Project 365... 2011: Week 9

This is the last week of February... AMAZING...

Sunday - Feb 20 - Overnight Art... Look at this art work... its painted by one of the youth kiddos.. & she just did it overnight because she was "bored"!!! Isnt it beautiful?  If you could see it up close, its even more amazing.  It has like blood "splattered" across Jesus' face.  Her art work just blows my mind with every piece I see... She's letting this piece stay in our youth trailer.  Love seeing her talent GLORIFY GOD!!! Go Jordan!

Monday - Feb 22 - Cute Cards.... I wanted to be sure to send out cards to all the youth kiddos that went on the weekend trip to Believe... just a reminder of what they learned... just a surprise to let them know that we (all the leaders) love these kids.  Arent these cards so awesome?  I love stationary... Yes, I'm an office supply nerd...And for the challenge of 52 cards in 52 weeks - so far, my count is up to like 30 cards already!  WHOO HOO!!!  Call me "Overachiever" :)

Tuesday - Feb 23 - I HATE MORNINGS.... this is Bruno.  He snuggles with me every night.  I mean SNUUGGGGLLLLEEEE... I love this little fur-boy!  Well, when the alarm goes off, its like he doesnt want me to get up - he cuddles closer to me. Of course, that means I have to hit the SNOOZE button.  But when I get up, he's not taking the lead.  He'll curl up in the blankets where its still warm.  He's no fool... this is the face I saw when I was leaving for work Tuesday morning... doesnt it just scream at you to get back in bed? 

Wednesday - Feb 23 - YOU RAISE ME UP!!!!! ... look at my tulips budding up!  I had to laugh at how they are lifting up the mulch.  I saw it & just started singing Josh Groban's "You raise me up..."  Look how strong those little tulip bulbs are... Oh, thank you Lord... the first signs of Spring!!!!

Thursday - Feb 24 - Finished off the first box... Dear Girl Scouts:  Why do you insist on making me cave in every year to your cookies?  Why do you send the cutest little faces to ask me if I'll buy a box?  Why do these cookies have to be so amazingly tasty?  ... I finished off this box of Samoa's... & gave the last 2 boxes we have to Ricky & told him to hide them from me.

Friday - Feb 25 - No Picture... & its amazing because it was the opportunity for so many pictures.  I picked up my race packet - went to my parents house - got everything ready for Saturday morning.. & yet, no picture.  I guess my brain was out of it...

Saturday - Feb 26 - I PR'ed... go me!!! .... Today was the first race of the Triple Crown of Running in our area.  Today's race was a 5k.  I did my best 5K ever... was so excited because the first mile I ran was also my FIRST 10 minute mile I ran!!!!!  I ended up knocking off 4.5 minutes off my time from last year... progress - I saw it today. 

Want to join along?  Stop over at Sara's blog & see how everyone else's week has gone....

Friday Fragments

So this Friday... no one has had their back ripped open (dont I put things so elegantly)... & no road trip with a bunch of kids on my schedule... so I get to Frag again!  Let's get to it!

*****

Tomorrow kicks of the running race season around here.  A 5k is the first leg of it... let's get this party started... but wait!  What's that?  Its going to be BELOW FREEZING? ... yep.... the temp for the race tomorrow morning is going to be like 30 degrees.  My excitement for the race just dropped 98%.  Its not so bad running, but you have to get there early to get a parking spot - 5 miles away!!!!  Walk to the starting line - wait about 20 minutes before it starts - & that's where the cold is felt.  Running, you warm up - not a big deal.  But THEN, you gotta walk 5 miles back to your car with SWEAT all over you.  Remember my post on Frozen Snot?  yeah... I'm forseeing that tomorrow... beautiful....

*****

Dont tell me Facebook is useless... it ended up winning me an entry into one of the races of the season - the "Papa John's 10 miler" ... 10 miles... whoo hooo... or ouch... I'll tell you after I run this one.  The funny part of this race - at the end of every race, they usually have bananas, apples, PowerAde... this one, because its sponsored by Papa John's... yep - PIZZA at the finish line!  That'll drive me to run faster! :)

*****

SPAT OF THE WEEK: Since we're already talking about it - RUNNING!!!!!!   Ricky ONE time - for ONE mile - ran a 6 minute mile.  Remember, he did one mile & that's it.  But now, he thinks everyone - EVERYONE should run a 6 minute mile... & if you dont, then why bother - you arent a good runner.  It was quite the conversation for a SPAT of epic proportions when he said, "You have that little walking thing Saturday?"... first - its not a "walking thing"... its a 5k RUN!! Yes, people walk, but its not labeled as a walk... people compete here... then he said, "Its just 3 miles - you should be done in like 15 minutes" - 15 minutes?  Most people wont even get across the START line in 15 minutes!!! There will be like 10,000 people... I told him, "Why dont you just call it a napping, lounging, skipping event - where people just walk & pick flowers & smell them & take their time to cross the finish line"... are you serious? ... I'm taking my running shoes & throwing at his head for all of us that have our own times & compete against OURSELVES...

*****

Do y'all realize they announce the new cast of Dancing with the Stars on MONDAY????  I'm so excited...

*****

Anyone else see Jennifer Lopez freaking out about telling the American Idol contestant he didnt make it?  I totally loved her even more because of that... showed she was real.  I had to laugh though that Randy & Steven were consoling her when the guy who got booted seemed perfectly OK with it.  Granted, I loved his story, but he wasnt the best singer... but what a guy...

I'm pulling for Casey (the guy who played the big standing violin thing - what is that? - I'm not musically gifted) ... Ricky is pulling for the rocker guy with the scream.  That scream is already on my nerves.  I told Ricky he can only do it for so long... they cant give him a Josh Groban song & he really think he can scream in it.  I also am rooting for Lauren - the girl who dressed like a Country Barbie.  She's adorable... & I'd totally rock those pink sequin boots!

*****

Anyone else excited about Adele's new CD?  I've totally fallen in love with her voice lately... I ended up buying her last CD "19" as well... I think I listen to her version of "Make you Feel my love" everyday... awesome.... I also want her fake eyelashes...

Hope everyone has a fantastic Friday!!!!

The Smeller is the feller...

I saw one of the questions on the "Hodgepodge" for the week was about smelling... & what memories it brings...

I am a Smeller... you can ask my mom - I SMELL EVERYTHING!  I'll try on clothes & bring it to my nose to smell it.  I'll go grocery shopping & bring a box of cookies to my sniffer.  I'll even smell paper towels, magazines - anything I can hold in my hands, I'll smell!!!.  Maybe I need to be on that TLC show about weird addictions? 

Smells are powerful though...

POLO cologne for men takes me right back to 7th grade & flashes a picture of the boy I LOOVVVVEED (you know how dramatic 7th grade love is)

Plastic takes me back to being little & all my doll babies

Baby Soft perfume takes me back to elementary school where I thought I was so grown up wearing perfume like my mom

(WAIT!!!!!  This is the adveritising for that perfume??? ... I'm disturbed...)

Juicy Fruit gum smell takes me right back to being a little girl in church ... every Sunday, this man would be waiting to give me a piece.  It was the highlight of my church day! :)

The smell of machinery takes me right back to my dad coming home from work every day

Snuggle fabric softner makes me think of my home growing up....

The smell of wood reminds me of all the WOOD men (dad, grandpa, brother) in my family

(Wood is my maiden name - how appropriate is that?)

CHARLIE perfume makes me think of my mom growing up

The smell of corn cooking reminds me of my grandma's house

Giorgio perfume (remember that stuff?) makes me think of my brother's old girlfriend that use to bathe in it

Stinky Feet smells remind me of Ricky... LET ME EXPLAIN... the skating rink where the smell of old skates, takes me right back to when Ricky & I were dating

Its just funny how smells can take you into a time warp.  Take you right back to a moment - bring a person's face right to mind - bring an environment right to the front of memory... all with just a whiff of a nose...

...what smell brings back memories for you?

Believe 2011

This was another fantastic year... despite feeling torn about leaving town with my dad in bad shape... but here are some highlights & some thoughts of the weekend

*I was cheering because after so many years, this was the first time they had a
WOMAN SPEAKER!  One for the girls!!!!  And she was awesome!  She loved all things girly, but was a guy's kinda gal... I could totally relate with her.  In our leader meeting, she talked there as well, and she was even saying how she doesnt have any children & she believes God has a plan behind that - so she has time & energy for the kids in church - to show them God & serve them... I'm telling you, this lady was my sister!!! ... I had to laugh even when a couple of the kids said to me, "She reminds me of you!" ... the best compliment ever!

*I love an example the speaker, Heather gave about Jr. High Kids verses Sr. High Kids... she said that Jr. High kids will say "Do you like me, do you like me?" - where Sr. High kids have the attitude of, "Let me see if I like YOU" .... true, true, true

*I truly teared up & cried when I saw our High School Leader, Jordan, step up & be an amazing example to these kids.  She was caring for the smaller kids & she even at one point, spoke up & gave scripture about being young & how they need to hold onto God & not let anyone look down on them just for their age (2 Timothy)... I remember going to Believe with her as a Jr High kid & here she was truly LEADING this new group of kids... I was so impressed & so touched. 
I honestly saw the next generation of leaders in her at that moment... it was pretty cool....

*Appropriate we had a woman speaker, because the weekend focused on Esther... awesome!  The point of the weekend was God has you HERE, today, for a reason, a purpose.... He equipped you for the HERE moment.  Everything you do & decide gets you HERE... but the things is, what do you do NOW?  What do you do NOW in this moment for GOD?  Just like Esther stepped up boldly to approach the king.  That was what she did in her HERE moment... changing the world... it was an awesome message...

*I learned that I hate riddles... my brain just doesnt work like that...

*Every group got a box & at lunch time, we were instructed to write down our "HERE" moments on the box - then we had to paint a picture that was instructed to us.  The artist during the last session took ALL the boxes & on one side, it came together to say "HERE" & the other said "NOW" - it was pretty cool to see all of our HERE moments, along with ALL the groups in the arena, come together to create this awesome piece of art... so creative...

*At 1:30 am, while getting slap happy, I was able to give an dramatic re-enactment of "Beauty & the Beast"...  some thought I was nuts for knowing all of it... I'm just like, "Doesnt everyone know the words to this movie? What's wrong with YOU? " haha!

*I had the weirdest dreams at the hotel we slept in... like someone in white kept trying to make me drink from these little paper cups - saying over & over, 'DRINK THIS'... & then the next day at lunch, at Wendy's, guess what I saw - the same paper cups to put ketchup in!  I was SOOOOO freaked out!

*This was the most amazing group of kids.... they all sat with someone different during each session - they would check on each other, making sure they had enough money for lunch, or for a t-shirt... they just totally had each others back.  It made my heart just smile... can only imagine what it did to God's.

*Was so excited for our new Youth Minister... it was his first trip to Believe... it'll be the first trip of many for this event for him...loved having him along

*The weather was perfection.... last year was snow & ice... so this year, it being sunny & in the 50's - it felt like heaven.  Not having to lug around huge winter coats & gloves & scarfs... ahhh... Thank you Lord!

*I went to bed after 2 am... then got up at 5:30 so the girls in my room could go swimming.  Was it worth it?  Definitely - I got to sit with my feet in a pool before the sun rose & just talk with girls with no interruptions - it was a highlight of the trip for me.  I can sleep later! :)

*I drove a van where the gear shift was up by the steering wheel... when I got home & the gear shift was down in between the seats, it totally messed with my brain.  Funny how something simple can throw you off.

*I still recommend - any chance you get - go worship with jr high kids... there really is nothing like it - the energy they have - the love they have for God... its an honor & blessing to be able to join along.

Cant wait until next year.... its always something I look forward to... until then, I'll keep BELIEVING! :)

Project 365... 2011: Week 8

This has been a busy, hectic, stressful, yet FUN week... whew...

Sunday - Feb 13 - I actually love the shoes.... We met up with some friends to meet up with the college kids at our church for a night of bowling.  I know I must be weird, but I actually like bowling shoes.  The colors are always so obnoxious... I've never seen ones with flames on them before... that was a first.  For the record, I didnt even break 100 in either game... but my stomach truly hurt from laughing!  The true sign of a fantastic night!

Monday - Feb 14 - Valentine's Day... hearts are everywhere... even in candy... as it should be

Tuesday - Feb 15 - New Verse Day .... Time to pick a new verse for the Siesta Year Challenge.  I always change it on my board in my office so I can have it near me all the time...

Wednesday - Feb 16...BUSY... which means no picture.  I really intended to take a picture, but the next few days were so hectic, that I totally got caught up in plans & packing & forgot to click a camera... DANG IT!

Thursday - Feb 17 - It finally happened... my poor daddy!!!! .... yep, the surgery finally happened.  It is a horrible thing to see your parent in pain.  I had so many thoughts in my mind about the day.  Be prepared.  There will be blog posts to come about it.... This is him about 2 hours after surgery... & this is only about 10 minutes before they had him up walking.  Yes - after spine & back surgery, they had him WALKING the halls a few hours later. AND sent him HOME!!!!!!!  How crazy is that?  Dont know if its advances in medicine, or failures in insurance... seeing him home in pain later that evening - I have to think its due to failures :(

Friday - Feb 18 - BELIEVE 2011 .... look at this gang... these are some amazing kids...so excited to see what God does with them...so excited to see them grow into amazing young women & men of God!!!

Saturday - Feb 19 - I love this gang... Because we are just as much fun as a bunch of jr. high kids! :) 

I have been lacking sleep the past 4 days... I've been out of town... I've been on the road for hundreds of miles this weekend... I just looked & my Google Reader is over 400... so I'll eventually make my rounds!  Back to life... back to a normal week... I think...

Happy clicking!

Believe....

No Friday Fragments for me today....

I'm too busy packing up the important stuff... like Blow-pops, candy, Tylenol...

which can only mean its time for another Believe trip.  The Jr High conference that is in Cincinnati for 2 days.  Yep, 2 full days of THOUSANDS of kids worshipping together... learning about God... having a fun time, but getting to know each other better as well.  It's always holds "life memory" moments... Praying this year is the same.

I am excited to go, but also am feeling really badly going.  Why?  Because my dad is home after the back surgery yesterday (THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the prayers & encouragement) & he's in some major pain.  I hate leaving him like that... I hate leaving my mom there by herself to do it all on her own.  I'm just so torn about going.  But dad told me, "The next 2 days are going to be rough for me, but I'll get through them -  so just go & have fun... we'll make it through"... which makes me want to stay even more... sigh...

So can you all do me a favor - pray for some certain things for the next 2 days?

*that we have a safe travels... lots of young lives that you are responsible for is never taken lightly

*that these kids learn something they've never learned before... even if its that Jesus loves them MORE then they thought... sometimes the most simple messages are the most powerful

*that we all stay healthy.  The flu has been traveling around our area & praying everyone is getting in these vans all healthy - no germs to pass around to each other.

*that my dad's pain is tolerable the next few days as he heals... that the medicine stays in his system & gives him the relief he needs

*that my mom can keep up with the schedule of medicine & taking care of dad, with the pulling & tugging of getting him up & down & over & flat in the bed

*that I can just breath... between the responsibility of the kids & the worry of dad at home... I need to just breath... & remember to BELIEVE!!!!!!

Happy Weekend everyone!

She's useless? Really?

Anyone watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show?

I tried... & I saw "TRIED" because our Australian Shepherd, Sydney watches TV.  I'm not even joking!  And when she watches, if she sees an animal of ANY KIND, she must bark.  She'll even run to look around the TV thinking the animal is going to come out of it.

So I tried to watch it while Sydney would bark... & then I'd just say "Sydney" & then she's do a low grumble... then bark... & I'd say "Sydney" ... & she'd do a low grumble.... then bark...the cycle wasnt worth it.  I ended up turning it over after 30 minutes of that... just enough time to watch the Terrier group.  Having a Carine Terrier as well, I was rooting for that little fella...

Sydney... she's such a cool dog.  I think Australian Shepherds are the smartest dogs in the world... such good listeners ... smarter then some people I know.

We got Syd from a breeder.  We didnt intend to get one from a breeder - just saw an ad in the paper for an Aussie & we went to check her out.  Well, we got there & were instructed to take our shoes off at the door, had to be sanitized from head to toe in case we were around anything that could be passed on to other dogs, had to stay in one small area of a room where the dogs would be brought out & presented to us to check. 

We just wanted a puppy... not intending for all this...

Then they brought out this little bundle of fur... Ricky & I instantly fell in love...

They told us, "You can have a great deal on her - we dont want her - she's useless to us"

UM?  Excuse me?  Useless?

Yep - she had a small white spot on her ear & in the world of show dogs, it wouldnt fly.  It would cause her to lose every time.  Both her mom & dad were blue ribbon winners & they were so sad that this "SCREW UP" had to happen (their words - not ours)...

Well, we couldnt pay fast enough & we grabbed our new fur-baby & off we went.

We always think of the life Sydney would have had if she were "perfect"... she'd live in cages, being manicured & groomed & taken on trips for competitions.  I'm not saying anything is wrong with that - in the least... but I just think Sydney would have preferred to be the dog that gets dirty playing with other dogs - gets to roll in grass when she wants - gets to sleep on a real person's bed, snuggled in between her mommy & daddy... (yes, she knows the word "mommy" & "daddy")

I'm thankful that we were able to see more in Sydney then the little white spot that was a "screw up"

I'm also thankful that God sees me as better then a "screw up" .... even when others see things that are messed up in my life... or anyone's life... God sees so much more.  Still loves me... gives me a pretty good life where I get to enjoy every day...even when I'm not perfect.

& He doesnt get mad at me either if I want to roll in grass... ;)

Be encouraged today that God sees so much more then your imperfections today....

Siesta Scripture #4

Its that time again... I cant believe we're on verse #4.

Four pieces of God's word tucked into this heart of mine... cool stuff!

So my verse for this round:

"Remember not the sins of my youth & my rebellious ways; 

according to your love REMEMBER ME,

for you are good, O Lord"

-Psalm 25:7 (NIV)

I love this verse - always have... but I forget it - which is why I'm adding to my list of memory.

Who doesnt have sin from the past or "rebellious ways"?  I just love that cry out to God to please, just REMEMBER ME... who I am at the heart ... who I so badly WANT to be... ME... the person waving up to you God... the person who wants to do good all the time, but still screws up...the person who loves you... just simply, ME!

...because the Lord is good enough to do that...

Running in a tiara & tutu?

This is the 2nd year that I've seen this event & have drooled because I want to go... where you may ask?

The Disney Princess Half Marathon...

This year's event is next weekend, February 27th... its sold out...I'm not going... but this is my dream run!  I have to one day do this... I have to... it has my name all over it!

Do you not understand what this entails? Running in Princess garb if you want... tutut's... tiara's...around DISNEY... with Disney Characters... around Cinderella's castle!!!

They even have your name listed on your Bib as "Princess (insert name)"....

Its a whole week event too - with running clinics & information... & even glimpses at glass running "slippers" - what every modern running Princess needs :)

And at the end, you get a medal that has a tiara?

Dont the pictures alone make you want to train & get ready for 2012? 

I've got to do this race... before I die, I have to run a race dressed like Belle through Disney World...

Maybe 2012 will be my year....

Who else is in?

Project 365... 2011: Week 7

Sunday - Feb 6 - Super Bowl Sunday.... equals pizza!!!!!  It was the best part of the night for me... I love me some veggie pizza anyday, but on Super Bowl Sunday - its a way of life :) 

Monday - Feb 7 - Timothy pushes me .... I love my new water bottle.  This verse is just perfect for me.  This verse is also kinda special as its engraved on my grandmother's headstone.  Plus, with my half marathon training, it just inspires me even more...I'm going to FINISH THE RACE!!!!  In the real race & in the race of life....

Tuesday - Feb 8 - More snow.... I havent had many snow pictures this year, though we've had snow like every day.  So this is just another day... with snow... such as been every day of winter... brrrrr....

Wednesday - Feb 9 - How much do you Trust? .... this is our youth group on Wednesday, doing a challenge... That young lady in the middle had to just fall & let her friends catch her & push her & the point is just keep going, in trust.  If you fall forward, you fall & let them catch you.. you get pushed to the side, you go to the side... The kids would tense up & end up catching themselves... I dont think I could do it myself either.  The kids also tried to get me to actually do it & I was like, "I'll fall & wipe out half of the youth group" - so needless to say, I stayed out of the circle! :)

Thursday - Feb 10 - This is just getting ridiculous.... It was just down right COLD.... this temperature is at about 10 in the morning too... but look at the future temps... the 40's would feel like a heat wave!!!!

Friday - Feb 11 - Preparing.... I was up to do the communion message on Sunday.  Man, it was tough on me this time.  I had like 5 different ones completely wrote out.  I kept going back & forth & back & forth on which one to use.  I dont think I have ever been so deep in the Bible my whole life... it was very stressful... just praying for God to lead to the right message...

Saturday - Feb 12 - Valentine's Baking.... I wanted to make some cookies for the youth group for Valentine's Day, so I had some cookie dough going.  I have to laugh when things say "Dont eat raw cookie dough"... yeah - that's not possible with me... I love cookie dough....even raw.  I'll risk my life for cook dough!

Hope you all have had click worthy moments this weekend...