Working It Out

So now that I started vacation, I wanted to get back to the gym. I love love loved Zumba for so long and  hadn't been in a while when I was super busy at the end of the school year. When I went back to class, I learned that my lovely instructor had left the country. Personal issues.

 There was this new woman. This new chick was bony and robotic and didn't move in the way I thought Zumba should look.  I tried to enjoy it but it just wasn't the same. I left feeling really sad.

 I had a huge urge to message my old instructor. I told her that she was really missed and that I realized why I loved Zumba so much. I found that Zumba class and through that, her, at a difficult time in my life and it made me happy. I told her how I was always happy in her class and that she changed my life. Not only by helping me to lose 15 kilos, but by giving me confidence in something I never thought I could be good at. Prior to this I wasn't active at all and she was always supportive and encouraging. I let her know that she was missed and that I wished her all the best. She replied that she was really touched by my message and I was so glad I reached out. I felt a lot better. It just goes to show you should always tell people how you feel.

Anyway there was a new class called Body Flex Fitness and it was taught by the woman who did yoga in my old gym who I really loved. Basically it's a lot like yoga, a lot of posing and stretching but it focuses more on the breathing aspect. I really enjoy it and plan to continue doing it.

I'm also tried to eat better and I'm trying to come up with healthy snacks.  Lately it's been Apple slices with a spoon of peanut butter, or Low fat cheese and tomatoes with a tiny bit of olive oil and toasted brown bread. What else? Hummus and a tortilla. I'd love any suggestions!

Make Up

This is a good representation of my go to daily look.

So I've always been a big fan of make up. Ever since I bought that pale pink lipstick for 99cents when I was 13. I've gotten more into actual application techniques this past year since I've been working and applying make up on a daily basis. I learned a few tricks that I find extremely helpful and genius.

*First, the latest thing was something I learned from my very favorite Youtube beauty guru Wayne Goss  Powder before foundation. I know! It sounds a little strange and goes against what we've always been told but it works! I use it with either foundation or BB cream ( Revlon Colorstay or Pond's Luminous finish BB cream) and it works great with both. Here's the video, but basically, after I wash my face and remove any excess eyemake up and use toner,  I apply my moisturizer, (you can also use primer) and then lightly powder my face evenly. Then I apply my foundation or BB cream. You find yourself needing less product and your make up stays put allllll day/evening. If you get any cakeyness or anything you need to use less powder. kIt's amazing, I love it.

*The second great tip is probably more well known. I always wipe my mascara wand off with a tissue before using it. I think most formulas are too wet. It doesn't clump at all this way and gives a more defined, natural lash instead of spikes or spider leg lashes. I just curl my eyelashes and then wipe off the wand and apply in a zig zag motion. You don't need to worry about wasting product because you'll never run out of mascara before it's time to toss it anyway.

*Lastly and I love this one, is to use an old felt tip liquid liner pen that has dried out as an eyeliner brush for gel eyeliner. It works so well and it's very precise. More so than the eyeliner brush I was using before hand. You can make a thick or thin line and get that crisp, sharp wing or cat eye.

If you try any of these let me know!

AAAAAAHHHH

That was a big sigh of relief not a scream by the way.

I'm finally done with the school year and I feel such a weight lifted. The end of the year celebration was a great success and the party was so much fun. I loved my outfit and I had a great time. School's out and I have so much free time now, it's amazing.

Yesterday we cleaned the garden and gave Buddy a bath. We also went to get his vaccine so he could be outside now. He whines sometimes but he's getting used to it. It's such a relief. Not having to worry about him getting into the trash or going in my room or making a mess. He's so cute though, his ears are up now and he looks like a big dog, even though he's just a baby at 3 months old.

I cleaned the apartment and made a real dinner. This past couple of weeks we've eaten a lot of take out because of how busy I was but it's good to take the time to cook and have a sit down meal together.

Today we went out with a couple of friends and had a delicious peach smoothie. Oh it was so good.  I don't know what I'll do with myself now but I'm glad to get a lot of rest and family time and actually enjoy a movie or just caring for my home.

Hoping you're all doing well :)

Oh Yes, Right. I Have A Blog

I haven't forgotten about this blog. Well, maybe just a little bit. I've just been super duper busy. My husband was here and then I've been swamped at work. Finals are upon us. I need to finish writing another exam today. I'm also working on the year end play and it is a lot of work. Rehearsals, costumes, dance numbers, it's insane, but I love it. It's going to be amazing. We had a bake sale to raise money for the show and it was a great success. Who knew you could bake 70 cupcakes and over 100 cookies in a few hours.  On top of all of this, my kids have been taking finals as well and the dog is a very bad boy. More on that later.

On today's to do list. Clean the house, write the exam, dinner (tacos), and if there's time, buy fabric for a costume.  I'm not one of those people who glorifies being busy. I don't like it. I'll be glad when the month is out, school is over and the show is done so I can be lazy again. I'm hoping to go to the beach next week. I miss swimming and I really could use a nice day at the sea.

Now about Buddy. He's about 2 months and a week old and is making me nuts at times. He refuses to go on the paper. It's no fun to find little (sometimes not so little) presents and puddles in your house. The plan was that he would be in the garden. We have a very spacious outdoor area but he has to have taken his second immunization in order to safely let him be outside where sometimes stray cats come around etc. I do not want to risk it because we had a dog before and he passed away after getting a virus because of being exposed without the proper immunization. He also is teething and likes to bite little girl's feet as they walk. Anyone have any advice?  As much as he is naughty sometimes, he's freaking adorable though.

Just thought I'd drop a post and update a little bit, hope someone's still reading. :)

A Much Better Week

Cool.

Aaah, thankfully, I can say I am having a much better week.

It may or may not have a little  a lot to do with the fact that my husband is back home. His mere presence automatically makes my life easier. The kids are better behaved and study when they are told. He fixed a bunch of little things around the house that needed fixing. It's just good to have another parent in the house. He fell in love with our new dog, and took him to get his first vaccine/vet visit. He also took my middle daughter to get her cast off. It's just a huge load off my shoulders to have some help and not feel like I'm alone in this.

I feel a lot more at ease and not angry or resentful. Whatever it is, I'm glad.

Work is good. One month to go. I teach and school is out in a month. It's my first year so it will be interesting to see how I feel over the summer. Whether I'll miss it or how I'll feel.

Tomorrow is my oldest's 16th birthday. I can't believe he is 16. He's a good kid. Loves drawing. I asked him to show his father his drawings but he wasn't too eager but I'm proud of him. I hope he will.  We'll go out to dinner and I'm making his favorite dessert. Peanut butter squares!

Hope you're all doing fine as well and hoping May is a great month for everyone :)

Stream Of Conciousness

Deep breath.

Almost there. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ok so the thing is....here's the thing.

My husband travels. A lot. He's been away for a while and he's coming home tomorrow. I am just waiting for that moment for one main reason.  It's not because I miss him. I do, but that's not the biggest reason.

It's to let him deal with the kids. I'm so burnt out on doing everything, dealing with every fight, complaint, request, doctor's visit, school issues, everything.

Several little things bugging me all together are making me angry;

The kitchen light hasn't been working for over a month. The bulb went out and when we went to change it, the screwy part stayed stuck and the glass part came out. We tried getting it out with pliers, a potato, nothing worked.

There's a side light but it's pretty weak and this is on the list of things he needs to deal with when he gets here. There's a fuse that goes out several times a day and that fuse happens to also control the building's water pump so we have to keep on top of it if it switches off.

The garden area outside is a huge mess because the stupid workers upstairs keep dropping cement and other crap on our floor and some toddler upstairs throws his toys and other crap out of the balcony on to our area. Yesterday he threw the potty smashing it into red plastic pieces. That did give me a chuckle though. The thought of this kid like, "I'm not going in the potty. I got your potty right here!, Here's your potty!" Smash.

Buddy, our puppy, needs to be house trained like yesterday. I'm constantly cleaning up pee and poo and it's bad enough with kids making messes but dog shit? He just isn't going on the paper. I need to get him into the garden and set up a shaded shelter area but the garden is like over 200 square meters and I need to get it cleaned up and he needs to get his vaccine before he can be outside anyway.

Money is really tight right now. The puppy isn't even paid for, the woman was kind enough to wait until I get paid next week. Same with the vaccine. It's next week. You never really appreciate every dollar or pound until you have very little and have to scrimp and save. And the kids are not being understanding and just whine because they don't want what's for dinner. So done with all of this.

The other day when I posted my last rant, after that I went for a long walk to buy something and walked a bit around town just to get away from the kids and their bickering and right this minute one of them is whining about something and I just want to flee.

I wasn't always this way. It's the added stress of work and being on my own. I hate that I'm having a hard time so much because it just shows me how bad I would be at being on my own and that makes me feel trapped. I think of leaving all the time but it's just not that simple.

Bratty Teens

I am so pissed off right now. My kids are ungrateful brats and I can't take another minute of it. What is it with this age? So fucking selfish! All they think about is themselves, it's pathetic!

I am working with a VERY limited budget right now and I'm trying to make meals that they will enjoy and won't cost much. I have off today so I had time to make a nice-ish dinner.

I went down the street to buy some groceries. No help offered from the kid bouncing his ball on the wall outside. Right now he's supposed to man up and do these kinds of errands. He's almost 16 and I had to ask him to take the bags from me when I got back and he was still bouncing the damn ball.

I ask my second oldest to help me put the food away and get dinner started and she protests. "Why me? Why can't someone else? When they help, I'll help."  Ugh forget it. I'll do it myself. The other two, one was asleep and the other was just hanging out in her room.

I get dinner cooked. I made rice, kofta, salad and fried cauliflower. They did say thanks for dinner. I finished eating and asked them to clear the table when they were done.

One by one, each of them start getting up and don't clear the table.  I ask #2 and she gives me the tried and true, "Why should I? they didn't" I call the boy from his room and he takes two things into the kitchen after I have to ask again.  I call back #2 to tell her, ok, he started, take a couple of things off the table. Nope, she claims the other two need to help as well. I told her, they will...one is still eating and the other has a cast on her leg. She has no sympathy and thinks it's unfair that her sister can't do a lot of things. She insists that she will put away only 2 items just like her brother did....no more.

I lose it. I don't understand why can't everyone just help out when help is needed!! What the hell is so hard about that?! I am so sick of this crap, it's not fair. I should have more help from them and I am constantly talking about helping each other. Instead they tell me what other kids' mothers do and how they don't have to help out. It really makes me angry and sad as well. I have really had enough.