The Importance of Having a Mom Tribe

When you are a stay at home parent, the opportunity to be able to socialize with anyone over a certain age becomes less and less. Most days, the only adult that I talk with is my husband after he comes home from work and the conversations aren't usually very exciting because we're both tired from his day of work and my day of making sure the kids stay alive and well.
   

Ideal Shape 12 Week Challenge- Week 2

    Last week I posted about losing weight and how I would try different diets and/or exercise routines. For 12 weeks, I will try the Ideal Shape 12 Week Challenge and tell you how it goes for me in case that this is something that you might want to try out.

    I started my second week on Monday. The workouts are short and you do one every day for 6 days and then rest on the 7th day. I wish that I could say that I worked out everyday, but I didn't. On the days following the days that I didn't work out, I doubled up. Most of the work outs have been pretty easy, but also challenging. I have found myself thinking, "Hmmm... I wonder if this exercise is even doing anything?" only to find that my muscles are shaky or sore the next day.
    During the workout videos, Lindsey gives you different modification ideas if the workout is difficult for you. I have troubles doing the leg workouts- mostly because I'm a big baby and don't like to feel the burn when I'm doing them.
 
     So... I'm sure what you really want to know is if this exercise program is working for me. Have I lost weight? Not yet- actually, I've gained a few oz. Don't let this discourage you from doing this workout, though. Even if I haven't lost weight , yet, I can actually feel my muscles and believe that I'm toning in my arms and even waistline. The best news is that I put on a pair of pj bottoms that have been straining against my gluteus maximus (rump, bottom, butt) and for the first time in a long time, I was able to put them on and feel like they wouldn't rip if I bent over. I'm also finding that my shorts were able to button without squeezing away my life force.

    So even though I haven't lost any weight, I still have high hopes that it will happen soon. Actually, many of the testimonies on Facebook, the women and men say that they didn't start losing weight until their 5th week. Remember, we're toning our bodies and rebuilding muscles that we haven't used since we were kids. I already feel stronger and healthier just after two weeks.

    I can't end this post without telling you, the challenge is free, but they do sell their products. You might find them helpful in curbing your hunger and also helping out with your eating habits. When you sign up for the12 week challenge, you will also get helpful emails sent to you everyday with suggestions and encouragement as well as the Facebook network, but that part is free. This program is great at keeping you accountable and I hope that you will try along with me and let me know how it's going for you!

    Have you tried Ideal Shape's 12 week challenge? Is this something that you think that you would be interested in trying? Find them on Facebook and take a look for yourself! #12WeekIdealShapeUpChallenge @12WeekIdealShapeUpChallenge #IdealShape

Make a Schedule this Summer For Easier Days

It's almost summer time and soon your kids will be out for the summer. That means that my days with having only one child home with me will soon become days with three kids. I always worry when school is about to let out for the summer because I don't always know what I should do with my kids. This year, I came up with a schedule.

My Favorite Money Making Apps

   

When you are a stay at home parent, you might want to try different things to bring in some extra spending cash. This was definitely the case with me. I wanted to be able to chip in and pull my weight since I'm a terrible house cleaner. I discovered many different apps and websites to help earn some extra money or free things by reading around or asking friends. Here are some of my favorites.

• Ibotta- This app is amazing. It's like an after thought coupon. Many of the grocery items are items that I was going to buy anyways. All I have to do is scan the qualifying grocery items at the end of your trip and your receipt and then voila- you have cash back. You can redeem your rewards for Paypal or featured gift cards after accumulating $20 or more. You also can get bonus cash back if you redeem a certain # of rebates for that month's challenges or if you invite friends who use your referral code to join. If you would like to try Ibotta, you could sign up with my referral code at https://ibotta.com/r/systysj or sign up on the app on your own. When you download the app, you can also get at $10 bonus just for signing up! 

• Checkout 51- This app is very similar to Ibotta, but not all bonuses are from the same store. You also have to be on the lookout for cashback offers where you have to buy 2 or more of the same item in order to redeem it. You also can only redeem after you've reached $20 or more 

• Saving Star- This app used to let you cash out at $5, but has changed it to $20 as well. With this app, it's hit and miss. Many times you have to redeem multiple of the same items, but you don't need to redeem it all at once. If it is a multiple rebate, the app will save the items from a previous receipt and roll it into the next until you reach the limit requirement.

• Inbox Dollars- This app can make you money in several different ways. The fastest way for me is to do the surveys, but you can make money in other ways. One of my other favorites is to print out their coupons. For every coupon I use, I get $0.10 back. If I don't use the coupon, I'll leave it next to that item and let someone else use it. It's a win because you get the coupon discount and then another $0.10 back. Explore the site and find out what works for you. If you would like, my referral code is https://www.inboxdollars.com/?r=ref19683421&s=7 

• GlobalTestMarket- this is an app, but I use it most as a website to do surveys. If you have the time to participate in them, the points add up quickly. I've redeemed my points for restaurant gift cards or as money towards PayPal.

• GigWalk- Have you ever heard of a secret shopper? A secret shopper is a person who is hired by a company to order something or check out their premises and then report back to them the requirements from the job. Gigwalk is an easy way to secret shop. When different "gigs" are available to you, you can click the offer, and if you decide to accept it, you apply for the job and then within a few hours or days, you could be accepted or denied. The more gigs you do, the more offers you are also given.

• Influenster- Influenster doesn't earn you money, but it could get you some free things to try. In order to get things from Influenster, you have to agree to the terms of reviewing each product online. I have gotten many things like shampoo, laundry detergent, and even food. 

• Heartbeat- A new app that I found recently is an influencer/ambassador app. After you've signed up your email and given them your information, you can look every day for new ways to join a campaign. On top of getting things to try or getting discounts for them, you'll also make a certain amount for reviewing that will get sent to your paypal account. 

Which apps or websites have you used to earn money or products. Did I miss any?

Trying to Lose Weight When You're Obese

I'm 5'4'' and I'm obese. I won't mention my weight on here, because it's my shame to carry around. If you look at me, you will know that I'm plus size. Any picture that you see of me is usually a head shot.

What About the Rights of Others?

We live in a world where everyone is offended by everything. Right now, someone is saying, "I'm offended that you think that way!". While I  believe that there are admirable reasons to protest, I also believe that many protests are just selfish and could be done in a better way. Sometimes, when we are defending our offenses, many times we are attacking others.

Graduates Vs. Mike Pence

Let me explain. Two years ago, I saw a video about a graduation at Notre Dame. Vice President Mike Pence was the speaker and during his speech, hundreds of students walked off in protest. I'm extremely naive about current events, facts and fictions, and news. I know that Mike Pence has things going against him and also things going for him. I'm not going to debate his credibility because this post isn't about him. This post is about the students and parents who didn't protest.

College is a BIG deal.  A person had dedicated 4+ years to studying and being able to stand before the crowd, your family, and your friends to accept that EXPENSIVE diploma is HUGE. For some people, they are the first member of their family to graduate and that experience is precious. Imagine that moment when you see your son or daughter lined up, ready to transition to the next part of their life and all of a sudden, other students mock that graduation by walking out.

Why? Because they didn't like the speaker? Because they didn't believe in what he stood for? Graduation isn't about the speaker, graduation is about the student and their accomplishments.

Mom Shaming

 Another thing that bothers me is mom-shaming. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember going on to a mommy board and was talking about how much I couldn't wait to see my daughter. I was probably 34 weeks pregnant at the time and the moms took something so small and made it explode. I started to read, "How could you want to see your baby at 34 weeks? Don't you know that they need to go the 40 weeks?" and blah blah blah.

It just kept going on and on. The more that I tried to defend myself, the more these moms continued on a witch hunt. Have you noticed that people today can take anything that you say and manipulate it to a point so they can argue it and berate you?

Didn't I, as a pregnant woman, deserve the chance to talk about my pregnancy and my excitement to see my cute baby without getting shamed online?

Looters and Rioters

What about the protests that happen when protesters walk the streets and start to riot, block traffic, and loot others' things? The protesters may have an admirable cause, but what did the business that happened to be on the street do to them? What about the people who have to get to work on time or the ambulance trying to get somewhere? Didn't they deserve the right to, I don't, get to where they needed to go without getting delayed or having their cars dented in?

 Speak up!

Well if people don't agree with how we protest things, where are they? Why don't they speak up for themselves?  

Maybe we don't believe in conflict. Maybe we believe that it doesn't matter what we do, someone is always going to find a way counter it. Maybe they are doing it the same way that I am, they are writing about it making people aware that there are always two sides to every story and if you are going to get your point across, how about we don't interfere with the innocent bystanders?

Conclusion

The people who graduated two years ago aren't going to get that moment back. That day should have gone perfectly. It should have been about their accomplishment and instead that moment was stolen by those who didn't agree with one person. That wasn't a protest, that was theft. That was stealing the moment of someone else.

What about the first time mom who thought she would be able to find comfort and friends on that mommy board? What if she was doing this alone and that community that she was hoping to find, only made her scared to do it alone or for the mom who does have support, she's might have days where she's upset about what happened. Those mommy board people didn't help her. Instead, they were a thief of joy.

What about the person who was on their way to work one day and they got caught up in a riot making them late for work or an interview and they got ended up getting fired or missed out on the opportunity of a life time? That's not a protest, that was changing someones destiny.

I believe that the right to protest should be a right, otherwise who's to stop the government from overstepping? I suppose when I think of the people above, I'm sure that they were just trying to stick up for something they believed in, but perhaps they went about it the wrong way.

There are ways to protest that are peaceful and don't harm others.Those are the ones that I'm interested in to help change our future and right the wrongs of the past.

  

Why I'm OK With Stopping At Three

Kids- Ugh!

I used to be the type of person who never wanted to have kids... Like ever... I felt like kids took up so much time, are only cute to their parents, are rude, dirty, smelly, and loud. I just didn't want kids and I know that many women feel that way.