Our Valentine's Day

I can't believe it's already over!

I really enjoyed decorating the table.

I used stuff I'd already had from years past,

and made new decorations from different tutorials and freebies I found in blogland.

Found so much good stuff...decorations, recipes...

Thanks!

I'm still recovering from all the sugar...

and now that the Olympics are on...I'm really into them this year...

maybe because the kids are too...

I don't know.

I thought I was going to be starting this

but not this week...

someday...

xo

p.s. those cookies may not be the prettiest (my 3yo decorated most of them), but they sure were yummy. I used this recipe. I plan on making them whenever I have an excuse. :) The lollies I made using this tutorial. There's a lot of fun stuff going on over there. Be careful, hot glue guns are actually really hot. :)

Happy Weekend!

Sweet treats

YUM!

I bet my family would love me putting a yummy table like this together!

Find out all the details at Amy Atlas' blog.

Are you getting excited for Valentine's day?

(I'm not really sure why I'm so excited. lol.)

xo

Winter blahs

Hello, remember me?

I was watching the news the other day and the newscaster said it was the most depressing day of the year. :) There's the let down from the holidays, the bills from it rolling in, and most people have given up on their New Year's resolutions not to mention everything that is going on in the world. I kind of felt relieved. Like at least this is the worst it'll be. Isn't that awful?

Remember that girl who was inspired to really live and tackle that to-do list?

I don't know what happened to her.

It wasn't me.

I'm tired and I can't stop thinking about how much I miss the sun. The warm sun. Cold sun is better than gray and rainy but it's still cold. I'm tired of being cold! And really we're having a mild winter so I'm done complaining. I think I feel like this about this time every year...

Breaking Free is going good.

I didn't know it was going to help in my grieving process but I think it will.

A few of the ladies at my table have been where I'm at right now, so I don't feel like an oddball or unhealthy. Do you know what I mean? I think we have a tendency to feel like we're the only people that feel certain ways...like alone, depressed or insecure for example. It's reassuring to know that you're not. That you're normal. And even more so know that God doesn't ever want you to feel that way.

Breaking Free says A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit-filled life God planned for her!

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

1 Cor. 2:9

Okay I'm excited now. I definitely want what God has planned for me and it means letting go or I guess, breaking free from the things holding me back.

God is so good.

xo

p.s. I think you all read Tara's blog but her post on the plantable Valentine's day cards totally cheered me up. They're super cute. I had to order them and I can't wait to give them away. :) Yeah for Valentine's Day!

Breaking Free

Today was the start of our winter Bible study at church.

We're doing Beth Moore's newly updated Breaking Free study.

I did her original Breaking Free study maybe 3 or 4 years ago.

I can't remember exactly.

I do remember liking it...I think it may have even been my first Beth Moore study.

But in classic form (I'm embarrassed to admit)

I didn't keep up with my homework and I finally got so behind I don't think I even finished the class.

So I decided today that this time I am going to do it...all of it.

I am going to make my homework a priority.

Because the more you put it, the more you get out.

Now I don't know the specific reason why I'm in this particular Bible study,

other than loving God's Word and Beth Moore,

but I am determined to find out.

So excited to share it with you. :)

xo

p.s. I'm hoping to make it to Home Depot tonight. Cross your fingers! Actually pray for me. I'm bringing my 3 year old!

just do it

okay. I'm just going to say it...

I can be...sometimes...just a little bit of a procrastinator.

There are some things, especially if they don't make it onto a list,

that I forget, remember and then forget again...

There are things I think about doing but don't get around to

and then there's the being healthier thing...

exercise

more water

more sleep

eat better

I have countless excuses for those.

So my motto this week is "just do it".

And so far it's helping.

Monday I accomplished a things I've been meaning to do for weeks.

I forgot about drinking more water but hey...

it's okay.

There's always tomorrow. :)

The big thing I want to do this week is buy some paint.

I know, it doesn't sound hard but for some reason it has been.

Over a year ago I decided I wanted to paint the girls room...

and then life happened.

So this week I am going to buy some paint... and then I'll be that much closer to finally getting it done.

I have lots of things I need to stop thinking about doing

and just get doing.

So hopefully this week will get me headed in the right direction.

Here's to not taking tomorrow for granted!

xo

imgs from flickr & weheartit

live

Hello friends! Happy 2010!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Can't believe it's already a new year...

a fresh start...a new beginning...

I don't usually do the New Year's Resolution thing but this year I decided I needed to.

I have a lot of goals and things I need to do...

they're the boring ones everyone does...

be healthier, get more sleep, save more money, shop less :) and on and on...

One new thing I did that I haven't done before is picking a word for the year.

The word I picked is live.

as in: have an exciting or fulfilling life.

It feels like for the past year or so I've been in and out of a fog.

I want so much more than that.

I want to get the most of my life.

I want to flourish!

I want to really live!

So that's my big word for the year...

which I think encompasses a whole bunch of little words...

How about you...do you have a word you're trying to live by this year?

xo

imgs from weheartit :)

Home

Christmas time is here!

I wanted to let everyone know I'm home safe.

I've been home now for over a week.

and somehow I feel like I haven't accomplished much.

My house is barely decorated.

We just got our tree yesterday.

It's still waiting for decorations.

The kids have been surprisingly patient.

Even my 4 year old who wants the house to look like the North Pole.

We do have our Christmas lights up.

So glad we started putting those up.

The kids love them and they make me smile.

I've been having a hard time finding my Christmas Spirit. It seems to come and go lately.

The trip itself was exhausting in every way.

My cousin and I flew all day.

The cheapest way seemed to be the most nonsensical.

Too me anyways. Shouldn't the most direct way be the cheapest?

The funeral was beautiful.

I don't think I've cried so much since my mom's memorial.

I think I was crying more for my mom though.

It was really hard being with her family without her.

I know they were glad that I was there,

but I think we were all constantly reminded that she wasn't.

I am so glad I went though. It wasn't all tears. There was lots of smiling and laughing too.

And comfort.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

xo

image from flickr