Dealing simple

The simple things in life really are what can make the most difference. I don't know how many times I can say that.

Everyone loves getting a deal. I just scored one heck of a deal two weeks ago (thanks Today Show and Philosophy!) and that deal just arrived in the mail today. It's no secret I love a great beauty product, heck, it's a big part of my day. If you feel you look good, you often radiate happiness! I love being a part of that! What was the deal you ask?  My daughter and I happen to love Philosophy brand beauty products. Not only do they work great, smell yummy, but they have these wonderful "happiness" sayings on the their products that really promote happiness as their philosophy for living! I couldn't have found a more perfect line to fall in love with. This deal happened to not only pop up on one my my FB feeds, but was featured on the Today Show. I scored $140 worth of yummy products for only $40!!!  Bonus was they are all products the two of us use often =)  The mailman walked up to the house this morning and I think was amazed I bounded down the steps to grab that box of goodies. Simple things that make a day!

I also love things that a free, yes, you can have a ton of fun that don't cost much or without spending a dime. I hear all time from people that there is nothing to do or that they are bored. Really??  How can you find life boring? I often have to say no to activities or to going places since we just seem so busy. Can't you go out for a walk or a bike ride, feed the ducks that stale loaf of bread or left over hot dog buns since we all know the ratio there?  What about going to visit that old friend who just lives across town you haven't seen all winter?  Pick up the phone, call that long distant friend and fold your laundry at the same time, bet you won't mind that task while catching up with your buddy!  My kids learned how to sweep away boredom just the other day...

Didn't cost us a cent to just do such a silly thing. (no brooms were harmed in making this photo and were returned properly to their hanging place). 

I did take my four legged companion for a 3.5mi walk today...felt so great! After a pretty mild winter, this Minnesotan sure loves the deal of gorgeous weather Mother Nature is treating us to! Kids were out biking, walking, roller blading and I could just hear the giggles as they bounced on their trampolines as I walked by. To see all the couples out walking together and just people in general out enjoying this beautiful weathered day, well, that sure was a simple pleasure if you ask me. Free, no debit or credit card needed!  I came home and topped off my night with fresh made gingered strawberry-kiwi lemonade, made with the juicer I bought for $15 =) Priceless!

Cheers to the deals and simple pleasures in life!

Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!

It's up to you

We all know people who complain, and I'm sure each of us has done our fair share. We also know how easy it is to blame someone else and come up with excuses along the way as well.  But enough is enough and time to realize that it is up to us.

Every time I log into FB, I see so many that are constantly complaining or expressing things that they themselves are totally in control of but would rather whine about it looking for some odd sympathy from some "club" to be right there with them, or like there is some badge of honor for having a sucky day. If you offer up a suggestion, they really don't want to hear it and will often snap back at you with some excuse or angered comment on how they don't want to be in control. UGH...stop the whining...the world is full of enough 2yr olds already and we wonder why society has allowed these children to control their parents, but it is often learned to be an OK behavior from their parents. The same with politicians...whine whine whine, blame blame blame!

One cannot rely on someone else to make them happy. It really is up to us. It's not someone else's fault that you made the choice you did. Yes, you alone made that choice. At one time you thought it was the best choice to make. I can't blame the traffic for making me late, I chose to sleep in a little extra or start that load of laundry and not leave a bit early. I am the one that decided I didn't have time to exercise or make healthy meals at home, no one else but me. I am the one who thought I should burn the midnight oil and get things done or sat at the computer instead of going to sleep and now I'm tired in the morning...yep, my choice. No one told me to buy that large ticket item that I just HAD to have, now it is a bit tighter with the budget at home. Oh well...all of this is based on a choice that we made ourselves at one time or another.

I may strike a nerve here, but it is something that bothers me and I am willing to take the fall out from it.  Have you ever noticed the "battle" of stay-at-home-moms vs. working-moms??  I see this so many times and how about just saying, "we're all mom's doing what we can to survive raising our kids?"  Yes, you stay at home mom's do it all at home and do a great job of meeting your kids' needs. Yes, you working moms have that stressor of rushing off to daycare and how to make dinner when you've been at work all day. SAHM's don't just lounge around, and WM's don't get a vacation from every day life by going to work! BOTH work hard, only in different ways, and they are choices that were made by that mom.

Now, let's put that in a different way. Often we look at another's life and think they have it made...it is easier to judge someone elses life than to take control of our own. What we forget is that we all have bills, we all have obligations, we all have "stuff'' going on, but some just choose to deal with it differently.  When one complains about what is going on in their life, another may think, "man, I wish I HAD their life."

Time to buck up and take control. Break that habit of complaining and blaming. Take charge of YOUR life. Make it what YOU want it to be. We have no one to blame but ourselves, really, we don't. Find that extra you don't need, free up time and money, plan for that vacation you want or that item your family "needs".  Make time for YOU, clear the mind, and free yourself from the blame-complain game, take charge and be happy!

Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!

Lifestyle Living

What motivates you?  No really...what is your motivation?  For me, it is life. Yes, simply the joy of living life and navigating a life worth living.

In my last two posts I've shared two "goals" of mine for this year. After viewing a post on FB and Pinterest this morning, it really dawned on me...it is a LIFESTYLE (thanks SKH) that I really strive for. I have made the choice to be happy, it is so simple; I am making the choice to live in the now and to be healthy. I love it!

Every one's life is worth living. We were all placed here for a reason. Isn't that a grand thought? We all have a place! Now, we all have choices as well. With those choices come the "stuff" that goes with the choices we have made. We can chose happy, angry, negative, positive...it really is up to us! I can choose what I want to do for a living, either by what I like and am passionate about or by what I think will provide the income I need to survive. I can choose to go on a trip, to fix up my house, to go shopping or to eat at McDonald's. I can also choose to workout, eat healthy, surround myself with positive thinking people and make that conscious effort to have well being in my life. Yes, I think that is a choice I want to make!

I can't control tomorrow, nor relive yesterday. I CAN be here in the now and see what direction I want to go in.  It is up to me to make my life the one worth living. Wow, I have that much power???  I like it! It really is up to each and every one of us to make the life we want to live. I want to teach that to my kids as well. It's not someonelses fault for my mood, my choices or my lack of motivation. It has to do with me and me alone.

Now, I understand that there are things that pop up that we have no control over...but do we?  We may not be able to control some of the things that happen to us, be we do have the choice on how our attitude is and how we react to it. I didn't choose to have appendicitis last year, but I did make the choice to get right back into the swing of things. I didn't choose for my darn patio door to be a pile of crap, but I can fork out the cashola to get a nice working one and enjoy the new view and energy savings! I can also be happy for the fact that I am able to have a job to provide the funds and that I know who to call to install this for me! Yay!

Yes, life can hand us some silly cards at time, but it is still up to us to play them. I know I don't want to fold, but I can always ask for a new hand!  So start living in the now, if that means taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out and opening your eyes to a new way to see things, then so be it! YOU ARE WORTH HAVING A LIFE TO LIVE!

Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!

You are what you eat.

I saw a pin on Pinterest awhile back that stated "you are what you eat, funny, I don't remember eating any sexy beasts lately."  Cracks me up! 

I find it fitting that March is National Nutrition Month....especially since one of my other goals for this year is to once again get healthy. =)  I'm tired of having that sluggish feeling and "brain" fog. I need to get back on track with being the best me I can be!

Yes, we all have aspirations of losing weight, feeling great and being healthy. How many of us say.."tomorrow" or "next week" or..."yes, I will do that, after I loose a little weight." My hand is in the air, I am guilty!  I have once again put the many needs of my family before mine (not that it is a bad thing) and let my eating and working out habits slide into "when I get time" category.

Not any more...it's time to make sure my health is back on track. A healthy woman is a happy woman ;)  I know, I am a cornball.  Any how, it became way too easy for our family to just eat on the fly, and we found ourselves spending so much money on eating out. This is not what I wanted for my kids as I grew up with the fact that eating out was saved for special occasions. So not only to make our household budget to be on a better "diet" I am once again trying to put our family on a better whole foods and life long eating well diet.  I've started reading the book, Skinny B*tch, and find it refreshingly blunt and to the point on our health and habits, along with wonderful inside information to our food. Just what I need for some added inspiration.

No, no fads...yes, I am using a juicer, as a way to add more veggies, greens and fruits to our bodies, not as a meal replacement.  But, I will admit, this will be used as a breakfast for me since I am not one to usually eat breakfast. That is a bad habit I got into as a teen and just cannot break. I make sure the kids get out the door with a banana or toast, and on a special day a pancake or two, but now I can also give them a full glass of plenty of fruits and veggies.  I have not been a big one to get all my leafy greens in, so now I can add baby spinach to my juice and not even taste it, those strawberries sure do wonders ;)  I will also like to have this "juice" for that mid afternoon "snack attack" that I seem to get these days.

Started back at my boot camp class at the gym as well.  Wouldn't you know it, just as my body was starting to not feel like a truck ran over it after class, the session ended. I know we'll have a two week break, and I need to stay on top of things. Jillian to the rescue, she will be my trainer.  I may also finally fit in some "Fit Club" sessions as well.  I miss running...a lot. I never in a million years thought I'd hear myself say that, but I do. I have taken the steps to sign up for two races already for the "season" and am mapping out a few more. I need to do this, I will do this!  Baby steps, one mile at a time.

I was once told, part of a goal is to write it down and then tell others to help you be accountable. Please, if you see me or are my FB friend, feel free to ask me how it's going...call me out if you don't think I've been on track, I am human and can use all the encouragement you can give!  Now, who is on this journey with me??

Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!