If you've ever seen 1964's stop motion animated Christmas Classic "Rudolph" then you know about the Island of Misfit toys. For as long as I can remember I always found myself identifying with the toys on the island, and even now I find myself wandering through life not quite fitting in with the status quo, and always being supportive of the generally "unloved". I was never the "cool kid" , I have always had trouble fitting in, I was the quiet one, the shy one (and now as an adult the socially anxious one). The only difference between me and the little red haired doll, the choo choo with square wheels on his cabboose, and even the spotted elephant is that I embrace my misfit-ness. I've never been one to change to fit in with a crowd, I may have stood on the outside looking in at times, but I never stood there and stared into the window. Instead of wishing I was in the "in crowd" I simply enjoyed my time with the other misfits. As I raise my water glass high in the air I just want to take a minute to say "Heres to the misfits, the tired, the hurting, the hungry and the homeless, the socially unaccepted, and the socially awkward. Keep being you, don't change for anyone, stay true to you, it's the misfits that change the world!"
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It's Transformation Tuesday! Today I want you guys to meet Dawn! She is a wonderful woman and a great inspiration for my own weight loss journey! My story started 3 years ago next march when I went to Haiti in a mission trip with my church. It was the embarrassment of needing to ask for an extender on 4 out of 6 planes we took. I knew I was big but to not be able to buckle up on a plane was awful! I came home regenerated both physically and spiritually. I so wanted to get motivated an get healthy. I was at my heaviest weight EVER in April of 2012 with life happening and putting my focus on my family and not myself I was struggling to begin my journey but managed to lose 15 pounds some how between April 2012 and January of 2013...that is when my journey really took off I started seeing a health coach, using my stairs in my house to start my work outs,and the weight started dropping off, started to change what I ate, how much I ate and how many times a day I ate.. The weight kept dropping about 10 pounds a month for the first 10 months. Spring came and the weather started turning nice so with that came walking started out with 1 mile a day that led to 2 by the end of the summer. Fall came and so did the cold Minnesota weather so I needed to figure something out and at 237 pounds I decided to brave the gym...which wasn't easy with not being comfortable in my skin! But I did it and for 2 hours a day 6 days a week I went and did strictly cardio for months! with Thanksgiving and Christmas in there I had my ups and downs and on December 26 weighed in at 212 pounds. By the end of February 2014 I FINALLY entered into "1der" land! During 2013 I has gone through some heart issues and a gallbladder surgery...which affected my weight loss some....But through it all I kept pushing forward...and in October 2014 after 21 months of pushing myself and praying...I reached my goal weight! All through out my journey I would pray asking The lord to guide me in my journey because without him I could not have done this I prayed DAILY for the Lord to guide me to make me feel full when I need to feel full...he was faithful enough to do just that! I had a go to verse from day 1 og this journey which was and still is Philippians 4:13..."I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!" Do you have a natural weight loss success story you'd like to share? Send us a message on facebook! We'd love to hear from you!
As I work on getting my coupons and shopping list together for Tuesday, I have to keep lunch and snacks in mind. For some reason we always have things for breakfast and always have things for dinner, but run low on lunch and snack supplies. This month we are going to try having hubby bring lunch to work, so I've got to work that into the plan. I also want to continue doing my own graze box style snack container. I prep it for about 3 days instead of one day at a time for both my son and I, so I simply reuse a cheese & apple tray we got from walmart a while back. It's got about 6 different compartments and a place for dip, so it works well for us. I just set it out on the table after breakfast and we graze through the day. Apparently Florida took the idea that it's November and used that as a signal to bring in fall. Now lets hope it stays this way. Life is so much more enjoyable when we can leave the windows and doors open, and play outside without coming back in needing a shower. I find it interesting that it's this time of year when I don't get depressed or have anxiety attacks nearly as often. It's almost life giving.
Stores are filled with scenes of turkeys and tinsel pumpkin pies and sparkling lights. There is an electricity in the air, and jingle bells play throughout the loudspeakers (my radio as tuned from 999 Happy Haunts to old time crooners like Bing Crosby singing "Frosty the Snowman.) We've pulled the Christmas decorations from the shed and placed them on the deck, so we can start the process of changing our humble home into a Christmas wonderland. I was so very lucky to marry a man who loves Christmas as much as I do, and loves to decorate as well. I am one of the people who gets excited to see the Christmas displays being put up the day after Halloween. I hear so many people complain, and it makes my heart hurt. They say Christmas is too commercial, that Christmas is not what it used to be. If you don't like it, then change it. Stop putting yourself into debt to buy the kids and grand kids all those expensive toys that they won't remember next year, and create memories. Stuck on what to do? Here is a list of things you can do this holiday season that doesn't have to cost a lot but can build memories that will last a lifetime: 1.Cook Thanksgiving dinner together. 2.Share grandmas "secret" recipe for melt in your mouth dinner rolls. 3.Take a family photo! 4.Go for a walk, collect leaves and pine cones, create art with them! 5.Go for a picnic! Pack a lunch, and go to the park, or even your own back yard. 6.Don't buy gifts, MAKE THEM! (List of DIY Gifts to make coming soon!) 7.Pick a name from the angel tree at the mall and have fun making it a great Christmas for a child who may not have had gifts under the tree. 8.Make a big pot of coffee or hot chocolate and drive around on Sunday morning, give the newspaper sellers or homeless on the street a hot drink. 9.Create Happiness Helpers: (Find out how HERE) 10.Everyone get into their pj's pack the car with hot coco and cookies, drive around looking at Christmas lights. 11.Movie night: We love The Polar Express! Bring out the pillows and blankets and cuddle up in the living room. 12.Serve at a soup kitchen. 13. Visit the library, find a out of the way corner, cuddle up and read together. 14.Visit a nursing home, give the residents a flower or other small gift, most of them love to see children and families and love to just have someone to talk to. 15.Spread the love! Bake or buy some goodies and leave them on a neighbors door without them knowing, leave a note asking them to do the same. If you've enjoyed this post pin it to your Holiday Pin Board! Dear Mr. President, My son is 2 1/2 years old. Money is tight (much in thanks to the fact that my husbands job only keeps him at part time to avoid having to offer health insurance.) I've had to defend my decision on being a stay at home mom to family, friends, and now the government? Truth is we struggle financially with me staying at home, however I don't for one minute regret the decision that my husband and I made to allow me to be a stay at home mom. Sure it's a choice, but for our family it was a nessacary choice. Our decision for me to be a SAHM was what was the best option for our family. Being a former child care worker, I refused to see my son put into a daycare center. Not that I believe they are bad or wrong (sadly they are a nessacary evil.) I didn't want to expose my children to the germs and sicknesses of the other kids, I didn't want him spending 6-8hrs a day with someone I hardly knew, I didn't want to miss out on first steps, first words, potty training, all day hugs and kisses, and tv's that played SPROUT all day. As he gets older I fully plan on homeschooling- or what some would call unschooling. He is free to learn at his pace, through the world around him,(see: Sudbury Schooling ) he can explore interests as his own pace, without being lead to feel as if he's stupid or less then someone else because they got a better grade them him. This doesn't mean he won't learn, it dosen't mean no eduation will take place it simply means that HE will be incharge of his learning and I will be a guide. The public school system is a total and epic fail to our kids. They are built to teach blind obedience to authority and forced knowledge, neither of which I wish for my son. So all in all Mr.President, do me a favor and keep your government out of my family decisions. If you REALLY Care about families, get rid of the so called Affordable Care Act, Stop your friends from giving companies perks for moving jobs over seas, stop fighting over oil, and do away with common core! With that being said, this is what my husband and I feel is best for OUR family. What is best for your family may be vastly different then what we've chosen. Things like jobs, education, and childcare are for each family to choose, and instead of putting down someone for their choices, we need to start lifting each other up and supporting FAMILY no matter how they choose to parent. Being a parent is hard, we all just need a little love! -Mama April This letter is a responce to: Obama On Moms Who Stay At Home |
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Photos used under Creative Commons from clkohan, Dyanna Hyde, Michael's Cookie Jar, B*2, ohsarahrose, HannahWebb, rocknroll_guitar, bochalla, ccharmon, Ashley Coombs, Ava R., swambo