Jama Oliver Fitness

Not a single pic of me in this week’s photo dump! ☺️ The things that have brought me joy have very little to do with me, and everything to do with serving others, kitties, and books!!

Jonathan’s birthday gift box - some of his favorite things.

I’ve realized that the cakes I make for my boys don’t have to be perfect…they love my messy attempts just as much as the fancy cakes I spend days on. 🥹

Milo’s quick transition from “Sleepy Kitty” to panther

The last book I finished. Last year I read TONS of books - easy reads so I could say “I read THIS MANY BOOKS this year!” Lately I’ve been going for quality over quantity. This one was dense and took me a solid week to get through it, but man did it work my brain!

My Milo and my hubby

The book I’m currently reading. This pic was taken on the farm while Jonathan was working - me settled in my car with my feet sticking out the window. 🤣

A sneak peek into what I’ve been working on for Subscribers!! I always have such a hard time asking for people to pay for content, but my time is valuable and the work is worth it (what I’ve been repeating to myself as I keep asking folks to subscribe 🤣)

ANOTHER nice, normal week. 😎

Come hang out with me on the leaderboard…and no matter what that chick on TikTok says, feel free to come late, leave early, or just lurk. I’m just happy when you show up!!

Echelon.

SNEAK PEEK!!!

This is one of the things I've been working on - an all-in-one meal plan, workout plan, and grocery list, available as a PDF so you can print it out!

This week (and maybe next week...I'm feeling generous!) everyone will be able to see the smaller photo version on Facebook and Instagram, AND print out the PDF on Substack. Then it will only be available to subscribers!

So, check it out, see if its helpful (and if its not, what could I do to make it more helpful?), and SUBSCRIBE! If you become a Substack subscriber, the link to the PDF will be sent to your email each week. Meals. Workouts. Grocery lists. Done for you. 😍

Just when I was struggling to find direction on social media and wondering if what I share really matters…

Someone just recognized me and mentioned how great my Instagram is. 🥹

I often wonder if anyone sees or cares what I post. Does it matter? Am I making any sort of difference?

And that one person was put in front of me at just the right moment to say “yes. It’s matters.”

YOU matter. YOU are making a difference. Just by being kind, sharing truth, and spreading joy each day, you are making the world better. Don’t give up. 🖤

Yes, I’ve been a little quiet on the socials the last couple of weeks. 😉

See, we’re not meant to produce constantly. Nothing in nature blooms all year, but we’ve set this standard of ALWAYS doing, always going, always forging ahead. Sometimes we need to pause.

The algorithm doesn’t reward the pause. Engagement goes down. I lose followers. What little extra income I get from Meta drops. And for a long time that forced me to keep at it. Keep posting. Don’t have anything to contribute right now? Post anyway!!

Well, no more.

Right now I am revamping my subscriber content. I’m creating ways to make your life easier. I’m making sure that what I do share is valuable and not just noise.

So stay with me. ☺️ Silence means I’m creating things that matter and to do that I need to focus on the real world for a bit.

If you want to support my work, become a subscriber! You’ll be the first to see what I’m working on (and be able to offer feedback on what’s helpful and what isn’t!)

Life is hard.

Look at Milo sleeping.

This week’s photo dump may be my MOST favorite in a while. So random. So real life me. 🤣

I have all these old farm style wall hangings that don’t really go with anything. So I grabbed some posters and learned how to Mod Podge Official ! The good thing is that my style is a little crusty and weird, so the learning process doesn’t look messy. It looks like me!

Milo is the kittiest little kitty who ever kittied.

Me texting JG Oliver from ALDI USA - “tell me Milo doesn’t need a pumpkin bed. TELL ME!!!!” (I didn’t buy it. Yet.)

I designed some Dolly planner stickers to work through my grief. If you want the PDF, drop your email in the comments. These were meant to be shared!

Jonathan was late for dinner. Milo stole his has and cheese slider. I didn’t stop him.

I couldn’t get a decent pic of the eclipse, but Ryn did!!

When I left for work on Saturday, Boone & Tyler ‘s bestie, Roxy had come to visit! I ran back in and yelled “Eli!!! Boone’s friend is here!”

When I found out that BJ's Wholesale Club had GIANT boxes of GF Cheez Its, I texted Noah Rollins and was like “I WILL VENMO YOU.” He came through for me. 🤣

Several weeks ago ℋ𝒶𝓎𝓋ℯ𝓃 𝒾𝒹ℯ𝓁𝓁𝒶🐞 brought her little brother to a The Rushmore show. She said “go talk to Eli. He’s your new best friend.” HE IS TOTALLY ELI’S NEW BEST FRIEND! Y’all. They talk on the phone every day and have spent the last three Saturday nights together. Neither of them had ever spent the night with friends, but all the parents agreed - these boys need time together! 🖤

Ahhhh…a nice, normal week!

We’re starting back to school tomorrow, so class plans for both Echelon AND the Oliver Homeschool are ready. I may even have some new fun facts and/or buried history for you, depending on what my kiddos learn this week!

This week’s meal plan…and some info on beef!

I love beef. The first thing I ate after each of my four children were born was a medium rare steak. My sister and her husband breed Angus cattle. I know good beef. 😏

So, if you want to continue to eat beef in the coming months, look for Certifed Angus Beef (CAB).

We will be eating less beef because of cost, as I’m sure many of you will, too, but if you see the Certified Angus Beef sticker, you’re safe.

The CAB label means that the beef was sourced from independent and family farmers in North America and meets 10 quality standards.

For more info: https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/en

SUBSCRIBE for the grocery list as well! 🖤

In a broken, difficult world, Dolly Parton gave me hope.

I don’t look like the kind of gal who would adore Dolly Parton. I’m a punk rock tomboy and Dolly is - well - Dolly. But growing up in Northeast Tennessee and going to Dollywood nearly every summer, Dolly was part of me.

My boys got their “Dolly books” in the mail every month, and we even got season passes to Dollywood so they could see the books as stage performances and maybe - just maybe - get a glimpse of Dolly.

And one day we did. That larger-than-life star was the tiniest little thing with the biggest smile.

Dolly Parton was a rainbow in a dark world. She could have been a billionaire, but instead gave her money to multiple charities. She was kind. Loving. Peace-filled. She was everything I want to be (minus all those sparkles and makeup…because girl I just don’t have it in me)

The world is even heavier today, which I didn’t think was possible. But I am thankful for Dolly and all she shared with us. We didn’t deserve her. 🦋