September is one of those...

I have a lot of favorites. I am one of those people that say that I "love" or "like" everything. On the other hand, I also say I don't like or can't stand a lot of things too... Apparently I am very complicated and I, unfortunately for a lot of people, share my opinions like I need to in order to breathe! With that said, I have no intentions to quit sharing my opinions (unless you ask me nicely not to)!


Let me start with some things I like that are on the top of my head. I like headbands, listening to music and singing any chance I can get, dancing with the music too despite the fact that I can't actually dance. I like cooking and baking, organization, re-watching the same TV shows over and over again, cracking jokes and sarcasm (tasteful sarcasm though). I like spending time with my husband, holding his hand, when he kisses me on the forehead and snuggling. I like calling the boys random names I make up (like Bruce-a-licious and Leaver Beaver) and seeing them grow into nice young men. I like to check the mail and getting phone calls and texts. I really like going to church and putting dresses on. I like the fall and the winter and the spring. I like snow and colorful leaves, flowers blooming and rain. I like to drink coffee just for fun, helping other people and being around friends.




Wow, I didn't realize that my short list would be that long! I could probably write for hours and hours about all of my random likes. I did forget the months of the year I like... January, February, March, May, June, September, November and December. And, it isn't like I don't like April, July, August or October, it is just that I have different reasons for loving the other months!


September.... Colorful leaves, the start of fall, sweatshirts, football, boots, cardigans, pumpkin smells, cinnamon, baking bread and more! Fall is just the cherry on top of the last part of the year and the last part is my favorite!

Get to know me!

I don't write in my blog everyday, but I would if I prioritized my time better! However, if you do read this I wanted to change it up and do a get to know me post that I pulled off of the internet somewhere! It is mostly for fun, but if you didn't know me too well maybe after this you will know me better! :)




1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? 
I was not named after a specific person, but I was named after a character in a book.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? 
Wednesday...

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? 
Sometimes. I guess it depends on the day and the writing utensil.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
I like ham and turkey both!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 
2 boys

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? 
Yes.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? 
Hmmm, I think of sarcasm as a second language and I am fluent in it!


8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? 
No!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
 Maybe, but I would rather skydive.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? 
Special K with chocolate

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? 
It depends on the shoe, but most of the time I don't.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? 
It depends on the content!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? 
 I usually don't care for ice cream, but if I crave it once in a while then I like peppermint ice cream from Braums (which we don't have of those around here)!

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? 
Hair and the color they are wearing.

15. RED OR PINK? 
I love pink, but I don't mind red either.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? 
My word vomit ability and the fact that I ramble and don't shut up.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? 
I can't pick one. I can say that I miss all family in MO, AR, IA, KS, OK and more. And I miss Emily, Leslie, Leslie and more.

18. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?
1 puppy dog, Bella.

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Currently I am not wearing any!

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A strawberry nutrigrain bar.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The TV on something random.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? 
blue violet

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Peach, coffee, fresh cut grass and anything related to fall and winter.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My husband.

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Mountain hideaway for sure.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? 
Football, NFL and college.

27. HAIR COLOR?
Dark brown

28. EYE COLOR?
Hazel. They change from greyish to green to a tan like color. It depends on my mood, clothing color and the light.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I love my glasses and embrace my inner nerd!

30. FAVORITE FOOD? 
Cheese.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? 
I don't watch scary movies, so happy endings.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 
Light teal.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter!

35. HUGS OR KISSES? 
Kisses from my husband and hugs from everyone else! I love both!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? 
Tastefully simple pound cake of any flavor. I also love no bake cookies.

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Cardio!

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer or tablet.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? 
The Bible.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I don't have a mouse pad.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? 
Laughter.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? 
I can't choose!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
If you count from where I was born (MO) then I would say Pennsylvania, but if you count from where I live (NC) then I would say Iowa.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? 
I soak up random information and my memory is pretty exceptional most of the time.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 
Joplin, MO

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
NC

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
I will just say that the door is red!

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
Silver

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?
I don't mind it!

100 Miles

I started running almost 12 weeks ago. When I started running I could not do it for more than a minute and I felt like I wasn't going to make it! I was nervous and freaking out to myself about not being able to run 13.1 miles in October. I started trying to run further, thanks to gentle pushing er encouragement from Betsey and Matt! I finally could run a 1/4 of a mile without walking after a few weeks, then a 1/2 a mile and then I was up to 1 mile without walking! I was so happy, but at the same time I thought that I couldn't make it for a half marathon still. I was discouraged and I felt like this was something to keep to myself at first. I didn't want to pray about it because I felt like God had bigger things to help people with and that something like meeting a personal running goal was a selfish thing to pray about. I did finally pray though. I didn't pray to get better at running, I didn't pray to make me the best runner, I prayed that God would help me get through my run that day. I think it was 2 miles or something, but I kept having a hard time completing my run each day. I realized that I don't ask God for help very often, well, I mean for help for myself. I feel like some things are too small to bother Him with, but when I trust God with everything in my life I realize that things go much better.


Philippians 4:13
 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.


Well, today I ran 2.5 miles, which was my run for today! It wasn't a significant amount by itself, but it allowed me to hit 100 miles since I started! I have a Nike watch for running and today when I was done my watch told me "Wow, great job" "You reached 100 miles". I was surprised because I haven't been paying attention to how many total miles. I have also ran 5 miles in 57 minutes (which was my longest run). I know that there is still work to do, but I feel like this is an accomplishable goal now!




I wanted to share because maybe someone else is struggling with something too.

Never Say Never

I have never been an athletic person... ever! I played T ball in kindergarten and had to participate in gym, does that count? I didn't think so. So yes, I have never ever been athletic. I played a game of yard volleyball here or there, played some mean tether ball with my cousins at our grandparents house and may have climbed a tree or two. I have never played team sports competitively, I have never taken up running or weight lifting and I never cared to be. I am almost as klutzy as it gets... I walk into walls while I am looking at them to make sure I don't walk into them and I stub my toes a lot. I have jammed every finger and regularly peel my fingers while in the kitchen, yes, with a peeler. I sprained my wrist while reenacting Ice Age when I was 17, sprained my hand this past winter by slipping on the ice when I was trying to get into the truck and I broke my leg when I was 13 while getting on the bus! See, I am almost as klutzy as it gets, I am pretty sure it could be much worse or at least a tiny worse.

Okay, back to the point. I was never athletic and this year for some reason (maybe because my husband was coaching) I played ladies softball (church league). I wasn't great, or even good for that matter, but I played! It was hard for me to do, to stay in the whole game each week, but I did it! I also got a gym membership about 6 weeks ago. I was scared and nervous because I know I am not athletic, but I was determined to run a half marathon once my friend put that thought in my head. I am still not completely sure I will be able to run 13.1 miles without walking, but I am finally believing that it is at least a possibility. Last week I ran a total of 10 miles. I did 3 in one day with no walking! Yesterday I ran 1.5 miles in just under 18 minutes and today every treadmill was taken so I decided to get on the elliptical. At first I wanted to stop at 18 minutes, and I almost did. I then talked myself into going for the 30 minutes that it was already set for! I even put it at level 7, which I had previously only got at level 3 for any length of time. My ending time today was 49 minutes and 2.9 miles on the elliptical. I was drenched in sweat and my legs were numb feeling, but I did it. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that yesterday was leg day? ;)

It may be a small thing, but I am proud that I have started this journey and have kept it up! Now I get to run 3 miles tomorrow without walking again... I can do it maybe definitely!

Mother's Day

As a kid I remember the mother/daughter banquets at church that we had on the Friday night before mother's day every year. The men gathered together and "cooked" the meal and served the women and children while the mother's sat together and ate and fellow shipped and we waited for door prizes.
Throughout my childhood my mom was a single mother sometimes and other times she was married, either way my grandma or another family member would help me get her a present. There was a big emphasis on Mother's day and how I should celebrate how amazing she was because she gave birth to me, raised me/was raising me and just in general how great she was. Those are more her words and thoughts than mine, but that is how I thought of the day. I went to the banquets and I even sang or said a poem a few times. I got her a card, or made her one and I celebrated Mother's day every year.
It wasn't until I became a mom that I started to really get that Mother's day was one day I could be celebrated or I could celebrate the mom's in my life, but it wasn't necessary to have one specific day to do that when we should thank our mothers and care about them daily. Same goes for my thoughts on Father's day and Thanksgiving too. I love the mom's in mine and my families lives and I am glad to get them a card (and present when I remember on time) and call them and see them when possible, but I hope that they feel loved  always.

Moving on to the mother's in our lives.

My mom, Susan. She had me when she was 24 and was single. We moved when I was 5, to Carl Junction, where I lived until I was 18 and she still lives there. She taught me how to be independent, how to stand up for myself and how to argue! She helped to make my arguing skills even better when she made, er, forced me to sign up for debate my freshmen year of HS. She is the reason I count down the days to my birthday and other holidays (and she still does as my whole family knows). We argue and fight and people think we are rude to each other, not that we aren't, but we have our own way of talking and communicating, which usually involves me talking, her interrupting and then me trying to get her attention. Without her I would be a different person than I am today. She wasn't perfect and still isn't (despite what she says), but she always will be my mom. I learned from her mistakes, do things a little different than she did and I do have things about my childhood that I would change, but she isn't perfect, none of us are, and she did what she could do. All in all I love her.

Matt's mom, Lori aka Lolli. Obviously I love her and I am so grateful for her because she is the reason that my husband, her son, is in this world. Without her, there would be no Matthew (well, our Matthew). She is a beautiful woman and I am so blessed to be apart of her family. She raised Matt (along with his dad of course) and made him the man that I fell in love with. Matt can cook, do laundry, sweep and do the household chores, although he chooses not to, and he lets me know his mom is the reason why he can do those things. They lived all over the place because they were a military family also. I look up to her and know that she has our backs. We love when they come and visit or we go and visit them. She has taught me new ways to cook, among other things! The love that she shows our family is so deep and I hope that I can one day be half of the mother in law to my future daughters in law that she has been to me! 

 My grandma, who was always like a second mom to me! She was there for me when I needed somebody and sometimes when my own mom couldn't be or wasn't there. She helped me make my valentines boxes for school, spoiled me with Velveeta mac and cheese and always had gum in her purse! I talk to her so much now and still consider her as one of my closest family members.

My Aunt Sharon. I was in family pictures with her kids, I am the one who made her an aunt and she was always there for me. I stayed with her while my mom needed someone to help take care of me, and I lived with her when I needed a place to stay when I was 19. I am so grateful for her and always remember everything she did for me, including being the girl scout leader!

My Aunt Shirley. I remember getting french fries with her, for some reason that sticks out! I also remember her telling me like it was, when I was mouthy she would let me know. She bought me a dictionary, coached me in tball and always shared her pepsi with me! When you were neighbors with your family you get chance to get close with all of them!

My Aunt Sandra. She let me stay with them in the summer one year and that was really great! She also moved to Kansas before I was fully grown and moved myself, so I remember taking trips to her house and camping on her lawn! I remember her being the funny and cooler aunt (sorry aunt Sharon and aunt Shirley, you guys weren't too bad yourselves either).





Lacey, my sister in law, Matt's sister. I am so blessed to have Lacey in my life as another example of a great mother. Although she isn't a mother to me personally, she is a mother and one that I am proud to know! She is raising our two nephews and is the aunt to our 2 boys! We don't live by each other, but the times that our families get to spend together are always great!






I also want to mention Matt, Bruce and Levi. They aren't not mother's, but they are the reason that I am a mother! Without these 3 I wouldn't be me. Bruce and Levi are great boys (even when they are misbehaving) and Matt is a great husband who does so much for us!




I also wanted to add that I am incredibly blessed with so many great moms in my life. My friends, Matt's aunts and grandma's, cousins of mine who are now Mom's too and mother's of my friends. I couldn't name everyone by name because I didn't want to leave anyone out or forget anybody, so just know that if you are a mom and I know you, I am thankful for you too!


HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY EVERYONE!

Oh pollen, why do you taunt me so?

Allergy season has struck again for me (and many others)! The pollen was in full force this morning as I hopped into my car and saw the haze of "yellow sneeze dust" as I call it. The pollen has been in the air for some days before, but this was the first attack that I have personally seen this year. Matt got home from work and decided to mow the front yard. And me, being the good wife that I am , I sat outside and swept the sidewalk and watched him. Well, it wasn't 15 minutes after when we entered the house that my eyes were swollen and watery and my nose was dripping/stuffy at the same time. I had sneeze after sneeze after sneeze come on. I started a full blown allergy attack, which wasn't in my plans for the weekend. I was worried, and I still am a little, because 2 years ago I had a bad allergic reaction to pollen. I know, I know, no human likes to breathe in pollen and it makes us all sneeze and such, but I looked like Hitch (if you have seen that movie). Matt took pictures... really he did and I think I smacked him for them.

I had asthma growing up so I thought that I was having an asthma attack when it first started. I couldn't breathe (from my lungs, not my nose) very well and I was having tight chest pains, which is how it always started when I was having an asthma attack. I had an emergency inhaler from a bad cold I had and I used that. I slowly started to breathe again. Although I did breathe again I was starting to itch all over. I went into our bathroom and looked in the mirror, I was red everywhere, which was a rash. I told Matt we needed to go to the ER quickly and we did, much to his chagrin.

We got there and they asked me what the problem was, which I am sure was just because of formality since we all knew by looking at me what was wrong. At this time it was just itchiness and a rash. They told me if it started to get worse before they called me to come back up and tell them. 30 minutes later I stood up by the front desk and I think that I probably scared them because they came right around and got an IV in my arm. My face was swollen; my eyes, my nose, my lips and my cheeks were ballooned and actually a little numb. They did test on me and the only conclusion was that it was pollen, oh yeah, and that the inhaler saved my life because that pain I was feeling was me starting to go into shock from the allergic reaction. Scary. Thing. To Hear. They didn't let me get an epi pen though, they said I needed to experience that little joy twice before I could "earn" one!
So, as my long story showed, I am nervous for pollen season because I literally don't want to die because of pollen. Don't get me wrong, I know that God is in charge and when it is my time I am ready to go, even if it was because of pollen. Seriously though, I can't even breath this time of the year without an allergic reaction to it.

I love to look at the trees, I love honey, I love flowers, I don't mind bees, but I don't care for pollen!

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Maybe I should embrace pollen like I do other things that are exactly likable. I will have to remember this verse when I am hating on pollen and wishing I was back in Missouri where I did sneeze, but nothing compared to the NC haze (which I will have to wait until it gets worse and post a picture).

Stay at home mom when the kids are fully grown?

I have been a stay at home mom since 2008. The summer after we got married and found out that we were pregnant with Levi is when we both decided that I would quit my job and be a stay at home mom. It wasn't an easy decision, but it was one that has worked out. I do miss working at times, but I don't think that I would have traded this time for anything.

This coming fall Levi will be starting kindergarten and Bruce will be in the fourth grade. I always said that once both of the boys were in school I would go back to work. Matt has always said that I should stay at home even after they are both in school so I could be around to volunteer and help out and always be here if they need me. Pretty soon I will have some choices to make... or maybe not.

I have different things I could do. I could continue to stay home and just sit around (yeah right, if you know me you know I couldn't do that for more than 2 hours). I could finally start taking some online classes and continue to volunteer and keep the house clean and maybe become more ambitious in my cooking. I could get a job and just figure out what to do if the boys have the day off of school. I could do so many things and as of right now I am not sure what I am going to do.

I have always had a knack for some things and it has always been difficult for me to choose one! I love to take pictures and I have done that since fifth grade, but I do it more for fun than anything. I have always enjoyed writing and have published a few poems, but where do I start? I also always said that I would never want to teach, but I have been feeling more and more compelled to do that lately. So many choices. I am in no hurry to rush any decisions though, which makes me sound like I don't care maybe, but I do care and I want to take my time.

The Bible verse that I am thinking about today really helps me when I am not sure what to do or where to go.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.