Body by Zumba

I never thought I'd post on my blog pictures of myself in a swimsuit, but I am. Yesterday I "ran in to wal mart to grab a couple things" and stumbled upon the cutest swimsuit I have ever ever seen.

It pretty much describes my personal style to a "T". The hot pinks, the "one shoulder" I love, the animal prints, the palm trees, houndstooth, stars, stripes..just everything that is cute on one canvas. It is so pleasing to my eye. I don't know how else to describe it, but I love it so much, I wanna marry it. And it was the last one left in my size, it was meant to be. I am going to try to find another one at another wal mart so I can have it when this one wears out (it was only $20).

Also, I feel okay posting it because I HAVEN'T always looked and felt so good about my body. I like my body! I work hard on it (in disguise, partying at Zumba class) and I'm more fit than I was in high school.

It is not perfect by any means...no way I'm giving up a klondike bar on the weekends. Or two. And there are some stretch marks that show on the sides of my tummy. And I have zero makeup on and the last thing to touch my hair was my pillow... But I like myself. And that's a huge deal for me.

Meeting Michelle Money

For some reason Facebook isn't letting me upload any pictures, and I'm gunna cut its face off.

*snicker snicker*

(Remember when Monica said that about crazy Jenna the first night?)

This post is "The Bachelor" related, just so you know.

I was a fan of Michelle's after the "women tell all" episode of her season with Brad.

So I found her fan page on Facebook, and found out about her Youtube channel.

She does it with her BFF Laura, and OH my gosh they are so freakin hilarious.
Recently I have had some people tell me, "Yeah you look good since you lost weight and all, but its not just that, you're glowing. What are you doing different?"

Well, folks, its the MMandLShow. They have a video for eyebrows, a video on how to apply mascara, blush/bronzer, spray tan, etc etc etc. I never realized it, but my eyebrows always disappeared in pictures, cuz they are so light. I got a brow pencil that matches my hair and its made a big difference. They are "big on brows" :)

Anyway, a couple days ago Michelle posted about meeting and answering some questions with Laura, and Monica from the most recent Bachelor.



So last night my girl Briel and I went, it was at a nail salon in Holladay. It was so fun. I went to meet them with no expectations, but they were SO down to Earth and normal. Besides how freakin' pretty they are.

They said its very different from real life dating. They don't let you talk to anyone (outside of the house, like no talking on the phone unless you have children), read books, nothing. They said they want you to go a little bit insane. They said its pretty much "dating on crack".
Rose ceremonies last hours. They want you to be uncomfortable standing there, so they can get every facial expression and all that on camera. They hear no music, totally silent.

They are given tons of beauty products, and they get whatever food they want. The staff either goes to the store for them and gets the girls whatever they want, or they just order room service. They cannot go walk around the city or anything.

Monica was not attracted to Ben at all, but thought he was a cool guy. I think he's cool too, but a horrible actor, quite boring. Michelle was very attracted to Brad.

They said they expected tons of cattiness, but it was totally cool like meeting the other girls who were just normal like them and travel a bunch with them.

The night Monica was sent home, she actually broke her foot in 5 places running and sliding into the shower with all the girls. She drank a bottle of wine and slept til the doctor got there. She said she was crying and drunk and Ben was really sweet. She said that's when she changed her mind about him. But none of that made the show!! She said there was lots of stuff that didn't make it on that she was surprised about. We were all bored sitting at home watching, HELLO!!

They said everything is very manipulated, but that was pretty apparent. I asked if they paid money to people to acted crazy or incentivised craziness with money...nope! I was surprised with that.


If you have any questions, put them in the comments and I'll do another post. We asked a LOT of questions.

Pictures!











BFFs! I'm making an appointment with Laura soon (far left) to do my eyebrows. She is so pretty and so nice. She asked me how many kids I had and what their names were. She is so dang funny in the youtube videos. Watch her.

Diva Cup??

How have I gotten through the last 10 years without a DIVA CUP?? (if you're a dude, you won't appreciate this post. You should really stop reading)

Why has no one told me about these?!

You save money & time.

(Seriously, males, stop reading now!)

If you don't know what a Diva Cup is, it's a menstrual cup.

That's right, instead of a tampon that you have to change every 4 hours, you use a silicon cup. It can be there for up to 12 hours. So, its like putting your period on hold and then controlling when it comes out.
Someone I worked with like 5 years ago casually mentioned she heard about it, and we all thought it was a crazy idea. After having 2 kids and going without a period for 3 years (since I was breastfeeding) buying a box of tampons once a month was bugging me. So I thought there has to be a better way. Turns out lots of women love them. After using it for a couple months, it pays for itself! And no more waste in the landfills (I say, as I have paper/plastic plates/utensils in my cupboard).

I wish I'd known about these earlier. (I doubt any boys stopped reading)

Pickles

Lately, within the last month or so, whenever Kaius or I eat a pickle (in a burger or something), we haven't liked it. Normally we have an appreciation for the crisp texture, and taste of a sliced pickle. It was our favorite bites of the burger. But lately...lately we take a bite and our tastebuds are overcome with a weird perfumey taste that is overpowering and we must spit it out. Josh thinks we're weird.

Isn't that weird?

Deep Breath.

Every once in a while I am reminded in some way to come and read my old blog post when I was pregnant with Monroe. I absolutely cannot read that post without bawling my eyes out. I remember that day too well. The 10 minutes I truly believed I lost my baby I went through a bunch of emotions. Anger. Sadness. Regret. Guilt. Hate. Love. Misery. Self Pity. Then the roller coaster of emotions. The eternity it took the nurse to find the heartbeat. Then feeling relief, happiness, complete elation...slight annoyance?

I only went through it for 10 minutes before they called me back to tell me it may not be true. Which is every pregnant-woman-who's-been-told-they've-miscarried's absolute dream come true. I hear about friends and even my own sister who have had ACTUAL miscarriages, some still-born. I wish everyone had an outcome like mine. Why did I and they didn't? Its not fair.

Since that day, that doctors office really walked on egg shells with me. Only scheduled me with the doctor, I never saw that nurse practitioner again. They covered my bill for the HCG blood draw at the hospital before the roller coaster day. I wasn't mad at her, she was very young. I hope she didn't get into trouble. Then Josh was laid off and got another job an hour away and we moved. I just did a google search, she still works there, so she didnt get in THAT much trouble ;) I also found that she volunteered free OBGYN care to women in rural india. Sweet girl. Looking at her picture, I remember her face. She was emotionally invested in the situation.

Anyway. Monroe lately is showing a little bit of a diva side. If I give her food she is not in the mood for, she tears it up and throws it (graham cracker, bread, etc). Hissy fit (but still cute)! She is waking up at least twice a night and I will love it when she stops that. I still don't understand how women "miss" breastfeeding.
Everywhere we go people cannot believe how beautiful her eyes are. she has great lashes, and very blue eyes. She will wave at people, but only if she is excited to see them. Kaius beats up on her hourly, she takes it like a champ. But boy, it infuriates me.

Kaius is absolutely obsessed with Spiderman, Superman, and The Hulk. He is starting to formulate sentences and it makes me soo happy. Monroe started crying and I asked, "What happened? Did you hit her?" he said, "YEAH. PUUSSH. Push her." It was so cute, I dont think I even punished him. Well, he wouldn't say sorry, so he did go to time out.

OH! and something really funny happened this week. We were leaving to go meet Josh at his office, and as soon as we got outside Kaius bails off the porch into the vines. Me, in my new Zumba sneakers, refuse to go in after him. After pleading and working up to yelling at him...not knowing what to do...I decided to tell him I was going to see Daddy without him. I get in the car and pull out and I see Kaius start to have a FREAK OUT. He is full on panicking. He almost falls on his face, but runs out into the road in front of my car, with arms up surrendering, screaming and sobbing. I wish I had a picture of that moment. He truly thought I was going to leave him there. I got him in the car and said "Mister, you know I wouldn't REALLY leave you home, right? Mommy would never leave you, Kaius" he says "Yeah...eave you Taius" (repeating my last sentence) He is my favorite little boy!

Epiphany

My friend Sarah posted this article on Facebook: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/to-the-mother-with-only-one-child

Basically it says whether you have one or many children, being a mom is hard work. and Its HARD adjusting to being a mom.

I see and hear about those women in relief society that NEVER complain or say anything negative. You know what? They are all grown and their children are grown. They don't have babies waking them up all night anymore, and they have better perspective on life. Right now I feel like crap for complaining being a mom is hard, but you know what?? Its REALLY freakin hard, and life without sleep makes everything a chore. Even eating ice cream...that creates dirty dishes. I know my kids will grow and I will miss them as babies...but freakin A will I love sleeping through the night.

Kaius was worried...

This morning Josh was leaving for work so he gave me and Monroe a kiss (and woke her up doing so, my favorite) But right after she got her kiss, Kaius woke up and walked out of his room. He came in bed with Roe and I and Josh gave him a kiss and interacted with them a few seconds. He said bye and walked out of the room. Kaius' lip quivered. He pointed at me and cried, "Mooommmmmmmmmmmyyyy!"
He walked in after I got my goodbye kiss, so he thought his Daddy intentionally forgot to give his Mommy a kiss. And he just lost it.

When I leave at night to go teach Zumba, Kaius directs my kisses. He's always first, then directs me to kiss Daddy, or Monroe ("Roe Roe"). So..I'm pretty sure he thought we were getting a divorce. I took Kaius out and let him know I already got a goodbye kiss, but I'll gladly do it again to show him everything is ok. It was cute. He stopped crying but man, he was upSET!

I just wanted to remember that. :)