Wednesday Weigh-In #2! Eating healthy and my current workout routine.

Ok so.....is anyone out there hurtin? If I had a dime for every time someone asked the question of "Are you okay?" I would be a happy camper!! And a shopping trip would be in order!

I have been pretty good since last Wednesday, my first step was to start eating healthier, investing in that meant,

buying bags of frozen grilled chicken (pretty yummy )

Steamables! All you have to do is pop the bag into the microwave for the time it says on the bag and you are good to go (and these are a MAJOR convenience since Im in training and don't have the necessary resources for home-cooked meals)! It's a pretty delicious meal when paired with the grilled chicken and I never add butter I take it straight up! And it's STILL yummy!

Vitamins! Preferably multivitamins!!

Yes.  I do eat these.....yes, I am 30.

and LOTS of water!!!

I also dropped the coffee.....yup no coffee!!! Which knocks out the cream and sugar!!! In the meantime I still require a bit of a caffiene fix, and with that I drink green tea! No milk NO sugar....for first-timers it is really worth a shot to try it by itself, I just happened to like it straight, and I am really happy about that....the plus is that green tea is really good with giving your metabolism a boost so more for me!!! These are my favorites:

maybe one day I'll be able to go caffeine free......

I also started my workout regimen! On Monday I started Insanity, it's a REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.  Its a blend of cardio and muscle failure exercises!

I  work along with the calendar they provide to play a different workout out dvd each day of the week! As far as today I have muscles that hurt that I didn't know existed! It hurts to sneeze!!!  Here are the results of my first fit test!

It's a bit tough to see the numbers top to bottom are: 61, 35, 54, 14, 9, 6, 3, 26.

**Note: My exhausted handwriting in the above photo.....good times.**

Ok I don't want to turn you guys off to it. It's a GOOD hurt! The kind that makes you think, "Oh yeah, Mission: Hot Bod, is now in process"   I can already feel the differences.

I can also say that its only as bad as it is now because I haven't really worked out in a long time.  So I will let you know in a week or two how I feel!

(FYI this is not for the faint of heart! If you aren't sure about this, CONSULT your phsycian first, its a tough program, so make sure your body is sound and capable of attempting without high risk of injury!!)

 So there it is! Week 1 down, starting new (GOOD) habits and getting my body back into a shape that ISN'T ROUND!  

Week 4 I will do an actual weigh-in to see the lbs lost and inches if any! It is better to break up weigh-ins, weighing yourself everyday will only discourage you and give you a false sense of underachievement.  Give yourself time in between so your body can change and so that you can gauge what works and what doesn't!

 As of last week I was 216  but I dropped 6lbs since Oct 3 (ugh I hate admitting that but at least its an improvement)! My measurements were Neck: 15in. Waist: 32 Hips: 42 -- both my hips and waist dropped down almost three inches in each since the beginning of October!

I would really love to hear about what has worked for you! "Weigh-In' below in the comments section and also tell me if you think a linky party with health related posts (recipes, workout routines, whats in your gym bag?) works for everyone! Becuase as soon as I figure out the techy stuff behind it I would really love to get started on it!! 

Til' next week!!!

Wednesday Weigh-In!

This is SOOO not my body. HA!

So,

I've been SUPER lazy. I'm just REALLY lucky that I lost 6 POUNDS and about 2 1/2 INCHES or even more!!!

It's pretty amazing I'll tell ya.

But I really need to motivate! I've done well as far as numbers go, but when I return home, I will have a PT test to pass, and lets just say this........after almost a month here, I am NO closer to reaching that goal!

But where do I find that motivation?

Man I sure wish I could borrow some from my nesting days when I was pregnant! I used to get SO frustrated  when the urge to just pump out some pushups would be pushed away for my belly being in the way. I even used to RUN! 

         YES, ....RAN...I only stopped because of fears of miscarriage as well as one experience where I could actually feel her bouncing around. So I decided no more of that!  I just wish it was just as easy to just get up and do it, as it was before!

But that lightbulb pops on, and it shows what I need to realize and the truth is, it was NEVER that easy! 

AT ALL!

As a matter of fact, it SUCKED! I loathed every morning of PT. I DESPISED every moment DURING the run.  It didn't EVER feel fun unless I was doing some serious self-coaching and/or saw some improvement!

Only after then as I would head for the showers, would my body feel all shapely AND good lookin'.  

I. WAS. AMPED!

I was ready to challenge anyone to a race, YES after just finishing the above said despicable run!

The point is, it won't be a peachy happy go lucky ride to our big goals. WHY SHOULD IT??

Wouldn't that just make any goal less worthwhile?  LESS of an accomplishment?! 

I think that when you deal with a level of struggle and push through that and make it TO that GOAL you FEEL STRONGER! MORE CONFIDENT than BEFORE! And before you know it that rush comes along to get right back into that race with an even better, HIGHER, goal.

 It's through the struggle where we learn our best lessons,  usually about ourselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And so, to get myself back into the race.  I am going to have the responsibility of holding myself accountable to you all every WEDNESDAY with my journey through weight loss and fitness improvement!!

I want to share with you the things I try that work or DON'T work.  If I find healthy alternatives to junk food or if I use tricks to help this journey along the way, I'll be sure to share those tips with you!!! If I mess up, rest assured I will be honest and share that too. Because I'm not perfect and if I have a setback I will get back on track and share what I did to do so.

So get ready ladies (and fellas), for those that want to join, let's take charge of our health!!! :)

Where I find comfort when I am NOT with my daughter.

I'm in Pennsylvania right now on Army time. I am training for a new job in the Army, something like an IT Technician.  So at this point I have been away from my daughter for  24 days, and just a few days ago, got notice that instead of staying until Nov. 17, I will be staying until the end of DECEMBER!! See, I'm not all that far from where I live, at most it is a 2 hour drive. But the Army has mileage limits and well, where I live is WAAYYY beyond that. So seeing her isn't exactly easy.

About two weeks ago, give or take a day, my little one got to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! back home. Where I wasn't.

What was I doing?

I was having a rough day, well, when i let it sink in, it gets tough.  REALLY TOUGH, like how can I go on.  Of the things that truly cheer me up its that I love seeing her happy.  There is a huge brightness in her eyes, she GLOWS.

MY...BABY....SPARKLES.

Her dad sent me a picture of her during that concert.  Man...... I was instantly SLAMMED with all of these emotions. I immediately felt this big lump in my throat, but I also felt so overjoyed by her beautiful, precious face, covered in genuine excitement at seeing her FAVORITE characters live and in-person.

I can't help but let out this HUGE sigh....

and maybe a few tears...

I miss her so much, I really do.  She is such a beautiful being. Children are so amazing.  She is at a great time in her life, she has no worries, she is constantly around people who love her unconditionally.  Even though I am sad that I am away from her, I am really happy that she is surrounded by so much happiness.  

Yet, as a mommy, I cannot help but worry about the things that I feel that are out of my control. 

I still worry about things like:

 ~Will she get enough attention?

 ~Will someone make sure to try and keep a smile on her little face? (yes I know this is impossible she is nearing 2 after all, but yes....that smile is everything to me.)

 ~Even when she is mad, I hope that no one gives her a reason to be sad, that her feelings aren't hurt.

I keep telling myself that its only been about 3 weeks. But at the first week I was already feeling the pain of being away.

I start to think about how I could ever handle the 2 MONTHS that I have left!

I even begin to think how will I be able to handle one month? What about one YEAR when I deploy?

Then I get lost in that and I'm flooded with thoughts about what she will do while I am gone, how old she'll be when I return and what I will miss.....

cute little Halloween costumes

Christmas HUGS

New Years KISSES

Then I have to reel myself back in....because its NOT that serious!! Not yet anyhow.  I have no reason to worry, she is in amazing care.  She is doing FUN things, smiling, laughing and enjoying her time. 

That in itself is a good reason for me to calm down to find comfort(even though while typing this, I'm doing some serious tearing up)!

I can't deny that.  After all I am in the Army, I have taken an oath and I am obliged to uphold that. Which means that I have to do this here. THIS, is where I NEED to be, this is why my family is where THEY are. I am NO good here if all my attention is not where it needs to be which is my training.  It's amazing that my family pulls through, thats what its about.

I am constantly reminding myself not to feel bad/guilty no matter how often those feelings keep creeping into my heart.   

Mommas.....we CANNOT feel guilty when what we must do for our children takes us away from time to time.  It opens the doors for better bonding.

Bonding with Daddy,

                                    or Grandma,

                                                          Aunts or Uncles.......

Maybe this is also a time for us. A time to (re)bond with OURSELVES. 

Because as good as it feels to be around our babies 24/7, its very important for us mommies to make use of the time we have with ourselves. "Me" time if you will.

So in the time that I smile at her photos  and laugh (or cry) watching her baby videos, I remind myslef that she is ok, MORE than ok, she's JUST FINE.

And I take that free time I have and treat myself to better nights of sleep, more focus on my studies and focusing my goals with a clear head for Heavenly Blossoms, my spirit, my faith, and redefining my role as a mother. Which in the end result WILL be the best for my daughter.

Just remember mommas (and even you daddies)  that it will ALL PAY OFF as it is ALL OUT OF LOVE!!!!

Life....noone ever said it was easy.

It's hard to know if you are doing the right thing, when the journey is incredibly frightening and risky.

Being an Army Mommy & Grateful Daughter

Cleaning, cooking, crafting, and getting my new business to stand up, playing games with my little one (we are working on colors & shapes), and now packing...

                             PACKING??

YES, because I am leaving.

In just a few VERY SHORT days, I will be heading out to Pennsylvania for 47 days to train up in a new MOS. That means I am changing military jobs and I will pretty much be cutoff from my daughter for the duration of that time.  I won't return until NOVEMBER!!


Anxious?

     Yes.

Worried?

     Of course!

And missing her will be a huge guarantee.

But its gonna be ok, because while I am gone and her dad is working long hours, she will be in great hands....

Grandma's hands...

She's gonna kill me for putting her picture up!

My mom will be flying in tomorrow from Puerto Rico. She's will be watching the baby while I go off and play Army.  Unfortunately, I won't even be around tomorrow to see her come in since I will be working extra days with my unit to make a little extra cash (and boy do we need it).

Fifteen years ago, when I was just a teenager, like most teenagers, I didn't really appreciate my mom as I should have. Talk to me then and I just SWORE I was just misunderstood.  

Boy, was I wrong.

My mom was always doing the right things by us.  She was always present for our extracurricular activities whether it was a school musical, a wrestling match for my brother, or the many football games in which she helped us raise money in the concession stands for the High School band we both played in.  

( I wish I had some pictures to show you guys but they were in a family members basement and were destroyed when the water heater exploded)

She put the pressure on us to keep our grades up, and made sure what we knew were privileges instead of entitlements. She was the good guy, and the bad guy. 

She was all of that and more, and I can honestly say that I would never have understood that level of dedication and love until I became a parent.

She's supported us in everything we set our hearts on.

Turns out she was the one who was misunderstood, 

BY ME.

I understand the meaning now of "I do it because I love you".

The best news about that is that once I had  my own baby, that didn't change, she still does, and my little HB gets some of that unconditional love too.

So she is dropping everything she has going on in PR and coming down to New Jersey for over a month and a half for us. I can't ask for more. 

It means a lot to me and I am so happy that they can catch up on all the lost time (they haven't seen each other since February). 

Isn't it amazing what a mother will do for their child?

To my faithful READERS!!!

I have moved!! The process is still ongoing, but just to make sure everyone is on the same page, I have included my NEW domain name!!!

www.heavenly-blossoms.com

Please contact me if there are any issues that arise for anyone!! I am ever so grateful that you have decided to become faithful readers of my blog and I do NOT want to lose you!! :)

Makeup/Personal Hygiene Clutch custom made for a teenager!

So today was Daddy and daughter day....So I had a minimum of six hours to get everything ready for the clutch I was making for my friend Vicki's daughter! It's her daughter's birthday this week and she asked if I could make her a cute makeup clutch for her daughter! Of course!



Vicki's one of the sweetest people you will ever meet! She's so nice she will take time out of her day to give you a ride at an obscene hour to a place completely out of the way and across state lines!! (I know this because she did!!! She gave me a ride to Staten Island at Midnight so I can report for military duty.)

So here it is,

I am so proud of this one because I feel like I was able to focus deeper on it.   With my little HB away with her Dad, I didn't have to make sure she wasn't running off with a pincushion full of pins or worse!!!

I also decided to keep the corners square on this one....not only is it neater looking...its EASIER!!!

Don't get me wrong I love the curved corners, but I need more practice!

This is one of my favorite parts about this lol...I love the pearl snap...makes it "official".

Although this was a custom design for her daughter, the design of this style of clutch was inspired by all the crazy flights I have had to take in the military.

Flying does nothing for me lol. And I hate risking my makeup bag in carry-on! I feel like they are going to make me dump all that pricey stuff to get past security!

So, I figured, I need something small and attractive, something that will fit the bare minimum so that I can not only feel refreshed but LOOK refreshed as well! ALSO it had to be in something cute...not just some clear vinyl bag....oh no thats just too easy for me!! 

So I had to decide, what do I wish to have when I am flying and need to touch up?

Here they are:

Facial Wipes: 

I have dry skin and flying doesn't help it, these are my must-haves!!! I love the way they lather up AND they take off your  makeup too!! It's the only thing that effectively, removes my makeup, cleans, and hydrates my skin.....so I would tuck one or two of these into the big pocket probably behind my compact.

Mascara:

Im a light brunette that gets blondie sunkisses in her hair, well....not right now but my eyelashes; as sparse as they are lighten up to a blonde at the tips from sun exposure. Mascara is a number one for me because it makes my lashes appear longer AND helps with making me look AWAKE! Despite the 4 hour flight with 3 hour layover after being on standby for 6!

I am a classic girl, and I have tried other lines but I always come back to this one!

Lip Gloss:

Pucker Up ladies!!! I always love to complete the look with glossy lips :) Makes me feel done up! These are my favorites. They are clear or tinted so its a nice hint of color! Plus I love the minty freshness!! It's an added bonus!!

 

I may or may not carry a small all in one compact (blush/eyshadow) and there is room for a small eyeshadow brush as well in the wallet. It's really convenient when needing to look as best as possible in short notice!

I didn't have a makeup/eyshadow brush on hand so I figured a pen might be useful too!!! Just stick a stack of post-its behind the blush and you are good to go!!

Now since it is also made for a teenager I made sure it was good for double duty, knowing at that age girls are extremely shy and discreet especially when it comes to a young girl's cycle! 

So I also made sure the pockets were sized right to fight several pads in the large pocket and tampons in the slim pockets, because there is nothing more embarrassing than those things falling out of a purse for a teenage girl!

The clutch is a nice way of keep them from floating around loose in the purse, and the great thing about it is so cute of a wallet, that it can be carried around on its own :)

So yes, needless to say I am truly proud of this creation! It took quite a while for someone of my skill level to put what I had in mind into reality, I hope she loves it!! I am glad to make it for the daughter of such a nice person :)

What do you guys think?? Do you have something similar to this? Have you ever had a vision for something you knew would be useful that you just HAD to manifest it??

I guess I am just soo glad that this one was just sooo much FUN to make!! :)

Partying up at these Linky Parties!! Say Hi to these cool ladies!!

 

Launch of my New Blog Design by Wonder Forest!!!

I started blogging over a year ago.  But I never took it seriously enough!

       I thought:

            Why would I? I am not the best writer, not by far! 

               Would I have the courage to share as well as others have?

                             

Would anyone even bother reading?

   It took me awhile but I finally realized, why not? Why am I beating myself down ahead of time?  If it's  something I do know, it's the fact that you will never know until you try!

"There is no failure except in no longer 

trying. "

           ~ Elbert Hubbard

So here I am, writing to you guys with a renewed commitment to blogging on Heavenly Blossoms, and everything that goes with it! 

This blog is going through a major makeover and I want to get it done just right!

One of the things I wanted to vamp up was my blog layout, it's something I looked into as the foundation for everything else related to Heavenly Blossoms!

What serendipity it was when I found out that Dana of Wonder Forest was offering her talents in design services in a post on her blog!!! 

So I hit her up (cuz I'm cool like that :P) with an email as soon as I was done reading the post....and she wrote back RIGHT AWAY and was completely down with portraying my interests and the purpose of this blog into the design!

Now let me tell you a little bit something about Dana. She's awesome! No really she is!  I read her designing  background on this post and while I thoroughly appreciate that she is venturing off to a new direction in designing, I am truly impressed with the multitude of success she has had!

To top it off she put up with me as if I was the easiest person to get along with!!! She was incredibly easy to work with and it was all done via email. She works quickly and the high quality of work is easy to see 

via her work samples here.

And did I mention how sweet she is that I even got the shot-out from her on her latest post???

I feel like one of the cool kids now!!!!

So there you have it....here's my new blog design I hope you love it because I do and it feels good to know that things are finally coming together! 

I really appreciate you stopping by!!!

PS:

She has the CUTEST little shop on Etsy with a collection of items JUST in time for HALLOWEEN!!! Make sure to check it out!!!

This is how I cheer up! (after a rough day)

Today...


                    was going ok....Charlie was doing really well.  


She was groomed today and looked sooooo fabulous. 




But then... 
  

   my day turned super yucky.

   I couldn't describe what I felt exactly. Was I mad? disappointed? I just didn't know.

I was driving as this was going on....and I was on my way home and I realized...

I had to forget about it and DRIVE ON...

(literally)

And of course it paid off, because as soon as that door opened...I heard.....

"MOMmeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"


I walked up those stairs and gave her a big ol' squeeze, kissed her cheeks and spent the rest of evening playing games and making silly faces with her.

 I'm all smiles now because my little one is really good at taking my mind off of the bad and making those little positives so much better.  

And now that she's in bed and all snuggled up while I sit down and write this out to you, I try to keep riding on that good wave, and keep my mind off of what brought me down today.


Thank goodness for friends, moscato, and back to back episodes of glee.




What do you guys do when you have one  of "those" days?




and....just one more question....

Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Isn't this the CUTEST!?

PS: Love that episode where the boys battle the girls for the opening song!

About Heavenly Blossoms

Welcome to Heavenly Blossoms, my blog,
where I write about experiences that come with mommyhood, army life, and crafting in my somewhere in the middle of all of that!

I'm a single mommy, a soldier and now a blogger.

The concept of sharing my personal life had me uneasy at first.  However, in the world of blogging I have come to know so many of you out there,

JUST. LIKE. ME.

Many of you are SO open about your lives, sharing the intimate details of motherhood, home life, and your amazing talents. Your posts read like a best friend just catching up with you about their day, it's comfortable and refreshing, finding things in common.

Because I have been so lucky, I want to share too. I want to be able to provide here  what others have unknowingly done for me!

Being a mommy now, it is a full days work crammed into 24 short hours, am I right? Sometimes its easy breezy....and then there are those days that make you want to lock yourself in the bedroom and pull down the shades needless to say....a tad challenging! 

But how many of us can say that we are glad that is all we have to worry about? 

           Anyone? Bueller? 

Riiight.... 

            women have multiple titles, housekeeper, nurse, therapist, motivational speaker, cook, and for many other women out there you can add protectors of our country's freedom to that.  We are natural born multi-taskers.

For the days where I reap in the rewards of these titles and the days where I just don't quite make my goal this is where I go to share it all!

                                                            THIS is why I am here.

For you military mommas, I also look forward to sharing with you how I cope with the moments where being a soldier HAS to come first.  I want to be there for the mommas who are new to the military and the military women who will be new to being a momma.  I also really hope to hear from you all as well.  I know that you Army/Air Force/Marine/Navy/Coast Guard mommas are out there, and its times like this that every bit of advice can go a long way for all of us :)

My reason for this is that my daughter is my heavenly blossom, everyday I am blessed with little tidbits of love and happiness because of her.  I learn to see beauty in unexpected situations. Even if my day or week has been rough and yes even if she may have something to do with it, she is my secret ingredient to making it all better.

I want to pay that forward, I want other mommies from all walks of life to come here, to find relief, a few smiles and even a little bit of laughter; heavenly blossoms if you will, to make your day a little better, a little brighter, and to help you find the beauty in life....



So whatever it is that brought you here today,  I hope you found it helpful, and yet I hope you return for more.  These Heavenly Blossoms are for you and I hope they do for you as my little Heavenly Blossom has done for me!

Thank you!

Jenny

A Weekly Cleaning Schedule Made Easy!

Source: annetaintor.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

I lead life as a jack-of-all-trades  busy mom. It's what happens when you have a little girl starting her "terrible twos" early, a 6-month old puppy with a recent surgical procedure,  being nursed back to normalcy.

Oh, and did I mention I am taking myself seriously and starting a business? YES More on that HERE...

In between the baby, puppy, new business and therefore crafting, there is also the cleaning:

the LAUNDRY, 


            DISHES,

                 DUSTING,


                        MOPPING AND SWEEPING......AND THE LIST GOES ON! 

 So since my little girl was about 6 months, (before the puppy and Heavenly Blossoms) I devised this daily schedule, to keep myself accountable, and to keep it all from piling up!

Its not the most perfect schedule, and yes there are a few things missing, but for the most part it covers the bases and simplifies it ahead of time and saves my sanity!


Here it goes:

Monday: Upstairs Hallway and  Guest Bathroom - Vacuum, mop (bathroom), toilets, tub, shower, sink, mirror, and replenish supplies as needed - this just means pulling toilet paper, toothpaste, Febreze air freshener from our big Sam's club stash downstairs)

Tuesday: Baby's Room -Reorganize clothes, since she is growing so much I take the time each week to pull out all the clothes she doesn't fit into anymore and pack them up for family or charity), dusting, organize, vacuum, ORGANIZE {because she's my shadow little helper, this usually happens twice since her idea of organize is take it out to play :)}

Wednesday: Master Bedroom and Bathroom - dust, clean, organize, vacuum. (Funny how it looks so short & sweet when this day probably take the LOOOONGEST!

Thursday:  Living Room - Dust, clean, sweep, vacuum and polish floor. (Don't get me wrong here, my idea of polishing the floors is via some Method Wood Floor Cleaner and  Microfiber Swiffer type thing!)

Friday: Dining Room - Clean, Dust, Sweep, Vacuum & "polish" floors, as well as REorganize files, and computer desk and craft area.

Saturday:  Kitchen and 1st Fl 1/2 Bath- A thorough cleaning of counter, floor, and sink in both rooms. Steam mop kitchen floor, and replenish supplies (i.e. toilet paper, air freshener and paper towel).

Sunday:  Guest Room - Dust, Clean, Organize, Vacuum

**Each day that room's laundry gets done also, for example on Monday its the Guest Bathroom I would switch out the towels, and wash the dirty ones, or if its Wednesday.....::shudder:: its ALL of our clothes, towels, and sheets, etc. etc......**

~~~I set one day just for groceries and errands, Thursdays and Fridays early morning or early afternoon. Its the best because since I do not work outside the home at the moment I can beat the crowds AND here's a tip, most stores use Thursday for their ship day, so the shelves are well stocked or getting there in time for the weekend!~~~



Oh and yes I do cook in between that lol...I like to start around three so it's all done within a reasonable time before DH goes off to work. The cleaning HAS to get done as SOON as I wake up or else it will never get down, there will most likely be too many interruptions throughout the day, and if I save it for the end of the day....lol yeah...like that's gonna happen!



       What's your version of this?? Anything you do differently? I would love to hear your opinion and it would be great to have the tips from those more "experienced" to share!!! :)

Sorry Charlie!! Our puppy got spayed yesterday.

So the day finally showed up where my poor girl of the canine variety lost..her womanhood :(

 Charlotte, mostly known as Charlie, is the fluffiest little Havanese you will ever see....she came into our home at just over 8 weeks. A sable coat little fluffball with the perkiest little gait not seen on other breeds :D

Little Charlotte the first day.

Our new companion...

A few months later, all her puppy hair is gone!

I have such mixed emotions about the spay procedure.  Its so extreme to me, and I was filled with mixed feelings so I thought about the pros & cons....


Pros.....
      ~She won't get various cancers
      ~She won't go into heat, prompting escapes or otherwise.

Cons....
      ~Her womanhood is virtually yanked out of her...
      ~She will be in world of pain for a couple what might just feel like forever. :(
      ~I'm afraid she won't be the same dog again.


Of course those aren't the only pros or cons, but between trying to see the reasoning behind it, and of course the signature on the breeder's contract, I only had to reschedule one time.
So that morning, we took her to the hospital...the hospitals server was down and we were there an extra hour before they were up and running again.

     She. was. SUCH. a. good. dog.

Charlie sat still and quietly, didn't bark at all, and was happy to be in my lap or the baby's.  Thanks to the delay, we both got to cuddle a little longer.

But then, the vet's aid came out to take her away, and if you could believe it, it was like she knew what was about to happen. Her eyes changed.  And as the nurse walked away with our dog in her arms...her little head was seen poking out of the side looking at us with such sad eyes. Almost if she wanted us to reach back for her and run away back home......

It was the longest day EVER.

On every other day, 3PM comes right after 10AM....but yesterday was a day that felt like I could get it all done, no, not because she was away, but because I kept my ears peeled hoping I wouldn't get a call too early or if there WAS a call I would at least catch it.  I will tell you all right now, I am so glad we DID NOT ever get that call :)

3PM comes around.....FINALLY

I called Banfield, to check on her status. It was a breeze and she did well and was currently in recovery. I would be able to pick her up in just a few hours! :)

Just picked up from the hospital, in need of another haircut, but oh so sad.

She seemed sooo sad when we got her back.....and then my feelings were hurt too....because this was my fault.  Poor girl was in pain, and not her jovial self. It was really tough looking at her...because those PUPPY.DOG. EYES.....were all I could see...it was hard...I didn't really know what to do.

I realized then, that I needed to cut it out...that she's not just some dog...she's a companion and whats done was done, that it wasn't about what I felt, it was about HER...

SO what I'm deciding to do instead,  is to love on this dog more than ever....give her extra belly rubs, praise her a little more and hey, coddle her too....its the least I could do......in exchange to who she has been and will be to us, God-willing.

Aside from our potty training issues (which will be remedied), she's a great dog and we, especially our little one,  look forward  the gift of many years of loyal companionship.

Tag!!! You're it!! 20 Questions

SO I AM A HUGE FAN OF LAUREN CONRAD, yes I did watch both series what can I say.  I think she is so classy, great fashion, has the appeal without showing a lot of skin and she carries herself gracefully. She runs her website so well!!!!  So needless to say I love to read her posts, I'm active in the book club, and I just took part of a great post, 20 questions to get to know you with.....so I decided to share my answers with you!!!

1. Favorite TV show? Nowadays, with my little one, the only time I watch TV is when her shows are on and my fav right now is Bubble Guppies!! LOL I'm sorry most may not be able to identify but, its too cute and it's educational!
2. Song I can't stop listening to is...Chris Brown and Benny Benassi - Beautiful People 

makes me feel like I'm 21 again when the feeling of freedom to go out dancing and clubbing was so fresh, new and invigorating :)
3. Red or nude lips? Nude Lips. I have pretty bright lips as it is so I have to actually tone them down!
4. Facebook or Twitter? Facebook, its a way to connect with my military buds all over and network for my business.
5. Gold or silver? Well, neither, I'm really allergic to nickel so so gold but it has to be white gold with a certain Carat
6. Favorite fashion designer? (or clothing line) I used to LOOOVE Marc Jacobs thats my fantasy face….but I do love the look of Ralph Lauren now, and several British Labels.
7. Any recent travels? Had OH so much fun in Missouri for military work :)
8. Makeup you can't live without? HMMMM thats a huge tie between mascara and gloss!
9. Favorite childhood TV show? I was a BIIIIIG Mickey Mouse Club fan….don't ask lol
10. Straight, curly or wavy hair? I have naturally really curly hair, its fun, but straight is way easier to deal with.
11. What were you doing a year ago from now? New mommy, dealing with a teething 7 month old :)
12. If you could live in any era, what would it be? It's a tie between the era of Jane Austin and the Victorian era…..call me stuffy I like that values were better then and the clothing to die for!! :)
13. Where are you from? Good ol' New Jersey (Perth Amboy), and NO I do NOT fistpump!
14. Favorite food? My ethnicity is Puerto Rican, and I love our food it's such a wonderful mixture of cultures. African, Spanish, and Native Indian its colorful and bursting with flavors…..YUM
15. Makeup or fashion? I'll go with makeup :)
16. Movie you saw most recently? I just bought and saw Rio with my daughter. SOOO funny. Loved the music.
17. Nickname? Jenny, Jenny Jen, Ollie, Olland, the list goes on…
18. I'm secretly terrified of…hmmm  now it wouldn't be a secret now would it? Well let's just say I am doing everything I can to ensure a life of success for my little one.
19. Heels or flats? I love heels, have plenty, but I'm already 5'6 and most of my friends are pretty short, (I'm considered tall) So flats, end up winning by the end of the night.
20. Favorite blog on/off LaurenConrad.com so far? I love the mommy blogs of Little Miss Momma and I am a huge fan of the Lauren Conrad Book Club.

So there it is!! My twenty questions! I would love to hear your answers!! NOTE: I changed the last question for this blog because I want to pay it forward, lets share our favorite blogs and help promote each other here!!! 

1. Favorite TV show? 
2. Song I can't stop listening to is... 
3. Red or nude lips?
4. Facebook or Twitter? 
5. Gold or silver? 
6. Favorite fashion designer? (or clothing line) 
7. Any recent travels? 
8. Makeup you can't live without? 
9. Favorite childhood TV show? 
10. Straight, curly or wavy hair? 
11. What were you doing a year ago from now? 
12. If you could live in any era, what would it be? 
13. Where are you from? 
14. Favorite food? 
15. Makeup or fashion? 
16. Movie you saw most recently? 
17. Nickname? 
18. I'm secretly terrified of... 
19. Heels or flats? 
20. Favorite blog so far??

To see the original post click here.

My (LATE) time in the Lincoln Tunnel Challenge 5k!

That's me next to the redhead, my bestest battle buddy!! :) third to the right of girl in Yellow Hoodie :)

Save Money and DIY: Boppy Pillow Cover Tutorial

So I felt like I needed to redeem myself for the last one. Here is my second go-round with a fresh new boppy cover.  I have had the pleasure of making another boppy cover for a friend with a brand new baby boy!

You have to admit, free is nice when purchasing a boppy cover can set you back about 30 bucks! Even when I make them for myself, if I take into account the cost  of materials, I save myself money!

Lay out pattern onto your fabric!

Pin down to the fabric.  I like to pin further into the pattern so I don't crash into them with my scissors!

Slip the pattern on the contrasting fabric!

This step is optional!! I like to get an idea of the curves so i pin then clip, then just wing it while I sew, my skills with piping aren't that great yet, although I have seen MUCH improvement.

Ahh yes...and this is what happens when you make a boo boo!

So I ran out of piping, and lo and behold for this project I ran out of the color I needed! But aside from that fact it is well hidden now and barely noticeable ;)

And believe me, I have learned my lesson!!! ALWAYS BUY EXTRA!!!

So some may choose the method of folding the piping into the seam, my preferred method is to go without that lump from the two ends crossing.

So in the picture above I measure about half an inch into each end. The light brown will be going into the dark brown piping.

So with my snips, I clip the seam of the dark brown piping at just about the 

point I marked off for it.

Open up the seam, and expose the rope inside.

Next step is to cute the white rope at the point you marked your piping. Then take

the end of the fabric and fold it down to make the edge neater.

Here you will set the light brown end into the dark brown seam,

so that the white ropes from both ends are flush with each other.

Pin, 

Sew,

and repeat for the other side.

Not so bad eh?