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About a month ago, I began training for a half marathon.  I am a fairly regular exerciser. Jason and I did p90x last year and then through last Fall and Spring, I did the pre-cursor to P90, Power 90. They are shorter and I didn’t want to invest an hour a day into exercising! I have never been a runner….ever. I had ran some before we had kids, but since then, nothing consistent. I always seemed to hit the 25 minute mark, and would be either, so bored I was ready to stop at any cost, or so in pain, I just wanted it to end!

Needless to say, I was ready for a challenge. So, when two friends, asked me to train for a 5k, a 10k and then the Half, I was ready to go!

We started really slow. To keep up with how many miles I am running, I am going to post my runs, here.

Week #1 (July 13- July 17)

Monday- Didn’t start yet

Tuesday- 1/2 mile

Wednesday- 1 mile

Thursday- Rest

Friday- 30 minutes of cardio

Saturday- 2 miles

Week #2 (July 18-July 24)

Sunday- Stretch and Strengthen

Monday- 1.5 miles

Tuesday- 1 mile

Wednesday- 2 miles

Thursday- Rest

Friday- 30 minutes of cardio

Saturday- 2.75 miles (supposed to do 3, but it was super hot)

Week #3 (July 25-July 31)

Sunday- Stretch and Strengthen

Monday- 2 miles

Tuesday- 1 miles

Wednesday- 2 miles

Thursday- 3 miles

Friday- 2 miles

Saturday- Lake/Traveling

Week 4 (August 1-August 7)

Sunday- Stretch and Strengthen

Monday- 3 miles

Tuesday- 1 miles

Wednesday- 2 miles

Thursday- rest

Friday- 1 mile

Saturday- My first 5K!!

Week 5 (August 8-14)

Sunday- Stretch and Strengthen

Monday- 3 miles

Tuesday- p90x (Plyometrics)

Wednesday- 3 miles

Thursday- rest

Friday- cardio

Saturday- 4 miles

Week 6 (August 15-21)

Sunday- p90x (core synergistics)

Monday- 3.5 miles

Tuesday- p90x (plyometrics)

Wednesday- 3.5 miles

Thursday- cardio

Friday- Cardio

Saturday- rest (moved run to Sunday- Jason out of town)

Week 7 (August 22-28)

Sunday- 5 miles

Monday- Strength (p90x Chest and Arms)

Tuesday- 3.5 miles

Wednesday- 2 miles

Thursday- 3.5 miles

Friday- rest

Saturday- 5 miles

I am by no means fast, but I am beginning to really like running. I like that training has forced me to be disciplined. I am taking some products from Advocare to give me energy on my long runs and it so makes a difference. I am also watching what I eat and just enjoying the challenge.

Obviously, I am not being very consistent in blogging, but then again, the blog is about what you have done in your life.

SO, does the fact that I am not blogging much reveal that I am super busy having fun with my kids or that I am not doing anything worthy to write about?

Maybe a little of both!

I am planning on doing some posts about our last few weeks this weekend!

For now, I leave you with this……

Right before school got out last week, LuLu called to see if we wanted to skip the last half day and meet her at Myrtle Beach.

We didn’t have to think twice.

We took off after school on Wednesday and headed east. We drove to Columbia and got there about 1:30 am.

We were a little tired, but sooo ready to see the beach!

We had a great long weekend and stayed through Memorial Day.  We went to the same place we went to three years ago and had a great time visiting with “The cousins” which are LuLu’s amazing cousins. They are such precious people who love all over my kiddos and are just a pure joy to be around. You can see pictures from our last trip with them here.

We also got to spend some amazing time with our dear friends, the Swaffords. April called me on last Monday and said, “Guess where I am? The beach!” I said, “Which one?” and she replies, “Myrtle” to which I say, “SHUT UP, we are going to be there Thursday!!!!” I have no doubt God was all over this one in allowing our families much needed time together! We were phone tagging each other to figure out when we could do a weekend together this summer and low and behold….He already had it worked out!  April wrote about our time together, as well!

My precious girls. I am so proud of all they accomplished this past year. They are now a 3rd and 2nd grader!

Also, as my public service announcement, Landsend tugless bathing suits are AMAZING for girls! Modest, cute and no tugging!

Suits have been very hard to fit my girls and these worked great!

Bradley did a lot of this….

and this…

and he refuses to be left out of this….

I did a lot of this…..

Emery did a lot of this…..

and this….

and of course, this…

but, she really loves to do this….

Parker spent a lot of time doing this….

she also enjoys this….

and just being able to do this….

and this….

And, together they really love to…..

kid around…..

We were able to take some cleaned up beach pictures….

and I even got one with my man…..with whom I share a love of the beach…

This past weekend, Jason went to see the UT Vols play in the Sweet 16 in St. Louis.

Being the amazing husband that he is, he worked out the kids going to Knoxville to stay at LuLu’s for a few days!

To say I was excited would be an understatement!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my family. I am so satisfied in being their mommy and Jason’s wife.  I am incredibly thankful to be a mommy, period.  This month, nine years ago, I became pregnant with Parker after a long, painful, gut-wrenching journey.  I remember moments wondering if I would be a mom, ever be pregnant and the absolute desperation I felt at times, before the Lord.  Now, three children later, in the course of 4 years, I am finally feeling like I am coming out of the fog! I realize Bradley is four, but we have been in the whirlwind of young kiddos for a LONG time.  My greatest prayer, for my life, is that in all I do as a mom, as wife, that Jesus would be evident. I fail daily, on numerous occasions. I am selfish, I lose patience, I react. Yet, in the midst of that, my prayer is that I am present in the moment, I take it all in, that I realize, these days are short, but these moments are great.  I only have one shot to lay the foundation for their life….no pressure.

Being the mommy to three, my moments alone, not filled with errands or a to-do list, are few and far between.

So being presented with a weekend TO MYSELF, felt like hitting the lottery, when the pot is really astronomical!

I took the kids on Friday morning to meet halfway with Uncle Matt, and on my way back home, did a little leisurely shopping.  Then, I came home, and cleaned up the house.  My reason being because I need a sense of order to relax, and I planned on relaxing. Then, I watched a little pointless television.

I met up with my friend Ashley for more shopping and and dinner out. We grabbed a  movie and went to our friend Marty’s to watch.  I got home LATE! I never sleep good with Jason gone, so I was up LATER and finally went to sleep.

Of course, my plan was to sleep late.  But, the phone rang before 9 and I decided to get the day going.  I went and ran a few errands, grabbed some lunch and came back home.  It was such a beautiful day that I decided to go for a walk.  I walked about three miles and it was glorious.  Afterwards, I went to Sonic Happy Hour and grabbed some snacks!

The rest of my day was spent at home, reading, watching tv and DOING NOTHING.

I went and got the kids the next morning and we spent the day hanging out, watching the Vols lose by one point, taking naps and getting ready for school to start back from Spring Break.

I think that it is wise to take some time away from responsibilities, time constraints, and schedules.

I am thankful for my family.

I am also thankful for the times I have to remind me how thankful I am for my family.

Here is our Valentine’s Family Night from last year…in case you needed any ideas!

We had our third family night this week and it was good.  It had been a really taxing day for me, and I was not looking forward to all I needed to do once we got home from school, but we did it!

We decided to have a Valentine’s Day celebration.  This was an easy one, because there are tons of websites, blogs and magazine articles related to crafty ideas focused on the Day O’ Love.  Heaven knows, I am not a Creative Guru, and our motto is “Originality is Obscurity of the Source.” (Rick Jenkins)

I decided to make a fancy dinner, decorate with red and watch our wedding video.  Our children have never actually seen it, and honestly, it had a been a while for me, as well.  Parker’s verse at school this week was 1 John 4:12, “No one has never seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”  So, we talked about it at the table some.

How pretty are these strawberries??

How pretty are these strawberries?

Check out that technique of dipping the strawberry into the chocolate!

This is so simple to do, but looks super fancy!

Our table, before I added the chargers, dishes and food.

Our pink drinks, to add to the look of love.

Our fancy dinner consisted of baked spaghetti, garlic toast,strawberry applesauce and our drink!

Again, be in awe of how good these look, especially in a footed pedestal server.

I also through in some Ritz/Peanut Butter crackers, dipped in chocolate!

Bradley went for the crackers.

Loving the strawberry after declaring she would not like it.

Also, take note of the future orthodontic work that will be needed!!

During dinner, the girls told us what they love about each person in our family and a way they could show that person love this week.  Emery said she loved my hugs and kisses, which is funny because it such a game to see if she will let us kiss her!  They also loved that Bradley is wild, yet that is what they also get tired of after he tries to tackle them (out of his love for them) all afternoon!

Here are a few things I learned after watching our video:

1. 1997 Video Technology- NOT SO GOOD.
2. My music, while progressive at the time, or so I thought, included an organ.  Why?
3. My bridesmaids were hot!
4. I still get chills watching it.  Such an amazing day.  I have no doubt that I got a much better man than I deserved.
5. I would wear my dress again, which is no easy thing to say 12 years later!
6. It is a little confusing to an almost 3 year old to watch his parents get married. He kept asking “Where I are?”  Try explaining you were not born yet to an almost three year old!
7. Favorite Line- Parker says, “I didn’t know LuLu had those kind of clothes!”

All in all, it was a good family night!  What have you done with your family this week?

These days have gone by in a blur, but I have been able to take time to sit and think.

Words do not do justice to describe how I feel about Jesus.

I am in awe of His sacrifice for me, a sinner.

I am amazed at His mercies that are new every single morning.

I am overwhelmed by His love and grace.  I see too often what I am capable of when my thoughts are not renewed by His Word and His presence.

I am drawn to His forgiveness, His purity, His Holiness, His Majesty.

I am undone by His death that saved me from the pit and gives my life purpose each moment.

I am redeemed by His blood and free in the knowledge that He defeated sin and death and its sting will not rest on me.

I am joyful in His goodness, His beauty, and the peace that only He can give.

I am thankful that He drew me to Himself and changed my eternity.

I am His…

³ Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ^[a] ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

⁵ For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Today, I am thankful for my mom and dad.

I grew up in a home with boundaries, with consequences, with love, with family, with grace, with fun, with Jesus.

My parents recently moved close to Kim and I to be near our children…and us.  They want to make our lives easier, which they do on a

continual basis! I can talk to them, hang out with them, spend time with them and they treat us like we are adults.

They let our  husbands lead and stand beside what decision we make.

They want to leave a heritage of faith, unconditional love and family for us.

I think they are doing a great job.

My parents bless me beyond measure and I am so very thankful.

I have so many pictures to post, but Jason has most of them downloaded on his computer.  Isn’t that how is always happens!

So, I am going to post a few of the ones I do have.

We had a total blast.  We arrived on Saturday and headed straight to Magic Kingdom.  We spent the rest of the day there!  When we got to the hotel, we found that Bradley was broke out in some major hives.  He got his first dose of Benedryl.

Sunday we went to Hollywood Studio.  This was a good day. We were still figuring everything out and walked around aimlessly a lot.  I took Bradley to the First Aid station and almost to the walk in clinic but it was a 2 hour wait not including the shuttle waits and rides.  He was dazed most of this day, due to multiple doses of Benedryl.  I still have no IDEA what caused him to break out, but the rest of the week, he was broke out in itchy welps.  Poor guy.  He did have fun, though.  We loved the Toy Story Mania ride, Rock N Roll Rollercoaster (the adults, the kids we scarred for life on this one!), Star Wars ride, Playhouse Disney Show, Monsters Inc, Laugh In and the Army Men from Toy Story.  They were walking around and were really funny! We ate at the Prime Time Cafe and it was really fun and the food was good!  FANTASMIC! was amazing.  Bradley cried quite a bit, but he persevered, triumphed, suffered through it and enjoyed the end.

Monday we went to Epcot.  This was a great, long day.  We went to the Land exhibit first and got fast passes to Soarin’, which we LOVED.  LOVED.  We also toured the greenhouse. We also went to the Sea exhibit and  rode the Nemo ride and look at the Aquarium.  We ate at Coral Reef that night and it was all right. The food was good, but the atmosphere was not that big of a deal.  Some of our favorites were Test Track, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth and the character meet and greet.  When we finally made it to the Nations, we only had about an hour before our dinner reservation, and the girls were going to do the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure.  The dads totally ran with this while Ashley and I had Ryan and Bradley.  We barely made our reservation and didn’t see anything but Norway in the Nations.  When we finally finished dinner, the IllumiNations fireworks had started so we watched them and hustled to the bus stop.  This day was fun, but there is so much to do.  It seemed like we waited a lot to do our fast passes, but it was still a great day!

Tuesday we went to Animal Kingdom. More to come later….

Wednesday we were back at Magic Kingdom. More to come later……

Here is at least one picture from our trip!