No regrets!

Hello, my friends. 

Last night, I was what you called "tuckered out" lol! I had a busy work week and hit the gym yesterday and had a badass workout. I burned 1545 cals. I was in ketosis. I could tell by the way I felt. It's good. Means I was using fat stores for energy. But wow, I could have in fact...eaten a horse! haha! 

Then I took the boys to a carnival from 1-5. We met some friends there and it was gorgeous weather,  a perfect day to be outside all day. So a great workout combined with busy boys and fresh air meant a ready for bed Tami!! And I went on the Slip Knot ride. Being in mid-air, no gravity for a few seconds is....fun!! :) 

I put the boys to bed and then closed my eyes for a few minutes and woke up at 9:25. My first thought was.....Game of Thrones had started and I missed the first 20 minutes. Noooooooooooooo!!! :p So, I just went back to bad knowing I could watch it on HBO Go today. But the great nights sleep does have me feeling great today. We need awesome, restorative sleep! Does a body a lot of good. Heading to the gym again this morning. The badass workouts do make me feel sooo good. Relieved of tension and stress and just more myself. Try it! 

One of the first things I saw this morning was an article about berries and how they can help to clear the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain. I'm telling you, eat berries and eat a lot of them. They are so so good for you. Check out the article. There is also a slideshow of other brain superfoods. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/27/berries-brain-toxic-proteins-accumulation_n_3133953.html?

I don't have a ton to talk about this morning. I wanted to make the point about berries again for sure. I just want you all to stop spending a ton of money on anti-aging products when so many of them are within our grasp already just by the way we live. With the foods we eat, water, nutrients, exercise. That really is the way to go. 

Go about your day and stay true to yourself. Find your center. Find calm. Find peace. Learn from every experience that comes your way. Remain in the moment, practice patience. Learn to just go with the flow and trust your path. And be fearless. Don't be afraid to admit you're wrong and make mistakes. We all do. And do what you can to change things. It's better than sitting around with regrets. Honesty and communication are huge tools to go with the flow and living the life you want. The most important thing is to know who you are. Be aware of the patterns and the paths you've gone down and discover if it's truly what is good for you, especially if there have been signs some of your choices have not been the greatest. That usually means we use our brain too much over our heart and soul. Thinking too much rarely leads to the right place. To a happy place. We often tend to go to a comfortable place because that's what we're used to. But is it really what is right and good for you? Stepping outside of your comfort zone and embarking on a new journey, a new way...can lead to happy and fulfilled. 

Enjoy the day and have no regrets. The biggest failure is to have regrets on your choices. They are in the past and you can make your choices today. You can learn and grow and move forward. 

I would say this is my theme song for the day! haha! It was a great song long before Inception came out! :) Edith Piaf was an amazing woman and I love love love this song. 

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh.....at yourself" - Ethel Barrymore. 

xoxoxoxo

Tam

A Woman Has Said! :)

Hey yous guys! :) 

I didn't blog yesterday! I felt so bereft! But it was a crazy week and Thurs and Fri were especially busy with horrible traffic and other things. Then yesterday morning I realized I was out of coffee. *horror music*. I suppose I could write in the evenings but I think it's better in the morning for some reason. And I'm usually fine. 

I don't trust myself to write much of anything without my morning coffee. I had some green tea in the morning which I usually have later in the morning but switched things around and ended up having coffee when I got to work at 10. It was not good and I felt out of whack all day. Amazing that the one big mug I have in the morning makes that much of a difference. I don't drink it all day and yet it would appear I do have a dependency on it. Hmm. Something to think about. Do I try and get rid of this addiction? I don't have any other vices so is it really such a horrible thing to be dependent on? Especially when I focus the rest of the day on water and green tea? And I do love the morning ritual. I like making a pot of coffee. I grind the beans and make the coffee. I'm not a fan of the Keurig as I just don't like the coffee it produces. I hear certain brands are decent. I don't know. It takes me very little time to make a pot of coffee so I just stick with that. 

Soooo it would appear I am not giving up coffee anytime soon. My name is Tami and I am addicted to morning coffee! So be it! :D

I recently found a recipe for a homemade scrub which includes coffee grounds. So see, if I don't make the coffee and drink it, I won't have fresh grounds for the scrub. That's my logic and I'm sticking to it! hehe! Hush!! :p

Just as everything else we need for our own fountain of youth is out there in nature already, the same goes for what we put on our skin. It is so easy to make our own products with stuff we have around the house that is so much better for us and cheaper than buying it . This scrub I found is amazing and I think I'm going to try to make it today or tomorrow. A lot of the scrubs out there including the apricot scrubs can be too harsh on the skin and actually break the capillaries. For this scrub don't use anything courser than what is produced. Since I grind my own coffee, I can pretty much make it as fine as I want to. 

The ingredients for your own Coffee and Cocoa scrub. 
1/2 Cup of fresh coffee grounds
1/2 Cup of baking Cocoa
1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Honey
1 tsp Almond Extract. 

You don't have to add any extract to the scrub. It is going to smell like coffee either way and if you're fine with that then leave it out. I love the smell of almond though. Try to use a batch in about two weeks when kept in the refrigerator and if it hardens just warm it up a bit and/or add a little bit of milk. I don't know about you but something this fresh with an expiration date seem so much healthier for my skin. I'm sure we've all heard the benefits of honey and coconut oil. Now lets go into why this scrub is so great. The caffeine reduces redness and inflammation and evens out the skin, there are more antioxidants in cocoa than red wine OR green tea, honey is also a great antioxidant that helps to keep the skin hydrated and fresh and protects the skin from the sun; helps acne and absorbs impurities, and coconut oil smoothes and moisturizes; protects from microbial infection and contains vitamin E and protein. 

There are so many recipes for at home facial products. I am sure I will be talking about many more. For a quick idea of things you can do. If you want relaxing bath use rosewater and coconut oil. For a skin moisturizer use honey and olive oil, for an anti-redness facial use egg-white and lemon juice and another scrub you can use is honey and brown sugar (just try to avoid eating that one! haha!). Pretty badass right? And I bet these things help you more than any fancy schmancy product that costs $100 a jar. Let me know how they work! I love to hear it. If you have a teenager with acne issues, try the coffee and cocoa scrub. I bet I hear positive feedback. I love that so! :) 

Another confession is that I am a complete nerd. I even surprise myself how much sometimes. I grew up with Star Wars, love it! I also like Lord of the Rings and other things. I'm into the Walking Dead and now love Game of Thrones. I am completely caught up and ready for the new episode tonight. I don't like most TV so I've been watching 2 1/2 seasons of GOT in the evenings. Now what am I going to do?? haha! Read more of course. One of my favorite characters is a small part who shows up in season 2. I now want to get another kitten and name him after the character. Jaqen H'ghar! What a great name!  He's my latest "fictional character" crush from a TV show. I have had naughty dreams about two other characters on TV. Sawyer from Lost and Daryl from The Walking Dead! haha! I wonder when the dream about Jaqen H'ghar will happen!! ;) 

Here is a small bit from it and why I like him. Don't worry it doesn't give anything away. "A Man Has Said" :) 

I'm off! Going to hit the gym for a kick-ass burn and then taking my boys to a carnival in the afternoon. You all have a great day! 

xoxoxoxo
Tam

Tummy trouble?

Last night was another full moon. The first full moon of Spring. The April pink moon is the most powerful full moon. Did you harness the energy? I wrote another post about the full moon last month.
Usually it is a time when you say "It's a weird week" or "Such a strange day. People are weird today". And then you find out it's the full moon. I have been more groggy and waking up earlier and my kids have been a bit whinier. It is definitely not a good time to make rash decisions or discuss sensitive subjects but we all end up doing it! :)

Yesterday was a very long day. Work was fine but the traffic to and from was awful and then a parent/teacher conference. And my boys were both tired and cranky. I think I was a little cranky by the end of the day too.  It's these kind of days that make you say "Calgon, take me away!!" And bed is very welcoming. My son is doing very well in school though! He's almost done with kindergarten. How did that happen?? And my little guy starts in September, 2014. My babies are growing way too fast! She did prepare me about what to expect in First Grade and where he needs to be for that. But she said he's doing just fine as long as we keep doing what we're doing.

There really isn't a good segue into my thought for the day so I am just going to get into it. :p

I have been thinking of my stomach. I am not a fan of it. Two pregnancies and c-sections haven't helped! There are things we can to to help this problem area. Keep in mind it may not be perfect but it can be helped. Start by drinking a lot of water! I always stress about drinking water. I know so many that cannot stand the taste of it but just keep it up. Make it a normal part of your day. Force yourself. And before long you will get used to it and start craving it. Drink a lot of it during the day and especially before every meal. Eat slowly, never skip breakfast. Of course there are the obvious ones like reducing your salt intake and limit alcohol consumption. I know the last one is a bad one to realize but it is very true and will help your stomach area a lot. Cut out fast food. Incorporate plenty of fruits and vegetables and fiber rich foods. DON'T STARVE YOURSELF.

As far as exercise to get a flat stomach. Do cardio. Try to get 20 minutes a day. Jumping jacks or running up and down stairs is good if you don't have access to anything else. Work on your core. Planks are a great core strengthening move. I love planks! Do reverse sit ups. Do push ups the right way. Go swimming. Even proper posture helps with a flat stomach as it requires using your stomach muscles during the day. And try and get 7-8 hours of sleep every night and avoid stress where you can. Stress is a huge culprit to health issues including an iffy stomach area.

Time to skedaddle. Have to get my boys and I up and around and out the door in an hour. No problemo! :) Have a great Friday! I work 11-7 today and work tomorrow 10-5 and then I have Sun/Mon off. Will figure something fun to do as the weather is supposed to be nice. But you know what they say about the weather in CT. If you don't like it...wait a minute. ;) I need to get another hike in!

Again not really related to the post but I love this song. And this group. Probably one of the most underrated bands from the 90's. Enjoy!! :)

Have a blessed day!

xoxoxo
Tam

Insane in the memBRAIN?

Mornin' Sunshine! 

I hope you're all having a great week. I know life gets stressful and hectic and sometimes anything but enjoyable. We have worries and long days and financial concerns and health issues. Just try and find your center. Find calm and peace if you can. Anywhere you can. Chaos doesn't contribute much to calm but you can decide to find it if you want to bad enough! :)

For me, having energy is pure mind over matter some days. I am healthy and eat well to help it but I do have two high energy little boys. There is no sitting and playing with dolls. haha! I cannot fathom what that is like. And I don't imagine that will end anytime soon. If ever. I fully see myself at games and other activities in the very near future, cheering them on from the side. I really can't wait for it! But today I get them both to school and then work from 10-6 and then I have my oldest's parent/teacher conference at 7. Will come home and spend some time with them before bed. Then it's my turn to collapse. I am kind of addicted to Game of Thrones now and have been catching up with it on HBO GO. I have watched season 1 and 2 in 10 days. Now up to the latest season. I have four episodes to watch before the new one Sunday night. After Lost I was not sure I'd ever find shows I love as much again that suck me in. The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones has done it. Woo! 

I have talked about taking Ginkgo Biloba to help my "Brain". And I am not sure if it's helping anything. And as I've mentioned before it makes me a little nauseous. The good news is there are a lot of other things we can do to help the brain and improve the memory function. Eat a brain-healthy diet. Ahhh, it always seems to come back to what we eat doesn't it? :) 

First of all, we can enjoy coffee and pure chocolate. Both are shown to be beneficial to your brain over time. Eat whole foods. Focus on fish, especially those rich in Omega-3's. Nuts, grains, fruits and vegetables and lean protein. Try to limit red meat and processed foods. The whole foods means those with as few ingredients as possible. Simple, healthy, clean. Incorporate as many antioxidant rich foods in your diet as possible. I have talked about kale many times. Other great sources include all dark colored berries, fruits like plums, onions, beans and wild Alaskan salmon. And if you aren't eating vitamin rich foods, then be sure to supplement with folic acid, B6, B12 and Vitamin D. And finally, scientific studies say that fasting for 12 hours a night might help. Ketone bodies which occur when there are no carbohydrates to burn can protect brain cells. So try to eat larger meals earlier in the day and a lighter dinner and no late night snacking. 

Food for thought! 

Have a lovely day! I will catch you on the flip side. 

"The only way to have a friend is to be one" - Confucious. 

xoxoxoxo
Tam

Words to Live By? :)

Good morning my friends. We made it to Wednesday! 

What mottos do you live by? Do you go about your day thinking certain thoughts or reminding yourself of certain things? Whether you're struggling to live healthier or be more positive or be happier, what do you do each day to help with that? It all begins with how we think. And what we do about it. 

I have said I'm a spiritual person and I truly believe that things happen for a reason and that all the experiences in my life are connected to a much bigger picture. I think this is why I try to stay positive and not let any experience keep me down for long. They are there for a reason and learning from them makes them at least worth the time spent.  I also feel like an important thing to remember is that action speaks louder than words. We can talk all day about what we want to accomplish but sometimes less talk and more action is the key. Oftentimes the more we say the more people can discourage and possibly even make you second-guess. 

Try to lead your life from the heart. Follow it. A great mind is a wonderful thing and it helps us accomplish a lot but the heart knows what we need to be doing and most of the time lets us know if we are self-aware enough. Those hunches and gut feelings are usually right. Mine often leads me right even when I'm trying to ignore the messages. 

Believe in yourself. Believe in YOU. Believe in what you want to do. If you don't believe in you, nobody else will. Focus on what you can do and what you know you can do and work to  learn and accomplish things you aren't great at yet. Don't let people discourage you. Don't give them that energy to determine your life. At the end of the day you know what you can do. Also, just be yourself. Don't take yourself or life so seriously. There are a lot of awful things out there but we can't let them determine who we are and how we feel about ourselves. I stopped trying to make people like me which is side effect of our 20's I think. I just focus on being myself and laughing at myself and my quirks. I am what I am and those that truly "get" me will stick around and accept it. Those that don't...won't really be missed will they? :) 

I think the biggest mistake I make is procrastination. I have so many ideas but allow my hectic schedule to delay. I can find a way to get things done I just need to figure it out. I will. Who knows how long we have. Don't wait until tomorrow. Try to accomplish as much each day as you can. Baby steps leading to your goal are so much more important than doing nothing. That was a huge lesson I learned and something that helped me lose the weight I did. I stopped thinking of the bigger picture and how daunting it was and just took it a day or week at a time. The small, healthy losses added up much faster than I thought they would. Time flies. We know that. And I kept thinking that the days, weeks, months will pass anyway. So what if it takes me awhile to lose weight. Either I can choose to lose the weight and slowly change my life over those days, weeks, months or I can stay the same. And I kept thinking of a year from that point. And thinking of how awful it would feel to know I could have done SO much in that year but didn't. So I chose to do it slowly, surely and healthy. That is the way, my friends. The only way! :) 

Have a beautiful day and decide how you want to live and figure out the steps to live it. We all deserve that. 

"The possibility of stepping into a higher plane is quite real for everyone. It requires no force or effort or sacrifice. It involves little more than changing our ideas about what is normal" - Deepak Chopra

xoxoxox
Tam

No fussing and fighting, my friend.

Hi there. It's Tuesday which means it's back to the grind for me. :) It's all good. I like routine. It keeps things somewhat calm in my extremely hectic world. 

My grandmother is not doing very well at all. I am trying to figure out when I can get out there for a couple of days to see her. She has been doing poorly for some time and has the aneurysm. They were waiting for the pneumonia to pass to operate. Apparently she has too many other issues and is not a good candidate to operate. She will go to a rehab facility to heal from the pneumonia and then go home.The operation could have killed her but now she will wait for the aneurysm to go. 

These times come and I am so sad especially because I haven't been able to see my family as much as I would have liked in recent years. She has been feeling so bad for so long that I think everyone is ready (including her) to end the suffering. I do need to get out to see her. I was her first grand-daughter. Many of my favorite childhood memories include my grandparents. I was the only grand-daughter for some time and was surrounded by boys. So my grandparents on my dad's side would take good care of me. My grandpa would spoil me. The former Lt. Col in the Army who fought in WW2. I had him wrapped around my little finger. We were very close. He died when I was a Freshman in high school and he is waiting for her. So my heart is hurting but I don't want her to suffer anymore. That hurts too. 

So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers for strength and ease while dealing with this. I would greatly appreciate it. :) 

I hope you all find a way to make it a good day. Do something for yourself. It's not a bad thing to put yourself first. So many say they put their own needs aside for the needs of others. And many of us juggle that. However, when it comes to how you feel. Your health, appearance, etc...you deserve to make that a priority because it will help your energy level both mentally and physically and you'll be of more use to your loved ones then. So make it a priority to get some exercise every day. Eat healthy. Take a bubble bath. The better you feel the better you will be for yourself and everyone else. 

My son Sammy took a photo of me! haha! So funny. Blurry is a good look! :) 

"Life is very short and there is no time for fussing and fighting my friend" - The Beatles 

God bless! 

Tami

Buy a plant. Make a happier home. :)

Hello there. Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine was really nice. :) 

I had a great workout yesterday! I actually broke the elliptical, haha! I have it set to the highest level and was using my arms and legs to pull hard and suddenly the resistance gave! Whoops!! I always joke that there is smoke coming out the back when I'm on it. And I actually broke the machine. Too funny! When did I become Wonder Woman?! ;)

I am in need of new athletic shoes/sneakers. Mine are way old and have a hole. Yikes! They are Asics and they have been great. Lasted a LONG time. But they are a little on the pathetic side now. I have heard the Asics Gel Kayanos is a great shoe though I like Nike as well, especially as it's a Pacific NW company which I try to support. Hmmm, decisions! I need something soon though. The amount of cardio I do and my assy lower back needs good support. 

I have a serious addiction to sweet potatoes. I bake and eat one almost every day. They are high in antioxidants, a good source of carbohydrates and natural sugars to help regulate blood sugar levels and are rich in digestive fiber. They are also an excellent source of folate so they are a great food to eat if you are pregnant or trying to conceive. And they are nutrient dense and very helpful in supporting the immune system. They are rich in potassium which can give you more energy and help prevent muscle cramps as well as regulate blood pressure. There is so much more information about these amazing little vegetables. I know some are very anti-sweet potato but if you do like them, try to eat them as often as you can. 

I think I am going out to buy a plant or two today. My mom had an amazing green thumb and our living room looked like a garden growing up. And she took the time to nurture them properly. There is so much good to having them in your home. And part of my bucket list is to have them and keep them alive!  I did make a garden when I was in high school and grew several vegetables. It was all going so well but then I over fed them! :( 

Apparently the Areca Palm, Snake Plant and Golden Pothos are the three plants that will improve the air quality at home. Having these plants in your home has the potential to increase the oxygen levels in your home and help reduce headaches, asthma and eye irritation. Other benefits of plants can be better immunity, lower blood pressure, reduce carbon dioxide and clear congestion among other things. And studies have shown that being around plants can make you happier, improve mental health and make your brain work better. And did you know that exposing your children to plants from early on can help them build a tolerance to the allergen? It's like a natural allergy shot. Amazing right? That might be why I didn't really have allergies early on. Our house was full of them. And I've had more allergies since moving out and not living with a lot of plants. Very interesting indeed !

So let's see. If you do two things today. Or buy two things. Let them be sweet potatoes and a plant or two! :) 

Enjoy the day! Just be happy. Don't worry, be happy! lol! Don't let anyone else determine whether or not you have a good day. 

Listen to this. I love this song by Mumford and Sons and this acoustic version is really pretty. 

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned" - Buddha

xoxoxo
Tam

Enjoy your day! :)

Good morning all! Happy Sunday! 

I didn't blog yesterday. I was so tired and ran out of coffee. I didn't trust myself to write with that morning brain fog. I think you'll all appreciate that too! :) 

Had a good Friday and Saturday. Regarding Friday night, I will plead the 5th about what I did. That's for me to know. :p. And Saturday was good. I spent some time with friends. Got to hang with my "bud" Jessie who I don't get to see as often as I'd like. Stinkin busy life! She is the Lucy to my Ethel. We "get" each other and our sense of humor is the same so it's always nice hanging with kindred spirits like that. We both attended an "at home" party for skincare products. We got facials. So much fun. The company is Arbonne. It's not as big here in the states but I was impressed with their line. A bit on the spendy side but when it comes to great products to put on your skin, sometimes the better stuff is more expensive. And not full of disgusting fillers. In all honesty, the stuff that is allowed to be put on the shelves here is enough to make you throw up sometimes. Both in food and skincare. But the Arbonne products are all natural and full of good stuff. Many of them are Vitamin-C based which I've said before is great for anti-aging. 

Today I am heading to the gym and have some cleaning and laundry to do. Yep, that's how it rolls on my days off from work. I try to keep it up during the week but it's tough. That saying that cleaning with kids around is like shoveling during a snowstorm is very accurate. And laundry and dishes.....are the devil. They never end!!! 

I would like to ask for prayers or good vibes for my grandmother. She has been in bad shape for awhile. She's a toughie and holding on but she has been back in the hospital with pneumonia and is in need of surgery. She has an aneurysm in her lower aorta and the surgery was post-poned due to the pneumonia. I am preparing to get out to the West Coast. (She's in Washington state). 

Have a lovely Sunday. Enjoy each other! 

xoxoxox
Tam

Negativity stinks!

How do you keep negativity from your life? It's everywhere. There is so much violence in the news and  people being less than nice to us. Both people we know and strangers. You try and try to live a positive life and surround yourself with people that are positive and encouraging. Honest criticism is fine if it's helpful and done in a nice way. 

I try and keep things positive and just limit the negative. Unfortunately there will always be those in your life who feel the need to spew ignorance and make little jabs. Even though the truth is something else altogether and has nothing to do with their comments. There are those that feel inferior and have to do what they can to belittle others so they can make themselves feel better. I guess it really is a reflection of them and who they are and how they feel about themselves and at the end of the day has nothing to do with us. 

It was nice to see strangers helping each other in the wake of the Boston bombing. It is amazing to see the humanity when such horrible tragedies occur. I just wish it didn't take these awful events to be humane. These are people that were walking next to each other moments ago, maybe annoyed when someone cut in line to buy something or someone is in the way. Little, everyday things that people get irked by continuously then immediately into helping those same people. It does say that when the going gets tough, people do the right thing. I guess that is the important thing. 

It's a short one today. I just had these thoughts based on some things said by people the past couple of days and the negativity involved. I never understand it. Some feel a need to be brutally honest when it really is nothing that is beneficial to you and is only their opinion which is sometimes better left unsaid for the sake of relationships. Just because you think something doesn't mean it has to be said. Learning to be tactful and edit yourself does a lot more. Think before you speak. 

So yes I got rid of the "Ombre" hair color. And back to dark brown. Whaddya think? With a cameo from my son Sammy! :) 

Have a lovely Friday everyone! Keep it positive and enjoy it. 

xoxoxoxoxo
Tam

Go Jay Bukowski!!

Good morning! 

I hope you are all having a good week. Mine is pretty decent. Quiet and calm. That's always a good thing. I do so love calm. :) 

I see that those in Russia have now over taken my German audience. Interesting!........sooo Здравствуйте, мои русские друзья. Надеюсь, что вещи хорошо путь там! I totally Google translated that. :D Such a cool looking language though! 

What does tam mean in Russian? That tends to be my nickname a lot. ;)

My meals yesterday. I had coffee in the early morning after 24 ounces of water. Then I drank an Odwalla Berries Go Mega smoothie on the way to work. I also had a green tea and more water and munched on nuts (cashews and almonds). For lunch I had my spinach salad piled high with cucumbers, bell pepper and shredded carrots with grilled chicken and had another Odwalla C-Monster smoothie. I am keeping my immune system in fighting condition as I can tell my body is fighting something this week. And then for dinner I had some chicken and a baked sweet potato with a little honey and cinnamon on it and broccoli. Then my boys and I shared some popcorn. They are popcorn addicts! 

I also had my daily multi-vitamin and Gingko Biloba too. I am not sure if the second is really something that works for memory, etc...there are mixed studies. And I find it actually does make me a bit nauseous which is annoying especially since my multi-vitamin does not. Hmm. I will finish the bottle I got at least and will decide if I want to continue with it. 

My boys practically wrestle over who gets to sit on my lap on any given day. It's pretty hilarious and sometimes taxing when my little one is throwing a tantrum and my bigger one has his sad face saying "But I want to sit with you". I can't clone myself. They are cute though!!

Kind of a quiet day and I have to get up and around and head to work here soon after I drop my son off. It's Spring Break around here but because my son missed a ton of school due to the blizzard we had, he only gets tomorrow off. :( 

I had to share this laugh. My oldest, (in the photo above) asked me "Hey mommy, is Jay Bukowski alive or dead because he makes the greatest songs".........I said "Jay Bukowski? I have no clue who that is".............and he starts singing "Duh duh duh duhhh duh duhhhhhh" (It sounds a lot like the march from The Nutcracker)...and now I understood that Jay Bukowski is Tchaikovsky! Hahaha! Classic! :) 

Have a lovely day!! 

xoxoxoxo
Tam

Truth.......or Dare?? ;)

Namaste! Happy Wednesday! :) 

It's a fairly quiet week at work but it's good. My work is never truly caught up and I usually just keep things under control. However there is always extra paperwork that needs to be gone through and cleared out which is what I'm working on this week. 

I had a nice surprise. My friend stopped by to drop off a little gift for me. Something small. She was at the mall and saw a key-chain with Audrey Hepburn on it with her quote "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says "I'm possible". Thanks Katie!! That is one of my favorites. I love her too and I love that my friends know me and see something that positive and it makes them think of me. I feel like my goal of living a positive life and really being ME is truth. Awesomeness!! :) 

Some other random facts about me if any of you are interested. I love old war movies and westerns. I grew up with them and my family loves them. Clint Eastwood and John Wayne rock. One of my favorite movies EVER is a 70's war movie called Kelly's Heroes. Has Clint and a bunch of others. Both my parents love it and it just makes me all nostalgic. I just recently got a vintage Pyrex bowl set off of Etsy for the same reason. My mom had the entire set and it just makes me feel like I have a piece of home with me. I love Broadway shows, my favorite cereal growing up was Golden Grahams, I've gotten Migraines from the time I was a little girl but they have eased the past couple of years. I was recently diagnosed with an astigmatism which may have contributed to them. But with pregnancy and becoming a mommy, I don't seem to get them as much. Possible body chemistry change?? Lets hope I didn't just jinx myself. *shudder*. Star Wars is like a family member. I am into the vintage, classic, fun style of home decor and Pinterest is inspiring me to up-cycle everything. Not really into "modern" styles very much. I like warmth, softness, comfort, welcoming. I have mentioned my liking certain trends here and there and that's true. I don't like them because they are popular and celebrities wear them. I like them because I like them. That's my style! :) I have two friends that are fashion forward and own boutiques. Perhaps they can get me to be more of a fashion diva! Hehehe! And my favorite style of home, at least here in the United States are the Craftsman homes, especially the Craftsman Bungalows. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. So much charm and character and coziness. Ahh. Perfect. I have an entire board on Pinterest for them. 

I have realized to be happy I need to incorporate certain things into my life. Actually I need to stop doing certain things. And I am succeeding so far. The first is I just remain true to myself. I am a nice person. Sometimes too nice. I used to have an assertiveness pact with my friend and being more assertive is good but at the same time I like being a nice person. Not a door mat. A nice person. I feel like I'm honoring my mother by being the kind, fair and well-mannered person she raised. 

I've stopped worrying about the future so much and stressing about what's happened in the past. Neither of these things has anything to do with the present. Yes, making plans is good and ensuring my boys futures is important but worrying about what may or may not happen is not going to do any of us any good. And what's done is done. The past is over with. We can't change anything but we can learn from it. And honestly, what's happened to us good and bad are what makes us tick and what makes each of us individuals and interesting. How boring if we all lived normal, un-eventful lives!! haha! Having stories to tell is good. 

I've learned to stop thinking so much. Thinking causes worry way too often. Feeling and doing is so much better. Live each day as it comes. Feel. Let your intuition guide you. Follow your heart. Stop focusing on what you don't want. Focus on what you do. Avoid the drama. And let go of what does not serve you or enhance your life. 

I also stopped trying to make myself happy through other things. Mine was food for a long time. We numb ourselves with things. Whether it be drugs, alcohol, salt, sugar, gambling, sex. These are all ways to avoid reality and get through life but it's not helping much if you aren't fixing the issues causing you to turn to these things. I was so unhappy within myself for so long and food and allowing myself to be out of shape was a suit of armor of sorts. It made me feel safe. But I was miserable. Now I am living the life I should have been living all along. And have the stamina and confidence to enjoy myself. Of course I have insecurities but they don't define me or my happiness anymore. 

And a huge one is I stopped worrying about the opinion of others so much. Yes you want to please certain people in your life and the opinion of my mother drives me to be a certain way. I'd say inspire. She was a strong woman and she taught me not to wallow in self-pity. But I live my life for me. I don't worry about what others think. Like I've said before, the ones that are true friends will be there anyway and support you anyway. It's quality not quantity.

I asked to separate and divorce at 6 months pregnant with my second child with my entire family on the other side of the country. I just knew in my heart and soul that things would never change and I didn't want to stay in a miserable situation for the rest of my life. I said I'd rather be alone than deal with what I was dealing with. I'm sure there are many that judged or thought things about me but what can ya do? I can't force people to think a certain way about me based on minimal information. If they want to make a decision and not really get to know me or understand why then that's on them. I know the truth and God knows the truth and my true friends know the truth. That really is all that matters.  It has been an interesting few years though. :) 

Lastly, some truths. If I were to describe myself...I'd say I'm genuine, friendly, funny (I think I'm pretty quick witted and it's the little things in life that make me laugh a lot), reliable, strong, sensitive (too sensitive sometimes!! I fully admit that!), sometimes stubborn and I can be opinionated but I don't think I'm ever unfair. I think my expectations of people make me irritated at times. I don't deal well with irrational or diva like behavior or those that need to bring negativity. I just don't know HOW to deal with them as it's not my way so I'm left just being me and going about my day anyway. I talk and laugh and have fun. When I get quiet is when you know something is wrong or I'm overwhelmed with life. When I was little people would say I talked too much. So I started talking fast so I could get everything said in a shorter period of time. :p So yes, me quiet is usually indicative that I'm not myself. 

Anyway....enjoy your day. Just be you. Diversity is a beautiful thing.  

"Instead of jumping at the chance to be offended, choose to be amused. Rather than filling your thoughts with resentment, fill your heart with forgiveness" - Ralph Marston

God bless! xoxoxo
Tam

Love yous guys!! :)

Hello all. 

Feeling so sad and just don't understand the senseless violence in Boston yesterday. To think people can't even participate or attend something as innocent as a marathon. They didn't go there to talk about politics or religion. They went to run. People in peak physical condition wanting to do something amazing. But then I live close to Newtown, CT where another senseless and heart-breaking tragedy occurred in an elementary school. And I have friends in Colorado where attending a movie turned tragic. And of course I don't live far from NYC and saw the smoke billowing in lower Manhattan the day of September 11th. 

How do you wrap your head around this? I know countries across the world have been dealing with this kind of violence for a very long time and it's always saddened me. The frequency at which it's happening in this country is now alarming. Whether it's an act of terrorism or a very sick individual, how do you prepare yourself and your children for a world like this? I know the United States is a target. I come from a big military family which two grandfathers who were Lt. Colonel's in the Army so   I am patriotic and support our military but I just wish it didn't have to be this way. I know that's pretty naive and simple. But I do wish it. I wish I was raising my boys in a peaceful world but it's terrifying to think they will deal with far worse than I ever have in my life. But it's not like violence in the United States is new. Crime has always been around. And yet here we are wondering what the hell is going on. I guess there really are no words or explanations for such atrocious acts. 

So my heart and prayers are with the people of Boston today. It's one of my favorite cities as I am a history nerd. And one of my very good friends lives there. Love you guys! Stay strong!! 

My thoughts today are on giving each other and ourselves a damn break. There is so much ugliness and hatred in the world and here many of us are treating ourselves poorly. We are all so hard on ourselves to be perfect and look a certain way and feel inferior if we don't. That needs to stop. I know I am probably idealistic. Sue me! I just wish everyone could relax and not be so stressed out about everything and be more accepting of each other's differences. One thing I love about this country is the fact that everyone has different heritage and background. I am a complete mutt and I love that. I have ancestors from England, Scotland, Ireland, France and I think there are some that are Mediterranean. I also have Native American on both sides. My great aunt even found out I'm related to Pochahontas! Sweet!.... I think the mix has made me look more European and even in high school I had newcomers wonder if I a foreign exchange student. When I went to Italy they thought I was Italian or Greek. It's cool though. I love being a mutt! :) 

I have pale skin and some freckles, and darker eyes and hair. I have a scar on my forehead from tripping when I was a little girl and needing stitches. I have a c-section scar, and scars on my leg from riding my 10-speed bike and crashing it when I was a teenager and I have a burn on my arm in the wrist area from when I took culinary classes and was turning the big beef bone and the grease splattered me.  It is what it is. I've decided to accept what I am and just own it and make the best of it. I don't really have a desire to be super tan. I look weird when I am. I will try trends here and there but I don't consider myself trendy. I like vintage, I like classic but I do like some current things like the Chevron look. So pretty! And there are parts of my body I am less than ecstatic about. What are ya gonna do? I am a human being, not a robot. I think when we all just relax and accept ourselves life becomes easier. Not easy...easier. We aren't going to please everyone. Just focus on being yourself and being happy and healthy and the rest falls into place and those that are meant to be in your life will be there. Those that don't want to be there based on superficial things are not worthy and you won't miss them in the end. Plain and simple. 

I've had a few days off. Partly from being sick and also just my normal days off. I am feeling better! More myself. I have normal energy and have had some good workouts which always helps me feel more ME. I did color over the red part of my hair last night. No more ombre. It was fun and I may do it again but for now it's back to my dark brown. And I have plans tonight. ;) 

Have a great day everyone! My Boston friend posted this last night and it's a great message. Not the Coca Cola part. No SODA!! lol!! I'd like to buy the world some water and green tea! :) Gotta love the 70's! I'm pretty happy turtlenecks are not as in style as they used to be. They make me feel like I'm being strangled. Eeeeessh! ;) 

Have a blessed day!! xoxoxox
Tam

It's a LONG Way to the top! :)

Good morning everyone. Or afternoon/evening if you're reading this then! Or are in Europe. :D Hi to my German friends again. I don't remember a whole lot from high school but I do remember "Ich bin sehr mude"....hehe....aren't we all? 

I do seem to be much better. Thank goodness! I knew I needed to take it easy for a couple of days. My body told me to chill and I did and I feel pretty good. I go back to work tomorrow and my goal was to feel more myself by then so I think I accomplished that. I'm not used to feeling like crap! I started watching Game of Thrones this weekend too. Started at episode 1 and got through 3 of them. Good stuff. And very juicy!! ;)

Today is April 15th. Tax day! I got mine done. I'm getting a tiny bit back from the United States and a bit more back from Connecticut. How nice. :p As Benjamin Franklin says "In this world nothing nothing is certain but death and taxes" And 2013 marks the 100th anniversary of the income tax. I'm sure 100 years ago it was a much simpler set of rules as a much smaller percentage of people were taxable. All right, deep breath everyone! It's almost over for at least one more year. 

On that note..........I am looking to incorporate more yoga into my life. I'm sure my friend Jessie will get a laugh out of this based on the last time she saw me do it. I am admittedly a pretty clumsy person. I am amazed I can do the elliptical without falling off. Or even go hiking with the roots everywhere. Amazing I can be sure-footed when it comes to that but the freezer door kicks my butt and I fall backwards off my bed. I also shut my head in a door before. So we will see about yoga. The time I went with her I didn't have my own mat and had to use one of the floor mats which is much thicker than your traditional yoga mat and I couldn't get a good grip with my feet doing some of the balance poses. So when doing the tree I would fall over and yell "Timberrrrrrrr!" lol! 

It is a cool pose though! Very zen! 

I remember doing the strength moves well. The balance and flexibility are another story and I think I can benefit by incorporating that practice into my life. I know it is very good for the body and mind. And with so much around me trying to keep me from feeling calm I need all the help I can get. So we shall see. I have to limit the weights which I've talked about before. 

If you are thinking about trying yoga and don't know where to start the first thing to ask yourself is what you want to get out of it. There are so many variations of it that you can certainly find what you are looking for. It doesn't have to be about downward dogs only. I may just try different things and see which I like. I think the power yoga classes might be good for me. I do like to sweat. Though a more zen, relaxing type might be something to consider. With everything around me so fast paced and busy...having a reason to slow down is good. Along with meditation of course. 

Well, I will start and see what happens. And I will report back. If any of you have any good tips for me then I am all ears. I will still get my kick-ass sweat on the elliptical too. Oh, I didn't tell you I broke the machine! I have it at the highest level and I was using my legs and arms to pull it so hard that the resistance suddenly gave as I was mid-stride! I had to go tell the staff the machine was broken. I have often joked that there is smoke coming out the back when I'm working out. Apparently I don't know my own strength!! haha! 

As in anything, practice makes perfect and hopefully I will go from a yoga newbie to an expert in no time. In the words of AC/DC, It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. Words to live by.  Keep that in mind when doing anything. It just takes time to get things perfect if perfection ever happens. 

Love this song! One of my favorite rock songs. Angus Young is so young!! 

Have a lovely day, my friends!

xoxoxo

Tam

Just as long as you stand....stand by me. :)

Happy Sunday all!

I seem to be doing a little better. I went to bed early the past couple of nights and rested most of yesterday. Took my vitamins, drank tea, water and today I forced myself to exercise and sweat out the germs. I also got some fresh air which helps a lot. I have loaded up on the Vitamin C and had plenty of liquids which helped. 

All in all I do feel much better than I did on Friday. I am still weak and not myself though so I will take it easy the rest of today. As much as my boys will allow of course. They provide a lot of love and snuggles which is always helpful. But with the cold not lasting very long...... either it was a short cold or my body is just better at fighting things off because of the healthy living. You decide. :)

I was thinking about what it means to be successful. In anything really. Life, relationships, health, work....whatever. I was successful in fighting this cold because I took pretty immediate action and listened to my body. I think the same immediate action is what can help success in many aspects of life. If you're trying to lose weight or just live a healthier lifestyle there are traits you can try to add to your life that can help with that. As I've said before, keeping it simple is so important. The harder you make anything the harder it will be to maintain. Also, try to avoid being perfect. That is only going to lead to frustration because nothing ever really works out exactly as you think it will. Leaving room for error and recognizing it and learning from it is more important. Keep things positive! 

Making smart goals and informed decisions is also important to be successful. Too many people act rash and take action based on too much emotion in any given circumstance and end up realizing their mistake when it's too late. Also, when making plans you need to be smart about things. Having goals and things you want to achieve is great but you do need a game plan that can be smartly incorporated into your life that way other aspects don't go to crap as you are trying to achieve something. 

And remember, being busy does not mean you are being productive. Learn to use your time wisely. Sometimes taking baby steps that are thought out and slowly moving in the direction you want are better than taking a huge leap but going about it all wrong and ending up back where you started from. That is the way I went about losing weight and being healthier. Small, healthy baby steps leading in the right direction continuously. And while heading in that direction be sure to keep the people around that are encouraging you and helping you. The ones that are negative and trying to bring you down are never going be helpful unless it's to give you that extra push you need to never be that way. 

I am going to snuggle up and watch a movie with my boys. What energy I had to get some exercise and do a few things around the house is slowly waning. I am better but I definitely don't want to get worse again by being an idiot! lol! 

Love this song. I have sung it to J.T. since he was just a couple of months old. The movie Stand By Me is great too. It was filmed about 20 minutes from where I grew up in Oregon. Enjoy! It does make me miss River Phoenix a lot though. Ughhh such a loss! :( 

xoxoxoxo
Tam

I'm Sick! Grrrrrr!

Hi all. I am sick. Have a fever too so going to take it easy today. My head is fuzzy and my entire face feels like it's in a vice and writing a blog is way too much for me today. haha! I did down an Odwalla C Monster yesterday and will drink another today. 1500% Vitamin C. Kickin this colds butt! Will do the apple cider vinegar in water too. (It works, I tell ya!)

Stinkin weather fluctuation. I barely had the sniffles this Winter..and it's 80 degree weather then back to 40 degree weather in the course of a day that kicks me booty. It always happens to me! I called it!

Hopefully I'm back in normal blog writing form tomorrow but I can't make any promises. Enjoy your Saturday.

xoxoxoxoxo
Tam

Skin on Skin...let the love begin!!!

Well, despite my efforts to keep it from happening I do believe I have a head cold. Grr. I knew it with this damn weather fluctuating. I am pretty fuzzy headed. Either it's a cold or allergies are really kicking my tush today. 

I will be eating very healthy, drinking plenty of water and green tea and taking my vitamins and the length of the cold shouldn't be too bad. I'm strong and healthy thank God but I simply cannot be sick. It's not an option single, working mothers like me have. :) So mind over matter, I will not be sick. I WILL NOT BE SICK!! Ommmmmmmmm! ;) 

I wanted to talk about skin. We all have it. :D.......it's our largest organ. So we need to take better care of it. There are several natural things you can do to help maintain healthy, youthful skin. It doesn't have to be complicated or cost an entire paycheck going to a spa to accomplish. 

As I always say, DRINK WATER. I cannot stress enough how important water is to your health and appearance. I can tell immediately if I don't have enough. I am more sluggish and I just don't look as awake. My skin looks thirsty if that makes sense. 

Make sure your diet includes a lot of antioxidants. Foods like seeds, nuts, raspberries, spinach, blueberries (Dark colored fruits and berries) are loaded with them. And of course the green tea. Try to make these foods a regular part of your diet. Also include healthy fats. Olive oil, salmon and again the nuts are so good for you both inside and out. Try to make your plate rainbow colored in the foods you're eating to help combat the free-radicals that can age us. And if the warnings about sugar weren't already scary enough, did you know sugar can damage collagen and elastin and cause wrinkles? *Cue horror movie music*....And get your Vitamin C and use a cleanser that contains it. Research suggests that skin that is exposed for a long period of time can produce eight times more collagen. 

Other things you can do to create your own fountain of youth include plenty of sleep, exercise, limit sun exposure, do a body cleanse regularly to rid your body of the toxins that age us, use natural household cleaners and natural cosmetics and body creams and cleansers and buy a plant which can purify the air! I don't have the green thumb my mom did (She was amazing! She could take a piece of one plant and turn it into another plant!) but I will try! 

I know the limiting sun exposure thing is not a great one for many, especially those that love to suntan. I don't think any of us are ignorant to the harm that prolonged sun exposure does to both our health and our skin. My skin has never behaved itself. I burn, peel and freckle. So I own it and just do what I can to take care of it. Honestly, I'd rather be pale now than look like a leather bag by the time I'm 50 but that's me. I have a quest to be a foxy grandma so leather bag skin won't work for that! ;) 

One thing I'd love to stress to the ladies in their 20's. Yes, you are young but you need to start taking care of your skin now if you want to stay looking young. I have seen a lot of teenagers and young women who look much older from the tanning and makeup and "stuff" they are doing to their skin now. If you simply take care of it you will look natural AND young as you age. Wash your face and moisturize EVERY night. Even if you're out and get in at 3am, WASH your face. Don't ever go to bed with crap all over your face. Use eye creams. Even younger women. That area is the first to go so taking care of it early on will benefit you later. 

It really is in our control how we look and how we age. Some of it is genetics yes but what we put in and on our bodies makes a huge difference. Just as eating right and treating your body with the respect it deserves is important....how you take care of your skin is just as important and your body will thank you for it. 

Have a blessed day! 

xoxoxoxo
Tami

The Curse?? Nahhhh! :) Keep it Positive.

Hello Thursday! 

It was 79 here yesterday. About 55 today. 45 tomorrow. Rain coming. There has been A/C on everywhere and now heat. This is going to make everyone sick! I know they say weather doesn't make you sick but every single time the weather fluctuates like this, I end up with a cold. I am upping my Vitamin-C and immunity boosting in any way I can with fruits and veggies. 

Men, close your eyes and go do something else. Unless you're curious and want some tips on how to deal with something we all deal with, whether we want to talk about it or not. 

I'm going to talk about something that women deal with and talk about it openly. "That time of the month". Which I am experiencing right now. Hey I said I'd talk about everything. Yep. It's a lot of fun but it's part of life. I actually like when "It" finally arrives because the days leading up to it are the worst for me, I don't know about everyone else. I am really tired and feel like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

How I felt the past week!

It doesn't affect my mood so much. I'm still happy and feel myself but the fatigue might make me a little less tolerant of BS than usual. I am pretty self aware of this though and try to just limit altercations with people. I am so self-aware that even when I was pregnant, I knew when I woke up in the morning if I was not feeling myself. I'd actually say "I'm feeling pretty out of sorts today. You might want to tread lightly!" Nice right? To get a warning? Haha! And men, this doesn't mean a cue to intentionally push buttons or constantly browbeat her about herself and her period. Just sayin'. It's not going to help ANYTHING, trust me. Just rub her back and offer her a cup of something! You will be amazed at what such simple gestures can do when women are feeling all out of whack! 

There are some things you can do to ease this dreaded time of the month. Exercise is a huge one! Endorphins are a natural painkiller and are very good at easing cramps. Also, moving your bod allows the blood to flow to through the reproductive organs which can help with the low iron that can cause fatigue. As difficult as it is to move your body when you are so tired, it does help to limit that feeling and give you more energy in the end. 

Did you know eating warmer foods during this time can ease the cramps? Warmer foods can help with those who suffer from particularly painful periods. So as much as I enjoy my salads, a bowl of soup might be more helpful during this time. My pain isn't too bad but I do feel it the first couple of days. And tea is particularly therapeutic especially herbal teas like chamomile which helps to relax the body and ease pain. And as far as specific foods, try to eat protein, healthy fats and fresh foods. They help to balance hormones, reduce PMS and ease discomfort. 

Also try to get plenty of extra rest when time and life allows. Instead of staying up to watch a show or read, maybe just hit the hay early to get a few extra Zzzz's. That will only help you feel better when your body is already extra-fatigued. I had read something about pregnancy that I think helps men to identify with their wives a bit as far as their fatigue. It said that a woman's body in their first trimester are working so hard (even at rest) to prepare the womb that they are as fatigued as a mountain climber. A period is not the same as pregnancy obviously but they are the same "gears" at work and it is a similar feeling of exhaustion. (Not to the same extreme but similar). So just try to be a little sympathetic. We (or at least I) do appreciate that!! :) 

Of course the bloat is not a fun aspect of this awful time. Drink plenty of water to help counter that. And try to limit your sodium intake which will only make it worse. Put some fresh lemon slices and juice in your water. Lemons are a natural diuretic and you will be in the bathroom a lot if you incorporate that but it does ease the bloat significantly. And as I have said before, lemon water has many health benefits. 

Have a blessed day everyone! Keep on keepin' on and try to have a sense of humor about things. That can often be the best medicine. And not being so hard on yourself and loved ones helps too. :) 

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line" - Lucille Ball

xoxoxo
Tam

Howdy! How is your Wednesday?

Hello there! :) 

We made it to Wednesday. Or "Hump Day". For me it's more of a speed bump as I work through Saturday. :D 

I'm having a bit of a conundrum. I don't want to go into the details but my big plan of keeping something a certain way doesn't seem to be working well. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to fight something, it just happens. So what to do, what to do. I suppose time will tell. Sometimes you can make all sorts of plans and figure it all out and at the end of the day, what will be will be. Que Sera Sera?? I did all that backwards and I know I did! :p

I see my checking my stats on here that the second biggest audience I have to the United States is Germany. How interesting. I actually took three years of German in high school! I don't remember a ton of it but I did find it fun. So Tag, Wie geht's?? :) 

It's a pretty short blog today. I slept in and need to get ready for work. It was one of those nights I fell  asleep around 9:30, woke up about 2 and had a hard time going back to sleep for awhile. Not sure why that happened. I do have a lot on my mind these days. I'm usually able to combat that and rest but sometimes it can get all of us. 

Just try to be positive today, do something good for someone. Despite the negativity surrounding us try and keep your smile and stay happy. Even positive affirmations about yourself are helpful. When you stop trying to be perfect and diet and do everything possible to "look" a certain way and instead focus on "being". Healthy, happy, positive, fun. It's amazing what that can do to your life. How it can transform the way you live. I am living proof of that. Of course I have insecurities. I think I'd be a robot if I didn't. We all have them but they don't have to define us if we don't let them. And we can conquer the fears that arise because of them. Confidence is a huge key to living the life you want and know deep down you can have. So many of us allow outside influences to rule this. Don't. 

Here are the glasses I'm thinking of getting. I need to just get them already. I keep changing my mind. You Danish make some fun glasses!

Have a great day everyone. Catch you on the flip side! 

And to my German friends, Auf Wiedersehen!! 

Let's finish with some Billie Holiday shall we? She's just ethereal. This my favorite tune of hers. :) 

xoxoxoxo
Tam

Available Power. I LIKE THAT!

Good morning sunshine! It is going to be 76 today in Connecticut! Oh boy! I need to get my legs and feet  ready. Haha! In need of a pedicure bad. 

Yesterday was an awesome day. It was a "ditch" day with my oldest. I've never done that before and it won't be a regular habit but I work so much and they were at their fathers all weekend and I just needed time with them. So I kept him home and spent the day with them. And the weather was gorgeous! We ran a few errands first and then went to the park and the beach and had a fun lunch. And ended up watching E.T. in the early evening. My oldest loves that movie. He's such a nostalgic kid. 

It looks like they had a little fun. :) 

en•er•gy (ˈɛn ər dʒi) 

n., pl. -gies.

1. the capacity for vigorous activity; available power.

2. a feeling of having an adequate or abundant amount of such power.

I don't know about you but there are definitely some days I need more energy. I am 

pretty conscientious about things to ensure I feel my best. I just know I won't be much good to my boys otherwise. There are some days I wake up and just feel blah and nothing I do seems to give me that badly needed pep in my step. These are the days that trying new things and incorporating them into your life is a great idea. Coffee does help some but it can often have the opposite effect overall. I am a huge fan of green tea later in the morning/afternoon. And of course drinking a lot of water helps. 

One thing to pay attention to is when your body is telling you it needs to rest. So many of us keep going and going despite our body saying "Go to bed!" I know life makes it difficult to just relax and get some sleep. Our schedules are chock full and there are only so many hours in the day. However, proper sleep is so very important and you just need to shut everything off and close your eyes and rest. Listen to your body. 

I know I am repeating myself here but please nourish your body. What you eat and drink really does make a huge difference in your energy. A sugary soda or drink might provide an initial boost of energy but you will only crash and just feel worse and that habit is one I highly recommend breaking as soon as you can. I keep mixed nuts and often have berries and a piece of fruit at my desk for that afternoon "lull". And I have water with me at all times too. Eat low-glycemic foods (complex carbs), soluble fiber, make sure you get plenty of Vitamin-C.

Try to be aware of what everything around you is doing to you. If people, places, things are draining you then you might want to think about eliminating or at least limiting these things. And at the same time try and be aware of what inspires and gives you energy and makes you want to do more. Then learn to manage your time better and figure out how and where to spend your time to use it more effectively. 

I just started using this great facial cleanser that has Vitamin-C and it immediately makes me feel more awake. It's a great way to start the day when you just have that sluggish feeling. And standing up, stretching, going for a brief walk can make you feel more energetic especially if you can get some fresh air. 

And as difficult as it is to work out early in the morning, try to do something before work. Jumping jacks, sprints, squats, planks. Something to get the blood flowing. And if you can get a great workout in then you will just set the tone for the day. 

Enjoy the day everyone. We are getting some amazing April weather here in Connecticut and I intend to enjoy it somehow. 

"Energy and persistence conquer all things" - Benjamin Franklin 

Have a blessed day!

Tam xoxo