The Lazy Song

"Today I don't feel like doing anything... I just want to lay in my bed... "

Saturdays have turned into truly lazy days.  I find myself taking three hour long naps once the hubby has gone to work and the boys are back home with thier mom.  This being out of commission stuff has really been a pain.  I've gained some weight, but with some diet control I have been able to control it.  Heck if I sleep the day away I wont eat right?!  But I'll be adding a diet area to this blog where I'll put links to some favorite recipes, blogs, geared towards weight loss.

Crafts are going more slowly, but because of the drying time required for the glue.  But I have made a beautiful monogram out of washers to hang on the picture wall I will be creating.  I'm currently trying to put together a shoe rack by gluing together some concrete form molds.  I'll be getting back into sewing shortly because I have been asked by a long time friend to sew a couple dresses for her wedding and hopefully come up with some decorations that will help her stay in budget.  Busy days ahead!

So the best news since I have started my blog... I can Zumba again!!! Super excited to get back on Wednesday!! I miss my Z family!! So going to practice a little this weekend and see how it goes.  Hopefully the nerve has really relaxed like dad has said and I will be ok to start back to my normal routine...

Til next time!

Pain Free

Mostly pain free today.  There is some residual aching in my back, but otherwise feeling great.  A bit sleepy due to the amazing wake up call I received this morning from my siblings in the Philippines.  They called because they were all together in Bulacan,.  I got to speak to my brothers and sister, my brother and sister in law, soon to be sister in law, and my precious neice.  My brother told me that she tells everyone that she is going to learn english so that when I come visit she will be able to speak to me in english.

Good birthday eve thus far.  Now time for bed.

The Silence that Speaks Loudly

I had forgotten how nice it is just to sit and read something you actually want to read, rather than some textbook about theories and principles.  Reading for pleasure was one of those simple pleasures that I missed greatly during school.  There is something calming about the silence of it all that speaks so loudly to the soul.  I bought books over the two and a half years of school, but haven't read them... so they're collecting dust on my bookshelf.

Happy that I finally finished the latest installment of Terry Brooks' from the Legends of Shannara duology, the Measure of the Magic.   He is by far my favorite author.  Everything with him is so rich with description.  Nerdy girl that I am, I can see the scenes in my head as I read.  Love it.

So now on Melissa Marr's Graveminder.  Her Wicked Lovely series was great, though I haven't read the last two books (I think there are two).  Her books have two worlds colliding - our own and another that simply (in most minds) could not exist.  But she takes you on the journey to acceptance of the other world... like this one... there is a doorway to the land of the dead underneath the undertaker's house... can we say creepy? but captivating none-the-less. 

Hunger Games, though I've read the first one, is next.  I'll start over, just so that I recollect everything.  Then Inheritance, the final installment in the Eragon series, and then Game of Thrones or Water for Elephants.  After that, I'll go through the bookcases.

Happy Reading!

On the Mend

Today was a good day.  The pain in my leg wasn't so bad and right now I can actually rest my back on the desk chair without having the pain shooting up my leg.  Usually I would have to sit up board straight... but still have to wait for dad's ok to go to zumba again. le sigh

Having a lazy day today - more than likely because it is freezing outside!  but I love it.  I miss winter.  As the Game of Thrones say, Winter is Coming.

So today's post... made home made laundry detergent this weekend.  It was not what I thought it would be.  Ended up getting truly liquid soap, but looked like it was wrong, so added more bar soap shavings. I got snot soap after that.  I'm ok with it.  It works just as well as what I was using before.  See the DIY page for the recipe. 

And I am proud to say I have turned 3 people onto the oil cleansing method! my sister in law loves it! and 2 ZumbaChickas have tried it, both with different kinds of skin and are loving it!

Off to read... toodles til next time!

Pinched Nerves Suck

Where I take/teach Zumba took off for a couple weeks to enjoy the holidays.  I thought to try to mix up my workout routine and give a well advertised TV workout a try.  Many people have received amazing results from it, so once again I thought "What did I have to lose?" 
Yea.... the comfortable function of my right leg through a pinched nerve between my 4th and 5th lumbar was what I lost.  As I am sitting here writing this post, my back is tingling and my lower back all the way down to my right calf is suffering from what feels like the remnants of a charlie horse. Been dealing with this for over a week.  My dad, chiropractors rule the world!, is helping with everything he can, but the pain comes and goes.  Medication helps, but sometimes I think it hates me and goes away at the most inopportune times, like when I'm sleeping.

So... in this journey I've found out that I have an undeveloped case of spina bifida.  Its a hereditary degenerative disease that if it would have taken into effect, can cause paralysis in childhood.  Talk about blessings! But there is an opening in my spinal arch of the 5th lumbar (low back to most of us) and makes me susceptible to back injuries.  Needless to say, I will not be doing that famous exercise until I've lost more weight and take some pressure off of my surprisingly small boned spine. 

Funny thing about it all is that Zumba never hurt my back.. . just the knees, but that's another issue... will be adding a weight loss type tab/page eventually so check back soon!

New Year, new chapter in life

So... after much consideration, I've decided to make this blog about my journey "back to myself."  In order to become successful, I spent the last few years focusing on my job and education and let who I really am fall back into the back of my mind. 

Now that school is over, I can get back to the things I love.  No more deadlines, no more papers, no more tests! Just family time, Zumba of course, and whatever else comes my way!  You'll see plenty of postings here from all of the above...

I've found new loves for the crafty, organic, and all around DIY that I hope will help keep me sane...

So here I go... back to me... thanks for coming along!