Back to Blogging

Well, well, well. It has been some time since I have written a post over here! 

I've been through a whirl wind of things since my last posts in January, when I was laid off. So let’s catch up!

It took a fight and several weeks... almost two months to get my unemployment checks coming in, but finally it came in. My claim was set to expire on January 17, 2015... one year from being laid-off. I was going about applying for jobs, and joined a fantastic MOMS Club in the months after being laid-off. My life came to a crashing halt when my husband was injured at work and then hospitalized with a serious Staph infection that got bone deep. He was placed on a continues drip antibiotic via a PICC line and sent home for 6 weeks off work and a weekly, at home nurse changing the PICC line site and drawing labs, to keep an eye on how it was fighting the infection. During his first week at home something seemed off. He was continuously growing more and more fatigued, sleeping almost all of the days and nights. It was addressed but dismissed until he broke out in another high fever, landing us back in the ER room. This was the day of my daughters very first dance recital, and I had to miss it (However she was able to perform because my in-laws took her for me). 

After many more hours in the ER and almost having to be readmitted because of insurance issues, he was given a new antibiotic that was a daily dose instead of a continuous drip. This medication started working immediately and he shown great improvement over the next few days. We fought back and forth with the workers comp insurance... it was (and is) a royal pain in the neck! We still have yet to receive any funds from his 2 months off. That was JUNE people! Get with the program, it's August.

In all of this drama, stress and financial hardship, somehow... before my unemployment claim expired I received a letter stating I had "exhausted all unemployment benefits"... How can this be? Unemployment lasts a year! I did that calculations, knew how much I would be getting and then so did they. How could I run out before my claim is up? This I still don't know. We had some issues with  Scott's original position he was suppose to go back to, which I am not comfortable discussing on a public blog, but let's just say we instantly had a huge financial change in our household. 

In April I picked up a very part time job playing Disney Princesses for events and Children's parties (No I do not work at Disney Land... I still have yet to go there). It is very fun, but very part time. It pays very well for the time I am a princess so it has been a huge help. This brings me to another point. Why the heck can't I find a job? I have lots of experience, good references and even a fantastic letter of recommendation! I have applied for hundreds, possibly thousands of jobs since January and have managed to land 3... that's right only 3 interviews. One never called back and for that I am glad for, it would have been an awful job, only contributing to our stressful situation. I have a second interview for one, and one tomorrow morning. 

I have NEVER, EVER had a hard time finding employment. I also wasn't as picky about my needs either. Having a child comes with responsibility, which I have, and money. Money really is the issue. I am not above working many jobs, but I can't take jobs that I can't place my daughter in a safe, affordable preschool/daycare. I truly desire to work no more than part time until she is in school and even then I want flexibility to drop her off and pick her up, or at least one of them if Scott can do the other. I am forced to battle internally with what is more right to do. When I did work full time I had such a small amount of time with her it really wasn't fair to her. I also made the decision to go for a career and get back in school, cutting my time with her even shorter some days. Being unemployed has given me so much time with my daughter and I am truly blessed by this.

So here is my dilemma, which caused me to write this blog. I have potentially two opportunities in the near future. I may have to turn one down because I can only see it taking away from my time to look for a better paying job, with more advancement opportunities. The other I may have to start out low on the pay scale but have better advancing opportunities. I just can't see taking a position that only hinders our situation, without a foreseeable advancement.

 I am a firm believer in the Bible and Jesus. God provides. He does, He always has. This isn't our first go around with a financial hardship, I mean we got married right as the recession hit and have been through 3 lay-offs in 5 years. He has gotten us through and shown His faithfulness. It is hard to see past this point right now, but I know He can and that is what I keep trying to focus on. Today was probably one of the harder days as I sat down to see what next months budget will possibly look like. It is never comforting to see more outgoing than incoming. 

We have been racking our brains on how to lower the outgoing, but unless we "give back" our Jeep and commit financial suicide... and career suicide as a person going into the accounting field... we can't see how to lower our outgoing. I have cut every place I can cut so I have put my trust in the Lord again, and wait for Him to show me what He has in store because it is now beyond my control. Applying for jobs is only part of the battle and I am doing my part. 

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" -Phil 4:19

So God I say to You: I am grateful for all You do in my life. You see the needs of my family and my individual needs. I ask for You to provide and guide me to make the correct choices that align with Your will. Give me faith unshakable, even when everything seems hopeless. 

Amen.

Announcement!

So many people are reaching out on Facebook saying they want or need help in different ways to get weight off, and be healthy. I believe I can help. In addition to this blog I have decided to dedicate another blog to putting as much information as I can out there for helping people who want to be healthy and maybe aren't quite sure how. That blog is called Food and Fitness Friday.

I am so excited for it! I am always spreading my new found health and fitness knowledge with people (or old found health and fitness knowledge with new people). If you know me, you know I have talked about it. That is because, as some of you know, I had to go on a journey of discovering what healthy was so I myself could get healthy. This blog is going to be a space where I will be talking about the things that can help people get healthy. I give them advice and tools they refer back to in case they forget anything.

Please check it out, subscribe and please spread the word. I have a welcome post as of today and have already prepped my post for Friday!

Thank you in advance!

Here is where I find myself

It has been a while since my last blog post... why? Because I have... I take that back... HAD no time. I was working full time, going to school full time, being a Mom, starting making and selling my own jewelry, and let's not forget staying in shape. So how do I have time for this post? Glad you asked...

Today I am officially UNEMPLOYED. Not by choice, I have been laid off. 

Naturally, I cried my eyes out, thought of all the horrible things that will happen without the amount of money I was making, and filed for unemployment. After speaking with my mother in law who happens to be a Human Resource Manager, we figured out approximately how much I will pull in while on unemployment and talked about how this may actually be a blessing.

I realized I get to be a stay at home mom again. I don't have to pay someone to watch my child (which if you don't know it cost upwards of $550-$1000 depending on whether it is an in home daycare or a preschool with daycare... if you are thinking Yikes, you would be correct), I get to teach her more, see her more and experience more with her which was the plan when I had her. When my husband was laid off I had to changed that plan and now I am literally forced into it again. 

I also now get to enjoy being a house wife. I get to have time to clean my house, and cook! OH I love cooking these days (when I have the energy, which work zapped me of most days). I am into healthy food, farmers markets and trying new recipes and I can take my daughter to the farmers markets for some local cheaper, organic foods! Teaching her how to be healthy and getting her outside. 

Some other blessings I didn't think about at first is, I don't have to DRIVE an hour in traffic each way to work!!! YAY!!! I hate traffic! HATE IT! No more of that! Also more time for the things I want to pursue:
Music. My awesome husband got me a microphone for Christmas and it hooks up to my mac, (which I am learning how to use more and more) and to the system at church! 
Jewelry. I have been making Jewelry. Uproar Jewelry check it out. 
Also... I can draw... did you know that? Well now you do. Tonight I went to one of my favorite stores of all time, Hobby Lobby, and purchased some things for jewelry, a pastel chalk sketch pad, paint, paint brushes, and blank canvases. Should keep me busy when I need an outlet.
School. I don't have to stress so much about fitting my homework and essays into such small time frames, maybe even double up and finish sooner!

The last thing that has been pointed out to me is, I get to be picky about a job. I don't have to take a job I don't want. I can ask for the wage I think I deserve and get good benefits that we need. 

In all of this I see the scary side too, but I have to know and trust that God has me, he has control and "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:26

I matter to God and he puts us through things to make us stronger. A friend told me tonight from a sermon he saw "your muscles won't grow without lifting weights, and your faith won't grow without a little hardship". This is something I needed to hear. We will get through this and we will be stronger. 

Thank you to all of my friends and family that are praying and looking out for us. You truly touch my heart with your kindness.

Glorious

Today was a fun day. It started off annoying because I was tired and not wanting to dealing with a fussy almost 3 year old.

We woke up, I Vlogged my #VEDA topic right away because of the prompt for VEDA day 18 and we went to the early service at church. Immediately I regretted that... if you click on the link you will see I am not a very good morning person. I didn't have coffee, my husband was going golfing after church and that left me to go to the grocery store with a whiny almost 3 year old by myself, then to my house to clean... which my house was in serious need of.

I managed to take care of all of that and listen to my very favorite book "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon while cleaning. This really perked up my day. Listening to my favorite book and accomplishing something much needed while my daughter napped (YAY for Nap time!) was really uplifting. I stopped when she woke up because it's almost impossible to clean while she is up. I couldn't believe how much I got done while she napped! I have so much more room (for activities... hope you get that reference) after rearranging the living and dining rooms! I mean, not a ton this place is small, but more free space which makes me happy.

After a bit I headed to my friends house to pick him up and carpool to another friends birthday party at the lake. There was good friends and fun there. I rented a paddle board for the first time and took turns with the kids giving them a little ride each before having to return it for the night. It was a great work out and my daughter was watched by friends as I took kids out. My husband finally got done with his long day of golf and I was really glad to see him. My daughter was in a great mood after her nap, an although I would have loved one myself earlier in the day, the day still turned out to be pretty darn good.

Switching Subjects...

School is going extremely well and I am writing an essay on Exercise and Obesity that I plan on sharing here after it is finished in the next month or so.

Glad I finally had time to write a blog post. Feels good, just like today.

"Never Wax Your Hoo-Ha!"

I saw this posted on Facebook posted by Wive Approved's page and laughed so hard I had to share!

NEVER WAX YOUR HOO-HA

All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless hair removal - The Epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now....the wax. Read on..........
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids.

I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: 'Maybe I should get the waxing kit from the medicine cabinet. So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.

It was one of those 'cold wax' kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be?

I mean, I'm not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!) So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ('Cold wax,' yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull.

It works!

OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin Extraordinaire. With my next wax strip I move north. After checking on the kids I sneak back into the bathroom for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet...

Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my hoo-ha and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (it was a long strip).

I inhale deeply and brace myself.... RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!..... OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!
Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip.

CRAP!

Another deep breath and RIPP! Everything is spinning and spotted. I think I may pass out.... I must stay conscious.... I must stay conscious. Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe.... OK, back to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip!

There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip... it's not! I touch....I am touching wax. I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake ... Remember my foot is still propped upon the toilet? So I put my foot down.

Sealed shut! My butt is sealed shut. Sealed shut! I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself 'Please don't let me get the urge to poop....my head may pop off!'

What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand in the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right ???

*WRONG!!!!!!!*

I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together, is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub.....in scalding hot water. Which, by the way, does not melt cold wax.

So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cemented myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter.

'So, my butt and hoo-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!'

There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, 'Are we talking cheeks or hoo-ha?' She's laughing out loud by now ... I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night.

While we go through various solutions, I resort to trying to scrape the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better than to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace.....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, but I really don't care.

'IT WORKS!!

I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!

So I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I'm going to try hair color......how bad can that turn out???

So I am doing it again

VEDA!
 

I can't come up with a clever title

I miss blogging. I really need to find time to write more often and more regular.

I am going into my 3rd week of online college tomorrow at Grand Canyon University, and it's a pretty easy class right because it's University Success. University Success focuses on the online navigation through the system they use (LoudCloud) and navigation of resources you can find online. SO being from the technology age and having grown up using computers and having to type my papers in Jr. High and High School this class is easy. This doesn't mean it's not time consuming. I spent a good portion of today doing a "Scavenger Hunt" for a ton of things GCU has available online, I could find it on my own but they made an assignment where I actually needed to create a word doc for it and turn it in... it was like 6 pages long....

I am going for my degree in accounting, and since this class focuses on communication and navigation it will be interesting to see how you have discussion questions and classroom conversations in mathematics. I mean posting a question about a book or getting an opinion on psychology is different because you can have opinions and different points of view but in Math... 1+1 always = 2... so I think it will be interesting to see how that goes.

On the other hand in my personal life I am running 2 5k's in the next 2 weeks and ate like crap this weekend. I had a TON of fun with family and friends, but I had the 4th of July BBQ and 2 birthday parties, then a night out with friends at an Irish Pub and then hit up a lounge so alcohol was involved and most people are aware they don't really make "skinny" drinks calorie wise. So this next week is shape up and work it off week to say the least.

Aside from that I am pretty sure I am going to have a blast at these runs... Call me crazy but yes fun! One is an after dark run through the old part of downtown, the other is Rugged Maniac which has over 20 obstacles! I can't wait!!! I am doing both with friends so it should be hilarious!

I finally made time a few weeks ago to add some songs to my YouTube page so check these out!


Now leave a comment and have a good rest of your day/night!