Today's topic is exercise, or the lack thereof. Every woman thinks about it. We worry if we aren't doing enough. Sometimes we do too much. And if we have kids, we wonder when on earth we can fit in 10 minutes to ourselves. And do we really want to spend it sweating?

My answer is YES! You know it's good for you. And you know even 10 minutes of light yoga or stretching can improve your overall mood. Not to mention ladies, after popping out a kid or two, you know your lady lumps aren't all still in the right places.  

Easier said than done, right? Yes and no. I have people ask me all the time how I have the energy, time, and motivation to work out every day. Well, in the words of my good friend MAJ (who is a kick a$$ triathlete and marathoner,) "If you really want to do it, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not Superwoman. There are days when I don't even get out of sweat pants. I have wasted hours sitting on the couch shoving food in my face while the kids played. I have opened a bottle of wine instead of going for a run. I have chosen nachos over a salad. That's life. I can't be perfect and no one expects you to be either. But for the sake of your family, you should do SOMETHING, no matter how small.

So here are a few things I've done to get in shape after having my kids:

* Take baby steps. Literally. Take your baby for a walk in one of those slings or carriers. Believe me, you will feel the burn. If your baby or toddler is a little older, put her in the stroller and walk to the store instead of driving. Baby will love the scenery and you will kill two birds with one stone. Groceries and a workout!

* Start slowly. You can't just jump off the couch one day and decide to run 5 miles. I know it's frustrating, but you have to build your fitness level back up first so that you don't hurt yourself. I learned this lesson when I was out of commission for about two weeks with a foot injury because I was trying to do too much too soon. I couldn't even run a mile a year ago, after having Dino. Now I can run 7 (so far.) 

* Use baby as a weight. I used to do what I called Baby Crunches and Baby Presses. I would lay down with bent knees, sit Dino on my stomach with her back against my legs, hold her hands, and crunch up. She would giggle and think it was a game. I would also lay her on my chest, then lift her up and back down, like the airplane game, but with my arms instead of legs. She liked that one too. You can play and tone at the same time.

* Have a dance party in your living room! I did this with Belle and Dino a couple months ago. I turned on some pop music and they both boogied with me for about an hour. I was sweating by the end of our little party, and the girls got some exercise too. It was super fun and Belle thought I was such a "cool mom" for playing Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez and Britney Spears.

* Last but not least, by far the easiest of them all, work out when the kids nap (if they are little) or are in school (if they are not so little.) You will be able to focus more on YOU and how your body feels. And who cares if you end up not having time to shower. Your kids will love you, stinky and all. 

I really hope you can find a use for these tips in your lives. Exercise is so important for your health. You asked what motivates me and I will tell you. Belle and Dino need their mommy, and I REFUSE to get sick and die young from a preventable disease. I want to see them grow up, graduate college, get married, have their own Belles and Baby Dinos. And I need to be a good example for them so they they will be good examples to their kids. For once, I want a good cycle in my life, not a vicious one. And it starts with me. 

Ahhh Florida, the Sunshine State. Land of beautiful beaches, fun filled theme parks, and...the worst school systems EVER! Never in a million years did I think it would be so difficult to register a kid for school!

Registering Belle for Kindergarten in Seminole County was fairly easy. I don't remember stressing about it much. But when we moved from Seminole County to Orange County, the new school district wanted every shred of info ever written on my child. I'm surprised they didn't need blood work and DNA samples! But nothing compares to our most recent move to Osceola County.

Belle is away on a trip with her father right now, so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to withdraw her from her old school and enroll her in her new school. I went to the school, took a tour, met the Assistant Principal and all seemed well. I went home and gathered all the paperwork I needed for registration, which took a few days. So today, packet in hand, I arrived at the school to complete the registration. 

The Principal happened to be in the front office at the time, and he asked to see Belle's previous report card. I gladly handed it over, proud that my baby has had good grades in every subject. He looks, pauses, says "hmmm." He and the office staff exchanged glances, like they were all in on a big a secret they didn't want to tell me. He asked to speak to me in his office and I knew it wasn't going to be good.

Starting a conversation off with "I know this isn't want any parent wants to hear, but..." is never comforting. Nonetheless, he continued by informing me that the Florida class size law limits each classroom to 18 students per teacher. A first grader had registered a few hours before I got there and ALL first grade classes were now full. I looked at him with my, "I know I might seem ignorant, but how exactly is that possible" face. And he continued on that Belle is not advanced enough to be considered for the gifted program, where one seat remained. So, that left two options. She could either be placed in a Kindergarten or 2nd grade "combo class." (Don't ask me how it's considered a combo when she'd be the only first grader...) Or she could go to another school. Of course, the only other school that would provide bus transportation is the Charter Academy a few miles down the street. We wrapped up the conversation, but I remained very uncomfortable about the whole scenario.

At that point, I decided it wouldn't hurt to contact the Charter Academy to find out of they had any open availability. Lo and behold, they had spots open so I raced over there to take a tour. I loved it! (Dino loved it too since a nice lady that works there decided to give her a homemade croissant. That kid loves her food.) Belle will be enrolled first thing in the morning and her spot is being held for us in the meantime. 

The moral of the story is: Don't wait until the last minute to do anything related to your child's education, especially if you live in Florida. Thankfully everything worked out and I think Belle will be very happy at her new school. But I never want to go through that mess again!

I hear people say all the time that having a positive attitude will help make your dreams come true. Those of you who have known me for awhile know that I am far from the epitome of positive thinking, mainly because I'm more of a realist than an optimist. But hey, if being Little Miss Sunshine for a little while can help me meet my goals, it's worth a shot. It's better than sitting around crying about everything that has gone wrong in my life. 

Because it's too time consuming to try to do something crazy, like make on online vision board, I am formulating a list of the things I want in life. So, here's to hoping the Universe sees my goals and doesn't try so hard this time to destroy them.

* I want my Master's Degree in Psychology, so I can get paid to teach at a community college. I am currently formulating a plan to make this happen. Nothing definite yet, but I'm working on it. 

* In the meantime, I obviously need to acquire a well paying job that I really like (or at least not hate.) I also want to book more makeup jobs on the side, which is hard without an extensive foundation/powder kit. So I guess I'll need one of those whenever I can afford it.

* I don't want my career to take too much time away from my kids. They are the most important people in my life. Balance is key.

* I want to finally get my body into great shape. I know I'm already strong and healthy, but I also need to do more yoga for flexibility and stress relief. I want to run faster and sign up for more races! And I want to go back to a (mostly) vegetarian diet. Already putting that plan in motion, and getting my family involved too. 

* A date with David Boreanaz. Hey, nothing is off limits, right? 

* I want to have more fun, spend more time with friends, laugh more, and play more games with the kids.

* I want to know real joy. Not just joyful moments, but the feeling you get when you're truly happy and at peace with yourself.

* Last but not least, I want my two amazing little girls to always feel happy and loved.

So bring it on, Universe! I'm ready for whatever you want to throw at me next :)

In the past, I have been both a working mom and a stay-at-home mom. I can honestly say that staying home with Dino for the first 13 months of her life has been a special kind of challenge, the kind that can be so difficult but at the same time so rewarding. I didn't get to stay home with Belle after her first four months so I had no idea what to expect. However, I'm glad I got the opportunity to be home with both of them this past year. 

As I begin my full-time employment search, I am conflicted. On one hand, it will be great to get back into the working world, to be independent, and to be able to eventually become financially stable enough for the girls and I to have a place of our own. But on the other hand, the thought of Dino being in daycare full time is breaking my heart. I'm grateful that I got to stay home with her as long as I did, but I think it might have been less painful had I gone back to work a few months after she was born. Now, I think I may have more of a problem with separation anxiety than she will. 

This also affects Belle. She got used to ME being at the bus stop every morning and every afternoon. She got used to ME helping her with her homework. She got used to ME taking her to all of her activities, like gymnastics, yoga, swimming, and zumba. And it really saddens me that I won't have as much time and energy for her once I'm working full time. 

As much as I complain about the messes and mini-meltdowns, I'm really going to miss the time I won't get to spend with my girls. I know it's best for me to get back out there so that I can provide for them. I just hope that one day when they are older, they will understand that everything I do (and don't do) is for them. 

I think sometimes, we moms think that in order to be good moms, we have to be perfect. We always want to do what's best for our kids, even if it means huge sacrifices on our part. We want to send them to the best schools, teach them how to be decent human beings, and hopefully give them enough positive reinforcement to make it in this cruel world. But while I hate to burst your perfect little bubbles, perfect moms don't exist. Nor do perfect kids. 

Today was one of "those days." You know, the ones that make you want a glass of wine before noon. Don't judge, you know you've done it, or at least thought about it. 

Between Belle's school transferring dilemma and Dino's constant need to stuff food in her face, I barely had five minutes to myself. On top of all that, Dino needed FOUR changes of clothes today because, let's face it, toddlers should all be forced to dine in Hazmat suits. And blow out diapers are never pleasant. I had to stick her in the tub immediately to de-stench her (yes, I know that isn't a word.) Then when I got her out of the tub and brushed her teeth, she ran down the hallway naked like a bat out of hell, probably trying to escape putting on her pajamas. The kid hates clothes. She definitely didn't get that from me.

So anyway, at the same time, I was trying to help my mom get stuff together for our garage sale next weekend. And Belle suddenly decided she needed her nails painted....three different colors...with peace sign stickers. In the meantime, Dino was stuffing everything from my jewelry to dog food to my iPhone in her mouth. Wasn't it good enough that I was Mom-of-the-Year and gave them Rice-a-Roni and jumbo marshmallows for dinner?

Despite all this, anyone who really knows me would testify in a heartbeat that I am a great mom. I love those kids with all my heart. And even if our circumstances aren't the best right now, I wouldn't change my little monsters for the world. 

But sometime between Dino sticking her fingers in everything from the dog's water bowl to the desk fan and Belle needing help with math homework and grooming essentials, can't mama get a break?

In my last blog, I mentioned my current living arrangements. You know, the whole living in a room the size of a closet in my mom's house with both kids thing? I knew it wouldn't be easy. There are definitely disadvantages, like sharing a bathroom with five other people, not being able to have my own pets, dealing with dogs (everyone knows they aren't my favorite animals,) and not having any space to call my own. 

However, there are a few advantages as well. And since this year is all about turning negatives to positives, I'm going to put a nice little spin on my whole living situation.

The past three weeks have been good because:

*For the first time in a very long time, I have: taken a 15 minute uninterrupted bubble bath in a huge tub, sipped wine out by the pool without having to worry about the kids falling in, slept in a bed alone, and (gasp) even got to go to the bathroom alone a few times. Can't say I'm not happy about that.

*I have actually been able to go to the gas station and grocery store without having to haul both kids in and out of the car. It's nice that I have parents and siblings that are willing to babysit for 20 minutes for me to run an errand or two.

*The is no shortage of love and affection for the kiddos. Not only do they get showered with my hugs and kisses and praise, they get that all from my family members too. (Insert warm fuzzies here.) 

*I'm not the only one in the house doing dishes and laundry. I feel bad for my mom sometimes, as we definitely add to the workload. But she knows I'm here to help her handle the chores. Well, all except cleaning dog poo. They are on their own with that one. 

This is all a bit comical because I remember not so long ago, my parents had said they wanted us to live closer. Maybe next time, they will be careful what they wish for. :)

Throw them at people? Eat them? Mix them with vodka and take a shot?

Today's blog is all about a New Year's Pact that I made with one of my best friends and one of her best friends. We decided that there will no longer be tears in our beers. We will no longer boo hoo in the corner over spilled milk while we should be formulating evil plans to take over the world. (Were there enough cliches there for ya?)

But seriously, life sucks for everyone at some point. My current situation includes a divorce, resulting in me sharing a room in my mom's house the size of a closet with both kids. I have no job, therefore no steady income, except child support. I miss my cats, which I couldn't bring with me, so it's also a struggle trying to find them homes. I have to transfer Belle's school AGAIN (for the second time in 3 months) and take care of Dino, all while attempting to find decent employment and daycare and sell as much crap as I can on Craigslist. Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it. 

But I am NOT going to stop functioning. I'm NOT going to stop living. And I am NOT going to give up on my dreams. The "Old Heather" would probably think that she's too old to do anything with her life now. That she will never be able to live her dreams because her current situation won't allow change. But the "New Heather" realizes that this is the perfect time for change! My life is already changing so much. Everything I knew is gone. My routine had to be completely reconfigured. This isn't the time to raise the white flag. THIS is the time to put my big girl panties on and make life MY b*tch!

It will be hard. I will shed tears. I will get frustrated and yell and probably get drunk and send emotional texts to everyone I know. When is life ever easy? Even rich people are flipping crazy. But I can either let this situation break me or I can use it to make me a better person. I have an amazing family and awesome best friends who are helping through this one day at a time. And I have my kids, my two beautiful little monsters that make every second of my disastrous life worth living. 

My whole adult life has been about pleasing other people. I'm taking back the reigns. So watch out world. I'm baaaaaaack! 

Good riddance 2011!!! 

Sorry about the lack of blogs lately. My husband, kids, and I took a road trip to Ohio to visit my family. Oh, what an adventure. I thought you all might get a kick out of my "vacation" details.

Here are a few things I discovered on this excursion:

*No matter how healthy I normally eat and how much exercise I do throughout the entire year, my eating habits were completely shot during this trip. My travel diet consisted of 7-11 nachos, Chex Mix, Cheez-Its and Wendy's. We also discovered that Dino likes chicken wings. I'm the worst vegetarian ever.

*The kids sleep more in the car during the day. This means they don't sleep at 3am when the adults are ready to pass out.

*Traffic sucks. Enough said.

*It is rather annoying to change the radio station 15 times an hour, just to hear the exact same songs OVER and OVER. Oh, and Dino only sleeps to her baby Einstein CD, which we accidentally left in Ohio. The trip back was pretty brutal without it. Christmas music helped.

*Everyone's house is cleaner than mine. My grandma has every little knick-knack in its place. My dad's house looks like a flipping Kirkland's catalog. And here comes Baby Dino, my little tornado, to leave a path of destruction in her wake.

*Why is it that we only seem to get stuck in traffic when someone has to pee? Or when the baby pukes or has a dirty diaper?

*Being in a car with the hubby and kids for 15-16 hours straight is pure torture. I love them with all my heart. But like them? Eh, not so much at that time. Between the lack of sleep, messes, whiny kids, crappy traffic, and crappy radio stations, I was about to pull my hair out. And I'm sure they felt the same way.

*Both kids got sick. Not sure if it was the climate change or the gas station restrooms, but some nasty germs infected them. Now they are coughing, snotty, whiny messes. And I have acquired their cold. So we will all be sick for Christmas. Lovely.

But despite our travel woes, I am happy I got to visit a very good friend and my family. I missed them terribly and I miss them already. But next time, they can come see me :)

Call me Mom of the Year, but I'm letting Belle watch an Intervention episode with me right now. Hey, at least her homework is already done. Don't get me wrong. I would never let her watch the ones about prostitutes and heroin addicts. This particular episode is about anorexic twins. 

Some might think that Belle is much too young to be exposed to the horror of eating disorders, but little girls these days know much more than we give them credit for. And I'm sorry to say that the way a girl feels about her body is directly related to how to adults in her life feel about theirs. I know I'm guilty of having a distorted body image and I worry every day about giving my girls an unrealistic idea of attaining "beauty."

It's no secret that kids are bombarded with media from the time they are born. TV shows, commercials, magazines, and even toys (like Barbie) can give little girls the idea that they are freaks if they don't look just like everyone else. They watch their moms go on diet after diet. They get a distorted idea of food, and no longer use it for its intended purpose, which is the nourishment of their growing bodies. 

I know I have to stop the cycle now. Belle is starting to notice that I'm always worrying about what I eat and how much I exercise. She is starting to realize that I make way too many negative comments about the way I look. She always says, "But mommy, you look hot!" when I'm wearing a dress and heels. Or she will call me out when I look less than impressive. Not long after I had Baby Dino, Belle told me my belly jiggles when I walk. Out of the mouths of babes. 

I just want her to grow up being comfortable in her own skin. I want her to keep dancing and keep laughing and keep loving life, no matter what she looks like. Of course, both my girls are gorgeous, and I make sure they know that. But I also want to make sure they know how smart they are, and how kind they are, and how happy they make everyone they meet. I want them to be healthy without being obsessive. I want them to be active without going overboard. 

It's my job to make sure they know it's okay not to be perfect. But I can't just say the words. I need to model the behavior. I still have a lot of work to do in that area, but I'm working on it.