A RUNNER!  I have decided I want to take up running again. I truly enjoyed it way back when I was young, and had a figure, haha. I remember how good it felt each day I was able to run just a few minutes longer before needing to switch back to a fast paced walk. Then all of a sudden I was running the whole thing.  There was such an amazing feeling to be able to breathe (not hyperventilate) and run.  It was so freeing, and exhilarating. Plus I wasn’t all flabby, and exhausted like I am now.  I miss that, and I have decided I want it back.

I have already begun the task by taking one small step at a time. I first started with my eating habits. I am eating less, but more often.  I am making smarter food choices, believe it or not McDonalds and Wendy’s no longer seem appealing. (Even during PMS I’m SHOCKED!) I never thought that day would come.  I also don’t find it necessary to hoover ‘everything’ on my plate, once my tank screams “I’M FULL, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO MORE FOOD PLEASE!”

My next step was actually getting on the treadmill, shooting for 30 minutes on an incline of 2 and speed walking. Then I pushed it to intervals of jogging, but no real pattern, just when I feel I can do it, and back to walking when I need to. I aim to get on their Monday thru Friday, breaking on the weekend since the schedule is different.  I have made it past the first week which is usually the hurdle for me.  Once the weekend comes and goes, I never get back on the treadmill again.  But I did get back on it all week, so far making this my second week.

I decided my reward once I can actually run more than 5 minutes at a time with out hyperventilating will be a new workout wardrobe from Running Skirts.com.  For now I am forced to use my old junk clothes.

Why share this with all of you?  I decided to share this with you, because now I will feel more obligated to not be a failure at it.  Also because I am going to need A LOT of support and encouragement from all of my loving followers.  So wish me luck!

This past Saturday was one of our Girl’s Day events.  My best friend and I decided to make the simple act of bathing suit shopping a Girls Day event, we have to get them bathing suits anyway but this way we make it special and its not at any additional cost.  So we got our little ones and headed to the mall where they got to pick out their new suits at the Disney Store complete with new beach bag. We then let them play in the at playground, ride on the carousel, and then we all went to lunch.  It was awesome the girls LOVED it.

I apparently have my daughter brainwashed for Starbucks (hehe), because she insisted on going there to get her little chocolate milk instead of at the vendor in the middle of the mall.

Yes I sprung for the hat too, she wanted it so bad and she just looked too cute in it.  She has one wacky sense of style as you can tell from the outfit she picked out to wear that day.  (purple shirt, sage green capris, and red socks.)  A battle that just isn’t worth fighting in the morning.  She tells me she’s a designer. (I think she’s color blind but hey what are ya gonna do…)

Welcome to the 46th edition of “Meet Me On Monday!” Blogging  is a funny thing…we tell our most intimate thoughts for all to read  and yet most of the time I find myself sitting and wondering, “who is  this person!?”  I know them…but yet I don’t know them!  I want  to know who the person is behind all those words so I thought of a great  way for all of us to “meet” each other!

Every Sunday Never Growing Old will post five get to know you questions that you can copy and paste into your own Monday post and we  can all learn a little more about each and every one of us!!

If you have a question suggestion please email me at: nevergrowingold@hotmail.com and if I use your question I will give you a shout out! 

Questions:

1.  What is your favorite bagel flavor?

Have you ever tried making home made meatballs? The only problem I ever incur is trying turn them over when they are cooking or picking them up when they are done. I want meatballs but all I end up with is crumbled meat to add to my pasta. Then I came across these very handy tongs, what a life saver, love them!

To get yours: $12, williamssonoma.com.

I just finished reading the No Cry Discipline Solution, one of the many books authored by Elizabeth Pantley, and I can honestly say that this is the single most important book that a mother should read, after the obvious What to Expect When You are Expecting.  As you know my daughter is Autistic (low spectrum) so I follow several sites regarding Autism, and Connie Hammer who is a parenting coach recommended this book.  I quickly ran to the library to get it.  I am always looking for a better way of handling the behavioral challenges that I face with my daughter, not only from her Autism, but because I have had ZERO experience with children prior to having her. I didn’t know what to expect with my daughter and for the better part of well… 5 years, I’ve felt completely inadequate and in the dark.

The book started out with correcting my outlook on discipline, by talking about the old aged theories and myths and then provided me with a better more appropriate view and attitude on the very behavioral challenges that I face with Kayla.

It broke down several causes for the behavior problem, bringing me down to my daughters view of things.  It was such an eye opener. So many things we take for granted such as not enough sleep, boredom, enough food, or even their frustration with life, which we can so totally take for granted, can cause the tantrums and arguments.

“Your child’s misbehaviors are a direct result of the fact that she cannot control her emotions.” was a powerful statement to read as Mrs Pantley also compared the very situation to adults. How many times have we as adults not be able to control our emotions? (definitely more than I’d like to admit) So why do I expect it from somebody who has been in this world for only 5 years?

Not to mention my husband always says that when my daughter and I argue we are totally feeding off each other which Mrs Pantley points out: “You would be stunned to know how many negative behaviors you actually prevent from happening when you improve the way you interact with your child.”.

All of this information is just in the first two chapters. The really good stuff comes further on where Mrs Pantley breaks down very specific situations such as bossiness, problems when they are in the car, biting, school, and my personal favorite… interrupting, and provides you with what to do and what NOT to do. I admit there were several “NOT’S” that I have been doing but am correcting those now.

She also discusses dealing with our own anger issues by pointing out the ways you might be feeding fuel to the fire, while also providing you with a 6 step control plan.  It truly is amazing how much we can get off track and cause more of our own problems without even realizing it.

So as I said before I can’t recommend this book enough. I still flip through and re-read bits and pieces in it every morning just so I can help remind myself to see things from my daughters eyes, and to retrain my way of thinking and dealing with what is going on with her. Too often we get wrapped up in our own mind, our own frustrations of the world at our adult level, and we forget or simply write off the “problems” a 5 year old has to face.

Thank you Mrs Pantley for shedding light on all of these issues and helping this mom have a better handle on discipline.

That is the question I asked myself, now that the weather is warming up and I have found it necessary to start wearing deodorant again. Normally during the winter I don’t sweat, I’m too cold.  However, not only did my trusty old deodorant seem extremely heavy on me, but it also seemed to make me smell worse once sweat interacted with it.  Then when I took my shower I had to use so much soap and scrub my arms red to get it off.   I honestly have to admit I actually smelled better without deodorant, still stinky mind you, but not chemically infused stink that wouldn’t come off, it was O’Natural.

Now obviously I really don’t want to stink at all, but what is a girl to do?  I stood in the deodorant isle for 25 minutes examining all the products, all the chemicals in them, and all the promises to get rid of the odor.

I decided to do a little research on the EWG site that I told you guys about a few posts back. (Are Your Cosmetics Safe?).  The first lesson I learned is the ones that have some exotic, fruity, yummy smell are the ones that are LOADED with poisonous chemicals.  So I started checking out the unscented ones, and all I can say is LIAR’s lol, they do too smell.  Some of them smelled so foul I thought I was going to hurl in the isle.

According to the EWG the ones that scored lowest were mostly online ordering types, not one I could buy right now in Target.  So I went down the list to ones scoring below at most a four, which is where I like to try and stay at.  I came up with Ban Original ~ unscented.  Wow, Okay I thought, with a score of 2, and under $2, plus this deodorant has been around for YEARS!  SCORE, lets give it a try.

I must report I am extremely happy with it(obviously since I am writing this post).  There really is no smell, or stink for that matter under my arms.  Now it is the wet roll on which I never much preferred (takes forever to dry), but I am so happy with the results overall that I really can’t complain.  Besides now I have given my hair dryer more purpose LOL.

If you are in the market for a new deodorant or looking to use something a little less toxic, look no further…

I am happy to see so many businesses helping to provide an incentive to young kids to get them to read this summer.  I now know of two major programs going on right now…

1. Barnes and Noble – encourages kids to read 8 books and record them in the reading journal. Once completed they return to the list to their local Barnes & Noble store where they will be allowed to choose one book from a preselected list for free.

They also have a cute little project of making your own book…check it out here.

2. TD Bank – encourages kids to read 10 books and also fill out their form and bring it in to your local branch where they will be rewarded with $10 which will be deposited into a new or existing Young Saver Account.

Now granted reading is its own reward, however we all know kids sometimes need a little push, and this is an awesome way to do so.

Do you have any incentive ideas, or know of any other programs going on right now?  Tell me about it!

I found this on Mom’s Tree House today, its a fun little get to know ya, sorta like the Monday one I was doing. If you want copy and paste into your own post, as I did.

1. Have you ever had roommates?

Yes When I first moved out on my own at 18, I moved in with my boyfriend at the time and his brother.  After about a year we broke up and I moved out on my own.

2. How many names do you/your children have? (i.e. Prince Charming William Phillip Arthur Louis John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt)

I only have the normal first name with one middle name.  My daughter is the same.

3. Did you watch the Royal Wedding?

Yes, but not all of it.

4. What is the messiest room in your house?

My daughters room. We are still trying to get her to clean up after herself. Its tough LOL

5. What is your ideal mothers day?

Sleep in, and wake up to a calm, quiet house. The day would be warm, and sunny. I’d be able to go to the salon for a haircut, and pedicure.  Then I have to admit although I know its bad for me, and I haven’t done it since before I was pregnant but I so would LOVE to go tanning again I look like Casper the ghost.(don’t laugh, I’m serious! lol) Then we’d all go out to lunch maybe a park for a stroll.

Normally I don’t rave about a store brand product, I’m usually rather choosey about what items I’ll consider the store brand option for.  However now a days, I actually am looking at the price tags on the shelf A LOT, all thanks to my new attempts at being frugal.

I recently went to buy my usual Hoover Premium Pet carpet cleaner AGAIN, (hey I like my house clean, I’ve got four cats and a 5 y/o I’m washing the carpets almost weekly, don’t judge!).   I was extremely shocked to see that Walmart’s Great Value Pet Stain Carpet Cleaner Solution was a little over $7 dollars cheaper. WOW that $7 bucks could pay for a case of my Starbucks Frappuccino’s, so I figured it was worth a shot.

I’m so glad I did, I LOVE IT!  It smells so much nicer then the Hoover, and it actually gets the dirt/stains out better.  It even removed an old stain complete with smell that I couldn’t completely get out with the Hoover.

Now I don’t ALWAYS bust out with my carpet machine, I actually bought a spray bottle which I keep with some of the solution in for small messes, and it just works fabulously!   It also works great in both  my Bissell Spot Bot, and my Hoover Steam Vac.

Walmart you did it again, you saved me money!  So save yourself $7 bucks and buy yourself some Frappuccino’s!