Troop Paws

Have you heard of them? If you haven't you are missing out! They are adorable stuffed dogs in your spouses Service Uniform print. Check them out here. While I know they don't look super cuddly they are!

Marlene, the founder of TroopPaws sent Evelyn a puppy! I was really excited to talk to Marlene back and forth through email about her product and she offered to send Evelyn one.

From the moment the package arrived Evelyn was all over it! I pulled the puppy out of the box and Evelyn started bonding with it right away. I could tell that Evelyn would definitely love that puppy when she's old enough to understand when Daddy is away.

The Pup is so soft! Something she can tackle and not rip open. I would even feel comfortable letting Evelyn sleep with her little friend at night. It comes with a plastic clear pouch on the belly to put a photo in. A cute little collar that has dog tags on it. The pup is cute! The husband approves and that's a HUGE check mark in my book especially when I purchase anything Military related.

TroopPaws wants to offer my readers a special price on the Pups!! Click Here to receive it!

Coupons!

I have always wanted to be a couponer. I want to be one of those women who spend $50 bucks a month on groceries. But I don't want to be one of those women who spend 40+ hours a week, clipping coupons.   I wanted to be a SAHM and I want to do really good at it. I'd love to be a better budgetter. I want us to have savings for whenever Hubs decides to get out of the Army, for emergency funds, to buy a house one day, to have wonderful vacations as a family or just as a couple. I realize that on a E6's paycheck and a SAHM this is a little out of reach, but its not totally impossible!

I decided to go grocery shopping this week and because my mom bought us a printer for my B-Day I was going to print off a ton of coupons and save me some major cash. $20 bucks or more would be great.....I found 1 coupon I could use! just 1!! So grocery shopping didn't happen. But I have to shop before I leave for Utah so the Hubs doesn't starve while I am gone. I am not in a need to buy meat. I wont be here and there is fish, chicken, steak and hamburger in the freezer, the Hubs is set on meat while I am away.

 I plan on taking out my "spending cash" the day before I leave for Utah, I'll only be using my debit card for things such as diapers, formula and baby food. Everything else will come out of the cash in my wallet. Hopefully that will be a big budget change. And hopefully if that works I can finally talk the Hubs into having spending cash on him. (its annoying to have to have to budget his stupid once in a while Monsters and beers.)

But back to the coupons. I couldn't believe that I couldn't find any coupons that I would use. I get the post newspaper, and that has coupons in it which is about 10 or less coupons I'll actually use. I would love to always have toilet paper, paper towels, soap, shampoo & conditioner and various food coupons on me, but this isn't realistic apparently.

Does anyone have good couponing and budgeting ideas? I'd love to get better at doing this.
Also coupon sites would be fantastic!

Baby to Toddler

Its pretty apparent I need to start refuring Evelyn as a Toddler instead of a baby...cue; broken heart. My baby is a toddler....still sounds weird. My mom's been calling Evelyn a Toddler for a while and I correct her and say she's a baby till she's one. But I can tell she is a toddler.

She is crawling, standing and trying to walk, she's a toddler.....shes a toddler.

Its sad to see Evelyn turn into a toddler, honestly where did the last 10 months go??

I am so glad that even though this little girl looks just like her Dad, her personality is just like mine!! Her Dad is going to be odd man out! He's got 2 funny girls on his hand.

I just cant believe the transition from cooperative baby to screaming toddler. She refuses her naps, she throws herself on the ground when she doesn't get her way, spitting her food out, oh the joys I am about to have for the next few years. But I cant wait to see the little girl she'll become...but hopefully that will be a slower transition!

Always Remember.

Today has been weighing on my mind all weekend. Before I was a MilSpouse I never gave much thought to Memorial Day, it was a long weekend, a celebration of life. Now that I am a MilSpouse I see it so much more different.
Last year on June 6, my husband's JSS in Iraq was attacked. They lost 5 guys in Iraq and 1 in the States and multiple people were injured. Luckily my husband came through unharmed as well as many friends of mine. Sadly we lost 2 men that my husband personally knew. They were his soldiers and it hasn't been an easy thing for him to deal with.
Since we are so close to the 1 year anniversary and now on Memorial Day these 2 boys are in my mind a lot as well as there wives. Both newlyweds and both on their first deployment. Their wives are unbelievable woman.
I cannot thank them enough for their sacrifice. I feel absolutely blessed to have met these boys. I know that they both were looking forward to meeting Evelyn one day and I like to think that they check up on her and Hubs sometimes.

Today is about remembering our fallen hero's, and today I am really thinking about these 2 boys as well as the other men who died because of the attacks that day, and others who have given their lives for our country. I am beyond blessed to meet hero's and live and love one on a daily basics.

Thank you to all of you who have served and are serving.

Memorial Day.

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend. Let us not forget that this weekend is not all about Barbecues, drinking, boating and other various activities, its for us to take time for us to remember those who have given us the ultimate sacrifice, those who were injured and those gold star families. Never forget their sacrifice. Keep them and there families in your prayers and thoughts this weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Source: t2.gstatic.com via ❦ Pin on Pinterest

FRG

I had my first FRG meeting yesterday here at Bragg. I was super surprised my FRG leader didn't introduce herself. I don't even know her name. Before most of us from Riley got here and a few other from other places this until didn't have ANYONE! So I was super surprised they didn't introduce the new guys. I am glad I didn't hold my breath on maybe making new friends there because, I didn't. I met one girl who's husband works with Hubs and she did not seem interested in hanging around me at all. I know that my husband is a super young SSG, and I am used to being the youngest one in a group, but just because I am younger doesn't mean I am immature or a baby. I am a Mom and a Wife, and I am grown up too! Just because you've had 5 more years or whatever more on this earth doesn't mean anything.

I was surprised that this FRG has a power point to the meeting...and the FRG leader didn't even give it, someone else did. Maybe this is how other FRG's work. Our one back at Riley was not at all like this. So it was pretty cool to compare. I certainltly like how they gave you a look at months to come. This Battery goes to the field almost every month, so I got a pretty good idea of what is going on. We got our official leave dates. We also got told we have a BBQ on Evelyn's Birthday and the next day is the start of leave. Looks like Evelyn's probably not going to get a very big day on her actual Birthday. We'll just have to do something in Utah.

I am really looking forward to hopefully getting to know a few wives. Hubs has a few men who's kids are the same age as Evelyn and we've been talking about doing a BBQ one weekend and letting everyone get to know eachother...its called who wouldn't totally die if I got them to baby-sit my kid. Just kidding, but no it will be fun! I am looking forward to doing things like that here. I had such great friends back at Riley, and I am hoping I can meet more girls out here and hopefully get some play-dates set up for Evelyn. She just loves kids!

I am so glad I got to meet a few blogging buddy's out here so that I do have some friends here. :)

Coming Home.

Yesterday the Hubs and I made the decision for Evelyn and I to head back to Utah for a little bit. In the last two months a lot of things have happened and its really dampened my parents spirits. They are amazing parents no doubt about it. Just too much has happened and they feel like total failures. Which its not true at all! So as much as I really really hate to leave my husband here by himself, I have been feeling like I need to go home, and so I am going to.

I am however super excited. I haven't been home since September, so people like my siblings and grandparents haven't seen Evelyn since she was 2 months old! So that will be a lot of fun! I've always wanted Evelyn to have that relationship with her Aunts and Uncles, plus her cousins! 

I am sad that I did buy a 1 way ticket. Hub's is like 85% positive that he'll be in Airborne School almost right after I leave, so I might as well stay in Utah. I should probably have waited till he went to school but I think I need to go home now, and he agrees. I really hate to leave him here because as I have learned from being a MilSpouse is that you never know when they are going to come home and tell you they are going to deploy soon. I hate the fact that I have to leave, but I know it is whats best. Thank god for Skype and my new iPad so we can be in touch all day! I know its not a deployment but it's still really gonna suck, especially if I go a month without seeing him.

I just hope going home and helping out my family will help them in the long run for a while. I hate that I can't always be there. We really tried to live closer to home, but that's the Army. But I am really grateful that Hubs and I are doing so good at budgeting and saving that we can afford for me to make a trip out of town when things come up.

As for my family who reads this...I am excited to see all of you! We'll have to do a get together soon! I am planning on taking Evelyn to the Zoo maybe so maybe get some of us all together and lets go!

Everyone else...look at what my parents like 15 minutes away from.... (the great salt lake) I'm looking forward to seeing this!

Source: google.com via Deborah on Pinterest

Birthday Day!

Saturday was my Birthday! Thank you to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday! This was my 4th Birthday with my husband, but only the 1st time we had ever spent one together! He was always either in the field or his 2 deployments. So it was really great to spend it together! and really all I wanted was a DATE! We hadn't had a real date in months and I could tell we were becoming one of those parents who were content to never go out on a date. So no, I broke that habit pretty quick! Luckily I had an awesome Baby-sitter! Lyzz from Defying Gravity took Evelyn for a while and it was so nice! You can read about her Adventures in Baby Sitting <-- here.

The Hubs got me an iPad 2 for my birthday! I had been dying for one for over a year! I kept hearing about all the cool learning apps for kids, plus its a flippin iPad. I kinda guessed it and my husband is an awful liar so I caught on the day before, but he never admitted I was right and wouldn't let me open it till my birthday. My mom is amazing! She got us a printer! Which we really needed! I was over running to the neighborhood center just to print a receipt.

The Hubs took me to IHOP in the morning where Evelyn and I shared some red velvet pancakes MMM. After that we went to the mall to browse around. I am in desperate need of bras, and we learned that I dropped boob sizes! HECKA YES! and yes sizes not just a size. You woman who want large boobs don't know what your talking about! lol.

After we dropped off Evelyn with Lyzz we went to downtown Fayetteville. We walked around to all the little shops, even found a wine & beer shop where we got to taste some chocolate wine! So yummy! Then we went to the newly opened Wet Willies! Everyone told us to go and we had a good hour to kill before dinner so we decided to check it out. If you don't know what Wet Willies is, its a pre-made margarita bar in slushie machines! They have a whole wall lined with these slushie machines! Its pretty cool! We had dinner at Cira 1800 and it was really yummy! Not to mention the Apple Pie Martini I had was pretty yummy as well!!

We also went and saw What To Expect When Your Expecting...honestly it was funny. Not as funny as I thought it might be, lets face it pregnancy sucks and I thought they'd relate on that more, but they just showed different type of pregnancy's. I could tell the husband didnt find it as hilarious as I did. But he wasnt there for my pregnancy until the last week so he missed the parts where he should have been laughing at me.

After we picked up Evelyn we came home and I finally got my piece of cake! It was delish! It was honestly the best birthday I could have ever hoped for! I am so glad I got to spend it was my husband! He definitely is the best ever!

10 Months!

Dear Evelyn,

That month flew by so fast! I can't believe your in double digit months! This last month you've grown up so much and I cant wrap my brain around how big you are! Your my little monkey girl! Your Daddy and I eat it up! Your turning into a toddler right before my eyes! I wish I could keep you a baby a little longer, but your growing up into a beautiful girl!

Love Mommy and Daddy

Diapers-Size 3!

Clothes- Finally out of 6 months and into 6-9 months.

Sleep- Sleep through the night. About 11 hours. Lately wants a bottle at 6am then go back to sleep. 2 naps a day for about an hour.

Food- Eating alot more regular foods. Love bread and love chicken! 

Teeth- You have 6 teeth now! and 1 molar on the way! 

Firsts- started to stand alone! not for too long but you'll do it. You dance! Play peek-a-boo really well. FINALLY said MAMA! You finally understand the word NO and hate when I say it. 

i'm 23.

hello. today is my day of birth! yepp...my birthday! now say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ;) Nah. Just kidding.

I am 23 today, and I feel about 25.

On this day 23 years ago, my mother was told she'd be having a c-section 3 weeks before her due date, because smart fetus me swallowed fluid. This girl came out awesome and ready to greet the world!

I think I've changed quite a bit!

oh and I'll be singing this all day long!!!

Featured Blogger!

 Today I am featured over at Scattered Seashells! Check it out right here!

too fast

Yesterday the Hubs and I finally decided on Evelyn's 1 year old Birthday Dress...yes you heard me...BIRTHDAY! I know its 2 months away but we really wanted to ease in all the purchases and not just suddenly drop a ton of money on her B-Day. So we bought her 2 outfits yesterday and that all we are buying her for her photo shoot and birthday party.

As soon as I hit "Submit Order" on the website, I cried. Lately I am really emotional...maybe its just the Mom in me now because I used to never be like this, but yes I looked at Evelyn and flat out told her what my mom used to tell me...."I am going to put books on your head so you stop growing." she looked at me and laugh...just like I used to do to my Mom. Now I finally see where she was coming from.

Anyone that is a Mom is going "yes I feel you on that!" anyone who is not a Mom is probably going "it can't go by that fast?"..just like I used to say and think. I honestly cant believe how grown up Evelyn is!I suddenly realize how much I am going to miss holding that little newborn and soon this little girl will be even more unwilling for me to rock her. She only wants me when she is teething now and even then she still fights it. She's preferring Daddy more then me. cue, broken heart but melting heart.


Since this is possibly our only baby, I really wish I could have some of the time back. But I really want to give Evelyn everything I possibly can. Spoil her rotten. I know time wont slow down anytime soon, but hopefully I can learn more on how to savor moments. Moments such as...Dancing to The Little Mermaid. Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together. Teaching her to walk. Her beautiful funny personality that I hope never goes away. She's just like me! Also her always wanting to taste the lemon in my water at restaurants.

Like I said...Best personality!

one foot out the door.

Since we got here Hub's has yet to go to Airborne School. They told him he had 60 days to do it, and we both thought "man that's easy!" little did they tell us how many other things he had to do to even qualify to stay at his unit. So the last month that he has been with this unit he has been going through ruck marches, PT tests, safety tests and so on and so forth, while absolutely none of those things even help him qualify to go to Airborne School.

Since Airborne School is 3 weeks I was planning on flying home to Utah to see my family. So many things have happened since I left and with my Grandpa's Alzheimer getting worse, I feel a lot of the need to go home while I still can. Evelyn might absolutely hate me holding her on the plane but I don't really care. Since we decided I would go home, I have been dying for Hubs to come home with his dates for school so I can book my flight and go!

Little did I know that I have actually been riding his butt about these dates and getting it done so I can leave. He told me that I need to get off his back about it because he said it feels like I am pushing him out the door. Oops. Not my intention at all. I love my husband and want him to stay, and yes I miss home, but home will always be there and sadly my husband has so many training's and field's coming up that I am almost tarnishing that time with him to spend with us.

Yes, Hubs does need to get Airborne done! ASAP, and I have been reminding him to keep it in his mind, but I didn't mean to push him out the door and go! I already have one foot out the door ready to leave! Bad of me I know. But I have been super home sick. I am pretty glad I know I am going home in August while the Hubs is at ALC in OK, which will be super fun since my Mom and I will be taking a Vacation to Arizona to see my friends and Aunt. I'm really looking forward to that. Hopefully I can just stop and slow down again. Enjoy more time and stop pushing him out the door.

Ahh I miss this place...

(downtown salt lake city.)

Source: Uploaded by user via Nancy on Pinterest

Balloons!

Yesterday for my Sisters Day, we let off balloons in memory of her. We haven't done it in a long time, and my Mom sent me some cool light up balloons so I thought it would be fun to involve Evelyn. If you didn't know you can buy a tiny helium tank at Walmart for $20 and it comes with balloons and string. So we blew up a few balloons and even let Evelyn play with one of the light-up balloons. It was so cute to see her play with him! Hubs gave me a balloon for Mothers Day too so she just had a ball with balloons!

Suzy Q

Today is the day that I hate. Its my sisters death anniversary. I like to call it Suzys Day...its depressing to remember that 11 years ago I lost my older sister.

I am not going to write a depressing post about how much I miss her. Its very clear how much I do. My depressed feelings about her suddenly leaving are personal. But I want to write things about her that I remember. I was 10 when she died, almost 11. I don't remember much, then things like her favorite color Purple. Her favorite flower, Daisy. Her contagious laugh that still rumbles through my head. Her funny laugh. Or that fact that she was and will always be the best sister I could have ever asked for.

Evelyn will never know her Aunt Suzy, but she'll always have her with her. Evelyn's middle name is Suzanne after her auntie. Suzy would have loved that. She always felt like she was the better sister.

Suzy was 9 years older then me, with no siblings in between. So Suzy was like a 2nd Mom to me. She was the role model I needed to be an awesome Mom. She even took me early school shopping. She even tried to sneek me out of school just to get ice cream, and once let me steer her car. Yes, she was an awesome big sister!

I miss her every step of the way. Even though so days I feel like I have outlived her (she died when she was only 20), I know that she is so happy with where I am at in my life. She would be so proud of the Mom and Wife I am. She'd love that I support my husband so much, and that I try to never take a day for granted. She would just be plain proud of me.

I love you so much Suzy Q!! I know your always looking down over me. I miss you every step of the way, and I will always remember what an amazing big sister you were, and I still believe you are. One day we will reunite, and have good times once again.

For those that don't know Suzy this is her...

this is Suzy and I. 

I really did have the best big sister!!

My Mom

Happy Mothers Day!!

This is my 1st Mothers Day! Its so weird to be celebrating it, but I love being Evelyn's Mommy! I'm glad there is a day dedicated to Mothers! Mom's do so much for us! My mom is the best Mom ever!! Here's a little bit about my Mom!

My Mom has had 4 kids and adopted 2!
My Mom has been married to my Dad for 34 years!
My Mom has 5 Grandchildren!
My Mom has 2 sisters and 1 brother.
My Mom owns her own business.
My Mom remembers things for years!
My Mom can read a book over 400 pages in 1 day.
My Mom loves True Blood and Nurse Jackie!
My Mom is a Geek! Just like her kids!
My Mom will do ANYTHING to make her kids happy.
My Mom is the most forgiving person.

I know everyone loves there own Mom for there own reasons. I love my Mom for everything she has ever done for me. She really gives her all into her children, and even though she should have given up on me many times I am so grateful she didn't. Whenever I feel like a failure, my Mom can turn my day around. I talk to her almost everyday and I am so grateful that I can call my Mom one of my best friends!

I hope all you Mom's and Moms-To-Be enjoy your Special Day!!

I am The Optimistic Army Wife...

Hello all my Military Spouses and a Happy Military Spouses Appreciation Day to you! Thank you for all that you do, because I gotta say, we kick ass. We deal with our husbands/wives leaving for LONG periods of time, going to the field for weeks at a time, countless training's and 24 hour shifts. We kick ass. We have proven to ourselves that we are amazing and we all deserve a day to say...Hell yes I am!
Ya you know you liked that!

Over at Household 6 Diva and Riding the Roller Coaster are hosting a Military Spouse Appreciation Day Blog Hop! All of us Spouses are writing an Into to who we are! It is a day about us right? :) So here is Mine!

I am Liz! I am a 20 something Army Wife married to a man who is a 13D. If you dont know what a 13D is...You know the loud noises you hear going BOOM in the night? That would be my husband. I am a very proud Field Artillery Wife. We have 1 little Army Brat together and her name is Evelyn, she is 9 months old and the light of our lives! We have been through two 12 month deployments together, the last one I was pregnant through and he made it home just in time on R&R to see his daughter be born. We are currently stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, we love it here seeing as we just PCS'd from Fort Riley, Kansas. I am also originally from Utah! I miss Utah, its the best in my opinion.

As you can tell I blog as...The Optimistic Army Wife, why? Because I see my life as something that I have accomplished. I have had hard times in the 20 some-odd years I have been on this earth. But I believe that all prepared me for the life I am living today. I remain incredibly optimistic about almost every situation I encounter, sometimes I shock myself at how much I choose to not get upset about. 

I blog about whatever I want to. Usually its about our lives in general, not just Military. I have become incredibly close with a few other wives in the blogging community and I am very grateful for that. One thing I love to do is become personal with my readers. I love to get involved in there lives and situations...creepy huh? I love to respond to comments (if you dont have a no-reply email), and show what my life is like from a day to day basis.

I have a Facebook Fan Page but I hardly ever use it, but I am usually on my Twitter account everyday! You can also follow me on Pintrest. 

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your bloghop! Until then here's a face to remember me by and cant forget my beautiful family!

Playin' In The Rain!

I have never took Evelyn out to play in the rain before yesterday. It was pouring for a few hours and the Mom in me said, its too cold..which its not, then I finally decided to say...what the hell!

Evelyn and I went onto the back porch and just sang "It's Raining Its Pouring" and she laughed and smiled! It was definitely a great Mommy Daughter moment and going into her Photo Book!!

Weight Loss Yoga

Because I am so optimistic, even though May is a crap-shoot month for me, I've decided to change that. I bought a few things off Amazon to restart my weight-loss. Nothing too serious, but I decided walking isn't getting me far. So I bought these two beautys...

My new yoga mat and The Biggest Loser, Weight Loss Yoga!

My Yoga Mat is Pretty!! Something nice to look at!

I started the DVD today, and loved it! I got to customize my work out, and Bob definitely lets you feel like apart of the group. He has at least one person doing modified versions just in case, and definitely gives you that extra push you need. My only problem was my wrists started to HURT, and he lets you know if you need to take a break its OK! So I took a break and drank some water and tried to stretch out my wrist. Of course after you strain your wrists there is only so much you can do. But I turned the DVD back on and continued on in my workout. 

I have to do my work out during one of Evelyn's nap, and for now on it will be during the 1st nap. I am hoping I can continue on in my weight loss journey and get better and better! Here's a photo of me starting off all over again. I should have taken a side pic too...oops.

Defiantly not proud of this body...but it could always be worse. I even took a photo of my weight on the scale so I never forget that number. 

Wordless Wednesday

Wake Up!!

Rise and Shine!! Its going to hopefully be a beautiful day!

I decided that I have had way too many "down" post in the last week...3 is too much.

Thankfully I think I am figuring it out whats going on in my brain. I know that Post Pardon depression can last a while, and I was diagnosed with it after having Evelyn. I have also had depression my whole life, and since May is my absolutely horrid shitty month, that could explain a lot.

But yesterday I was going to get up and do something, but chose to stay home. Luckily I got to hang out with Lyzz from Defying Gravity for a little while again, which certainly made me feel a lot better!

Today I have promised myself to get up and be active in my day. I have many errands to run and I should just do them. Especially sending my Mothers Day gifts off...eeek!

What do you have planned today?

And Another.

**I want to thank everyone for the support on my Friends post! you guys are seriously the best, I have amazing readers!

I think the universe has it out for me lately. I know that sounds like another complaining post coming your way...but its not. I am not going to announce what has happened. Mainly because its a family issue, and a lot of our family doesn't know and I have a few family members who read this blog. But for my family just so you know, it will come out eventually. I'm sure you'll all know in a week or so.

I am pretty ready to have one great fabulous post! May is never my favorite month, it always seems to be a shitty month, despite the fact that its my birth month. I am looking forward to my birthday! So far it seems like the Hubs will be home on my Birthday for the first time EVER!! That's 3 birthdays of mine he has missed. But since he still doesn't have a school date I am not getting my hopes up.

Anyways...yepp. Hopefully I'll have something more to blog about soon. Until then its back to my housewife dutys!

Friends.

The last day I have felt really down about friendships I have had in the past. I have begun to realize I am way too flipping nice. 

This week I am babysitting a kid I have met once...for two days. His mom is friends with a girl I thought I was friends with back at Riley. She was backed into a corner and needed a sitter because she was due any day now. So when she contacted me about watching her boy I said yes. I'd be rude not to, considering I was her last resort. Not only did I watch her child, I cleaned her house and offered to make her dinner. Call me a "Mormon" or a "Utahn" but this is just what you do for someone that has a baby, you clean and cook for them. Apparently I have overwhelmed her with how nice I can be, and I could tell I was making it awkward. It was never my intention to make it awkward, but now that I write it down, I can see how awkward it would be to have a person you've met once or twice vacuum your floors and do your dishes. Nether-less I was trying to be helpful so when she gets home she can relax. 

This has brought upon many emotions for myself. I have realized that I really am entirely too nice. I have not one friend that I have had my whole life. Yes a few childhood friends here and there that I see every blue moon. But any from Middle School or High School? Not one do I talk to anymore. Its a sad fact that I am living with. I will say this though....usually these "friendships" do not end because I have done something wrong. Its usually me giving up trying to keep in touch with someone who clearly has no interest in keeping in contact with me.

I spent the night cuddling with my husband and crying because its becoming more and more true to be that I seem destined to not have life long friends. Something I have always wanted. I do not know why I am not desired as more then a temporary friend, and it really hurts my feelings. I know that is not the original intention at all, and I still will be looking for real friends.

I am not here for a pitty party or here for anyone to volunteer to be my friend, I am nearly writting this to get it off my chest. I am forever grateful that My Husband and I have such an amazing friendship. I'm glad I can tell him everything and not feel the need to hold anything back. He is my best friend and I am grateful for that. 

Failing Comments.

I had so many helpful comments yesterday on my Failing post. So I thought I'd answer them here incase anyone wanted to know or needed advice...

Alison C @ Army SO wrote:
Try using myfitnesspal. It's helped me lose ~14lbs. They have a mobile app too. You can lose weight by dieting, the thing I have discovered with myfitnesspal, is that what I thought was 1 serving was actually a lot more, especially with pasta. Also a lot of people on that site recommend "30 day shred", I guess you can find the 1st part on youtube. It helps them "tone up

I am one of those lame people that still have Blackberrys and they suck. I have heard of MyFitnessPal and I know its on an iphone, and luckily I can get an iphone upgrade next month! So I'll make sure to add that app onto my phone when I get it :)

KD @ Combat Boots & Booster Seats wrote:
I'm sorry you're feeling that way about your body. :-( Not good.

As for DVDs, Crunch Fitness makes some of my favorite! My go-to is Super SlimDown: Pilates-Yoga Blend. The 40 minutes go by super fast, and it's even on Netflix watch instantly, I believe. Drew thinks it's hilarious to watch me too! It'll change your body… my waste is already smaller and I only do it twice a week or so.

I hope you get some positive reinforcement soon, on the scale or otherwise. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're beautiful!!

I'll make sure to check that out on Netflix! I ordered a Yoga mat yesterday and a Biggest Loser Yoga DVD on Amazon too so hopefully I can get working on something while Evelyn naps. and thanks for the comments!

Amber @ Amber and Joe wrote:
You'll get back on track in no time! Try walks with her, that's exercise that doesn't require a sitter :) And diet sodas are actually worse for you than regular sodas. The artificial sweeteners are terrible for you! Everyone has set backs in weight loss, it's ok! And tell the hubs that if he wants a smokin hot wife, he needs to step up once in awhile and watch the baby so you can work out :) Good luck!


I've been doing walks with Evelyn, but its starting to get really hot and humid here. So I am worried about taking her out for too long. I guess I hadn't really thought about that with diet sodas! I really am liking my Diet Coke though ;) but I am working on getting back off of it. Sometimes I feel like I need that caffeine boost, but there are a few other things I can do besides have a soda. I will make sure to tell my husband that! He was very helpful before he went back to work and since he is working again he is not very helpful, hopefully we figure something out soon!!

Chantal @ Scattered Seashells wrote:
Don't feel like you failed! Just accept that you've gained some weight back and jump on it. Netflix has good work out videos on Instant Play!


I really do feel like a failure. It's hard for me to feel like all I do is get fatter or lose control. Like I said in my post I wish I could be that girl that starves but I just LOVE food. I love cooking and baking, and I need to learn better on how to do it in moderation. I barelly bake anymore so *HIGH 5* for me! :) I'll make sure to check on netflix for workout routines!

Lou @ Guinn and Bare It wrote:
you didnt fail!!! it happens to everyone, trust me its happened to me. Me and Guinn are doing south beach it was rough at first but now that we are on phase 2 we can eat pretty much anything we want except white bread and sugar...but finding sugar free becomes so natural and even better tasting!! I dont know if your interested in it but it sure helped me! Im sure youll get backn on track i have faith!


Girl I love you, but I LOVE carbs! hahaha. You've seen what my kitchen looks like...have you seen the Cupcakes? haha. I am working on doing less carbs and less sugar. Usually I wont make anything that has lots of sugar in it or even noodles we try to stray from. I know you gotta be looking good for the beach when you go to Hawaii and your looking good! Keep it up!!

Cassidy @ Wife in the Hood wrote:
I agree with the others, you're not a failure. At all! You need motivation and there's nothing wrong with that. We all do, we just have to find what works for us. A suggestion? Make a goal for yourself a small goal. Work with 5 lbs, then 10 lbs then 20 lbs. With each goal you hit, indulge in something that's not food. Get your nails done, hair, new shirt something you've been admiring for a while. Also, make a routine. Routines are what keep you going. Here's mine it might help but I haven't fallen off the wagon, and when a wrench is thrown into my routine I use it to work around with mine. Morning. Get up, let the dogs out, and make the hubby breakfast. While I make his breakfast I make us green smoothies. My breakfast is the smoothie since I put so many things into mine. I'll enjoy the 30 minutes he's got home after PT and before he returns. When he leaves I make time for 30 minutes of yoga and 40 minutes of walking my pit. It's daily. It's every morning and before the heat of the day when I can ENJOY it. This way I can say 'I did it all this morning' instead of a possible 'Oh I'll do it later.' Later never works. You can do it honey!!


I like your idea of smoothies in the morning. One thing I really have wanted to buy is a juicer and a blender. We had actually talked about doing juicing diets, but the one time we traded meals for juice I starved!! So maybe a smoothie would add more into it. I have been wanting to get back into yoga, and I did buy a DVD on amazon and a mat to help! I hurt my knee in yoga a while ago and the walking we've done helped alot we me pushing it farther. It doesn't hurt anymore. I am going to try and see if I can hurry up with Evelyn in the morning to walk before it gets too hot. It is super humid out lately and mixed with heat its muggy! She wakes up at 7 and usually we're done with her feedings and my breakfast by like 745 and then its this huge thing with just getting her into the stroller which by the time that all happens its 8, and then around 830 it gets hotter. Or maybe I am just hotter haha. I am going to try and working it all out! Maybe I should get the Hubs working on walking with me at night! I love night walks!


Thank you to everyone who wrote me such helpful comments!! You all have no idea how much you can push me! I'm grateful to have such supportive readers and friends! I'm going to be working on getting better and hopefully soon I'll be back on track and getting baby/deployment weight off me!!

Failing.

I am a failure. I promise you guys, I wanted to do my best and I tried. I don't know what my mental block is but its definitely something I'm trying to move past.

Ahh....I gained weight back.

I am pretty ashamed to say it. I really wish that I didn't lose my control or feel like I could do what I wanted again. I am back on my way to trying. I can definitely say that my eating habits have changed! I do not eat red meat more then once, maybe twice a week. I eat chicken and fish a lot. But I will admit that we have gotten into a pasta rut. I have my 2 snacks a day. I eat breakfast and lunch. I know I have slide back into have a soda more...I do have Diet Coke now instead of Pepsi or Dr. Pepper. I still drink a ton of water though.

I mentioned before in a Lets Get Curvy post, that I started supplements to help the weight come off, and I had a week were I spaced it off and forgot! The husband was in the field and it slipped my mind being so busy with Evelyn. I gained 4 lbs! in a flipping week! I didn't spend it eating fast food either! I made meals, I went out one time. I don't know what happened.

I need to exercise better for sure. I wish it was easier to go to the gym. The "play areas" for kids and pretty much for kids...walking kids. I thought the neighborhood center gym would have a good area for Evelyn but there is a big wall between you and the kids and just 2 huge windows, which Evelyn is too short to be seen over them. No daycare at the gyms either. I dont have friends here, well besides the ones I want to work out with. The husband hates to babysit after work because its "his time to relax", so I am backed into a corner. I probably should buy work out DVD's. If you know anything good please suggest them to me!

I have thoughts like "I wish I was one of those girls that could starve themselves skinny". Yes amazing thoughts I am having. I really do wish weight was easier to come off of me, but its not. I really feel like even though I had a few rough patches that I do try. I do. Its natural for someone who has never really dieted in there life to have a few rough patches. I accept that, but I don't accept me feeling awful about how I look anymore, and I am really trying to change. I want to feel sexy and I want to feel like my husband thinks I am sexy. I want to not see my body and wish I could slice off half my belly and suction out fat in various places. I want to be that girl that says yeah I look better then I did, and I feel amazing!

Back to the drawing board and hopefully I can post another Lets Get Curvy post soon!

April Learning Bring..

May trouble makers!!

Evelyn has learned that if she puts something to stand on next to something she can climb on top of it. This is a barrier we had so she couldn't get into the entertainment center, she likes cords, now we gotta figure something else out.