the start...

This week as been a bit hectic and nerve wracking. Even now sitting here, I feel so anxious I can hardly stand it.  I thought maybe a bit of blogging this morning might help calm my nerves and make me feel a bit more "normal".

Tuesday was my last day working at both my jobs. It was bitter sweet to be sure.  I am so sad to have left my job at the church.  Yesterday I missed in immensely.  While I am not that sorry to have left my cashier job behind at OMX, I will miss the people I worked with a great deal.

For Today... {January 28, 2016}

Outside my window... slightly melty, icky dirty snow.

I am thankful... for my new friends from Moms Connect.  What a blessing this group has been.  I have missed being part of a Bible Study for so long.  It feel great to get connected again.

I am wearing... my Castle PJs and Green Bay Packers sweatshirt and slippers.  As soon as Hannah heads out the door and I finish (hopefully) this entry up I will get cleaned up and ready for work.

I am learning... to choose not to worry.  Yesterday's Love God Greatly devotional was perfect. And quite timely.  Talking about choosing prayer over worry.

In my kitchen...

Potato Chowder. A Pampered Chef recipe.  I made it yesterday morning in the rockcrok so Mikayla could warm it up for supper.  Wednesday's are a little rough as we have to rush to piano lessons and musical rehersal almost as soon as I get home.

Apparently yesterday was Chocolate cake day! Which I did not know until after I made a chocolate cake! Its most definitely not the prettiest of cakes but hits the spot for a quick chocolate fix. It takes just 12 minutes in the microwave.  You scoop the frosting on top of the cake batter, then after its baked it comes out on top of the cake! :D I started making it years ago when we lived in Virginia with my pampered chef buddy Nancy.  Then Mikayla and I called it magic cake...last night she re-named it Lazy Lava Cake.  I also drizzled the top with caramel...Mikayla later commented we should drizzle it with peanutbutter as well. ;)
Here is the link to the directions on my old blog:  Magic Cake/Lazy Lava Cake

A favorite quote for today...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6 NIV

A peek into one of my days...
My painting from Saturday.  It was so fun!

Yesterday at my new desk...pretending I know whats going on :P

My freshly cleaned dresser, now home to my PA Bear.

One of my favorite things... 

A few plans for the rest of the week: Running a race tomorrow night with my mom, sister in law and niece.  I can hardly wait!  Sunday we will be celebrating my nephews 2nd birthday.  I am so happy my brother and his fam live in the area now.

From the board room {Pinterest}... * I was whining about wanting cake on Monday night and Mikayla whipped up this super yummy snicker doodle mug cake for me.

 Pinned: Let the eat cake

Source: FiveHeartHome.com

Post Script * Its Girl Scout Cookie TIME! You can even order cookies online and have them shipped right to you! Or let us know if you'd like to order! Cookies are $4 a box.  Both girls have really great troops and have done some wonderful activities.

Mikayla's Cookie Page:  https://DigitalCookie.GirlScouts.org/scout/mikayla4117
Hannah's Cookie page:  https://DigitalCookie.GirlScouts.org/scout/hannah2757

Double dipping today and linking up with The Simple Woman's Daybook and Thinking Out Loud at Running with Spoons.  Check out the link ups for more great reads!

Not the end of the story just the start of a NEW Chapter

This week I am overly emotional and tired.  I think its from the endings and beginnings. My body and spirit are weary and my nerves, overwrought.  Yet as I began typing my very first ever blog entry popped into my mind.  Which begins with this quote from none other than Mister Rogers.

"Often when you are at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else.  I've felt that many times.  My hope for all of us is that 'the miles we go before we sleep' will be filled with all the feelings that come from deep caring- delight, sadness, joy, wisdom- and that in all endings of our life, we will be able to see the new beginnings."

This is my last full week working at the church and I am sad.  I have loved it.  A job I thought I would hate every moment of. I love.  I love being in my church almost everyday.  Being there when it is quiet and still.  I am dreading taking down all my notes and pictures. :(

The end of one thing is of course the beginning of something else. I am trying to get overwhelmed.  To remember to just go a step at a time.  I have been praying and praying for this.  For weeks. Months even.  This is the job God gave to me.  It where He wants me.

One step at time.  I keep reminding myself of this.

Last night I was successful at reading more.  Hannah too, as the school started PARP (Parents as Reading Partners) yesterday.  She cozied up next to me reading her book.  Tonight we plan to stop in the library.

And because he is just so cute!

Because yesterday was the 10th anniversary of High School Musical ;-)

Linked up with

What to read...

I fell a bit short on my reading goal for last year. I read 22 of the 28 books, according to my goodreads,  that were my goal.  I fell way short on the full shelf challenge...as you can see my shelf is still full.  I have added a couple new books I received for Christmas, etc. This also is not showing the three library books I currently I have (plus one audio book I have been listening to in the van)....and the four more on hold.

But I am hoping to do better. Starting now. At the beginning of last year I made a conscious effort to not pick up my phone or turn on the TV.  To pick up a book instead.  I need to do that again.

I am hoping several on my shelf will fit this challenge as well from the Modern Mrs Darcy.

 

My biggest reading goal this year is to finally finish a Jane Austen book.  In my head I am a Jane Austen fan...yet I never actually read one of her books.  I have two of her books on my shelf currently. Pride and Prejudice, which is in progress and Sense & Sensibility.  

Here's to staying on track this year.  Maybe writing a few book reviews.  Finally emptying that shelf so I can fill it again with new books!  To reading more this year instead of mindlessly watching TV or scrolling on my phone.

snow :/

For Today... {January 19, 2015}

Outside my window... It's snowing a little bit :-P I wish I was hibernating.

I am thinking... how much I wish it would stop snowing. :/ I don't want to drive home. And really don't want to drive to and from OMX tonight.

I am thankful... For a new job! It still feels unreal. Tomorrow I go in after my church job to start training. I am really excited about it. Trying not to worry about all the what ifs. It's so crazy just a week ago I wrote about my hearts desires in the job. Things that felt unattainable. And yet God answered them all. I can get Hannah on the bus before work. It's close to home only a ten or fifteen minute drive. It's flexible so I can be available if my children need me. God is good.



I am wondering... how and when I am going to get my running in now. At least until summer comes back and it is light in the evenings.  I am afraid to run outside. In the dark. I may have to start trekking to mom and dad's to use their treadmill. :/ But I really need to get my butt in gear, last week resulted in ZERO runs.  Next Friday we are doing the Freezeout 5K.

I am reading... I started a new library book last night, I don't remember the name.  I have 3 holds ready to pick up at the library! My mom also gave me Thrive: Digging Deep and Reaching Out by Mark Hall from Casting Crowns this weekend.  I am eager to begin that one too.

If only...

I am hoping... that this is the beginning of good things for us.

I am learning... this morning I flipped open my Bible.  Looked up today's Jesus Calling.  When I got to the bottom I realized my Bible was already open to the first verse listed!

My favorite spot <3

In my kitchen... Mikayla and I planned out this weeks menus together.

• last night: Mikayla made Eggplant Parmesan
• today is kinda a free for all. Only the kids will be home at dinner time
• WED: meatball subs
• THURS: pizza =) always.
• FRI: Mikayla is making Irish Stew 
• time to plan some more dinners ;)

 A peek into one of my days... Chance is enjoying the snow day.  ;)

One of my favorite things... being home. Warm and cozy.

A few plans for the rest of the week: working, starting part time at the new job- training, no girl scouts this week :( BUT its cookie season!! Anyone need some cookies ;)  Saturday doing the painting thing at the library with my buddy and then date night with my mister. <3

From the board room {Pinterest}... * I need a makeover :/

Pinned: my style
Source: stitchfix

Post Script * I am thinking this might be my February race...anyone want to run 3.1 miles with me in February...
 

If you just believe

A couple more challenges done! And boy does it feel good!

This week frustration and dispair has threatened to take over again. Yet I continue to cling to hope. Thursday while I was out for a run I got a call about an opportunity. One I am excited and hopeful about. I have an interview on Tuesday and would truly appreciate your prayers.

For close to a year now the idea of a new job has been on the table. Since summer I have been seeking one in earnest to no avail. It's discouraging and frustrating.

Yet, God keeps whispering his promises to my heart. Trust. Believe. Good things are out there.

The desire of my heart is to find a job close to home. One that is flexible enough I can be available to my children if need be. I don't are how old they are, always I will be mommy first. One that will not require to put Hannah in before school child care. One that will still be "enough". It seems impossible.

And yet this morning in my devo I was remind... Nothing is impossible with God. So I pray. I hope. I believe.

Jesus calling for today-

Overflowing

Between church service yesterday, my darling Sunday school class and moms connect last night. I feel full to the brim. Ready to overflow. My heart is full.

My Sunday school class, yesterday I had my usual 6 lovely little girls. I love them so. Their sweet eager faces. Hearing their hearts as they pray. Helping them learn to use and treasure their Bibles.

In worship service we learned about 2 Samuel. King David. How he waited 23 long years to fully become king of Israel. Yet he kept seeking God's will. Striving to be content where ever he was. I get so impatient.  Waiting is so very hard. I am reminded again, I am where I am today for a reason. I will do my best today to walk the path He has for me. To be His light and overflow onto all I meet today.

Last night Moms Connect was such a blessing, our table was full. We laughed and shared and prayed. I left feeling better than I have felt in a really long time.  Today my heart is still full.

I started a new study. Devoted to Prayer by Love God Greatly. I almost bought their study guide from Amazon because of the coloring pages for the memory verse. But ended up not because I am cheap and mostly I prefer just to write in my devo journal anyway. You can follow along the study via the blog and download the study guide pdf (minus the coloring pages) for free. I just print the reading guide and follow the blog. =)  I am excited to dig deeper into the subject of prayer.  The blog today felt like a continuation of what we were talking about at Moms Connect on Sunday night.

Time with God is so very important. It is the oxygen that gets me through the day.

Baby steps...

 

Linked up today with Amanda at Running with Spoons

• At the close of last year I decided to join the Declutter 365 Challenge this year.  Well, here it is Janaury 7 and I had yet to do a single challenge. :-( This morning I decided to quit beating myself up and jump in.  Doing a little is better than none! Yesterday's challenge was the kitchen sink area.  This area always gets to me.  A plethora of water bottles/travel mugs etc seem to collect there.  I bought fresh fruit yesterday, but there were still squishy old apples, Christmas cookie cutters and an easy bake oven pan in the bottom of my fruit bowl.

I cleaned the fruit bowl, and got rid of all the excess.  Even recycled one old MOPS travel mug that had long since lost its lid. :P ALL the dishes washed and the sink clean and empty! 

I even made sure the kitchen table was cleared before I left for work!  It wasn't too bad, since I had kept it clear except for homework last night.  Coming home and seeing it covered in clutter always irritates me.

I made my bed.  Something I have been completely slacking on, as of late.  The room just looks so much tidier, even just making the bed.  Plus it makes it that much nicer at bedtime to crawl right in.

Side note: I (we) got a new comforter set for Christmas! Love it! Another reason to make the bed.  Also I swiped the blue pillow from the living room. It bothered me how much the shams blended into the bed, I think the throw pillow helped break it up. Still on my list is new sheets, either blue or grey.

This afternoon we'll be un-decorating the tree and putting away the rest of the Christmas decor.

Last night's dinner! A total Pin-Win! I was so excited with how it came out. Chicken and Broccoli Stirfry. I was a little if-y on making this one. I feel like stirfrys don't often live up to the promises in the recipe. Leaving me craving "real" Chinese takeout. Not so with this one.  It was delicious!

I picked this book up again this morning.  A friend lent it to me a while back (over the summer I think).  I figured I better finish it so I can return it.  It talks about leaving free of offense.  Something this world (myself included) seems to struggle with so much these days.  We are so easily offended. What if we all just showed a little compassion and grace, and didn't take every little thing so personally.

I have worked hard on memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and actually practicing it this fall and winter.  sometimes I wish it was tattooed on my forearm for easy reference.  Its so easy sometimes to get stuck in the past, to have past hurts big and small pop up.  But if you are truly trying to walk in love you need to let some things go.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV   

• My phone actually let me take pictures this morning! I couldn't believe it. It has been telling me its full for weeks. Despite emptying it of pictures, deleting apps, messages, etc.  Once in a while I can randomly get the camera to work.  Usually I can trick it into taking pictures through another app like Instagram.  But this morning it just out of the blue worked.  No deleting or cajoling, it let me take several pics just like that! #ItsTheSimpleThings :P 


• I conquered the "I just want to sit on the couch and drink a coke" yesterday afternoon and actually took Chance for a run. It was ridiculously slow.  The first mile because of him-- must sniff all the things! The second because of me! Ugh, so out of shape. But victorious! We got out there & "ran" 2 miles...and I didn't even drink that coke when I got home!

Happy Thursday! I hope the first week of 2016 has been a good one!

so it begins...

For Today... {January 5, 2016} Happy New Year!

Outside my window... it is COLD! The temps crawled up into double digits on my drive to work...10 degrees. 10.

I am thinking... about this year, goals.  How to accomplish them.

I am thankful...

• for a warm(ish) home. 
• Lots of blankets. 
• Shopping with the kids last night for their new cousin :D

I am wearing... layers...did I mention its TEN degrees outside :P

Brrrrrrrrrrr

I am reading... Pride and Prejudice (still), I am determined to finish it this time, also some of the others on my full shelf (still full from last year) and to read more classics this year.

I am hoping... That good things are just around the bend

I am learning... I was made on purpose...for a purpose. I joined a FB group Start with Hope; its a 40 day challenge to get into God's Word, this is the verse from today...
Galatians 1:15 states- But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. (NLT)

I am creating... I am on a bit of a coloring kick and made the above verse into a coloring page with a little help from google ;) I uploaded a PDF version HERE

I am going... to drink more water.  I got a new water bottle for Christmas that is helping greatly.

In my kitchen... we are making calzones on Thursday per Mikayla's request...everything else is still up in the air.  Grocery shopping tomorrow.

A favorite quote for today...

A peek into one of my days... 

Grammy made us bears for Christmas.  From Pa's shirts.  <3 This is mine.

Annual New Years Run--

Snuggles with Chance when we got home :) He missed us a lot.

 One of my favorite things... my new planner :D

 A few plans for the rest of the week: this week's big event is my sister's baby shower :D I am excited my aunt and cousin are coming up for it too.

From the board room {Pinterest}... * some reading inspiration

Pinned: Full Shelf 

Source: Modern Mrs Darcy

Post Script * New Years Day I signed up for the 2016 SpringTime 10K.  Its kinda a personal race because the race director is one of my brother's high school buddies.  My mom and his mom became great friends watching the boys' track meets.  The last time I saw Bev was at the first Springtime 10K 2 years ago.  This past fall she lost her battle with ovarian cancer.  This race supports Hope For Heather, "This Corporation’s mission is to raise funds to support ovarian cancer research, to promote education and awareness, and to help to provide comfort to women and their families devastated by cancer."

Linked up today with Peggy's 

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2016 already?

Here it is New Year's Day again. I can't believe already a whole year has passed us by. 2016. It's here. All fresh and shiny and bright. Everyone is posting their hopes, dreams, goals... Resolutions.

I alternate depending on the moment between complete excitement over the new year. This is my year. Good things are coming. To utter dispair... It's never going to get any better. :-/

This morning I finally looked over my New Years post from last year. I figured I probably failed miserably at my goals for 2015.  Turns out I didn't. There were only three --

• Pittsburgh.  Running the Half Marathon.  This will be my second half.  My goal is simply to run more.  Stronger.  Faster. Longer.  To achieve a new PR.  <- did it. ;-)
• This year I am going to read through the Bible again.  I am going to follow along with the#365daysoftruth plan on SheReadsTruth.  You can follow along on their app or click the link for a printable version. =)  January also coincides with their study on the book of John. <- ok so this one I forgot about totally and/or abandoned, but I was faithful in my devo time and getting into the word almost everyday, so I am still counting it a win ;-)
• To be grateful.  There is always something for which to give thanks. <- I definitely had my moments but intentionally looking for the good is something I worked hard on. One I am going to continue in 2016. There is always something good.

My goals for 2016, in no particular order-

• Home: make it a sactuary, a refuge and haven. Specifically my bedroom.
• Pampered Chef: Build a sucessful business, starting with having at least one real party a month and one virtual/catalog party and going up from there. Not going inactive for a single month this year! I ended 2015 really well and am really proud! I want to keep it going for once and maybe even make it to conference this year! That being said I still need a January host. ;) or else I will be forced to host my own soup and slippers party... You're all invited.
• Run: To get better stronger. Faster. Run one race a month and hopefully at least one again with my mister. We have hopes of doing the one in Green Bay this summer. 
• Spiritual: continue growing, spending time each day in His word. Being the light he wants me to be in the world. To dig deep and not just go through the motions.
• Speak Life: to banish the negative. Especially the way I talk to myself. Lately I say horrible terrible things to myself. Not so shockingly I am starting to believe them. Lies. All of them.   ~   Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8
• Live each day with Purpose: He has a plan and a purpose for me. I might not be able to see the big picture right now. But if I am seeking his will in each day-- then I guess I must be in the right path.