Frustrated. {Weight Loss Journey}

I’m just blah right now. I’ve eaten crappy for the past week and I HATE how that makes me feel. It’s my fault I guess, but there really wasn’t much else to cook/eat in the house.

I’m also frustrated because I feel so overwhelmed and alone through this weight loss journey of mine. I feel overwhelmed because there is just so much out there in the “Eating Clean” world and I don’t even know where to start. Also, I don’t like spending hours in the kitchen cooking up meals. Easy is better for my life right now. I know that in order to eat healthy, I need to plan things out, which is fine by me because I’m a list maker & organizer. I just need help getting started.

I feel alone through this journey because everyone around me eats what they want. We’re Southern. We like fried stuff and sweet tea and pie. I know everyone supports me and my journey to become healthy, but I still feel trapped. Like what do I do at a get-together? I’m like the only one who eats salad, so I know there won’t be any of that. I feel stupid eating before we go somewhere. Plus, I LOVE food. It’s hard for me to turn down chips & dip or a hot dog or a cupcake at my kid’s birthday party. My husband is doing this journey with me, but he’s not doing it like I want to be doing it. He makes it really hard to diet. He doesn’t like super healthy stuff. Not all the time. And the kids won’t eat spinach or most vegetables. We can’t afford to cook different foods for everyone at each meal. So I feel like I have to just give up trying to eat "clean". I feel if I can’t do this the way I want to do it, what’s the point?

I also have back problems since giving birth, so I can’t do hard core exercises. I really injured it last time I did 30 Day Shred. We live in the country so I don’t have a neighborhood to walk around in. Our local park is all the way on the other side of town, so there’s a ton of gas I’d have to use to drive to the walking track. I don’t know what to do.
I need a support team. I need a walking partner. I need to get more organized. I just feel hopeless in this journey right now.

We bought Wii Fit and will be starting that today. It's low impact so I don't think I will see results super fast, but at least it won't send me to the doctor in pain again. I just have to stick with it.

I was doing so good when we first decided to get healthy. I lost 5 pounds by counting calories and drinking more water. But I swear, I eat one wrong thing and I’ve gained 2 pounds back. That’s my life ya’ll. I’ve struggled with weight as long as I can remember. The only time I was in shape and healthy was my Junior year in high school.

So there’s all my frustrations laid out. *sigh* Am I crazy for getting stressed?

If you have any pointers or tips or questions or whatever, email me! I would love to hear success stories or motivational tips or anything you got!

Birthdays & a Blog Hop

If you're here for the blog hop, scroll down. If you're here to read about my beautiful babies, then keep reading:)

Today, my daughter turns 5. Last Thursday, my son turned 3. And I didn't blog about it because I'm a horrible blogger! So today I'm going to celebrate BOTH of my babies being born into this world.

Let's start with Tucker, since his birthday was last week.

My baby boy. He's three now. THREE! That means next year he will be starting PreK. That means he can play team sports now. That means he's not a baby anymore. He's a full blown BIG BOY. My sweet little man is growing so much. He's right on the verge of being 100% potty trained! And he is so smart and so caring. His big sister is just his whole world. And he is surely a Mama's boy. That little boy stole my heart.

You can read about Tuck's first birthday/birth story here.

Now, let's talk about the Birthday Girl.

I can't believe my baby girl is 5. Five means Kindergarten. That means longer school days and new teachers. That means she's growing up and I'm not too sure if I like that. She's my baby. Whether she knows it or not, she taught me what true love is. I never knew that I could love someone so much that I had never even met. The moment I held her in my arms, I knew my life was changed forever. She's such a blessing to everyone who knows her. But I'm the lucky one because she calls me Mom. Even though we can get on each others nerves (because we wear the same sassy pants some days....) I still love her to the moon and back. 

Happy Birthday my beautiful princess.

You can read about Kenzie's 4th birthday here.

And don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Welcome to A Lovely Blog Hop, where each Thursday we have the grand opportunity to meet and connect with lovely new bloggers, such as myself! Now you have something to do and somewhere to go on Thursdays!

 Enjoy!

Rules (Not really rules but a guide):

1. Follow your host and any co-hosts (if it applies). Co-hosts will be the first 3 to 5 entries.

I am your host,  Rekita @ Her&Nicole and I am the first linky. 

Feel free to leave a comment and introduce yourself!

Sponsor Co-Hosts:

Alicia @ River City Chic

Elena @ Cropped Stories

2. Link it!

Link up your blog or anything else you find lovely. Share your family, fashion, food, crafts, or anything that you love this week. Please, please, please, share the love and include a link back to this blog hop.

3. Spread it!

This is a blog hop after all, so hop around! Visit other blogs and say Hi!

4. Grab it! 

Grab the button and place it somewhere in your blog or add just the link. Preferably in your blog post. 

This is to help us promote this blog hop, believe me, the more the merrier! Or post the link somewhere in your blog. 

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvrrEjs8qnmef6ZPDSzH073KjUBGnUmAo6eZkSGPx_u1lv0hQgRlg30Gp50e8L_XHrR1KDMSZJ7G3UTodSBkj6HkImotPm6Q3N8KrUjSDq8tCURy6oOvQBJzrsOgh_dYc6vMAmvZtn_0/s1600/new+blog+hop+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvrrEjs8qnmef6ZPDSzH073KjUBGnUmAo6eZkSGPx_u1lv0hQgRlg30Gp50e8L_XHrR1KDMSZJ7G3UTodSBkj6HkImotPm6Q3N8KrUjSDq8tCURy6oOvQBJzrsOgh_dYc6vMAmvZtn_0/s1600/new+blog+hop+button.png" /></a>

5. Tweet it!

Tweet

Please help me to promote this blog hop by sharing it to others. 

So tweet it to show everyone where you link up on Thursdays!

6. The most important rule of them all, HAVE FUN BLOG HOPPING!

It's a Celebration! {Giveaway}

I'm so excited to bring you this giveaway today! It's my first "big" giveaway, so let's make this super awesome, okay?

I reached 500 followers on my blog and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to THANK YOU! But I couldn't have done with without some awesome blog friends!

What can you win you ask?

How about an $80 Target gift card? Or what about a handmade wreath? Maybe a goody bag with a few of my favorite things?

Or how about ALL THREE?! Yep! One winner will take home this awesome prize! How exciting is that? All you have to do is enter through the Rafflecopter below. Open to US only. Good luck!

The winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Honey/Lemon Fruit Sauce

So, you know I’ve been trying to eat healthier, count calories, blah blah. I’m trying to be creative when it comes to healthy food. Because it can seriously be so bland. For example, ground turkey. That shiz is for the dogs. For reals. UNLESS it’s cooked IN something.

But anyways. My post is not about turkey. It’s about a fruit sauce I created and wanted to share with you!

I used fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries (my favorite!), but I’m sure you can add/take away what ever fruit you want.

Here’s the ingredients:

Yep. That’s it! I used Greek yogurt for mine, but I’m sure a Vanilla Greek yogurt would be DELISH.

Directions:
Take 1oz of yogurt, 1 Tbsp. of honey, and freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon and put in a container. I put mine in a small mason jar so I could shake it up, but I’m sure you can stir it.
And voila!

Pour over your fruit salad, and enjoy!

Summer Nights

Last Friday night at around 7:45pm, the weather was just perfect. It wasn’t hot. It wasn’t sticky (because sticky is a correct weather term around here in Tennessee). It was beautiful.

I want to move all the time, but when I walk outside on nights like these, it makes me realize just how much I will probably miss this house. All the deer, and turkeys, and sunsets, and corn fields, and summer porch sitting.

I guess you just have to be happy in the moment. Be happy with what you have, until something better comes along. I just have to keep telling myself that. It will all be worth the wait and struggle in the end.

And these two crazy kiddos are the most important reason to keep on being happy in the moment.

So for now, until our life changes in big ways, I’m going to enjoy being their mommy. And enjoy spending everyday with them at home. And enjoy these sweet, southern, summer nights while they last.

How do YOU see me?

I read something on Facebook the other day that really had me thinking. It had me thinking about how others saw me as a mother. And it sort of scared me.
Now normally, I'm not one to care what others think of me. Actually, I DON'T care what other people think of me as a person, but as a mother? That's totally different.

And here's where my concerns lie.

To the people behind me in the checkout line, staring at me and my two year old son who's literally dragging his legs and crying because I said he couldn't get the candy as I'm trying to pull him away to pay for our things with tears in my eyes because I'm just frustrated and feeling alone: What kind of mother do YOU see me as?

To the people who hear me quietly say to my children that if they walk away from me one more time or pull something else off the shelf in the store that they are going to get a spanking: What kind of mother do YOU see me as?

To the people who realize I had my first child at the age of 19, and my second at age 21: What kind of mother do YOU see me as?

To the nurses in the hospital room who see me burst into tears just from utter exhaustion after telling me that my two year old son needs to stay still to keep his oxygen levels up: What kind of mother do YOU see me as?

To my friends and family who see how stressed I get after a long day of tantrums and back talking and just plain aggravation: What kind of mother do YOU see me as?


I really want to think that the people who see me (and my kids) at my worst, can still see how much I love my babies. I hope they can see through my messy hair, ugly "mom" clothes, and tired eyes, and see that I'm trying my best. I hope they can understand that raising children is the hardest job in the whole Earth and Mothers are the most under appreciated beings.

I can't even explain to you how it feels to be a mother. It's fun. It's horrible. It's not glamorous. It's breath taking. It's pure. It's magical. It's stressful. It's crazy. It's love.

Most say pregnancy is hard. But oh my goodness, being pregnant is just the icing on the cake. Even labor doesn't top the hardest part about being a mother. It's the actual raising of the children that can just down right bring you to tears.

I'm scared to death of being a mother, but it's a little late for that.

I just pray I can raise my children to be wonderful, loving, funny, caring, smart individuals. And I hope the world can see that that's what I'm trying to do.

Mini Pool Time!

Hey people with children, otherwise known as parents! Let me tell you a little secret.
If you buy your kids a $9 baby pool from Wal-Mart, they will be entertained for hours and they will think you are awesome.

Seriously ya’ll. The way they were splashing around and laughing, you would’ve thought I had put in a in-ground pool. See, you don’t have to have fancy things to make your kids happy! (Thank the Lord).

I pulled up two lawn chairs and tanned. It was pretty hot outside, I think like 91. So I had the kids bring me a bucket of water when I got hot. #itsnotchildlaboriftheydontminddoingit *wink wink*

I actually got a decent amount of sun without burning! GO ME! I used to never burn easily until after I had kids. Put THAT in your “Pregnancy is a glorious happening” book. If there’s a such thing. Crazy hormones.

And seriously. Where are my boobs? Oh yeah, pregnancy did works on those, too. I hope Kenzie reads my blog when she’s older. Maybe I can be an advocate for teen pregnancy. “Look at my body! Look what happens!”. #sorrynotsorry

I tried to take a picture of Tucker and this is the face I got.
Then I asked him to smile and THIS is what I got next:

All I could think of was Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.

The kids had a splash war going on.

I think Kenzie won.
I’m not even sure if Tucker was participating.

Dobby got in on the action.
That dog loves water.
He tried to eat the water hose.
Have I told you how special Dobby is?

After some relaxation, we headed in for showers.

And that’s how we entertained ourselves one day with a $9 pool.

PS – The kids are getting a BIG pool for their birthday soon. They just don’t know it:)