Hi, my name is Negative Nancy

Have you ever just felt like you're spread way too thin to actually give your best at anything? Well, right now that is exactly how I feel. In every single area in my life I feel like I am completely slacking. I feel like I am drowning in life's responsibilties, and I don't see anything changing for a while. It is driving me crazy, and I am afraid I am driving everyone around me crazy. I try to always be positive and upbeat, but here lately I can see a negative difference in my attitude. First step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, right?!

Everyday, I have all these wonderful initentions to get this or that done. And I always find myself stressed to the max, and by the time I get home from a 14 to 15 hour shift I don't want to do anything except get in my pjs and catch up on the latest raunchy reality tv. And if I do anything it's only half ass. My house is constantly a wreck which stresses me out THAT much more! It also seems like my bitch switch is being flipped more and more. I have got to get things under control, but I don't even know where to start. Right now, I can't really drop hours from work because I am trying to get through school without borrowing a penny. Do you know how much school costs!? It is absolutely insane. Oh and did I mention school starts back next Tuesday?! Lord help me! I will be writing on average 3-5 papers a week for this class. Thankfully it is only 4 weeks long, but I have a feeling that those 4 weeks are going to drag out.

This post wasn't an invitation to a pity party, but to try and get some advice! How do you handle your busy schedule? Any stress reliever ideas?

Send a prayer up for me or send some positive vibes on down to Bama so that maybe I can stop stressing out and start enjoying life before it passes by.

Happy Hump Day!

xoxo, Blondie 

2+1=3

Contrary to the title of this post I didn't come here to do math, but to announce that my sister's family grew over the weekend! Instead of just her and Christian there is a new baby boy in town, Noah Finley. He was born Sunday, May 19 at 10:28 AM. He weighs 8lbs 6oz and 20in long. He has a head full of hair and has already proven to be a tough cookie beause he is black and blue in the face from trying to get out of the birth canal. He kept wanting to try and push his way through with his arms and it looks like he beat himself up.

Sweet Noah



You can see his bruising and swelling in this picture



Not real sure what to think of little brother



Over the past couple of weeks we have been preparing for this little bundle of joy. Day in and day out excited with anticipation of his arrival..never knowing when it would be. It actually worked out best that he decided to surprise yesterday. We all were off work so we didn't have to scramble around like crazy. Christian went with our dad and we all made our way to the hospital. When we got there Molly around 8:30 AM she was already at 8 and within just a few minutes made her way to 9 and her water broke. She decided to go ahead and get a spinal tap to ease some of the pain. By 10:28 AM, Noah Finley had arrived! It was quick and rather easy for Molly this time around. Much different than Christian's birth. We all were ecstatic, and I got in all kinds of baby snuggles yesterday. I may or not have been called a baby hog at least ten times.



Lele loves him so much already!!

Lastly, this weekend I also recieved a special delivery! Finally, I got my first BRADY BAND!! I was so excited, y'all! I was actually a little doubtful that it would not slip even though I have read countless of reviews saying they don't. I am here to tell you that they REALLY DO NOT SLIP! I have very fine, thin hair and it holds perfectly! I even slept in it and it didn't even budge! I am definitely hooked!

I hope you had a spectacular weekend! Tell me all about it :)

xoxo, Blondie

Herbal Cleanse Update & a Whole Bunch of Crazy

Well, I have made it through 4 days & on my 5th day and I haven't died yet..so I would call that a win. I have been doing really well with my eating game, but I have exercised a total of zero times. I am completely fine at my office job when it comes to food because there are NO temptations whatsoever. 2 minutes into work at the Dairy Delight and I am already salvating at the thought of a caramel sundae, strawberry milkshake, hotfudge cake, or anything else that has a morsel of sugar in it. I still feel very energized and much more alert than before. I don't really think it has much to do with the actual herbal cleanse product as it does with eating clean, dropping sugar, and chugging down over a gallon of water a day.

My go to snack right now...edamame

Last Thursday night my best friend, Ash, had her pinning from nursing school at Wallace State. I could not be more proud of her! She has worked so hard and long for this. She truly has a heart for this profession, and will be the best nurse I know.



This week has been uber crazy and stressful. Like literally one of the MOST stressful weeks I have ever had. As of yesterday I have worked 51 hours since Monday and I still have 15 more to go today. I am feeling pretty overwhelmed in every aspect of my life, and it is starting to show. I am usually a really sweet, bubbly person. Right now I am constantly ill & grouchy (so not like me). I am not being able to sleep at night. This past week I may have gotten 11 hours of sleep altogether. Oh & I can't have sugar right now with the cleanse...it's shark week...need I say more. I am on the crazy train right now and I am looking for the exit. I am actually off work tomorrow with no plans whatsoever for the first time in a VERY long time. I plan on sleeping in and just enjoying my day with Tyler.

I am a sucker for cute pjs..too bad they don't help me sleep!

 

Any tips on sleeping better at night? Any fun, relaxing outdoor ideas for Ty and me to do tomorrow?

 

TGIF!

xoxo, Blondie



Advocare Herbal Cleanse

Hello Blogfam! Sorry, I was MIA Friday & Monday, I have worked a total of 45 hours between the office and the Dairy Delight just since Friday & it is only 7 AM on Tuesday ...so life has been pretty hectic. I am ready for a break! Although this weekend I did get to go bowling Friday night after work & Saturday afternoon I got a pedicure with my momma & I went to a wedding with my sister.

 

Building Chicken Boxes all day long

2 strikes in a row!!

Pedicure with my mommy

Nat & I at the wedding

Somehow I convinced Tyler of getting off the couch he was laying on to take my heels off ;)

 

If you follow me on Instagram (@blondietellsall) then you already know I started the Advocare Herbal Cleanse yesterday. (I will be posting my results at the end of 10 days! It went really well. I was really surprised by that because I have such a SWEET TOOTH. I literally couldn't tell you the last day that went by that I didn't eat some kind of sweet. Well, yesterday I broke up with sugar...don't worry it's only temporary, but next time when we get back together we will only be seeing each other occasionally. I had developed an extremely unhealthy relationship with sugar and sweets. I craved something sweet last night, but I grabbed apples instead and was sorta satisfied. I am not going to lie...there is a bag of mini snickers in my pantry that I want to devour, but I am the kind of person if I spend money on something than I am going to do the best I can.

For Breakfast I had the bearable Fiber Drink that comes with your cleanse and a banana & kiwi.. I am not going to lie I had to choke that shit down at some points. I chose the peaches & cream flavor over the citrus flavor for the fiber drink. I had a turkey salad for lunch with another kiwi. For snacking I ate some apples with natural peanut butter (I am usually a caramel kind of girl), strawberries, and some pickles. For supper I had a turkey burger with spinach, tomato, and grilled onions on a whole grain bun & I had paired with some pickles and strawberries.

Overall, on my first day I would say I felt pretty great. I really did feel more energized and less letarghic by the end of the day. After working 14 plus hours on Monday I still felt like I had energy when usually all I want to do is crash. I would say that is a win.

How was your weekend?! Ever done the cleanse...give me some tips and tricks!

HAPPY TUESDAY!!

xoxo, Blondie

Finish the Sentence Link Up!

Sorry, I was MIA yesterday, but I am back in full force on this fab Friday!

I am linking up with the awesome Holly & Jake!

Unlike my siblings (that I love very much)...you will not catch me in a pair of Converse anymore...I may or may not have went through a phase in high school (when I thought I was the shit...bless my heart) where I wore black converse with everything. I also may or may not have gotten that inspiration from Avril Lavigne. Everyone has that weird punk stage, right?

My best friend says...that I give out some of the best advice..unfortunately, no one usually ever follows through with that advice

People call me...Leah, LeLe, Leetus, Letard and the list goes on and on

I most often dream...about what my future is going to be like...so far I see palm trees, fruity drinks, and a blue ocean

The best part of my day...is when I take my bra off. Can I get an AMEN?!

I really don't understand...why I can't just make a living out of watching TV

I get really annoyed...when someone leaves an empty toilet paper roll instead of putting a new one up and at stupid ass drivers....both of these will put from calm to bat shit crazy in 1.3 seconds!

There's nothing like a...fresh mani/pedi, a shopping spree (with someone else's money), and some frozen yogurt.

Lately, I can't get enough..SALT on EVERYTHING. That is probably why I am a bloated like a beached whale

One thing I am NOT is...TALL. I may rock some heels and appear to have some height, but I am only 5 foot 2 on a really good day

I spent too much money on...MYSELF! What can I say I work hard and I like to spoil myself.

I want to learn...how to play the guitar. Heck, I would be happy if Tyler learned how to play the guitar. A few years ago he begged for one for his birthday. So I bought him one thinking about how sexy he would be playing it. He can play one song and let's just say Mary had a Little Lamb isn't really a
panty dropper.

If I ever met _______, I would... LUKE BRYAN...shake it ALL night long for him

Never have I ever...had my eyebrows waxed, nor have I tweezed them. I have always wanted to, but I am a big tit and immensely afraid it would rip them all out

Reese Witherspoon...will always be Elle Woods to me...oh and an American Citizen!

Happy Friday, my loves!
xoxo, Blondie

Take me out to the ballgame

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday. I am actually at home on my couch not feeling well at all. I was OVERWHELMED by all the traffic, comments, and new followers on Instagram thanks to the shoutout from the FAB Holly! So THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

 

 

Yesterday afternoon, at the last minute, Jan and me decided to hit up the minor league baseball team game in Huntsville. We didn't really know what to expect, but ended up having an absolute blast. Unfortunately, the Stars ended up losing terribly, but we didn't let it rain our parade.
 

 

Yum! Boiled Peanuts

Did I mention it was 2 dolla beer Tuesday?!

 

 

I will be back tomorrow linking up with this girl and this guy! 

 

xoxo, Blondie

A new beginning

For those that are coming over from Holly's blog thanks for popping over and checking me out! If you like what you see please click on the Follow on Bloglovin button.

You know when enough is enough?! Well I hit that point last week after shit hit the fan when I binged out. I decided I was going to clean out all the crap food in my house and start from scratch. Last Thursday I got rid of tons and tons of food when I cleaned out my fridge and freezer. I was tired of being tempted by those evil ice cream sandwiches, homestyle yeast rolls, and pizza rolls.

Trying to do my part in cleaning out the fridge by drinking beer

 

I have learned through trial and error that best way to stick to a plan is to actually make a plan. Yeah, you would think that would be obvious, but sometimes I like to take the lazy route. That's probably how I became a chubster anyways. I decided I was going to start planning EVERYTHING out. I am not real sure why I have never been real good at planning out food since I am pretty much OCD about planning everything else in my life.

I set out a game plan and headed to WalMart, my least favorite place in the world. I live in a small town and that is our only option unless you want to go to the redneck carnival known as Foodland. Seriously, that place is crawling with people who look like Joe Dirt's twin brother. I bought all kinds of fruits, veggies, and stuff to make my own salad. I am now ready to tackle the rest of the week in the food department!

One of my WalMart finds...not too bad

 

I am excited I finally have my shit back together just in time for bikini season. Speaking of bikinis I recieved the two that I ordered from Victoria's Secret this past weekend. And I don't completely hate what I look like in them. Maybe I will get pictures in them soon?!

I hope y'all have a wonderful Tuesday!

xoxo, Blondie

Manic Monday

I am linking up today with Sami to clue y'all in on all the fun things I did this weekend. This weekend was full of work, a birthday shindig, and a baby shower.

Friday night I was at the Dairy Delight slaving away. Afterwards, I had made plans to have a couple girlfriends over to hang out. When I got home, I was surprised to see Tyler and about 7 of his friends over. Apparently their plans to go out had fallen through and everyone just came to our house. It was our friend, Erik's, birthday. We all hung out and had a great time.

Saturday we had the baby shower for Molly and Noah Finley. She recieved a ton of great stuff and we all had a fantastic time. We got to spend time with our extended family and some close friends, which is always wonderful. Afterwards, I went home and crashed with Tyler. We both slept on and off the rest of the afternoon into the evening because it was raining like crazy.

One of my fave ladies in the world, Aimee



My sweet, sweet family

Sunday, I worked all day and came home to straighten up and get ready for the new week.

Tell me about your weekend! Anything fun and exciting happen?

xoxo, Blondie

It's Friday Y'all!

It's my favorite day of the week again! Today I am linking up for the first time with The Vintage Modern Wife & Scissors and a Whisk

HAPPIES:

1. I had all of last weekend off when we went to Tunica...I seriously CANNOT remember the last time I had 2 days off in a week.

2. I got to spend some time with some girlfriends on Tuesday night that I hadn't seen in about a while

Karlie, Lacy, and me!

3. Last night was the last class of lectures for the semester

Beyond bored in class

4. Tomorrow is my sister's baby shower for sweet Noah

5. I rediscovered Diet Green Tea! 

CRAPPIES:

1. I have to study it up all this weekend 

2. I am feeling a little bit of a head cold coming on

That's all I have for you today! I hope y'all a wonderful weekend!

Catch up with you on Monday

xoxo, Blondie

Thursday Dogsday #1

Since I am so obsessed with cute dog pictures I am going to start posting my favorites I see throughout the week on Thursdays. Be prepared for cuteness overload!

Yes, yes you are!

Just a swingin

Now hand me a beer and the remote

Of course!

Have a great Friday-Eve!

xoxo, Blondie 

Weigh in Wednesday & a Confession

I am going to be pretty honest. I have never necessarily been what you would consider fat, but I have been uncomfortable with my body time and time again. Honestly, I think all women feel that way at some point. The highest I have been at one point was right around the 140 mark, and while that doesn't sound like a very outrageous number when you are 5 foot 2 it definitely makes you look like Chubby McChubster. I was miserable, and the sad thing is that I didn't even know it until I began losing weight. I didn't realize I had gained nearly 30 pounds. I literally thought, "Damn, they are making pants smaller than they use to." Can you say straight up denial?! It wasn't until a life changing thing happened (that I am not ready to share just yet) caused me to reevaluate myself. I looked in the mirror and was unhappy. I was unhappy with my body and that unhappiness had began to spill over into other areas in my life. I am normally a very peppy and bubbly person, and had become a person who didn't want anything to do with anything. I couldn't even believe that I was at that point. I knew I ate like crazy and never moved a muscle & I knew that I wasn't who I usually was but blamed it on other things. I never realized until that moment that it was taking a toll on me, on my figure, on my self esteem, and even on the ones I cared about the most. I chose right there in that moment to make a difference. At first, I am not real sure how it happened weight just started coming off. That was in August of 2011. By January I had got down to about 125 pounds and joined a gym. I was feeling good and looking good. I can remember the first time I went to the gym and they measured and weighed me thinking in my head there was no way I could get even smaller. I started exercising and soon it became an obsession. I started the journey at 142 and was a size 8 I got down to 115 & was a size 2. I was looking and feeling better about myself more than I ever have in my entire life. I wore that bikini last summer and could confidently say for the first time ever I wasn't self-conscious. I felt great. And then life slowly started creeping on me. I became busier and busier. School started, working two jobs, trying to balance a social life, housework, and trying to keep my fiance happy...it all became overwhelming so I started pushing fitness to the side. I started slacking and for a while that was fine. It didn't matter I was still skinny. But slowly and surely the weight started creeping back on. And the tummy started getting flabby again, my pants are tighter, my face started getting fat. I seriously can gain 1 pound and it shows straight in my face, what is up with that?! Then, my biggest downfall is my diet. Y'all I am a sweets girl. I love them all! Oh and did I mention Tyler's family owns Milner's Dairy Delight...as in I have total access to FREE icecream ALL THE TIME. Not good for this girl who has the biggest sweet tooth in the South. I am also a late night binger. I have never, ever, ever shared that with anyone. I control myself to do it when no one is looking, late at night so that no one can hold me accountable. Tyler works nights some during the week, and it is so easy for me to eat as much as I want and think that I am getting away with it. It is sick...I can sit there full and miserable and still reach for more. As in last night sitting on my couch I had already ate a corn dog and some veggies for supper. Well, later that night around 11:30 I decided I was hungry (I wasn't hungry I was bored) and went to McDonald's...I ordered a Chicken Bacon McWrap, Large Fry, Large Coke, and 4 cookies. I ate it ALL. I went to bed miserable and hating myself for inhaling all that. I woke up this morning even more miserable with myself and feeling bloated to hell and back. I also woke up this morning knowing that I need to get back on track, QUICK! I am not sure what my weight is right now. I am going to the gym tonight and will be taking a picture of the scale. I know it will not read what I want it to say. It is time I get my hiney into gear.   So with saying that I am jumping on board with the #4MChallenge to try and tone this body up and shed some pounds. I will be doing the Ripped In 30 DVD. I will also be doing this ab challenge everyday & running a couple times a week.

Some chubby & skinny pictures. For the life of me I could not find a chubby picture in a bathing suit..hmm surprise, surprise!

Fat Face

 



Easter 2011 busting out of size 8s



Summer 2012...the only summer I have been confident

Memorial Day 2012

June 2012

Cotton Row 5k in 90 degree temps



October 2012 in size 2 dress

Now that I have shared some of my journey, please share some tips and recipes with me :)

Happy Hump Day lady friends!

xoxo, Blondie

Weekend Getaway

Like I metioned last week we went to Tunica this past weekend. We always have a blast! I don't go to win money, I go for the free beer :)

We left Friday afternoon and made it to the hotel around 10. When we checked in they had our reservations under another man's name even though I had our printed confirmation with our names on it. No biggie, the nice man just cancelled that and rebooked us a room (or so we thought, more on that later) We got in the room, threw some makeup on, and headed out to the casino floor.

While Tyler was busy losing his money on the blackjack table; I was playing the penny slots, drinking beer, and people watching. Now, Tunica is NO Las Vegas, but there are some strange characters wandering around...there is the 87 year old grandmother with her fanny pack stuffed with dolla dolla bills, the guy who seriousy looked like he was 12, the men who thought they were "gangsta", and then there were the "in the middle of a mid-life crisis" drunk ladies.

I found this hat in the gift shop. I should have bought it and stolen the fanny pack off of a granny!

Saturday we decided to make the most of our trip, and head over to Memphis for lunch. We decided to eat at Rendezvous. I am not going to lie, it was a HUGE dissapointment. Everyone, and I mean, EVERYONE we asked said to go there. All 4 of us were really dissapointed in the food, but the atmosphere was great. I loved the electic collection all over the walls. We headed back to the hotel to relax a little before heading back out to the casino.

We went out Saturday night..Tyler hoping to win some money back and me hoping to get a free buzz. Mission accomplished...for me! We decided we would eat at the Paula Dean's buffet on the upper floor of the casino. Y'all I am NOT a buffet kind of person, but you can't pass up Paula Dean. Everything was delish! It was seafood night, so we filled up on oysters and crab legs! We decided we needed a nap after rolling ourselves out of there. About 1AM we went back for Tyler to lose EVEN more money...bless his heart. I would keep telling him "walk away, just walk away..you're up right now" but he just wouldn't listen and wouldn't stop until his chips were gone.

We LOVE butter, y'all!!!

Wasting pennies and wasting away

 

Sunday we got up, checked out, and headed home.

Yesterday, I was checking my bank account online, and it turns out that mistake checking in was never really fixed. My card was charged nearly $500 for this other man's stay. This girl right here was PISSED. I called and spoke to a lady trying to get my money back, but she wasn't any help. I asked to speak to a manager and after being on the phone with them for 2 hours I think everything is finally situated..It should all be cleared out by the end of the week. It was such a headache having to deal with all of this that they ended up giving us a free weekend so I am sure we will be heading back soon!

Sorry, I know this was a LONG post. If you have made it this far, thanks for sticking it out! :)

xoxo, Blondie