For making all A's!!
Whoop, Whoop!! We're so proud!!
My sweet friend at Jumpin In has What's Cookin' Wednesday and I love checking out her recipes. Her red velvet cupcakes are to die for!! I've made them several times... So she has inspired me to do something similiar... Family Favorite Friday!!
So this weeks post and hopefully Friday's hereafter... will be my Family Favorite Friday... it can include but is not limited to favorite recipes, place to go, games to play... etc.
Hope you can come in and stay a while!
I'd love for you to have a seat on my "new" sofa.
I took the bookshelves out of my bedroom and moved them to the
The bunnies are out and my bouquet is on my
He's just cute!!
I bagged this bunny at Pier 1. I made the bow
It was a gorgeous weekend. A great weekend for a nice jog. And jog I did... 6.2 miles for the Spring Fever Chase. I was proud that I could "run" the whole thing. I made myself do it for my kids at school. I push them to run at school and they don't always like me for it. So in their honor I signed up for the 10K. Well, I finished in a pretty good time for someone who has not run in FOREVER!! I have been doing some walking and aerobics and weights but no serious running. I knew I would be sore afterwards. I knew that walking steps would hurt. I'm really ok with sore muscles... But NOT OK with knees that are KILLING me. I think it's the getting older. Seriously, it hit me like a ton of bricks this weekend. I'm barely hanging onto my 30's. Next year is the BIG 4-0!! Am I ready for it?? Mentally? I thought so but now I am not so sure. Physically? Not at all. Eating late dinners and snacks is not like it used to be. I'm not a big person so any weight gain is noticeable. And I don't really want to be noticed for that. So I am here to say that I am about to kick the BIG 4-0 in the heiny!! It's going to take a whole revamping of my lifestyle. I'm not going to start getting up any earlier but I am going to control better what I put in my mouth. {Probably should control what goes out better too, but that can be a story for a later day} And how I manage my exercise routine. I was in such a great groove with my buddy in the fall and she came down with some serious medical stuff so she had to give up the am routine... What was my excuse? I'm going to have a serious issue if I don't reign it in now.
Sorry for the vent... but I figure if I put it out there for the whole world to read {all 5 of y'all} maybe I'll be a little more committed!!
So here's to a new beginning and what better time to start than SPRING!! {Not to mention that Spring Break is just a few weeks away... and no, I don't expect any miracle between now and then just a commitment to myself!!}
It's a beautiful day and going to be a beautiful weekend too!! We have the Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend. Also the Spring Fever Chase! I'm running the 10K alone this year. I finally have Number 2 son convinced to do the "fun" 2 mile run!! He will do that with Number 1 son!
I have a lovely case of pink eye so my company is not coming this weekend. They have some serious sickness in their extended family and they just can't take any chances of catching it and taking it home. We are all disappointed but there will be other weekends.
Been doing a little SPRING CLEANING & Rearranging... will post some pics later this weekend.
Happy Spring, hope it's as nice where you are this weekend! Get out and do something fun!
I finished reading The Shack the other day. I know MANY people who have RAVED how Wonderful it is. I will let you be the judge of that. I'm not saying I didn't like it... I'm just saying you decide for yourselves. I did find this statement very profound and thought I'd share it with you all..
Sarayu is speaking to Mack...
I am a verb. I am that I am. I am a verb... alive, dynamic, ever active and moving. And as my very essence is a verb; I am more attuned to verbs than nouns. Verbs such as confessing, repenting, living, loving, responding, growing, reaping, changing, sowing, running, dancing, singing, and on and on. Humans have a knack for taking a verb that is alive and full of grace and turning it into a dead noun or principle that reeks of rules: something growing and alive dies.
For something to move from death to life you must introduce something living into the mix. To move from something that is only a noun to something dynamic and unpredictable, to something living and present tense is to move from law to grace.
Let's use the example of friendship and how removing the element of life from a noun can drastically alter a relationship. Mack if you and I are friends there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship. When we see each other or are apart, there is expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. That expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic and everything that emerges from our being together is a unique gift shared by no one else. But what happens if I change that 'expectancy' to an 'expectation'-spoken or unspoken? Suddenly, law has entered into our relationship. You re now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations. Our living friendship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements. It is no longer about you and me, but about what friends are supposed to do, or the responsibilities of a good friend." {this applies to any relationship.. husband wife, mother daughter...}
Mack argues back...
But if you didn't have expectations and responsibilities wouldn't everything just fall apart?
Sarayu replies back...
Only if you are of the world, apart from me and under the law. Responsibilities and expectations are the basis of guilt and shame and judgment, and provide the essential framework that promotes performance as the basis for identity and value. You know well what it is like not to live up to someone's expectations.
Mack replies..
Are you saying you have no expectations of me?
Papa now replies...
Honey, I've never placed any expectation on you or anyone else. The idea behind expectations requires that someone does not know the future or outcome and is trying to control behavior to get the desired result. Humans try to control behaviour largely through expectations. I know you and everything about you. Why would I have an expectation other than what I already know? That would be foolish. And beyond that, because I have no expectations, you never disappoint me.
Mack asks Papa if he has never been disappointed in him.
Papa replies...
NEVER!! What I do have is a constant and living expectancy in our relationship and I give you an ability to respond to any situation and circumstance in which you find yourself. To the degree that you resort to expectations and responsibilities to that degree you neither know me nor trust me.
Mack asks don't you want us to set priorities.. God first etc...
Sarayu replies...
If you put God at the top what does that really mean and how much is enough? How much time do you give me before you can go on about the rest of your day, the part that interests you so much more?
Papa replies...
Even if you are able, which you are not, to give me the biggest piece that is not what I want. I want all of you and all of every part of you and your day.
Jesus replies...
I don't want to be first among a list of values; I want to be at the center of everything. When I live in you, then together we can live through everything that happens to you. Rather than a pyramid, I want to be the center of the mobile, where everything in you life-- friends, family, occupation, thoughts, activities-- is connected to me but moves with the wind, in and out back and forth, in an incredible dance of being.
Now I left somethings out but this is the main idea. Living life with expectancy rather than expectations... Something to think about!!
Step one: Gather up some of your favorite Mommies
Step two: Make some yummy muffins and assorted breakfast goodies.
Step three: Make up a batch of Mimosas {winetini's work well too!!}
Step four: Enjoy!!
Caution: This recipe causes lots of laughter, keep bathrooms stocked with toilet paper!! And maybe wear some depends!!
It sure brightened up our rainy day here on the bay!! Just another great reason I love where I live!! {Of course this recipe is good anytime and anywhere!!}
... to do a little spring shopping. My mantle is BARE and I am in search of what to do there. I have an old window that I have put there and now I need to decide what to do next to it. Topiaries?? Candles?? Some old sconces? Something in front of the window?? It's a blank canvas just waiting to come to life. I hope I can resuscitate it today.
Number 1 son is at Disciple Now for the weekend. We are hosting a group of girls at the house. It was funny to see them come in and their leader asked where to go and the girls all piped in, We know.. follow us!! Made me laugh!!
Number 2 son had baseball practice last night until 9pm. He and McSweetie went this am and hit some balls together. After a yummy family b'fast at the local Waffle House!! Oh how I love a Waffle House waffle, plain, {no butter or syrup} scattered hash browns and a slice of bacon!! That is some kind of goodness!!
Came home and swept off the front door area. My chickies looked funny with dead leaves around them. Pulled the dead plants out of the planters and moved the fall welcome matt. Now I am in search of some ferns and a new spring doormat.
Happy Spring Break to all my friends from home!! Hope you all have a great week relaxing. {Can't wait to see some of y'all this week...} I look forward to our break in April!!
R's Big Birthday Bash { Not really, just family}
Loving the new computer!
S's friend took the 8th Grade Princess Title!
My nephew's Birthday dinner!
HAPPY MONDAY!
... but I promise to post with pictures tomorrow!!
Hope you have all had a great weekend!! Ours was BEAUTIFUL!!
