30 Day Music Challenge: Day 2

I Got No iPhone by Parry Grip

Day 02 – Your least favorite song

Okay, this might not actually be my LEAST favorite song. I can think of a lot of others that I can't stand at all, starting with gangster rap. This is, however, the most ANNOYING song I can think of.

Parry Grip appears to be this generation's Weird Al. Here is what makes this song so annoying: It's actually pretty good. I laughed the first 75 times I heard it. Once my kids started singing it repeatedly, though, it got on my nerves.

Go ahead. Give it a listen. The songs actually not too bad. Just don't come to my house singing it, please.

Guest Post: What a Healthy Lifestyle Means to Me (Shawnita)

Hello! Today I am post swapping with another blogger, finding out what a healthy lifestyle means to her. We all have different reasons for living healthy, and because of that we have different definitions of what healthy means. I am pleased to bring you Shawnita's definition. She can usually be found over at Finding My Inner Alfalfa. I'm guest posting for her today, telling her readers, and you, WHY I started this journey to healthy living.

Please read Shawnita's description of what a healthy lifestyle means to her, then head on over to her blog to read more of her writings!

Trying to find that balance between the rush of everyday life and the lull of weekend leisure time is where I find myself most days. Having a healthy life style means being able to find a balance and in our family of four, it can be quite the challenge, and honestly it can lead to the occasional headache or two.

Meditation or relaxation breathing as well as walking have helped me over the years to alleviate things like stress, tension headaches and mild depression. Have two very healthy boys the question of, “what’s for dinner” is always for most in their minds. Activities such as the walking are things I can do with them and it also means spending more quality time with them.

Since my husband is the main cook in our house this allows me to also come up with menus for a healthier eating style but also supports the nutritional needs of our 16 year old son who practices and plays Rugby League Football five to seven times a week and our “picky eater” who is 10 years old.

With Rugby League being such a big part of our lives I find that some days I really must compromise and take the morning off from volunteering at the football ground and just go with a methodical flow of getting my house back into a fairly organized state because without some kind of order I find that I also become overwhelmed.

Often I volunteer in the community with the local football club or card making or some kind of craft for people in my community. I think it’s a healthy way to make new friends, learn about others and give back to what the community has given to me.

Having all these facets of opportunity is how I try to live and maintain my healthy life style as well pass along these opportunities to my boys. Teaching them the importance of balancing in a world that is sometimes very rushed I feel is a vital part of surviving in today's world.

It's My Blog-i-versary!

Image found on Google Images

One year ago today I took the plunge and started a blog. At first, not too many people read it, but I was okay with that. To be read, you actually have to tell others you have a blog, and I didn't promote it at first. My mom and my husband read it, though, and that's what mattered to me.

My first post, A New Beginning, said it all. I wanted to be held accountable for making healthy choices, and I wanted to share what I was learning with others. I was also hoping that I would become, along the way, an encourager to at least one other person. I know I have met the goal of helping others, as I have had some great conversations with people over the past year and been told that I was an inspiration. That's a pretty cool feeling!

The day after I started my blog I decided that I needed to define My Goals. While I haven't necessarily achieved each of the items I set out for, the point is that I am on my way. For the first six months after started my blog, I did fantastic. I stuck to eat well, I quit smoking, and I was exercising as often as I could. I was down 26 pounds, and I had to buy all new shirts because mine were starting to be uncomfortably large. Unfortunately, two months on Prednisone combined with poor eating choices during that time helped me to gain some of the weight back.

It took awhile for me to be okay with the fact that I gained some weight again, but truth be told, we can't be perfect all the time. I got back into exercising as quickly as I could and was doing well until the shingles hit. Once again there is a set back, and it's been lengthy. One thing I can say I have learned over this year is that there are always going to be set backs.

A healthy lifestyle means something a lot different to me today than it did a year ago. Now my definition includes happiness and peacefulness as well as the physical aspects of health. A healthy lifestyle means sharing and interacting with others, and looking at the positive things in life. I do hope, at this time next year, that I will have lost some more weight and be needing more shirts again. I hope to be living life and enjoying it to the best of my ability.

So, to celebrate my blog-i-versary I would love for you to tell me your favorite post or series that you've read this year. What kind of information are you looking forward to in the next year?

Flashback Friday- May 27

These are two of the three most awesome men in my life. On the left is my brother Fred. On the right is my husband Daniel. This picture could have only been made more perfect if my dad was in it. He was here at this event, but I didn't get a picture of the three men together.

Fred was participating in a curling competition. I had never seen the game before, but it turned out I loved watching it. I liked it so much I considered taking lessons to play, too. Unfortunately I just haven't had a chance to fit that into life yet, but I will someday.

Medical Lessons I've Learned- Part 4

Lesson 4: Stay Calm

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Possibly the most important lesson I learned throughout my long-term illness is to stay calm. Whether in the middle of the initial crisis, or during recovery, staying calm is going to be your lifeline. If you are freaking out, those around you can't help. You need to be calm enough to acknowledge your needs and to ask for others to help you. Again, this is true in the middle of an emergency or as you are getting back to "normal" life.

For example, I am ready to drive for the first time since April 1st. I am scared to death. I have asked for my husband to take me out for a test drive, without my children in the car, to make sure I am ready. Just thinking about getting behind the wheel makes my blood pressure rise. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach as I write this paragraph. I continually remind myself, though, that this is a skill that I have mastered and that I have never caused an accident in the 20 years I've been driving. I will be okay. I will, however, be sure to take a few deep breaths before heading off and remember that being calm is a state of mind I've been practicing for several weeks.

Keeping your cool is going to get you through many of the upcoming hurdles. Seeing the medical bills mound up is not pleasant, but you know they are coming. There is no use stressing about them when they arrive in the mail.

Don't cause yourself anxiety over sending out thank you notes to those who brought you gifts, meals, or spent time visiting you. Your friends did this out of the kindness of their hearts. Because they care about you. They are not worried about social niceties at this moment. They only care that you are getting well.

Finally, as you improve every day, you may notice that there are parts of your life that you have given up control over that you are ready to become in charge of again. For me, it is some housework and parenting that my husband has done a wonderful job of handling. Don't assume that it is helpful to yank back your duties. Ease your way back into your general routine. Remember that your family members have had to adjust along with you. They are going to need time to get used to you being up and running.

I am not a medical professional, and I don't have all the answers about illnesses, but I am a person who has been through a couple of months of pure craziness. This series on lessons I've learned are the things that were helpful to me and my family. Hopefully, though sharing my experiences, I can help someone else who is going through a life-changing illness. If I can help, the two months (plus) that I have spent watching my life pass while I sit on the couch will all have been worth it. Please see Lesson 1, Lesson 2, and Lesson 3 for more advice on how to deal with emergency and long-term medical issues.

Guest Post: My Vision of Healthy Living

I'm at it again- blog swapping, that is! Today, you can find me over at My Unentitled Life, and Dina is here sharing her thoughts on what living a healthy life means to her. Join me in welcoming Dina. Leave lots of comments on her thoughts, then head over and read my guest blog post on cooking healthy while sticking to your budget. Without further adieu, I present to you Dina from My Unentitled Life!

My Vision of Healthy Living

What is healthy living? I know what it’s not. It’s not a spotless house that you could eat off the floor. More than likely that house has been cleaned with lots of chemicals. To me healthy living is how I go about participating in activities in my daily life and trying to make the smallest impact on the Earth. It’s having a healthy home, healthy hips and healthy you.

As I clean my home I try to be health conscience as well as earth conscience. I want to use cleaners that are environmentally friendly. The cleaners I use most are baking soda and vinegar. Baking soda is a great scrubbing tool. It cleans sinks and bathrooms well. Vinegar I use on my floors and my windows. Some people might not be fond of the smell. But to he honest I’d rather smell the natural items then the fragranced cleaners. It’s better for your lungs. Taking care of your body is part of healthy living.

The way I look at taking care of my body is by paying attention to what I eat. By eating lots of fruits and veggies it keeps my weight down. It needs to go down more but that’s a whole nother article! The fruits and vegetables are fibrous and make us feel fuller quicker. In summer I plant a garden and enjoy lots of fresh veggies. We add zucchini, squash, onion, cabbage, etc to almost any meal. My kids eat them and love it. I know that’s unusual but it’s great for them to eat lots of different colored veggies.

Drinking lots of water is another way to keep healthy. Water is the absolute best drink we can put in our bodies. As I’m drinking my water, I often walk to the store to get some steps in for the day. It saves gas and saves my hips. The store is about a mile away and a very nice walk. Many times I’ll take my children with me and we’ll just use a backpack to bring all the goodies home. Working out is a must in this day and age. We work out to use those muscles and keep the weight off. Something else I take every day for a healthy body is a multi vitamin and calcium. The vitamin helps give me any missing minerals that I might have missed in my diet.

And last, being healthy to me means having a positive attitude. This does not mean be a doormat. Saying no to friends and family can be healthier for you than saying yes. Back to that positive attitude. A simple thing you can do to keep your attitude positive throughout the day is to focus on breathing if something upsets you. Focus on being thankful for the blessings in your life and writing them down is a great activity to do for yourself and for your children. As women we tend to put ourselves last. We need to decide that we are important enough to put ourselves first. Give yourself time to take a nice long shower, read a bit in a favorite book, go to your room and have a quiet moment. These are all good ways to take some time for you. It’s healthy for your children to see you making yourself a priority. If you value you then they will value you. I’ve often said, “Mommy needs a time out. I’ll be back in 15 minutes when I can be more positive.” I think even a child understands that reasoning. Let’s go out there and be healthy!

Dina is a sahm who lives in Tn. She has 3 amazing children, an awesome husband of 18 years and an ok dog. She enjoys reading, surfing, walking, biking and hanging out with her family.

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 1

Day 01 – Your favorite song

My favorite song has been known to change daily. For now, my favorite is Miley Cyrus' "The Climb." No matter how I feel about Miley Cyrus as a person, I have to admit she has some pretty good music. It all started when my little girls were in love with Hannah Montana. At the time, her music had great motivational lyrics with an upbeat background.

I like "The Climb" for the same reason. The lyrics are incredibly inspirational to me. I have used them while working out and for getting through the hard parts of being a full-time student while at the same time being a wife and mother. There are times we all feel like we can't keep going, but with just a little push it's amazing what we can do.

What I like the best about "The Climb" is that it is real. The lyrics mention that there will be times we are going to lose. It's about trying, though, and in life that's really all we can do.