Birthday Fun!!!

We're back!!!

We had a super awesome time celebrating all the kids birthdays at Universal Studios Orlando last month!!! We were there for Halloween, and baby M turned 3 while we were there as well. It was a very relaxing (meaning no set schedule to follow) and fun extended weekend.

We had a photo finish to the airport because my new iPhone 6 (thank you Verizon Wireless for the $200 trade in, making my phone essentially free!!!) shipped 2 weeks early and was basically delivered as we were walking out the door. I am very happy it came in time though, because the camera takes really great pictures and that came in very handy while we were away!

The flight down to Florida was amazing. Boarding went smoothly, and once we were all on board we took off with no delay. That NEVER happens when you fly out of NY....

We had a late flight, so I was a little a lot nervous about the transportation situation. Thankfully the car service provided by Universal was there waiting for us, and they did have a car seat for little Miss M, so things were going way better than expected already!

We stayed at Universal Studios new on-site hotel, The Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Check-in was pretty smooth, although slightly time-consuming - although that just could have been because it was 10:30 at night, and after a long day of work/school and racing to the airport, we were all pretty beat. We got our keys and headed off to the room. This is where things started to go down-hill. Our room was in the main building, which was good, but it was far - I mean, REALLY FAR away from the main lobby and pretty much everything else in the place. We were the second to last room at the end of the longest hallway I have ever walked down. Needless to say, I was already annoyed...  When we got inside the kids were checking things out, and A noticed that the drawers weren't cleaned out. There were some receipts and loose change. Then he checked the fridge, and there was still food in it!!! I immediately called the front desk. While I was holding with them, M was horsing around on the bed. It was then that we discovered the sheets hadn't been changed!!!! Now, I was FUMING!!!! It was so late already, we were tired and cranky, and I was really hoping this was going to set a precedent for the rest of the trip.

Thankfully, it didn't. In the end, the hotel changed our room, and gave us two new adjoining rooms with a much beautiful view of the pool and a better bathroom set up. Once we were settled, things couldn't have gone better!!! The transportation from the hotel to the parks was a cinch. It is within walking distance, but since this hotel is relatively new, the walkway was not 100% completed. We didn't want to chance it with all the kids and the stroller, so we stuck with the bus. It was great! The seats were cushioned and leather, and the ride was less than 5 minutes from door to door. The bus lets you off at City Walk, so there is a little walking required to get to the actual parks, but since the weather was beautiful, no one seemed to mind.

In my opinion, this was the perfect time of year to visit. The temperature was good, a little cool Saturday and Sunday, but it sure beats sweating your behind off!!! The crowds were manageable. We didn't wait terribly long for anything except for Harry Potter Escape from Gringotts. The line for Transformers was also pretty darn long, but they gave us what they called a "birthday express pass" so poor M wouldn't have to spend her entire day waiting on line for a ride she wasn't even big enough to ride. We thought that was super awesome of them!  

We had the meal plan for this trip, and it really was worth it. For a large family like ours, we really did save quite a bit of money. We actually ended up taking some snacks home. I definitely recommend it. Our package came with two complimentary breakfast at Harry Potter, we had some quick but great lunches, and we had some pretty delicious dinners as well. Unfortunately, M's birthday dinner was our least favorite place, but live and learn. If you're down there, skip Vivo Italian Kitchen. It wasn't worth it. Food was sub-par & the service was terrible. They did take some stuff off the bill though, so at least there was that. We did the character breakfast for her that morning at Jake's in the Royal Pacific hotel, and that was a much better experience. The food was great there and the characters were awesome. M was loving it! We all had a good laugh when Gru ran around the restaurant with my cell phone while my mother-in-law was on FaceTime.

While we were away I had a bit of a breakthrough in the body image area. At the request of my husband I did bring my bikini on the trip, although I wasn't sure I would wear it. I let the kids talk me into going down to the pool even though it was only in the 60's, so I had to put it on... and I actually felt good in it!!! For the first time in almost 15 years, I put on a bathing suite and felt comfortable in it. The fact that it was a 2 piece just takes it to a whole other level. I've been working hard for that, and I'm proud of all that I've accomplished. I'm hoping by this summer I'll be even more comfortable! Small victories!!!

We really had a great time, and it was hard coming back to reality. It was nice to have the whole family together for 5 days. We don't get to do that often enough. The kids did not want to go home...

Somehow the time has slipped from Halloween to Thanksgiving and past, and now we are just 2 short weeks away from Christmas! How could this be??? Looking forward to some more family time while the kids have an extended break from school. After that, it will be Mommy & Daddy's turn for a little fun so....

Now I'm looking forward to some alone time with my man... Next up, Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend!!! Can't believe I'm running my second half marathon next month, AHHH!!!! 

More on that to follow....


Happy Monday :)

School Days

This school year has marked a lot of new beginnings for us. We now have one High School student, one Middle School student, two 4th graders and a pre-schooler!!! That's right, folks! We have at least one at every level, and yes, Baby M started school this year!!!

It is hard to believe that 3 years have gone by already, and that our baby girl is in school, but it's TRUE!!! She is going to school 3 days a week, for 3 hours a day, and so far she is loving it! She loves her teachers and has made a couple of good friends so far. We thankfully did not have any trouble with her separating from Jay at drop off right from the start. So far, so good on that front! She is enjoying learning about the days of the week and the seasons, and play centers is one of her favorite times of the day. She loves playing in the "home" center, specifically in the kitchen. The apple did not fall far from the tree with this kid!!!

As far as the boys are concerned, I wish I had better news to report. Three out of four of our boys are not doing as well as we would like at this point in time. Enter blended family BS mentioned in my last post... When there are no adults who are fluent in your native language in the house to help with homework & studying, it can be difficult to do well. My husband has tried to no avail to discuss the situation, with not one response. So what can we do from an hour away? It is breaking my heart to see them struggling, but I'm really not sure what the solution is. We both feel that our hands are tied, and it's a terrible feeling. To top it all off, they are moving... AGAIN! Thankfully not far enough that they have to change schools again, but the inconsistency and constant moving is not good for them. They need stability, and are clearly not getting it where they are. I really, truly wish the courts were set up to favor the more responsible party, which is not always the mother.


A while back I posted about R having "Ants in the Pants". Thing were slightly better over the summer, but picked right up when school started and were worsening at an alarming rate. We decided to take him to a pediatric neurologist where he was diagnosed with ADHD. So now the big question was to medicate, or not to medicate.

All summer long I tried changing his diet, modifying his sugar intake, etc. I used some essential oils as well, but nothing really seemed to help. By the time we made it to the doctor I was literally at the end of my rope. I still am really. We decided to go ahead with the meds and he was really showing signs of improvement for the first 10 days. No side effects to speak of, increased attention at school and better behavior overall at home. Then the bottom fell out. After the first week and a half he started to have what I've been told is called a rebound effect. He was showing less focus at school and his behavior at home was terrible. The doctor changed his dosage at our follow up but it was evident to me after only a few days that this was just not the right medicine for him. I immediately called the doctor and we decided to change to a different medicine. She told me not to worry, that these things take time, and sometimes it can be months before they find something that works. So, it's been about a week on medicine #2. So far so good. He is experiencing decreased appetite, which we are watching closely, but thankfully no other side effects. He is doing extremely well in school and is making much better choices at home. I am grateful for the improvement, but am only cautiously optimistic given what happened with the last one. I'm really hoping that this, in conjunction with the therapy we just started with him, will be the key we need to manage this with him.

As a parent it's difficult because of course I want him to be happy, successful and well adjusted. I am fully aware of the challenges he faces, and I understand what is going on completely. However, as a human, I'm easily frustrated by his behavior. It's hard for me to find the patience to deal with this day in and day out, but I am digging deep. Thankfully, his dad, step-dad and I are all on the same page as far as treatment and resolutions for at home behavior are concerned. We are all working well together with the school & doctors to best help him and our family get through this rough patch.

I found this article on FaceBook today about how ADD/ADHD effects relationships. I thought it was interesting. I never really thought about it from the perspective that it's something that is impacting him every. single. minute. When you look at it that way, the gravity of it really sets in. When he says he can't help himself, he really means it, and it's heartbreaking...

I try to focus on the good times, and these smiles make it easy to do! Just hoping things continue to improve from here. Please say a prayer for us!

In the meantime, we will be busy with lots of family time while Jay is on vacation next week. Looking forward to our big birthday bash trip coming up, there will be lots of pics to come!!!


Have a great weekend!

I'm Back... Again!!!!

I've been away... for a while. Sorry about that :(

Lots of things have been happening. Some good, some bad, and I haven't really had the time or the desire to write about them.

Today I decided that instead of sulking about the bad points, I'm going to share the good ones instead! Maybe I will inspire others to make a change, maybe I will even inspire myself!

Last year I made a bucket list, 20 in 40, a list of 20 things I want to do before I turn 40. You can read all bout that HERE. So far, I have accomplished only 3 things on that list:

Run a 5K
Run a Half Marathon
Get a pet - Yay, Guinness!!!!

I'm hoping to cross of one more in a couple of weeks on our family trip, which is to ride The Incredible Hulk roller coaster in Universal Studios.

I'm not sure if 3 or 4 things in a year is good or not, but I feel pretty proud of my running accomplishments for sure. I have been working hard this year to clean up my health a little bit and make myself stronger. Small changes to my diet have definitely improved my endometriosis symptoms (more on that next week) and helped me to increase my muscle mass and general physical fitness.

While I was in the process of trying to improve my general health and well being, I fell in love with Beach Body and some of their programs. I started with Shaun T's Focus T25, and then I decided to try the 21 Day Fix. The results I got were amazing! I feel stronger at 35 than I ever have in my life, and with that has come the self-confidence I have always been lacking.

Gaining strength and confidence each day has given me the desire to want to share these things with others, so  I decided a couple of months ago to become a Beach Body coach. I am really enjoying helping other people realize their own potential and achieve their fitness goals. If you are interested in any of the BB programs, you can check them out HERE, email me at DeeRoeTonesUp@gmail.com, or PM on FaceBook. These last 6 months or so have changed my life. I am now a firm believer that the body achieves what the mind believes. YOU can do ANYTHING you put your mind to, you just have to take the first step. 

The changes I made to my diet and exercise routine were small, but because I continued to make them day in and day out, I was able to run my first half marathon at the beginning of this month!!!

My official time was 2:28:33. Not bad for my first time!!! Now I can officially call myself a runner & I am ready to take on the Walt Disney World Half in January 2015!!! #RunDISNEY #WDW #WDWHalf #WDWHereICome #Runnergirl #Runnermom #ALLTHEHASHTAGS

The low points of my hiatus will be for another post, today is all about the positives! I started a new business and achieved what I consider to be one of the greatest accomplishments of my adult life (outside of my college graduation and my children, of course!). 

The moment I crossed that finish line it was an "in your face" to every bully in elementary school who called me fat, to every jerk who pushed me around and made me feel ugly and worthless.

I am having the last laugh. 

Not only am I healthy and strong, but I am teaching my children to be the same. I'm also teaching them to be compassionate and tolerant of others who may be struggling to find their own way, which is way more than their parents ever did for them.  

Next week I'll post an update on the kids & all those happenings. We've been very busy with school, birthdays and outings, among other things... Plus, we can't forget the usual blended family BS (but that's a whole separate post!!!!)...

More on those little munchkins to come :)

Happy Weekend!!! 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Office... The Story of This Week's NSV

A funny thing happened to me today on my way from my office to the main office in my building. 
I was taking my typical thrice daily walk to check my mailbox when I just so happened to catch a glimpse of something, or someone, in the display glass in the hallway. This person seemed familiar to me, although I didn't quite recognize her. She looked kinda like me, only thinner! and she had toned-ish looking legs! and a spring in her step!!! "Who could that girl be?"  

I think a lot of women deal with this, especially if you have struggled with weight issues for a long time (or you know, FOREVER). I don't see myself in the mirror the way other people see me. A lot of the time, I still see the old me. 

Don't get me wrong, in my conscious brain I know I've lost weight. I also know I look better and healthier now than I did before but... when you are overweight for a decent portion of your life, when you use food to cope with your emotions - the inner fat girl does not just politely back out the door when you tell her it's time to go. 

She hangs around, nagging at your subconscious, rearing her ugly head at you from time to time. 
I think sometimes it can be a good thing. Sometimes you need a reminder of where you came from to kick your butt in gear, and sometimes you just need to indulge - and believe me, she's there for that too!
However, sometimes she is there to mock you and play games with your head. 
Some days you just can't see past the inner fat girl in the mirror, no matter how hard you try. 

For me, today was not one of those days. For the first time in a long time I walked past that glass and caught a glimpse of what I've been working so hard for. I saw someone who looked strong and happy. It doesn't happen every day, because all you ladies know we are far too critical of ourselves and our bodies, but today I actually liked what I saw. Today I was proud of what I saw. 

Today I had a non-scale victory! 

I'm not sure I'll ever be satisfied, but I'm also not necessarily sure that's a bad thing. I think it's good to have new goals and aspirations to keep us moving forward. I'd like to see how far I can will push myself, how many things I can accomplish now that the old me never thought were possible (like beach volleyball, maybe???). 

I don't know what the future will bring, but I do know this... Today is shaping up to be a pretty good day my friends, a pretty good day indeed :)

Hooray!

So... I got this super cool email the other day telling me my little ol' blog has been nominated as a top Step-parenting Blog! How cool is that??? 
We've been so sick, I almost missed it. Thankfully that didn't happen and now I'm sharing this little tidbit with all my internet friends. Who doesn't love a good contest???
If you would like to cast a vote (or two) for little old me, please follow this link & show me some love <3 Votes can be cast one time per IP address.
http://voiceboks.com/50-step-parenting-blog-nominees/  

I'm not sure which lovely nominated me, but I am flattered BEYOND belief! The fact that anyone reads this thing makes me smile, the fact that people might actually think it's good takes it to a whole other level! I just try to share my journey, my experiences with my wacky crew & keep it real. Thanks for taking the ride with me :)

Love to all! 

5 on Friday

I haven't done a link-up in forever. My friend Cari over at Adventures of the Roberts always does this one and I thought it looked fun so I'm going to jump in this week! I'm sharing 5 bits of randomness on my second favorite day of the week :)

{ONE}

So happy for warmer weather. M was able to play on the playground during R's baseball practice the other night, so everyone was happy! Except for me, mainly because she insisted on leaving the house looking like this....

{TWO}

Beach volleyball. 
I'm playing it. 
This summer, on an actual team. 
Fo Realz.
This is scary, mainly because I'm extremely uncoordinated & tend to fall a lot... but it's guaranteed to be a good time with this motley crew. Can't wait for that debacle to begin!

{THREE}

We finally broke down and bought M a baby Anna doll since she has been doing so good with potty training. To say this girl is in love would be an understatement. Her braids have already been removed, hair is a hot mess, & she must have "AH-na", Olaf & "AH-na's" hair brush everywhere we go!

{FOUR}

Captain America comes out today!!! Can't wait to catch this one in the theater with my love! 

{FIVE}

I finally found a Quest bar I can get behind!!! I've been looking for something meal replacement-ish to have before/after I workout besides my protein shake. Jay has banished from using the Nutri-bullet in the morning, so I can't take one to work for breakfast or have one before I hit the gym on the weekends. I bought a few different flavors of the Quest bars because I've heard so much about them and how good they taste. I tried Cookies & Cream and Chocolate Brownie; I was not impressed with either. They both had that funny aftertaste that things with artificial sweetener tend to have, so I gave up for a while. Last night I remembered I had a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough left and let me tell you, that was delicious! I need to buy myself a whole case of those bad boys!!! The best part is they're gluten free too, so good for my belly :)

Have a great weekend!!!!


 

Ants in the Pants

I've been struggling a bit lately, and I hate the feeling that I am losing control over something. So I'm coming to you for help, my bloggy friends. The beautiful thing about the Internet is that there are so many people out there, and someone is bound to have a similar experience to you. I'm hoping that's the case, and someone out here in the blogoshpere can give me some guidance or maybe just a boost. 

As a parent, you always want what is best for your children. You want them to be happy and successful in everything they do. For this reason, I have always had a hard time with school. I hate not knowing if they are happy and feeling special and successful all day. I worry about them getting picked on or feeling "stupid" if they get the answer wrong in front of the class. Part of this is me projecting my insecurities from my own poor school experience, and I know that. I assume the other part just comes with being a parent and the difficulty of separating from your child.

You see, my son has ants in his pants. These ants have followed him since kindergarten, all the way to the third grade. They even make their way home with him at the end of every school day. We have been watching them closely, hoping they would hit the trail (pun intended), but so far we've had no such luck.  

So what do you do when you know your child requires a little more attention than most? How do you focus on your own responsibilities when you know your child is struggling and you can't be there or don't know how to help him? 

Our two older boys both have had their share of learning difficulties so I'm no stranger to this sort of thing, but with our little guy it's a little less black and white. He is academically quite capable, but he has a very hard time focusing. The concern is that if he continues to have this difficulty, the missing information will eventually cause him to fall behind. We have already tried manipulating sleep/wake times to improve behavior during the school day, and giving a break after school before homework to no avail. 

We are currently working with some behavioral modification programs both at school and at home, trying to focus on the positives rather than the negatives. The consensus is that if we give the power to him, he will focus longer and try harder to make things go in the direction in which he wants them to go.   

Yesterday I was a little nervous to tell him about the new system we were going to be using at home where he will be earning his TV and electronic device time by way of neatly and correctly completing all of his homework assignments. He was SO excited about the new program his teacher was using in school and how well he did with that in school, I thought it might go better than I expected - and it did, at first. Homework went off without a hitch! He made corrections without complaint, and earned almost of all of the electronics time available during his allotted after school hours. Apparently the more he thought about our arrangement the more he decided he didn't like it, because by the end of the night it was all he could talk about... and then he put his nasty pants on. Next came those dreaded words. The words no mother ever wants to hear, even when you know they don't really mean it.

 "I HATE YOU", he said. 

Then he put himself to bed. He wouldn't even say good night to me.

* SOB* 

This is hands down the hardest part of parenting. My mind knows we are doing what is best for him, but my heart wants to tell him to forget the whole thing & give him whatever he wants just so he won't be mad at me anymore. I know it was only the first day of our new systems, but I was hoping it would go a little bit better than "I hate you" right out of the gate. Cross your fingers for me that day 2 goes a little a lot better. 

Do you have a hyper or easily distracted child? How do you deal with homework? Outbursts? Has anyone tried modifying diet, and if so, did you find it to be successful in any way? I would love to know I'm not alone in this and hear some other perspectives/advice.