Day One:

Stomach aches are not unfamiliar territory for me. After some testing, without conclusion, I am trying two weeks without dairy and caffeine! This is not going to be easy. I drink multiple fancy coffees a day and I eat out almost daily. 

Obviously my habits are not the best and I am in need of a change. Today I was sick in the morning and eventually had a fruit and kale smoothie, sweet potatoes, spaghetti, and some almond milk. I also had a caffeine free beverage made with soy milk from Starbucks. 

I felt sick all day. Went to bed with a slight headache and hoped I could sleep it off and drink some water. I try not to take medication when I don't have to. Woke up at 3 am with a pounding headache and took some Advil.

Onward March!

Day Two:

The first day is over. No coffee today. I had some chamomile caffeine free tea, fruit, soup, and an Oreo so far. There is probably some caffeine within the Oreo but, dairy free. I'm okay with a little bend as long as I can keep it together. 

Exercise will be my next step. Insanity workout will do the best for me, I think. However, insanity is a pretty difficult workout. 

Stomach has been feeling full and burning all day. No headache so far. The first three days of a new habit or kicking an old one, seem to be the worst for me. Cold turkey also seems to be best for me. 

I think that there are multiple ways to get your life "in order". There are basics in life and psychology that have been proven. 

Having a clean space, being in good health, healthy relationships, all important. Maybe I can start from the most common "protocols" and more easily figure out what works best for me when I need to get my life back "in order".

This is probably all just apart of growing up. I like reading other people blog about daily events and getting them done. Life can be difficult and social media typically portrays the good things and few of the negative things. With a blog you can see the depths of peoples thoughts. Posting on a blog can hold you more accountable for your goals and make them more real. It also gives you something to look back on and see your changes. 

Some days I may not make sense but I'm happy about this blogging business and I'm willing to fail over and over again until I get it right. 

Have a wonderful day internet goers!

Checking In

Nike+ Sportwatch is really helping me keep on track with my goals. I really like the myfitnesspal app as well. I am not ready for that yet.

 I made a goal to run three times a week for two weeks (starting small). I have two out of six down. I'm not very fast. I used to vomit every time I ran and I haven't gotten sick in a few runs. That is definitely what I would call progress. Whether or not I am running a 12 minute mile... I am. 

I know I am out of shape and I just need to get back into it, but I can't help but feel a little embarrassed by that number. It will only motivate me to get better. You watch!... Hopefully.

The fast food free week went well. It won't last until I make a meal plan though.

As for Thirty-One, I have mostly been doing preparation and research. I think it will be low key until next season. I learned how to make a bag out of catalog pages and got everything labeled. I have big dreams for this.

I could not handle the biography on Thomas Jefferson. I have moved onto "In Malice, Quite Close" by Brandi Lynn Ryder. It is CRAZY! Much more interesting...Sorry  Jefferson.

Here are some sidebar goals:

Open a Coffee shop, Write songs, photograph, sew, make jewelry, farming, gardening, Personal Training

Heading up north this weekend! 

I am so excited. It will be so nice to get away. I have gone up since I was little. My family had a cabin. Ever since the first time I brought my boyfriend Dennis, he has been in love with it. He wants to move up north, on the lake. We have a cabin and a boat and friends. YAY!!!

That sums it up for now.

I put up that last post about a week later than written. If it seems like enough time has not lapsed, that is why.  ;-)

It's only giving up if you stop trying

Blogging again! Wondering, once again, why I don't keep up.

It would be nice to have something to look back on and see progress. Such is life.

A personality quirk of my own, is the fact that I can be completely scatter-brained. I want to learn about and do so many different things that I find it hard to be productive. Lately, I have adopted a "Three Main Goals" rule. Trying to focus on fewer things will be helpful, I think. 

Here they are as of today:

1.) Improve my health

2.) Improve my Thirty-One business

3.) Write more

There are always things that I can work on. These are things that I plan on setting aside specific time for, even if it means sacrificing elsewhere. 

Improving my life this week:

- My goal is no fast food during weekdays. (I did this last week as well. I used to eat fast food about twice a day on average. Coffee does not count, as it is a beverage, and my addiction.It's all about baby steps.)

- Reading a biography on Thomas Jefferson. ( Reading is an important part of writing. Expanding my mind with a little non-fiction intensity.)

- Researching "living off the grid". (I would like to eventually be pretty self sufficient. It's a little hard in an apartment. I'll thank myself for studying about it in the future.)

- Getting a "Fresh Start" for my thirty one business. ( I have not been keeping up.)

- Blog ( Hello There!)

I tried two weeks gluten free. I didn't necessarily feel noticeably better. However, when I started eating it again, I had a stomach ache. I also did lacto-ovo vegetarian for three weeks during weekdays. 

There you have it, Progress in action.

Puppy Power

This is my little puppy baby MJ <3

She was born December 26 2012

She is a Jack Russel/Shih Tzu mix



I was never an animal person before. I had animals growing up. They were cool, but never as much fun as they were work. At one point, we had over 12 dogs, 6 cats, 2 birds, 2 fish, 2 turtles, and a horse farm next door.

(She sleeps on her back, like a little human.<3)

These pets caused a lot of problems for me too. Once, a litter of kittens climbed into a box filled with all of my past writings. This included diaries, young authors books, and stories from my entire life. They urinated on the entire box! There is no coming back from that. I never thought pets had emotions or personalities. 

One day out of the blue, something snapped. I wanted a puppy. I wanted to take care of it and show it love and have that relationship with a dog that I build a bond with. I went to the pet shop and walked the aisle of pups.There were so many cute puppies. Browsing my way to the end of the kennels, I see little, three and half pound, MJ. She was shaking and had the biggest eyes for her little body. The fur at the top of her head had a few tall strands sticking out from the rest. It made me giggle that she was a little awkward, just like me.

I said, "That one, can I hold her?" 

The store owner brought her from the back and handed her to me. She immediately clung to me, snuggled right up against me and stopped shaking. It was love at first sight. At that moment my entire view on animals had changed. 

(cow belly)

I love my little MJ. Every day I learn more and more about her personality. It is so strange that you can be so blind to something like that until one day...you just get it! 

MJ just turned one. She is a little over ten pounds and takes up the entire bed. She is so loving and affectionate. I can not imagine my life without my little puppy baby.



(She chooses coffee over toys)

(puppy teeth hurt, so sharp!)



Taking a Turn

   I would like to start heading in a different direction with this blog. I want to have something to look back on and see more stories from my past. I thought about changing the title of my blog however, it still fits.

  I finally have cable and internet after a 20 day break. It is nice to have. The quite was pretty nice too. I want to start being more active and trying new things. Saturday I tried my first kickboxing class. It was at title boxing in Ann Arbor. It didn't really have a lot of technique but, it was a crazy workout. It reminded me of insanity.You definitely burn a lot of calories.

    I think next week will be martial arts, yoga, or Sky zone. I want to learn to live a healthy lifestyle for myself and to one day help my children. I want them to make the right decisions and incorporate good things into their lives more easily. Hopefully this is a start to some part-time blogging.