the highlights...

I can not believe 2012 is already drawing to a close.  It feels like its been a whirlwind.  So much has happened this year! Including...

• Hosting my first baby shower for my dearest friend Jess
• The Mr and I went on our Honeymoon...and first ever Cruise! It was AWESOME
• I became the mother of a teenager!
• I finished my first crochet project a rainbow ripple blanket
• My littlest one started Kindergarten
• I got a new job
• found my first gray hair <gasp!>
• counted almost 700 gifts....hoping to break 700 before the year closes

Here are some of my favorite moments from 2012 ~

Jessica's Baby Shower

Our Cruise

Holding baby Liam for the first time!

our Easter Egg hunt

My mother's day present..a HAMMOCK!!

Camping Memorial Day Wknd

Giving Jessica Liam's quilt

Niagara Falls with the Fam

 

Kelly's baby shower

Dutch Blitz

fall days, parks, picnics and pumpkins

Christmas Time

It's been a great year! Looking forward to making many more wonderful memories in 2013.

I finished up my Jesus Calling devo this morning.  I very much enjoyed reading it this year.  It never ceased to amaze me how it always seemed to be written just for me. ;)  If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it!

Here is a little excerpt from yesterday's devo

"Marvel at the beauty of a life intertwined with My Presence.  Rejoice as we journey together in intimate communion.  Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself through losing yourself in Me." (p 381)

 I am excited to start my devotional tomorrow! One Thousand Gifts Devotional by Ann Voskamp

May you have a blessed and happy New Year!

JoY

JOY. I have decided that for 2013 my word is going to be Joy.

Pastor spoke on the Joy of Christmas this past Sunday.  He read off verse after verse that referenced the word Joy.  I hurriedly jotted them down in my bulletin.  Thinking it would be a great project this year to feature a different joy verse each week on my BLOG memorizing them as I go.  I went to www.biblegateway.com and typed in "joy" as a key word and came up with 242 different verses. =)  If you look on the top of my sidebar you will see my first joy verse in light of Christmas this week.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luke 2:10

My joy this year has been lacking.  I have my moments of extreme gratitude and joy, where my heart is overflowing.  But I find it is all too easy for my joy to slip away.  I find myself growing anxious and stressed.  Worrying, fretting. Wishing things were different.

An excerpt from my Jesus Calling devo this morning...

"As you grow closer to Me, I open your eyes to see more and more of My Presence all around you.  Things that most people hardly notice, like shifting shades of sunlight, fill you with heart-bursting Joy. you have eyes that see and ears that hear, so proclaim My abiding Presence in the world." (p 379).

Planning to follow this reading plan in the New Year :) Saw it on Pinterest this morning!


Source: rachelwojo.com via Amy on Pinterest

I am hoping to hit the 700 mark in my gifts by years end. Here are a few of my latest gifts I have recorded...

• Christmas shopping
• seeing snowflakes fall
• Lunch out w/ my Mr
• writing Christmas letter with Mik
• Christmas Pageant
• Singing in the Pageant Choir
• headache has lifted
• feeling like I belonged when I stopped in at OMX
• coffee & the WORD, watching the snow gently fall
• a White Christmas
• Candle Light Christmas Eve Service
• Knit hats for all the kids from Aunt Laura
  
• Time with family
• It's Christmas! Midnight txts to my bestest
• Castle Calendar for my kitchen
• Christmas Stockings
• Ralphie the Shaggy Hamster
• Ryan's love and gratitude for his new pet
  
• watching Rosie and Storm
• being driven to work by my Mr
• safe trip home in a snow storm
• Mom & Dad home safe from Maine
• warm new slippers
• Choc Ice Cream with Caramel sauce
• a day off! =)
• coming home to a clean living room.

precious girl

My baby is 6.  SIX!!! Six years old.  I can not believe it! I asked her...what happened to my baby girl?  My arms wrapped around her.  She grinned up at me, her face inches from my own.  She grew up! Was her reply.

This made my heart laugh and weep at the same time.  There are days I long for that chubby baby face.  Soft tiny body.


Or that sweet pixie face she had a toddler.

I know she is far from grown. She and I. I pray we still have many, many years together.  And the truth is I wouldn't trade one moment with my Hannah.  The sweet, funny girl she is today.  Going off to kindergarten every day.  It is pure bliss for me watching her try and sound out the words in the world around us.  To hear her tell me how she has become friends with a little girl on the bus who doesn't have any other friends.  To see how her compassionate little heart hurts for this girl.  To see how eager she is to take a tag off the tree to buy a gift for a little boy who wouldn't get any Christmas presents.

My Hannah is a treasure.  I am so thankful God bestowed her upon our family.

 

This birthday she was blessed with her own greatest wish.  A kitten of her own.  She named her Rosie.  She said she was the best birthday present ever.  In the three short days Rosie has been part of our family I would say she is fitting in perfectly.  Playful and slightly mischievous, like little miss Hannah herself.

Day 18 or so...

Ok so I have kinda been slacking on the whole Thankfulness thing.  I just haven't been feeling it...and yes I know that's kinda the point. As we sang in Church this morning...

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.

I am thankful for our Church.  The Church family.  Last night we had a great Church Fellowship Thanksgiving dinner.  But today I want to say how thankful I am for our Pastor and his wife.  Today Pastor officially announced his retirement in the coming year at the end of service.  It has pretty much been common knowledge for a while now that he would be retiring in the coming year.  Yet as I sat there in the pew, listening as he read his letter, I felt overwhelmed with emotion and sadness.  Pastor Kelvin has pretty much been my Pastor for all my Christian Life.  He said today that he has been at our church for 21 1/2 years.  I was 11 years old when he came to Kirkville.  As he said in his letter today he has shared a lot of happy times and also sad with the members of our church.  Definitely true for myself. Pastor and JoAnne have been such a big part of my life.  It is hard to imagine Community Wesleyan without them. But we are all so very blessed to have had them for so long.  And even though we still have a good 6 months left before they retire, I wish them all the best and am praying for their future.  As well as the future God has for His Church in Kirkville. :)


On a complete sidenote...this is my thanks from Thursday...My sister gave us her old couch for our basement. :) Mom and Dad dropped it off on Thursday night. I spent most of Monday cleaning out the room downstairs to make room for it! :D The before pictures are pretty embarrassing...  
 
The After...still not perfect or completely done but a vast improvement...  

 And a note of thanks from yesterday, I booked a new pampered chef party... kinda stoked about that :D and praying for a sign that I should stick with it.  I love Pampered Chef but have seriously been thinking about quitting...

Give thanks....

It has been a rocky emotional week for me but here are some of the highlights...

I am thankful for...

• My november devo series so far...its been spot on and excellent...
• Preschoolers, and their hugs, giggles and grins
• I am thankful for my crockpot..
• Libraries
• I am thankful for my lil Sunday school class ♥ :D
• Thankful for the delicious Apple Crisp Donuts the Mr and Mik brought home for breakfast ;P
• the Mr took Mikayla out to breakfast this morning
• cozy blankets
• time to watch CASTLE with Mikayla
• God is my constant  

I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow. 

– Scarlet O’Hara, Gone with the Wind

I have felt a bit like Scarlet O'Hara lately.  I find myself feeling overwhelmed and thinking, I won't worry about it right now....I'll think about it tomorrow. Its not very effective.  The worry is still there tomorrow.  And no easier to dismiss. :( 

But God is there.  God is constant.  He keeps bringing His promises to mind.  I am trying to hold on to them.

Two I read today:

 And my God will meet all your needs 

according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  --Philippians 4:19

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 

This morning I came across this on pinterest... a haven seems to be just what I am seeking right now.  Week 1's challenge seems simple enough, get a great candle.  Light it when you are home.  Every time you look at it, pray for peace in your home.

Source: womenlivingwell.org via Amy on Pinterest

I finally got my fall table runner stitched up this morning.  I looked around town for a new smelly candle to grace my table.  There were none suitable to be found.  I have a small red jar candle sitting on my dresser that I figured might do in a pinch...although it would look dwarfed and kinda ridiculous on the kitchen table.  Upon returning home I remembered an orange pillar candle in my bathroom that might be suitable.  At least until I can get to a better store and purchase a delicious smelling large jar candle.

So here it is... Also I am resolving today to do a better job of keeping the table clean.  I tend to pile all manor of junk upon it as the day progresses. 



Today I am thankful for our home. That we have a cozy place we call our own. A place to dwell and be.

Days of Praise: Laughter

Today I am thankful for laughter!

I had a great time helping out in the Church kitchen today. We put on a little luncheon for the Reflections of the Heart Fashion Event that was going on.  It was a lovely event for young ladies {ages twelve and up, and a few a little younger}.  From what I saw it looked like everyone had a good time.    We certainly  had fun in the kitchen and we laughed... I love our Church. {This maybe a recurring theme through the month}.  It was also great to spend some time with a new-ish friend...getting to know her better.

I also got to spend a little quality time with Mikayla in the afternoon.  She and I hit the grocery store, and then bnacl to church to prepare communion for tomorrow.  And visit one of her new favorite store Plato's Closet .  A very cool little store, but seems to be very busy and crowded.  At least it has been when we have stopped in! She was able to get a couple new Tshirsts. :)

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”   Psalm 126:2

How are you doing on your Joy Journey this month.  I came across this Bible reading calendar this week that I shared with my Bible Study group.

Source: thebettermom.com via Amy on Pinterest

Pastor also posted one on his Blog that goes along with her message series this month. :)

Happy JoY hunting!

days of praise...

I am thankful for my girlfriends. <3 My sisters in Christ...some of the very best pictured above.

Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Just around the corner!

Its October 31! I can not believe it... It has been a great month...despite my crazy stressed out mood swings! I can't believe tomorrow it will be November! I am looking forward to Thanksgiving! :D Tonight/tomorrow I am going to break out my Thanksgiving decor :D

 I have a cute fally-thanksgivingy fat quarter bundle that has been hanging around here almost a year!! I think this afternoon will be an excellent time to finally stitch it into that table runner.

This November I plan to again do my days of praise series...I know I won't hit everyday.  As I said I am having some troubles adjusting to be a working mom.  But I am thankful I have a job.  That hopefully I can make my mister's load just a little bit lighter.  I know he carries a lot on those broad shoulders of his.  It is definitely time for me to dust off that ole gifts journal and start paying attention to all the wonderful gifts all around me! I am a very blessed person.

Happy Halloween! :P

I am not a Halloween fan at all...but my two younger ones are positively giddy with excitement!  But I am happy to be headed out to our church tonight, helping out with crafts for the kidlets and generally enjoying being out of the cold rainy weather and in the warm fellowship of our Church family!

Its been a struggle lately.  I have not been counting my gifts...I have been starring my worries dead in the eyes...gasping for breath.  Trying to hold on. 

This morning I was at the breaking point.  I curled up in bed after the kids left and just cried.  I txt my friend, finally inviting myself over to share some cupcakes.  She of course welcomed me with open arms.  We sat in in her living room, sipped our coffee.  Talked about everything and anything.  I snuggled her babies.  And left feeling lighter.

Nothing is wrong.  It just that adjustment period.  Life has changed.  I am having trouble letting go of the "old".  I miss being home.  Knowing whatever it is the kids need I can take care of it.  Its hard letting go.

Now I am choosing to look up.  To be grateful. Thankful that....

•  I do have a job, that I {mostly} enjoy, people I enjoy working with
• I have a husband who loves and supports me, even when I am petty and spiteful
• we celebrated my sister's 30th birthday this weekend
• I finally got my MaxPerks card in the mail and can now get my discount at Office Max
• we could get and carve pumpkins Sunday night

it's a brand new day

Work last night was good.  I am feeling more confident.  I think I may just get the hang of it yet! ;P It gave me a little thrill to see my name up on the bulletin board with all the other employees.  Silly I know, but made me feel a little more like I belong.  And I got to order my two work shirts.  woo-hoo.... hahahaha....

Today I got back at my living and active challenge.  We are on the final week.  And I seem to have petered out a little bit midway through last week. But am back at it, determined to not loose to much ground!

Yesterday the kids were off school again.  We took advantage of the gorgeous fall day and met up again with the Basile's at the park for some picnicking and pumpkin painting!

 
 

Jess and I diligently painting away on our pumpkins, long after the kids had abandoned the project and headed to the playground!

7 Happy Pumpkins!

 

Happy Fall Everyone!!

Sorry for the lack of update.  It was a hectic week and then we were away for the weekend.

The first day of work went well.  Part way through the shift I started ringing out customers and even started feeling fairly confident at it.  Although I was very happy to have my co-worker standing right over my shoulder in case I goofed something up! ;P Tonight is my 2nd night, and I am nervous already.  Hopefully soon it will become routine, I will feel like I belong there and quit being so anxious!

Friday afternoon, the kids and I set off to visit Grammy and Pa in Pennsylvania.  Pa's brother was visiting with his wife and son from California.  Also I got to meet my cousin's new lil guy Miach for the first time! <3

It was a weekend filled with laughter, joy and family.

Saturday also happened to be our 14th wedding anniversary. I feel so blessed to be married to my mister.  We have walked some rocky trails but I am happy we are still side by side and share the three most wonderful kids in the world!


Monday was a beautiful fall day! We ended up taking a spur of the moment trip up to visit the Falls.  It was a perfect afternoon.  Just crisp enough to feel fallish.  The kids laughed and ran, threw leaves at each other and buried the boys in piles of leaves...

 

 The sister of my heart...one of my dearest friends ever <3

Our six collective children at the top of the falls...

working mama

I am happy, excited and nervous...today is my first day at my new job. :-/  I am thankful and blessed God has given me this opportunity.

If you see this, say a quick prayer for me! It's a little hard for me to head out...knowing I won't be here when the kids get home.  For supper. Or bedtime. :(  But they'll be fine.  I am sure. 

Hopefully I will mostly be working days and not so much evenings once I am done training.

Its just about that time.  Deep breath.  Whisper a prayer.  Here I go.

DONE!

I love that sense of accomplishment when a project is finally finished.

I started my ripple last October...closing in on the end of September now so it has been almost a full year. But in truth it has mostly sat neglected in the corner since Christmas time. I am not 100% happy. I planned to make it MUCH bigger. Like double its size in fact. But that would require going out and buying more yarn. And much more time. :( It is big enough to cover me. And will be warm and cozy. It wound up being roughly 40" x 61". A good size for snuggling up on the couch or outside on the hammock on a chilly fall day.

A close up...
 


The Full length...such as it is...

  

Now that I have finished and I am sitting back looking at it, I am left feeling that it is incomplete.  And like a quitter. :-(

Mikayla asked me last night as I was crocheting away while we were watching old Castle reruns together how long i had been working on it... at my confession she said then jokingly, "So I guess I don't stand much chance on getting one for my birthday."

To which I responded, "Well....if it start nowwww...." ;P

UPDATE: I have decided I LOVE my blanket and it is quickly becoming a family favorite ;P It always makes me smile now too look at it. I am mostly over the wishing it was bigger part! 

the light...

I am thankful for a God who hear.  Who answers prayers.  Saturday I saw a bit of light peaking through. I awoke with the same feelings of desperation.

I brewed coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.  I opened up Jesus Calling to the page for Sept 22... It was as if it had been written just for me.  For this day.  For this circumstance...

Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and Song.  You are feeling wobbly this morning, looking at difficult times looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength.  However, they are not today's tasks--- or even tomorrow's.  So leave them in the future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for you.  Since I am your Strength, I can empower you to handle each task as it comes.  Because I am your Song, I can give you Joy as you work alongside Me.
Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment.  Among all My creatures, only humans can anticipate future events.  This ability is a blessing, but it becomes a curse whenever it is misused.  If you you your magnificent mind to worry about tomorrow, you cloak yourself in dark unbelief.  However, when the hope of heaven fills your thoughts, the Light of My Presence envelopes you.  though heaven is future, it is also present tense.  As you walk in the Light with Me, you have one foot on earth and one foot in heaven.  (Jesus Calling, pp277)

I read on looking up the verses listed at the bottom of the page a couple that God brought to mind as I read on....

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.    2 Corinthians 10:5

 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.   Hebrews 10:23

The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exodus  15:2
  
 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  2 Thessalonians 3:3

Saturday night I received a call for an interview. 

God is faithful.  I know He will guide me through this process and on to whatever it is He has for me in this next season of my life.  I am thankful for wonderful friends and family who I know are lifting me in prayer. 

fail.

Its been one of those nights.  Actually it wasn't so bad to start but escalated quickly...to the point I was screaming at Ryan.  Again.  I want to weep as I write this.  Its not a really huge deal I suppose. Another battle over the dishes.  Sigh.  Always.  I ended up yelling until we were both at the brink of tears.  Then sent him to bed.  After which I threw a tantrum like a toddler while I finished the dishes.  Slamming things around. Cursing myself for being such a horrid mom.

The house is quiet now.  I spent some time lying flat on my back on the living room floor.  Frustrated. Discouraged.  Pouring my angst out to my God. 

I got up.  Did my exercise routine.  Struggling to try and go through the motions while my inner storm kept brewing.

I have spent the week filling out application after application.  Feeling inexperienced and under-qualified for even a retail job.  I received one rejection already.  I have only ever been Mommy.  That's all my heart longs to be now.

I came on to write.  To try and find hope.  To post a few gifts.  To remind myself its not that bad.  Now I can barely see the screen through my tears.  .....

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43:5

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9 NIV

 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”  2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV

 He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.
Psalm 18:19 


¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  Ephesians 3:16-20

So maybe tomorrow there will be light.

In the meantime...

• sunkissed clouds
• cooling rain
• listening to thunder rumble
• a quiet house
• Welcome Micah Levi Damor!!!!!
• the ability to excerise and move
• gift of tomatoes from Jess
• chat's with Mikayla after school 
• first Women of Grace meeting of fall
• a lunch date with my hubby
• DD pumpkin coffee from Rhett <3
• an impromtu picnic afternoon at the park
• Reading with Hannah after school
• finding Ryan's devo book
• Cooking Mik's birthday dinner with her
• quality time with my birthday girl
• birthday apple fritters and beverages from DD
• 13th birthday party
• finding a pic of the same 4 girls...4 years ago...How they have grown!
• Hannah got to sleepover at Makenna's
• Playing with Andrew and Liam in the bursery
• Birthday dinner for Grandma
• bedtime devotions with Ryan
• a quiet day at home
• laying in the grass, looking at the sky so BLUE
• kindergarten friends at the park

new week!

I started off the week strong with the Living and Active Challenge.  But towards the end I feel like I let life get in the way a little.  I felt like hanging my head in shame when my buddy asked me about it at Church on Sunday.   I did do a lot of baby bouncing in the nursery on Sunday too...perhaps I could count that as my Sunday work out...hahaha...kidding....mostly... ;P

BUT I have not given up...its a fresh new week and I am back at it with renewed vigor.  My goal is FIVE days working out this week since I slacked a little at the end of last week.  I am happy though that the three days I missed, I was up and active...its not like I was sedentary.  I was up and moving and on my feet most of day.

This week so far I am two for two.  Yesterday I did a kickboxing DVD and today Cardio Dance.  Also planning to add the Muffin Top Makeover that I came across in the last weeks challenge blog entry by Peak313.


I love the verse for this week...

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:34

It is a pretty familiar verse to me anyway.  Yet I have been kinda stressing out about the future lately.  I needed that little reminder.

Now here's the main reason I got a little distracted from my workouts at the end of last week.  My oldest dear daughter turned THIRTEEN!! Saturday was a great day!  She and I got to have a little quality, one on one, mom-daughter time.  We hit DD for breakfast and did a little shopping then came home and got to work on party prep.  We had a great party that afternoon/evening celebrating her 13 years. ;-) What a blessing they have been!

pinteresting

I am adjusting to this new normal of a quiet empty house.  I am finding myself looking forward to actually getting a job and having somewhere to go and something to do... ;P That being said I am slightly apprehensive about my first day back to preschool tomorrow.  If you would say a prayer for me, I'd appreciate it.

This week I have tried/tested a few of the things I have pinned on pinterest.

On Monday I made myself a new purse. :) Here is the pin...

Source: snipsnaphappy.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

And here is mine... still deciding if I LOVE it or not...but it was fairly simple and quick.  The hardest part being flipping it right side out.  It is fully reversible which I love.  And looks kinda fallish which I like too. :-) 
  

Tuesday I tried a new crockpot meal. It was GREAT!! Even Ryan loved it and he turns his nose up at a lot of things. It also made a ton, I felt like we barely made a dent in this giant bowl of chickeny-tacoy- deliciousness.  The mister took a dish for lunch today and I plan on eating it for lunch as well.  I think this one if definitely one that will stay in my repertoire.

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Amy on Pinterest

Wednesday marked the start of our Women of Grace Bible Study for the fall season. :-) I made a suitably fallish snack...These Chai Spice Pumpkin cookies. They were fabulous! ;)

Source: passthesushi.com via Amy on Pinterest

Living and Active

I came across this challenge on Pinterest. It immediately peaked my interest as I have been looking for something to keep me motivated in the exercise department. I have become increasingly discontent with the girl staring back at me from the mirror. :-/  Then Friday at my annual check up my doctor told me I have crossed that thin line between healthy and unhealthy.  Not by much....she said even five pounds would put me back within "healthy/normal" range.  She told me to get off my butt and get moving.  I said I would.

Just now on FB I saw this post...

Happy Monday morning!

Today's Joy Dare!

3 gifts moving...

{Thanking Him for it all}
 

Made me chuckle...guess it is time to get moving!  I am thankful that I am {relatively} young and healthy and I am going to make strides to become more healthy.  I am thankful for this life God has blessed me with.  I am thankful I have the ability to get up and get moving!

The memory verse that goes along with this week is Ecclesiastes 4:12

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

 

I know I have at least one friend who is joining with me.  I encourage you to check it out as well. 

 

My body is a temple of the Most High God.  And its high time I start treating it as such!

 

Here is what I am doing personally.... I have three Denise Austin DVDs that I have had for ages and really like...


I also plan to mix it up a bit with dvd's from the Library.  And I hope to get in a bike of bit riding before winter sets in. Hannah has been begging to go on a bike ride but I didn't "feel like it" and didn't take her. :( {Bad Mommy.} I intend to fix that this week. :D

At risk of some embarrassment here is my before pic...looking slightly preggo and so very NOT!