I can't believe how long it's been since I've blogged. To be exact, it's been over a year, and in that year, so, so much has changed. For one, our family of 3 is now a family of 4. That's right, since the last time I blogged I've gotten pregnant, had a child, and have seen him grow to a plump and happy 5 months old. We'll touch base on that later. Sadly, our two lovely dogs have left us. One for greener pastures with a family that could take better care of him and one to the dog park in the sky. Poor Toby was old and ready to go. We are getting used to being a no-dog family, but we all have our moments where we miss our pups so much.
Now, back to the whole family expansion thing. Mountain Man and I found out we were expecting in August of 2014. Our due date was April 20th, 2015. We found out in November that baby was a boy and our Bunny girl was so excited to meet her baby brother. Bubba was born 5 days after my due date, on April 25th. He has brought us so much joy in the short time he's been here and we are so happy to have him. We all feel like our family is now complete, although Bunny does ask for baby time to time. Bunny is a wonderful big sister and loves helping me take care of him. Despite our worst fears, she has grown into her role as a big sister and has never held any ill will towards him, which has been a huge blessing. If at some point I get back into regular blogging, I will definitely share his birth story. It is nothing short of amazing.
I think that brings everyone up to speed on what's going on in my life right now. I miss writing, miss sharing my thoughts, & I miss having an outlet. I hope that I will be able to continue blogging on a regular basis again. I am at a place in my life where I am so content with where God has me and I would just love to share that with you. I'm pretty sure that the future of this blog will always look the same. I will never be in it for money, I will never be in it for fame. I know I am NOT the next Pioneer Woman. But I do know, that God has given me a gift and an outlet through which to share that gift, and I would be honored if He would allow me the time and motivation to do so.
Showing posts with label Blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blogging. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Friday, July 26, 2013
Missing This
I miss this sweet, little blog, my place for expression, unloading, and reflecting on life. We have a lot of life going on right now, so I don't know if I'll be back any time soon, but I hope I can be.
Just as an update, here is a recent pic of me, MM, and Bunny.
Just as an update, here is a recent pic of me, MM, and Bunny.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Passing On Perfection
As a Mommy, and sometime blogger, I find it very easy to get trapped in a pit of pursuing perfection. It's hard to take in my favorite blogs, all "run and maintained" by Mommy bloggers when it seems they have everything together. You know the ones. They have a beautiful life in a beautiful house with beautiful children and wonderful female friendships. They get their kids out of the house for weekly special activities, they are pros at designing and executing "Sensory Bins". They post wholesome, homemade recipes and you assume they eat like that 24/7. While their kids are obviously imperfect little creatures, you never read of it on the blog, unless it's in an endearing manner that sugarcoats any negative situation. They even seem to come out of grief, personal tragedy, and anything the slightest bit trying unscathed and whole.
And then it hits you.
That's just what they BLOG about. Who in the world blogs the real story 100% of the time? I think I try to, but, let's face it; it is human nature to only put our best foot forward, to try to make the best impression we can as often as we can. Not to mention, that a lot of the big "Mommy" blogs aren't just about a Mom sharing her life, they're also about generating income and building a brand. Don't believe me? Take a look at your favorite blog. One that you maybe idolize a bit. The cute layout, the book deal in the works, the promotional posts, the advertisements. All indications that sometimes, you may not be getting the whole story. If you take all that away, and strip the blog down to it's barest essentials, would the content be the same? Maybe. Maybe not. Not that I begrudge any of these women the success they are experiencing, but I have to remind myself to put it all into perspective.
Keep it real.
Pass up on perfection.
This blog is, first and foremost, for ME. I write what I can when I can because it is something I love doing. I do not want to look back on my posts and see a picture that is only filled with perfection. Because you know what, perfection leaves no room for improvement. Perfection does not refine a soul, build character, or really exist. Thank God I am imperfect and have room to grow.
My house will be lived in and comfortable, and that is perfect for us, but it will never be in a magazine. I will try to get Bunny out of the house and experience life as much as possible, but when things like time and money interfere, I will do my best to give her as many of those experiences from home as I can. I will cook what I know how to cook and just be proud that my family gathers around the dinner table to eat food I prepared every night of the week (besides our Friday Night Family Night meals, but that's another post!). And I'm working on those Sensory Bins. Just yesterday, I let go of some of my "neat-freak" tendencies and let Bunny play on the floor with a big bowl of water while I cooked lunch. Was it a mess? Of course. Was it wonderful to hear her squeal and giggle while she splashed? Obviously. Did I grumble a bit when it was time for lunch and I had to wipe the soaked floor, put away the play containers, change her soaking wet diaper and clothes, and then do a wet load of laundry? Well, yeah, I did.
I will let messes happen in my house. I will fail. I will do my best to post about it with honesty. And, one day, when Bunny is old enough to maybe look her Mom's blog up and read a post or two, I hope she will recognize the honesty, the growth, and the fact that an imperfect life is truly a beautiful life.
And then it hits you.
That's just what they BLOG about. Who in the world blogs the real story 100% of the time? I think I try to, but, let's face it; it is human nature to only put our best foot forward, to try to make the best impression we can as often as we can. Not to mention, that a lot of the big "Mommy" blogs aren't just about a Mom sharing her life, they're also about generating income and building a brand. Don't believe me? Take a look at your favorite blog. One that you maybe idolize a bit. The cute layout, the book deal in the works, the promotional posts, the advertisements. All indications that sometimes, you may not be getting the whole story. If you take all that away, and strip the blog down to it's barest essentials, would the content be the same? Maybe. Maybe not. Not that I begrudge any of these women the success they are experiencing, but I have to remind myself to put it all into perspective.
Keep it real.
Pass up on perfection.
This blog is, first and foremost, for ME. I write what I can when I can because it is something I love doing. I do not want to look back on my posts and see a picture that is only filled with perfection. Because you know what, perfection leaves no room for improvement. Perfection does not refine a soul, build character, or really exist. Thank God I am imperfect and have room to grow.
My house will be lived in and comfortable, and that is perfect for us, but it will never be in a magazine. I will try to get Bunny out of the house and experience life as much as possible, but when things like time and money interfere, I will do my best to give her as many of those experiences from home as I can. I will cook what I know how to cook and just be proud that my family gathers around the dinner table to eat food I prepared every night of the week (besides our Friday Night Family Night meals, but that's another post!). And I'm working on those Sensory Bins. Just yesterday, I let go of some of my "neat-freak" tendencies and let Bunny play on the floor with a big bowl of water while I cooked lunch. Was it a mess? Of course. Was it wonderful to hear her squeal and giggle while she splashed? Obviously. Did I grumble a bit when it was time for lunch and I had to wipe the soaked floor, put away the play containers, change her soaking wet diaper and clothes, and then do a wet load of laundry? Well, yeah, I did.
I will let messes happen in my house. I will fail. I will do my best to post about it with honesty. And, one day, when Bunny is old enough to maybe look her Mom's blog up and read a post or two, I hope she will recognize the honesty, the growth, and the fact that an imperfect life is truly a beautiful life.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Priorities
I live in fear of the perfect blog post. I haven't been here since July 30 for one reason and one reason only; time. I never feel like I have the time to make even a cogent blog post, much less one that is enjoyable to read. I've decided now that none of that matters. I will even go so far as to say that a post or two now and then may not be edited before I hit "Publish". I just don't care. I have a beautiful life and it needs to be recorded. And blogging is my favorite way to do it.
What's going on right now? Well, there's this:
My Bunny, my beautiful little ball of awesomeness and energy and everything good that ever was is a whopping year old now! Can you believe it? She is our toddling toddler!!
I must sound like a broken record to MM because I swear I say the same things every night, "Can you believe how much we love her?!", "I love her so much!", "Isn't she SO much fun?!?!", and my personal favorite, "Look at her", because EVERYTHING she does is amazing to me and I am afraid to miss her next goofy face, big milestone, or first words. She is awesome. I praise God that my job in life is to stay at home and raise this little. Even on our worst days, (there was one particular day/night last week that was horrendous on account of a double-ear infection and teething), I have so much fun just being Mommy.
Because of her, and MM, and the fact that I have been "retired" for 10+ weeks without much progress on anything, I've decided my life needs to be prioritized. Every Mama has multiple facets of her life that each need a bit of attention to maintain balance. Unfortunately for most of us, though, something always slips through the cracks. I'm tired of doing that to myself and feeling guilty, bitter, or just plain mad at the end of a week because I didn't devote enough time to this or that part of my life.
How do I propose to fix this problem? A list, of course! I listed the ten most important things in my life in order of importance to me and have slowly been working through ways to ensure that each item receives attention. Here's my list:
I have already started paying a little more attention to each item on this list and that's without a conscious daily effort. Just knowing the list exists makes me more aware. As a matter of fact, typing this blog takes care of a little #4 time as blogging is so cathartic for me!
My hope is that I will come back soon to touch base on each priority I have made for myself. Getting it down on "paper", especially for others to see, really helps me evaluate and organize my thoughts and ideas and really gets the ball rolling for me.
What about you? How do you prioritize your life?
God bless and thanks for reading!
What's going on right now? Well, there's this:
My Bunny, my beautiful little ball of awesomeness and energy and everything good that ever was is a whopping year old now! Can you believe it? She is our toddling toddler!!
I must sound like a broken record to MM because I swear I say the same things every night, "Can you believe how much we love her?!", "I love her so much!", "Isn't she SO much fun?!?!", and my personal favorite, "Look at her", because EVERYTHING she does is amazing to me and I am afraid to miss her next goofy face, big milestone, or first words. She is awesome. I praise God that my job in life is to stay at home and raise this little. Even on our worst days, (there was one particular day/night last week that was horrendous on account of a double-ear infection and teething), I have so much fun just being Mommy.
Because of her, and MM, and the fact that I have been "retired" for 10+ weeks without much progress on anything, I've decided my life needs to be prioritized. Every Mama has multiple facets of her life that each need a bit of attention to maintain balance. Unfortunately for most of us, though, something always slips through the cracks. I'm tired of doing that to myself and feeling guilty, bitter, or just plain mad at the end of a week because I didn't devote enough time to this or that part of my life.
How do I propose to fix this problem? A list, of course! I listed the ten most important things in my life in order of importance to me and have slowly been working through ways to ensure that each item receives attention. Here's my list:
- My relationship with God
- My relationship with MM
- My relationship with and raising of Bunny
- Making/enjoying time for me
- Preparing good, homemade food for my family
- Creating and maintaining an organized house
- Building up outside relationships
- Getting and staying healthy
- Hosting others in our home
- Having a clean house
I have already started paying a little more attention to each item on this list and that's without a conscious daily effort. Just knowing the list exists makes me more aware. As a matter of fact, typing this blog takes care of a little #4 time as blogging is so cathartic for me!
My hope is that I will come back soon to touch base on each priority I have made for myself. Getting it down on "paper", especially for others to see, really helps me evaluate and organize my thoughts and ideas and really gets the ball rolling for me.
What about you? How do you prioritize your life?
God bless and thanks for reading!
"For God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." ~2 Timothy 1:7
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Why Do I Blog?
It's not for the comments.
It's not for the followers.
It's not because I think I have something to say that people need to hear.
It's not for anyone else in the world.
It is a blessing to me.
And sometimes, just sometimes, my blessings are multiplied because my musings bless others. That's just the cherry on top.
It's not for the followers.
It's not because I think I have something to say that people need to hear.
It's not for anyone else in the world.
It is a blessing to me.
And sometimes, just sometimes, my blessings are multiplied because my musings bless others. That's just the cherry on top.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Brain Fart
So, apparently Blogger had a big ole brain fart last night and my post from Thursday "diskappeared". Word on the blogger highway is that our posts will all be restored, but I'm not taking any chances. So, here is yesterday's post. And now I hope we can all move on from this blogging traveshamockery.
I've been told by several people lately that I need to update my blog more. In addition, I have been asked to be fun and witty. I'd like to inform these people that, in order to write fun and witty posts, one must be fun and witty.
Now, I won't go so far as to say that I'm NEVER fun and witty. Most the time, though, I'm just dry and sarcastic. My idea of a good time is kicking back with my family and just sitting and laughing at each other. What a lot of people find "fun", I find annoying. An example: theme parks. Unless it's Disney World or The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I'd rather not bother. Theme parks = a lot of sweaty, loud parents and their greedy, whiny kids running around like headless chickens to make it to "The Awesome Show of Theme Park Awesomeness" in time. No thanks, buckaroos.
Another "fun" thing: going to the movies. As if. What if the movie sucks? Who wants to be the loser that leaves the movie early? Or, even worse, who wants to be the loser stuck at the movie theater because all her friends think it's a great flick? And, with the track-record of Hollywood in recent years, I consider it a 90% chance that any movie I see right now is going to suck. Movies with friends? No thanks. I'd rather jump into my jammies and watch a Redbox rental instead. That way, if it sucks, I can walk away and watch America's Funniest Home Videos re-runs on the other TV. Now that's entertainment!
So, my dear readers, I DO promise that I will attempt to update my blog more often. It is fun for me to write and see that people are actually reading it. I will not, however, promise witty banter that will have you giggling in your office chairs. My favorite comedy of all time is "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". That being said, you can imagine what kind of funny bone I have. Dry, dry, dry.
(If you're wondering, you can DEFINITELY thank my Dad for that. In our family, there is no such thing as "Dad" humor, it is our "family" humor. The Crowbar, Munky and I have it in spades!)
I've been told by several people lately that I need to update my blog more. In addition, I have been asked to be fun and witty. I'd like to inform these people that, in order to write fun and witty posts, one must be fun and witty.
Now, I won't go so far as to say that I'm NEVER fun and witty. Most the time, though, I'm just dry and sarcastic. My idea of a good time is kicking back with my family and just sitting and laughing at each other. What a lot of people find "fun", I find annoying. An example: theme parks. Unless it's Disney World or The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I'd rather not bother. Theme parks = a lot of sweaty, loud parents and their greedy, whiny kids running around like headless chickens to make it to "The Awesome Show of Theme Park Awesomeness" in time. No thanks, buckaroos.
Another "fun" thing: going to the movies. As if. What if the movie sucks? Who wants to be the loser that leaves the movie early? Or, even worse, who wants to be the loser stuck at the movie theater because all her friends think it's a great flick? And, with the track-record of Hollywood in recent years, I consider it a 90% chance that any movie I see right now is going to suck. Movies with friends? No thanks. I'd rather jump into my jammies and watch a Redbox rental instead. That way, if it sucks, I can walk away and watch America's Funniest Home Videos re-runs on the other TV. Now that's entertainment!
So, my dear readers, I DO promise that I will attempt to update my blog more often. It is fun for me to write and see that people are actually reading it. I will not, however, promise witty banter that will have you giggling in your office chairs. My favorite comedy of all time is "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". That being said, you can imagine what kind of funny bone I have. Dry, dry, dry.
(If you're wondering, you can DEFINITELY thank my Dad for that. In our family, there is no such thing as "Dad" humor, it is our "family" humor. The Crowbar, Munky and I have it in spades!)
Monday, September 20, 2010
To Be or To Blog...That is THE Question
I've noticed a trend among my blogging pals that I think most people can relate to; when life is busy, you don't blog. Conversely, when life isn't busy, you blog. I'm the perfect example of this paradigm.
The last time I blogged was in August (!), and we've been super-swamped with things since then. I've been out of town for another course for work and MM's been out of town for deer surveys for work. We've spent a weekend installing some new interior doors. The little bit of time we have had in between has been spent barely keeping our house in order and doing a bit of relaxing. I haven't picked up a single piece of reading material that wasn't work-related and the only tv I've watched was the Cowboys game yesterday. In a nutshell, we're going CRAZAY!!
MM and I just aren't used to being so involved and it always seems to happen this time of year. We always end up traveling and entertaining more than we thought we would and we turn around one day and the fall is gone and it's time for winter! We've got this week and a free weekend, then MM is gone for a bit, relatives come twice in the month of October to visit, I go out of town for another week in October, then November rolls around and the holiday traveling starts. I'm tellin' ya, Autumn is my favorite season of all, but sometimes I can't wait for it to be over so that I can breathe.
On top of that, I've decided to spend the last few months of my twenties focusing on 6 key areas of my life that need improvement. To be honest, they are all areas that I will probably always have to work on, but I have to start somewhere!
The 6 areas are:
1. Spiritual - my personal relationship with God, my church attendance, and my quiet time.
2. Emotional - my relationship with MM, building strong friendships outside of my family, and controlling my emotions through methods other than eating.
3. Intellectual - read more, research what I want to know when I want to know it!
4. Physical - do everything I can to become more healthy, learn to LOVE me, get heart-healthy.
5. Professional - become indispensable at work, network within my field, improve my work ethic.
6. Fiscal - discover our perfect balance between "gazelle intensity" and enjoying our life now, minimize our weaknesses to reduce our risk of identity theft, fraud, etc.
I know that this is a lot for me to work on at one time, but I truly feel that they all snowball into one another. I'm relying on God to help me get my priorities straight because it is just plain human to be selfish instead. I want to build a lasting legacy for my (hopefully) future children and there's no better time than the present to start. I'm not expecting to be a perfect person on my 30th birthday next year, but I am expecting to be able to see noticeable improvements in my life.
That being said, I love blogging, but I love being busy even more. It means we're doing more and interacting with people for a change. Sometimes it makes me want to rip my hair out, but for the most part, it is a welcome change. Therefore, I will blog when a boring day presents itself. If I'm not here for a while, just remember that I'm out there living my life and will be back when it all slows down. I hope it won't...
The last time I blogged was in August (!), and we've been super-swamped with things since then. I've been out of town for another course for work and MM's been out of town for deer surveys for work. We've spent a weekend installing some new interior doors. The little bit of time we have had in between has been spent barely keeping our house in order and doing a bit of relaxing. I haven't picked up a single piece of reading material that wasn't work-related and the only tv I've watched was the Cowboys game yesterday. In a nutshell, we're going CRAZAY!!
MM and I just aren't used to being so involved and it always seems to happen this time of year. We always end up traveling and entertaining more than we thought we would and we turn around one day and the fall is gone and it's time for winter! We've got this week and a free weekend, then MM is gone for a bit, relatives come twice in the month of October to visit, I go out of town for another week in October, then November rolls around and the holiday traveling starts. I'm tellin' ya, Autumn is my favorite season of all, but sometimes I can't wait for it to be over so that I can breathe.
On top of that, I've decided to spend the last few months of my twenties focusing on 6 key areas of my life that need improvement. To be honest, they are all areas that I will probably always have to work on, but I have to start somewhere!
The 6 areas are:
1. Spiritual - my personal relationship with God, my church attendance, and my quiet time.
2. Emotional - my relationship with MM, building strong friendships outside of my family, and controlling my emotions through methods other than eating.
3. Intellectual - read more, research what I want to know when I want to know it!
4. Physical - do everything I can to become more healthy, learn to LOVE me, get heart-healthy.
5. Professional - become indispensable at work, network within my field, improve my work ethic.
6. Fiscal - discover our perfect balance between "gazelle intensity" and enjoying our life now, minimize our weaknesses to reduce our risk of identity theft, fraud, etc.
I know that this is a lot for me to work on at one time, but I truly feel that they all snowball into one another. I'm relying on God to help me get my priorities straight because it is just plain human to be selfish instead. I want to build a lasting legacy for my (hopefully) future children and there's no better time than the present to start. I'm not expecting to be a perfect person on my 30th birthday next year, but I am expecting to be able to see noticeable improvements in my life.
That being said, I love blogging, but I love being busy even more. It means we're doing more and interacting with people for a change. Sometimes it makes me want to rip my hair out, but for the most part, it is a welcome change. Therefore, I will blog when a boring day presents itself. If I'm not here for a while, just remember that I'm out there living my life and will be back when it all slows down. I hope it won't...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Day Thirty: Whatever Tickles Your Fancy
Wow! That 30 Day Meme took me about a million years to finish, but at least I finished it! I am glad that I got through it even though it took so much longer than it was supposed to.
I guess now that the task is over, I need to start thinking about the future of my blog. I love having my blog as a general journal, and I really am happy to continue doing it. I really feel like, to have a successful blog, you have to define what a successful blog is to you. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to have thousands of followers on a money-making blog. But, the truth of the matter is, I'd much rather keep my small following of caring bloggers rather than have a hoard of people ready to criticize my every key stroke.
That being said, I think a truly successful blog for me is one that I can scroll through to relive some of my favorite memories. I think I'm doing a fairly good job at that right now, but I feel like I miss out on recording some things. It's sometimes hard to remember to make memories in the small, every day occurrences in my life and that's what I want to focus on. It'd be great to have a blog full of travel photos and exciting events, but who lives a life of nothing but travel and exciting events? Not me!
My 29th birthday is coming up in a few days and I really want to document my last year in my 20's somehow. This blog would be the perfect outlet, but I'm not sure that that is the answer. I'm still mulling it over because I literally have less than a week to figure it out!! I don't know what's in store for this blog, but I'm sure it'll be fun and I'm sure it'll be full of great, every-day, joyous memories!!
I guess now that the task is over, I need to start thinking about the future of my blog. I love having my blog as a general journal, and I really am happy to continue doing it. I really feel like, to have a successful blog, you have to define what a successful blog is to you. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't love to have thousands of followers on a money-making blog. But, the truth of the matter is, I'd much rather keep my small following of caring bloggers rather than have a hoard of people ready to criticize my every key stroke.
That being said, I think a truly successful blog for me is one that I can scroll through to relive some of my favorite memories. I think I'm doing a fairly good job at that right now, but I feel like I miss out on recording some things. It's sometimes hard to remember to make memories in the small, every day occurrences in my life and that's what I want to focus on. It'd be great to have a blog full of travel photos and exciting events, but who lives a life of nothing but travel and exciting events? Not me!
My 29th birthday is coming up in a few days and I really want to document my last year in my 20's somehow. This blog would be the perfect outlet, but I'm not sure that that is the answer. I'm still mulling it over because I literally have less than a week to figure it out!! I don't know what's in store for this blog, but I'm sure it'll be fun and I'm sure it'll be full of great, every-day, joyous memories!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Day Seventeen: An Art Piece
Okay. ON WITH THE SHOW!! Today's prompt didn't require any thinking on my part as I'm currently obsessed with James Jean's work. I love just about everything he's done, so the hardest part was just picking one to post. This one is called "Supertron" and is a graphite and digital piece he did in 2005.
I don't know why, but this image really, really resonates with me. Maybe it's the minimalist design, but it's more likely that the attachment stems from the fact that I was in a bit of a depressed funk when I stumbled upon it. I love that the colors are soft, but the image striking. I'd like to make a print of this the centerpiece of my crafting area, but I'll just have to admire it online for now.
I've wanted to get back to blogging for a while, but after that last post, I just didn't know where to start. Continuing with the now-way-past 30 Day Meme seemed like the best way to jump back in. Life has been crazy and I really miss decompressing via blogging.
We had a house inspection recently and there were some issues that came up such as foundation work that needs to be done, some electrical work and possibly some claim-worthy hail damage on the roof. On top of that, the A/C in MM's truck went out and will be $800 - $1200 to fix. Woohoo. Who knows when we'll get that done, but it's not SO bad right now. At least we have my car for long drives.
We've decided to postpone a lot of the home improvement plans we had in favor of really accelerating the debt reduction. We're confident it's the right decision right now, but we're a little bummed about not seeing new siding on the house and a new shop out back for a while. Oh well. Again, the joys of adulthood and home ownership!
On a good note, we're looking forward to an exciting and fun-filled Independence Day weekend with my family. I'm bound and determined to enjoy the heck out of myself and take lots of pictures, so I hope I will be posting them soon!
Well, that takes care of the necessity of jumping back in. Hopefully some fun, festive posts will soon follow!!
I don't know why, but this image really, really resonates with me. Maybe it's the minimalist design, but it's more likely that the attachment stems from the fact that I was in a bit of a depressed funk when I stumbled upon it. I love that the colors are soft, but the image striking. I'd like to make a print of this the centerpiece of my crafting area, but I'll just have to admire it online for now.
I've wanted to get back to blogging for a while, but after that last post, I just didn't know where to start. Continuing with the now-way-past 30 Day Meme seemed like the best way to jump back in. Life has been crazy and I really miss decompressing via blogging.
We had a house inspection recently and there were some issues that came up such as foundation work that needs to be done, some electrical work and possibly some claim-worthy hail damage on the roof. On top of that, the A/C in MM's truck went out and will be $800 - $1200 to fix. Woohoo. Who knows when we'll get that done, but it's not SO bad right now. At least we have my car for long drives.
We've decided to postpone a lot of the home improvement plans we had in favor of really accelerating the debt reduction. We're confident it's the right decision right now, but we're a little bummed about not seeing new siding on the house and a new shop out back for a while. Oh well. Again, the joys of adulthood and home ownership!
On a good note, we're looking forward to an exciting and fun-filled Independence Day weekend with my family. I'm bound and determined to enjoy the heck out of myself and take lots of pictures, so I hope I will be posting them soon!
Well, that takes care of the necessity of jumping back in. Hopefully some fun, festive posts will soon follow!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Being Courageous
I've been kicking around the idea of starting a weight-loss blog for a while now. I don't think it's a secret to anyone who knows me or has read this blog that I have some pounds to lost. I've finally put things into God's hands and decided to mark that occasion with a new blog. It seems that a good portion of my day goes into making healthy changes whether that be by working out, cooking meals, prepping food, grocery shopping and searching my cookbooks and the internet for new recipes and articles. For the most part, becoming healthy has pretty much become a full-time hobby for me. If you'd like to read about my journey, please do. You can find my new blog here: Remodeling The Temple.
That being said, it is entirely possible that I begin to neglect this blog even more than I have in the past. I will still be following all of you, though!
Thanks for reading and God Bless!!
That being said, it is entirely possible that I begin to neglect this blog even more than I have in the past. I will still be following all of you, though!
Thanks for reading and God Bless!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Oh where, oh where...
...has my little blog gone, oh where, oh where can it be?
It has felt like ages since I blogged here. I once again had great intentions of blogging regularly, but have failed miserably. This time, I am not making any promises or even hints of promises that I will be here regularly. I will just be here when I'm here.
I do acknowledge that I owe two wonderful ladies and sisters in Christ a 100th blog post prize. As soon as I figure out what to substitute for the scarves (way too late in the season for those now), I will be sending them with my sincerest apologies to Jenna and Michelle.
2010 has been a "normal" year for us so far. For me, it is to be my year of change, sacrifice, self-appreciation and coming to peace with those things I cannot change. I've been doing well to eat right, exercise as much as possible, figure out cost-cutting methods to pay off more debt and have also started focusing on a little more me time. On the spiritual front, though, I haven't quite figured out where to turn. I'm sure God is leading me somewhere, but to be honest, I don't think I've actually asked for or looked for His guidance. I think some earnest time on my knees is important and necessary if I want to become the best person I can be.
Our Christmas was full of family and blessings. The dogs were the most spoiled in our little household with each of them getting new, posh beds and plenty of new toys to occupy their time. I see that exciting things are already happening in the blogging world, especially to the precious bloggers that I know IRL. I want to be a part of that excitement, so maybe you will see me around more, then again, maybe not! I'm going to make blogging more of a "me time" activity rather than a "I feel like I have to" activity.
It has felt like ages since I blogged here. I once again had great intentions of blogging regularly, but have failed miserably. This time, I am not making any promises or even hints of promises that I will be here regularly. I will just be here when I'm here.
I do acknowledge that I owe two wonderful ladies and sisters in Christ a 100th blog post prize. As soon as I figure out what to substitute for the scarves (way too late in the season for those now), I will be sending them with my sincerest apologies to Jenna and Michelle.
2010 has been a "normal" year for us so far. For me, it is to be my year of change, sacrifice, self-appreciation and coming to peace with those things I cannot change. I've been doing well to eat right, exercise as much as possible, figure out cost-cutting methods to pay off more debt and have also started focusing on a little more me time. On the spiritual front, though, I haven't quite figured out where to turn. I'm sure God is leading me somewhere, but to be honest, I don't think I've actually asked for or looked for His guidance. I think some earnest time on my knees is important and necessary if I want to become the best person I can be.
Our Christmas was full of family and blessings. The dogs were the most spoiled in our little household with each of them getting new, posh beds and plenty of new toys to occupy their time. I see that exciting things are already happening in the blogging world, especially to the precious bloggers that I know IRL. I want to be a part of that excitement, so maybe you will see me around more, then again, maybe not! I'm going to make blogging more of a "me time" activity rather than a "I feel like I have to" activity.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Long enough!
Okay, it's been a long time since I've even thought about posting on my blog. Life has been insanely crazy the past few weeks, mostly due to extended work hours. That's all over, though, and I'm really, really ready to "return to me". I don't think I'll every be a daily blogger, but I do miss posting thoughts and musings for everybody (or nobody) to read. We have a lot going on from now on, but not so much that I won't have time for me or us. My hope is to post at least a picture a week, if not a full-on update.
We have a few small trips and one BIG one planned in the next three months and there are a lot of things we want to do with the house, so I should have plenty of material for posting. I just want to get back to the fun blogging universe; I really have missed it!
Now, I'm off to catch up on some of my favorite blogs to read!
We have a few small trips and one BIG one planned in the next three months and there are a lot of things we want to do with the house, so I should have plenty of material for posting. I just want to get back to the fun blogging universe; I really have missed it!
Now, I'm off to catch up on some of my favorite blogs to read!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Listing Works!!!
It's amazing how helpful listing things can be! I'm serious! I was thinking of the boredom factor of constant listing posts, then thought about my friend, Michelle, who's listing posts I love to read because they're to the point and are such a clear view of what she's thinking. Not to say that I don't love her other posts just as much, but I certainly don't regard her listing posts as anything less. Then, I thought of how many other things I list; key bible points from my bible-reading-time, sermon notes are almost always taken in a list format, things-to-do, motivational reasons for losing weight in my food journal and etc. I've come to realize that I don't know where I'd be without lists! There just seems to be such freedom in the process. No worries about proper grammar, whether or not something flows nicely and the subject is never diluted by unnecessary words. I even tend to list the day's events and emotions in my journal. So, without further adieu, another list!!!
Thanks for reading and have a great Thursday!!
- Finding a substitute SS teacher can be really hard, but finding one this time was a huge blessing and seems to be helping me reconnect with an old friend.
- I agreed to go hiking with Jason on Saturday (okay, okay, I may have suggested it, but moving on,) and now I regret it because I still have that irrational fear that we will be attacked by a bear. I'm hoping for violent-enough thunderstorms that everyone is safe, but hiking is out.
- I'm pretty much buying a new, smaller wardrobe next week and I'm excited, but worried about the cost and how long I'll stay in the new, smaller wardrobe. I'm going to try to minimize my list as much as possible.
- We had a HUGE hail storm last night and I cried while it was going on because our poor veggie garden was unprotected. I don't know what the damage is yet, but I'm hoping it's not too bad. We're going to check on everything this evening after it has dried up a bit.
- Jason and I are discussing budgeting part of his recent raise towards starting to fix up the house. There are just certain things that need to be done, and soon, and doing a little every month will certainly help put the end in sight.
- We are going to make a list of wants and needs on the house work/repairs/remodeling/addition and that is going to be one fun list to make.
Thanks for reading and have a great Thursday!!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Blog Content
I keep coming across these wonderful blogs and most of them are passionately devoted to one or very few topics. Gardening, gourmet food, politics, knitting, home improvement and interior design; the list could go on and on. I don't really feel like I'm passionate about any specific thing, just life in general. It absolutely ASTONISHES me that these bloggers are able to find enough information, inspiration and whatever else it takes to convey their passion in multiple blogs a week! You, my blogging heroes, are amazing!
On the other hand, I love reading the "life" blogs most of all. The joy of having a peek into the life of another person is so much fun. It's also refreshing to see that some of my fellow bloggers are as self-conscious, neurotic and just plain crazy as I am.
I do daydream of producing one of those blogs that is heralded for it's continuity and plethora of inspiration on one specific theme, but who am I kidding? I'm far too schizophrenic in my thinking, life and hobbies to ever accomplish that. The one common thread must be that these bloggers blog about what they know. As do I.
On the other hand, I love reading the "life" blogs most of all. The joy of having a peek into the life of another person is so much fun. It's also refreshing to see that some of my fellow bloggers are as self-conscious, neurotic and just plain crazy as I am.
I do daydream of producing one of those blogs that is heralded for it's continuity and plethora of inspiration on one specific theme, but who am I kidding? I'm far too schizophrenic in my thinking, life and hobbies to ever accomplish that. The one common thread must be that these bloggers blog about what they know. As do I.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Number 50!
That's right, ladies and gentlemen! This post is my 50th! I wanted to post sooner, but I had thoughts of grandeur, celebration and complexity! I wanted it to reek with celebration. Then I decide to save that for 100. Lol!
Not really. I'm very excited about getting to post 50 in such a short time. I've had this blog up and active since October 2008 and I've seen some blogs where they celebrate #50 on or around their one year anniversary. I did ponder the subject of this post to an unnecessary extent. I even let the world know about my quandary via MySpace and Facebook status updates! I did have a suggestion that I do a give-away, and I would have loved to, but I have no crafty goodness to offer up right now and I've got two Craftster swaps going on, so there's just no time for that.
I think that this is a good time to post another progress report. So, first things first.
One of my resolutions this year was to work on my relationship with God. It has been broken for far too long now, and I just want the good Lord to repair it. I've been doing my best by doing several paragraph-a-day devotionals throughout the week. I'm not always consistent, but I am working on it. I'm also working on my attitude towards going to church more regularly. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I enjoy slow weekend mornings with no obligations. I know I need fellowship with other Christians, so I'm praying for an excited attitude about church. I want the anticipation of fellowship, worship and God's word to far outweigh anything else I could be doing. I want to have a merry heart;
"He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast." - Proverbs 15:15 NKJV
The next big resolution was for me to stick to my dear hubby's eating and exercising plan for one month. That is going extraordinarily well. I didn't have a loss for the past week, but I've not missed a workout and have not veered from my eating plan. I know that I'm losing inches as all my clothes are becoming more and more loose. My rings twirl around my thinning fingers with reckless abandon nowadays. That's a wonderful feeling!
So, that is post #50. I hope it wasn't too boring, but I felt like the proper content was what was truly going on in my life right now. Where I am now without regards to the past or the future. I'm putting my life in His hands and that's the most important thing I could post about right now.
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers." - Philippians 4:6 TLB
Thanks for reading, and as always, many blessings to you and yours.
Not really. I'm very excited about getting to post 50 in such a short time. I've had this blog up and active since October 2008 and I've seen some blogs where they celebrate #50 on or around their one year anniversary. I did ponder the subject of this post to an unnecessary extent. I even let the world know about my quandary via MySpace and Facebook status updates! I did have a suggestion that I do a give-away, and I would have loved to, but I have no crafty goodness to offer up right now and I've got two Craftster swaps going on, so there's just no time for that.
I think that this is a good time to post another progress report. So, first things first.
One of my resolutions this year was to work on my relationship with God. It has been broken for far too long now, and I just want the good Lord to repair it. I've been doing my best by doing several paragraph-a-day devotionals throughout the week. I'm not always consistent, but I am working on it. I'm also working on my attitude towards going to church more regularly. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I enjoy slow weekend mornings with no obligations. I know I need fellowship with other Christians, so I'm praying for an excited attitude about church. I want the anticipation of fellowship, worship and God's word to far outweigh anything else I could be doing. I want to have a merry heart;
"He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast." - Proverbs 15:15 NKJV
The next big resolution was for me to stick to my dear hubby's eating and exercising plan for one month. That is going extraordinarily well. I didn't have a loss for the past week, but I've not missed a workout and have not veered from my eating plan. I know that I'm losing inches as all my clothes are becoming more and more loose. My rings twirl around my thinning fingers with reckless abandon nowadays. That's a wonderful feeling!
So, that is post #50. I hope it wasn't too boring, but I felt like the proper content was what was truly going on in my life right now. Where I am now without regards to the past or the future. I'm putting my life in His hands and that's the most important thing I could post about right now.
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers." - Philippians 4:6 TLB
Thanks for reading, and as always, many blessings to you and yours.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
I've Been Awarded!
I was awarded this by Michelle at 5 Little Wolfs today and I'm ecstatic! My first post was made on October 19 of last year and I've definitely developed a love of blogging! Thanks, Michelle! You made my day!
Here are the rules:
Link to the person who gave you the award.
Name seven recipients of your own.
I offer this award to:
5 Little Wolfs - Even though she awarded me, hers is one of my favorites to read. I just love the wonderful family stories she shares!
abigailhutch - I love reading Abigail's blog! She's living such a fun life and I live vicariously through her sometimes.
sidewalk shoes - My favorite food (and cat picture) blog.
Venderbilt Wife - A truly inspirational blog by a woman led by God's Spirit. I'm also loving the Libbie pics!
LOVING.LIVING.SMALL - Living in what I consider to be a small space (880 sq.ft.), I get tons of inspiration from this blog.
One Woman's Cottage Life - I have to admit that I got the entire color scheme for my kitchen from this blog. She has the most incredible decorating style and I love her "Blog Sales". I snatched a ton of great stuff from her last one!
A Soft Place to Land - Last but not least, I love this blog the most for Kimba's Sunday morning posts. The verses and accompanying pictures are always beautiful. Not only that, but all of her other posts are always uplifting.
So there it is, my favorite blogs of '08, basically. Thanks again, Michelle and happy blogging to you!
Peace and blessings, Kim
Here are the rules:
Link to the person who gave you the award.
Name seven recipients of your own.
I offer this award to:
5 Little Wolfs - Even though she awarded me, hers is one of my favorites to read. I just love the wonderful family stories she shares!
abigailhutch - I love reading Abigail's blog! She's living such a fun life and I live vicariously through her sometimes.
sidewalk shoes - My favorite food (and cat picture) blog.
Venderbilt Wife - A truly inspirational blog by a woman led by God's Spirit. I'm also loving the Libbie pics!
LOVING.LIVING.SMALL - Living in what I consider to be a small space (880 sq.ft.), I get tons of inspiration from this blog.
One Woman's Cottage Life - I have to admit that I got the entire color scheme for my kitchen from this blog. She has the most incredible decorating style and I love her "Blog Sales". I snatched a ton of great stuff from her last one!
A Soft Place to Land - Last but not least, I love this blog the most for Kimba's Sunday morning posts. The verses and accompanying pictures are always beautiful. Not only that, but all of her other posts are always uplifting.
So there it is, my favorite blogs of '08, basically. Thanks again, Michelle and happy blogging to you!
Peace and blessings, Kim
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I'm still here!
This consistent blogging thing is harder than I thought. I guess it's okay, though. I was in Austin Sunday - Thursday and spent last night hanging out with Jason. We had so much fun last night that I didn't even think of blogging!
Anywho...today is a day of cleaning, laundry and cookie baking in preparation for our departure Tuesday for the in-law's. I'm hoping to blast some Christmas music while all that's going on, but we'll see how that goes; the Cowboys are playing their last game at their stadium and I imagine I'll have to be silent throughout! Lol!
Well, off to get some laundry going. I'll be working on the featured items for my favorites feature tonight. I'm super-excited about the Nativity theme!
Anywho...today is a day of cleaning, laundry and cookie baking in preparation for our departure Tuesday for the in-law's. I'm hoping to blast some Christmas music while all that's going on, but we'll see how that goes; the Cowboys are playing their last game at their stadium and I imagine I'll have to be silent throughout! Lol!
Well, off to get some laundry going. I'll be working on the featured items for my favorites feature tonight. I'm super-excited about the Nativity theme!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Still here...
I'm still here. My internet access while at my work conference was extremely disappointing. Oh well. Can't have unlimited access everywhere! I promise that I will get back to my blogging soon. I'm dealing with some things right now that are a bit...unsettling. I hope to be back to normal soon!
On a side note, I read Stephanie Meyer's The Twilight Saga. I'm in love. All four books were FANTASTIC and I can't wait until tomorrow night when Jason takes me to see the movie. I'm going to try not to turn into some crazed fan, but it is hard. They were fabulous reads and I'm going to read the series start to finish several times over, I'm sure.
Well, hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later!
On a side note, I read Stephanie Meyer's The Twilight Saga. I'm in love. All four books were FANTASTIC and I can't wait until tomorrow night when Jason takes me to see the movie. I'm going to try not to turn into some crazed fan, but it is hard. They were fabulous reads and I'm going to read the series start to finish several times over, I'm sure.
Well, hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Boo hoo!
I'm starting to feel a bit of blogging withdrawal right now. Well, actually, it's withdrawals from the internet in general. Why, do you ask?
Well, Wednesday morning, before work, I bent over to pick up the bag I take to work every day and felt a tweak in my right-lower back. I hopped in the car and drove to work with no problems. I then parked, opened the door and twisted to exit the car and BAM!! Back spasm! It still feels awful although I'm hoping to make it to work for our annual Thanksgiving luncheon tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.
So, I have to be off already. Sitting upright hurts like the dickens. But first, I have to send a big, loving thank you to that handsome devil up there for taking such great care of me in my time of pain. Thanks, hubby! You're my everything!! LOVE YA (and your FACE)!!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Dusty day and lots of pictures
Today was so windy that there was just dust everywhere! These are the views from the back porch. I can usually see tons of detail, I mean bushes and everything.
I've been a busy little bee here. We've gotten lots of housecleaning done and I've been crafting a lot as well. This is a pic of some stuff in progress. I love the cheesiness of silver pine cones for Christmas decorations! It's so kitschy and wonderful!
Doesn't that look like a box full of fun?!
I've also had some fun experimenting with my stir fry recipe and have to say that I made my best one this week. Of course, stir fry is nothing without rice, so I pulled out the old Zojirushi rice cooker that my maternal grandparents got us for a wedding gift. I don't know if I could live without it. It even makes brown rice perfectly!
I was shocked when we first moved here to find out that the local store sold tofu. Got to love this stuff!
Then there's the steamy, wonderful goodness of a wok full of stir fry on the stove! Yum! I couldn't wait to eat!
Ahhhh, time to eat! Finally! Stir fry is better with Takuan and Kim-Chi. Thank goodness for my family being kind enough to bring it to me when I run out. And it's all served up in my favorite bowl from my grandma's collection and my favorite chopsticks.
And here's Jason being a goober while I'm working on dinner. Well, he's pretty much always a goober, but I'll forgive him for that.
Well, that's all that went on this past week that I felt I HAD to post pics of.
I've been having a great day today. I walked a mile at lunch with a coworker and then jogged another mile after she left. I was really proud of myself and I'm happy that I'm pushing my body. On a sad workout note, I had to mail my awesome Everlast training wraps off to the company today so that they could be replaced. (I have pink ones!) We bought them a week ago and they already have a rip in them. I'm going to assume that it was just a manufacturing defect and that the new pair will hold up better. So, while doing the strength circuit that Jason planned for me, I will be gazing longingly at the heavy bag that I won't be hitting until the replacements come in.
Then there's Jason in all his glory doing his workout. I think it looks like he's judging me for staying inside and out of the wind instead of joining him.* What do you think?
Well, that's all the boasting and bragging that I felt up to doing tonight. I really hated not having my camera up and running for the past few days. I've decided that documenting the day-to-day with my little camera is a lot of fun. And it makes blogging much more fun. My new resolution is to never be without batteries for the dang thing! I'm just hoping that it can handle all the pictures I'll be taking! So, I'm logging off now. Demitri Martin is on Comedy Central and we are not going to miss this!!
Adios!
*ETA: Okay, okay, you got me. Jason wasn't judging me, he was just tired from all those dips he had just finished doing...
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