5 Things Friday - My Issues with Transgender

I pride myself on being very open minded.  I believe in letting people live their lives and as long as it doesn't affect you then why do you have a problem with it?  Gay marriage - I'm all for it.  Abortions - Yes, those should absolutely be allowed.  I have my beliefs and thoughts on a lot of things.  And I believe that I'm really accepting of most people. 

But I have a really REALLY hard time with the recent transgender topics all over the news.  I'm trying to be open to it.  Trying to be accepting.  But its not working.  And now this new word, "Cisgender" has really put me over the edge..... 

1.  Cisgender
(By the way - spell check thinks its made up too.)  I keep seeing this word and I had no idea what it meant so I googled it... "Cisgender is a term for someone who has a gender identity that aligns with what they were assigned at birth. The term was created for referring to "non-transgender" people without alienating transgender people."

Ok.... So now we had to invent a word that essentially means I have a vagina so that makes me a girl.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't saying "I'm a girl" mean the same freaking thing??

2.  Transgender Bathrooms
No, I do not believe that transgender people are going to harm me or my daughter in a public restroom.  I do however believe that this is going to make it easier for the creeps out there.  This allows people who are not transgender to basically use any restroom that they wish.  Its turning it into a free for all.

3.  Sex Reassignment Surgery
Do you know that you only have to be 18 to have this done?  Do you know what I did when I was 18?  I got my belly button pierced.  And it was a REALLY BIG DEAL.  I didn't grow a penis at 18....   I'm sure that there are some kids that have felt this way their whole lives and this is important to them.  I'm also sure there are probably just as many kids who are jumping on this latest fad bandwagon who are going to regret this decision later in life.  Just go get a tattoo or piercing like every other 18 year old.

4.  Gay/Straight/Bi..... what are you?
This one is just me being a brat and I can admit that.  But honestly, I can understand if someone is gay.  Your a man who is attracted to men.  Your a woman attracted to women.  If you are bisexual... Ok, I just consider you indecisive.  Not my favorite characteristic in a person, but that's ok.  You love who you love, I can get behind that.  But... you were born a female, decided to turn into a male, if you like girls are you straight or gay?  I guess it doesn't really matter in the long run.... I just can't wrap my brain around it.  And say you are said male who was born a female and you are dating a girl after your change, do you have a duty to tell her you were born a female?  It just makes everything so complicated.

5.  Where do we draw the line?
I understand and agree with being accepting of everyone in life.  As long as they aren't causing me or my family harm in anyway.  And you being transgender doesn't bother me really.  But its starting with bathrooms, where does it end?  Gary and I don't agree on all of this and that's ok.  I put this scenario to him last night:

Lyla is 12 years old.  Changing in the school locker room for gym class.  Do you want her in there changing with the "girl" who still has a penis?  Do you want her to see a penis at 12 years old?   

There has to be a happy medium somewhere.  I don't know what the answer is, but I'm a little worried about the direction things are going.

Another Year Come & Gone

My birthdays keep coming quicker and quicker it feels like.  Its true what they say, the older you get, the faster time goes. 

This year, like every other year, I celebrated for a week!  Ash and I started off on Tuesday with dinner at Mad Mex.  They brought back the gobblerito for one day only... it was like a birthday wish come true!  We stuffed our faces then went shopping.  A perfect "date night" with one of my favorite girls!

Friday night Maria and I went to dinner.  Its so great to work with someone who is such a great friend! 

Saturday morning Gary and Lyla dropped me off to meet mom and her and I spent the day shopping at the outlets.  We had a blast just the two of us and we got lots of good deals! 

After shopping I went to dinner with Gary, Lyla, Erin, Andy, Hendrick, Ashley & Jeremy at Walnut Grille.  The food was really good and we all had fun catching up and visiting!

On Monday, my actual birthday, Maria brought me flowers to work and a birthday cake!  Gary and I were able to meet for lunch.  Lyla had soccer in the evening so we were there after work and then we went for ice cream to celebrate!

 

 

Gary got me a selfie stick!  I'm so excited!  No more asking strangers to take pictures of us!

WLW 2016 - Week #14

Starting Weight:  135.0 lbs
Last Week's Weight:  134.6 lbs
Today's Weight: 136.2  lbs

So.....  I'm struggling.  I weigh myself every morning and if I'm being honest, sometimes again in the evening.  And all I ever share is what I weigh on Wednesday morning.  But over the course of seven days that number bounces around A LOT.  For example, in the last week I have been as low as 133.8 lbs and as high as 137.4 lbs.  I'm starting to wonder if I should start focusing less on the number on more on my lifestyle.  BUT I am afraid to do that and lose track and get way off course. 

I have done some good changes in the last couple of weeks though that I'm proud of and would like to share! 

I'm getting back into exercising!  Last week I did the treadmill Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and I did it last night and will hopefully get to do it tonight.  Lyla and I went on a nice walk Saturday.  And... drumroll please... Ashley and I signed up for a 5K!  hahaha, hopefully I survive it.  Its not until July, so I have time to prepare!  :)

I've also been working hard to kick my pop habit.  I never drank pop before.  Then about a year ago I started bringing a Coke Zero with me for lunch everyday.  I know there aren't any calories, but I'm positive its not good for me.  I haven't bought anymore and I finished the ones I had at home early last week.  I've been doing ok.  I do crave it in the afternoon though.  Today I caved and went and bought an iced tea.  I'm trying really hard to get back into just coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day.  Its hard though.

I also have been making huge salads for lunch everyday.  I saw on pinterest where you can make salads in a jar.  The idea is you layer in the jar so that the dressing is far away from the lettuce.  The benefits to putting the salads in a jar are that you don't have to bring any dressing to work with you (its all in there), you can make them all on Sunday for the week (so no evening prep) and they look pretty!  ;) 

There are all kinds of different recipes out there but we all know I like things simple and boring.  I've been doing mine with Italian dressing, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, hardboiled egg, chicken, mozzarella cheese and Italian salad mix on top. 

Then I just have a big bowl and fork that I keep at work to dump the jars in each day!

This was on day 5, still fresh!

I'm doing my best to really just live a healthy lifestyle and set a good example for Lyla.  And I feel better when I'm focused and trying even if I don't always succeed.  I never WANT to get on the treadmill at night, but I ALWAYS feel really good after I do it.  Its all about pushing yourself to do things, even when you don't necessarily want to.

Girl Time

Every year around this time Gary goes and spends a weekend in West Virginia.  The main event is watching WrestleMania at Jason's house Sunday night, but he always goes early and does all sorts of visiting while he is there. 

Back in pre Lyla days, Mom and I used to go to Ohio for the weekend.  Then when we only had one car, Lyla and I used to go and stay at mom and dad's for the weekend.  Now Lyla and I just stay home while Gary goes. 

My daughter is a very complex little girl.  I know that she does not like things sprung on her last minute.  She needs time to mentally prepare and get ready.  So I let her know a while back that Daddy was going away for the weekend and it was just going to be her and I and we were going to have a super fun Girls Weekend!!!  I really built it up!  But Lyla is a daddy's girl.

It started last week.  She had herself so stressed out about Gary leaving that almost every evening she would end up in tears at some point saying she was going to miss Daddy.  Then Friday morning came.  The three of us left the house together.  Lyla and I told Gary bye and I took her to daycare, like any other Friday.  I knew she was upset when I dropped her off.  But she was holding it together.  Well halfway to work I got a phone call from daycare that she was in complete hysterics.  She was just bawling her eyes out that she was going to miss her daddy.

They say it takes a village to raise a child.  That is so true and we have a pretty amazing support system.  Its a little different for us since we don't live where we grew up and have had to learn to depend on others that aren't family.  But the ladies at daycare and her teachers at school just adore her and we all work together to take care of her.  I gave her teacher a heads up that it was going to be a rough day.  And she in turn made Lyla her "Special Helper" and that helped get her through the day. 

When I picked her up Friday my main objective was keeping her happy and keeping myself calm for the weekend.  We did a lot of shopping and eating out!  We ate more junk than I care to admit! 

  

We spent hours playing with her new Tsum Tsums....

Saturday we cut down most of my daffodils and brought them inside.  Thank goodness because when we got up Sunday there was snow on the ground!

Becca came to play on Sunday and the girls decided to do my hair.... lol

Monday morning walking into daycare Lyla said she had a really fun girls weekend!  I can't really ask for more than that!  And we were both super excited to see Gary when we got home!  Even if he is sick...   ;)

Happy Easter 2016



We had a really nice Easter weekend. 

 

Things got started Thursday when Lyla had her Spring Party at school.  Lisa, Tommy and Madison had sent her a little Easter package in the mail, these cute bunny ears were one of her presents.  She wore them to school Thursday and then the rest of the weekend!  She was so excited about them!

 

 

Friday Gary played handyman.  He changed the light switch and put in a ceiling fan in the reflection room, put a new fixture in the bathroom and fixed the light in our bedroom! 

 

Saturday we dyed Easter Eggs:

 

 

 

Lyla was really into it this year, so that made it fun!

 

Sunday morning Lyla had to find all of her eggs the Easter Bunny left.  Of course she wore her ears to do it... backwards....  ;)

 

 

The Easter Bunny brought her a new swimsuit.  This is how she ran around the house until it was time to go to Grandma & Pappy's!

 

I'm not sure if she is going on 6 or 16..... Ugh

 

We got to spend Sunday afternoon at Mom & Dad's.  Em, Gerald, Carter and Diana were there too.  We all enjoyed getting in some playtime with Carter.  He is growing up SO FAST!

Leaping Leprechauns!

Tuesday evening Lyla came home from school all excited that they were going to make a leprechaun trap in her kindergarten class on Wednesday to try to catch a leprechaun!  And she told me she wanted to do one at home too....  So afterschool yesterday her and Gary got to work.  They did a pretty good job!

She was really dead set on catching a leprechaun.  I asked her what she was going to do with the leprechaun if she did catch it?  She said she was going to "keep it for a pet and scare Zoe with it"....  She really wanted to put her trap outside "in case the leprechaun can't get in the house".  I convinced her that if she put it outside the box will blow away and that leprechauns can get inside, they are magical.  So we put it right inside the front door.  THEN she set other shoe boxes all across the doorway inside in case he got past the first one....

When we checked the traps this morning, the one out by the front door was turned to the side and there was a string of beads half and half out of it.  There were beads on the door coming into the house.  All the other shoe boxes had the lids off and were tossed all around with more beads.  In the kitchen there were beads on Lyla's chair and a container with a St. Patricks Day donut inside.  On the lid it said "Nice Try!  You can't catch me!" 

Lyla was so excited!  She said we did a really good trap!  We got his attention and he got in our house!  Next year we will have to put more boxes all over the floor then we will catch him for sure!

After her donut we got her ready for school!

I call my look today "St. Patty's work casual - aka - BORING!"