What Goes Around, Comes Around

I absolutely love this photo of my mom. She looks so happy, like she's really enjoying life and whatever is happening the day this photo was taken.

I also love her outfit. I love how fashion makes a circle, and that I could wear those clothes today and not look like a total tool. The blouse has the simplest, yet bold, pattern on it, the skirt is such a fantastic blue, and that bag -- don't get me started on that bag.

When I was younger, my mom had saved a bunch of clothes from her younger years that she really wanted me to wear. I wore then a couple of times, but didn't like them because they weren't what was popular at the time. Like many things in life, I wish that I had enjoyed them while I could wear them. If I could fit into them now, I know that they would be the cutest outfits ever.

I wonder if she still has that shirt and skirt...

Hey, Mom?  :)

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Weight: A Little History

While I was in university, during my late teens and early twenties, I worked out almost every day at the gym doing at least 20 minutes of cardio, plus weights and a fitness class. I also went for a swim every Friday and did as many laps as I possibly could in a half hour. I was a lifeguard that taught water aerobics, and was on my feet during my shift, or swimming in the water.

I was active.

While I was in university, during my late teens and early twenties, I was fit and thin, and I didn't even know it.

 Me at the peak of my fitness days in 2005

It's like the Joni Mitchell song "Big Yellow Taxi" says: "Don't it always seem to go / That you don't know what you got / 'Til it's gone."

That's me.

The entire time, I thought I was fat. I have thought I was fat since high school, and it wasn't until I got pregnant that I actually got fat -- 45lbs of fat. I ate boxes of cookies and tubs of ice cream within a few days, and never even noticed how fat I was getting. I mean, my body gained a lot of water during the last stage of pregnancy, and I lost 25lbs within a few months after giving birth, but those extra 20lbs have stuck with me through thick and, well, thick.

The last photo of me pregnant: 32 Weeks

I think what the saddest part for me is looking back at the photographs of myself in my peak fitness days knowing that I thought I was fat. I mean, I had the flattest belly that I have ever had, and I thought that I was fat. I know that you can't look at the past and wish for things that should have been, but I really wish that I hadn't been so hard on myself and realised what a great body I actually had.

I could slap myself. I really could.

But enough with the pouting. I am now doing something about it, and I want to share my journey with you. Today I will have completed my first week of keeping a food and exercise journal, and hopefully I will have lost one pound.

My fingers are crossed.

I know that I probably will never look like I did at the peak of my fitness ever again. It honestly doesn't seem that feasible, but I guess we'll find out in the coming weeks. I'll be sharing more of my plan and how I am doing with everything as the weeks pass.

Stay tuned!

4

Thoughts: Blog Salad

Have you ever watched the television show 2 Broke Girls? It's about these two waitresses that are trying to start a cupcake business, and are saving money to be able to do that, but they never seem to catch a break. In one episode, their stove breaks down and they need to buy a new one, and in several other episodes they never even make any money. It seemed like they were getting no where...until the last episode.

I asked my husband if he thought their lucky streak would last and he said that they would find some way to mess it up -- because that's what they usually do -- but I told him that it's so hard to watch a show where nothing good ever happens and there is only struggle.

That got me thinking about all of the blog posts and thoughts out there about people being real on their blogs. Everybody is complaining about how the lives of everyone else seem so perfect, but would you like to read the blog of a Debbie Downer every day? How many people would actually visit a blog where all someone did was complain about his/her life, or only ever posted about all of the horrible things that were happening to them? No one.

There's nothing wrong with sharing pain or sorrow.

There's nothing wrong with sharing happiness either, but there needs to be some balance, doesn't there?

 courtesy of

No one wants to watch a movie where the characters are happy all the time and there is absolutely no conflict. How boring would that movie be? That's how I feel about the blogs where all people do is share DIY projects and happy little stories about their lives. Is everything truly sunshine and rainbows? Surely Positive Patty has something deep down that she wants to get off her chest, but maybe she's afraid to.

I know that people can post about whatever they want, but I also know that I don't read a lot of the blogs that I first did anymore because I no longer care about what they wear every day, or that they went on a dream vacation for the fifth time this year. Give me some struggle. Give me some thoughts. Those are the posts that suck me in, and I'm sure those are the posts that suck everyone else in too.

courtesy of 

With that being said, your blog is your blog, and you should do what you want with it -- what makes you happy -- but, please, DO NOT be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings, ever. Your voice has a right to be heard too, and sometimes it's nice to have a break between all of those outfit posts -- not just for your readers, but for you too!

My request to the people of the internet is to mix it up a bit. Let's make a delicious salad of happiness, sadness, DIYs and thoughts.

Have a happy Monday :)

2

Plant Markers: A Garden DIY

I ordered some organic heirloom herb seeds for my Mom as a Mother's Day gift, but I knew that I wanted to give her something else as well. I decided to make some little plant markers for her garden when she plants the seeds.

I used:

Wooden Plant Markers

Martha Stewart Crafts Acrylic Craft Paint in "Pond"

Water

A Paint Brush

A Stamp

Black Stamp Pad

Ebony Writing Marker

Ribbon

I first added water to the paint to make a sort of wash so that the grain in the wooden plant markers would be somewhat visible, giving them a more rustic kind of look.

I then painted the front and back of each plant marker -- I found that I wasn't too careful, and the paint ended up getting on the other side of the plant marker.

Then I carefully wrote the name of each herb on the top of the plant marker, and used a stamp with a swirly design to stamp underneath the word to add a little extra loveliness. You can always draw something by hand if you don't have a stamp that will fit, or that you want to use.

After everything was dry, I tied a small piece of ribbon around each plant marker. My Mom said that they are almost too pretty to use. Have fun making your own!

1

A Little Cell Phone Etiquette

There has been some discussion recently about allowing people to use their cell phones while watching a movie in the theatre. There are some people out there that think it should be allowed, while others, such as myself, think that cell phones should remain in movie-goers pockets.

I honestly think that there is nothing more annoying than seeing that little blue light in the theatre while someone is texting -- or tweeting or Facebooking -- or having someone answer their phone while I am trying to enjoy the movie that I paid almost $20 to see. I see going to a movie theatre as a way to escape reality and enjoy a story about another time and place, and that little blue light disrupts my connection with the characters and the screen.

I want to share with you a few more places where I think it is unfair to the people around you to use your cell phone, and I want to know what your thoughts are on texting in movie theatres -- as well as other places:

1. In church -- it's just not cool...not cool at all.
2. In a classroom -- there are people around you that are trying to learn and are distracted by you and your phone.
3. During a play -- if you think it's bad in a movie theatre, it's just poor etiquette in a real theatre.
4. While you are having diner at a restaurant -- be it with family or friends, your focus should be on them.



I hope you have a happy weekend, and a fantastic Mother's Day! See you on the flip-phone...I mean flip-side :)

0

DIY: Stenciled Wrapping Paper

At the beginning of April, I had a baby shower to go to for a woman that I have known almost all of my life. She and her sister, and me and my sister all walked to school together, and our families often did things together as well. It is an exciting time because this is her first baby, and her parents' first grand-baby -- as well as her sister's first niece or nephew.

When we were together, we usually did crafty things -- we once made shoe boxes into houses for Popsicle stick people, and it got quite detailed -- so I decided to make the wrapping paper to use to wrap up her baby gift -- for old-times sake :)

I used:

kraft paper -- or what I like to call "parcel paper"

Martha Stewart Crafts Pearl Acrylic Craft Paint in Mint Chip -- I love that colour :)

Martha Stewart Crafts Adhesive Stencils -- best invention ever!

and -- most importantly -- a small sponge brush

I set to work, putting rocks on the paper so it would stay in place and not roll-up on me, or move while I was dabbing the paper with the brush. The stencils stuck to the paper, so there was no need to use tape -- hence "best invention ever!"

I didn't really carefully plan where I was going to do the stenciling, so I will be more careful about that next time. I decided to do a staggered line for this project.

What I wasn't careful about was where the next line would go, and exactly how the staggering would continue, because the lines didn't exactly line up perfectly. I guess it was okay for this project because it was being used as wrapping paper.

Once it was dry, I wrapped the gift up and used some twine and paper circles to decorate the package. I wanted to give it a classy yet rustic look. I got the idea from this lovely post from the blog Unstitched.

It was a bit time consuming -- considering you can just walk into a store and purchase a roll of wrapping paper in a matter of minutes -- but it was also a lot of fun, and the package was gratefully received. I will definitely be doing this again!

6

Such Simplicity is Depended Upon

I first studied William Carlos Williams The Red Wheelbarrow in high school. I didn't understand it at the time, and forgot about it over the years. The other day, I was remembering a poem that I had to memorize for a class in university, and this little beauty popped into my head:

I love this poem: the simplicity; the beauty; the truth. We don't realise how the smallest and simplest of things can end up being amongst the most important, and also how looking harder and deeper at every day objects -- or people -- can help us find the beauty in them.

As you go into your weekend, I ask that you tell me about one thing -- person or object -- that you take for granted.

Happy Friday, and May the 4th be with you!

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Five More Things About Me

1. I played clarinet in my high school band.

2. I was a lifeguard throughout university. It helped me get through school debt free, and stay in shape!

3. I love Celine Dion -- always have, and always will.

4. I have never watched the movie The Notebook.

5. My all-time favourite song is Fix You from Coldplay -- I am in love with Coldplay.

 In my favourite Spring coat: Taken in 2009

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