down and dirty

Over Christmas break I got down and dirty.  My Big Chick was in need of a little room redo and I had the perfect solution.

Remember Tara from Blondie 'N' SC (miss you girl)??  Well several months back I purchased bedding from her.  It was beautiful...pinks, browns and turquoise.  I loved it.  I immediately thought of my girl.  Several years back I painted a big mural on her wall and I was getting really sick of it.  That's the problem with a mural on a main wall it can get old.  Anyway I decided to give her a room make-over as a Christmas gift.  Greatest idea evah!


Tara mailed me the bedding and then later told me it was going to be featured in Romantic Country Magazine.  Seriously if you haven't gotten your copy you should.  Her beautiful cottagey home is one of the main feature articles.  I was just so beyond proud of her.  That girl has such incredible style.  I love every nook and cranny of her home.
 

So here's the before.  I didn't do a very good job photographing it.  It had pink upper walls and a mint green bottom half.  Her bedding was those colors too.  As my roller went up and down over those childlike colors a sad realization washed over me.  I see her growing up so much...that little girl sitting on the horse was like the last of the little little girl stuff.  At night I sometimes lay in bed and freak out a little over what's to come.  You realize next year is junior high.  OH MY GOODNESS!

Okay so we went dark.  It wasn't the original plan, but we all love it.  Just look at the surprised look on her face.  I thought it might be too much, but surprisingly it wasn't.  It totally warmed up the space and created such a cozy bedroom for her.  It actually made me hungry as I was painting the room.  It looked just like melted milk chocolate.  Don't ask the color, because we color matched it with her bedding.  Isn't modern technology amazing?

So glad that's done.  Mission accomplished!  I've been a crazy person lately.  Projects galore.  Does anyone else feel slightly overwhelmed...like there isn't enough time in the day??  I personally could use an extra 4-5 hours!  I've never been very good at the balance thing.  Any ideas on how to maintain some sanity?

Have a blessed day.

The "5" plan

You knew this post was coming...it's January.  I had to write a diet post.  I'm notorious for that;)  A little disclaimer here though.  I know that I'm not fat.  I fully realize this, but I have gained 8 pounds over the last few months and in my experience if you don't nip weight gain right away, one day you wake up and you truly have a problem..like a really big hiney and rolls of "cushion" hanging over your jeans.  Not that this has happened to me.  I'm just sayin';)

This picture is old.  This was us "before" we cleaned up our diet.

For the most part I have struggled with my weight since puberty.  I have the obesity gene, sorry mom but it's the truth.  I have done all sorts of things in the past to shed weight.  There was the Master Cleanse, the South Beach diet, the French Woman diet, the Body for Life diet.  The list goes on and on.


Last January Honey and I did the "eat clean" diet.  It was our own concoction, nothing new or different.  But a plan was formed and it worked really well.  We both lost a lot of weight and felt and looked great. I wrote about it here.  It was all in preparation for our big trip to Hawaii.  Funny how the thought of wearing your bathing suit in the winter will do that to ya.  It got us all geared up and ready for change.  It ended up being one of the best things we've ever done together.  It was a life changer.  Honey is a lot more disciplined than me, so months after the trip he would still have the will power and resolve to turn down dessert and I (the emotional hormonal queen that I am) did not.  So low and behold the inevitable happened and my pants are now a smidge too tight.  But I have a plan.


Since you are all my friends my plan is free...ha!  Seriously I could write a book, but I won't.  So this IS the way to lose weight.  It is fact!  It will work!  I am living proof.  So are you ready for it??  Beware...it's not sexy:)

The "5" Plan

5 days a week...sweat a lot. 
For me planning is a must.  If I am to succeed I have to get to the gym at least 3x's a week and on the other days off do something at home.   Once the weight is off maintaining can be done with 3x's a week.



5 times a day...eat.
Eating mini meals is really important and keeps your metabolism stoked.  Every three hours is a good thing to shoot for.



5 meals a day will consist of these foods: ***This is by far the most important step and I believe 90% responsible for weight loss.***  Ideally a protein source and a carb is the best mix.  So breakfast, lunch, dinner and your snacks need to have a protein and a carb.  Does that make sense?  It totally makes your body burn, burn, BURN:)

What you put into your mouth will determine if you lose weight.  For me cheating doesn't work.  If I do really great for 5 days and then have a cupcake..that mental shift will completely mess up my progress.  It's just better to stay focused and on course until the weight goal is achieved.

dairy & eggs: 

skim milk, plain-non fat greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, low fat string cheese, egg whites

meat: 

lean beef, lean turkey, tilapia, tuna in water, canadian bacon

veggies:
my fav's are spinach, steamed asparagus, steamed broccoli, carrots, sweet potato...add whatever you wish.

fruit:
1/2 banana, strawberries, apples (or natural applesauce), blueberries, oranges

grain:
  whole wheat pasta, low calorie whole wheat bread, rice crackers, oatmeal, high fiber english muffins, brown rice

extras:

  spray butter, small amounts of peanut butter, sugar free Coffee Mate Hazelnut creamer, lite mayo, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and ZONE BARS.  Zone bars keep me from losing my mind when I'm craving something sweet.  

There you have it.  The recipe for weight loss success.  This is what I'm focusing on for the next 5-6 weeks.  It seems selfish doesn't it?  But I tell you taking care of yourself is a Godly thing.  He wants us to take care of these vessels.  I'm not going to talk about it again because doing the accountability thing just makes me want to shove cookies in my mouth.  I don't know why, but I self sabotage.  So if any of you have some holiday weight to lose feel free to join me.  Let me know how you did in 6 weeks:)

Have a blessed day.

A life in grace

I first "met" Edie in September.  Remember the blog crush post??  Well someone commented and mentioned that Edie from Life in Grace was their blog crush.  I of course had to check out this Edie person and so glad I did.

 

She writes from her heart.  Her kids are her life and her love for the Lord is so evident.  This is the friend who lost her home to fire recently, and today she celebrates a birthday:)  I loved her blog before, but reading recents posts makes me want to give her a big hug and say well done. 

You Miss Edie are such an example of grace and mercy.  Your life in the midst of this tragedy will be a living testimony.  Thank you for sharing who you are and what He's done for you.  I hope you have a wonderful birthday and feel the love.  Blogland is a great place for that.  I have no doubt that this will be a great year for you.  Thankfully we serve a God of Restoration.  BIG HUGS!

Have a blessed day.

Thrive

Let's face it January sucks!  The holidays are over, the cold has set in, there just seems to be nothing to look forward to except a long stretch of winter.  This is the month I usually struggle the most.  It's been brutal in the past.  Long days of very little energy and depression so oppressive that it's all I can do to get out of bed. 

But for some reason a switch has flipped inside me this year. I have hope and lots of it.
There is a grittiness I feel inside...a resolve.  I have goals and projects to work on and I feel strangely happy:)


My theme words in the past have been "be" and "bloom". I went through a phase of trying so hard to be something that I was losing who I was entirely. Then this past Fall I felt God telling me there was a bloom a comin'. And I believe with all that's in me that I have bloomed. I had so much I wanted to achieve and birth forth and those things are coming to pass. Which is incredible.

When I think of what I want with this new year it is without hesitation...to thrive. I want to be healthy and at my best. I'll admit I'm a goal setter. Every year I make lists and vow to do this or that. They seem silly to most, but for me a goal is THE only way I achieve anything. If I'm not focused it does not happen.

I have goals to get more organized, take better care of myself, balance my time better, get on a routine, learn my camera...gain a little control. The only way to achieve any of those things is to stay focused and work at making new habits.  These cold dark days are a perfect time to regroup...to put one foot in front of the other and see those lists become a reality.

So my question is...what do you want your word to be?  What hope can spring forth in this often difficult month??

Let's make a decision to beat January and decide to flourish, grow and THRIVE together!

Have a blessed day.