Just some schtuff

I am fighting like mad to avoid getting a cold. Yuck. Been chugging Emergenc-C since I felt the symptoms coming on. Hopefully the Emergenc-C plus the good night's sleep I got last night (despite the howling wind) will give my immune system the jump start it needs. I do NOT have time to be sick.

Did I mention the wind? Oh my gosh, it's been horrible lately. It interferes with my outdoor exercise, not to mention my sleep. I'm not a fan of the wind, but I feel bad for complaining because some of you have much worse weather to deal with. I'm talking about all of my southern friends who have to worry about tornados. Tornados in February. 

So, my new bible study starts today. We're doing He Speaks To Me by Priscilla Shirer. I've never done one of her studies but I've heard she's great. I'm excited to get started!

Abbey finished Phase I of her orthodontic treatment and got her braces and her expander taken off yesterday. To celebrate, our orthodontist presented her with a big 'ol bag of sticky, chewy candy. I'm pretty sure she powered through most of it before bedtime, smiling every single time she unwrapped a piece of gum. That poor, deprived child.

Will started track this week. He loves it. He wants to try triple-jump this year in addition to some shorter relay events. I'm very pleased that he wanted to run track again this year, but feel like I'll need to remind myself of that when I'm freezing my tail off at his meets this spring. :)

Sarah had her last speech tournament on Saturday. She had a GREAT season and placed in the top three at every meet! Go Sarah! I can't believe my girl will be in high school next year. I think she's more than ready for it but not so sure I am.

Wednesdays are my busiest days and today is no exception so I should sign off and get movin'. Our Lenten soup suppers at church begin tonight so cooking dinner is one thing I get to cross off of my to-do list. I am super duper thankful for that! Happy hump day everyone.

Currents

Current Books: Here's the stack beside my bed.

Current Playlist: Well, today I listened to my "Incline" playlist while hiking up the Incline. I guess you can't really call it a playlist though if one song constantly repeats itself. I'm pretty techy but for the life of me I can't figure out how to get my iPod off of repeat. I suppose I really shouldn't try to figure it out while hiking a vertical mile. I also suppose I should just ask one of my children if I want it fixed.

Current Color: I'm kinda digging blue Colorado sky. That's a color, right?

Current Drink: H2O baby!

Current Food: Let's face it--I'm a carnivore. I pretty much always crave red meat. Turns out that I can and should eat it based on my blood type (hence that book in the photo above). A friend gave me that book at church yesterday. The small part I've read has been fascinating.

Current Favorite Favorite: My new dishwasher. It's so quiet! And my Yaktrax. Would you think me dramatic if I told you they've saved my life on more than one occasion lately? Maybe they haven't saved my life, but they've sure saved me from completely busting it.

Current Wish List: A monogrammed one of these!

Current Needs: Nothing comes to mind.

Current Triumph: I survived February! Well, almost. But the big stuff is behind me and I should be able to coast into March.

Current Annoyance: Hmmmm...I really don't like turning laundry right side out. Lately, I've been washing and drying it in the same shape I get it in. If one's dirty socks are wadded up in a ball, that's how they get washed, dried, folded and put away. If one's underwear or jeans or favorite shirt is inside out, same thing. No one has even seemed to notice. Sigh.

Current Indulgence: Power naps.

Current Mood: Thinky. (And for those of you who were worried about me after yesterday's post--please know I'm okay. I really am.)

Current Blessing(s): 1. My husband! He helped me sooooo much this weekend while I was consumed with other obligations. He cleaned, did laundry, helped with homework, and took me out to dinner! 2. Seeing God redeem loss with LIFE.

Current Outfit: jeans, boots, shirt, scarf. And a coat! It's c-c-c-cold today!

Current Excitement: For starters, it's a short week--no school on Friday! Also, a USAFA gymnastics meet this weekend with friends, the beginning of a new Bible study, and I'm totally counting down the days until Season 5 of Mad Men begins next month.

Current Link: I saw this link on a friends blog (thanks, Christy). It's a list of ways to be intentional about celebrating Lent with your family. There's some good stuff there.

What if?

What if...
instead of responding to the snarky email, I just deleted it (both mentally and literally) and asked God to help that person have a better day?

What if...
instead of reacting the the one who is always short-tempered and snippy with me, I responded with warmth, grace, and Christ-like words.

What if...
instead of trying to defend myself against the attacks on my character, I let the truth of who I am speak louder than their lies?

What if...
I quit holding grudges? What if I forgave quickly? And (gasp) what if I prayed for those who hurt me? Not just "God bless so and so, but with a serious, intentional prayer?


This is hard stuff y'all. Hard, hard stuff.

stream of consciousness...

i'm so glad it's friday.

even though this particular friday is ushering in one of the busiest weekends i've had in a long time.

i'm not a huge fan of busy.

but today is still relatively calm. thank goodness.

i have a hair appointment later.

a hair appointment that got bumped from morning to afternoon because of some crazy client who had to be accommodated. (there's more to that story that i'm choosing not to share here.)(it made me kinda mad though.)

i'm not mad anymore because it freed up my morning for a hike.

a hike in the snow.

we had a snow day yesterday. a very unexpected one at that. it was a nice day off and it shortened our already short school week even more. i am not complaining.

i am reading through this book for lent, and am enjoying it very much (all three days so far). i was conflicted about what i wanted to do for lent this year (to give something up? to incorporate something more?) after praying about it, god led me to something. something hard, but something good. and something tailor-fit for me. maybe i'll share more about that later. maybe.

lately i seem to have this strange hesitation about sharing personal things. it's surprising because typically i tend to over share. i guess i've realized that some stuff is meant to be held close. it's for me and me alone. it doesn't necessarily mean that i'm not transparent (i believe i am) but more along the lines of this is not for everyone. i also think i've learned the hard way that not everyone is trustworthy with my "stuff". i don't know if all of this makes as much sense written here as it does in my head. :)

well, my stream of consciousness was just interrupted by a text from my darling daughter who forgot some stuff she really needs for school this AM so i must sign off and figure out how to get to the middle school before second period begins. the things one does for love. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous friday! it's friday! hooray!

Loves of late...

This is some stuff I've been loving lately...

1. Dry-erase poster board! Did you know such a thing existed? I had to make a fundraising-thermometer poster for work so I went to buy a sheet of poster board and happened upon this product. So awesome! I think it would be GREAT for chore charts, menu plans, and lots of other things! I'm thinking of buying a sheet of it when I get ready to make our "summer list".

2. Lime-Chipotle-Tortilla Crusted Tilapia from Costco. YUM! I really try to avoid gluten but I've found it really hard to come up with gluten free meals for my entire family. They love bread and pasta a lot! I bought this fish to have on hand for me to eat when they're having a heavy gluten meal. It's soooooo good. The coating does have some gluten in it but it's not enough to bother me. Win-win. I'm thinking of making a pasta dish for dinner just so I can have that fish!

3. Tylenol PM. I have NOT been sleeping well at all lately. Last night (out of desperation) I took two Tylenol PM caplets and slept for TEN HOURS STRAIGHT! It was wonderful. And restorative. I feel like a new person today. I even slept through the hideous wind that had me up for three hours the night before. Tylenol PM-- I think I love you.

4. Coconut oil. I guess most people cook with coconut oil but I keep my jar in my bathroom medicine cabinet. It's a fabulous moisturizer! I put it on my face at night and coat my hands with it (rub it in until it's absorbed completely) and I put in on my legs and arms after I get out of the shower in the mornings. I've been using it for several weeks now and my skin is soooo soft. I also think that my wrinkles around my eyes are slightly diminished. My jar was around $5 at the health food store. That's way cheaper than the moisturizing cream I was using! Here's some more info about using coconut oil as a moisturizer.

5. Clean shower doors. A friend posted a link on Facebook to this homemade soap scum remover a while back and I finally got around to trying it yesterday on the door to my shower stall. AMAZING results, y'all. The soap scum is G-O-N-E.

6. The calm before the storm. I have some big things coming up this weekend that I've been working on for awhile but surprisingly my week is feeling pretty calm. I like it! I like it a lot!

Peace out, peeps. I'm feeling kinda ashy on this Wednesday. :)

There is not enough concealer in the world...

...to mask the dark, tired circles under my eyes. Seriously. It's been a week. It's been a week that has kicked my bee-hind. The good news is that today is my Friday and that my kiddos have tomorrow AND Monday (and Tuesday for the elementary girl) off from school. Hello, four-day weekend! 

I always forget that February is a busy month for me. I expect December and May to be crazy but for some reason February always catches me by surprise. Thankfully I'm seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

Alright. Here's my brain dump.

1. I'm a computer snob. John's brother converted us to Apple computers almost ten years ago and we haven't owned a PC since. I recently acquired one to use for work stuff because for some reason, many of my work apps are Windows based and not compatible with Apple's web browser (I know, that's so weird since it IS 2012 but that's the reality). I do NOT like PCs. The biggest learning curve has not been how to use the applications but how to use Windows and the stinkin' keyboard. I feel like I'm pretty techy until I open that laptop.

2. I had my yearly doctor visit today. Not my favorite thing in the world by any means but I do really like my doctor and she makes it as pleasant as possible. I laughed this morning when getting dressed because I realized my toenails were quite colorful. Abbey gave me a pedicure last weekend and I'm pretty sure I had the brightest toes in stirrups today. Here's the picture Abbey took of her artistry.

3. Does gray hair sprout overnight for you guys or is it just me?

4. The busier I am, the more I seem to get done. That seems so counter-intuitive but it really holds true for me. Go figure.

5. I'm really tired of homework. Hoping to goodness my kids get a homework free weekend. They did NOT in fact get the weekend off from homework. All THREE of them came home with assignments which they're working on at the moment. I've heard "this is so unfair" multiple times from multiple children. Yep. Meanest mom ever!

6. My aunt is coming this weekend! She has business in Denver so is coming to stay with us while she's here. I'm excited and so are my kids!

7. I had planned to be at the elementary school helping Abbey's teacher this afternoon. She emailed me earlier and gave me the afternoon off. WHAT A GIFT! I've been at school a LOT this week and even though I didn't mind going again today, her email gave me some time at home that I haven't had all week! Yay! It opened up a nice little window of time that I wasn't expecting. Hooray for GREAT and thoughtful teachers!

Alrighty. I need to get some laundry going and finish up some work stuff before my carpool rounds (to three schools!) begin. Such is my life. Peace out, peeps.

I'm learning...

I did something out of the ordinary today: I blew off my to-do list and all the things I really needed to accomplish. I have a dozen things I need to finish before Valentines Day parties tomorrow. My house is a wreck from a weekend of neglect. I have work stuff that I need to get done in the midst of a week full of appointments and commitments and getting ready for some weekend company. It's safe to say that I tend to let my to-do list rule my life most of the time.

Last night John and I were driving to a meeting and I told him that I really wished I could hike today but I had soooooo much to do. He knows me well and began to challenge me about why all those things had to get done today. I gave him a dozen reasons why I thought they did, but he kept challenging me and by the time we got to our meeting, I was warming to the idea of blowing off my Monday list. My friend, Lisa, was also at the meeting and I tentatively asked her what her Monday was looking like. She rattled off a couple of things and said, "Why? Do you want to hike the Incline?" To which I replied YES! Turns out she blew her list off today too and we got to enjoy our favorite hike and a beautiful morning outside together. Conversation is so easy between us and Lisa is one of THE most encouraging people I know. I always feel happy and blessed after I've spent time with her! Today was no exception.

The reality is that my house is still a wreck. My list is still looming. I have work deadlines that still need my attention despite a very full day tomorrow BUT honestly, it's a good thing to let myself be less structured every once in awhile. To not be ruled by a schedule or measure myself by my productivity but to let the things that bring life to my heart play the trump card every once in awhile. I'm learning that I need that more often than I allow it. Today, it felt good. Really, really good. And I'm one hundred percent sure all of those "things" will still get done. I may be up until midnight but they'll get done with a full and cheerful heart!

A Fabulous Friday

I was driving my older two kids to school this morning and the temperature on the bank sign read 10 degrees. Sarah saw it and blurted out, "It's 10 on the 10th!" And believe me, I felt every bit of that 10 degrees on my walk this morning. It was c-c-cold!

I haven't done a 10 on the 10th post in a really long time so I thought I'd share my list of reasons why today is shaping up to be a terrific day. I tried hard to think of ten...but I only made it to six! I think that's why I stopped doing 10 on the 10th. I grew tired of thinking too hard. :)

1. It's FRIDAY! Whew. I need a weekend.

2. It's Will's birthday! He is 15 years old! I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mom. He is such a great kid and we're really proud of who he is and who he is becoming. We pulled out the scrapbook of his first year of life and looked at it for awhile this morning. Seems just like yesterday I was reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear and trying like mad to get that boy to sleep through the night. We have some fun things planned this weekend to celebrate Will, because you know, one day just isn't enough when it comes to birthdays!

3. John took today off! I was so happy when he told me he'd be home with me today.

4. We're going to buy a dishwasher later. Okay, spending money on appliances isn't really fun at all, but our current one is dying a slow, painful death. I'm excited to choose one out that's a little larger and hopefully a lot more quiet!

5. Lunch date! After the dishwasher purchase is complete, John and I are going to lunch together. He told me I could choose the place. Hmmmmm...

6. Did I mention it's Friday? And the beginning of Will's birthday weekend? It's shaping up to be a fabulous day! Hope yours is on track to being great too!

Popping In

Popping in for just a minute or two to say hello. I'd love to keep the blogging rhythm that I had going last week, but man, some weeks it's hard to find extra time. It's been a good week so far. Busy, but good.

Ever have one of those days where you just ROCK the to-do list? I had one on Monday. I ran errands, cleaned, got some appointments/meetings scheduled, organized some of my February projects, and felt like I got most of my "mental sticky notes" transferred from my head to paper! Such a great feeling--I wish every day felt that productive!

Tonight I'm taking Sarah to register for HIGH SCHOOL! My oldest two are only one grade apart in school so it really does seem like yesterday that I was doing this with Will. Here's the kicker--they're going to different high schools. Our town has two. Will goes to the one we're zoned for but none of Sarah's really close friends are going there. After a year of thinking and talking and praying about this, we made the decision to keep her with her core group of friends and choice her into the high school we're not zoned for. [Side note: this is the decision I was referring to last week that is the best one for Sarah and is also the decision that makes my crazy life even crazier!] She's very excited about it, and I know with absolute certainty it was the right thing to do. That being said, I still break out in a cold sweat when I begin to think about all the details and scheduling this will involve.

Two kids in high school makes me feel old. So does the fact that our oldest turns FIFTEEN this week. That is so hard for me to wrap my mind around. Where does the time go???

More later, peeps. Hope you're having a happy hump day! :)

Got Snow?

Well, I got that snow day and three-day weekend I was hoping for. We probably have about 20 inches of snow outside and I think the flakes have finally stopped flying. The sun is trying to come out now and Toboggan Hill is calling our name for some afternoon sledding! Woohoo! 

Yesterday was a nice day. It's amazing what you can get done when you're not running kids back and forth to school and activities. I got caught up on some projects I'm managing, I got my closet cleaned out, and I got to enjoy some down time too! And last night was Bunco. The good thing about neighborhood Bunco is that not even a blizzard can stop us from getting together! We just put our snow boots and parkas over our pajamas and walked to Bunco--or in my case, walked next door! I love my neighborhood peeps so much. We are soooooo blessed to be surrounded by great friends.

I'm getting out in a bit for a grocery run--gotta get fueled up for the big game tomorrow. I'm still conflicted about who to cheer for. I think I'll be okay with whoever wins. So....Go Patriots! Go Giants! 

I'll post some snow pics after we get out and play in it! Happy Saturday, peeps!

Five minutes

I've got about five minutes to blog and thought I'd try to continue my streak of daily posting. Not sure how long I can keep it up so I'm just gonna roll with it while I have the urge.

My friend came over this morning so we could pow-wow about a big project we're coordinating this month and she came bearing Paula Deen's French Toast. Oh my word. YUM! Totally have a gluten headache right now but I'm thinking it might have been worth it. :)

It's supposed to snow tonight and it sounds like we could get a good bit. I'm so convinced that tomorrow is going to be a snow day that I keep thinking and saying today is Friday. I could reallllly use a snow day. Here's hoping we get one! Here's hoping I get all my necessary stuff checked off of my list today.

I love wearing hats.

I hate going to the post office. And by the way, when did the price of stamps go up?

I love planning Super Bowl junk food fests.

I don't love watching my friends suffer. Too many friends going through some really tough stuff right now. Makes my heart ache.

I love the feeling in the air when snow is on the way.

I think I'll end on that note!

Much to do, folks. Happy Thursday! (Or Friday if you're banking on that snow day/3-day weekend like I am!)

100 Mile Challenge--DONE!

When I hung my 2012 calendar it looked so blank and boring (Ha ha, that didn't last long!) so I started writing down the mileage from my daily walks. I get up and walk almost every morning with five of my neighbors--in the dark, in the frigid temps (never thought I'd think of 30 degrees as warm!), in the snow, in the wind, in the fog, etc. You name it, we've braved it. I also think I've mentioned a time or twelve that January has brought many beautiful spring-like days that have necessitated some terrific hiking! Anyway, I decided I'd try to track my walking/hiking mileage for one whole year. And that's why that Pedometer GPS app I mentioned yesterday is one of my must-haves.

About three weeks into January, I came home after a morning walk and tallied my mileage up to that point. I was at 66 miles with 9 days remaining in the month when John said, "Why don't you go for 100?" 

I quickly offered every reason in the world why I could never accomplish that while he just sat there and grinned at me. So I finally shrugged and said, "Okay, I'll do it." AND Y'ALL, I DID IT! I logged 103.8 miles in January. All outdoors. All trail. And all 103.8 miles with some of my favorite friends! 

I'm feeling really good about pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do! I don't expect (or desire) to repeat that in February but come summer, oh yeah, I'm aiming for a few more 100+ mile months! 

Happy hump day, peeps! Hope you're enjoying your week.