For anyone who lives with someone who pees standing up

If there is anyone who lives in your house who pees standing up... Then you know exactly how I feel! No matter what their age, there is going to be pee AROUND the toilet... On the floor... On the baseboard... etc. I'm not sure how one doesn't see that they are missing the target and clean it up... But I've never had to do it, so maybe it's impossible to see from that angle. Who knows! What I do know is that it stinks and is gross!

In my quest to find frugal ways to clean, I came across a pin from a mom who, like me, was looking for a way to get rid of the "boy pee potty" smell! I decided to give it a try because let's face it: It couldn't get any worse! Here are her instructions in my words:

Mix a small amount of baking soda in a bowl with lemon juice to form a paste. Spread the paste on the grossness on the floor around the toilet. Let it sit 15 minutes. Spray lightly with vinegar and watch it bubble! (This step was cool and gross all at the same time! Ickyness that you couldn't even see started coming from underneath!) Then wipe up with paper towels.

That's it! It worked! No stinky icky ring around our toilet! (At least until the next stander has to go!)

Here are some pictures I snapped... Please don't judge the grossness!!!

Our visit to our nation's capital

Trevor, Nana, and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Washington DC with the Junior Beta Club from Beechwood. We left on a charter bus packed with parents, children, and stuff and rode the nineteen hours with a few pit stops and a snow storm thrown in! As miserable as the bus ride was, and as fast paced as the trip was, it was an amazing experience! It was very humbling to be reminded of the great sacrifices made by so many unselfish individuals in order for us to have the freedoms we often take for granted. It baffles me that our government can be located in a place where every turn is a reminder of the plans our forefathers had for this great nation and the sacrifices made, yet miss the mark so severely. I hope to go back soon with the entire family so that we, along with the kids, can experience more of our nation's history!

Free to Be Me

This past year was full of ups and downs. Times of sadness, times of joy, times of disappointment and loss of trust in others. Times of complete joy with family and true friends.  As the year came to a close, I began to think about the year and the changes I've noticed in myself.

In the past few months, I've actually begun to like the person I'm becoming. Ironically the changes began with my first tattoo. It was as if until that moment I still felt the need to please others. I was still that girl brought up in the south where you are expected to look, act, and present your family in a certain way in order to be considered acceptable. With my first ink came the freedom to break away from that and begin to be the person God created me to be, rather than the person I always felt I was supposed to be to fit in. It has also helped me to get to know people rather than judging them based on their appearance.

It saddens me to look around and see how many women are trying to live up to unrealistic expectations to be approved of by people they don't even care about. That was me. It's still a struggle. Some habits are hard to break. However, I am so much happier now that I feel free to be me! I can't wait to see what God has in store for my family and me this year!

Time to get healthy!

Weight has been a struggle for me for as long as I can remember. I eat when I'm happy. I eat when I'm sad. I eat when I'm stressed. I eat when I'm calm. I love to eat! Food is yummy and let's face it... I can cook! Unfortunately, with this love of food comes unloved extra pounds.

I have decided that it's time for a change. This time, rather than dieting to get skinny, I'm going to change the foods I eat in order to get healthy. My goal is to be fit and healthy so I can keep up with my busy family and be there for them in both mind and body. I recently began reading Trim Healthy Mama, which is a little confusing right now, but I am determined to become a healthier me and this plan seems to fit my goal plus it gives biblical encouragement! Tomorrow will be day 1. I'm going to use my blog as my accountability partner. Maybe if I tell myself that I have to give a weekly update I'll actually be able to stick with it!

So here goes! My first steps to a healthier me!