I am a newbie as far as the blogosphere goes so I got really excited when @chaotic_barb invited me to be a part of the WeFitFamilies Mother's Day Bash & Giveaway as a way to share my fitness story and to help support other members at www.wefitfamilies plus you can enter to win some terrific prizes!

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mischievous Mimi"][/caption]

About six months ago, I injured my back in a freak accident - I was running after my dog, Mimi who had snuck between my legs in a mad dash to the street - and I bent to grab her in just the exact wrong way one could do so and SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! I couldn't get up, I was locked in a downright position. My friend who was there got me to bed with some painkillers and ice and I knew something was very, very wrong.

The next day, I saw the Orthopedist, and the news was grim. The L-4 L-5 vertabrae were impacted and I had torn some muscles. All I could do was go home and go to bed as I could barely move for almost three weeks. Now, for someone who has prided herself on being in good shape and very active, this was a shock to my system and the pounds began creeping up as my activity level had come to a halt.

After a month, I was able to start physical therapy but the pain was so severe after each session, the next day or two I would be forced back to my bed with ice packs and painkillers. So despite the resumption of activity, the pounds still seemed creep their way up.

Now to be honest, I really didn't notice my weight gain at first since I wore sweats and other loose comfy clothing which would never tell the truth of what was really happening to my body. I think I also deluded myself as to how much I was really eating, but even if I ate "nothing" the bottom line is no activity means certain weight gain. Plus, I would never go on a scale I would go by my clothes....and since I was wearing loose, comfy ensembles...well you know the rest!

Then, as my "luck" would have it, I had another setback in January and injured my knee, again, in a freak accident and that set me back on my physical therapy which had know started to take hold and I had been feeling stronger. So it was back to square negative one as now my knee was badly sprained and my back injury was re-ignited. Fun times.

So a couple of months later, when I went to the doctor and had to hit the scales - the number revealed made my skin crawl, but I already knew the "truth" as I couldn't even fit into my "fat" jeans.

Enter WeFitFamilies.com a wonderful place to find support from other members, check out the tasty recipes, fitness ideas, etc. So now that I am back on the road to recovery, I am doing better at my physical therapy sessions but I still can do many activities I could before. Walking has been my "exercise" of choice and with three of my own pups and seven foster babies from www.muttmatchla.com I have no shortage of company. As we all know, the hardest part of sticking to an activity is having a reliable partner and believe me, having a variety of pups to join me in my walks always keeps my sojourn fun and interesting. What's more, they can't make excuses why they can't join you and, as much as you get from the exercise, it is also great exercise from them as well. So with my beloved pups and the support of WeFitFamilies I know I will be back in my skinny jeans in no time!

More About the Mother's Day Blog Bash

WeFitFamilies.com is having the ultimate Mothers Day Bash! Oh yeah, it's going to be great,
especially since the grand prize sponsored by McCormick Spices is going to be:

• A Super Set of Spices


• DietFoodsRX Book


• Measuring Spoon Set


• $200 Gift Certificate to the winner's local grocery store so they can put the Super Spice tips to use!

NOW -- LOOK WHAT I AM GIVING AWAY - A DIGITAL DAY COUNTER GIFT SET

www.howmanydays.com

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS FOR YOU TO ENTER TO WIN THIS FABULOUS PRIZE PAK:

• You must be a Twitter Member to Win


• Follow My Blog (http://lifeafterkids.wordpress.com)
  


• Stumble my blog via the "share" button at the bottom of this post
  (Leave a comment saying you did so with Stumble user name)


• Subscribe to My Email Feed (leave a comment saying you did)
  


• Add this Giveaway to a Mr. Linky, Blog Carnival, Sweepstakes site, forum etc.
  (Leave the link and only 1 entry per submission)


• Grab My Button (below) and place on your blog (leave a comment with blog address)

• Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/dvinmsm) (leave a comment with your Twitter name)
  


• ReTweet this contest on Twitter ( @DvinMsM is giving away a DaysAgo Digital Counter PrizePak http//tinyurl.com/cknsdb #fitfam )(Once per day)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry
to maximize chances of winning.
**One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.
This contest starts 4/19 and will end on 4/30 at 11:59pm EST

Plus there are many more giveaways that are part of WeFitFamilies Mothers Day Bash?

Go check out these other blogger's websites & see what else you can win!

This Side of Eternity Giving away McCormick Spices
The Organic Sister Giving away $25 PhotoFiddle.com GC
Coupon Princess Giving away Baby Dipper Bowl and Spoon set
The Coupon Cupboard Giving away McCormick Spices
Copper Brick Road Giving away McCormick Spices
Grocery Price Blog Giving away Splenda Gift Basket
A Few Fries Short Giving away Squirrel ADD T-shirt
Snagged Mag Giving away Crayon Rocks In A Box
A Simple Kinda Life Giving away Guardian Angel Bracelet ID
The Daily Planet Giving away $25 PhotoFiddle.com GC
Saving Everyday Giving away 12 PakNaks (Winner Choice)
Couponing 101 Giving away Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids – multi product set
Surviving the Stores Giving away Bright Bubs DVD
The Divine Miss Mommy Giving away McCormick Spices
Is It Monday Already Giving away $25 PhotoFiddle.com GC
It's Me Betty Giving away McCormick Spices
Peanut Butter and Pickles Reviews Giving Baby Banz Sunglasses & Hat
Voices in My Mind Giving away Grandma Rocks T-shirt
The New Frugal Mom Giving away Preggie Pops & Preggie Pop Drops
Money Saving Methods Giving away "Mommy Needs A Time Out" tee
Dawn's Blog Giving away $25 Piggy Paint Gift Certificate
Five Monkies Review Giving away Between You and Me Journals
Mom of 2 Boys, Wife of 1 Giving away Mothers Promise Beaded Lanyard
Clippergirl's Saving Spot Giving away Mamacita Tee

DvInIdea of the Week

Was just twittering with @joe and we were lamenting the overuse of the word "guru" of those so-called Social Media Experts so prevalent, or should I say, virulent on Twitter. Now those of us who are "experts" (another word so grossly misused) or leaders in a particular field would NEVER call themselves gurus and in fact, most likely would never even admit their expertise. Most of those folks I have been honored to have met are quite humble about their accomplishments and the let their work speak for itself.


So to honor those who are the real deal and to smoke out those who say rather than do - @joe and I are starting the nominations for the most outrageous (ab)use of term "guru" on Twitter for the first "Twitter Faux Guru" aka #twitterfauxguru contest.

As everything starts with a divine spark of an idea (#shamelessplug)....please use my blog to post nominations and make suggestions on how these entries should be judged....and more will be revealed!

Puppy Love

It was my intent to write something here everyday.  After all, I boasted in my inaugural posting that I had a lot to say about everything - all the time - and couldn't imagine with such an open platform - not taking advantage of this opportunity. I still stand by my good intentions, but, as you can see by the date of this posting, I have failed to keep this promise, but I must add with good reason.  Actually four good reasons - four orphan boys by the name of Pax, Seamus, Marcus & Leo who were rescued off the streets of South L.A. by my dear friend Sheilah.  She is an angel who has dedicated her life to rescuing endangered pups and has started the rescue organization, MuttMatchLA (www.muttmatchla.com) and when she needs a foster home, she now knows that a call to me is rarely turned down. Why? Because I have become a sucker for puppy love.

I wasn't always like that.  In fact, when I was about four or five years old, I was badly bitten by my babysitter's dog as she bent down to tie my shoelaces on my sneakers.  From that moment on, I was terrified of dogs and would rather have had my teeth pulled without novocaine than go anywhere near even the tiniest of pups.  At the age of thirteen, my best friend's mother had gotten fed up locking their dog away everytime I slept over, which was often, so she told me it was either befriend their dog or no more sleepovers. Well, the thought of losing sleepover privileges forced the issue and from then on in, I stand at their front door in sheer terror, would walk into their home like a statue while their beloved pooch would bark and jump all over me until she tired of getting no response.  I would then retreat to my girlfriend's room where I made her shut and lock the door against any further contact, but over time this routine gave way to confidence and my fear finally abated.  

So this is why family and friends who know me from childhood are amazed by my newfound passion and love for these four legged creatures as well as my growing expertise in handling a myriad of canine issues. For that I have to thank Sheilah Aragon and her devotion to doggie rescue and to teaching me how to be a better mom.

It was just over a year ago, that Sheilah and her organization, MuttmatchLA came into my life and changed it forever.  The timing was right. My sons were living out of the house for a while now, and my "empty nest" was shouting out to be filled with the pitter-patter of little feet. It was also about the same time when Sheilah was desperately seeking a foster home for a litter of pups and had put out an e-mail blast which made it's way to me.   It was truly love at first sight when I saw the photos of these five new babies and their mama, and I immediately made the call to open my heart and my home to these homeless and potentially doomed creatures.  (If you don't know, city/county shelters are way overcrowded and dogs are put down if they cannot be adopted after a certain time period).

I didn't really know what I was getting into that first time I fostered  and it was alot to take on this big litter as a first timer.  Maybe ignorance is bliss and despite a few days of overwhelm, the joy and sense of pride I felt in having saved these babies has been incalculable.   

Over the next months,  several more dogs have come to live with me and all have gone on to wonderful forever homes except for a cute older dude by the name of Billy Jack.  He's such an easy guy I hardly know he's around and I know his perfect home awaits him too!

So now there's Pax, Seamus, Marcus and Leo - Iwho knows what their parentage is (they look like Sharpei/Pitbull/Beagles) but it doesn't matter, they have amazing personalities, they are truly adorable, full of spunk and the really good reason why I haven't written in my blogspot until now...well that's not entirely true.  A few days ago, Sheilah called and by the tone of her voice I knew it was another call to muster up some room at my home and my heart for puppy love and two more babies have joined my brood.

So now there's Bella, Bailey, Pax, Seamus, Marcus and Leo and Billy Jack, Roxy, Mimi and Lulu, ten reasons why I may not be writing so often, but ten reasons why I am always filled with joy and a whole lotta puppy love!

(If you are interested in learning more about MuttMatchLA, know anyone who wants to adopt one of  these babies and/or you want to make a donation to the care and feeding of these and other dogs in foster care, please email Sheilah at muttmatchla@aol.com or visit the website www.muttmatchla.com)

Welcome to DvinIdeas

I can't believe I haven't started a blog before now because as most of my friends know, I always have something to say about something!  If you don't know me, welcome to my little piece of the blogsphere and I hope you will enjoy taking this journey with me. For all, I hope you will comment and share your thoughts with me and pass on anything you find relevant to your colleagues and friends.