Rockin?......

.....You betcha! At least according to my friends Lisa at The Preachers Wife and Susanne at Truly Captivating! I can't even begin to remember the last time I considered myself to be "rockin".....I'd probably classify myself as "rambling"(since my brain has turned to complete and total mush)...or "rummaging"(since I always seem to be looking for things these days). But hey! These ladies know their stuff and so if they say I'm "rockin" then who in the world am I to dispute that? (Even if it did take me a week to finish this post!) Here's what these ladies had to say:

The Preacher's Wife said:

Deedra at NSpiredByFaith - It is one thing to talk about 'being a better woman', (whatever that means to you) but another all together to do something about it. Deedra has started Fit4Life Fridays at her blog that challenges us to set goals and work towards attaining them. I know Deedra is working on hers because we run into each other at the walking track in the mornings! Let me tell you, it is some kind of dedicated woman that will get a 1-year old out at 8 am. Thanks for this challenge, Deedra!

And Susanne @ Truly Captivating said:

And last, but certainly not least, is Deedra at NspiredByFaith. This girl has my heart!! Her unabashed Southern Charm, and heart for Jesus make me feel right at home. She is such a blessing, and has recently started a Fit4Life weight loss challenge. If you haven't yet, you definitely need to check her out. Just pop on over and "set a spell"!! Her blog is just TOO darn cute!!!

Thank you both so much for this sweet award and for all the wonderfully sweet things you had to say! When I started this blog, it was mostly to post pictures of Carter for the people who I used to work with and still miss seeing everyday (although if they read it, they never comment! **hint VZW people!**), and of course to vent my daily thoughts to prevent my poor husband from experiencing "Deedra overload". Can you imagine if he had to come home everyday to the 118 posts so far? And that's just since March! In all honesty, this little blog here may just save my marriage, or at the very least prevent my husband the need for medication! Anyway, I never imagined anyone would care to read what I had to say, ...so to say I'm flattered that anyone reads this is the understatement of the year!

Now, to pay it forward: (In no particular order)

(I know that this has been around a bit, so if these ladies have already been dubbed "rockin" then just consider them "really rockin". K?)

Rita at The Jungle Hut. She and her family have been missionaries in Venezuela for years and were just forced to move out by the government there. Through this entire ordeal Rita's heart for God has stood strong and she has somehow managed to keep us all up to date through her blog! How rockin' is that?? Rita and her family's strength and courage are an inspiration to us all!

Next is Dee Dee at It Coulda' Been Worse. Fiddledeedee, as she calls herself, is one of my favorite blogs ever! She can keep you laughing in her posts about everything from PMS & zits to daily family life, and everything in between!...Her recent post, Can't touch this

transported me back to the high school dances of my youth. MC Hammer was hotter than hot, and can you even imagine a bunch of hillbilly white kids trying to dance to his songs? You Can't touch this is exactly Right!! Wouldn't want to! Anyway, thank you Dee Dee for keeping me laughing on a daily basis...you are rockin' girl!





Now, this next one may be a bit of a "cheat" but I tend to be a rule breaker. CNN has a weekly series called "young people who rock" and they do! The people featured on this column/blog are usually quite amazing. I love to read it! Except the part where CNN devastated me in their definition of a "young" person.....someone under 30! I may never recover....



I hope you enjoy reading these, I know I certainly do! Thank you again, Susanne and Lisa for passing this to me!

Fit4Life Friday....

....I hope this Friday finds everyone feeling good and excited about your journey! I sure am! This has been a busy and difficult week, but I still managed to get in my morning walks 5 mornings this week! Sat, Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday! I am definitely feeling better for the effort. I actually got a bit over eager on Monday and did a few too many squats and lunges. My squaters and lungers were reallllly sore on Tuesday!

I have been working on drinking lots of water, and I think this is really paying off! I feel much better, and my skin even looks better! This morning after my walk I had a nice healthy glow instead of looking like I had a big sweaty tomato head! Definite improvement, wouldn't you say??

I am trying to eat healthier and haven't done too bad this week, especially considering the holiday! I eat so much healthier when we eat at home, so I'm trying to eat out as little as possible....(Bonus!.....Dave Ramsey would be so proud! If you haven't read his book Total Money Makeover, you should...it's fantastic!!) We actually did eat out on the 4th but my child acted so terrible at the restaurant that I only had a few bites, so it worked out okay for my diet.....not so much for my nerves,..but that's a whole other post!


This week, (drumroll please!) I have lost 4.6 pounds, for a 2 week total of 11.1 pounds!


In the coming week, I want to:

Continue my daily walks, but I want to start adding a lap every week or so, and increasing my speed little by little.

Make time for stretching before my walks.

Add some weight training.

Focus on my quiet time, and journal my daily studies...(thanks for the idea, Jenny!) I'd love to be able to go back in a few years and see what I studied during a particular season of my life!


I hope that if you are joining me in this journey, you'll post your progress and your goals for this week. If you are just joining this week, welcome! I'm so glad your here! Please remember to visit each other and offer encouragement and tips that work for you...and of course, don't forget to sign the linky and leave a comment!


Have a wonderful, healthy week ladies!!

Urgent Prayer Request.....

....I received a phone call yesterday (Tues) morning about my Mom's friend, Tony. They say they are just "friends" but we know better! They have spent every waking weekend moment together for several years now. Anyway, Tony became very ill Monday afternoon and went to the Dr. He was having problems breathing and the Dr. sent him to a local hospital by ambulance...he was then immediately transfered to a large hospital an hour and a half away. The doctors have discovered that Tony has cancer. His lung and liver are "eat up" with cancer and the doctors aren't giving him alot of hope. They said it could be a matter of days...... but I know that prayer changes things!!

There is one kind of chemo used to treat this type of cancer and it may or may not work, he has decided to try it. His first treatment was to be at midnight tonight.

He doesn't have much family at all. Please help us pray! This man has been such a blessing to our family. Many of you know the situation with my Mom, and I'm just not sure how we would have survived the past several years without Tony's help.

Please pray for Tony, and for my Mom. I think she's still in a state of denial, or shock maybe....but it's going to be bad when she soaks this all in!

Thank you so much!

Wordless Wednesday....

Happy Fourth of July!

Thirteen Months....

Dear Carter,

Thirteen months have passed since your arrival. You are getting so big, so fast! It seems like you've turned into a little boy in the past month. You walk where you want to go, no need to dirty your hands and knees, unless of course, you want to! Your vocabulary is expanding so fast! You can say "thank you" (which is adorable!) and just last night, while pushing your baby cousin in her swing, you said "Maggie". I'll bet that Maggie wished she could talk too. She probably would have protested the speed at which you had her moving! She would have had to be quick, though. Because just a second later you were under the sprinkler with Max, getting soaked from head to toe (clothes and all) but having so much fun!

You have discovered that you love to talk on the phone. And, just like Daddy, you walk around with it constantly attached to your ear. You answer with "hello", then list off every word you know, and say "Bye!!" (very loudly).....then you throw the phone to the floor and laugh only to pick it right back up again and do the same thing again!...and again,...and again!

You never meet a stranger. Your favorite place to go is church, where you are surrounded by people watching your every move. (Sorry, preacher!) You delight in entertaining your public and never disappoint! Recently, at the mall, you managed to get everyone's attention without even trying! You were driving your stroller with its toy steering wheel with one hand while talking (yelling) into your lion cell phone with the other. It was the cutest thing! We'll have to have a talk about safe driving soon though,...maybe get you a headset!

You love to laugh and watch the dogs. You point and give them instructions. They listen. You have the sweetest laugh, and you laugh the loudest when Daddy crashes your toy tractors together. That really gets you tickled. You have seven teeth now and love to get them brushed...but! Mommy has to say "tickle, tickle, tickle while she brushes them, or you will press your lips closed. I really have no idea where you get your stubborn streak.

I thank God every day for blessing Daddy & me with you. You have completely changed our lives with a happiness that I never knew existed before you were born. I love you so much, Carter!

Love,

Mommy

Oh no he didn't!

...Okay so tonight at supper my husband and I were chatting as we ate while watching our child,who had already eaten, sit on the floor in the kitchen banging on two metal collandars with wooden spoons. My husband asked why I let him bang on them like that, and didn't it get on my nerves? To which I replied. Nope, doesn't bother me! It's the way I manage to get anything done while he is awake.....

.....you wanna know what my husband's suggestion was?...he said, "well, why don't you just take naps when he does during the day and clean at night." ....as in ALL NIGHT!..and I'm sure he also meant, EVERY night!

Would you like to know what my reply was?.....I didn't yell and scream and get all mad..noooo, not I. Being a true blogger at heart, I said to him. "You soooo just made my blog!"

He immediately cringed because apparently some of his buddies are closet readers of my blog and give him a hard time about it! ....In fact, he usually doesn't have a clue about what I even put on here until someone hits him up about it.....So! Guys....please give him heck about this one!

To which I say.....Thank you in advance!

Fit4Life Friday......

.......Well, okay girls! Here we go! Last Friday's post (along with the 347 reminders I've put at the bottom of my posts since then) were greeted with excitement and willingness to participate in this endeavor,...so! Let's make ourselves better, shall we?

The concept of Fit4Life is to share our goals for our lives and how we are going about reaching those goals with others. These goals can be anything that makes you a better "you". Ideally, if you have a blog, you would post these goals and your progress toward them there each Friday, then sign the linky so we can all encourage you as you work toward your goals. If you don't have a blog, leave your goals and progress in comments, or email them to me,...or both! And, of course, everyone will be leaving encouraging comments here, 'cause I need me some encouragement....yes, I do!

Okay?

I had hoped to have a button ready by today, but it's not ready yet, so maybe by next week!

So! Here are mine:

1. Get into better shape. I used to run/walk 4-6 miles every day before work. Needless to say, I have not done that in a while. I felt so good,...and was really comfortable with my weight at that point. I want to work towards that level of fitness again, and hopefully loose weight in the process. As my child gets older, I want to have the energy to keep up with him!

2. I want to focus on taking better overall care of myself. As in, what I put into my body. Food & drink, as well as time. I have been blessed with this body. I am healthy, and what right do I have not to treat myself as God meant for me to?

3. I also want to work on managing my time better. Some days I seem to work all day and get nothing done, then end up being stressed out and still have nothing to show for my efforts. I want to be able to enjoy the time with my child without feeling like I have so much left to do....all the time.

Now, for my progress since last week!

I have walked 5 of the 7 days this past week. I have tried to walk a minimum of 2 miles each day, which to some people may not sound like a lot....but to someone who hasn't done a whole lot of exercise in a while,...it's big! There have been a couple of days I had to break it into 2 walking sessions, due to lack of time, energy or patience of my child...but I did it!

I have also been mindful of what I have been eating. We haven't been eating out as much lately anyway...which always helps! I am even trying to cut out my beloved Diet Coke...or at least cut waaaay down, and drink lots more water!

This past week....I lost 6.5 pounds!


I hope you'll take part in Fit4Life Fridays with me! I look forward to reading your goals and encouraging you along the way! If you are joining in, please sign the linky below.....and don't forget to comment.........Good luck girls!!

Thankful Thursday....

...It's hard to believe it's Thursday again already! This week flew by....As always, I have much to be thankful for on this Thankful Thursday.....


.....I am thankful for my healthy family

.....I am thankful for the kick in the rear I got from reading This post on Laced with Grace this morning...I'll tell ya, there is nothing like good old fashion conviction to make you get things done girls! I've been cleaning like a mad woman all afternoon!

....I am thankful that with great effort and much patience the lady at the shoe store and myself managed to get my child in some shoes that fit. This was NOT a pleasurable experience. He just does not have the time to be bothered with shoe fittings and things like, you know...sitting down for more than 3 seconds.

....I am thankful that he was exhausted enough to go to sleep with no fight. Mama is whooped today! (what with the conviction, and shoe fittings, and cleaning and all!)

...I am thankful that my child's favorite word to say right now is "mama". I realize that eventually this will drive me up the wall when repeated over and over, for hours, even days on end....but for now, I adore hearing it. I also love hearing him say "thank you" it's just the cutest thing ever! He knows just when to say it.....he is just sooo smart!....(you have my permission to leave your computer if you'd like to upchuck due to all this uncharacteristic sappiness!)

That should do it for today, I don't want you all thinkin I'm goin too soft and all....

If you'd like to participate in Thankful Thursday,...or just read the Thankfuls of other Thankfuls...visit Sting My Heart!

Don't forget about Fit4Life Fridays starting tomorrow, right here at my place! Everyone is invited!

Wordless Wednesday...

Doin' the laundry.....

next he's doing the dishes, ...then the floors..

To participate in this weeks Wordless Wednesday, sign the linky below or visit WW.

I'm hosting Fit4Life Fridays, starting this week! Please join me back here on Friday!

Works For Me Wednesday.....

I have a 12 month old and when we are on the road, we are constantly in need of extra "somethings". Extra diapers, wipes, clothes, shoes, toys....you get the idea! So! I keep a small rubbermaid container in the back of my vehicle with a whole bunch of extra things that we might need.....just in case! It Works For Me!!

I will be hosting Fit4Life Fridays starting this Friday right here on my blog! It's not just about weight loss, it's about a better "you"! Please join me!!

My Motivational Monday....

.....okay so, can I even tell you how glad I am that I started this Fit4Life thing? Well, let me just tell you one of the many reasons I'm glad! This morning I was standing in my bathroom putting in my contacts.....(I'm quite blind without them)...and after getting one of them in something caught my attention out of the corner of my left eye....

..."what in the world is that?", I thought to myself........Do you wanna know what I saw? Do ya?..well, I saw my rear end in the full length mirror, THAT'S what I saw! It almost scared the stinkin life out of me!

So, the next time you're wondering if you should start a diet or not, just look at your rear end in a full length mirror.........if it scares the ever living crap out of you......go on a diet, sister!






Please check out the Fit4Life Challenge I'm starting on Friday! (if you haven't already)

In Other Words.....

"When there is little awareness of real need there is little real prayer."

Recently in my life God has been working to open my eyes to something. I haven't been praying like I should be. I mean, I do pray. But what am I praying about? Who am I praying for? Are my prayers just out of habit? Or is there an urgency to my prayers?

So needless to say, when I saw the quote for this week on Laurels blog, I thought well, okay.......this is for you, Deedra!

I don't want to go into great detail for fear of hurting someone (because I know I have a lot of local readers, and remember...I do live in a really small town). Let me just say this....I have become painfully aware of real, serious need. I have also been made aware, through this knowledge, that if I had been paying attention, if I had been on my knees in prayer as a christian should be......then maybe this situation would have already been resolved. Because I do believe in prayer, and I KNOW that God answers them!

I'm not trying to be secretive, in fact...the only reason I share this is to say this.....keep in close contact with God. What if there is someone out there who you can reach, but you are unaware? If there were real prayer in your life, God would be able to reveal this to you......if not, how else is He supposed to get in touch with you?

I am mainly writing this to myself, but if it can help someone else.......that would be wonderful too!

If you would like to participate in "In Other Words" this week, please visit Laurel Wreath.

Please check out the Fit4Life Challenge I'm starting on Friday! (if you haven't already)

Rain, Rain again today!

....Can you even believe it has rained TWO days in a row here? Yesterday it rained for a little over an hour...today 30 minutes or so! It doesn't sound like alot, but when you are desperate for rain, it's a wonderful thing!


It has been so dry in the past weeks and months that we have been forced to irrigate some Bermuda grass we just sprigged this season. When my husband pulled in the irrigation reels to some land he sprigged thats across the road from my dad's, he drew quite a bit of attention. Those systems aren't something seen often in that community, so everyone was wondering what was going on!



My nephew was spending the weekend with his Gran & Papa, and there is no better waterpark to a 5 year old than an irrigation system spewing pond water! ...After his worries about the fish were laid to rest anyway! (..there is a screen to keep fish in the pond from shooting out of the thing!)


There was a leak spraying from one of the pipes which we all thought was just the perfect opportunity for Max & Carter to get to play in the water without standing under the "big" spray. So, as you can see from the photos, they had a wonderful time playing!......

That is until my husband came storming up telling us how dangerous that was and that if the hose blew apart the force of it would probably kill every one of us......

Oh..... Well, when you put it that way, maybe it wasn't such a great idea after all! You know, risking our own lives and the lives of our children and all.......

Despite what you may be thinking, my child does wear clothes from time to time. Shoes, now that's a whole different story.....

Please check out the Fit4Life Challenge I'm starting on Friday! (if you haven't already)

Itty Bitty Beastie Boy......

...okay, so I've mentioned that my husband's family tends to be a little on the loud side, (if you know them, you know that's putting it VERY lightly!) ..and I've also mentioned that I believe that my child is going to be loud as well. Well, he has recently discovered he has musical abilities. He plays the piano, you already knew that!...but this baby can sing! And by sing I mean he basically says every. single. word. he knows to a tune (not sure what tune that is) and it's a LOUD tune! And! He has discovered that grocery stores have great acoustics! And he sounds like a heavy metal rocker screaming the words. Yeah. So here is the picture.

I had to go to the grocery store this afternoon for a shower gift....by the way, did you know that Bi-Lo has gift cards to almost everywhere?? They do! I got a gift card to Bed, Bath, & Beyond....at the Bi-Lo! How great is that? My husbands cousin has a shower Sunday and I found out about it today....anyway, I had walked and been cleaning house and hadn't showered so needless to say, I was hoping for a quick trip with no attention drawn to myself! This was not in the cards.

My child, who also looked like he hadn't had a bath in days due to the fact that I let him play in the garage while I cleaned out my vehicle, decided that he would serenade the other Bi-Lo shoppers. It went something like this:

Ball Dog Mama Cow Mooooo Quack Duck Dada Truck Tractor Cow Mooooooooooo Peek a Boo Cat Meowwww Bye Dog Ruff Cup .....

And on and on through the entire store and the checkout. The only time he paused for a breath was after we had checked out and were passing the checkout stands on our way out.

He saw the balloons tied to the checkouts and stopped long enough to point at them and yell, "Bye Balls" (he calls balloons balls) Up until this point, I thought maybe it was one of those moments when your own child isn't really as loud as you think, but I knew this wasn't the case when I heard the Saturday afternoon grocery shoppers erupt into laughter at what he'd said.

I laughed too. It was adorable. And at that moment I was glad I hadn't put duck tape over his mouth as I'd wanted to!...... Then he continued with his song.



P.S. If you haven't already, please read about the challenge I'm doing...Fit4Life Fridays! Thanks!

You might be a redneck.....

......if you name your child "4real"! Okay, so I saw this on CNN this morning, and evidently they have rednecks in New Zealand as well! I thought for sure this couple would be from downtown Lickskillet, Alabama.........not so!


Click here to read about the New Zealand rednecks.........Maybe they moved there from Lickskillet? They should name their next child "Oplease" or "2much" or just the traditional "Bubba" would work. Or if your not sure of who the father is, how about "4sure"? Hey this is fun! Any suggestions from the crowd??


P.S.....if you haven't already, please check out the Fit 4 Life post below!!! Thanks!!