10 Days of Me Challenge

Two Songs

1. Amazing Grace - I especially love the Leann Rimes version on youtube.

2. How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood also does a great rendition of this if you haven't heard it take a moment and listen.

10 days of Me Challenge

Three Films

I LOVE watching movies so narrowing it down to three is quite a challenge.  Off the top of my head I would pick:

1. The Blind Side

2. The Bucket List

3. Fireproof

Can you tell I tend to gravitate toward "feel good" movies.  I recently watched Unstoppable with Denzel Washington and it was a really good action movie.  I really like most movies except sci-fi and horror.  Some I like with friends, some with family, and some just to watch alone.

10 day Me Challenge

4 Books

1. The Help - I read it before all the craze began with the upcoming movie, but I can't wait to see the movie too.

2. The Shack - If you have not read it, consider it because it is quite good.

3. Heaven is for Real - I just read this over the summer (actually in a few hours and it is really a good little book too.)

4. The Art of Dancing in the Rain - I read this on vacation too and it was a really neat book to read.   

10 days of Me Challenge

5 Foods

1. Favorite food - steak and twice baked potato with soft yeast rolls.

2. Mexican - love enchiladas, tacos, refried beans, chips and salsa, and rice

3. Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake from Olive Garden

4. Drippy gooey cheeseburger with all the fixins and french fries with salt and kethcup.

5. My homemade pound cake or peach cobbler with ice cream

Now you know why I need to lose 50 pounds.

Oops

Silly me...I never knew I could set up my blog to email me when someone left me a comment.  I was just browsing some of my settings and found comments that I had not seen before.  I know not many folks read  my silly little blog, but if you do and I have not responded to a question I am terribly sorry.  I will try to be a better blogger   :)

10 days of Me Challenge

6 Places - easiest topic yet

1. Italy

2. Hawaii

3. Turks and Caicos

4. Outer Banks

5. New York City

6. Washington, DC - mainly for historical value.

10 days of Me Challenge

7 Wants

(Today I am keeping it light on what my wants are - the obvious things like good health and relationship with God are understood and this list is not intended to leave those out.)

1. I want to eliminate as much unnecessary debt as possible and save money.

2. I want to further my education and get my BSN and possibly my MSN.

3. I want to have an in ground swimming pool in my back yard that has nice landscaping to have a place to entertain and have friends and family visit and enjoy with us.

4. I want (need) more kitchen cabinets (preferably in white)

5. I want to lose at least 50 pounds and complete a 5k.

6. I want new furniture, new carpet, new blinds and new paint...to make a long story short I want a total makeover of our home so it can be the place we are comfortable and proud of that represents who we are as opposed to what I feel like it is right now. Some how this keeps getting moved to the back burner and it really affects my mood some days.

7. I want a newer car...both of our cars are so old and we are being patient to not have a car payment, but my patience has got up and gone.

10 day Me Challenge

Eight Fears

1. Snakes are my number one fear.

2. Fear of disappointing others, even though I am working on realizing that I cannot please everyone.

3.   Bats- I am really afraid of bats ever since I was a little girl and hundreds came out of an eave of a  house of a relative we were visiting. It was like a scene from The Birds for real.

4. I mentioned previously that I am afraid of water that I cannot see through... I don't go out far in the ocean and I always wear a life vest if on a boat on a river.

5. I fear I will not be the best parent for my children that I desire to be.

6. I fear that I do not do enough to please God.  I try to have a good prayer life and devotion time yet I know I fall short of what I could do.

7. I fear not having enough of.....anything.  I guess when you grow up without a whole lot you always live in fear that you won't have "enough" of whatever you need / want. 

8. I guess this goes back to my insecurities, but after giving it some thought I think I fear making mistakes.  There are not a lot of tangible things that scare me or make me afraid other than the snake/bat thing, but this post made me realize that most of my deep fears are a result of insecurity.  At one time I was a very confident person, but I think changing careers late in life and letting myself go as far as my weight have left me feeling less confident than ever.  I am working on this....really I am. 

10 Day You Challenge

Nine Loves

1. I love My Lord and Savior

2. I love my husband as much as he drive me nuts I love and adore him.

3. I love myy children - my daughter was the greatest blessing to me at an early age and my son has been the greatest blessing later in my adult life.  I think I am doubly blessed to have had my children spread with 13 years between them, of course God has the perfect timing.

4. I love my other friends and family - I am blessed to have people from various places and times in my life that help keep my grounded and give me comfort.

5. I love blogging, but of course you knew that.  I am thankful I found this means of not only recording things for myself but also learning about others.  The more we think we are all different, it is comforting to know that there are other moms going through the exact things you are.

6. I love my private and quiet time.  Maybe being an only child started it, but I like spending some of my lunches alone and I really miss having a day (or two) off during the week to have to myself.  I am not one of those people who has to have someone with them all the time.

7. I love people - it sounds contradictory to #6, but I love helping people!  I like to go out of my way to do for others sometimes to a fault.

8. I love magazines!  I can usually find a magazine to suit whatever mood I am in. All types - decorating, food, gossip, local, etc.

9. I love Diet Coke.  I should not have such an emotion for a soft drink, but honestly sometimes a cold Diet Coke can just make my day.  Some people drink coffee or other things, but this is my drug of choice :)

10 day challenge

I stumbled across a blog having a linky thing and I thought I would try it.  I think the blog was called "leggins are not pants" or something similar.  I want to give credit, but I thought on it for awhile and now I am not sure.  Anywho....here goes.

Day 1 10 secrets

1. I really, really want to run a marathon one day.  It is not looking so hopeful since I haven't even completed the 5K that I keep wanting to do too.

2. I am very afraid of bats since I had a bad childhood experience.

3. I am not a great swimmer and since I learned how to swim later in my teens I still have some childhood fears in water when I can't see the bottom.

4. I really want to go back to school for my BSN, but God made it clear that now was not the time for that.

5. I have gained more weight than I will admit on this blog, but I am working (ever so slowly) on fixing that!

6. I like liver pudding - most people think it's gross, but since I grew up having it I actually like it fried and on a sandwich.

7. I can't carry a tune in a bucket - I sing so terribly that it is embarrassing.  Thankfully God gave me a strong voice that I have used in my job in many ways, but NOT singing.

8. I worry way too much about what other people think of me and I wear my heart on my sleeve.

9. (or 8b)  I am a perfectionist to a fault - I hate making mistakes and not excelling at things.  (For some reason this does not apply to my eating habits, but I keep trying to talk myself into it.)

10.  Most of my friends know I blog, but really don't understand why...I think it has become an outlet for me to organize thoughts, ideas, recipes, and random musings.


I think the next days will be easier than today's post.  Let me know if you play along.

Progress on Goal Post

I did not get to cleaning car or garage, but everything else got done.  Meals to come soon.  This pictures sums it up, except I am not that cute when I sleep and I don't have legs as long as this dog :)

Cleaning Day

Today it is all about cleaning, laundry and grocery shopping.  No more fun day for me, but I will so much happier when it is all done.  Recipes or something food related coming soon - I promise!

Special Day before School Starts

We started our day with fuel in the form of waffles and bacon before heading out to pick up new eyeglasses.  We also made a stop at Target for a new Lego set and drove nearly 50 miles to watch The Zookeeper because it had already left theaters in our town.  Lunch for his royal highness was at Chick-Fil-A.  I think he is a pretty happy camper right now.

Goal Post

Since the Taking Care of ME is going rather well at motivating me I thought I would try posting what I plan to get accomplished BEFORE I do it and see if I can have one of those super-duper productive set of days off that make me feel happy and less stressed.

1. Friday - special day with son before school starts- get glasses, see The Zookeeper movie ( which we now have to drive 50 miles for since we waited so late), eat at his favorite Chick Fil A and visit Target for a small Lego thing he needs and Michael's for some paint for said legos.  As far as he is concerned this is a perfect day!  (I have to have a little buttered popcorn to make it complete for me, but otherwise I think he chose some of my favorite things too.)
2.  While out of special day sneak in Lowes Hardware and buy two (yes that is 2) toilet seats to replace the two that need it at our house. 
3. Clean house - the good kind with all the bathrooms all the floors and get it back to it's original starting point that does not include boy scout camping gear in my bedroom. 
4. Laundry - again get back to point zero before school starts with all clean clothe and sheets and everything -not just most- put in it's place.
5. Purge - get rid of all the extra junk (goodwill, dump stuff, etc.) that keeps accumulating and making me crazy.  I like organization and I am convinced I live with two farm animals.
6. Clean car - again the silver queen needs a bath in bad way and she would really like it if I could find time to get the diet coke out of the carpet on the passenger's side that has been there too long to admit.  Clean out trunk, try to remember to place an old set of my uniform in my bag in the trunk to have for an extra.
7. Straighten and possibly reorganize garage a little...nothing major, but at least make dog food and recycling easier to get to since I am the once that is climbing to get to where my husband thought they should be- funny huh.
8. Actually plan meals and maybe even post about food again.  Sorry I have been so busy that I have not been able to even cook for us much less share any new and exciting recipes...I will try to do better.
9. Strip wallpaper border in son's room - I know this probably won't make the cut of what gets really done but a girl has to stay ahead on her list right?
10. Exercise and listen to music and read...or take a little day trip with the family on Sunday after church.

Taking Care of ME

Okay so Charlie hadn't been on an official walk in a couple of weeks due to the heat so tonight he took me for a walk.  It's probably better that way because I probably got more of a calorie burn with him pulling me along.  Every little bit helps.  I have also consumed two bananas and two bottled waters in the last couple of days and just so you know that is a record because I am not a huge fan of either....but I am taking baby steps.

Basketweaving - Taking Care of ME

Once upon a time I made baskets - various types, colors, shapes and sizes....even a snowman basket that is packed away until winter.  I have decided that it is time for me to get back to doing things I love and this is one of them.  I use them in various places in my home and have given them as gifts.  Stay tuned and I will show you if I whip out a new one anytime soon.  I plan to at least inventory my supplies over the weekend.

Taking Care of ME

New short and sassy hairdo!  Easy and simple.

Taking Care of Me

First post in my new Taking Care of Me series. Today I took a nice long walk and did some ab exercises (crunches, flutter kicks, and bicycles).  I plan to paint my fingernails next. Woohoo.

Where I've Been and Where to go from here

I planned to post today on where I have been and all the reasons I have been too overwhelmed to post.  Life has been busy as summers generally are, but there were a few other things that came up that made the time get away from us.  We were fortunate to take a vacation although two of the three of us were sick most of the trip, but still very thankful that we had time away. Rather than rant on and on about all the other STUFF that came up I decided to focus on where to go from here. I was searching for a picture to post that showed how crazy I have felt and somehow I stumbled onto this photo and it spoke to me because it shouted to me what I need to do now.  So here goes....

First - school starts back for my son in about 3 weeks and with that comes a routine - I like routines and that will make things better.  It will be a rough start helping him get organized and started, but in the end our family does better when we are back on autopilot.

Second - the house - due to chaos beyond my control things have gotten way off base.  Shoes being left out, laundry being left in baskets for longer than I can stand and clutter that has multiplied like fruit flies or something. I did start by clearing out all the clothes that my son can no longer wear (3 large trash bags full) and now I just have to do more purging and simplifying in the other rooms of the house.

Third- LEGO star wars are invading part of my house.....I need to continue to find ways to control the ever expanding world that is evolving in the game room. (aka his sister's old room)

Fourth - The garage has been a storage area for a relative and landing strip for endless Boy Scout camping trips.  I must regain control of my parking space!

Fifth - I was planning to take Statistics to work towards my BSN but God kept making it clear that now was not the time - I am hard headed so he had to thump me on the forehead a couple of times before I got it, but I finally did.

Sixth  I must get us back into church.  We have not made time this summer and it shows.  I have found myself slipping into old habits and I must get back into a fellowship with others.  I need that!  I have been doing my prayer time and devotions, but I need to get my family back in church - no excuses.

Seventh- My stress level has been through the roof with the new job, family dynamics, bills, illness, etc. and I had to start medication for my blood pressure today.  It makes me really sad that I have allow myself to gain weight, become less active and worst of all allowed stress to get to this point.  I absolutely MUST take care of myself above all else.  I always take care of everyone and everything else that needs to be done, but I must make exercise and healthy habits, i.e. bible study group, crafts, blog, cook, have friend time, etc. regular parts of my life.  Again the theme is simplify - I have to keep it simple and take care of me first and then I will be a better mother, daughter, friend, employee....

I think as of today I will make a category in my blog entitled "Taking Care of Me" and I am going to try at least weekly to post a title of the same name with at least one thing (hopefully more) that I have made a point to do to take better care of myself.  Time will tell if I keep it up but I have you to keep me in check.