Inspiration for losing weight

2 weeks after giving birth to baby #3.

A friend of mine has recently reached the milestone of losing 88lbs! After gaining 75-80lbs during her pregnancy with her third child, mostly in fluid retention, she took to seriously working the weight off. She recently told me about it. "After Edward was born I thought I was going to lose weight fast. I was wrong. I lost about 20lbs fast and then I lost another 10lbs by Christmas. I didn't do anything special because I was breastfeeding Edward. I was hoping to lose more after Christmas but I didn't really  lose any weight. I was very depressed and told Avery's mom (my daughters friends mother) I needed to lose more. She suggested that I should talk to Jenny, Emma's old teachers aide. She owns a Body by Vi business. She said I should drink the milkshake with protein power from Body by Vi. It worked great and I lost other 25 lbs for about 2.5 months... And then my doctor said I should join the MyFitnessPal program. From there I read that I should eat up to 1200 calories per a day. When Ash Wednesday came around I decided to give up all sweet foods like candy, cake, etc. and no snacks. It was extremely hard for me but I did it! I lost another 20lbs in 40 days. I started eating more healthy foods like fruits and vegetables... I cut back on meats... no bread. I started drinking a lot more water and less diet Coke. From then until now, I have been watching what I eat. I'm planning to lose another 15 to 20lbs before I'm done. I'm much more happier then I was before.
Eating healthier helped me to lose the weight slowly. Doing so allowed me to lose the 88 pounds in the past year. My doctor thought I wouldn't lose weight like this, and I'm going to show him just how wrong he was at my next appointment on January 29th when I take Edward to his check up appointment.
Another thing I did to lose weight was drink Silk Pure Almond unsweetened with vanilla in my Body by Vi protein powder shake. It helped me to feel full. I only had to drink it twice a day."

2 weeks after her baby delivery on the left, a couple weeks ago on the right!
She's done an amazing job. And she's a wonderful mom. Love hanging out with her and hearing about her success! Thanks for sharing Alisa. 

 The right side is the most recent showing her loss of 88lbs.

Super mom having a not-so-super day...

I've been sick the last couple days. Something in the vicinity of allergy or cold... I hate getting sick. It's disgusting and draining. Then I also have three munchkins ranging from 1-5 years of age. The oldest seems to be holding off the illness quite well. The middle child is wiping his nose on anything EXCEPT tissues. And the youngest has started showing signs of the sickness which has her quite miserable. Plus, she's learned to climb on just about everything and in the past 24 hours has fallen and managed to hit her mouth 3 times. I can tell she takes after me already.
I seriously wanted to curl up in bed and sleep until I'm all better. Then I made the mistake of looking around the apartment. Dishes in the sink, floor un-swept and needing to be vacuumed. There's a load of laundry in the dryer plus I should be starting another load.... I went to pick up my sons cup and found his grilled cheese sandwich that he said he had eaten, floating in his Koolaid. This is an average day for me. But normally I can keep up with demands. Feeling like I have the plague... Not so much!

I was faced with the choice of going to bed and calling the day quits... Or putting on the big girl undies and getting to work. Can you guess which one I chose?
Yep... An hour later and the floors were cleaned, counters wiped, dishes done, daughter awake from her nap and eating. I'm still holding out hope for a nap or quiet moment to rest. In the meantime I'm going finish the laundry, plan this weeks meals, make a shopping list to match and try not to pull my hair out in the process.
It's difficult some days, not gonna lie. I want to curl up and growl at everyone that comes to me for something. Husband comes asking what I deem "stupid" questions every five minutes, my oldest son asks to play a game about a hundred times a day, middle child wants to sit around watching movies all day, and my baby girl wants to be held and/or fed often. I would clone myself if possible! Then one of me could work while the other me handles home issues. But alas... its not possible... yet.
Tonight is a win though. Italian marinated chicken, rice, apple cobbler, and garlic bread for dinner. Score!

 

Exterminators: Shadows book review

I wrote about a book I had helped edit for a friend of mine a while back. He's a great author who has some new adventures to read as he continues his series, Exterminators. Book two, Shadows, is now available on Amazon for Kindle download or you can order the paperback edition. 
This up-and-coming writer is named James DeSantis. He has a truly wonderful sequel that continues to shed light on the characters and story from book one, Infected. A battle has been brewing, but now there are more groups getting involved. The Shadows have taken an active roll with the Summoners towards bringing the Exterminators down. 
Riven is battling the memories from his past, especially the most recent one taken from the body of previous Exterminator, Fred, as well as Cole from the Summoners. They differ in opinions. He also doesn't believe that David is leading him in the right direction or trusting him. 
Jin and Emily go to battle where tragedy strikes. Jin falls into a depression that leads to a passionate quest for revenge against the man responsible. He also has to deal with the loss of his father. 
Carl has to get himself back together. With the loss of Fred so soon, he takes a more active role in leading his team of new Exterminators. 
Nick pushes himself daily to be the absolute best he can as he leads his team against the Unknowns. He wants to be strong. He's still keeping his secret from Kelly who becomes more and more convinced that he has a big secret. She pushes him to tell but still loves him enough not to push too hard. He also has to keep his secret from his dad.
Peter and Rachel get closer and soon become a couple of the cutest sort. Even though he still has trouble relating to others, he finds a love that he's willing to die to protect. Even if its not reasonable to someone who isn't sentimental or even romantic. He also learns to stand up against his father who is trying to come back.
Marshall and Lucy are going strong. A bun in the oven has Marshall going on a serious job hunt that lands him work with someone dangerous. His new friend and coworker puts Marshall in a deadly situation that leads to the death of someone he loved very much.
The battle begins to wage and losses are high. Shadows and Summoners are gathering forces that join together to create a world in which Unknowns are allowed to be "known" to humans. The Exterminators are working double time to keep them out and protect themselves against attacks. Secrets are revealed, deaths take their toll, and desire for revenge courses through more than one involved. This book will keep you on the edge. Its amazing follow-up has you begging for book three. 
You can get the Kindle download here. Or order a paperback copy here. Also check out my review of  book one, Exterminators: Infected. He also has a short story, Those Devils that is climbing the ladder in popularity! All of them are available for purchase on Amazon. 
Those Devils  Available for download only. 
Exterminators: Infected is still on sale here.  Follow James and see all his upcoming works on his Fan Page on Facebook. 
Be sure and leave a comment on what you think. Both here and your own review when you buy it on Amazon. He loves to hear feedback from his readers!  He has another review on his Facebook page. So if you need reinforcement in encouraging you...

Jewel Scent Candle review

My husband decided to buy a Jewel Scent Candle after having issues with another ring candle company.
The order was processed and shipped rather quickly even though it was nearly Christmas time. I'd read a lot of great reviews about them on their Facebook page.
It was securely packaged and arrived undamaged. When I opened it, I first noticed that the scent is not as strong as I hoped. I personally prefer candles that are strong enough to fill a room with a delightful smell within several minutes. This one is only noticeable within close proximity.
It's beautifully decorated though. The intricate black and white design makes it a great addition to any room. 

 The ring that I received inside was inside a plastic bag that was wrapped in gold foil. The way the value works for the rings inside is, that if there's a ring in your candle, it's worth anywhere from $10- $100. Anything above that in value will instead be a gold coin of sorts with a claim number stamped on it. You then contact the company and they send you the ring from that claim number. No matter how much mine is worth, it's still a beautiful piece.

 It says on the label that it can burn for 100 hours. Since lighting it this morning, and only snuffing it out for about an hour, it's been burning but only about a fraction of the candle is down.
 So what does this mean and what do I think of them?
I love the design. I love the ring. I personally wish the scent was stronger, but I know some people who have allergies and this type of candle would be better for them. Enough to be pleasing but not overwhelming. I think they make awesome gifts. Yes, it's nice to give candles that have enough aroma to fill a room. But suppose you get something the other person doesn't enjoy like you do? This way they get a sample of a scent and a gorgeous ring.
The candles are made of soy and beeswax. Healthier and natural alternatives. Jewel Scent does have other products in the lineup. And they also come with gems aplenty! Check them out and tell me what you think.

***This review was fully on me. I was not endorsed to say anything. The candle was purchased from Jewel Scent by my husband as a gift. All opinions are my own.***

Do you cosplay?

For those who don't know what it is, its dressing like your favorite character from a TV show, movie or game. Or perhaps you just like dressing up and differently. 

A friend of mine found this website and it has tons of things that are great for either, especially wigs, at 90% savings. My only hesitation with such a website is that it's from overseas. I'd prefer to be buying something here in the States. But nowhere will you find wigs or corsets for these kinds of prices. I was planning on dressing as a female version of the Phantom of the Opera and began searching for the pieces to make my costume since I don't sew and its simple to piece together with things already made.

Definitely might be worth your while, just remember a couple things:
First off, check the reviews of people who have bought from that seller in the past. If there is a lot of negative feedback, be warned. Each item sold is from various overseas stores.
Secondly, if you do order, remember that the item(s) are coming from China or wherever. The absolute minimum amount of time for shipping is 15 days. And that's if your package flies... Typically though it takes 3-6 weeks depending on the mail centers it passes through.
Just some ideas. If you cosplay or dress up in something awesome, tell me about it. If you send a picture, I'll even add it to the post! In January, I'm hoping to attend a local anime convention of sorts with some girlfriends. I planned something like this...

 I found an off-shoulder sleeved, gothic style top. Though I was looking for something like the above picture.

I'm still looking for a long skirt like this one.

Years ago, I met an amazing seamstress and commissioned her to make a custom cape for me. Its similar to this one picture but has a silver lining. If I pair these up with a mask, my calf-length black boots, and if the black curly wig comes in... tres magnifique!

Hair cutting solutions here in St. Augustine!

So I went for round two of trying to get my hair cut. This time I struck gold. I went to A Cut Above in the strip where the new Ross is being built  there just before 312. Its a local place that I was referred to by a few people after the last fiasco. It's such a welcoming place to go. Nothing like that hole in the wall dump I went to before. It's clean and comfortable and also well lit.
I specifically set up my appointment with Diane. I was referred by her grandson. Though, there are plenty of other talented stylists to choose from. Diane's granddaughter even works there. I was also told Kim does a great job. So the choices are there. Everyone I saw coming and going was in a good mood. They had plenty of seating for those waiting, though you wouldn't have to wait long.

Diane did an excellent job. She paid attention to the natural part (most stylists choose to "create" a uniform part) which means I won't have to fight my hair to stay in place. She talked to me like a friend would. She made me laugh. It was a whole new experience. Then she cut with precision. I like a stylist that knows what they are doing. No hesitation, no fumbling around. It means I'll get out at a decent time. I was aiming for Victoria Beckham's classic short sling.

It stacks in the back and comes nearly to a point in the front. I didn't quite get that. My hair has a natural curl to it that comes out during certain weather and when cut. As she began cutting up the back, it began curling. Instead, she offered a median. It comes a little higher in the back than the front, but still short enough to make me happy.

For now, I have hair I can enjoy without pulling it up. Eventually, I'll try again for the shorter, edgier look.

Hi I'm Skinny giveaway!

Time for some holiday giveaway fun!!!

Hi I'm Skinny has agreed to host a giveaway and offer you all free shipping to boot. First the giveaway! Just like last time, Canada and North America residents have the chance to enter the giveaway. Prizes are for two winners to get one Sampler Box each. Sampler Box will include full size products as shown in the review I posted before. Worth entering if you are interested in trying a healthy treat and possibly sharing at some holiday get-togethers! Also, if you are interested in placing an order and getting free shipping, simply use the code: HHFS13 at checkout! Good luck everyone! a Rafflecopter giveaway