Houston Chronicles. Chapter 1 of ?

Well well look who finally managed to find some time to sit at the laptop and get back to bloggin'?!?  You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you both boys are in the bed taking a nap.  Well believe it because it's true.  So here I am.  Woo-hoo!! Those of you that know me, really know me, know I love to write.  I am anxious to get back to writing about my passionate world of healthy living cuz' I've got some great stuff to share!  However, today is HUMP DAY and I've got a wacky wednesday of a morning to share with you.

Finally got a much needed shower this morning.  Got me and the boys ready to run some important errands that needed to be done yesterday (meaning last week).  And you moms know how long it takes to get you and kids ready to walk out the door.  It has to be a productive day, right?? As we're walking out the door Blake starts complaining of a headache.  We have nicknamed him "TD" for Total Drama as he tends to be quite dramatic about, well everything as a matter of fact.  So we stop at Walgreens for some pain reliever.  5 very whiny minutes later we're at our 1st stop at the UPS store. At the counter trying to answer the lady's questions about this retarded package I have to send back to Verizon, Blake is leaning on me wailing that his head and throat hurt.  Ryan is walking around the store touching things he shouldn't be touching.  I can't get a hold of my husband to get a question answer about this retarded package.  Next thing I know….Blake throws up all over the place.  Ha ha!  Funny right?? I hurry him outside where he proceeds to throw up all over the sidewalk next to a very swanky lunch hotspot that requires valet to park your car.  Lovely. My purse and other things are scattered on the counter inside, Ryan is just casually "hanging out", the valet guys (all 6 of them) are bringing us bottled water and a handful of napkins.  I leave Blake on the sidewalk to go back in and finish my business, round up the loose cannon, I mean child, clean up the floor, and leave. I find Blake half passed out on the sidewalk and had been given a bag (by the valet guys) to throw up in.  Mind you he is wearing a blue fever patch on his forehead and infant sized sunglasses (because the sun was hurting his head so much)…. and this look on his face as if he's dying.  Imagine the sight of us. Sigh. Back home we go.  Blake throws up more in the car (thank you God for those nice valet guys that gave him a bag!!!)  However, while tending to Blake I miss my turn.  And lemme' tell you, you don't want to miss your turn in downtown Houston.  Took me an extra 10 minutes to very frustratingly get home. Here's the great part! You then get a text asking how your morning's going.  Hmmmm.  Well how would YOU answer that? Part of me was reciting that verse in my head….This is the day that the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.  The other part of me wanted to put my fist in whatever was close by that I could punch without breaking it (my hand that is).  Quite a harried morning but I manage to find my inner calm.  It is so easy for people to look at moms and be quick to pass judgment when their behavior is bad.  Whether it be because they're short tempered with their kids or not smiling at the happy happy world of their "stay at home mom" life. Next time you see a mom like that, maybe throw a smile their way.  As embarrassed I was to be standing in puke next to this posh restaurant, in my cut off khaki shorts and flip flops no less, and I'll admit for a split second I wished I was dressed up and enjoying a nice lunch with someone, I was ever so grateful for the kind compassion of those valet guys. I somehow managed to find my inner happy place and just smile.

In closing, my heart is heavy seeing all the awful news stories about these hot car child deaths. Not that I would EVER EVER think of anything like that but you have to wonder, no matter what the case may be, what would drive a parent to that point of desperation or state of mind where they forget that they have a child in their care?  As angry as I wanted to be this morning, I had to remind myself that it could be much worse.  We are temporarily living in the medical district of downtown Houston while we await the closing of our house, and everyday I am driving by children's hospital after hospital, and/or seeing homeless people everywhere (it's quite a sheltered world out in the suburbs), and that could be me in one of those hospitals with a sick or terminally ill child.  That could be me on the street corner with a handicapped child and no place to live.  My situation could be so much worse than a pukey, whiny, wednesday morning.  I say all of that to say this: never underestimate how your kindness and/or compassion could truly affect the outcome of one's day, or life for that matter.  We are not responsible for other people's happiness because some people just don't know how to be happy.  But we are responsible for our own attitude and how we treat others around us.  Like that saying goes, you may forget what a person said to you, but you never forget how they made you feel.  And that's "all" I have to say on this Wacky Wednesday.

Stay tuned because I will be back to start sharing some great workout tips and healthy eating ideas to get you motivated for healthy living!  Because when you feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside.  Have a great rest of the week my friends!  High 5!!

The Reason I Workout

I have been sitting on this blog of mine for months now....waiting for the perfect first post to write. I love to write and I have so much to talk about but I wanted to have something profound and meaningful to say. Otherwise you wouldn't be interested in reading my blog.  For those of you that know me, know that I love to spend my time in the gym.  For some of you, I know it's a bit of a nuisance at times because aside from my family, that's what comes first in my life.  It's not that I'm just obsessed.  Really.  I'm not.  I love to be at the gym because when I leave there, I feel great about myself!  Working out has so many wonderful benefits but I think the best one is that it boosts your confidence level. Even if you're not the fittest person in the world, you leave there feeling good about yourself.  And when you feel good about yourself, you feel like you can conquer the world.  Cheesy I know.  But it's true. There is a saying that confidence is the best accessory one can own.  So with that being said...here is my awesome little story I want to share.

I have a dear friend that I have known for a few years now.  She used to keep a loving eye on my son at the gym and while it was a slow process, we became great friends.  She was pregnant with her 3rd when we met and I soon became pregnant with my 2nd. Some 2 years later this friend, I'll name "Bunny", came to me and asked me for some advice on what to do to get in better shape and transform her body.  She was always a beautiful girl but something within her wanted to make a change for the better.  She expressed an interest in wanting to lift weights but was too intimidated by the machines and weights.  She was always comfortable in the back of the gym using the cardio machines.  I offered to put together a weight program for her and showed her a few exercises.  Over the course of the next 2 weeks, she slowly but surely gained the confidence to navigate herself around the gym and show courage and sheer determination to be better! Within a couple of months, I would see her all over the gym jumping on a machine with sheer confidence. Made me so proud of her! Just a few days ago before she left on a trip with her husband, I received this text from her:

"Ya know what is really awesome? The feeling of going on a trip and having super cute clothes to wear and feel good wearing them!!  Thank you so much for helping me push myself and being so willing to share knowledge about fitness with me. You have been such a blessing!!! Thankful for you : ) "

And THAT my friends, is what motivates to do what I do.  If my passion inspires and motivates others to push themselves and see what they're made of, then I consider that more successful than my own personal accomplishments.  "Bunny", you are an inspiration to all those moms out there who don't have to settle for being just a mom. It's ok to take care of yourself too.  You keep doing what you're doing and shine like the diamond that you are! 

Stay tuned. A post to come soon sharing some meal ideas that are yummy and good for your body!  Thanks for joining me and until next time...... STAY CALM AND GET FIT! ;)