The MOTHER of all days

She’s my confidant, my mentor, my best friend, my mom.

Words can’t express how much she means to me!

She emulates who I want to be, how I want to carry myself, and how I want to live my life. She taught me to be kind, to laugh, how to be a friend, and to go after my dreams.

If I end up being half the woman she is, I will consider myself the luckiest girl in the world.

Today and everyday, I love you mom!

Thunder and Grandma

Golly, whoever gave you that shirt, daddio has amazing taste!

“Come on guys! Let’s go!” says Thunder with every wag of the tail

Our BEFORE “We’re almost there!” picture…

Our AFTER “We’re THERE!!” picture. Cue the yawn from momma

I am glad that I got to spend this day with the world’s universe’s greatest mom EVER! God blessed us with the perfect day for a hike. So a hike is what we did. My mom, daddio, the pup (and my little sister in spirit who wishes she could’ve been there too) hit up Kennesaw Mountain earlier today and had an absolute blast.

Thunder of course had a serious case of sensory overload. Apparently all of Kennesaw thought it was the perfect day for a hike as well because they, and their dogs, were getting their hikes on as well. Needless to say the pup went a little cray-cray with all of the smelling and licking and sniffing of his fellow pup’s bums.

By the end of our roughly four mile walk, the poor guy was pooped out (quite literally. Note to self: two poop bags are never enough!)

I couldn’t have imagined a better way to celebrate this amazing woman than spending it with the people (and animal) I love most, rehashing old memories and making new ones.

To all of the wonderful moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

Gone too Soon

I was recently reminded of how precious our lives truly are. Yesterday, my dear cousin Nick who I grew up idolizing lost a very cruel battle with alcoholism; he was 34. 34! His struggles with alcohol and depression really only surfaced to friends and family within the last few months, but I, as well as many of my other family members suspect that he had been dealing with these deeper issues much longer than any of us ever even realized.

All day yesterday and during my sleepness night, I couldn’t help but ask “Is there anything that I could have done to help him?” “What if I tried to reach out to him more?” “How could I have missed the signs?” “Is there anything I could have done/said/tried to do that could have prevented this from happening?” After going over all of these shoulda/coulda/woulda’s in my head, I was instantly reminded of the countless times my friends and family tried to help me, tried to say or do anything and everything to get me from listening and acting on my eating disorder.

While alcoholism and eating disorders have their succinct differences, they come from the same beast: addiction. Even at my sickest points, those times when I tiptoed the line of living to see tomorrow, the only person that could help me, that could change me, was me. Doctors and psychologists, friends and family could give me the facts, could express their concerns and could offer words of encouragement, love and inspiration, and I believe a large part of my recovery is due to those very things, but the one thing, the only thing that propelled me into the happy and healthy place I am in today was me. I had to fight my demons. I had to face my fears. I had to overcome obstacles and hardships and relapses.

I say these things to you today because I believe that you can too. But you have to make that first step. YOU have to be the one to say enough is enough. YOU have to be the one to kick your eating disorder, your depression, your negative thoughts about yourself in the ass!

My cousin Nick was an amazing person. He was loving and funny and kind and caring. He was an all-star soccer player, knew how to play the guitar like nobody’s business and could make one mean pancake (as was seen by the Sunday morning pancake breakfasts that we had whenever we came to visit). He was so full of life up until those last few years/months when he just couldn’t deal with his burdens any longer. He got so caught up in his unhappiness, in the bottle, that he lost the will to fight anymore.

I urge you all to keep fighting! Nothing is worth risking your happiness, your goals and dreams, or your life for!

Nothing!

I love you all and want you to know that if you ever, EVER need someone to talk to, to redirect your thinking, to reassure you that you are the amazing and beautiful and incredible person that you are, I am here! No matter if you have ever suffered from an eating disorder or not, we all have our daily battles that try their hardest sometimes to throw us off course. The most important thing to remember is…

DO NOT STOP FIGHTING!

I love you, Nick, forever and always. Even though I will miss you more than words could ever express, I know that you are in a much better place. You are no longer in pain, are no longer hurting, are no longer alone, and I cannot wait until we are reunited someday. And since you never fully taught me how to play Metalica’s Fade to Black on the guitar, I’m calling the first spot in line with at least five free lessons buddy–God can just wait his turn

Happy Dad’s Day

Any man can be a father, but it certainly takes someone very special to be a dad.

To all of the monster under the bed ridders, the master doughnut eaters and the doll house putter-togetherers.

To all of the training wheels taker-offers, the Festivus for the Rest of us celebraters and the Mr. Fix-its.

To all of the joksters, the ultimate bear, err, lion, huggers and the ready-to-grab-the-fly-ball-at-a-baseball-game-for-you buddies.

To all of the football coaches, the cleaning-a-shot gun-when-your-first-date-comes-to-pick-you-up-for-the-first-time protectors and holds-your-hand-and-tells-you-everything-is-going-to-be-okay guys.

 To the all of the heros.

To all of the DADS.

Thank you for all that you have done, that all that you do, that all that you will do.

This day is for you.

Happy Father’s Day

This…

…is what I have been up to the past few days.

Friends. Family. Fun.

Yup. This gal is pretty darn lucky!

Hope you all had an amazing Easter weekend!!!

A Little Fries With My Catch-Up

Hey guys!

Long time, no post.  For the last week or so, I have been sans internet…which in a way was slightly invigorating. For something that is supposed to shave minutes from the clock, it is amazing how much time technology ends up sucking from you each and every day. It makes me want to try to spend less time playing ‘Words with Friends’ and surfing the web everyday and instead, start spending more time playing ‘Tug of War’ with my dog and, maybe even learning how to really surf (we’ll have to wait until it gets a bit warmer however for that one, wetsuit and all).

So much has happened in the last week that I wanted to share with you guys! Did you all have a great Thanksgiving? Snab any awesome Black Friday deals?

To give you a brief overview of how I spent my holiday and what has been happening in my neck of the woods, I thought I’d give you just a quick Cliff Notes version (You know me…I could write a novel just on Thanksgiving alone but I will spare you the lengthy write-up and just give you the high points) of what went down with moi over the past few days or so to catch you all up…

• A Day of Thanks and Giving

My Thanksgiving was amazing! Not only was it the first T-Day that my mom, sister, dad and myself were all together to celebrate in over four years, but it was the first that my mom hosted herself…and quite successfully I might add–we didn’t even have to dig in to the back-up frozen pizzas, which we had just in case the turkey was a no-go. My dad was the master turkey briner/roaster/carver, I was in charge of the squash/salads and my mom did an excellent job of preparing some FoodNetwork-worthy appetizers which we inhaled during the Packer game…aka pre-meal. Speaking of Packers….can you believe they are 11-0?! How totally amazeballs is that? Overall it was great day, not just because of the delicious stretchy-pants-testing food or the big Detroit defeat by the Packers…no. It was great because of who I was able to spend it with and the memories that were made. Isn’t that was Thanksgiving is really all about?

       

• Suicide Shopping and Santa Clause

Every year, my mom and I have a tradition of going through the phone-book sized ads that come in the newspaper Thanksgiving day, mapping out and planning our shopping excursion based on location, item and price and then getting up in the wee hours of Black Friday (around 3 AM) to brave the stores along with thousands of other crazy shoppers. This year however, we needn’t have to wait until 3 AM the next day because most stores opened up as early as 10 PM Thanksgiving night! How crazy is that? I mean I am all for a deal when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts, but really? Shouldn’t people be allowed at least one day to spend with their families? Money is just money after all. If they keep going at the rate they are, the big honchos who own and operate all of these stores will have them be open all day, paying no recognition at all to holidays or the significance that they hold. Oh well, whatcha gonna do I guess.

As most of you know, I have a slight addiction to DVD’s. I’m a DVD whore, plain and simple. I can’t not walk into an FYI, Wal-Mart or Target without walking out with one (or three) movies or TV shows on DVD. Jimmy Choo shoes are to Carrie Bradshaw what movies are to me…I gots to have me some…and not just some…tons. Upon hearing that Wal-Mart and Target had unbelievable DVD sales (I’m talking $2 DVD’s here!) Thanksgiving night, I knew where I was headed. After a quick post-dinner nap, I headed on out to brave the lines and hoards and hoards of people already awaiting the 10 o’clock hour at Wal-Mart. Now I have been Black Friday shopping many times before and have been in some crazy crowds, but never, ever, like this. Upon first stepping through the store’s doors, I knew it was going to be one interesting night. There were people EVERYWHERE! And I mean everywhere. You couldn’t walk two steps without bumping into someone’s cart or leg or accidentally stepping on their toes. I made my way to where the DVD’s where being held and waited with the many others who were after the same thing I was until 10 PM when the deals would officially start. Waiting in line was like waiting for the gun to go off at a race…the anticipation was brutal; the crowd stood hungrily eying the movies that they wanted, ready to pounce on them at the stroke of 10. Once it was time, the animals were let out of the cage so to speak; the people around me rushed forward, grabbing armfuls and armfuls of DVD’s (and I am pretty sure my hair and jacket multiple times along the way), not even caring what they were. It. Was. Nuts. At one point, I bent over to get a copy of Glee for my mom when all of a sudden a crazy old lady in pajamas pushed me from behind, sending me flying to the ground. She got my Glee, and gave me a gnarly bruise instead. In the words of Stephanie Tanner…”How rude.” I got what I had wanted for the most part, walking away with over 17 movies and TV shows and saving over $60 in the process but goodness…it was quite the shopping experience. That following day, I went out with my mom around 1 PM, the chaos mostly over with, to see if we could score any more deals. Most of the things were long gone by the time we got there but we did run into this guy…

Elfs smelfs...Kris Kringle gets all of his toys at Wally World!

• The Doggy Blues

Did you know that dogs can be clinically depressed? I didn’t know either but apparently they can. My pup Thunder has had a problem of biting and scratching his paws and legs for some time now, almost to the point of scaring. we thought that he could have allergies, possibly to his food, that would cause him to itch, scratch and break-out the way that he has been, but we took him into the vet last Saturday and found out that he has high anxiety, especially when he is away from his owners, faces a great change or shift in his routine or is left on his own….poor guy. He was prescribed some antidepressants (five pills a day which we have to sneak into a heavily buttered piece of bread to get him to take and even sometimes, we end up just covering in butter…Thunder is the only dog I know who could eat sticks of butter like they were a dog biscuit. He may end up weighing 200 lbs. the next time we take him to the vet but he will be happy!) which will hopefully help him out. For a treat, we gave him an early Christmas present and he LOVES it!

• Blind Date

Oh goodness…I am going on a date tomorrow night. Me. On  date? That hasn’t happened in eons it seems like so it’s fair to say I might be a little rusty. Man oh man…what do I wear? How should I fix my hair? Nails painted or not? Totally going to have to remind myself not to burp out loud until at least the third date. It’s kind of nice to be in that fun and flirty stage of a possible new relationship, or at the very least, a friendship. I am always down for meeting new people and making new friends, and if something beyond that were to happen, I would definitely be okay with that too. Wish me luck!

I guess that pretty much catches you all up. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday and are having a great end to your humpday!

Until next time…

Lessons From My Dad

No burrito is too large. Or cheesy.

Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means you stand alone.

 Give of yourself. My dad always manages to find time to help others and in doing so has taught me, or rather shown me, what selflessness truly means.

Pee before you leave.

Don’t be afraid to throw like a boy.

Laugh at yourself. My dad taught me the importance of being goofy. He’s never afraid to be silly or laugh at himself. After all, it’s that sense of humor that makes life a lot more fun!

Develop a good golf swing. 

The secret to grilling a good steak is all in the charcoal.

 Be punny. One of my favorite things I’ve learned from my dad is the art of a well-placed pun. He taught me that no matter the situation, there’s always room for a joke — the cornier, the better.

Have a little faith.

Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. I’ve watched my dad make countless connections through casual, friendly chitchat throughout his life. As a teen I would cringe as he struck up conversations with complete strangers — something I was too shy to do. However, I saw time and time again how just a 5-minute talk could turn into new and valuable knowledge, an entertaining invitation, or even a lifelong friendship.

 If you happen to pass wind, blame it on the dog.

There is no secret to success. When I was 18, I asked my dad, “What’s the secret to success?” His answer was far simpler than I expected. “There is no secret,” he said. “Success is equal parts hard work and accountability.” Now that I’m an adult, I understand how he truly embodied this ideology. He was always a blood, sweat, and tears sort of man who could always be counted on. There are no secret paths or easy roads to success, but hard work and accountability are helping me become the woman I want to be.

 Be kind.

Enjoy the ride. The most important thing that I learned from my dad was not to take myself too seriously. No matter what he and I are talking about or what we are doing, laughter is always involved. So many people spend so much time focused on trying to be perfect instead of just relaxing and enjoying the little moments that make life so special. He also taught me how to ignore the “what ifs”. What’s the point of life if you can’t have a little fun?

Never let go of the clutch too soon.

Never give up. My Dad taught me not to quit when it gets tough, and that even if people say you can’t do something, the only one who decides that is you!

Love with your whole heart.

Thank you dad for passing on your wisdom and valuable life lessons, for always being there for me, for believing in me, for cheering me on, for making me laugh and for making me the person I am today. I love you oh so much!

This Father’s Day, be sure to give your dad a hug, maybe toss the ball around in the backyard or go fishing. Whatever you decide to do, let him know how much you appreciate all that he has done for you!

Wra-Wra-Wrap it Up

Happy Tuesday everybody! It is finally starting to feel a bit like spring out there. Can I get a whoop whoop for the sunshine!? I woke up today and for the first time in quite a while, didn’t have to wear my eskimo jacket and boots to work. I love the things, don’t get me wrong, but it’s somewhat hard to feel hot (yes, I get the irony here) when you are wearing so much padding that you look like a sumo wrestler. And talk about spring (or summer in this case), this past Sunday’s weather almost made me want to put on my swim suit and hop in Lake Michigan for a swim and a tan…almost being the key word here–I would have frozen my keester off if I did. The 80 degrees and sun can come make a return trip any time

I hope everyone’s past week was great! I am so sorry to have been gone so long, but I have good reason: I was too uber busy having the most amazing week ever! To fill you in, here is a brief wrap-up of my wonderful week

My mom, dad and most favorite pup in the whole world, Thunder, came up from GA to visit. It was sooooo good to see them (plus, I am not going to lie, being treated to dinner out every night, having my laundry done by my mom, and being able to cuddle with my furry best friend were par for the course)!

It had only been two months since they were up here last, helping me move into my new digs, but in some ways, it felt like two years. The last night of their stay, we went to this new mexican restaurant for dinner. Great tacos, great salsa, and one of the biggest selections of spicy condiments available. Holy hot sauce Batman! But be careful with this stuff; you know what they say: “It’s all rainbows and butterflies until someone gets Tabassco in their eye.” Been there, unfortunately done that. YOUCH!

Besides the fam’s visit, I was able to partake in my fair share of Brewer games. On Tuesday night, I was witness to my teams very first win of the season against the Reds. It was a great game, made even better by the company I shared it with (my mom, dad, and my good friend/sista from anotha mista Jillian). On Friday, I was back at the ballpark, this time to cheer on my crew againt the dreaded Cubbies. We unfortunately lost the battle, but all was not lost. I sat in the most amazing seats ever (I still get a little–or a lot–teary eyed when I think about how close we were to the action). I also got to spend some much needed quality time with my good pal Chris who I hadn’t seen in ages. He was actually the reason we were in such great seats; he convinced me to pay an extra buck or two (or sixty…gulp) and splurge on the good seats…and let me tell you, SO worth it! I don’t think I can ever go back to the bleachers again. Taken from one of my all-time favorite movies, “Is this heaven? No, it’s section 212 at Miller Park.” To top it all off, we got to see some pretty redonkulous fan fights and drunkeness in the parking lot afterwards–you know it’s bound to be crazy when you throw the Brewers, Cubbies, alcohol, and a bunch of roudy fans into the mix.

    

After so  much excitement, it was most definitely hard geting back to the swing of things this week (i.e. work, frozen dinners, and doing my own laundry) but I am looking forward to a repeat very soonly.

I hope you guys are having a fantabulous Tuesday! See on ya on the flip side.

P.S. Stay tuned tomorrow for the hilarious story that was my first (and probably last time–or at least until I regain the feeling in my legs) taking a spin class. Oh yes, I went there.

Question of the day: What was your highlight of the past week?

A Dog’s Life

Anybody who knows me knows that I love my four-legged and furry friends. Growing up, I always had a dog to play with, cuddle with, share my secrets with and give my brussel sprouts to under the table. There is just something about the bond between a dog and its owner that you cannot describe. It runs deeper than a friendship; it is an unspoken pact, an understanding of one another, a love so true and pure that nothing could come between it.

I love that I moved into a new city and started the next exciting chapter in my life, but one of the things that I dearly miss everyday is being greeted/hugged/slobbered/followed/snuggled by my pup Thunder. I had to make the difficult choice to leave him with my parents and although I know he has a great home, I still feel like part of me is missing. Thunder, like all dogs, really become part of the family and it’s hard when you can’t see them as often as you would like. I am hoping though that once I get settled, I will eventually get my own furry roommate, possibly a rescue dog or one from the humane society.

Thinking about my beloved pups (and of dogs in general) got me to think about all of the valuable life lessons that they have taught me and shared with me along the way. People, it’s true, can teach dogs many a trick, but what some may not know is how much a person can learn from a dog. Dogs are full of life; they have a carefree attitude, believe in the notion of possibility and are fully trusting and loyal. They don’t take life for granted and live with a zest for life.

Here are some lessons from our furry friends that we could all start to incorporate into our daily lives, no bones about it!

Sharing is caring.

Fight for what you believe in.

Get all gussied up every once in a while. (My cutie-pa-tutie pup Thunder in his Christmas best.)

Laugh every day.

Its okay to eat ice cream every once in a while, really.

Smile like you mean it.

Play! Who knew Thunder was the next David Beckham?

Relax and take a load off. My very first dog Metoo (special name for the most special of dogs).

A kiss makes everything better (although next time remind me to give him a tic-tac).

Don’t be afraid to jump into the unknown.

Don’t be scared to look silly.

Naps are your friend (my friend Diana’s pooch Wembley knows how it’s done).

Remember to say please and thank you (couldn’t you just eat Thunder up as a puppy).

You might have to dig yourself out of a hole every once in a while. And that’s okay. (Metoo’s brother Shadow; a great pal, superb digger and an even better climber of fences–I’d love to share some of the crazy stories this fella got himself into).

Stay active.

Learn something new everyday.

I think I am going to start taking some of this advice right now, starting with a nap and a bowl of ice cream…err after I learn something new at work and go for an active run that is :)

Question of the day: What have you learned most from your dog or pet?