New Journey

Well…a lot has happened since Hurricane Harvey (last post).

We came out ok from the storm.. Minimal damage.

I left my job as a teachers aide… Wasn’t something I was wanting to do any longer. I was constantly stressed. Making me physically sick. I just chose to find a place that got more hours and pay in driving a school bus… I found a nice school district. Better pay…better conditions.. And I really don’t have to speak to anyone..walk in and out.. I get to come home in the middle of the day…spend time with my 17 yr old that still being homeschooled.

As of last week we got a new member to the family… Sophie! She was abandoned Great Pyrenees at our driveway…we waited for days to see if anyone was searching for her. No go…went to get…no microchip. So we named her Sophie. Got her some shots and got her lined up with a groomer because she was a mess! Had matted hair all over… Smelled like motor oil. And I think she was abused because I just raised my hand while talking…she ducked and coward down…. She such a sweet gentle giant.

She had to be shaved down and I feel bad about the groomer… Took 3 hours to get her cleaned up. But here’s the end results

That’s the best pic I could get lol… She has to wear a shirt because she could get a sunburn.

Anyways…. I’m also trying something new… Realizing my hair is wavy.. I thought in all my 40 yrs that I had straight hair that didn’t behave… But nope …wavy hair.

Before with no product…and I straightend it!!

Now after just 5 days working the Curly Girl Method.

I am completely shook!! Its so much easier to manage and stays nice and wavy…

I’m so glad my mom told me try this… I will never straighten my hair again!!!

Oh yeah… I lost 32 lbs!! With DietBet… Skipped this month… Will do next month.

Natural disaster

Still reeling from Hurricane Harvey. Although we didn’t withstand damage. Many cities south of us did. Not much help I could give people because my mom threw her back out getting us prepared for the storm. So I had to stay with her ..and be there when she needed me. I guess I have this underlying guilt.  Kids I work with are bad off.. No homes, clothing, and food…. I am proud that the school has put together it Ms to wear and school supplies..also send home food on the weekends.  

Took me years tho get over Hurricane Ikr because that was bad for us…lost our home.  Maybe it’s a hungover feelings also from the past.

Ramping up the cars so they don’t grey flooded..water just kept rising from the bayou.

Frustration…near tears my son falls in flood water… Electricity went out.. Mom checking on farm animals…

The face of frustration

P.E. Class

So I thought going back to school to complete my associate’s degree in Education would be hard… It hasn’t been too bad so far. So this summer I decided to take my phys ed class during summer. I am so dumb… Not only I’m not physical but this was intense!!! Basically I have to be in the gym 2 hours a day to make the 30 hrs requirement. I live 35 miles away so only days I’m on campus to do classes is 4 days so I’m 2 hours in the gym.. Then get to class..then finally go home. 

The only thing that has changed from this is I actually enjoy this! Lol…. I have lost 22 lbs. And lost 3 inches off my waist and 2 inches off my backside/thighs.  Pretty sad that the last day I can go to the gym on August 4th… But I’m already signed up to start with a local wellness center that has a full facility of weights. 

Black top.. After just 3 weeks…

Face is thinning… 

My first cruise

Wow..it has already been a month since I took a cruise to Mexico with Carnival Valor.

It was wonderful… I’m going to give you some tips and tricks on my first time. If you want to try the steakhouse..don’t bother..just wait! Everything they serve in the steakhouse is served in the main dining room. You can save $35 per person. I don’t drink hard liquor..just wine..but if you do may want to buy the drink package. But to make the drink package worth getting you have to drink about 15 alcoholic drinks a day… I could never do that! Lol…. I used rum runner packed them into my suitcase near my toothbrushes and etc… And they got through just fine.  Each one held about 1 bottle of wine each.

Just make sure you want to double bag with a Ziploc just in case of leaks.

All I suggest to pack is knitwear..easy to pack and doesn’t wrinkle. Dress up night was the first night onboard. Suit and fancy dress. Also make sure you pack something that can plug multiple plugs because only one plug!!!

• Beds was comfy and I was almost seasick but never full-blown. We brought a whitenoise machine best idea ever.. Because I’m used to sleeping with a fan on and that helped tremendously.  Oh yes!! Me and my mother would’ve passed our room up if I didn’t pre-make a door sign to have ours look different than all the others.. That will save your time and not scare the person on the other side lol!!!

Leaving Galveston

The dining rooms was beautiful and the servers was so nice and professional.

My mother came with me.. She was the perfect person to experience this for the first time. It was her first time as well..so we could be gitty and giggly together.

When we got to Cozumel we didn’t do much.. Walked around a bit and got back on the ship.  Shopping isn’t really our thing.

I also won a prize for knowing the most movie music knowledge.. Woo hoo!!!

Over all the food was wonderful the staff was beyond professional. Our room steward Noel was awesome…anything we needed he was there. Loved him. After we got back home, I made arrangements for another cruise next June with my son. Also my mother has one lined up for Feb!! Lol

I guess we’re new fans of cruising.

Made my own Spirit Shirts!!

I never like what is offered for spirit shirt… and don’t like the shirts they come in…too short.
So I made my own for the very first time wuth my Mums silhouette machine,HTV vinyl,  and some imagination.
Oh lord… I think im goinh to go overboard!  Lol
Here’s the final product

And going to make more tomorrow. 

New affirmations

Before I had to head back to school and be around a bunch of “Negative Nellies”, I made a promise to myself not to get wrapped up in their lives. What good is it to my own peace and serenity to listen to all their messy back stabbing talk about each other?
   I have surrounded my classroom with positive affirmations that will continue to remind me through out the day.  Quite a few is Buddhist wisdoms..and Dali Lama quotes. It really hits home.
   I come home not as wound tight and relaxed!! I’m actually sleeping much better.
I’m going to share one of my favorites.

I am in charge of my own calmness, peace, serenity,  and happiness.    One thing I have taken away from my Tai Chi class… breathe… when everything feels out of focus…. breathe and rerurn to focus. 

     Peace and Happiness,
             -April

  

Needed a little color in my life.

My Grandmother gave us her big fork and spoon from her wedding day gifts. About 60 years ago.
They have been hanging in our kitchen for about 5 years.
I been watching about chalk paint for a few days…and got the bug… I gotta paint something!!! Running thru my Mums kitchen…looking for anything to paint… even was staring at her small terra cotta fish .. she said No!!! Charles (my brother) gave me that when he was in jr high.
Ugh.. ok  so we eyeballed the Big fork and spoon..  with Polynesian tiki faces carved into the handles.

By the way.. they don’t go with anything my mothers style. So thats whats gonna get painted!!

But problem…. I don’t have any paint!!  Mum knows how to make the chalk paint… but no paint!! So she said here is a few bucks.. drive to town and find a color… omg I never picked a color by myself…always let her do it…cause I always suck at color and patterns combinations lol, also never painted an object before.
She said, ” go to the color your heart leads you too today”… hippy dippy Mother lol
So off to Sherwin Williams…. not a clue on what I wanted… but listening to Led Zepplin all the 12 miles to town…
Walked in..and I saw it right off…as I entered thru the door.  Adventure Orange!!!!! I was in love.
Bought a sample… came home Mum mixed up the concoction. .. and we got to work.
Its not too hard…and just applied the 2nd coat… the color looks wonderful….

I will post a picture when I’m completely done… and hanging on the wall. 🙂
Ok ..several days later. And still loving the color. So put it up on the wall… I adore it!!
Here’s the finished project.

Peace and Love…. April

I have dreams

I would love to win the lottery and just roam the world… I want to visit everywhere in the United States and just have an adventure with my son.

by a Winnebago and just drive. We have sat down and wrote out a road map to anywhere and everywhere we want to go!   Only thing holding us back is money. Funny thing is,,, everywhere we want to go is just here in the USA,,,

I want to take him to the Grand Canyon,,, Camp out in a tent under the stars,,, have rides down into the canyon. Not only the Grand Canyon,, I want to go to the Palo Duro Canyon again,,, I been there as a child. It was a wonderful experience.

Its hell to live just paycheck to paycheck. Can never splurge on things.

but,,, ohhhhhhh how I would love to just be out on the open road,,, I feel in my past life I must’ve been a drifter,, gypsy,, or just a hitchhiker that just craved freedom at all cost. Sun on my shoulders,,, wind in my hair… no responsibilities…

My also other dreams is helping other through my fortune,,, Donate money to worthy causes,,, help kids by giving scholarships to colleges that they could get in,,, but possibly could not pay for,,, I think its horrible some brilliant minds can make it to top universities,,,, but are hit by a roadblock because of the all mighty dollar!  It’s like telling them,,, you did your best,,, but its still not good enough. I saw that happen to my brother. He ended up joining the Navy,,, saved up money,, and now going to school. I’m so proud of him.

But ,,, there is a reason I’m in this place in my life. I’m happy,, but I feel I can do a lot more.

Just a few extra $$$$ wouldn’t hurt! lol

-April

Integrated Martial Arts

I have been attending a Integrated Martial Arts class with my son for a couple months now. (Taekwondo, Judo, T’ai Chi Chu’an, Tang Soo Do) I first joined cause I saw other women my age was trying it out. So I thought why not!! First class,,, they was there,,, but after that ,, they dropped out! So I was like,,, hmmmm How long can I stick this out???

It’s hard,, demanding,, physical,, and fun. I have a thing about touching others,, and being touched. I DON’T LIKE IT!!  But being involved in this class,,, I am slowly loosing that  thought.

Also I like doing something my son is doing,,, he likes me going ,, and knowing I can fully defend myself if harm comes my way.

Every practice I leave red faced and outta breath,,, flop sweat all over,,, but feeling great!!

My first belt test was only 3 weeks after I joined. I earned a yellow stripe,,, very first level of the class. I was so proud of myself!!

At the end of April is my next test,,, full Yellow. My Sifu said I’m a natural and  caught on quickly also could jump belts ( be on the same level as my son),,, but I wanted to do this right. Take my time,, and appreciate the forms fully.

I catch on quickly,,, I was in dance from 3 yrs to 22 yrs lol,,, so Its all a big dance for me lol

My son is a Purple Stripe,,, 2 levels higher than me. Hes been working about a year longer than me. I told him,,, I’m going to pass you up!!! lol    He says, “Come on then!!” lol

Here’s my son ,,, and That’s our Sifu in black,, little but Mighty!!

Im loving how I feel,,, I am a Warrior!!

-April

Im in allergy hell

I have pretty bad allergies.  So awful I just open the door im miserable.  I look like the.people on tv. Typical red eyed, stuffy nose, sneezing freak.
   I hate to take my meds. Im totally not a functioning peraon when I take them.
     I finally took them roday. I feel better… Just everything is.in alow motion.    I hate that.
    How can I properly work as an educator while I take these things…. that why I just suffer thru it.