Stop. Think. Execute.

I'm not working right now. My previous employer did not follow state guidelines as she should, so I left. My career goal is to work in a school system, and I wasn't going to jeopardize that by working in a day school (day care) that didn't keep with state standards and guidelines.

Therefore, I'm a SAHW (stay at home wife). It's been well over a year since I have been unemployed, and even then I was a full-time student and working in direct sales doing home parties for some great income with Premier Designs Jewelry.  I'm loving being at home more than I thought I would, except for one tiny little thing. I HAVE FULL ACCESS TO MY KITCHEN! Okay, so it's a little bigger than a tiny thing, at least for me. I eat out of boredom, more than I should. And I'm a little more bored now that I have our new house organized and on a cleaning schedule so it doesn't take but a little time each day to maintain, no lesson plans to write, no assignments to complete. I'm keeping myself busy though, just not as much as I should.

STOP. THINK. EXECUTE.

That has been my motto this week.
I started the 17 Day Diet last Monday, and lost 5 pounds last week! WOOHOO. This week was a little more challenging as far as motivation goes.

Last week was beautiful, so Roxy (my 7 month old dog) and I were able to get out and walk in our neighborhood each day. I was busy doing the above mentioned organizing and planning, which kept me from getting bored and getting in the kitchen.
I am much more bored now. I started the week completely unmotivated, which was a big set back. Sometimes I wonder if all this "killing myself" working out, and "strict" diet plan will be worth it in the end. Then, I stop. I think about my future with my amazing husband. He loves to be active, playing football, going to theme parks, going to batting cages, and much more. I want to be able to do those things with him without sitting on the side watching or getting too tired. I think about in a few years when we want to have children. I want to be a healthy mom, who has a healthy pregnancy and is a good role model for my children when it comes to eating and fitness. Those are the major things I think about. Today, this has kept me out of the kitchen. I even went to the park and walked a couple of laps today. Not great, but it was something (execution).

What are things that keep you motivated?
I'm always looking for new ideas for workouts to keep me from getting bored with what I'm doing.
Post any ideas/suggestions below! :)

Hope you have a great rest of the week!!

Stay Blessed!

A whole new meaning to NEW YEAR

It has been a while since my last post. My husband and I found out in the middle of December that we would be moving to Tuscaloosa in January for new jobs. And not just January, but January 3rd is when the job started. It has been an emotional roller coaster. I was hired in August to teach Pre-K at a local school where we were living. I was in love with my job, my co-workers, and my children. However, my husband accepted a job with a company here with great benefits that we did not have before. It has been so hard to leave the only place I have ever called him. Both of our families are still there as well. So we are nearly 3 hours away from everyone and everything we have ever known.

When we found out my husband received this job, I started applying here as well. I have been hired at a Child Development Center here as the lead Pre-K teacher. It is a brand new school so I am working closely with the director in setting up our program and enrolling new students. I was not loving this job in the beginning. I think a lot of that had to do with being so homesick and having to leave a job I LOVED. However, it is getting a little better each day, just a slow process.

Tearing down our home and packing up in 3 weeks was tough. We were both still working full-time! My husband left for work at 1:00 a.m. n didn't get home until 3:00 p.m. Needless to say, he was going straight to bed when he got home, which left me to do all of the packing for the most part, on top of packing up my classroom where I was working.

Also, my favorite time of the year is CHRISTMAS! I put my tree up on Nov. 10th and usually don't take it down until the end of January. This time, I had to take it down immediately, 2 weeks BEFORE Christmas.This broke my heart. We left our home of 2 years on December 30th. It was an emotional adventure to say the least.

We have been home one weekend already and my parents have been here one weekend too. That makes it a little better. I'm trying to stay here a couple more weekends before going home again. My husband is loving his job though, and we love our new townhouse and location of where we live. Maybe it will continue to get a little better each day and I don't stay as homesick! :)

So here we go. A new house, new jobs, new town, and a brand new year! 

Hello 2012!

Oh Wow

iI just realized it's been over a week since my last post. I didn't even post last week's Tip the Scale Thursday!! EEK! Ok here are last week's results from my weigh-in: 

I lost 1 pound. 

It's not what I was hoping for, but it's something, 

and a lost nonetheless.

Okay, so here is what I have been up to this week. I have really gotten into couponing over the past 6-8 months. I'm not EXTREME like the show, but I do manage to score some pretty good deals! I'll be finishing up my weekly shopping today, but so far here is what I have managed:

All of this for about $20 after tax, which to me is GREAT considering the Diet DP packs are about $4 each at Wal-Mart! :)

Second trip was MUCH more successful in my opinion! 

Vive shampoo & conditioner, 4 All deter, 2 Wisk deter, 2 Purex deter, 4 Right Guard deo, 3 carefree liner, 3 pks Scotch Tape, 2 four pks Noxzema razors, 2 bottles NatureMade vit C, 1 bottle Softsoap, 2 bottles Old Spice body wash, 1 bottle Gillette body wash, 1 Gillette deo, 1 Nivea body wash, 1 pm paper plates...I think that's it..spent only about $25. And I have lots of rainchecks to fill this week!!! EEK!!! :) 

I'm finishing up my shopping today! So wish me luck and watch for an update! :)

World's Best Mom

Today is a very special day. 

Today is my mother's birthday!

Tonight we are celebrating!!

 

I just wanted to share with you some lovely photos of my beautiful mother!

Ain't she adorable?!

Love her!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Sippin' Saints

For some people, this is a very difficult topic. Now, some of you know I used to party and drink a little. Nothing major, but I did some. Since I got back in church and got things right, I gave it up. I haven't had a drink in over 3 years, since right before I met my husband. Recently, we have talked about drinking and if it's "right or wrong" from a biblical standpoint. 

People I know that drink claim that Jesus turned water into wine. That God's people drank in the Bible. I have heard many other people justifying this from the Bible.

Ephesians 5:18 states it plainly for us. "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."

[Find more examples of results of being drunk HERE.]

Now, I know some very good Christian people that don't go out and get drunk. However, they do feel that it's okay to go out and have just one or two drinks occasionally because they are not getting drunk, hence the term Sippin' Saints. 

Overall, here is where we stand. We feel that drinking is a personal conviction in itself. I don't know that I can completely say whether one drink is going to send someone to hell, but I feel that it will kill your witness. We used to be youth pastors before we changed churches, and especially for those in leadership positions, how can you tell someone that drinking is wrong and do it yourself. It's a lead-by-example thing. 

As for killing your witness, I know that when I was living in the world, I wouldn't take anyone seriously talking to me about God and living right if they were sharing a drink with me, or in the bar with me. I know that if I was in a restaurant with someone that was not a true believer and I was talking to them about God, how could I tell him that they should live like me (a Christian) is I'm doing what they are doing. I truly believe that it's not okay to be a Sippin' Saint for the simple fact that I don't need anything to kill my witness. Can I prove that it's wrong to have an occasional drink without a doubt? No, I can only listen to my convictions and lead by the example that Christ would have me lead.

Please, share your thoughts and verses that you find with me. I'm honestly interested in how you believe as well. 

Faithfully His, 

Overhaul!

I did a complete makeover on my blog today.

Please check it out ASAP.

Give me some feedback.

What do you think?

Like or Dislike?

Also, read more on our Rockin' Anniversary Trip HERE!! 

Faithfully His, 

This made my day!

My husband checks the mail every day. 

Last night he checked it after 

I had already left for a jewelry show.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting mail.

So you can understand my excitement when I found this lovely surprise waiting for me!

I won this notebook, cards, and sticky notes 

from Jamie over at Pure Joy.

She is super sweet.

If you don't follow her blog, please do! 

You won't regret it.

Hope you all have a very blessed day.

Rocking out 2 & Kickin Off 3

Sorry for the delay in posts lately. My husband and I went out of town for the weekend! We went to the great city of Nashville, TN and had a blast! This is a short post, and I will write more about our weekend later, but here are some pictures of our trip! Hope you enjoy them! :)

We are on our way! YAY!!

 

We finally arrived at the hotel..then had to go find some food!

Then back to the room for some much needed rest. 

 

We kicked off our Anniversary on Saturday with a trip around town.

Here is us and some of the pictures from town that we took.

          

  

It was So hot..So we decided to get some ice cream! 

It was OH, SO, Yummy!!!

That night we went out to eat at Rafferty's!

And what better way to end our day than with Starbucks!!

During the whole weekend, we did lots of shopping 

and went to the movies and did some other fun things! 

Overall, the weekend was a HUGE success for us :)

I am looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us.

We are now working on our THIRD YEAR in the making!!!!!!

I'm such a blessed woman to have his man of God in my life! :)

Short and Sweet

Hey Bloggers! It's been a couple of days since I have done a post. So I'm just doing a quick on tonight and will be back tomorrow for my weekly post on my healthy journey! :) 

I sell Premier Designs jewelry, for those that don't know, and this week is crazy busy for me. I'm doing 4 jewelry shows this week; 2 down and 2 to go!! YAY for lots of money I'm making (which is going toward our anniversary next weekend), and OH WOW for the tiredness that I'm gonna feel after Friday night. I'm filling a relaxing weekend coming my way! 

I hope you are all having a great week so far and have a great rest of the week!!

Don't forget, I'm walking for St. Jude Children's Hospital and would love to have you sponsor me! Help me reach my goal by going HERE to sponsor me in the Give Thanks. Walk. Be Blessed Bloggers!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks,
I don't care if I never get back."

For those of you that know me, you may know that I was practically raised on a baseball field. I played t-ball when I was younger. From there, my brother played from t-ball until his teenage years. 

My dad was his coach and mom and I were the loudest cheerleaders for them! 

For the last several years of my brother playing, my dad was the President of the Dixie Youth League in our town, and personally, it rocked! I got to eat the best burgers and candy most nights of the week (yeah, not too healthy, but oh so good! Nothing like a ball field burger!). A few of the girls my age had brothers that were my brother's age, so they all played ball together, and us girls cheered them on year after year! I have no many memories from growing up there and my "baseball family." 

Now, I'm not much into watching it on TV, because personally I like the face-to-face games much better! It's been a long time since I have been to an actual baseball game since we are all grown up now, but today, that's going to change. My dad has a company picnic in Birmingham each year and this year, he gets to take 2 extra people other than my mom. So my dad, mom, the husband, and I are going to Birmingham today. His company is feeding us a yummy lunch, and I know it's going to be yummy because he works for a food company! After that, we are going to watch a baseball game!!! WOOHOO! Yeah, I know. It's pretty stinking hot here in Alabama, but it brings back so many memories. The sights, the sounds, the smells. It all reminds me of growing up and long, hot summer days and nights in our hometown. 

Now as a wife, and hopefully one day a mom, I am wishful that our son (if God blesses us with one) decides to play baseball, simply so I can be the supportive mom on the sidelines that my mom was for my brother growing up.

So wish us a safe and fantastic journey as we travel today! Hope you have a very blessed Saturday. And hey, it's beautiful out, so get out there and play in the sunshine! 

If you Believe in the Power of Prayer...

which, you most definitely should, because our God is an amazing God, then I'm asking for your prayers. 

My husband is currently looking for another job. He loves what he does, but it's not completely steady from day-to-day right now. He has applied a few places. There is a government job that him and his friend are up for, but the only thing is that it's a strike job for now..and get this. It's in the Mid-West! Not sure exactly where, but that's definitely not close to me! He talked to a lady from the company today and she is running their background checks. 

She told him that if he hadn't heard from her by August 10th, for him to call her because the job is supposed to start on the 7th. 

Now, our 2 year wedding Anniversary is August 14th and we were planning on going somewhere for the weekend. I don't want to be alone for our anniversary if I'm not able to go with him on his job. Not my ideal anniversary trip by far! If he goes for this job, he will be gone for several months..which means me living alone. I can't stay with anyone because I have two dogs, one of which is inside and it's lots of trouble finding somewhere we can all go. Not just that, but we have been in this house for right at a year, and yes, it's a rental, but I have finally got everything the way I want and it's HOME! We have never spent a night apart and I don't want to stay here alone for several months or longer.

So here is where your prayers come in. I'm asking that first of all, you pray for God's will to be done in our lives. He knows what we need and how those needs can be met. However, I'm asking that you pray that he gets the other job here in our town that he is up for so that he can stay here with me. 

Thanks in advance for the prayers!