Wordless Wednesday

Monday Goals: 1/14/13

My goals for today:

1. Write a blog post (check)
2. Go To bed early (check)
3. Set my alarm for 5:15am and stick to it!

My goals for this week:

1. Clean all the bathrooms, like DEEP clean those suckers!
2. Sort through all of my clothing and donate at least one trash bag full.
3. Work out twice during the work week.

A new goal for the long haul:

1. Eat cleanly

Getting this Blog together!

Ok, I can be very inconsistant with this blog... I know! I am sorry :(

I am going to try my hardest to have some sort of organization to this site. My goal is to post at least twice a week, and hopefully more. I am going to have a couple theme days and of course if in between I have something I need to get off my chest I will post whenever the spirit moves me. As for the themes, here is the idea:

Monday: Goals. Goals for the week, day, month, random stuff that gets added to my list! I will share with you what I am trying to get accomplished and the journey towards completion.

Tuesday: Venting. I will use this day to unload anything heavy or light that may be eating at me this week. It is very theraputic to get things out and not dwell on them, so I will try to let my stressors go here and move forward.

Wednesday: Wordless. Pictures that capture my mood or my imagination. A nice break after the venting :)

Thursday: Thankful. What am I thankful for this week and what is inspiring me.

Friday: Fitness. I am trying to work on myself on the outside as well as inside. I have made some major steps forward with my mental/spiritual health and the next stop is getting my body back into shape. I will share my success, failures, tips, trick and recipes I love.

I am also open to any questions you all may have. Feel free to email me: myattemptblog@gmail.com

I do not check it every day so be patient with me, but I will do my best to get to emails ASAP.

Get a Hobby!

I think it is very important for everyone to have a hobby. For those who are single/only parents... it is a must! Play a sport, do something artistic, take a class, play video games, run, cook... do something that makes you happy and makes you feel accomplished.

I play soccer with my siblings, but I also have an artistic outlet. I recently started painting with watercolors. I like to paint birds and taught myself by watching youtube video tutorials.

Here a a few samples:

I dreamed a dream..

I saw Les Miserable on Christmas. I felt so many memories temporarily resurface, it was powerful for me. When Ann Hathaway sang "I Dreamed a Dream" I cried and felt my heart tighten. I actually felt the sob catch in the back of my throat, the sobs that I once could not hold back. The feeling of loss and hopelessness that was once lost in myself. Now I was never actually on the street, but I know what it is to see my dream die.... I am thankful every day for my new dreams. I made it through, but I will never forget being in that state. The words below are ones I can identify with:

There was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

The Third Christmas!

This is my third Christmas with Nugget, as an only parent and it was wonderful! She is now at the age where she understand (to an extent) who Santa is and Baby Jesus and why we give/get presents on this holiday. We spent time together reading books, watching Christmas movies, baking cookies and making Christmas crafts. I have to admit I gave in to peer pressure and bought us our very own Elf on a Shelf… Our elf is named Hattie, and while Nugget LOVED her I have to say our elf seemed to be a little less creative than other elves out there. I guess she will have to up her game next year!




Being a single or only parent does not mean there is something missing at Christmas (or whatever Holiday you may celebrate). There is more than enough love and light in our households to make children feel the magic. This is true for any holiday at any time of year. If you are at the beginning of your journey or just stuck in a rut I think it is important to make a list of activities that you can do together as a family, or even by yourself to bring back a little magic and happiness. Feeling like you are having a blue Christmas? Maybe you just need to make a popcorn chain or take a drive around the neighborhood and look at the lights.



I know this may not help now that Christmas is over, but keep it in mind for the next holiday or extend Christmas and enjoy the spirit a little bit longer! The New year is coming and I think I will start by making a post about how to make you small family feel whole… so stay tuned!

Letter to Nugget: Loving you

Dear Nugget,

I tell you every day, multiple times a day that I love you. I want it to to be heard often and sink deep into your soul where it will stay forever. You are my child, my daughter, my greatest creation. Right now at the age of two your memory is not too long, I want to make sure that should anything ever happen to me you always know how much I care about you, but more importantly I want you to feel it.

My biggest fear is losing you, but the second is not being there for you. I would NEVER willingly leave you. I would NEVER choose to be away from you. I want to be your cheerleader, I want to teach you to be your own champion and I want to enjoy you and your amazing light for as long as I possibly can, but sometimes God has other plans.

Don't worry I am not sick! There is currently no reason why we should not be together for around 70ish more years! The women in our family tend to hold up nicely ;) You had 3 great great Grandmothers that lived into their late 90's (one was even 100!!). I just hate to think should there ever be an reason for my early departure, you may not remember all of the times I hugged you, kissed you, snuggle you, comforted you and laughed with you.

So here is my own words I am telling you that you are amazing! You have so much spark and I have no doubt you will have a wonderful and full life. I love you. I always will, even if I do not agree with you. This letter will also be a good reminder fo both of us when you hit your teens and we battle it out on a daily basis. I still love you.