Freckled Star

An incredibly bad blogger............

Ding, ding, ding!

I'm right here.

I'm sorry:(

It's not that I haven't been doing anything creative lately..........

In fact I am in full Valentine, full swaps mode...........

My desk is currently a huge mess with pink, red and cream goodness all over the place........

Glitter, paper, ribbon, twine, paint, tapes, stamps all sorts of stuff........

It's been fun:)

I also got some French General bracelets done and they are soooo cute!!

And then Affaire at Tiffany's swaps went up these past two weeks and I couldn't resist!

So I am doing The Never Go-Lightly Tiara, Oh So Chic Altered Bottle, A Very "Charming" Tiffany Necklace and Holly Go Comfy Slippers..........

Oh and I can't forget I am hosting swap!!

The Stylish's Girls Compact was a huge hit and I am sooo excited to see what everyone comes up with:)

So creatively I have been on the go go go...........

Keeping myself busy! Trying not to think too much about Zachary and what he's going through right this very minute..........

He's been gone 2 weeks. We've gotten 4 letters and he was in good spirits through all of them:) His sense of humor definitely intact!! But that was last week. This week he is in full training mode and I know it's got to suck. The weather there is miserable. They don't call it Fort Lost in the Woods for nothing!! And there is nothing funny about that..........

But that's coming from a mom and I know he isn't a baby anymore. That doesn't make it any easier to let go...........

So that's all I'll say about that or you'd be bored to tears!

Trust me!

Well I am still here:)

Still pushing through the Whole Living Mind+Body Challenge. Exercising pretty regularly too. Maybe that's another reason I haven't been able to write much. I'm exhausted and hungry lol:) I did figure out one thing though. I can't live on vegetables and fruit alone no matter how good it is for me. I had no energy whatsoever. And I'm not eating tofu! Sorry!! So chicken showed back up in my diet after about 10 days. Along with a little lean red meat on Sundays. I felt much better. Of course that may be because I ate a piece of cake and 2 chocolate strawberries over the weekend;)

That was literally my first sweet in 21 days!

Pretty good in my book:)

Even if I did go a smidge overboard............

Speaking of which look at these!!!!

Are those not the cutest, sweetest thing ever!! Williams Sonoma Doughnut Cookies oh my God!!!

Moving on before I start to drool.........

 

 

 

That's all I got:)

Be back soon???

 

 

 

 

 

Swap madness.......

 Is coming!!

In less than 4 months An Affaire at Tiffany's will be here!

And swaps are going up very, very soon.............

This time around I decided I would host a little swap..........

A first for me.......

I'm calling it "A Stylish Girl's Compact":)

Just what the doctor ordered to! Because instead of sitting around worrying endlessly I have been thinking about these and just what to do with them.............

These are pretty easy to find and relatively cheap. These were all under $5! Even the monogrammed one..........

So I got out some super pretty stash and went to work!

Chain, pearls, bits and baubles:)

The results............

Oh my gooooodness!!

They look so pretty all grouped together!

Anyway just one of the many GORGEOUS things to come at Kim's FABULOUS event!! There is still a little time left and I think 1 or 2 spots. Won't you join all of us??!!:)

 

Yesterday and progress.............

Yesterday I gave my Zachary Ryan to the Army...........

Definitely one of the hardest days of my life and I have had some pretty hard days............

It doesn't matter that you know it's coming. It doesn't matter that you think you are prepared for it. Because all that really does matter is that nothing will ever be the same again. He'll never live with us again. This 4 months of boot camp and training are only the beginning. Then he'll get his permanent duty station which won't be near us. Then more than likely he'll be deployed to that God forsaken middle east. He will be forever changed. Our family is forever changed............

But with that comes a new chapter, and yes I could sit around and wallow but I won't. I did that yesterday and it was for the birds. Now granted the lump is still lodged deep in my throat. I will worry about him every single minute of the day. I will pray that he stays healthy and that the Army doesn't drain out of him all the love and compassion I have instilled in him these last 21 years. And that every day he'll get up, keep his head up and persevere. I know he can do it and there is no doubt in my mind that he will be an outstanding soldier. I am so incredibly blessed to be his mom. I have not regretted staying at home with all my children for one minute. I have never missed a word, a step, a bad dream, an tummy ache, a laugh, a cry, a broken heart, an accomplishment, a school assembly, a driver's test and so many more tiny little things that add up to 21 years..............

Which is why with a heavy heart I let him go. He was ready and for as much as I thought I was ready I really am not. But there comes a time you just have to let them go. And make their own mistakes, learn their own lessons and live their own life and just hope to God they don't forget everything you taught them the minute they step out the door.

So that's my sad story...........

Now I'll take a deep breath and move on.............

Let's talk progress:)

Last week blew to be sure. I had a headache starting Wednesday and didn't end til Saturday night. We went up to Cayucos for 3 days and that sucked. No Duckies Chowder or garlic bread or soda or Brown Butter Cookies or gramma Dee's cooking. I stuck to salads. Except for breakfast I ate a half a pancake 3 mornings straight. But I did do a 4 mile hike up to Bishop Peak in San Luis Obsipo. Only felt like I was going to throw up twice:) So not a complete cleanse I guess. I did better sticking to it last year but then again last year Frank was not home and Zachary was not leaving. Today I am getting back on track. Yesterday I didn't eat anything so I think my weight right now isn't a true number. I'm not an emotional eater, I am an emotional non eater. Which is just as bad as over eating in a way. I need to force myself to eat today even though I am not hungry.

Conclusion I'm all jacked up right now but I am starting again. Because every day is a new day......

"It's not how many times you fall that matters, but how many times you get back up"

Be back soon:)

 

 

And away we go............

Well it's here..........

Monday January 2nd........

Bleh!

Just kidding I am pumped!!;)

So here are some links that might be helpful if your looking to start the year off right........

I am doing the Whole Living 2012 28 Day Mind+Body Challenge...........

But tweaking it just a smidge..........

Because I think the recipes are just a little worse than last years!

Pink Beet soup no thanks and there is SQUASH in EVERYTHING.......

YUCK!

Also the juice recipes look yucky, sorry not drinking juice made of kale so like I said a few tweaks:)

To begin with it says if you don't have a juicer, which let's just say I don't, you can use these Detox Smoothies. All of which look totally doable except the kale and beet one. And yes I know I am brat:) This morning it was the Antioxidant one and it was quite tasty.

2 cups frozen mixed berries, love the Trader Joe's Fancy Berry Blend

1 cup Pomegranate juice, make sure it has no added sugar!

And then break out those Magic Bullets girls:)

Moving on...........

Lunch looks miserable but for the good of my ever expanding bottom and the fact that I am not getting any younger I'll give it a shot............

Week 1 Lunch Recipes are here. I have agreed to the stupid Kale Slaw and the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes. NO SQUASH and Sweet Potato Salad gag me!! So I'll just rotate those two:)

Week 1 Dinner Recipes are here. Here's where the pink soup comes in! Bleh! I said yes to the Roasted Peppers and Cauliflower with Almonds. And no to the other stuff. The tweak is the Healthy Soup Recipes. I will be making the Creamy Broccoli and White Bean, Wild Mushroom, Herb Pesto Barley and the Creamy Cauliflower. If they have chicken broth in the recipe I will substitute with vegetable broth.

Because this week we are avoiding all animal products. So no cheese! Along with added sugar, caffeine, anything processed, anything white (rice, potatoes, pasta) and alcohol. Next week we get to add some fish. We'll go over those recipes when we get there. Note to self: I should not have looked ahead:(

Oh and before I forget............

SNACKS!

The challenge's all suck, who's going to poach apples or wants crispy kale??!! Ummm no one! Maybe this was designed that you'd be so repulsed by the food you just wouldn't eat:) Now there is a cleanse!

So I went to Trader Joe's and bought a few trail mixes. Cranberries and walnuts seem to be all they are made of! Sad face here:( Then I got some of that oriental rice cracker mix, filling. Plus I could always have an apple, orange or banana. I know this doesn't sound good at all and I am getting depressed just thinking about it.............

Ok so I have given you some links, a little information. Maybe more than you wanted! Take it for what you will because as they say the rest is up to you:)

The pedometer is back on and as of right this minute I have 5399 steps! Light to moderate exercise this week. They say you will probably feel like crap the first week. FANTASTIC:)

Happy Monday!!!

Now I need a snack............

Or maybe not:(