To cut or not to cut?!!!

(Me with short hair....I loved this length. Shaggy, edgy and it made me feel cute!)

(Ideas. I like the first cut and the brunette's cut the best....)

So I'm seriously contemplating cutting my hair again soon. I'm really really bored with my hair right now. I do like being able to pull it into a ponytail when need be and part of me would be sad to part with it. But other then that when I have long(ish) hair I do nothing with it. I see all these pretty and cute hair styles but I can't ever seem to do them on my own hair (that's really great for a cosmetologist to say! Lol! I can do your hair but not my own!). So needless to say I straighten it every day and it's just boring. Not to mention my hair is fairly thin and the longer it gets the thinner and flatter it looks......

I've been growing my bangs out as well, I usually always have some kind of side fringe or bang and part of me likes being able to totally pull them out of my eyes especially when I work out but then again....it feels boring for me. I'm ready for something sassy and cute again.

What do you think? Should I leave it and continue growing it out in the same way I am. Or go bold and cut it short with a fringe/bang? Or maybe compromise and leave it long(ish) but get some bangs cut? I'm torn, people, torn!!! Lol!

When we disagree....

It's just a fact of life that people disagree. Married people disagree. There isn't anything wrong with disagreeing, it's how you solve that disagreement in the end. I feel like people think that if they admit they sometimes disagree or even "fight" with their spouse that it means they aren't happy and that's not true at all. My husband and I are VERY happy with each other but we are two different people with two different hearts and minds and that's going to clash occasionally. I never think less of a couple because they admit they don't get along occasionally. But if they never resolve those issues then things can get messy. I think B and I have learned, over the past 6 1/2 years, how to better solve out arguments and how to argue better. I know that sounds crazy but instead of blowing up and flipping out (which occasionally still happens!) we do our best to think logically and really talk things out....which is easier said then done for me a lot of times!

I've come to the realization that B is the stricter parent. There always is one. I discipline Gianna but I am much more lax on what I expect of her or press her to do. I don't think either one of us is "wrong" necessarily but sometimes we clash on how we want to deal with her. It's hard because you don't want to send a mixed message so some how you have to come to an compromise. And I can't say I have that down just yet! Lol!

Tonight we had a bit of a "disagreement" at dinner time. I made pot roast. Growing up pot roast was the ONLY way I'd eat cooked carrots. I'd eat them raw with ranch dressing but cooked.....gag! The only way Gianna will eat cooked carrots is if they are the sweet Japanese style carrots. Gianna eats very lightly - she nibbles and then she has a few things she really likes and veggies aren't one of them. She'll eat salad when she's in the mood, she'll eat raw spinach with ranch and she'll eat broccoli if I stir fry it with chicken. To be honest I don't think most kids like or eat many veggies. I honestly don't like any of the veggies I was forced to "try" growing up. And eating one bite or two isn't giving them that much nutrition anyway.

So tonight I gave Gianna a dinner roll and left it at that. I know I should make her try the pot roast, potatoes and carrots. But I'll be straight up honest, I hate the fight. I really do. I want to enjoy my dinner not sit with her crying, snotting, gagging and choking. I hate telling her over and over "take a bite, take another bite, eat the rest of that....." I hate the conflict so I avoid it. But B wanted her to eat some of everything. And instead of simply stating that I felt like he kinda "jumped" on me about. He probably doesn't feel that way and that's ok, we see things differently sometimes. But I reacted to that and got kinda upset. I did my best to hold my tongue and simple ate dinner while he coached Gianna through her crying, snotting and the fact that she can chew a mushy bite of carrot for 5 minutes (no joke). But he made her do it and in the end she was fine.

And I think we are both over the "issue" now. But honestly, I hate disagreeing with him. I do. And a lot of the time he's right but I just don't want to feel guilty of being the "slacker" parent.

So here's a few questions for you -

1. How do you handle disagreements with your spouse or significant other?

2. What are your feelings on making kids try or eat foods they don't like?

3. Who is the strict parent in your house?

A shot of motivation.....

So I'll be honest - I have been straight up lacking any motivation what so ever to eat right and even though I've been working out I've been slacking and even skipped a few more then I should. I kept using the "it's the holidays" excuse but now the holidays are over and well, I can't use that excuse anymore. And even though, according to the scales, I "only" gained like 3lbs. over the holiday months I can tell it's more then that. I feel so bloated, so flabby and jiggly. And nothing is fitting right. I know I'm not where I should be when I'm going to my clothes that I feel "hide" me. And that's totally not where I want to be. But even though I'm feeling this way I still couldn't find the motivation to really get with it and stick with it. For me there is usually moment that it's just like "AHA!" and suddenly I feel this rush of "get it done!" attitude. And I think that happened for me today! Thankfully, finally! I can't say I'll be perfect but I just had that moment of looking at myself and feeling miserable and I don't want to be there again.....

So I created my new "inspiration board" - I do these occasionally and put them as the back drop picture of my computer so that every time open it up (which is a lot!) this hits me in the face and keeps me on my toes and keeps things fresh in my mind.

The last picture....seriously, I would LOVE to look like that from the side. I mean, no love handles?! PLEASE! Lol!

The middle picture is my favorite Nike Training App girl. I don't know who she is and I can't find anything about her online but she's awesome and super cute and the perfect amount of fit for me!

The first picture is....wait for it.....my husband's ex-girlfriend! Lol! His ONLY ex. He dated me and her and that's it. She's my height exactly and only 2 days older then me! We get a big kick out of that. But we've kinda become friends via Facebook and text lately. She was training last summer and doing some wrestling and that pic was taken during that and I personally find it very inspirational. Did I mention that was AFTER 3 kids?! Yup. So I've really got to kick my butt in gear.

This picture was me during the summer last year.....I was feeling great (a tan always helps too....I'm so flippin' white right now!). This was nearly the smallest I've been since having Gianna. 123lbs. I'd like to get down to 120 so I've got 10lbs. to lose. Even though I've done this before and I've been at this for over 2 years now I still want to see results NOW and it's so hard to be patient, stick with it and work towards the results I want. It didn't get bad over night and it's not going to get good over night.

So here's to sticking with it!!! Note: Monday night is the BIG Alabama versus LSU game and we're ordering pizza and wings but I've already told myself 1 slice of pizza and 4 wings. That's it! (please hold me accountable on that! I need all the help I can get!)

All About New Year's Eve (Vlog)

The post in which I'm random.....

We are already 3 days into January. What?! My baby sister is going to be 19 in a couple of days. I can't believe it. My youngest brother is going to be 12 this year. It's unreal, I remember when he was born. I was 14 when he was born and I was so "over" having siblings! Lol! We've never been very close....don't get me wrong, I love him, he's my brother. But of all my siblings I feel the least connected to him. It's funny, I seem to kinda go in "shifts" with my sisters - I feel close to one but not the other then suddenly I'm close to the other one and not that one anymore. I guess it's just what we need at the time. The oldest of my two younger brothers will be 16 this year and he's fairly close to my husband. They are both into music and music production and they have the same silly humor!

I started my "A Letter A Day" project! So far so good. I wrote three pages the first day and only 1 yesterday. But like I said, you can just write down a quote you like or think applies for that day. It doesn't have to be a super long letter every day. I'm going to have to go buy some kind of box or container to keep them in. I'm going to tie each month together so that they don't get all mixed up because sorting through 365 letters at the end of the year could be tiresome. But it's going to be crazy to see where we are a year from now and to be able to look back on each day of this year and see what brought us to that point! We have a lot of changes ahead of us this year and that's why I thought this year would be perfect to document daily.

I started the last book of the Dark Tower series. Stephen King is supposedly writing an 8th book to the series although it was supposed to "end" with this book. This series has been amazing. I can't even begin to describe the detail and the imagination in these books. The depth is beyond me....in fact, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to re-read this entire series to full grasp it all! So deep.

Just wanted to share this picture of my hottie! The ladies are just trippin' over themselves! In fact, one of my friends (jokingly) asked if she could have his number because she needed someone hot to send her comforting text messages when she's alone! Haha! The great thing about B is not only is he physically attractive but he's also got a great personality and great character. I always say he's a very charismatic person and people just like him. The few people who don't usually don't like anybody so they don't count! Lol!

I loved having this cutie pie home with me for almost two weeks straight. I realized just how much I miss her being at school 6 1/2 hours, 5 days a week. I know she loves it and it's really good for her but I hate being home alone and she's such great company. She's really become quite the young lady lately and it's not just having a kid around she's kinda become my buddy. She's into fashion and music and talk and chat and she's just loads of fun! She headed back to school today and the house just seems so quiet and empty with out her.

New Year's Eve we went out during the day and hit up the mall and tried out the new Buffalo Wild Wings. Super yummy! I love good wings and theirs are really good. I got this cute picture of B kissing Gigi on the head. I just happen to have my phone out and my camera open and snapped it. I love candid photos of them!

We've had a first super cold snap.....last night it got down to like 16 I think. Brrrrr. B had the fire roaring and it was so nice and cozy and wintery! But getting out in it this morning was not fun and I feel so bad that my hubby has to work in it all day. I think it's currently like 18 up where he works and it's kinda windy out too. It's supposed to start warming up a bit towards the end of the week but today and tomorrow are supposed to be crazy cold!

I'm going tomorrow to get my hair trimmed and I'm so excited! Lol! I wash, dry and flat iron my hair almost daily so my ends get bad quick. So I really need them trimmed. Plus my hair seems to have a growth spurt after I get it trimmed. And my hair stylist is super fun and sweet so it's nice to chat with her too.

Getting back into working out and trying so hard to eat right but I'm so lazy with it.....I just can't get back into the swing of it. Ugh. So today I'm trying again. Counting calories and all that. And I'm on my second week of Insanity, round I-lost-count. Lol! I haven't really made any resolutions other then be a better me, be the healthiest and fittest me I can and make it through all the changes ahead with a good positive attitude! Hooray for a new year!

Dear 2012

Dear 2012,

I'm doing my best not to put too many expectations on you. I tend to think each year that EVERYTHING I want in life is supposed to happen all in that year. And I'm trying to not put all the pressure on you and realize that maybe 2013 and 2014 can carry some of the burden too!

You will bring a lot of changes to us though. I can't believe that half way through you we'll be moving. Leaving this place behind. Don't worry, I'm very happy about it! I'm so glad my daughter won't have to grow up here. You'll bring her a new school and new teachers and new friends. You'll bring my husband more opportunities to make his dreams come true. You'll find me trying to get back into the swing of being a working girl. Wow.

You've brought my husband and I 11 years of being in love and you'll bring us 7 years of being married.

You'll bring my daughter's 5th birthday and I'll do my best to make her 2012 birthday party very memorable!

I'm nervous, yet excited, about you, 2012! I don't like the unknown but I'm going to trust that you will treat me and my family well!

You will be my fittest year to date - I plan to eat healthier and work out more than ever and be the hottest 25 almost 26 year old I can be!

So here's to you, 2012! You better be flippin' awesome!!!

Sunday Confessional V.5

(Since last Sunday was Christmas I skipped Sunday Confessional, but I'm starting off the New Year right with the next set of "facts"!)

41. I color my almost 5 year old daughter's hair. Yes, I heard all of you gasp. And I say, get over it! Lol! In the nicest way of course. I mean, seriously though, it's hair. She's going to start coloring it herself when she's like 10 anyway. She's begging to be red or pink but I'll only let her go blond(er) for now.

42. I'm not allergic to anything that I know of although if I eat a banana that's too ripe it makes my mouth itch. The same if I eat more than 2 kiwi's.

43. My absolute favorite movie is the "new" Pride & Prejudice. I LOVE the romance! I've always said I love love!

44. I can't draw for anything. Seriously, getting a stick figure straight is a work for me.

45. I'm not sportsy or outdoorsy. Never played any kind of sport. I don't mind camping but only for a night or two. I like to be able to shower, shave and dry my hair and put on make up!

46. I hate cleaning, I put it off as long as I can then I get completely disgusted with how much I've let things go and I go on a rampage and clean the house in a furious manner.

47. I have 4 tattoos....so far. My first was a star on my foot, then a celtic heart on my wrist, then I added swirls and "leaves" to my the star on my foot, then I have the outline of a closed eye on the back of my shoulder. I think I've talked my hubby into getting a tattoo this year as well!

48. I never experienced labor. I think maybe I had a couple of Braxton Hicks but I couldn't swear by it. I had a planned c-section at 38 weeks because Gianna was completely breech. I could push in between my ribs and feel her head go down and then back up! Creepy!

49. I've always had really small feet. In fact, my dad jokes that he doesn't know how they hold me up because they are so small! Lol! I used to wear a 5 or 5 1/2 but now I'm usually a 6. They grew after I had Gianna. I can still wear 4's in the kid section at Target which is awesome because a lot of times they have kid versions of the adult shoes and they are cheaper!

50. I prefer wearing black to any other color. If someone told me I could only have 1 color clothing for the rest of my life I'd be totally good with replacing everything with black clothes. Not because I'm emo, not at all, I just think black looks chic' and clean and put together.