Big Seats and Flat Feet

So... these days I take a lot of selfies... mainly because I cannot believe the woman in the mirror is actually me.  It’s taken a very very long time to work my way through a multitude of insecurities.  I’m here... or there now.  I love the reflection I see in the mirror these days.  It’s been difficult swallowing my sorrows and pains each time I’d pass a looking glass.  I’m here now... with a new found confidence.  I will finally finish my Education degree and become the teacher I never thought I would become!  I’m so thankful for this opportunity as it offers a freedom that many will never understand.  As for now... I’m enjoying the new me and all the wonderful friends I have accumulated over the past two years because of my transformation.  I’m also thankful for learning what I will and will not accept in my life... or my children’s.  Be blessed ❤️ Love SAM

In January, 2018, I began a Ketogenic diet.  At first I was skeptical, but as time passed I realized it was the best decision of my life.  It's now mid-July and I have lost nearly 50 lbs.  Not only have I lost the weight, I've increased my good cholesterol (HDL) and reduced my bad cholesterol (LDL) by 30 points.  I've also evened out my glucose levels and feel the best I have felt in a very long time. My next plan is to work on my relationships, lift weights and shoot my bow more. I know... not a whole lot for an old lady. Sam

Being outdoors is as natural to me as breathing.  I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the opportunity to venture out from time to time.  I'm thankful my family enjoys fishing and hunting as much as I do, and I'm hoping to do more of it this year than I ever have.  Over the past few months, we've been doing a LOT of fishing.  Since my homeschooling days, I don't get to get on my blog as often, and the topics I cover have somewhat changed.  I'm hoping, however, to get back to my roots and start incorporating my outdoor life with healthy living and eating habits.  First and foremost, I'm thankful for my husband and children.  They are the very air I breath and a blessing from God above. A couple weeks back my, on a rainy day in Georgia, my husband, my children and I drove up to a beautiful serene river in settled in the lower banks of the Northeast Georgia Mountains.  We each had our fishing poles in hand and made a half-mile trek throu...

Averaging two pounds a week, I've lost over 20 lbs. since the beginning of 2018.  The first few weeks weren't easy, or so I thought. When I first began, I just wanted to get through the first week.  After I had made it through the first week, then I focused on the next, then the next, and so forth.  Now I'm three months in and I've lost the weight.  Finding good foods was difficult at first, but once I came across my affiliate site, The Keto Box, things began to get much easier.  Having the types of foods I enjoyed with low carb/high protein was a big help.  We all have our moments of wanting to cheat or snack, and mine usually came at the most stressful moments.  Since I found The Keto Box, I no longer have to worry about stress eating because it provides me with the foods I crave and are Keto friendly (safe). The Keto Box provides you with 7-10 low carb/Keto Friendly snacks a month and also has free shipping.  The Keto Box is a good way to h...

I started my journey into KETO about two and a half months ago.  So far I have lost over 20 lbs. of pure fat.  What's so good about that is, although fat weight loss is measurable when it comes to clothes and size.  Fat weighs less than muscle.  If I were gaining muscle while losing fat, the weight loss wouldn't be an as significant pound per pound... but the change in size would. What am I doing?  I'm using a product called Ketologie and I'm maintaining a very strict keto way of living.  I don't follow a plan, I just plan to eat meat, green veggies, and real foods.  No tricks or anything.  I also use supplements such as Ketologie (especially collagen) to help with maintaining healthy skin and hair while losing. As you can see, in my face... there is a significant change in my appearance.  I have taken before body shots.  However, I am not yet ready to post those.  When I do, my weight loss will be very apparent.

I've been doing KETO for almost two months now.  I have lost a cummulative amount of 15 pounds.  Next week I will incorporate running and exercise!  Hoping to see some significant benefits from both the KETO and the exercise so I can post pictures. This is my journey...  wonder where it will take me?????

There have been many times in my past 20 years, and maybe longer that I have thought about, "What if".  I've asked myself numerous times "What if I had spoken to him?", "What if I told him how I felt?", "What if I made this decision, instead of that one?".  Regardless of how many times I asked myself these types of questions, the outcome has always been the same.  I'm here now.  I can't go back and change it. With the introduction of social media, many of us reconnect with people who have almost completely vanished from our lives.  I hear numerous stories how people find old friends, old loves, make new friends and leave current loves.  It never fails to amaze me how one can walk away from the now to revisit the past, thus bringing it forward into the present.  They fix regrets, say what they have to say, do what they meant to do and attempt to leave all past hurts behind.  Does it fix it?   I'm not sure if anything is e...

In an earlier post I said I'd tell you all about it later, so here I am explaining what my "F8" means.  F8 is symbolic.  And here's a list of ALL the things my F8 symbolizes. F8 = On your computer you will find the F8 key.  If you are familiar with a computer, you know the F8 key helps you access the Windows recovery system, as well as takes you to the Windows startup menu. In my journey, F8 is symbolic of many things.  Number one, I'm on my way to 'recovery' and I am 'starting up' now. F represents the word F IVE.  I chose "F" to symbolize the five stages one goes through to make lasting changes in their life. The stages of change are: Precontemplation (Not yet acknowledging that there is a problem behavior that needs to be changed)   Contemplation (Acknowledging that there is a problem but not yet ready or sure of wanting to make a change)   Preparation/Determination (Getting ready to change)  Action/Willpower (Changi...

Best idea for comfort food... Venison Vegetable Soup Today is one of those days I wish I could crawl into bed and hide.  My heart is aching from being hurt by a dear friend, it's cold and dreary outside, and I have been up since 4:30 this morning.  Hoping to find relaxation in cooking a hot pot of Venison Vegetable Soup, and that eating it will be good for my soul. For starters, this has been a good hunting season for my husband and son.  They brought in 5 deer, one each weekend, since the first day of deer season.  I was elated!  Anticipating the meat, I decided on what cuts I needed and have been cooking with it ever since.  Ground venison is my favorite because it can be used in various dishes. This Venison Vegetable Soup is so easy and inexpensive to make.  I normally buy the mixed soup vegetables frozen.  Because I was unprepared for grocery shopping today, and it was a last minute decision, I knew I wouldn't find frozen soup vegetab...

In lieu of the upcoming Valentine's Day, I wanted to share. Let's be reminded... some of us need reminding of what love really is.   💔💛💙💚   LOVE...  💜💗💋👄 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Reading about love this morning. I honestly believe love is not a necessity but a necessary component for humanistic fulfillment. Love is NOT... I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Love is ... I'll scratch your back because I know you like it, I know you need it, I know you want it, I know it's comforting... and I love doing this for you because it fills a physical/psychological need for YOU. I'm not expecting it back in return, but getting something back in doing it. I'm rejoicing inside because I can selflessly fulfill a need for you, that you cannot fulfill yourself... I love you. I am affectionately showing you LOVE . Example statements: "I don't have a lot of money... I see you are in need. I will pay the rest of your bill." "My ...

Baggage, luggage, or suitcases are those things you carry around with you that really have no added value to your life.  Sure, you needed those things, once upon a time.  But in reality, if you dropped the load you could go on without it. My problem is I have a LOT of baggage.  Sometimes I think I have set it aside, dropped it off somewhere down the road, lost or forgot it.  Then, it shows it's weary head, and usually at the most unsuspected times, in the most peculiar places. So... let's recap.  In my last post, Health and Happy, my complaint was my weight.  It has always been an issue.  It may not have begun as "my" issue, but it was an issue for someone.  Looking back at all the baggage I recall the things that were said to me as a child, and young adult.  Things like, "You could sit and ride on that booty it's so big!", "Lard Ass", "You're getting fat!", "Look at that gut!".  These aren't entirely horrible th...

My weight has been a formidable opponent of mine for many, many years.  To be exact, it has been the bane of my existence, my worst nightmare, my most hated adversary. Here of late, I haven't been feeling all that well.  It might be partially due to stress, a never-ending to-do list, and supercharged family dynamic.  The bottom line would be, however, I'm not taking care of myself, my needs.  I don't regularly decompress after working in a busy, self-giving profession.  In other words, I give, give and give throughout the day without taking... yes, without taking any time or doing anything for me.  There are many days I don't even sit down but for a few minutes, or take a break... ok, ok... I may take a quick potty break here and there, and only because I undoubtedly, necessarily have to.  YES... I often wait until it's an emergency and I have to go. So... hmmmm.... where was I going with this... STRESS, yes stress!  I'm exhausted....

This past Saturday instead of spending the early morning hours in a deer stand, set deep in the woods, on the opening day of bow season my family and I headed to a JROTC Raider Meet.  JROTC stands for Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps.  Raiders are the group of cadets in JROTC who take it upon themselves to meet throughout the summer, and after school to train on obstacle course, rope bridge and relay for close to two hours each day of the week.  That's devotion, dedication.  That same devotion and dedication will also be what propels them forward in their military career. Our first meet of the year took place at Jackson County Comprehensive High School in Jefferson, GA.  It's a beautiful campus set in a rural atmosphere.  The obstacle course is immaculate, and offered a variety of challenges for JROTC cadets arriving from multiple high schools around the state.  As the sun topped the trees, the brisk morning air created a comfortable setting fo...

Sitting on my front porch looking out at the wide open space before me, wrapped in a warm blanket, drinking a cup of very strong coffee in the cool morning air I begin to ponder a few things.  When I began this blog I was a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, and family child care provider.  A lot has changed since then. The fog is lifting, much as it is rising above the trees this morning.  I feel as if I'm free to make choices and decisions I once wasn't inclined to make.  I guess one wouldn't understand what freedom looks like unless they themselves have had their freedoms taken away. There are many types of freedoms... the kind you have from living in America, the individual God granted freedoms all humans possess, the freedom to physically move about,  and the freedom to make good choices for yourself, and for those you love.  In marriages, the freedoms are limited to the constitution of that marriage.  You can have only one partner, live in one ...

I didn't realize how secluded I am, until I recently paid my sister a visit.  Although she lives miles away from anyone, out in the middle of nowhere, I feel as if I'm the one in seclusion. This past Saturday, March 15th, was a beautiful day for travel.  Trying to save time, we loaded up our minivan, plotted the quickest course and headed towards the Tennessee Mountains.  From our location we traveled almost two hours South, and then another two and half hours North just to get there.  The overall trip taking four hours and forty five minutes, most of it being on interstate. I've been to visit my sister in the past, nearly ten years ago.  The drive out was long as we traveled farther and farther away from civilization.  Through the mountainous region of middle Tennessee there was nothing but rolling hills and countryside surrounding us.  As I stared intently from the passenger side window, I was in awe of the breathtaking scenery. Her driveway wa...

I've been homeschooling my children for five years, all three of them.  I also school/tutor another child not my own.  We keep a pretty hectic pace at my home, and we try to stay at the forefront of education.  I try to stay on top of the best educational materials, and get the most for my money.  Regardless of what I do, what works for one child, doesn't necessarily work for the others.  In my five years of homeschooling, regardless of the programs, tools or curricula I use, I've found every child has their own learning style, and just because a particular curricula works for my family, doesn't necessarily mean it will work for another. My oldest child, a female, is self directed.  I've never had a problem getting her to start or complete a task. The boys, and my youngest child are far less motivated.  I have tried every curriculum in the book to keep them engaged, literally; Abeka, Christian Liberty Press, AOP, Bob Jones to name a few.  Althou...

I was the kid always looking for adventure... ok... always looking to get into something, usually trouble.  As a child, if opportunity did not present itself, I always created my own.  Sometimes this meant sneaking into my granny's room and plundering each and every drawer.  On occasion, I would wonder off to find myself sitting under a tree or bush somewhere eating the very apples my granny threatened me with a switch, if I had picked them.  I'd wander to the creek and get marred up to the knees in mud and muck and get my shoes nasty, when I was dressed in my Sunday's best.  My hair wouldn't stay in pigtails because I didn't like the confines and tightness of the bands that held my wavy blonde tresses in place.  I'd cut lose... take off my shoes and throw caution to the wind. Me with the long blonde hair! =) As a mother, I see my children doing some of the very same things I had once done.  My youngest daughter, constantly tempting fate, much lik...

Homeschooling finally has come to an end for the 2012-2013 school year!  My children and I anxiously awaited the arrival of four extra summer children.  My mind got busy planning all sorts of activities and fun things to do as I prepared for them to come. Memorial Day for me was a day of rest and remembrance.  I knew it'd be my only day of rest before the children came, so I took full advantage!  Actually, the plan was to clean the house spic and span, but I sat on my behind and goofed off all day with my own three children.  It's not very often we get an entire day to spend by ourselves doing whatever whenever we want.  During the week, I'm normally up by the crack of dawn preparing my husband's lunch, my day and activities for the children I keep.  BUT, not on Memorial Day morning.  I slowly dragged my bottom out of bed and actually sat down while drinking my first cup of coffee.  The kids slept as I enjoyed a few precious moments of sile...