what i’ve learned

Closing 30 day challenge

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Well my 30 day challenge is up tomorrow. I made it!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Here is my before and after shots. I think I look firmer. I definitely feel stronger. I know I can do all the exercise from week 1. I’ve gotten used to the green shake flavor. Green shake is spinach with any other fruit/veggie medley. My favorite is spinach, banana, celery and blueberries. I’ve drank one combination every day for the last 29 days and I think I will continue on with that one.

After tomorrow I will write all about the whole experience. I just wanted to get the picture out of the way because the sponsor wanted to see our results.

Time

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I don’t know where time goes but its going fast. I spent the last few weeks playing cab driver to camp.

Reading camp ~ money well spent! Alex started reading 144 words a minute now he’s reading 405 words a minute.

Art camp ~ money well spent!
Alex’s self portrait.

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He was ten last week when he drew this portrait.

Basketball camp ~ two out of three ain’t bad. What can I say, the boy is not athletic. But we went in knowing that. Even though he says he didn’t like it, overall I think he had fun. For me it’s all about exposure. Atlas, when somebody says basketball he can always recount his experience at camp.

Gymnastic camp ~ the winner!
J loves it!

I don’t know where times goes but I know money travels with it!

The Stars Were Almost Aligned.

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I don’t know how it happened or why for that reason, but today was the true testament that my scales are unbalanced.

I’ve been waiting since June 6 for a package from Bulgaria. I love to travel and collect art and since traveling is out for a while, my daughter suggested I visit the etsy stores. To my amazement, I fell in love with a canvas painting from shop owner angel Angelov, Bulgaria, Europe.

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I was afraid to order it but I stepped out on faith and purchased this unstretched canvas for hardly any money as far as paintings go. The shop owner expedited the delivery and it came professionally packaged all the way from Bulgaria in 13 days. Oh joy was I excited!

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Then, guess what, Michaels had a coupon in the Sunday paper for 60 % off + $10.00 off. Double oh joy!! I’m at the store but can’t make up my mine on a frame, so I decided to take a picture and go home and sit in my room and then finalize my decision. After all my coupon is good until 7/17/13.

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I don’t know how it happened or why but somewhere between leaving the frame counter and home, I lost the canvas!!!!! All I could say was WTF! How could shopping in a craft store with my daughter and granddaughter be so distracting that I put down my newly found treasure. Or did someone take it out of my car at Target where we stopped to change the babygirl’s diaper? I wonder, did I lock the car doors?

I must of looked devastated because when I got home my husband asked what was wrong and he never notices anything! I should have took a picture of my face for future references in case I have to fake devastation. I did almost cry though before I reminded myself that it is only a picture, Denise. It just wasn’t meant to be but the stars were almost aligned in my favor.

There’s still a chance it might turn up though, the cylinder the canvas came in has my address on it, Target is looking at their surveillance tapes and Michaels is doing a double sweep of the store. If not, I believe in Karma, justice and God. Either way I’m covered.

Day 4 (30 day commitment)

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Oh joy! I’m gonna change my challenge title to “The Better Eating” challenge because I’ve been eating some good food the last couple of days.

I told you day 1 I was hungry but I’ve overcome that obstacle. If I actually lose weight I’m gonna be surprised. I’ve decided not to weigh myself until the 30th day.

I’ve been following an emeals clean eating tutorial. It gives you the grocery list, recipe and time frames to prepare the meals. I actually bought it as a groupon back in January and I am just getting into it.

Here are two dinners I made this week.

Crab cakes with lemon sauce
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And …
Chicken, Corn and Avocado Salad

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I just might get an added benefit out of this challenge. I might become a gourmet chef! Just wondering.

Recapping this week

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I love James Franco. So I went to see Oz, The Great and Powerful, Why James, why! I’m not sure I liked the movie. I really would like my dollar back. As my father-in-law is fond of saying, “I don’t know what it was about but it was deep!”

I joined Betty Rockers Fat loss challenge. Those of you that know me, I know that your laughing. It’s only for 30 days and I’ve already gotten all my vices out of the way. I had breakfast at McDonald’s one day this week, lunch twice; been to Dunkin Donuts, Sweet Frogs and had a 50 cent ice cream cone at Burger King. I plan on going to the pancake house with Alex tomorrow. Sunday I’ll rest, the challenge starts Monday. Care to join me?

The highlight, drumroll please, I met some really nice folks blogging.

Games with Friends, Right!

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I’ve never been into video games. Not in the 80’s, PAC man was boring; 90’s Nintendo games were to fast for me. I could only make the characters moonwalk and advance at the same time. The 2000’s let’s just say I was handicapped at best. My most skilled move was tripping over the cords and sabotage the game completely. But 2013 I have become a gamer!

My transformation start with scrabble. I was having fun. Then it went to words with friends where I discovered something I didn’t know about games with adults. They still don’t like to lose! I mean people would stall and make me wait for days to play again. They forfeit because they know they can’t win. I always play to the end (hey Will Smith I heard a rap forming). But my personal favorite – hubby is mad because I’m playing with someone else. So much for games with friends. I was forced to find a game I can play by myself. The answer – Candy Crush Saga!

OMG it was on from the first game. I didn’t have to wait for nobody to play. The puzzles are fun and not too time consuming and the music is mesmerizing. Atleast until it became time consuming. I couldn’t stop playing. My husband would enter a room and give me that look and I would reply, “it’s all I got -five minutes of happiness”. Now at level 180 sometimes even when I’m not playing I hear that music. Sometimes it’s calling me, other times its laughing at me. I know I’m not alone everywhere I go people are playing talking about how addictive it is. I may have to come out of retirement and form a support group.

What’s even more concerning to me is since I’ve been neglecting the hubby he’s now playing Gems with Friends with other people! This is a person that doesn’t do any kind of social networking. No emails, facebook-ing, nothing and now he’s cheating on me with friends! Whahhhhhhh!!!

Until next time, keeping wondering.

Be good to your children

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I think the biggest failure of our lives as parents is if your children do not want to have anything to do with you when they are grown. Really, what possibly could have happened? Children are so open to forgiveness. As I grow older I see it more and more especially with fathers and the mother category is catching up fast.

Be good to your children. I’m not a perfect parent but I have learned that children should be seen and heard, they do have feelings and your never to big or old to apologize.

Remember we’ll all be old someday and that goes out to you too – children!

Where to begin.

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I’ve learned nothing is permanent, fixed, coursed or sure. The last year has been stranger than strange especially for someone like me. I had my life planned to the end. I didn’t expect to be where I am now. I was expecting to work another 5 years, my children are already grown and me living the life I dreamed of was on the horizon. Now I am retired (not complaining about that), raising my grandchildren and living in a new home in a different city. But all is well. I’m starting this blog as a journey to help me in adjusting to new life struggles and maybe I can learned something, teach something, make a friend, be a friend and find contentment in the wonders of it all.