Mother's Day, Shopping, and Style Differences, Oh My!

My daughters and I went on our annual shopping trip.  This year we chose the Orlando Premium Outlet Malls on both Vineland and International Drive.  First we stopped at Carrabbas for lunch. The food was delicious as usual.  Once we finished, we head to our first stop.  Premium Outlet on Vineland.  

Courtesy of Orlando Premium Outlets - Vineland Avenue (Nov 2012)

Provided by management

We proceeded first to one of my favorite shops, Banana Republic.  I truly believe I could live in here.  The clearance was 40%, and I was able to find three cute tops, which my daughters didn't care too much for, but there is a 20 and 21 year age difference between us.  

We proceeded to a few shops the girls like including Vera Bradley.  I was proud of myself that I didn't spend any money there.  To end our shopping at this mall, I stopped in at my other favorite store Ann Taylor!  There, I was able to find two more shirts that I liked on clearance for 70% off.

We then proceeded to the Prime Outlets on International Drive.  Our main goal here was to go to Victoria Secret.  I believe we spent an hour and a half in there.  This was interesting for me because it was the first time I have ever been fitted for a bra.  I will just say it was an interesting experience.

  

Courtesy of Orlando Premium Outlets® - International Drive

We also went to a few children stores as well since we have been blessed with Ashton as well as his half-sister who will be here in a week visiting us for the summer.

If you are ever in Central Florida, you need to visit the outlet malls.

We had Ashton with us for our shopping extravaganza, and he was a trooper.  He kept up with us for the almost 9 hour shopping marathon!

I hope everyone had a blessed Mother's Day!

What did you do to celebrate?

Positive thoughts for Friday

What a beautiful day it is here in sunny central Florida!

Life is finally settling down in the Bougher household. This is the first time in 18 years that my husband and I have lived together just the two of us. We are in enjoying it. It seems like we have become more social and are going out more instead of staying home and watching tv.

Last, Sunday we celebrated Easter by having dinner with both daughters at our oldest's house. This was Ashton's first Easter.

Words can't begin to describe how much I love my family!

On Wednesday, I headed to Salvation Army with my good friend Marsha.  Wednesday is their half-off day on clothes and linens.  I got a few scrubs for work, a pair of shoes, three shirts, and I got Ashton seven outfits.

That afternoon I got to watch Ashton as his normal sitter had to have oral surgery.

He slept as I worked from home!

I hope everyone is having a blessed week.

Be blessed! 

Busy Week

This is a busy week in the Bougher household as we are moving into an apartment.  In all the years my husband and I have been married, this will be the first time we will actually live together just the two of us.  We are both actually excited about this! I would love to do some post on spring fashion, but everything at this time is boxed up and ready to be moved.  This week is also my last week of college for my AA degree.  I will officially graduate in June, that is if I decide to walk.  I haven't made up my mind yet on that.  

I hope this post finds everyone well!  I look forward to being settled in and life slowing down so I can post more about things I like and enjoy.  I will leave you with this picture of our moving process.

Blessings,

Donna 

Gone from blogging for too long!

Goodness!  Has it really been almost three months since I posted?  I guess I have just been so busy with trying to get my last semester of college done, my externship, and we are moving yet again.

I have just two weeks as of tomorrow left of school, then I graduate in June.  I haven't made up my mine as to whether I am going to walk for graduation or not.  My externship went well.  I got hired on at the doctor's office that I was doing my externship at, so now I am working two jobs.

Also, in two weeks, my husband and I are moving (just 10 minutes away) to an apartment.  This will be the first time in our married life that we have lived together by ourselves.  I am so excited.  Also, I am excited about having a walk-in closet so my clothes can finally come out of boxes.

In just 2-1/2 months, our grandson will be turning 1.  It is so hard to believe that it has been almost a years since the accident.  He is doing well for being born so early.  Also, he is now above average for his height and weight.  He has truly opened my eyes to what is important in life.

I have missed everyone, and I plan on writing at least once a week if not more.

Blessings,

Donna

What are my New Year's Resolutions?

Well as I have mentioned in my previous post my new year's resolutions are health and exercise. With 2013, coming and going so quickly, I have had a chance to look back over the last year. 

So far I have discovered fruit smoothies in order to get my daily intake of fruits. Personally, I am not a fan of fruits, mainly because of the texture.  I do enjoy the smells of most fruit though.  I add a whole banana to my smoothies to make sure I get my potassium, as low potassium seems to be an issue for me.

As far as exercising is going, I try to walk everyday for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I have been doing my workout dvds at least 3 times a week.

Why focus on these two areas? Well, as I mentioned previously I was admitted to the hospital August 2013. It was during this visit that the cardiologist informed me my heart was under stress.  He had recommended a heart catheterization; however, I declined.  I want to be healthy so that I can enjoy time with my husband, daughters and grandson. 

My goal is to get healthy.  I want to get my BMI down as well as lowering my cholesterol.  My goal is not to lose weight to become a size 3 (Now that I am 41 I am not worried about size 3).  I am trying to lose weight to become healthy.  My ideal size would be an 8 or 10.

I hope you follow me along on my journey.

Blessings,

Donna

A New Year, new resolutions!

I have thought about about my blog for the last week or so, and thinking of what direction I would like to take it in 2014.  For me, my resolution is about getting healthy, everything from eating right to exercising, also showing some new outfits that I have as well.

In August 2013, I was admitted to the hospital for heart issues, low potassium and low magnesium, and a possible bacterial infection. During this stay, I realized there was a lot in my life that was going to have to change from giving up my favorite drink of Coca Cola to giving up sweets.  I am not a fruit and vegetable person so this would have to change as well.  While in the hospital the cardiologist talk with about doing a heart catheterization.  As I laid there listening to him explain the tests and the catheterization, I thought I am only 40, why would I need this.  I did go through with the noninvasive testing but declined the catheterization.

Since being out of the hospital, I have taking up walking daily, using my workout dvds more often, and working on eating healthy.

I have decided to bring you all along on my journey! I look forward to any comments you may have as input is greatly appreciated.

This is one of my prime reasons for trying to live healthier.  I want to be around to enjoy my family.

Feeling Accomplished yet Overwhelmed!

I am at the end of long road that started roughly 22 years ago. I am graduating from college this spring with my A.A. degree. I am excited knowing that I am almost to the finish line, one more semester to go. However, I am feeling extremely overwhelmed by what this upcoming semester holds for me.

For starters, I have to finish 16-credit hours (which is four classes). On top of this, I have to complete my externship (which they informed me is 40 hours a week). I already work two jobs, both from home though as a medical transcriptionist, as well as taking care of home.

The thought of things to come was weighing heavily on me over the weekend. Then, my dear husband said the sweetest thing, "Let me know what I can do to help you." That was music to my ears. Normally, I don't accept help in fear that what I need to get done will be pushed to the side. However, this time I told him for those 12 weeks he needed to take over the finances including the checkbook register. I even told him I would put together a list of when things are do and the websites and passwords to what I take care of online.

I did give him this disclaimer though that I would probably still be overwhelmed and a little short-tempered during this time.

Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is 6 days away, so I thought I would share with you today what I am thankful for. The last four years for my family have been somewhat rough and challenging. At one point, I really thought I had nothing to be thankful for; however, as I enter my 41st year, I have realized I have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for this man! My loving, caring husband who has been with me through it all good and bad.

I am thankful for my daughter Jackie and grandson Ashton. My daughter was involved in a serious car accident in June of this year. As a result of the accident, Ashton was born via emergency C-section at 27-weeks.

I am thankful for my other daughter Stephanie. She has been here through it all. I am thankful she has remained calm when I could not.

I am so very thankful to all of our family and friends who have been with us through it all! Without their love and support, I don't think we would have made it through all that we have.

Vacation was awesome!!! My husband and I had not had a real vacation in 17 years. The drive up to the cabin in Murphy, NC was met with a detour. While in Georgia our GPS noted that there was heavy road congestion and decided to reroute us. Where did it reroute us to you ask? Downtown Atlanta, Georgia in the middle of rush hour. It took us about 3 hours to get back on track. Once back on the main highway, we were about 2-1/2 hours away from the cabin, and we were going to arrive in the dark to a place we have never been.

We arrived around 9 p.m. to our cabin. In the dark of night, it looked very scary. For me I have watched one too many scary movies, and I was just waiting for something to come out of the woods. The cabin sat on hill with a long sloping driveway. We were in my husband's little sports car (1995 Acura Integra that he babies) and only made it halfway up the driveway. So we ended parking at the bottom of the driveway and carrying everything up to the cabin.

Once inside, the cabin was so beautiful. It was so cozy and inviting. It was everything we had imagined and more.

The sign says it all!!!

Looks so much better in daylight.

His car finally made it up the driveway.

My favorite seat. At the end of the day, I loved sitting here and watching the sunset.

I will post more pictures throughout the week of our travels. As you can tell from the pictures, the leaves were changing. It was wonderful as here in Florida we don't get to experience the changing of the seasons.

Delay due to illness

I am so sorry that I have not posted anything this last week. Since being back for a week, I have had an upper respiratory infection with double ear infection. I haven't felt like loading pictures or posting much. I am hoping to get back into the swing of things this week, so just keep checking in. I have so much to share about Murphy, NC as well as Concord, NC.

Blessings,

Donna

Back to Reality

Well, I am officially back from vacation. However, after 10 wonderful days, I have a cold. I also have a large amount of laundry to do as well.

The trip was wonderful. My husband surprised me with 7 days in a cabin in the mountains of Murphy, NC. The last 3 days we spent visiting family in Concord, NC. I will be sharing more about our adventure and posting pictures hopefully later on this week.

Blessings,

Donna

As I am new to blogging, I am still trying to figure out how to add pictures, so please bear with me as this is a fun learning process for me.

My husband and I are leaving on vacation this week. Yesterday, I went shopping with a girlfriend to finish up some last minute things I need for the trip. I purchased a traveling outfit as it is a 9-10 hour drive to the mountains from sunny central Florida. The weather here is still warm in the high 80s; however, I have been checking the weather for Murphy, North Carolina and it seems that the high during the day is in the 60s and at night it gets down to the low 40s.

My purchases yesterday consisted of a few essential pieces. First, warm pajamas. Here in central Florida there doesn't seem to be a need for flannel pajamas. I also bought a pair of ankle boots, which can be worn here during our cool weather. My travel outfit that I purchased consists of yoga pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. 

I cannot wait to post pictures from our vacation and the outfits that I have put together for the trip.

Blessings,

Donna

Living Life Backwards

My husband and I say that we are living our lives backwards. What do I mean by this? Well, I married young, had children young and now having grandchildren at an age I consider young. My husband just started a new career in the last year or so. I have gone back to college and about to complete my AA degree next spring. We are planning on moving shortly after I graduate into an apartment and living by ourselves. All of this while we are what I consider to be "young."

I am looking forward to the changes coming up. I see them all as being positive steps for our future. I hear some couples talk about how they grow apart after the children are grown and leave home. I feel that my husband and I have gotten closer. We are looking forward to our alone time.

Welcome to my Blog

I turned 40 November 2012. The last 4 years of my life have been somewhat of a roller-coaster ride. It has been filled with many highs and many lows. In the last year I have started to discover who I am.

During my 20s and 30s I was wife and mother and home-schooled my 2 daughters. They have since graduated. I am now about to finish my AA degree, and hopefully start a new career in the upcoming year. My husband and I are planning on moving to be close to the mountains.

I used to hate change, but now I embrace it with open arms. I hope through this blog that you enjoy the journey with me.