Day 15 Of 30 Day Blog Challenge~ Where will you be in 5 Years?

Day 15~ Where will you be in 5 Years?

WOW again....that's a loaded question.

I have absolutely no idea truly. We have a couple idea's up our sleeves. We really hope to be a bit closer to a retirement plan. Working towards Paul retiring at 60 years old. We hope to travel much more, timing wise that will work out perfectly. As Braden will be completely independent, with his settlement starting in the near future. His needs will be met financially. This leaves Paul and I freer to move forward into which ever direction we choose. To be honest, I hate to wish away the years. But in 5 years it will completely be about Paul and I. How do you not look forward to that?

Until that time we will continue to enjoy the ride, life is really simple right now. We are loving that, its quiet, calm and happy~

So lets continue to ride these waves peacefully~

100 Things I want to teach my dughter #79 You can make your dreams come true if you wake up and work~

#79  You can make your dreams come true if you wake up and work.

I know sometimes in life it doesn't seem fair that you have to work so damn hard, always working. But we have two choices in life we can either
a) Work really hard and enjoy the benefits of that
                         OR
b)Not work hard, float through life without goals and worry constantly about where we are going to be in 5 years.

We all have our own personal definition of "working". When I say to "wake up and work" i'm not referring to "making money". Its not about the money. Its about happiness, and working hard is what will always make you happy.

Don't be a chump. In order to be successful get out of bed, educate yourself and work hard. Doesn't matter what you are doing in life, do it well and do it with passion.
When you get the chance to sit and relax you will only enjoy it more.
When you were little, I believed in routines. We had a morning routine, school day routine, weekend routine, dinner routine and a bedtime routine. We followed a clock, time was always important. We had rules and even expectations. From a very young age, you knew there were expectations put on you every single day. Wake up, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, get dressed, go to school, homework, then play. That's what builds a good work ethic and that my darling is the secret too success.
If you want something bad enough in life, then you have been given the tools to make that happen. You know what discipline is, you know in order too be happy you must have some form of routine.
NOW...I am not saying its not ok too break the rules, its totally ok and very encouraged to occasionally and I repeat occasionally skip school for a ME day. Its even important to take a day off of work just for you. Book a trip last minute, stay out late, get drunk on a weeknight, have breakfast for dinner...LIVE~

My point is only if you want to be happy fox you're going to have to work hard at it. Doesn't matter what you choose to do in your life, as long as you are happy, content and successful in your daily living. Have a purpose, get an education and surround yourself with people who work just as hard as you.

Get up every morning with a purpose, don't ever give up. Go to school, go to work but never forget too play.

Day 14 of 30 Day Challenge ~ 3 Healthy Habits

Define Healthy?

Seriously I could give you more unhealthy habits that I have. I may be stretching the truth here but let me try.

1. I do run on my treadmill at the least 2 times a week..at the most 5 times. So that's good~

2. I drink lots of water everyday. I can't tell you exactly how much water but at least 5 bottles a day. Not too bad~

3. I am working hard at healing. Mind Body and Soul my friends.

I so wish I could tell you that I eat healthy, that I don't eat carbs or sugar. I am out of control right now with those things. I have gained a lot of weight this past couple years. However I am not in denial, and I hope that once I get my emotions under control I'll have more strength to take care of myself physically. Its all about balance. I feel like I am getting healthier each day. I even find myself looking for control over my unhealthy eating habits.
I know this for sure, I have been here before. I beat it once...I will beat it again. One day very soon, I will be walking around here again with a much healthier, fit body. Until then and while I heal myself emotionally....
I'm gonna keep eating these....

Because they are good...and they make me feel warm and cozy on the inside ;)

Day 13 of 30 Day Blog Challenge ~ What's in your fridge?"

Oh man, I'm not going to show you the inside of my fridge. NO WAY! I have never been good at keeping my fridge clean. Its cleaned out...but not clean.
Basically I have the staples, milk. cream, margarine, butter, cheese, leftover homemade pizza, cupcakes, pickles, beets, eggs, cream cheese, cheese slices, yogurt, broccoli, carrots, hummus, ketchup, mustard...I could go on and on...its a normal fridge.

I have some juice, beer, wine, pop, ice tea, dog food....etc etc..

That's it lovelies, its a normal fridge with food.

Day 12 of 30 Day Blog Challenge ~ What was your favorite childhood book?

I remember LOVING Clifford the big red dog books. I wonder if maybe the fact that I had a Great Dane growing up I could relate too Emily Elizabeth. My favorite was Clifford's Halloween.

I also loved the Frog and Toad book series. I had all of those, and I loved when Scholastic book orders came home. I always looked for the newest one too add to my collection.

I also loved the Family Circus books, I would spend hours reading those comic strips. They were my favorite family <3 p="">

 

A few years ago I found some of these Family Circus books in an antique shop. I bought them, sadly my kids don't share in the same passionate way as I do regarding these cute comic strips.

 

 

Day 11 of 30 Day Blog Challenge 10 Favorite foods.

My 10 favorite foods...

1. Vietnamese food
2. Pizza
3. Seafood pasta
4 Bacon Scallop Carbonara
5. Crispy Chicken wings
6. S'mores
7. Chinese food
8. Newfie Boiled Dinner
9. Burgers/with Sweet Potatoe Fries
10. Turkey dinners

Day 10 of 30 Day Blog Challenge...Best trip of your life~

I honestly don't think I have a "Best" trip of my life. They all have been my favorite and all my best. But since this is a challenge, and I felt I had to pull something together I chose this trip. It was the year 2000, and Paul and I had went too Cancun Mexico. This trip  was a rebuilding trip, we had committed to eachother and our marriage and recovering from a moment of uncertainty. I can guarantee everyone in a healthy marriage has had times in their marriage where they needed to rebuild their vows.

I loved this trip because I was becoming more confident in who I was as a wife and a woman. We had some struggles previously, but during this trip life became clear. I loved being there with him, and I was in love with my life. I was in the best shape physically that I had been in years, and mentally and emotionally I was growing. This trip we changed as a couple, we grew tremendously together.

Its an amazing feeling to be In love.

 

This trip was the first one we joined in pool games, we let loose and had a really great time.

He was the star*

We had so many romantic dinners together that holiday. Spent so much time talking, eating, site seeing, playing games in the pool and out pool ;)

 

It was my best trip because it was all about US~

Day 9~ Whats in your bag/wallet?

Day 9~ What's in your bag or wallet?

 

I literally just emptied this purse out on my dining room table and took a picture of the contents.

 

 

So here it is, 2 books I am currently reading, a journal, hand cream, Bath and Body Works coupons,2 sets of headphones or earbuds, wine cork, breath mints, sucker, phone charger, hair clip, gravol, 2 pens, and a book of nail file's...and of course Orville Microwave popcorn cause that's how I roll.

 

I think I actually bought this book of nail file's for Kailey. Or maybe I bought us both one, regardless its the cutest most convenient gadget in the world. I don't know about you but I hate when I break a nail and its all rigid. So having these travel size files is a life saver.

Well my lovelies, its a short but sweet one again. Wishing you all a wonderful night, until tomorrow good night and god bless~

Day 8 on 30 Day Blog Challenge

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 8

5 Current Goals.

5. To clean out my house in order to prepare for a spring garage sale.

4. To finish a few projects I have lying around the house.

3. To start my book before the end of the year and too contact resources to help with that.

2. Continue to heal, and educate myself.

1. To trust more, have faith and continue to move forward.


I have been ask a lot lately about the status of my book. Be assured I do have a lot of writings waiting to me put together. With the sudden onset of my set back regarding PTSD, I truly have been somewhat lost. I suppose the best way to explain it, would be too say I can't write about something so important to me unless I have all the answers.
It takes time to heal from any tragedy in life, but my healing had been put on hold. It wasn't something I could tend too wholeheartedly until I had the acquired knowledge.
My goal is too have the necessary answers before I really put a serious effort into my writing. I want to do this properly.
On another note...I'm not ready yet. But when I am...ya'll be the first to know :)

Well my lovelies, wishing you all a wonderful night. Until tomorrow good night and god bless~

Day 7 of 30 Day Blog Challenge-Your 5 favorite songs

My 5 favorite songs...

Ok, honestly I have so many favorite songs. There are many of them that have gotten me through happy times, sad times, scary times, parties, good times, devastating times, romantic times...so many times. So here is a short list, ones I probably play more frequently on my playlist.
My 5 favorite songs are:

1. With or without you

2. All we are-Kim Mitchell

3. Drive-the cars

4. The flame-cheap trick

5. Firestone-Kygo

Day 6 of 30 Day Blog Challenge, "What are you afraid of?"

Spiders.


I am afraid of spiders.

My proudest moment~

My proudest moment...WOW that's impossible to pick. There definitely is not just one.

I think if I had too choose, for the sake of argument removing the moments that changed my life. The moments like the birth of my children, marrying my husband or life milestones. I would have to say that probably my proudest moment was succeeding in the fight of having Braden's middle school made accessible for him to attend. 

The battle with the school board was almost a year long. We started asking to prepare for his transfer to middle school half way through grade 5. All his friends were getting ready for their next stage in their school career. It was the next step into highschool. Such an exciting time, but Paul and I knew we needed to get some things in order before he went off to St. Andrews.

We started asking question regarding accessibility and services that could meet his needs. We met with the schools principle the Easter weekend before the following September he was to start. The principle was very friendly and was more than happy to make the correct changes so Braden could attend his school with his friends.

But then the school board realized those changes were going to cost a lot of money. That's when the fight started. It was awful, how do you accept someone telling you that your child isn't worth the money to make renovations to a school. OMG.....I wanted to blow that f**kin school to hell. My brother actually offered to do it...and anyone who knows Shaun knows he wasn't kidding. :)

Anyways to make a long story short, we fought like I've never fought before...and so did the school board. They won, in the end....I was just about ready to give up. So tired, exhausted mentally, emotionally and physically. Not too  mention hiding the whole fight from our children because regardless of the outcome we didn't want Braden to suffer the effects of it. We had to smile, show excitement towards the new school he was heading off too in the fall. Then behind closed doors I was falling to the ground with tears of defeat. I know that might sound dramatic but I swear to god, the pain of knowing your child isn't important enough to the school board was devastating. After all he had been through in his little life, all the fight he had in him to live and survive. Those bastards were taking away the only friendships he had. A group of kids he grew up with, ones who slept over at our house, attended birthday parties and changed the course of gym classes just so Braden could participate. Can you imagine what putting him in an "orthopedic school" was going to do to his social skills not alone his desires to explore and learn. He was ripped from friends he trusted and cared for, kids who encouraged and supported him through physiotherapy and hospital stays.

It was the last stitch effort when we were approached by Paul Gains, a freelance writer here in Cambridge. He approached us, asked if he could do a story about segregation and human rights. We were beside ourselves...it was our only hope.

Paul phoned us one evening giving us a heads up that the school board was going to be notified about the article and to expect a phone call in the next 24 hours. This could go either way, with high hopes we wished it was going to come to a peaceful agreement.

I will never ever forget that moment on the phone when a representative from the school board phoned me and in these exact words said "Mrs. Martz, what is that you want?"...they had just got wind on a Friday morning that the Cambridge Times was going to be featuring a story about Braden being segregated from his home school due to his physical disability.
I replied "I just want my son to go to school with his friends"
She asked "what do we need to do to make that happen?"
**Prayers Answered**
 

That moment for me, was one that made me the most proud.  I felt the most accomplished with a relief that allowed me to breathe again.
I know it wasn't technically Paul and I who "won" this battle. Like I previously stated, I was so tired. I was giving in too them, but still searching for another answer in the mean time.
But during this article process we had to be vulnerable and that was scary. Paul and I were not doing well in our marriage due to the stress of this issue. It literally was ruining me, that was printed. We opened up about our family life, it was personal and it was frightening. We chose to do it, we gave him permission to write about that struggle. Whatever it took to make a statement, to add some depth and reality to our story.

 After the newspaper went out and our story was heard. I had so many other parents come to me and tell me how their schools have made changes to the structure of the building. How they are making it easier for other children in wheelchairs to access the whole school. Naturally, after our story was printed and they made the appropriate adjustments to St. Andrews middle school the school board had another story printed to "make them look like hero's". It was sick, we were interviewed again for their story. We had to express how happy we were with the changes. I refused to show gratitude.

I believe I have already wrote a post on this topic, where I went into more detail about my marriage at the time. My depression was at an all time low, as a mother I was defeated and exhausted. It was a terrible time in my life. I will forever be grateful to the journalist who found us and wanted to print our story. He single-handedly changed the course of our lives forever.
Well my lovelies, until tomorrow good night and god bless~

Day 4~What is your dream job?

If I could have any job in the world it would be to be able to research Spinal Cord regeneration. I would work endlessly at a job like that. But to be realistic my dream job would be too work in the school board guiding and aiding them in educating teachers and school staff about children with special needs.
You know, us parents who have children with needs in the school board do nothing but laugh through most meetings with school board trustees. Its probably one of the most frustrating things a parent has to do, sit through a meeting with a bunch of idiots who think they know what's best for YOUR child.
I'm not going to sit here and act like all parents are the best advocates ever for their children because I am well aware that their are some parents without worry or concern around their child's growth and development within our school system.

We need harmony, and we need many more specialists around the IEP table when discussing the needs of each child with special needs.
My dream job would be too co-ordinate, facilitate and then orchestrate programs and dialogue around all conflicts straining relationships between parents and school boards. We have a huge hole in our education system, and in my opinion too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
There are too many "specialists" with absolutely no experience and too many closed minded parents. I cannot put all the blame on the school board because I do know some parents are not open to suggestions. That can be frustrating too...most times they have been screwed over so badly by "school officials" that they just lose trust. Parents need to feel like they can trust someone, who wants the same things they do for their child. Equality, independence, education and integration all very important in the development of childhood. Lets just get on the same page, its really not that hard to do.
Well my lovelies, its been a busy week for both Braden and I so my posts might be a bit short. So until tomorrow good night and god bless~

Day 3 of 30 Day Blog Challenge~ What is your favorite quote?

Day 3 What's My Favorite Quote?

"though she be but little; she is fierce"

~Shakespeare

I love this quote so much that I actually had it tattoed on my leg. You can kinda see it there with the pocket watch. I have had a few moments, actually many moments where this quote has been fitting in my life. Many were fights or disagreements with the school board, principles, doctors, therapists or generally anyone attempting to get in my way. Someday I will tell you the story of the 6 foot tall prick of a principle who once tried to stop me from entering the school. He had absolutely NO idea what to do with me, he wasn't use to a woman not listening too him. He had the biggest ego I've ever met, he was cocky, ignorant and very chauvinistic. He honestly thought he could intimidate me with is size and stature. The minute I am confronted with anyone like that I immediately become a 7 foot pit bull with an even bigger set of balls he could even dream of. He thought he was swinging his dick around the school with all the women bowing to his power and control. HA. Not this girl, my dick was much much bigger...and so was my bite. One of my favorite moments of my life was this exact conversation as I was walking past Mr. Principle taking Braden to his classroom. One crisp fall morning,

 Mr. Principle says "Mrs. Martz. you can't come in the school like this. You are suppose to drop him off at the door and then his EA will meet him here".
Walking by so calmly, swinging my dick much further than him I reply with the biggest smile.
"What are you going to do? Stop me? Big Smile**"
He didn't stop me, he asked for a meeting...and off we went to the mattresses once again where.he didn't prove a thing!
The only thing I can say about those days is how much I changed as a person. The year Braden was sent too an "Orthopedic" school was by far one of the hardest years of my life. It was the biggest defeated moment of all. We were lost, we were devastated  and broken. Well almost broken, just another moment in time where we fought like hell to save everything we worked so hard at getting. That my friends is another post, for another time :)
So until tomorrow good night and god bless~

20 facts about me...Day 2~

20 facts about me

20. My favorite actor at the moment is Will Farrell

19. I hope to have a Great Dane when I am older
18. I want to simplify my life

17. My favorite car is a Cabriolet Volkswagon convertible (white)

16. I love going to the movies
15. I went to school to become a nurse

14. Photography is a passion
13. Love Actually is my favorite movie
12. I drink Coke (not a good thing)
11.Popcorn is my favorite snack

10. Egg salad is my favorite sandwich

9. I love spending time with my husband

8. I love to blog

7. I love to travel
6.Someday I hope to have chickens and a pig and own more property, but smaller house

5. I love to read

4. I am very proud of my kids



3. I love walking my dogs

2. Date nights are my favorite'

1. I love my family more than anything else in the world

 

Well my lovelies, Until tomorrow good night and god bless~

30 day challenge

 Ok so I decided to give this a shot to get inspired for blogging~

I will do my very best to answer each one, each day! 

So let's begin...

 

My blogs name:

Instantly My Life, Chrissy's life blog

Yep.

That's it..the most boring possible name out there. I honestly did not put any thought into my blog name. Then eventually somehow it turned into my Instagram name..not too sure how that happened. I have been playing with many names over the past 2 years, Most have been book names I've thought of. 

I actually think I have narrowed a book title down. But I don't want to share it until I'm confident. Christopher Reeves titled one of his books "Still Me". I'm sure when most of you read that titled you hear him saying even though I am paralyzed and no longer able to walk I am Still Me!

Very true and you are probably right, I bet that's exactly what he means. I however read it a little differently I see it as:

Still: remaining in place or at rest; motionless; stationary: to stand still.

Basically he has been stilled. Motionless...

Still Me..or I'm still

My title is similar to this, it's basically related to being still. That's what happens in many aspects of life when tragedy strikes. You become still, frozen in time. Moving forward yet removed from the world. At least that's how it was for us.

There really is no rhyme or reason for the name of my blog, I do hope to change it in the near future :)

So my lovelies, until tomorrow good night and god bless~

100 Things I Want To Teach My Daughter #80 Always say "I love you"before you leave~

100 Things I Want To Teach My Daughter #80 Always say "I love you" before you leave~

We know how quickly life can change. In an instant, you can be sent into a whirlwind of chaos~
We know this because it happened to us.
I have two rituals when someone I love or care about is leaving me. I always say....
1. I love you
2. Drive safe.

Just a little bit of advice, when leaving your loved ones. Never ever leave without saying I love you, even when you are angry at them. They may not say it back, but let them live with the consequences of that. At least you have covered all your bases.
Love you Fox, xo