Nobody Cares, Work Harder

That's what my latest sticker from Finn says. She was so proud when she gave it to me, too. "It reminded me of you, Mom. You always say this and you mean it!" The gift of having a Gen X Mom. Can you feel my proud smile?! It got me thinking about my current state of affairs....Perimenopause.

I officially entered into that in 2024 or at least was labeled. There were 4 times during the year I had a mega hot flash that ended in loss of consciousness. What would begin as a slight anxious feeling, soon flooded into sweat coming out of every pore. Cue the racing heartbeat and difficulty breathing. My mind would race and tell me, "Hey, you gotta get out of here. Go. Now. You gotta get out of here." Luckily, I never was seriously injured because I was often standing in front of a mirror, watching to see what the fuck my body was doing (taking notes, you know) and then coming out of it listening to my husband or my kids talking me back into existance. I would always be talking back and my mind was so far away. Very out of body feeling. 

After several blood tests and visits with my physician, everything came back that I am fit as a fiddle and healthy as can be. Even my heart murmur had improved with my lifestyle. My hashimotos has been in check thanks to fully adipting my lifestyle and keeping within my dietary needs. In fact, if given blood tests, I am in the normal range for everything!

The verdict was these were just some nasty ass hot flashes that accompany perimenopause. Are you kidding me?!The shit. In case you don't know, Perimenopause, also known as the menopause transition, is the period when your ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen. This stage typically starts in your early 40s but can begin as early as your 30s or as late as your 50s. I'm 52. Things just began to get whacky. Nobody ever said they passed out with this garbage. My doctor said some bodies react that way and mine is one of them. Thank God, I only had 4 hot flashes that year. LOL 

I am not a candidate for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) because of my family's history. Holistic it is, I say with a smile. Herbs take a while to build in the system so I immediately began taking Ashwaganda and magnesium. My hot flashes definitely have improved and I can have one without anyone barely noticing. Cue the insomnia, night sweats, anxiety attacks, getting shitfaced off of 1 cocktail, waking up nauseated, feeling fatigued. Most bothersome for me is the anxiety. I know what I'm thinking is not reality. 

I've still been able to keep up with my workouts for mind, body and soul, but I have had days I've listened to my body when I need it. I have big aspirations of completing a mini triathlon in July. Fingers crossed this body cooperates! One of my BODi buddies reached out to check in and I spilled my guts on what my body has been doing. Even though, I am one of, if not, THE oldest in our workout group, I am just entering this stage of life and some of them are already into Menopause (that's when you haven't had a period in 12 months in a row). 

I love my fit girls. Lillian, Tina, Annika, Jez....We serious can and DO talk about anything freely. Ro--I love you. She told me about a product that she thought would help. She also had loss of consciousness with hot flashes, severe anxiety and no alcohol tolerance. We joked about being the cheapest dates in town for our husbands :) Make Wellness has come out with a product called CALM, a peptide support for my arsenal against this transition. It's a powder you just put on your tongue and swallow. Delicious and easy! Within 3 weeks, I already noticed less night sweats, the insomnia has improved 50% and my anxiety has made my racing mind a kosher cucumber. No more needless worries or anxiety attacks! And at less than $50/month ABSOLUTELY Game changer! 

I also use a cheap shopping club for household everyday items and hit up the supplement section to ease my other symptoms. A 3-in-1 supplement that eases menstrual symptoms, creatine to combat muscle loss related to perimenopause, and electrolytes to drink during hot flashes or night sweats for recovery. Post workout peptides for quicker muscle recovery. All of these supplements could run me $$$ but because there will never be tariffs for this company (MADE IN THE USA), the prices will continue to be rock bottom!

 I'm learning there's over 50 symptoms of Perimenopause. For me, going through battery of medical tests to rule things out, taking these herbs and peptides has mostly alleviated my personal symptoms. The key is working with your physician, keeping up on a workout calendar, and talking to your gal pals and guys who have tread before you. 

Every body is different but eventually you'll find someone who is going through or has gone through the symptoms you are battling.

If you are in these trenches? What are your obstacles right now?

Ness Masterpiece Selected for Winter Exhibition

 

Renowned Roswell Artist Cris Ness' Masterpiece Selected for Prestigious International Winter Exhibition

Local Roswell Artist Cris Ness Secures Place in Prestigious International Winter Art Exhibition

Roswell, NM - Renowned artist Cris Ness celebrates a significant milestone as her captivating masterpiece, Ladies By The Water, earns a coveted spot in the esteemed online Winter art exhibition hosted by Art Collide. The powerful impressionism piece was crafted with the artist's daughters as the muse, adding a personal touch to this remarkable creation.

The Winter art exhibition, which is currently available for viewing online on the Art Collide website, showcases a diverse array of artistic forms, creating a dynamic and engaging show for art enthusiasts worldwide. With its rich cultural tapestry and creative diversity, the exhibition promises to captivate audiences and celebrate the boundless talents of artists like Cris Ness.

"I'm thrilled to be part of this prestigious exhibition and have my work featured alongside other talented artists from around the globe. Ladies By The Water holds a special place in my heart, reflecting the beauty and essence of my daughters in a way that resonates with viewers," expresses Cris Ness.

A multifaceted artist with an international reach, Cris Ness has left an indelible mark on the art world with her innovative creations and distinctive style. Having conducted captivating LIVE art exhibits across the upper midwestern United States and exhibited in various European countries, Cris Ness continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art and capture the imagination of art aficionados worldwide.

Ness's artistic prowess is further validated by the inclusion of her works in esteemed private collections, including that of a former South Dakota Governor. Her ability to evoke emotion and convey depth through her art has earned her widespread acclaim and positioned her as a trailblazer in the realm of contemporary art.

As the Winter art exhibition unfolds on the virtual stage of Art Collide, art enthusiasts, collectors, and critics alike are invited to immerse themselves in the captivating world of Cris Ness's artistry. With each brushstroke and color palette, Cris Ness weaves a narrative that transcends boundaries and speaks to the soul, making her a true luminary in the global art community.

For more information on the current exhibition and to explore Cris Ness's captivating artwork, please visit Art Collide's website at www.art-collide.com.

It's 2025---Time FLIES!!

With the craziness of a worldwide pandemic shutdown, and the fallout, time flies and I had forgotten all about my FaeryBoop Realm community! Hey, the time had profound affects on me, including an 18 pound weight gain. My art stopped when the pandemic began. I had an exhibition happening in Italy, making me an International artist, and the Tuscany gallery had to close. My art died. I was in complete SURVIVAL mode for a while. It happens when all the things you love to do to feel grounded gets yanked by the government----no swimming, no hiking, no biking.

Well, I could go on and on about my disdain but I won't :O Let's get you up to speed on our world.

Clayton is now a Detective and has received numerous awards for his achievements with the latest and greatest being chosen as THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2024! We really have acclimated to being that blue line family. It takes a team to make this dream work and we each give it our all. 

In the past 5 years, we've hosted 2 weddings, one in New Mexico and one in South Dakota. We now have 2 amazing son-in-laws who have quickly become another member of the family. We love the balance they give to our little family. They fit so well that Finn just realized I am not their Mom. Quite the compliment! I strive to be a support for all of our kids. We also became grandparents. We weren't sure how that hat was going to feel. Finn and Summer weren't sure on how to be aunts. We didn't really know how to be OUR KIND of grandparents. We worried needlessly----we are all naturals :) LOL Our family is filled with sassy, strong spirited girls and she has followed suit! We love her antics!

The lovely covid weight needed to be dealt with. I built up my home gym and made that a priority. I lost half of what I needed that first month. The rest was found when I took up an elimination diet challenge and identified foods that were causing full body inflammation. I continued on my journey and as of today, I have been steady strength training and still incorporating pilates seasonally for five years now. In that 5 years, I've taken my fitness to new heights. At 50, I competed in Muscle & Fitness magazine's cover contest and I topped out in the top 1 percent in the world!

I also made amazing friendships with people all over the world I talk to on a daily basis. I was chosen by the BODi platform to be in their filming cast for the first ever Spanish speaking workouts and I appear in many of the BODi building segments. Finn has grown up watching her mom on TV. Doing a workout comes naturally to her. I also was able to inspire my family to get into the concept of wellness.

 This journey of life stopping, and then recognizing cycles in myself, caused me to hire a trusted life coach. Such a rewarding and difficult experience. I did not realize how much losing my baby sister when I was 5 years old had shaped and affected my belief system, how that shaped decisions for years to come. If you are interested in hiring a life coach, I can recommend a few people. Just ask! Hiring that life coach helped me recognize my reactions, the whys, how to rewire that thinking. Just an total indepth evaluation of how I operate without judgement. I am how I am and this is why and why it is OK. This look inward also helped me identify things outside of myself as well. I reached out to people I had let go that meant something to me. I found myself having the courage to be more vulnerable that I had ever been. Again, quite the journey! 

BODi ended up fizzling out. Still love the workouts and trainers and now some are fitness acquaintences. I just don't work the business module any longer. I also attained my NASM virtual coaching certification and can legally train people via the internet just as I was doing with BODi. 

Daughter Sydnie and I opened up my dream of having a backyard swim school last summer. We had 2 sessions of lessons and had doubled the number of kids in that second session! It grew. It was nice to get my lifesaving/swim coaching and CPR credentials back in my life. I love teaching kids how to safe around the water!

This past year found us making the most of every day with our aging babies. Chica passed on the end of August and Gunther followed her six months later. That has been quite a change for our family as the babies were part of our lives for 10 years. In the year leading up to their deaths, we had a large Belgium Malanois who was obviously abandoned and ended up taking refuge in our carport 3 months. After Chica passed, we let her in. Winnie is a proud member of the Ness Clan now. Her presence really did extend our time with Gunther. He enjoyed having her around.

This year's focus for me has been my getting my artwork back out there. I have started this year with a bang! In January, I donated one of my artworks to the Roswell Police Department to be given away as a door prize at the annual awards ceremonies. Clayton's office is set up like a private museum and is even included on police department tours for the public. I was asked specifically for a submission from one of my fans who is a Brass in the PD. I also earned an exhibition spot in a Winter 2024 open call online event for Art Collide! Please check this exhibit out, there is so much talent in this show! I have a few more hooks out there to round out the year and I am hopeful to get into a physical exhibition to take my family to and we can make an event of it with our smoking jackets, fancy clothes and snooty dinners with private collectors :) 

Ladies and Gentlemen: The Lady is Back :)

Now that I've found this again---stay tuned! I'll try to update this weekly! Much love! 

Tales from the Pecos Valley

Tales from the Pecos Valley:

As we  sit in our comfortable camping chairs in our living room of the home we have chosen to close on, we can’t help but smile about our journey so far! We are sun baked, peeling and cold sore  riddled with assorted bumps and bruises...but, WE ARE HOME!

Our knuckling down, sacrificing the past year and having faith in this path has taken us on this grand journey....3,500 plus miles in 3 months, our super smart finances afforded us three months of no income during this intense hiring process (treating it as a cheap vacation with our family at home) PLUS WE RELOCATED with a 9-day deadline before Clay needed to report for his first day of work. We are an amazing family if I do say so!

There are so many things we are thankful for - our children facetiming and calling daily, my parents keeping up their funny texts, calls and antics and our friends sending us long distance Easter Greetings as we adjusted to our new surroundings with kind and loving new neighbors that got the girls Easter goodies. Life is grand.💚

   Our new community is filled with old fashioned kindness and that is what drew us here after visiting last fall. It is smack dab “in the middle of nowhere” as they say here and at 48,000 people, is the most populated area for 200 miles in any direction. Before we found our home, there was a mishap and the exhaust was damaged on our Nissan. The mechanic seeing our South Dakota plates, refused to take payment after he band-aided the problem until parts arrive and told us to “pay kindness forward”. Our neighbors immediately welcomed us into our home and have checked in on us from time to time, and given us their personal phone numbers if we need anything. The sargeants at Clay’s work also have checked up to make sure we are adjusting well. Our realtor is like an extended family member here, also checks in and is always giving us Roswell tips from dining to scorpion and centipede warnings.  Even the internet installer, gave me the lowdown on the city, welcomed us to the neighborhood - he is five streets over - and gave us his personal cell number if we need anything at all. His childhood best friend lives right next door. Even the sellers of our home (with the assistance of their realtor and ours), rushed to the house with only a day notice to get things  live-in ready for us so we could be settled by the Easter weekend.

This community has all of the services we love, without much of the the negatives that goes along with bigger cities. The Chaves County sherriff’s Department along with the Roswell Police Department made the front page daily newspaper on Wednesday with the headline “Deputies arrest 56 at Sunday house party”...it was a massive underage drinking party with 100 kids fleeing in all directions. However,the main  headline was about a deal reached with the City of Roswell and U-Haul after a “tree-trimming” incident damaged trees that lined Roswell’s South Main Street area. 😁 The noon whistles blow at noon for lunch and everyone enjoys eating together.
   This incredible journey really has demonstrated how versatile our little family is....back in the campground, we literally had one kilowatt of electricity afforded us in our remote camping spot. Thankfully, our children know how to function within the beauty of nature, so being entertained was just outside our door. Our older kids checked in on us daily and didn’t drain our  resources and put on smiles for us through  their tears about missing us and asked how their dad was getting on with his new job and if we were adjusting ok.
We miss them and cannot wait to show them and our peeps  this gem of the Pecos Valley...and let’s not forget, it’s the UFO capital DEL MUNDO!!!

Nanu nanu er Blessings!✌🏼