Writer's block and 5 on Friday!

I have had absolutely no good ideas on what to write about on this blog lately! I must have summer writer's block lol! Thank God for other bloggers and their linkups! :)

5 things that make me happy!!!!

1. Workouts lately--- I have been hitting it pretty hard lately. I have more time because I am off and so my workouts look something like this: I either do an Insanity, Turbofire or Jillian Michaels workout first, then I alternate either arm/leg day, add it some stationary bike and elliptical. It takes me about 2 hours to do all that and then I am exhausted. I am not sure if it is working because right now is that "time" so I don't want to hop on the scale this week because it will just piss me off, but I have still been working out hard and I am happy with that :)

2. 2 weeks and I am Cozumel bound! I cannot wait for a week relaxing.... no exercise, the beach, fun in the sun, living in a bathing suit... it is going to be fabulous!

 

 

 

3. Waking up whenever I feel like it! I love it! This week has been my first week home since we got out of school. The first week off, we went on family vacation and so I didn't get to spend time at home. This week, I have been home and really got to relax and be on my own schedule. Usually that schedule involves waking up around 9 or 10, working out, laying out, then finding something to do or reading a good book/catching up on shows. I live for summers off!

 

4. New bikini I found and love from Victoria's Secret. I have been looking forever for a bandeau type of suit that I can wear with my big boobies and I found this one:

Not me, I wish!

It actually fits and doesn't make me feel like it is going to fall down! I love it so much I bought it in black and then ordered another one in red. It is great! I want to get rid of my tan lines so I can wear strapless stuff more often and have a tan to go with it! For $50, it's a steal because usually I spend a fortune on suits for these knockers and this suit goes all the way up to DD.

 

5. Free rooms from L'auberge! Woo hoo! I have already planned two trips with friends. I never even spend a lot when I go there but they sent me free rooms in the mail for weeknights and that just so happens to work out with my schedule ;) If you live anywhere close by and have never been- go! It is awesome! Beautiful pool with lazy river and all, super nice hotel, close to good food and drinks and just a great getaway. I suggest you get a card and they will start sending you comps and deals. I love it! :)

 



Vacation Dreaming linkup!

 

I couldn't decide which to write about, so I am going to hit you with 3 different places:

 

1. My favorite vacation destination:

NEW ORLEANS! I love this place! I go at least once a year... we usually go for Mardi Gras. This place is the place to go to party. I like it better than Vegas, honestly. There is something about Louisiana that just makes me feel like I belong there. I don't know if it is my Cajun roots, but when I step onto Bourbon Street, I feel like I could live there forever. The drinks, food, entertainment, everything is just fun and makes me happy!

 

     

 

2. My favorite vacation memory:

Isla Mujeres

This small little island is an amazing place to go for vacation. You fly into Cancun and then go by boat over to Isla. You rent a golf cart for the week and drive yourself around. It's a small little place with everything Mexico has to offer. You can lay on the beach, shop in the market, drink and eat, and travel around the whole island in probably about 10 minutes. I loved it! We had a lot of fun at this bar called "The Soggy Peso". We made friends with the people and laughed so much!

 

 

3. Dream Vacation:

Europe!

I have always wanted to travel through Europe. I want to go to Italy, France, and Greece. Those are my top three places! It has always been on my bucket list. I feel like God made this beautiful world, so you should go see it all :) It's a dream of mine!

 

Been gone too long...

I have been MIA for a while now....Been busy with summer... when you are off, it is hard to stay in routine. I am ok with it, trust me... I need the break, but it worries me also! Summer means more time doing fun things, more money spent, less time worrying about being on a schedule with food, etc.

So, my first adventure for the summer was a week vacation to Tennessee with the family. We had a lot of fun! We went to Nashville and Pigeon Forge. We went to the Grand Ole Opry, downtown Nashville to shop and listen to music, saw some shows in Pigeon Forge, and drank and ate WAY TOO MUCH. I did my best to share meals with my mom and make better choices, but I am not going to lie- I drank and some pieces of blackberry cobbler were eaten! I enjoyed myself though and when I got home I hadn't gained a pound! I was shocked, but I guess all the walking we did helped with it all.

I have still been getting in as many workouts as I can. I still try to make good choices, but I have really come to the conclusion that I love myself and that means ALL of me! I am happy with the way I look. I am happy to be a size 8. I feel good when I look in the mirror. I have also come to accept that I will never be the girl with skinny legs and the gap, I probably won't have a six pack stomach, or be a size 0, but I am ok with that! As long as I am doing my best to be healthy, working out and making good choices, I am happy! I am not going to beat myself up anymore for enjoying life and occasionally gaining a pound or 2. It has taken me a long time to get here and really feel good, so I am going to enjoy it!

Letter to your 21 year old self

 

Dear 21 year old Melissa,

 

First and foremost- being completely wasted is NOT attractive! Sure, you have a hot boyfriend and all is well now, but it will not last and honestly- he is a douche so it will be the best thing for you. One day you will ban long island ice tea and jager from your life all together, FOR REAL!

 

Start working out NOW... don't wait until you are so fat that you can't stand to look in the mirror (can you believe that might happen? well, it will). Stop drinking and partying EVERY night, stop eating fast food, and start moving! You won't regret it!

 

Your mom is always right. Get over it, accept it and move on. Listen to what she tells you because she knows what she is talking about. REALLY! Right now you never think you will move home, but you WILL and you will love it.

 

Don't move in with your friend Annaya... don't do it! It will put a real strain on your friendship and things will not turn out well. Why pay for an apartment to live with her and her boyfriend, have her burn all your pots and pans, and spend your life in your room locked away? Not worth it. lol

 

Throw away the "list" you have made. You know, the one that says married by 25, first baby by 27, and 3 by 32... house and a dog. Yea, that isn't in the cards for you. Learn to trust in God and know that he has a plan. Life will be amazing and no need to worry. You will meet great people, have experiences you never thought you would, and you will be happier than you ever could have imagined. If it is meant to happen, it will...have faith!

 

Don't be afraid to do anything or go anywhere. Don't let your anxious nature get the best of you. You need to take chances and not look back :) You got this girl!

 

Love,

Your 30 year old, more in shape friend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why me and the scale are breaking up again....

 

I have been weighing myself too much lately. Really, it's not good for me. I haven't liked what I see and don't really understand it. I haven't eaten horrible lately or drank much AT ALL. I am out of routine now that I am out of school so my body isn't getting the 6 am breakfast, 9:30 snack, 11:30 lunch, 3:30 snack and 6:30 dinner it is used to. I am also working out harder. My workouts are more like 2 hours now instead of 1 and I have been busting butt! I even picked grilled chicken and veggies at lunch yesterday instead of the salad with fried chicken strips and CHEESE that I really wanted. So, when I got on the scale this morning and I saw that number- I said "Oh hell nah!" and I put it up. I know myself. I will stress myself to death over that stupid number. So, I am putting it away and I don't know when I will bring it back out. I don't want to have a stressful summer. I don't want to worry about that number. I feel good. My clothes fit great, I wear my bikini with a little more confidence, I am a work in progress and no number is going to ruin that for me. So, good bye scale- I will NOT miss you.... now off to workout :)

 

Have a great day ladies!

 

5 on Friday!

 

Today, I am linking up with Darci over at The Good Life .

 

All you have to do is tell 5 things that make or have made you happy this week:

 

1.Summer break is officially here! Today is teacher work day and then we are done and I am free for the summer! I usually always work summer school, but this year I decided to take off and enjoy my summer. Good thing to, because summer school goes until July 12! ouch!

 

2. My kids at school made me happy this week! I got gifts, cards, pictures, and all kinds of things telling me that I am "the best teacher ever" and they will miss me! We really go to hang out and have fun together this week and I enjoyed every minute. I love those kids so much and I am sad to see them go to the next grade, but happy that they love me so much- means I touched their lives :)

 

3. The exterminator came to my house yesterday. This makes me happy because I am so ANTI- roach it isn't even funny, but he assured me he will get rid of them. He was so nice! I love when I find someone I can rely on :) P.S. I am not a dirty person but I live in Texas- roaches are around, unfortunately.

 

4. I got in a good workout the other day and I know this because I am so sore and have been yesterday and today.

 

5. My cousin is having a baby! Another one! :) LOL! Even if I never have kids, I know I will be surrounded by them and I sure that his baby will be adorable :) I hope it's a precious little girl to love!

 

So, I am off to my last day of work today and then to celebrate with friends. I am so excited!!!

 

Have a great weekend ladies!

 

Lately....

Lately....

My eating hasn't been that great... not horrible, but not GREAT either!
I haven't had the energy to work out like I want.
I have been so tired.
My mind has been on other things like school ending, summer coming, planning for vacations, things I have to fix at my house, etc.....
I have had obligations that have caused me not to have make time to workout.
I have been stuck back at 163 AGAIN!

All in all, I have been in a slump. It's no one's fault but my own. I am the only one who can control what I eat and what I do. The good part is I KNOW that and I KNOW what I HAVE to do to get it done. I CAN do it. I am so looking forward to being out of school and having more time to dedicate to workouts, cooking and eating meals that I love and are good for me, and just being able to NOT be stressed out for a while. Teaching is stressful! (and rewarding all at the same time).

So, I made my calendar for June. I have stuck to it so far. I was realistic with it also. I am going on a week long family vacation with the parents and my brother. I know I will not make time to workout, so my eating will have to be pretty good, but not perfect. I know I will splurge a little.

Goals for June:

Get in 2 hour workouts every day that I am home and not on vacation.
Run more- the past few months my running has not been good.
If I don't lose, I at least want to maintain my current weight after vacation. I don't want to gain 10 lbs on vacation!
Enjoy my summer off and not STRESS but stay healthy!

From a teacher's point of view...

I have been swamped with end of the year stuff at work and blogging has been put on the back burner! I promise to be better about it!

I have written recently about stress at the end of the year and how it contributes to my emotional eating. It's a happy time, but also a sad time. Every year, I tell myself this was the best class and every year I love my kids so much and can't imagine loving the next group more. Then, the new group walks in my room in August and it starts all over again. This time of the year we are swamped with paperwork, cleaning, storing, etc. I always try to take time to reflect on my kids and the year that I have had. I am really going to miss them! This group has really touched my heart this year. Maybe it's because I grew up with their moms and dads and I know almost all of their families well. Maybe it's because I know where they were when they came to me and how far they have come! It amazes me every day. Kids are SO smart! So here are my thoughts from a teacher's point of view:

We spend a lot of time with your kids which means: we know what they love and what they don't, we know what they had for dinner last night, we notice when they get a hair cut or if they have new shoes, they tell us what they do at home, they tell us about their baby brother or sister, we know a lot about them as little people. Remember- kids are HONEST and they tell us a lot! (sometimes probably more than parents want them too! haha)

We love them A LOT!
We care for them when they have a bo-bo.
We hug them when they need encouraging or just because.
We teach them to read and hopefully foster a love of reading in them!
We laugh with them and cry with them.
We protect them.
We get attached.
We spoil them.
We miss them when they go.
We teach them so much more than just reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. We teach them to be friends, to have manners, to work hard, to believe in themselves, to care for another person, to be responsible, to try their best, to dream big..... the list could go on forever!

Much like parents, we wish we could give them the world and each kid takes a piece of our heart.

They are the reason we come to work every day. It's not because of paperwork, grading papers, or testing-trust me! LOL!

At the end of the year, don't forget to thank your child's teacher. Know that they love your children and want the best for them.

And on the same note- THANK YOU to all the parents out there that read to their kids, work with them at home, encourage them, reward them when they do a good job, have high expectations, take time out of their day for their child, do everything they can to help their child be successful! As a teacher, I appreciate you too!!!!