Moving to Norfolk Virginia

Our San Diego dream life has come to a screeching halt. The unthinkable, yet inevitable, has happened. My husband received orders to Norfolk, Va. The one place we really didn't want to go. Of course. No offense to Norfolk, we just love where we are. Perfect location, perfect apartment, perfect everything. But hey, all things must pass right?.... Sigh. Thanks George Harrison.

So now what? First and foremost, we're trying to get excited. We're excited for Jimmy to finally start his career and he's excited to have a ship. I'm excited to finally live somewhere long enough to get a job again! (THANK GOD) Not working, isn't all its cracked up to be. And although we don't love the immediate area we'll be living in, I do like a lot of areas that are somewhat near Norfolk, so thats nice. Silver Linings.

But anyways. We're desperately searching for an apartment/house. Its so hard looking for a good place to live when you're on the other side of the country. You kind of just have to do your research and hope for the best. Otherwise you're stuck in a crappy apartment, in a crappy area. Then your husband deploys and you're alone in the crappy apartment in the ghetto and that just sucks. We've done it before and its miserable. So the search begins, we have a little less than 2 months before we get there.

Now this time lets hope all of our stuff gets there in once piece. Our last move was a disaster, we had 2 broken tables, a missing box, another box that that smelled and looked like a cat peed on it (we didn't even have our cat when we moved so we know it wasn't him!) and a hole in our toaster oven. AND jimmy lost our inventory sheet so we couldn't get any of it replaced. :(

And lastly, the drive....
Ugh. Driving cross country is fun, once, when you have all the time in the world. Not twice in a matter of 9 months. whoa is me.

Planning. Ready. Set. GO!

Things That Bother Me...

It really bothers me...

When people go about their lives in a way that is only conducive to themselves and what they want. And then get offended when others don't bend over backwards to satisfy them.

       I guess I don't like when people are selfish.

When you aren't treated with respect but are expected to give respect in return.

.double standards.

When I'm expected to be a certain way.
And I'm not.

When people think everything is about them.
Vanity.

When I'm expected to lie about how I feel.

It makes me uncomfortable.

When people act one way, but portray themselves completely differently.
Who are you?

When people shelter their children from the world, life, bills, sadness.

       You're doing your child a disservice. Let them live and learn! Otherwise they'll be a very confused, unhappy and surprised adult.

When people think you're being disrespectful for speaking your mind.

       I'm allowed to have my own opinion about my own life and speak about it.

When people get angry with myself or my husband for not saying 'Congrats', 'Happy Birthday' or giving them any other sort of praise when THEY wanted us to.

I'm sorry, but we are our own family, with our own responsibilities and schedules. Be patient and have a little faith.

When its uncomfortably hot out.
100% humidity.

When someone who is close to you try's to guilt you into things with drama or ultimatums. 

      You shouldn't have to.

When people are racist.
You are not better than anyone else.

When someone has a predetermined idea of what the 'right' thing to do is.

Maybe what's right for us, is different than whats you think is right for us.

When I can't get over something I feel like I should have gotten over a long time ago.

And its still bothers me.

When people can't be alone.

You're never lonely if you love the person that you're alone with. (yourself)

When people pretend like everything is OK even when you all know that it isn't. 

Surprising your issues won't make you forget and it won't make them go away.

People expect you to have kind words, when they did nothing to receive them.

You can't be a nasty person and expect it to all go away when you decide you don't want to be nasty any more.

When parents won't let their child grow up.

       You should have spent their entire childhood helping them grow, learn and teaching them how to be a strong, independent, well rounded person. So that when they do leave, you can be proud instead of angry.

- Someday you won't be there to hold their hand, then what? -

When people tell you to apologize for something that you have no reason to be sorry for.

.

When people have unrealistic expectations.
Dream big. Expect little.

When the laundry smells weird.
It's just gross.

When adults tell their children (who are also adults) what to do.

We are married and live on our own. Advice and suggestions are always welcome, demands are not.

When people do things just to say that they did them.

What's the point of bragging?

When someone tells me they're sorry but what they did still makes me sad.

FLEAS - How To Prevent & Get Rid Of Fleas

This seems like a strange thing to blog about but it is very near and dear to my heart. Fleas are terrible creatures and can turn you absolutely mad! Trust me. I know. They are very easy to get and next near impossible to get rid of. We recently had a flea infestation and I had a 2 month long flea genocide. But, now, I can safely say we are almost 100% flea free.


Steps To Prevent Fleas:

1.  Spend the extra money and go with a name brand flea preventative. It stinks for fork over $120 for 6 months, $240 for a year of flea treatment for 2 pets, but its worth it in the long run. Getting rid of fleas is expensive. If you're on a budget you can get 2-4 doses at a time at places like Petco and PetSmart. Also try Chewy.com or 1800petmeds.com You shouldn't need a prescription.
2. There are heartworm preventatives that also prevent fleas. Some kill fleas some just 'control' fleas. Make sure you know what you have. Ex. We use Sentinel, it helps to control fleas but it in now way would stop a flea infestation.
3. DO NOT bathe your dog/cat before applying a topical flea treatment. It works by working with the sebaceous oil glands on the dogs/cats skin and if you wash your dog, there is little to no oil left. 
4. Check reviews online and ask your vet and ask around locally. I really like Advantage II and K9Advantix. Frontline Plus worked fine for me in Illinois but in California it did nothing. The vet said fleas are most likely becoming immune to certain flea preventives in certain regions. Yay..... Next the little ass holes are gonna learn how to swim...  
5. Treat your yard once a year just to be safe. If you rent, see if they can treat your apartment at least once a year.

Steps To Get Rid Of A Flea Infestation:

1. Don't panic! This is going to take some time.
2. If your dog/cat isn't on a flea preventative see the previous list and do all 4 of those things IMMEDIATELY. 
• If your dog/cat IS on a flea preventative you may need to try a different one or apply another dose. Only apply more than 1 dose in a month if the directions say its OK! I know the directions for Advantage II say if there is an infestation you can apply a second application after 7 days. I'm sure its not great for the pets but neither is getting eaten alive especially when they have flea allergies so....pick your battles.Sometimes it takes up to 2 separate applications (so up to 2 months) to start really working.
• Keep in mind, after 2 doses or 2 months whichever comes first for you, and you still have a bad infestation, they're coming from somewhere. So really try to find the source of the fleas. It might help to try switching from Frontline Plus to Advantage II or vise versa, I also heard that alternating between the two every other month is a good idea. 
3. If you live in an apartment or rental, see if they spray the lawn for fleas and see if they can come treat your apartment. Don't be embarrassed, if you have fleas its almost certain that other people living there do to. It was free for us. 
4. Buy Capstar, the generic is Capguard and give your dog/cat one pill each day that you apply their topical. This kills live fleas on your pet for up to 24 hours but will only work if you use it with a flea preventative. This doesn't kill everything it just helps.
5. If you are treating your home yourself, buy some type of spray, bomb or powder for your carpet and follow the directions on the container. Remember they can live in cracks, carpet and floor boards, anywhere.
6. Clean. EVERYTHING! The day you give the Capstar and the topical treatment you will want to wash all of the pet bedding if its washable, if not, toss it and give them a cozy towel to sleep on until the flea problem is resolved. Wash all the rugs like bathroom and kitchen rugs, your bedding and pillows. You will continue to wash the pet bedding at least twice a week!
7. Vacuum EVERYTHING Ever.Single.Day for at least 2 weeks, probably longer! (this is the worst part) All the carpet, all of the couches, all of the cushions, under everything (even the bed) and along all of the edges, the cat tree (you may have to get rid of the cat tree if you have it, see if vacuuming works first). If you have a clear vacuum you'll probably see a lot of fleas jumping around in there. Yuck! Make sure to put it in a closed bag and remove it from your home ASAP.
8. Keep in mind the fleas will not go away immediately. The flea life cycle is at least 2 weeks and they're not all on the same schedule so you can still see live fleas for a month or two. I swear it got worse before it got better. And once the fleas couldn't live on the dog/cat anymore they started biting us, but that only lasted a day or two. That's why its important to vacuum every day so you can physically remove the bastards from your home.

DON'T
Try to save money and get the cheap preventatives (topicals, collars, whatever) to see if they'll work. Especially if you already have fleas. They won't work and you're literally throwing money away because you'll have to go back and get the good, expensive stuff.
DON'T
Wash your dog before applying a topical treatment. They need to have oil on their skin.
DON'T
expect the fleas to go away after one treatment, they can live in your home and reinvest your pets.

Work Out With Me | Tone Legs and Butt

Tone Legs and Butt

Squats, squats wonderful squats! You'll be doing each exercise for 30 seconds and then repeat the whole thing. Its really quick and you can do it anywhere! As always, whenever doing squats or lunges be mindful of your knees. Make sure your knees are never going past your toes. Thats how you get hurt.

To make it easier, don't squat as deep.
To make it harder, do deeper squats and you can add 3-5 lb weights when you squat.

Exercises:

Regular Squats
Wide Leg Squats
Cross Behind Lunges
Regular Lunges
Butt Ups
Fire Hydrants
Side Leg Lifts

Work Out With Me Friday | Sexy Summer Beach Arms

Work Out With Me Friday!

Todays workout is ARMS!!! Its super simple and can be done ANYWHERE by ANYONE!  I used to do this in my dorm room in college. We'll be doing 12 of each exercise and repeating the whole thing at least once. If you're a pro, or using lighter weights try to shoot for 3 sets!

All you need is a light set of weights preferable 3-5 lbs you can get them HERE on Amazon. BUT if you don't have weights you CAN still do the workout! You can't get off of it that easy! There are zero excuses!

If you are a beginner (never worked out before in your life) just start with using 2 cans of food such as pinto beans or pasta sauce. They range between 1 and 2 lbs per can. Just be aware that fluid ounces and regular ounces aren't always the same. Later on you can make weights (see below) or go buy a set.

How to make weights:
Find 2 empty bottles laying around your house or in the trash and fill them with dirt, sand, rocks or anything else you can find. You can add cotton balls or an old sock to the bottles so your weights don't double as maracas! Just stick them on the scale and weigh them out as you fill. :)

Work Out With Me Friday! : 6 Min Abs

Work Out With Me Friday!

6-Min 6 Pack Abs

You will need: Interval timer

• You can download the iPhone app called Interval Timer for FREE
• Use this website: Interval Timer
• Simply use a stop watch / timer and keep an eye on your time!
• OR if you have and extra $20ish laying around you can order one off of Amazon Here. 
• These are nice because they clip onto your top or pants and you don't have to think about anything. Sounds silly but, nothing makes a workout feel twice as long than constantly looking at and messing with the clock. They're great for HIIT. 
• I like the brand GymBoss because you can do smaller intervals such as 30 seconds. Some only go to down to 1 min. Read up on what you buy before you buy it!

Set your interval timer to: 

• Interval 1: High Intensity -  0:30 sec
• Interval 2: Low Intensity -  0:10 sec
• 10 sets

Do each exercise for :30 seconds, resting for :10 seconds in-between each one.

1. Slow Alternating Bicycles 
2. Plank
3. V sit
4. Mountain Climbers
5. Scissor kicks

Repeat!

Disclaimer!!! I am not a certified trainer! (obviously) I just want to share my workouts with other people. I'm trying to get into better shape and would love to help other people do the same. By posting my workouts on youtube its motivates me to stay active and add variety to my workout plan while helping me keep track of my progress.

What To Wear To PIR Lookbook

I get asked all the time "What do I wear!?" "Is it dressy or more casual?" It seems like a silly thing to worry about when you have a million other things going on. But then you realize...."Shit, I haven't seem him (or her) in 2 months I have to look good!" So I threw together a lookbook of just a couple different outfit ideas.

Youtube: Eva Taylor

Any of these looks can have a sweater, blazer or jacket and accessories added to them to spice them up! And can be modified to work a woman of ANY age!

MEN: You have it easy!
Summer
Khaki Pants, slacks, even a nice pair of shorts like golf shorts, if you can pull them off.
Polo or button down shirt
A nice pair of summer shoes. Like, boat shoes or loafers. Not your dirty beach flip flops.

Spring/Autumn
Khaki Pants, slacks or Dark Jeans
Button down shirt (sleeves rolled up or down), Polo, sweater
and a nice pair of shoes or leather boots

Winter
Khaki Pants, Dark Jeans, Corduroys
Button down short and or a sweater
and a nice pair of boots or shoes.

One thing you have to keep in mind is the weather. I grew up in the Midwest and lived in Great Lakes, IL for about 8 months. So, unfortunately, I know the weather very well. Spring is cool and rainy and green. The summers are hot and the beginning of autumn can be pretty warm too. The middle of autumn is cool, comfortable and pretty with the changing leaves, but it does get cold towards the end. Winter is cold, very, VERY cold. Like negative degrees cold. So as much as you may want to wear that cute little dress and heels, if its January, that's probably not going to happen.

If your PIR falls in the colder months you're going to want a warm coat, gloves and a hat! If you live somewhere warm, definitely look online for a winter jacket. Department stores like JcPenney, Macy's or Nordstrom usually have winter coats on their websites all year round. The one I wore was similar to a pea coat, but rather thin, so I threw a sweater on to add a layer which was useful because it was cold in there.

A few points I'd like to add.

• Dresses and skirts are perfect but don't go too short. After all it IS a ceremony and there is a lot of walking. Not to mention the bleachers. Fairly high bleachers. So unless you want a whole division of guys and gals getting a free show....I'd opt for a little bit longer.

• Jeans are OK! As long as they're NICE, dark wash jeans! American Eagle always has good prices or check out TJ MAXX. Or a nice pair of slacks or black skinny jeans would be perfect.

• Shoes! The shoes you choose are important! You know your feet and what you're comfortable with. There is a lot of walking. And keep in mind, Great Lakes has seasons! So there may be rain, snow or ice....even all 3. It happens, trust me! So bring a few options in your suitcase; some boots, flats/sandals and low heels or wedges. 

At the end of the day you know your style and what you like. The truth is that people wear anything and everything! I saw acid wash jeans and old t-shirts. I also saw fancy dresses and suits. I would shoot for somewhere in the middle of the two. Something cute and comfortable that you might wear on a first date. Or something you would wear to the office if you want to look particularly nice that day.

Don't go spending a ton of money buying an entire new outfit. Go through what you have first, you may have the perfect outfit and not even know it!

Its a long day and you have to get up super early, so above all make sure you're comfortable!