Weekly Weigh-in

So this week wasn't very kind to me...or maybe I wasn't very kind to this week! My parents were here the whole week, so it made it hard to do anything I would normally do. I couldn't weigh-in first thing in the morning, because they were in my room, with my scale. Our meals were off, because as a host, you want to cook your guests what they want, right?!! I managed to get in one workout, and that was it. It's hard to ask everyone to go do something else, so that you can exercise in front of the t.v. for an hour. Oh, and then there's that giant 5lb tin of irresistable Dannish cookies that Grandma sent! Oh my! Haha.
All in all, I'm really pleased with the week though. There are going to be times when everything is chaotic, and the normal schedules and routines are thrown off. How do we handle it? That's the thing. I watched portion control, I said no to really bad foods, and most of all, I enjoyed myself, and my company! So even though I needed to be 188.2 today to stay on track for my birthday goal, and I'm not...I'm still happy about the week! I weighed in at 190 this morning. A loss of .4 over Christmas is pretty good, I'd say! That brings my total loss to 32.7 pounds! I made my goal last week, even though I didn't get here to post about it, so I just have a little more of a challenge this week, is all! Instead of losing 2.2 pounds, I need to lose 4 pounds if I want to catch up to where I should be. I'm not sure if I will or not. I'm not supposed to lose more than 2 pounds in a week per doctors request, so we'll see. I may have to make it 3 pounds this week, and 3 pounds the next.

We had a marvelous Christmas!! Probably the best one in years, I would say! My hubby and daddy surprised me with the one and only thing I wanted, and I hope to upload a picture of it for you soon! The kids were thrilled with their gifts, my parents were thrilled with theirs, and it was just a blessing that only the Lord Himself could provide!! Thank you Jesus, thank you Father!!

Until next time...

Weigh-In Wednesday...Do you even remember me?!! lol!

Well, I figured now was as good of time as any, to let you in on what I've been up to. After seeing my pictures from Easter 2011, I decided it was time to try and lose some weight again. It wasn't just the pictures, it was how awful I felt all the time too. I wasn't convinced that losing weight would make my Fibromyalgia any better, but I was convinced that what kinds of foods I ate, just might. Well, I gradually lost about 5 pounds over 2 months. I know, big effort, right?!! lol! Well, in July, I got serious. I could no longer get done what I needed to each day. The house was suffering, the kids' schoolwork was suffering...I was suffering. So I said goodbye to soda once and for all.

I didn't think I would really actually do it, I mean I've tried cutting out soda so many times, and always failed. So I took a shot at one month without it. I figured while I was at it, we'd go the distance, and cut out all soda, caffeine and sugar for a whole month. Guess what? I lost 20 pounds in that one month! I went to my cousins wedding at Lake Tahoe towards the end of August, celebrating my 25 pound loss! I tried to make good choices, and watch my portions, but it threw me off track. Not to incredibly long after being back home, I realized I was eating a lot of sugars again. I was even having caffeine in some sweet teas from McDonalds. The headaches came back again, and so did 7 pounds as well.

I didn't want this to be like every other time I've attempted to lose weight, where I just gain it all back, so I decided I needed a new goal to get back on track. I think the face that I stuck to my no soda rule gave me the confidence I needed to continue on. I had actually accomplished something I thought was impossible, so surely this was not like everyother time I tried to lose weight. I could do this! So, now only having a 17 pound weight loss, I decided to start a 30 by 30 goal. A goal to lose 30 more pounds by my 30th birthday!

I told my doctor about it, and he wasn't thrilled. He didn't want me to lose more than 1 pound a week. He said the only way to lose it and keep it off in a healthy way, was to lose it really slow. Well, I counted up the weeks, and I had plenty to do it in, so it was only going to be about 1.5 pounds a week. Well, it took me a few weeks to actually commit to getting back on track, so I found myself down to about only 12. But still, it was between 2 and 2.2 pounds a week. I decided that was slow enough, since I was already going against my whole nature, and the way I've always lost weight. As hard as it has been to lose it slowly, and not want to kick it into overdrive and watch those pounds fall off fast, I'm glad I'm doing it this way.

I am 7 weeks into my goal, and I am right on track! This morning I weighed in at 192.7! That's a total of 30 pounds lost, and only 17 left to go on my 30 by 30 goal! I have kept to a 2 pound average every single week for the last 7 weeks! It feels so good to reach each milestone! I'm trying so hard not to focus on where I want to be, but how far I've come, and each milestone I pass. The most exciting one so far, has been getting back into the 100's! It's so helpful mentally, to not have to say two hundred something! Today's milestone of 30 total pounds lost was pretty exciting too. My next milestone is actually in just 2 more pounds. I've never lost more than 31 pounds, so I feel like once I hit 32, it will be a reassurance that this time is the real deal. I'm not going to put it all back on like I always have. It's not just a diet this time, but a true lifestyle change that I will keep forever! It has been 5 and a half months since I've had soda or coffee! SO proud of that!!

So, I know I haven't blogged much for a long time now. Things are just so busy around here, I don't know where to get the time. But I will attempt to keep coming back every Thursday to weigh in. I know it's supposed to be Weigh-in Wednesday, but since my birthday is on a Thursday this year, and that's the last day for my 30 by 30 goal, I'm weighin in on Thursdays.

Visual Latin Giveaway

Well Planned Day is having a free giveaway of the wonderful Vision Latin Curriculum!! Check it out!
http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

C28 Giveaway by Home Educating Family!!

Just wanted to share this giveaway for a $100 gift certificate for Clothing from the C28 Christian Clothing store! Click here to enter the contest.. http://www.wellplannedday.com/contest01.php

They have some wonderful and cute items with great sayings, so enter today, I did!!!

Move It Monday

Well, my boys were baptized last night!!! Praise the LORD!!! What a special occasion it was. One set of grandparents were able to be there, and their grandma was crying tears of joy! I praise God for orchestrating the whole thing. It was just perfect that we were back in Kansas, and the boys were baptized at a church where she could be there to witness it! They got presents and certificates, and had wonderful fellowship with the rest of the church family! I can't quit putting exclamation points up, can you tell how much joy is in this Momma's heart?!!

Well, now it's Monday again, and I have much work to do. About a month ago, we decided to switch our off days to Mondays, instead of Fridays. There is just so much to do on Mondays, that it makes it hard to get any school work done, and I don't like homeschooling in a bind. It makes for frustrated students, and a frustrated teacher...not a good learning atmosphere at all!! So, this has been working out well.

I have a whole house to clean today. Saturday's are usually spent doing big family projects, or going somewhere as a family, or something of that nature, and Sunday's are our church and extended family days. So, needless to day, nothing gets cleaned on the weekend, but plenty gets messed up! lol! So, Monday is the fix it all up day, and I also spend an hour or more in the afternoon, getting things lined up for the next 4 days of school. Since I posted last, we have taught our oldest child how to do laundry, so he has taken that over, and that's one less burden I have. So wonderful! Today I need to...

*Wash Dishes
*Sweep and Mop Kitchen Floor
*Clean Counters
*Sweep Living Room Floor
*Organize Desks
*Make Meal Plan for the Week
*Make Copies for History
*Fill out School Planners

Our temps have dropped dramatically finally, after an amazing fall!! We even still have some high 60's and low 70's in the 10 day forecast still. Nevertheless, we had our last house painting day this past Saturday. I can't wait to show you before and after pictures of the house!! It's absolutely amazing! We got pretty much finished, although we may wind up washing the house in the spring, and touching up anything that just didn't get enough coats on it. I pray you all have a wonderful and productive week!!

Learn His Voice

I climbed one day to a mountaintop,
To a place apart and high,
And I said, "My Lord is with me here.
I can find Him if I try."

I called "Lord" for I had declared,
Like Peter did that day,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of God,
The Light, the Truth, the Way!"

This I believed, or thought I did.
Yet others could not see
What He is like or how He loves
By knowing Him through me.

As on this hill I climbed with Him,
Transfigured He became!
His face did shine bright as the sun
And I--was clothed in shame.

"It is good to be here," I did cry.
"I'll prove my love for You."
Frantically I tried to think
Of something I could do.

"I'll build a tabernacle to Thy name."
My deeds would draw me near Him.
But then I heard the voice of God:"
"This is my Son, oh, hear Him."

The tabernacles I have built!
The shallow life I live,
Checking off my works, my jobs,
Proud of what I give!

And all the time I've missed the point,
Like Peter on that hill.
I've tried to do before I've heard,
Before I've listened, still.

"This is my Son, please hear Him now."
Listen, listen, you--

And after you have learned His voice

Then be, and know, and do.

Tabernacles that I build! Tabernacles that crumble and fall, all because I did not stop and listen, because I did not seek His will, or know His purpose, or ask His use of my energy, my abilities, my efforts, to build for Him-not a tabernacle, but a life of joyous faith and love and righteousness in the Kingdom of God. Right here, right now, I would like to remind you of those very common tabernacles that I have built. Maybe you build them too. They are not useless, crumbling things in themselves-no, not at all. They become useless to the Master simple because we do not truly hear Him in our frantic feverish efforts to built. ~Mary Lou Lacy..."a Woman wants God."

An Absolute

When God is all you have....

You'll find He is all you need.

Are You Worthy?

"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.

And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.


And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of Me.


He who finds his life will lose it,
and he who loses his life for My sake, will find it."
Matthew 10:37-39 NKJV


It's easy to say that we love God more than anything or anyone. It even rolls off the tongue smoothly, to say that we put Jesus above all else. But is that really the case? What do your actions say? Do you put more effort into gaining your parents approval, than Jesus'? Is more of your time, effort, energy, and thoughts devoted to your children, than to God? Do you put their wants and "earthy happiness" above what you know God's will is for their lives, and yours? Our actions are directly related to our hearts. Everyday is a balance of current events, and keeping our eyes on our eternal home, and destination. If we seek a life full of earthy things, we will have lived that life for nothing. If we give up those earthly desires, and seek first the Kingdom of God, we will gain a life full of peace and joy that words cannot describe. Not only that, but God can use us to save other lives, for His honor and glory!

Project Organized Home~Ottoman repair!

Well, here it is Friday again! I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend, and I hope this weekend will be a great one for you as well! I didn't get around to those throw pillows yet this week, but I did find a use for some more of that fabric I got such a great deal on! I had an ottoman that the kids had just destroyed the top on. Not only was it ripped in several places, but since it's microfiber and virtually impossible to clean, there was a lot of stains from spills on it. I didn't want to junk it, because it's a storage ottoman, and the inside is pristine! Plus, it cost me $100 when we bought it, and I want to keep it around for as long as possible! So, this was a perfect chance to combine frugality and decorating. Now I have a new ottoman again, and it matches my curtains, so it's really tying the room together!

I should have smoothed the microfiber out before I took the picture...the bottom isn't dirty, it's just the way the fibers are laying. :) It's just so nice to have a beautiful colorful ottoman! It's much prettier than it was brand new! I just took the top off, which wasn't easy, since it has not only the hinges, but shocks, so little fingers don't get pinched when opening and shutting the top. And then I went right over the fabric that was already there. I do that whenever possible to make recovering as easy as possible! ;)

I moved all our front room furniture around, and now I have my favorite chairs in front of the window. There is a coffee table, then the burgundy couch is facing the chairs. The ottoman sits behind the couch, in the dining room space; so it ties both rooms together since it matches the curtains! I will be smiling so big when I finally get the throw pillows made! I have so many projects I am trying to finish up before we start the new homeschooling year next month! Hopefully, with God's strength and grace, I can get a good part of them done!

Project Organized Home

Well, I was recently blessed on another trip to our local Mission Center Thrift Store! I got over 7 yards of high quality interior decor fabric for only $2! I wasn't even real sure what I would use it for, I just knew it was too good of a deal to pass up. When I got home, I realized just HOW good of a deal it was. Even though it is YEARS old, the tag was still on it, and it originally sold for $24 a yard! It's got Scotchguard on it, and it's so thick and shiny. It's really nice stuff! I've really been wanting to make some new curtains for the front room, but I had been looking for some quilty looking fabric. I decided that this would work well though, because it's so bright and cheerful! I really need that in the front room with it's dismal paneling. Since my husband wasn't too thrilled about the floral pattern, and preferred to keep our burgundy curtains up, I decided to compromise and have both! :) .....It works really well too, because our couch and two swivel chairs are burgundy as well. So I am going to make throw pillows out of this same floral fabric for them. It will tie the whole room together, and brighten it up at the same time! I'm excited to have it all done! Pictures just don't do justice, but this fabric is so shiny and expensive looking!...all for $2, because I even had matching thread on hand! Thank you Lord! :0)

Now, on to throw pillows! That shouldn't cost too much either, because I have the pillows from the bench in our house in Georgia that I made still. They don't match anything here, and I contemplated giving them away. I can just open them up, and rob the clusterfill out of them!! YAY!

Women In The Word Wednesday~The Vine

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5

Mid Spring Pics!

Do you remember that picture I showed you, of my peonies starting to pop up out of the ground?! Well, just look at them now!!

I love this one, you can see a wasp and an ant crawling on the bloom. Peonies are loved by many people and insects!!
Just gorgeous blooms, aren't they?!

The color of these are striking! There are actually 3 bushes with this dark pink color!

I love the contrast to the VERY blue skies!

Here's some pictures of just a few of the pots I have planted. This one has purple heart, begonias and more!

Geraniums and begonias!

Impatients, double impatients and vinca vine!

We are going to make a neat little seating area here inventually. So far, all I've gotten accomplished, is some weeding, two hostas planted, and the bench painted. One step at a time! We will either have mulch, or rock here in the future, along with a border of some kind.

My morning glories are starting to grow really well! I didn't want to go through the hassle of starting them inside, so instead, I soaked them in water and paper towels for two days, and then planted them in the ground. I can't wait till they are all over the fence, and opening their "glory" every morning!!! These are some of my favorite annuals!

What fun spring can be! I can't wait to show you some more pictures as more things fill out!

eBook Giveway!

I read this today, and just had to share! Click HERE to read about it and if you want, enter the giveaway yourself. I love the book so much, I will probably buy it as soon as I can even if I don't win the giveaway. I love my children so much, and give my all everyday to raise them the best I can, and to train them according to God's principals. One of the most important things to do for them, is to pray for them! I have to admit that I am NOT completely faithful in this area. I don't pray for them nearly as often and as deeply and sincerely as I should. This book brings new compassion and new ideas for how to pray for your children, and I can't wait to read the whole thing! I pray I will be able to do a better job at praying for my sons, and my daughters....it's so important that I do!

Move It Monday

Hello! It's good to know some of you are still stopping by, in the midst of my completely sporadic posting! ;) It's amazing how a move across the country can change so many things. I find myself different physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually from this journey. Some good, some not so good. It's been almost 6 months, and I still don't feel completely settled in to our new home and environment. Maybe one day..

Well, despite how awful I feel today physically, I am still hoping to get a few things done. At least two loads of laundry, some more organization in the laundry room, and vacuum the floor in there too. Tomorrow, I'd like to get my desk, and the kid's school desk cleared off and organized better too. I have a lot of organization plans for July. It looks like that will be our only month off of school this year. It took us while to catch up from the 2 1/2 months we took off for the move. We see the finish line though, and it's exciting! Have a great week!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

To all you precious mothers out there, thank you for your countless daily sacrifices and endless unconditional love for your children! The hand that rocks the cradle, truly rules the world! One diaper at a time, one dish, one meal, one load of laundry, one bedtime story, one ponytail, one shoelace, and one heart to heart talk at a time; you are changing the lives of your little blessings forever! You are molding them into beautiful hearts and creative minds that will change our world, and hopefully, have children of their own one day! Their is no greater gift given by God, and their isn't a more important job in this world, than being a mother!

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day
With little time to stop and pray
For life's been anything but calm
Since You called on me to be a mom
Running errands, matching socks
Building dreams with building blocks
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes
And other stuff that children lose
Fitting lids on bottled bugs
Wiping tears and giving hugs
A stack of last weeks mail to read
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute, Lord
Just at the sink or ironing board
To ask the blessings of Your grace
I see then, in my small one's face
That you have blessed me
All the while
And I stop to kiss
That precious smile!

Thank you God, for giving me the blessing of being a mother!! :)

Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

Project Organized Home~Inspirational Frame Art~

I wish I had gotten a better picture, but I am loving these! I found the frames at a thrift store for $2. They are solid ceramic, and so pretty! I used a simple computer program and made the artwork to go in them. It says J O Y and each has it's own meaning. To have true joy, we must have our priorities in order! J for Jesus first, O for Others second, and Y for Yourself last. I also put a scripture verse that coincides with each thought. They add so much spring color to the room, and are a great reminder of our priorities! If I keep my eyes open, there are always cheap ways to organize, decorate, and make the home a brighter happier place! :)

Fun With Our Lilac Bush!

Spring Has Sprung!!!