Sorry...

I don't post here enough. I get into these phases where I feel I have nothing to say, nothing interesting to offer. So I'll just update on life...

Work is going well. I have already encountered some hurdles and I know there will be plenty more ahead. But that's just work. I can do it for now. 

Where my heart truly is, is in music. I still can't shake it. I want to sing more now than ever. I remember being a kid and dreaming of singing in front of people. I'm not bent on solo work, I just don't think I have a unique or strong enough voice to do that, but to do back up vocals or something along those lines would suit me just fine. My time just hasn't come yet. I keep thinking "one day", but sometimes (in my feel-sorry-for-myself-moments) "one day" is just a sweet way of saying "never". I do regret not sticking to learn how to play an instrument growing up and trying to write songs. I have no idea how to write a song. I mean, I've attempted several times, but I after reading the lyrics a few days after penning them, I'm a bit frustrated because it sounds stupid then. But, like anything else in life, one should never give up. I'll keep writing my thoughts in somewhat poetic/rhythmic form and who knows, maybe I'll write at least one song that is good? I have to hold on to hopes that soon I can quit my day job and travel, sharing music with other people. 

In other news, Arwen has been sick. She had surgery on her ear a week after she tested positive for heartworms. She's already started her treatment and she's doing well so far. Our vet is 100%  on heartworm recovery so I'm very confident she'll be just fine. She's sleeping on the couch right now and looking so cute.

Batman is still a spoiled rotten little brat, and I love him so much.   :)

My days have been filled with work, watching Heroes, The Office and College football. I really love the fall! The weather has cooled off and I have already pulled out my hoodies and sweaters. Soon I'll be able to wear my scarves. :)

Well that's really it for now. Sorry for the whining, everyone...

28 years

So, my birthday is in, oh...4.5 hours. I had my party with my family today. We watched the Alabama game and ate some good Mexican food. It was a great time, of course.

So, I've taken a little time off from running because I was getting over shin splints and well, needed the birthday money to buy a newer and better pair of running shoes. I did get them, yay!! They are perfect. According to the foot guru at McCoy's, I have strong calves and flexible ankles. therefore I need a shoe with the most cushion. I bought a different pair than I previously had and I look forward to working them out in the morning. I have been running intervals up to this point and now it's time to move onto straight runs, working up to the distance of 3.1 miles. I thought it would be fitting to run 28 minutes tomorrow. I haven't run that time since this past Spring, I've been doing other forms of cardio and intervals. So, I thought, 28 minutes of reflection for the past 28 years. Certain minutes will represent great years from my life. Such as the minute 13. I met Whitney! Minute 23, I graduated from college, got married and Brad and I started our family with our golden retriever, Arwen. But others will be difficult. Minute 17, I'm struggling with standing up for myself, I give in lies from other people, I adopt insecurities that still haunt me today. Minute 27, I am missing a dear friend who has passed, but that minute completes the exercise. There's no telling what lies for this year. It may be difficult. So far, it's proving to be. I have so many goals ahead of me that I want to achieve, but I'm already downcast and negative. But it may be one of the best years of my life. I hope it is. I have the hope that it will be. 

When it's almost time to clock out...

What do you do?

Do you pack up early and mingle with the coworkers until 5pm? Do you get yourself organized for the next day? Do you work feverishly to get all of your tasks done from that day’s to do list?

You know when it’s time to go home. For most it’s 5pm. You can manage your work throughout the day to ensure you get things done, or at least get yourself ready to complete them on the next. You know how long you have.

Let’s think about other work that is to be done. You’ve promised someone (your parent, spouse, roommate, landlord) that you will have such and such fixed/cleaned up/whatever before they get back. But they didn’t tell you when that would be. I think it’s foolish then to waste time because you don’t know how long you have to work.

Isn’t our time here, in general, the same thing?

Yeah, you saw that one coming…

I’ve wasted so much time. I feel like I have, anyway. I don’t mean to. And maybe I haven’t really wasted as much time as I think I have, it’s just that I’m pretty hard on myself and I always feel like I could be doing more.

What is my task? What work am I assigned? First of all, my work is to share the name of Christ and who He is. To encourage believers and love the non believers and to befriend the ones who ride the fence.

But specifically what is my task? I have been in doubt over this for a long time and I prayed about it some more last night. I was impressed that my task is to be an encourager and supporter of my husband and the ministry he does. It’s to be a servant and friend for the church community to which I belong and I love with all my heart. It’s to be open about my faith to coworkers and strangers I meet.

But, God, doesn’t that seem sort of …insignificant? It just feels small, to me. (that’s what I told Him in my prayer)

“Well Yeah”, I felt a reply, or a feeling in my heart, “small doesn’t mean insignificant though.”

I just heard a teaching about the widow who gave money in the temple. They equaled a little less than a penny, but it was all she had. The coins were light and thin so surely it didn’t make much of a sound in the ol’ tithe box in the temple court of women. No one noticed, except for Jesus. He said she had given more than anyone else had, put together! That makes me feel a little better.

I’m not a foreign missionary, I’m not being persecuted, I don’t have a degree in theology, I don’t write music or preach sermons. I just do what I feel like I should do, which is to encourage and love. Sometimes I think it’s not enough, but that widow was dear to Jesus because of her heart not because of how big of a donation she gave. This isn’t about money, ok? It’s about action. But God reminded me last night that being a servant and realizing that everything I have belongs to God is important. Give, love, share, repent, forgive….now those are big things to Him.

I’m still trying to understand it myself, the truth here brings tears to my eyes because I’m humbled that He still loves me. After all my sin, my rotten attitudes, my gossip, and other things I’m ashamed to admit. I’ve confessed them all to Him and proclaimed repentance.

Sometimes I don’t say that I have repented because I’m worried I’ll fail and go back to it. But I can’t live in that mindset! That is human and it’s frail. But in Christ I am strong in heart and I can repent of the sin, that is not to go back to those ways. In Christ, I’m not just one that can achieve my goal, but I am MORE than a conqueror. (yeah all you Seraph fans out there are humming the tune) But so did I after my prayer proclaiming that I am repenting.

My sense of urgency came quickly, as most urgent matters do. Now, let me say first, that I have always had a sense that my time here could be up. It’s almost on a daily and nightly basis that I am mindful of Christ’s return. I’ve felt this way nearly my whole life and I’m very glad for it. It keeps me thinking on Him. I’m not scared of it, I’m excited. But nervous at the same time because (here we go again) I want more time since I feel I haven’t done enough work. I really do feel like there’s more work to be done. My task isn’t over, there are still people who need Jesus, who need Living Water and the Bread of Life.

I want more time to know His name here before I see Him there. (there’s my Narnia reference for the day)

I’m not trying to be the man on the side of the road with a sharpie and a sign that says The End is Near, but I’m not going to say he’s wrong. A few things Jack (our teacher at Mars Hill) shared with us last night really stirred my heart to action, more than before.  Read Mark chapter 13 to get your bearing and probably like me you won’t really understand it, but it’ll get your attention anyway. He shares with His disciples how the world will know the end is here. He also gives a hint as to when His return will be (which is before the end). He states no one can know the day or time. However I believe one can deduce “about the time” as in generation time. You will want to go to the website for People of Mars Hill, the link is to the left under my favorite links and go to the podcast for August 10. He explains in better detail, but basically the generation that will see the return of Christ will be the same generation of the newly established Israel (which is referred to as a fig tree in Mark). “In 1947, the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. The Arab League rejected the plan, but on May 14, 1948, theJewish provisional government declared Israel's independence.” (from wikipedia) That was 60 years ago. The average lifespan of the society in Israel is like America’s 77-78 years.

Take from that what you may, I’m not totally relying on what I’m taught at church, even though I find Jack Hester to be a credible source of knowledge and study. But I’m reading it myself over and over again, comparing that scripture to Old Testament scriptures and trying to draw my own conclusions. If that is the case and Christ could return at any time in the next few years, it’s fine with me. I’m glad to go with Him. Even though I know my heart is in His hands, I still tell Him that I want Him to take me when He returns. I want to be with Him, I want to fellowship with my friends and family in heaven. I want to be rid of these sinful desires, to see hate, war and poverty. I want to be done with mean thoughts and a hard attitude. This internal battle has gotten really old and I want to be done with it.

But like I said before, I want more time here. I want to work some more and I want to work harder.

Scammed!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it happened to me, finally.

A few months ago I was in the market for the next best thing in protein powder. A friend of mine recommended Isopure. I did a little shopping around and realized it was pretty expensive. I found one website that carried it, and for a good price to! It was around $35 for a 5 pound container. Not bad, right? Well, I should have done my research because they took my money. I did receive some messages that the supplement was on back order. When I requested a refund the email stated I'd have it in 5-7 business days, but it's been well over a month since. The phone number has a recording, but it only sends you to a voice mail, which is conveniently full so that's that. Now, the website does look pretty good, but after googling their name and reading reviews on a consumer forum, I realized I wasn't the only one and that this "company "has done this for a number of months. So, do not ever buy anything from www.a1nutritionproducts.com ever.   :)

At least I didn't drop some serious money as some unsuspecting shoppers had. Poor things...

 

The Love for Things That Grow

“Hobbits share a love for things that grow”.

I laughed to think, well of course! It’s because they can’t grow themselves!

So, Brad and I have expanded upon our garden inventory. My tomato plant has withered some but produced 4 tomatoes, one of which we were able to cut up. The cucumber has done well, there’s one huge cuke that looks about ready to pick, but some bugs have had a hay day on the leaves…it looks terrible.

I picked 3 peppers off my jalapeno plant and used them in a fish and grits dish after Mikayla’s baptism. Even the hot heads said they were pretty spicy. I assured them they were, in fact, jalapenos and I called them all babies. Then Brad noticed a red pepper growing off the plant, so we have now deduced it is a chili pepper plant, which rivals the heat index of the jalapeno….sorry Chris. You were right.

All my herbs are doing great. (thyme, sweet basil, and rosemary.)

We’ve been working on the grass in the backyard and will most likely lay some sod next month. It’s looking better all the time back there!

Brad marked out a flower bed and we’ll put two gardenias and some monkey grass in that.

He planted a baby plum tree, pear tree and dwarf orange, this week we’ll plant the raspberry bush on the side of the house under the kitchen window.

Mr. John (Whit’s dad) said he’ll let us have some blueberry bushes that he’s bringing down from his relatives’ in Tuscaloosa. I had some of those blueberries over the weekend and man they are good! It brought back some good childhood memories.

Next year we wish to plant a fig, lemon and lime tree.

 

Whew! We should be good on the fruit once these start producing. You know…one less thing to buy, right?

 

Games 2008

on’t you just love the Olympic games?

My favorites are swimming, diving, track and gymnastics. I also love watching the opening ceremonies. I’ve always had a fascination with China, but ever since Mikayla has been brought into our lives, the interest has grown. I loved the artistry and technology displayed on Friday night. My favorite was the countdown with the drums, and the little girl singing with the entrance of children. They were all so beautiful and many of them seemed to be the same age as KK.

I can’t wait to hear her talk about what she thinks of the gymnastics. She was just 4 during the last Olympics and I remember trying to get her to watch, but she kept falling asleep. She’s grown in her gymnastic abilities since then and she loves to compete. Mom put some great pics of her in action on her blog, see the link to the Family Blog to the left.

But Brad and I have stuff going on some evenings during the games so I may miss out on a lot…boo.

 

Still anxiously waiting.

There's not much news concerning the job market. I've interviewed some more, passed my resume more, and I have another call to make tomorrow. I'm not freaking out yet. (today)

I have been very down some days because this isn't normal for me to not get up and go to a job. I am enjoying it with a slight hesitancy. I'm spending more time with the kids and that's been fun. I'm taking KK and Hannah to see Kung Fu Panda tomorrow. I'm just as excited as they are! There are so many movies I want to see this summer. 

I'm leaving in a week to go to Texas to see Brad. Myself and the other Seraph wives and one girlfriend are all riding together and staying for a few days. We are all so excited!

I'm staying up later these days, getting caught up at night on Scrubs, Jon & Kate Plus 8, and Good Eats. I can't sleep in though. I did the first few days, then I couldn't do it anymore. I am however trying to keep my eating and exercise in check. I haven't had sugary desserts in 1.5 weeks. This is really hard. So, no cereals (w/ added sugar), muffins, biscottis, cake, etc... To satisfy my sweet tooth I'm having sugar free Jell-O and various fruits, some with honey on top. I'm trying to back off of unhealthy dairies as well right now. Brad is doing this with me and knowing he is making the sacrifice as well, it helps me to say no even when no one is looking. 

I swam laps yesterday and I am sorta feeling it. I loved it, I am hoping to do it more. It was such a nice change from the normal bike or elliptical at the gym. 

That's all for now. 

Mini Getaway

I'm at the beach now. I came down here to paint my friend's condo for her, but I'll only be here by myself until Friday night when the family drives down. But this solitude is starting to irk me already. I had to leave the pups at home; my neighbor is looking after them for me. Brad left for his summer camp trips this past Sunday. I'm still not working anywhere right now and I've discovered that alot has changed within myself since my high school and college years. Used to, I could sleep in til noon, eat cereal for brunch, sometimes dinner too, and watch MTV or SNL reruns until the cows came home. Now, I am having a hard time sleeping in late, and I have to "do something productive". I've been away from work for a week and a half now and I've only spent one day doing nothing. I have painted the bedroom, primed and sample painted my guest bedroom, ran a gagillion errands, kept my house top notch clean, tended to my garden and now I'm painting some more, but away from home. So now I'm forced to either paint or chill out. My right hand is so sore from the work of today and I'm chilling watching re runs of Jon and Kate Plus 8. 

So, there's a temporary position open at my previous employer and I would be working for my friend who is going on maternity leave for 3 months. I would start in late June and finish in late September. So, this sounds great, given the places I've applied are taking their time arranging an interview. It's just a long frustrating process. 

This is off the subject, but Mattie, the twin of Jon and Kate's is just like Mikayla, in my opinion. Anyway...I did watch Across the Universe tonight. Oh mah gah.... it was amazing. I absolutely loved it! 

I'm trying to wind down and get sleepy. So, that's it for now...nothing too exciting going on just yet. 

A few things I've learned

So, Friday night and Saturday were pretty rough. I was pretty emotional, but I don't think I let it show much. I know I was quiet and distant, but Brad was very patient with me and just let me deal with it all. He did give me great encouraging words, and still is. Friday night he told me that I should read Philippians. There are very challenging words in those four chapters. I've decided to re read it over and over and over. There are too many things in there that I still need to learn and put into practice.
So, with this whole job thing...
I'm working hard trying to get my resume out and set up interviews and such, but it's a slow process. My first concern about that isn't whether I can find a job or not, it's whether I can find a job that I liked as much as what I just had. I don't want to drive to other side of Mobile either. I've been miserable before and I don't want that again. But I have prayed that if there is a specific place He wants me, and it's not my ideal job, that He'll give me the grace to handle it. I know that everything doesn't revolve around me, but I also know that to seek happiness isn't always a selfish venture. There's a balance and I believe it comes from motive and attitude. I understand that God wants me somewhere else. I still have no clue where, so I am praying for direction and discernment.
I need to use this as a great learning opportunity. On Saturday when I was leaving the campus from cleaning out my desk, the thought occurred to me that in all things God is seeking to teach us. I said out loud, "This is not how I want to learn a lesson of faith." Oh well. I'm learning it anyway! And now I'm learning with joy and expectation. I'm beginning to look forward to what happens next. Yeah, I'm nervous because job seeking just makes me nervous. You know...the whole interviewing and follow up calls and waiting for "the phone call" just make me nervous. 

Well, I had a lot more to say today, but now my mind is wandering in a bunch of directions and I need to get ready to be somewhere. I'll be back later when the words occur to me again.

Yes, life has thrown has a curve ball.

Brad said it's more like a different play call, than a curve ball.

Two days ago, one hour before time to knock off for the weekend, I was called into the office of the VP of Business Affairs, who is my boss. He regrettably told me that my job was one of several that had been eliminated. UM doesn't have the student body to support the current functions of the school and restructuring was one answer to the problem.

I had no clue it was coming. I knew cuts were being made, but my job is kinda important, and I didn't make much anyway, so surely it wouldn't be mine. The thought never even occurred to me. So, needless to say I lost it. Not in the office, I asked to be excused, walked outside, called my husband and cried. He told me to just come on home. I did.

I went back Saturday morning, made a copy of my resume, cleaned out my desk and took a look around. I'm really going to miss it. I'm more heartbroken than anything because I loved being there so much. Sure, the job wasn't all that challenging. But I loved being there. I loved my coworkers, I loved the atmosphere there. All good things (except for Christ's love) come to an end.

So I'm just going to have to start over. I've already sent my resume to one source, I am interviewing tomorrow. I'm currently inquiring on three other jobs as well. I have learned mounds in the past three days that I will share later tonight. There's just too much in my head right now. So please come back for the next post. In short, I will say this:

My husband is wonderful.
My friends are such an encouragement.
My family is supportive.
My God is so good.

A great new find

Last night I met up with a friend at Serda's Coffee in downtown. They have a little bit of everything there. The most interesting part is their gellato. I sampled a few different things, never having it before, and I was blown away! I look forward to taking Brad there and getting a cup of Zuppa gellato which is made with egg and white wine...sounds different but it was delicious; tasted like a creme brulee w/ a scotch aftertaste. I ordered the chai latte and I must say it was the best I've ever had. I also hear they have live music too.
Now, I am Moka's Coffee fan for sure and I'll remain a faithful customer of theirs. It's owned by a great family and it has a cool atmosphere. They also support live music.
I am also a Starbucks fan. Oh, and I also love Carpe Diem on Old Shell Rd... okay, so I guess I haven' quite found a coffee shop that I don't like. All I'm saying is that it's nice to finally have some variety in Mobile. I support all these espresso based establishments...often. They all have something different to offer, in different parts of town.

Movie review/workout/it's hot.

I finally watched Juno last night. I really liked it! Ellen Page is adorable, I must say. Anytime a movie's or tv show's plot includes premarital sex, the radar starts to buzz. Obviously it's because I have a conviction about it that it's not the right thing to do (for many reasons). Lots of times it's viewed as something that's not that big of a deal; like daily life, you know? What I did like about Juno is that it proved this crucial point: It only takes one time to conceive. It baffles me that a married couple who wants a baby so bad can try to conceive a baby for years to no avail, yet for some couples it only takes once. I also liked the part about the baby having fingernails. I don't think that was what initially drove Juno to decide not to abort, but it did give the thought that she's not just carried a group of cells but a life. I thought that was cool. Anyway, I'm not going to pick the movie apart and tell you what I thought or if I approved or disapproved. I thought the movie was well written, had an excellent cast and I kinda teared up at the end. Oh, and I think my favorite character was Brenda, Juno's step mom. She was boss.
After watching the movie, I went to the gym for some cardiovascular exercise. I thought the elliptical trainer was best for this at the time. I slept like a rock last night.

Today I'm going to lift weights for lower body then meet up with a friend for espresso later on. There's a new coffee shop in downtown that I've heard a lot about so we're gonna hit that one up.

It's getting hot outside. Real HOT. Summer's here everyone. I guess thanks to global warming our planet's weather is a bit off, however thankfully the south eastern region of the US actually got to enjoy what's called Spring this year. I liked it.

Mid Week Yada Yada

I've been fairly sleepy all day long; I didn't get much sleep last night. I am planning on going to a spinning class a the Y later this evening. I will be going home first to change. I may have an argument with myself over whether to change into exercise clothes and go to the Y, or change into pj's and nap on the couch. I haven't decided which side I'll take just yet.

Other than that, I have no plans for the evening, nor do I tomorrow evening. Friday night, I am to attend a rehearsal dinner for the wedding of precious Holly and Jacob. Their wedding is Saturday.

So, the week tends to be slowing down a bit.

Hmm, CSI NY comes on Wednesday nights....I guess I do have plans.

Dang it!

Sorry, folks. I'm having issues with photobucket today, so the pictures in the post below do not fit properly. I believe you can click on the picture to see the full shot.

Holiday Weekend

Yesterday was Memorial Day, fka Decoration Day. Thank you to corporate America, the general public follows the traditions of barbecuing and searching for big sales at Sam's Club, instead of taking time to decorate the tombstones of fallen soldiers, remembering the sacrifice they all made for our country. Ashamedly, I am one of those citizens that shopped and failed to recognize the reason for the holiday. So, for that I am sorry.

So, with that confession said, I'll give a re cap of my 3-day weekend. Friday night Brad and I met up with some friends at Mars Hill Cafe for dinner. Thank you, Corky, for the amazing dinner and the mango tea. Saturday I don't remember the details. I really hate when that happens. I do remember that I slept in some, worked out at the gym and went to see the new Indiana Jones movie with Brad, Will met us there. Thanks Will, for saving us seats.
I really liked the film. It got rave reviews from tough Hollywood critics, but the general public is kinda "meh" about the whole thing. I thought it was great.

Sunday we went to the morning service at church, People of Mars Hill and then I did some grocery shopping. I also bought a jalapeno plant. That day Brad worked in the yard and I cleaned the house. We had our "small group" friends over for a grill-out that evening. We wanted to do one big get together to visit before Brad left for his long trip. Man, the food kept coming! I made baked beans (for the first time, my own recipe), roasted potatoes, queso dip, and a strawberry shortcake. It was a bring-your-own-meat deal, and I filled up the grill three times, I think. It was a great night. Brad was awesome, he did most of the clean up while I was still visiting with friends.

Monday we really took the day off. I meant to go for a run, but it didn't happen. We slept in, watched some Monster Quest on the History Channel, then decided to do some shopping. He needed electric guitar strings and I wanted some more herbs. So we went to Musical Walmart, I mean, Guitar Center, then to Lowe's. We bought a few hanging planters, a thyme plant, and a cucumber plant. So now, in the yard we are growing:
tomato
cucumber
jalapeno
thyme
sweet basil
rosemary

Over the weekend, we discovered we have 6 gladiolas plants! For the past 3 years we thought they were only tall decorative grass. This year they are budding in bold red flowers. I am ecstatic! We plan on laying a pallet of sod in July. Our backyard is shaping up beautifully.

I took a few pics of some things we are growing and I also got a few of the babies.
Here's Lucille looking like she wants to kill me.

Here's a pic of my sweet basil plant, and you can see Arwen in the back ground going to town on a rawhide.

Here's Batman with HIS rawhide, in his favorite "chew spot".

And last but not least, is our fearless feline, Robin.


I finished the 6th Harry Potter book last night. I wanted to re read it before the movie came out. It'll be released in November, so I'm kinda ahead of myself.
Now I will finish reading Echoes of His Presence. I should have that done by next week if I don't allow myself to get too busy and distracted. After that I'm going to dive into more C.S. Lewis. I'm not sure where to start. I began to read Mere Christianity this past fall, I may just start that one over and go from there.

Today is a weight lifting day. I'll do that after work, hopefully I'll have time to put in some good cardiovascular exercise afterward. I have already cleaned the house for small group tonight so I have no excuse.

I'm looking forward to our discussion tonight. Jack's teaching this past Sunday was really good. I need to listen to it again though.

Hummph... I'm having a hard time getting into the swing of things today.

5 reasons why I love youtube.com

I often wondered how people can sit in front of a computer for hours on end looking at "stuff". I can check email, look at myspace for a sec or even facebook, maybe browse around some discussion boards for kicks, but that was about it...until I discovered the endless possibilities of youtube. So here's a list of reasons why I love youtube.com

1.) It provides hours of entertainment!
I have recently been introduced (not personally) to comedians Brian Reagan and Jeff Dunham. Jeff is my favorite of the two. When I am feeling bored, or there's nothing good on tv, I'll enter their names on the search and find clip after clip of their stand up routines. I love laughing out loud while at home by myself, it makes it even funnier, I think.
Here's a few gems:
At Starbucks, a small is tall.
I want MUFFINS!!!
Jeff Dunham and Peanut. This one will make you snort out your nose, it's so funny - fah fah!
Brian Reagan's experience with the ER.
Funny Cats.
Tommy Boy comes to Halo.

2.) It is a great go to source for tutorials.
My hair has reached to such a long length, and it's getting hot outside. I'm growing it to donate, so I can't cut it just yet. I'm tired of the pony tail so I did a search for demos of how to create different up dos. I found lots of great ideas and have already used them myself.
I have also found videos of makeup techniques.

3.) It shows me just what my husband is up to while on the road.
Seraph has a youtube channel and they periodically post videos they take while traveling. I love being able to see the places they visit and watch the goofy ways they pass the time in the truck.
This was a personal favorite of mine.

4.) It works for nostalgic purposes.
There was some good television back in the 80s and 90s. From Masters of the Universe to the Cajun Man on SNL, you can view just about any of your favorite tv moments.
One of my favorite icons from the 80s was Shera, Princess of Power. Take a look.

5.) It is the central network of stupid people.
There are a few people in my life that, honestly, I'm surprised they're still alive. Daredevils and extreme sportsmen/women (and clumsy people) have plagued youtube with their videos of stupid stunts. I believe this became the cornerstone of this website's success. Although I think it's insane to try most of these dangerous acts, it does provide entertainment for myself and my friends. If at the beginning of the video you hear the words, "Hey Y'all!!! Which 'is!!", you know it's going to be good.

Time is a strange thing.

Time is a factual element of life. It is measured in seconds, minutes, and up. Those don't change. It has always taken 60 seconds to equal one minute. But doesn't it seem to feel different to us? Time doesn't seem evenly spread; it moves. It speeds up, it slows down, it stops. When waiting for an important phone call or email, or even just to get off work, it can creep by. When taking a lunch hour, or enjoying coffee with a friend, it speeds by. Strange.
Last night Brad and I visited friends of ours who just welcomed their first child into the world. They had a perfectly sweet baby boy. I held him a lot. Brad was wonderful with him too, even though he had never held a newborn. He's such a natural. But I have known the mother since the 7th grade. I met her husband my first day of college. I remember life with the two of them before they had even met each other. Now, they've been married over 5 years and have a baby. Time has flown by on this one.
I was speaking with my friend about how she needs to savor every single moment with her newborn because it will be gone before she realizes it. Next thing we all know, he'll be out of diapers and getting his driver's permit.
I remember the night I found out my sister was having her first baby. I can recall the look on Brooke's face when she told me, I can remember my emotion, I can tell you all that I was dreaming about that night, too. It honestly seems like it happened just a few weeks ago. But Hannah just turned 9 years old... It's so sad. I have well incorporated myself in the lives of Brooke's kids, but I still feel as if I've missed out on so much because they are growing up so fast. I was telling our friends last night how Baby, the family maltese, would come running out of mom's bedroom when Mikayla would start crying. We brought Mikayla home when she was 11 months old. When she woke up from nap time, Baby wanted mom to get in there quick and shut her up! Now KK is turning 9 later this year. She talks like she's 19 though. Again, time is gone, it seems.
Brad's 10 year reunion is this year. He isn't able to attend because Seraph is on the road at the time. He's pretty disappointed because he wanted to see his old friends, of course.
As of this month, he and I have been graduated from college for 5 years. We are also celebrating 8 years together in just a few weeks. I think it's weird how I remember so vividly, the night we met and what I was thinking, almost like it did happen not too long ago, but I have a hard time remembering what life was like before him.
The measures of time do not change, but life itself seems to alter it for each individual.
I don't have an exact point with this entry, just wanted to state what was on my mind today. I hope you are all having a great week and that you are making the most of your time.
ha ha! Do any of you remember that old DC Talk song "Time is Tickin Away"? Wow, that one came out of left field...

Peanut-Butter-Jelly-and-a-Basball-Bat!!!

I really like peanut butter. I find myself craving it like I would normally crave chocolate. I still get those urges for chocolate, but I also get it for the PB. I don't really like JIF or Peter Pan, I like Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter. I love the minute grainy texture of natural pb as opposed to the thick, waxy texture of processed. I think the flavor is better too in the natural state. Look at the ingredients: peanuts, salt. Simple, enough.
I put pb in my oatmeal. I put it on toast and top with a slice banana. I'll dip apple slices in it. I'll make a graham cracker sandwich with it (haven't done that in a while...). I'm also an advocate for the famous pb & j. I love some good multi grain bread, toasted, then paired with pb and blackberry preserves. I have been using the sugar free Smucker's version of preserves and they're not bad.
All of those are tasty ways to get this healthy fat in the system. It's really difficult to stay within the service size of 2 tablespoons. I do it, though.

Our Small Group Meeting

We had a great night of discussion with our small group. We had 10 people, including Brad and I. I made some cupcakes as well. They were dark chocolate with buttercream and I topped them with bright blue sprinkles. This dark chocolate cake recipe is one I've used so many times, it's one of my favorites.

We got on a discussion later in the evening concerning Luke 4:28-30.
Jesus speaks in the synagogue in His hometown and reveals that he has fulfilled a prophesy. The crowd gets all riled up and you can read below what happens:
28) All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29) They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30) But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
I've always just thought that since this wasn't the time, place or method for Jesus to die, the people were miraculously subdued and Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way. One person from last night's group said he had thought Jesus made Himself invisible and walked through the crowd to avoid the uprising. I mean, to me, the scripture could go either way. It made for an interesting conversation for sure. The word "through" is another of one our languages ambiguous terms. In later scriptures, after Jesus' resurrection, He "walks through" a wall. But He can also "walk through" a crowd, which doesn't mean he passes through a person, necessarily. It's debatable, for sure and I may need to find a reference that relates to the Greek language, concerning this passage for further insight.

Something else we spoke on at the end of the discussion was something Jack (our teaching pastor) had said. "I need to view myself as God sees me, not as I see myself". Um, okay, that shouldn't be too hard :rolls eyes: . I can be very negative and hard on myself, because I know what goes on in my head, I know the emotions I have, I know the things I say and do. I know that God understands, fully, those things as well, but He still trusts that I can carry out His will and make a representation of His Son to the world. That's a very heavy idea for me. It's humbling, for sure, but also frustrating. How can I do it?
To follow Christ is an ongoing experience. From the initial acceptance to our final breath, we undergo a continuous process. We are always learning, always sharpening, always growing. At least, we should. I do have lulls in my life where I feel as if I've hit a plateau, but the desire is always there to be more and do better. I want to make my Father proud. I don't think I've quite done that yet, overall. I know I have done things in His name, for His purpose and given Him the glory for it. Those things do make Him proud. But I've also displayed a rotten attitude, and abandoned compassion for others. This must disappoint Him.
I don't really know what He sees, exactly. So I'm not sure where to go with this one.
I do know that I can take this from that statement: I should see other people, the way God sees them. Because I know myself, it's difficult to imagine what a perfect God would view, but I can estimate His perspective on someone else, if that makes sense. I think keeping that in focus would create a different relationship dynamic in my life. I'm still there in completely understanding all this, but like I said it is a process. Time itself does not make progress, but it is God working in my life as I receive the grace to accept it and put it into practice.

In other news, I am making a new meal tonight: Vegetable Lasagna Rolls. Brad and I are going to visit some friends of ours who have recently welcomed their first child into the world. I'm looking forward to seeing them. I hope the dish turns out great. If it does, I will post the recipe.

Fyoooooze

I had my first Fuze drink today. I really like it! I drank the Blueberry Raspberry flavor.

Serving size 8 fl oz (2 servings in one bottle)

Calories 10

Fat 0

Sodium 5mg

Carbohydrate 2g

Sugars 1g

Protein 0g

Vitamin C 100%

Chomrium 15%

L Carnitine 20mg

Super Citrmax 200mg

The first thing I always look at in the label is if the product contains high fructose corn syrup. It's bad stuff, my friends. This drink doesn't contain HFCS, however it does contain Sucralose, which some people thinks that is bad, some say it isn't bad. I'm not a scientist, so I usually decide to take things like this in moderation. If I don't have a lot of it, that should decrease the chances of it being harmful to my system, if it is indeed, harmful.

After I eat lunch or dinner I like to have something sweet afterwards. I have a manic sweet tooth which makes it difficult to stay on track with a healthy lifestyle. I don't really mind a rich treat here and there, though. I obviously shouldn't have it everyday.

I like this drink because it gives me something sweet after a meal and it's very low cal.

Maybe, maybe not.

I'm thinking about starting another running program. It's going to be in the 80s this week. I haven't run since February so I'm a little nervous. I do miss it and there's a 5k later this year that I definitely want to do. I really don't think I'll ever want to train for anything more than a 10k.

I haven't quite decided yet what I'm going to do.

I don't really like running on a treadmill. When I started to run on those over the winter, my knee pain started. I'm not convinced that the treadmill is responsible, but it is definitely a possiblility. I love running outside, even in the heat. I don't know, it's more freeing I guess. I do not want to over work myself. I'm thinking I may run twice a week, doing cardio in the gym on either the bike or elliptical trainer as well, along with lifting twice a week.

I've been reading further into New Rules of Lifting for Women. Even though I do agree with the program and find it holds sound information, I don't think I'm going to complete it. My reasoning is that some of the exercises are just too silly for me. I'm going to take the exercises I like and put something rough together for myself to follow. I'm still going to follow the premise of reps and weights and how often I increase the weight. I'm just not going to follow the program outlined in the book, persay. How it breaks down is this: start with an exercise that uses the entire body and do reps heavy (ex: squats w/ barbell), then start alternating exercises for lower body and upper body (ex: lat pull down and step ups). Do two different variations and finish with core exercises (ex: planks, reverse crunch). Complete with about 15 minutes of cardio, get in some protein within half an hour of the workout. If I am not lifting on a particular day I'll consider that a cardio day and put in about 45 minutes of whichever exercise I'd like to do.

I was getting to the point where I was dreading doing some of the exercises in the program and I knew that's when I needed to change it. It's hard enough to fit something like this in one's busy schedule. If I don't like it, I won't do it. So I'm going to create something that I do like.

I was sleeping in just a bit on Sunday morning. I did one of those full body stretches to wake myself up. The skin on my legs have been itching due to a sunburn. So as I was scratching my leg during my stretch I notice my quads were harder than they have been before. Yeah, baby!!! So, with that evidence on top of the slight drop in weight I can say that I am an advocate of NROL4W, it's just not for me...exactly. I'll take gems from it and make my own product.

Apparently, I'm being watched.

I have an 8 year old sister. Apparently, she is watching me. Yeah, I watched my older sister too, but it didn't really dawn on me how MUCH Mikayla would watch me. She and I do have an interesting relationship. She came home to us when she was 11 months old. I had just turned 20, Brad and I were dating and I was going into my sophomore year of college. We had our bonds from the beginning, I helped out with her a lot. She was a lot of fun when she was in a good mood. Talk about a doll! Oh my gosh. But the little doll had a short fuse. She would shoot these looks that could make you choose your next words carefully.
Mikayla's deal is that she is extremely smart. Yes, she does well with school, but she's street smart. She knows how to talk. She knows how to converse with kids and adults alike. She also knows how to act 10 years older than she really is. I'm not being biased, she really is brilliant. Her memory is better than anyone I have ever met. We all lose memories of our childhood experiences over time, but she really holds on to them. If her recollection isn't sharp, her heart definitely is. Her heart remembers things. My mom posts about her too in her blog, just look to my links on the left.
I was going a different direction with this.
So, mom just called to ask Brad and I over for gumbo. (score!) Then she tells me that Mikayla said she wanted to be just like her big sister. Aw, isn't that nice? See, I'm thinking that she wants to be grown up, wearing high heels, shopping for purses and sliding that plastic through cashier's credit card machine. Nope. That's not what she meant. She wants to work in an office and write stuff. Yeah, that little firecrackers wants Santa to bring her paper clips, a stapler and rolodex for Christmas.
When I was her age, I wanted a She-ra castle complete with Glimmer, the iradescent pony. (which I got, thank you very much)
I don't know what about this part of adulthood appeals to her! This is the boring part. The fun part IS following a schedule that doesn't involve homework, shopping for fancy shoes and having my own bank account.
I think having a business card and tape calculator are fun to her. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy her a red Swingline stapler this year. She's going to be thrilled.

BTW, I think it's funny that this character's name from Office Space is Milton. That's my dad's name. Ha!
Seriously, grown ups, hear me out! The kids are watching so you better do things that you will want them to do. Beware!!!!

Where HAVE you BEEN???!!!

I'm sure the blog gets bored with all my goings on of my life from day to day. I'll spare the blog of it's dullness and write about more exciting things...like Harry Potter.
I'm actually going to go down the list of my obsessions. I've already written about my dogs, so that's one down and many more to go. Today I'd like to discuss all the wonderful things of Potter. Well, okay, some of them... there's really too much to tell. ha ha!
I first became a fan with the movies. I didn't begin watching until Prison of Azkaban came to DVD. I watched the first through the third and waited for Goblet of Fire to come out. After GOF was released I decided to read the books. I didn't start from the beginning though I read book 3, then 4, then 2, 1, 5, 6 and 7. I didn't mind going out of order since I knew the movies line for line. But I was so wrong and soon realized I had missed out on so much.
People will always tell you the book is always going to be better than the movie. That is because hardly ever does a film's writer, director and producer follow the plot of said book from scene to scene. Noooo, they have to throw in an extra battle scene, skip some underlying plot that's usually important, skip over characters and include a few love scenes that were never written by the original author.
So it is in Hollywood. It's okay. That's just how it is and how it will always be.
I will join the masses and proclaim, "The books are better than the movies! So go read them!"
I think I've convinced Brooke to read them. She's going to love it, I can already tell.
My favorite of the films is Prisoner of Azkaban. Which is strange for a book lover, because this movie is where the film direction begins to vere from Rowling's work. But I loved the new characters that are introduced: Buckbeak, dementors, Lupin and of course... Sirius Black. Oh, how I love Sirius. He's just wonderful. I also like that I can purchase my own Monster Book of Monsters.

My favorite book, however, is Order of the Phoenix. There's such an underlying plot that's not included in the movie that made me love it so much. Everything is getting...well, deeper, I guess is the word. (Complicated, or "hairy" - no pun intended. ) In OOTP, it seems most of the fun days are over. Things are getting serious as Harry matures. The books mature with him and become darker. This one you really see how bad it's going to get and what it may cost to end the evil that's returned.
The movie for Half Blood Prince, which comes out in November, is going to be SICK!!! I cannot wait. The cast is on target, too. I really like who they've chosen for Slughorn. We'll all get to view the behind the scenes of Voldemort's making. I do think Quidditch will not appear in this movie, and that upsets me. I loved watching Quidditch. I'm wondering just how far they're going to take certain scenes, assuming they are included. This could very well be a dark and disturbing film. David Yates who directed OOTP will direct this one as well. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get what I'm expecting.

Deathly Hallows made me cry. It did. I'm not ashamed of that. There is this one passage at the end that I won't reveal because some of you may not have read it, that is simply beautiful. I read it twice. Afterwards I think I spoke out loud, "that is the most beautiful thing Rowling has written yet". I cried some more.

Okay, so let's talk about characters. My favorites are Ron, Hagrid and of course Molly Weasley. I love all the Weasleys, but Molly is the best.

What I love about Ron is his pride in who he is. Yeah, everything he owns is rubbish, he does get easily embarrassed over his dress robes, and usually finds himself in Harry's shadow. But, he will always stick up for himself, his friends and his family. He has a great devotion that I love and he has a great humor.

Rubeus is one of Rowling's greatest creations, in my opinion. He's huge, but so sensitive. I think he cries in every book? I think it's his unusual love for animals that draws me to like him so much. However, I'm arachniphobic, so Chamber of Secrets always freaks me out. (Brad usually skips the whole monstrous spider attack because I just can't watch it.) I love Fang, though. Which shouldn't surprise anyone, because I absolutely love large dogs. Fang is kinda cowardly which is also funny. You have a large man who cries at the drop of a hat and gets his feelings hurt very easily and you have a dog the size of a couch that gets really nervous at night in the forest. I love it.

Then there's Molly Weasley. You gotta be one bad woman if you're going to maintain a household like hers. I once read that Molly Weasley made Chuck Norris eat his vegetables and he liked it. It's fitting. I like everything about Molly, however she can be a little too protective sometimes. I would be the same way though. In the book, Order of the Phoenix, she has a very emotional meeting with a buggard. You see what she values most is her family, including Harry. You see her worst fear, which is losing them. When those two meet you can't help but worry that those fears come true.
So in reference of this courageous woman, remember these wise words:
Guns don't kill people. Molly Weasley kills people.

Concerning the series, I love just about everything. It has drama, love, magic, fascinating characters, culture, mystery, and an uncertainty that stays until the last chapter of the final book. Now that it's over I have the movies to look forward to. After that, I have no clue...

It's Monday....again.

Things seem to be leveling out now. I feel like my schedule is nonstop some weeks. I'm determined to have some me time. I took a week off from the gym and will start back up today. So I guess what I really mean is working out equals me time.
Robin is better today. We put him back outside. He's walking better and the swelling in his leg is down. He'll be ship shape in the next day or so; he's one tough cat.
The weather has been BEAUTIFUL after all this rain! My herbs are growing well and the tomato plant looks great. Today would be perfect for a beach visit. However, I'm at work today.
I weighed in yesterday at 132.8. I haven't seen that number in about a year. That's 4 pounds less than last month. I was surprised to see that, given I haven't exercised in a week. But it is motivation to keep at it.

My plans for this week are:

• lift 2 days
• cardio 3 days
• clean out fridge
• clean out car
• log food in sparkpeople.com
• finish HP & OOTP
• renew car tag
• memorize Mark 10:45

It would be overzealous to say that I'm going to bathe the dogs as well, but I know I won't do it. A good brushing would do just fine.

About my Saturday, and well Sunday, too.

I'm pretty tired now, so I'll try to keep it short. It's already past my bedtime.

Saturday I slept in just a bit, then headed over to Fairhope to hang out with Whitney and Craig. We had a great time, of course. We ate at a restaurant called Panini Pete's (i think is the name) and Oh mah gah. It was good! I had a mozzarella, basil and tomato panini. I loved it.

We looked at some boutiques, I got a rockin pair of white shades, and strolled through a few art stores. That was really interesting, given Craig is a great artist. He painted an incredible piece for Brad and I, I'll post a pic later.

After we said our goodbyes, I met with Brad and hung out at Felix's for a while. He was working a table for the Crawfish Bowl, featuring some bluegrass and folk musicians. The proceeds of the event went to the LARSH foundation in Mobile.

Once he was done we set out to our favorite restaurant, Big Time Diner. It was great, as always. We saw a late movie, Prince Caspian.

um, it was meh. See, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe film followed the book very well. I was pleased. This however, did not. I knew it would happen this way because there's a lot of dialogue in the book and the action, though good, is not very frequent. So, there's some added fight scenes, and a love connection which I did not approve of since it wasn't originally in the book. I mean, I'll watch it again, but I wasn't overwhelmed with joy once the credits rolled (like Ironman).

Today we went to the 11 o'clock service at church, did some grocery shopping, then I made lunch. Seraph played at a local church and I stayed at home and did laundry, cleaned bathrooms, cleaned floors, watched Raiders of the Lost Ark and read a few chapters of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The HP is a re-read. I'm preparing for the film.

Robin, the kitty-son, got hurt today. Brad thinks he got hit. His back leg is real swollen, but it's not broken and his skin is fine. He's shut up in our bathroom with the necessities. I found some pain medicine I bought for Batman when he was neutered. I broke it in half, minced it and put inside some leftover shrimp. Hopefully he'll be okay. That darn cat has been injured more times than our other pets combined, and he's the youngest.

Well folks, time for bed.

Good Movie

Brad and I saw Ironman last night. I was very pleased with how Marvel handled the film. Now, I'm not too familiar on the story of Tony Stark. Some extremists may be upset with how the suit didn't fit exactly to the storyline of the comics, or maybe his hair wasn't parted like the original drawn character. But being a novice to the story I greatly enjoyed it. Ask anyone who's known me for a long time and they'll tell how much I love super heroes. My favorites are Wonder Woman, Batman and the characters of Xmen.

The movie was clear of all crude language, which surprised me. There was one blip at the beginning where it showed a naked woman, covered by sheets, but that was it. The violence was no more intense than the Spiderman movies. I would feel alright taking a kid to see this film.

I really liked Robert Downey, Jr in this movie. He showed us all what happens when arrogance meets good intentions. I give it 4 stars.

Today I am about to get ready to meet up with Whitney and her husband, Craig, for lunch. Brad got a last minute call to do some work at a Crawfish Boil today at Felix's Fish Camp. He's going to work on the sound; there's going to be live music at the event. I may catch up with him there later. If time allows we'll go see Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I re-read the book a few months ago, Brad read it yesterday.

My summer reading list includes lots of C.S. Lewis' works. So far, I've only read the Chronicles and a portion of Mere Christianity. We have a good collection started of his books. Brad is a huge fan of Lewis.

On a side note, I need some summer clothes...

Friday, Yay!

I woke up this morning, still feeling under the weather. My sinuses and headache felt better but I was feeling kinda dizzy and definitely not in the mood to concentrate at work. I went in to work and my boss took one look at me and said, "Get what you need done and go home." She's really a doll. Not just because of that, but she's just a cool lady. She has a great work ethic, and expects all of us to have one too. But she also has a good compassion for everyone at work. If we don't feel good, she knows we really want to be at home. I'm not one to take advantage of that type of boss, though.  I like what I do and I felt like I needed to go to work today to be sure I wasn't getting behind on anything. Since things have slowed down this week, after graduation, I felt okay to take another day at home. I came home around 9:30am and went back to bed. I didn't get back up until 1:30pm. 

I just made some lunch. I split a grilled cheese with Brad and I had some sauteed veggies on the side. He's re-reading Prince Caspian since we plan on seeing the movie tomorrow and I'm watching foodnetwork.....again. Right now Sandra Lee of Semi-Homemade is on. Oh, how I loathe that show. I'm only watching it because something better comes on afterwards.

I'm glad that Brad is home while I'm here. I would be lonely. He wants to take me to see Ironman tonight. I'm up for it. I haven't been to the theater since Christmas! 

We may go over to Target afterward to look at a few things. I need a new pan. I may also get that citrus zester I've been needing. 

Last night we went to the restaurant, Oysterella's, to catch some free live music. Shawn Mullins and Need to Breathe were there. Brad hung around a bit so he could meet Shawn. He's a really cool guy. After that we went to the Original Oyster House with our friend Will for a late dinner. 

Tomorrow Brad and I are going to Fairhope to see my best friend Whitney and her husband Craig for lunch. I'm so excited! I haven't seen my Whit in about 2 months. We are so overdue. Which reminds me, I need to post some Paige and Whit stories later.... 

My not-so-great-but-restful day

I've been having some sinus problems this week. I don't know if it is allergy related or what? My headache got pretty bad last night so I did what any other person would have done. I took two NyQuil caplets and went to bed. I'm embarrassed to say what time I got out of bed today. I did get up early to let the pups out and I left a voice mail with my director to say I was taking a sick day. I don't know if it was the medicine or the allergies itself but I was really weak and achy today.

I did get the kitchen cleaned and took a great hot shower. Now I've spent quite a few hours watching the Food Network and catching up on other blogs and such. I meant to do some reading while I had down time, but I'm just not in the mood. I don't really want to think, just chill.

Right now I'm watching Ina Garten's BareFoot Contessa. Next to Good Eats, it's my favorite show in this culinary channel. She's just....well, fabulous. I'd love to live one week in her shoes. You know, live in the Hampton's, cook with herbs out of my garden, shop at the expensive seafood markets and cook for my friends every day.

I guess I'll have to stick with what I have now.

So, anyway, all this food watching has me thinking of a list of items I need to better my kitchen.

My next purchase will be this food scale:

Soehnle Model Scale 65055

For only $29 I think it'll be a great purchase.

I also need:

a citrus zester

a food processor

salad spinner

some new sharp knives would be awesome too.

In a little while I'll leave for my nephew's kindergarten graduation. I hope my sister can make it though the ceremony. She's been a basket case all week because of it. It's hard to believe that the baby is going to the first grade.

Well that's it folks, I'm going to revert back to my couch potato status now.

Slooooowwwww

It's been maybe two years now that I've become more health conscious. There were many times I had quit something "cold turkey". That gung ho attitude worked...for about 72 hours. So I decided to take it easy on myself and start making changes slowly. Instead of going from a lethargic life to working out at the gym 6 days a week I decided to pick up running, doing it 3 days a week. It took me all of 2007 to build up a good base and I completed 2 5ks! The first one was a doozy. I had to run/walk the course. It was very hilly and I had trained on flat roads. The second one was a flat course and I ran the whole thing. A little while later I ran 3 miles as a workout. However, this past February I started to feel some bad knee pain and decided to do something else. I've listed my new program in an earlier post.

A few months before I decided to pick up running I started to tweak my foods. I began to read books on nutrition and joined a great health message forum. It all began with the coffee, y'all. I was consuming up to 3 cups a day, on average. In those cups I put in a sweetener and flavored creamer. I decided to quit that cold turkey and I promise I had a headache for 3 days. I didn't drink any coffee for 6 months or so. Once I picked up a part time job at Starbucks, I decided to drink it again, but even now I don't have more than one cup a day. I can go a week without any and feel just fine. That may sound like a small feat, but it was a big deal for me.

Now, around a year and a half ago I began to minimize the amount of red meat I ate, replacing it with ground turkey. I'm eating more fish now and fresh foods. I barely buy anything canned or pre-made. I have found that convenience foods aren't the way to go if one is concerned about their health. For me, it's not all about how I look, but how I feel. I want longevity of life.

I have been recording all my foods (even the stuff I'm not proud of, you know the minimal snacking here and there) through Sparkpeople. See the link to the left for a spin. It really helps me keep track of what I'm doing. If I am not seeing results I can look to past weeks and see what could be the cause.

I am down 3 pounds from last month, so this is encouraging. It doesn't sound like much to some, but I've been at the exact same weight since late 2006. I think I'm definitely getting somewhere, but it's taking a very looooong time.

My goals do not include a huge weight loss. In fact 10 less pounds on my body would be ideal. I do like to workout so I think that's something I'll keep doing even if I don't get those fitness magazine type results. I love to eat healthy food. There's something about it that makes me feel better about myself.

Fresh Prince says It's Summuh Summuh Time!!!

The bunny and I are very excited that it's summer time. If you don't understand its caption, bunny is saying, "I has a lettuce". Since its mouth is full, bunny can't speak clearly. It's adorable, isn't it?
I love summer weather, summer vacations, summer fashions and most of all summer produce.
It's the time of year to browse the local farmer's markets for local fruits and vegetables. My favorites right now are crispy salads with loads of goodies.

Please don't make a salad with just one type of lettuce, but mix up the colors. The darker the color, the richer the vitamins. I love to mix green leaf lettuce, red lettuce and baby greens. It's also tasty to add a few raisins, slivered almonds, cucumber, black olive and grape tomatoes. I've recently discovered a delicious vinagrette recipe. It's orange balsamic, it includes: orange zest, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper. It is delicious! It's a little strong, so it doesn't take much, which is good.
I went fishing with Brooke, Dad and the kids the other weekend. Tommy, Mikayla and Mr. Curtis (the owner of the pond) caught bass and brim. Dad cooked them for us and man, was it good. My favorite way to eat any type of fish is to marinate it with a citrus of any type (lemon, lime or orange) fresh herbs and some montreal seasoning. They need to be grilled. It's the best.

My favorite fish right now are Red Snapper and Salmon. However I do like many others. I'm currently discovering that I do, in fact, like fish and am trying different types. For the longest time I had convinced myself that I don't like it. I am still picky with it, but I try to consume fish at least 2 times a week. In the summer it's so much more fun because Brad and I like to grill at this time of year the most.
As far as vegetables go, I'll eat just about any of them. I love to stick them on skewers for the grill, steam them or sautee. I made a great concoction the other night: cabbage, squash, zucchini and onion. I chopped those up, put them in my wok with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika; so tasty!
Now when someone talks about their favorite summer foods, I immediately think of fruit. I also like just about any type of fruit.

Bananas, apple and strawberries are always on stock at the Hill house. However I also like to buy mango, peaches and pineapples. Strangely enough, I LOVE the taste of an orange, but I find them too messy to eat. I mainly use them in recipes instead of simply sitting down with a knife and an orange.
It's good that summer produce is so good, therefore I find myself wanting more fresh vegetables, lean meats and fruit and wanting less of oats, pastas and breads. Conveniently, most people want to be leaner in the hotter time of the year.

What a weekend!

Friday after work I went to a bridal shower, then I had a great tennis lesson with Brooke. I hung out at the Love's house for a little bit and called it a night.
Saturday I went the kids' soccer games with Brooke and Kelly. We were there from 8:30am to 5:30pm! And genius-me didn't think she needed sunblock. :( I'm burned. The kids were awesome! I was proud of them all, whether they lost or tied a game. I did get a good workout in between games. They were playing a YMCA on Downtowner, great facility! After that we all went to Mom and Dad's for a fish fry.
You would have thought it was Christmas morning! Dad was all giddy and happy over his fish. He fried the brim and bass the kids caught the week prior. They were battered and fried whole, so when I ate the filet there was no breading. There were also beans and coleslaw. It was a great dinner!
Sunday morning I went to church (will post more about the teaching later), then to Mom's house for Mother's Day dinner with her, the Love's and my grandmothers.
Then I cleaned house and hung out with some friends at Heroe's in downtown Mobile.
Today I'm pretty tired, sore from working out and irritable because of my burn. On the bright side Brad is coming home tonight and will be here for 3-4 weeks! Hmmm...I need to buy groceries.

Baby Girl

So I've talked some about my little boy, now I should talk about my baby girl. Brad and I graduated in May 2003. Two weeks or so before graduation I saw an ad in the paper for Golden Retriever Puppies. The guy wasn't asking a lot so my roommate drove me out to Wilmer to see the cute furballs. I should have known better... Who can resist a Golden Retriever Puppy?! Especially a person like myself who loves her dogs more than most normal people love their pets.


I left with the largest and palest colored female he had. She was 7 weeks old, hugely fluffy and simply adorable. I called Brad on the way back to the school to tell him that I had a surprise. He had a suspicion because I had already asked if it would be okay if he got a puppy early. We had already talked about getting one.
I'll never forget the look on his face when I got out of the car. He didn't see me. He didn't the ground for that matter, he just rushed over, scooped her up and didn't put her down for a while. She was sleeping. I left her with him then went to WalMart for food, a bed and a collar. I had to get a red one because Brad wouldn't EVER let me have a pink collar on any of his pets. "I don't want you to sissify my dog" are his exact words. "But she's pretty little lady" I reply. I still haven't won this argument. We've had her for 5 years and I still can't have her toenails painted.
Okay, so I had a name picked out for OUR dog. Annabelle. It's a nice name, but it just didn't stick. You know how names are supposed to fit the named? Be it, person, fish, cat, dog, iguana... I mean, the cat could be named Fluffy, but it may not stick, and Esmerelda may be the more appropriate name. That night of Arwen's homecoming to us was the first annual Starlight concert at UM. We had Ricky Skaggs! We go, our friends are there sitting on blankets and we bring this walking hairball with us. Everyone's playing with her, holding her and taking her picture. Our friend, Joe Langley, asks what her name is. I tell him "her name is Annabelle, but I may call her Anna for short". "No," he says, "name her Arwen". Joe had spoken the name that fit my dog. Arwen it was. Brad and I are HUGE Lord of the Rings fans so we really dug this new title.
She was a bad little girl. She ate EVERYTHING. She once digested a shoe of mine. No, she didn't just "eat it" where the dog chews and leaves the remnants on the floor. She chewed it, swallowed it, and crapped it all over our back yard. There were pieces of leather and rubber to be found for days. She's a smart girl, though. On command, she sits, lies down, stays, plays dead, fetches, speaks and high fives. Sometimes she'll hold a treat on the top of her nose, throw it in the air and catch it, but she's not consistent.
She was a pale blond as a puppy, now she's a rich amber color. Her eyes look like a deer's. She's just beautiful with her silky wavy hair. Arwen is very kind hearted too. Naturally gentle, I would trust her to guard a newborn baby. Which, she'll undoubtedly do in the future. She's a mommy at heart.
We had her bred a few years ago and she was the best doggie mom on earth! She had 10 puppies, in fact. However, 2 didn't make it. That's normal so I was already prepared. We found 8 homes for our lovely puppies. I must say that was such a hard effort, keeping them clean, keeping Arwen healthy and finding just the right homes. I don't think I'll ever do it again. I got um...attached. :)

My baby girl has a very distinct personality, which is truly golden. I can put my hand in her bowl to grab at her food and she'll gently nudge my hand out of the way. No growl, no bite, just nudge. She's so sweet.
She's lazy now. Arwen was so hyper the first year and a half, then overnight she became a couch potato. She does have a special spot on the couch, by the way.
Her night time ritual always involves Brad. Once we are in bed, she wants to jump up with us, lie on her back, wedged between us and then it's time to talk. We talk to her and rub her belly and she kinda talks back. It's so funny!
She really is like a daughter. My two dogs are very different from one another, though raised by the same people, and in the same breed group. I love retrievers, they have all the qualities I love best in a dog: appearance, intelligence, gentle nature, and loyalty.
If Arwen had to choose between us and her food, she would choose us. When Brad and I have those icky "I love you more" arguments, it's pretty much over when one of says, "I love you more than Arwen loves you". Case Closed.

Tuesdays: The Hangover of Mondays

Every day of the week has it's purpose...except Tuesdays. I'll break it down for you in case you haven't figured this out already (which you probably have and I'm really not that clever).
Sunday - it's really the first day of the week. In Christian American Culture, this is church day, and is often referred to as the Sabbath so we're supposed to rest. (Sabbath is really Saturday, but whatever) What really happens is the women cook lunch, work in the yard a little and finish laundry not completed on Saturday. The men will help with some yard work, watch NFL or Nascar, depending on the time of the year and take a nap. I am a good wife, so I will keep my husband company and watch NFL along with him. ;)
Monday - the first work day of the business week. No one really appreciates Mondays. It's obvious why.
Tuesday - I'll get to this one in a moment.
Wednesday - commonly known as "Hump Day". No, Fergie, this is not a reference to your lovely lady lumps, but it's the middle of the week. You wanna get OVER the hump so it's a downward coast from there. Wednesdays are okay in my opinion. I could live without them though.
Thursday - Friday Eve! I like Thursdays. I have a sense of accomplishment on this day. I'm fairly productive at work and at the house because I like to get my to do list done before the end of the week and I have a cram session of laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.
Friday - See, most people say Friday is their favorite day of the week. This is dumb. Saturday is the best day of the week and the only reason so many like Friday is because it precedes this day off (for most people). But, I think the actual day off is the best day, not the day before it. It makes sense. Fridays are the least productive days in the average work place. We take longer coffee breaks, leave a few minutes before the go home bell sounds and we actually read those silly forwards we have sitting in our e-mailboxes all week.
Saturday - ah....Saturday. How I love thee! Now it doesn't take long for anyone to figure out that Paige-ro likes to sleep. I also like to "sleep in". This is usually the day for me to have my reward of sleeping in after working the 5 days before, getting up between 5 and 6am. I like Saturdays because for the most part I can get a lot of things done. If Brad is home we work in the yard, then I will clean on the inside of the house, do some grocery shopping, visit the kids, and what not. If I'm lucky I'll attend a get together or something. If I'm real lucky, that get together will take place at Callaghan's Irish Pub. Yet, there are many Saturdays which hold baby or bridal showers, family events, birthday parties, and such that will keep me away from home. Its okay, at least I'm not in the office.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do love where I work. But, let's face it. We would all rather play than work, right?
So, getting back to Tuesdays... it's basically the hangover from Monday. For myself I have the weekend to do things I like to (again, for the most part, not entirely). I'm out of the office setting, enjoying fresh air and sunlight, the company of friends and family. Then BAM! It's Monday and I'm easing my way back into the groove of the business world. Mondays are usually busy. I have a long to do list that for some reason I feel I MUST accomplish within the next 8 hours or I'm done for. So I work really hard, then usually have some sort of activity to do that night, so come Tuesday I'm already spent.
Today is Tuesday, can you tell? It's a quarter to 9am, and I'm already on my second cup of coffee, trying not to fall out of my chair. This isn't like me. For the past year and a half I've enjoyed a small cup of coffee or tea and I'm good the rest of the day. NOT SO TODAY. I'm hungover from Monday. Okay, Mom, don't freak, no alcohol was involved. I'm hungover from what Monday stands for and requires of me.
Another culprit to my extreme tiredness is my new lifting program. O.M.G. It's um... tough. I also played a little tennis last night and I'm sore from head to toe. Yet, Tuesdays do serve a great purpose, it's my universal rest day. That's right, no cardio, no lifting, REST. It's nice. I do this so I don't overdo it, alrighty? The epsom salt soak last night did help me. I'll be honest, I'd love another one. :)

So, I guess the only cure for a Monday hangover is that second cup of coffee, a good long stretch and a prayer.

It's not so easy when he's gone, actually.

I get asked quite about "how I make it" with my husband gone so much. "I just don't know you do it", they'll say. I respond in a hows-the-weather sorta way, "Oh, it's not a big deal, I like having the place to myself. I keep myself busy by hanging out with friends and family. Plus, I have my dogs to keep me company". There's the kicker. The dogs. These two furry sweet hearted canine companions of mine make me feel safe when he's gone. Well, actually, only Batman does. Arwen just chills now. She handed over the security guard badge when Batman became of age. She figured, "well, the boy has this protective thing down pat, so I'm going to leave the responsibilities up to him so I can nap more." That's exactly what she does, too. Well, that and steal my shoe and sock. Yes, just one. She's a foot fetish or something. Batman is definitely the rent-a-cop of the Hill household. He checks the doors at night with me, and listens out for even the faintest of sounds. It's pretty scary when, in the middle of the night, I'm jarred from my sleep by his manic barking. It's usually just a cat fight (Robin and the stupid white cat I presume).
Now, when Brad is home, it's not so. The dogs sleep soundly in their beds which are situated in our bedroom. Some people may think this is strange, but it's natural for us. We love having them in the same room. But Batman does snore and fart in his sleep, it's funny at first then it's annoying. Okay, I am going somewhere I promise. Batman couldn't care less what's going on outside. He knows Daddy is home, so he is the one to take care of Momma. When Daddy is gone, it's all up to my knot-headed but handsome black labrador.
He's a handsome fellow. Weighing in around 85 pounds, standing tall enough to see his reflection in the bathroom mirror over the counter, and a beautiful glossy black coat. He has a distinct build to him, what my vet called the English Labrador. He has great bone structure and will likely never suffer from hip problems commonly associated with his breed. He's something else, let me tell ya.
One of Batman's common rituals happens at bedtime. I get in the bed, situate the covers like I want them and I say, "okay". He jumps on the bed and lies next to me with his front legs laying right on top of me as if to say, "she's mine, not yours." I scratch his head and give him kisses, telling him what a good handsome boy he is, then I tell him to "get on your bed" and he obeys. He'll stay there all night...only if Daddy is home, that is.
When Brad is gone, I give both pups their due attention and love, send them to their beds and I get situation in this bed of mine because I have it all to myself. WRONG! I have woken on many amornings with Arwen directly on my legs and Batman either curled up right beside me or sharing a pillow with his face directly in mine, sound asleep and snoring.
Lovely.
Right now there's a really gross amount of dog hair on my comforter (mostly black) and not much on their beds. When Brad is gone, I do more cleaning after them, if that makes any sense. I don't know how to break them of this because they do this after I'm fast asleep, but I don't think I'd want to. I do feel well protected AND loved. I do miss Brad when he's gone. It's really not all that easy when he travels, but it is worth it. He's doing a great work and I'm taken care of.
I think life is too short to try to keep your house spotless all the time. Let the dogs (or kitties) sleep with you and enjoy a little hair underneath your feet from time to time. I think it's good for you.

Chicken Soup for the Fearful Soul

I must confess, I am usually the first to look down upon fluff. No, not the marshmallowy goodness you slather between two pieces of bread with a handsome spoonful of peanut butter. I'm talking about surfaced-spiritual-milk-fluff. I do own a few daily devotional books, however I've hardly ever cracked them. They were mostly gifts.


Every Friday my workplace has a tradition. Working on a rotation, we ladies bring breakfast for everyone and leads the group in a devotion. We have quite a few on the list, so the responsibility is required every over month or so. I have enjoyed this time, but mostly so I can sample others' recipes. I really don't care for a 5 minutes devotion on a verse that's probably taken out of context or is extremely surfaced. I don't care for sappy stories about children of dying mothers wanting to buy a pair of shoes, or a couple who can find enjoyment while splitting a can of beans for their Christmas dinner. Give me something I've never heard before! Illuminate the scriptures to me so I am contemplating on the words through the day.
THAT is my exact attitude going into most devotions. (I really hope my coworkers don't find offense to this. It's nothing personal, I'm just picky.) It's a rotten attitude, I think. I've always felt that way, I don't like that I go into a setting like this with an expectation that I'm going to be bored to tears. I really should give everyone and their material of choice a chance. So, to those of whom this concerns, I apologize.
I really am going somewhere with this.
Today was my turn to lead devotion. Usually I use this opportunity to enlighten others about profound things I have learned while at my church, The People of Mars Hill. I usually bring up some Levitical tradition that has never really been studied heavily in your normal Southern Baptist Church. Last night I decided to pick up a devotional book of mine, along with my Bible, and thumb through it. I looked up May 2. It reads:

God's Complete Protection
Nothing that Satan can do to you should cause you to fear (2 Tim 1:7). Jesus chose the twelve disciples the Father had given Him and then jealously guarded them from the evil one. Jesus sent His disciples into the world where they experienced difficult and dangerous circumstances, but He interceded on their behalf with His Father that they would have His strong protection from the evil one (John 17:15).
In the same way, Jesus said that we, as His sheep, are held securely in the Father's strong hand (John 10:28). There is no better place to be than safely in the hand of almighty God. Do you believe this, or are you fearful of what Satan or people can do to you? The apostle John encourages us that we do not need to fear: "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). This is not merely a theological concept but a profound reality in which you can have absolute confidence. It is not just a truth for meditation in the security of your home; it is a promise you can cling to in the midst of a hostile and menacing world.
What you do reveals what you believe. If you are living a fearful, anxiety-filled life, you are proving your lack of confidence in God's protection, regardless of what you may say. Live your life with confidence that Jesus is continually interceding with the Father on your behalf. If you trust Him completely, you will have nothing to fear.
" Experiencing God", Henry T Blackaby and Richard Blackaby

I was then reminded of the final verses in Psalm 91. Words that have been stuck in my head for weeks now, it seems, thank you to my husband Brad.
"Because he loves me", says the Lord, "I will rescue him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16
Just to let you see through this little window of mine, I have been struggling with a HUGE sense of anxiousness and worry. Stress has become my emotion in the past few months. My brother, Chris, has sent me a few emails from God's Daily Word Ministries (so well written) that have directly pertained to prayer and faith. My problem has been the lack of both. Therefore, I believe, I have been fearful. I'm scared of everything it seems. I'm scared that my husband will get hurt while traveling, I'm scared we may have to move one day and I won't want to, I'm scared of future financial situations, I'm scared to have a family because I'm worried I'll be a failure, I'm scared that I may be losing friends, and the list can go on. I'm not called to live a life in worry. Brad told me that when I live this way, I might as well tell God that He's not good enough. Which, in my mind isn't the issue, it's me. I'M not good enough. But I take my life in my own hands, and knowing how flawed I am doesn't make me feel better. I've obviously lost my mind and have replaced it with nothing else. I should replace it with His word. I do read the scriptures. I do pray, I do listen intently to weekly teachings and further discuss them with my husband and friends. But, there's something deeper that seems to have weakened. Maybe it's just life circumstances, and I've let myself go unchecked.
Obviously I've learned a great lesson. Just because it comes from a simple, short devotion, doesn't mean it cannot leave a lasting impact. Sometimes we get to a point where it only takes one line, one verse, one thought to get us on the correct path.
In view of all things God has promised us, why do I allow myself to worry?


God is good. He will always be good.