Overwhelming!

Wow I did not think my blog would be doing so well in such a short amount of time! I have had over 250 views since yesterday! May not be a lot but hey...it is to me!

I have received so many encouraging words from friends, family, and my lovely sorority sisters! I am overwhelmed with happiness and joy!

So exciting news! My mom joined Curves with me! I was so excited! I am truly proud of her! And glad to have her there with me as a support system. Everyone has to love them some Princess Deb.

Me and Mommy (July 2010)..gawd my hair was so blonde! haha!

Well mom and I are about to go workout again! So pumped!

I am not going to lie yesterday was a hard day to stay focused on my diet. I was pinteresting and kept seeing all this delicious and not so healthy food being pinned by others and it seemed every commercial on TV was for fast food, pizza, and all those other not so health yet tasty things. I just wanted to jump in my car and drive to the nearest fast food like I always did. Then I remembered look how far I've come in a matter of a week and half. If I did that I would be taking two steps back. And ladies when you're PMSing all you want is greasy food and chocolate galore!

I had to give myself a pat on the back. I fought the urge and settled for some peach yogurt and string cheese and I drank a lot of water.

So ladies and gents,
If you ever feel the need/urge to fall off the wagon and eat that unhealthy stuff remember how good you are doing/can do. Instead of eating that candy get some yogurt or instead of eating chips switch it up for some veggie chips (so good!) There are many healthy alternatives to our favorite foods!

You can have 38 straws for 3 points on WW!

2 points on WW!

If I'm not mistaken you can have 25 chips for 4 points on WW

I am cooking for the family tonight. I want to make a healthy meal and show them how tasty it is to eat healthy! I hope they enjoy! I will let you all know how it goes. 

Also a little random throw in for the day. My big brother, Chris, is in Montana touring with a children's theater company. He has been there since January 3rd. He leaves from there in May and will return to Hershey,PA for a summer show at Hershey Theme-park.   I hate being so far away from my brother! We use to not get along then toward the end of high school we started to. Haha. I am ready for him to go back to Hershey,PA (yes, where they make all that yummy Hershey chocolate) so I can visit him!!

Chris and I after his show "Wild Country" at Hershey Park (Summer 2011)

He also performed at Hershey Park during Christmas 2011!

My road to losing weight- Week 2

I started this blog as a journey to finding my dream job. My life after college. Well since finding that dream job has been a little crazy and not as easy as I expected I've decided to make some lifestyle changes. Now my blog will be about my journey to losing weight and finding my dream job.

I recently joined Weight Watchers. I started February 27, 2012. When I went to sign up I wasn't necessarily like oh my god I am so ready! But after signing up and seeing how much I weighed I was like oh my god... I am motivated and ready now. My first week I lost 3 pounds! I was not happy at first I wanted to lose more but then my great team of family and friends made me proud of losing that 3 pounds. Now I'm on week 2!

I've become in love/obsessed with counting points. Haha. I use to make fun of my friend Lana for doing it now I'm guilty of it!

Here's how big I had let myself get... Not too happy and I really haven't liked myself in pictures in a while...this is the reason why

This was me on 2/14/12 

Not only am I enjoying counting points but I have enjoyed cooking delicious healthy meals!! I did not know eating healthy could be so yummy and keep thinking why haven't I done this sooner?!

(All these meals have been courtesy of Skinnytaste.com, I will post links for each at the end)

Chicken Rollatini w/Zucchini and Mozzarella, Cauliflower Fritters, and Steamed Green Beans

Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

Chicken Marsala(my own recipe) and Creamed Spinach(Skinnytaste.com)

I am definitely cooking my weight off through the help of weight watchers and skinny taste. I am having the time of my life. I have energy I've never had before. I have also noticed how happy I am too. 

My Week 2 meal plan

Now eating healthy is dandy but I needed to start working out as well. I signed up for curves the same day I signed up for weight watchers! Curves is amazing! I was skeptical at first, I was not sure if it was for me. Now I know it sure is, especially starting because I haven't worked out in about two years really. The trainers there are amazing and work my butt off when I am there! The atmosphere is wonderful! I look forward going to Curves now!

Curves and Weight Watchers have been blessings to me and I am grateful for the opportunity and able to do both. I hope I stay as motivated as I am going into my second week. 

Let me offer any advice to any girl or boy who are in the same position as me. DONT ever think you cannot do it! TRUST me you can! If I can do this, you can do this! It might be cliche to say but honestly you can! I come from a family who loves food and eating. I love those things. Now I'm loving healthy eating. 

I will continue to write about my life (it's not too exciting haha) and how I am applying and applying to jobs (I think I am at 250 jobs/internships I've applied for right now).  I have decided to start saving money and move to another city. I love Memphis as my home but the opportunities I need are not happening here. So being a nanny and looking for some type of job is what I have to work with. I am saving up my money to move to either Philadelphia, PA or Nashville, TN by this summer. 

Links for food in pictures:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/cauliflower-fritters-25.html

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/08/chicken-rollatini-stuffed-with-zucchini.html#more

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/09/creamed-spinach-lightened-up.html

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/spinach-lasagna-rolls.html

Welcome To 2012

So I have no written in a couple of months. I have been slacking a little bit. I have been trying to get my life in order and try to move on to the next chapter of my life.

I will update you on what has been going on in my life...

I am working as a babysitter right now. It's a fun job because I love children! So it keeps me busy during the week.

My birthday is Tuesday! Woohoo! I will be turning 23 years old. I am super excited because I have decided that I am turning my life around. Starting with being healthy and positive attitude.

I am pretty sure I have applied to a good 300 jobs since this summer and still applying away. Hopefully one in a million will work. Right?

Well ok anyways... moving right along. I know my last post was a little dramatic and sad. I was in a very low point. I was so unhappy with where I was in my life. Now I am doing better. Still wanting to live my dream out.

My heart will always belong to this city

I've been trying to focus on my dreams and never giving up. I may not be where I want to but life is a journey and I'm along for the ride

Having an off day....

Not having a good day I guess you can say...

I am constantly upset and feel like I could cry any second of the day. I randomly start tearing up just thinking about how my life has not turned out the way I wanted it too. I had so many dreams for myself and I feel like I should just toss them into the trash.

I was working at Lambert's Coffee and it was not working out.... not enough hours, not enough respect.

Now I have an even more god awful job working at a water pump company.... doing data entry.... the only upside is that I get paid very well. Which is great. I can save up money and move away.

I should be thankful that my mom and stepdad let me live under their roof but I feel like they just want me to have a job whether I am happy or not.

It sucks a lot and I feel like there is this huge hole in my heart. I did not even want this job at the water pump company. I get confused everyday and people get tired of me messing up and asking a lot of questions. Oh well.

I sit at work and I think of how lucky some people are. They have the job they always dreamed of. I feel like for some people it comes so easy. I know there are people who work extremely hard to get where they are today. I totally respect that.

I need guidance. I have none. I do not even know where to start or how to find a job doing what I want to. I don't have the most impressive resume but I do have some internships.

I don't know. I apologize for the emo blog. I am just really upset, stressed, and tired. It's such a busy week with my mom and stepdad being out of town.

Update- 3/6/12
I was let go at the Water Pump Company because I was asking too many questions and I was clocking in too early(apparently you can get in trouble for that) and was late 1 day but whatever. I can't help my first week I was hardly trained then the second week my boss was on vacation and I was left with no clue. They were so rude to me. I did not care. The joys of temp jobs.

I GOT A JOB!!!

Well to whoever is reading this blog, I finally got a job!!! Yes a miracle has happened! I am super excited about it and I will tell you a little bit about the company and what I will be doing.

I am working at Lambert's Coffee which sells coffee to businesses, restaurants, gas stations, etc. They have been in Memphis for about 40 years. I am working with the Ugly Mug Coffee which Lambert's bought two years ago. Ugly Mug sells online and they do fundraising for schools, churches, and other organizations.

I will be in charge of the fundraising and working as a liason between the company and the fundraising chair.

I have been training all week and learning a lot. It seems a little overwhelming right now but I know I will get the hang of it. I am very excited and feel very passionate about the cause and everything. Cause not only is it helping the schools and churches raise money for themselves but it also helps the small farming families from which Ugly Mug gets their coffee.

I mean I would have rather had this in grade school than selling wrapping paper and other useless junk.

I hope I can bring in a lot of new clients and keep the old to make Ugly Mug very successful. I hope I stay at this job for awhile. Well I see myself staying here for at least 2 years or so. I know shocking I am going to be staying in Memphis. I do not plan to stay here the rest of my life but it is a great starting place.

Oh and also the people who work here are so nice! I know I am the youngest person here and I was a little intimidated at first but they are so helpful and kind. I especially love Gloria and Phyillis. They are the administrative assistants.

Well thats all for now. I am going to organize my office. Slow day.

My Mother

So I thought I would do a blog post about my mother, my inspiration in my life. If you know me, you know that I love my momma (aka "Princess Deb") yes.... my mother thinks she is a princess but I guess she is!

My mother is probably the strongest person I know in my life. She has always been there for me from when I was a bratty 3 year old to an angsty teenager. She put up with me and I thank her for that.

She's been through a lot in her life. She has raised three children to do great things, i think my 2 brothers and I turned out pretty well. We were never really out of control (I'm sure she begs to differ) but we always had a good head on our shoulders.

From earlier on, my mom raised us on her own. She worked long hours to keep us in good schools and to give us the things we wanted. I never went without. No matter how hard she worked, she never really complained because she loved her children. Even when my father pretty much abandoned us a long time ago she, with the help of my grandparents, took care of us.

Fast track to my sophomore year of high school... she meets the love of her life, my now stepdad Lyn. Saying Lyn was a blessing to our family is an understatement. He without hesitation took us all in and cared for us. He loves my mother and treats her like a princess she deserves to be. Along with him came my amazing step family. I almost don't like saying step family because they are so much more than that to me.

So my mom last July about a week before I was going to move back to Starkville for my senior year had to go to the hospital for surgery. She was getting hernia surgery which usually takes about 45 mins. My stepdad was keeping me updated and everything and I hadn't heard back til 2.5 hours later she was out of surgery. I was glad she was out and ok but come to find out they found a 9lb. tumor on her ovary during surgery and had to remove it and her ovaries. I was freaking out but the doctors thought it was benign. They actually sent the tumor off to Harvard medical to examine it.

Come to find out later there was some cancerous cells in the tumor. The night I found out I was a wreck. I cried and cried. I was scared for my mother. That c-word, cancer, is literally the scariest word ever. To hear my mother had a cancerous tumor was enough for me.

Luckily they got it out early but they still wanted her to go through chemo as a precaution to make sure there was nothing left in her body.

She went through four rounds of chemo from October to January, if I am not mistaken. It was hard to see my mom in a weak stage. Someone who never shows weakness. I remember coming home for thanksgiving break and seeing my mom without hair. She was still the most beautiful thing in the entire world but I hated seeing her sick.

During christmas break I took her to all her chemo treatments and we had fun days. I would get us lunch and we would joke around. She always kept good spirits during this time. The nurses loved my momma and I loved the nurses too! Nurse Betty was my favorite. I actually miss seeing her!

Then mom was done and we were so happy. She actually wore her tiara and a nice dress to her last treatment. Thats my mom for you.

She started getting a little sick but then she got better and today I am happy to say SHE IS CANCER FREE! Saying that makes me so happy. To think if anything bad ever happened to my mom just breaks my heart into a million pieces.

Well my mom made it through and she is as happy as can be. Funny story, the day of my graduation she along with my stepdad and two brothers came into Starkville for the day. I drove myself and I had my purse. Well I couldn't walk with it so I was calling to her so I could give it to her. She had just walked into the coliseum. I found her and within half a second she just started balling her eyes out. I was in my cap and gown. She was so proud of me/ didn't think she would have been here for my graduation and just everything she had been through. It truly was a special moment. I make fun of her now but hands down that is my favorite memory of my mother and probably will be forever.

I love you mom and thank you for being my rock for the past 22 years.

Phase 1 complete

So it's super late and I should be asleep but I cannot help but think of how awesome my life is in so many ways that I take it for granted.

Family...
I have an amazing family. I always have. My two brothers mean the absolute world to me and they truly have my heart and sole. I have an amazing relationship with my mom and stepdad! My mom has been through so much with chemo treatments, etc and still holds her head high... Well I just admire her more than words can describe. My stepdad has been a great support and a million "thank you's" cannot cover how much I appreciate all that he has done for me. I even have a wonderful stepfamily, each and every one of them are so special to me. My mom's side of the family has been with me since birth and have always loved me no matter what... Even when I was a two year old yelling at my mother for bringing me the wrong pink shirt.

Friends...
I have a wonderful group of friends. Let me start with a few individuals who have been with me for a very long time. I have been friends with these people since high school and to this day mean the world to me. With going to different colleges or traveling around the world, they are a constant in my life I would like to always have. In college I made friends like I never thought I would. Some are my sorority sisters, some are neighbors, and some are ones I met through so many different things.My friends are just too good to me! I hope they know that.

My Goals...
I have so many goals that I want to accomplish in my life. I will NEVER give up on them, even when it seems they won't happen... I know one day they will. I will move to NYC one day and be happy there in my nice upper east side penthouse (i dream big ok?)

But along with this happiness I know heartache... I had one of my closet friends turn their back on me when I needed them the most this year. It was a sad day. I didn't think I would ever move one. Sadly this has happened a few times in my life but from that came better friends and great times. This person was my everything. They were my shoulder to cry on and someone to laugh at me or let me laugh at them. I would have done anything for this person no matter what. I have finally come to terms with this and ready to move forward with my life. I wish them the best and nothing less. I will always love, care for, and cherish the memories of this person.

So in my road to discover I have realized I have to face my "demons" I guess you can say. Well I faced one tonight... letting go of someone who turned away from me a long time ago.

 I am embarking on this journey that I have no idea what will happen next, but I am so so so excited! From here on out I will live a healthy positive life!

....oh yeah still trying to find a job... hopefully by the end of this week!