It's all in your head

Can someone tell me the difference between this woman:

 

and this woman?

 

I'll give you a hint: it's not something you can see.

Yes, I've lost weight in the bottom picture. I'm also wearing a bit more make-up. But those aren't the difference either.

Give up?

The woman in the bottom picture feels sexy. The dress obviously helps, so do the killer high heels she's got on (that you can't see), but it's more than just that. It's all about how those things made me feel. When I bought the dress, I gave myself a 50% chance of actually fitting into it, much less wearing it in public. But the more I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized the dress really was amazing. And I felt amazing in it.

I want to lose some more weight and I'd love it if I had longer legs and perkier breasts, but even I was a perfect size 6 with a 35" inseam and 22 year old breasts, if I don't feel sexy, then I'm still no more so than I am now. It's all in my head - always has been. So instead of dogging on myself and having a melt down in every dressing room I go into because I'm not a supermodel, I'm going to embrace my curves and know that how attractive I feel is a choice.

And I choose sexy.

16 and Living the Dream

Last week, my 16-year-old and I embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to New York City. I've taken numerous trips to NY without her, but this was the first time we ventured together and it was incredible.

To see her light up in Times Square as she took in the sights, the look on her face when she got to meet Jenny McCarthy for the first time, the way she gazed in awe at the Empire State Building the first time she saw it...nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to that.

My mother and I took family vacations when I was younger, but mostly to amusement parks or fishing resorts, no place as cool as New York City and certainly never with just her and me. So to be able to share this experience with my daughter was the greatest thing ever. I was worried that because we weren't able to do as much as we wanted to because of the cold weather and pending Super Bowl craziness that she wouldn't enjoy the trip, but she assured me it was a 57 of a scale of 1-10. Regardless, just spending time together in the most amazing city I've ever been to was priceless. 

As far as sightseeing went, we got to see Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park (driving-through), the Flatiron Building, Grand Central Station, and Macy's in Herald Square. The extras we got to enjoy included seeing the View (and meeting several celebrities) and spending about four hours on the Blue Bloods set with Donnie Wahlberg. We got to have lunch with Sherri Shepherd after the View and kiddo was tickled about Sherri asking her all kinds of "interview"-type questions about what she planned on doing after high school. We did some shopping, a lot of eating and took tons of pictures, too. We also managed to get turned around on the subway once and ended up DEEEEEEEEEP in Brooklyn at midnight (not something I recommend, by the way), but it was an experience we won't soon forget.

 

The trip didn't start out smoothly, which made it that much more special, I think. The original plans included taking the Megabus to Chicago and flying out of O'Hare into NYC. The reverse was also the plans for coming home. Unfortunately, a blizzard derailed our plans. Megabus cancelled all bus trips to Chicago, so that meant Hubby having to drive us to Chicago. We stayed with friends and then he took us to the airport the next morning before he returned home. Thankfully, the plans home worked out. We came back into Chicago and stayed with my friend Cathy who spoiled us rotten. The whole trip, actually was thanks to some great generosity on behalf of our friends. Buddy pass airline tickets, open houses to stay at, etc. We were very fortunate that the trip worked out the way it did. 

Sis decided that this needs to be a tradition we pass down through generations. Since I took her to NYC, she plans on taking her daughter someday. I can only hope I'm still spry enough to join them. I look forward to the next trip I get to take with her, but also when I get to take Big Man on a trip, too.