Special Olympics P&G Give

For every new “like,” P&G receives on its Thank You Mom Facebook page through February 28, 2012, the company will donate one dollar to the Special Olympics, up to $100,000.

You can also leave your mark by clicking on the “A Word from Mom” application on Facebook and adding your favorite piece of mom wisdom. If you do this, P&G will donate another $1 to Special Olympics.

Thank You In Advance for your Generosity in Helping The Special Olympics and Taking the time to click and help P&G meet their goals.

The Plus Size Mommy

Chiming in here just to say Hello and Hoping that everyone has had wonderful holidays and a Happy New Year to all.
I don’t know about some of you but this past yr. and actually the last part of 2010 to me I was just like drifting by. Just basically getting by on my blog to keep it alive and not doing too much. I have had a lot of medical problems and so on.

Anywho… I am now refreshed, feeling better (yay) and off to the drawing board with my blog. I am going to get it revamped and revv’ed back up to where I want it to be.
The past couple weeks while thinking about it, I have made a goal board, so I know what NEW direction I want to go and where I want to be by this time in 2013!

I am planning a couple conference’s to go to this year to get refreshed and get idea’s and also to see all my buddies. After all, I haven’t been to one in quite a while. If you have never been to one, you should try and make a budget allowance for at least one of the smaller one’s just to go and see what they are all about.(My favorite one, I must say is Type A Parent).

I am excited for the plans I have to come for 2012. I have dropped some other community involvement so I can concentrate and be more on board with the one’s I really care about, not that the other’s aren’t good, it is just like anything else in life. Changes are here for me.
I felt like I was spreading myself too thin the last yr. and 1/2 and bogged myself down, not doing well in any community. I have decided in my goal plan that I won’t be doing this anymore.

That the groups I join and the offers I take are one’s that are important, relevant, and I have knowledge of already. I am also excited to be trying out some new products.
I do not have babies anymore, so I am dropping that part of my blogs reviews and such. (My kids are always my babies, but age wise, they aren’t baby babies anymore). I will be focusing on area’s that have been meaningful to me in the first place.

My blog (http://www.theplussizemommy.com) came to be because I have a strong passion (actually part of the vein of my existence) toward making fashion better and more beautiful for the plus size woman (and teens). A woman who is not a size 7 but for woman like me, who want to be fashionably fun, fashionably savvy, and fashionably professional. One where people will look at us and know we too are a meaningful part of society and we want the classic fits, the gorgeous gowns, and just plain jeans and tee’s that fit us like they do a size 5, but made for us gals (or boys,girls,teens) who are plus sized. Clothes made to look like they are meant for us. Clothes that aren’t extremely uncomfortable, because we have to try and fit a size 22 into a 16 just because we want “That Look” (which the only look we get is that of a stuffed cabbage roll).

I created this blog, to make a difference in the fashion industry. To let clothes designers know that WE ARE HERE, and we want the same looks they make for smaller woman for us.

Being Plus Size isn’t anything new. We have been around forever, and we aren’t going away anytime soon.
Many pundits say we should lose weight, that we are unhealthy, that we need to lose our Curvaceousness. But like I heard on The Today Show‘s Dr. Nancy Snyderman yesterday, “I think we will have a chance for an Anti-Cancer vaccine sooner then curing the obesity epidemic”.(time – 2:25)

I have been battling weight loss for 25 out of my 37 years on this planet. I have tried everything under the sun. I have wanted to lose weight so badly that I underwent life threatening surgery (gastric bypass) over 10 years ago , with the mentality that if I am going to die being obese,I rather die trying not to be. And STILL didn’t lose weight, even after following all that I was told to follow. I have exercised, dieted, counted calories, and so on and to no avail, here I am 37 years young, and still obese.

It is funny because through this past year and half I have been diagnosed with MS and in a severe depression. I have been on so many med.’s (42 a day, at the height of it all) that I have felt like I am so doped up I physically and mentally cannot function.

Now do tell, how can someone on 42 medication’s a day (none of which were due to my weight, I remind you), where many/most of them say “may cause dizziness, drowsiness, etc.” how in the world can I be able to exercise? How can I even think to eat right?
And through all of this, my Doctors (all of them) say I am basically a really healthy person (minus depression,MS, and Obesity).

I have undergone heart tests, sleep apnea testing, MRI’s, CT Scans, pulmonary testing, have had ALL of the chemicals and vitamins checked in my body, have been tested for diabetes, have had my cholesterol & thyroid checked, and blood pressure, and they ALL tell me, I am basically a healthy person, cause ALL of these tests come back clean? HOW IS THIS? Seriously?

I am all about eating right, I have a small piece of meat, the size of the middle of my palm (as the dietitians tell me is a great guideline), I love fruits and vegetables, and I try not to have but a tablespoonful(or so) of starch. I am all about doing physical activity. I love to walk, swim, dance, hike, and more.

I truly truly in my heart believe that it isn’t a choice to be fat (just like it isn’t a choice to be Black, Too Skinny, Gay, a Woman, a Man, White, Asian, a Twin, have Cancer, be born unable to reproduce or anything else under the sun).
Do you really really think I would want to be ridiculed, teased, bullied, belittled, depressed, and so on all my life? Hell No!
But alas, as much as I would love to be that size 7, 12, 16, hell even a 22! I am not, I am just me.

What I am is a married mother of 4, who cares about so many people that they will never even ever know, I am loved, I am lovable, I am fun, I love food, I love to shop, and I CARE ABOUT AND WANT TO LOOK GOOD in the skin I am in! Is this too much to ask?
(And I am sure, you don’t want me running around naked)

I am tired of wasting my life, battling this and want to start living! I have just read one of my good friends Cecily’s blog posts and she seems to be with me on this in some ways, you may want to read her blog post as well – Body Acceptance to see her point of view on being fat.

So, as I am about to embark on some changes, there will be categories I will no longer be writing about, less reviews, more stories, still writing about things I love and my family love to eat, where we like to go, what we like to do, but the main focus on this blog will still and always be about a Fashionable fun Mommy, who loves to eat, spend time with my friends and enjoys great things, because that is what being a Plus Size Mommy is all about.

Peace Throughout The New Year and Beyond!

***Beth*** AKA The Plus Size Mommy

Thank you to Wikets for introducing me to this iPhone/iPad app. You can download Wikets from the App Store here.

On November 7, I was introduced to and able to review a new App. it is called Wikets. I love reviewing App.’s because I love finding out all about the cool and new things they do. And especially FREE app’s 9even better).
Wikets is a way of sharing things you love.places you love,App.’s you love,music and move and in return, you get rewarded!

When you sign up for Wikets, which is very easy to do you will see a bar at the bottom that shows FEED, EXPLORE, NEW REC, WISHLIST, and REWARDS.

FEED : This is the section where when you invited friends, and they join, and meet new friends, you will see a feed of all of their recommendations. Then you can put that rec on your wishlist, re-recommend it, and you may also comment on their rec’s.

Explore : by using the Explore tab you can search for what you like, example, if you like a certain song, you can put it into the search bar, and it will show you anything under that other people who posted. You could click Popular, it will show you popular topics under that search term.

You can click on Nearby, with this you will get a listing of places nearby where you are and you can choose from those that are in the list, to recommend off of that list.

And, if you click People, you will get a listing of people you can follow.

When you click on “Add A Rec” you will get 3 bars to chose from. Rec a Product, Rec a Place, and Scan a Barcode.

When you do Rec. a Product – it will take you to featured stores, such as iTunes, App Store, Best Buy, and more. Then you can add your Favorite Stores, for example I was able to add Petco,Gap, and any other store I may frequent and like to buy from.

Then when you have a Rec. to make, you can pull up that store and make your recommendation. So, for example, if I liked a song I could go to Rec.’s section, hit iTunes, and then click on the song I wanted to recommend.

For Recommend a Place, I could recommend places nearby where I am, places I have been, etc.

and for Scan a Barcode, you can take a product you have at home, or in a store, and scan the code, and then recommend it, AND OR add it to your wishlist! For a great example, Christmas is coming up, I could go to a Toy Store with my kids, and they could say, oh I want that or I really want this, etc.. and I can secretly scan the upc code and add it to my wishlist, and under Wishlist I can chose a category to put it under. For example, say I scan a toy for Bobby, and it is a book, I can add it to my Wishlist under book. Or a Barbie for Jenny, I can add it under gift idea’s.

The Wishlist topics are : Apps, Books, Food, Gadgets, Gift Idea’s, Home, and My trip to.

I can also add to my Wishlist things that my friends/others have recommended that I may want to get, or that I want to try out (like an App.) at another time. Then I am able to go back into my Wishlist at anytime.

And, now the cool part. The Rewards Tab! For every thing you use on Wikets, whether it is adding a rec., re-rec a friends rec., add things to your wishlist, bought, liked on Facebook, you earn points. After so many points, you can redeem them for rewards from many retail partners!
How cool is that?!

You can share your Rec.’s on Facebook and Twitter as well, to share them with an even bigger audience.
Also under Rewards, you are able to see your History, Your Top Rec.’s and also Your top friends.

It is a fun Social Media App. that pays you as you use it. If you would like to join me on Wikets, please use the code: PLUSSIZEMOMMY .

Thank you for joining me in the Wiket fun! I cannot wait to see your Rec’s and earn points with you.

The Plus Size Mommy

Thank you to Wikets for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about the app. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own. #CleverWikets #spon

The first thing I did was look at price’s and compared it to a competitors special offer.

and I found a coupon for the STP Multipurpose Motor Treatment that my wife got at Walmart when she got her last oil change.

Once again this year I was asked to participate in the “A Day Made Better” project with Office Max. I love participating in this campaign every year, because every year the look on the teacher’s face’s when I deliver them their surprise is just wonderful. You can tell they are very surprised and definitely thankful.

This year, I chose my daughter’s teacher to Make her Day Better, and I taped (as best I could) The entire experience. Below is the video I was able to get:

The box contained pencils, pens, scissors, correction tape, 2 Office Max Rubber Band Balls, a T- Shirt (which was a little big, but she can use as a paint shirt), pencil sharpener, office tray, sticky notes, colored pencils, markers, hand sanitizer, and more. I also added in some glue sticks, and some other products I knew she could use. The box had a worth of over $110!

Teachers touch so many lives every day, but for many, their passion can also become a financial hardship. With school budgets getting cut nationwide, teachers often buy their own supplies to make sure every child has the necessary tools to learn.

I’ve joined the Max Moms for Teachers program to help create awareness and encourage support for teachers in every community. The Max Moms are working in collaboration with the national “A Day Made Better” cause founded by OfficeMax and nonprofit Adopt-A-Classroom to help erase teacher-funded classrooms.

You too can join in this cause by surprising a deserving teacher in your community by purchasing your own A Day Made Better box of classroom supplies available for $25, $50 or $100 at www.adoptaclassroom.org/better.

Is there a teacher you know, who you could make their day better?

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure: The school supplies were provided by OfficeMax as part of its cause for teachers. The views written here are my opinion.

In my last post I had told you about how I was going to be helping to build a home for a Family in Pittsburgh with Libby’s and Habitat For Humanity. Well, I was a bit off, I didn’t actually help build the home (it was already done) but I did help to put final touches in the home for the family.

I was allowed to bring my 14 yr. old son Xavier with me. It was an experience I don’t think either of us will forget. It was such a happy time. And it felt REALLY good knowing we were helping a mom and her children move into their new home. While we were there, we actually got the opportunity to meet the Mom who the house was for. She stopped by with some home inspectors and Habitat staff for a final walk through. You could feel her joy as it was so illuminated on her face. She was a bit emotional and very happy. I was proud to be able to be a part of this experience.
My son enjoyed it too.

We hung blinds, my son painted scuff marks, We put together a brand new table and chairs for her complete with a set of new dishes, silverware, and table place settings. Another team built a new picnic table for the family, all from scratch, I was extremely impressed.

Here are some pictures of our day:

My son and I hanging blinds (Above)

The new table and chairs in the diningroom that we helped put together (Below)

The generous Libby’s Ladies, also brought canned food (Libby’s of course) fruits and vegetables to stock the families new pantry.

My proud self after I put up this blind all by myself (Below)

Everyone outside on the car port taking a picture with the beautiful new picnic table. (Above)

Kim from http://www.craftymamaof4.com putting paint touch ups on the outside railing and everywhere that needed it. (Below)

The Libby’s girls were so wonderful. I would work with them again any day! They were witty and funny and just extremely fun to be with. They made the whole day go by so quickly. It didn’t even seem like work with them with us.
The Habitat For Humanity Staff were also really nice and fun to work with as well. We learned so much from them too.

Staff working on building the chairs and the table (Above)

Then the Wonderful day came for this beautiful new home. It is the ribbon cutting ceremony and a Christianing of their brand new home. This was a very special day for this family, and now they have a new home to be proud of and to now make this house a home! (Below, New homeowner Roxanne with her children, proud new owners of the home)

It was a wonderful experience,with wonderful co-workers, on a beautiful day in Pittsburgh! Thank you Mom It Forward for inviting me to help with this amazing experience.

It is such a good feeling to know that you are helping an entire family and lending a hand to them as they move in and enjoy their new home.

What little project could you help with today to give a hand and help a neighbor or a family to impact their lives and make a difference in your community? Using your “Sweat Equity” makes you feel so much better and also now we know what we can do.

Home is Where the Heart is

The Plus Size Mommy

Disclosure ~ I am being compensated by Libby’s for my participation in this project.