May...where ideals and reality meet.

Eventually, I will learn that blogging every day (even just the weekdays) for a month is NEVER going to happen for me.  It's not only a time-thing, but also an idea-thing.  I don't like forced writing...I did enough of that in school.  Even now I'm struggling to peck out a suitable introduction for all the pictures I'm about to show you in place of me actually having to write something worth reading!  So...I guess that does it - when in doubt, write about your doubts...?

Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to...while we haven't been blogging...

Grilled BBQ Bacon Pizza - a first for us...definitely NOT the last

Playing in the Kiddie Pool.

Learning how to pedal on the trike...

And having SO. MUCH. FUN.

Celebrating a friend's engagement!!

And helping plan their November wedding! 

Keeping a close eye on the enemy...

Cute in the front yard, enemies in the back...

Baking...lots of "from-scratch" stuff going on around here

(Pictured above: Brown Sugar Oatmeal Pancakes, Morning Glory Muffins, WW Bread)

Celebrating 8 years of marriage!

Playing at the fountains!

Taking LONG summer naps!

Cleaning the deck...

Staining the deck...

I had an anniversary post all planned out...in my head.  I want to post a photo from each year that we've been together just for reflection and fun -- but I have to find them.  I've started looking and I have 2 or 3...  The boxes of pictures/disks were on the kitchen counter for several days but then they got moved to the guest room where they are now collecting dust...I AM determined to get it done though, so stay tuned for THAT post. 

One other quick recipe to share...we've been enjoying the basil, chives, and parsley in our backyard and have been making all sorts of yummy things with them.  These Grilled Pork Chops with Basil-Garlic Rub were quite possibly THE. BEST. pork chops we have EVER had.  Yeah...they were THAT good.  C kept saying, "Thank you, Daddy, for grilling the pork chops for suppah!"  We'll be having these again this week!

Okay - that's all for now.  Hope to get that anniversary post up soon, and I have lots of other ideas coming up for June....now to find the time to post them all... 

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May 16th, 17th, and 18th: Randomosity...

Forgive me, folks.  I just haven't taken the time to post these last few days.  I attribute this to lack of desire to spend too much time at my computer, warm temperatures making it really FEEL like summer so I gravitate towards summer activities (usually involving water!), the realization that my little girl is growing quickly and I'll have plenty of time to blog when she's grown and gone, very few "must-do's" this week allowing me to spend more time doing fun things with said little girl, and then I had to go and read these articles:

What a "Hands Free" Summer Looks Like

How to Miss a Childhood

So...my already in place commitment to staying off the computer during her awake hours became an even more firm commitment...and I started caring less about my phone.  I mean, we did survive before cell phones and texting after all.  I'm just kind of over it all.  Not to say that I don't appreciate technology...I am posting this on my BLOG afterall, but our need to be "plugged in" all the time has just became exhausting for me and it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth and a sick feeling in my stomach.  So...if you e-mail, facebook, text, or call me and I don't respond right away...don't worry...I'm probably just playing with my daughter while I can! :-)

So, for the sake of the grandmothers, I will give you a glimpse of our week...

*Monday - at home all day, laundry, recovering from the weekend, gearing up for the week

*Tuesday - met friends at the aquarium (hundreds of school kids there AGAIN!), stayed to play in the fountains outside for about an hour afterwards and shared our popcorn with the birds. C helped me make a new mexican dish for dinner and we made some fresh salsa that was quite tasty! worked in the garden in the evening...pulling weeds after all that rain.  C was happy to break out her new gloves and spray bottle.  G had session meeting in evening, so C went to bed early and I enjoyed reading in bed for a few hours before I crashed.

*Wednesday - woke up feeling HORRIBLE (thank you allergies!) and finally resigned myself to take some meds and then felt much better (apart from being a little lightheaded).  Made it to the last meeting of Bible Study and a brunch with those ladies - love them!  Home in time to get some lunch for C, visit with G while he ate, and then a guy showed up to do some work at our house.  C helped me finish making a new dish for dinner (EPIPHONY!  Cooking as much of our dinner as possible earlier in the day allows me to cook at a cooler time of day, and allows me plenty of time to have C help me without feeling pushed to get it ready.  And we ALL know that kiddos get a little cranky the later the day gets...WHY haven't I thought about this before?!?), and then she went down for her nap.  Worked on some church stuff on the computer, checked e-mail/blogs, etc.  Played with her after nap while guy finished up his work, played outside for a bit, dinner, and spent some time enjoying the cool evening outside.

*Thursday - Running errands and researching a new cell phone/provider (ironic, I know), lunch with G at CFA, more errands...discovered we have a SWEET FROG's now...stopped for frozen yogurt, OF COURSE.  (I'm kind of a frozen yogurt junkie...sort of.  TCBY was my fave!)  On the way home, made a last minute decision to swim at a friend's pool for a bit, leftovers for dinner.

*Friday - Cleaning, Mowing, Gardening.  C's napping, I'm wrapping up some computer stuff, need to exercise.  Dinner with friends tonight and more swimming.  The weekend is full and I'll try to snap some photos to share next week to journal our events.

Here's a few pics I've collected this week - used my phone more than the camera, pardon the poor quality.

making some mexican

strawberry frozen yogurt

this little guy was hanging out on our window and we enjoyed watching him for a bit

painting on Wednesday

Perseverance

"Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do,

and help them especially to run with perseverance the race

marked out for them."

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."

Hebrews 12:1

The days I've missed can be found here.

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May 15th: Salsa for Breakfast...

This is a strange post - you have been warned.  I ate salsa for breakfast...corn salsa...a pinterest find.  You can see the original recipe here, and my changes are as follows: no scallion/cilantro - substituted fresh chives, basil, and parsley, added a can of black beans, and used regular chili powder instead of chipotle.  It is so-amazing-I-can't-stop-going-back-to-the-fridge-for-more-eat-it-with-a-spoon-good.

I can't wait to try it with some greens for a refreshing lunch salad.  1 cup has about 150 calories, so it's not too bad -- it's the chips that get ya!  

But still -- salsa for breakfast.  NO...not pregnant.  (Just in case any of you went there.)  

I just finished up a 7-day cleanse "diet" with yesterday being my last full day -- so this morning, I had NO limitations as to what I could/could not eat, and the salsa had been sitting in the fridge since I made it yesterday afternoon...all the flavors blending together.  YUM.

So this cleanse -- it's supposed to flush your body of impurities, and over the week, you should lose somewhere between 5-11 pounds.  (**Losing that much in a week IS.NOT.HEALTHY...on a regular basis...just clarifying.)  I was intrigued and decided to try it.  I think I was being driven by hitting the first plateau on this weight loss journey and being frustrated with "doing all the right things" but not seeing too many results.  (Turns out I had some numbers wrong, but anyway...)  

So here's the plan:

Day 1: Eat only fruit, but NO bananas.

Day 2: Eat only veggies, but NO peas, corn, beans.  For supper a baked potato with butter! 

Day 3: Eat only fruit and veggies...no potato today.

Day 4: Eat only bananas and skim milk (or yogurt made with skim milk).  Up to 8 of each.

Day 5: Eat only chicken or turkey and 6 tomatoes.

Day 6: Eat only chicken, turkey, and veggies...no potato.

Day 7: Eat only Miracle Soup.  (onion, cabbage, green pepper, celery, tomatoes, onion soup mix, water)

Yeah....so I learned a LOT of self-control this week...and throughout the process ended up losing just over 7 pounds...which was a really nice added bonus!  This is not a very balanced diet obviously, so it would not be a good idea to eat this way regularly to try to lose weight.  Plus...you might go crazy.  I was SO ready for the week to be OVER!  I can't really tell any difference in my body as far as the cleansing aspect, but the weight loss was nice and hopefully jump started things again so that I will continue losing and not gain it all back.  I searched around a little bit and discovered there are several variations on this, so if I end up doing it again sometime, I will read up on those before I start.

SO -- maybe NOW you understand WHY I ate Corn Salsa for Breakfast. :-)

Generosity

"Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share,

and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age."

"They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that 

they may take hold of that which is truly life."

1 Timothy 6:18-19

resource

linked to Women Living Well

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May 14th: My girl...

Words cannot even begin to express how much I love this little girl...

It was a delight to spend a relaxing weekend at home with my family.  

Yesterday was a lovely, rainy day, and this little girl's daddy spoiled me.

Can't decide which one I like better...

she looks better in one and I look better in the other -- oh well...

Kindness

"Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other

and to everyone else."

"See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always

seek to do good to one another and to everyone."

1Thessalonians 5:15

resource

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May 12th: Relaxing on Saturday

LOVE it when he brings home flowers!

(Scrambled eggs)

It's been a great day relaxing at home with my loves...and since the house is quiet and the breeze is blowing through the open windows, I'm going back to spend a little time perusing these...

Courage

"May my children always be strong and courageous

in their character and in their actions."

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for

it is the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

(resource)

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May 11th: We love this town...

We love the area where we live and we love being really close to a fun city with lots of things to do!  Yesterday, we enjoyed a trip to our local aquarium...along with several hundred children in school groups.  And, no, that is NOT an exaggeration -- I kind of cried a little inside when I realized they were all starting their tour when we were, not leaving.  Which, surprised me a little bit seeing as it was 2:00 in the afternoon. (Typically, things are very quiet at the aquarium at that time of the afternoon, which is why we choose to go then...)  But, we made do and thankfully we didn't lose each other in the masses.  I think we were both glad to get outside afterwards and have some personal space around us...claustrophobic tendencies?  OH NO, not me! Hahahahaha! 

This little girl...is not afraid of snakes. 

Quite possibly her most favorite part of the aquarium...the "up-up-up's"

Her 2nd favorite thing...touch tanks.

Faithfulness

"Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these

twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts."

"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart."

Proverbs 3:3

(resource)

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May 10th: Outings...

She's decided she LIKES broccoli now...

But she likes ice cream better...

Betcha can't guess where we went...

A gorgeous afternoon following a rainy morning...

Flowers on our pepper plants!

Blooms on our squash plants!

Roma Tomatoes on the vine!

Self-Esteem

"Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the

realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus."

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, 

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 2:10

(resource)

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May 9th: Swim Days...

My daughter and I share the love of pools and I'm thankful for the fun that results!  We are blessed to have 4 (yes FOUR!) different pools to visit this summer, so Swim Day pictures may be a regular theme around here.  Yesterday was absolutely perfect weather, and we enjoyed the afternoon at the pool with Auntie Ree. 

Respect

"Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone,

as Your Word commands."

"Honor everyone.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honor the emperor."

1 Peter 2:17

(resource)

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May 8th: First Fruits...

Mercy

"May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful."

"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

Luke 6:36

(resource)

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