Wordless {Wordful} Wednesday - - Beer {Adult Beverage} of the Week

In lieu of the new Harry Potter theme park opening, I decided to go with a drink that doesn't quite exist. I give you Butterbeer! I went surfing around the internet and have decided on the recipe that sounded closest to the version of Butterbeer in my head. My twist? Add 2 ounces of Rum to the mixture in the end.... I'm not a dark rum kind of girl but use what you like!

From Delightful Delicacies:

2 cups cream soda (or apple cider or ginger beer if you have it, lucky dog)
1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Place cream soda (or apple cider) in a microwave safe mug and heat on high for about 3 minutes, or until very hot. While it's heating, mix together the vanilla ice cream, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

When the soda is hot, pour into a blender, add ice cream mixture, and pulse on high for about 5 seconds. Pour into individual (warmed) mugs, and sprinkle a dash of nutmeg on top.

I would personally leave the nutmeg off simply because it can be overpowering, unless of course you mix it in! I would opt for a cinnamon garnish instead.

I think this recipe sounds divine! When I think of Butterbeer I think of the warmth a butterscotch candy can leave as it melts down my throat. The coating is the kicker. I recently read a review of the new theme park's restaurant, The Three Broomsticks, and the author compared Butterbeer to yellow cake batter. I believe she nailed it.

Once the weather cools off, I'm in Florida so around November, I'm going to give this recipe a go. With the rum of course! Enjoy.

5 Minutes For Mom * Seven Clown Circus * Live and Love...Out Loud

Why haven't you entered my Sunglass Warehouse giveaway yet? Get on it!

Post-It Note Tuesday - - I LOST!

Remember THIS post from last week? Well, the results from the poll are in!

You know you wanna win a pair of sunglasses, completely YOUR choice!! Visit my giveaway.

A Review and Giveaway - - SUNGLASSES!

Have you ever heard of Sunglass Warehouse? What a selection of sunglasses they have going on. They have it all! Women's, men's and kid's!

Do you have trouble finding just the right pair for your face shape or skin tone? Let them help take the guess work out of it for you!

I took it upon myself to contact Sunglass Warehouse and expressed my interest in reviewing a pair and hosting a giveaway. I heard back from them within the hour! I got me a pair of Coach knock-offs:

I'm the queen of spending about $10 on sunglasses, leaving them to bake in my heat exhausted by the Florida temperatures of a car, and needing a new pair within the same week. What a waste! When I got my new sunglasses in the mail, the first thing I noticed was how durable they felt. The value of these glasses is just under $20 and really folks, they're going to last. For me, that's a plus. And hello? How cute are they? Check 'em out from the side:

You want a pair, don't you? I'm hosting a giveaway for a pair of sunglasses of your choice! Here's how to enter:

• Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
• Sign up to receive my posts right in your email (1 entry)
• Tell me which pair of sunglasses you love the most at Sunglass Warehouse (1 entry) 
• Post my button on your blog and leave me the link (2 entries)
• Post my blog in your blogroll and leave me the link (2 entries)
• Follow me on Twitter (@LotsOSpermies) (1 entry)
• Tweet "Sunglass Giveaway @LotsOSpermies" and post the giveaway link (2 entries)
• "Like" my Facebook fanpage (1 entry)
• Follow Sunglass Warehouse on Twitter (@sunglasswarehse) (1 entry)
• "Like" Sunglass Warehouse on Facebook (1 entry)
• Share Sunglass Warehouse's current blog post on Twitter or Facebook (1 entry)

That's plenty of opportunity y'all so get on it! Leave me a separate comment for each entry or it will not count. This giveaway ends on Monday, July 5th at Midnight, EST, and is open to all residents of the U.S. and Canada.

Disclosure: I was presented with a pair of sunglasses by Sunglass Warehouse for the purpose of publishing my opinion on this blog. 

Friday Fatties - - One Pound Down, I'll Take It!!

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Want more info on Friday Fatties? Visit the first ever post!

Hey chicas!! I weighed in this morning. I'll admit, I didn't expect to see any loss. I thought if anything, I'd be up a pound because I could totally feel the bloat when my foot stepped on. Mental note: EXTRA water today! I was down a pound! I'll take any loss as a good sign.

So, did I meet my goals? I didn't do very good this week at all! I'm kicking myself for it.

1- Work out a minimum of four times I fucking suck at this. I used to be the workout queen. I worked out exactly once. I would like to throw out there though that we went bowling like mofos on Father's Day (Best ever score of 144!!) and that felt like a workout. Also, the hubs and I took the baby out last weekend and did our grocery shopping and some other errands where we walked like crazy people for like four hours. Does that count? I didn't think so. WORKOUT to me means actual exercise that I set out to do and actually follow through on. This is a FAIL on my end, again!
2- Lose 2 pounds FAIL, due to the above!

3- Focus on a body part that I love rather than bitch and moan about one that I hate Ummmm, I had a couple of really great hair days this week? Okay, FAIL!

Do I want to lose this weight or not? What is standing in my way? It's not completely the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.... Sorry, I know this is serious.

I have 26 pounds to go, 21 until I'll feel a lot more comfortable with myself, 11 until I reach my short-term goal of losing that 15 pounds I need to avoid being put on thyroid medication. I need to get my ass into gear! This is just stupid!!

Goals for this week:

1- Work out a minimum of four times
2- Lost 2 pounds
3- Work on my posture, it really sucks. So I guess that means more ab work to strengthen the front so the back doesn't automatically want to slouch.

I need to be positive, positive, positive....

Where are you at? Have you met your goals? Are you lurking in the shadows? Don't be shy.... This is a judgment free zone, always will be! Link up:

Come back on Monday! I'm hosting a wicked cool giveaway for a pair of sunglasses of your choice! Intrigued.... I thought so. Have a great weekend all and stay hydrated, it's freaking hot out there!

Writer's Workshop - - Dear Kraft Macaroni and Cheese...

Mama Kat probably wasn't expecting the letter to follow when she tossed out this prompt: Write a letter to whatever is stopping you from losing the extra weight you’d like to lose. Of course, this is my twist on the prompt. I actually cannot believe I'm going public with this shit (literally), my husband will be laughing his ass off when he reads this.....

Dearest Kraft Macaroni and Cheese,

You're a biznitch! Your oh so deliciousness has stood in my way of losing this extra weight I have in my middle region. For years. Fucker.

Remember, oh I don't know, say six years ago when I was an avid runner back in Colorado? Just about everyday I hit that trail full speed ahead right near my apartment. This one day in particular, I remembered there was some of you left over in the refrigerator. I didn't want to go for my run on an empty stomach. So I consumed you and you were fucktastic! Then I took off for my run...

I remember my stride being particularly great on this brisk autumn Colorado evening. I made it to my destination without falter. Then I turned around and started to make my way home. That's when I started to get a little rumbley in my tumbley. I still had at least a mile until I made it back home. The gurgles became louder and stronger and then the cramps started to settle in...

At this point on the trail, I was on a path but still in the middle of a field. There were homes surrounding it, yet they were a bit in the distance. My stride took a backseat at this point and I settled for speed walking (without the goofy arm movements thankyouverymuch!).

That's when the rumbley-tumbley turned gurgling acids in the stomach into, I totally have to drop trou here and now, I'll never make it, I shouldn't have eaten that God forsaken macaroni and cheese with all it's processed goodness.

I looked around. Was anyone out on their decks on this cool evening? The fuck if I cared! I side stepped off the path and made it to the babbling brook. Had anyone a pair of binoculars in their possession at that moment, they were going to experience something quite special. Yes, I looked out for poison ivy (punks), but then I lowered the clothing to expose my nether regions and continued to explode, quite literally.

No leaves in sight, I had to pull the pants back up. There was no way I was gonna use my hands, Middle East style is it? The walk back was excruciatingly uncomfortable and un-smell-a-rific. But I made it. The hubs had made it home by this point. The kids were staying at my mother-in-law's house.

Now I had to explain to the husband, in all his doucheness, why I was climbing into the shower with my clothes and shoes still intact. It was mortifying. I can still hear his laughter ringing in my ears to this day. Why? Because he never let me forget it.

So, Kraft Macaroni n cheese, it's all your fault that I run no longer. Forget the side stitches and the lack of being able to breathe like a normal human being whilst said running is taking place. Oh no! It's the way you didn't want to sit in my gut until my being able to make it to the proper toilet facilities to relieve of you. Bastard!

I've sucked it up and decided to continue eating you, with an ear to ear grin every time, rather than sticking with the healthy, unprocessed food route. Jerk face!

Yours Truly,
Shitters on the Trail

Wordless {Wordful} Wednesday - - Beer {Adult Beverage} of the Week

This week's drink is a no brainer! Summer is in full effect. Hell, I live in Florida and the temperatures here are already reaching into the 100's with the heat index. 

I give you.... The Vodka Greyhound:

Isn't she pretty? This little darling is light, slightly sweet and oh so refreshing. The perfect pool side-kick!

This is what you need to make this beauty:

2 Ounces of Vodka... 

5 Ounces of grapefruit juice (I'm a snob so I try to go with one made in Florida)...

That's it! Two ingredients. Pour them into a glass filled with ice...

And drink. 

You're seriously going to thank me for this one! Goes down like candy....

5 Minutes For Mom * Seven Clown Circus * Live and Love... Outloud

Girl In Translation - - Not your standard book review!

This is my first contribution to the SV Moms Group Book Club. I would like to preface this post by stating the reviews, which take place for this group, aren’t standard book reviews. These are more about personal responses. I will also write a standard book review in a future post!

***

We all have one relation or another to a coming of age story. Everyone faces the stages of maturing complete with our own feats and disappointments. Girl In Translation, by Jean Kwok, made me feel empowered. Kimberly Chang {the main character} channeled to me, “You have the ability to conquer anything!” Ingenious…

Because this story is about an eleven-year-old girl and her mother who migrate from Hong Kong to the United States to live the American dream, I couldn’t help but think about what my grandparents endured in their travels from Belgium to the U.S. back in the 1950’s. They came to live in New Jersey. If you’re familiar with the tri-state area, some of the towns are sectioned off by nationality. My grandparents were lucky enough to saturate themselves with other Hungarians. 

The difficulties of a new culture and the language barrier still existed, but their day-to-day life consisted of other individuals to whom they could relate. I’ve seen the barrier up close and personal when accompanying my grandfather to places like the bank, the grocery store and the drug store. While there are many patient people in America who are willing to take their time to understand what an immigrant is trying to say, there are many who are not. This never seemed to sway my grandfather’s opinion of Americans. What a positive man he was, so much like Kimberly!

Girl In Translation brought many memories of my childhood back to life. I spent endless days and nights with my Hungarian grandparents; eating their cooking, learning of their culture and sometimes, I was even able to crack the code of the language barrier myself. The one between myself and my grandparents, even though I never learned to speak Hungarian, much to my grandfather’s dismay.

Kimberly is still submerged in my thoughts, even weeks after turning the last page. A well told story will be branded in your mind. Girl In Translation will stay within me for some time. For me, it brought back fond memories. Ones that I thought were buried. I am completely okay with that… 

I was provided a copy of this book for the sole purpose of this personal review.

Post-It Note Tuesday - - Rollie Pollie vs Potato Bug - - YOU Decide!

One year later...

Today marks my 186th blog post! Better yet, it's my one-year Blog-O-Versary! 277 followers later (I know that's not many to some but each and every one of my followers/readers means the world to me!) and I'm still going strong.

One year ago today, I wrote this. I had discovered that I did in fact have Postpartum Depression (PPD) and by writing out my feelings on this blog, it helped a great deal.

I must give credit where credit is due. I was new to blogging one year ago and by that I not only mean writing a blog, I mean reading blogs. I got back into touch with a childhood friend who writes Surviving Single Motherhood. When I discovered her blog, I read it from her first post to the most current at the time. I hung on to every word. This blog is beautifully constructed and the writing is flawless. I was proud to say "I know the author!". By reading Surviving Single Motherhood, I saw the therapy behind it and so I followed suit. I have to say thank you to Naomi for opening my eyes to the blogging world because without her, I wouldn't be here today, writing my 186th post one year later!

So yes, this blog did begin as my creative and therapeutic outlet for my PPD. I have since won the battle against the illness but continue to write on the subject matter because it is often shunned and looked down upon. If I touch one woman with my words and give her the little nudge she needs to get help of her own, then this was all worth it and it continues to be worth it. My girl Naomi, the author of Surviving Single Motherhood.... I have her (and a handful of others) to thank for giving me the push I so desperately needed to make the phone call asking my doctor for help.

This past year has brought many funny posts and some serious ones. I've been approached to host giveaways and write honest to goodness reviews. My blog is very raw, uncut, honest and hopefully it makes you laugh. Without laughter, what do we have? I have yet to have even a single negative comment left here! I'm proud of this. I can be somewhat controversial at times and to have most people agree with me or simply leave a comment with a head nod, makes me proud.

I've been featured over at Aiming Low, New Parent and am a contributing writer at Deep South Moms (who is closing shop on July 1st, sadly). Having my writing be recognized by outsiders (we blog authors are self-publishers after all) really made me realize that hey, I'm pretty good at this.

I have many future projects up my sleeve! This week I'm being photographed for a newspaper just North of me for my "mommy blog". While I do consider myself a "mommy blogger", I was sure to notify the writer of the article that I am a "mommy blogger" with a twist of very adult humor. I pride myself on that.

Aside from the up and coming newspaper article I am involved in, I am joining forces with other bloggers around the globe on other projects. I am super excited about this and will be sure to post links to these up and coming posts as they occur.

Enough! Head up to the top of my blog and take part in my poll "Rollie Pollie vs. Potato Bug". It's shit like this that keeps me going! HA! If you really want to know, my husband and I have had throw down after throw down about what these bugs are really called. One of us is losing horribly. I won't say who...

Happy Blog-O-Versary to me and here's to the next 186 posts!!!!!!

How dare he!

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a force unlike any other I've been faced with. It grabs you by the throat and holds your head under water until you feel like every ounce of air left in your lungs is about to give way. Then one day, like a light switch being turned off, it's gone. Just like that.

Postpartum depression isn't an illness that eases you through stages. You actually start out at rock bottom and then it gets worse. It's horrifying.

A few days ago, I had an ordinary post up on my blog. I fully mention in my "About Me" section of my blog that I am a PPD survivor. One of my followers left a comment at this ordinary post with a P.S.

She writes: "P.S. I'm right there with ya on the PPD. I had SEVERE PPD after my second daughter. I had a doctor tell me not to have any more kids because I was guaranteed to have PPD with next one. Well, after my son, no PPD! So glad I didn't listen to that quack!"

This got me really thinking. I have three children. My oldest is fifteen, my middle child is eleven and the youngest is fifteen months. Lots of space between (I'm a little crazy, I know!). I didn't have a lick of PPD with either of the first two. After my last son, I felt as though my emotions had crawled into a dark cave and remained in the shadows for months. Even a hint of sunlight on my emotions had them creeping backward, scraping fingernails against the wall, to reach back into the darkness. It was really bad.

It has me often wondering, if I had PPD with my first child, would I have chanced having another? Would the thought of PPD coming back into my life keep me from having more children? I don't know how to answer that.

I'm thirty-three years old today. I have no desire to have more children. I can't help but wonder though, if I did have another child, would I also give birth to PPD all over again or would I be able to eliminate it before it even began? Would I be medicated as soon as the head came out? What precautions would be taken?

My follower's doctor actually had the nerve to tell her not to have anymore children. That PPD is in fact inevitable from here on out for her. Is a doctor even allowed to this? Had my follower listened to her doctor, she wouldn't have been blessed with her son. Could you imagine?

Photo Credit: Postpartum Progress

Pamela tracked her emotions on her blog 2 Much Testosterone during her struggle with postpartum depression. She is very open, honest and often times very raw in her posts. If Pamela is able to reach even one woman with PPD to get the help she needs, then the journey was worth it.

This is an original Deep South Moms post.



This post was originally published at Deep South Moms, an SV Moms Group blog {now closed}!

Friday Fatties - - Did I meet this week's goals?

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What is Friday Fatties? Catch up over at the first post!

Here were the goals I set last week:

1- Work out a minimum of four times

2- Lose 2 pounds

3- Up the water intake at work to 60 ounces minimum (I've been at 40 and then drinking 30 more at home) 

 

Did I stick to it?

1- I only worked out twice. Before you go all ape-shit on me, hear me out! I cut my calories tremendously. You know how they say don't get into a diet and exercise routine "balls to the wall" because you'll be doomed for failure? Well, I wanted to work out but I focused on diet (calorie intake) this week. My daily caloric intake is approximately 1,400. I only brought healthy snacks to work. I ate breakfast (usually a piece of toast with peanut butter), had a snack (fruit), ate lunch (something sensible), had a snack (more fruit or celery with peanut butter), had dinner (stuck to smaller portions). I did have ice cream two days but I stuck with the recommended serving. If you eat what the label suggests, that's called moderation people. You can't just grab bowl and fill it to the rim with ice cream and assume it's the 150 calories it reads on the label. Calories In vs. Calories Out, it's Science and it works! Anyhow, I didn't meet goal number one in hindsight. 

2- I did lose 2 pounds! Remember last week when I said my starting weight was 167 but I had on heavy clothes and had recently eaten so I decided that I was more along the lines of 164? Well this morning I checked in at 162. So I'm calling that a 2 pound loss. I could be greedy and say it's a 5 pound loss but that would be setting the bar rather high.

3- I met this one as well! I've been drinking 60 oz. of water at work and then downing 30 oz. more at home. I love my water. Now I didn't say that wine wasn't involved, because it is, but I still completed this "mission". 

Two out of three isn't bad! 

The workout I did do was Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I've been watching her new show too, have you? When I'm part of the way through her workout and as she would say "feel like I'm gonna die", I think about these 300 pound people who she's pushing on this new show. They work out hard! So I push through. My squats and lunges may not be so deep when I'm tired, but I'm still powering through.

New goals for this week (the first 2 will always be the same but I will change up the 3rd):

1- Work out a minimum of four times

2- Lose 2 pounds

3- Focus on a body part that I love rather than bitch and moan about one that I hate (I'm crediting my sister Gina for this one! Muwah!!)

There you have it. So how are you doing? Many of you have requested the linky! Don't be shy or ashamed. Write your post and link up! We need to support one another. Here he is:

One last thing, in case you missed my post from yesterday! 2 Much Testosterone is now on Facebook and Twitter (@LotsOSpermies). Be a good stalker and hit "Like" and "Follow". I'll totally return the favor!

P.S. I have recently given up a big project of mine so I'm in this 185% and promise to visit and comment each of your posts! We need to support each other...

The Sperm have made their way to social networking!

Okay y'all! 2 Much Testosterone has finally made its way to Facebook and Twitter. I'm very reserved with the whole Twitter thing but I'm about to explode this blog through the roof and I need Twitter to be in the seat too!

2 Much Testosterone was a few characters over the Twitter limit so I'm known over there as @LotsOSpermies. Fucking cute, right?

So get on over and "Like" and "Follow" me.... I'll "Like" and "Follow" you right back! I promise....

Writer's Workshop - - Don't point AND laugh! Just do one or the other.

I haven't participated in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop for sometime. When I saw this prompt:

"Who first told you that it's not nice to stare? Write about a time you stared when you maybe shouldn't have, or a time when sometime stared at you."

I knew immediately the story to tell! With my twist of course. I can't follow all the rules all the time.

My husband (at the time, my very new boyfriend) took my son (then, about 3 years old) and I to a July 4th street fair type thing just a few short weeks after we started dating. There was live music playing, food, beer... The usual! We were all walking along when this man walking up stairs completely fell flat on his face (probably drunk). What did my son do? He full-on pointed directly at this man (probably five feet away) and laughed louder than I had ever heard him in my life. 

I will admit, it was very funny, but at the same time.... Horrifying!

We still frequent this street fair on the Fourth of July holiday and continue to recall this bit of family history, thirteen years later. 

Wordless {Wordful} Wednesday - - Beer {Adult Beverage} of the Week

Some people cannot stomach a Long Island Iced Tea (Yeah, the only problem with this awesome picture I found via Google is that the "D" is missing in iceD). I have had my fair share of very badly prepared Long Islands. The right Long Island should go down like candy. Like buttah. Like a friggin' iced tea (hence, the name)! 

You see that it consists of many different ingredients in the alcohol department. However, the correct portions of each should marry ever so lovingly together and form one succulent union.

There's one thing to keep in mind while tipping back these little lovlies. When made correctly, you can easily wet your whistle with three of 'em without blinking. Proceed to stand from the seat your ass had been warming whilst drinking your Long Islands and you're going to head right back down onto the floor, face first.

So worth it!

Want more? Hit these up: 5 Minutes For Mom, Seven Clown Circus, 

Live and Love Out Loud!!