Treading Water

Hello readers I am still here and will continue to post on this wonderful blog. I have been absent due to some medical issues and set backs in my search for a fix to my chronic back pain.

 I feel like I am just treading water, not really moving anywhere at all. My days are filled with ever increasing pain and a lack of care provided by my doctors. I don't want surgery, but it seems that's were I'm headed. I am limited in what my insurance will cover and approve. And now I am not a person in pain but a medical chart / number that is being passed around as each doctor runs out of options.

So I just pray for healing and a solution to this wonderful mess that is my life right now and look to the future.

I hope to be back at my projects and tutorials soon and hope that you will all hang in there with me and continue to read!

Wordless Wednesday - Ocean

Back from camping and now I'm planning a beach trip to San Francisco.

 

 

Not Enough Hours in The Day

I don't know about you, but summer is always one of the busiest times for me. There are just not enough hours in the day. Today is a perfect example, non stop go since 9 a.m. and here I am at 11 p.m. writing this blog post. And I still have some pictures to take of my sneak peek for my 1st Instagram Sale. The weekends are no better because we are off having fun with family and friends.

The good news is that my family and I are having tons of fun! And next week and weekend we will be camping with more of our family - in-laws and cousins! Pictures to come.

I could really use some tips on how to stay a little more organized and to increase my time management so I can get more done during the day (A.k.a nap time).

 

 

If you want to follow along or see whats for sale in my Instagram sale @ thehouseofdiyshop - find me personally on Instagram @ houseofdiy.

Blogs - What do you read?

Blogs - Why do you read?

In an attempt to stay current, gain more readers, and also keep yall excited please answer the following. These apply to all the blogs you follow including mine.

Why do you read?

Do you like a more written post or picture filled post?

Are you a fan of posts that are personal stories? Tutorials? Recipes?

Do you enjoy reading long posts or short ones?

Kids related crafts and activities or things more for yourself?

Informational? Relating to the world of crafting, diy, flea marketing, etc.


I want to get my new blog calendar together so that I can get writing and create posts that I enjoy and that everyone wants to read. Without your help I can only post what I THINK you will like, shoot me a comment or message so I can write posts made just for YOU!!!!

Free Blogging Class from Blogelina

Blogging is super fun, but I know all of us struggle sometimes especially when getting started. I just found out about Blogelina.com through Bloggymoms.com.

Blogelina has great online classes and an awesome affiliate program!

 
Blogelina is once again offering her very popular 4-week blogging class — for FREE! This online class will be held in July 2013.

If you sign up for this free class, here’s what you’ll get: A class manual – packed with 60 pages of information that will help take the overwhelming out of starting your own blog 4 weekly online class sessions where you can ask your questions and get personalized feedback A FREE year of web hosting. Blueprints, step-by-step tutorials, networking with other bloggers - Everything you need to grow your blog. Save yourself a lot of time, trouble, and money – learn from my own experiences what to do and not to do. Go here to sign up for the FREE 4-week blogging class.

The Loss of a Friendship

I never thought growing up that I would loose as many friends as I did, and now as an adult I have the same thoughts. As a teen when friendships dissolved it was upsetting, but not like it is now as a woman.

In the book Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge - it explains that women are "relational creatures" It goes on to say "Most women define themselves in terms of their relationships, and the quality they deem those relationships to have" If this is so then why do women constantly hurt each other? I underlined "each other" because we ALL do it!

Not to blame Eve, but part of the consequence of Eve's decision to eat the forbidden fruit is "relational heartache". It seems that most friendships go along great and then become infected with "a virus that makes them fundamentally unavailable...even when its good its not enough."

When I read this it struck me straight to the heart, because its soooo true! My best friend and I had a falling out almost a year ago and I am still really struggling with it! She blames me, I blame me, and all I wanted was to be closer to her and re-connected in our friendship and in each others lives again...(I was a little disconnected after having my youngest).

So what now? How do I deal with the heartache, loss, and regret? Oh the regret...that's mostly what I feel now looking back. And since its been so long how do I repair it? Or is it past repair and if so how do I move past it?

On the Road to Fitness

Per the doctors suggestion and with my husbands 30th birthday party only 22 days away I am putting my diet and fitness into overtime. Currently I am doing physical therapy 1 x week (a little background info: I have been struggling with chronic back pain for the past 10 years. Since March 2012 I have been in so much pain that I decided to get to the bottom of the cause. Long story short I have two herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis in the spinal joints all in my lower back.). I go to the gym three days a week doing a very light workout.

I downloaded My Fitness Pal onto my phone. Its a great tool for tracking the foods you eat and making calorie counting super easy. My daily allowance is 1,370 calories. I am still getting used to such a reduced calorie diet...one meal at a time LOL. Trust me there are days when I go over, but I really really try my hardest to stay at my limit!

I am going to start posting about my diet, recipes, and workouts over the next few weeks. If my readers are liking it and want to continue reading then I may post about this topic long term.

For those of you like me that are dealing with back injuries, chronic back pain, and post-op back surgery patients, if you have more questions about my medical struggles please shoot me a comment or email me... I would love to hear your stories as well.

Wordless Wednesday / DIY Eye Candy

 

 

While at Barnes and Noble I checked out the magazine section and found these amazing items.

 



 

Product Links:

 

A Beautiful Mess - Fine Grains

Mel Designs

The Ruby Nest - Original Art and Dolls

Canfolk By Kristen Sunby

 

 

 

Getting Connected

I never thought starting a new blog would require so much time. I guess I never considered how much my blog and social media have grown over the past year.

I have been hard at work getting my facebook, twitter, instagram, and blog all connected. I wanted to make sure that I am following all the great blogs and the people that run them through all forms of social media.

If you stop by and I haven't posted in a couple days its because I am hard at work making this blog the best it can be.