MicroblogMonday - My post did not resonate. I thought it was good!

Capturing vacation on my camera.

On this MicroblogMonday I am going to share a little twinge I felt last week. My blog post did not seem to resonate with people or generate much interest. Oh well. I thought it was good! No comments and just a few likes. We really do let our feelings hinge on online comments and likes. My April social media diet has curbed some of that in me but it still stung a little that it did not seem like many people noticed or read my recent post on Blogher. I posted it on all my social sites and it still did not get much traction. I was even worried that some of the content might offend. Nothing to worry about there. It would have to be read to offend.

The good thing is, I learned a lot from the research I did to write the post. That in itself is the reward. I am much more in tune to the pressures kids are facing these days and how social media plays in to those pressures. It's still scary but I am more educated.

Check the post in question out if you'd like to, here's the link -

sheknows.com//my-teen-said-i-was-on-social-media-too-much

#MicroblogMonday - What a difference a week makes

Schedules, diets and challenges. New week new challenges.

The snow is gone and although it's not super warm at least the sun is out and the snow is pretty much gone. Last week at this time it felt more like February than April. My daughters softball season starts at long last tomorrow and we are getting ready for a much needed vacation.  They say when you need something done ask a busy person. The same goes for the week or day before a vacation. Getting super organized and getting everything done is a must. Efficiency is at an all time high. Motivation for getting things done is at an all time high.

The schedule is planned, the meals are planned, a little shopping is still needed as is a lot of packing. How happy am I to be shopping for sunscreen? VERY HAPPY. How happy am I that my dog care is all lined up? VERY HAPPY. Vacation can't come soon enough.

My April Challenge is cruising along. This weeks challenge is no take out or eating out. Easy peasy. We'll be eating out more than usual while on vacation so eating at home and making lunches each day would probably have been my plan anyway for this week.

As far as my social media diet I have really noticed how much more concentration I have now that the apps for my social media accounts are off of my phone. A total break from social media is not possible since some of what I do is for work but limiting it to when I am on my computer or ipad has made a big difference in how I spend my time.

Signing off for now and hoping you all have a great week! Wendy

Fruits and Veggies Challenge

I love the fruits and veggies part of the April Challenge. It gets me out of my eating ruts. This week to get the points I need to have 2 different fruits and 2 different vegetables each day.

The first day is always easy. Today will require a trip to the store.

Monday -
Apple and grapes
Cucumber and cabbage

#MicroblogMonday - Late Snow Brings Challenges

Snow makes the April Challenge more challenging for 2nd year in a row.

The April Challenge is happening, I am off to a good start. I have the best chance at winning one of the weeks in the first week so I'm giving it my all. Each week has a bonus challenge that goes along with it and this weeks was to walk or run a 5k.

April 3rd 2016

Easy enough on a usual day but don't you know it snow has been falling yesterday and today.
Thankfully the YMCA has an indoor track.  I recall last year going to a walking trail near me to complete the 5k with a friend and our daughters brought bikes. They had to stop when the snow on the trail made it impossible to bike further. Gotta love New England!

I've got 3 different books I am listening to and spent the time on the track listening to one of them - The Heavy by Dara-Lynn Weiss. I started listening and then as I often do I googled the author to see a photo of her. My search turned up some articles from when the book came out and the controversy that surrounded the story it told. It details the author's attempts to address her 8 year old daughters obesity at the request of the pediatrician.
My thoughts go to the future and what this little girl will be like as a tween, teen and adult. Will she thank her mom? Will she be mortified by the book?

It is so hard to be the mom of a daughter and be the one who will be a big part of forming her relationship with food. The mom from the book was brave to put it out there.

Will I stick to the April Challenge? I'd like to make this my best one yet. Stay tuned!

All my best, Wendy

Day 1 - sit ups, lunges & push ups

Well if this graphic doesn't inspire swagger I don't know what would. Hello April Challege! 

April Challenge Starts Tomorrow

Hello April I missed you!

Social media can take over your life. When you are tired and don't feel like doing much it's a way to live vicariously through others. I found out recently that I have sleep apnea (I am not getting enough oxygen while I sleep) and that my vitamin D level which should be a number of 30 or over is 17.
No wonder I am tired!

I took facebook, twitter and instagram off of my phone. Social media is part of my work so as I think it through further I realize I can't shut it off completely but can take steps to spend less time on it.

Being tired affects so many other things and makes it so much harder to get things done. And it bums you out.

I had a physical this past October. My vitamin D was OK at that time. This winter was not the piece of cake I originally thought it was. Low vitamin D is pretty common in the northeast where I live.
Time to get out in the sunshine and take a supplement!

Monday I will see a neurologist and find out what I need to do about the sleep apnea.
Losing weight will help that, I am sure.

Each year a friend of my sisters runs an April Challenge and I've participated several times in the past. This last year was my best year and I'm going to try to top it this year.
Participants pay a $30 entry fee and get points for completing activities. The basics are - giving up junk food, cardio 6 days a week and increasing #'s of sit ups, push ups and planks over the course of the month.

I also need to finish up that desk project I started ... it's looking great!
Pictures coming soon ...

All my best, Wendy

#Microblog Monday April Challenge - No Social Media

Microblog Monday - The April Challenge is a Social Experiment

I am going off the social grid for the month of April. You will find me here on my blog, by text, phone and email but not on social media.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin ...

What will I miss? Will there be more found time in my life?

Proclaiming this now instead of on April 1st ensures that people (who I don't know, but you know people) will not think it's an April Fools day prank.

My blogs facebook page and my twitter page will basically become an RSS feed for these posts. Any comments and messages on social media will not be seen until May 1st when I return. Is a blog considered social? Only if there is 2 way interaction would be my guess. Comment away here, I'd love to chat with you!

Has anyone else taken a social media break for an extended period of time? How did it go? Was it hard?

I find that I love social media on a day like yesterday. It was Easter and there were so many great posts from everyone's Easter Sunday festivities. Even those who were not celebrating Easter chimed in with posts about what they were doing on a sunny Sunday in March.

I've got a few days to go before this full fledged hiatus. Wish me luck!

All my best, Wendy

4/04/16 Update - Blogging and a month long social media hiatus just do not go hand in hand. Taking facebook, Twitter and Instagram off of my phone is the best I can do and it's been great. My email inboxes got cleaned up and I am pretty much keeping then that way. There were for sure things that I found I needed after I deleted the vast # of emails but found that I could easily get the information I needed other ways. Looking in my sent mail, calling the person who sent me what I needed in the first place and in a few cases just letting go.