ToL 5.31- Just :-)

It's Thursday and I have a whole lotta randomness running through my head sooooo- linking up today with Amanda at Running with Spoons.

It's National Smile Day. Who knew. ;-)

This weeks reads-

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake. Loved this book. Quite light-hearted after the murder mystery/thriller types I have been reading lately. I very much enjoyed it. Its set in Milwaukee and makes me want to go! The main character Lou is helping food critic/Englishman/Milwaukee Hater, Al, learn to love the city.  She takes him to various local eateries and festivals. Also makes me wonder what places are waiting to be discovered here in my own city... Summer Bucket List? Bonus the coconut cake recipe is included at the end of the book. I intend on making it very soon.

This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today. I picked up this book from the local library because I love the show This Is Us.  Probably my current favorite that is on the air.  It was a pretty easy read, I read the majority of it in the truck on the way to Grammy's and back this weekend. =)  It tells the story of her life and rise to where she is now from a pretty rough childhood. Her purpose to inspire you to reach and strive for all life has to offer.  To make your dreams into your reality- leaving me again wondering- Why not me? And how can I turn my dream into my reality...

Sacred Marriage.  It took me a pretty long time to read this one.  I feel like its one that needs read through again to absorb it all and also there is a study guide/discussion questions in the back that would probably be pretty helpful.  But a good book. Thought provoking. More about your own perspective and working on your attitude and relating to God. There by becoming a better spouse for your partner.

The House Girl. An interesting story and read, entertaining the tales of a runaway 17 year old slave, Josephine, from Virginia and a young lawyer Lina in NYC in present day.  Lina is seeking for a case, to discover what happened to Josephine and find a descendant- if she has any.  I enjoyed Josephine's story a bit more. But overall enjoyed the book. It's one I found through Mrs Modern Darcy's list of Kindle Deals and borrowed from my local library.

Saturday Morning we all headed off to Grammy's.  It felt so awesome to have this weekend together!

Road Trip Family Selfie

It was a pretty low key weekend. Which was also nice.  Good to see Grammy, of course. 

Once Mom arrived, an hour or so after us, Hannah and I headed up to the cemetery with her and Grammy.  Putting flowers on family members graves.  Hannah and I enjoyed wandering a little and checking out names and dates on surrounding markers.

We did a little shopping. Rhett and the kids went fishing. My uncles and their wives came in for Sunday dinner.

We went out for ice cream and took the pup along. Chance had his first ice cream cone. He devoured it. He was one happy pup, grinning the whole way back to Grammy's.


Seen on my run around town Monday morning  =) I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping the streak alive. I almost let it die. It was starting to warm up (but not too awful yet and the pavement wasn't too hot yet for Chance's paws).  So Chance and I decided to venture out.

Chancer  was really excited I took him down to the creek. I had to hold on a tree to avoid him pulling me in too! The bank was really muddy and slippery.

Our run streak! Hoping to keep in going and participate in the Runner's World streak between Memorial Day and the 4th of July.  Here's hoping to get in a mile with Becca while we are Girl Scout camping this weekend.

I'm hoping and planning to put in an order tonight.  I want to avoid going inactive and losing my career sales (again!).  I am getting kinda close to the $15,000 mark which also gives me a bump in commission.  Anyway here is the link if anyone is so incline to order:

-->> https://pamperedchef.com/party/UiRycS  <<--

I have majorly slacked off- and would like to get back on track- so if anyone wants to have a PARTY...

The PINK Help Whip Cancer products are only available through today! And can I just say the Whip Cream Maker is amazing! 

This morning's breakfast courtesy of a couple of my favorite products! The Cold Brew Pitcher and the Ceramic Egg Cooker.


In an effort to choose more healthful options- microwave omelet and fresh fruit...and of course cold brew blueberry coffee.  Coffee always a must. Warming temps and morning runs make iced coffee a more appealing option.

Mikayla has been in Arizona for the last week and a half. She is enjoying the scenery and the wild life. I stole all these off her snapchat. Can't wait to have our girl home! 8 days and counting!

salad , Lizards and PIZZA!

It's Thursday! Happy sigh. Tomorrow is Friday! Its actually been a halfway decent week for a change. =)  I'm really excited for the first cookout/fire with friends tomorrow night. Then Saturday morning we are hitting the road and headed to Grammy's for the weekend. (Even the mister! I am soooo excited!)

Yesterday I saw a salad on pinterest- I decided to make it for dinner and it sure hit the spot!

Pin-spiration-


My salad... not bad, eh? Twas delicious! I love making fancy salads.

Mikayla met this guy yesterday...

Day 3 of our Run Streak. Getting up and getting in a run before the kids get up is making me really happy. Chance too. He now hears me get up and sits whining outside the bathroom door until I am ready. ;-) Last night I did yoga before bed too.



It's pizza night! I LOVE grilling pizza! I'm thinking we will demo one of our pizzas tonight ;-) come by around 5ish to check it out at Amy's Pampered Kitchen.  Tonight we'll be grilling Spinach Artichoke Pizza per Hannah's request.

The pizza grill pan is currently available in the OUTLET =) I think I will be snagging another one.

Sometimes I need reminding...

tacos and honor roll + a run or 2

Last night Ryan was inducted into the Junior Honor Society at school.  I sort of found out at the last minute and had to rush home from an appointment to make it there. But I made it. After we were starving so we went to the Mexican restaurant in town for a celebratory dinner.

Mik made it safely to Arizona yesterday... counting the days until she is home for the summer <3 *17*


Last night I decided I was going to get up and run. And. I. Did.


Chancey was a happy boy! He eagerly bounded off the couch the second I whispered his name.

May Miles so far: 19 =)

The shrimp zoodles- total win! The mister loved them which made me so happy.  The recipe comes together really quickly.  I'm thinking it would be a great live recipe demo one of these days.

Saturday we did the Honor and Remember Run/Walk.  This course. I. Hate. It.  I hate running in the grass. I hate that hill. It was raining.

But as always- I was happy to be there. To pay tribute. It also made me profoundly thankful my husband and brother came back safe.

Pre-race

Finish Line 

Post run Dunkin' makes life better...

pizza and swings...

Why are emotions so fragile? I am in such a crummy mood. All the more irritating because I was in a really great, almost giddy mood and then all of the sudden bam! 😒

I have no reason to be so grumpy and I am seriously trying to pull myself out of it.  Part of it is I'm hungry. Trying to make healthier choices, sigh. Being healthy is hard.

But we went running this morning. It felt amazing.

This book. I love.  Its my favorite one this year so far. I listened to the audio version but decided it was one I needed to own in print. I've have been reading through it in my devotional time. =)


We didn't have Girl Scouts so we arranged to have pizza night with friends <3  We also indulged in some swinging and a nice walk. I say again- who needs therapy when you can go walking with your best friend. If only we could do it everyday!

More good...

• prayer
• puppy snuggles
• tea
• payday $$
• walk and talk with Jess
• potential trip to Grammy's
• good-bye kisses and I love yous
• hug from Hannah
• being outside
• pizza with Basile's <3
• swinging
• oh that sky!

Tonight's dinner... So I saw this on Hungry Runner Girl's blog  (my favorite blogger) this week. It looked super yummy.  Her family LOVED it. I am going to give it a try tonight with a few tweaks. The mister is going no-carb so I am going to try it with zoodles. I'm really excited to try it!

An apple and some perspective and I'm feeling a little better...

dream big, pray big

So as I said yesterday- I'm reading this book- The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

I find myself reading with a hopeful yet skeptical heart.

Last night I went on a walk with my best friend. We talked about dreams.

This morning I spent real time praying for my family. Like real prayers not just the surface. Like I hated to put down the pen and get ready for work type of prayers.

Today I am reading in The Circle Maker about dreams. BIG dreams. Praying circles around your big dreams with HOPE and EXPECTATION.

This week I started making myself a daily page. I pen an inspiration or scripture, my to-do list, my thankful list, my water intake, etc...

As I was reading I wrote in the middle of my daily page God CAN! Doodling cloud shape around it. I wrote under it-

DREAM BIG

PRAY BIG

Two HUGE God sized prayers came immediately to my heart. I wrote them down too. 

I clicked over to our church website- I don't even know why and there at the bottom of the page was this promise...

Coincidence... I think not.

So I continue to pray- believing God is going to completely restore our marriage- making it NEW. Better and stronger than ever.

The 2nd request isn't for me- so I'll keep that one for now.

But I know He is listening. I know He cares. I know He will answer in His perfect time.

With God nothing is impossible.

the name of the game... enjoy LIFE

______________________

For Today

{May 15, 2018}

I can't believe May is half gone already.

Looking out my window
Rain.

  Chance and I went on a run this morning about 15 seconds in- it started to rain. He was not a happy pup and wanted to go home but I coaxed him into carrying on. 

It didn't last long and he sure was a happy boy when the rain stopped.

I am thinking

Choose. Joy.
Don't get overwhelmed.
Trust God.
Breathe.

I am thankful
~Safe trip to Houghton and back last night. The last time dropping her off there.
So happy next year she will be SOOOOOOO much closer!
~Mother's Day with all my kiddos and mister and the Nemitz Fam.
~Hymns on Sunday at church

One of my favorite things

Sunday morning, Mother's Day,
Mikayla made me breakfast and presented me with a jar filled with strips of paper. 
Each one something my children love about me.
Some of them were goofy- like 

Dancing to "shake it off " in the van 
That time you stopped at a traffic light that wasn't there. (Yeah, that happened.)
You get giggly after 7 pm.
Always singing Disney songs with her.

Others were serious like 

You want me to make my own decisions. 

You always have faith in God. 

You came to every concert.

You are strong.

That makes me think maybe I've done something right after all.

I am wearing

I am reading 
The Circle Maker

This one has been on my list for a while, was recommended by two friends this fall/winter.
Currently the kindle version is on sale for $2.99 so of course I jumped all over that!
Its also come at the perfect time as I have been so discouraged the past couple weeks.
God is nudging me back to him.

I am hoping
The rain clears up for this evening so we can go walking ;-)

I am learning
That only God can fill and heal my broken emptiness.
You would think I would have learned this by now but no...
He alone is where my Hope and Trust is today.

In my kitchen
The girls made burritos last week. So yummy!

Board room

Pinned : self love

Post Script
My book shelf so far this year... I have thus far completed 34 books.

Amy's 2018 book montage

Amy's favorite books »

Shared Quote

A moment from my day

Closing Notes:
Never Give Up.
Always Keep Praying.