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Time To Unpack

Category Archives: Blogging

“Just a Mom”

18 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Girls Corner, My Story, Parenthood

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Well I have been thinking about this these days.  I have been out with some friends of mine that have jobs or my husband.  And when you are introduced and people ask you “what do you do for a living?” well my heart sinks because I know telling the I am just a mom well they really don’t know what I do or who I am.  I know all of us mom’s know that being a mom is hard work.  And yes it is.  The house work, meals, taking care of the kids, everyone in the house, doing the shopping, budget, and so much more that the list would go on for ever.  But what some people don’t know is that some “mom’s” had jobs maybe or skill beyond being a mom too.  And yes I am one of those mom’s.  I don’t have my resume tattooed on me but well I do have some skills and I can do things beside just clean.

When we go to church I love to try to help out and be apart of the team.  My husband has a tech job and he is a specialist.  Some are finding in church he is quite talented.  But when I go I talk to people and clean things up.  When I go to the bathroom I wipe down the counters.  When I work in the kids area I clean up the kids toys and snacks.  I try to make it in to help do the cleaning of all the rooms during the week.  I have tried to do some work in the computer/data area but I don’t know they seem to think because I am home with my kids I can’t do anything.  Well that is to bad too. 

When I went down my path in life I thought I wanted to be an interior designer.  I had to take a couple computer classes.  I wasn’t excited to do it.  But what I found was my instructor didn’t know what they were doing and I ended up teaching them some things and doing really well.  I ended up teaching myself about databases, html programing, Unix, networking, email administration and more.  I was hired and sought after some major companies.  I had a good career.  I still love it and stay in the know of technology.  I love to be in the know and on top of what I can.  I love to be challenged. 

I have also still enjoyed the fashion world and stay on top of all things there as well too.  I just love what is new where to get it when it is coming out.  This includes make up too.  I just love staying up on top of all of this information.  And I also love sharing, helping, and passing along what I can. 

I have been shopping at the mall recently and the past 2 times in the cosmetics counters the ladies have been so impressed by my knowledge of product and excitement for it that they both have told me I should work there.  I know when you have a passion for something it is contagious but wow that was just so honoring to think that “just a mom” could make an impression on someone.  I know that I have skills and I know that I have knowledge I just wish people some days could look past the fact that “mom’s” there are more to them.

Weekly Menu

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Dinner, Girls Corner, Thoughts

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love this menu board.  it MAY even inspire me to cook...

So how many of you do a weekly menu?  Well I have never done one.  I guess I have felt that it limits me.  So I don’t use one.  I love to pick something and fly by the seat of my pants.  Because I think that it keeps my family on their toes.  The don’t have things they get use to this way and it makes things they like special because they aren’t eaten all the time.  I love that because when you take the time to make something it is like it is special every time you make it.  This is because it isn’t in a system like this it is when I want it, crave it, and remember to make it. 

Food is such a link to for memories so this also is a cool way to attach food to memories and not to habit.  Now this is just my two cents about this and you can do it your way and what works for your family.  But you choose do you want to have foods out of habit or to create memories & traditions?

Best Superfoods for Weight Loss

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Diet, Thoughts

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Black beans

A cup of black beans packs a whopping 15 grams of satisfying protein and doesn’t contain any of the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat.

Oats

Oats are rich in fiber, so a serving can help you feel full throughout the day. Just a half cup packs 4.6 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Avocados

There’s no reason to be afraid of eating fats—as long as they’re the right fats.

Oleic acid, a compound in avocados’ healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado and watch that belly fat melt away. The creamy fruit is also packed with fiber and protein.

Salmon

Lean sources of protein help you feel full without adding fat. However, 50% of women ages 18 to 50 don’t know if they get enough of this essential nutrient.

Up your intake with salmon; it’s a leaner choice than red meat and is chock-full of MUFAs to boot. A 2001 study found that dieters eating a MUFA-rich diet lost an average of 9 pounds, while their low-fat diet counterparts gained, on average, 6.

Blueberries

Best known for their anti-aging effects, blueberries, while tiny, are a powerful figure-friendly eat: A 1-cup serving sets you back only 80 calories, and helps you feel full with 4 grams of fiber.

Broccoli

Cooked or raw, this cruciferous veggie is well-known for its cancer-preventing powers, but with a punch of filling fiber in less than 30 calories a serving, it’s bound to prevent weight problems too.

Brown rice

Brown rice is a heartier, fiber-packed alternative to less-than-super white rice. A half-cup serving contains 1.7 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Plus, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning it’s heavy and filling but low in calories. One study found that women who ate a higher-energy-density diet gained three times as much weight over six years than women eating a low-energy-density diet.

Pears

Just one pear packs 15% of your daily recommended amount of fiber. One study found that women who ate three pears a day consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn’t. Ditch the peeler though; the skin is where all that filling fiber is hiding!

Wine

Resveratrol, the famed antioxidant found in grape skin, stops fat storage. Studies show that moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less belly fat than liquor drinkers. Downing a glass can boost your calorie burn for a good 90 minutes.

Grapefruit

Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week!

A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It’s also a good source of protein, and because it’s at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.

Kidney beans

One of several varieties of beans to make the list, red beans offer protein and fiber (more than 5 grams per serving!). Kidney beans are also rich in Resistant Starch; a 1/2-cup serving packs nearly 2 grams of this slimming carb.

Almonds

Nuts are another superfood rich in healthy fats that help you slim down.

Almonds in particular can help you shed pounds: In one study, people who added a daily helping of the nuts to a low-cal diet lost more weight than people who followed the same diet but swapped almonds for a carb-heavy snack like crackers.

Green tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of satiating protein and fiber. A half-cup serving delivers 3.4 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Bananas

Bananas are a slimming superfood at the heart of Health‘s CarbLovers Diet. A slightly green, medium-size banana will fill you up and boost your metabolism with its 12.5 grams of Resistant Starch. Even a ripe banana still ranks high on the list of foods containing RS, with almost 5 grams.

Eggs

Eggs get a bad rap when it comes to weight loss. But the breakfast staple is loaded with protein that will curb your appetite. One study found that overweight women who ate egg breakfasts lost twice as much weight as women who started their days with bagels.

And don’t worry about cholesterol: The study found that egg eaters don’t have higher bad cholesterol or lower good cholesterol than bagel eaters.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! A nibble of dark chocolate here and there can slow down digestion so you feel full longer and eat less at your next meal.

Dark chocolate is full of MUFAs; studies show eating a diet high in these healthy fats can rev your metabolism to burn fat and calories. It may also help by curbing cravings for salt, sweet, or fatty diet-wreckers.

Oranges

At only 59 calories, you may not expect much from an orange, but thanks to a hefty dose of fiber, it ranks highest among fruits on a list of 38 filling foods put together by Australian researchers. Feeling full can help you eat less throughout the day.

Potatoes

True, potatoes are high in carbs, but they are three times as filling as a slice of white bread, and top all the foods on the same satiety index as oranges. Plus, potatoes are also rich in Resistant Starch, which helps your body burn fat.

Pine nuts

Nut lovers don’t have to stick to almonds. These tiny bites pack the same heart-healthy fatty acids that quell hunger hormones and burn belly fat. One study found that swapping healthy unsaturated ones like those found in nuts for saturated fats helped overweight people lose weight without reducing calorie intake or upping their exercise.

Plus, at only 95 calories for more than 80 nuts, you can enjoy them guilt free.
Pine Nuts Close Up

White beans

One-half cup of these fiber-packed beans contains almost 4 grams of fat-blasting Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism.

Cheese

Fresh goat cheese and feta contain a fatty acid that helps you feel full and burn more fat. Look for cheeses labeled “grass-fed,” as those will have the highest content of this healthy fat.

Low-fat milk

The same fatty acid is found in milk, and milk’s proteins can keep you feeling satisfied. The added calcium may also help; in one study, women burned more fat and calories when they had 1,000 to 1,400 milligrams of calcium per day.

Garbanzo beans

Also known as chickpeas, these slimming beans pack more than 2 grams of Resistant Starch per half-cup serving. They’re also a great source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

Pearl barley

This starchy side makes a slimming complement to a low-cal meal by adding some satisfying fiber and nearly 2 grams of Resistant Starch in just a half-cup serving. 

Quinoa

Another diet-friendly whole grain, quinoa is rich in hunger-fighting protein. You’ll stay full longer on fewer calories and avoid overeating at other meals.

Plantains

A half cup of cooked plantains packs almost 3 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Telemarketers

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Girls Corner, Thoughts

≈ 1 Comment

Pinned Image
Don’t you just hate it when the phone rings and it is a telemarketer?  Well I do and today was no different except I decided I am going to try to catch one if I can.  Yes it is now my goal.  I know it sounds crazy but hey when I get a call like every other day from someone saying that is is my 2nd or 3rd final offer to lower my credit card interest.  Well I feel that this is just something that is annoying especially since I don’t have any credit cards.  So where are they getting this info?  Who are they actually calling?  What are they phishing for?  These are just some of the questions that I have. 
So today when they called it gave me the option to press a button to speak to someone about this.  So I pressed the button and an operator came on the line asking me if I wanted to lower my rate.  I said who is this?  What company is this? and they hung up on me so fast.  So at that moment it became my mission to now find out.  So I am hoping the next time they call I will get some place further because this is my 2nd and final offer lol!!! 

Power Trips or What?

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Thoughts

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So have you ever been at a restarunt, Mc Donald’s, check out line, or at the store for your cell carrier talking to someone younger than you and they think they know it all.  I have heard of it called the participation generation.  And it is like the 20 year olds or something that feel like they have some entitlement or something.  I just don’t get it.  There are some jobs and things that I have done that I didn’t want to do are you kidding me but I did them and worked my buns off to do my best when I was there.  I didn’t slack off and tick people off because I thought I had more power then they did.  I mean good service could lead to a better job.  Don’t people have dignity or work ethic anymore? 

Could you picture yourself locking the door at closing on someone older just to show you had power over them?  Could you tell someone no you don’t have something in stock just show power?  Why do they feel like they need to pull a power trip? 

I feel like this sometimes because when I go out and some young people have to say how even they are connected on facebook, blog, etc. then they think that they are so in the know.  Well even though I am right now just a “mom” I have not always been just a mom and I do more than that.  I have been so into the computing world and have probably facebooked before they could walk.  I think it is fun when I can tell them about some social networking thing that is new and up & coming that they don’t know about yet.  Because well they don’t know it all and that is why it is good to network, share, and meet one another.  It isn’t about being a snob.

More than just a mom???

17 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, My Story, Thoughts

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A few times just this week I have been asked the question about what I do.  And well for most that isn’t usually a hard question to answer.  But for me it for some reason is. 

When I finished school I had my share of good jobs.  I started my path in l was going to be an interior designer.  But then as I had to take some classes in computers I found I was really good at it and back then even started to help teach some of the classes because the teacher was taking night classes just to teach the class.  And I was just picking it all up fast and naturally.  So then I started to find myself in to the computing field.  I loved it.

Although later I got the chance to stay home and start a family.  So I have been a mom to two great kids.  Through the years though I have tried to do a little something for me again.  I tried to do Creative Memories scrapbooking but it was just to time consuming, took up to much space, and it cost to much to stay in as a consultant for the just little bits you sold.  Then I have done MaryKay.  I like MaryKay because it is a good product and even if I don’t want to sell to much I can just be a personal use consultant.  So this business is felxable for me and I like that.  I have also tried Advocare.  They are a good company.  I like them too just like MaryKay because I started it to be flexable and personal use but I can make it so much more if I want to.  I also found and LOVE a company called Boresha Coffee.  They are just an amazing company that is changing my life.  Their coffee and tea is a fat burning coffee.  Yes I said it is FAT BURNING COFFEE!!! I just love that I can loose fat just by having a cup of coffee.  I love it!

On top of these opportunities I also blog, am totally into social networking, and many other things.  I have so many interest like shopping, cooking, traveling, etc. that I just love that makes me well rounded.  So I think yes I am more than just a mom but it is sometimes hard to just tell someone what it is that I do and what I am.

my own words and thoughts

24 Tuesday May 2011

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, Therapy

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my own words and thoughts

It is my feeling that many of you that read my blog also have something to say, but you may not have your own forum (i.e. your own blog) to say it.

Maybe you are another blogger, and you would like to boost traffic to your own blog by bringing awareness to what it is that you blog about… or another mom that wants to bring awareness to a particular topic that you are passionate about… or maybe you would like to tell a story about one of your life’s realities that is misunderstood … or you are one that wants to just share something you feel with the general public that maybe could be educated someone about something…

…whatever it is… we all have something we would like to say, and trust me, writing about it is cheaper than therapy.

24 Tuesday May 2011

Posted by michele343 in Blogging, My Story

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Well I have finally started a blog. I should have done this ages ago. I can never say what I want to on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere because people always tell me oh I should be careful to not offend someone. Well they are my thoughts and feelings and well I thought people are suppose to get to know you and who you are. A friend of mine is starting to blog to and is being told what and how to blog. I think that is a not fair at all. No one should tell you what to do and what to say. So well I don’t tell people in my life to do that and I love my friends for who they are and I don’t ask them to EVER be someone they are not. I am who I am and love, live, and laugh. So well I just will keep on doing things I guess.

So I am a mom of 2 beautiful kids. I use to do the corprate thing but I stay at home now with the kids. It took me a while to get use to being at home but I am loving it. I stay busy. Some tell me I have a hard time staying still and not sitting down to relax. But for me that is relaxing. I love cooking, cleaning, shopping, just doing things I want to do and have to get done. I love doing things for my family and kids. When they need me I am here. I love to do small simple things for my friends and family that mean something special to them.  To care and have a big heart is me.

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