Crafting

For Christmas this year I decided to get my creative juices flowing and CREATE! My first plan of action was to browse Pinterest for ideas, and boy did I find ideas. I like gathering ideas and then creating my own version of that idea. Often I have a vision in my head of how I want something to turn out, and very rarely does it turn out the way I thought, BUT...I am typically happy with the end result. Here are some of the gifts I made.

Post It Note Holders

Scrapbook Wooden Letters for some of our nieces and nephews

Grandkid Picture/Art holder for our parents

This is one of those things where I had a vision, and it turned out differently,

but I was pleased with the end result. Aaron helped me with the chalkboard paint.

I enjoy crafting, and I enjoyed making these gifts!

Operation Christmas Child

For those who don't know, Operation Christmas Child is an organization that ships shoe boxes full of toys, goodies and the gospel to children (ages 2-14) all around the globe. What a joy it was this year to take Jason along to fill a shoebox for a 2-4 year old little boy. I know he won't remember doing it this year (thus the picture), but I do hope to continue to do this with him throughout the years. I pray it will instill in his little heart the desire to give cheerfully and generously.

The Lord has richly blessed my little family this year! We have received blessing after blessing and we praise the Lord for His goodness to us. It is our desire and prayer that we will generously use our time and resources to bring glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dallas Turkey Trot

Keep in mind that this hideous picture was taken at 6 am.
I was going for functional, not cute!

It sure has been awhile since I blogged last. Must have been all the running I was doing to prepare for my 5k. ;) Or...maybe it was just that I have been busy with other things and this blog isn't high on my priority list. Whatever the case, I am back to tell all of my faithful readers about my very first race.

With God's help I successfully completed my first race ever on Thanksgiving day. I ran the 5k portion of the Dallas Turkey Trot. I am happy to tell you all that I actually ran the whole thing. It wasn't really FAST running (mostly because I don't run fast but also because there were 40,000 people there). I finished the race in 34 minutes, and since my goal was 45 minutes, I was thrilled with my time!

The race started at 9 am, and I didn't get across the start line until 9:46. The first 8 mile runners had crossed the finish line before I even started! That wasn't frustrating at all -insert sarcasm-!! But once I crossed the starting line, I was able to weave in and out pretty well. I did manage to run into a parking meter, talk about ouch!! The biggest bummer of all was approaching the finish line and seeing people stop, and having to push through to finish. I know it was due to the thousands of people there, but still, I wanted to finish strong. I almost cried when I finished because I still couldn't believe that I had actually ran a whole 3.1 miles!! God gave me the strength and endurance and I am thankful to Him.

After crossing the finish, I ran over to the 8 mile finish line and watched my oldest sister and her husband finish. I got there just in time to see them finish (they ran the 8 mile and were able to start closer to the front.)

It was a cold and foggy morning in Dallas! It was a great temperature for running! All in all it was a fun time. I am not sure I would run in that particular race again, but I will if the Lord permits, be running more races in the future. Thank-you to all of you who prayed for me and encouraged me as I prepared for and ran the race.

C25K

6 weeks ago I downloaded the C25K (couch to 5K) app onto my phone and began my running journey. I spent 2 weeks on week 1, so I am currently on week 5. The goal is to get someone (like me) from couch potato to running a 5K in 9 weeks. I know several people who have used the C25K program to get started with running/get into shape. I do not have a strong desire to be a runner, but I do have a strong desire to get into shape.

At first I told no one (except Aaron of course) that I was going to do this. I kept it to myself because I didn't want to be embarrassed if I failed. As I got into a routine, I decided it would be great to have some friends praying for me, praying that I would be able to accomplish this challenge. I also decided that I should participate in a race at the end of the 9 weeks that would give me something to work towards.

Here is the truth on how this C25K is going for me. It is HARD!! I am ridiculously out of shape!! But the good news is, I AM DOING IT!! I am putting on my shoes, getting my keister out the door, and I am accomplishing the run for the day. My running is really jogging, and I am 100% positive I look crazy while running! I am struggling through my current week, trying to get to the 5 minute mark and failing. I am getting back out there and trying again!! I am discouraged that I have barely lost any weight, but encouraged that I am feeling great and that my body is getting in better shape (though it still looks out of shape). How am I doing this?? I am relying on the Lord. I am getting my strength and courage from Him. I am singing praises to Him while I run!! "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

So that race I mentioned above...it just so happens that I will complete the C25K the week of Thanksgiving, so what better race to run than the Turkey Trot. YES!! I am going to run the 5K at the Dallas Turkey Trot. I love the name Turkey Trot as I will probably be trotting along. I will be there, for better or worse. I may be the last to cross the finish line, I may not be able to run the whole thing, but I am going to give it my best effort with the Lord's help! The cool thing about the Turkey Trot is my sister and brother-in-law will be running as well, and quite possibly some others of my siblings.

I plan to continue running even after I finish the C25K, to keep in shape, to continue in my weight loss journey, and to stay in a groove.

God is good! He is my strength and my help! To God be the glory!!

Dinner Disaster

We had some excitement at our house last night and let me just tell you, it wasn't good excitement. Jason didn't take off walking or anything like that. I was heating up some olive oil in a frying pan so I could cook some pork. It started to get really smoky, but I just turned on the vent fan and continued to let it heat up. Aaron commented that he thought something was wrong, and I had never seen oil smoke like this before, but I kept right on with what I was doing. I was starting to dump the chunks of pork in the pan when the pan when the oil in the pan went up in flames. It looked like a Pei Wei grill on our stove. I was so grateful that Aaron was home!! I am terrified of open flames like that, and had he not been home, I'm not sure what I would have done. We probably didn't do the right thing in the way we put the fire out, and Aaron could have been hurt pretty badly, but we praise God as our Protector, that He kept us and our home (and our neighbors home) safe from the flames. The pan was destroyed, the house reeked (and is still not smelling the greatest) of smoke and burnt oil, and the smoke alarms were going off for a good while. I took Jason outside to get him out of the smoke and away from the noise, and to calm myself down. After putting out the flames Aaron went right back to watching the Rangers game like nothing major had just happened.

There is a silver lining at the end of this story. Only one piece of pork (that one piece was char-broiled in just seconds) made it into the pan, so I was able to cook the rest of the pork for dinner. I made rice, broccoli and a sweet and sour sauce, and it was delicious. As for what went wrong??? I really am not sure. I cook with oil often and this has NEVER happened. Maybe it became too hot before I put the pork in the pan?? Regardless, I NEVER want that to happen again!! I am purchasing a fire extinguisher today for our kitchen!

Fall Fun

Our Sunday School class had a fellowship at the Express Clydesdale Barn. The barn is BEAUTIFUL!!...and the Clydesdale's are absolutely GORGEOUS!! They are HUGE!! We are new to this ss class, and we had such a great time getting to know everyone better. Josh, our ss teacher, is the general manager of the Express Clydesdale's.

Here is Jason petting one of the Clydesdale's, Ace. Jason showed no fear petting the horses.

We took a ride in the stage coach...lots of fun! Prince William & Princess Kate rode on this stage coach this past summer.

So we took a ride in/not on (I was too afraid I'd fall if I tried to climb on top) the stage coach.

Jason and I in front of the barn

We had fun!!

Channeling My Inner Girliness

While shopping a few weeks ago I came across a majorly huge (for me) and super girly girl purse...here's the clincher...I LIKED IT!! I am the girl with 3 purses to my name, all of them are rather small, they are tan and/or brown, and very rarely would you actually see me carry them. So what was my deal??? I was suddenly in love with a pink purse with a huge flower on the front of it and zebra print on the straps and on the flower. I couldn't believe I was liking the purse. This purse was $34.99 and I have never paid more than $10.00 for any of my purses, just the fact that I considered purchasing it was so not me.

I came home and told Aaron all about it. I told him he would be shocked if he saw me carry this purse. He just looked at me and said "you have more girly girl in you than you think you do, and I think you just need to let it out." He told me if I liked the purse I should buy it, and then he went so far as to bring me to the store to purchase it. I was still hung up on the price tag, listing all the things I could get for that price that would be much more beneficial than a purse, and he just kept telling me to get it. We get inside the store and guess what folks???...the purse was GONE!!! Tragedy (not really)!! SOLD OUT!! NO MORE!

I could have driven to another of that stores locations, but I decided to look elsewhere for a girly purse that would be cheaper yet still allow me to access my inner girliness. I found this very pink purse that I love, and I carry it proudly with me wherever I go whether I need it or not.

I've noticed over the last couple years my earrings have gotten much more dangly, and I did just wear this really pretty necklace that was given to me awhile back that I thought was "too girly" for me. I have always enjoyed things like getting my hair done, or getting a pedicure, and I do wear girl clothes (duh), but just lately I have been taking my girliness to another level. Adding a touch of fru-fru here and there (NO LACE!!). Pink purses, dangly earrings, make-up even at home, actually enjoying shopping...who knows where else this will lead.

Maybe this stems from having 2 males in the house. I want to make sure I remain feminine. Maybe it stems from the fact that I am getting OLD!! Hmmm...whatever it is, I am enjoying it.