stuck & to the rescue

What an evening! I came home from work after a long day. I didn't leave the office until almost 6:00pm. My plan was to get to work on my independent study reading.

I live out in the country and my driveway is dirt and gravel. With all of this gorgeous weather we've been having lately, the snow has melted. The snow plow company we hired to plow the driveway has moved a lot of the gravel in it, causing there to be a lot of mud.

Do you get where I am going with this yet?

Well....I did my usual pull into the spot I have been to back-up and turn around, so I can back into my driveway and well, I got stuck. In the mud. I was starving, tired, cranky, and needing to start my homework.

After several failed attempts to back out or pull forward, I only managed to sink my car further into the mud. My heels - full of mud. I quickly went into my house and changed into my rain boots (now covered in mud). I felt like such a girl. Sorry ladies, but I did.

I tried to think.....what would my grandpa do? After about 10 minutes of panic, I finally settled on calling a few of my male co-workers who live nearby to rescue me. Back in college, my grandpa was who I would have called. He was always coming to my rescue with my car issues (and I had a lot of them in college). I wanted so badly to do this on my own without the help of a man.

So, 10 minutes later, two co-workers later, and a big push, we got my car out. My cute little landlord, E, (she's in her 80's) stood there, helpless too.

Let's hope this does not happen again or I will be parking in E's driveway and walking to my house.

Stronger

I love this song, especially on rough days.

Sex, Marriage & Fairytales

This guy is awesome and he has a great message.

The story behind the song, "Stained Glass Windows"

For any of you out there struggling to start a family.....to find love.....to figure your life out.....this story will definitely touch your heart. 

It is about a couple at my church and their journey to meet their son, Manny. It is a story about hope, love, family and prayer. 

This story is a reminder to never be ungrateful, to always have faith in God's plan and never forget the power of prayer. 

A love story...

If you haven't checked out Jenni at Story of My Life blog, you should!

Today, she wrote a post about the anniversary of when her and her husband's story began. It is so sweet. Absolutely amazing! And, she's a phenomenal writer.

In this post, she is pictured wearing an anniversary necklace (I'd LOVE to have one of these some day). You can check it out the post here:  On This Day

Here's the link to the special anniversary necklace she is wearing:
Stella Date Necklace

A Comfortable Love

‎"I love you" doesn't mean get comfortable and stop doing the things that got you to that point.....

Another great quote from my friend, DP, posted on Facebook. 

This is so true. Often times relationships (not all) become comfortable that people stop trying. By "trying" I mean....communication isn't as strong or becomes nonexistent, and romance - poof! gone!. "I love you" become merely a habit and loses its original meaning. The spark goes out and it becomes a struggle to re-light the flame or keep it going. 

"I love you" shouldn't become a simple greeting when you see each other - it should mean something. Saying it shouldn't become the solution to a problem or a way to get what you want. It should be romantic, sincere and passionate. 

Just remember everything....all the little moments...the kisses, the hand-holding, the late night phone conversations that lasted until 3AM, the butterflies in your stomach that led you to that "I love you" and never take it for granted - don't stop trying.

Soaping

Another blogger over at love, life & babies wrote an awesome blog about soaping. I am going to try to do this after grad school (June 2012) when, let's be honest - I have more time to truly dedicate to it.

It's very interesting. If you've been thinking you want to read and study the Bible more often and thoroughly, this is a great way to 1) hold yourself accountable and 2) actually learn and reflect on what you're reading in the Bible.

Check out her post for the full scoop on soaping.

Here's what the acronym stands for......

I workout!

I have been working out every morning before work (with Sunday as my rest day) for 6 weeks now. I have my morning routine down. Get up, turn my music on (I workout to music), brush my teeth, put my contacts in, get dressed, and begin my workout. I've even found time to make a smoothie in the morning for my late morning snack at work.

I am starting to see results - my legs are looking more toned and my mid section is smaller. I don't like to weigh myself (often), because that's not my point. I am not looking to cut weight, but rather to tone up, be healthier and feel more confident again. I especially don't want to get winded running around the yard playing with my nieces and nephews.

I am hoping to invest in some new workout "toys" to add to my at-home "gym". Hmmm.....my birthday is next month! ;o)

Kettlebell (10 or 15lbs)

Dip Bar

Stair Stepper

I hope y'all are sticking to your new year's resolutions and your workouts are going well.

Here are a couple songs on my workout playlist these days:

1. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" - Will.I.Am feat. Jennifer Lopez & Mick Jagger. This is an amazing song for when you're doing strength training such as push-ups, squats, and weight training. It really gets me going.

2. "Turn Me On" - David Guetta & Nicki Minaj. This song has a fun beat and it's perfect when you're doing cardio exercises - kickboxing is my favorite to do with this song.

The truth (and my blog) set me free

I just watched "The Help".....wow! Amazing and powerful. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you do. My favorite part: the truth sets you free. Reflecting on my own past helps me realize that, the truth, although hurtful, did indeed set me free.

I was thinking about my blog this morning and its direction. It started as a way to heal my heart.....to help me back on my feet......to feel loved........to laugh........to find courage and confidence........to start over........to be me again. 

While some of my posts are not always written about love, heels or little black dresses, it is always a reflection of me and who I am. My posts are not always happy, cheerful or of a picture perfect life. You might not like everything I write, and I am OK with that. This is my place where I can be vulnerable.....comfortable.....and myself without judgement. My blog was not started to see how many "followers" I could get or to write about how perfect my life is, because it certainly is not. What you read is what you get....honest, sometimes scattered and off-topic, sometimes brief, sometimes funny, and sometimes sad. 

If you haven't read my first post, it will help learn more about me and where I come from. (My first blog post)  It's a reflection of who I was two years ago. Lost, heartbroken, devastated, and vulnerable. I used to keep a private journal before this blog. That only held my anger, hurt, and bitterness in. That first post was not as personable compared to the way I write today. Like the maids in "The Help", I was afraid to tell the truth....I was scared to tell the story from my perspective.

I know divorce and heartache are nothing new, but I've realized that each person's experience is different. The experience shares the same word, divorce, but everyone has their own story. Over the last two years, many people have reached out to me - old friends, co-workers, and strangers, about how to heal after divorce. Why they came to me, I don't know. I am not an expert, but I listen. I've discovered that's what most people want, someone to listen -- to their anger, their tears, their doubt, and their questions.

How does this all relate to the movie, "The Help"?  


It's the theme: the truth sets you free, and boy, did it set me free. 

Maybe it's time that I share my story.........

If this doesn't get you off the couch and motivated......

.....well, I dont't know who/what will!

If you're in need of some fitness motivation, you should check out the following fitness blogs/websites.......

BODY ROCK TV = AMAZING! Whoa, wow! If you haven't seen this website, you should! For those of you who looking for some major strength training/cardio, check it out: www.bodyrock.tv. OH MY WORD! They will kick your rear!

I am in total awe of this woman. I love her video clips and workout tips. http://www.blondeponytail.com/. 

Love yoga? You should out: http://beyoutifulliving.wordpress.com/. She posted a great circuit training video today. I am planning to add it to my a.m. booty call workouts.

home sweet home

This last weekend was our family Christmas with all of us kids. I have three brothers on my mom's side (on my dad's side, I have 2 step brothers). Split parents = big families = 5 brothers and 1 sister for me. I love having a big family.

The four of us "kids" (as my mom likes to still refer to us) haven't all been together in nearly four years. With all of us living in different states: California, Indiana & Michigan, it has been difficult to get together. Life keeps you busy and one brother is in the Navy.

I had been looking forward to this weekend since we planned it late this fall. Bill hadn't been home from the Navy in a year. My family is my world. It was especially great, because my grandpa and grandma were able to be there too.

My mom had to work, so I came up with the bright idea of us "kids" making dinner for all us. When I emailed my brothers about what they wanted to make, I wasn't surprised when Cody chimed in with our family tradition, chicken bundles. We don't have these all the time - they are kind of special and a bit messy. Mark wanted mac n' cheese, so he was in charge of that and I was in charge of the chicken bundles. The other two would help make dinner.

Luckily, my parents' kitchen is spacious with a big island. At one point there was seven of us all in the kitchen. My grandma couldn't help herself - she just had to help....a little. My grandpa was cracking up and taking pictures of the chaos of "where are the garbage bags?" "I need a big bowl" "what is this?! It looks like egg nog!" "We need more cream cheese...text dad. Oh, and we need more crescent rolls too." OH BOY! I couldn't help, but laugh at us. My mom would have been going crazy. She is so organized when it comes to cooking. In the end, we made 64 chicken bundles, and a LOT of mac n' cheese. My step-dad chipped in and made the rice and homemade gravy. I will forever remember that moment of all of us in the kitchen.

Here's a few photos to sum up my weekend.........

Fun times in the kitchen.

Mark and Amanda making the mac n'cheese.

Bill and I making chicken bundles

the dinner

me and the twins

my brothers and me

My grandparents - still so in love.

Camden was excited to open presents.

Family monopoly....this game has changed so much from when I was a kid. There are credit cards now instead of paper money?!

Matt during a game of "chicken" with Bill and grandma (she almost always wins).

my mom, brothers, and grandparents

my two adorable nephews

Matt's Christmas pj's from my parents. LOL. It's a joke - he's Spanish. No offense intended.

my sis-in-law and I got matching pj's for Christmas

Us and our parents at the end of the night.......laughter is a common thing in our home.

Growing up is not a contest

"Sometimes the hardest part about "growing up" is not comparing where you are in the process to where others are."- D.P.

Thanks to my friend, Danielle, for that reminder. I needed that. As I get older, I am surrounded by married friends, pregnant friends, and friends with children. I have always thought of it as a constant reminder of where I am not in my life, but Danielle is right - we have to stop comparing ourselves to others and where they are in their lives.

My friend, Amanda, reminded me yesterday that God has a plan for all of us and our lives are in His hands. We have to let go and let God. It's a constant battle within myself to remember this. I am a planner and try to have everything figured out, but things change every day. As someone who coordinates big events, I should know this. I should know that all you can do is hope that everything you've worked hard for will come together in the end, maybe not exactly the way you thought it would - sometimes better. 

I read something very inspiring on the Tone It Up community this morning. A mom of a 3, married and 30, has declared that her 20's were spent falling in love and having children, and now her 30's will be spent for her, her health and fitness. I love that. While I am not married with children, it definitely has given me a more positive attitude about turning 30 next year. I am looking forward to it now. It goes back to not comparing yourself to where you are in life with others. Although I might not be like some of my other friends who are where I thought I would be at this age, I am ok with it. I can focus on other areas of my life. 

Growing up is tough - it's not a contest. There's no rush - it's not a race. So, slow down and enjoy the journey.

Change makes you think.........

"Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen." ~ Peter Marshall

"If you find yourself in a situation in which you feel limited, you are in the wrong situation. Change it." ~ S.M.

"Don't drown yourself in the "shoulda, coulda, woulda's"....take charge of your life, rather than make excuses." ~ me

Change is something I am familiar with. Growing up, I was used to moving around all over Michigan. Packing and unpacking was a skill I had developed at an early age. I changed schools more times than I can count. From Detroit to Alma and everywhere (it appeared) in between. I have dreamed of living somewhere warm(er) my whole life. I've always wanted to explore the world around me - not just live in it. I am jealous of my siblings. They have lived in different cities and states, learned new things, tried new foods, and experienced different lifestyles and cultures. Me, I have been a midwest girl my entire life - almost 29 years. 

 Through all my moves over the years, from grade school to college and to Indiana, I have learned that life is full of opportunities and risks, and usually they go hand-in-hand. 

As I near the end of my Masters program, I am constantly asked "what's next?" Hmmmm....not sure, but I'm hoping for something exciting and new. I have a long list of things I want to do in my life, but I can't settle for just "hoping" things will happen. "Seeing what happens" is not in the cards for me. Opportunities don't (always) just land in your lap. Life is about chasing your dreams and achieving them.

Holiday Cheer

Oh my gosh! The last two weeks just flew by. Busy busy busy! I enjoyed my break from work reality for a little bit. I was so proud of myself - I only checked my work email to delete uneeded emails, but I didn't respond to any. :)

How was everyone's holidays? Mine were great. Relaxing and just what I needed. Here's an abbreviated list of what I've been up to:

Dec 22 - bake cookies.......a LOT of them

Dec 23 - bake cake in the a.m.

            - drove up to Michigan/stayed at Mom's after cake is made

Dec 24 - Christmas lunch & gifts with my mom's side

            - Christmas dinner & gifts with my dad's side

Dec 25 - drove back to Indiana

            - spam & egg traditional breakfast & gifts at Matt's grandma's house

            - finish cake

            - Christmas dinner and football at Matt's aunt & uncle's house

Dec 26-Jan 2: sleeping in, working out, movies, and friends

Jan 3 - back to work!

I know y'all wanted to know all of that. :) I feel rejuvenated, rested and ready to work again. I know, crazy, but I enjoy being busy too. Every once in awhile we need a couple days rest to refuel.

Work today consisted of..........

- replying to a "Santa Claus list" of emails

- returning phone calls

- answering the thousands, hundreds.....ok, a LOT of phone calls

- processing registrations for our two upcoming events

- working through lunch (ah, back to the norm).....I ate......more like I INHALED my lunch and in between mouthfuls, I answered my phone and responded to emails.

Now, I am in my calm, serene place......blogging again. A great way to end the day.

OK, now for my holiday in pictures. :)

Mama's house.......

our lop-sided tree :) 

desserts and cute little veggie tray 

grandpa and me 

me, my mama, & grandma 

Family Christmas dinner tradition: fried chicken, homemade noodles, mashed potatoes, milk gravy and biscuits. Yum! 

my brother, Cody, and Matt 

Matt and me 

Cody and me

My dad's house.........

 my nieces: Ella & Jade

my baby brother, Jerry, and his daughter, Jade 

always hugs & kisses from Aunt Nikki 

Jade 

my dad, Jade, me and my dog, Ellie Mae 

Jade's first laptop! 

This was my favorite part of Christmas: watching my nieces open their presents. 

Ella and her babies 

Happy new year, 2012!

Ellie Mae was so exhausted and ready for the ball to drop already.