November Thankfulness

For the month of November, I'm going to list 30 things that I am great full for in my life. Being great full is good for your brain. It rewires your brain not to think negativity and helps with depression. Day 1: I'm thankful for my husband. He is very kind hearted and sweet. He takes good care of me and my daughters. I was a stay at home Mom for 7 years, while he supported us. He takes the girls to school and picks them up after I work late at night, and doesn't make me get up and take them when he is off. He will do anything I ask, and cooks for us. I am very blessed to have a great husband, with a nice disposition. No wonder we have been married for almost 16 years. Day 2: I am thankful for my two daughters, that are 2 years and 9 months apart. They fill my heart with love, they make every day count. They have truly blessed my life. They are so sweet and funny. They each have their own personality. Day 3: I love my parents so much. I am so grateful for them. They have been so supportive of me all my life. Both are so supportive emotionally, and my daddy is a handy man, he doesn't have to, but he works on my house, like fix the furnace and put the swamp cooler in. He has installed new lights. They baby sit my kids, and without this I would not be able to afford day care. I will take care of my parents as they age, since I work in assisted living, I want what is best for them. I will definitely take care of them as they have taken care of me. Day 4: I am thankful for my job. That I have a job to support my family. I am an caregiver for the elderly. It is very rewarding, and brings meaning to my life, but at the same time exhausting, and there ratio to caregiver to resident isn't what it should be, it can be stressful. I am glad that God blessed me with this gift to have patients to care for the older population, and make their last days count. Day 5: I am thankful for the friendships I have. I have fun with them, and I feel connected when I have someone I can relate to. Social support is wonderful. It's nice to have someone to rely on. Day 6: It's 30 degrees out and drizzling. I'm freezing. I am thankful for the heater in the car, and the furnace in my house. Thankful for heat, and a job to pay the electricity bill. Day 7: I fell today, so I am thankful for my massage chair. HAHA! Seriously I am, because it helps me with pain. My job as a caregiver gives me pain from improper lifting techniques, when I lift the elderly. Day 8: I am thankful for my furbabies! My dogs that knocked me down yesterday! They are so fun and playful. They give me a good exercise, (they are my jogging buddies) keep me entertained and have protected my kids from someone that has tried to attack them. They fill my heart with love and offer companionship. I am thankful for my loving cats that purr at me and cuddle me in bed. They are so sweet and funny. Day 9. I'm thankful for the ability to walk, and be physical because I have a friend that is a paraplegic, and I have taken care of a quadriplegic. I am very active and cannot have a sit down job. I feel depressed if I cannot get up and walk. I can't even sit through a movie unless it is interesting, but it really has to catch my interest. I must have ADHD like my daughter. It was hard making this post, I need to learn to have gratitude more.

Homelessness in Denver

I took my daughters to the park. This is a park we have been going to since they were born. It is a very nice park, with a pond, geese, large playground equipment and lots of grass to run around and get their energy out. After I let them play on the playground, while I went for a jog, I told them “Let’s go walk the dogs around the lake”. Midway through the walk a homeless lady was sitting down at the picnic table with her mates. She sees us, and she gets up and storms towards us. She starts yelling at us. Lucky, I have my puggle with me, and he scared her away, thank goodness. My girls, and I walk away. My poor daughters were in tears. They are not used to this kind of situation, because it has just recently changed so much in Colorado. I was at Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, with my family and a lady was panhandling my elderly sick Dad. She was starting to get aggressive. I became very protective, and I was so pissed. I walked up to them and she took off. I had a homeless man that is regularly around my house, he came in my backyard and tired to get in my house, lucky my dog scared him away. These instances are new for me. I have lived here all my life. I used to leave my doors unlocked, and I used to go anywhere, anytime and nothing happened. The homeless population is increasing rapidly in Denver . I am not sure why? I read an article that homelessness is increasing because they are coming here for jobs and not because of the legalization of marijuana. I don’t know what to think but I still love Denver, and I just think I need to beware of my surroundings and carry pepper spray. I’m not used to this though. I like to go wherever and not have to worry, and pay attention, and do my own thing.

Christmas is coming!

Every year I procrastinate, and get my Christmas cards done late. I'm just so busy, working, taking care of the kids, the house, my husband. I need more balance to my life. ha! I make Christmas cards through Adobe Photoshop, but I am not that great at it. I was browsing online and I saw personalized Christmas cards that I can buy and send to my big family. I am so excited to get these this year and send them to my big family that mostly out of state. What a fun update for them. I want to go through either evermine.com, Zazzle, or even on Etsy.

Pet Card

 Custom Holiday Cards 

Custom Holiday Card 

Joyful Christmas 

World Mental Health Day.

Today is World Mental Health Day. I've struggled with anxiety and depression for nearly two decades. I've taken anti-depressants, such Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac for the past 17 years. It is caused by either a chemical imbalance or trauma in the past. Environmental vs biochemical. I treat both with counseling and medication. I am doing great in life, thanks to the help of my doctors, and counselors. Medication isn't the only answer though. Here's what I do to make sure I am the best for my family and not down in the dumps, wasting my time away in bed. I get adequate sleep. I try not to stress out, I try to look at the big picture, and not let little things bother me. Ignore negative people and do not let them get to you. Try to find things I enjoy. I like hiking, and taking my kids to the park, or going to the mountains. Get out and about amongst people also helps. Talk to family and friends as well. I get a relaxing massage. This is a huge stress reliever. Exercise boost serotonin. I try to exercise, it helps a lot. Also trying to eat healthy. Reach out for help if you are feeling overwhelmingly depressed or anxious. I go to the doctor and therapist for cognitive behavioral therapy. As time goes on, I learn how to cope better. It does get better and do not give up! There is help out there, seek it, and reach your full potential. Depression and anxiety doesn't make you weaker, overcoming it makes you stronger. World Mental Health Day 2019 National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 >

Dealing with pregnancy nausea...

When I got pregnant with my first born daughter, morning sickness, struck me at about 6 weeks into the pregnancy. Not just in the morning, but more like 24/7. I was sick all the time. I remember going to bed after working night shift, I went to bed, then I woke up vomiting. I didn't stop until she was born. I had hyperemesis gravidarum throughout my entire pregnancy. Hyperemesis is extreme nausea and vomiting throughout your pregnancy, where I lost 15 pounds and I was in the ER getting an IV due to dehydration. I took Zofran the whole pregnancy, which is now not allowed by doctors, because it can cause heart defects. My daughter is doing well, she's vibrant, intelligent, and very healthy. I had to quit my job, it was like having the flu the whole time! I got through it, it ended in 9 months with a beautiful baby girl, that blessed my life, and I couldn't image a better blessing. With my second born, I only got sick once. I took Zofran throughout the whole pregnancy, which once again isn't allowed anymore. So, how did I get through it? Hyperemesis is rare, so I am one of the lucky ones... If you are dealing with pregnancy nausea and vomiting, try your best to keep a little something in your stomach every two hours throughout the day so that your blood sugar doesn't drop. Crackers, or just anything that you are craving. I had crackers and 7-up or ginger ale which worked better, by my bed the whole pregnancy. Try popsicles and jello. Try to stay away from fried foods, that makes it worse. Try sipping ginger, and peppermint tea. I also used peppermint essential oil. There is also motion sickness bracelets that you can buy, I tried that I was desperate. You can also get acupuncture. Try to eat 6-8 small meals a day, to keep your blood sugar up, so that you don't get a dip in your blood sugar and get sicker. Try chewable kids vitamins instead of prenatals but talk to your doctor for recommendations. Vitamin B-6 is supposed to help as well. I also took liquid calcium and magnesium, which was recommended by my midwife, for leg cramps and constipation, and it worked. This post isn't intended to replace a doctors advice, it is what I did under the supervision of my mid wife. Always confirm a supplement with your midwife or doctor. Hope this helps, I've been there done that. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

National Coffee Day...

National coffee day was this Sunday, September 29. Seriously, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed without it or let alone live! How do you like your coffee? I just take it black with milk. I'm not picky. I don't see a point in buying Starbucks. I gain weight to easy with all that cream and sugar. I'm happy just having the coffee. I work night shift so I wouldn't be able to survive without it. When I did 23&me DNA testing, it said I am likely to consume more caffeine. You got that right! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

National daughter day

Yesterday was National Daughter Day. I have been blessed with two daughters, girls and girls only, since we are done having children. I will never forget when I had my first born daughter. She was absolutely beautiful and I can tell she was intelligent. Same thing with my second daughter. They are two years apart. They are either best friends or worst enemies. One minute they hate each other, and one minute they love each other and are holding hands. I know they will upalways have each other's backs in life. They have each other by their side and have someone to play with. They are complete opposites. My first born is a tom boy. She is into video games, wears boy clothes, doesn't like make up, wears her hair short. My second born is very girly. She loves singing, dancing, makeup clothes and boys, God help me. Having a daughter is like having a best friend, and always having someone to talk to. They are constantly talking. We have so much fun. They love them so much and they mean more to me than anything in the world. Girls rule the world!