The Ramblings of an Exhausted Mom...

This past week or so I have not slept well, at all. It is odd for me to have difficulty sleeping because short of a few times of major stress in my life, I have never had trouble falling asleep. My daughter, unfortunately, gets that from me. She is SO hard to wake up in the mornings! The advantage to that is that, even though she is now 16, she slept like a champ when she was little. While other parents complained about being up all night with their kiddos, this mom was kicked back enjoying the good life; however, the tables sure have turned on me & things have backfired now that I have a teenager! I am getting off track here. Where was I? Oh, we were discussing my sleeping issues. I am not sure what it is. I do have a lot on my mind right now with the holidays coming up, attempting to pay off some bills, training at a new job and going to school.

To add to my sleeping issue I, in general, just have no energy these days. I know much of it is because I am out of shape right now. I so bad want to be back where I was physically just one year ago. I know it will happen. I will get there but it is so hard to stay focused right now! I think once Brian gets on board with going to the gym with me, it will make things easier. I am planning on going to the gym in the mornings (before I realize what hits me) after Thanksgiving. Okay, so it won't be the immediate Monday or maybe even Tuesday after Thanksgiving due to our long drive, but it will happen!

So...really, I guess that is all this rambling will be about. I am just tired. I want my energy. I miss it. Please send it home if you find it.

Later, friends.

Hamster Wheel!

 
 

Whew. Here we go...Again. I am constantly dieting it seems. Last year I worked hard and lost 63 pounds but pretty much since last October I have been slacking! I have gained some of my weight back but thank goodness not all OR the all I lost plus some that often happens. However, no matter how much of the weight I gained back, I feel miserable. I am tired. I hate the way I look in clothes. I am not motivated to do much lately. I am sleepy so often!

So here I go again. Back at it...Round #icantevenkeepup...it's tough. I want it bad but I also have to realize I am human & what has worked for others (or maybe even myself!) might not work for me this time!

So that being said, the only thing I am trying to do today...is being better than I was yesterday. 

Later, friends.

Thanksgiving Speed Dating

Gobble! Gobble! (Doesn’t it seem strange that we use gobble….the sound that a turkey makes…in order to talk about eating the turkey & all the fixins’!) Speaking of “fixins’” (I had to type it the country girl way!) I am ready for some good ol’ southern food! The food here is good but as my daddy has always told me since he has been away, no place is like home! We are ready to get back home for the holidays. We only have four days off total & basically two of those days include driving. So that leaves 2 ½-ish days to visit with at least 6 different families. We won’t get to spend a lot of time with any certain family but we at least plan to get a hug from everyone!

We won’t be able to come home for Christmas this year. We only have Christmas day off at my job & Brian works the Fri/Sat/Sun after Christmas. Bummer! Next year, we won’t be the low man on the totem pole so it will be a little easier to get off for the holidays. We will still probably come home either Thanksgiving or Christmas (not both) BUT we will be able to stay longer! There will probably be certain times/certain years we come that we dedicate to seeing one or two families at a time since we have so much family; however, at least every fall holiday season we will try to see everyone.

All that being said, in the event that we haven’t done so, we want to extend an open invitation to anyone that wants to come out & visit anytime! We have a small place for now BUT are more than happy to let you stay with us if you want a quick get-a-way and don’t need to splurge on the hotel. If you want to stay at a hotel, we can give you a wide variety of options that are within close range to our place! Never worry about if we have plans, etc. There is rarely anything we would be doing that you couldn’t join us in. Brian works every other weekend with this Fri/Sat/Sun being a work weekend. That gives you an idea of good times to come. We don’t mind if you come on a work weekend for him if it is your only weekend. He will still be able to have dinner with us at a bare minimum! The weekends we know we are 100% free at this time are December 5, December 19, January 2, January 16 (I have a 3 day weekend this date) and January 30.

We look forward to seeing everyone out at some point! If it is later than January, just let us know a time that is good for you! Much love to all!!!

Today was a good day...

...admit it. You know you sang along with that blog title! So why was today a good day, you ask? Not really for any reason other than the fact that it is almost 2 pm and I have not once pigged out or taken the elevator. I have taken the stairs four times at work just today. Actually, in the past few weeks I have only taken the elevator twice (& we are on the fourth floor)!

I know all these things are so small but I decided that I am going to start counting all victories...even the small ones! Why not? Why do we only celebrate the bug things? Aren't the small ones just as important? Without all the small things we wouldn't have the big things. The small things are our foundation for success! 

So today...I celebrate the small things...today was a good day...and it isn't even over!

What will you celebrate today?

Saving Christmas

This past weekend, Baylee & I had a quick bite to eat & decided to go see a movie while Brian worked the night shift. Baylee & I are huge Christmas lovers (That is another post in itself)! When I saw the Saving Christmas movie featuring Kirk Cameron, I knew that it would be a good Christian film!

I will be honest & say it was kind of slow & more of a "made for TV" type of film. The purpose, however, was not lost on Baylee or myself! She & I both were very impressed with all of the information that was shared! The biggest point of the movie was about how to see the true meaning of Christmas in all the little things that people may think are not related to the true reason of Christmas at all. There will be those who will still say, "Well they are just trying too hard to relate everything at Christmas to Jesus." 

To those people I will say this, "Isn't that kind of the point of being a Christian?" Shouldn't we want all people to see Jesus in everything? I haven't done my own research regarding the information that was given but I have to be honest, I really like what was said in the movie. My thoughts are, whether right or wrong, is that you can almost make anything a pagan god. Some may see these Christmas items as pagan but if I see it to be a reminder of Jesus then what makes it so bad. Plus, the way I see it, there are reminders of Jesus everywhere, everyday. If I choose to use other things that remind me of him during the Christmas season, which Christian could blame me?

Later, friends.

Hello Friday...Nice to See Ya!

One of the pretty ladies I follow, Aubrey Leigh, has a link on her blog called Fitness Friday. I decided that in my NEED to get back with it, I would type up a little something during my lunch break about how my week has been. This will be a nice accountability tool for me to use! I will report the good, bad & just plain ugly (Like the Whataburger Jr. I had for lunch today!)

So as far as the "fitness" part of this post...well mine had been completely lacking this week! In two different occasions I did walk from the 1st floor to the 5th floor, down & back up, during a work break. I also have been using the stairs every time I come & go. (We are on the fourth floor.) I plan on being able to report back to you all next week about how much better I did! :) 

Meal wise, I brought healthy snacks to work all week, I didn't eat out all week (Except lunch today...gulp). We also cooked at home each night. It helped that I spent several hours last week looking up healthy recipes & bought ingredients for all of those. It made it easier for my husband & myself to just grab things out of the fridge & prepare dinner. Does anyone else get stuck in a cooking rut?

Up Next (Here for link up below):

I thought I would join in one more link up. It is the Friday 5!

So my Friday 5 list for my weekend plans are:

1. Work: I work part time at a local ICU so I will be spending my day there tomorrow! :)

2. Dinner Date: I am excited that we are going over to have dinner with friends tonight! We are going to a friend of mines from work house for dinner. She has the pretties little boys (Yes I know boys aren't supposed to be pretty but they are!) Her hubby & mine haven't met but they have a lot in common so I am excited about the two of them getting together. 

3. Church: We are still looking to find a home church here. Brian has to work but Baylee & I will at least get out & explore!

4. Homework: I have three weeks left in my first semester of BSN program so that is what I will be working on!

5. Cleaning up my act: I need to get my exercise, healthy eating & household cleaning under control! 

So that is all...have a great weekend!

Later babes. 

Where He leads...I shall go.

So often, God speaks to us but we don't always listen as we should. We even "give" things to Him but in reality we still have a grip on it. Sure that grip may not be what it was before we "gave" it to Him but we have not fully released it to him. There are other times where he is tugging at our hearts to do something but we often ignore Him. We don't want to "give Him what he wants. We are like that, us humans. We often want what our hearts desire and we don't pay attention to what He desires for us. I have learned these lessons with our move out to good ol' San Antone. I love the city, love Texas and love the friends I have made. The ones I have made here can tell the ones back in Mississippi that I speak of you and the great state often. I do miss it. I miss my family. I miss the trees, grass, water and the southern charm.

Even with all the things I miss I KNOW God has a plan for me being here. I don't know if it is for myself, Baylee or Brian. It could even be for the people that we left behind in Mississippi as to why God brought us here. All I can tell you is he has a plan. I just have to keep reminding myself of this. When I started out here I was called to work at a particular hospital. I met some wonderful people there that I am lucky to call friends! At the same time, there was a tugging in my heart. In the course of just a few days, Baylee mentioned the hours we were working and an opportunity arose for me to apply for a different job. I wasn't looking to go anywhere else but I felt another tug. One that I recognized to be from God. I then chose to pray about it. The short of the story is I applied and received an offer for a new job. I did ultimately choose to take the new job. I do plan to stay along at the hospital job as long as they will let me PRN but I am very pleased with my new career path. I see doors opening for me that I wasn't even aware were available!

What is God telling you to do? Are you listening? Will you obey?