...will take this upcoming holiday...and hug their Momma's neck tight. Steal her kisses from her when she isn't looking. Appreciate her for being your mom. Love her. Like there is no tomorrow.

"Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." ~ Pearl S. Buck

"No language can express the power and beauty and heroism of a mother's love" ~ Edwin Chapin 

If you can't say something nice...

I just got done reading a post  by the FlyLady that seemed like she was in my head for inspiration. It brings me to wonder, how considerate am I? 

I always felt like I was considerate. I truly care for many, many people. 

A conversation that I had with my dear friend keeps popping up in my mind. The response that I got from her when I was patting myself on the back...was less than atta girl. It was more like...ooohh girl...you shouldn't be braggin' on that. And you know, she was completely correct. No longer will I be so quick to put myself above anyone else. 'Cause ya know...within a few days time...someone else did the same thing to me. They even did it to my face. 

It's a difficult pill to swallow when a friend forgets to consider you and your feelings. That friend was excited! She felt as though she had accomplished something big. Surely she didn't consider how her bragging would put me down. If she could have seen my expression, and how it went from bright and shiny to dull and gloomy, clearly she would have noticed the lack of consideration and uttered those words differently. 

How many times have I done this? Have you ever tried to understand how your words affect others? More importantly, have you ever understood how your silence affects others? Why can't we? Why are we so self absorbed and unable to see how our actions affect the people we care about? It is baffling once you realize it. It is humiliating and humbling. 

It used to be more obvious. When our means of communication were more simple, the reactions were obvious. If I was inconsiderate to Sally as we walked to class, I could sense it in her stride. She slowed down when she was less than excited. When I talked to her on the phone, if I forgot to think about her feelings, she would let me know by using less enthusiasm in her voice. 

Conversations are difficult to read now. How can I tell by my daughters text message that she is upset? She didn't say she was upset. She didn't end the text with a frown =( And last week, when Betty Jo was IM'ing with me, she couldn't tell that I was offended. She didn't see all of the things that I erased before I hit enter. I told her that she was being hurtful, then I erased it. 

I've become aware. I've seen my lack of consideration and how it affects the people I love. I will add quickly, even if I don't express the words...it matters even in my thoughts. I was inconsiderate to a peer when I was bragging on myself with my friend. That peer is oblivious...but I am aware.

Expect to hear some kind words from me soon. Inspiring words are pretty easy to come by. It only takes a moment to make someone's day. So if you CAN say something nice...then by all means...SAY IT!!!

What's on your mind? It's the little things!

Facebook

 Every time I log in to Facebook..."What's on your mind?" Hmm...sometimes I share. Sometimes I keep what's on my mind all to myself. Sometimes, I want to share it. I want to scream it loudly. I think that it would offend a lot of people. 

Perhaps this post will be found on the ill side of some of the readers. Perhaps some of the readers need to re-evaluate the situation and take some time to look deeply with introspect. 

How do you define yourself as a friend? We all have them. Facebook is the perfect platform to see that. Just click on someone's profile...you will see...specific numbers of friends. What kind of friend are they? How many people on your personal friends list are truly friends...and how many are simply acquaintances in the simplest form or advanced form...just not quite to the friend status? 

Before we can decide who are friends are, we have to understand what a 'friend' is. Webster's defines a 'friend' as several different things. "One attached to another by affection or esteem" with a subgroup as "acquaintance", "a favored companion" would be my definition of a friend. Then let me add the word 'best' before that. "A person with whom someone shares extremely strong interpersonal ties with as a friend" so says Wiki. 

Now that the terms have been defined...let me tell you what sort of friend I am. I will hold your hair back as you are leaned over praying to the proverbial porcelain god because you had one too many shots of tequila. I'll listen as you scream the worst obscenities imaginable because your husband has crossed you yet again. I'll hold your hand and walk you through the room as you go to visit your child that is in the hospital for a reason you desperately need to know. And distance...is not even a concern. So you live in another town...and you are having a terrible day...I will drop a lovely little gift off on your doorstep. You are stuck at the office and need something to take your mind off of the stress from the day? Here is some Starbucks...just for you. Your first time to stand before a crowd of strangers that expect you to lead them to a healthier life...I would drive all the way to Oklahoma City for that. Yes...an hour and a half away...just to support you...YOU BETCHA!

Isn't that what friends do? They go out of their way to brighten someone else's day...don't they?  Or do they only relate to someone as long as it fits their schedule...or seems like they may gain from it somehow...or how it makes them look to everyone on the lovely world of Facebook? Hmm...my circle is small. There aren't many that can accept me with my ups and downs. I come with drama and opinions. And I'll let you in on a little secret...I come with feelings too. That's right. Easily affected feelings...the girlie kind. Not many are willing to accept all of that. Those that won't, meh, merely acquaintances. 

Oh, and what if we add the word best before it? Hmpfh...well...KATY BAR THE DOOR!!! Very little is off limits to the few with that title. I hold nothing back in their case. 

Two of my best friends are amazing. They know that it is the little things that count. They take time for me, just as I take time for them. Even those that live as far away as Oklahoma City or Petal. We have a reciprocating relationship. Very few limits.

Sigh...so. After reading all of that...unless you are a mere acquaintance...in which case you aren't even on this page...I hope that you look introspectively at our relationship. Is there room for improvement?

#savvyblogging

Interesting title for a blog, huh? I am remotely familiar with Twitter. I understand hashtags. I like them! Wish more of my friends used Twitter. (Hint, hint!)

There is really no fancy reason for the title of this blog. I couldn't come up with anything creative to use. I know, big shocker. The truth of the matter is, I rarely come up with anything original. I like to creep. I creep on social networking sites, public places, etc. I learned a couple of semesters ago in a creative writing class that eavesdropping on public conversations is a fantastic way to get plot ideas. So don't judge.

Sigh...and sigh again. I have five more weeks. Five more weeks of no spare time. Constantly feeling guilt ridden because I don't devote enough time to this or that. My poor Mom has to do so much to help me...and she never complains about it...she forces me to allow her to help. I haven't cooked a meal or done dishes in I don't know how long. It makes me sad.

Five more weeks (as I stare blankly at the keyboard while I type). I have been compiling a list of all of the tasks that I am going to accomplish come the second week in May. The list is varied and scattered. Much like my mind on any given day. I plan to learn as many new Z routines as I can. I always make time to reorganize my life. I am more lax on my OCD tendencies than what one would believe. I have to be for self preservation purposes!

I want to read for enjoyment, (probably won't happen) cook some fantabulous meals, bake until it is just too damned hot outside to stand the oven on. Then I will go bake my skin outside. I want to swim. Float down the river with one of those huge glamorous hats on in a bikini...

Truthfully, if I don't start doing something about my exercise plan...Imma look more like this on the beach...

So Imma make this short...I have a lot I want to accomplish. A lot of good things. A lot of great things...and a lot of relaxing things!!! I need to go to bed now so that I can do some Ab Ripper or something in the morning to take care of my cartoonish figure!!!