I've come a long way...

I've been cleaning up and going through stuff. I've got a move or two to get ready for in this upcoming year. Going through pictures and packing them away, I got to glimpse my life in stages. To see my personal history in still frames, really puts it all in perspective. It renews the hopes I had for a brighter future. Some of the most memorable parts of my life's adventures, are in these photos below. I encourage you to look back and see how far you've come. No matter what you don't like now, find the things that you do like. Have you grown stronger? Wiser? Gained a special skill? Are you getting where you want to be? 

About this time, 17 years ago, I went under the knife for my first spinal fusion. I felt like a huge weight had been put on shoulders. I could move, but it was all stiff. There were nights when my pain was excruciating but I could barely move myself off the couch that had become my bed. Crying myself to sleep, I learned what true pain was. I also learned to manage it. To be stronger. It takes a lot to make me cry these days. Even more to make me turn to pain killers for relief. 

My next major life change was the day I become a mother. Since my spine is fused, I can't have an epidural. And considering how small a woman I am... I felt EVERYTHING. But my screams of pain were soon replaced with tears of sheer joy. I couldn't hold my little boy at first since I lost so much blood that I could only lay there shaking. But he was truly the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. I'd take that pain again any time to relive that moment. 

Now I'm a mother of three. I work a full time job, juggle life, and strive to stay ahead of the chaos. I have a long way to go to reach the dream I currently have. But I'm taking it a step at a time. 

Exhaustion to the max!

As a mom, being tired is nothing new to me. I'm used to waking up several times a night because someone had a bad dream or isn't feeling good. It still doesn't make me immune to exhaustion. I've been running on less than 4 hours of sleep. My husband got this picture as I fell asleep sitting up.

 Plus there's been work (getting ready to walk into a shift today too) and the Super Bowl party. After work the day before yesterday I came home, showered, and got dressed. I decided to nap a couple hours. My husband came in to make sure I woke up on time before my alarm even rang. I think I was going for a Princess Anna look.... 

Because this was what I saw in the mirror.... 

Of course, like any southern lady, just five minutes of mirror time and I was party ready. 

Yesterday after work, I came home to clean the kitchen. I guess even my dense husband could tell I was at my limit as he told me to go to bed for the rest of the day. So after a shower.... I slept the rest of the day. Finally woke up at 1 AM this morning. I suppose that this is normal for people my age. We should be able to handle sleepless nights and long days. A perk of our youth. I for one, however, don't want to get into this habit. It's a pain in the head and back! And it takes away from the enjoyment of life. I could barely listen to what my kids were sayingor didn't even have the desire to talk to a close friend of mine. Now that the sleep monster is satisfied, I feel a bit guilty. So tonight, even though I work in the morning, I'm taking the kids to the mall for the free Lego build! Check your local Lego store for their event starting at 5PM. Better get there about an hour early as the line gets long and the supplies can be as limited as 250 people only. This month, it's a space shuttle! 

Enjoy your day and get your sleep! 

Java Me Up coffee bar review via Shoplet.com

This was certainly a change as far as "office supplies" product reviews go for Shoplet.com. They sent me some Java Me Up coffee energy bars. Have "Coffee with bite"!

Not your average office product, yet something that is often needed around the workplace. These are a fantastic idea. Get your coffee in the form of a bar. You can avoid spilling, burning yourself, and its quicker to devour than drink. Each bar is equivalent to 1/2 a cup of coffee.

These bars are all natural with fiber and protein. They provide you the energy-inducing push in the form of a bar. Each bar is a combination of coffee, chocolate, almonds, and rolled oats. 

I took some to work to try with my coworkers. Getting up at 4 AM can be hard to do. And since most of us have lives outside of work, i.e. family, school, etc., we don't always get enough sleep. Some of us turn to energy aids such as energy drinks to get through the day. Side effects can be headaches, quickened heartbeat, and increased body temperature. Ingesting these bars didn't result in any of those. I'm not one for coffee in general. I'm that type that drinks it only when it's super sweet and therefore not effective. While these bars are covered in dark chocolate, they aren't overpowered in the chocolate flavor. The taste of rich coffee is quite prominent. My coworkers enjoyed them. The results of added energy varied. My own feelings were inconclusive as I was near the time for my second wind already. One of the guys reported feeling a super boost and it seemed to work. The other one stayed as mellow as he always is. Then again, I don't think he ever comes off as "energized" no matter what he takes. 

The texture and consistency were good. They aren't hard or too chewy. 

If you're a coffee lover looking to try something new and clean, this is it. Easy to take on the go, without making messes, and still helping to kickstart your day - these bars have my approval. They are $39.99 per pack which comes to $1.66 for each bar.
Don't forget to check out Shoplet.com for more than just office supplies. They now provide medical supplies, office stationary, and promotional products to get your business name out there.

A great month over all

January was pretty busy. Getting into the swing of the new year, making plans and even turning a year older. It seems to be flying by so quick. 

Work has been the craziest of all.

Preparing for our Bounce Back has made me seriously despise working in retail. 

I came up with a new creation of my own. Your mind can get quite devious when the cupboard is getting bare. 

I had pasta, diced tomatoes, sour cream and some velveeta cheese. Mixed it up for a sort of southwest meal. I think adding chicken or ground beef would be a good idea too. 

For my birthday, a couple of my coworkers treated me to their baking skills with chocolate mint cookies

and chocolate mint cupcakes.

I'm pretty sure that in two days time I've gained about 10 pounds, but the taste was divine so I'll survive. 

Instead of making my cake or my husband going out to buy one, I decided to get Krispy Kreme donuts. 

Why not? Especially when I got one free with a free drink from my birthday email. 

Which, by the way, Krispy Kreme has a deal if you're needing to buy more than 5 dozen donuts for parties or other events before February 12th... 

Or here's another Valentine's Day giveaway, that you might be interested. One of the local rock stations is giving away a divorce for Valentine's Day.

Yep, that's right. Divorce. So if you had enough (like me), you can sign up for a chance to win an uncontested divorce by local (Bexar county residents only) lawyer-assisted divorce. Happy Valentine's Day, honey! 

February should be fun.... 

Guest post of healthier living by Mediterranean Snacks

Occasionally I received emails from Mediterranean Snacks that I feel are worth sharing. This is one of them. Let's stay healthy and live better, not just this year, but every year to come! 

 

3 Ways to Make This Your Best Year

1. Clean Eating: Here's the trick to shifting your diet to a more balanced and clean routine.  Start small. Many of us go "all in" before really thinking through our goals and knowing what are the best steps to take. Jumping to extremes or going full force can make it harder for us to maintain. We suggest you make a list of all the things you would like to work on, evolve, or change in your diet.  Maybe it's cutting out soda, swapping fried chips for baked lentil chips, eating fewer carbohydrates, adding more greens, or simply drinking more water. After you make your list, pick the top 12 and use those as your guide, one for each month of the year.  So each month you make one temporary change with a goal to make it a habit. By the end of the year, you will have made 12 improvements to your diet, how awesome is that? 2. Get Active: How many times have you tried to get active, yet sometimes, you feel you may have failed? Same rules apply as in step 1. Start small and make it gradual. We also recommend focusing on your interests and find an accountability partner; a buddy to check in with weekly. Start with getting active once a week for a month, then twice a week, then three times a week and so forth.  Make sure you and your accountability partner check in with one another to ensure success. 3. Stay Positive: The first two steps may not succeed unless you work to stay positive. Change is not always easy, but if you want things to be different in your life, then being open to change is a great start. Find your gratitude in each day and in each experience because this will open up your mind to new ideas and make it easier to stay positive.  Make this your best year-you deserve it!

American Sniper movie review

I went to see American Sniper last night. I've heard from so many people about how great it was. Even my mother has been urging me to go as well. She was right. Every American needs to see this one.
For starters, it's directed and produced by Clint Eastwood. He's a great american actor and director who has my utmost respect.
This movie brings a very important subject to the spot light; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Our military men and women come back changed mentally and/or physically. Numbers are showing that there are 22 veterans committing suicide on a daily basis. That's a staggering amount of individuals within a similar group. PTSD can be triggered by sights and sounds that are reminiscent of what they experienced while deployed. Friends and family need to know how to recognize the signs and reach out to those coming home on a regular basis.

This story is about Chris Kyle. At 25 years old, he joins the Navy and becomes a SEAL who later struggles with war and home life. He marries before his first deployment after the September 11 attacks. Leaving behind a pregnant new bride, he is thrown into war and pitted against a sniper of incredible skills on the enemy's side. This story takes you into what it's like for these soldiers. They have a bond stronger than blood. When one of them gets hurt, the rest seek vengeance. They look to finish off the enemy that threatens the American way of life.
I was floored by this movie. They make jokes throughout. But it's far from a comedy. It's action packed with everything Americans might not see or know. The struggle for him to adjust to home life after being on a battlefield. Four tours left him distant and always on edge. It took a lot of patience from him wife to pull him back in to reality. He began helping others who were recovering as well. It gave him something to use to find balance. Sadly, he was killed in the US by another vet on a gun range.
There's a lot of hype going on about this movie. A lot of political nonsense. But this movie is about one mans life and experience. About fighting for what he believed in, being scarred by what he saw and did, and overcoming it all. Our Marines, Navy, Air Force, Army - all of them deserve our respect. All of them fight while we sit here and enjoy the privileges to do whatever we want in the country founded on being free. They fight overseas to try to keep the war away from home. No matter what you think of war or of those leading the troops, you need to support the troops themselves. They volunteered their lives and minds.

 Some interesting trivia that I found...

Chris Kyle met "Lone Survivor", Marcus Luttrell, during their BUD's(SEAL Training) and became close friends with him although they graduated with different classes. They kept in contact often and remained friends for the remainder of Kyle's life.

 The real Chris Kyle was murdered on February 2, 2013 at a shooting range while trying to help a veteran that had severe PTSD.

 Chris Kyle's first long range kill was a woman who was about to throw a grenade. It was not, as depicted in the movie, a child and then his mother. When asked about it, Kyle responded "The woman was already dead. I was just making sure she didn't take any Marines with her".
 So I have a challenge for each of you reading this.... Go see the movie. Then reach out to a veteran. Even if all you do is say thank you. Remember what they have done for YOU.

Ridiculous Ramblings in Retail: Executive Style

I know stupidity runs rampant.

No matter where you go, you will have at least one idiot who can ruin even the best of days. And that person is usually the one with the "boss" title. Mine is at Executive level. With boobs so big, she can't fit through a door with another person simultaneously and only enough knowledge to get her by, she runs the show haphazardly and makes us question how much she gets paid (or who she slept with) to get her position of authority. She's known throughout the lower levels of employees for running her mouth, being suggestive, and having plenty of bad ideas. Thanks to some of her ramblings, I've been nicknamed the Backroom Hooker.

The jokes that follow that line of thinking have been funny to downright my-face-feels-like-its-on-fire.

Conversations with her are avoided often. She is avoided as much as possible. Since she came on... the following things have made working at that store a near nightmare.

After being there maybe a week, she tried to question almost all of us in the back room about our relationship status. She wanted to know who was dating and who was married. She has been married at least twice and working on number three. Explains where she got the money for her manufactured breasts. Her conversation with me went along these lines....
Her: "Wow, you look so dressed up today. Got a hot date after work?"
Me: "I'm not all dressed up, its just a skirt. But no, Backroom is my date! I'm not divorced, yet after all."
Her: "Are you kidding? Dating while going through a divorce is the best! I've had my best dates then."
Me: "Um... wow."

After being our Executive Team Leader (ETL) of Logistics for a couple months, she began to teach us new lingo on the tools and terminology for the back room.  
She showed us the upper shelving and the way things should look in a perfect back room. Then she says, "Don't forget to use your back room hooker."
Now, this is a new term for us. Sure we know about the metal hooks we use to pull things from the back of the steel shelves to the front. It helps us keep a healthy zone while eliminating our need to actually climb onto the shelves and possibly hurt ourselves. Did we know it's called a "hooker"? No! So, she got incredulous looks as a reply.
"You know, those metal hooks? Those are hookers. Didn't you guys know that?"
No...
She starts up her talk again and ends with, "Now don't forget guys (looks at the guys), utilize your back room hooker (looks at me and winks)."
What the...?! The guys all look at me and a couple smile. I could feel my face turning red. I immediately went from Backroom wife (because I'd cook and bake and clean up for my team) to being a hooker. Let's just say the jokes haven't ended and won't. I've learned to just roll with it.
She's told us to go "topless". We needed an explanation and were told it's where everything on the top shelves are brought down.
She told an older male ETL he could "use" one of our younger guys for "whatever purposes he wanted". Poor guy is now picked on for being that ETL's "boy toy".
When we spoke about our hopes for the back room and getting it as close to perfect as we could, she told us "Hope is for the weak and dying."

While receiving a food truck, the driver was hitting on me pretty strong. Trying to get my number, ask about my Facebook page, and ask me out when his divorce was settled. Did she step in for me? Nope. Just laughed. But when our receiving guy who is old enough to be my grandfather and has been nothing but a sweetheart to me, gives me a hug... She asks if I felt sexually harassed. 😐 Are you kidding me?! Her ideas of harassment are way out of line. 
We have designated areas for certain large-container products that work well for our safety and ease of back stocking. Like pillows being on the top shelves along a wall. "We need to make this look pretty. Move them to the bedding aisle." Now we have to haul boxes as tall as ourselves up a ladder to the top shelves down an aisle. The one assigned to that task did so, only to then be told to move them to the back of the aisle since it still wasn't "pretty enough" if we could see it.
Appearances mean everything to her. Obviously. What others think of her and the back room, also matter. Whatever happened to "Don't let others' opinions of you, affect you. Be yourself and do good. It will all work out. Don't worry about what others think of you." Nope, it doesn't apply to you when you're an adult working in retail. Appearances are everything then.
All these months of dealing with her and listening to the things that come from her delusional mind have given two teams in our store something to hate as well as laugh at. Today, she really messed up. Will anyone notice? Probably not on the executive level.
We came in, and started our normal routine. We were already behind since the closer couldn't complete his part and back stock product was scattered everywhere. We had two trucks; general merchandise and a food truck. After pulling the morning stock, she had "projects" lined up to beautify the back room and present as close to perfection as possible to her special visitors today. Did she let us back stock? No. Did she let us start pulling down the pallets from the truck? No. "Make it pretty." We brought everything low and tight. This took a lot of time.
We get done with that and back stock starts rolling in with the pallets we have yet to finish from the truck. On top of this, food truck delivery was twice its normal size and coming up fast. So here's our team, struggling to keep up. What's her solution? "If you work faster, you'll finish faster."
Seriously?

We didn't stand much of a chance. They had their visitor and the higher ups didn't even bother to really give us a look over. They peeked in and moved on. Less than five minutes I'm guessing. All that work.... for nothing! Way to go! So much for prepping for the inspection. But what do you expect from an exec who has no idea how  to plan ahead? By the time I left (past my scheduled time again), the freezer looked like this:

And the best part? Look at us, being ever so safe!

You got it! The fire exit was blocked. To the left, our paper products which are edged by chemicals and lighter products. Now let's think about this a minute.... what happens if there is an accident? A single spark, turned blaze, and no exit. I see a future of deaths, lawsuits and plenty of finger pointing. Come on people! But what do I know? I'm just another loser working in retail.

Welcome to my crazy world!