I will admit, this last week was a little light on fun projects. I spent most of the time we would normally do projects, working on sewing. I made a babywearing wrap and started a nursing cover. I don’t care to admit how much tv the girls watched in order to allow me to get those things done and underway.
But we did do one fun thing. The girls found a pattern for making a paper lantern on Nick Jr and asked if we could make one. Sure can!
Posted in blog hops, Try Something New
Better late than never, right? It is still Wednesday.
I’m not sure how I have did weight wise. This week has been a little screwy. I like the number Saturday that said I lost two pounds, not so thrilled with yesterday when it said I gained them back, so maybe we’ll call this week a draw.
On the exercise front things have been good and fun. Saturday I set a new record for running. I went 7 miles! Without stopping once; I even ran in place at the stop lights!
Sunday I rode my bike. I have not done that since before I was pregnant with our oldest. It is true what they say, you never forget how. It was nice. Not on par exercise wise with running, but very enjoyable.
This coming Saturday I am undertaking another 5K. This one with my sister. She is a fair amount taller than me. I’m not sure if it is humanly possible for her to run as slow as I do. I’ve been collecting ideas on how to slow her down 🙂 I like the idea of keeping her talking. I was thinking I will have Sue grab her hand and drag along behind her the whole way…what do you think?
How was your week? Head on over to Confessions of a Snowflake and see how others did!
Posted in blog hops, exercise, weight loss
Some things seem like they should be easy to pray for. They come to mind often throughout the day. So, I pray for them a lot, right? Well, not always. Lots of times my brain stews on the topics, trying to sort it out or make sense of it. But I never actually form a prayer.
I think of my children many times a day, but I often find myself making plans instead of praying. I think of my hubby over and over, but often find myself thinking about things he has done, projects we are working on, instead of praying. I love the church we attend and often think of the blessing it is to our family, but forget to form the words of a prayer.
There are a couple things during the day I want to make sure I pray for. There is a ministry that means a great deal to me. I have committed to praying for them daily; I set an alarm on my phone to remind me. There are also a number of dear people in my life, family and frends that I want to make sure I lift up before the throne. They get an alarm on my phone as well.
I may pray for them when they come to mind at other times, but there is at least one time each day these precious people are covered in a prayer. Other things, friends have asked me to pray for. Some get a specific time, others get a moment or two when the Lord brings them to mind. I find both ways to be a blessing to me, as I pray they are for the people I am lifting up.
Praying is a gift we can freely give to others and it gives back to us as well. It is not possible for me to pray for a person or situation without also being blessed.
How do you remember to pray for someone or something? Do you have a list you look at each day? Do you wait for them to come to mind? Do you have set times you pray throughout the day?
Posted in blog hops, praying, Thought provoking Thursday
Spring is slowly coming to our Mitten. And none too soon if you ask me. Supposedly the ground hog saw his shadow so we were supposed to only have 6 more weeks of winter past February 2. Well, that means we are now overdue for spring! Yesterday was 80+ degrees, today is a bit over 60. Both are nice. The change from one temperature to the other overnight is a little startling, but nothing we’re not used to.
89. The spring weather is definitely one of my things I am thankful for.
I am still in awe over the project hubby and I did last weekend. He has cleaned the floors up even more and I just love the warmth it adds to our home. It is taking the girls a bit to get used to the floors. Sue was playing and took a tumble. There is a bit more ouch now than there was with the carpet.
90. Beautiful gem (hardwood floors) hidden in our home.
Hubby will be working on them a bit more this next weekend. The girls and I are going to head up to visit my family. My sister and I are going to run a 5k together. That is pretty exciting. She’s taller than I, so it may be more work for her to slow down to my pace, but will be a good challenge for me to pick up my pace!
91. Running a 5k with my sister.
This last Saturday I used a great deal of my energy to hit a new milestone. I ran 7 miles all at one time! That is over 1/2 of a half marathon! Or a 1/4 marathon! It felt fantastic, but boy did I “feel” it the next day.
92. Running 7 miles to the refrain “ha ha look at me running” and “Thank you Lord Jesus.
Being sore didn’t stop me from celebrating our beautiful weather by taking a bike ride. The first one since before I was pregnant with Caitlyn. Riding a bike was another one of those things I thought the Multiple Sclerosis had taken from me. It is very challenging to ride a bike when you are just trying to balance enough to walk. But I did it anyway.
93. Riding my bike.
What have you done lately that surprises you or those around you? What has the Lord allowed you to do that you thought was long gone?
There are others sharing their thankfulness, check it out, your soul will be blessed.
Posted in exercise, multitude mondays, running
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| Playing with toys on a blanket Mama has had since she was a baby |
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| Mama’s great grandma made the quilt |
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| Sometimes all that happy playing just tuckers you out |
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| And you need a nap |
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| Being cute is tiring too |
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| My happy girls! |
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| Playing go fish |
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| Sporting new sunglasses |
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| Sometimes you need a bike helmet. |
Check out more sweetness at An Ordinary Mom.
Posted in kidlets, Saturday Snapshots
We have been kicking around an idea for a while. We’ve been thinking about it but we weren’t sure how brave we were or what we would find. And I thought it would be a long project that would take days to complete. But Saturday I had lots of nervous energy that hubby decided to capitalize on…so we plunged in…and found…
Hardwood floors. Beautiful hardwood floors is what we found under the carpet in our living room and hallway. We used my nervous energy to try something very new for me, we removed the carpet in all but the bedrooms.
My hubby is amazing. There is not a project he is afraid to undertake and he isn’t afraid to let me try new things too. He has pulled up carpet and refinished wood floors before. I definitely have not. I don’t know anyone else in my life that would even think of letting or having me help with such a project.
It was awesome. It was awesome doing such a project with my hubby and felt really awesome to have him believe in my ability to do it!
We are thrilled with what wonderful shape the floors are in. It was actually a very easy project. I thought it would take days; who knew we could finish it between Patrice’s nursings?!
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| I saw this one and just had to add it, isn’t it about the sweetest thing you ever saw? |
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| Caitlyn and Sue helped. They got out quite a few nails and staples. |
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| I am demolition mommy! |
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| Done just in time to feed Miss Patrice |
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| Stuie is not so sure he likes the look of things now. |
What have you tried new lately? What has someone believed you could do? Link up and share.
Posted in blog hops, special projects, Try Something New
Honestly, this week I did not expect much loss. I kind of didn’t expect any loss at all. I was even writing my post in my head about how I didn’t lose and my exercise hasn’t been that great, again. But this week I am pleasantly surprised–yay!
Last week I had actually put back on 2 1/2 pounds that I had lost another week. I couldn’t even bear to write it, but this week I am pleased to say I lost that weight and another 1/2 pound!
I’m not sure what I did different this week. I think some of it is eating decently but not going too crazy. Patrice is just shy of 8 months old and is just starting food, so I still need to have the calories and fluids to feed her. Maybe I found a good balance.
But what is not balanced, is how happy that loss makes me. It has really impacted my mood tonight. I know it is okay to be happy with a loss, but I am downright giddy. And my happiness should not be defined by the scale.
In my defense, the last few days have been tough, but this afternoon and evening have been much improved. We have a plan for the depression issues, I had a good meeting at work and went running outside tonight, top that off with a nice weight loss, and I am giddy. Maybe I will just enjoy it for tonight and analyze it tomorrow!
Check out how others did at Confessions of a Snowflake.
Posted in blog hops, weight loss
I recently got a copy of Ann Voskamp’s Book, 1000 Gifts. I actually ordered two and have a feeling I will be ordering several more as gifts. It is not an easy book to read. It is challenging as she tells her story of how she began her journey to thankfulness; yet at the same time there is an ease to reading it as the heart echoes, yes and amen.
The heart says yes to the paradox of every day thankfulness. She challenges the reader to find true joy and thankfulness in the everyday-ness of life. To find it in the miniscule, like the sunlight streaming in through a window, soap suds in the sink. By looking in the miniscule, we find the miraculous.
Timing for me to pick up this book has been marvelous. This last week was a little rougher due to the postpartum depression and especially, the anxiety. I struggled mightily. Even considered checking myself back into the hospital. There were lots of moments I wanted to run screaming from work. Moments I shook like a leaf as I considered how to be the best mama to my girls. Moments I thought maybe I should disappear for the betterment of my family.
Thanks to Ann’s simply written book I had new tools to fight the waves. I began to be thankful in the minute-ness of life.
81. the hum of my pump as I provide milk for my baby even when separated from her
82. the ping of an encouraging text message incoming on my phone
83. sweet words of encouragement from my hubby that I will treasure, ALWAYS
84. balancing crouched to take a picture of my little Patrice
85. a fun rewarding project that allowed me to use the extra energy the postpartum anxiety causes (come back Thursday for Try Something New Thursday to see what that was!)
86. celebrating across the miles with my grandma on her birthday
87. joy of a new baby in my extended family
88. fun of our baby playing in her jumping toy
Posted in depression, multitude mondays, Postpartum Depression
I remember opening an e-mail several years ago from this guy I was kind of interested in, thinking I might really like where this dating relationship seemed to be headed. He was such a nice guy. He might seem quiet to some, but to me he was funny and fantastic at asking questions to draw other people out.
I remember how my heart leapt when I opened one particular e-mail he sent, I read the card he had created on-line for me, and knew right then, my heart was his, hook, line and sinker. The card was of a fish swimming and in it he asked me to go to dinner with him before a Bible Study we both attended. It was an easy question to answer–YES!
My heart still leaps for him 7 1/2 years later. I still get a kick out of the fun text messages he sends me, I love watching him play with our kids, he has blessed me like I could never have imagined when I opened that e-mail. He brings much joy to my heart.
My heart also leaps when I see my daughter’s try a new task, when I see them excited about something they learned at church. This week my heart has leapt several times as Caitlyn brought me her Jesus Story Book Bible* to read the next part of the Easter Story.
I pray my heart will continue to leap at the things of the Lord, in Thankfulness for my family, of His work in my life. I desire for my girls to see there is joy in following Jesus. May they see mama and daddy leaping at the Lord’s work. Lord, make my heart soft toward your leading, toward what brings you joy.
What makes your heart leap? How might the Lord use that for His glory?
*if you are looking for a great Bible for preschoolers, check out the Jesus Storybook Bible.
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The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
By Sally Lloyd-Jones / Zonderkidz The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. At the center of the story is a baby, the child upon whom everything will depend. Every story whispers his name. From Noah to Moses to the great King David–every story points to him. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle–the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the story unfolds, children will pick up the clues and piece together the puzzle. A Bible like no other, this book invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation–and at the center of their story too. Recommended for ages 4 to 8. |
Posted in Thought provoking Thursday
First, if you need a brand new baby fix, you have got to head over to An Ordinary Mom. Run, don’t walk, check it out. Then come back and look at my sweeties.
Posted in kidlets, Saturday Snapshots
