When Being Strong is All You Have

As a full-time single mom, I know that I have had great days and bad days but through it all my strength has grown leaps and bounds since I gave birth to Lily. I have endured the hard times with tears and heartache and reveled in the good times with smiles and laughter. Each year I hope that things will get a little bit easier and there are moments that do but each moment is worth the time I get to spend with my precious little girl.  For other single mothers out there, keep doing the amazing job you are doing because your raising awesome children that will grow up to appreciate everything that you did for them as a child!

Where has the Summer Gone?

I was sitting here thinking about what to write today and I realized it has been days since I blogged last. Where did my week go? It went to 2 dentist appointments, creating new products for my Bath and Body Line, cleaning and getting Lily ready to start 1st grade. Then I looked at our calender and it hit me... WHERE DID OUR SUMMER GO? 

Everyone sets out with the hope to do lots of fun things during summer vacation. Lily and I created our Summer To-Do List but only accomplished about 5 out of 12 activities before the summer ended. Lily starts school on Tuesday which is hard to believe it is the end of the summer. We decided that we are going to continue our Summer To Do list into the Fall and add a few more fun things like the Pumpkin Patch. 

Realizing that the summer is over in a blink of an eye, I am grateful for the fun things we did get to do but I also need to slow down and enjoy each day as it comes. Each day is a gift and we need to appreciate each day we have with our loved ones.  

Today We Are All Going To Be Happy

Groucho Marx really hit it on the head with how I am feeling on this inspirational Wednesday. Being in Al-Anon and having been to AA and NA meetings with friends, the groups all live on the theme Just for Today. On my forearm, I have a tattoo that reads "No Day But Today" (ok all you musical/Broadway lovers: what musical is that from??). Despite my constant reminder that we only have today to live, I am always forgetting and thinking about tomorrow or even worse regretting yesterday, last year or even 10 years ago. 

Groucho Marx reminds us that we only have today so be sure to be happy today. Things might be a struggle in my life right now but I feel lucky to have today considering we are approaching the anniversaries of the deaths of 2 very special people in my life. So be happy and live each day to the fullest because we never know when it will be our last today!

The Diet Struggle

This picture has been me the past few months! In the past, I never had to worry about a diet because I would just lose the weight or the fat would never stay on my body. Yes, I know it sounds like I am bragging but I am just telling you my new found awareness to the diet struggle. I have friends and family that have struggled with their weight and tried many of different diets. They would lose the weight for a short period of time and then succumb to their cravings whether it be cake, ice cream, chips or whatever they desired. Now I am struggling with this same thing for the first time in my life. 

Each day, I set out to eat healthy and stick to my gluten-free diet and some days things are great. Then I get that ping and I want something bad.... usually something rich in chocolate, sugar and everything else bad for you. Yes, I am a choco-holic! I try to resist the urges and keep the items out of my house but when I get that ping.... it is all over. I live 2 minutes from a convenience store and end up there in no time when I need to satisfy this craving. 

The other problem to my weakness for my cravings, besides the weight gain and not fitting into any of my clothing, is that my IBS doesn't like my food choices. In the past few weeks, as my gluten-free diet has dwindled, my IBS has been paying me back for each delicious bite with belly aches and pains (to put things mildly). 

Well my pain of the IBS is overcoming the cravings now and I am setting out to get back on my diet. I hope that I can learn to keep my cravings at bay and my will power strong. Those struggling with a diet, we are all in this together so you are not alone!

Last Fun of Summer

Every kid wishes and dreams that summer never ends and every parent (or at least any that I talk to) wishes summer was over about a week into summer vacation. As much as I tried to make summer vacation fun for Lily, I truly learned how much money constraints can hinder the dreams of a kid wanting to do all the fun things their schoolmates brag of doing. We were able to go to the $5 Wednesday movies, spend time at the library and park and the entire week at the county fair. While riding rides and playing games, Lily enter every contest she could in an attempt to win tickets to Land of Make Believe. After placing 5th in the Kiddie Tractor Pulls, Lily won the tickets on the last day of the fair!

Land of Make Believe is an amusement park near us in New Jersey that is geared towards kids. They have roller coasters for little and big kids and a water park. One feature the kids love is Santa's summer home with Santa visiting the kids during his summer vacation. As a parent one thing I love is that they have a picnic area that you can bring your own food instead of paying for food while you are there. For a single mom that is a great savings and helpful with a child that is a vegetarian. I grew up going to Land of Make Believe and loved it. I can't wait to take Lily this week after she worked so hard to win the tickets!

*click any of highlighted links to check out Land of Make Believe's website

Free Shipping Birthday Sale

Sunday was my birthday so for my Super Saturday Sale we are going to celebrate by having FREE SHIPPING with coupon code Birthday13 in my Etsy Shop. I have added a ton of new apron, handbags, body scrubs and more to my shop so go check it out!

When It Rains.... It Pours!

Have you ever felt like when one bad thing happens, all of a sudden, many bad things happen at once? That has been me the past month. After trying to keep up with blogging everyday, I just couldn't do it any more because I was under so much stress.

After getting my wisdom teeth pulled last month, I ended up with an infection and on a high dose of antibiotics which seriously knocked me. The last time I felt that bad was when I was on antibiotics for Lyme's disease 3 years ago and it is not fun! 

In the meantime, I had to prepare for the local farmer's fair which I would have a booth for 8 days. I sewed aprons and bags day and night (when I had the energy which wasn't very often). I took inventory of everything that I was taking with me so that I could fill up my booth and make it look pretty. The fair came and so did the rain. The 2nd day of the fair my booth ended up with +6" of water underneath. Then the building's roof leaked and it started raining on top of the soaps. So we moved my booth to a drier location but the rain kept coming and people were staying home. The fair ended in sunshine but didn't make up for many days lost to rain. 

The last day of the fair and the day before my birthday, exhausted and ready for bed, I checked my mail and received my eviction notice. They want more money then I have before August 23rd or I have to move out. Well unless a miracle happens, we will be trying to find a place to live in the next couple of weeks. 

I can look at the upside, during the fair I made new friends and contacts for other vendor shows. On moving, I wanted my daughter in a different school system because she was not excelling the way she was at her old school. I love being creative and I would not change that for the world!

There is always sunshine after the rain!