Life Lessons Learned

"You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else."

"You have to have the strength to do for yourself before you can do for someone else."

"Practice what you preach.".. or don't preach at all.

I truly and honestly believe that you have to love yourself before you can even begin to love someone else. You have to be happy and confident with who you are and what you want in life before you drag someone else into the mix. There are some cases where maniacs turn normal when they meet someone or find new friends. That's one thing. But to try and go out and fin love, friendships, and other relationships without caring about yourself first will almost always lead you to trouble. Sometimes I wish I could rattle some of my family and friend's minds, so they would understand this. So they will take the step to improving themselves first. I always have and always will want the best for the people that mean so much to me. Sometimes I find myself wanting to make sacrifices or breaking my arm just to help or support someone. Then it sucks to know that I had already those people that what has happened would have happened at some point before it even was close to happening. I am not perfect, nor am I always right. But I am a natural protector. I always hope for the best no matter who it involves, but it always crushes me when something happens and I know it could have been prevented. It's like people are in denial with themselves and the world.

You have to have the strength and courage to do for yourself before you can lend a hand to someone in need. Yes, it is nice to help others out even when you are not in a great position yourself to be doing it. That's another factor, another point. How can someone rely on you if you can not rely on yourself? I know it sounds like a mouthful, but think about it. For mothers, a child relies on them from many different angles. For protection to providing to supporting. If you, as a mother, choose not to protect yourself from something dangerous, like murders, how can your child feel safe and protected around you? Now, I used an extreme case to avoid offending anyone or taking my words the wrong way, but think about things like this. Not even as just a mother. It is something you have to carry as a person, a wife, a friend, an education, anything and everything. And always set a good example. Be someone that others can look up to. Be proud of who you are.

It is important to set a good example, share your thoughts and experiences, and be proud of who you are. Life is about living and learning. It really is. I just wish some poeple had the courtesy to practice what they preach. For example, there is this family that we know that has children. They are very open about being nonChristian to me. I personally do not have a problem with this, but what I do have a problem with is that they take their children to a Christian play group for the kids. The kids do crafts and things that are related to the Christian belief and the Bible. The mother of these children just goes along with the flow because it is basically free child care. At least that is how I feel. It's like she is abusing our good deeds. This goes back to being proud of who you are. You are not a proud and happy person if you ride the fence on things in life. Not to pass judgement on anyone - just speaking my mind. Another funny one is when people try to talk health and fitness with me. It's one thing to make it a casual conversation, but it is another to call yourself a "know-it-all" and state that and the reason why you are such a "know-it-all". I have had numerous people give me pointers, professionals and not so professional people. I always respectfully take their suggestions. I truthfully do. I just wish they could either take their own advice or realize how wrong they are by looking in the mirror. I can not stand know-it-alls. The ones that think they know everything because "they have read material on it", "studied about it for a couple of weeks", or are currently trying to lose weight. None of those classify anyone as a know-it-all on any issue. Which all goes back to taking care of yourself before lending a hand to someone else in need. This does not only go towards the two examples I gave. It's about all perspectives of life.

This is all about being happy with yourself and who you have become. It's about getting yourself out of denial so you can better yourself. It's about not lying to yourself so you can make a difference in the world.

Now, to clear the air. This is not to a specific person, family, or category out in the world. It is aimed towards everyone, just people in general - including myself. I always say if the shoe fits then maybe you should take a step back and re-examine yourself. This is just shared lessons that I have learned from my life, whether it's been through friends, family, or myself. Just life's little adventures that have come my way.

Wishful Wednesday: Pampered Chef Edition

This week I am dreaming about the things I want from Pampered Chef. I have lots of Pampered Chef things, but I have just a few more things I need before I will have completed my collection -- at least for now.

The first item is the rectangle stone. I have the large bar pan and the large pizza stone; however, I need this one! It probably is not a must-have, but it would be beneficial to have instead of always using my large bar pan.

The second item is something I have been wanting since it came out. I seriously want it super bad. I got to play with it a show once, and I immediately feel in love with it. The pineapple wedger.

The last item, but definitely not the least, is something that I have been needing for a really, really long time. However, everytime I go to buy is somewhere, they are out. I think I should just order it from Pampered Chef because I would be guaranteed to get it! The medium scoop would be used for baking cookies. I would not have to use my hands anymore!

Do any of you use Pampered Chef? Is there any product out there that you just can not live without?

I have a few for sure!

100 Things That Make Me Happy:

This is a part of the 101 Things in 1001 Days Project. I got to looking at my list the other day and decided that it would be easy to find 100 things that make me happy. I am a pretty happy person, and I enjoy a lot of things, so I sat on the list for a bit. Then I got back to it last night. I think I finished it. I wish I could add more to it because I feel I have left some things out, but I guess I could always add more to it later, right? This list is based on my basic life, not a particular part of my life. Although I could probably have 100 things that make me happy as a military wife and 100 things that make in happy in everyday life. I just combined them and went with it.


So here's my list:

1. Mr. Man
2. Our Baby Boy
3. our life
4. God
5. spending the day with my family
6. the beach
7. the sun
8. flowers, especially roses and daisy's
9. our family
10. hanging out with freinds
11. watching the sunset
12. traveling
13. passionate kisses
14. shopping 
15. food
16. late night walks
17. cuddling
18. working out
19. cooking
20. being lazy
21. swimming
22. BBQ's
23. getting a good night's rest
24. bubble baths
25. laying out
26. Louisiana
27. romantic getaways
28. blogging
29. making good grades
30. meeting new people
31. trying new foods
32. candles
33. being organized
34. smelling fragrances
35. my sunglasses
36. success
37. love
38. jeans that fit just right
39. not having to drive
40. boiled seafood
41. holding hands
42. getting packages in the mail
43. finding good sales
44. snow days
45. Aerosmith
46. wrapping up in a towel that is still warm from the dryer
47. pedicures
48. massages
49. facials
50. fishing
51. seeing my family happy
52. having the necessities in life
53. taking a trip down memory lane
54. my makeup
55. reading a good book
56. getting things done
57. feeling refreshed
58. Disney movies
59. ice cream
60. taking family pictures
61. finding money in random places
62. talking to the kiddos on the phone
63. hearing Mr. Man's voice from ocean's away
64. laughing 
65. freedom
66. music
67. dancing
68. sleeping in after a long night
69. getting unexpected phone calls
70. soup on a cold, rainy day
71. feeling sexy and confident
72. picnics
73. lists
74. Egyptian Cotton sheets
75. the smell of freshly cut grass
76. Mr. Man with his shirt off
77. water parks
78. playing Wii
79. seeing older cartoons on TV
80. alone time
81. sour candies
82. humble people
83. homemade fruit juice
84. babies and children
85. getting my hair done
86. thrift shops
87. catching butterflies on camera
88. old couples 
89. high heels
90. margaritas
91. hiking
92. helping others
93. fixing things on my own
94. being on a boat
95. waking up to Mr. Man by my side
96. conquering my fears
97. church
98. coloring
99. hearing stories of military families reunited
100. watching our son wait for Daddy at the door every single night, seeing him run up to Mr. Man and beg for snuggles right as Mr. Man walks through the door

New Sofas (are almost here)!!

I am so dang excited! I got a call yesterday about our sofas coming in. They set up a day and time to deliver them here to the house. I am so stinking excited! They will be here Friday around 10am.

As soon as I found out the new sofas were going to be here so soon, I put my other sofas up for sale. I seriously got about 10 people interested in less than 5 minutes. Heaven! I was so worried about having two sets of sofas in my house at one time. I could not just throw away these old sofas because they were not old. Nor do they have any stains, discoloration, nothing. They have  been well taken care of. They were a gift to us, so I really wanted to see them go to someone that could use them.

Well, a family emailed me about them yesterday. I told them that no one has set up a pick up date, but the first to do that would get them. I obviously need them out of my house ASAP, so this is why I did this. The family replied immediately back from a Blackberry (haha!) to claim them. I was so relieved! To top it off, they are coming to get them on Friday morning before the other ones show up. Talk about perfect!

I can not wait to get our new sofas in. We have officially accomplished everything we wanted to before adding to our family. It is quite relaxing and soothing to know that we will be comfortable and secure in our home for a while. Yay, yay, yay! I seriously can not wait to have our new ones here in the house.

Which leads me to shopping more! Because one of them is a sofa bed.. which means they will need sheets! Another yay for shopping!

My New Layout:

I wanted to update everyone on the new blog layout. I know I am a little behind the time, but I know this needs to be done!

I obviously have a new title. It is now "Life as a Cajun Bombshell." I chose this name because it is a nickname that Mr. Man gave me a while back. It has kind of stuck with us. The meaning behind it is that I am Cajun, born and raised in Louisiana. Mr. Man works in the Munitions Squadron of the Air Force, also known as AMMO, which is where the Bombshell comes in to play. I am also a blue-eyed, blonde hair woman, so it fits both descriptions. However, I tend to dye my hair dark auburn quite often.  Mr. Man also named his weapon in Afghanistan after me, The Cajun Bombshell, so the nickname has just stuck around for a while.

I finally have a button! It's located under "Share the Love" on the right side of the blog. So, please share the love. If you also have a button, I have a section for "Blogs I Love." This area is located on the left side of my blog. I have a section for military blogs and everyday bloggers. Please let me know by simply contacting me through email or comments to let me know that you have a button and would like me to Share the Love for you, too!

There is a place for you to follow me on Twitter if you would like. To be honest, I am a very boring Tweeter, but I am getting better :)

The main new attraction is the nav bar at the top. It has Home, which is where my main blog is located. Then is My Fitness Diary. This is where I will update my fitness goals and achievements, diet information, reviews on products I have used or are currently using, and some inspirational and encouraging tips and stories. Feel free to check in with it every couple of days, as I talk about fitness a lot!

The next area is for Recipes. I noticed lately I have been talking about food a whole lot. I thought it would be nice to separate the recipes for easy navigation if anyone decides to try one of the recipes. I will post anything from Cajun/Louisiana recipes to junk food to things I eat on a daily basis. Be sure to check it out!

I have a tab for My Travels. Since Mr. Man and I have jumped on the opportunities of traveling, I thought I would like to separate this, so I could at some point create a scrapbook. This is for my own personal pleasure, as most of it is. But you'll benefit too, by having it all nice and organized!

Of course, I have a section for my 101 Things to do in 1001 Days. This is where I will update my journey through that project. I have some pretty ambitious goals on there.. Let's see if I accomplish all of them!

And last, but definitely not least, I have a section for Guest Bloggers. I plan on allowing people to guest blog on Saturday's! I think this is a fabulous idea because I can show off blogs that I love and get to know other blogs that I just recently met. I also travel on these days with my family, so I am almost always gone. This is a great way to keep the flow of blogging, and promoting other people's blog. I am up for any type of bloggers, as long as it is family friendly. Please, let me know if you would be interested in Guest Blogging here! You can contact me at CajunBombshell1@yahoo.com for available dates.

I think I have covered everything so far! Except one thing....

I have had so many emails of people asking me how I did my blog. I wish I could take credit for it, but truly I can not. I appreciate all the love for the blog layout! Really, I do. I am so happy that so many of you love it! But I have to give the true thanks to Happy Housewife Designs! She did absolutely everything. She communicated well and did everything I asked of her. She is fabulous. If you are looking for someone to help you out with your blog, look her up! And actually, she was recommended to me from one of my all-time favorite bloggy friends, Mrs. S!

Ok, now from you:

Please let me know if you have a button! I would love to add it to my list of Blogs I Love.
Please Share the Love by grabbing my button!
And email me for your chance to be a featured guest blogger right here on "Life as a Cajun Bombshell!"

This Weekend Was Fabulous!

We had a fabulous family weekend! It was low key and fantastic! 

On Saturday, Mr. Man and I had to go bring some paperwork to the place we bought the sofas to get some money back since we do not have to pay the UK taxes. Well, we did that and since we were there, we decided to go eat at a Japanese Sushi bar. We had been there before, and this place is AMAZING! We ordered the large sushi bowl, which contained 15 pieces of a variety of sushi. There was some octopus, eel, salmon, tuna, mango, and tons of other things I did not recognize. All of it was good. We shared all of it, and each got to taste each one. It was yummy. Might I add, I am not a fish eater. Put sushi in my face, and I will chow down like no other. We also ordered a Japanese fried rice with vegetables and seafood. It was so light, refreshing, and yummy. We each got a Japanese Green Tea, which was amazing! I HATE tea. I think I have mentioned that before here, but I loved this tea. It was so refreshing and soothing. I loved it. We also got some teriyaki chicken to try since we had not had anything cooked there, other than the noodles and the rice. It was, of course, just as fantastic. We never go wrong when we go to these places because we love this kind of food. Oriental food is amazing. All aspects of it!

Since we are talking about the sofas, I got a phone call about 20 minutes ago! They are going to be here on Friday! I seriously can not believe they are here already. Time sure does fly by when you are busy (and getting old)! I can NOT wait. I am so happy that Mr. Man will still be here to see them in the house. I was really afraid they would come while he was away, but NOPE, he will get to help move them in, set them up, and enjoy them for a week before he leaves! Yay! We are beyond excited.

So Saturday afternoon, we went to a BBQ with a bunch of friends. It was such a good time. They had hamburgers, hot dogs, brauts, watermelon, fruit tray with dip, cheese sticks, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and I'm sure more. I just can not remember everything that was there. I ate a hamburger (minus the buns) and some fruit and fruit dip. Yummy! It was nice and refreshing and not over the top. While we were there, they brought out this delicious Italian wine. It was so smooth. By far the best wine I have ever tried. I plan on going on a hunt to find it when Mr. Man gets back from his TDY. It was so good. When I figure out the name, I'll share it, too! After we ate and the kids went to bed, we played Catch Phrase. Talk about hilarious! Mr. Man and I were the only sober people there. It was way hilarious. I mine as well had been drunk because I sure sounded like it some moments. It was a seriously good time. We got so into the game and addicted that we literally played all night long. Thank goodness, Mr. Man and I lived just a couple of steps away! 

On Sunday, church day, we went to the beach in the afternoon. Holkham Beach. It allows dogs, so we went with our baby boy. We had a fabulous time. I packed us a picnic lunch, which included a black bean salsa, light vegetable pasta, a variety of salami, and grapes and feta. When we got to the beach, Buttons saw 5 big dogs, all the same breed, and all so beautiful. He wanted to play with them so bad. Surprisingly they were playing in the water. Our baby boy has always been afraid of the water. We let him play around, and he seriously ran straight to the water with me. It was awesome! I was so proud of him. I was happy to have brought my camera for proof, too. After we played in the water some, we ate. Buttons was so cold from being wet and the wind blowing, so Mr. Man gave him his jacket. We bundled him up and he just chilled out on the side of us while we ate. After we ate, we all laid on the beach, all cuddled together, talking about life and things coming up with his career and such. It was such a great day. It was just what we needed. We are so use to being close to the beach, hearing the water all the time. Now when we are able to be on a beach or near crashing waves, it calms us and makes us happy. Definitely a well needed little day away! FANTASTIC! 

Of course, today... it is back to reality.

Congrats to the Winner of the CSN Stores Giveaway!!!

There were 38 entries total to this giveaway. Thank you all for entering my very first giveaway and making it so successful!

I used Random.org to generate a random winner. The winning number was 22, which was Lynda Del, who said...

"I would get the Original Dr. Scholl's Makeup shoes in Blue. They look comfy yet still very stylish."

Congrats to Lynda!! 

She will have 48 hours to claim this! If she does not email me within the 48 hours, I will choose another winner.

Lynda, please email me at CajunBombshell1@yahoo.com.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!