Honestly I forgot I had a blog. Do people still blog? I apparently don't.
These days I prefer Instagram stories more than anything. You can follow that journey here:
Lesley's Instagram
Mostly, I have fallen into the "too busy" for much of anything trap. Between work, raising two wild boys and everything else life throws at me I don't have time for much of anything.
I am, however, working on reading more and my current book is I Will Teach You To Be Rich.
I highly recommend this book! The author makes it so easy to read about what could be considered a boring topic. The advice is very practical and sustainable. I am looking forward to the chapter on investing. Maybe I'll be able to retire one day sooner rather than later.
Now back to work...
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Why do I feel like I got slapped in the face?
Today is a rough day. I've been trying to figure out why I am so upset over this election as opposed to elections in the past. I was literally tearing up in my car so I really had to pull back and ask myself why?
So I think its this:
I feel betrayed by my family, friends and those that voted for this man. I feel like half the country just said I don't matter - that Women don't matter, Minority's don't matter, Human rights don't matter.
But who am I to be hurt by this result?
I am a mom. I am an attorney. I provide the majority of the financial support for my family.
I breastfeed my child.
I was a pageant queen. I have not always been thin and I am definitely not as thin as I was when I did pageants.
I've had men try to grab and touch me inappropriately.
I've been bullied.
I was raised in rural Texas and have many men in my life and in my family who buy into the idea that women are less.
Now this country's president elect, my president, says that people like me are "disgusting", he says its OK to touch women inappropriately, he bullies, he says awful things - and other Americans are OK with this. My own father voted for him and that hurts. My own husband is a Republican and is good with the results. It makes me feel sick - like a punch to the stomach or a slap to the face. I feel like all the bullies, sexists, racists have now been given license to continue their awful behavior.
Is it that people hate Hillary Clinton so much? Or is it that this country is not ready for a woman president - so much so that we will elect a man, ANY man no matter how badly he behaves, over a woman? I am just baffled. I don't understand.
But I will try to. I will try to continue to be a good citizen and support what I think is right. I will try not to be disheartened by this election and what it says about our country. And I will pray for the safety of our citizens and for the continued success of America.
So I think its this:
I feel betrayed by my family, friends and those that voted for this man. I feel like half the country just said I don't matter - that Women don't matter, Minority's don't matter, Human rights don't matter.
But who am I to be hurt by this result?
I am a mom. I am an attorney. I provide the majority of the financial support for my family.
I breastfeed my child.
I was a pageant queen. I have not always been thin and I am definitely not as thin as I was when I did pageants.
I've had men try to grab and touch me inappropriately.
I've been bullied.
I was raised in rural Texas and have many men in my life and in my family who buy into the idea that women are less.
Now this country's president elect, my president, says that people like me are "disgusting", he says its OK to touch women inappropriately, he bullies, he says awful things - and other Americans are OK with this. My own father voted for him and that hurts. My own husband is a Republican and is good with the results. It makes me feel sick - like a punch to the stomach or a slap to the face. I feel like all the bullies, sexists, racists have now been given license to continue their awful behavior.
Is it that people hate Hillary Clinton so much? Or is it that this country is not ready for a woman president - so much so that we will elect a man, ANY man no matter how badly he behaves, over a woman? I am just baffled. I don't understand.
But I will try to. I will try to continue to be a good citizen and support what I think is right. I will try not to be disheartened by this election and what it says about our country. And I will pray for the safety of our citizens and for the continued success of America.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Why I spent a small fortune on an old dog.
My pug, Cactus Jack, will turn 15 in May (God willing). Sadly, He recently had a bout of eye problems that necessitated the removal of the eye (the mal ojo as I like to call it). I was heartbroken it came to this and, although it makes me sad to look at him, he and I slowly seem to be getting used to it. I'm currently looking for an eye patch for him which I think will make him look a lot cooler.
When I told my dad the cost to have the eye removed (after I had already spent money trying to medicate it and save the eye) he said: "I think you need to put the dog down." My immediate response was: Why? He's fine otherwise. My dad said: "He's not fine. He's old." Miffed, I responded that my dad was old as well but no one was talking about putting him down. Why would he even suggest such a thing?
So I made the choice to spend the money on this dog (despite our current need for a termite treatment and foundation repair, not to mention the impending arrival of our second child - all which need significant funds). Why? Does it make the dog love me more? Does he know or understand the choice? Will he be a better dog and stop marking his territory in the house or not growl at the other dogs when they come near his food? No. No, he'll continue to be the same dog he has been, minus an eye.
He'll continue to drive my husband crazy with his whining to be let inside not 5 minutes after we've let him out. He'll continue to spend most of the day sleeping and snoring. He'll continue to snub his food unless we put wet food in the bowl, after which, he'll gobble it down. He'll continue to sleep in bed with us, on my husband's side. He'll continue to wag his tail when we come home and get excited when I put a leash on him (even though he can't make it very far for a walk.) In other words, he will continue his life as usual.
The consideration for his quality of life was foremost in my mind but ultimately, that's not why I did it. I did it because he is family. He has been my family for close to 15 years. He has been with me through heartbreaks and celebrations. We have cuddled together during freak cold front during a camping trip and splashed in the river during the summer heat. We've moved from many apartments and traveled the roads of I-35 on several long hauls. We have buried his sister/litter mate together. We've dealt with a lot, he and I. He deserves, at the very least, to be taken care of to the best of my abilities. That's the promise I made to him when I became his owner.
Believe me, I haven't always held up my end of the bargain. There are many times I worked longer hours or spent time out when he could have used my attention. He wasn't ever mad at me about my failings. I forever had another chance to do better. He was just happy to be with me which says a lot. Not even my husband is happy to be with me all the time.
I love this old dog - this old dog I still consider to be my baby. Given the choice over and over again, I would never choose differently. Its only money. Its not like I'll stop working and I certainly can't take it with me when I go.
I would have 1000 regrets about ending his life too soon. He will go one day, sooner rather than later, and I hope God sees it fit to be a quick, painless passing for both of us. But (to quote Gladiator), not yet...not yet.
When I told my dad the cost to have the eye removed (after I had already spent money trying to medicate it and save the eye) he said: "I think you need to put the dog down." My immediate response was: Why? He's fine otherwise. My dad said: "He's not fine. He's old." Miffed, I responded that my dad was old as well but no one was talking about putting him down. Why would he even suggest such a thing?
So I made the choice to spend the money on this dog (despite our current need for a termite treatment and foundation repair, not to mention the impending arrival of our second child - all which need significant funds). Why? Does it make the dog love me more? Does he know or understand the choice? Will he be a better dog and stop marking his territory in the house or not growl at the other dogs when they come near his food? No. No, he'll continue to be the same dog he has been, minus an eye.
He'll continue to drive my husband crazy with his whining to be let inside not 5 minutes after we've let him out. He'll continue to spend most of the day sleeping and snoring. He'll continue to snub his food unless we put wet food in the bowl, after which, he'll gobble it down. He'll continue to sleep in bed with us, on my husband's side. He'll continue to wag his tail when we come home and get excited when I put a leash on him (even though he can't make it very far for a walk.) In other words, he will continue his life as usual.
The consideration for his quality of life was foremost in my mind but ultimately, that's not why I did it. I did it because he is family. He has been my family for close to 15 years. He has been with me through heartbreaks and celebrations. We have cuddled together during freak cold front during a camping trip and splashed in the river during the summer heat. We've moved from many apartments and traveled the roads of I-35 on several long hauls. We have buried his sister/litter mate together. We've dealt with a lot, he and I. He deserves, at the very least, to be taken care of to the best of my abilities. That's the promise I made to him when I became his owner.
Believe me, I haven't always held up my end of the bargain. There are many times I worked longer hours or spent time out when he could have used my attention. He wasn't ever mad at me about my failings. I forever had another chance to do better. He was just happy to be with me which says a lot. Not even my husband is happy to be with me all the time.
I love this old dog - this old dog I still consider to be my baby. Given the choice over and over again, I would never choose differently. Its only money. Its not like I'll stop working and I certainly can't take it with me when I go.
I would have 1000 regrets about ending his life too soon. He will go one day, sooner rather than later, and I hope God sees it fit to be a quick, painless passing for both of us. But (to quote Gladiator), not yet...not yet.
 |
| Cactus Jack, the one-eyed pug. |
Saturday, January 23, 2016
My Marriage is Not Perfect...
In today's social media world everyone is constantly posting, tweeting, talking about how wonderful their lives are and how they've found the perfect spouse and/or relationship. We only see the good side of so many things it can make use feel like less because our lives don't measure up.
In real life marriage is tough. In real life its hard. Life is hard period. Today was a prime example.
My pug of 15 years has an ulcer on his eye. Its bad and I'm heartbroken about it because I feel like I should have done more to catch it earlier. Its harder to pay attention to him now that I am a married, working mom with a 17 month old and a baby on the way. I feel like a bad dog owner and like I've been less of a friend to my faithful companion simply because of my lack of time or increasingly distracting lifestyle. The truth is, at 15, he doesn't demand much. Food, water, a bed to sleep in and a little bit of petting and he's fairly content.
What makes it all the worse is that my husband hates this dog. Mainly because, at 15, he can't control his bladder. If he lets you know he needs to go out, you can't make him wait. He really just doesn't wait and my husband hates him for it. I have to contstantly hear him say things like:
"I hate that dog."
"Why don't you just go get the .22 and put him out of his misery?"
"Let's open the door and just let him run off."
He thinks he's being funny. He says a lot of terrible things in the name of "just joking around." He's kind of a dick. I knew this about him when I married him. I made the choice. There were other guys I dated, who were nicer, more caring, more concerned about what was going on with me and my well being. That is not who I chose.
The thing about guys that are dicks is that they are also exhausting. I am worn out from dealing with him. When I asked him why I always come last behind everyone and everything else he said "its because you're a wife and a mommy." -- Like it is completely normal for everything I need to go on the back burner. Should that really be the case?
Listen - I'm grateful for my family. I am blessed to have a healthy son and a healthy pregnancy. There are times when my husband does something good or helpful and I do appreciate those things but the balance is way off. I believe women are the workhorses. We are the obligers. We are the root of the support system. It is a great privilege to have this role and yet it is a tough job. The hardest job I've ever had. What I want to know is: While we are holding our family together, who holds us together? While we are taking care of everything and everyone, who takes care of us? Too often it is not our partner. I don't think I'm alone in feeling like the support is one sided.
I'm sure my husband would have his own version of the story and today's events. Maybe neither one of us is a really a reliable narrator for the story of this imperfect marriage. Since he's in bed snoring while I'm up for the night giving the dog eye drops every hour, then my version is the only one out there. Just a real honest post about how, today, I don't think my husband is that great or that our marriage is the best ever. Today it, and he, kind of sucked and I wasn't happy about it. So for everyone else out there who had a shitty day with a not-so-great partner - know that you are not alone, you are not less and you are not lacking. My marriage is not perfect.
In real life marriage is tough. In real life its hard. Life is hard period. Today was a prime example.
My pug of 15 years has an ulcer on his eye. Its bad and I'm heartbroken about it because I feel like I should have done more to catch it earlier. Its harder to pay attention to him now that I am a married, working mom with a 17 month old and a baby on the way. I feel like a bad dog owner and like I've been less of a friend to my faithful companion simply because of my lack of time or increasingly distracting lifestyle. The truth is, at 15, he doesn't demand much. Food, water, a bed to sleep in and a little bit of petting and he's fairly content.
What makes it all the worse is that my husband hates this dog. Mainly because, at 15, he can't control his bladder. If he lets you know he needs to go out, you can't make him wait. He really just doesn't wait and my husband hates him for it. I have to contstantly hear him say things like:
"I hate that dog."
"Why don't you just go get the .22 and put him out of his misery?"
"Let's open the door and just let him run off."
He thinks he's being funny. He says a lot of terrible things in the name of "just joking around." He's kind of a dick. I knew this about him when I married him. I made the choice. There were other guys I dated, who were nicer, more caring, more concerned about what was going on with me and my well being. That is not who I chose.
The thing about guys that are dicks is that they are also exhausting. I am worn out from dealing with him. When I asked him why I always come last behind everyone and everything else he said "its because you're a wife and a mommy." -- Like it is completely normal for everything I need to go on the back burner. Should that really be the case?
Listen - I'm grateful for my family. I am blessed to have a healthy son and a healthy pregnancy. There are times when my husband does something good or helpful and I do appreciate those things but the balance is way off. I believe women are the workhorses. We are the obligers. We are the root of the support system. It is a great privilege to have this role and yet it is a tough job. The hardest job I've ever had. What I want to know is: While we are holding our family together, who holds us together? While we are taking care of everything and everyone, who takes care of us? Too often it is not our partner. I don't think I'm alone in feeling like the support is one sided.
I'm sure my husband would have his own version of the story and today's events. Maybe neither one of us is a really a reliable narrator for the story of this imperfect marriage. Since he's in bed snoring while I'm up for the night giving the dog eye drops every hour, then my version is the only one out there. Just a real honest post about how, today, I don't think my husband is that great or that our marriage is the best ever. Today it, and he, kind of sucked and I wasn't happy about it. So for everyone else out there who had a shitty day with a not-so-great partner - know that you are not alone, you are not less and you are not lacking. My marriage is not perfect.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Happy New Year 2016!
Well it is 12:19 and I am still awake. Ok actually I fell asleep on the couch around 10:00 and my husband woke me up about 11:30 to ring in the new year. I blame the baby growing in my belly and my crazy toddler for zapping all my energy. Kids take a lot of work.
I used to put a lot of effort into figuring out my NYE plans. In my younger days, I spent plenty of time dressed up, out and about, fighting crowds and taking shots. Those days were great but long behind me now. Surprisingly, I find myself (like many) more content with this stage of my life than any other.
My hope is that all of you are just as content and looking forward to this New Year. I hope you are present for your friends and family and continue to develop your relationships and happiness. Happiness is at the center of it all and its in the moment here and now - not a far off distant goal to be reached after you've obtained a better job, lost weight or accomplished some other task. Be happy first and success will flow.
My only resolution this year is to read more. I have tons of books sitting around that I've yet to get to. Here's to further educating myself in 2016. Hope you all have a good one!
I used to put a lot of effort into figuring out my NYE plans. In my younger days, I spent plenty of time dressed up, out and about, fighting crowds and taking shots. Those days were great but long behind me now. Surprisingly, I find myself (like many) more content with this stage of my life than any other.
My hope is that all of you are just as content and looking forward to this New Year. I hope you are present for your friends and family and continue to develop your relationships and happiness. Happiness is at the center of it all and its in the moment here and now - not a far off distant goal to be reached after you've obtained a better job, lost weight or accomplished some other task. Be happy first and success will flow.
My only resolution this year is to read more. I have tons of books sitting around that I've yet to get to. Here's to further educating myself in 2016. Hope you all have a good one!
Friday, October 23, 2015
International Travel Tips from Yours Truly...
Having been overseas several times in the past few years, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding international travel which I will now share with you, dear readers. I am doing this because after having a baby, it seems like my travel days are long gone (at least until he gets a bit older). Hopefully Greece will still be around by then because I'd love to go back. I'd love to see Italy again too...and France...**le sigh**
1) Making a list will help with packing. It really will. If I don't make a list I just start throwing in random shirts and bottoms that don't necessarily go together. This causes me to over pack. I usually over pack anyway but if I really sit down and think about what I'll be doing and what kind of outfits I need to do those activities, then I can tone it down a bit. Regardless I always throw in some random sequin shirt because, hey, you never know when something will turn into that type of party.
2) Call your bank before you leave to let them know you'll be using your cards overseas. Believe me, the last thing you want is your bank freaking out over some international charges and shutting down your card. They do not have a Chase or Bank of America around so you can clear things up. You have to spend time/money calling the US to get it figured out.
3) Invest in some International minutes/text/data for your cell phone. AT&T offers a world traveler plan you can add while you're away for calls. I always get texts while I'm abroad. Believe me, you don't want to pay the roaming prices on this stuff. Some plans will cancel automatically. I think last time when I went to Los Cabos, I bought a 30 day plan. If it doesn't cancel automatically, don't forget to cancel all that when you come home!
4) Watch out for pick pockets. They won't be the person you think. While in Barcelona, I had a friend get his wallet lifted by a harmless looking guy who seemed to be celebrating Spain's recent soccer win. It was only after the cheering died down he realized his wallet was gone. A good friend of mine also had her wallet stolen while traveling, ALONE, in Italy. Make copies of every card and ID you take with you and leave it with someone in the US that you trust - then if you need to cancel everything, you can call that person and have them help you rather than calling all over or trying to remember what you had off the top of your head. (This is also where #3 comes in handy - you'll be spending a lot of time on the phone so you'll be thankful for that international phone plan.)
5) Check and RE-Check your boarding passes and flight times. There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport and realizing something is wrong with your ticket. I learned this the hard way on our last trip. My son was ticketed under the wrong name and when we got to the airport it was a nightmare to fix it. We ended up getting to our resort at 11:30 pm instead of 1:00 pm and missed the whole day. Luckily the resort was so wonderful and accommodating, it made up for this disaster. Please take my advice and MAKE SURE everything is correct before you leave.
6) Did you know some countries require that your passport be valid 6 months AFTER you leave their country? If your passport is close to the expiration date, go ahead and get it renewed. Check the date and get it done. They won't let you go on your trip if its close to the expiration date - even if it is still valid currently. Don't take the risk.
7) Don't just take pictures of all the typical sights. I mean of course take a picture of the Colosseum when in Rome - just don't forget to take pictures of the everyday things as well or favorite restaurants you enjoyed. That being said - don't spend the whole time on your phone either. The point is to experience it, not "selfie" it.
That's it! I'll have to live vicariously through everyone else who's traveling since I won't be going anywhere with my toddler for a while. Enjoy your travels!
1) Making a list will help with packing. It really will. If I don't make a list I just start throwing in random shirts and bottoms that don't necessarily go together. This causes me to over pack. I usually over pack anyway but if I really sit down and think about what I'll be doing and what kind of outfits I need to do those activities, then I can tone it down a bit. Regardless I always throw in some random sequin shirt because, hey, you never know when something will turn into that type of party.
2) Call your bank before you leave to let them know you'll be using your cards overseas. Believe me, the last thing you want is your bank freaking out over some international charges and shutting down your card. They do not have a Chase or Bank of America around so you can clear things up. You have to spend time/money calling the US to get it figured out.
3) Invest in some International minutes/text/data for your cell phone. AT&T offers a world traveler plan you can add while you're away for calls. I always get texts while I'm abroad. Believe me, you don't want to pay the roaming prices on this stuff. Some plans will cancel automatically. I think last time when I went to Los Cabos, I bought a 30 day plan. If it doesn't cancel automatically, don't forget to cancel all that when you come home!
4) Watch out for pick pockets. They won't be the person you think. While in Barcelona, I had a friend get his wallet lifted by a harmless looking guy who seemed to be celebrating Spain's recent soccer win. It was only after the cheering died down he realized his wallet was gone. A good friend of mine also had her wallet stolen while traveling, ALONE, in Italy. Make copies of every card and ID you take with you and leave it with someone in the US that you trust - then if you need to cancel everything, you can call that person and have them help you rather than calling all over or trying to remember what you had off the top of your head. (This is also where #3 comes in handy - you'll be spending a lot of time on the phone so you'll be thankful for that international phone plan.)
5) Check and RE-Check your boarding passes and flight times. There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport and realizing something is wrong with your ticket. I learned this the hard way on our last trip. My son was ticketed under the wrong name and when we got to the airport it was a nightmare to fix it. We ended up getting to our resort at 11:30 pm instead of 1:00 pm and missed the whole day. Luckily the resort was so wonderful and accommodating, it made up for this disaster. Please take my advice and MAKE SURE everything is correct before you leave.
6) Did you know some countries require that your passport be valid 6 months AFTER you leave their country? If your passport is close to the expiration date, go ahead and get it renewed. Check the date and get it done. They won't let you go on your trip if its close to the expiration date - even if it is still valid currently. Don't take the risk.
7) Don't just take pictures of all the typical sights. I mean of course take a picture of the Colosseum when in Rome - just don't forget to take pictures of the everyday things as well or favorite restaurants you enjoyed. That being said - don't spend the whole time on your phone either. The point is to experience it, not "selfie" it.
That's it! I'll have to live vicariously through everyone else who's traveling since I won't be going anywhere with my toddler for a while. Enjoy your travels!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Valentine's Day
If you really love your significant other you'll go to DFW PUG RESCUE
and order a PUG-A-GRAM STAT. Seriously. What better way to say, Happy V-Day than a bunch of beautiful pugs showing up to give you some pug love? I'm not kidding. If you don't have a Valentine, feel free to send me a pug-a-gram because pugs always brighten my day.
Also, its for a good cause so you can feel good about yourself instead of wasting money on a bunch of chocolates and feeling bad because you and your significant other ate the whole box.
FOR THE PUGS!
and order a PUG-A-GRAM STAT. Seriously. What better way to say, Happy V-Day than a bunch of beautiful pugs showing up to give you some pug love? I'm not kidding. If you don't have a Valentine, feel free to send me a pug-a-gram because pugs always brighten my day.
Also, its for a good cause so you can feel good about yourself instead of wasting money on a bunch of chocolates and feeling bad because you and your significant other ate the whole box.
FOR THE PUGS!
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Happy New Year
2014 was the best year. I can't imagine how it could have been better. As I head into 2015 my only resolution is to unplug more this year than ever before. I want to enjoy the people and life and spend as little time as possible with my face in a phone or computer. I hope more people will do this. You only have this one life. Don't let it pass you by with your head down looking at your phone/laptop/tablet.
Now I'm off to wake my sleeping baby for his midnight snack and welcome him to this New Year with a snuggle and a kiss.
Wishing you all many blessings for 2015.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Peep, Peep
How does 8 months go by without a peep? Well I'll tell you, its actually pretty easy when you're super busy and have TONS of changes going on in life. Plus 2014 has been great so I've not wanted to jinx it.
I will say I have been so blessed with many gifts and opportunities this year. I couldn't be more thankful.
Hope this note finds all of you doing just as well.
I will say I have been so blessed with many gifts and opportunities this year. I couldn't be more thankful.
Hope this note finds all of you doing just as well.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Goodbye to 2013
As this year nears its end, I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. It had ups and downs, like every year does, but in particular I learned some very valuable lessons I won't soon forget.
Rather than a list of resolutions for next year, here's a list of what I learned:
1) Always be thankful for those that love you and have your back.
2) Don't ignore your instincts - in life or work. If you're gut is telling you something is wrong, it probably is.
3) Time is a commodity that, once spent, is never returned. Make sure you're spending it on the right people and things.
4) Las Vegas is a terrible place and someone should burn it to the ground**
5) There are bad people in this world. That's a fact. But, just because you encounter one, doesn't mean you should give up on people as a whole. There are also some really good people.
6) Friends can be very wise if you listen to them.
Now go check out this blog that always makes me laugh. #3 on her list of disappointments is my favorite. One day it will be legal...one day...
My Champagne of choice this NYE is Piper-Heidsieck. It comes in this beautiful box (you can use the top to hold a votive candle also). Marilyn Monroe said she started each day with a glass, but I can't think of a better way to toast in the new year (besides a kiss at midnight, of course). Cheers 2014!!!
**I'm kind of kidding about this one. My BFF and I had some fun times on that trip but I swear I will never, ever go back.
Rather than a list of resolutions for next year, here's a list of what I learned:
1) Always be thankful for those that love you and have your back.
2) Don't ignore your instincts - in life or work. If you're gut is telling you something is wrong, it probably is.
3) Time is a commodity that, once spent, is never returned. Make sure you're spending it on the right people and things.
4) Las Vegas is a terrible place and someone should burn it to the ground**
5) There are bad people in this world. That's a fact. But, just because you encounter one, doesn't mean you should give up on people as a whole. There are also some really good people.
6) Friends can be very wise if you listen to them.
Now go check out this blog that always makes me laugh. #3 on her list of disappointments is my favorite. One day it will be legal...one day...
My Champagne of choice this NYE is Piper-Heidsieck. It comes in this beautiful box (you can use the top to hold a votive candle also). Marilyn Monroe said she started each day with a glass, but I can't think of a better way to toast in the new year (besides a kiss at midnight, of course). Cheers 2014!!!
**I'm kind of kidding about this one. My BFF and I had some fun times on that trip but I swear I will never, ever go back.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Much Needed Article
Based on some choices I've made lately, I really started to question my decision making process. As the year ends, there is a lot for me to reflect on - successes and failures.
While thinking about 2014 and what I hope the next year to be like, I happened across this article:
Mentally Strong People: The 13 Things They Avoid
I spend a lot of time on my physical health but don't often think of my mental health and whether I exercise practices that make me mentally strong.
In reading this list, I immediately identified the things I absolutely don't do ( #7 dwell on the past, #9 resent other people's success, #11 fear alone time, #12 feel the world owes them anything, #13 expect immediate results);
the things I sometimes do ( #1 waste time feeling sorry for themselves, #2 give away their power, #3 shy away from change, #4 waste energy on things they can't control);
and things I have a bad habit of doing (#5 worry about pleasing others, #6 fear taking calculated risks, #10 give up after failure)
So my resolution this year is to commit as much time to being mentally strong as I do to taking care of my physical body. For 2014 I'm focusing on overall health rather than just cutting back on drinking or carbs.
Here's wishing you all luck with your mental and physical health in the coming year. (I suggest you read the full article - very interesting)
While thinking about 2014 and what I hope the next year to be like, I happened across this article:
Mentally Strong People: The 13 Things They Avoid
I spend a lot of time on my physical health but don't often think of my mental health and whether I exercise practices that make me mentally strong.
In reading this list, I immediately identified the things I absolutely don't do ( #7 dwell on the past, #9 resent other people's success, #11 fear alone time, #12 feel the world owes them anything, #13 expect immediate results);
the things I sometimes do ( #1 waste time feeling sorry for themselves, #2 give away their power, #3 shy away from change, #4 waste energy on things they can't control);
and things I have a bad habit of doing (#5 worry about pleasing others, #6 fear taking calculated risks, #10 give up after failure)
So my resolution this year is to commit as much time to being mentally strong as I do to taking care of my physical body. For 2014 I'm focusing on overall health rather than just cutting back on drinking or carbs.
Here's wishing you all luck with your mental and physical health in the coming year. (I suggest you read the full article - very interesting)
Friday, December 6, 2013
Tough times.
There have been a lot of changes going on lately that have made things tough overall. My aunt sent me this today and it couldn't have been more timely.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
It's almost that time again...
Chili cookoff is tomorrow and this is the 3rd year for Team No Beans MF. We've upgraded to professional shirts this year designed by yours truly:
And the winning recipe is on that white sheet of paper:
You know what they say about the 3rd time? It's'a the charm.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
10 Reasons I will never, EVER, buy another house:
1) Yard work. I hate it. You may have seen my blog posts about gardening. I do like gardening - but you can have a pot of tomatoes or a raised bed anywhere. You don't need a yard for that. I'd rather dig my eye out with a spoon than trim another Crepe Myrtle. I'd love for someone to come remove all of mine. Or poison them. Whichever.
2) Disposal Repair. This is one of the most disgusting tasks ever. Mine breaks every other week when I make the egregious error of throwing a vegetable peel of some sort down it. My disposal says, "Aw, HAIL no" and refuses to work any further. This leads to a backed up sink, plunging, draining and snaking. I want back the days when a maintenance man would deal with this situation.
3) Foundation drama. I had the misfortune to buy a home in a part of Dallas, Texas where the ground moves. every. freaking. day. I swear every other house on my street has a sign out front of some foundation company that's doing work. We actually benefit (if you can call it that) by owning a pier and beam rather than a slab. So instead of my foundation work costing 15K, it (only?) cost me 6K. Yay!?
Bad news? Texas has zero regulation on foundation repair companies. Hell, I could start a business and say I do foundation repair. I might just do that.
4) Size. So everything's bigger in Texas, right? That's why my household of 2, plus 3 dogs, needs 2400 square feet of living space - Of which, we've somehow managed to fill every nook and cranny. If there's an empty counter space, then by God, we need to set something on it. I absolutely cannot stand it. I'm currently trying to figure out how to downsize EVERYTHING. Somehow the brother I don't speak to can cram his wife and four children in a 1000 square foot town home. That's 6 living, breathing human bodies in 1000 square feet. Why do we need 2 times that?
5) Cleaning. This goes along with #4. Look I'm a pretty clean person. In fact, a little OCD at times. I would love for my house to be perfectly organized and smell like pine sol. How can I manage to do this when I work full time and have outside activities that keep me occupied? Simply, I can't. It would take me no time at all to clean my apartment but the house is too much. I've entertained the idea of getting some help with the cleaning work. For a house my size, it would cost at least $125 for someone to come once every 2 weeks. That's $250 a month, roughly 3K a year. I can go on a trip for that kind of money (which I'd much rather do).
6) Cost. In no way do I think the cost of owning a home beats living in an apartment. People like to talk about equity. Equity is a word mortgage brokers use to con people into home ownership. Whatever money you supposedly build in equity, you're putting right back into your home with all the upkeep. Having a handyman and someone else to maintain the common areas is worth whatever "equity" I have in my current home.
7) Vinyl Siding. Do yourself a favor and keep the hell away from this crap. Many a time I've had to climb up on my roof to put the siding back in place after a strong wind or storm blows through. J won't climb up on the roof because he's scared of falling. The last time I had to do it, I made him hand me a bunch of nails and I spent a good hour banging away with a hammer to make sure it never moved again. Its junk and I don't want any part of it.
8) Pest control. There was a snake - a SNAKE - in my yard one time when I was forced to rake leaves. I took one look at it, screamed and ran into the house where I promptly locked the door on J and all the dogs. Granted I think it was a grass snake but I know for a fact there are at least 12 different kinds of poisonous snakes in Texas. I need to live in a setting where my chances of encountering one of these are slim to none. Also, in my apartment, a nice note would appear on my door every few months or so, that said they would be in my apartment to spray for bugs. Now I have to pay for someone to come make sure I don't have roaches, termites, and other such vermin. I just want the nice note!
9) Mail delivery. At my old place, the office folks would sign for all the packages. When something went missing, I could direct my wrath at the apartment complex if needed. But I actually had great success with receiving my packages during my apartment dwelling days. Nowadays, its a different story. I ordered some medication for my poor, arthritic pug. When I checked the USPS, it said they were delivered when in fact they were not. I set up a claim with USPS (truly a worthless endeavor) and wrote a note to my mail carrier about the mishap. Almost a week later, whoever opened the package must have realized they didn't want to keep the arthritis meds, and finally put it back into the hands of the post office.
10) Getting rid of the Damn Thing. Now that I've realized home ownership is not for me, I've also come to the very disappointing conclusion that I'm stuck with it. Ah the days when I could simply turn in a notice and be gone! Now, its a freaking ordeal to get rid of it. Because we did an FHA loan, we're prohibited from selling the house until the end of this year. On top of that, You have to make it look all nice and shit so someone will actually be interested in buying it. This means I have to finish painting and decorating (which I have SO much free time to do). Nothing but a hassle.
I realize this was a rant but I honestly feel if I had it to do all over again I'd tell myself, RUN, don't walk, away from this home buying business.
2) Disposal Repair. This is one of the most disgusting tasks ever. Mine breaks every other week when I make the egregious error of throwing a vegetable peel of some sort down it. My disposal says, "Aw, HAIL no" and refuses to work any further. This leads to a backed up sink, plunging, draining and snaking. I want back the days when a maintenance man would deal with this situation.
3) Foundation drama. I had the misfortune to buy a home in a part of Dallas, Texas where the ground moves. every. freaking. day. I swear every other house on my street has a sign out front of some foundation company that's doing work. We actually benefit (if you can call it that) by owning a pier and beam rather than a slab. So instead of my foundation work costing 15K, it (only?) cost me 6K. Yay!?
Bad news? Texas has zero regulation on foundation repair companies. Hell, I could start a business and say I do foundation repair. I might just do that.
4) Size. So everything's bigger in Texas, right? That's why my household of 2, plus 3 dogs, needs 2400 square feet of living space - Of which, we've somehow managed to fill every nook and cranny. If there's an empty counter space, then by God, we need to set something on it. I absolutely cannot stand it. I'm currently trying to figure out how to downsize EVERYTHING. Somehow the brother I don't speak to can cram his wife and four children in a 1000 square foot town home. That's 6 living, breathing human bodies in 1000 square feet. Why do we need 2 times that?
5) Cleaning. This goes along with #4. Look I'm a pretty clean person. In fact, a little OCD at times. I would love for my house to be perfectly organized and smell like pine sol. How can I manage to do this when I work full time and have outside activities that keep me occupied? Simply, I can't. It would take me no time at all to clean my apartment but the house is too much. I've entertained the idea of getting some help with the cleaning work. For a house my size, it would cost at least $125 for someone to come once every 2 weeks. That's $250 a month, roughly 3K a year. I can go on a trip for that kind of money (which I'd much rather do).
6) Cost. In no way do I think the cost of owning a home beats living in an apartment. People like to talk about equity. Equity is a word mortgage brokers use to con people into home ownership. Whatever money you supposedly build in equity, you're putting right back into your home with all the upkeep. Having a handyman and someone else to maintain the common areas is worth whatever "equity" I have in my current home.
7) Vinyl Siding. Do yourself a favor and keep the hell away from this crap. Many a time I've had to climb up on my roof to put the siding back in place after a strong wind or storm blows through. J won't climb up on the roof because he's scared of falling. The last time I had to do it, I made him hand me a bunch of nails and I spent a good hour banging away with a hammer to make sure it never moved again. Its junk and I don't want any part of it.
8) Pest control. There was a snake - a SNAKE - in my yard one time when I was forced to rake leaves. I took one look at it, screamed and ran into the house where I promptly locked the door on J and all the dogs. Granted I think it was a grass snake but I know for a fact there are at least 12 different kinds of poisonous snakes in Texas. I need to live in a setting where my chances of encountering one of these are slim to none. Also, in my apartment, a nice note would appear on my door every few months or so, that said they would be in my apartment to spray for bugs. Now I have to pay for someone to come make sure I don't have roaches, termites, and other such vermin. I just want the nice note!
9) Mail delivery. At my old place, the office folks would sign for all the packages. When something went missing, I could direct my wrath at the apartment complex if needed. But I actually had great success with receiving my packages during my apartment dwelling days. Nowadays, its a different story. I ordered some medication for my poor, arthritic pug. When I checked the USPS, it said they were delivered when in fact they were not. I set up a claim with USPS (truly a worthless endeavor) and wrote a note to my mail carrier about the mishap. Almost a week later, whoever opened the package must have realized they didn't want to keep the arthritis meds, and finally put it back into the hands of the post office.
10) Getting rid of the Damn Thing. Now that I've realized home ownership is not for me, I've also come to the very disappointing conclusion that I'm stuck with it. Ah the days when I could simply turn in a notice and be gone! Now, its a freaking ordeal to get rid of it. Because we did an FHA loan, we're prohibited from selling the house until the end of this year. On top of that, You have to make it look all nice and shit so someone will actually be interested in buying it. This means I have to finish painting and decorating (which I have SO much free time to do). Nothing but a hassle.
I realize this was a rant but I honestly feel if I had it to do all over again I'd tell myself, RUN, don't walk, away from this home buying business.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Spring has sprung...kinda
May 3rd and it's a beautiful, sunny 64 degrees here in Dallas. Yes Dallas, Texas. I'm not sure I've ever worn a sweater in May before but I'm wearing one today. I had to have one on yesterday since it was a whopping 40 degrees. Unexpected to say the least.
My garden is back in full swing with lots of kale, tomato, pepper, onion, basil and squash. We might be on squash overload this year because I threw a few seeds in the garden box early on. When nothing happened, I got impatient and bought some started squash plants. Now the seeds have sprouted. Good thing hubby likes squash.
The biggest disappointment from the last month is that I've discovered I cannot grow an avocado tree here in Dallas. After LOTS of online research, It appears our climate is too cold as one hard freeze will kill an avocado tree dead. Boo. Also they take 7 YEARS before they produce fruit. I practically eat an avocado a day so I'm not sure I can wait that long (even if it were possible).
I heard about a book called Absolutely Avocados in last month's Redbook mag. This chick claims you can substitute an avocado for the stick of butter used in chocolate chip cookies. No lie! Her food looks pretty good so I'm tempted to order the book and give it a try.
There are also quite a few home renovations in the air for this spring/summer. And I have plans to put a chicken coop in my back yard! I'm SO excited about having chickens. Lots to do - and as my dad would say - I'd "better get busy, cause times a wastin'."
My garden is back in full swing with lots of kale, tomato, pepper, onion, basil and squash. We might be on squash overload this year because I threw a few seeds in the garden box early on. When nothing happened, I got impatient and bought some started squash plants. Now the seeds have sprouted. Good thing hubby likes squash.
The biggest disappointment from the last month is that I've discovered I cannot grow an avocado tree here in Dallas. After LOTS of online research, It appears our climate is too cold as one hard freeze will kill an avocado tree dead. Boo. Also they take 7 YEARS before they produce fruit. I practically eat an avocado a day so I'm not sure I can wait that long (even if it were possible).
I heard about a book called Absolutely Avocados in last month's Redbook mag. This chick claims you can substitute an avocado for the stick of butter used in chocolate chip cookies. No lie! Her food looks pretty good so I'm tempted to order the book and give it a try.
There are also quite a few home renovations in the air for this spring/summer. And I have plans to put a chicken coop in my back yard! I'm SO excited about having chickens. Lots to do - and as my dad would say - I'd "better get busy, cause times a wastin'."
Friday, March 29, 2013
Eureka Springs
My dude and I went to Eureka Springs for our 1 year anniversary. It was such a relaxing trip (even though it was freezing!) We still got out and saw some very cool things despite the cold temps.
We stayed at The Inn at Rose Hall. I highly recommend this B&B. The owner and innkeeper are very nice. The breakfast is very good and the rooms are very comfy. We definitely took advantage of the giant jacuzzi tub a time or two (with a little champagne nearby).
One of my favorite places was Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. You can read more about the awesome work these people do to care for "Big Cats" that have been found and/or surrendered by their owners. (Seriously people, why would you think a Tiger would be a good pet? FYI - they're not - don't be an idiot and get a regular cat). If helping animals is your thing, consider donating to this organization.
Another cool spot was a store called Fresh Harvest. This place is a tasting room for olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They have the standard oil and vinegar but also infuse the oils with things like Basil, Blood Orange and Cayenne (just to name a few). We had a great time checking out the different flavors and I think I found a secret weapon for the State Fair Chili Cook-Off. I took home a bunch of stuff from this place.
My favorite restaurants were Local Flavor Cafe and Ermilio's (the waitress at Ermilio's asked me if I was old enough to drink the wine and then asked hubby for my age to confirm. heehee) Highly recommend both!
And, Finally, Here are a few pics:
If you have a long weekend, Eureka Springs is definitely worth a visit!
We stayed at The Inn at Rose Hall. I highly recommend this B&B. The owner and innkeeper are very nice. The breakfast is very good and the rooms are very comfy. We definitely took advantage of the giant jacuzzi tub a time or two (with a little champagne nearby).
One of my favorite places was Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. You can read more about the awesome work these people do to care for "Big Cats" that have been found and/or surrendered by their owners. (Seriously people, why would you think a Tiger would be a good pet? FYI - they're not - don't be an idiot and get a regular cat). If helping animals is your thing, consider donating to this organization.
Another cool spot was a store called Fresh Harvest. This place is a tasting room for olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They have the standard oil and vinegar but also infuse the oils with things like Basil, Blood Orange and Cayenne (just to name a few). We had a great time checking out the different flavors and I think I found a secret weapon for the State Fair Chili Cook-Off. I took home a bunch of stuff from this place.
My favorite restaurants were Local Flavor Cafe and Ermilio's (the waitress at Ermilio's asked me if I was old enough to drink the wine and then asked hubby for my age to confirm. heehee) Highly recommend both!
And, Finally, Here are a few pics:
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| When hubby was born, his hippie parents lived next to this artist. Apparently he's in the Louvre and NYC Modern Art Museum. From the hills of Arkansas to NYC - who knew? |
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| Cool little amphitheater |
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| I love Irises - there are lots in this area. |
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| The Crescent Hotel is supposedly haunted. We didn't see any ghosts. |
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| Thorncrown Chapel - Beautiful and Peaceful - http://www.thorncrown.com/ |
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| Cheers to 1 year of marriage! |
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| Our beautiful anniversary cake from Frosted Art Bakery in Dallas, TX. |
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| Me and my man. He's a cutie. |
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| A little gift from hubby...he did good! |
If you have a long weekend, Eureka Springs is definitely worth a visit!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Getting older
So here's the biggest difference I've noticed between 20 and 30 - there seem to be more wrinkles around my eyes when I smile. Like when you're 20, you have two wrinkles around the eye but when you're 30, you have five. What a difference it makes. I can still pull off a fairly young woman if I wear jeans and a t-shirt and keep my face perfectly neutral. But the minute I smile back and those tale-tell crinkles pop up, it's evident I'm not a college girl anymore.
"Yes ma'am", they say as they pack my groceries.
The store clerk looks at me again as she scans the bottle of wine, gauging my appearance. The freckles throw her off a bit. The minute I smile back at her she doesn't even card me.
Dammit.
"Yes ma'am", they say as they pack my groceries.
The store clerk looks at me again as she scans the bottle of wine, gauging my appearance. The freckles throw her off a bit. The minute I smile back at her she doesn't even card me.
Dammit.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Review: Roots Juices
So, I have been reading a lot on Juice Cleansing. Some people say its great; some say it's terrible. Honestly, I don't know so I decided to try one for myself. Fortunately, Dallas has a company that delivers "freshly pressed" juices right to your door: Roots Juices. I read through every inch of their website before ordering. I even read some of the online reviews. I was a little concerned because one review stated they had bad customer service. I can honestly say that was not my experience at all. I opted for the 3 day cleanse (I just wasn't sure I could actually make it 5 days on liquid only) and placed my order. It was not cheap but I didn't expect it to be. $150 for 3 days worth of juices.
DAY 1:
I wanted to start on Monday (the 28th) so I called and talked to Brent. He said it would be no problem and advised me to order online and put in the notes section I wanted delivery on Monday. Monday morning they dropped off my 3 days worth of juices in a reusable bag. They even sent me a text after they dropped the juices at my door saying "Your roots juices have arrived!" Here is what they looked like after I got them in my fridge:
They included a handy chart showing the order for consuming these juices. I started with the Wake Up: a mix of carrot, apple, ginger and watermelon. So far so good. I'm not a fan of carrots but I liked the spice of the ginger. I didn't miss eating breakfast because I'm not a big breakfast person anyway. I usually just eat a piece of toast in the morning to settle my stomach so I can take my vitamins.
Next on the list is Refresh: cucumber, lime, mint, apple and ginger. I thought this one was pretty tasty. I could definitely taste the lime and cucumber. Again, I wasn't hungry at this point. In between I sipped on the Aloe Vera h2O (filtered water with aloe vera). It just tastes like water. I do notice a slight headache. Most likely, this is caused from the lack of my cup of morning coffee.
Time for Juice 3. Oh no! No no no no no. This juice is called Restore and the first ingredient listed is BEETS! I have a specific dislike of beets from my time doing the Tracy Anderson Method. (You can read about that here) The other ingredients in this juice are carrots, apple, aloe and ginger but I can tell from the red color I won't be tasting anything but beet. I removed the lid and gave it a little sniff. Yep, beets. All the way. You can't mistake the dirt smell. But I signed up for this voluntarily so I take a little sip. And make a face. Another sip. Another face. I can tell this would look disturbing if someone could actually see me. I'm not a fan of this juice. Let's just hope my body is thanking me deep down.
Juice 4 is called Lean & Fit. It is pretty much straight up grapefruit juice. The label says it contains mint but I didn't taste any. I have to say, this one tasted awesome after the beet juice. It was almost enough to wipe away the memory of the horrid beets. Almost.
At 5 pm, I started Juice 5 - Go Green. It has celery, kale, spinach, romaine, cucumber and lemon. Again, this one is good. I taste more of the cucumber and lemon than anything. I am still not hungry. I think it's because my body is saturated with liquid. I'm still fighting the headache but overall I'm feeling pretty good.
I get home around 6 pm. It all of a sudden hits me. I'm hungry. I know my other half is going to eat soon so I opt for taking an early bath to get away from dinner. He's in the kitchen cooking chicken in our grill pan and IT SMELLS SO GOOD. I try not to think about it and after my bath I move on to Juice 6 - Health Nut Almond Milk. All I can say about this one is YUM! It is, by far, the best of all the juices and helps fill me up before bedtime.
DAY 2:
Today my headache is gone and I start the process all over again with the Wake Up Juice. I'm feeling pretty good and not hungry at this point. The day goes well until I have to drink the beets (blah). I manage to get them down.
A girl in my office asks me about the juice cleanse. When I start describing it, she gets a terrible look on her face and says "Just hearing about this makes me want some cheese fries with ranch." (By the way, this chick eats cheese fries 2-3 times a week and she's not fat. She purposely abstains from putting anything healthy in her body.) I tell her my body internally cringed from the thought of all the fat in cheese fries. Hydrogenated, fried junk just sounds gross right now. I'm not judging because there are times when I want that stuff too, but right now is not one of those times.
I had to go to a work-related happy hour with some people in the evening. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. Fortunately, alcohol also sounds gross right now. A guy from work offered to buy me chicken fingers and a glass of wine on Friday to celebrate the end of my juice cleanse/sobriety. I told him I was good. Really - chicken fingers and wine? Um, No.
I'm TIRED and a little hungry when I finally get home. I drink the Heatlh Nut Almond milk (still yum - it's kind of sweet) and go to bed early.
DAY 3:
I got out of bed at 6:20 am! I never wake up that early. I was at my office by 7:35; also an unusual occurrence. I am feeling great. My skinny jeans are fitting nicely today (a little loose even). My work BFF came in at 8:30 and cautiously entered my office. I think she was surprised when I greeted her cheerfully. She had this "Who are you?" look on her face. She asked me how much weight I had lost. Honestly, I don't know because I didn't weight myself before and I wasn't doing this as a weight loss plan. I can tell my clothes are fitting a bit looser. I also did not work out during this 3 day period because I was a little scared of pushing it.
One thing I will say - I am a little tired of drinking so much liquid. Most of it tastes great and I am feeling good but I really want something solid at this point. I'm hanging in though. When its time for the beet juice, I delay. Opting to sip on the Chlorophyll h2O a bit longer...
I still don't like the beet juice but the Lean & Fit after it is my new favorite. I finished the day and was just a tiny bit sad I didn't have any juices to drink the next day. I thought about going another two days but I have to confess, I was a bit light-headed the evening of Day 3. I took it as a sign I needed to start back on regular food.
Overall, I really liked this 3 day cleanse. I was concerned about going back to solid foods, afraid it would throw my body into shock. Lots of people asked me if I was going to have a cheeseburger. I opted to ease back into food with carrots and celery. Later I had a salad and french onion soup. No bad side affects.
I'm not 100% sure of the benefits of juicing but I can tell you I felt like I was doing something really good for my body. It also helped me kick the coffee habit and I haven't started back. If you've been thinking of juicing, I'd say give it a shot. Don't let my dislike of beets dissuade you either. They are only in the one juice and beets have tons of health benefits. Roots Juices has created some great products and there are other varieties of juices besides the ones included here (I'd like to try the Watermelon Cooler and the Pear Pleasure). Check it out, give it a try and let me know what YOU think...
DAY 1:
I wanted to start on Monday (the 28th) so I called and talked to Brent. He said it would be no problem and advised me to order online and put in the notes section I wanted delivery on Monday. Monday morning they dropped off my 3 days worth of juices in a reusable bag. They even sent me a text after they dropped the juices at my door saying "Your roots juices have arrived!" Here is what they looked like after I got them in my fridge:
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| So Cute! |
They included a handy chart showing the order for consuming these juices. I started with the Wake Up: a mix of carrot, apple, ginger and watermelon. So far so good. I'm not a fan of carrots but I liked the spice of the ginger. I didn't miss eating breakfast because I'm not a big breakfast person anyway. I usually just eat a piece of toast in the morning to settle my stomach so I can take my vitamins.
Next on the list is Refresh: cucumber, lime, mint, apple and ginger. I thought this one was pretty tasty. I could definitely taste the lime and cucumber. Again, I wasn't hungry at this point. In between I sipped on the Aloe Vera h2O (filtered water with aloe vera). It just tastes like water. I do notice a slight headache. Most likely, this is caused from the lack of my cup of morning coffee.
Time for Juice 3. Oh no! No no no no no. This juice is called Restore and the first ingredient listed is BEETS! I have a specific dislike of beets from my time doing the Tracy Anderson Method. (You can read about that here) The other ingredients in this juice are carrots, apple, aloe and ginger but I can tell from the red color I won't be tasting anything but beet. I removed the lid and gave it a little sniff. Yep, beets. All the way. You can't mistake the dirt smell. But I signed up for this voluntarily so I take a little sip. And make a face. Another sip. Another face. I can tell this would look disturbing if someone could actually see me. I'm not a fan of this juice. Let's just hope my body is thanking me deep down.
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| Oh the horror of the dreaded beet! |
At 5 pm, I started Juice 5 - Go Green. It has celery, kale, spinach, romaine, cucumber and lemon. Again, this one is good. I taste more of the cucumber and lemon than anything. I am still not hungry. I think it's because my body is saturated with liquid. I'm still fighting the headache but overall I'm feeling pretty good.
I get home around 6 pm. It all of a sudden hits me. I'm hungry. I know my other half is going to eat soon so I opt for taking an early bath to get away from dinner. He's in the kitchen cooking chicken in our grill pan and IT SMELLS SO GOOD. I try not to think about it and after my bath I move on to Juice 6 - Health Nut Almond Milk. All I can say about this one is YUM! It is, by far, the best of all the juices and helps fill me up before bedtime.
DAY 2:
Today my headache is gone and I start the process all over again with the Wake Up Juice. I'm feeling pretty good and not hungry at this point. The day goes well until I have to drink the beets (blah). I manage to get them down.
A girl in my office asks me about the juice cleanse. When I start describing it, she gets a terrible look on her face and says "Just hearing about this makes me want some cheese fries with ranch." (By the way, this chick eats cheese fries 2-3 times a week and she's not fat. She purposely abstains from putting anything healthy in her body.) I tell her my body internally cringed from the thought of all the fat in cheese fries. Hydrogenated, fried junk just sounds gross right now. I'm not judging because there are times when I want that stuff too, but right now is not one of those times.
I had to go to a work-related happy hour with some people in the evening. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. Fortunately, alcohol also sounds gross right now. A guy from work offered to buy me chicken fingers and a glass of wine on Friday to celebrate the end of my juice cleanse/sobriety. I told him I was good. Really - chicken fingers and wine? Um, No.
I'm TIRED and a little hungry when I finally get home. I drink the Heatlh Nut Almond milk (still yum - it's kind of sweet) and go to bed early.
DAY 3:
I got out of bed at 6:20 am! I never wake up that early. I was at my office by 7:35; also an unusual occurrence. I am feeling great. My skinny jeans are fitting nicely today (a little loose even). My work BFF came in at 8:30 and cautiously entered my office. I think she was surprised when I greeted her cheerfully. She had this "Who are you?" look on her face. She asked me how much weight I had lost. Honestly, I don't know because I didn't weight myself before and I wasn't doing this as a weight loss plan. I can tell my clothes are fitting a bit looser. I also did not work out during this 3 day period because I was a little scared of pushing it.
One thing I will say - I am a little tired of drinking so much liquid. Most of it tastes great and I am feeling good but I really want something solid at this point. I'm hanging in though. When its time for the beet juice, I delay. Opting to sip on the Chlorophyll h2O a bit longer...
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| I had to post this pic on my friend Bryan's Facebook wall. We were huge Adam Sandler nerds in high school. In response to the pic he wrote: "No, I will not make-out with you!! On with the Chlorophyll!" |
I still don't like the beet juice but the Lean & Fit after it is my new favorite. I finished the day and was just a tiny bit sad I didn't have any juices to drink the next day. I thought about going another two days but I have to confess, I was a bit light-headed the evening of Day 3. I took it as a sign I needed to start back on regular food.
Overall, I really liked this 3 day cleanse. I was concerned about going back to solid foods, afraid it would throw my body into shock. Lots of people asked me if I was going to have a cheeseburger. I opted to ease back into food with carrots and celery. Later I had a salad and french onion soup. No bad side affects.
I'm not 100% sure of the benefits of juicing but I can tell you I felt like I was doing something really good for my body. It also helped me kick the coffee habit and I haven't started back. If you've been thinking of juicing, I'd say give it a shot. Don't let my dislike of beets dissuade you either. They are only in the one juice and beets have tons of health benefits. Roots Juices has created some great products and there are other varieties of juices besides the ones included here (I'd like to try the Watermelon Cooler and the Pear Pleasure). Check it out, give it a try and let me know what YOU think...
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Texts from my husband:
J: You have a warrant out in Farmers Branch?
Me: No. Why?
J: You got a letter for not paying a ticket.
Me: What letter??
From when?
What date?
J: Gaw!!!!!!!! 7/17/2011
My wife is a felon :(
Me: I'm not a fu*king felon.
How much?
J: $100 I think
Me: Is there a website?
About to pay it right now.
J: Costs $25 to pay online
(At this point he emails a copy of the letter to me at my WORK email with the subject line: Felony Warrant)
Me: It's NOT a felony, asshole!
Me: And it doesn't say there's a fee
for paying online.
J: Yeah, I just read it again...
Maybe some conjugal visits when you're in jail?
Me: No. You're ill.
Worst husband ever.
J: Best husband ever for sticking by my wife,
the criminal.
Me: No. Why?
J: You got a letter for not paying a ticket.
Me: What letter??
From when?
What date?
J: Gaw!!!!!!!! 7/17/2011
My wife is a felon :(
Me: I'm not a fu*king felon.
How much?
J: $100 I think
Me: Is there a website?
About to pay it right now.
J: Costs $25 to pay online
(At this point he emails a copy of the letter to me at my WORK email with the subject line: Felony Warrant)
Me: It's NOT a felony, asshole!
Me: And it doesn't say there's a fee
for paying online.
J: Yeah, I just read it again...
Maybe some conjugal visits when you're in jail?
Me: No. You're ill.
Worst husband ever.
J: Best husband ever for sticking by my wife,
the criminal.
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