So, I started my “getting healthy” plan this week! I am completely motivated and feeling extremely positive about this experience! Tomorrow I plan on walking the trail by our home with my son Owie. It is time to drag the ol’ exercise bike out of the garage because the end of summer is near and cooler weather continues to roll in little by little. It makes me want to buy an elliptical and set up a home gym downstairs in our basement.

Shopping for groceries last Sunday went rather well! I paid close attention to what I was buying and ate lunch before going so that I didn’t shop hungry. It made a wealth of difference!

I’m off to a good start and feeling amazing!

So even though my skin is not quite up to par as it once was (pre-baby), I have been trying all kinds of different skin products to see which is most effective in clearing up acne.

Some, dry my face out so much that I need to use lotion, which then causes my skin to get a bit oily in spots. Others don’t leave my face feeling as clean as I would like.

Which skin care products do you like to use for acne? Recommendations would be awesome!

Finally, I am 6 weeks postpartum tomorrow and will be able to travel down the path to losing weight and getting healthier.  My husband and I had recently decided that we needed to change our food/exercise lifestyle not only for ourselves but more importantly the sake of our children.

Though I have since realized that I need to feel good about myself regardless of size and a good friend really helped me realize that!

I still have not decided on whether or not I want to take diet pills. If I find an appealing product, I may just give it a try. However, I promised myself that I would try the natural path to good health first!

Now that i’m done having kids and done being pregnant I have started working on taking better care of myself.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have time to spend hours in front of the mirror primping and preening but I am coming a long way from where I was.

I have considered taking diet pills to suppress my appetite but i’m not sure if they REALLY work. Has anyone taken an appetite suppressant and do they really work? If so, what kind did you take? Did it make you feel weird? I remember taking Metabolife a long time ago and it made me feel all jittery and jumpy. I did not like the out-of-control feeling one little bit!

I FINALLY have a C-section date!  Woot!  Monday, June 30th!  How cool is that?  The fact that reality inches closer and baby Brody’s arrival within a week makes me extremely ecstatic!  I feel like i’m floating on cloud 9!

My week has been rather good.  We didn’t do a whole heck of a lot other than more baby prep, finishing up my final project for school (which I got an A on!) and spending as much snuggle time/ 1 on 1 as I can with the kids!

On Saturday, my amazing friends threw me the best darn babyshower ever!  Seriously… when one of the prizes is an aqua bra and the other is a squishy bag of fun that looks like a penis, and you laugh so hard that you cry… you know it’s a good one!  Thanks guys!  I love you all so much!  I had a rockin’ good time!  Jodi, I think we’ll need to wear our bras at the next porch party!

Today was both good and not-so-good.  It was relaxing to say the least. I sorted through baby clothes and tomorrow will wash and put them away.  Things seem to be going together nicely so far (with the preparation) and that’s awesome!  It was a little dreary and cooler today so we (husb and I) decided it would be nice to take a family nap!  We all took a 3 hour nap and felt refreshed afterward!

Husb and I are talking about experiencing some Chicago travel later on this summer. I want to visit IKEA and take the kids to the museum of science!

And finally…

This evening, I logged onto myspace and got a message from one of my best friends from high school.  She has recently been diagnosed with bone cancer and has a 40% survival rate according to her doctor.  She has 2 small children at home (ages 4 and 1).  She is not a religious person persay, but is asking for a lot of prayers.  So please, if you read this… pray for her.  She is a good person and deserves to see her children grow up!

Isn’t it amazing how each pregnancy treats your skin differently? When I was pregnant with my son, my skin was glowing and looked better when pregnant than it did when I wasn’t pregnant! When pregnant with my daughter, I suffered a few more breakouts but nothing out of the ordinary. Now, with this little one, i’m feeling like a teenager again! So, i’m constantly on the prowl to find natural acne treatments. I’m so nervous about using anything while pregnant, even Tylenol! However, I am beginning to find the merit in organic items!

What do you use on your skin? Do you like it?

Not many people know this but since I was a wee lass, I have had atrocious issues with my ears and essentially, my hearing.  As a result, the radio is louder in the car and the television is louder in the house.  Unfortunately, my hubby has sensitive ears as do my children so often times, I will turn the volume down to something that is more comfortable for them.  That is why I am greatful that there is such a thing as closed captioning. It seems that my family appreciates the lower volume, while I appreciate still being able to understand and comprehend the program. There’s nothing worse than going into a situation and *not* being able to hear what is being said. During many instances in my life, I have had small bouts of anxiety when in a situation where someone is soft spoken.

Pregnancy can be a wonderful, albeit stressful time in one’s life. Between morning sickness, emotional ups and downs and gaining weight, it all takes a toll on a woman’s body. In addition to the raging hormones, adult acne can be a problem. Women with clear skin can suddenly get pimples and a woman with problem skin can suddenly have clear skin. Our chemical make up is certainly a mystery!

I’m always trying to find a pregnancy-safe acne treatment for my skin. I’m one of those women who has acne during pregnancy. It can be embarrassing, even though it’s treatable.

Have you tried using an acne treatment while preggo? If so, what is safe to use?

When a loved one has an alcohol addiction it is great to see that there are alcohol rehab centers. Sometimes, as much as we want to save someone, we cannot begin to do it ourselves. Even many alcoholics will admit that they have a hard time doing it on their own.

If you have a friend or family member in need of help for an alcohol addiction, call your nearest hospital, Alcoholics Anonymous, or alcohol rehabilitation center for information on how you can help.

How many of you have heard of mesothelioma?

For those of you who haven’t, mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is contracted by exposure of asbestos.  It occurs in the lungs and chest cavity but also can affect the heart.

My late grandpa Orie used to work in a factory where he was subjected to harmful materials every day.  Asbestos was one of those materials.  At the age of 66 he died of lung cancer.

Cancer is a treacherous disease.  It is a disease that many people have lost someone to or at least know of someone who has died of it or had a family member die of it.

I am in full support of the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Kohmen Foundation.  Both are excellent organizations that raise awareness about cancer and raise money for cancer research.