DIY....... more like a giant steady headache

There are a wealth of fantastic DIY shows on TV now.  My favorite show is Home Town with Ben and Erin Napier.  Filmed in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, the soft-spoken couple flips adorable cottage homes into gorgeous Southern gems.  I'd also like to point out that each of the homes Ben and Erin flip have really catchy character to them-- not boring cookie cutter tract homes.

That being said, DIY shows tend to glaze over the very hard work that goes into flipping properties.  For someone who doesn't own a home (or doesn't participate in any sort of rehab whatsoever), there is a delusional aspect that is conveyed with said DIY shows, giving the viewer a false sense of how flipping really is. Flipping is hard, painstaking, slow, unpredictable, and at times freakin' frustrating as hell.  Pardon my language.

Our first flip was a year-long project that basically began as a raccoon habitat.  Here we are in flip #3 and at somewhat of a crossroads.  We bought our current home very cheap-- too cheap to pass up.  Chris has done an amazing job renovating everything except the master bath and kitchen ($$$$).  Do we complete the work and move on, or stay and enjoy the fruits of our labor?

I guess we are back here again....... "here" being the freaking 1800s, when it was more acceptable to shame women based on their appearance.  On MSN this morning, Fox News' Janice Dean received some social media backlash regarding her choice of wardrobe and how her choice(s) in clothing should include hiding her legs.  Ms. Dean fired back with a quick thank-you and added that if the author didn't like her legs then she ought to change the channel.  What America doesn't know is that Janice has been suffering from MS for the past 10 years; a battle that could cripple her at any time.  I'm glad that Janice Dean has legs strong enough to walk, workout, or do whatever she wants.

Every single person has had moments of insecurity regarding a body part.  Whether it be a crooked tooth, receding hairline, cellulite, or even one earlobe bigger than the other, no human is excluded from feeling self-conscious.  In high school I very much remember feeling like a whale compared to the other girls in my class.  I have never been (nor ever will be) a size 0.  I had boobs and a juicy booty in 6th grade.  I can say, however, that I was a great athlete in my school days, and have completed several running races as an adult.  Moreover, God has given me two legs and two arms and fingers and toes and a healthy set of organs.  It's hard to focus on what we have when we are being picked apart for what we don't have.

My daughter has the same body type as me, curvy and muscular.  God help me if some girl teases her and calls her "thunder thighs".  I constantly tell my children how strong they are, and how God gave everyone muscles to give good hugs and high fives and to run on the playground.

Oprah Winfrey.  Blowin' the lid off.  Not to mention, lookin' fly in the process.  Way to go girl.

Things I'm loving:

Hoka One One running shoes (www.hokaoneone.com).  Where have they been all my life?  Finally, a running shoe with ample cushion, appropriate width AND comfort for those annoyingly painful cement jogs.  I am by no means a runner that logs in 50+ miles a week however, due to my athletic build, comfort goes a long way with me and my legs.  Yes Hokas cost a bit but it is SO worth it.  Trust.

Marula Pure Marula Facial Oil (www.marula.com).  I'm digging deeper into taking care of my skin (since its the only skin I will ever have) and received a sample of this luxurious awesomeness in December's Birchbox (wait for it.....)  Knowing nothing about facial oils, I researched Marula oil and the possibility of it making me break out even more (thank you hormonal acne you asshole).  Apparently, marula oil is legit for all skin types and hydrates quite nicely.  A few drops of this lovely scented liquid underneath my daily moisturizer is awesome.  High five.

Fitness Blender (www.fitnessblender.com).  One of my (many) 2018 resolutions is to get back into shape.  I want to return to the strong person I once was; able to do push-ups and lunge after lunge.  Fitness Blender is this wicked cool channel on YouTube that is FREE.  Yep.  FREE.  There are a million different types of workouts to choose from so you'll never get bored.  Simple to follow and straight to the point, Fitness Blender allows you to pause whenever, work out in the privacy of your own home, and not have to pay for a gym membership.  Score.  Miss Hawaiian Tropic here I come.

Things I'm NOT loving:

Ipsy (www.ipsy.com).  All those monthly subscriptions that lock you in for $10/month seem harmless, right?  Wrong.  For $10, and a fairly lengthy profile subscribers have to fill out, I would think it would not be hard to receive samples that fit your needs.  Wrong.  After several months, I received MAYBE one product that fit my profile.  No, I am not interested in trying a matte dark brown lipstick.  1000% retinol night cream for my extremely sensitive and dry skin, no thanks.  Try again Ipsy.  I'd rather switch to Birchbox, drive to Sephora and get a bag of free samples that are good.

Caillou.  Yep.  That little bald bastard on Sprout TV.  What a dick.  That whiney, high-pitched voice could drive the sanest person off the edge.  Bye Felicia.